Together with the above reason, Sasco is said to have failed to produce a Managerial Report that was requested by the SRC Member for Societies, Obakeng Sepeng, on 11 October 2017 by email. It also failed to supply the same report at an SRC Societies Sub Council meeting that took place on 18 October 2017. The report in question was received on 8 November 2017.
During their suspension period, Sasco may not host activities or have activities take place under its society. It may also not claim any benefits from the SRC, such as funds normally applicable to societies.
Sasco’s Secretary Mishkah Sattar told Perdeby that their society was “in the process of dealing with these allegations as well as the suspension issued by the SRC” and would “provide an update once [they] find [themselves] in a position to do so”. “However we would like to assure students and membership of Sasco at large that we will do everything in our power to continue assisting students in need,” said Sattar.
According to SRC president, Kwena Moloto, “The UP SRC doesn’t take the suspension of any society lightly.” Moloto told Perdeby that several meetings between the SRC and Sasco have taken place to discuss the society’s conduct during the 2018 registration period. These meetings were attended by UP Executive management, and members of the Department of Student Affairs, SRC and Sasco. Moloto said that over the course of these engagements “it became clear that SASCO was unwilling to work through the SRC during the registration period as requested”.
Moloto claims that over the course of the registration period other parties and societies such as EFFSC-UP and Daso UP brought cases of students needing help to register to the SRC and the SRC subsequently referred those cases to the relevant structures. “This system worked effectively and the SRC requested that Sasco follow the same process. However, it became clear that to Sasco, the registration period was about scoring political points rather that [sic] serving students and this could be seen by their attempts to intimidate, undermine and bypass the SRC,” said Moloto.
Further engagements will take place between the SRC societies liaison, Sepeng, and Sasco.
Image: Sally Hartzenberg
