EXCLUSIVE: PA member and former “Fees Must Fall” activist Bonginkosi Khanyile lands cushy job in Ekurhuleni Metro

By: Sello Theletsane

Former Fees Must Fall activist, now Patriotic Alliance (PA) member Bonginkosi Khanyile, has scored a cosy job at Ekurhuleni Metro.

Khanyile has been appointed strategic advisor to a member of the mayoral committee (MMC) for community services, Bakang Lethoko. The portfolio comprises health and social development, customer relations management and sports, recreation, Arts, and culture.

Lethoko is one of the two MMCs from the PA, which is part of a DA-run coalition government in Ekurhuleni.

Khanyile who holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences Honours Degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal said: “I would like to thank my party, the PA for granting me this opportunity. It’s a deployment I don’t take for granted and I pledge to discharge my responsibilities to the best of my ability to the benefit of all ratepayers of Ekurhuleni.”

Khanyile’s boss Lethoko said: “As a young person myself, I’m very excited to be joined by Khanyile, whose track record of fighting for the plight of the youth of our country is well-documented.”

Lethoko added that she had no doubt that Khanyile would add value to her department and assist her in fulfilling her mandate of delivering services to residents of Ekurhuleni.

Khanyile, who is currently facing charges of incitement of public violence, is out on bail. The charges relate to last year’s deadly riots in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng that followed the incarceration of former President Jacob Zuma.

Khanyile is charged with two counts of inciting public violence and two counts of violating Covid-19 regulations that banned public gatherings and required people to wear masks.

Khanyile has persistently maintained that the charges against him are politically motivated and a ploy by the State to find a scapegoat for the July 2021 unrests. In 2019, Khanyile was sentenced to three years of house arrest after being convicted on public violence charges.

Khanyile faced the law for his involvement in the countrywide #FeesMustFall protests in 2016.

PA deputy president Kenny Kunene congratulated Khanyile, who he said had the required skills and academic qualifications for the job. Kunene said there was no difference between Khanyile’s criminal record and that of SA’s first democratically elected President Nelson Mandela as both men were convicted for fighting for the rights of others.

Kunene added that Khanyile was convicted “for fighting for the students of this country to get what they are supposed to get, which is free education”.

“This is a young man who continues to inspire the youth, yet he continues to be treated like a terrorist in this country when he highlights the plight of young people. As the PA, we will never accept that,” said Kunene.

“Patriotic Alliance will never abandon activists who are persecuted and victimised for being patriotic and selfless servants of our people, in fact, PA is their home. I have full confidence in Khanyile and I wish him well in his new position,” added Kunene.