Dr Mmusi Maimane delivers keynote address at Rhodes University SRC Inauguration

By: Owami Kunene

The 2026 Student Representative Council elections saw a record-breaking turnout of 58% of the student body, which is the highest it has ever been. The SRC is elected to act as the official voice of the student body, ensuring students’ interests and welfare are represented in university decision-making, policy, and campus life, and if this year's turnout is anything to go by, the student voice at Rhodes University is alive and active.

The inauguration ceremony was filled with joy, nostalgia, and anticipation; it had all these markers of what promised to be a special evening. The event marked a celebration of leadership, and a journey that was yet to be charted, and looked back on the steps that had already been taken. Inauguration not only marks the announcement of a new SRC Council, but it also marks the will of the people. It is a reminder that student voices are constantly demanding to be heard, and it is a reminder that Rhodes University is where leaders learn.

The event began with an opening address that came from the current SRC President, Miss Linathi Ndubela, who cited that her council’s journey throughout this year was not an easy one. She began by retelling her own campaign slogan and said: “When I ran for the SRC ndandisithi, Linathi for SG, uthini wena?” As she recalls these moments, she speaks of how she never expected herself to be the president; however, leadership is about responding to what the moment calls upon you, even if it stretches you beyond yourself. She continues to cite that her council’s year was not an imperfect one, but one that was filled with lessons and growth.

The theme of the evening was leadership, what true leadership means, and what makes a leader stand out. In his keynote address, Dr Mmusi Maimane stated that leadership is about ensuring that in a world that is continuously transitioning, we can ensure that nobody is left behind. He stated that the time we are in asks us “not only to be good at what we do, but to be great at what we do.” Dr Maimane urged the incoming SRC to remember that in turbulent times, the idea of having a vision greater than the circumstances you currently face is what keeps leadership working and functioning. Throughout the night’s festivities, the theme of servant leadership was continuously reiterated, and when the time for the announcement came, everyone was on the edge of their seat to see who would serve.

The incoming SRC President, Miss Thalethu Magidela, in her acceptance speech, said: “This is not just a personal victory. It is a collective one, a signal that students are ready for leadership that listens, leadership that serves, and leadership that leads with integrity, transparency, and heart.” The President-elect affirmed her dedication to solving student issues and serving her constituency.

The 2026 SRC inauguration made one thing expressly clear: leadership is about service, not self-gratification. It is about a group of people, if it is the right people, working collectively to impact change that is positive and change that is helpful.

2026 looks to be a year of impactful leadership, a year of purpose, and we are all rooting for the student leaders we have elected to serve us. As the 2026 council prepares for their year in office, we congratulate them, and we remind them of the words of the President-elect, “we are about to begin a journey of transformation, a journey that will be marked by compassion, by courage and by action. We hope to continue to see the dedication and zeal to serve the students throughout their time in office, as we have seen during their campaigns.”