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UFS student leader Martin Nyaka elected to national SAUS leadership role

08 September 2025 | Story Anthony Mthembu | Photo Lunga Luthuli

Martin Nyaka, Secretary General of the 2024-2025 Institutional Student Representative Council (ISRC) and Policy and Transformation Officer (CSRC) on the Bloemfontein Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS), has been elected as Second Deputy Secretary General (DSG) of the South African Union of Students (SAUS).

Nyaka was elected during the first leg of the SAUS conference, held in Gqeberha from 10-13 July 2025. His election is historic, as this is the first time the union has appointed a second DSG. In his new role, he joins the National Executive Council (NEC) alongside the SAUS President, Deputy President, Secretary General, Treasurer-General, and the First DSG.

“It is a great honour for me to have represented the University of the Free State at this important platform, and I remain deeply grateful for the support and assistance I received from the institution throughout this journey,” said Nyaka. He will serve in this role until the next election in 2028.

Anticipated impact

Nyaka explained that his decision to stand for election was influenced by challenges he and his SRC colleagues encountered when addressing certain student-related issues. He noted that some concerns, such as those linked with the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), can only be resolved at a national level.

“This position places us in a better position to assist students and to ensure that our students are funded,” he said.

In addition to his role as Second DSG, Nyaka also chairs the SAUS Monitoring and Evaluation portfolio, which oversees several sub-committees within the organisation.

Lessons from leadership

As his SRC term draws to a close, Nyaka reflected on the lessons he will carry into this new role.

“Previously, as student leaders our mindset was very radical, and if ever things would not go our way, we would take to the streets,” he explained. “However, over this last term, the SRC resolved matters and reached agreements with management without protest. An important lesson I take with me is that radicalism is not always the answer. In an organisation like SAUS, we need to sit down and have discussions with stakeholders when there is a deadlock.”

Nyaka emphasised that what excites him most about the opportunity is the chance to work alongside student-leaders from across the country who are equally committed to making a meaningful impact.

News Archive

Haemophilia home infusion workshop

2017-12-17

Parents receive training for homecare of their children with haemophilia.
Photo Supplied

Caregivers for haemophilia patients, and patients themselves from around the Free State and Northern Cape attended a home infusion workshop held by the Clinical Skills unit in the Faculty of Health Sciences in July 2017. “It felt liberating and I feel confident to give the factor to my son correctly,” said Amanda Chaba-Okeke, the mother of a young patient, at the workshop. Her son, also at the workshop, agreed. “It felt lovely and good to learn how to administer factor VIII.”

Clinical skills to empower parents and communities
There were two concurrent sessions: one attended by doctors from the Haemophilia Treatment Centre, and the other attended by community members including factor VIII and XI recipients, caregivers and parents. The doctors’ meeting was shown informative videos and demonstrations on how to administer the newly devised factor VII and XI kit, and discussed the pressing need for trained nurses at local clinics. Dr Jaco Joubert, a haematologist, made an educational presentation to the community members.

The South African Haemophilia Foundation was represented by Mahlomola Sewolane, who gave a brief talk about the role of the organisation in relation to the condition. Meanwhile, procedural training in the simulation laboratory involved doctors and nurses helping participants to learn the procedures by using mannequins and even some volunteers from among the patients.

A medical condition causing serious complications
Haemophilia is a medical condition in which the ability of the blood to clot is severely impaired, even from a slight injury. The condition is typically caused by a hereditary lack of a coagulation factor, most often factor VIII. Usually patients must go through replacement therapy in which concentrates of clotting factor VIII (for haemophilia A) or clotting factor IX (for haemophilia B) are slowly dripped or injected into the vein, to help replace the clotting factor that is missing or low. Patients have to receive this treatment in hospital.

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