Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi has called for co-operation between companies and institutions of higher education to allow students to get practical experience.
Buthelezi was addressing the party’s aligned students’ wing Sadesmo at the Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) in Umlazi, south of Durban ahead of the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) elections on Thursday.
Mangosuthu University was a hive of activity as students used the last day to campaign for the elections, which are expected to be hotly-contested.
Four students’ movements aligned to the Democratic Alliance (DA), IFP, African National Congress (ANC) and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) will battle out for SRC positions.
Eleven seats are up for grabs.
The ANC-aligned Sasco hopes to retain its control of the SRC after having been in control for four consecutive years.
In the final push, the students’ organisations brought out their party big guns to drum up support.
Buthelezi called on companies to support students by offering them training.
“One of the ways Sadesmo has found is for the university to work hand-in-hand with companies that can provide bursaries, apprenticeships and in-service training. These partnerships need to be deepened so that graduates can begin applying their skills immediately. There is also a gap for the MUT to offer in-service training within the premises of the university so that graduates can give back to MUT after studying here.”
Buthelezi again emphasised the importance of safety at institutions of higher education after a female student, Zolile Khumalo, was shot and killed on campus allegedly by her boyfriend.
