International Academic Day is dedicated to recognizing and appreciating academia, but what does academic freedom mean in South Africa.
According to the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) academic freedom is a right that allows students and lecturers to research, teach and express their views without any fear or interference.
The Academy of Science states that in the South African constitution, under the freedom of speech clause, academic freedom is guaranteed. This right was reinforced by the 1997 formal document titled:White Paper 3: A Programme for the Transformation of Higher Education. This document highlights academic freedom as the pillar for transforming higher education after Apartheid.
The first International Academic Freedom Day, May 20 was announced by Academics for Academic Freedom (AFAF) in November 2023, with the goal of promoting and defending academic freedom globally through various activities, such as lectures, seminars, and debates.
For many academia might evoke images of complex theories and debates. For me, however, academic freedom is about the opportunity to pursue knowledge, and exploring the subjects that ignite my curiosity and passion. Whether delving into the depths of physics or literature, academic freedom should empower me to choose my career path and follow it.
This freedom is more than just a curriculum to me; it is about nurturing my talents and transforming them into skills. It is through the space of academics where my God given talents have been nurtured, and further strengthened. I’ve always known I had a talent for radio presenting but didn’t know how to pursue it. As a student journalist, I’ve realized I can leverage my innate talent as a skill in broadcast journalism. I’ve also developed other abilities like writing and digital content creation in this academic setting.
Additionally, I believe academic freedom is also about resilience and triumph. It is about overcoming the challenges that come with being a student, whether they are academic, financial, or personal challenges.
This freedom is about standing victorious and emerging stronger not just because I have completed a degree or passed an exam, but because I have grown intellectually and personally. Academic freedom for me is a constitutional right that has allowed me to explore, grow, and unlock my full potential.
FEATURED IMAGE: Lona Sokanyile. Photo. File/Leon Sadiki
The spirit of Hip-Hop was on full display at the Red Bull event, through competitive breakdancing and headlining performances from A-Reece and Priddy Ugly.
The Red Bull BC One competition, which took place on March 23, 2024 at TMF Studios in Braamfontein saw scores of people gather to give the art of breakdancing its flowers.
The competition is a Red Bull initiative, intended to shine a light on South Africa’s breakdancing culture and provide a platform for professional breakdancers (known as B-Boys/Girls) to demonstrate their creativity and talent through competition.
A B-Boy performs before judges. Photo: Kabir Jugram
This was certainly the case for Joony Roc from Johannesburg South, a passionate B-Boy, who has been working on his craft for over 10 years. Speaking to Wits Vuvuzela after performing to the sound of deafening speakers and roaring applause from a jam-packed audience, he said: “Seeing the turnout tonight and some of the faces that are here… I’m happy. It feels like the culture is being sparked again and people are starting to pay attention to breaking because breaking is one of the original elements of Hip-Hop.”
While the event gave exposure to an unsung art form, it also paid homage to an iconic one: Hip-Hop. With the likes of A-Reece and Priddy Ugly headlining the event, hundreds of young artists and hip-hop lovers were seen filling up the stands.
As A-Reece quietly emerged from the crowd to perform, cheers only grew louder the closer he got to the stage. This excitement would soon build into a hysteria of moshing bodies, strained voices and enchanted minds as the crowd was reciting A-Reece’s verses bar for bar throughout his performance.
A-Reece performing to a packed crowd. Footage: Kabir Jugram
The spirit of hip-hop had people enchanted. An up-and-coming artist named ‘OG Wanton’ summed this up neatly, “Without Hip-Hop I’d be lost. It gave me a safe space to create, write and express how I feel… Without that in life, I wouldn’t be who I am right now”. His collaborator ‘Pxzess’ added: “It (Hip-Hop) puts us (the youth) in a position of being something bigger than us as individuals. Hip Hop is a movement, not a genre.”
Rapper and headliner artist, Priddy Ugly told Wits Vuvuzela that hip-hop played a pivotal role in his life and development: “Hip-hop culture raised me. I wouldn’t be here without it. Hip-hop taught me to believe in myself, taught me confidence… it taught me my language!”
Priddy Ugly headlined the Red Bull One Event on Saturday. Photo: Kabir Jugram
In an age where Amapiano has become a global phenomenon and artists like Tyla and Black Coffee have achieved global acclaim, hip-hop has fallen by the wayside in terms of its mainstream appeal. However, it is events such as this that remind us that while the culture has been neglected in recent times, it has certainly not lost its relevance or importance.
The event united people around their common love for a genre that grew them, moulded their identities and taught them self-expression. Not only was this event an exhibition of a growing breakdance culture, but it also served as a timely reminder of the importance of hip-hop to the lives of many South African youths.
FEATURED IMAGE: A-Reece engages the crowd at the Red Bull One event. Photo: Kabir Jugram.
Another explosion mere weeks after the last, rocked the Johannesburg CBD on Tuesday.
This blast was accompanied by a one-storey high fire on the corner of Bertha and De Korte streets in Braamfontein at 15:15 on September 5, 2023.
A Total Braamfontein petrol attendant, Emmanuel Legau, told Wits Vuvuzela he heard a loud bang and then, “I saw fire erupt from the ground, and I saw someone rolling on the floor, near the where the fire broke [out].”
The explosion in an open manhole with an Egoli Gas maintenance team in it, led to their gas truck catching alight and then the flames quickly spread close to the entrance of South Point’s Epozini student accommodation.
A fire erupts from a gas pipe explosion during an Egoli Gas maintenance, causing damage to a truck, a nearby building and the traffic lights. Photo: Terri-Ann Brouwers.
According to the city’s mayor, Kabelo Gwamanda, the team was carrying out “preventative maintenance” on pipeline infrastructure, to be proactive and not have a repeat of the Bree Street explosion just six and a half weeks ago.
The fire was luckily extinguished within half an hour. Spokesperson of Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Nana Radebe-Kgiba said “five people were injured and assessed on the scene,” with one Egoli Gas employee rushed to the hospital. All the injuries are said to be moderate.
Firefighters manage the last flames of the Braamfontein gas explosion fire. Photo: Terri-Ann Brouwers.
In a statement, Egoli Gas called the fire on the gas line “unfortunate” and said they will be working more closely with the City of Joburg when carrying out maintenance in future to ensure public safety.
Floyd Brink, member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) said an investigation is underway to determine the cause.
The aftermath of the Braamfontein gas explosion fire. Photo: Terri-Ann Brouwers.
FEATURED IMAGE: A crowd look on as a from a gas pipe explosion engulfs a maintenance truck and a nearby vacant building. Photo by Terri-Ann Brouwers.
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