The Durban University of Technology’s (DUT) 16th Student Representative Council (SRC) inauguration after took place at the Fred Crooke Sports Centre, last week. Delivering his keynote, DUT’s vice-chancellor and principal, Professor Thandwa Mthembu, congratulated the SRC and said that there were a number of induction workshops that awaited for them to help enhance them into good leaders.

Prof Mthembu further encouraged the SRC to be the servants of students who democratically elected them saying that in South Africa recently that right was being violated. “As just human beings who have values, principles, strong and belief systems who understand how the world works in the 21st century. How could we deal with a democracy that has become violent, where we see the intimidation of our own people by their own comrades,” said he said.
He added that the politics of the country has become politics of populism and dictatorship, although we in a democracy.

Meanwhile, the newly democratically elected 16th DUT’s SRC president, Siphephelo ‘440’ Mthembu, thanked the encouraging work done by students for freely voting for their representatives. He said that this had resulted in an increase of more than 5% of votes that were cast this year as compared to any other years.

“Consequently, this then means that the number of students who are conscious regarding neither the political decision nor direction within our campus demarcation is gradually increasing which will then result in having leaders that will take serious responsibility for their official duties. We shall make it clear that our students are entitled to primary needs such as food and shelter,” he added.

Picture: The SRC Inauguration at DUT.

Mbuso Kunene.