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EMS student first Zimbabwean to chair SRC
Author: Daniel Bugan
Published: 20/02/2020

Economic and Management Sciences (EMS) student Lewis Mboko has recently been elected the new Stellenbosch University (SU) Student Representative Council (SRC) Chairperson for the 2020 academic year.

The 22-year-old Economics and Investment Management student from Harare in Zimbabwe is, as far as can be ascertained, the first Zimbabwean student to head the SRC. It is an honour that is not lost on the effervescent young man.

“I feel excited and grateful that they are willing to elect someone who is not even a South African citizen," said Mboko. “It shows that one is not judged on where you come from, but on to the contents of your character and what you can offer. It shows how much we've progressed as a campus and how much more open-minded and inclusive we've become."

However, he realises that this moment is not just about him.

“I am here today because of pioneers who have come before me. I stand on the shoulders of trailblazers – from management to student leaders to students – who have made significant efforts so that I can have my moment in the sun. The only credit I can give myself is that I was brave enough to seize the opportunity," said Mboko.

He has big plans for his term which ends in September.

“I intend to connect with students on issues that plague and divide us, such as crime, gender-based violence, responsible drinking, race relations, stereotypes, sexuality, and other critical issues. If we want to be comfortable in the future we need to have the uncomfortable conversations now," he said.

One way he aims to achieve this is to set up a gazebo on the Rooiplein or a table in the Neelsie every Friday where he wants to engage with students to find solutions to problems.

“I want people to air their views without being judged, and to unite the campus and ensure we all move in the same direction. Every week we must cover a different issue. I believe if you get everyone behind you, you can solve the majority of the problems we have as a campus."

Mboko, whose mother is a businesswoman and dad a civil servant, had his pick of universities, but settled on SU as he thought he would be able to 'grow culturally".

“Zimbabwe is not a diverse country. I needed to be at a racially diverse institution if I wanted to grow and learn new things. Stellenbosch with its mix of black, coloured, Indian and white people, even people from all over the world, presented me with that diversity. Ever since I got here I discovered that this is the best institution in the country. I've grown as a person because I came here with an open mind."

He added that his studies at EMS he has put him in contact with “a lot of principled faculty staff and academics who taught him the value of time management, hard work and working in a team".

Mboko's middle-class upbringing ensured that he was able to attend boarding school at Goromonzi High School outside Harare, represent the school in junior Parliament and serve as captain of the national debating team.

“Unlike a lot of people in my poverty-stricken country, I was lucky enough to be afforded opportunities that most of them can only dream of," he said. “I, therefore, feel indebted to help other people realise their dreams. One day I'd like to invest in the education and dreams of marginalised communities, especially young people."

​Prof Wim de Villiers, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of SU, said of Mboko: “Your election fits in with our focus on internationalisation. Students are a priority for us. And I am always proud to see Maties make an impact as global citizens."

  • Photo of Lewis Mboko by Stefan Els​.