2 May 2022
Media statement: Equal Education 4th national Congress
Yesterday, delegates at the Equal Education (EE) 4th national Congress elected new members to represent them on our movement’s National Council (board). Noncedo Madubedube will be leading our movement for another three years as General Secretary, while Tebogo Tsesane has been elected as our new Deputy General Secretary.
The new Chairperson of the National Council is Sindisa Monakali, the former Deputy Chairperson of the National Council. Grade 10 learner Yolanda Sewela is the new Equaliser Deputy Chairperson, and University of Johannesburg student Lawrence Manaka is the new Post-School Youth Deputy Chairperson of the National Council.
“Equal Education is deeply grateful to the outgoing National Council, which served our movement with enormous dedication and care – especially Chairperson Yana van Leeve, Treasurer Tess Peacock, and Deputy General Secretary Tracey Malawana. These Comrades have put crucial structures and policies in place, and have held our movement during tragedy,” said Noncedo Madubedube.
The two-day Congress was attended by delegates elected to represent EE branches in KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Limpopo, Western Cape and Gauteng. These branches include learner, parent, post-school youth, teacher and staff members of our movement.
Congress began with conversations and activities around a new priority for us – the right to read. Writer Sindiwe Mangona, writer and feminist activist Thenjiswe Mswane, reading activists from Funda Wande, Nali’Bali and Saide, and EE members discussed why we urgently need a reading revolution in South Africa – particularly for Black youth and activists – and how to create it.
During Congress, EE’s outgoing leadership presented three-year reports on our governance, operations and finance. Amendments to EE’s constitution were adopted and resolutions were passed that give our new National Council a clear sense of our movement’s goals and guiding principles up to 2025.
Those resolutions include that EE should work with organisations/communities that are involved in the struggles of schools with learners with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ rights, the fight against gender-based violence, and the struggle for land rights and housing.
Our new Deputy General Secretary closed our Congress by telling delegates that leading EE is not an easy task, and “in order for us to lead you, you must also lead us”.
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NOTE: Our offices are closed for the next two weeks. Staff will be back on 16 May.
