PB WITS REVIEW April 2021 1 SEA OF GREEN

A lone student walks by the Gavin Relly Green on West Campus in February 2021. The beautiful green vista visible from the DJ Du Plessis building has thrived during campus lockdowns. For the first semester most of the academic programme has taken place online, with only a fraction of the students returning to campus at the invitation of faculties in a staggered and intermittent way. Image: Brett Eloff WITSIES WITH THE EDGE CONTENTS AN OLD CLASSIC GETS A PLAYFUL REVAMP WITH 22 UNUSUAL MATERIALS ON THE Chris Soal IN THIS ISSUE COVER SPORT REGULARS WE CELEBRATE A RANGE OF FORMIDABLE VICE-CHANCELLOR’S NOTE ...... 05 WITS ALUMNAE M A G A Z I N E REUNIONS/ WEBINARS ...... 08 PAST AND 07 RESEARCH ...... 10 PRESENT, YOUNG Wandisile WITSIES WITH THE EDGE ...... 20 AND OLD, FROM Simelane Editor FEATURES ...... 30 DIFFERENT Peter Maher ([email protected]) SA RUGBY INTERNATIONAL WITSIES ...... 56 FIELDS WHO ENRICH THE YOUNG PLAYER BOOKS ...... 68 Contributors LIVES OF OF THE YEAR Heather Dugmore ([email protected]) IN MEMORIAM ...... 80 OTHERS SAYS IT Jacqueline Steeneveldt TAKES ([email protected]) HUMILITY Ufrieda Ho ([email protected])

Graphic design Jignasa Diar ([email protected]) IN MEMORIAM FEATURE SPORT Printing Remata

80 52 07 Published by the Office of Alumni Sibongile Khumalo Monica Nicole Relations, University of the Witwatersrand,Johannesburg. WE BID FAREWELL TO Singer Mangondo Address: Private Bag 3, Wits, 2050, SA'S BELOVED VOICE South Africa / T +27 (0)11 717 1090 CHARTERED EXCITING NEW Email: [email protected], ACCOUNTANT SAYS CHAPTER FOR www.wits.ac.za/alumni IT'S TIME TO WOMEN IN www.facebook.com/witsalumni/ WITSIES WITH EMBRACE BLOCKCHAIN BASKETBALL www.twitter.com/witsalumni TECHNOLOGY www.linkedin.com/groups/76204 THE EDGE www.flickr.com/groups/witsie/

Update contact details: www.wits.ac.za/alumni/ 24 updateyourdetails Sumayya Vally Subscriptions per copy: ARCHITECT LEADS THE South Africa R25 (incl. VAT & postage) International R50 (incl. postage) CHARGE FOR A MORE RESEARCH HOLISTIC VIEW Payment options: Online payment using a Visa, Mastercard, American Express or Diners Club credit card at: www.wits.ac.za/alumni/payment 17 or by electronic transfer or bank deposit Demystifying to: First National Bank, Account No. 62077141580, Branch Code 255-005, Ref. vertebrate No. 29613 (+ your name) or by cash or origins credit card payment at the Alumni Office. DELICATE FOSSILS FEATURE WITSReview is published twice a year. The FOUND UNDER TONS views expressed in this publication are not OF SHALE necessarily those of the editor, the Office of Alumni Relations or of the University of the Witwatersrand. ©Copyright of all ma- 30 terial in this publication is vested in the authors thereof. Requests to reproduce Patrick any of the material should be directed to Soon-Shiong the editor. SURGEON, BUSINESSMAN WITS REVIEW Magazine, Volume 45, AND BIO-SCIENTIST April edition 2021 DISRUPTS VACCINOLOGY

2 WITS REVIEW April 2021 3 VICE-CHANCELLOR’ S NOTE

ALLOW ShivanImage: Parusnath INNOVATION TO FLOURISH

I TAKE OFFICE in the midst of a pandemic, at a time when the global economy is in dire straits, and the world as we know it is changing forever. Not many would con- sider this an opportunity, but I am confident that inno- vation incubates in times of great stress and uncertainty. While the world grapples with the worst health crisis in over a century, our country continues to face multiple contents of this edition of the WITSReview. challenges, some of the most pressing being inequality, As a University, we continue to find the solutions rising debt levels and low economic growth. Financial to compelling quandaries, to spur innovation amidst hardship has been exacerbated by the impact and con- disorder, to salvage hope from despair, and to harness sequences of the pandemic and has directly affected humanity for good. It is at Wits that researchers are tack- many of our students, which has led to another round of ling the problems of the 21st Century, and preparing the student fee protests. next generation of scholars to address the challenges of Currently, the University administers over R1 billion the future, some of which are still unknown. Witsies are in financial aid, bursaries and scholarships, and commits leading the charge on climate and global change, artificial over R120 million annually from the Council budget to intelligence, quantum computing, inequality, infectious assist students. But these are stop-gap measures that do diseases, vaccine trials and technology, and are preparing not address a systemic problem. the future leaders of Africa for the world. There are no easy or quick solutions to the challeng- Universities often flourish in flux and the time is now es we face, but we remain resilient and resolute in the ripe for Wits to catapult into a new realm, and to reclaim knowledge that we can overcome any obstacles. At times its space in the global academy. But we cannot do it alone. like these we must garner our collective courage, ingenu- It will take the collective effort of our partners and other ity, resilience, and strength to find solutions. social actors, including our alumni, funders and donors, With new leadership in place, our centenary pro- both within and beyond our borders, to walk this journey In 2022 we celebrate vides us with an opportunity to hit the reset button and with us. We are at the precipice of change and now more presents Wits with a moment to reimagine the future of than ever, we need to be a beacon of light for society. 100 years of a great our University and to envision our moonshot that could I look forward to walking this journey with you so that change society for the better. we can leave a legacy for future generations. institution We have an incredible head start — we stand on the shoulders of over 200 000 Witsies who have walked Your support is key to Wits through our halls, inspiring change and making remaining a national treasure their mark on society. For 100 years, this intellectual power-house has nurtured critical thinkers and innova- For more information visit tors, problem-posers and problem-solvers, intellectuals, https://wits100.wits.ac.za/ discoverers and originators, who punch above their Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, weight in the world, much like the women reflected in the Vice-Chancellor and Principal WITS. FOR GOOD

April 2021 5 SPORT BRIEFS RUGBY SOCCER SA Rugby Young Player of the Year Former Wits 1st team and current Lions player Wandisile Simelane walked away as the SA Rugby Young Player of Life WitsImage: Sport the Year at the 2020 SA Rugby Awards held on 3 March after 2021. “Never think you know too much and that you’ve Bidvest trained enough. Staying grounded and working hard has always worked for me,” he said. Bidvest Wits was sold to National First Division outfit Tshakhuma Tsha Madzhivhandila and signalled the end of an almost 15-year- long partnership between Wits University and the Bidvest Group last year. “This iconic club will celebrate its centenary next year and it is untrue that 99 years of history have been wiped out by the sale of Bidvest Wits FC. It is just one chapter that is closing,” said Wits Sport head Michael Dick. “The club has been part of the Gallo/Getty Images DNA of the University, and Wits Sport has been 2021 ABC MOTSEPE LEAGUE integral in its formation and over the years. The University was part of the many successes and shared in the difficult times.” Got it The Wits FC Men’s Team is set to compete in NICOLE MANGONDO the 2020/2021 ABC Motsepe League Season. Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Brylon The club has bought the status of ABC Motsepe Petersen is now a qualified engi- League side Baberwa FC and has roped in for- neer. Petersen etched his name into mer University of Pretoria coach Steve Matlou a very short list of Premier Soccer BASKETBALL as part of its technical team while John League players with tertiary qualifi- Matlala has been appointed as the cations after earning his BSc in me- club's manager. It has also made chanical engineering. It marks the The future its first two big signings end of a six-year journey prolonged after bringing in former by having to combine studying with is female Kaizer Chiefs striker a full-time professional football Nicholas Mynhardt and career. Former Wits Lady Bucks forward Nicole Lesotho international Mangondo is now part of the South Africa Luciano Matsoso. Women’s Basketball Association’s Programmes Committee launched in December 2020. “The as-

sociation wants to have strategic partners in the © CatherineImages: Kotze development of basketball for women at all ages, stages and platforms, be it differently-abled basketball players to officials.” she said. “It is something that most women have wanted to do. We are now at a point where technology aids in making communication, reach and development IPELENG easier but, don’t forget, the future is female.” NYATLO Other Witsies involved in SAWBA: Nompumelelo Ramatsoga (former Wits Basketball assistant coach), Manyani Maseko (Wits Basketball assistant coach) Ngoza Phiri- Mazarura (former manager), Ipeleng Nyatlo, Image: Kaizer Thandiwe Nqanda, Rudo Kaseke and Modiegi Chiefs football Club Mokoka.

6 WITS REVIEW April 2021 7 REUNION/WEBINARS WITSIES AROUND EXHIBITIONTHE WORLD

TECHNOLOGY TO THE RESCUE

DIAMONDS 60TH ANNIVERSARY 65 CARAT CS REUNION DIAMONDS

ABOVE: OKORUSOFLUORITE BACKLIT 7.2CM

GRADUATION DAY ON 15 DECEMBER 1960 IN FRONT OF THE GREAT HALL

WITWATERSRAND Technology came to the rescue for the Medical School Class of 1960 who could not meet in person to celebrate their GOLDFIELD GOLD 60th anniversary. Through the magic of Zoom they enjoyed a get-together without packing suitcases or leaving their NIGEL REEF OLD homes on three occasions over November and December 2020. Their website continues to brim with autobiographical VOGELSTRUISBULT MINE 9.47 TROY OZ 10.5CM sketches and news as well as contributions of financial support for current Wits medical students through the Phillip V Tobias Bursary Fund. “This has been an amazing project and we did it in teamwork and with a unity of vision. It BELOW: NAMIBIA GEOLOGY THROUGH A LENS has been wonderful to help people connect to each other after all these years, to highlight the amazing work done by SANDSTONE the Class, and to help raise funds for deserving students,” said US Alumni Representative Nooshin Erfani-Ghadimi. TILE ARID A GROUP OF Wits alumni from the Geological Museum Association See more here: https://wits_medical_alumni_1960. mailchimpsites.com/ LANDSCAPE — a volunteer committee that advises and assists the management of the Johannesburg Geology Museum — have organised a “Geology Through a Lens” exhibition which will run from mid-April to end-September WEBINARS 2021 at the Origins Centre. Respected Advocate Kate Hofmeyr (BA Morris Viljoen (BSc 1961, BSc Hons 1962, MSc 1964, PhD 1970) Hons 2001, LLB 2003) has been an evidence Richard Viljoen (BSc 1961, BSc Hons 1962, MSc 1964, PhD 1970) leader at the State Capture Commission Bruce Cairncross (PhD 1987), Ian McKay (BSc 1984, BSc Hons 1985, since 2018. On 24 March 2021 she led alum- PhD 1990, PDE), Gillian Drennan (BSc 1985, BSc Hons 1986, MSc DRACOVENATOR ni through three aspects of the commis- 1988, PhD 1998) and Katherine James-Kleynhans (BA 2004, BA sion: its “unusual origins”, its “machinery Hons 2005) dedicated several years of work to curate more than 300 and mechanics” and insights into the dif- rare and historically significant photographs. The exhibition focuses ferent role advocates assume in a talk titled on southern African geological scenes, minerals and gemstones via “Of commissions, law and evidence”. She several themed categories including Diamonds, Namibia, the Northern deftly permitted herself only one personal Cape, the Bushveld Complex, the Karoo, the Witwatersrand Goldfield, Considered one of the top leadership comment: “I had the considerable privilege Tsumeb Mine, Namibia, “Big to Small”, East African Geology and coaches and speakers, Dr Alex Granger of working with a team of four investiga- Gemstones, and Natural Art from Around the World. The exhibition said the COVID-19 pandemic illustrated tors. They were without a doubt the most also includes displays of special fossil, gem and mineral specimens. the need to adjust to change with flex- remarkable people I have worked with in my career… What’s important For the first time ever, the public will be introduced to the only recon- ibility. His talk titled “Built to adapt: to appreciate is that each time any of us appeared at the hearings to struction of the carnivorous dinosaur Dracovenator or “dragon hunter”. Better every day” kicked off the alumni present evidence, we were presenting the product of thousands of hours This dinosaur lived in South Africa about 200 million years ago and its webinar series for 2021 on 25 February. of tireless investigative work.” remains were discovered near the Drakensberg. This unique exhibition is co-hosted by the Faculty of Science and the newly established “Earth Sciences Cluster”. Images: Bruce Cairncross

8 WITS REVIEW April 2021 9 RESEARCH: GCRO Research

The map illustrates that the majority of wards in Gauteng have a greater proportion of female COVID-19 cases.

THE ADVENT OF the COVID-19 pandemic not only ig- nited medical and economic responses, but saw social sci- VISUAL entists working at the Gauteng City-Region Observatory (GCRO) respond with agility to advise in the planning of DATA these responses. One output from the GCRO The GCRO is a partnership between Wits University, the under its Map of the Month University of Johannesburg, and the Gauteng Provincial P L O T S series revealed that working-age Government. Years of research around Gauteng made it women have disproportionately possible for the GCRO to use a visual analytics platform tested positive for COVID-19 in PANDEMIC Gauteng highlighting some of the developed by IBM Research Africa, and collaborate with additional burdens women have data scientists, to offer insights into how best to respond faced in the pandemic. to the pandemic. By using a “syndemics approach” the key PATH Image: GCRO/ Ihsaan Haffejee social forces and structural drivers that may exacerbate the spread of disease were identified — basically, a vulner- ability detector in the context of COVID-19. A year on from its inception, the project has rapidly COVID-19 risk indices per municipality. URP 1999). The GCRO’s COVID-19 Map of the Month was expanded with impressive outputs. Among others, these “It is something we put out in a very visual way to try “It unfolded as the pandemic evolved — we’re paving launched as a result. It initially explored two key themes: include COVID-19 in children and adolescents; the im- to understand where vulnerable people are. It has kind of the road while we’re driving on it. As an organisation 1) the multiple risk factors in the maintenance of basic pact of COVID-19 on long-term care facilities; household stood the test of time. There’s lots we can do to improve we’ve had to be adaptive. I don’t think we quite knew in preventative hygiene and social distancing and 2) the characteristics in relation to COVID-19 risks; the impact on it, but it has proved itself useful. It has also now been the beginning the extent to which government was going risk factors in contexts of major shutdowns and potential of COVID-19 on women; income and household vulner- picked up to help support a vaccination strategy,” says to engage with this research.” outbreaks. ability; COVID-19 cases in South Africa by province; and senior researcher and Wits alumna Gillian Maree (BSc The research has enabled the GCRO to remain true to

10 WITS REVIEW April 2021 11 RESEARCH: GCRO RESEARCH: GCRO Image: GCRO/ Sello Dhlabo GCRO/ Image: Image: GCRO/ Simon Wolfson GCRO/ Image:

COVID-19 AND WOMEN IN GAUTENG

One output from the GCRO under its Map of the The GCRO’s two risk indices related to COVID-19 vulnerabilities help to un- Month series revealed the disproportionate impact derstand drivers of the higher rates of female cases. Index 1 (top) considers risk factors related to preventative measures. Index 2 (bottom) examines of the pandemic on women. More women than men risk factors related to lockdown conditions that are likely to increase health tested positive for COVID-19 in Gauteng between 6 and socio-economic vulnerability. March - 7 August 2020. The COVID-19 infection data as well as the GCRO vulnerability index point to a AWARD HONOURS double burden for women. Women tested positive at a higher rate than men and have a greater so- THREE ALUMNAE FROM THE GCRO MADE THE LONG LIST IN THE HUMANITIES AND cial and economic vulnerability during lockdown. SOCIAL SCIENCES AWARDS 2021 IN THE DIGITAL HUMANITIES CATEGORY AND “There are several possible explanations for why SUB-CATEGORY: BEST DH VISUALIZATION OR INFOGRAPHIC. working women may be more exposed to COVID-19 •Gillian Maree (above) and GCRO team for “GCRO COVID-19 Visualisations and Maps of the Month”; in the Gauteng context. It may be that more women •Dr Alexandra Parker (middle) for “The fabric of the Quality of Life Index”; are employed in higher-contact care and frontline •Samkelisiwe Khanyile (below) for “Graffiti and urban art in Maboneng: a virtual tour”. service work (such as cashiers, cleaners and nurs- es). Globally, some 70% of healthcare workers are female and this may be one of the drivers for a higher rate of infection (as could the higher rate of testing of women). It is also possible that because its mandate to provide direct policy support (for local and such as gender, age, access to transport and amenities, women make up the majority of social grant recipi- national government) as well as to inform partner officials and making use of clinical data such as hospitalisations ents they are contracting the virus at a higher rate and clinicians within Gauteng Provincial Government, and deaths in relation to population density. than men while standing in queues for monthly yielding rigorous peer-reviewed academic scholarship at The list of collaborative researchers includes Dr Julia payments,” the study reads. the same time. de Kadt (PhD 2011), Dr Alexandra Parker (BAS 2005, The drivers for the higher rates of infection “All of the work is collaborative. Every piece put out BAS Hons 2008, MArch 2009, PhD 2014), Graeme Götz include risk factors such as living in a crowded has been done with a few people, with a range of skills. (BA 1991, BA Hons 1993), Melinda Swift, Dr Robin dwelling; dependence on public health care facil- The chart shows that the proportion of female infections is higher for It makes it really special. In the short time we’ve had it, Moore, Samkelisiwe Khanyile (BA 2014, BSc Hons ities; reliance on public transport; existing health younger working adults (in their twenties) and drops to the average of conditions; and access to medical aid. For more see 56% for older working adults. For cases over the age of 80 the dark or- we’ve really made use of the wide range of social science 2015, MSc 2016), Christina Culwick Fatti (BSc 2009, ange shows a much higher proportion of female cases in line with inter- skills at the GCRO,” says Maree. BSc Hons 2010, MSc 2013), Yashena Naidoo, Sthembiso https://gcro.ac.za/outputs/map-of-the-month/ national trends and the higher proportion of females in the population They hope to deepen analysis by exploring the so- Pollen Mkhize, Sandiswa Mapukata (BA 2016, BA detail/women-and-covid-19-gauteng/ at this age. The higher proportion of male infections is really only evident cio-economic impact of COVID-19 through indicators Hons 2017, MSc 2019) and Samy Katumba. for a few ages under 10 years of age.

12 WITS REVIEW April 2021 13 RESEARCH RESEARCH: LAMPREYS

WHAT ARE RETHINKING ORIGINS LAMPREYS? OF VERTEBRATES Lampreys are primitive, fishlike vertebrates without jaws of which there are about 43 species. Lampreys LIKE A FORENSIC detective Wits alumnus Dr Robert belong to the order Gess (PhD 2011) has found a new clue towards solving Petromyzontiformes. They live the puzzle of the origins of vertebrates. THE WATERLOO FARM in coastal and fresh waters Based at the Albany Museum in Makhanda and af- HERITAGE SITE and are found in temperate filiated to the Centre of Excellence in Palaeosciences at regions around the world, ex- Wits, Dr Gess has painstakingly chiselled through around cept in Africa. These eel-like, 20% of 100 tons of shale assembled from the 360-million- The Waterloo Farm site, from which the Priscomyzon scaleless animals range from year-old Waterloo Farm heritage site which was exposed specimens were recovered, was a high latitude about 15 to 100 centimetres during a road construction in 1985. The shale samples coastal lagoon 360 million years ago. It is also (6 to 40 inches) long. Like were rescued ahead of further roadworks at the site in the only important high latitude site of its age to their cousins, hagfishes, they 1999 and 2007. preserve vertebrate and plant remains. The fine, lack bones, jaws, and paired Among thousands of fossils recovered from the shale oxygen-poor mud at the bottom of the lagoon fins —their skeletons consist samples are a growth series of lamprey fossils, of the sometimes preserved the internal structures and of cartilage. They feed by species Priscomyzon riniensis, illustrating its development outlines of soft tissue. latching onto other fish with from hatchling to adult. The smallest preserved individ- Lampreys are virtually never fossilised as they a sucker around their mouth, ual, barely 15mm in length, still carried a yolk sac, sig- had no bones or spines and just minute teeth, but securing their grip with cir- nalling that it had just hatched before entering the fossil at Waterloo Farm impressions of their soft bodies cles of teeth and then drink- record. are preserved as silvery white films in the black ing their victim’s blood after Priscomyzon is the oldest species of fossil lamprey in shale. Details of their cartilaginous skeletons show rasping a hole with special the world, which he had already described from an adult through like x-rays. “This is incredibly special. teeth on their tongue. from the site in an article in 2006. But the seven juveniles, Nowhere else in the world are such ancient lamprey which he has assembled over the subsequent 15 years, are remains found,” says Dr Gess. completely unlike what everyone would have expected. Dr Gess, together with colleagues from the University of Chicago, published their findings in the prestigious journal Nature on 10 March 2021. “To get to the crux of the story”, explains Dr Gess, “we Family portrait: This reconstruction of the Late need to recall how living lampreys have affected biolo- Devonian estuarine lake at Waterloo Farm captures gists’ views of vertebrate origins and why. Lampreys (and the life history of a stem lamprey Priscomyzon their cousins the hagfish) are the only living vertebrates riniensis. Three individuals representing different that branched from our shared family tree before we ontogenetic stages take a shelter in the meadow evolved jaws, so since the 1800s they have been intensely of charophyte algae Octochara crassa. Clockwise studied for insights into early vertebrate evolution. Their from right: a yolk-sac-carrying hatchling tucked larvae, known as ammocoetes, are so vastly different in the charophyte; a juvenile attached to the from the adults that until the mid eighteen hundreds they substrate in the foreground; and an adult looming were thought to be a completely different kind of crea- over the other individuals and showing its feeding ture. Ammocoetes are simple, blind wormlike creatures apparatus. that burrow into stream beds and filter passing water for Art by Kristen Tietjen microscopic food. They then gradually transform into adult lampreys that are clearly vertebrates, have well de- veloped eyes and swim around looking for other fish to attack. They latch onto them with a special sucker disk that surrounds their mouth, and drink their blood. Since PRISCOMYZON HATCHLING DETAILED the eighteen seventies it has been widely accepted and Image: Tetsuto Miyashita

14 WITS REVIEW April 2021 15 RESEARCH: LAMPREYS RESEARCH: HIV

MORE THAN

taught that this transformation preserves a record of Gallo/Getty Images the evolution from invertebrates to our earliest ver- tebrate ancestors. So, the last invertebrate ancestor of 7.7m vertebrates is often portrayed as ammocoete-like, and ADULTS LIVING WITH HIV IN SOUTH AFRICA the earliest vertebrate as being lamprey-like. For this to be true both ammocoetes and lampreys would need to have been around for 500 million years, since this 62.7% event is believed to have occurred.” ARE WOMEN The most surprising feature of the recent baby lamprey fossil discovery is that they have almost the same appearance as their adults. The hatchlings 15-24 were already sighted with large eyes and armed with AGE OF YOUNG WOMEN WITH NEW HIV INFEC- TIONS ARE DOUBLE THOSE AMONG YOUNG MEN a toothed sucker, much like the blood-sucking adult phase of modern lampreys. Source: UNAids “This drastically different structure of ancient lam- prey infants provides evidence that modern lamprey larvae are not evolutionary relics. Instead, the modern filter-feeding phase is a more recent innovation that JAB TO CHANGE allowed lampreys to populate and thrive in rivers and lakes. Therefore, distant human ancestry seemingly did not include a lamprey-larva-like stage. Modern HIV COURSE lampreys now appear to be a highly evolved side branch, which shared a common ancestor with us – probably a jawless fish enclosed in bony armour,” says WOMEN IN SOUTH AFRICA bear a disproportionate women,” says Prof Delany-Moretlwe. Dr Gess. burden of the HIV pandemic. According to UNAids fig- The HPTN 084 results, along with the recent pos- The discovery calls for a rewrite of textbooks refer- ures, of the more than 7.7 million adults living with HIV itive opinion of the dapivirine ring by the European ring to vertebrate origins. Until now, it was common- in South Africa, 62.7% are women and new HIV infec- Medicines Agency, represent a real opportunity to ly believed that modern lampreys were time capsules A STUDENT FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF THE tions among young women aged 15-24 were more than change the course of the HIV epidemic for women in WITWATERSRAND EXPLAINS THE SELF HIV that could give insights into the biology and genome TESTING KIT. SELF-TESTING KITS AND double those among young men. Wits University has sub-Saharan Africa. of a truly ancient lineage, as well as our own evolu- VENDING MACHINES DISTRIBUTING PRE- long been recognised as a global leader in HIV research. The HPTN is a worldwide collaborative clinical trials tionary heritage. “Lampreys are still really special,” SCRIPTION DRUGS ARE TWO WAYS THAT Researchers from the HIV Prevention Trials Network network that brings together investigators, ethicists, HIV TREATMENT IS BEING AUTOMATED TO adds Dr Gess, “but the long held evolutionary model REDUCE STIGMA IN SOUTH AFRICA (HPTN) announced on 10 November 2020 that long-act- community members and other partners to develop and based on their development turns out to have been a ing cabotegravir injections once every eight weeks was test the safety and efficacy of interventions designed to beguiling myth.” safe and superior to the daily oral pill known as Truvada, prevent the acquisition and transmission of HIV. It has currently used for HIV prevention among women in sub collaborated with more than 85 clinical research sites Saharan Africa. This was based on data from a clinical in 19 countries. It has more than 50 trials ongoing or HOW A ROAD HELPED FOSSIL DISCOVERY trial of a pre-exposure prophylaxis regime. completed with over 161 000 participants enrolled and The trial, known as the HPTN 084, was headed by evaluated. Professor Sinead Delany-Moretlwe (MBBCh 1995), Professor Delany-Moretlwe is also an advisor to the In 1985 major road construction required demolition his garden in Bathurst built by a team from the roads a research professor at Wits and director of research at South African National Department of Health tech- through the hills of the Waterloo Farm. This exposed agency. the Wits Reproductive Health & HIV Institute. Her co- nical working group and serves on several WHO and the bed of black shale that contains the increasingly This has allowed for careful excavation of a palaeon- chair in the study is Professor Helen Rees. other advisory committees. She was recently profiled famous wealth of fossils. Dr Gess was one of the first tological record that would never have been exposed The study enrolled 3 223 cisgender women at re- by Forbes Africa as one of the key women leading the people to realise its potential and in the mid nineties except as a result of the road construction. Other search sites in Botswana, Eswatini, Kenya, Malawi, South charge through the COVID-19 pandemic. “For Wits, it carried out excavations at the site. By the late nineties fossils from the site include ancient coelacanths and Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. Fifty-seven percent of has been important that we’ve had this trial led by wom- however the roadcut had become completely unsta- Africa’s earliest four-legged animals. Sanral is part- the participants were under the age of 25, the average age en and my co-chair is also a woman from the continent. ble and a threat to motorists, so the South African nering with Dr Gess to create an information centre of participants was 26 years, 82% were not living with a At times in the trial, it was incredibly important to reflect National Roads Agency (Sanral) decided to cut it back. beside the road further to the east where other similar partner, 55% reported two or more partners in the past the voices of the people who would use these products. Dr Gess approached Sanral, which agreed that he aged fossils were found. This will include paintings of month, and 34% reported having a primary partner who Women and women from Africa had to reflect the con- become custodian of 30 tons of the shale rock which the Waterloo Farm fossil ecosystem, currently being was living with HIV or had an unknown HIV status. text in which these products would be delivered, so that he and a workforce of six men hand-mined from the produced by artist Maggie Newman. Construction of “The intepretation of this study is that cabotegravir is we make sure that they are able to eventually reach the site. In 2007, another 70 tons were moved to a shed in this node is expected to start later this year. 89% more effective than Truvada in preventing HIV in people who need them,” she says.

• Dr Gess’s research is supported by the Millennium Trust 16 WITS REVIEW April 2021 17 RESEARCH: ANTEOSAURUS RESEARCH: WHALES AND DOLPHINS BIG BRAINS ACT AS HEATERS

AGILE HUNTER IN

BULKY BODY AlexImage: Bernardini (@SimplexPaleo)

A LIVE RECONSTRUCTION OF ANTEOSAURUS ATTACKING A HERBIVOROUS MOSCHOGNATHUS

A NEW STUDY ON Anteosaurus — a premammalian Velociraptor have always had very specialised nervous reptile that roamed the African continent 263 to 260 systems and fine-tuned sensory organs that enable them million years ago — found that it would have been able to track and hunt down prey effectively,” saysDr Julien to outrun, track down and kill its prey effectively, despite Benoit of the Evolutionary Studies Institute at Wits. its bulky size. The team found that the organ of balance in Anteosaurus is not a dinosaur but belongs to the dino- Anteosaurus (its inner ear) was relatively larger than cephalians — mammal-like reptiles predating the dino- that of its closest relatives and other contemporaneous saurs. Much like the dinosaurs, dinocephalians’ fossilised predators. This indicates that Anteosaurus was capable of bones are found in many places in the world. They stand moving much faster than its prey and competitors. They Image: Dr Olga Shpak out by their large size and heavy weight. also found that the part of the brain responsible for co- The Anteosaurus’s skull was ornamented with large ordinating the movements of the eyes with the head was SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE SHOWS specialised features times faster than we do to the air,” says Manger. “The bosses (bumps and lumps) above the eyes and a long crest exceptionally large, which would have been a crucial trait in the large brains of whales and dolphins are adapted for brains of all mammals produce heat independently of on top of the snout which, in addition to its enlarged ca- to ensure the animal’s tracking abilities. heat production. the heat-producing mechanisms of the body. This heat is nines, made its skull look like that of a ferocious creature. “In creating the most complete reconstruction of an Whales and dolphins have the largest brains on the required to keep their neurons warm enough to function However, because of the heavy architecture of its skeleton, Anteosaurus skull to date, we found that overall, the ner- planet, some of them weighing over eight kilograms, six efficiently.” it was previously assumed that it was a rather sluggish, vous system of Anteosaurus was optimised and special- times heavier than the average human brain. Whale and dolphin brains became exceptionally large slow-moving animal, only capable of scavenging or am- ised for hunting swiftly and striking fast, unlike what was Scientific evidence from a study led by Professor around 32 million years ago, 20 million years after they bushing its prey, at best. previously believed,” says Dr Ashley Kruger (BSc Hons Paul Manger from the School of Anatomical Sciences at became fully aquatic and around the time when there was By carefully digitally reconstructing the skull of the 2012, MSc 2014, PhD 2017) from the Natural History Wits indicates that whales’ and dolphins’ large brains lack a major drop in oceanic water temperatures across the Anteosaurus using X-ray imaging and 3D reconstruc- Museum in Stockholm, Sweden. the diversity, flexibility and adaptability in their mental planet. tions, a team of researchers investigated the internal “Even though Anteosaurus lived 200-million processes and behaviour that humans have, and that their “Knowing how central water temperature is to their structures of the skull and found that the specific charac- years before the famous dinosaur Tyrannosaurus rex, large brains instead evolved to keep warm in icy oceanic survival may allow us to understand what will happen to teristics of its brain and balance organs were developed in Anteosaurus was definitely not a ‘primitive’ creature, temperatures. This research has been published in the certain species of whale and dolphin during the inevitable such a way that it was everything but slow-moving. and was nothing short of a mighty prehistoric killing journal Scientific Reports. rise in oceanic temperatures associated with human-in- “Agile predators such as cheetahs or the infamous machine,” says Benoit. “In water, mammals lose heat to the environment 90 duced climate change,” says Manger.

18 WITS REVIEW April 2021 19 WITSIES WITH THE EDGE WITSIES WITH THE EDGE

Witsies with the edge [BA FT 2017] MARIAN DE PONTES RECENT HONORARY DEGREES CONFERRED ON: 2021 Horizon Award Winner

• Henry Nxumalo was awarded a Doctor of Literature degree Marian de Pontes is the recipient living and working in Los Angeles. (posthumously) for his role in pioneering investigative jour- of the 7th annual Horizon Award. She says her idea for her winning nalism in South Africa. The award is given to emerging fe- film Etana was sparked by a news •American literary critic, filmmaker and historian Professor male and non-binary filmmakers by article three years ago about female Henry Louis “Skip” Gates, Jr was awarded a Doctor of a mentorship team, which includes child soldiers who were freed from Literature for his contribution to African-American studies. Cassian Elwes (Dallas Buyers Club/ rebel armies in South Sudan. “It was a • Professor Khaya Mfenyana was awarded a Doctor of Science Mudbound), Lynette Howell Taylor story that stuck with me for years until in Medicine degree in recognition of his commitment to pro- (A Star is Born/ Captain Fantastic), I decided to tell parts of it for my MFA ducing graduates who focus on social accountability though Christine Vachon (Boys Don't Cry/ thesis film.” community practice. Vox Lux), and Sundance Feature Film De Pontes has had to learn to adjust • Entrepreneur and philanthropist Ms Lyda Hill was awarded Programme director Michelle Satter. to Hollywood in lockdown. “I was a Doctor of Science degree for her transformational work in The award is in partnership with the lucky, I had just wrapped on filming community and global service and the support of research and Sundance Institute and will be present- Etana just as lockdown started in MARIAN DE PONTES science. Her relationship with Wits extends over the last six ON SET OF HER ed at the Toronto International Film California. We managed to edit, sound MOVIE ETANA, WHICH years when she became involved at a critical moment in the Festival later this year. design and create the special effects FOLLOWS A YOUNG discovery of Homo Naledi at the Rising Star cave system. De Pontes is a recent graduate of remotely with the help of a remarkably FEMALE SOLDIER • Professor Lucille Blumberg was recognised with a Doctor Chapman University in California, talented and hardworking team. of Science in Medicine degree for her work in responding to earning an MFA in film production. “The beginning of lockdown here many outbreaks of diseases in South Africa and abroad in- She graduated top of her class at Wits was an unsure time for the industry and cluding rabies, malaria, acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and earned the Dean’s Award and an I had just graduated into a world that tumbu or mango fly parasitic infestation, lassa fever, LuJo and award for Best Cinematographer in was coming to a standstill. An incred- more recently listeriosis. 2015. “Wits contributed hugely to- ible TV director, Tucker Gates, known • Richard (Dick) wards where I am now, and it has an most for his work on the original 21 Enthoven was incredible Film and TV Department Jump Street, Lost, Bates Motel, House awarded a Doctor focused on the intellectual approach of of Cards, and Homeland, offered me a of Commerce art in our world. It helped me lay the mentorship opportunity where I could degree for his groundwork with thoughtful courses shadow him on set and learn the ropes philanthropic ranging from the female gaze in cine- of the television world. It has been a contributions to ma to representation and semiotics in wonderful rollercoaster ride since then, business and art. society - these are concepts that have and I’m very grateful to those who have distinctly helped me in my approach helped me thus far in a time that has to filmmaking,” says De Pontes, who is been tough on everybody.”

20 WITS REVIEW April 2021 21 WITSIES WITH THE EDGE

[BA FA 2018] CHRIS SOAL The youngest artist chosen to participate in Images: Dior and Chris Soal the international Dior Lady Art project

Twenty-six-year-old Alexander Chris Soal is the youngest artist to be chosen to participate in the inter- national Dior Lady Art project. Now in its fifth year, the project is spear-headed by Dior’s creative director Maria I was transported to my childhood when I played with Grazia-Chiuri, who hand-picked 10 artists to reinterpret Lego. The possibilities of any gesture were limitless. I’m the classic Lady Dior handbag. delighted that this free and playful gesture could be cap- Although Soal’s work celebrates humble materials tured in the finished bags. Each bag has a limited edition such as discarded bottle caps and toothpicks he says of 100. The bent beer bottle tops speak formally to the working on the Dior project was a great fit. “I think the cowrie shell, a pre-colonial form of currency which now beauty of the Lady Dior Art initiative is that the invited adorns a high-end carrier of currency. The toothpicks are contemporary artists are allowed to bring their own visu- suggestive of fur pelts and bring these seamless objects al vocabulary to the collaboration. It was a bit daunting into a more direct relationship with questions of ecology working with an international fashion house with a 75- and sustainability.” year legacy, but I simply tried to look at my own work, At a time when the world seemed to slow down during trust my instincts, and bring what I could to the collab- the pandemic Soal has been quietly productive. “It’s been Above”, at Cape Town’s WHATIFTHEWORLD gallery oration. I thought the contrast between the high-fashion a very strange time. I’m incredibly grateful and fortunate and was the recipient of the 2020 Claire and Edoardo Villa luxury icon and the banal materials I utilise through to have been able to keep the studio running, to keep my Will Trust grant. “The fulfilment of the grant will be the much of my sculptural work was the perfect approach. assistants employed. It’s very difficult, but enormously installation of my outdoor sculpture in the landscape of The bags resulted in being rather humorous and ironic. important, for an artist to find the rhythm and pace of the Nirox Sculpture Park. I’ll simultaneously install a solo I especially appreciated that they supported my desire their own work. This period has really encouraged me to exhibition of work in the new rammed earth exhibition to reinterpret the ‘O’ in the Lady Dior charm into a beer take the time that the work demands. It’s been a privilege space for the Nirox Foundation opening in April 2021.” CHRIS SOAL'S DIOR BAGS, WHICH FETCH UP TO bottle top opener.” to have time and space not only to work at my own pace, His first international solo exhibition is set to open on $13 000, PLAYFULLY REINTERPET THE ‘ O ’ I N His interpretation of the bags combines lighthearted- but also to give the work time to breathe before sending it 22 April at the M12 Gallery in Brussels, Belgium. “I’m THE CHARM INTO A BEER BOTTLE TOP OPENER. ness as well as careful consideration of choice of materials. out. I’ve found that much new work has been developed looking forward to having some time to dedicate to a BACKGROUND: MOTHER (2021) CREATES AN ILLUSION OF MOVEMENT WITH TOOTHPICKS “When two members of their salon flew out from Paris in from observations of completed works which we’ve left new body of work I’ve been developing on the side for a THAT ARE ALSO SUGGESTIVE OF FUR PELTS. February 2020 to show me the range of samples created hanging in the studio for extended periods of time.” while. New directions and possibilities are what keeps the TOP RIGHT: FOLDED BOTTLE TOPS ARE off the initial sketches we’d provided, I genuinely felt like He recently held a solo exhibition, “As Below So practice alive.” METICULOUSLY SEWN ON BY HAND

22 WITS REVIEW April 2021 23 WITSIES WITH THE EDGE WITSIES WITH THE EDGE

[LLB 1991, LLD honoris causa 2017] THULI HIGH-PROFILE APPOINTMENTS MADONSELA • Ambassador Mathu Joyini (BA Hons 1988, MBA 1998) is the new Permanent Representative of South Africa to the United Nations and presented her credentials to the Appointed as Knight of the Secretariat on 22 January 2021. She is the first woman to Legion of Honour represent the country in this position. Among other dip- lomatic assignments, Ambassador Joyini served as High Commissioner and Ambassador to six countries in Latin The much-admired Wits alumna and South America and the Caribbean, from 2010 to 2015. Africa’s former Public Protector Thuli • Jean Bosco Iyacu (MCom 2007) was appointed the Country Madonsela has been appointed as Knight of the Director at Access to Finance Rwanda (AFR) — a non-profit LEFT: SUMAYYA Legion of Honour (Ordre national de la Légion company which facilitates access to financial services by VALLY, d'honneur) by French President Emmanuel low-income people and small to medium businesses in TOP: Macron. Rwanda. “This new position means both a new challenge but SERPENTINE GALLERY The French also an opportunity to provide my DESIGN, Legion of Honour contribution in pursuing the jour- BELOW: celebrates the ney of ensuring all Rwandans have BRIXTON MOSQUE accomplishments equal access to and use appropriate of distinguished financial products and services. This individuals, irre- will be an opportunity to support spective of social development of a robust and more background or inclusive Rwandan financial sector Images: Counterspace nationality. and the economic transformation [BAS Hons 2013, MArch Prof 2014] Viewed as the that is already underway,” Iyacu highest decora- says. Prior to his new position Iyacu SUMAYYA VALLY in London’s Kensington Gardens. Delayed due to the tion in France it was instrumental in designing and coronavirus pandemic, it will incorporate experiences of was established implementing a range of financial in- Only architect named on Time magazine’s marginalised migrant communities via detachable com- by Napoleon clusion programmes. He was CEO of second Time100 Next list ponents. Following community events at these locations, Bonaparte in 1802. the Rwanda Business Development the parts will be returned to the central structure. The The categories of the Order include the Centre — an entrepreneurship and project’s aesthetic is inspired by gathering spaces com- degrees Chevalier (Knight), Officier (Officer), business incubation facility. He is an mon to those neighbourhoods, from open-air markets Commandeur (Commander), Grand Officier expert in microfinance and digital currency and completed an Wits alumna Sumayya Vally was the only architect to religious centres. The design also makes use of bricks (Grand Officer) and Grand-Croix (Grand Cross). executive course at Harvard Kennedy on Rethinking Financial named on Time magazine’s second Time100 Next list made from recycled rubbish. Former president Nelson Mandela (LLD Inclusion. “The experience at Wits has shaped me to be who I released on 17 February 2021. As an expansion of the es- Vally, who grew up in Laudium, an apartheid town- honoris causa 1991) was a Grand-Croix recipient am now. The able professors and learning environment were tablished Time100 list, it aims to “highlight 100 emerging ship in Pretoria, is also a lecturer at the University of in 1994. Previous Wits alumni recipients of the awesome and I will always treasure that,” he says. leaders who are shaping the future.” Johannesburg’s Graduate School of Architecture. Her degree Chevalier include Nadine Gordimer • Professor Lynn Morris (BSc 1981, BSc Hons 1983) has been According to the editorial director of Time100 Dan interest in and passion for the ways in which people in- (DLitt honoris causa 1984) and André P Brink appointed as the new Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Macsai: “Everyone on this list is poised to make history. teract with their environment is rooted in her scholarly (DLitt honoris causa 1985). Innovation at Wits from 1 April 2021. She is an A-rated, And in fact, many already have.” study. She encourages young architects to think more The title was conferred by Macron on 20 internationally recognised scientist with experience in re- The recognition, Vally told Time, “means that things holistically about their environments and she emphasises November 2020, but the official ceremony to search management and leadership. She has just completed are shifting and changing, not just for me and my voice, that Counterspace is “interdisciplinary”. This is evident bestow the insignia on Professor Madonsela will her three-year term as the Executive Director of the National but for the generation behind me.” in her film Ingesting Architectures, which was screened at take place as soon as the COVID-19 situation Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), and has led the Vally is the principal of Johannesburg-based ar- the Serpentine’s free online Arts and Ecology Festival in eases. NICD through two major health crises, namely the listeria chitectural firm Counterspace, which she started with December 2020. In his letter to Professor Madonsela, outbreak of 2017/8 and the current COVID-19 pandemic. She other Witsies Amina Kaskar (BAS 2012, BAS Hons Before lockdown, another Counterspace project Ambassador Aurélien Lechevallier said Professor has actively promoted a research agenda which has led to an 2014, MArch Prof 2015) and Sarah de Villiers (BAS included converting an old Dutch Reformed church Madonsela was honoured in recognition of her improvement in the number of publication outputs as well as 2012, BAS Hons 2014, MArch Prof 2015) five years ago. into a mosque in Brixton. It features a minaret made remarkable achievements in defence of the rule the number of NRF-rated scientists at the Institute. The firm also received one of the biggest accolades in of light that appears only five times a day when prayers of law and the fight against corruption in South architecture in 2019, to design the Serpentine Pavilion are said. Africa.

24 WITS REVIEW April 2021 25 WITSIES WITH THE EDGE WITSIES WITH THE EDGE

Images: Frank Hanswijk & Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates [DArch honoris causa 2011] 7TH SA MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL DENISE SCOTT BROWN SCIENTIFIC MERIT AWARDS PLATINUM MEDAL 2007 Vilcek Prize winner celebrated in • Professor Linda-Gail Bekker (DTM&H 1992) is a profes- biographical manga series for her contribution sor of medicine at the University of Cape Town and director to architecture of the Desmond Tutu HIV Centre. She is an infectious disease LEFT: SCOTT BROWN DESIGNED THE specialist. With the COVID-19 pandemic she has been on PROVINCIAL CAPITOL BUILDING IN the frontline with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine trials DENISE SCOTT BROWN TOULOUSE, FRANCE AS WELL AS THE as co-principal investigator. She said: “I think we’re so FAMOUSLY DESCRIBED NIKKO KIRIFUI RESORT IN NIKKO, HER LIFE AS CIRCUS JAPAN (ABOVE) enriched to work here in South Africa, where the spirit of HORSE RIDER, WHICH Ubuntu, the spirit of endeavour to want to find solutions to HIROKI OTSUKA INCORPORATED IN THE some of the most incredible challenges really manoeuvres us MANGA forward with enthusiasm to find solutions.” up in Dunkeld, Johannesburg, studying architec- • Professor Heather Zar (MBBCh 1985) is chair in the ture at Wits from 1948 to 1952. She met a fellow Department of Paediatrics and Child Health at the Red architecture student, Robert Scott Brown, who Cross Children’s Hospital and also director of the SAMRC’s followed her to London and they were married Unit on Child and Adolescent Health. An NRF-A1 rated in 1955. They returned to South Africa in 1957 scientist, she’s received the World Lung Health Award from for a few months and during this time they the American Thoracic Society in 2014, the L’Oréal-UNESCO studied and photographed Cape Dutch, colonial for Women in Science Laureate for Africa/Arabia in 2018 and African architecture. In 1958 they left South and the President’s Award from the International Congress The New York-based Vilcek Foundation, Africa for the US. Robert died in a car accident in Paediatric Pulmonology in 2019. She said: “It’s been an which recognises the contributions of immi- in 1959. She continued her studies and received extraordinary journey with many people to thank that have grants in the arts and sciences via the Vilcek her Master’s degrees in architecture and urban allowed us to push the boundaries of knowledge in science, Prize, featured acclaimed architect Denise planning from the University of Pennsylvania in striving to ensure that children not only survive but reach Scott Brown, née Lakofski, in a biograph- Philadelphia. their full potential and fully thrive.” ical manga series in January 2021. In 1965 she became co-chair of the Urban Scott Brown won the Vilcek Prize in 2007 Design programme of the University of California, GOLD MEDAL and manga artist Hiroki Otsuka based the Los Angeles after teaching briefly at Berkeley and • Professor Michèle Ramsay (PhD 1987) is professor of strip on Scott Brown’s acceptance speech she became established as an influential scholar Human Genetics at Wits University’s School of Pathology at the time. In it she touched on her life in in urban planning. She invited Robert Venturi and occupies the position of Director at the Sydney Brenner South Africa and her seminal book Learning to her classes at UCLA and together they visited Institute for Molecular Bioscience. “There could be no better from Las Vegas. She said the Vilcek Prize was Las Vegas for research on that city. They married time to be exploring the vast genetic diversity and the ge- a special recognition because it acknowl- in 1967, collaborating on projects and literature nomes of Africans and to begin to uncover the impact of this edged her life experience as well as her ac- that set the stage for post modernism. In 2016 genetic variation on health and disease,” she said. complishments. She famously described her the couple was awarded a Gold Medal by the • Professor Karen Sliwa (DTM&H 1995, PhD 2001) is a car- life as a constant balancing act, much like a American Institute of Architects — one of the diologist, professor and director at the Hatter Institute for “circus rider”: highest honours the AIA can confer on any ar- Cardiovascular Research in Africa at the University of Cape “As I think about it, the circus is a pretty chitect. Scott Brown has received with numerous Town. She is also the director of the newly established Cape good way to describe my life’s work. I have awards over the years, such as the Jane Drew Heart Institute and leads several research groups. In 2017 been a circus horse rider most of my life Prize from the Architectural Review in 2017; the she received an Honorary Doctorate from the University — a woman who works with a foot on two Soane Medal from Sir John Soane’s Museum in Diderot-Sorbonne, in France. She is the recipient of the horses at once: Architecture & Urbanism; London in 2018; and the Lifetime Achievement German Cardiac Society Paul Morawitz Award for exception- South Africa & The United States; History Award from the Lisbon Architecture Triennial in al cardiovascular research. She has fellowships from the & Innovation; Traditional Architecture & 2019. She lives in a 1907 Art Nouveau home on American College of Cardiology and the European Society of The Vernacular; Provincial Capitol Building, the outskirts of Philadelphia. Cardiology. “I had a great research enviroment at Wits, that Toulouse, France; Sainsbury Wing, National taught me not to give up, how to pursue my ideas and work Gallery, London, United Kingdom; Nikko See more here: https://vilcek.org/news/post- in a team,” she said during her acceptance speech. Kirifuri Resort, Nikko, Japan.” modern-pioneer-manga-biography-celebrates-de- • See more Witsie honours: https://www.wits.ac.za/news/

Image: VilcekImage: Foundation Born in Nkama (Kitwe), Zambia she grew nise-scott-brown/ sources/alumni-news/

April 2021 27 WITSIES WITH THE EDGE WITSIES WITH THE EDGE

[BAS 2017] MORE NOTABLE WITSIE

DIKELEDI OFENTSE PITSE Drum Images: HONOURS The first black South African woman to and own conduct an orchestra BERNICE SAMUELS Image: MTN Image:

Dikeledi Ofentse Pitse is the “I know struggle very collaborative. I don’t first black South African woman want to close off access to own and conduct an orchestra. and because I too much because I be- Born in Mabopane in Pretoria, know it first-hand lieve everyone is teach- with no formal music education, I am very aware. able. I am learning a lot the 29-year-old funds Anchored This is what fuels myself.” Sound, a 45-piece orchestra Pitse, who was invited and 30-member choir, from my passion. to participate in the 6th her work in architecture. If I am able to Forbes Woman Africa Her love of music was influence another #LeadingWomanSummit nurtured by playing the young person’s on International • Bernice Samuels (PDM 1992, MBA 1994), who is Group flugelhorn in the Salvation life, I will make it Women’s Day in March, Marketing Executive at MTN, was awarded a Lifetime Achiever Army. Her grandfather was says she’s growing into Award at the FM Ad Focus Awards, held in November 2020. She a trumpet player and her my mission until her role. “How you has led MTN to be rated as “the most valuable telco brand in first instrument was a gift it happens.” stand, how you walk into OFENTSE PITSE WITH SOME MEMBERS OF Africa” by Brand Finance for three consecutive years. Under from an uncle, at the age of 12. DIKELEDI OFENTSE PITSE rehearsal or the music ANCHORED SOUND: SEAN MATHIBE (TENOR her leadership it has also been rated as most admired African The orchestra started in a stand — there’s a certain SAXOPHONE), SAKHILE MTSATSI (TENOR), brand by Brand Africa in 2020 and in 2019 it was the number YONELA MADELA (ALTO) AND NQOBILE one telco brand, winning the most Loeries ever won by MTN classroom in Tembisa way that commands trust MHLUNGU (FLUTE) on the East Rand and respect. The confidence I get to stand there comes in a single year. In 2020, for the first time in MTN’s history, in Ekurhuleni from preparation and architecture. At Wits, we con- the company launched a multi-market, multi-language, in 2017. stantly had to defend our ideas. Lecturers asked were in this tiny, hot classroom and many there multi-channel campaign that went live simultaneously across why you used a specific design element, as a result were thinking ‘to what end?’. Representation all 20 markets where MTN is present. The “Wear It For Me” you gain assertiveness and find your voice. What I is something that is important. They shouldn’t campaign took just six weeks to produce, all under lockdown. learned from my conducting coach added to what I stop dreaming or feel less than because of where Samuels told FM she’s pedantic about getting it right and learned at Wits.” they come from. consumed by the quest for excellence: “I’m always looking for At such a young age, Pitse has an understanding “I grew up in a tough space raised by a single ways to spit and polish.” of what it takes to be a leader and she’s had to dip into parent. The family value that we were raised on • The Department of Trade and Industry CFO Shabeer Kahn her own resources to meet the needs of the communi- is ‘no one can steal education from you’. I woke (BCom 2002) was winner of the Young CFO of the Year ties from which the members emerge. “For something up at 4am to make assembly at 7.30 am at an art Award, the Public Sector CFO Award and the Compliance and as simple as having taxi money to come to rehearsals, school in an affluent neighbourhood. I had no Governance Award at the 2020 CFO Awards. “It is such an hon- I’ve had to make a lot of e-wallet and money transfers business going to that school. I did not fit in by our to be recognised by the finance community. It is especially Pitse selected interested youth through supermarkets. I didn’t want them to feel that just virtue of where I come from. I know what it feels amazing to win the Public Sector CFO Award, especially in such from Tembisa, Katlehong and because they were from a home below the basic income, like to be excluded.” a difficult year,” he said at the award ceremony at the Polo Soweto who wanted to sing they couldn’t be part of the orchestra. Beyond the music, The acknowledgement of these feelings en- Room in Inanda in November 2020. and “jam”. Today they perform it is a form of belonging, meeting up with people who ables her to reach out today. “I understand what • Manqoba Kubheka (BCom 2010) is general manager of the li- everything from Sibelius to are as enthusiastic and equally talented. I had to make it feels like to be black. When I got to Wits I had censing division at the South African Music Rights Organisation, Vivaldi and are working a plan.” The expenses extend to booking rehearsal space two pairs of shoes. There were days when I went where he was responsible for the music rights body receiving on classical African pieces, and ensuring the musicians have something to eat. without food. I would go into the architecture R500 million in revenue for the first time since its inception bolstered by mentorship Pitse knows what it takes to overcome obstacles and studio to check who left some lunch during the in 1962. He received the 2020 Game Changer Award from the from the University of Pretoria she’s said “I am a believer in the black narrative and a break and just nibble on what I could. I know South African Institute of Chartered Accountants, honouring Symphony Orchestra conductor believer in the black child” during numerous interviews. struggle and because I know it first-hand I am the country’s top under 35s. Wits alumna Millycent Mashele Gerben Grooten. “Apart from “I believe that they can occupy spaces where they are not very aware. This is what fuels my passion. If I (BCom 2007) was also among the finalists. classical music, I infuse some jazz easily welcomed. I speak a lot about my dream about am able to influence another young person’s life, and pop elements,” she says. “It’s performing in the Sydney Opera House. Even while we I will make it my mission until it happens.”

28 WITS REVIEW April 2021 29 FEATURE: COVID-19

THREE WITSIES IN THE UNITED STATES ARE PLAYING THEIR PART IN VACCINE RESEARCH AND SUPPORTING HIGH- Features DEMAND LOGISTICS. THEY ARE SURGEON, BUSINESSMAN AND BIO-SCIENTIST PATRICK SOON- WITSIES SHIONG (MBBCH 1975), ENGINEER DAVID BERCHOWITZ (BSC ENG RESPOND TO 1975, MSC ENG 1978, PHD 1986) AND ENGINEER AND STRATEGY INNOVATOR NEILL LANE (BSC ENG COVID 1982). CHALLENGE PATRICK SOON-SHIONG

BY UFRIEDA HO ack in the mid-1970s when Patrick Soon-Shiong was a recently graduated medical doctor he spent some time working in clinics in the Eastern Cape. BIt would deliver one of his a-ha moments. By then he had completed his internship, breaking barriers by becoming the first doctor of colour working at the then Johannesburg General Hospital. But he turned down an offer of a permanent position there and took up work at TB clinics in the Eastern Cape instead. “I realised then that there wasn’t any technology that I had in my hands except a streptomycin injection, not even an X-ray. I was either hurting these children or not helping them and that’s when I said to myself I will go away and come back and bring technology to South Africa. I thought it was going to take me five years – I miscalculated,” Soon-Shiong said, with an ironic laugh. He was speaking during an in-conversation webinar with Professor Shabir Madhi, Dean of the Faculty of PATRICK Health Sciences, held on 5 March 2021. SOON- Soon-Shiong has lived abroad since the late 1970s SHIONG and has been based in Los Angeles since the late 1980s. One of his companies, ImmunityBio, is in the clinical trial phase of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate known as hAd5-Covid-19. Since receiving US Food and Drug Administration approval and the green light from the South Africa Health Products Regulatory Authority, trials have also been underway in South Africa at the Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Africa’s Khayelitsha site. These trials have been overseen by researchers from the University of Cape Town. Also in trial is an oral Images: Benjamin Lehman/CDC, Unsplash Images: (pill form) booster vaccine. A vaccine in pill form will obviate the need for a healthcare professional to administer an injection and will be more stable

Image: © Ringo HW Chiu 30 WITS REVIEW April 2021 31 FEATURE: COVID-19 FEATURE: COVID-19

and easier to transport and distribute. the private sector — to focus on building sustainable In the company’s press release Soon-Shiong said: “We capacity. He said: “South Africa needs to be generating DAVID BERCHOWITZ believe that the key to creating long-term immunity to capacity, generating material so it is self-sufficient and can the SARS-CoV-2 virus and overcoming the variants that control the supply chain.” are rapidly developing around the world is to create a vac- During the webinar, Soon-Shiong paid tribute to “the ne of the biggest logistical dilemmas in the cine that activates not only antibodies but also memory B giants on whose shoulders we stand”, mentioning some rush to get vaccines to as many people as pos- and T cells to multiple antigens. Furthermore, room-tem- of the professors he trained under (Daniel du Plessis, sible, as quickly as possible, has been to find perature stable formulations for oral delivery have the po- Bert Myburgh, Harry Seftel, Michael Boswell, and John Osolutions to safely transport and store vaccines tential to solve the cold-chain challenges of distribution Barlow) and also praised the leading role Wits researchers at ultra-cold temperatures. and the ability to generate mucosal IgA antibody barriers are playing in the science on COVID. In the case of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine “ul- to the virus in the upper respiratory tract where it first The Gqeberha (formally Port Elizabeth)-born Soon- tra-cold” means temperatures of -70 degrees Celsius. enters the body.” Shiong is part owner of the LA Lakers and remains a keen The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is expected to be Soon-Shiong’s message for South Africa to be able to basketball fan. He signed off the webinar inviting his for- among South Africa’s choice of vaccines in the better navigate the vaccine landscape is for leadership at mer Wits classmates to a friendly match when he expects future. all levels — from government through to academia and to visit South Africa in the future. The man behind refining the technology that has made refrigeration at these temperatures pos- WHERE DO WE WANT TO GO FROM HERE? sible is David Berchowitz. He is chief technolo- gy officer of Stirling Ultracold, a company based “I believe this is the future, not just for COVID, but for influenza, TB, leprosy, Lassa fever, chikungunya. This the

in Ohio in the United States. Beeld Images: opportunity for us to take this technology and expand it for countries that really need this kind of vaccinology,” The technology for their ultra-low tempera- Soon-Shiong said during the webinar. “I think this is what the WHO calls constructive disruption.” On 18 March ture fridges is based on using cycles of expanding 2021 local pharmaceutical company Biovac announced a partnership with ImmunityBio. “The technology and compressing gases to create the heat energy transfer with ImmunityBio will build Biovac’s capability for active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing,” that powers the fridges’ engines. Left to right: The under-counter SU105UE (below) is ideal for the companies said in a statement. Working together will help build “a solid foundation for an independent local Berchowitz told pharmacies or clinics. The bigger upright SU780XLE is being response to future pandemics.” used in the giant cold-storage facilities known as freezer WITSReview: “Our farms to store larger quantities of vaccines in one place until freezers use very little they are ready for distribution. The portable ULT25NEU can power and operate operate on power from an automotive source or with external NEILL LANE without difficultybatteries during transport over a wide range of voltages and frequen- using our technology was a portable cooler developed or Neill Lane, who is chief strategy officer at Africa as a student. At Wits, like his colleague David cies. This makes them by Twinbird, our licensee, in about 2004. In fact, I had Stirling Ultracold, the COVID-19 pandemic has Berchowitz, he studied under Professor Costa Rallis, ideal for any situa- two units shipped to Wits Mechanical Engineering as meant his company has had to adapt its technol- who was his graduate advisor and later someone he tions where power is examples of this unique technology.” Fogy and product offerings to meet new demands would come to call friend. at a premium and/or Berchowitz calls the US home now but visits SA from customers with needs specific to their part of “I had intended to finish my PhD remotely. Of unstable, which often occasionally. His sister still lives in the house he grew the world. course, that never happened when I left the country go together.” up in in Potchefstroom. He said of his Wits student It’s seen the company merge its technology into in 1988,” he told WITSReview. Berchowitz said days: “I loved being at Wits; I had the enormous good a range of products to accommodate more speci- He said: “Growing up in Zimbabwe and subse- COVID-19 meant fortune to have Prof Costa Rallis (BSc Eng 1947, fications. There are large-sized units for commer- quently visiting southern Africa many times, I am shifting gears. “I had MSc Eng 1948, PhD 1963, DSc honoris causa 2003) be cial-scale storage facilities and units designed to fit acutely aware of the global disparities in how we re- not anticipated deep temperature vaccine storage un- my advisor. He was a giant among those who have in- under counters, suitable for small, remote clinics. The spond to the pandemic. Our small, portable freezers til the pandemic, though I fully understood that some fluenced my way of thinking. Of course, it was during coolers are made up of stacked trays and designed to are well suited for resource-poor areas, and a number refrigeration was needed for the so-called ‘cold-chain’ the apartheid years, so things were never without accommodate the storage and safe transportation of of international aid organisations are evaluating them to bring medicines and vaccines to point-of-use.” immediate moral implications which often flavoured the glass vials the vaccines come in. to help in vaccine transportation and storage.” He also noted: “The very first commercial unit our discussions.” Lane is a qualified mechanical engineer but has Being a student in the 1980s was also an education been pivotal in steering his company’s strategy to beyond the lecture halls. “Wits was foundational to promote adoption of new energy products. He’s also my career in technology, later in entrepreneurship, been instrumental in developing the market for his and my belief in the importance of job creation. Being WHO WERE THE FOUNDING FATHERS? company’s products for commercial, scientific and in South Africa and on the Wits campus in the 1980s Robert Stirling was awarded a patent for the first Stirling engine in 1816. His invention was first used as a cooling tool aerospace applications. also taught me so much about inequality, racism and in 1834 by astronomer John Herschel and in 1876 John Gorrie was recognised as the first person to use the engine to Lane was born in Zimbabwe and came to South the need for social justice.” produce ice. These three men are considered by Stirling Ultracold to be the founding fathers of the Stirling engine. They charted the way that has led the company to produce the industry’s most energy-efficient ultra-low freezer.

32 WITS REVIEW April 2021 33 WITSIESFEATURE: AROUND GIDON NOVICKTHE WORLD WITSIESFEATURE: AROUND GIDON THE NOVICK WORLD

BOUND FOR THE SKY

GIDON NOVICK (BCOM 1991, BACC GIDON 1993), FOUNDER OF KULULA AND including flexibility with free booking changes and can- NOVICK FORMER CEO OF COMAIR, HAS BEEN cellations, Vida e Caffé on board and happy hour on the FASCINATED WITH FLIGHT HIS afternoon flights. He says two key business elements he has always ENTIRE LIFE AND IN DECEMBER HE pursued are agility and adaptability, both essential in LAUNCHED HIS NEW AIRLINE, LIFT. a COVID and post-COVID world. “Our operational model allows us to upscale and downscale our flights BY HEATHER DUGMORE and routes as demand dictates. We currently offer the Joburg–Cape Town route but during the December holidays we added the Joburg-George route.” Building “a brilliant team” is key for Gidon. He looks for smart, enthusiastic people with plenty of energy. “You quickly pick up how energetic someone is from their walk; if they walk slowly I get worried.” Flying and running airlines is second nature to Gidon whose family were shareholders of Comair for decades. His chartered accountant father, the late Dave Novick (CTA 1960), was one of the early founders of Comair and played a vital role throughout his 50-year career, first as an accountant and subsequently as MD Image: Kovah, Unsplash Image: and then Chairman until 2011. Gidon, in turn, was with Comair for 13 years – as Co-CEO and founder of Kulula. Kulula was launched in early 2000 shortly after he returned from the US, where he did his MBA at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, Chicago. “I went there with my wife Lindie for a few years, always with the intention of returning,” he explains. “I spent a fair amount of time studying Southwest Airlines, which was the first really innovative idon has flown countless times, but says each flight “The opportunity was to make use of aircraft that airline model from not only an efficiency and cost point is still exciting for him: “It’s not new technology weren’t doing any work and partner with owners who of view but also a cultural point of view. Founder Herb but it’s amazing technology and it epitomises what are willing to allow the aircraft to be used on a variable Kelleher's leadership strategy included offering low fares Ghumans can do – create machines that transport cost basis.” Lift was launched in December 2020 with two to its passengers, eliminating unnecessary services, and people around the country and world. It’s an incredible routes: Johannesburg-Cape Town and Johannesburg- predominantly using a single aircraft type. Meeting him enabler that facilitates human connection and one of the George. The airline’s partner is Global Aviation, which in person had a profound impact on me.” biggest human aspirations – to explore and travel.” has sophisticated maintenance and COVID-protocol Another influence on Gidon was technology: “It was The aviation industry has of course been hard hit by capability and a good track record over 20 years. the early days of the internet and companies like Amazon the COVID-19 pandemic. “Six thousand commercial Gidon and co-founder Jonathan Avache created a were emerging in the US. At Kellogg I had the opportu- aircraft are parked around the world doing nothing,” says “customer obsessed”, agile operational model for Lift. nity to meet business leaders and learn about what they Gidon. His response to this crisis is characteristically Where Kulula introduced low price air travel, Lift has were doing and how technology and the internet were counterintuitive – he started a new airline. introduced value added air travel with innovations going to completely change business. Flight and travel

Image: Lift 34 WITS REVIEW April 2021 35 FEATURE: GIDON NOVICK FEATURE: GIDON NOVICK

were among the earliest industries to be impacted by the internet, with online booking in particular and direct

customer relations, as opposed to only working through LiftImage: STUDENT EXPERIENCE traditional channels. “At the same time, as a CA, I discovered a deep love for marketing, branding and company culture which all “I loved my time at Wits. It was at the time that fit together. I was less interested in the hardcore analytical South Africa was finally becoming an inclusive side of business and more interested in the culture, and democracy, and it was exciting to experience the leadership side, and when we came back home I wanted activism on campus and the early transformation of to test those skills. South Africa was ripe for disruption in the student body. The best course I did was inter- the airline industry, which was quite restrictive in terms national relations. I loved it. Winnie Mandela was of the price points it targeted, excluding a big chunk of one of the students in the class. the market; only 1% or 2% of South Africans were using air travel and today it’s closer to 10%.” “My brother Dan Novick (BCom 1991), who is a Ahead of the launch of Lift, Gidon and Jonathan asked few years older than me, was at Wits at the same members of the public to suggest a name for the airline time, as he had been to the army [military con- and received 25 000 submissions, with Lift emerging as scription service] before studying. It was special the winner. Others included Ubuntu Air, FlyMzansi, and to be at university with him. As kids we fought a Gravy Plane, about which Gidon said “they must have lot but at university we became the best of friends confused us with another airline!”. and graduated in the same year. He now lives in Lift’s head office is in Gardens, Cape Town in a shared Australia and is a great entrepreneur, involved in office called Workshop 17, but the airline by its nature property development, solar financing and gold is a distributed business with an operations team in recycling.” Johannesburg, and technical staff and crew at the airports in Johannesburg and Cape Town. Gidon, his wife Lindie and their four children live in Cape Town; they moved there five years ago after living in Joburg for 20 years. destinations in the world. Pre-COVID there were 1.5 to select staff: “Many talented professionals, particularly “Lindie is from Cape Town and we have the support of billion tourists travelling the planet, which will take in the tourism industry, lost their jobs as a result of her parents here.” a while to return, but the opportunity for us in South COVID. For us it was an opportunity to bring together Five months before the start of lockdown, Gidon Africa is huge.” bright, enthusiastic, energetic people together at all joined a nascent food rescue non-profit called SA This inspired him to create a company called Lucid levels of SA Harvest, Lift, Home*Suite Hotels and Lucid Harvest (https://saharvest.org/) which sources food GIDON WITH HIS DOG, HAROLD, A FREQUENT FLYER Ventures to leverage the 12J tax deduction incentive Ventures. Additionally, there is a pool of talented senior that would have gone to waste. “I was deeply affected the government offers investors to encourage economic people sitting in organisations where they just don’t by the thought that every day 18 million South African growth and job creation in the country. He launched have the scope to shine. They are given tight parameters men, women and children go to bed hungry and yet we will deliver five million meals though the food rescue Home*Suite Hotel – a group of boutique urban hotels and they get stifled by politics and overloaded with 10 million tons of food goes to waste here every year,” process – and we are working with farmers and several they built from scratch in prime locations. “We have bureaucracy,” he explains. he explains. “This was an escalating crisis long before of the largest food producers in South Africa, as well as hotels in Rosebank, Johannesburg and The Cape Quarter “People thrive on being enabled to explore their own COVID, which then multiplied the numbers and about 100 beneficiary organisations. in Cape Town, with a third and fourth set to open in potential, make decisions and take responsibility for brought huge attention to an issue that had somehow “We now have a big operation in Cape Town, Sandton and Sea Point later this year,” says Gidon. what they are good at. For me the most rewarding part drifted off the consciousness of people and donors.” Johannesburg and Durban and an incredible team. “Demand for hotels is still low, especially in Cape Town; of these ventures is seeing people getting into their own SA Harvest drew inspiration from similar I’m so excited about SA Harvest’s growth. Unlike to compensate we have introduced an attractive long rhythm and flow, and becoming more brilliant than even organisations such as OzHarvest in Australia, founded most businesses whose core metric is profit, it is really stay offering for our regular short stay guests.” they thought they could be. Organisations obviously by a South African and one of the best food rescue rewarding to be part of an NGO whose key metric is Also through Lucid Ventures’ 12J fund, Gidon need capital and regulatory issues sorted out but at the examples in the world. Initially he had one truck parked community impact.” and his team recently launched a retirement living core it is about finding the kind of people who get things outside their home in Camps Bay and they would collect Gidon also views investment in tourism as a fund focused on developing centrally-located luxury done and don’t waste time on politics. food from Vida e Caffé and drop if off at a soup kitchen. key opportunity for social impact and creating job retirement living spaces with all the amenities for a “We all know that South Africa has massive issues “But when COVID hit, SA Harvest was catapulted opportunities. “In South Africa we have a unique culture growing proportion of healthy, fit, older people who do that shouldn’t be underestimated but history shows that into massive volumes and in an instant we had to build in terms of hospitality and treating people in a kind, not identify with the traditional concept of retirement barring a nuclear wipe out, there is always opportunity every dimension, raise funds, hire key people, buy in- generous way. There are a huge number of semi-skilled homes. “We saw an opportunity to provide something to grow and flourish. Currently, politics and corruption frastructure, invest in technology and build a logistics people with the right nature and willingness to learn disruptive and more consistent with their current are stifling us and this combination has destroyed many system. Four months into lockdown we were operating and become service focused ambassadors in the tourism lifestyle.” a country and it can do the same to ours if we don't sort at full speed, with Alan Browde at the helm. This year industry. We also have one of the most desirable tourism Gidon says he had a vast pool of talent from which it out. If we do, we have everything it takes to grow.”

36 WITS REVIEW April 2021 37 WITSIES AROUND THE WORLD FEATURE: LOCKDOWN EXPERIENCES LIFE LESSONS LOCKDOWN PROJECT INITIATED BY JONI BRENNER AND KATE BERNBERG

IN RESPONSE TO THE ISOLATION OF REMOTE LEARNING, A NEW ASSIGNMENT IN FVPA (FILM, VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS) AT THE WITS SCHOOL OF ARTS ASKED FIRST YEAR STUDENTS TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES OF LOCKDOWN IN AN IMAGE AND 100 WORDS. THE STORIES MIRROR OUR TIMES AND REFLECT A RANGE OF RESPONSES FROM DASHED HOPES AND DREAMS TO DISCOVERIES OF SMALL AND EPIC PROPORTIONS.

3 8 6 7

5

3 6

2

6

4

5

3

1

2

HANNAH BRANKEN STUCK WITH YOU SHEPHERD MHLONGO In January 2020, my boyfriend and I moved in together into a small open-plan cottage. By March, we had just BONDING WITH GOGO settled into our new exciting routine when COVID-19 During the lockdown I spent time with my grandmother hit. We found ourselves stuck in this small space. You because she lives alone. I figured because she couldn’t can never truly claim to love someone until you have go to church or do other recreational activities, she’d spent every minute of every day for six months by their be lonely. I had not seen her for more than a year, so it side. As I was separated from my place of work, my was a great time to catch up. At her house we watched friends, and even my family, I retreated into and was TV, cooked, made traditional mats and organised the continuously embraced within this small space. recycling together. These were skills I did not know a thing about. I found they were important to preserve our traditions and environment for future generations.

ZOË JULIES LETTING MY HAIR DOWN

Lockdown forced me into a period of introspection and self-reflection. Once businesses re-opened, I was encouraged to go to the hairdresser to be “neat” and feel “pretty” again. In my experience, being a coloured woman, this means trimming, and straightening my hair until smoke appears. Once my hair had been dried, the technician grabbed my hair and in one action tried to cut my hair to my shoulders — an aggressive action that shocked and enraged me. Thankfully, because of my hair’s volume, the scissors broke. I felt assaulted, yet proud of its resistance. A few weeks later, having realised no one loves my natural hair as much as I

do, I started cutting it myself.

6

1

9

1

7

3

2 38 WITS REVIEW April 2021 39 FEATURE: LOCKDOWN EXPERIENCES

NONHLANHLA MATHEBULA PULE BUYS WHEN DAYS ARE DARK, BE THE LIGHT THE TOUGHEST GOODBYE During the first week of June my mother was infected with COVID-19. At first, no On Monday 3 August, through the loud cries of my mother, it was one could figure out what was making her so sick. Even though everyone else in the confirmed that my great-aunt had been taken away by this evilness house tested negative, we felt stigmatised because people did not want to be seen COVID-19. Four days later, on the day of her burial, we couldn’t even see near us. I had to find something to do to distract me from this stressful situation.

her face and start the process of closure. What made matters worse was So, I braided my own hair and it looked good. I practised braiding more on my

we weren’t able to visit her in hospital so it was as if she had disappeared mother when she returned from hospital. I now run a successful home-based salon. 0

2

8

0

from the face of the earth without warning. I have never attended such a 2 4

2 2 3 9

heart-breaking funeral. It still hurts my family to this day. 5 3 5 1

KATLEGO MOKWENA 6 489 NONHLANHLA 5 MOM AND DAD HAVE MY BACK 14 PINKEY DIPUO 7 2 7 YENDE My father and I are not close. We never bonded when I was 0 younger. But my mother and I, on the other hand, are besties. He DEALING WITH DAD 1 was always the one to say “no” to me going on school trips, the

1

mall with friends, basically everything that involved me asking My father was employed 2 for money. During lockdown I realised he was only trying to save at the beginning of this

money for emergencies such as this pandemic. When my mom year, however, during the

couldn’t go to work for a few months, he was here taking care of 5 pandemic, he lost his job. 1

us with the money he had saved over the years. 1 Nobody was ready for this. He

3

9 was in a negative space and

3

2

the number of deaths made it worse. He has worked for most of his life and my mom and I encouraged him to see this as 2 a blessing in disguise and to MOJALEFA PETA 3 think of a positive future. He 3 is now closer to God and his LOCKDOWN 1 family. He tries to smile here 6 TSHEGOFATSO DOMESTICATED ME and there, but sometimes 6 MABENA I catch him with a distant I have been truly blessed to have 7 LIGHT AT THE END OF expression on his face. all my family still with me living in THE TUNNEL a good environment. My parents are very busy people, they work When my best friend announced as principals and educators. They she was pregnant, I was are workaholics. My mother would disappointed. Questions flooded always be the one cooking and in my head: “You’re only 20, does

cleaning the house. CHRIS this mean you’re dropping out of

Surprisingly, my CHIDRAWI school?”. Her mother kicked her 5

brother got a job out the house and I couldn’t offer 3

0

during lockdown TRULY FAMILY OWNED a pillow. We only had daily phone 2

7

and everything calls. I felt useless. When she 3 2

NTANDO MLANGENI fell to me. Now, My parents own a little pharmacy in Illovo. During called me at 2am, I knew it was I clean the Level 5, my brother and I helped my parents at the time. I couldn’t go to the hospital LONELY DAYS OF HARDSHIP house, cook shop as the employees were restricted to their homes. and her useless boyfriend and wash the My family definitely grew closer as we worked together couldn’t care less. All I could do It all started as a joke about something that existed far away. Time went by and dishes every for up to nine hours a day. I helped customers, my was stay up and pray. During things got tough. I was sad when the president announced that the country will day. I seldom brother unpacked stock, my mother did the financial Level 1, I visited her and baby be on lockdown. During lockdown I was always busy with house chores. I cooked, get a day off. statements and my father dispensed all medicine. I Takura. Seeing her so responsible cleaned and did everything alone in the house because my brother could not

pitched the idea to take a selfie with our shields and and nurturing was beautiful. even help me. My parents believe because I am a female, I should do all the house 2

3 masks for our selfie book. She’s a wonderful mom. chores. This proved that we are not treated equally.

5

8

2

1 40 WITS REVIEW 6 April 2021 41 9 9 FEATURE: LOCKDOWN EXPERIENCES 3 2

085 5 2 5 6 3

1 1 2 2

2

1 4

2 MAKAZISWE

5 4 1 8

4 NELISA GUMEDE 2 1 3 SUPER SISTER Since lockdown began and daycare centres closed, I was tasked with JORDAN MCLEAN taking care of my three-year-old brother, Anathi, while my parents KEEPING BUSY were at work. I had to create a schedule for him. This was Surely excitement is the first emotion a homebody would feel hearing challenging as I had to prepare for of a lockdown for an undetermined length of time? It was for me. That breakfast time, bath time, snack time NICOLA BONGANI was until the cult of productivity took over, turning my excitement and play time while simultaneously FINALLY REUNITED into an obsessive need to ”do“. I started a spinach garden to overcome doing my coursework to the best of my fear of being unproductive. We cannot see the seeds under the my ability. I complained a lot in the soil as they grow, but they grow. That’s how I view my lockdown in My mother is the best. For the past beginning, but after we got into our year she had been abroad but came retrospect. The moments of doing nothing became opportunities to groove, I was able to balance little “grow” my self-understanding and to think up great spinach recipes! home because of the lockdown. It ENGISANI KAVILA 7 Anathi and studying. It felt good to brought joy to my heart because I 64 help my parents out and we had lots couldn’t imagine how I would’ve A LIBERATING LOCKDOWN 14 of fun together. survived all these months trapped in 1 the house with only my father and 2 Some feel trapped — I feel liberated. Dire 93 sister. Waking up to kitchen noises 9 circumstances, but a dream in the eyes of 8 would usually annoy me, but this time an introvert. I came back to Zimbabwe just 6 they sounded pleasant. Chilling in before the lockdown and the only thing I need GADIEL 3 her room late at night, hearing all her BURMAN 2 is more than 24 hours in a day. Balancing stories and snacking on whatever we time for school, family, gym, practising I CAME OUT can find, I finally got to have mother musical instruments and having time to WHEN I and daughter moments. myself isn’t easy but it’s great because I get COULDN’T GO to do it at home. I’ve also been examining OUT my religious beliefs in depth, particularly 2 why I’m a Seventh-day Adventist Christian. I My lockdown experience 2 spend most of my time studying the Bible and has been an emotional 1 sharing the importance and significance of rollercoaster. At the very 2

the Sabbath. time that I couldn’t go out 7

into the world, I chose to 9

unmask myself in a way I have 0 never before. I decided to come out as gay. One could wait until life returns to normal to make such a big decision, yet I chose the time that I was KHAYALETHU NTOKOZO most alone to live my truth. NGUBENI MALOBOLA

FINALLY HAPPY BEING HOME PERSONAL ASSISTANT FOR BA DEGREE EMMA CLELAND My father and I did not have a relationship for the past three years because of sexual identity and As an anti-social person who took a gap year the previous THE NEW NORMAL STILL DOESN’T FEEL NORMAL spiritual differences. Although he raised and took year, I found it easy to not be bothered by the lockdown care of me, I did not have a father figure in my life. restrictions. My biggest issue was having to stay with my Before lockdown, my life consisted of juggling between university, my Being trapped in a house for five months with him siblings 24/7 in our small apartment. The youngest of my waitressing job (that was three nights a week), seeing friends and going really allowed us to see the changes in ourselves. little brothers is six. He involved himself in everything I out. I always had something to do, somewhere to be or someone to see. We finally listened to each other, seeing how we did once he was tired of watching television. He did all When lockdown started my life went from a literal 100 to 0. Small things have hurt each other and how we can grow moving my assignments and attended my online lectures with me. matter more now, like Scrabble games, making breakfast and hand- forward. My home life is so much happier with our While it got irritating at times, it also became a bonding

sanitiser. My sense of stability and normal has been challenged and I’ve mended relationship. It is so much easier for me to session as time went by. Whether I appreciate it or not 3

tried to make the best of my situation amid the uncertainty. 6 have a reason to smile. depends on my mood.

1

8

1

1

2

42 43 WITS REVIEW April 2021 FEATURE: KG MOHALA FEATURE: KG MOHALA CREATING MAKE -OVER MAGIC

Images: KG Mohlala/Unsplash KG MOHLALA AND SOME OF THE HOMES HOMEFLIPPERS HAVE REDONE

A RELENTLESS PURSUIT hen Kgaogelo, known simply as “KG”, bought in KG’s apartment with a feature wall they had done as a by trade but could literally do anything and everything TO FIND HIMSELF LED TO his first apartment in Northgate, Johannesburg backdrop. People wanted to know who had done the wall with his hands. My father, my brother and I built most A SIDE CAREER IN HOME at the same time as his friend, Themba and that’s when they realised they were onto something. of our home in KwaThema ourselves. After school was a IMPROVEMENT FOR WITS WPalagangwe, bought his house, they discovered From then on, Instagram, Facebook and word-of-mouth manual labour shift for us and he was a perfectionist, so CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT they thrived on designing and renovating their homes, became their advertising platform, and the commissions we paid our dues. I didn’t know then how much it would and an entrepreneurial side career in homeflipping was started rolling in. assist me now.” KGAOGELO ‘KG’ MOHLALA born. “YouTube became our best friend and greatest teacher For inspiration, KG and Themba look everywhere – on (BACC 2010, HDIP ACC 2011). They initially specialised in feature and custom-paint- – I’m a handy guy but I literally learned how to paint, in- social media, in magazines, at expos, in books about the ed walls after receiving positive feedback when they post- stall and renovate watching videos. My other teacher was history of design and architecture. “This is how our per- BY HEATHER DUGMORE ed a photo of themselves on Instagram, sitting on a couch my late father Michael Mohlala, who was an electrician sonal style developed. Combined with our accountancy

44 WITS REVIEW April 2021 45 FEATURE: KG MOHALA HOMEFLIPPER TIPS skills and my legal studies, it worked well.” KG qualified most of the week in Limpopo and overseeing the home- as a CA doing his articles at Deloitte and obtained a flipping after hours and on weekends. Themba is the BCom Law degree from Unisa while Themba has a BAcc Joburg-based GM of Governance and Transformation for •Don’t compromise on your BED or COUCH; don’t try to save degree from UCT and MBA from GIBS Business School the South African Insurance Association. costs with these as they are the most personal pieces of furni- As their business grew, they branched out from in- “It means getting up at 5am and sometimes 3am to get ture that you will use and you will use them for a good number terior finishes to architectural reconfigurations and new the work done. Themba works deep into the night so it’s of years. builds in collaboration with architects and engineers. It a compatible difference as I can then continue what he’s paved the way for increasingly ambitious projects, includ- been working on when I awaken.” •FABRIC - always ensure it has some sort of fabric guard on it as ing branching into construction – their first jobs include Spare time is a foreign concept for KG but he says it protects it from spills and dirt. a duplex and office studio. “We are now in our fifth year of he’s learning to be deliberate about taking short breaks, homeflipping and we’ve considerably widened our skills catching up with friends, going to the gym and jogging. •PAINT is your best friend, it is the most inexpensive tool to and supplier network. My life partner Lonwabo Mavuso He also loves cooking and spending time somewhere in change your space. (BA DA 2010, PDM 2017), has been a catalyst in connect- nature. “I enjoy going to natural environments, even if it’s ing us to some great young designers. He runs a research just a quick trip to the Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens • If you are living in a house with kids, don’t spend R5000 on a and insights company with a core focus on the creative or Emmarentia Dam. Where I grew up there was only VASE as it might break; rather spend R500 on a vase that can industry worldwide called Andani Africa. paving all around, not a strand of grass in our yard, but be equally beautiful, and you can use the R4500 elsewhere. “We get commissions from all over the country – in when I went to Wits I started appreciating greenery and the cities, suburbs and townships. We both still do it part gardens. Later when I made a bit of cash, I explored natu- •You can find lots of attractive, quality items at time in the evenings, early mornings and on weekends, as ral environments and places further afield.” affordable prices. Some of the lower end retailers we have full-time jobs.” What has helped ease the homeflippers’ pressure a bit have some of the most beautiful ACCESSORIES. KG is the financial accounting manager for Siyanda is they now have teams working for them. “Once work has Don’t be stuck on brand names as you might be Bakgatla Platinum Mine in Limpopo. It requires spending been commissioned and proposals signed off by clients, throwing money out of the window.

Images: Unsplash KG’S FAVOURITE WITS MEMORIES we brief all our teams in terms of the duties that lie ahead. have her home renovated. It turned out we couldn’t MEN’S RES THE JACARANDA TREES We have a project manager for each commission, and we change the inside because the 87-year-young lady would are regularly sent videos of their progress. Themba gener- not let us touch her furniture because her late husband O-Week at Men’s Res was quite a jam. I hated The jacaranda trees in blossom were always amazing but equally a ally oversees all the quality control midweek. He goes on had bought it for her 30 years ago. So what we did was it but I also loved it. I hated it because you are reminder that exams were nigh. One of the myths that stuck with site after hours. With lockdown I’ve been doing the same give the exterior of the building a facelift. Handing over woken up at 2am and told to run 5km across Wits me is that if one of the flowers falls on you, it meant good luck as I’ve been in Joburg for most of the year.” the home to Gogo was truly one of the most special ex- with water thrown at you at every turn while for the exams. I remember chilling under the trees waiting for a The lockdown period has boosted their business as periences I have encountered in my life. The love for one being screamed at. It felt like torture but at the flower or two to fall on me but it never happened, which might people increasingly realise they need more comfortable another as a family was so evident. It became apparent same time it was fun as we were doing it as a explain why I failed some of my tests! But I still passed and got and adaptable work from home spaces. “Most of our work to us that this was a send-off for Gogo as she passed on a group of about 200 and there was wonderful ca- my degree so it worked out well for me regardless! is in Joburg but we also do virtual consultations far and couple of months later.” maraderie. The first two guys I met, with whom wide. We recently designed for a client in Namibia.” One of their biggest jobs was a home in Sandton. “We I am still friends, are Ndumiso Mkabinde KGAOGELO “KG” MOHLALA, DOING A VICTORY DANCE ON KG believes that what makes them attractive is that played around with different paint tones, patterns and (BEconSc 2011), who studied mathematics GRADUATION DAY they are “entry-level affordable”, which means a far great- textures, and a range of wallpapers and art pieces and and statistics and is now a successful en- er number of people can afford to make changes to their we even landed up moving the staircase as it was cutting trepreneur, and Maswazi Nkosi environments, big or small. “As accountants we find ways the house in half. The client battled to commit, so we (BAccSc 2010), now a CA. to cut costs and work with strict budgets while maintain- said ‘we’ll do it and if you don’t like it, we’ll change it’. ing high quality work.” Fortunately, he liked it.” KG and Themba pride themselves on giving their cli- KG says they have learnt hard lessons along the way ents more than what they want. “We really listen to their that they hope to help other people avoid. Rule num- brief and work with them. Many times clients actually ber one, he says, is never to take shortcuts. In terms of don’t know what they want. Adaptability is core because growing a business, he says it’s tempting to accept jobs clients come from different backgrounds and therefore for which you have no experience. “When we first started relate differently. If your client is in the townships, then out, a client wanted us to make decisions about break- you need to speak the language people speak and under- ing down walls in a double-storey house. We have since stand what they need.” learnt which are the structure and support-bearing walls An example is a project they did at a grandmother’s but we know when something is beyond us. In this busi- township home. “Her grandchildren came together to ness, there are risks that are definitely not worth taking!”

46 WITS REVIEW April 2021 47 FEATURE: WITS CENTRE FOR DEAF STUDIES

LET YOUR HANDS DO THE TALKING

THE CENTRE FOR DEAF here’s a wooden puppet hand on Professor Claudine Storbeck’s desk and the fingers are STUDIES STARTED AS A curled in the sign for love. DREAM OF ONE WOMAN, BUT T It’s an almost perfect summing up of what has TODAY IT HAS GROWN INTO underpinned her journey at the Wits Centre for Deaf AN ENABLING ENVIRONMENT Studies in the past two decades. The centre’s evolution FOR THE COMMUNITY IT over 23 years can’t be separated from her personal driving SERVES. force, passion and purpose. Professor Storbeck is director at the centre, which BY UFRIEDA HO she started as a one-woman show. She joined Wits after leaving a teaching career of about six years at St Vincent’s School for the Deaf in Johannesburg. One of her first decisions as director was to reach out to a friend and fellow teacher, Dr Lucas Magongwa (BA Ed 1994, BA Ed Hons 2004, MA 2008, PhD 2020). Dr Magongwa was a teacher and one of the first deaf princi- pals in the country at the time. She convinced him to join her on the journey in tertiary education in 2002. Today Dr Magongwa is a lecturer and the head of deaf education at the university. The centre now offers honours and masters level train- ing and constantly raises the bar for quality education and learning focused on the deaf child’s needs. It doubles as a platform for the deaf community to define their needs themselves and to push for better services and standards. Dr Magongwa says: “Coming to Wits to assist Claudine in the training of teachers of the deaf was a bigger contri- bution than focusing on a single school for the deaf – and I love it.” It was also an adjustment from teaching deaf school children to training hearing educators. LEFT: PROFESSOR CLAUDINE STORBECK RIGHT: D R It wasn’t easy in the early days. Professor Storbeck LUCAS MAGONGWA OPPOSITE: ARTWORKS IN THE DEAF ARTS GALLERY COME FROM AS FAR AFIELD AS remembers: “I had to find the soft funding for Lucas’ po- CONGO, CANADA AND IRAN sition initially because there wasn’t a budget for a salary at

48 WITS REVIEW April 2021 49 FEATURE: WITS CENTRE FOR DEAF STUDIES FEATURE: WITS CENTRE FOR DEAF STUDIES Images: CourtesyImages: deafcamsa.net

A RESEARCH PROJECT BY THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND AND THE UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER (UK) USES COMMUNITY BASED FILM METHODS TO EXPLORE ISSUES OF VULNERABILITY AND RESILIENCE THAT DEAF YOUTH FACE ABOVE: ARTWORK BY TOMMY MOTSWAI. THE DEAF ARTS GALLERY AT THE CENTRE IS THE PRIDE AND JOY OF DEAF FILMMAKER NENIO MBAZIMA (PICTURED RIGHT ABOVE) design. It’s light and airy for maximum visibility. Glass is “Now sign language is encouraged in schools but there used so that a deaf person can pick up visual clues. There are still teachers in these schools who don’t know sign the time – no one had done something like facial expressions behind a mask) but also are many gathering spots, and corridors are wide enough language,” he says of the work that still needs to be done. a Centre for Deaf Studies in South Africa.” opportunities. to ensure that two people can sign to each other uninter- The centre is working on creating a virtual tour for But her can-do attitude paid off and “The deaf community around the world rupted even if a third person has to pass. online access to the gallery; it’s especially useful under today the centre prides itself on successfully was demanding not to be left out, so virtu- The deaf arts gallery at the centre is the pride and joy lockdown restrictions. merging academic and research rigour with ally every public information broadcast now of Nenio Mbazima. For Professor Storbeck each new project that takes outreach, support and advocacy initia- includes a sign language interpreter. That’s He joined the centre in 2018 as a video producer. For off and touches more lives is a win and testament to the tives. The centre’s “Hi Hopes” programme been amazing to build awareness,” she says. the 20th anniversary of the centre that year, artists were resilience and talent within the deaf community. focuses on babies who are born deaf and Normalising sign language interpreta- invited to submit work and some of this now makes up She herself isn’t deaf. Growing up she didn’t know any- on supporting their parents. “EyeBuzz” tion in COVID-19 public service announce- the gallery’s collection. one who was deaf. But she says working in deaf education is an initiative for high school children ments is a move in the right direction. Next Mbazima says, through signing: “The gallery means and with the deaf community was something she knows and young adults, teaching them to use is the goal to extend services at other key deaf people can come here and enjoy art in a comfortable she “was born to do”. film and photography to create content facilities such as police stations, health- space. A hearing world is not a comfortable space if you’re “I remember telling my parents when I was eight years and platforms to deepen engagement with care facilities and rape crisis centres. The deaf. But the centre is a deaf world – we have more deaf old that it was what I planned to do. I believe it’s the rea- the deaf community. The centre also has its own cafe, centre has been working on this through its Safe Spaces staff than hearing staff.” son I’m on this earth,” she says. Chatterhands, on the education campus, run for and by programme. The artworks include photographs, mixed media and Jumping in at the deep end all those years ago helped deaf people. And there’s a burgeoning deaf arts gallery. It’s about inclusion, rather than being sidelined or sculpture from as far afield as Congo, Canada and Iran. her keep her expectations in check. It also made her At its heart the Centre for Deaf Studies is about fos- pitied. Dr Magongwa adds: “The deaf community wants There are artworks that embody deaf culture as well an open-hearted learner – from the first classroom she tering equal opportunities for the deaf community and to be supported and respected. Early identification and as deaf activism. There are pieces that show the struggle turned up in, armed only with a crash course in signing. responding quickly to needs that arise. intervention are key. Deaf children should not be hid- and exclusion of the deaf community and the fight that She remembers looking at a sea of faces and feeling quite One of the biggest needs lately has been to ensure that den and only introduced to education when they are of continues still for a hearing world to listen, to really open helpless. Luckily the school children took her under their the deaf community has information about COVID-19. school-going age.” its ears. Mbazima says not so long ago, some teachers wings. They taught her to sign and in doing so showed Professor Storbeck says the pandemic has brought chal- At the Centre for Deaf Studies, based on the Education punished children for using sign language; he shows art her that their world was also her world – they just needed lenges (such as trying to lip read and pick up clues in Campus, the enabling environment starts with office depicting hands being slapped for signing. better bridges. She has been building them ever since.

50 WITS REVIEW April 2021 51 FEATURE: MONICA SINGER

“All my life since I started to work as a “ EUREKA!” chartered accountant I wanted to prevent MONICA SINGER (BACC 1987) IS A VOCAL ADVOCATE TO corruption and audit ADOPT BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY IN AFRICA. SHE BELIEVES failures. But it still SHE'S FOUND A WAY TO ELIMINATE FRAUD AND CORRUPTION. happens because the

BY JACQUELINE STEENEVELDT system is broken.”

n 1983 Monica Singer ran away from home. The interview. Monica is the South Africa lead at ConsenSys, only daughter of a granite quarry miner in Uruguay, one of the world’s biggest blockchain companies, based she followed her boyfriend, whom she later married, in the US. She has been working from home since 2017 Ito South Africa — escaping the sheltered South and is a vocal champion for the adoption of blockchain American country and a difficult family background. technology in Africa. “I didn’t tell my parents until a week before I left and a “We can run a company from anywhere in the world. friend paid for the ticket. That was my opportunity,” she From day one, we were remote at ConsenSys.” recalls. As she’s a board member of the South African Monica had been biding her time. At 21, she was in her Institute of Chartered Accountants and the Accounting second year of studying towards a degree in accountancy. Blockchain Coalition (which sets the audit, accounting But the family business was off limits to her as a woman. and tax guidelines for crypto assets based in the US), “I was kept away from business things. The thinking was Monica’s predictions about the future of money and women get married and a husband can look after them. the impact of blockchain technology on all industries With my personality I wasn’t going to settle for that.” are getting attention. She brings to it not only youthful Accountancy suited her taste for order, but what she energy and curiosity, but three decades of experience in found in Johannesburg was a blow. Apartheid. “It was executive roles. traumatic — a terrible time. I thought God punished me “At the moment it feels daunting because the tech- for what I did.” nology is a bit raw, but it’s similar to the evolution of the She found a job at Arthur Young (currently EY) and internet. In the beginning it was complicated and scary. was given credits to start the second year towards a Nobody wanted to use it, but now my mother can send Bachelor of Accountancy at Wits. “I worked during the emails, Facebook, send WhatsApps. Everybody can use day and took a bus after 5pm to attend lectures until it. That’s what I predict is going to happen,” she says. 8.30pm and that was my life. It was hard, very hard. Her career seems to have come full circle, since she “But the happiest time of my life was to be at Wits. I began at the Institute of Chartered Accountants in 1990. had such an absolute desire to be there. I didn’t ever miss Within a year she was made technical director repre- a lecture. In the final year of doing accounting part-time, senting South Africa on the international standards and I was one of the top 10 students.” auditing committees, a position she held until 1995 when Yet she never took her success for granted. “After every she was poached by the World Bank. “I packed up my exam, I’d cry thinking that I’d failed. I was obsessed with family and flew them to Washington, DC.” But when she a dream of being a chartered accountant.” got there she was disillusioned by the red tape and seem- Today, she chats from the slopes of Lion’s Head over- ing lack of desire for change. She lasted eight months. “I looking the Atlantic Ocean in Bantry Bay — much like the quickly found out that less than 40% of funds allocated coastline of her home town, Montevideo — for a Zoom for social impact projects actually went to the right place.” Image: André van André Image: der Merwe (SAICA)

52 WITS REVIEW April 2021 53 WITSIESFEATURE: AROUND MONICA THE SINGERWORLD

On her return to South MONICA'S KEY TAKEAWAYS Africa in 1996, she turned to Roy Andersen (CTA MONICA IS AT ONCE AN IDEALIST AND DREAMER AS WELL AS A STOIC WHO SEEMS UNAFRAID 1972), Executive President TO CONFRONT REALITY HEAD-ON. of the JSE at the time, for guidance. He offered her the challenge of re-engi- WITS MEMORIES neering the way financial markets worked in South Wits is one of the best universities in the world – it lets Africa. Although the you be, but if you need help, it’s available. The spirit of banking system was one of co-operation is what makes it a special place. I sit on the best in the world at the international boards and the education I got from Wits time, the stock market had was the best foundation I could have had. You get such fallen behind badly because value for money that doesn’t saddle you with debt for everything was still settled the rest of your life. with share certificates and cheques. “The process was WORK-LIFE BALANCE slow and open to fraud, and I was divorced and raised two children on my own. There investors were losing faith was no balance – that’s wishful thinking. I missed out on in the system,” she says. many of the kids’ activities. When I was at home, I was Andersen thought 100% present. I raised them to be very independent and Monica would be the ideal practical. Today they are unbelievable people and I am ABOVE: WHILE MONICA person for the job. in awe of them. WORKED AS CEO AT “I said: I know nothing STRATE, THE COMPANY about the stock market. WHY CHOOSE SOUTH AFRICA WON THE INAUGURAL CONSCIOUS COMPANY ON He said: don’t worry, you’ll It is a country of miracles – I saw how apartheid was 11 MAY 2017 OUT OF 75 learn.” overcome and the country transformed. South Africans COMPANIES NOMINATED. Her impact was phe- just get on with things. I love that. South Africans are BESIDE HER ARE PROF MERVYN KING AND nomenal. She created “This technology is going to evolve and not superficial and have the ability to laugh at every- CEO OF CONSCIOUS and led a company, Strate everyone in the world is eventually going thing, which makes it easier to look at the bright side COMPANIES BRENDA Ltd, to bring electronic of life. KALI settlement to the JSE and to have access to it, no matter what their BLOCKCHAIN VS BITCOIN introduce transparency and age group or status.” efficiency. “When I started Bitcoin is a store of value. Its central technology is LEFT: MONICA AT HER there were 4 000 trades a blockchain. This is a register that is immutable and has WITS GRADUATION IN MONICA SINGER 1987 day. By the time I left there one version of the truth of all transactions. were 350 000.” In 2012 the World Economic Forum ranked South Africa the most pro- Unable to convince the Strate board to adopt the new The trial, Project Khokha 2, will explore the use of digital gressive central securities depository. The country was In 2008, the document’s author, Satoshi Nakamoto (a technology, she left to concentrate on being an ambas- currency, blockchain and tokenised money in South also ranked top for regulation of securities exchanges — pseudonym), outlined a way to verify transactions with- sador for blockchain applications across a number of Africa. largely due to the work of Monica and her team. out any central authority. This was at a time when many industries. In May 2019 she was appointed as a Professor Monica says this could be a game-changer. If all South Professor Emeritus Barry Dwolatzky (BSc questioned the stability of the global financial system. It of Practice in the School of Accounting at the University Africans had a digital currency account, there’d be no Eng 1975), Director at the Joburg Centre for Software offered a decentralised, transparent but secure solution to of Johannesburg. queueing for social grants, no ATM bombings, no cash Engineering, has described Monica’s career crisply — record transactions. A confluence of circumstances such as increased bribes. “anticorruption” and “digital transformation”. Monica understood that the technology behind bit- connectivity accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic has She says the decentralisation of finance that is unfold- After running Strate successfully for 19 years, Monica coin — blockchain — had changed the equation. increased the appetite to apply blockchain technology. ing worldwide will benefit the 1.7 billion people who have still wanted to streamline transactions and do it all online. “I realised that’s exactly what I was looking for. All Monica is a sought-after speaker for conferences and been left out of the banking system. “This technology is At the time the technology wasn’t up to the task. Until, in my life since I started to work as a chartered accountant webinars. going to evolve and everyone in the world is eventually 2015, she read a document titled: ‘Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer I wanted to prevent corruption and audit failures. But it Even the country’s banks are now willing to get in- going to have access to it, no matter what their age group Electronic Cash System’. It made her cry. still happens because the system is broken.” volved in a simulation of a new kind of payment system. or status.”

54 WITS REVIEW April 2021 55 WITSIES AROUND THE WORLD WITSIES AROUND THE WORLD

WE FOLLOW THREE ALUMNI ON THEIR DIVERSE CAREER JOURNEYS...

Witsies around the world A GPS FOR TALKSHOW AND PODCAST HOST NAVIGATING LIFE ANTONY GORDON HAS OFFERED HELP TO MANY SEEKING BY HEATHER DUGMORE GREATER FULFILMENT IN THEIR LIVES

IF YOU WANT TO MAKE IT IN LOS ANGELES YOU NEED CHUTZPAH AND TO WORK HARD, SAYS LAWYER, BUSINESS DEVELOPER, RABBI, MOTIVATIONAL COACH AND TALK SHOW HOST ANTONY GORDON (BA 1984, LLB 1988).

56 WITS REVIEW April 2021 57 WITSIES AROUND THE WORLD WITSIES AROUND THE WORLD

uring the pandemic people have been compelled resigned and Antony was fast approaching graduation. Android TV, Chromecast, Amazon’s Fire TV) targeting bad and so people do all sorts of things to take the pain to do more soul-searching and because of this, my But Tisch took the Wits/Harvard alumnus under his 80 million screens worldwide. “My shows dispel several away, including substance abuse and other vices. The show has seen a spike in listenership,” says Antony. wing, and Antony was invited to join a major entertain- pop culture myths. One of these is that if you are wealthy small percentage of people who have found the way to DHis podcast The Antony Gordon Show is about ment law firm in LA, Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell. and famous you have a better chance of being happy and lead happy, successful lives have usually had to transcend helping people find more personal fulfilment or what he From here he moved into the financial services indus- living life with a sense of accomplishment. a lot of pain. calls “your GPS for life”. The show reaches large audiences try, including time with UBS’s Private Client Group and “Another myth is that a happy life means a pain- “Through my shows I dispel this illusion that one day of all ages, on platforms such as Spotify, iTunes, YouTube Morgan Stanley, where he rose to Senior Vice-President. free life. It’s absurd, yet the notion of happily ever after you wake up and it’s nirvana, with a great career, money, and Sling. In 2017 he joined MGO, a Los Angeles-based profession- is repeated by pop culture and Hollywood as a truism. the perfect spouse and a Labrador in the garden. It takes Antony quickly recognised the power that social al services firm, where he was MD before being recruited Across American culture, pain is portrayed as something years and years to hone your skills and get somewhere.” media provides to get his message out and develop a fol- to head the JAF Family Office and Stealth Consulting lowing in the highly contested media and entertainment Management Inc, representing super wealthy clients in industry, of which he has been a part for 35 years. the sports, media and entertainment industries. “It all started at Wits, which was a very rich, im- Today, he lives in LA’s Hancock Park area with his portant part of my life,” he explains. “I was on the SRC, speech therapist wife Lebe Gordon, born and bred in LA. I spearheaded Rag Dynamics and served as the Chair They married in 1993. “I met Lebe when I was studying of the Free People’s Concert (FPC) from 1984 to 1986. in Yeshiva (rabbinical school) in Jerusalem. Back in LA I The experience I gained from this, particularly from the asked her out and took her to Pat’s, the most famous ko- FPC, was the catalyst for getting involved in the Harvard sher restaurant in LA, owned by a South African couple, International Rock for Education Concert after I gradu- Pat and Errol Fine. ated from Wits and went to Harvard “We married soon after, and we Law School on a Fulbright scholar- have six children — two daughters ship to do my Master’s.” “It all started at Wits, and four sons — and we still go to Harvard’s President at the time, which was a very rich, Pat’s. In fact, our second oldest son, Derek Bok, wanted to raise a billion important part of my Joshua, trained at Pat’s from age 13 dollars for the Harvard endowment life. I was on the SRC, and is now an accomplished kosher — a critical source of funding for the I spearheaded Rag chef working in Orlando.” university. “The Vice-Dean, David Antony chairs the advisory board Smith, was aware of my role in the Dynamics and served of America’s Voice in Israel and has FPC as well as the Concert in the as the Chair of the Free regularly taken athletes and celebri- Park at Ellis Park in 1985 where Paul People’s Concert from ties to Israel “to see for themselves if Simon performed. He asked me 1984 to 1986.” the way Israel is portrayed is accurate what contribution I could make to ANTONY GORDON or not. It’s so important to transcend the Harvard concert. I said: ‘I know our prejudices and differences.” how to put on a music concert’; I As a motivational speaker and then set about planning it for the Harvard football sta- rabbi, he presents for a range of media and audiences — dium,” says Antony, who found himself on the phone to from the celebrity pop culture channel HollyWire, which Bruce Springsteen and Sting. has a huge millennial following, to the Jewish speaking “It’s all about ‘chutzpah’ (self-confidence and audaci- circuit that has taken him from Panama to Mexico, ty),” laughs Antony. He also reached out to Larry Tisch, London to South Africa. His most recent visit to South the CEO of CBS at the time. “Here was some greenhorn Africa in 2016 was through a speaking invitation and he from Johannesburg contacting one of the biggest players took the opportunity to visit Wits and the house where in the entertainment industry. I was really surprised and he grew up in Savoy while attending Bramley Primary delighted when I was invited to a meeting with Larry. School and King David Linksfield High. I pointed out to the CEO that based on the Nielsen His late mother, Hessie Gordon, was a renowned psy- rankings, CBS had lost the youth. I proposed a solution: chiatric social worker who saved the lives of many in de- to give CBS exclusive broadcasting rights to the Rock spair. “She never clipped my wings, she allowed me to be ANTONY'S NO STRANGER TO THE SPOTLIGHT AND LIVES for Education Concert, which I described as ‘a 1990s me and in my family it was completely normal to express IN LA WITH WIFE LEBE. OVER Woodstock’, which would win back the youth.” Tisch emotions”. His late father, Sol Gordon, was a Chartered THE YEARS HE'S HAD MANY responded well to Antony and speed-dialled some of the Secretary with JH Isaacs and Antony credits him with HIGH-PROFILE CLIENTS SUCH AS BOXER MANNY PACQUIAO other huge entertainment names in America, including “wonderful humour”. (ABOVE) AND FORMER IBO Jeffrey Katzenberg at Disney and Mike Ovitz of CAA. This year Antony is launching a new 24-part TV se- WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION Unfortunately the concert never happened as Bok ries on several digital platforms (Google Play, Apple TV, CHRIS VAN HEERDEN (BELOW)

58 WITS REVIEW April 2021 59 WITSIES AROUND THE WORLD WITSIES AROUND THE WORLD

A HEART ACTIVATED BY NATURE

BY HEATHER DUGMORE

WHERE DO I BELONG? WHERE IS HOME? THESE ARE QUESTIONS HOLLYWOOD SCREENWRITER, AUTHOR AND RHINO CHAMPION HELENA KRIEL (BA DRAMATIC ART 1982) HAS PURSUED THROUGHOUT HER CAREER.

elena Kriel has been living a nomadic life between her home in Los Angeles’ Santa Monica mountains, her family home in Johannesburg and her “heart home” at a baby rhino rehabilita- Htion sanctuary bordering Kruger National Park. This is the place that inspired her new book, Meditating with Rhinos (Melinda Ferguson Books, 2020) and reappraisal of life. “I have found a profound sense of belonging in the natural environ- ment, and I have learnt from the rhinos that you grow where life puts you down.” Helena’s life on the move requires flexibility and robustness. “It gives me a lot of freedom and I have learnt the discipline of sitting down with my laptop and working wherever I am,” she says. She currently rents out her Los Angeles home to fund her freedom HELENA KRIEL'S RELATIONSHIP WITH and travel. NATURE — BE IT IN THE Before the pandemic this included leading groups on adven- MOUNTAINS OF SANTA tures in India, “to extreme and very beautiful landscapes like the MONICA OR THE SOUTH — AFRICAN BUSHVELD — Himalayas”. Helena loves wild places be it mountain ranges HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE in Asia or the Santa Monica mountains. “LA has very beautiful MOST RELIABLE ONE natural areas. My house in Topanga Canyon that I designed with THROUGHOUT HER LIFE

60 WITS REVIEW April 2021 61 WITSIES AROUND THE WORLD WITSIES AROUND THE WORLD

architects and built in 2002 is on an acre and a half in ‘shouldn’t we also look at what it means to be a human “We worked very hard on it and I books, her first being The Year of the mountains. It feels incredibly remote and yet it’s 10 being?’, and so I would write plays about this, act in them won! Michael Douglas presented the “We are all trying to make Facing Fire (Melinda Ferguson minutes from Malibu.” myself, and finance them.” award and here I was, seven months love work; all the pop Books, 2019), and she met the per- Her journey began in South Africa as a playwright She persisted and by the late 1980s she had gained in America, with this award in hand. songs are about love, so son she believed was ‘the one’. “We and actress, followed by a move to America in 1991 recognition in the theatre world and decided it was time I immediately got an agent, doors much of Shakespeare and enacted the whole fantasy of roman- with a dream of becoming a screenwriter. She made it to to head for Hollywood. opened for me and I was in meetings tic love until everything fell apart Hollywood’s A-list, with credits and contributions that “My audacious plan was that if I won a screenwriting from morning to night. Hollywood Dickens is about love, love and I had to leave the relationship. include The Day the Mercedes Became a Hat (1993), Kama award in America it would be my way in. So I looked at is a small place and if you are con- is always there and why do The romantic hankering I had been Sutra (1996) and Skin (2008). all the awards and writing programmes and came across sidered ‘hot’ everyone wants to meet we get love wrong? And fascinated with creatively revealed “In South Africa I was not initially accepted by the the Steven Spielberg Award and a programme at UCLA.” you. Within a month I got my first when we get it wrong love its shadow side, this time in my own theatrical establishment because the mid-1980s were all She left South Africa in 1991 not knowing if she had been commission and was a working becomes hate.” life. Work-wise, I had a lot of high about protest theatre, while my writing was about human accepted into the programme. Hollywood writer. It was a very lucky HELENA KRIEL pedigree movies I was hoping would relationships and the struggle we have with one other, the “Fortunately I was, and the lecturer, Hesper Anderson, break. go into production but I was not complexity, the search for ‘the one’, the sexual games an Academy Award nominated writer, responded to my “Part of what I do now is teach being paid for my work. So it was a and betrayals. My standpoint was ‘aren’t we work. It had the South African stamp, it was honest, and screenwriting in a Master’s programme and I see all the crisis time all round; a real low point.” men and women before politics?’, and hard hitting. Hesper took me under her wing and I devel- young hopefuls learning the craft with dreams of being In 2013 she decided to head back to South Africa for oped a screenplay called Virtuoso about a South African a paid writer in Hollywood, just as I did. I feel for them a while to reassess her life. Back home she accompanied IN 1991 HELENA WON THE woman flautist who is a musical prodigy. It’s a brutal love because it is so tough, and I often cannot believe I pulled her sister in volunteering at an animal sanctuary near the STEVEN SPIELBERG AWARD FOR story about creativity and collaboration and how love can it off.” Kruger National Park, which turned out to be for orphan HER SCREENPLAY VIRTUOSO. IT be an agent of good and complete destruction.” For Helena, the 1990s and early 2000s were the “gold- rhinos. WAS PRESENTED BY MICHAEL She submitted it to the Steven Spielberg Award, was en age for Hollywood writers” where each studio had a “Here are these shattered baby rhinos and the expe- DOUGLAS AND SNOWBALLED MANY OPPORTUNITIES IN chosen for the finals and was allocated a top Hollywood development branch, working with writers to develop rience of how they turn around emotionally had a great HOLLYWOOD screenwriter to workshop her script. Scott Frank’s work scripts. Less than 5% of developed projects ever became impact on me. As an emotional and creative person it is includes Out of Sight, Godless and The Queen’s Gambit. a movie or TV show, but the model enabled writers to a privilege to have access to these highly emotional and make a good living. intelligent wild creatures. I was amazed to see how easily “My theme at the time was the promise and lie of ro- they received my love, respect and fascination. mantic love. We are all trying to make love work; all the “It opened my passion for the wild even more. We pop songs are about love, so much of Shakespeare and share our world with these sentient animals, and yet we Dickens is about love, love is always there and why do we are not in relationship with the natural environment get love wrong? And when we get it wrong love becomes anymore. It has receded for most people; it has become hate.” something in the background or that we occasionally That’s when Mira Nair entered the picture and asked look at through binoculars.” Helena to co-write the script of Kama Sutra. From here, Today, Helena is interested in a different kind of love she was in the 5% of working writers whose films were — a love for the natural world. “The natural environment getting produced. is always present and reliable. It is a relationship that has Things went well for Helena until 2007/8, when over grown and developed and continually delivers.” 12 000 screenwriters went on strike for a better share Her experience with rhinos has opened a new way of the takings. They achieved this but it ended the forward for her: “I started a non-profit for orphaned “payment for development” model, as Helena rhinos, I wrote my new book, and I wrote an action explains: “You would still develop scripts but adventure love story with a baby rhino at the heart of it. it was all on spec. So you would work Together with South African producer Helena Spring and very hard but most projects would a Hollywood producer I’m moving forward with it, and in not go into production.” a perfect world it will get produced.” During this period Helena says her motivation is to reveal that the natural she she started writing world is our most extraordinary inheritance and that if we don’t reinvent our relationship with it, it is doomed. “This COVID nightmare has revealed this. We are almost at the point of no return and we can only turn things around through the heart because that is when action happens. When our hearts are activated we can do impos- sible things. And a relationship with the natural world activates the heart.”

62 WITS REVIEW April 2021 63 WITSIES AROUND THE WORLD WITSIES AROUND THE WORLD

n 1987 we came to Australia as strangers from South disabled and indigent, education, sport and the arts. PHILIP MAYERS LOVES Africa and chose to settle in what I call ‘the world’s “Melbourne is a very philanthropic community and top MELBOURNE FOR PAYING IT most livable city’ , ” says Philip. “It’s because of the executives apply for the posts. The person naturally has to ITS CULTURE warmth of the people. I also love Sydney, it’s very have all the managerial and leadership competencies, but AND PROXIMITY I TO NATURE sexy, but for me Sydney is for visiting while Melbourne equally important are ethical values and a good cultural FORWARD is for making a home because of the people, and it’s very fit.” Prior to this he was in the commercial executive re- green with lots of parks.” cruitment business and he has appointed over 700 CEOs BY HEATHER DUGMORE For the past 34 years Philip has served in leadership in 30 years. positions on boards of numerous community organisa- Philip says lockdown was very bad for business, but tions and charities in Melbourne, where he lives with his from a personal point of view it gave him a lot more time Witsie wife Rhona (née Jackson, BA 1970). For his sig- to spend with Rhona (who teaches) instead of rushing off “IT’S BEEN A WONDERFUL nificant service to the community, this Australia Day (26 to work in the city at seven every morning. LIFE HERE; THE PEOPLE January) he was honoured with the award of Member of “In the beginning, the management of the pandemic OF MELBOURNE WELCOMED the Order of Australia. The organisations he has served in Melbourne was poor and there were 800 deaths last US AND TRUSTED US, AND include the Royal District Nursing Service, Freemasons year. But the city of five million quickly adapted to what AFTER 34 YEARS THEY Foundation, Link Health, South Port Uniting Care and, was required and there have only been a handful of cases his favourite, Make-A-Wish Foundation International. since the beginning of 2021. Contacts are immediately GAVE ME A MEDAL,” SAYS Philip, with his son Rick, is the founder director of traced, anyone who tests positive is instantly quarantined PHILIP MAYERS ( B A Mayers Recruitment, which recruits chief executives for and a snap lockdown for five days is 1970, LLB 1973). community non-profit organisations serving the aged, implemented throughout the entire state

64 WITS REVIEW April 2021 65 WITSIES AROUND THE WORLD

of Victoria to ‘break the circuit’. Most people think it’s After qualifying with his legal degree Philip be- ‘overkill’, as the lockdown affects country communities came a corporate legal advisor for Jacksons Metals in 400km away in all directions, which have no connection Johannesburg, of which Rhona’s father and uncle were with metropolitan Melbourne.” the founders. At the same time, he was asked to join the Nonetheless, Philip says Australians are very compli- board of Temple David in Morningside and ultimately ant, “they obey the rules”, and during hard lockdown they became the president of the synagogue. respected the restriction to remain within a 5km radius “Temple David started the Mitzvah School in Sandton from home. “During lockdown we’ve gone to a coffee in 1986 as a crisis class for matric students from Alexandra shop called Saki’s every day since 23 March 2020 for Saki’s Township. It was at the height of the apartheid-era State of fantastic coffee and warm friendship. It’s a kilometre from Emergency and the student slogan was ‘Liberation before our 1928 townhouse in our suburb of Toorak.” Education’. There were, however, students who wanted He says Toorak is like Rosebank to complete their schooling. They in Johannesburg was 50 years ago, “Our main focus is to felt their parents had worked hard with street shops as well as open to send them to school and that air restaurants. “The crime rate is raise funds and we donate being involved in politics was not very low and we love to walk the about $3 million per year helping them shape a future for streets of our suburb and go to the to the health, education themselves.” Melbourne Royal Botanic Gardens, and community support The school secretly operated at which is about 4km from home. It the synagogue. No one could know opened in 1846 and it has plants sectors. In 2020 we gave that the students were there as it from all over the world and a sci- to the Monash Children’s put them at risk of being harmed entific research institute. On the Hospital, breast and for going to school. Voluntary outside of the gardens is the 4km prostate cancer, and the teachers helped students pass their ‘Tan Track’ and we ‘walk the tan’ . ” matric and two women in particu- On many occasions they’ve heard farmers affected by the lar – Lesley Rosenberg and Molly a South African immigrant accent. devastating bush fires. We Smith – were the school’s driving He estimates that approximately look after everybody, not force. 7 000 South Africans have moved just Freemasons.” The following year Philip, to Melbourne since 2011. “It’s ter- Rhona and their two children, PHILIP MAYERS rible because it represents a brain Shaun and Rick, migrated to drain and it’s not stopping.” It Australia. “We decided to go as we includes about 1 000 Witsies in Melbourne, where Philip had always hoped there would be positive change but we has served as an alumni ambassador for 30 years. had lost heart.” Of all the organisations to which he has devoted his One of the organisations Philip now chairs that has time, his work with Make-A-Wish International and been a source of friendship for him is the Freemasons its Australian branch are particularly close to his heart. Foundation, Victoria. The mention of Freemasons raises “These are seriously ill children who show such courage. a few eyebrows but Philip says their charter is all about When their wish is granted, it gives them hope, strength friendship and charity. “In my lodge we have Sikhs, and joy, and you can see the happiness it brings.” Muslims, Jews and Christians and I have good friends Community commitment is in Philip’s genes. His from so many backgrounds. To be a member you do need maternal grandmother, Augusta ‘Gussie’ Sussman, was to believe in a supreme being, but how you interpret this FOR HIS SIGNIFICANT renowned for her commitment to the health and welfare is up to you.” SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY of communities in Kimberley, South Africa. He says that in times gone by the organisation was PHILIP WAS HONOURED WITH A MEMBER OF THE ORDER In turn, while Philip was a Wits student, he taught secret but now they openly talk about it. “Our main focus OF AUSTRALIA AWARD IN mercantile law, economics and commerce at a night is to raise funds and we donate about $3 million per year JANUARY 2021. school for adult black students. Also at Wits he met to the health, education and community support sectors. PHILIP WORKS WITH THE AUSTRALIAN Rhona, who was a member of his sales team in the Wits In 2020 we gave to the Monash Children’s Hospital, BRANCH OF MAKE-A-WISH INTERNATIONAL, AN ORGANISATION Wits Rag magazine distribution committee. “We sold the breast and prostate cancer, and the farmers affected by THAT GRANTS WISHES TO CHILDREN magazine on street corners and on the morning that we the devastating bush fires. We look after everybody, not WITH CRITICAL ILLNESSES gathered to do this, I hadn’t eaten breakfast and Rhona just Freemasons,” says Philip. His ethos is that “life is pre- gave me an apple. It was the beginning of a wonderful cious; every person has an equal right to a happy, healthy, life together.” joyful life, and I am grateful for every moment.”

66 WITS REVIEW April 2021 67 BOOKS BOOKS

GROUP OF HIMBA WOMEN DANCING DURING THE DAY Namib is more than a work of scientificBooks research; it is a love song to the desert and its people ››

68 WITS REVIEW AprilGetty/Gallo 2021 Images 69 BOOKS BOOKS

Namib offers a radically different narrative, digging beneath the usual evidence of archaeology to uncover a world of arcane rituals, of travelling rainmakers, and of intricate social networks which maintained vital systems of negotiated access to scarce resources.

RIGHT: ONE OF DE MEILLON'S WATER COLOURS

NAMIB: THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF AN AFRICAN DESERT BY JOHN KINAHAN UNIVERSITY OF NAMIBIA PRESS, 2021

JOHN KINAHAN It is a story of extraordinary resil- DE MEILLON’S LEGACY: ART, SCIENCE AND WAR ience and inventiveness which also BY LOUIS J CABRI AND ROGER W JAMES tells of tragic loss, as tens of thou- FOOTPRINT PRESS, 2020 sands of indigenous Namibians died at the hands of German settlers and soldiers in a genocidal frenzy that eerily prefigures events in Europe a ne of the world’s authorities on a fifth generation descendant of De few decades later. platinum minerals has turned Meillon. Their collaboration has un- The desert was emptied of its people Ohis gaze to family history in his earthed new discoveries, including a and re-imagined in the colonial latest book De Meillon’s Legacy: Art, large body of unpublished art works, mind as a pristine and romantic Science and War. Dr Louis J Cabri such as hydrographic charts, Cape wilderness. But Namib: The ar- (BSc 1954, BSc Hons 1955) first wild flowers, views of the Cape, chaeology of an African desert became aware of Henry Clifford De as well as later paintings from the (University of Namibia Press, 2021) Meillon (1800-1859) when Botha De Eastern Cape wild frontier. These offers a radically different narrative, Meillon, Cabri’s father-in-law, pre- add significantly to the portfolio of digging beneath the usual evidence sented Cabri’s daughter Mimi with De Meillon’s known art, increasing of archaeology to uncover a world of a copy of Anna Smith’s Cape Views his stature as an important South arcane rituals, of travelling rainmak- and Costumes (1978) — a book African artist. Many of the puzzles ers, and of intricate social networks on De Meillon’s water colours. De about his life and family have also which maintained vital systems of Meillon is recognised as one of the been solved. The De Meillon family he Namib Desert, on the south- negotiated access to scarce resources. most significant South African artists typifies many South African families. DR LOUIS J CABRI western coast of Africa, is one Kinahan has developed a unique of the early 19th century. Although Their origins are diverse, and by the Tof the most hostile environ- regional synthesis which reviewers among nomadic Ovahimba in the Smith reproduced works from the outbreak of the Anglo-Boer War, complement his interest in chemis- ments on Earth. Wits alumnus and have praised for its originality and remote northwest of the country to Brenthurst Library and tried to es- descendants found themselves on try, and after graduating at Wits he Honorary Research Fellow in the rigour. Rock art, usually treated as a learn the skills of pastoral life; there tablish the facts of De Meillon’s life, opposing sides of the conflict. worked as a junior field geologist. School of Geography, Archaeology field of study by itself, is marshalled is also a careful interweaving of other many questions remained. Dr Cabri was born to a Belgian After a few years in 1959 he married and Environmental Studies, Dr here alongside archaeological ev- sources that are not usually con- Dr Cabri’s interest in genealogy father and Egyptian mother in Cairo Mignon De Meillon, who went on to John Kinahan (BA Hons 1982, PhD idence to present completely new sidered by archaeologists: women’s and the family tree grew out of an- in 1934. In 1946 his parents moved become a respected Canadian ceram- 1989) has spent the past 40 years in insights into precolonial hunt- praise poems, missionary accounts, ecdotal comments, including that the family to the US and he went icist. Dr Cabri furthered his studies a detailed archaeological study of the er-gatherer society, its effective do- rainfall measurements and medical De Meillon’s ancestors were French to high school in New York. They at McGill University in Canada. The desert, searching its vast dune-fields, mestication of the desert landscape records from colonial concentration Huguenots. His search for confirma- then moved to South Africa, and he mineral cabriite was named after him mountain ranges and gravel plains to and eventual adoption of domestic camps. Namib is more than a work of tory documents led to many friend- completed matric in Johannesburg in 1983 by Soviet scientists and he is piece together a human history cov- livestock. Much new ground is bro- scientific research; it is a love song to ships, in particular with Roger James, in 1951. A Wits guidance counsel- the author of two books on platinum ering the last one million years. ken; Kinahan and his family lived the desert and its people. a pathologist by training and himself lor nudged him towards geology to elements.

70 WITS REVIEW April 2021 71 BOOKS BOOKS

“We can learn from them, we can understand what they gave to the country and how South SAVING A STRANGER’S LIFE: THE DIARY OF AN EMERGENCY ROOM DOCTOR Africa was not just built by whites and racists.” BY ANNE BICCARD MARTIN PLAUT JACANA, 2020

DR ABDULLAH ABDURAHMAN: SOUTH AFRICA’S FIRST ELECTED BLACK POLITICIAN pain and distress by Prof Henry patients she encounters such as the BY MARTIN PLAUT DR ANNE BICCARD JACANA, 2020 Taylor, with its hand-drawn pictures, woman who mistook Dettol for beer, explanations of diseases and treat- a guy who tried to pull his own tooth ments, but she took a circuitous route with cable ties and someone who to become a doctor. Originally study- attempted to run down his cardiolo- artin Plaut (BA Hons 1977) is like salvaging a sunken ship or ing law, she majored in psychology gist. There are lyrical descriptions of a Senior Research Fellow at the excavating an archaeological site” and English. “I had a morbid fascina- life with her partner on a small farm MInstitute of Commonwealth and “one wishes to understand why tion with things medical. Medicine where they provide a home to res- Studies at the University of London. a ship sank or why a once majestic is my true love. It was the right thing cued greyhounds. She drives a mo- He has reported extensively on Africa structure was abandoned”. Much of to do, go back to medical school and torcycle and finds solace in playing for the BBC as Africa Editor. He’s led the material of Dr Abdurahman’s life spend 13 years at university,” she said the piano or cello: “The music curls the Africa programme of the Royal has been lost, but drawing on previ- during her virtual book launch. around the farmhouse and out of the Institute of International Affairs ously undiscovered material, this bi- The coronavirus pandemicopen windows. A steady pull and (Chatham House) and is an active ography lifts Dr Abdurahman from threads throughout and Dr Biccard slide, humming and purring under member of the Royal African Society. obscurity – explaining his life against pays homage to the camaraderie my touch. The gleaming cello sings He has numerous books under his the background of the difficult times among healthcare workers who to the silent furniture and polished belt such as Understanding Eritrea: in which he lived. purposefully and bravely place floor. A breeze rustles the leaves in Inside Africa’s most repressive state “I hope that this is only the first themselves in the line of fire to save huge trees outside and shuffles the (Hurst, 2016), Promise and Despair: biography about Dr Abdurahman. I strangers’ lives. Death is a constant sheet music on the stand. It feels like The first struggle for a non-racial hope that others find other elements r Anne Biccard (BA 1988, BA companion: “I sometimes joke with the universe is breathing deeply.” South Africa, 1899 – 1914 (Jacana, that I have missed, because he is Hons 1989, MSc Med 1994, my colleagues about the 2016) and Robert Mugabe (Ohio somebody who deserves it. DMBBCh 1996) is an emergency Grim Reaper. I call him University Press, 2018) with Sue “We have begun to see over the room doctor with more than 30 years’ Grim, rather than Mr Onslow. His latest is Dr Abdullah past few years people of colour who experience. Her memoir — with the Reaper. No one can work Abdurahman: South Africa’s First took these kinds of positions. We can added dimension of COVID-19 — in an ED without forming Elected Black Politician which at- learn from them, we can understand gives readers a view of life in a hospi- some kind of relationship tempts to unearth a forgotten figure MARTIN what they gave to the country and tal, which the publisher describes as with him. Grim always in South African history. PLAUT how South Africa was not just built “both terrifying and thrilling, where wins in the end, of course, Dr Abdurahman (1872–1940) by whites and racists. It was built by death can be outwitted by skill and but it is really pleasing to first won a seat in 1904 and served people who stood in the completely quick thinking, and the pressure get a point on the board the city of Cape Town for 36 years, opposite corner,” said Plaut in a radio eased by dark humour”. every now and again.” representing some of city’s poorest. interview. The biography does a good As a child she read The Family The memoir is filled Beloved by the people of District job of giving insight into the early Doctor: A counsellor in sickness, with anecdotes about the Six, he led the African Political anti-apartheid movement. Organisation — the leading co- “He wasn’t somebody who only loured party of this period. He was a looked at state politics. He was an grandson of slaves, who trained as a extraordinary man. He intervened to doctor in Scotland, returning to the try and ensure that cricket could be Cape with a Scottish wife, Nellie. He played by ordinary people on the pa- was a friend and ally of key political rade. He is somebody who ensured “I sometimes joke with my colleagues figures of his time: Sol Plaatje, Walter the New Year festivities would be about the Grim Reaper. I call him Grim, Rubusana, Mahatma Gandhi and celebrated. He was passionate about rather than Mr Reaper. No one can work WP Schreiner. the False Bay area, he loved fishing, Stephen Langtry, a reviewer for he was one of the first supporters of in an ED without forming some kind of Johannesburg Review of Books, the Nature Reserve at Cape Point,” relationship with him.” writes that the project is “very much said Plaut. DR ANNE BICCARD

72 WITS REVIEW April 2021 73 BOOKS BOOKS

NUTS & BOLTS: STRENGTHENING AFRICA’S INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP [BA 1987, LLB 1991, LLM 1999] ECOSYSTEMS BY DR MCLEAN SIBANDA TRACEY MCDONALD PUBLISHERS, 2021 DR GIGI FENSTER Winner of 2020 Michael Gifkins Prize

n his debut book, Nuts & Bolts, Dr McLean Sibanda (BSc Eng Dr Gigi Fenster (BA 1987, LLB I1992, MSc 1995) captures insights 1991, LLM 1999) won the 2020 from key players who sketch the Michael Gifkins Prize for her un- “nuts and bolts” of their journeys of published novel A Good Winter. entrepreneurship and innovation. Dr The prize, open to New Sibanda is an accomplished C-suite Zealand authors, honours the late executive, patent attorney, engineer Michael Gifkins — a New Zealand and internationally respected pro- literary agent, writer, critic and moter of innovation. He was central publishing consultant — and is District of the North Island of to sub-Saharan Africa’s reposition- funded through a sponsorship New Zealand, and teaches creative ing in Africa’s first internationally from Gifkins’ family and Text writing at Massey University. Her recognised science and technology Publishing. debut novel The Intentions Book park, the Innovation Hub, working She received a contract with (Victoria University Press, 2012) as its CEO for seven and a half years Text, Australia and an advance of NZ$10,000 was shortlisted in the fiction category of the 2013 (2011-2018). (R109 000). The novel will be published international- New Zealand Post Book Awards. She teaches creative The Innovation Hub, established ly in September this year. writing at Rimutaka Prison and is a member of the as an innovation agency of the Dr Fenster is a qualified lawyer and holds a Write Where You Are Collective, which received a Gauteng province, seeks out innova- PhD in creative writing from Victory University of Corrections Volunteer Award in 2016. tors, researchers and entrepreneurs Wellington. She told New Zealand’s Stuff magazine Her second book Feverish: A Memoir (Victoria to work on novel ideas to improve that she started writing as an antidote to loneliness University Press, 2018) is a work of creative nonfic- the province’s service delivery and is, those who succeed are she felt when she moved from South Africa and got a tion that examines fever, identity and the creative increase competitiveness of the not the ones who set out to job with the Commerce Commission as a legal policy mind and emerged from her PhD. She has also been local economy through ICT, biosci- make a lot of money. The analyst. awarded a Todd Bursary, a Michael King Fellowship ence, and the green and township ones who succeed are the She lives in Ōtaki, a town in the Kapiti Coast and a CLNZ grant. economies. The book provides a ones who set out to solve a perspective on challenges he faced problem, creating benefits overseeing the turnaround at the or- to others and improving ganisation and he gives insight into the wellbeing of society.” innovation initiatives that yielded DR MCLEAN Dr Sibanda is currently leadership and entrepreneurial tal- Commonwealth Games in Australia more money as a tennis coach than value. SIBANDA the MD of Bigen Global ents during his time at Wits too as in 1994. Hendrick Ramaala (BProc as an engineer in my first job. In fact, “During the lockdown I started to Limited. In 2007, he an avid tennis player. He is described 1995, LLB 1997), winner of the New my first car was bought in 1993 with reflect on a number of things. People co-founded intellectual as a “shining light” in the archives York City Marathon in 2004, was proceeds from tennis coaching.” asked me about the Innovation Martin Phakathi (founder and CEO property firm Sibanda & of the university’s sport. “I coached part of that team. Dr Sibanda ran tennis coaching Hub and the work done – stories of Paks Acoustics); Nathacia Olivier Zantwijk Attorneys and Intangible the Wits University 1st Team Tennis He started tennis coaching sessions for prospective coaches entrepreneurs. I hope the book will (founder and CEO Ndoni Beauty Consulting/IdeaNav. He was the in 1993 till 1995. I was intimately training – in addition to doing de- — which was later called Tennis add value to developing a prosperous Range); Paseka Lesolang (founder chief drafter of South Africa’s involved with the merger of the Wits velopment coaching every Saturday Coaches South Africa (TCSA). He Africa,” he said in a recent interview of Water Hygiene Convenience Intellectual Property Rights from University chapters of the All Sport morning in Westbury, Johannesburg. served in various leadership capac- with the SABC. and Global Partnership Southern Publicly Financed Research and Council and the SATISCO leading to By the time he graduated he was a ities at TCSA including the EXCO Nuts & Bolts is full of stories about Africa); Terence Pokane (co-founder Development Act and consults to the birth of the Wits Sports Council qualified tennis instructor, coaching (1995-1998), Vice Chairman (1998- real people and companies who are and Managing Director Makhamisa the World Intellectual Property of which I was second vice chairman for three hours a day Monday to 2002), National Board of Examiners making a difference, with testimo- Foods); Ntuthuko Shezi (founder Organisation in addition to being a and third chairman.” Friday and seven hours on Saturday. (1995-2007) and Advisory to EXCO nies from entrepreneurs, experi- of Lifestock Wealth) and Tiyani visiting lecturer at Africa University In addition, he was the assis- “My tennis business grew largely out (2003-2006). TCSA bestowed him enced ecosystem builders and inno- Nghonyama (chief operating officer in Zimbabwe. tant manager of the Wits Sports of referrals more than through any with Honorary Life Member status vators. These include among others of Geekulcha). “The important thing Dr Sibanda displayed his Council team that went to the effort to advertise. I was making in 2003.

74 WITS REVIEW April 2021 75 BOOKS BOOKS

“With about 30 kilometres left to run in the Comrades Marathon, you MY MOTHER, MY MADNESS suddenly meet someone you deeply BY COLLEEN HIGGS DEEP SOUTH, 2020 admire and respect, and that person is yourself.” BRUCE FORDYCE n 2007 Colleen Higgs (BA 1985) started Modjaji Books, an Iindependent publishing compa- ny, which “makes rain for southern African women writers”. Over the WINGED MESSENGER: RUNNING YOUR years many of its titles have won lit- FIRST COMRADES MARATHON BY BRUCE FORDYCE erary awards both locally and inter- COLLEEN KWARTS PUBLISHERS, 2021 nationally. My Mother, My Madness is a memoir of Higgs’s secret blog HIGGS entries while caring for her mother in a “luxury retirement resort” years said in an interview in August 2020. ith a record nine Comrades before her mother’s death. (Roughly Higgs’s prose is sparse, matter of Marathon titles under his at the same time she started her fact and occasionally filled with dark Wbelt, Bruce Fordyce (BA publishing venture). The book has humour. It’s a role reversal of parent- Hons 1979, LLD honoris causa 2007) made it onto the 2021 Humanities ing. She details incidents of under- is one runner who completely under- and Social Science Awards longlist wear flushed down the toilet, and her stands the demands of this ultramar- in the Best Non-Fiction Monograph mother’s seemingly inexhaustible de- athon. He has written several books category. mands for Coke, cigarettes and toilet for runners, but Winged Messenger The title is a frank nod to Higgs’s paper. All of this unearths ambivalent is his first guide specifically written own mental health battle as well as emotions for Higgs as a working pro- for Comrades novices. the fraught relationship with her fessional, sibling, mother and wife. It Fordyce says the book grew out mother, who had a history of bipolar is “an odd concoction of love, guilt, of prompting from his wife Gill. “At disorder, depression and failed sui- duty, anger, resentment, longing,” she this time of the year, in a normal cide attempts. “The blog was a way writes. Here’s a short excerpt: non-COVID year, I would be giving of processing and dealing with what “I feel defeated and tired and yet quite a few talks to novice Comrades stumbling, rudimentary steps and was going on. I have had my own comforted by my brother as we drive runners at running club functions. how, as an ordinary runner, he began mental health issues, partly because back home. My mother’s parting shot Obviously this could not happen so to understand the demands of the of having a mother like that and to us was, ‘Thanks for coming, even I decided to write a book for novices race. He says: “If you are interested maybe it’s genetic. I have tried to take though it wasn’t very pleasant.’ This using my old training diaries from in learning about how I trained for it on and find help and healing,” she was on Monday. my first year of running as a guide. my first Comrades Marathon while The book became a nice mix of pro- Robben Island; South Africa is iso- leading a relatively normal life then “Today is Sunday. All week fessional training advice, personal lated from the rest of the world; and this is the book for you.” I’ve been tired, irritable and over- anecdotes and the history and poli- revolution is in the air. Against this Fordyce lives in Parktown, “Today is Sunday. All week I’ve been tired, irritable whelmed. It’s been one of the hardest tics of the time.” background, as a young student at Johannesburg and still runs regular- challenges of my whole life, manag- The title refers to Hermes, the Wits, Fordyce decides to try and take ly, though now with a dodgy knee. and overwhelmed. It’s been one of the hardest ing my mother in her decline. Having winged messenger of the gods in control of his life, and his destiny, He expresses frustration at not being challenges of my whole life, managing my mother to make decisions for her. Hearing Greek mythology and chosen em- and give himself a sense of purpose. able to hold weekly Parkruns be- in her decline. Having to make decisions for her. from her carers how impossible she blem of the Comrades Marathon. He finds it running. cause of the pandemic. The Parkrun Hearing from her carers how impossible she is.” is.” He is also the god of land travel, and As self-effacing as ever, Fordyce initiative, which he was instrumental COLLEEN HIGGS Most recently Higgs’s short patron of roads. says: “My book is fairly simple and in forging, has grown to 230 venues story “Plumbing” was included in The book looks back at the year of won’t join the great classics. Harper around southern Africa and boasts a volume of short stories in French 1976, when South Africa was gripped Lee and Chinua Achebe have noth- around 1,3 million registered mem- published by Editions Magellan. The by a different lockdown – apartheid. ing to fear.” But novices will enjoy bers who join the Saturday morning collection is titled Minature Afrique Nelson Mandela is in prison on reading about how he took his first 5km free-timed runs. du Sud (Miniature South Africa).

76 WITS REVIEW April 2021 77 HISTORICAL SNIPPETS HISTORICAL SNIPPETS RADAR’S EARLY DAYS AT WITS 100 ‘ LUCKY’ he first radar set in South of the Central Block. And above, on Africa was born on the Wits its roof, was the transmitting antenna. campus within the three The communication between them Tmonths of the outbreak of went via the university’s telephone YEARS World War II under the direction exchange. Since radar antennas are of Professor Basil Schonland designed to be directional so as to be (DSc honoris causa 1957), who able to determine the direction of a Rose Norwich (BArch 1943, MArch 1988) was the director of the Bernard reflecting object — the target in the celebrated her 100th birthday in Johannesburg Price Institute of Geophysical ultimate application — they agreed on 2 January 2021. This Wits alumna was one of Research (BPI). over the telephone in which direction few women to qualify in the field of architecture Schonland assembled his to point their respective antennas. during the 1940s. In 1988, she was awarded her design team from engineers who This involved a fair amount of Master’s degree, with distinction, for her Master’s were specialists in radio engi- stair-climbing and physical exertion. dissertation “Synagogues on the Witwatersrand neering: Guerino ”Boz“ Bozzoli As they rotated their antennas in and in Pretoria before 1932: their origin, form and (BSc Eng 1934, DSc Eng honoris rough synchronism from north to function”. causa 1948, LLD honoris causa PROFESSOR BASIL SCHONLAND west Schonland suddenly observed Norwich was also the joint convenor of a doc- 1978) at Wits, Noel Roberts at the a signal on the display. He shouted umentary project to record the history of Jewish University of Cape Town and Eric to Bozzoli and so they carefully re- communities in country areas of South Africa, co-head- In total, he wrote three books: Maps of Africa (repub- Phillips in Natal. They were joined versed the headings of the antennas ing a team with Adrienne Kollenberg and Phyllis Jowell. lished after his death), Maps of Southern Africa, and A by the BPI’s physicist Dr Philip and slowly brought them back to that It was exhibited at the Tel Aviv University in 1980 and has Johannesburg Album: Historical Postcards. Gane. previous position. Sure enough there since grown into the publication of six volumes by The Norwich has always been involved in community life. On 16 December 1939 was the echo. Both men now met on South African Friends of Beth Hatefutsoth. With the title She served as Vice President and later President of the Schonland and Bozzoli went to the roof of the BPI and peered in a of “Jewish life in the South African country communi- Union of Jewish Women of the South Africa in the 1970s, Wits to make some last-minute north-westerly direction from where ties”, the books cover more than 1 500 centres across the at an important time in the country’s history. She was adjustments to the equipment and the reflected signal appeared to have country. The collection provides a unique record of the outspoken in her opposition to apartheid, saying at the while there they carried out a trial THE BPI BUILDING, WITH A come. And there, about 10km away, estimated 10 000 to 20 000 Jewish people who lived in the Union’s 1979 conference that “history has shown us that run of the elementary apparatus. RADAR ANTENNA ON THE ROOF was Northcliff Hill and on top of it country districts of South Africa at various times from as it is not possible for one section of the population forever Two previous tests of the radar was its concrete and steel water-tow- far back as the 1820 Settlers, to almost the present day. to dominate another”. had failed to produce the telltale er. Further careful variations of the Norwich’s father was a Lithuanian immigrant who Three of her children live in the US and the fourth “blips” on the cathode ray tube of the display. In the first antennas’ headings confirmed, without a doubt, that they came to South Africa in 1895 where he started work in in England. She has eight grandchildren and three they had used a helium-filled balloon to suspend a mesh were indeed seeing a signal that had been reflected from a pharmacy. Her mother’s family originally came from great-grandchildren. Sadly, because of the pandemic, of copper wires as it floated skywards from a point a few what was initially thought to have been the water-tower England in the late 19th century. They were married at none of them were able to attend the birthday celebra- kilometres from the campus. But no radar echoes were but which, given the wavelength of the radar, was more the end of World War I. She was one of four children who tions in early January, but celebrated with her via digital seen. likely Northcliff Hill itself. grew up in Johannesburg. She graduated during World platforms. Then Schonland arranged for a flight by a South It was a remarkable day, considering the total lack of War II, and there were few jobs for architects - even She modestly describes herself as having been “lucky African Air Force aircraft whose pilot had been instructed familiarity about radar that any of Schonland’s team had fewer for women architects. in life”, with good parents, an excellent education, a happy as to the course he had to fly. However, on the appointed had a mere few months before. They had proved by way of She met and married Isadore “Oscar” Norwich marriage, and a family who are all good human beings. day, he deviated from this carefully planned route and, a convincing experiment that their equipment did indeed (MBBCh 1933) in 1945. He was a Johannesburg sur- She is also grateful to her family and friends for the sup- instead, chose to fly over the house of his girlfriend in work and it had taken them just three months to get there. geon, who was an avid collector of Africana maps. After port they give her — “you can’t do it all yourself”. Roodepoort. Unsurprisingly no blips were seen. Source: Brian Austin his death in 1994, the collection was sold to the David Bozzoli had erected the transmitter in a top-floor office (SA Military History Society Journal and the Heritage Portal) Rumsey Map Centre at Stanford University in the US. Source: Ruth Coggin

78 WITS REVIEW April 2021 79 IN MEMORIAM

1929-2021 Massachusetts, in the US. He recalled how fellow Witsie Sydney Brenner (BSc 1945, BSc Hons 1946, MSc 1947, Lewis Wolpert MBBCh 1951, DSc honoris causa 1972) comforted him: [BSc Eng 1951] “The next morning, while I was bathing, Sydney Brenner found me crying in the water and said ‘Lewis, pay no Acclaimed for his ideas on pattern formation in the attention. We like your ideas. Pay no attention to people embryo and “positional information” by which cells rec- who don’t like it.’ And he’s the one who saved me. He gave ognise where they ought to be in the field of a developing me total encouragement, so I didn’t care that all these organ, biologist Dr Lewis Wolpert died at the age of 91 Americans didn’t like what I was doing. If Sydney liked it, on 28 January 2021. that’s what mattered, because Sydney is an amazing man.” He was a polymath and public figure, contributing to Over the years Wolpert combined his interest in cell topics ranging from religion and depression to old age development with a career as science communicator. WITS UNIVERSITY FONDLY REMEMBERS THOSE WHO and philosophy. He made evolutionary thought more “Science is the best way to understand the world,” he said HAVE PASSED AWAY accessible and argued that the “truly most important and frequently broadcast on BBC radio and TV as well as time in your life” was not birth, marriage or death, but writing a number of popular books. The best known of gastrulation – the stage in which a uniform ball of cells 1957-2021 teaching and administration positions at the Federated folds to become differentiated layers with the beginnings In You’re Looking Very Well: The ObitsUnion of Black Artists Academy and Madimba Institute of a gut. Surprising Nature of Getting Old, Sibongile Khumalo of African Music in Soweto. He graduated with a civil engineering degree from [BA Hons 1983, HDipPM 1984] In 1993, she won the Standard Bank Young Artist Wits and after working for two years on soil mechanics Wolpert presents research arguing Award at the Grahamstown National Arts Festival and as assistant to the director of the Building Research that happiness peaks at 74. He In the sleeve notes of her 2005 eponymously titled album, she released her debut album in 1996, Ancient Evening. Institute in Pretoria, he left to hitchhike in Europe. He regularly cycled, ran and played beloved vocalist and musician Sibongile Khumalo Over the next two decades she released a steady stream worked briefly for the water planning board in Israel tennis into his eighties. writes about a formative experience she had around the of albums, earning four South African Music Awards and and decided to study soil mechanics at Imperial College age of 13, when her father made her listen to Constance garnering three Vita Awards for her stage performanc- London. He was accepted as PhD student with bio- Magogo kaDinuzulu, the Zulu princess and musician es. She was awarded the Order of Ikhamanga in Silver physicist James Danielli at King’s College. He was later these, Malignant Sadness (Simon and Schuster,1999), was known for her prowess as singer and composer. “My dad in 2008 in recognition of her ‘’excellent contribution promoted to lecturer and reader (in zoology) at King’s an attempt to understand his own experience of severe made me sit at her feet to listen to her play ugubhu and to the development of South African art and culture in before taking up the chair of biology at Middlesex (and depression at the age of 65 and compared the merits of sing. At the time it did not make sense to me, but I had to the musical fields of jazz and opera’’. In 2013 the Naledi transferred to University College London after the two drugs and psychotherapy. Other popular books included obey. I thought he was being very unkind to me because Theatre Awards bestowed Khumalo with the Lifetime institutions merged), where he remained until he retired How We Live and Why We Die: The Secret Lives of Cells all the other children were out in the yard playing. It must Achievement Award in recognition of her talents in act- at the age of 74. In a 2015 interview with Development he (Faber & Faber, 2009), and The Triumph of the Embryo have been destiny. In my professional years the music ing, opera, jazz, teaching and being a strong activist for said: “Changing so many times, from civil engineering (Courier Corporation, 1991). In You’re Looking Very came back and it began to make sense.” the advancement of theatre in South Africa. to biology and then to different systems, required me to Well: The Surprising Nature of Getting Old (Faber & Faber Khumalo was introduced to music at the age of Her work transcended genre, moving easily between work very hard. For example, during my PhD I had to 2012), he presented research arguing that happiness eight. Guided predominantly by her father’s influence, traditional South African indigenous music, to opera learn quite a lot and pass exams in zoology. It was a little peaks at 74. He regularly cycled, ran and played tennis Sibongile studied violin, singing, drama and dance under and jazz, with equal aplomb. She sang in major venues difficult but interesting.” into his eighties. Emily Motsieloa, a pianist and leader of an all-women’s around the world including the Royal Albert Hall, the Wolpert was born in Johannesburg into a conserva- As a theorist, Wolpert’s influence on the field of ge- band and influential musical personality in township cir- Royal Festival Hall, the Barbican Centre, the Kennedy tive Jewish family, the only surviving child of William, netic biology was immense. He was lead author of the cles. Her parents Grace and Khabi Mngoma were active Centre in Washington and Ronnie Scott’s in London. a manager in a newsagent and bookshop, and his wife, definitive textbook Principles of Development, now in its community members involved in cultural upliftment, Ahead of her performance at the Joy of Jazz Festival Sarah (née Suzman). Wolpert took Hebrew lessons, had sixth edition. In 2018 the Royal Society awarded him its and instilled in her an abiding love and appreciation for in 2019, Johannesburg, Khumalo said that no matter the a bar mitzvah, went to synagogue every Saturday – but highest honour, the Royal Medal. South African music. symbolism, her main commitment was to the singularity turned away from the faith at the age of 16. He consid- Wolpert married Elizabeth Brownstein in 1961, Her mother, Grace Mngoma (née Mondlane) worked of her own voice. “While exposing yourself and opening ered himself a secular humanist. In Six Impossible Things and they had four children, two of whom, Daniel and as a nursing sister. Her father, Professor Khabi Mngoma yourself up to what is out there, it is also important to Before Breakfast (WW Norton & Company, 2006) he Miranda, also became at different times professors at (DMus honoris causa 1987), was an historian and profes- remain true to yourself, so that even when you allow investigates the nature of belief, pondering the origins of UCL, in neuroscience and clinical psychology, respec- sor of music at the University of Zululand, honoured by yourself to be influenced by others, you retain an identity religion. tively. The marriage to Elizabeth ended in divorce, and in Wits in recognition of his service to the culture of the that clearly defines you,” she said. “It is the truth in what In 1969 in a landmark paper he proposed that the 1993 Wolpert married the Australian writer Jill Neville, nation and its music. you express, and how you express it, that is paramount.” way an embryonic cell interprets its genetic instructions who died suddenly of cancer in 1997. She inherited her father’s passion for education Khumalo died on 28 January at the age of 63, preced- depends on its position. The cell “knows” where it is in In 2016 he married Alison Hawkes. She survives and earned two undergraduate degrees from Wits and ed in death by her husband Siphiwe in 2005. She leaves relation to sources of chemical signals called morpho- him, along with his children, Miranda, Daniel, Jessica University of Zululand — she received honorary doctor- behind her daughter Ayanda; two sons Tshepho and gens, because the strength of the signals varies with and Matthew, two stepchildren, Judy and Luke, and six ates from the University of Zululand, Rhodes, and Unisa Siyabonga; and bereft music lovers. the distance from the source. It wasn’t well received at grandchildren. and will posthumously receive one from Wits. She held Sources: Wits archives, The New York Times, The Conversation the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole in Sources: The Guardian, FT, Development, drugdiscoverytoday.com

80 WITS REVIEW April 2021 81 IN MEMORIAM IN MEMORIAM

1928-2021 indispensable to our lives. Self-effacing (‘And what do 1933-2021 for AIDS research, with virologist and philanthropist you do, Mr. Tucker?’ ‘Oh, I just sell tickets’), always Mathilde Krim. He resigned as chair of amfAR’s Scientific Percy Tucker optimistic and supportive, generous with advice and Joseph Sonnabend Advisory Committee in 1985, protesting what he be- [BCom 1950] [MBBCh 1956] encouragement, he has been a true patron of the arts.” lieved was the organisation’s over-hyping, for fundraising Tucker matriculated from Benoni High School and purposes, of the threat of heterosexual female-to-male Percy Tucker recognised early that the romance of an graduated with his BCom from Wits in 1950. He was Pioneering AIDS researcher and clinician Dr Joseph HIV transmission. The same year, he would also prove arts event could be built on hardnosed business practices. asked to be the business manager of Leon Gluckman’s Sonnabend died on 24 January 2021 at Wellington instrumental in helping to write the first ever safer sex The founder of Computicket, born in the small mining production of King Lear at Wits in 1954 but discovered Hospital in London after suffering a heart attack on manual for gay men, How to Have Sex in an Epidemic: town of Benoni in 1928, died on 29 January 2021 at the there were no systems in place for organising bookings 3 January. One Approach, with activists Richard Berkowitz and age of 92 from COVID-19-related complications. and marketing, and the process was made more com- Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, to a physician Michael Callen. He told WITSReview in 2012 that his love for the plicated by having to deal with boxes overflowing with mother and university professor father, Dr Sonnabend Dr Sonnabend also pioneered community-based theatre – which spanned classical music in all its forms to postal applications. His first theatre business venture was grew up in Bulawayo, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). He clinical research, helping to launch the Community ballet, modern dance, popular music, variety and spec- a booking service called Show Service, which he opened trained in infectious diseases at Wits and the Royal Research Initiative (now ACRIA). In 1983 he founded tacle – started at the age of seven when he heard Gracie in 1954 and grew successfully, yet he relentlessly looked College of Physicians in Edinburgh. and, until 1986, edited the journal AIDS Research, the Fields sing live. for ways to eliminate queueing. He started investigating In the 1960s, Dr Sonnabend worked in London under first professional peer-reviewed publication focused on “The lights in the Criterion Theatre in Benoni the use of computers in the 1960s and travelled to Los Alick Isaacs, the co-discoverer of Interferon (a medication the epidemic. dimmed and the orchestra struck up. The entrance of Angeles in 1968. In 1970 he travelled to London after used to treat various cancers), at the National Institute of From the earliest days of the epidemic, Dr Sonnabend Gracie Fields is as vivid in my mind as if it was yesterday. learning about an abortive computerised system. Within Medical Research. In the early 1970s, he moved to New championed the rights of people living with AIDS. He Tall, blonde and wearing a long blue dress that sparkled five weeks he relocated the 12 top team members in York City to continue Interferon research as associate was particularly concerned by the ethical issues around under the spotlight, she seemed to me to be the most Johannesburg. In 1971, he founded a company called professor at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. He lat- the AIDS crisis, winning the Nellie Westerman Prize glamorous of creatures. As her clear and resonant voice Sigma Data. He launched Computicket on 11 June 1971 for Research in Ethics with his co-authors in 1983 for soared over the auditorium, I was filled with total hap- – the first electronic theatre booking system in the world, “My involvement has been as a the article “Confidentiality, Informed Consent and piness, and thus began my abiding love of the theatre. I which marks its 50th anniversary this year. Untoward Social Consequences in Research on a ‘New have been starstruck and stagestruck ever since.” He was the patron of the Wits Best Director Award, laboratory scientist, as a physician, as Killer Disease’ (AIDS)” in the journal Clinical Research. As someone who couldn’t act, dance or sing, his bi- the Naledi Awards and the Cape Town City Ballet Awards a clinical researcher, as a community His work inspired the New York State Legislature to pass ography Just the Ticket! (Jonathan Ball, 1997) documents and had a long list of Lifetime Achievement Awards: The activist, and as a sexually active gay the first confidentiality protections for people with AIDS. a life surrounded by glamorous artists such as Marlene Moyra Fine Vita Award; the Theatre Management of man. And all these involvements have In 1984, he initiated, with five of his patients and the New Dietrich, Margot Fonteyn, Shirley MacLaine and Luciano South Africa Award and the ‘Fleur de Cap’ Award for York State Attorney General, the first AIDS-related civil Pavarotti. Pieter Toerien, renowned producer and theatre Lifetime Contribution. been intertwined over time, and it has rights litigation, suing his landlord for attempting to manager, wrote of him in the foreword: His partner for 50 years, Graham Dickason, died in been burdensome.” evict him for treating people with AIDS at his office. “A wonderful showman, he has inspired people to November 2020. In 2005, he retired from medical practice, moved think that the theatre is not only important but also Sources: Wits archive, Percytucker.com er served as Director of Continuing Medical Education to London and was awarded a Red Ribbon Leadership at the Bureau of VD Control at the New York City Award from the National HIV/AIDS Partnership. In Department of Health, where he advocated for a focus 2000, he was recognised as an inaugural Award of on gay men’s health, particularly programmes to reduce Courage Honoree by amfAR. When he accepted the sexually-transmitted infections. award he said he had felt “the burden of history.” 1931-2021 were published in Vice-Chancellor on a Tightrope (David In 1978, he volunteered at the Gay Men’s Health “My involvement has been as a laboratory scientist, Stuart Saunders Philip, 2000). Project in Greenwich Village, New York City and started as a physician, as a clinical researcher, as a community [DSc Med honoris causa 2014] Professor Saunders was senior adviser to the Andrew a private clinic for treating sexually transmitted infec- activist, and as a sexually active gay man,” he said. “And W Mellon Foundation of New York (a generous benefac- tions. When gay men in his practice began to get sick, he all these involvements have been intertwined over time, tor of South African higher education research projects). was among the first clinicians in the US to recognise the and it has been burdensome. Former UCT Vice-Chancellor and Emeritus Professor Wits benefited enormously from the philanthropic work emerging AIDS epidemic. “I’ve witnessed so much failure,” he said. Stuart Saunders died in his sleep on 12 February 2021, and support of the foundation. The long-term commit- “I wrote to the city health department, asking, ‘Are In 2018, at the age of 85, he made his public debut aged 89, after a short illness. ment of Professor Saunders, as a philanthropic player, people reporting this? Am I the only one seeing this? Is as a composer of classical music, although he had been After graduating with an MBChB from the University benefited research, teaching and postgraduate studies at there something going on in the city that other doctors composing music for years to deal with the trauma he of Cape Town, Professor Saunders undertook post-grad- Wits. are reporting to you?’ he told a BBC Radio 4 programme saw as a result of his work. He participated in a concert at uate work at the Royal Post-Graduate Medical School at He was awarded honorary doctorates from the in 2018. “They didn’t even bother to respond to me.” London’s Fitzrovia Chapel as part of the AIDS Histories Hammersmith in London, and at Harvard University. Universities of Aberdeen, Sheffield, Rhodes, Cape Town, The US president at the time, Ronald Reagan, came and Cultural Festival. He returned to UCT in the late 1960s and co-founded Princeton, Toronto and Wits. He was a Fellow of the under fire for ignoring the emerging AIDS crisis and He was pre-deceased by his sister, Yolanda, the re- the university’s Liver Clinic and Liver Research Unit College of Physicians of South Africa, the Royal Society when he finally addressed the epidemic — in 1987 — nowned theatre designer and artist. A documentary film, (now the Liver Research Centre). In 2002 he became a of South Africa and the Royal College of Physicians nearly 23,000 people had died of the disease. Some Kind of Love (2015), documented their relation- Grand Counsellor of the Order of the Baobab, Silver, London. He was an honorary fellow of the College of In 1983, Dr Sonnabend founded the AIDS Medical ship. He is survived by his two sons. bestowed by then President Thabo Mbeki. His memoirs Medicine. Foundation, later to become the American Foundation Sources: Thomson Reuters Foundation, Wikipedia, POZ.com

82 WITS REVIEW April 2021 83 IN MEMORIAM IN MEMORIAM

1929-2021 followed by a not-so-grand tour of Europe and India. 1956-2021 In 2005, she founded Peotona Group Holdings, a Back in South Africa, these influences led to his interest majority black women-owned investment firm, along Clive Chipkin in the Baker-Lutyens visible imprint on the Union build- Dolly Mokgatle with prominent businesswomen Cheryl Carolus, Wendy [BArch 1955, DArch honoris causa 2013] [LLB 1983, HDip Tax Law 1991] ings, Parktown grandeur, the Johannesburg Art Gallery Lucas-Bull and Thandi Orleyn. She was a respected busi- and the Rand Regiments Memorial. He was also interest- nessperson and held senior positions in numerous listed Dr Clive Chipkin died peacefully on 10 January 2021 ed in Le Corbusier’s ideas for a modernist metropolis at Business stalwart and human rights lawyer Dolly companies and state-owned enterprises such as Telkom, in Johannesburg, aged 91. Dr Chipkin was born on Chandigarh. This was all background to how he began to Mokgatle leaves a legacy as an authentic leader with Total SA, Zurich Insurance, Kumba, Lafarge, Sasfin Bank 21 March 1929 in Johannesburg, the city he made his study and observe Johannesburg. a passion for South Africa and its people. The 64-year- Ltd and the Woolworths Employee Share Ownership (as own. He was an extraordinary person who lived a rich He established his own practice in 1958; it was a small old Mokgatle, who held numerous senior positions in chairperson) among others. She also served on various and full life. office he described as “an overworked and underpaid listed companies and state-owned enterprises, died on trusts and foundations, including Junior Achievement His books Johannesburg Style: Architecture and Society practice”. Over time he worked in association with firms 9 January 2021. Born on 16 May 1956 into a family of SA, the Rothschild SA Foundation, Michaelhouse School 1880s to 1960s (David Philip, Cape Town, 1993) and such as Trident Steel and then Cape Gate and with Jeff eight children in Springs, Mokgatle (née Moloko) held a governing body and at the Wits Foundation. Johannesburg Transition: Architecture and Society from Stacey designed a series of industrial buildings at the qualification in procurement from the University of the A devoted wife and mother of five, Mokgatle chan- 1950 (STE Publishers, 2009) are seminal monographs Vanderbijl plant of Cape Gate. These buildings were North and an LLB and a diploma in tax law from Wits. nelled her creative flair into fashion and the culinary arts. which represent a lifetime of research, extraordinary considered to be progressive, delivering on quality and Before democracy, she worked as a litigation officer at A longtime avid golfer, she took up horse riding in recent knowledge and critical analysis. The two Johannesburg optimism. the Black Lawyers Association Legal Education Centre years. She was deeply involved in church activities and volumes give an understanding of the making and shap- Dr Chipkin was a man who lived his values and in where she focused on political cases, housing, labour and was appointed deputy chancellor of the board of trustees ing of the city of Johannesburg and its cultural, social 1986 was a founding member of the group “Architects other human rights violations. She was also a research of the Anglican Church Diocese of Johannesburg. and historical underpinnings. They show a remarkable Against Apartheid”, an informal pressure group that officer with the Centre for Applied Legal Studies at Wits Pro bono work epitomised Mokgatle’s altruistic breadth of knowledge and the capacity to pose difficult included architects such as Chipkin, Hans Schirmacher, and professional assistant at Cheadle, Thompson and nature. She was a prominent advocate for the empower- questions about the roots of design and the shaping of Henry Paine, Ivan Schlapobersky, and Lindsay Bremner. Haysom Attorneys. ment and development of young leaders and women in architectural styles and fashions. His lens is architectural They tried to make colleagues aware of how the gross In 1991, Mokgatle joined Eskom as a senior legal particular. history, but his breadth of scholarship is such that he application of apartheid ideology to architecture was adviser and moved up the ranks to be the first black She was the founder of the Palesa Ya Sechaba enables the reader to see the city and its buildings with a distorting the moral and ethical basis of the profession person and first woman appointed as MD of the utility’s Foundation, an initiative to assist learners of Tlakula fresh understanding about why certain styles were adopt- in South Africa. They argued that it was unethical to transmission group, which she turned from lossmaking High School in KwaThema to improve their mathematics, ed in particular periods and why the city has been rebuilt participate professionally in the design and planning of to profitable within a year. She was involved with the science and accounting marks. In addition, she served on through successive waves of capitalist expansion. He was apartheid buildings. restructuring of the electricity distribution industry the board of the Unisa School of Business Leadership in particularly enthusiastic about Modernist architecture Dr Chipkin’s most enduring contribution to South and chaired the board of the holding company. She was 2012, later becoming chairperson. in Johannesburg because he was African architecture was in the involved in energy regulation in South Africa and was At the time of her death, she was a non-practising a product of the flowering and interpretation of his city in his deputy chairperson of the board of the National Energy attorney of the High Court. nurturing of those ideas at Wits in “He was “a Fifties man” full of writing. He worked closely with Regulator. From 2003 to 2005 she was CEO of state rail She leaves behind her husband and five children. the 1940s. the optimistic ideal of a better his wife of more than 50 years, parastatal Spoornet, now Transnet Freight Rail. Sources: Business Day, Sunday Times and WBS archives Dr Chipkin grew up in Yeoville society, fair to all. He wanted Valerie Francis Chipkin, who and was educated at King Edward architects to deliver on the was his editor and who shaped VII boys’ school – which he saw as dream of a better society.” his archives. He was awarded an Edwardian in architecture, ethos Honorary D Arch degree by the and education. He was proud Wits in 2013 and in 2015 gave his 1920-2021 to the caving industry was the introduction of the min- of his old school and it was a strand in his embarking archive to the School of Architecture and Planning. The Dennis Laubscher ing rock mass rating system. It was intended to help on understanding how the imperial culture played out archive was named for his wife. [BSc Eng 1953, PhD 1964] mining practitioners effectively communicate between in Johannesburg as the town shifted from a temporary Dr Chipkin was a fun person to be with, embracing disciplines and to provide a tool for developing empir- camp that drew adventurers from all over the world his city on tours and trips of exploration. He drew maps ical guidelines for mining method selection and cave to being a permanent town with its first steel-framed of the route to give the best view of the Witwatersrand Dr Dennis Laubscher, South Africa’s foremost authority design. In 2000, he published the first comprehensive buildings and first lifts, like the third Corner House and Ridges. He gave readily of his knowledge in lectures, on block caving techniques, died on 3 February at the age practical manual on block caving. In 2017 the University Victory House or the Carlton Hotel, or indeed his very interviews and tours, but he was always so self-effacing, of 91 at Bushman’s River Mouth in the Eastern Cape after of Queensland in Australia published the Guidelines on Edwardian school. modest. He was a caring person who gave to everyone he a long fight with stroke-related complications. Caving Mining Methods, co-authored by Dr Laubscher, He became excited by the modern movement and a encountered. At the time of his death, he had completed Born in Tulbagh on 1 October 1929, Dr Laubscher Alan Guest, and Jarek Jakubec. completely new approach to office blocks, skyscrapers the third volume, Johannesburg Diversity. It is heading won numerous awards: the South Africa Institute of As he travelled the world, Dr Laubscher made unique and homes. His son Ivor (BA Hons 1992, MA 1998) towards publication. Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM) Gold Medal in 1995; and lasting friendships and was a mentor to many. described him as “a Fifties man” full of the optimistic He is survived by his three children, Peter (BSc a Lifetime Achievement Award from the South African He is survived by four adult children from his ideal of a better society, fair to all. He wanted architects 1984), Lesley and Ivor, four grandchildren and his close Institute of Rock Engineering in 1998; the De Beers first marriage to Patricia May, who died on 20 August to deliver on the dream of a better society. friend Marcia Leveson (MA 1968, PhD 1993). Mass Mining Award at Massmin 2000; and the Brigadier 2002, their elder son Carl having also passed away. He gained experience working for the old London Sources: Kathy Munro (BA 1967, Honorary Associate Professor), Daily Stokes Platinum Medal from the SAIMM in 2007. On 27 February 2004, he married Michelle Broster. County Council. It was a fairly short stay in London Maverick, The Heritage Portal In the 1970s, Dr Laubscher’s first major contribution Sources: RK Consulting, Alan Guest, and the Northern Miner

84 WITS REVIEW April 2021 85 IN MEMORIAM IN MEMORIAM

1938-2021 activist’s death: “On my release police spread rumours 1942-2021 strong opposition to apartheid persuaded him to leave that I was their agent. I suffered mental and physical pain South Africa in 1978 and start a new life in the UK. Kantilal Naik as a result of my incarceration. I still cannot understand Andrew Williamson In 1978 he requalified as an English solicitor, becom- [BSc 1964, BA Ed 1974, M Ed 1980] [BA 1963, LLB 1965, HDipTax Law 1974] why I was tortured and detained.” ing a partner at Lovell White & King in 1982. He focused His association with Wits began when he joined the on employment and labour law, setting up the firm’s em- Respected science educator, community leader and life- Department of Statistics as a senior tutor in 1981. He Andrew Philip Faure Williamson, who died aged 78 ployment practice, which became a prominent European long friend of Wits Professor Kantilal “Kanti” Naik transferred to Computational and Applied Mathematics on 12 January, distinguished himself both as a lawyer in practice. He was a founder member and the chairman died on 16 February at the age of 82. in 1986, the same year he won the Distinguished Teacher several key anti-apartheid trials in South Africa and as a of the City of London Law Society Employment Sub- He started his career as a senior science teacher at Award. He remained in the department for 17 years be- labour and employment lawyer of significance. committee from 1993 to 1996. Lenasia Indian High School in 1965, but also taught at fore retiring in 2003 as an Honorary Adjunct Professor. Born in South Africa to appeal court judge Arthur From retirement in 2002, Williamson channelled the Roodepoort Asiatic and the Transvaal College of In the same year he won the Benjamin Pogrund Medal Faure Williamson and Erna Templin, Williamson mar- much of his intellectual energy into nature and climate Education. In 1969 he wrote a physical science textbook for his contribution to teaching. He was a board mem- ried Patricia Jill Denoon in 1968. She was awarded an crises. He began to correspond with the noted envi- Calculations in Physical Science, for matriculants and ber of the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management OBE in 2013 for her charitable work on human rights ronmentalist, Jonathon Porritt, and was supportive of first-year students. The book was used widely across the (1987- 2003). and the rule of law in South Africa. Porritt’s organisation Forum for the Future. racially segregated education departments. He continued to serve the university as a member of Williamson began his career at Bowman Gilfillan, He is survived by his wife Jill, daughter Jessica, son In 1971 Naik was a teacher at Roodepoort Indian the Executive Committee of Convocation. In 2013 he having studied at Wits where he graduated magna cum Matthew, granddaughters Lyra and Rosie and grandson High School (where Ahmed Timol taught) and he was was awarded a Gold Medal for his contribution to the laude. He became a partner, specialising in commercial Nathaniel. detained for six months and subjected to interrogation university and the community of Azaadville. litigation and the defence of anti-apartheid activists. His Sources: John Battersby, Daily Maverick, The Guardian by security police using the “helicopter method”. He lost He was instrumental in the name change of the school mobility of his hands and had to undergo physiotherapy in his hometown from the Azaadville Secondary School to regain movement. His experiences while in detention to the Ahmed Timol Secondary School by then President are now part of the historic record maintained by the Nelson Mandela in 1998. He loved calligraphy and 1945-2020 the acting director of WISER, the pre-eminent interdis- South African History Archive entitled “Between Life played the Indian musical instruments — harmonium Belinda Bozzoli ciplinary research institute in the humanities and social and Death in detention at John Vorster Square”. He testi- and Bulbul tarang. [BA 1967, BA Hons 1970] sciences in South Africa. fied at the Ahmed Timol inquest into the anti-apartheid Sources: Wits and South African History archives She was an Associate Fellow at Yale University, a Research Fellow at Cambridge and the Ecole des Hautes Professor Belinda Bozzoli, distinguished academic Etudes en Sciences Sociales in France, a visiting Fellow to and strategic leader, passed away on 5 October 2020 after Oxford and served as a board member of the NRF. She 1976-2021 department for three years and moved to full time pri- a long battle with cancer. authored three internationally published books and was vate practice in 2013. She was the daughter of former Wits Vice-Chancellor editor or co-editor of a further four and the author of Kgopotso Rudolf Mononyane Dr Mononyane was a committed Part 1 examiner in Guerino “Boz” Bozzoli (BSc Eng 1934, DSc honoris numerous articles. In 1991 her book Women of Phokeng, [BPharm 1988, MBBCh 2002] the College of Anaesthetists for over a decade and was causa 1948, LLD honoris causa 1978) and remained a which drew on the oral histories of 22 black women involved in numerous training initiatives. He was also proud alumna. She was appointed to the university’s top from a small town near Rustenburg, won her the Human Dr Kgopotso Rudolf "Ruddy" Mononyane was trag- committed to research as a regular reviewer for the South position for research in 2003 at the age of 63 after starting Sciences Research Council’s Top Researcher Award. ically killed when a Netcare 911 helicopter crashed on a African Journal of Anaesthesia and Analgesia. her career in the Faculty of Humanities, moving through In 2014 Professor Bozzoli stood for election to the medical retrieval flight for a COVID-19 patient. He was He was elected to serve on the South African Society the ranks as head of the Department of Sociology in National Assembly as 77th on the Democratic Alliance’s aboard as one of the specialist medical team as a transfer of Anaesthesiologists Council in 2016 and joined the the late 1990s before leading the entire School of Social national list. At the election she won a seat in the National from Bergville to Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg. Private Practice Business Unit in the same year. He was Sciences from 2001 until 2003. She completed her MA Assembly. She became the Shadow Minister of Education He was born to Paulinah and Joseph Mononyane as particularly passionate in outreach and ensuring educa- and PhD at the University of Sussex. At the time of her and Training. She was re-elected to Parliament in 2019 the second of five siblings. After receiving a full bursary tion and training was made available to underserviced appointment as Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research at and was made Shadow Minister for the newly created for engineering, Dr Mononyane took two weeks to re- areas through training workshops. Wits, she said: “I was a student at Wits and it’s like home. Higher Education, Science and Innovation portfolio. DA alise that engineering was not for him and enrolled for He was head hunted by both the cardiac surgery and It’s a place which elicits loyalty and even when it behaves MP and chief whip Natasha Mazzone said that as an MP pharmacy. His decision to forgo a full bursary in favour cardiac transplant unit at Milpark Hospital and the organ badly, it still manages to draw affection.” Bozzoli was “deeply committed” to her work. “She was of pursuing work in healthcare meant he took personal transplant unit at Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre Professor Bozzoli contributed to the prestige and kind, smart, knowledgeable, a voice of reason and love.” responsibility to fund and pursue his decided path. After where he served until his tragic passing. reputation of the university through her academic Professor Bozzoli is survived by her husband, ac- completing his degree in pharmacy in 1998 and after one In his “private” time, he completed the Comrades achievements and institutional roles. An excellent aca- claimed historian Professor Charles van Onselen (BA month in practice he was accepted to study medicine. Marathon, summited Kilimanjaro, and continually chal- demic administrator, Professor Bozzoli was awarded an Hons 1971), and their three children Jessica (BA DA He completed his internship at Mankweng Hospital and lenged himself to achieve. He was a founder member and A-rating by the National Research Foundation (NRF) 2002, PDM 2005, MA 2009), Gareth (BA Hons 1999, Community Service at 1 Military Hospital and pursued chairperson of the Game Changers Coalition, a business in 2006, making her the first sociologist in the country MA 2001) and Matthew (BA Hons 2007, MA 2010). anaesthesia as a speciality, obtaining his Diploma in initiative. to obtain this rigorously peer-reviewed ranking. She When asked how she managed a family juggling life as a Anaesthesia in 2005 and his Fellowship in 2009 on the He leaves behind his wife Kgomotso and two children, was committed to creating an enabling environment for top researcher and administrator she said: “Isn’t it what Wits circuit with his base hospital being Chris Hani KJ Kgopotso Junior and Kgatliso. academics and was instrumental in the establishment of all women do?” Baragwanath Academic Hospital. He remained in the Sources: South African Journal of Anaesthesia and Analgesia six 21st-century research institutes at Wits. She served as Source: Wits University and Wits Review archives, Wikipedia, Daily Maverick

86 WITS REVIEW April 2021 87 IN MEMORIAM IN MEMORIAM

1956-2020 work as a postdoc at the University of New South Wales, 1929-2020 Newlands and Harding. He furthered his studies at the with Ross Crozier. He later moved to Nagoya in Japan to Royal College of Surgeons in London and the Edinburgh Christian Peeters work with Yoshiaki Ito and then to Wurzburg, Germany Coomarasamy N Pillay Royal College of Surgeons. He had 30 years of unbroken [BSc 1978, BSc Hons 1979, PhD 1984] [MBBCh 1954] to work with Professor Berthold Karl Hölldobler. Settling service at RK Khan Hospital where he retired as princi- in Paris, he was Research Professor at the Institute of pal surgeon in 1992. He became president of the Natal Christian Peeters was an internationally recognised Ecology and Environmental Sciences in the Department Dr Coomarasamy Nithianathan “CN” Pillay died at Coastal Branch of the Medical Association of South and celebrated myrmecologist, born in Belgium on of Evolutionary Biology, Sorbonne University, and the age of 90 on Christmas Day 2020. He worked for Africa, was chairperson of the board of Emergency 30 April 1956. He passed away suddenly in Paris on Director of Research at CNRS, the French National decades at the RK Khan Hospital and was key in the Medical and Rescue Service of KwaZulu-Natal and 1 September 2020 at the age of 64. Scientific Research Agency. formation of the Chatsworth Regional Hospice. served as trustee on various community organisations. Professor Peeters’s father, Paul Peeters, and mother, Professor Peeters’s impact in myrmecology started Dr Pillay was born on 10 July 1929 in Greenwood He received a Distinguished Service Award from Paulette Peeters, immigrated to South Africa in 1970 with the discoveries that he made as a PhD student, Park, the child of Kistan and Amurtham Pillay. His fa- the Association of Surgeons of South Africa in 2007; with their children Christian, Annie and Françoise from finding that primitive ponerine ants could lose the queen ther worked in a managerial position at the Coronation as well as a dedicated service in medicine award from Belgium. The family lived in Mountainview-Observatory, caste and have colonies headed by mated, workers for Brick and Tile Company in Briardene. His paternal the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa and the Johannesburg and Christian matriculated from Marist which he and Bill Brown of Cornell University coined grandfather, Kumarasamy Kistan (KK) Pillay, came from Mahatma Gandhi award for humanitarian service to the Brothers College. His father was an electrical engineer the term gamergates (married workers). Recently he a wealthy family of tobacco farmers in India. He wrote community. and was the director of sales for Schindler Elevators, a turned his attention to the ant genera Melissotarsus and exams to enter high school at a government school in He was described as “the quintessential role-model Swiss company. In 1978 the company shut its offices in Rhopalomastix, which chew tunnels in healthy wood to Umgeni Road and was accepted to Sastri College. — high on morals, a stickler for detail, and a technically South Africa and repatriated Professor Peeters’s father. accommodate their scale insect symbionts and are the In Standard 7, he received a book prize The Healing gifted surgeon. A man who paid close attention to detail, The Peeters family moved to Lucerne, Switzerland and only ants in which adults spin silk used in nest con- Knife by George Sava, which was his first introduction to meticulous planning, passion for patients’ rights and he remained at Wits to complete his studies. struction. The strength of ants in lifting loads led to an surgery and this moulded his life. Under a special permit, commitment to service. The standard set by the surgical Professor Peeters was determined to become an aca- interest in the biomechanics of load transport in insects. he was able to study medicine at Wits. He applied for an departments at RK Khan Hospital was to become the demic zoologist when he began his undergraduate studies The queenless ponerine ant Streblognathus peetersi was internship at McCord Zulu Mission Hospital. In 1954, benchmark for other surgical departments and units to at Wits in 1975. With Professor Robin Crewe as his super- named after him. Chief Albert Luthuli was critically ill and was brought to emulate.” visor he graduated with a PhD in Zoology, and remained When asked what he planned to do post retirement the hospital after suffering a heart attack. Dr Pillay was He married Dayanithy (Babse) Pillay in 1956 and in contact with Professor Crewe for the remainder of his he replied: “Continue with my research of course!” After tasked with spending the night at Chief Luthuli’s bedside, she died in 2016. He is survived by his three daugh- life on academic collaborations and as friends. his death, his students and colleagues paid tribute to his recording his blood pressure every 10 minutes and regu- ters Jayashree, Thikambari and Udeshni and two During his studies he was active in adventurous out- impact on their lives and research. Their admiration and lating the intravenous infusion accordingly. grandchildren. door activities as a member of the Wits Mountain Club, respect for him was evident in comments on his insights, Dr Pilllay went into private practice in Avoca, Sources: Sunday Tribune and The Witness and Wilderness Leadership School, and he was one of thoughtfulness and kindness. the climbers who went out every September to ring Cape Professor Peeters is survived by his sisters and Vulture chicks in the Magaliesberg and other mountain- their families in Australia, Annie and Bryan Downes; ous localities for the Vulture Study Group led by Peter Françoise and John Schilter and sons Nathaniel and 1925-2020 him back to Africa to pursue his other compelling inter- Mundy and John Ledger (BSc 1965, BSc Hons 1966, PhD Nicolas; and by his partner Naret Phansua and extended Noel Cuthbert Pope est, metallurgy. He spent the next 36 years with Boart 1976). family in Thailand. [BSc Eng 1949, PhD 1960] International. After his PhD, Professor Peeters went to Australia to Source: Nigel Gericke (BSc 1978, BSc Hons 1979, MBBCh 1984) On his retirement in 1985, he and his wife, alumna Vivia (BMus 1950, BEd 1970, Med 1979) née Jones, Dr Noel Cuthbert Pope was born in Queenstown, moved into the Magaliesberg and lived on a small hold- attended Queens College and matriculated in 1942. He ing where they grew oranges, avocados, kiwis and pecan 1936-2020 Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Vaal Med, moving to completed a year of mechanical engineering at Wits nuts for the co-op and all who visited. They joined the Vanderbijlpark in 1985. After 17 very successful years in before joining the South African Air Force, where he Mountain Club and walked through all the kloofs and Jack Lampert this position he retired in 2002 and moved to Fish Hoek, earned his wings on his 19th birthday. valleys in the region. They also hiked nearly all the trails [MBBCh 1958] Cape Town. After World War II ended he returned to Wits to available in South Africa and went on “safari” in their Dr Lampert loved medicine, and often said there was complete his degree. During this period Dr Pope rowed Landrover with the “tenton top” to Namibia, Botswana Dr Jack Arthur Lampert matriculated from Parktown not a day in his working life that he did not want to go to for Wits as stroke (usually the most competitive rower and Zimbabwe. Dr Pope started the Buffelspoort Valley Boy’s High School in Johannesburg aged 16 years. He work. He had many interests, among them target shoot- in the crew) at the Henley Royal Regatta in 1948. His Conservancy. completed his internship at the Johannesburg General ing and fishing. His remarkable acumen, and his quick airforce exposure led him to pursue an interest in aero- Dr Pope and his wife were very proud Witsies. It is Hospital and developed an interest in obstetrics and wit remained with him. dynamics and he started an MSc on supersonic wind where they met and they said Wits helped shape their gynaecology. He served as registrar at the Bridgman A few years after Penelope Machanik, his wife of 52 tunnel design, which was later upgraded to a PhD. This minds and attitude to life. Memorial Hospital in Brixton (now Garden City Clinic) years, passed away, he returned to spend the last five led to a post at Farnborough, UK where the “faster-than- Dr Pope is survived by his wife, Vivia, son Trevor and became a member of the Fellowship of the College years of his life in Johannesburg, where he died on 22 sound” aircraft had arrived and supersonic bangs were (BSc Eng 1980, MSc Eng 1983) and daughter Jane. of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of South Africa in July 2020. He leaves his partner Gail Wilson (BSc Physio then a great novelty. After a year there, the call home and Trevor’s children Alexander (BSc Eng 2009) and Sarah 1965. Soon after he joined his long-time friend Dr Les 1968) and three sons. the persuasion of the company Boart Products who em- (BSc 2015) are also proud Wits graduates. Picker (MBBCh 1959). He took up the position of Chief Source: Gail Wilson ployed him for a year before leaving for the UK, brought Source: Vivia Pope

88 WITS REVIEW April 2021 89 IN MEMORIAM IN MEMORIAM

1936-2020 as the National Arts Council and heritage sites such as 1924-2020 mental health facility in Johannesburg, taking a break in Constitution Hill. She saw the need to invest in the fu- the 1950s to hold positions at the Maudsley Hospital in Linda Givon ture, making provision for educational bursaries at many Lynn Gillis London, and becoming a founding member of the Royal [Gold Medal, 2007] [MBBCh 1948, MMed 1956] educational institutions. Over the years she supported College of Psychiatry. the Funda Centre in Soweto, and helped raise funds to These formative experiences bore fruit when he was Often referred to as the doyenne of South African art and rebuild the Artists Proof Studio, a teaching facility for Professor Lynn Gillis, who died aged 96, was founding recruited in 1962 to fill the position of head of depart- founder of the Goodman Gallery, Linda Givon passed young artists, after it burned down. head in 1962 of the department of psychiatry and mental ment of psychiatry and mental health at the University away on 5 October 2020 at the age of 84. There are many instances throughout her career of health at the University of Cape Town and played an of Cape Town. He remained professor of psychiatry Givon was born in Johannesburg on 2 August 1936, to charitable giving in which she facilitated donations, gifts, integral role in changing the custodial care to a compre- until his retirement in 1989, when he became professor Morris and Hetty Finger, who had immigrated to South sponsorships and patronage from others through her hensive service for the region. emeritus. Africa from Eastern Europe. She read towards a BA in determination to “grow the arts” or enable a project. She He initiated groundbreaking community services Professor Gillis won many awards and held esteemed 1954, but travelled to England before its completion personally donated funds to the Children’s Hospital Trust and clinics, unusually led by nurses. Under his guidance positions, among them president of the SA National and obtained a diploma in acting and teaching from and inspired close friends to donate over R5 million. She a day hospital was established, and a psychiatric social Council for Mental Health and director of the South the London School of Dramatic Art. During the 1960s received the 2008 Inyathelo Philanthropy Merit award. club promoting continuity of care for patients in the African Medical Research Council’s Clinical Psychiatry she trained at the Grosvenor Gallery in London under At Wits she made donations to the Wits Art Museum, community, with outreach provisions to destigmatise Research Unit, which was key in initiating a series of the tutelage of its founder Eric Estorick and returned to and to other Wits art galleries, many of which reflect mental illness. At Valkenberg Hospital and Alexandra studies and mentoring a number of careers. South Africa in 1966. important moments in South African art history. This rehabilitation centre he courageously defied apartheid Ever curious, Professor Gillis was drawn to psycho- At the age of 30, Givon opened the Goodman Gallery. was essential at a time when the university’s budget for segregation by integrating staff across wards. analysis, and in retirement pursued Buddhism, studied Located initially in Hyde Park, it soon gained a reputation the acquisition of contemporary art had been suspended. Professor Gillis was born to emigrant parents in sculpture and created austere carvings in marble and rare for exhibiting work which confronted issues unlike other In 2016 Off the Wall: An 80th birthday celebration was Kroonstad, South Africa, a small town where his father, woods. An avid mountaineer, he remained healthy and galleries at the time that exhibited “pretty scenes of life in mounted in her honour. She donated funds towards Julius, a dentist, grew competition prize roses as a hobby, agile, lucid and fiercely independent to the end of his full the townships”. Thirty years later the gallery moved to the projects such as the library mural by Cyril Coetzee and and his mother, Annie (née Lynn), a concert pianist, and fulfilled professional and artistic life. heart of Rosebank in 1996. In 2018 Givon sold the space the Rock Art Research Institute. In 2007 she was award- gave music lessons. This background grounded Lynn’s Shirley (née Lurie), whom he married in 1950, died and its brand at an enormous price. Through her work at ed a Gold Medal by the university, in recognition of her fluent Afrikaans and underpinned his initiatives in social in 2015. He is survived by their daughter, Jenny, four the Goodman, she brought an unapologetic vision. immense contribution to South African art. psychiatry. When World War II broke out, he served in grandchildren, Josh, Gabrielle, Jason and Danielle, and Givon was on the boards of community art centres She leaves her brother Michael, daughter Lee and son makeshift hospitals in northern Africa and Italy. Between three great-grandchildren, Nomi, Yael and Lev. such as the Johannesburg Art Foundation and the Robert and their families. 1945 and 1962 he worked at Tara Hospital, a pioneering Sources: Joan Raphael-Leff, The Guardian Ainslie Remembrance Trust, government bodies such Sources: Wits University archives; Robyn Sassen, New Frame

1941-2020 senior lecturer at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School, In 1967 Dr Proctor established a new research 1932-2020 Irvin Alexander Lampert and at Hammersmith Hospital, and retained this honor- programme with the purpose of measuring and char- ary post until retirement. He was also a National Medical David Edwin Proctor acterising radio emissions that occur during lightning [MBBCh 1964] [BSc Eng 1962, PhD 1977] Examiner for maternal deaths for several years. He was activity. In doing this, he was following in the footsteps the joint author of Bone Marrow Pathology, the definitive Basil Schonland of (DSc honoris causa 1957) and David Dr Irvin Alexander Lampert, “Irv” as he became work on the subject. Dr David Proctor died in Johannesburg on 26 September J Malan who had made discoveries in the field of light- known to his friends and colleagues, was born in He moved to Ealing Hospital in the early 1980s where 2020 of complications following surgery at the age of ning research when based at the Bernard Price Institute Johannesburg in November 1941. He matriculated from he started research, in addition to his full time diagnostic 88. He had spent his career at the National Institute for of Geophysical Research at Wits. Dr Proctor’s dedicated King Edward VII School in Johannesburg and entered work, and became involved in working voluntarily with Telecommunications Research (NITR) of the CSIR. Born and almost single-handed research programme became Wits Medical School in January 1959 and ultimately clinicians in Malawi and with his long-term collaborator, in Johannesburg and educated at Kearsney College, the his life’s work and over more than 30 years he established specialised as a pathologist. Dr Lampert worked briefly Dr Susan van Noorden. young Proctor moved around the country, as his father himself as a leading authority in the field of lightning as a junior doctor in Johannesburg and in the late 1960s It was widely agreed amongst his colleagues and his was a Methodist minister. investigation using both radio and radar techniques. left for London. In 1971 he married Dr Jo Boxer. He was family that Dr Lampert possessed personal and intel- After he left school, Dr Proctor’s interest in radio Dr Proctor was an extremely nice man. As is so often treated for bladder cancer, which eventually resulted in lectual integrity, even if speaking his mind could irritate and electronics led him to work as a technician at the the case with people who don’t set out to beat their own renal failure, and he died on 17 October 2020. Jo and people. He was a faithful and very affectionate husband, NITR but it was clear that he had the academic ability drum, his remarkable achievements in the fields of radio their two children and two grandchildren survive him. with whom life was described as always interesting, if to attend university. The Faculty of Engineering at Wits science and geophysics went unsung almost everywhere On his arrival in England, he first took up a post at sometimes noisy! He was also always abreast of politics. had set up a part-time process by which ex-servicemen except in the closest confines of the NITR and among the Nottingham University Hospital where he was men- His children recall – now with good humour – having were able to complete their degrees over six years. And those scientists around the world whose fields over- tored by Prof Ken Weinbren. He attained his Diploma to endure, on a family holiday to America, visiting Civil so, after spreading the first two years of the degree over lapped with his. in Clinical Pathology at Hammersmith Hospital, in War battle fields instead of Disney World! four, while continuing to work at the NITR, he graduated He married Judy Stone in 1963 and they had four London, where he made lifelong friends. He subse- He was an immensely warm and generous man. He with a degree in electrical engineering and immediately sons, all engineers. quently gained his Membership of the Royal College of died just short of 79 with still so much to give. became a research officer at the NITR. Source: Brian Austin Pathology, becoming an FRCPath (Fellow). He was a Source: Professor Harry Rajak (BA 1962, LLB 1964)

90 WITS REVIEW April 2021 91 IN MEMORIAM IN MEMORIAM

1945-2020 legal team could view it. Godspell went on to triumphant- 1938-2020 University of Wisconsin and again at the University of ly tour the country for 18 months. It spearheaded the Massachusetts, Amherst, where he completed a master’s Dawn Lindberg opening of theatres to all races in 1977. Richard Mankowski in mechanical engineering. His marriage fell apart at this [BA FA 1967] [PhD Mech Eng 1983] The success of this production prompted the stage and Lance went to his grandparents in Italy to be Lindbergs to move more into the theatrical arena and raised as a real Italian American. One of the most prominent theatre personalities and over the years they staged a succession of musicals and Born in 1938 in the rough industrial world of Kenosha In 1973, shortly after coming to South Africa on a advocate for the arts, Dawn Lindberg passed away from plays that included Pippin; The Black Mikado (the first in Lake Michigan, Dr Richard Mankowski was raised to whim, he met Patty at Wits, who was a PhD candidate COVID-19 related illness on 7 December 2020 at the age West End musical to premiere in Soweto); The Best Little be tough and control his emotions. It is possible that the employed as a research assistant. His humour endeared of 75. Lindberg was the founder and CEO of the Naledi Whorehouse in Texas (the title was banned); and The stutter he developed as a youngster was the involuntary him to many. He could bring out the imp in many a man, Theatre Awards – one of most prestigious awards events Vagina Monologues about the abuse of women. result of curbed sensitivity. At school he was castigat- unaided by beer, though that also helped. Edward Moss in South Africa. Des and Dawn participated in the Free People’s ed for his classroom inhibition when teachers heard (BSc Eng 1971, MSc Eng 1974, PhD 1985) in mechanical Lindberg matriculated from Parktown Girl’s High Concert at Wits and showed what a vibrant, non-racial him speaking normally with friends. His father, Stan, engineering was his first friend and they kept in touch School and completed her degree in 1962, meeting her free South Africa could be like. a self-made man, taught him the practical skills of car- throughout. He married Patty in June 1975, moving to husband and long-time partner in music and theatre, The couple’s most famous songs included The Seagull’s pentry, plumbing, building and handling electricity. Dr Polokwane and then Tshwane where Dr Mankowski in- Desmond Lindberg (BA 1963), at Wits. She said: “He Name was Nelson in 1971, which topped the charts for 20 Mankowski turned to ham radio in his teens. He built his spired many a rural student in maths. Ethekwini became was like a gentle Viking, tall, with blond hair falling over weeks. Lindberg’s influence in the South African theatre own radio and learned Morse code — the first of many his final destination where he had a distinguished lectur- his eyes and a guitar slung over his back.” industry was far-reaching and significant: her greatest codes he loved. Meanwhile his mother Adeline Manko ing career in mechanical engineering at the University of In 1965, Des and Dawn were married; they embarked achievement was the creation and nurturing of the in- taught him guitar and piano — music being another Durban-Westville. on a tour of South Africa and then Rhodesia, visiting ternationally recognised Naledi Theatre Awards, which code. His research and background in music led him small towns and cities with their legendary show, Folk have honoured many artists and theatre makers, and Dr Mankowski didn’t shine academically and left into mechanical vibrations and mining cables. Dr on Trek. It was promptly banned on the grounds of ob- awarded over 60 Lifetime Achievement Awards. school a bit of a dropout. He had a four-year spell at Fort Mankowski’s maths led him to toy with the Fibonacci scenity because of adjusted lyrics to the nursery rhyme, She believed that “theatre and the arts are much more Ord in the military (where he volunteered). There he series of numbers, his final and lasting code. He was Mary Had a Little Lamb, and the spiritual, Dese Bones reflective of our current society and the demographics of met one or two mature young men who encouraged him fascinated by the configurations of fruits! His research Gonna Rise Again. They went on appeal but lost the case, the practitioners. New voices are telling our own stories to study further and an African American teacher who papers were laboured over so long his wife often said: and all copies of the album were ordered to be destroyed. and expressing our unique cultures through dance, mu- inspired in him a love of maths. He passed his university “Stop polishing the pineapple.” He was admitted to the In 1973 they produced the groundbreaking musical sic and the visual arts.” entrance level easily and registered for a music degree. South African Professional Engineers Council on the Godspell, the first multiracial show to be staged publicly In 2015 the couple were appointed “Living Legends” He finally addressed his speech problem with therapy. strength of designing an original anemometer. He would in South Africa. by the Minister of Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa. He never looked back, developing a breadth of vocabu- make things for friends at his going rate – a six-pack of When the couple brought the show to South Africa, Lindberg is survived by her husband Des, children lary that allowed him to circumvent problem words. ambients, as he called his little Castle friends. You don’t it was promptly banned by the censors on the grounds of Adam, Josh, daughter-in-law Zuraida and grandchil- Dr Mankowski first travelled abroad in the early six- often find a genius with the common touch. blasphemy. Des and Dawn took the case to the Supreme dren, Zaria and Shia. ties, winding up in Milan, Italy where he met the cultured The last code Dr Mankowski showed in his own per- Court, and they won after the show was allowed one per- Sources: www.desdawn.co.za and www.sapeople.com/2020/12/08 Cancogni family and learned Italian by ear in no time. son. It was his dress code – recognised by his students formance so that Judge Lammie Snyman and the censors’ tributes-pour-in-for-south-africas-theatre-legend-dawn-lindberg/ He taught English using the old-fashioned grammar who referred to him as Mr Three Layers because his approach while cultivating a love of opera, particularly T-shirt, shirt and sweat shirt hung at different lengths. Verdi’s works. He married Anna Concogni and they But as he would say “small potatoes”. had a son, Lance, and returned to the States. Here Dr He is survived by his wife Patty, two sons Lance and 1963-2020 was a senior manager of the public finance unit at the Mankowski developed a keen interest in maths and reg- Brett, daughter Peta and five grandchildren. National Treasury and special adviser to the Human istered for a science degree. He worked part-time at the Source: Patty Mankowski Daniel Plaatjies Sciences Research Council. [PhD 2008] Academics, colleagues, politicians and diplomats paid tribute to Prof Plaatjies as a South African patriot who Chairperson of the Financial and Fiscal Commission dedicated his life to social justice and non-racialism. His 1947-2020 academic career as a lecturer at Natal University, where (FFC), Professor Daniel Plaatjies passed away “unex- acute and insightful contribution to financial and fiscal Fabrizio Marsicano he remained until 1988, before taking up a post as an pectedly of natural causes” at the age of 57 on 10 October. debates will be missed in Parliament and public life. [BSc 1970, PhD 1973] Associate Professor at Wits. He was born on 21 May 1963 in Netreg, Bonteheuwel, Chris Barron wrote in the Sunday Times that he “was He was at Wits for 20 years until his early retirement and educated at Modderdam High School. He obtained a voice in the wilderness, warning about the collapse of due to Parkinson’s disease. He was a physical chemist, an honours degree in social science from the University municipalities and making bold, evidence-based recom- Physical chemist Professor Fabrizio Marsicano, who and his research at Wits was in the field of the computa- of Cape Town followed by a master of philosophy de- mendations about how they could be turned around. worked in the Wits Department of Chemistry for 20 tional modelling of molecules. gree from the University of the Western Cape. At Wits No public servant ever spoke truth to power more per- years, died on 29 December 2020. He was born on 20 Over the course of his academic career, he lectured he earned a doctorate in governance, public policy and sistently than he did, or was more persistently ignored.” November 1947 and matriculated at Jeppe Boys’ High thousands of students and supervised a number of re- public finance. He edited three books which reflected his He is survived by his wife Lydia-Anne (MA 2012) School. He graduated with a PhD in Chemistry in 1973. search degree candidates. A dynamic and popular lectur- passion for building state capacity, governance, public and three children. He initially worked as a chemist at research institute er, he is still fondly remembered by students. accountability and public finance. Professor Plaatjies Sources: Cape Argus, The Sunday Times MINTEK, after which, in 1977, he embarked on an Source: Deborah Marsicano (BSc Eng 1993)

92 WITS REVIEW April 2021 93 IN MEMORIAM WITS END

1933-2020 Mandela. Several ban orders were placed on him, but Dr Rashid Ahmed M Salojee Salojee defied them and continued to host civic, pro- [MBBCh 1958] vincial and national resistance organisations, including the erstwhile Transvaal Indian Congress, an organi- Dr Rashid Ahmed Mahmood Salojee, a prominent ac- sation similar to the Natal Indian Congress started by tivist who participated in the anti-apartheid movement, Mahatma Gandhi. died on 2 December 2020 at the age of 87 in his Lenasia His son Mahmood (BA 1994) said: “For the past 60 home. years, my father played a significant role in the lives of Fondly called “Ram” because of his initials, Dr Salojee people. My father was the Vice President of the Transvaal was an ardent cricketer and sports administrator, a com- Indian Congress and the Vice President of the United mitted medical and health professional, and a dedicated Democratic Front Transvaal. He accompanied Nelson civic, welfare and business leader. He was a devout fol- Mandela on an ANC delegation to Iran, France and Saudi lower of Islam and an ANC stalwart. Arabia in 1993. He later attended several conferences of Dr Salojee was born on 24 March 1933 and was ed- the International Parliamentary Union.” ucated at the Ferreira Indian Primary School, Waterval The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation said he had a re- Islamic Institute, and Johannesburg Indian High School, markable ability to blend his civic, moral and spiritual learning his medical degree from Wits in 1958. He prac- activism. Dr Salojee was diagnosed with diabetes in 2011 tised as a general practitioner for almost 45 years and and two limbs were amputated. retired in 2011. He received numerous local and national awards for Dr Salojee actively supported the 1980s students’ his lifelong community service, which also included boycott of classes and went on to become a prominent work in the local community’s health sector. Others leader of the Congress Movement with Dr Essop Jassat, included The Star Community Award, the Indicator’s the late Ebrahim “Cas” Saloojee, Ismail Momoniat, Ama Newsmaker of the Year Award, the Lenasia Human Rights Naidoo, Samson Ndou, Mohammed Vali Moosa and Achiever Award, the South African Medical and Dental Maniben Sita. Practitioner’s Award for Contribution to Medicine and He was detained several times during the states of Community Service and the 75th Jubilee Medal from the emergency in the late 1980s and banning orders restrict- Health Sciences Faculty at Wits. ed him to the district of Johannesburg. Dr Salojee was a He is survived by daughter Yasmin and son Mahmood, leading figure in the Liberation Movement in the 1980s and their children. and 90s, which eventually led to the release of Nelson Sources: Daily Maverick, The Post

1964-2020 non-executive director on the board of directors of Tshiamo Matlapeng-Vilakazi Fortress for nearly five years and acted as chairperson of [LLB 1990] both the remuneration and social and ethics committees. She established valuable professional relationships and founded Vilakazi Commercial Attorneys, Notaries and Tshiamo Daphne Matlapeng-Vilakazi was born on 22 Conveyancers. August 1964 to Keutlwile and Rebontshitswe Matlapeng She met her untimely passing in a freak accident at in Molatedi. She attended school in Dinokaneng and lat- a time when she was highly diversified in her business othing is funnier than unhappiness,” observes er went to Fort Hare University where she obtained her portfolio including agriculture, which was close to her LAUGHTER a character in Samuel Beckett’s play Endgame, social work degree. heart. Being at the farm was when she was most at peace. “I grant you that. Yes, yes, it’s the most comi- She earned her LLB degree from Wits University, She is survived by her four children, Mziwakhe, Ncal thing in the world.” where she met and married Mthetho Vilakazi (BProc Gomolemo, Xolani and Thando; grandchild Cordell; AMID Beckett was a master of grim humour, of 1989). siblings, and a large family which includes Coco, Chico, finding laughter amid bleakness – or should that be Her drive, passion and commitment to her work led Bruce and Rocky — her dogs. laughter at bleakness? It’s an important distinction. to a respected career. She served as an independent Sources: Matlapeng and Vilakazi families BLEAKNESS One implies compassion, optimism, comfort and camaraderie; the other suggests indifference, vindic- tiveness, meanness and the end of hope. SEE MORE AND FULL-LENGTH OBITUARIES ON THE ALUMNI WEBSITE: WWW.WITS.AC.ZA/ALUMNI/OBITUARIES/ Endgame and its better-known precursor, Waiting BY CHRIS THURMAN for Godot, were products of a particular historical

94 WITS REVIEW April 2021 95 WITS END Join us in celebrating

the real thing. Half of them are fabrications, and the other half are either recollections or WITS’ CENTENARY projections: the way we thought things were or the way we want things to be. Yet Magritte’s lesson has only really hit home for most of us through a over the past year – a year of seeing faces and places on screens but not in person. In the Age of Zoom (insert your preferred platform here: MS Teams, Google Meet, FaceTime, WhatsApp video call or ... a name uttered with dread by tech-phobic Wits staff and students in the early months of 2021 ... Canvas Conferences) we have to accept displacement as the working premise of our online interactions. I’m there where I am, but I’m not there; I’m here with you, but I’m not RENÉ MAGRITTE’S THE TREACHERY OF IMAGES UNDERMINED here. BY THE WORDS, “CECI N’EST PAS UNE PIPE” (“THIS IS NOT A A digital meeting makes the miraculous PIPE”) mundane, connecting people around the world without contributing to their carbon moment: the decade after the Second World War, in the footprints. As any teacher will tell you, however, a virtual shadow of the Cold War and the atomic bomb, when classroom just ain’t the same as a physical one. Sometimes the middle-aged Beckett (never the most sanguine of it feels like you spend a lot of energy trying to persuade Beques Irishmen) saw little in humanity’s future that encouraged your students that you’re not a cat – useful if you’re him. I wonder what he would have made of our current lecturing on art history, or trying to make a point about In 2022 Wits will celebrate 100 years since the global context. Nothing is funnier than unhappiness – American jurisprudence, but otherwise a distraction establishment of this great institution. We will celebrate but only because Beckett died before the advent of viral from the matter at hand. cat videos. Okay, I’m muddying the analogy here. You know what 100the many successes and achievements of our graduates It was almost inevitable that one of the defining imag- I mean: and 100 years of changing lives for the better. As we es of our digitally-driven Covid era would be a cat on a embark on the next century of impact, please consider Zoom call. Or rather, a lawyer on a Zoom call in a virtual “I think you’re on mute. Yes, you’re on mute.” supporting the university by including Wits in your will. court room, unable to turn off a filter and finding himself “Can you see my screen? I’m trying to share my uttering those immortal words: “I’m not a cat.” screen.” Options include gifts of money, property, life assurance It’s the plea that spawned a thousand memes. Notting “Sorry, I had to leave and come back again.” policies and other valuable items. Your foresight will Hill fans chuckled at Julia Roberts’ lines reconfigured: “You’re breaking up. You’ve frozen.” “I’m just a lawyer, standing in front of a judge, asking him “Can you hear me, judge? I’m not a cat.” enable the University to maintain and enhance its to believe that I’m not a cat.” Art aficionados congratulat- position as a leading university in South Africa, in Africa, ed themselves for getting a joke based on René Magritte’s This is the stuff of tragicomedy. Beckett would have and the world by sustaining globally competitive famous painting La Trahison Des Images, in which a pic- loved it; the funny side of unhappiness. The challenge standards of excellence in learning, teaching and ture of a pipe is undermined by the words, “Ceci n’est pas for all of us is to ensure that we never confuse laughing research. Every gift, whether large or small WILL MAKE une pipe” (“This is not a pipe”); this time round, it was a despite our frustration (which is really a form of laughing A DIFFERENCE. case of Ceci n’est pas un chat. at ourselves) with laughing at others’ misery. There is actually something profound in all this. When you’re in a cynical mood, there is something If you would like to discuss how you can leave a legacy Magritte’s painting, whose French title is commonly absurd about human beings and our attempts to commu- translated into English as The Treachery of Images, con- nicate. It’s laughable. And yet, precisely because we can’t at Wits University through a bequest, please contact: veys one of the core dilemmas of being human. We make ever know about the inner life of another person – wheth- images of the world we live in – the world as we see it, or er they are in the room with us or on the screen in front Justine Dangor on [email protected], would like it to be seen – and we share these with others. of us – maybe we should err on the side of earnestness. 011 717 9713 But those images are not themselves the world we live in;

they neither replace it nor fully represent it. Chris Thurman is Associate Professor in the English Department and We knew this before the Great Pause of 2020-21. Director of the Tsikinya-Chaka Centre (School of Literature, Language and Pictures on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are not Media) at Wits

96 WITS REVIEW April 2021 97 Build lives. Change futures WITS ANNUAL FUND We take great pride in the achievements of Wits graduates in all fields of endeavour. This is a legacy of Give the gift success we want to bequeath to future students. of education Donations to the Wits Annual Fund are used to ensure to future greater access to a world-class education. Every donation, no generations matter how small, makes a difference. of Witsies! Give to Wits today. The Wits Annual Fund is a discretionary endowment fund to support teaching and www.wits.ac.za/ research excellence, campus improvements annualfund and bursaries and scholarships

Enquiries: Peter Maher, Director - Alumni Relations [email protected] or [email protected] Tel: +27(11) 717 1092