Family Speaks & Rhodes Flies Flag at Half Mast After Tragic Death of Raped Student, March Tomorrow

Rhodes University Vice Chancellor, Dr Sizwe Mabizela, lowered the University flag this morning in commemoration of third year Bachelor of Arts student, Khensani Maseko’s tragic passing on Friday, 03 August 2018. The flag will fly at half-mast until her funeral on Thursday.

Khensani passed away by suicide, four days after she had reported a rape, which allegedly took place in May. According to rumours on social media, the 23-year-old was raped by a former boyfriend, who was a fellow Rhodes student and hails from Durban.

In a heartbreaking message on Instagram, on the day she died, Khensani posted an image of her date of birth… and her date of death, together with the caption: “No one deserves to be raped!!”

The University said in a statement today that last Monday, when Khensani reported the rape, they had immediately made contact with her family who “travelled the next day from Johannesburg to Grahamstown for a meeting where they elected to take Khensani home for a while.”

It was also agreed at the meeting that Rhodes University would follow up on the matter.

Khensani was due to return to the University for a meeting with the support and investigation team today. Instead she is no longer with us, and a notice to suspend the alleged perpetrator was issued this morning.

The University, working with the South African Police (SAPS) and the National Prosecuting Authority, says it is pushing for an inquest into Khensani’s death.

The University promised that her tragic passing will not mark an end to the investigation into the circumstances leading to her death.

The University’s academic programme was today substituted by a jointly conceived alternative programme of awareness-raising and education on sexual/gender-based violence… in order to allow the University community time to mourn and to provide counselling and other interventions.

Additional counsellors were mobilised to offer support to those triggered by the incident; and any tests and assignments have been rescheduled for next week, said Rhodes.

A University community team has also been set up to develop an ongoing programme to raise awareness and strengthen the fight against gender-based violence at the University.

Tomorrow – Tuesday, 07 August – a march to the Settlers Monument is planned. The monument is where the University traditionally holds its graduation ceremonies and where Khensani would have rounded off her journey through Rhodes University.

Maseko was born in 1995 and was a natural born leader with a passion for law, who served in the SRC at Rhodes University. Last year she was crowned Miss Varsity Shield 2017/18. She was also on the 2018 Rhodes Independent Electoral Board and Chairperson of KNM.

Her future was bright…

The issue of sexual consent will be discussed in a series of talks tomorrow, which will be open to everyone on campus.

“As the Rhodes University community, we are deeply saddened by Khensani’s passing and would like to extend our sincerest condolences to her family, loved ones, and everyone that knew her.

“Her death underlines the pervasive scourge of gender-based violence in our society. We have been robbed of an amazing young woman who was destined to make a significant impact on our society and beyond.

“We hope that this tragic incident will allow the University an opportunity to reflect and to engage, even deeper, on how we must pull together as a University and society to eliminate the scourge of gender-based violence once and for all. This is the most fitting and lasting tribute we can give Khensani,” said Dr Mabizela.

Family Statement

Khensani’s heartbroken family have also released the following statement today: ”

We as a family would like to express our gratitude for the overwhelming support, messages of condolences, love and remembrance we have received and are continuing to receive from all corners of South Africa.

On Friday 3 August 2018, Khensani passed away by taking her own life, devastating her family, friends and the larger community of colleagues and peers. As a family, we do not take lightly the circumstances leading up to Khensani’s death.

We would like to explicitly express that we condemn, in the strongest possible terms, any form of violence and abuse against women and more particularly rape against women. We urge that the law should be allowed to take its course.

In the days leading up to her funeral and final home-going, we wish, as a family to be afforded an opportunity to mourn and grieve the passing of our loved one in private.

As we prepare for her burial taking place on Thursday, 9 August 2018, let us reflect on Khensani’s legacy and the work we must do to keep it (legacy) alive.

May Khensi’s soul rest in eternal peace.

Khensani’s Heartbreaking Last Message on Instagram:

https://instagram.com/p/BmBDtNglyZh/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_loading_state_control

One of her last messages on Twitter, on the day of her death, was: “When people ask for help… help them.”

MORE: Rhodes’ student’s suicide shocks South Africans – no one deserves to be raped!!

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IMPORTANT ADVICE AND NUMBERS (Source: Twitter)