Seven months after her precautionary suspension, former Wits Sociology Head of Department Professor Srila Roy faces an internal university disciplinary hearing set for September 15
Former Sociology Head of Department Professor Srila Roy will appear before a formal Wits disciplinary hearing on September 15, 2026.
Head of the School of Social Sciences, Professor Lorena Núñez Carrasco, confirmed that internal proceedings remain ongoing and an outcome will take time.
Roy remains under institutional restrictions that prevent her from speaking publicly or publishing material regarding the ongoing case.
Former Head of Sociology Department Professor Srila Roy will face an internal university disciplinary hearing on September 15, 2026, seven months after her precautionary suspension.
Professor Srila Roy. Photo: The University of the Witwatersrand
The hearing date was confirmed by Head of the School of Social Sciences, Professor Lorena Núñez Carrasco, in response to written enquiries about Roy’s employment status and the progress of internal proceedings.
While questions surrounding Roy’s permanent standing at Wits have circulated since her suspension in February, the university confirmed that internal processes have not yet concluded.
“The disciplinary process has not concluded, the hearing will in fact only be held on the 15th of September, [and] even then, the final resolution will take some time,” Núñez Carrasco stated in an email response.
She added that until the matter is officially resolved, Roy is restricted from making public statements or publishing material concerning the case.
Roy was placed on precautionary suspension in February 2026 following public backlash over remarks posted on social media regarding South African work ethic amidst parliamentary discussions on foreign academics in higher education.
The post drew swift condemnation from student leadership, the South African Sociological Association (SASA), and members of parliament. Roy subsequently resigned as Head of Department, leading to formal university disciplinary procedures.
Although Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Higher Education previously called for her dismissal, Wits University maintained that any institutional outcome would depend strictly on the completion of its formal internal processes.
With the hearing scheduled for mid-September, the final determination on Roy’s future academic standing at Wits remains pending.
FEATURED IMAGE: Graphic showing silhouette of a woman by a calendar marking September 15 2026. Designed by: Daniella Ripamonti
Members of Uthingo Lwamankosazana (Rainbow of Maidens) – the Wits society for young maidens – are preparing for Umkhosi Womhlanga, the annual Zulu reed dance ceremony honouring the king and celebrating maidenhood, while encouraging young women to embrace their cultural identities and traditions.
Uthingo Lwamankosazana aseWits prepares members for Umkhosi Womhlanga.
Students from different cultures celebrate their heritage together.
Members say young people are losing touch with tradition.
For some Wits students, preparing for Umkhosi Womhlanga, the annual Zulu reed dance ceremony set to take place September 5-6 2026, is about more than getting ready for a cultural ceremony: it is a chance to reconnect with traditions they fear young people are losing.
Uthingo Lwamankosazana is a society for maidens at Wits that brings together young women from different cultural backgrounds under the slogan ‘Maidens united in diversity.’ Second-year BCom Accounting student and chairperson Luthando Mdletshe said the society is not exclusively Zulu, and that women from any tribe are welcome to join. “We’re not just a Zulu maiden’s group,” she said.
For second-year BA Film and Television student Bulumko Ntluzo, who is Xhosa, being part of Uthingo has encouraged her to take pride in her own culture and traditions.
An image of Uthingo Lwamankosazana at Umkhehlo. Photo: Sanele Sithole
Umkhosi Womhlanga, held annually during the first or second week of spring every year, is a cultural festival in South Africa where tens of thousands of young women gather to celebrate womanhood and cultural identity. Members of Uthingo lwamankosazana pushed back on a common misconception that women who attend Umkhosi Womhlanga do so to be selected as wives.
Final-year BSc Astronomy and Astrophysics student Tania Nyanda said this, and other stereotypes have contributed to young people becoming disconnected from traditional practices. She said members attend the ceremony to pay their respects to the royal family and take part in prayer. Mdletshe described it instead as a celebration of ubuntombi (maidenhood), and a chance for maidens from different provinces to learn from one another.
Uthingo Lwamankosazana members have been preparing for the ceremony through a ‘Siyaya eMhlangeni’ camp and amahubo, which are traditional song practices held on campus. Second-year Bachelor of Education Student Nosipho Makhalima said the camp prepares members by advising them on how to conduct themselves and reminding them of the significance of Umkhosi Womhlanga.
Beyond ceremony preparation, the society doubles as a support network for young women in their 20s, navigating university life away from home. Makhalima described it as a safe and educational space where members discuss issues around relationships, sexuality, and abstinence in line with the traditional values promoted by the society and at its centre is a sense of sisterhood.
Ntluzo said young women often become disconnected from their traditions once they arrive at university, driven by peer pressure and fear of appearing “too traditional.” She added that social media has also shifted young people’s attitudes towards culture.
As Uthingo Lwamankosazana members prepare for this year’s ceremony, Uthingo Lwamankosazana continues to give Wits students a space to engage with culture, support one another and hold on to tradition while navigating university life.
FEATURED IMAGE: An image of member of Uthingo Lwamankosazane by Sanele Sithole
Diabetes health education could help Wits students make informed choices about food and their health.
Wits students need more diabetes education to make informed health choices.
Limited healthy food options make it difficult for students to eat well on campus.
Health professionals are urging students to make healthier lifestyle choices.
For many students at the University of the Witwatersrand, deciding what to eat between lectures depends on two things – what is affordable and what is quick to eat. However, with diabetes becoming a growing health concern in South Africa, health professional Sister Lebohang Ngubeni, from the Shout IT Out Campaign, says students also need to understand how their everyday lifestyle choices can affect their health.
Students regularly eat cheap, convenient foods such as bunny chow, slap chips, fried foods and sugary snacks, while also getting little or no exercise. In the long run, these habits can lead to weight gain and also increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a condition that occurs when blood sugar levels are too high, among other health problems.
TimesLive news recently reported on diabetes becoming South Africa’s leading cause of death. Dr Siyamak Saleh, who was commenting on the news report in a TikTok video, said, “HIV is a much easier condition to manage compared to diabetes! We need more health education.” It’s very important to know your blood sugar levels to help identify risks early on.
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, diabetes is a condition where there is too much glucose, or sugar, in the blood. The body gets glucose from the food we eat, and insulin helps the body use that glucose for energy. With type 2 diabetes, the body can become resistant to insulin, which causes glucose to build up in the blood.
The latest mortality data from Statistics South Africa shows that diabetes mellitus was responsible for 27 692 deaths in 2023, making it the country’s leading cause of natural death.
Wits students have several takeaway options, including Sausage Saloon, Chinese Lantern, and Kara Nicca’s. Sima Boyisa, a first-year Wits student, said she struggles to find healthier options on campus.
“There’s never healthy food. If I don’t eat burger, a wrap or chips at the Main Dining Hall, which are affordable, there’s nothing [else] I can opt for,” said Boyisa.
While the food outlets offer students affordable and convenient meals, Boyisa experience highlights a question at the heart of the issue, which is: do Wits students have enough affordable, healthy food options on Campus?
According to Sister Lebohang, “students should be aware of lifestyle factors such as obesity, smoking and lack of exercise because it can increase their risk of diabetes”. She advised students with a limited budget to prioritise vegetables, which they can buy at Food Lover’s Eatery in Braamfontein, drink more water and avoid fizzy drinks.
Students who are concerned and need information about diabetes, testing or management support can visit the Wits Campus Health and Wellness Centre. The main clinic is located on the lower ground floor of the Student Union Building, below the Matrix, on Braamfontein Campus East. Students on the Parktown Education Campus side can visit the satellite clinic at Highfield Accommodation House, on the ground floor.
FEATURED IMAGE: Wits students queue for affordable takeaway meals at Chinese Lantern. Photo: Alice Dhlamini.
An immersive journey through the city’s alternative art spaces.
Johannesburg’s inner-city became the backdrop for Contra: an art festival spread across various rooftops, warehouses and galleries across the city during the weekend.
I started my journey in Asisebenze Art Atelier, an urban art studio in the heart of downtown Jozi. There, I found myself in a labyrinth of different textiles suspended by ribbons from the ceiling. At the centre of this colourful maze was stylist Nqobile Nxumalo who graciously helped fit me into a unique denim pinafore-style dress: one of her favourite pieces. As she weaved the straps around my figure, I watched the dress slowly take shape.
Nxumalo’s collection on display. Photo: Jamie Ho.My fitting of the denim phinifa. Photo: Jamie Ho.
“These are called ‘phinifa’,” she explained, as she tightened the straps. “It’s a traditional outfit for married women mostly.” Nxumalo’s work subverts the conventional roles assigned to women in African culture, allowing for a reimagining of societal expectations. Staring at my silhouette in the mirror, I admired her handiwork: the pleats and folds perfectly hugging my figure to create a bold and flattering silhouette.
Suddenly, a loud boom echoed from the next room. After unravelling myself from the dress, I went to investigate the source. A performance was being held by a few African spiritual healers seated around an assortment of candles and spiritual offerings. Every beat of the drum, piercing note of the trumpet, and squeal of the flute pulsed into a steady melody. I was entranced by how powerfully they commanded the room, warping the air with music.
My next stop was Transwerke, a towering building of crumbling brick and oval terraces originally built as a maternity hospital but now functioning as a creative hub for artists. I descended into the basement first. I stepped into the first room where a few children were busy painting. An array of patterned puzzle pieces were littered across the table: each one a country ready to be assembled into the continent of Africa.
The crumbling yet imposing architecture of Transwerke. Photo: Jamie Ho.Mixed media installation adorning the Transwerke halls. Photo: Jamie Ho.
After spending a few minutes here, an eerie rumble rippled through the echoey halls. I followed the sound and found myself in an open courtyard at the centre of the building. Red, yellow, green and pink streamers rained down from the treetops onto the central patio which breathed with loud, clashing sounds.
A woman was banging a bamboo stick against an empty drum barrel while children shook rattles engineered from cutlery and wire. I seated myself on the blankets at the centre of this whirlwind of sound and colour (a soundscape, I learned it was called). We were encouraged to pick up a few of the makeshift instruments, so I rattled a pan filled with bottlecaps and rice. My skin prickled as the sounds raised and waivered, bouncing off and around the tall walls surrounding the courtyard.
An assortment of instruments fashioned out of recycled materials. Photo: Jamie Ho.
Admittedly before this experience, I had only known the city from afar. CONTRA allowed me to step foot into a range of unconventional spaces that I would have never otherwise ventured into. I was able to plunge headfirst into art in all its various forms: from painting sessions to fashion pop-ups to sonic escapes. It felt like I wasn’t just viewing the art; I was in some way a part of it. And while the experience was vastly different across each location, it never felt incongruent or out of place.
Whether it be in the courtyards pocketed away between buildings, the basement of a dilapidated hospital, or the studios overshadowed by towering urban centers, each space was blossoming with life. It was comforting to know that art will always find a way, that it will creep up through the cracks in whatever concrete jungle it finds itself in, to exist in a very beautiful, very plain way.
Vuvu rating: 9/10
FEATURED IMAGE: A musician blowing a trumpet during a live African spiritual performance. Photo: Jamie Ho.
From altering oversized trousers in a university residence to turning discarded clothing into insulation for informal settlements. Bryan Lepelle is proving that a small student idea can grow into a business with a bigger purpose.
Drip Tailors is focused on sustainability, skills development and job creation.
Lepelle received a Head of School Award at Wits.
Lepelle formally registers his business in 2025.
Bryan Lepelle, a co-founder of Drip Tailors, is not the kind of entrepreneur who started with a big office, expensive machines or a large amount of funding. As an Honours student in Education, his entrepreneurial journey started in 2023 while he was a student living at Barnato residence at the University of the Witwatersrand.
Lepelle and his co-founder, Refilwe Monyela, bought trousers that were too big for them. Instead of looking for someone to alter the trousers, they decided to do it themselves. Their sewing skills were self-taught. They adjusted the trousers and, to their surprise, it worked. “We taught ourselves how to sew and we adjusted the trousers and it actually went well,” says Lepelle.
That small success made them think about other students who could be facing the same problem. With many students buying clothes online from stores such as Shein and Temu, they wondered whether there were other students who faced the same problem they did. So, they posted in university groups to find out and there were many.
What began with two students trying to fix their own trousers quickly turned into an opportunity.
“We identified a problem that students had and we had to come up with a solution,” Lepelle explains.
At first, Drip Tailors was informal. Lepelle and Monyela were simply making some extra money on the side while studying. It was not yet the serious business it would later become. In 2025, however, they took another important step by entering the entrepreneurial space at E-hub. The E-hub is a university –based entrepreneurship hub that supports students and emerging entrepreneurs in developing and growing their businesses. With the support they received there, the business was formally registered. They received mentorship, which helped them understand that what they had started could become more than just a side-hustle.
But turning an idea into a business came with its own challenges. “The biggest challenge when we were starting was funding, basically because we work with machinery and other equipment,” Lepelle says.
The lack of resources forced the young entrepreneurs to find ways to work with what they had. “When we started, we made an investment in buying two small machines. Even though we lacked some equipment, we found a way of adapting and using those two machines, and it did work,” he says. Later, they received funding after winning an Enactus competition. Other support, including funding from Ford Motor Company, also helped them move forward.
Drip Tailors Co-founders Refilwe Monyela (left) and Bryan Lepelle (right) pose with certificates after being recognized for their tailoring work. Photo: Supplied/ Drip Tailors
Learning to work with limited resources became part of his entrepreneurial education. But Drip Tailors was also changing. The business began looking beyond simply altering clothes and towards a much bigger problem: textile waste and the cold weather experienced by people living in informal settlements. This led to the development of ThermaCycle.
Drip Tailors collects unwanted clothing through clothing donation drives and other partnerships. “When we go to collect clothes, there are clothes that can’t be donated because they are seriously damaged, beyond repair and can’t be used anymore, Lepelle says. Instead of throwing those clothes away, Drip Tailors repurposes them. “We take those clothes, disinfect them and decolour them, and we make thermal wall insulation with those clothes,” he explains. The insulation is then used to help make homes in informal settlements warmer.
According to Lepelle, the material can help increase the temperature inside a house by 8 to 18 degrees, helping create a warmer and more comfortable living environment during colder months.
At the heart of Drip Tailors is the idea of finding solutions to problems.
The business has grown into a social enterprise. It is not only focused on recycling waste but also on teaching people skills that they can use to be self-sustainable. Drip Tailors has a training academy where people are taught sewing skills. Lepelle explains that the goal is not simply to train people and send them home, but to give them skills that can create opportunities for their future. As he puts it, “after someone has completed their training, they can go start their own business.” He also emphasises that Drip Tailors is focused on creating a meaningful impact in the community, stating that “Drip Tailors teaches people skills so they can be able to sustain themselves.”
This focus on skills and employment is especially important to Lepelle because of the high level of unemployment among young people in South Africa. As he explains, “trying to employ a certain portion of youth is solving one of the country’s problems.”
Being a student and a business owner at the same time is challenging. While other young people may spend their free time relaxing, going out with friends or simply enjoying university life, Lepelle often spends his spare time serving clients, managing his team and thinking about the future of the business. He admits that finding a balance has been one of the hardest parts of his journey. His solution? Organisation.
Lepelle creates weekly schedules and sets goals for each. His university timetable also gives him some flexibility because he attends classes once a week and has many classes online. Lepelle explains, “I divide my time by setting weekly schedules and setting goals for every week.” He adds that attending physical classes once a week and having the rest online gives him the flexibility to manage both his studies and business.
He believes the success of the project is not about two directors doing everything themselves.
“It’s all possible because of a team,” he says.
His journey has also taken him beyond South Africa. In 2025, Lepelle travelled to Thailand, where he made international connections and developed partnerships with people from other countries. He says the experience taught him that networking is one of the most important parts of entrepreneurship. More importantly, he learned that a company is not only about the people who own it. It is about the people it serves.
That lesson has influenced the way he looks at business. In his view, entrepreneurship should have an impact on the community. It should create opportunities, solve problems and help people. That belief has also shaped his leadership.
His advice is simple: take the risk.
“If you don’t take steps, no one will take them for you,” he says.
For Lepelle failure is also part of the process. Sometimes, he says, you have to fail in order to learn. His own journey shows that entrepreneurship does not always begin with a perfect business plan. Sometimes it starts with a problem that needs solving. For him, it was a pair of trousers that did not fit. Today, the same mindset is being used to tackle a much bigger problem: textile waste, cold homes and unemployment.
Drip Tailors co-founders Refilwe Monyela (left) and Bryan Lepelle (right) at an Enactus competition. Photo: Supplied/Drip Tailors
FEATURE IMAGE: The official logo of Drip Tailors, a Wits students’ tailoring business. Photo: Supplied/ Drip Tailors
That love has taken him from schoolboy derbies in front of 15 000 fans to a professional contract with the Lions.
Before every match, the ritual is the same. The same pair of socks pulled tight over strapped ankles. The wristband with his family member’s names and a bible verse, worn like armour against his skin. A familiar song through his headphones, settling into him the way it has before every big game since school. By the time he steps onto the field, Thandolwethu “Thando” Biyela is no longer thinking. He is simply ready to tackle something.
On the field, he is the man opponents least want to run into, a loose forward who folds ball carriers in half. Teammates call him the “Bone Collector,” a nickname earned one bruising hit at a time. Walk past him on Wits University’s East Campus a few days later, though, and he could be any other student hooded up, backpack slung over one shoulder, on his way to a lecture he missed half of because he was on a plane back from a tournament. Balancing the two lives is not easy, but it is the only life he wants.
An image of Thando celebrating with his teammate after they scored a try. Photo: Sanele Sithole
Long before the wristband and the nickname, Biyela was a small boy, on a school field, chasing a ball he barely understood. Born in Umlazi and raised in Secunda, he was introduced to rugby in grade four by his primary school teachers, and something about the chaos of it- the collisions, the structure hidden inside the collisions stuck. He started in the backline, playing at 13, before settling into the position he now calls home: loose forward, specifically the number eight, where his size and appetite for contact do the most damage. At King Edward VII School (KES), he played fullback before being moved to flank, a shift toward the collision-heavy role he would grow into as a professional.
“It’s hard, but it’s something that I love doing, something that relieves stress for me,” Biyela said, describing the sport that has defined his life since childhood. That love has taken him from schoolboy derbies in front of 15 000 fans to playing for the junior Springboks and a professional contract with Lions. “The professional set-up like the Lions is a dream come true,” he said, though the pressure never really goes away. “The pressures of playing between high school and for the Lions is different but the same for me.”
Biyela enrolled at Wits in 2023, a decision he said he does not take lightly. His week looks nothing like that of the students around him in lecture halls: early gym sessions, training that eats into afternoons meant for tutorials, flights to tournaments that leave gaps in his notes. “The support has been helping me quite a lot,” he said. “Like when I was at the World Championship last year, all of my lecturers would send me notes and slides so that when I come back, everything becomes easier for me to catch up.”
Asked whether he ever wishes for an ordinary varsity experience, Biyela answered honestly: he sometimes wonders what that life would have looked like. But he would not trade what he has now. “Not everyone is lucky enough to be in this position,” he said.
Biyela’s 2024 Varsity Cup debut, against University of Cape Town (UCT), came when he was just 19. He remembers the noise most — a stadium of students dancing in the stands. “Playing and seeing the crowd dancing and watching was a different experience,” he said. Senior teammate Ngia Selengbe, a player he had known since Grade eight, put it in perspective afterwards: “You are here for a reason. You are 19 playing here, and that shows how good you are.”
The 2025 season brought its own frustrations. Despite a stronger, fitter squad, injuries meant Biyela only played in two matches, against University of Johannesburg (UJ) and Central University of Technology (CUT), the kind of setback that tests any athlete’s patience. But patience, he said, is something rugby has taught him. “When I’m on the field, that is when I’m patient,” he said, speaking about his role as captain. “That is a place where I have to be calm headed” That composure was tested, and rewarded, at an international level.
Called up to the junior Springbok camp late in 2024, Biyela had to wait until January to attend, after an ankle surgery ruled him out of the first session. He went on to captain the side at the World Rugby U20 Championship in Italy. “We were not that good leading up to the tournament; we were predicted to be average,” he said. Against those odds, the team won the title.
Off the field, family anchors him. As the eldest of three and the only son, Biyela describes a deep sense of responsibility toward his two younger sisters and a bond with his mother that has only strengthened over the years. “My mom is my everything,” he said. “She has literally done everything for me. She’s always there when I need to talk to her, whether about school, rugby, or girls.” Both his parents remain central to his support system, which is why their names, alongside a Bible verse, sit permanently on his wrist. A firm believer in God, Biyela deliberately chose “Sigade Umzila,” the song he plays in his ears before every kick-off: its message mirrors the physicality and leadership his position demands.
Longtime friend and Lions teammate Tirhani Masondo, who has known Biyela since Grade eight at KES , described him as a young man whose confidence rarely needs to announce itself. “He’s the type of person whose actions speak louder than his words,” Masondo said. “A lot of his biggest wins are silent wins. He doesn’t always need recognition for what he does he just gets the job done.” Off the field, Masondo added that Biyela is disciplined, humble, and quick to celebrate others’ successes, sometimes more than his own. “The way he approaches life is almost the same way he approaches a tackle,” Masondo said. “Once he sees a target, he doesn’t hesitate.”
For Biyela, that target is simple: keep showing up for his team, his family, and his degree, one semester and one match at a time. Somewhere between the socks going on and the final whistle, that is exactly what he keeps doing.
FEATURED IMAGE: A image of the tunnel run of Thando Biyela image by Sanele Sithole
Time has swiftly moulded this year’s Wits Vuvuzela team, and the newsroom has become a true witness to our growth.
As the end of block three approaches, the newsroom is busier than ever. People are chasing deadlines, writing features, and trying to fulfil the requirements of our portfolio submissions; the urgency is felt and it almost feels as if one is running out of time.
Yet time is such a fascinating concept, because it feels as if this year flew by. It is easy to take for granted how far you have come when you are so caught up in trying to get everything done all at once. As journalists we are taught to observe the world around us. Rarely do we take time to reflect on our own growth.
For the Wits Vuvuzela team, the journey started on the first day of school, February 3, 2026, when we first became acquainted with the newsroom. The mentors, Bonolo Mokonto and Lulah Mapiye gave us a demonstration of what a pitching session would look like, and little did we know the journey that awaited us. When the first two weeks of pitching came, it was intense to say the least, having to stand in front of everyone and sell your story was no child’s play, nobody realised it then, but we were such shells of ourselves.
With time, we grew out of our shells and started evolving. Collectively, we have watched stories grow from the newsroom into the world. More notably we have all grown together, from karaoke night to late nights working together in the newsroom, to becoming a solid support system for each other; where we laugh the hardest together and comfort each other when doubt gets the best of us. I have learned that the crux of journalism is in human connection. Connection with a source, a colleague, a mentor, and the world – a world of storytelling, and of human connections.
A class photo with Kevin Ritchie.
We have been privileged enough to interact with a variety of experts and places that have ultimately moulded us. Kevin Ritchie was our first guest lecturer and anchored us in purpose as he taught us to, “remember your why.” Alaister Russell taught us how to be one with the camera, Russell reminded us that, “your humanity is your guiding light in everything that you do.” Kgomotso Modise enlightened us about how important it is for journalists to adapt with the times and make use of social media to deliver reliable news. Ray Mahlaka put us on the spot by doing research on us all and effectively showcased the importance of research and active listening for interviews.
On the Left: A class photo with Kgomotso Modise. On the right: A class Photo with Ray Mahlaka.
We have heard from alumni who have found steady footing in the real world and reminded us that the work is never in vain. As our time in the Wits Vuvuzela newsroom comes to an end, we have learnt that journalism is as much about storytelling as it is about the people behind the story. It is about being human.
FEATURED IMAGE: A photo of Sikelelekile Pahlana, this week’s editor. Photo: Alaister Russell
While the country nears the end of winter, for some residents, the weather is alreadychanging the way theyoperate.
For ordinary South Africans, the climate crisis is not abstract.
A potentially strong El Niño on the horizon.
Behind climate statistics are people like Phumzile.
As Johannesburg nears the end of winter, the heat is already changing how some people work, study and make a living. For Phumzile Mhlangeni, a street vendor on Jorissen street, hotter days mean fresh produce is spoiling faster, forcing her to throw away stock she can no longer sell.
“I’m slower to stock now because of the heat. The fruits might rot and I fear that”, Mhlangeni said.
Her experience come as scientists monitor a potentially strong El Niño expected later this year, a warning climate change professor Jennifer Fitchett from the University of the Witwatersrand echoes.
El Niño is a natural climate pattern that affects temperatures and rainfall around the world. In South Africa, its effects can vary, but Fitchett expects Johannesburg to experience a hot summer with potentially unpredictable rainfall.
Photo of street vendor, Phumzile Mhlangeni with her limited stock. Photo: Keletso Zwane
For Mhlangeni, the heat is already forcing her to change how she runs her business.
To adapt she now keeps her produce in a fridge at home and has started selling sweets, chips and cigarettes to bring in additional income.
Finding shaded areas to protect herself and her produce poses another challenge. Moving away from her usual spot has made it difficult for her regular customers to find her.
“Business is slower and people won’t go looking for me specifically if they can find someone else selling what I am selling,” she said.
The impact is not limited to people working outdoors.
The effects of rising temperatures are also being noticed by Wits students. Jessica Williams, a final year Bachelors of Social Work student said Johannesburg has felt increasingly warmer despite August being considered a winter month. Travelling between West and East Campus means she spends more time walking in the heat, making access to shade and water important.
Fitchett said climate change is adding another layer to the problem. A warmer baseline increases the risk of heatwaves and heat stress, particularly for people who work outdoors.
However, she cautioned against treating El Niño as a guarantee of extreme weather. South Africa does not experience every El Niño in the same way and seasonal forecasts cannot predict exactly what will happen in every area.
As the country moves towards a hotter summer, the uncertainty leaves businesses and communities preparing for conditions they cannot yet predict.
For Phumzile, the forecast is not simply about what may happen this summer. The effects of hotter weather are already changing how she works, what she sells and how much she earns.
FEATURED IMAGE: Photo of Street Vendor Phumzile Mhlangeni with a customer. Photo: Keletso Zwane
Inside the Dome, African tales are revived and retold anew.
Wits launches its annual Digital Dome Festival to retell African oral stories through Virtual Reality, dome animation and projections.
Fourth-year digital arts and animation students showcased their film projects.
The Dome takes African stories to the world while creating employment opportunities for students.
“You are already in the future. Others will arrive,” said Professor René Smith, Head of the Wits School of Arts, during the opening of the Digital Dome Festival, pointing to the transformative power of immersive media.
Wits University hosted its Digital Dome Festival between August 21 and 22, 2026 in collaboration with the Wits School of Arts (Digital Arts Division), the Naval Hill Planetarium, the University of the Free State, and cultural institutions including Electric South and the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS).
This year’s theme, Stories Spoken, Stories Seen, was inspired by diverse African oral storytelling traditions passed down through generations. African folktales were retold through immersive digital technologies like dome animations, VR experiences and projections. The theme and festival demonstrate that “Africa can shape the future of immersive media,” said Professor Lynn Morris, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research and Innovation at Wits.
Student screenings formed a central part of the programme.
An animated statue of Nelson Mandela from the Wall-E film. Photo by: Naledi Maraisane
The Nanabolele projection stood out. The two-minute film, based on a Sesotho mythological interpretation, follows Princess Thakane, blessed by her grandmother to hunt the Nanabolele — a water-dwelling, dragon-like creature that glows in the dark and travels hidden inside clouds or red smoke. She seeks its glowing hide to make gifts for her brothers returning from initiation.
“We wanted a story that could speak to a large amount of people. We started looking at African mythology and folktales,” said Tlhalefo Boshielo, a fourth-year Digital Arts student in animation and projection mapping. The Nanabolele VR experience placed viewers inside a non-physical world, bringing imagination to life through immersive technology.
On what inspired this year’s theme, Sasha Wessels, Digital Arts lecturer and organiser, said that in high school she was not allowed to learn about African languages or traditions, which felt like a robbery. “I left high school angry. I feel unknowledgeable about the country that I live in.”
Projects can be rented to other global domes for profit, creating employment opportunities for students. For this reason, Wessels does not allow students to use Artificial Intelligence (AI). “The issue with AI is that the moment you implement it, you can’t sell it.” However, she acknowledges AI as a useful tool in an industry long gatekept by the West.
Through immersive technologies, students are archiving, professionalising and making African oral traditions, history and storytelling exportable.
FEATURED IMAGE: Students experiencing VR technology for the first time. Photo by: Naledi Maraisane
I Understand What You Do. You Show Us What We Do Not See invites visitors to discover the extraordinary hidden in everyday places.
On 4 August 2026, the Wits Art Museum opened “I Understand What You Do. You Show Us What We Do Not See”, an exhibition that explores the idea of home through photography. Rather than presenting home as simply a physical place, the exhibition challenges visitors to consider how belonging can exist in ordinary spaces and everyday moments that often go unnoticed.
The exhibition celebrates the legacy of renowned South African photographer David Goldblatt in what would have been his 95th year. Inspired by Goldblatt’s belief that photography reveals what is often overlooked, the exhibition explores themes of identity, memory, belonging, and place. It features work by nine predominantly Johannesburg-based photographers documenting diverse experiences of life in and around the city, alongside photographs from the “Of Soul and Joy” photography initiative. The exhibition’s title comes from a memorable encounter in which a stranger described Goldblatt’s work by saying, “I understand what you do. You show us what we do not see.”
That sentiment is reflected throughout the exhibition. A passer-by may see only a busy Johannesburg street or an ordinary neighbourhood, while someone else recognises it as a place of comfort, memory, and belonging. The exhibition encourages viewers to pause and reconsider these familiar spaces, revealing the stories that exist just beneath the surface.
One of the exhibition’s greatest strengths is its curation. Each body of work flows naturally into the next, allowing the conversation around home and memory to develop seamlessly as visitors move through the gallery. Although each photographer presents a distinct perspective, the exhibition never feels disjointed. Instead, every collection builds upon the last, reinforcing the central theme and making it easy to understand the exhibition’s message without it ever feeling repetitive or forced.
A picture of one of the art works displayed by Sanele Sithole
Among the featured artists, Jabulani Dhlamini’s “Poloko: In Soweto” stood out most. His work explores the hidden histories of Soweto through photographs of homes, portraits, and personal stories. Rather than focusing solely on well-known historical sites, Dhlamini captures everyday spaces that have quietly become symbols of resilience, identity, and belonging. His photographs reveal how residents have transformed apartheid-era houses into places that carry personal and collective memories while also reflecting on the legacy of the 1976 Soweto Uprising and his own family history.
As someone from Soweto, Dhlamini’s work resonated with me on a personal level. The homes, streets, and familiar surroundings he photographs are places I have seen countless times, often without giving them much thought. Seeing these everyday spaces displayed in a gallery reminded me that what feels ordinary to those who live there can also hold extraordinary meaning. His photographs challenged me to look beyond what is immediately visible and appreciate the stories, memories, and histories embedded in places I have always called home.
More than a photography exhibition, “I Understand What You Do. You Show Us What We Do Not See” succeeds in encouraging visitors to slow down and look closer. Its thoughtful curation ensures that the works complement one another, while its central theme of home is communicated with clarity and sensitivity. By the time visitors leave the gallery, they are reminded that home is not simply a place on a map but a feeling shaped by memory, identity, and lived experience. It is an exhibition that quietly asks us to reconsider the familiar and, in doing so, reveals the extraordinary hidden within the ordinary.
A mere Women’s Month special ‘pat on the back’ does not do justice to the contributions women make to South African sport. It is high time we call a spade a spade.
Every August for Women’s Month, a familiar and performative tradition unfolds across South Africa. Corporate brands flood their social media with daring graphics celebrating iMbokodo and sporting authorities release sleek press statements praising the ‘unshakable resilience’ of our female athletes; an obviously calculated, annual performance intended to score cheap public relations points on the backs of women who spend the other eleven months of the year fighting for proper recognition, infrastructure and financial support.
This hypocrisy deserves to be exposed. Resilience should be celebrated as a personal triumph, not weaponised as a convenient excuse for corporate and systemic neglect.
The 2026 Commonwealth Games, a multi-sport event hosted in Glasgow, Scotland, began on 23 July until August 2, 2026. A total of 112 athletes represented Team South Africa, 53 of whom were female athletes, accounting for more than half of the team. Of the 28 medals won, 11 medals, plus 1 shared medal in a mixed event, came from our sportswomen.
On August 1, the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, congratulated Team South Africa on its brilliant performance: “This team went to Glasgow and did us proud.” Post the congratulatory speech, the obvious reality remains unchanged.
These victories were achieved despite the unequal system, considering what our women had to overcome simply to stand on those stages.
After multiple health setbacks, Lara van Niekerk refused to allow hardships to further dictate her success. After successfully defending her women’s 50m breaststroke title in 30.43 seconds, she stated that this victory “means more than the one four years ago because of the difficulties I’ve had to overcome.” Behind her stood a sisterhood of excellence. Aimee Canny won two silver and bronze medals; Erin Gallagher won a silver and three bronze medals; Kaylene Corbett came in with a silver medal and Olivia Nel with a bronze medal. Javelin star Jo-Ané du Plessis, despite having undergone an emergency back surgery for a herniated disc, finished in sixth place.
But why must our sportswomen constantly play the martyr?
Sporting organisations and commercial sponsors thrive on the narrative of resilient women who continuously ‘overcome the odds.’ It makes for a heartwarming marketing campaign, while conveniently skipping over why these odds exist in the first place. Jo-Ané du Plessis was praised for her recovery, but her injury exposes how fragile an athlete’s support system can be. While she received professional medical assistance, the system at large remains broken.
Truthfully, hashtags, shout-outs and branded campaigns during women’s month are not empowering. Financial backing that equals that of sportsmen is.
The South African sports authorities need to put money where their mouth is and start funding our sportswomen like the champions they are. Romanticising the struggles of our athletes to mask administrative incompetence and putting up patronising Women’s Month banners is just not going to cut it anymore.
FEATURED IMAGE: A graphic of South African sportswomen. Graphic by: Naledi Maraisane
Young researchers gather at Wits to present solutions to rising global issues.
Falling Walls Lab Gauteng was held at Wits where students competed for a spot on the international stage in Berlin.
The competition required pitchers to present an idea that addresses global challenges.
Researchers, innovators, and entrepreneurs were given an opportunity to engage with people outside of their disciplines and institutions.
A Wits honours student, Alimerinda Mlambo, will represent Gauteng at the international Falling Walls Lab finale in Berlin after winning the provincial competition, with an AI-powered translation platform designed to break language barriers.
Picture of Alimerinda Mlambo, the winner of Falling Walls Lab Gauteng 2026, and her certificate & ticket to Berlin. Photo: Kerese Govender
The competition, held at Wits on August 5, saw about 20 students drawn from Wits, University of Pretoria, and Tshwane University of Technology, present their innovations aimed at tackling some of the country’s most difficult challenges.
The event was hosted in partnership with the DAAD Information Centre Johannesburg and the Falling Walls Foundation. Participants had just three minutes, including answering judges’ questions, to convince an expert jury that their pitch could help solve global issues.
Mlambo, an Information Systems honours student, took first place with her invention, eLingo AI, which aims to solve language exclusion in public spaces through real-time translations. She used a fictional character by the name of Lerato in her pitch, but the story was inspired by her lived experience of sitting through a conference presentation delivered in French that she could not understand.
When asked if this will cost human interpreters their jobs, Mlambo said, “We’re not trying to replace interpreters. We’re making language accessibility available to organisations that could not afford it otherwise.”
Unlike traditional interpretation services which rely on multiple interpreters, special equipment, and significant expenses and planning, eLingo offers an affordable alternative. The platform already includes all 11-official spoken South African languages and has attracted more than 100 beta users. Mlambo stated that the team has plans to expand to other languages.
She believes this kind of software is especially needed in South Africa, where only a small portion of the country’s population speaks English as a home language. “I want to create a future where people are no longer excluded from conversations they were meant to be a part of,” Mlambo said.
Dr Samia Chasi, Head of Wits Internationalisation and Strategic Partnerships Office and chair of the judging panel, said the competition is much more than selecting a winner. “It gives students an opportunity to present their own research to audiences beyond their own disciplines and institutions,” Chasi said.
“We have very creative and innovative communities in South Africa and Africa, and we can offer our own solutions to the rest of the world. We can’t always look at importing ideas,” Chasi said.
Among the interesting innovations was the third-place winning project by Cynthia Gwada which focused on an affordable diagnosis for sickle cell disease. The solution aims to expand access to rural areas in South Africa so “they don’t have to go to the cities with money that they don’t have,.” Gwada said.
Picture of Cynthia Gwada, third place winner of the Falling Walls Lab Gauteng 2026, and her certificate. Photo: Kerese Govender
Gwada also hopes to expand the diagnostics to other diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis, making diagnosis more affordable and accessible.
As Mlambo prepares to compete in Berlin, she hopes her success will inspire more young black women to pursue careers in male-dominated fields such as hers.
“Don’t wait for a seat at the table. Go and build a table,” she said.
FEATURED IMAGE: Picture of Falling Walls Lab Gauteng 2026 pamphlet and souvenir. Photo: Kerese Govender
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 […]
