Jim Mohlala|Published
A 19-year-old woman has appeared in court on attempted murder and arson charges after a male student, also 19, was allegedly set alight and his room torched at off-campus student accommodation in Stellenbosch.
The incident happened on Sunday, 18 October 2026, at a premises in Lackay Street, Cloetesville. The injured student was taken to hospital for treatment, while the case against the accused has been postponed to Monday, 26 October, for a bail application.
Western Cape police confirmed that both arson and attempted murder cases had been registered for investigation. Neither police nor Stellenbosch University has confirmed the motive for the alleged attack.
Woman appears in court on attempted murder and arson charges
Western Cape SAPS spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Frederick van Wyk confirmed that police were investigating the incident.
“Kindly be advised that an arson and an attempted murder case was registered at Cloetesville SAPS for investigation following an incident on Sunday at a premises in Lackay Street, Cloetesville, in which a 19-year-old male was injured,” he said.
Van Wyk added that the injured student was taken to hospital for medical treatment.
“The injured victim was transported to a nearby hospital for medical treatment,” he said.
According to Van Wyk, the 19-year-old female suspect appeared in the Stellenbosch Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, 20 October.
“The 19-year-old female was arrested and appeared in the Stellenbosch Magistrate’s Court yesterday for the mentioned charges.”
The case was postponed to Monday, 26 October, for a bail application.
Unverified reports and screenshots circulating online suggest that the two were former partners. However, neither police nor Stellenbosch University has confirmed this, and the motive for the alleged attack has not been made public.
Stellenbosch University offers support to students
Stellenbosch University (SU) said it was deeply concerned by the incident and confirmed that the injured student was receiving treatment in hospital.
In a statement to IOL Media, university spokesperson Martin Viljoen said the accommodation was not owned or managed by the university.
Staff from SU’s Commuter Student Communities Unit had visited the injured student in hospital and met with students living at the same premises to offer support.
The university said its duty of care extended to all students involved and that staff had also enquired about the welfare of the student who had been arrested.
Dr Leslie van Rooi, SU’s Dean of Students, said the impact of such an incident extended beyond those directly involved.
“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,” he said.
Van Rooi said the university recognised the distress the incident could cause and was ensuring that affected students had access to support.
Counselling support available to affected students
Students affected by the incident are urged to contact the Centre for Student Counselling and Development (CSCD) on +27 21 808 4994 or the 24-hour crisis line on +27 10 205 3032 for confidential support.