"Opinion: SRC - Self Representative Council"

SRC: Self Representative Council?

Just two weeks ago SRC leadership came under fire regarding the trip of four SRC leaders to Israel. These members include Zizipho Pae, Greg Keal, Nicole Mirkin and then SRC President, Khanyisa Panini. The UCT PSF issued out a pdf statement via their vula page outliniing their concerns over the issue.

Last year, during the heat of Palestinian-Israeli conflict in the Middle East, the SRC committee had signed a memorandum laid out by the UCT PSF. The memorandum called for the BDS movement (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions of Israeli products) in aid of the occupied Palestinians.

In the pdf sent out by UCT PSF, the problem sat under the fact that the trip of these four SRC leaders to Israel were a sponsored invitation. Surely a sponsored trip to Israel raised eyebrows with regards to the upholding of the memorandum agreement made last year.

This issue has not yet been featured in student publications for reasons unknown. It seems quite poetic that it should be SHARED during Israeli Apartheid week.

The trip that occurred during the last VAC begs to question what purpose the trip served. Whether it was religious, student leader related or out of investigatory interest, it still seemed rather odd as a sponsored trip for the SRC leaders.

Although they had claimed not to have accepted the invitation in their SRC capacity, these leaders still fall under the banner of UCT and the SRC. Therefore they were representatives of the UCT student body and I doubt that their SRC status had little to do with the invitation. Especially considering the fact that the ex-SRC President was among them.

As if to add fuel to the fire of curiosity, one of the aforementioned leaders had, in UCT PSF’s view, made clearly Islamaphobic comments on a social media platform. The PSF had left the person and type of social media unnamed but have evidence if requested to present it in future.

These comments had occurred after their sponsored trip to Israel and questions what other aftermath is yet to be unleashed from the mysterious venture. This sparks controversy with regards to how accurately the entire student body is being represented.

As leaders of the SRC they are expected to represent the student body wholly. In order to do so, transparency is required for proper engagement between students and the SRC.

This incident could really question the SRC’s authority and leadership quality. The leaders of this year need to acknowledge and uphold the obligations and commitments made by the previous SRC.

Then again, perhaps an invited and sponsored trip of four SRC leaders to Israel is purely coincidence.

- Saara Mowlana