ANCYL
The African National Congress Youth League’s (ANCYL) core beliefs can be found in the Freedom Charter, explains Rendani Maphalapathwa, ANCYL’s chairperson. Maphalapathwa believes that UP’s biggest problem is “an unjust system toward the working class students and an arrogance of entitlement toward the privileged”. The ANCYL’s aim for 2016 is to do well in the local government elections. They also want to “bring an end to a feeling of entitlement to wealth and privilege so as to have an inclusive private sector and economy in this country”.
Daso
The Democratic Alliance Student Organisation (Daso) is founded on three core principles: freedom, fairness and opportunity. Kwena Moloto, Daso’s chairperson, identified that major issues facing students at UP for 2016 as “Xenophobia, study finance, lack of parking”. In 2016, Daso aims to implement their Xenophobic Attack Security Protocol (XASP) to protect international students. Overall, Daso’s goal for 2016 is to become “the biggest political society in terms of membership [and] … to provide the stepping stones for students who aspire to a life of politics in the DA”.
EFFSC-UP
The Economic Freedom Fighters Student Command (EFFSC) is “a student movement which seeks to act in the interests of all students as well as campus workers in South Africa, striving for economic emancipation in our lifetime”. One of the issues that Amogelang Kgaladi, EFFSC’s acting secretary, highlighted is financial exclusion due to excessive fees. Part of the EFFSC’s plan of action for 2016 is to implement Sizofundangenkani (we will study whether they like it or not) to ensure that all financially excluded students are assisted.
Sasco
Michael Ngobeni, South African Students Congress’s (Sasco) chairperson, explained that Sasco is an organisation that seeks to achieve a “democratic, non-sexist, non-racial and prosperous South Africa”. Ngobeni went on to explain that Sasco wants to see the transformation of higher education. Sasco identified that one of the problems facing UP students is food allowances. Ngobeni believes that students should be allowed to use their student card food credits not only at the dining halls, but also at shops within the Hatfield area. For 2016, Sasco’s aim is to address the transformation of UP.
