Fees Must Fall activist and EFF student leader Bonginkosi Khanyile is elated at the news that the EFF Student Command has won elections at both the Durban University of Technology (DUT) and Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT).
“We are happy and over the moon at these results, it means we are eating away at the elephant one piece at a time,” Khanyile told News24 on Friday.
On Friday, the EFF Student Command (EFFSC) at MUT took eight out of 11 seats. At DUT the EFFSC won all eight available seats at the institution on September 1, 2018.
“This is the first time in history for the EFF. Sasco (South African Students’ Congress) has been leading uninterrupted and we have eliminated them,” Khanyile added.
That students were rallying behind the EFF was a sign that the political party was a government-in-waiting, Khanyile said.
“Students resonate with our message, we do not buy votes. We present solutions to issues, not T-shirts and food like the elephant that sold out,” Khanyile said.
Call for pardons
These wins, according to Khanyile, showed that those who were the future of the nation trusted the EFF with their votes. He further added that the EFF would continue to advance the best interests of students.
“We will continue to advance the call for free education, we will ensure our students are in a safe environment and well taken care of,” Khanyile concluded. Khanyile is one of several students who were prosecuted for their role in the Fees Must Fall protests.
He was arrested in 2016 for charges including public violence, possession of a dangerous weapon and failure to adhere to a police instruction. His trial commenced in July 2018, nearly three years after his arrest. He is expected back in court on October 16 for sentencing.
The DUT student graduated cum laude in May. He, like many other student leaders, have been calling for a pardon for those arrested during the protests.
