Cape Town - The Elections Commission at UCT has sanctioned ActionSA candidates for breaching election regulations by allegedly campaigning early and soliciting external support in running for the Student Representative Council (SRC).
The sanctions include ActionSA candidates not being permitted to campaign in person or online on any platform from midnight on Monday until noon on Thursday.
ActionSA UCT vice-chairperson Matthew George said the party had submitted an appeal to the Elections Commission, charging that the sanctions were an attempt to exclude them from the political process on campus.
“Our appeal seeks to challenge the wholly unreasonable, disproportionally unfair and prejudicial sanctions imposed on our SRC candidates.
“It is our contention that the sanctions unreasonably infringe on our constitutionally mandated rights of political association, and they further unreasonably infringe on our rights to participate in the democratic process that is the Student Representative Council elections.
“The ban on campaigning and political activity for a period of four days is patently prejudicial and will have the effect of stifling the pre-election contestation, and the dissemination of ideas as our ability to engage with the electorate will be restricted during that period of time,” said George.
“It is our view that in the context, and with having regard to the submissions made both in this appeal and to the Elections Commission, that the Elections Appeal Committee would come to a different conclusion regarding the nature of the sanctions and their reasonableness.
“Much of the focus of the work of the ActionSA UCT team will be geared towards pursuing the best interests of all students, albeit the disappointing impediments imposed by the university’s administrators,” he said.
UCT spokesperson Elijah Moholola said: “UCT confirms that a group of SRC candidates were sanctioned by the Elections Commission for breaching election regulations by campaigning early and soliciting external support.
“In accordance with the sanction, they are not permitted to campaign from 12am on September 19 until 12pm on September 22.
Campaigning only started on September 19 and will end on September 30.
According to the election regulations, there are internal appeal mechanisms that the candidates may follow should they wish to do so,” Moholola said.
Cape Times