Police are investigating a charge of rape against a taxi driver accused of raping two students enrolled at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU).

NMMU said in a statement on Friday its residence staff have been liaising with the students’ families as they return to their homes in Limpopo after their “horrific ordeal” earlier this week. Both students lived in residence.

“The University does not take these incidents lightly and is concerned at the rising number of our students affected by this heinous crime‚” the university said.

According to police reports‚ the students had taken a taxi to the Norwich bus station in order to return to university on Wednesday at about 6pm‚ but were instead abducted by the driver to the New Brighton area where both were raped. They were released at 6am the next day and managed to get help at a nearby shopping centre before reporting the crime to the police station.

In August‚ three suspects were arrested by police in connection with the hijacking‚ armed robbery‚ rape and murder of two NMMU students earlier that month.