Chaos erupts at Hillside Teachers College

A governance and credibility crisis has emerged at Hillside Teachers College following the repeated exclusion of a presidential candidate from the Student Representative Council (SRC) nomination process, despite a prior successful appeal that reinstated the candidate.

The dispute centres on Ashley Mlandeli, a duly registered candidate who submitted nomination papers on 26 February. Although initially excluded from the published nomination list without explanation, a successful appeal led to their reinstatement and the postponement of elections to 11 March to resolve the disruption.

However, the situation escalated when a new nomination list was later issued, backdated to 11 March, once again excluding the same candidate despite the earlier reinstatement. This has raised serious concerns among students and representatives about fairness, transparency and possible procedural manipulation.

In an eight-page report, SRC chairperson Promise Murapio described the sequence of events as deeply troubling, suggesting a pattern of inconsistent decisions and a lack of accountability. The repeated exclusion, followed by reinstatement and exclusion again, has led to growing suspicion among the student body.

Murapio further noted that the administration has remained largely silent on the matter, failing to provide clarity on key issues such as the reasons for the initial exclusion, the outcome of the appeal, the backdated list, and the timeline for elections. This lack of communication has significantly eroded trust in the electoral process.

Students have since begun mobilising across campus, sharing information, holding discussions and preparing to submit a formal petition demanding answers, reinstatement of the candidate, and a suspension of elections until the matter is resolved. There is increasing concern that proceeding with elections under these conditions could undermine the legitimacy of the outcome and set a problematic precedent for student governance.

The situation has also highlighted tensions between student leadership and college administration, with the Dean of Students, Rusununguko Masaisai, declining to comment and indicating that the principal is the appropriate authority to address the issue.

As the dispute unfolds, the college faces mounting pressure to restore confidence in its electoral process and address the concerns raised by students, who are demanding transparency, accountability and adherence to fair procedures.