Sasco regains control of all WSU campuses

THE South African Students Congress (Sasco) made a clean sweep when it regained control of Walter Sisulu University in closely contested elections this week.

More than 30 000 WSU students went to the polls to elect new student representative council (SRC) members on all the unive four campuses – Buffalo City Metro, Komani, Butterworth and Mthatha.

The majority of the students placed their faith in the ANC-aligned organisation, giving it control of WSU student affairs for a year.

Sasco was up against the ANC Youth League, Pan Africanist Student Movement of Azania (Pasma), the Economic Freedom Fighters Student Command (EFFSC) and DA Student Organisation (Daso).

In Mthatha, Sasco toppled the ANCYL and Pasma, who forced a coalition last year to keep Sasco out of power.

Sasco Mthatha secretary Luvo Kasa said the run-up to the elections was tough as all organisations campaigned hard.

Kasa said they received 2 010 votes, which earned them six seats, while their ANCYL cadres received enough votes to earned four seats in the SRC. The EFFSC, which was contesting the SRC polls for the first time, convinced enough students to earn one seat.

In Komani, Sasco regained control of the campus after it unseated Pasma.

Chairman Motsi Qoyi said it was a great achievement to win the elections.

“The efforts and energy we put in campaigning have paid off,” he said.

He said they promise students better services.

“The burning issue on this campus is the shortage of lecturers. That is going to be the first thing we address,” he said.

Sasco won with three seats and Pasma received two.

In Butterworth, only a difference of four votes saw Sasco defeating the Africanists, Pasma.

Deputy chairman Zolile Matomela said they were excited to win after several challenges.

“There were many spoilt ballots of Sasco but we are celebrating,” he said.

Both Sasco and Pasma have three seats each, but as Sasco received four more votes than Pasma, they are in charge.

Sasco BCC chairman Zolile Zamisa said they never doubted that students would once again give them the nod. This, he said, was because of their good track record.

Sasco has been allocated five seats, Pasma three and the EFFSC one.

Eastern Cape Independent Electorate Commission electoral matters manager, Kayakazi Magudumana, said the electoral processes went well. — sinom@dispatch.