Seven months after her precautionary suspension, former Wits Sociology Head of Department Professor Srila Roy faces an internal university disciplinary hearing set for September 15
Former Sociology Head of Department Professor Srila Roy will appear before a formal Wits disciplinary hearing on September 15, 2026.
Head of the School of Social Sciences, Professor Lorena Núñez Carrasco, confirmed that internal proceedings remain ongoing and an outcome will take time.
Roy remains under institutional restrictions that prevent her from speaking publicly or publishing material regarding the ongoing case.
Former Head of Sociology Department Professor Srila Roy will face an internal university disciplinary hearing on September 15, 2026, seven months after her precautionary suspension.
Professor Srila Roy. Photo: The University of the Witwatersrand
The hearing date was confirmed by Head of the School of Social Sciences, Professor Lorena Núñez Carrasco, in response to written enquiries about Roy’s employment status and the progress of internal proceedings.
While questions surrounding Roy’s permanent standing at Wits have circulated since her suspension in February, the university confirmed that internal processes have not yet concluded.
“The disciplinary process has not concluded, the hearing will in fact only be held on the 15th of September, [and] even then, the final resolution will take some time,” Núñez Carrasco stated in an email response.
She added that until the matter is officially resolved, Roy is restricted from making public statements or publishing material concerning the case.
Roy was placed on precautionary suspension in February 2026 following public backlash over remarks posted on social media regarding South African work ethic amidst parliamentary discussions on foreign academics in higher education.
The post drew swift condemnation from student leadership, the South African Sociological Association (SASA), and members of parliament. Roy subsequently resigned as Head of Department, leading to formal university disciplinary procedures.
Although Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Higher Education previously called for her dismissal, Wits University maintained that any institutional outcome would depend strictly on the completion of its formal internal processes.
With the hearing scheduled for mid-September, the final determination on Roy’s future academic standing at Wits remains pending.
FEATURED IMAGE: Graphic showing silhouette of a woman by a calendar marking September 15 2026. Designed by: Daniella Ripamonti
Amid South Africa’s escalating housing crisis, one mother fights through the chaos to build a home for her family.
Right before night spills into day, the valleys of Eldorado Park are bathed in shadows of deep purple. Nestled in the grassy plains stands a makeshift house no larger than six paces in length. Almost a year into its existence, the shelter stands tall as one of the first built in the informal settlement of Actionville. Steadily, life unwinds within the corrugated iron and rusted zinc walls of this little matchbox.
In the inky black darkness, Elizabeth Percent (41) peels back the covers and rises before the sun to make breakfast for her children. She walks to the gas-stove, guided by the weak glow of her phone flashlight. Tick-tick-tick. A tiny blue flame erupts from the cylinder with a hiss. Methodically, Elizabeth sets her pot on the metal stand and begins slicing bread.
Elizabeth seated on the bed with her children. Photo: Hannah Brown.
“We had to make fires in the beginning,” Elizabeth says with a distant gleam in her eye. “Everything was on a fire. Your home smelled like a fire even.” She pans her gaze to her children scattered around on the bed, her eyes lowered. “I now cook on a gas-stove. If it was me 3 years ago, I would’ve never done gas.”
Her four children stir in the dark from the commotion. Willow (3), her granddaughter whom she was babysitting, remains within the warm nest of blankets, unwilling to budge. Spurred by their mother’s commands, each child begins performing their morning rituals like clockwork under the dim glow of a battery-powered lamp.
Cleotus (10) is lacing up his shoes. Anastacia (9) is pulling her hair into elastics. Tarryn (5) and Willow sit huddled together under the covers, squealing as big sister Hayley (16) comes to wipe their grinning faces with a cloth.
The shelter where Elizabeth and her children reside. Photo: Jamie Ho.
As the sun peeks over the valley into the lace-adorned windows, a soft golden light trails up the corrugated walls, illuminating the cheery faces huddled on the bed. Elizabeth carries steaming bowls of porridge to them. Excited squeals are silenced by the hasty shovelling of spoons into hungry mouths.
At the far end of the room is an old sink bowl, disembodied from any pipes, where dishes pile high, but no water trickles from the spout. Instead, Elizabeth carries water back and forth from the JoJo tanks installed around the settlement, storing them in containers under the table. She empties one into the pot, which she sets on the stove.
“We never used to have JoJo tanks,” she explains, “The surrounding community used to assist us with water.”
A JoJo tank installed along the path in Actionville. Photo: Jamie Ho.
However, despite having access to the tanks, the community still faces many problems with sanitation, especially since there is no running water for toilets. “We have manholes,” Elizabeth says, “We dig a hole and we use the bucket system. Or you do it in the house, or if you’re comfortable, in a small area outside and then you go and throw it away and wash your bucket.” This process, however, fills her with dread as it exposes her children to unsafe, unhygienic conditions.
Now the warm sunlight has filled every crevice of the shack and has ignited a burst of energy in the children. They begin soaring onto the bed, charging out of a home too small to contain their joy. Bursting out of the door, the cold morning wind pools over their tender faces as they sprint around the four corners of their fenced-off yard.
“I feel like a superintendent sometimes,” Elizabeth says with a slight chuckle. “Everything needs to be in order. If each one stays in their lane and just follows through on what [their] responsibility is, it’s easier.” She casts a stern glance at Tarryn and Willow, who are fighting over a mic.
Hayley pulls open the low metal gate, and the children spill out from the yard into the copper-red plains. Elizabeth chides each one to make a line, and, like magnets, her children form a chain-link of hands.
Down the open dusty road, they strut like soldiers. The chants of an army of children carry through the air.
“We walk straight. We walk straight. If you don’t move out the way, we will kick you in the face,” they sing, lifting their legs up high to kick the air in front of them.
“This used to be an open field,” Elizabeth states, gesturing towards the settlements dispersed around the grassy plains.
Informal dwellings scattered across the grassy plains. Photo: Jamie Ho.
Actionville is one of thousands of informal settlements that have sprouted across the country born out of a desperate, decades-long housing backlog that has left millions waiting on government waiting lists.
A year ago, during the early days of Actionville, residents faced constant pushback from law enforcement, with Elizabeth’s home under threat of being bulldozed. To comply with their demands, she chose to dismantle the shelter herself.
“If they do get it right, it’s a demolish,” Elizabeth explains, “They use their bulldozer and they drive over your home so it’s damaging everything that’s in there, and this was my home. It’s been my home for the longest time.”
Eviction threats are a recurring reality for informal dwellers. Time and again, police have raided communities to tear down newly erected shacks, only to meet fierce resistance from residents determined to protect their homes.
Under the current Prevention of Illegal Eviction (PIE) Act, authorities must secure a court order before demolishing homes. Proposed amendments would remove this requirement, making evictions far easier. While officials claim the changes target illegal land syndicates, housing rights advocates warn the loss of these legal protections will leave vulnerable families like Elizabeth’s with nowhere else to go.
“If they make this amendment, we could lose everything,” Elizabeth says solemnly.
Her grip remains firm on her children’s hands as they approach the school. As she hugs each one goodbye, she watches them depart, their chattering and giggles fading round the bend.
Elizabeth and her children walking to school. Photo: Jamie Ho.
FEATURED IMAGE: Elizabeth seated on the bed with her children. Photo: Hannah Brown.
Members of Uthingo Lwamankosazana (Rainbow of Maidens) – the Wits society for young maidens – are preparing for Umkhosi Womhlanga, the annual Zulu reed dance ceremony honouring the king and celebrating maidenhood, while encouraging young women to embrace their cultural identities and traditions.
Uthingo Lwamankosazana aseWits prepares members for Umkhosi Womhlanga.
Students from different cultures celebrate their heritage together.
Members say young people are losing touch with tradition.
For some Wits students, preparing for Umkhosi Womhlanga, the annual Zulu reed dance ceremony set to take place September 5-6 2026, is about more than getting ready for a cultural ceremony: it is a chance to reconnect with traditions they fear young people are losing.
Uthingo Lwamankosazana is a society for maidens at Wits that brings together young women from different cultural backgrounds under the slogan ‘Maidens united in diversity.’ Second-year BCom Accounting student and chairperson Luthando Mdletshe said the society is not exclusively Zulu, and that women from any tribe are welcome to join. “We’re not just a Zulu maiden’s group,” she said.
For second-year BA Film and Television student Bulumko Ntluzo, who is Xhosa, being part of Uthingo has encouraged her to take pride in her own culture and traditions.
Umkhosi Womhlanga, held annually during the first or second week of spring every year, is a cultural festival in South Africa where tens of thousands of young women gather to celebrate womanhood and cultural identity. Members of Uthingo lwamankosazana pushed back on a common misconception that women who attend Umkhosi Womhlanga do so to be selected as wives.
Final-year BSc Astronomy and Astrophysics student Tania Nyanda said this, and other stereotypes have contributed to young people becoming disconnected from traditional practices. She said members attend the ceremony to pay their respects to the royal family and take part in prayer. Mdletshe described it instead as a celebration of ubuntombi (maidenhood), and a chance for maidens from different provinces to learn from one another.
An image of Uthingo Lwamankosazana at Umkhehlo Sanele Sithole
Uthingo Lwamankosazana members have been preparing for the ceremony through a ‘Siyaya eMhlangeni’ camp and amahubo, which are traditional song practices held on campus. Second-year Bachelor of Education Student Nosipho Makhalima said the camp prepares members by advising them on how to conduct themselves and reminding them of the significance of Umkhosi Womhlanga.
Beyond ceremony preparation, the society doubles as a support network for young women in their 20s, navigating university life away from home. Makhalima described it as a safe and educational space where members discuss issues around relationships, sexuality, and abstinence in line with the traditional values promoted by the society and at its centre is a sense of sisterhood.
Ntluzo said young women often become disconnected from their traditions once they arrive at university, driven by peer pressure and fear of appearing “too traditional.” She added that social media has also shifted young people’s attitudes towards culture.
As Uthingo Lwamankosazana members prepare for this year’s ceremony, Uthingo Lwamankosazana continues to give Wits students a space to engage with culture, support one another and hold on to tradition while navigating university life.
FEATURED IMAGE: An image of member of Uthingo Lwamankosazane by Sanele Sithole
Diabetes health education could help Wits students make informed choices about food and their health.
Wits students need more diabetes education to make informed health choices.
Limited healthy food options make it difficult for students to eat well on campus.
Health professionals are urging students to make healthier lifestyle choices.
For many students at the University of the Witwatersrand, deciding what to eat between lectures depends on two things – what is affordable and what is quick to eat. However, with diabetes becoming a growing health concern in South Africa, health professional Sister Lebohang Ngubeni, from the Shout IT Out Campaign, says students also need to understand how their everyday lifestyle choices can affect their health.
Students regularly eat cheap, convenient foods such as bunny chow, slap chips, fried foods and sugary snacks, while also getting little or no exercise. In the long run, these habits can lead to weight gain and also increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a condition that occurs when blood sugar levels are too high, among other health problems.
TimesLive news recently reported on diabetes becoming South Africa’s leading cause of death. Dr Siyamak Saleh, who was commenting on the news report in a TikTok video, said, “HIV is a much easier condition to manage compared to diabetes! We need more health education.” It’s very important to know your blood sugar levels to help identify risks early on.
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, diabetes is a condition where there is too much glucose, or sugar, in the blood. The body gets glucose from the food we eat, and insulin helps the body use that glucose for energy. With type 2 diabetes, the body can become resistant to insulin, which causes glucose to build up in the blood.
The latest mortality data from Statistics South Africa shows that diabetes mellitus was responsible for 27 692 deaths in 2023, making it the country’s leading cause of natural death.
Wits students have several takeaway options, including Sausage Saloon, Chinese Lantern, and Kara Nicca’s. Sima Boyisa, a first-year Wits student, said she struggles to find healthier options on campus.
“There’s never healthy food. If I don’t eat burger, a wrap or chips at the Main Dining Hall, which are affordable, there’s nothing [else] I can opt for,” said Boyisa.
While the food outlets offer students affordable and convenient meals, Boyisa experience highlights a question at the heart of the issue, which is: do Wits students have enough affordable, healthy food options on Campus?
According to Sister Lebohang, “students should be aware of lifestyle factors such as obesity, smoking and lack of exercise because it can increase their risk of diabetes”. She advised students with a limited budget to prioritise vegetables, which they can buy at Food Lover’s Eatery in Braamfontein, drink more water and avoid fizzy drinks.
Students who are concerned and need information about diabetes, testing or management support can visit the Wits Campus Health and Wellness Centre. The main clinic is located on the lower ground floor of the Student Union Building, below the Matrix, on Braamfontein Campus East. Students on the Parktown Education Campus side can visit the satellite clinic at Highfield Accommodation House, on the ground floor.
FEATURED IMAGE: Wits students queue for affordable takeaway meals at Chinese Lantern. Photo: Alice Dhlamini.
“Solar Mind” innovation uses AI to detect changes affecting solar panels and improve electricity generation.
Ten university teams competed in the Tata Consultancy Services Sustainathon South Africa 2026 Grand Finale.
More than 1 200 registrations were recorded, with 65 submissions from students across more than 40 institutions.
Durban University of Technology’s, Still Lazy Tech team won the R30 000 top prize with Solar Mind, an intelligent MPPT system.
TCS Sustainathon competition winners celebrating on stage. Photo: Nqobile Mtshali
A solar system designed to maximise electricity generation, an app that detects water leaks and AI tools aimed at improving agriculture were among the solutions showcased at the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). Sustainathon South Africa 2026 at the Radisson Blu, Sandton, on September 1.
The competition, themed “AI for Sustainable Futures”, challenged students to use technology to tackle problems linked to three United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: Good Health and Well-being, Quality Education, and Affordable and Clean Energy.
More than 1 200 registrations were recorded for this year’s competition, with 65 submissions from more than 40 institutions. Ten university teams progressed to the finale.
Tata Consultancy Services, has hosted the Sustainathon in South Africa since 2022, giving students a chance to use technology to solve problems they see around them.
This year’s R30 000 top prize went to Still Lazy Tech from Durban University of Technology (DUT) for Solar Mind, an intelligent Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) system. This system helps solar panels maximise electricity generation by continuously adjusting their operating point to capture the most power available under changing conditions. The team’s AI model identifies conditions that affect panel performance, such as when a building casts a shadow over a panel during part of the day.
Sipho Mokoena, a member of Still Lazy Tech, said the team wanted to create a more affordable solution.
“A lot of these big companies, when they make these imported devices, they build them for industrial applications. No one is really building it for the South African market,” Mokoena said.
The team faced challenges while developing the project,“Funding, and university politics mainly,” said Mokoena. So now, they are looking at securing more funding, pursuing a master’s programme and eventually patenting Solar Mind.
Prototype of AI powered waste management machine created by CO Coders Eco-Pulse, students from the University of Johannesburg. Photo: Nqobile Mtshali
Langa Dube, regional director at TCS, said the company continues to support students through mentorship, technical guidance and intellectual property support after the competition.
“We did not want it to end on the stage,” Dube said.
Dube said about five or six projects are currently at advanced stages of prototyping. Technical and intellectual property support is also extended to students who want to develop their ideas further.
The other finalists presented solutions focused on healthcare, mental health, water security, agriculture, renewable energy and waste management.
From altering oversized trousers in a university residence to turning discarded clothing into insulation for informal settlements. Bryan Lepelle is proving that a small student idea can grow into a business with a bigger purpose.
Drip Tailors is focused on sustainability, skills development and job creation.
Lepelle received a Head of School Award at Wits.
Lepelle formally registers his business in 2025.
Bryan Lepelle, a co-founder of Drip Tailors, is not the kind of entrepreneur who started with a big office, expensive machines or a large amount of funding. As an Honours student in Education, his entrepreneurial journey started in 2023 while he was a student living at Barnato residence at the University of the Witwatersrand.
Lepelle and his co-founder, Refilwe Monyela, bought trousers that were too big for them. Instead of looking for someone to alter the trousers, they decided to do it themselves. Their sewing skills were self-taught. They adjusted the trousers and, to their surprise, it worked. “We taught ourselves how to sew and we adjusted the trousers and it actually went well,” says Lepelle.
That small success made them think about other students who could be facing the same problem. With many students buying clothes online from stores such as Shein and Temu, they wondered whether there were other students who faced the same problem they did. So, they posted in university groups to find out and there were many.
What began with two students trying to fix their own trousers quickly turned into an opportunity.
“We identified a problem that students had and we had to come up with a solution,” Lepelle explains.
At first, Drip Tailors was informal. Lepelle and Monyela were simply making some extra money on the side while studying. It was not yet the serious business it would later become. In 2025, however, they took another important step by entering the entrepreneurial space at E-hub. The E-hub is a university –based entrepreneurship hub that supports students and emerging entrepreneurs in developing and growing their businesses. With the support they received there, the business was formally registered. They received mentorship, which helped them understand that what they had started could become more than just a side-hustle.
But turning an idea into a business came with its own challenges. “The biggest challenge when we were starting was funding, basically because we work with machinery and other equipment,” Lepelle says.
The lack of resources forced the young entrepreneurs to find ways to work with what they had. “When we started, we made an investment in buying two small machines. Even though we lacked some equipment, we found a way of adapting and using those two machines, and it did work,” he says. Later, they received funding after winning an Enactus competition. Other support, including funding from Ford Motor Company, also helped them move forward.
Drip Tailors Co-founders Refilwe Monyela (left) and Bryan Lepelle (right) pose with certificates after being recognized for their tailoring work. Photo: Supplied/ Drip Tailors
Learning to work with limited resources became part of his entrepreneurial education. But Drip Tailors was also changing. The business began looking beyond simply altering clothes and towards a much bigger problem: textile waste and the cold weather experienced by people living in informal settlements. This led to the development of ThermaCycle.
Drip Tailors collects unwanted clothing through clothing donation drives and other partnerships. “When we go to collect clothes, there are clothes that can’t be donated because they are seriously damaged, beyond repair and can’t be used anymore, Lepelle says. Instead of throwing those clothes away, Drip Tailors repurposes them. “We take those clothes, disinfect them and decolour them, and we make thermal wall insulation with those clothes,” he explains. The insulation is then used to help make homes in informal settlements warmer.
According to Lepelle, the material can help increase the temperature inside a house by 8 to 18 degrees, helping create a warmer and more comfortable living environment during colder months.
At the heart of Drip Tailors is the idea of finding solutions to problems.
The business has grown into a social enterprise. It is not only focused on recycling waste but also on teaching people skills that they can use to be self-sustainable. Drip Tailors has a training academy where people are taught sewing skills. Lepelle explains that the goal is not simply to train people and send them home, but to give them skills that can create opportunities for their future. As he puts it, “after someone has completed their training, they can go start their own business.” He also emphasises that Drip Tailors is focused on creating a meaningful impact in the community, stating that “Drip Tailors teaches people skills so they can be able to sustain themselves.”
This focus on skills and employment is especially important to Lepelle because of the high level of unemployment among young people in South Africa. As he explains, “trying to employ a certain portion of youth is solving one of the country’s problems.”
Being a student and a business owner at the same time is challenging. While other young people may spend their free time relaxing, going out with friends or simply enjoying university life, Lepelle often spends his spare time serving clients, managing his team and thinking about the future of the business. He admits that finding a balance has been one of the hardest parts of his journey. His solution? Organisation.
Lepelle creates weekly schedules and sets goals for each. His university timetable also gives him some flexibility because he attends classes once a week and has many classes online. Lepelle explains, “I divide my time by setting weekly schedules and setting goals for every week.” He adds that attending physical classes once a week and having the rest online gives him the flexibility to manage both his studies and business.
He believes the success of the project is not about two directors doing everything themselves.
“It’s all possible because of a team,” he says.
His journey has also taken him beyond South Africa. In 2025, Lepelle travelled to Thailand, where he made international connections and developed partnerships with people from other countries. He says the experience taught him that networking is one of the most important parts of entrepreneurship. More importantly, he learned that a company is not only about the people who own it. It is about the people it serves.
That lesson has influenced the way he looks at business. In his view, entrepreneurship should have an impact on the community. It should create opportunities, solve problems and help people. That belief has also shaped his leadership.
His advice is simple: take the risk.
“If you don’t take steps, no one will take them for you,” he says.
For Lepelle failure is also part of the process. Sometimes, he says, you have to fail in order to learn. His own journey shows that entrepreneurship does not always begin with a perfect business plan. Sometimes it starts with a problem that needs solving. For him, it was a pair of trousers that did not fit. Today, the same mindset is being used to tackle a much bigger problem: textile waste, cold homes and unemployment.
Drip Tailors co-founders Refilwe Monyela (left) and Bryan Lepelle (right) at an Enactus competition. Photo: Supplied/Drip Tailors
FEATURE IMAGE: The official logo of Drip Tailors, a Wits students’ tailoring business. Photo: Supplied/ Drip Tailors
Wits Fine Arts students Camryn Jessie and Abdullah Saloojee presented their collaborative exhibition at The Point of Order.
The theme was inspired by Abdullah’s poem Citrus Soup.
Through installation, painting, and found objects, the duo leaves meaning open, hoping curiosity outweighs fear.
From August 27 to 28, 2026, fourth-year Wits Fine Arts students Camryn Jessie and Abdullah Saloojee presented a collaborative exhibition at The Point of Order in Braamfontein: There’s a Bug in This Citrus Soup.
The theme was inspired by a poem Abdullah wrote and shared with Camryn. It reads in part: “My conscience tends the sacred wound, my soup now cold from the ashes. The citrus leaks through my soul; When the water drys up, where do I go?”
An artwork by Abdullah Saloojee titled: Ant/One is many. Photo by: Naledi Maraisane
After weeks of analysing it, Camryn said she found a deep sense of want and disappointment in the piece, which became the anchor for the exhibition. The citrus, the artists said, speaks to intense tension and a state of limbo. The bug itself is left open to interpretation; it can be an insect, a stomach bug, or a technical bug. Essentially, the bug is meant to symbolise disturbance and discomfort.
That disturbance shows in how differently they work. Camryn’s artworks are installation-based. Her paintings act as a base, then she builds around them with tangible materials that give them life. Abdullah’s work is orientalist, an art form which blends realism and fantasy. Yet their pieces have blended so well that people cannot tell which piece belongs to whom. “Another thing that visually combines our work is our fascination with found objects,” Abdullah said. Those objects have been integrated into several artworks.
Abdullah wants his work to evoke sadness, but as a journey toward rediscovered hope. Camryn, in contrast, hopes her pieces “keep them on the verge, whilst still being curious but weird at the same time,” while evoking disgust and discomfort.
An artwork by Camryn Jessie titled: Early worms get eaten. Photo by: Naledi Maraisane
Both have intentionally stopped doing things the ‘traditional’ way within Johannesburg’s contemporary art landscape: “We disrupt the space in subtle ways by keeping things natural, because you don’t have to do things in a certain way,” they said. Their goal is to get people interested without feeling stupid for not understanding. “The bug is something you don’t fully understand, but it ignites a curiosity,” Abdullah said. “Even though there is something strange and unknown, and that you are a bit scared, we hope that the curiosity outweighs that fear,” Camryn added.
In the end, the metaphorical bug can be feared and embraced. The journey gives space to acknowledge and learn to live with its uncertainties, discomforts, and weirdness.
Camryn Jessie and Abdullah Saloojee posing for a picture in front of their found object titled: The Window. Photo by: Naledi Maraisane
FEATURED IMAGE: An installation by Camryn Jessie titled: Life leaks/life enters. Photo by: Naledi Maraisane
Time has swiftly moulded this year’s Wits Vuvuzela team, and the newsroom has become a true witness to our growth.
As the end of block three approaches, the newsroom is busier than ever. People are chasing deadlines, writing features, and trying to fulfil the requirements of our portfolio submissions; the urgency is felt and it almost feels as if one is running out of time.
Yet time is such a fascinating concept, because it feels as if this year flew by. It is easy to take for granted how far you have come when you are so caught up in trying to get everything done all at once. As journalists we are taught to observe the world around us. Rarely do we take time to reflect on our own growth.
For the Wits Vuvuzela team, the journey started on the first day of school, February 3, 2026, when we first became acquainted with the newsroom. The mentors, Bonolo Mokonto and Lulah Mapiye gave us a demonstration of what a pitching session would look like, and little did we know the journey that awaited us. When the first two weeks of pitching came, it was intense to say the least, having to stand in front of everyone and sell your story was no child’s play, nobody realised it then, but we were such shells of ourselves.
With time, we grew out of our shells and started evolving. Collectively, we have watched stories grow from the newsroom into the world. More notably we have all grown together, from karaoke night to late nights working together in the newsroom, to becoming a solid support system for each other; where we laugh the hardest together and comfort each other when doubt gets the best of us. I have learned that the crux of journalism is in human connection. Connection with a source, a colleague, a mentor, and the world – a world of storytelling, and of human connections.
A class photo with Kevin Ritchie.
We have been privileged enough to interact with a variety of experts and places that have ultimately moulded us. Kevin Ritchie was our first guest lecturer and anchored us in purpose as he taught us to, “remember your why.” Alaister Russell taught us how to be one with the camera, Russell reminded us that, “your humanity is your guiding light in everything that you do.” Kgomotso Modise enlightened us about how important it is for journalists to adapt with the times and make use of social media to deliver reliable news. Ray Mahlaka put us on the spot by doing research on us all and effectively showcased the importance of research and active listening for interviews.
On the Left: A class photo with Kgomotso Modise. On the right: A class Photo with Ray Mahlaka.
We have heard from alumni who have found steady footing in the real world and reminded us that the work is never in vain. As our time in the Wits Vuvuzela newsroom comes to an end, we have learnt that journalism is as much about storytelling as it is about the people behind the story. It is about being human.
FEATURED IMAGE: A photo of Sikelelekile Pahlana, this week’s editor. Photo: Alaister Russell
Women in journalism face online abuse – threats, harassment and silencing – but their courage and solidarity, show that storytelling and seeking truth matter more than hate.
We live in a remarkable but complex time of converging crises. The shift from ‘traditional’ journalism to digital platforms has transformed the field. Journalists no longer wait for print deadlines or broadcast slots; they speak directly to audiences, explain issues, challenge power and help people make sense of a world that often feels overwhelming.
This excites me, as it opens new creative ways to engage, but it also scares me. Visibility comes with risks and for women, the price is disproportionately high – harassment designed to discredit, exhaust and silence. Threats of physical harm, sexualised abuse and online attacks have become the new ‘normal’.
On August 6, I attended a discussion in Johannesburg between Karyn Maughan, Qaanitah Hunter and Redi Tlhabi, titled Women VS. The Digital Machine. These are three prominent women in journalism, and they spoke about navigating digital hostility while remaining visible and credible. For women, visibility often comes with targeted abuse that is designed to drive us out of the conversation.
A SANEF study found that 75% of South African women journalists face online misogyny. I don’t need statistics to believe it. It is a lived reality for many of the women I look up to. The hostility is not random. It is ‘manufactured anger’, heightened by platforms whose business models thrive on outrage and misinformation.
Women covering politics or corruption are especially targeted. In 2024, Women Press Freedom identified 12 Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP) suits against women reporting on gender issues.
As a postgraduate journalism student, I often think about the work of photojournalist Lynsey Addario. Her career reshaped my understanding of journalism’s power. Addario is a strong advocate that women should not be limited in the assignments they work on. “Men and women have different access, we relate to people on different levels, and people respond to us differently, so certainly that will create a different dynamic with a camera, but I don’t think that, for example, as a woman I see differently,” she said. “What I choose to capture is possibly different from what my male colleagues do.”
Social media, the same tool that connects us to readers, also amplifies anger and division. Anonymous accounts and bots spread lies and hate. We are living in a time that some call ‘hyperpolitics’ – a state of politicisation without corresponding political action.
Yet women journalists continue to report, hold power to account and to tell stories that matter. Their dedication inspires me. It reminds me that journalism is not about ourselves; it is about trying to tell the truth, empathy and refusing silence. As Tlhabi said, “If we get obsessed with the hate we get, then they have won.” Section 16 of the South African Constitution protects freedom of expression. The question Tlhabi always comes back to is, “What is the cost of my silence? If I stay quiet, who benefits and who suffers?”
Safety of women in journalism. Graphic: Hannah Brown
There are no easy solutions. Governments and media institutions must take cyber misogyny seriously. Platforms must be held accountable for the anonymity that shields abusers. Newsrooms, even as they shrink, need stronger support systems. And as journalists we must find solidarity, because joy is a form of resistance too.
As Hunter shares, “Don’t become what you fight. Foster joy. There is nothing that can contend with hate more than seeing a happy woman.”
Journalism has the power to change how people see the world. That is worth fighting for and it is worth protecting. As filmmaker Alice Aedy stated, “how to bring stories to life in a landscape that feels more challenging but perhaps riper with possibility than ever.”
Despite the hostility, I feel hopeful entering this field. Women in journalism have already transformed the industry, but the attacks are disproportionate, and we must continue to stand together. The advice I hear repeated is simple: never stop learning, never stop reading, and never forget the privilege and responsibility of this work.
FEATURED IMAGE: Safety of women in journalism. Graphic: Hannah Brown
Through drums, song and dance, Hey Hillbrow! Let’s Dlala! filled the inner city with a celebration of art and belonging. During a time marked by xenophobic tension, it was a reminder that community and creativity are powerful forms of resistance.
The theme ARISE centred on birds, with the grey go-away-bird reframed as a call of hope.
More than 350 children and young people collaborated with artists at the Windybrow Arts Centre, designing costumes and choreography.
Coming only weeks after marches demanding the removal of foreign nationals, the parade’s imagery offered a counter-narrative of unity and shared streets.
On August 8, Hillbrow’s streets became a stage for music, dance and joy, as the Hey Hillbrow! Let’s Dlala! parade transformed the inner city. In a neighbourhood too often reduced to headlines of crime and decay, it tells a different story – one of collaboration and creativity, and one that celebrates freedom and belonging.
People took to the streets of Hillbrow in bird costumes. Photo: Hannah Brown
The event is organised by Windybrow Arts Centre alongside Shade, and since its launch in 2017, the festival has been reimagining public space. It is about “giving young people, across binaries, age and places of origin the space to play, to express and to have agency over their voices, their version of the inner city and how this place can be perceived,” states Tamzyn Botha, curator of the parade and director of Shade.
The parade carried a particular weight as South Africa continues to grapple with xenophobic violence. Only a few weeks earlier, Hillbrow had been shaken by the June 30 marches demanding the removal of foreign nationals.
Protests took place across South Africa. Photo: Hannah BrownProtests by the group ‘March and March’ took place on June 30, marking the unofficial ‘deadline’ set for undocumented foreign nationals to leave South Africa. Photos: Hannah Brown
Birds were at the centre of this year’s theme, ARISE. The festival’s mascot was the grey go-away-bird, or lourie, known for its sharp warning call. This was reframed as a call of hope, a reminder that communities can raise their voices in unity against hatred. Within this context, it felt like the festival answered back with colour, laughter and carried an important message: Hillbrow belongs to everyone.
The parade began at the Windybrow Arts Centre, which is a prominent hub of creativity in Johannesburg, before making its way through the streets. Hillbrow came alive with drums, costumes and singing. More than 350 children and young people ‘took flight’ across borders, their feathers fluttering as they danced, signifying freedom of movement and connection across divides.
Artistic expression was central to the parade’s formation. Children and teenagers spent two weeks learning new creative skills and collaborating with artists at the Windybrow Arts Centre to design costumes, choreography and music. As Botha said, “the ripples of this work, of the parade and the relationships made during this process, far outweigh the ‘end result’.” It brings young people together in a city where they are often excluded from decision-making. The creative process shows how, through art and performance, Hillbrow’s story can be shaped by its own residents and connectedness.
Hundreds of young people took to the streets for the seventh annual Hey Hillbrow! Let’s Dlala! parade. Photo: Hannah BrownHillbrow’s streets came alive with music and dancing. Photo: Hannah BrownYoung people dancing to the music during the parade. Photo: Hannah BrownSingers performing at the festival. Photo: Hannah Brown
The annual parade takes place on the eve of Women’s Day, marking 70 years since the historic 1956 Women’s March, when thousands of women stood against apartheid pass laws. This year’s theme felt especially poignant, as debates about who belongs in South Africa’s cities remain tense.
The contradictions felt impossible to ignore. Only weeks earlier, the same streets had been filled with chants of division.
Just as those women fought against restrictions on movement, the imagery of birds gliding through Hillbrow challenged today’s ‘cages’ of xenophobia. The festival did not erase the xenophobic tensions, but filling Hillbrow’s streets with birdsong, dance and laughter for an afternoon reminded Johannesburg that art can be resistance and hope.
In the years ahead, the organisers hope the parade will continue to offer “a shared sense of possibility through wonder, inside what feels like chaos”, says Botha. They envision it becoming more youth-led, “and this type of framing gives the parade over to those it represents.”
FEATURED IMAGE: People took to the streets of Hillbrow in bird costumes. Photo: Hannah Brown
Hundreds took to the streets, calling for protection of housing rights and an end to rising xenophobia.
Operation Ubuntu marched to the Premier’s Office to oppose the PIE amendment and rising anti-migrant sentiment.
Housing activists and informal settlers argue that the revision to the PIE Act criminalises poverty.
The march’s memorandum calls for greater state accountability in handling anti-migrant hostility.
On the morning of August 8, a coalition of over 60 social justice organisations under the name Operation Ubuntu led a march to the Premier’s Office demanding an end to xenophobia and a rejection of the proposed amendment to the Prevention of Illegal Eviction (PIE) Act.
The march was one of many coordinated protests taking place in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban in response to two issues affecting marginalised communities: ongoing xenophobia and housing insecurity.
Marchers charging through the streets holding banners and placards. Photo: Jamie Ho.
Woman holding a placard condemning xenophobia. Photo: Jamie Ho.
Frustration as protestors march for housing rights and an end to xenophobia. Photo Jamie Ho.
Central to the protest was the recent proposal for an amendment to the PIE Act. Currently, people cannot be evicted from their homes without a court order as the Act operates in accordance with Section 26 of the Constitution, which stipulates that “everyone has the right to access adequate housing”.
Activists fear the proposed amendments would weaken these protections, particularly for people living in informal settlements and other forms of insecure housing. They are particularly concerned that courts could order evictions without requiring municipalities to provide alternative accommodation.
“The municipality cannot have that power of evicting us without meaningfully engaging with us and without even understanding our background,” said Operation Ubuntu coordinator, General Moyo.
Housing activists condemn the proposed revision for failing to address the structural causes of housing insecurity that stem from poverty, entrenched inequality and poor governance. Instead, it places further strain on already vulnerable communities by forcing them out of their homes.
“Critics have long referred to this approach as pounding the tip of the ice-berg or swatting at the flies when a corpse is rotting,” explained Marie Huchzermeyer of Siyafana Sonke, a civic movement aligned with Operation Ubuntu.
Furthermore, the government’s persistent failure to address housing insecurity has left residents with few options. “In 33 years, not one RDP house was built in our community,” said Fagmedah Edeies, who resides in an informal settlement within Eldorado Park. “As a mother, I must remember that I have children and I have grandchildren. Where will they then go if this amendment is passed?”
Data visualisation showing housing backlog. By: Jamie Ho.
Beyond housing insecurity, the march also confronts escalating waves of xenophobia across the nation. “We are in solidarity with all the African brothers and sisters that are facing the crisis,” Moyo affirmed.
In their memorandum, Operation Ubuntu called for greater action from state institutions in handling matters of anti-migrant hostility.
Firstly, it singled out SAPS for not protecting vulnerable migrant communities from vigilantism. “We are calling on the police,” Moyo explained, “to make sure that they abide by their obligation which is to serve and protect without discrimination and without favour.”
Secondly, they highlighted the issue of documentation as a systemic failure by Home Affairs and demanded a two-year moratorium on all arrests and forced repatriations to allow migrants sufficient time to obtain documents.
Thirdly, in light of the upcoming elections, Moyo warned political parties against scapegoating migrants for electoral gain. “We will be watching those that will be campaigning trying to use the platform of hate and violence in communities to get votes.”
Held on the eve of Women’s Day, the march highlighted the broader demand for dignity, security and equal protection. For protestors, xenophobia and housing rights are part of the same struggle: a move to ensure that vulnerable communities, and the women and children within them, are not left without a home or a voice.
A mother holding a placard advocating for women and children safety. Photo: Jamie Ho.
Protestors chanting through the streets against the PIE Act amendment and xenophobic violence. Photo: Jamie Ho.
“Stop treating us like animals” reads sign at protest. Photo: Jamie Ho.
FEATURED IMAGE: A placard advocating for women and children safety during the Operation Ubuntu protest. Photo: Jamie Ho.
Young researchers gather at Wits to present solutions to rising global issues.
Falling Walls Lab Gauteng was held at Wits where students competed for a spot on the international stage in Berlin.
The competition required pitchers to present an idea that addresses global challenges.
Researchers, innovators, and entrepreneurs were given an opportunity to engage with people outside of their disciplines and institutions.
A Wits honours student, Alimerinda Mlambo, will represent Gauteng at the international Falling Walls Lab finale in Berlin after winning the provincial competition, with an AI-powered translation platform designed to break language barriers.
Picture of Alimerinda Mlambo, the winner of Falling Walls Lab Gauteng 2026, and her certificate & ticket to Berlin. Photo: Kerese Govender
The competition, held at Wits on August 5, saw about 20 students drawn from Wits, University of Pretoria, and Tshwane University of Technology, present their innovations aimed at tackling some of the country’s most difficult challenges.
The event was hosted in partnership with the DAAD Information Centre Johannesburg and the Falling Walls Foundation. Participants had just three minutes, including answering judges’ questions, to convince an expert jury that their pitch could help solve global issues.
Mlambo, an Information Systems honours student, took first place with her invention, eLingo AI, which aims to solve language exclusion in public spaces through real-time translations. She used a fictional character by the name of Lerato in her pitch, but the story was inspired by her lived experience of sitting through a conference presentation delivered in French that she could not understand.
When asked if this will cost human interpreters their jobs, Mlambo said, “We’re not trying to replace interpreters. We’re making language accessibility available to organisations that could not afford it otherwise.”
Unlike traditional interpretation services which rely on multiple interpreters, special equipment, and significant expenses and planning, eLingo offers an affordable alternative. The platform already includes all 11-official spoken South African languages and has attracted more than 100 beta users. Mlambo stated that the team has plans to expand to other languages.
She believes this kind of software is especially needed in South Africa, where only a small portion of the country’s population speaks English as a home language. “I want to create a future where people are no longer excluded from conversations they were meant to be a part of,” Mlambo said.
Dr Samia Chasi, Head of Wits Internationalisation and Strategic Partnerships Office and chair of the judging panel, said the competition is much more than selecting a winner. “It gives students an opportunity to present their own research to audiences beyond their own disciplines and institutions,” Chasi said.
“We have very creative and innovative communities in South Africa and Africa, and we can offer our own solutions to the rest of the world. We can’t always look at importing ideas,” Chasi said.
Among the interesting innovations was the third-place winning project by Cynthia Gwada which focused on an affordable diagnosis for sickle cell disease. The solution aims to expand access to rural areas in South Africa so “they don’t have to go to the cities with money that they don’t have,.” Gwada said.
Picture of Cynthia Gwada, third place winner of the Falling Walls Lab Gauteng 2026, and her certificate. Photo: Kerese Govender
Gwada also hopes to expand the diagnostics to other diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis, making diagnosis more affordable and accessible.
As Mlambo prepares to compete in Berlin, she hopes her success will inspire more young black women to pursue careers in male-dominated fields such as hers.
“Don’t wait for a seat at the table. Go and build a table,” she said.
FEATURED IMAGE: Picture of Falling Walls Lab Gauteng 2026 pamphlet and souvenir. Photo: Kerese Govender
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, […]
