SSJ statement post-election by Chris Mc Michael

20 May 2011

Students for Social Justice Statement on the Election Results for
Rhodes Ward 12, Makana Municipality

On the 18th of May, the DA took Ward 12, Rhodes University by an
overwhelming majority. In the midst of their self-congratulation fest
it should also be noted that an Independent student Candidate,
Christopher Mc Michael, endorsed by Students for Social Justice, the
Unemployed Peoples Movement and the Democratic Left Front, polled
third in the ward, only 8 votes behind the ANC.

This is a huge victory for a campaign designed and run by students. On
an almost non-existent budget, and with no experience of electoral
campaigning the Students for Social Justice has posed a creditable threat
to two well established and well bankrolled party political machines.

Even more important is that the campaign maintained its fidelity to
the principles of direct democracy, openness and social justice. The
youth who were programmed to continue fucking up have woken up. We
have deviated from the agreed path and will continue, with our
comrades in the Unemployed Peoples Movement, to fight for a just and
humane Grahamstown, in which all people are afforded their dignity as
human beings.

This campaign said NO to condescending and complacent party
candidates, to politics as manageralism and hollow slogans, to an
exhaustion of ideas and the cheapening of noble words like democracy
and freedom. It said YES to equality, participation and to the
creation of our own autonomous political spaces.

While we know that real change may never come through the ballot box,
the success of our campaign in the face of great odds has shown us
that our time has come. The local establishment which has viewed this
campaign as a cheap and inept ploy thinks that we will disappear now
that we have had our 15 minutes is in for an unpleasant surprise....

Our eyes are open, we know that we are the now the drivers of our own
future and we will continue to fight, challenge and undermine the
structures and systems which cheapen and distort our lives’.