Chinua Achebe remembered

by | Apr 15, 2013 | News

ACADEMICS and students gathered on Friday at Wits University to remember the life and times of the late Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe.

Achebe known for his popular and successful novel Things Fall Apart died last month at the age of 82. Achebe also wrote poems, essays, short stories and novels.

Christopher Arukwe, guest speaker at the memorial lecture hosted by West African Student Union (WASU) said Achebe influenced a generation of writers.

“He cleared narrow paths, he made literature look homey, and he tried to bring African literature home. He is an inspiration to everybody … and a great African relevant to his people,” he said.

Achebe is among Africa’s celebrated writers and his best selling literary works includes  Arrow of God, No Longer at Ease and A Man of the People.

Professor Pumla Gqola, Wits Associate Professor in the Department of African Literature said every country in Africa claims Achebe as their own.

Gqola also lauded Achebe on the book Things Fall Apart. “I don’t know so many novels that can change the world, inspires so much critique around the world, across different fields.  I do hope that going forward we will read his work, that we keep Chinua Achebe alive,” she said.

Wheelchair-bound after a car accident, Achebe lived in the United States initially while he lectured at Brown University and recently for medical reasons.

Post doctoral researcher at Wits Institute of Social and Economic Research (WISER) Dr Jendele Hungbo said Achebe broke the mould in African literature.

“He was the first group of writers who made literature possible in Africa … I see him as a fantastic African. His craft we are going to miss, he attempted to change the world. Did he achieve it? You know the answer”.

 

Vacancies worry academics

by | Apr 5, 2013 | News

The Academic Staff Association (Asawu) of Wits University  is concerned about the numbers of unfilled vacancies and academic staff retention at the institution.

The staff association said it was also alarmed by a trend of replacing permanent academic posts with short term contracts.

“We believe that this undermines the quality of teaching and reduces research output at Wits. Asawu opposes this ‘casualisation’ of the academic body. We believe that the failure of Wits management to address questions of competitive salaries, to provide adequate funds for research, and to ensure that there are smoothly functioning support systems in place underlies the loss of good academics that have left Wits,” said Asawu president David Dickinson.

Dickinson also said there has been a consistent surplus in the salaries budget at the university of approximately R100 million. Asawu further maintains that the former deputy vice chancellor of finance and operations seemed “more interested in running a budget surplus than building the university as a place of teaching, learning and research”.

Wits denies Asawu’s allegations

Outgoing vice chancellor Professor Loyiso Nongxa denied the allegations. He said that the number of personnel in temporary and acting positions is not due costs saving.  “The university has no policy of deliberately hiring staff on a temporary basis nor has the university been in the position to budget for a surplus budget,” Nongxa told Wits Vuvuzela.

In setting the annual personnel budget, Nongxa said faculties are allocated a personnel budget and they can choose how to spend it. “There is no university policy on how they use that budget, other than not to overspend,” he said.

On the allegations of the university’s budget surplus, deputy vice chancellor of finance and operation Professor Tawana Kupe said that there was never a year when R100 million surpluses were accrued from saving salary costs.

Annonymous blog and alleged economics staff shortages

According to an anonymous blog titled 11th Floor Senate house the Wits Economics department is in “crisis”. The blog alleged a shortage of academic staff and claimed that postgraduate students have assumed the role of lecturers. “There are too few senior academics … they also lost their best academic last year,” according to the blog.

Head of Economic and Business Sciences faculty Professor Judy Backhouse said that the faculty is short of lecturers in some disciplines but denied this was the case with Economics.

“We have had very high enrolments of postgraduates this year, but not in economics. All our classes are taught by staff in the school or appropriately appointed sessional lecturers. Some of the associate lecturers are currently studying for their masters degrees, but most of the staff have masters degrees and 42% of our lecturers have PhDs. We are careful to assign junior staff only to courses that they are qualified to teach,” Backhouse said.

 

 

Wits facing R12m cost for VC house

by | Mar 15, 2013 | News

WITS University might have to fork out R12 million to refurbish the official residence used by the vice chancellor.

Deputy Vice Chancellor of Finance and Operation Prof Tawana Kupe said the house is in “bad shape”.

The house is owned by the Bernard Price family trust and is made available to the Wits vice chancellor as a residence.

However, as part of the agreement, Wits must pay for the upkeep of the house.

Kupe said the agreement also stipulates that the vice chancellor of Wits must reside in house or the property will be returned to the Price family.

Kupe said Wits wants to reduce the refurbishment costs to R9 million by conducting the renovations at one time, rather than going stage-by-stage which would be more expensive.

He added that the University council was also uncomfortable paying R12 million in refurbishments to a property Wits did not own.

“We were also worried to spend R12 million renovating when we have other needs. We consulted Wits university stakeholders and they all said ‘no’ to spending R12 million on the house. We had to negotiate renovation prices down,” he said.

Incoming Vice Chancellor Prof Adam Habib told Wits Vuvuzela that he also asked for renovations amount to be reduced.

Kupe said that the university was seeking to purchase the property outright from the trust, as this would make the house an asset and justify the expense of refurbishments.

“The university can afford it as it is budgeted for, as we are getting an asset. There will be long term reduction costs in future for the university,” Kupe said.

Kupe said that in addition to being used as a residence, the house can be used for university functions and allow Wits to avoid the expense of booking an outside venue.

He said the university was planning on purchasing the house should it have to pay millions for the refurbishments.

“The family said we can give you the house only if you repair it to its original state,” he said.

Kupe said university management was in talks with the Price family to sell the house to Wits.

Outgoing Vice Chancellor Prof Loyiso Nongxa has vacated the house and renovations will begin next year.

Incoming Vice Chancellor Prof Adam Habib will not live at the official residence while the renovations are taking place.

ray@witsvuvuzela.com

Published in Wits Vuvuzela, 6th Edition, March 15.

Updated: SAUJS sets the record straight

by | Mar 12, 2013 | News

Update: 12 March 2013

SAUJS has written to Wits Vuvuzela retracting allegations of hate speech against Tokelo Nhlapo, as explained in the original article below,  and offered a formal apology.

SAUJS further said that Nhlapo painting over the mural was not “against university regulations”.

The organisation attributes their initial allegations to “an unfortunate internal error in communication within SAUJS”. Wits Vuvuzela quoted SAUJS media officer Gabriella Tobias throughout the article below and according to SAUJS national liaison officer Harry Hoshovsky an “erroneous and incorrect” release was sent from Tobias’s email address “without her knowledge”.

 

“SAUJS fundamentally respects Mr Nhlapo’s right to freedom of expression, even though we may not agree with his opinions regarding Israel. Thus, we wish to sincerely apologise to Mr Nhlapo with respect to this dubious accusation being erroneously published on our behalf,” Hoshovsky said in an updated statement.

Hoshovsky added that SAUJS did not intend to accuse Nhlapo of hate speech, despite him calling the mural “racist and wrong”.

[hr]

Original: 11 March 2013

The South African Union of Jewish Students (SAUJS) have accused an SRC member of hate speech, following what they label as “racist remarks” uttered during Israel Awareness Week.

Earlier this week Wits Vuvuzela reported that SRC vice president Tokelo Nhlapo and a fellow student painted over the mural as the duo believed that the mural was “racist and wrong”. Nhlapo also said: “most of these countries (portrayed on the wall) have signed a peace treaty with Israel”. SAUJS maintains that only two Arab countries (Egypt and Jordan) have signed peace treaties with Israel.

“As it stands, Nhlapo has been given a clear platform to spew his totally inaccurate, virulent and defamatory hate speech,” SAUJS media officer Gabriella Tobias said in a statement sent to Wits Vuvuzela.

SAUJS painted the wall in conjunction with an exhibition to raise awareness about Israel’s small geographical size compared to its hostile neighbouring states and Israel’s existence among students.

Nhlapo further alleged that if Israel wanted peace it “would stop the illegal occupation of Gaza”, a comment which SAUJS has rubbished.  “This is factually wrong as Israel unilaterally and totally withdrew its military presence in Gaza in 2005 along with all its Jewish population.”

“Currently Israel maintains a UN-supported blockade on Gaza so as to prevent military material reaching Hamas terrorists,” Tobias added.

According to Nhlapo, the Muslim Students Association (MSA) and Palestinian Solidarity Alliance (PSA) have lodged a complaint with the Dean of Student Affairs Prem Coopoo, “who approved the artwork”.

Tobias said that Nhlapo contravened Wits regulation when he painted over the mural, as the wall was not booked by any society. However the Dean of Student Affairs Prem Coopoo said: “The time that SAUJS had booked the wall had expired. The next day onwards, it was booked by the MSA and that’s the reason for clearing the wall”.

 

 

SRC member stops “racist wall”

by | Mar 4, 2013 | Featured 1, News

Wits SRC member Tokelo Nhlapo, in the red beret, and another student paint over the wall painted for Israel Awareness Week.

Wits SRC member Tokelo Nhlapo, in the red beret, and another student paint over the wall painted for Israel Awareness Week. Photo: Ray Mahlaka.

Vice-president internal of the Wits SRC, Tokelo Nhlapo, wearing a Palestinian Solidary Alliance (PSA) t-shirt, and a fellow student painted over last week’s mural from Israel Awareness Week.

The South African Union for Jewish Student (SAUJS) painted the wall in conjunction with an exhibition to raise awareness for refugees in Israel.

Nhlapo said: “I am stopping the racist wall, as it is wrong. Most of these countries (portrayed on the wall) have signed a peace treaty with Israel. I don’t think Israel wants peace, if they did want peace they would stop the illegal occupation of Gaza”.

When asked by Wits Vuvuzela if painting over the artwork was within Nhlapo’s mandate he said that any student in the university had an obligation to uphold the values “we hold dear in our heart” and that any act which contradicts that must be stopped. Nhlapo further explained that “the UN has established that Zionism is racism”.

According to Nhlapo, the MSA (Muslim Students Association) and the PSA have lodged a complaint with the Dean of Students Prem Coopoo, “who approved the artwork”.

Earlier in the day, Wits Vuvuzela took photos of the wall which had been defaced with black paint.

 

A student walks past the Israel Awareness Week mural which was defaced with black paint. Photo: Jay Caboz

A student walks past the Israel Awareness Week mural which was defaced with black paint. Photo: Jay Caboz

 

 

Fuel price hike worries students

by | Mar 1, 2013 | News

SOME Wits university students have raised concerns of decreasing spending power on the back of rising fuel prices.

There are talks of an imminent fuel price hike in all grades of fuel this month, an increase of 82 cents from the current price.

Economist at Economics.co.za Mike Schussler said a fuel price hike is definitely on the cards, which has grave knock-on-effects on other living expenses.

“Inflation will go up and the average motorist will fork out R109 more per month on fuel. The average increase since December (2012) is about R250pm”, Schussler said.

Lucia Martinengo, 1st year BA, said fuel price hikes will severely impact her ability to spend on campus food.

“The fuel price is a stress in life, as I do not have money to buy food when the petrol price is high.  Either I sacrifice on buying food or spending on petrol for travel to school,” she said.

Martinengo added that fuel price increases will be a burden to her family as she currently spends R1 000 on fuel per month.

Students who find alternative ways for transport such as car pooling clubs will also feel the pinch in travelling costs and money for food. “Money is scarce for food, as my car pooling costs are currently R500 per week and with the fuel price increase my costs will be R600, the best option would be to make food at home, ” said Firdaus Shcik, 1st year BA.

Students also said they will feel additional financial pressure when the e-toll system comes into effect. “When the e-toll system comes in place it will affect me, with additional fuel prices”, said Dino Sardiaos, said 1st year BA.

Dawie Roodt, economist at Efficient Group, said higher international oil prices and the weaker rand are the main drivers of an upsurge in fuel prices. He added that consumers can breathe a sigh of relief, as economists expect a small drop in fuel prices later in the year.

 

More black blood donors

by | Mar 1, 2013 | News

THE SOUTH AFRICAN National Blood Service (SANBS) said the number of black donors have significantly increased due to nationwide awareness campaigns.

“Primary to our objectives is educating as many people as possible about blood donation and in turn have them commit to blood donation… across all racial groups and return every 56 days,” Marelda Sibanyoni said.

Last year Wits Vuvuzela reported on the lack of black students participating in the SANBS blood drive and awareness campaign.

Sibanyoni added that the minimum amount of blood that SANBS aims to collect at the Wits University blood drive is 100 units per day over a five day period which translates into 500 units per week.  However, the improvement in blood donors is not always possible due generally low turnout.

According to the SANBS, 2 442 units were collected in 2012 over a series of nationwide blood drives.

Jessica Tovey, 2nd year speech and therapy, said donating blood is important and “makes a difference in someone’s life”.

She urged students to step forward and donate blood as her brother was once a blood donor. “Donating blood makes a small difference, as one day we might all need blood donation and I encourage people in donating blood as well,” Tovey said.

The SANBS has recently noted blood shortages around hospitals especially around holiday periods which directly impacts blood collections for patients in hospitals.

“Our donor base is made up of 412 000 people which is less than 1% of the South African population, and unfortunately it is not always possible to ensure that these donors donate a minimum of four times a year,” Sibayoni said.

The current stock levels are at 4.8 days which indicates healthy stock levels. However, this is not a fixed figure and changes every day and is entirely dependent on the number of people who give of their time and donate blood,” Sibanyoni said.

Christine Kouria, 2nd year speech and therapy, said sceptics of blood donation are often the recipients of blood transfusions.

All collected blood is destined for hospitals in the public and private sector, based on the needs of the hospitals.