African Universities Student Representative Councils (SAU-SRC) to form South
African Union of Students (SAUS)
28 March 2006
From 31 March to 4 April 2006, the SATSU and SAU-SR will be merging to
officially launch the SAUS in Stellenbosch University.
The historic launch coincides with the 30th Anniversary of Soweto Uprisings
and a culmination of a focused consultative process led by students'
representative councils (SRCs) in South Africa.
These processes were guided by the current form of a single co-ordinated
higher education in South Africa. An understanding was established from student
leaders and representatives in South Africa that students should
comprehensively respond to the challenges of transformation facing higher
education institutions' including the current merger and incorporation
processes, hence the formation of SAUS. As part of the student movement in
South Africa, SAUS is concerned about the escalating fees in institutions of
higher learning.
While we appreciate the positive contributions from government through the
National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) we believe that such an effort
will have no meaning if institutions continue to unreasonably raised fees,
thereby closing the doors of learning for the poor, we shall continue to push
for widening of access to higher education.
SAUS is destined to play a critical role in the governance of higher
education, whilst making meaningful contribution to education, training and
skills development in South Africa. SAUS will be an independent students union,
which will focus on higher education through:
* Contributing towards building a democratic, well managed, productive
(quantitatively and qualitatively), transformed and single co-ordinated higher
education system.
* Representation of students at national level and working in partnership with
other stakeholders in the higher education sector.
* Protection of students rights as SAUS's primary constituency
* Enhancing and harnessing of students representative councils capacity to
effectively respond to studentâs needs in campuses and the higher
education.
* Contributing to skills development and training through embarking on
community service programmes and engaging the private sector to continue their
meaningful contribution to the development of young people in our
country.
* Contributing meaningfully in driving the developmental agenda and meeting the
needs of the South African society as stipulated in the Accelerated Shared
Growth Initiative of South Africa (AsgiSA) programme.
* Creation of interrelations between SAUS and students formations in the
country, Southern African Development Community (SADC), Africa and
Internationally.
* Sustenance of high-level political intellectualism through engagement and
debates.
The official launch will encapsulate the following key activities and
programmes:
* Official dissolution of SATSU and SAU-SRC
* Adoption of the new SAUS Constitution and concomitant By-Laws
* Discussions on the current Challenges Facing Higher Education
* Presentation and adoption of a Strategic Plan of SAUS
* Discussion on AsgiSA
* Election of 11 National Executive Committee members, including the President
and Secretary General
* Confirming Affiliate SRCs
* Presentations by invited guests, which will include international student
organisations, higher education and government leaders and political
organisations leaders.
Enquiries:
Mr Philemon Lukhele
Cell: 072 113 3360
Mr Floyd Shivambu
Cell: 078 219 09013
Mr Tom Mutshidza
Cell: 083 266 5219
Mr Terror Yako
Cell: 073 448 2968
Issued by: Department of Education
28 March 2006
