by أنيليسا توسوا | Aug 12, 2015 | News
In celebrating International Youth Day, the United Nation’s Population Fund helped 7 young Southern African artists to launched a hip-hop album, as part of the Safeguard Young People Program.
MESSAGE DELIVERED: as the audience set down, listening to the messages delivered by through Hip Hop. Photo: Anelisa Tuswa
Over 500 hundred young people, from across the East and Southern African regions gathered at the Maboneng Precinct in Johannesburg earlier today to observe International Youth Day.
The gathering was also used to launch a hip-hop album called “We Will”, a collaboration by 7 young talents representing Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
KrTc, an artist from Swaziland, contributed the song “Jack and Jill”, to the album.
Speaking to Wits Vuvuzela about his influences in writing the song, KrTc said, “I took a story that we are all familiar with, to tell the importance of love and commitment in fighting HIV”.
Zeus, an artist from Botswana described the album as ‘a revisit to hip-hop to real hip-hop.’
According Zues, hip-hop has been “hijacked, its representation today is not what it used to be”.
“Hip-hop is about the community,” added Zeus, it is “not about sex and drugs”.
Speaking to Wits Vuvuzela, the East and Southern African regional officer of the UNFPA, Dr Asha Mohamud, said that these young artists were advocating for change.
“This is their contribution to society through their time and talents,” said Mohamud.
“Every young person here today is advocating for an increase in investment on young people or youth development by their governments,” she added.
This year’s International Youth Day theme is “Youth Civic Engagement”. The theme is consistent with the UN’a focus on the youth as key to sustainable development.
by أنيليسا توسوا | Aug 7, 2015 | News
You might know her as ‘Fab academic’, others might know her as ‘the President of Convocation during graduation at Wits. As part of our women’s month edition, #TeamVuvu pinned down an interview with her to talk about issues that are currently affecting black women in academia.
She lobes fabulous things and she is an academic.
Photo: Supplied
By
Anelisa Tuswa
Mamokgethi Phakeng is a Vice Principal of Research and Innovation at the University of South Africa. Professor Phakeng is the first black female South African to acquire a PhD in Mathematics Education. She has published over 80 research papers and currently rated as B2 NRF-rated scientist (which indicates that she has considerable international recognition).
Prof Phakeng, on Twitter and Instagram you go by the name, “Fab Academic”. What’s behind that?
“It’s like my stage name, if I use my real name people feel compelled to use my title, Prof. And I kept saying to people ‘don’t call me prof, just call me Kgethi’, and so I though it’s much better to say Fab academic.
Besides, I do like fabulous things and I am an academic, and that’s not a usual combination.
I believe the country has a shortage of mathematicians, especially young black women. How do we make young people excited about mathematics?
To get students attracted to maths, is to stop talking about Mathematics as difficult. Everyone talks about maths being difficult, to an extent that many people feel comfortable telling everyone about their inability in maths publicly. It’s like its cool not to have been good at mathematics when you were young. If you have nothing good to say about mathematics, don’t say it at all.
Wits Vuvuzela did a story two months back about Transformation in Academia. In your view, what do we need to transform our higher education?
The department of Higher education has to reward real transformation. They reward Universities for producing research output, they can look at in which University where output is produced mainly by black people. You get an extra bonus, for that. So that Universities know that if they support black people and create a space for them where they can do their research and publish, they will get an extra bonus, rather than to be just rewarded for producing output.
What kind of structural problems or transformation problems that you have been exposed to, as a black female academic?
On the ground, it’s been like you have replaced one group of elites by one group of elites. And that group elites might have a different complexion but they are functioning with the same set of rules, of ‘inclusion and excluding’. I find that when we talk in Higher education, nobody is talking about ‘the women issue’. I’m a black South African women, I don’t necessary get easy access to opportunities in terms of management and upward mobility. I’m not only black, I’m a B rated scientist, but it’s much easier for a man, a black South African man who doesn’t have the rating that I have, who doesn’t have the CV that I have to get the opportunity ahead of me. And its because we haven’t started talking the women issue its usually men who are arguing for transformation and it’s almost like they arguing for themselves.
by أنيليسا توسوا | Aug 7, 2015 | News
If you didn’t believe that women can do it all, let Boipelo Mabe’s ‘superpowers’ change your mind.
Boipelo Mabe. The next time you see her, she’ll be Clicks magazine’s covergirl. But there’s more to the 21-year-old Witsie from Alexandra township who is also studying a joint Honours in Politics and Development Studies.
Mabe started doing beauty pageants at the age of six years old, and by the time that she was in grade 10 she was already looking to start working helping others in her community.
This led her into starting her own organisation to empower girls her age – Don’t get Babe’d.
“There was a sense of hopeless,” added Mabe, “Alex had a lot of typical township ills.”
“I’m mistaken for a hostess until they see that I’m on the program”
Mabe however couldn’t develop the organisation to what she believes it could have become because her parents thought it would interfere with her school work.
After high school, Boipelo came to Wits to study Politics. When Wits Vuvuzela quizzed her on why she wanted to study politics, “To try and understand the world that I’m trying to influence” she responded.
According to Mabe, being a beauty pageant girl and a model comes with a lot of “stereotypical ideas.”
“I attend a lot of workshops and business seminars,” Mabe said, “and usually I’m mistaken for a hostess until they see that I’m on the program.”
“Sometimes being a woman distracts people from seeing what you can give or produce than just your looks”, she said.
“Your beauty will not get you far,”
“Sometimes being a woman distracts people from seeing what you can give or produce than Politics and modelling might be an “unusual combination” but for Mabe, it forms part of “challenging the norms of what a beauty Queen or model should be like.”
“Your beauty will not get you far,” Mabe said, “Its not sustainable.”
Speaking to Wits Vuvuzela, Mabe added that “beauty is not a skill, young girls and women need to understand that you need more.”
Mabe’s latest achievement involves winning the ‘Clicks cover girl’ competition where she was selected out of thousands of women across the country.
“Being the cover girl will be a stepping stone on my modelling career,” she said.
The prize for Clicks cover girl included a modelling contract worth R50 000 with the internationally recognised modelling company, Model Management and South Africa’s fashion photographer, Jacques Weyes.
Mabe is former Miss Alex, resident political analyst on News and Views on Soweto TV, a motivational speaker, a member of Black Management Forum, a newsreader for Soweto TV News, a radio personality on Alex FM and a Witsie.
by أنيليسا توسوا | Jul 16, 2015 | News
16 young South African delegates with members of Telfed in Raanana.
Photo By Dorron Kline
The South African Students Congress (SASCO) and Young Communist League of South Africa (YCLSA) have publicly distanced themselves from some of their members who went on what they referred to as an “Israel propaganda trip”.
In a media statement released earlier this week, SASCO said “we view this act by some of our members to visit Israel as crossing the picket line”.
“SASCO National Executive Committee has decided to temporarily suspend all our members who participated in this propaganda trip to Israel pending a disciplinary hearing.”
However, 3 of the 16 students who travelled to Israel on the week-long trip told Wits Vuvuzela that they have not received any communication from SASCO, ANC (African National Congress) or YCL informing them about any suspension but said they are not sure about the other travellers.
Chairperson of SASCO at Wits, Nthabiseng Molefe, said “they [SASCO] only wrote on Facebook (sic),” and “as it stands I’m still not suspended until such time when I get a formal communication”.
Also speaking to Wits Vuvuzela, Secretary General of Wits SRC (Student Representative Council), Senzekahle Mbokazi, also one of the travelers, said, “I’m still a member of SASCO”.
Mbokazi said she does not think that her position as an SRC member should “sit precariously due to an educational and religious visit” that she she embarked on in her personal capacity and not as an SRC member.
The YCLSA released a statement Saturday evening to “denounce” the 16 young delegates which they referred to as “sanction busters” that went to Israel on “bribes” … “to eat the sweet fruits that were planted on land that was stolen and grown on the blood of murdered Palestinian women and children.”
“We will follow all due process, but can confirm that our intentions are clear, we will expel corrupt sanction busters” concluded the release.
Another of the travellers, Klaas Makgomela, a former Wits student and a member of ANC Youth League, said the organisations are allowed to burn a member who commits a misconduct, but they did not commit any.
“I see nothing wrong in visiting a country that has diplomatic relations with South Africa,” Makgomela said.
According to the media release by South African Young Leaders (SAYLT), “the trip was to explore both Israel and Palestine. Historical backgrounds of both nations were presented with specific emphasis of finding out what civilians in various communities felt.”
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by أنيليسا توسوا | Jul 15, 2015 | Featured 1, News
Wits University has decided not take any action against Mcebo Dlamini for his controversial ‘Hitler comments’ but the former SRC President says he will sue the Wits vice-chancellor if he does not apologise.
Former Wits SRC president, Mcebo Dlamini during his speech at the IAW rally.
Wits University has found that while there were grounds for Mcebo Dlamini to be “charged for failing to meet his fiduciary requirements as SRC President”, the institution will not pursue these charges as Dlamini has already been removed from office. This is according to a statement released by Wits late last night following a review of the decision of an earlier disciplinary process against Dlamini.
Speaking to Wits Vuvuzela, Dlamini said he had told vice chancellor, Prof Adam Habib, several times that there was nothing wrong with the statement he made in April on his Facebook page.
“Instead he went around to the media, twerking in my name,” Dlamini said. “He must apologise or I will sue him.”
Dlamini was found guilty of misconduct by a Student Discipline Committee in May and the “independent Appeal and Review Committee” confirmed this finding.
“Going to the hearing itself I expected nothing” said Dlamini.
“A 100% white committee, with two of my Wits lecturers,” said Dlamini. “How is that independent?”
The review committee did not uphold the second charge relating to another undisclosed 2014 incident. According to Dlamini, these are assault charges on comments he made against head of residence life, Rob Sharman.
On the basis of the confirmation of the first finding, the university Council confirmed the vice chancellor’s decision to require Dlamini to stand down from the SRC. Dlamini will however remain a student at Wits.
“I have defeated them,” Dlamini told Wits Vuvuzela. “Their plan was to kick me out of Wits and they have failed.”
by أنيليسا توسوا | May 22, 2015 | Featured 1, News
The topic about Transformation in South African Universities emerged early this year when UCT students called for the removal of Cecil John Rhodes statue. However, it has spread through various issues such as transforming the curriculum and lack of black academics.
Panel discussion that was held last month by the Transformation Office. The discussion was centered around the Diversification process of Wits Academic Staff.
Photo: Anelisa Tuswa
ONLY one in every seven academic staff members at Wits University is a black African from South Africa according to information provided by the Wits Transformation Office last month.
By contrast, almost half, about 47%, of South African academic staff are white.
Prof Tawana Kupe, the Wits deputy vice chancellor overseeing transformation, said the university’s transformation problems were not obvious ones such as an incident where white students at the University of Free State made a video that depicted the humiliation of black cleaning staff .
Rather, the race and transformation issues facing Wits and other universities was “a reflection of a structural problem,” Kupe said during a recent talk hosted by the Wits Transformation Office.
He added that the problem of transformation was also “an indication of subliminal racism”. “Nobody tells you to go away,” Kupe said, “but you do not feel comfortable being in that space.” The issue of the lack of transformation at tertiary institutions is back in the spotlight and at Wits University with many students calling for change and worrying about their careers as black academics.
“Lack of black academics in higher education speaks to some of the structural challenges that face black people within academia”
Thato Masiangoako, of Transform Wits, told Wits Vuvuzela that the lack of black academics in higher education “speaks to some of the structural challenges that face black people within academia”. “It reflects the wider structural challenges faced by black students who often don’t even have the luxury of choosing academia as a career path.”
Masiangoako believes this was “because the demands of having to provide (for family needs) makes the workplace far more attractive”.
Bandile Ngidi, MComm student, self-identifi es as a potential future academic but is wary of the challenges he faces. Ngidi believes an academic career cannot compare to a job in the private sector. “Considering the issues of black tax and the chances of a slighter, quicker career progression in the private sector.”
Ngidi adds that “mentorship and supervision”, is another stumbling block to potential black academics. “Sometimes I feel like we not being mentored by supervisors who are interested, or experienced enough to explore some topics,” he said, adding as an example race issues.
“Transforming an institution cannot be reduced to running a one man show”
In the discussion hosted by the Wits Transformation Office, Nontsikelelo Sondzaba, a lecturer in the Faculty of Health Sciences, told the audience about her first day as a black lecturer at Wits. “I was mistaken to be somebody’s secretary,” she said.
Sondzaba told Wits Vuvuzela that “transforming an institution cannot be reduced to running a one man show,” and that “each and every one of us has a role to play.”
“Student experiences must be constructive such that, as graduates, they consider Wits as one of the preferred employers,” Sondzaba said. Kupe told Wits Vuvuzela that the university has various programmes to try and address issues of transformation and this includes the Vice-Chancellor’s Employment Equity Fund.
“We used that (fund) to hire people [from designated groups] who are highly qualifi ed,” he said. Another measure involves ensuring that when people retire, half of those spaces is reserved for the appointment of black academics. Athi-
Nangamso Nkopo, a Wits Masters’ graduate did not find the lack of black academics shocking but rather “unacceptable”. “Transformation isn’t slow at this rate, as we are so often told,” she said “It is deliberately hindered.”
by أنيليسا توسوا | May 13, 2015 | News
Wits University has responded to requests from the Progressive Youth Alliance (PYA), and the former Student Representative Council (SRC) president, Mcebo Dlamini, to speed up the process of review of Dlamini’s case.
Wits University has distanced itself from the review of the guilty verdict on charges of misconduct against former Student Representative Council (SRC) president, Mcebo Dlamini. This is according to a letter sent to the Progressive Youth Alliance (PYA) from the office of the Wits vice chancellor Professor Adam Habib, which Wits Vuvuzela has seen.
Habib was responding to calls made by the PYA during a march on main campus on Monday, May 11. One of the demands made by the group was that the review of Dlamini’s case be moved to this Friday, May 15.
Speaking to Wits Vuvuzela, Wits University spokesperson Shirona Patel said the review is being handled by an “independent panel” and the university will distance itself from the actual process.
Patel told Wits Vuvuzela that “it is not up to the Legal Office to make such a decision,” but the review committee. Patel could not say who constituted the review committee.
In the letter sent from Habib’s office, the university says it supports the request to speed up the process of the review and adds that “a request to this effect has already been made to the Chair of the Review Committee”. It further states that “if the Review Committee finds in favour of Mr Dlamini, he will be reinstated as SRC President”.
Dlamini was recalled as President on May 4, following an announcement from the vice chancellor’s office. Earlier this year, the former SRC president was found guilty of misconduct but allowed to remain in his position by the vice chancellor pending a review of the case.
Last week, though, the vice chancellor announced that he was reversing this decision as it appeared to Habib, that Dlamini was intentionally delaying the review process.
Dlamini has said that his legal team has contacted the Wits Legal Office to demand that the review of his case be held by this Friday.
He told Wits Vuvuzela that it was now the university who was delaying the date of his review and with exams in less than a month, he would like to “exonerate” himself and prepare for his exams.
by أنيليسا توسوا | May 13, 2015 | News
The case has been transferred to the High Court in Randburg, where the trial is begin on August 17
South African rapper Nonkululeko “Flabba” Habedi has died at the age of 38 years old after being stabbed on Monday March, 9.
Photo: Taken from Nkuli Keflabba Habedi facebook page.
The murder case of Hip Hop artist Nkululeko “Flabba” Habedi, was postponed in the Alexandra magistrate’s court earlier today.
The matter has been transferred to the High Court in Randburg, where the trial is expected to take place from 17 August.
According to Media reports the accused murderer Sindisiwe Mangele who was Flabba’s girlfriend at that time, claimed that she stabbed and killed him in self-defence.
Manqele’s defence attorney, Amanda Vilakazi confirmed the investigations were complete. Vilakazi told The Citizen newspaper that, there were no witnesses on her side so far. “…will come back to state if any,” she said.
“Flabba”, was a member of the popular hip-hop group Skwatta Kamp. He was stabbed to death by the 26 year old Sindiswa Manqele at his home in Alexandra in February. According to various media reports, the musician was stabbed on the chest.
Social media users have been saying that the court trial was postponed because the prosecutor forgot to bring charge sheet.
by أنيليسا توسوا | May 11, 2015 | Featured 1, News
A group of student organisations marched against the management of Wits University following the removal of SRC president Mcebo Dlamini.
Wits students and Progressive Youth Alliance members, carrying banners, sing their way to Senate House earlier today.
Photo: Reuven Blignault
“Run!” was the messaged delivered by provincial deputy secretary of the South African Students Congress (SASCO) Joy Phiri.
“No vice chancellor can tell us who our president is,” Phiri said. “Reinstate our President,” she said in reference to dismissed Student Representative Council (SRC) president, Mcebo Dlamini.
Dlamini later addressed the gathering and started by introducing himself as “Wits SRC president”.
He told the students that the problems the march was addressing were not about him.
“It has nothing to do with me as a person but everything this institution stands for,” Dlamini said.
“If I was a white president, I wouldn’t be charged today,” he added.
“It’s like the rules aren’t even applied across the board to everyone,” she said.
Nthabiseng Molefe, one of the students who helped to organise the event, the purpose of the march was to “challenge management”.
The challenges included the immediate review of Dlamini’s case, reinstatement to the position as Wits SRC President and a look at the situtation of the MJL Electrical workers.
MJL Electrical Workers
Speaking on behalf of the MJL Electrical workers, Richard Ndebele told the crowd that they wrote a letter to the vice chancellor expressing their feelings about how the University handled “their situation”.
Ndebele told Wits Vuvuzela that the response to this email was “contents noted.” MJL Electrical was a contractor of Wits University which made its employees “outsourced” workers. The workers have been unemployed since the University terminated its contract with the company.
“We are starving,” said Ndebele, during his address at the march. “These people cannot support their families.”
A 2nd year BCom Law student, Lebo (who did not want to give her surname), said, “a lot of students are frustrated with the way the University is dealing with certain situations”.
Handing over the memorandum to the Dean of Students Dr Pamela Dube, Molefe said Dube was not “allowed to speak” but she must “act”.
by أنيليسا توسوا | May 11, 2015 | Featured 1, News
The former Wits SRC president is demanding a public review and is hoping to be reinstated.
Dismissed SRC president Mcebo Dlamini is calling for an immediate public hearing of the review on the misconduct charge that led to him being removed from his position.
Dlamini told Wits Vuvuzela that his legal team has contacted the Wits Legal Office to demand that the review of his charge be held by this Friday.
He is also demanding that his hearing be public and the media be allowed to attend and report on its proceedings for “transparency and public interest.”
“[Vice Chancellor Adam] Habib made my case to be of public interest,” said Dlamini. “He wanted me to be found guilty by public opinion.”
Dlamini had been found guilty of misconduct in February this year. He was allowed to remain as SRC president pending a review. However, last week this decision was reversed with Habib arguing that Dlamini was intentionally delaying the process.
But Dlamini told Wits Vuvuzela that it was now the university who was delaying the date of his review and with exams in less than a month, he would like to “exonerate” himself.
“I want to concentrate on my exams now,” he said.
According to university’s spokesperson, Shirona Patel, the University will allow the legal process to take its course in line with its processes and procedures.
“It is not up to the Legal Office to make such a decision as they cannot act on behalf of the Student Disciplinary Committee that is hearing the matter.” she said.
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by أنيليسا توسوا | May 8, 2015 | Opinion
A majority of us black students, including the so-called daughters and sons of the middle class know that as long as you are black, after you get your degree there’s a taxation system that doesn’t go to SARS.
To my privileged friends who have no idea of what I just said, I’m talking about ‘Black tax’.
Anelisa Tuswa Photo: TJ Lemon
Black tax is not just the money that you send home when you start making a living, it’s not just a set amount that gets debited to your family. It’s a contribution, possibly unlimited, to better your family until the day you die.
In fact even after death you still need help from your grave thus Clientele Life policy might be the best alternative life policy as they say “your family members can still be taken care of after you have passed away.”
Well I’m not sure about others, but when I did my first Degree the constant fear was acquiring a qualification that wasn’t going to enable me the capability to provide. I mean my nephews and niece can’t go to a township school when their aunt is a Wits graduate, that RDP house won’t extend itself and I’m definitely sure my ancestors would be furious if my late grandmother doesn’t get a tombstone soon (yes the one who passed away before I was even born).
A friend of mine, who she and the rest of her family are still reaping the gains of the past that were created by societal structures, once asked me “why do you feel obliged to pay back your parents money?” she asked. “you don’t owe them anything.” It was quite funny. But the funny part rested on the snobbish tone that was driven by an element of reducing black-tax into an obligation, some stupid law where I looked like a victim that is forced to “pay back the money” that contributed to my education.
“Truth is, majority of us black students study because it is exhausting to be poor”
Well let me educate you my uninformed, privileged friends by correcting the basic perception that black tax is an obligation, it’s not an obligation! It is a responsibility that is put upon us Black children who are lucky enough to get better education than other members of our families.
In fact, I am sure many young Black people would agree with me when I say I did not come to university because I liked it on American Pie, nor did I enjoy studying Marx and Weber when I got here. Truth is, majority of us black students study because it is exhausting to be poor, it is an emotional strain that you cannot bear to watch it spread further and paying black tax is a minimum cost that takes half of your salary.
So, when I say ‘I cannot wait to finish my honours and start working’ please do not ask me ‘why a smart woman like me is not studying further. Every second I spend at Wits my siblings are starving and the RDP house that the ANC built for my mother might fall on my mother’s head, thus in a hurry to finish up and start paying
by أنيليسا توسوا | May 8, 2015 | News
DEEP DIVISION: Witsies remain divided over the reasons for the axing of SRC President Mcebo Dlamini. Photo: Wits Vuvuzela.
There have been mixed reactions at Wits University the removal of the SRC (Student Representative Council) president Mcebo Dlamini by the vice chancellor, Adam Habib last week.
Wits University found itself at the centre of the nation’s attention last week as a result of the comments made by Wits SRC president, Mcebo Dlamini. But on campus, student reactions were divided over the reasons for the subsequent axing of Dlamini.
The announcement, signed by the vice chancellor (VC) regarding Dlamini’s removal was sent through the Wits email system to all members of the Wits community, earlier this week. According to the statement though, Dlamini’s “I Love Hitler” post on Facebook, was not the reason for Dlamini’s removal. Instead, the email said, the decision was based on the fact that “Mr Dlamini was found guilty of misconduct”.
Despite the vice chancellor’s clarification about the reasons for the dismissal, many students remain sceptical.
Mzwanele Ntswanti, 3rd year Actuarial Science, does not believe that the sacking of Dlamini is a “coincidence” as it followed after the Hitler statement.
A 3rd year BSc student, who did not want to be named, told Wits Vuvuzela that he is aware of the reasons behind Dlamini’s sacking.
But added, “I highly disapprove of the vice chancellors decision to depose our democratically elected student representative.”
“Wits University is not an autocracy nor is it a high school where student representatives are appointed and sacked by one person,” he said.
Tom Dodson, 3rd year Bachelor of Arts, agrees with the VC’s decision to remove Dlamini. “A lot of the statements that he (Dlamini) made, made a lot of sense.”
However, Dodson said, “if you going represent the entire student community … You’ve really gotta think a lot harder about what you say and how you say it”.
Thembelihle Mbalu, told Wits Vuvuzela that she “supports the Habib’s decision without reservation” because Dlamini is “very defiant”.
“Mcebo was long overdue as our President.” She added, “he has been irrelevant in his addresses to students, talking about bias issues and narrow-minded opinions.”
Nivek Ranjith, a 2nd year Computer Science student, thinks the way that the VC announced Dlamini’s removal was “rude”.
“The way he did it, they gave so much detail … you can’t expose him like that,” Ranjith said.
