July 2019 - CSA&G

Twelve students from six UP faculties (Humanities, Education, Economic and Management Sciences, Engineering the Built Environment and Information Technology, Law and Natural and Agricultural Sciences) were selected to represent the University of Pretoria at the third Southern African Regional Students and Youth Conference (SARSYC) on sexual and reproductive health and rights in Lusaka, Zambia from 10 to 13 July. These students are active members of the Centre for Sexualities, AIDS and Gender’s (CSA&G) Just Leaders Volunteer and Leadership Development Programme and devote their time outside of lectures to co-create safe and inclusive university spaces.

Under the theme Plan Prioritise and Prevent, the conference called on governments and stakeholders to effectively plan for the realisation of young people’s sexual reproductive health and ensure that there is a coordinated response in addressing students and young people’s sexual reproductive challenges and the prioritisation of key populations amongst the youth constituency. These are students in institutions of higher learning with a special focus on the female student, LGBTI youth, young people with disabilities and young people living with HIV and all stakeholders to join the efforts towards preventing early and unintended pregnancies which usually escalates to unsafe abortions and deaths, whilst ensuring that girls remain in schools until they complete their education.

The UP student delegation was accompanied by three CSA&G staff members and one staff member, Mr Duke Rasebopye, also facilitated a session at the conference on UP’s anti-sexual harassment training interventions and programme, under the #SpeakOutUP umbrella. The Just Leaders programme is supported by the Students’ and Academics’ International Help fund (SAIH) in Norway and their support funded the UP delegation’s attendance of SARSYC.

The Dean of the Faculty of Humanities hosted the delegation for a send-off function prior to the conference. From left to right, front row: Kimberly Munatsi, Sebabatso Mapheleba, Boitemelo Nokeri and Mohau Nei. Back row: Prince Mkhondo, Nthathi Mabena, Dimakatso Mocumi , Kgaugelo Sehoole, Deliwe Chakapu, Dineo Mautjana, Tebello Moreboli, Duke Rasebopye (CSA&G), Prof Vasu Reddy (Dean: Faculty of Humanities) and Johan Maritz (CSA&G) Absent: Karabo Hermann and Belinda Pakati (CSA&G)

A version of this article was first published on www.up.ac.za

The Simon Nkoli Collective is a partnership with the Dean’s Office – Faculty of Humanities, the Centre of Sexualities, AIDS and Gender (CSA&G), the Centre for Human Rights (CHR), and the Sociology Department. The Collective aim is to use this exhibition to open debates on transformation, social justice and ideas of memory 25 years into democracy. Moreover, the exhibition is also a celebration of the Faculty of Humanities Centenary through which Simon Nkoli’s memory is evoked as a site for reflecting on Black queer resilience. The desire to inhabit the past through Simon’s journey is to map this existence within the contradictions of (in)equality.

Why Simon: The aim is to provide an interesting and engaging introduction to the history of LGBTIQ activism rooted in Black narratives. In the excavation of the earlier narratives of black queer visibility it is difficult to overlook the much-documented life of Simon. It is undeniable that he championed many efforts. When Simon Nkoli’s memory is revisited, three images are often portrayed: his anti-apartheid, HIV/AIDS, and LGBTI activism. Some argue that he was an internationalist. Nonetheless, Nkoli remains one of the prominent internationally celebrated South African black queers.

The photographic exhibition profiles a series of thirty images, eleven awards, one video installations and a kanga designed by Kenyan visual artist Kawira Mwirichia. The nature of the installation requires minimal narration with the material intended to solicit the participatory presence of a spectator. Visitors will absorb, critically analyse and construct for themselves the Simon they prefer.

Dates: 17 July to 9 August 2019

Viewing times: 9:00 to 16:00

Venue: New Student Gallery, Javett Art Centre, UP Hatfield Campus

Queries: simonnkolicollective@gmail.com

Archive for month: July, 2019