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UFS launches 2025/2026 student elections with strong focus on integrity and inclusivity

04 August 2025 | Story Lunga Luthuli | Photo André Damons

Prof Sethulego Matebesi, Chairperson of the University of the Free State Elections Logistics Committee for 2025 and Head of the Department of Sociology.

The 2025/2026 Campus Student Representative Council (CSRC) and Faculty Student Council (FSC) elections are officially underway at the University of the Free State (UFS), with nominations, which took place from 28 July to 1 August. The Elections Logistics Committee (ELC), chaired by Prof Sethulego Matebesi – also Head of the Department of Sociology – has implemented a robust framework to ensure that the process is transparent, fair, and inclusive.

Since the introduction of online voting in 2021, the UFS has been refining the system to increase accessibility, efficiency, and transparency. “Online voting has become a key part of our electoral process, offering students a convenient, secure, and transparent way to participate,” said Prof Matebesi. This year, the ELC also launched extended voter education campaigns, outlined clear procedural guidelines, and improved real-time monitoring mechanisms to build student trust and engagement.

Voting in the 2025/2026 CSRC and FSC elections will take place from 20 to 22 August 2025. Students are encouraged to use the online platform to cast their votes during this period.

At the heart of the elections is the principle of a ‘free and fair’ process. “At the UFS, this means creating an environment where all candidates have equal access to resources and platforms, and students can vote without fear or intimidation,” Prof Matebesi explained. The ELC is committed to ensuring that every student voice is heard – especially those of first-year students and others not affiliated with political structures.

Past challenges, such as low voter turnout, misinformation, and disruptive conduct during manifesto presentations, have informed this year’s strategy. “To address these issues, we have enhanced engagement through social media, webinars, and SMS reminders. I am impressed with how students and their leadership have embraced the feedback mechanisms we have introduced,” said Prof Matebesi.

Candidates and campaign teams are expected to uphold a strict code of conduct aligned with the Constitution of the Institutional Student Representative Council (ISRC). Enforcement measures range from warnings to disqualification in cases of misconduct. “Instilling respect and good conduct have a lasting impact. It is essential that candidates appreciate the responsibility that comes with contesting in these elections,” he added.

Now that the nomination phase has closed, Prof Matebesi encourages students to actively participate in the next phases. “Vote, engage with candidates, and promote respectful dialogue. Your participation strengthens student democracy and shapes the future of our governance structures. Together, we can create an election process that reflects integrity, diversity, and shared purpose.”

News Archive

Council votes on appointment of senior staff

2004-11-18

The Council of the University of the Free State (UFS) today voted on the filling of three senior vacancies, including one post at Dean level and two at the level of Vice-Dean.

The Council voted as follows:


Dr Natie Luyt will be offered the post of Dean: Student Affairs	Prof Engela Pretorius will be offered the post of Vice-Dean: Faculty of Humanities	Dr Choice Makhetha will be offered the post of Vice-Dean: Student Affairs

“There are special challenges for the UFS in the short and medium term regarding transformation of our residences, and a certain combination of management qualities and skills is desirable. As a result of the diversity of the UFS’s student community it is therefore important to us to follow a team approach to deal with the challenges. With the combination of Drs Luyt and Makhetha, I believe we will be able to manage student affairs effectively and skillfully,” says Prof Frederick Fourie, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS.

“It is wonderful that we are able to celebrate the outcome of this process that has brought forward such excellent candidates who reflect our country’s diversity. It shows that we can achieve the goals of quality and diversity at the same time,” says Prof Fourie.

Prof Pretorius obtained all her qualifications (BA, BA (Hons) (cum laude), MA (cum laude) and D Phil) from the UFS, except for the Certificate in Gender Policy Management (cum laude) which she obtained in 2000 from WITS. She joined the Department of Sociology at UFS in 1980 and has headed the Department since 2001. She acted as Vice-Dean: Faculty of Humanities since July 2004. She has some thirty publications to her credit, published both nationally and internationally and has delivered 20 national and international papers. She is a member of the South African Sociological Association and is a member of the Council of the association and of the Editorial Board of Society in Transition, the society’s journal. She is also a member of the South African Academy for Science and Art and the Federation of African Women Educationalists in South Africa (FAWESA). Project involvement includes the Australian Women’s Executive Development Programme and the project Executive Development of Senior Women in South African Higher Education Institutions. She is also an NRF panelist.

Dr Luyt obtained his qualifications (BA, BA (Hons) (cum laude), MA (cum laude) and D Phil) at the UFS and started his career at the same institution in 1980 as lecturer in Political Science. He was promoted to senior lecturer in 1983 and appointed as Director: Student Affairs in 1997. He has been acting as Dean: Student Affairs since 2003. Dr Luyt completed several work-related training courses, among others a course in ethnic and multiculturality at the Swiss Institute for Federalism and a course in conflict management at the South Tyrolean Economic and Social Institute.

Dr Makheta also obtained all her qualifications (BA, BA (Hons), MA in Political Science and Ph D in Political Science) at the UFS and started working as a student assistant in Political Science at the same institution in 1999. She was promoted to junior assistant in 2000, coordinator and facilitator of Political Science in 2001, assistant/acting Director: Student Affairs in 2001 and acting Director: Student Affairs in 2003. Dr Makhetha is currently a Senior Political Analyst at the Department of Foreign Affairs.

The UFS Council also approved the promotion of nine professors to the rank of senior professor. They are Proff Louise Cilliers (Department English and Classical Languages), Dap Louw (Department of Psychology), Philip Nel (Department Afro-Asiatic Studies, Sign Language and Language Practice), Dirk van den Berg (Department of History of Art and Visual Culture Studies) Dingie van Rensburg (Director: Centre for Health Systems Research and Develoment), Andries Raath (Department of Constitutional Law and Philosophy of Law), James du Preez (Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology), Johan Grobbelaar (Department of Plant Sciences) and Louis Scott (Department of Plant Sciences).

This is the first group ever of senior professors at the UFS. The post level was created to provide better career and earnings opportunities for high quality academics and to increase the attractiveness of an academic career to young people.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za

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