MK Student Movement gathering steam at NMU

The uMkhonto weSizwe party is fast developing its footprint in Nelson Mandela Bay politics with the establishment of the MK Student Movement, which has garnered support from hundreds of students. 

Launched in the Bay just more than a month ago, the student grouping has met the requirements to be registered among active political student formations at Nelson Mandela University (NMU).

To be registered, parties are required to obtain 100 signatures on each of the different campuses, while societies need to get 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 co-ordinator Sonwabile Fihla said it had signed up nearly 600 new members which it hoped would translate into votes for the party in the upcoming general election.

On Friday, all branch co-ordinators and conveners met the party’s regional leadership to brief it about the movement’s progress.

“We met to discuss the standing of the organisation in the institution in terms of how far we are with registering new members, our sanitary towels drive we are busy with and plans for future programmes this year.

“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 that 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 its reported 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 as a last resort the MK party and student movement would take legal action against the university to get a response.

Asked whether the movement would contest the SRC election in the last quarter, Fihla said it had yet to decide.

MK Youth League national head of students Mnqobi Msezane confirmed that 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.

“Our campus representatives and branch leaders are also assisting with this work.

“Even on the day of the elections we will be on the ground assisting party supporters to get to their nearest voting stations by providing transport and any other assistance at our disposal.”

Last month, former ANC role players, some of whom left the party under a cloud, joined the MK party in the Bay, championed by former president Jacob Zuma.

The five-member interim structure consists of disgruntled former ANC members, several of whom left the ruling party after the dissolution of their faction by the provincial leadership in 2018, amid internal disputes.

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