2020 Disability Online Research and Practice Indaba
The Disability Online Research and Practice Indaba was held virtually.No Student will be Left Behind: Reimagining Higher Education Disability Services in Response to COVID-19 was the theme of the Disability Online Research and Practice Indaba 2020 hosted by the UKZN Disability Support Unit (DSU).
The Indaba featured international and national presentations, with delegates from Higher Education and the Public Sector taking part.
In the official opening address, UKZN’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Professor Deresh Ramjugernath, reflected on the important work being done by the DSU to provide support to students with disabilities. Ramjugernath said the rapid transition to online teaching and learning, along with emerging inequities, widened exclusions, especially for this cohort of students.
CEO of Higher Health Dr Ramneek Ahluwalia emphasised in his keynote presentation that Higher Education was vital for the development and growth of a country. Ahluwalia said there was a need to sensitise university management, academia, and the Senate, to take into account students with disabilities in Higher Education developmental plans. He highlighted the need for structured COVID-19 peer support programmes to enhance retention and throughput.
Practice intervention strategies presented by Dr Ashley Subbiah, from UKZN (DSU), highlighted the need for students to develop digital independence, through virtual instruction. Ms Chamalie Gunawardane and Ms Harshani Wasana Fernando, both of the University of Colombo (Sri Lanka), found that undergraduate deaf and blind students experienced Moodle exclusions due to language barriers and information inaccessibility, caused by the absence of sign language instruction.
In the living and learning session, Mrs Margie Naidoo and Mr Derrick Munyai of UKZN (DSU), highlighted innovative strategies to minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission for independent and supported living arrangements. Professor Carmen Miguel Vicente of the Complutense University in Spain highlighted the need for a resource toolkit on mental health support and a structured tutoring plan for social work students with mental health challenges. While, in Nigeria, students with disabilities experienced significant levels of discrimination in their communities, said Ms Anthonia Ishabiyi.
New voices emerged from academics with physical disabilities in South African Higher Education Institutions. Dr Bronwyn Anderson of UKZN, and Dr Smangele Mkhwanazi and Dr Allet Moll, from an Open Distance Learning context, provided autoethnographic accounts of remote teaching and learning. This related to independent living, negotiating accessible home environments and the restoration of their dignity. Importantly, remote working reduced both disability stigma and the need for disability disclosure.
The panel discussion interrogated the transformative promise of equity in Higher Education and the urgent need to disrupt normative policies, to ensure that the “new normal” in Higher Education accounted for students with disabilities. Panelists highlighted inclusive pedagogies, specialised technologies, and new student funding arrangements, while Professor Maximus Sefotho, emphasised the need for an ethic of care and Ubuntu, to ensure that no student was left behind.
However, Dr Praveena Sukhraj-Ely emphasised that COVID-19 made visible the continuation and expansion of social injustices for persons with disabilities. The panel resolved for collaboration with the Minister of Higher Education, Vice-Chancellors, students with disabilities and the Human Rights Commission, to address systemic barriers and public health policies for more inclusive Higher Education.
Dr Roshanthni Subrayen said rich and robust dialogues on digital accessibility, living and learning arrangements and self-representation, exposed the multi-dimensional layers of discrimination and exclusions experienced by students with disabilities in the global Higher Education landscape.
Ramjugernath and Alhuwalia called on the Indaba’s organising committee to collaborate on resolutions emerging from this Indaba.
Words: NdabaOnline
Image: Supplied
author : .author email : .WaterNet Symposium Session Champions Indigenous Crops for Food Security
Participants at the WaterNet Symposium UKZN-WRC-SHEFS Special Session.At the 21st Southern African Development Community (SADC) WaterNet Symposium held virtually this year, UKZN’s Centre for Transformative Agricultural Food Systems (CTAFS) united with WaterNet, South Africa’s Water Research Commission (WRC) and the Sustainable and Healthy Food Systems (SHEFS) international and interdisciplinary research partnership to host a joint special session.
WaterNet is a regional network of university departments and research and training institutes specialising in building capacity in water resources management by strengthening collaboration and training programmes in southern Africa. Its annual symposium promotes interaction between researchers, academics, practitioners and policymakers in the water and related sectors, with this 21st event focusing on integrated water resources management for sustainable development in eastern and southern Africa.
The special session focused on reinforcing the role of underutilised indigenous and traditional crops, and linking water, food and health. The session explored the important role that neglected and underutilised (NUS) crop species can play in creating a sustainable food system in southern Africa that ensures sustainable and healthy food for its people and addresses malnutrition and food insecurity, vulnerability to climate change and environmental issues, and socioeconomic issues; and brings about inclusivity and equity in the food system.
This theme was especially pertinent, said organisers, given prevalent water scarcity in the regions discussed, and the need to explore these crops’ potential and how to enhance the extent and quality of their contribution.
Professor Tafadzwa Mabhaudhi of the CTAFS acknowledged the WRC for facilitating the session and for playing a key role in funding NUS research in South Africa for over a decade, making it a focal area for their ongoing strategy.
Principal Investigator on the SHEFS project, Professor Alan Dangour of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, presented a global perspective on integrating NUS towards more resilient, sustainable local food systems.
Citing evidence from research on the changing quantity and quality of cereal, vegetable and legume, and fruit, nut and seed crops under deteriorating environmental change conditions worldwide, Dangour emphasised the need for alternative crops to build future food systems that are inclusive and equitably deliver what people actually want.
Professor Festo Massawe of the University of Nottingham Malaysia presented on how to tap into the biodiversity that these crops represent and encourage more use of diverse crops.
‘In addition to climate change affecting how we grow our crops, biodiversity is declining at every level and it underpins how we produce our food,’ said Massawe. ‘We’re not tapping into the treasure trove of plant species biodiversity that we have, and in fact are losing it.’
Massawe emphasised the importance of transdisciplinary research and partnerships and collaboration to diversify food sources by promoting the mainstreaming of NUS, saying work remained to be done on the wider uptake of sustainable, biodiversity-friendly practices, such as agroecology, and on the current constraints on mainstreaming NUS crops.
Professor Zerihun Tadele of the University of Bern in Switzerland discussed linking underutilised crops to supporting sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development, outlining the various interrelated challenges facing NUS and the need to target many different topics, including agronomy, breeding, economics, the environment and equity to build an inclusive economy.
The second part of the session, convened by WaterNet and the WRC, comprised discussions on the way forward for the SADC water agenda post COVID-19, inviting researchers to join SADC and WRC activities to inform agendas that will build resilience in the sector.
Words: Christine Cuénod
Image: Tendai Chibarabada
author : .author email : .Humanities Student SA Ambassador at World Youth Forum
Mr Ubaidullah Fazel Ellahi selected as South Africa’s ambassador at the World Youth Forum.Click here for isiZulu version
Student Mr Ubaidullah Fazel Ellahi of the School of Built Environment and Development Studies was selected as South Africa’s ambassador at the World Youth Forum - a model Arab Africa summit held annually in Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt.
The forum engages youth globally in an enriching set-up, allowing them to exchange views and recommend initiatives to decision-makers and influential figures. The event is attended by a wide range of participants, including heads of states and government, international youth leaders, inspiring young people in various fields, prominent international figures and youth groups from around the world.
‘As South Africa’s ambassador, I had the opportunity to make speeches, draft resolutions, negotiate with allies and resolve conflicts at the summit,’ said Ellahi. ‘The theme for the summit was prospects for co-operation between the Arab and African states. To be selected I had to submit a research paper on the prospects of co-operation between Arab and African countries from the perspective of my country. In my paper I highlighted the need to improve food security in both regions.’
Ellahi says he gained valuable experience at the summit, improving his communication skills through engaging with high-level delegates. He also got a better understanding of issues such as security in other Arab and African countries.
Words: Melissa Mungroo
Photograph: Supplied
author : .author email : .Grant for AI, Healthcare and the Law
Professor Donrich Thaldar.Professor Donrich Thaldar of the UKZN School of Law is one of eight beneficiaries in Africa of a US$200 000 research grant from the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) and Facebook.
In an effort to support interdisciplinary independent academic research across Africa in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI), ethics and human rights, the HSRC in partnership with Facebook earlier this year invited proposals from individual researchers and groups of researchers at academic institutions, think tanks, and research organisations registered and operational in Africa.
Commenting on the grant, Thaldar, a health law expert, said: ‘AI has the potential to improve healthcare, but also entails some ethical and legal concerns. With this grant my research team and I will develop practical, solution-driven recommendations that can be implemented within a South African context.’
Thaldar’s proposal on AI in healthcare in South Africa underwent a rigorous evaluation process by a seven-person advisory board comprising: Dr Noberto Andrade of Facebook, Dr Buhle Khanyile of the HSRC, Ms Titi Akinsanmi of Google, Dr Ololade Shyllon of Facebook, Dr Wairagala Wakabi of The Collaboration on International ICT Policy in East and Southern Africa (CIPESA), Professor Emma Ruttkamp-Bloem of the University of Pretoria, and Dr Rachel Adams of the HSRC.
According to Adams, the successful proposals demonstrated innovative and compelling research with tangible recommendations that have the potential to significantly impact fairness, transparency and diversity of AI and ethics/human rights, along with innovative governance approaches to AI in Africa.
‘AI is having, and is set to have, huge impacts on the African region,’ said Adams. ‘We are delighted to be supporting such important interdisciplinary work that will generate new knowledge around what AI means for human rights and ethics in our African context,’ said Adams.
The advisory board expects the research work to be carried out by the beneficiaries in Ethiopia, Kenya (two projects), Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Egypt, Uganda and South Africa (represented by Thaldar) to make great strides in responding to the complex questions regarding ethics and social impact which have arisen from the growing reliance on AI systems in Africa.
Shyllon, who is responsible for Facebook’s Privacy Policy in the Middle East and Africa, said: ‘Facebook believes in the value of localised and innovative research to help shape the design and governance of AI in accordance with ethics and human rights. That is why we are delighted to support independent African research to reinvigorate current academic discourse on what AI, ethics and human rights can and should mean for Africa and globally.’
Delighted about the generous grant, the Dean and Head of the UKZN School of Law, Professor Managay Reddi congratulated Thaldar saying: ‘Professor Thaldar is fast emerging as a leading researcher in South Africa in the field of health law and ethics. The generous award he and his team have received from the HRSC and Facebook bears testimony to this as Donrich is the only South African recipient of this prestigious grant. I am very proud of the work that Donrich and his team are doing and I am confident that the recommendations that will emerge from the research project will be a useful blueprint in the drive to improve our health systems.’
Words: Hazel Langa
Photograph: Supplied
author : .author email : .SAIPA Award for Auditing Academic
Mr Rudolf Mbanjwa master’s dissertation won top honours at the 2020 SAIPA Accounting iNdaba.School of Accounting, Economics and Finance academic Mr Rudolf Mbanjwa’s master’s dissertation won top honours at the South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA) 2020 Accounting iNdaba.
The focus of the thesis - supervised by Ms Hlengiwe Ndlela and Professor Mabutho Sibanda -was on the perceptions of accountants and auditors on professional ethics and professional scepticism in South Africa
Mbanjwa received the top achievers award in the Master’s Dissertation in Accounting category of the Accounting and Tax Thesis Competition. The award recognises outstanding research in the fields of accounting and taxation.
‘With the recent spike in financial scandals in South Africa, and indeed the world over, the ethics of accountants and auditors have been questioned by society,’ said Mbanjwa. ‘The trust these professionals have enjoyed from the public throughout history seems to be fading away.
‘It is against this backdrop that I conducted my study of establishing the perceptions of accountants and auditors about the prevailing ethical conduct (or lack thereof) within the profession,’ he said.
With findings revealing that individuals within the professions which were examined do face various pressures to compromise on ethical conduct, Mbanjwa is looking forward to exploring this issue further through his PhD.
‘There are various topics I am currently considering in the area of ethics in the accounting and auditing profession,’ he said. ‘This area is of great interest to the public and the recent activities in the Zondo Commission of Inquiry have further highlighted the question of the moral fibre of qualified accountants in South Africa.
‘My PhD study will certainly be a build up from my master’s study, as I am passionate about moral conduct and doing good - because it is always the right thing to do,’ he added.
Words: Thandiwe Jumo
Photograph: Supplied
author : .author email : .Education Academic Awarded Prestigious Léon-Gérin Prize
Education academic, Professor Claudia Mitchell.Click here for isiZulu version
Professor Claudia Mitchell of UKZN’s School of Education has been awarded the Léon-Gérin Prize in honour of her distinguished research career in the humanities and social sciences.
Mitchell is highly respected for her work in areas of gender-based violence prevention, HIV and AIDS awareness, and with the youth around the world.
She received her prize medal during a ceremony held by the Government of Quebec in Canada. ‘This is truly such an honour and I am very grateful to UKZN, McGill University and the various funders for their sustained support of my research,’ she said.
Mitchell has devoted a large portion of her exceptional research career to a variety of issues affecting the youth, including girlhood studies, sexuality and HIV and AIDs, gender-based violence, and teacher identity. Her international research includes employing visual methods, such as cellphone videos and photography, to engage young people, on a variety of subjects, including preventing HIV and AIDS transmission and sexual violence.
As the founder of the Participatory Cultures Club, she continues to interact with young women in Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, Mozambique, Vietnam and Russia as well as Indigenous girls and young women across Canada.
At home in Quebec, her work supports the preparation of new teachers and researchers for work in the area of the needs of children at risk in Montreal, including young people and children affected by war and without status.
Words: Melissa Mungroo
Photograph: Supplied
author : .author email : .Bronze Award for First Year Student at International Informatics Olympiad
Mr Aaron Naidu won a bronze award at the 2020 International Olympiad in Informatics.Click here for isiZulu version
First-year UKZN BSc student in Data Science, Mr Aaron Naidu is one of two South Africans who won bronze awards at the 2020 International Olympiad in Informatics.
The competition brought together top students in the field of informatics and provided a platform for them to share information about their respective countries’ cultures and scientific achievements in the field.
Hosted by a different country each year, the 2020 event was organised online by Singapore with participating countries represented by teams of four. Naidu joined his three teammates, who were based at Stellenbosch University, virtually for the event from his home in Durban.
The contest, which involves 10 hours of computer programming and algorithmic problem-solving over two days, requires competitors to design and implement solutions to six challenging problems individually. The solutions are evaluated automatically in real-time using secret test data for grading.
Naidu said it was disappointing but understandable that because of COVID-19 the event had to be held online instead of in Singapore. He was delighted, however, with his bronze award after chalking up considerable experience participating in local and national Olympiads over many years.
The event was well organised and ran smoothly, with competitors around the world linking in to the Singapore event at the same time.
Naidu said he thought South African students had a way to go yet before reaching the level of their international peers in computer science. He suggested that offering information technology as a subject in all South African schools would boost the country’s performance and enhance learners’ experience of the subject.
Naidu, who attended Eden College, was KwaZulu-Natal’s top matriculant in 2019 and came second in South Africa, achieving nine As, 100% for Core Mathematics and 99% for Advanced Programme Mathematics.
He was a member of the Siyanqoba Regional Olympiad Training Programme for six years (run by UKZN’s Emeritus Professor Poobhalan Pillay) which equipped him with additional training to participate in the South African Mathematics Olympiad (SAMO) against thousands of other top mathematics students in the country.
Naidu was the top student in the SAMO a record three times and finished in the top five on six consecutive occasions. He is the only student to ever win the Tertiary Mathematics Olympiad outright while still in high school.
He received silver medals in South Africa’s Computer Programming and Physics Olympiads in 2019, as well as a bronze medal at the International Mathematics Olympiad. A keen table tennis and chess player, he represented South Africa at the World Youth Chess Championships in 2014.
Passionate about mathematics, because it forms the basis for so many other scientific fields, Naidu plans to pursue a career that allows him to combine his love of maths, informatics and data science.
Words: Christine Cuénod
Photograph: Supplied
author : .author email : .UKZN’s InQubate Showcases its Entrepreneurship Success Stories
UKZN funded student businesses: D Chem Group, a detergent manufacturing business and Anonaya Gardens, a hydroponic based farm.Click here for isiZulu version
UKZN’s InQubate division has since its launch more than two years ago approved funding for 50 student-owned businesses.
This was revealed at a recent three-day national Student Entrepreneurship Week (#SEW2020) hosted by Universities South Africa’s Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) programme.
InQubate is UKZN’s technology transfer office, promoting innovation, commercialisation and entrepreneurship.
UKZN was one of 20 universities and four technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges showcasing their entrepreneurship activities at #SEW2020.
This annual campaign raises awareness of entrepreneurship as a career and also seeks to impress upon students that being employed is not the only way they can participate in the economy.
UKZN’s InQubate Manager: Student Entrepreneurship, Mr Khutšo Ramontja, had an open round table debate at the event with #SEW2020 hosts Ms Ntsiki Mkhize and Mr Sakhumzi Dukwe on how the University’s support programme assists in the development of student enterprises from creation to fully-established, profitable businesses.
Setting the scene, Ramontja said InQubate ran two entrepreneurial development programmes:
1. The Beneficiation Challenge specifically designed for students at the ideation phase.
2. An Accelerator Programme for those students already running their own businesses.
Ramontja said UKZN had set up a fund to finance student-owned businesses with those at ideation phase able to get up to R10 000 while those already in business eligible for as much as R100 000.
UKZN had allocated space on its various campuses for student-owned businesses.
Ramontja answered the following questions from the two #SEW2020 hosts:
What is one of the major challenges you face with students?
There are students who lack confidence even though they have an amazing concept and then there are those who are overly confident but on presentation it becomes apparent there is still a lot of work to be done. Irrespective of the level of confidence, we put entrepreneurs through our rigorous training programme during which we are able to channel or guide students accordingly.
And the success stories?
Our many success stories include a PhD student we funded two years ago who now runs a detergent manufacturing business that is really doing well and is on the verge of listing her product with one of the leading chain stores in the country. We are currently helping her with the certification funders need.
We also support many students involved in crop farming ventures producing lettuce, cabbage, green peppers and spinach. One of our agricultural entrepreneurs supplies eggs and another wants to grow bananas.
A company called Anonaya Gardens grows tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, cauliflowers, cucumbers, and baby marrows. In business for about two years, Anonaya is now an established enterprise.
What support do you give students?
We have those in the ideation phase and then those who are already in business. Those who are in the ideation phase go through a week-long programme where they learn about market research and how to do a business model canvas. We also help them to refine their business ideas. Once they have submitted their business model canvas as well as their cash flows we determine how much we will give them up to a maximum of R10 000.
Those who are already in business are taken through a six-week development and training programme after which they put together a business plan and based on that we decide how much to give them up to R100 000. A total of 50 have been approved for funding in the past two years. Since 2018, we have trained around 200 students.
Has the entrepreneurial culture and student confidence changed over the years through increased exposure?
I am quite amazed by the students of today. When I look back to when I was a student 20 years ago, the students of today are much more entrepreneurial. Some of their ideas are mind-blowing.
Do you have an award system at UKZN?
We help those entrepreneurs with potential and who excel in growing their businesses, giving them up to R100 000 and also linking them to funding institutions. We also secure space on campus for them to operate.
Another success story I want to highlight is about one of our students aged 19 who is selling hairpieces online. She is based in KwaZulu-Natal while most of her clients are in Gauteng. She started the business just over a year ago with R5 000 and today she has a turnover of more than R20 000 a month!
What types of entrepreneurs do you cater for at UKZN?
We have entrepreneurs in different sectors - there are those in the service industry and some are into tech. We also have an entrepreneur who has developed a system to help medical professionals manage their filing systems.
Our entrepreneurs cut across age groups and fields. In previous years, they were mainly in the commerce and business faculties. However, today students in art, education, and engineering are starting businesses. And the spread is across the board - undergraduate students, those doing their honours, masters or doctorates, and students from different age groups, with our oldest aged 29.
The majority of our student entrepreneurs are women.
Do you help students who are not at your university?
For now, we are only focusing on UKZN students.
For more information on UKZN’s InQubate visit: http://inqubate.ukzn.ac.za/organizational-structure/
This is an edited version of an article initially written by Charmain Naidoo and published in Universities South Africa’s Daily Higher Education News (9 November) under the #SEW2020 banner of the Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) programme. Ms Naidoo is a freelance writer contracted by Universities SA (USAf).
Photographs: Supplied
author : .author email : .UKZN Part of Campaign to Assist People with Albinism
Mrs Zamadonda Xulu-Kasaba (fourth left) from the Optometry Department at UKZN with students from the department and some of the attendees from the community.An eye care and skin cancer awareness campaign - organised by UKZN’s Optometry and Dermatology departments in partnership with the Department of Health and the National Albinism Society (NAS) - was held for people with albinism in the iLembe district on KwaZulu-Natal’s North Coast.
The campaign, titled Protection from Cradle to Grave, counselled people from the ages of 3 to 73! A total of 49 people were seen by six Optometry students and four Dermatology consultants.
The district’s local municipalities - Mandeni, KwaDukuza, Maphumulo, and Ndwedwe - transported those in the albinism community to the General Justice Gizenga Mpanza (GJGM) Regional Hospital in KwaDukuza.
Free services included an eye screening and educational talks by Mrs Zamadonda Xulu-Kasaba of UKZN’s Department of Optometry and Ms Gillian Lawrie and Ms Annah Sishange of the Department of Dermatology.
It was a fruitful day for participants as well as the students, who all learned a lot and benefitted from the health services offered.
Xulu-Kasaba thanked the multidisciplinary team, under the leadership of Dr Bhekisisa Maxwell Thabethe of the NAS, for providing much needed services to the people. ‘As an avid public health advocate, who is passionate about accessibility of eye and other health services, I congratulate the team for their efforts.’
She also thanked the hosts of the campaign.
Words: Nombuso Dlamini
Photograph: Supplied
author : .author email : .Law and Management Studies Academics on UKZN’s Top-Performing Young Researchers List
From left: Dr Pfano Mashau, Professor Paul-Francois Muzindutsi and Mr Jabulani Nyawo who made UKZN’s Top-Performing Young Researchers list.Three academics from the College of Law and Management Studies are on UKZN’s Top 10 list of Young Published Researchers (40 years old and younger) in recognition of their outstanding performances in 2019.
They are Graduate School of Business and Leadership lecturer Dr Pfano Mashau, Professor Paul-Francois Muzindutsi of the School of Accounting, Economics and Finance, and Mr Jabulani Nyawo of the School of Management, Information Technology and Governance.
The Top 10 Young Published Researchers are determined by the number of peer-reviewed articles they have had published in journals recognised and accredited by the Department of Higher Education and Training.
Mashau says he feels his achievement is an indication that as a young academic he is doing something right. ‘It is an honour to be recognised as it takes a lot of effort to get one paper published. Despite the challenges of COVID-19, I am currently working on ensuring my students’ research projects that are relevant as such work produces meaningful results. I feel encouraged to do more and to continue improving on my research work,’ he said.
Muzindutsi, an academic in the Finance Discipline, feels that this award is essential in recognising the hard work that goes into research. ‘I hope this achievement will encourage other emerging researchers to establish themselves in the international research arena. I am currently working on research projects focusing on evaluating the interactions between financial markets and factors such as sovereign risk and investor sentiment during the COVID-19 crisis,’ he said.
Nyawo, an emerging academic in the Discipline of Public Administration, says the achievement is an indication his academic career is progressing in the right direction.
‘I hope my achievement encourages and motivates other emerging academics to be bold enough to step out of their comfort zones. They should try to meet other researchers, establish collaborations and explore new and challenging topics. COVID-19 has affected us in different ways, and it has not been easy to perform beyond the expected level. I am currently working on several articles with a variety of researchers,’ he said.
Also on her way to establishing herself as a leading researcher nationally and internationally is Dr Norah Msuya - one of the UKZN’s Top 10 Published Postgraduate Students for 2019.
Words: Thandiwe Jumo
Photographs: Supplied
author : .author email : .Humanities Academic Speaks at UN Intergovernmental Working Group on Racism
Professor Rozena Maart of the School of Social Sciences.Professor Rozena Maart of the School of Social Sciences presented a paper at the 18th session of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (IGWG on DDPA) hosted by the United Nations, held virtually in Geneva, via Zoom.
Maart was one of two South Africans who were invited to offer an account of our country’s “progress” and current status with regards to racism.
Maart argued that ‘in order to get to the deeper layers of racism and the damage racism causes, we have to address the psychological components of racism and analyse how the racist attacks the body, the mind and the soul of a victim. Now 26 years into our democracy with the majority of people still living in poverty, South Africa still has homelessness, still has xenophobia, and dispossessed people, and yet we had what was considered a “peaceful transition”. We have to ask ourselves 19 years after the 2001 DDPA declaration: why is racism still rampant in South Africa, and why is the poverty that is historically linked to usurpation, colonialism and racism, still so rife?’
She looked at how racism was enacted during COVID-19 and the crisis emanating from it. ‘Experiences over the past six months have shown that the masks of the pandemic revealed many layers of masks, and the perception that only certain bodies get viruses, whilst others do not, was present. Many European tourists were tracked down, and so the majority of the cases that we had to deal with in South Africa and which pushed our numbers up, were directly linked to Europeans who defied South African law without the afterthought of who they might infect, and ultimately kill.’
Maart noted that, ‘It was not the crisis of the virus, but rather the virus of racism that still spread across South Africa. On a world scale, the murder of George Floyd brought not only anti-racist protestors to the forefront but citizens who saw the ugliness of racism and took a stand… and simultaneously how the virus when identified as a pandemic, showed its racism in the hidden faces of racists in the United States, and other parts of Europe.’
She examined, in particular, the ethics of historical racism, excavating the historical components of racism while examining the psychological layers racism continues to entrench. ‘It is one thing to create policies that legislate against racism and racial discrimination but another to come to terms with the irreparable damage that racism has caused and continues to cause in people’s lives because the beneficiaries of apartheid have not taken it upon themselves to cease and desist with the racism that lifted them to prosperity.’
Maart believes that ‘until we are able to provide more equitable living conditions, and until we make a concerted effort to improve the conditions under which people live, we are not going to effectively combat racism, racial discrimination or xenophobia.’
She recommends that programmes of action be introduced to address the question of attitude in relation to racism and racial discrimination. ‘Education is key. Producing workshop books, textbooks, books that guide us through the process of examining agency, attitudes and all of the nuances of racism, are vital in the next decade. It is racist attitudes that allow racism to linger. We have to work together to end racism and racial discrimination in every possible way.’
Words: Melissa Mungroo
Photograph: Supplied
author : .author email : .Maths Book - the Culmination of Six Years of Work for Emeritus Professor
Emeritus Professor Poobhalan Pillay - the author of the e-book 1000 Mathematics Olympiad Problems.Emeritus Professor Poobhalan Pillay of the School of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science (SMSCS) has written an e-book, 1000 Mathematics Olympiad Problems, to help pupils from Grade 7 to Grade 12 improve their mathematics skills.
Compiled for the South African Mathematics Foundation (SAMF), Pillay spent more than 8 000 hours working on problems for the publication classified according to difficulty levels ranging from two to 10, making the work suitable for learners across multiple grades according to their ability.
Also designed for use by teachers, the book begins with tables in which problems and topics have been selected so that educators can choose examples for their lessons, which match the national Mathematics curriculum and supplement the standard textbook problems with others more challenging, to enhance the experience of learners.
A key resource for the national Mathematics Olympiad, the e-book’s higher-level problems cater for learners who have qualified for the SAMF’s Olympiad programmes.
Pillay said the cognitive range of the problems made the work suitable for a wide range of levels and capabilities, while the SAMF’s Executive Director Professor Kerstin Jordaan added that the inclusion of more challenging problems would enhance the problem-solving skills of learners.
Dean and Head of the SMSCS Professor Delia North praised Pillay for his admirable efforts, and indicated that the School would facilitate the production of videos based on the book for placement on the SMSCS website for access by Mathematics teachers.
‘He is a treasure to the Discipline of Mathematics, which he has served unselfishly for so many years, and should be celebrated,’ said North.
Pillay began his lecturing career in 1967 at the former University of Durban-Westville and retired from UKZN in 2006 after 40 years at the Institution. He is a national academic co-ordinator, regional co-ordinator and coach for the SAMF’s Siyanqoba Regional Olympiad Training Programme, providing training for Siyanqoba coaches. He has been involved in training teachers who train learners for Olympiad participation.
Books he has authored or co-authored include study guides for matriculants and a first-year university textbook. The book, available on the SAMF website: https://www.samf.ac.za/en/mathematics-olympiad-problems, will be provided to learners on the SAMF’s Siyanqoba Programme free of charge.
Words: Christine Cuénod
Photograph: Supplied
author : .author email : .Business School Students Get Tips on Publishing from UK Academic
Dr Amon Simba presented a workshop on publishing at the GSB&L.Students at the Graduate School of Business and Leadership (GSB&L) gained insights on publishing from Dr Amon Simba of the Nottingham Business School in England during a workshop.
This event was part of a series of research workshops being hosted by the Acting Academic Leader for Research and Higher Degrees, Dr Pfano Mashau, aimed at providing GSB&L students with skills needed to produce quality research that addresses complex business and leadership challenges.
The focus of the October workshop was on publishing from a thesis or dissertation. Simba shared insights with students using his skills and experience as a reviewer of empirical and conceptual papers for internationally recognised journals and research funding bodies, including the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship where he is an Associate Editor.
Simba warned students against publishing in predatory journals and encouraged them to do due diligence and target accredited journals with open access in order to reach a wider audience.
Having published three papers before concluding his PhD, Simba said: ‘There is no need to wait until you have completed your masters or thesis - you can start with theoretical papers before you finish your research. In your second-year you can prepare empirical papers and write about the data you have collected.’ He said following the above advice as well as presenting research at conferences could impress external examiners if parts of the research had been published.
Delighted to be addressing business students on his home continent, Simba said he had observed that research in the African context was not represented in top journals. He suggested that students be confident enough to challenge the European status quo by proposing indigenous ways or solutions that could work in Africa and to share this with the rest of the world through publications.
On widening research activities, Simba encouraged students to make themselves visible in local and international research spaces through collaborations, networks and memberships as well as social platforms such as LinkedIn. ‘Publishing is not a lonely journey, you can collaborate and publish with other researchers across the globe,’ he said.
He admitted that editorial feedback was sometimes perceived to be brutal and demoralising, however, he advised students to not take it personally. Instead the time should be spent reflecting on the comments from the reviewers; revising and resubmitting the paper. ‘Paper rejection does not mean failure, it should be a motivator.’
The workshop was well received by students and academics.
Mashau thanked Simba for sharing editorial insights, which would enable GSB&L students to share their research with the international business community.
Words: Hazel Langa
Photograph: Supplied
author : .author email : .Webinar on Human Trafficking and Online Dangers during COVID-19
UKZN webinar panellists Mrs Vanessa Chetty (left) and Advocate Victoria Balogun-Fatokun.Human trafficking and the increased dangers of online activity because of a variety of negative COVID-19 impacts were discussed by Mrs Vanessa Chetty, founder of the Hope Foundation, who was a guest speaker at a UKZN-hosted webinar.
The aim of the webinar was to increase awareness about modern-day slavery and cybersecurity. Chetty defined human trafficking as the trade and exploitation of vulnerable people, saying it was organised crime involving sex-trade, forced labour and domestic servitude.
Focusing on how everyone can become a victim of modern-day slavery, Chetty - a member of the KwaZulu-Natal Task Team for Human Trafficking - said: ‘To fight organised crime such as human trafficking, society needs to be organised.’
Chetty said the construction and manufacturing sectors, the commercial sex industry and users of domestic labour benefitted from the trade.
Signs of human trafficking victims included fear, physical abuse, inability to speak to an individual alone, no identity documents (due to employer or a person in a position of authority confiscating them) and cramped living conditions.
Examining cyberbullying as a prosecutable crime in South Africa, she identified how cyber predators used social media and online gaming as a means to stalk their prey. Chetty urged parents not to let children play mobile games unsupervised, as they were unaware of the dangers associated with it and suggested firewalls on gadgets to protect the youth.
She outlined “doxing” as a practice of using the internet to access the private information of a particular individual and noted how South Africa was protected by the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA Act). Detailing how “sexting” can lead to different forms of cyberbullying and extortion, Chetty said anything written or posted on line could be traced back to the sender.
Chetty said anyone could become a victim of cyberbullying if they used social media recklessly and listed ways to avoid falling prey to criminals. ‘Checking in with your location online is very dangerous, if you’re on holiday rather share your location after your return. Never meet anyone in person stemming from an online chat, adjust your privacy settings and be careful of the information you are posting. Block and unfriend anyone who sends you inappropriate things,’ she said.
Chetty pleaded with parents to start conversations with their children around cybersecurity to create awareness and urged family and friends to follow suit.
Advocate Victoria Balogun-Fatokun, a lecturer at UKZN’s School of Law in Pietermaritzburg, said: ‘Human trafficking is here in many shapes and forms, so it’s important for us to start conversations about it.’
If you need help or suspect someone is a human trafficking victim, contact the South African Human Trafficking hotline on 0800 222 777.
Words: Hlengiwe Khwela
Photographs: Supplied
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