Student politics

By Siziphiwe Ngxabi

The race to the elections has certainly become very interesting over the past few months with all the political parties trying to score themselves support leading up to the national elections on April 22. What is likely to be even more interesting is the participation of the Student Representative Councils (SRC) in the campaigns. Tertiary institutions in every province have student branches of political parties that are predominant in those provinces, especially in previously disadvantaged institutions. They act as intermediaries between students and the school’s management to supposedly advocate for the students’ needs. Student branches at many institutions have produced some prominent politicians.

But the way in which some of the election campaigns have taken place are not satisfactory. The brutality, lack of tolerance and even violence that becomes apparent is very frightening to the students, community and world at large. This raises the question as to what kind of students our institutions are producing — young people who are ready to make their voices heard at the expense of the other people’s opinions and beliefs?

There is the belief that the youth of today, those who grew up in a post-apartheid South Africa, with freedom of expression, will use this newly found freedom to fight for humanity and use other ways to negotiate their demands rather than old-fashioned methods from the struggle like violent protest. Violent protests seem to be the order of the day at some institutions. Riots and police all over the place are a normal setting especially during SRC election time.

If this is the case at student representative elections, what will be the attitude of SRCs during the campaigns leading to election day when academic affairs will be paid attention to, the level of tolerance among students and also to what extent they will push for votes for their respective parties.

History has shown that rival parties in the past have claimed student lives because of political intolerance and differences in opinions.

How long will this continue to be a part of our society — that a person or student will be deprived of certain human rights, not allowed access to some departmental services because they belong to a rival political party? It is our right not to align ourselves with a political party if we wish to do so? Then why are we being subjected to belong to a specific party so as to determine our eligibility for certain services? The ethnicity of a person does not automatically translate to supporting a certain political party. If you are Xhosa and from the Eastern Cape, for example, then supposedly you should belong to the predominant party in the Eastern Cape or if you are an Afrikaner then you should belong to an Afrikaner party.

Tertiary institutions should be more than just academic territories but also drivers of transformation in our societies. They should better advocate the freedom of “being” that democracy brought us. Considering the diversity in our institutions, political tolerance among students should be promoted. Such that it can be ensured that students can in future lead the country in peace, with justice and respect for humanity.

Ngxabi hails from Mount Ayliff in the Eastern Cape and is currently studying towards his honours in economics at the University of Zululand