by Nokuthula Manyathi | Jul 2, 2013 | Featured 1, News
WE LOVE YOU TATA: Candles light up an image of Nelson Mandela as the world prays for the icon’s speedy recovery.
Photo: Nokuthula Manyathi
Yesterday, Nelson Mandela spent his 24th day at the Mediclinic Heart Hospital in Pretoria following a lung infection. Crowds of people have been arriving outside the hospital to show their love for the former South African president.
For the last three weeks, the world has been unified in prayer for a South African hero whose condition is described as critical but stable.
Jana Basson, a 13 year old school girl, took time during her school holiday to pay tribute to a man she calls her role model. “I love Madiba. He is my role model and a symbol of peace,” she said. [pullquote align=”right”]He is like a dad – he shouldn’t die.[/pullquote]
Wall of Wishes
Visitors from across the world have continued to show their support by writing messages on the now famous Wall of Wishes – a wall outside the hospital that people have used to post messages and leave gifts for Mandela.
Molatudu Zinde a member of the Mamelodi SOS Village Grannies said they had come to sing for Mandela because he was an icon of the world and the father of the nation.
“Madiba is an icon of the world. He is like a dad – he shouldn’t die,” she said
Zinde said she was saddened by news that the Mandela’s were in the centre of a court case about the Mandela family gravesite. She hoped they would stop fighting and find more amicable ways to solve their differences,
“The ill health of Mandela should make them come together. They must stop fighting and just advise each other in amicable way. Once they stop fighting Mandela will heal,” said Zinde
No one is as loved as Madiba
Popular South African praise poet Mzwakhe Mbuli also arrived in Pretoria yesterday to show his support by performing a poem in front of the Wall of Wishes. Mbuli said Madiba was a unifier and a reconciler. “No one can be compared to Madiba. No one is as loved as Madiba,” he said. [pullquote align=”right”]This man is intelligent, a fighter, a true leader[/pullquote]
Mbuli, who was arrested in 1999 for armed robbery and possession of a hand grenade said that during his incarnation Mandela had visited him in jail and brought him some food.
Throughout the day people from all across came to the world stopped by the Wall of Wishes to show their supports. Members of the Nigerian Students Union from the University of Pretoria approached the Wall of Wishes in song.
The believer
“Mandela is an Ubuntu icon,” said Cyril Njoku the president of the union. He said Mandela was able to create peaceful co-existence between people of different races and backgrounds.
Wilson Isebor, also a member of the Nigerian student Union, said Mandela taught him to never give up and to always have faith in your dreams.
“He didn’t give up even after going to jail for very long time. He still came out and fought for what he believed,” said Isebor
A fighter, a true leader
As the sun set, candles were light by new arrivals to emulate the Wall of Wishes. Journalists camping outside the hospital for the last 24 days erected a white screen where they played videos and images of Mandela.
And slowly a small group of people starts to gather in front of the screen. “This man was intelligent, a fighter, a true leader,” says a passerby.
by Nokuthula Manyathi | Jun 29, 2013 | News
Jimmy Mathebula is a 34 year old Computer Scientist at Wits University. His marriage has broken down. His business is in trouble. So as a last resort, Jimmy has decided to visit a traditional healer for the first tine in his life – to get advice from his ancestors. Will Jimmy find answers or will he be left with more questions?
Film Team:
Producer/Editor
Nokuthula Manyathi
Camera/Voicerover
Jacob Carstens
Reporter/Script
Thuletho Zwane
by Nokuthula Manyathi | Jun 26, 2013 | Featured 1, News
MAN OF STEEL: Kevin Davie tells Wits Vuvuzela about cycling 600km in 63 hours on only 2.5 hours of sleep
Photo: Nokuthula Manyathi
Kevin Davie only needed two and a half hours of sleep to cycle 600km in 63 hours last week. The average person needs at least eight hours.
Davie, who lectures financial journalism at Wits University and works as a financial journalist at the Mail and Guardian, has shown incredible endurance by cycling from Johannesburg to Sodwana Bay in KwaZulu Natal.
I have never done that before
Davie said he had never done a challenge like this before but was always interested undertaking an endurance sport with little sleep.
“I have never done that before. The first night I didn’t sleep at all and that next morning I did need to sleep for like half an hour,” said Davie.
Davie has had a passion for adventure sports for over three decades; completing 10 Comrade’s marathons and 24 Dusi canoe marathons. For Davie adventure sports are a way of life and a way of keeping fit.
[pullquote]“Get your bike and get out there and just explore”[/pullquote]
The Freedom Challenge
During his 30 years as an off-road cyclist, Davie has cycled a total of 10 000 km. He was the 24th person to ever complete the Freedom Challenge; a 2300 km mountain bike ride between Pietermaritzburg and Cape Town.
“Well I’ve always liked adventure sports…it’s a way to stay fit. It’s a way of getting to explore a country and meet people on a quiet a basic level. You are not arriving in a 4X4 but on a bicycle and people relate to that”.
The most amazing thing
Davie said he was amazed at how his body was able to complete such a challenge on very little sleep.
“The most amazing thing was that twice I was really tired and completely finished. Both times what I did was I took a short sleep one was ten minutes and the other was 20 minutes. And after those sleeps I was back as fresh as I had started,”
Support from friends and family
Davie was able to complete the bike ride with the assistance of his friends who rode along with him at different points of the off road challenge. He said his family and friends were surprised and amazed when he finished the “impossible” non-stop 600 km bike ride.
Davie said preparing for the challenge was difficult. He had to follow a strict low carbohydrate and high protein diet.
“It’s a kind of way of life…in my mind it’s just a healthy way to live that you build experience and a good diet to your life.”
Freedom Rider
Davie recently published a book “Freedom Rider, 10 000 km by mountain bike across South Africa” which tells the story of Davie’s mountain bike adventures which lead him discover some of South Africa’s most beautiful hidden corners.
Davie said he had future plans to do more rides and explore more parts of the country. He said biking was a good way to explore and to be with one’s thoughts, he encouraged cyclists to just do it.
“Get your bike and get out there and just explore”
by Nokuthula Manyathi | May 31, 2013 | Featured 1, News
by Nokuthula Manyathi and Shandukani Mulaudzi
Tsepo wa Mamatu
Photo: Provided
Tsepo wa Mamatu, senior drama lecturer suspended recently after sexual harassment allegations against him, has broken his silence and insists that he is “not interested in coming back to Wits”.
In an exclusive interview with Wits Vuvuzela, he said: “Coming back to Wits would seem like the easy way out.”
In March this year, The Sunday Times reported that, over a period of six years, more than 10 of wa Mamatu’s students claimed he had sexually harassed them.
He was accused of violating students during rehearsals, auditions and off campus and even raping one of his students. Following these allegations, the university placed him on “special leave”.
Speaking publicly for the first time since the allegations surfaced, wa Mamatu said the last three months had been painful and that coming back to the university was no longer an option.
“I felt quite wounded and I almost became depressed but you can’t victimise yourself,” said wa Mamatu. For a good four weeks I was in a bad, bad, bad space,” he said. Wa Mamatu said the support he received from family, friends, colleagues and students helped him survive
Flood of support
“What made me strong was the thousands and thousands of messages I received in my Facebook account, sms’es and the calls I received from very, very influential people,” he said. Wa Mamatu said one of his friends had compared this struggle with the strife experienced by Jesus. “They said, ‘Tshepo: Jesus was 33 years old when he went through the same thing – when he was humiliated publicly, when he was betrayed’.
“But they cannot crucify you without building you up.”
No chance from The Sunday Times
Wa Mamatu expressed his dissatisfaction with the manner in which the Sunday Times had handled the story. According to wa Mamatu the reporter of story, Pearlie Joubert, contacted wa Mamatu on the day on which she was to submit his story which did not allow him time to respond fully to the allegations.
.“[pullquote]”Students would come needing a place to sleep. They would sleep in that office”[/pullquote] He explained that the telephonic interview had lasted less than two minutes and that he had tried to ask for an opportunity to meet with the reporter to give the context and his side of what happened.
“She said ‘no no, my deadline is 5 o’clock and I have to submit the story.’ Imagine?” said wa Mamatu.
Raising his voice, Wa Mamatu said that two weeks later the same reporter had “the nerve” to contact him to find out how he was doing after the publication of the story. “She called me she said: ‘So how are you feeling after that story was published?’ [laughs] And I gave her such a tongue lash. I don’t think anyone has ever spoken to that woman and she has never called me.”
Wa Mamatu also expressed concern in the fact that one of his accusers had initially told The Sunday Times that he had raped her but had since changed her charge against him to one of oral sex.
“Now she says it was oral sex. Now how do you go from rape to oral sex? Those are two distinctly different things,” wa Mamatu complained.
Admission: this was not the first time
Wa Mamatu confirmed that there was a case of sexual misconduct brought against him in 2007. The matter was taken to the Counselling and Careers Development Unit (CCDU) as the woman in question had accused him of “touching her pants in a very sexual way”.
[pullquote] Worked tirelessly to ensure the wellbeing of students [/pullquote] At that meeting both parties were given the opportunity to give their side of the story and the matter was settled. “It was a breakdown of communication and not some malicious intent to do her any harm or to cause her any discomfort whatsoever.
Wa Mamatu said although he had been given opportunities by other media publications to speak up, he had declined them, as he did not want to be seen as “this guy who is using his voice to overpower these women”.
An upbeat wa Mamatu said he held no grudges. He said he did not judge the way the university had handled the situation. “The university had to act, [especially] in a country where woman abuse is so rife … The university is in the middle and I’m not criticising the university, what they did was quite bold and daring.”
Since his suspension, wa Mamatu said he had an initial hearing with the university earlier this month but proceedings had been postponed to June pending further investigations. He said the Wits School of Arts (WSOA) had handled the situation as best as they could, considering the circumstances. He said that despite the allegations and his suspension from Wits he was still able to practice his craft.
Career still thriving
“At the moment I’m rehearsing a play at the state theatre, I have an opera at the Cape Town opera that’s opening in June. I’ve got a musical that’s coming up and I’ve just shot a documentary in the last three months with BBC and Aljazeera”.
Wa Mamatu said although his anger and resentment had subsided he was still very hurt by the allegations as they were untrue. He said he had worked tirelessly to ensure the wellbeing of students, which was his main priority both inside and outside the learning environment.
Spirit of Ubuntu?
Wa Mamatu explained that he is from a background where he was taught to share and as a result his office was a “student office”.
[pullquote align=”right”]I had given up my life for that place but in the end they dealt with me.[/pullquote]“Students would come needing a place to sleep. They would sleep in that office.Students would come and tell me that it’s January and ekhaya ngishoda nge [I am short of] R4000 to register or what what-what and I would hustle and make a plan for those students.” Wa Mamatu said his biggest fault was being too trusting and too generous.
“I had given up my life for that place but in the end they dealt with me.”
ADDITIONAL LINKS:
by Nokuthula Manyathi | May 31, 2013 | News
PUSH IT: Anxious students pushing to get a seat on the bus after new no standing rule. Photo by: Nokuthula Manyathi
By Nolwazi Mjwara and Nokuthula Manyathi
TWO Esselen residents were robbed at a bus stop last week. This followed the new no standing rule on Wits buses.
The two women students were left stranded and standing at the bus stop as vulnerable targets for crime as the bus was full.
Wits All Residence Council informed Wits Vuvuzela that two students were robbed last week because of the no standing rule.
No standing
Wits services department has introduced the new no standing policy to bring the university’s buses in line with transport regulations.“The regulations were amended by the Department of Transport following the number of fatalities on buses in South Africa in 2012,” said Bus services operations manager Sue-Ann Reed.
[pullquote]Drivers have been informed not to permit standing passengers on the Wits Inter Campus buses[/pullquote]
“Drivers have been informed not to permit standing passengers on the Wits Inter Campus buses,” said Reed.
Reed also said students who are non-Wits junction residents were not permitted to take the direct Wits junction bus.
Students are unhappy
Layani Makwinja, 3rd year BA, who lives in an apartment near Wits Junction, said she was no longer allowed to enter Wits Junction to take the bus to main campus.
“This Wits Junction bus situation is so inconveniencing as we aren’t allowed to enter Junction to take the bus … Some students that I’ve been waiting with have missed lectures due to this,” said Makwinja.
Reed said Witsies would not be inconvenienced by these changes, in late 2012 two buses were added and this year a 65 seater bus and two 35 seater buses are now part of the bus routes. Students who live in apartments near Wits Junction have been designated their own ‘bus stop’ on Park Lane street, but some students are still not happy with this arrangement.
Reed said a project manager and two supervisors are on site to monitor the bus stops daily. “Should students have concerns, complaints are investigated to identify the problem and if necessary bus routes and timetables are amended to improve the service,” she said.
The bus services department has also received complaints concerning reckless driving and the lack of wearing seatbelts by the drivers.
One complaint on Twitter read: “Wits drivers shud revise the way they drive cz sum of em are reckless. ‘XLZ996 GP’ @ 11:45 bus to JCE! wasnt pleased.”
Management is looking into complaints
Reed said complaints lodged by students had been discussed with management. “I have advised Luxliner Management of the concern that has been raised by the students and they have confirmed that they have had a meeting with the drivers.
Part of the discussion included the wearing of safety belts which is compulsory.”
by Nokuthula Manyathi | May 17, 2013 | Featured 1, News
Witsie Lukhanyo Neer (left) talking to Generations creator Mfundi Vundla (right). Vundla addressed a group of Witsies at the SDLU leadership roundtable on Wednesday.
Photo: Pheladi Sethusa
Mfundi Vundla, acclaimed producer and creator of the popular South African soap opera Generations, addressed a group of Witsies at the Student Development and Leadership Unit (SDLU) leadership round-table this past Wednesday.
The Hollywood trained script writer started the talk with a detailed anecdote about his robust life. Vundla told the audience how he was a promising scholar in his youth but was expelled from Forte Hare University for his involvement in underground political activity.
After a series of fortunate events Vundla was able to complete his tertiary education in the United States of America, receiving a BA degree in political science and English from the University of Massachusetts and subsequently a Masters from Boston University.
Play writing
As a scholar in modern English literature, Vundla wrote his first play in 1975 with a close friend. “It was a horrible play, a very bad play because all it was, was speeches rather than dialogue,” he said
Vundla went on to write a second play, this time on his own. His second attempt proved more fruitful and his play was produced off-Broadway in New York. “Critics come in and look at your play … you can be destroyed there. The play did ok enough for me to be asked to write another play,” he said.
Television writing
Vundla’s talent for writing was soon noticed, which resulted in him moving to California to work under the mentorship of acclaimed writer David Milch-the creator of the popular Police television drama series NYPD Blue.
“How I learned to write was through reading the scripts of American television shows that were in production,” he said. Vundla said he had not attended film and television school, but that he had always wanted to learn how to write films.
Generations
After 1994, Vundla returned to South Africa with ambitions of creating a drama series and documentaries for the South African Broadcasting Cooperation (SABC), but was asked to create a local soap opera.
“I knew nothing about soaps. So I asked my wife to fedx me books about Soap operas from the States and I studied those books tirelessly,” he said. Vundla said for several months he watched soaps, deconstructed them and studied their structures.
[pullquote]“I knew nothing about soaps”[/pullquote] It was through his months of hard work, that Generations came to life. Twenty one years after the first episode aired, the soap is still one of South Africa’s most watched soaps.
During the round table discussion, Vundla imparted some leadership tips to the room filled with young eager minds.
Advice
He placed great emphasis on the importance of a good work ethic. “If you work hard you can make it,” he said “It’s important to do what you love,” he advised
Vundla also emphasised the importance of creating your own path. “There is no how to book to be successful like Mfundi Vundla. You can learn from me and then curve your own path,” he said.
by Nokuthula Manyathi | May 16, 2013 | News
Tebogo Thothela current Deputy President of the South African Union of Students (SAUS) addressing a crowd of students
Photo:Provided
Former SRC president, Tebogo Thothela, will next month be the only Witsie at a national conference where the South African Union of Students (SAUS) hopes to shake up policies on university residence and academics.
Thothela, 3rd year BComm Law, is the union’s deputy president and the only Witsie to have been elected as an executive member of the union’s National Executive Committee (NEC). The NEC is one of five governance structures within SAUS.
“I’m second in command so, in the absence of the president, I take on some of his duties, but what rests in my office is policy formation. I’m the custodian of policy in the union…anything that’s got to do with policy relating to students.”
Thothela said he was excited about the policy conference scheduled for the mid-year break. During this conference, the committee would be working with the Department of Higher Education, and hoped to formulate and revise policies around university residence and academics.
Protecting the rights of students
The committee had also realised there was huge student victimisation within many university structures, he said. Many student leaders had been charged by their respective universities for protesting against the institutions.
“There is a national campaign that we are undertaking to protect the rights of the very existence of the SRCs. The union supports whole heartedly [the right to protest].”
[pullquote]“My highlight [so far] was meeting different student leaders from all across the country”[/pullquote] This year, Thothela said there would also be an “adopt a school” campaign, which meant all SRCs would be encouraged to adopt a school. In August, the union would also start a gender-based anti-violence campaign, encouraging victims to speak out against abuse.
Aims and goals
Thothela said one of his biggest goals during this year would be to challenge some of the policies that made it difficult for student leaders to do their tasks.
“If we can make substantive and quality changes in higher education then I think, collectively [as a union] we would be happy.”
SAUS comprises all South African university SRCs and is considered one of the most representative student unions in the country. It is the umbrella body of more than 20 university SRCs with their head offices in UNISA, Pretoria.
The aims and objectives of SAUS are listed in their constitution as promoting, protecting and advancing the interests of all students. One of the core functions of the union is to liaise with other national and international students’ organisations, unions and government.
Highlight of his experience
On his first five months in his SAUS position, Thothela said: “My highlight [so far] was meeting different student leaders from all across the country from different political affiliations, all centred on increasing the student voice, so that we are heard by government.”
by Nokuthula Manyathi | May 15, 2013 | Featured 1, News
Derek Hook (right) answers questions after his lecture on writing about Steve Biko. Photo: Nolwazi Mjwara
IT COULD be considered quite problematic to have a white person address an audience about techniques that could be used in writing a Steve Biko biography. Biko is of course of the founder of the Black Consciousness Movement but Derek Hook did this with confidence yesterday.
“Why are there such limited Biko biographies?,” asked Hook at the Writing Biko lecture.
A new biography
Hook, a lecturer at the University of London; and a visiting associate professor in Psychology at Wits, was asked by the HSRC (Human Sciences Research Council) press to contribute to a series of books called Voices of Liberation.
The publishers asked Hook, who is also a lead researcher in the Apartheid Archive Project based at Wits University, to be involved in the writing of a biographical Biko essay.
Hook said that creating a new and fresh Biko biography was difficult due to the limited set of historical facts and documents.
He argued that one of the best ways to write a Biko biography was: “simply to do something like a meta-analysis of all the existing biographical treatments”.
During the process of explaining this meta-analysis, Hook read and discussed passages chronicling Biko’s life written by Donald Woods, Dr Xolela Mangcu and Dr Mamphela Ramphele.
Writing techniques
Central to Hook’s talk was to investigate “how ‘creative non-fiction’ [writing] might serve as a methodological resource that aids the writer in returning to key narrative events in the various accounts of Biko’s life.” Hook discussed four possible literary techniques which one might use in telling the life story of such a renowned thought leader.
[pullquote]“Why are there such limited Biko biographies?” [/pullquote] Hook suggested anecdotal storytelling, characterisation, writing a story within a story and the use of extrapolated scenes Although such terms might have left those unfamiliar with creative non-fiction writing somewhat confused, Hook took great care in explaining and exemplify these concepts.
“What has started to become of interest to me was this idea of creative non-fiction, historical life writing… [Which] will be able to guide us to produce new insight and perspectives on Biko’s life,” said Hook
Challenge
Hook presented the lecture as a way of discussing new ways to plot the Steve Biko legacy. He said the one challenge that he had encountered in the process of writing a Biko biography was writing the last scene of Biko’s life.
“How do you write the last scene in the story … I can’t really do it,” he said. Hook explained the difficulty was mainly due to getting the accurate and truthful facts of what Biko endured in his last days.
by Nokuthula Manyathi | May 14, 2013 | Featured 1, News
From left to right: WBS Director and Head of School Professor Wendy Ngoma, Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, Vice Chancellor Professor Adam Habib. Photo: Nokuthula Manyathi
By Ray Mahlaka and Nokuthula Manyathi
SOUTH Africa’s Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe is trying to find remedies for the country’s socio-economic problem.
He addressed the Wits Business School (WBS) Alumni annual general meeting yesterday.
Motlanthe was joined by the incoming Vice Chancellor Professor Adam Habib and WBS Director and Head of School Professor Wendy Ngoma.
Habib, in his introduction, said Motlanthe was a thoughtful leader who governed with integrity.
“The one [Motlanthe] I would regard as the one with the greatest integrity. Few politicians are as liked and respected and are willing to engage,” added Habib.
In his address Motlanthe wanted to interact with the audience; to find out how South African citizens could heal all aspects of the country for the sake of their future and economy.
Economic dilemma, labour productivity, universities and development ambitions
Motlanthe raised the following questions: “What is the nature of our current economic dilemma, how can our nation improve labour productivity, what role can the universities play in South Africa’s development ambitions, can the private sector do more than it’s currently doing to help South Africa achieve the set goals?”
Unemployment, poverty and inequality were considered by Motlanthe as a “triple challenge” to the government’s development goals.[pullquote]“The Deputy President doesn’t want to lecture, but facilitate a debate and a conversation”[/pullquote]
He also argued that the shadow of apartheid had not fully receded in South Africa.
On the current economic climate, Motlanthe said there was little investment in new production and that South Africa was becoming a consumer economy.
“We are disindustrialising…labour productivity has declined by 42% since 1993,” said Motlanthe.
The decline in labour productivity was a point of concern to Motlanthe because he considered labour production as the fundamental ingredient to economic growth.
Solutions to South Africa’s socio-economic problems
In trying to find effective solutions Motlanthe supported the objectives of the National Development Plan (NDP) and also suggested greater investment into the education system.
“The NDP has been accepted as the roadmap to growth in South Africa and laid out the parameters to contribute to a shared vision,” said Motlanthe.
He also said the long-term solutions to our socio economic problems were based on having a sound education system.
“Universities are well positioned to contribute to South African challenges. Universities must become the core of innovation. We need closer ties between universities and government,” Motlanthe said.
As part of creating effective solutions Motlanthe urged the private sector to be more involved in mentorship and in social development programmes.
“More than any point in our history does the private sector have more to contribute,” he said.
In his closing remarks Motlanthe said continuing conversations between South African citizens and the government were the stepping stones to finding long-term solutions.
Habib said the aim of hosting the WBS forum was to create a free space where members of corporate, [Wits] staff and student community can engage with the Deputy President on the broader issues currently plaguing the country.
“The Deputy President doesn’t want to lecture, but facilitate a debate and a conversation…We will never address problems unless we learn to talk openly beyond institutional boundaries,” said Habib.
by Nokuthula Manyathi | May 13, 2013 | News
Screeching tyres and ‘bang’ is how local cab driver Mamodiela Mooa described the car accident that happened in Braamfontein last Sunday evening. ”
I was in my car reading the Sunday World. Then I heard screeching tyres and BANG,”said Mooa . A white Volkswagen Polo GTI travelling down De Korte street lost control leaving two cars damaged. There were no fatalities or serious injuries but those involved in the accident were left shaken.
All images by Nokothula Manyathi.
The white VW is seen parked in the middle of a four way intersection on De Korte following its collision with two other vehicles.
Mamodiela Mooa’s silver blue Toyota Camry sedan, which was parked in front of the Total garage on De Korte street, was dented by the VW which lost control. A tow car company arrived on scene soon after the accident happened.
Bystanders gathered around the Toyota Camry, taking pictures and waiting for the police to arrive.
A black Opal Corsa was also scratched and slightly dented by the VW.
Former Isidingo actor Carl Beukes (wearing orange scarf and brown jacket) who was driving a black Opal Corsa, was also affected by the accident.
After a 45 minute wait, Hillbrow police arrived on the scene. The three men who’s cars were affected by the accident had to go the police station to file an official statement.
The VW incurred the most damage and had to be towed away to a panel beater.
Following the accident Wits Vuvuzela was unable to receive an official statement from any of the affected parties about the events that lead to the accident.
by Nokuthula Manyathi | May 13, 2013 | News
By Nokuthula Manyathi, Pheladi Sethusa
by Nokuthula Manyathi | May 10, 2013 | Featured 1
CHARISMATIC CAREER DAY: Wits Speakers with some of the young matric students at the Charisma Ministries Career day. From the left: Katlego Gaborone, Thoriso Moseneke, Bulelwa Ndaba and Thato Rammekwa
Photo: Provided
FOUR Wits students were among nine guest speakers invited to speak at a matric students’ career day in Pretoria North two weeks ago.
Charisma Ministries hosted their fourth annual career day, which gave high school students the opportunity to identify their subject strengths and receive guidance on their career goals.
Thoriso Moseneke, 4th year BADA, who was part of the organising committee, said career days were important for matric learners, especially in townships, where learners did not usually have access to career workshops and guidance.
“Normally you are just told: ‘You’re in matric. Apply’. That’s it. But you are never exposed to career workshops which encourage you to apply for financial aid, scholarships and encourage learners that they have more than one option.”
[pullquote]”[I was impressed by] the dedication of the scholars” [/pullquote] The nine invited speakers represented a diverse range of career sectors such as Accounting, Engineering, Medicine, Journalism, Dramatic Arts and the Sciences. Each speaker was given 30 minutes to talk about their career and to take part in question and answer sessions with the learners.
This year, Moseneke said she encouraged the organising committee to invite speakers who were recent graduates or speakers who were about to graduate.
“I wanted young people, who just recently graduated or were about to graduate. I felt it was important to have young people because the learners could relate a bit more.”
Bulelwa Ndaba, 4th year BADA, who started her first year at Wits as a BComm student, said it was important for her to be involved as a speaker at the career day, as she felt many matric learners made mistakes when choosing their careers.
“I got so scared [when choosing a career] to do what I wanted to do, so I opted to do something I didn’t want to do, just for the money, and I was unhappy.” She said she wished more interactive career days were hosted for matric students nationally.
Katlego Gaborone, 5th year Medical Sciences, said he was humbled by the learners’ commitment to gain career guidance.”[I was impressed by] the dedication of the scholars and how they pitched up on a cold, wet and rainy Saturday morning.” He said he was honoured to be among the speakers able to impart so much knowledge to the learners.
Thato Rammekwa, a Wits Mining Engineering graduate, said it was inspiring to see the learners willing to take action towards achieving their career ambitions. After the fair, Moseneke said the learners were more motivated and felt that each speaker had given them hope, despite not necessarily being A+ students.
