Dreaming Big, Achieving Bigger: Former UP SRC President David Kabwa Secures His PhD

Former University of Pretoria SRC President David Kabwa has just proved that no dream is too big or bold by earning his PhD before the age of 30! Pretoria,... The post Dreaming Big, Achieving Bigger: Former UP SRC President David Kabwa Secures His PhD appeared first on Good Things Guy.

May 27, 2026 - 16:14

Dreaming Big, Achieving Bigger: Former UP SRC President David Kabwa Secures His PhD

Former University of Pretoria SRC President David Kabwa has just proved that no dream is too big or bold by earning his PhD before the age of 30!

Pretoria, South Africa (27 May 2026) – Dreaming big and working hard towards making them a reality best captures the drive behind David Kabwa.

Donned in his red graduate gown, he recently fulfilled his long-held dream of earning his PhD before the age of 30. The former University of Pretoria (UP) SRC President graduated on 22 May with a doctorate in international relations.

But this dreamer has no plans of slowing down. According to the 28-year-old, he has by no means reached the pinnacle of his personal and academic aspirations.

“When I think about where I am and where I want to be, I am alive to the fact that I still have a tremendous amount of work to do, and I’m willing to put in the work to get there. Every day, I realise that I need to pull up my socks and do what needs to be done,” he said ahead of his graduation ceremony, where he was applauded
by, among others, MEC Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, Member of the Executive Council for Economic Development in
Gauteng.

Dr Kabwa is currently a speechwriter in the office of the Executive Mayor of Tshwane, Dr Nasiphi Moya, while also continuing his affiliation with UP’s Centre for Mediation in Africa. It is there that he conducted his PhD research and continues to fulfil key youth empowerment roles in the African Union (AU) youth structures.

Dr Kabwa’s passion for youth empowerment and leadership shines through in every project he undertakes.

This has included overseeing the development of a transitional justice programme for young people across Southern Africa, culminating in February 2026 in the adoption of a youth-friendly version of the AU transitional justice policy.

“That was the focus of my master’s and PhD research,” he said.

“For my master’s [in diplomatic studies], I examined how the transitional justice policy affects women and youth, and for my PhD, I looked at how the policy was developed according to African shared values,” adds Dr Kabwa, who is also part of a multi-country AU team that developed a policy brief on reparations to address historical injustices.

Previously, he was elected prime minister of the Commonwealth Youth Parliament, comprising youth from 54 states, and was the inaugural ambassador for South Africa at the UNITE 2030 initiative of the United Nations.

In 2023, he launched a youth-led political party in South Africa, Move, the aim of which is to “ignite hope among those who feel their voices currently don’t matter”.

Photo Credit: Supplied by Liesel Swart (UP)

Taking the Lead From His First Year at UP

Dr Kabwa’s passion for youth empowerment and leadership can be traced back to the beginning of his association with UP nine years ago.

As a first-year political science student, he took the audacious decision to run for election as chairperson of Humanities House, the faculty house. He won, becoming the first first-year student at UP to hold such a position.

“I then decided to run as an independent for the SRC,” he said.

“There was a saying on campus at the time that independents don’t win, but we had an amazing team and did what was thought to be impossible.”

When his term as SRC president came to an end, he ran for a second term and won – becoming the only two-term SRC president at UP to date.

Now, with a PhD to his name, Dr Kabwa’s immediate plans are to continue educating himself.

“What’s next? Dedicating myself to the development of research in my field. I’m still heavily involved with the AU on transitional justice and peace, and in educating myself on public service. I want a space where young people in South Africa feel empowered and driven, and understand that their background isn’t a disqualifying factor for what they can achieve in the future.”