By Tenisha Taylor
On 25 February, a Stellenbosch University (SU) student was robbed of her bicycle at knifepoint on Dorp Street during peak-hour traffic, highlighting safety concerns for students living off campus.
Lena Wiroth, a first-year BCom (Management Sciences) student, was cycling home from campus at around 17:00 when an unidentified man blocked her path and demanded her bicycle. The incident occurred roughly 100 metres from her residence at Oude Rosenhof at the lower end of Dorp Street.
Wiroth, who cycles to and from campus daily, a journey that usually takes about 10 minutes, described that the robbery took place “along a narrow stretch of sidewalk bordered by a wall on one side and the road on the other”.
According to Wiroth, the man instructed her to dismount and threatened to stab her if she did not comply. “He told me to get off my bike and, while reaching into his pocket, said he was going to stab me if I didn’t give it to him,” she said. “He looked a bit drugged. He didn’t look like a normal person.” Fearing for her safety, she handed over the bicycle, after which the suspect fled the scene.
Despite occurring during busy peak-hour traffic with several people nearby, no bystanders intervened. Wiroth suggested the suspect’s calm demeanor may have made it hard for others to recognise the crime. “He was very calm,” she said. “If someone was just sitting in their car, it probably looked like I got off my bike, handed it over, and he ran away. There was no screaming or violence.”
While the robbery has not significantly affected her academic work, Wiroth said the experience has shaken her sense of safety when travelling alone. “Whenever I bike home now, I’m constantly looking around,” she said. “I don’t really feel safe outside when I’m by myself.”
At the time of publication, Stellenbosch Municipality had not responded to questions from Die Matie regarding safety measures in the area.
