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28/07/2026
What does it mean to lead in a world shaped by inequality, rapid technological change and growing student challenges?
This question set the tone for the 2026 Student Leadership Indaba, held recently at Nelson Mandela University's Business School Auditorium on the Second Avenue Campus.
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Held under the theme "Reimagining Student Leadership for Social Change and Innovation: Citizen Leadership and the Decolonial Imperative", the Indaba brought together about 130 student leaders from Nelson Mandela University, Rhodes University, East Cape Midlands TVET College and, on the second day, the University of Fort Hare.
Over two days, delegates engaged in dialogue, reflection and learning on the future of student leadership.
From left, Dr Sibusiso Mchunu and Professor Bheki Ngomezulu
Opening the event, Dean of Students Dr Sibusiso Mchunu challenged delegates to view leadership as service rather than position, drawing on the values of Ubuntu and the words of Charlotte Maxeke.
He also questioned whether universities are preparing students for today's realities or for a world that no longer exists.
Keynote speaker Professor Bheki Ngomezulu, Director of the Centre for the Advancement of Non-Racialism and Democracy at Nelson Mandela University, urged student leaders to rethink leadership through an Afrocentric and decolonial lens.
He rejected the notion that young people are merely the leaders of tomorrow, arguing that they have a responsibility to lead today. Discarding the idea of youth as a "lost generation", he instead questioned who had failed to guide them, calling on leaders to be accountable, empathetic and responsive to the communities they serve.
The first day's programme included discussions on student funding, mental health, leadership burnout, entrepreneurship and youth economic development. A recurring message was that effective student leadership depends on collaboration, institutional support and personal wellbeing.
The second day focused on challenges affecting students across South African campuses.
From left, Dr Thelma Oppelt, Nompumelelo Mkatshwa and Veli Mbele
Keynote speaker Dr Thelma Oppelt addressed the growing impact of gambling among students, highlighting how financial vulnerability and limited oversight increase the risk of gambling-related harm. Unlike substance abuse, she noted, gambling addiction often remains hidden until serious consequences emerge.
Dr Oppelt specialises in gambling disorders, family harm and student wellbeing. She is spokesperson for the South African College of Applied Psychology (SACAP) and works with the University of the Western Cape's Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies of Children, Families and Society.
Interactive sessions explored student safety, gender-based violence (GBV), leadership and social transformation. During a discussion on inclusive campus communities, Moses Nkambako, President General of the South African Union of Students (SAUS), emphasised accountability, prevention and shared responsibility for student safety, prompting discussion on institutional responses to GBV.
Nompumelelo Mkatshwa encouraged delegates to be strategic about the causes they champion. Reflecting on her leadership journey, she argued that while protest can create pressure, governance is what transforms that pressure into lasting structural change.
Mkatshwa is spokesperson for the Ministry in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities and Secretary of the Eminent Persons Group for the National Dialogue.
The final session, led by Veli Mbele, examined Ubuntu and servant leadership as foundations for social transformation. Mbele is a political activist, writer, Pan-Africanist essayist, and Media Liaison Officer and spokesperson for the national Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.
As the Indaba concluded, delegates reflected on the opportunities and challenges facing student leaders. The programme reinforced that effective leadership extends beyond representation, requiring courage, accountability and a commitment to meaningful change within universities and society.
Reflecting on the Indaba, Dr Mchunu said higher education institutions occupy a unique position in South Africa's democracy. Beyond teaching and research, universities cultivate responsible citizenship, develop ethical leaders and contribute to national development by equipping future leaders with the knowledge, values and skills to address complex societal challenges.
He said today's student leaders face persistent financial exclusion, accommodation shortages, food insecurity, mental health challenges, graduate unemployment and rapid digital transformation. These realities require leadership that moves beyond reactive crisis management towards proactive, ethical and socially responsive leadership.
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The Nelson Mandela University Student Leadership Indaba is one such initiative, promoting citizen leadership as a framework for leadership renewal grounded in active citizenship, democratic participation, ethical stewardship and collective responsibility, Dr Mchunu said.
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