AKA donates R100 000 to Wits SRC Humanitarian Fund

by | Feb 11, 2019

South African rapper AKA hands over a mock cheque of R100 000 to the SRC

South African rapper and celebrity Kiernan Forbes, popularly known as AKA, donated R100 000 to the Student Representative Council’s (SRC) humanitarian fund on Monday, February 11.

The SRC fundraising officer Solomzi Moleketi says that the money will be used for the accommodation and historical debts of students.

“The humanitarian fund assists students in need. They are identified from the Hardship fund database and prioritized by need. The money will then be allocated through a joint committee involving the Wits Citizenship and Community Outreach (WCCO), the Dean’s office and the SRC.

As the sun broke out from a rainy morning, the Touch My Blood rapper arrived an hour late bursting through the hundreds of frantic students at the Great Hall Piazza before announcing that he had pledged the sum to assist students in need.

 

The emcee responsible for hits like ‘Jealousy’, ‘Kontrol’, ‘Congratulate’, told Wits Vuvuzela that the need to donate came from a growing impatience in waiting for government to assist students.

“I was just watching the news and I was just thinking about the fact that it’s February. Normally at this time, we supposed to be doing O-Week and everything is supposed to be nice.  But that’s not the case. People are being beaten up and people are sleeping in libraries. It’s just really bad.

“We can wait as long as we want but these things are not going to get fixed. It’s clear that the students are by themselves.  So I thought ‘let see what I can do, let me dip into my own pocket’. And I know R100 000 is not going to solve everything but it’s a start. But more than the amount I thought that I should come here and show that I am here for them,“ the thirty-one-year-old added.

Last week the PYA-led SRC embarked on a protest and hunger strike, demanding the provision for students with under below R100 000 historical debts to register at the university.

The protest was called off on Friday, February 8, after concessions made to the student body by management allowed for these students to register provided they sign an Acknowledgement of Debt form and have been accepted by the Wits Hardship Fund committee.

SRC President Sisanda Mbolekwa said that despite the success of their protest the road to success was still a long one.

“The ultimate goal is to get all students registered and all students housed. Finances can’t be a barrier to access education in this country, not when it’s a right enshrined in the constitution,” Mbolekwa said.

The SRC will be hosting a raffle for Valentine’s Day on Wednesday, February 13, with the lucky winners offered a lunch date for two at Mike’s Kitchen. All proceeds from the raffle will go towards the humanitarian fund.

FEATURED IMAGE: Rapper AKA handed over a mock cheque of R100 000 to the SRC president Sisanda Mbolekwa outside the Wits Great Hall on Monday afternoon.      Photo: Tshego Mokgabudi

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