The Wits SRC organised a clean-up campaign around the streets of Johannesburg to clear students’ historic debt.
Members of Wits University’s student representative council (SRC) hung up their white blazers on Tuesday, February 14, 2023 in a symbolic effort to sweep away outstanding student debt. The clean-up drive is one of many activities planned to reach the R20-million target set by the SRC to assist returning students who have been unable to register for the academic year due to financial constraints.
A Witsie waves two plastic bags. Photo: Mpho Hlakudi
A closeup photo of a hand picking up rubbish. Photo: Mpho Hlakudi
A woman picks up rubbish on Jozi streets
A volunteer helps clear a heap of rubbish infront of the Hillbrow Health Centre. Photo: Mpho Hlakudi
Wits students removing a rubbish heap outside Hillbrow Health Centre. Photo: Mpho Hlakudi
A Wits security guard hands out cleaning gloves to the students
A police car flashing its lights with the crowd blurred in the background. Photo: Mpho Hlakudi
The financial pressure on students at Wits will not come from what they eat this year, if buying exclusively from on-campus restaurants.
Food outlets at Wits University have maintained 2022’s prices despite a 12,4% increase in the price of food and non-alcoholic beverages over the last year, as noted by the Stats SA Consumer Price Index (CPI) report , released in January 2023. Kara Nichha’s, on Wits’ East campus sells various Indian foods, including samosas at R4.00 and a soya burger at R20.00. It remains one of the most affordable places to grab a meal on campus.
The latest Food Basket Price Monthly Report by the National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC) shows that the price of onions, an ingredient in some samosas, increased by 47% while sunflower oil prices increased by 28.1% year-on-year. Manager, Malvina Mogano, said that the restaurant’s strategy to keep prices low includes using soy instead of meat.
Generous servings keep students coming back to Kara Nicha’s. Photo: Mpho Hlakudi
A customer getting their daily fix. Photo: Mpho Hlakudi
Kutlwano Serame, a regular customer, said, “Kara Nichha’s is a good place for [buying food], especially when you want to introduce first years that are struggling financially, especially in terms of having access to food because you can literally come here for R20.00 and you’re sorted for lunch.”
At Wethu Coffee Shop, in Solomon Mahlangu House, directly sourcing from farms is how costs are kept low said café manager, Valentine Nomvuyo.
The coffee bar is open weekly from 7am to 5pm and serves coffee and hot meals. Food prices range from R15.00 for a date and raisin muffin to R55.00 for a lunch meal. Nomvuyo said their breakfast combo special, the americano coffee and breakfast wrap, which costs R48.50, is among their best-selling items.
However, according to the NAMC study, the price of white bread, the main ingredient of their toasted sandwich, has increased by 20,4% year-on-year. Thando Gasa, a regular customer at Wethu Coffee shop, said, “They have really nice wraps, and they are affordable.”
But Jimmy’s Varsity, with outlets on East and West campuses, has announced that their prices will go up in the middle of February. The eatery sells various Halaal foods, from their Original Kota at R19.00 to a Hot Chicks family meal at R199.
The restaurant’s West Campus manager, Sandile Simango, said they are forced to raise menu prices because of skyrocketing costs from their suppliers. “Prices are getting higher and [inflation] is rising, making it harder to make a profit,” said Simango.
Lauretta Masiya, an employee at Jimmy’s, said that they have been told to “watch” portion sizes when orders are prepared, in an effort to remain profitable. “It’s not going well because customers tend to complain a lot… and we want the customer to be happy [but] at the same time, we also want the boss to be happy. It’s very challenging,” said Masiya. Unfortunately, the Bureau for Food and Agriculture Policy (BFAP)’s latest food inflation brief suggests that food prices could rise even higher, which may force many more campus eateries to raise their prices.
FEATURED IMAGE: A barrister prepares coffee for a customer at Wethu Coffee Shop. Photo: Mpho Hlakudi
Thousands of ANC and DA protesters took to the streets of Johannesburg on Wednesday, January 26, blocking roads around Chief Albert Luthuli House.
DA supporters swarmed Gandhi square near Luthuli House while the ANC Youth League marched around the ANC’s headquarters. The former to demand action on loadshedding and the latter to ‘protect’ their party in a counter-protest. Here’s how events unfolded and how the police managed to keep control.
Wit’s University’s Homecoming Weekend saw non-stop celebrations from Friday, September 2 until Sunday, September 4, 2022. The Wits Vuvuzela team was out and about throughout and these are some of the moments they captured.
The Witsie Kudu couple wave to the crowds before the beginning of the parade.
Wits Vice chancellor Zeblon Vilakazi welcomes Witsies and friends to the centenary celebrations. Photo: Keamogetswe MatlalaThe kick-off of the homecoming parade, the crowd begins with a dash from the line as confetti litters the celebratory air. Photo: Colin HugoThe Witsie Kudu couple wave to the crowds before the beginning of the parade. Photo: Colin HugoWitsies took to the streets of Braamfontein to celebrate Wits University’s 100th birthday. Photo: Elishevah BomeBesides the fancy- dress and costumes all those who took part of the Rag parade’s procession were wearing the widest and brightest smiles. Photo: Elishevah BomeA wits parade volunteer proudly wearing her Wits 100 year shirt on the parade. Photo: Colin Hugohe view of the 100 year parade from the 18th floor of the Wits Art Museum as the parade makes it’s way down Jorissen street. Photo: Colin HugoRAG Parade attendees paint their faces blue and gold. Photo: Tannur AndersParktown Boys High School band kicked off the celebrations with a performance. Photo: Tannur AndersWits cheerleaders partake in the first of the homecoming festivities. Photo: Tannur AndersWits Vuvuzela student journalist, Colin Hugo, came sixth in the #Wits100 Parkrun. Photo: Tannur AndersThe famous Great Hall is lit up by the centenary light show. Artists and dancers performed live impromptu art at the feet of the great hall. Photo: Colin Hugo A picture of what Braamfontein used to look like displayed on the face lifted Great Hall. Photo: Colin Hugo South African Rapper, Big Zulu, performing at the Free People’s Concert at Digs Field, West Campus. Photo: Busisiwe MdluliSouth African singer-songwriter, Jesse Clegg, performing the songs of his late father, Johnny Clegg at the Free People’s Concert. Photo: Busisiwe MdluliSome future Witsies taking a look at Great Hall. Photo: Elishevah BomeWits dean of student affairs Jerome September dolled up for the parade. Photo: Keamogetswe MatlalaWits SRC president Cebolenkosi Khumalo cruising along with vice chancellor Zeblon Vilakazi as the parade moved into the streets of Braamfontein. Photo: Keamogetswe MatlalaSongs of struggle marked the separate march against exclusion by PYA and EFFSC student leaders which led the parade pack. Photo: Keamogetswe MatlalaStudent leaders overtake the centenary parade with placards expressing adverse messaging. Photo: Keamogetswe MatlalaVusi Mahlasela performing during his heart-warming set at The Free People’s Concert. Photo: Rufaro ChiswoThe crowd at the Free People’s Concert thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Photo: Rufaro Chiswo Soweto Gospel Choir’s colourful outfits make the stage more vibrant. Photo: Rufaro ChiswoThe woodwind players from Mango Groove blowing everyone away. Photo: Rufaro ChiswoMango Groove’s Claire Johnston giving a jaw-dropping vocals. Photo: Rufaro ChiswoDazzled by the performers, the crowd can’t take their eyes off the stage. Photo: Rufaro ChiswoWits staff could not wait to get their hands on the special edition Wits Vuvuzela newspaper in celebration of the Wits centenary on morning September 2. Photo: Tylin MoodleyA player from the Orlando Pirates Legends team lines up an explosive penalty shot during the Wits Legends and Orlando Pirates Legends soccer match on Saturday, September 3. Photo: Tylin MoodleyWits Legends (left) and Orlando Pirates Legends (right) come together in the heat to watch the penalties that Orlando Pirates Legends won 4-3 during Homecoming Weekend. Photo: Tylin MoodleyWits fans came dressed in their supporter’s gear for the game against Wits Legends and Orlando Pirates Legends at Wits Stadium on the Saturday of Homecoming Weekend. Photo: Tylin MoodleyWits Music Alumnus Mdu Mtshali and various artists perform Gideon Nxumalo’s ‘60th Celebration of Jazz Fantasia’. Photo: Mpho HlakudiTenor Saxophonist, Thami Mahlangu performs an exquisite piece at the Wits Fantasia’ at the new Chris Seabrooke Music Hall on East Campus. Photo: Mpho HlakudiPerformers take a bow as the crowd cheers and applauds their electric performance which earned a standing ovation. Photo: Mpho HlakudiThe #Wits100 Light Show light up by a map of Wits Braamfontein surrounding areas. Photo: Mpho Hlakudi
‘Wits for Good’ is about advancing social change and innovation, or is it?
Wits University is using its ‘Wits for Good’ slogan to attempt to change society through innovation and research. In 2019 the slogan was changed from ‘Wits gives you the edge’ to ‘Wits for good’ to represent the university’s achievements over the last century of its existence.
The university’s head of marketing Ferna Clarkson says: “It differentiates who we are and what we stand for creating new knowledge to advance humanity which ensures that we leave things better than when we found them.”
For Wits to continue playing a leading role in solving global crises and advancing social justice it must find other funding sources, including donations. Peter Maher, the director of the Wits Alumni Relations Office says, “It’s just the reality that we have, we can’t offer free education because then we’re going to bankrupt the university and that’s not going to benefit anyone, and the tax base can’t afford to fund universities fully.”
Peter Bezuidenhout, director of the Wits Advancement, Development and Fundraising Office (DFO) says; “The university creates a vast range of skills for this economy. Sure, these graduates go out and get jobs, but they are doing jobs for good.”
Dr Neo Lekgotla laga Ramoupi, Dr Thokozani Mathebula, and Dr Sarah Godsell, who are lecturers at the Wits School of Education wrote an article which appeared in the Daily Maverick in 2021 titled ‘Wits. For Good’ – For whose good, exactly?’.
In it, they argue that the ‘good’ is not a public good, but rather a market good for those privileged students with easy access to online learning and who are willing to ignore those outside market-oriented universities.
Chair of Theoretical Particle Cosmology at Wits School of Physics, Professor Vishnu Jejjala, says that teaching and research are public goods since teaching produces an educated middle class, and research lets the university explore the world in new ways. This role is vital for society to understand better where and how they live.
Therefore, the role of higher education in South Africa is not merely to churn out research that adorns the bookshelves of the intelligentsia, to be proudly displayed during Zoom calls, or to produce jobless graduates. It’s true function is to transform society and create a space for the coming together of classes, generations, and innovative ideas.
“Wits for Good (stands for) the greater good of society by enriching young minds and helping nurture young African talent, I think that’s important, and we’re proud to be a part of that legacy,” says Constant Beckrling, a Wits alumnus
Wits university boasts a proud legacy of producing some of Africa’s most remarkable minds advancing societies globally. According to the latest global university rankings by Cybermetrics Lab Wits is the second highest ranked university on the continent. The university continues to set a high standard for today’s Witsies, ensuring that their excellence inspires future generations.
“Wits For Good means that it’s something that’s gonna be a part of life, that’s gonna carry me throughout and once a Witsie is always gonna be a Witsie!” says Vidhya Patel, a first-year student studying BSc in Biological Science.
The university is continuing its eternal legacy as a towering African institution to transform society for what it perceives as ‘good’.
FEATURED IMAGE: The Wits for Good billboards and posters are plastered on walls and highways across Johannesburg, this one is on the side of the New Commerce Building on West Campus. Photo: Colin Hugo
This collection of music reveals the artist’s vast creativity and his diverse use of traditional African music, making it a must have for ‘Jazzheads’.(more…)
Today we’re taking a look at the #WitsShutdown protests which are over historical debt and unaffordable accommodation, which have seen several students suspended, physical clashes between protestors and security and disruptions to the academic programme for many. In this bonus episode of We Should Be Writing, we let students unpack their views on what has […]
