Make SASCO Your First and Best Friend on Campus

Dear Son

My son I have to compel my weak and sick hand to put ink on paper from within the confines of Cecilia Makiwane Hospital. This is because I have, with great jubilation, heard the good news that you are now admitted as a student at the University of Fort Hare for 2014 academic year. Congratulations!

 

I hope that you have made good friends at university. Hearing about your admission made me to think of a very old friend of your father who is still at university, SASCO. I am not surprised that this good friend intervened in your case. Please consider making friends with this SASCO; it is a very reliable friend.

 

Below is an old letter that your late father once wrote to this friend some years ago after graduation, just few days before his untimely departure:

 

“Dear SASCO

I still do not know how to begin to express my gratitude to your sterling work. I have never thought that I could afford university tuition, accommodation, food and all other costs but, thanks to your struggles, I had TEFSA.

 

I am very grateful for your unbroken and persistent support throughout my studies. Whenever I and other students needed help, be it on academics, accommodation, finances or service we received from university, you would decisively intervene, successfully. That, I do appreciate.

 

Your temperate and pleasant character continues to inspire me. I shall take your example for implementation in my personal life. From lessons I got from you beyond those from the course material whilst at university, I can safely say that I now understand what kind of graduate is needed by our problem contaminated society for better transformation.

 

Through tough times, you were there for me and cushioned me and my friends against any form of victimization when we were a bunch of vulnerable ‘freshers’; hence I have no regrets for having associated with you. I am grateful for this.

 

You did not end by only landing me a genuinely listening ear when I puked out my problems to you; you acted upon them for their speedy resolution. I wonder what I would have been if you were not always around campus. If it were not for your bravery and excellent service, chances are I would not be a graduate and thus, not in my present great mood. Thanks to you my new born son will not live in poverty as I will have means to support him.

 

Things I could not share with my friends and classmates, I confidently shared with you guaranteed that they will not be used against me, but instead they will be addressed in the best possible way. Your word’s worth is always confirmed by your actions for you are really committed to campus work as your SPOT document states it as one of your pillars. Indeed, I will always cherish your work till I breathe no more.

 

Thank you for being always ready to lend a hand.

Please continue the good work for generations to come.

Yours Sincerely

Comrade”

 

I am certain that the above letter portrays well the kind of friend that is SASCO. Now that you have heard what your father had to say to this friend, I would like to tell you about its exceptional cadreship of this gallant organ.

 

My knowledge about the organisation stems from the decision I took after they had taught me to read and write for few years through their community work. I then decided to research and learn about the leaders and activists of this organisation.

 

Each and every day, these revolutionary beings take it upon themselves to fight the students’ battles so that the student populace can pursue its education under good conditions, where student services are at par with what is required by students to live better at campus and free the environment of any unnecessary obstacles to their education.

 

SASCO cadres always have hope that at some point, the magnanimous revolutionary battles that they wage everyday will lead to the fulfillment of the humble objective for free, quality education.

 

Many of the martyrs of this struggle have fallen. Among those men were resilient and brave activists such as Wanga Sigila, Xola Nene, Claude Qavane and many others (you are bound to stumble on these names as you interact with SASCO). Yes, it is neither just nor exciting that so great a detachment has fallen before the advent of free education. However, as comrade Che Guevara would have advised, the remaining activists of SASCO had picked the weapons of these cadres and are continuing with the war for there is no time for mourning except for learning from the example that has been well set by the fallen cadres.

 

Rarely do the comrades go home during recess. Many of these cadres lose the opportunity to be with loved ones in the villages, townships and many other working class communities that they come from because they open early January before any student in order to commence with the Right to Learn Campaign. The campaign, among many other things, seeks to ensure access and success in education. For example, the successful demonstrations that led to the NSFAS issues being resolved early this year are a testimony to the efficiency of this cadreship through the campaign. Even your admission is as a result of this campaign.

 

Armed with revolutionary theory, commitment, passion and love for justice, SASCO cadres are always ready to throw everything they have in wrestling any threat to the best interests of students. It is because of the knowledge of this fact that I was confident that, despite our poverty since the passing away of your father, you will be admitted at UFH so that you could get the education that I had no privilege of having.

 

Remember that SASCO always works for nothing less than the realization of students’ interests and their aspirations. With the knowledge that their efforts bear fruits for revolutionary transformation of both institutions of education and society, they remain forever committed to the struggle for the betterment of the plight of students.

 

The spirit of brotherhood and sisterhood reigns in SASCO. Of course, now and then conflicts would arise over how best to steer the vehicle of transformation. It is out of these ‘conflicts’, the best policies informed by the best interests of students and greater society emerge through deliberations and democratic processes of the movement. To one another, all SASCO comrades are friends, sisters and brothers. Hence, they collaborate so well across campuses for efficiency.

 

Whatever words they utter in boardrooms, actions they make in the course of struggle, and decisions they make, trust me when I say it is always for students. Please, never forget that they are there for you and never forget them when you speak or pray to whatever deity you may believe in. Indeed, they are worthy of blessings.

 

In their excellent service, they discriminate by neither name nor student number. Consistent with their principles of democracy, non-racialism and non-sexism, they assist and fight for students across the racial spectrum, gender and creed.

 

Remember that they are students like you and they also have to study and attend like you so that they do not conflict with SASCO’s principle of academic excellence, therefore, please, show your appreciation to them. They do not demand it but they do deserve it.

 

SASCO cadres stand proud on the pedestal of excellence and you have to associate yourself with that excellence.

 

SASCO cadres do not mind living a paradox of nocturnal and diurnal life for you. ‘Akulalwa kuyasetyenzwa’

 

Make SASCO your first and best friend on campus.

Regards

Your loving Aunt

North West University Vaal Campus Situation

On the Victimisation of Leaders at North West University, Vaal Triangle Campus

“Education either functions as an instrument which is used to facilitate the integration of the younger generation into the logic of the present system and bring about conformity or it becomes the practice of freedom, the means by which men and women deal critically and creatively with reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of their world”. These are the words of Paulo Freire that come to mind when one thinks of the disturbing situation of North West University Vaal campus.

The South African post-schooling sector is besieged by many challenges that require the attention of the public. The Vaal Triangle campus of North West University is an example of the dire need for transformation that still has to happen in South Africa despite some progress since the 1994 breakthrough.

NWU Vaal, which is basically former Potchefstroom University, epitomises what is wrong in our universities at large. Students at the university have over the years, among many other things, complained about the following:

      i.        Undermining the Student Representative Council (SRC)

    ii.        Racism

   iii.        Imposition of unnecessary fees on students

   iv.        Poor infrastructure and services

     v.        Lack of access to academic buildings

   vi.        Refusal of NWU to avail funds for poor students

In view of the above problems, it is clear that the status quo is really not good and therefore requires change. Integration or conformity to the status quo would be the free sale of the struggle for transformation. The little education that we have should be used “critically and creatively” to significantly change the reality of the education terrain. This is what the progressive forces of change at NWU Vaal Triangle campus had sought to do when they raised their concerns and propositions to the management of the institution. However, the management stubbornly refused to give in to legitimate feelings of unease they felt and suggestions to resolve the problems.

When the students of NWU Vaal Triangle Campus, due to the clear display of arrogance and resistance of management, decided to march for the address of these issues they were met by the might of iron fist response from the institution’s authorities. This march happened in 20 May 2013. Instead of responding and addressing the issues raised by the student body the institution elected to cruelly isolate and harshly deal with student leadership and ‘make an example out of them’ by instituting unnecessary and ill-conceived  disciplinary action against them. You raise issues, you are charged. What is that? Injustice! Victimisation!

For the reason that the student leaders do not sing praise songs for the management, they are victimised because they ‘cause problems’ and ‘disturb the peace’ by raising issues that are uncomfortable for those tasked with managing the institutions of learning. These managers and administrators seem to be deliberately ignorant of the obvious need to transform the institutions of education. They equate and therefore limit transformation to allowing black students to register and having a black Campus Rector from the difficult to change University of Pretoria in the form of Prof. Thanyani Mariba.

The undermining of decisions and the work of the SRC by the NWU Vaal through its senate is not only wrong but downright illegal. The SRC and student body decisions in general are not respected according to leaders at NWU Vaal. This is despite the SRC being a compulsory statutory body in institutions of education as reflected in the Higher Education Act and the statutes of all universities in SA. The university wasted no time in proving this assertion by unfairly rejecting the amendments made to the student governance constitution by the Student Summit that sat in April 2013.  How do we begin to explain and justify the insult of rubbishing of the governing structure of the primary stakeholders? We cannot, honestly.

All these injustices and strangling of transformation at NWU Vaal Triangle Campus happen despite the celebrated presence of the first black Campus Rector. This is undoubtedly another vivid example that the amount of pigmentation in one’s skin is not proportional to one’s commitment, or at least approval of the need for progressive transformation of not only education but society in general. It is now clear that as and when we appoint black people and/or women as per the affirmative action guidelines we need to look beyond or, perhaps, deeper than the skin colour and biological make up.

Leaders of the student movement are vulnerable because the issues of transformation have been almost exclusively left to them by other stakeholders of the NWU Vaal Triangle Campus. There is lack of coordinated and thus consolidated action by stakeholders within our institutions. Consolidation and strengthening of relations among the campus stakeholders is crucial, especially between students and workers. I have argued elsewhere that: “Students and working class alliances have proven to be a necessary revolutionary concoction that is crucial in any progressive struggle. South African liberation history, for example, cannot be honestly told without mention of the revolutionary role of students and organised labour. Many community struggles were led and championed by students and workers”. Student-worker alliances were a significant force in the struggle against apartheid machinery. Students and workers worked together in transport boycotts, fighting high food prices, in leading strikes against apartheid injustices and many other burning issues of the time. The students and workers at North West University and all other universities should not only learn from the past but must also take action that is informed by that learning. It is through implementation of our learning from the past that we shall make a difference.

One of the dominant student organisations in the post-schooling sector, the South African Students Congress (SASCO), in a document named the Strategic Perspective on Transformation (SPOT), claim that one of the four pillars on which the struggle for the transformation of our institutions and society should be community work. This observation is in line with the adage of the revolutionary Steve Biko’s generation of student activists who said “we are members of the community before we are students”. It follows from this that the students of the NWU need to realise that their struggles are part of and are attached to those of the communities around them.

Close inspection of our society reveals a very serious detachment between communities and institutions of education in the post-schooling sector. Indeed, this is also a case with the Vaal Triangle working-class communities like Sharpeville, Boipatong, Sebokeng, Evaton and others. Therefore, there needs to be an intensive mobilisation of communities to participate in the transformation of the institutions so that there can be necessary accountability. These communities should demand that the remnants of the colonial and apartheid past which are still intact at the institution are removed and the university contributes positively to their development.

An intensive mobilisation of communities should rise beyond partisanship and must be aimed strictly at making certain that the transformation agenda is achieved. Currently, the PYA which is the alliance of SASCO, ANCYL and YCLSA seem to be overburdened with the task of transforming the university. Hence it is not surprising that the brunt of the university’s iron fist and disciplinary hearings are directed to PYA due to the realisation by the institution that once this alliance is weakened so will be the transformation agenda. Leaders of these structures will look like agitators who are set on a mission of causing perpetual trouble till such time all motive forces, stakeholders who stand to benefit most, come together.

Where is the media? What and how has the media reported on this matter? Why have the issues and the plight of students at NWU not known and understood beyond the fence bordering the institution around SA? There has been little from the part of the so-called mainstream media in reporting the real issues that are in the public interest from this institution, especially this relatively small yet significant campus. The media must know that besides the political scandals there are other scandalous stories to report like the injustices faced by student leaders at NWU Vaal Triangle Campus. The leaders are now living in fear because they unfairly lost the disciplinary case and maybe dealt with once and for all should they err now. Where is our ‘patriotic’ media?    

Real transformation necessitates a radical overhaul of the terrain of education through dealing with the sites of education like the problematic NWU Vaal Triangle Campus. Campuses should be transformed and turned into people’s institutions working toward the service of society at large.  This cannot happen without the unity of all stakeholders who stand to benefit from the transformation of NWU Vaal Triangle Campus and the institution in its totality. Students, parents, community organisations, trade unions etc have to unite. The unity of these stakeholders will go a long way in shielding students from vitriolic wrath of liberal management and therefore allow transformation to happen. As the cliché goes, unity is strength.

 

Universities should not be permitted to hide behind institutional autonomy for the purposes of derailing transformation. We need to be careful of some ‘reasonable’ arguments against the ‘cutting too deep’ by Dr Blade Nzimande as alleged by University of Cape Town (UCT) Vice Chancellor and chairperson of council. As UCT raises this argument they are busy trying to do away with affirmative action policy despite the reality of inequality being persistent. This clearly indicates that powers bestowed upon Dr. Blade Nzimande, through legislation to intervene in institutions was and remains correct. The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) has no other choice but to ‘cut deep’ and make certain that universities like NWU and UCT together with others, do not strangle, or most unpleasantly, reverse the transformation of the education terrain.

The education of the children of the working class is sacrosanct. It is through education that we can transform our unsurpassed society as far as inequality is concerned. For our education to address the problems of society it needs to be transformed first and that transformation requires the participation of all motive forces i.e. students, organised labour, churches, professionals, community organisations, youth etc.

North West University needs to transform and our leaders need protection. Let us unite for the transformation of North West University.

Education must become the practice of freedom!

Dinileminyanya Sandile Latha is the Board Member of Epilepsy SA, Eastern Cape and former student leader. He writes in his own personal capacity.

Gender and Land Reform in South Africa

On 03 October 2013, UFH will host an Eastern Cape Regional Students Colloquium. People from different universities will present papers on different themes in light of 100 years of the 1913 Land Act. I will be one of the presenters at the colloquium. The following is the abstract for my paper.





Dedication



This paper is dedicated to the working class women of South Africa and their offspring who continue to be at the receiving end of neoliberal onslaught and domination in South African society. It is the working class suffering, especially women and young children, under the repressive hold of the profit fundamentalism of the neoliberal politicians and their capitalist handlers that keeps me dedicated to essential need for political and socioeconomic transformation.

“Land, Bread and Peace! “



Author : Mr Dinileminyanya Sandile Latha

Occupation : Social Activist

Board Member (Epilepsy South Africa, Eastern Cape)

Student

Theme : Gender issues, Landownership and usage

Abstract Topic : Addressing Gender Question in South Africa’s Land Reform Discourse and Trajectory.



ABSTRACT



The land reform trajectory and discourse in the Republic of South Africa, thus far, has focused on race as its central theme. This has and still happens at the expense of addressing gender inequities in terms of both ownership and control of land (and other means of production). Though racial discrimination is an important historical and political issue, its resolution alone will not usher a just society without the redress of gender and class questions. Gender inequalities in societal development and the accompanying lack of access to the means of production (of which land is arguably the most important) reveal the low status endured by the female species in South Africa.



Gender prejudice, the paper claims, is the oldest kind of discrimination which gave rise to the division of labour and consequently led to the rise of social and economic classes. Females were barred from owning any land (or any kind of the means of production), in consequence of women having previously been practically the property of men. Women were not just dispossessed but systematically excluded from acquiring land due to patriarchal culture, law and traditions. It is in this light that the paper calls for the redress of women’s landlessness which, according to the paper, precedes the meeting of the Bantu people with the European immigrants who colonised the land.



The paper acknowledges the Marxist theory and the concept of National Democratic Revolution (NDR) as valuable tools to be used for the transformation of society. The paper claims that the NDR, which is about building a National Democratic Society (NDS) through the redress of racial, gender and class disparities, should be the central guide to the resolution of the land question and other transformation issues in South Africa. Racial and gender inequalities should be tackled together in order to ensure that land reform leads to real and sustainable development and ultimately reduce class contradictions.



The paper concludes that, for a genuine land reform, racial issues should not be allowed to overrule gender inequities. Resolution of both racial and gender inequities are crucial and a prerequisite for the resolution of the most fundamental issue of class question in South Africa.



By Dinileminyanya Sandile Latha

Eastern Cape

2013

DENOSA NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASE PROJECT IN MAHIKENG

Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA), working together with North West University (NWU) and Mahikeng community, ought to be applauded for their Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) project that is taking place in the North West Province, Mahikeng.

 

The project, which involves both the health professionals and Mahikeng residents, will be solely in the hands of the community by the end of June 2013. The community is now in a position to handle the project because it has been actively involved in the project. It is encouraging to note this as sustainability of any helpful project is important. The fact that the community will continue with the project after the study confirms that DENOSA and parties involved are serious about sustainable community development. This project is an example of what other unions and revolutionary organisations should be occupied with since community work ought to be at the centre of our revolutionary struggles. “We are members of the community before we are students”, workers, professionals or anything else.

 

The venture is focussing on community gardening and aerobics. A master’s student from NWU is involved as a researcher in this wonderful project according to information in DENOSA website. SASCO should be excited of this since the free education that we are fighting for should be relevant to societal needs and respond to those challenges adequately. This can be made possible through research that involves the community and organisations such as unions in this particular case. Since the scourge of disease, inactivity and hunger are a challenge in communities like Mahikeng, the focus of the project is welcome.

 

Gardening (food production) and aerobics (exercise) strike a good balance as access to good nutrition and exercise are crucial requisite components in fighting diseases, preventing illness and in the maintenance of good health. It is a known and acceptable fact that non-communicable diseases are largely attributed to poor diet and lack of physical activity. For example, obesity and strokes are mostly due to malnutrition and lack of exercise. Therefore, DENOSA’s NCD project is likely to yield good results for the community of Mahikeng which, like other South African communities, is besieged by serious health problems linked to bad socio-economic state of our society.

 

The results of the project are going to be presented to the International Council of Nurses (ICN) in May 2013 by DENOSA. One is confident that the presentation will show significant improvements to curbing non-communicable diseases and thus recommend such projects to other communities to distribute benefits of the study. Poor working class communities are bound to gain a lot from such programs as their economic status does not allow them to subscribe to expensive training facilities like Virgin Mobile and other capitalist driven entities and the lack of recreational facilities in our communities is also of no particular assistance to society. The forever rising prices of healthy food is felt by every member of our disadvantaged class. Thus, relevant community sport and recreational spaces and self food production is vital for every working class community, not only for the fight against ill health but for the alleviation of socio-economic challenges as well.

 

This project should be adopted by other institutions and their respective communities all over South Africa and modify the project to suit specific contexts of each community so as to make certain that healthy living is encouraged in our society. This would go a long way in ensuring that the health profile of SA is seriously transformed for the better. Having said this, we should not forget that the department of health and other relevant stakeholders should continue with their efforts of improving the health system in their respective capacities because it is only through everyone playing their role effectively that significant improvements could be witnessed by the nation  in fighting the disease burden in this country.

 

All other unions and civil organisations, including SASCO, should take a leaf from DENOSA and forge partnerships with institutions of education and communities to deal with other societal challenges based on their fields of operation and expertise. For example, student organisations like SASCO can have literacy campaigns to alleviate illiteracy problem in our society. Since SASCO’s Strategic Perspective on Transformation (SPOT) document lists community work as one of its pillars, it can only be correct for SASCO to approach DENOSA to forge a partnership that will work on the establishment of such projects in other communities around South Africa. Noting that DENOSA is part of the Mass Democratic Movement (MDM) and it has a progressive student chapter (DENOSA Learner Movement), it should not be difficult to shape a good working relationship that shall benefit our society.

 

Students and working class alliances have proven to be a necessary revolutionary concoction that is crucial in any progressive struggle. South African liberation history, for example, cannot be honestly told without mention of the revolutionary role of students and organised labour. Many community struggles were led and championed by students and workers. It is therefore not too ambitious to suggest that the struggle against the scourge of preventable non-communicable diseases that irk our society can be dealt with by the alliance of students, workers’ unions and community, without forgeting NGO’s.

 

The Mahikeng project is vital for the community and should be an inspiration for other progressive forces. One would like to send a word of appreciation to DENOSA, North West University and Mahikeng community for their exemplary partnership.

 

VIVA DENOSA VIVA!!!

 

Dinileminyanya Sandile ‘Patriotic Valiant’ Latha is a member of SASCO and Board Member of Epilepsy South Africa in the Eastern Cape. (He writes in his individual capacity)

 

 

 

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SASCO branch

Latha’s prepared Political input for SASCO Border Technikon Branch Executive Committee

The student populace as a section of the working class, in classical Marxist terms as it pertains to ownership and control of property, tends to be an easy casualty of the capitalist interests. In spite of capitalist apologists assertions that seek to convince us that there is no alternative to greed driven and malice infested system of capitalism, SASCO, as a sober Marxist-Leninist student movement, believes otherwise. SASCO understands that there is an alternative and that alternative is socialism: a system characterised by political and socioeconomic justice for the benefit of all instead of few “fortunate” individuals (which is the case in a capitalist system).

SASCO understands well that its noble struggle for free education is contained within and fused with the struggle for socialism. The knowledge and understanding of this truthful assertion is vital for every branch of SASCO, which is the basic unit of the organisation. This implies that branches of SASCO have got a burdensome yet welcome obligation to organise the student populace behind the vision and mission of the giant student movement for the achievement of free education and the long overdue socialist dispensation. Success in executing this task would mean a better life for all as we would have a really "democratic, non-racial, non-sexist and prosperous" nation which all progressive forces of the Mass Democratic Movement (MDM) still struggle for as they pursue the National Democratic Revolution (NDR). It should be noted that the left perspective of the NDR finds resonance in our pursuits.

The commoditisation of education helps the capitalist class to entrench its power and bad influence on the running of institutions of education. This unwarranted influence extends to curriculum content and delivery. Unfortunately, by either omission or commission, the government of the day encourages this disturbing situation at the expense of the disadvantaged institutions which, due to histotical and current injustices, could not develop to their real potential. The future of the working class offspring is compromised by the cowardly tendency of indicisiveness of our ally, the ANC.

The prioritisation of profit and market orientated education by the liberal education institutions and government's disappointing role which perpetuates capitals strengle hold on education, threatens the humble objectives of our quest for free, relevant, quality, and socially responsive education that the progressive student movement justifiably envisions.

 Inasmuch as we want the private sector to contribute to education through bursaries, research funding, infrastructure development, sponsorships etc., we do not wish for the affluent individuals or profit motivated entities to undeservingly earn the influence (perhaps they already have too much influence) and hegemony over our institutions of education for their own selfish ends, at the detriment of the social mandate that is a natural obligation of higher education institutions.

Should money influence what is taught? The answer is categorically no! Courses and curriculum content should never be the province  of the so-not-well-meaning  capitalist minority. What and how we are taught, by whom, and for whose interests we are taught and teach, is the province of the state as the chief custodian of the public interest. It therefore stands to reason that, the government of the day (as currently led by the ANC) ought to be responsible enough to make certain that education that is provided by education institutions is in line with the nation’s intended developmental goals. Currently, the nation's developmental goals are defined by the Mational Development Plan (NDP). Higher education institutions have got to make certain that their operations serve the nation.

The above leads us to the highly contentious matter of institutional autonomy and academic freedom which present a challenge to the attainment of corresponding the course structure and content to what the nation seeks to achieve in short and long term periods. As matters currently stand, there is a highly liberal understanding of institutional autonomy and academic freedom, which seeks to portray the institutions of education as establishments which transcend the importance of public interest. SASCO, in 2006, submitted a well articulated input on the matter of institutional autonomy and academic freedom that sought to give a clear student movement’s perspective. The input correctly demonstrated that the state has a fundamental role to play in the education arena for the best interest of society. SASCO branches have a duty to make certain that the concepts of academic freedom and institutional autonomy are understood in the correct perspective as guided by the understanding and application of Marxist-Leninist tools of analysis.

Access and success are essential objectives of which SASCO cadres should consume themselves with. On the question of access, the exorbitant fees required for application, registration, tuition, accommodation and living expenses are exclusionary in the face of disgusting poverty that overwhelms the masses of our people. Many education institutions, particularly the so called Historically Disadvantaged Institutions (HDI) though facts suggest that they are still disadvantaged, continuously get low graduate throughput. Among numerous reasons for the low throughput rate are: high number of dropouts, lack of academic support, financial exclusion and many more. These are challenges which call upon SASCO cadres and structures to wage persistent and organised struggles to ascertain victory for students as they usually do in their daily work.

As we continue our struggle for free education, we should loudly scream: “Fees no more!” Despite the anxious attempts by the 'well educated' liberal pawns to characterise us as mad, SASCO is still unapologetically calling for the introduction of a well run free education system, both in content and monetary terms, to bring to fruition the correct and ardent call by the freedom charter that "The doors of learning shall be opened to all". The charter continues thus: "Education shall be free, compulsory, universal and equal for all children; Higher education and technical training shall be opened to all by means of state allowances and scholarships awarded on the basis of merit". The constitution of the republic in section 29.1 states that “Everyone has the right ­

1. to a basic education, including adult basic education; and
2. to further education, which the state, through reasonable measures, must make progressively available and accessible." (my own emphasis)

Both the charter and the constitution of the republic, correctly recognise the importance of the state's role on education provision. It is then incumbent upon the ANC led government to fast track the process of rolling out free education and add more to the appreciated decision to turn NSFAS loans to bursaries for final year students (merits and demerits of this are a matter of another engagement as we still believe that this is not enough. What about the entry level students?). The ANC does not need bravery of acting against the liberal forces to deliver free education; what the ANC needs is the willingness and revolutionary discipline in executing the ANC resolutions and the promises of the 2009 election manifesto. SASCO, through its structures, should continue to clearly communicate that it is fast losing its patience due to the delaying tactics of the government of the day.

The students’ movement ought to continue in its efforts to persuade the ANC led government to cease its persistent effort to appease those who have no working class best interests at heart. The ANC government must decisively act on the call for free education, lest it betrays its historical mandate and invoke the wrath of the left forces, of which SASCO is part. Free education should be introduced cognisant of the important questions of curriculum content that should respond to societal needs and the skills question, hence our call for "free, relevant and quality education".

At no point must the student movement be found tolerating our education to be used as a tool by which capitalists advance their narrow financial and ideological interests at the cost of innovation and critical knowledge and research that can adequately respond to societal challenges. As things stand today, there is no doubt that priority is given to the areas of expertise that promote and are vital to the profit motivated entities. These are science, engineering and technology. One does not suggest that these fields, which are crucial to the market needs, are not important. However, it should be brought forth that the society we live in requires an education that can respond to the political and socioeconomic challenges as well.

For the above reason, SASCO must demand (not request) the government of the day to encourage scholarship in humanities and social sciences. The purported notion that social sciences are of less value to our society should be rejected with the scorn it deserves. Humanities and social sciences are vital for many problems we face, be they unemployment, poverty, crime, inequity or other socioeconomic problems. These are socioeconomic problems, which require academic institutions to contribute in solving as part of their social mandate.

It has been quite a long time since the organisation started its Free Education Marches as inspired by the resolutions of our national congresses. These marches, important as they are, cannot be the only instrument the organisation depends upon for attainment of free education. SASCO needs to intensify its free education campaign whilst improving on programs, guided by its five pillars (i.e. Policy, campus, community, international and ideological work) as stated in the draft Strategic Perspective on Transformation (SPOT) document for the 17th national congress of SASCO.

The student movement ought to ensure that the organisation is sustainable and remains relevant in the eyes and minds of the student populace at branch level.  SASCO ought to be effective in executing its mandate at branch level. The prospects of success in the struggle for better student services and free education will increase greatly. The struggle and currency of the organisation will remain intact.

The student movement cannot hope to triumph when its cadres are preoccupied with paltry matters which are elevated to, if not above, the status of core matters. For as long as comrades in the organisation, especially senior comrades, do not want to account for failures and ruin as they usually do for successes of the organisation and honestly assist without bullying the leadership of the organisation in tackling problems, the student movement may not endure  and survive in the long run. The decline of SASCO will signal the compromise of students’ best interests.

Events such as AGMs, BGMs, NC, PC, marches, strikes etc., cannot bring about fundamental transformation that the student movement hopes for on their own. There is a need to make it clear to students that the challenges faced by institutions of learning are not a special vacation for a certain group of "expert political students". The bulk of students must be consciously involved in whatever possible way they can in their struggle. Student leaders, more especially SASCO comrades, should not be in their own “struggle" that is not understood, recognised and supported by students. This means that SASCO has to sharpen its communication with students so as to sail together with students with understanding in the sea of waves (caused by challenges) that need careful manoeuvring. The SPOT document (5th series) correctly instructs that " students must reclaim their high moral ground as the standard bearers of the new person that the revolution must build!". The SPOT documents statement can means that once students understand the serious and complex intricacies of the struggle we are involved in, they will not, hopefully,  be ununserstanding of the struggle as they will be trained cadres and will thus not unfairly judge and punish us through the ballot. They will understand that the struggle is not simple and straight forward. Perhaps, to some extent, the 'high' and sometimes 'unreasonable' expectations that students posses would be curbed.

The narrow and compromising oppositionist politics seem to be the speciality of many of SASCO branches all over Mzantsi Afrika. "We do not want this and that!" approach must be deserted for proactive politics of serious activism. The movement ought to influence the discourse within our campuses and communities. The organisation cannot afford to be always responding to issues and fail to come up with anything on its own in the discourse that is taking place at campus level and in society, especially pertaining to education.

 It is for this reason that activists should be perturbed by the prevailing situation of SASCO that is always a respondent and at a defensive position on campus issues. Students are primary stakeholders in the institutions of education, thus they ought to lead discussions and make the doctors and professors think more than twice before they make any assertions, not out of fear of strikes or unmelodious houling, but out of the knowledge of our advanced capacity tointellectually, critically, and efficiently engage  in the interest of students. In any engagements, the Marxist-Leninist tools of analysis should continuously serve as our guide to make certain that we do not blunder and fall under the sugar coated spell of liberal ideology that overwhelms the academic world in Mzantsi Afrika and abroad. SASCO branches should adopt a revolutionary approach in tackling students’ matters in each campus.

SASCO branches, as components of a Marxist-Leninist student organisation must breed more left intellectuals and broadcast left ideas to all students and communities. "After all the revolution to triumph it must draw the best into its ranks..." (SPOT 5th series). This entails building and retaining effervescent cadres to assist in the revolutionary tasks of the branch. Through its programs and any of its activities, the SASCO branch have to revolutionise, politicise and build a conscious student body that does not only understand, but also support and participate actively in the struggle for the betterment of society in general and education in particular.  Students, with the assistance of SASCO, should be able to apply Marxism-Leninism in all that they learn in class and encounter outside lecture halls. Students must be in a position to challenge the hidden, yet apparent liberal insinuations of our curriculum. Neoliberal ideology should be tackled head on wherever and whenever it raises its unsightly head.

SASCO branches should speak to and come up with workable solutions to questions of academic freedom and institutional autonomy; research priorities of institutions; students housing; funding model and administration of funds at campuses; in-service training challenges; sport, arts and recreation challenges; relationship of academic and non-academic departments and many other matters, especially those that speak to the students directly. To borrow from SPOT document for the last time, "The challenge is to maintain the policy efficacy and lobbying capacity of the organisation at all levels on matters of policy, particularly at the level of the branch" which will help us to make a strong impact in addressing these matters. The mentioned issues would demand a lot of time and space to be fully unpacked; it would thus be unwise to dwell much on them on this platform.

Every branch should make sure that it plays its role positively as required. A strong, united, vibrant and working branch can make wonders in ensuring that the organisation goes forward and succeeds in its struggle for better student life and free education.

By PATRIOTIC VALIANT

Comrade Dinileminyanya Sandile Latha (Writing in his own capacity)

Chairperson of SASCO: Border Tech Branch

081 075 6690

Dinileminyanya@gmail.com

Chairperson's input

Message to the Science students of Walter Sisulu University from the chairperson Mr. Dinileminyanya Latha

Our successes in academics, leadership and building a good reputation have been recognised and awarded by students at WSU by voting us into different leadership positions.

The beautiful and great opportunity given to us by students should be honoured by reciprocating it with good leadership, great service and going beyond the call of duty.

It is crucial that leaders continue growing and prove that students have made a right choice by electing them to lead student structures. We should take pride in serving students honestly and with respect they deserve. Leaders should aspire to raise the pace and tempo instead of being too comfortable with the status quo.

Student leaders should excel academically; in leadership; serving, championing and representing students interests and in being exemplary.

The above are central to great student leadership. We therefore need to aspire and work towards being the best and reliable students’ representatives. Our actions, be they small or big, should never taint the well being of students. We should ensure that we do right by them every time and this requires a commitment, discipline and strong long-term purpose.

Academic excellence is not just about distinctions and class attendance. Learning should be habitual. Academic excellence is also about real learning in the realm of our social and personal lives. At the end of our university careers we have to go and contribute to society. The decisions we make and the societies we are part of contribute in our development as leaders and students. We therefore need to embrace and count our contribution to the general university community as important. All stakeholders should benefit from our skills and work.

Student leaders need to realise that they are not leaders by virtue of the positions they happen to occupy at a certain juncture in their lives. Leaders are leaders because of the role and contribution they make toward the university and society. Their behaviour, attitude, habits and traits they acquired throughout their lifetime are part of the equation.

Leaders should be able to account for decisions they take, and results thereof- whether they are positive or negative. Students need visionary and purposeful leaders who know what they seek to achieve instead of people who want to have a good CV and boost their huge egos.

Demagogues and rhetoric loudhailers are not necessarily good leaders. Leaders are people who have a sense of purpose, mission and vision that is backed by a strong will power. Leaders need composure and skills to steer the ship they are in charge of to the right direction no matter how challenging that may be. Leaders understand that every little progress counts for something. Leaders know that there is a required journey to any destination.

Student leaders should take pride in serving communities around them. They need to ensure that they are involved in fighting poverty, illiteracy, drug abuse and many other ills that are adversely affecting our society. Students have a responsibility to guide and inform high school learners about careers they can pursue and also help them with their academic work. There are many things students can do for communities. We need to go beyond the call of duty and contribute not for the sake of contribution but, to make a positive and lasting difference to society.

Student leaders need to build a great personality.

Leaders should be honest and committed in serving their constituencies. They should never be involved in corruption for ethical leaders do good even when in dark and hidden corners. Leaders should provide leadership even on small matters in classroom situations. One of those ways is to do homework and pass well. When fellow classmates fight, for example, a leader should never be found encouraging the fight by screaming in support to any party involved. Student leaders should do well even when they are alone. Lead by example all the time.

Leaders should be true and committed to their vision and honour it with their deeds to bring it to fruition.

Every little thing a leader does counts. Leaders should be bold enough to take harsh and difficult decisions when necessary. Cowardice is not an option for good leaders.

A visionary leader is able to evaluate his or her achievements or failures and learn. A leader should not live without a goal for that will reduce him or her to a wanderer. A leader lives a life with a purpose and direction.

A leader appreciates other people’s achievements and help when needed. No jealous.

Student leaders at SCIENTECH are committed to serving students well.

Dinileminyanya S Latha 081 075 6690                                            

  Chairperson of SCIENTECH

This Article was written by Ms malaika-wa-Azania. It was copied from

http://penandazanianrevolution.blogspot.com

 

ATTACKS ON SASCO: A GENESIS OF SOCIETAL DECAY by Malaika Wa Azania

It would serve the interests of agents of falsification to have students in South Afrika turn a blind eye to the attacks launched against the South African Students Congress (SASCO), particularly in this volatile period of our politics where coherent ideological discourse has been replaced with opportunism, careerism and patronage. It would serve agents of indoctrination to have students believing that SASCO is working against us and settling vendettas against the ANC-led government which some continue to claim is always representing the interests of the working-class majority of this country. It would serve the interests of factions born outside the student movement to have a youth that does not question anything; for fear that we’ll question the glaringly lugubrious contributions of those who claim to be genuine representatives of our plight. But beyond that, it would serve this country that finds itself engulfed in a state of defeatism to have young people volunteering themselves to abattoirs of tyranny, where lies are claimed and easy victories are won. But young people do not serve the interests of agents of falsification, indoctrination and induced soporification and thus, revolt against the expectations imposed by these people. We revolt against this for no other reason than that in everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under the sun. And this is the season and the time for young people to cut the umbilical cord that binds us to the tyranny of our elders. This is a season and a time when we declare without fear or favour that education is a site of struggle that cannot be diluted with politics of men and women who start wars in parliaments and send us out to fight and die in them.

REACTIONS TO THE STATEMENT RELEASED BY SASCO

Three days ago, on the 12^th of June 2012, the president of the Republic of South Afrika, the Honourable Jacob Gidleyihlekisa Zuma, announced a cabinet reshuffle that saw Mr Mduduzi Manana, a member of the National Executive Committee of the ANC Youth League and youngest Member of Parliament since 1994, being appointed as the Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, a position previously held by Ms Hlengiwe B Mkhize, who was shifted to the parallel economic development portfolio. Mr Manana’s appointment sparked a lot of debate in the country, with some sections of the populace declaring it a progressive move and some strongly opposed to it. Those in the former category include the Young Communist League of South Africa (YCLSA), led by Buti Manamela, which, in a statement released on the 14^th of June 2012, declared:

“The YCL would also like to extend our congratulations to the newly
appointed Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Cde Comfort
Mduduzi Manana, a distinguished youth activist and leader of our ally, the
ANCYL and a former chairperson of a YCL branch in the Gert Sibande District
in the Mpumalanga Province. All progressive youth formations should join
hands in welcoming this appointment by the state president.”

This celebration was, of course, not shared by student formations. The South African Democratic Student Movement (SADESMO), in a statement released n the 13^th of June 2012, had this to say:

“While SADESMO is totally disappointed by the appointment of Mduduzi Manana as the Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training we are certainly not surprised…SADESMO believes that Manana lacks the experience required for the grueling task of transforming the higher education sector, which we view as vital if we want to make education and training a top priority in South Africa…”

However, the harshest criticism came from SASCO, the largest student movement in the country, which did not attempt to mince its views in a statement released the day before. SASCO, in a statement that informed the writing of this article, had this to say about Manana’s appointment:

“Given our location in education and higher education in particular we feel obliged to express our discomfort with the appointment of Mduduzi Manana as deputy minister of Higher Education and Training. SASCO is utterly dismayed, taken aback, angry, flabbergasted, disappointed and annoyed at the appointment of Mr Mdu Manana (who happens to be our colleague in the PYA as a leader of the ANCYL) as the deputy minister of higher education and training. We do not have any reason to believe that Mr Manana is up to the task of being a deputy minister of such a complex and strategic department…” [Emphasis mine]

The statement by SASCO, and in particular the quoted paragraph, was received with mixed feelings, particularly on the social network platform where +/- 7.1 million South Africans converge daily (SA Digital Statistics, 2012). Criticism also came from other student movements (even those who in principle shared the views of SASCO but for reasons difficult to comprehend, felt it necessary to join in on the scathing attacks), who too claimed that SASCO was being reactionary and emotional in its response to Mr Manana’s appointment.

THE SASCO PERSPECTIVE: REACTIONARY OR BITTER TRUTH?

As indicated, according to those who have been spewing venom at the statement released by SASCO, the organisation is settling scores with the ANC that is allegedly marginalising it. Some have gone as far as to claim that SASCO is in solidarity with the faction within the ANCYL that has been at war with the president of the Republic and is using its influence within the Mass Democratic Movement (MDM) to humiliate the president and the entire ANC. How such conclusions can be drawn from the statement is yet another mystery incomprehensible to some of us who believe that the statement is posing questions that beg for critical analysis.

SASCO, in its statement, attempts to explain the basis for its dissatisfaction about Manana’s appointment:

“How on earth can our ANC led government appoint such a person with no track record on issues related to education, let alone higher education and further training in particular? We do not believe that Mr Manana will help us in dealing with the plethora of challenges in the higher education and further training sector. With all due respect to the erroneously appointed deputy minister, we are not convinced that Mr Manana has the capacity to diligently deliver in this department…”

At the risk of inviting further attacks on SASCO, this statement shall be qualified. Manana, who obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Sociology from the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal (UKZN), reportedly has a long history of academic exclusions from various institutions, which he alleges were informed by “ideological differences”. While this in itself is a matter that need not be viewed in isolation from Manana’s contributions in the student struggle (having started at 14 when he joined the Congress of South African Students), it is a matter that begs for engagement. Indeed, academic qualifications alone cannot be used as a determinant of a person’s capacity to lead and deliver. However, in a ministry that already finds itself faced with a “plethora of challenges” and in a country that is in urgent need of the over-hauling of the education system in its entirety, there is an vital need for qualified people with a clear vision to formulate strategies on educational transformation. It stands to reason, thus, that the most experienced and most qualified of people are the ones who ought to be placed in the driving seat of this ministry. The education system in South Afrika needs more than just political will and commitment from the government and all stakeholders. It needs people who have experience dealing with the on-going challenge of addressing the injustices of the past in the higher education and training sector. Unfortunately, an undergraduate qualification does not qualify as an indication of having dealt with this challenge at a highest level and thus, inspires no confidence in young people who are at the receiving end of the decay.

HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING – THE ROAD TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NOW A DREAM DEFERRED

It is very easy to dismiss SASCO’s concerns as reactionary and emotional when one employs a microscopic view to the underlying issues that are facing the country and indeed, the entire Afrikan continent. However, when the retina is returned to our eyes and we thoroughly dissect the implications of a higher education and training sector in tatters, we will begin to understand how fatal a flaw it is to appoint persons with questionable abilities to the education department.

South Afrika is home to more than 58 mineral reserves in the world. 70% of them are in the platinum group metals, 40% is gold and 70% is manganese (Department of Mineral Resources 2009/2010 booklet). Historically, the economy of the country has been rooted in the primary sector. This is the sector that has the industries engaged in production or extraction of natural resources such as crops and ores and because of South Afrika’s mineral wealth, this sector has been the main driver of our economy. However, since the mid-1990s, economic growth has been driven mainly by the tertiary sector - which includes wholesale and retail trade, tourism and communications. As a result of this development, South Afrika is moving away from being an industry-based to being a knowledge-based economy, an economy which is directly based on the production, distribution and use of knowledge and information. For this reason, higher education and training is the most important sector in our country, for it is in it that producers of knowledge and information are manufactured.

South Afrika’s progress as a country and whatever policies and programmes we adopt, must at all times be in line with the objective of addressing the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and unequal distribution of wealth, all which are the chromatin network of a nucleus of historical colonial oppression and the heinous legacy of apartheid. As such, it is vital that the first sector that must have all energies employed into is the sector wherein the country’s future generations is located, for it determines whether we become beneficiaries of the apartheid legacy or agents of its annihilation. Such a herculean task dare not be left in the hands of anyone but a dedicated, committed and capacitated leader.

PROGRESSIVE DIALOGUE MEANS AN END TO BLIND LOYALISM

Having understood the context in which SASCO is raising its views, a context of Afrikan development, it becomes opportunistic and fallacious to want to claim that the organisation has any interests outside those of the future of the youth in this country. It becomes dangerous even, to want to dismiss its views as reactionary and emotional. We dare not allow agents of falsification, soporification and indoctrination to convince us otherwise, lest we flirt with our generation’s own demise.

It cannot be debated that there is a need for South Afrika to engage honest introspection that will lead to the removal of societal constructs that continue to hold us hostage, one of them being blind loyalism and the other being philistinism. These chains create limitations to our growth as a society, particularly for us young people who stand to inherit this country. Our loyalty shall never be to anything else but the ideal of a South Afrika in which those who are sent to tertiary institutions emerge as critical thinkers as opposed to functional illiterates as is the reality today. It should be to nothing else but the ideal of a country wherein education is taken seriously by the government, wherein WE are taken seriously by the government. So when debate is open, as it was with SASCO’s statement, we must not only engage it critically, we must engage it with honesty and an intention to gear it towards an Afrikan developmental agenda. Failure to do so will spell the beginning of the end and the end of what could be the beginning of a much needed mental revolution.

IZWE LETHU!

Malaika Wa Azania (Daughter of the soil)

Minister of Land Affairs 2033