The Western Cape Health Department is working closely with the Salt River mortuary to expedite the post mortem results to establish the cause of death of a 21-year-old nursing student.
The body of Sinovuyo Yusi, a first-year Western Cape College of Nursing student, was discovered in his dormitory room on Monday November 12, after security noticed blood seeping out under his door into the passage. The body was already decomposing.
According to Manenberg SAPS spokesperson, Captain Ian Bennett, Sinovuyo was found with “fatal injuries to his upper body”.
“It is speculated that he succumbed to serious injuries to his upper body and bled to death a few days prior, as the body was in an advance stage of decomposition. An inquest has been registered for investigation to determine the cause of death,” Captain Bennett said.
It is believed that Sinovuyo was last seen alive on Wednesday November 7.
On Wednesday November 14, Health MEC, Nomafrench Mbombo, visited the nursing college in Heideveld, were she met Sinovuyo’s family and the Student Representative Council (SRC), staff, as well as representatives of Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) – under whose auspices the nursing college falls – to offer her condolences and support. She was joined by Dr Tendani Mabuda, the director of the nursing college.
Sinovuyo’s death left the staff and students baffled, and Ms Mbombo asked that everybody give their co-operation during the police investigation.
“Counselling services are available to the students and staff. I would like to ask that we allow the processes and be available when police want to conduct interviews. It is difficult for us to speculate, even though there are a lot of unanswered questions. As the Western Cape government, we are here to share our condolences with the family and students,” Dr Mbombo said.
Dr Mabuda said they were trying to find out why it took so long for Sinovuyo’s body to be discovered. “We have staff who clean the passages, staircases and toilets,noting that they do not work over weekends. We would have expected someone to pick up a smell. We are baffled by that – why no-one noticed a smell before.”
He added that security at the college would be beefed up. “We are revisiting the video surveillance system and will be making sure that it is working to the best of its ability,” Dr Mabuda said.
Funeral arrangements can only be made once the post-mortem has been concluded.
Anyone with information regarding this incident can contact Manenberg SAPS at 021 699 9400 or Crime Stop at 08600 10111.