Unisa online - SRC election date announced

Mr Nhlamulo Siwela, SRC President; Prof Narend Baijnath, Pro-Vice-Chancellor; Mr Convy Baloyi, Dean of Students; Ms Lizette le Roux, Acting Director: Student Development; & Ms Thelma Louw, Leaner Support

“By the power given to me by the constitution of the SRC approved by the 2006 Council, article 2 subsection 2.1 of the electoral policy, and on behalf of the National Executive Committee of the SRC, I hereby declare the date of the 2011 SRC election to be 5 September 2011.” With these words, Mr Nhlamulo Siwela, NSRC President, announced the date of this year’s SRC election.

Mr Siwela said that the day has symbolic meaning for him, as it marks the day Nelson Mandela was elected as President of the ANC in 1991. He requested the students to go out and vote. “Do it for Mandela; vote for your SRC on 5 September.”  He took the opportunity to extend his gratitude to his leadership team and the Unisa student community for their support.

In announcing the IEC and tribunal members, Mr Convy Baloyi, Dean of Students, said that the IEC is meant to ensure accountability and transparency of the election process, while the tribunal members will deal with any appeals and complaints. The IEC consists of seven members: three members of staff, three outgoing SRC members and one member from the Institutional Forum. The three IEC members from staff are Prof Zodwa Motsa, Prof Tinyiko Maluleke and Ms Thelma Louw. The tribunal members are Prof Dirk Kotzé and Prof Rushiela Songca. The SRC is yet to submit the names of those who will form part of the IEC. “The current SRC members who will not stand for election are allowed to be part of the IEC,” said Mr Baloyi.

Prof Narend Baijnath, Unisa’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor, quoted the May 2011 issue of Inspired, Unisa’s official student publication: “Students are described as the heartbeat of Unisa in the May 2011 issue of Inspired. It therefore gives me great pleasure to address you on this significant day of the announcement of the 2011 Student Representative Council election.” He said the SRC elections are noteworthy, as they signify that our democracy works at the grassroots level. He added that it “acculturates the next generation of young leaders into the complex machinery or governance and management.”

He told students that democracy is fundamentally about representation as it is about participation, so that “we we may influence our future, hold our leaders accountable, and promote the interest of our constituencies.” He congratulated the current SRC for their sterling contribution to the objectives, mission and vision of Unisa. He gave detail of the marks the SRC have made in their tenure which started in 2009. He also congratulated them for participaating in the provincial and national structures of different organisation outside of Unisa.

He urged those who will contest the elections and become members of the next SRC to observe their predecessors.