Wongalethu Maquthu

Both the EFF Student Command (EFFSC) and the South African Student Congress (SASCO) think the Durban University of Technology’s (DUT) online voting system is prone to tampering.

For the first time this year DUT’s SRC elections, which will take place on November 9, will be held online.

Njabulo Sangweni, DUT’s SRC president, said DUT is a university of technology so they welcome things like online elections.  However, he went on to say that DUT’s online voting system is poor.

“The system has been tested twice, in the House Committee nominations and the SRC nominations.  Those two nominations were used as a test and both times the system failed,” said Sangweni.

EFFSC secretary, Sandiso Buthelezi, said the electoral commission treats them as subjects and not as counterparts.  He said because the online system was rigged the nominations were corrupt.

“DUT is pushing for SASCO,” he said.

He further said when they want to speak to the person in charge of the online system, that individual is forever on leave.

“We want manual elections because the system is not ready. EFFSC will call its lawyers to make sure things go smoothly,” Buthelezi added.

Sandile ‘Nqondo’ Ngcobo, SASCO Branch Task Team member, also said the online system is faulty.  He said during the House Committee nominations some links were not working and nominations were delayed.

“However, we hope the system will be fine and that there will be no loopholes that will make people doubt the outcome of the elections.” said Ngcobo.

He said the university has not taken them into confidence.

“If DUT management is pro SASCO, then why has the EFFSC been able to win two consecutive elections,” asked Ngcobo.

This is how students feel about the election:

Picture: Mnqobi Makhathini