The Durban University of Technology (DUT) community has been plunged into mourning following the tragic discovery of the body of 20-year-old student, Manqoba Mnyandu, who had been reported missing for more than a week.
Mnyandu, a third-year nursing student at DUT’s Indumiso Campus in Pietermaritzburg, was last seen on Tuesday last week. According to his roommate, he had left his student residence in Imbali to buy something from a nearby tuckshop but never returned. Shockingly, he had left behind his cellphone in his room, an unusual move that raised immediate concern among his friends and family.
When several hours passed without his return, his roommate reported his disappearance to the police. Mnyandu was last seen wearing a black cap, a light grey jacket, and brown trousers. For days, his family, fellow students, and community members anxiously hoped for his safe return. Unfortunately, those hopes were shattered when his body was discovered in a bush close to his residence on Thursday.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson, Colonel Robert Netshiunda, confirmed the grim discovery, saying investigations were underway. “The circumstances surrounding his death remain under investigation. An inquest docket has been opened while police continue to gather evidence,” he said. Authorities have not yet revealed whether foul play is suspected.
Mnyandu’s devastated family also confirmed his passing to The Witness, expressing their heartbreak at the loss of a young man who had been pursuing a career dedicated to caring for others.
The Durban University of Technology released a statement extending condolences to the grieving family and the wider student community. Alan Khan, DUT’s Senior Director of Corporate Affairs, said:
“On behalf of the University, we extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, classmates, and all who knew him. May his soul rest in peace.”
Khan also highlighted that the university community is grappling with multiple tragedies in a short space of time. Earlier in the same week, DUT lost another student, Sphiwokuhle Madela, a third-year Diagnostic Radiography student at the Steve Biko Campus. The deaths of two young students within days of each other have left the institution reeling.
“We recognise that this has been a very painful and tragic week for our community, and our thoughts and prayers are with everyone mourning the loss of both Mr Mnyandu and Mr Madela,” Khan added.
The loss of Mnyandu has not only left his family in despair but has also deeply affected his peers, many of whom described him as a dedicated and kind-hearted student with a bright future ahead. His untimely death has sparked conversations around student safety, mental health support, and the need for stronger protective measures for young people living away from home.
As police continue their investigation, the DUT community is left grappling with grief, unanswered questions, and the heavy weight of losing two promising lives in such a short span of time.
