First female president for TUT

“As the first female President of the Student Representative Council (SRC) of the TUT Polokwane Campus, my main objective is to create programmes that educate men about the detrimental effect caused both emotionally and physically by gender-based violence, and to create a user friendly environment for students living with disabilities, albinism, non-NSFAS beneficiaries and international students from various walks of life by making them feel part of the people’s university through cultural awareness campaigns.”
These are the words of the first female President of the SRC at the Tshwane University of Technology’s Polokwane Campus who was elected earlier this year.
Abby Nkuna matriculated at Hanyani Thomo High School in Giyani and obtained her first diploma in computer engineering in 2017.
She is currently doing her second diploma in information technology majoring in software development at TUT. “Being the firstborn in a family of six, my father taught me how to be a team player and leader,” she told Polokwane Observer.
Abby first joined politics in 2019 when she was elected as the Chairperson of the Student’s Christian Organisation (SCO) and her name was forwarded by the SCO to contest for the presidency portfolio after seeing her leadership skills, flexibility, and willingness to learn and grow.
“What I want to achieve is meaningful participation of women in national, local and community leadership roles, which has become an important focus in global development policies,” she says.
Very often she is asked why it matters if women become political leaders, elected policymakers, or civil society activists. Her belief is that women’s political participation results in tangible gains for democracy, including greater responsiveness to citizen needs, increased cooperation across party and ethnic lines, and a more sustainable future.
“Women’s participation in politics helps advance gender equality and affects both the range of policy issues that get considered and the types of solutions that are proposed. Research indicates that whether a legislator is male or female has a distinct impact on their policy priorities.
“There is also strong evidence that as more women are elected to office, there is an increase in policy-making that emphasises quality of life and reflects the priorities of families, women, and ethnic and racial minorities.”
How about her other priorities?
“I always tell other leaders that we are students first before being a leader or a member of the Student Representative Council Even if other opportunities arise, my qualification comes first.”