Perdeby Tuks se amptelike studentekoerant / Official Tuks student newspaper / Kuranta ya baithuti ya semmušo ya Tuks
29July2013
A surprising duo of stethoscopes and musical talent
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Music for the waist down
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Progress being made on new constitution MOLEBOGENG MANGOALE The final draft of the new constitution is set to be released soon. Updates will be made available on clickUP on Monday 29 July. These updates will include the final draft of the constitution, a report on the consultation process as well as a summary of key changes to the constitution. During the next two weeks, the Standing Committee of Council will approve the constitution. If the council approves the proposed new constitution, the process for the SRC elections will be launched. The Department of Student Affairs is planning for elections in anticipation of the approval, with elections likely to take place during September. The finalised draft of the constitution was put together by a steering committee (Steerco) following a series of consultations with students. Individuals and societies made written submissions to Steerco as well as verbal presentations if asked to. These included “a wide range of changes or improvements as well as endorsements of the proposed model and a draft constitution,” director of Student Affairs Dr Matete Madiba said in a press release. Beni Letebele, the facilitator for the Student Leadership Constitution, told Perdeby that there were more than 20 submissions from individuals and societies. “There was mostly a positive response to the constitution review process. We certainly feel it is a big improvement which broadens participation and inclusivity and draws the various student structures closer,” he said. However, the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) has expressed discontent on the processes that were adopted by the Department of Student Affairs to assist in the review and rewriting of the new constitution. They declared that Steerco does not represent the student community and for that reason they “unequivocally reject the constitution”. ANCYL chairperson Timothy Ramabulana and generalsecretary Mmuso Bookholane both attacked Dr Madiba saying that she is “legacy driven and should face the wrath and might of the students as she does not want to listen to them [the students]”. Ramabulana said, “Her leadership style is new and rotten. The manner in which Dr Madiba has handled the amendment process;
we expect a carbon copy of the constitution that was submitted. We will not participate in a bogus, pathetic election process. Dr Madiba might as well elect her own SRC because that’s what she wants. We are annoyed and disgusted.” Ramabulana and Bookholane added that the ANCYL’s absence from this year’s elections will not impact badly on their political society because the ANCYL has never been about SRC elections. Afriforum Youth chairperson Barend Taute admits that there were certain irregularities with the process of rectifying the constitution. However, the process was acceptable in general. “It is our primary priority that an SRC is elected this semester to represent students’ needs. Therefore, it is important that
the process to rectify the constitution be completed as soon as possible while delivering an acceptable constitution,” he said. He added that it is extremely important that the new constitution allows for the representation and participation of societies. “Afriforum Youth has already started with preparations for the 2013 SRC elections,” he told Perdeby. Dr Madiba said that she did not want to comment on the ANCYL’s remarks. “The process of reviewing the constitution has been a very open one and no one should undermine it. A lot of work has gone into it,” she said. Illustration: Simon-Kai Garvie