by Hasina Gori | Apr 13, 2011 | News
Students “stopped shop” at Woolworths in Campus Square during Israeli Apartheid Week , calling for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel last Thursday.
A dozen students from the Palestinian Solidarity Committee (PSC) from Wits and UJ held a flash mob at Woolworths in Melville.
Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW) is an annual international series of events held in cities and campuses across the globe from March 7-20. According to its website, “The aim of IAW is to educate people about the nature of Israel as an apartheid system and to build Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaigns as part of a growing global BDS movement.”
A “stop shop” involves going into a shop that is known to sell Israeli goods and putting one or two in your trolley, along with other products. Once the protesters reach the tills they refuse to pay for the products because they claim that trading in Israeli settlement goods means the shop is profiting from and supporting the Israeli occupation and this is politically offensive. Woolworths stocks Israeli tomatoes, cucumbers and Jaffa oranges.
The aim is to block as many tills as possible and attract the attention of the patrons of the store. “This form of action serves as a great awareness-raising platform, catching the attention of other shoppers, the press and also serves as a way to demand that these supermarkets essentially stop selling Israeli products altogether,” the IAW website says.
The PSC felt that many customers where indifferent and apathetic. Sophie Aoun, one of the protestors, said that a customer screamed, “Tell it to someone that cares.”
A Jewish woman took to the floor to share her views on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.
The protestors where physically removed from the premises by security, who allegedly got hostile, especially when students filmed and photographed the flash mob. After they were removed some customers came to ask for more information, while some left the store.
Robert Freeman, PSC chairperson, said that the most tangible outcome of the action was that the manager has agreed to take the issue up with his superiors at Woolworths head office, as all decisions on stock are taken nationally. Freeman said they will check back with him in two weeks and see if any changes are made to the stocking of Israeli goods.
by Hasina Gori | Apr 13, 2011 | News
THE dean of humanities and other faculty members are now using social media to connect to students.
Facebook, Twitter, Blackberry Messenger, email and SMS are ways used by students to update each other on their news and information. Wits Press, the humanities faculty and Wits Alumni now have Facebook pages which Witsies can use to communicate with the university.
Refilwe Makoloi, a third year BA general student, felt that it was a good decision for Wits to use social media as a means to talk to students as that is where they “will get to see announcements and be informed”.
Psychology, English and media studies have started using blogs to keep their students alert to any changes of lectures and tests. All students can get connected through internet access at Wits and each student has their own Wits email account which is used to receive and send messages to students and staff.
Social media is also being used for other purposes such as online news sources. This was illustrated during the North African revolutions this year and more recently with the Japan earthquakes and tsunami.
Individuals and organisations on Twitter were tweeting ways to help and donate and have submitted emergency phone numbers to call. Photos and videos of the damage have also been widely shared.
According to Paula Fray, an independent media trainer, “the Japanese disaster was the most tweeted and videoed natural disaster [to date].”
Dave Meyers, an online lecturer in the Wits journalism department, spoke about the change social media has undergone with regards to news.
“A generation ago we would only have heard a murmur of what was happening in North Africa. Now we can get a firsthand account of the event.”
Social media is branching out to all areas of life because of its benefit of real-time information. Academic and news information can be shared around the world in an instant.
by Hasina Gori | Mar 28, 2011 | News
Education students not being paid their financial aid allowance for almost two months has left some of them sleeping on campus property and begging for food from friends.
Their allowance is paid by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), a loan and bursary scheme funded by the national department of education.
Thami Sthamza Zondo, a 1st yr BEd student, slept in the library for two-and-a-half weeks because he could not afford accommodation. His SOS call on the humanities Facebook page alerted the dean of humanities and other members to his situation. The dean of students then helped him to find accommodation.
Neo Mahatelle a 2nd year BEd student from the Free State,did not receive his allowance of R800 a month until last weekend. He said the delay in payment left him begging for food and with no cash to pay for medical appointments or textbooks.
Thokozane Mthembu, another Wits student, said he was “literally hungry and angry”. He said the “NSFAS is supposed to meet us halfway not far away”. He had to pay a deposit and rent for accommodation but could not do so because the allowance was not yet paid.
The NSFAS said it was in the process of giving all students their allowances. NSFAS administrative officer Portia Madlabane said it was a lengthy process which “doesn’t just happen”. New students’ academic and financial records are first reviewed by a board before they are approved for financial aid. The loans are then paid by EduLoan.
Another BEd student, Thulani Ndlovu, found out this week that he does not qualify for financial aid. He said that despite being on the waiting list for two months he did not make the point system. This has left him taking the two-hour train ride from Daveyton to campus every day.
by Hasina Gori | Mar 11, 2011 | News
Awakening to an English breakfast on Sunday, I sipped my cup of rooibos tea, delighted that our local flavour was way better than the English Earl Grey. I watched the Proteas take on the English with confidence that the game was ours. From the first Protea ball the game proved to be an interesting chase, with the Pommies “oohing and aahing” like little girls, with every ball that was hit, hoping to knock South Africa’s top batsmen out, and fast. It didn’t look like they were going to succeed at first and then… they all fell down.
With each wicket that fell, I could hear that whisper growing louder. The poisonous snake that shows its head whenever we’re losing a game, wrapped around my neck, tightening with each ball. Friends were asking each other “you think they’re going to… you know what”. The dreaded C-word was poking its way to the surface.
When the last man standing was caught, we were once again colonised for just six runs. The C-tag was sewn quickly onto our newly bought Protea T-shirts.
A sea of vile words, insults and anger swam towards the national team in the cyber world. I wondered what happened to all the Pure Protea supporters. Had they swopped their green and gold for red and blue in the last over?
What is the vile C-word, cauliflowers….Cabbages…Custards…Carbs? No CHOKERS!
The drama queens screamed CHOKERS on every site, one tweeter citing it as more embarrassing than the Hansie match-fixing debacle while another marvelled over the fact that the team hasn’t all died choking on their meals seeing as they’re good at it.
For those wondering what this term is, that has been thrown around in South African cricket, Colin Bryden explains in his article ‘Time to ban the ‘C’ word’: “There is no precise definition of choking in a sporting context but the way I see it is when a team or a player gets to the verge of victory then lets the opportunity slip by freezing at a crucial moment.”
The Proteas have carried the choker noose around their neck for a long time. Dating as far back as 1996, South Africa’s World Cup history is scattered with broken dreams caused by poor decisions. Many would be able to recite one of the Proteas’ heartbreaking losses at crunch time, be it messing up the Duckworth-Lewis method in 2003 or the infamous Klusener and Donald run-out in ’99.
Yes, South Africa lost a match on Sunday. Was it a game that they could have won? Yes. Did they choke? No! The English were just the better cricketers on the day and therefore won.
As they take on the Indians this weekend, you may call them what you want, but don’t say the C-word.
by Hasina Gori | Mar 11, 2011 | Featured 1, News
A taxi breaks through a wall. Photo: Brendan Roane
Blue lights, screaming sirens and yellow tape cordoned off the Total garage on Jan Smuts Avenue in Braamfontein yesterday after a taxi careened through the wall of a building in early morning traffic.
Eric Tala, the owner of Chama Unisex Hairdresser, was opening his store at about 6.45am when he heard the sound of cars clashing and saw a taxi hit into a maroon VW Polo. He said he watched the taxi “bounce” over the pavement and come to a deafening crash in the double-bricked side wall of his store.
The Polo had been waiting to turn into the garage when the taxi, which had been in the turn‑only lane, knocked into the passenger side of the Polo, and the taxi driver lost control, Tala said. The passengers in the Polo managed to escape unharmed. One of the Polo’s passengers, Gugu, said they turned into the garage and ran to help the passengers in the kombi.
Azanda Mtsha, a witness who was waiting for her transport when the crash occurred, said “there were about 15 or 17 passengers in the taxi”. Some jumped out the windows of the taxi, while others were helped out by petrol attendants and fellow passengers.
Fadhiela Williams, a passenger in the taxi, jumped out through the back window. She sustained minor injuries to her foot. She became emotional when she described the baby who was injured in the accident. According to witnesses, the baby had sustained wounds to the left side of its face. The mother was also injured. A couple of schoolchildren were also in the taxi.
Niel Mark of the Itech tow company said they received the call at about 6.45pm and reached the scene within three minutes. His colleague Rich said it was a “gruesome” scene with one passenger’s “hair cut off”. The driver and a few passengers were stuck in the taxi and removed almost an hour later by paramedics.
Injured passengers were taken to Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, formerly the Johannesburg General Hospital. According to the hospital the patients were being treated and there were no fatalities.
by Hasina Gori | Mar 4, 2011 | News
After three decades of determination, delays and patience the new prayer room (Musallah) for Muslim students is complete.
The project of creating a new prayer space began 30 years ago with the hunt for a suitable spot, then having the facility designed and finally built.
According to the Muslim Student Association’s (MSA) press release, “The final touches are being put on the Musallah and the MSA is in the process of planning an official opening in the next few weeks.”
The new Musallah is located on East Campus, next to the Planetarium. It will accommodate approximately 220 people and has facilities for both male and females. Jumuah (Friday) prayers will also be performed here.
Currently Muslim students have daily prayers at the old Musallah on East Campus, while the Jumuah prayers are held at Hall 29.
