Engagement & Transformation Portfolio

We continue the ETP Art Tour with a look at the work of Zama Spellman, displayed at the Bird Street offices of the ETP.
The Mandela Artwork Series is comprised of a body of work created for the TIMS Indaba titled "From Dalibunga to Rolihlahla: Making Trouble with Mandela"

First up is a closer look at the two pieces in the series depicting two different images of Mandela, using oil on Canvas.

We're chatting to the artist about her work this week, so feel free to drop any specific questions in the comments below!

This post is beyond what's said on paper.

Anti-homosexuality laws don't just ban acts - they erase lives, love and the right to form and build kinship and community. They can serve to restrict access to work, healthcare, and even housing - a great infringement on the human right to dignity.

LGBTQIA+ individuals are not pleading for special rights but asking to exist as humans, to love and to belong, without fear.

This international pride month we hope to shed light on this plight and advocate for change globally.

Excited to introduce our ETP Office Art Tour Series!

Join us over the next few months as we talk about the art in our spaces and how they represent the people and the work of the Engagement and Transformation Portfolio.

Part 1 of the series introduces the ETP Artefect which emerged as part of the university's Institutional Culture Project.

Keep an eye out for our upcoming video on the Shekere, and how it symbolises who we are and what we stand for as a Portfolio.

As we close out May, let's reflect on the significance of Workers' Day. Students are the future workforce, and exercising your right to vote is an important way to have a say in our government. This month we specifically highlight sinking employment rates and labour policies that affect them. Let's focus on fairness, equity, and sustainable futures for all.

Visit the link in our last slide to register to vote today. Your voice matters!

Equality assumes everyone starts from the same place. Equity recognises that this is often not the case.

Histories of colonialism, apartheid, economic exclusion, and unequal access to resources continue to shape people’s lived realities today. Equity asks us to think beyond sameness and towards fairness, support, and justice.

In workplaces, institutions, and society, true transformation requires more than equal treatment — it requires acknowledging historical and structural inequalities, and responding to them meaningfully.

With May being Worker’s Month, we reflect on what it means to create spaces where dignity, opportunity, and access are not determined by privilege or circumstance.

QOTD: Can a workplace or institution be “equal” but still inequitable? Why?

Tuesday 19 May @ 3PM with

See you there!!

How can we study the university differently — more critically, productively, and with a renewed commitment to social justice?

Join us for **Emancipatory imaginations: Advancing critical university studies**, an online seminar with **Dr Jenny du Preez**, introducing *Emancipatory Imaginations*, a co-authored book that explores “other” ways of studying the university across disciplines.

The discussion will be chaired and facilitated by **Krystal Zhongyu Wang**.

📅 Tuesday, 19 May 2026
🕒 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
📍 MS Teams

Link to register: https://shorturl.at/nYaD8
Image Credit: Dr Dina Zoe Belluigi