Sibusisiwe Manqele, a Wits alumnus, walks us through her journey as a prominent creative in the entertainment industry.
A powerful voice, creative vision and a vibrant personality are the qualities that make Sibusisiwe Gugu Manqele an innovative storyteller.
From doing voice-overs for numerous brands and writing scripts for popular South African TV shows such as Gomora, House of Zwide and currently Skeem Saam, Sibusisiwe continues to establish her as a prominent force in the industry.
Sibusisiwe grew up in Ulundi, Kwazulu-Natal which is where her love for storytelling began. Her upbringing involved long commutes from home to school with private scholar transport and the other passengers were her first storytelling audience.
“These were spaces for creating stories because we’d have 30 (minutes) plus commute when I wasn’t in boarding school, and they’ll just be stories. As kids you just find things to pass time and part of that is storytelling,” she said.
This passion for storytelling drove her to want to study at The School of Arts at Wits University. She applied for a Bachelor of Arts in Dramatic Arts (now known as Theatre and Performance), a position she had to audition for despite having no prior experience in drama. “I decided to adapt a novel that I was doing and it’s only now when I think about, oh my gosh, that was the writer in (me)”. This adaptation impressed the markers and got her into the programme.
Against the recommendations made by her course coordinators, Sibusisiwe also did Television and Film, which would often clash with Dramatic Arts classes. “My friend and I had this thought that, ‘No man, we can’t be waiting for acting. When acting is not moving we need to be behind the scenes’”.
Manqele found her first time at Wits as a journey that allowed her to understand the arts and provide her with a network of other creatives, especially as a person who did not have the same artistic background as her colleagues.
After completing her majors in 2012, she spent seven years in the industry trying to get into different types of entertainment, such as lifestyle and reality shows. In 2019, she decided to pursue an Honours Degree in Creative Writing at Wits University which she felt helped her get into more linear, fiction storytelling.
Sibusisiwe Manqele is more than just a script writer but also a businesswoman and innovator at heart. She is the founder of CONTENTWOOD, a production company which tells stories “That give voice to narratives that you don’t always see”, and a part of these narratives involve the empowerment of women.
The company’s first and only short film, Questions, was an experimental film taken from poetry, looks at mental health and the experiences of black women. Manqele had the privilege of presenting the film in Paris at the Communicating Multi-Modally: Research & Expressive Culture in May 2022.
Manqele has had an illustrious career which has been topped off by her being listed as one of Mail & Guardian’s Top 200 Women in South Africa in 2023. When asked to share wisdom for Witsies and aspiring creatives she shared that knowing oneself is the secret and beginning of all wisdom. “And then knowing what you have to give to the world and leveraging that and making the world a better place through that service.”
In a time where the second semester is starting to get the ground running, Wits students can look to Manqele as a beacon of hope for what’s to come from hard work.
FEATURED IMAGE: Sibusisiwe Gugu Manqele. Photo: Skinnie’s Gallery.
The Wits SRC took their fight against min-year exclusions directly to the Senate, hoping to resolve the issue before exams start.
The Wits Student Representative Council (SRC) led a spirited demonstration from the Great Hall to Solomon Mahlangu House on Thursday, May 16, as they challenge the university’s mid-year registration cancellations policy.
These exclusions happen when students are unable to meet financial and/or academic obligations. In particular, cases where students are unable to settle financial difficulties which prevented them from registering in the beginning of the year.
Addressing attendees in front of the great Hall steps, Wits SRC Academic Officer, Atlegang Motshabi, said: “The reason why these two motions make sense to collaborate is because the real reason for mid-year exclusions is capitalism. That’s why they’re scared to take a stance on Palestine, because of the system of capitalism.”
The SRC led the group toward the Senate Room in attempt to stage a sit-in as the meeting took place. However, Wits security closed the doors to the venue, leading to a standoff between the SRC leaders and Wits Campus Protection Services (CPS). This caused a delay as many students were not able to enter with some having to write tests in other parts of the same building.
Speaking to Wits Vuvuzela after the meeting, Motshabi said their motion had not been tabled or voted on, and they were advised to tweak errors on their proposal.
“The Deputy Vice Chancellor then told us that after we are done with it, we can take it to Senate Teaching & Learning, and she would then grant an emergency meeting, to make sure that everything happens before June results come out.”
Motshabi said the plan was to be proactive and prevent mid-year exclusions before it was too late. “In March we started consulting, because before you draft a proposal you have to go on a consultative process, you need to speak to different stakeholders then you need to take into consideration the Senate meetings and dates. The one that happened in March was too early (because) we had not finished the consultative process. So that’s when we said that May 16 is proper because it’s right before exam season.”
With the exams starting in two weeks, all eyes will be on the outcome of this process.
Commission confirms the electoral process will be in full swing ahead of the elections
Sy Mamabolo, chief electoral officer for the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) said that they are ready for the country’s seventh democratic national elections due to take place at the end of this month.
Mamabolo was addressing the media on May 14, 2024, explaining that the country has reached the most crucial stage of the preparation process.
The electoral officer explained that the voting process will start on May 16, with over 76000 registered voters based outside of the country. After completion, “ballots will be transported through a secure channel back to the national office of the commission for counting,” explained Mamabolo.
Meanwhile, over one million special voters will have an opportunity to cast their votes two days before the general elections on May 27 and 28, 2024.
Voters will receive three ballot papers: the national compensatory ballot which will bear the names of the political parties only, the provincial and regional ballots which will have the names of parties as well as independent candidates. Citizens will be able to make their mark on each paper.
Mamabolo emphasised the importance of people voting where they have been registered. Those who wish to change voting districts can do so by notifying the Electoral Commission by no later than Friday, May 17, 2024.
To ensure that every South African can participate in the electoral process, the commission said disabled people will be assisted by the South African Council for the Blind. “We have developed a voting aid which we’ll call the Universal Ballot Template (UBT) to increase chances of confidently exercising the right to vote,” said Mamabolo. He added that the UBT “can be used by blind and partially sighted persons, persons with low visions, persons with an unsteady hand, the elderly and even people with low literacy levels.”
According to Mamabolo, there is a “record of over 160 organisations with 5000 observers domestically and all around the world (who) will be observing South Africa’s 2024 National Elections.” This is to ensure the elections are free and fair.
Counting of votes
The electoral officer explained that the counting of votes will take place at each station in the presence of political parties and independent candidates’ agents as well as observers. He added ballots from the stations will only be transported after a result slip has been concluded.
The commission will also launch the National Results Centre (ROC) on Wednesday, May 22, 2024, which will be based at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Johannesburg. Furthermore, Mamabolo said the commission is in the final stages of training 202 500 voting officials, who will oversee the election process at the various voting stations.
Registered voters can check their voting station ahead of election day by either SMSing their ID number to 32810 or by using the voting station finder application on the IEC website
FEATURED IMAGE: Independent Electoral Commission logo: Photo: File
Students staying in private student accommodations in Braamfontein concerned by a series of suspicious power outages affecting their daily lives.
Although load-shedding has been suspended, there are still instances of power supply disruptions, frequently attributed to cable theft.
Recently, on May 1, 2024, City Power confirmed that a fire broke out at Fordsburg substation the previous night, due to suspected vandalism and cable theft.
According to City Power, cable theft at the Fordsburg substation not only started a fire, but burnt the cables linking it to the Braamfontein one. This caused a blackout for many areas in Braamfontein and Parktown. It was the third time City Power announced a power outage in Braamfontein, which resulted from cable theft in the month of April, with the area also experiencing unexplained power outages on April 1 as well April 9, 2024, respectively.
Despite this recent outage in May, in the previous month, South Point residents said that they have been solely experiencing power interruptions that have not been reported by City Power. This has caused outrage from students who believe South Point is being secretive about the cause of the interruptions. The students are also concerned about the frequency and how poorly prepared South Point is for them.
The most recent building to go through a power outage was 56 Jorissen, a South Point student accommodation situated across from the Wits Arts Museum. The outage occurred on April 24, and it lasted for three days. Tenants also experienced water issues alongside power outage.
South Point accommodation, 56 Jorissen, and Wits Arts Museum, Braamfontein. Photo: Siyanda Mthethwa
A tenant at 56 Jorissen Omolemo Tsomele, a third year LLB student at Wits University, expressed his concerns regarding the frequent power outages. He criticized South Point’s lack of sufficient assistance with the matter, and said that they waited until the electricity returned to help the tenants with food, which was already too late as groceries were affected by the outage. Tsomele also cites 56 Jorissen’s lack of a backup generator was a problem as the outages occur frequently, adding that the generator that is in place only lights up the hallway and keeps the Wifi on.
Earlier in April, a similar experience occurred at another South Point building in 46 de Korte from the 8th of April to the 11th. Sibongiseni Lungani Daniel, a fourth-year Theatre and Performance student at Wits University is a tenant at this accommodation. He expressed that residents at the accommodation did not receive clear communication on the issue.
He claims that South Point only provided food on the third day of the power outage. He said he is unhappy with the minimal efforts that it makes in times of power crises, and he questions why City Power does not have cables readily available to replace the stolen cables, given that it is a recurring issue.
On April 26, 2024, The Wits Student Representative Council (SRC) published a statement on Instagram acknowledging the power outage at South Point 56; and stated they met with them that night before. In the same statement, it was said that the power had been restored and that the SRC were working with South Point management to distribute meals to those who were affected.
South Point was unavailable to comment on both instances. When asked about the specific power outages at South Point, City Power referred the publication to X, where they regularly give updates about outages.
FEATURED IMAGE: Braamfontein sign and switched off traffic light. Photo: Siyanda Mthethwa.
A group of young amateur boxers get to test their strength in a grueling competition filled with bloody noses and technical knockouts.
On Saturday, April 13, 2024, a white-collar boxing event was held at Lightweights Gym in Northfield, Johannesburg, giving promising and inexperienced boxers a platform to showcase their skills in front of an audience.
Boxers squaring off in intense fight. Photo: Siyanda Mthethwa.
A group of local boxers came together to create a competition that allowed beginner boxers, who had not competed in official fights, to go up against one another. Ten fights were contested throughout the evening, each one consisting of three, two-minute rounds.
It was a high-adrenaline competition with a couple of fights resulting in a Technical Knock-Out (TKO) which is when a referee stops the match due to one of the fighters being unable to continue fighting or defending themselves.
Lusanda Komanisi, former IBO World Champion and multiple-title holder, was one of the organizers of the prestigious event. When speaking about the importance of it, he said: “We wanted to put fun in it and make people be able to watch boxing and make them scream as much as they want to.”
He added that the event made him proud because of the positive shift away from watching professional fighting as it was able “to put amateurs [in the ring] and give them a chance to shine.”
One of the favourites of the night was Wits graduate, Nota Jiyane, who sparred against Third-year Wits student, Kgothatso Swandle, and won the duel. Jiyane, who was in high spirits following his victory reflected “The fight went to plan, nothing out of the ordinary, you know. I just stuck to the plan that the coaches gave me, it went well”.
Jiyane says the sport is personal for him, “I used to be bullied back when I was a kid, and this was me stepping out of my comfort zone. So, I’m not going to stop now.”
He also believes small platforms like this are where untapped talent lies, “we can be known as the hotspot for one of the best fighters in the world and I believe that we can do that just by doing these little events,”.
Tshepiso Fambe, a spectator, praised the event for bringing people together and allowing people to “showcase their talent”.
Nevertheless, the event was a success, and potential fighters can look forward to the next event which will be hosted in July, giving them ample time to prepare.
FEATURED IMAGE: Two boxers fighting at white-collar event. Photo: Siyanda Mthethwa.
Mismanagement, failures in meeting requirements and delays in paying student allowances are some of the reasons leading to the dissolution of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme.
Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Professor Blade Nzimande has blamed the outgoing National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) board for not fulfilling their administrative duties, and students failing as a result.
In a media briefing held on Sunday, April 14, Nzimande addressed the recurring problem of non-payment and student allowances that have been plaguing NSFAS. The minister responded to this by dissolving the board on April 11, 2024.
Nzimande said the outgoing NSFAS board were unable to uphold basic responsibilities, with some of these shortcomings being the “consistent inability to oversee payment of student allowances timeously,” and the scheme’s failure to respond to student queries timeously.
The outgoing board was also unable to meet the Werksman Report requirements. One of the key requirements was to terminate the contracts of four of the service providers as these tenders were handed irregularly.
Now the scheme has a new administrator, Sithembiso Freeman Nomvalo. He is the former CEO of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants and has 25 years of experience under his belt, 17 split between the private and public sector. Nomvalo has also been credited for possessing “extensive knowledge and (an) impeccable track record in public finance and government processes”.
First on the agenda for Nomvalo is taking over the governance, management, and administration of NSFAS for a period of one year, which is subject to a renewal of a further 12 months depending on the progress that is made.
The new administrator will also be required to “finalize all the necessary financial decisions and outstanding payments especially those relating to student accommodation”.
Joseph Baloyi, a first-year BA Law student at Wits University and a NSFAS beneficiary does not believe that the change will have any positive effect.
He claims that he has been experiencing delays in receiving his allowances throughout the year and that private banks are the reason for the delays. He believes that the solution is for the Minister to “remove the private banks, then pay the school so that the school can pay us.”
At the briefing, Chief Operation Officer at NSFAS, Errol Makhubela, confirmed that “NSFAS has granted an extension to all universities to continue to disperse allowances to students from April to July 2024”.
The scheme advanced an upfront payment to distribute the student allowances which will commence on Monday, 15 April 2024. Makhubela said the advanced upfront payment, which covers book allowances, food allowances and travel allowances will be paid for by the institutions.
FEATURED IMAGE: A student filling in paperwork for funding. Photo: File.
“You can take away Kitchener’s and you’re literally taking away Braam,” said DJ, Billy Meliodas of the bar’s closure.
Shockwaves have been sent throughout the street life culture this week, as Kitchener’s Carvery Bar announced their closure due to ‘economic circumstances’.
Kitchener’s Carvery Bar in Braamfontein. Photo: Siyanda Mthethwa.
The pub has been situated in the heart of Braamfontein since the early 1900s and more recently has been an iconic cornerstone of the creative hub of the city. The blue exterior with white pillars draws people in visually, but the music and electric energy are what lure people in and make them loyal patrons. Wits Vuvuzela student journalist, Ruby Delahunt, describes the venue as a “welcoming environment” that “allowed a lot of new DJs to test the waters and start out”.
Kitchener’s truly stands out because of its authenticity and its pursuit of keeping its unique identity. Eddie, a bartender at Kitchener’s said, “Nights where there’s just two customers here, we never said ‘Oh no, maybe we should change our music, maybe we should change business. We never compromised as so many trends came and went’”. He further went on to explain that “it’s always been a huge part of street culture in Braamfontein” and that it’s “given a platform to so many people” including creatives and musicians who were able to express themselves without shame.
Local DJ, Billy Meliodas, went into depth about the impact that Kitchener’s had on his life and Braamfontein as a whole. “The owner of Kitchener’s [Andrew Clement] took me from the street, and he looked after me. Everyone in Kitchener’s is happy…it’s not a place where you can come and find conflict”. He continued, “They’re closing the true heart of Braam…this place is a home to everybody.”
Kitchener’s is one of the last remaining authentic pubs which prioritizes community as Billy and the staffers explained, people could go to the bar on their own with a guarantee that they would walk out having made a friend or two. A final hoorah will be held this long weekend.
Thank you, Kitchener’s for being a home to many. Thank you, Kitchener’s for being a safe space and encouraging people to chase their dreams and just have fun. After March 31, 2024, it will no longer be open, but it will forever be in our minds and hearts. We hope that the energy and symbol that it represented stays with us and the future of Braamfontein.
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