Studying medicine has always been a childhood dream shared by twins, Dr Boitumelo Molise and Dr Keitumetse Molise.
The Molise twins obtained their Bachelors of Medicine and Bachelors of Surgery from the University of Free State.
“It feels really amazing to be medical doctors with my twin. I feel like it makes things easier for both of us because we can help each other. Studying medicine has always been a childhood dream. I’ve always loved helping people, so I knew that if I studied medicine, I could do that every day of my life,” said Dr Keitumetse Molise.
“My twin and I definitely have different interests. She loves to be in theatre, thus I am sure she’ll go into surgery. I thrive in obstetrics and gynaecology. It was a module that I absolutely loved. I am passionate about female reproductive health and believe there’s plenty to be done in that discipline,” explains Dr Boitumelo Molise.
Although they qualified as medical doctors, the sisters have chosen different areas of specialisation. According to Dr Boitumelo, her twin sister loves to be in theatre where she will perform surgeries, while her area of interest lies in obstetrics and gynaecology. She said this is a module she enjoyed during her studies, adding that she is passionate about female reproductive health and she believes there is a lot to be done in this specific area.
The sisters also shared words of advice with the aspiring medical students and students in general. Dr Keitumetse believes that no one should allow her or his background to determine his or her destiny. “[You] should be determined and know what you want to achieve in life. One thing that motivated us was the support of our parents and siblings; they were our pillars of strength. Another thing that motivated us were the doctors that we were surrounded by. They showed us it was possible,” said Dr Keitumetse
Dr Boitumelo said young people must know and understand that one does not have to be “the smartest person on this planet or come from a wealthy family”. Just work hard and study, then the rest will follow, said Dr Boitumelo. “When you pass well as a matriculant, the bursary opportunities and universities will line up in a row and all you would have to do is choose who to work with,” she added.
Prayer, faith, and family are some of the values that kept us going, added Dr Boitumelo. She said just the thought and knowledge that one day she will be in a position to help others motivated her.
Multi-talented businesswoman, mom and wife, Melissa Visser has invested much of her time towards social entrepreneurship. This decision can be attributed to the need she identified in her community, which she believes could be met through the upliftment of youth and women.
Born at Raheema Moosa (Corronationville) in 1983, Melissa lived in Eldorado Park until the age of 6, when her family moved to Lawley, South of Johannesburg. Melissa’s love for writing was apparent at a young age, when she contributed to George Street Primary’s Valentine’s Day Booklet with two original poems.
Melissa went onto Fred Norman Secondary, where she was Monitor for two consecutive years, grades 10 & 11. Her matric year would showcase her leadership skills, as she became not only Prefect, but also Student Representative Council, in the capacity of Editor of the School Paper. It was also in her final school year that Melissa was awarded a “Perseverance and Diligence” award, which is a true reflection of her character, even to this day.
In grades 10, 11 & 12 Melissa also served on the Peer Counsellor Committee, which was hosted through FAMSA. It was during this time that her love for social development emerged. Melissa finished her schooling in 2000 and the year thereafter volunteered and taught underprivileged children for two years through the Catholic Institution, while writing for the local newspaper.
At the age of 20 Melissa joined the insurance industry and many birthdays later she excelled in the Industry with just over 18 years’ experience, becoming a subject expert on various Multimark Classes – hosting workshops on Introduction to Insurance and also assisting policy holders to read and understand their commercial insurance policy wordings.
She currently facilitates RE5 workshops, a support workshop for one of the most difficult exams – Regulatory Exams are for professionals in the Financial Industry or those individuals who would like to pursue opportunities within the Financial Industry. In 2012, Melissa created Mel J – under Melissa Publications. Mel J gave the necessary exposure for upcoming entrepreneurs and upcoming talent, whilst at the same time served as an entertainment and motivational electronic magazine to her readers.
Years later, this project has been renamed, Iron Sharpens Iron. With women’s development close to Melissa’s heart; she eagerly serves as a philanthropist for programmes designed to develop and encourage women. She is also able to contribute to the development of others through her motivational speaking engagements with topics ranging from Work-life- Balance, Self-worth, Confidence and Positivity.
No challenge is too big for Melissa who takes on each aspect of life with enthusiasm and passion. She is firm believer in the adage, “All things are possible”, which is at the core of her Motivational Speaking that enables her to address audiences of all genders and ages. She is also a firm believer in working hard and playing just as much.
Melissa resides in the south of Johannesburg, Ennerdale, with her Beautiful 11-year-old daughter, Jami and husband Shain. She is the third eldest of seven children to Stephen & and Maggie Jacobs. Melissa’s membership to Gauteng Women In Insurance (GWII) and her previous role as committee member in the Business Women’s Association of South Africa (BWASA) is evidence of her belief in growth, networking and investing in oneself.
Melissa firmly believes in providing platforms where women and girls can be supported through sustainable capacity building and leadership development programmes. She doesn’t just speak it, she does it too, she was a mentee in the YALI & Cherie Blair Foundation programmes in 2016. Melissa was also in the 2016-2017 Lioness of Africa Incubator, powered by the Lionesses of Africa and Standard Bank.
The businesswoman also won runner up in the 2017 Vita Basadi awards in the category “Community Heroine. The Vita Basadi Awards are hosted during the month of August by the Gauteng Legislature. In the same month, Melissa won the Women of Valor Award, hosted by Mrs SA Finalist, Dr Karien Hendrieco.
The Women of Valor Awards celebrate women who go the extra mile. March 2018 saw Melissa walking away with the Premiers Award for Education & Skills Development, which speaks to core of Melissa’s being. Melissa currently heads up two mentorship programmes : Mentorship 4 Women – where she gets successful women to mentor, inspire and motivate women within in her network & Reduce and Raise (Reducing social ills and Raising our girls to greater heights), where she has mentors for girls between the ages of 13 – 18, guiding and supporting them, as well as mentoring them.
She’s also a co-founder of H&M where basic skills are shared in the form of workshops, to develop and support women who want to run sustainable businesses. In November 2020 Melissa graduated at GIBS, through the Insurance Institute of Gauteng with an ILDP (Insurance Leadership Development Programme, NQF Level 6, 120 Credits) – this once again speaks to Melissa’s passion for her industry.
In June 2021 Melissa completed her Training and Development Management, 100 hours, through UCT on the Udemy platform, whilst at the same completing her Transformational Coaching Course. She is now a Certified – Life Coach – Negative Emotional Therapy Practitioner – Transformation Coach – Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) Practitioner In 2021 Melissa was co-opted to the Insurance Institute of Gauteng, within the Education portfolio, she now supports the IIG as a member.
In 2020 Melissa was nominated and was a finalist in the Woman of Stature Awards, under the Education category – Melissa literally breathes, thinks, eat and encourages Education, her consistency and passion is evident. One of Melissa’s Fundraising events during this journey was selling her dresses, which she wore to various functions and awards, the dresses that did not sell on the day, was sent to Kimberley where it was donated to girls for their matric farewell.
Melissa meant to donate it to her high school, after all, she was also the recipient of a dress in her final year at Fred Norman – at the very last minute she saw a friends plea for dresses in Kimberley and sent it. She’s hoping to donate dresses to Fred Norman Secondary towards end of 2022, this act will also be in her capacity as a Fred Normal Alumni member. Also in March 2022, the community of Ennerdale recognized Melissa and other community members in a give back ceremony.
The E Awards (Eliana awards) hosted by the Eliana foundation awarded Melissa with the Project Warrior award for her selfless acts, contribution and various sponsorship, within her community. No stranger to playing dressing up, Melissa also won the Best Dressed Female award that evening.
March 2022, Melissa contributed to a friend and fellow authors book, “Made to Last” – she was one of 13 authors that spoke to real life situations that shaped them. Last and certainly not least, Melissa is the award-winning Author of “When you get to my age” – a book she wrote in a sisterly tone on lessons learnt.
Gospel music powerhouse, Joyous Celebration will kick start Women’s Month celebrations with the presentation of its 27th installment on Saturday 5 August 2023. This One-Night Only extravaganza showcasing the double-album, dubbed Joyous Celebration 27 Hope & Victory respectively will take place at @ Emperors Palace, in Kempton Park, Johannesburg.
Known for its versatility, resilience, and pioneering spirit, Joyous Celebration will be blessing fans, supporters and music lovers with an unforgettable evening of praise and worship. With popular hits such as “Aphu Thanda Khona”, the 14 and 12-track albums deliver a powerful message of faith and hope that will transport audiences on a spirit-filled journey.
Tickets for the Joyous 27 Hope & Victory show are available from Webtickets and Pick n Pay outlets nationwide from R260.
The Wits School of Arts in the Faculty of Humanities co-hosts the Performance Studies International (PSi) conference in Johannesburg from 2-5 August 2023.
The Theatre and Performance (TAP) and Drama for Life (DfL) departments in the Wits School of Arts (WSOA) host this multi-site conference in partnership with internationally acclaimed arts and research association, Performance Studies international (PSi).
Themed Uhambo Luyazilawula (“embodied wandering practices”), the conference highlights practices of artists and scholars with indigenous and/or migrant roots in South Africa, and it places these practices and forms of research in dialogue and exchange with the work of artists and scholars in Africa and globally.
A first for Wits University and Africa, the conference will create opportunities for network development, collaborative research and artistic co-production between African countries, African universities, and African cultural sites/hubs.
This will result in the development of new studies, performances, artworks, projects and networks that will endure beyond the conference, thereby continuing the theme of journeying and mapping different spaces and cultures.
Supported by the fourth edition of the National Arts Council’s Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme, the conference takes place across six cultural sites in Johannesburg including The Wits Theatre Complex, the Centre for the Less Good Idea, Market Theatre, Soweto Theatre, Constitution Hill, and the University of Johannesburg.
Keynote speakers and performances include Dr Mwenya Kabwe, Nondumiso Msimanga, James Ngcobo, and a keynote performance titled HOW: Showing the Making; Sibusiso Shozi. The programme also includes talks, workshops, installations, presentations, exhibitions and performances of Isidlamlulo by the Empatheatre; Khongolose Khommanding Khommissars by Standard Bank’s Young Artist Award Winners; the Theatre Duo; and Mbuso Ndlovu’s Echoes of Heritage.
Associate Professor René Smith, Head of the School of Arts, says: “The conference theme is a relevant and necessary provocation within global and local contexts where freedom of movement and other human rights, as well as democracy per se, are increasingly under threat.
Mobility and journeying are universal and core to the human experience. ‘Embodied wandering practices’ invites us to imagine a world of inclusion and interconnectedness. We are especially pleased that the organising committee for this interdisciplinary conference includes creatives and emerging scholars from different disciplines in the Wits School of Arts.”
In partnership with Old Mutual, Nal’ibali aims to use this year’s Mandela Day’s 67 minutes to reach a combined number of 670 learners from selected schools across Kwa-Zulu Natal, Eastern Cape, Free State, Northern Cape and Gauteng provinces. The schools selected for this year’s Mandela Day initiative were chosen based on need, with many lacking essential learning materials like books, flashcards and reading charts. Monday the 18th of July until Friday the 28th of July, Nal’ibali, in partnership with volunteers from Old Mutual, will visit each school to hand out reading materials, meet with learners, read stories together and play interactive reading-related games.
Two lucky schools in Port St Jones will also receive school shoes provide by Kasi Angels Foundation which is a is a peer support, mentorship, big brother and networking programme that aim’s to assist individuals, especially young boys and girls to cope with life adversities.
Children will receive Nal’ibali’s reading materials, including the recently published anthology, read aloud collection storybooks, wristbands, and book treasure boxes. They will also participate in fun reading activities led by Nal’ibali’s vibrant story sparkers and literacy mentors.
“Reading for pleasure holds the remarkable ability to transport children beyond the boundaries of their everyday lives,” expressed Mpho Ramasodi, Head of Programmes of Nal’ibali. “As we commemorate Nelson Mandela Day and embrace the call to reflect on Mandela’s values and create positive change in our communities, our aim is to pay tribute to his spirit of service and ignite inspiration within our team to shape a better world.
Through our active participation and dedicated efforts, we have an extraordinary opportunity to uplift and empower individuals and communities, truly embodying the essence of Mandela’s teachings. This moment invites us to internalize the values imparted by Mandela and transform them into tangible actions. Together, let us contribute to the construction of a more equitable and compassionate world. Our aspiration extends beyond fostering literacy; we also aim to cultivate compassion and foster understanding.”
There will be a raffle ticket that if a child finds in their book treasure boxes, they will win an additional 67 copies of the anthology story collection to enhance their school’s literacy centre.
In the spirit of community upliftment, Nal’ibali invites all South Africans to join their reading-for-enjoyment drive by signing up via the website and pledging to commit to read with children regularly or to start a reading club. Nal’ibali believes that by working together, South Africa can become a nation of passionate readers and build a more just, equitable and prosperous society.
Power cuts are hurting small businesses in South Africa – but sharing resources and equipment might be a solution
Worldwide, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are seen as the backbone of a thriving economy. They make up a substantial portion of the total number of companies and are estimated to contribute over 87% of all jobs globally.
A recent World Economic Forum report showed that major disruptions affect the value chain of SMEs significantly more than they affect larger enterprises. Disruptions, such as COVID-19 and geo-political tensions, often lead to failure among these businesses.
In South Africa, an example of a significant risk to SMEs is the acute shortage of power. Power outages mean that they can’t operate. No production or trade is possible, and inventory is damaged. The enterprises can’t plan and execute their operations effectively, or meet the demands of their customers. They can lose revenue and customers.
South Africa’s acute power shortages are likely to go on for some time. But we believe that the concept of the sharing economy holds promise to minimise disruptions. The concept is based on sharing and collaborating through digital platforms within a community with similar characteristics. In our view, based on the work from our doctoral research specialising in the digital transformation of small and medium enterprises, we argue that small and medium enterprises could use platforms like this to minimise the adverse effects of the ongoing power cuts.
For example, they could share energy generation infrastructure such as mobile battery storage units, portable generators and solar panels.
In addition, by sharing resources and equipment, SMEs could reduce operational costs and increase their resilience in the face of power cuts. The sharing economy could also help them connect with other businesses in their community, creating new opportunities for collaboration and partnerships.
Where it’s worked
There are examples of this approach working elsewhere.
SonnenCommunity is a sharing economy platform that allows homeowners with a battery-based energy storage system to share their excess energy with community members. It’s used in a host of countries, including Germany, Australia, the US, Italy and the UK.
Members of this community are connected through a digital platform that enables energy trade and communication between members.
Another example is Gridmate. This is a peer-to-peer energy-sharing platform allowing people to donate energy to those in need.
In the South African context energy generation infrastructure could be shared among community members with different scheduled power cuts. This could include portable generators and mobile battery storage units.
However, for the system to work, communities setting up this arrangement must be in close proximity to one another. This is because the scheduled power cuts – known as load shedding – are normally set up in a way that one zone will have power, while another has its power cut.
For this idea to work, the zones or load shedding blocks with complementary power outage schedules should be in close proximity to each other.
The whole process is powered by digital platforms that facilitate sharing. For example, a digital platform could be set up by local business forums where there could be shared purchasing, crowdfunding, crowdsourcing, and promotion of collective consumption.
The potential of the sharing economy in small and medium enterprises
Power outages are having a ripple effect on the economy. They are causing delays in the delivery of goods and services, affecting consumer confidence, and ultimately leading to a decline in economic growth.
For some small and medium enterprises, load shedding is a life-and-death issue. The sharing economy would allow them to continue making a living.
This is particularly true for businesses operating in disadvantaged communities. These often face additional challenges in accessing energy due to location, limited infrastructure, financial constraints and other factors. A more affordable and equitable energy system would allow businesses to share resources and infrastructure.
The Trevor Noah Foundation hosted their annual Career Expo at Willow Crescent Secondary School this past weekend. This event aims to provide high school learners with valuable career guidance and opportunities. The event involves various exhibitors, including professionals and organisations, who offer insights into different career pathways and post-school options. Some key elements and objectives of the expo include:
Bridging the Gap: The expo serves as a bridge between learners and their post-school pathways, be it Higher Learning Institutions (HLIs), Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges, or skills-based programmes. By partnering with Gradesmatch and utilising their Bridge App, learners can receive assistance and guidance throughout their application process.
Career Motivation: One identified challenge is that learners may lack interest in schooling and feel disconnected from their future prospects. To address this, successful professionals are invited to share their experiences and career journeys, which can inspire and motivate learners to pursue their education and career goals.
Interacting with Industry Professionals: The presence of industry professionals at the expo allows learners to engage with them directly. These professionals can provide valuable insights into various careers, the necessary qualifications, and the steps to enter specific career pathways.
Overall, the Career Expo significantly empowers learners by providing them with valuable information and opportunities. It fosters a sense of hope and enthusiasm about their future prospects and encourages them to explore various educational and career options.
Four Mandela University Geology master’s students are preparing to represent South Africa in the international “Universities for Goal 13 Climate Action Competition, about addressing climate emergency and achieving environmental sustainability.
Aarifah Williams, Bamanye Takashe, Esinam Tamakloe and Francois Swanepoel entered as a team bringing together their skills and knowledge to create a practical solution for the energy transition. They competed against two other teams from the University, Noble Creations and Elilanga.
The students entered a project called “HotBox,” which is a controlled environment for agricultural cultivation. Their project won because of their outstanding presentation and teamwork, and they had an interesting proposal with a potential for growth.
Projects require a multidisciplinary approach, which is essential for the transformation, considering technological, legal, economic, and social aspects of the transition toward a carbon free economy.
The teams have the chance to improve their proposals with the support of Siemens Gamesa mentors until 4 September.
The winner will be announced in New York in September 2023 and will receive a prize of USD 10,000 for further developing their solution. They will be competing against five other winning solutions from universities worldwide:
China’s Tsinghua University (previous winner) and the Chinese University of Hong Kong: “Reducing carbon with carbon: preparation of graphene-like nanomaterials from spent graphite for carbon reduction technology,”
Germany’s University of Göttingen: “A 360-degree solution for university campuses promoting health, sustainability, biodiversity, and energy security”
Brazil’s Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro: “Amaze: Amazon Biomass Estimator. A web app for monitoring the world’s rainforests biomass,” and
Ohio USA’s Case Western Reserve University: “E-Gora: The Energy Marketplace.”
Previous winners Byte Rainforest of Tsinghua University proposed a new pathway to realise the intangible value of rainforests as key carbon sinks.
The team developed a blockchain-based digital MRV system to monetise the carbon sink potential of tropical rainforests by converting carbon flux into carbon credits.
The solution will create a strong incentive for local farmer to conserve the rain forest and attract international private capital to support their protection.
President Cyril Ramaphosa signed into law the South African Sign Language Bill during a ceremony at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Wednesday, 19 July 2023. This makes South Africa the fourth country on the continent to recognise sign language as an official language; other countries are Kenya, Zimbabwe and Uganda.
This highly anticipated move follows years of lobbying and will promote the rights of persons who are deaf and hard of hearing.
The Wits Centre for Deaf Studies has congratulated the Deaf community adding that this milestone represents a significant step towards inclusivity, accessibility, and equality for all members of our diverse society.
“We need to continue to fight and work towards implementing the Bill,” says Dr Claudine Storbeck from the Centre.
“We need to make sure that teachers of the Deaf are finally trained; teachers of the Deaf are finally required to learn South African Sign Language before they teach; to ensure real access to services that are fundamental human rights such as the justice system, heath system, social services and many other things” Storbeck.
There are 43 schools for the Deaf across the country. Evidence indicates that Deaf learners’ education is sub-par and their literacy levels are low due to various reasons including ill-equipped teachers.
The Centre has been an advocate for the rights of the Deaf community using its intellectual muscle and networks to advance inclusion.
Founded on academic principles, the Centre which celebrates 25 years in 2023, has helped train teachers of the Deaf, and produce vital research into the Deaf education landscape.
The Centre also runs one of the country’s biggest early intervention programme, Hi Hopes, aimed at families of deaf and hard-of-hearing babies. According to statistics, 17 babies are born with hearing loss in South Africa daily, and this excludes the number of children who develop hearing-loss as a result of meningitis, ear infections or ototoxic medication.
Congratulations are in order for Gqeberha-born, Diocesan School for Girls pupil, Khwezi Jacobs who has been selected to represent SA once again for the second year in a row at the FINA World Championships this time in Netanyahu Israel from the 6th to the 10th of September.
The 16-year-old is steadily making a name for herself after breaking onto the swimming scenes at the age of 11 when she qualified for the SA Junior National competition. At the competition she earned her first gold medal in the 100m butterfly.
The Mediterranean resort city of Netanya, Israel, will host the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships from 4-9 September 2023. Over 600 promising young swimmers from more than 100 National Federations, including our very own Khwezi, are expected to compete.
The six-day competition will take place in the Wingate Institute, a facility purpose-built for hosting world-class international swimming events. The venue, Israel’s National Centre for Physical Education and Sport, includes a 50m competition and 50m training pool.
