Still I rise

“I had to learn how to be a mother. I had to learn how to do all those things done by mothers” these are the words of the 20 year old journalism student Nosethu Badlezana. Being a mother at a young age while studying is often regarded as one of the reasons as to why many students and school pupils leave their studies. This is nonetheless not the case with this hard working student.

Coming from impoverished rural areas of Eastern Cape to Free State, Nosethu managed to obtain herself a bursary to come study at the University of the Free State.  She explains her motivation for choosing to further her studies at this particular university as simply pursuing a dream. “As compared to home one has to admit that Free State is better equipped with infrastructure and possibilities of succeeding in life. Unlike here, there is limited career choices and access to information in Eastern Cape”. The 3^rd year student dedicates her academic achievements to her mother and teachers that helped her to have come this far. She nevertheless acknowledges the disappointment she has caused by falling pregnant whilst studying.

“Throughout my pregnancy my mother had always tried to motivate me to be strong by shouting ‘you cannot drop out of tertiary and be pregnant at the same time, don’t disappoint us more than you already have’. Nosethu describes her role as a student and as a young mother as challenging yet very motivational. “I spend most of my time studying”. With a naughty laughter she adds that she tries to stay away from “trouble”. “Whenever life gets difficult I ask myself; how will the quality of my life improve if I don’t try to overcome obstacles in my life? How will I secure my child’s future? So, yes I had to learn how to be a mother. I had to learn how to put my child’s interests before mine” said the mother of a 4 month baby.

Being raised in a Xhosa home by her grandmother while her parents worked Nosethu is strongly advised to uphold her traditions and not succumb to the city’s modern ways of doing things. She explains that remembering where she comes from and the role that she has to play in shaping her child’s life is what keeps her true to herself.

When will it come to an end?

Others refer to them as Industrial actions, strikes, protests, or “toyi toyi” they are nevertheless all destructive and seem to be the norm in South Africa. One would have thought that the Marikana saga would have marked the end of these industrial actions that often end in bloodshed. However, the expression of both Political and economic grievances in the form of protests still persist in this country. This brings one to the questioning of the effectiveness of this country’s policies.

Considering the recent protest that has taken place in Boitumelong community in the North West Province where two media and police vehicles have been set alight, as well as community halls and foreign national’s shops it is evident that violent protests since the Marikana saga are far from ending. We still witness citizens protesting in the name of service delivery and workers in the name of wage increment. As a young South African citizen it is distressing to live in a democratic country that is not only segregated on the basis of historical events but also economically. Extrapolating from the theory of a classical sociologist Karl Marx it is evident that these protests are the results of social class conflict whereby the lives of the poor social class are dominated by elites and bureaucrats’ interests. If that is not the case then how would one explain the fact that there are only minimal protests reported to have taken places in areas like Santon and the majority in impoverished areas and townships.

On this notion it should also be noted that poverty does not justify criminal or xenophobic behaviour whereby refuge’s enterprises get destroyed in the process of industrial actions. The question we should be asking is how effective is this country’s policies in protecting the human rights of its citizens? What are we doing to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor? In my journalistic point of view promoting literacy, independency and accountability of officials is one way we could minimise the occurrence of industrial actions.

 

Student Parliament “raises” student’s matters

Independency, representation and accountability remains key features in the student parliament launch. This marked the election of candidates into various portfolios of service to the student community. “It serves to ensure that all students’ matters are brought to the forefront and to ensure that the Student Representative Council (SRC) meets its constitutional mandate”, said Phiwe Mathe President of the SRC.

Portfolios to be fulfilled were that of the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker, the Chief Whip, and the Secretary. In the portfolio of the Speaker of the Parliament Luckyboy Jabulani lost to Sizwe Zingita with 11/ 14 votes while Bongani Mavundla occupied the position of the Deputy Speaker and Relela Elija that of the Chief Whip.  

Twenty eight representative members from various students associations registered with the SRC voted for these candidates. This nevertheless, prior to the election of candidates caused some controversy with regards to the procedure that was to be followed.  Representatives contested that not all members from the 28 student associations could vote as some associations had more members present at the launch.  One of the requirements was that associations should get represented by only 2 members who would cast votes.

“The election of candidates has to be a fair procedure on all the student community otherwise the essence of the establishment of Student Parliament would be useless”, said Innocent Masobe from (SASCO)

 “The SRC cannot reach everyone, the Student Parliament therefore begs to enhance the scope of bringing forth student matters and holding the SRC accountable” said the newly elected Speaker of the parliament Sizwe Zingitwa.

Student Parliament Voting Representatives