Bonile Khanyi
The Economic Freedom Fighters Student Command (EFFSC) had a landslide victory in the Student Representative Council elections at the University of the Witwatersrand.
EFFSC won 12 out of 15 seats on the Student Council, while the Progressive Youth Alliance (PYA) won 3.
This is a great loss for PYA which walked away with all 15 seats last year.
Tshenelo Leshika from the EFFSC secured the highest number of votes in this election with 2992, followed by the EFFSC’s Syduel Motha with 2963 votes.
Speaking to Inside Education on Thursday, Koketso Poho, Chairperson of the EFFSC said the incoming SRC will be consistent with the EFF policy of transparency and accountability.
“We’ve been complaining about how the SRC hides information from the students, they don’t communicate regularly with the students… What they do, they confine all the issues and the battles with management and that doesn’t do enough in terms of making sure that people are aware of these issues, and that the issues are at least getting a substantial and qualitative response from the ground,” said Poho.
Poho further said the EFFSC will change the pressure on academic structures that prevent students from graduating on record time.
“Among other things we want better health facilities, we want a 24-hour health centre on campus that will be available for students, we want libraries that will accessible at all times of the day,” said Poho.
“It’s easier to enjoy a greater support from the student population when you communicate with them regularly.”
“Our role is to characterise the status quo that is Wits university, its governance, how it is run, the students’ experience, the workers’ experience and to give an overarching view of how we think that society is supposed to be governed.”
National EFF spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndozi has congratulated the students on Twitter.
The EFFSC has won Wits SRC Elections. 12 seats out of 15 🙏🏿 thank you to all Wits Students for affirming the mission of economic freedom!
— IG: @MbuyiseniNdlozi (@MbuyiseniNdlozi) October 19, 2017
The new SRC members are listed below:
- Tshenolo Leshika
- Syduel Motha
- Bonga Gebashe
- Mphumi Malatji
- Othandwayo Mgqoboka
- Orediretse Masebe
- Sivuyile Mhatu
- Boitumelo Monedi
- Kelebogile Morukhu
- Nontsikelelo Nkosi
- Warren Makoga
- Vuyo Qhwesha
- Sandla Mtotywa
- Palomino Jama
- Azra Karim
