We used to protect our most intimate moments: grief, prayer and quiet joy within the four walls of our homes. Now, we trade them for likes. As the line between experiencing and performing life vanishes, we must ask: If everything is for sale online, does anything remain sacred?
A camera is always ready, lingering in the background to record even the smallest moments. In the age of the non-stop vlog, the boundaries of human experience are dissolving. Social media has not just given us a platform, it has turned our very existence into a product. We are no longer living our lives: we are curating them for an invisible audience that does not actually care.
William Shakespeare once wrote that “all the world’s a stage”, suggesting that we are all merely players acting out our roles. Centuries later. Sociologist Ervin Goffman expanded on this, arguing that in our social interactions, we are constantly “performing” to manage how others see us. Goffman believed we had a “front stage” for the public and a “backstage” where we could finally be ourselves. However, the digital age has effectively abolished the backstage.
Look at your feed. You will see funerals livestreamed, hospital beds used as backdrops and personal breakdowns filmed through a beauty filter. We see random acts of kindness where the camera is clearly set up before the help is even offered. In these moments, the experience itself becomes secondary. The grief is not about loss: it is about engagement. Kindness is not about the person in need: it is about the creator’s brand.
Even the sanctuary is no longer safe. Instead of lifting both hands to praise the Lord, many are now holding up a phone to take content. We see congregants capturing the choir or the sermon for their stories instead of being present in the moment. This raises a chilling question: Are we still experiencing life, or are just performing it? How is one supposed to be fully immersed in worship when they are preoccupied with the right camera angle?
A packed auditorium during a contemporary church service, featuring integrated live-streaming and digital displays. Photo: Rearabilwe Tsebela
This shift is fueled by a hungry algorithm.
Research from the University of Malta in 2025 found that the “TraumaTok” trend encourages young people to turn their private grief into public confessional narratives. This specific trend is exactly what is destroying the sacred and private nature of our lives. When we see life through a lens, we stop being participants and start being directors. We wait for the right lighting before we cry: we pause the conversation to ensure the aesthetic is correct.
This is the death of the sacred. Something is sacred precisely because is it not for public consumption. Its value lies in its privacy, the fact that it belongs only to the people in the room.
Critics will argue that social media connects us and in some ways it does. But there is a massive difference between connection and performance.
True connection happens in the unrecorded silence between two people. When we broadcast those silences, we strip them of their power. When everything becomes content, nothing feels special anymore. We are feeding a hungry algorithm with the bits of our souls that should have been kept for ourselves.
It is time to draw a hard line in the digital sand. Not every moment needs a caption. Not every heartbreak needs a story update. Not every sunset needs a filter. Some things should remain unseen, not because they lack value, but because they hold too much of it to ever be liked. In reclaiming our privacy, we might just rediscover the quiet, unrecorded beauty of being alive.
FEATURED IMAGE: A professional camera rig stands ready on a sidewalk in Braamfontein. Photo: Rearabilwe Tsebela
Wits students react to the Zara x John Galliano collab. In a cost-of-living crisis, is the designer label still a status symbol or just overpriced plastic?
Global high-fashion icon John Galliano signs a historic two-year creative partnership with Zara.
Wits students are divided; some chase the ‘status’ of the label, while others slam the ‘tacky’ dilution of luxury.
The rise of high-quality ‘dupes’ and fast fashion collabs is blurring the line between prestige and plastic.
Luxury used to be defined by exclusivity, the rustle of silk, the weight of hand-stitched leather, and a price tag that felt like a gatekeeper. But as Vogue reports about the unexpected two-year partnership between the legendary John Galliano and fast-fashion giant Zara, the golden gates of high fashion have swung wide open. Wits students may be far away from the fashion high streets of Milan or Paris, but they had something to say about the reported collaboration.
The collaboration, set to debut in September 2026, marks the return of Galliano (the former Dior creative director known for theatrical couture) to the mass market.
For Lindani Dweba, a final-year BA student majoring in Politics and HR, the allure is simple: the name. “I would buy for the name,” Dweba admits. When faced with the choice between a R1,800 designer-labelled polyester jacket and a R200 thrifted wool coat, he leans toward the label. “Preferably the label. But luxury is becoming cheapened because of alternatives making the same thing.”
However, not everyone is buying the hype. For Caleb Boroto, a first-year Film and TV student, the collaboration feels “tacky.” Boroto argues that someone of Galliano’s regard partnering with a fast-fashion brand strips away the luxury feel entirely. “Gun to my head, I’d pick the R200 wool jacket,” says Boroto. “I’d prefer to be sustainable and choose something that lasts, like wool or cotton.”
The Reality of Aspiration: Lindani Dweba, a final year student, wears Nike P-6000s (R2,399), which serve as an attainable alternative to luxury items like the Gucci Rhyton sneaker (R21,700). Photo: Daniella Ripamonti
Katlego Hlahla, a third-year Actuarial Science student, echoes this scepticism, noting that luxury prices often feel “unnecessarily inflated” for the quality provided. As Zara’s prices creep up, the lines between ‘high street’ and ‘high end’ are blurred.
The psychology of the label remains a powerful force, even when the quality is questionable. Sephaku Tshoshi and Kirsten Pudi, both fourth-year Accounting Science students, admit they would choose a designer name over a thrifted bargain any day. “I wouldn’t get the same bag without the name, even if the quality was the same,” said one of the students, gesturing to her Ted Baker tote. They noted that the rise of high-quality “dupes” has made luxury more accessible, but also less significant. “People are buying fakes now, even people with money. You can’t tell the difference anymore.”
Psychology Honours students Daiyaan Kahan and Jake Fourie said that “accessibility cheapens the value, but people still buy it for the status symbol.” Fourie, however, sees the positive side, “If it’s more accessible, it’s overall good. More people representing a brand is good for the brand’s expansion” he stated
As the Zara x Galliano collection prepares to hit shelves, the Wits campus remains a tug-of-war between the desire for status and the demand for authenticity. In an era where ‘luxury’ can be bought at the mall in a plastic bag, real luxury might just be the ability to tell the difference.
FEATURED IMAGE: Reframing the Aesthetic: By pairing a sporty PUMA track jacket with tailored pinstripe trousers and formal loafers, Demitri Michaud, a postgraduate student, demonstrates a ‘high-low’ styling approach that mirrors global trends of deconstructed luxury. Photo: Daniella Ripamonti
“A society that discourages critical thinking is unwittingly admitting that its foundations can’t survive honest examination.” – Kalen Dion
During my Undergraduate degree, I was assigned a group presentation on France’s foreign policy. It was a layered topic: one that required days of research and rigorous group meetings. One of my group mates, however, insisted on using ChatGPT to write her entire speech.
Unluckily for her, our professor happened to be an expert in French policy. Like a bloodhound, he sniffed out numerous inaccuracies in her speech. In front of the entire class, she had spewed flimsy words, inaccurate facts and false statistics from ChatGPT mindlessly. She presented the information as confidently as if she herself wrote it.
Ask anyone and they’ve probably used AI at least once. It’s so deeply entrenched in our everyday lives; it’s inescapable. When you write an email, an AI suggestion pops up recommending what to say. When you open Instagram, you’re bombarded with a surge of AI-generated reels. Even something as simple as a Google search has an automatic AI summary built in.
AI has burrowed itself so deeply into every channel of our lives that it has become difficult to imagine life without it. But is AI training us to be passive consumers of information?
A study by MIT Media Lab revealed that participants who had used AI to write their essays showed extremely low brain activity compared to those that didn’t. This was largely because they were not actively engaging with any of the material; they were simply parroting it. Ultimately, the tool that was built to supplement our thinking is, in many cases, actually replacing it.
This has dangerous repercussions for human development. If we blindly consume content generated by AI, what else will we be blind to?
In George Orwell’s infamous 1984, he depicts a totalitarian society in which independent thought is abolished under the dictatorship of Big Brother. At the time, it seemed like a fictional dystopia, a far-off tale too outrageous to be taken seriously. Now, it has bled into our reality.
It was Steve Biko who once said, “The greatest weapon in the hand of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed.”
We must hold onto our vigilance. We must sharpen our minds. The world is undergoing a rapid digital shift. Our ability to think, to question what we know so that we are not mindless followers becomes our greatest and most potent weapon.
FEATURED IMAGE: Headshot of Jamie Ho, this week’s editor.
Thrifting may be trendy, but for many students, it is simply the cheapest way to afford fashion.
Economic necessity and “instant gratification” drive some Wits students to second-hand shopping.
The Matrix’s Zaza Clothing reports its busiest year yet as students ditch retail for quality and affordability.
Hidden online fees and poor garment quality are making global fast-fashion giants less appealing to local youth.
In the heart of Braamfontein, the ‘thrift flip’ is more than just a curated style; it is a survival strategy. As South Africa faces a cost-of-living crisis, students are increasingly searching for the perfect R50 vintage shirt. This shift has turned a trendy pastime into a financial necessity.
While discussions about second-hand shopping often highlight ‘slow fashion’ and sustainability, the reality in hubs like Melville and Braam tells a different story. For many of The University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) students, thrifting isn’t about saving the planet; it is about saving their bank balance.
On the top floor of the Matrix, the energy at Zaza Clothing is a testament to this shift. Since opening in March 2023, owner Ali Monama says business has grown every year, but 2026 is by far the busiest he has seen.
“I chose the Matrix because fashion starts with the youth,” Monama says. He notes that while sustainability is a plus, the economy is the real driver. “Thrifting is critical for the economy right now. People prefer it because modern retail clothes don’t last, whereas vintage leather and denim are pure quality,” he adds.
The price tags at Zaza Clothing offer a stark alternative to the mall, ranging from R20 earrings to R600 Doc Marten boots. The prices are what appeal to students like Thulani Bikili, a second-year civil engineering student. Bikili thrifts twice a month specifically because of the cost-of-living crisis. “Retail stores are just overpriced,” he says.
For some, the appeal is a mix of budget and “instant gratification.” First-year electrical engineering students, Siyamthanda Mazwan and Naomi Makangume, argue that while sustainability is a “secondary perk,” the real win is finding unique items that allow them to avoid “following the crowd.”
Picture of students browsing through a clothes rack at Zaza Clothing. Photo: Daniella Ripamonti
The duo also highlighted the growing frustration with online giants like Shein. Between unpredictable shipping times and hidden customs fees, they’ve started questioning the true cost of “cheap” online hauls. “Is it really cheaper if I’m paying for all these other hidden fees?” They ask. “With thrifting, you get what you buy then and there. You can actually try it on to see if it fits.”
As financial pressures continue to reshape student life, the shift toward second-hand clothing reveals a generation that is becoming increasingly resourceful. Whether it’s to find a one-of-a-kind vintage piece or simply to survive the month, the students at Wits are proving that in the struggle between ethical spending and economic reality, the price tag, and the quality, is winning every time.
FEATURED IMAGE: Picture of sunglasses and ties taken at Zaza Clothing store in The Matrix. Photo: Daniella Ripamonti
What began as a study group is now a campus staple with 200+ orders. Built on brotherhood and faith, Panache is redefining luxury for the Wits community.
On any given day at Wits University, students cross the Library Lawns wearing hoodies and streetwear that stand out in the crowd. Among the sea of fast fashion, certain pieces carry a specific look that has become a staple of the Braamfontein and Wits community aesthetic. This presence belongs to Panache.
But long before it became a growing local brand, it started with something far simpler: friendship. For students Tshepang Rafutho, third-year accounting science, Kevin Radebe, BComHons in insurance and risk management, Thokozani Matyolo, honours in economic science and Tshiamo Ntlemo, third-year accounting science, Panache was never the original plan.
Their story began in lecture halls and shared study groups, where mutual friends brought them together. What started as an academic collaboration evolved into a friendship rooted in shared interests, ambitions and goals.
The brotherhood remains the brand’s anchor. While many student startups buckle under the pressure of balancing business and academics, the four credit their stability to a shared faith.
Rafutho explains, “At the core of it all, Christ has become the foundation of our friendship. That’s our anchor, the rock on which we stand.” It shapes how we move, how we treat each other and how we handle both challenges and success”. This stability allows them to hold each other accountable and push for growth without the work ever feeling personal.
The idea for Panache grew out of a gap they observed in student life. Matyolo said, “There was not much that reflected accessible luxury for students. We felt like students were not given the opportunity to experience quality and an elevated style that still felt accessible”.
Their first release, the “Princess Diana” hoodie defined the brand’s aesthetic. The design features a high contrast black and white portrait of the late Princess in a tiara, set against heavy black fabric with a minimalist ‘P’ embroidered on the sleeve. The turning point arrived when the founders realised the brand was resonating beyond their own social circles, the order list began to feature names they did not recognise. “I would say it was when people not close to us, people who did not have any obligation to support us were buying the hoodies despite not being familiar with the brand” said Matyolo.
Picture of a black Panache hoodie featuring a graphic print of Princess Diana, laid out on a white garden table. Photo: Rearabilwe Tsebela
We officially decided to go for it when we saw the genuine excitement around our very first drop. Before we had even officially positioned Panache as a brand, people were already treating it like one,” said Rafutho. Since its inception in May 2024, Panache has fulfilled over 200 orders, expanding its reach well beyond its initial circle of supporters. For the founders, seeing students wearing their pieces is the ultimate validation. As Ntlemo puts it, “Like ba believe’a mo rena!” (They believe in us).
“The support is a constant reminder to stay consistent and intentional, because every garment worn carries the Panache name and reflects what the brand stands for” said Ntlemo”
However, the vision for Panache stretches far beyond campus. The team is already building Friends of Panache, a creative ecosystem where ideas, can be brought to life through projects and collaboration. “Our goal is to become the bridge for young creatives who have the talent but lack access to opportunities that allow them to build strong portfolios,” said Radebe.
For instance, a student photographer can transition from taking casual photos to leading a professional clothing photoshoot using Panache apparel, while a model can use Panache’s garments to build solid work needed to reach “bigger stages” like mainstream magazines.
For Rafutho, Radebe, Matyolo and Ntlemo, the message to their peers is clear, you don’t have to wait until you have made it with intention. Whether through a garment or a creative collaboration, Panache is about owning your journey in real time.
FEATURED IMAGE:Picture of the four founders of Panache leaning in against a bright sky, capturing the spirit of collaboration and brotherhood behind the brand. Photo: Rearabilwe Tsebela
The oppressive regime of Israel echoes eerily with our own Apartheid history, calling for greater South African solidarity.
“When we choose indifference, we consent to someone else’s cruelty.”
― Lawrence Nault
Israel just passed a new law issuing the death penalty for Palestinian political prisoners, revealing a striking resemblance to South Africa’s Apartheid state.
The systemic erasure of the Palestinian people has been ongoing despite claims of a ‘ceasefire’ in October 2026. In fact, a total of 73, 000 deaths have resulted from Israeli attacks, according to a UN report.
Israel’s new death penalty doesn’t just highlight an institutional injustice but also signals an eerie repetition of history.
Hand-drawn animation of the freedom flotilla. By: Jamie Ho.
“For many years, South Africa had the doubtful honour of being a world leader in the number of judicial executions carried out,” says Deputy Minister Andries Nel. During the period from 1948 to 1994, the country, under the Apartheid regime, utilized the death penalty to suppress the political opposition of black activists.
Now the same thing is happening in Israel. The death penalty grants the Israeli state the legal authority to kill any Palestinian held in detention, many of whom have never been charged or received a fair trial. Under this mandate, systemic discrimination and genocidal violence will be a part of the Israeli constitution.
As South Africans, we are no stranger to oppressive regimes; it is a part of our history. And now history is repeating itself. We cannot be complicit.
As the fleet of over 100 boats from countries all over the world prepares to sail towards Gaza to break Israel’s siege on Palestine, the spirit of international solidarity rings clear.
The Global Sumud Flotilla is the biggest maritime mission set to disrupt Israel’s siege on Gaza with 3,000 activists sailing from 52 countries, South Africa included. The goal is to break Israel’s blockade, deliver life-saving aid and confront international complicity.
In the words of Dr Zaheera Soomar, a participant of the Flotilla, “Some moments in history demand more from us than comfort or safety. They demand conscience.”
Now more than ever, it is necessary to take a stance. Just because we are distant from the conflict doesn’t mean we can’t have an impact.
Donate to the Global Sumud Flotilla. Boycott pro-Israel organizations. Spread awareness by sharing the message. Don’t forget Palestine.
FEATURED IMAGE: Photo taken outside of the Wits School of Digital Arts depicting a graffiti mural of the word ‘Free’ in solidarity with Palestine. By: Jamie Ho.
As South Africa marked the 20th edition of the Taco Kuiper Award for Investigative Journalism on March 27, the spotlight fell on the country’s top investigative reporters. Behind these award-winning stories, however, lies a less visible reality of newsrooms that are under increasing financial pressure and struggling to sustain the very work being honoured.
Jeff Wicks, an investigative journalist at News24, walked away with R200 000, while fellow investigative journalists Pieter-Louis Myburgh of Daily Maverick, Daneel Knoetze of Viewfinder, and John Eligon of The New York Times were named runners-up, each receiving R75 000.
Their work continues to hold power to account and demonstrate the courage that defines South African journalism. But behind every award-winning story is a newsroom under strain as editors, fact-checkers and institutional support goes somewhat unacknowledged.:
The Taco Kuiper Award has long celebrated individual brilliance and reinforced the importance of watchdog journalism in a democratic society. But investigative reporting is rarely the work of one person alone. It depends on the resources, time and editorial guidance that only a newsroom can provide.
Across South Africa, publications are downsizing or closing, advertising revenue is shrinking, and journalists are stretched thinner than ever. For example, Media24, the parent of News24, began consultations in February 2026 to close City Press, placing around two dozen newsroom staff at risk as part of its ongoing restructuring. The 43-year-old publication, which shifted to a digital-only model in 2024, failed to meet commercial expectations. Even digital platforms like News24, which are often held up as success stories, survive by absorbing talent and resources from declining print operations rather than from stable and well-funded growth.
This raises a critical question: while journalists are rewarded for excellence, who supports the environments that make such work possible? Recognising individuals without addressing the structural conditions of their workplace risks overlooking the challenges that threaten the future of investigative journalism.
Awards like the Taco Kuiper could evolve to reflect this reality, not by replacing individual recognition, but by expanding it to include newsroom support. This could take the form of grants for investigative teams, mentorship programs for emerging journalists, or formal recognition of editors and fact-checkers who make such reporting possible.
Celebrating great journalism is important but so is sustaining it. As we applaud Jeff Wicks and his peers, we must also ask: who celebrates the newsrooms that make their stories possible? Without these institutions, the brilliance we honour risks being an exception rather than the norm.
Beyond funding debates, deeper structural flaws in South Africa’s health system are becoming a barrier to NHI implementation.
Governance failures are becoming one of the risks to the NHI’s success.
Experts highlight a disconnect between decision-makers and those delivering healthcare services.
Proposed reforms aim to strengthen accountability, limit political interference, and align funding with real service needs.
Wits University hosted a symposium on the future of the National Health Insurance (NHI) on March 26, where experts cautioned that without fixing systemic governance issues, the country’s healthcare reform could fail to achieve its goal.
Since the signing into law of the NHI in mid-2024, and a court order issued on 24 February 2026 that has affected its implementation, debate over whether the policy will succeed has intensified.
Supporters argue that healthcare is a right, not a privilege, and view the NHI as a mechanism to reduce inequality by pooling funds to ensure more equal access to quality healthcare services across public and private sectors. On the other hand, critics continue to question how the system will be funded and what trade-offs may be required to sustain it.
A graphic representation of South Africa’s National Health Insurance (NHI), illustrating its universal healthcare goal alongside debates on funding and recent legal developments. Photo: Asisipho Mpahleni
While public debate around the NHI has largely focused on issues of inequality and funding, speakers at the symposium emphasised governance as a more immediate threat to the success of the reform.
Experts such as Professor Alex van den Heever, who specialises in healthcare systems and financing, examined the deeper structural problems within South Africa’s health system, warning that without addressing these, the NHI could fail regardless of its funding model.
“You’ve got a governance misalignment… [where] responsibility, authority, accountability [are] set in different places,” said van den Heever, pointing to one of the key structural weaknesses in South Africa’s healthcare system.
He explained that this misalignment means that those responsible for delivering healthcare services often do not have the power to make key decisions, while those with decision-making authority are removed from the realities on the ground. This disconnect, he argued, leads to inefficiencies, weakens accountability, and slows down service delivery across the system.
While much of the discussion focused on systemic governance failures, human rights and social justice activist Mark Heywood, brought the conversation back to its human impact. “Health is not pausing while we are sorting out the healthcare system,” he said, emphasizing the urgency of addressing these challenges.
The discussion concluded with several proposals to address these challenges. These included strengthening the decision-making power at local health districts and hospitals, while also making sure strong local boards hold them accountable.
Furthermore, the process of choosing leaders should be changed so that politicians can’t easily capture or corrupt public health institutions and procurement. Experts also proposed fairer funding rules and better regulation of private medical schemes, so money follows real service needs and incentives reward good, cost-effective care.
FEATURED IMAGE: A graphic representation of South Africa’s National Health Insurance (NHI), illustrating its universal healthcare goal alongside debates on funding and recent legal developments. Photo: Asisipho Mpahleni
Rirhandzu Shilubane uses her platform to challenge beauty standards and empower women and children.
In a world increasingly shaped by changing beauty standards where weight-loss culture dominates and more young people feel pressured to change their bodies, Rirhandzu Shilubane is working to rewrite that narrative. When she entered the room, she did so with bright energy and a welcoming smile that immediately put one at ease. She has a presence that reflects both confidence and intention.
Shilubane, is a 24-year-old third-year law student at Wits University. She is also a Top 14 finalist in the Face of Plus-Size South Africa 2026 pageant. For her, the pageant is not about appearance, but about the impact.
“I’ve always known that I wanted to be a vessel of change,” she says. “Even before I fully understood what that looked like, I knew I wanted to work in a space where I could contribute to something bigger than myself- especially in advancing rights and justice.”
Her academic journey reflects this purpose. “I became interested in how laws actually work in people’s lives, how we make sure rights are not just written but realised.”
Her decision to enter pageantry is rooted in deeply personal experiences. Growing up, she often felt excluded because of her body size during pageants at her primary school.
Rirhandzu Shilubane, Top 14 finalist in the Face of Plus-Size South Africa 2026 pageant. Photo: Dzulani Muthaphuli/ Plain World PicturesRirhandzu Shilubane, Top 14 finalist in the Face of Plus-Size South Africa 2026 pageant. Photo: Dzulani Muthaphuli/ Plain World Pictures
“I wanted to be part of something that tells young girls, especially those who look like me, that they are worthy, that they are seen,” she says. “Representation matters. When you see someone who looks like you taking up space, it gives you permission to do the same.”
Through her initiative, Elevate Her and Children, Shilubane has translated advocacy into action, running food and clothing drives, supporting a children’s home, and organising programmes centred on dignity and care.
“Dignity is a basic right,” she says. “Sometimes we think it’s something abstract, but for many children, it’s about being acknowledged, being cared for, being given space to just be children.”
Her advocacy for body positivity is equally extensive. “It’s not just about plus-size women,” she explains. “It’s about everyone. You could wake up tomorrow in a different body, but if you’re not at peace with yourself, nothing changes. Body positivity is about being comfortable in your own skin, regardless of size, shape, or appearance.”
Despite criticism that often surrounds beauty pageantry, Shilubane remains steady in her purpose. “I understand the criticism, because some spaces do reinforce harmful standards,” she acknowledges. “But for me, this platform is about deconstructing those ideas. Even if I only reach one person, if one girl starts to see herself differently, then that is enough.”
Rirhandzu Shilubane, Top 14 finalist in the Face of Plus-Size South Africa 2026 pageant. Photo: Dzulani Muthaphuli/ Plain World Pictures
Her resilience, she says, is rooted in her upbringing. “My mother taught me that when a door closes, you don’t stop- you find another way in,” she says.
Looking ahead, Shilubane hopes to use her law degree to expand access to justice and empower communities through education. “People are not voiceless,” she says. “They have voices, they just need platforms that amplify them. I want to be part of creating those platforms.”
Her message to young women is both simple and profound: “When you fully embrace who you are, you give others the freedom to do the same. And that is where real change begins.”
FEATURED IMAGE: Rirhandzu Shilubane, Top 14 finalist in the Face of Plus-Size South Africa 2026 pageant. Photo: Dzulani Muthaphuli/ Plain World Pictures.
Urban settlements such as townships are being created in rural areas which has raised concerns over ownership and the role of municipal authority.
Urban settlements formed on the outskirts of cities are far cheaper for the average South African.
Public infrastructure and basic services are provided through privatized services and investments.
Community chiefs are granted more authority and jurisdiction over these urban settlements compared to the municipalities that govern them.
South Africa’s cities were never designed equally. Under Apartheid, millions of black South Africans were pushed to the outskirts of cities through policies such as the Group Areas Act, which enforced racial segregation and forced removals.
Decades later, the spacial legacy lives on as those policies continue to shape where people live.
The New South Institute (NIS) hosted a dialogue on March 11, 2026, with the emergence of urban settlements beyond conventional planning systems, specifically on land governed by traditional authorities, on the agenda.
In a research paper, Professor Andries du Toit, NIS affiliate researcher and his team argue that these “settlements should be recognized as a distinct South African urban form, an auto-constructed suburbia, under informal institutions.”
The houses built in these areas, like KwaMhlanga (Mpumalanga), Dassenhoek (eThekwini), Hammanskraal (Tshwane) and Kabokweni (Mbombela region), receive public infrastructure and services. These include roads, water and electricity, which are provided by private companies and/or private arrangements instead of their designated municipality.
“There is a limited investment in social and community infrastructure particularly in the form of churches – people who live in these areas are going to have to travel and spend a lot of time traveling to access education and various other social opportunities and services,” said Dr. Andrew Charman, NIS affiliate researcher.
The New South Institute (NIS) dialogue on working paper, Urban Settlements on Traditional Authority Land: Four case studies. From left to right: Dr. Andrew Charman, Prof. Andries du Toit, Dr. Gaynor Paradza and Prof. Mfaniseni Sihlongonyane. Photo: Bonolo Mokonoto
The residents of these settlements are not given property with prospects of receiving a title deed, they are given a permission to occupy from the chief of the land. “It is not a deed of sale, you haven’t bought the land, you essentially paid the traditional authority for the service of allocation,” said du Toit.
Dr. Gaynor Paradza from the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) said, “At most a municipality owns like 12 percent of the land in its jurisdiction and sometimes as little as two percent – as a municipality [they] don’t even have a say on what is going on.” The chief of the land is able to make authoritative decisions granted that they have the support and consent of the community.
The New South Institute (NIS) dialogue on working paper, Urban Settlements on Traditional Authority Land: Four case studies. From left to right: Prof. Andries du Toit, Dr. Gaynor Paradza and Prof. Mfaniseni Sihlongonyane. Photo: Bonolo Mokonoto
“The bottom line is that chiefs make decisions about land allocation, meaning that they are involved in town planning,” said Professor Mfaniseni Sihlongonyane head of the school of Architecture and Planning at wits university. “Maybe there are multiple visions of what cities should be especially in the African context,” he said.
As housing costs rise in central urban areas, many find themselves settling on land that is governed by traditional leaders on the outskirts of cities, as it is more affordable. But the flipside is that they aren’t catered for by the municipality they fall under.
FEATURED ARTICLES: The New South Institute (NIS) dialogue on working paper, Urban Settlements on Traditional Authority Land: Four case studies. From left to right: Dr. Gaynor Paradza, Prof. Mfaniseni Sihlongonyane and Dr. Ngaka Mosiane. Photo: Bonolo Mokonoto.
After months of volunteer clean-ups and security upgrades, the heritage site welcomed visitors to the revived space.
The Braamfontein Cemetery wants locals to use the premises for educational and research purposes.
The cemetery has increased its safety measures around the area, as many visitors felt unsafe due to unsecured perimeters.
Visitors can ask for a security escort when venturing deeper onto the property.
The Braamfontein cemetery is regarded as one of the most historically significant places in Johannesburg, but some residents do not feel comfortable visiting due to safety concerns and negative experiences.
The cemetery reopened its gates on February 22, 2026 with increased security for grieving families and rebranded as a public heritage site open for walking tours and educational visits.
Volunteers cleaning up at the Braamfontein Cemetery. Photo: Bonolo Mokonoto
“Just walk, enjoy the space, enjoy the beauty of the architecture of the cemetery”, said Antoinette Morgan, from Friends of Johannesburg Cemeteries (FOJC), a group under the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation (JHF).
“This cemetery has a lot of the old Rand pioneers – the early people who came to establish their life in Johannesburg”, said Morgan. The cemetery is home to many historical figures, such as “David Draper, who was the geologist who first had mass water production pumped up to the highfeld” and “of course Enoch Sontonga” she added.
The architecture at the cemetery beautifully captures its era. Nicola Noble from FOJC working with JHF, said: “The design of the crematorium almost hides its purpose, it is in the shape of – a neo- Romanesque chapel – it resembles a church.”
The crematorium at the Braamfontein Cemetery, with four furnaces. Photo: Bonolo Mokonoto
Morgan said, “A lot of the perimeter fencing was missing on both sides, so people would just walk across the cemetery at will.”
“With a lot of work with Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo, we managed to get them to secure the perimeter fencing on both sides – it is still palisade but it is more secure”, she states that there are guards at each gate and roaming guards throughout the cemetery.
When people want to go deeper into the cemetery for research and feel uncomfortable, they can now ask a guard to guide them through.
Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo did not respond to requests for comment at the time of publication.
FEATURED IMAGE: Graves taken at the Braamfontein Cemetery. Photo: Bonolo Mokonoto
Many gathered to reminisce about the life of Professor Deepak Kar, whose legacy continues to have a lasting impact on all who knew him.
The memorial service of Professor Deepak Kar was hosted on February 25.
His colleagues shared their memories of him.
Professor Kar was a beloved scholar and mentor to many.
The memorial service for Professor Deepak Kar filled up Senate House with friends, colleagues and loved ones on February 25, 2026. Kar passed away on December 21, 2025, after a battle with cancer.
Kar was a well-respected and loved scholar and mentor. He was described as “A citizen of the world” by Professor Nithaya Chetty, dean of the faculty of science at Wits. This indicates how impactful he was to the lives of many on a global scale. He contributed extensively to the study of physics and advanced the global search for dark matter.
Kar was also known for his contagious laughter. “Indeed, Deepak carried those qualities with grace – and a cheeky laughter- he had a child-like curiosity that I found particularly charming,” said Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Vice- Chancellor and Principal of Wits university.
Chetty said, “In so many different respects I valued him as a colleague, in the official university obituary I described him as a larger-than-life character and I mean that sincerely, he had a tremendous zest for life.”
From left to Right: Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Professor Nithaya Chetty and Professor Deena Naidoo. Photo: Bonolo Mokonoto
Audience members at the memorial service of Professor Deepak Kar. Photo: Bonolo Mokonoto
Professor Zeblon Vilakazi at the memorial service of Professor Deepak Kar. Photo: Bonolo Mokonoto
Professor Nithaya Chetty at the memorial service of Professor Deepak Kar. Photo: Bonolo Mokonoto
Dr Nandini Kar at the memorial service of Professor Deepak Kar. Photo: Bonolo Mokonoto
Wits Choir at the memorial service of Professor Deepak Kar. Photo: Bonolo Mokonoto
Dr Sukanya Sinha Postdoctoral fellow at the University of Manchester and a mentee of Professor Pak, shared a collective tribute from the students that were impacted by his life. “He would adjust his supervision style to each and every student, because he appreciated that everyone was different – every student needs to be handled differently,” she said.
“He really thought very highly of his students, and he thought that they actually could make a difference to the world [as he has done], and that is something- as students you would love to see in a supervisor,” said Dr. Sinha.
Vilakazi said beyond science, Kar represented a powerful, quite confidence that world class science and discovery can emerge from Africa and stand shoulder to shoulder with the best of the world.
The service indicated that he was and will continue to be a beloved member of the Wits community.
FEATURED IMAGE: The memorial service of Professor Deepak Kar image. Photo: Wits Marketing
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, […]
