2012: Edition 12

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Varsity

70 celebrating

years

The official student newspaper of the university of cape town

16 October 2012

Volume 71: Edition 12

varsitynewspaper.co.za

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DASO-less SRC in 2013? Jessica Breakey, Krysia Gaweda & Sajjad Karamsi

T

he SRC has disqualified all Democratic Alliance Student Organiation’s (DASO) candidates from the 2013 SRC. This decision overturned the SRC Elections Committee ruling made last Friday regarding the sanctions imposed on DASO after alleged misconduct during the recent SRC elections. All 7 DASO candidates have thus been removed from their seats in the 2013 SRC.

“The decision was politically motivated and procedurally flawed.”

Image: Jessica Breakey POLITICAL SAGA - 2013 SRC body is off to a controversial start. the overspending and harassment allegations. “With the campaign spending, I started realising that there was no transparency within the group between [DASO] management and the candidates, and that people weren’t being completely

honest and open.” “Most of us did ask questions, but they were either brushed off or we were told that everything was fine,” she said. “Our accountability was interrupted by not being able to have access to all the information, and for

not being told of anything.” The SRC has taken the appeal to Vice-Chancellor Dr Max Price (or his designate) who has 10 working days to make a final decision on where DASO stands in 2013.

in this issue

The Election Committee’s decision was to fine DASO approximately R7000 for their overspending. This was appealed to the Elections Committee, with the SRC sitting as the appellate body. DASO has appealed the SRC’s decision. DASO Branch Leader, Emma Jones-Phillipson, commented on the matter saying, “SASCO (South African Student Organisation) lost badly, only managing to get three candidates elected. We believe that the SASCO-dominated SRC's decision was nothing more than an attempt to secure SASCO’s continued control of the SRC, even though they lost the election. The decision was politically motivated and procedurally flawed.” The current SRC political breakdown is 7 SASCO, 7 Independents and 3 DASO, which does not give SASCO an absolute majority in the 2013 SRC. However, the composition of the actual sitting that ruled on the appeal is unknown at this moment. Responding to VARSITY’s request for comment, Branch Leader of SASCO, Markus Trengove, said that, “It must be made very clear that this is not a squabble between SASCO and DASO. SASCO is only

involved by virtue of our interest in a democratic and fair UCT.” “In light of this and the gravity of evidence presented against the DASO campaign team; we [SASCO] welcome the decisive nature of the SRC’s actions. It is of the utmost importance to SASCO that the integrity of UCT be preserved and so we commend the SRC for protecting the institution against jeopardizing forces”. Independent candidate, Chanda Chungu, who also made it on to the 2013 SRC said, “The SRC had a difficult decision to make as to an appropriate remedy for the issue, but from their reasoning they wanted to set the right path for candidates in future who did not want to follow the rules they agreed to abide to.” “A decision was made and it has to be respected because we elected this SRC to make decisions that were in our best interests. I do, however, feel sympathetic towards the DASO candidates who generally worked hard and showed dedication to get votes and would have made excellent members of the SRC.” Marissa van Rensburg, the candidate who received the highest votes in the elections, and a SASCO candidate commenting on SASCO’s election campaign policy said that, “We [SRC candidates] all signed a sort of "code of conduct" that stated all the rules, and all candidates were meant to have understood them. In a race, if someone takes performance enhancements that give an unfair advantage, athletes are disqualified. So I think that the judgment is fair in a competitive election.” Van Rensburg explained how a “firmer penalty was definitely called for, I'm glad that the SRC elections committee recognised that.” “I think it's very unfortunate for a few DASO candidates like Alex, who I believe were misled and misinformed by those from DASO who were at the forefront of the contraventions,” she added. Alex Swanepoel is a former DASO candidate, who chose to leave DASO due to her own personal doubts during, and after, voting on

Fees Resolution

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Obama Nation

page 5

Daisy Rocking

page 10

Rowling’s Latest

page 12

UCT Rowing

Varsity, the official student newspaper since 1942, is committed to the principles of equality and democracy.

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