Towards: Recent Episodes
Siya Fikamva
“Towards has emphasised the importance of community”- Iphile, the self-proclaimed host and Executive director notions as we reflect on the season.
In this episode, we converse with Kiese, Siya J, and Zwakele, hosted by Iphile as we reflect on the season. This episode marks the end of the first season of Towards, but signals the beginning of its expansion. Tune in as we reflect on how far we've come and dream towards where we could go...
“The idea that a decolonial lens has is that it requires more than reform… decolonisation requires tearing down oppressive colonial systems and keeping only what serves us; what has emancipating potential.”
-Sohela Surajpal, law clerk to Justice Madlanga of the Constitutional Court of South Africa
Join in on our conversation as we explore an abolitionist lens for the South African carceral system with Ziyanda, author of Can We Be Safe? The future of policing in South Africa, and Sohela who wrote her Master’s dissertation on Prison abolition as a decolonial and human rights imperative.
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Stuurman Z. Can we be safe? Heerengracht, Cape Town: Tafelberg Publishers; 2021.
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Surajpal S. Prison Abolition as a Decolonial and Human Rights Imperative in Africa SSRN. 2020.
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Surajpal S. Carceral feminism is not the answer2020. Available from: https://africasacountry.com/2020/09/carceral-feminism-is-not-the-answer.
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Davis A. Are Prisons obsolete?: Seven Stories Press; 2003.
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Hooks B. Teaching to Transgress : Education As the Practice of Freedom. New York: Routledge; 1994.
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Scahill J. Intercepted Podcast. In: Kumanyika C, editor. Ruth Wilson Gilmore Makes the Case for Abolition: The Intercept; 2020.
6 years ago today, the Fees Must Fall movement was at its height nationwide and was the site of contestation of the status quo and its oppressive nature. How did we move from there? Join in on our conversation with past and present student leaders, Dr Modipane and Sharon Mogale from UCT FHS as we reflect on the Fees Must Fall movement, student leadership, and what resistance looks like beyond the student experience. References Canham, H., S. Dlakavu, C. Anzio Jacobs, B. B. Leopeng, N. Mabaso, T. Molobye, N. Moloi, A. N. Mabasa, T. Radebe, N. Sambo and B. C. Seabe (2017). Writing and Rioting: Diaries of the Wits Fallists. University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg., ociety, Work and Development Institute (SWOP). Ramugondo, E. L. (2015). "Occupational Consciousness." J Occup Sci 22(4): 488-501. Additional resources While this episode focuses on the lens of UCT with special mention of FHS; the movement was nationwide reflecting the institutional culture from different institutions across South Africa. Here is, but a fraction of resources to be updated: -Everything Must Fall (Documentary): https://everythingmustfall.co.za. Available on Showmax -The Fall (Theatre production): https://www.news.uct.ac.za/article/-2016-10-15-actor-vists-engage-with-fees-must-fall. Currently not on show -Wanelisa Xaba: Challenging Fanon: A Black radical feminist perspective on violence and the Fees Must Fall movement -Wanelisa Xaba: The decolonization manifesto
MURDER IN PARIS is a political crime thriller that traces the motives for the assassination of anti-Apartheid activist, Dulcie September. The story travels from the heart of Paris in March 1988 to the pursuit of justice in 2021.
"The biggest take home for me would be the family's viewing; the tears, the emotions, the 'thank you for bringing my aunt to life... my aunt is finally being recognised'"
Join in on our conversation with 2x SAFTA winner, director Enver Samuels as he takes us through the journey of creating the acclaimed documentary, Murder in Paris: The Dulcie September story. We speak on Dulcie's life, the importance of memory and unearthing stories.
On a recent visit to South Africa President Macron of France viewed the Dulcie September exhibition at the Nelson Mandela Foundation. He was alerted of the submission to the High Court in Paris to re-open the investigation into Dulcie’s murder, which he said he would look into. take action by signing the petition below to achieve justice for Dulcie and her family: https://murderinparis.com/take-action
Show references:
2021 Jozi Film Festival. from https://www.jozifilmfestival.com.
Crenshaw, K. (1989). "Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex: A Black Feminist Critique of Antidiscrimination Doctrine, Feminist Theory and Antiracist Politics." University of Chicago Legal Forum1989(1).
Encounters Films Festival. from https://www.encounters.co.za.
Garden Route International Film Festival. https://filmfreeway.com/Griff
Murder in Paris. from https://murderinparis.com/home.
Queer Joy is...
"Simply existing and sitting in queerness; where the world is secondary to my experience. It's not my joy existing in reaction to my oppression, sadness or depression, but it just exists. On its own"
Join in on an important discussion on Queer joy with Iphile and Njabu who gracefully shared their definition of queer joy and why its important to be intentional about it in this life and its distressing nature.
Show references
Chbosky, S. (2012). Perks of being a wallflower. Mr Mudd. Distributed by Summit Entertainment through Lionsgate.
Johnson, G. M. (2017). Secondary Adolescence. @IamGMJohnson, Twitter.
Lorde, A. (1980). The Cancer Journals. USA, Aunt Lute Books.
Msimang, S. (2017). Always Another Country. Jeppestown, Johannesburg, Jonathan Ball Publishers.
Rihanna (2016). ANTI. ANTI. W, Westbury Road Entertainment. Distributed by Roc Nation Records.
The A24 Podcast (2020). All The Ways To Be with Bryan Washington and Ocean Vuong.
Tipping, J. (2020). Twenties. BET.
Wellness is... "Multifaceted. It goes beyond the physical, but includes the spiritual, mental, emotional, social and environmental." Excited to share our third episode of Towards with our guests, TAQA Africa (https://www.taqa.africa.). TAQA is a tech platform that provides a digital library with illustrative audio books in the 11 official South African languages.
Join us in this heartfelt conversation on language beyond what is spoken.
Show References
Bua-lit. "Language, literacy and social justice." from https://bua-lit.org.za.
Department of Basic Education (2012). Diagnostic Report. Annual National Assessments 2012. D. o. B. Education. Pretoria. Hall, S. (1997).
Cultural Identity and Diaspora. Undoing Place? L. McDowell. London, Taylor and Francis: 12. Khan, A. (2020). Behind The Frontline, Inner Circle Media.
Mswane, T. (2021). All Gomorrahs Are The Same. Polokwane, South Africa, Blackbird Books.
Munambah, N. D., E. Ramugondo and R. Cordier (2021). "Play of children living with HIV/AIDS in a low-resourced setting: Perspectives of caregivers." British Journal of Occupational Therapy. Ngugi, W. T. o. (1985).
Language as carrier of peoples' culture: An interview with Ngugi Wa Thiongo. H. N. Eyoh. Stockholm.
TAQA. "Digital library." from https://www.taqa.africa.
Wellness is.....
"Sustainability... it looks like everyone is on board; thus, it is important to look at the environment."
Good day everyone and welcome to the second episode of this season. We are delighted to be in conversation with Aziwe Booi, a registered dietician-nutritionist who speaks to us about wellness through community, diet and health. This episode is filled with joy and laughter and hope it is an offering to you, our beloved listener*.
Do check out Azi's YouTube channel and website, Health with Azi, for more content: https://www.healthwithazi.com/
*Apologies for the audio quality as we ran into some technical difficulties during the recording.
"..wellness is about how to navigate living in a time of such flux, such violence, such generational trauma, and that can only be done through a collective process." Welcome! We're so excited to have you listen to our new pod, Towards. Towards unpacks wellness through a decolonial and feminist lens. For our first episode, we have Yaliwe Clarke from the African Gender Institute over for coffee to discuss what it means to decolonise wellness.
Show references (African Gender Institute , Clarke 2014, Ramugondo 2018, Eltahawy 2020, Horn 2020, Tenga 2020) African Gender Institute. from http://www.agi.ac.za. Clarke, Y. (2014). ecurity Sector Reform in Africa: A Lost Opportunity to Deconstruct Militarised Masculinities? Sexual Violence in Conflict and Post-Conflict Societies. Routledge. New York. Eltahawy, M. (2020) "Why I Say "Fuck". from https://www.feministgiant.com/p/essay-why-i-say-fuck Horn, J. (2020). "Decolonising emotional well-being and mental health in development: African feminist innovations " Gender & Development 28(1): 85-98. Ramugondo, E. (2018). "Healing work: intersections for decoloniality." World Federation of Occupational Therapists Bulletin 74(2): 9. Tenga, R. (2021). Fuckable Money. Touch: Sex, sexuality and sensuality. T. K. Mugo and T. Windvogel. Cape Town, Kwela Books: 172-174.