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2021 SRC accountability

Following up on the campaign promises made by the out going 2021 SRC

I am awaiting University guidelines and approval to put the SRC as an entity on crowdfunding.

When will the crowdfunding account start operating? Has this been possible, if not why?

Once I have received the guidelines and the approval.

In what way have students been involved in financial decision making and fundraising?

Has this been sorted out? In what ways have students been involved in financial decision making and fundraising? Please give examples. Could the SRC provide proof that such a form was shared?

A google form has not yet been released but will be released soon.

Nokwanda Kubheka

Earlier this year, the SRC held a Student’s Forum where PDBY queried the campaign promises of SRC members that had not yet been fulfilled. As the 2021 SRC term comes to an end, PDBY followed up on unclear goals and promises from the SRC. Most SRC members responded - however Njabulo Sibeko did not respond to messages and requests for comment despite having 10 working days to respond. Nothando Ngubeni said not to understand a request for proof or numbers to show how day-students funding has increased - which was her campaign promise.

The following questions were sent to the SRC for the Student Forum based on their 2020 campaign promises and theSRC’s end of term follow up questions and responses. Questions sent to SRC members who did not respond are stated here as well.

LERATO NDLOVU: SRC President

How many policy making workshops with students have been held this year? Follow up: What were the plans and did they prove to be successful? Please state instances of workshops as promised in your manifesto.

The office of the president engaged different private accommodations on the rape and sexual assault support process and aims to amend and improve it. Big policy and constitutional amendments will come in 2022.

How has the SRC’s relationship been strengthened with external entities (programmes with corporate world to direct mentorships and bursaries)? What came from the three private entities and what have you been able to achieve? Please include statistics of students assisted by each mentioned external entity and in what way they have been assisted.

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) is still being finalised (legalities). We hope to see fruition by the end of this year - if not, next year’s SRC will bear the fruits of the MOU.

What sensitivity training have SRC members had for sexuality and gender?

Please offer an update on the success of the training. Which SRC members have been trained? When were these members trained? If any members have not been trained, why have they not been trained?

All members who work with the SRC GBV desk/email have been on #SpeakOut camp which was educating on all matters relating to gender and sexuality. They received further training and assistance from the transformation department.

JACO VAN JAARSVELD: SRC Secretary

When will the SRC ClickUP page start being used by the SRC as a way to communicate with students? For what reasons was the ClickUP page not implemented?

How has the SRC liaised with the Department of Student Affairs (DSA) to discuss the prospects of installing such a page?

Innovation and education does not have a problem with the SRC communicating via the ClickUP page - ClickUP’s primary focus should be that of teaching and learning and not as a form of communication.

When will the update newspaper that is meant to be sent to students via email on a monthly basis be initiated? Please offer an update on the process. If it has not been achieved, please offer an explanation to the student body?

Follow ups regarding having a newsletter being sent via email to each student was weighed against a risk / benefit ratio. The costs involved were too much and not worth it having - the POPI Act would be involved. The newsletter is still in its development phase and this option can always be reviewed in years to come under different circumstances.

JOZIAS MAHUBE-REINECKE: SRC Treasurer

What steps have been taken to start the crowdfunding account aimed at alumni, businesses and the municipality? Please offer an update on the approached crowdfunding platforms.

How has the crowdfunding idea come to fruition and helped

MELVIN VAN ROOYEN: Student/Study Finance

How much has been set aside to help solve students’ need for financial advisers?

During your manifesto presentation, you mentioned that there is a need for funds to be set aside so that students can have contact with financial advisers. How much has been set aside to help solve students’ need for financial advisers?

The study finance officer has worked alongside the finance office and various help has been given on the student portal making the assistance digital. We greatly promote financial aid as the finance department has made this available for students already. Students can also contact the student finance officer for advice for funding opportunities which is already available - however this is still an ongoing process which is being worked on.

What solutions have been built with regard to concerns of financial holds, financial arrangements and registrations? Please provide statistics on how many students were helped and how students were prioritised.

Approximately 80% of students with the correct details submitted were able to apply for the study aid fund in the first semester. There were two roll outs to ensure that more students could be assisted. The UP SRC donated half of their budget to make the student aid fund possible. 100% of those who fit the criteria were assisted.