MK Student Movement gathering steam at NMU
The uMkhonto weSizwe party is developing its footprint in Nelson Mandela Bay politics with the establishment of the MK Student Movement.
Launched in the Bay just over a month ago, the party has met the requirements to be registered among active political student formations at Nelson Mandela University (NMU).
To be registered, parties must obtain 100 signatures in each of the campuses, while societies need 50 signatures. The signature list was distributed, along with party membership forms, resulting in 300 sign-ups from the NMU student body.
MK Student Movement coordinator Sonwabile Fihla said they had signed up nearly 600 new members which they hoped would translate into votes for the party in the upcoming general election.
On Friday, branch co-ordinators and conveners met the regional leadership to brief them on the movement’s progress.
“The MK Student Movement is assisting students who have not received financial aid and are struggling to register, don’t have accommodation and food while they wait for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme to approve their applications.
“We have placed donation boxes in several retail stores close to campus where residents can assist by purchasing sanitary towels.
“The items will be added to the university food bank which is assisting all unfunded and struggling students, so women
get a packet when they collect groceries,” Fihla said.
The movement is helping the 3,000 students who signed a petition to remove the student representative council (SRC) led by the EFF Student Command.
Their reasons include failure to assist unfunded students.
“According to the university’s constitution, 3,000 signatures and 800 student proof of registration documents are required to petition the institution to call a mass meeting where students can vote to have the SRC removed.
“The students submitted all required documents, but have yet to get a response from the university.”
Fihla said the MK party and
student movement would interdict NMU to get a response.
Asked whether the movement would contest the SRC election in the last quarter, Fihla said they had yet to deliberate on that.
MK Youth League national head of students Mnqobi Msezane confirmed NMU was one of the party’s student movement branches.
NMU is the only higher learning institution in the Eastern Cape with a branch of the party. Walter Sisulu University’s application is still in progress.
MK student movement convener Luthando Gantsa said the focus for now was on getting support for the party by mobilising students to sign up.