By By Kauthar Hayat & Ntozanele Libimbi
South Point student accommodation is refusing to divulge information regarding the death of a Wits student, Kago Moeng who allegedly committed suicide on Saturday by jumping off from the 6th floor of a South Point building.
“As much as you don’t want to hear it, we are not having this conversation,” South Point’s Marketing and Sales Coordinator, Khetha Msane said. “I am an eyewitness who represents the brand (South Point).”
“[We have made an agreement with the family] and we shall not say anything and let people talk,” Msane said when asked about his refusal to comment extensively on the issue.
When The Open Journal sought to inquire about the details of the agreement, Msane suddenly changed his tune. “Let’s not call it an agreement, it was a conversation between Khetha and the family,” he said.
Msane, who claimed that he is one of the few people having all the information on the case, said that South Point would rather have people talk and speculate amongst themselves than disclose any information about the matter.
When The Open Journal attempted to get comments from some of the tenants, security guards at the building slammed the door on the publication’s journalists and did not allow any of the students living there to speak to them.
While it is still unclear what led to Moeng’s suicide, Msane alluded to the cause not being related to mental health issues but he then refused to elaborate and abruptly ended the conversation.
In a Facebook post about the incident, South Point quoted Moeng’s unnamed “close friend” as saying that she “will be remembered for her welcoming smile and the positive impact that she had on the people closest to her.”
South Africans took to Twitter over the weekend to express their sorrow over the incident with some calling for increased dialogue on suicide prevention and mental health issues.
Lewy DaLyricist, a local musician, composed a song to pay tribute to Moeng. “When I saw the hashtag I was really sad. But when I saw the tweets, I got really mad,” Lewy said.
South Point announced on Facebook that it would be hosting a memorial service on Thursday at 17:30. “ We would like to extend an invitation on behalf of the Moeng family to pay your last respects to Kago,” the statement read. TOJ
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