Day 2 of 31: slow and steady…

The Wits Journalism honours students and coordinators overlooking Johannesburg from a hill in highlands, Yeoville. Tired and hungry after touring the suburb for most of Monday.   Photo: Tendai Dube

I have to admit I’m a little frazzled, while my angle seems to have more clarity and focus, I feel like my application is not on the same level.

Today, the group decided that we would go into Yeoville tomorrow instead of today and watched many members from other groups head there.

We also spoke to Zaheer Cassim and discussed the multimedia part of our project, a 4 to 5 minute video that compliments the story. He used Aladdin (yes, the Disney animation) as an analogy to explain what every video needs regardless of what it is. It needs characters, a journey, conflict(s) and a resolution to the conflict.

The day was semi-productive as I waited for some contacts to get back to me regarding the currency trading in Yeoville and researched articles around the black market in Johannesburg. I also started thinking about the “skeleton” of my story and started compiling notes on the legalities around foreign currency exchange.

It’s been reassuring to hear that there are lots of dealers in the suburb. I just worry about engaging with them, especially after a classmate told me of how her friend’s boyfriend was stabbed to death when he went into a building in Yeoville to exchange $100.

Another problem I’ve encountered is how most people who know forex traders want to play middleman and get some kind of a profit. “How much do you have?” Is what I keep getting asked and I’m slightly concerned about putting myself in any danger if people misunderstand my intentions or target me because they think I have money on me.

On another note, I’m keen to put my Shona to good use, it’s definitely an advantage considering how many Zimbabweans live in Yeoville.

Anxious and excited for tomorrow.

Day 1 of 30 – something: Security and luck

Wits Journalism had an interesting lunch experience trying out some new Congolese, Ethiopian and Nigerian dishes at a restaurant in Yeoville. Photo: Tendai Dube

Armed with our assignment topics, my group and I went on a preliminary tour of Yeoville yesterday afternoon.

Over the next few weeks I’ll be blogging daily about our Wits Journalism, in-depth project on Yeoville in Johannesburg.

We didn’t know what we were looking for on our adventure through the town, and had a hard time reading the map we were supposed to follow.

So after finding ourselves on the same road one too many times, we decided to ditch the manual and use a navigator to find The House of Tandor – A reggae and dancehall spot on Rocky street.

We spent the rest of the day sitting on the patio firming up our pitches with help from a Ghanaian friend who lives in the area.

As our guided tour ended with Maurice I began to panic, worried that my story won’t have strong visual appeal or maybe none at all. Keeping forex exchange as plan A, I remembered our supervisors suggesting a couple of back up ideas wouldn’t hurt.

I find a second angle based on the buildings we visited that looks into the safe houses and group homes and where people who need help can go, local or international.

My excited about my story was restored by the end of the trip, with contacts who could lead me to people who deal in forex, as well as a brief conversation with a woman at the 24hour MoneyGram in Yeoville.

Back in Braamfontein – what I consider the safer part of town – I successfully avoided being high jacked by beating my intruder’s hands with the Stay Soft packet I keep to scent the car. He was startled but not as much as I was when the fabric conditioner popped all over me, the steering wheel, my window, seat and warning lights.

I continued my 20-minute drive to Edenvale, wondering what people must be thinking happened to me.

Selfies stretch back 300 years

The ‘selfie’ has had such an impact on society that the word itself is now part of the dictionary. To capture the history of the phenomenon, the Standard Bank Art Gallery is currently hosting the exhibition From Sitting to Selfie. The  exhibition showcases the origins and history of the phenomenon, often seen to be the result of social media and camera phones.

Coming up the stairs, the first piece of art you set your eyes on is a brass form of a dress, sitting as if a woman were in it. TD

Capturing a moment in time is not necessarily external; this skull piece is made of copper wire. TD

The collection is proof that the obsession with one’s image has been around for much longer than Instagram selfies.

The exhibition, From Sitting to Selfie, creates a history of the phenomenon of taking ‘selfie’. Photo: Tendai Dube

Curator Barbara Freemantle explained that sitting portraits in the past were done to “best capture the essence of another human” while selfies are “a memento or to document the photographer’s own presence at a particular occasion. TD

Wits Nike Running Club

Fitness brand Nike partnered with Wits Sports Club to launch a weekly running club for those in and around the community. TD

Witsies braced the cold to participate in the first Nike Run at the Bozzoli Sports Pavilion. TD

Participants had the option to run the 2.5km or 5km route from the Bozzoli Sports Pavilion through East Campus.

The launch had Witsies swopping their old sneakers to run in a brand new pair of Lunar Glide Nikes. TD

Witsies participated because of a need to encourage a healthy lifestyle.

Internal Rugby League Final

After a 10-year losing steak, the Medics have reclaimed their position on the top by winning the internal rugby league final. TD

The Young Doctors beat Masakhane 16 – 13, a mere 3 points in a high-pressure game. TD

In the last 10 minutes of the game, the Young Doctors managed to score a shocking try, making them winners of the league.

Although the game ended sadly for the Masakhane boys their captain, Katlego Maseko believes the team put their all in the game.

The game was intense and heightened throughout which made it difficult for both teams to get an easy win.

Medics (blue and white) and Masakhane (black and white) proudly singing our national anthem

Medics player looking gleeful after a much deserved win

The Masakhane players showed humility by joining in the crowd and clapping for the winners. The Young Doctors followed suite and clapped them through the tunnel.

Fans filled the stands in support of the final, with the majority of them being Medics fans.

Masakhane captain looking shattered after a painful defeat from the young doctors. TD

On the second half of the game Masakhane managed to equalize the score 13 all, however it wasn’t enough in the last minutes after the Medics scored one more try. TD

An intense conversation between Masakhane member, Junior Mnisi and the assisting coach.

The first half of the game showed Medics leading 13 – 0 against Masakhane but the Masakhane boys came back hard after an intense pep talk from their captain.

A few arguments stemmed from the heated match, between the referee and the two teams. TD

The Ruth First Memorial Lecture

The Ruth First Memorial Lecture is an annual event that looks at social economic struggles of South Africans in honour of the work which was done by Ruth First as a journalist and an Activist in the Apartheid era before killed in 1982. This year the lecture focused on violent protest action done by marginalised groups in the west of Johannesburg.

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Silent Protest 2014 – Wits

The silent protest at Wits University took place for the second time since it was formed by Rhodes University seven years ago.

The Silent Protest March took place at 08.00am in Braamfontein East Campus. The gathering was inspired by the need to condemn any type of sexual violence on a victim, to support survivors of sexual violence and to encourage other universities to participate in the Silent Protest.

After the march there is a therapeutic debriefing session at Senate House Building to encourage survivors to share their stories of sexual violence.

Several events will follow the day of the march in tribute of all survivors. There will be a tree wrapping event where people will be encouraged to pin note of encouragement to sexual violence survivors.

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SILENT TAPE:Another protestor gets her mouth taped by one of the organisers of the Silent Protest event. TD

SILENT PROTEST: Women and men around campus came together in solidarity of the protest. TD

MALE PROTEST: Male protestor shows compassion for sexual violence survivors and takes a moment to reflect on the issue that affects many people in South Africa. TD

Health sciences graduation – 2 July 2014

Our future healers graduated today (July 2, 2014), dressed impeccably and excited. A morning filled with pride, friends and familial support. Congratulations Witsies!

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The Miller family boys looking dashing while posting up on the wall. Photo: Tendai Dube

Health science graduates prepping for this morning’s ceremony. Well done Witsies! Photo: Tendai Dube

With the wind blowing through her hair and a sweet smile, Benita Bhiia (MBBCH) and Shaneel Mithal standing outside the Great Hall. Photo: Tendai Dube

Wits health science beauties, Dalcalo Mufamadi and Nandipha Ndhlovu (MBBCH) looking stunning on the Great Hall stairs. Photo: Tendai Dube

Sikhosonke Tsobo and Ndumiso Mamso (MBBCH) standing tall and proud in front of the signature Wits pillars.Photo: Tendai Dube

Charming family poses with the Wits Kudu at the Health Sciences graduation this morning. Photo: Tendai Dube

Andrea Papudopoulos graces us with her pretty smile acquiring her MSc in medicine. Photo: Tendai Dube

Sikhosonke Tsobo and Ndumiso Mamso (MBBCH) showing some innovation by depicting one more way the graduation hoods can be worn. Photo: Tendai Dube

Bongani the Wits Kudu getting ready for his close-up. Photo: Tendai Dube

Masters graduates Mpho Mgoepe and Felix Mashinyaidze excited trying to figure out a celebratory handshake. Photo: Tendai Dube

The dapper trio, Marc the paediatric neurologist, Richard the plastic surgeon and Timothy the orthopaedic surgeon dressed to the nines this morning. Photo: Tendai Dube

Rebecca Meiving (Phd) dons her red gown while making head or tails of the rest of her esteemed attire. Photo: Tendai Dube

The beautiful Monnye Sebetlele in black and blue graduating in Clinical Medicine. Photo: Tendai Dube

Mother-daughter combo poses, congratulations Buhle Binta! Photo: Tendai Dube

Running late but beautiful nonetheless as she tries to get her heels on and in the hall with only 3 minutes before doors close. Photo: Tendai Dube

Wits Great Hall stairs vandalized

Statements were found spray-painted on the Wits Great Hall stairs on Friday morning.
Photo: Luke Matthews

 

“Black power, Biko lives” and “fuck white racism” were the words that greeted Witsies as they approached the Great Hall this morning.

The graffiti appeared overnight, sprayed in black paint, on the steps of Wits’ most iconic building.

Student residences Sunnyside, Mens Res and the Umthombo building were also targeted in separate but apparently related incidents. The graffiti appeared to favour the renaming of buildings on campus. Mens Res residents found their building sprayed with “Robert Sobukwe Hall” while students at Sunnyside res found their res had been “renamed” after Winnie Madikizela.

RUGBY: Victory for Medics after 10-years of trying

 

The Young Doctors (Medics) celebrate their 16-13 win against Masakhane in the finals of the internal rugby league.   Photo: Lutho Mtongana

Tendai Dube & Lutho Mtongana

After a 10-year losing steak, the Medics have finally claimed the top spot on the internal rugby league by beating Masakhane 16 – 13 at Wits University last night.

The Young Doctors scored the winning try of a high-pressured game that saw both teams at 13-all in the last ten minutes.

“My favourite part of the game was when Charl Stonewall Bosman (medics) slotted that drop goal”, medics captain, Patrick Chappel said.

“It was a tremendously difficult game, it was really tough, there has been a slow rivalry between us and Masakhane for a while now but it was fantastic and the boys are over the moon,” said Chappel.

Although the game ended sadly for the Masakhane boys their captain, Katlego Maseko believes the team put their all in the game.

“The team played amazingly, I think the boys put their all and their hearts into it but as captain, I let them down”, Maseko said.

“We deserved more from the outcome of the game,” he added.

The first half of the game showed Medics leading 13–0 against Masakhane but the Masakhane boys came back hard after an intense pep talk from their captain, telling the team to put out their hands, face-up and grab for the coveted trophy. In the second half Masakhane managed to equalise the score 13-all, but it fell short as the Medics scored once more.

The evening started with a “curtain raiser” match between, Mens Residence playing once again against the recently disqualified Engineers, Engineers won 47-8.

Humanities (Titans) and South African Hellenic Association (SHA) also played a “bowl final”, where the Titans walked away 64-0.

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