Speakers on Thursday 18 June mourned the terrible loss of the vibrant and academically talented third-year Rhodes University student, Khanya Ndimba.
Speakers on Thursday 18 June mourned the terrible loss of the vibrant and academically talented third-year Rhodes University student, Khanya Ndimba.
Ndimba died in the early hours of Saturday 13 June in a hit-and-run incident in New Street, Grahamstown. Her memorial service was held at Rhodes University on Thursday 18 June shortly after midday.
Some of Ndimba's friends joined Rhodes Director of Student Affairs, Dr Colleen Vassiliou, in welcoming around 350 people to the Chapel of St Mary and All the Angels to pay tribute to the final-year B.Comm student.
"Khanya was one of a kind in our family," her uncle, Colby Nikelo, told the gathering. On behalf of the family he praised Rhodes University for what he described as a caring attitude.
"As a family we admire and treasure this ubuntu," he said.
Vice-Chancellor Sizwe Mabizela said the University Council had held a minute of silence for Ndimba. He said he had wondered, with tears in his eyes, "why such tragedies happen to some of our best students".
He said in her first year she had passed all her subjects with marks of 70% and above.
Meanwhile police said the young man who handed himself in to the police station hours after the incident was also a third-year Rhodes student, also 20 years old and studying commerce.
"The student briefly appeared in the Grahamstown Magistrate’s Court on Monday 15 June on charges of culpable homicide," Grahamtsown Police spokesperson Captain Mali Govender said.
Ndimba was walking with two friends to buy snacks after studying in the University library.
"It is alleged that the 20-year-old victim was in the company of two others when a vehicle travelling at high speed overtook another and ran her over," Govender said.
Police said the driver of the vehicle stopped and both the driver and passenger fled the scene. Ndimba died at the scene of the incident, around 3.40am Govender said.
On Saturday a young man, accompanied by a parent, reported to the Grahamstown police station, Govender added.
She said the student was released on R500 bail and the case had been remanded to 21 July 2015 for further investigation.
Rhodes University media relations officer, Catherine Deiner, said the funeral for the third-year Rhodes University student would take place on Saturday 20 June at 9am at Nangoza Jebe Hall (Centenary Hall) in Port Elizabeth.
sue@grocotts.co.za
