Duo box smart to secure the victory
FORMER South African Students Congress (Sasco) and Muslims’ Students’ Association (MSA) leaders Nqaba Banga and Yusuf Cassim were the brains behind the Democratic Alliance Students’ Organisation (Daso) victory at University of Fort Hare.
The two former students leaders turned politicians were responsible for driving the campaign that led to the historic victory over the Sasco-led SRC. The win was the second for Cassim as a DA youth leader. Four years ago he led Daso to a landslide win over Sasco at the Nelson Mandela Metro University.
“The SRC I led showed what a DA government can bring. “We served students with distinction, launching projects which were the first of their kind both institutionally and nationally.
“It was during this term of office as SRC president where I was inspired by the impact I could have in changing lives through serving as a public rep for the DA.
“Students rewarded Daso during the 2012 elections electing Daso into 75% of the SRC seats,” Cassim said.
The Uitenhage-born politician is currently the youngest MP in the National Assembly and serves as the national DA youth leader. He was appointed by the DA federal executive to lead a Daso national task team. Cassim told the Saturday Dispatch yesterday the campaign to win the UFH SRC elections started last year.
“It started from the time the Daso constituency was created. We started by training and readying our structures in 2014 and we began assisting students from January 2015.”
He said pressing issues that Daso would focus on addressing at UFH, included student residence conditions, meal and book allowances, student debt, high tuition and residence fees. “Our immediate priority is to do everything in our power to solve the issues of UFH students who are being oppressed and exploited.”
Just days before the SRC elections, they staged a “sleep-in” protest at the East London campus in solidarity with students who were experiencing problems with residence and fees issues.
DA provincial leader Athol Trollip said the two leaders had played an important role in the victory and were assisted by many people.
“Yusuf has credibility because he led Daso to SRC victory twice. He listens to students and deals with their issues,” said Trollip. — siphem@dispatch.co.za