On Friday 29 November the Mrwetyana family launched its Uyinene Mrwetyana Foundation. The foundation is named after the Rhodes University Director of Student Affairs Nomangwane Mrwetyana’s daughter, Uyinene Mrwetytana.
Uyinene (19) was a student at the University of Cape Town when she was raped and murdered on August 24, 2019 at the Clarenreich Post Office in Cape Town, by a post office employee Luyanda Botha who confessed to the crime and has been sentenced to three terms of life imprisonment.
At the launch, Nomangwane said the foundation would draw the positive from the tragic loss of her daughter and support the cause that was close to her heart. She mentioned that the foundation will focus on three main themes: Prevention of gender-based violence (GBV), holistic support of GBV victims, and development of youth leadership.
Nomangwane, who is still grieving, sent her condolences to the family of 19-year-old Limpopo student Precious Ramabulana, who was murdered a weekend prior to the foundation’s launch. Precious, who was studying at Capricorn TVET College's Ramokgopa Campus, was found stabbed to death in her off-campus room.
Rhodes University’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Development, Dr Peter Clayton, announced that the university has set up a master’s level scholarship for a candidate interested in gender-based violence research. The University of Cape Town has also pledged a scholarship named after Uyinene.
The launch started with a solidarity walk from Kingswood College into town (via High Street and African Street).