The University of Cape Town formally recognises its Students’ Representative Council (SRC) as the institution’s independent student-governance body, functioning as UCT’s student union.

This recognition is embedded in the SRC Constitution, approved by Council, which defines the SRC as “the highest decision-making structure of student governance” and mandates its representation in Council, Senate, the Institutional Forum and other governance bodies.

Beyond governance participation, the SRC delivers extensive student-support functions. In 2024, the SRC spearheaded a student debt relief initiative jointly with the UCT Executive, resulting in Council approval of a framework to support financially vulnerable students — an explicit example of independent advocacy for student welfare. The SRC also manages a Hardship Fund and assists students facing crises such as food insecurity, emergency accommodation, or inability to afford academic materials. Through its Academic Affairs and Student Advocacy portfolios, the SRC routinely supports students at risk of academic exclusion by guiding them through appeal processes, liaising with faculties on academic concessions, and ensuring procedural fairness. International students additionally receive support through the SRC’s International Students Coordinator, who assists with challenges relating to visas, integration, and cultural adjustment.

The SRC also plays a recognised role in fostering social, cultural, and community life at UCT. As detailed in the UCT Undergraduate Prospectus (2024), the SRC “coordinates the work of student structures such as clubs, societies, student organisations and development agencies,” enabling a diverse array of social and cultural activities that contribute to student wellbeing and belonging. These include oversight of more than 100 student societies — cultural, political, religious, creative, and academic — as well as student-run development agencies that engage in community outreach and volunteer programmes.

The SRC’s Campus Life portfolio supports orientation week activities, first-year welcome events, and major cultural festivals, ensuring that social engagement remains accessible across the student body.

Together, these governance, welfare-support, and social-activity responsibilities demonstrate that UCT recognises and empowers an independent student union.