Teachers claim broad definition of corporal punishment is making discipline in their classrooms impossible.
The BELA Act’s definition of corporal punishment expands beyond physical harm, classifying actions such as denying learners bathroom access as a form of corporal punishment.
Many say the act is impractical because learners exploit it and alternative measures are ineffective.
Vague wording in the act exposes teachers to possible prosecution for minor actions.
An overcrowded classroom in a South African public school. Photo: Nthabiseng Baloyi
A new trend on TikTok has seen teachers demonstrating how they are applying the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act by allowing learners to go to the toilet one after the other. This comes after the act classified denying learners’ access to the bathroom as a form of corporal punishment.
While the act intends to strengthen the protection of learners, many teachers believe the clause on corporal punishment has gone too far. They argue that almost any attempt at discipline can now be seen as unlawful, leaving them without effective tools to manage their classrooms.
“I can attest that educators have the perception that the act implies that they must let learners do as they wish, [and] an attempt to discourage bad behaviour will be considered as an infringement of learners’ rights,” said Phumlani Majola, a teacher at Unity Secondary School, a public school in the East Rand.
Student teachers echo this frustration, saying the clause has made it even harder to earn respect. “Learners know we can’t discipline them, and it leaves us feeling powerless,” said Lwandile Ntsebesha, a final year Bachelor of Education student at Wits University.
Some academics are also questioning its practicality. Dr More Chakane, an education leadership and policy studies lecturer at Wits University, said the act’s definition of corporal punishment is “overreaching” and does not reflect the realities of South African classrooms.
“At best, it protects ill-disciplined learners’ rights at the expense of well-mannered and disciplined learners,” Chakane said. He said research shows alternative discipline methods promoted by the Department of Basic Education are ineffective, time-consuming, and not taken seriously by learners.
Chakane also criticised the legal framing and language. “There is a failure to indicate the level of corporal punishment – excessive or normal or modest in the legal definition of corporal punishment,” he added, calling for an amendment of the definition to curb unnecessary prosecution.
Teachers on the ground say the situation is worsened by overcrowded classrooms, lack of parental involvement, and substance abuse among learners. “Learners come to school under the influence of alcohol and drugs … [and] parents don’t attend parental meetings and disciplinary hearings,” said Majola.
“If they [parents] do attend meetings, they too are frustrated by their children. They directly request you as an educator to use harsher measures to improve learner behaviour,” Majola added.
While the BELA Act is intended to safeguard learners’ rights, teachers are calling for more training, support, and amendments that take the realities of South African classrooms into account.
FEATURED IMAGE: A classroom in a South African public school. Photo: Nthabiseng Baloyi
Platforms like OnlyFans are reshaping how South Africa’s youth navigate money and survival.
A growing number of the country’s youth are turning to online platforms to earn a living through adult entertainment.
Agencies are cropping up to help OnlyFans creators plan their content, manage their money and taxes.
Entering the industry is not a decision to be taken lightly, and big paydays are few and far between.
Work usually done under the cover of darkness, on dimly lit streets has now found a new avenue online. A ring light, Wi-Fi connection and a whole lot of hustle are the tools of a new generation entering sex work. Behind these profiles are young entrepreneurs navigating risk and profit, while trying to survive in Ramaphosa’s economy.
Naked ambition fuels a new era
Just as other industries have adapted to the digital age, the sex trade has also evolved. One platform has brought it into the mainstream – OnlyFans. Ironically, the app didn’t begin as the adult entertainment mecca it is today. Launched in 2016, founder Timothy Stokely envisioned OnlyFans as a place where audiences could financially support creators like singers, actors, and artists through tips or monthly subscriptions. The app sought to democratise the entertainment industry, cutting out middlemen that took a chunk out of creatives’ earnings. OnlyFans boasted over 30 million users in 2020, and has paid out over $5 billion (R87 billion) to creators to date.
For much of the late 2010s, OnlyFans became the site of an adult entertainment ‘gold rush’, with thousands flocking to claim their share of the spoils. However, like the gold rushes of yesteryear, not everyone who showed up, shovel in hand, would walk away a millionaire. Only a handful of creators struck it big, many of whom had sizeable fanbases before joining the platform. Still, that hasn’t stopped hundreds of young people in South Africa from joining OnlyFans to try their luck or simply make a little extra money to survive.
SA creators turn clicks into cash
Hoes and CEOs, a Cape Town-based OnlyFans talent management agency, was founded by former sex worker Rhiannon Gouws in February 2025. Gouws turned to OnlyFans after three years of “traumatising” sex work that led to her being hospitalised in a mental health facility. “It tore my soul into tiny pieces that I had to pick up and I’m still picking them up to this day, but I am so much better than I was,” she told her nearly 9,000 Tik Tok followers.
“Unfortunately, healing does not pay the rent, so I created an OnlyFans [account],” Gouws said. After working with four different managers, a pattern emerged – they were making more money off her body than she was. “I didn’t start Hoes and CEOs to be a boss. I started Hoes and CEOs because I didn’t want women to be managed by men,” she explained.
Gouws says the company isn’t a money grab or a lifestyle brand. It’s a lifeline for the girls and gays who are in the same position she was in, “broke, hot, and confused, still trying to survive”.
Gouws knows that this isn’t a profession entered into lightly. “Most people who are in the sex work industry don’t want to do that and I believe that with my whole soul,” she said. “They’re doing it because they need to get out of a situation, they need to buy a car, pay off their debt, who knows. They just need to survive; they just want to have food on the table. They want to be financially free.”
Hoes and CEOs is a jack of all trades, helping newbies set up OnlyFans accounts, plan content, and even track their taxes. “We keep you accountable and most importantly, we stop when your goal is met,” Gouws said. “This isn’t a forever thing. You come in, make your money, hit your goal, and then you leave.”
The data shows where South Africa’s creators are based and how their earnings are split with OnlyFans. Graphic: Mbali Khumalo
An emerging hierarchy in the digital brothel
Unlike other online businesses, sex workers can’t simply up their marketing to attract new customers. This industry is built on discretion, and not just because it’s taboo, it’s still criminalised.
Enter digital ‘pimps’. The companies they run are structured like management agencies, offering representation, guaranteed clients, and discreet marketing – all for a cut of the profits, of course.
Founded by Australian OnlyFans star Mike Sanchez (AKA ‘Mike and His Banana’), Vixin Management represents adult entertainers in South Africa. His agency promises big returns, fast. Sanchez declined to be interviewed, but Vixin’s Instagram page alleges that no model in the agency has earned less than R50,000 in their first seven days on OnlyFans.
Vixin’s notable earners include one top creator who purportedly raked in R278,910 between April 22 and April 28, 2025. Another creator took home R142,740 between March 21 and March 27, 2025. Non-disclosure agreements keep the identities of his clients confidential, but the agency’s referral programme targets South African girls aged 18 to 22, with a R10,000 payout per successful referral.
Stats SA reports that in 2023, the average South African household had an annual income of R204,359. For the typical citizen, making six figures in just seven days would be life changing.
Big returns are rare in online sex work
While the dream of earning millions on OnlyFans might be alluring, massive paydays are the exception, not the rule. The average creator takes home roughly R2,600 monthly. That’s before OnlyFans takes its 20% cut. Sex work likely won’t make you rich, but for most, especially students, their motivations are more realistic.
“We do see that students are engaging in the trade, especially first years,” said Yonela Sinqu, National Communications Officer at Sisonke, an organisation advocating for the decriminalisation of sex work. “You do get older students, maybe third years, who would engage in sex work to complete their studies. Then you get the ‘older’ generation who would do this to supplement their incomes,” she continued.
“The people engaged in sex work are rendering a service just like any other. The money that they make goes towards the economy of this country. These are small businesses,” Sinqu said.
Most creators on OnlyFans aren’t raking in six-figure sums. Graphic: Mbali Khumalo
Regardless of the modest returns, digital sex work appears preferable to its physical counterpart, where there’s more physical risks and trauma. While it remains stigmatised, the world’s oldest profession isn’t going anywhere.
“It’s not for everyone,” Gouws said. “If you’re allergic to commitment or self-awareness, stay away. But if you have a money goal, a ring light and unresolved issues, welcome.”
FEATURED IMAGE: South Africans are finding both opportunity and risk in the booming digital sex economy. Image: Jufomicheva/Pexels.
Four months later, a student’s mental health complaint is still unresolved.
Accountability gap exposed.
Investigation stalled by anonymity issues.
Matter escalated to higher authorities.
When we first reported on the disturbing experiences of a student seeking mental health support at Wits University’s Campus Health and Wellness Centre in May, the hope was that the university would take swift and decisive action to address the reported neglect and mistreatment.
A student had shared painful stories of being dismissed, scolded, and left without proper care during their most vulnerable moments. The troubling accounts raised serious questions about the quality and accountability of mental health services on campus.
In May, the Centre’s temporary stand-in, Brian Jele, a Primary Health Care Nurse, assured WITS VUVUZELA that the matter would be reported to the head of department, Tshidiso Ntshabele, who was expected to return soon. He highlighted the availability of a suggestion box for students to report issues anonymously.
On May 8, 2025, just a few days after Ntshabele’s return, WITS VUVUZELA visited the Centre to ensure he was updated on the allegations. During our meeting, Ntshabele requested that WITS VUVUZELA arrange a meeting with the student outside of Campus Health so he could hear the student’s side of the story.
Later that same day, after leaving his office, WITS VUVUZELA reached out to the student to set up the meeting. However, the student declined, saying, “I really don’t think I want to. I don’t feel comfortable with my anonymity now being compromised, so no!” said the student, who asked to remain anonymous.
Four months later, has anything changed?
After the failed meeting with the student in May, business continued as usual. Since then, no investigation, suspension, or any form of disciplinary action has been taken against the two nurses involved.
Ntshabele said he could not proceed with any investigation without knowing the identity of the complainant.
“I do not know who the student is; I cannot investigate if I don’t know who the person is. Part of the investigation, according to our complex procedure, is that I must also interact with the complainant,” said Ntshabele.
When Wits Vuvuzela asked what would happen if the student was too afraid to return to the Centre to go through the investigation process, Ntshabele emphasised that the student’s presence was still required.
“We are dealing with sensitive matters involving someone’s confidential health information. For me to investigate, I need to interview that person and find out exactly what went wrong, so that I can also ask relevant questions,” he said.
This raises questions about the purpose of the suggestion box, which allows students to submit complaints anonymously.
When asked what changes had been made to improve mental health care and ensure students are treated with greater respect and kindness, Ntshabele said no changes had been implemented because no investigation had taken place. “If I did not investigate or consider an investigation, I can’t give a report to say this is what I found. Only if I had found something could we introduce and implement changes,” he said. Ntshabele added that until he is able to interact with the student directly, he would not know where the department is lacking or what improvements are needed.
Head of department’s office. Photo: Dikeledi Ramabula
Following the May publication of this story, WITS VUVUZELA sought to understand how staff at the Campus Health and Wellness Centre are trained and supported to better understand students’ mental health needs and to treat them with empathy rather than judgment.
Ntshabele said he had never received a complaint that any staff member had judged a student, adding that all mental health practitioners at the Centre are specialists with formal qualifications in the field. “Part of the mental health curriculum, when you are a nurse, is knowing that you must be non-judgemental,” he said.
“There are in-service training sessions that staff members attend, including a customer management course. If a specific staff member is found lacking, we identify the weakness, determine the area in which they are struggling, and then work to improve and empower them,” he added.
Ntshabele urged students who may still feel hesitant or fearful about seeking mental health services from Campus Health, to reach out to him directly, “The most important thing is for those students to tell me exactly what they are scared of and why they are fearful.”
“This clinic is for them, and no student should feel afraid. We are here to assist, particularly those with mental health conditions, because we know that for them to excel academically, they need to be well,” he continued.
Mental health is a serious condition, and at universities many students suffer from it. After discovering that Campus Health could not carry out an investigation because the student chose not to come forward, it became crucial to find out whether there is a higher authority that can intervene to ensure the complaint is properly addressed.
The matter was then escalated to the Dean of Students, Jerome September, who stated that all complaints are taken very seriously and investigated to the best of their ability. “Complaints are in the first instance made at the clinic, and these can be escalated to me as Dean of Student Affairs,” he said.
“Students are also able to lodge complaints through the Wits Integrity Line,” he added. September further requested that the affected student reach out to him directly so he can assist in resolving the matter.
FEATURED IMAGE: Campus Health And Wellness Centre corridors. Photo: Dikeledi Ramabula
At Wits University, physical and mental health declines prompt policy discussion on drug and tobacco abuse.
Substance abuse, specifically drug and tobacco use, is a common part of student culture at Wits.
In response to this, harm reduction is emerging as a more practical way to help those who are struggling.
A new bill on tobacco and e-cigarette control is being considered as a crucial step in addressing the problem at a policy level.
A walk past the Matrix, the Amphitheatre, or even Noswall Hall, brings the pungent scent of drugs on the breeze. It’s a common scene: groups huddled on benches, a joint, cigarette or vape passed between fingers. For many, whether from peer pressure, experimentation or the woes of life, it’s a “jol to zol” as a university student.
This casual normalisation of substance use on campus, however, is always concerning.
The School of Social Sciences addressed drug and tobacco use amongst students as a crisis demanding new policy solutions at a youth health talk on August 21.
For the SRC’s Health and Community Outreach Officer, Musawenkosi Hadebe, the issue is clear. “Particularly [with] students in the Wits Readmission Committee, we see substance abuse as a leading cause for academic failure,” she said.
So, what’s being done to address this?
In a proactive step towards reducing substance abuse, the national government is considering implementing the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill.
The Executive Director of Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP), Charity Monareng advocates for its passing into law: “I believe that more pressure from youth voices, through signing the petition to pass the bill, is a proactive step forward towards attempting to reduce the high prevalence of substance abuse,” said Monareng.
The proposed bill aims to regulate the sale, advertising, and packaging of tobacco products and e-cigarettes. It seeks to control their manufacturing, prohibit sales to children, and ban free distribution and sales through vending machines.
While the Wits Student Code of Conduct prohibits the use of illegal substances on campus, the issue remains rife.
However, a new approach is gaining traction. Rather than simply condemning drug use, many are turning to harm reduction, a strategy that acknowledges that people using substances should focus on minimising the risks.
“Rather than demand complete abstinence, I believe in practical tips that minimise effects as the goal is to meet people ‘where they’re at’,” explained Sive Mijinde, a researcher and project coordinator at OUT LGBT Wellbeing.
For students looking for support, the university’s Counselling and Careers Development Unit (CCDU) provides a safe space. Students struggling with substance abuse are provided with healthy coping mechanisms and pathways to wellness.
FEATURED IMAGE: Close up of a joint between a person’s fingers. Photo: Elsa Olofsson/Unsplash
Ntsika, a Witsie joined a jewellery investment scam, thinking she would scam the scammers, but had her bank account frozen.
Investment scams depend on recruitment to prosper.
Scammers use Telegram and WhatsApp to reach their target investors.
Losing money is one of the many consequences of joining an investment scam.
After spending an entire day at the Wits Wartenweiler library on East Campus, desperately scrolling on Wits Library in search of academic papers relevant to her research, Lusanda Ntsika (22), a Wits postgraduate student finds herself cherishing and equally lamenting over the days she would make money from EF Jewellery, an online investment scheme. From referring people to join using her referral code, she was guaranteed a bonus pay of up to R300, without any mental labour.
When Ntsika joined EF Jewellery in August 2024, she invested R130, which allowed her to receive R10 each day for 30 days. By the end of the first month, she had made R300, R170 profit, that is 131% profit for doing absolutely nothing.
Ntsika met Christia (referred to as Tina), the group admin of the EF Jewellery WhatsApp group, through her friend, Sizwe Nhlapho, in May 2024. Nhlapho had been using EF and making large withdrawals. He was a team manager with 700 team members. These were people who joined using his referral link.
Nhlapho’s account had a balance of R386, 877.74, his records showed he had previously made withdrawals totalling R263, 620.00 and had assets in jewellery worth R114, 070.00. He was at the top of his game.
Nhlapho’s EF account with 700 team members. Photo: Lusanda Ntsika
Ntsika knew EF Jewellery was an investment scam, from the overly big returns on small investments, and Nhlapho had been transparent regarding the nature of this investment.
The investment packages differed, with the maximum investment at the time of Ntsika’s joining being R5,500 for almost triple the return.
She made a couple of investments, withdrew all the money she invested upon maturity of investment, re-invested part of her profit, and would transfer the other part whenever she needed funds in her bank account.
Social media is fertile ground for digital scams
Scams have been going on for years. They come in different forms: physical and digital. Physical happens in person, and digital scams are modern-day scams on digital platforms, such as fake business websites and applications.
Digital scams reach more people in less time compared to physical scams, and they prove to be much safer for the scammers, as there are many ways to conceal their identities.
A report byFAnews, a South African financial services news platform, claims South Africa’s suspected digital fraud rates dropped from 9.0% in 2020 to 4.6% in 2024, which is currently below the global average of 5.4%.
However, an article released by Moonstone earlier this year, social media has “supercharged” investment scams. Platforms such as Telegram and WhatsApp are constantly used by scammers to reach their victims.
Many people who join investment scams that promise high, unrealistic returns are either desperate for money, poor people, or people like Ntsika, who know the financial risks of scams but join planning to exit before it collapses.
The risk of losing money is incredibly high in scams. It is almost always guaranteed you will lose money, but there is another less spoken of consequence of scams, and that is the bank freezing your accounts because of suspected fraudulent transactions.
Be prepared to lose your bank account because of a scam
Late July 2024, EF started having massive sales on jewellery. For example, a one-day investment of R1,680 promised a return of R5,880. People bought into these sales. The first week, people received their returns.
From the second week, Tina started making excuses about the system being down but urged people to keep taking advantage of the sale, so people kept investing. She even recommended that people earning less than R8,000 quit their jobs and focus on EF Jewellery.
Things got heated- money would grow on the app, yet members could not process withdrawals. Withdrawals were failing, every member’s EF jewellery app froze, and some members’ bank accounts were frozen for suspected fraud.
“The bank freezes accounts that receive untraceable transactions, ones receiving deposits from accounts under investigation for fraud and accounts that haven’t been making transactions for too long then suddenly receives large amounts of money,” said S’bonga Mhlongo, a bank consultant at Capitec.
“My account was frozen after processing R200 from my EF account into my bank account. When I went to the bank, I was told my transaction is untraceable, I should come back with a proof of payment from the person who made the deposit,” said Ntsika.
Conversation between Nhlapho and Ntsika over Ntsika’s blocked account. Photo: Lusanda Ntsika
Scammers either give you a fake proof of payment or no proof of payment. When EF members requested proof of payments from Tina, she would tell them to go shout at the consultants, that would make them unfreeze their accounts, “she didn’t care,” said Ntsika.
The consultants kept telling the members with frozen accounts their accounts had been reported to the bank’s fraud department and investigations were taking place.
Fraud investigations can last for months, during which people’s salaries would be processed into blocked accounts.
Members began to sweat as they failed to process withdrawals weeks on end, with elevated frustrations as profits kept growing on the app with no means of accessing it.
Ntsika’s group had over 5000 members, and there were other groups. It was hard to know people’s professions in the group. Ntsika had managed to have six of her student friends join under her team and a couple of relatives.
If you have been scammed, the bank requires you to open a case at your nearest police station.
When you are suspected of fraud or the person who deposited money into your account is under fraud investigations with the bank, the bank needs an affidavit detailing where the payment came from.
“During the first month of my account being blocked, my allowance was deposited into a frozen account. I had to open another account with another bank while waiting for these investigations to end,” said Ntsika.
After weeks of group members expressing frustrations and anger towards Tina. Things reached boiling point – she changed their group settings to “admins only”, remaining the only person who can send messages in the group.
Many people are unaware there is no specific minimum amount that a bank flags for fraud. Even a small amount like R200, once the bank suspects a fraudulent activity in your account, they will block it.
Investigations on Ntsika’s account lasted for a full year. After months of being sent from pillar to post, her account was unfrozen in August 2025.
Ntsika blames herself for joining an investment scam. She thought she was going to scam the scammers but ended up in debt for a couple of months because of a blocked bank account. Surely, you will think twice before joining an investment scheme from now on.
FEATURED IMAGE: A picture of a blocked bank card. Photo: Lulah Mapiye
Civil society organisations say, “no treaty is better than a bad treaty”, as United Nations plastic treaty talks hit a roadblock.
NGOs applaud UN member states who refused to accept a toothless plastics treaty.
Despite being the foot soldiers of climate action, some NGOs felt sidelined in Geneva, as talks seemingly favoured plastic lobbyists.
Civil society groups say they will persevere, despite the structural challenges they face.
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are standing behind the member states that rejected the plastics treaty being negotiated at the United Nations (UN) in Geneva, Switzerland on August 14. The treaty had been debated for 12 days before a deadlock collapsed this round of talks.
The treaty process was initiated in 2022 to establish a legally binding agreement on the full lifecycle of plastic products. Per a draft, this agreement would address public health, emissions, mandatory finance obligations, production limits, and other considerations.
Last week’s talks had intended to be the final set of negotiations.
According to a statement by Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), an international coalition of NGOs fighting for a zero-waste world, some of the NGO observers were unhappy that chairperson of the negotiating committee, Luis Vayas Valdivieso, allegedly allowed fossil fuel and petrochemical lobbyists to dominate the talks.
GAIA also claimed that civil society groups, waste pickers, scientists, and youth leaders were denied access to small group and special plenary meetings due to space restraints, even though they had all registered to attend.
“It felt almost like there were hidden agendas at play,” said Merissa Naidoo, GAIA Africa Plastics Program Manager. “It seems like the chair and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) have failed to set the table for an equitable and effective negotiation.”
Corporate lobbyists also used underhanded tactics to boost their influence during the talks.
“Some of these petrochemical industries are part of the country delegations. Most of the governments who include them are either producers of plastics or oil,” said Hellen Dena, Project Lead for Pan-African Plastics Project at Greenpeace Africa, one of the NGOs that was present in Geneva. “When you’re part of a delegation, you have access to all the meetings and the other delegations, so they can influence as much as they want.”
Plastic treaty negotiations are at an impasse, with no consensus reached since the treaty process was initiated in 2022. Graphic: Mbali Khumalo
The way forward on the treaty negotiations is unclear. Still, NGOs continue to fight against being sidelined in the tug-of-war between climate-conscious countries and profit-driven corporations.
For Dena, the fight for a robust treaty is about more than just pollution. “The plastic pollution crisis is not just an environmental crisis. It’s also a human health crisis. People on the frontlines, scientists, have found microplastics in blood, air, even human placentas. This is about people as well as the planet,” she said.
“It is a win that we didn’t come out with a weak treaty and that civil society put up a lot of pressure. Now we’ll get another chance to get it right.”
FEATURED IMAGE: Climate activists protest at the UN plastics treaty talks, which reached a deadlock on August 15. Photo: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP.
National Dialogue exposes deep cracks between citizens and state officials, raises doubts about its impact.
Tensions rose during the launch of the National Dialogue at UNISA in Pretoria, where disruptions overshadowed the opening session.
Former President Thabo Mbeki, alongside several organisations and political parties, withdrew from the process over concerns about credibility.
Citizens and students voiced disappointment at what they described as exclusion and lack of genuine representation.
The first National Convention in Pretoria over the weekend was intended to begin shaping a shared national vision and create a space for forthcoming dialogue. However, the event revealed a clear disconnect between government officials and ordinary citizens.
Audience members during Day 1 of the first National Convention of the National Dialogue of South Africa at Unisa. Photo: Likho Mbuka
Proceedings on Friday, August 15, 2025, at the opening of the National Dialogue at UNISA in Pretoria, were interrupted when individuals not listed as panellists attempted to force their way onto the stage, demanding to speak before President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The event began with a welcoming address by UNISA Vice-Chancellor Professor Puleng LenkaBula, followed by a musical performance.
Tensions unfolded shortly after panellists were invited to the stage for the first engagement session before the president’s address.
While panellists representing the citizen-led National Dialogue roadmap – a framework drawn up by civil society groups and legacy foundations – were called to the stage, two men not on the list rushed the stage.
They demanded to speak ahead of Ramaphosa and other high-profile delegates. They were asked to respect the process and calmly escorted off the stage.
The day had already been marked by an earlier disruption when an attendee collapsed, prompting a brief pause while emergency personnel provided medical assistance. Delegates sang them off with struggle songs until order was restored.
The dialogue itself opened under a cloud of eleventh-hour withdrawals. Former President Thabo Mbeki, the Thabo Mbeki and FW de Klerk Foundations, several Government of National Unity (GNU) partners, and several civil society organisations pulled out of the process. Opposition parties, including the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus), also withdrew, accusing the African National Congress of hijacking the initiative for political gain ahead of the 2026 local government elections.
In an interview with Wits Vuvuzela, ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bengu-Motsiri said,
“Our participation will be anchored in the values of the ANC, the resolutions of our national conferences, and the current lived experiences of our people,” she said.
Not everyone left convinced. Wits University first-year politics student, Sekhu Vivian Lerato, said she had hoped to witness inclusivity at work, but the disruptions only underscored her concerns.
“It felt more about political optics than citizens’ voices,” she said.
President Ramaphosa, however, cast the Dialogue in more optimistic terms, calling it “the real conversation” for South Africans to confront poverty, inequality, and poor service delivery.”
Whether the excluded voices will accept that invitation remains an open question.
FEATURED IMAGE: President Cyril Ramaphosa during Day 1 of the first National Convention of the National Dialogue of South Africa at Unisa’s Pretoria Main Campus. Photo: Likho Mbuka
Innovators, industry leaders, and seasoned professionals gathered to discuss AI’s purpose in Africa’s key sectors.
Experts agreed that AI is a powerful tool, particularly in the health sector.
From a legal perspective, the greatest threat from AI is its potential to concentrate wealth and power in the hands of a few corporations.
With AI as a resource in Africa, there is a clear call for models and frameworks that are designed to serve African-based principles and values.
Delegates explored AI’s transformative impact across various sectors whilst delivering important critiques about ethical applications and regulations of artificial intelligence (AI).
Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Solly Malatsi, highlighted its potential to revolutionise Africa’s future, which was the central theme at the CNBC Africa’s inaugural AI Summit at Indaba Hotel in Fourways.
Minister of Communication and Digital Technologies, Solly Malatsi, giving his keynote address Photo: Katlego Makhutle
The inaugural summit sponsored by Telkom in partnership with Forbes Africa and VISA, launched on Thursday, August 14, with important panel discussions moderated by CNBC Africa anchors.
Medical practitioner and CEO of Alpha and Omega MedTech, Dr. Brett Lyndell-Singh highlighted AI’s applications in healthcare, explaining how it is already being used to improve diagnostics in radiology, pathology, and dermatology.
Lyndell-Singh said, “I think it can be used for education [and] health awareness, but it cannot replace a doctor, especially [in] surgery. It’s not going to replace surgery, especially in Africa, any time soon…but you can actually have homoeopathic remedies that you can get from AI and ask it to give you some common remedies for flu, for example.”
Associate Lawyer at The Digital Law Company, Rorke Wilson, offered a legal perspective on the technology. Wilson acknowledged that AI introduces new digital security threats, such as a personal assistant AI that could compromise a user’s entire data ecosystem.
He argued that the primary threat is not the potential of a sentient AI, but rather AI being used to consolidate power and wealth to a few corporations. In the panel session, he noted that South Africa has its own commission in the works and later told Wits Vuvuzela, that perhaps the EU-AI Act-the first major legislation of artificial intelligence in the world, can be used as a “great framework” for creating a new regulation in South Africa.
The summit’s panel on education argued that it should be embraced for disruption. Professor Kat Yassim, Associate Professor at the University of Johannesburg’s Department of Education Leadership and Management, highlighted that young people are “digital natives”. She emphasised that universities must adapt their teaching and assessment methods alike.
Yassim challenged the traditional academic view that students have a propensity to cheat. “Should our measurements not be different? Should it always be about a mark? And that is what AI is forcing us to do. It’s forcing us to question. It’s forcing us to evolve,” she said.
She advocated for a collaborative learning environment where professors and students co-create knowledge and experiment with AI as a tool. Yassim provided a striking example from her own class, where 35% of students went on to become digital leaders in their schools after designing their own learning platforms using an AI-assisted process.
She asserted that this success is the true measure of learning and impact, demonstrating that when AI is used as a tool to enhance personal abilities, it can help students make a real difference in their communities and careers.
Overall, the summit painted two sides of the AI debate in Africa. One focused on the immense potential for innovation and the other on the critical need for ethical oversight and equitable development.
FEATURED IMAGE: From Left to Right: Founder of World Wide Worx, Arthur Goldstuck; Old Mutual Group Chief Technology and Data Officer, Dhesen Ramsamy & Openserve Chief Information Officer, Reubin Layman Photo: Katlego Makhutle
Telecommunication companies like Vodacom including state owned entities such as the education and health services sector, are not fast enough in including South African languages in their AI services offerings, hindering digital transformation and economic growth for non-English speakers.
The dominance of English in AI and tech development in South Africa creates a language barrier, excluding 92% of the population who primarily speak indigenous languages
Incorporating all 12 official South African languages into AI and technology could lead to greater inclusion, social cohesion and open up a significant market among young individuals.
There’s a risk of “language death and marginalisation” if indigenous South African languages are not incorporated into new technological developments and AI.
Quote on issues of tech and AI in African languages, IMAGE: Zanele S. Maduma
South Africa is a country that is pursuing digital transformation in modernising government services and driving economic growth yet the results aren’t showing as yet.
The Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Mr. Solly Malatsi, this year launched the Roadmap for Digital Transformation of the South African government. This comes as the government’s commitment to inclusive growth, efficient service delivery and ensuring that government services are accessible to all South Africans.
But the dominance of English in AI and tech development excludes 92% of the population who primarily speak indigenous languages in South Africa, limiting access to digital tools, education, and economic opportunities for the youth.
This is a big issue in a country with 12 official languages. Only 8% of South Africans speak English at home, according to Stats SA. Yet most online services offered in AI, such as online banking and mobile phone bot operated customer services on platforms like WhatsApp, are in English and this creates a language barrier for many people.
Dr. Lindiwe Tshuma, a language advisor at Wits University, says “Before we talk about AI we need to ask whether or not everybody has reputable access (to mobile a phone) and does everybody have digital literacy?
“We are not expecting everybody to produce content in all the 12 official languages of the country, but we expect it to at least pick a few,” said Dr. Tshuma.
Tech giants like Google and Microsoft have translation tools on their website, but the problem is not just about translating websites, it is also about how AI understands and responds to indigenous South African languages.
In a multilingual country such as South Africa, there are non-English languages that are more widely spoken such as IsiZulu and Xhosa, but no language is bigger or more important than another and therefore should be all represented in the tech and AI space.
“Our technology enables more people to engage in the digital economy using various languages,” says Partnership Associate at Botlhale AI Solutions, Amogelang Tsetse.
“Customers of different languages who don’t necessarily fully understand English also understand what is happening digitally,” Tsetse added.
The lack of South African languages in AI has a bigger impact, such as access to education and economic opportunities for the youth, particularly in a country striving for both linguistic diversity, social cohesion and inclusion.
Dr. Tshuma warns of language death and marginalisation should tech and AI companies and language experts not make any strides.
Tech and AI language is a problem in multilingual South Africa, IMAGE: Zanele S. Maduma
“We need to be looking at the readiness of our African languages to be incorporated into AI. Some of our languages are not yet fully developed but this does not mean that they must not be incorporated into the technological advances taking place, otherwise we are contributing to language death and marginalisation” she says.
There is a huge opportunity for companies that embrace local languages. There is a widespread mobile device ownership in South Africa among younger, tech-savvy individuals aged 15–34, according to South African News Agency. This is a massive market.
“Our team is made up of 50% engineers who understand that technology exists to help people understand things in their own language,” said Tsetse.
South Africa has a rich linguistic heritage and incorporating all the 12 languages into tech and AI developments and advances ensures the inclusion and social cohesion the government says it is aiming for in its digitisation projections.
FEATURED IMAGE: AI image with quote on African Languages and tech. Photo: Zanele S. Maduma
Israel adds to the already harrowing death toll of media workers reporting from Palestine.
Journalists Against Apartheid take a moment to commemorate lost Al-Jazeera colleagues.
Anas al-Sharif was among the six journalists recently targeted by Israel.
South African journalists and supporters emphasise the need for the media to speak up and to report the truth.
It was a sombre and almost muted affair, as a handful of South African journalists gathered on August 14, to honour slain colleagues in Palestine.
Journalists Against Apartheid gathered outside the Al-Jazeera office in Auckland Park, holding candles, placards and some draped in keffiyehs to remember those who have been killed by Israeli forces.
Journalist holding a candle in commemoration of lost media workers in Gaza. Photo: Ekta Seebran
Housed in a tent outside Gaza City’s al-Shifa hospital, Anas al-Sharif, a Palestinian journalist for Al-Jazeera Arabic, along with colleagues Mohammed Qreiqeh, Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, and freelance journalists Mohammed al-Khalid and Momen Aliwa, were killed in a targeted Israeli airstrike.
Israel admitted to targeting al-Sharif on the belief that he was the head of a Hamas terrorist cell but has yet to produce any evidence of this.
Faseegah Davids, coordinator of the Palestine Solidarity Committee, said, “making people feel powerless is the tool of the oppressor, journalists being silenced and killed in Gaza are used to misguide the world in terms of narrative and truth. But we know the truth. They have already been exposed.”
Since October 2023, 272 journalists and media workers have been killed in Israel.
Placards made by supporters. Photo: Ekta SeebranSupporters taking a moment of silence for the lost journalists. Photo: Ekta Seebran
Josephine Kloekner, freelance journalist and organiser of the vigil, said, “It’s not a time we can just be hesitating, because all our colleagues are dying, we have to show our faces and speak up, because if we don’t, who will do it for us.”
The gathering heard voices from not only journalists and supporters of Palestine, but also from media workers on the field sent a message to be read to the crowd, which said:
“The target is truth. We knew them not as bylines, but as friends, as colleagues. Whenever we could get coffee, we shared it with them […] We ran towards danger, not away from it, because we are fearless. But in actual fact, we live in fear. It’s our natural state, and we know that the world must see. We mourn today, but we pick up our cameras tomorrow […] We can never allow Gaza to die without us.”
FEATURED IMAGE: Photos of Al-Jazeera journalists killed on 10 August 2025. Photo: Ekta Seebran.
Though information and communication technologies (ICTs) broaden our reach, with its evolution emerges the monster that is technology facilitated gender-based violence.
Technology Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) plagues youth in the digital age.
Lack of education, adequate law enforcement, and ability to identify the cyber abuse allows the problem to persist.
The Wits Gender Equity Office works separately from government, allowing for increased reporting of abuse by student.
In a move to increase awareness about TFGBV, Wits students have joined the youth-led initiative, SafeDigitalVoices, to combat the persistence of cyber-stalking, non-consensual image sharing, and online harassment, in the digital age.
TFGBV is a term which addresses the problem of abuse, exploitation, and harassment through digital platforms, including dating apps and social media. As it is a relatively new concept, but an important one at that, education on TFGBV is minimal and as a result, many do not know how to identify it.
It is important to know the “difference between a joke and being violated,” said Dr. Aretha Asakitikpi, coordinator of the SafeDigitalVoices TFGBV course. She explained that TFGBV is ‘internalised’, describing that it has become normalised in popular culture.
Jazz Selektor and SafeDigitalVoices member, Buntu, spoke to Wits Vuvuzela about her experience. “I experienced it a lot during 2017 and ‘18 because of the way that my boobs look. I went through so much backlash on social media which led me to deactivating my Facebook account,” she said.
This brings to light the problem of reporting TFGBV and the consequent challenges of law enforcement. Dr. Asakitikpi says that, “law enforcement understand the physical,” but not the intangible. Cyber bullying cannot be seen or touched.
Many of these cases go unreported. According to Dr. Asakitikpi, this is because youth don’t often tell elders, such as their parents or the authorities, due to fear of being shamed, misunderstood, and even ignored.
“Technology is growing faster than our laws,” Asakitikpi said. She described a case she came across during her research in which a respondent reported being stalked online and was met with negligence due to lack of training on the new age beast.
“They didn’t know what to do,” she explained.
Wits Vuvuzela spoke to Bhekamndeni Mkwanazi, a staff member at the Wits Gender Equity Office (GEO), who argued that the GEO is more effective than government law enforcement because they “use an inquisitorial approach, we ensure that we keep the complainant safer and also the respondent,” explaining a belief in restorative justice rather than solely punishment.
“We conscientise them, so whenever they do come back to the university, they’re better people than what they were,” he said.
Identifying and reporting TFGBV is extremely important, not only to protect the subject of the harm, but to hold perpetrators accountable, working toward combatting online norms that are causing or perpetuating harmful behaviours.
To report TFGBV cases you can email them at: info.geo@wits.ac.za, or call the crisis hotline: 0800 111 331. They are also available on Facebook: witsgeo and X: @WitsGEO.
FEATURED IMAGE: Image of the TFGBV awareness team, working with SafeDigitalVoices. Photo: Dipalesa Letuka.
The women of Medhurst Hall celebrate nipples, unashamed and free.
Wits’ Medhurst Hall challenged societal norms by going braless for a week during Women’s Month.
Their “Stick It To The Stigma” campaign encouraged women to feel proud of their nipples being seen.
Decades of conditioning forged deep insecurities, but this movement guided women towards self-love and acceptance.
Some women can remember the day vividly. Not the first time they wore a bra – that may be lost to the blur of childhood – but the day it truly became a thing. The gentle wire that eventually dug into flesh, the adjustable straps that always slipped, the sheer relief of unhooking it at the end of a long day, feeling their ribs expand, their shoulders drop. For many women, this is an intimate familiarity with a garment that dictates, rather than conforms.
Yet, for one week in August, students at Medhurst Hall, a Wits all-female residence, spent time loosening the tight knot of insecurity by freeing their nipples in honour of Women’s Month.
Their ‘Stick It To The Stigma’ campaign embraced the notion that women’s breasts are not deficiencies to be concealed or corrected, but rather celebrated.
As Kgothatso Kgowa, Academic Officer of the Medhurst Hall House Committee, puts it: “The idea that women must wear bras every day is a social norm, not a necessity. It’s rooted in patriarchy, media influence, and myths about health, leading even women to shame others for going braless.”
This sentiment echoes what has simmered for decades, from the “bra burners” of the past to the contemporary “free the nipple” movement.
“Boobs come in all shapes, sizes and personalities and that is exactly what makes them amazing,” mused Tokollo Matsaung, a resident of Medhurst Hall.
Her words tackle years of ingrained self-consciousness, “For so long,” she continues, “older generations quietly passed down shame and silence around our bodies, like we had to hide or fix what was never broken. But the truth is, your boobs aren’t wrong, society’s narrow lens is. Let them exist proudly.”
For Disebo Mokoena, another resident, this movement holds personal significance. “I started wearing a bra when I was young,” she recounts. “The minute my mom saw that I have breasts, she started to buy me bras.”
This early training, a common experience for many women, established a rigid framework. “You grow up with that mentality that I have to wear a bra because what are people going to say if I don’t?”
And the cycle of judgment often continues: “When we see girls not wearing a bra, we judge them because it was instilled when we were young that a woman should not go out with her nipples showing.” However, Mokoena now perceives a new trajectory. “I feel like this whole movement teaches us to love and appreciate our bodies the way they are.”
Through Instagram, Medhurst Hall reminds girls that: “You are powerful. You are enough. And you absolutely rock.” A joyful proclamation to “Stick It To The Stigma!” and, to allow their bodies to breathe free.
FEATURED IMAGE: From left to right: Medhurst residents Owam Madontsela, Lebogang Masemola, Kgothatso Kgowa posing with their nipples free.Photo: Supplied/Medhurst Hall
Since her announcement as the Democratic Alliance’s mayoral candidate for Johannesburg, Helen Zille has dominated national headlines. In this bonus episode of We Should Be Writing podcast, hosts Lulah Mapiye and Bonolo Mokonoto dissect a media meet-and-greet with the mayoral hopeful. From her extensive political résumé to her controversial public utterance, we examine why the Democratic Alliance has chosen Hellen Zille as their candidate for the 2027 local mayoral elections. Additionally, […]
