In scenes resembling some recent parliamentary sittings, a debate descended into chaos as EFFSC and SASCO hurled insults at each other.
The Wits Student Representative Council (SRC) ‘Political Showdown’ on August 5, 2024, descended into chaos as the Economic Freedom Fighters Student Command (EFFSC) and South African Student Council (SASCO) heckled each other leading to the event being dismissed abruptly.
The event was held to provide a platform for discussion of SRC’s work in the 2023/24 period.
The panelists included the SRC President, Bukisa Boniswa who is politically affiliated with the EFFSC, Former Treasurer of the SRC, Kabelo Phungwayo who is politically affiliated with SASCO and the EFFSC chairperson, Surprise Mathebula. The facilitators of the event were the SRC Clubs and societies officer Tshepiso Khesa and the Social science student council chairperson, Nombulelo Chiya.
The stage was set by the first question posed to the SRC President which asked, “Why was it not necessary for a student protest action to take place at the beginning of the year when NSFAS students could not register due to outstanding debts?”
Boniswa said the SRC raised R10 million through their fundraising efforts, which was used to help students who needed assistance with registration. She said this was the highest amount ever raised without resorting to protest. Through these funds NSFAS beneficiaries with outstanding or historical debt were able to register this year.
In addition, students with an average of above 50% were assisted with registration. The SRC has also compiled a monthly bursary bible, stacked with opportunities for eligible students.
Moreover, the SRC ensured that all Honours students that applied for the SRC fund this year got funded. Master’s and PhD candidates were considered and advised to apply for assistance through their faculties, which is something that has never occurred.
But these successes were quickly shot down by mostly SASCO student activists who shouted that it was all “lies”. A shouting match ensued to a point where the two groups started challenging each other to a physical fight.
After some calm was restored, Phungwayo took to the podium and challenged some of Boniswa’s key points. The issue that he challenged was the ability to register all NSFAS students that had outstanding and historical debts to the institution. He said according to the financial rules of the institution, bursary funded students are not charged interest.
Furthermore, he said that the government and the NSFAS board have a clear working relationship which works in a way that if one is funded by the government, there is no institution that is supposed to deny them access due to any outstanding fees, whether it is own debt or government debt.
After Phungwayo’s response the ‘showdown’ again descended into a shouting match between the EFFSC and SASCO activists. Facilitators tried hard to restore order to no avail. They were left with no choice but to dismiss the debate and send attendees home without clarity on the matters raised.
FEATURED IMAGE: The chaotic scene at the political showdown debate. Photo: Sanele Sithetho
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