Student Funding, Toiletries and Clothing
The term has started with great uncertainty about Student Funding as NSFAS has responded and for that the university Financial aid committee sat and Myself (General B, Mvengenya) with the SRC President Ms N. Mahlangu represented the students in the committee in which the financial appeals of students were further looked at. The proposal aimed at NSFAS for the improvement of its services which include it being unreachable and uneasily reachable to the students who reside in the countryside was proposed to the council and will be approved by the council for national campaign on the 3rd of September 2018.
Toiletries remain the most priority of the Division of Student Affairs and therefore, DSA, in cooperation with the SRC through the office of Student Benefits and Sponsorship Councillor and HIV/AIDS Office distribute toiletries to needy students. Donations from students and staff and SRC is handed over to the DSA Office for collection by students and the focus of my office is to project awareness about the benefits in served to students by the DSA, the university and broader community.
Since the launch of clothing project, our students enjoy sharing. It is for its closeness to my heart that this project portrays love and care for each other, therefore it needs to be maintained. The Clothing project unites students and many people have managed to donate not only clothes but also toiletries to fellow students. Clothing is the only project that the SRC handles its distribution. This project will be still subjected to evaluation in the next term for its impact on social activism and social cohesion for its development and improvement.
Other important contributions towards student governance
For its utmost importance, students’ constitution review process, I have attended all its meetings and for it needs the approval form Senate and Council at this point. I have attended the Student Services Council held on the 20th of August 2018 and the SRC inauguration that took place on the 17th of August was also one of the events that I attended. During the time of my SRC Campaign I have excused myself from several committee meetings, university and SRC events including but not limited to the following (Rugby match and Multilingual Colloquium). I have contributed to the Multilingual Colloquium though but due to the SRC training, I couldn’t attend the presentation done by my colleagues.
Ubuhlanti Institute
The founder of the institute met with me in proposal for the institute to get access to the university to do talks that are aimed at awareness about gender-based violence. The Ubuhlanti Institute is a local organisation that focusses on masculinity in its objectives of eradicating gender-based violence. After meeting with the founder, I have taken the idea to the council in a council meeting and the founder I invited for the formal presentation to council. I am still to confirm a date from the Institute for the meeting to be set.
Student Issues
More than 10 appointments with students who needed to speak with NSFAS Officials and enquire about the statuses of their 2018 financial support, wanted to check on the services provided by the university to those who do not afford necessities and outstanding financial debts and many other issues were handled from the beginning till the last day of the term and one appointment was scheduled for the 4th of September 2018. Kindly note that due to the confidentiality and sensitivity of the issues handled in this office, it becomes difficult to even classify the issue and that is why other issues and stated as other.