Year of change ahead for student governance

Student voice: The new SRC president is Sicelo Mbambo.

"So much lies in our hands," new Student Representative Council president Sicelo Mbambo said of the SRC's task for the 2003/4 year ahead.

A third-year business science student, Mbambo said that he aims to see that all goals set by the new SRC will be carried through and achieved during their term of office. These goals are yet to be set by the Council at their strategic planning workshop in November.

The new SRC will also work with faculty councils, house committees, societies and student development agencies to improve and enhance better communication between the students and the university's departments.

"With UCT introducing a new student governance model, the SRC will ensure it is implemented by having all our structures involved in the governing process. We will allow them to improve the new student governance model where needed," he added.

Phandle Phandle, the first blind student to serve on the SRC, is one of the two deputy presidents of the council, and, as Mbambo said, "It is and challenging and learning experience for the SRC and the university at large."

Mbambo went on to say that all the elected members on the SRC had their own goals for their portfolios and that they would work collectively to achieve their goals and plans for the year.

"The new SRC is a wonderful group of people and I'm looking forward to working with them," he noted.