At the beginning of the term, I started with the facilitating of the SRC VUKA MAKANA project. The SRC chose to focus on Goal 13 of Vuka Makana which is Inclusive Governance. The SRC will be working with the high schools in the township and apply the concept of corporate governance and youth leadership. We are in communication with three schools and two of those schools have already approved to be on board and are interested on being part of the project.
The SRC has already visited the two schools to introduce and initiate the project. We have already submitted to the schools how we would like to go about with the project. On one of the schools, we are still waiting for them to set a meeting with their SGB, so they can also add on what they would like us as the SRC to add on our project.
I have also been working on the Matric Dance Wear Collection project. That has not been successful this year, because I have not been able to collect so many clothing items. However, with the few that I have collected, I have decided to create an “SRC Closet”, that will store the clothing items so that they can be used in the future by the incoming council if they continue with the project.
I have also attended a five-day South African Union of Students National General Congress. In Congress, we were discussing student issues with the different SRC’s from all the different institutions around South Africa. There were presentations by the different sectors that are in the Higher Education Sector. These included NSFAS, DHET and NYDA, where they were telling us what they have done in the past 12 months and accounting to the student leaders that were attending the Congress. There were also critical engagements on all the presentations.
As part of the congress, I was then sent to form part of the drawing up of a Commission on Free Education and Student Funding. We sat in this Commission and discussed the issues of NSFAS and the funding of the Missing Middle class. This commission mainly looked at the feasibility of a Free Fee higher Education and who can this benefit. We further went on to discuss if it is free education for all or free education for the poor and the missing middle class. The commission had fruitful engagements on the issues that it was supposed to speak on, and we made our research and spoke on the issues of financial exclusions in our institutions of higher education.
The commission agreed on sending demands to NSFAS on the issue of students that are excluded because NSFAS has failed for them when they must pay for them. In concluding the Congress and commissions, the South African Union of Students has said that after they have the commissions down and after they have communicated with all the involved parties, they will then forward the Commissions to the Institutions of Higher Learning.
I have also attended a Community Engagement Committee meeting convened by the Director of Community Engagement and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor. I later on facilitated a Community Engagement Representatives’ and community partners meeting.
In conclusion, this term, I am currently focusing on the SRC Vuka Makana Project. In addition, I am planning a pad-drive for the public bathrooms around campus.