Wits rocks the election

Roxanne Joseph and Thabile Manala

Bright and early on Wednesday morning, well before the polls had even opened, many students gave up their holiday slumber to join the long, snaking lines to cast their vote at Wits at the Old Mutual Sports Hall, on Education Campus and in their own neighbourhoods.

Despite the reported apathy among the youth, a large number of first-time voters came out to mark their ‘X’ at Wits.

Others trickled in steadily throughout the day and the lines remained long right up until the polls closed at 9pm.

“I like the numbers and am very impressed with the turnout at Wits,” said Mcebo Sisulu, an honours student in mathematical statistics.

He admitted that he was nervous about the elections and the apparent lack of enthusiasm of the youth.

Born-frees stepped up despite apathy

In the days and months leading up to the elections, the media became fascinated by the born-free generation, those who were born after South Africa became a democracy in 1994.

They were expected to not make a difference to the results, as they only made up 2.5% of the 25 million registered voters, according to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). Only about a third of born-frees had even registered to vote.

Earlier in the week, Wits Vuvuzela spoke to a number of born-frees, many of whom were choosing not to vote due to a general sentiment of apathy.

“I’m not inspired enough to vote,” said Zongezile Qeba, 2nd year Chemical Engineering. He said his generation wanted to “forget about the past”.

[su_quote cite=”Prof Daryl Glaser”]”Maybe it’s because the educated, young people are more politicised and more likely to vote.”[/su_quote]

Despite being well aware of the country’s history, many born-frees have little faith in our politicians and political engagement is not a big priority for many.

But the apathetic young were nowhere to be seen on election day, where thousands of first-time voters showed up to stand in long queues at Wits from the early hours of Wednesday to long after the sun had set.

When asked how her first-time voting was, third-year law student Boitumelo Rammala said, “It was amazing. I’m going to do it every time, over and over again.”
“I was excited, because it was my first time and all,” said fourth-year law student Lethokuhle Ntombela.

Prof Daryl Glaser, head of the politics department, said student turnout at Wits was encouraging, despite registration being disappointing amongst the youth as a whole.

“[The turnout of first-time voters] was encouraging. Maybe it’s because the educated, young people are more politicised and more likely to vote,” Glaser said.

SRC president Shafee Verachia set the example when he was caught by Wits Vuvuzela helping his 86-year-old grandmother to the voting station in Malboro Gardens. A first-time voter himself, Verachia said he was voting for the South Africans who participated in the struggle to liberate the nation.

“Personally, it’s about honouring the generation before me, they made the sacrifices for me to have this right to make this vote today,” he said.

The reactions that Wits Vuvuzela got from some of the voters after casting their votes ranged between nervousness and disbelief.

First-year Bracken Hall was unsure he made the right choice with his vote. “I am not a 100% [sure] but, like, any change is a good change,” Hall said.

“It’s great it’s just that I don’t know if I made the right choice… I can’t believe I did that. I actually did not vote for the ANC”, said Wits alumnus Thulani Dyasi.

Muzi Mbatha said: “ I voted for the EFF … I also think I exercised my right to vote.”

Voting out of obligation

Many of the youth were torn between voting out of obligation to the ANC, with their history in mind, and voting for another party. “It’s not difficult for people to be very conflicted by this. People have a strong connection to the ANC,” said Prof Devan Pillay. “Many are conflicted because of their performance and especially because of the current president, [Jacob] Zuma. We don’t have a credible opposition,” he said.

“It’s the classic abused-wife syndrome. It fits in perfectly with people’s attitudes of the ANC. People always go back and are always hoping for change.”
According to Pillay, university students are, as potential members of the middle class, easily sold on all the gains brought by the ANC, such as being able to go to Wits. “Getting them to think differently is a bit of a crisis.”

Glaser said the turnout at Wits is an indication of a more positive future in political engagement for the youth.

“Each generation brings a certain set of strengths to politics. The young bring energy and idealism,” said Glaser.

“They have the longest horizon in the future to look forward to. They should start thinking about how they want to shape it.”

Tough economic times for Wits students

STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE: Ontiretse Phetlhu, a former UCT student, is struggling to adapt to the Joburg lifestyle and to support himself financially. Photo: Thabile Manala

Ontiretse Phetlhu is sometimes barely able to feed himself, lives in a shanty back room and struggles with life in Joburg, his new home. But he’s a Witsie, studying to be a teacher, and his story is typical of students who hail from financially disadvantaged backgrounds and who have to juggle academic commitments with long working hours to support themselves.

[pullquote]“I have already accepted that things may not go well … I haven’t established a formula, I haven’t found my ground at Wits.” [/pullquote]

Phetlhu is a former UCT (University of Cape Town), student who has moved to Joburg to pursue a Bachelor of Education degree. He was previously a NSFAS (National Student Financial Aid Scheme) student and, with help from his mother, is supporting himself while paying back his loan.

While Phetlhu’s mother managed to pay the upfront registration fee from her savings this year, she is unable to finance his day-to-day living expenses. He previously lived in Randfontein with relatives and traveled to campus by train. But unreliable trains meant that Phetlhu was often late for morning classes.

He now rents a small room in Thokoza, but he is by no means self-sufficient and is barely able to survive because he is often without a cent in his pocket.

Both his parents have low-income jobs and are unable to assist him.

When Phetlhu appealed to the Wits accommodation office for assistance, he was told that without funding there is nothing they can do for him and that his points, (according to the university’s point system), did not qualify him for a place in res. No other options were available to him. He later turned to the SRC (Students Representatives Council) with no success. “I don’t find them helpful because their availability is questionable … these are urgent matters,” he says.

Toiletries and food packs available

Jabulile Mabuza, Campus Services Officer of the SRC, said the SRC has a limited budget. It is divided between helping the clubs and societies further their mandate to keep university life vibrant and the Humanitarian Awards used to help students. “The SRC prioritises a larger group of people who need funding to fill in the gaps than one person who needs complete funding”, said Mabuza. She encourages students to seek external funding.

Enid Schutte, a psychology lecturer at Wits, said students from a low socio-economic background are often under pressure to achieve. These students are sometimes the first in their families to make it to university and therefore “[their] anxiety levels are high”. Schutte said these students are able to get toiletry packs and food packs from the dean of students on a completely anonymous basis.

As a first time Joburger, Phetlhu also faces socio-cultural difficulties. He says: “I feel lost in this place, it’s quite sad because where I’m from, I had a support system.” The psychological burden of living in these conditions has affected his academic performance.

Phetlhu, once filled with optimism, now says: “I have already accepted that things may not go well … I haven’t established a formula, I haven’t found my ground at Wits “.

Cool kid: Sakumzi Langa

MADE IT: Sakumzi Langa, Cool kid for the week who overcame all odds to make it into Wits and has now achieved academic excellence. Currently doing his final year of LLB
Photo: Thabile Manala

Emerging from a painful background, Witsie Sakumzi Langa has triumphed over many challenges to attain success. He is now a final year LLB student, with his head held high and a bright future ahead.

What challenges did you face before you came to Wits?
In 1997 my mother abandoned my family, and my father was killed by a stroke a year later. That deeply affected the course of my life, as my siblings and I were taken to the SOS Children’s Village home in Mthatha. Coming from a big family of seven siblings did not prepare me to live in an orphanage of 150 children.
Given your difficult background, how did you make it into Wits?
I managed to matriculate with distinctions and was accepted into Wits University for an LLB degree. Out of all the 150 children at SOS Children’s Village, I was the first one to make it to university and therefore SOS paid for tuition fees.
Tell us about your accomplishments so far at the age of 22?
I made the Dean’s merit list in first year after achieving four distinctions. I am a recipient of the Abe Bailey Travel Bursary and this has enabled me to travel to England and Scotland. As a participant in ‘Law Against Walls’ I have been to Dubai, Switzerland and I am heading to America soon. I am a member of the Golden Key International society and a prospective candidate at Webber Wentzel Attorneys.
What do you think has set you apart from the rest?
I saw the importance of having an adaptive personality. I have lived my life in a way that allowed me to learn from the mistake of others, and be aware of what not to do. When I lacked role models where I was, I actively looked for them elsewhere.
What is your personal philosophy?
I live by these words “Try to help as many people as you can per day, and don’t forget the ones who helped you”. I am currently mentoring 25 students around Wits and I am passionate about motivational speaking.
On the lighter side of life, who is Sakumzi?
I love going out and I am very family orientated. I am faithful Chelsea supporter and have quite a knack for poetry.

Remembering the past to protect the future

Taking a tour around the Old Fort in Johannesburg is a stark reminder of how political prisoners were treated during apartheid. A political prisoner was kept in confinement for 23 hours a day. The one hour of daylight was a different type of war zone from the over-populated prison cells as gang violence and abuse from warders was rife.
Human dignity was a distant ideal in an era where fighting for survival was the order of the day, every day even to eat or shower.

The cell confinement of the prisoners lead to use of this exposed toilet by all the inmates.

In apartheid South Africa, Number Four Prison at the Old Fort was considered the worst prison due to the old and unliveable infrastructure. This prison housed political prisoners and pass law offenders who were awaiting trial.
After admission prisoners to the Old Fort would walk stark naked to receive their prison uniforms. This habitual physical strip-down was not only humiliating but eroded the prisoner’s sense of self. The uniform was unwashed and often carried disease.
For older men there was a tangible sense of shame when they were forced to be naked in the presence of young men, collectively, in a practice called the Tausa.
On the wall in the prison a warder describes the practice. Martin “Panyaza” Shabangu, prison warder, 1973-80 said : “Some of these people grew up with me and as a warder I did not like to make them open their anus. Sometimes it was an old man in his 50s, a respectable somebody. White warders wouldn’t have done it to their own people. But it was a duty that we were forced to do … The prisoners were cleverer than us. When they came from court or work, they were carrying things like blades and money which they could hide up their anus.”

Due to the over-crowding in the cells. Prisoners slept like sardines

Petal Thring, CEO of Constitution Hill which houses the Old Fort, said the severity of the human rights violations left scarred psyches in the prisoners.
Living in darkness for 23 hours, with access to two buckets – one for sanitation and another for water – shared among many individuals bargaining for survival under threat of violence every day, reduced many black people to animals.
Men squatted over what was called a long-drop toilet with other men immediately squatting opposite them because they were forced to eat in that position.
Death was common due to gang violence and apathy a way of life, even when the prisoners were just awaiting trial. Nothing was considered sacred.
Thring said Constitution Hill is a “site of hope to a lot of people”. She said “in order to understand where we are, we need to be sensitive to where we have been”. Thring said we should not forget our history even if it carries so much heaviness.
Human rights today are protected by the South African constitution, Thring said. The Constitutional Court is the guardian of our constitution which enshrines the values of equality, freedom and human dignity.
Constitution Hill is involved in a number of projects to drive human rights in communities. Notably, they have a programme for children that is aimed at helping them develop numeracy and literacy skills as well as helping them develop a culture of human rights by using the arts.
This helps young people recognise violations of human rights such as homophobia, xenophobia, racism and rape.
Ciaran Heywood, a Grade 11 pupil from Sacred Heart said: “Human rights are something that all humans deserve because without it, it leaves room for inequality and oppression to come back.”

This door features 27 fundamental themes of the Bill of Rights in all official languages

No Shame in Mending

Many students who suffer from mental illnesses do not feel able to reach out for help because of the stigma attached to these health problems.
Wits Vuvuzela asked a number of Witsies for their feelings about mental health, in the light of the programme being run by Drama for Life (DFL) in conjunction with the CCDU. Their partnership, which has been running for five years, uses theatre as a tool for social engagement and justice.
This developed into the Human Rights and Social Justice Initiative for 2014, from March 17 to 21. This year, their focus is on mental health.
Most of the students approached agreed that it was difficult to talk about these issues. “I often keep things to myself and deal with things until I realise that I really can’t,” said Mukhodiwa Nwashe, 1st year Geology.
Danai Myezawa, 1st year BA, said: “You don’t ask for help because you think you are being dramatic and exaggerating your situation…it’s hard to ask for help because then you have to admit there’s a problem.”
A fear of being judged was another reason for not discussing mental health, according to Vukosi Penyani, 1st year Occupational Therapy. “And if you talk, you think you’ll be a burden.”
The challenge of the DFL project lies in representing the inner workings of someone’s mind as an outward expression of mental illness. Drama for Life has tried to show how mental illness affects the relationships people forge with each other.
Ayanda Khala, co-curator of the initiative, said people could often not recognise when sadness was not just situational, but had become depression. Students did not have the language to communicate their feelings accurately.
A friend who said they were having a “depressing” day was usually not taken seriously. The comment was not responded to with urgency. She added that young people lacked the language to say “I am not okay”. They failed to understand the language of someone who genuinely cried out for help.
Khala said it was not until an individual felt completely overwhelmed that they began to reach out.
“We respond to mental illness not to mental wellness. Students need to be exposed to the knowledge that they have a right to a healthy mind. We need to develop tools of resilience and ask ‘How do I cope on my feet?’”
Mental wellness had everything to do with how people took care of their physical wellbeing as well, she said. The healthier a student was, the more capable they felt to face life’s challenges. “The ability to voice your frustrations to a friend about a test you failed is an undermined act of self-care.”

LIFT ME UP: Concrete Metaphors a production by Themba Mkhoma Photo: Evans Mathibe

Refiloe Lepere, Co-curator of the Initiative and Director of Heading Out, one of the performances run during the week, said students carried guilty feelings associated with mental illness because it was associated with weakness and not strength.
“Many people who suffer from mental illnesses believe they are inherently wrong, or have done something wrong. That it should be somebody else, not me.”
Lepere cited the example of Thamsanqa Jantjie, the “fake sign interpreter” at Nelson Mandela’s memorial service last year. As a nation, we missed the opportunity to talk about mental illness when Jantjie was found to be suffering from schizophrenia.
Lepere said she hoped this campaign could open the channels of communication to allow students to have an honest dialogue about mental illness. One should be able to say: “I have a meeting with my demons” and not see raised eyebrows. It should be possible to react to mental illness in the way we would to catching the flu.
If the stigma of mental illness could be replaced with more validation given to each others’ internal struggles, more people would come forward for help, she said.

Simphiwe Dana at the IAW Concert

The Great Hall was filled to capacity, as the crowd gathered in support of the Israeli Apartheid Week tonight. They were united in song and dance lead by the performances of Simphiwe Dana and Thandiswa Mazwai. The artists pledged a heartfelt solidarity to the cause and cited personal and patriotic experiences that inspired their responsiveness to IAW. The crowd was electric and chanted “We love Palestine!” and all pledged to be the voice of the voiceless.
Wits Vuvuzela spoke to Simphiwe Dana. She expressed her thoughts on the situation in Palestine. As a gender activist who advocates for women and children she also spoke about the suffering experienced by women and children in the region.

All photo’s by: Thabile Manala