Latest news with #UJ
The Citizen
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
Gigaba set for PhD after airing of ex-wife's explosive tell-all episode on ‘Untied'
UJ is also expected to confer a PhD on fellow politician Mmusi Maimane during the graduation ceremony. Malusi Gigaba is set for a PhD from the University of Johannesburg Picture: Sharon Seretlo/Gallo Images via Getty Images Just a week after his ex-wife Norma Mngoma's explosive episode was screened on Showmax's United, Member of Parliament Malusi Gigaba was announced as among the 2 163 graduates at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) winter graduation ceremony. The institution's graduation ceremony is being held between 16-31 July, and Gigaba will be conferred with a PhD. Gigaba holds a Bachelor of Pedagogics in Education from the University of Durban-Westville, where he studied from 1989 to 1990. He obtained a Master of Arts Degree in Social Policy from the same university from 1992 to 1994. He currently serves as the co-chair of the joint standing committee on defence. These ceremonies are specifically for candidates who met the graduation requirements between 1 January and 31 March, 2025. The ceremonies will take place at the UJ Auditorium on the Auckland Park Kingsway Campus. UJ is also expected to confer a PhD on fellow politician Mmusi Maimane during the graduation ceremony. ALSO READ: Gigaba's ex-wife on leaked sex video: 'We were blackmailed for almost six months' Norma on marriage to Gigaba Mngoma features on the fourth episode of Untied, a talk show series that unpacks the complex world of divorce through the stories of famous women who have lived it. Untied is hosted by Relebogile Mabotja. Gigaba attempted to halt the airing of the episode by taking the matter to the Johannesburg High Court; however, the court dismissed the bid last week, allowing Showmax to broadcast it. In the episode, Mngoma reflects on their relationship, detailing how it began and how it eventually came to an end. In 2014, after Gigaba's marriage to his ex-wife was finalised, the ANC member and Mngoma tied the knot. Mngoma said the wedding, held at the Durban Botanic Gardens, cost about R6 million to R7 million. She said the wedding and marriage didn't stop Gigaba's alleged mistresses from hassling her. According to Mngoma, it reached the point where Gigaba was allegedly being blackmailed by some of the women. 'Others, they wanted him to cancel the wedding. 'Then I'm gonna tell your wife this and that,' it was just a lot. He made me believe that these things were not true and not existing.' Mngoma alleged that during this time, Gigaba was more focused on keeping a 'clean' public image of the couple. 'In the beginning, he never paid so much attention to fixing things in the house. He was more of how the public sees him… and then he's posting me,' she said. Mngoma alleged that Gigaba would make up excuses not to attend therapy sessions he initiated. She recalled that at one point, Gigaba accused a therapist, who is white, of being racist. 'Or sometimes he will say 'no, the therapist is DA'. He used to have a reason why he's not continuing, and I will find another one,' Mngoma said. 'He was more focused on fixing the [public] image… us, the Gigabytes. And then he's posting me writing long captions, and people are clapping for him, how much he loves so loud.' NOW READ: 'It's important for women to have these conversations': Sonia opens up about marriage to Matthew Booth
The Citizen
19-07-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Local sprinter targets personal best at UJ Challenge
Chariaan Eksteen is gearing up for the UJ Track and Field Summer Challenge. As a teacher and athlete, Eksteen's passion for running began in high school, where she started athletics in Grade Eight as a long-distance runner and quickly progressed to competing in school competitions. 'I've experimented with various events, but it wasn't until Grade 12 that I found my fit. I tried the 100m and 200m, earning a spot on the school relay team, and also competed in the 400m, making it to the provincials. 'After matric, I joined Brakpan Athletics Club, but recently switched to Boxer Athletics. 'In the CGA competitions, I placed fifth in one of the events hosted at UJ last year. My training is focused on shaving off seconds and achieving a personal best. ALSO READ: Athlete excels at championships for CGA 'I've known my current coach, Thulani Sibeko, for a while, having trained with him at Boksburg. His encouragement and familiarity made the decision to switch clubs an easy one. 'I'm currently preparing for the UJ Track and Field Summer Challenge. 'As a Grade RR teacher with a passion for child development, I've also pursued a Bachelor's degree in Foundation Phase. 'I enjoy mentoring my students and helping them develop their athletic skills, and I'm committed to making a positive impact on their young lives,' said Eksteen. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Time Out
17-07-2025
- Time Out
Why should you consider furthering your education in Johannesburg?
Higher education institutions in South Africa are now accepting registrations for those who want to pursue their studies for the 2026 academic year. Matrics are expected to start with their exams on 21 October until 27 November 2025. If you are a learner thinking about where to pursue your studies next year, here are reasons to consider studying at an institution in Johannesburg. Top world-class education Johannesburg has two universities, the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) and the University of Johannesburg (UJ), both of which offer world-class education. In June, UJ ranked # 23 in the 2025 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings globally, and #1 on the African continent. Wits is ranked #291 in QS World University Rankings 2026 and it is #265 in Best Global Universities. The city also has several good colleges. The vibe Johannesburg is a buzzing city. It has a friendly vibe. It is diverse, energetic, and lively, therefore offering great opportunities for academic, social, and personal growth. The province is full of opportunities Gauteng is famous for being a place where dreams are realised. Many people from all over the world come to the city to find opportunities. Studying in the city puts you at a greater likelihood of you getting a job in the city of gold. Affordable student city One of the things to consider before choosing a place to check out the cost of living as a student in that area. Johannesburg made it onto the top 100 QS Best Student Cities 2026 list. There are plenty of free or discounted deals for students. There is also a lot of affordable student accomodations and transportation. Access to diverse cultures Johannesburg is called the New York of Africa. It is a top tourist attraction and home to multiple races and cultures. This is the best place to mingle with people from all over the world and learn their cultures and languages. It offers great networking opportunities which you can use even after college.
The Citizen
14-07-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Going from corporate world to academia is beneficial
Drotskie firmly believes that in the current complex economic landscape, an MBA qualification is most relevant. Prof Adri Drotskie, acting dean and academic director of the Johannesburg Business School (JBS) at the University of Johannesburg (UJ), disproves the old adage that 'those who can, do; those who can't, teach…' Before moving to academia, she had a successful career with some of the biggest brands in South Africa, something she says helps her 'bring business into the classroom'. The classroom and education have always been her passion. Drotskie's career started in education as she studied through an education bursary. Her bachelor's degree was in investment management, so finance was a big interest of hers. She then accepted a position in Transnet's finance department, where she was exposed to marketing, and she decided to do an honours degree. She ended up in the strategy department, 'where I found my niche and passion'. Addicted to lifelong learning, Drotskie subsequently obtained an MCom in Business Management and an MPhil in Future Studies. From Transnet, she moved to Absa, where she continued working in strategy and later served as general manager in strategic marketing. 'However, I always wanted to go back to education and started lecturing on the MCom programme at UJ. I completed my PhD and moved to UJ permanently. 'I was offered the position of MBA director at Henley Business School, where I served for five years, after which UJ lured me back, where I have been the past five years, initially as director of the School of Management and currently as academic director of JBS. 'Whereas most people start in academia and then enter the corporate world, I did it the other way round. I see it as a big benefit in the fields I specialise in, to bring business into the classroom. 'I also believe that you take on opportunities that come your way and experiment as best you can with new opportunities along the way.' ALSO READ: Consumer Commission warns South Africans after revealing rogue companies Positioning JBS among the best She realises that taking UJ into the upper ranks of successful business schools is a daunting task, given the track record of more established business schools in the country. But she firmly believes the direction in which the seven-year-old JBS is heading will set it apart. Business schools are mainly ranked based on their accreditation status, and JBS is now applying for its first accreditations, she said. 'You need to go through a cycle of offering programmes and achievements before you can apply for accreditations. 'Our MBA specialises in digital transformation, and this very important driver or disruptor is entrenched in all the curricula of the modules. 'Business leaders need to be equipped with an innovative and global mindset, utilising future technologies and digital transformation for societal impact. 'We are also the only school that offers a fully online MBA.' JBS also has students from the public sector and entrepreneurs with their own businesses on the programme. 'We work with adult education and with people who are already in a workspace. We need to equip them with skills to grow in their businesses.' Embracing AI and preparing for the future She considers artificial intelligence (AI), or any of the future technologies, useful enablers, and therefore, business schools need to utilise AI in the way they teach and deliver programmes, as well as show its impact on all spheres of business, as we do at JBS through digital transformation. 'We should rather work with AI than against it. Students all use AI to do their assignments. We need to work with them to show them what AI's contribution can be to their own thinking and learning.' This, and many other topical issues, were discussed at the recent AMBA/BGA Conference for Deans and Directors of Business Schools in Germany, attended by 430 people from 58 countries. 'Most of the presentations and discussions were about the challenges that business schools have to deal with in 2025 and beyond. 'Main trends were the global geopolitical situation – mainly the changes in the US and their impact on higher education and the UK's challenges post-Brexit; the economic uncertainty; the role of AI in teaching and assessments; changing the way we teach to Gen Z in future; jobs of the future and what to teach leaders of the future.' Drotskie firmly believes that in the current complex economic landscape, an MBA qualification is most relevant. 'Given the complexity of the current worldwide economic landscape, it offers people working in the economy the competencies of critical thinking, problem-solving and design thinking. 'An MBA provides a leader or manager with a broad range of skills and knowledge across all the dimensions of business. It also gives them a world view as the focus is international or global.' 'Financial uncertainty is a global challenge that business schools currently face. A few years ago, companies paid for MBA studies, sponsoring students, but that is no longer the case. Universities now need to find bursaries and grants to assist students financially,' Drotskie said. NOW READ: South Africans are living longer and need to plan for longer retirement – here's how
TimesLIVE
10-07-2025
- General
- TimesLIVE
Why so many deserving students do not get into university
My audience for this column is grade 12 pupils who are unlikely to have codes 6s (70-79%) and 7s (80-100%) in their National Senior Certificate exam results. Those achievers can mostly fend for themselves. I am writing for deserving pupils who receive codes 5s (60-69%) and sometimes 6s and who intend to apply to university from poor and working class communities as potential first-generation students; that is, those who often do not have parents who attended university and can therefore help them with advice and the completion of application forms. As someone who works in both schools and universities, here are 10 reasons why so many deserving students do not make it into higher education. 1. You are competing with tens of thousands of other matriculants — therefore your marks (codes 1-7) matter more than anything else. Bear this in mind when you apply to university. It is a highly competitive process and therefore nothing matters more than the quality of your pass. Put bluntly, the more 6s and 7s you have, the more likely you are to get into your university of choice and your preferred qualification (degree). 2. To be safe, apply to more than one university, for example, all four Cape Town institutions or both Wits and the UJ in Johannesburg. Hedge your bets. You will be sorely disappointed if the one university you applied to turns you down. There is also Unisa (distance education) if all else fails and your first choice, a residential university, falls through. 3. If you are not the strongest student, look for other degrees in the same area, for example, BA Law instead of LLB to improve your chances of getting in. The LLB in this example is the premier law degree and the competition for limited spaces is tough. Therefore, consider allied qualifications, like the BA Law with the understanding that you can always transfer later to your preferred degree; in that case, know the rules of transfer back to front for the different degrees. 4. Know the requirements for the degree, for example, you cannot study medicine without mathematics and physical science. Many prospective students are disappointed because they did not study closely the requirements for a preferred degree. For example, most degrees in the sciences require pure mathematics and so mathematical literacy is not going to help you, unfortunately.
