Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers undeniable convenience, but at what cost to our environment?
Excessive use of AI negatively impacts the global carbon footprint.
Search engines like Ecosia, which operates on renewable energy, may pave the way for a carbon-negative future.
Students are divided between choosing Ecosia over ChatGPT, as the AI tool provides an ease that Ecosia has not yet replicated.
In a recent investigation by TheDaily Maverick it was found that a whole generation is using ChatGPT or other large language models (LLMS) to secure their degrees. Not only posing a threat to academic integrity, but the environment as well.
Wits Vuvuzela spoke to Professor David Phaho, Director of the African Energy Leadership Centre and Discipline at Wits University, about AI and the global carbon footprint.
“They require 99.99% availability, implying that the energy sources which are available should be available at all times. You cannot switch on the sun at will. So, at the moment they [tech companies] are huge consumers of gas, oil, and coal, contributing to CO2 [carbon dioxide] emissions,” he said.
It is estimated that the data centre’s LLMs like ChatGPT and Claude operate from, use the same amount of water in a single day as 30,000 residential homes would. Data centre’s use freshwater to cool their servers.
In Berlin, Germany, circa 2009, the non-profit organisation and search engine, ‘Ecosia’ was born. Though not popular at the time of inception, increased climate change awareness has made it a sustainable alternative for young people.
Ecosia uses renewable solar energy to power its servers and invests 80% of its profits in planting trees to reduce CO2 levels in the atmosphere.
Phaho said the problem with companies using non-renewable energy rather than renewable energy is not cost, but accessibility. He said what is needed is, “policy at government level to incentivise [the] private sector to invest in renewable energy coupled with energy storage, because if you can store energy when the sun is shining, you can continue powering.”
Nokwanda Ndlovu, a member of the Wits Climate Justice Charter Movement (CJCM), is a recent adopter. “It was not too long ago that I discovered Ecosia as I only learnt about AI contributing to carbon emissions about a month or two ago through a course on sustainability, before this I did not use AI often,” she said.
“With this knowledge,” she added, “I’m not choosing it [AI].”
Another Wits CJCM member, Khavisani Annah Mhlarhi, said: “I think as students we associate activism with being on the ground fighting for justice, which is always good, but you can contribute to the fight in subtle ways, like doing an Ecosia Search instead on using AI or Google.”
Though even with this goal, students default to ChatGPT for convenience.
Despite knowing about the carbon emissions, Mhlarhi uses AI to check the grammar on her assignments. “We need ChatGPT to survive,” she said.
So, what does this mean for the future of climate activism? Will more students make environmentally conscious decisions, or will AI persist because of the ease it brings?
FEATURED IMAGE: A hand holding a magnifying glass and through it seeing the ChatGPT logo. Source: ChatGPT logo sourced from Wikipedia. Graphic: Ekta Seebran.
The new initiative faces resource constraints, relying on donations to keep students fed.
Sizanani aims to feed non-funded students, as well as those in catered and hardship accommodations who can’t afford to book meals at the dining hall.
Each programme serves roughly 130 to 170 attendees, according to the project’s register.
But to operate weekly for a full year, the project would need an estimated R156,000.
Hunger is a silent crisis on campus. For many, lunchtime is a time of uncertainty, not a meal. While some can afford takeout meals at the Matrix or catering at dining halls, others wonder where their next meal will come from.
In May 2025, a Wits Vuvuzela student journalist reported that Sizanani Legacy Project launched their first weekend meal programme at Wits Citizenship and Community Outreach’s (WCCO) kitchen.
Sizanani aims to feed students on weekends who live in catered and hardship accommodation and can’t afford to book meals or aren’t funded. Filling a much needed gap.
The WCCO already provides limited daily food parcels, food banks, and maintains gardens, but it is not enough.
Two months later, four more weekends were hosted, including its most recent on Saturday, July 26, serving sandwiches and Sunday, July 27, serving bread and soup.
According to the register, each program serves roughly 130 to 170 attendees.
Each weekend, Sizanani spends up toR1500 on ingredients and cleaning supplies like hairnets, gloves, and aprons.
Wits Vuvuzela asked Sizanani’s internal affairs manager, Tshwarelo Mafuyeka if they could afford to host on a more regular basis.
“We honestly don’t have enough funds to operate to the extent that we would like,” said Mafuyeka.
He expressed the desire to cook everyweekend, but as an independent student-led initiative, resources are tight.
It would cost R156,000 to cover weekend operations – Saturdays and Sundays, every week – for a full year, Mafuyeka estimates.
However, the project remains optimistic due to additional support.
Campus Housing & Residence Life (CHRL) facilitated communication from several off-campus residences to Sizanani.
This brought South Point, Respublica (Yale Village), Focus 1, AFCHO, Dunwell, and Life Student Apartments on board as donors.
“Notably, Respublica gave the project 1500 noodle packs,” praised Mafuyeka.
The director of CHRL was not available for comment in time for publication, however, Mafuyeka reinforced that CHRL also assisted with “transportation or goodies for events.”
Sizanani also looked at other ventures for help. A Noodle Drive, as one of their initiatives, prompted Wits residents to donate noodles from March till July. Barnato Hall, Girton Hall and Reith Hall were the three top contributors, collectively donating over 200 packets.
Evidently, Sizanani wants Witsies to feed their minds with knowledge without going hungry in the process. Sign up for weekend drives open every Thursday.
FEATURED IMAGE: Volunteers dishing out cooked food into the lunchboxes of attendees at WCCO’s kitchen. Photo: Lukholo Mazibuko
For just R65 a pop, readers came from far and wide to stock their bookshelves. This year, Fourways Mall in Johannesburg was the host of the annual book bonanza.
All books on sale are priced at R65.
National and international book lovers make their way to the sale.
With just over 24 hours left, Exclusive will put a full stop on its annual warehouse sale. Starting on July 24, 2025, the nine-day sale was
established to both decrease excess stock and financial barriers to accessing literature in South Africa.
Exclusive Book’s customers looking for books during the sale. Photo: Sechaba Molete
Initially, books went for just R35 and were sold out of a warehouse in Kramerville. Now, malls have become the sale’s newest hosts and prices have been bumped up to R65 a book. Despite this increase, customers still feel they are getting a bargain, as average book prices in-store range between R400 and R800.
“I love reading and I just love the escapism of it. Unfortunately, as a student, it’s not very affordable to buy books every single month. So, this is really nice! To be able to get five books for the price of one,” said final year BCom management student from Varsity College, Tatenda Mudzwana.
Fourways Mall’s crowded centre court reflected Mudzwana’s sentiment.
“There are actually people who come from as far as Limpopo and even ones who cross the border from Zimbabwe, Malawi and Kenya,” said Exclusive Book’s manager, Mapula Mlikhwa.
Fourway’s Mall patron looking at the warehouse sale. Photo: Sechaba Molete
Despite the attention the sale has garnered thus far, some customers do not think that Exclusive Books can be credited with equaling the playing field for literature lovers in South Africa’s unequal economy.
A customer who refused to be named believes that the sale being in Fourway’s is an inherently exclusionary decision.
“Not everyone can get here. A guy from Thembisa can’t easily get here. A barrier to access still exists because of its location. The concept is good, but if you really want to reach people who can’t buy a book for R650, you also need to get to where those people are situated,” he explained.
Exclusive Book’s prepared paper crates for the customers who could afford to fill them. Tomorrow morning will be the last day the trestle tables will be restocked, a window sales manager, Mlikhwa suggested is best for the final shop.
FEATURED IMAGE: Exclusive Book’s customers looking for books during the sale. Photo: Sechaba Molete
Ongoing protests highlight the complicity of corporations operating in Israel or funding its military.
On July 25, the Wits Palestine Solidarity Committee and several other organisations picketed against companies supporting Israel.
McDonald’s, Google, Amazon, and Coca-Cola are among the mega-corporations complicit in the genocide.
Protestors spoke of the power of boycotts, divestment, and sanctions to advance the Palestinian struggle.
“Every time the media lies, a little child in Gaza dies!” and “hey hey, ho ho, occupation has got to go!” were two of the rallying cries heard on Friday, July 25, as the Wits Palestine Solidarity Committee led the latest in a month-long series of pickets.
Rainy and cold weather could not keep the group from showing up, again, to protest against corporations accused of funding and supporting Israel by operating in the country.
The picket formed part of the wider Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) Movement, a global, non-violent initiative formed in 2005 to promote divestment and economic sanctions against Israel. Much like the anti-Apartheid boycotts of the 1980s, the movement aims to secure liberation for Palestine through financial pressure.
“It’s so important that we keep on coming out because we know what it’s like to experience apartheid. What’s happening in Gaza has surpassed that, it’s gotten to the point of genocide. We cannot stop fighting. We need to keep on showing up,” said Nureen Salooji, a member of the Palestine Solidarity Alliance Youth League.
A mother and son chant calls to free Palestine. Photo: Mbali Khumalo
Members of South African Jews for a Free Palestine (SAJFP) attended, waving Palestinian flags and displaying banners that highlighted their solidarity.
“We’re here to express condemnation against Israel’s genocide against Palestinians and against the companies and countries that are complicit,” said Julia Hope from SAJFP.
“This week, we’re dealing with the reality of what forced starvation looks like, which is hundreds of children dying in Gaza. This is not just a famine by circumstance, it’s an active forced starvation,” she continued.
The location of the protest was strategic, taking place across the street from a McDonald’s branch and the Coca-Cola offices in Rosebank, on Oxford Road.
Protestors argued that an action as simple as purchasing a Big Mac makes everyday people, many unknowingly, complicit in funding a genocide.
Picketers on Oxford Street hold up signs protesting Zionism and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Photo: Mbali Khumalo
The BDS boycott list includes companies such as McDonalds, Coca-Cola, Amazon, Reebok, and several more food, technology and travel corporations. These businesses operate branches or franchises in Israel that have allegedly provided generous donations to the Israel Defence Force (IDF).
Some support the genocide more directly, with Amazon and Google having previously developed AI technology and computing infrastructure for the IDF in a $1.2 billion contract in 2021.
The struggle for a free Palestine is ongoing, and pickets will be continuing as Joburg residents add their voices to the global call to end violence in Gaza.
FEATURED IMAGE: A sign displayed by protestors calling on the public to boycott McDonald’s. Photo: Mbali Khumalo.
Young South Africans consider the intersections of freedom, art, and activism as a ‘new freedom’ is envisioned.
Thirty-one years into democracy, the question of what freedom truly means remains at the heart of South Africa’s national dialogue. On Thursday, June 26, the Nelson Mandela Foundation provided a space of reflection, resistance, and reimagining as young people from across the country gathered under the theme Born Free but Still Not Bound: Redefining Freedom for South African Youth.
June, known as Youth Month, honours the historic 1976 student uprising and continues to carry the weight of memory. But as many young people shared, the legacy of freedom is still unevenly felt. South Africa remains the most unequal country in the world, with economic hardships and social instability disproportionately affecting the youth.
Quoting her father, Amahle Invelo Jaxa, a passionate social activist, said being “legally free but economically excluded is no better than being in chains”.
Photo of the Dr Naledi Pandor at the podium on Thursday, June 26, 2025. Photo: Phenyo Selinda
“Yes, we are free to speak our minds, but who listens when unemployment is almost at 45%… when 60% of them have never had a job?” She stressed that memory must be a form of resistance. “An idea, unlike walls, cannot be locked down… As young people, we cannot afford to inherit struggle passively but must repurpose it to fuel our ideas and our art.”
Attendee, Marievonne Daya added: “Freedom cannot be measured just by the fall of apartheid alone; it must be stated in every day of our lives.” She mapped out today’s youth challenges of unemployment, crime, substance abuse, and mental health, and called on her peers to carry forward the unfinished struggle of 1976 for a better standard of living.
“Apartheid is a crude, sophisticated system of social engineering,” she said, drawing a comparison to Israel’s ongoing treatment of Palestinians. “The struggle and concept of resistance were enriched through young people’s leadership,” she added, naming icons like Solomon Mahlangu, Steve Biko, and Hector Pieterson. “If we don’t think of the rhetoric of what society we are trying to form, then we are building a dangerous society.”
Programme director and advocacy coordinator at the foundation, Nomahlozi Ramhloki, closed the event with a powerful reminder, “The thing about freedom in 1994 is that the work was only beginning,” she said. It would be a betrayal if we inherited a democracy and did nothing with it.
What unfolded at the Nelson Mandela Foundation was far more than a panel discussion. It lit a spark for the collective reawakening of young South Africans to boldly imagine a future where freedom is a lived experience.
FEATURED IMAGE: Photo of the Nelson Mandela Foundation logo
As South Africa’s graduate unemployment climbs, students and experts question whether education is still the bridge to a better future.
Graduate unemployment rose from 8.7% to 11.7% in the first quarter of 2025.
Students from top universities say passion-led study choices often clash with harsh job market realities.
Experts warn of rigid hiring practices and a lack of state-driven job creation.
Picture this – you’re sitting in a lecture hall waiting for your final class of the year to begin. The lights cast uneven shadows on tired faces, some bored, others gripping pens a little too tightly. Your thoughts drift to unanswered job applications, the ones you stayed up late to finish, the ones that vanished into inboxes with no reply. As you walk out and pass the campus library for what might be the last time, the weight of uncertainty settles in. Soon, this place won’t be part of your daily life anymore, and then what? It’s not just you. Across the country, graduates and students alike are facing the sharp edge of South Africa’s job crisis.
A Degree, But No Guarantee
The latest data from Statistics South Africa shows graduate unemployment has climbed from 8,7% to 11,7% in just three months. For those with only a matric or less, the odds are worse. These are the everyday struggles of young people who hoped education would be the bridge to a better life. Their ability to find work is not just about personal success, it also shapes whether the country sees a return on its investment in higher education. When graduates work, they don’t just earn a living, they help fuel the economy and expand what the state can provide. Right now, many are left standing at the edge of that promise, unsure of what comes next.
Holding a tertiary qualification amplifies the chances of finding work in Africa’s most industrialised economy, but even that is starting to slip. According to the World Bank, South Africa has one of the highest unemployment rates in the world, with joblessness hovering at 33%, second only to Eswatini.
Wits University’s Great Hall stands as a symbol of academic excellence in Johannesburg, but for many graduates, the path beyond its steps remains uncertain. Photo: Rivaldo Jantjies
Education vs Reality
Wits University sits in the heart of Johannesburg, a city often described as the engine of the country’s economy. Matshinye France Richia, a final-year postgraduate LLB student, walks those campus corridors with a quiet mix of confidence and caution. “I was honestly naive to the employability of the career I was choosing,” he says. Like many others, he chased a dream, to become a lawyer, without fully grasping the realities of the field. He believes that being at a top university and maintaining a strong academic record could give him an edge, but he admits the legal profession is crowded. Still, switching courses was never an option. “All I told myself is that I would do things differently so as to stand out.”
In Bloemfontein, the country’s judicial capital, known as the city of roses, for the blooms that line its streets, Juanique Botha is nearing the end of her social work studies at the University of the Free State. She walks the campus knowing she’s close to the finish line, but unsure of what lies beyond it. Like Matshinye, she followed her passion without thinking too deeply about what came after. “I knew social work was in demand back then,” she says. “But later I discovered that social workers don’t get paid a lot and work is scarce.” Her worry runs deeper than the paycheck, it’s the silence that follows graduation, the long wait for calls that never come. “Most graduates need connections to get a job,” she says, a quiet truth many young people know too well. Still, she’s not ready to turn away. For Botha, social work is not just a degree, it’s a calling. “It’s not for the money, but for the services you provide,” she says, holding onto the reason she started, even as the job market grows colder.
In the heart of the Cape Winelands, where vineyards stretch toward the mountains, Ave Konkwane is completing a master’s degree in general Linguistics at Stellenbosch University, one of South Africa’s top institutions, Ave had high hopes when he enrolled. “I thought as soon as I finish my degree, I will be very much employable,” he says. Now, close to the end, he finds himself staring into a narrow job market where most options seem limited to academia. “It seems as though there are no jobs that specifically require a Linguistics degree,” he explains, unless one becomes a lecturer or researcher. He once considered switching to law, but age, money, and practicality kept him on the current path. Despite his fears of joining the growing list of unemployed graduates, he holds on to hope. “If not employment, then I’ll equip myself with the skills to start a business,” he says.
Former UCT Vice-Chancellor Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng engages Wits students in a guest lecture. Photo: Rivaldo Jantjies
At the University of Cape Town, recently ranked 180th in the world by Times Higher Education, Dr Emma Whitelaw is one of the researchers working to unpack the deeper story behind South Africa’s graduate unemployment crisis. As a Carnegie Postdoctoral Fellow at the Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit (SALDRU), she studies inequality in post-school education, and what it really means to be a graduate in today’s economy. According to Whitelaw, graduate unemployment must be seen in the context of the broader labour market. “Graduates still face the same adverse conditions as other workers,” she says, “but degree holders continue to have the lowest unemployment rates when compared to other education levels.” The recent uptick in graduate unemployment, may simply reflect the seasonal influx of new graduates into the labour force each year, rather than a structural shift. There are still concerns. “It could signal that there are too many graduates with qualifications in specialisations that are not in demand,” Whitelaw notes.
She also points to a shift in who is graduating. As more students from disadvantaged backgrounds earn degrees, they may not have the same access to job-seeking networks or support. “Previously, graduates were more likely to come from families where those networks could help them find work,” she explains. Now, despite equal qualifications, some graduates, particularly black women, are more likely to remain unemployed. “From the data we have, it’s not yet clear whether this is due to labour market discrimination or the kinds of qualifications and institutions different groups are sorting into,” Whitelaw says.
Global Perspective on a Shrinking South African Job Market
Now based in the sunbaked heat of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a Middle Eastern powerhouse ranked 19th globally in GDP with an economy exceeding $1 trillion, Dr Martyn Davies watches South Africa’s graduate job crisis from afar with a mix of concern and frustration. A former senior partner at Deloitte, Davies now serves as Vice President of the City Excellence Division and Head of the Retail and Citizen Engagement sectors at the Royal Commission for Riyadh City. Speaking from his new home, Davies doesn’t mince words. “In a slow, no-growth economy, opportunities are not being created,” he says. “And that’s largely as a result of a lack of government initiative.” Without a proactive state creating an enabling environment for job growth, he warns, everyone pays the price, from high school dropouts to university graduates. “No good news here,” he adds. Even graduates who make careful, pragmatic choices face a rigid and limiting employment system, according to Davies. “South African HR departments are very, very narrow-minded,” he says. “They see your potential only through what you studied, not who you are or what you can become.” In his view, this culture stifles mobility and creativity. A journalism graduate, for example, is only seen as a journalist, not as someone with transferable skills, multilingual ability, or a strong work ethic. “They ignore all of that,” he says. “They don’t see the person, only the piece of paper.”
Degree of Uncertainty
Even students like Katleho Senyane, an honours Chemical Engineering student at Wits with a job lined up through a bursary, admit the system is fragile. “It’s no secret that the graduate unemployment numbers are scary,” he says, pointing out that even doctors and engineers aren’t spared. He believes the public sector could unlock mass employment, if the government steps up. As graduates flood a shrinking job market, one question remains: will the system catch up, or keep leaving even the best-prepared behind?
FEATURED IMAGE: Wits students sit attentively during a lecture, holding onto hope that their education will still open doors in a tough job market. Photo: Rivaldo Jantjies
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.
Scholars reflect on naming as a cultural practice.
Naming shapes legacy and identity in post- apa4rtheid South Africa.
Wit’s buildings like Solomon Mahlangu House reflect ongoing efforts to decolonise space.
Naming is a political act that restores dignity and reclaims erased histories.
When students walk in and out of Solomon Mahlangu House daily, their very lived experience speaks to the act of reclaiming and renaming public spaces. The age-old question, “what’s in a name?” was grappled with by students and staff at an event hosted by the Wits School of Architecture and Planning in collaboration with the Gauteng Geographical Names Committee (GGNC).
The theme “The Power of a Name” guided conversation on the role of naming as a cultural and political act which can shape identity, reclaim history, and reflect power dynamics (particularly in post-apartheid South Africa).
Professor Mnamdi Elleh opened the discussion with the statement, “There is power in a name when creating a legacy.” He said cities like Johannesburg hold layered histories, and names often serve as gateways to understanding them. Naming, he argued, is not just a symbolic act it’s a powerful tool in shaping public memory and influencing how we perceive space.
Dr Sipho Nkosi from the GGNC expanded on this idea, framing naming and renaming as processes of “reservation, restoration, and promotion.” According to Nkosi, restoring indigenous names or renaming places after significant local figures is one way to address the erasures of the past.
This discussion resonates strongly at Wits itself. Over the years, the university has renamed several of its buildings to better reflect its commitment to transformation and inclusivity. Solomon Mahlangu House, formerly Senate House, was renamed in 2017 following student protests that highlighted the need to decolonise institutional spaces. Robert Sobukwe Block, located on the Education Campus, commemorates the Pan- Africanist leader and Wits alumnus who played a critical role in the struggle against apartheid.
Meanwhile, buildings like William Cullen Library, John Moffat Building, and Ernest Oppenheimer Hall still bear the names of colonial figures, missionaries, and mining magnates raising ongoing debates about legacy and historical accountability within the university.
Dr Nicole Cloete stressed that renaming does not erase existing histories but rather allows new layers of meaning to emerge particularly those that were previously excluded or marginalised. Dr Lorato Mokwena added, “History will always be contested,” highlighting that naming is always entangled in politics and power. She reminded the audience that renaming is not a neutral act it reflects broader cultural and ideological shifts and often comes with resistance.
Honours student Lesedi Tlala, from the School of Pathology, found the session informative. “There’s a lot of storytelling behind names,” she noted. For her, names reveal complex relationships between place, memory, and identity especially when examined through a geographical lens.
As the discussions made clear, naming is not just about what we call places it’s about what, and who, we choose to remember. And at Wits, as in the country at large, those choices continue to matter
FEATURED IMAGE: Panel members at the event: Dr Nicole, Mr Mkhize, Dr Mokwena. Photo: Lindelwa Khanyile
GALA Queer Archive asks what does it mean to be queer and rooted in African traditions?
GALA Queer Archive held a powerful event to reclaim queer African identity.
The gathering highlighted how strict patriarchal norms, and traditional expectations often silence African queer voices.
Speakers emphasized that queerness has always existed in African societies.
In recognition of Africa Month, the GALA (The Gay and Lesbian Archives) Queer Archive celebrated the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) on May 17 at Breezeblock Café in Brixton, Johannesburg — to re-assert queer African identity and challenge cultural exclusion at Breezeblock Café in Brixton, Johannesburg.
The GALA Queer Archive is an organization located at Wits University that preserves and promotes the history, culture, and experiences of LGBTQIA+ individuals in South Africa through archival collections.
During Africa Month, celebrated annually throughout May (with May 25 as the official date of commemoration in South Africa), the world marked IDAHOBIT as an opportunity for people across the continent to break down barriers.
IDAHOBIT raises awareness about the violence, discrimination, and prejudice faced by queer people worldwide.
Local Setswana handwritten on pink wall translating to: In my neighbourhood, being gay is a gender. Being gay is not being a boy or girl. It’s just being gay. Photo: Lukholo Mazibuko
This year’s commemoration focused on unpacking the painful disconnection between queerness and cultural identities in African LGBTQIA+ individuals.
The event discussed how culture shapes the way people live and connect. Traditions like family rituals, community events and ceremonies are meant to bring people together. But for queer individuals, these cultural spaces often do the opposite.
Researcher Nondumiso Lwazi Msimanga (left) reacting positively to panelist Desire Marea (right). Photo: Lukholo Mazibuko
Strict patriarchal rules dominate these traditions. They decide who belongs and who does not based on dress, behaviour and gender roles. As a result, queer voices are often ignored or silenced.
Dr Athinangamso Nkopo, host and moderator of the event, addressed this exclusion by telling Wits Vuvuzela that, “Those of us who are queer and African don’t understand how you can possibly mean that [we exist as] a contradiction.”
Panelist Albert Khoza challenged the myth of queerness as ‘un-African’ by emphasising that African communities had their own understanding of God long before the arrival of missionaries. Similarly, that queerness is not new; it has always existed within African societies.
“Maybe before it wasn’t called ‘queer’. Maybe before it was just a practice. It was looked down upon, but queerness is African. Africa is queer. It’s always been like that,” he said.
Panelist Albert Khoza. Photo : Lukholo Mazibuko
Keval Harie, the executive director of GALA Queer Archive, emphasized that queer individuals continually find unique ways to heal their human experiences and this day serves as another opportunity for such healing.
“We want to create a space where we bring our community together to share experiences in ways that allows us to heal and fight for another day.”
By aligning with Africa Month, this event insisted that queerness has always been part of the continent’s story. Through music, storytelling, traditional food, dress, and dialogue, attendees showcased how culture and queerness are not at odds but are deeply entangled.
From left to right: GALA coordinating team Keval Harie, Dr Athinangamso Nkopo and Kgomotso Kgasi playing Azanian games with an attendee in green sweater. Photo: Lukholo Mazibuko Event DJ, Buntu the Ghetto, jamming to beats.
FEATURED IMAGE: Banner of assorted pride flags hanging from GALA Queer Archive emblazed gazebo. Photo: Lukholo Mazibuko
On May 21, 2025, the US government met with SA’s presidency to discuss key issues that threaten SA and the USA’s longstanding alliance.
This follows the first group of Afrikaner refugees being granted asylum in the USA under the executive order by President Trump.
False claims of white genocide and persecution continue to threaten the stability of social and political relations.
Earlier this year, President Donald Trump publicly addressed accusations of white genocide in South Africa, highlighting the Expropriation Act 13 of 2024 as proof of these claims. Trump followed this up by issuing an executive order granting Afrikaners refugee status in the U.S.A. Three months later, the first group of refugees departed from O.R. Tambo International Airport on Sunday, May 11.
AfriForum’s media manager, Ilze Nieuwoudt said: “AfriForum is not involved in the resettlement programme of the refugees but has been involved in the debate as it has developed over the past few months.”
The highly anticipated meeting happened on May 21 at the White House. Ramaphosa was accompanied by Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen, Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Parks Tau and Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshaveni. Interestingly, the entourage also included golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, and billionaire Johaan Rupert.
During the meeting, Ramaphosa expressed “joy” and said he wanted to “reset the relationship between the United States and South Africa” due to the longstanding alliance.
Trump’s attempt to corner Ramaphosa and his delegates by playing video clips of Julius Malema singing the controversial, ‘Kill The Boer’ (an Apartheid-era struggle song) at an EFF rally was unsuccessful. Another clip included former president, Jacob Zuma singing ‘Dubula iBhunu’ (Shoot the Boer) at an ANC rally.
South African Research Chair in Mobility & the Politics of Difference in the African Centre of Migration and Society at Wits University, Dr. Loren B. Landau, said that by any standards, white Afrikaners do not face persecution.
“Individuals may face discrimination or threats, but if you look at landownership, employment, government leadership, and business, Afrikaners are overrepresented.”
Echoing Landau’s statements, Director of Wits University’s Centre for Diversity Studies, Professor Nicky Falkof, highlighted that legitimate refugees are still being excluded while privileged white Afrikaner refugees get the “red carpet treatment” from the U.S.A.
“The less airtime we give to these ridiculous, self-serving, hysterical, sensationalist far-right mythologies, the better,” Falkof asserted.
Worried of the risks and the potential fallout, Falkof warns that racial violence could be on the horizon, with retaliation from armed local far-right groups looming due to the current misinformation crisis that is radicalising their political stances and ideologies.
Ramaphosa addressed Trump’s misinformed claims as false and urged that Trump listen to South African voices, including those of his white friends in the room.
The meeting concluded on a hopeful note. Ramaphosa said that he still expects the U.S. to remain a key ally, especially with the upcoming G20 summit in November 2025.
FEATURED IMAGE: Digital artwork showing the flags of South Africa and the United States of America, with side-by-side portraits of President Cyril Ramaphosa and Donald Trump while a fire rages beneath them. Graphic: Katlego Makhutle
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
Those living with the misunderstood condition face social stigma and a lack of support in public clinics and hospitals.
Wits students and mental health experts gathered to challenge the stigma and silence around bipolar disorder.
The event revealed that there are serious shortages of mental health resources in South Africa’s public healthcare system.
Personal testimonies from people living with bipolar highlighted why breaking the silence must go hand in hand with upholding their human dignity.
The extreme highs and dark lows of bipolar disorder often make for an isolating experience of living with this condition. To break the silence, Wits Pathology Society brought together students, experts, and advocates to tackle stigma and talk about the challenges of treating this mental illness.
At the event held on Thursday, May 15, experts emphasised that talking about the impact of bipolar disorder is important, but the way we do so also matters.
Dr Vinola Poliah, a psychiatrist at Sterkfontein Hospital and Akeso Crescent Clinic, stressed that using words like “crazy” or “unstable” to describe someone living with bipolar is not only hurtful but also reinforces negative stereotypes.
Another issue that was raised is the limited access to mental health services in South Africa. There is a shortage of psychiatrists, especially in the public sector. Poliah said, “twenty percent of South Africans will experience a depressive disorder at least once in their life.”
“The most frightening statistic of all for me is that twenty-three South Africans attempt or commit suicide every day, and with bipolar disorder we have the highest rates of suicide.”
Many people diagnosed with bipolar disorder struggle to access a mental health professional in times of crisis or to receive ongoing support, such as therapy and sometimes costly medication, which may worsen their experience of living with this condition.
“I have been to hospitals where I can sit an entire day and wait with a person needing psychiatric assistance,” said Mary-Anne Dobrovic, manager at the South African Schizophrenia & Bipolar Disorders Alliance.
“There are just too many patients for the number of doctors. Our doctors in most of the clinics and government hospitals are overrun,” she continued.
The event also provided a safe space for people living with bipolar to share their experiences. Theuns Lombard, a former army nurse and paramedic, shared his story of being diagnosed with bipolar hypomania more than twenty years ago.
He made a point to emphasise that this disorder is not his identity. “I have bipolar disorder, but I don’t suffer from it. I am not suffering. This is a diagnosis, it doesn’t define me,” he said. Monthly counselling sessions and periodic checkups with a psychiatrist to tweak his medication as needed, help keep Lombard more balanced.
The event challenged the idea that bipolar is about mere mood swings. It’s a serious condition that deserves real support, not just sympathy. Change starts with how we speak, but it can’t stop there. It must reach the healthcare system, meant to effectively care for those living with the disorder.
FEATURED IMAGE: An estimated20% of South Africans experience a depressive disorder at least once in their lives, with bipolar affecting 4% of the population. Graphic: Mbali Khumalo.
In episode six of We Should Be Writing season 7, the team unpacked the evolution of music as a form of expression and protest, through four decades in the South African context. The episode explores the journey of South African music and its consumers from the 80s, 90s, early 2000s and contemporary listeners. From the […]
