Residents of Joburg are fed up with the decay of their communities and the unresponsiveness of their municipalities.
On Saturday, July 27, a melting pot of residents across Johannesburg gathered outside Johannesburg Metropolitan Centre calling for the resignation of Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda.
United under the umbrella movement, ‘Joburg Crisis Alliance’, foundations like the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation and the Organization Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA), came together to air their grievances with the city and local municipalities. .
Specifically, residents are frustrated with the poor infrastructure and lack of service delivery experienced in their areas, citing experiences of consistent water shortages, power outages and increased levels of crime.
“We don’t have streetlights; we don’t have robots in our street. People are being mugged and robbed, and children have been kidnapped. When we call the police, they don’t come with immediate effect, they come after two, three hours!” claims Riselle Davids, a resident of Ennerdale.
Citizens are further calling for the scrapping of the recent R230 tariff that has been implemented for prepaid electricity users. The tariff was implemented at the beginning of July as a service-and-capacity charge and is effective on all prepaid electricity users regardless of how much electricity they use.
“Some of our elderly people cannot afford the water and electricity bill [as is], it’s so much. The new prepaid meter [tariffs], we don’t want it!” said Davids.
Citizens were protesting poor service delivery under the moniker the Joburg Crisis Alliance. Photo: Kabir Jugram
With these issues in mind, the Joburg Crisis Alliance is demanding for mayor Gwamanda and his council to resign due to their unresponsiveness to citizens’ concerns regarding the decline in their living conditions. Beyond that, they implore ward councillors to start engaging with their communities.
“What we absolutely need is a plan of action, an urgent turnaround plan, around water, electricity, housing and safety in this city. If they [mayoral committee] cannot step up to that challenge, they must go. The mayor must step down with his entire mayoral committee, and that council must provide for us leadership that is accountable to them and the residents” says Tessa Dooms, a member of the Joburg Crisis Alliance and co-ordinator of Saturday’s protest.
Speaker of the City of Johannesburg, Margaret Arnolds was present to receive the memorandum, being welcomed by constant jeers. ‘Where’s the mayor?’ mocked numerous protestors in the crowd.
“I am here today to receive the memorandum and say that I will come back within 14-30 days or speak to the authors of the memorandum as to their demands” says Arnolds to a disgruntled audience.
The alliance shall wait for response from the mayor’s office and determine their course of action from there.
FEATURED IMAGE: Residents of Joburg unit to protest a lack of service delivery. Photo: Kabir Jugram
Rand Water’s planned maintenance on the Zuikerbosch Water Treatment Plant has turned into a nightmare for some Johannesburg residents when the water just never came back.
It is no laughing matter that large parts of Johannesburg have been without water for over a week since Monday, July 15, 2024, whether that means dry taps or low water pressure for over 60 000 residents.
This comes after Rand Water commenced the second phase of its maintenance plan, which saw the Palmiet Booster System reduced to a 68% pumping capacity for 50 hours. These long hours came and went, but the water never returned to residents’ homes.
Councillor Jill Humphrey’s said: “Not knowing, not being informed, is not acceptable when our community is so severely impacted.”
Taps were fully open but completely dry during the week of water outages, and this is expected again starting Monday, July 29, for up to two weeks. Photo: Victoria Hill
Having prepared for only low water pressure on a scheduled timeline, many residents’ in over 16 areas were left scrambling to fulfil their basic needs. Research by the City of Johannesburg’s Environment and Infrastructure Services Department suggests that residents in South Africa approximately use 275 litres per capita per day.
Because JoJo tanks and rotating water tankers were in such high demand, many residents did not have access to this alternative water supply, albeit undrinkable.
A resident in Germiston, Tristyn Denempont, said: “The water tankers that were scheduled to be positioned closest to our area were not easily accessible, and not all of them actually arrived, meaning we had to travel further to use the tankers”.
Thus, they had to resort to buying water for everyday tasks, such as cooking, drinking, and washing dishes and clothes. Wits Vuvuzela ran the numbers — if the average cost of a five-litre bottle of water is R25, this equates to R1 375 per day, which accumulates to nearly R10 000 for the seven-day dry spell. This is an added cost for households above and beyond their monthly water and sanitation bills.
Denempont added, “both my parents are retirees with health problems, and carrying the water is very difficult for them. Fortunately, I am at home to help them most of the time, but if they want to fill up the kettle for tea from the 5L bottle when I’m out, it is physically difficult for them to do. This means I had to ensure I had water in manageable containers that weren’t too heavy for them to lift and move when they did need to use water in my absence”.
It was no surprise when councillors in affected areas received multiple complaints from residents, Jane Skipsey said: “I wish they would stick to their promises and follow the timeline they provided regarding the maintenance period”.
Rand Water has since issued a notice informing residents the third and final phase of the Zuickerbosch maintenance plan will be going ahead on Monday, July 29 with water supply affected for up to 40 hours. They have added in their statement that water supply may be interrupted for up to 15 days after the completion of maintenance.
Denempont said he is “feeling very apprehensive about the upcoming scheduled maintenance, as they have already shown themselves to be unreliable with restoring water flow to our area”.
No one can say what the coming week will bring, and residents can only hope for Rand Water and the City of Ekurhuleni to hear their prayers.
FEATURED IMAGE: Bottles of water lined up in the boot of a resident’s car to try and stock up for water outages. Photo: Victoria Hill
In a tense atmosphere, the away team dominated Braamfontein Centre FC with a 7-0 victory in the Wits internal league.
On Monday, July 22, the Zulu Society FC started the second half of the season exquisitely by dominating Braamfontein Centre FC at Wits Sturrock Pack Stadium.
The game began with both sides pushing hard and applying pressure in each other’s defensive third.
However, just minutes into the first half, the tension was quickly broken when Zulu Society FC made their presence felt by effortlessly scoring their first three goals. This disrupted the opposition as players struggled to regain momentum and composure.
The first few minutes of the second half were openly contested. For a moment, it appeared as though Braamfontein Centre FC was poised to pull off an incredible turnaround.
But, despite generating multiple chances, their lack of structure and communication created space for Zulu Society FC to exploit gaps and ultimately left the home team vulnerable. The predictability of some goals exposed the Braamies’ defensive flaws.
The chants and cheers from the spectators showed unity, revealing that one team arrived at the game with a winning mindset. Each goal was celebrated as if the opponents might still fight back, but as the outcome became inevitable, the cheers grew quieter.
After the final whistle, Wandile Zulu, the Zulu Society FC coach, told Wits Vuvuzela that his team remained “focused” and “not complacent” in their approach to the game.
Zulu Society FC coach, Wandile Zulu briefs the squad about their overall performance just after the game ended. Photo: Salim Nkosi
Braamfontein Centre FC remains second to last in the league, with a record of eight games, seven losses, and one draw.
Nicholas Gudwana, the coach of Braamfontein Center FC, said: “I don’t want to say we performed poorly, but the team still needs to work very hard. This is a new team that was introduced last year, so we are in the process of building.”
As the dust settled after the match, Zulu Society FC climbed to 6th place in the first division of the Wits Internal Football League, while the home side continues to linger in the bottom half of the table.
FEATURED IMAGE: Braamfontein Centre FC restructuring its game plan during half time. Photo: Salim Nkosi
Many traditions and cultures have subconsciously aided the wellbeing of one’s mind through music and sound.
A neurologist and music psychotherapist tackled the maze of the mind together on Saturday, May 18, 2024, at the Wits Origins Centre through a mental wellness and brain health seminar on International Museum Day.
Human brains have a potential that is unfathomable, and whilst people think we only use 10% of our brains at a time, they are mistaken.
Most of our brain is being used most of the time, even while sleeping, and over 85 billion neurons in our brains are always firing some sort of signal.
However, with all this brain power comes the largest emotional intelligence amongst all mammals. This EQ of humans is the area studied by neurologist and brain health specialist, Dr Kirti Ranchod, and music psychotherapist, Nsamu Moonga.
Music psychotherapist, Nsamu Moonga, leading the audience through a series of musical workshops to release their inner voice and learn to trust in a collective conscious. Photo: Victoria HillDr Kirti Ranchod during her seminar at the Origins Centre, speaking about all things brain health and wellness. Photo: Victoria Hill
Music is all around us — at birthdays, funerals, weddings, political rallies — and each scene sounds very different from the next, which is a subconscious understanding, Dr Ranchod explained.
Dr Ranchod said music is linked to both memory and emotion. When a person hears a specific song, they relive a specific experience, which leads to them feeling a specific emotion.
This is the basis from which Moonga bases his therapy techniques. He explained how humans forget things as a survival technique yet create rituals to ensure they do not forget what is important — the earth rotating completely around the sun, a human life ending, a life of two people beginning for instance.
Yet, Dr Ranchod said how music is exceptionally personal where one type of tune will relax someone whilst it will trigger another. .
To pay homage to International Museum Day, Dr Ranchod spoke about the San Trance Dance which is one of the earliest rituals known to date that used music to bind a group together.
The Trance Dance is a permanent feature at the Origins Centre — which traces human life back nearly two million years — because it sees the beginning of humans living in communities and activating their energies to connect with the spirit world.
With sound, rhythm, movement, and dance used to alter reality, shift consciousness, and change perception, this was the start of music therapy in practice.
Museums document the history we all share and allows for the interception of the past, present, and future. They allow us to understand who we are, where we come from and are the physical pallbearers of memory.
FEATURED IMAGE: Modern-day rock art as appearing in the Origins Centre to showcase how the past is still very much in the present. Photo: Victoria Hill
The local punk, rock, and metal scenes are bursting with talent, and international artists are beginning to take notice.
The suburb of Melville in Johannesburg is always buzzing and lively on weekends, drawing crowds from all corners of the city. On Friday, May 17, 2024, Melville was overtaken by punks and metalheads in crust pants and spikes, all coming to see the coolest show of the weekend, headlined by Matrak Attakk.
Matrak Attakk is a self-described ‘anarcha-feminist crust band’ (translation: really cool), hailing from Europe, but they fit right in at Smoking Kills, a beloved dive bar that sits at the heart of the local underground music scene. For as long as the bar has been open, it has been hosting up-and-coming bands of the hardcore sort, giving them a space to be creative and an enthusiastic audience to perform for.
Matrak Attakk were joined on the lineup by some of the best bands the scene has to offer currently. Lefokolodi was one of these acts, and for good reason; they are a spectacular quartet and seeing them perform is a fully physical experience. Lefokolodi brings a crowd of strangers together instantly, screaming and moshing with such vibrant energy that the room overflows with it. Their lead vocalist, Lerato, oozes showmanship and flair with his breakdancing and crowd surfing; seeing them perform their latest single, “Disillusioned,” was a highlight of the night.
The crowd watching Lefokolodi.
Lerato performing for the audience.
The crowd at Smoking Kills on May 17, 2024.
If you’re not a fan of politics, then punk isn’t the genre for you, but on the day, likeminded individuals got to share their thoughts in a space that actively champions community and solidarity. Bands like Mean Girls embody this; they have given the profits from merch sales to solidarity organisations, played shows celebrating youth day in South Africa, and written songs about anti-imperialism and feminism. Their popularity in the scene shows how much their message resonates with young people, but also stems from their musical finesse and talent.
Matrak Attakk took to the stage just past midnight and were easily the loudest band of the night. Their lead vocalist, Cristina, has a ferocious and intimidating scream, but her speaking voice between songs was soft and kind. She profusely thanked the audience for being so receptive, and said the South African scene has a lot to teach the European punk community. Being able to tackle subjects like racism, imperialism and colonization is all part of this specific music scene, and South African punks do it phenomenally, she said.
Matrak Attakk headed up to Pretoria on Saturday evening to perform and came back down to Soweto for a show on Sunday. On the weekend of May 24 and 25, 2024, they will be performing in Cape Town and Stellenbosch. This tour shows just how widespread the love for punk is here, and just how eager international acts are to explore every corner of our burgeoning little scene. Though the underground scene is far from being a profitable giant like other South African music genres, it is fierce, raw, and real.
FEATURED IMAGE: Lead vocalist of Matrak Attakk, Cristina, performs at Smoking Kills. Photo: Ruby Delahunt
Four years since its doors closed, frustrated city residents have yet to hear any real reason why the Johannesburg City Library remains shut.
On May 18, 2024, scores of demonstrators and several civic organizations gathered outside of the Joburg City Library to protest its indefinite closure.
The library has been closed to the public since March 2020, initially due to Covid-19 lockdown restrictions. However, the library never reopened, and in May 2021 the city announced it would remain closed “for major repairs and maintenance”.
However, after years without progress, civic groups took matters into their own hands. A walk-through of the library conducted in March 2024 by experts brought along by the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation (JHF) found the building “structurally sound” and safe for use.
Flo Bird, JHF founder, protests along Simmonds Street near the city library.
One pressing issue lies in the fire-suppression system, which was installed 12 years ago but never commissioned and “should take no more than three months” to fix said JHF.
Gathered at Beyers Naudé Square across from the library, the protestors grouped under a bronze statue of a woman holding a Molotov cocktail and a placard reading, “democracy is dialogue.”
Speakers from the various organizations present recognized the irony of the statement, as dialogue has virtually broken down between the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) and those seeking accountability over the library’s closure.
“They [the CoJ] see civil society as a nuisance,” said David Fleminger, chair of the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation. As an invaluable communal resource, the library reopening “needs to be treated as a matter of urgency, not as an afterthought”, he said. “A library is not a luxury!”
Professor Achille Mbembe spoke about the political connection between books, knowledge, and freedom. “[Books] are the petrol bombs of the mind,” he said, referencing the statue above him. “There is no democracy without books” he stated – a powerful statement for the CoJ to remember just nine days from elections.
“I’m very encouraged”, said Fleminger about the day’s events. Drawing over a hundred people, the event had a “good spirit” of righteous indignation at the CoJ’s failings. “I’m just annoyed that we have to be here…they [the CoJ] should just do their job”, he continued.
Now, its over to the City and the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) as protestors demand an immediate (but partial) reopening. “We don’t want to go the legal route, but it is a public facility, and we have a right to make use of it,” said Flo Bird, founder of the JHF.
As the demonstration ended, protestors gathered in groups, sharing stories about the library and its personal significance to them, from being a place of quiet refuge to an invaluable tool in getting through school and university. “I think visiting the library helped instill a love of reading in me,” Fleminger recounted of his childhood. “So many Joburgers have a similar connection to the City Library. It’s part of the fabric of the city.”
With over 1.5 million books, 140 computers, and free WiFi, the City Library is a resource rich center whose quiet abandonment will not, and has not, gone unnoticed by Joburg residents.
Since, the CoJ have re-emphasized their commitment to reopening the library, and said work will begin on the “much-needed compliance issues” in July 2024.
FEATURED IMAGE: Protestors gathered at Beyers Naude Square, Johannesburg. Photo: Ruby Delahunt
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
In an exhilarating final game, Barnies took on the reins, making them the crowning champions on campus.
Barnato hall remained undefeated with a score of 24-13 in their last intense Wits internal netball league match at Diggs Field on Tuesday, 14 May 2024.
The game started in high spirits, with Barnato scoring 8-2 goals in the first quarter, making it difficult for the Zulu Society to catch up. Most of the goals were scored by Seleke.
Barnato player in possession of the ball trying to bypass opponents. Photo: Sanele Sithetho
Barnato was disadvantaged as their goal attack, Onkarabetse Seleke was coming back from a knee injury that she suffered during their previous game. However, she managed to score most of the goals in the first quarter.
Zulu Society made a comeback in the second quarter, ending the 15-minutes with a 5-4 score.
The third quarter was intense, resulting in the injury of Barnato’s goal defence, Ayanda Kunene who cried out in pain after spraining her ankle due to a hard fall, leading her to be removed from the game.
Further into the quarter, Seleke’s knee injury inflicted pain, but she insisted on persevering and seeing the game to the end. In reducing the pressure on her, the coach, Esther Ukpe advised her to switch positions with the goal shooter, Hazel Moyo.
Players battling to catch the ball. Photo: Sanele Sithetho
Despite the disadvantages experienced by Barnato, as they led into the final quarter, they had already known that this was their game. However, Zulu Society did not give them an easy time, as they defended till the end. The quarter ended with a score of 9-2.
Barnato flare up in excitement when the referee blew the last whistle, whilst someone from the crowd screamed “now that’s how you end a league.”
Ukpe told Wits Vuvuzela that the game went very well. “Two of our players got injured and we were struggling through the game, but we fortunately managed to push through” she said. She added that moving forward, the team will work on their communication during games, as this could improve their overall performance.
Amnandi Masimula, the coach of the Zulu Society was proud of her team despite them losing. “It was tough, it was a tough game, but we prevailed up until the end,” she said.
FEATURED IMAGE: An intense final internal league netball match between Barnato and Zulu Society. Photo: Sanele Sithetho
The story of Isiphosethu in Ungubani sheds light on the divine powers of ancestors, and the importance of knowing your roots as an African.
The play follows Isiphosethu, a rightful royal queen summoned home by destiny. Raised in Johannesburg, she is haunted by recurring ancestral dreams urging her to return to where her inkaba (umbilical cord) lies buried.
Aphelele Sidelo, a member of the cast and writer of the play says, “This play aims to remind people of the importance of intsomi as it was used by our grandparents to tell stories with the essence of moral teaching.”
The play took place at the Emakhaya Theatre atWits Art Museum) on April 29, 2024, in front of a jam packed audience.
The cast incorporated emotional traditional isiXhosa poetry, music, and intsomi (tales) into experimental theatre. The play opened with a powerful Isixhosa chant as Isiphosethu embarked on her journey to the longed-for village.
Isiphosethu starring at her aunt Nofesti in shock . Photo: Salim Nkosi
Despite not being familiar with the language, it was remarkable how the cast ensured that their message was effectively conveyed to the spectators through expressive body language.
Director and composer, Mandipumle Nokonya told to Wits Vuvuzela that “the language barrier was a major hurdle since some cast members weren’t Xhosa speakers. They trained extensively to preserve the play’s theme.” Watching, one would have assumed they were all native isiXhosa speakers, a testament to their talent and dedication.
In the play, Isizwe Samanqosi, a rural village in the Eastern Cape, is governed by the malevolent Queen Nofesti. She killed her sibling Nomadubazana, the rightful queen, and ordered her brother Zwelakhe to murder Nomadubazana’s newborn, Isiphosetthu.
Nofesti did not know that Isiphosethu was not killed and was taken to Johannesburg by her uncle. She was ruling the village against the will of the family’s ancestors.
Her use of vulgar and profane language, revealed the type of a person she was, which envoked feelings of resentment amongst those on stage in the audience alike. I saw her as an evil dictator, she showed the characteristics of a nowadays selfish politician.
Upon arriving in the village, Isiphosethu encounters her uncle and pivotal figures who guide her journey. Eventually, she attends a royal meeting called by Nofesti, where her identity is unveiled, unraveling her entire life story.
This was a cringe moment, the scene was chaotic and very emotional, and it revealed how greed and power can turn people against their loved ones. Signifying the pursuit of self-interest at the expense of others.
The village faced grave danger as Nofesti, an arrogant witch, disregarded the pleas of her people, using her powers to suppress opposition. This illustrates the consequences of undeserving authority.
Isiphosethu’s arrival rescued the villagers, leading to Nofesti’s downfall at the hands of the oppressed community. The rightful queen assumed her throne, and the play concluded with Queen Siphosethu’s marriage and the village rejoicing in their newfound freedom.
Isiphosethu getting proposed to. Photo: Salim Nkosi
The performance left an indelible mark, while the singing and clapping in the house were memorable, it’s the importance of feeling like you belong, a constant guiding light in life’s twists and turns that will stay with me.
Vuvu rating: 8/10
Featured image: The villagers of Isizwe Samanqosi grieving their struggles. Photo: Salim Nkosi
The prevalence of backstreet abortions in South Africa was a “huge influence” on Marie Stopes’ decision to introduce more accessible payment options.
Marie Stopes has been providing reproductive healthcare to women worldwide for decades and has consistently been seeking ways to expand access to these services in line with their 2030 safe abortion global strategy.
In a new move towards this goal in South Africa, Marie Stopes announced a brand-new credit payment system for all their services, including abortions. The announcement caused a stir on social media, with many people commending and others condemning Marie Stopes for the move.
Nikita Mynhardt, Marketing and Brand Development lead for Marie Stopes, says that since the implementation of the credit system, “45% of online payments [have been] coming through credit cards and store cards” – a staggering figure which shows how much of a difference the system has made in under two months.
The credit system allows people to pay for any of Marie Stopes’ services in instalments, either via a credit card or a store card. The store cards extend to stores such as Makro, Game, Poetry, and even Builder’s Warehouse.
This method also provides extra privacy to the person making the payments, as the Marie Stopes name does not show on any invoices. Mynhardt does not see any reproductive healthcare as shameful, but acknowledges many women still feel judged for their choices.
This societal judgement is not the only factor hampering women’s access to healthcare. The long and arduous process of getting an abortion at public hospitals often drives women directly into the hands of illegal abortion providers.
A Spotlight report from 2023 notes that medical abortions are “only available in 119 public sector facilities”, which works out to less than 3% of all public healthcare facilities countrywide.
Long waiting times due to this lack of access also increase desperation. A report by the Commission for Gender Equality states that around 50% of abortions in South Africa occur outside of designated healthcare facilities.
Mynhardt explains Marie Stopes is concerned by the prevalence of illegal abortion providers, who perform terminations even up to 30 weeks. “Women can die” when they don’t have affordable access to reproductive health services, Mynhardt says.
Removing financial barriers is one way of ensuring the safety of thousands of women. People can now “get the care they deserve without the hassle” of worrying about finances upfront, says Mynhardt.
South Africa might have been the first country worldwide to protect the right to abortion, but the state has a long way to go in terms of providing women with the resources needed to exercise their rights.
FEATURED IMAGE: Marie Stopes centre in Gandhi Square, Johannesburg. Photo: Marie Stopes.
Students live in Joburg, yet they hardly experience the city; here’s budget-friendly guide to places to help let loose and fall in love with the city of gold.
The University of the Witwatersrand is situated in the heart of Joburg’s CBD, with students from all over the world who enter its door. However, students, especially the ones that are novices to the area, do not know what is beyond the perimeter of their place of study — missing out on exciting spots to visit in the city.
Other students miss out as they get caught up in the hustle and bustle of city life and forget what is around them.
As today is National Tourism Day, which serves to commemorate all the aspects that contribute to a country’s travel and tourism allure; Wits Vuvuzela compiled a list of tourist attractions that students can try in celebration of the day.
The tourism sector took a beating during the Covid-19 pandemic, but it is currently picking up. According to Stats SA, the volume of tourist arrivals increased by 152,6% from 2,2 million in 2021 to 5,6 million in 2022. The statistics agency explained that the national gradual improvement was observed in the number of tourists arrivals from January to December 2022; however, it is still 44,3% below the pre-pandemic year of 2019.
Looking closer at the numbers, of the 5,5 million tourists in South Africa in 2022, 0,7% are students in the country, 4,7% are from other African countries, and 0,1% are international.
Beyond this, the sector is amongst the biggest contributors to GDP in the country.
Thus, one can see how tourism is a necessary sector in South Africa with predominant hotspots in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban. Luckily for Wits students, they have the best tourist places within their fingertips.
An eagle’s eye view of Johannesburg showing bustling traffic and the hidden gems the city has to offer. Photo: Victoria Hill
Tourist hubs are made up of historical, cultural, environmental, and social aspects, which students can choose from. They also vary on a scale of affordability, which is vital to consider as students are always looking for fun outings that do not break the bank.
Under R100:
1. Wits Art Museum
2. Wits Origins Centre
3. Johannesburg Botanical Gardens
4. Walter Sisulu National Botanical Gardens
5. The Wilds Nature Reserve
6. Constitution Hill
7. South African National Museum of Military History
8. Johannesburg Zoo
9. Lindfield Victorian House Museum
10. James Hall Museum of Transport
11. Adventure Golf [one game = R36,67]
12. Sci-Bono Discovery Centre
Between R100-R200:
13. Apartheid Museum
14. Montecasino Bird Gardens
15. Multiflora Flower Market
16. Ice-skating
Between R200-R300:
17. 44 Stanley
18. Gold Reef City Theme Park
19. Maboneng Precinct
20. Melville
21. Parktown 4th Avenue
22. Illovo Muse
23. Rosebank Rooftop Market
24. Fourway’s Farmers Market
25. Neighbour Goods Market
26. Victoria Yards
27. Hashtag Escape
Independent ticket pricing:
28. Joburg Theatre
29. Wits Theatre Complex
30. Wits Chris Seabrooke Music Hall
No matter if you want to go from zero to one hundred, Johannesburg will always have something in store for you. These are just a few tourist attractions near or surrounding Wits University, but if you want an adventure beyond these borders, a road trip is always worth it.
Watch a Google Earth deep dive into each location:
FEATURED IMAGE: The skyline of Johannesburg as seen from the Wits Art Museum building’s 20th floor. Photo: Victoria Hill
Southern Africa has been plagued by heatwave after heatwave, and the temperature is still on the rise.
Climate change has been an issue many people sweep under the rug, but this past Summer, everyone felt its effects in the scorching temperatures that left no reprieve. With the degrees consistently sitting in the high 30s, Johannesburg was at risk of a health and ecological disaster.
Professor Jennifer Fitchett was the speaker at the first-quarter session of the Pro Vice-Chancellor Seminar Series for climate, sustainability and inequality. She is a professor of physical geography at Wits University and centred her presentation around the effects of a 1.1-degree Celsius warmer climate.
Joburg temperatures are off the charts and continue to rise, along with the globe’s average. GIF: Victoria Hill
In fact, Fitchett says Johannesburg is 1.5-degree Celsius warmer, above the global average.
The seminar aimed to indicate how humans are unable to tangibly feel this gradual temperature rise of the planet, with most saying the difference seems negligible to note.
However, other species which use season changes as their thermometer most definitely feel this increase; so, when humans eventually feel the temperature rise, these species would feel the effects even more intensely.
Fitchett explains how bees are coming to pollinate flowers before they have bloomed; caterpillars are hatching before leaves are ready for them; Jacaranda trees are flowering earlier than usual; land-based Addo elephants are unable to migrate to areas necessary for survival; waterholes dry up and land-mammals cannot survive; and the woolly-mammoth was forced to eat a diet of grass which led to their extinction.
Ecologies are experiencing an imbalance of nature, with co-dependent species having mismatched timelines which are fatal. Slowly, they have evolved to align with each other once again, but the temperature is still rising faster than the rate of evolution.
Fitchett says the solution to climate change lies within an interdisciplinary approach. She explained social scientists should note the impact of higher temperatures — no matter whether they are due to global warming or the climate-phenomenon of an El Niño year — because they can easily cause a health disaster in vulnerable South African communities.
She also said environmental students should have a compulsory climate course in their first year to create awareness of this growing issue. Journalists also need to fact-check their climate articles to ensure they are not over-dramatising the issue for effect which leads to the public losing trust in climate specialists.
Joburg gave a new meaning to the idealised Sunny South Africa, and was sizzling, stifling, and scorching hot this summer season. If humans could feel this temperature increase, other plants, animals, vegetation, or species would have felt it, and been affected by it, even more.
FEATURED IMAGE: A setting sun seen over the skyline of Johannesburg, burning in colours of red, orange, and yellow. Photo: Victoria Hill
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 […]
