By Roosje Grobbelaar, Emma Giles and Emma Olivier on 24 September
An interim SU Students’ Representative Council (SRC) will be inaugurated on 30 September, amidst unanswered questions about a candidate. On 29 August the election for the 2025/2026 SRC concluded. The elected SRC was announced on 1 September. One of the candidates, Ben Anderson, who received an outright majority vote, was disqualified on 5 September. Authoritative sources have confirmed that Anderson was disqualified following a complaint submitted to the Student Electoral Committee (SEC). The SEC, which is responsible for overseeing the election process, has not yet disclosed to the public what the complaint entailed nor the reason for Anderson’s disqualification.
To date, 24 September, all documents regarding the SRC election are not available to the public through the official SU website as they require access through request. These documents include the “SRC General Election Results Report 2025”, “Caucus Rules 2025” and the “Election Rules 2025”.
Anderson issued a statement on his Instagram story on 9 September noting, “On the 5th of September, the SEC unduly disqualified me from the 2025 SRC election and removed me from the SRC. Whilst at the time I cannot publicly elaborate on the details of the case, I trust the SU legal system and my legal team will deliver a just outcome.” The statement continued, “I am appealing the SEC’s decision in the Stellenbosch University Student Court, in order to be reinstated to the SRC and begin the important work of making real change to my fellow students.” According to their website, “the Student Court is responsible for the resolution of student disputes, inter-society disputes and SRC constitutional matters.” The SEC chose to not provide comment regarding the case and the members involved.
Anderson received 2 703 votes. Emilio Botes came second, with 1 840 votes. While this year’s election saw the biggest voter turnout in years, only 5 075 students cast their votes out of 33 016 eligible voters, as reported at the official announcement of the election results. This means that only 15,3% of the student body used their voices in choosing student leaders.
Anderson’s SRC campaign drew attention to the fact that the SRC has not published a budget since their 2022/2023 term. According to Anderson, the SRC receives around R970 000 annually to spend on projects that will benefit the students, in addition to the individual remuneration allocated to each member, the details of which are not available to the public.
To date, 24 September, the SEC has not released a public statement on social media or other platforms providing reasons for Anderson’s disqualification. They did, however, announce on 8 September on the Maties Elections Instagram page that the vacant seat will be filled by Lihle Baleka, despite Anderson’s appeal to the student court still being under consideration. At the time of writing, the post is still on the page, with no other communication relating to Anderson’s disqualification. Baleka previously served the SRC during the 2024/2025 year as the Women and Queer Empowerment Portfolio Manager, and also chaired its corresponding committee.
However, on 19 September the Division Student Affairs (DSAf) sent an official newsletter email to all students. The email stated that the Rector and Vice Chancellor, Prof. Deresh Ramjugernath, “has appointed an interim SRC to ensure the continuity of student governance and representation on university bodies”. According to the DSAf newsletter, this “decision was taken in accordance with Section 28(1)(c) of the Stellenbosch University Statute, and in response to the current inability of the elected [SRC] to function due to the Student Court’s interdict in Anderson v Students’ Representative Council and Others (11 September 2025). The interdict prevents the SRC from electing a Chairperson and Executive Committee. […] This interim structure will remain in place until the Student Court resolves the disqualification dispute and the elected SRC can fully assume its duties. The interim SRC is authorised to convene meetings, fill necessary positions, and participate in university governance structures.”
The 2024/2025 SRC was also an interim committee throughout their term.
The new 2025/2026 interim SRC does not include Baleka. Simiso Langa, Prim Committee Chairperson for 2024/2025, has been appointed as the interim SRC Chairperson. She is an external appointee and did not run for SRC in the recent elections. The internal SRC executive caucus took place on 22 September where the interim executive team was selected and announced.
The Economic Freedom Fighters Youth Command (EFFYC) of SU issued a public statement on 5 September, questioning Anderson’s ability to represent all students, due to him endorsing two other candidates and being a member of the Democratic Alliance Student Organisation (DASO) and upholding personal values consistent with that of the Democratic Alliance (DA). The SEC has not yet publicly provided a reason for his disqualification.
According to a public statement by DASO SU on 9 September, “Ben ran as an independent candidate, as per the Student Electoral Act, and is also a DASO member. […] Obstructing democracy in any context is wrong and we cannot accept it on our campus. […] By unjustly disqualifying the candidate with the most votes, the SEC has erased the democratic voices of 2 703 voters, and has jeopardised trust in the entire electoral process. ”
Members of the South African Student Congress (SASCO), from the ANC Youth League (ANCYL), distributed a poster on their WhatsApp statuses that read, “ANCYL Western Cape Province congratulat[es] SASCO Stellenbosch University for their victory in the SRC Elections, where they secured 4 out of 9 seats.”
An EFFYC member, Liyema Langa, shared a WhatsApp status on 1 September that read, “We will moerrr this Ben Anderson demanding an apology letter!”
When Die Matie asked for comment on this remark, Langa said on behalf of the EFFYC, “The EFFYC was not aware of this matter, and it does not represent our position or values. The EFFYC upholds its dignity through values, morals and revolutionary discipline. We reject any suggestion that we endorse threats, intimidation, or conduct that undermines our standards.”
Regarding the WhatsApp status, Anderson told Die Matie, “This is a confusing and concerning statement […]. Neither DASO [nor] myself have at any point in this process demanded an apology letter from anyone.”
The EFFYC, DASO and SASCO are not political parties in and of themselves, but student movements functioning under the constitutional frameworks of their parent parties.
This is a developing story.
Crazy EFFYC comment😳, with no repercussions..?
EFFYC didn’t break dont talk about our gravy train (budget) rule.
I don’t know if it’s bureaucracy or just enough layers to cover up the evils within, but it is still worrying, because I feel as a student, I would want someone that has a relationship with a political party, because it shows that this person may have a larger understanding of politics, but more important, experience. And I think if they disqualified him because of his relationship with the DA, I think it’s wildly strange. The world is a political place, and you can’t hide from it.
I don’t necessarily think that it is to do with his relationship with the DA, but I think it’s clear that the majority that he won with brings attention to the failing to publish a budget. That leads me to think someone internally, not necessarily someone on the SRC, is stealing money and that this can be a big scandal. I just wish that these hearings could be public so that we as students understand what’s going on or at least see who takes responsibility for this issue and not only get random emails or ambiguous emails. I think this may be a bigger situation or at least just the tip of an iceberg.