GALLERY: The hustle and bustle is back at Wits

The scrapping of the majority of covid-19 regulations on campus have seen Wits University looking like its pre-pandemic self. Libraries are full, the Matrix is a hive of activity and the library lawn is the enclave of activations, naps and conversation.

FEATURED IMAGE: Wits Campus is buzzing again Photo: Elishevah Bome

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The Wits Kudus heading for extinction

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HAVE YOU ‘HERD’?: Mr and Miss Kudu are pictured holding “hoofs” at one of last week’s graduation ceremonies. The cute kudu couple are just friends in real-time, but Mr Kudu does admittedly have a little kudu crush. Photo: Tracey Ruff

As the sun rose each morning last week over the concrete jungle of Wits’ main campus, two friendly kudus could be seen trotting hoof-in-hoof towards chattering flocks of an exclusive species: the Witsie graduate.

Bongani and Andy, or Mr and Miss Kudu, Wits’ magnificent mascots, were a common sighting at last week’s graduation festivities, although getting a snapshot with them required some effort from the throngs of eager graduates.

A rare pair

Some graduates were lucky enough to get a photo of the cute kudus holding hoofs. Be sure to hold on to these pictures, graduates, because as of next year, this kudu couple will become extinct.

Alas, Mr Kudu and Miss Kudu will themselves evolve into graduates, leaving the jungle wide-open for a new kudu pairing to rule the roost.

As sad as this may be, Mr and Miss Kudu have had great adventures together, from Mr Kudu’s head falling off at a soccer match (to the horror of those who believed he was a real kudu) to Miss Kudu tripping over her gown at graduation (while Mr Kudu laughed). All in all, this dynamic duo has experienced more than any kudu in the Kruger Park has.

It’s just a little kudu crush

Andy-the-Witsie met Bongani-the-kudu for the first time when she had to “mascot” with him. And was it love at first sight for the two kudus?

Well, come now, we all know kudus don’t really fall in love. And besides, Miss Kudu “doesn’t think Mr Kudu’s [real-time] girlfriend would enjoy the idea of any romance” between the two kudus.

“As cute as he may be…the kudus are siblings, so romance really is a no-no.”

[pullquote]”She’s an amazing human-being [or kudu], fun, never moody and so mature.”[/pullquote]

Asked if Mr and Miss Kudu were a real-life couple, Bongani joked: “I wish. She’s really pretty … She’s an amazing human-being [or kudu], fun, never moody and so mature.”

And does he have a little kudu crush on her? “Yeah I do, I won’t lie.”

Cool companionship

Aw. It seems the kudus make a perfect pair, with Miss Kudu saying they “have a really cool relationship”.

“He’s a really funny guy and I enjoy working with him.”

So, next time you see Mr and Miss Kudu at an event, you won’t need to ask them that I’m-dying-to-know question: are you a real-life couple? I mean, you wouldn’t get an answer anyway. We all know kudus can’t talk …

OPINION: Deep divisions between east and west campuses

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Percy Matshoba
Photo: TJ Lemon

As an East campus dweller and a West campus trespasser, I used to find that being recognised as a credible student did not come easy. 

I always felt compelled to prove my intelligence, particularly on the side where the sun sets. In my first year as a Witsie, I discovered there was an unspoken hierarchy between the different Wits campuses, and East campus was at the bottom. You won’t find this status on notice boards, and there’s no statistic to back it up. It is simply implied by our over-the-bridge neighbours, in questions like: “Do you even need to study?” or in comments like: “I wish I was a BA student, you guys sit on the grass all day”. 

After a year of desperation, I enrolled in a commerce course in which our lecturer would often warn us that if we failed, we could always enrol in a BA course. It wasn’t that I was unsure of my choice or that I did not have a sense of direction, it was that I had allowed my insecurities to dim my light. I did not want to be an accountant or an actuary, despite the pay. I did not find the idea of being a lawyer appealing. I knew exactly what I wanted. I wanted to inspire, inform and to simply “write what I like”.

After many years of dodging questions like: “What are you studying”? Or “Is there a big market for what you’re studying?” I have found that my choice of study was not what I needed to alter to appease the unimpressed. It was my response to their attitudes. Mine needed to be the weapon which broke the ignorance.

The war between east and west has its source in our country’s education system, which esteems some courses over others. This arrogance has led to companies funding only the faculties which are home to those esteemed subjects. Our attitude as a country has created a clear divide. The fact that there is a divide between the Wits campuses is merely the symptom of a wider problem, not the root of it. I have learnt that I don’t want to be valued because of what I do or how much I earn. I want to be valued because of what I contribute to society.

Mother Teresa once said: “I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.”

Three Peas in a Classroom

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THREE IN A ROW: Triplets Delicia, Alicia and Felicia Arjunan (left to right) might look the same at first glance but each have their own personalities. Photo Jay Caboz

Published in the Witsvuvuzela
By Charlotte Chipangura
Photos by Jay Caboz

WITS students and staff have been left seeing triple with the addition of identical triplets Alicia, Delicia and Felicia Arjunan to the campus.

“At first glance, people can’t tell us apart but after two weeks they begin to see the differences, after a while they will so see that our personalities are similar, though not identical,” explained the chirpy Alicia.

Born 19 years ago on the 17th of August in Durban, the Alicia, Delicia and Felicia are studying BComm Philosophy, Politics & Economics, BA International Relations and BComm General, respectively.

According to Wikipedia, identical triplets are extremely rare, something that occurs only once in every 500 000 births. But multiple births are becoming more common because of the increased use of fertility treatments.

Triplets or twins are born when either an egg is fertilised more than once or if the mother has more than one egg at the same time.

According to Alicia, their mother named them in alphabetic order after they were born. But somehow Delicia, who developed in her own embryo, was born second while Alicia and Felicia shared their own embryo and came out apart.

The Arjunans say they hope to be involved in modelling and advertising where their status as triplets could be put to good use.

Peter Maher, Wits alumni relations director, said his office had no record of twins or triplets studying at Wits at the same time.

“Unfortunately our database isn’t able to capture or indicate family relationships,” he said
The Arjunans always move around campus together and say it is normal for them to be seen as a collective and not as individuals.

“This is what we have always known since we were born. Maybe it will be a hard knock when we start working and have to go our separate ways,” said Felicia.

The girls celebrate their birthdays by dressing in identical outfits. They share the same interests and friends as they make a point of introducing new friends to each other.

“Because we spend so much time together, we have formed similar likes and dislikes,” said Alicia.
Being twins, and moving around in a group, also affects their love life and how boys approach them.
“They become our friends first, and then they get to know us,” said Alicia.

“They find something they are attracted to, and then they start spending time with the particular person they like,” added Delicia.

Felicia said guys who say they wouldn’t mind dating any of the sisters did not amuse her and her siblings.

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THREE IN A ROW: Triplets Felicia(left),Alicia and Delicia Arjunan (back) might look the same at first glance but each have their own personalities. Photo Jay Caboz