Phinda Swaartbooi is the newly-elected President of the Central Student Representative Council (CSRC) and the first woman in the history of CPUT to occupy the position.

Phinda has been deployed into the office by the South African Students Congress (SASCO) after incumbent president Skhulule Mpetsheni could not complete his term.

She says the fact that she is the first female President at CPUT has not yet sunk in to her as she was not even aware of this feat until she saw her picture posted on social media with the caption, "First female President".

“I want to thank the organisation SASCO for the deployment, the movement has shown that indeed there is no social revolution without the liberation of women as alluded to by Thomas Sankara,” she says. “The struggle for women in leadership and the fight against the patriarchal system must continue and advance.”

Phinda adds that her source of inspiration is God and the support from her family.

She commenced her studies at CPUT in 2016 when she enrolled for a Diploma in Landscape Technology, but later changed courses when she realised that her core passion was assisting people and advocating for human rights. That was how she developed passion for her current course, Nursing Science, for which she is in her third year of study.

The 27-year-old is a staunch SASCO member who previously served as Political Commissar with a mandate to organise students to work towards transformation and advocate for a single co-ordinated system in institutions of higher learning that is non-racial and non-sexist. She assures the CPUT community that the role of the CSRC is to serve and represent the interests of students with integrity, accountability, transparency and accessibility to their fellow students.

• For the duration of Women’s Month, we will be profiling several high profile CPUT women whose achievements and activities help us to become One SMART CPUT.

Written by Kwanele Butana
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The Student Representative Council is the voice of the more than 33 000 students enrolled at CPUT.

The SRC is responsible for student governance and represents the student body on the various decision- making structures at the university by means of the Central SRC (CSRC) and four Local SRCs, which are based on the Bellville, Cape Town, Mowbray and Wellington Campuses.

This year students can look forward to a student parliament where the CSRC will report back to students and societies that are affiliated to it, says President Khutadzo Manavhela.

The SRC will also host an academic summit as well as a combined university picnic for all campuses.

Khutadzo says it is the SRC's responsibility to represent students’ interest in all sectors of the university and to make sure that their views are heard.

Students can visit the Local SRC offices in the Student Centers at the Bellville and Cape Town Campuses, at the SRC office on the Wellington Campus and the Sports Hall at Mowbray Campus.

Written by Kwanele Butana

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The Student Representative Council (SRC) is the voice of the more than 33 000 students enrolled at CPUT.

The SRC is responsible for student governance and represents the CPUT student body on the various decision-making structures at the university by a Central SRC (CSRC) and four Local SRCs, which are based on the Bellville, Cape Town, Mowbray and Wellington Campuses.

Central SRC president Mbongiseni Mbatha says they are also responsible for assisting students in every aspect of their career development.

Some of the activities lined up for this year include an academic summit which will take place on each of the main campuses as well as a finance indaba with local businesses.

Mbongiseni says the SRC also creates opportunities for students to participate in a wide range of extra-curricular programmes such as socials, health campaigns, debates and sports. One such initiative aimed at first-years is a tour of the province.

Mbongiseni encourages first-years to visit the SRC offices at their campus and to interact with the various members.

Students can visit the Local SRC offices in the Student Centers at the Bellville, Cape Town and Mowbray campuses or at their office on the Wellington Campus.

Written by Kwanele Butana
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In their quest to eradicate gender-based violence (GBV) and start conversations on educating CPUT men to be able to have a gender-equal campus, the Centre for Diversity, Inclusivity and  Social Change in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor recently hosted a workshop at the Bellville Campus.

The workshop followed the inauguration of the Vice-Chancellor’s Think Tank for Gender Equality and Women Empowerment Task Team in March this year.  The Centre for Diversity, Inclusivity and Social Change in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor saw a need to have ambassadors who will be directly involved in GBV campaigns and interventions across all CPUT campuses to promote a campus free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination,  is diverse, equitable, inclusive and where difference is valued and celebrated.

The Centre’s Diversity and Inclusivity Assistant, Tumiso Mfisa, coordinated the workshop. This included the training for the first cohort, which targeted students and facilitated the orientation of the ambassadors. The CSRC president, Nanga Codana, shared a message of support with the ambassadors, highlighting the significance of men’s immediate response to GBV. The three sessions addressed issues such as how the ambassadors can conceptualise GBV in South Africa and how men can play their role in eradicating GBV on and off campus.

The participants also went in-depth on the practicality of GBV interventions on and off-campus, where the facilitator spoke on community engagement and interventions, which work primarily on awareness-raising on and off-campus, and how important it is to mobilise men in such programmes and educated the ambassadors on how to win over society in partaking in any intervention. 

There were also team-building exercises and discussions on various qualities the ambassadors need to ensure success in implementing the GBV programmes and men’s development interventions. 

Mfisa highlighted the overall picture of what the ambassadors should be like, which included them being transformed to transform others and that “together we can forge gender equality the second cohort will follow and will involve CPUT Staff members”.  “A follow-up session will involve more students and staff in GBV interventions and campaigns. Collectively, we can all #BreakTheBias and end GBV if we work together and not in isolation, ‘gender equality is everyone’s responsibility to enhance oneness and smartness,’” he said.

Ambassador Kwena Etmond Mapumo, a Diploma in Analytical Chemistry student, said:  “It was a very thought-provoking session we had, and I’d like to see more engagements and for us to be the change we wish to see in making a safe space for all.”

Another ambassador, Lance Sibuyi, a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering student, said: “Indeed, it was an awesome session. [I] learned a lot, which upscaled my perspective and knowledge on various issues about gender-based violence.  Thank you, team, for the awesome workshop!”

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Meet our ambassadors by opening the link below: https://ieyegallery.pic-time.com/avm046TH

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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