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The event, which was streamed live on the University’s YouTube channel, underscored the critical responsibilities and leadership expectations of the SRC.
Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sibongile Muthwa, delivered an inspiring address, emphasizing the importance of integrity, servant leadership and a student-centric approach. Prof Muthwa congratulated the newly elected SRC and highlighted the significance of the investiture within the institution’s governance framework.
“The SRC is a product of the Higher Education Act and the statute of the University. Its transformation mandate should be anchored by the sentiments, ambitions and experiences of students on the ground,” she said.
She urged the SRC to lead with courage and authenticity, aligning with the University’s vision of being an African, student-centred institution.
Prof Muthwa also stressed the need for student leaders to embody Mandela University’s core values of diversity, excellence, Ubuntu, social justice and equality, integrity and environmental stewardship.
She called on the SRC to engage responsibly in leadership, balancing their roles with academic excellence and ensuring that they represent the interests of all students rather than political affiliations.
Addressing societal challenges, Prof Muthwa specifically pointed to the University’s ongoing work in the fight against gender-based violence (GBV) and sexual harm, urging the SRC to work alongside the insstitution’s leadership to combat these issues.
SRC President, Lathitha Mbuzwana, expressed his gratitude and commitment to serving the student body. Reflecting on the past three months at the helm of the SRC and the work done to date, he outlined initiatives aimed at improving student welfare, including securing accommodation for unfunded students, implementing meal-day initiatives, launching a bailout fund and providing dignified food parcels.
“Our theme for the year is ‘Empowering Students and Enhancing Communities’. When we empower students, we better our communities, and that is what we aim to achieve throughout our term in office,” he said.
Mbuzwana pledged that the SRC would continue working to create an inclusive and supportive campus environment, where every student feels valued and empowered to succeed.
While celebrating the SRC’s milestones to date, Mbuzwana also paid tribute to students who had recently passed away, reminding the audience of “the fragility of life and the need to live with purpose and compassion”.
He reaffirmed the SRC’s commitment to transparency, accountability and responsiveness in addressing student concerns.
Mbuzwana outlined the key focus areas of their term to include enhancing student support services, improving campus infrastructure, promoting diversity and inclusion, and fostering a strong sense of community among students.
Mbuzwana closed his address with a powerful quote from Nelson Mandela: “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
The investiture ceremony served as a call to action for the SRC to uphold the principles of servant leadership, ensuring that Mandela University remains a values-driven institution dedicated to student success and social transformation.