Responsible leadership is more than just occupying a position or holding an office – and this is especially true for student leadership at an institution of higher learning. It requires integrity, accountability, and a commitment to representing students while contributing meaningfully to the institutional community.
Esona Radebe, who was recently re-elected as University of the Free State (UFS) Institutional Student Representative Council (ISRC) President General for a second term, shares the same sentiment. “It is both an honour and a responsibility that I do not take lightly,” she said. “It is a call to continue serving with greater purpose, humility, and accountability.”
Radebe recently won the 2026/2027 Campus Student Representative Council elections, becoming President of the South Campus SRC unopposed. Following the campus elections, representatives from the three UFS campuses participated in the election of the ISRC leadership, where Radebe was re-elected as President General. “Student leadership is not simply about having a voice, but about listening carefully, engaging stakeholders consistently, and understanding that sustainable solutions often require patience, negotiation, and collaboration,” she said.
She was re-elected as President General of the ISRC during a session for all representatives of the three UFS Campuses in Bloemfontein on Friday 4 September 2026.
ISRC priorities for the term in office
Outlining the institutional student leadership’s priorities for the term, Radebe said they are “centred on issues that directly affect students’ ability to access, experience, and successfully complete university”. These goals include:
- Academic success and student support: Contribute to strengthening the mechanisms that help students who are struggling academically, including access to effective academic support, timely interventions, and improved communication around academic processes.
- Student accommodation and living conditions: Provide support to interventions promoting the provision of safe, affordable, stable, and dignified accommodation.
- Student funding and financial support: Provide information to students about available funding options, promote understanding of allowances, and ensure funding administration is addressed efficiently.
- Student wellness: Ensure students have access to mental-health and wellness services.
- Student development and meaningful participation: Support the University in the provision of leadership, entrepreneurial, and civic skills development in preparation for life beyond university.
A council for all UFS students
Radebe believes in “one institution, three campuses, one student voice.” She said: “The ISRC must belong to and represent every UFS student. The approach will be based on structured consultation and continuous engagement.”
Working with the University management, Radebe said the ISRC will strive to be objective and find ways to solve problems rather than simply create confrontation. “We will engage University management through regular, structured platforms where student concerns can be clearly presented, discussed, and followed up. Where there are areas of disagreement, we will be honest about those differences while continuing to look for practical solutions,” she said.
Meaningful engagement and institutional continuity
Pholla Mbalane, Deputy Director of the
UFS Institutional Government Office, said, “Student leadership has an important responsibility to advance student interests.” But he cautioned, “This is most effective when those interests are pursued through meaningful engagement with the University management and an appreciation of the broader institutional context. The ISRC should remain focused on matters that have a direct bearing on students, including student success and academic readiness, financial sustainability, student well-being, accommodation, teaching and learning, and the broader student experience.”
Mbalane added that having a culture of continuity, especially with regard to the University’s VC-ISRC Imbewu Legacy Fund, is important. “Effective student governance is not starting afresh every year,” he said. “Strategic initiatives should not be regarded as belonging to a particular student leadership term. Where an initiative has demonstrated value for students and the University, successive leadership structures should preserve its institutional memory, evaluate its impact, and build upon it.”
Accountability at the heart of student governance
Mbalane wished the student leadership well for their term in office, and urged, “Accountability must be equally central to the ISRC’s work. The Institutional Student Parliament, as a co-governance structure, provides an important platform through which the ISRC can account to students, engage on matters of common interest, and receive feedback and direction from the broader student body. We would like to see the Parliament used meaningfully as a space for dialogue, accountability, and collective problem-solving.”
To the UFS student community, Radebe said: “A second term is not a licence for complacency. In fact, it places an even greater responsibility on us to improve where we fell short, build on what worked, and remain focused on delivering results. Students must expect accessibility, accountability, consistency, and action from their student leadership. We may not be able to solve every challenge immediately, and we will not pretend that every problem has a simple solution. But students should expect us to listen, communicate honestly, advocate firmly, and follow through.”
The 2026/2027 University of the Free State Institutional Representative Council:
| ISRC Portfolio
| Name and Surname
|
|---|
| President General | Esona Radebe |
Deputy President
General | Thembisile Ramcwana |
| Secretary General | Mzondeki Ndumo |
Deputy Secretary-
General | Happy Langa |
| Treasurer General | Chiphilika Duzeni |
| Transformation Officer | Ndiwanga Madzivhandila |
|
Accommodation and
Safety Officer | Ntsikelelo Sikhakhane |
| Academics Officer | Vukona Baloyi |
Student Development,
Support and
Engagement Officer | Morongoa Tlhoalele |