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Divisions in ANC-aligned students’ structures – as well as a desire for change – have been cited as the reason behind the whirlwind victories of the Economic Freedom Fighters Student Command (EFFSC) across campuses.
The three-year old EFF grouping has given the Progressive Youth Alliance (PYA) – a student coalition of the ANC Youth League, the SA Students Congress (Sasco) and the Young Communist League – a run for its money, taking the majority of student representative council (SRC) seats for the first time at the universities of Cape Town and Johannesburg (UJ).
The EFFSC and Sasco gave conflicting information about who won which campuses, but City Press relied on information provided by university spokespersons.
The EFFSC won the University of Free State main campus; in KwaZulu-Natal it won the Durban University of Technology, the Mangosuthu University of Technology and the Westville campus of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. In Northern Cape it won the Sol Plaatje University and the Bellville and Mowbray campuses of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT).
But Sasco won all votes at the Qwaqwa campus of the University of Free State, the Bunting campus of UJ and a majority of seats at the Nelson Mandela University and the Wellington campus of CPUT.
It took back the University of Venda from the EFFSC.
The DA Students Organisation (Daso) retained a majority at the University of Pretoria and the Pan Africanist Student Movement of Azania took the majority of seats at the University of the Western Cape.
EFFSC president Peter Keetse boasted that “there is nothing greater than an idea whose time has arrived”.
He said students were yearning for change and were disappointed with the leadership of ANC-aligned structures.
“The changes we plan to bring on campuses are not impossible or unrealistic goals.
The PYA has colluded with management. When we take SRCs we will redefine their role in institutions of higher learning.”
Speaking on behalf of the PYA, Sasco national secretary-general Lwando Majiza acknowledged its drop in support.
“Certainly there is a drop in the support and hegemony we enjoyed in SRC elections.
He said one of the factors that affected the results was that the SRC term is usually one year and if promises made to students aren’t delivered in that time students become disillusioned.
Majiza said the emergence of the EFF and the post Fees Must Fall circumstances meant that more parties were contesting SRC seats.
The “new voice” of the EFF was a factor even though the party had “not been tested in governance”.
Majiza blamed the coalition’s woes on the internal rift in Sasco.
“The rift may have been one of the causes that shifted our focus from students and our mandate to them.”
He did not think the student vote would transfer to the national elections next year.
City Press spoke to a few students ahead of the UJ and Wits elections
University of Johannesburg
Tebogo Maeko, second-year BA education
“I want to vote for change; Sasco did not do anything for students; they just chow our money, go to clubs and party.”
Matshidiso Mokoena, third-year BA humanities
“I am voting for the EFF. Sasco has made empty promises. Most of the students’ needs have not been met. Since the arrival of the EFF they have been able to get us meal allowances and fight other battles.”
University of the Witwatersrand
Oratile Nthabiseng Mashishi, second-year BCom politics, philosophy and economics
“I am going with the PYA this year.
Personally when I needed help I found Sasco people to be more helpful.”
Ishaaq Sader, second-year BCom law
“I believe in the PYA vision – it has a detailed manifesto. I don’t have confidence in the EFF.”
Maletsatsi Hlomuka, second-year BSc mathematics of finance
“I am voting for Daso because I believe in freedom, fairness, opportunity and diversity for all. There is a little tolerance for other political parties on campus.”
