MK Party secretary-general Floyd Shivambu has announced the formation of the MK Students Movement (MKSM), as an organisation aimed at advocating for the rights and interests of students across higher learning institutions.
Shivambu explained that the movement was created through the collaboration of the MK Youth League (MKYL) to identify student activists from various colleges and universities.
He emphasised that members of the MKSM are strictly required to be intellectually exceptional students and be under the age of 30 to ensure the effectiveness of the movement.
Section 10 of the MK Party constitution
“The uMkhonto weSizwe Students Movement is established as Section 10 of the constitution of uMkhonto weSizwe.
“[It] is a relatively autonomous organisation of uMkhonto weSizwe party. And …it organises students in institutions of higher learning, particularly colleges, universities of technology and universities,” said Shivambu.
He said the student movement’s primary focus is to fight for quality and decolonised higher education system. According to Shivambu, the movement will also work to educate and politically engage students, aligning them with the MK Party.
The movement will establish leadership structures at the national, provincial, regional and campus levels. These structures will be led by the national students’ detachment and other local leadership teams at various educational institutions.
National task team
He also announced the MKSM national task team. This includes the national convenor, Mbali Siyana. She is currently doing a postgraduate degree in administration.
Mthobisi Dlamini, national coordinator, is also a university student. He is studying towards an advanced diploma in agriculture at Mangosuthu University of Technology. National organiser Bayanda Mchunu is studying education at the University of Pretoria.
Siyana said the MKSM seeks to continue the struggle for freedom. It seeks the emancipation and economic freedom, among other things.
“We seek to abolish the colonial and imperialist system that continues to oppress the black child. And we seek to ensure that students within the higher institutions of learning integrate through cultural heritages and traditions. We seek to ensure there is black consciousness within our students,” said Siyana.
