DECLARATION OF THE 21st SASCO NATIONAL CONGRESS

The South African Students Congress was gathered at the Saint George’s hotel, Irene, Pretoria, from the 7th to the 9th of February 2020. This gathering was a continuation of the 21st National Congress which was adjourned at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape in 2019.

The Congress convened in the spirit of unity, rebuilding, renewal and repositioning SASCO as a militant and popular organization for youth and students struggles.

The Congress convened fully aware of the important place and role played by students and broader youth occupy in the continued execution of the National Democratic Revolution (NDR) as young revolutionary democrats.

Cognisant of our organisational weaknesses, such weaknesses having significantly eroded our vanguard role as a leader of student struggles and a pillar upon which the essence that underpins our existence is firmly founded.
We continue to have the responsibility to represent the genuine aspirations shared by students all over the country and in various higher learning institutions in particular, in their bid to a create a better future not just for themselves but for a society steemed in the noble asipiration of a common vision for common prosperity.

Conscious of the continued challenges students still face, which range from academic and financial exclusions, poor living and academic conditions, gender-based violence, increasingly intransigent institutional administrations and others.

Congress therefore was cognisant of the fact that SASCO is fighting for the realization of the Freedom Charter injunction that “the doors of learning shall be open to all”, as we seek to achieve transformed institutions that provide free and quality education.

SASCO therefore declares that the organization will intensify the the Right to Learn Campaign, which seeks to realize the full and proper implementation of free education pronounced in 2017.

We call on Institutions of Higher Learning to desist from both academic and financial exclusions of students, for the provision of habitable accommodation for all students.
Further, SASCO calls on NSFAS to address the challenges of funding faced by students in all institutions of learning and to campaign against the undermining of students by institutional funding administrations responsible for the allocation of resources, which continue to undermine the right of students to access free higher education.

Acknowledging that gender equality remains a key strategic goal for the organization, SASCO hereby re-affirms its commitment to gender transformation to ensure equal representation of women and men in all structures of society, institutions of learning and the organization in particular.
Noting that the vicious scourge of gender-based violence remains at the apex of our agenda to rid society of social maladies that are the salient feature of our society, Congress therefore directed the new leadership to implement, as part of the Right to Learn Campaign, extensive programmes and campaigns against gender-based violence.
SASCO, as an organization born into struggles of the mass democratic movement led by the ANC, affirms our continued support for the programme of radical economic transformation adopted by the NASREC conference of the ANC.
Acknowledging the role played by previous leaders in advancing the struggles of students and youth, Congress hereby affirms the launch the convocation of SASCO to work with the elected leadership.

As the 21st National Congress successfully concludes its business, we are aware that millions of students, youth and the people of South Africa are keenly awaiting its resolutions, and delegates return to their respective provinces and branches renewed and rejuvenated by the enormous success of this Congress.
Accordingly, SASCO commits to “RE – ASSERT EDUCATION AS A SITE OF STRUGGLE, AND SASCO AS A LEADER”.

21st National Executive Committee elected is as follows;

1. President – Bamanye Matiwane
2. Dep Pres – Buyile Matiwane
3. SG – Buthanani Ngwane
4. DSG – Vezinhlanhla Simelane
5. TG – Thabile Dlamini
6. Luvuyo Barnes
7. Ngobe Lali
8. Eugene Manana
9. Happiness Dom 7 Malatji
10. Iviwe Mabona
11. Landy Ndlovu
12. Zandi Shabalala
13. Fency Radinthe
14. Julia Motsweni
15. Kelebogile Thulo
16. Khanyisile Dimba
17. Phiwo Ngqunge
18. Idah Phasha

For Enquiries:

Bamanye Matiwane
President
SASCO
079 026 5759

Or

Buthanani Ngwane
Secretary General
SASCO
073 257 5677
Bsecretary15@gmail.com