ActionSA UCT has formally submitted its appeal to the Elections commission in respect of the Sanctions against the UCT Student Chapter.
Our appeal seeks to challenge the wholly unreasonable, disproportionally unfair and prejudicial sanctions imposed on our SRC Candidates.
It is worth noting that while our appeal is directed towards contesting the sanctions, we do reserve the view that the findings of the Election Commission remain in dispute.
It is our contention that the sanctions unreasonably infringe on our constitutionally mandated rights of political association, and they further unreasonably infringe on our rights to participate in the democratic process that is the Student Representative Council elections.
The ban on campaigning and political activity for a period of four days is patently prejudicial and will have the effect of stifling the pre-election contestation, and the dissemination of ideas as our ability to engage with the electorate will be restricted during that period of time.
We further submit that this would negatively affect the democratic process in its entirety.
It is our view that in the context, and with having regard to the submissions made both in this appeal and to the Elections Commission, that the Elections Appeal Committee would come to a different conclusion regarding the nature of the sanctions and their reasonableness.
Much of the focus of the work of the ActionSA UCT team will be in geared towards pursuing the best interests of all students, albeit the disappointing impediments imposed by the University’s administrators.
As the next few weeks unfold, let it be our strong commitment to the democratic process that emboldens our resolve to see through our program at the University of Cape Town.
ActionSA UCT Appeals Unreasonable Sanctions
ActionSA UCT has formally submitted its appeal to the Elections commission in respect of the Sanctions against the UCT Student Chapter.
Our appeal seeks to challenge the wholly unreasonable, disproportionally unfair and prejudicial sanctions imposed on our SRC Candidates.
It is worth noting that while our appeal is directed towards contesting the sanctions, we do reserve the view that the findings of the Election Commission remain in dispute.
It is our contention that the sanctions unreasonably infringe on our constitutionally mandated rights of political association, and they further unreasonably infringe on our rights to participate in the democratic process that is the Student Representative Council elections.
The ban on campaigning and political activity for a period of four days is patently prejudicial and will have the effect of stifling the pre-election contestation, and the dissemination of ideas as our ability to engage with the electorate will be restricted during that period of time.
We further submit that this would negatively affect the democratic process in its entirety.
It is our view that in the context, and with having regard to the submissions made both in this appeal and to the Elections Commission, that the Elections Appeal Committee would come to a different conclusion regarding the nature of the sanctions and their reasonableness.
Much of the focus of the work of the ActionSA UCT team will be in geared towards pursuing the best interests of all students, albeit the disappointing impediments imposed by the University’s administrators.
As the next few weeks unfold, let it be our strong commitment to the democratic process that emboldens our resolve to see through our program at the University of Cape Town.