Rhodes University has strengthened its commitment to creating an inclusive and enabling environment with the acquisition of a new bus. Designed to support students with disabilities, the vehicle marks an achievement in efforts to remove barriers to full participation in campus life. This was succeeded by the recent #Monday2Monday Movement advocacy campaign, aimed at helping raise disability awareness and promote greater accessibility and inclusivity for people with disabilities at Rhodes University.
The #Monday2Monday campaign also aimed to understand diverse disabilities. Participants were encouraged to wear the colour of the Disability Pride Flag designated for each day of the week-long campaign. Each colour carried a specific meaning:
- Red to represent physical disabilities
- Yellow to represent neurodiversity
- White symbolised invisible and undiagnosed disabilities
- Blue stood for emotional and psychiatric disabilities
- Green represented sensory disabilities
- Black was worn to acknowledge, commemorate and mourn all people with disabilities who had lost their lives due to systemic ableism and violence.
Providing an accessible bus is the culmination of a joint effort between the Division of Student Services and Development (DSSD) and the Student Representative Council (SRC) of 2024. Though the bus has been delivered, it is yet to undergo modifications to meet specific accessibility requirements, including the installation of a wheelchair ramp and other features aligned with universal access standards. While the #Monday2Monday campaign was recent, it sought empirical evidence for advocacy, including institutional culture and/or living experiences.
Moreover, this initiative aligns with the University’s Institutional Development Plan (IDP) objective to foster a transformative student experience that promotes inclusion, growth, and academic success. While the 2024 SRC drove the initiative, the current SRC picked up the baton to ensure completion. SRC President for 2025, Siyanda Vilakazi, commented:
“This was an unfinished job passed to us during the handover. We made sure to complete it, reminding stakeholders of their commitments. This speaks to Rhodes University’s goals of inclusivity and universal access. As student leaders, we are doing our best to support a university accommodating everyone.”
Thabang Mhlanga, 2024 SRC Activism & Transformation Councillor, reflected on the journey: “We saw the gap and collaborated with the University to close it. Yes, there were challenges, but we always believed in the final product. Like an athlete focused on the finish line, getting the bus was that moment for us. We are grateful, and we believe our students will be too.”
At the official handover, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic and Student Affairs, Professor Mabokang Monnapula-Mapesela, expressed delight in the achievement. “I am totally excited. We have been waiting for this bus, and today we are so proud to hand the keys to our students who live with disabilities,” she said. Director for DSSD, Dr Pakiso Tondi, highlighted the spirit of collaboration that made the project possible: “I always say we must have collaboration between student leadership and the staff supporting them. This is a legacy project of the 2024 SRC. They have pushed for it, through ups and downs. Today, here we are. We are grateful to everyone who played a part. Thank you to the SRC 2024.”
Ms Alungile Mraxa, Chairperson of the Enable Community: Living and Learning, shared her heartfelt gratitude: “Thank you so much to everyone, the stakeholders who made this happen. We really appreciate it. I’m so overwhelmed!”
The accessible bus is more than a vehicle; it is a statement of intent. It represents Rhodes University's dedication to equity, collaboration, and meaningful student engagement. Once the final modifications are complete, it will ensure that students with disabilities have access to academic programmes, residences, events, and all aspects of university life. This development reflects the institution's inclusivity, collaboration, and transformation values.
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For declaring a disability:
Students can visit the Rhodes University Registrar's Division offices located in the Eden Grove Complex or, email the Division: registrar@ru.ac.za
For support services:
Students can visit the DSSD offices on the first floor in the Steve Biko Building or, telephone the Division on 046 603 8181 or, email the Division at studentaffairs@ru.ac.za
