Katlego Makuwa was a 19-year-old student at Westcol TVET College (Carletonville Campus) in Gauteng, South Africa. She was an N4 Engineering student pursuing her studies while staying in student accommodation in Carletonville.
What Happened: On 25 May 2025, her lifeless body was discovered in her student accommodation. Reports indicate she was found in a pool of blood. It is alleged that she was brutally raped and then murdered.
The incident occurred in the housing where she was staying as a student. The caretaker of the accommodation was alleged to have been involved in the crime.
Early social media reports (around early June 2025) sometimes noted that no arrests had been made yet and called for the caretaker’s immediate arrest, while later posts confirmed an arrest had taken place. This is consistent with how such cases often happen: initial public outrage and pressure on police, followed by an arrest.
The case sparked significant outrage across South Africa, particularly among students, women’s rights groups, and activists highlighting gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide. Organizations like the South African Students Congress (SASCO) mourned her death and used it to call attention to safety issues in student housing. Memorial services and tributes were held, and she was laid to rest in early June 2025.
Current Status (as of 2026)
Detailed follow-up information on the court case, trial proceedings, or conviction is limited in publicly available mainstream coverage. This is unfortunately common in many GBV cases in South Africa unless they receive sustained national media attention. The case continues to be referenced in activism around violence against women
This was a deeply tragic and violent incident that affected her family, fellow students, and the wider community. It underscores ongoing concerns about the safety of young women in student residences and the prevalence of GBV.
People think grief is crying. But grief is waking up tired. It’s forgetting words. It’s being pulled into memories you didn’t ask to remember. It’s holding back tears in the grocery store because a song or a scent brought them back. Grief isn’t just sadness, it’s the body remembering what the heart can’t let go of.
@Blosept1 I was home in Kuruman for the tombstone unveiling of my 2 sibling, 2 uncles and my Grandmother. So the preparation was overwhelming and I needed a space to breath. I took a walk to the river behind our yard. The scenery was peaceful & beautiful and I thought i should capture it.