Wits students prepapre to vote for their new SRC.
Campaigning for the 2016/2017 Wits SRC (Student Representatives Council) kicked off last week ahead of this year’s election which is set to happen on August 23 and 24.
The three parties contesting this year’s elections have announced their candidates and launched their manifestos. Wits students will cast their votes at all campuses over the two day-elections managed by the Dean of Students office.
Progressive Youth Alliance (PYA), Project W and the Economic Freedom Fighter’s (EFF) candidates are hoping to win a majority of the 18 positions on the SRC.
Thato Mokoena, one of this year’s candidates for PYA and a 3rd year BA student in Philosophy and Politics, says students need to vote because the candidates who receive a majority of votes hold more power.
“I urge all students to vote so that whoever represents them is legitimised and what they say has more sway,” says Mokoena.
Frank Rabashakga, a 3rd year BA student in Politics and International Relations, says he is definitely voting in the upcoming elections as he has never missed voting since coming to Wits.
“An SRC is important because they represent students, such as last year’s #FeesMustFall campaign, they were the ones who initiated the movement,” says Rabashakga.
In last year’s elections, the PYA won 12 of the 15 seats available. With Project W winning the remaining 3. The total voter turnout was 7 661 students out of more 33 000 potential voters.
