University students in South Africa, like their counterparts globally, experience substantial mental health issues characterised by high levels of psychological distress and limited access to professional help.
A nurse allegedly dismissed a student experiencing depression, advising that more sleep would resolve her condition.
A student having an anxiety attack was allegedly scolded by a nurse while seeking help.
The Centre scheduled additional sessions for the student to resolve the matter, but she never showed up.
The student raised serious concerns about the quality of mental health support provided by Wits Campus Health and Wellness Centre.
“Sister Simangele Sitoe told me I was lazy and dismissed me with sleeping pills and antidepressants,” the student said.
Only after filing a complaint with a former intern named Karabo Molefe, was psychiatric assistance made available.
However, the issue continued in 2025. During an anxiety attack, the student returned to the Centre, only to be scolded by another nurse, Sister Ntombi Dantjie. “She shouted that she’s been a psychiatric nurse longer than I’ve been alive and that I was wasting her time”, the student alleged.
Wits’ Campus Health And Wellness Centre – Photo: Dikeledi Ramabula
Wits Vuvuzela reached out to both psychiatric nurses. Dantjie was unavailable for comment.
However, Sitoe denied the allegations, “I only interacted with the student once, after the first session, she decided that she does not want to interact with me ever again. After we referred her to another doctor here at the centre, the student would not avail herself and she did not come to collect her medication.”
In response, former intern, Molefe said, “The student came to me and complained about Sister Sitoe. I proceeded to book her multiple times to get assistance and sort out her issues with the nurse, but she never came.”
The head of department is currently not in the country to comment, standing in for him Mr. Brian Jele, the Primary Health Care Nurse at the Centre said: “There is a suggestion box available to all our patients here at the Centre, if any student has an issue, they have a right to voice out their matters, write everything down and put it in a box and everything will be investigated”.
Mr. Jele added, “When Mr. Ntshabele returns on Monday, I will report the matter to him and proper investigation will be conducted from there.”
FEATURED IMAGE: The Campus Health and Wellness Centre’s working hours. Photo: Dikeledi Ramabula
Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana agrees to a court order to suspend his decision to increase VAT and this means economic relief to many
VAT increase suspension leave students with a sense of relief
Increased VAT rate was met with resistance from various political parties
Reversal comes with a R75 billion shortfall for the government revenue
Wits University students expressed relief as Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana, announced reversal of the 0.5% VAT increase on April 23, 2025 after the DA challenged the legality of the parliamentary process that passed the increase.
The initial proposal to increase the VAT rate by 0.5 percentage points was met with resistance from various political parties, including the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
For many South Africans, the suspension has provided much-needed relief, including Wits students. As consumers, particularly from lower-income households, funded by bursaries, the VAT increase would have been a big blow.
Shaunice van Wyk, 3rd year student said: “The VAT increase would have forced me to stop buying the basic products that I am used to buying, so the suspension comes with a relief”.
Another third-year student, Patience Msiza, echoed similar sentiments, “As a student I am already struggling to make ends meet, so the increase of VAT rate was going to make things even worse.”
Although the suspension comes with relief, it will result in a R75 billion shortfall in government revenue, prompting the National Treasury to revisit its budget.
Professor Imraan Valodia, an economist at University of Witwatersrand, who previously written in support of the VAT increase, expressed concerns about the long-term implications.
“We’ll have to see what comes in the revised budget, but I think government will have to cut expenditure, which means we’ve missed the opportunity to address the social and economic infrastructure backlogs, which are important for shifting the economy onto a growth trajectory to address unemployment and growing levels of poverty.”
FEATURED IMAGE: Black wallet Photo: Abena Mahlahlane
Accelerated service delivery mandated by city of Johannesburg mayor in problem areas of Joburg.
Open Day for Accelerated Service Delivery in Region F.
City of Johannesburg spokesperson seeks to reclaim the city.
Public opinion is varied, some are hopeful, while others remain skeptical of the initiative.
Johannesburg residents aired their frustration at the slow or non-existent service delivery from the City of Johannesburg as city officials held an open day for its Accelerated Service Delivery Initiative at Jorissen Place in Braamfontein on Wednesday April 30.
The programme which began in the inner city and is now being rolled out to other regions of the city, aims to address service delivery concerns across Johannesburg by involving municipal entities and engaging directly with communities.
Municipal entities such as City Power and the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) were present to engage with the citizens.
Municipal officials engaging with the public. Photo: Nthabeleng PhayaneJohannesburg Metro Police Department Vehicles. Photo: Nthabeleng Phayane
City of Johannesburg spokesperson, Nthathisi Madingoane, told Wits Vuvuzela that the project aims to “Reimagine Joburg through the eyes of the residents.”
Braamfontein residents expressed mixed views.
Paballo Saohatsi, a local resident complained about frequent water disruptions and power outages. “There is a water issue in Braam, and power outages too.” she said.
Another resident, Siphesihle Ngubane, a student and small-business owner shared with Wits Vuvuzela his frustrations about the recently recurring power outages in the area. Ngubane was forced to give away stock from his ice-cream business. Though despite the setback, he remains optimistic about the city’s future. “I think it will get better, because I see them here” said Ngubane.
Lebo Nteso spoke of the tedious process that one must go through to acquire service delivery such as bins. “It’s [just] for show, because we’ve never had such awareness campaigns” she said.
However, Thembekile Nhlapo, a local resident expressed hope saying, “I think we can trust them to do what they say they are going to do.”
Even with measures like these put into place, service delivery remains an issue throughout the city.
FEATURED IMAGE: Municipal officials engaging with the public. Photo: Nthabeleng Phayane
The multi-award-winning artist continues to prove that he has mastered the art of capturing his listeners’ emotions with his sound.
Since debuting in 2018 with his album “USHUN WENKABI”, Big Zulu’s versatility has made him one of the most complete creators in South Africa’s music industry – and his latest offering is one worth listening to.
Big Zulu’s fifth studio album, ICALA LE MPUMELELO dropped on April 11, 2025, featuring several artists including Shwi Mntombazane, Nkosazana Daughter, Zakwe, Siya Ntuli, Zeh McGeba, Zee Nxumalo, Aymos, Maseven, Emtee, Toss, Sir Trill, Xowla and Zakwe – on songs ranging from hip hop to afro pop.
Big Zulu’s music is the kind that one effortlessly falls in love with. After listening to the album only once, I was captured and able to pick the tracks that stand out the most.
Unlike some artists who make music based on trends, Big Zulu invests in making music that has a message, resulting in longevity of his work because what he sings about is relatable.
In the album’s opening track titled “ICALA LE MPUMELELO” the artist tells a story that many in South Africa relate to – raised by a caring grandmother who worked as a maid to provide food on the table, taught him survival skills, then succeeding against all odds.
“MTHULISE”, “MINA NGEDWA” and “MBALI YAMI” demonstrate the artist’s consistent devotion to love songs. Track 2, MTHULISE, stands out as an emotional and sad song. The artist sings about the challenge of being in a relationship with someone who is an orphan because when they cry, you also cry.
Big Zulu takes listeners on an emotional rollercoaster – from sadness to feeling like turning up in a club with friends vibing to “iNkululeko”, a rap track featuring Toss & Sir.
In a song already released in March, “ABAZAZI BAFUNANI” featuring Emtee, Big Zulu appears to have turned their rivalry into a beautiful collaboration.
This is certainly an album worth listening to.
Vuvu Rating 7/10
FEATURED IMAGE: Big Zulu’s album cover. Photo: Big Zulu‘s Instagram
The second block is in full swing, but an estimated 100 Wits students still don’t have a place to sleep.
Libraries, bathrooms and the streets are some of the places homeless Witsies scramble to find shelter in every night
The university lacks sufficient beds to meet demand, especially after a spike in first-year admissions.
Wits is offering food and emergency accommodation support, but sustainable solutions require broader systemic change.
The right to human dignity and adequate housing are enshrined in the South African constitution, but for some 100 homeless Wits University students, they remain a distant reality.
The university only accommodates a fraction of its student population. Of 37,295 registered students, including 25,200 undergraduates and 12,098 postgraduates, Wits has just 5,700 beds available across its 15 on-campus residences spread around Braamfontein.
Many students, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds or without bursary support, feel abandoned by a system that seems to be failing them.
One affected student, Monkopane Mokgalabong, is a first-year geology student from Tzaneen, Limpopo, who revealed just how dire the situation has become.
“I’ve been sleeping in a security guard’s office near Charlotte Maxeke because I had nowhere else to go,” he told Wits Vuvuzela. “Sleeping outside wasn’t an option. I even had to beg the residence manager for help, but nothing came through.”
Defunded by NSFAS due to academic failure at a previous institution, Monkopane says he was shocked he could even register this year. “My luggage was too much to go back home, and I come from a disadvantaged background. Wits was always my dream university,” he said.
Deputy President of the Wits SRC, Boipelo Setsepu said: “We started engaging with management on this last year. They are aware of the issues, but our demands haven’t been met. We’ll have confidence in management if they finally come to the table and meet us halfway.”
Setsepu confirmed the depth of the housing problem, particularly for returning students and postgraduates. “At the start of the year, there was an oversubscription of first-year students. That alone created a deficit of beds for returning students; we have about 78 spaces left, mostly for male students under 24.”
Wits communication officer, Tiisang Monatisa said: “It is estimated that there may be over 100 students in need of accommodation… More than 450 students have been supported through the Wits Hardship Fund, and we expect to assist about 800 by the end of the year.”
To address the crisis, Wits launched the Transitional Accommodation Programme, backed by a R10 million allocation. “This year alone, 333 beds were acquired. The programme continues to support students as vacancies arise,” Monatisa said.
Wits also cited efforts beyond accommodation, pointing to food relief from Wits citizenship and community outreach as part of its student support infrastructure. “A thousand students receive a hot meal per term day,” he said.
The reality remains that the scale of the problem far outweighs the available resources. For many, the dream of studying at Wits is shadowed by nights spent in libraries, guard rooms, or even on the street.
FEATURED IMAGE: A picture of a student sleeping in the library. Photo: Phenyo Selinda
From restoring bridges to brightening streets, Jozi My Jozi is bringing new life to the heart of Johannesburg—one project at a time.
Founded in 2023 with Wits University as one of the founding partners, Jozi My Jozi is a non-profit dedicated to revitalizing Johannesburg’s inner city through safety, education, arts, and economic development.
Jozi My Jozi is dedicated to bringing together individuals from all walks of life in order to improve Johannesburg’s inner city. The organisation is passionate about the city’s renaissance, and seeks to raise pride, inspire optimism, and establish a citizen-led movement based on constitutional principles. Jozi My Jozi enables communities to create sustainable solutions that improve safety, foster growth, and create a more resilient and livelier Johannesburg through cooperation and creativity.
Jozi My Jozi has spearheaded several impactful projects across Johannesburg, working closely with government, businesses, and local communities.
One standout initiative was the cleanup around Ellis Park ahead of a rugby match in August 2023. “We worked with the City of Johannesburg, businesses, and precinct managers to clean up the area,” said Communications Manager Innocent Mabusela.
clean up that happened ahead of the August rugby match 2023 at the Ellis Park stadium.
He added that they also partnered with PSA to improve public transport access to the stadium. Another key project was restoring Nelson Mandela Bridge, a high-traffic route used by Wits students and staff. “The bridge had broken glass and was covered in graffiti—we fixed it, cleaned it, and lit it up,” Mabusela said, noting increased usage since the improvements.
solar panels that were installed by the Nelson Mandela bridge
Jozi My Jozi has also installed over 650 solar-powered streetlights to combat cable theft and improve safety. “This year, we are continuing the project, focusing on walkable routes heavily used by pedestrians,” he said, emphasising the initiative’s role in making the city safer.
lights that help locals on the road and those walking across the Nelson Mandela bridge see better at night to avoid getting mugged.
Education plays a vital role in Jozi My Jozi’s mission to revitalize Johannesburg’s inner city. Speaking to Wits Vuvuzela, Mabusela shared that Anglo American has donated a building in Marshalltown to Wits University. “Wits Business School will now have students and lecturers using this space for their lectures,” Mabusela said. He added that this initiative will have a meaningful impact on the area. “It will really add value by bringing more activity and opportunities into the inner city,” he said.
A key part of this movement is student involvement, and Jozi My Jozi is actively working to expand its student chapter. When asked if there are any research, internship, or volunteering opportunities for Wits students—given that Wits is a partner of the organization—Mabusela shared that Jozi My Jozi is increasing efforts to engage students. “This year, we’ve actually been increasing momentum in terms of the establishment of our student chapter,” he revealed.
He explained that students from both the University of Johannesburg and Wits are being encouraged to take part, especially since many of them live and study in the inner city. “We believe that we’d want them to be the ones who are really going to drive the sustainability of the projects that we implement,” he said, emphasising that these young leaders will play a crucial role in shaping the city’s future.
Jozi My Jozi is offering students various ways to get involved, from volunteering in community cleanups to using their academic skills in real-world projects. “We need them to come on board and become part of our volunteers,” Mabusela said, highlighting the importance of student participation in bi-weekly cleanups.
Beyond that, he encouraged students to contribute their expertise. “Students have skills, and it is quite important that those who are studying, whichever degree, and they think that those skills that they have, they can actually come to use,” he added. By involving students now, Jozi My Jozi aims to create a generation that will carry its mission forward in the years to come.
Funding is essential for Jozi My Jozi, but the organization secures support based on specific projects rather than general donations. “We go to our funders with a project proposal, its cost, and required work,” he said. Funders then choose to fully or partially support it. “We don’t ask for money—we secure funding based on the projects we implement,” Mabusela said.
Jozi My Jozi’s efforts demonstrate the power of collaboration in transforming Johannesburg’s inner city. Through projects that enhance safety, infrastructure, and public spaces, the organization is creating a more livable and vibrant environment for residents, students, and businesses alike.
FEATURED IMAGE: Jozi my Jozi members doing a cleanup by Park station where commuters usually walk. Photo by. Jozi my Jozi
You just stepped off the high school train, here’s a guide that will help you choose an accommodation that best suits your needs.
Moving out of home can be stressful as the sudden onset of solo responsibilities begins however, it is less dreadful when you know your residence caters to most of, if not all your needs.
On-campus living
Wits University has campuses in and around Parktown and Braamfontein. Students can choose between on-campus residences or off-campus residences each with unique benefits and drawbacks.
The university offers free shuttle services whether you live off-campus or on-campus that transport students from their different residences in Parktown and Braamfontein.
These services operate between 06:30-00:00, meaning transport costs do not need to be budgeted for.
These accommodations vary on a scale of affordability starting from R67 160-R108 5676 annually, but they are all NSFAS accredited. Single and double rooms with meals included range between R89 326-R108 576 per student annually. These prices depend on whether you take all three meals daily or only one or two meals.
Although the meals are catered for, options for breakfast, lunch and dinner are limited. They are also catered for at specific times of the day therefore it would be ideal to store dry foods or snacks in case you miss the slots.
The upside of living on campus is that you can go to the Matrix to buy food, buy groceries or even access a bank. There are also wellness clinics that can be found on the Braamfontein campus and Wits Education campus. Consultation to see a general practitioner is R20 whereas if you are a Wits student living off-campus consultation is R50.
When there is load-shedding students are still able to study due to the back-up generators. Wi-Fi is accessible throughout the entire university and some libraries are open for 24-hours on both the Parktown and Braamfontein campuses.
On weekends (Saturday and Sunday) Wits busses transport students from the different campuses to Rosebank Mall between 08:00-17:00 for free.
Off-campus residences
A few off-campus accommodations are NSFAS accredited, namely: South Point 56 Jorissen, Apex, and Campus Central. However, with the accommodation cap introduced by NSFAS in 2023 of R50 000 per student, the full rental amount may not be covered.
The rooms at South Point 56 Jorissen range between R4930-R5870. It is a self-catering residence, allowing you to prepare your meals using the kitchen in your cluster. It is also within walking distance of essential shops in Braamfontein like Pick N Pay and Clicks, and only two minutes away from main campus. Study rooms and WiFi are available to tenants.
Apex student accommodation is a one-minute walk to the Braamfontein campus, with room rates between R4780-R7700. Back-up power enables students to cook and use computer labs during outages. Entertainment and wellness events are periodically hosted on-site. However, at Apex students must self-fund electricity top-ups once their monthly allocation is depleted.
Campus Central in Parktown, has rooms priced between R6300-R8200. Their facilities include study rooms, a gym, a laundry, and an outdoor soccer field. It is a self-catering residence with nearby fast-food restaurants. It is opposite the Wits Business School and a short walking distance from Wits Education campus where the Wits buses pick up and drop off students.
There is not a shopping centre near Campus Central that you can walk to, however you can use the Wits shuttle services to travel to Bramfontein where you can find a Food Lovers Market and Pick n Pay for more specific grocery items.
Living on your own straight out of high school is a major life transition, filled with excitement, independence, and new responsibilities. Finding the right accommodation can play a crucial role in ensuring a smooth adjustment to this new chapter. Whether you prioritize affordability, location, or amenities, taking the time to research and weigh your options will help you make the best choice for your lifestyle and budget.
FEATURED IMAGE: A photo of the reception at the Campus Central accommodation in Parktown. Photo by: Katlego Mtshali
The right to food is enshrined in the South African Constitution, yet millions of people are still food insecure. In Jo’burg, hunger does not manifest evenly– it is a consequence of inequality, the ghost that haunts this metropolis.
Johannesburg has always been a city of extremes. It was never intended to be an equal city and today it still tears at the seams trying to accommodate the two extreme ends of the economic spectrum – and all the people who fall in between.
As a city that contains such a wide array of lifestyles, from the moneyed elite to people just scraping by, our culture reflects a swathe of differences, all with their own traditions, values and tastes. Nowhere is this more evident than in our food.
Perhaps this is why Jo’burg was voted the second-best city in the world for food in May 2024. There is a wealth of restaurants in Jo’burg that display the city’s diversity with their creative and delectable cuisine.
Time Out, which bestowed Jo’burg with this ranking, gave special mention to Braamfontein, ‘the pulse of the city’, for its food. Time Out recognised the ‘innovative ventures combining the forces of food and culture’ in the area.
Indeed, Braam has an abundance of phenomenal places to eat. But the award does not acknowledge that this is not the Braam most people experience.
For most South Africans, food is a tool of survival, not something to be savoured. For 63.5% of South African families, food insecurity is an everyday struggle.
In the four square kilometers of Braamfontein, the city’s vast gap between rich and poor is quite clear in the pervasive food inequality.
How is it that being able to eat is still a major hurdle for people living in the city – even for those living around a prestigious university and in a gentrified urban area?
The many faces of Braamfontein: the suburb as a case study
Braamfontein is a stellar example of the past 30 years of democracy distilled into one place. In the late ’90s, Braam was run down and tired, neglected in the face of all the overwhelming reworking that needed to be done by the new government.
But in 2002, the Johannesburg Development Agency embarked on a multimillion-rand regeneration programme for Braam, recognising its importance to Jo’burg as an economic hub.
Since then, Braam has bloomed: R4-billion of private investment has been poured into the area, and it has become the place to be for many young professionals with cash to burn.
To many Jo’burgers today, Braam is synonymous with trendy bars, beautiful street art and, of course, delicious food.
But Braam is so representative of post-apartheid South Africa because this change, although real, is limited – and only certain people get to bask in its glow.
On the outskirts of this shiny, new Braam, struggling students and residents still live – and still need to eat. What they have access to reflects dire levels of food insecurity and the unequal nature of access to food in South Africa.
The award-winning Salvation Cafe, and the sophisticated Olives & Plates both sit within Braam’s perimeters, small enclaves of cosmopolitan cuisine that in no way align with the average Braam resident’s wallet.
Around the corner and over the way are the everyday food spots that Braam residents actually frequent: fast-food joints, spaza shops and feeding schemes.
These are the many faces of Braamfontein, all painting a picture of the complex and devastating way that food accessibility still stands as a major marker of inequality, starkly segregating South Africans even today.
One of Braam’s most visited food spots – the Mcdonald’s on Jorissen. Photo: Ruby Delahunt.
Where convenience trumps all – your average spaza shop near Wits University. Photo: Ruby Delahunt.
School kids stop for something to eat at one of the spaza shops in Braam. Photo: Ruby Delahunt.
Savouring the city
Remko van Niekerk is the co-owner of Salvation Cafe, which was established in 2006.
Salvation Cafe is nestled in the heart of 44 Stanley, among boutique stores and coffee shops. Van Niekerk calls it “an artisanal destination” – a place where people’s creations, including food creations, are treated like art.
As he sees it, “44 Stanley has mostly remained an oasis in the urban jungle of Jozi”, despite the changes in the area.
The café is a popular brunch spot under the cover of trees, surrounded by hanging pot plants, and complete with an outdoor fountain. Everything about it is meant to attract patrons from Westcliff and other affluent Northern suburbs.
Salvation Cafe sign. Photo: Ruby Delahunt.
A full house at Salvation Cafe, Braamfontein Werf. Photo: Ruby Delahunt.
Elevenses at Salvation Cafe, featuring their iconic salmon eggs benedict. Photo: Ruby Delahunt.
Although Van Niekerk says gentrification has increased in the area, he and his staff have also had to deal with the infrastructure issues that plague Braam, like power and water outages.
To combat such expenses while still maintaining a profit, he says the restaurant’s “prices will just have to keep going up”, particularly given the need to pay for alternative energy sources like generators.
On top of this, Van Niekerk’s boss (and wife), chef Claudia Giannoccaro, “is not keen on using lower quality ingredients, thus prices will have to go up accordingly”.
Indeed, Salvation Cafe meals are nutritious, fresh and tasty, loaded with greens and healthy carbs. Their prices reflect this. Burgers range between R130 and R150, salads between R90 and R138, and most lunches cost about R118 (unless you want the teriyaki salmon, which is Salon Qualitaire).
A five-minute drive away on the quiet end of the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) West Campus, Olives & Plates Wits Club and Conference is housed in a Transvaal vernacular building, with a gorgeous courtyard surrounded by rose bushes and, yes, a fountain.
It is run by sisters Litza Frangos and Andria Neophytou and their husbands, Apo and Dimitri.
The owners of Olives & Plates, who declined requests for interviews, have grown their business into a successful chain of restaurants after originally beginning as canteen caterers for Wits staff. The business was shut down during the #FeesMustFall protests, after which the owners decided to take the business in a different direction.
Inspired by the owners’ Greek roots, the restaurant focuses on elevating classic meals like toasted sandwiches and salads while adding a Grecian flair. Lunches here cost between R150 and R200. Expensive fillet steaks seem to be a speciality and are regular menu picks.
Lunch time at Olives&Plates on West campus, Wits University. Photo: Ruby Delahunt.
The pristine rose garden at Olives&Plates. Photo: Ruby Delahunt.
The indoor decor at Olives&Plates. Photo: Ruby Delahunt.
Lunch fare at Olives&Plates. Photo: Ruby Delahunt.
But a restaurant that charges R90 for a fruit salad is a bizarre sight on Wits campus, where students have little choice in what they eat and often go hungry.
So, although fresh food is delivered into Braam every day, the fridges of many students in residence sit empty. What this speaks to, and what the statistics reflect, is that food insecurity is clearly not an issue of supply, but an issue of access.
Walking the breadline
If you walk east from Olives & Plates for about 10 minutes, you will reach The Sanctuary, a beautiful white building that is home to the Wits Citizenship and Community Outreach (WCCO) programme. Every week, the WCCO feeds about 1,000 food-insecure students, who must stand in a long queue to receive their daily meal. Three days a week, the WCCO hands out food parcels of basic groceries to students in need.
Karuna Singh, the WCCO manager, says that in five years the organisation went from handing out “20 parcels to 3,000 parcels” every week.
With ever-rising food prices and stagnant grocery budgets, many students need extra help now more than ever. The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) grocery budget has increased only 10% (about R150) over the past four years, whereas food prices increased 50% during the same period.
Need far outweighs what the WCCO can provide, and even what it does offer depends on the tenuous supply of charitable donations. In fact, since 2017, the donations the WCCO has received have been halved as companies slowly pull back.
“The food bank is not sustainable; the hot meals are not sustainable,” Singh says. To mitigate this, the WCCO has set up food commons, growing vegetables around campus that give students food sovereignty and sustainable, fresh options.
One of the WCCO’s many mini veggie patches around campus at Wits. Photo: Ruby Delahunt.
The Wits communal veggie patch on East Campus. Photo: Ruby Delahunt.
The WCCO’s chronically low food stores. Photo: Ruby Delahunt.
The WCCO building. Photo: Ruby Delahunt.
The students at the food bank are not destitute. Mostly, they are young people skating along the line of functional poverty; children of single parents or oldest children having to send some of their NSFAS money home each month.
Rivaldo Jantjies, a fellow journalism student at Wits, survives each month from the money his mom can send him. “I can only buy essentials, you know – noodles, bread, peanut butter, milk, sugar – the basic things I need to survive.”
“When it got to the point [at which] I no longer had those basic things, I would go to [the] WCCO,” he says.
Walking past students on campus, you might not see it, but “a lot of students are struggling”, Jantjies observes. “The lines [at the WCCO] are always long.”
Kea Maphila, an international relations honours student, spoke to the all-too-common experience of students in desperate situations while awaiting NSFAS funding.
“My first year, I only got approved in September”, she tells me. In the interim, she says her mom ‘was paying for my res and giving me allowance… It wasn’t a nice experience.’
Maphila’s situation was manageable, but for many students this would have been catastrophic.
NSFAS provides a stipend for groceries, which is usually about R1,650, but subject to change. “My budget is around R1,000,” Maphila says, which is “enough for groceries, but only for groceries”.
For Maphila, food insecurity is a consuming force, forcing students to prioritise their basic survival. “It’s stressful not knowing when your next meal is, but you’re supposed to be at class at 8am, concentrating,” she says.
Thoughtfully, she tells me: “It seeps into every area of your life… you can’t go on with the rest of your day. It removes so much integrity from a person.”
Integrity is a major part of food insecurity, particularly in a social environment like a campus; inequality among students is often emphasised by the type of food they can afford.
This leads back to basic economic inequality – which, in South Africa, is a racial issue, due to the enduring effects of apartheid.
Food insecurity does not exist in a vacuum and food inequality does not sit squarely within the confines of Braam. It is a countrywide problem – an unsolved one, despite promises and attempts by the government.
Zooming out: the economics of inequality
If someone is shopping on a monthly NSFAS allowance of R1,650, a South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) pension of R1,280, a monthly domestic worker’s salary of R3,349, or receives the national minimum wage of R,4400 a month, groceries in today’s economy are almost unaffordable.
This is for a basket of 28 items. But for a basket of just nine basic items (maize, margarine, peanut butter, bananas, potatoes, IQF chicken, black tea, sugar and long-life milk) the prices are still egregious.
Low-priced items will always be the first choice for poor people when buying food. Grocery stores are aware of this fact, enticing them to make their own brand of cheaper products for mass sale.
Closely related to the food insecurity and inequality conundrum is the persistent issue of nutrition insecurity. Across these four major grocery chains, the same product, due to their varying product value and price, will ultimately hold different nutritional values.
Woolworths margarine has the clear nutritional edge: it is the most energising and fatty margarine, but not too packed with sodium. It costs R32.99, in comparison to R17.99 at Checkers, the least nutritious option.
A research paper from the DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Food Security explains the reason behind this unfair price leveraging. The research team found that “the minimalist stance of the government” regarding grocery price setting has granted food companies free reign, with “big retail chains [emerging] as custodians of standards, dictating what should be supplied, how and in what form”.
This leaves South Africans vulnerable to the whim of these profit-seeking companies, which can and will change their prices at any time.
Compounding the threat of artificial scarcity is food scarcity brought about by general government incompetence.
Although South Africa produces enough food to feed its population, making it one of the most food secure countries in Africa, millions of people cannot eat. Dr Tobias Doyer, chief executive of Grain SA, says this is because “food security stands on two legs” – the security of access to food and the ability to obtain food – which the government has not provided for poor citizens.
“South African farmers produce enough food. The problem is that millions of South Africans have become poorer with less ability to buy food – causing famine,” Doyer says.
Groceries cost more and money buys less. In an unregulated food market and struggling economy, it follows that food insecurity is an offshoot of inequality, the most pervasive problem in South Africa today.
Thirty years into our democracy, our leadership has still not transformed the lives of the poor or addressed wealth inequality in any meaningful way. The fact that food insecurity is on the rise in South Africa is not an environmental problem, a social failing or the side effect of a global crisis. It is a major systematic failure.
FEATURED IMAGE: Signpost outside the WCCO building. Photo: Ruby Delahunt.
The Braamfontein Cemetery has seen bouts of vandalism to its Ash Wall and graves, and whilst volunteers work day and night to rebuild these people’s memories, there is no end in sight.
Saying goodbye to a loved one is already the hardest thing a person can do. But, laying a person to rest in peace and then seeing their tombstone smashed into pieces must feel like losing them twice. Or, placing a loved one’s urn behind an engraved plaque only to find their name in pieces with their ashes missing, surely cracks the heart wide open once again.
This is the reality for many families with loved ones buried at the Braamfontein Cemetery, as vandalism to its Ash Wall and graveyard began in March 2023. Since then, small groups of vandals continue to trash the cemetery to this day, almost a year and a half later.
Empty bottles, rubbish, and cigarette butts are amongst the rubbish left in-between the Ash Wall. Photo: Victoria Hill
Grave tombstones are vandalised beyond repair, with one such statue having its head brutally chopped off. Photo: Victoria Hill
Graves of reverends were smashed to pieces, vandalised, or disturbed in some other way. Photo: Victoria Hill
Plaques have been removed or smashed so that the writing is illegible on the Ash Wall. Photo: Victoria Hill
The lack of upkeep at the cemetery shows when dead flowers are not removed from gravesides. Photo: Victoria Hill
Rubble piled up against the Ash Wall creates a big eye-sore. Photo: Victoria Hill
A man can be seen entering the cemetery from the road due to lack of perimeter fencing. Photo: Victoria Hill
An ominous hut peaks out from the back of the graveyard, directly opposite the abandoned Braamfontein Station building. Photo: Victoria Hill
It is not clear why people who vandalise specifically target the Ash Wall, but Mike Nyathi, a security guard at Braamfontein Cemetery, speculates that the vandals most probably steal human ashes to mix with other drugs that they then smoke. Nyathi also mentioned how thieves smash into the Ash Wall, as family members will sometimes leave prize-possessions with their loved ones in their place of rest, which vandals then pawn for money.
Friends of Johannesburg Cemeteries (FOJC), a non-profit organisation and a group under the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation, have been leading the restoration project of the vandalised Ash Wall at Braamfontein Cemetery. They depend entirely on donations to fund their projects.
Sarah Welham, convenor of FOJC, says the project is costly and time-consuming: “We spend R5000 a week on builders’ wages and at one point when we had [three] builders, we were paying out R7500 a week.”
Whilst the Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo have “supplied us with much of the building material we needed, as well as 130 blank granite plaques,” Welham says, “we have had several appeals to the public for donations when required. Many people living overseas have donated very generously.”
To date, Welham estimates 6 000 niches and plaques have been repaired by FOJC, and the process isn’t a quick one. The longest and hardest part involves matching each name to the correct niche number and ensuring the correct ashes are placed behind the plaques. Only then can the plaque be engraved and reattached to the wall which is, in itself, another extensive process.
The reoccurring act of the vandalism to Braamfontein Cemetery is largely unexplained, yet Welham and Nyathi agree it is due to poor security. The security company preceding Cognizant Security Solutions were not “patrolling and spending time in the Ash Wall section of the cemetery to act as a deterrent to vandals”, says Welham.
Nyathi warned this Wits Vuvuzela journalistto not venture past a certain point due to a breach in the back boundary wall of the cemetery. Across the road is the old Braamfontein Station building which has seemingly been hijacked and inhabited by people who enter the premises for various reasons. Repairing this fence would “cost millions and the City of Johannesburg does not have the budget for that”, says Welham.
Azola Manjati, Manager for the Braamfontein and Brixton Cemeteries, told Wits Vuvuzela “this financial year, there is a budget allocated to repair the fence”, so things are looking up.
Nyathi said that when a funeral or cremation is in session, all security personnel remain in that vicinity to watch over the procession and vehicles, leaving the cemetery largely unguarded.
Nevertheless, after a great deal of work, FOJC organised a tour of the repaired Ash Wall in hopes of raising awareness to the issue of vandalism at Braamfontein Cemetery and showcase their hard work to family and friends. However, just days before the tour was meant to take place, the wall was once again struck down. Welham reports only 14 plaques were destroyed — this time.
The FOJC got back to work repairing the wall yet again, because they have undertaken the task to “restore the area to one of peace and dignity”. Welham further says “many of the families have moved away from Johannesburg and have been distraught that they were unable to deal with this problem themselves”.
However, after many cycles of repairing the Ash Wall just to have it vandalised again, the FOJC is staring into a dim future. They cannot continue to raise “thousands and thousands of rands to do the repairs” as “there is only so much the public is prepared to donate”. The next large-scale vandalism to the Ash Wall will have to go unrepaired, which is a harsh but necessary truth.
Besides the vandalism, Braamfontein Cemetery is quite rundown and unkept, with grass overgrown in much of the old area. With graves dating back to the 1800s, the cemetery is a historical place of rest for many souls.
However, rubbish from trespassers and vandals scatter the once serene grounds, causing the graves of many individuals to be covered in empty alcohol bottles, plastic bags, rubble, cigarette butts, and much more.
Manjati says Johannesburg City Parks are currently “supporting the Friends group and are working towards formalising [their] partnership” for the future, as they have the common goal to respect those that have passed and their families.
The desecration of graves and ashes is a sensitive social issue but is one that needs to be addressed before the saying “rest in peace” loses its meaning altogether.
FEATURED IMAGE: Plaques from the Ash Wall section of the cemetery have been ripped off their niches and smashed to pieces, with the ashes removed from the place-keeper altogether. Photo: Victoria Hill
It could be said that Play Braamfontein is at the forefront of bringing back the “cool” to the heart of Johannesburg’s inner city, but at what cost?
Braamfontein has always symbolized freedom and creativity. Walking down the streets of Braam one sees the mixture of old buildings and student accommodations, mixed with new and developing entertainment hubs for people to indulge themselves in. Places such as the Playground Market (formerly Neighbourgoods), Mamakashaka (formerly Great Dane) and Kitcheners Carvery Bar have given Braamfontein its social and cultural identity. But as the identity of these places continue to be phased out or replaced, new businesses have arrived and have given Braamfontein a new lease on life. Play Braamfontein is at the heart of the precinct’s maintenance and continued growth, but how much growth is too much growth?
Genesis of Play Braamfontein
Braamfontein’s history dates to the early 1800s when it was still a farm and evolved into being a suburb for middle class Afrikaaners. It became an economically booming area in the 1950s when many businesses relocated to the area. However, in the 1980s there began to be urban decay in the area which caused many of these businesses to relocate to the northern suburbs.
In response to these challenges, the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) created the R13-million Braamfontein Regeneration Programme in 2002 which set out to “renew the area as a centre of business, entertainment and education”. This led to the creation and improvement of public art and safe open spaces. Around the same time, an entrepreneur, Adam Levy, founded a property-developing company that would change the suburb’s landscape forever.
Over the past two decades Play Braamfontein has acquired old buildngs and refurnashed them into attractive spaces where people can enjoy themselves safely in the inner city.
One of the company’s most notable new changes includes the Rooftop Basketball Court, South Africa’s first 3v3 rooftop basketball court. In addition, the reopening of Johannesburg’s first ever City Beach Club helped bring a fresh and unique dynamic to the city of Joburg. These venues add to the influential role Play Braamfontein had already established in the area partly due to The Playground, a lively market and entertainment space which sees people flock from all over the province every weekend.
Siyabonga Mncube, a 21-year-old student at Boston College and a Braamfontein resident believes that Play Braamfontein has “injected Braam Square with life.” He believes that the area has not been the same since the Covid-19 pandemic, and that Play Braamfontein’s rising influence is exciting.
Further, he said that their role is crucial to the local economy as they are creating new jobs, citing the KFC concept store as an example (also known as ‘KFC at Play Braam’). The location of the KFC concept store was once home to Uncle Faozi, a food shop where many partygoers would go after a night out. It brings new elements unprecedented at KFC stores such as fashion collaborations, new menus, virtual technology and LED lighting that make it an enhancing hub.
Intersection of Juta and De Beer Street, Braamfontein of Play Braamfontein spaces. Photo: Siyanda Mthethwa
In March, it was announced that the beloved Kitcheners Carvery Bar would be closing. Speaking to Wits Vuvuzela, former owner of Kitcheners, Andrew Clement, said that the century long pub was “at the forefront of the revival of Braamfontein for the past 15 years” and that it had to close “for economic reasons”. Once again, Play Braamfontein stepped in, taking over the bar and announced that Kitcheners would not in fact be closing, but rather “restored and uplifted” by them soon.
The statement promised to breathe new life into the pub which suffered negatively from the pandemic and that it will be known as ‘’The Original’ Kitcheners Carvery Bar ‘once it has reopened. This latest addition in the properties acquired by Play Braamfontein helps boost their aims of creating a vibrant and creative space that helps Braamfontein be a unique social area.
Through the efforts of innovating new and exclusive venues for the area of Braamfontein as well as its role in celebrating music through one of its most popular venues, The Playground, Play Braamfontein has helped make Braamfontein the heart of culture and creativity. But do these attempts count as gentrification and what effects does it have on the community?
Gentrification is defined as the process where homes and businesses in a poor area are renovated by middle class or wealthy people, which results in the rise of property value or the displacement of existing residents.
According to this definition, one can say that Play Braamfontein have indeed gentrified the area of Braamfontein to some extent. They have acquired several buildings and have at least seven spaces listed on their website which are open to bookings. These spaces are mainly on the intersection of Juta and De Beer Street, with Play Braamfontein owning at least seven out of almost 15 different spaces of leisure in this small segment of Braam. Further, rates to rent out Play Braamfontein spaces start at R20 000 and go up to R45 000 before tax.
There are no official records of residents being forced out of buildings due to the acquisitions of Play Braamfontein, but it is an issue that has persisted in the inner city of Johannesburg, particularly in places such as Maboneng and Doornfontein according to a UJ study.
Ruby Delahunt, a Wits Vuvuzela student journalist, states that while she sees the good that Play Braamfontein is doing for the economy, she believes that they are “pushing out the people that are in Braam.”
“I remember going back to the market when it first started three to four years ago and it’s completely different to how it is now”, said Delahunt, stating that places are way more expensive and that they are more focused on nightlife and drinking, lacking in originality.
Play Braamfontein’s spaces continue to coexist, however, with longstanding Braamfontein pubs such as The Banister Hotel, Wing Republic and Drama Club which have been cornerstones in the culture of Braamfontein. Nostalgic partygoers and residents may be at ease that key Braamfontein attractions are still in existence.
Play Braamfontein has without a doubt been essential to the revival of Braamfontein. It has not only transformed the physical space of the area but has redefined means of having fun through the creation of different venues which people can experience in new and creative ways. Although the development of properties can bring positive change to an area, one must account for the possible challenges such as increased property values which may make the area less accessible to the average citizen.
Looking forward, Play Braamfontein has a bright future, and one can say that they are just getting started. The recent acquisition of Kitcheners and their ongoing renovations on their spaces show that the property developing company continue to make this small segment of Braamfontein a revolutionary area that celebrates cultural heritage. As Play Braamfontein continues with their groundbreaking innovation, they must be aware of the challenges it brings and ensure that Braamfontein remains an area where individuals from all walks of life can enjoy themselves.
FEATURED IMAGE: A sign written, “A new era Kitchener’s opening soon.” Photo: Siyanda Mthethwa.
If you think the return of Wolverine in this movie cheapens his well-earned death in Logan, then welcome to comics – nothing is sacred or permanent, not even death.
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
Director: Shawn Levy
Vuvu Rating: 7/10
The Merc with a Mouth’s third instalment is both a love letter to Fox’s X-men franchise and an obituary to the now Disney-owned 20th Century Studios.
Centered around Deadpool attempting to save his timeline from being annihilated, the film gives us an honest, if slightly underdeveloped, look at Ryan Reynold’s’ Deadpool’s view of himself. Someone destined for greatness but unable to reach it without the help of someone he views as greater than himself. Most portrayals of Deadpool often forget the core aspects of the character. The insecurity he masks with humour, and bravado he employs to cover the pain.
Irreverent to an almost masturbatory extent, the film starts right where 2017’s Logan concluded. In classic Deadpool fashion, he speaks directly to the audience while using Wolverine’s decomposed skeleton to decimate oncoming TVA agents to the tune of NSYNC’s BYE BYE BYE. Taking the multiverse shenanigans of post-endgame MCU to the extreme, Deadpool & Wolverine manages to reinvigorate Marvel’s fourth-phase slump, while packing the entire movie with enough fan service to make even the most casual fan salivate.
In 2019, Disney acquired Twentieth Century Fox for a whopping $71 billion and immediately renamed it to 20th Century Studios. This marked the final nail in the coffin for what was once a legendary studio, home to more iconic franchises than Deadpool has Disney-friendly euphemisms for cocaine. Allegedly, the prospect of adding the X-Men to its billion-dollar Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) was the main motivation for the purchase. However, it left an important question unanswered: how will Fox’s favourite mutants wrap-up their convoluted (and occasionally disastrous) story?
The film gives Marvel a clean slate to work from, but more than that, helps us wash the salty taste of 2019’s Dark Phoenix from our mouths. With the titular characters travelling to “The Void”, a location for discarded characters accurately described as “a little Mad Max-y”, hilarious dialogue carries us from one gratuitous action scene to the next. Unfortunately, the plot and character work to take a back seat to Director Shawn Levy’s insistence on ever present winks to the audience.
The movie does more than laugh at the decline of Fox (who infamously butchered Deadpool’s first appearance), instead choosing to arrange a worldwide chorus of audience members to roar directly in their face. With a $400 million global box office, it is safe to say it managed to arrange a two-hour contemporary dance on Fox’s grave. But nonetheless, Reynolds’ love of the character can be felt in every drop of blood on-screen.
Deadpool & Wolverine wraps itself up with a montage of bloopers and clips from some of the most iconic scenes in the 22-year history of Fox’s X-men. The movie goes to great lengths to give every character stuck under the Fox umbrella a conclusion worthy of their influence. The modern reincarnations of the characters are given as much respect and presence as their original versions.
With some actors having portrayed these characters for the better part of two decades, Deadpool put a heart-shaped bullet hole into some of my all-time favourite characters. With the intricate web woven ever larger with each MCU release, this movie is a direct lesson. A character may actively desecrate everything you hold dear as a fan. And all you can do is enjoy the ride.
FEATURED IMAGE: Deadpool & Wolverine promotional poster. Photo: Disney
Fourteen days without electricity turned my academic ambitions into a harrowing experience.
On the night of May 1, 2024, Braamfontein turned pitch black, as a power outage plunged some parts of the inner city into darkness.
I was in the newsroom, situated at the E’skia Mphahlele building on Wits East Campus, writing a review of a theatre play I had watched. Living in a country where loadshedding and power interruptions have become the norm, I did not take the outage to mind, thinking the electricity would be restored in a couple of hours.
The next morning, Johannesburg City Power revealed that underground cables in the Braamfontein area had caught fire, due to suspected cable theft and vandalism. Knowing the city is overseeing the situation, I further relaxed, thinking the matter would be fixed swiftly, but that did not happen.
Since productivity was limited in my residence room, my daily routine changed dramatically — the library in Solomon Mahlangu House became my accommodation, where I rose early to charge my devices, eat, and do some coursework.
As a journalism student, I typically have one or two classes daily, allowing ample time for writing articles, research, and programme engagement. I spend most days on campus, occasionally returning to my residence to rest or prepare meals between classes.
By 10 o’clock in the evenings, I normally return to my room which is a walking distance from campus. I typically buy groceries and cook to save money.
As food prices have gone up due to inflation. I have resorted to only having one or two meals a day. I sometimes grab lunch provided by the Wits Citizen and Community Outreach (WCCO) programme but in most cases, this clashes with my classes, forcing me to improvise.
But on Saturday May 5, 2024, after a basketball game, I returned to find all my recently bought food spoiled in the fridge, just after I had stocked up for the whole month, a financial setback of note.
Due to only having borehole water at my residence as well as a scarcity of water when there are power outages, I then resorted to commuting to Wits Junction daily so that I could shower at my friend’s place before heading to class.
I felt hopeless and exhausted, unable to change my situation — fueling resentment for this place called Braamfontein. Without financial assistance or a food allowance, I had to dig deeper into my own pockets. I observed Darwinism firsthand as “survival of the fittest” unfolded in its ruthless and pragmatic manner.
This situation was a defining moment for me, the emotions I felt, made me look at things differently. Mainly, that challenges will come, but my resilience can see me through.
Finally, on May 13, 2024, the lights in Braamfontein flickered back to life after a long two weeks. Immediately when the lights came on, the joyous screams of students filled the air, and as if on cue, rain showers descend, bringing a sense of renewal amidst the chaos.
FEATURED IMAGE: Salim Nkosi Photo: File/Leon Sadiki
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, […]
