Wits. For Good.
The Next 100 Years.
Thank you for your support.
Paying it forward
The Wits Centenary Campaign has surpassed all expectations and continues to gain momentum. I am heartened and grateful for the support and goodwill that has been shown to me personally and to the University during this special time. As you know, we set an initial target to raise R4 billion to support Wits’ eight priority areas: driving digital transformation; catalysing digital innovation and entrepreneurship; ensuring better health for all; solving global challenges; advancing society; governance and justice; future-proofing our natural treasures; developing the next generation of leaders; and energising broad-based alumni support. To date we have surpassed all expectations, with the current campaign total standing at R4 billion, for which we are hugely appreciative – we could not have reached this milestone without you, and without the support of our alumni, corporate donors, trusts and foundations, who believe in, and trust Wits. There have been many donations and sponsorships to Wits, too many to mention here. You, too, can Give Now, For Good, to help us reach our new campaign goal of R5 billion by 2027. Any form of support that you give, makes a huge difference in helping Wits realise our ambitious Wits100 goals.
We also enhanced several strategic partnerships which have yielded mutual benefit, with the likes of the University of Edinburgh, University College London, Northeastern University and Melbourne Business School. Two outcomes have seen Wits inducted into the Afretec Network which provides very generous funding to advance digital transformation on the continent, and significant funding to kickstart quantum technologies.
Professor Zeblon Vilakazi FRS
Vice-Chancellor and Principal
can Give Now, For Good YOU, TOO,
What a Centenary Year 2022 Around the World in 180 days
Senior Wits leaders visited the USA, Canada, UK and Australia in 2022 to meet prominent alumni and friends, host reunions and share our good news stories.
United States & Canada 2022
A highlight of the four-city West Coast visit in May 2022 was a spectacular alumni dinner hosted by Nicole and Bradley (an internationally recognized neuroradiologist) Jabour at their beautiful home in Los Angeles: (pictured left, from L to R) Nooshin Erfani-Ghadimi, Larry and Heidi Isaacs, Nicole and Bradley Jabour, Stephanie and Dr Obed Bahat, Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Peter Bezuidenhoudt, Nadine and Gary (former CEO of Metro Goldwyn Mayer) Barber, Isaac Shongwe (Wits Chair of Council), and Bryan and Kayla Gordon.
Charles Goldstuck, a globally renowned music industry entrepreneur; Dr David and Angela Fine (who have generously endowed the Angela and David Fine Chair in Innovation), Steve Collis (Chairman, President and CEO of Cencora Corporation, a global healthcare solutions leader, currently ranked No. 10 on the Fortune 500) ; and Stanley and Dr Marion Bergman (CEO of Henry Schein and pulmonologist respectively), were some of the illustrious alumni who met with the Wits delegation during the three city East Coast tour in September.
Thembisile Xulu, Sherwin Charles, Robbie Brozin, Kendal Makgamathe, Professor Helen Rees, Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Mpumi Zikalala
Right: Isaac Shongwe, Derek Schrier (CIO Indaba Capital, San Francisco) and Professor Zeblon Vilakazi
Celebrating #Wits100 in Times Square, NYC
United Kingdom 2022
A highlight of our trip to the UK in June 2022 was tea with Sir Sydney Kentridge (a few months shy of his own 100th birthday) to thank him for his many and varied contributions to his alma mater that also shares his year of birth. At our three Centenary alumni celebratory reunions held in London, Oxford and Cambridge, Dixit Joshi (CFO Credit Suisse), Prof. Ian Steadman (playwright and former Dean at Wits), and Dr Theo Hacking (University of Cambridge) respectively delivered heartfelt addresses. Lunch with Professor Sir David King (Climate Crisis Advisory Group) at his London Club for a discussion on the climate crisis, sustainability and inequality included key alumni such as former Investec Director Dr Allen Zimbler, Dr Bill Carman (Founder of Fast Track Diagnostics) and Keith Coleman (cofounder of algal food and carbon sequestration company Brilliant Planet) and, on subsequent occasions, Kate Kuper (Bateleur), Dr Fiona Perrott-Humphrey (Mining Investment Adviser to Rothschild & Co.), as well as Evan and Damon Hoff (Musgrave), and Michael Schewitz (Investec).'
We are grateful to Ruth Leas (CEO Investec Bank plc) for honouring the ViceChancellor at a party at Investec in London when he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society, a society which describes itself as a Fellowship of many of the world’s most eminent scientists and as the oldest scientific academy in continuous existence. Wits alumnus Prof John Burland FRS famed for stabilising the Leaning Tower of Pisa, welcomed Prof Vilakazi to the illustrious group of Wits alumni who are Fellows of the Royal Society. Notable Wits alumni that attended included Professor Helen Rees, Duncan Wanblad (Global CEO of Anglo American), good friends Wendy and Hylton Appelbaum, Janet and Matthew Kentridge and Steven Braudo (former CEO of Quilter).
Left: Professor Zeblon Vilakazi with Ruth Leas
Sir Sydney Kentridge and Professor Zeblon Vilakazi
Evan and Damon Hoff (Founders of Musgrave Capital) with Professor Zeblon Vilakazi
Australia 2022
As part of the inauguration of the Wits Australian Board of Directors office in 2022 we had a whistle stop adrenalin infused visit with over 15 engagements across four Australian cities. Our remarkable Chancellor Dr Judy Dlamini and the Chair of the Wits Foundation Board of Governors, Arnie Basserabie joined us.
Engagements included a luncheon with the Zylstra family who have generously sponsored the Brian and Dorothy Zylstra Wits Institute for Sport and Health; three very well attended boardroom lunches ably chaired by prominent Wits Australian alumni Dr Rod Baxter (Perth), Peter Polson (Melbourne) and Stephen Koseff (former CEO of Investec – Sydney), cocktail networking evenings generously hosted at the houses of Dani and Leanne Peer (Melbourne) and Avi and Ariella Spyrides (Sydney), alumni reunions and Women in Leadership discourses presented by our Chancellor at the Melbourne Business School, University of Wollongong’s Sydney Business School and at Corrs Chambers Westgarth. Chancellor of the University of New South Wales (UNSW), and prominent businessman and philanthropist, David Gonski AC hosted us at UNSW. His father, Dr Alex Gonski qualified at Wits as a neurosurgeon.
All in all, the delegation met more than 350 alumni and friends of Wits during the eight-day visit. The Australian Kudu Giving Circle was launched with an appeal to Witsies to remember their alma mater.
Professor Zeblon Vilakazi and Lawrence Jackon, Wits Australia representative with the Pillemer brothers - Michael, Jon and Russel.
Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Dr Judy Dlamini and David Gonski AC
David Zylstra, Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Peter Bezuidenhoudt and Philip Zylstra
Professor Zeblon Vilakazi celebrates #Wits100 with Anglo Executives Nolitha Fakude, Duncan Wanblad and Mpumi Zikalala at the ground- breaking ceremony of the Wits Anglo American Digital Dome.
From the sound of music to reaching for the stars
The Centenary year began in March 2022 when we opened the Wits Chris Seabrooke Music Hall, an iconic intimate and bespoke venue adding to the Braamfontein landscape. In July William Kentridge gifted us ‘Oh to Believe in Another World’ which took centre stage at the Linder Auditorium and in September we gathered Friends of Wits in Times Square. This all culminated in November when we hosted our friends from Anglo American in the erstwhile Joburg Planetarium which will be transformed into the Wits Anglo American Digital Dome.
Wits Chris Seabrooke Music Hall opening in March 2022Doug Smollan, Reeva Forman, Simeone Segal, Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Carolyn Smollan and Dr Mark Lamberti
Bringing it home
The centenary year Homecoming Weekend was an incredible sea of blue – thousands of Witsies - snaked through Braamfontein during our Centenary Parade. This was a demonstration of unity, of pride, and belonging to our 100-year-old University, that undoubtedly impacts on society, for good. This was followed by the Wits100 alumni reunion, the Visible Resonance Light Show, a reimagined Free People’s concert, which raised over R500 000 for the Wits Food Bank, the unveiling of scholarship boards, a multi-generational Wits SRC Reunion and a Centenary Founders’ Tea which included perspicacious words from our current and former chancellors, Dr Judy Dlamini and Justice Dikgang Moseneke on the role of universities in society today, views supported by our Chair of Council, Isaac Shongwe.
Around Witsies Making A Difference
The World
The Dumbest Guy At the Table
“The Dumbest Guy at the Table”, David Shein (BComm 1983; BAcc 1985) founded Australia’s first unicorn. Click here to read about his incredible journey that spans three decades of bringing the smartest people together to create Australia’s first unicorn (a privately held start-up company valued at more than one billion dollars).
https://issuu.com/witsalumnirelations/docs/wits_ review_november_2022_issuu/s/17333655
Dr Vivienne Thom
Witsies all over the world are making a difference and Australia is no exception. Some of you living down under may have crossed paths with graduates who have embarked on interesting careers such as Canberra’s supersleuth, Inspector-General of Intelligence and Secuity in the Australian government from 2010 to 2015, Dr Vivienne Thom (BSc 1979, BSc Hons 1980, Phd 1985). Her nose for corruption and misconduct has had her investigate everything from fraud to sexual harassment by high profile public figures.
https://issuu.com/witsalumnirelations/docs/wits_ review_november_2022_issuu/s/17333655
Teresa Kutala Firmino exhibits again in London
Two Witsies named in Time100 AI List
South African Theatre Triumph Takes Europe by Storm
Lara Foot's acclaimed adaptation of 'Life & Times of Michael K,' a co-production between Cape Town's Baxter Theatre and Germany's Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus, has captivated audiences on a global scale. After wowing crowds in Ireland at the Galway International Arts Festival, and gracing the prestigious Edinburgh Fringe in Scotland, this groundbreaking adaptation of JM Coetzee's novel has garnered international praise. Wits alumna Lara Foot's artistic brilliance transcends borders, portraying the poignant story of Michael K through an innovative blend of puppetry, live performance, and multimedia—a masterpiece applauded across continents."
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-66300961
Five years after finishing a fine arts degree at Wits, Teresa Kutala Firmino travelled to the UK for her second solo exhibition in London in October. A multimedia artist using paint, printed materials, and performance, she has attracted attention with her work that draws from her upbringing and that tells tales of trauma and women. Born in 1993 in Pomfret in South Africa’s North-West province on the cusp of South Africa’s transition to democracy, her work bears testimony to the turbulence before and after apartheid, given that Pomfret became home to former 32 battalion soldiers like her Angolan father and Congolese mother, who resettled there after the Border War.
https://www.everardlondon.com/exhibition/132/
Oct 13 – Nov 4, 2023
Wits University celebrates the inclusion of two alumni, Pelonomi Moiloa and Shakir Mohamed, who featured in TIME magazine's 100 Most Influential People in
Artificial Intelligence. Moiloa, the CEO of Lelapa AI, is recognised as an innovator for her work in language technology, focusing on under-represented South African languages. Mohamed, the Research Director at Google DeepMind, is acknowledged as a thinker who pioneered generative AI models. Both alumni, representing diverse expertise, grapple with ethical questions and social challenges posed by AI.
https://www.wits.ac.za/news/sources/alumninews/2023/two-witsies-named-in-time100ai-list. html
Lara Foot enjoys puppetry because puppets can do what humans can't, like fly
TERESA KUTALA FIRMINO | Owners of the Earth IV
Lambo Kanagaratnam
And what an incredible life journey it has been for Lambo Kanagaratnam (BScEng 1997; MSc Eng 2000) as he crossed Sri Lanka to Zambia to South Africa to Iran and finally to Australia after being snapped up by Optus where he was the MD of Networks. Instrumental in establishing basketball as a major sport at Wits, Lambo shares his love for all things mobile and South African with us.
Five Wits Engineers
Five Wits engineering graduates under one roof making a difference at international engineering firm Klohn Crippen Berger (KCB) gives testament to Witsies taking the edge all over the world. (L-R)
• Dr Louis Kirsten (BSc Eng 1992, MSc Eng 1995), Geotechnical/Civil Engineer based in Australia
• Ryan Douglas (BSc Eng 1992), President and CEO, Principal based in Vancouver
• Dave Johns (BSc Eng 2001, MSc Eng 2004), Senior Geotechnical Engineer based in Australia
• Anton Kirsten (BSc Eng 2001, MSc Eng 2004) Senior Geotechnical Engineer based in Australia
• Simon Douglas (BSc Eng 1997) Vice President, Power and Transportation / Principal based in Vancouver
From a Working Holiday to an Extraordinary Journey: Dr Anthony Holley’s Path
Dr Anthony Holley and his wife Birgit embarked on a working holiday in New Zealand, unaware that it would shape the course of their lives forever. Driven by a passion to make a difference, Dr Holley’s journey took him from serving as a military doctor in Afghanistan, the Persian Gulf, and Iraq, to achieving the rank of captain in the Royal Australian Navy, where he dedicated his efforts to training health professionals. In reflecting on his exceptional medical education, Dr Holley credits Wits University for his success. The transformative impact of his experiences at Wits has been instrumental in shaping his remarkable achievements.
https://issuu.com/witsalumnirelations/docs/wits_ review_april_2023_issuu/44
Adapting Leadership: Ari Mervis' Journey from Profits to Poly Crises
The role of big business may not change much when it comes to making profits, creating jobs, generating taxes, and advancing economies, but leaders will have to change if they are to be the kind of business people who can face up to the poly crises of the world and still be able to chart a path forward for their companies. For veteran businessman and professional company director Ari Mervis, the shift in gears means honing their skills to better anticipate, adapt and take appropriate action. It’s also about making room for diverse skills sets and being comfortable that you don’t know everything.
Ari is used to change and new environments - his career has seen him build teams from scratch in many countries, including Russia, Hong Kong, Australia and Eswatini. The chairman of McPherson’s - who was also a one-time Wits RAG chairman – knows business like the back of his hand.
https://wits-au.org/ari-mervis/
A Zoo Wizard in Aus
Dr Jenny Gray, a Wits alumna with a Masters and PhD in ethics, resides in the tranquillity of Mount Macedon, in Melbourne. Leading Zoos Victoria in Australia, she uses her profound educational journey, including degrees from Wits University, as a guiding force for her life's work.
Amidst the conversation, a kangaroo hops through her garden—a spontaneous symbol of her passion for wildlife. From the bustling cityscape of Johannesburg to her transformative role at Zoos Victoria, Jenny is a woman driven by ethics, who nurtures endangered species, and who advocates for a future where compassion and conservation intertwine.
https://wits-au.org/jenny-gray/
Meet Dr Adam Pantanowitz
– The Angela and David Fine Chair in Innovation, Director of the Wits Innovation Centre
“Wits is a place brimming with all of the ingredients for innovation: brilliant minds, academic freedom, multidisciplinary work, diversity of thought, and remarkable research. I see unbridled potential for us to solve problems from our unique vantage point, and ultimately to make change happen from within the Wits ecosystem for the benefit of society at large. The best part is that we can all be a part of this.”
Dr Adam Pantanowitz is an iconic biomedical and electrical engineer, well-known for initiating and leading the first group in the world to connect a human brain live and mobile to the internet in a project called the Brainternet – a term he coined. He joined the School of Electrical and Information Engineering at Wits University in 2009 where he lectures in engineering and medicine.
An artificial intelligence expert, technologist, and entrepreneur, Pantanowitz uses his applied sciences skills to make real-world impact. He is the co-founder or early-stage partner of multiple startups such as AURA (a mobile security app), Resolute Robotics (an online education forum to promote engineering and robotics), think3dots (an innovative incubator focused on biotechnology, AI, and engineering), and Tariffic (a platform to best predict a customer's preferred mobile plan).
https://www.wits.ac.za/innovation/wits-innovation-centre/our-people/adampantanowitz/
Fiona Perrott-Humphrey: Climbing the miningand-finance ladder to the top
Dr Fiona Perrott-Humphrey’s current jobs in London — one as Senior Adviser on Mining Investments to Rothschild & Co. and the other as Director of the London-Stock-Exchange-listed Baker Steel Resources Trust that invests in unquoted mining projects which are brought on to maturity — are a far cry from her early career as a teacher in rural KwaZulu-Natal.
Born in Johannesburg, Fiona completed a BA in English and History in Pietermaritzburg at the University of Natal, followed by a teacher training course at UCT.
“In those days the education department would fund your studies if you repaid them by working for them for three years,” she recalls.
https://www.wits.ac.za/news/sources/global-witsies/2024/climbing-the-miningand-finance-ladder-to-the-top.html
From Left to Right: Prof. Richard Bradley, Anton Ossip, Dr Allen Zimbler, Dr Fiona Perrot-Humphrey, Prof. Zeblon Vilakazi, Philip Lindop and Mark Byrne
A Witsie Brings Speech and Hearing to Cambodia's Rural Communities
Having a profession that gives you a chance to give back to society is a gift, but having two professions that can be put to service in this way is a treasure.
For Professor Chyrisse Heine, being a dually qualified speech pathologist and audiologist has allowed her to build a career with a wide scope that has included research, lecturing, book editing, guiding the development of the two professions, and running a private practice in Melbourne.
A particular career achievement has been her volunteer work that brings sorely needed speech therapy and auditory services to rural communities in Cambodia. Here, she also helps the country develop programmes for speech pathology services. Since 2015, she and her colleagues have been able to help over 3 000 people. To give someone the gift of hearing, or hearing them speak for the very first time, has affirmed “communication as a human right” a goal for which she and her colleagues advocates.
Volunteering has given Chyrisse a different perspective on the world. She explains how her work in Cambodia and her roots in South Africa remind her that cultural sensitivity, diversity, histories and heritage matter, and that through better understanding, the world comes together a little more.
https://wits-au.org/chyrisse-heine/
Wits Alum Makes Royal Impact: $750M Climate Initiative Announced in Historic Meeting with King and President
It's not every day that a Wits-educated entrepreneur finds himself meeting both a King and a President to unveil an ambitious climate change initiative. However, Dr Andrew "Andy" Kuper, a successful Witsie, is far from ordinary. Already recognised by royalty given his 2022 Queen's Birthday Honours , Andy, the co-founder and CEO of Australian-based LeapFrog Investments, had a historic encounter at Windsor Castle in July of this year, where he proudly announced an impressive $750 million (R13.4 billion) investment plan dedicated to combating climate change.
https://www.sajr.co.za/complacency-means-devastation-warns-sa-born-climatefinancier/
Lenore Manderson: A decorated warrior for a better world
Lenore Manderson, Distinguished Professor of Public Health and Medical Anthropology at Wits and a Wits Australia Board
Member can do more in a day than most people can do in a year.
So, when in 2013 she was offered the position at Wits, along with a similar one at Brown University in the US, she thought she’d do “50% at Wits, 50% at Brown and 50% in Australia”, where she’d been working as a full professor at various universities since 1988.
Manderson has received many laurels in her illustrious career — including the Society of Medical Anthropology Career Achievement Award, Member of the Order of Australia and the 2023 Bronislaw Malinowski Award from the Society for Applied Anthropology, which honours an outstanding social scientist in recognition of efforts to understand and serve the needs of the world's societies — but this year was the first time an actual laurel wreath was placed on her head.
The leaves are “drying nicely” she says. The more permanent wreath is engraved on a gold ring on her finger. Both were received at the Uppsala University in Sweden, among the oldest places of learning in the world, which bestowed on her an honorary doctorate. Read more about Lenore’s work which has gained her global recognition as a leading researcher in her field.
https://www.wits.ac.za/news/sources/global-witsies/2024/a-decoratedwarrior-for-a-better-world.html
Robbie Brozin: A shining light with energy to spare
The word “passionate” is overused but it might have been invented to describe Wits alumnus Robbie Brozin.
Sitting at the I Love Food restaurant on Constitution Hill, one can almost see the neon fizz of ideas pouring at breakneck speed from his mind.
Best known for founding the world-famous brand Nando’s, Brozin has stepped back from the day-to-day activities of chicken and chips. Unlike some other 64-year-olds who have enjoyed global success, however, he is not playing golf every day. That is not Brozin’s style.
Instead, he is involved in ambitious projects to uplift Constitution Hill, improve the efficiency of Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital by digitising patient records, and reinvigorate the inner city of Johannesburg. Much of this work involves Wits, where Brozin is an advisory board member of the Wits Business School. Learn more about his new passion projects in Jozi, and why he wants his grandkids to go to Wits.
https://www.wits.ac.za/news/sources/global-witsies/2024/ashining-light-with-energy-to-spare.html
Witsie leads the remarkable rise of Lincoln City Football Club
Chairperson of the UK’s Lincoln City Football Club, Clive Nates’ love for football began during his childhood in Johannesburg, when he followed the English club Everton. When Everton formed an alliance with Lincoln City, Clive started supporting the underdog team and eventually became a director and chair of the club. After a successful career in finance and retirement, Clive pursued his passion for football by investing in and improving Lincoln City. Despite facing challenges, the club experienced significant growth and success, including reaching the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. Clive and his fellow investors are dedicated to taking the club as far as possible, even though reaching the Premier League seems unlikely. Read more here.
httpss://issuu.com/witsalumnirelations/docs/wits_ review_april_2022_issuu/88
First a Witsie then a Red Devil
The Fort Lauderdale, Miami lifestyle has some obvious appeal and nowadays it is also home to football great Gary Bailey. But Gary remembers where it all started: on the pitch at Wits when he was just 17 with little more than undiscovered talent and big love for the game. Gary made good on his 10-match trial at Wits and went from “being a nobody” to being named Wits Sportsman of the Year in 1977. It laid the foundation for him to go on to have a stand-out 10-year career as keeper for Manchester United and later at Kaizer Chiefs.
https://www.wits.ac.za/news/sources/alumni-news/2023/those-were-the-best-years-of-my-life.html
London’s ‘Wokest
Club’
led
by Witsie and Social Justice Champion Paul van Zyl
The co-founder behind the unique London-based members’ club that has an intention and vision to reimagine a better world is exJoburger and Witsie Paul van Zyl.
The Conduit Club in Covent Garden may be called the “wokest club” in town but it’s unapologetic about its values and ethics of committed action, community, creative solution mapping and responsibility in a world facing deep crises and divisions. Paul is chief
creative officer at the club and is responsible for its impactful, diverse offerings. He is also a qualified lawyer with roots in social justice and transitional justice. His days of being a student activist at Wits in the late 1980s and at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation ignited his fire and fight to stand up for justice.
His years abroad in the USA and the UK now total over 20, and they have allowed him to understand that social justice and equality also means bringing power, influence and money into the mix. They can all end up in the same direction – funnelled through the same “conduit” for good.
https://www.wits.ac.za/news/sources/alumninews/2023/roots-of-my-activism-are-veryconnected-to-wits.html
In a Galaxy far, far away…
Congratulations to Wits alumnus, Professor Richard Ambrosi (PhD 2001) who was recently appointed to the Universities Space Research Association Board in the UK. He is currently the Executive Director of Space Park Leicester, a new £100M flagship space science, innovation, technology centre, and collaboration environment. Over the past 12 years, Professor Ambrosi has been pioneering the development and testing of the world’s first space nuclear power systems designed to exploit waste heat from the radioisotope Americium-241, a byproduct of the UK’s civil nuclear industry.
https://www.finanzen.at/nachrichten/aktien/ universities-space-research-associationannounces-election-of-new-members-to-board-oftrustees-1032302856
Banking CEO Ruth Leas: Nurturing Growth, Climate Consciousness, and Resilience in Uncertain Times
It might seem like the CEO of a bank that has the ninth largest revenue of banking groups in the UK has better things to do with her time than to mentor young people or to think about climate change. But for Ruth Leas, understanding the world a little more is the way to build resilience in uncertain times.
Ruth is a proud South African and Witsie. She's been responsible for growing the South African brand in the UK market and securing its footing in the British banking and finance landscape. It's now been 22 years since she moved to the United Kingdom. But her roots in South Africa still ground her. So too does the enduring
impact of having had excellent lecturers at Wits 30 years ago. She remembers them as lecturers invested in not just her academic achievements but also her growth as a person. She says it gave her a very particular lens through which to view the world and hone her skills to lead in a banking world with modern demands. There will always be hard decisions to make, but making them with some grace under pressure, empathy and some authenticity makes all the difference.
https://wits-uk.org/ruth-leas/
Twins Tackling Unique PhDs
Twins and Wits alumni, Arthur and Charles Goldstuck, veterans of tech and music respectively, have registered for unique PhDs at Wits. Their unique research topic focuses on: How is AI affecting the global music industry and how do we keep up with all the changes?; and is being supervised under a multidisciplinary academic team under the Wits Innovation Centre and the leadership of Dr Adam Pantanowitz, the Angela and David Fine Chair in Innovation. https://www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-news/general-news/2024/2024-05/eminentalumni-register-for-innovative-doctoral-degrees-in-ai-and-music.html
Three Generations of 1st XV Fabers at Wits and KES
We recently had the pleasure of speaking to two of the three generations of 1st XV Fabers – Tutty, Gunther, Michael and Trevor Faber – about their total passion “for this physical game, this hooligans’ game played by gentlemen”. They are part of the strong Wits/King Edward VII School (KES) tradition as they all came to Wits from KES, which is our close neighbour in Upper Houghton, and continues to be one of our top feeder schools. To read the story that starts with a photo in the Wits rugby clubhouse, now called Jomos, featuring the 1st XV at Wits in 1929. https://www.wits.ac.za/news/sources/global-witsies/2024/three-generations-of1st-xv-fabers.html
Linda’s Lifelong Mission
Patient after patient enters Dr Linda Greenwall’s (Bachelor of Dental Science 1984) immaculate practice in Hampstead, London, knowing that despite the complexity of their dental condition, they will emerge with a new smile. Born and raised in Cape Town, Linda chose to study at Wits "because of the Wits Dental School’s top reputation and because both my parents are Wits graduates.” Her father, Ryno Greenwall, graduated in dentistry in 1956 and her mother, Shirley Serman, graduated with a BA in 1954. Learn more about Linda’s lifelong mission as she has retained a strong presence in South Africa through the Dental Wellness Trust.
https://www.wits.ac.za/news/sources/globalwitsies/2024/lindas-lifelong-mission.html
Meet Professor Benji Rosman, the inaugural Director of MIND
Benji Rosman, Professor in the School of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics at the University of the Witwatersrand, who is not only the Director of the new Wits Machine Intelligence and Neural Discovery (MIND) Institute but also simultaneously runs the Robotics Autonomous Intelligence and Learning Laboratory while serving as the Director of the National E-Science Postgraduate Teaching and Training Platform, has in effect come full circle. Read more about his journey that began at Wits as an undergraduate studying for BSc (Hons) in both Computer Science and Applied Mathematics here.
https://www.wits.ac.za/news/sources/globalwitsies/2024/professor-benji-rosman.html
Barbara Bompani: A global academic seeking an international community for Africa’s students
Dr Barbara Bompani brims with enthusiasm when speaking about the Wits-Edinburgh Sustainable African Future (WESAF) project, of which she is a co-director, along with Prof. Brett Bowman of Wits University. In September 2023, Wits welcomed the first intake of 48 WESAF Fellows from 10 African countries, who will complete a Masters by Research in Sustainable African Futures in August 2024. Thirty of these will move on to an interdisciplinary PhD in Sustainability in Africa in 2025. Read more about Dr Bompani’s collaboration with Wits, that started a few decades ago.
https://www.wits.ac.za/news/sources/globalwitsies/2024/a-global-academic-seeking-aninternational-community-for-africas-students.html
Seen Around Campus and Across the Globe
Love thy Neighbour... it could be a Witsie
The chances of your neighbour or your work colleague being a Witsie are pretty high. Our research team dug deep into social media platform LinkedIn and found that although most of our alumni on LinkedIn (134 718) appear to still be in South Africa, more than 30 000 are outside South Africa, and 22 000 of these are in three geographies – UK, USA and Australia, concentrated in several key cities: London, Sydney, Melbourne, Toronto, New York, LA, etc. LinkedIn as a social media platform may not be a true reflection as it is not for everyone, but it has given us a glimpse into Witsies creating new worlds for themselves and making an impactful difference across the globe. Future editions will include more interesting stories around our global alumni footprint.
Mpumi Zikakala
Seen around campus the past four years have been Robbie Brozin (founder of Nando’s) who is partnering with Wits to digitise systems at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Mpumi Zikalala (CEO Kumba Iron Ore), Natie Kirsh (globally renowned businessman), Bart Dorrestein (the legendary developer of Sun City), Colin Coleman (former CEO of Goldman Sachs South Africa), the Barrow family (who built many of the most iconic buildings at Wits over the past Century) Dr Patrick Soon-Shiong (a prominent US based alumnus), Chris Seabrooke (CEO of Sabvest Capital) at the opening of the Wits Chris Seabrooke Music Hall, entrepreneurs Haroon and Nizam Kalla, Doug and Carolyn Smollan, Steve Collis (Cencora), Jonathan and Nicky Oppenheimer and former CEOs Roy Anderson and Charles Rowlinson, Michiel le Roux (Founder of Capitec Bank).
Natie and Frances Kirsh
Bart Dorrestein hosting Professors Ian Jandrell and Zeblon Vilakazi and Peter Bezuidenhoudt at the Leonardo - the tallest building in Africa.
Jeff Fisher sharing his Royal Society Fellows Charter Book which has copies of all the signatures of all the Fellows since its inception in 1660
Chris Seabrooke stroking the keys of the grand piano at the Wits Chris Seabrooke Music Hall
Haroon Kalla, Peter Bezuidenhoudt and Nizam Kalla
Michiel Le Roux and Le Roux van der Westhuizen visiting Prof Glen Nwaila and his team at the Wits Sibanye Stillwater Digital Mining Laboratory (DigiMine).
Doug and Carolyn Smollan
Wendy Fisher and Linda Mirels celebrating Wits and recalling fond memories
Many warm and valuable interactions also took place online or at convenient venues. These included meetings with the CEOs of most major telecoms, media and financial institutions, local alumni, Goldstuck twin brothers, Arthur (Founder World Wide Worx) and Charles (Founder and Managing Partner of GoldState Music), CEOs such as Steve Binnie (Sappi), Lawrence Rapp (Vukile), Mteto Nyathi (Altron), Alan Dickson (Reunert), Neal Froneman (Sibanye-Stillwater), Motty Sacks (Capital Appreciation), Adrian Gore and Barry Swartzberg (Discovery), Steve Collis (Cencora Corporation), Peter Wharton-Hood (Life Health Care), and with highly successful global alumni such as David Schein and Andy Kuper in Australia and Rodney Sacks (the founder of Monster Beverages) in the United States.
Steve Collis with his father, Dr Julian Collis and cousin Robbie Brozin visiting the new Wits Phantom Heads Oral Health Sciences Laboratory.
Arthur and Charles Goldstuck rediscovering the wonders of Wits and awestruck by the Robotics, Autonomous Intelligence and Learning Lab
Gary Setzer, Shaul Koren and Wayne Gaddin visiting the School of Oral Health Sciences' Phantom Simulator Heads Laboratory
Ivan
and Bruce
reliving their campus days
A group of 35 Wits law graduates discovered parts of the Wits campuses that they never knew existed
Glasenburg
Fordyce
Malcolm and Shane Dorfman thrilled to receive their Wits Sport 100 Books
Natie Kirsh visiting his alma mater Neville Plint popping in for a visit at the Wits Club
Lex van Vught with granddaughter, Jess – a new Witsie in 2025!
Mark Stiller and family with Professor Zeblon Vilakazi FRS and Peter Bezuidenhoudt
Professor Zeblon Vilakazi FRS and Jerome September, Dean of Student Affairs
Doug and Carolyn Smollan meeting some of Wits’ top student-athletes
Wits Cape Town Reunion, Western Cape Province
Wits Reunion in Umhlanga, KwaZulu Natal Province
Wits Reunion in Polokwane, Limpopo Province
The Motsepe Family celebrating a special graduation
Nonku Pitje, Zimkitha Saungweme and Jay Babshet from Discovery meeting
Meeting with top Law Firms in South Africa –ENS Africa and Webber Wentzel – strengthening collaborations and obtaining valuable insights
Meeting with Jonny Copelyn at his offices in Sea Point
Dr Mark Slack visiting Wits Campus and the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre
Ros Goldin, Yolisa Koza, Dr Ali Bacher and Peter Bezuidenhoudt
Witsies enjoying the New York City Alumni Party
An inspiring dinner with South African Banking CEOs
The Annual Wits Founders' Tea
Dinner with Witsie CEOs
Thabiso Tenyane visiting Wits Campus
Forging cross-continental partnerships with the University of Texas System
Visiting Robbie Menter in Dallas Strengthening ties with the Perot Museum in Dallas
Meeting inspiring Witsies in Houston, thank you Nehal and Radina Badal and Robert Daugherty
Barry Swartzberg and the Discovery Vitality Team on Campus
Always a pleasure to meet with our Wits UK Trustees Bill Frankel and Colin Bundy. Thank you for your service and dedication to Wits!
Pofessor Zeblon Vilakazi meeting up with Dixit
at the World Economic Forum
A Wits delegation visiting the Renergen Virginia Gas Project, headed by Stefano
Left: Welcomed with open arms at the NASA Space Centre in Houston
Marani
Joshi, Steve Collis and Mpumi Zikalala
David Brink proudly receiving his Wits Sport 100 Book
Former 80's Men's Residence students
Clive Favis, Mark Stiller and Chris Naidoo rediscovering their campus and paying homage to Phineas their old residence mascot
Moss Mashishi visits Professor Zeblon Vilakazi
Richard Came and Charles Rowlinson visiting the Wits Great Hall and the School of Electrical and Information Engineering's Free-Space Optical Communications Laboratory
The Mining Qualifications Authority Team meeting with Prof Thokozani Majozi to strengthen partnerships and collaborations
Discovery pioneers and leaders, Adrian Gore, Barry Swartzberg and Dr Maurice Goodman, enjoying a visit by Professors Zeblon Vilakazi and Jon Patricios and Jerome September
School of Construction Economic and Management Reunion
Doug and Carolyn Smollan delighted at receiving their Wits Sport 100 book
Peter and Sarah Wharton-Hood visiting their alma mater and blown away by the projects and programmes at Wits
Above: The Zylstra brothers meeting some of the students supported by the Wits Australia Bursary Programme
enjoyed reminiscing over his student days as he stood on the Great Hall steps and looked out over the Library Lawns
Left: Launch of the Standard Bank Chair in Africa Trust Infrastructures
Marion Bergman visiting to open the Wits Zola Dental Clinic in Soweto
Jacob Modise
Wits Australia Representative, Lawrence Jackson, visiting the Wits Zola Dental Clinic in Soweto
Dr Reuel Khoza and Nkateko Khoza making it a family affair on their visit to Wits Campus
Fani Titi and Lesley-Ann Gatter all smiles at Investec as partnerships are strengthened
Launch of the Absa Chair in Future Energy at the Business School
Peter and Sarah Wharton-Hood at the Wits Fossil vault.
of the SAPPI Chair in Climate Change and Plantation Sustainability
Launch
Prof Jim Gates' family enjoying their tour of the palaeosciences vault
Professor Zeblon Vilakazi and John Perlman Lambo Kanagaratnam and Peter Bezuidenhoudt
Professors Richard Viljoen and Zeblon Vilakazi FRS
Peter Bezuidenhoudt, Vaios Kokkoris and Professor Damion Bizos
University of Southern California’s visiting PhD Students
Hylton Appelbaum with Professors Zeblon Vilakazi FRS, Robert Breiman and Benji Rosman
Purvi Purohit, Lyndsey Steele, Emeritus Professor Margo Steele FRS, Jacob Modise and Peter Bezuidenhoudt
Paulo Cavalieri and Ivan Pentz visiting Wits and meeting Professors Zeblon Vilakazi and Ian Jandrell
Reconnecting with Randy Best in Dallas
Dr Judy Dlamini, Professors Elizabeth Mavhunga and Marissa Rollnick
Neil Hellmann and Dr Sifelani Jirah in the Wits Fossil Vault
Manny Pohl visiting the Wits Campus from Australia, experiencing the Wits Anglo American Digital Dome and the vibrancy of the Wits of Today
Tim Fletcher and Brent Williams, Chairperson and CEO of Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, visiting Wits to discuss a closer working partnership with the University and the Wits School of Law
Andrew Waters and Michael Schwarz officially announcing the Harry Schwarz Scholarship at the Wits School of Law with the first two recipients, Erin and Errol
Left: Dr Andy
enjoyed his visit and tour of the campus during a well-deserved break to South Africa
Doctors Grant Rex and Harry Dugmore exploring all the new and exciting changes on campus
Former Judge Johann Kriegler and his wife Betty Welz attending the launch of the Harry Schwarz Scholarship at the Wits School of Law
Kuper
Neil Hellman attending the official reopening of the Wits Sterkfontein Caves
Campus News
Legacy Celebration and Sports Milestones
In 2023 Wits celebrated many centenary sports milestones which began with the groundbreaking of the Wits Brian and Dorothy Zylstra Sports Complex. Spearheaded by a R200 million legacy investment from the Zylstra family and the Skye Foundation, this state-ofthe-art facility aims to blend research, training, and clinical practice. Comprising of the Zylstra Sport and Health Building, the Zylstra Aquatics
and Rowing Centre, and a 44-bed elite athlete residence, the Complex will serve as a lasting tribute to the University's legacy.
The main grandstand of the Wits Football Stadium was renamed in honour of Professor Ronnie Schloss, a luminary in South African football history. His commitment to sport, football and students, was acknowledged by Raymond Hack and other football greats at Wits.
Through the generosity of a proud Witsie family, 2023 also saw the establishment of an exciting R10 million endowment, encompassing the spirit of academic and sporting collaboration at Wits. The endowment supports deserving “missing middle” students who are stars in their respective sporting codes at a Wits Sport, Provincial and National level, and who also perform well in their science-related studies at the University. Four rising sports stars were supported in 2023 through this amazing initiative with many more to benefit as the University boldly moves into the next 100 years.
https://www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-news/researchnews/2023/2023-05/wits-breaks-ground-on-r250million-sports-complex.html
From Thinking to Doing –
Wits Innovation Centre launches
The highly anticipated Wits Innovation Centre was recently launched. The Centre lies at the heart of the University’s innovation ecosystem that seeks to develop an ‘innovation mindset’ across all disciplines and boundaries so as to drive multidisciplinary innovation that leads to impactful solutions to pressing global challenges. Thanks to the incredible generosity of Dr David Fine (BSc Hon 1964), the distinguished David and Angela Fine Chair in Innovation has been established. Through a separate donation, Dr Fine also enabled an innovation partnership for Wits with the University of Leeds, UK.
https://www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-news/research-news/2023/2023-04/witsinnovation-centre-signals-a-new-era-in-innovationforgood.html
Political Theorist Achille Mbembe named 2024 Holberg Prize Laureate
The Holberg Prize is one of the largest international prizes awarded annually to an outstanding researcher in the humanities, social sciences, law or theology. The Cameroonian scholar Achille Mbembe, is a Research Professor of History and Politics at the Wits Institute for Social and Economic Research received the award on 6 June 2024 in Norway.
https://www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-news/research-news/2024/2024-03/politicaltheorist-achille-mbembe-named-2024-holberg-prize-laureate.html
Achille Mbembe
Celebrating an Icon: Wits Alumnus Honours Professor Margo Steele with a $10m Donation
In a historic tribute to Professor Margo Steele an exceptional leader whose legacy in the School of Accountancy led to a transformative donation of $10 million from an anonymous donor. This contribution will be used for teaching, research, students, and infrastructure development.
https://www.wits.ac.za/news/sources/ alumni-news/2023/school-ofaccountancy-renamed-after-margosteele.html
Witsies cheer Springboks to victory
Wits University's campuses also came to life during the 2023 Rugby World Cup Final screening at the Wits Rugby Stadium. The exhilarating victory of the Springboks brought together students, staff, and families, fostering a sense of national pride and unity. Jerome September, the Dean of Student Affairs, expressed how Wits, like the victorious Springboks, embodies a commitment to excellence. The screening provided a memorable break for students before the final exams, creating an electrifying atmosphere filled with cheers, laughter, and collective celebration.
https://www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-news/general-news/2023/2023-10/witsiescheer-springboks-to-victory.html
Celebrating Prof Margo Steele's 90th Birthday
Wits football grandstand renamed after Ronnie Schloss
The main grandstand of the Wits Football Stadium was renamed in honour of Professor Ronnie Schloss, a luminary in South African football history. His commitment to sport, football and students, was acknowledged by Raymond Hack and other football greats at Wits.
Through the generosity of a proud Witsie family, 2023 also saw the establishment of an exciting R10 million endowment, encompassing the spirit of academic and sporting collaboration at Wits. The endowment supports deserving “missing middle” students who are stars in their respective sporting codes at a Wits Sport, Provincial and National level, and who also perform well in their science-related studies at the University. Four rising sports stars were supported in 2023 through this amazing initiative with many more to benefit as the University boldly moves into the next 100 years.
https://www.wits.ac.za/news/sources/alumni-news/2023/wits-footballgrandstand-renamed-after-ronnie-schloss.html
Smiles all round at launch of Zola Wits Dental Clinic
The Zola Wits Dental Clinic inauguration is the culmination of persistent efforts that endured challenges, including the pandemic and structural renovations. Its impact transcends mere healthcare provision; it symbolises a paradigm shift towards community-based learning, emphasising the importance of holistic education and service to society. Thank you to the Stanley, Marion, Paul and Edward Bergman Family Foundation for their kindness in making this clinic a reality.
https://www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-news/general-news/2023/2023-09/smiles-all-roundat-launch-of-zola-wits-dental-clinic.html
Bridging the gap between mining and people
The partnership between Wits University and Sibanye-Stillwater reached new heights with the unveiling of the Wits SibanyeStillwater Innovation Bridge and the announcement of an additional commitment of R51 million from Sibanye-Stillwater to the Wits Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment.
https://www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-news/general-news/2023/2023-07/bridging-the-gapbetween-mining-and-people.html
Jazz, musical bows and a baritone enthrall at music concert
The arts were also celebrated at Wits through the inaugural ViceChancellor's Music Concert, a captivating showcase of talent and creativity featuring renowned artists and exceptional students in the Wits Chris Seabrooke Music Hall.
https://www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-news/general-news/2023/2023-10/jazzmusical-bows-and-a-baritone-enthrall-at-music-concert.html
Royal Academy of Engineering awards Witsie a special medal
To mark 10 years of the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, Wits alumnus and entrepreneur Neo Hutiri (MSc Eng 2015) was awarded the Royal Academy of Engineering's special medal.
At a ceremony held in London on 31 January 2024, Hutiri was presented with a special medal by UK Princess Royal Anne Mountbatten-Windsor, who is the Academy’s Royal Fellow. The event celebrated some of the most successful innovators and businesses over the past 10 years from Africa.
Read more about this prestigious prize and why Neo was recognised as an “outstanding alumnus of the Africa Prize” to further support his business, Technovera. His Pelebox Smart Lockers are designed to improve access to chronic disease medicine.
Healthcare workers place prescription refills into the lockers and the Pelebox technology sends a one-time PIN to the patient to open the locker. This solution (an average of 22 seconds per collection) reduces queues in public healthcare facilities. It also helps to track patient compliance.
https://www.wits.ac.za/news/latestnews/general-news/2024/2024-02/ royal-academy-of-engineeringawards-witsie-special-medal.html
Neo Hutiri
African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) sponsors R20 million into research at Wits
ARM Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme to support research into water, energy and digitalisation in the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment.
South Africa is facing three key challenges: energy shortages, water scarcity, and the lack of skills in digitalisation. A new collaboration between African Rainbow Minerals (“ARM”) and the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment (“Faculty”) in the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits University) aims to develop the high-level skills required to address these issues.
https://www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-news/general-news/2023/2023-11/africanrainbow-minerals-arm-sponsors-r20-million-into-research-at-wits-.html
Still Smiling after 40 Years
Forty-five years to the day (15 February) a group of 60 young students took up their seats at the Wits Dental School to start their academic journey to become the dentists who would be the graduating class of 1984.
Of the original class, 45 went on to graduate as dentists. Fast forward to the present day, and a group of around 20 former students, along with former lecturers and lab technicians gathered for a reunion breakfast to remember the past and to celebrate the present.
“I was so green; I was a boy from Bloemfontein and did not know anything about the big city. I will never forget that first day in class, when the PA to the head of school, Louise Gerber, walked in with her bright red hair and piercing blue eyes. She knew all our names and she looked right at me, and said ‘Cahi, spit out your chewing gum, I never want to see you chewing gum again in this dental hospital’,” recalls Dr Norman Cahi.
https://www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-news/general-news/2024/2024-02/stillsmiling-after-40-years.html#:~:text=Forty%2Dfive%20years%20to%20the,on%20 to%20graduate%20as%20dentists.
Wits & the University of Edinburgh Commence Pioneering WESAF Doctoral Programme for African
Scholars
In a groundbreaking initiative, Wits and the University of Edinburgh inaugurated their joint Wits-Edinburgh Sustainable African Futures (WESAF) Doctoral Programme in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation on 4 September. The celebration coincided with the commencement of a weeklong orientation at Wits for the diverse cohort of 50 academic scholars from 11 African nations. The WESAF Doctoral Programme is set to propel these scholars towards innovative research, creating a wave of change to address Africa's pressing sustainability challenges. This also marks a step-change in the Wits-Edinburgh partnership, from one with a network of research links across all disciplines, now to include joint supervision.
https://www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-news/general-news/2023/2023-08/witswelcomes-wesaf-doctoral-programme-fellows-.html
Professor Ruksana Osman, Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Academic at Wits University
Wits leads IUPAP Working Group on Climate Action
In another feat, Wits takes the lead in climate action as Prof. Nithaya Chetty chairs the IUPAP Working Group on Physics for Climate Action. The group focuses on evidence-based approaches, global collaboration, and integrating green economy principles into education. A strong Wits delegation was present at COP28 where they participated in multiple events, including two major research projects – the Top 10 Climate Insights and the Global Tipping Points Report – read more on the Climate, Sustainability and Inequality site.
https://www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-news/general-news/2023/2023-10/wits-leadsiupap-working-group-on-climate-action.html#:~:text=Nithaya%20Chetty%2C%20 has%20been%20appointed,is%20serving%20as%20its%20secretary
Imagining a pathway out of climate doom
World-renowned author, global thinker, and environmental advocate Amitav Ghosh delivered a powerful warning of climate reductionism and the perils of ignoring context, community, the locally appropriate, and even the loss of wonder in navigating the crisis of our time, during the 2024 Pro Vice-Chancellor’s lecture.
https://www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-news/generalnews/2024/2024-09/imagining-a-pathway-out-ofclimate-doom-.html
Peter Sarnak awarded the 2024 Shaw Prize
Professor Peter Sarnak (BSc 1974, BSc Hons 1975, DSc honoris causa 2014) has received the 2024 Shaw Prize for Mathematical Sciences for his development of “the arithmetic theory of thin groups and the affine sieve, by bringing together number theory, analysis, combinatorics, dynamics, geometry and spectral theory”. The award is given annually by the Shaw Prize Foundation, which was founded in 2002 by the Hong Kong-based philanthropist Run Run Shaw (1907-2014).
https://www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-news/researchnews/2024/2024-05/peter-sarnak-awarded-the2024-shaw-prize.html
Wits fencer set to compete at 2024 Olympics
Harry Saner, a 23-year-old engineering student, made history at the Paris 2024 Olympics, marking South Africa's first Olympic fencing appearance since 2008.
https://www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-news/generalnews/2024/2024-06/wits-fencer-set-to-competeat-2024-olympics.html
Wits Rugby clinched the 2024 Castle Lager Pirates Grand Challenge.
In a nail-biting hard-fought 33-22 win on home turf, the Wits team’s victory on 13 September marks Wits’ third league title, having previously triumphed in 1967 and 2019. The Castle Lager Pirates Grand Challenge has been held since 1889.
https://www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-news/generalnews/2024/2024-09/wits-rugby-clinches-2024castle-lager-pirates-grand-challenge-title.html
Esther Mahlangu
The Wits Art Museum hosted the Then I knew I was Good at Painting: Esther Mahlangu, A Retrospective from November 2024 to April 2025. The exhibition spanned seven decades and featured over 100 artworks, including the iconic BMW Art Car, beadwork, painted mannequins and a TV. Curator Dr Nontobeko Ntombela explains that “this retrospective offers a remarkable opportunity to experience Esther Mahlangu’s artistic journey. Her work has had a profound impact on South African modern and contemporary art, and this exhibition is a testament of her incredible contribution.
There’s hope for the future
The threats of climate change and biodiversity devastation are real, but Dr Jane Goodall, arguably the worlds’ best known conservationist, said that while all these burning issues are truly alarming, “there still is time” to turn things around. Goodall was hosted for a “fireside chat” titled Protect, Manage, Restore: A conversation with Jane Goodall on co-creating Future Ecosystems for Africa, by the Oppenheimer Generations Research and Conservation and the Future Ecosystems for Africa programme at Wits University.
https://www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-news/general-news/2024/2024-02/theres-hope-for-the-future.html
SA youth benefit from Wits AngloGold Ashanti Legacy Scholarship Endowment
The first recipients of the R87,5 million Wits AngloGold Ashanti Legacy Scholarship Endowment were announced. The scholarship will benefit approximately 200 eligible students across multiple academic disciplines over the next five to seven years, with beneficiaries receiving comprehensive funding and support throughout their studies.
https://www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-news/general-news/2024/2024-09/sa-youthbenefit-from-wits-anglogold-ashanti-legacy-scholarship-endowment.html
We were privileged to host two Nobel Laureates. Prof. Abdulrazak Gurnah delivered the 22nd annual Nelson Mandela Memorial Lecture. In remembering the impact of Madiba’s humanity, Gurnah championed words, story and literature as tools to build solidarity and strengthen the ideas of finding common ground. The 2021 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Prof. Maria Ressa’s discussion at Wits focused on how journalists could regain public trust in the face of increased global polarisation, an overall decrease in trust in the media, and big tech’s leverage over social media and their role in the information landscape.
Talented Wits students to benefit from land development
Talented Wits students will benefit from the proceeds of the development of the University’s Frankenwald property. Proceeds from the initial R200 million sale of the Frankenwald Estate will be placed in a special endowment to support the academic project and to benefit future generations, including students who qualify to study at Wits and who may not have the financial means to register.
https://www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-news/general-news/2024/2024-09/talented-witsstudents-to-benefit-from-land-development.html
AI and Africa
Wits is uniquely placed to contribute to AI research and capacity building in South Africa and Africa, as well as securing the necessary funding and infrastructure to accelerate the advancement and commercialising of cutting-edge AI technologies. The newly launched Machine Intelligence and Neural Discovery (MIND) Institute is a space where great minds will unleash the power of natural and artificial intelligence to build ethical, safe and inclusive AI in Africa, for the world.
https://www.wits.ac.za/mind/
Wits Anglo American Digital Dome
This year, we celebrated the opening of the R90 million Wits Anglo American Digital Dome, a world-class centre for digital exploration, multi-disciplinary education and research, and public engagement. The Wits Anglo American partnership also saw their iconic building in the Johannesburg City Centre becoming the new home of the Wits Business School’s Centre for Entrepreneurship, known as the Wits Crucible. This new Wits hub in downtown Johannesburg will provide business education, incubation, and acceleration services for entrepreneurs.
https://www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-news/general-news/2024/2024-06/anglo-americans-iconic-building-to-become-witsbusiness-schools-centre-for-entrepreneurship.html
140 “missing middle” accounting students funded through donation by anonymous donor
The Wits Margo Steele School of Accountancy celebrated its official renaming and the first fully funded cohort of 140 “missing middle” accounting students was announced at the launch. Similar-sized annual cohorts will be fully funded for at least the next 10 years thanks to the generosity of an anonymous alumni donor who has comitted $1 million per year over this period (which will in all likelihood be extended into perpetuity) to honour Emeritus Professor Margo Steele’s immense contribution to the accountancy field during her 90th Birthday celebrations in 2023.
https://www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-news/research-news/2024/2024-07/140-missing-middle-accounting-studentsfunded-through-donation-by-anonymous-donor.html
Wits USA 2023 Highlights
2023 was a great year of American Witsies getting together and celebrating their common Wits spirit and their strong South African bond.
Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Wits University, and the Wits Advancement Team visited Texas in September 2023, connecting with Witsies in Dallas, Austin, Houston and San Antonio. Prof Vilakazi also made use of the opportunity to meet with key strategic Wits Partners and Friends – the Perot Museum, the University of Texas System, NASA and Brown University.
The Wits Fund Inc hosted a rooftop Alumni party in New York City on 2 October 2023, where Stanley Bergman, the Chair of the Fund was joined by Jane Levy, the President of the Fund, other board members and eighty Witsies for a great night of South African food, treats and music provided by Rabbitt –the South African rock band formed in 1972 and well known to Witsies of that era and to the world for their hit song “Charlie”.
During his speech, Mr Bergman assured everyone attending that every dollar that is
donated to Wits goes a long way in supporting the work that the university does:
“You can be sure that if you give a dollar to Wits, it multiplies to a lot of Rands. And that money will be well managed. The team at the Wits Fund, and the leadership of the University will ensure that the money is well spent. Wits is one of the most transparent institutions in South Africa. And yes, there are problems in the country but there are challenges around the world. If we are here in the United States, we have a responsibility to give back to South Africa. Please remember where you come from, please remember the faces of the people that you grew up with, the people that make you feel at home, and the country where you were born.”
As part of regular 2023 get-togethers, Witsies in Austin and San Antonio (Texas), and in Seattle (Washington State), also got together throughout the year for some great food, wonderful conversations and a chance to make new friends.
Wits USA 2024 Highlights
As we move from celebrating Thanksgiving towards the last few weeks of 2024, we are thankful for our remarkable Wits alumni and friends in the USA. I had an opportunity to meet up with some of these wonderful Witsies along the East Coast during my whistlestop tour to New York, Philadelphia, Connecticut and Boston in June.
New York Dinner with Cliff McMillan and Professor Carol Litowitz, Professor Stephen Matseoane, Richard Sellschop, Clive and Daphne Rosendorff, and Rob Fryer
Peter Bezuidenhoudt, David Kochman, Jane Levy and Professor Zeblon Vilakazi FRS
Dr Tebogo Moja, Professor Zeblon Vilakazi FRS, John Teeger and Peter Bezuidenhoudt
Boston Dinner with Professor Hazel Sive, Dr David and Angela Fine, Dr Deborah Dunsire and Dr Michael Hall
Peter Bezuidenhoudt, Professor Zeblon Vilakazi FRS and Steve Collis
Professor Zeblon Vilakazi FRS and Charles Goldstuck
Wits Australia 2023 Highlights
As 2023 concluded, Australian Witsies fondly recalled a bustling year filled with remarkable nationwide highlights. Our virtual tour, led by Wits Director of Alumni Relations, Peter Maher, made a spirited start. Throughout the year, our incredible alumni community hosted memorable events, including boardroom breakfasts with luminaries like Stephen Koseff and Ari Mervis, and webinars featuring Stanley Bergman and Emeritus Professor Margo Steele in honour of her 90th birthday celebration.
Hybrid events added zest, featuring alumni like Professor Mervyn King SC and Captain Dr Paul Luckin AM. The year closed with a delightful supper in Melbourne and brunch in Sydney with Professors Steve Tollman and Kathy Kahn, founders of the MRC/Wits-Rural Public Health and Transitions Unit.
Sponsoring the screening of "George Bizos: Icon – A Champion of Justice" at the Sydney Greek Film Festival was a success, and a final webinar on the 14th of December will delve "Behind the Scenes" with the filmmaker Jane Thandi Lipman, Alexi Bizos, and funder George Georgiou.
Medical Witsies in Australia meeting with Professors Stephen Tollman and Kathleen Khan to learn more about the Wits Rural and Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit
Witsie cocktails with Captain, Dr Paul Luckin AM in Brisbane
Boardroom lunch with Ari Mervis in Melbourne
Stephen Koseff launched the Wits Australia Melbourne Chapter
Witsies in Australia supporting Wits with big smiles and enthusiasm
A packed room with Judge Mervyn King sharing his insights with other Witsies in Sydney Melbourne Witsies connecting
Wits Australia 2024 Highlights
The year ended with a high-impact 8-day visit to Australia where I had the honour to meet extraordinary Witsies and Friends in Perth, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. In Sydney, it was an honour for me to share the stage with two world-renowned Witsies, Stephen Koseff and Gail Kelly, as the guests of honour at the Wits Australia Foundation’s Inaugural Gala Luncheon on the 29th of November, which saw 180 Witsies and friends gather in support of raising funds for Postgraduate Scholarships in 2025. A total of AU$41 000 was raised which will support 4 Students in 2025. I also had the opportunity to meet with Professor Carolyn Evans, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Griffith University and Professor Deborah Terry AC, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Queensland, to strengthen potential partnerships and collaborations between our institutions.
Perth Dinner with Dr Peter and Dr Linda Friendland, Greg and Nikki King, Professor Jane Den Hollander AO and Dr Jeroen Den Hollander, George and Marina Georgiou and Lewis Chiat
Perth Boardroom Lunch with Robert Grant, Maryann Middleton, Kgomotso Tshaka, Dr Steve and Vanida Lennon, Alistair Croll, Tim Netcher, Professor Jane Den Hollander AO, Leigh-Anne Meyerowitz, Zvi Yom-Tov, Sheryl Frame, Nicky Ivory, Lewis Chiat, Dr Rod Baxter, Dr Nicholas De Canha, Karl Woodhead, Dr Carmel Goodman, Danai Christelis and George Georgiou
Left: Brisbane Boardroom Breakfast with Professor Chamindie Punyadeera, Amal Khatri, Dr Harry Dugmore, Clare Corke, Dr Neville Plint, Professor Linda Selvey and John Boyer
Zeblon Vilakazi FRS and Jack Metz
Professors
and Dr Manny Pohl AM
Melbourne Boardroom Lunch with Dr Ola Ayoade-Alabi, Hitesh Dullabh, Adrian Finlayson, Professor Margie Sutherland, Howard Sachs, Chandima Miyanadeniya, Norman and Professor Isabel Metz, Peter Polson, Antony Chait, Elise Margow, Dana Eisenstein, Tony Savides, Bill McLellan and Anthony Lewis
Professor Zeblon Vilakazi FRS
Peter Bezuidenhoudt, Professor Zeblon Vilakazi FRS, Dr Bill Wilson and Bill Bryant
Professor Zeblon Vilakazi FRS with Gail and Dr Allan Kelly
Brisbane Dinner with Dr Neville Plint, Dr Rob Coleman and Prof Sue Harrison
Dr Dale Howes and Professor Zeblon Vilakazi FRS
A snapshot of the Wits Australia Foundation’s Inaugural Sydney Gala Luncheon:
Wits UK 2023 Highlights
Professor Lynn Morris, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Innovation visited the Oxford laboratory in which she completed her PhD supervised by Prof Siamon Gordon during her 40th reunion of her class at Oxford University in September 2023. Whilst in London Professor Morris also met with her counterpart at University College London (UCL), Professor Geraint Rees, to plan the extension of the already active partnership between the two universities; and engaged with Dr Fiona PerrotHumphrey at Rothchild and Co. and Professor Colin Bundy, a Trustee of the Wits Foundation UK and former Wits Vice-Chancellor.
Professor Taole Mokoena, Dr Makobetsa Khati, Professor Wim de Villiers, Professor Lynn Morris
To end the year on a high note, Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Vice-Chancellor and Principal, visited Wits Electrical Engineering Alumnus Shakir Mahomed, who is the Research Director at Google Deepmind and also selected as one of Times Magazine's Top 100 Leaders in AI.
Peter Bezuidenhoudt, Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Lynda Murray and Shakir Mohamed
Professor Vilakazi also visited the University of Edinburgh, to strengthen the many valued partnerships between the two universities, and to attend the prestigious occasion of Ms Reeta Roy, President of the Matercard Foundation being conferred with an Honorary Doctoral Degree.
From Left to Right: Prof. Richard Bradley, Anton Ossip, Dr Allen Zimbler, Dr Fiona Perrot-Humphrey, Prof. Zeblon Vilakazi, Philip Lindop and Mark Byrne
The last lunch engagement for the Vice-Chancellor in London in 2023 was to meet with some great Witsies and Friends of Wits. The goodwill, support and collaboration with Wits from the UK warmed all hearts on one of the coldest days this December thus far.
Wits UK 2024 Highlights
As the festive season festivities have already started to build up under the first flurry of snowfall and twinkling string lights, we remember the Wits warmth brought to the UK in June 2024 when I had the privilege to visit London to meet with inspiring alumni and friends.
Professor Zeblon Vilakazi FRS, Lynda Murray, Dr John Lazar, Fatima Vawda and Peter Bezuidenhoudt
Professor Zeblon Vilakazi FRS and Hendrik Du Toit, CEO of Ninety One
Wendy Appelbaum, Peter Bezuidenhoudt, Professor Zeblon Vilakazi FRS and Hylton Appelbaum
Dr Linda Greenwall and Professor Zeblon Vilakazi FRS
Lynda Murray, Peter Bezuidenhoudt, Professor Zeblon Vilakazi FRS and Gary Lubner
Sarah Melvin, Managing Director of Blackrock UK and Professor Zeblon Vilakazi FRS
Peter Bezuidenhoudt, Ralph Simon, Professor Zeblon Vilakazi FRS and Doug Smollan
A jolly good read
Wits University Press, the oldest in South Africa, turned 100 in 2022. Read more about research by the books and 1575 book titles in 100 years, including the #Wits100 book, Wits University: From Excavation to Innovation.
If you are looking for some good holiday reading, try the recently published A Century of Achievement: South African Contributions to Global Medicine 1890-1990, a book which describes the contributions made by 138 South African doctors and medical scientists from 1890 to 1990, Prof. Barry Dwolatzky’s Coded History, or delve into the centenary editions of Curios.ty and the Wits Review.
Celebrating Wits' rich sporting legacy, the Wits Sport 100, 1922-2022 book, authored by Jonty Winch was launched at the Wits Brian and Dorothy Zylstra Sports Complex groundbreaking ceremony. This captivating publication encapsulates a century of remarkable achievements in Wits Sport and features legendary Wits athletes and trailblazers. Wits has produced athletes who became the world's best over 100 meters, the marathon and the ultra-marathon. Men and women emerging from the university have not only climbed Everest, but set world records for extreme deep cave and sea diving. If you are interested in a copy of the book please e-mail purvi.purohit@wits.ac.za
We also celebrate those global medical pioneers that came before us through A Century of Achievement: South African Contributions to Global Medicine 1890-1990 co-authored by Rochelle Keene and Cedric G Bremner. The book describes the contributions made by 138 South African doctors and medical scientists from 1890 to 1990. Five Nobel Prize winners feature amongst those honoured in the book. If you are interested in a copy of the book please e-mail Justine. Dangor@wits.ac.za
Your donation is in good hands
Wits is an independent institution that prides itself on running a streamlined operation, ensuring every cent is accounted for.
We are fortunate to have independent fundraising structures in four jurisdictions to manage donations:
Wits Foundation South Africa
Chair: Arnold Basserabie
Governors: Cas Coovadia, Prakash Desai, Neal Froneman, Adrian Gore, Dr Azar Jammine, Professor Jonathan Klaaren, Dr Mark Lamberti, Maureen Manyama, Mamongae Mahlare, Suliman Mahomed, Professor Thokozani Majozi, Bonang Mohale, Lebogang Montjane, Lesiba Mothata, Maria Ramos, Mduduzi Ndlovu, Dr Stavros Nicolau, Tokyo Sexwale, Professor Bruce Sparks, Advocate Anthony Stein, Fatima Vawda, Professor Zeblon Vilakazi
Wits Fund Inc., USA
Chair: Stanley Bergman
Vice-Chair: John Teeger
President: Jane Levy
Vice-Presidents: Jonty Joffe, Cliff McMillan and Professor Teboho Moja
Treasurer: Robin Fryer
Board: Stephen Back, Balungile Belz, Natalie Brown, Professor Marting Colman, Bruce Hubbard, David Jammy, Indran Naick, Professor Hazel
Sive, Lindiwe Tardif, Dr Anthony Wilson-Prangley
Vice-Chair Emeritus: David Schneider
Wits US Representative: Nooshin Erfani-Ghadimi
Wits US Development Specialist: Yael Horowitz
Wits Foundation UK
Chair: William Frankel OBE
Patron: Sir Sydney Kentridge KCMG KC
Trustees: Professor Colin Bundy, Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Professor Sir David King, Professor Adam Habib
Wits UK Representative: Lynda Murray
Wits Australia Foundation
Chair: Philip Mayers AM
Board: Professor Lenore Manderson AM,
Advocate Dr Andy Schmulow, Peter Bezuidenhoudt
Philanthropy Advisory Board: Anthony Chait, Philip Zylstra, Rob Hamer
Wits Australia Representative and CEO, Wits Australia Foundation: Lawrence Jackson
SIGNIFICANT DONATIONS AND SPONSORSHIPS - 2018 TO DATE
Three major Mastercard Foundation projects totalling R500 million
R200 million for the development of the Wits Brian and Dorothy Zylstra Sports Complex
$10 million to rename the School of Accountancy in honour of former head Professor Margo Steele
$10 million endowment to support postgraduate students in need Natie Kirsh
R87.5 million towards Wits 100 AngloGold Ashanti Legacy Scholarships AngloGold Ashanti
R70 million towards the development of the Roy McAlpine Burns Unit at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital Roy McAlpine Foundation
R55 million to repurpose the Wits Planetarium into the multidisciplinary Wits Anglo American Digital Dome
R50 million to establish an endowed Chair in Innovation to drive researcherled innovation Angela and David Fine Chair in Innovation
R50 million for the Wits Southern Centre for Inequality Studies
Ford Foundation
R50 million student support endowment to rename the Sibanye-Stillwater Innovation Bridge Sibanye-Stillwater
R40 million for the Wits Bushveld Geology and Metallogeny Research Chair (BUGEMET Research Chair) African Rainbow Minerals, Dwarsrivier Chrome Mine, Northam Platinum, Rustenburg Platinum, and SibanyeStillwater Platinum Mines
R35 million for the Wits Machine Intelligence and Neural Development IBM Industry Solutions Laboratory
R25 million for the Wits Investec Chair in Artificial Intelligence and Sustainable Business Transformation
R22 million for the Advanced Surgical Skills Lab to train specialists and subspecialists in the health sciences
Philips, Netcare, Medtronic and Karl Storz
R20 million to support strategic postdoctoral studies in the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment
African Rainbow Minerals
R20 million to support the Future Ecosystems in Africa programme Oppenheimer Generations Trust
R16 million from the Lamberti Endowment Fund
R15 million for the Zola Dental Clinic in Soweto Bergman family
R15 million for the Claude Leon Chairs in Water and the Environment
Claude Leon Foundation
R14,5 million to purchase state-of-theart analysis equipment in Geosciences
Anonymous donation
R12 million endowment to support law and animal, plant and environmental studies
Tellus Foundation
R10 million endowment to support top ‘sportspeople studying science’ Smollan Foundation
A R10 million bequest for palaeosciences Anonymous donation
R9 million endowment to support students in Architecture and Planning Reinheimer Foundation
R6 million bequest to support top history students and cricketers
Professor Bruce Murray
Significant donation for the Jack Ginsberg Centre for the Book Arts Jack Ginsberg
Significant donation for the Wits Chris Seabrooke Music Hall Chris Seabrooke
Significant support from international philanthropic foundations
Mastercard Foundation, Ford, Carnegie, Gates, Kresge and Open Society
Support from South African based philanthropic foundations
Raith, Bertha and Albert Wessels
R1,5 million gift to support students in need former SRC President Rex Heinke
R1 million gift to Female Academic Leaders Fellowship Endowment Fund
Wits Chancellor, Dr Judy Dlamini
More than R400 million in funding was received for Wits Research Chairs, Centres and Institutes from 2018 to date; of which approximately 30% contributes to bursaries and scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate students, and postdoctoral fellowships, within each project
• Wits Centre for Applied Legal StudiesCALS – R93 million
• Wits Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investment (CAPSI) – R60 million
• Wits Donald Gordon Medical CentreR42 million
• Wits Sibanye-Stillwater Digital Mining Laboratory (DigiMine) – R37 million
• Wits Roche Chair for Precision Medicine and Genomics in Africa –R31 million
• Wits Southern Centre for Inequality Studies – R30 million
• WBS BCX Chair in Digital Business –R21 million
• Wits Nedbank Chair in Climate Modelling - R20 million
• Wits Standard Bank Chair in Africa Trust Infrastructures – R15 million
• Wits African Energy Leadership Centre (AELC) – R14 million
• Wits Exxaro Chair in Global Change and Sustainability – R10 million
• Wits FirstRand Foundation Chair in Financial Data Science – R10 million
• Wits Absa Chair in Future Energy –R6 million
• Wits INSETA Chair in Insurance Education (catalytic project) – R6 million
• Wits Sappi Research Chair in Climate Change and Plantation Sustainability –R5 million
• Wits Hatch Africa Chair in Mechanical Engineering – R5 million
• Wits PPS Chair in Health Economics –R5 million
• Wits Shell Centre for Reflection Seismology – R5 million
• Wits Caxton Chair of Journalism –R3 million
The Wits Health Consortium, is a wholly-owned company of the University of the Witwatersrand, which conducts world-leading research, manages donorfunded activities, pursues entrepreneurial innovation in health and supports clinical trials, to the value of more than R3 billion in annual turnover. More than 80% of this funding is from major US-based Foundations, Grant Agencies and Medical Research Entities, underpinning the global confidence of major investors in the University and its entities.
Our Wits100 Strategic Priority Areas
Wits is pursuing eight priority areas that will have a major impact on our society. For Good. These are:
DRIVING DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
CATALYSING INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
ENSURING BETTER HEALTH FOR ALL
SOLVING GLOBAL CHALLENGES AND CRISES
ADVANCING SOCIETY, GOVERNANCE AND JUSTICE
FUTURE PROOFING OUR NATIONAL TREASURES
DEVELOPING THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS
ENERGISING BROAD-BASED ALUMNI SUPPORT
For more information visit wits100.wits.ac.za or contact:
Development and Fundraising Office
6th Floor Solomon Mahlangu House, 1 Jan Smuts Avenue, Braamfontein
For more information contact Peter Bezuidenhoudt on +27 11 7179702 / Peter.Bezuidenhoudt@wits.ac.za
Email: giving@wits.ac.za
Website: www.wits.ac.za/givingtowits
Regular donations, no matter how small, can make a big difference. Recognition of donations can be viewed here: wits100.wits.ac.za/donors/ South Africa https://www.wits.ac.za/givingtowits/ United Kingdom https://wits-uk.org/ United States of America https://witsfund.org/ Australia https://wits-au.org/