By Emma Giles
Tone-deaf, ineffective and sellouts. This is how The Economic Freedom Fighters Youth Command (EFFYC) and the Western Cape branch of the South African Student Congress (SASCO), both registered Stellenbosch University (SU) societies, described the Student Representative Council (SRC) of SU in their joint statement on 19 February 2026 on Instagram.
What is the context behind these claims and animosity? What did the SRC do?
SRC address students at a mass meeting. The session was arranged by the SRC to discuss registration and accommodation issues. Photo: Leah Falcon
On 25 February, Simiso Langa, the interim SRC Chairperson, said to Die Matie in response to questions regarding this statement, “Every student is entitled to determine their thoughts and opinions of the SRC. Regardless of the public sentiment, the SRC remains committed to fulfilling its mandate and prioritising the needs and well-being of all students in the most apt manner”.
To make sense of recent events on campus during February, Die Matie outlines the SRC’s actions and responses regarding registration, student debt, financial blocks, bursaries, insufficient funding, and student accommodation. This includes an SRC mass meeting, letters of demand to the SU Rectorate, communiques to students, and internal SRC meetings.
The SRC’s position
The SRC is a statutory body at SU. According to the SU Statute, the SRC “represents the interests of the student community and functions in terms of institutional rules for that community called the Student Constitution”.
Furthermore, the SRC has representation on the SU Council, Senate, Institutional Forum, “and any other university structure or forum where representation of the SRC is required in terms of the rules”. The SRC “represents the student community in national and international student bodies; exercises the powers and performs the duties and functions conferred on it by the Student Constitution; and adheres to, and oversees compliance with, the Student Constitution”.
The SRC has a public Sharepoint. Click this link to request access from the SRC.
The SRC mass meeting
The 2026 academic year started on Monday, 9 February. On 10 February, The SRC hosted a mass meeting on the Rooiplein on Stellenbosch Campus. About 200 students were in attendance.
Langa highlighted four key issues that the SRC remained determined to resolve, namely:
- Increasing the debt cap to allow more students to register;
- Lifting registration blocks for all NSFAS students;
- Extending the registration deadline; and
- Advocating for more comprehensive supporting staff relating to student needs.
Students who owe less than the designated debt cap amount for their 2025 student fees are allowed to register for the new academic year.
At the meeting, Natalie Nortje, the Vice-Chairperson of the Prim Committee and Policy Officer of the SRC, addressed accommodation considerations. Asanda Khwabe, the vice-chairperson of the SRC, addressed developments regarding NSFAS students, and Langa addressed student debt and funding.
Thereafter, students could engage in a questions and answers session with the SRC. The students who participated in this session raised concerns and criticisms towards the SRC.
Students gather on the Rooiplein steps for a mass meeting arranged by the SRC. Photo: Leah Falcon.
Alysa-Abby Kekana, the chairperson of SASCO for the Western Cape, raised concerns about students that do not qualify for temporary accommodation and/or the Student Debt Working Group (SDWG), an initiative managed by SU to support students with historic debt..She said, “It comes to a point where discussions hit a deadlock” and “a more radical, militant stance needs to be taken”.
On 3 March, Kekana said to Die Matie that, while she felt the mass meeting was a good initiative to increase transparency between the SRC and students, it lacked a directive for how to progress. She said that what the audience received from the SRC was a “regurgitation of emails from management”.
On 25 February, Langa said to Die Matie that she viewed the mass meeting as a success as the SRC were “able to collect more information and experiences from students”.
Letter of demand to SU Rectorate on 11 February
Following the mass meeting, the SRC sent a letter of demand to the Rectorate on 11 February. The requests in the letter included that the debt cap should be increased from R10 000 to R20 000; the lifting of the financial blocks of all NSFAS students; an extension of the registration deadline from 20 February to 27 February; and the appointment of more support staff (including social workers and more capacity for Student Fees and the Accommodation Office).
On 16 February, the Rectorate responded to the SRC. They agreed to extend the registration deadline to 27 February. They also confirmed that staff capacity of the Registrar’s Division and Student Finances will be expanded throughout 2026.
However, the Rectorate did not increase the debt cap due to reasons of financial sustainability. They said that lifting the cap from R10 000 was already a “substantial risk assumed by the institution”. The Rectorate also explained that they would not be lifting the registration blocks for all NSFAS students as those who appear on the provisionally funded list for 2026 are still subject to risk categorisation relating to historical debt. This historical debt refers to costs other than those covered by NSFAS and that have not been paid yet.
The Rectorate said in the letter that at the date of the response, 16 February, 90% of 4 824 NSFAS students had registered, and that those facing blocks were being considered on a “case by case basis”. To understand more about SU’s processes regarding NSFAS, read Die Matie’s article published on 11 February.
The SRC’s meeting with EFFYC and SASCO
On the evening of 17 February, the SRC held a meeting in the SRC Boardroom in the Neelsie. Langa had communicated the meeting to the SRC as an emergency closed meeting.
Ben Anderson, a SRC member, said to Die Matie on 17 February that he was attending what he understood to be a closed SRC meeting.
Entrance to SRC offices in the Neelsie Student Centre. Photo: Emma Giles.
Upon arrival, he observed SRC members, including Langa, in the SRC offices in dialogue with members of the EFFYC and SASCO. The SRC members made their way to the boardroom. Langa attempted to block the entrance to the boardroom by standing in front of the entrance and was only allowing SRC members to pass through. A few minutes later Langa entered the boardroom with members of the EFFYC and SASCO, Anderson added.
According to Chapter 4.3 of the Student Constitution, “Any student, or any other person invited by the Students’ Representative Council, may attend Students’ Representative Council meetings” unless declared closed by the SRC executive.
The SRC Executive Committee may call a meeting a closed meeting if “it is necessary for the discussion, in the best interest of students, or necessary for the SRC to agree on an issue”. If it is a declared closed meeting, the SRC is also required to publish minutes within five university days. No minutes have been published about this meeting, to date.
When the meeting began, Anderson said, “It is unconstitutional that there are non-SRC members here”, given its status as a closed meeting. Members of the EFFYC and SASCO were allowed to stay for the meeting, but were not permitted speaking rights.
Tshianeo Mudau, the treasurer of SASCO at SU, said, “It is important to note that they did not attend [the meeting] under instruction from SASCO, but as concerned members of the student body demanding accountability from their elected leaders.”
A reporter from Die Matie was informed by an SRC member at 19:41 on 17 February that members of the EFFYC and SASCO had entered the SRC boardroom and that the meeting was therefore considered open to the public.
After the reporter arrived at the scene and entered the boardroom, Langa and Khwabe asked the reporter to leave. The reporter observed the presence of members of the SRC, EFFYC and SASCO in the room. Die Matie questioned Langa and Khwabe on this decision but received no response.
Updated letter of demand to SU Rectorate and protest decision outcome
Langa confirmed to Die Matie on 25 February that the SRC voted in favour of protest at the internal meeting on the evening of 17 February.
Langa said the SRC’s decision to protest was based on an updated letter of demand, sent to the Rectorate on 18 February. The key demands were:
- An increased debt cap of R35 000;
- The reopening of SDWG applications for academically eligible students;
- Fixed deadlines for final SDWG outcomes and the lifting of NSFAS blocks;
- More social workers on campus and other relevant staff;
- Direct communication to each student regarding their block status; and
- Specific dates for feedback regarding applications for Stellenbosch University Funding Opportunities (SUFO).
While planning protest action on the Stellenbosch campus, Langa confirmed to Die Matie that the SRC received “new information” on the morning of 18 February. She said that, “given [their] responsibility to keep all students safe during a protest”, they would revote. The SRC then decided against protest action.
When Die Matie asked what the “new information” entailed, Langa said that her team will not be disclosing further specifics.
According to the minutes of an SRC meeting on the evening of 18 February, the decision was based on “the municipal application status, internal consultations, and risk assessments”. Additionally, the minutes state that the rationale emphasised “strategic timing, student safety, legal compliance, and considerations for both students and the SRC”.
Rectorate’s response to updated letter of demands
On 20 February, the SRC published the Rectorate’s response to the updated letter of demands on their Instagram account. The Rectorate agreed to reopen SDWG applications for another three days. They said that the SDWG would complete its processes by 25 February or soon after. NSFAS block outcomes would be communicated in alignment with the extended registration date, namely 27 February.
The Rectorate did not increase the debt cap due to reasons regarding the “financial sustainability of the institution” and highlighted other measures SU implemented to assist these students. These included the funds managed by the SDWG, lifting the debt cap from R1 000 to R10 000, bursaries through Development and Alumni measures, and allowing students awaiting feedback from NSFAS to register.
In the letter, the Rectorate said that through the SDWG, SU made more than R10 million available to support students in the high risk NSFAS category as well as in the missing middle category.
Regarding individual feedback on the block status of all affected students, the Rectorate said that “it is not practically feasible” and would lessen the availability of those “working tirelessly to assess the lifting of remaining financial blocks on a case-by-case basis”.
In terms of increasing support staff, the Rectorate said that they will make the necessary interventions. They also said that SUFO feedback is dependent on external funding bodies and thus specific feedback for all the different bursaries are not possible. However, they said that they will continue to “appeal to longstanding partners”.
SRC newsletter
On 18 February, an email newsletter from the SRC was sent to all students. It outlined the letter of demands and the Rectorate’s response.
The newsletter stated that, as of 18 February, less than 200 NSFAS students still had blocks preventing them from registering. According to the newsletter, this marked considerable progress compared to the blocks of 857 NSFAS students that were reported on 5 February.
Additionally, the SRC said that it is their goal “to amplify those voices within institutional spaces that students may not always have direct access to”. Engagement with SU management often requires confidentiality and strategic communication which may create the impression that “information is being withheld”. However, it is often done “to secure the best possible outcomes for students”, the SRC said.
In the letter, the SRC said they stand with affected students and “continue to advocate for financial inclusion and access to education for all”. They included the constitutional right to protest, expressed their support for this right, and provided guidelines for “safe and informed participation”.
SRC public meeting
Die Matie attended the SRC’s public meeting in the SRC Boardroom on 25 February. This meeting was not advertised on social media, through official email communication or any other means. In attendance were the SRC, two reporters of Die Matie, a member from the Student Imbizo, and a member from Student Parliament.
Langa announced that this was her final SRC meeting as interim Chairperson. The new Electoral Commissioner of the Student Electoral Commission (SEC) would be selected by 7 March, and a new chairperson will be elected soon thereafter, she said. On 7 March, Anderson confirmed to Die Matie that a new Electoral Commissioner had been selected.
The longest agenda point was regarding the SRC’s plans to assist students still facing registration blocks. Additionally, they addressed the finalisation of their portfolio budgets and the limitations thereof. Budget finalisation constitutionally was expected to be complete by 18 October 2025. They also discussed concerns of portfolio switches in the transition from an interim to an official SRC.
Despite multiple efforts to contact the EFFYC and Asanda Khwabe for comment, Die Matie did not receive a response by the time of publication.
Notes
- The SRC referred to in this article are interim, awaiting the election of a new chairperson and official inauguration following the selection of a new Electoral Commissioner of the SEC and internal caucuses. Click for more details.
- The SRC has a public Sharepoint site, WhatsApp channel and Instagram profile where students are updated regarding developments, actions and initiatives.
- Die Matie will also publish:
- An article covering the student protests led by SASCO and EFFYC that took place on 19 and 20 February.
- An article covering the Student Parliament plenary sitting that took place on 4 March.
