University of the Witwatersrand: Wits invites public onto campus to join centenary celebrations
The University of the Witwatersrand is celebrating its centenary this coming weekend, 2- 4 September 2022, by offering the public a chance to experience its treasures, places of interest and art performances.
The Wits Homecoming Weekend will be a buzz with a variety of entertainment for young and old, including exhibitions, film screenings, musical and theatre performances, a park run, campus tours, food and drink stalls, an arts and crafts market and much more.
As the institution marks its 100th anniversary, it is also opening all Wits museums free to the public to experience the vast collections and some hidden treasures.
USE THIS GUIDE TO PLAN YOUR VISIT
Arts and crafts
Rosebank Market will be part of the celebrations with over 100 arts and crafts traders as well as food vendors where revellers can purchase decadent and tasty treats, unusual antiques, organic fruit and veggie, original clothing, and an assortment of handmade arts and crafts.
Date: 3 September 2022
Times: All day
Venue: Hall 29, Braamfontein Campus West
Kids, tweens and teens
Yebo Gogga Yebo amaBlomo exhibition returns after the pandemic put this much-loved annual exhibition on hold. This free interactive science exhibition is for anyone who fancies racing cockroaches, sampling mopane worm pizzas, and experiencing fauna and flora, creepy crawlies.
Date: Friday and Saturday (3 and 4 September 2022)
Time: 08:30 – 15:00 (Friday) and 08:30 – 16:00 (Saturday)
Venue: Oppenheimer Life Science Building, Braamfontein Campus East
Family fun
#Wits100 Visible Resonance Light Show will be an extravaganza where arts and science meet wizardry and imagination fuses with music and dance. This multimedia extravaganza by Marcus Neustetter, The Trinity Session and OMAi, in collaboration with various participating artists, Harmonics, B&S Sound, the Wits Choir, the Wits Department of Theatre and Performance, and you, is an improvised, interactive, euphoric, and entrancing experience for everyone! Find out more.
Bring your own picnic basket to enjoy under the Joburg sky. Please note no alcohol or no glass will be allowed but there will be beverages on sale.
Date: Friday, 2 September 2022
Time: 19:00 – 21:00
Venue: The Piazza, Wits Great Hall, Braamfontein Campus East
Museums and exhibitions
The Adler Museum of Medicine offers an enlightening showcase on the history of medicine in southern Africa. The museum contains interesting and invaluable collections depicting the history of medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy through the ages.
Date: 2 – 4 September 2022
Time: Daily from 09:00 – 17:00 during Homecoming
Venue: The Adler Museum, Wits Medical School Campus, 7 York Road, Parktown Health Sciences Campus
Celebrate the history of modern mankind by visiting The Origins Centre and embark on guided tours of the 10 Centenary Objects Exhibition – a display of 10 iconic artefacts from Wits’ collection of the Earth Sciences Cluster as well as the Origins of early Sapien’s Behaviour Exhibition – a showcase of a unique archaeological discoveries that have been made at three sites. The exhibition presents the culmination of 30 years of archaeological research in the Southern Cape. Suitable for all ages.
Date: 2 – 4 September 2022
Time: Daily from 09:00 to 17:00
Venue: The Origins Centre, Braamfontein Campus East
A farewell and an exciting welcoming await those who visit The Digital Dome (previously Wits Planetarium) during Homecoming Weekend. Open to all, visitors will be able to say their final goodbye to the old Zeiss projector while getting a sense of what is to come with the future Wits Digital Dome. There will be live 10-min tours of the night sky on the hour with the old Zeiss projector; as well as a 5-min full-dome digital show played on repeat (approximately four shows per hour).
Music and arts
Art lovers can indulge themselves with various exhibitions, musicals, shows and productions across Wits’ theatres and museums.
Wits100 Free People’s Concert is a throwback to the daring and defiant concert hosted by Wits University in 1971. Wits was one of the few venues in the country that allowed groups of mixed race to gather and reimagine a different South Africa. The 2022 concert caters for generations of South Africans from Mango Groove, Jesse Clegg to Big Zulu, Holly Rey, Samthing Soweto to name a few.
Date: 3 September 2022
Times: From 12:00 (Saturday afternoon) to 02:00 (Sunday morning)
Venue: Dig Fields, Braamfonteint Campus West
Tickets cost R100 and are available at webtickets.
The Wits Art Museum (WAM) hosts three art exhibition – Her eye on the storm, a tribute to photo activist Gisele Wulfsohn, Donna Kukama’s Away of remembering existing and WJK: In black and white by William Kentridge.
Dates: 2 – 4 September
Time: Daily from 10:00 to 16:00
Venue: WAM, corner of Bertha (extension of Jan Smuts Avenue) and Jorissen Streets, Braamfontein
The School of Arts hosts Gideon Nxumalo’s 60th Celebration of Jazz Fantasia presented by Mdu Mtshali. Nxumalo, was commissioned by Wits University to produce the album Jazz Fantasia which is widely regarded as a seminal South African jazz record. A musical genius, Nxumalo has been hailed is one of South Africa’s greatest unsung musical and cultural heroes. The 45-minute performance features piano, bass, drums, saxophone, vocals and two special guests on horns.
Date: Sunday, 4 September 2022
Time: 14:00
Venue: The new Chris Seabrooke Music Hall, Braamfontein Campus East
The performance is free but seating is limited.
Drama for Life will launch the centenary conference series with productions like Morwa – The rising Sun, Playback theatre – My Memorable moments, Lerumo Badimong Spear in the land of the Gods. Free entry. Shows will be across different locations.
Sports, health and relaxation
The Wits campus has expansive lawns and beautiful gardens that aid fitness and relaxation.
Wits Park Run starts at 08:00 on Saturday, 3 September outside the Wits Club.
Yoga on the Lawns starts at 09:30 – 11:00 on the Wits Science Stadium Lawns.
The Wits Legends vs Orlando Pirates Legends game takes place at the Wits Football Stadium on Yale Road. Match starts at 11:00.
Rugby: Witsies are up against Germiston Simmers at 13:00 – 17:30 at the Wits Stadium.
Netball: The Wits netball legends want to teach the Wits newbies donning their old jersey a thing or two about quick-steps. In a Wits Netball vs Wits Legends match starting at 09:00 to 12:00 at the Wits Bozzoli Netball Courts.