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FRIENDS OF DEMOCRATIC FAIR ELECTIONS (FDFE)
STATEMENT ON UCT SRC ELECTIONS 2013 OUTCOMES: 04 OCTOBER 2012
We as the Friends of Democratic Fair Elections are highly disgusted and dismayed by the outcomes of the SRC elections which to us are bogusly cooked and invented to the advantage of a particular set of confused monkeys who ran for UCT SRC 2013. Not only are those who think these results
are fair, dreaming, but are highly intoxicated in that dream. It would first require them to sober up in that dream, and then wake up to realise that there is no way possible that these elections are a true reflection of democracy and a true reflection of student’s voice. We are highly flabbergasted that the IEC can be a referee and a player at the same time.
We have recently learnt that a number of candidates ran under the banner of an
organization, DASO for SRC UCT and did all they could to contravene the by-laws governing SRC elections. In which the IEC took a stance on the issue.
What shocks us is the romantic ruling made by the IEC on the conduct of the charged, as to us this clearly constitutes disqualification in line with clause 6.6 outlined in the by-laws for UCT SRC elections. We know that repaying that R7145.71 will be equal to thanking the IEC for turning a blind eye to law.
We want a fair SRC election process not interfered with by elders who are not student’s like that political witch Zille and her fat suitcase Lindiwe Mazibuko. We will do all we can to protect democracy in remembrance of those who suffered the ultimate price for us to enjoy the freedom many fought for.
The following charges were laid against this organization and they were found to be
guilty of all the charges:
1. Complaints Received during Vote Week:
The Committee had before it several complaints against DASO. The Committee found that DASO contravened by-laws by the unauthorized use of laptops and IPADS to students to vote; and by not declaring the visits of senior DA politicians as campaign plans. The SRC Election By-Laws contravened were:
• “Candidates are required to:
6.1.6 communicate all campaign plans to the SRC Elections Committee before implementing them.
• 6.9 Neither a candidate not his/her campaign team members may not (sic) collect or
handle ballot boxes and papers, and nor may they be within a five meter radius of ballot boxes during vote week, except cast their own votes.
• 9.1 There shall be such polling booths, as the SRC Election Committee may deem good and sufficient.
• 9.3 No person shall temper or interfere with ballot boxes, papers and/or any other
election materials” (SRC Election By Laws).”
Several other complaints were dismissed on technical grounds. The Election Committee
found itself in the unfortunate position of having limited reasonable sanctions with which to penalize DASO.
The Election Committee takes an exceedingly dim view of DASO?s conduct. We urge all the relevant structures to ensure that rules and by-laws be reviewed so as to limit such conduct in the future.
2. Campaign Spending
A full report on Campaign Spending is available on Vula. The Election Committee requested both SASCO and DASO to reply to our queries on their campaign spending.
Our findings were:
• SASCO had undeclared activities (R53.17) but still spent within maximum amount
permitted.
• DASO had overspent on its declared activities (R6643.50) and undeclared activities
(R502.21) and in total overspent by R7145.71. The Election Committee has penalized DASO with a fine of R7145.71, to be paid to the Elections Committee immediately.
WE CALL UPON ALL UCT STUDENTS TO PROTECT THE RIGHT TO DEMOCRACY AND SUBMIT THEIR CONCERNS TO THE IEC AND THE CURRENT SRC!!!
Mau Tse Tung once said, “Politics is war without bloodshed, while war is war is politics with bloodshed”. While Andro Cathrodriello stated that: “the most exciting and final stage of the revolution is violence”.
Issued by Friend of Democratic Fair Elections (FDFE).
