The Stellenbosch University’s (SU) Student Representative Council (SRC) has been in office since the first day of the fourth term (16 September) as required in the Student Constitution of SU.
This SRC has, however, been without a Chairperson and subsequently without portfolios, since the new SRC was announced on 28 August.
The SRC for the 2019/2020 term pictured on the library stairs. The SRC has been without a Chairperson and portfolios due to sexual misconduct allegations. Photo: FACEBOOK/MATIES ELECTIONS
Dr Choice Makhetha, Senior Director: Student Affairs, explains that the Equality Unit (EqU) of SU, has “noted with great concern reports of gender-based violence and sexual harassment allegations against SU staff and students on social media in recent weeks”.
Keitumetse Lebesa, Speaker of SU’s Student Parliament, explains that it is due to such allegations against SRC members that the SRC Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson elections have been postponed.
As per an email sent out to students on 1 October the EqU explains that they have “convened an Extraordinary Sexual Harassment Advisory Panel to conduct preliminary investigations and provide the university management with recommendations”.
“This decision was taken to protect the legitimacy of the SRC election process and also to provide space and time for investigation processes of allegations made against some of the SRC members, to take place,” Makhetha says. “Legal and political considerations were taken into account, and concerns raised around GBV [gender-based violence] and the sensitivity with which the university needs to respond and act.”
This matter is described by Lebesa as “complex” in nature and can be deemed as “extraordinary circumstances” that “we are facing as a community”.
According to Wiann Bester, one of the two election converners for 2019, there is currently a lot of confusion within the SRC, because there isn’t a Chairperson yet.
“There is no precedent for what is currently going on,” he says to emphasise why this can be seen as extraordinary circumstances.
With regards to when the election will take place, Lebesa notes that “student Parliament has not yet received any clarity as to when the Chairperson of the SRC will be elected.”
In response to the question of why students aren’t receiving correspondence regarding the postponement of the SRC Chairperson elections and what process will be followed, Makhetha explains that this election “is conducted by the Election Convenors and not the university management.”
She further mentions that the SRC was advised by the Election Convenors, and the Division Student Affairs “to postpone the election until the Equality Unit’s Extraordinary Sexual Harassment Advisory Panel has concluded its operations.”
Bester, however, says that the Election Committee is waiting on a mass email from the university’s side to explain what is happening and how the process will work going forward.
“The university will send out mass communication about the process going forward. I cannot give comment about that at this time,” Bester explains. “From there on we can take our process [of electing a Chairperson] further.”
Makhetha also explains that it is unclear if any SRC members will be impeached following the allegations. “This question cannot be answered at this stage. Once the EqU’s Extraordinary Sexual Harassment Advisory Panel has concluded its operations, we will be advised on how to continue from there,” she says.
The SRC members for the 2019/2020 term are:
Lewis Mboko; Wama Ngoma; Sifiso Zungu; Chloë Krieger; Lwazi Phakade; Ngobeni Jeff; Fadeelah Williams; Brandon Murray; and Jonty Stokes.
The ex-officio members are:
Societies Council Chair: Yanga Keva
Academic Affairs Council Chair: Xola Njengele
Prim Committee Chair: Ingrid Heÿdenrÿch
Prim Committee Vice-Chair: Michael Burke
Tygerberg Student Council Chair: Nstako Mtileni