Uyinene Mrwetyana’s killer in court for attempted rape – SABC News

The man convicted of the rape and murder of University of Cape Town (UCT) student Uyinene Mrwetyana is back in court today in another case.

Luyanda Botha will appear in the Wynberg Local Court after being charged with the attempted rape of a 21-year-old woman at a nursing school in Athlone in June 2014.

The state alleges that Botha visited the woman in the institution and attempted to rape her, but she resisted.

National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Eric Ntabazalila said: “He appeared in court on 10 June.^th May 2024 and his case was postponed to 7.^th of June 2024, where the State will proceed with the testimony of one of its witnesses.”

Mrwetyana’s murder

The High Court in Cape Town sentenced Botha to three life sentences for the murder of 19-year-old Mrwetyana.

She was killed while collecting mail at the Clareinch Post Office in Claremont in 2019.

Her murder sparked public outrage.

Speaking at the annual Uyinene Mrwetyana Lecture in Makhanda, Eastern Cape, in March this year, Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka said one way to combat gender-based violence was to give male boys the opportunity to embrace their femininity and overcome social norms that make men feel this is a sign of weakness.

The memorial lecture was launched in 2019 to honour Uyinene and to empower young people to stand up against gender-based violence.

Gcaleka appealed to parents to consciously remove gender attributions at home and, above all, to give their children the opportunity to develop into ethical people.

VIDEO | Murderer and rapist of Uyinene Mrwetyana sentenced to three life sentences: