by Sinikiwe Mqadi | Apr 13, 2015 | News
It appears that anti-homophobia organisation Activate’s goal of ending prejudice around sexual and gender identity among Witsies is going to be a challenging one.
On Friday, Activate members staffing information stands on campus were the target of insults: “These guys were passing by and they said ‘Eish these lesbians. Do not worry we will fuck you anyway’,” said Felicia Thobejane, 2nd year Architecture.
Activate Wits told Wits Vuvuzela that, while most Wits students do not discriminate against other students with regard to their gender or sexual identities, there are still challenges in residences. Some people report hostility from other students.
“Some students say they get to the bathrooms, and are looked at as taboo,” said Activate spokesperson Lesedi Sithole.
Activate launched its first ‘Monthly Pride’ event last week, with tables offering information on differently gendered identities. It is a week-long event, dedicated to educating the Wits community about LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transexual) students as well as those who identify as intersex, asexual, queer and other sexual and gender identities as part of Activate’s mission to make the Wits campus a safe and welcoming place for all, regardless of their identity.
Outside the Umthombo building, students supporting the campaign carried placards written in bold letters with slogans such as: “I speak out against homophobia and transphobia”, “Some people are queer. Get over it!” and “I am straight but not narrow”.
Many students passed by the information tables, but few stopped to talk.
“The response has been great from the majority of students but some guys just said, ‘Oh ezi zitabane [these mofies]’,” recounted Muneiwa Phodzo, 3rd year Biomedical Engineering.
“Our aim is to inform students on campus. People are still scared and uncomfortable to engage in conversations concerning LGBT,” said Sithole.
At an event last year, Activate found some of their informational posters in bins. “Even during the Pride Week, you could see that people come to us because they want our t-shirts instead of engaging with the topics,” Sithole said.
Activate Wits is a diverse student society with about 50 members, dedicated to raising awareness around LGBT issues, and protecting the rights of the differently gendered community at Wits. It works in partnership with the Transformation and Employment Equity Office, Wits Pride, Gay and Lesbian Memory in Action (GALA) and WHAM, a mixed-gender, queer-friendly rugby club.
by Sinikiwe Mqadi | Apr 10, 2015 | Opinion
Tshepo Mothiba. Photo: Sinikiwe Mqadi
Tshepo Mothiba is a programme project officer at the Wits Transformation Office. He spoke to Wits Vuvuzela about the challenge of having few Black South African academics. Only 14% of Wits’s academic staff are black South Africans.
Why are there so few black academics at Wits?
I do not think academic careers are attractive. Universities cannot afford to compete with a private sector which offers people better salaries. Some people have been discriminated against because of their gender and race, even students. So, as soon as they finish their degree all they want, is to leave Wits. We have had cases of people coming to us saying they were not promoted because they are black. Some people do not feel they fit in to the culture of the institution.
Do you think Wits promotes black African academics?
Over the years, Wits has put in place measures aimed at providing support to develop academics.However, the transformation process has been very slow. Wits has always portrayed itself as non-racial but there are challenges with employment equity. The university says it cannot find suitable-qualified academics, as they cannot compete with private sector.
Who should be blamed for this?
The apartheid system. Even today, white people still have privilege. In job interviews, blacks compete with people who are being interviewed in their [first] language, so they stand a better chance of getting a job. The legacy of discrimination is still felt even today.
What should the government’s role be?
Universities are independent institutions. They are the ones who should tell government what to do. Still, government should use its available resources and influence to drive change in all sectors including higher education. It is important for government to develop performance indicators and to ensure continuous monitoring in this regard.
What is the role of the transformation office?
We are playing the supporting and advisory role. We ensure transformation is put on the agenda of relevant structures across the university. But, it is the people in the position of power who have to bring change. The university schools have a responsibility to present reasonable targets in terms of the Actively Employed People statistics.
by Sinikiwe Mqadi | Apr 9, 2015 | News
The University of Cape Town removed the statue of Cecil John Rhodes for the sake of its public image, and should not be praised, one of the activists behind #RhodesMustFall told Wits Vuvuzela.
The statue of Rhodes was removed from UCT on Thursday evening following a month-long student protest and a decision taken by the University Council.
“This is just a small victory, the university should not be praised. They only did this for their public image,” said Ru Slayen, one of the protesters members. Slayen said the statue removal is the beginning of transformation at UCT, and activists plan to start talks about transforming the university.
“The statue was provocative, undermining and sitting in the face of a black child, it’s like putting a statue of Hitler in a Jewish institution”
Students from Wits University have celebrated on UCT’s victory.
Wits SRC president Mcebo Dlamini said removing the statue was only the beginning and the transformation campaign was bigger than just UCT.
“South Africa is still untransformed,” he said “The statue was provocative, undermining and sitting in the face of a black child. It’s like putting a statue of Hitler in a Jewish institution.”
“We have always stood in solidarity with UCT students, but we are more interested on the questions that rise after the removal, such as the curriculum transformation,” said Shibu Motimele, one of the members of the Transform Wits.
Mzwanele Ntshwanti,Wits 3rd year Actuarial Science, told Wits Vuvuzela “I do not think student leaders should get excited, there is a long way to go,” he said. “It’s not just about the statue.”
CARRIED AWAY: A picture of the Rhodes being removed from UCT shared on Facebook by Herman Wasserman, Professor of Media Studies at UCT.
by Sinikiwe Mqadi | Mar 21, 2015 | News
One of the South Point buildings in Braamfontein. Photo: Sinikiwe Mqadi
Students are complaining about dirty accommodation in a South Point buildings despite advertisements promising daily cleaning services.
According to the advertisements, all student accommodation common areas are supposed to be cleaned daily, but Clifton Heights is cleaned only once a week due to a lack of staff.“It is not possible to clean all communes every day at Clifton because we do not have enough cleaners.” said South Point facilities, manager Jan Botha.
Second-year social work student, Thabo Mokoena and other students have complained that their commune houses are not cleaned but said there was no response.
“I ended up writing in their maintenance book that they should not come to my room at all, because I can do better,” said Mokoena.
Students also said that they chose to stay at South Point because they saw on the advertisements that it is a convenient place for students and would be clean.
“I came to this place because I thought they clean for us every day. We are students—we do not have time,” said microbiology honours student, Keneilwe Ranakabae.
Clifton Heights has five cleaners to service 126 communes. Cleaning services are outsourced to the Tsepo Cleaning Company. Common areas include kitchens, bathrooms, television room and verandas.
According to the Consumer Protection Act: “Consumers have a right to fair and responsible marketing. Suppliers are not permitted to mislead consumers in respect of pricing, the nature, properties, advantages or uses of goods or services advertised, if such goods are not actually available for purchase or procurement in accordance with these standards.”
by Sinikiwe Mqadi | Mar 20, 2015 | Opinion
Ismail Vadi. Photo: Provided
Gauteng MEC of Transport, Ismail Vadi, launched the Johannesburg commuter bicycle map 2015 together with Johannesburg Urban Cyclists Association last week Saturday. He spoke to Wits Vuvuzela about cycling. He believes that the new maps are an invaluable contribution to making Johannesburg cycling friendly.
How does cycling contribute to the development of the province?
The Johannesburg Urban Cycling Association’s (JUCA) map promotes non-motorized transport in the city of Johannesburg. It provides a user-friendly guide to cyclists to travel in the city and suburban areas using routes that have been carefully selected and tested by cyclists themselves. If more people take to cycling to get around the city, or to work and back home, it will help to reduce traffic congestion and pollution in Johannesburg.
Do you think citizens of Johannesburg will adopt this initiative?
I am confident that the roads and transport division in the city will support this innovative work by installing the necessary signage on the selected cycling routes. I hope many more students will take to it to get to campus and back home. Road safety remains a challenge for all be it motorists, pedestrians or cyclists.
You advocate for cycling. Do you cycle from/to home and work?
I enjoy cycling and have participated in the 94.7 cycle challenge in the past three years. I do not cycle to work.
Is cycling among your top priorities?
Yes, it is. The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport has set a target that in the next five years each city in our province should have 50 kilometers of pedestrian and cycling lanes.
What is the growth plan for cycling lanes in Gauteng?
Each year the department sets aside some funding for the construction of pedestrian and cycling lanes, particularly in townships. We are pleased that cities such as Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni are now providing dedicated cycling lanes for daily use by residents.
