Sasco denies allegations of maladministration at NMMU

01 Feb 2016 | Admin Author

The South African Students Congress has denied allegations of maladministration of the R1.9 million rand SRC budget at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University.

This, after the DA Students Organisation released details of the SRC's financial statement on Tuesday.

DA Youth Chairperson, Yusuf Casim, says that in most transactions, the expenditure is dramatically different from the proposed budget which was tabled and approved by the student body at the first sitting of the student parliament.

DASO made the following claims in their statement:

" R 37 409 went to SASCO members personnel academic fees. 258 students paid for these 7 SASCO members education.

" R 169 138.80 was spent by the SASCO lead SRC at restaurants and other catering services. Often in small amounts just over R150, which is enough to feed one person at a restaurant.

" SASCO has bought their lunch with students' money.

" 1167 students paid for SASCO SRC members to have lunch and meetings when students still do not have meal allowances with NSFAS.

" R 78 034 was spent on SASCO members sleeping in guesthouses. R 21 000 was spent on Jabula lodge, specifically.

" R 103 580 was given to one person, SV Ncalu.

" The SASCO lead SRC paid their treasuries and Secretary General an extra R 22 000.

" Sitha Gqomfa, who served on the SRC for 3 months, received multiple payments of over R 12 000.

" The current SRC Secretary General was also paid R 10 000.

" Recently, R 5000 worth of sponsorships were allocated from the SRC to SASCO for an event.

" The SRC has an operational budget of R 1 918 806. The SASCO lead SRC has spent R 1 671 356 by the 7th of August 2014, which is only half way through the year.

" The SRC used student funds to hire vehicles which is in contravention of University policy

But, SRC President, Luzuko Ntshongwana, denied the Daso allegations, saying it was a desperate move by DASO with SRC elections looming.

"This is obviously false. It is elections time plus people are campaigning. It is a campaign strategy. we are not surprised, it is not the first time they are doing it. It does not disturb us. There is no way that they can get access to financial statements from the University. They must tell us where they got it" he said.