Male students were encouraged to speak out in support of gender equality at the launch of CPUT’s HeforShe branch.

HeForShe invites people around the world to stand together as equal partners to craft a shared vision of a gender equal world and implement specific, locally relevant solutions for the good of all of humanity. It was created by UN Women in 2014.

The HIV/Aids Unit’s Nathan Kayser said CPUT was only the second South African university to launch a HeforShe branch. “I’m really proud of you for coming out and I know that you will be the champions that you are already,” he said to students.

Acting Dean of Students Nonkosi Tyolwana said events like these were crucial to help people to speak out.  “I call on you fellow sons, brothers, fathers, to pledge your support. Commit and don’t stay silent. Speak out in support of gender equality, academic equality and also against injustice. Your voice will make a difference in the lives of our CPUT community,” said Tyolwana.

Agnes Phiri from UN Women said HeforShe aims to mobilise one billion men across the globe to accelerate the achievement of gender equality. She said that since the launch in 2014 hundreds of thousands of men have committed to gender equality. 

The men at the event also recited the CPUT Men’s Forum Pledge. This Forum aims to involve men to be part of the solution in the fight against gender-based violence.

The Forum as well as CPUT’s Institutional Position Statement on Gender-Based Violence was launched in August.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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CPUT and a range of partners celebrated International Women’s Day with the inauguration of the Think-Tank on Gender Equality and Women Empowerment (GEWE).

The event, held at the Cape Town Hotel School, was live-streamed to an online audience and received national news coverage.

The theme was: Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow.

Vice-Chancellor Prof Chris Nhlapo opened the event and said the pandemic and its accompanying negative regressive effects must not stop us from continuing to grapple with the issues of gender inclusivity.

“As a university of technology, it is critical that we accelerate women's careers in technology and reinforce authentic leadership in these spaces. Role model visibility in science and technology is critical to attracting more women to this field.”

Honourable Thandi Modise, Minister of Defence and Military Veterans and CPUT Chancellor was the guest speaker.

Modise said that while significant strides had been made to empower women and to promote gender equality, women still bear “a disproportionate burden of the triple challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment”.  

“Our collective efforts to promote women empowerment and gender equality must be intensified. We owe it to the many martyrs who have laid down their lives for an equal and non-sexist society.”

She said the event, held in partnership with UN Women, is “a bold and very strong statement that CPUT remains a progressive leader among its peers on women empowerment and gender equality”.

Ayanda Mvimbi, a programme specialist for UN Women, congratulated CPUT for being a champion university “to accept and launch the think-tank for gender equality and empowerment of women”.

“I want to emphasise the need to involve academia in gender equality and women’s empowerment. The research expertise can bring in much-needed data and evidence-based solutions to accelerate gender equality for a sustainable tomorrow.”

Prof Driekie Hay-Swemmer, Executive Director in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor, spoke on the Vice-Chancellor’s Prestigious STEM schools programme and said Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) were all fields still predominantly occupied by males.

Hay-Swemmer said the Vice-Chancellor believed that girls need to be exposed at a young age to the different careers available to them in STEM.  

“We would like to become the hub of STEM education in the Western Province. A beacon of hope and excitement, where the barriers and myths of maths are broken down. We wish to establish a world-class research chair in STEM education doing longitudinal studies, train and upscale educators, and be part of the next generation of scientists within a technology-enabled environment.”

The list of speakers and respondents included: Prof Beatrice Opeolu, Faculty of Applied Sciences; Ella Mangisa, Ilitha Labantu (CPUT partner); Dr Simon Nsengimana, Faculty of Business and Management Sciences; Tshitso Mosolodi, Snake Nation (CPUT partner); Nanga Codana, SRC President; Prof Tembisa Ngqondi: Dean of the Faculty of Informatics and Design; George Mvalo, Chairperson: Universities South Africa  Transformation Managers’ Forum and Nonele Ganyile, SRC Secretary General and a commitment pledge was signed by the various partners.

Nonkosi Tyolwana, Director of the Centre for Diversity, Inclusivity and Social Change, thanked the speakers and organisers.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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DigitALL: Digital Innovation and Technology for gender equality was the theme of the annual International Women’s Day event recently held at CPUT.

The event was presented by the Division of Student Affairs and Centre for Diversity, Inclusivity & Social Change, in collaboration with the Faculty of Informatics and Design, in partnership with HERS-SA.

In his opening remarks, Vice-Chancellor, Prof Chris Nhlapo, said women are grossly underrepresented in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) fields in Sub-Saharan Africa.

“It is also a fact that we need more girls in Africa in STEM and the key question is how to get them there. My observation is that if this is not addressed, if this is not changing, women will remain in jobs that are likely to be replaced by technology. These are low paying jobs or less economically impactful jobs. And you don't want to fall into that particular trap.”

He said the mindset that STEM is the domain of men must change.

Prof Driekie Hay-Swemmer, Executive Director in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor, said this annual event “reminds us of women’s achievements, challenges and ongoing gender equality struggles”.

“Whether we like it or not, women are still fighting for their place in the sun. On the other hand, a day like today also reminds us of women’s remarkable progress in various fields.”

Hay-Swemmer outlined the Vice-Chancellor’s Prestigious Schools STEM Project to the audience and said this empowering initiative had not only made a significant impact on the lives of women but also plays and will play a pivotal role in achieving Sustainable Development Goal number five: Gender Equality.

“This programme at CPUT stands as a beacon of hope, breaking down barriers and stereotypes about women in STEM and it has provided a platform for women to showcase their talents and skills and intellect, providing that gender should never be a limitation to success.”

Central SRC President, Sinelizwi Notshikila, said International Women’s Day is a day “that we're compelled to reflect not only on the contributions and progress that we've made, but on the challenges that still confront us, particularly as young black women navigating the digital landscape in South Africa”.

“As we navigate the exciting possibilities and challenges of the digital age, let us not forget that for centuries women have fought against discrimination and inequality and, while significant strides have been made, we cannot be ignorant about the unique struggles faced, particularly by young black women in our society.”

The event included a presentation by Louise Banahene from the University of Leeds titled: Student inclusivity: A case of Leeds University using a gendered lens.

The keynote speaker was Dr Kolosa Madikizela, a CPUT alumna, whose 20-year career spans across the construction, property development and engineering sectors, where she has occupied senior management, executive management and CEO level positions at various multinational organisations.

“There is importance in days like this. We still need them. For a very long time women were at the back of the bus and very often we weren’t even on the bus. So, these days are about making us get there. But I think if all of us as women take on this baton of being pioneers and bring other women along, the fight can actually be won. We can have a voice instead of being just the noise.”

Other speakers included Prof Tembisa Ngqondi, Dean of the Faculty of Informatics and Design who spoke on the topic of Bridging the gender-digital divide through mentoring and Brightness Mangolothi, Director, HERS-SA, who spoke about coaching and mentoring as an integral part of young women’s student development.

The programme also included a panel discussion, with the panel made up of Thandekile Ndlovu, SRC member, Ayabonga Sawula, Amajita/HeforShe Ambassador and Tshitso Mosolodi, Snake Nation Africa Director & Co-Founder.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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The Centre for Diversity, Inclusivity and Social Change (CDISC) in collaboration with the Institutional Gender-Based Violence Committee (IGBVC) Pillar 6: Research and Information Management Systems recently held their 1st 2024 Crucial Conversation under the theme: Voices and Spaces, Creating Inclusive Spaces” # RecognitionOfVoices.

The event which was held at the South African Renewable Energy Technology Centre was attended by organisations such as Triangle Project, Gender Dynamix, Commission for Gender Equality, NSP GBVF Localisation, Transgender Advocate, Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, CPUT Queer Unicorns, CPUT Student Representative Council, CPUT staff and students.

The purpose of the 1st 2024 Crucial Conversation was to provide platforms and opportunities for individuals from all backgrounds to share their stories, perspectives, and experiences and to:

• Encourage open and respectful communication between diverse groups to promote understanding, empathy, and acceptance.
• Ensure that physical and digital spaces are accessible to people of all abilities, including those with disabilities, to create an inclusive environment.
• Identify and address systemic barriers that prevent certain voices from being heard or inhibiting full participation in society.
• Facilitate collaborative efforts between different stakeholders to design and develop inclusive spaces that meet the needs of all.
• Promote diversity, inclusion and foster a sense of belonging for all CPUT staff, students, and those we interact with.

Stream Coordinator: Gender Equality, Diversity & Inclusivity, Tumiso Mfisa, said the conversation allowed open engagement showing that “CPUT should hold itself accountable for creating and maintaining inclusive spaces, with clear strategies for measuring progress and enforcing policies”.

“What stood out for CDISC is that the conversation fostered a holistic view from a local and international perspective around Diversity, Inclusion, and a sense of belonging for all in Higher Education Institutions.”

Mfisa stated that the attendees must continue the conversation in their respective spaces, as this was the start of a series of crucial conversations. “CDISC extends gratitude to the CPUT community, international visitors, organisations, NGOs, members of society and other academic institutions that attended in person or joined via the CPUT YouTube channel.”

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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