The UWC student accused of trying to kill his wife has a pending case of rape.
This was revealed at his first court appearance on Monday.
Ntembeko Myalo, 32, was arrested on Saturday after male students managed to grab him minutes after he allegedly stabbed his wife Sinoxolo, 26, a Cape Peninsula University of Technology student, 11 times at the South Point residence in Belhar.
The incident was caught on camera. Sinoxolo was taken to Tygerberg Hospital.
Myalo appeared in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court where a number of students filled the public gallery.
He entered the courtroom with stitches in his head and marks on his face.
The state is opposing bail and said the accused has no previous convictions, but has a pending matter of rape which was postponed to December 4.
Myalo said through his legal aid lawyer that he would like to apply for bail in the attempted murder case.
The matter was postponed for bail information.
Sinoxolo’s colleague Kabelo Ramapholo said: “We work with her in the Peer Helper programme where we offer counselling. She is a very kind, quiet person. We were shocked that this happened to her, especially that she is a leader of the student residence.
“We only knew about the violence in her relationship after this incident.”
Ramapholo said Sinoxolo may have been unaware that Myalo was in the residence.
He says: “We did our investigation and found out that he was signed in by his friends. We assume they didn’t know he was armed with two knives. This is traumatising, Sino works with students who need counselling.”
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za