CORRECTION OF THE MEETING

Meeting will be on 23 August 2014 not 24

MEETING INVITATION

I like to take this moment to greet you in your name and in the name of our beloved organization COngress of South African Students (COSAS)

Meeting will proceed as follows:
Venue:NEHAWU HOUSE VRYBURG
TIME:WILL PROVIDED
DATE:24 AUGUST 2014 (SUNDAY)

WE HOPE YOU WILL BE PRESENT!!!
YOUR PRESENCE WILL BE APPRICIATED!!!
''WE TAKE COSAS BACK TO BASIC FROM INTENTION TO ACTION"

COSAS HISTORY

COngress of South African Students (COSAS) History
             

COSAS was established in 31
May 1976. It was preceded by the
South African Students
Movement (SASM), which was
banned in 1977. Like SASM,
COSAS was initially inspired by
Black consciousness, but during
the 1980 school crisis It
initiated a shift towards
Charterism. The organisation
concentrates on what it terms
"medium level" educational
institutions such as secondary
schools, technical and training
colleges.
The COngress of South African
Students devotes itself to
informing its members about
the history and struggle of the
"oppressed". Ephraim Mogale,
the first President of COSAS,
played a leading and pivotal
role in this respect. After being
sentenced to Robben Island, he
was appointed President of the
Northern Transvaal Youth
Congress. COSAS also devotes
itself to the principles of non-
racism and democracy. In its
capacity as a student
organisation, it has
endeavoured to introduce a
"free, compulsory and
dynamic" educational system in
a non-racial South Africa. It
mobilized students concerning
grievances in the schools and
demanded that schools exercise
democratic student
representation.
The frustration caused by lack
of facilities at schools, together
with other related issues,
including poorly trained
teachers and corporal
punishment, led to COSAS
orchestrating a country-wide
school boycott. Hardly in
existence for a year, the entire
COSAS corpted national leaders
and numerous members were
arrested. Mogale was accused
and convicted of promoting the
aims of the ANC and SACP, and
was subsequently incarcerated
on Robben Island. Numerous
other protest, campaign and
boy-cott actions were initiated
and launched by COSAS. An anti-
Republic Day campaign, centred
around the slogan "Forwards to a
People's Republic", was
organised in 1981. A national
boycott of “Wilson Rowntree”
and “Fattis & Monis” corporate
products was embarked upon in
sympathy with and concern for
the poor treatment of workers
at these factories. Issues such
as "education for liberation"
and "students and workers in
the struggle" were discussed
and deliberated under the
banner of "student worker
action" at the 1982 COSAS
congress. Whilst COSAS
remained devoted to and never
neglected its wider political
role, it focussed on broadening
its student base. The essence of
its theme for 1983 was "United
Action for Democratic
Education". In the same year
COSAS played a pivotal role in
the founding of the UDF,
constituting one of the latter
organisation's strongest
affiliates. At the time COSAS
was involved in an incessant
and unrelenting struggle with
the Department of Education
and Training. COSAS further
played an invaluable role in
promoting the notion of a
"people's education".
In and during 1984 and 1985,
hardly any school days were
devoted to school-related
education in urban black and
coloured schools. The black
education system in particular
was completely disrupted.
Although the government
prohibited and clamped down
viciously on school boycotts in
March 1985, hundreds of
schools throughout the country
remained empty in revolt.
Slogans like "Liberation Before
Education" were the order of
the day. Against this
background it came as no
surprise when State
restrictions were imposed on
COSAS a few weeks after the
partial state of emergency was
declared. Despite and in spite
of the restriction order, the
organisation's 150 odd branches
countrywide continued to
participate in planned action
aimed at achieving its
objectives.
If anything, COSAS furthermore
proactively initiated the
founding of the South African
Youth Congress (Sayco) in 1987.
During the resistance campaign,
launched by extra-
parliamentary groups under the
auspices of the Mass
Democratic Movement (MDM)
in August 1989, COSAS unbanned
itself. On 02 February 1990 the
restrictions on COSAS were
lifted, along with the
unbanning of 33 other anti-
apartheid organisations. In May
1990 the organisation was
officially reinstated at a
ceremony held at Orlando
Stadium, Soweto. During the
course of the ceremony, Rapu
Molekane, general secretary of
Sayco, proposed that COSAS
support the process of
negotiation in South Africa.
According to Molekane, the
concept of "peoples’ education"
could only be translated into
practise by the transfer of
political power to the people.
He supported the ANC's
request for the exercise of
discipline during that stage of
the revolutionary struggle. The
publicity secretary of COSAS,
Mike Dube, followed up with an
exposition of the organisation's
rebuilding process. In October
1990, two members of the COSAS
management committee joined
the Provisional National Youth
Committee, which was
established to reactivate the
ANC Youth League. It is
expected that COSAS will find a
home within the ANC Youth
League.

EXPLANATION OF THE COSAS MEMBERSHIP AND STRUCTURES

                                                                                                     
  Chief Albert Luthuli house          
  54 Sauer Street    
  Johannesburg
  2001                
Tel: (011) 376 1096                                                      Fax:(011) 376 1088                 

   OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL

  EXPLANATION OF THE COSAS MEMBERSHIP AND STRUCTURES

In line with the resolutions of the first national executive meeting, the Secretary General’s office carries in its shoulders a responsibility to outline in simple form the implementation mechanism for the 15th national congress resolutions on the COSAS membership and the structures.

COSAS MEMBER:

The COSAS constitution asserts that an applicant of COSAS membership shall be considered subject to the fulfilling of these factors:

Applicant should be in the pre tertiary institution and be in position to produce proof to that effect.

A proof of admission to any school can be a letter that is offered by a school to a learner upon their admission, in the event where such is not applicable, any written evidence that confirms beyond reasonable doubt that an applicant belong to the pre tertiary institution may be accepted. E.g. letter containing the identity information of a leaner directed to the either a leaner or the parents of the learner.

Renewal of membership

The membership of COSAS stand for 12 months then the applicant will be expected to renew provided that they are still within the pre tertiary level upon the expiry date, a person who has interest on contributing to the life of COSAS may apply for the associate membership as outlined by the constitution.

COSAS BRANCHES:h

A school with a minimum of 100 COSAS members may be launched and regarded as a COSAS branch. It shall be expected to elect the BEC and develop programmes to advance the aims and objectives of the organisation,

COSAS: ZONAL STRUCTURES.

For the purposes of coordination of common programs COSAS branches within the same area or location/village/town may formulate under the supervision of the REC and out of the BEC’s a zonal structure, its responsibilities will be to coordinate the programs of COSAS aimed at addressing the common areal interest.
 
STRUCTURING OF THE ZONAL COORDINATING TEAMS.

Zonal coordinating teams may consist of 15 members with each BEC within a zone enjoying a representation. They shall out of their collective nominate a scriber and a convener, and other members may be allocated a leading role in playing an oversight to the accomplishment of all the constitutional departments as outlined in the COSAS constitution.

REC’S AND PEC’S

REC’S and PEC’S are traditional upper structures which have not been changed, their responsibilities remain, which is to run the COSAS programmes and ensure that the organisation is alive within their jurisdictions. And they shall in accordance with their hierarchy play an oversight to lower COSAS structures.

The above is the simple directive on how structures of the organisation must be understood, we therefore hope for maximum adherence to the above. 

Yours in building a strong students’ movement

Secretary General
Tshiamo Tsotetsi

________________________
             
      

Thuso Thebe Sub-branch of COSAS structure

Chairperson:Ketshepaone Maseng (0760633247)
Deputy chairperson:Boitumelo Gaotlhope
Secretary:Katlego Maleke (0711540942)
Deputy Secretary:Moreetse Mosimaneeng
Treasure:Goitseone Gaophalole

Additional members
1) Kagiso Manthe
2) Legare Motlogelwa
3) Tshireletso Galehose
4) Gomotsegang Morapedi
5) Mosadiwapula Malwetsi
6) Kefentse Apolus
7) Tumo Thebe
8) Palesa Mona
9) Poloko Sebe
10) Boingotlo Kesilwe