Calls for probe into WSU SRC president who was never registered at the university

Walter Sisulu student leaders want the university to investigate how the current student representative council (SRC) president is in the position despite having never being a registered student at the institution.

WSU spokeswoman Yonela Tukwayo confirmed that SRC president Luyanda Chiliza has never been a student at the university, adding he was not even listed as an election candidate in the run up to last month’s election.

“Luyanda Chiliza was never on the candidate list, which is submitted prior to elections. His name was put forward by the WSU’s ANC Youth League at a meeting held to constitute the SRC,” she said.

Tukwayo said university records show that Chiliza has never been registered at WSU.

“University records show that he applied in 2015 but never registered in 2015 and in 2016,” said Tukwayo.

But Chiliza said he had registered earlier this year but was de-registered a few weeks ago.

Asked if he was in possession of a student card, Chiliza said the university had not issued one to him.

“The university said that it had run out of the material that makes the cards,” he said.

Chiliza accused political rivals of trying to defame him in an effort to get access to the SRC budget.

“I really do not want to talk about this right now because remember, the SRC has a budget and student affairs prefers to have people that are on their side in the SRC,” said Chiliza.

Students from other political formations blamed WSU management for poor internal control system.

Student Christian Organisation’s (SCO) Enam Jula said they wanted the university to explain how Chiliza “managed to skip the vetting process which was conducted by the university before his name could be approved by the institution”.

Pakamile Mangesi, from the ANC-aligned South African Student Congress (Sasco), said the matter was tantamount to fraud.

Sasco and the ANCYL contested against each another during the September election, despite both being aligned to the ANC.

The university said it was now engaged in a process to remove the SRC president.

“The WSU ANCYL has been duly advised that their candidate was not a registered student and therefore did not meet the minimum requirements set out in the constitution,” said Tukwayo.

“It was on this basis that student development and support service made the decision to start the process of removing Chiliza from office.”