Legendary radiologist Dr Farrell Spiro has received a prestigious award for his service to South Africa.

Wits alumnus Dr Farrell Spiro became the first radiologist to be honoured with the  Christiaan Barnard Memorial Award on 23 July.

The award recognises the contributions made by esteemed medical practitioners with remarkable dedication to their field. Spiro is known for an illustrious career spanning over 50 years that started with a bachelor in medicine and surgery from Wits University in 1962.

The doctor is known as the “father of interventional radiology” and is credited with starting the first interventional radiology unit at Johannesburg’s Milpark Hospital in 1971. Spiro’s career highlights include being the first South African to perform a balloon angioplasty on a leg, in the iliac artery. This is a procedure that widens blocked arteries to improve blood flow. He was given an award at a ceremony at Netcare Sunninghill Hospital, where he has practised for 24 years. Spiro was also the first South African medical practitioner to put stents in arteries outside of the heart.

Netcare Sunninghill Hospital general manager Pieter Louw told Wits Vuvuzela that Spiro spearheaded the radiology department at the hospital and had left a fine example for fellow medical practitioners.

“This is the first time that one of the doctors at Netcare Sunninghill Hospital has been awarded the Christiaan Barnard Award, and this will most definitely inspire other doctors to contribute immensely to the medical field in South Africa,” said Louw.

Spiro told Wits Vuvuzela his advice to aspiring Wits radiologists is always to be aware that the patient comes first.

“You are dealing with a patient, not just an x-ray,” he said. “I remember a lecturer telling us all we need to have is honesty, integrity and knowledge, and you will be a good doctor.”

Spiro said, “The field is growing because the technology is growing and it’s exciting to see what you can do with MRI, CT and ultrasounds – we didn’t have that; we only had x-rays. The students thrive with these new developments.”

Long-time colleague and radiographer Evelyn Goosen described Spiro as humble and down-to-earth.

“He’s not a cowboy. You get doctors who will do anything to get money, but he will do anything for the patient instead,” said Goosen.

After his lifetime achievement Spiro has no immediate plans to retire, even at the age of 80.

“When I get up, I am happy to go to work. I like to be useful and if that changes to a point where I got bored or disinterested, that’s when I’ll stop,” said Spiro.

FEATURED IMAGE: Influential radiologist Dr Farrell Spiro and radiographer Evelyn Goosen stand beside the Christiaan Barnard Memorial Award. Photo: Busang Senne.

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“We want to give back what we never had growing up”.

A group of 16 students from the Wits Emerging Leaders Program are developing a website to help high school students apply to South African universities on one single portal.

Zanele Simango, the group’s project manager, said this year’s plan is an attempt to achieve one of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. They have chosen the category Quality Education by creating a website for high school students to help them apply for university.

“Our idea is to have a website for every single high school student that provides access to textbooks, a step-by-step guide on how to apply for university, and advises them on what to study at university,” said Simango.

Coming from different educational backgrounds, the group were inspired to create such a website to provide students with the tools they wish they had when they were in high school.

“In the emotional intelligence course I learned that even though I am leading other people, you should always put yourself first,” said the 19-year-old.

The group’s publicity and media consultant, Miriro Munodawafa (23), said the theme behind this year’s project was inspired by the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Munodawafa told Wits Vuvuzela the group “is currently in the process of raising funds to assist with creating the website”.

The Emerging Leaders Program is a flagship programme created in 2007 by the Wits Development and Leadership Unit (DLU).

The DLU takes in 60 students who hold leadership positions from Wits as well as other universities, to be a part of the Emerging Leaders Program.

Neo Cindi, who leads the programme, said it is aimed at molding young leaders who display leadership characteristics.

“It is an intense programme which creates leaders who can lead without a title and help solve social injustices,” said Cindi.

Each year, students in the Emerging Leaders Program are tasked with a project through which they try to address social requirements.

“We are looking for investors who will also benefit from the website, for instance ABSA and universities,” said Munodawafa.

The group hopes to create an “equal playing field” for students to reach their full potential.

FEATURED IMAGE: Members of the Wits DLU Emerging Leaders Program.         Photo: Tumelo Modiba

“Sexual and GBV is not just rape or harassment, it is catcalling, and unwanted sexual jokes” – Sophia Sideras-Haddad.

Amnesty International Wits started a campaign on Monday July 29 to bring awareness of sexual and gender-based violence (GBV) to Wits campuses.

The campaign includes a panel discussion, the display of posters across campuses and painting a wall to spread awareness about the advocacy campaign.

Alwande Khumalo, head of the women’s subcommittee of Amnesty International Wits, told Wits Vuvuzela that sexual and GBV is “an abuse of human rights that everyone speaks about, but no one really acts on”.

The campaign is “a response to the heightened levels of sexual and gender-based violence we have seen throughout South Africa”, said Khumalo, mainly focusing on Wits University.

By looking at the university’s policies on GBV, Amnesty International Wits is attempting to conduct research alongside the campaign to see how effective and practical the university’s policies are.

“Even though there is no data available to students, there is enough anecdotal evidence to show that this phenomenon is prevalent in our community,” said Amnesty International Wits chairperson Sophia Sideras-Haddad.

Amnesty International University Pretoria (UP) plans to run an advocacy campaign similar to that undertaken by Amnesty International Wits.

Beloved Sechele, a volunteer at Amnesty International UP and LLB student, told Wits Vuvuzela she hopes the campaign will increase the conversation people have about sexual and GBV.

“I do not think it is dealt with in the depth it deserves,” said the LLB student.

“It is time to have this conversation on sexual and gender-based violence,” said Lebogang Kotane, head of Amnesty International Wits’ Gender and Sexuality subcommittee.

Amnesty International Wits is still in the process of receiving ethical and formal clearance from the university to conduct research.

Partnered with Amnesty International South Africa, Amnesty International Wits’ advocacy campaign on sexual and gender-based violence at Wits will run for a year, beginning in Women’s Month 2019, and will conclude in Women’s Month 2020.

FEATURED IMAGE: Members of Amnesty Wits stand behind their campaign. Photo: Tumelo Modiba

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Wits tackles second semester with empowering debriefing sessions

The Wits Counselling and Careers Development Unit (CCDU) held “coping with failure and exclusion talks” at university residences last week.

Khanyisile Bujela, a psychologist at the CCDU, said students need to abandon ineffective coping mechanisms and utilise structures offered by the university.

“I champion going to CCDU for counselling rather than thinking you can do it by yourself. When help is there, get into the habit of using it,” she said.

SRC academic officer Palesa Mofokeng said the intermediary role of the SRC is crucial when it comes to dealing with exclusion. She also said it is important that students not self-diagnose,

“If students find themselves struggling, it is important that they seek help before things escalate and they find themselves in situations where they face failure or exclusion,” said Mofokeng.

Bujela emphasised the importance of students consulting with lecturers and the relevant heads of schools or departments. She said students are afraid to consult with lecturers who are paid to assist them.

It was after this comment that Precious Gumbo, first-year urban and regional planning student, said: “I personally don’t consult with lecturers even if I don’t understand the work, because they say you were not listening in class or you are not applying yourself.”

Hlamulo Silinda, a first-year clinical medical practice student, said it is important not to give up after a first consultation, because the lecturer will then realise you may really be struggling and in need of assistance.

Mofokeng told Wits Vuvuzela students often seek help when it is too late and once the board of exams has completed its sitting.

“As the SRC we try our best to aid students and assist them by suggesting solutions that could remedy the situation. So when students have not taken pre-emptive measures we cannot be held liable,” Mofokeng said.

“Talks and workshops are freely available on campus, so when it comes to exclusion and failure there is so much we can do. The onus is on the students.”

FEATURED IMAGE: SRC academic officer, Palesa Mofokeng, talks to Wits Vuvuzela about the process of academic exclusion.   Photo: Anathi Madubela

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Wits community starts collecting to uplift grade 12 students from poor schools

Members of the Wits ASC and subcommitee at the drive station. Front (left to right): Sisonke Mbadlanyana, Sibusiso Mkhatshwa, Wandile Mokwena and Nobuhle Segona. Back (left to right): Kamahanyo Molope, Hlalanathi November and Liyabona Tshangana.                                                                                                                                                     Photo: Rose Clemence Shayo

Wits Accounting Students’ Council (Wits ASC) is planning to provide matric students from underprivileged schools with sanitary pads and stationery after collecting donations for a week outside Wits FNB Building.

The collection drive started on July 29 and aimed to gather stationery such as pencils, rulers, notebooks and ballpoint pens, as well as sanitary pads.

Wits ASC chairperson Thandoluhle Vilakazi said although the donations have just started, the drive’s collection volume has increased compared to the first day.

“We want to make such charity activities an ongoing event,” Vilakazi told Wits Vuvuzela.

As part of the school supplies and pads drive the council is giving out free coffee, tea and hot chocolate to all those who visit the station to either donate or inquire about the drive.

To ensure that the pad and stationery drives are a success, the council has reached out to corporates such as Investec and Pick n Pay for donations and it hopes responses will be favourable.

Vilakazi said they are yet to decide which schools will benefit from the drive.

An attendee at the drive, second-year BCom accounting student Lionel Lomboto, said “It is a great idea and I believe that the hand that gives is the hand that receives.”

He said the council should ensure that such events happen every year.

Nolan Naidoo, a second-year BCom in risk management and insurance student, said he is aware of the problem of pads that girls are facing and it is a good thing the council is helping high school students.

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FEATURED IMAGE: Wandile Mokwena conversing with Sibusiso Mkhatsuwa at the stationary and sanitary pads drive station.

Wits researchers presented a study in Mexico City with results that could save millions of lives.

Researchers from Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute (RHI) are conducting a study that could change how South Africans take antiretroviral treatments (ARTs).

Professor Francois Venter from Ezintsha, a subdivision of Wits RHI, presented the latest results of the study, named ADVANCE, at the 10^th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Science in Mexico City from 21-24 July.

The ongoing study has so far been conducted for 48 weeks in Johannesburg and is due to end in mid-2020.

Published in the influential New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), the study focused on changing two elements of the standard three-combination drug treatment used to successfully suppress HIV.

ADVANCE included two new replacement drugs called tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) and dolutegravir (DTG) in the treatment of at least 1050 HIV-positive participants in the Johannesburg suburbs of Hillbrow and Yeoville, who had never taken ARVs.

At 48 weeks of a 96-week course, the study found that DTG provided the benefits of its predecessor, the drug efavirenz (EFV), but with fewer negative side effects on organs such as bones, liver or kidneys.

Dr Michelle Moorhouse, who is one of the co-principle investigators of ADVANCE and head of treatment strategies at Wits RHI, told Wits Vuvuzela the study could limit the barriers faced by people living with HIV who were seeking treatment.

“DTG has few side effects and is very robust, which means the virus does not easily become resistant to DTG, as it does to EFV.

“It is a low dose, which means a smaller pill, and when rolled out to millions of people there will be significant cost savings, allowing more people to access ART,” said Moorhouse.

ADVANCE is a potential game changer for South African ART guidelines and provides evidence for why the country should change to DTG.

Another co-principle investigator of ADVANCE, Nkuli Mashabane, said, “One of the takeaways should be that Wits researchers have the capability to conduct policy impacting clinical research that not only has global impact but improves the lives of South Africans affected by HIV.”

For Wits University, the study emphasises the institution’s dedication to scientific research that consistently makes its way across the world.

“I think we should be very proud that a group of researchers from Wits designed and conducted a world-class study that has informed global as well as national guidelines and in so doing has provided data to answer some questions about DTG and TAF,” said Moorhouse.

The university currently does not offer ARVs on campus, but the head of Campus Health and Wellness, Sister Maggie Moloi, is in discussions with the Department of Health to make ARVs accessible to students.

“We cannot buy ARVs. They are very expensive. It’s better if we get them through the department of health,” said Moloi. “The staff here are going to be trained by the Department of Health about the new medication; it’s better working with them.”

The main advantage of DTG is that it is cheaper to produce and could bring South Africa one step closer to its 90-90-90 targets: 90% HIV-positive people knowing their status, 90% of those being on ART, and 90% of ART users having an undetectable viral load. That shows the HIV count is low and tests cannot recognise the virus in the blood.

“Smaller pills and few side effects make ART easier to take and easier to adhere to, which benefits the second 90,” said Moorhouse.

“Because DTG is so robust, and it is hard for the virus to develop resistance again, it is very important for the third 90. Hopefully the newer regimens will encourage more people to come forward for testing and diagnosis, helping with the first 90 and a knock-on effect on the second and third.”

The DTG-containing regimens will be available for public use in September.

FEATURED IMAGE: A new DTG-containing ART is coming to South Africa. Photo: Karen Mwendera.

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Wits Women’s A Hockey team dominated their home match by sealing a victory against Jeppe St Andrews. 

The Wits Women’s A hockey team clinched three points in the Southern Gauteng Hockey Association (SGHA) league against Jeppe St Andrews (JSA) on Tuesday, September 30 at the Wits Hockey Stadium.

Though Wits sealed their 2-0 win decisively, the first half of the match was dominated by JSA. After a slow start to the match and a failed attempt by JSA to score a goal, Wits picked up their momentum by attacking and strengthening their defense. Wits attempted to score a goal but was stalled by the left foot of the goalkeeper.

The away team received a short corner but were incapable of capitalising on the opportunity and were blindsided by a goal scored by Wits striker, Nomnikelo Veto. Wits continued to chip away at the defense of JSA by blindsiding their opponents with quick attacks.

The pace of the game slowed in the second half as JSA seemed to have lost their energy and both teams passed the ball aimlessly into empty spaces.

In the last five minutes of the game, JSA desperately tried to drive the ball down the centre in attempt to score a goal but failed to take advantage of a short corner awarded to them. Wits responded quickly through a goal courtesy of Wits captain Nompilo Thenjwayo.

Wits player Emma Bone prevented another JSA attempt at goal through an impressive interception. Throughout the match Wits played wide and kept their defense to the white lines to control the game and retain possession.

Thenwjayo told Wits Vuvuzela, “Today’s game wasn’t the best, we have had better games, we had a few girls who had a good game and managed to keep us ahead, the team will always will be happy with walking away with 3 points in the bag.”

Wits remain third in the SGHA league with five games in hand.

FEATURED IMAGE: Wits player, Danielle Quinn, driving the ball down the centre. Photo: Lwazi Maseko

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Women getting into cricket, journalist, commentator or player, will always have questions surrounding them without the intent of being helpful.

I will never forget the day I went to fetch my cricket tickets from an outlet in Johannesburg when the salesperson told me that as a girl, I should be buying tickets for a Chris Brown concert and that “it is weird for a girl to be interested in cricket.” It wasn’t the first time I’d heard it and it certainly won’t be the last.

If you missed my profile photo, I am a black and female and I am do not fit the profile of your typical cricket fan. The look on people’s faces when I tell them I have an interest in the sport goes from surprise to a very common, “I can’t stand the sport – it’ so boring” or even better, “you watch those tall, lanky, white men bowl for eight hours by choice? Why?”.

I’ve been a cricket fan since I was 13 years old and I think I know enough to fill in for Kass Naidoo in short bursts even though I’ve never played the game. My older sister, a meterologist by profession, explained the the game to me very early on and it took only twenty minutes later that I found myself screaming at the TV as South Africa dropped a crucial catch in a tight Test match.

The so-called middle-aged white man’s sport is introduced today to more black people in underdeveloped areas in order to develop the game at grassroots levels.

In 2016, former sports minister Fikile Mbalula revoked the athletics, cricket, netball and rugby federations from bidding or hosting national competitions until transformation targets were met. The targets, referred to as quotas, required that athletics, rugby, netball, and cricket teams had to field a total of 60% players of colour (what exactly does this phrase mean?). In cricket this meant that the national side had to have at least six players – with two being African.

At the time, SA Cricket Magazine believed that the Proteas would have no problem meeting the these targets, granted the players were selected on merit.

The quotas were met, the team was constituted and even qualified for the world cup exceeding the targets quickly. But an unintentional side-effect of the system has meant  that almost every black player has had to justify that their selection has not been on the basis of their skin colour but their abilities.

Every single time a match or series goes wrong, the “quota players” are blamed for the loss.

While this seemed to only affect players, it affected fans as well. I had witnessed a growth in people of colour coming out to support the Proteas at games, and an improved understanding of the game and its technicalities. On Twitter, black people found a space to openly discuss their starting line-ups in a quest for approval, disapproval and discussion. Regardless of race and gender, discussions online were easier among a diverse group of South African cricket fans.

Offline though, my experience of telling people I was a very big cricket fan was not as well received.

“What online article did you hear that from?” or “how did you make that observation?” would be reaction to the comments I made. I found out quickly that telling men in particular about my passion for and knowledge about ‘their’ sport is a way of putting myself at risk of an anger-driven heart attack.

The media space is no better. There are few black female presenters or commentators in sport. This leaves very little room for other black females to find role models to relate to and even to speak to.

Two women in cricket who come to mind in terms of reporting and engaging with others are ESPNCricInfo South African correspondent Firdose Moonda, and Naidoo, a cricket commentator and founder of gSport.

Recently, cricket analysis talk show Inside Edge which broadcasts on Supersport brought in former 5FM and current Mix FM presenter Poppy Ntshongwana. She was also announced as the first-ever female stadium announcer at the Wanderers Stadium, also known as ‘The Bullring’, in May 2019. The Central Gauteng Lions communications officer, speaking to News24, said this move was part of welcoming more women to cricket.

In many ways, one could say that the sudden flood of women into the behind the scenes,set up of cricket is a forced one, and similar to that of transformation targets being implemented. However, I think this is the progression and recognition long overdue: that this sport is not reserved for one gender. There are certain female cricket teams that out-perform their male counterparts at times, but their sometimes poor performances are often put down to their gender.

As a woman with a deep interest in cricket, I will always be scrutinised on what I know about the sport by critical male sports fans. As a black woman, I will be asked more for my opinion of transformation targets being implemented than on recent match performances or statistics.

The stereotype It will stick around like a bad smell, but I will embrace it for the love of cricket!

FEATURED IMAGE: Wits Vuvuzela student journalist, Khomotso Makgabutlane, looking semi-professional next to her cricket twitter handle. Photo: File.

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Wits Jaguars showed their dominance in their game against Spiker-Roo. 

The Wits Jaguars volleyball team won all three sets in their match against Spiker-Roo Ladies in a Johannesburg Volleyball Union game on Wednesday, July 31.

The Witsies started the game on a high note when Spiker-Roo failed to return the opening serve of Witsie Fatima West putting the home side in an early lead.

The Jaguars made several service errors during the first set but still managed to break through the Spiker-Roo defense, taking the set 25-14.

The second set once again saw Wits Jaguars take an early lead as Spiker-Roo player, Cynthia Mabe, served the ball into the net. The high-paced Wits momentum was carried through into the second set which saw Spiker-Roo trying to make a comeback.

The final second set score of 25-19 in the second set was Spiker-Roos highest score in the match.

The third set saw Spiker-Roo take their first lead of the match as Wits Jaguars served into the net. The Wits Jaguars quickly redeemed themselves as Tsholo Khoza served an unstoppable ball securing a seven-point lead.

Toward the end of the match, Spiker-Roo’s frustrations grew as they struggled to put points on the board. The Wits Jaguars won the third set 25-14 securing the win.

Zweli Mgwenya, Wits Jaguars head coach complimented his team despite feeling like they had lost focus at times. He told Wits Vuvuzela “We played well. This is our strongest team and I didn’t expect anything less than a win.”

Spiker-Roo player Senzile Siziba said the team had four new players and only three senior players during the match which impacted their performance. “With the new players we need to adjust how we play.
“They must get into the rhythm … It is a new experience for them,” said Siziba.

FEATURED IMAGE: Wits Jaguars managed to stay on top of the game, securing a strong win against Spiker-Roo. Photo: Gemma Gatticchi.

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Council of Higher Education report recommends extensive changes to the LLB programme.

A report published by the Council of Higher Education (CHE) on the Bachelor of Law (LLB) curriculum says that requirements for the course at top universities such as Wits are too high and make it hard for students to progress from one level to another.

The report, “The State of the Provision of the Bachelor of Laws (LLB) Qualification in South Africa”, found that point score requirements are too high, and also highlighted a range of shortcomings in the degree.

Those shortcomings include too many students on each law programme.

Wits University’s admissions and career development officer

LLB students outside the Law Clinic discuss issues pertaining to the law degree. Photo: Masechaba Kganyapa

Wanda Ndlozi told Wits Vuvuzela the law degree is intense but does not limit the number of students who can apply to and register for the course.

Ndlozi agreed that requirements are high. There are many courses on the programme that make it difficult for students to progress, he said.

“If I say the requirements for law are not high … I will be lying,” he said. “The volume of the work in the course they need to cover is actually a lot, but that is what the degree requires.”

The 98-page report also states that institutions of law need to improve their teaching of critical thinking skills, as the lack of such skills inhibits students from progressing.

Teaching critical thinking is hampered by classes that are too large, the report says. The CHE thus recommends universities accept fewer students into their LLB programmes.

“The sub-minimum requirements for the course are high, because that is the requirement for legal practice in any field. Law School and commerce students are studying with the aim of working in a specific profession,” said 22-year-old law student Xabiso Ndinisa.

Ndlozi said the high requirements are determined by changes in the legal environment, which is updated over the years.

“Latest judgment [from the CHE] informs the style and teaching of certain courses and the principles that come from the latest judgment,” said Ndlozi.

FEATURED IMAGE: Wits School of Law admission requirements have been judged too high by the Council of Higher Education.  Photo: Masechaba Kganyapa

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Wits graduate students have created an eye-tracking system to communicate more naturally with a computer.

Engineering graduates developed an eye-tracking system to improve people’s lives. Photo: Lwandile Shange

Two Wits engineering graduates have developed an eye-tracking system using eye-gazing technology which allows users to operate computers with their eye movements.

Biomedical and Electrical Engineering graduates Chesley Chewin and Kimoon Kim were given the idea to create the system by their supervisor, Adam Pantanowitz.

The eye-tracking system is a sensor technology that operates by capturing the movement of a user’s irises with a camera mounted on a helmet. These images are then used to move the cursor around the computer screen.

Chewin and Kim hope the end product will be able to help people with disabilities who cannot operate a computer mouse.

“We took on the project because it sounded like an exciting challenge, and something that could really help people with disabilities and improve their quality of life.

“I think it’s important to use the technological advances we have now to give back where we can,” Chewin said.

Kim told Wits Vuvuzela figuring out how to accurately test the system and compare it to standard eye-gazing technology was a challenge.

“We had several issues with the software that found the iris from the camera, because the iris is not shown as a full circle since it is partly covered by the eyelid,” said Kim.

The 27-year-old graduates say the product is still at a developmental stage.

“The eye-tracking system project we made was a demo for a much bigger idea,” Chewin said.

Kim added, “The product could be connected to several different devices which could improve someone’s quality of life by increasing their level of independence.”

The two are also trying to get their paper on the eye-tracking system published, so the technology can be used worldwide.

FEATURED IMAGE: Engineering graduates developed an eye-tracking system to improve people’s lives. Photo: Lwandile Shange

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Members of the Wits SRC engage with other SRCs across the country.

The Wits Student Representative Council (SRC) attended the annual National General Conference hosted by the South African Union of students (SAUS) to help students get financial aid from NSFAS on Friday July 26.

“The National General Conference is an arena where collective SRCs combine their experiences, challenges and solutions to solve policy matters that affect students”, said SAUS national spokesperson Thabo Shingange.

Shingange told Wits Vuvuzela this year’s conference addressed several issues within the higher education sector that have an impact on university students.

“These issues range from the CAS [Central Application Services] Bill, NSFAS, postgraduate funding, HEAIDS and youth development to graduate employment opportunities”, said Shingange.

Wits SRC president Sisanda Mbolekwa, deputy president Nkateko Muloiwa, clubs and societies officer Nkosinathi Makhanya and gender and transformation officer Sibongile Sibeko were present at this year’s National General Conference.

Muloiwa said the National General Conference is important because “it is a space for SRCs to adopt various modus operandi to advance various strategic goals of our SRC, in relation to those of other SRCs.”

Muloiwa told Wits Vuvuzela that students benefit from the solutions “carved out of the NGC with a way forward to advance the ills on campus”.

“The dominance of men across all SRCs and the stifling of women’s voices and the marginalised voice was a highlight for me,” said Muloiwa.

Former Wits SRC members Nompendulo Mkhatshwa and Fasiha Hassan attended this year’s National General Conference for the first time as ANC Members of Parliament.

The general conference takes place once a year and newly sitting SRC members from universities across the country are invited.

FEATURED IMAGE: Wits Student Representative Council members.   Photo: Provided.

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Sibanye Stillwater donates seismic data to the only institution in southern Africa with a geophysics programme.

The Wits Seismic Research Centre has received a large donation worth R50 million in the form of information data from the Sibanye Stillwater mining company.

Seismic data is used by geophysicists to scan a mining area from surface level to provide a 2D/3D image of sub-surface levels before the miners start drilling down through the surface.

Sibanye Stillwater is one of the mining companies that kept such data confidential for years, until its donation in July.

The data has to be analysed to identify the ore body and structures around it that may disrupt the minerals, and new technology must be used to improve the quality of the data.

Senior researcher and director of the Seismic Research Centre, Professor Musa Manzi, highlighted how pleased he is about the donation.

Manzi told Wits Vuvuzela, “The advantage is that now the students have the actual data to test their methods, and the mining companies have the latest information from the old data that they were not using because they could not analyse it – so both parties are dependent on each other.”

The seismic data works like an X-ray of a mining area. It allows the miners to see exactly where the ore body is sitting and what areas may cause risks for miners.

PhD student at the research centre Michael Westgate specialises in seismic reflection. He elaborated on how this works.

“In a similar fashion to how a radiologist uses X-rays to image our bones, we can image the rock units beneath the surface that host these minerals without having to dig to them, in an accurate and cost-effective manner.”

PhD in mining seismology and rock physics Siyanda Mngadi explains that as miners they use seismic waves to detect rocks that may contain minerals. This helps discover new ore bodies and mines or even establish the extent of existing mines.

Mngadi told Wits Vuvuzela, “The Seismic Research Centre uses recent technologies to reprocess and reinterpret the data to mine information that can help mines identify new areas of potential economic value.”

“I feel excited and grateful not only for the research opportunity this donation presents but also the collaboration between Sibanye and Wits. The sheer magnitude and calibre of the data is very exciting. We truly have been given a gold mine,” said Westgate.

These discoveries would help the South African economy because the same data can help find oil and gas reservoirs that are important for electricity supply in South Africa.

“It is only in South Africa that mining takes place below 3,5km. We are the leaders in the world in terms of mineral exploration. Our miners are exposed to risk, rock fall, rock burst and seismicity,” Manzi added.

The data and research from Wits students will help to reduce risk underground and minimize the expense of drilling holes in areas without minerals.

FEATURED IMAGE: Professor Musa Manzi, the head of the Wits Seismic Research Centre. Photo: Jabulile Mbatha

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Wits engineers create a robotic prosthetic hand which can positively benefit amputees.

A team of Wits engineering students have helped to develop an inexpensive robotic prosthetic hand which enables amputees to control it using their brains.

Abdul-Khaaliq Mohamed, a lecturer in the School of Electrical and Information Engineering began the project five years ago and aims to develop the hand for around R3000 making it accessible to the average South African.

The mechanical prosthesis is attached to the biceps and triceps of an amputee which responds to neural impulses from the user’s brain.

The hand responds to the impulses allowing the user to perform a controlled grasp or pinch.

“The sensors on the fingers and palm of the hand detect the force and its grip and translate these forces to vibration stimulation feedback on the upper arm region of the non-amputated arm,” said Mohamed.

Mohamed told Wits Vuvuzela, gradually, the brain will learn “this vibration feedback as the sensation of touching an object and through this feedback, amputees will be able to learn to perform basic hand movements through repetition and hence complete their daily tasks more efficiently.”

A brain computer interface (BCI), a device which allows the brain to communicate or control an external device such as the hand will be used to record and interpret brain signals which will instruct the hand to move.

Mohamed said due to time constraints, lack of student participation and funding, the team has only managed to work on the prosthetic, for one quarter in a year.

Deepam Ambelal, a master’s student, who has worked on the hand said ”if we were able to have [a] decent pool of funds, it would make buying parts easier and we could have a team of engineers who work together, which creates a collaborative space,”

Mohamed said some of the funding comes from his research project and from the school of electrical and information engineering.

Ambelal told Wits Vuvuzela, “I was intrigued by the hand, processing and electronics and wanted to make my contribution to the school.”

The hand will also benefit people with motor impairments such as victims of strokes, spinal cord injuries and neuro-muscular diseases.

“We started it from scratch and we are actually proud to have gotten it to this point,” said Mohamed.

The team hopes to have the hand ready for public use in the next three years.

FEATURED IMAGE: Deepam Ambelal (left), with lecturer, Abdul-Khaaliq Mohamed (right), with the prosthetic hand in between. Photo: Lwazi Maseko. 

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“They attack us to make us run away so they can take our things without running inventory, and they always jump to the tills first.”

A street vendor rebuilds his stall following a police raid in the Johannesburg CBD. Photo: Lineo Leteba

By Lineo Leteba and Rose Clemence Shayo

There are conflicting accounts about the street battles that were raging between foreign shop owners and cops in the Johannesburg CBD on Thursday, August 1.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) said they were raiding the shops in order to find counterfeit goods and to stop illegal trading.

However, the shop owners and street sellers said they were fighting back to stop the police – whom they accuse of corruption – from stealing their stock and money.

“A group of people claiming to be representatives of brand holders like Nike, Adidas, and others came with the South African Police Service and proceeded with violence, shooting us with rubber bullets, teargassing us and throwing bombs (stun grenades),” Tadesse Yeniane Berhei, a 34-year-old Ethiopian shop owner on Rahima Moosa (formerly Jeppe) Street told Wits Vuvuzela.

He said their shops are raided on multiple occasions by people who are guarded by the police, but who never produce any legal documentation to justify their actions.

“They attack us to make us run away so they can take our things without running inventory and they always jump to the tills first,” he alleged.

SAPS spokesperson captain Kay Makhubele told Wits Vuvuzela, “We take the goods, but if there is money believed to be made from the illegal goods then we have to take the money in.

“We do inventory for all the things we take and we record them in the SAP13 book,” he said.

City of Johannesburg MMC for public safety, councillor Yao-Heng Michael Sun, told Wits Vuvuzela that the raids were an SAPS operation and the Johannesburg Metro Police Department had been called in as backup.

“[The shop owners] must understand that it is not necessary for the police to arrive with a search warrant at a place suspected of crime or illegal activity.”

A shop owner who asked to remain anonymous alleged that he was shot seven times by the police with live ammunition during a raid on June 9.

“I was passing by when they started fighting and a white man wearing police uniform shot me on my leg. He shot me again in my abdomen when I was already down and he continued to shoot at me.

“I had two operations to get the bullets removed from my body at Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital. The police steal our stuff to resell it. That is why they don’t have documents,” he said.

Makhubele denied that police had shot live ammunition and encouraged those that claim to have been shot during the raids to lay an official complaint.

“It is impossible for the police to just shoot without warning. They request permission to conduct the raid from the shop owner and if they resist by throwing stones and petrol bombs at the police, then the police must produce force to disperse the crowd to conduct the raid,” Makhubele said.

However, with a medical report from an optometrist at Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital Hospital in hand, Haile Getachew (30), told Wits Vuvuzela, “They shot me with a rubber bullet on my eye and now I can’t see. They didn’t ask us anything they just started shooting.”

A street vendor, 60-year-old Joseph Mkumbo, told Wits Vuvuzela that the items they sell are not from South Africa but are imported in containers. “[The police] are letting [the goods] inside the country, then they want to come fight here.”

Captain Makhubele said the SAPS did not know where the counterfeit goods came from nor how they came into the country, but they conduct raids on a regular basis when they suspect illegal trading.

FEATURED IMAGE: Shop owners open their doors following the police raid on Rahima Moosa Street in central Johannesburg. Photo: Lineo Leteba 

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Titans fail to prove themselves against Quantum’s strong offense.

The Wits Titans conceded a tough defeat against the Quantum Volleyball Club in their second round match in the Johannesburg Volleyball Union League at Wits University on Monday, August 5.

Quantum took all three sets, although the Wits Titans played a generally strong game. At first, the Titans struggled to find their feet as they made various attacking errors and were unable to defend effectively.

A spike by Quantum player, Munyam Juredith Anam led her team to a 25-11 triumph in the first set.

The game started to heat up during the second set with Titans taking the lead with 5-11 owing to service errors by Quantum.  Although Quantum regained their lead, things came a head when Titans captain, Angelou Nyathi and and fellow player Aphiwe Mtshali successfully blocked the ball, resuting in a deadlock. After a tough battle, the second set ended 29-27 after Quantum capitalised on errors by Wits.

Wits Titans player Lungile Ngwenya takes a hit towards Quantum Volleyball Club’s side of the court. Photo: Ortal Hadad

Both teams remained committed as the scores were evenly matched in the final set. Quantum’s victory of 25-22 in the third set came when Titans vice captain Zinhle Kunene hit the ball off court.

Christian Nenkov, acting Quantum coach, said it was good to see his team come back after the second set.

Titans coach, Zweli Ngwenya, said that he felt his team could have won the second set. “I do think it has to do with mental strength,” Ngwenya told Wits Vuvuzela. “I think there are a few young players that are not experienced in that.”

Wits is due to take on Spiker-Roo for their third and final match of the second round on Monday, 12 August.

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Lexi’s Healthy Eatery is a nutritious greenhouse hidden among Rosebank’s concrete jungle.

Veganism is a lifestyle centered on the complete exclusion of animal products in a diet.  Given that a vegan diet excludes meat, dairy, eggs and sometimes even honey or refined sugar it is difficult for vegans to find a restaurant that comfortably caters for their needs.The new Lexi’s Healthy Eatery in in Rosebank, gives vegans a chance to eat out where they have more than one option on the menu.

Lexi’s though is not strictly vegan. The restaurant takes a plant-based approach to its menu which means that whilst the focus is on plant foods there is some flexibility in the use of animal meat. There are two sustainably-caught fish options as well as a free-range meat burger on the menu.

The popular activated charcoal burger is made up of a chickpea and sweet potato patty with carrot hummus, chipotle mayo and can be served with a side of greens, potato wedges or sweet potato wedges. Photo: Ortal Hadad

“It is generally difficult to go out with friends who want a meat option,” said Laura Schulte, a third-year, Wits biokinetics student who follows a plant-based diet.

Chef and founder of the restaurant, Lexi Monzeglio, told Wits Vuvuzela, “It was important to me to make sure there was no condemning attitude.

“If a family of four wanted to eat out and only one of them was vegan, they could still come here because all the non-vegans would be more comfortable knowing there was a meat option.”

Popular food items on the menu include the activated charcoal burger, where the patty is made with sweet potato, chickpeas and charged activated charcoal.

Schulte, who had this meal at Rosebank last week, said it was particularly impressive as it was not dry or “boring” like many of the other vegan burgers she has tried.

Another specialty is the selection of the warm and cold bowls. Monzeglio says the Black Rice Bowl is her personal favourite.

The bowl compliments rice with mushrooms, broccoli, kale, pickled ginger, tamari cream and a nutty ensemble of walnuts and a peanut butter drizzle.

After trying both these meals during my visit to Lexi’s, I prefer the Black Rice Bowl because I really enjoyed the way in which the peanut butter was used in a savory dish.

Our waitress recommended the Moon Milk for its aesthetically pink colour and sprinkled petals. The drink mixes flavours of blueberry, cardamom, vanilla, coconut sugar & beetroot powder with ashwagandha, a medicinal herb originally from India & North Africa.

The aesthetically pleasing Moon Milk which uses earthy flavours of the ashwagandha herb. Photo: Ortal Hadad

Although I enjoyed the drink, I would not recommend it for those who do not enjoy an earthy palate. The coconut sugar, blueberry, and spices cut through some of the bitterness of the ashwagandha but the woody taste dominates the mixture.

The greenhouse interior of the restaurant gives the feeling of being in nature without leaving the city. A lively atmosphere is created by the colorful cutlery along with the bright pops of yellow throughout the space which was particularly eye-catching.

The staff did well within the busy lunch hour and brought our food within 20 minutes.

Lexi’s stands out because, unlike most vegan-catering restaurants, this one is open for dinner. The kitchen is open until 21:30 during the week, until 21:00 on Fridays and Saturdays and 14:30 on Sundays.

FEATURED IMAGE: The new Lexi’s Healthy Eatery at Rosebank Mall is filled with greenery, creating a plant-based atmosphere. Photo: Ortal Hadad

Having to reckon with the levels and layers of violence in a society yet to heal makes me wonder who the real enemies are. 

Part of capturing the zeitgeist and telling the stories that need to be told is unravelling the wounds of a society fundamentally fractured by its past. As journalists, we are meant to solely be observers but the world we occupy is incredibly loud and extremely close, so uncomfortable that we have no choice but to confront the unimaginable.

South Africans live in perpetual post-traumatic stress syndrome in ways we cannot even begin to articulate. Journalism becomes difficult when we are not given the space to wrestle with the ugly, instead we are intimidated to accept the status quo. During the raids of shops owned by foreign people in Johannesburg CBD in the last week, we faced the cruelty of a society unable to

South African Police Service officers forcibly removing foreign store owners from outside Rana’s Takeaways on Bree Street, Johannesburg on Wednesday, August 7. Photo: Busang Senne

empathise because what we know more than we know our own skin is violence.

The lines between policing and spectacle, mob vigilantism and blind hate became so blurred in the throes of chaos on Bree Street this afternoon that articulating where this trauma even came from, where it started and why it matters becomes too overwhelming to measure in words.

Our police force is just that – a force. It should be a service, a means of protecting and facilitating the safety of communities but our deep mistrust of policing and public control is loaded with history. The South African Police Service (SAPS) threw people from their businesses and homes like rag dolls, under the thinly veiled guise of a ‘raid’ for illegal substances and paraphernalia.

As observers it seemed to be more about a witch-hunt, the gathering of people who we think are not like us and assaulting them for it. The SAPS with their armour and their teargas revelled in holding power so absolute in that context that they seemed to get a kick out of the performance, like they find pleasure in inflicting pain.

We are conditioned to feel good about forming community around the common enemy, but as hundreds of people waited to rip others apart, I wondered who the common enemy really is?

Crowds of people gathered around barricaded tape, flooding the streets with makeshift weapons, quite literally thirsty for retribution in the form of blood as they struggled to lynch their prey. As a journalist bearing witness, I attempted to document this surreal moment of heightened violence, the hate so palpable it made me shiver, but even then I was reminded that in my role as observer, I am resented as someone who does not have a right to record their pain. Maybe I don’t. But the amount of times I was threatened for wielding both my pen and camera are too many to count, by both police and public. It is also symptomatic of a cultural climate where it is easier to call fake news and cabal conspiracy on journalists than it is to confront truths we struggle to grapple with.

This truth is that we, as South Africans, are wilfully and deliberately Afrophobic. I use Afrophobia because the type of pervasive violence towards refugees, immigrants and foreign nationals who seek safety in our democracy is always aimed at Africans and never directed at the Western gentrifiers that hold the wealth. It is a truth we are struggling to confront as we continue to rally against entire communities just trying to exist.

A foreign store owner points out where he lost his phone after a scuffle with people in a nearby crowd. Photo: Busang Senne

During the Johannesburg raids, I came to understand our society as an onion, layered and nuanced to the point where the violence on the ground wasn’t the only violence taking place. As a black woman, my body is a site of violence, nothing but warm flesh for the taking. I am reminded of this when police officers, people meant to uphold justice and protect, are the same ones harassing and sexualising me.

These acts of violence, both seen and unseen, are a part of our collective memory, our shared story, and although we want to tell different stories, trauma, until we find a way to collectively heal, takes centre stage in how we fundamentally relate to one another.

I think we are so damaged it is all too easy to damage others. But when will we stop seeing the enemy everywhere else but in ourselves?

FEATURED IMAGE: Police attempt to usher a foreign store owner away from the riots. Photo: Busang Senne. 

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“Uvikelwa ama poyisa mara sizokubamba foreigner ndini”

It was a repeat of last week’s story, police in the city, crowds gathering, traffic at a standstill and the cries of shopowners whose goods were destrpoyed and confiscated while the scuffles left many of them bruised and battered.

We went out again today, from our newsroom in Braamfontein to a couple of blocks downtown to Bree as we heard of yet another round of police raids on foreigner-owned businesses. On arrival, a large crowd of people, more than a hundred in my estimation, had gathered behind a thin line of tape meant to keep them away from the unfolding scenes.

When my colleague and I approached the third line of command, where the police were loading people into the overflowing police trucks, we were barred from crossing it. SAPS officers screamed at us to put our cameras away threatening, “Ngizoyithatha leyo phone” (I will take that phone!) as he pointed at us. He told us as we needed permission to report from operational commander Wayne Minnaar.

We retreated from the main scene to take our photos from a distance. But the threats continued and it weighed on us, our safety a concern at this point.

After consultation with our editors in the newsroom, we realised that we didn’t need permission from the SAPS so we continued documenting what was happening in front of us, as excruciating as it was to do.

After a while, those same policemen came back to bargain with us, to offer us permission at a cost.

“Do you want stories? You must give me your number. You look like my type. We would look good together,” one of the policemen said in isiZulu as they all stared at us salaciously.

I cannot describe the feeling of powerlessness we felt. We were grateful for the distraction of a scuffle which gave us an opportunity to run into the crowd.

The men and women charged with our safety and security stood idly by as an angry mob of bystanders attacked presumably foreign people that were standing among the crowds while the other police officers conducted their raids.

A tall, well-built man, a non-South African, cried out for his brother as tears streaked down his cheeks. The two were separated as the man reached for a phone and looked up to find his brother gone.

He was shoved among the police officers who refused to let him find his brother and instead were pushing him back towards the mob that had earlier assaulted him.

Crowds of bystanders gather around the police tape on #BreeStreet in #Johannesburg as #SAPSraids #joburgRaids continue. Our reporters @LineoLeteba and @bu_radleyy report seeing scuffles between people in the crowds and the ship owners. pic.twitter.com/VnJ7IRsVdw

— IG: WitsVuvuzela (@WitsVuvuzela) August 7, 2019

I saw a man torn between fearing for his own life and of his brother while scrambling to find the phone he had dropped on the ground. Even as a journalist, I struggled to keep my composure as I watched this gut-wrenching scene of humanity.

The man never recovered his phone, but was washed with relief at the sight of his brother walking away from the mob into the barricaded area with a police officer holding his hand.

Bystanders with sticks and metal rods waited for foreign nationals to walk into the crowd as members of the JMPD watched. Only three SAPS police officers changed into riot gear as the mob became more agitated at the sight the of foreign nationals.

“Mabahambe! Bopha! Phanzi ngama foreigner amandla!” the angry mob chanted.

Police continue to arrest foreign nationals without documentation as the raids continue on Bree Street, Johannesburg CBD. #JHBRiots #JoburgRaids #jhbcbd #BreeStreet @WitsVuvuzela pic.twitter.com/vf8XUFXlQ7

— Sbeso (@LineoLeteba) August 7, 2019

“I think they are going to attack the foreigners and they are probably also going to break into their shops when we leave,” the officer said to a colleague.

A male journalist, of Indian origin, arrived at the scene and approached the crowd gathered on Plein Street to report for his organisation.

“Uvikelwa ama poyisa mara sizokubamba foreigner ndini” (the police are protecting you but we are going to catch you, you foreigner!), they shouted at the journalist. A police officer told him to move away from the crowd as some tried to jump over the red tape to get to him. The man reached for his gear and immediately left the scene as the police escorted him to his vehicle which was parked on Bree.

It was just a couple of hours in the city of Johannesburg but it reminded me that as a journalist, I have to negotiate my way through the guardians and the guarded to tell the stories that should be told. But even then, I have more power than many of the people who were at the receiving end of the raids and the hate.

FEATURED IMAGE: SAPS officers geared up in riot uniform facing a crowd on Bree Street during a raid in Johanneburg CBD. Photo: Busang Senne

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Book tells the story of powerful clique of white Afrikaner businessmen who reside in the winelands.

The much anticipated launch of the book, The Stellenbosch Mafia: Inside the Billionaires Club, took place at Exclusive Books in Hyde Park on Tuesday, August 8.

The audience was reflective of the Stellenbosch population with the majority of the attendees being white. Wine and finger-foods were served and the atmosphere was one of opulence and privilege.

“Before we start, someone I don’t want to name has blocked me on Twitter, so no, he is not happy about the book,” said author, Pieter Du Toit. The audience roared with laughter seemingly in the know of who Du Toit was talking about.

“When I approached [Remgro chairman Johann] Rupert with the idea of the book he was very interested and expected a rehabilitation of his image, which was unfairly tainted after 2016/17 with the very successful Bell Pottinger scandal (when the British PR firm allegedly fabricated stories about Rupert at the behest of the Gupta family),” said Du Toit.

“Rupert expected an uncritical appraisal of him and that is not the route I took,” said Du Toit.

The term ‘mafia’ denotes a criminal syndicate involved in various illegal activities, but Du Toit discussed how the term ‘Stellenbosch Mafia’ was initially used by financial journalists in the early 2000s to refer to magnates from the Boland area such as Rupert.

The term gained popularity after the collapse of international retail holding company, Steinhoff, in December 2017, following irregularities in the company’s financial statements. Parties such as the EFF and Black First, Land First (BLF) started using ‘white monopoly capital’ and “Stellenbosch Mafia” interchangeably.

“This ‘mafia’ is a fascinating subject to investigate, even more so after the scandalous demise of Steinhoff and its flamboyant chief executive, Markus Jooste, the quintessential inkommer (newcomer),” said Du Toit.

In his book, Du Toit describes ‘inkommers’ as residents of Stellenbosch who do not originate from the wineland area and whose wealth was only recently acquired.

According to Du Toit, the mafia is a tight-knit group that is not very welcoming to ‘inkommers’ as they regard themselves as old money, having benefitted from their ancestral ties to the Afrikaner Broederbond.

Other billionaires featured in the book are Mediclinic’s Edwin Hertzog, Koos Bekker of Naspers, Whitey Basson of Shoprite and the Capitec Bank trio of Jannie Mouton, Riaan Stassen and Michiel le Roux.

Veteran journalist, Ferial Haffajee, who was in discussion with Du Toit, said that even though there isn’t a ‘mafia’ she likens the phenomenon to the Russian oligarchs who became very wealthy from their access to a biased political system.

“From the book, Rupert seems like he believes he is a self-made man. It does not seem like the ‘mafia’ is reflective about how their wealth was aided by apartheid,” Haffajee said.

In response to this, Du Toit said he tried to engage Rupert on apartheid to get his views on the advantages that Remgro (investment holding company founded by Rupert’s father Anton Rupert) had due to the family’s proximity to the National Party.

“Anton was the embodiment of Afrikaner success in the business world but Johann Rupert was very reluctant to discuss that topic,” he told the audience.

Neurosurgeon, Ntuse Mpanza, who was in the audience asked whether there was any truth to the allegations of EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu visiting Rupert.

“The EFF and Floyd in particular, goes to Stellenbosch all the time. In fact he has had multiple visits with Rupert and GT Ferreira of FirstRand Bank to discuss business deals,” Du Toit responded.

“I don’t know what the status of that relationship is now but we all know what Shivambu tells us in the morning is much different from what happens in the evening,” said Du Toit.

The Stellenbosch Mafia: Inside the Billionaires Club is published by Jonathan Ball Publishers and remains the company’s number one best-seller for the third week in a row.

FEATURED IMAGE: Pieter Du Toit and Ferial Haffajee in discussion at the launch of The Stellenbosch Mafia: Inside the Billionaires Club in Hyde Park on Tuesday, August 8.  Photo: Anathi Madubela

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