PROFILE: Newspapers are still one woman’s bread and butter

While digital news thrives online, a devoted newspaper vendor from KZN remains a steadfast presence at a Wits bustling intersection, hoping to convince young and old to grab print copies. 

In the centre of Johannesburg, at the busy intersection of Yale and Empire Road near Wits University, Phumzile Msani ,stands as a symbol of a bygone era.  

Phumzile Msani engaging with a potential client at the intersection of Yale and Empire Road.
Photo: Rivaldo Jantjies

As a devoted newspaper vendor, despite the drastic change in the print media landscape, Msani has continued to sell printed news for more than thirty years. 

Hailing from KwaZulu-Natal, Msani stepped out of her comfort zone to seek employment in Johannesburg. Without fully completing her education, she could not secure a formal job, leading her to sell newspapers. The money she earned was sent back home to support her extended family. The 57-year-old and her family still rely on the ever dwindling income from her daily hustle.

From Monday to Friday, between 9am and 5pm, she sells newspapers on the busy intersection. Her selection includes The Star, The Citizen, Business Day, and Mail and Guardian. 

The latest quarterly figures from the Audit Bureau of Circulations of South Africa (ABC) show a further decline in circulation figures. The Star, which used to be one of Msani’s bestsellers has seen a 35% decrease in circulation in the last year alone, less than 6000 paid copies in circulation weekly.

However, Msani’s commitment goes beyond her sales of newspapers, she is a familiar face and voice to regular passersby, making sure to greet passersby with a welcoming grin and willingness to chat.

Msani said the Covid-19 pandemic severely hurt her sales. Despite more individuals using online news sources, sales have not returned to their pre-lockdown level. She told Wits Vuvuzela, “before Covid-19, I used to sell 90 copies every single day, now I only sell up to nine copies a day.”

Price increases have also played a role in decreased sales. For instance, City Press, which was priced at R20 in December 2019, now stands at R29, while Beeld, which was R12.50, has risen to R18.50. Similarly, Die Burger has seen an increase from R13.60 to R16, and Daily Sun’s price has more than doubled from R4.20 to R8 during the same period.

Msani is a monument to the lasting value of print media in an age when digital news is taking over the world. Her devotion, and steady presence beg the question of whether print and digital journalism can coexist, or will screen convenience eventually make the sound of newspapers rustling obsolete? 

PROFILE:’Tactical’ and ‘aggressive’ chess moves take pair to world championships

Two dedicated Wits Chess Club members have been chosen to compete in world university championships between June 25 and 30, 2024.

At the end of June 2024, unlike most Wits students who will be taking time off to recover from an intense exam period, Amy Wallace and Lovers Mthembu will be in Uganda, representing South Africa at the FISU World University Championships for Mind Sports.

Wallace and Mthembu both made the top ten in the University Sports South Africa (USSA) open tournament and were subsequently placed in the top four of their age groups in the USSA closed tournament. Mthembu placed first in the USSA closed tournament, while Wallace placed fourth, allowing them to qualify for South Africa’s FISU chess team that will compete this year.

Wallace and Mthembu both started playing chess early in life. Mthembu said his brother introduced him to chess in 2016 and instantly became “curious about the game” and “just picked it up quickly”.

Wallace on the other hand, started playing chess in 2011 when her mother, the chess teacher at her primary school, introduced the game to her.

From left to right, Amy Wallace and Lovers Mthembu proudly representing the Wits Chess Club at the Wits Sports Conference Centre at Sturrock Park. Photo: Tristan Monzeglio

Wallace described her style of chess as “attacking” and classified herself as a “very tactical player”. She also cited Hikaru Nakamura as one of the chess players she enjoys watching and studying, because of his unique style of play and his entertaining YouTube videos.

Mthembu said he is “patient, but at the same time… aggressive” when playing chess, and “look[s] up” to chess grandmaster, Fabiano Caruana, because of the similarities in their style of play.

Both Wallace and Mthembu have been a part of the Wits Chess Club since the start of their degrees. Mthembu even said he signed up for the club during orientation week.

Wallace describes the Wits Chess Club as being full of people and teammates who are always willing to offer “emotional support”.

When asked what advice he would give students interested in improving their chess skills, Mthembu suggested that they adopt a balanced approach. He said that although he now prefers “studying chess more than playing chess”, one must do both.

Mthembu said that as “you play more tournaments… you can be exposed to a lot of different styles” and use this experience to adapt your game.

Wallace echoed this by highlighting the importance of putting whatever you learn into practice, by “playing online constantly” as well as joining the Wits Chess Club, which runs a “training programme”.

Mthembu stressed that the chess community has never made him feel “excluded”. Wallace agreed that the chess community is generally “accepting”, as “they don’t care about where you come from, your background, or anything like that”.

However, she stressed that “as a female there are some stigmas”, like a many male players who “think that it’s easier for females to get places”, because of certain lowered standards and “rating criteria for tournaments”.

However, she said gendered stigmas remain. Firstly, rating criterion is lowered for women, which leads male players to think “that it is easier for females to get places,” Wallace said.

Secondly, most tournaments have a “best girl prize”, something which others participants and brings their merit into question. Wallace said, women “just want to play, and if we get a prize, we get a prize”.

Wallace remained optimistic on the state of chess in South Africa, however, as she spoke about how it continues to grow in the aftermath of the covid-19 pandemic, where over the board chess decreased, but online chess grew exponentially.

This along with Mthembu and Wallace’s selection for the FISU team, could possibly inspire a new generation of people to pick up chess.

Umsebenzi Project Empowers Health Science Students 

Wits’ Office of Student Success (OSS) equips health science students with valuable lessons to survive the harsh reality of the healthcare industry. 

The department of health sciences at Wits hosted a panel discussion on their premises in Parktown on July 20, 2023, to conscientize students on the issues that exist in the medical field — while empowering them with knowledge to help them thrive in the profession.

One of the organizers, Rachel Dzenga, explained that they aimed for the discussions to provide “emotional, academic, and therapeutic aid to students,” and to prepare them for the “transition from student to professional.” 

In May this year, Netcare, which operates the largest private hospital network in the country, warned that there is a shortage of nurses throughout South Africa. The Covid-19 pandemic created a huge shortage of qualified nurses and doctors. An estimated 21 090 nurses lost their jobs due to failure to renew their registration with the South African Nursing Council. Meanwhile, the country produces more doctors than they can afford to employ. 

A second-year dentistry student, Ayanda Ndaba, said she holds a degree in nursing and is “open to learning new skills,” however, she added that she could not find a position in nursing as there were no places hiring despite being “promised” by the program that she would easily find work after completing her community service hours. 

Dr. Bongiwe Nhlangulela and Lucy Pearl Khofi speaking to students about their relevant fields and how to survive the healthcare industry. Photo: Georgia Cartwright

To counter the same thing from happening, Ndaba said she learnt to “chase every opportunity available.”  

Lucy Pearl Khofi, an award-winning women’s health activist, encouraged students to “always be hungry and go beyond what is asked of [them].” Fraser further explained that the best way to make it in the industry is to “be open to any opportunity” as there is a greater need now than ever before for health care professionals. 

The discussion also touched on the debates about the National Health Insurance (NHI) which was passed in parliament on June 12, 2023. The NHI aims to create universal healthcare for all South Africans by bringing in a state-run medical aid, which will provide equal access to quality healthcare. However, it has not yet passed through legislation.

Facilitator of the discussion, Dr. Simon Fraser said the NHI is a “polarizing issue,” that could “overhaul the healthcare system”. Fraser adds that the NHI, if done correctly, could “provide plenty more healthcare positions,” as more qualified professionals will be needed to make up for the shortfall found in many public hospitals. 

Dzenga says that the OSS will be hosting more exciting conversations and events to further prepare students for the working world. 

FEATURED IMAGE: Dr. Simon Fraser, Dr. Johann Lamprecht, Lucy Pearl Khofi, and Dr. Bongiwe Nhlangulela giving advice to students at the Philip v Tobias building in Parktown. Photo: Georgia Cartwright

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