University of the Witwatersrand

The University of the Witwatersrand (pronounced vit-vaters-rant, with flat vowels -- see South African English) is a leading South African university situated in Johannesburg. It is often referred to as "Wits".

Related Topics:
South African English - South African - University - Johannesburg

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Due to the 1959 Extenstion of University Education Act the school was only allowed to register a small number of black students for most of the apartheid era, even though several notable black anti-apartheid leaders graduated from the university. It became desegregated again in the last few years of apartheid. Due to the university's anti-apartheid student movement, and its left-wing political affiliations, it was sometimes referred to as "Moscow on the Hill".

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It is the home of the Witwatersrand University Press, one of Africa's leading academic publishers. It is the oldest and largest university press in Africa.

Related Topics:
Witwatersrand University Press - Africa - University press

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