by Thembisile Dzonzi | Aug 14, 2015 | Lifestyle, News
Photo: Anthea Pokroy
Minenkulu Ngoyi has made a name for himself in the South African art scene over the last couple of years. The printmaker, ‘zine-ster, artist, and publisher studied at Artist Proof Studios and is one half of the ‘zine duo Alphabet Zoo. Ngoyi, has recently joined the Wits School of Art to run a silk screen and ‘zine workshop for second year drawing and design students. Wits Vuvuzela caught up with the Johannesburg-based printmaker to discuss race relations in the local art space.
When you started making ‘zines and subsequently Alphabet zoo, what was its purpose?
We always wanted to do publications and printmaking is a form of publication, that’s why we make ‘zines. More than anything, there is no one who really makes ‘zines in the country, the few [‘zine-sters] we have are mainly in Cape Town. We wanted to say a lot of things and zines allow us to do that.
What are some of the struggles of being a young, black artist in the art space?
I think the black space hasn’t transformed much, it’s just that names are not used like they were used back then, for example the term ‘black artist’ has fallen away and now people just say ‘artist’. But it’s still the same for black artists, we are still treated the same. Unfortunately we don’t have enough black buyers or collectors so we are still in a very white space. Aseyethu e-art, eyabelungu [Art isn’t ours, it’s white peoples].
Do you think we can still transform the art space?
If people change their minds. If we transform our people, so the people we want to buy our work—which is black people—can know more about art it might change.
#SOMETHINGMUSTFALL was an exhibition inspired by the transformation climate in the country, how did you all manifest this presentation?
The show was initially intended to be immediate, after the #RhodesMustFall situation but because of the [difficulties of] black spaces. If we had a black space we would have been able to do it but we then had to find a space and eventually we did it. We wanted to be radical and talk about something that was relevant. So instead of saying #RhodesMustFall I suggested we make people guess and go with #SomethingMustFall not to be typical.
by Thembisile Dzonzi | Aug 14, 2015 | News
A race conversation is the order of the day at the 14th annual Ruth First Memorial Lecture at the Wits University Great Hall on Monday evening.
The lecture will feature commentators Eusebius McKaiser and Sisonke Msimang, and Vanguard Magazine founder Panashe Chigumadzi. Themed as “Race: Lived Experiences and Contemporary Conversations”, this year’s lecture will also feature a performance by poet Lebo Mashile.
“The wave of transformation that has taken place is an important issue relevant to young people, the Wits student body. It’s going to cut deep,” said McKaiser.
Chigumadzi, the 2015 Ruth First Fellow, will deliver a talk on her research about what it means to be a “coconut” and the experiences of young black South Africans.
“The conversation is important because it hasn’t been had before. [People] are not willing to wait anymore, we need to deal with the legacy of apartheid in a very frank way,” said Chigumadzi.
“This year in particular [we] are looking for young black people. The emphasis on lived experiences and a clearer commitment to centring black people and black spaces.”
Msimang, who is also a Ruth First fellow, will be partnering with Mashile to perform Msimang’s text based research into the possibility of authentic interracial friendships.
“[My work] looks at friendship, directly engaging with middle class concerns in order to tease out race as an independent variable from class. I wanted to do this because too often we focus on race and class as intertwined – which is important – but sometimes it makes it hard to talk about race and racism – especially with well-intentioned whites,” said Msimang.
Ruth First was a journalist and anti-apartheid activist who was killed in exile by a parcel bomb on the August, 17 1982. First, a Wits graduate, was a member of the Communist Party who was imprisoned and held in isolation before going into exile in Mozambique, where she was assassinated by the apartheid government. First was a prolific writer whose probing investigative journalism exposed many of the harsh conditions under which the majority of South Africans lived. During her time, she was the editor-in-chief of the radical newspaper The Guardian –a paper which was subsequently banned by the state.
McKaiser said the Ruth First lecture was an important part of remembering and discussing South Africa’s history. First, herself, was an interesting historical figure whose work should not be forgotten.
“She, a white Jewish woman, understood what happened within the black community,” McKaiser said.
“We need to do more to commemorate women in this country.”
This year’s talks will feature a stream of discussions that will allow attendees to attend various topics and discussions.
by Thembisile Dzonzi | May 22, 2015 | Lifestyle
Instant noodles are a popular meal enjoyed around the world. But while many consume them regularly, most are not aware of what goes into their favourite cheap eat.
CHICKEN ALA NOODLE: A quick and easy way to move from ‘instant noodles’ to a ‘meal’. Photo: Sibongile Machika
Instant noodles, everybody loves them. They’re cheap and super easy to make.
“Every bowl of instant noodles we consume is high in carbohydrates, sodium and other food additives”
But while instant noodles can satisfy your hunger and are great for your budget, there are some important facts that you should know about this popular food.
Every bowl of instant noodles we consume is high in carbohydrates, sodium and other food additives that aren’t good for your body. This is according to a study, published in 2014 by The Journal of Nutrition based on data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2007-2009.
Using the surveys data, researchers examined the diets of a total of 10,711 adults between the ages of 19-64. The survey showed that consumption of instant noodles two or more times a week was associated with a higher occurrence of metabolic syndrome in women.
Instant noodles and the flavouring soup base in each packet contain high amounts of monosodium glutamate (MSG). Which is the flavour enhancer that makes your beef flavours taste “beefier”. But as tasty as that may be, MSG consumption has been linked to other diseases such as cancer.
Aside from containing substances which can pose some risks to your health, instant noodles are also low in nutritional value. No to mention that they contain substances that reduce the body’s nutrient absorption ability and have a negative effect in the digestion process.
But In case you’re still not sure about how bad instant noodles are for you, TEDxManhattan published a video in 2011 that showed how our bodies digest instant noodles compared to organic noodles. In the video, the ingredient tertiary-Butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) is named as a possible reason for the differences. TBHQ is an anti-oxidant derived from petroleum that is commonly used as a preservative.
While instant noodles may not be that healthy, they certainly are cheap. The challenge I guess is balancing our budget while keeping in mind that the food we may be eating may be detrimental to your health.
by Thembisile Dzonzi | May 22, 2015 | Featured 1, News
In the spirit of International Museum Day this week, the Wits Adler Museum of Medicine celebrated with a lunchtime talk.
THE GOOD AND THE BAD: Wits Adler Museum of Medicine, is showing a temporary exhibition titled Asbestos: Wonder Fibre – Serial Killer by photographer David Goldblatt. Photo: Thembisile Dzonzi
Community development is a complicated issue and should be examined to ensure it is sustainable, the curator of the Wits Adler Museum of Medicine said.
“Asbestos, even though it’s good for community development, but it does have an unintended negative impact on people’s health and the environment. So that is not sustainable,” said Luvuyo Dondolo, curator of the Wits Adler Museum of Medicine.
Dondolo was speaking at a lunchtime talk themed “Museums for a sustainable society” to mark International Museum Day on Monday.
“Museums are systems of knowledge, they inform and educate so days like [International Museum Day] are important”
Tony Cantrell, visiting professor in the School of Public Health, delivered a talk about the role of asbestos–as a versatile mineral— but also as a potential killer.
Dondolo said that museums performed a valuable function in society.
“Museums are systems of knowledge, they inform and educate so days like [International Museum Day] are important. If you educate people they can be independent and that allows them to be active citizens and play a major role in democracy,” Dondolo said.
The museum is currently showing a temporary exhibition titled Asbestos: Wonder Fibre – Serial Killer by photographer David Goldblatt taken in Australia and South Africa. The exhibition showcases the effect asbestos mining has on people involved in mining operations, their families, and the environment and is designed to coincide with the faculty’s teaching programme.
Many of us may feel that visiting museums isn’t the most thrilling experience, but once one takes the time to see what they have to offer, we may be surprised by what they have to offer.
Asbestos: Wonder Fibre – Serial Killer is available for viewing until 17 July 2015.
by Thembisile Dzonzi | Apr 10, 2015 | Featured 1, News
Fear, terror and the sound of gunshots lingered at Garissa University on 2 April. Some students managed to escape the horrific attack while 147 others lost their lives.
Garissa University students on 2 April. Photo: Twitter (@DennisOkari)
A daring run after he heard piercing gunshots are what saved Erick Okuon’s life when gunmen attacked Garissa University in Kenya at dawn last week.
Many of his friends were not so lucky when masked al-Shabaab fighters stormed the university and called on students in two dormitories to come out of their bedrooms and lie on the ground, face-down, before being executed. At least 147 university students and staff were killed on the day.
Okuon and other students managed to escape the attack by jumping out of nearby windows and hiding quietly in the bush as the sound of gunshots and crying flew over their heads.
His cousin Francis Otieno, a Wits postgraduate, recounted Okuon’s story of survival and spoke of the emotional turbulence that took place on the day of the attack.
“I got the news early at 6am that morning. The first thing I thought was to call home and try to get hold of my cousin. I couldn’t get hold of him so we tried calling other people to reach out to him,” Otieno said.
“From morning to evening we had to wait and his phone was off, it was a very painful wait.”
He and other relatives had to wait along with the rest of the world to find out whether or not Okuon and other students had survived in the remote region of Kenya.
“The attack took part in the north eastern region and it’s a struggle to get someone out there so we had to wait on information from the Red Cross and the government,” Otieno said.
Otieno said most of the students at Garissa are poor. The students come from all over Kenya but attend the remote university because it is less expensive than schools in major cities.
“Most students are government sponsored and are from humble backgrounds,” explained Otieno.
Six days later, the pain of the attack still lingers in Garissa with students still fearful and going through trauma counselling.
“There is quite a lot of fear over there at the moment. This attack was on the poor, the people in the region of Garissa has large numbers of poor people. This attack just proves that nobody is spared,” Otieno said.
According to Otieno, his cousin is among those still going for trauma counselling. “He couldn’t celebrate having survived the attack. There’s no celebration, just a lot of anger.”
The April 2 attack on the university took place about 200km from the Somali border. At least 147 people were killed and 79 injured. The day was a chilling reminder of the 2013 attack in Kenya when al-Shabaab raided Nairobi’s Westgate shopping mall, killing 67 people during a four-hour siege.
by Thembisile Dzonzi | Apr 10, 2015 | News
A number of campaigns are underway at Wits in solidarity for Garissa University. Witsies will me marching and petitioning in remembrance of the lives lost on 2 April in Kenya.
Witsies are coming together in solidarity for Garissa through a series of campaign due in the next week.
The Wits Justice Project and Journalism Department have launched a petition to be signed by Wits staff and students.
Nooshin Erfani-Ghadimi of the Wits Justice Project told Wits Vuvuzela that the initiative began from a belief that Wits should express its support of the Garissa students.
“This campaign started from a conversation about how we as Witsies are making a statement or acknowledging this tragedy.”
The petition is available online for students and staff to sign on ipetitions.com
“As academics, we understand the vital need for universities and institutions of learning to provide protected space for intellectual pursuits,” Erfani-Ghadimi said.
Wits staff and students have also shown support for the victims of the Garissa attack in social media and statements.
“As a student organisation, we cannot stand by and idly watch as our peers are being murdered on the very campuses on which they are on to receive education and on which their safety should be guaranteed,” said the Wits Muslim Students Association in a statement.
“As an African organisation, we cannot let it go unnoticed that our innocent African brothers and sisters have had their lives taken from them.”
The university is planning on marching in solidarity of the Garissa students, in collaboration with the Wits SRC’s silent candle light vigil at 12:30pm on Monday.
The march will begin at the FNB building on West Campus and end at the Great Hall. Everyone is encouraged to dress in black.
by Thembisile Dzonzi | Apr 2, 2015 | Featured 1, News
Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga has signed off on plans to introduce Mandarin as a second additional language in the South African education curriculum.
The South African Department of Basic Education (DBE) announced this week that Mandarin will be introduced into the South African curriculum.
Scholars in Grades 4 to 12 will have the option of taking Mandarin as a second language option as from January next year.
Plans to introduce the language started last year when Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga signed an implementation plan to strenthen educational ties between the Ministry of Education in China and the DBE at an institutional and policy level.
Over the years South Africa and China have joined together and signed several strategic agreements that aim to strengthen bilateral relations, trade co-operation and create sustainable investment. China is also one of South Africa’s top tading partners.
Not a replacement for existing languages
Motshekga’s spokesperson, Troy Martens told Wits Vuvuzela that the introduction of mandarin is part of a language and cultural exchange between the two countries.
Although the DBE says that the implementation plans were still being finalised, Mandarin will be available to scholars in a select number of schools around South Africa from 2016.
Mandarin will join the likes German, Serbian, Latin, Portuguese, Spanish, Tamil, Telegu and Urdu, as alternative language options for students.
“It must be emphasised that this is not a replacement for any of the existing languges offered. It is a second additional language option,” Martens said
Trish Cooper, course coordinator at the Wits Language School (WLS), said “[Mandarin] is an exceptionally difficult language to learn. It takes about 600 to 800 hours to learn a European language whereas it takes more than 2000 hours for Mandarin.”
“My concern is that kids are already coming out of school with little mother tongue competence. Which makes it difficult to transfer the necessary skills into a second language,” said Cooper.
Although acknowledging the importance of Mandarin for business reasons, Cooper adds that she believes that African languages and culture need to be promoted more and should come first.
by Thembisile Dzonzi | Mar 26, 2015 | Featured 1, News
DigitalCampus is offering 100% online Wits accredited certificates. Photo: File
DigitalCampus , the online platform that offers courses Wits online courses, has teamed up with Wits Plus to revolutionise the learning experience using an online learning platform.
Online enrollment began in December 2014, and for now only one course (A certificate in Managing Labour Relations) is on offer. 18 students are presently enrolled in the program. Courses that will be offered are aimed at corporate individuals who are looking to develop their professional skills.
According to their website the program offers more than just online courses. DigitalCampus assures that their courses are focused on the practical skills you need, to get ahead in your career.
What do I need to do to enroll for a course?
To get started you will need a Grade 12 or matric certificate (or equivalent). In the absence of a Grade 12 certificate, recognition of prior learning will be considered on a case-by-case basis. If you are over the age of 23 and have 3 years working experience you may be considered.
The courses provided by DigitalCampus are 100% online.
The course duration is 10 weeks. These are divided into 8 modules, with one module a week. The 9th week is a study break which is then followed by a final exam in week 10.
Lecture videos are provided for a more comprehensive engagement with the content. Assignments and information are distributed online and via email correspondence.
Exams take place online. You must have access to the internet, a laptop and a webcam for identity verification.
All content is provided by Wits Plus, the Centre for Part-Time Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand which offers various qualifications and a wide range of high-level short courses to mature professionals.
The qualification provided is a NQF Level 5 Wits certification.
The course will cost you between R10000 and R12000 per course.
All course material is in English and all assessments are delivered in English.
Register online at www.digitalcampus.co.za
by Thembisile Dzonzi | Mar 20, 2015 | Featured 1
Social work students participated in a mini-march through Wits for World Social Work Day. Photo: Tendai Dube
Witsies celebrated social workers earlier this week with a mini-march on campus and an inspirational talk from a former student.
Around 35 students and staff members joined the march on campus from the Great Hall to the Emthonjeni Auditorium for a presentation by guest speaker Shamona Kandia.
Tuesday March 17 was designated World Social Work Day to acknowledge the contribution of social workers in communities.
A die-hard social service professional, Kandia returned to her Wits roots to “inspire others and to move them towards realising their potential and achieving greatness”.
“It just takes one person to bring about change”
She took to the podium to share her experience and expertise. “It just takes one person to bring about change,” said Kandia, a senior manager handling the health portfolio at Transnet.
Kandia says, “The passion energy and drive I had, emanated from the people who taught me in university. I still keep in touch with my lecturers … I just feel there’s so much value a social worker can add to the community.”
Kandia holds a Master’s degree in Social Work and various other qualifications in community development and management. She started as social worker for an NGO and worked in government for 16 years before moving to Transnet in 2012.
She is best known for her passion for community development and has spent her career as an advocate for child justice and the transformation of the child justice system in South Africa.
“Across the globe there is no social worker as unique as the African social worker. African, South Africa, truly has a heartbeat of its own and cannot be compared the world over,” she said.
Social Work is an important profession
Social work is a field that is devoted to helping people function at their best in their environment. The field includes services such as community development, child protection and health, among others.
Social workers are at the heart of the social protection system, Kandia said. She acknowledged the challenges and highlights of the profession and made it very clear that “social workers do more than just ‘feel good work’, we do more than just promote charities —we truly are advocates for change”.
The celebration was part of professional social work month, an initiative by the International Federation of Social Workers, the International Association of Schools of Social Work and the International Council on Social Welfare.
Witsies dressed in white and blue to represent the second pillar of the Global Agenda for Social Work and Social Development and the theme of “Promoting the Dignity and Worth of Peoples”.
by Thembisile Dzonzi | Mar 13, 2015 | News
“Is THAT your real hair?” “Can I touch your hair?” “You black girls are so lucky, you can change your hair all the time.”
On countless occasions, I’ve heard those words come out of peoples’ mouths when speaking about hair and it irks me to the core.
I understand, it’s different, it’s intriguing and you can’t help yourself. For many years your people have been fascinated by mine. They studied every inch of our bodies and still, decades later you don’t understand us and you’re still asking me silly questions.
“Go on to Youtube and watch the mini documentary You can touch my hair and if that doesn’t help you, call Jesus.”
The first thing we all need to understand is the concept of hair diversity. I read an article once that suggested the reason European and northern hemisphere ethnic groups have long, straight hair is because during the Ice Age, the Africans who had migrated north evolved and grew long, straight hair to protect their necks, and subsequently their main arteries.
Short, long, I will never touch it
Those who stayed had shorter, curlier hair to keep cool and didn’t need to protect the backs of their necks from the cold. I acknowledge these differences and that is why I will never ask to touch your hair.
Many black people today argue that imitating European standards of beauty and grooming is necessary for blacks to be accepted by white culture, especially by potential white masters and employers.
For decades black women have been overwhelmed with devices, creams, and tonics, claiming to be the “cure” for our kroes hare. Don’t we struggle enough?
See, every time you ask me silly questions about my hair and want to touch it, I imagine how Saartjie “Sarah” Baartman felt back in 1810, when she was exhibited in London. Ornamentilised, as people ogled her large buttocks and elongated labia, and of course, her hair.
In 2013, three black women, all with different hair styles, stood in New York with signs encouraging people to touch their hair. The social experiment was aimed at educating and exploring the widespread fascination with black hair. Take 30 minutes out of your time one day, go on to Youtube and watch the mini documentary You can touch my hair and if that doesn’t help you, call Jesus.
Yes, this is my hair
But unlike those women, no you can’t touch my hair to curb your curiosity!
Firstly, you can’t touch my hair because I am not an animal at a petting zoo. Secondly, my black ancestors may have been your ancestors’ property, and they had to smile while being touched in ways they didn’t want to, but I am not your property, so please keep your hands away from my hair.
And yes, this is my hair, I bought it didn’t I? No one asks you if that’s your face under all that make-up. I spent a generous amount of time and money maintaining my hair. My hair is a part of me, it always has been and will always be. I grew with it. We’ve had our highs and lows and we’re still rooted together.
If you’re trying to make conversation, converse, don’t ask if you can touch my hair. Respect me. You may think your reasons for doing so are great, I don’t’.
