The gathering served as both a sombre memorial and a rallying cry, amplifying demands for stronger protections for women.
Wits University held a candlelight vigil for Olorato Mongale on May 29, 2025.
Speakers called for action against gender-based violence.
A national study shows that 1 in 3 women in South Africa have experienced physical or sexual violence.
Students, staff, and community members stood shoulder to shoulder, their candles casting a glow over the Great Hall Piazza in remembrance of a slain student.
The Wits Students’ Representative Council held a candle lighting ceremony on May 29, 2025 to honour Olorato Mongale, a Master of Arts in ICT Policy and Regulation student, whose body was found in Lombardy East after she went missing following a first date on Sunday.
Students gather in solemn silence, candles in hand, during a nighttime vigil at Wits University. Photo: Rivaldo Jantjies
The event brought together the university community to demand justice and action against gender-based violence, following reports that Mongale was brutally killed within two hours of leaving on a date. Speakers included student leaders, Dean of Student Affairs Jerome September, and Dr. Lucienne Abrahams, director of the LINK Centre at Wits University, who condemned the ongoing violence faced by women and demanded urgent action from university management and government.
“It is a very somber moment, as we come together to celebrate Olorato’s life but also speak out against GBV,” said September. Abrahams echoed the urgency, saying the frequency of such violence reflects a deep and systemic failure that requires immediate attention. She added, “There are many takeaways, and those takeaways are going to unravel themselves over time.”
According to Wits student Amu Botes, who attended the vigil, the tragedy highlights the limits of vigilance by. “Even today, my mom called me and said, ‘Please be safe.’ But the truth is, we try — we cover up, we stay sober, we stay on campus or at home — and still, it’s not enough,” she said. “We face harassment daily, and no one cares until we’re raped, killed, or turned into a headline. This is a call for men to hold themselves accountable and for the justice system to act.”
Wits SRC President addresses students during a solemn candlelight vigil held on campus. Photo: Rivaldo Jantjies
Mongale’s death is not an isolated incident — it is part of a much deeper crisis facing women in South Africa. A pivotal study released in November 2024 by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) offers an unwavering look at the scale of gender-based violence in the country. The First South African National Gender-Based Violence Study reveals that 35.5% of women aged 18 and older — about 7.8 million — have experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime, while more than 1.5 million faced such violence in just the past year. The report underscores how GBV continues to devastate individuals and communities, with its impact felt in homes, on campuses, and across society.
SABC reports that Philangenkosi Makhanya, the prime suspect in Mongale’s murder, was killed in a confrontation with police in Amanzimtoti, south of Durban, on Friday morning. Two additional suspects have since been arrested in connection with the case.
FEATURED IMAGE: With candles in hand, attendees listen intently to the speaker during a moving candlelight vigil at Wits University. Photo: Rivaldo Jantjies.
Timothy Omotoso’s departure after a controversial acquittal highlights deep concerns about justice and accountability in South Africa.
The deportation of the televangelist Timothy Omotoso on May 18, 2025, marks yet another worrying pattern in South Africa’s criminal justice system: powerful people slipping away before full accountability is achieved.
Omotoso and his co-accused were acquitted on 32 charges of rape and human trafficking on 2 April 2025. However, instead of facing continued public scrutiny, Omotoso accepted voluntary deportation to Nigeria, just one day before the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) confirmed its intention to appeal the ruling on May 19, 2025.
If the appeal is successful, South Africa would need to seek Omotoso’s extradition, which is often an uncertain process, given the country’s poor track record with high-profile cases.
This follows earlier failures, where the Gupta brothers remained abroad after their extradition was mishandled. Shepherd Bushiri fled to Malawi and has never returned.
These examples reflect a justice system where influential people evade accountability with ease. These unjust cases have left South Africans with a recurring sense that justice only applies selectively.
The Omotoso case cuts even deeper because it intersects with South Africa’s gender-based violence (GBV) crisis. Cheryl Zondi, one of the first witnesses to testify how she was raped at 14 by Omotoso, expressed her concerns, stating that “evil prevails in this world.”
Zondi’s courage, and the collective trauma relived by sexual assault survivors, was sidelined by the court’s technicalities and the prosecutor’s unpreparedness.
Even more heartbreaking is the murder of Pamela Mabini, a community activist who supported victims in the Omotoso case. She received death threats and was eventually gunned down, a tragic reminder of the cost of seeking justice in this country.
The deportation of Omotoso before further legal accountability could unfold reflects poorly on our criminal justice system.
It is not just about one man leaving the country, it’s about how systems of justice are ignored, and how suspects can escape scrutiny by deporting them rather than pursuing accountability and justice.
The NPA’s leave to appeal came after the 10-day deadline had passed, raising further questions about whether proper procedures were followed.
South Africa’s fight against GBV cannot be won if high-profile people are allowed to walk away without consequences. Justice must be seen, felt, and established.
FEATURED IMAGE: Likho Mbuka. Photo: File/Paul Botes
A new political society has its sights set on changing the dynamic of student representation in the university’s decision-making processes.
The uMkhonto weSizwe Student Movement is officially registered as a student society.
They plan to represent marginalised societies on campus.
Some students see MKSM as a chance for deeper political engagement.
As of May 20, 2025, the uMkhonto weSizwe Student Movement (MKSM) was officially registered as a political society at Wits University.
The Dean of Student Affairs at Wits University, Jerome September, confirmed that the movement met the requirements for registration. These include a constitution aligned with that of the Student Representative Council (SRC), a motivational letter, and at least 50 student signatures.
“Should there be a challenge in terms of the application, feedback is given, and they are allowed to appeal. The MKSM met the requirements and was thus approved,” he said.
Wits convenor, Mthembeni Mzobe, said the movement faced delays and only received approval during the moratorium period, which temporarily restricts political activity on campus.
“We arrived late. Now we need to sort out documents while other student organisations are hitting the ground,” he said.
Despite the delays, Mzobe said MKSM plans to engage communities often excluded from mainstream campus politics. “We will approach churches and traditional societies on campus. They have constituencies but no representation,” he added.
In an interview with Wits Vuvuzela, Regional MKSM convenor Nkuna Gift said their goal is to “empower students and provide a platform for their voices,” while aligning with the party’s national vision of economic transformation and social justice.
The national deputy coordinator of MKSM Siphesihle Sibande engages with students in front of the Umthombo Building. Photo: LikhoMbuka
In discussion with various students on campus, many welcomed the formation of MKSM, they said it reflects the diversity of political views on campus.
Third-year student Sindiswa Zondo said “It would be ignorant to think there can be space constraints. Wits students come from all walks of life.”
When asked whether MKSM would be contesting in the upcoming SRC elections, Mzobe declined to comment but said they would “expand political representation” on campus. The 2025 Wits SRC elections are expected to take place in September.
FEATURED IMAGE: A member of the MK Student Movement wears the party’s T-shirt on Wits campus. Photo: Likho Mbuka
Anglo American, African Rainbow Minerals, and Oppenheimer Memorial Trust donate millions but is it philanthropy or power play?
Mining-linked donations are funding new buildings and research at Wits University.
Some students and experts worry these gifts give companies too much influence.
The debate is growing over who controls public universities and whose values are reflected.
What do Duncan Wanblad, Patrice Motsepe and Nicky Oppenheimer have in common? They represent corporate interests that have embedded themselves into the heart of Wits University. With millions tied to South Africa’s contested mining industry, these power players are funding high-profile projects that promise innovation and progress.
Oppenheimer’s family trust committed R15 million over five years to fund the African Future Studies Initiative, Motsepe’s African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) sponsored R20 million into research for the engineering school, and under Wanblad’s leadership, Anglo American spent R90 million to transform Wits’ planetarium into the corporate-branded Digital Dome. Their philanthropy raises a pressing question: When mining companies fund public universities, do academics look through a telescope or a company lens?
The uncomfortable truth
Behind the gleaming new facilities and bold promises lies an uncomfortable truth – corporate donations to universities are not always neutral acts of generosity. The Oppenheimer family made their fortune from diamond mines that fuelled colonial exploitation. Just last month, ARM faced protests over claims it sold coal to Israel, GroundUp reported. Anglo American, on the other hand, promotes sustainability goals while remaining one of the world’s biggest coal producers, according to its website. These companies pour millions into the institution while their mines keep digging. Do they shape the future or protect a violent and extractive past?
The Wits African Rainbow Minerals Building, renamed in 2023 after a R20 million donation from one of South Africa’s largest mining companies. Photo: Rivaldo Jantjies
What’s given?
Headquartered in the economic hub of London with a secondary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, Anglo American’s R90 million commitments granted the company naming rights to the new digital dome that opened to the public early this year, placing its brand at the centre of a major academic and public institution. In 2024, the company was ranked 654th on the Forbes Global 2000 list of the world’s largest companies.
Speaking about their shared legacy of advancing both mining and education, which has shaped Johannesburg and South Africa, Anglo American South Africa said, “The relationship between Wits University and Anglo American started in 1896 when the university, then known as the South African School of Mines in Kimberley, offered services to De Beers.
The new Wits Anglo American Digital Dome is more than just a facility – it’s a symbol of what’s possible when we unite in our vision to shape a better future through education, technology and innovation.” At the same time, Professor Zeblon Vilakazi (FRS), Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Wits University, told Wits News: “Through the Wits Anglo American Digital Dome, we hope to continue inspiring people from various disciplines, including those working in climate modelling, artificial intelligence and the digital arts.”
The Wits Anglo American Digital Dome, unveiled in 2024, was funded through a R90 million donation from the mining giant. Photo: Rivaldo Jantjies
In 2023, Wits University announced a partnership with one of the nation’s leading coal suppliers, African Rainbow Minerals. The JSE-listed corporation’s R20 million endowment is backing research that connects mining to the future — exploring energy transitions, automation, and the digital technologies that are transforming how resources are extracted and utilised. This partnership saw the company replace the then Chamber of Mines Building on the Braamfontein West Campus, facing the M1 highway, renaming it to the Wits African Rainbow Minerals Building. ARM selected Wits University for this partnership because “it is one of the globally respected academic institutions and the home of the Mining Precinct, a key hub where industry leaders can engage and ensure the mining sector’s contributions are recognised by both students and the broader academic community,” ARM said in a statement.
Plaque outside the Wits African Rainbow Minerals Building, unveiled in 2023 to mark the renaming of the former Chamber of Mines Building following ARM’s donation. Photo: Rivaldo Jantjies
In the third quarter of 2021, the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust (OMT) donated R15 million to the African Future Studies Initiative at Wits University. The partnership was announced as a five-year commitment to support university research focused on challenges in Africa. The OMT was founded in 1957 by Harry Oppenheimer to honour his father, Ernst Oppenheimer. The memorial trust, established by the Oppenheimer family, is connected to Nicky Oppenheimer — the family’s heir and Africa’s third-richest person, with a net worth of $10.5 billion, according to Forbes’ real-time billionaire rankings.
At the time of the announcement, Tracey Webster, Chief Executive Officer of OMT, told Wits News, “The Oppenheimer Memorial Trust has a long tradition of investing in higher education and building the local academy. Given the ever-changing context we live in, it is imperative that we focus on developing a generation of researchers, scientists and academics that will ensure South Africa remains competitive and relevant in the 21st Century.” These contributions follow earlier markers of the family’s legacy at the university, including the Ernest Oppenheimer Hall of Residence, established in 1967, and the Oppenheimer Life Sciences Building. The trust did not respond to a request for comment from Wits Vuvuzela.
This bar graph shows the value of donations made to Wits University by major mining-linked donors between 2021 and 2024, highlighting contributions from the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust, African Rainbow Minerals, and Anglo American. Graphic: Rivaldo Jantjies
Who Really Benefits from University Donations?
Professor Imraan Valodia, Professor of Economics, Pro Vice-Chancellor of Climate, Sustainability and Inequality, and Director of the Southern Centre for Inequality Studies at Wits, said donations to universities often come with multiple motivations. Some alumni give because they benefited from the education they received. Others do it for tax reasons or because they want their names attached to buildings or projects. “A third reason may be the companies that have benefited from having a university related to their business feel that they need to contribute to that university,” he said, pointing to the long-standing relationship between Wits and the mining sector.
While this funding can support important academic work and help students, it also raises questions about influence. “There is of course, always a danger that by accepting these sorts of donations, universities may become beholden to these wealthy people’s interests,” Valodia explained. He noted that Wits has a Naming Policy to guide how donations are handled and believes that the university’s academic and management decisions remain independent. However, he warns that the risks are real, especially when donors or even governments try to shape what universities teach or research. This is now playing out in the United States, where debates at Harvard and Columbia University highlight how both private and political interests can pressure universities.
Tlhompo Thogomusi, a fourth-year LLB student and chairperson of the Wits EFF Student Command, sees these donations as more than just financial support. He argues that philanthropy from mining magnates is “a form of tokenism,” used to legitimise their power and wealth while “distracting from the exploitative nature of their business practices.” For Thogomusi, this isn’t just about naming rights — it’s about the consolidation of class power and ideological control. “Exploitation is a fundamental aspect of this relationship,” he says, suggesting that the financial support from powerful donors helps shape the university’s intellectual space and may even silence criticism. In this view, such relationships are not neutral; they reflect the broader struggle over who gets to shape public knowledge and values.
Inside the Wits Anglo American Digital Dome, launched in 2024. Photo: Rivaldo Jantjies
Living with it
The deals are signed in boardrooms, but the consequences play out in lecture halls. For many students, the university’s partnerships with mining giants aren’t abstract — they are part of daily life. Walking past buildings named after billionaires whose wealth came from extractive industries feels jarring, especially for students from communities affected by mining. According to a student who asked to remain anonymous, “It’s hard to sit in a lecture about inequality in a building named after someone who profited from it.” The university’s efforts to position itself as a future-facing institution are complicated by a past — and present — that many students are still reckoning with.
The money flows in, new buildings fill the skyline, and the questions keep piling up. In a city built on the profits of mining, the past still casts a long shadow. As universities align with major industry players, students and academics are left wondering who really shapes the future, and who pays the price.
FEATURED IMAGE: The Oppenheimer Life Sciences Building at Wits University, named after one of South Africa’s most prominent mining families. Photo: Rivaldo Jantjies
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A new wellness campaign is raising awareness around food insecurity among university students.
The office of student success (OSS), under the faculty of health science (FHS) has been running a novel campaign, #MakeADifference, since June, which aims to encourage donations towards basic needs care-kits that include food and toiletry supplies that are given to Wits health science students in need, while simultaneously raising awareness of food insecurity in South African universities.
The #MakeADifference campaign was developed by master’s students in community-based counselling psychology (MACC), in partnership with the OSS, a student wellness department.
Erick Kabongo, a MACC student, says the campaign is intended to, “capture different aspects of a students’ well-being” and this includes ensuring access to basic necessities such as food and toiletries.
“Class issues vary and some students get access to things while others don’t. If we aid students with basics such as food and toiletry, we are allowing them to compete fairly within their academic pursuits,” says Boikhutso Maubane, a counselling psychologist at OSS.
Before the campaign launched, the OSS had a food bank that would receive donations irregularly and only catered to a small pool of students who expressed need. “What was important this year was being able to really provide for students, especially during these trying economic times in South Africa,” Maubane told Wits Vuvuzela.
Despite being disrupted by the covid-19 pandemic, the campaign has increased the visibility of the food bank to potential donors as well as students who may need support.
Since June, OSS has distributed over 70 care-kits and has recently received 74 care-kits valued at R200 through a single donation, which will be distributed to students for the remainder of the year. Care-kits consist of non-perishable foods and basic toiletries.
Anelisa Mofokeng , administrator at the OSS, says an average of 10 students fetch a care-kit when available from the office. Students are identified through the health science course coordinators or they approach the OSS independently. There are roughly 70 students who form part of the campaign’s database and receive an email when care-kits are available. The office prioritises self-funding students when distributing care-kits but NSFAS students are not excluded from receiving aid.
Due to the pandemic, the campaign has been forced to function largely online, taking away the ability to engage with the Wits community. However, Maubane says the campaign has still managed to make a difference in this difficult time and it still has a lot to accomplish for the benefit of student communities.
FEATURE IMAGE: The #MakeADifference campaign supports health sciences students in need. Photo: Vetiwe Mamba
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