R100m spent on SRC elections in past decade

UNIVERSITIES and technical and vocational education and training colleges (TVET) have spent more than R100 million on student representative council elections in the past decade.

This emerged in a written response from Higher Education Minister Naledi Pandor to a parliamentary question from the DA’s Belinda Bozzoli.

Bozzoli had wanted to know the total budget allocated by each university and TVET college for SRC elections over the past 10 years and amounts allocated to each candidate or student organisation vying for elections.

Although Pandor did not give the exact amount, she listed the amounts spent by the institutions.

The combined allocations from the institutions showed that R86928974 was allocated to SRC elections at universities and R13 007 651 at TVET colleges during the period under review.

However, some institutions did not have records of expenditure for certain years, a move that could indicate that more than R100m was spent.

Individual candidates or student organisations contesting the elections were allocated up to R25000 for their electioneering campaigns.

The information released by the institutions showed that Unisa spent R21 758 404 since 2008 followed by Walter Sisulu University R 11.5m, University of Fort Hare R6.5m, University of Pretoria R6.3m, University of Zululand R4.9m, University of Johannesburg R4.3m and Limpopo R4m.

Stellenbosch University has the smallest budget at R119225 followed by Rhodes University at R151061 and Sol Plaatjie University R185000 while other universities spent between R2m and R3m.

Motheo TVET leads the pack among the colleges with R4m on SRC elections followed by King Sabata Dalindyebo R2.1m, Tshwane South R2.1m, Taletso R2m, Western College for TVET R1.8m and Majuba R1.2m.

Other TVET colleges reported to have spent smaller amounts during the period with Sedibeng expenditure standing at R17195 and South West Gauteng at R765 659.

About 11 colleges including East Cape Midlands, Ikhala, Central Johannesburg, Goldfields, Maluti, Port Elizabeth, Coastal, Mthashana, Lephalale, Capricorn and Umgungundlovu recorded that they had no allocated budget for SRC elections.