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
Various students came together on campus to celebrate 30 years of democracy in South Africa through song with a chance to win R10,000.
On Wednesday, May 1, a diverse crowd of students filled the Amphitheatre at Wits University — under the open sky — as they were eager to witness performances of various struggle songs, performed at the Gwijo Competition hosted by the EFFSC.
Ernest Oppenheimer Halls group rendering an item. Photo: Lona Sokanyile
The purpose of the Gwijo Competition was to give young people an opportunity to express what 30 years of democracy means to them through songs; and to encourage youth political activism. The stakes were high, but it was the passion for expression that truly ignited the stage.
Amidst the cheers and applause, four groups stood poised to captivate the audience: Ernest Oppenheimer Halls (EOH), Knockando, Amani, and the Radius Club. Their voices rose in harmony, carrying melodies which echoed the struggles and triumphs of those who fought for freedom. From the anthems of the past to the cries of the present, each chant resonated with a profound sense of purpose.
As the contestants poured their hearts into each lyric, the audience became more than mere spectators —they became participants in a shared experience of unity and inclusivity. Harmonious voices mingled in a symphony of solidarity, transcending barriers of class and creed. It was not just the contestants who stole the show; it was the spontaneous moments of connection that truly stole the hearts of all people present.
The panelist of judges included Tebego Sako, a UFS alumni and currently a Wits law student, Koketso Poho a musician who is part of the Joburg jazz band iPhupho L’ka Biko, Wits SRC deputy secretary general Dineo Koetepe and Majola Majola a musician, song writer and UKZN economics student.
As an attendee, I was swept away by the energy and enthusiasm that permeated the amphitheatre. In the rhythmic pulse of the chants, I found a common thread bounding us all together—a reminder that in the face of adversity, our voices can empower.
The Radius club emerged victorious winning the competition. While only one group could claim victory, it was clear that the true triumph lay in the collective spirit of togetherness which filled the air that evening.
The winning res group Radius Club performing. Photo: Lona Sokanyile
The Gwijo Competition was not just a celebration of song; it was a celebration of the human spirit, a testament to the enduring legacy of unity and diversity.
FEATURED IMAGE: Wits Students at the Amphitheatre during the competition. Photo: Lona Sokanyile
Eager students attend a masterclass to begin learning and using South African sign language.
The South African Medical Student Association (SAMSA) has rolled up its sleeves to ensure that the Wits community is able to use the 12th official language of the country.
Samsa hosted its first sign language masterclass for 2024 in collaboration with the Wits Disability Rights Unit on Thursday, April 11, at the Wits Medical School. The classes were initially introduced last September during Deaf Awareness month.
Students participating in the sign language class. Photo: Salim Nkosi
The classes are conducted by Khetha Mbatha, a professional sign language practitioner, who interprets classes for deaf registered students at Wits from different faculties.
During the class, Mbatha unpacked how the deaf community forms their language and the basics of sign language, like signing introductions and emotional expressions.
She also went over some cultural norms of the deaf community, and highlighted the rules one should adhere to when communicating with a deaf person. For example, one should always maintain eye contact and avoid being distracted.
Speaking to Wits Vuvuzela Mbatha expressed her desire to see more people signing up for the classes. She said this will create an inclusive and accessible environment for the deaf community; so that they do not feel marginalized amongst the larger hearing community.
“If we can have teachers in deaf schools signing fluently, then that means the education of our deaf children will be improved” said Mbatha.
Marianne Ham, Samsa’s event coordinator said, “as a society, we are trying to bring people together who are interested in different things and create awareness”.
Samsa intends to host three more sign language introductory classes during the year at Wits Medical School in order to continue creating opportunities to expand one’s knowledge and embrace diversity.
FEATERED IMAGE: Khetha Mbatha conducting the sign language class. Photo: Salim Nkosi
Daily Maverick’s ‘shut down’ successfully highlighted the dire state of journalism, but also left student journalists with fears about the future.
On April 15, 2024, tens of thousands of South Africans loaded up the Daily Maverick website to read the daily news, only to find a black screen with the words ‘Daily Maverick has shut down’ in bold white lettering.
For 24 hours, the news site was shut down to highlight what Daily Maverick calls the “global state of emergency in journalism”. This state of emergency is driven primarily by economic pressures and the rapid expansion of digital technologies. Daily Maverick plainly states there is “a market failure in journalism”, which is culling off smaller news organisations and local metro press.
Daily Maverick reiterated that the shutdown is not simply for or about them – “it’s about every legitimate newsroom in the country that needs public and corporate support” to continue functioning. Without journalism, they warned, “our democracy and economy will break down”.
A screen grab of the Daily Maverick home page on April 15, 2024.
While no journalism student in the country is unaware of the issues in the field, the shutdown was still alarming and rather fear-inducing for some of us. A media communique from Daily Maverick pointed out that 70% of local journalists have left the field in the last 15 years due to this crisis.
A study by Glenda Daniels notes that the number of community newspapers countrywide has fallen from 575 to just over 250 in the last ten years, as small papers fold and their journalists leave the field. Most young people are already anxious about the job market and their prospects, but as a student journalist I feel an almost indomitable fear for my future.
Associate business editor for Daily Maverick, Neesa Moodley, speaks to the deterioration of journalism and its effect on young journalists. We no longer have the privilege to specialise in just one aspect of media like before. “In my youth, you could decide if you wanted to be a news photographer, a broadcast journalist, or a print journalist. In today’s newsrooms, you need to be able to do all three” if you want to make the cut, she says.
Even if you can conquer all these skills and enter the workforce, retrenchments and slim budgets mean mentors for young journalists are few and far between. Many experienced journalists are opting to freelance, write press releases or work as ghost writers in the corporate field. As such, “eager graduates are thrown in the deep end with little to no guidance,” says Moodley.
Spelling and grammar issues abound, and Moodley highlights the “increasing incidence of press releases used verbatim” as news articles by inexperienced and overworked juniors.
This is all part of what she calls the “juniorisation” of the newsroom – a frightening concept for us student journalists who are without established sources or intimate knowledge of the playing field. It feels rather like being made captain of a sinking ship.
But with resounding positivity, Moodley is unwilling to accept this as the new status quo. “Daily Maverick dearly hopes that the bold move we made in the last week will have kickstarted the public awareness and conversation around the funding of journalism” she says. No journalists, especially young ones without expertise, deserve to provide such an important public service with so little help.
Going forward, hopefully individuals and companies come to see the massive value difference between shoddy citizen journalism and real journalism produced by journalists with what Moodley calls a “bullshit” filter, and fierce commitment to the dogged pursuit of the truth. Journalism students can lead the charge here – we can scream from the rooftops about the crisis in journalism, and make friends, family, and peers aware of how our democracy rides on the back of quality, well-funded journalism.
Educators and mentors can be a part of this fight too. As Trish Audette-Longo and Christianna Alexiou note, it is essential to talk students through crises in the field and to encourage young journalists to “[imagine] different journalism futures” instead of simply accepting the job as it is. If we fight now for our future, then maybe by the time it becomes our present reality, the crisis will be a thing of the past.
Prices of Wits University merchandise are between 24% and 30% higher than the University of Pretoria and the University of Johannesburg, respectively.
A grey Wits sweater with a R415 price tag. Photo: Victoria Hill
Despite students being its primary target audience, the pricing of items in the Wits Shop based online and on campus are not budget friendly.
The average price point of jackets, hoodies, and sweaters at Wits are R617 per item; t-shirts and golfers sitting at R325; hats and headwear at R160, and other goodies at R186.
While this may seem reasonable in the grand scheme of the fashion industry in South Africa, being a university-based store has financial expectations, which are not currently being met.
In comparison, UP’s t-shirts and golfers are only R238 per item, with UJ’s coming in at R123. For hats and headwear, UP is approximately R30 cheaper than Wits, and UJ nearly R100 cheaper.
Shop Supervisor Sam Magena agrees, “pricing is too high for students” and he told Wits Vuvuzela that students have informally complained about the affordability of the regalia.
He explained the increased prices are partly due to ordering from South African companies in hopes of supporting local businesses despite overseas companies proving cheaper.
The Wits Shop is also a smaller outlet, meaning items are not bought in bulk which might otherwise afford more negotiation benefits of the cost prices.
Nevertheless, Magena says the shop only adds a mark-up of at most 35%, compared to the national norm of above 50%. The Wits Shop is not primarily a profit-making business, but rather focuses on the marketing and promotional aspects of Wits through students and alumni.
Head of Wits marketing, Reshma Lakha-Singh, says the department is in the midst of creating a new strategy which will see revamped stock and additional locations this year.
However, “given the current scale and operational scope of the shop, there are no immediate plans for significant changes in pricing structure” she says, but they are “developing medium and long-term strategies to upgrade the shop”.
Students should definitely keep their eye on this space, as the Wits Shop is rethinking its entire philosophy to start benefitting students more than anyone else.
FEATURED IMAGE: Wits Student, Ricardo Lopes, browsing through the racks in the Wits Shop. Photo: Victoria Hill
“There are few defining moments in life. And it is without a doubt, that graduation is one of them,” said Dr Eunice Cross, Acting President of the Convocation Executive
These words echoed around the room as the newly awarded graduates sat restlessly in their seats awaiting the chance to leave the Great Hall, at Wits University, to celebrate with their loved ones. While they may cross the stage alone to be conferred, graduates say the help of family, friends and their academic mentors was their propellent during their studies.
Widaad Mahamed with her family prior to her graduation ceremony on April 2, 2024. Photo: Thato Gololo
Wits Vuvuzela’s own, Ruby Delahunt (left) and Victoria Hill (right) after their graduation ceremony on April 2, 2024. Photo: Thato Gololo
There is no time more exciting on a university campus than graduation season. This year, from March 26 to April 05, 2024, throngs of supportive families flooded onto campus with multicolored flowers whose beauty came second only to the graduates themselves. The energy was exciting and infectious, and it is easily my favourite time of the year because beyond the struggle, all you can see is the hope.
Though the journey to reach graduation is always fraught with difficulties, Maureen Masedi advised that “You just think of the bigger picture and the end goal”. Sometimes the bigger picture is lost in the inevitable struggles in the pursuit of a qualification.
From academic and financial exclusion to something as simple as missing a bus, the help we need can come in so many different forms. It didn’t take me long to realise how difficult my undergraduate years would be. I had left my entire support structure across the country, and it left my family feeling powerless to help me on my worst days.
Ambesikhaya Ngobo and his wife Zusiphe Ngobo celebrating his graduation. Photo: Thato Gololo
After my father passed away in my second year, my mother arranged for his gown to be delivered to me so that I could wear it when I finally finished my degree. It took a year longer than it should have, but having a little piece of him with me made me know that if he could do it in the 1980s, I could do it now.
Though he had previously graduated twice at other institutions, Ambesikhaya Ngobo, from the Wits School of Business shared that “Being an alumni here is a long lived dream.” The excitement he shared with his girlfriend who saw him through his postgraduate diploma expressed untold stories of late nights and unwavering support through them.
Nazleen Plaaitjies stressed that each person she brought to graduation, had been individually called during exam season to pray for her. I still classify my undergraduate graduation as perfect. For the same reason as Nazleen, my family and best friends being present was more than icing, it was the cake itself.
All I know is that if I keep promising to write the name of every person who brought me to graduation on the back of my degree, I will run out of space. My community supported my dreams and for that I will forever be grateful.
FEATURED IMAGE: Ali Masedi, who graduated with a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration, taking a photo with his wife, Maureen Masedi, and Kudos Kudus
Concerns for the safety of dating-app users soar after the kidnapping of an 18-year-old student.
A Wits University student is recovering in hospital after being kidnapped by a group of men who had allegedly lured them through online dating app, Grindr.
The victim was found by police, bound and unconscious, on September 20 at the Denver Men’s Hostel and taken to Milpark Hospital for treatment. Seven suspects were arrested and charged with kidnapping and extortion, with police recovering three knives and the student’s belongings in their possession.
Police are investigating if the suspects have links to numerous other cases of a similar nature in Gauteng.
The student is currently staying at one of the university’s residences and on September 19, their roommate reported them missing after not returning from meeting with someone from the app.
“A Wits warden informed [Campus Protection Services (CPS)] that a student was reported missing by his roommate,” said Wits spokesperson Shirona Patel. CPS then immediately alerted the South African Police Department (SAPS). “They worked to track down the student… CPS were a central part of this team and acted swiftly,” added Patel. The university says that this is the first case of this nature that they have been made aware of.
The kidnappers contacted the student’s family and demanded tens of thousands of rands in ransom money.
SAPS Gauteng spokesperson Brenda Muridili said that a large group working together to recover the student were led “to an ATM where one of the suspects was expected to withdraw the ransom money on the M2 Road. The police held an observation and then placed the suspect under arrest [as] soon as he arrived.” The suspect then led the police to the hostel.
Grindr is a popular social networking and online dating app that sees around 3.6 million online daily users worldwide. The app is targeted towards the queer community (mostly men – 69% of users) looking for, as the AfroQueer podcast describes it, “hookups, relationships and love… and some other things in-between.”
However, this app has been an ever increasing medium to facilitate organised crime.
There have been numerous cases where users have been targeted by people who robbed, assaulted, raped, kidnapped and/or murdered them. The app itself issued a warning to its South African users over the rise in kidnapping’s linked to their own platform earlier this year.
A screenshot of the Grindr homepage in January 2023, issuing a “Johannesburg Safety Warning” due to the rise of kidnappings around the city that targeted its users. Image: MambaOnline.com
Noma Sibanda, who is a representative from LQBTQIA+ rights-oriented society Activate Wits, said that the “app itself is not safe because anyone can open a fake account”. There is no verification process when opening a Grindr account and anonymity is synonymous with most profiles, largely due to stigma, which criminals take advantage of.
“When speaking to someone romantically, people can be misled easily… so when meeting up for the first time with someone on the app, do so in a public place with other people,” said Sibanda.
Activate Wits says that this event “not only causes physical or psychological harm but also perpetuates a culture of silence and fear… [Criminal syndicates] capitalise on this because it is easier in South Africa to be operational because they believe they can get away with it,” added Sibanda.
Sibanda hopes to work closely with the university for victims to come forward and report crimes as “it may be easier for the queer community to speak (and open up) to others in the community”.
FEATURED IMAGE: Student activists pose on the Library Lawns while facing the Wits Great Hall. Photo: File
“Believe women when they ask for help and believe men when they threaten women,” said Dr Nechama Brodie.
Dr. Nechama Brodie signing her new book Domestic Terror at its launch at Rosebank on September 6. Photo: Seth Thorne
Incidents of domestic violence are not isolated – they show patterns of systemic violence in South Africa. This is the chilling reality explored in Dr. Nechama Brodie’s new book Domestic Terror: Intimate partner violence in South Africa.
The book tracks South African women’s experiences with domestic violence over a 100 year period, many of them living in fear and terror in their own homes, some murdered by the intimate partners they shared those spaces with.
Brodie, a veteran journalist, writer and lecturer at the Wits Centre for Journalism was in discussion with broadcaster and journalist Azania Mosaka at the book’s launch at Exclusive Books, Rosebank on September 6.
“By definition, terror is the deliberate instillment of fear…when controlling partners feel as if they are losing control, they up the levels of violence to instil more fear and for them, control,” said Brodie. There are many instances of instilling fear, from smashing a phone to stalking – anything that may cause emotional, physical or any other form of distress.
“Women are often killed with protection orders in their handbags. Police should intervene ‘on the small stuff’ (warning signs) before the ‘big stuff’ happens.”
Dr Nechama Brodie
There is a huge failure of the police and justice system when women seek protection from their domestic partners but are not taken seriously. A more intersectional approach which includes healthcare services and the judiciary is needed she emphasised.
A big takeaway from this book is that the warning signs are usually there. Friends and family see abusive relationships and may know about the abusive nature of partners (mainly men) but ignore it until it is too late. Some families and friends paint violent partners as “devoted” and ignore calls for help from women by sending them back to the abuser for “the sake of the family” explained Brodie.
Journalist and presenter Azania Mosaka facilitating the conversation at the book launch on September 6. Photo: Seth Thorne
“Bodies show a life of terror,” said Mosaka, referring to a 2019 case of a 54-year-old woman who was murdered by her partner and had her body dumped in a veld, left to decompose. Pathologists had to examine her bones, with her cause of death (ultimately finding that she was beaten with a brick) indistinguishable from previous injuries – some healed, some had not. Almost every bone imaginable was broken at some point.
For those who survive and report their abuse, the risk of being retraumatized is high during the trial process. Character assassinations, slut shaming and sanitizing the abuser’s image are some of the things victims face in court. “The fact that she was drunk or spoke back does not excuse her for being murdered…this links to the historical nature of the societal entitlement of men over women’s bodies,” explained Brodie.
This is Brodie’s third book on true crime in South Africa. She admitted that she thought she could not finish the book halfway through because of the subject matter, but it was more important to finish writing it. “The terror was far too real. It is a heavy book to read because some of the stories become relatable,” she shared.
Having read the book, member of parliament Glynnis Breytenbach said it is “hugely important, impeccably researched . . . It must be said, and it must be read”.
Attendee, Tannur Anders says she wants to read the book because “Dr. Brodie is an incredible researcher and journalist. [Her] extensive data-driven work provides valuable insights to better understand South Africa.”
FEATURED IMAGE: Dr. Nechama Brodie poses proudly with her third crime book at its launch on September 6. Photo: Seth Thorne.
There comes a time when all birds must fly the nest and leave the comfort of their parents’ home, but for Generation Z, the time is nigh, and it seems there may be nowhere else to land.
“Out of reach.” “Impossible.” “Unaffordable.” These are the words used by members of Generation Z (Gen-Z) on the possibility of buying their own house in their twenties, according to an experimental Instagram poll of 38 respondents run by Wits Vuvuzela.
However, a 2022 Rocket Mortgage survey revealed that 72% of their Gen-Z sample (2000 people of ages 18-26) are highly motivated to buy a home in the near future but, as interest rates reach their highest peak in 15 years this month, buying a house in South Africa is more expensive than ever.
The South African Reserve Bank responded to a world-wide increase in inflation rates, which neared the 8% mark in South Africa at the end of 2022. Raising the bank repo rate to 8.25% meant that the prime lending rate rose to 11.75%, the highest it has been since the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. A higher lending rate means that taking out large loans from a bank, such as a bond on a house, becomes more expensive. For younger generations hoping to live on their own, this has added another obstacle to an already almost impossible dream.
“Unfortunately, it is very difficult for young people to purchase property in this country. The current interest rates are higher than they have been in years, economic times are hard – many young people don’t have good credit scores which negatively affects their lending profile and many young people are not aware of the upfront costs that are required when purchasing a property [bond and transfer costs],” says Rob Pound, a real estate agent working in Johannesburg.
The latest FNB property barometer reveals that first-time-buyer numbers are on the decline and the average age at which South Africans can afford their own home is 35. The report cited the rising cost of living, inflation rate and unemployment rate as causes for so few people in their twenties affording homes of their own.
This is supported by real estate agent Ronald Oliphant, a Braamfontein area specialist who said that he has seen fewer young people looking to buy or rent properties this year. Braamfontein, Ferndale and Fontainebleau remain popular areas for young first-time buyers in Johannesburg, but the latest Lightstone report indicates that only 18% of stable homeowners in Ferndale are under the age of 35. This number decreases to 16% in Braamfontein and 5% in Fontainebleau.
For those young people who overcome financial burdens and manage to buy their own homes, the struggle does not end there. “I once had a client who was 27 years old and he found one of my properties, which was R850,000. He said he could afford it because the bond repayments would be the same cost as the rent he was paying at the time, and he was so excited to be purchasing a property rather than ‘paying someone else’s bond,’” said Pound. “He wasn’t aware of the upfront transfer and bond costs that are required when buying property, which in his case were around R56,000. He had to come up with this money in two months in order to buy the house, but he was living hand-to-mouth, there was no way he could afford it.”
South African banks, aware of this difficult situation, are open to giving first-time home buyers a bond of 105% in order to cover the upfront costs for properties under the value of R1.8 million. However, for this young buyer only one South African bank offered to grant him this deal.
Jesse Van Der Merwe (24), a recent Wits engineering graduate also decided to invest in her own property when she started her working life, however, after buying her own apartment, realized that she could not afford to keep up with the day to day costs of owning a property and living alone. “I realized that I can’t really afford to live [in the apartment] and like…eat, so I’m renting it out while I stay at home until I can actually afford to move into it.”
With unaffordable upfront costs and bond repayment rates, many young people who can afford it are pushed into renting property instead. This has led to a high demand for rental properties which, according to the FNB report, has made rental costs in Johannesburg more expensive in recent years. “Real-estate is simply supply and demand,” said Pound.
According to Oliphant, a tenant may only be considered for a property if the rent does not exceed one third of their income, but, as rental rates increase due to high demand, many young people apply for rentals that they do not comfortably afford.
Julia Rolle (24), a 2D character animator from Johannesburg who works remotely, made the decision to move away from the city to the seaside town of Wilderness on the garden route. To afford the rent on what she refers to as a “teeny tiny place”, Rolle pays 35% of her income on rent. When asked if she has had to sacrifice paying for other things for her accommodation, she answered, “Of course, but I wouldn’t trade the independence and having my own space.”
Interest rates have remained steady the last two months as inflation begins to slow, giving hope to young home hunters that the situation might yet improve. However, in a press conference held on July 20 in Pretoria, Governor Lesetja Kganyago said that the interest rates have not yet peaked, “Is this the end of the hiking cycle? No it is not. It depends on the data and the risks. That’s what it boils down to.”
In such an economic climate, some young people such as Jennifer Greef (25) have no choice but to stay in their family home for longer than they planned, “I do think I could move out, but my living conditions at home are just so much better than what they would be if I moved out because I would have to move somewhere really small,” she said. “I think still living with my parents is the right way to go about things right now because then I can save and spend my money on other things such as insurance and medical aid rather than rent.”
FEATURED IMAGE: Feature Image: A real estate agent hands over keys to a young gen-z as they buy their first home. Photo: Kimberley Kersten
Top achieving students were invited by the Wits Counselling Careers and Development Unit (CCDU) to network and fast-track their next career moves with potential employers.
The CCDU Professional Speed Dating event saw over 100 students from different faculties engage with representatives for multiple companies on August 25, at the Professional Development Hub (PDH) at Wits University.
From companies like L’Oréal South Africa, Life Health Care, BMW Motors, and Standard Bank, students were spoilt for choice when it came to potential suitors. Students with a minimum average of 65% were allowed five-minute interviews, rotating between the companies to gauge what each field had to offer and to gain firsthand interview experience.
Deputy Dean of Students Tshegofatso Mogaladi welcoming companies and students to the Speed Dating Event on August 25, 2023 at the Wits PDH Building. Photo: Georgia Cartwright
Between the dates, ten-minute informative sessions on the latest developments in specific fields were given. This included everything from new disinfectants against bacteria, to transformative constitutionalism in South African law and discussions around decolonizing the content in the National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement’s (CAPS) economic document.
Along with this, students were also given slots to present some of their research through presentations.
Organiser of the event, Bongi Ndlovu told Wits Vuvuzela that the purpose of the event is to ensure that Wits graduates are “employable” and that they “possess the right attributes sought by employers.”
Many students seemed to have learnt a lot from the event despite only getting five-minutes with each employer. LLB Student Shaheed Wania told Wits Vuvuzela that there was a lot of competition, but he has learnt that “just because you are doing something in a particular field, it does not mean you are stuck in that field.”
Companies in attendance found the event promising with Ndlovu saying that BMW South Africa and the Boston Consulting Group (BSG) have already been contacting students who attended, impressed with their work. Ndlovu said the event was all about “opening opportunities for students.”
South African Breweries representative, Rene Kohler-Thomas said that their company is not looking for “skills” in the general sense but are looking for students who are “dreaming big” and can adapt to change. She added that she has thoroughly enjoyed engaging with students as you can see the “quality of the talent coming through.”
Ndlovu says the CCDU is planning to host more events like this in the future as it teaches students valuable skills for the working world, provides them with networking opportunities, and gives them the chance to brand themselves to potential employers.
FEATURED IMAGE: LLB student Kamogelo Mathekga being interviewed by law firm, Louw Genis & Rajoo Incorporated during the Professional Speed Dating Event at the Professional Development Hub. Photo: Georgia Cartwright
Witsies showcase their play on the highly coveted virtual National Arts Festival’s stage
Tea for Two is a deeply personal interrogation of the complexities of understanding your identity as a young adult.
Zion and the Voice embracing one another after they had worked through the mind maze. Photo: Supplied
The surrealist play, which was created by two Wits graduates, Nqobile Natasia and Reatlilwe Maroga was performed at the virtual National Arts Festival at the end of July.
“As passionate creators, we have poured our hearts and souls into this production,” said Maroga, as she was explaining their feeling of elation on being accepted into the biggest annual celebration of the arts on the African continent.
Meanwhile, Natasie, who is now feeling a lot more confident in their work said, “It was a tough journey [to get in], but extremely exciting”.
The 35-minute play follows the protagonist, Zion – played by final year dramatic art student Mmangaliso Ngobese. She is a young professional, who finds comfort in their strict routines and self-imposed rigidity. However, Zion falls asleep one day, only to wake up in a deliberately confusing dream world – their own mind.
Here, they encounter a character known as The Voice – played by second-year dramatic arts student Sazikazi Bula – who seemingly looks like Zion. Together, they navigate through and make sense of this confusing “messy mind maze,” by confronting Zion’s deepest thoughts, emotions, and identities, said Natasia.
According to Forum Theatre, surrealism is a style of performance “characterised by its use of unexpected, often illogical, scenarios or images to create a dream-like atmosphere on stage.”
Natasia said that they chose to use surrealism because it allowed them to visually put the audience in the protagonist’s head space; with much of the open-endedness left on the viewers to make their own conclusions. The most positive feedback I got from people is they resonate with the play, explained Natasia.
The themes of the play are self-introspection and identity, focusing on the complex and often confusing journey of self-discovery in your own chaotic minds.
Natasia said that everything on stage was “modelled after my brain – with all the chaos and absurdity.”
The set, which represented Zion’s mind showed this chaos. There was a yellow bench in the front of the set, signs reading “Messy Mind Maze” and “Teens” with tin cans scattered on the floor. Most notably were the red threads intertwined, which Maroga said they were symbolising the brain; and like the mind, “everything is connected”.
“This play tells us that we are not alone…as messy as (our) minds can be, we can work through it” continued Maroga.
The lead actor, Ngobese said: “You realise that (like most of us) [Zion] is someone who suffocates themself in their mind all the time… as humans we bottle things up for ourselves and we are unaware of the damage we do to ourselves”.
Overall, it is a powerful play which leaves the audience wondering how they have dealt and will deal with their own struggles with identity as they resonate with the piece.
An overview of the set as Sizikazi Bula and Mmangaliso Ngobese deliver their lines. Photo: Supplied
The characters, Zion and the VOice, working through Zion’s thoughts on stage for the virtual National Arts Festival. Photo: Supplied.
FEATURED IMAGE: The poster of Tea for Two advertising their appearance on the virtual National Arts Festival. Image: Supplied
Wits SRC has appointed an acting president to deal with the leadership vacuum; pending an arbitration process of their former student leader
A mediation process between seven suspended students, including former Student Representative Counsil (SRC) president Aphiwe Mnyamana and the university has collapsed last week on May, 22,2023. This is after the two could not reach an agreement on a suitable way forward.
The seven, which includes other members of the SRC were suspended in earlier March following violent protests over accommodation on campus.
On April 20, the SRC and University released a joint statement stating that their suspension orders have been reformulated in terms of the University’s rules to allow them to continue with their academic programmes with immediate effect. This recent collapse still means the seven are still allowed to continue with their studies.
Following the collapse of the process, Wits university spokesperson Shirona Patel told Wits Vuvuzela that: “Please note that Mr Mnyamana is no longer the SRC President. His suspension terms were amended to allow him to attend class and to stay in residence, but not to hold any leadership position.”
In order to deal with the leadership vacuum, the SRC has elected a new acting President Kabelo Phungwayo, who previously was Treasurer general of the SRC. Wits SRC compliance officer, Karabo Matloga said: “The SRC sits in important committees that take decisions which affects students, we therefore needed to ensure we have an individual who will be able to represent the students view in the delegated committees such as university council, Senate and forum where the SRC has an opportunity to express grievances and contribute to change that is in the student’s best interest,”
After the mediation process collapsed, Mnyamana released a statement on his Twitter page saying: “We hung our heads in horror and terror as we walked out of their boardrooms because once again, we had fallen into the illusion that we were negotiating with people”.
He furthermore went to say “To silence us[SRC] is not enough, to suspend us will never be enough. We the elected representatives of the students at Wits University are not shaken. We remain evermore resolute in ensuring the realization of the right to free education”.
Despite this collapse, Mnyamana explained that he is currently waiting for a hearing that will be taking place on June 17, 2023; and a meeting will be held with students to update them on the intense months the SRC underwent and what this means as a way forward for the student community.
FEATURED IMAGE: Wits SRC members with Dali Mpofu after the mediation meeting. Photo: Supplied.
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 […]
