DA alleges Sasco at NMC spent R1.5m on parties while students suffer

In a press statement on Tuesday, DA student leader Hlomela Bucwa said she was concerned about a recent financial report from the Nelson Mandela University (NMU) students’ representative council (SRC), which is led by the SA Students’ Congress (Sasco).

She said the SRC had spent “R1.5 million on parties” while NMU students were still awaiting allowances for meals, books and transport.

“This is only one of various examples of reckless and wasteful expenditure Sasco has incurred with the SRC-budget of more than R4.1 million,” added Bucwa.

She said that according to a financial report apparently released by the SRC, R600,000 was paid to the SRC’s My Mandela Fund, meant to aid senior students to clear their student debts.

“The fund, however, mostly does not even reply to applications and some students had to leave the institution.

“Furthermore, the yearly Intervarsity event could not take place as the SRC is broke.”

She added that the SRC’s own report had apparently also admitted to the following:

• R200 000 was spent on the hiring of cars, booking of accommodation and purchase of food and alcohol; and
• R100 000 was allocated to a student parliament that was only attended by 50 people.

“Every student pays a levy that constitutes the SRC budget and therefore all students have the right to know how the SRC spends their money.”

She said the DA had tried to gain access to the SRC’s financial statements itself, but “to no avail”.

“The university must release the SRC financial statements and institute an audit in the next seven days to hold people accountable. NMU must also ensure stricter measures of accountability when it comes to students’ money,” she added.

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