30 Simon Gush: Land Labour Life
32 The toxic workplace and what to do about it
34 Burnt out?
36 Writing the AI-wrongs in Journalism
38 Retirement reimagined
40 Animals that work for us
42 Superpowers for disability access
44 Safeguarding sex work
COLUMN
46 Mathematics and work – educating for the future COLUMN
43 The human touch in an AI-driven writing world HISTORY
50 The Work of History
Work. It’s such a loaded word, isn’t it? It’s where most of us spend the bulk of our waking hours, how we pay the bills, and – hopefully – where we find some sense of purpose and community. But it’s also where we face stress, navigate change, and have those moments that make us rethink everything.
Take me, for example. I started out as a research scientist, completely fascinated by the world of microbes. I loved the thrill of discovery and analysing data. But fast forward, and today I’m the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research and Innovation at Wits. Now, my work is about strategy, leadership, and ensuring that research has a real-world impact. It’s a completely different kind of problem-solving – and one I never could’ve imagined for myself.
I’ll be honest, the transition was a big leap. But isn’t that life? Most of us end up on unpredictable career paths. The average person changes careers (not just jobs) three or more times in their lifetime. That’s wild, when you think about it, but also exciting, with each shift offering a brand-new world, with fresh challenges, opportunities, and lessons to learn.
In this issue of Curios.ty, there’s much to explore as we unpack what work means in all its forms. Artificial Intelligence is shaking up industries, offering incredible possibilities, but also sparking fears about job losses. How do we prepare for the evolving new
Curios.ty is Wits University's award-winning research magazine that explores innovative ideas, cutting-edge science, and thought-provoking discoveries. First published in May 2017, Curios.ty provides a platform for academics, researchers, and postgraduate students to share insights that tackle the pressing issues of our time. Each edition is themed and unpacks these topics in an accessible and engaging way, bringing research to life. The #WORK issue delves into the evolving nature of work, shaped by societal shifts, technological advances, and equity challenges. We examine how AI is revolutionising industries and raising ethical questions while exploring how to bridge South Africa’s skills gap in the face of higher education’s evolution. We highlight efforts to create inclusive, adaptable workplaces that prioritise equity and well-being. From navigating migration trends in South Africa to exploring life after retiring from professional sports, this edition delves into how work shapes mobility and identity. It celebrates entrepreneurial spirit among students, unpacks workplace dynamics such as burnout and toxic environments, and considers the role of algorithms in management. Provocative columns explore mathematics and AI in the world of work, and the enduring importance of human creativity in a digital age. Historical narratives and an artist profile reflect on the meaning of work across time. Together, these stories offer fresh perspectives on the past, present, and future of work.
world of work and ensure that no one gets left behind?
Education plays a huge role, especially in South Africa where inequality and our skills gap mean many young people are struggling to find meaningful work. Essential research will provide data to understand these challenges and insights to craft effective solutions. What skills will tomorrow’s workforce need? How can higher education adapt to prepare graduates for jobs that don’t even exist yet? And how do we create policies that ensure AI works for humanity and not against it?
Then there’s remote work – one of the biggest shifts in recent years. For some, it’s been a dream come true: no commuting, flexible hours, and escaping toxic environments. Let’s not ignore the downsides: endless online calls, blurred work-life boundaries, and feelings of isolation. Research is vital here too, to understand how remote work affects productivity, mental health, and equity.
Burnout is another growing concern. Even as we talk more openly about mental health, people are working themselves harder than ever. It makes one wonder when work stopped being about thriving and started feeling like just surviving? We need research to guide us toward healthier, more sustainable approaches that takes gender gaps, disability inclusion and the needs of the marginalised into consideration.
Work isn’t just about climbing corporate ladders or hitting deadlines. It’s about finding meaning and, sometimes, redefining what success looks like. The rise of side hustles and entrepreneurship show just how resourceful people can be. Even retirement is changing, providing the opportunity for many to reinvent themselves. Studying the “silver economy” can help us tap into the wisdom and experience of older workers while supporting their needs.
And let’s not forget nature. Worker bees, ants, and other creatures show us what collaboration and purpose look like in their purest form. Researching these natural systems can teach us lessons in efficiency, teamwork, and resilience.
So, what does work mean to you? Is it just a job, or something more? Whatever your answer, I hope that this issue of Curios.ty sparks some fresh ideas – and maybe even inspires you to take your next big leap.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my career journey, it’s this: Work isn’t static. It changes as we change. If we navigate that change with curiosity and intention, we can ensure that work evolves in ways that uplift us all.
Professor Lynn Morris Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Innovation
Professor Lynn Morris
Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Innovation
Dr Robin Drennan Director: Research and Development
Shirona Patel Head: Communications
Schalk Mouton
Senior Communications Officer and Curios.ty Editor
Deborah Minors
Senior Communications Officer and Curios.ty Co-Editor
Erna Van Wyk
Senior Multimedia Communications Officer and Curios.ty Digital Director
Chanté Schatz
Multimedia Communications Officer and Curios.ty
Photographer and Picture Editor
Wendy Mothata
Social Media Officer
Ntando Hoza
Communications Intern
SUB-EDITOR
Deryn Graham
COVER DESIGN AND ILLUSTRATIONS
Lauren Mulligan
LAYOUT AND DESIGN
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All material in this publication is copyrighted and all rights are reserved. Reproduction of any part of the publication is permitted only with the express written permission of Shirona Patel, the Head of Communications at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily the views of the University, nor its management or governance structures. © 2024
Stephanie Matseleng Allais is the Research Chair of Skills Development and Professor of Education in the Centre for Researching Education and Labour at Wits University. Her research is located in International and Comparative Education, and Education and Development, focused on relationships between education and work. Her research focuses both on political economy of transitions from education to work and curriculum, and knowledge aspects of educational preparation for work, with a focus on developing countries.
Adjunct Professor Demitri Constantinou, MD, is a sport and exercise physician in the Department of Exercise Science and Sports Medicine in the Wits Faculty of Health Sciences. His research spans clinical sports medicine, sports cardiology, and doping in sports. He is a National Research Foundation C-rated researcher in the health and medical sciences and his specialisations include sports-doping, exercise therapy, sports cardiology, and sports performance. With over 80 publications, including peerreviewed articles, book chapters, and abstracts, he is recognised by local and international experts.
Ebrahim-Khalil Hassen is a Senior Researcher and co-theme lead for the Inclusive Economies Programme at the Gauteng City-Region Observatory (GCRO). His research and advocacy work seeks to find evidence-based alternatives to structural inequality and unemployment. At the GCRO, he leads a multidisciplinary team that is constructing alternatives for public procurement reform. These reforms aim to address corruption, sustainability and support small business. This work informs and is informed by a project seeking to grow employment in Gauteng, and in South Africa, in the context of an unequal society.
Bridget Kenny is a Professor of Sociology in the School of Social Sciences at Wits University. She works on labour, gender, race and urban space, with specific focus on service work, precarious employment,
work and technology and political subjectivity in South Africa historically and today. Her books include Retail Worker Politics, Race and Consumption in South Africa: Shelved in the Service Economy (Palgrave Macmillan, 2018) and the co-edited Wal-Mart in the Global South (University of Texas Press, 2018).
Jane Ndlovu is a Chartered Accountant (SA), a 2023 Wits Female Academic Leaders Fellow (FALF), and Senior Lecturer in the Wits Margo Steele School of Accountancy. Her research focuses on South African tax policy, exploring key areas such as digital services tax, VAT in e-commerce, environmental taxation, and tax justice with a focus on gender equity. She has published widely in journals including in the Journal of Law, Society and Development, Journal of Economic and Financial Services, New Agenda, Intertax, and International Tax Studies.
Dr Zintle Ntshongwana has been a Lecturer in the Department of Social Work at Wits University since 2022. She was previously a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Fort Hare, where she earned her PhD as well as undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Social Work. Her research interests include family social work, foster care, domestic and genderbased violence, and disability. She is a Wits Female Academic Leaders Fellow (FALF) and in 2023 received research recognition from the Wits Faculty of Humanities.
Associate Professor Chevonne Reynolds brings her enthusiasm for winged creatures to the School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences at Wits University. While primarily focused on bird research, she is equally invested in studying bees, bats, and dung beetles. Her work harnesses the power of citizen science and remote sensing to understand how these species adapt to human-modified landscapes. A self-described BBBBs researcher (birds, bees, bats, and beetles), Reynolds combines field ecology, big data, and statistical modelling to understand our complex socio-ecological landscapes.
Marthinus (Marius) van Staden is an Associate Professor in the Wits School of Law. His research focuses on the public law aspects of labour law, particularly statutory interpretation and constitutional law. He examines the intersection of labour rights and social justice in South Africa, with emphasis on vulnerable workers’ rights and workplace discrimination. He has published extensively in leading journals and is a National Research Foundation-rated researcher. His work explores how public law shapes labour relations in an evolving technological landscape.
Modern universities need to equip their graduates with both degrees in their chosen academic fields as well as the skills that enable them to take their place in society. What impact does the changing world of work have on how higher education is delivered?
University teaching is no longer business as usual. Students are entering the hallowed halls of learning with a very different approach from those of 20 years ago. These digital natives are astute in navigating the complexities of the learning environment and learn very differently from those who responded to the old ‘chalk and talk’ style of teaching.
Higher education institutions must keep pace with the world in which these students live and learn and the one in which they will eventually work, providing an education that is future facing. As just one example, the modern workplace demands the ability to work independently and in hybrid mode. In this new world, greater pressure is placed on higher education institutions to stay relevant, and nurture graduates that can hit the ground running in a highly technical and competitive job market.
For Professor Ruksana Osman, Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic at Wits whose association with the University spans forty years, while the fourth industrial revolution, digital transformation, Covid-19 and many other external factors are pushing higher education institutions to evolve, it is this University’s core values of academic excellence, a commitment to enabling students to learn and student success that will ensure its relevance in the 21st Century and beyond.
“The fundamental question is what it means to be a university today,” says Osman. “The answer is that it needs to be more than an institute of learning; it needs to equip graduates to combine their academic learning with values and attributes that will help them beyond academia.”
Wits Senior Director: Academic Affairs, Professor Nicole de Wet Billings recently presented the latest iteration of the University’s Learning and Teaching Strategic Plan 2025-2029 which is responsive to current academic and workplace trends. “There is immense pressure on the University to make sure that our students graduate with degrees and skills that will add value to society. Today, the University is more student centred, looking to develop self-directed graduates who are driven and who pursue meaningful employment opportunities, or even create them themselves,” she says.
But finding the time to innovate within the structures of higher learning is a challenge in itself, according to Reuben Dlamini, Associate Professor in Educational Information and Engineering Technology in the Wits School of Education. He believes that there are structural constraints that stymy pedagogical innovation and resource constraints that inhibit change at a rate which matches the outside world.
Dlamini believes that wieldy processes in public universities and their traditional approach to learning and teaching mean that it takes long to change direction – a bit like trying to steer the Titanic – and that coming up with policies and frameworks that accommodate new curricula is a challenge.
All agree that universities need to stop talking about ‘fields of expertise’ and start thinking laterally and critically. In the new world of work that confronts graduates, those with critical thinking skills will secure employment and find meaning for themselves. For this reason, despite the demands of the technically and digitally driven world of work, no one believes that degrees in the arts and the humanities will become obsolete any time soon.
“Some of the best computer programmers and data analysts come from the schools of philosophy and linguistics,” Dlamini says.
With inputs from faculties, the Centre for Learning, Teaching and Development as well as representatives from the SRC, the Wits
Learning and Teaching Strategic Plan continues Wits’ shift from thinking simplistically in terms of “pass or fail” outcomes to a focus on holistic student success and lifelong learning. Higher education today goes far beyond a single degree, offering opportunities through short courses, and soon, micro credentials, to upskill to meet work and personal growth goals. It makes sense therefore that institutions of higher learning, including Wits, have relationships with professional bodies, industries and other organisations to provide quality course content.
“The University is not, however, in the service of industry,” says Osman. “Our core responsibility is still to deliver relevant and quality curricula in all disciplines and fields of study.”
In terms of the higher education revolution, there could be a much greater integration of technology in education, according to Dlamini. Commerce and industry are way ahead of public education institutions in their technological knowledge and equipment, and so the challenge is how to position these new technologies into higher learning when some academics are fearful of their encroachment.
The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) may dismay many, but Osman believes that if a university uses multiple forms of assessing students’ work, they have nothing to fear about their use and incorporation into today’s classroom.
De Wet Billings agrees. “We have to be clear about that which we want our graduates to leave. Our course content needs to be socially just in order for us to nurture socially just leaders.”
A revolution in new methodologies, new ideas and new technologies in teaching and learning is already underway, transforming the country’s higher education landscape. C
Wits has always offered a range of short courses across different departments and disciplines, but these may no longer accommodate today’s busy lives and schedules. Professor Frikkie Booysen, a health economist who is also Chair of the University’s Microcredentials Working Group, believes that offering shorter courses using various modalities including online and on demand teaching, will meet the spatial and temporal challenges of those seeking to upskill themselves.
One in five higher education institutions currently offers microcredentials, according to Booysen, but for others the switch from academic teaching to teaching skills competency will require them to acquire new skills as they embark on this important journey.
As higher education institutions seek to become hubs of lifelong learning and not simply producers of single degree graduates, providing additional resources to run microcredential courses is critical. In addition, more research into market demand for specific content, and quality assurance, is required. The South African Qualifications Authority already has a task team working on microcredential development to ensure quality.
In a recent call for expressions of interest in running pilot microcredential courses, Wits received five applications, including one from Booysen’s own School of Economics and Finance. A further two came from the same faculty’s School of Governance and the Wits Business School and two from the School of Languages.
“The challenge is to identify the competencies that the economy requires, design the content and then work out how to assess those competencies,” says Booysen.
WitsPlus (PTY) Ltd is the home of short courses and is a private company wholly owned by the University. “With declining government subsidies, micro credentials offer an additional revenue stream for the University as well as adding value for pre and postgraduates,” says Booysen.
If the role of technology, automation, and specifically artificial intelligence (AI) is to perform tasks as well as, or better, than people, what is the future for humans in the world of work?
Deryn Graham looks at the myths and realities, risks and opportunities posed by the adoption of AI.
In Disney’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Mickey Mouse employs the services of a broom to help him more efficiently fill a cauldron with water. The broom misses the brief and even when the cauldron is full, continues to bring in bucket after bucket of water. Unable to halt the broom’s advance, Mickey takes an axe to it, but each of the splintered pieces forms a new broom, and soon the place is overrun with over enthusiastic brooms and flooded with water.
This story has been used as an analogy for AI taking over jobs, after humans have used it to improve productivity. Humans, it is predicted by AI’s detractors, will ultimately be taken over by machines (or brooms).
Dr Steven James, Senior Lecturer in the School of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics quotes British sci-fi writer Arthur C Clarke who said, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic” and it is this mystification around AI and its uses and applications that is driving the myths around how far it may eventually take us.
“It’s common for most technologies to be overestimated in the short term and underestimated in the long term,” says James. “But AI is showing signs of diminishing returns; having ingested all of the data on the internet, we are starting to see a slowdown in the improvement of these systems. When there is no more data from which to draw, there will be no new outputs, making AI less than intelligent in the human sense,” he says.
Although the displacement of humans in favour of AI, bots and other automated functions may have been hyped, it is certain that, like the internet 40 years ago, new technology has changed the world of work irrevocably However, it is said that in the next decade, most work roles are not at risk from AI, but from a human who knows how to use AI better than you do. After that, it’s impossible to say
where AI may take us. People are still only dabbling in AI and large language models such as ChatGPT, with few fully fledged, scalable systems in commercial use, so keep your eye on your colleague and not necessarily company strategy around AI.
Fears around humans being supplanted by AI en masse are mere extrapolations of far-fetched scenarios. People who are surprised by how good ChatGPT and other large language models are, are likely to speculate and imagine ‘what else it can do’. But it is precisely language that sets humans apart from animals –and technology – and AI does not have a human’s nuanced understanding of a question or a prompt. Anthropomorphising technology is a mistake, says James, and ascribing to it human capabilities is simply good marketing on the part of its creators. When we prompt ChatGPT and it takes a moment to respond, it isn’t ‘thinking’, it’s ‘processing’ and studies have shown that using ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ doesn’t necessarily change AI’s output. No one ever used these social niceties with Google.
James believes that in fact, labelling these language models as ‘artificial intelligence’ is a misnomer. They are not intelligent in the way that humans are intelligent and should rather be called a ‘machine learning tool for language’ or a ‘machine learning tool for hiring’, or a machine learning tool for whatever function it is being deployed.
If machine automation has changed the workplace for blue collar workers, mechanising factory production lines, agricultural and other mundane, repetitive tasks, the fear is that it is now coming for white collar jobs. Some believe that this will result in the death of creativity, the erosion of critical thinking and increased job inequality and polarisation.
“AI unlocks human potential that has been stymied by social circumstances, bringing more people into the formal economy, creating new jobs.”
Bruce Mellado, Professor in the School of Physics believes that AI is simply a tool for improving efficiency and production and cannot be blamed for job losses. “We can’t blame inequality and unemployment on AI or machines, but on an unequal society and an imbalance in economic structures,” he says.
For Mellado, the critical question is the purpose for which technology is used, which should be for the enrichment of the many and not the few. In mining, technology has replaced some functions, but it can also be used to detect exhaustion in workers, potential hazards and dangers and therefore save lives and so is a good thing. “We need to judge AI on a case-by-case basis, find its responsible application and how and where it can help and do good,” he says. “If the goal is simply profit, there is no doubt jobs will be lost.”
Benjamin Rosman, Professor of Machine Learning and Robotics in the School of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics and Director of the recently established Wits Machine Intelligence and Neural Discovery (MIND) Institute believes that for the many millions of people tied to the yoke of daily work drudgery in return for wages that barely keep them alive, technological advancements offer an opportunity for a societal re-set and review of the meaning of work-life balance.
As AI automates more work functions, Rosman says that this could free manual workers to pursue other opportunities that have the potential to make them more money with a greater sense of personal fulfilment. For example, AI gives people who have not had the advantage of education the opportunity to construct a business model from a modest idea. It can help propel a small business to greater heights. It can model financial projections, enabling people to look more successfully for funding for a business start-up. AI unlocks human potential that has been stymied by social circumstances, bringing more people into the formal economy, creating new jobs. AI gives people the freedom to innovate, and to create a strong gig economy, already part of South Africa’s work landscape.
Rosman doesn’t believe that there are many jobs which AI won’t be able to do in the future, and this poses an existential crisis for the world of work. AI affects the prospects of all employees, but rather than running off to retrain and reskill ourselves, he says, like Mellado, that it would be better to rethink and reimagine the structure of society and the economy. The expanding uses of AI means that there has never been a better time to realise dreams with fewer resources.
Much has been made of AI taking creative jobs driving Hollywood writers and the Actors’ Guild to go on strike in protest. But AI is not creative insofar as it cannot write with a distinct ‘voice’ shaped by human insight. It is unable to apply different literary devices, wit or subtlety to its output. It’s humans who give nuance as they finetune the work of AI and so it’s unlikely to replace many of the roles that go into producing a movie, a stage play, or even a novel. The Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strike showed the power of labour unions in being part of discussions and contractual negotiations about who controls AI and how it will be used.
Labour in all sectors needs to be involved and have input into how AI technologies are deployed, bringing better efficiencies and productivity, cost reductions and improvements to the bottom line without jeopardising jobs. Freeing workers up from performing repetitive tasks allows them to move into bigger, more complex roles, developing a more, not less, skilled workforce.
The question is what we do in an age when there are more resources available but fewer jobs. According to Rosman, we re-think how we derive value from our lives. In the end, it’s entirely up to humans to craft the future we want to see, including the uses and purpose for which we deploy AI.
Sam Altman, CEO of Open AI said, “No one is ever going to be replaced, but jobs are definitely going to go away”. The question is how we use AI to boost innovation and create opportunities while reducing the risks to people’s chances of meaningful employment.
Who controls AI and how it’s used is critical in shaping the future of work, and is something in which multiple stakeholders including government, labour unions, lawmakers, and the public and private sectors need to be involved. C
DERYN GRAHAM
The number of unemployed South Africans, which includes thousands of graduates, raises concerns about a skills mismatch between tertiary education outputs and business demands. Are we adequately training young people for the labour market, or do we need to review our approach to education and training?
According to the Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training Dr Mimmy Gondwe, education is a means to an end and not an end in itself. The end goal, of course, is employment, but for many graduates, jobs are elusive, and years after graduation, they remain without work.
But is there really a skills gap or does the problem lie elsewhere?
According to Ebrahim-Khalil Hassen, Senior Researcher at the Gauteng City-Region Observatory (GCRO), in order to meet the private sector’s employment demands, tertiary institutions need to balance managerial training and functional competency with academic excellence. “We need to create career pathways from hard skills to more general managerial training,” he says.
The Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) are in theory meant to drive reporting on skills demand in their respective industries, although their own skills in achieving this are patchy. Stephanie Allais, Professor of Education and Research Chair of Skills Development at the Centre for Researching Education and Labour, has written extensively about the shortcomings of the SETAs.
“South Africa has a skills crisis, and our education system isn’t meeting the needs of the economy.”
“The process is too complex with too many tools to do too many things, rendering it ineffectual,” she says. “The data coming from employers is poor, and this feeds into poor reporting and so skills development funding goes to the wrong places.” She also claims that SETAs tend to go through box- ticking exercises, reporting skills deficits only in areas in which they are already equipped to train, as this earns them their subsidies. In addition, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) lie outside skills sector planning and their needs are not factored in.
“Funding models for Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions (TVETS) and vocational training are also complex and so, given that a university degree is still seen as increasing graduates’ prospects of getting a job, those that can, go to university,” she says. However, she believes, while vocational colleges can’t solve youth unemployment and plug all the gaps, they can play an important role in the economy if they are funded more efficiently and if they had a clearer mandate.
In his 2024 State of the Nation speech, President Ramaphosa spoke about a 'demand led' approach to job creation, launching the National Pathway Management Network which aggregates learning and earning opportunities on a single platform. Here young people can match their skills with jobs and access a range of support services.
Another government initiative is the Labour Market Intelligence Partnership (LMI) which aims to ‘integrate skills planning with government strategies and plans in order to produce a capable
“Given that a university degree is still seen as increasing graduates’ prospects of getting a job, those that can, go to university.”
workforce to achieve an inclusive growth path’. Their manifesto goes on to say that ‘LMI ensures that skills are not a constraint on economic growth and promotes the use of labour market intelligence for skills provisioning’. Launched in 2012, the success of this programme is debatable.
If it’s entrepreneurial endeavour that is going to be the job creator of the future – picking up some of the slack in the labour market – then South Africa is in trouble. While we have great, innovative minds, legislative barriers to establishing a company are high and the track record of small businesses making it past year one is poor. The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor shows that we score highly for start-ups, but low for established businesses, and this must be a concern.
“We are an industrious nation, but South Africa is a difficult place in which to succeed and so we are not developing the jobs in the SME sector that we should be,” says Hassen. “The fact is that we have a concentrated economy dominated by a number of large companies.”
Without a transition of asset holdings, the jobs and skills market will intrinsically be bound to their needs.
Hassen believes that we will only build new assets by looking for a better return on investment on education. Allais puts it more bluntly, “South Africa has a skills crisis, and our education system isn’t meeting the needs of the economy.”
Beyond the skills crisis, the socio-political landscape, too, impacts who gets to work. On claims that ‘automation and foreigners are taking jobs and widening the skills gap’, Hassen says, “The introduction into basic education of subjects such as robotics and coding, and the Basic Education Laws Amendment [BELA] Act making Grade R compulsory, will go a long way to addressing skills deficits, but only in the future.” As for xenophobic accusations that foreigners are taking South African jobs, he believes that a society that attracts skills from overseas is better than an insular one, and that we mustn’t scapegoat foreigners for our unemployment crisis.
One proposal to meet the skills gap challenge is the provision of a universal basic income grant. Hassen believes that such a grant would put recipients on a path to economic activity, eventually funnelling some of them into the jobs market. “Make everyone part of the economy, and the opportunities for acquiring skills will be more equitably distributed,” he says.
South Africa undoubtedly needs a programme of re- and up-skilling of the existing workforce, structural change to increase job opportunities, and a more innovative form of capitalism if we are going to address our skills deficit and a state of persistent unemployment. C
UFRIEDA HO
The digital revolution is opening up previously unimagined opportunities, making them a reality, but it also comes with the threat of leaving the most vulnerable workers behind. Striking the right balance will ensure human beings are still in control of their livelihoods.
The future of work may look like algorithms will be doing the hard graft, but in reality, it may be less a case of humans being able to sit back and do less than of human workers becoming increasingly invisible.
It’s a trade-off, but one that researchers say deserves greater pause and considered intervention. What comes next in our digital future must be a better understanding of its impact on workers and consumers. We need appropriate and implementable regulations and protection to ensure that workers are an integrated component of a productive digital economy, and that they do not slip further through the cracks, becoming more vulnerable in the process.
A recent research project by Professor Bridget Kenny of the Department of Sociology has focused on the experiences of warehouse workers who are employed by a large online shopping platform and how algorithmic management affects e-commerce logistics. Kenny’s research interest spans labour, unions, gender, race, and consumption with a specific focus on service work,
precarious employment, and political subjectivity in South Africa.
Kenny describes a typical day for a warehouse worker who takes instructions from algorithms. Through this lens she highlights new workplace stresses, greater precarity for workers and more erosion of their rights.
“Workers start their shifts with instructions given to them with a handheld scanner or via a cell phone app. They are given a set of tasks to pick and pack for an order, collecting items that are identified by a barcode or QR code from different parts of a warehouse. Packers are dispersed throughout the whole warehouse and the time they take to complete each task is monitored through the app,” says Kenny.
She says this reorganisation of workflow has contributed to one of the most significant disruptions: removing the knowledge and command of a job from workers.
“New technology has broken up knowledge of the job and taken it away from the worker. In the past, a worker would perhaps have known where to find items because they knew the layout of
a warehouse. They would have control over the tempo of picking and packing and were able to keep in their own mind the order of the collecting, packing, and dispersing. Now it’s a case of following an instruction that is algorithmically managed and being tracked,” says Kenny.
Kenny says workplace dynamics have also shifted. For instance, she says, when workers may in the past have been able to help a co-worker with a task, they are no longer able to do so because of how the app controls them.
“Everything requires a sign-in under an individual’s name. It means that people are reluctant to help out, or can’t because they would be held personally responsible,” she says.
In her case study, the majority of workers are employed by labour brokers. This, combined with how supervisors can pull people off shifts with little notice means workers don’t know how much work they will get or how money they are likely to make in a month.
Kenny says these kinds of reconfigurations have caused more workplace stress and anxiety and have also left the digital workforce more fragmented. It raises concerns, she says, about workers’ rights and their ability to organise or mobilise collectively.
Researchers from the Future of Work(ers) Research Group at the Southern Centre for Inequality Studies (SCIS) have homed in on the need for workers and unions to reorganise differently in these new digital economies. Public policy must also play a greater role. In addition, there needs to be a deeper awareness and understanding by end consumers of the real cost to the invisible workforce of consumer convenience - of same day delivery, getting a ride home via an app at 3am, or the guarantee of a pizza arriving sizzling hot “or your money back.”
The late Professor Edward Webster and Dr Ruth Castel-Branco wrote in The Conversation in November 2022 arguing for the role of unions to be bolstered – not rendered less relevant – in the advancing digital age. But the pair noted that this comes with significant challenges as trust in unions wanes, and union memberships decline globally as established trade unions remain reluctant to organise platform workers.
“Platform workers are geographically dispersed and work in an individualised manner, which makes collective claim-making difficult. The elusive nature of algorithmic management muddies the nature of demands. And the misclassification of platform workers as self-employed means that it is not always clear who they should make claims from,” the article says.
But the SCIS researchers and Kenny argue that workers do have power precisely through protest via the platforms themselves. It could be digital go-slows or a digital downing of tools by logging off the app as a collective. Examples of this have included e-hailing drivers logging off the app for a day to raise awareness about their working conditions.
Professor Gregory Lee of the Wits Business School lectures and writes on digital business, human resources, and business analytics. For Lee there is a need to reframe the narrative of artificial intelligence (AI) coming for jobs. Lee says it would be more helpful to push for targeted and enabling regulatory
“We need appropriate and implementable regulations and protection.”
frameworks and to ensure that South Africa can assist more people in making the transition into a digital future.
“There are positive findings from new research that says that automation may actually add more employment than it destroys. Of course, there is a caveat that job creation in automation is unequal across a digital and skills divide,” says Lee.
He adds though that to begin with there may be more sideways employment, particularly among workers who have more manual skills, and especially in the construction and infrastructure sector. Even the building of smart cities still needs the muscle of those who dig trenches, lay pipes and support maintenance and repair programmes.
Lee says the thinking should be around finding new opportunities rather than just counting how many jobs are being lost to obsolescence. His example includes regional e-commerce businesses such as the supply of dry goods from South Africa to its neighbours. Rather than seeking to compete against Chinese e-commerce giants, the model could focus instead on different product offerings that it can bring to an untapped market.
He also says that there is a way to master AI in the workplace - including knowing when to turn it off. One of his projects is looking at getting workplaces periodically to “switch off” AI. It’s a trial to allow workers to intuit and create with more freedom, but also to know that AI remains an available tool.
“The digital future is not all bad. What I'm seeing is fundamental reorganisation in the way people do work. We have many things to get right still, but some of what is already happening is profoundly good,” Lee says. C
We cheer them on to the finish line, but what happens to pro athletes after their last race?
There’s a reason entire nations rally behind sports teams, why elite athletes clinch endorsement deals worth millions, and why Olympians train four years for a race that’s over in mere seconds. Few things showcase the awe-inspiring capabilities of the human body and the power of mental endurance as well as professional sports.
But the reality is that any peak is followed by an inevitable downhill trudge. For many elite athletes, the glory lasts just a few years before retirement becomes inevitable. Some find success in other fields. Former soccer player David Beckham founded multi-million-dollar fashion and fragrance lines, Terry Crews became a star on shows like Brooklyn Nine-Nine after leaving pro football behind, and the name George Foreman is today more synonymous with a grill than with boxing.
But many struggle with the transition. What does it take to leave the sporting arena and start a successful second career?
Adjunct Professor Demitri Constantinou, MD, is a specialist in Sport and Exercise Medicine and Founding Director of the Centre for Exercise Science and Sports Medicine at Wits. He says that the human body starts its biological decline around the age of 30 and, unfortunately, athletic performance will usually start declining then too. “In some sports, such as gymnastics or contact sports, this can happen even earlier due to the physical stresses placed on the body and the training volume required.”
“Studies show that athletes who are forced to retire are more likely to report symptoms of distress, depression, and sleep disturbances.”
This means that most athletes are in a precarious position. Not only is a sporting career short by default, but one bad injury can end it suddenly and prematurely, followed by possible disaster.
“An abrupt end due to injury often leaves athletes stuck, with endorsements and income suddenly coming to a halt, and no other skills or options to fall back on,” says Constantinou. “Pro athletes are quite young, which is part of the problem – they often don’t yet have the life skills and maturity to foresee that sport won’t be their life forever, and they don’t consider the long term. On top of that, elite sport is all-consuming. They train and exercise and read and think about sport from the moment they wake up, leaving little capacity for back-up plans.”
An abrupt end to a sporting career can be overwhelming for an athlete, says Rezana Hoosain, Academic Support and psychologist in Wits Sport. “There is a deep sense of loss that athletes grieve.
Depending on the circumstances, there’s a range of emotions they may struggle with – a lack of purpose, feeling lost without the sport, frustration, worry about the future, financial concerns, feelings of worthlessness, anger, anxiety, and depression. Studies show that athletes who are forced to retire are more likely to report symptoms of distress, depression, and sleep disturbances, and have a worse quality of life and lower life satisfaction than athletes who retire on their own terms.”
But even for those who plan for it, a retirement from sport is a very harsh transition, she says, leaving former athletes questioning their purpose and identity while finding ways to generate an income.
The good news is that the skills learned in a high-performance environment such as elite sport can benefit an athlete in any other career, says Hoosain. “Grit, determination, mental toughness, the ability to set goals and follow through, and coping with pressure can definitely support their transition into a new career.”
Kwanele Ngema, a former Wits rugby player, says this was the case for him. “Starting my new career as an educator was not a challenge, practically speaking. Rugby taught me discipline –waking up early to attend gym, completing assignments ahead of time because of my demanding schedule. I took those skills and
applied them in my new context.”
But the transition was emotionally demanding, he says. “I was hoping to get a professional contract and even put my Master’s aside so that I could give rugby my undivided attention. But it didn’t materialise. It was a tough pill to swallow, having given up so much in pursuit of rugby. I felt I had done everything necessary to become a professional player. My family and mentor carried me during those times, and my friends were constant reminders that there is life outside rugby.”
Ngema pulled himself up by the proverbial bootstraps, applied himself to his studies, and is now an educator at Kearsney College, and proud coach of a new generation of athletes for the Sharks and Springboks development programmes.
His advice to elite athletes is to invest time in other passions outside of sport. “Remember that sport is what you do, not who you are. Use the opportunities it gives you, and when it’s over, enjoy your new life – be present in every second.”
Like Ngema, former athletes often find ways to remain involved in their sport and use their skills in new roles, says Constantinou. “Many also make a career of it, becoming coaches, managers, or sports administrators. A sporting career won’t last forever, but those skills can be useful.”
Ultimately, everyone’s personal journey will be different. C
TOP TIPS TO NAVIGATE WORK LIFE AFTER PRO SPORT Hoosain has this advice for athletes, whether they’re in the throes of their sport or when considering a new future:
• Set goals in your career and personal life. This will help you find a new life path after sport, whether that means studying further, starting a business, or mentoring other athletes.
• Invest in relationships with family and friends, and in broader society. A good support system can greatly impact the adjustment to post-sport life.
• Seek support. Whether a psychologist, financial planner, or mentor, find someone who can provide guidance where needed.
Constantinou believes sporting federations, managers, and even fans have a role to play, too. “Our sporting heroes give us a lot. They entertain us and they contribute to society –just look how the country rallies when the Boks or Bafana play. There should be more support for their post-sport careers while they’re playing. We owe it to them to care about their futures, too.”
The rise of remote and hybrid working practices post-pandemic has led to an interesting shift in population growth across South Africa.
Statistical surprises. This is how the 2022 Census was described when the data came in, revealing some unusual population trends. One of the most interesting facts was that traditional areas – those outside of the central business districts – saw population growth of 3.5 million people between 2011 and 2022 compared with 400 000 between 2001 and 2011.
This movement is reflected in Gauteng’s figures – the province’s population only grew by 1.9% in compound annual growth rate in the same period, significantly slower than the 2.7% of 2001-2011 and the 4.3% of 1996-2001.
This changing pattern of population movement is, says Graeme Götz, Director of Research Strategy at the Gauteng City-Region Observatory (GCRO), an interesting phenomenon that goes beyond post-pandemic workers moving to Zoom towns – towns that have grown in popularity and size based on access to remote working tools such as Zoom.
“The census data has of course been questioned,” Götz says. “But even with its challenges it may still provide an overall sense
of where big population growth and big declines are taking place.” Götz says that parts of the Western and Northern Cape are declining, as well as stretches from the Eastern Cape to KwaZulu-Natal, and there is low growth in the Free State and North West Province.
“Some parts of Gauteng are growing quickly, but Johannesburg is seemingly growing slowly. There’s a reverse migration trend happening,” says Götz. “You would think it would be the wealthy whites looking to migrate to another province, but the data shows that the higher proportion wanting to migrate out from Gauteng are actually from depressed inner-city areas, informal settlements and some townships.”
The GCRO Quality of Life Survey 7 (2023/2024) found that Gauteng’s quality of life isn’t what it should be and that Gauteng residents are less satisfied, feel more uncertain, and are under increased financial pressure.
Götz uses the example of the Bushbuckridge Municipality in the Ehlanzeni District of Mpumalanga to illustrate how this change is reflected within a specific area. “This once rural municipality is
seeing a dramatic transformation with mansions going up across a vast, extended landscape, and with large malls being built to support them. It used to be an area in decline going down at a minus 1.7% growth rate between 2001-2011, and now it’s at a growth rate of 3.6% per annum.”
It's a picture of urban growth in a previously rural area that reflects shifting perceptions around trust, community and wellbeing within urban environments. However, this movement from urban to peri-urban or more rural environments isn’t exclusively driven by dissatisfaction – it is also powered by the hangover from the pandemic when remote working reimagined geography and the boundaries of work.
Professor Mark Collinson, a Reader at MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (MRC/WitsAgincourt), explains: “The geography of work is affected by how far away people live from the workplace. It’s distant living – we call it temporary migration but what we have found is that young people are the ones most likely to migrate. There has also been a very dynamic ascendancy of young women migrating to cities.”
“There’s been an explosion in festivals taking place in small towns all over the country.”
Collinson and Dr Carren Ginsburg, a Senior Researcher at MRCWits-Agincourt, have been examining the movements of people from rural districts and have found that in addition to movement to urban metros, there is a lot of mobility among young adults, post-school, to smaller towns or industrial towns, to access employment. This is perhaps one of the biggest drivers of semigration in the country.
“There’s often this perception that movement is rural to urban with everybody moving into the big cities, but we see a lot of mobility that’s rural to rural, or from rural areas to smaller towns,” says Ginsburg. “It’s not exclusively the case of people flocking to Gauteng. Some of the movement is to access education, but mobility is a vital livelihood strategy due to the limited opportunities for employment locally.”
It’s a sentiment echoed by Collinson, who says: “Some small towns are vivifying because there’s work there. Small towns are linked to bigger towns and to the metropolis as well. We don’t see these as disconnected from one another. It’s more about how fluid people’s movements are, but their movements are also affected by the reality that small towns are growing.”
Collinson points out that many small towns are decaying because they can’t sustain an economy, highlighting areas of the Eastern Cape. As they decline, people are moving to areas like the northeast of the country, which are seeing population and economic growth. “They can find work as game guides or in the tourism industry, and these roles are increasing with people migrating to work in these sectors,” he says.
Another aspect to this shift in growth comes from the ongoing investment by small towns in their own success stories. As Alan Mabin, Emeritus Professor in the School of Architecture and Planning says, “There’s been an explosion in festivals taking place in small towns all over the country. Cradock [Nxuba], for example, has become the capital of Karoo small town festivals, and in Riebeek-Kasteel, there’s an event called Solo Studios that highlights the rapidly growing communities of artists in these small towns.”
Some municipalities are engaging with locals to develop deeper tourism strategies and in a few cases, says Mabin, that connects with an idea that was exciting 20 years ago – local economic development (LED). Today, however, LED is more fine-grained and starting to deliver some exciting results – despite the dysfunction of local governments and little real support from other spheres. Those changes overlap with the migration of professionals from cities to places where good internet access enables people to work globally from Zoom towns.
“There are lots of tensions that emerge between local initiatives and what agencies may be up to,” says Mabin. “There’s one of my favourite stories of the DA councillor in Aberdeen in the Karoo who was taken to court for repainting fading road markings in the town. As a result, overall, we do not have success in all small-town revival strategies, but there are examples where things are really changing.” C
SAMANTHA HERBST
Although South Africa still faces severe headwinds regarding workplace equity, there seems to be a broader societal shift towards tackling these persistent issues. Here’s what Wits is doing at an institutional level, and how the University’s work filters into the country’s broader work environment.
The progressive 1954 Women’s Charter understood workplace equity as more than just a policy statement; it defined it as a commitment to fairness, inclusivity, and support for people across gender, race, ability, and identity.
Now, some 70 years after it was first drafted, how far have we come in meeting its basic demands?
Senior Lecturer at Wits’ Margo Steele School of Accountancy, Dr Jane Ndlovu, whose current research focuses on the role of tax policy in securing gender equity, believes it’s necessary to acknowledge the differences between equity and equality.
“Equality assumes uniform treatment, where everyone receives the same opportunities. But this overlooks the unique needs and challenges that individuals face,” she says.
Ndlovu defines an equitable workplace as one that recognises differences, distributes resources proportionately, and seeks to support individuals in the ways that they need. However, to foster an environment in which everyone can thrive, she stresses the need simultaneously to pursue justice. This means directly addressing the causes of inequity and working to dismantle systemic barriers that have historically disadvantaged certain groups of people.
As part of her research, Ndlovu has been exploring the powerful role of tax policies and incentives, and how they can help engender a more equitable environment.
“Tax incentives that encourage companies to implement family-friendly policies – like childcare support, flexible work arrangements, and remote work options – could potentially reduce the financial barriers currently facing women in the workplace,” she says.
This would also address the disproportionate impact of caregiving responsibilities that fall largely on women, especially those of colour. Without support from family, government and employers, these women typically take a step back from their studies or careers, reduce their working hours, or even resign from employment to stay at home to care for their children.
Under the direction of the late Dr Prishani Naidoo, the work of Wits’ Society, Work and Politics Institute (SWOP) looks at the issue of equity beyond the traditional framework of the workplace. Rather, it takes into consideration forms of unpaid, invisible labour – such as childcare and household management – which typically falls on women, especially those from disadvantaged communities. These women often forgo employment to have children and take care of them, Naidoo points out.
“These kinds of labour are crucial for the continuation of any kind of work that is given value in the form of a wage. And yet the calculation of a wage neglects the invisible, unpaid work of women,” she says.
Naidoo adds that universities hold a central place in society, which is why Wits is perfectly positioned to start reproducing new ways of thinking about these issues.
Applied researcher Dr Sara Jewett, who coordinates the Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) field of study in Wits’ School of Public Health, co-led a qualitative study over five years to explore how Wits staff and students experienced breastfeeding. Using their insights and learnings from study participants, Jewett and her team engaged with senior management and organised labour, identifying solutions within the University.
The all-women research team framed institutional breastfeeding support as a feature of an inclusive and transformed environment. The team advocates using the study to promote realistic and cost-effective ways to initiate small changes in the short term, and greater transformation in the long term.
Like Ndlovu, Jewett believes that equity is about acknowledging employees in their diversity and embracing policies and practices that enable everyone to flourish.
“There should be different growth paths for different people in an institution. What an academic might need is different from what a member of cleaning staff might need, for instance,” she says.
Naidoo agrees, noting that where representation is concerned, disadvantaged blue collar workers are often overlooked, even though they are an essential part of Wits’ ecosystem, and so they were included in the study.
“It was very easy to send out an email to staff and registered students encouraging them to join the study, but we had to make
a conscious effort to access people who weren’t on email. Blue collar workers have become an invisible part of our workplace environment,” says Jewett.
In the interest of flexibility in the workplace and how it relates to equity, Jewett’s study acknowledged that the needs of a breastfeeding employee have a time limit. During that period, if the employer does not acknowledge her specific needs, it could be detrimental to her productivity, performance, and general wellbeing.
“An equitable workplace recognises the very specific needs of individuals at a particular time, be it a breastfeeding mother, someone living with a disability, or someone on the gender spectrum who identifies in a certain way,” says Jewett.
Jewett highlights Wits’ Disability Rights Unit and the Transformation Office as positive examples of ways in which equity rights are being upheld practically at Wits. She adds that the University initiated and funded her co-led study.
“This research project was a direct response from Wits to students and staff who are breastfeeding and not getting the support that they need. We found that most women and managers were unclear about their rights and responsibilities, to which the University responded immediately,” says Jewett. “And while we’re not yet there with a clear policy for staff or students, it’s on the agenda. This is a tribute to Wits’ commitment to seek avenues of redress.” C
Dr Jane Ndlovu is part of the Female Academic Leadership Fellowship (FALF), a Wits-led initiative that focuses on bridging the gap for African and mixed ancestry women in senior academic roles.
As a 2023 FALF fellow, she was inspired to continue her research on South African tax policies, the impact of the current system on women and how it intersects with gender issues.
Her findings show, among other realities, that our Income Tax Act is blind to socioeconomic gender disparities, even though it was designed to be neutral and progressive.
Ndlovu defines the gender pay gap as the percentage difference in average hourly earnings between men and women, which is distinct from equal pay. According to the 2022 Global Gender Gap Report, women earn between 23% and 35% less than men do for the same job.
“And Stats SA shows that women, on average, earn about 30% less than men. This disparity is not just a matter of unequal pay for the same role. It highlights a systemic issue and reflects broader structural barriers, where women are overrepresented in lower-paying positions and underrepresented in senior roles.
The reality is, because of income disparities reflected through gendered barriers in the workforce, women’s earning potential is affected and, in turn, so are their tax contributions.”
Ndlovu aims to challenge this narrative and wants to explore how South Africa’s tax system could better support gender equity with policies that acknowledge structural inequities facing women and give them greater economic empowerment.
As the job market becomes more competitive, recruiters require job seekers to have multiple skills for them even to secure an interview.
Marcia Moyana quizzes Wits Career Services team leader Lindelwe Cili and Graduate Recruitment Officer, Bongi Ndlovu from the Counselling and Careers Development Unit (CCDU) about what it takes to be successful in the modern-day job hunt.
LIVING IN A DIGITAL AGE HAS REDUCED OPPORTUNITIES FOR HUMAN INTERACTIONS. WHAT CAN YOUNG PEOPLE DO TO BUILD THEIR SOCIAL SKILLS WHEN PREPARING FOR JOB INTERVIEWS?
Lindelwe: In today’s digital world, where face-to-face interactions are often reduced, strong social skills are more essential than ever for job interviews and professional networking. At CCDU Career Services, we emphasise the importance of actively developing these skills, as they can truly set candidates apart, even if much of the job search and initial contact happens online. We encourage students to be strategic in engaging in activities such as the work readiness initiatives to gain more experience and skills. We also offer a programme called the Journey to Employability and Economic Participation (JEEP), which prepares students for the job market through targeted workshops and presentations. These interactive sessions cover topics ranging from communication skills and workplace etiquette to crafting an effective CV, preparing for interviews, and networking.
REFERENCES
Bongi: While qualifications and skills are essential, a professional network offers job seekers access to hidden opportunities, which may not even be advertised. Networking allows job seekers to gain insights into industry standards and company culture, which is valuable when preparing for interviews. As a result, engaging in strategic networking – attending industry events (the Wits Graduate Recruitment Programme hosts a series to enable this), connecting on LinkedIn, and conducting informational interviews – is widely considered best practice for job seekers. Additionally, Wits alumni are represented across industries locally and globally, so networking through alumni events, guest lectures, and mentorship programmes can open doors to job opportunities.
IS IT STILL IMPORTANT TO HAVE A MATRIC CERTIFICATE EVEN FOR JOBS LIKE BARTENDING, CLEANING, ETC.?
Bongi: While jobs like bartending or cleaning may not strictly require a matric certificate, having one can still be beneficial. A matric certificate can provide young people with options beyond entry-level positions, as it signals the completion of basic education and readiness for future training. At Wits Career Services, we emphasise that a matric certificate is often a minimum requirement even for non-degree roles, as it showcases essential skills in literacy and numeracy and demonstrates the ability to complete a long-term commitment. For those seeking to advance into more skilled roles or pursue further education, having completed matric serves as an important step, potentially opening doors to vocational training options or programmes at institutions like Wits University.
WHEN IS THE RIGHT TIME FOR YOUNG JOB SEEKERS TO NEGOTIATE A SALARY?
DOES THE UNIVERSITY OR HIGH SCHOOL THAT YOU ATTENDED IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF GETTING HIRED?
Lindelwe: The institution one attends can certainly influence initial job prospects, as some employers may associate certain institutions with strong academic performance and rigorous training. However, employers prioritise candidates who display practical skills, adaptability, and a proactive approach to career development. A well-rounded profile, including the right qualifications, soft skills, leadership or extra-curricular experience, and relevant work experience, truly differentiates candidates. Students can develop employable skills beyond the classroom by seeking out internships, volunteering, or participating in work readiness initiatives, such as the WorkReady GenZ online course. This self-paced course is designed to help students develop essential skills for the modern workplace, and awards students with a certificate of completion that they can share with employers to highlight their proactive approach in the job search process.
Lindelwe: The ideal time to negotiate a salary is once the employer has extended a formal job offer. This indicates that the employer is genuinely interested in hiring you, giving you the most leverage, as they've identified you as the right fit for the role. Before reaching this point, it’s essential for candidates to prepare by researching market-related salaries for similar positions to create realistic expectations in remuneration negotiations. During the negotiation, it's helpful to focus on the value you bring to the organisation. Highlight your unique skills, relevant experience, and potential contributions. By understanding industry standards and average salaries for comparable roles, you can build a strong case for a fair starting salary without having to disclose your previous salary history too early in the conversation.
Bongi: We generally advise against sharing a payslip with a recruiter, as this practice can constrain future salary negotiations. Wits encourages students to maintain transparency about their salary expectations while protecting their right to privacy concerning prior earnings. We suggest preparing a wellresearched salary expectation, based on the value one brings to the new position and market standards, which demonstrates professionalism and a clear understanding of industry norms without compromising personal privacy.
With a disastrously high unemployment rate and the unenviable distinction of being the most unequal country in the world, South Africa has a mountain to climb when it comes to clawing its way back onto a much-needed growth path. However, with a changing world order and positive domestic developments, there is reason for hope, writes Sarah Hudleston.
In February 2023, during the 36th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Assembly in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres told Africa's leaders that despite its challenges, the continent’s abundant natural resources, diverse cultures, and youthful population, could see the 21st Century being "Africa's Century".
Is Guterres’ optimism misplaced? With African countries being among the most unequal on earth, can his prophecy be realised? How can Africa thrive when, in South Africa, one of the most developed countries on the continent, the official unemployment rate currently sits at 32%, although pundits believe it could be closer to 50%? The question is, how does a country claw its way back from this disastrous statistic, and what are the dangers that could see the unemployment figure soar even higher?
The answer to all these questions may lie in recent positive engagements with world bodies such as the United Nations (UN) and the Group of 20 (G20).
In November 2024, South Africa took a step closer to playing a bigger role in the world order when it took over the chair of the G20 from Brazil. The G20 is an intergovernmental group of countries and includes the European Union and African Union. It focuses on addressing global issues such as international financial stability, climate change and sustainability. In taking the rotating chair of the G20 until the end of 2025, South Africa has a golden opportunity to set the stage for national growth, believes Professor Imraan Valodia, Wits Pro Vice-Chancellor: Climate, Sustainability and Equality.
“South Africa will get to set the agenda focusing on three main areas, namely poverty, inequality, and climate change. All these factors impact the Global South’s ability to thrive,” says Valodia, who along with Dr Kenneth Creamer from the Wits School of Economics and Finance, has been appointed to the Presidential Economic Advisory Council.
Valodia’s optimism is shared by Dr Bob Wekesa, Acting Director of the African Centre for the Study of the United States, who also believes that there is hope for Africa.
“This was evident during the Summit for the Future, a side event during the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September 2024,” says Wekesa.
A result of this summit was the Pact for the Future, in which world leaders resolved that African countries should have a greater voice in sustainable development and financing for development, international peace and security, science, youth and innovation, in digital cooperation, and in transforming global governance.
“It is accepted that there are inequalities based on how the world is governed, more specifically in terms of the global financial institutions, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the World Trade Organization (WTO),” says Wekesa. “These institutions are in the hands of the West, or rather, the Global North. There has been a push for the reform of these institutions because they play a massive role in terms of the allocation of finances that support economies that should in turn be supporting economies in the Global South.”
Now, it is hoped, Africa will be considered when these financial institutions are planning their budgets for grants and loans, and countries such as South Africa and others in the Global South can benefit equally.
“This will make a massive difference on the continent because, in terms of economic engagement, it will percolate down to the lowest levels in cities, villages, rural areas, and even in informal settlements,” he says.
At the Rio de Janeiro summit in November 2024, the African Union was represented at the G20 for the first time, thanks to the lobbying of efforts of South Africa.
“So now, we actually have the G21,” says Wekesa. “And
with South Africa chairing, we can expect much work being done to level the playing field in terms of access to resources, including access to finance and better terms of trade. I expect that there will be intensive discussions around reform of the World Bank and the WTO so that African countries can do more with their raw materials and reap the rewards of beneficiation,” he says.
However, it will not be all plain sailing. Africa faces some harsh challenges. In February 2024 a bi-partisan bill was introduced in the United States Congress calling for a comprehensive review of US-South Africa relations after South Africa brought a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accusing that country of genocide in Gaza. The ICJ ruling found it plausible that Israel, a major US ally, has indeed committed acts of genocide and now the bill threatens South Africa’s benefits from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which allows certain subSaharan countries duty-free access to US markets for a range of products.
If South Africa were to lose its AGOA benefits, it could affect key industries, including the automotive sector, agriculture and agribusiness, mining and minerals, textiles and apparel, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals. It would also impact the exports of renewable energy equipment, wine, and the export of machinery and other equipment. AGOA’s benefits have supported thousands of jobs across these industries, while small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have also been able to gain better access to international markets.
John Stremlau, Visiting Professor in the Department of International Relations at Wits, believes that South Africa’s Government of National Unity (GNU) should not hold its breath waiting for US President Elect, Donald Trump to act on AGOA, but should rather place its faith in BRICS – an intergovernmental
“South Africa is poised to drive economic growth by exploiting new international and regional trade relationships.”
organisation that includes Brazil, Russia, India, and China, and should be a friend to all.
“Trump’s first administration was chaotic, vindictive, and corrupt. His interest in Africa was negligible, and he allowed his diplomats just to continue their work. To call him an unreliable partner is an understatement,” says Stremlau.
South African president Cyril Ramaphosa announced at the G20 summit in Brazil that Trump would be part of a troika – a G20 partnership comprising the USA, South Africa, and Brazil – and that these three countries in effect would forge a close alliance. However Stremlau is not betting on Trump even attending next year’s summit when South Africa hands the G20 chair over to the US. On the other hand, Stremlau does have great faith in South Africa’s GNU, which, he believes, seems to be focused on driving growth.
One of the major challenges that South Africa needs to overcome in its quest to stimulate economic growth is the impact of the rise of the global digital economy. While it may require fewer, highly skilled workers, it could nevertheless stimulate South Africa’s struggling township economies. Following the COVID19 pandemic and the proliferation of digital technologies, it was thought that technology-driven jobs would help boost our
economy and reshape the world of work but, ultimately, it is the other way round, and we first need economic growth to drive job creation.
Valodia believes that the global reality, particularly in the Global South, is that physical work needs to continue to be the main source of livelihoods.
“Although technology is having huge impacts on the world of work, it is not this grand emancipatory idea that we can all be freed by virtue of the way in which the management of work is changing,” says Valodia. “There are real concerns about how some of the more exploitative elements of labour markets are being integrated into digital work platforms”.
While some jobs will become obsolete, they will be replaced by others. Valodia believes that the evolution of work will be more of a churning process than the idea that technology will kill employment as we know it. “Young people, as they become more technically able, will use technology to make their work easier, but not to supplant their intellectual abilities,” he says.
Southern Centre for Inequality Studies (SCIS) Research Director
Dr Ruth Castel-Branco says that there is much excitement about digital technology and its potential to reshape the world of work and create employment opportunities.
"There’s this sense that digital technologies may help countries to leapfrog the process of industrialisation and become servicedriven economies,” she says.
However, these services usually comprise online-based platforms that perform roles such as editing, translating, or data cleaning, or location-based platforms that mediate relations between workers, customers, and intermediary providers across a wide range of sectors, from transportation to domestic work.
Castel-Branco also says that these types of jobs are unsustainable because companies are growing based on venture capital funds from the Global North, which ultimately reproduces unequal relations between the North and South.
“In effect, it’s a form of digital colonialism. The expansion of digital technologies has happened on the back of neoliberal reforms that undermined the nature of public provisioning. The liberalisation of economies has also made it more difficult for governments to collect taxes from international corporations,” she says.
Ebrahim-Khalil Hassen, of the Gauteng City-Region Observatory (GCRO) at Wits, specialises in research on how technological changes, economic policies, and social dynamics affect labour markets and employment trends. This research highlights the need for the adoption of proactive policies that can support job security and growth.
Currently, his particular focus is the public procurement system and tackling unemployment, especially in the township economies. “The Gauteng government has a policy that 60% of all government procurement should come from township businesses, but in reality, less than 10% does,” says Hassen.
The GCRO has been working with government to understand the nature of township businesses and to examine the opportunities to expand public procurement in those areas, providing an entry point for businesses to be part of a larger market.
“I only hope the government is having sensible conversations around introducing grants for the unemployed and job seekers,” says Hassen. “We are also beginning to appreciate the potential of cities as economic centres that can be used to generate economic growth and employment.”
With its new role and standing in the international community, and the growth of the digital economy, South Africa is poised to drive economic growth by exploiting new international and regional trade relationships, and exploiting digital and remote working models, creating more much needed job opportunities here at home. C
NTANDO HOZA CHANTÉ SCHATZ
The heartbeat of Wits' informal economy pulses through the everyday hustle of resourceful students who have turned their creativity and determination into thriving micro-businesses. From selling handbags to offering haircuts, there are Witsies out there turning campus corners into mini marketplaces.
David Sedire’s entrepreneurial journey began in his hometown, Polokwane, where he discovered his passion for barbering through YouTube tutorials. “I started practising on friends’ hair, charging R20 to R25,” the 21-year-old Civil Engineering student recalls.
When he came to Wits, he struggled to find barbers who understood his hair type, so he learned how to cut his own hair.
“My self-haircuts gained me recognition and now my roommates come to me for their cuts,” he says.
YED BOUTIQUE, founded by Yedidyah Alimasi, 22, grew out of the success of her online tutoring side hustle. “I had been saving about 60% of my profits since 2022, but I wanted to invest that money instead of it sitting in the bank,” says the BSc Astronomy and Astrophysics student.
A love for fashion sparked the idea to sell handbags and accessories and after extensive research and planning, YED BOUTIQUE was launched in March 2024, generating a profit of up to R3 000 per month.
When Lehlohonolo Mahlangu, an Accounting Science major, noticed his peers struggling due to a lack of adequate academic support, he stepped in, creating the Distinction Bound Programme, a tutoring initiative helping high school and university students achieve top grades – and distinctions!
“I saw students seeking help but not finding the support they needed,” he says. His programme does more than teach curricula; it provides personalised study tools including exam planners, structured timetables, and time management strategies, empowering students to take charge of their academic journeys.
“It’s about building a strong foundation for educational growth,” he says, emphasising the importance of nurturing independent thinkers. With profits reaching up to R40 000 during exam seasons, Distinction Bound is thriving. “I want to end the narrative that distinctions are rare at university – academic excellence should be achievable for all.”
Thabiso Mgiba, a 23-year-old entrepreneur and founder of TM Beauty_Nails, started her beauty business out of concern for the uncertain job market after graduation. “As a new parent, I needed to create a source of income while searching for job opportunities,” explains Mgiba.
After completing a four-day training workshop with a local nail technician, she began taking clients shortly after graduating. “I initially charged R100 per session, and through word of mouth, my clientele grew,” she adds.
With average weekly earnings of around R500, Mgiba is determined to balance her studies with her entrepreneurial ambitions and significant growth potential for her business.
While the literature distinguishes between opportunity-driven and necessitydriven entrepreneurship, there is broad consensus that necessity-driven entrepreneurs often serve as a critical source of entrepreneurial talent, says Sikhumbuzo Maisela, a Lecturer in the School of Business Sciences.
Campus-based entrepreneurship offers students an opportunity to pursue their studies while gaining invaluable practical business experience. The various ventures of the students featured here highlight their unique approaches to identifying and addressing market needs.
• David has capitalised on a gap in the market by offering barbering services that students previously sought offcampus, demonstrating his strong opportunity identification skills. To attract more customers and grow, I advise leveraging social media for more effective marketing to the tech-savvy campus community.
• Yedidyah's handbag-accessories business demonstrated early success, quickly achieving substantial profit. To leverage her strong business acumen Yedidyah should consider exploring diverse sales channels, such as e-commerce, to expand her market reach and revenue potential.
• Lehlohonolo has developed a business ideally suited to the university environment, addressing the needs of students in a challenging academic setting with a high attrition rate. His tutoring venture provides vital services to this community. There is potential for expansion to other universities, allowing him to broaden his impact.
• Thabiso may have initiated her business out of necessity, yet this has provided her with valuable experiential learning in entrepreneurship. Her choice of business further demonstrates an ability to identify opportunities, as the beauty and grooming industry is among the most lucrative presently. Hopefully, Thabiso will maintain and grow her business, even if she transitions into corporate employment.
Maisela concludes, “These examples underscore the creativity, resilience, and opportunity identification skills of campus entrepreneurs, highlighting the importance of leveraging available resources to maximise business growth and impact.”
Sikhumbuzo Maisela is a Lecturer in the Wits School of Business Sciences. He holds a Master's in Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation, and a Bachelor's in Accounting and Finance. A PhD candidate, his research focuses on historical perspectives on entrepreneurial inequality in South Africa and informal sector entrepreneurship. With corporate experience in business development and sales, he has also provided financial and accounting consulting to small-scale businesses.
LEANNE RENCKEN SIMON GUSH
Simon Gush’s visual art and academic research are interconnected. He has explored how South Africans relate to land and labour through documentary films, fine art exhibitions, his Master’s degree and through current research for his PhD at Wits’ Society, Work and Politics Institute.
Gush explains how he came to think about the nature of work and the role that it plays in South African life through his own experience. Unable to make a living as a full-time artist, he created only in the evenings and on weekends, and despite its precariousness, he realised that work remains central to how we perceive ourselves and our place within society.
His current project collaboration, based at SWOP and titled Land Labour Life, continues his exploration of these themes, expanding on the anecdotal personal histories of his 1820 Settler ancestors, their acquisition of land in South Africa, and how subsequent communities were impacted by land policies and are dealing with restitution. His work and art also deal with his experiences working in and navigating Johannesburg, a city that thrived on migrant labour and remains a hub for a large proportion of the South African workforce.
For Gush, the subject matter, whether personal reflection or public commentary, art or academic, is intense. While he admits that there isn’t much room for levity in his work, he allows that “the art does sometimes offer other ways of doing things that aren't always so heavy.”
Growing up in Pietermaritzburg, Gush longed to live in Johannesburg, particularly in ‘town’. After spending time at the Hoger Instituut van Schone Kunsten in Gent, Belgium, and in Cape Town as a fellow at the Gordon Institute for Performing and Creative Arts, he eventually realised that dream by moving to the city.
Reflecting on life in Johannesburg, he explains: “That feeling of belonging is always a little bit uncertain or contested, like you can't quite settle.” There is, however, he says something about the city that feels like home as well.
“Whenever I go on trips and come back, there's something nice about driving into the city. It’s got something to do with the space, but it’s also the community to which I am connected. Johannesburg is a little more politicised than other parts of the country, and a little bit more aware of what's going on, and so talking about these things is part of our everyday conversation.”
Aside from people and place, living in South Africa provides Gush with a sense of self he can’t tap into elsewhere. “I struggle to make work outside of South Africa because it just feels like I sit on the surface too much,” he says. “If I’m not here, I don’t have the understanding I need to go deeper with the work.”
“I struggle to make work outside of South Africa because it just feels like I sit on the surface too much.”
Much of what Gush does is concerned with asking questions about work, belonging and identity – questions that can’t easily be answered by statistics or through surveys. This is especially true in the South African context where Gush feels that more conversations around land ownership and restitution need to be both had and heard.
He believes that land is central to so many people’s sense of self and community. Land is not just a piece of ground; it is deeply tied to belonging, heritage and the scars of displacement. Trying to understand labour without first understanding this country’s battles for land over hundreds of years, doesn’t do justice to our fraught history.
His academic work at SWOP reflects this approach; a collaborative, research-driven practice that doesn’t fit neatly into the art world but that draws heavily on his extensive experience.
He explains, “There are some concepts that naturally lend themselves to visual metaphors, where other things are more easily explained in text. For my PhD, it’s important to use these two different ways of making, and to explore what an interdisciplinary body of work might look like. Breaking from academic conventions also allows me to connect with people in different ways.”
Considering that for many years the focal point of his work has been land dispossession and the process of restitution in Salem, in the Eastern Cape, and his own ancestral involvement in it, building trust within the community has been central to his methodology as both a filmmaker and a researcher. He speaks about the importance of time, from both an historical and personal perspective, in establishing authentic relationships that go beyond quick, extractive conversations.
“You have got to go back again and again, spend time with people – that’s the crux of it – and ask many open-ended questions. I’m not the most sociable person, and as much as I fear going off and doing these things, I understand that it’s important and central to my work. Each space has different requirements, and in each place, people are looking for different things. There's ongoing work that needs to be done, whether the outcome is academic or art or both, there's a long-term commitment once I start.”
Gush is hoping that these outcomes will contribute to a broader conversation about labour, land, and who we are as a society.
“During my research I started talking about what it means to receive land in a process of restitution, and what it means to go back and work that land,” he says, going deeper into his thinking around work and land and how they were intertwined prior to colonialism, in a way in which in today’s capitalist world, they’re not.
“Theoretically, I know how the process of restitution informs the return of land, but practically, in the different places in which I'm doing research, there are some commonalities around land and work, and there are also different experiences around land and work. Ultimately, I’d like my work to get people to think more deeply about these issues, and maybe to see themselves and their communities reflected in these questions.” C
SARAH HUDLESTON LAUREN MULLIGAN
Recognition of contribution, safety, and harmonious professional relationships are features of a healthy workplace, but when toxicity pervades the office, it can seriously upset the balance. Understanding toxicity may help afflicted employees, while, for employers, managing it likely makes good business sense.
Just about everybody who has worked an office job has a war story to tell about how they were adversely affected by workplace toxicity, leading to mental health issues and their eventual departure from an otherwise ideal job.
The insidious bullying of employees is often used as an underhanded way through which to effect a constructive dismissal, possibly to save company costs, or to meet employment equity targets. The result for the victim is a feeling of low self-worth, which leads to resignation, and despite there being legal and other remedies available to them, they are too traumatised to fight for their job.
“An ideal job or place of work is somewhere people feel that they can contribute, where their work has meaning, and where they feel physically and psychologically safe,” says Department of Psychology Associate Professor, Karen Milner. “In a healthy workplace there are fundamental issues like having a good and respectful relationship with one’s manager, where one’s career and personal development are taken seriously, and where one feels one’s work is making a valued contribution to the company or to the wider society.”
A toxic workplace is the exact opposite of this and is a major cause of depression, says Milner. It is a place where employees feel unable to bring their authentic selves to work and they are not psychologically safe to speak up. “If they do say the wrong thing, their jobs might be compromised,” she adds. “Companies with a toxic culture often have high levels of bullying as well as management who do not create the kind of environment in which people feel safe to work.”
Milner suggests that when workers/employees find themselves in a toxic workplace situation, they need to be cognisant of where the pressure or toxicity is coming from.
“If the source is isolated to your specific manager, and not part of the broader company culture, it would be in the best interest of the afflicted employee to turn to the HR department for help.
Organisations need to be called out and be made to uphold the commitment they have made to employees and to render assistance in dealing with the offender,” says Milner.
Milner says that many toxic bosses present with certain character traits. “We call it the dark triad which comprises narcissism, Machiavellianism and psychopathy.”
Narcissism is best described as an exaggeration of one’s own importance coupled with an inability to see something from others’ point of view, while Machiavellianism is a strong desire for power. Psychopathy presents as a complete lack of compassion or regret.
“However it’s not only individuals that create a toxic work environment. Organisational cultures which do not hold bullies accountable, do not provide their employees with work-life balance, and somehow stigmatise mental health issues even though they claim they don’t, create an environment in which toxic managers are allowed to thrive,” says Milner.
Professor Marthinus (Marius) van Staden specialises in labour law and jurisprudence in the Wits School of Law. He says that from a legal perspective, the toxic workplace manifests with the sort of behaviour that undermines the dignity of employees and creates a hostile environment.
“From a labour law perspective, toxicity in the workplace ranges from harassment and bullying to more subtle forms of psychological abuse. Examples of these can be withholding information, professional isolation, and passive-aggressive conduct,” he says.
“Recently a code of good practice on the prevention of harassment in the workplace was adopted and included in the Employment Equity Act, which was endorsed by the National
“The toxic workplace manifests with the sort of behaviour that undermines the dignity of employees and creates a hostile environment.”
Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC).”
NEDLAC is a government, labour, business and community organisation which, through problemsolving and negotiation on economic, labour and development issues, seeks to problem solve related challenges facing the country.
Van Staden adds, “Although the code is welcome, it’s not perfect. It links workplace violence and harassment to unfair discrimination. This means that not all arbitrary conduct is protected by labour law. You must prove that impunity conduct is prompted by race or gender discrimination. However, when a workplace becomes really toxic, it is hard to claim constructive dismissal.”
“What our courts keep saying is that the situation needs to be objectively intolerable. This means that few people are able successfully to use the constructive dismissal remedy, and there are very few cases where it has been successfully applied.”
Van Staden said that he was surprised that during the NEDLAC negotiations, the unions wanted to pull back on more restrictive labour law regulations.
“I think we should extend the definition of unfair labour practices that we currently have because although business generally perceives this as an undesirable cost, I would argue that in fact there is a business case to extend the protection of workers. I believe that creating more moral and healthy spaces in the workplace makes business sense.” C
Burnout can look like depression but it is distinctly related to workplace stressors. Experts in psychiatry, psychology, and ergonomics explain how burnout manifests and what institutions and individuals can do about it.
When a catastrophic fire ripped through Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (CMJAH) in 2021 during the height of the Covid19 pandemic, it destroyed millions of rands of medical equipment and disrupted critical patient care. The damage to physical infrastructure was only one part of the hospital’s inferno – almost half (46.2%) of healthcare professionals profiled in a 2021 study were burnt out, with little improvement since.
“During Covid-19 burnout was high amongst healthcare workers, particularly as they were working long hours and had to take on multiple roles when there were gaps in services,” says lead author Dr Nazeema Ariefdien, a Lecturer in the Psychiatry Department at Wits University and Head of Psychiatry at CMJAH.
The CMJAH staff study revealed that those in their work prime (20-39-years-old) were more likely to suffer burnout and interns were found to be three times more likely to burn out than specialists. Furthermore, interns’ mental health declined, potentially leading to errors in clinical judgment and breaches in infection control, especially as this is an inexperienced group.
“When a healthcare worker resigns or is absent because they’re burnt out, there’s no one to replace them, so the workload gets heavier for those who remain, and in turn, they might leave or be sick. It’s a vicious cycle. What’s important is that we build resilience, and we improve the institutional structures that promote mental wellbeing,” says Ariefdien.
Burnout consists of three elements: high emotional exhaustion (chronic fatigue, low motivation); high depersonalisation (a feeling of distance from one’s job, cynicism, and negativity); and low personal accomplishment.
Kerry Gordon, Counselling Psychologist in the Wits Counselling and Careers Development Unit, says that burnout is about “not having enough” – not enough energy, hope, or motivation. “Others feel resentful toward work, become disengaged and tired, and compromise productivity. Burnout can look a lot like depression but it is linked directly to work stress. Some people get sicker more often. Their immunity is lower, or they are experiencing more pain.”
Ariefdien and colleagues established the Healthcare Workers Care Network. At CMJAH, Ariefdien, a proponent of the 10 minute ‘mini-break,’ helped create a rest area where nurses and doctors could relax and enjoy a free coffee.
“It’s vital that there are designated rest breaks. Often this is seen as an expense or an impossibility. But the long-term loss in productivity and the ultimate cost to the institution and company outweigh the perceived costs and time it takes to promote burnout prevention.”
Ariefdien doesn’t believe that we’ll ever get back to ‘preCovid-19 normal’, and says that organisational culture, management, and infrastructure are vital in promoting resilience.
“This means that work/life balance should be respected and encouraged, that contributions are acknowledged, that work is adequately financially compensated, unreasonable deadlines are not imposed, and that bullying and sexual harassment are minimised and promptly addressed.”
Ariefdien says that working from home in whatever sector
increases the risk of burnout. “Many people thought it would be ideal, but working from home means your home environment is no longer a sanctuary. The separation of work and life is very important. People also tend to work longer hours and are usually available online at any time. Boundaries are blurred.”
She recommends office-based work environments to bolster support networks and develop stronger collegial relationships.
Gordon thinks that the transition to working from home was good for some but not for others. “If it does work, it means you have good boundaries between work and the rest of your life. It means having a set routine and a structure,” she says.
What can we do about burnout in a country where so many must work long and hard to afford even the basics?
“This is a difficult one because it’s not always possible to leave a toxic job when the economy is struggling,” says Gordon, although certain things are in your power, she says. “I would encourage self-awareness about what stress looks like for you. I would also encourage open communication with your manager to find ways to boost productivity and maintain mental health.”
If you’re already burnt out, Gordon suggests resting including taking the leave allocated to you and switching off completely during that time. Other burnout mitigating tips include:
•Have a ‘ritual’ to begin and end the workday,
• Set yourself a schedule and allocate rest time to shut down from work, and
• Practise mindfulness. A simple exercise is to notice three things that you can see, three things that you can touch, and three things that you can hear. C
Professor Andrew Thatcher in the School of Human and Community Development, says that the layout of an office space should facilitate the different types of work people are doing and at different times of the day.
“There should be a quiet space for focused working and then private spaces for meetings. Office spaces should allow for this flexibility,” says Thatcher, who is an expert in ergonomics and environment-human-technology interaction.
Moreover, working environments should also encourage flow and activity, such as taking the stairs and getting up from one’s desk to speak to a colleague. He explains that a well-designed office space can improve wellbeing. The ambient environment is important, and a lot of noise, for example, can disturb someone’s ability to work.
As much natural light in the space as possible is also important, although glare on computer screens should be minimised.
“Temperature is another important aspect of a well-designed office space. In more sedentary settings, the temperature can be higher than in workspaces that require more activity.”
Enhance office space for hybrid workers to encourage officebased activities
Thatcher explains that although hybrid work arrangements were prevalent before Covid-19, it’s important to show the appeal of working in an office rather than at home.
“Ideally, we want to encourage workers to come back into the office space. We want the office space to facilitate social interaction and to foster creativity and productivity.”
He notes that offices should cater to a diversity of people and tasks. “The current trend is designing for activity-based working.”
UFRIEDA HO
The rise of AI in journalism signals the time for guidelines around disclosure, transparency and accountability. More than this, it’s time for journalism to do the work of rebuilding trust and restoring its value.
“Idon’t trust mainstream media anymore; I prefer to get my news from X. It’s not as biased,” says the woman at the lunch table.
“But you’re just being fed posts from an algorithm, it’s an echo chamber,” says her husband, seated next to her.
“Now he’s going to say I’m being brainwashed,” she says, elbowing him with a chuckle. “But I’m not. You can follow anyone on X – even Barack Obama.”
Her husband picks at his plate, silent.
This actual exchange happened just after Trump won the American election in November 2024. This brief conversation sums up the very deep, troubled waters into which journalism has drifted.
Let’s unpack this. First, the audiences have crashed out of love with journalism, resulting in a massive trust deficit.
Second, journalism is up against social media’s astounding reach (with the backing of rich owners who are the Big Tech monopoly). Algorithms are insidiously powerful as they crush through users’ data, creating so-called personalised content that’s pushed out relentlessly. This ‘samey’ content – sometimes outright disinformation and misinformation – reinforces the user’s view. But it is ‘curation’ that strips out context, nuance, opposing views and a broader range of sources.
Third, because social media’s influence fuels emotionally charged responses, it shapes people’s opinions in a way that makes less room to engage, challenge and debate. It leaves people feeling more angry, more disappointed, and further removed from those who don’t share their views.
This is the reality of the world in which journalism operates –aggravated by disruptions within newsrooms themselves, many of which are now operating virtually or are depleted. They rely on freelance journalists who are underpaid and unprotected, or
they use contributing writers who have primary paid jobs. These newsrooms also rely on articles produced by niche journalism outlets, most of which are donor-funded, disseminating news through a free-to-use content sharing model.
DIGITALLY DISRUPTED
Dr Nechama Brodie, a Senior Lecturer in Journalism and Media Theory at the Wits Centre for Journalism and an author and researcher, worked as a journalist for 25 years. She sets out how digital disruption changed and continues to change journalism in South Africa.
“Going back at least 15 years, we saw the start of mainstream news organisations pushing to build more prominent websites and taking more of their content online. There was a lot of investing in digitisation – from so-called digital consultants and gurus, who turned out not to be gurus – hoping that digitisation would somehow bump up traffic and be a revenue boost. What media owners failed to do was invest in journalism,” she explains. “So, we've seen this erosion of journalism skills in favour of digitisation, but we've also seen losses of revenue amongst news media.”
Digitisation has not been all bad, making it even trickier with which to get to grips. For instance, Brodie points out, it has also had several “amazing benefits”. It’s allowing for better desktop-based fact-checking, easier transcription, data sorting, better access to contacting a wider variety of people and different resources.
But this has often come at the cost of the practise of journalism, which has been weakened. Brodie says that this is clear in the woefully thin coverage of news or big issues. It’s made audiences feel that journalism has less impact, less relevance, and is simply out of touch.
Brodie says, “Diversity is also not happening – news titles are concentrated within the same large media companies, many of community and regional newspapers are shrinking, or don't exist anymore. The whole idea of a robust journalism system is that we shouldn't only have one voice; there should be lots of different voices.”
Then there’s the latest newsroom disrupter: how artificial intelligence is reshaping newsrooms and how journalists work. Brodie says that it’s important first to understand AI – its strength and also its weaknesses.
“The biggest problem that we see right now is not so-called AI writing individual articles, but using these technologies to scrape and generate aggregated summaries. AI is not intelligent; it’s stochastic [having random probability] – it's like a parrot that’s able to repeat words without necessarily attributing meaning to those words. Something like ChatGPT is a large language model that is fed massive amounts of data in the form of other people's writing and can calculate the statistical probability of one word following another, or a group of words in context with each other.”
ChatGPT is a chatbot developed by Californian company OpenAI. The bots are trained, says Brodie – fed data that is generated by humans and therefore have the same biases as we do. There are inherent features in the programming that create glitches. It means AI makes mistakes.
For this article, questions were put to ChatGPT on how it gets things wrong. The generated responses were, “AI tools still face significant challenges in fully preventing the spread of disinformation. Also, that it “generates persuasive-sounding but false content making it difficult for users to distinguish truth from fiction”.
ChatGPT added that “the global, interconnected nature of the internet means that misinformation can spread rapidly, and different cultural, legal, and societal norms make it hard to implement universal solutions.”
Brodie says that a start is to recognise these limitations of AI, then there must be a push for better guidelines for the use of AI in journalism that includes more transparency, disclosure, and tracking.
“Journalism is not about filling a page with words – it’s about a thought process, about conceptualising something, also showing the original sources and referencing,” she says.
WHITHER AI AND JOURNALISM?
Brodie says that restoring trust in journalism comes down to doing the work to build credibility. It’s important for journalism to show that it can take responsibility and accountability as it
argues for its unique value to be recognised.
Pheladi Sethusa, a Lecturer in the Wits Centre for Journalism and the Editor of Vuvuzela, the student newspaper, says, “The recurring theme we hear is for honesty about where and how AI is being used. These are the right kinds of conversations taking place about creating working principles and frameworks when it comes to the use of AI in journalism, but its broad implementation is going to be the next hurdle to get over.”
“We've seen this erosion of journalism skills in favour of digitisation.”
Sethusa warns that using AI cannot be the easy “temptation to subsidise our work” just because journalism faces multiple constraints. Relying disproportionately on AI, she believes, exacerbates the crisis of reporting that is “narrowly focused, un-nuanced and devoid of context and care.”
There are practical solutions though, she says. Along with industry guidelines for AI use, there should be drives to improve media literacy, starting at primary school level.
“Teaching children from early on what the news looks like; explaining the minutiae of how news works is critical,” she says. It’s the grounding that children need to recognise news versus messaging from advertisers, promotors, politicians or those with social media influence. It’s education to understand bias, to verify sources, and to inculcate the practice of readmore-widely, she adds.
But this is also not the moment to crumble under the multiple crises facing journalism and journalists, says Sethusa.
“This is the moment we get to decide how we want to reshape journalism; to redefine it. It’s to go back to core principles; to lean back into our humanity as journalists, because the machine will never be able to relate to people in the ways that journalists can.” C
It’s been said that the first person who will live to the age of 200 has already been born. While this may be an extreme notion, people are certainly living longer than previous generations. What does this mean for retirement at 60 to 65 in ‘middle age’ and will the ‘silver economy’ replace traditional retirement?
For retiree Anne Fitchett, 65, Honorary Associate Professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, her day includes exercise, crafting, and possibly brushing up on her calculus. On the topic of retirement, Fitchett is a case study herself, but she is also the author of a paper on The Transition to Retirement from Academia.
“Retirement in the traditional sense is becoming less common, with many retirees seeking meaningful activities post-retirement,” says Fitchett. “At 65, individuals often have decades ahead of them, and they have to make a conscious plan to occupy that time with fulfilling engagements, whether through work, volunteering, or hobbies. It’s something to wake up for in the morning, to have something to get stuck into and feel useful.”
Her research on the meaning of work in retirement highlights the importance of planning and the concept of “successful ageing”. “Retirees, especially from academic backgrounds, often find their identity closely tied to their work, making the transition to retirement a significant life change,” she says.
Fitchett created a weekly schedule for herself at least a year ahead of retirement to avoid the possibility of falling into a lonely and ungainful period of her life. Her week included various activities –from a small amount of academic work, as well as her own writing, exercise in nature, and crafting dedicated to each day – providing both flexibility and structure. “This approach has made my retirement more meaningful,” she says.
Fitchett writes in her paper that academics may have better options for continuing to hone cognitive skills and physical wellness, compared to their counterparts in the corporate or industrial world. “In an emeritus or honorary position, the individual often has the freedom to choose how they spend their time in academic pursuits, whether teaching, supervision, research, or community outreach on behalf of the university.”
“There is also a prevalence of retired academics seeking out a larger role within the institution, often crafted on their previous administrative duties or some new venture that they orchestrated towards the end of their career. This is often a conscious strategy to ensure identity and meaning post the retirement age, thereby postponing ‘real’ retirement,” she adds.
However, the biggest impact of retirement, Fitchett says, is psychological. “Recreation and structure create an anchor for me. I have to make the effort to focus an hour or two on a daily task, so the ‘work’ is done, before going to an art gallery or for a walk with a friend. Retirement comes at a stage when you think about how life could be more meaningful, and you need to create that meaning and purpose for yourself.”
Megan Carswell, Adjunct Professor in the School of Statistics and Actuarial Science has researched trends in retirement – and the future for retirees is definitely not the gold watch era of decades ago, she says.
“As people live longer, retirement is evolving from a single event to a life stage transition that can take 10 to 15 years,” Carswell says. During this transition phase, people often realise that they have much more to offer than they might have thought and may find alternative work – but most importantly, many also realise that they have run out of savings so that they can retire
comfortably and need to consider alternative income options.”
Fitchett adds that finances are a major part of psychological security. “The financial aspect is for many, a bit of a shock. I was fortunate to understand that you plan for retirement from the first salary cheque. That’s something I passed onto my kids, who now have a clearly structured investment and retirement plan, but many people only think about this at the end of their working lives, and they end up in difficulty.”
“The best time to start saving for retirement is when you are in your twenties, and the next best time is right now.”
So what happens at age 60 to 65 when people would traditionally retire? Carswell says, “First, employers in South Africa and around the world, are raising retirement ages, so people are staying in the economy longer. Many people still retire early – but then realise they are without sufficient savings.”
This could force people back into the working world – creating a ‘silver economy’ – or to rely on other support structures. Carswell says that this trend suggests that we should start thinking early about having adequate savings, outside employer funds.
“Many retirees initially opt for living annuities, which offer higher starting incomes but can lead to financial shortfalls as living costs and healthcare expenses rise,” she explains.
The lack of guaranteed post-retirement medical aid exacerbates this issue, with most retirees paying out-of-pocket for medical care.
“For those nearing retirement, seeking financial advice is essential. Exploring available retirement options can reveal surprising flexibility,” she adds. “The traditional replacement ratio, a percentage of work income, is less relevant over longer retirement periods. Instead, a multiple of salary (18-20 times) is recommended, though many fall short of this goal.”
Empowering individuals to improve their savings, regardless of starting point, is crucial. Carswell concludes: “There’s a saying that the best time to start saving for retirement is when you are in your twenties, and the next best time is right now.” C
iREAD MORE RELATED WITS RESEARCH:
• The Transition to Retirement from Academia https://sajs.co.za/article/view/18723
• Extending the normal retirement age in occupational defined contribution funds in South Africa
Bees, birds, and bats are part of an invisible workforce that support humanity and which, despite our role in climate change, are both a source of important labour as well as delight.
Since the beginning of time, humans have recruited animals and given them jobs. Oxen were drafted in early to haul the material that built our earliest civilisations, and horses found work in transportation. As for dogs, humans have just kept finding new jobs for them to do.
However, not all animals are trained or tamed for work. Some are tasked simply with going about their everyday lives providing information to their human observers that, in years to come, may prove extremely important. Until recently, a few of these animals were going about their business in typical Joburg gardens, mostly unnoticed. That was until Dr Chevonne Reynolds in the School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences (APES) at Wits came up with an idea to gauge biodiversity in a city that is undergoing rapid urbanisation. In particular, she wanted to see how some of the world’s best pollinators – solitary bees – were getting on.
Solitary bees are the lesser known of the bee super family but there are many of them around. It is estimated that there are nearly 1 300 bee species in South Africa and of those, only two are the classic social honeybees.
“Pollination services, and insect decline are a big issue. And 70% of all our crops are pollinated by insects, mostly bees,” explains Reynolds. “The problem we have when it comes to insect work is that insect populations haven’t been well documented, and so the data are quite patchy.” The status of the world’s pollinators is a cause for concern for scientists, because if bees stop moving pollen from plant to plant to facilitate fertilisation, agriculture will collapse.
For her project, Reynolds enlisted the help of some 350 citizen scientists, each one of whom was given a free bee hotel to set up in a garden. Each bee hotel, a small wooden box, has little holes drilled into it in which solitary bees take up residence and rear their young. All the citizen scientists had to do was take photographs and send them to Reynolds and her team. From the sealed-up holes, scientists could work out the occupancy rates of the hotels and from there get an idea of bee abundance in the city of Johannesburg. “It was a biodiversity indicator of sorts,” says Reynolds.
What they found in the study was a strong relation between socioeconomic status and the abundance of bees, which had to do with the wealthier citizen scientists having resources to maintain large floral gardens that supported more bees. Later the researchers collected what was left in a few of the nests and sent the sample for genetic analysis, which revealed that there are at least 14 species of solitary bees found in Johannesburg.
Solitary bees are not the only animals that are part of this invisible workforce. Scientists have roped in other species that are adding to our knowledge of what to expect in an uncertain future. The hot birds project involves an international collaboration of scientists who are studying the effects of heat and climate change on desert birds. The project spans the arid southern US, the
“Just like solitary bees, bats are great pollinators on whom our food production relies.”
Australian Outback, and the Kalahari desert. Dr Matthew Noakes, also of APES, worked on the project.
In the Kalahari, researchers have found that the increased frequency of heat waves is preventing some bird species from foraging efficiently as they must spend more time trying to stay cool. Climatologists predict that southern Africa will experience more frequent heat waves in the decades to come, and after receiving a glimpse four years ago of what this future could look like, scientists are deeply concerned.
On 8 November 2020, staff in the Pongola Nature Reserve noticed dead birds around the administration offices. A later patrol of the reserve found a further 47 dead birds. The temperature that afternoon had reached 45 degrees Celsius; this corner of northern KwaZulu-Natal had experienced South Africa’s first ever known heat-related die-off.
“It was a combination of high temperatures and humidity that led to this die-off. Birds lose heat via evaporative water loss, but if the water content of the surrounding air is already high, this limits the amount of heat they can lose from their bodies,” says Noakes. The die-off didn’t just claim birds, it killed bats too.
There has been growing concern over what effect climate change will have on bats. Just like solitary bees, bats are great pollinators on whom our food production relies, and they play key roles in seed dispersal, insect control, and nutrient recycling. Noakes is in the process of setting up a laboratory in which he will assess heat tolerance in bats across climatic gradients in South Africa. It is part of his work into investigating which species are more resilient to heat than others, and how they adapt their behaviour and physiology to cope with higher temperatures. Understanding heat tolerance not only assists in our understanding of the effects of climate change, but Noakes believes that it can also help in guiding the establishment of protected areas and wildlife corridors.
But there is another important job that these unlikely worker bees, bats, and birds are doing, which Reynolds discovered while working on the bee hotel project. Again, she turned to her citizen scientists, and, through interviews and social media data, she began to understand why these volunteers took on the task of installing and monitoring the free bee hotels: “There is a very strong human-nature connection that developed through supporting the project,” she says. “It shows that there are unrecognised forms of labour that animals do for us in terms of our wellbeing, even bringing us joy.” C
SAMANTHA HERBST CHANTÉ SCHATZ
Thanks to the global tech revolution, support for people with disabilities has expanded exponentially in recent years. Now, more than ever, the potential for a truly equitable society is within reach.
Since its establishment in 1986, the Disability Rights Unit (DRU) at Wits University has committed to creating an equal, accessible, and empowering environment for students and staff with disabilities. This includes access to the latest assistive technologies to support those across the disability spectrum. It also ensures that Wits’ students with disabilities are independent and ready for the workplace after graduation.
The empowerment and employability of students is one of the primary goals of Dr Leila Abdool Gafoor, who’s been leading the unit since March 2024.
“There is nothing more empowering than being able to do something on your own, but if we hold students’ hands too much, and they never learn to be independent, they’ll get used to the help at university but won’t have the same support when they step into the workplace,” she says. “It’s our mission to empower students to do more things on their own, so that they can enter the world of work seamlessly without having to rely on external assistance.”
To ensure that it’s able to empower and enable students with state-of-the-art facilities and best-in-tech devices, the Wits DRU is constantly sourcing the latest technological solutions.
Acknowledging that every student has specific and differing needs – even within the same spectrum of disability – adaptive technologist and alumnus Andrew Sam works closely with students, assessing them and making recommendations on which assistive technologies will best support them in their studies.
“My role focuses on digital accessibility, and I also offer one-onone training to make sure that each student is able to utilise the technology we have on offer,” he says.
Students with disabilities also need to be able to access online sites such as ulwazi, Wits’ learning management portal, as well as other sites crucial for their area of discipline, for which Sam provides training.
Dealing not just with disability, but with equity more broadly, Sam notes that some students approach the DRU having had little to no ICT training at their historically disadvantaged special-needs
high schools. This is also something that he helps address with individualised training programmes.
As a person with disabilities who has straddled both academia and the corporate landscape, diversity and inclusion activist and local writer Terry-Ann Adams (author of Those Who Live in Cages and White Chalk) says it was much tougher to navigate the world of work without a dedicated disability unit.
“You have to be your own advocate while worrying that you aren’t seen as lazy, or a burden,” they say, adding that the stakes are higher when there's money involved. “Disabilities are expensive, and you need the salary and medical aid that you get from work to pay for your life.”
Adams is currently pursuing a master’s degree through Wits’ Department of Creative Writing. As someone on the autism spectrum who also lives with albinism, the author advocates for others with disabilities, especially in the field of digital accessibility.
“There are some things that nondisabled people don't know are accessibility gamechangers for us. For me, it's Uber and ChatGPT.”
“There are some things that non-disabled people don't know are accessibility gamechangers for us. For me, it's Uber and ChatGPT, for instance. I use Uber because of my visual impairment, while ChatGPT has helped when I have brain fog from my lupus,” says Adams. “I also use a liquid reader that helps me when I pour hot water in a cup. And small things, like vegetables that are already peeled and cut, are amazing. I don't have to risk losing a finger when I cook a meal!”
Their advice to corporates and academic institutions which are keen better to support people with disabilities, is listening as the first, most crucial step to true allyship.
“No two people are the same. My accessibility needs may differ greatly from another person with albinism, or another autistic person. So, listen and consult with people who live this life. Lived experience is the best teacher,” they say.
Dr Zintle Ntshongwana joined Wits in 2022 as a Lecturer in the Department of Social Work. With an emerging research interest in disability equity in higher education, she immediately recognised the resources and support offered by the Wits DRU. Ntshongwana became a fellow in Wits’ Female Academic Leaders Fellowship (FALF) programme, which seeks to develop a pipeline of African female academic leaders in tertiary institutions, and which inspired this research focus in 2023.
“I decided to conduct a research study on disability units at two historically disadvantaged universities, namely the University of Fort Hare and the University of Zululand,” says the Fort Hare alumna, who completed her PhD there.
Ntshongwana’s research highlighted Wits as a frontrunner among local universities when it comes to equity and accessibility
support, with a wealth of resources that could benefit other universities through collaboration.
“Collaboration means sharing expertise and best practices. Universities like Fort Hare and Zululand would certainly benefit from Wits’ resources and expertise, but Wits could also benefit from a policy or representation perspective. There is always room for growth and gain,” she says.
On establishing workplace equity for people with disabilities, Ntshongwana believes in fostering an organisational culture where every voice is welcomed, respected and recognised equally.
She adds that not all disabilities are physical, and that many individuals feel they will be stigmatised if they disclose their disability. Ntshongwana is therefore passionate about mutual respect among individuals.
“A positive workplace culture is important. It’s a matter of being a human being and respecting the other person, and supporting diversity and inclusion,’’ she concludes. C
While Wits University is still learning how best to tap into the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and implement it in the disability space, the DRU strives to offer students the very best in disability support and existing assistive technologies, including:
Braille Note Takers: Devices that connect to blind learners’ phones or laptops and provide real-time Braille translation of webpages, as well as Word and PDF documents.
ZoomText keyboards: Keyboards that feature large, highcontrast letters, and coloured keys which help visually impaired learners to see the keyboard better, reducing eye strain.
Digital recorders: Advanced digital recorders with text-tospeech capability that enable blind students to navigate the device and their recordings. The recorders are also used by hearing- impaired students to record lectures.
Loop systems: Devices that pair wirelessly with a hearingimpaired person’s hearing aid or cochlear implant, providing clear, enhanced audio. The Phonak Roger pen is another example of a loop system, offering a discreet pen-shaped solution for someone with a hearing disability.
Desktop Magnifiers: The magnifier zooms in on documents with small fonts and/or dense text, enhancing visibility for the visually impaired.
Eye-Pal reading device: An easy-to-use scanner that instantly and accurately converts printed text from books or documents into audio. It also produces an electronic text file or MP3 of the audio for quick accessibility.
Blind students registered with the DRU receive mobility training to help them move freely around campus, while deaf students have access to two full-time South African Sign Language interpreters who can assist them in class.
Moreover, the DRU will liaise with lecturers and provide suggestions on how they can better support students with disabilities in their lectures. This is in addition to the dedicated computer lab for DRU students, and a dedicated extra time test and exam venue for students who use assistive technologies.
BETH AMATO
The official recognition of sex work would be a significant human rights gain. Viewing it in a sex-positive framework – rather than through a biomedical or moral lens – could break the stigma of sex work and advance healthcare and justice for those in the profession.
Sex workers – those who are paid in money or kind to perform consensual sexual acts – have forever been given derogatory labels including whore, isifebe, magosha, prostitute and slut. The law reflects and amplifies this visceral contempt, and in South Africa, it is illegal to either buy or sell sex. This criminalisation is a remnant of apartheid legislation, particularly the Immorality Act that outlawed samesex relationships and sex across the colour bar. Continuous and dogged activism is required to legitimise sex work as a valid form of labour and to create cultural and policy environments in which sex work is both safe and permissible.
Sex workers and their allies have challenged stereotypes and made inroads into legitimising sex work. But still, instead of being able to operate in a society that views sex workers as human beings worthy of earning a living, they face brutal barriers – most often in place due to poverty and high unemployment.
According to Naomi Hill, Programme Head and Chief of Party for the Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Research Institute
Key Populations Programme, some 922 out of 3 974 (23%, or a quarter) of sex workers receiving antiretroviral therapy reported experiencing violence in 2023.
“There is police malpractice across Wits RHI-assigned implementation districts. We hear of police officers taking away sex workers’ antiretroviral medications and arresting women in possession of condoms on the assumption that they’re sex workers. Our staff provide post-violence care for sex workers who have been sexually assaulted,” says Hill.
Within this context, an enabling, destigmatising, human rightsbased legislative framework is necessary. Decriminalising sex work and bringing it into the ambit of labour and occupational health and safety legislation – could provide this framework, as in New Zealand and other countries that have adopted this model. Frameworks aside, the public imagination remains beset with
misinformation that cements moralistic views and perpetuates stereotypes. To move beyond this, it’s necessary to recognise nuance and the material realities of sex workers – who should not be seen as one-dimensional victims.
Dr Marlise Richter, Research Associate at the African Centre for Migration and Society, notes that opponents of sex work – often those who believe in incarceration, rehabilitation, and punishment – try to remove the agency and choice of sex workers.
“Some portray sex workers as so confused or traumatised that they are unable to recognise what is beneficial for themselves,” says Richter. “Some ‘prostitution rehabilitation programmes’ claim to help sex workers address what they describe as ‘Stockholm Syndrome’. However, these coercive programmes overlook an important fact: choosing to engage in sex work to provide for oneself, and often for one’s extended family, can be a resourceful strategy and a rational livelihood choice. While this decision may be constrained by various circumstances, it can still be a valid and considered option.”
When Dr Corey Spengler-Gathercole, a PhD in Political Studies at Wits, interviewed a variety of organisations working with sex workers, she found that those choosing sex work did so because other kinds of work were not as well paid.
“It was often a voluntary and well-thought-out decision to do this labour. Sex workers can determine their working hours, set the price, and, ironically, it empowers women with control over their bodies. Yes, there are threats of violence and stigma, but I found that women could choose with whom to conduct business with,” says Spengler-Gathercole.
Dr Jenny Coetzee, CEO of the African Potential Group, holds a joint appointment at Wits, and believes that the biomedical, legal, and moral viewpoints of sex work minimise the satisfaction that some sex workers may derive from their jobs.
She has met a sex worker in the bondage, discipline, submission, and masochism (BDSM) sector who sets her own parameters about the services she will (or will not) provide, who enjoys her work, and who finds it meaningful and satisfying to earn the kind of money that she does.
“Sex work, like other work, is a service. Even if it’s survival sex, there can be pride in providing for your children and seeing them through school,” says Coetzee. “Other forms of available ‘women’s work’, and what ‘sex work diversion’ programmes offer, won’t equal the income possible through exchanging sex for reward.”
Moreover, Coetzee believes that criminalising sex work hasn’t eradicated its existence and that HIV, STIs and gender-based violence remain scourges giving further impetus to the need to find an alternative framework.
Richter notes that some “abolitionist feminists” view female sexuality as inevitably repressed by patriarchy. Sex-positive feminists, on the other hand, believe that compulsory heterosexism and sex negativity produce this repression.
Sex-positive feminism is based on the idea that sexual freedom is an essential part of a person’s freedom and that no legitimate restrictions should hinder sexual activity and expression – provided that it occurs within the boundaries of adult mutual consent
“There isn’t anything inherently oppressive about sex work if it is regarded as work, reflects people’s choices, and takes place within the frameworks of mutual consent, human rights and ‘decent work’,” says Richter, and emphasises that sex work should never be conflated with trafficking and child prostitution. An African sex-positive feminism perspective is key to challenging harmful stereotypes.
Most scholars and activists agree that criminal law will not eradicate the sex industry (if that is indeed its aim), and that criminalisation worsens conditions for sex workers, rendering society less safe. Rather, they say, advocate for recognising sex work as legitimate labour. C
Amanda, 38, has provided services as a sex worker since she was 24. She is also a peer educator at the Wits RHI’s sex worker outreach programme, offering advice and clinical services to other sex workers, including clinic referrals, the provision of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), male and female condom distribution and peer counselling. Her peer education work takes up most of her time, but she works as a sex worker on weekends.
“The best part about being a sex worker is the money. It’s simple. I didn’t have the opportunity to go to school because my parents died young. There were no jobs when I tried to get a job to support my younger siblings. I became a sex worker. Because of this I was able to pay for my younger siblings’ school and university fees. The best part of this is that I paid for my child to go to school. Now, she has almost finished her third year of university. We also have a nicer and bigger house to live in. This is all because of sex work.”
Although the money earned from sex work is more than other types of work, Amanda says the operating environment is dangerous. “ Clients abuse us and so do the police. If we get raped, which often happens, we can’t report the crime. The police will say, ‘But you can’t get raped as a sex worker.’ Then it’s worse if you are a migrant sex worker. Especially if you don’t have papers. You are treated extremely badly.”
Amanda is a street-based sex worker and says that some days are financially better than others. She can earn as much as R1500 on a good day and as little as R50 on a bad one.
She also talks about the prevalence of agism in the sector. “The younger girls – 18 and 19 – can charge a higher price. The client will rather go to them for services, so we have to lower our prices. Business has been really affected by this.”
Amanda hopes that the police will understand that sex work is work, and that sex workers are entitled to protection, instead of further threats of violence. She also hopes that nurses will see past their stigma and provide necessary services to sex workers, who are often too scared to go to clinics for basic healthcare services.
All learners have the ability to do mathematics, as long as educators convey both the elegance and utility of the subject, an approach advocated by the Teacher Choices in Action says Aarifah Gardee, Zaheera Jina Asvat, Karin Brodie.
The principles of mathematics underpin problemsolving, decision-making, and innovation across every industry. Finance professionals use mathematics to model investments, analyse risk, and calculate interest. Engineers rely on calculus and algebra for designing structures and optimising systems. In healthcare, mathematics ensures accurate dosages, enables imaging to be interpreted, and underpins epidemiology; a lot of mathematics went into understanding how the SARS-COV-2 virus spreads and how it might be contained. Manufacturing applies geometry for quality control and product design, while retail and hospitality use arithmetic for cost management and inventory control. Creative fields including graphic design and gaming use geometry and transformations for functional designs. Beyond utility, mathematics also reveals beauty and joy through patterns, puzzles, and abstract elegance.
As Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other technologies transform global and local workplaces, mathematics education becomes increasingly vital. Core areas such as linear algebra, calculus, probability, and statistics drive AI algorithms, enabling data analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling. Discrete mathematics underpins coding and data structures. Mathematics is needed both to use and critique AI. Beyond AI, mathematics cultivates critical thinking and problem-solving – skills that are essential in an automated world.
PEDAGOGY PROBLEMS
Despite the importance of mathematics, South African learners do not do well in the subject, putting in poor performances in
“Discrete mathematics underpins coding and data structures.”
national and international assessments. The latest Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS, 2023) shows that South African Grade 5 learners ranked last out of 58 countries, and Grade 9 learners were fifth from the bottom. There are many possible explanations for our poor performance, including under-resourced schools and classrooms, difficulties with the language of learning, teaching and assessment, and an overcrowded curriculum, with little time and space for exploring important mathematical concepts.
A key challenge is pedagogy – how mathematics is taught. In many South African schools, mathematics is presented as a set of rules and procedures, which removes learners from its deeper meaning and relevance. Research shows that this approach can lead to frustration and anxiety. Learners engage better when mathematics is seen as something creative, collaborative, and that accelerates problem-solving.
For substantial change to occur, learners should experience mathematics conceptually, with meaning, and by being able to apply the skills of collaboration, inquiry, and problem-solving.
Classrooms in which teachers respect and value learners and believe that effort – not ability – leads to success, foster positive outcomes. When learners appreciate the importance of effort in success, they are better prepared for their futures, as perseverance and resilience play a key role in today’s work environment, which is marked by rapid technological changes.
Despite the discouraging results from the TIMSS and other studies, it is essential for us as educators to remember that all learners have the ability to do mathematics. Our role is to transmit the beauty and utility of the subject, rather than just teaching rules to be followed. By re-imagining how mathematics is taught and valued, we can transform South Africa’s education landscape. This change will not only prepare learners for standardised tests but also equip them for meaningful participation in the real world.
However, many South African teachers are not trained to teach mathematics in a meaningful way. An overcrowded curriculum, and mostly procedural assessments, do not help. Having experienced many years of rote learning and “chalk-and-talk” approaches as learners, teachers carry these practices into their own teaching.
Research suggests that without actively engaging with new pedagogies during training, pre-service teachers may dismiss new ideas as irrelevant and replicate the teaching methods that they experienced.
In the Wits School of Education, we work with our preservice students to develop mathematics pedagogies with a strong focus on pedagogical reasoning. In their classes, they learn mathematics conceptually and deeply and are encouraged to think about what the mathematics means. In their methodology classes, they think about how learners might engage with the subject, and how to create tasks that support learners to develop conceptual understanding. An online programme: Teacher Choices in Action (TCiA) teaches them how to observe classrooms carefully, helping them to interrogate prior beliefs shaped by their experiences as learners, and to think about what today’s learners need to learn as they move into the future. We also work with in-service teachers, supporting them to think about the mathematics that they are teaching and how learners are receiving it. This work has enabled a number of current teachers to shift their practices. All of our work is informed by the research we do – research based in South African classrooms and focused on meaningful mathematics, on critical thinking and problemsolving, and on caring for all learners, as students of mathematics.
Mathematics is crucial across industries and despite digital and technological advances, its role is ever more
“In many South African schools, mathematics is presented as a set of rules and procedures, which removes learners from its deeper meaning and relevance.”
important. To counter South Africa’s challenges in the mathematics classroom, including poor performance in international assessments, initiatives in the Wits School of Education are improving teacher training and promoting problem-solving approaches, offering solutions for a more effective and inclusive mathematics education system. C
Zaheera Jina Asvat lectures
Mathematics Education in the Wits School of Education. Her research focuses on identity, agency, and belonging within education and society, as well as mathematics pre-service teacher development and teachers’ mathematical identities.
Karin Brodie is a Professor in the Wits School of Education. She researches mathematics teacher development, professional learning communities, mathematics clubs and learners’ mathematical identities.
Aarifah Gardee lectures
Mathematics Education in the Wits School of Education. She researches learners’ mathematical identities in secondary schools and how they are shaped by classroom contexts.
As Artificial Intelligence infiltrates the world of writing, Schalk Mouton’s (AI version) argues for the irreplaceable value of human-driven composition.
It's a crisp autumn morning in Johannesburg. The kind of morning where the air is so clean and fresh, you can almost taste the pollution from the nearby mine dumps. I'm sitting at my desk, staring at the blinking cursor on my computer screen, willing the words to flow from my fingertips onto the digital page. But today, something is different. There's an intruder in my creative space, a digital interloper that promises to make my life easier but instead fills me with a sense of dread.
An AI writing assistant has been installed on my computer, ostensibly to help me write faster and more efficiently. What its proponents didn't mention was that it would also make me question my entire existence as a writer.
As I sit here, trying to compose my column, the AI assistant keeps popping up like an overeager puppy, offering suggestions and completing my sentences. "In today's fast-paced world..." it begins, and I can already feel my soul leaving my body. Is this what writing has come to? Pre-packaged phrases and ideas generated by an algorithm?
I remember the good old days, just a few years ago, when the most advanced technology in my writing arsenal was the spellcheck function. Now, I'm expected to collaborate with a machine that claims to understand the nuances of language and storytelling better than I do. It's like having a backseat driver, but instead of navigating roads, it's trying to navigate my thoughts.
My colleagues have all embraced this brave new world of AI-assisted writing with enthusiasm. Just yesterday, I overheard two of them discussing their latest articles.
"I wrote a 2000-word feature in just 30 minutes!" one boasted. "That's nothing," the other replied. "I generated three different versions of my column and let AI pick the best one."
I couldn't help but interject. "But where's the creativity in that? The personal touch? The blood, sweat, and tears that go into crafting each sentence?"
They looked at me as if I'd suggested we go back to using typewriters and carrier pigeons. "Oh, Schalk," they laughed,
"you're such a dinosaur."
Perhaps I am a dinosaur, lumbering towards extinction in this sleek, efficient AI-driven world. But my concerns go beyond mere nostalgia. I worry about the future generations of writers and critical thinkers. Will they ever know the satisfaction of finding the perfect word after hours of mental wrestling? Will they understand the joy of crafting a sentence that sings, that resonates with readers on a deeply human level? More importantly, will they develop the critical thinking skills that come from the writing process itself?
Writing is not just about producing words on a page. It's a process of discovery, a way to explore and refine our thoughts. Writing forces us to slow down, focus our attention, and think deeply about a subject. It's a test of our understanding, a way to realise the gaps in our knowledge and fill them.
In a world where attention is fragmented in seconds, where we're bombarded with information from multiple sources, the ability to think deeply and critically becomes more valuable than ever. Writing requires us to stick with a problem a little longer, to develop a deeper understanding. It's not just about conveying information; it's about processing it, analysing it, and synthesising it into something new.
I recently had a conversation with a 20-something-year-old colleague about this very topic. Fresh out of university and brimming with technological enthusiasm, she couldn't understand why I insisted on writing my columns from scratch when I could simply use AI to generate a draft for me. Her question seemed as natural to her as using a smartphone is to her generation. If there's a more convenient way to do something, why not use it?
But convenience isn't always the point. The reason we write is not just to produce content, but to engage in a process of thinking and reasoning. By delegating writing to AI, we might be saving time, but we're missing the chance to think more deeply about the topic at hand.
Writing is the process by which we often realise that we don't fully understand what we're talking about. It's easy to have a surface-level understanding of a topic, to read a few articles and feel like an expert. But when we sit down to write about something complicated and difficult to pin down, we often discover how much we don't know. It's like claiming to be a professional athlete without ever having trained.
Writing offers a vehicle for discovering deeper insights. When we write, we're forced to take a complicated and ill-defined problem and distil it into something more manageable. This process not only helps us reflect on our ideas but often leads us to develop new ones.
The insights we discover through writing are not limited to the subject about which we write – , we also learn more about ourselves. Writing doesn't just convey our ideas; it conveys a part of us. Our personality and worldview become part of the work itself. While the reader remembers the story, the writer is forever changed.
AI can certainly help with many aspects of writing. It can generate ideas, check grammar, even produce coherent paragraphs on a given topic. But it can't replicate the cognitive processes that occur when a human sits down to wrestle with their thoughts and put them into words. As we move further into this
“It's like claiming to be a professional athlete without ever having trained.”
AI-driven world, I worry that we're raising a generation of writers who will be more adept at prompting AI than actually writing. They might produce more content, faster, but at what cost to their thinking skills? In a world where intellectual labour is increasingly outsourced to tools, the human aptitude for clear thinking and unique insights will become more valuable.
The famous fantasy fiction writer, Terry Pratchett, said that writing is the most fun you can have by yourself. I fully subscribe to that idea. I love writing. I always have. I also love journalism, as it provides the writer (or content creator) with the means to delve into a topic. Research it and speak to incredible people to tap into their ideas and thoughts on the topic. You then get the chance to internalise all this information, make it yours, and then present it as a work that you can be proud of. If there is one thing that I fear AI might take from us – if, in fact at some stage it becomes as clever as everyone thinks it will – it would be pride and a sense of accomplishment. I pledge never again to “construct” a single one of my columns by using AI. And, for the reasons mentioned above (and in the AI column), I will never accept an AI generated story for Curios.ty.
So, while I may be a dinosaur, I'll continue to write the oldfashioned way. I'll wrestle with my words, agonise over every sentence, and pour my heart and soul into every column. It may not be as efficient, but it's authentic. It's human. And in a world increasingly dominated by artificial intelligence, perhaps that's the most valuable thing we can offer. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go and figure out how to uninstall this AI assistant before it offers to write my resignation letter for me. After all, some things are just too important to delegate to a machine.
AI Disclaimer: This column was fully written by Claude.ai. All I did was upload some of my previous columns, tell Claude what I wanted, the tone that I wanted it in, and the number of words that I wanted. I also included some of my views on writing with AI, which are reflected in the column. I then made a couple of small edits and tweaks to the prompts to get a final version. While this version was completely adequate (and hopefully fools my boss into thinking that it took me the full two weeks that I told her it took me to write the column), I don’t feel it is my work. I don’t feel proud of it and have no attachment to it whatsoever. I wouldn’t even mind if our sub-editor cut parts of it to make it fit. (Why would I do that to a piece written by a superior power?! - Sub Ed) C
Schalk Mouton is Editor of Curios.ty and a reluctant AI user.
PRISHANI NAIDOO PRISHANI NAIDOO
It
is the work of history to show the importance of the University as a space for the autonomous production of knowledge about work itself. Through research that is critical, independent, and open to critique Wits has, over time, taken the side of social justice.
Maria Dlamini was a 45-year-old contract cleaner at Wits in 2004. Andries Bezuidenhout and Khayaat Fakier, then researchers in the Society, Work and Politics Institute (SWOP), came to know her as they shared the same place of work. In an article titled Maria’s Burden: Contract Cleaning and the Crisis of Social Reproduction in Post-apartheid South Africa, they tell her story. In an intimate account of Maria's daily life, they show how the paid work she does at the university, and the unpaid work she does in her home and community in Soweto allow her to navigate the challenges confronting her.
Their broader research shows that Maria's experience is not unique and is shared by others in similar situations. It argues that the racial and gender inequalities of the apartheid labour system still exist today under a new guise of flexible, neoliberal work environments. These changes place an even greater burden on poor communities, with African women bearing most of the responsibility for unpaid caregiving and household work.
Published in 2006 in the journal Antipode, Maria's story is a window into the history of work in South Africa. At the same time, it is also part of a growing global experience in which stories like Maria's are increasingly common.
During the preceding 20 years, research on work was premised on different social and political circumstances, with mines and factories the main focus of studies. While race and class were key problematics in case studies, full time waged work still held the promise of social justice, with the expectation that trade unions would be the key political custodians of change, heralding a
non-racial future. The 1973 Durban strikes provided the longer historical backdrop for many scholars, including Eddie Webster (1942-2024), who established SWOP in 1983.
SWOP undertook its first research project with the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), looking at health and safety in the gold mines. While the findings empowered workers, they angered mine managers who argued that the research was biased, and they felt betrayed by the University. Fast forward to 2012 and the Marikana massacre, and it would be NUM that found problems with SWOP’s research.
In 2000, SWOP researchers challenged the outsourcing of certain categories of workers by Wits management, predicting Maria’s burden as one of its outcomes. Despite being joined by others in their protests, they lost. In 2015, ten years after the research shared in Antipode, the demand for outsourcing to “fall” was won at Wits in renewed struggles led by a different generation. C
Dr Prishani Naidoo was Director of the Society, Work and Politics Institute. She passed away in December 2024. She held a PhD in Development Studies. Her intellectual interests was shaped by being part of different political communities since the 1990s. At their centre sit questions that seek to understand, find, and reveal alternative ways of life that lie beyond the limited imaginaries produced by the wage, the state, and the party.
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