The University of Pretoria officially launched its 2026 Student Representative Council (SRC) election campaign on Monday 20 July, with students, staff, and campus societies gathering in the Piazza to mark the opening of candidate nominations. The event transformed the Piazza into a vibrant showcase of student leadership, with gazebos representing residences, day houses, faculty houses, student societies, and support services. TuksFM provided the soundtrack for the afternoon while presenters Anashe Samukange and Katlego Kau kept the programme moving.
In the official election announcement the Director of Student Affairs, Dr Kgadi Mathabathe, called on students to “switch Citizen Mode:ON” and consider running for office. She described the SRC as “the university’s highest student governance structure” where members “represent student interests, raise concerns, contribute to institutional conversations, and help shape the student experience”. Students interested in participating in the election have until Monday 3 August at 16:00 to submit their nominations through the Student Leadership Dashboard on the UP Portal. The announcement concluded with a call: “Step forward. Stay informed. Make your voice count.”
Supporting the day’s programme was FLY@UP, who co-ordinated the event on behalf of the Department of Student Affairs. FLY@UP co-ordinator Tayla Jonker explained that the initiative was designed to bring student and support structures together, saying that FLY@UP had “arranged and reached out to the student structures and the support structures to get everyone here today”. She stressed that “voting is really important” because it allows students to know their leaders, hold them accountable, and ensure students feel supported throughout their university journeys.
Representatives from faculty houses highlighted their role in connecting students with their academic communities. Treasure Akewusola of NAT House said that faculty houses “bridge the gap between the students… [and] the faculty admins and faculty heads”, ensuring that student concerns are effectively represented. House Humanities Chairperson Alwande Hlabisa agreed that Faculty Houses provide students with relatable peer support, describing them as “a bridge between the students’ lecturers as well as the other structures”.
Student societies also demonstrated the diversity of opportunities available outside lecture halls. Thando Survin, Golden Key Manager and General Committee Member, explained that Golden Key “tries to motivate the fellow student community” while promoting academic excellence, community outreach, and leadership. Koketso Matheyane of the Student Sport Committee highlighted the wide range of sporting codes available to students and encouraged prospective leaders to begin by serving as general committee members. Representing STUKU, Morena Mlangeni said that the society exists “to connect students… [and] bridge the gap between academics and [student life]”, encouraging everyone to become involved in student leadership and upcoming cultural events. RAG Chairperson Aobakwe Moreki said their society’s purpose is “to give back to the wider community of Pretoria, as well as the student community” while creating opportunities for students to participate in meaningful community engagement.
Leaders from the university’s day houses reinforced the message that student life extends beyond residence. Bao Dinh Le, Chairperson of Luminous, said that the day house aims to inspire “compassionate, competent UP students that look out for each other”. Hanno Bornman, who oversees Internal Culture and Fundraising for Dregeana, explained that day houses give students who do not live in residences “the same exact opportunities” to participate in sport, culture, and campus activities. Docendo Day House Chairperson Lwandzile Dlamini said that events like the Piazza activation help students access important resources, while Vice-Chairperson Unam Xungu described day houses as “a middleman between off-campus students and campus”. Vividus Chairperson Suzét le Grange described her day house as “a massive community of students” where there is “a place for them to come and enjoy student life”.
Residence leaders echoed similar themes of belonging, leadership, and community. State President Stuart Tyrrell of Tuks Ekhaya said residence life offers students opportunities “to meet people, to network, and to develop more friendships”. Erica Chairperson Aimée Barnard said events like these ensure students begin the semester knowing that “they have the support necessary [for the semester]”. Tristen Prinsloo, Chairperson of Mopane, highlighted the importance of celebrating leadership across campus, while Vuyiswa Nsibande, Head of Wellbeing and Transformation at Ikageng Residence, said that the event motivates students to pursue leadership because it “does, kind of, play a very important role in the university”. Rochellé le Roux, Chairperson of Madelief, explained that students need opportunities “to know who represent them”, while Amasia Mokoraki, Chairperson of College, said that the gathering allowed “all the student leaderships around” to come together and celebrate student leadership.
Current SRC Deputy Secretary Elovuyo Makohliso encouraged aspiring leaders to put themselves forward, explaining that the opening of nominations marks the start of the election process and calling on “all leaders, student leaders out there, anyone who thinks they can be part of the SRC” to stand for election. He described the SRC as an important student body that represents the interests of all students and encouraged prospective candidates to “run for SRC, and lead, and make a difference”.
Representing the Independent Elections Management and Consulting Agency of Africa (EMCA), Founder and CEO Lulu White explained that EMCA is responsible for facilitating the university’s SRC elections – from managing nominations and candidate verification to publishing candidate lists, overseeing objections, conducting debates, and ensuring students are informed throughout the election process. She explained that candidate nominations are reviewed against the election requirements, that provisional candidate lists are published, and that students are given opportunities to engage with candidates through manifestos and debates before voting takes place. She encouraged students to stay informed through their university email and official communication platforms as the election period progresses. All official announcement and information on this year’s SRC election is available at Citizen Mode:ON SRC Elections
Together with TuksFM’s live coverage and the enthusiasm displayed by many student structures present, the launch embodied the campaign’s central message – Citizen Mode:ON.
