Students Organisation

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela

We believe that the higher education sector in South Africa should be a place of inclusivity.

We anchor SRC governance and student politics in our vision of No Student Left Behind. Through implementing our main policies, anchored in inclusivity, we believe that we can create One South Africa for All which stands for Freedom, Fairness, Opportunity and Diversity.

Position Policy: Gender

Equality is required within gender and identification in order for all students to be represented, and for past gender discrimination to be address. Gender inequality has been institutionalised at the higher learning institutions of South Africa.

The Student Organisation believes that programs around should be implemented. The programs which the DA Student Organisation champions include:

  1. Promotion of women’s involvement in politics.
  2. Highlighting the success women achieved social & political change.
  3. Creating women representative spaces within DA Student Organisation branches.
  4. Implementing strict sexual harassment policy within higher education institutions.

Position Policy: Accommodation

“Our land reform programme helps redress the injustices of apartheid. It fosters national reconciliation and stability… It also underpins economic growth and improves household welfare and food security.” – Nelson Mandela

Land is safety. Land is security. Land is accommodation! We believe that the redress within the accommodation sector is vital to giving our students safety, security and a new future. Accommodation is influenced by factors which include NSFAS pay-outs, lack of student accommodation, high cost of private accommodation and a system which is not working.

The Student Organisation wants to fix the system by:

  1. Changing the need for upfront accommodation payments for NSFAS students.
  2. Advocating for more private-public enterprises around university accommodation.
  3. Advocating for national regulation around student accommodation.
  4. Advocating for accessible student accommodation.

Position Policy: LGBTIQ+ Alliance

“I’m certainly proud to be an ally of this community. Every freedom won and every advancement of human rights is a victory for all of us.” – John Steenhuisen

We believe in institutions which are safe for students so that they can find themselves. Often tertiary institutions are the first places where we discover ourselves out of our homes. Fostering communities where we are safe to speak about our identities & sexual preference creates social future change in workplaces and South African communities.

We believe that LGBTIQ+ communities require:

  1. Open spaces which are safe for identity & sexuality discussions.
  2. Gender neutral bathrooms.
  3. Community sensitisation training.

Position Policy: Inclusion

“A PHD is not the end of education. Education exists even among the bees who feed their queen only with the purest.” – Sahndra Fon Dufe

We believe that at institutions of higher learning we are able to foster national unity through education redress and inclusion. The Student Organisation has seen academic exclusion growing because of lack of quality tutors, exclusion entry requirements, institutions not filling vacant posts, lack of resources to purchase textbooks, unequal distribution of resources and lack of oversite.

To foster inclusion we believe that we could:

  1. Create a student relieve fund through the SRC.
  2. Vote for a student review board of lecturers.
  3. Advocate for extended hours at library & computer centres.
  4. Change national policy around TVET funding & facilities to ensure equal opportunities between university & TVET students.

Position Policy: Transport

“We want transport as reliable as running water.” – Travis Kalanick

To be successful at what we do it is vital that we can travel seamlessly, effectively and at reasonable cost. We believe that the lack of adequate quality student transport your studies are more difficult. The Student Organisation would like national government intervene. It is important to the collective that we advocate for:

  1. A national transport subsidy for all students.
  2. Safe and secure transport halts.
  3. Quality & timeous transport services.

DA Students’ Organisation Leadership

Students’ Organisation Leader

Mr Liam Chad Jacobs
DASOLeader@da.org.za

Students’ Organisation Chairperson

Mr Lenard Malesa
DASOChairperson@da.org.za