Question NW3066 to the Minister of Higher Education and Training

Universities

Name of University

(1)(a) Total budget allocated

(1)(b)-(c) Election expenses and monitoring

(2) (a)-(c) Exceeding of budget allocations

Cape Peninsula University of Technology

2013: R36 000.00

2014: R299 535.00

2015: R695 445.60

2016: R690 258.60

2017: R246 474.85

2018: R772 360.79

An external agency runs elections, and no funds are allocated for parties contesting the elections.

The Dean of Students is the most senior Executive who monitors the SRC election process and reports to the Executive Committee.

There is no record of the rules having been broken or of any action having been taken against any CPUT official relating to the running of the CPUT SRC elections.

University of Cape Town

The total budget allocated for SRC elections for the period 2009 to 2018 amounts to R946 940.00.

The amount each person/party and /or entity standing in an SRC election is permitted to spend on SRC election expenses is R800 per candidate for campaigning.

The specified expenses are monitored.

In the 2012 SRC elections, one of the parties campaigning in the elections received additional external funding towards its election campaign. The Electoral Committee for this transgression fined the party concerned.

Central University of Technology

R500 000.00 for Welkom Campus in the past decade and R2 200 000.00 for the Bloemfontein Campus

Election expenses are part of the SRC operational budget under the item of Elections set aside for operational costs of elections and payment of the service provider (IEC/PWC) which is set aside from the University auditing funds centralised to cover both Welkom and Bloemfontein electoral staff payments. They are used for marketing, printing of ballot papers, catering, transport between campuses, etc.

All specified expenses are monitored accordingly.

The only deviation is when the IEC is unable to assist due to its primary function of running national and local elections; the University will then use the services of PWC as an alternative.

Durban University of Technology

2009: R180 000.00

2010: R180 000.00

2011: R180 000.00

2012: R180 000.00

2013: R180 000.00

2014: R180 000.00

2015: R210 000.00

2016: R280 000.00

2017: R470 000.00

Each candidate is allocated R500 for personal campaigning; however, there is no regulation of how much more each candidate may raise to spend on one’s campaign.

The amount allocated to candidates is given to them to use at their discretion.

There have been occasions that budgeted amounts were exceeded.

In August 2016, a security situation occurred in the Midlands Campus – extra security measures had to be taken to defend the integrity of the elections resulting in additional costs. In 2017, a disruption during counting occurred at the Durban Campus, resulting in a new round of voting and counting.

This resulted in a security company being appointed and extra costs incurred.

University of Fort Hare

R650 000.00 for SRC elections per annum.

Approximately R300 000.00 is spent on the IEC that manages and conducts the SRC election. However, if the IEC is managing the SRC elections, the University pays approximately R60 000, which is mainly administrative costs. The University allocated R25 000 per organisation/individual (per Campus) for their campaigns for the SRC election in the 2017 and 2018 SRC elections.

The Student Governance and Development Unit administers the allocated amount, and as such is not allocated directly to the organisation/individuals contesting the SRC elections.

The University has not had instances where allocations have been exceeded or where the rules related to election expenditure have been broken.

University of Free State

2009: R169 165.00

2010: R125 000.00

2011: R93 537.00

2012: R309 500.00

2013: R254 595.00

2014: R315 064.00

2015: R300 000.00

2016: R200 000.00

2017: R784 200.00

2018: R950 000.00

The budget allocations cover the pre-election phase (would entail a tendering process by the Finance Department for Service Providers) and balloting phase (actual voting days).

UFS does not provide funds for any campaigning that falls outside of the formal campaigning schedule. The University does, however, intervene where there has been a violation of the electoral code of conduct.

The UFS Finance and Audit Departments audits and monitors the electoral budgets and associated expenditure of the SRC elections and other student governance structures. 

No budget was exceeded.

University of Johannesburg

2008 and 2009: There was no allocated budget

2010: R450 000.00

2011: R450 000.00

2012: R450 000.00

2013: R468 000.00

2014: R500 000.00

2015: R500 000.00

2016: R525 000.00

2017: R475 000.00

2018: R498 750.00

The budgeted funds are spent on marketing, printing of ballot papers and campaigning. Each contestant for SRC elections would receive R300.00 allowance for printing of campaigning material. For student organisations, the R300.00 allowance would be multiplied by the number of portfolios the organisation would be contesting.

The printing of material is monitored as printing happens on campus.

The allocated budgets were never exceeded in all the years reported on except the year 2017.

University of Limpopo

2015: R1 000 000.00

2016: R1 000 000.00

2017: R1 000 000.00

2018: R1 000 000.00

R20 000 is allocated to each registered student organisation to spend on marketing and campaigning material.

The expenses are monitored, as the printing of ballot papers is done through the University’s printing division and the procurement of marketing material is done through the University’s Finance Department (Procurement division).

The allocated budgets were never exceeded in all the years reported on except the 2017 year.

Mangosuthu University of Technology

2013: R250 000.00

2014: R250 000.00

2015: R404 455.60

2016: R489 927.00

2017: R709 700.00

2018: R951 900.00

Budget is allocated to each registered student organisation to spend on marketing and campaigning material.

There is no monitoring.

The budget has never been exceeded, and Rules relating to election expenditure have never been broken.

Nelson Mandela University

2009: R198 265.00

2010: R218 550.00

2011: R238 070.00

2012: R256 570.00

2013: R286 070.00

2014: R317 300.00

2015: R352 500.00

2016: No elections held

2017: R391 183.00

2018: R434 648.00

Budget allocations are used for general logistics related to organising and holding the actual elections. No budget allocations are made to individual persons, party or entity standing in an SRC election.

Expenditure is monitored and reported on annually.

No budgets have been exceeded

North West University

2009: R249 555.00

2010: R254 321.00

2011: R259 185.00

2012: R264 148.00

2013: R269 212.00

2014: R276 380.00

2015: R296 407.00

2016: R311 298.00

2017: R333 217.00

2018: R650 000.00

The Office of the Registrar currently provides the budget for this process and is responsible for administering the annual election process for the Student Representative Council and student campus councils at the respective campuses of the University.

The amount allocated in the budget has not been exceeded, and the rules related to the election expenditure have not been transgressed

University of Pretoria

2009: information not available in the PeopleSoft IT system

2010: R201 633.30

2011: R278 633.30

2012: R262 168.78

2013: R600 573.81

2014: R527 983.77

2015: R560 014.78

2016: R947 503.05

2017: R1 794 460.28 (an electronic voting system was introduced with associated costs)

2018: R1 221 574.58

The University of Pretoria supports campaigning candidates for SRC elections insofar as printing an equal number of posters across all its campuses. The printing costs are part of the budget, and they are all uniform except the message from each candidate based on the portfolio they are campaigning. Electronic campaigns on the University platform are at no cost.

Dedicated staff in the Finance Department monitor expenses and all activities are audited and reported to the University’s Audit and Risk Committee of Council.

Expenses are strictly according to the budget, and this is not in control of the SRC.

Rhodes University

2009: R7 000.00

2010: R7 500.00

2011: R8 000.00

2012: R8 560.00

2013: R20 000.00

2014: R15 000.00

2015: R10 000.00

2016: R15 000.00

2017: R30 000.00

2018: R30 000.00

The election budget is planned for within the University budget. Funds are not received from any external or political party regarding the SRC elections. Candidates utilise funds for campaign purposes (including posters).

One candidate on 10/08/2018 purchased 6 T-shirts, which were not declared. It came to the attention of the Independent Electoral Body (IEB) via the Administrator appointed to oversee the election process regarding compliance with all rules.

The case was deemed a minor infringement, only a determined number of votes were deducted from the candidate post voting.

Sefako Makgatho University

The University allocated R365 000.00 for 2018/ 2019 SRC election process. For the previous four years, the allocated budget was R250 000.00 for each election process.

In the 2018 elections process, the allocation per political structure was increased to R10 000. For the previous four years, the allocation was R6 000 per political structure.

The expenditure of the allocated amount is specifically designated for election promotional material of whatever nature determined by the specific political organisations.

These expenditures are processed through the University procurement system authorised by the University Governance Support Staff as well as the Director Student Affairs

The allocated elections budget has never been overspent over the past five years. This is due to the monitoring and control system that is in place.

Sol Plaatje University

2017: R85 000.00

2018: 100 000.00

Election expenses are for auditors, printing and stationery as well as refreshments.

These are monitored by the Head of Student Affairs and the University’s external auditors audit them annually.

Budget allocations have not been exceeded, nor election expenditure rules contravened

University of South Africa

2008: R1 491 250.00

2009: R41 984.00

2010: R0

2011: R3 131 174.00

2012: R5 078.00

2013: R995 119.00

2014: R1 352 323.00

2015: R0

2016: R3 862 226.00

2017: R0

2018: R10 879 153.00

Elections are not held every year, and expenses are thus of a project or cyclical nature. Sometimes expenses are processed in the subsequent year and may reflect as an overspent in that year.

Expenditure is monitored on a continuous basis.

Budget allocations have not been exceeded in total, or per election, nor have the rules related to election expenditure been broken.

Stellenbosch University

2017/2018: R72 988.22

2018/2019: R46 237.88

There are no records for the preceding eight years.

The amount that each person standing is permitted for marketing spend is decided by the election convenors, who are guided by the election rules, so that each candidate has a fair chance.

Year 2018/2019: R500 (total spend per candidate) x 14 candidates = R7 000

Year 2017/2018: R500 (total spend per candidate) x 14 candidates = R7 000

Student Governance monitors the total amount allocated and expended. Student Governance also plays an oversight role on what is spent during the elections. Furthermore, the University has financial controls systems, which promotes financial management.

No budget was exceeded, and no rules were broken in the 2018 and 2019 elections.

Tshwane University of Technology

2018: R620 000.00

Student Governance and Leadership Development (SGLD) Directorate operational budget covers other operational expenses related to elections amongst others; security, catering for all staff and volunteers, transport and voting venues on the day of the elections.

The SRC finance committee determines the allocation to student structures. That budget is for operations and programmes for the whole year including buying T-shirts and logistics for SRC elections because the budget is not sufficient and not the same from all structures the SGLD Directorate subsidies the structures participating in SRC elections with R1000 each for elections only. Officials in the SGLD monitors the day-to-day operations of these structures including their budget.

The SGDL directorate monitors how the structures manage their budgets. This is done to ensure that by the time SRC elections are conducted, no structures participating in elections have depleted their budgets.

Vaal University of Technology

2012/13: R55 000.00

2013/14: R80 000.00

2014/15: R100 000.00

2016/17: R40 000.00

2015/16: R100 000.00

2017/18: R125 000.00

These expenses are monitored on the basis that student structures have to bring their memorandum of request where all logistics are tabulated. All procurement will be done in accordance with what they have requested.

The University has never exceeded its budget as student structures apply and receive their functional rights at the beginning of the year, which therefore determines the support the Student Support Services Department has to give.

University of Venda

2008: R114 000.00

2009: R125 000.00

2010: R377 000.00

2011: R158 000.00

2012: R127 000.00

2013: R310 000.00

2014: R181 000.00

2015: R272 000.00

2016: R324 000.00

2017: R287 000.00

2018: R600 000.00

The budget increase or decreases depending on whether the IEC or private service providers are facilitating elections.

The University of Venda does not have a specific budget allocated to parties for SRC election purpose. Their mother body organisations fund parties. The allocations are for campaigning.

The allocated budget is strictly monitored, and Management must approve any deviation.

The budget was exceeded in 2016 and 2018. The University Management provided for safety and security during the elections, which had become increasingly confrontational.

Walter Sisulu University

Over the last ten years, WSU has allocated
R 11.5 million for SRC Elections.

The University does not have a specific budget set aside for contesting parties. Political Student Organisations contesting elections are funded through a grant allocated by the SRC. The Grant is an allocation for those Parties based on the number of seats such parties obtained in the SRC elections. Such budgets vary from campus-to-campus depending on the student enrolment figures in those campuses.

Expenses are monitored and processed through University procurement policies.

SRC elections have always been held within the approved budget. The Office of Executive Director for Student Development and Support Services will make special requests for budget adjustment where the need arises.

University of the Western Cape

R300 000.00 annually

R1700.00 per candidate

The funds are ring-fenced and are monitored by the Institutional Liaison Team.

No budget has ever been exceeded

University of the Witwatersrand

The amount has varied between R300 000.00 to R400 000.00 over the past ten years.

The University allocates R600.00 to each candidate towards the electioneering material and processes, such as posters, refreshments, etc. However, some candidates contest the election as a collective and depending on their affiliation, also have some of their expenses covered through funds from their clubs and societies. This is minimal and monitored to a maximum of R3000.00.

Funds are monitored through the Election Office

No budget was exceeded, and no rules were broken.

University of Zululand

2008: R 0

2009: R90 000.00

2010: R 300 000.00

2011: R339 700.00

2012: R310 000.00

2013: R134 430.00

2014: R400 000.00

2015: R500 000.00

2016: R1 000 000.00

2017: R879 489.00

2018: R1 000 000.00

The budget is for operational expenses regarding elections, i.e. appointment of service providers, the appointment of an independent electoral committee, elections committee members and appeals committee members stipends, appointment of auditors.

The expenditures are monitored.

Rules regarding election expenses have not been broken, and where there were budget overruns it was for legitimate operational expenses regarding elections and duly approved within the University governance structures

Technical and Vocation Education and Training

Name of College

(1) (a) total budget allocated

(1) (b)-(c) Election expenses and monitoring

(2) (a)-(c) Exceeding of budget allocations

Buffalo City

2018: R473 900.00

An external agency runs elections, and no funds are allocated for parties contesting the elections.

Expenses are carefully monitored.

There is no record of rules having been broken or of any action being taken against any official relating to the running of the elections.

East Cape Midlands

No budget allocated.

There is no budget allocation for candidates standing for elections, and the College has never spent money on elections.

Not applicable.

Ikhala

No budget allocated.

Elections are conducted internally, not outsourced, and no funds are allocated for parties.

Not applicable.

Ingwe

2018: R260 000.00

2017: R180 000.00

2016: R160 000.00

Elections are conducted internally, not outsourced, and no funds are allocated for parties.

Expenditure is monitored.

The budget has never been exceeded, and the rules were not broken.

King Hintsa

The College does not have expenditure records from 2008 to 2012 for SRC elections. The IEC conducts elections for free, and the College pays for accommodation and airtime for IEC officials. However, in 2016 there was a re-run of elections in two campuses which resulted in costs incurred which amounted to R186 000

The College does not allocate money for individual students or any political parties.

Not applicable.

King Sabata Dalindyebo

2008: R85 000.00

2009: R120 000.00

2010: R120 000.00

2011: R156 000.00

2012: R170 000.00

2013: R180 000.00

2014: R200 000.00

2015: R230 000.00

2016: R250 000.00

2017: R280 000.00

2018: R350 000.00

The College did not allocate funds per person, or party and expenses are monitored.

No penalties were issued.

Port Elizabeth

No specific budget allocation. The IEC conducts SRC elections. The College pays IEC officials for meals, and vouchers and a stipend for other officials on duty during voting, as well as extra security.

The College did not allocate funds per person or party, and expenses are monitored.

The only deviation is when the IEC is unable to assist due to its primary function of running national and local elections; the College will then use the services of external companies as an alternative.

Central Johannesburg

No budget allocated. However, the College uses an independent body during elections.

No parties or individuals are paid to participate in SRC elections, and expenses are carefully monitored.

No rules were broken therefore no penalties.

Ekurhuleni West

2017: R210 600.00

2018: R238 491.67

No parties or individuals are paid to participate in SRC elections.

Expenses are carefully monitored.

The budget has never been exceeded.

Sedibeng

2014: R1 642.11

2015: R4 367.30

2016: R1186.10

2017: R5 400.00

2018: R4 600.00

No parties or individuals are paid to participate in SRC elections.

Expenses are carefully monitored.

The budget has never been exceeded.

South West Gauteng

2012: R33 690.75

2013: R119 400.00

2014: R137 280.00

2015: R127 789.96

2016: R97 500.00

2017: R50 000.00

2018: R200 000.00

No parties or individuals are paid to participate in SRC elections.

The expenses are monitored.

The budget has never been exceeded.

Tshwane South

2012: to 2018: R2 130 000.00

No budget is allocated to individual parties that stand for SRC elections.

The expenses are monitored.

The budget has never been exceeded, and rules relating to election expenditure have never been broken.

Western

2009: R46 394.00

2010: R42 841.00

2011: R53 074.00

2012: R48 319.00

2013: R78 289.00

2014: R64 088.00

2015: R93 858.00

2016: R413 675.00

2017: R536 285.00

2018: R440 500.00

Budget allocations are used for general logistics related to organising and holding the actual elections. No budget allocations are made to individual persons, parties or entities standing in an SRC election. Funding is mainly for election, catering and IEB.

Expenditure is monitored.

No budgets have been exceeded

Goldfields

No budget allocated for SRC elections.

The College supports campaigning candidates for SRC elections by printing their manifestos and placing their photos on noticeboards.

Expenses are monitored.

Not applicable.

Maluti

No budget allocated for SRC elections.

The College has never funded SRC election campaigns and processes.

Not applicable.

Motheo

Average of R400 000.00 per annum.

It is not a party nor person specific; the money covers elections irrespective of association

Expenses are monitored through the budget management process.

Not applicable.

Coastal

No budget allocated for SRC elections.

Election expenses are for the IEB not for individuals or parties

Expenses are monitored.

Not applicable.

Elangeni

Not specified.

The College’s budget for SRC elections covers all activities related to the College and not for parties. Student formations are responsible for their campaigns as per the Constitution.

The Finance Unit monitors expenditure centrally.

Budget allocations have not been exceeded, and the rules related to election expenditure have never been broken.

Thekwini

For 2007 to 2015, the College did not spend any money when conducting SRC elections.

2016: R70 000

2017: R48 000

2018: R31 000

No money had been paid to any individual, party or entity standing for SRC elections. The funds paid to service providers are monitored.

Not applicable.

Majuba

2011: R200 000.00

2012: R156 500.00

2013: R200 000.00

2014: R131 033.48

2015: R162 367.00

2016: R1 835.42

2017: R194 039.00

2018: R178 074.10

Expenses are covered and monitored by the College. It is not allocated to any individual or party or campus

Not applicable.

Mnambithi

There is no specific budget line item for SRC election. The College only pays IEC officials who oversee the elections.

The College has never paid for any student movement for SRC elections.

Not applicable.

Mthashana

Not budget allocated.

The College has never paid for any student movement for SRC elections.

Not applicable.

Umfolozi

SRC budget R650 000.00 for the past two years.

The College conducted its elections initially by internal staff without using any funds until 2016 when the IEB conducted the elections.

Expenses are monitored.

The budget was exceeded due to re-elections as a result of disputes in Sundumbili and Isithebe campuses. Certain campuses received major disputes that caused student unrest, which led to re-elections.

Umgungundlovu

No budget has been allocated for SRC elections over the past ten years.

No College funds have been allocated or used for student elections.

Not applicable.

Capricorn

No budget has been allocated for SRC elections over the past ten years.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Lephalale

No budget has been allocated for SRC elections over the past ten years.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Letaba

The College did not have a specific budget allocation for SRC elections.

2018: R387 745.00

The College did not allocate any amount to a person, party, or entity standing for the SRC elections.

Expenses are monitored in line with the policy of the College.

The budget of the SRC was never exceeded, and no rules of election expenditure were broken as strict measures are observed.

Mopani

R3 000.00 was used for the past ten years for catering of IEC officials for conducting the SRC elections. There was no other funding for SRC elections.

Elections are conducted internally, not outsourced, and no funds are allocated for parties.

There were no rules broken, and the budget was not exceeded.

Sekhukhune

The College does not have expenditure records from 2008 to 2012 for SRC elections. The IEC conducts elections for free. The College pays for accommodation and airtime for IEC officials. However, in 2016 there was a
re-run of elections in 2 campuses which ended up costing the College R186 000

No money is used for funding individual candidates or parties.

Not applicable.

Orbit

2009: No record

2010: R50 000.00

2011: R55 000.00

2012: R60 000.00

2013: R70 000.00

2014: R80 000.00

2015: R80 000.00

2016: R90 000.00

2017: R120 000.00

2018: R150 000.00

Expenditure is monitored.

The College has not exceeded the SRC budget over the years.

Taletso

2009: R123.00

2010: R1 850.00

2011: R2 125.00

2012: R2 826.00

2013: R3 672.00

2014: R4 800.00

2015: R5 200.00

2016: R6 347.00

2017: R8 559.00

2018: R173 000.00

The budget has been very low for all the years because the College utilises internal staff and resources. Challenges were experienced when some students declared disputes, and this took a toll in resolving problems. The College then resorted in utilising the IEC, which assisted in resolving the problems. The 2018 SRC budget includes the budget for the Student Support Unit.

Expenditure is monitored.

The College has not exceeded the SRC budget over the years.

Ehlanzeni

R444 752.00 has been used for SRC elections for the past ten years.

Budget is mainly for logistics in conducting elections. The IEC is always requested to assist.

Expenditure is monitored.

The College has not exceeded the SRC budget over the years.

Gert Sibande

R300 000.00 has been used for SRC elections for the past ten years.

Budget is mainly for logistics in conducting elections. The IEC is always requested to assist. Expenditure is monitored.

The College has not exceeded the SRC budget over the years.

Nkangala

R101 636.70 has been used for SRC elections for the past ten years.

Budget is mainly for logistics in conducting elections. The IEC is always requested to assist. Expenditure is monitored.

The College has not exceeded the SRC budget over the years.

Northern Cape Rural

R200 000.00 has been used for the past ten years

Any person that wants to stand for elections must cover their costs. The College covers the election ballot papers and cost incurred for the IEC officials. Expenses are monitored.

The College has not exceeded the SRC budget over the years.

College of Cape Town

For 2008 – 2015, there was no budget.

2016 - 2018 R4 000.00 maximum

The SRC election budget is a bare minimum, and the intention is to limit or prevent any potential opportunity to misuse funds.

The College has not exceeded the SRC budget over the years.