As factories, wildfires and endless streams of commuters cover the air with smog, Wits students face the consequences of Johannesburg’s incessant air pollution.
With Wits Main Campus in Braamfontein located on the cusp of the Johannesburg CBD and the industrial zones scattered around the city centre, Air Quality Index (AQI) measurements highlight the impact of polluting factors in the area.
FEATURED IMAGE: Infographic highlighting the air quality measurements in the areas surrounding the Johannesburg CBD. Created by: Tristan Monzeglio
The deregistration of Educor’s institutions has thrown the lives of countless students into chaos, forcing them to confront a grim future.
In an unprecedented and heart-wrenching move that left thousands of students reeling, the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) announced the deregistration of four institutions owned by Educor, South Africa’s largest private education provider.
The decision made public on March 22, 2024, via a government gazette by DHET’s Director-General Nkosinathi Sishi, has not only sent shockwaves through the education sector but also ignited a wave of anger and despair among those most affected—students and staff.
Educor, a behemoth in the private education industry, operates well-known institutions such as Damelin, CityVarsity, Icesa City Campus, and Lyceum College. But behind its expansive reach and polished facade, a storm was brewing—one that has now left thousands of students like Bongani Sibanda in dire straits.
Bongani Sibiya, stranded in Johannesburg with no way to return home to Rustenburg, faced the cold reality of eviction. “I couldn’t just go home without knowing what was happening with my studies,” he shared, frustration and desperation evident in his voice. His landlord, unsympathetic to his plight, showed no mercy. “I was evicted and ended up crashing at a friend’s place for a day,” Bongani recounted, a mixture of anger and helplessness colouring his words.
Over 60 campuses nationwide, once bustling with hopeful students, now stand as symbols of broken promises. Beneath the company’s expansive portfolio of ten educational brands lay a series of compliance failures that have now unraveled, leaving thousands in a precarious situation.
Kenny Diamond, a Damelin graduate, couldn’t hide his anger as he reflected on his time at the institution. “The decision to deregister should have come long ago,” he said, his voice tinged with bitterness. “Even though my qualification is recognized, the quality of teaching and learning was poor.” His words echoed the sentiments of many who had endured years of subpar education, only to see their worst fears realized.
The shockwaves of Educor’s downfall didn’t stop with the students. Staff members, who dedicated years to these institutions, now find themselves in similarly dire straits.
Ndumiso Mhlanga, an employee at one of the Educor colleges, described the dismal working conditions they endured. “It became the norm for us to receive our salaries very late—sometimes we were underpaid, or worse, not paid at all,” he revealed, his frustration palpable. “There was a lack of proper administrative support, and it felt like we were abandoned.”
These labour issues only add to the already complex and dire situation, highlighting the profound human cost of Educor’s failures. On November 22, 2023, the South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) issued a statement expressing deep concern over the treatment of staff, particularly at Damelin College. Delayed payments, unaddressed grievances, and unjust contract terminations painted a bleak picture of an institution on the brink.
The troubles for Educor began as early as 2020, when the DHET first noticed the group’s failure to submit its annual financial certificates and reports—a critical requirement for the continued registration of private education institutions.
Despite repeated warnings, including a stern reprimand in 2022, Educor failed to comply with these obligations. The gravity of the situation unraveled in July 2023 when the DHET issued a notice of cancellation of registration, giving Educor until September 26, 2023, to lodge an appeal.
In a bid to rectify the situation, Educor sought and was granted an extension until February 28, 2024. However, the group again failed to meet the deadline, leaving the DHET with no choice but to proceed with deregistration.
On March 26, 2024, during a media briefing, the former Minister of Higher Education and Training, Blade Nzimande, emphasized that the cancellation was not an abrupt decision but a consequence of ongoing non-compliance. Nzimande made it clear that the DHET had given Educor ample time to address the issues, but the group’s repeated failures left the department with no alternative and yet still requested another extension.
For students like Momosa Kopi, the aftermath has been a nightmare. Momosa, a student from Damelin’s correspondence college, was fortunate to be transferred to another institution that recognized her credits. But not everyone was so lucky. Many students pursuing a direct Damelin qualification found themselves at a dead end, their academic dreams shattered.
The sudden deregistration has profoundly impacted students, leaving them angry, confused, and uncertain about their future.
Educor was required to inform all enrolled students within 14 days of the cancellation notice and assist them in finding alternative institutions. But for students like Bongani Sibanda, these promises rang hollow.
Bongani Sibiya, a second-year student whose registration was cancelled, had often heard whispers that Educor colleges operated like fly-by-night institutions. Now, facing the harsh reality, his anger is palpable. “By the time I wanted to transfer, I thought about all the money I had spent and couldn’t bring myself to just let it all go,” he lamented.
Asive Dlanjwa, spokesperson for the SA Union of Students, clarified that students who obtained their qualifications from an institution during the period of accreditation should not be affected. He explained that if the institution was legally registered and offered certified and updated courses that met the requirements of the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), students who completed their qualifications within that timeframe should not face any issues.
In an interview with Wits Vuvuzela, Kutloano Umanji, a recent IT graduate, explained that despite the Department of Higher Education announcing the deregistration earlier this year, students who completed their courses in 2023 were surprisingly still allowed to graduate in May 2024.
Umanji revealed that among her peers whose studies were interrupted, none of those directly enrolled in Damelin courses were able to transfer their credits and continue their studies elsewhere. Some students unknowingly took non-accredited and outdated courses, only discovering this when they faced difficulties in transferring their credits. As she put it: “most of them started all over or changed to a new course”.
She reflected on her time at the institution, noting that it was not the best experience. She cited instances where they would randomly not have lecturers, leaving students without academic guidance. Moreover, she felt that the institution only addressed student concerns when they were pushed to do so.
Despite receiving his academic transcript, Bongani faced a major setback when he couldn’t transfer his credits to another college. Advised to either start a new course or find another institution offering the same qualification, he found the task nearly impossible. “I’ve decided to give my studies another chance in the 2025 academic year,” he shared, a mix of determination and frustration in his voice.
During the media briefing, the former minister of DHET highlighted that his department has in the past received numerous complaints from students against the Educor institutions.
Many of those issues till today remain unsolved. Sibiya told Wits Vuvuzela that he gave up on pursuing reimbursement for his fees because it was nearly impossible to follow up, even when the institutions were still operational.
The Department of Higher Education has also offered to assist students from Educor’s colleges in finding alternative institutions where they can continue and complete their qualifications.
FEATURED IMAGE: The four Educor brands that were deregistered by the Department of Higher Education and Training. Photo: Salim Nkosi
It could be said that Play Braamfontein is at the forefront of bringing back the “cool” to the heart of Johannesburg’s inner city, but at what cost?
Braamfontein has always symbolized freedom and creativity. Walking down the streets of Braam one sees the mixture of old buildings and student accommodations, mixed with new and developing entertainment hubs for people to indulge themselves in. Places such as the Playground Market (formerly Neighbourgoods), Mamakashaka (formerly Great Dane) and Kitcheners Carvery Bar have given Braamfontein its social and cultural identity. But as the identity of these places continue to be phased out or replaced, new businesses have arrived and have given Braamfontein a new lease on life. Play Braamfontein is at the heart of the precinct’s maintenance and continued growth, but how much growth is too much growth?
Genesis of Play Braamfontein
Braamfontein’s history dates to the early 1800s when it was still a farm and evolved into being a suburb for middle class Afrikaaners. It became an economically booming area in the 1950s when many businesses relocated to the area. However, in the 1980s there began to be urban decay in the area which caused many of these businesses to relocate to the northern suburbs.
In response to these challenges, the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) created the R13-million Braamfontein Regeneration Programme in 2002 which set out to “renew the area as a centre of business, entertainment and education”. This led to the creation and improvement of public art and safe open spaces. Around the same time, an entrepreneur, Adam Levy, founded a property-developing company that would change the suburb’s landscape forever.
Over the past two decades Play Braamfontein has acquired old buildngs and refurnashed them into attractive spaces where people can enjoy themselves safely in the inner city.
One of the company’s most notable new changes includes the Rooftop Basketball Court, South Africa’s first 3v3 rooftop basketball court. In addition, the reopening of Johannesburg’s first ever City Beach Club helped bring a fresh and unique dynamic to the city of Joburg. These venues add to the influential role Play Braamfontein had already established in the area partly due to The Playground, a lively market and entertainment space which sees people flock from all over the province every weekend.
Siyabonga Mncube, a 21-year-old student at Boston College and a Braamfontein resident believes that Play Braamfontein has “injected Braam Square with life.” He believes that the area has not been the same since the Covid-19 pandemic, and that Play Braamfontein’s rising influence is exciting.
Further, he said that their role is crucial to the local economy as they are creating new jobs, citing the KFC concept store as an example (also known as ‘KFC at Play Braam’). The location of the KFC concept store was once home to Uncle Faozi, a food shop where many partygoers would go after a night out. It brings new elements unprecedented at KFC stores such as fashion collaborations, new menus, virtual technology and LED lighting that make it an enhancing hub.
Intersection of Juta and De Beer Street, Braamfontein of Play Braamfontein spaces. Photo: Siyanda Mthethwa
In March, it was announced that the beloved Kitcheners Carvery Bar would be closing. Speaking to Wits Vuvuzela, former owner of Kitcheners, Andrew Clement, said that the century long pub was “at the forefront of the revival of Braamfontein for the past 15 years” and that it had to close “for economic reasons”. Once again, Play Braamfontein stepped in, taking over the bar and announced that Kitcheners would not in fact be closing, but rather “restored and uplifted” by them soon.
The statement promised to breathe new life into the pub which suffered negatively from the pandemic and that it will be known as ‘’The Original’ Kitcheners Carvery Bar ‘once it has reopened. This latest addition in the properties acquired by Play Braamfontein helps boost their aims of creating a vibrant and creative space that helps Braamfontein be a unique social area.
Through the efforts of innovating new and exclusive venues for the area of Braamfontein as well as its role in celebrating music through one of its most popular venues, The Playground, Play Braamfontein has helped make Braamfontein the heart of culture and creativity. But do these attempts count as gentrification and what effects does it have on the community?
Gentrification is defined as the process where homes and businesses in a poor area are renovated by middle class or wealthy people, which results in the rise of property value or the displacement of existing residents.
According to this definition, one can say that Play Braamfontein have indeed gentrified the area of Braamfontein to some extent. They have acquired several buildings and have at least seven spaces listed on their website which are open to bookings. These spaces are mainly on the intersection of Juta and De Beer Street, with Play Braamfontein owning at least seven out of almost 15 different spaces of leisure in this small segment of Braam. Further, rates to rent out Play Braamfontein spaces start at R20 000 and go up to R45 000 before tax.
There are no official records of residents being forced out of buildings due to the acquisitions of Play Braamfontein, but it is an issue that has persisted in the inner city of Johannesburg, particularly in places such as Maboneng and Doornfontein according to a UJ study.
Ruby Delahunt, a Wits Vuvuzela student journalist, states that while she sees the good that Play Braamfontein is doing for the economy, she believes that they are “pushing out the people that are in Braam.”
“I remember going back to the market when it first started three to four years ago and it’s completely different to how it is now”, said Delahunt, stating that places are way more expensive and that they are more focused on nightlife and drinking, lacking in originality.
Play Braamfontein’s spaces continue to coexist, however, with longstanding Braamfontein pubs such as The Banister Hotel, Wing Republic and Drama Club which have been cornerstones in the culture of Braamfontein. Nostalgic partygoers and residents may be at ease that key Braamfontein attractions are still in existence.
Play Braamfontein has without a doubt been essential to the revival of Braamfontein. It has not only transformed the physical space of the area but has redefined means of having fun through the creation of different venues which people can experience in new and creative ways. Although the development of properties can bring positive change to an area, one must account for the possible challenges such as increased property values which may make the area less accessible to the average citizen.
Looking forward, Play Braamfontein has a bright future, and one can say that they are just getting started. The recent acquisition of Kitcheners and their ongoing renovations on their spaces show that the property developing company continue to make this small segment of Braamfontein a revolutionary area that celebrates cultural heritage. As Play Braamfontein continues with their groundbreaking innovation, they must be aware of the challenges it brings and ensure that Braamfontein remains an area where individuals from all walks of life can enjoy themselves.
FEATURED IMAGE: A sign written, “A new era Kitchener’s opening soon.” Photo: Siyanda Mthethwa.
In this episode, we explore the feasibility of social housing for students, and the advantages and disadvantages that the inner city offers to the development of a student precinct.
