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
Wits University professor who called South Africans lazy and unambitious has left her post.
Professor Srila Roy remains under investigation for alleged racist remarks.
Roy deleted the social media posts, then apologised after backlash.
“South Africans have little ambition, are complacent and have poor work ethic” – these were the choice Wits University’s Head of Sociology, Professor Srila Roy posted on her X (formerly Twitter) account, which has now led to her resignation.
The Department of Sociology confirmed Roy’s resignation from her role as head of department in a statement on February 26.
Following backlash over the post, Roy deleted the post and then posted an apology four days later. In it, she claimed that her tweet was in response to “xenophobic tropes” that arose after the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education raised concerns over the number of foreign nationals working in academic institutions.
Roy said she was sorry for any “hurt” she may have caused and was willing to take full responsibility for her “pushback”.
The South African Sociological Association (SASA) said her remarks were problematic, classist, racist and xenophobic. “Professor Roy’s remarks show disdain for the ethos of the South African higher education sector and the country as a whole,” they added.
In parliament, the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training, Mr Tebogo Letsie, said: “Professor Roy serves as Head of Sociology at Wits, a field dedicated to understanding social issues such as inequality, gender and development. It is therefore deeply disappointing that someone in such a position could hold and express views that undermine the dignity and potential of the very people our universities exist to serve”.
“South Africans are resilient, hardworking and ambitious, and they continue to strive for a better future despite many challenges.”
The university’s investigation into Roy’s conduct continues.
*Note: Headline updated on February 28, 2026 to provide clarity.
Johannesburg’s water crisis is heavily restricting the daily lives of citizens.
For the past month, the City of Johannesburg has been struggling with a water crisis that has exposed serious cracks within local governance and infrastructure. What started off as a short outage has now spiralled out of control.
Residents have been frustrated by the lack of water services across Johannesburg the city. From Melville, Westdene, Parktown west and Emmarentia, some residents have gone more than 20 days without water.
Johannesburg can not claim to be a world- class African city, while its residents are standing in queues at water tanks for over three weeks. This lack of service delivery is inhumane. Water is a basic need, and the municipality needs to ensure at that this service is delivered to all residents efficiently.
Volunteers in Melville have organised communal water tanks with strict limits per household simply to ensure survival. For elderly residents and families with small children, the daily act of securing water has become exhausting.
Frustration has spilt onto the streets as peaceful protests are being carried out. Protests have erupted in Melville. Residents are angry at the lack of urgency shown by the government. All the while, some are missing school, work, being put through unhygienic conditions and emotional stress.
City officials point to ageing infrastructure, pressure management systems, maintenance backlogs and lack of coordination with Rand Water as part of the problem. The Government has announced intervention plans and committees aimed at stabilising the water supply. But for residents living day to day without running water, these long-term strategies offer little immediate relief.
The lack of planning and leadership is now being highlighted as residents are being impacted. The city of Johannesburg must move pass crisis management and implement sustainable and reliable service delivery.
When taps begin to run dry, this is an indication that governance has failed and South African citizens have to now pay the price.
FEATURED IMAGE: Two plastic containers of water, half empty. Photo: Bonolo Mokonoto
The increase in the minimum wage amount is not as impactful as the minister of labour and employment would suggest.
The minimum wage amount has increased to R30, 23 per hour from R28, 79 per hour.
The new minimum wage is still not enough to sustain South Africans.
Millions still struggle to cater to their basic needs.
The minimum wage amount is set to increase to R30,23 per hour, from R28,23 per hour as of March 1, 2026. South Africans are beyond frustrated by this small change.
“The income is basically the same, given that the economy is also changing. [The government] increasing the minimum wage doesn’t change the fact that things are also getting more expensive. If, lets say, they were increasing the wages, but the economy’s status was still the same at least [there] would be a bit of a change, compared to right now,” said Rose Mongwe, a third-year bachelor of education student.
The minimal increase, means Mongwe, whose mother is a domestic worker will not get an allowance increase this year. She uses what her mom can give her for toiletries and other personal needs. “It is not [as much] as I would want it to be but then it kind of helps here and there and sustains me when I’m unable to get some money for myself,” she said.
Muhammed Siyad the Regional Investment Growth Manager for Southern Gauteng at Absa said, “At the rate at which inflation is climbing, this increase of the minimum wage amount per hour I don’t feel it would affect any households in a positive sense, the reason for that is everything else is getting more expensive, its making it harder for people to manage based on the current salaries.”
Neo Bapela honours in bachelor of education said, “I feel like the [minimum wages amount] is very little, but also it goes according to peoples’ responsibilities, I might think that the money is enough for me, because I don’t have kids, I don’t have other responsibilities.”
The increase of the minimum wage amount does not keep up with the rising cost of living. Many households continue to stretch out their money, the increase of R1,44 offers little to no relief.
FEATURED IMAGE: Cash and coins. Photo: Bonolo Mokonoto
South Africa is again debating the name changes of provinces and towns.
Over the past month, there has been nationwide debate over the name changes of various towns and provinces. This puts into question South Africa’s history and if we should preserve the current names as a reminder or change them to honour our heritage.
Name changes carry real and expensive costs. The updating of maps, road signs, business branding and tourism material require funding and resources that could be used elsewhere. The country has a multitude of more pressing issues – such as a high unemployment rate, and water and electricity shortages- changing the names of provinces and towns shouldn’t be the top priority for the current economic climate of South Africa.
The Eastern Cape’s is currently undergoing a massive transformation on this front. Gayton McKenzie , the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, approved 21 geographical name changes, including renaming East London to KuGompo and Graaff-Reinet to Robert Sobukwe Town. This has been in line with public consultations and recommendations made from the South African Geographical Names Council.
The name changes are yet to be confirmed as it is the department’s ongoing commitment to ensure that the names highlight the country’s diverse heritage and history. Most residents in Eastern Cape are against the name changes highlighting that the towns historical identity and heritage should remain, as this keeps history intact.
Other residents argue that the changes are long overdue, as the original names are reminiscent of our history and it is important to keep reminders around, so that people do not forget. The renaming project can be viewed as a form of decolonialisation and reclaiming our history and instilling pride over the South African landscape.
King Misuzulu kaZwelithini recently reignited the debate by calling for the removal of “Natal”, from the provincial name “KwaZulu-Natal”, he argues that before colonial efforts the area was simply called KwaZulu. The Zulu king is pleading with politicians to broaden the public debate about these historical boarders as they have been shaped by colonial authorities.
The African National Congress (ANC) has responded cautiously, particularly around the proposals to rename KwaZulu-Natal, stressing that it has not yet adopted an official position on the matter. The party emphasised that any provincial name changes must follow proper constitutional and legal processes.
As the debate continues, we need to critically ask ourselves what impact the name changes will have on the community, whether positive or negative, it will be the residents that deal with the massive changes, and their opinion is of high importance.
FEATURED IMAGE: Geographical name changes debate. Graphic by: Bonolo Mokonoto
Four seasons in, Bridgerton struggles with originality, yet it feels as genuine than ever.
Dearest gentle reader, in this highly anticipated new season of one of Netflix’s most-watched series, Bridgerton season four, part one, is not quite what we expected.
This season focuses on the notorious playboy Benedict Bridgerton’s love story and his quest to find life partner. He meets a lady named Sophie at a masquerade ball and makes it his mission to find her after she leaves the ball in a hurry. This season uses the Cinderella trope, but instead of a glass slipper, Sophie leaves behind a glove. This story line makes the story predictable, as many audience members are very familiar with this trope, it lacks originality.
A very interesting aspect of this new season is that we get an inside look into the servants’ quarters. We are offered a behind-the-scenes glimpse of how the lives of the rich and royal are kept in-order by those who are rarely noticed in these spaces. It is reminiscent of renowned period drama, Downton Abbey.
Through this shift in perspective, the series highlights the invisible labour that sustains the grandeur of high society. Lady Whistledown makes a point of exposing and sharing the stories of these workers, further emphasising their importance in society.
A carriage driver remarks on the behaviour within the ton, stating, “It’s thrilling for them, chaos for us.” This line emphasizes the immense labour servants must perform to maintain the magnificence or grandeur of the balls and social events hosted during the debutante season.
Throughout the Bridgerton series, Benedict has been depicted as sexually fluid, which makes his search for a wife this season feel out of left field and somewhat out of character.
It would have been more compelling to watch him seek companionship with both men and women, ensuring that the character development establishing him as pansexual in previous seasons, did not go to waste.
The chemistry between Benedict and Sophie is undeniable. This is the first season where the main couple get to know each other in a friendly manner, and this was entertaining to watch.
The playfulness and gentle ease they have with each other is refreshing, from the conflict we initially see with the previous main couples in the series.
Despite the predictability and missteps on Benedict’s character development, Bridgerton season four succeeds in feeling emotionally sincere.
This may not be the most original chapter in the Bridgerton storyline, but it proves that familiarity, when written well, can still be engaging.
Vuvu rating: 7.5/ 10
FEATURED IMAGE: Bridgerton season 4 review. Photo: Netflix
Technology is advancing and getting involved will help postgraduates not get left behind.
The Wits Postgraduate Orientation introduces students to their chapter as ‘seniors’ on campus.
App development in academic research is encouraged.
Apps can be beneficial but also have various limitations.
From left to right, Simone Dahms Vester, Tasneem Hassem and Lesego Molefe, at the Post Graduate Orientation panel discussion session. Photo: Bonolo Mokonoto
In the age of artificial intelligence, postgraduate research needs to adapt quickly to not just keep up but lead the way. This is what new students were told during their Postgraduate Orientation on January 28, 2026 at the Great Hall.
Beyond using apps and tools that already exist, students were encouraged to be creative and develop their own apps instead of relying heavily on AI for their research. “[With] something like ChatGPT, we need to know who developed it and what data it has been trained on, especially with mental health, a lot of the phrases or tools that have been developed come from the west, so when we transfer it to South Africa there is a mismatch on how we understand mental health” said Tasneem Hassem Senior lecturer in Psychology.
Students were urged to take advantage of digital platforms to create their own apps, using a data collection tool or analysis app. The speakers noted that by identifying everyday research challenges, students can find practical solutions without having any app development background.
Postgraduate students in attendance at the Postgraduate Orientation. Photo: Bonolo Mokonoto
As beneficial as apps can be, they also have their own flaws. Lesego Molefe, a master of science student, shared some concerns regarding the Wits app. “I will always reference the Wits mobile app, it is literally the one stop shop to everything, but there is one problem- it’s that, it’s a bit fragmented” she said. The Wits app needs to bring together the student element, by making it more interactive for it to function as a social media platform.
New technologies should be seen as an opportunity to enhance research rather than an obstacle to tackle.
FEATURED IMAGE: From left to right, Simone Dahms Vester, Tasneem Hassem, Lesego Molefe and Prof Jennifer Fitchett, at the Post Graduate Orientation panel discussion session. Photo: Bonolo Mokonoto
Jozi Angels and 22onSloan fund and mentor innovative AI business ideas aimed to solve African problems, founders warned on how not to fumble the bag.
Start-up founders need to be financially literate.
Scaling soon is bad for businesses.
Mentorship and funding available for entrepreneurs with lucrative solutions to African problems.
Wits University is hosting the fourth edition of the Applied Machine Learning Days (AMLD) conference from January 26 to 29 at the Wits Science Stadium and investors are present to advice Artificial Intelligent (AI) powered business founders.
From left to right: Hayet Hammana, Bernadette Bule and Keshni Morar. Photo: Lulah Mapiye
Bernadette Bule, Wits alumni, and Business and Partnerships Manager at 22onSloane, the largest startup campus in Africa, based in Johannesburg, said there is a fundamental skill every founder must have.
“I’ve seen that a lot of founders lack financial literacy, which leads them to desire to scale their businesses way too early. Our programme looks at the stages of our BRL (Business Readiness Level), which is from zero to ten, and determine your business needs as per your BRL level,” she said.
Keshni Morar, Angel Investor at Jozi Angels, agreed. She said a lot of businesses scale prematurely, leading to their downfall. Morar’s core work includes funding and mentoring early-stage South African start-up’s.
“Sometimes they [founders] may not be the right person to scale the business. Understanding fundamentals of business and self-awareness really helps with transferring the power to someone who is more capable of getting the business where it needs to be,” she said.
There were many AI-powered startups at AMLD, from AI models designed to assist doctors with follow-ups, scheduling patients and sending appointment reminders to efforts to end the use of English as a lingua franca through AI-mediated one-on-one conversations amongst African descendants of different languages.
One of the co-founders of Masakhana, a company research and funding company aimed at democratising AI in South Sudan, Lydia Kila Taban said: “We have more than 2,000 spoken languages in Africa, but the technology we use does not understand most of our languages. This results in a lot of people being unable to understand technology as it is not in a language they speak and think in.”
Masakhana is working to solve this problem with the help of researchers, engineers, computer scientists and others passionate about preserving African languages and heritage. This is a perfect example of the type of solutions Jozi Angels is willing to take risk funding.
Bule said with great ideas and the right funding, young people could help put a dent in South Africa’s unemployment problem.
This might be the year the national treasury receives more than two thousand budget tips.
Budget speech to be delivered on February 25, 2026.
Students raise funding, infrastructure, and security concerns.
February 16, 2026, is the closing day to submit tips.
Some university students are eagerly welcoming the Minister of Finance’s call to send budget tips ahead of the second budget speech under the Government of National Unity (GNU), scheduled to be delivered on February 25, 2026.
According to the Parliamentary Monitoring Group, the invitation to send through budget tips began in 1999 under former Finance Minister Trevor Manuel. An effort to get civil society to actively participate in matters of national importance.
Since its inception, citizens’ participation has been limited. In 2023 minister’s office received over 2000 responses. Before and after that, the responses were fewer than a thousand.
Even though the Wits SRC Treasurer General, Somwabo Mhlahlo (22) believes this is one of those things the government does to tick a box, he is determined to contribute to the conversation.
Mhlahlo’s biggest concern is that many students previously funded by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) are unable to register for the 2026 academic year.
“They have outstanding fees and cannot proceed with their studies because of the NSFAS cap on accommodation, it is the government’s responsibility to settle that debt,” he said. NSFAS currently caps accommodation allowance at R55,000 while residences on campus are currently charging between R55,685- R117,962.
For Sanele Segutya (23), a post-graduate student in Public Management, who spent three weeks in a public hospital in Cape Town due to a leg injury, resource allocation on public health services is most important. To offer services that are almost similar to those offered in private hospitals.
“The fact that I was in a hospital in itself is a privilege. My observations may have been surface level, but the nurses seemed frustrated all the time. At some point they had to discharge patients early because of a shortage of beds,” said Segutya.
Another student who is drafting a tip is eighteen-year-old Tsenolo Dampies, first-year student in Computational and Applied Mathematics. Dampies’ focus is infrastructure and security. “We need more cameras in crime hotspots, and more police stations where people can report crime as we all know that crime is on a rise in South Africa,” he said.
Witsies are using this chance to play a part in building the nation they dream of living in. If you were unaware that you have this power, you are being urged to click on this link, in no more than 300 words, state how you want your government to allocate funds, by no later than Monday February 16, 2026.
FEATURED IMAGE: Image showing South African Rands. Photo: Lulah Mapiye
Being a first-year can conjure up a rollercoaster of emotions, and navigating it can turn survival into belonging.
The moment my parents’ car disappeared down the road outside my residence four years ago, reality hit me. Standing there in a new place, surrounded by unfamiliar faces and unpacked boxes, I felt a knot in my stomach and my chest tightened with anxiety. It was bittersweet watching them leave, I felt a mixture of both excitement and fear settling in all at once. As shy as I was, I knew this was an opportunity of a lifetime.
Around me, students laughed as their parents helped them carry boxes upstairs, rooms and corridors buzzed with conversation, and new friendships seemed to form effortlessly. I knew no one. I kept questioning if I truly belonged here. I did not realise then, what I know now, which is that almost everyone around me was feeling the exact same way I did. Even in my loneliness, I promised myself that I would make the most out of this experience.
Walking onto the Wits University campus for the first time can be both exciting and terrifying. Your first year at Wits represents a sense of freedom and possibility, but also pressure and uncertainty, this marks the beginning of a journey that will test you in ways you never expected.
Wits is more than just attending lectures and keeping up with submission deadlines. Outside of classes you will quickly come to realise that this university has so much more to offer. Whether you are grabbing something to munch on at the Matrix, sitting on the Lawns with your new formed friends, or doing the occasional people-watching on the Great Hall steps, these spaces become the heart of student life on main campus.
The fountain separating the Great Hall from the Library Lawns, it brings a relaxing white noise during stressful days. Photo: Bonolo MokonotoThe Matrix, located on east campus. This is a busy student center, with food vendors, banks and the Campus Bookshop. Photo: Bonolo MokonotoThe Main campus bus stop. This is where you will catch the Wits bus that takes you to the other wits campuses and residences. On the same road is AMIC Deck which is the bridge that connects east and west campus. Photo: Bonolo Mokonoto
Hundreds of events are hosted by various clubs and societies and pop- up performances are frequent; this is to remind you that Wits is a community, as much as an academic space. Ensure that you get involved as it will help make campus feel less stressful and more like home.
Speaking of stress, the change from high school to university is drastic and this can be overwhelming. No one is here to remind you of deadlines or check if you are keeping up academically, it is important that you take agency over your own life. First year is not about being perfect, it is about learning how to manage your time efficiently to avoid unnecessary stress later on.
Making friends can be tricky, campus is constantly busy and it is easy to feel alone in the crowd, as was I upon arrival. People might seem like they have it together, but they are silently navigating the confusion and anxiety just as you are. Do not be afraid to talk to the person sitting next to you in a lecture or ask questions in tutorials, you would be surprised how many people feel exactly the way you do.
Zesti Lemonz on west campus, this eatery provides light meal takeaways for students on the go and provides an outdoor seating area to mingle with friends. Photo: Bonolo MokonotoJimmy’s, located on west campus with a corresponding location at the Matrix. Photo: Bonolo MokonotoThe Wits Anglo American Digital Dome is a 360° immersive digital facility on east campus. It provides a state- of -the art venue showcasing science, arts and culture. Photo: Bonolo Mokonto
As the year continues, it is important to know where you can seek out help. Wits offers academic development units such as the Wits Writing Centre, tutors, and libraries that are there to support you. Make use of these facilities early on, there is no shame in seeking help.
Recreational sports facility located on west campus, this is where you can bond with other sports lovers and engage in the ever therapeutic team sport. Photo: Bonolo MokonotoOutdoor gym on west campus close to Barnato Hall Residence. Photo: Bonolo MokonotoA deeply hidden dam and water feature located on west campus next to Barnato. This is known to the seasoned witsies as a secret getaway from the constantly hectic wits campus. Photo: Bonolo MokonotoAlumni House on the lower end of west campus, it houses Olives and Plates a restaurant on campus for all to enjoy. Photo: Bonolo Mokonoto
First year will test you, you might fail a test, or question whether you belong or not. Do not give up, keep showing up and take it one day at a time.
Oh and remember, once a Witsie always a Witsie!
FEATURED IMAGE: The Great Hall at Wits University. Photo: Bonolo Mokonoto
The Vanderbijlpark scholar transport accident exposes how reckless driving and weak enforcement continue to cost lives on South Africa’s roads.
On Monday, January 19, a scholar transport minibus was involved in a devastating collision in Vanderbijlpark, situated south of Johannesburg. The tragic accident resulted in fourteen fatalities, sending shockwaves through Gauteng and the country at large.
As investigations continue, the 22-year-old driver appeared before the Vanderbijlpark Magistate’s Court, where the case took a drastic turn as he abandoned bail and additional charges were added. The National Prosecuting Authority confirmed on Thursday, January 22, that the driver, Ayanda Dludla, now faces 14 counts of murder, upgraded from the initial charges of culpable homicide. Other charges include three counts of attempted murder, one count of driving without a valid permit and one count of operating an unlicensed vehicle.
Initial reports and video footage point to reckless driving during peak traffic. Too often, scholar transports operate in a grey area where unroadworthy vehicles, missing permits and unqualified drivers are treated as a miner issue, rather than a life-threatening risk for the lives of people on the road.
The tragedy that unfolded in Vanderbijlpark is not just a heartbreaking reminder of how dangerous our roads have become; it is an indication of the disappointing system that has repeatedly failed to protect even its most vulnerable users. For years, communities and road safety advocates have warned about reckless driving and weak enforcement from road officials.
The Department of Transport’s recent push to verify scholar transport operators, to ensure proper registration and the possession of valid documentation, is crucial. This raises an uncomfortable question: why did it take the loss of fourteen young lives for this urgency? Road stops after such a tragedy are not enough, enforcement must be consistent and uncompromising, not just reactive.
Scholar transport drivers are entrusted with young lives, and that responsibility needs discipline, patience and respect for the rules of the road. Reckless overtaking, speeding and a complete disregard for traffic laws are acts of negligence with inevitably devastating consequences.
Parents and community members should be empowered to play a role and verifying whether a scholar vehicle is properly registered, checking operating permits, and refusing to use services that cannot prove the above should be normalised. Communities should feel supported and not intimidated or discouraged when reporting unsafe drivers.
The way forward requires more than apologies and condolences. It demands stricter enforcement, routine vehicle inspections and serious consequences. The Vanderbijlpark tragedy must mark a turning point for South Africans. Our children deserve to travel safely to and from school, anything else is a failure we can no longer accept.
Investigations into the accident are ongoing and the case has been postponed to March 5, 2026.
FEATURED IMAGE: Bonolo Mokonoto profile image. Photo: Paul Botes
Behind Johannesburg’s title as a world-class African city lies Wits and UJ transforming the city into Africa’s intellectual powerhouse.
Every lab, start-up and innovation hub is part of Johannesburg’s knowledge.
Together, the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits)and the University of Johannesburg(UJ) represent both prestige and purpose. One drives global excellence, the other ensures progress is inclusive and grounded in local realities.
University expertise is embedded in municipal development, bridging knowledge with real-world governance.
As “Joburgers” would say in Setswana: “Joburg ke country,” meaning Johannesburg is a country. A city that feels like a nation itself, whose name echoes with the roar of commerce. For over a century, its identity has been forged in the deep-level gold mines beneath its tall buildings. It is South Africa’s economic and commercial epicentre, a city built on tangible assets. But the gold of the 21st century isn’t dug from the ground, it is cultivated in lecture halls, coded in digital hubs and debated in policy forums. Today, Johannesburg’s claim as a world-class African city is redefined not only by its physical infrastructure, but by a formidable concentration of intellectual capital.
Image of Wits University standing tall in Jorissen Street. Photo: Abena Mahlahlane
Walking through Braamfontein, the heartbeat of Johannesburg feels close to the surface. The streets are alive with the sound of taxis hooting, car guards filling the area at parking lots, and groups of students in Wits hoodies spilling onto Jorissen Street, cracking jokes and bursting into laughter. Wits University is at the centre of it all, its sandstone buildings rising between the city’s noise and ambition[Ed1] .
Barely five kilometres from inner-city Braamfontein away is the suburb of Auckland Park, where the University of Johannesburg (UJ) beats with its own rhythm. The atmosphere shifts from inner-city street buzz to a campus alive with experimentation. Young innovators huddle as they test prototypes and plan start-ups.
More than just neighbours, the universities are the twin engines of a thriving knowledge economy, providing a growing density of research, innovation and talent. Their combined influence transforms the city into a knowledge economy, where ideas are currency, and innovation is the infrastructure.
Pillars of a knowledge city
Unlike some African cities which dominated by a single major university, Wits and UJ complement each other rather than compete. While Wits University delivers globally benchmarked research, UJ leads in socially embedded innovation. This unique dynamic is validated by the world’s most respected university ranking systems.
Wits University is ranked number 267 in the world, and second in Africa, according to the 2025 QS World University Rankings. Long celebrated for its groundbreaking research, and alumni who’ve shaped South Africa’s story, Wits continues to hold its own among the world’s best.
“From my point of view, rankings are important because institutions want to do well, it is what people see first. We participate in rankings where research is a major component, because that is the hallmark of a good university,” said Wits Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Lynn Morris.
Together, Wits and UJ form the intellectual backbone of Johannesburg. Universities whose ideas don’t stay trapped in ivory towers but spill into the city streets, innovation hubs and communities.
The deep science engine: Wits
Founded in 1922, Wits University is Johannesburg’s oldest and arguably most prestigious university. A beacon of deep research and frontier science. With over 380 NRF-rated researchers, its labs have birthed discoveries from mining engineering to quantum computing.
Wits Quantum Initiative, the first of its kind in Africa, positions the university at the cutting edge of subatomic physics and computational research. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Wits scientists collaborated across disciplines, from epidemiology to data analytics, demonstrating the university’s capacity for rapid, high-impact innovation.
Under its Wits 2033 strategic plan, the university aims to cement its identity as a research-intensive, globally engaged African leader. The plan envisions Wits as a bridge between Global South and North, a hub for scientific collaboration that also speaks to local realities.
Innovation with social purpose: UJ
While Wits chases the stars of scientific prestige, the University of Johannesburg grounds innovation in human impact. UJ’s philosophy is clear: research must solve problems.
Its Strategic Plan 2035, “Reimagining the Future. Realising Possibility” aligns the university’s goals with the UN’s Sustainable Development Agenda. The result is an institution where inclusivity and integrity are baked into the research DNA. With research productivity of 2.35 accredited output units per scholar (double the national average). UJ turns efficiency into impact.
This academic prowess is not confined to campus grounds. Both universities have built powerful, dedicated innovation hubs that act as direct channels for executing economic and social policy, turning abstract knowledge into jobs, businesses and solutions.
Wits and the digital heartbeat of the inner city
Built on the site of a former print works, Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct buzzes with coders, designers and start-ups. It’s not just a space, it’s a policy instrument, part of Johannesburg’s broader urban regeneration strategy. With its name meaning “new beginnings” in Setswana, the precinct operates on three pillars: Digital Skills Development, Incubation & Acceleration, and Market Access. Tshimologong is Wits’s engine for commercializing digital innovation.
I visited the precinct late one afternoon and was immediately greeted by a cheerful administrator, who called for executive assistant Kgaugelo Modiba to assist me. “Don’t be nervous,” Modiba reassured me, as I prepared to interview the initiative’s CEO Mark Harris.
A few people sat nearby in the café area, eyes hooked on laptops, making the most of the precinct’s quiet hum and free Wi-Fi. It was exactly how Prof. Morris described it, “you should visit the precinct, it is a rather refreshing space where everyone is welcome. You can grab coffee and enjoy perks of free Wi-Fi.”
Kgaugelo led me down a corridor into a boardroom flooded with natural light. Tshimologong CEO Mark Harris greeted me with a glass of water and an easy smile. It seems conversations for the people at the precinct come easily. “So what kind of journalist are you going to be? The good kind or the bad one,” Harris laughed.
I asked Harris why Tshimologong had been placed in the heart of Braamfontein, and his answer echoed the vision of the late Professor Barry Dwolatzky (founder of Tshimologong), which was that young people hold the creativity, energy and reason to build a new South Africa. Braamfontein was chosen because its streets are alive with students and young creators.
“The vision was to spot people like yourself who are educated and ambitious, create space for them to become entrepreneurs,” said Harris.
The precinct was never meant to sit safely inside the university walls, but to stand open to all youth, educated, self-taught and anyone with the will to innovate and build.
Tshimologong’s Digital Skills Academy is a crucial accelerator, taking high-potential youth and equipping them with job-ready skills in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and the Internet of Things; the core competencies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).
This isn’t just for the sake of training, the precinct works with corporate partners on Enterprise Supplier Development (ESD) programs. These aim to secure employment through its network, creating a direct pipeline from the classrooms to the economy.
“From what I’ve seen of the youngsters who come here, these are people who want to make an impact. Our trainers are just as committed, they are determined to empower future entrepreneurs. The youth are showing up positively, they are hungry for change, and they want to help South Africa grow. We often hear the negative stories about crime and violence, but I refuse to only see that side. There is so much potential here, and I believe in them,” said Harris.
As the discussion continued to unfold, it moved beyond Braamfontein’s physical space to the culture it nurtures. Harris’s belief in the potential of young people seem to find its proof just outside the boardroom walls.
This spirit is best captured by the Fak’ugesi African Digital Innovation Festival, hosted at Tshimologong every year. This festival turns Braamfontein into a pulsing circuit of creativity. The 2025 edition, themed #PowerSurge, called on Africa’s digital creators to “take control on the grid”, blending ancestral intelligence with artificial intelligence.
The Fak’ugesi festival turns Braamfontein into a living circuit of art, technology and collaboration, celebrating Africa’s creative power in the digital age. Photo: Abena Mahlahlane
Walking through the entrance felt like stepping into an animated scene. Walls alive with colour, music weaving between exhibition stands and a soft buzz of conversation rising from every corner. A row of Virtual Reality headsets lined one side of the room, where groups of young people tested immersive worlds. Up the staircase were two small rooms that had been turned into gaming rooms, complete with PS5 and Xbox consoles that drew clusters of gamers competing in friendly matches.
Panels of speakers shared stories of small start-up creators and local digital enterprises. Every corner felt like a classroom and playground combined, a space where learning, creativity and collaboration merged.
“When I curated #PowerSurge I looked at what is currently happening in the African digital continent, we saw last year in 2024, about 65 billion Rands worth of investments that went into start-up, technology and creative sectors,” said the director of Fak’ugesi festival, Alby Michaels. “This year we wanted to showcase what is next in the African continent. We have been creating this beautiful content for our creators for years, but I think now it was all about owning up agencies, standing together and moving forward with purpose.”
Through such initiatives, Johannesburg asserts itself not merely as a consumer of global tech, but as a producer of digital culture and creativity, solidifying its reputation as a continental innovation capital.
“Creators are doing amazing stuff, we are not just consumers of the digital space we are actually critics of those spaces,” said Michaels.
Ideas move faster than light, a panel of artists, technologists and innovators reimagining what it means to create in the digital age. Photo: Abena Mahlahlane
CALSTEAM: UJ’s Future-of-Learning Lab
UJ’s Centre for Advanced Learning Technologies in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (CALSTEAM) redefines how the next generation learns.
Instead of chalk and paper, lessons unfold through virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), tools designed to make abstract science visible and alive. “VR allows students to step inside the science,” explained Professor Mafor Penn, who leads research at the centre. “Concepts like molecules, cells and sound waves suddenly become visible, something you can interact with rather than just imagine.”
Concepts like molecules, cells and sound waves suddenly become visible, something you can interact with rather than just imagine.
CALSTEAM evolved from UJ’s former VARSTEME hub, broadening its focus to include the arts and entrepreneurship. Its mission is not only to enhance teaching but to cultivate educators who are also innovators. Teachers who can create, adapt and apply technology to suit local contexts.
For many South African schools where resources remain scarce, CALSTEAM is deliberate about accessibility. Many of its tools are designed for affordability, ensuring that immersive learning is not limited to well-resourced schools. “We don’t want to widen the gap between those who have and those who don’t,” said Penn. “That’s why we work with scalable, low-cost technologies that can be used anywhere, even in under-resourced classrooms.”
The centre’s pioneering project, Culturally Anchored Virtual and Augmented Reality Simulations (CAVARS), takes this philosophy further by merging indigenous knowledge systems with science education. In one simulation, African drumming demonstrates sound waves, turning cultural practice into scientific inquiry. “Science should never feel foreign,” Penn added. “When learners see their heritage reflected in what they study, it becomes meaningful and memorable.”
Through coding clubs, immersive learning workshops, and postgraduate programmes in Educational Technology, CALSTEAM envisions a future where learning is not confined to textbooks but expands into virtual space, interactive, inclusive, and distinctly African.
Hardwiring Academia into the city’s DNA
Gauteng City-Region Observatory (GCRO) offices at Wits. Photo: Abena Mahlahlane
A true world-class city does not just produce knowledge, it governs through it. The Gauteng City-Region Observatory (GCRO) is the institutional glue that connects Wits, UJ and the Gauteng Provincial Government. This is not a case of academia simply advising from the sidelines, it is a deep, structural partnership.
“The GCRO is an important research unit that provides data to the provincial government to help them understand and know where to place their resources, to know what interventions to look at, plan and think about the health of the city. “Wits and UJ also plays part and contribute to providing evidence and the data needed”, said Prof. Morris.
Binding the partnership together is the Quality of Life Survey, a mirror reflecting how Johannesburg’s residents navigate the promises and pressures of city life. From employment and housing to public transport and social cohesion. The survey provides policymakers and researchers with a shared lens on how people actually experience the city. “Our work has to have both the rigorous foundation and approach of academics, but be structured in a way that could be useful to policy makers. So, questions are tailored to what problems we see in Johannesburg region and how they could be academically rigorous to answering those questions,” said GCRO researcher, Jason Bell. “Wits and UJ are historic centres of debate, discussion, knowledge generation. They play an active role in the ecosystem of policy identification.”
The road ahead
Both institutions have formalized their future through long-term strategies, Wits 2033 and UJ 2035, each mapping a decade of sustained excellence.
Wits aims to strengthen its position as the leading research university in the Global South, while UJ envisions itself as the model of inclusive innovation. Their combined trajectories ensure that Johannesburg’s intellectual ecosystem remains globally competitive and locally transformative. If executed, these roadmaps could make Johannesburg the continental capital of knowledge innovation, leading Africa into the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).
“People want to see more than just the research, they want to see that the research is actually deployed. Whether it is a new of doing things, a new product or a new device, something tangible, an improved process,” said Morris.
The city that thinks
In small, ordinary moments, a lecture’s spark, a student’s first breakthrough, a start-up’s first pitch, Johannesburg’s new gold is being mined.
Through innovation hubs that drive economic growth and educational equity, and a unique governance model that embeds their expertise into the very fabric of the city, these two universities are doing more than just educating students. They are actively building a more resilient, prosperous, and innovative Johannesburg—a true world-class African city for the 21st century.
FEATURED IMAGE: A collage of Johannesburg’s academic icons, representing the city’s transformation into a world-class hub of knowledge. Photo: Abena Mahlahlane
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