A return and a reckoning: first student plenary sitting in nearly two years
By Emma Giles, Zirquinn Phillips and Azile Kraziya
Students, student political leaders, and the Student Representative Council (SRC) discussed and debated key issues affecting the student community for two hours at the first plenary sitting in nearly two years. The Stellenbosch University (SU) 2025/2026 Student Assembly Executive Committee convened the sitting on 4 March at the Merensky Building.
The next plenary sitting will take place on 30 April in the Engineering Building, room E2002. In preparation for the next round of agenda points, Die Matie is publishing a report on each agenda point that was addressed at the sitting on 4 March. Each report includes additional insight from the members involved in the weeks following the sitting.
According to Chapter 5.1 of the Student Constitution, “Student Parliament is an independent forum that seeks to facilitate discussion on student issues between student leadership and other students and can take the form of public feedback or consultation”.
Student Parliament consists of the Student Assembly and Student Imbizo. The Student Assembly consists of all SRC members, any student who attends a sitting of the Student Assembly and representatives from other student bodies as stipulated in Chapter 5.2 of the Student Constitution.
The SRC who attended the sitting on 4 March were acting as the interim SRC, with Simiso Langa as the Chairperson. On 14 March, the executive SRC executive committee elections took place which marked the end of the their interim status and established them as an official SRC. Pulane Mtshali is the Chairperson of the official SRC and the SRC will be acting in this capacity at the next sitting on 30 April.
The official agenda was posted on Student Parliament’s Instagram on 2 March. The agenda points that were addressed at the sitting on 4 March were:
- List of SRC broad priorities addressed by Solomzi Mphambo;
- SRC budget addressed by Sinawo Sangovana;
- SRC mandate and collective responsibility addressed by Ben Anderson; and
- Registration and Student Debt Working Group (SDWG) addressed by Sinawo Sangovana.
The elected Speaker of the Student Assembly, Solomzi Mphambo, opens the first student plenary sitting in nearly two years at the Merensky Building on 4 March. Photo: Emma Giles
Solomzi Mphambo, Student Assembly Speaker, said students submit agenda points via email. The Student Assembly Executive Committee “are responsible for compiling the agenda after [they] have deliberated and voted on submissions”. After the agenda has been decided, individuals who are prompted are notified and encouraged to prepare responses.
This was the first sitting in nearly two years as a Speaker was not elected during 2024’s Student Parliament’s election season which “resulted in the structure being inactive”, Mphambo said to Die Matie on 22 April.
Procedural matters prior to official agenda
The sitting was officially opened by Mphambo, who commenced the proceedings in accordance with the agenda.
“A Speaker is elected annually by the Students’ Assembly,” as stated in SU’s Student Constitution Chapter 5.2 Section 64. The Speaker’s duties are to ensure plenary sittings take place, that an agenda is compiled and made available to all students one week before the sitting, that the minutes are made available within two weeks after each sitting, to preside over meetings impartially, and maintain order.
The Speaker also acts as Chairperson of the Students’ Assembly Committee.
The first plenary sitting for the 2025/2026 Student Assembly was originally scheduled for 13 October 2025. On 10 October 2025, it was postponed to 4 March due to “unforeseen circumstances such as venue availability”.
At the sitting on 4 March, Mphambo gave clarity on why the previous year’s sitting had not been held. He said that it was scheduled two weeks before exam time and according to SU’s rules, which was not allowed. Furthermore, it was also due to the interim nature of the SRC, he said.
Following the opening formalities, Liyema Langa, a member of the Economic Freedom Fighters Youth Command (EFFYC), raised a procedural concern.
Langa requested the SRC to sit as a collective for members of the Parliament to see them due to concerns around visibility and unity within the SRC. However, Mphambo noted that the SRC were already sitting together and that, due to time constraints, it would not be possible for them to move to the front.
Remaining unaddressed agenda points
Due to time constraints and the venue only being booked for two hours, the final two points on the official agenda were not addressed, namely: the appointment of SRC managers to be addressed by Asanda Vilakazi, Vice-chairperson of the interim SRC, and engagements with student movements to be addressed by Simiso Langa, Chairperson of the interim SRC.
Mphambo said to Die Matie on 22 April that these points will be open for discussion at the next sitting, which has since been confirmed to be taking place on 30 April, and will be addressed before other matters.
Simiso Langa said that, as per the Speaker’s directive, the SRC can respond to the unaddressed agenda points on their official channels. No formal communication regarding these agenda points had been shared on the SRC official platforms by the date of publication (29 April).
On 22 April, Mphambo said to Die Matie that the Student Assembly Executive Committee have reflected on the sitting and “commend students for being robust and committed in holding their leaders accountable”. However, if the manner of engagement in future sittings “proves to deter and undermine the procession”, the individual responsible will be “escorted out of the venue”.
According to the Student Constitution, the Speaker is responsible for “ensuring that the minutes of plenary sessions are made available no later than two weeks after each meeting”. No minutes from the plenary sitting on 4 March have been made available by the date of publication (29 April).
The minutes and sitting reports are ready for students, said Mphambo to Die Matie on 22 April. However, the Student Assembly Executive Committee only recently accessed the SU website, where they would prefer to upload the reports “instead of a PowerPoint or Teams for easier access”. The Student Assembly Executive Committee will inform students where they can access the reports once they have been uploaded, said Mphambo.
Despite multiple attempts to contact Liyema Langa and Simiso Langa, Die Matie did not receive comment by the time of publication.
