South Africa is a complex piece of music that loops between the deep-rooted love of this land and consuming chaos and corruption. Its rhythm charges towards the brink of no return, then reaches out and rescues you, gently placing you on golden shores under southern skies. You lie there exhausted, warmed by the African sun. [...]
Escalating numbers of people in South Africa and worldwide are addicted to substances and destructive behaviours. What causes addiction? Why is it on the increase? What can be done about it? It’s year-end – a time when most of us feel licensed to let go and indulge. The pact we make with ourselves is that [...]
Nobody is better at managing fish stocks than those who actually catch fish. This is what it says on CatchReport, launched in October 2016, where recreational anglers voluntarily contribute to conserving South Africa's fish stocks and oceans by adding and sharing their catch data. CatchReport is housed on the FishforLife website (www.FishforLife.co.za). This is such [...]
This is the near future for many commuters in South Africa: you’ll drive to work in your electric vehicle (EV), travelling for up to about 200kms on one charge. Once you are at work, you’ll plug the EV charger from your vehicle into a renewable energy charging unit - it’s as simple as plugging an [...]
The Nedbank Green Wine Awards are all about recognising and supporting quality green South African wines and winemakers who are committed to sustainable wine production, environmental conservation and staff empowerment. In October 2016 the Nedbank Green Wine Awards honoured several Cape winemakers who are leading the way globally in the green wine movement. Two of [...]
Wits alumnus (BA 1984) Arthur Goldstuck, Head of World Wide Worx and Editor-in-chief of Gadget is a South African journalist, media analyst and commentator who talks to corporate audiences worldwide on technology trends that will shape the next decade. A school of pink jellyfish just floated through my world or I floated through theirs while [...]
It is not safe to build the proposed nuclear project at Thyspunt, and far more baseline research is required before any decisions should be made. These are the findings of a critical new research report released by the Africa Earth Observatory Network (AEON) institute at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) in Port Elizabeth. Based on [...]
This is the question addressed in a report released yesterday, titled ‘South Africa’s Technical Readiness to Support the Shale Gas Industry’, commissioned and funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST). The report, produced by the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), with inputs from a panel of leading South African and international [...]
The first time I visited the village of Hamburg in the Eastern Cape where the Keiskamma Music Academy is based, I was told about a man who traverses the coastal dunes on foot at night, creating patterns with his footprints in the sand. I was not at all sure if he was real but the [...]
Heritage. Whose heritage? Why preserve Heritage? These are major issues in contemporary South Africa and something that Wits alumnus James Ball (BA Hons 2011; MA 2012) daily explores. “Joburg is my spiritual home. I love this city. I love walking the streets, exploring the city and finding its hidden heritage secrets,” says James Ball, [...]
