Wits volunteers are planting a vegetable garden on West Campus this Saturday September 19, to fight back against hunger in the Wits community.
In collaboration with various student volunteers, and various community outreach groups, Wits Citizen and Community Outreach (WCCO) will be planting a vegetable garden on September 19.
Kauna Singh of WCCO says, “Many other universities worldwide are undertaking the planting of fruit trees and emphasizing the associated benefits that they have received.”
Hunger is a reality for many students and the Wits food bank has been battling to keep up with demand for free food items. As previously reported by Wits Vuvuzela, the WCCO food supplies have been running low since the beginning of this year.
On average, 176 food packs have been handed out to an average of 128 students monthly since June this year.
“If we are able to cultivate vegetables from the Wits food garden, students who receive food packs could get fresh vegetables to supplement the non-perishable food that they receive from the Food Bank,” Singh says.
“We are going to plant four plant beds to start off with,” says Ashleigh Machete, founder of JoziFoodFarmer.
The JoziFoodFarmer and Thlago Agricultural Cooperative will be training Wits volunteers the basics of urban farming. These techniques will help them develop a productive food garden that is going to supply fresh produce to the Wits Food Bank.
Volunteers will learn how to sustainably plant vegetables in urban environments. The project has been supported through seedling donations made by students and staff.
“We students are going to maintain it,” says Felix Kwabena of Generation Earth, one of the organisations involved in the garden.
Salad greens, carrots, tomatoes, radishes, onions, potatoes and an assortment of herbs will be planted. Some of which have been germinating for the past three weeks in plastic containers at the WCCO offices.
Machete reckons that, “In about two months we should be having regular harvesting especially with the salad greens”.
The site, which is next to the Wits Nursery on West Campus, already has a watering system with a water hose.
Machete says, “We want to reconnect people with locally grown food and improve public health.”
Students in the Food Sovereignty and Climate Justice Forum are also proposing that fruit trees should be planted on campus. The Forum are in the process of asking the university to look at current policy on plant types on the campus.
Volunteer and member of the Cooperative and Policy Alternative Centre (COPAC) Athish Satgoor says, “The garden is part of a wider effort to create a food commons with multiple gardens eventually and lots of fruit trees on campus.”
The second annual So Solo festival is coming to the Wits theater this spring and it promises a line-up of thought provoking theater .
The So Solo festival of one person plays is coming to the Wits Theater for a month from September 11. A unique concept in theater, the festival will feature a solo actor performing a story in each show, accompanied only by lights, props and music.
ONE ACT AT A TIME: The festival of one person plays is returning for its second run at the Wits Theater. Photo: Provided
“So Solo is an edgy festival and this years’ productions are works that push the boundaries of the art form further,” said festival director Gitanjali Pather.
16 plays written by diverse writers, directors and actors will be showcased over the month-long festival. Some of the artists featured are current Wits students including Kelly Eksteen, star of Kullid. Eksteen says the experience of working physically alone has taught her the value of having other actors on stage supporting the storytelling process.
“I think that no matter whether you’re in an ensemble of 20 cast members or if you’re by yourself, it’s never about you,” she said.
Pather says she chose to target young talents who are creating work despite the obstacles they face.
Many graduates of the Wits School of Arts (WSOA) are producing their own work and this will be performed for audiences at the So Solo festival. The likes of MoMo Matsunyane, the writer and director of this years commissioned piece, ‘Penny’ and Tony Miyambo who performs the award winning Kafka’s Ape will also make an appearance during the festival.
“I took two plays down to the national arts festival this year; Kafkas Ape and The Cenotaph of Dan Wa Moriri which was the commissioned play for the first ever So Solo festival last year. I was given the opportunity to tell stories that are close to my heart and received an amazing response for both pieces,” said Miyambo.
WITS SCHOOL OF ART GRADUATE: Tony Miyambo, one of this years featured WSOA alumni at the So Solo Festival. Photo: Provided
Having a space to perform is important for young people in the arts, according to Pather. She said students get to “shape, and reshape their stories, hone their skills and understand that magical thing that happens between performer and the audience.”
Aside from the student participants, the festival also hosts well-known theater personalities like Carina Nel who will perform the critically acclaimed ‘Suster’ – a story about a woman who is diagnosed with Multiple Personality Disorder following her parents’ death.
Makhaola Siyanda Ndebele, the writer and performer of ‘Cantos of a life in exile’ deploys the South African performance genres of iiNgoma (healing rituals), iintsomi (storytelling) and IziBongo (praise poetry) in this tale about finding home. This autobiographical performance journey explores the complexities of identity faced by a South African citizen exiled during apartheid.
Craig Morris’s hilarious delivery in the award winning ‘Johnny Boskak is feeling funny’ is sure to leave the audience in stiches. This spin-off to Greig Coetzee’s White men with weapons, is based on Johnny Boskak’s journey to find his place in the new South Africa. It’s a story about defying the odds at any means necessary with a comedic twist.
THE KNOWN AND UNKNOWN: This year will include a mix of familiar and new faces. Photo: Provided
“I created the So Solo season to celebrate the solo artist”
The works of captivating works of multi talented writers and actors like Philip M. Dikotla in ‘Jokes 4 sale’ , Billy Langa in ‘Ngwed1’ , Wiseman Mncube in ‘Giving birth to my father’ and Tefo Paya in ‘Morwa: the rising sun’,will ensure that any genre you crave will be satisfied.
Pather says, “more and more artists are using the solo performer vehicle to tell stories AND practice their craft in a way that makes it economically viable.” Performers agree saying that there’s no better way to advance ones career but through doing the work they love.
Book online at www.webtickets.co.za or purchase your tickets from box office. The ticket prices range from R70 to R85
POLITICAL organisations involved in a brawl during the Wits SRC election debate on Tuesday have proclaimed their innocence and are pointing fingers at one another for starting the violence.
The 2015 SRC elections debate was scheduled to happen at lunch time in the Great Hall. One by one the parties entered the Great Hall in song and dance, but the Wits Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF) singing never stopped and they refused to leave the stage. They were calling for the Vice Chancellor, Adam Habib, to meet and address their numerous concerns. The debate was called off and this subsequently led to other party members, including Project W and the Progressive Youth Alliance (PYA), going on stage to confront Wits EFF and a violent brawl broke out.
Project W members were also sighted in the scuffle. Thami Pooe, Project W candidate, told Wits Vuvuzela that his party merely wanted the debate to continue.
“We intervened on stage so we could plead with the Wits EFF guys to remove themselves from the stage and we found ourselves being drawn into the violence,” said Pooe.
He said that Project W had requested beefed up security prior to the debate and accused the university of failing in this regard.
Pooe complained on Twitter that Project W was harassed and bullied on the day. “An attempt at anarchy will never stifle us! We must redo the Great Debate!” Pooe tweeted.
WITS EFF member Koketso Poho defended his organisation and said they were attempting to have a peaceful protest before they were attacked by Project W.
“Let’s clarify something, @WitsEFF had a peaceful boycott without violence until @ProjectWits bouncers got on stage to show off their muscles,” Poho tweeted.
Wits Vuvuzela has contacted several PYA members and candidates but none were able to comment.
One PYA supporter @MolefeNthabs tweeted on her account denying the PYA were violent.
“But those students who were at the Great Hall will not be sold lies, @WitsPYA didn’t fight anyone, they just happened to be next to a fight,” she tweeted.
“We were civil,” said Democratic Alliance Student Organisation (Daso) campaign manager, Simphiwe Mbonani. He told Wits Vuvuzela that their party was utterly disappointed by the commotion caused, specifically by the Wits EFF.
“They were up on stage busy protesting [and] singing and they didn’t want to give students a chance to actually listen to why they should vote for DASO or any other candidates,” said Mbonani.
Daso is calling for the disqualification of all the candidates who were involved in the clash.
Students’ reactions on social media showed disapproval towards the violence. One tweet read, “This is definitely not how FUTURE LEADERS BEHAVE! COMPLETELY SHOCKED. #WitsSRCElections”
The university has released a statement in response to the violence saying that Wits University will not allow any individual or party to compromise the safety and security of staff and students and will act swiftly, within the university’s processes and rules, to end any illegal behaviour.
A video of the abandoned debate and ensuing fight is available on the WitsVuvuzela.com.
BEAUTY: Traditional and contemporary bead work features at the Beadwork, Art and the Body exhibition. Photo: Michelle Gumede
The bead work exhibition has arrived at the Wits Art Museum (WAM). A variety of bead work created by women throughout southern Africa are exhibited from the 1800’s right up to contemporary times.
“We haven’t had a major exhibition of bead work in the last 20 years,” says Professor Anitra Nettleton, Director of the centre of creative arts for Africa.
Veils, aprons, belts and blankets adorned with abundant colourful beadwork is being displayed at the Beadwork, Art and the Body, Dilo tse Dintshi’ exhibition. Items made by women of various ethnic groups.
The Sotho people are popularly known for their traditional blankets and hats, which are fashionable among everybody. But not much is known about the bead
work that is made and worn by seSotho women at certain events and stages of life.
Ndebele, Zulu and Xhosa people also have their own style of beadwork. Their symbolism differs in size and colour. The Ntwana people are also represented in the collection. They are an ethnic group that is made up of Ndebele and Tswana people.
August being women’s month, this exhibition celebrates women’s work. Much of which was stolen by imperialists as ethnographic evidence. Much of the artwork has no known artist or definitive date of creation. The only thing that is clear is that Southern African women were the artists behind the works.
Professor Nettleton emphasized that, “in many ways, bead work became women’s work. ”
Recorded bead work dates back as early as the 1800’s. SeSotho women over time have perfected the art of beadwork, making them out of glass, clay and wood. This fashion trend continues today, African women still adorn themselves with beads. Beads serve as a fashion statement and they tell of ones social status.
Certain beads are worn at particular times of a woman’s life stages. Girls wear aprons when they are initiated into womanhood. When a woman marries she is also adorned with a special kind of beaded veil that shows that she is now taken as a wife. Even when a woman dies, she is buried with her beaded jewellery.
Contemporary artists like Zanele Muholi and Andrew Putter also feature their contemporary bead artworks. Men also feature in modern beadwork. Artists like Laduma Ngxokolo have fused traditional aspects of bead work with modern styles to form exciting pieces.
Mefutafuta ya difaha tse entsweng ke basadi ba Afrika Borwa ka bophara e ilo bontshwa, ena ke mesebetsi ya hotloha dilemong tsabo 1800’s ho fihla nakong tsa hona jwale.
“Ke di jaara tse 20 ho sina pontsho ya difaha mona” hucho Professor Nettleton otswereng Centre for the Creative Arts of Africa.
Masira, dithethana, mabanta le dikobo tsa mefutafuta tse nang le mmala e fapafapaneng ya difaha di a bontshwa ho “The beadwork, Art and The Body”. Difaha tsena ketse entsweng ke basadi hotswa ditsong le meetlong e fapafapaneng.
Basotho ba tsebahala ka dikobo le dikatiba tsa bona tsa setdo,tseo batho bohle ba thabelang ho diapara le ho dirwala.Empa mosebetsi wa difaha oo o entsweng le ke ho rwalwa ke basotho hadi tsebahale haholo, tsena ke mefuta ya difaha tseo basotho ba dirwalang ka mekete e itseng le ha hona le phethong maphelong a bona.Matebele,Mazulu le Maxhoza le bona bana le difaha tsa bona tse ikgethang mme meetso ya tsona le mmala dia fapana hoya ka merabe.Batswana le bona bana le difaha tsa bona tse ikgethileng.
Jwalo ka ka kgwedi ya Phato ele kgwedi ya bomme, dipontsho tsena di bontsha mesebetsi ya basadi eo e neng e nkilwe ke makgowa aneng a batla ho ithuta ka setso le mesebetsi ya matsoho ya merabe e fapaneng.Bongata ba mesebetsi ena ya matsoho haena hlaiso leseding mabapi le le hore di entswe neng le hore di entswe ke bomang. Ho tsejwa fela hore ke mesebetsi ya bomme ba afrika borwa.
Professor Nettleton ari “ka di tsila tse ngata, mosebetsi wa ho ruka, ine ili mosebetsi wa bo mme”.
Hotloha ka selemo sa 1800 basadi ba Basotho bane bantse ba etsa difaha ka kgalase,letsopa le ka dipatsi mme le kajeno basadi bantse ba ikgabisa ka difaha.Difaha di tsamaisana le maemo, ha osena tsona hao shebahale.Hangata basadi ba tentshwa difaha ha maphelo a bona a fetoha,ho tshwana le ha ngwanana a hola o tentshwa thathana e entsweng ka difaha le tsikitlane.Le ha mosadi a nyalwa o apeswa lesira le nang le difaha bobontsha hore ese ele mme wa lelapa mme leha mosadi a hlokahetse,o iswa lebitleng ka difaha tsa hae.
Difaha tse entsweng ke batjha ba jwalo ka Zanele Mohuli le Andrew Putter dia tholahala pontshong ena. Tsona di fapane le difaha tsa kgale hobane le banna batshwanang le Laduma Ngxokolo, lebona ba etsa mesebetsi ya matsoho e bile ba kopantse mekgabiso ya kajeno le mekgabiso ya kgale.
Three indigenous speaking mentors have come to join the Wits journalism department to help students write in their native tongues.
Palesa ‘Deejay’ Manaleng, Vusi Mchunu and Zulumathabo Zulu will be assisting the students in writing their stories in Sesotho and isiZulu. They have joined the department in the wake of the many transformation conversations happening across the Wits campuses.
As an indigenous knowledge holder and practitioner, Zulu says he is excited about the opportunity because language is the most important part of cultural knowledge. “Language is the means of transmitting knowledge” he said and, “One of the roles of the traditional African society is to facilitate the transmission of cultural and survival knowledge for the future generations.”
Vuvuzela reported earlier in the year that Wits University was in the process of tabling a multilingual policy that will incorporate African languages into broader campus policy. This means students and lecturers will be able to use IsiZulu, Sesotho and South African sign language as mediums of instruction in and out of the classroom.
Manaleng told Wits Vuvuzela that the challenge facing indigenous languages is that they don’t have a proper platform. “We have buildings full of books written in English but barely a truckload in indigenous languages, “she said.
“We have been taught that it is ok to know indigenous languages but better to know English and to think and communicate in English,” Manaleng warns that should this continue, we could read about indigenous languages as things that existed once a long time ago.
LANGUAGE INCLUSITIVITY: English, isiZulu and seSotho languages are being incorporated into Witsvuvuzela’s articles. Photo: Michelle Gumede
Anelisa Tuswa, one of the journalism students said that she is quite happy with the inclusion of African languages in general, but it would have been nice if we included other languages such as Xhosa were included, “I can only write in Xhosa and English.”
Head of Journalism School, Professor Anton Harber says that, “As part of our discussion on university transformation, we decided to experiment with multilingualism. One of the most fundamental problems with our news media is that there is very little print media in languages other than English and Afrikaans – and we need to play our role in addressing this. Apart from this, a journalist who is not multilingual will always struggle in this society – and journalism schools need to address this.”
Vuvuzela will be publishing more stories in isiZulu and seSotho in the following weeks until the end of this year.
TSHEBEDISANO YA DI PUO: Vuvuzela etla kenyeletsa ditaba le mengolo ka dipuo tsa seZulu, seSotho leSengesemane. Senepe: Michelle Gumede
Lefapha la Boqolotsi ho Yunibesithi ya Witwatersrand le phatlaladitse kamohelo ya basuwe ba bararo ba tlang hotsheetsa, hotataisa le hokwetlisa bangodi ba koranta ya Vuvuzela ka hosebedisa maleme a Sesotho le seZulu. Hona hobolela hore koranta ya Vuvuzela etla kenyeletsa ditaba le mengolo ka dipuo tsa lapeng.
Palesa Deejay Manaleng, Vusi Mchunu le Zulumathabo Zulu ba mocheng wa hotsheetsa baithuti ba Boqolotsi ho Wits. Hona hoetsahala ka morao ho ditherisano tse amanang le diphethoho mona Wits.
Jwale ka setsibi le seetsahatsi ka maleme le bonono ba setso, Zulu o re o cheseha ha holo ka monyetla ona hobane puo ya selehae ke mocha o fetisang hape oboloka tsebo ya meetlo le bonono ba sechaba. Zulu o toboketsa tjena “Sechaba sa rona setshwanela hoikarabella ka tjantjello tabeng ena ka hoetsa bonnete ba hore puo le meetlo ya rona e ya tshireletswa sebakeng sa meloko etlang.”
Maqephe a Vuvuzela a ile a phatlalatsa maqalong a jara hore Wits ene ele makgatheng a hoteka leano la hosebediswa ha di puo tse fapafapaneng ka hokenyeletsa maleme a seAfrika ka hara sekolo eleng karolo ya melawana ya mophato wa Sekolo. Sena se bolela hore baithuti le basuwe ba tla dumellwa hosebedisa dipuo tsa Sesotho, seZulu le Polelomotwa ya dinthuntsebe ka hare le kantle ho diphaposi tsa dithuto.
Manaleng o behetse Vuvuzela hore diphephetso di tjametse dipuo tsa rona ka hohloka marangrang a tshwanetseng moo di ka sebediswang hore le tsona dintlafale. Manaleng oitse “Re nale meaho e tletseng matshwele a dibuka tse ngotsweng ka sengesemane empa tse ngotsweng ka dipuo tsa rona di haella.”
Manaleng a tshetleha tjena “Re rutilwe hore holekane hotseba maleme a rona a selehae feela ho molemo haholoholo hotseba, honahana le hobua sengesemane. Ha boemo bona bontse botota, Manaleng o hlokomedisa hore reka qetella rebala ka maleme a Afrika Borwa jwale ka tshomo e saleng e feta kgale.”
Emong wa baithuti ba Boqolotsi ho Wits eleng Anelisa Tuswa o re yena othabela hokenyeletswa ha maleme a setso ka kakaretso mona sekolong empa hone hokaba molemo ka hofetisisa ha hone hokenyeleditswe maleme a mang jwale ka Seqhotsa. Anelisa o qetelletse ka hore “Ke tseba hongola fela ka Seqhotsa leSengesemane.”
Hloho ya Mophato wa Boqolotsi, Ramophato Anton Harber o tshetleha tjena “Jwale ka karolo ya dipuisano ka diphetoho ho mophato wa dithuto tse phahameng, re nkile qeto ya hothakgola diteko tsa hongola ka dipuo tsa selehae ka hofapana. Engwe ya bothata ba motheo ke hore boqolotsi ba dingolwa jwale ka dikoranta ha bo kenyeletse dipuo tsa selehae tsa Afrika Borwa haesefela Sengesemane leSeburu – rehloka hophethahatsa karolo ya rona horarolleng ha bothata bona. Hadima moo, mongodi ya buang leleme le leleng feela, otla aparelwa ke mathata ka hara sechaba sa rona. Dikolo tsa boqolotsi dihloka hotobana le phephetso ena.”
Vuvuzela etla phatlalatsa ka Sesotho le seZulu dibekekeng tse tlang hoisa mafeleong a selemo.
REUSING WASTE WATER: Sewerage water can be purified to suit our daily water needs. Photo: Michelle Gumede
Most people gag at the thought of consuming sewerage. But environmentalists are claiming that treating our sewerage water for human consumption could be the cheapest and most efficient way to counter the water scarcity in a semi arid country like South Africa.
Sewerage water can be treated and be reused for drinking and other water related activities of daily living. That was one of the pertinent messages conveyed at the first ever Living Planet Conference.
Hosted by the World Wide Fund of South Africa (WWF SA) on Thursday July 30, the conference focused on the energy crisis, the looming water shortage disaster and food security and agricultural sustainability.
A large chunk of the conference was themed, “Water doesn’t come from a tap”, and featured environmentalists discussing the various ways that water usage can be reduced, reused and recycled.
“Waste water is filled with water!” said Dhesigen Naidoo, CEO of the Water Research Commission.
Naidoo emphasized that sewerage water is an incredible resource. One that can be used over and over for various activities by using the Water Quality Index (WQI).
The Water Quality Index (WQI) helps to determine just how clean water needs to be to be suitable for various household and industrial functions. The process of developing a WQI involves determining the intended use of water. Whether it will be used for drinking, bathing or flushing waste down the toilet.
“We don’t need super clean water for all water related activities” said Naidoo.
Drinking water would need to be purified to the point where the physical elements such as sediment, odor and temperature are treated to reach the point where it is suitable for drinking. The chemical factors like the pH levels, dissolved oxygen level, and E.coli level would need to be determined to ensure that the water is safe to drink. If the water is not suitable for drinking then it can be used for other activities like doing the laundry, or washing the dishes.
Waste water treatment process reduces pathogenic bacteria and other disease causing organisms, nutrients that can cause unwanted algae, biodegradable organisms and suspended solids. The water is purified through micro filtration and reverse osmosis. The primary phase of water treatment removes suspended and floating materials from the sewerage water.
This is followed by a secondary treatment, that eliminates any other dissolved organisms and sludge that escaped the primary treatment, using biological activity to filter and breakdown organic matter. According to the World Bank Group, about 85% of the suspended solids and bio gradable organisms can be removed by a well running plant with secondary treatment. Using specific chemicals and equipment the water is treated in the tertiary phase. The water is also disinfected with chlorine to produce drinkable water.
This method of treating sewerage water for consumption has been implemented in Orange county, California following the drought they experienced in 2014. Not without any critique from the public. According to the New York Post, many people found it hard to get over the ‘yuck’ factor.
Neil Mcleod, a panelist at the Living Planet conference and head of sanitation and water in the eThekwini Municipality, argued the point that treating sewerage water for reuse is way cheaper than desalinating ocean water. “Sewerage is a source of nutrients” said Mcleod.
According to McLeod, Namibia has more water supply than South Africa but they are using treated sewerage water to conserve their water sources. ”
“If we are sufficiently innovative, it (waste water) can become energy positive.” said Naidoo.
ALL DRIED OUT: The sight of dried out taps may become the norm in South Africa if action is not taken to conserve water. Photo: Michelle Gumede
Water restrictions have changed the lives of many across northern KwaZulu-Natal, but the rest of the country is not immune to the effects of the water shortage. Climate change, leakages and illegal connections continue to weigh heavily on our dwindling water supply.
Water shedding has been implemented in Kwa Zulu Natal since June this year. The rationing of water in the province is due to drought, non-payment of water services and continued high water usage patterns from households and businesses.
Ethekwini Municipality’s water shedding is the water equivalent of Eskom’s electricity load shedding. A certain amount of water is allocated to each household and business in the affected areas on a daily basis. Water restrictors, which restrict water flow by 30%, have been installed into taps in the eThekwini Municipality to ensure even distribution.
“When I was home during the mid-year break, we didn’t have water from 9am until 4pm on a Friday” said Riante Naidoo, a Wits journalism student and resident of Allandale, Pietermaritzburg.
Water rationing in the province has been brought on largely by the recent drought that has hit the province. Minister of Water and Sanitation Nomvula Mokonyane launched National Water Week in the drought-stricken KwaDukuza in KwaZulu-Natal on 16 March 2015 under the theme: “Water Has No Substitute”. The significantly below-average rainfall together with severe frost in the Midlands region during the past winter left many supply areas severely affected.
The water levels of the Hazelmere dam, which supplies water to thousands of people in the Northern region of KZN, declined to under 30% in July 2015. Reservoirs have been shut down in the Burbreeze, Emona, Grange, Redcliff and Waterloo areas including areas under the Ilembe District Municipality which encompasses areas like Ballito.
The eThekwini municipality also reported that water leakages, illegal water connections and vandalism account for about 237 million litres of water loss per day. The municipality is offering residents a chance to convert to a legal connection.
Amnesty is being offered to those who declare that they have been connecting illegally to the water network but a R250 service fee is then charged for the legal connection.
WATER SCARCITY: Even Johannesburg residents have experienced water cuts.
According to the Global Risks Report 2015, climate change is one of the most significant long term risks to South Africa. The effects of climate change have also had enormous repercussions on the water supply in the country.
Some Johannesburg residents say that water shedding is not a new phenomenon. “Sometimes when you wake up, there is no water” said a wits student who lives in Diepkloof Soweto.
Sporadic rains have hit the coast in recent weeks but KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Nomusa Dube-Ncube says the recent rainfall may give a false impression that the drought is over.
Jozi Skateboarders will be out at the Maboneng indoor skatepark to celebrate Go Skateboarding Day. Photo: provided
One Love Skate Expo will be celebrating the 11th Annual Go Skateboarding Day (GSD) on June 21 at the Maboneng indoor skate park.
“We’re expecting a diverse crowd of young and old skaters who will be showing off their hip tricks in skating and long boarding,” said One Love Skate Expo founder, Quincy Braveman Moyo.
This year is the first time that One Love Skate Expo will celebrate GSD in its own turf at the Maboneng skate Park on 11 Staib Street. The skate park is equipped with long boards and protective gear.
The One Love Skate Expo initiative facilitates skating in the inner city as an alternative form of recreation. One Love is “trying to bridge the gap between those who can skate and those who are interested in learning.” Said Moyo, so amateurs are more than welcome.
Go Skateboarding Day is one of the largest gatherings of skateboarders. Founded by Steve Rodriguez in New York City in 2004, GSD has since been celebrated in major cities across the world.
In Jozi this Sunday, skateboarders will gather at 12pm at the library gardens on 55 President Street, CBD. From there, skaters will skate along a designated route that leads to the Skate Jam spot, Maboneng.
The park promises to be filled with food, music and exhilarating ‘kick flips’ and ‘arlies’. Followed by “a traditional after party to seal it” said Moyo.
The culture of skating is a growing movement in Johannesburg and “people should not be afraid to try new things” said Smash Afrika, the marketing manager of the event
“We as skaters also consider our skateboards as a means of transport.” Afrika said. Even The City of Joburg municipality has acknowledged alternative modes of transport by creating cycle lanes across the city.
The One Love Collective are also running a holiday program from June 29 where people of all ages can attend skating lessons. The holiday program will run from Monday to Thursday until 4pm daily.
It offers alternative recreation for inner city youth and serves as a platform to explore the urban use of skateboards. “We know there are a lot of kids who skate in Joburg and also want something to do in the holidays,” said Afrika.
GSD falls on Fathers Day this year and is a great opportunity for Fathers to spend quality time with their families. Parents, kids, young and old are invited to partake in both the Go Skateboarding Day celebrations and in the holiday program to learn more about skating.
Check them out on http://oneloveskateexpo.tumblr.com
WORKERS AID: MJL Electrical workers outside the Great Hall before they got in to the Vice Chancellor’s Town Hall meeting earlier this year. Photo: Sibongile Machika
Axed SRC president Mcebo Dlamini and Wits workers are planning a protest at the Great Hall today in solidarity with fellow outsourced workers.
The protest action will happen throughout lunch hour, but protestors say they will continue the strike for as long as it takes to get a positive response from management.
“I hope they will disturb the exams so that the university can take them seriously,” Dlamini said.
Wits university management has been in disputes over outsourced workers formerly employed by Wits contractor MJL Electrical. MJL workers have made several allegations against the company, including non-payment of salaries as well as tax fraud.
Dlamini said that the companies that the university enters into business exploit black workers. “The university is failing to protect those workers,” said Dlamini.
Richard Ndebele, of MJL Electrical, said the workers have met with Wits management several times yet no resolution has been found.
“We want Wits to consider a company that can absorb us, we’ve even suggested the names of companies that can do that but they don’t want to instead they (Wits) say it’s not their responsibility to do something for us,” said Ndebele.
Prof Beatrys Lacquet, the deputy vice chancellor of infrastructure and operations at Wits, has said that the university has paid what it owes MJL Electrical and the responsibility for the workers is on the company, not the university.
MJL workers are not the only outsourced workers to be unhappy with their lot at Wits. These workers, including those from Servest andUkweza, said they took a resolution on Friday that they will would protest in solidarity of MJL workers.
Ukweza worker, Tanya Khumalo* said she is supporting the strike because when workers from Ukweza were fired, workers employed by other outsourcing companies rallied in support of their reinstatement.
“Le rona tlamayile re ba thuse, batlo thola mosebetsi eming je ka rona bari thusitse, [We have an obligation to help them get other jobs, just like we were helped],” said Khumalo.
A new play by Witsies, Secret ballot, is an urban representation of contemporary South African politics. This politically driven play pokes fun at the shortcomings of our modern parliamentarians and issues we can all readily identify with.
“The play speaks urgently to the time,” said writer and director Jefferson Tshabalala.
From our beloved president Jacob Zuma to our blessed charismatic pastors, the story references contemporary figures of authority and ridicules the abundance of power and money and how that turns to greed when there is no accountability. It satirises recent social spectacles like the Braamfontein KFC street chicken saga and the #AskMmusi social media campaign.
“That is probably why we don’t have sponsorship from any institution,” cast member Tony Miyambo said. The cast and crew decided to not charge anything for the show and opted to let people donate however much they wanted.
This contemporary piece of protest theatre explores the greedy culture of tenderpreneurs. Politically connected individuals who got rich through the government tendering system. The play comically exploits how political clout is used to gain personal ‘sugar’ or riches as the play suggests.
“The production was largely informed by the political climate under which it was first written,” said Tshabalala, who wrote the play during the post -election period in 2014.
Tshabalala wrote speeches for the play and not normal dialogue to exaggerate how parliamentarians talk at rallies or even in parliament. “By observing social media and what’s on the news, the actors add the colour and texture over time in rehearsals to stay current,” said Miyambo.
“We wanted to move the personal dialogue among politicians to the public domain,” said Tshabalala.
Starring Zabalaza Mchunu, Tsietsi Morobi, Michael Mazibuko, Lereko Mfono and Tony Miyambo as the members of the brotherhood. This group of young, black whiskey sipping white collar crooks wear dark sunglasses, expensive suites and even pricier shoes. The young and uneducated people run the show with grassroots political training which they have received from the older generation of cadres.
True to the political theatre genre, the play uses physical humour to speak to topical issues in an uncanny way. “As young theatre practitioners who take their craft seriously, we wanted to use pastiche to address young people who tend to switch off when debate about serious issues arise,” said Miyambo.
First staged in 2014, Secret Ballot highlights the bubbling under state of emergency that South Africa is in. The play tells the story of how large social agendas have grown into personalised crimes of entitlement.
“No run has been the same because the South African landscape constantly changes,” said Miyambo.
Hilarious and witty, the production opens discussion on the public issues, allowing for audiences to laugh at themselves. This political farce reflects society to back to itself, a must see for anyone alarmed by the quietly bubbling under frustration of the youth about our corrupt state of affairs.
The cast and crew are planning on taking their production on the road but have not yet firm plans due to a lack of funding. They will be advertising shows on their Facebook page KiriPinkNob.
Since her announcement as the Democratic Alliance’s mayoral candidate for Johannesburg, Helen Zille has dominated national headlines. In this bonus episode of We Should Be Writing podcast, hosts Lulah Mapiye and Bonolo Mokonoto dissect a media meet-and-greet with the mayoral hopeful. From her extensive political résumé to her controversial public utterance, we examine why the Democratic Alliance has chosen Hellen Zille as their candidate for the 2027 local mayoral elections. Additionally, […]
