By Musa Zondo
Multiple students have voiced out their concerns over being “assisted” by party members to vote as the Durban University of Technology (DUT) 2025 Student Representative Council (SRC) elections closed today at 8am.
There’s fear that the elections that began on the 16th of this month are on the verge of being biased since it will go down to which party has offered the most assistance, raising serious questions about the legitimacy of this year’s election results.
Student members from the top three DUT affiliated party’s, namely the Economic Freedom fighters Youth Command (EFFYC), South African Students Congress (SASCO) and uMkhonto weSizwe Student Movement (MKSM) were seen in their party regalia making rounds in all the DUT campuses and residences approaching students and offering help.
One of the students who asked to use his first name for anonymity, Yamkela, claimed that indeed they wanted his phone so that they could help him to vote.
“I just gave them my phone, and they voted, luckily it was already a party I preferred, if it was maybe MK I would’ve said no,” he said.
Another student who asked not to be revealed, supported what Yamkela said.
“SASCO arrived here at City Campus offering treats and drinks, but the catch was that you had to vote first before they give you anything,” said the student.
A member of MKSM party who had been assisting students on campus with the voting process commented on the matter saying that every other party is offering this kind of assistance. His sentiments were collaborated by the MKSM Chairperson, Enerst Manogara.
“We have no choice but to do as other parties do. We have no choice since the other parties are also doing the same thing. Since this is the voting system set up by Electoral Commission that is presided over by the EFFYC means there is something wrong, but because of the system and what it is, we have no final say, it is what the Election Commission decided to do to handle these elections,” Said Manogara.
In response to claims made by Manogara, the Chairperson of the EFFYC, Wise Ndlovu, rubbished the claims made by the MKSM chairperson.
“As the EFFYC, we are not in the Electoral Commission, but we use the same method. We are assisting any student who is willing to exercise their right of voting,” he said.
The issue at hand is whether student voting serves primarily the interests of the students themselves or if it’s also significantly driven by parties vying for control of the SRC office. The final audited results are expected on the 19th of September 2025 with the inauguration of the SRC set for 2 October 2025.
Ahead of the elections, Sasco DUT member Mthobisi Khuluse also raised concerns about the same issue. He urged students to be vigilant and not be intimidated.
“Students have been crying about this issue, saying they are being intimidated and their phones are being taken away. Some comrades may come to you, take your phone forcefully, and vote for whatever candidate they want to vote for,” he said.
