Students host 'appreciation lunch' for workers on campus

Students recently held an appreciation lunch for UCT workers, during which they screened a documentary focusing on a day in the life of a cleaner in a residence.

The film, titled Mamma Aggie, is centred on Agnes Mofokeng, a cleaner at a UCT residence, the sole breadwinner in her family who wakes at 4am every day in the week to get to her job at the university.

Former ANC MP and economist, Professor Ben Turok, who spoke at the event, praised students for "boldly" meeting with workers – something he had never experienced when he was student at UCT.

"When I joined the ANC, we were inspired by the strong worker and student movements back then. Today we are more dependent than ever on movements outside of formal politics to bring about change in South Africa," he urged.

Tony Ehrenreich, Western Cape secretary of Cosatu, echoed this sentiment adding "that this worker and student alliance is inspirational not only for what it does for the university, but for the possibilities it represents. [The alliance] played a key role in the liberation of the country and it can play a key role in the restoration of South Africa".

Story by Abigail Calata. Photo by Je'nine May.