Purpose met leadership on Friday, 31 October, as Sol Plaatje University inaugurated the 2025/2026 Student Representative Council (SRC). The evening stood as a defining moment of renewal, a celebration of courage, integrity and the responsibility to lead with purpose.
Acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Debra Meyer, delivered a keynote address that captured the essence of the evening’s theme, Leadership with Purpose. She reminded student leaders that leadership is not about privilege or applause but about service, integrity, and impact. It is about standing for honesty, respect, fairness and excellence instead of falling for corruption, disruption and malice. “Purpose gives direction to progress,” she said. “True leadership uplifts rather than divides. It inspires rather than intimidates and requires humility and courage to serve others for the greater good.”
Professor Meyer encouraged student leaders to recognise that leadership is not defined by title or status but revealed through small, everyday acts of service, in supporting classmates, mediating conflict and building a culture of respect and inclusion. Reflecting on the University’s academic growth and expanding influence, she affirmed that Sol Plaatje University’s continued progress depends on leaders who act with purpose and conviction. “Leadership that is grounded in purpose will always lead to progress,” she concluded.
Reflections on Service
Outgoing SRC President Mx Nonofo Quinton Oliphant reflected on his term as a period of growth, responsibility and learning. He reminded his peers that leadership is ultimately about service and that true success lies in the difference one makes for others.
Following his address, the University honoured the 13 outgoing SRC members, each receiving a Certificate of Recognition for serving and representing the student body of Sol Plaatje University with dedication and purpose.
The Oath of Office
Following the reflections, University Registrar and Acting Dean for Student Affairs, Dr Jody Cedras, led the Oath of Office and Signing Ceremony, which formed the ceremonial and ethical centrepiece of the evening. He reminded the incoming SRC that the oath is not a procedural step but a solemn pledge to uphold the principles of integrity, transparency, accountability, respect for diversity and unity within the student community. He emphasised that each member, in taking this oath, commits to advancing academic excellence, promoting inclusion and sustaining the mission and values of Sol Plaatje University.
Dr Cedras also encouraged members to always remember that they are students first and leaders second. Leadership, he said, must complement their academic journey, not compromise it. As each member recited and signed the oath, they affirmed a shared trust between the University and its student body.
A New Dawn of Leadership
After taking the oath, Mr Gershwin Van Niekerk, the newly inaugurated SRC President, delivered his first address as leader of the 2025/2026 Student Representative Council.
“Leadership is not a privilege, but a mandate that reflects the hopes of thousands of students who trust us to make their dreams a reality,” he said. He pledged that the new SRC would serve with courage and conviction, advancing inclusivity, academic success and advocacy that transforms lives within and beyond the SPU community.
Purpose Beyond the Moment
In his closing remarks, Chief Operating Officer Dr David Kanguwe reflected on three timeless truths which he said, “not even AI can dispute”.
“We are never young forever. We are all going to die, and that compels one to not want to leave the world without having left something good in it.” This encouraged the new SRC to lead with intention and to make their term a testament to purpose, service and impact.
The Inauguration Dinner reaffirmed Sol Plaatje University’s conviction that leadership grounded in purpose inspires lasting progress, the kind of leadership that not only serves the present but shapes a better future. Professor Meyer reminded all in attendance: “Leadership that is grounded in purpose will always lead to progress.”
