Mission and Vision
The Faculty of Health Sciences at Wits University, acknowledging its role in the training of health professionals, in furthering knowledge through research and its responsibility to be relevant and responsive to the health needs of the communities it serves, and of the country, will be:
- The Faculty of Health Sciences of choice for undergraduate, postgraduate and professional training particularly for the South African and sub-Saharan context, offering modern and relevant curricula and facilities, with national and international reputations
- The Faculty of highest reputation in South Africa for scholarship in health science teaching, research and clinical service
- A Faculty with which staff are proud to be associated, and in which they can thrive
- A Faculty with a supportive, efficient, effective and service-oriented administration
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Faculty of Health Sciences
The Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, commits itself to the ideals of non-discrimination in its teaching, the constitution of its student body, the selection and promotion of its staff and in its administration. It reaffirms its rejection of racism and other violations of human rights in whatever form they make their challenge.
In committing itself to these ideals the Faculty acknowledges that these values have not been honoured and it apologises for the hurt and suffering caused to students, staff and patients by past racial and other discriminatory practices.
The Faculty recognises the respect that staff and students have in preserving these ideals and pays tribute to the efforts of those who strove to bring about change for the benefit of future generations.
2 February 2000
Memorial sculpture to commemorate the acceptance of the Internal Reconciliation Commission manifesto, February 2000
Lawrence Chait (b1943)
The sculpture comprises two figures holding books, portraying medical students. The one on the left in the picture looks down and represents the years of shame when students of colour were not allowed to participate fully in the training facilities at Medical School because of the apartheid laws. The sharp barbs represent the pain and embarrassment suffered by these students at the time. The figure on the right is a student looking upwards and forwards towards the future and represents a united and non-racial Medical School.