by Pheladi Sethusa | Aug 28, 2013 | News
By Mia Swart and Pheladi Sethusa
SRC elections officially began yesterday. A steady stream of students entered the tents set up on Main campus throughout the day. It was a different story at Education campus. Wits Vuvuzela went out in search of potential voters to find out what they were looking for from the new leadership they would help to elect.
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by Mfuneko Toyana | Aug 28, 2013 | News
X MARKS THE SPOT: Witsies came out to support their favourite SRC candidates on the first day of voting. Voting will continue until August 29. Photo: Emelia Motsai
2013 SRC elections got underway today under a hot Autumn sun, though the temperature between candidates who continued to campaign outside voting stations remained mild and friendly.
The candidates hoped to match a real person to the campaign posters, as well as encourage Witsies to participate in electing a new SRC.
Candidates get candid with voters
Project W’s Gerry Comninos said it was going well and that turnout was “relatively good”. “Compared to previous years people seem to be more engaged with the issues,” Comninos said.
“It [the turnout] will pick up tomorrow”, Comninos said as he returned to stalking the area outside Great Hall with handful of pamphlets in search of potential voters. Ntshembo Vuma of PYA agreed that voting was going well. Vuma said he had been successful in convincing people to vote and to vote for him. “A lot of people have been convinced … they’ve been engaging the issues. Our track record speaks for itself that’s why people are voting for us.”
Vuma was canvassing potential voters alongside other PYA candidates, as well as members from Daso. Perhaps it was the Daso mascot, a large grey figure that looked liked the Puss-in-Boots character from the Shrek movies, that thawed the usually icy relations between the rivals.
Not impressed by “bread and circuses”
One Witsie, however, was not impressed by the various candidates’ attempts to woo voters.
“All you’re seeing is this”, said Nonhlanhla Motanyane, 2nd year Mining, pointing to the Daso mascot and candidates handing out pamphlets. Motanyane said she did not her base her vote on catchy campaign slogans and “politicking” between candidates, which she felt was done mainly to secure their spots politicians.
“This is not a school of politics it’s about what you can do for the school.” Adi Ramaru, 2nd year BSc Earth Sciences, expressed similar sentiments. “This year I’ve been attentive. I didn’t just go for one party, its different strokes for each person. I looked into what each person has to offer,” Ramaru said.
Thobile Dlalisa, 1st year MBBCh, said she based her vote on her personal experience of the candidates.“Honestly there’s someone that I knew and I knew the programmes they’ve been working on,” Dlalisa said. SRC elections will continue until Thursday the 29th. Voting stations can be found on every Wits campus.
RELATED ARTICLES
WitsVuvuzela. SRC and Habib share Wits vision. August 25, 2013.
WitsVuvuzela. Witsies on the eve of elections. August 26, 2013.
WitsVuvuzela. SRC elections at a glance. August 23, 2013.
