The Convocation of Stellenbosch University (SU) will shortly have the opportunity to elect new members of Council. The terms of three Council members elected by Convocation come to an end on 1 April 2016, while another member of Council has resigned.

Donors re-elected Mr Jannie Durand to Council as only one nomination was received. Mr Durand currently serves on Council and made himself available for re-election. He is the chief executive officer of Remgro Limited.

Initially, the University stated that four members have to be elected with the candidate with the fourth most votes in the election who will only serve for two years in the vacancy left by the member of council who resigned. This is on grounds of the Statute of SU stipulating that the new member can only complete the remainder of the term of the member of council who resigned.

The University since obtained legal advice relating to the notification period of this vacancy and it was decided to postpone the process of electing a council member in the place of Dr George du Toit who resigned from Council as he has enrolled as a student at the University this year. There will now be a separate process after the completion of the current election of members and members of the Convocation will be able to nominate candidates.

The members whose terms are ending are Dr Koos Bekker, Prof Prieur du Plessis and Mr Piet Le Roux.

Members of the Convocation must appoint three of the following candidates as members of Council:

• Mr Job Amupanda, an academic at the University of Namibia;
• Prof André Coetzee, retired academic at SU; 
• Prof Prieur du Plessis, a serving member of council and director of companies;
• Prof Loretta Feris, academic at the University of Cape Town;
• Mr Heinrich Gonzales, a lawyer working for AfriForum;
• Prof Joan Hambidge, academic at the University of Cape Town;
• Adv Jan Heunis, senior advocate;
• Dr Jerry Mameja, founder and chairperson of the Otesa Group;
• Ms Ronalda Nalumango, proportional member of the Council of the Stellenbosch Municipality;
• Dr Corinne Oosthuizen, clinical psychologist and consultant;
• Mr Chris Otto, businessman and director of the PSG Group;
• Ms Bettina Wyngaard, author and lawyer.

Members of the Convocation can vote for the nominated candidates by mail, fax or electronically from 26 February till 10 March 2016 at 12:00. Eligible voters on SU's database who have not provided their e-mail addresses will receive the information about the candidates and a ballot paper by mail. Other voters will receive the information and the voting instructions via e-mail.

• Enquiries can be directed to Mr Johann Aspeling or Ms Alfreda Coetzee at tel: 021 808 4970 or via e-mail: konvokasie@sun.ac.za and click here for information on the election process.