UFS and IEC keep language survey results secret

The University of the Free State (UFS) and the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) confirmed with AfriForum that the results of the survey on language on the UFS’s campus will not be made public. The UFS’s explanation is that the data will first be processed before it can be submitted in this format to the Council.

“No results were released after the survey, and now they once again refuse to make it public. When we started enquiring at the IEC – who ran the survey – and the UFS, we were informed that no information may be released as their memorandum of understanding prohibits it. Why is the information being withheld from public?” asked Morné Mostert, AfriForum Youth’s National Representative.

AfriForum Youth previously launched a campaign to persuade thousands of students to participate in the survey.

AfriForum Youth Kovsies submitted an application in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act, 2000 to the University in a bid to make the results of the survey known as it was collected at the different polling stations. They furthermore requested the University to make public their memorandum of understanding.

“We are not surprised that Prof. Jansen drives a political agenda. However, it is worrisome that the IEC, a body that is supposed to stand for credibility, refuses us access to the information. We do not know if the true results will ever reach the students or the Council.”

AfriForum Youth Kovsies submitted comments on UFS’s language policy in August, which will serve before the Council on 4 December 2015.

Join AfriForum Youth by sending an SMS with “Kovsies” to 32687 (R1 per SMS).