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Students at Unizulu want campus SRC

STUDENTS at the University of Zululand are up in arms over the lack of "a proper structure" to deal with their concerns.

The IFP-aligned South African Students Democratic Movement (Sadesmo) is crying foul over what it calls the "lack of a proper structure for students".

"Student issues cannot be addressed properly without a proper structure in place," Sadesmo spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa said.

He said students faced difficulties whenever they had grievances to take up with management as there was no council to represent them.

The SRC is not in place because elections held last year to elect the student body were nullified. The elections led to tension on the campus when the ANC-aligned student wing, the SA Students Congress (Sasco), was declared the winner after rivals Sadesmo failed to submit their list of candidates to the Independent Electoral Commission on time.

Sadesmo, through their legal advisers, were able to have the decision overturned, and students were left without a representative body.

"Elections should take place urgently. If not, the 2008-2009 SRC should be allowed to represent students until a new council is elected," Hlengwa said.

University registrar Sisho Maphisa said their only concern was the education of students and not campus politics.

He said the university is currently dealing with the registration process and the onus is on students to come up with a re-election date.

"Our priority is teaching and learning, the onus is on students to solve the matter," Maphisa said.

He said the university followed the SRC's national protocol by having an administrator appointed by council to cater for students' needs.

IEC chief electoral officer Pansy Tlakula said it was not their task to set an election date. "We only assist with the management of the elections," she said.

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