Sasco grabs big majority in election
The South African Student Congress (Sasco) clinched a landslide victory in the Nelson Mandela University SRC elections, winning six out of nine seats.
The student organisation secured a total of 3,601 votes, allowing it to remain in power for the second year after taking over from the Democratic Student Organisation (Daso) in 2016.
In 2017, the university had an interim Student Representative Council (SRC) due to the FeesMustFall protests.
This year, Daso raked in 1,296 votes, giving it two seats, while the Economic Freedom Fighters Student Command got one seat from 826 votes.
Final results will be released on Monday to allow for disputes and objections.
The low voter turnout may, however, pose a problem in whether or not the results will be accepted by the student organisations and the university.
The SRC constitution, which was recently reviewed, states that the voting threshold has to be 25% of the total number of registered students.
Because only 5,808 votes were cast, it would appear that the election fell short of the threshold.
NMU spokesperson Zandile Mbabela said: “The preliminary SRC election results have been made available to students, but official communication from the university will only be released once the 24hour period – which allows for any arising disputes to be addressed – has passed and the final results are released.”
Meanwhile, celebrations began in earnest on Wednesday night. The south campus Kraal was kept alive with singing from all parties as they waited for the results.
A jovial incumbent SRC president and Sasco presidential candidate, Bamanye Matiwane, thanked students for entrusting him with power for a second term.
“It is not something that was not expected, but nonetheless we are very happy, and we want to say to students we are still committed.
“We are going to make sure that we achieve and we fulfil all of our promises so that students can get whatever it is that they want.”
Matiwane said he would focus on transforming the institution’s sports, facilities and estates department.
Daso presidential candidate Kwanda Jakalase declined to comment on the results and whether it would lodge any disputes.
“I can’t comment on the results yet before the DA statement on them.
“It [the statement] will be released [later] today or tomorrow morning [Friday],” Jakalase said.
The EFF Student Command’s Mzukisi Mnotoza said it was still studying the results and would decide on whether to object.
Asked whether he was happy that his party’s overall vote had increased compared to 2017, Mnotoza reiterated that it was still perusing the results.