From the highs of lifting the Africa Cup of Nations at the FNB stadium to the lows of a false celebration in Nelspruit in 2012 when Pitso Mosimane’s team thought they had qualified for the finals after misreading the rules, South Africa’s football development has experienced mixed fortunes since 1994.
The year is 1996. The FNB Stadium is filled to the brim with a crowd of screaming fans, all different races and genders, but all adorned in South Africa’s bright green and yellow. Banners fly and the stadium shakes with the sheer force of the home crowd. Bafana Bafana have just become the champions of Africa. Football has done the impossible and brought a troubled nation together. The country’s first footballing victory under democracy could be something straight out of a movie.
In the years preceding this victory, the thought of a multiracial crowd cheering for the country’s football team seemed unimaginable; in the years since, the same may still be said. 2024 marks 30 years since South Africa gained freedom from the oppressive apartheid regime. 1994 marked the end of an era of segregation and mistreatment, ushering in what was meant to be an age of reconciliation and unity. The transition to a democratic country meant that all aspects of life were set to change, from education to policy – and even sports. Football did not escape this transition and faced its own fair share of transformation in attempts to truly reflect the ‘new South Africa’.
Football has always been a massive part of South African culture. Like many other sports it is seemingly a perfect way to unite a nation. However, due to the apartheid regime, South Africa has not always experienced the benefits of footballing unity.
The streets of Johannesburg have seen the soles of a million shoes and just as many soccer boots. From Doctor Khumalo to Relebohile Mofokeng, football fields across the city have seen the growth of the sport and its players alike.
A group of boys at an afternoon training session in Sandton, Johannesburg. Photo: Kamogelo Kungwane
Football in South Africa before 1994
In South Africa, football goes by many names: ‘football’, ‘soccer’ and ‘diski’, to name a few. Its many monikers denote the reach of the sport countrywide. Before the onset of democracy in 1994, football was still a widely played sport, but it was structured very differently to how it is now.
The divisions in South African society during this time applied to more than just where to eat or where to shop: they placed black, Coloured, and Indian footballers at the foot of the banquet table, left to eat the crumbs from their white colleagues. They could not play alongside white players, rent out football fields or, sometimes, earn money for playing. This made football political, forcing these groups to fight against this mistreatment by forming the South African Soccer Federation in 1951.
During this time, the violence in South Africa was all-consuming and in 1961 the international community placed a sports boycott on South Africa. This left the country out of international tournaments and forced competition inwards, allowing for the growth of local football. The formation of teams like Kaizer Chiefs, Moroka Swallows and Orlando Pirates was a light in the dark, illuminating the future of football for black South Africans. These clubs forged a new path for the sport to develop in their communities. This culture created the National Soccer League (NSL), which followed non-racial policies and advocated for the sports boycott to continue. These policies ultimately built the South African Football Association (SAFA), which would go on to govern football across the country to this day.
These developments and the end of apartheid led to one of the country’s biggest footballing moments: the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).
Bafana Bafana and AFCON 1996
At the 1996 Afcon final the excitement of the home crowd was palpable; the stadium packed to the rafters with every kind of South African. Race did not matter when the country was at the cusp of such an iconic moment and the diversity in the team drove this point home.
This integrated South African national team was formed in 1992 after a 1-0 victory against Cameroon, a year before the end of the sports boycott. The Afcon victory was a step in the right direction for South African football; a beacon of light for a unified country after a time of struggle. This era showed the country’s ability to dominate in the footballing world – a motivation to players across the country.
One such player was Joel ‘Fire’ Masilela.
Masilela is a legend of South African football, and his national team debut came just two years after the Afcon win. He still thinks highly of his time in the Bafana Bafana squad. “It was an honour and privilege for each and every player when you were called to represent your country,” he says.
Masilela went on to forge an amazing career, playing for top-flight Premier Soccer League (PSL) teams like Mamelodi Sundowns until his retirement in 2004. He has since become a development football coach, honing the skills of young players so they can one day walk the path he illuminated.
‘No DNA, just RSA’
On the football field, South Africa seemed to be taking giant leaps forward and zero steps back: the winning streak was undeniable. When Bafana Bafana was able to participate in international competitions, local teams followed suit and played in international club competitions.
In 1995, Orlando Pirates won the CAF African Champions Cup, which featured clubs from around Africa. Orlando Pirates was the first team from Johannesburg to win this trophy. Its squad embodied the new multicultural approach, including wo white players, Gavin Lane and Mark Fish, a Coloured player called Brandon Silent, and a lineup of black players. At this point, there was ‘no DNA, just RSA’ because the wins kept on coming.
In the wake of Bafana Bafana’s Afcon victory, smaller local football clubs were also beginning to improve and adapt to the multiracial culture that the country was moving towards and, in 1996, the South African PSL was formed.
A sign at the PSL Head Office in Johannesburg. Photo: Kamogelo Kungwane
These strides forward seemingly marked the beginning of a fruitful and exciting time for South African football and local Johannesburg clubs, but the success did not last for too much longer. Since Afcon 1996, South Africa has qualified for only a few international competitions, but has not won any more trophies. Bafana Bafana has failed to make an impact in the World Cup beyond their participation in 1998 and 2002 and their default qualification in 2010 as hosts. A seemingly strong national team was reduced to pieces as a result of lack of development.
Although the country was facing trouble on the international football stage, club football continued to improve. The PSL continued to grow, and its increasing commercial power made it a lucrative field for sponsors, players and media partners.
The economy of football
Money makes the world go round, and that is still true on the football field. The business of football is a profitable endeavour: football teams and leagues can make money from sponsorships, broadcast rights and ticket sales. With the inception of the PSL in 1996, the league received a title sponsorship from Castle Lager. This enabled the league to pay teams, secure venues and cover operational costs to keep the league running. At a team level, clubs make their money from ticket and merchandise sales, as well as sponsorships.
Football is an economy booster because of the other businesses that benefit from its operations. From the women who spend hours cooking meals to sell outside stadiums, to the hotels that sell out during cup finals, football offers a lot of money to the surrounding community. However, it may not always be profitable.
It is no secret that in South Africa football is a predominantly black sport. From the coaches to the players to the supporters, the majority of the industry is carried on the backs of black people. Economically, this may pose a challenge because black people in South Africa tend to be the most impoverished. This is a direct contrast to sports with more support from white people, like rugby or cricket, which can make more money due to their spectators’ class.
PSL chief operating officer Ronnie Schloss says the league is aware its audience may not be as affluent as supporters of other sports and that it prices the games more fairly. “We can’t do what rugby does, because the majority of our spectators can’t afford it,” Schloss says. He emphasises that football is a big part of the black community and the PSL believes that it owes it to them to make the game accessible.
Johannesburg’s role in football
Johannesburg is a big part of South African footballing culture. Of the 43 football stadiums in the country, 13 of them are in the greater Johannesburg area. The city is home to numerous football clubs and has been for decades. Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs and Moroka Swallows are just a few of the legendary teams that paved the way for the game to flourish in South Africa.
Orlando Pirates was founded in Orlando, Soweto in 1937 and has solidified itself as a core part of the football legacy of Johannesburg and South Africa at large. The club has provided many of its stars to the national team and has been a decisive marker in the development of football in South Africa. Their Soweto rivals, Kaizer Chiefs, have managed a similar feat from before1994 to beyond. This marks Johannesburg as a centre for football in South Africa, with just these two clubs having more than 10 million fans and 130 trophies between them.
Both clubs have invested heavily in developing young footballers by founding their own academies and Pirates even host their own youth football tournament, called the Pirates Cup.
Astroturf football training facilities in Sandton, Johannesburg. Photo: Kamogelo KungwaneA group huddle before the beginning of a training session. Photo: Kamogelo Kungwane
Kaizer Chiefs’ corporate communications officer, Vina Maphosa, explains how the club approaches development. “We develop players to not only be footballers: we encourage them to study and go to school… Football and footballers impact society because people look up to them and they are celebrated in communities,” he says.
This holistic approach to development is meant to create well-rounded players who can add positively to society, while still dominating the football field. In recent years, football development has become a big priority. In 2017, SAFA Gauteng launched the Gauteng Development League (GDL), which currently consists of 18 clubs per age group. The GDL is the top flight for development football in Gauteng, and 12 of the 18 teams are based in Johannesburg, once again highlighting the city’s footballing dominance, even at the development level.
What does football’s future hold?
Football seems to be experiencing growth in both support and performance. According to Eighty20, in the past year, 5 million South Africans have watched a football match in some capacity. This shows the level of support people are giving to the sport, which is important given how integral this is to the economy of the game. These numbers are further bolstered by the PSL’s viewership reaching new heights in the 2023-24 season, with the Premiership being the most-watched sporting event by South Africans, apart from Afcon 2023.
South Africa also experienced a high in their performance in Afcon 2023, placing third after a string of impressive displays. The team showed renewed confidence and a stronger performance than in other recent international competitions. This is likely due to growing financial investments in football and youth development. Many of the players in the squad were from youth development clubs in Johannesburg and the quality of football is set to increase further with more investment in youth development.
The football landscape in Johannesburg and South Africa at large has evolved since 1994 and this looks likely to continue in the coming years. Schloss shares the PSL’s goals for South African football in the future. “We are currently ranked in the top leagues in the world from an administration point of view,” he says. “Our biggest goal is to try and encourage that the standard of play is improved, the standard of officiating is improved, and we can get to a situation where the clubs own their own grounds… because none of them owns their own stadiums.”
These are simple goals, but they reflect an intention to see football continue its upward trajectory and solidify itself as an integral part of South African culture.
Football can be considered the heart and soul of South Africa’s community. It has become a cornerstone for the black community in Johannesburg and the country at large. But recognising black people as the core of South African football places a slight damper on the magic of the moment at the widely celebrated 1996 Afcon victory. Seeing a sea of different races gathered to support a predominantly black sport seems as far-fetched now as it must have back then. Despite this, it is still incredible to note the legacies of Johannesburg’s teams, the growth of football among the public, and the promising future that continues to be built for the beautiful game.
FEATURED IMAGE: A group of young people at their football training session. Photo: Kamogelo Kungwane
The bloc of emerging economies is shaping up to be a force to be reckoned with, and their hope is for the currency to follow suit.
South Africa has had a positive relationship with the Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS) bloc since it joined in 2010. With the bloc’s intentions to deepen ties between member states and work together towards economic expansion, it was a match made in heaven.
BRICS member states like Russia and China have faced backlash around their intentions to move against the hegemony of the West, this shared vision a unifying force. The annual BRICS summits have sought to address the issues of Western dominance, and their most recent attempt was by introducing a new currency and including more countries to maximise their efforts.
It has been a year since the 2023 BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, where this initiative was announced, and much has happened since.
New members and new money
In January 2024, the bloc expanded its membership to include five new developing countries. The five new countries include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Argentina (who later chose to withdraw from the bloc), whose budding economies could prove to be a positive force in the new ‘BRICS+.’
In addition to the expansion, the bloc announced intentions to create a new BRICS currency system that would rival the US Dollar. The inclusion of more states into the bloc would strengthen the impacts of a new currency. As expected, this news caused quite a stir across the globe, and many have been anxious to see what that would mean.
Brazil’s president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva proposed this currency during the summit last year. “[It] “increases our payment options and reduces our vulnerabilities.” The BRICS bloc accounts for about 37,3% of the world’s Gross Domestic Profit and 41.3% of the global population. This seemingly gives them the ability to make sizeable contributions and impact change in the world order.
This endeavour is due to both economic and geopolitical factors. One such factor is the tensions between Western countries and BRICS states such as Russia and China which are a big reason for their desire to move away from the Dollar. During the 2023 Summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed that the bloc aims to benefit the “global majority” and that their efforts would be in the best interest of the world at large, economically.
When the news broke, people across the world flooded social media to express their sentiments of both concern and excitement at the idea of a new currency that could give developing economies a chance to thrive in the global market. One TikTok user shared a video stating the value of the new BRICS+ currency against the Canadian and American Dollars, with 1 BRICS+ ‘dollar’ being worth about USD 55 and 75 CND respectively. This was not proven on any factual basis, but it is just one example of the misinformation surrounding the creation of this currency.
How would it work?
Wits University International Relations Professor Rod Alence has clarified what exactly the currency is. “A common misconception is that BRICS is working toward a single currency for member states, like the Euro.”
He explained that this is unfavourable as it would require members like South Africa to abandon their currencies in favour of this unified model. This would allow a new BRICS central bank to replace the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) and put the growth of the South African economy at the bottom of its priorities.
Alence explained: “The BRICS currency that has been proposed would serve solely as a unit for settling international trade and financial transactions.” This could mean a new system to facilitate intra-bloc trade and not necessarily the creation of an international currency.
This initiative would see the countries drop the US Dollar when trading between BRICS+ countries, allowing them to assert their financial independence in the global economy. The possibility of the BRICS countries using their own currencies to conduct trade could result in de-dollarization, a decline in the very high global demand for the US Dollar. Putin stated that the ‘objective’ and ‘irreversible’ process of de-dollarizing the BRICS nations’ economic ties was gaining momentum, a hope that he and his BRICS counterparts hold on to.
According to Alence, the prominence of the US Dollar in global trade is not mandated by any international laws. Still, the currency’s continued stability over time has made it a ‘safe’ trading currency for the world. The introduction of a new way for countries to trade with each other could shift the global economic paradigms in the way BRICS+ nations had hoped for.
Possible stumbling blocks for SA
Joseph Matola, Acting Head of the Economic Diplomacy Programme at the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) said that the creation of a BRICS currency could create some challenges for South Africa. One such challenge is that the bloc would need to establish “a stable financial market to support the new currency.” This means that a large amount of time and resources would be needed to establish a functioning system for this new currency to flourish.
When asked how likely it seems for the BRICS currency to succeed, Matola said, “[It is] Unlikely in my opinion. If it succeeds, it will take a long time given the complexities cited above. Besides, it is not clear if there is a complete buy-in of the project by all members.” There is also a possible issue with tensions between some BRICS members, like Egypt and Ethiopia or China and India.
As things stand, the BRICS countries will continue to move towards the use of their own currencies for trade but will investigate the viability of creating a common currency in the future. This may be discussed further in the upcoming summit in Russia.
Ultimately, the new BRICS currency system is still a work in progress, and it is likely to be an endeavour that requires much time, resources and preparation. The bloc intends to challenge the global status quo, and this is just one of the steps they are taking to do so. The next BRICS+ Summit will be happening again in Kazan, Russia from October 22 to 24, where the future of the BRICS+ bloc will be discussed, and more may be shared about this new system.
FEATURED IMAGE: An infographic highlighting the different members of the BRICS bloc. Photo: Kamogelo Kungwane
The practice of architecture and art can oftentimes intertwine, and this exhibition used that fusion to express the intricacies of migration.
On Saturday, August 24, the Keyes Art Mile welcomed a panel of architects and artists to discuss their Narratives of Migration exhibition. Shared stories of migration, the artists’ relationships with the land and the world around them were explored through art and architecture.
The panel consisted of four women architects who had individual pieces in the exhibition. The exhibition opened on August 1, 2024, at Gallery 1 of Keyes Art Mile. The exhibition took pieces from the ‘Biennale Architettura 2023’ in Italy, where all four architects previously displayed their work.
The exhibition opened with renowned architect Kate Otten’s piece Threads which looked at the history of mineral extraction and mining in South Africa, leading to mass migration in the country and Southern Africa at large. The large, spiral structure was adorned with multi-colour pieces of thread and beads that each represented the different parts of the landscape, telling the story of how Johannesburg came to be.
Kate Otten’s Threads display, highlighting the mineral extraction in South Africa that led to mass migration. Photo: Kamogelo KungwaneGugulethu Mthembu’s installation at the Keyes Art Mile, expressing gender disparities in society. Photo: Kamogelo Kungwane
“Threads is a simultaneous telling of many stories, intuitive readings of landscapes and social geographies told through age-old traditions of craft and making, narrated by women,” she said about the project.
The second installation by Kgaugelo Lekalakala, was titled ‘Tales of the Vulnerability of African Women in Transit’. This photo and video piece explored how women’s bodies migrate between the spaces, from rural to urban, and how women can feel unseen and violated in all the spaces they migrate to.
She referenced the feeling of vulnerability in her piece and used her experiences of having to use long-drop toilets in her family’s rural home as a metaphor for that vulnerability. “This is just a space of how when you enter into this space, especially as a woman, you have to grapple with how you aim, how you place yourself and how you try to use this space,” she explained in the panel discussion.
The panel moderator and architects and artists who displayed their art. From left to right, Kgaugelo Lekalakala, Gloria Pavita, Gugulethu Mthembu and Kate Otten. Photo: Kamogelo KungwaneAn audience member at the exhibition asking a question to the panel. Photo: Kamogelo Kungwane
The exhibition continued with two more pieces by Gugulethu Mthembu and Gloria Pavita, with The Tale of Aicha Qandisha and na Bulongo [with soil] respectively.
Mthembu’s piece looked at redressing the legacies of female oppression, with direct reference to her experiences. She spoke of seeing the women in her life “shrink themselves” for the men in their lives while the men never did. Her large wooden structure with colourful projections and barbed wire was a comment on societal gender inequalities.
Pavita’s na Bulongo film piecetranslates to ‘with soil’ from Swahili, and it expresses ideas of reclamation and repair through soil. In the film, her time in her late grandmother’s garden as her first experience with architecture. The varied mounds of soil refer to soil as a connection between history, people and where they come from.
“We all keep returning to the places that we come from,” she said, at the panel.
This was a sterling showcase of artistry and a great look at the beauty of women’s work. The exhibition’s panel of accomplished architects and artists helped to drive home the stories of each piece. Narratives of Migration and Reclamation had its final showcase at the Keyes Art Mile on August 24.
FEATUED IMAGE: An audience seated at the Keyes Art Museum to listen to the panel discussion about the migration exhibition. Photo: Kamogelo Kungwane.
The Olympic Games are the pinnacle of sporting excellence, and these women athletes are the perfect example of South African sporting talent.
This year, South African Women’s Month coincides with the Summer Olympic Games, which makes it a perfect time to honour just some of the countless women who have made history in these prestigious games. From Penny Heyns to Caster Semenya, South African women have continued to showcase their skills at the highest level.
The Olympics are some of the oldest athletic competitions in the world, starting in 776 BC, but women only joined the competition in the 1900 games. South Africa has an interesting relationship with the Olympic games because of the nation’s Apartheid policy which had them banned from 1964 until the negotiations to end Apartheid began in 1990 (Olympedia). This means South African women only participated in the Olympic Games on a larger scale from the 1992 Summer Games, with 26 women at once, as opposed to the combined 31 between 1920 and 1990.
Since their readmission, South African women have proven to be worthy contenders, holding their weight in all competitions, from swimming to athletics and even hockey.
Penelope ‘Penny’ Heyns, one of the nation’s most successful competitors, won 3 total medals (two gold and one bronze), and became one of the world’s greatest swimmers after becoming the first woman in Olympic history to win both the 200m and 100m breaststroke events at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.
Despite questions about her gender, Caster Semenya won gold medals in Women’s 800m athletics at the London 2012 and Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics. Semenya’s Olympics journey was cut short when World Athletics (formerly International Association of Athletics Federations) ruled in 2018 that she and other female athletes like her with high testosterone levels should take medication to reduce these levels. She remains one of the greatest South African women athletes to participate at the Olympics.
Tatjana Smith (formerly Schoenmaker) is yet another South African woman who continues to achieve phenomenal results at the Olympic Games. As of July 30, Smith received one gold medal in the women’s 100m breaststroke event, the country’s first of the tournament. This gold medal achievement is her third after winning two others at the 2020 Tokyo Games, where she set a new world record for the Women’s 200m breaststroke.
These are just a few of South Africa’s amazing women athletes who have flown the South African flag high. Their passion, dedication, and skill serve to inspire generations of young women as the country celebrates women this Women’s Month.
FEATURED IMAGE: Tatjana Smith posing with her Olympic gold medal on TV. Photo: Kamogelo Kungwane
The Wits Liberated Zone has continued their fight for peace with a day of fun, because joy is the biggest act of resistance.
On Thursday, July 25, the WLZ invited students to the Lawns to enjoy games and a picnic in another effort at solidarity with Palestine. Food, blankets, board games, and Palestinian flags littered the Library Lawns as members of the Wits Liberated Zone (WLZ) hosted a picnic for Palestine.
Students spent their lunchbreak sharing foods in the colours of the Palestine flag, like olives and pizzas, playing board games, and making art as a peaceful demonstration of their support for the people of Palestine.
Games and art supplies at the WLZ picnic. Photo: Kamogelo KungwaneCoco, a student attending the WLZ picnic at the Library lawns. Photo: Kamogelo Kungwane
“In situations where there is a lot of censorship from the oppressing party, art becomes a form of expressing that liberation in a way that it doesn’t get censored. Art perseveres through censorship, and it gives people a reason to connect. When you form a community, art is just a mode of connection,” a member of the WLZ, Zehra Zaidi, stated.
The picnic was a gathering of likeminded people who have continued to support the cause for Palestinian liberation and have hoped to see the university make efforts to distance itself from Zionism.
“Movements like the Civil Rights Movement (in the United States) were endorsed by university students, and it led to such important change, so if we choose to be neutral then we are not fulfilling our right as a university,” said Adil Durrani, a WLZ member.
This marks the first activity by the WLZ after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) deemed Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories unlawful and considered Israel’s laws on occupied territories as tantamount to apartheid on July 19.
“Before, people were unsure about what is happening, and we didn’t have a formal statement from a very high authority like the ICJ. If you are not going to believe that then you are just being ignorant,” said Durrani.
The Wits Liberated Zone many efforts to fight for Palestine, including the encampment on the Library Lawns in May 2024. Members of the Zone intend to continue their efforts until their demands are met by the university. “In the greater scheme of things, we are building up to seeing the university take action to show vocal support for Palestinians and show real condemnation for the Israeli apartheid state,” Zaidi stated.
The students of this movement continue to place pressure on the university, with the hope that these efforts will soon result in more direct shows of solidarity with Palestine.
FEATURED IMAGE: A group of pro-Palestine students gathered for a picnic at the Wits Library Lawns. Photo: Kamogelo Kungwane
People have been part of fandoms for years, finding a sense of community in shared interests. However, these ‘havens’ are not safe from public ridicule, and women know that best.
Screaming, cheering, and a little infighting all come with the territory of being a fan of anything. As someone who is part of both football and music fanbases, I have seen how patriarchy can make fandoms, especially on Twitter and other social media sites, hellish.
When people think of fandoms, the concept of ‘fangirling’ often comes to mind, conjuring images of hysterical women and massive crowds. These visuals can be accurate, but the hysterics and crowds are not exclusive to female fanbases and are a huge part of male fan culture too.
I come from a very big football loving family, with weekends spent watching Arsenal, Pirates, or Barcelona games, and I am no stranger to the highs and lows of football fan spaces. As a part of many online football spaces, I have seen the celebrations and conflicts that take place when teams win or lose and the vitriol that even players can face, and this is a much less discussed aspect of fan culture.
Football fandoms have historically been heavily male-dominated. The perception of men as reasonable and logical has managed to shield them from the criticism that has plagued women in more female-dominated fandoms like music and pop culture.
At the recent Copa America final, Argentina vs Colombia fans caused chaos by storming Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium before kick-off. Huge crowds of ticketless fans attempted to enter the stadium and had to be forcibly removed from the premises, while others climbed into the stadium’s vents to try to gain entry. These fans fought the police and destroyed the stadium’s escalators. This type of behaviour from sports fans is usually described as ‘passionate’ and ‘dedicated’ instead of ‘rabid’ and ‘crazy’ in the way female fans’ behaviours tend to be considered.
A perfect example is the perception of fans of the K-pop group, BTS, who are known for being committed to and protective over the group. As a member of this fandom, I have often seen the ridicule that fans face for collecting albums, or attending BTS events, with many being considered ‘shallow’ and ‘irrational’.
BTS has sold out stadiums like Wembley and the Rose Bowl and has never had issues with fans fighting or destroying property, instead, BTS fans tend to organise care packages and goodie bags for fellow fans whenever they attend these events, and they have even helped to clean up after shows. Despite this, only one of these groups is seen as ‘wild’ and it is not the sports fans.
These perceptions are just some of the many that position women’s interests and their enthusiasm as obsessive and childish while men are just viewed as excitable. To me, this indicates a bigger societal issue of misogyny, which reinforces gender stereotypes that harm women and validate men.
While these examples showcase the most extreme on either end, it is obvious that there may be obsessive female fans and more temperate male fans, which is exactly why it is important to avoid generalising these topics as this can easily spread harmful rhetoric.
Overall, many fan activities are similar across different fields: baseball fans collect player cards, and K-pop fans collect photocards. Basketball fans collect signed jerseys, and hip-hop fans collect signed albums. Football fans paint their faces, and pop fans wear costumes. I have seen women scream as Justin Bieber sang on stage and I have seen men cry as Messi scored a penalty which I think makes it safe to say that they all sit at the same table.
FEATURED IMAGE: A crowd of fans at the Hey Neighbour festival. Photo: Kamogelo Kungwane
To commemorate the necessity of a free press whiletackling the climate crisis, this year UNESCO looks to greener pastures for environmental journalism
The 31st World Freedom Day, which highlights the importance of the press and journalism around the world focused on ‘A Press for the Planet: Journalism in the face of the environmental crisis’ which aims to give journalists liberties when reporting on climate change issues.
World Press Freedom Day takes place annually on May 3 – and it sheds light on the struggles and impact of the press in tackling issues and raising awareness. As journalism works to reflects what is happening in society, this year’s theme is significant as the climate crisis has had negative impacts on the world and its ecosystems. The recent floods in Dubai and the ongoing heatwaves in Asia are just a few examples of the world’s spiraling weather patterns.
Journalists have a seemingly crucial role to play in informing the public about climate change, and its effects as they are responsible for sharing climate news. Along with this responsibility, journalists are also obligated to report in the public’s interest, and the climate crisis falls well within the range of public interest reporting. And currently, there seems to be some challenges.
The United Nations mentioned on their website that the significance of environmental reporting lies in its ability to shape democratic societies by raising awareness of the increasing environmental crisis and its consequences. Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO mentioned in a statement on May 3, that “without reliable scientific information about the ongoing environmental crisis, we can never hope to overcome it… On World Press Freedom Day, we must reaffirm our commitment to defending freedom of expression and protecting journalists worldwide.”
As a result, some news organisations across the world have increased their coverage of global warming and the climate crisis. A clear indicator comes from the reporting of the flooding in Dubai, which climate scientists have stated could be related to the world’s skyrocketing temperatures, and many mainstream media outlets have mentioned this in their coverage, with publications like CNN highlighting climate scientists’ views that global warming is causing these issues. This highlights how publications have made strides to improve climate related coverage and have invested resources in doing so.
Reggy Moalusi the executive director of the South African National Editors Forum has mentioned that one challenge that journalists face in reporting on climate related news is a lack of resources. This is because newsroom sizes are decreasing, and journalists are having to cover more topics themselves. This means that journalists cannot dedicate time solely to climate reporting as they must have their hands in every jar at once, unlike 30 years ago. “Any kind of specialist reporting has gone down,” he mentioned.
Established journalist and editor, Candice Bailey, told Wits Vuvuzela that South Africa has a lean environmental journalism landscape, meaning that this field in South African journalism is established, but can be built upon. She mentioned that “the focus on climate change improved the vision of environmental journalism.” Which indicates that the increasing relevance of climate issues may bolster the environmental journalism space in the country.
This year’s World Press Day aimed to look at these issues between the press and the environment and find innovative and engaging solutions for them. UNESCO’s World Press Freedom Day conference will be held in Chile on May 2-4 2024.
The 2024 index was released today and the South African National Editors Forum looks at the country’s media landscape and its challenges.
In 2024, South Africa ranked 38th worldwide for press freedom, this is according to the World Press Freedom Index. This year’s ranking was informed by the increasing issue of low funding for media outlets, which has greatly impacted news production in the country.
The World Press Freedom Index (WPFI) is a grading of countries by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) released annually on World Press Freedom Day. It is based on their assessment of each country’s press freedom records for the year prior.
These rankings paint a partial picture of the journalism landscape across the world annually; and help to identify countries with the least press freedom. In 2022, RSF altered the index methodology from what was used between 2013 to 2021. The new methodology centred on six main categories: pluralism, media independence, media environment and self-censorship, legislative framework, transparency, and the quality of the infrastructure that supports the production of news and information.
In the continent, South Africa has ranked well, oftentimes reaching the second highest position. RSF states it is because “South Africa guarantees press freedom and has a well-established culture of investigative journalism” but is hindered by the fact that journalists are often the subject of attacks by political leaders. However, in 2024 the ranking has decreased to 38 from 25.
Speaking to Wits Vuvuzela about the state of journalism in the country,Reggy Moalusi, the executive director of the South African National Editors Forum (SANEF), believes that South Africa has a robust press environment: “Over the years [South African Journalism] has proven itself to be among the best in the world, particularly when it comes to questioning the public and private sectors.”
Moalusi notes that the landscape could be better especially “from a point of view of how journalists are treated and [the] continuous and rising bullying online of journalists, particularly female ones.” This time last year, a documentary recounting the extensive harassment towards female journalists was released entitled Section 16, which takes its name from section 16 of the constitution.
Seasoned journalist and editor, Candice Bailey, said that since 2024 is a prominent election year, electioneering may play a prominent role in our ranking in the coming year. She reflected on news reports that Moshoeshoe Monare, the group executive of SABC had been intimidated by the State Security Agency over the weekend.
Aside from social media, another avenue for the harassment and silencing of journalists is the legal system. In a secret court application, the Moti Group interdicted amaBhungane from using leaked confidential documents to expose their illicit mining ventures.
While unfortunate, Moalusi believes these instances shows the resilience of journalists as they continue to tell South African stories despite the attacks. “Media freedom embedded in journalism is our greatest tool.
“[We] need journalists to feel protected by the law”, said Bailey. She believes that the court victory by Karyn Maughan against former President Jacob Zuma will reflect positively in this year’s evaluations.
Infrastructure could potentially bring down South Africa’s ranking. South Africa is plagued by a financial crisis that does not seem to be improving. It came to a head this past year when Independent Media, the owners of publications such as The Star and The Cape Times, retrenched 128 employees, yet was still unable to pay severance packages on time. Less than a month ago, Daily Maverick shut down their entire website to highlight what they call a “state of emergency in journalism” where more than 70% of journalists have left the field.
The future is not all bleak. Moalusi shared that SANEF is launching a Journalist Sustainability Fund to “raise revenue to invest back into newsrooms.” He mentions that even though it is still in the developmental stage, “several companies and stakeholders have been receptive to the idea so we hope by the time we start raising our hands, corporate South Africa will respond.” Therefore, no matter the constraints, the passion felt by journalists will continue fueling robust, independent and thorough journalism and that will be reflected in this year’s rankings.
South African Fashion Week highlighted the beauty of South African designs while placing a strong focus on making the fashion industry sustainable.
It was lights, camera, and action for models and designers this past weekend at the annual Spring/Summer 2024 South African Fashion Week (SAFW) at Mall of Africa. The event was overflowing with guests ready to celebrate the country’s current fashion landscape.
The three-day event from 18 to 20 April was a celebration of South African stories through new designs and offered the runway to many fledgling designers from across the country. The star-studded event did this by focusing on sustainable fashion.
The idea of ‘green fashion’ has become a hot-button issue; and SAFW has committed to a clean fashion ethos since 2019, in a bid to create a non-toxic fashion industry. Many of the designers who presented their collections over the weekend emphasised the importance of sustainability in their designs and brands.
The opening night presented the Mr Price New Talent Search, which showcased collections by new and upcoming designers, challenging them to produce their garments sustainably. Jessica-Ann Shepherd, the creator of ‘Oddity’ was this year’s winner, with her collection of vibrant, utility-inspired clothing.
Jessica-Ann Shepherd, the creator of ‘Oddity’ and her models, after winning the Mr Price New Talent Search. Photo: Victoria Hill Jessica-Ann Shepherd’s vibrant knitwear collection. Photo: Victoria Hill
Shepherd mentioned in her pre-show introduction that “responsible fashion is important because it is a solution to the industry’s environmental and social issues. We incorporate responsible fashion by upcycling, slow design, and reusing waste.”
Vanya Mangaliso, designer and creator of ‘Sun Goddess’ — a luxury heritage brand from Johannesburg told Wits Vuvuzela about their strategy to ensure a greener footprint. “Once we have cut the clothes, there [are] a lot of cuts of fabric that fill up landfills, which is wrong. We take those clothes and cut byproducts, like pillows and quilting to make sure every piece of fabric is used,” says Mangaliso.
Sun Goddess creator and designer, Vanya Mangaliso, backstage before her SAFW showcase. Photo: Victoria Hill‘Sun Goddess’ collection on the SS24 SAFW runway. Photo: Victoria Hill
This is a view shared by many of the featured designers in ensuring their work is green, and not adding to the growing environmental issues worldwide.
The final day featured a collection by Mpumelelo Dhlamini from ‘Ezokhetho, a fashion brand with a focus on African women and their stories. Dhlamini explained that green fashion is unique to each designer. “For us it is finding ways of using leftover fabric because we are a print-heavy brand, so we always have prints that we can reuse and reintroduce,” explains Dhlamini.
‘Ezokhetho’ creator and designer, Mpumelelo Dhlamini, backstage before the showcase. Photo: Victoria HillA design from the “Umthwalo’ collection by ‘Ezokhetho’. Photo: Victoria Hill
Dhlamini stated that Ezokhetho’s print-heavy style helps to tell their stories, and this season’s collection titled, Umthwalo meaning ‘carry me’ looks at the relationship between an adult and their parents. “It’s basically tapping into your inner child as an adult.” This collection featured bright, and vibrant prints to highlight the depths of that narrative.
Much like Ezokhetho’s collection, the diverse designs featured throughout the weekend told different stories, many of which were inspired by South Africa and the designer’s experiences.
Leon von Solms, a designer from Cape Town says his collection was inspired by flowers to express the world’s need for positivity. “My inspiration is flowers…I specifically painted local flowers, because I just feel we need flowers; we need love and happiness.”
Designer Leon Von Solms hand painting flowers onto a model before his SAFW showcase. Photo: Victoria HillLeon von Solms’ flower-inspired collection on the runway. Photo: Victoria Hill
This eccentric 1970s themed collection made use of metallics and bright colours, and hand painted flora to put forward a message of “happiness and peace.” Von Solms’ collection also featured accessories his colleague created from recycled materials to match each of the flowers painted on the dresses.
The event was a lively showcase with beautiful prints, colours and silhouettes that highlighted the intricacies of local design. South African Fashion Week will return in October 2024 for the Autumn/ Winter collections.
FEATURED IMAGE:
Models showcasing Italian designer, Viviers, 2024 Spring/ Summer SAFW Collection. Photo: Victoria Hill
AI has advanced over the past few years; having the potential to have its tentacles in every industry and the arts have not been exempt. However, what are the effects of this technology on the arts – a practice that is underpinned by human’s creative expression
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a prevalent part of the modern world. It has made itself at home in many of the industries we enjoy, including manufacturing, marketing, and art.
Art takes form in many ways, from drawing, creative writing, music; and the are several ways AI has been introduced to these fields, where it made significant changes — some of which are good; others not so much.
However, I am particularly interested in how it is affecting the arts as I am a writer myself. I have been writing creative pieces since I was a child, and it was always interesting to me to see how I can twist my words and assign my feelings a ‘physical form’; and I think AI writing misses the intricacies and nuances that could be infused by a human.
Besides it being able to churn out written pieces, AI advancements occur in different aspects of the creative process, such as giving ideas for the direction of an art piece, creating a sketch from scratch, and more problematically, using other artworks in the creation of new ones.
Despite concerns of art practitioners about the technology, AI continues to advance. In April, Udio, an AI powered music creation tool was released publicly. Udio allows users to create music by typing a description into a prompt box and altering it for the desired result. This is a highlight of the ways in which AI has grounded itself in art, and how simple it has made the creation of art — this accessibility has been widely debated.
On a personal level, I believe art is meant to be about expression, a means to put forward your beliefs and your thoughts. I think that art is made to mean something based on what the creator felt and represented, an element that I think may be missing from AI-generated art.
Despite this, many other artists may see the use of AI as an interesting extension of their own processes, and some may have even found some interesting ways to incorporate these new technologies into their work.
One such example is Stephen Shange, a multimedia artist and graphic designer at Wits who has been making art for more than 20 years. He explained that something he often considers is whether art is just a picture or a result of the human spirit. He wonders if art can just be considered so because it exists, or if the presence of intention gives it that title.
However, he notes that there are some ways that AI has been beneficial to his process, especially in completing the less exciting parts of the creative process, “[AI is helpful] as a starting point or for filler content that is meant for basic use.”
Dimpho Malatjie, a film and television student at Wits, mentioned that AI in art is a “double-edged sword.” She explained that it can enhance the creation process, but it can also create issues for creators. “There are things that people use AI for that they would have previously called an artist to do, for example, the writing of scripts and even using apps to edit.” These could be considered both a blessing and a curse because it can help with the execution of more time-consuming work.
The use of AI in art is very nuanced, even amongst artists in the field but it seems like AI is here to stay, so it is necessary for artists to find themselves in it and use it to their benefit.
South Africa has invested over R60 billion in its transport infrastructure over the last 30 years! While you can certainly see some of that investment, major modes of transport are just not keeping up with how urbanised Johannesburg and its surrounding areas are becoming. Here on The Next Stop, I am joined by Olga Mashilo […]
