Stellenbosch University’s (SU) Student Representative Council (SRC) recently voted for an amendment to SU’s Student Constitution, in order to allow for changes to its voting process during lockdown.
The SRC amended the university’s Student Constitution, on 23 July, regarding the general election nominee process via Microsoft Teams, in light of the SRC’s upcoming elections in August.
Section 12 of Schedule 2 in the SU Student Constitution has been amended due to impracticality. GRAPHIC : Octavia Avesca Spandiel.
“The 200 signatures rule will not be effective this election period and [the SRC] has followed the constitutional ways to make sure it is waived,“ said Maxwell Mlangeni, the SRC election convenor.
Due to Covid-19, this was impractical given the circumstances, as only 33% of students have been allowed onto campus, said Mlangeni.
“The election convenor wanted us to find a way to suspend the specific requirement up until the time the campus regains normal functioning,” said Yanga Keva, SRC member and current chairperson of the Societies Council.
According to Mlangeni, the challenges faced by the election team were administrative, such as the impracticality of collecting 200 signatures and finding new voting systems for previous SRC office positions. Thus far, the elections team has found solutions to these challenges, Mlangeni said.
Initially, the student administration portal, My.Sun, was used for the voting process and it will be continued to be used through this system. However, recently a SunLearn module was created for students to enrol and follow the SRC election process.
Elections convenor, Maxwell Mlangeni and his team have worked effectively to take the election process online this year. AUDIO: Supplied / Maxwell Mlangeni.
The current SRC chairperson, Lewis Mboko, remains positive about the upcoming SRC elections amid the nationwide lockdown.
“The SRC has done a really good job, especially during this time of Covid-19 and it is now up to us to also leave the patterns to other people who are willing to serve. I have been in conversation with the election convenors and I am pretty sure they would do a good job,” said Mboko.
Mboko added that he wants to encourage students to participate in the general election process, which commenced on 27 July, as the SRC ensures the process will be fair and legitimate.
The current chairperson of the Student Representative Council, Lewis Mboko, has confidence in the new system being practical for the elections process this year. PHOTO: Supplied / Lewis Mboko.