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.
Umkhosi Womhlanga, held annually during the first or second week of spring every year, is a cultural festival in South Africa where tens of thousands of young women gather to celebrate womanhood and cultural identity. Members of Uthingo lwamankosazana pushed back on a common misconception that women who attend Umkhosi Womhlanga do so to be selected as wives.
Final-year BSc Astronomy and Astrophysics student Tania Nyanda said this, and other stereotypes have contributed to young people becoming disconnected from traditional practices. She said members attend the ceremony to pay their respects to the royal family and take part in prayer. Mdletshe described it instead as a celebration of ubuntombi (maidenhood), and a chance for maidens from different provinces to learn from one another.
An image of Uthingo Lwamankosazana at Umkhehlo Sanele Sithole
Uthingo Lwamankosazana members have been preparing for the ceremony through a ‘Siyaya eMhlangeni’ camp and amahubo, which are traditional song practices held on campus. Second-year Bachelor of Education Student Nosipho Makhalima said the camp prepares members by advising them on how to conduct themselves and reminding them of the significance of Umkhosi Womhlanga.
Beyond ceremony preparation, the society doubles as a support network for young women in their 20s, navigating university life away from home. Makhalima described it as a safe and educational space where members discuss issues around relationships, sexuality, and abstinence in line with the traditional values promoted by the society and at its centre is a sense of sisterhood.
Ntluzo said young women often become disconnected from their traditions once they arrive at university, driven by peer pressure and fear of appearing “too traditional.” She added that social media has also shifted young people’s attitudes towards culture.
As Uthingo Lwamankosazana members prepare for this year’s ceremony, Uthingo Lwamankosazana continues to give Wits students a space to engage with culture, support one another and hold on to tradition while navigating university life.
FEATURED IMAGE: An image of member of Uthingo Lwamankosazane by Sanele Sithole
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
Beyond the polished grids and aesthetically pleasing feeds, Witsies are using social media on their own terms, transforming videos into value and posts into powerful tools to build a lasting digital presence.
On any given day around the Great Hall or the Matrix, you will see them. Students carrying heavy school bags, holding a coffee from Xpresso in one hand, and using the other to set up a tripod. Some are filming a quick “outfit of the day” at West Campus, while others record a “spend the day with me” vlog on their walk between lectures. Behind these quick videos, many Wits students are running real digital businesses right alongside their degrees. Across South Africa, the digital landscape is no longer just a virtual space: it has evolved into what Siphokazi Vuso describes in Forbes Africa as a strategic jobs engine.
Yet beneath polished Instagram feeds and viral TikTok clips lies a reality of late-night admin, delayed invoices, and the emotional weight of putting oneself into the world. For three Witsies Kungawo Gwayi, Praise Ngubeni and Amahle-Imvelo Jaxa, building a digital presence is not simply about chasing views. It is about discipline, courage, and transforming content creation into something impactful and valuable for their audience.
Every creative journey starts with a personal spark. For Gwayi, who holds an honours degree in theatre and performance, self-expression has always been central. “I started with fashion content because putting together an outfit felt natural,” Gwayi explains. As she grows, she has opened herself up to other spheres from skincare, perfumes and banking so she can be marketable across various brands.
An image of Kungawo taking pictures for her instagram page. Photo by: Rearabilwe Tsebela
An image of Kungawo going through her pictures. Photo by: Rearabilwe Tsebela
For Ngubeni, a third-year accounting student from Ermelo, Mpumlanga, content creation grew from a quiet desire to step outside familiar boundaries. “Being a boy from a small town with a simple culture really makes one feel boxed in. Intrinsically, I am an explorer, a leader and an opportunist,” Ngubeni explains. His entry point was through fitness. “People would enquire with me about their training, diets and just general life advice. I realized I could leverage all of this not only to better my life, but to inspire and motivate those around me”.
Praise shares a look into his workout session. Video: Courtesy of @praise_ye
Jaxa, an international relations honours graduate, was raised on news and politics by a single mother and political father turned serial entrepreneur. “Every Sunday my mom and I read the paper together”, Jaxa reflects. “Without that nurturing, I wouldn’t have the keen interest I have in current affairs and politics.” When her video on South Africa’s peacekeeping went viral, it confirmed her path. “I have created content since social media existed, it was an easy transition.”
An image of content creator Amahle Jaxa featured in a print profile by the Daily Dispatch. Photo: Courtesy of @jaxxofalltrades_sa / Daily Dispatch
The soft glow of a screen often hides the physical and mental endurance requires to sustain a digital footprint alongside university deadlines.
Ngubeni relies on careful time management to balance his degree with his creative drive. “My weeks are always planned in advance. I wake up early Monday through to Saturday and I know midday is for classes and gym, and then in the evenings I fight to get in the last solid block of studying.” He speaks openly about the weight it carries. “Burnout becomes life at some point, and I just learn to be patient enough to let it build my capacity”.
For Gwayi, the final year of her degree demanded profound emotional strength. “I had to balance work, academics and grief since I had lost my very close friend,” she recalls. “Listing my priorities and ticking off as I go definitely helped me show up as best as I can.
Beyond tight schedules, both creators acknowledge the vulnerability that comes with visibility. Gwayi notes, “It is not normal to have parts of your life always at people’s disposal even when you are a private person, digital content creation is a performance of self.” Jaxa echoes this feeling, adding: “From an emotional perspective, you expose yourself to strangers, from a mental perspective, it’s gruelling. It’s about posting consistently and sometimes even when you do not want to.”
A picture of Kungawo taking pictures for her Instagram page. Photo by: Rearabilwe Tsebela
Digital platforms open up genuine opportunities across the continent, but navigating industry structures requires patience and adaptability.
Learning the professional side of the media landscape was a formative process for each creator. Ngubeni’s first project came after sharing organic content for a major retail group, which led to a paid opportunity between R4 000 and R6 000. He has since poured his earnings back into tools like an iPad to support his workflow. “The one thing people miss is that this is a business, not a hobby that happened to pay,” Ngubeni notes. “Behind the videos, there are invoices, rate cards, vendor registration forms and pricing decisions.”
Jaxa recalls her first paid campaign in 2020 earning R3000 for a DIY clothing brand shoot in her apartment and credits a major campaign with Steers for boosting her confidence and giving her a crash course in set professionalism.
Both Jaxa and Gwayi highlight managing long payment cycles often taking 30 to 90 days as one of the steepest learning curves for creators. Jaxa advises hiring an accountant as soon as possible to manage cash flow.
Despite the quiet sacrifices behind the scenes, all three creators are building careers to be proud of.
“I would tell them to start now,” Gwayi encourages fellow students. “The more you think about it, the less productive you are being. Allow yourself to be seen trying.
Ngubeni shares a similar sentiment: “Do it scared, do it unsure, do it. Second half: learn to manage your time extremely well and plan your content intentionally.”
For Jaxa, remaining grounded in one’s voice is everything. “Stay true to yourself; authenticity goes such a long way and that’s what your audience wants,” she says. “It is also one of the most fulfilling things I have ever done. I have an autonomy over my life that many people are not afforded, and I will always be grateful.”
Watching Gwayi, Ngubeni and Jaxa navigate their paths, it becomes clear that student content creation is about far more than trends or viral moments. It is about brave young people deciding that their stories, their perspectives and their futures belong firmly in their own hands. As they balance long nights of studying with the courage to be seen, they remind us that building a life of purpose does not happen overnight, it is created draft by draft and, post by post.
FEATURED IMAGE: A image of three Witsies buildinding a digital presence as content creators. Photos: Top: Rearabilwe Tsebela, Bottom Left:@praise_ye, Bottom Right:@jaxxofalltrades_sa, Collage: Rearabilwe Tsebela
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
Inside the Dome, African tales are revived and retold anew.
Wits launches its annual Digital Dome Festival to retell African oral stories through Virtual Reality, dome animation and projections.
Fourth-year digital arts and animation students showcased their film projects.
The Dome takes African stories to the world while creating employment opportunities for students.
“You are already in the future. Others will arrive,” said Professor René Smith, Head of the Wits School of Arts, during the opening of the Digital Dome Festival, pointing to the transformative power of immersive media.
Wits University hosted its Digital Dome Festival between August 21 and 22, 2026 in collaboration with the Wits School of Arts (Digital Arts Division), the Naval Hill Planetarium, the University of the Free State, and cultural institutions including Electric South and the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS).
This year’s theme, Stories Spoken, Stories Seen, was inspired by diverse African oral storytelling traditions passed down through generations. African folktales were retold through immersive digital technologies like dome animations, VR experiences and projections. The theme and festival demonstrate that “Africa can shape the future of immersive media,” said Professor Lynn Morris, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research and Innovation at Wits.
Student screenings formed a central part of the programme.
An animated statue of Nelson Mandela from the Wall-E film. Photo by: Naledi Maraisane
The Nanabolele projection stood out. The two-minute film, based on a Sesotho mythological interpretation, follows Princess Thakane, blessed by her grandmother to hunt the Nanabolele — a water-dwelling, dragon-like creature that glows in the dark and travels hidden inside clouds or red smoke. She seeks its glowing hide to make gifts for her brothers returning from initiation.
“We wanted a story that could speak to a large amount of people. We started looking at African mythology and folktales,” said Tlhalefo Boshielo, a fourth-year Digital Arts student in animation and projection mapping. The Nanabolele VR experience placed viewers inside a non-physical world, bringing imagination to life through immersive technology.
On what inspired this year’s theme, Sasha Wessels, Digital Arts lecturer and organiser, said that in high school she was not allowed to learn about African languages or traditions, which felt like a robbery. “I left high school angry. I feel unknowledgeable about the country that I live in.”
Projects can be rented to other global domes for profit, creating employment opportunities for students. For this reason, Wessels does not allow students to use Artificial Intelligence (AI). “The issue with AI is that the moment you implement it, you can’t sell it.” However, she acknowledges AI as a useful tool in an industry long gatekept by the West.
Through immersive technologies, students are archiving, professionalising and making African oral traditions, history and storytelling exportable.
FEATURED IMAGE: Students experiencing VR technology for the first time. Photo by: Naledi Maraisane
South Africa’s growing illicit economy is putting everyday consumers at risk.
South Africa’s illicit economy is estimated to account for 12–15% of Gross Domestic Product.
The Consumer Goods Council South Africa’s #YourChoiceHasPower campaign is urging consumers to make informed choices.
Consumers are caught between affordability, accessibility and safety.
A gun threat against investigative journalist Govan Whittles, dangerous methanol in illegal alcohol and poison sold by street vendors are some of the scenes that stuck out in Someone Always Pays, a documentary series examining South Africa’s billion-rand illicit economy.
The Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGCSA) launched its #YourChoiceHasPower campaign alongside the documentary, with the council estimating that illicit trade accounts for between 12% and 15% of South Africa’s GDP.
Photo of panel speakers at the launch of the #YourChoiceHasPower campaign. Photo: Nqobile Mtshali
Illicit trade is usually associated with cigarettes, alcohol and counterfeit clothing, but the problem stretches much further. Food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, fuel and chemicals are also sold on the black market, meaning consumers don’t always know whether the products they buy are legitimate or substandard. Chief executive officer of CGCSA, Zinhle Tyikwe said reach of illicit goods is “becoming deeper and scarier.”
Economic pressure and unemployment can make cheaper illicit products attractive, creating a difficult choice between what people can afford and what is legitimate and safe. Tyikwe said, “It’s mainly unaffordability,” that keeps the market alive.
Illicit trade is not confined to poorer communities. Whittles’ team found illicit cigarettes being sold in affluent areas including Rosebank, Parkhurst and Sandton. The investigation also uncovered connections between different illicit industries and organised crime. “It’s all connected. It’s all organised crime,” Whittles said.
That interconnectedness helps explain why the cost of illicit trade extends beyond sales. Dangerous products can have consequences for ordinary people, while legitimate businesses can lose customers. Whittles said, “People pay with their lives,” and those who do not pay with their lives can pay with their livelihoods. His team encountered a shopkeeper who refused to sell illicit tobacco but struggled to attract customers because cheaper alternatives were available elsewhere.
The scale of the illicit economy creates further pressure on law enforcement. Whittles said authorities struggle to intercept and investigate every shipment, while Tyikwe said prosecution remains a problem, arguing that fines imposed on those caught selling illicit products are often insufficient to deter the trade.
The CGCSA says consumers can help disrupt this cycle by buying from legitimate outlets, being cautious when prices seem too good to be true and checking products before purchasing them. Its My CGCSA app allows consumers to scan products and access information about registered brand owners, while suspected illicit goods can be reported through the app.
FEATURED IMAGE: Cigarette’s showcased as examples of illicit goods at the launch of the #YourChoiceHasPower campaign. Photo: Nqobile Mtshali
A sonic experience that opened one up to the divinely realm and showcased how powerful the voice and song can truly be. Through Lili-La MandiFeze took the audience through a journey of exploring vulnerability and honouring the fullness of the black femme experience.
On Sunday afternoon, August 16 2026 I found myself at the Makgabeng shelter in the Wits Origins Centre. There I sat in a dimly lit room with a huge rock painting in front of me. In my eyeline there were two black chairs covered by a red cloth, a white candle, lit and sparkling in a cup, and red cloth draped on the floor. The space itself was intimate and made me feel as if I was underground. The red cloth and candle added a homely feeling to the environment. I sat in anticipation, curiously waiting for what was to come from MandiFeze’s sonic experience Lili-La. Initially, I had no idea what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised by how immersive and soulful the overall experience was.
A photo of the setup for the performance. Photo: Sikelelekile Pahlana
MandiFeze is a music and theatre duo founded by former Witsies, Mandisa Yende and Lufezo Bovungana. The audience was met with the sound of a whistle coming from around the corner, and an enchanting voice that signified the start of the show. MandiFeze seamlessly brought the spiritual realm to the physical room, it felt as if the world had stopped and we were all absorbed by the performance at hand. This sonic experience was like no other, it incorporated physical movement, with sounds of emotive expressions, vocals that touched the ceiling and a hollowing silence that sent chills down one’s spine.
A photo of Mandisa Yende and Lufezo Bovungana during the performance. Photo: Sikelelekile Pahlana
The intense eye-contact from MandiFeze, as they searched around the room, made one feel involved in their inner world. MandiFeze pierced through one’s facade of strength and softened the heart space; vulnerability became the meeting point between the audience and performance.
From the beginning up until the very end, Lili-La took us on a journey that unpacked the source of ingoma (song) for MandiFeze. The performance made us witnesses to their internal process of connecting with the divine and honouring the influence of the matriarch. Whilst also unpacking what it means to be an artist. They clearly acknowledge that apart of the purpose of ingoma is to heal people.
In conversation with MandiFeze, Bovungana shed light on how the meaning of Lili-La is ever changing, they said: “we’re beginning to realize that it’s really just a commemoration to the Black femme body that has contributed to ingoma but is also the reason why ingoma exists. It’s an ode to the people that came before us and gave us the song. It (the song) comes from the spirit; it comes from the place in which dead people live.” Yende further added that, “Lili-La then becomes the full spectrum of black femmehood and black femme emotion. We’re trying to really showcase the full spectrum from black joy to black grief to sadness to just visibly showing that you’re carrying weight and allowing ourselves to bear that burden and to showcase what that burden looks like, boldly.”
A photo of Mandisa Yende during the performance. Photo: Sikelelekile Pahlana
According to MandiFeze, Lili-la stems from combining their research during their honour’s studies, where Bovungana explored, “how expressive sounds have contributed to vocal techniques, specifically ululation” and Yende shared, “I was looking into the ways that wailing and ingoma are forms of healing for the black femme body because of how we’ve been expected to always be imbokodo. So, breaking down that narrative of imbokodo by embracing wailing.” Lili-la therefore is a creative play on words, incorporating ukulila (to grieve) and ukulilizela (ululating).
A photo of MandiFeze in prayer during the performance. Photo: Sikelelekile Pahlana
I was captivated by the intimacy and vulnerability in the way they embodied joy through laughter and sadness through intense wailing. I was moved when they both prayed asking for strength to continue on their journey as artists and for guidance along the way. Additionally, the moments of silence that followed brought a sense of stillness in the room, bridging a connection between all those who bore witness and collectively felt the essence of the performance.
When asked what they hoped the audience would take away from the sonic performance, Yende shared, “I think the hope is in a breath for the audience, an exhale from the audience, which for us I think would be mission accomplished as healers. In that people walking out feeling different, reflecting, and seeing either parts of themselves or parts of some form of matriarch belonging.” On the other hand, Bovungana shared, “Allowing your body to feel all the emotions without holding back. Giving the platform to feel what wants to be felt. Be easy on your vessels.”
Overall, the experience was eye-opening, as it awakened me to how healing and expansive the voice can really be when used intentionally. The creative passion of MandiFeze ignited a subtle fire in me that left me feeling inspired, grounded and tender. MandiFeze cultivated a unique sonic experience rooted in African customs, which felt like a homecoming, a return to self.
Vuvu rating 9/10.
FEATURED IMAGE: A photo of Mandisa Yende and Lufezo Bovungana during the performance. Photo: Sikelelekile Pahlana
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, […]
