Lesotho’s frozen Maluti Mountains is home to Club Maluti – a rustic, analogue sanctuary where generations of Witsies have found lifelong bonds and adventure on its slopes.
Founded in 1968, Club Maluti remains the cradle of African snow sports.
A nearly 60-year partnership with Wits Snow Ski Club turns the remote mountain cabin into an iconic student rite of passage.
The hand-built, member-run lodge offers an analogue escape where phone screens give way to fireside traditions.
Up at 3,200 metres in the Maluti Mountains, where sub-zero air bites your cheeks and river gorges freeze into solid glass, sits a rustic timber lodge. Its living heartbeat the generations of snow-seekers that visit during the colder months. Tucked away in Lesotho, ten minutes down the pass from Afriski, Club Maluti (Club M) is a place where city stress dies on the switchbacks and generations of Witsies have found a second home.
Stepping through the timber door of Club Maluti after the 5-hour drive up from Johannesburg, the first thing that hits is not the cold; it is the immediate warmth of woodsmoke, room-wide laughter, and decades of lived history. Shedding my heavy winter coat as the sound of music hums through the room, I realise I haven’t just entered a cabin; I’ve stepped into a living time capsule and close-knit community.
How a crazy idea built a legacy
Sitting near the fireplace listening to older members share stories over cold beers, the roots of the place come into sharp focus. The story began in the mid-1960s with Syd Chaplin, who ran pony treks in the region before establishing Oxbow Lodge near the Malibamat’so River. Looking to draw winter crowds to the frozen highlands, Chaplin connected with Phillip Lloyde, a ski enthusiast, alongside Joburg-based friends Brian de la Harpe and Stan Flemming.
The four friends saw the snowy Maluti peaks as an ideal and natural playground for winter sports. Driven by a shared love for skiing and working through official channels, they secured permission from King Moshoeshoe II of Lesotho. They signed a 100-year lease on the land, under the strict condition that no one could profit from the club, before officially forming Club Maluti. What followed in 1967 was endless weekend work parties where members hauled timber up unpaved tracks; they completed the original A-frame in April 1968.
When their initial slope proved too sunny, local mine manager Keith Whitelock pointed them ten kilometres east to the Mahlasela Bowl, a cold, shaded natural amphitheatre. It proved to be the finest natural slope in Lesotho, establishing the cradle of African snow sports. Throughout the 1970s and 80s, South African families crossed the border to escape city life, skiing, ice-skating on frozen gorges, and dancing on lodge tables late into the night.
Original A-frame building during winter. Photo by: Daniella Ripamonti
When campus met the mountain
Walking through the cabin, I quickly notice how deeply Wits University is woven into the floorboards. In 1984, Wits student Ivan van Eck saw a newspaper photo of someone ice-skating in Lesotho. Entranced, van Eck drove up to investigate, fell in love with the place, and founded the Wits Snow Ski Club (WSSC) to bring campus along.
Van Eck eventually took over ski rentals and set up makeshift rope tows at the club in 1991. However, his push to create commercial ski packages directly violated the King’s non-profit mandate, famously leading to his deportation by Lesotho border officials in 1992 for operating a business without a hotel licence.
Meanwhile, through the late 1980s and 90s, Club M member Ernesto Casserino conducted feasibility and environmental studies with the Lesotho government. His work laid the groundwork for fellow members Graham Joyce, Oliver Schwankhart, and Peter Pyper to partner with Wessel Bosman and open Afriski resort in 2000.
Through changing resort developments and shifting border regulations over the decades, the bond between WSSC and Club M remained untouched, creating a bridge between varsity life and the peaks of Lesotho. Former Club M Chairman Mehow Granicki explained that this pipeline is what makes the club unique: “If you get involved with Wits Ski Club, you’re always welcome to continue [as a full member] at Club Maluti after you finish your studies. Your varsity mates become your winter mates.”
Archive newspaper article from 1984 that made Evan van Eck go to Lesotho and later establish the Wits Snow Ski Club.
The shift to boardsand living walls
Standing in front of photo archives from the 80s and 90s, I watched the club’s visual story unfold on its lounge walls. The black-and-white photos of the 70s, the bright clothes of the 80s, and the rise of snowboarding on the continent in the 90s.
“The students are a great litmus test,” Granicki noted. “They come like every generation with their music, quirks, and ideologies. The club absorbs, welcomes, and adapts. We had electro, now it’s drum & bass. We charged camera batteries, now cell phones, but it’s still the same sound system, and it’s still the same generator.”
When snowboarding exploded internationally in the late 80s, students brought back overseas VHS tapes, cut a window into an A-frame wall, mounted a monitor, and looped snowboard videos. Student energy brought freeride trick culture, vibrant gear, and fresh music to the slopes.
Today, almost every member snowboards. The communal shed is packed with shared boards and boots, keeping snow sports accessible for students. Down at Afriski, supportive members help newcomers set up their gear and carve their first turns.
The rituals that build a family
Experiencing the lodge firsthand reveals how much care keeps it running. Completely member-run, the property features the main A-frame lounge, the timber B-frame bunkhouse, and the Park Home sleeping quarters kept warm by anthracite stoves.
Every couch and timber beam represents collective effort. As Granicki reflected: “Each building had an era, a crew, a mission.” From wrap-around seating to the wood-fired hot tub steaming under sub-zero skies, everything was hand-built during voluntary off-season work parties. At the heart of daily life are Basotho hosts Maskok and Ntja Sepatla. Living on site, Maskok lights the fires before dawn while Ntja maintains the generator and water systems.
Access remains strictly word-of-mouth through member referrals. Every trip kicks off with Friday night introductions around the fire, where guests share their names, trip count, and a claim to fame before receiving a mandatory weekend nickname.
“That drive and weekend in the mountains bonds you in such a healthy way,” Granicki explained. “By maintaining rituals, we maintain culture across generations.”
Jason Roberts DJing in A-Frame. Photo by: Daniella Ripamonti
The soul of Club M
For Vishaylin Mahadeo, who joined WSSC in 2011, the lodge became his anchor: “It’s home to me; it’s my family, my safe space. When going through a difficult time, my first thought is, ‘let’s go to the mountain.’ I have snowboarded everywhere in the world, and this mountain is still so special to me. My university experience was created through Ski Club; I even extended my degree just because I loved it so much!”
Granicki, who first visited as a matric student, feels that same pull: “Club M is home to misfits, geniuses, daredevils, and lost souls [who are] funny, beautiful, and live for the moment… My favourite personal memory is meeting my wife up there. Our adventure began from loving winter and the outdoors.”
In a world driven by screens, Club M remains fiercely analogue.
“It represents freedom, exploration, and self-discovery. You’re in the middle of two mountains, under stars, in a cabin when it’s snowing. My hope is that it remains a time capsule that forces you to be more of yourself, having fun, being human. Here’s to the snow!”
Archive newspaper from 1978 showing members broom balling on the iced river.
FEATURED IMAGE: Photo of Club M members at Afriski. Photo by: Daniella Ripamonti
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
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.
An image of Uthingo Lwamankosazana at Umkhehlo. Photo: Sanele Sithole
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.
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.
A viral social media claim that foreign nationals make up 98% of Wits staff has been rejected by the university, which says the actual figure is 9%.
Claims that Wits’ has foreign nationals make up 98% of Wits’ staff went viral on social media.
Wits dismissed these claims and said that the correct figure is 9%.
Wits further added that internet users should refrain from spreading information that aims to divide the country.
After trending on social media this past weekend, the University of Witwatersrand has dismissed the viral claims that 98% of its staff are foreign nationals. Wits went to Tik Tok, Twitter and Facebook to dismiss the claims, labelling it “Fake News” and stating that international staff make up 9%.
The list of names that circulated was a screenshot of one page from the Wits academic staff list. The screenshot showed names from a Wits academic staff list but contained no accompanying statistics on the nationality of the university’s staff. The university also warned that the false information could contribute to division within the country. In a response on social media, Wits said, “Please refrain from sharing misinformation which seeks to sow division in our community and our country.”
Wits Vuvuzela contacted the Communications department at the University of Witwatersrand for further comment and verification of the claims. In its response, the university confirmed that international staff account for 9% of its approximately 5500 employees. The department also reiterated its earlier statement that the social media posts are misinformation.
Wits said its objective is to balance the development of South African leadership with the recruitment of international expertise where necessary. “Our objective is therefore neither localisation nor internationalisation in isolation, but a strategically balanced institution that develops South African leadership while drawing on the very best expertise available globally, where necessary” Wits commented.
The claim comes amid renewed debate over the employment of foreign nationals in South Africa, including concerns raised by the March-and-March movement about undocumented migrants and employment.
However, it remains unclear where the 98% figure originated on social media and Wits has called on members of the public to refrain from sharing the claim as well as verifying information before circulating it.
FEATURED IMAGE: The Great Hall at the University of Witwatersrand. Image by Zebrena Ralph
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
That love has taken him from schoolboy derbies in front of 15 000 fans to a professional contract with the Lions.
Before every match, the ritual is the same. The same pair of socks pulled tight over strapped ankles. The wristband with his family member’s names and a bible verse, worn like armour against his skin. A familiar song through his headphones, settling into him the way it has before every big game since school. By the time he steps onto the field, Thandolwethu “Thando” Biyela is no longer thinking. He is simply ready to tackle something.
On the field, he is the man opponents least want to run into, a loose forward who folds ball carriers in half. Teammates call him the “Bone Collector,” a nickname earned one bruising hit at a time. Walk past him on Wits University’s East Campus a few days later, though, and he could be any other student hooded up, backpack slung over one shoulder, on his way to a lecture he missed half of because he was on a plane back from a tournament. Balancing the two lives is not easy, but it is the only life he wants.
An image of Thando celebrating with his teammate after they scored a try. Photo: Sanele Sithole
Long before the wristband and the nickname, Biyela was a small boy, on a school field, chasing a ball he barely understood. Born in Umlazi and raised in Secunda, he was introduced to rugby in grade four by his primary school teachers, and something about the chaos of it- the collisions, the structure hidden inside the collisions stuck. He started in the backline, playing at 13, before settling into the position he now calls home: loose forward, specifically the number eight, where his size and appetite for contact do the most damage. At King Edward VII School (KES), he played fullback before being moved to flank, a shift toward the collision-heavy role he would grow into as a professional.
“It’s hard, but it’s something that I love doing, something that relieves stress for me,” Biyela said, describing the sport that has defined his life since childhood. That love has taken him from schoolboy derbies in front of 15 000 fans to playing for the junior Springboks and a professional contract with Lions. “The professional set-up like the Lions is a dream come true,” he said, though the pressure never really goes away. “The pressures of playing between high school and for the Lions is different but the same for me.”
Biyela enrolled at Wits in 2023, a decision he said he does not take lightly. His week looks nothing like that of the students around him in lecture halls: early gym sessions, training that eats into afternoons meant for tutorials, flights to tournaments that leave gaps in his notes. “The support has been helping me quite a lot,” he said. “Like when I was at the World Championship last year, all of my lecturers would send me notes and slides so that when I come back, everything becomes easier for me to catch up.”
Asked whether he ever wishes for an ordinary varsity experience, Biyela answered honestly: he sometimes wonders what that life would have looked like. But he would not trade what he has now. “Not everyone is lucky enough to be in this position,” he said.
Biyela’s 2024 Varsity Cup debut, against University of Cape Town (UCT), came when he was just 19. He remembers the noise most — a stadium of students dancing in the stands. “Playing and seeing the crowd dancing and watching was a different experience,” he said. Senior teammate Ngia Selengbe, a player he had known since Grade eight, put it in perspective afterwards: “You are here for a reason. You are 19 playing here, and that shows how good you are.”
The 2025 season brought its own frustrations. Despite a stronger, fitter squad, injuries meant Biyela only played in two matches, against University of Johannesburg (UJ) and Central University of Technology (CUT), the kind of setback that tests any athlete’s patience. But patience, he said, is something rugby has taught him. “When I’m on the field, that is when I’m patient,” he said, speaking about his role as captain. “That is a place where I have to be calm headed” That composure was tested, and rewarded, at an international level.
Called up to the junior Springbok camp late in 2024, Biyela had to wait until January to attend, after an ankle surgery ruled him out of the first session. He went on to captain the side at the World Rugby U20 Championship in Italy. “We were not that good leading up to the tournament; we were predicted to be average,” he said. Against those odds, the team won the title.
Off the field, family anchors him. As the eldest of three and the only son, Biyela describes a deep sense of responsibility toward his two younger sisters and a bond with his mother that has only strengthened over the years. “My mom is my everything,” he said. “She has literally done everything for me. She’s always there when I need to talk to her, whether about school, rugby, or girls.” Both his parents remain central to his support system, which is why their names, alongside a Bible verse, sit permanently on his wrist. A firm believer in God, Biyela deliberately chose “Sigade Umzila,” the song he plays in his ears before every kick-off: its message mirrors the physicality and leadership his position demands.
Longtime friend and Lions teammate Tirhani Masondo, who has known Biyela since Grade eight at KES , described him as a young man whose confidence rarely needs to announce itself. “He’s the type of person whose actions speak louder than his words,” Masondo said. “A lot of his biggest wins are silent wins. He doesn’t always need recognition for what he does he just gets the job done.” Off the field, Masondo added that Biyela is disciplined, humble, and quick to celebrate others’ successes, sometimes more than his own. “The way he approaches life is almost the same way he approaches a tackle,” Masondo said. “Once he sees a target, he doesn’t hesitate.”
For Biyela, that target is simple: keep showing up for his team, his family, and his degree, one semester and one match at a time. Somewhere between the socks going on and the final whistle, that is exactly what he keeps doing.
FEATURED IMAGE: A image of the tunnel run of Thando Biyela image by Sanele Sithole
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
The public lecture held in memory of Nokuthula Simelane highlighted how the impact of apartheid era crimes continues to be felt in contemporary times.
Nokuthula Simelane was only 23-years old when she was abducted.
Some say the TRC has failed a lot of victims and their families.
At the same time, Steve Biko’s 1977 Inquest was reopened this week at the Gqeberha High Court.
Imagine your loved one leaving the house under false pretences and never making it home; 49 years later and there is still no clarity on where she was or what happened to her.
On Wednesday, August 26, 2026, Ditsong National Museum of Military History hosted a public lecture titled The Unfinished Business of Justice: Remembrance, Resilience, and the TRC questioning the continued failure to resolve apartheid era cases. The public lecture was given by the museum’s curator for insignia, Tinyeko Ndhlovu, to honour of the life of anti-apartheid student activist Nokuthula Simelane.
Simelane (23), code name ‘Mpho’, was an Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) operative. On September 10, 1983, Simelane met Norman Mkhonza, an ‘askari’ (state spy) linked to the Soweto Intelligence Unit. As a result, Simelane was abducted by the Apartheid Security Branch and brutally tortured for an extensive period and eventually murdered.
A police docket was opened in 1996, followed by a short-lived investigation with no leads. Despite years of legal action and attempts by her family to uncover the truth, no one has been arrested or held accountable. It was only in 2019 that Simelane’s death certificate was issued.
Simelane was a Bachelor of Administration in Social Science, majoring in Public Administration, student at the University of Swaziland (currently University of Eswatini), at the time of her disappearance, and just a month shy of graduating.
Discussing her legacy, Ndhlovu said, “Simelane’s life and disappearance speak to the courage of young women in the liberation struggle, the enduring need for truth about enforced disappearances, and the pursuit of justice for apartheid-era crimes. Her story remains a reminder that South Africa’s freedom was secured through profound personal sacrifice.”
A photo of Tinyeko Ndhlovu speaking at the public lecture. Photo: Sikelelekile Pahlana
A major reflection from the day was the failings of the TRC in providing justice for victims. “The TRC has failed us. A lot of families’ history is suppressed,” said Ndhlovu.
Asked about the significance of younger generations knowing this history, Ndlovhu said “history repeats itself. It is very important for young people to know the history of the country for what it was.”
FEATURED IMAGE: A photo of the public lecture presentation which includes a photo of Nokuthula Simelane. Photo: Sikelelekile Pahlana
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
Wits offers support for students with disabilities, but for those whose conditions are not visible, stigma and fear of judgement can make asking for help difficult.
Wits has 1,126 registered students with disabilities receiving support through the Disability Rights Unit.
Wits has identified stigma and disclosure as barriers for students with invisible disabilities.
Students say asking for accommodation can be an emotional and undignified experience.
The Wits Disability Rights Unit (DRU) hosted a seminar on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, to address invisible disabilities and the barriers students face in accessing support. For some students at Wits University, getting support for an invisible disability can mean having to explain something that other people cannot see.
These disabilities such as ADHD, autism, mental health conditions, and chronic illnesses may not be immediately visible. Zamo Mbhele, a psychologist speaking at the DRU seminar, explained that this can make it difficult for students to ask for support, as they often worry about how it will be perceived.
Wits itself has acknowledged that stigma can prevent students from disclosing their conditions. In 2024, the university released an article on disability inclusion, the university noted that for students with invisible disabilities, “fear of stigma often prevents disclosure”. It further noted that students with complex needs require tailored support and coordinated services. For those who disclose their disabilities, the DRU provides support such as academic accommodations, assistive technology, and other forms of learning support. However, students who shared their experiences at the seminar said having support available does not always mean that asking for it is easy.
A student completes a paperwork to register for support services at Wits. Photo: Khutso Ngwatoana
According to the Wits Disability Rights Unit , 1,126 students with disabilities were registered last year. This includes 307 students with neurodevelopmental disabilities, 175 with psychosocial disabilities and 133 with chronic illnesses. Yet these figures only show students who disclosed with the DRU. Many others with invisible disabilities may be struggling in silence, reluctant to register because of stigma.
Wits student Alexandra Makhlouf said the DRU has played an important role for her by creating a social space where she can meet other students with disabilities.
“There is still stigma about disability on campus, and having to meet other disability students on campus has played an important role for me,” Makhlouf said.
Another student at the seminar, who asked not to be named because of the personal nature of their experience, described the emotional difficulty of asking for reasonable academic adjustments such as flexible deadlines, access to quiet spaces, or changes to how they participate in academic activities.
“I find it so undignifying every time I need to ask for understanding and accommodation, and I’m in tears every time at home when I am trying to get accommodation for something and putting together my motivations,” the attendee said.
Mbhele shared that, “Belonging is the experience of entering a space without having to negotiate your legitimacy within it.”
These experiences show that, for students with invisible disabilities, sense of belonging can be difficult when they feel they have to repeatedly explain or prove their needs before receiving support.
Dr Leila Abdool Gafoor, Head of the DRU, said the university must ensure that every person’s voice is heard and create psychological safety so that students do not experience stigma when speaking about their needs.
The issue is not simply whether support exists, but whether students know where to find it, feel safe enough to disclose their needs and can ask for accommodation without feeling judged.
For Wits students with invisible disabilities, inclusion goes beyond physical access. It also means creating an environment where asking for help does not feel like having to prove that you belong. The question now is whether Wits can make its existing support easier to access for students who may already be afraid to disclose their disabilities.
Students, including a student using a wheelchair on Wits Campus. DRU said Wits must support both visible and invisible disabilities. Photo: Khutso Ngwatoana
FEATURE IMAGE: A disability access sign on Wits campus that represent physical disability. Photo: Khutso Ngwatoana
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 […]
