Campus politics hot up as DA ousts EFF in landslide SRC election victory

In a dramatic shift in campus politics, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Student Command has lost control of Nelson Mandela University SRC to the Democratic Alliance Students Organisation (DOSA). In this interview with BizNews, Yusuf Cassim, the Democratic Alliance chairperson in the Eastern Cape, says: “We’ve seen our institutions of higher learning come under increased pressure from radical student movements that have sought to hold students at large hostage. And we believe that this result at Nelson Mandela University bodes well. The DA Students Organisation won 79% of all SRC seats that were available in that election. So it is indeed a landslide victory….. We believe this is one of many dominoes that are going to fall across the country.” Cassim explains why student politics has, over the past decade, played an influential role nationally. He also gives an update on provincial politics in the Eastern Cape, as well as coalition politics in the Nelson Mandela Metro where “dysfunctional governance and poor governance” are taking root.

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Extended transcript of the interview ___STEADY_PAYWALL___

Chris Steyn (00:03.208)

It is not only at national and provincial and municipal level where the political landscape in South Africa is shifting. We speak to Mr. Yusuf Cassim, the Democratic Alliance chairperson in the Eastern Cape. Welcome, Sir.

Yusuf Cassim (00:18.445)

Thank very much Chris and to your viewers as well.

Chris Steyn (00:22.208)

Please tell us about the landslide victory the Democratic Alliance Student Organisation scored in the Nelson Mandela University SRC election.

Yusuf Cassim (00:32.396)

We’re very proud of the students of Nelson Mandela University for standing together, Chris, and for ushering in an era of good governance and of change at that institution and of stability, which is really, important. 

We’ve seen our institutions of higher learning come under increased pressure from radical student movements that have sought to hold students at large hostage. And we believe that this result at Nelson Mandela University bodes well. The DA Students Organisation won 79% of all SRC seats that were available in that election. So it is indeed a landslide victory. They also won most of the campuses, bar one of the campuses. So four out of the five campuses were won by DASO. And they won most of the faculties…So it was a sweeping victory. 

This was an institution that was previously governed by the EFF Student Command. And we’ve upped our representation at that institution from 22% of the seats last year to 79% of the seats in this election that has just taken place.

Chris Steyn (01:50.848)

Now you are a former SRC president.

Yusuf Cassim (01:53.525)

That’s correct. Yes.

Chris Steyn (01:54.826)

Tell us, give us the history, please.

Yusuf Cassim (01:58.11)

So I, Chris, I started the Democratic Alliance Students Organisation at NMU back in 2009. So that kind of shows my age a little bit. And we won elections there for the first time in 2011. And I served as the SRC president in 2012. It was quite historic at the time. Nobody expected the DA to win elections at this institution named after Nelson Mandela. And, you know, we’ve ever since then developed a foothold in places like the Nelson Mandela University. 

And it was a precursor to the DA’s later victories in the Nelson Mandela Metro, which is one of two metros in the Eastern Cape and a city that is currently experiencing instability, like in places like Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, Tshwane, where we believe in the next local government elections it will be important for us to take a majority or to be able to put together a stable coalition that can govern that city.

Chris Steyn (03:03.082)

How significant is student politics in the bigger picture of politics in South Africa?

Yusuf Cassim (03:12.109)

I think it has its own place in politics. As you know, student politics has, over the past decade, played an influential role nationally. We’ve seen the Fees Must Fall movement, as an example, gaining national prominence. 

Students also make up the majority of your professionals that play an influential role in society, and in the administration of provincial, national and local administrations in our city. So it’s important that political parties like the DA are able to develop a foothold that our ideas can find meaningful expression at campuses. 

We need to ensure that we hold the rational centre of politics and that the rational centre of politics holds at our institutions of higher learning. These are the future intellects, professionals, leaders of our society and we are very serious about competing in the competitive space of ideas at these institutions.

Chris Steyn (04:21.632)

Now I know by October last year, the Student Wing of the Economic Freedom Fighters had won SRC elections on 13 campuses of 10 high education institutions. How has that picture changed since then? Can you give us any idea of what it looks like nationally on our campuses now?

Yusuf Cassim (04:42.832)

So, I mean, there’s a mixed bag of results. The EFF does invest quite significantly in their student structures and we’ve been, we’ve started to do the same as the DA. So the EFF’s focus has been on the student nichĂ© market. 

I think quite interestingly, you know, one would need to understand that not all students vote in these SRC elections. So even where the EFF has been successful, it’s been on a very low poll.

And we have very limited number of students, what we call the loud minority has out-muscled the silent majority on campuses. So that’s starting to change. We’ve turned the corner at Nelson Mandela University. We believe this is one of many dominoes that are going to fall across the country. And over the next, you know, coming election cycle, we expect to start reclaiming space. 

So DASO, for example, has, you know, gained representation, particularly in provinces like Limpopo.  We’re starting to see the same in the Eastern Cape. We’re currently in governance at the Grootfontein Agricultural College as an example. And at many different TVET colleges, we’ve got significant representation. So we’re going to compete in that space and we’re not going to give the EFF an open road in that respect.

Chris Steyn (06:04.095)

And while I have you here, can you give us an update on provincial politics, being the Chairperson of the Eastern Cape?

Yusuf Cassim (06:12.59)

So in the Eastern Cape, Chris, the DA grew by a seat. We’ve seen similar gains in other provinces, in provincial legislatures or provincial parliaments. We play a very meaningful role as the official opposition in the Eastern Cape. I serve as the Chief Whip of the opposition in our provincial legislature. And the leader of the opposition is the Honourable Dr. Vicky Knoetze. And we’ve got a very good caucus. And as I’ve said, we’ve just grown our representation in the last elections. 

Rural provinces like the Eastern Cape, we still have a long way to go in order to be in contention for governance. But we’ve seen the DA being part of governments of provincial unity, like in KwaZulu-Natal. And of course, the Government of National Unity has opened up new avenues for the DA to grow in. 

And we’ve just seen the latest, you know, sentiment of the public, where over 68 percent of the public believe that DA ministers and deputy ministers have produced a positive performance in their role in the GNU.

Chris Steyn (07:24.154)

Of course, but you have enormous problems in the Eastern Cape with poverty and joblessness.

Yusuf Cassim (07:30.611)

No, of course. I mean, we’ve experienced it across the province and we’ve got the highest unemployment rate in the country. Our economy has been in a technical recession and unless we are able to get the basics right, ensure that there’s energy supply, water supply, that infrastructure is maintained, we are struggling to attract investment. 

And that is why it’s important for us as the DA to get a foothold in more governments. We govern currently in the Kouga municipality that includes areas such as Jefferies Bay, Humansdorp and Cape St. Francis and surrounding areas. And we’ve seen some great work being done by our mayor and his team, Mayor Hattingh Bornman and his team in Kouga unicipality. 

I think Nelson Mandela Metro is an important city in our province. And unfortunately, there’s been a coalition in that city where I’m resident that has seen dysfunctional governance and poor governance taking root. In fact, service delivery is at an all-time low in Nelson Mandela and we’re hoping that we are able to put together a government in Nelson Mandela that can reverse that trend.

Chris Steyn (08:48.416)

Okay. Thank you very much. That was Mr. Yusuf Cassim, the Democratic Alliance’s Chairperson in the Eastern Cape, speaking to BizNews. Thank you, sir. And I’m Chris Steyn

Yusuf Cassim (08:59.585)

Thank you very much, Chris.

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