Housemate kicks down door to save Stellenbosch student from ‘arson attack’ by ex-girlfriend

Share current article via EmailShare current article via FacebookShare current article via TwitterShare current article via LinkedInYoliswa SobuwaSenior Reporter

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A 19-year-old Stellenbosch University student is recovering in hospital after allegedly being set alight by his former girlfriend while sleeping in his room at an off-campus student residence.

The first-year student’s housemates, who rushed to his rescue after hearing his desperate screams and discovering smoke billowing from his bedroom, now fear his injuries could prevent him from writing his upcoming examinations.

His 19-year-old former girlfriend has since been arrested and charged with attempted murder and arson.

Speaking to the Sunday Times on Thursday, a first-year student who asked to remain anonymous described the terrifying moments leading up to the incident on Sunday morning.

He said the residence, situated in Cloetesville, Stellenbosch, was divided into two sections, with nine bedrooms occupied by female students and four by male students.

What began as a quiet Sunday morning quickly turned into a nightmare when he spotted a young woman who stays in the female section allegedly attempting to slide burning paper underneath her former boyfriend’s bedroom door.

“The house was quiet when we heard repeated knocks that woke us up. I went out and saw the ex-girlfriend trying to slide a burning paper under the victim’s door. I asked her what was wrong, but she did not respond. I stopped her and went to the kitchen, where I stayed for a while,” he said.

Moments later, piercing screams shattered the silence.

“I heard him screaming, and we rushed to his room. Only three of us were in the boys’ section. As we approached his room, we saw smoke coming from inside. His door was locked, and he could not find his keys. I managed to kick the door open,” he said.

Inside the smoke-filled bedroom, they found the student standing next to a burning mattress. One side of his body had caught fire.

“There was a lot of smoke inside the room, and the mattress was burning. He had burns on the side of his body,” the housemate said. They managed to extinguish the fire.

An incident of this nature can have a significant emotional impact, not only on those directly involved, but also on their housemates and other students.

The injured student was rushed to hospital for medical treatment.

The housemate said they suspected the former girlfriend had managed to slide burning material underneath the door, which could have ignited the student’s bedding while he was asleep.

However, the exact circumstances that caused the fire remain the subject of a police investigation.

According to the housemate, the two students were both in their first year at university and were believed to have started dating around August.

He alleged that the injured student had ended their relationship last Monday, less than a week before the incident.

The housemate said the attack had left students at the residence shaken and concerned about their safety.

They were particularly worried about their injured housemate’s academic future, with exams approaching and uncertainty over whether he would recover sufficiently to sit for his papers.

“We have been left traumatised by what happened,” he said.

Stellenbosch University confirmed that a student had been injured in an alleged arson incident at off-campus accommodation over the weekend.

“The university is deeply concerned about a serious incident reported at off-campus student accommodation over the weekend, in which a student’s room was allegedly set alight,” the institution said.

“A student was injured and is receiving treatment in hospital. SU understands that another student has been arrested in connection with the incident.”

The university said the accommodation was privately owned and was neither managed nor operated by the institution.

It said staff from its Commuter Student Communities Unit had visited the injured student in hospital and met with other students living at the premises to provide support.

The institution had also enquired about the welfare of the arrested student.

“An incident of this nature can have a significant emotional impact, not only on those directly involved, but also on their housemates and other students,” said Stellenbosch University’s dean of students, Dr Leslie van Rooi.

“The university recognises the distress this can cause, and we are making sure that affected students have access to the support they need.”

Western Cape police spokesperson Lt-Col FC van Wyk confirmed that cases of attempted murder and arson had been opened at Cloetesville police station following the incident on Lackay Street on Sunday.

He said a 19-year-old man sustained injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital.

“A 19-year-old female was arrested and appeared in the Stellenbosch magistrate’s court on Tuesday for the mentioned charges. The case was postponed to Monday next week for a bail application,” Van Wyk said.

As the criminal investigation continues, the injured student’s housemates are grappling with the trauma of witnessing the aftermath of the fire, while hoping their friend recovers in time to continue his studies.