Vote for what's right

So that’s a bland headline. No oomph, no question, no controversy. It’s not an inaccurate heading; it’s just boring and bland. But it’s something we, at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU), would appreciate right now – a great big DOLLOP OF DULL, especially when it comes to headlines. Or to be more specific, front page newspaper headlines.

But that’s unlikely to happen because it’s the season of student elections – the perfect time to bad-mouth your opposition.

It’s a phenomenon that occurs the world-over, always at election time.

And it happened to us today with the Herald newspaper headline – “Spending by SRC at NMMU queried”.

In a nutshell, DASO (the Democratic Alliance Student Organisation) is accusing the SASCO-led Student Representative Council (SRC) (they are affiliated to the ANC) of misappropriating university funds, an allegation which has been refuted.

It is also accusing NMMU of slacking in its governance processes when it comes to handling the SRC finances. It claims they alerted the university about its concerns.

Whatever the ins and outs of the accusations and counter-accusations, it’s important that NMMU gets to the bottom of it and implements the necessary action.

Why?

Apart from the fact that the negative headlines are not doing the University any favours, we need to do the right thing. We can be assured come election season 2015 that the muck-throwing will start all over again. It always does.

Why?

Because, whether we like it or not, this is politics.

Opponents always seem to seek the chink the other’s armour instead of taking the high road and inspiring voters with their plans to prosper others.

Anyway, I’m off the politicking bandwagon with one last shot … vote for what’s right, come NMMU student elections on 17 September.