IMPACT by Joni Brenner

IMPACT presents an in-depth artistic response to a scientific subject—the 2.5-2.8-million-year-old Taung skull.

IMPACT presents an in-depth artistic response to a scientific subject—the 2.5-2.8-million-year-old Taung skull. This exhibition encapsulates Brenner’s long-term creative engagement with the skull, broadly exploring themes of fragility and survival, destruction and creation, uncertainty, loss, pressure, and chance. Her work draws from the fragmentary nature of archaeological evidence; strikingly combining different mediums and surfaces – from paper, canvas and stone veneer to clay, plaster of paris, bronze and film. Click here more info here

R30/R60 entry, tickets available on webtickets. Extended to 31 July 2025.

For walkabouts and exhibition events, please check our social media. 

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Hold Me Said the Earth by Ann Gollifer

‘Hold me said the Earth’ invites us to consider the ways in which our identities are shaped by history, geography, and personal experience.

What ways are our identities shaped by history, geography, and personal experience? A key element in Ann’s work is her use of pigments derived from earth colours found in Botswana, which she transforms into something more than just colour – but vessels of history, culture, and identity.
“Her art is a call to reflection, urging us to consider our own personal mythologies and how they intersect with the larger narratives of race, gender, and nationality” - Khumo Sebambo. Exhibition curated by Kim Karabo Makin.
All works on sale through Guns&Rain Gallery. See the catalogue here. R30/R60 entry, tickets on webtickets or at the door. Extended until 31 March 2025

For walkabouts and exhibition events, please check our social media.

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Welcome Day 2025

Calling all First Years!!

WITS WELCOME DAY 2025

When: Sunday, 26 January 2025

Where: Braamfontein Campus West, Dig Fields

Start time: Gates Open at 08H30 for 10H00

Enquiries: events@wits.ac.za 

FIRST YEARS ONLY!

Congratulations! You are now a Witsie and part of the Wits family.

Wits University cordially invites you to attend Welcome Day, at which first-year students will be addressed by the Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Zeblon Vilakazi FRS, and others.

All first-year students are invited to attend the Welcome Day, along with their parents/guardians.

Limited seating is available (max. 2 guests per student).

Faculties will be available to answer any questions you may have.

There will be food stalls where refreshments can be purchased.

Please arrive early to avoid traffic congestion at the gates and secure parking.

You are welcome to use e-hailing services to be dropped off.

The event will be streamed live on the Wits University Streaming YouTube channel

We look forward to welcoming you to your campus.

Witsie. For Good

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Artist walkabout with Ann Gollifer – Hold me said the Earth

Exhibition catalogue available online and beautiful printed copies will be on sale at the exhibition.

Ann Gollifer is travelling from Gaborone Botswana to take us on a tour of her extraordinary exhibition "Hold Me Said The Earth".

The exhibition is the culmination of years of the artist's work with the natural ochres of Botswana, found in soils and stones, as a water-based painting medium.

Free entrance. In collaboration with Guns and Rain Gallery. Exhibition catalogue available online and beautiful printed copies will be on sale at the exhibition.

Enquiries: tammy.hodgskiss@wits.ac.za

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Artist walkabout with Joni Brenner – IMPACT

This exhibition encapsulates Brenner’s long-term creative engagement with the Taung skull.

Join artist Joni Brenner for a walkabout of her exhibition. IMPACT presents an in-depth artistic response to a scientific subject—the 2.5-2.8-million-year-old Taung skull. This exhibition encapsulates Brenner’s long-term creative engagement with the skull, broadly exploring themes of fragility and survival, destruction and creation, uncertainty, loss, pressure, and chance.
Tickets at the door or on webtickets (Students R10, Wits staff R30, general R60; tickets allow full access to the museum)
Enquiries: tammy.hodgskiss@wits.ac.za

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ECAD Buddy Chatbot launch

Empowering Early Career Academics Through Digital Companionship

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Exhibition Opening: Mooi Nooi

Join us for the exhibition opening for Mooi Nooi Mooi by Karolien van Zyl.

Mooi Nooi. Sculpting Identities: Art, Nationalism & Womanhood. The exhibition is a partial fulfilment for Master of Arts in Contemporary Curatorial Practice, Wits School of Arts.
Free entry for the opening. RSVP: tammy.hodgskiss@wits.ac.za.

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Exhibition: Mooi Nooi by Karolien van Zyl

Join us for the exhibition for Mooi Nooi from 8-22 February.

The exhibition is a partial fulfilment for Master of Arts in Contemporary Curatorial Practice, Wits School of Arts. Opening event on Saturday 8 February from 12:00-14:00 (opening event is free, please RSVP to tammy.hodgskiss@wits.ac.za). Exhibition on until 22 February. Tickets for duration of exhibition: R10 students, R30 kids and Wits staff, R60 adults.

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Museum Mental Health Walkabout with Dr Kirti Ranchod

Join us for a Museum Mental Health Walkabout with Dr Kirti Ranchod titled Love in Art and Science.

Memorability's 2025 Series: The Neural Blueprint for Excellence . We look forward to welcoming you to Kirti Ranchod’s 2025 brain health and mental wellness series designed to support your success in art, science, and life. Join neurologist, Dr Kirti Ranchod and learn about the impact on love on the brain, and on health.

Tickets on Webtickets or at the door.R10 students, R30 kids/Wits staff, R60 general. Enquiries: tammy.hodgskiss@wits.ac.za

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Afro-ADVAC 2025

The Wits African Leadership in Vaccinology Expertise (Wits-Alive) invites qualified professionals to apply to attend the African Advanced Vaccinology Course.

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Science Lunchtime Lecture

Please join the Faculty of Science’s Friday Lunchtime Lectures that will showcase the faculty's cutting-edge and diverse research and teaching innovations.

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Pitso ya Kalaneng 2025 festival

Wits Theatre presents Wits University’s annual festival Pitso Ya Kalaneng: A Call to Theatre.

This year’s pickings have the energy and vibrancy of a long-standing arts festival that will set the tone for your year – whether you are a student (at Wits or anywhere else), an academic or a member of the public. View the daily schedule or visit the Wits Theatre for more details on each of the performances. Tickets at Webtickets for only R50 students, R100 for staff and the public.

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NDANGE

A production of the Pitso ya Kalaneng - A Call to the Theatre programme.

NDANGE is an epic drama that unravels the haunting tale of Solomzi and his family, set in the secluded rural enclave of Ndokonya, in the Eastern Cape. In this cursed land, the people are slowly unravelling, their identity and traditions eroded by the encroachment of foreign customs. Amidst this turmoil, Solomzi emerges as a tragic figure, his choices casting long shadows over his fate, as judgment and sentence seal his place.

Writer: Mandipumle Nokonya   

Devised by & Cast: Philip Shelembe/Bandile Sika V Moloi/Aphelele Sidelo/Mandipumle Nokonya                     

Genre: Epic Drama

Stage Manager: Zukhanye Bulali Mgobo

Duration: 40mins

Age Restriction: 13  

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Flesh In the Garden

A production of the Pitso Ya Kalaneng - A Call to Theatre programme

Flesh In the Garden is an African inspired Musical. A Tale of the old Gods – The African Gods. The musical reimagines the Orisha (divine spirits worshipped by the Yoruba people, a tribe in Nigeria) in the spirit world. These spirits reside and inspire the mortal realm. Gods and Goddesses, they may be, are divine children of the Tree of Life. The mother tree, Ase’, withers and burns, while the Second being, Oludomare, the Father of the Universe who is omnipotent. The children embark on a mission to save their mother and the Universe from calamity and darkness. In their plight, the Orisha must confront the impending doom lurking in the midst, while unearthing their past traumas, to see clearly the path towards saving ‘Ase’. Get enchanted in the magic of African spirituality and beauty, beautifully woven through bold music, vibrant characters and the extraordinarily mysterious world, created through mesmerising visuals and sensory storytelling.                                

Writer/Director: Lwazi Pinyana

Cast: Asakhe Ngxonono/Masungulo Khosa/Kereabetswe Koloko/

Jamie Mirembe/Catalina Namayanja/Sive Camagu Khamanga/Lungelo Dlangamandla/ Ntando Qangule/ Regopostwe Modisane/ Azile Mningizane/Luvuyo Zulwayo/ Kamogelo Sigauke

Stage Manager:  Iviwe Tom

Genre: Musical Theatre                                

Date & Times: 11 February @ 18h00 & 12 February @ 18h00 & 13 February @ 15h00 &

14 February @ 16h00. Venue: Nunnery. Duration: 45mins – 13+               

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The After effect _ Soweto 1995

A production of the Pitso Ya Kalaneng - A Call to Theatre programme

THE AFTER EFFECT _ SOWETO 1995 a play that revolves around the life of Joe Makinta, a 49-year-old activist and revolutionary, released from prison after serving 18 years for anti-apartheid activism. Joe returns to his community, only to find that his wife, Thandi, has married his former comrade and friend, Moses, "Ta'Moss" Qoka, who is now the Minister of Safety and Security. Joe struggles to come to terms with the betrayal and the fact that his community seems to have forgotten his sacrifices. He also discovers that, Ta'Moss sealed a deal with the apartheid regime, which led to Joe's imprisonment. The community is revealed to be under some sort of mind control, triggered by a robotic system program instilled in their ears, which prevents them from discussing apartheid.

Writer/Director: Tebogo Queen Kobo

Cast: Mathapelo Badye/Matlhatsi Ntuli/Matimu Manganyi/Tanique Grootboom/Lethabo Ngcobo

Thapelo Kobo

Genre: Drama

Date & Times: 12 February @ 12h30 & 13 February @ 12h30

Stage Manager: Atalia Ntimbane

Technical Crew: Themba Nkabinde/Xaba Ntjana/Anele Ngema

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MOROLA

A Production of the Pitso Ya Kalaneng - A Call to Theatre programme

MOROLA is a testimonial physical theatre piece that tells the story of a mother and daughter—one a perpetrator and the other a survivor—who face each other across wooden tables. The narrative unfolds between these two tables of testimony, bringing the past to light in all its raw brutality and fragility. The piece explores the liberating power of speaking while also emphasizing the importance of listening. It acknowledges that simply speaking will not heal all wounds. The Chorus introduces a method to help bridge the gap between them: PRAYER. This serves as an offering of prayer—a request to heal our land.

Writer: Yael Farber

Director: Tshepang Sehole

Cast: Beata-Bellé Wessie/Keratilwe Bikitsha/Vuyo Zulwayo/Ongeziwe Mpongo/Asibonge Ntuli/

Nqobile Xulu/Phoebe Mgxaji/Itebogeng Machobane/Thabiso Motaung/Juliette Love/ Kwandokuhle Goba/

Genre: Drama

Stage Manager: Mosima Mokgahlane

Date & Times: 11 February at 14:30 and 13 February at 12:00                         

Duration: 40mins

Age Restrictions: 13

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Mad Man Tales – Delusions

A production of the Pitso Ya Kalaneng - A Call to Theatre programme.

When Mkhululi is found guilty of Killing over 895 people he is sent to a prison psychiatric hospital. Where he Meets doctor Vutali his psychiatrist who is sent to help him with his psychological problems. In their session Mkhululi then reveals that he suffered from child abuse by his father which later made him have a counter part that served as his protector. He also doesn’t recall killing any of the people whom he’s being accused of, but he believes that he was put in jail by very powerful politically affiliated people who believe he has found secrets that may discredit some political parties.

Writer/Director: Sanele Radebe

Cast: Bongane Maqhawe Manyoni

Genre: Physical Theatre  

Date & Times: 12 February at 17:30 and 13 February at 15:30                    

Duration: 40mins

Age Restrictions: 13

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LETTER 7 TO MOÛSAI - “I am terrified by the sheer power of the words I have written.” – Franz Kafka

A production of the Pitso Ya Kalaneng - A Call to Theatre programme.

Letter 7 to Moûsai is a visceral, physical theatre piece inspired by Kafka’s powerful 47-page letter to his father. Through compelling movement composition and physicalised storytelling, it brings to life Kafka’s emotional tapestry and the complex dynamics of his childhood and manhood. This striking adaptation transforms Kafka’s deeply personal words into a raw, visual journey, immersing the audience in his inner world and unravelling the tensions that shaped his life and work.

Writer: Franz Kafka

Director: Joziah S. Wheeler    

Cast: Lindumkhosi Ndlovu/Zoe Smyrnios/Beata-Bellé Wessie/Keratilwe Bikitsha

Genre: Physical Theatre

Date & Times: 14 February @ 18h00 & 28 February @ 14h00 & 01 March @ 14h00

Stage Manager: Masungulo Khosa 

Duration: 30mins

Age Restrictions: 13

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Liewe Pa

A production of the Pitso Ya Kalaneng - A Call to Theatre programme.

Liewe Pa is a physical theatre piece, that follows a man’s journey as he confronts his past, as years of neglect weigh heavily on him. In confronting his father, he explores the complex dynamics of the

father-son relationship, touching on broader themes of personal growth, reconciliation, and the search for emotional wholeness.

Choreographer: Lechè Tangee

Writer: Liam Kelly

Cast: Thabani Mdlalose/Tshegofatso Kgage/Vuyo Mthembu/Inganathi Mgeni/Liam Kelly

Genre: Physical Theatre 

Date & Times: 12 February at 14:00 and 13 February at 14:30

Duration: 30mins

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From 94-24

A production of the Pitso Ya Kalaneng - A Call to Theatre programme.

From 94-24 is a bold and satirical play that reflects South Africa's transformation from 1994 to 2024. Through humour and sharp wit, it tackles issues like political corruption, exploitation in modern churches, poverty, and the role of artificial intelligence in shaping the future.

Writer: Ngcebo Mtshali

Devised by: Cast  

Cast: Ngcebo Mtshali/Sabelo Thusi/Aphelele Sidelo  

Genre: Satire

Date & Times: 22 February at 16:30 and 01 March at 18:00

Stage Manager: Kamogelo Rorisang  

Duration: 20mins

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WitsQ Connect

WitsQ is a strategic initiative of the University to be a driver of quantum technologies, making Wits the leading quantum institute on the continent.

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50th Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Anatomical Society of Southern Africa

50th Annual Conference of Anatomical Society of Southern Africa. Theme: "Anatomy Intelligence: Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Anatomical Sciences".

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Walkabout of ‘Paper’ Exhibition

Join on Saturday 8 February 2025 at 11:30 for the first walkabout of ‘Paper’ with curator David Paton.

The exhibition features books in which paper plays the starring role, such as books about the craft of papermaking, techniques such as paper cutting, folding, marbling, pulp-painting and watermarking, and books with extraordinary and unusual papers as part of their content. Of particular interest are the recent hand-paper portfolio on the theme of 30 Years of Democracy and the 8.5m-long scroll Three Gorges Dam Migration by contemporary Chinese artist Ji Yun-Fei.

Limited on-street parking is available, but we encourage using ride-hailing systems for convenience.

Entrance is free. 

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Seven Colours, Letsema

A production of the Pitso Ya Kalaneng - A Call to Theatre programme.

Seven Colours, Letsema – In this unforgettable dance theatre performance, you will experience the joy, love, and warmth of community!

Seven Colours is a dance theatre production that celebrates the spirit of togetherness and its nuanced complexities and challenges. Inspired by the Setswana concept of Letsema, this performance explores the collaboration of a diverse ensemble of performers to create a rich, textured, vibrant form of embodied storytelling. Set against the backdrop of the iconic "seven colours" tradition, where an assortment of colourful dishes marks Sunday gatherings, this production explores the intersections of sharing, family, and community. "Seven Colours" embodies the values of wholesomeness, home, and togetherness through dynamic choreography, music, and personal narratives.

Choreographer: Kamogelo Molobye, in collaboration with the cast

Cast: Kamogelo Molobye/Smangaliso Ngwenya/Musa Mpongo/Kungawo Gwayi/Tshepang Sehole/ Keratilwe Bikitsha/Beata Wessie/Azile Mningizane/Mairi Cruickshank/Kwandokuhle Goba/Likhanye Tube/Luvuyo Zulwayo/Mirembe Namayanja/Inganathi Mqeni/Masungulo Khosa/Thabani Mdlalose/

Bayanda Mzulwini/Thandiwe Witley/Ntando Qangule/Keamogetswe Lehodi/Kgabo Tauatsoala

Poster Illustrator: Tlhalefo “Evo” Boshielo

Stage Manager: Nokwanda Mjiyako

Genre: Dance Theatre  

Date & Times:  19 - 22 February at 20h00 (for all performances)

Duration: 30mins

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iNgoma

A production of the Pitso Ya Kalaneng - A Call to Theatre programme.

iNgoma, meaning song and dance in isiZulu, is a jubilant celebration and showcase of the music from three musical productions namely: Lerumo Badimong (2023), Muntu (2023) and Kama (2024). iNgoma celebrates this notion and equally highlights the sacred multi- marriage between African traditional rhythms, soul stirring harmonies and movement. As the saying ‘Sigiya Ngengoma’ goes, join us as our talented musicians take us through this sonic vivid picture of African storytelling.

Muscial Director: Sibusiso Ntonfontofo Mkhize.

Performers: Sade Sepeng/ Kwandokuhle Goba/Kgotatso Semone/Buhle-Bontle Satsha/Bellz Ntuli/Sazikazi Bula/Olwethu Mthombeni/Mandisa Yende/Aphelele Sidelo/Akhona Mthiyane/Nolubabalo Bawuti/Bhambatha Ndaba/Resego Matshediso/Lebogang Moleleki/Keabetswe Motsoagae/Khanyisile Masondo/Rebaone Molatlhegi/Luyolo Poni/Oratile Pega/Awethu Mtolo/Mpumie Khuzwayo/Nandi Zulu/Itebogeng Machobane/Sfiso Maseko/Rorisang Makena/

Stage Manager: Thando Masilela

Genre: Music  

Date & Times:  10 February at 17:30

Duration: 75mins

Age Restrictions: 13

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Public Discussion on Deciphering the Present

WiSER and The Innovation Foundation for Democracy invite you to a public discussion on 'Deciphering the Present'.

Chaired by Professor Lynn Morris, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research and Innovation at Wits, this event will consist of a three-way conversation between political historian and public intellectual Achille Mbembe, critical theorist Jacqueline Rose, cultural critic Sarah Nuttall, and moderated by feminist and sociologist Srila Roy.

At stake will be an attempt to decipher the current global moment and some of the key challenges of our times such as war and militarism, impending ecological breakdown, conflicts over gender and sexuality, the hollowing out of liberal democracy and the rise of reactionary authoritarianism and its alliance with the highest forms of techno-capitalism. Particular attention will be given to the conditions of possibility for new orders of democratic practice and the deepening of international justice.

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V.V.V Security

A production of the Pitso Ya Kalaneng - A Call to Theatre programme

V.V.V Security - An action-packed satire set in the vibrant and evocative world of an art gallery. This production delves into the profound ramifications of colonialism and its enduring impact on Africa, examining themes of history, language, and culture. The story unfolds from the unique perspective of three security guards entrusted with protecting the art they also question. It grapples with how colonial legacies shape our modern-day psychology, influencing our connection to heritage, lineage, and a sense of belonging. The narrative is brought to life through the dynamic mediums of physical theatre and verbatim theatre, blending sharp commentary with visceral storytelling.

Director: Kgothatso Kenzo Selepe

Mentor: Sinehlanhla Prince Mgeyi

Cast: Gofaone Bodigelo/ Langalibalele Mathuthu/ Kgothatso Kenzo Selepe

Genre: Satire  

Date & Times:  11 February at 12:30 and 12 February at 11:00 

Duration: 40mins 

Age Restrictions: 13

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BONDAGE EN-SUIT (E)

A production of the Pitso Ya Kalaneng - A Call to Theatre programme

BONDAGE EN-SUIT (E) is a fast paced, supercharged physical theatre piece that is set in 1663, deep within the Karoo desert of South Africa, where the Kabilawatu-ukoo's toiled under the unforgiving sun to build a time travel machine-a device that would reshape history forever.

Devised by: Cast

Director: Yangintsikelelo Klaas

Mentor:  Jacques de Silva 

Cast: Andile Mgeyi/Brooklyn Lottering/Sonia Mayor/Yangintsikelelo Klaas

Stage Manager: Brooklyn Lottering  

Genre: Satire, comedy and physical theatre   

Date & Times:  11 February at 11:00 and 12 February at 12:30 

Duration: 40mins 

Age Restrictions: 13

Tickets are available on www.webtickets.co.za/witstheatre (click for ticket information).

Students: R 50.00

Wits Staff and public: R 100.00

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M E M E [TICS]

A production of the Pitso Ya Kalaneng - A Call to Theatre programme

M E M E [TICS] engages cultural [re]evolution and how we experience ourselves in the world. Through moments of flashbacks the show uses dance and physical storytelling to peak into the past of South Africa and find links between what once was, what today is and considers what tomorrow could be. The play seeks to find parallels between inherited or generational experiences and modern ways of experiencing the world. With a MEME as a unit in which culture can be measured, MEME [tics] presents several moments of cultural evolution and duplication. Continuously reaching back in time as we make sense of the present. Grounding the world, we live in now by referencing the past, indicating how we are not only shaped by our past but that we actively shape ourselves. The show leaves the GenZ with a [re]presentation of culture and ask what MEME’s they will be passing on as digital natives and the lasting effects it could have on generations to come.

 Director: Gavin Matthys

Music Composition and Choreography by: Ensemble Cast

Cast: Beata B. Wessie/Luvuyo Zulwayo/Keratilwe Bikitsha/Mairi Cruickshank/

Sanele B. Dlamini/Kwandokuhle Goba/Tshegofatso N. Kgage/Masungulo Khosa/

Hendrick M. Lesabane/Keith Mahlangu/Kwanele Maphumulo/Mosima Mokgahlane/

Zukhanye BSZ. Mgobo/Azile A. Mningizane/Bonolo Mofokeng/Awethu Mtolo/Ngcebo SG. Mtshali/

Bayanda Mzulwini/Mirembe JC. Namayanja/Yolanda Ndlovu/Asibonge OAM. Ntuli/Oratile Pega/

Lwazi Pinyana/Rohan Roussow/Philip S. Shelembe/Sandile Sibanda/Aphelele Sidelo/Zoe Smyrnios/

Likhanye Tube/Thandiwe M. Witley/Joziah S. Wheeler/Nqobile Z. Xulu/Thabiso Motaung/Itebogeng Machobane/Tshepang Sehole/Keamogetswe Lehodi

Stage Manager: Khanyisile Masondo

Genre: Physical Theatre 

Dates & Times: 27 February at 20:00

                            28 February at 20:00

                            01 March at 20:00

Duration: 50mins 

Age Restrictions: PG

Tickets are available on www.webtickets.co.za/witstheatre (click for ticket information).

Students: R 50.00

Wits Staff and public: R 100.00

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F-R-A-G-M-E-N-T-E-D

A production of the Pitso Ya Kalaneng - A Call to Theatre programme

F-R-A-G-M-E-N-T-E-D is an embodied language that cannot be articulated in words nor whispered in the deepest, wildest thoughts. It exists in parallel, disjointed and lived timeline that warps and culminates in the body. These are, but a few moments of endless embodied conversations in one’s body, mind, and spirit.

Choreographer: Smangaliso Ngwenya in collaboration with the cast  

Performers: Musa Mpongo/Smangaliso Ngwenya/Owethu Mbongwa/Rebaone Molatlhegi/ Tshepang Sehole/Likhanye Tube/Kungawo Amandla KaThixo Gwayi/Zukhanye Mgobo/

Sika Bandile Moloi/Naledi Mosiane/Philip Shelembe/ Khanyisile Masondo/ Mandipumle Nokonya

Genre: Dance and Physical Theatre

Date & Times: 19 - 22 February at 18:00 (for all performances)

Duration: 30mins. 

Tickets are available on www.webtickets.co.za/witstheatre (click for ticket information).

Students: R 50.00

Wits Staff and public: R 100.00

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Lab of Learning Jazz Session

A production of the Pitso Ya Kalaneng - A Call to Theatre programme

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Book Launch: Decolonising African Theatre by Dr. Samuel Ravengai

A production of the Pitso Ya Kalaneng - A Call to Theatre programme

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Notanotherpodcast

A production of the Pitso Ya Kalaneng - A Call to Theatre programme

Picture this: a cozy gathering in the outdoors. A pop-up podcast. With the aims to spark discussions among the theatre community about festival highlights while fostering interaction between performers and audiences. An immersive audiovisual installation will enhance the experience and encourage social media engagement, inviting attendees to share their memorable moments. Celebrating the South Africa Theatre landscape. Let the reflecting begin theatre lovers!

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The National Youth Afrocentric Alliance (NYA)

A production of the Pitso Ya Kalaneng - A Call to Theatre programme

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Reversing the Vicious Circle of Debt, underdevelopment and environmental change

This lecture discusses ways of enhancing investment in resilience and sustainable development to reverse this process and create a virtuous circle.

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Breaking Barriers Through Technology Webinar Series

Webinar Title: An African Perspective on Culturally Competent Social Robotics-Why DEI Matters in Human-Robot Interaction.

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GCI Seminar: Water security and climate change in Africa-past, future and present

This GCI seminar will be presented by Prof. Declan Conway, London School of Economics.

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Jazz, Vice, and Revolution: Harlem, Sophiatown, and Elijah Muhammad

Join us for a Black History Month event exploring jazz, vice, geography, and revolution in Harlem, Sophiatown, and Elijah Muhammad’s legacy.

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Experience the inaugural Wits Standard Bank Piano Festival!

Join us for a world-class piano music celebration featuring acclaimed South African and international artists.

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Faces of the City - Tuesday Online Seminar Series

The Faces of the City is a weekly online seminar series hosted at WITS by CUBES, the SA&CP, both in the School of Architecture and Planning, and the GCRO.

This quarter, the series is being run by CUBES from 11 February - 25 March 2025 and aims to connect urban scholars and practitioners across geographies and disciplines to promote transnational dialogues, debates and collaborations. A provocation is posed to presenters to engage in some way with ‘Faces of the State in the City’, including but not limited to questions of state spaces, statecraft, bureaucracies and governance.

The presenters and discussants include Professor Solomon Benjamin (Indian Institute of Technology Madras), Professor Mfaniseni Sihlongonyane (WITS University), Dr Katie Wells (Groundwork Collaborative) and Professor Nthabiseng Motsemme (Centre for Sociological Research and Practice University of Johannesburg).

Join us online on Tuesdays at 16:00 on Zoom (link below) and join the mailing list here: https://shorturl.at/EfUfq Join Zoom Meeting https://wits-za.zoom.us/j/97213045421?pwd=bTZvNkch7le3EXs4YhwbtlOKgO2a25.1 Meeting ID: 972 1304 5421 Passcode: 559109

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50th annual conference of the South African Association of Botanists

The 50th annual conference of the South African Association of Botanists (SAAB) at the Wits Rural Facility, c. 30 km from Orpen Gate, Kruger National Park.

A special Pollination Symposium will be held on Monday 30 June, and the 3-day General Conference from 1 - 3 July. Oral and poster presentations may be submitted via the conference website: https://www.wits.ac.za/saab-conference/.

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Afro-Indigeneity: Coloured South African Consciousness and Black American Identity Formation

Join the WICDS Wednesday session for an essential discussion on Afro-indigeneity.

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Apartheid after South Africa

The Innovation Foundation for Democracy and WiSER invite you to a conversation between Professor Achille Mbembe and Dr Mbuyiseni Ndlozi.

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Adenauer media lecture

The role of public service broadcasting in a democracy, lessons from Germany

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Science Lunchtime Lecture

Novel dark matter searches at the large hadron collider.

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MITP and NITheCS Seminar

‘What we can learn from a growing sample of Fast Radio Bursts: A Cosmology Wishlist’ - Professor Amanda Weltman (University of Cape Town)

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Research Seminar : Aspentech Tools Session One

The School of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering invites you to the research seminar: Aspentech Tools Session.

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Billionaires, Fascists & Apartheid in the USA

Dr Lisa Brocks will deliver a series of lectures at Wits including the below public lecture.

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Celebrating Multilingualism for Inclusive and Quality Education

Celebrating Multilingualism for Inclusive and Quality Education

Wits University will commemorate International Mother Language Day (IMLD) with a special event aimed at celebrating linguistic diversity, fostering multilingual pedagogies, and promoting inclusive education. This year’s theme, Celebrating Multilingualism for Inclusive and Quality Education, aligns with Wits’ commitment to language inclusivity and epistemic access.

The event will bring together leading academics, language experts, staff, and students to engage in discussions, cultural showcases, and policy reflections on the role of mother tongue education in South Africa and beyond.

Programme Highlights

 ✅ Opening Address: The significance of International Mother Language Day and Wits’ language policy vision
✅ Keynote Address: Wits Giving the Edge – Translanguaging Practices in Higher Education & MTbBE in Basic Education
✅ Interactive Language Showcase: Students and staff share proverbs, poetry, and phrases in various languages
✅ Panel Discussion: The Next Decade for Mother Tongue-Based Education – Experts from HuMEL, English, isiZulu, Sesotho, and SASL
✅ Closing Commitments: Wits’ roadmap for multilingual pedagogies and future research initiatives

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Public Lecture: Binaifer Nowrojee: President of the Open Society Foundations

The role of Philanthropy in achieving agreed global compacts transformative national development and sustainable social justice in the global south.

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The Paris agreement at a crossroads: Pathways to a sustainable future

Professor David King will discuss the state of the Paris Agreement from his insider experience of international climate negotiations.

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Frantz Fanon: Combat Breathing

2025 Lunchtime public seminar series.

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International Day of Mathematics

The programme is open to all high school learners, undergraduate students and anyone keen to explore the world of mathematics.

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A Journey in Time: Archaeology Activity Day at Origins Centre

Join us for a fun day of archaeology-inspired activities. All Ages Welcome.

Fun activities in and around the museum. Go on a museum scavenger hunt, explore an archaeological dig sandpit, shoot a bow and arrow, make paint from stone, learn how to identify animal bones, explore South Africa's rich archaeological record, and touch real artefacts, and a special visit by a Palaeolithic early modern human! 

Most activities will be running through the day, but make sure not to miss these two workshops: 

10:00 – 11:00 Ochre painting workshop. Make colourful powder from special pigment-rich rocks and then create your own paint and make rock art. 

11:00 Bullroarer demo with The Historian, Gareth 

11:30 – 12:30 ‘What bone is this?’ with archaeozoologist Dr Jerome Reynard. Learn how to identify animal bones, the markings that form on them, and how archaeologists can tell past environments from bones. 

R100 per person. Family ticket: Buy 3 get 1 free (R300 for 4 people). Tickets are available at the door or on webtickets: https://www.webtickets.co.za/performance.aspx?itemid=1564244200  

Please bring ID to get onto Wits campus. Safe parking in front of the Origins building. Refreshments will be on sale

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A journey in time

Origins centre activity day

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Places in me

The voices of Platfontein's youth

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In search of Homo sapiens' elusive origins

Discover how life's anomalies, DNA errors and asymmetries have not only shaped our existence but have been pivotal to the success and diversity of species.

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Mental Wellness Museum Walkabout at Origins Centre

Rhythm: The Neuroscience of Music and Mental Mastery

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From Deprivation to Mobilisation: Towards a Multideterminant Model of Xenophobic Violence

An ACMS Seminar by Dr Jean Pierre Misago

ACMS Seminar: ‘From Deprivation to Mobilisation: Towards a Multideterminant Model of Xenophobic Violence in South Africa’ by Jean Pierre Misago. Drawing on extensive and comparative qualitative data from a nearly two-decade long and ongoing research, this paper responds to inadequacies and limitations of current causal explanations for xenophobic violence in South Africa. It argues that existing explanations are inadequate as many lack empirical backing and others are incomplete due to their reductionist approach. To address these shortcomings, this paper proposes an empirically based and theoretically informed multideterminant (explanatory) model, which identifies and analyses the roles of – and interconnections between – six key determinants namely: i) socio-economic and political deprivation, ii) xenophobic beliefs, iii) collective discontent, iv) political economy, v) mobilization, and vi) governance. The paper argues that i) these determinants and their interconnections in a value-added process constitute the necessary and sufficient conditions for the occurrence of xenophobic violence, and ii) this multideterminant model consequently provides an adequate and comprehensive explanation of the xenophobic violence in South Africa.

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Book Talk- Frantz Fanon: Combat Breathing

The South Africa United Kingdom Chair in Political Theory at the Wits University invites you to a Book Talk, Frantz Fanon: Combat Breathing

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Masterclass - Navigating Medical Schemes

Join us for an insightful and in-depth discussion on the complexities of medical schemes in South Africa.

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Essays on the South African Cement Cartel

Wits SEF invites you to our next Brown Bag Lunch (BBL) Seminar Series of 2025, presented by Khalirendwe Ranenyeni.

Join the seminar now. https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ZDlkMDBhMmQtYTE2My00ZjQwLTkwYzMtYzg0NDM4MjQzNzlk%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%224b1b908c-5582-4377-ba07-a36d65e34934%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%223c1cd9bc-5ff1-479c-8fdf-8260b263f9d7%22%7d

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Harnessing Learner Analytics for Strategic Decision-Making and Operational Excellence

The 2025 Learner Analytics Institute themed 'Advancing Data-Driven Education with Learning Analytics, AI Ethics, and Emerging Technologies'

The Southern African Association for Institutional Research, in partnership with the Wits Business Intelligence Services, are hosting the 2025 Learner Analytics Institute themed Advancing Data-Driven Education with Learning Analytics, AI Ethics, and Emerging Technologies on 12 -14 May 2025. The aim is to empower research and data analytics offices with the tools and knowledge to harness the transformative potential of data and artificial intelligence in higher education. This event offers practical sessions on learning analytics, showcasing how data can be leveraged to enhance student success and institutional effectiveness. Key themes include AI Ethics and Privacy, ensuring the responsible deployment of Artificial Intelligence, and Change Management, which prepares institutions for smooth integration into data-driven practices. The programme also features cutting-edge applications of Large Language Models (LLMs), highlighting their capabilities in analysing open-ended responses and streamlining processes. For more details and registration, click here.  

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What is South African about the Paypal Mafia?”

A panel discussion will examines the connections and histories of the Paypal mafia and South Africa.

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From Research to Market talk by Prof Surya Raghu

Research to Market - Some examples of research-driven solutions and industry-defined problems.

Dr Surya Raghu obtained his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Yale University and is a Visiting Professor at Wits. His expertise is in research commercialisation - transitioning of ideas, inventions and innovations into commercial products. Dr Raghu has inventions related to aerospace, automotive, consumer and biotechnology applications and has been awarded 15 US patents. He has been a co‐director and/or invited speaker in more than 60 workshops in about 30 countries on Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Research Commercialisation and Knowledge/Technology Transfer for Scientists, Engineers, University faculty, technology transfer officials and IP policy committees.

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Film Screening_Uprize!

Uprize!

This film looks at the political, social, and cultural conditions that shaped the 1976 uprising, how those ideas were transformed into liberatory action, and how those actions helped shape the democratic society we live in today. The filmmaker will be in conversation with the Jazz artist Malcom Jiyane who together with Nonku Phiri, Ariel Zamonsky, and Gontse Makhene made an original motion picture soundtrack for this film. You can listen on Spotify or here; https://youtu.be/6PQMj4uQvt8?si=yCQi9wtgu4C5ntIl

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To write or not to write? Reflections on decolonising knowledge production from the margins

Join us for another exciting seminar online or in person.

Researching about people’s lives is an exercise often met with suspicion due to how knowledge may be perceived as extractive and potentially exploitative. As African scholars interested in writing about the lived experiences of marginalised people, we are beleaguered amid calls for decolonising research epistemologies. What constitutes a decolonial approach of doing such studies? What struggles remain visible? Who are we to decide, and does this process not often betray who we are doing it for? If our answers to both these questions come from our positionality, could it not be that we are speaking for others, simply because some have spoken for them before us, in ways that we have decided were not humane? Today, we are compelled to return to questions of the agency of those we write about in negotiating their own lives in-between allegedly marginalising situations. In this seminar inspired by his forthcoming book Can Migration Studies be Decolonized? (Bristol University Press), Dr Kudakwashe Vanyoro comes into conversation with Dr Duduzile Ndlovu and Dr William Mpofu. He invites us to reflect on the idea of decolonising knowledge production from the margins and engage in necessary self criticism about limitations and drawbacks of a decolonial vocabulary and praxis, as we seek to locate ourselves in ongoing debates about what it means to write and think from the margins.

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J-PAL Job and Funding Opportunities for Staff, Post-Docs, and PhDs

Wits SEF invites you to the next Brown Bag Lunch (BBL) Seminar Series of 2025, presented by Clare Hofmeyr.

The purpose of your presentation is to share information about job and funding opportunities available at J-PAL Africa that are specifically relevant to academics working in the field of experimental economics in South Africa. Join here: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_YTJmZDkyZjktMGNiMC00YzY2LWI4YTEtYzhiYTFiZGMwMTky%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%224b1b908c-5582-4377-ba07-a36d65e34934%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%223c1cd9bc-5ff1-479c-8fdf-8260b263f9d7%22%7d

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The difficult patient

The ‘difficult patient’: why we need to reframe vulnerability in healthcare

Traditional liberal accounts of autonomy equate vulnerability with a diminishment in one’s autonomy. While this model of vulnerability suggests an increased susceptibility to harm, it may also grant access to specialised services which minimise the potential for harm and support self-determination. However, focusing on an individual’s capability as the measure for autonomy fails to recognise the broader structural inequalities one may face. Specifically, the equation of diminished autonomy with vulnerability raises problems within healthcare such as denial of healthcare, negative clinician views, and under-resourced treatment. In application, I show the effects of this on individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder. In response, I offer a solution via feminist relational accounts of autonomy which posit vulnerability as an asymmetrical relationship between individuals and the social and institutional networks they need for self-determination. Through this model, BPD’s vulnerability status is reaffirmed due to the structural stigmas they face from diagnosis to seeking treatment, thus removing the “difficult-patient” status.

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FNB Varsity Cup Rugby

FNB Varsity Cup Rugby Fixture

The JHB Derby is upon us! FNB Wits is set to take on FNB UJ on home ground, let’s pack the stands and show the team our support.

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From 5G to 6G: Understanding the building blocks of next-generation networks

Guest Lecture presented by Dr Alain R. Ndjiongue. Associate Professor, Wits University.

We will decode the revolutionary concepts behind 6G: its potential and challenges, and the innovative technologies that will power the next generation of the internet. From ultra-low latency to AI-driven networks, 6G will transform our lives.

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The Risks of Mirror Life - Webinar

The Risks of Mirror Life by Wilmot James and James Smith.

Leading scientists recently warned of the unprecedented risks of “mirror bacteria”, synthetic bacteria in which all biomolecules have reversed chirality. Mirror bacteria would likely evade many immune recognition mechanisms and result in other aspects of immunity being impaired, potentially leading to lethal infections in humans, non-human animals and plants. Mirror bacteria would be resistant to infection by bacteriophage, and likely also to predators that typically control bacterial populations. They might therefore disrupt ecosystems and cause severe and irreversible public health and environmental consequences. Containment, countermeasures, and the potential for misuse, all present major challenges. A recent paper in Science calls for further discussion on this topic, and argues that mirror life should not be created.

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Ethics Alive 2025

US Health Funding Cuts: Government’s Responsibility

Join a discuss looking asking if the our government response has been sufficient/appropriate? What should its response be? and What should South Africa do to be less dependent on foreign aid for health projects and research?

Panel include Fatima Hassan, founder of the Health Justice Initiative and human rights lawyer and social justice advocate.

Dr Kate Rees, Public Health Medicine Specialist at Anova Health Institute.

Dr Ashraf Grimwood, CEO of Kheth’Impilo, doctor and public health specialist Facilitator.

Professor Ames Dhai, Founding Director of the Steve Biko Centre for Bioethics, Immediate past Chairperson of UNESCO International Bioethics Committee.

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Africa-U.S. forum: President Donald Trump’s 100 days in office, views from Africa

Join the USC Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership and Policy as they host the upcoming Africa-U.S. forum.

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What does labour law have to do with street vendors?

Public Lecture by Professor Marlese von Broembsen

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Deaf Art and Film Festival

Join us in shaping a future where Deaf voices and stories are heard, seen and valued.

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FNB Varsity Cup Rugby

FNB Varsity Cup Rugby Fixture

Varsity Cup Rugby Round 7 will be hosted at the Wits Rugby Stadium, where FNB Wits will battle it out against FNB Maties

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The future of Africa-U.S. health diplomacy: Perspectives from the continent

This event is part of a 4-part series on the impact of U.S. global health cuts on Africa-U.S. relations.

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Procurement Litigation Masterclass

Enhance your skills in procurement litigation with our expert-led masterclass.

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Rethinking activism: Protecting peace, people and the planet - The challenges facing (civil) society

The Southern Centre for Inequality Studies (SCIS) invites you to a seminar presented by Mark Heywood.

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Walkabout at Jack Ginsberg Centre for book arts

The exhibition features books in which paper plays the starring role, such as books about paper and papermaking.

Join us for the last walkabout of Paper with curator David Paton at WAM in the JGCBA. He will provide a deeper understanding of the exhibition, offering fresh insights and new perspectives.

The exhibition features books in which paper plays the starring role, such as books about paper and papermaking. On view are books highlighting papercutting, folding, marbling, pulp-painting and watermarking, as well as books made from handmade or unusual papers.

Limited on-street parking is available, but we encourage the use of ride hailing systems for convenience.

Entrance is free. We look forward to seeing you there!

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Who speaks for the Afrikaner?

A webinar presented by The Wits Centre for Diversity Studies (WiCDS) and the Innovation Foundation for Democracy.

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Pro-VC Seminar Series: Ancient lakes: sustainability challenges during the Anthropocene

Ancient lakes occupy a unique intersection of ecological and human heritage. While most lakes are under than 10,000 years old, a small proportion are ‘ancient’.

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World IP Day and Copyright Day

Wits Libraries and the Wits Innovation Centre proudly celebrates the vital role of intellectual Property (IP) rights.

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Ancient lakes: sustainability challenges during Anthropocene

Professor Mackay will discuss some of the key sustainability challenges that ancient lakes face.

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Microbial engineering for human and environmental health

For decades, researchers have worked to replicate the efficiency of biological processes for applications ranging from carbon sequestration to resource recovery

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Towards an Atlas of Uncertainty: Mobility and the Future of African Urbanism by Loren Landau

The seminar is part of the 2025 Migration & Society Seminar Series at the African Centre for Migration & Society (ACMS)

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“Speaking in Tongues” Series 2025

Multilingual Learning in Action: Translanguaging for Meaning-Making and Engagement

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Healthcare Law and policy masterclass

Join an insightful and in-depth discussion on healthcare-related fraud, waste and abuse.

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The Body is Present: Rethinking the Afterlives of Violence and Colonial Oppression

'Towards Critical Apartheid Studies' at the University of the Witwatersrand invites you to a conference on the afterlives of colonial-apartheid violence.

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Earth Day Screening of Capturing water

Prof Tracy-Lynn Field, the Claude Leon Chair in Earth Justice and Stewardship, is hosting a screening of Rehad Desai’s new documentary Capturing Water.

Capturing Water, which recently debuted at the Johannesburg Film Festival, documents the production of the water services and sanitation crisis plaguing South Africa’s urban centres. Rehad Desai is an alumnus of Wits University and one of South Africa’s leading documentary filmmakers and will be present for the discussion that follows.

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7th African regional congress of ICMI on Mathematics education

The Wits School of Education will host the seventh African Regional Congress of ICMI on Mathematics Education (AFRICME 7) 

The congress will feature leading African and international scholars in mathematics education, including Professor Jill Adler, Professor Kgethi Phakeng, Professor Mercy Kazima, and Professor Agida Manizade, who will share their influential research on mathematics education across the continent and beyond.

The programme includes research presentations, symposia, teacher workshops, and professional development opportunities, all aimed at enhancing mathematics teaching and learning. AFRICME 7 will be held in a hybrid format, making participation accessible to a wider audience. In-service teachers, postgraduate students, and academic colleagues are warmly invited to attend. 

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Reforming global institutions of governance at times of great power rivalry

Wits University and the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) are hosting a workshop.

The workshop brings together international, and South African based experts to discuss reform of global governance institutions and Africa’s response.

This year, 2025, marks a historic moment for Africa. For the first time the G20 summit is taking place in Africa amid a whirlwind start to the US President, Donald Trump’s historic comeback to the White House. As such, this African G20 summit takes place within great power rivalry that is threatening progressive institutional reforms and international norms. Pivotal in this disruptive global order are issues of governance, security, and migration. How will these issues play out in this increasingly mercurial geopolitical milieu? Where will Trump’s shock and awe approach leave global governance? How will it affect Africa?

This workshop will tease out these and other questions.

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The Body is Present: Rethinking the Afterlives of Violence and Legacies of Oppression

Join the 2nd Towards Critical Apartheid Studies Conference

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Old problems, new tools: Machine learning in the Sterkfontein caves

The Faculty of Science Lunchtime Lecture series showcases the cutting-edge and diverse research and teaching innovations.

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