Law Graduate Awarded Scholarship at University of Cambridge
Mr Adrian Parker.UKZN summa cum laude graduate, Mr Adrian Parker, has secured a Commonwealth Cambridge Shared Scholarship to pursue a Master of Law (LLM) degree at the University of Cambridge.
The Scholarship, shared between the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission and the Cambridge Trust, covers all fees, accommodation and general living expenses.
Parker, who graduated with his LLB in April, said he was unsure about the area of Law to pursue for his postgraduate studies but was passionate about providing legal access for the poor.
‘My experience volunteering at the Law Clinic on campus opened my eyes to the need for legal services for the indigent. This inspired me to study law and I hope to be able to use the skills and knowledge I have gained, and that I will gain, to make a discernible difference in the lives of people who are in desperate need of legal services,’ said Parker
He attributes his academic success to hard work and the support of his family, especially his mother, Ms Judy Parker, who is a Senior Lecturer at UKZN’s School of Law. He is also thankful for the support he has received from the School during his undergraduate studies and during the scholarship application process.
‘I’m very fortunate that my mom works as an academic at UKZN as I got a full fee remission. My family has always been incredibly supportive throughout my life and in everything I do. My brother has been a particular role model for me and I will be joining him at Cambridge where he is currently reading for his PhD,’ he said.
Thandiwe Jumo
author : .author email : .School of Law Hosts Annual Moot Final
Moot finalists (back from left): Mr Siboniso Kheswa, Ms Sibusile Pearl Khusi, Ms Tasneem Hassim and Mr Masimbonge Mtshali with Mr Justice Piet Koen and Mr Justice Rishi Seegobin. The Annual Moot Final, described as an event where the best and brightest final year Law students get to show off their forensic skills, was recently hosted by the School of Law on UKZN’s Pietermaritzburg campus.
Four finalists - Ms Sibusile Pearl Khusi, Ms Tasneem Hassim, Mr Siboniso Kheswa and Mr Masimbonge Mtshali - displayed their legal prowess in front of academics, family, friends, and Mr Justice Piet Koen and Mr Justice Rishi Seegobin.
The finalists, who pleasantly surprised the judges with their level of professionalism in addressing the court, were commended by Judge Koen for the level of preparation that was displayed by their oral presentations, and the detail with which they prepared their heads of argument. Judge Koen also expressed appreciation for the enthusiasm and dedication shown by the participants, which saw a close contest for the two prizes of the evening, with Kheswa and Khusi being declared the eventual winners. The finalists, who each described the Moot as an honour and privilege to participate in, said their experience of the final had been both exciting and stressful. ‘The first Moots where everybody had to do it, those were enjoyable - the moot final was slightly more challenging, but nonetheless a privilege to have just been a part of it,’ said Khusi. ‘It was nerve-wracking but exciting at the same time - this morning we had a practice round and it went well, so we were a lot more confident,’ added Hassim.
The finalists explained that the Moot had taken a great amount of preparation, which entailed consulting with experts and lecturers, textbooks, journals, case laws and most importantly working with the facts of the case. ‘Essentially, it’s working with the facts that you have and trying to incorporate the law into those facts - so it is a lot of preparation,’ said Mtshali.
They were humble about being chosen out of a number of other students and attributed their success to their lecturers, who provided them with invaluable support, encouragement and guidance leading up to the finals. ‘All of the lecturers were a great help. I really attribute my success to them because with them not being there, I wouldn’t be as confident as I was today,’ said Kheswa. The finalists’ plans for the future include serving their articles starting in January next year. Mtshali will move to Durban where he begins work at Adams and Adams Attorneys in Umhlanga; Kheswa takes up a position at Tomlinson, Mnguni James Attorneys, in Pietermaritzburg; while Khusi begins serving her articles at Adams and Adams Attorneys in Pretoria.
Merusha Naidoo
author : .author email : .UKZN Academics Speak at SA Higher Education Colloquium on Food Insecurity at Universities
UKZN academics Ms Mbalenhle Gwacela (left) and Ms Stella Sabi with University of the Free State Vice-Chancellor, Professor Jonathan Jansen.Several UKZN academics and students attended and spoke at a South African Higher Education Colloquium on the topic of: “Food Insecurity on University Campuses”, which was held at the University of the Free State (UFS) in Bloemfontein.
The gathering attracted a variety of experts from around the country who presented on the threat food insecurity poses to the tertiary studies of many students.
The event formed part of UFS’s No Student Hungry bursary programme, with presentations during the event suggesting that more than 70% of students who drop out of university early in South Africa do so because of food insecurity and financial problems.
With university becoming increasingly accessible, thanks to bursaries, many students from low income households enter tertiary institutions but often do not have funds other than their bursary tuition available for food, and are often required to support their families as well.
UFS Vice-Chancellor, Professor Jonathan Jansen, said in his opening address that providing food for food-insecure students, would confer dignity to them as well as cover their basic needs.
Dr Nick Munro of the Discipline of Psychology at UKZN’s School of Applied Human Sciences gave a presentation titled: “Hunger for Knowledge: Food Insecurity among Students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal”. Munro, who was assisted in research for the presentation by colleagues Mr Michael Quayle, Ms Heather Simpson and Ms Shelley Barnsley, said among the findings there was a positive association between diet quality and variety, and academic performance.
Munro’s presentation also recommended that research on food insecurity in students was replicated at other institutions with the aim of yielding a national indicator of food insecurity in higher education students, and with the eventual aim of informing a national response in Higher Education nationwide.
Dr Suna Kassier of the Discipline of Dietetics and Human Nutrition at UKZN spoke on: “The Plight of Food Insecurity among University Students on Financial Aid”, saying UKZN helped students with planning their often limited budgets so that they made good food choices, while also providing those in need with food vouchers.
Ms Stella Sabi of the African Centre for Food Security (ACFS) at UKZN gave a presentation titled: “Investigating Perceptions of Food Insecurity Complexities in South African Higher Learning Institutions”. Sabi presented an overview of possible solutions to the food security crisis faced by some students, saying that university interventions should be institutionalised to ensure their success.
‘Food insecurity threatens South Africa’s economic advancement and transformation as students’ academic performance and degree completion are compromised, thus reducing their ability to enter the labour market.’
Ms Mbalenhle Gwacela, also of the ACFS, who spoke on: “Achieving Food Security for University Students through Stakeholder Joint Participation: A Food Bank Model”, said universities did not exist in isolation, but were part of larger society and so should encourage stakeholder joint participation in the development of a Food Bank model.
The general feeling of the Colloquium was that, ensuring food security for students to enable them to adequately cope with the demands of tertiary education would take a collective effort from many quarters. However, with the research coming out of UKZN and other South African universities committed to this cause, indications were that with proactive actions from university leadership, solutions to food insecurity were available on campuses to help students achieve their potential.
Christine Cuénod
author : .author email : .Karabo Beracah Farming Project Reaps Rewards for Community Members
Karabo Beracah members with the Enactus team and the Department of Agriculture.Karabo Beracah is one of the community projects entrepreneurial student organisation, Enactus UKZN, is involved in geared at making a difference in the lives of others.
Project Karabo Beracah was started by a family farming spinach, tomatoes, beetroot, onion, cabbage, carrots, pumpkin and dry beans on a hectare of land in Emxhakeni near Newcastle. Now it is a 12-member co-operative farming a 20ha piece of land, the use of which was secured from the local chief, iNkosi Khumalo.
Initially a family business, the farm floundered after financial difficulties and the death of the founder. That’s when Enactus UKZN got involved, converting the direct beneficiary, Ms Nokuthula Matubaba (aka ‘mam Thuli’), into an industrialist by adding the concept of agri-processing which has taken the project to another level.
The project addresses food security and health by promoting a healthy lifestyle and has created employment opportunities for community members through the use of agents who sell the products to the local community in and around Newcastle. Melon jam, Moringa porridge and vegetable juice are some of the products produced.
The co-operative is headed up by mam Thuli and her daughter, Ms Noluthando Mazibuko. ‘Mam Thuli and the Karabo Beracah co-op now plant their crops, manufacture and process a range of products, brand them and then send the final products to the market,’ said Enactus UKZN Project Manager, Ms Nolwazi Qumbisa, a Masters student in the Housing programme.
‘With this concept, mam Thuli has moved away from being a farmer to being an industrialist,’ said Qumbisa.
‘Melon jam is a health product which is good for diabetics as melons reduce diabetes and because the jam is made with treacle sugar rather than normal everyday sugar.’
The porridge, Moringa Meal, is a cereal made from yellow maize and Moringa tree powder. ‘The Moringa tree has many nutrients and anti-oxidants, making this product another health product produced by the co-operative,’ said Qumbisa. It is available at Health Box at Westwood Mall.
The co-operative makes a range of vegetable juices, each with their own health properties, including beetroot, cucumber, sweet potato, pumpkin and lemon.
Karabo Beracah was named after the beneficiaries of the project, a co-operative which operates under the slogan; By Courage and Faith. It is one of the projects which helped Enactus UKZN emerge winners at the national Enactus championships earlier this year.
Raylene Captain-Hasthibeer
author : .author email : . UKZN Staffer Completes Peace Building Course
Ms Benina Mkhonto (left) and colleagues at the Africa Peacebuilding Institute.Discipline of Biokinetics, Exercise and Leisure Sciences Academic Development Officer, Ms Benina Mkhonto, recently won one of two 2015 scholarships for South African candidates to attend training at the Africa Peacebuilding Institute (API).
Mkhonto was among 26 participants from about 10 countries selected for making a difference in their communities through peace and conflict resolution initiatives in different parts of the world.
They completed the course – covering four modules which groomed them for enhanced peace advocacy – organised by the Mennonite Central Committee in Collaboration with the St Augustine College of South Africa last month.
One of the modules, presented by Mr Kajungu Muturi of Tanzania, focused on Anabaptist Beliefs and Perspectives, while another on “African perspectives on conflict transformation” was led by Dr Jimmy Juma of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Mrs Sheila Wise Rowe of the United States presented a module on trauma awareness, healing and reconciliation, and Ms Pamela Hanchobezyi from Zambia presented on theory and practical introduction to peace clubs.
Mkhonto said: ‘I am so grateful to have been part of this amazing API Class of 2015. One of the most humbling and exciting experiences was being chosen to be among the team leaders of the group. I scored an average mark of 82% in all the four modules.
‘I have made friends and learned different insightful things from everyone who attended,’ said Mkhonto. ‘We also went to the apartheid Museum, and visited Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s House in Soweto, the place where the freedom Charter was written, and the Carlton Centre Top of Africa.’
Mkhonto’s research interests at UKZN include academic monitoring and support, quality of service delivery, leisure services and management.
She believes life is a journey which should be lived “in harmony with oneself, others and the environment”. She loves to inspire others to reach their full potential.
Lunga Memela
author : .author email : .Applied Ethnomusicology Student Part of EUROSA Exchange Programme
Mr Nhlakanipho Ngcobo at the University of Graz.Masters student in Applied Ethnomusicology (Music, School of Arts), Mr Nhlakanipho Ngcobo, is in Vienna, Austria at the Karl - Franzens -Universitat Graz (University of Graz) as part of the EUROSA Mobility Exchange programme.
The programme offers study, training, exchange and research periods at EUROSA Consortium universities in Europe for postgraduate students.
Ngcobo said from Vienna: ‘I have never been to Europe before, this is a new experience for me. It feels good, it’s a once off opportunity and I am looking forward to the next five months. I am experiencing a new culture and learning the official German language. As a music student, I am looking forward to the country's music and cultural events.’
He chose modules related to his field of study and is registered for several cultural exchange programmes within the University as he believes this will enable him to grow as a researcher.
‘I will be closer to students, not only from Austria but from other countries too, hence I will be educating them about our different South African cultural music with the aim of building new audiences, and creating new platforms where our music will be understood and be performed on world stages,’ said Ngcobo.
His supervisor, Dr Patricia Opondo, said: ‘Nhlakanipho, or Skiroz as we fondly refer to him, has made remarkable growth since he started off in the African Music and Dance Program four years ago. During the first semester of his third year he stood out for his critical and analytical skills in the upper level academic modules. My external examiner remarked the same, and at that point I was confident that Skiroz was destined for an academic career.
‘He then successfully completed his honours in Applied Ethnomusicology last year and was the youngest presenter at the ICTM Applied Ethnomusicology Symposium at the University of Fort Hare. His research film was well received and he handled the subsequent discussion with maturity and clarity of mind,’ said Opondo.
‘The UKZN School of Arts graduation in April this year was one of the high points in my challenging years of supervision, as it provided me with testament of proven success in nurturing previous purely performance diploma students and grooming them to become young academics.
‘Securing this competitive EUROSA exchange semester abroad experience gives Skiroz a chance to enter the rigorous global field of academia, and I trust that meeting other masters students at the University of Graz will further enrich his academic journey,’ said Opondo.
Ngcobo’s message to other AMD students is to utilise all available opportunities, respect the AMD discipline, study hard and aim for merits.
‘What makes my supervisor different is that after all my failings, she still believed in me and was willing to write a motivational letter which had a great impact for me to be accepted in this mobility programme. So I believe that the success of a student lies within a student and his or her supervisor. Thank you Dr Opondo!’
Melissa Mungroo
author : .author email : .Alumni Open Music Cloud Service
Former UKZN students launch Music Cloud service.Former UKZN students have launched a Music Cloud service, tuneHost.net, aimed at helping independent musicians track the impact of their releases by offering unparalleled download tracking capabilities plus insight in the form of a feedback report.
The service offers artists insight on how their music is being shared online and where their traffic is coming from to assist them optimise their marketing tactics.
Co-founder and former UKZN Maths and Statistics student, Mr Mpendulo Chiliza, said: ‘African artists have benefited from the arrival of the digital age in music but up until now they haven’t had a platform that is by them and for them that provides strategic insight on how their music is being received online. We built this platform to help the passionate kid making music on his laptop hoping to get noticed some-day. That day is today.’
Co-Founder of tuneHost.net, Mr Nhlanhla Ndwandwe, said: ‘Coming from a music background myself, I have to say that this is a wonderful time for up and coming artists in Africa. Insight is king in optimising your reach. Two years from now, tuneHost will be a must in every indie artist’s arsenal.’
Another member of the team, Mr Themba Zwane, said tuneHost.net was basically a website allowing users to add their music to its list for downloads as well as promotion. ‘Putting songs in a form of MP3s on tuneHost will provide exposure not available previously. Musicians can direct people to the site to listen to their music and also benefit from traffic that the site itself, other musicians, and the site’s fans generate.’
Nhlanhla ndwandwe
author : .author email : .UKZN Academic Awarded Second Honorary Doctoral Degree
UKZN’s Professor Vishanthie Sewpaul (second left) at the University of Miguel de Cervantes in Chile. Professor Vishanthie Sewpaul of the School of Applied Human Sciences (Social Work) has been awarded an Honorary Doctoral degree from the University of Miguel de Cervantes in Chile.
This is her second honorary doctoral degree, the first being from Mid Sweden University.
In awarding the degree, in terms of its Statutes, the university in Chile acknowledged Sewpaul’s outstanding academic trajectory, and her contribution to ethics and social work, women’s equality, the fight against HIV and AIDS, and the struggle for human rights on a global level.
Sewpaul also delivered a paper during the presentation ceremony titled: “Alternatives to Neoliberalism and the Erosion of the Socio-Cultural Spaces of Care in Latin America”.
Sewpaul, recently nominated by a student for the LeadSA Hero programme based on her emancipatory teaching and community engagement philosophy and practices, says teaching remains her main passion.
‘The national, regional and international work and recognition become salient only insofar as they coalesce with my interactions with students, serving as a catalyst for them to re-think their identities and the world that they live in, and to build their self-esteem and courage so that they can become constructive agents of social change,’ she said. ‘I have seen students spread their wings by getting involved in global justice issues – that is my reward.’
Sewpaul is the President of the Association of Schools of Social work in Africa and Vice-President on the Board of the International Association of Schools of Social Work in Africa.
She has been elected to later this year deliver the prestigious Terry Hokenstad Lecture at the Annual Programme Meeting and Conference of the United States Council on Social Work in Denver.
Melissa Mungroo
author : .author email : .Domestic and Gender-Based Violence at Core of Workshop
Members and volunteers at the Advice Desk for the Abused.The Advice Desk for the Abused - an NGO dealing with domestic violence - held a Crisis Intervention Training workshop on Domestic and Gender-Based Violence at UKZN’s Innovation Centre.
Senior Politics Lecturer Dr Lubna Nadvi said the workshop was conceptualised to identify the prerequisites for assisting victims of domestic and gender-based violence to understand the phenomenon of such violence, the law relating to it and how to assist victims.
‘From this workshop, the participants were able to understand what constitutes an intimate abusive relationship and to develop skills in interviewing, assessing and helping survivors. It also helped them to learn how to handle the stress related to counselling victims,’ said Nadvi.
The workshop further covered the role of the Advice Desk as well as various case studies, including human trafficking, role-playing activities and managing trauma.
Masters student in Psychology, Ms Zanele Jele, said the workshop had been both informative and engaging, believing it was an eye-opener to societal violence.
Politics student, Mr Sizwe Msweli, said: ‘This workshop gave us the skills and capacity to change the discourse of society and with this knowledge I hope to make a difference to society and my country.’
The Advice Desk has served as an internship and in-service training partner for various UKZN academic departments - in particular Social Work and Psychology - for many years, leading into research and learning bases for undergraduate and postgraduate students.
The Desk has a Research portfolio currently held by Dr Anthony Collins, who was formerly based in the School of Applied Social Sciences at UKZN, and Ms Sam Howlett, an MA graduate of UKZN.
The research portfolio function strives to position the Desk as a key site of research, given its availability of data, practitioner oriented focus and willingness to partner with academic institutions.
In 2010, the Desk, together with a UKZN-based research team, secured a prestigious SANPAD grant to research issues around gender-based violence and ways to alleviate this scourge from broader society.
This will facilitate further research opportunities for UKZN academics as well as give preference to students wanting to register for masters and doctoral degrees at UKZN as they will be awarded bursaries from the grant.
It is anticipated that the UKZN / Advice Desk SANPAD project will generate several published outcomes, including MA and doctoral theses, an edited book collection and several journal articles.
Other partners in the project include the Cape Peninsula Institute of Technology and the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC).
Melissa Mungroo
author : .author email : .MK Activities at Ingwavuma During Apartheid Highlighted
Dr Bheki Mngomezulu.uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) activities at Ingwavuma during the apartheid era were outlined by Senior Lecturer and Academic Leader (IPA Cluster), Dr Bheki Mngomezulu, at the recent Southern African Historical Society (SAHS) Conference in Stellenbosch.
Said Mngomezulu: ‘The history of the liberation struggle in South Africa has deep roots. However, some local histories have been wittingly or unwittingly left out of the grand narrative thus resulting in glaring gaps in the historiography. Ingwavuma, which shares borders with Swaziland and Mozambique, fits neatly in this context.
‘The area remains largely underdeveloped with no electricity, poor road infrastructure and no running water. In the public eye, the Jozini Local Municipality is to blame for this state of affairs but municipal officials shift the blame elsewhere. Some doubt the area’s historical significance. Indeed, politically, very little is known about Ingwavuma.’
Mngomezulu said the reality was that given its strategic geographical location on the borders of Swaziland and Mozambique, Ingwavuma was central in the liberation struggle in general and that of uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) in particular.
Drawing from empirical data collected through interviews conducted at Nkunwini in 2014 and 2015, Mngomezulu explained the important role played by Ingwavuma in the struggle.
He identified past and present legends who, he said, had not been accorded their respective place in South African liberation historiography, calling for their recognition.
Implicit in this presentation was a salient call to write history “from below” by giving a voice to those who were directly involved in the liberation struggle, suggesting former MK cadres become writers of their own histories. This, he believes, could be achieved by providing activists with a platform where they could recount their experiences and present their arguments about present concerns.
‘Through such efforts we could get a better sense of MK activities in rural areas which do not always find a place in South African political historiography.
‘If informants speak about their own history there’s a better chance the information could be preserved for future generations. South Africa as a nation has a responsibility to care for its former cadres some of whom now live in abject poverty as well as in oblivion or obscurity,’ added Mngomezulu.
Melissa Mungroo
author : .author email : .Local Government Transformation Focus of Lecture by Former eThekwini City Manager
Dr Michael Sutcliffe lecturing at UKZN.“Making sense of local government transformation in South Africa: A case of the eThekwini Municipality”, was the title of a lecture by former eThekwini City Manager, Dr Michael Sutcliffe, delivered at UKZN.
The third year class studying Local Government and Community Development within the College of Humanities, heard Sutcliffe expound on the historical development of the city, the constitutionalism of South Africa and how eThekwini was founded on the elements that emanated from the colonial settler period.
He also explained how the transformed municipality system was formed taking into account the notion of developmental society.
‘According to the Constitution of South Africa, local government is responsible for the provision of a democratic government accountable to local communities. It also has to promote a safe and healthy environment in which social and economic development can take place.
‘The constitutional mandate of local government also includes the provision of services to communities in a sustainable manner and the involvement of communities and their representatives in local government,’ said Sutcliffe.
However, he revealed that there was still a long way to go to transform governance. ‘Municipalities must ensure they structure the growth path for the future. After all, what we build today is what will define tomorrow. What we do today will define whether or not our children will realise their hopes.
‘Municipalities are but a part of the broader picture of local governance. Our success as a municipality will be directly a function of the degree to which we build partnerships between business, labour and organs of civil society,’ he said.
Sutcliffe challenged the students to be agents of change within municipalities and to contribute to developing communities and society by trying to reverse spatial disorder and changing class and capitalism.
‘Hold people in prominent powerful positions accountable for their actions when it comes to service delivery. Be empowered and be skilled, think about the problems we face and solve those problems by being resourceful and entrepreneurial,’ he said.
Interim Dean for the School of Built Environment and Development Studies, Professor Betty Mubangizi, said: ‘Dr Sutcliffe is without a doubt a guru in municipal governance. In addition to having served as City Manager, Dr Sutcliffe was also Chair of the Municipal Demarcation Board which redrew the boundaries for municipalities and has, since then, been involved in developing policy and legislation on local government. His presence in our lecture room was thus appreciated and no doubt provided an invaluable learning experience for our students.’
‘In linking our students with experienced practitioners like Dr Sutcliffe we adequately prepare them for the working world and for fulfilling the ideals of South Africa’s National Development Plan.’
Melissa Mungroo
author : .author email : .Pharmacy Students Raise Awareness About Chronic Illnesses
Pharmacy Week at UKZN.The theme for this year’s Pharmacy Week was: “Chronic Diseases – Take Control” and UKZN third and final-year Pharmacy students tried to do just that on the Westville campus, mounting posters and doing blood pressure tests on members of the University community.
They also promoted awareness, prevention and early diagnosis of chronic illnesses such as anxiety, arthritis, cancer, depression, diabetes, epilepsy, hypertension, insomnia, lung disease and obesity.
‘Early prevention is best,’ said final-year students, Mr Lethu Chonco and Ms Kylie Winterburn, who promoted health screening as an important part of disease prevention.
Winterburn said Pharmacy was an integral part of any healthcare system because pharmacists were often asked to make medical recommendations when patients asked for advice.
‘Our posters today contain all relevant information about the signs, symptoms and treatment of chronic illnesses.’
Both Chonco and Winterburn said they enjoyed practising their counseling skills by passing on information about the importance of managing chronic diseases.
According to the South African Pharmacy Council, a chronic disease is a long lasting condition which although may be incurable, can be managed.
Many chronic diseases can be improved by making healthy lifestyle choices such as eating vegetables and fruits as often as possible; being physically active for 30 minutes a day at least five times a week; not smoking or using tobacco products; reducing salt and sugar intake, and taking medication correctly.
The SAPC says a pharmacist can help patients understand how to take medicine correctly ie. medicine should be taken in the correct dose, in the correct way, at the correct time; and the course should be completed. Also medicine should not be shared and pharmacists should be consulted if there is any doubt
‘The assumption is that pharmacists only work with prescriptions but in fact they are instrumental in public health awareness campaigns,’ said Ad-hoc Pharmaceutical Sciences Lecturer, Ms Neeri Ramchundar.
There was an impressive turnout of staff and students at the blood pressure testing stations during the campaign.
Lunga Memela
author : .author email : .UKZN Academics and Students Present at International Conference
A workshop on international students was hosted on the Westville campus.UKZN academics and students delivered presentations at the 16th Annual International Education Management Association (EMASA) Conference in Durban.
The theme of the Conference was: 21 Years of Democracy: Looking Back into the Future of Educational Leadership, Management and Governance in South Africa.
Issues discussed included:
• The importance of thinking and reflecting carefully on the quality of the contribution being made in education to promoting effective leadership and management;
• The experience of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education in dealing with issues in the context of deteriorating social cohesion, safety and security in schools;
• The support the Zenex Foundation gives EMASA, providing an important space for critical reflection on leadership, management and governance in education at various levels within the system;
• Re-thinking school leadership in South Africa and leadership implications for school principals. Community participation must work to support teaching and learning, while putting schools at the centre of communities;
• ICT in Education – technology can restore learning curiosity and enhance learner-centred learning but there are inherent dangers;
• The policy on the standards for South African Principalship;
• Managing diversity in education. The academics, from Educational Leadership and Management in the School of Education, and from Community Development in the School of Built Environment and Development Studies, included: Professor Vitallis Chikoko, Dr Sagie Naicker, Dr Inba Naicker, Dr Thamsanqa Thulani Bhengu, Dr Phumlani Myende, Mr Sandile Sam Mbokazi, Mr Sibusiso Bayeni, Mr Nhlanhla Mkhize, and Ms Pinkie Mthembu.
Students who presented papers were PhD in Education candidates Mr Mduduzi Ndwandwe, Mr Sikhulekile Ngcobo, Ms Monica Nyachowe, Mr Christopher Mandizvidza, Mr Jerome Zulu and Mr Sithenjwa Ncwane; and Masters in Education students Mr Nhlanhla Mngomezulu; Mr Dumisani Zondo, and Ms Nokukhanya Satimburwa; BEdHons in Education student, Mr Davis Adebiyi, and Postgraduate Diploma in Community Development student, Mr Dumisani Mbokazi.
Dumisani Mbokazi
author : .author email : .Farm Worker Sector Woes Highlighted in Report Released by UKZN
A report on the living and working conditions of farm workers in South Africa was recently released by UKZN’s Agricultural Policy Research Unit (APRU).Negative impacts from the labour unrest in 2012 and the minimum wage implementation in 2013 were still being felt in the agricultural sector, according to a report recently released by UKZN.
The report, conducted for the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on the living and working conditions of farm workers in South Africa, was released by the Agricultural Policy Research Unit (APRU) in UKZN’s School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences (SAEES).
The study was conducted by four South African universities under the guidance of Ms Margaret Visser of the Labour and Enterprise Policy Research Group (LEP) at the Institute of Development and Labour Law at the University of Cape Town, and Dr Stuart Ferrer, Director of the APRU.
Their work was monitored by an oversight committee which included government officials and representatives from community, worker and employer organisations.
Following incidents of unrest in the farm workers’ sector and consequently increased coverage of living and working conditions in the sector, the ILO sought to address, through this study, controversial and sometimes polarising issues and provide an updated perspective to allow broader understanding of some of the drivers of labour conflict to inform the management of the future landscape of agriculture in South Africa.
Research conducted by the team revealed that a number of incidents in the agricultural sector had negatively impacted on the living and working conditions of agricultural workers, most notably violent farm worker protests in 2012 and the 52% minimum wage hike implemented in 2013.
According to the report, responses by farmers to these events were, largely, to reduce permanent employment, cut working hours, move workers off farms and charge for non-wage benefits like housing. This was also a result of increased financial pressure on farms due to market deregulation, reduced trade tariff protection and the dominance of big international retailers.
The study found that with employers increasingly using casual labour, more workers now lived off-farm in informal settlements with public services struggling under the weight of the increased population. This led to other consequences such as the lack of sanitation infrastructure, which in turn impacted agriculture with raw sewage contamination water sources.
Visser and Ferrer undertook a desk review of existing laws and literature and then proceeded to do field research in eight provinces.
The study found a fairly high rate of compliance in farm workers being granted key rights and minimum wages, more so in industries where labour is internalised.
Key areas that need to be improved were identified, for example the neglect of granting of leave to seasonal workers who are continuously employed by the same employer and the requirement for farm workers to provide medical certificates on the first day of sick leave.
Highlighted in the study was the stalemate in which the industry and workers are faced with the inability of farmers to meet increased legislated minimum wages and the inability of farm workers to sustain their families on even the proposed increase in their minimum wage.
A recommendation from the study was that the state should play a more active role in ensuring that both agricultural producers and workers have bargaining power by considering the whole value chain and not simply parts of it.
The research revealed that both agricultural producers and workers were withdrawing from the sector so it was vital for the state to realise that the prosperity of producers and workers was interlinked.
Christine Cuénod
author : .author email : .University of Illinois Staff and Students Visit UKZN
UKZN and University of Illinois staff and students. A group of staff and students from the University of Illinois in the United States spent four weeks at UKZN as part of a project-based study abroad programme which involved them collaborating on final year design projects of the University’s Bioresources Engineering students.
This is the seventh annual visit to UKZN by representatives of the University of Illinois whose Professor Alan Hansen is a former academic and Head of what was then the Department of Agricultural Engineering at UKZN.
This year’s group of three students, led by Professor Paul Davidson of the University of Illinois’ College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, are all busy with studies in Agricultural and Biological Engineering in the United States. This trip during their summer vacation provided an opportunity for them to contribute their knowledge to UKZN students’ final year design projects, while being exposed to a different culture and environment.
‘I was able to contribute some of my knowledge of technical skills like welding,’ said Illinois University student, Mr Patrick Schroeder.
The American group visited the Drakensberg and the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park during their stay.
Davidson said that they looked forward to future visits to UKZN.
Christine Cuénod
author : .author email : .Pius Langa Residence
From left: Mr Sibusiso Khumalo, Mr Sonothile Khoza, Mr B Nkosi, Ms Nomakhwezi Nsele, Mr Roland Naidoo, Mr Richard Morrison, and Mr Siphesihle Khanya Magwaza,Student Residences staff met recently with members of the Pius Langa Residence House Committee at Howard College to finalise the recent collaborative efforts to enhance and improve the living environment for residents of Pius Langa at Howard College. The House Committee members worked tirelessly throughout their vacation period to ensure that progress was made with certain maintenance issues which had been escalated to residence management to resolve.
Richard Morrison
author : .author email : .UKZN Academics and Postgraduate Students Impact Maritime Conference
From left: Dr Shaun Ruggunan, Ms Slindile Mgaga, Mr Siyanda Mthuli and Dr Mihalis Chasomeris.College of Law and Management Studies academics and postgraduate students participated in the 23rd International Maritime Lecturers’ Association (IMLA) Conference aimed at promoting contact and cooperation among Maritime lecturers.
Under the theme: “Challenges Facing Emerging Maritime Education and Training (MET) Institutions”, the conference created a platform for participants to engage on challenges they face in the MET sector and to freely present their achievements, share experiences and exchange ideas and to develop a scientific approach to MET and research.
School of Public Governance PhD student, Mr Syanda Mthuli, and Graduate School of Business and Leadership academic, Dr Mihalis Chasomeris, delivered a paper titled: Assessing Profiles and Expectations of Students Enrolled for Maritime Programmes in South Africa.
Human Resources Management Lecturer, Dr Shaun Ruggunan, presented two papers. The first explored the conditional effect of maritime students’ demographic characteristics on career commitment at different levels of career motivation.
The second dealt with pursuing a career at sea: “an empirical profile of cadets and implications for career awareness”.
Ruggunan’s Masters student, Ms Slindile Mgaga presented a paper titled: “Towards a Career Capital Approach in Explaining Career Development Patterns Amongst Female Seafarers in Durban”.
Thandiwe Jumo
author : .author email : .New Staff Welcomed On Board at UKZN
UKZN welcomed new staff at the Onboarding workshop on the Westville campus.New UKZN recruits were given a warm and informative welcome during a two-day Onboarding workshop hosted by the Human Resources Division (HR).
Executive Director of Human Resources, Ms Avril Williamson, underscored the importance of the REACH values which are: Respect, Excellence, Accountability, Client Orientation and Honesty. Williamson also highlighted the Employment Value Proposition: United in Excellence.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor and the Head of the College of Law and Management Studies, Professor John Mubangizi, standing in for Vice-Chancellor, Dr Albert van Jaarsveld, outlined the strategic vision of the University and highlighted some of its recent accomplishments, including rankings and research.
The workshop, arranged by HR Development’s Mr Russel Mnguni, also featured presentations by Mr Baatile Poo; University Dean of Research, Professor Urmilla Bob; Director of Teaching and Learning Mr Rubby Dunpath, and Mr Michael Cloete of the Human Resources Division.
The programme also featured a wellness stand where the new employees were treated to neck and head massages.
Remuneration Consultant, Mr Vincent Mbukwana, took staff through the basic conditions of Service and Principal Officer of the UKZN Medical Aid, Ms Philippa Hempson, discussed medical aid.
Fund Officer, Ms Sharron Lessing, advised staff about retirement, while Ms Busisiwe Ramabodu, Director: Human Resources Development, guided new employees through UKZN’s Performance and Talent Management process.
Raylene Captain-Hasthibeer
author : .author email : .UKZN Pageant Raises Awareness about Disabilities
Finalists at the Mr and Miss Intercampus pageant on the Howard College campus.With September being disability awareness month, with the focus on albinism, UKZN’s Differentially Abled Student Association (DASA) hosted Mr and Miss Intercampus on the Howard College campus.
The event was held to inform and educate students and the university community about people living with disabilities. There are currently 501 students registered with the Disability Support Unit at UKZN.
First year Bachelor of Arts student Ms Nokwethemba Nkwanyana, was crowned Miss UKZN and a third year Bachelor of Social Science (Housing) student, Mr Sandile Hlatshwayo, won the Mr UKZN title.
Welcoming everyone, Disability Support Unit Co-ordinator on the Howard College campus, Mr Nevil Balakrishna, spoke about the different disabilities on all five UKZN campuses and highlighted myths and facts on albinism and other disabilities, as well as on HIV and AIDS issues.
Third year Law student, Mr Luyanda Nsele, said it was the first year DASA had hosted the event which was an important part of raising awareness at UKZN. ‘Creating an inclusive environment where all students are able to integrate academically and socially within the University environment is very important to us,’ said Nsele, who was part of the organising committee.
The contestants performed a contemporary dance piece with placards containing wording such as Disability Is Not Stupidity, Know Me for My Ability, Not My Disability, and Not All Disabilities are Visible.
Nsele acknowledged Student Services, Student Governance; the HIV/AIDS Unit, Corporate Relations and the Disability Unit for their help in making the event a success.
‘DASA is particular grateful for the sponsorship and support from the Lindiwe Khuzwayo Fashion Design Academy, whose management and design students attended the event,’ said Nsele.
Thanking student organisations Usizo Foundation and DASA for helping to host the event, Nsele also paid tribute to the entire organising committee who dedicated their time and effort to make the event a success as well as to the students who attended and supported the occasion.
The Disability Support Unit has offices at Howard College, Edgewood, Westville and Pietermaritzburg.
Raylene Captain-Hasthibeer
author : .author email : .Westville Netball Club Hosts Successful Tournament
The winning team with their BestMed kits. UKZN’s Westville Netball Club hosted the first Spring Tournament at the indoor Sports Centre on the Westville campus.
P- Block ended up champions of the tournament, with O-Block second and New- res third.
Fikile Dube from O-Block was named player of the tournament at the awards ceremony, while Zolisa Shinga, also from O-Block, was recognised as the best goal scorer, Mandy from New-res the best central player and Nombulelo Mthembu from Lonsdale best defender.
UKZN Westville Netball Chairperson, Ms Phumela Madubela, said the tournament kick-started the internal netball league on the campus.
Madubela, a third year BSC Environmental (Earth) Science student, thanked all those who had made the tournament a success. ‘On behalf of the Netball Exec, we want to say thank you to each and every sponsor who assisted us in making sure this tournament was a success. We couldn’t have done all of this without their help and we will forever be grateful.’
‘A very big thank you to Dr Chalufu, Mr Mark Bashe, the UKZN Westville Sports Union, the Westville SRC, Bonitas Medical Fund, BestMed Medical Aid, Scientia Optimate Financial Service and Redbull.’
Madubela said the players were grateful for the prizes, medals, the floating trophy and a brand new netball kit sponsored by BestMed Medical Aid for the winning team.
If you are interested in attending any netball games, visit the UKZN Westville Netball club on Facebook.
Raylene Captain-Hasthibeer
author : .author email : .UKZN Hosts Immigration Workshop
A workshop on international students was hosted on the Westville campus.With more than 2 600 international students on its campuses, UKZN takes their interests very seriously and thus hosted a workshop to better equip administrative staff to deal with immigration challenges.
Mr Phindiwe Mbhele and Mr Rishen Lalla of Visa Facilitation Services (VFS) Global - the administrative arm of the Department of Home Affairs - were on hand to answer questions from staff and international students.
Mbhele highlighted amendments to the Immigration Act, with particular emphasis on areas relevant to students.
He looked at medical aid for international students, part-time work and acceptance letters issued by the University. ‘Acceptance letters must state the duration of the course,’ said Mbhele, who also spoke about abridged certificates for students below 18 years of age and police clearance certificates.
Lalla outlined the application process for student visas and stressed the importance of submitting all necessary documents. He assured international students that the process was ‘streamlined and safe’.
Ms Tasmeera Singh, Acting Manager of UKZN’s International Relations Unit, said the University was committed to improving the experience for international students.
Singh thanked the presenters and UKZN staff and students for attending the workshop.
For more information, visit the International Office’s website: http://ukzninternational.ukzn.ac.za/registration.aspx
Raylene Captain-Hasthibeer
author : .author email : .UKZN Academics Speak at International Business Conference
Dr Ziska Fields.School of Management, Information Technology and Governance academics presented papers at the Academy of Business Administration International Conference in Durban.
They were Dr Ziska Fields, Professor Micheline Naude and Mr Clifford Madondo.
The Conference created a platform for academics to exchange ideas and research about the facilitation of high quality teaching in the field of business and public/non-profit administration and related disciplines.
Fields paper titled: “The role of collective creativity and responsible management practices to prevent a sixth extinction” explores if collective creativity and responsible management can offer solutions to prevent a sixth extinction (Holocene). The paper focuses on the advantages and disadvantages of collective creativity, the UN’s Global Compact, and how collective creativity and responsible management can be used to solve complex problems that impacts on the survival of humans and various species. The paper also encourages the creation of sustainable business strategies based on the UN’s Compact principles. Fields is currently working on a book called Collective Creativity for Responsible and Sustainable Business Practice which explores the issues highlighted at the conference in more depth.
Fields also co-authored a paper with her masters student, Ms Olajumoke Lawrence-Ogunsanya, which Lawrence-Ogunsanya presented at the Conference.
The paper titled: “Co-operation, Collaboration and Partnerships: a Discussion of Failure Factors in Strategic Alliances”, indicates that even when there is inherent value and potential synergies in strategic collaborations, many organisations have substantial difficulties in extracting value from them due to various factors.
This paper found that the development of alliance competency as a skill was valuable in managing alliance relationships in order to obtain maximum value for alliance partners and reduce the possibility of failure of the alliance.
Naude co-authored a paper with Dr Manduth Ramchander of the Durban University of Technology titled: “The Influence of Class Size on Student Academic Achievement at a Higher Education Institution in SA”.
Madondo, a PhD student and part time Lecturer at the School, presented a paper titled: The Conception of Endogenous Imperatives of Small Business Entrepreneurship in Zimbabwe.
Thandiwe Jumo
author : .author email : .Law Academic Presents Research at Customary Law Symposium
Professor Nomthanda Ntlama.UKZN School of Law academic and Constitutional Law Expert, Professor Nomthandazo Ntlama, presented a paper at the National Symposium on Customary Law the symposium was hosted by Envision International in Pretoria.
The Conference themed: “Developing, Strengthening and Harmonizing Traditional and Modern Institutions and Law”, attracted researchers, academics and representatives of non-governmental organisations who engaged on issues involving customary law.
Ntlama’s paper titled: “The National House of Traditional Leaders Act 22 of 2009 and its Implications for the Institution of Traditional Leadership”, examined the impact of the Act on the functioning of the House of Traditional Leadership.
‘The paper established that although at face value the institution appears to have been granted its autonomous status as a legitimate institution in the regulation of traditional authority, its functioning is subject to micro-management by the Executive because its hierarchical structure has been relegated to the sphere of minimal significance,’ said Ntlama.
Ntlama said participating at the Conference and exchanging knowledge with participants had given her valuable insights.
‘This was a great opportunity to interact with participants not from the academia but other respective fields as it created a platform for constructive criticism and engagement, particularly on the continued remote-controlling of the institution under the name of democracy,’ she added
Thandiwe Jumo
author : .author email : .Multidisciplinary E-Assessment Project Aims to Transform Teaching and Learning
Ms Roshni Gokool assisting a student with the e-test.Despite coming from different Schools and Colleges, Discipline of Information Systems and Technology (IS&T) Lecturer, Dr Upasana Singh and IsiZulu Lecturer Mrs Roshni Gokool’s drive to innovate assessment practices has led to an interdisciplinary research project bringing together Information Systems and Technology (IST&T) and isiZulu, through a common assessment method.
The pair recently implemented electronic assessments adopting the Moodle Quizzes tool in isiZulu to 57 first year Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degrees (MBChB) students. Following this adoption, they are currently busy with data collection on student perceptions of this e-assessment, with hopes of writing a journal article based on this experience. This project implemented formative e-assessment for the first time in this language module at UKZN.
‘Informal feedback from the students indicated that this was an interesting approach, and that they enjoyed it and prefer it over the traditional pen and paper based tests,’ said Singh.
Being a maiden implementation, the road to successful implementation was not a smooth one, but with perseverance and dedication, both Singh and Gokool managed to overcome the many challenges they faced, with adopting this new technology. There certainly is room for improvement, in the future and ‘Going forward, we are exploring options to implement ‘non-standard’ question types – like graphics, audio and video clip based questions, as the students registered for this module are based at Medical School. This will help to contextualise the questions to the learning environment of these students,’ said Gokool.
The idea for this joint project came about when Gokool read the UKZN Ndaba article in 2013 about the successful pilot testing and implementation of Riddel -- an indigenous electronic assessment system, which upon implementation, dramatically reduced the marking burden of lecturers. She thereafter approached Singh to find out more about the opportunities available from e-assessment to language modules.
The duo then decided to embark on this joint project at the beginning of this year, with the support of UKZN’s Information & Communication Services (ICS). To familiarise the students with this novel approach to assessment, Gokool introduced short formative e-assessments during the first semester, with the Moodle Quizzes tool. Then they took it a step further in the second semester through the implementation of the summative e-assessment.
Gokool said that choosing the isiZulu module was the most obvious choice as it is a compulsory module for all first year MBCHB students.
‘Unlike the general Basic isiZulu compulsory module offered at UKZN, this is a year-long and vocation-specific module, designed to incorporate the specific isiZulu communicative needs of the medical students. UKZN's Language Policy and Plan framework also specify the implementation of vocation-specific teaching of African languages,’ she said.
To expand the reach of e-assessment, Singh and a team from IS&T, in partnership with ICS, went on successfully to implement e-assessment with a larger group, 256 students, first year IST students, across two campuses, a few days ago. They are looking to expand the project by not only limiting e-assessment it to class tests and self-assessments, but adopting it for examinations also, in the future.
Thandiwe Jumo
author : .author email : .UKZN Hosts Agri-Food Career Fair
The UKZN College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science stand at the Fair.The annual Agri-Food Career Fair organised by the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) Foundation for Industry Talent was hosted on UKZN’s Pietermaritzburg campus.
The Fair provided a unique opportunity for high school learners and university students to discover what a career in agriculture involves, from production of food and agricultural products to supply chain management and marketing.
The Fair was held for the first time last year in response to recognition by industry that agriculture is regarded as an unpopular career choice due to misconceptions about what a career in agriculture involves. It is felt that many young people who would thrive in the agri-food industry are not being informed of their prospects in the field because of misconceptions about the industry. Together with leading agricultural and life science departments at universities across the country, the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) Foundation hopes to challenge this trend by presenting a professional, realistic view of careers in agriculture.
The event included a lunch for high school teachers who were encouraged to promote careers in agriculture for their students. Ms Tracey Campbell of Subtrop and Ms Rechi Dlamini of the Agribusiness Development Agency gave insightful presentations at the lunch about career options available in agriculture. The lunch also included the showing of a video made by the PMA Foundation in South Africa with support from AgriSETA about careers in the agri-food supply chain.
More than 300 high school pupils attended from schools including Silver Heights Secondary, Northbury Park Secondary, Siyanda High, Phayiphini High, Nyonithwele High, Emzamweni High, Makholwa High and Willowfontein High. Teachers from these schools as well as from Maritzburg College, Pietermaritzburg Girls' High School and Epworth were also at the lunch.
The Fair included displays by Fruit South Africa, SANSOR, Cedara College of Agriculture, ZZ2, the South African Institute of Agricultural Engineers (SAIAE), RCL Foods, Syngenta, South African Sugarcane Research Institute (SASRI), Potatoes SA, the Seedling Growers’ Association of South Africa, the Agricultural Research Council and UKZN.
Christine Cuénod
author : .author email : .UKZN Academic Attends ICRISAT Workshop in India
UKZN’s Professor Hussein Shimelis (seated, second from right) with participants of the ICRISAT Workshop in India.Professor Hussein Shimelis of the African Centre for Crop Improvement (ACCI) in the School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences (SAEES) was in India to participate in the Product Dissemination Workshop of the USAID-funded project: “Pigeonpea Improvement Using Molecular Breeding”.
The three-year project, which has been implemented by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), is intended to improve the yields and resilience of pigeonpea crops in India and Africa. This legume is a vital part of life for millions of poor people in India’s drylands, both as a staple, nutritious food source and as an avenue of income for farmers.
It is grown on about five million hectares in Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and South-Central America, with African countries growing it as an important export crop.
Along with UKZN, other institutions involved include the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS) and Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University (ANGRAU) in India; Ilonga Agriculture Training Institute; the Open University of Tanzania and the Naliendele Agricultural Research Institute in Tanzania; Chitedze Agricultural Research Station in Malawi; Mozambique's Institute of Agricultural Research (IIAM), the University of Education in Ghana and Krishidhan Seeds in India.
Workshop participants interacted directly with farmers and visited pigeonpea fields, taking stock of what the project has achieved thus far. The first phase of the project, which has been completed, involved decoding of the crop’s genome sequence and the isolation of the ideal candidate gene that would enable further breeding, a noteworthy success as this is the first ‘orphan legume’ to have its genome sequence mapped.
Shimelis said there was a need to breed this legume to allow for resilience to fusarium wilt disease and pigeonpea sterility mosaic virus; and to benefit those who rely on this crop, there was a need to breed an early maturing, drought-tolerant variety which had to be a short variety to enable combine harvesting. These needs were significantly influenced by increasing pressure on growers as a result of climate change and a growing population to feed.
The next phase of the project, which requires funding in order to be initiated, would be a translation breeding phase, leading to the development of these cultivars.
Another important part of Phase Two would be the building of capacity of plant breeders working in Asia and Africa. This component of the project has been an important one with Shimelis including his PhD students from Africa in the process.
Participating in this project allows collaborators access to a state-of-the-art training facility and bioinformatics experts, which Africa is lacking. Training students on this kind of project therefore allows for exponential growth in this area as they bring their skills back to Africa to develop the continent.
During the first phase of the project, two students from Africa and six from India were trained in molecular breeding techniques and technology.
Working on this project also enabled Shimelis to contribute as co-author to a work titled Genomics-Assisted Breeding for Boosting Crop Improvement in Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan)’, which was published in the Frontiers in Plant Science journal in February.
Christine Cuénod
author : .author email : .