SASCO Statement on the success of the fundraising gala dinner.

The National executive committee is elated with the success of the fundraising gala which was hosted on Saturday the 24^th of June 2017 at Sandton. The gala dinner was hosted as per the NGC resolution that the organization needs to raise funds in order to continue being the only credible parliament of students’ struggles with an unquestionable track record of service to students.

The gala dinner had three main objectives:

• To Raise funds for operations of the organization:
  SASCO has always been a critical component of the progressive forces which fought for the defeat of the oppressive apartheid regime especially its use of institutions of higher learning to entrench its backward racist and undemocratic policies. The organization attracted progressive international donors for its operations. Since the dawn of democracy it has been increasingly difficult for the organization to attract both local and international donors because of our ideological outlook. Appreciating the reality that education still suffers from elements of colonialism, commodification and ideological onslaught; the need for the existence of the organization is still relevant today in order to continue for the ideological freeing of the system from the clutches of capitalism as such would need to continue with operations.
• To raise funds for Ma-Do’s retirement package:
  Ms Dorris Miya the office secretary of SASCO is a walking archive of the student movement, she has been with SASCO since its days at Shell house. She has been a committed assistant to the organization for more than two decades. Her unwavering service to students and the organization has been largely neglected. Noting her circumstances and background the organization felt it necessary that her contribution is recognized hence we appealed to convocants and the general public to join hands with us in fundraising to get her a retirement package as and when she decides to retire and in order for us to extend our appreciation and gratitude for her loyal service to the movement in kind.  We invite other convocants and various generations of leadership which came before us and have been impacted by her kindness to continue making contributions.
• To sponsor campaigns:
  An organization’s impact on the lives of its constituency and the general public is measured through its campaigns aimed for the benefit of the constituency in general. Under a capitalist mode of production; for an organization or anyone to conduct effective campaigns they require resources or at least the buy in of those with resources. The call for free education is more heightened than ever before. The NEC has made an observation that for the organization to run effective campaigns for the implementation of free education, we will need visibility campaigns and other related campaigns. We will be committing some of the fundraised resources towards this campaign.

On behalf of Ma-Do, we extend gratitude to the following partners who wished to send direct contributions to Ms Dorris Miya and purchase of portraits by PEC’S of SASCO through the bidding process:

The SASCO gala dinner was a highly publicised event, in the interest of accountability and transparency we have elected to put public this information and to invite other sponsors to make contributions. We have also elected not to disclose the conditions of some sponsors in honour of their wishes.

The SASCO gala dinner also launched the revamped SASCO website. The website responds to technological advances which have been made. This website offers information and will serve as a platform for intellectual ideas to thrive. As an attempt at curbing membership gatekeeping members and prospective members will be able to renew or join online. We appeal to all and sundry to visit www.sasco.org.za to download the SASCO app and to keep themselves informed on developments in and about the organization.

We thank all those who bought tables and those who contributed at the actual event. Makwande!

Issued by the NEC.

For More information contact:

Thabo Moloja-President
071 875 2214

Tembani Makata-Secretary General
071 875 2209

James Tom- Treasurer General
071 875 2215