The family of a University of Venda (Univen) student who was found dead in his room over the weekend remains baffled by his death and is desperately seeking answers to come to terms with what happened.
Vhutshilo Munyai, from Halambani Nzanwe outside Thohoyandou, stayed at one of Univen's accredited off-campus residences in Golgotha. He was last seen alive on Thursday, 27 March, after attending a lecture at around 16:30.
Concerned about his absence and the fact that he had not been seen for two days, an alert security guard decided to check on his room on Saturday afternoon. Finding the door unlocked, the guard entered and was met with the shocking sight of Munyai's lifeless body on the bed.
The circumstances surrounding his death remain a mystery as no one knows what transpired before he passed away.
Family spokesperson Talifhani Netshitavhadulu said the family was informed of his passing at around 19:00 that Saturday. "Our son was studying at Univen and staying at a residence in Golgotha. We were shocked when a delegation from the university arrived at our home to break the sad news," she said.
Netshitavhadulu added that, to their surprise, the body had already been taken to the mortuary before they had an opportunity to see it. When they questioned this, they were told that the body had been removed to prevent other students from being traumatised.
The family has since requested CCTV footage to try to determine what happened. "When other family members went to his room, they found a significant amount of blood on his belongings. He had a wound on his face, and his blankets and mattress were soaked in blood," she said.
Netshitavhadulu said the circumstances surrounding his death had left them with many unanswered questions. "Looking at the state he was in, we strongly believe he was attacked before he died. His body was already in a state of decomposition," she said.
She also appealed for assistance with the burial as the family is struggling financially.
"Vhutshilo was the breadwinner in our home. He would even use part of his NSFAS funds, which were meant for his upkeep, to support his mother. The worst part is that the case has not been registered as a murder, even though there was blood in his room," she said.
Univen spokesperson Dr Takalani Dzaga said that after being alerted about the incident, university officials had gone to the residence.
"We immediately dispatched officials to formally inform the family of his passing. The scene was left in the care of the police, and while the delegation was still at the family home, we were informed that the body had been taken away by the police—something we had no control over. We are working closely with the family to ensure our student receives a dignified send-off," he said.
Dzaga added that the university had reached out to the family and sought assistance for funeral arrangements. "Fortunately, some individuals have already pledged their full support in terms of burial and catering," he said.
Vhembe SAPS spokesperson W/O Vuledzani Dathi said that the death of the young man was under investigation. He confirmed that the family was present when the post-mortem was conducted on 1 April. At this stage, the case is not being investigated as a murder, but this may change, depending on the post-mortem results and whether these indicate possible foul play.