After failing to secure any seats in last year’s election, the DA Students Organisation (Daso) has vowed to make a come back.

With 13 candidates put forward to run in this election, Daso chairperson Nazley Sharif says she is confident Daso will win seats on the 2012 SRC.

“Despite not having seats last year, we have continued to fight for student rights and fearlessly represent the interests of our students,” Sharif says.

“We are confident that more and more students see Daso as a vehicle to realise positive and constructive change on this campus.”

Daso’s fiercest competition will come from the Progressive Youth Alliance (PYA) who managed to secure all 15 seats in last year’s election. But Daso appears undeterred.

“The PYA represents the interests of a closed group of students and has displayed extreme political bias, particularly during the local government election campaign period,” says Sharif

“Daso has no doubt that, given the chance, we could reverse this trend and transform the SRC into the open, responsive and accountable forum it needs to be.”

Sharif says Daso’s manifesto will focus on issues directly related to students such as parking, security, services at res and transparency within management.

“Voters deserve to know the action plans and activities of those whom they have elected, thus Daso will strive for openness and accountability in all matters. We aim to bring the SRC closer to students and make it more responsive to students needs.”