News & Media
Unisa NSRC statement on Nelson Mandela Day
Nkosinathi Mabilane, President – Unisa National SRC
"It is in your hands to make the world a better place." - Nelson Mandela
The National Student Representative Council (NSRC) of the University of South Africa joins the global community in commemorating Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela International Day, a day that calls upon all of us to honour the life, values and legacy of one of Africa’s greatest sons.
Mandela Day is not merely a symbolic occasion - it is a call to action, reminding us of our collective responsibility to uplift the poor, confront injustice, and build a society rooted in human dignity, equality and freedom. As student leaders at Africa’s largest open distance learning institution, we are especially reminded that education was the weapon Mandela wielded to liberate himself and others.
Madiba’s legacy challenges us to rethink the meaning of leadership. His was not leadership built on privilege or power, but on sacrifice, service, humility and unwavering conviction. Today, as we face ongoing student challenges such as access to funding (NSFAS), digital inequality and graduate unemployment, we are reminded that true leadership means acting decisively to confront injustice in all its forms.
For us as students, the struggle includes the crushing weight of student debt, which continues to trap thousands of young people in poverty, exclusion and despair. Student debt has become a form of economic oppression and the NSRC refuses to be silent in the face of this modern injustice; we therefore reaffirm our commitment to the NSRC’s student debt cancellation campaign.
At Unisa, Mandela’s alma mater, we must uphold his spirit by ensuring that our institution is transformed, inclusive and responsive to the needs of the poor and working-class students. The NSRC remains committed to championing free, decolonised and quality education, and to building a student movement that reflects the ideals Madiba stood for: justice, peace and transformation.
On this day, we also call on all students, staff and the broader community to dedicate 67 minutes of meaningful service - not only today, but every day - to uplift and transform the lives of others and in particular the students of Unisa.
Let us not reduce Mandela’s legacy to memory. Let us embody it in our activism, compassion and commitment to justice.
Issued by:
Nkosinathi Mabilane
President – Unisa National SRC
Publish date: 2025-07-18 00:00:00.0