Earlier this month, members of Stellenbosch University's convocation voted to remove members of its executive committee, including its president, Jan Heunis. Numerous convocation members see this vote as a step towards positive change.

'Before we started this, the feedback I was getting was, 'Don't even start, you'll never win. Advocate Heunis is very well supported... you have no chance'," said Louise van Rhyn, an academic and a Stellenbosch University (SU) alumnus.

On 1 June, members of Stellenbosch University's convocation passed a motion of no confidence in its executive committee, except for the vice-president. This led to the committee's president, Jan Heunis, resigning from the university's council. Many convocation members were behind creating the no-confidence motion, but Van Rhyn agreed to have it signed in her name.

The convocation consists of all SU graduates, academic staff and diplomats. The convocation executive committee consists of five members.

The motion against the executive committee came after they requested the SU rector and vice-chancellor, Wim de Villiers, to resign in light of nepotism reports. Convocation members' main objection was that they were not consulted about this decision. The nepotism allegations against De Villiers are still being investigated.

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