The election of Stellenbosch University’s (SU) Students Representative Council (SRC) chairperson and vice-chairperson for 2020/2021 successfully concluded via an online caucus, this week.
Postgraduate student Xola Njengele was elected as SRC chairperson on 2 September, and final-year student Kira Alberts was elected as SRC vice-chairperson on 3 September, for the upcoming leadership term.
“Xola Njengele, a postgraduate student in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences was elected as chairperson by the members of the incoming SRC,” said Martin Viljoen, SU spokesperson.
Njengele, who also serves on the outgoing SRC as the chairperson of the Academic Affairs Council, said that the online election was a great space to hold thought-provoking discussions.
“It was a phenomenal experience, there were so many students who attended and critically engaged with us on pertinent issues and interrogated the leaders running for SRC,” said Njengele.
Xola Njengele, the newly-elected chairperson of the Stellenbosch University (SU) Students’ Representative Council (SRC) for 2020/2021 said he is looking forward to leading through a coordinated effort. PHOTO: Instagram/ Stellenbosch Uni
“Hit the road running”
He added that one of his key objectives as the newly elected chairperson is to strengthen the understanding of the SRC structure which has been a hindrance to “hitting the ground running” in previous years.
“Having been privileged enough to be part of the previous SRC, I come with that knowledge to ensure that we actually hit the road running and not spend too much time assimilating with the structure itself,” said Njengele.
Similar backgrounds
According to Alberts, a final-year student studying a BA in International Studies, she and Njengele have worked together on the BA Student Committee (BASC) and United Nations Association of South Africa (UNASA) collaborations in the past.
“I think coming from similar backgrounds and societies where we worked on issues that we are both passionate about, gives us a great foundation to build on,” said Alberts.
The newly-elected vice-chairperson of the SRC, Kira Alberts, said that she is looking forward to working towards creating a tangible difference on campus during the 2020/2021 term. PHOTO: Supplied/Kira Alberts.
As vice-chairperson, Alberts will be responsible for the internal relations of the SRC.
“We need to ensure that each member is given the space and tools to achieve their goals and I want to facilitate that for the team,” said Alberts.
Working together
In a statement to MatieMedia, SU rector and vice-chancellor, prof Wim de Villiers said that he is looking forward to working with the incoming SRC on the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We must continue working on our cohesion as a university community, especially now that we are physically apart and experiencing all kinds of pressures on the social fabric of our broader society,” said De Villiers.