The university does not have an unlimited source of funds to help all the students in need. 

Wits University management says students who are squatting in laboratories and libraries are without accommodation because of “poor academic performance” and “repeatedly failing”.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Andrew Crouch told Wits Vuvuzela that, “I can comfortably say that many of these students are students that have been readmitted to the university after failing the year of study, went through an appeals process, and were then readmitted.

“The group that we are dealing with now, many of them have lost their funding because they have not been academically successful and the question I always ask is, must we reward failure?”

Crouch was responding to a protest on Wednesday, March 4, when a group of students led by the SRC occupied the Solomon Mahlangu House concourse in an attempt to shut down the university, to force management to provide accommodation for homeless students.

“Students are languishing in libraries, computer labs and the streets of Johannesburg,” said SRC president Thuto Gabaphethe.

The real issue is that these group of 50 or so students have lost their funding and accommodation because they have failed repeatedly. @WitsUniversity made available R17 million to students this year for accommodation through the hardship fund. What more can we do?

— Shirona37 (@shirona37) March 4, 2020

Writing on Twitter, Wits head of communications, Shirona Patel, agreed with Crouch’s assessment, saying, “The real issue is that [this] group of 50 or so students have lost their funding and accommodation because they have failed repeatedly.

“Wits University made available R17-million to students this year for accommodation through the Hardship Fund. What more can we do?” Patel tweeted.

The secretary-general of the South African Students Congress (Sasco), Kabo Mosiane, agrees that some among the squatting students have repeatedly failed, but says that does not account for all of them.

“The majority are returning students that have failed, number one. Number two, [those] that have lost funding, maybe bursaries and NSFAS. Some are postgrad students and, remember, NSFAS doesn’t fund postgrad studies,” said Mosiane.

While acknowledging the safety risks associated with sleeping in labs and the university’s responsibility to its students, Crouch said, “We’ll try and get students out of laboratories and see if we can extend the emergency accommodation.”

However, funding is the issue, he said. “There’s a limited budget and if we give to one group, we have to take from another. We don’t have money just to allocate on request,” said Crouch.

According to a statement released on Twitter by the university, 50 more beds were secured on March 4 to assist homeless students, in addition to assisting over 800 students through the Hardship Fund.

The Wits Hardship Fund was established to help students who are in urgent need of assistance.

Crouch told Wits Vuvuzela that the shortage of student accommodation is a national crisis. “The university alone cannot solve the housing problem. It’s a national problem and we can see that all other universities are struggling with this.”

Accommodation Protest Album: Wits Vuvuzela: https://www.facebook.com/pg/WitsVuvuzela/photos/?tab=album&album_id=2841800645913352&__tn__=-UC-R

FEATURED IMAGE: Deputy Vice-Chancellor Andrew Crouch addresses protesting students in the Solomon Mahlangu House concourse about accommodation and funding. Photo: Zainab Patel

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The halaal eatery that first opened on West campus has opened a second branch.   

A popular fish franchise has proved so popular among Wits University students that a second branch has opened at the institution. Jimmy’s Killer Express opened a second branch in the Matrix on Wits University East Campus on Wednesday, February 26, after experiencing a high demand at its West Campus franchise.

Tasneem Gani, who graduated with a BCom in accounting management from Wits in 2018, noticed a large gap in the market for halaal food on campus while she was a student.

She told Wits Vuvuzela, “My friends and I had to go off campus when we wanted to buy food, because the halaal food on campus was not up to standard.”

Gani then approached her parents with the business venture of opening an eatery on campus. The family then approached the Jimmy’s franchise and decided to open one on West Campus in 2019.

After experiencing such a high demand the family decided to open another store on East Campus.

“The stall on West Campus was too small to meet the demand we were getting, especially from deliveries,” said Gani.

Jimmy’s aims to offer a large variety of choices for its patrons on a student budget.

“When we spoke to the [Jimmy’s] franchiser, we asked if they were willing to alter their menu for a student budget,” said Gani.

Zachary Mac, a first-year biological science student, said the food is “very delicious and it is well priced for its portions”.

Besides offering burgers and chicken, one can also get kotas, rolls with various fillings and sharing options such as Gatsbys and full chicken.

Although most patrons were very happy with the prices, there were some mixed reviews.

Dario Eugenio, a third-year BA student visiting from the University of Pretoria, expressed disappointment with his samoosa, describing it as “lacking the Indian spice”, he was expecting.

FEATURED IMAGE: The Jimmy’s in the Matrix on Wits East Campus opening for business in the morning. Photo: Tshepo Thaela

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A Witsie will be representing South Africa at an upcoming UN conference in Bali.

A third-year Wits urban and regional planning student has been selected to represent South Africa at the Asia World Model United Nations (MUN) conference in Bali, Indonesia, in July 2020.

Anelisa Geca, 20, told Wits Vuvuzela she hopes to return from the conference with skills that will help her further her independent research project, which focuses on  homeless people living in cemeteries around the City of Johannesburg.

The conference, which is hosted by the International Global Network, a youth-centred programme, brings together hundreds of young people from all over the world. The network’s aim is to teach participants about diplomacy in multiculturalism.

Farhan Walidina, a representative of the Asia World MUN, said, “The [conference] is a simulation of The UN Conference … it aims to create future leaders who are ready to encounter world issues with a spirit of togetherness and partnership.”

“I’m going there to gain some knowledge and that knowledge I would like to share with my colleagues and the broader Wits community,” Geca said.

Garth Klein, senior director in the School of Architecture and Planning, told Wits Vuvuzela, “This is a wonderful opportunity for Anelisa, both in relation to her personal growth and her academic development.”

The head of the School of Urban and Regional Planning, Nnamdi Elleh, added, “We are in full support of Ms Geca’s selction and we wish her well … We encourage our students to have global exposure and gain work experience.”

With the theme of this year’s conference centred on peace and security, Geca says she hopes to shed light on the increasing wealth gap, youth unemployment rates and issues of gender-based violence that currently plague the South African population.

“We are not an island. It is [necessary] for us to understand the global context of things,” she said.

After completing the four-day conference the participants of the Asia World MUN will receive certificates recognising them as junior delegates of the United Nations.

FEATURED IMAGE: Anelisa Geca, urban and regional planning student, standing in front of Great Hall as she awaits her trip to Bali for a debating conference. Photo: Akhona Matshoba 

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More students have been able to register on time and get access to accommodation through the Hardship Fund.

The Wits University Hardship Fund has helped close to 1 000 students with additional contributions received from the university and the Student Representative Council (SRC).

The SRC deputy president Rebecca Mahaule said hundreds of Wits students had been able to secure accommodation and also register for this academic year.

“About 903 students were fully assisted internally (with Wits accommodation) and externally (private South Point student accommodation) and we paid upfront to Wits residences for deposits,” Mahaule said. “We realised that the allocated amount of R4 million was not enough, so we went to Wits management and they agreed to register everyone who has been funded by the Hardship Fund.”

Brian Xaba, a second-year BSc civil engineering student, is one of the beneficiaries who received aid from the fund and was therefore able to put down a deposit for accommodation.

“I moved in the same day to res after I was approved by the Hardship Fund, and it also helped me to register on time,” he said.

The Wits Hardship Fund was formally approved in 2018 to assist students in urgent need of funding for registration and accommodation. This year the fund was allocated R10 million, which fell short of the amount needed to help the high number of students seeking additional funding. With help from Wits and the SRC, the fund was increased to R17 million this year.

The SRC said accommodation becomes a major need at the beginning of each year and while most students might have residence offers, many struggle to find the money to secure accommodation.

“We have students who come to our offices with nothing at all, so we call out external accommodation assistance and immediate pay out if they (the students) have good academic records,” Mahaule told Wits Vuvuzela.

Wits Chief Financial Officer, Prakash Desai, said the Hardship Fund aided students in all areas including fees, accommodation and historical debt – with a signed agreement covering a once-off amount.

“The growing demand for accommodation is for students who did not qualify for NSFAS due to academic pass hurdles, those who lost their external sponsors and those who did not apply on time for NSFAS,” Desai said.

Sizwe Lubazi, a third-year BCom accounting student, had historical debts but was able to register and pay the first fee deposit at an off-campus residence: “I was owing an amount of R38 000, so after signing an acknowledgement form my deposit fee was paid for accommodation at South Point student accommodation,” he said.

The SRC said it successfully negotiated with Wits to increase historical debt limits for access to the Hardship Fund from R100 000 to R120 000 for its beneficiaries, so that more students could be helped.

“The Hardship Fund is meant to mitigate the challenges that come at the start of each year,” said Mahaule.

FEATURED IMAGE: Students make inquiries about registration and accommodation at the fees office in Solomon Mahlangu House. Photo: Zikhona Klaas

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Students learnt that they should prioritise their health and lower salt intake to not more than two teaspoons per day.

Students at Wits University were forced to confront their salt intake and the impact on their health during a salt awareness week which took place from Tuesday, March 3 to Friday, March 6. A series of events hosted  by Bidvest catering services at a number of university dining halls, placed the hazards of high salt consumption under the microscope. 

“In South Africa, the recommended daily allowance is 5g and that is actually one teaspoon of salt, and we are taking much more than that,” said Neroshnee Govender, a dietitian who participated in the events. 

Govender told Wits Vuvuzela that despite information being excessively available, people are still misinformed. “It [salt] contributes to what we call ‘lifestyle diseases’ which involve diabetes, cholesterol, high blood pressure, hypertension and obesity.” 

“Stay away from processed food because the salt quantity is high,” she said. “Checking your BP regularly is also important because it may cause strokes, kidney failures and death, especially when left undiagnosed.”  Govender added that an optimal BP reading for adults is 120/80 mmHg.

Ashley Kunutu, a second-year BA general student said, “I eat here (at Jubilee Hall), I just eat what they give to us and I don’t know how much salt there is in our food, so there’s no way I can be mindful of the salt quantity I consume”. 

Kunutu told Wits Vuvuzela that health education is not readily accessible, saying “I didn’t even know that it was salt week and I’m always on social media”.

The dining hall operations officer, Mphele Netshilema, told Wits Vuvuzela, “we host such events to bring awareness about the foods that we put in our bodies,” she said. “We intend on raising awareness on a continual basis because a healthy lifestyle requires practice”. 

FEATURED IMAGE: The Wits community is educated about salt and how they can lead a healthier lifestyle. Photo: Freepik.com/Racool Studio. 

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The Wits Art Museum hosts their second installment of First Thursdays this year. 

The Wits Art Museum (WAM) in Braamfontein hosted their second First Thursdays event on Thursday, March 5 , bringing together jazz and art under one roof.

The event, which was free of charge and open to the public, featured the Men and Monuments exhibition by Wits alumnus Paul Emmanuel. WAM tour guide, Boitumelo Molalugi said Emmanuel’s display is “a war memorial, which looks at the eraser of soldiers who have fought in war.”

The Wits Jazz Band performed live with their own renditions of South African struggle songs to complement Emmanuel’s theme of war memorials.

Motweledi Modiba, the lead singer of the band said, “We wanted to pay homage to Apartheid and jazz, whilst giving it a modern twist to uplift the crowd.”

Molalugi, said that he likes the concept of First Thursdays as “people are able to explore WAM and the exhibitions at night, as they often can’t come during the day when we’re open as they are at school or at work.”

According to Molalugi, future attendees can look forward to a “light night filled with a variety of items that cater to different interests, such as previews from the WAM archives, panel discussions, short films and workshops.”

First Thursdays takes place across the city of Johannesburg on the first Thursday of every month. It is organised by Thursday Projects which aims to create a space for cultural exchange whereby members of the public are able to interact with forms of art, music and food.

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FEATURED IMAGE: Two visitors view Paul Emmanuel’s Men and Monuments exhibition at the Wits Arts Museum on Thursday, March 5. Photo: Zinhle Belle. 

Staff union says a new vice-chancellor will have a lot to clean up around transformation, “nepotism, gender-based discrimination and violence, mental and emotional wellbeing, bullying, victimisation” and staff workloads. 

The president of the Academic Staff Association of Wits University (Asawu) says the resignation of Vice-Chancellor Prof Adam Habib, was “pretty obviously a well-orchestrated public relations release and the narrative that emerged over those few days was plenty of accolades being heaped on the vice-chancellor”.

Dr Anthony Stacey was reacting to Habib’s resignation which was announced by the university in February. The announcement was followed by a roadshow by Habib on several media outlets such as eNCA.

Stacey told Wits Vuvuzela that after “getting feedback from members saying that this did not equate to their lived experience” the union released its own statement on the VC’s tenure.

While conceding that “student enrolments, graduates, and research output have all increased during his tenure”, the union attributed this to “the tireless and selfless endeavours of Asawu members and our academic, professional and administrative staff colleagues”.

Asawu’s February 25 statement listed a variety of challenges during Habib’s seven years at the helm of the institution. These included:

• “Academic staff members have not increased in proportion to student numbers;
• Millions of rand was paid in executive bonuses;
• The post-retirement medical aid benefits to which all employees were entitled were effectively abolished; and
• There has been ongoing controversy over the handling of incidents of gender-based violence and abuse.”

Stacey said, “We are just getting the feeling that [Habib’s claimed achievements] was an unbalanced view. He said the union’s statement was not meant to undermine or target the vice-chancellor, but was in line with Asawu’s two pillars – academic integrity and social justice.  “We want [academic integrity and social justice] for the good of the university community and not just our members. We should be working together, and it was in that spirit that the statement was put out.”

Habib told Wits Vuvuzela that he agreed with the substance of Asawu’s response, acknowledging the great productivity at Wits due to the academic and administrative staff. However, “I didn’t think that the way it was written was entirely honest,” he said.

He went on to say that, as a vice-chancellor, people should “judge me on the indicators you would for any university in the world: output graduates; number of postgraduates; number of research outputs. Is [the university] financially stable? Is it a transforming institution?

“And when you judge me according to that, even according to the union’s own statement we are shooting the lights out.”

Asawu’s statement also noted that academics supervising more classes or students could have a negative effect on the quality of work produced. “Academic staff are now tasked with maintaining research outputs and high quality teaching while battling with increased class sizes and supervision workloads.”

This was an area of concern for the union because of the university’s introduction of performance-based remuneration, which is “in contravention of the university’s Remuneration and Reward Policy and despite research demonstrating its ineffectiveness and inappropriateness in academic institutions”, according to Asawu’s statement.

“I cannot give the best quality education if I have got to teach 10 different courses,” Stacey told Wits Vuvuzela.

Noting this, however, Habib said his job as vice-chancellor had been “to create an enabling environment for the enhancement of productivity”.

“If you want to do public accountability, let’s do it honestly and transparently; let’s do it thoughtfully. I will make sure we deliver until the last day I am here,” Habib said.

Habib will step down at the end of 2020, to take up the directorship of London University’s School of Oriental and African Studies.

FEATURED IMAGE: Professor Adam Habib says he has created an enabling environment as Wits vice-chancellor. Photo: Anna Moross

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The Wits women and men hockey teams secured several wins during a friendly derby day against UJ.

The Wits Hockey teams dominated the University of Johannesburg’s hockey teams, after winning five out of seven games during a friendly derby day on Saturday March 7, at Wits Education Campus.

The Wits men’s first team won 3-1 against the UJ men’s first team. The first goal was scored in the seventh minute by Brandon James after a short corner.

In the second half, Wits increased the score by two goals. Rusten Abrahams struck the ball into the top left corner of the net, in a one-on-one penalty stroke with the keeper, five minutes into the second half.

Wits’ final goal was scored less than 30 seconds later by Dylan Butler. UJ were able to score a goal during a moment of weakness in the Wits defence when Keown Leong-Colom scored a field goal in the 55th minute.

Unfortunately, the game was called off in the final minute, due to a collision between UJ goalkeeper, Cullin De Jager and UJ player Nico Jacobs, which resulted in a broken ankle injury for Jacobs.

The final game of the derby was played by the women’s first teams, which was delayed by up to 30 minutes due to the Jacobs’ injury in the previous game.

Eventually the game got underway and Wits women were able to secure the only goal of the game in the third minute, through a short corner by Nompilo Thenjwayo. Despite multiple opportunities to score from both sides, neither of the teams were able to capitalise on their attempts.

Speaking to Wits Vuvuzela, the Wits men’s coach Ricky West said: “it was good to get out and play some good competitive hockey today, and were going to try to win the league for the third time in a row.”

In relation to the up and coming league, Gilbert De Villers, the Wits women’s coach said, “hopefully [we can] push for second place or first place, I think we have a really strong second side compared to last year so I think there’s some good competition coming through.”

Tsoanelo Pholo, UJ women’s Coach told Wits Vuvuzela, “it’s always great to see what we can improve on and what we should work more on.” She also added that the game was not about individual performances. “For me it was about the girls applying the new tactics.”

The other three wins for Wits came from the women’s second team game with a score of 5-1. The Wits men’s second team won 2-1, while the women’s third team got away with 4-1 win against UJ.

The only losses for Wits on the day was a 7-1 thrashing  for of the Wits men’s fourth team who played against UJ’s fourth team, while the same Wits team also lost 3-5 to the UJ men’s third team.

The 2020 Hockey League is set to start on March 28.

Featured Image: Wits first team player Rusten Abrahams on the ball. PHOTO: Zinhle Belle

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FNB Wits secured a cracking win over FNB UP-Tuks in the 6^th round of the FNB Varsity Cup.

Although there were a few jittery moments in the beginning of the game, the FNB Wits rugby team snagged a 16-10 victory against FNB UP-Tuks on Monday evening, March 9 at the Wits Rugby Stadium.

UP-Tuks opened the scoring with a penalty converted by fly-half, Theo Boshoff, as UP-Tuks put up a strong scrum in the first half of the game.

However, this didn’t stop right flanker, Lindokuhle Ncusane, scoring the first try for FNB Wits and putting them in the lead with a score of 5-3.

FNB Wits scored a penalty, increasing their lead to 8-3 against their rivals.

Moments before the half-time whistle was blown, FNB Wits loose forward, Ziyanda Msipha, replaced left flanker and match captain, Constant Beckerling, after he suffered a pectoral injury.

There was no stopping FNB Wits defence strategy in the second half of the game. A heart stopping moment was felt throughout the crowd when a corner try was awarded to FNB Wits by outside centre, Yanga Hlalu, who raised the score to 16-3.

Close to the line, UP-Tuks then scored a try by scrum-half Raegen Oranje and was later converted. FNB UP-Tuks’ efforts to catch up to FNB Wits were a little, too late as the home side came out on top with the final score being 16-10.

Emmanuel Tshituka was awarded man of the match for his fierce tackles, while moment of the match was awarded to Lindokuhle Ncusane for scoring the first try of the game for Wits.

“I couldn’t ask for anything better. We fought to the very last second,” says Ncusane.

FNB Wits Head coach, Hugo van As, said that he is grateful for the win but remains cautious.

“Obviously we are very happy with the win. Personally I believe we had opportunities to really put them away and put some serious pressure on them, but we put ourselves under pressure to keep them in the game.”

FNB Wits captain, Constant Beckerling, told Wits Vuvuzela that his team played their hearts out, “We play with so much heart and so much desire, and we really wanted to make a statement today.”

When asked about his feelings towards getting injured, Beckerling laughed and said, “Luckily I drink beers with my other hand”.

FNB Wits will play against FNB CUT in the seventh round of Varsity Cup on March 16, at the FNB CUT Rugby Stadium as FNB Wits aim to continue their scintillating form. The Wits side remains undefeated so far in the league but are still third on the log behind FNB Tuks and Maties.

FEATURED IMAGE: Man of the match, Emmanuel Tshituka smiles for a photo with man of the moment, Lindokuhle Ncusane. Both players are part of FNB Wits. Photo: Tshepo Thaela

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Women need to stop being shamed for the number of partners they choose to have.

Too many times, I chose to be exclusive to one person when really I should not have been. I make that choice because I feel that is what society expects of me. It seems better than the girl who has been with 10 guys, right?

I remember having a conversation once with one of my male friends. He happened to mention how when he was ready to marry he was going to choose someone 10 years younger than himself. Mind you he was in a serious relationship at the time. I was obviously shocked because I am thinking but ‘dude, you’re already in a relationship’. As we went deeper into a conversation that could have been a joke, he explained that he thought his current girl had too much sexual experience. And he wanted to marry someone with less.

This got me thinking about how his girlfriend probably doesn’t know her partner’s body count but that he has already decided on his future with her based on her body count. I wondered about the men I’ve been serious enough with to disclose my body count and whether they held this against me.

I have never had conversations with girls who cared about the number of girls a guy has been with, but it seems to be a thing with guys.

There are morally-correct societal norms to which women are held, which are not necessarily written on paper but are always in operation to police young women.  These norms are alive in our country and in our communities. And it’s drummed into us: the greater the number of sexual partners a women has, the less her her chances of finding a spouse. On the flip side, the more partners a man has, the more desirable he becomes.

I have had my own grandmother tell me bafana batokucedza, (men will finish you!). But I have never heard her say that to my brother who once brought three different girls home to my grandmother’s house in a single week!

Poet Chimamanda Ngozi put forth the idea of women being allowed to be liberated within the constraints of the male gaze when she said, “We teach girls to shrink themselves smaller. We say to girls, you can have ambition, but not too much. You should aim to be successful but not too successful. Otherwise, you would threaten the man.”

Although this does not speak directly to sexual liberation. It does apply when it comes to how society has normalised the idea of men being in multiple sexual relationships but demonising the same when women do it.

For me, it speaks to how, sometimes I ask myself if I decide to be with a certain number of men, what will happen when I get married. I remind myself that the man I’m going to marry does not deserve to find me on a high body count. How I think about labels like ‘whore’, ‘slut’ or ‘bitch’ when I consider another sexual partner.

And I know that the man of my future is not having these same thoughts.

This way of thinking is heavily harmless in that I believe it plays its part in the rape culture in this country. For example, when some men assume that rape is a valid response to a women who has been with numerous sexual partners.

I can recall more than a few times when someone who has been raped has been referred to as “uyafeba” which means that the person ‘sleeps around’.

A woman wanting to engage in a one night stand should not be stigmatised because it is simpy her choice and no one else’s business. Just because a woman is seen leaving the club with a different partner every night does not make it okay for her to be sexually assaulted in any way, shape or form.

As Robert Hazard said in his song, “Girls just want to have fun”; girls and every other human being should be able to have fun without having to look over their shoulder. Sexual liberation means that women should share the same freedoms as men when it comes to their sexuality and who they choose to be with. If someone makes you happy on one day. and not on the next, women should be able to walk away and not be shamed for their decision.

Wits close the gap on log leaders Kaiser Chiefs with their 1 – 0 win over Black Leopards

Bidvest Wits kept their title hopes alive in the ABSA Premiership, when they beat Black Leopards 1 – 0 at Bidvest Stadium on Tuesday, March 10.

Wits’ Deon Hotto came agonizingly close to opening the scoring in the fourth minute, when his venomous long-range shot beat the keeper and flew past the post.

Black Leopards’ Thabo Matlaba belted in a curling shot from range, but Wits shot-stopper Brandon Peters pulled off a quick reaction save.

The Clever Boys finally got on the scoresheet in the 30th minute, when a cross from Hotto met the head of the leaping winger Terrence Dzvukamanja who managed to bounce it past the keeper to make it 1 – 0 to Wits.

The second-half started off jittery for Wits, when the goal scorer, Dzvukamanja was stretchered off after a collision with a Leopards’ player.

In the later stages of the game, Leopards were up-in-arms when they felt they were denied a penalty in the 82nd minute. The ball touched the hand of Wits’ Buhle Mkhwanazi in the box when he tried to clear it but the referee was having none of it. Upon later inspection, replays showed that the referee got this one wrong.

Shortly afterwards, Wits super-subs Haashim Domingo and Elias Pelembe both came close to doubling the host’s lead when they both struck the cross bar.

Leopards almost stole a precious point in the dying moments of the game, when Mwape Musonda headed a cross towards the goal, but it was comfortably saved by Peters, which secured the Clever Boys’ 1 – 0 win.

Bidvest Wits coach, Gavin Hunt, was satisfied with the win but felt the boys left much to be desired. “You can’t create opportunities like that and not make it comfortable,” said Hunt. “It is what it is and we’ll just keep soldiering on.”

Wits remain in sixth place on the ABSA Premiership standings with 38 points, 10 points behind log leaders Kaiser Chiefs, with a game in hand.

The Clever Boys now set their sights on Friday, March 13 for the Nedbank Cup quarter final, when they travel to Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium in Clermont to take on Real Kings Football Club.

FEATURED IMAGE: Bidvest Wits Winger Terrence Dzvukamanja meets a cross with a header to make it 1 – 0 against Black Leopards at Bidvest stadium on Tuesday March 10. Photo: Tshepo Thaela

The health science faculty is on a mission to clear the air.

The Wits University faculty of health sciences has introduced a no smoking policy on its Parktown from Tuesday, March 3. The campus aims to eradicate all designated smoking areas by August 31 this year.

“Ash trays will be removed and they [Wits protection services] are going to put ropes to show the demarcation of the smoking areas,” said Antonia Appel, a communications officer for the faculty.

Appel told Wits Vuvuzela that the policy is only being implemented on the health science faculty and is not a university-wide policy. “If we can do it effectively then other faculties can maybe apply it for themselves. But it’s not university policy to be completely smoke-free.”

“Come 31^st of August, no smoking zones whatsoever, you’ll have to smoke in the streets [off campus],” Appel said, adding that Campus Protections Services will monitor and enforce the policy.

Professor Martin Veller, the Dean of the health sciences faculty, told Wits Vuvuzela that “non-adherence to the policy will be managed through well-established university based policies”.

The faculty has established this policy to align itself with its mandate of practicing good health and leading by example.

A final-year medicine student, who asked to remain anonymous, said that “they (the faculty) can’t stop us individually from smoking, but they can actually limit where we smoke”.

Enhle Sangweni, a second-year physiology student said, “I don’t think the policy is necessary because smokers should have their choice to smoke”.

“If you are a non-smoker then move away from the designated smoking areas,” she said.

Wits university prohibits smoking on all its campuses but still have designated smoking areas. 

FEATURED IMAGE: The policy aims to have all designated smoking zones reduced by August, 31 at the faculty of health sciences. Photo: Palesa Mofokeng.

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Wits has been taking precautionary measures regarding Covid-19 since the start of the academic year.

Wits University has been placing students returning from China in quarantine since January, in light of the outbreak of the coronavirus, but won’t say how many students have been involved.

Sister Maggie Moloi, head of the Campus Health and Wellness Centre said, “For now, I am unable to comment of the number of students that have been quarantined.”

She said students returning for the 2020 academic year from China, where the virus originated, had been quarantined by the institution for a period of 14 days. Students were isolated in their residence rooms and private accommodation in line with Department of Health protocols in dealing with Covid-19, Moloi said.

During the quarantine period, Moloi said she routinely checked on the students by checking their temperatures.

“If we identify someone after the 14 days with the symptoms, they are reported to the nearest equipped hospital, which is Charlotte Maxeke. The hospital is ready to accept cases, but so far no referrals have been made,” she said.

Xiaolong Gong, a PhD student studying clinical microbiology and infectious diseases returned to Johannesburg from his home town, Qingdao, in northern China on the January 30.

Gong said that he had to tell the university that he was returning and based on that, Sister Moloi communicated with him regarding his quarantine protocol. He was isolated in his room at Wits Junction.

“The quarantine is a little boring but indeed, I think it is necessary, as you can see the spreading momentum globally,” Gong said.

Lishi Huang, chair of the Wits Chinese Students and Scholars Society, told Wits Vuvuzela that since the start of the academic year, Wits was aware of students who had been to China or in close contact with someone who had.

“The university has taken very good precautions to make sure everyone is safe. It was very comprehensive,” she said.

Dikgang Azania Morele, a Wits student currently studying towards a master’s degree in demography and population studies at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy, through an exchange programme, is experiencing life under the complete lockdown in Italy due to the rapid spread of the virus.

Morele has not tested positive for Corona but is unable to move around because of the restrictions in the region she lives in. She said she had left her laptop in South Africa, intending to use the research facilities on campus, but now, because of the lockdown, she has been reading her literature off her phone.

She told Wits Vuvuzela that a staff member in the International Strategic Partnership Office has been helping her through this trying time. “She (the Wits staff member) has been my go-to person, ensuring I am safe, not just physically from the disease, but mentally as well. You need that when you are isolated in a foreign country,” Morele said.

GRAPHIC: Emma O’Connor.

She said she had stocked up on food before the country’s shutdown.

Wits management has released several statements on what the university is doing to curb the spread of the virus on its campuses.

These include the deactivation of the university’s biometrics system and allowing access onto campuses through card swipes only.

There are no plans to interrupt the academic programme as yet.

In case of an emergency related to the coronavirus, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases hotline number is 0800 029 999.

FEATURED IMAGE: The Wits University Great Hall. PHOTO: File

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Patricia Nkotso’s return to the national team could be a gamechanger 

Patricia Nkotoso has been chosen for a selection camp for the senior Lesotho national team, which begins on Monday, March 16.

After three years without an appearance, Nkotso feels she can add value to the Lesotho national team following a string of good performances for the University of Witwatersrand women’s side in 2019.

The centre back felt proud when speaking to Wits Vuvuzela about this opportunity. “It is a good opportunity because I can see that I am in the coaches plans. In 2018 they didn’t select me because the coach didn’t have any plans for me. So now I can see they might need me, or my performances have improved because of the Wits team,” she said.

When asked about what this selection means for the team, Nthabeleng Modiko, better known as Coach Dunga, said, “It is amazing because I think it builds confidence in the changing room. She has been our senior player and we knew when we recruited her that she was the captain of the Lesotho team at the time in 2017, so it is good for her to be making her comeback in the national team. It also gives me a pat on the back as her coach because at least we managed to bring her back into contention after she was dropped.”

If selected, the second year Bachelor of Education student feels she can add value to the Lesotho team by helping their defence in certain areas.

Having played for Lesotho before, Nkotso said her possible future teammates are still very young and will need to be more aggressive on the field in order for the team to improve their game.

Dunga felt Nkotso has improved as a player and echoed her sentiments. “She understands the game, she loves the game and when it comes to her positioning, she is a no-nonsense player.”

Nkotso and her coach both hope the defender’s good form will continue and that she will get a chance to play football abroad in the coming years, with Dunga saying that Nkotso’s style of play is ‘something most European teams look for in a player’.

FEATURED IMAGE: Wits Footballer Patricia Nkotso. Photo: Dylan Bettencourt

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Plates4days supports about 500 UJ students per month, but some students say they are unaware of the programme.

The Plates4days initiative was re-launched at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) Soweto campus, on Friday, February 28, to celebrate the sponsor’s association with the institution.

The programme, sponsored by Tiger Brands, hands out monthly food parcels with the aim of tackling food insecurity among South African university students. The programme, which has been assisting UJ, Wits and other South African universities since 2017, currently supports 500 UJ students and 1386 Wits students.

Samkelisiwe Dlalisa, the group account director of Tiger Brands, the programme was re-launched in order to, “make the public, students as well as government aware of the program in the hopes of taking it further with more partnerships and alerting students in need of the program”. According to An-Li Theron, the acting senior manager of UJ’s fundraising and development department, “30% of students don’t have food security”. For this reason, UJ’s food support schemes are crucial for students.

Kanyisa Ndyondya, Tiger Brands’ group media and PR manager, said the parcels include a variety of foods including maize meal, meat and mixed vegetables.

Zakhele Mtsali, second year Bachelor in Education (UJ), and current beneficiary of the Plates4days programme, praised the initiative saying, “It was difficult because sometimes I would attend my classes without having a meal in the morning and now, things changed. I was able to go and collect food at the Food Bank and have something to eat”. The UJ food bank is an inventory of food donated to the institution as well as food grown and collected from the UJ food garden.

Despite the re-launch, which involved a number of speakers, a number of UJ students said they were unaware of the programme.  Mbali Nabena, third year Bachelor of Education (UJ), says that even though she is someone who has struggled with food insecurity in the past, she was unaware of Plates4days.

Mathapelo Mngomezulu, a first year Bachelor of Arts student at UJ, said the university should make a more conscious effort to publicise the programme to students. “UJ should make it more public so more people know about it”, Mngomezulu said.

UJ students can contact the student affairs department to access parcels through the Plates4days programme.

FEATURED IMAGE: University of Johannesburg students pictured during a lunch break on the lawns. Photo: Catia De Castro.

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The South African National Blood Service (SANBS) is taking precautionary measures for blood donation amidst the rising cases of coronavirus.

By Lwazi Maseko and Gemma Gatticchi

The SANBS (South African National Blood Service) says that any donor whose blood that shows signs of a virus will be prevented from giving blood for up to a year.

This is according to Gugu Mathebula, a SANBS donor care officer and a registered nurse who spoke to Wits Vuvuzela about coronavirus concerns during a blood drive at Wits University on March 10 and 12.

“[A coronavirus patient’s] blood would not go to someone else because our machines are very sensitive. Even if you have the flu, if the machine is not sure about something then it defers you,” said Mathebula.

The SANBS released a statement on Facebook on March 10 which said that they would be enforcing “precautionary deferrals for individuals who may be affected,” with the coronavirus. According to their website, a deferral is a waiting period applied when a donor does not qualify to donate within the specified time period due to various health related issues. Mathebula told Wits Vuvuzela that a person can be deferred for up to a year if their blood is found to be unsuitable.

According to the Advancing Transfusion and Cellular Therapies Worldwide website, “individuals are not at risk of contracting COVID-19 through the blood donation process or via a blood transfusion, since respiratory viruses are generally not known to be transmitted by donation or transfusion.”

Mathebula added that if the donor is found to be fit to donate blood, the SANBS takes three samples of the donor’s blood to test specifically for HIV, syphilis and hepatitis.

The SANBS has urged the public through a statement released on Facebook on March 12, that “if you are feeling unwell you are encouraged to delay donation”. The statement said that the SANBS is unable to test for the coronavirus and the test for “COVID-19 is not done on blood, but on throat swabs and sputum samples”.

Mathebula said that despite the increase in cases of coronavirus cases in South Africa (currently at 16), the SANBS have not seen a shortage in blood donations.

Zinhle Ngwenya, a first-year BA student said she has been donating since she was in Grade 10 but is worried about contracting the coronavirus when donating blood. “A health care worker could accidentally cough on me while she is putting the needle in my arm, and that is what’s preventing me from giving blood,” said Ngwenya.

Callum Abelho, a final year geographical sciences student who would regularly donate blood at Wits said he is not worried about contracting coronavirus through blood donations but rather from travelling. “I’m meant to go to England and I’m worried about that. I haven’t got it, so I’m safe for now. I don’t even know if I will go there this year, I might wait until next year.” Abelho said his family lives in England and was hoping to go visit them during the upcoming university break at the end of March.

Mathebula said that there are requirements which donors have to meet in order to donate blood. Donors have to fill in a questionnaire which includes questions about their recent travel history, their medical conditions and lifestyle. The nurse then goes through the questionnaire with the potential donor and checks his or her blood pressure and iron levels to make sure that donation is permitted.

According to Mathebula the coronavirus is highly preventable. “I just think there’s a fear that’s going around. It’s treatable at the moment. Wash your hands, practice hygienic measures, sneeze into your arm. It’s the same as flu. Repercussions of it are treatable and manageable,” she said.

The SANBS has urged the public to contact the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) if they suspect a risk of infection.

FEATURED IMAGE: The SANBS is going through with scheduled blood drives despite the presence of coronavirus in South Africa. Photo: File

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Two Wits professors are making waves in the field of climate science.

Two Wits University professors have contributed to an internationally recognised report produced by the United Nations (UN) which provides new insights into how climate change is understood and approached.

Bob Scholes and Coleen Vogel, professors at the Wits Global Change and Sustainability institute participated in the Future Earth 2020 project which is aimed at furthering a global transition towards a more sustainable future.

Scholes was part of the editorial board, made up of a group of ten world-renowned experts, and Vogel assisted in writing the report, contributing to a chapter titled: “Transformation: How to spur radical change”.

Scholes considers the lack of awareness and urgency to be some of the major issues regarding climate change. He says, “The issue of climate change has a long lag time, so by the time it becomes urgent and inescapable, it’s too late.”

Both academics say Wits will be contributing towards climate mitigation in the near future too, with the development of the Wits Sustainability Strategy (2020-2030). This strategy makes climate change issues a top priority and according to Scholes and Vogel, Wits students will be involved in the decision-making process over the next few months.

This strategy demonstrates an active approach to climate change, linking to Vogel’s idea on transformation. She highlights the need for a major societal transformation rather than simply adjusting to adapt to the conditions created by climate change.

“It requires a radical shift in the way we conceive the problems and the way we deal with the them. Ultimately, its about a systems change,” she says.

Click here to access the full report (pdf). 

FEATURED IMAGE: Wits professor Bob Scholes who was involved in the UN global initiative: Future Earth. Photos: Catia De Castro.

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The Wits Choir joins the SRC and ARC in song to raise funds for the SRC’s #1student1degree campaign.

The Wits University Choir has collaborated with the SRC (Student Representative Council) and the ARC (All Residence Council) for the second time in the choir’s 57-year history to host an annual welcome concert in aid of students experiencing financial and accommodation difficulties.

All proceeds from the concert, which was held at the Wits Great Hall on Thursday, March 12, will go towards the SRC’s #1student1degree campaign. The total amount raised could not confirmed by the time of publication.

Dalene Hoogenhout, choir conductor and trainer, said that she supported the SRC and their campaign because she has first-hand knowledge of the issues; “I know for myself that with our own Wits Choir students, there are so many of them who are really struggling so much to get accommodation, and getting food.”

Hoogenhout has personally taken in a Wits choir member who has been struggling with issues of accommodation. “I had one of the guys in the Wits Choir that didn’t come back because he had accommodation issues. He wanted to sing in the choir but he lives in Pretoria and I just said to him, listen, stay at my house until we sort it out, so yes, it’s something that is close to my heart,” she told Wits Vuvuzela.

SRC president, Thuto Gabaphethe, who attended the concert, said that there are a number of challenges facing both the university and the SRC. These challenges include transformation, accommodation and finances. However, “many of those issues unfortunately require money and money must come from somewhere,” he said.

The #1student1degree campaign was launched by the SRC on during O-week in February to assist students to graduate.

Gabaphethe said that all students “that walk through the university, must leave the university with a degree,” regardless of their financial circumstances. Gabaphethe also said that the accommodation issue lies not in the lack of beds, but the lack of funds to finance beds. “We are trying as much as possible to raise money towards financing those beds,” he said.

Gabaphethe said the SRC wants to be proactive in helping the university to raise funds. “We cannot just protest and chant and Amandla and submit memorandum of demands whereas we are not doing stuff on our side as well, so this is us doing stuff on our side,” Gabaphethe  said.

The concert programme consisted of beautifully sung lullabies, folk songs, hymns, traditional play songs, and gospel songs in many different languages from many different countries. “That’s why there is such a feeling of togetherness on the stage and I think that’s what we show the audience,” said Hoogenhout.

The Wits Choir annual welcome concert is held at the start of the academic year to mark the arrival of new students to the institution and new additions to the choir itself.

FEATURED IMAGE: The Wits choir performing in the Great Hall for their annual welcome concert. Photo: Zainab Patel

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Four students have been partially suspended for their involvement in the accommodation protest.

Three of the four students accused of the disruption of classes and violating the rights of members of the Wits community acknowledge their roles in a recent protest at Wits University. The students were part of a protest on March 4 to address issues of accommodation.

The three students spoke exclusively to Wits Vuvuzela but asked to remain anonymous due to the ongoing investigations.

Sizwe Zulu*, fourth year BA Law, is charged with damage to property. He admits that he was at the forefront of the protest, however, he says that no damage was done inside the lecture halls when the protest was happening.

“When you’re in a protest you know things can go bad so as the lead protester, you take responsibility to ensure that people with you are not angry,” he said.

“When addressing the accommodation issues there was no agreement [with Wits management], so we had to enforce demonstration so that we can be heard, but after the protests, we have seen the changes,” Zulu said.

A second BA Law student, Reuben Ndlovu*, who is charged with the disruption of classes at the FNB Building on west campus said that the protest was the most peaceful one in recent times and that no libraries or property were burned in comparison to previous protests.

“I hope the university drops the charges and opens a room for engagement to discuss student protests, its parameters and to discuss a permanent resolution to accommodation issues to avoid further protests,” Ndlovu told Wits Vuvuzela.

The third student, also a BA Law student, is charged with disarming a security officer who was on duty. “We were reviving a political consciousness that people after us can build on, however, we did not think the outcome of that protest would lead to suspensions ,” he told Wits Vuvuzela. 

Four students have been suspended for disrupting classes, for violating the rights of others and for malicious damage to property. Read the full @WitsUniversity statement pic.twitter.com/CrxB44d9EX

— Wits University (@WitsUniversity) March 11, 2020

All four students were partially suspended after a hearing in the vice chancellor’s office at Solomon Mahlangu House on Wednesday, March 11. Buhle Zuma, senior communications officer at Wits, said the four are under partial suspension for 45 days. The partial suspension will restrict their access to the university precinct allowing them access to the university for academic purposes only.

“The order may also restrict residences [that] can be accessed,” she said. “Accordingly, the students are permitted to reside in their residence, attend classes and do everything necessary to complete their academic programme,” Zuma told Wits Vuvuzela.

According to the university’s student disciplinary policy, students who are found guilty of the charges against them can be reprimanded, given a warning or even be excluded from the university.

*Not their real names.

FEATURED : Four students who participated in the protest for accommodation at Wits University on March 4 have been partially suspended. Photo: Zainab Patel.

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Lack of finances the only hurdle for student who cracked invitation due to academic credentials and leadership qualities.

A first-year Wits student has been invited to attend the Arab Youth International Model United Nations (AYIMUN) leadership conference which will take place in Dubai in September.

Kgotsofatso Mogakane, who is studying speech pathology and audiology, applied through the AYIMUN website in February, by submitting outstanding academic credentials and meeting various leadership standards and requirements set by the organisation.

“It is such a great honour to be invited and I am excited to finally prove my leadership ability and to connect with other leaders from around the world,” Mogakane told Wits Vuvuzela.

He said he wants to attend the conference so that he can give back to his community through Better World Organisation, which he founded after leaving high school in 2017.

His organisation has helped students from his village in Welverdiend, Mpumalanga, to gain entrance into tertiary institutions by assisting with applications and providing tutoring.

Among these students is 18-year-old Nhlawuleko Ngobeni, a first-year public relations and communication student at the University of Johannesburg. “Kgotso and his organisation assisted all the grade 12 learners [at Mahlale High School] with their applications, they even helped us choose careers. I’m now at university because of him.”

Model United Nations is an international platform that allows young leaders from around the globe to engage with world issues such as poverty and inequality, as well as to discuss methods that may bring about world peace.

Despite this opportunity, Mogakane told Wits Vuvuzela that he is currently unable to attend the conference due to a lack of finances. “Leadership is very weak in this country. I believe that young leaders such as myself need more access to sponsorship so that the leadership in South Africa can become stronger in the future.”

According to Sara Toofail Ahmed Vidha, the secretary-general of AYIMUN, the organisation does not currently sponsor any of its delegates. “If there are any financial issues, we advise and suggest the participant seek sponsorship from local bodies, institutions and organisations.”

In an attempt to fund his trip, which will cost approximately R20 000, Mogakane has started an online donations account in his name and has reached out to various channels such as the WitsJustKidding Instagram page, in hopes of gaining support from the Wits community. He remains hopeful, though he hasn’t been able to raise “even close to the amount required”.

FEATURED IMAGE: Kgotsofatso Mogakane is raising funds to attend a leadership conference in the United Arab Emirates later this year. Photo: Niall Higgins 

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