Former University of Fort Hare BCom student Tembani Zimasa Makata was this week elected as the new South African Student Congress (Sasco) national secretary-general.Makata, who is also a Buffalo City Metro ANC Youth League regional executive member, emerged victorious in a tightly contested battle, defeating Phinda Mofokeng of Gauteng by 29 votes during the elective conference at the North West University’s Mafikeng campus.
Makata obtained 492 votes while Mofokeng received 463. Thabo Moloja was elected as the student body’s national president.
Makata, who was born in Mount Frere in 1985, said her election was “a great honour” and it showed the confidence students had in her leadership credentials.
She has previously served as the Eastern Cape secretary of the student body while doing her BCom human resources at Fort Hare.
She is currently enrolled at the University of South Africa where she is expected to complete her studies at the end of next year.
Makata replaces another Eastern Cape student leader, Luzuko Buku – a former Rhodes University student. Buku held the position for the past three years.
Makata will be joined in her Luthuli House office by another Eastern Cape student leader, Yanga Zicima. Zicima has been elected an additional member in the national executive committee of the student body aligned to the ANC.
“Leading on a national platform after being a student leader in the Eastern Cape for some time is quite an honour and a big responsibility for me and this newly elected collective,” Makata said, adding that one of the major issues her collective would have to address in the first few months in office, was a lack of access for disadvantaged students to tertiary institutions.
“We will be dealing with the student debt and registration fees so there is nothing baring disadvantaged students from having access to institutions of higher learning,” she said.
Moloja won his presidential seat by 38 votes over Ntakuseni Razwiedani. The deputy president position was taken by Tsakani Xiviti.
For the treasurer-general position, James Tom was victorious over Levy Maseti. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
National honour for student
Makata, who is also a Buffalo City Metro ANC Youth League regional executive member, emerged victorious in a tightly contested battle, defeating Phinda Mofokeng of Gauteng by 29 votes during the elective conference at the North West University’s Mafikeng campus.
Makata obtained 492 votes while Mofokeng received 463. Thabo Moloja was elected as the student body’s national president.
Makata, who was born in Mount Frere in 1985, said her election was “a great honour” and it showed the confidence students had in her leadership credentials.
She has previously served as the Eastern Cape secretary of the student body while doing her BCom human resources at Fort Hare.
She is currently enrolled at the University of South Africa where she is expected to complete her studies at the end of next year.
Makata replaces another Eastern Cape student leader, Luzuko Buku – a former Rhodes University student. Buku held the position for the past three years.
Makata will be joined in her Luthuli House office by another Eastern Cape student leader, Yanga Zicima. Zicima has been elected an additional member in the national executive committee of the student body aligned to the ANC.
“Leading on a national platform after being a student leader in the Eastern Cape for some time is quite an honour and a big responsibility for me and this newly elected collective,” Makata said, adding that one of the major issues her collective would have to address in the first few months in office, was a lack of access for disadvantaged students to tertiary institutions.
“We will be dealing with the student debt and registration fees so there is nothing baring disadvantaged students from having access to institutions of higher learning,” she said.
Moloja won his presidential seat by 38 votes over Ntakuseni Razwiedani. The deputy president position was taken by Tsakani Xiviti.
For the treasurer-general position, James Tom was victorious over Levy Maseti. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
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