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Message...This period will also be remembered as one in which the Stu­dent movement has scored many victories. The suspension o f Simon Maphalala from Ongoye, the success o f U.H'.C. students, the change in exam timetable at Turfloop — these are significant battles we have won. We have achieved this only through our organised strength.

This strength is increasing with the large numbers o f techs and training colleges Joining AZASO . The A Z A SO approach is c practical one which ensures that we are consistently engaging the enemy in struggle. Our honesty and dedication is ensuring the rapid growth o f AZASO . The confidence that we develop out o f our united strength wil! urge us to escalating heights o f struggle.

Guided by the A Z A SO approach our organisers have ensured that we respond adequately to the challenges thrown down to our people through the new constitution and injlux control laws. AZ-ASO,' being the first affdiote to the UDF, has taken up the million signature campaign with vigour. Our branches are preparing fo r August 22 and 25 — the days on which “Coi- o ured i" and “In d u -s " will be riiowid to indicate whether

they wish to be per! o f the wkiie tester. W e ^rge every a^avis; to ensure that our people arc a ware o f the pitfalls o f the con­stitution. A massive siayaway from the palls must be the objec­tive o f every democrat.

Every A2L4SO member must be or. organiser We must work tirelessly until every black student in every tech ', training college and campus is an A ZA SO member The 1984 congress will cer tainly be bigger than the 1983 one In we continue with our hard work the 1985 congress will be ever bigger. The education charter is a concrete campaign around which we can build na­tional student unity in action

While we celebrate our victories let us assist the struggles that other A Z A S O branches are waging:• The struggle fo r a democratic SRC at U.D. W.;• The campaign to have Catsha removed as chancellor o f

Ongoye;• The accommodation struggles at U.D. W. and U.C.T.;• The daily struggle against Bantustan repression in Fon

Hare.

GATSHA STAY OUT!“Gaisha stay out” — that’s the loud call that students and academics of Ongoye have made. This call comes in the wake of the increasing violence perpetrated by lnkatha members.

Gatsha Buthelezi is scheduled to attend the graduation ceremony at the University on June 30. Academics and students fear that this visit, like the previous encounters, will result in violence and bloodshed.

Five students were killed on the campus last year on October 30 when lnkatha mobs went on a rampage in search of UDF and AZASO supporters. The mens residents became a bloodbath when students were battered with pangas, kerries, bricks and sjamboks. Students rooms were broken into and clothing and valuables were stolen.

.Almost the entire academic staff of Ongoye as well as all AZASO branches and UDF affiliates demanded that Gatsha resign as chancellor of the university since he is the leader of In- katha. AZASO demanded a judicial commission of inquiry in­to the violence. A one man commission which was appointed collapsed in March because the judge expressed dissatisfaction with the pay he was receiving. Many students believe that these were just manoeuvres to defuse the anger of the people.

AZASO and UDF members organised a meeting on May 5 ai

Empangeni, in Zululand. This meeting served both as a May Day rally and the launching of the Million Signature Cam­paign lnkatha supporters were bussed into the area. A scuffle broke out while an AZASO member was addressing the au­dience. lnkatha members attacked the speaker and disrupted the entire meeting. Mr Archie Gumede, president of the UDF and Mr Matthews Olifant, a trade unionist, were kicked and punched by the mob. Mr Gumede was knocked unconsdcus and had to be rescued by students of Ongoye.

On May 31 students burned effigies of Gaiiha and P.W. to demonstrate their rejection cf tribal and racist “ leaders ’ This demonstration was aimed ai showing Gatsha student dissatisfaction' with his visit to tndr campus. “Evcryiimt Oat- sba comes to the campus, he is accompanied by his imp :” , said one student, 'A n 1, because he has accused Ongoye students of many things, the intpis come to ‘teach us a lesson. Thai is why we are calling on Gatsna to stay awa> from die } graduation ceremony on June 30” .

AZASO calls upon all democrats to urge Gaisha Butheiei to stay away from the graduation ceremony. We also call upor. all democrats to demand his immediate resignation as chancellor of the university.

Women work out programmeA car combining four women made its way down the driveway at the Alan Taylor residence. As it came nearer a smile spread around all the faces waiting outside the hall — they were the Eastern Cape delegates for the AZASO Women’s Conference! This reflected an important achievement of the conference — women from all campuses gathering together to work out for themselves the problems that faced them.

The conference held over the 6, 7 and 8 April weekend was a historic step in the development of the Biack student move­ment. The conference hoped to develop an approach for organising women on our colleges and campuses.

Ma Dorothy Nyembe, released only a few weeks earlier, open­ed the conference with a fiery address. She assured one and all that she still possessed the sprit she had in the fifties when she ied women in their militant campamgs. Tiego Mosenekt, in his presidential address, pointed out that women organisation throughout the country had reached an important milestone. It was the task of all AZASO organisers to ensure that campu: women organisations rise to the demands of the moment.

Sandy Africa of Howard College, presented a paper on “The Role of Women in National Democratic Struggles” . Her inten­

sive paper recounted the experiences of women during and after liberation struggles in China, Cuba, Nicaragua, Mozam­bique and Zimbabwe. Leslie Watson, an ex-AZASO member of U.C.T., presented a paper on “ Sexism in Education” . She clearly outlined how education in its earliest forms up to university level is sexiest in nature.

Commissions were held on the problems that women had beer, organised around. These included rape on campus, sexaai haiassment, unfair res. rules, sexiest attitu^'s in the lectoe: room, etc. Delegates agreed ihaf women organisations will have to cater for the needs of all women. A broad strategic ap­proach was developed and specific methods w“re discussed to organise women. The conference decided tha' al' branches ''ill attempt to implement the programme of action that v-as drawn. Our prog!fJS will t** -i sessec at congress in terms of this programme ot action.During ont of the sessions one of our comrades *as cnoinng for the first time in he; Hie. A i the er:d of he' session she er­roneously suggested that the a'-.iherr. be sung a; ,na: sage. When she was corrected she shrugged it off, saving “ this is the first time 1 have ever chaired. Thanks to this conference I am quickly learning hov to” . The comment itself made it al! wor­thwhile.

Exposed: A dm in ’s secret weapon,Students are subjected to a total onslaught: if the cops are not bashing or detaining us, then the admins, try to victimise us. Tne one aspea of the atuck that has escaped any analysis, any national protest, any unequivocal condemnadon is the total onslaught on our diet.

I think my (turvm y has been/

infiltrated^

Students at Mabopane Tech, Medunsa and Wits recently decid­ed that enough is enough. They will no longer tolerate being at­tacked by admins most lethal weapon — res. food They decid­ed to take matters in their own hards and demand changes to their menu. They were tired of tasteless, unpalatable anu even rotten food.

Students at Mabopane refused to have their meals during the last week of May. At Medunsa students boycotted classes for 3 days in protest against the "appalling food” which the:- are served. They were also demanding the reinstatement of a sack­ed worker. The Glyn Thomas Residence at Wits was the site or another combat with admins secret agent food. Tne food boycott began with students refusing to eat their meals because they had been served with rotten meat. The boycott lasted 3 days.

Student victory at U.W.CA one week boycott of classes at UWC ended in victory for students when most of their demands were met. Students at UWC have had to contend with many domestic problems. When they tried to take up these problems individully they did not succeed. Students held a mass meeting where Shepherd Mati, Cosas NEC member, addressed them on the crisis in At- teridgeviile. The actions of the high school students inspired them to take action against their own problems. They decided to boycott classes for the following demands:• Library times to be extended• Notes must be supplied free to students. Students believe

that they are already burdened by high university fees. The cost of notes should be taken from these fees.

• A student elected ad-hoc structure be recognised as representing students.

About 95<% of the students participated in the boycott. Extra­mural students also supported the boycott. During the boycott, the secretaries of the Western Cape UDF, addressed students on the anti-election campaign. Students divided themselves in­to the various regions they come from. They discussed how they can wage the anti-election campaign in their regions.

The admin, met most of the students demands. They have ask­ed students to suggest an alternative system to replace the pre­sent one.

Students have become more aware of the inherent problems in our education system. More students are now involved in the faculty councils — a positive step in our struggle for a democratic education.

CHARTER C A M P A IG N O N THE MOVE...The Education Charter Campaign, aimed at producing a document containing the minimum demands for a demo­cratic education,is now under way with regional committees beong formed to spearhead the campaign.This step occurs after intense consultation amongst A2AS0 and COSAS act­ivists.

Over the past few decades students and communities have demonstrated their rejection of apartheid education.Wc have seen that apartheid education aims at keeping blacks in a subservient position.lt is reared to meet the needs of capita] only- not the needs of the entire community.

In 1955 men,women and youth protested against the intro­duction of the Bantu Education Act.Scools established under this act.was boycotted The ANC organised alternate schools.Tnc giovemment wanted to give Blacks the bare minimum of education so that they could understand the basic instructions in the factories.The state suppressed opposition to the Bantu Education Act and dosed down the AN C schools.

The next major.national uprising occurred during 1976-77. On June 16, 1976, students of Soweto came out in protest against afrikaans being used as a medium of instruction. Once again the state acted brutally *nd senselessly started a spiral of violence that continues to-day .The protest again­st bantu education soon grew into a national uprising again­st apartheid.National protests broke out again in 1980. and have continued since.

Through the Education Charter Campaign, AZASO and COSAS hope to consolidate the demands made over all these decades.We will also consult people from all sectors about their vision of a dempcratic education system.Such a Charter will then be the guide and programme of action of all those involved in the education struggle.All our efforts will be united to attain a common set of goals .The charter will act as a yardstick against which reforms will be mea­sured.

• .X 1

•u- f S

** # ** • i _ «* *.!>• \—

• Tsieisi Maleho, A ZASO exec, member, pickets D ET offices in proles: against closure o f schools.

• Mosiua Lekota opens education festival in Durban.

A joint AZASO/COSAS NEC meeting was held in Cape Town and it was decided that within the next few moaths the folowing steps must be implementated viz.,(i)EC COMMITTEES must be formed in each college, uni­versity and school.Organisations interested in the camp­aign eg^NEUSA(progressive teacher organisation) are aiso forming EC committees.These committees are to publicise the campaign,and research into apartheid education and democratic education systems.(ii)A JOINT AZASO/COSAS workshop must be held in each region.The Education Charter campaign must be explained and discussed.A programme of action must be drawn up for the region.(iii)A REGIONAL COMMITTEE consisting of all organisat­ions interested in the campaignmust be formed This comm­ittee will co-ordinate the campaign in each region.(iv)The next step in this phase is a MASS PUBLIC LAUNCH of the campaign in each region.This can take the form of a festival,conference ora mass meeting

So fa r :-A joint workshop was held in Cape Town and a steering committee was elected.The election of a regional committee and a mas? launch are planned-A COSAS steering committee has been formed for the Eastern Cape.A joint workshop will be held soon.-The Transvaal region will hold a workshop on -A three day workshop was held in Natal.A regional comm­ittee ius expected to be elected soon.

Remember,for the campaign to succeed it requires the act­ive participation of all students interested in bringing about change. A nationwide thrust of action,debate and consultat­ion must sweep the entire country so that the Education Charter becomes a democratic document.

Issued by Azanian Students Organisation Printed by An Press - Dbn.

Collection Number: AK2117 DELMAS TREASON TRIAL 1985 - 1989 PUBLISHER: Publisher:-Historical Papers, University of the Witwatersrand Location:-Johannesburg ©2012

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