The UP RAG Events Portfolio is dedicated to executing impactful events that encourage civic responsibility, promote community engagement, and support fundraising efforts. Through these events, UP RAG emphasizes the importance of active citizenship within the student community, inspiring students to become agents of positive change.
UP RAG serves as a vibrant platform for students at the University of Pretoria to immerse themselves in student life. From high-energy events to meaningful outreach projects, the portfolio ensures that students not only contribute to society but also grow personally and professionally.
Through creativity, collaboration, and a spirit of service, the Events portfolio creates experiences that leave lasting impressions.
A festival of fun with a purpose.
UP RAG of Hope Day is the heart of UP RAG’s calendar—a dynamic, feel-good day that brings together students, staff, and the public to raise funds for student needs and charities. This isn’t just a day of giving—it’s a celebration of hope and solidarity, filled with games, food, talent, and entertainment. From residences and faculty houses to the SRC and special committees, the entire UP family shows up in full force to make the magic happen.
Entrance? Just a non-perishable item or R20+.
The energy? Unmatched.
The impact? Life-changing.
In collaboration with STUKU and Student Sports, this isn’t just another campus event—it’s one of UP’s largest and most loved traditions, blending social awareness with unforgettable fun.
Hair today, hope tomorrow.
The CANSA Shavathon is more than a makeover—it’s a bold, vibrant statement of support for cancer survivors and those still fighting. Whether you shave it off or go wild with neon spray, your hair becomes a message: we see you, we support you, we’re in this together.
This heartfelt initiative brings the UP community together to raise funds and awareness for CANSA, which provides critical services, research, and support for cancer patients. There’s also information stations to help educate about early detection and prevention—because awareness saves lives.
In short: Come for the colour, stay for the cause.
Community changemakers are built, not born.
The Kagiso Training Program dives deep into what it truly means to engage with communities respectfully and effectively. Across two enriching sessions, participants explore both the relational side of community work and the historical and social complexities of South Africa.
Session 1 focuses on building meaningful relationships and unity within communities—wrapped up with a fun activity to break the ice.
Session 2 takes it a level deeper, looking at inequality, poverty, and systemic issues that still shape our society today.
Led by the Kagiso portfolio and Transformation Officers, this training is for anyone who wants to do more than just talk about change—it's for those ready to live it. Complete both sessions, and you walk away with more than a certificate—you walk away equipped to transform your world.
Real talk. Real issues. Real empowerment.
This 3–4 hour seminar is where safe space meets serious conversation. It’s a brave, interactive space for students to learn, unlearn, and speak freely about two topics that affect every student—sexual health and mental well-being.
The first half dives into consent, sexual health, contraceptives, STI prevention, and accessing healthcare—led by professionals like nurses from Student Health Services.
The second half shifts to the mind, focusing on anxiety, depression, stress, and coping strategies—hosted by experts from the Student Counselling Unit.
Add in peer talks, breakout discussions, anonymous Q&As, and quizzes, and you’ve got a seminar that doesn’t just tick boxes—it changes mindsets. This event encourages openness, reduces stigma, and gives students real tools to take care of themselves and each other.
It’s not just a title—it’s a movement.
What began as Miss Tuks RAG Queen has been reimagined into a powerful, inclusive platform: Face of UP RAG. Gone are the days of limiting beauty to crowns and gowns—this is a stage for all students, all identities, and all talents.
Participants bring the heat through singing, dancing, spoken word, and more, but this event is about more than performance. It’s about passion for community, confidence, and using your voice to inspire others. Whether you're wearing sneakers or heels, everyone gets to shine.
Past winners like the inspiring Mudinda Denga (2012) remind us of the legacy of excellence—but the evolution of this event is what makes it timeless. Today, it's about celebrating uniqueness, promoting transformation, and raising funds for real community impact.
67 minutes? Try 7 days.
Mandela Week isn’t a moment—it’s a movement. Held annually in July, this initiative transforms the late Nelson Mandela’s call for 67 minutes of service into a full week of impactful, student-led change.
From residences painting schools and planting gardens, to faculty houses hosting drives and outreach initiatives, the entire UP community mobilizes for good. UP RAG doesn’t just participate—we coordinate, facilitate, and elevate each effort, while also hosting our own flagship initiatives to honor Madiba’s legacy.
Every act—big or small—counts. And across seven days, those acts become a tidal wave of hope, dignity, and service.
Because Mandela didn’t walk alone—and neither do we.
Together, these events create more than memories — they create movement. Movement toward awareness, change, empowerment, and, above all, hope.
Together, UP RAG’s legacy of impact will continue — because fun with purpose will always be in style.
Copyright © University of Pretoria 2025. All rights reserved.
Virtual Campus
Get Social With Us
Download the UP Mobile App