By Navarna Davids
Student wellbeing took centre stage at the third Students’ Representative Council (SRC) election caucus on Wednesday evening, 22 July, as 10 of the 22 SRC candidates responded to the evening’s theme: “Are Students Okay?”. This marked the smallest candidate turnout across the three election caucuses held this week. Held at the amaMaties Hub, candidates explored the social, financial and emotional realities of student life before answering questions from attendees on the practical role the SRC should play in addressing these challenges.
While candidates presented different priorities and leadership styles, many echoed similar concerns. Mental health, food insecurity, affordability, racism, gender-based violence (GBV) and students’ sense of belonging emerged as recurring themes throughout the evening.
Opening the discussion, Jacques Souchon, SRC candidate, argued that student wellbeing cannot be separated from broader systemic issues. He identified racism, GBV, affordability and food insecurity as some of the most significant challenges affecting students and questioned why existing support structures often fail those they are designed to help. Souchon said the SRC should investigate why these systems “do not work effectively” and work with the university to strengthen them rather than simply introducing new initiatives.
Similarly, Johan Weideman, SRC candidate, pointed to financial pressure, food insecurity and academic stress as major contributors to declining student wellbeing. He emphasised SRC overseeing campus health and counselling services, asking whether the SRC could play a stronger role in ensuring these services meet students’ needs. While Weideman focused on institutional support services, Senate Tladi, another SRC candidate, argued that structural issues such as inequality, racism and gender-based violence also shape students’ university experiences, suggesting that student wellbeing extends beyond access to counselling alone.
Mental health remained one of the strongest talking points throughout the caucus. Kouthaar Cupido, SRC candidate, argued that “students need leaders with empathy”, explaining that a student’s sense of belonging directly affects their mental wellbeing. She further suggested that the SRC should use student media to raise awareness around mental health and stressed that “what’s important to the student should be important to the SRC”.
Other candidates approached the discussion from different perspectives. Nete Mathaha, reflected on students’ reluctance to ask for help and the absence of self-love in student life, while Xola Meyisi said the SRC should be “at the front of representing student mental health”. Unathi Mkhwananzi questioned whether Stellenbosch University (SU) provides “a safe enough campus to report and express concerns or emotions”, arguing that students should feel supported when seeking help.
The discussion repeatedly returned to the purpose of the SRC itself. Sybrand de Waal, SRC candidate, described the SRC as “a voice and ear to the people”, saying student leaders should first act as allies before anything else. Souchon similarly committed to remaining “visible and accessible” throughout his term, if elected, while Jada Van Nieuwenhuizen, another SRC candidate, encouraged greater dialogue between the SRC and different student communities to ensure all voices are represented.
Audience members then challenged candidates on how these ideas could translate into practical action. Questions focused on the affordability of gym membership, improving inclusivity across campus, strengthening transparency within the SRC and making counselling services more accessible. Students also questioned how the SRC could be trusted to represent them and whether existing support structures were being used effectively.
In response, candidates Meyisi, Van Nieuwenhuizen and Souchon proposed strengthening rather than replacing existing structures. Cupido, Mkhwanazi and Souchon suggested closer collaboration between the SRC, the Centre for Student Counselling and Development (CSCD), residences, clusters and student organisations. Others called for increased visibility of student leaders, improved communication with students and greater awareness of the services already available on campus.
Counselling services received particular attention during the discussion. Candidates Cupido, Nor Louton Arbasi, and Tladi, proposed employing additional social workers, introducing more accessible appointment booking systems and ensuring that support services become easier to navigate. SRC candidate, Senkosi Nuku, argued that mental health should become part of everyday student life rather than only being addressed during times of crisis.
The wellbeing of SRC members themselves also became a topic of discussion. Cupido suggested regular mental health check-ins for student leaders, while other candidates highlighted the importance of routine, proactive planning and peer support to ensure SRC members are equipped to support others throughout their term.
The evening concluded with broad agreement that no single issue defines the student experience. Instead, candidates described mental health, affordability, community, accessibility and safety as interconnected challenges that require collaboration between student leaders, university structures and the wider campus community.
After the caucus, Die Matie interviewed Emerichè May, audience member and first-year BCom (Management Sciences) Extended Curriculum Programme (ECP) student, who said that the discussion offered valuable insight into the candidates beyond their campaign manifestos.
“Some candidates came from an authentic place when speaking about such a heavy topic,” she said. “You could see their different personalities and how they view and think about students. It definitely influenced how I’ll vote.”
