ENACTUS Membership Drive Edgewood
Education students on the Edgewood campus urge colleagues to join the ENACTUS organisation.Representatives of ENACTUS, an international organisation that connects student, academic and business leaders through entrepreneurial-based projects, went on a membership drive on the Edgewood campus.
UKZN-ENACTUS member and Education student, Mr Phakamani Dlamini, said the organisation catered for all students. ‘Education students mostly work with communities and learners, so by joining, the students are able to motivate and even encourage high school learners to make sound career choices and to have hope for the future.’
Dlamini said the network consisted of committed students and business leaders. ‘Surrounding yourself with these people is the best way to grow as an individual. On campus, new members will work with and learn from outstanding students and companies. More importantly, they will have a new group of friends and countless social events to attend.’
‘They will also develop a bond with the new member class immediately as they all go on a new member retreat together. Friendships developed become incredibly close and that is what also makes the experience so rewarding.
‘To become a member, a candidate must fill in the necessary forms after attending a formal presentation. Interviews are scheduled for those who make the cut and meet the necessary requirements, and full membership is thereafter granted to successful students,’ said Dlamini.
‘Every member of ENACTUS has the opportunity to gain the professional skills needed to succeed after graduation. The professional development begins through a mentorship programme and numerous workshops and training sessions. ENACTUS provides all the resources needed.
‘As a longstanding member, I’ve reached the position of being a Research and Project Developer, ensuring projects we are involved in are of a high standard and also comply with judging criteria.’
Dlamini believes that being a member of the organisation is not about the benefits but rather about empowering communities. ‘What you receive comes after what you have given. There are a lot of responsibilities and requirements that come with being a member but the opportunities are unlimited.’
Melissa Mungroo
author : .author email : .Decentralisation, Governance and Municipal Budgeting Debated
Mr Glen Robbins.The School of Built Environment and Development Studies (BEDS) hosted a seminar - presented by Lecturer Mr Glen Robbins of Development and Population Studies - on decentralisation, governance and municipal budgeting in Brazil, South Africa, India and Peru.
‘In the past few decades there has been an ongoing process of reform in local government systems across the developing world,’ said Robbins. ‘This has been influenced by parallel processes of citizen pressures for greater influence in governance processes alongside the ever-present influences on governance reform originating from dominant agendas in globally influential policy organisations.
‘Around the world, such political and administrative decentralisation processes have been accompanied by varying degrees of engagement with spatialised data and knowledge.’
Robbins said research in the Chance2Sustain project had provided insights into the potential and pitfalls, for both administrators and citizens, associated with enhancing connections between forms of spatialised knowledge and municipal fiscal processes, particularly in the realm of property taxes.
He suggested that the cultivation of connections between budgetary processes in cities and a variety of spatialised knowledge and information systems could offer some potential in terms of a range of issues such as a way of record-keeping, as a decision-making tool and even for transparency and accountability.
‘The potential for spatialised data to be used in enhancing development outcomes has been widely argued. Geographic information Systems (GIS) have been increasingly taken on board as administrative and management tools in supporting property tax systems in cities,’ said Robbins.
There were two features of these trends that needed ongoing attention among policy makers when considering the scope for these systems of spatial knowledge production to support improved governance outcomes.
According to Robbins, in the first instance the data used in such property tax systems does need to enhance transparency and citizen access to ensure the systems are exposed to sufficient external scrutiny in that they avoid a bias towards the powerful land-owning groups. Secondly, the GIS systems had considerable potential to be used in a wider municipal budget and fiscal processes.
‘Not only can technical production of spatial knowledge help inform budgets but such systems can also contribute to citizen participation platforms where needs are captured for budget discussions and ultimate allocations.
‘For these potentials to be realised it is important that actors within and outside municipal structures be equipped to work with these systems and the related tools to avoid them becoming another layer of complexity which ends up excluding people,’ said Robbins.
Melissa Mungroo
author : .author email : .UKZN Biology Education Students Visit 1 000 Hills Community Centre
Biology Education 420 Research and Service-Learning student teachers at the 1 000 Hills Community Helpers Centre.Biology Education 420 Research and Service-Learning student teachers from the School of Education recently visited the 1 000 Hills Community Helpers Centre in Fredville in the Inchanga district.
The aim of the visit was to inspire students to engage in community action for learning, to experience what is possible and to explore and promote research and service-learning.
The 1 000 Hills Community Helpers Centre - Ikhaya Lothando - was established in 1989 by Ms Dawn Leppan who said the inspiration for its creation had been the political unrest at the time that left the Inchanga community devastated.
The Centre offers the community skills development; crèche and nursery school education including Grade R; home-based care; a clinic; a feeding scheme; craft and art computer literacy training, and library facilities.
Free computer skills training is available for all community members who are interested in Microsoft Office while the craft and art centre is an outlet where community members can display their work for sale to tourists who visit the Centre.
The crèche is open to children from birth to six years at a cost of R150 a month and provides items such as nappies, food, clothing and stationery.
The Clinic is open Monday to Friday from 07h00 – 16h00, offering assistance at no cost.
The Feeding scheme, which provides breakfast and lunch, dishes up about 2 000 plates of food every day, except Sundays.
At the library, students and children read books and do their homework with assistance from volunteers.
Education student, Mr Xolani Dube, said: ‘I was impressed by the activities at the Centre and to see people assisting the community, expecting nothing in return. But it’s sad to hear that the government is not subsidising the Centre. I had a great experience - my beliefs and attitude have changed since our visit.’
Said Ms Sithokozile Mkize: ‘The visit to 1 000 Hills Community Helpers was an eye opener for me especially as I hope to graduate as a Teacher. Seeing the activities taking place encouraged me to not only be a Teacher but to also promote community development.’
Ms Asiphe Ndzimande said: ‘Our visit was proof that no matter how the world has changed there are still people who care about others, giving a helping hand to needy ones and loving them.’
Leppan said they had been delighted to host the Bio 420 students. The students were keen to know about the work we do and asked a lot of questions. We trust they benefitted a lot from the visit.’
Melissa Mungroo, Xolani Dube, Sithokozile Mkize, Asiphe Ndzimande and Sinqobile Nzuza.(Bio 420 students)
author : .author email : .Students Participate in First Things First HCT Campaign
Student leadership and organisers of First Things First HCT Campaign.UKZN’s Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine Hosted a First Things First Campaign aimed at encouraging first year Medical students to know their HIV status.
The three-day campaign attracted a number of first years and first time testers who wanted to volunteer for HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT).
The annual campaign is organised by Higher Education AIDS (HEAIDS) universities in the country.
Event organizer Ms Eleanor Langley said UKZN had run the campaign on its five campuses over a two week period since 2011.
‘The object of the exercise is to invite service providers on site to offer HIV Counselling and Testing to the University community, especially first years and first time testers,’ said Langley.
The Medical School SRC President, Mr Gift Mlangeni, and Miss UKZN, Mpume Nkosi, took the lead in motivating students to make good use of this opportunity to know their HIV status and to volunteer for HCT.
Mlangeni said as a leader it was important to lead by example: ‘I wanted my fellow students to be aware that knowing your status is important and doing an HIV test is the right thing to do.’
Nkosi said: ‘It is important for the youth to know their status and it will also help decrease the pandemic.’
Langley said all campuses ran the programme this month which will culminate in one big closing event on the Pietermaritzburg campus on March 27.
All UKZN Colleges were encouraged to motivate their staff and students to take advantage of the opportunity during the campaign even though HCT will continue to be offered throughout the year at all the clinics and Campus HIV and AIDS Support Units.
‘Be part of this national HEAIDS campaign, do everything to be responsible in reducing the spread of HIV and participate in the fight to eliminate this pandemic,” said Langley.
Nombuso Dlamini
author : .author email : .New Equipment to Boost Health Sciences Research at UKZN
Staff and postgraduate students at the OIC.UKZN's Optics and Imaging Centre (OIC) is home to new state-of-the-art equipment that will cut costs and boost productivity for staff and student researchers within the College of Health Sciences (CHS) and the wider University community.
The Centre was recently awarded an Autostainer Link 48 valued at R1million from the CHS Research Development Equipment Grant.
The new machinery offers the basic procedure of phenotypic evaluation of various antibodies by pre-programming of the immunocytochemistry staining protocol - a process utilised by several departments for research.
Head of the OIC, Professor Anita Naicker, said the Autostainer also provided a ‘complete standardisation of deparaffinisation and antigen retrieval, leading to consistent, accurate results'.
Naicker said previously students performed a manual procedure that extended over a whole day while capacity development of young postgraduates in the fields of microscopy and related techniques was a priority objective of the OIC.
She said pre-programming of the new instrument allowed for three periods of autostaining over 24 hours. The instrument also allowed for overnight immunostaining - all of which would speed up the CHS' research productivity.
A OIC postgraduate staff member, Mr Vinogrin Dorsamy, recently obtained his Master of Medical Science degree using the Autostainer Link 48 and will now assist in advising staff and postgraduate students across the College.
Naicker announced that the autostainer was available for use by the entire College as well as the wider UKZN community,
The OIC is a valuable biomedical research resource for CHS, providing imaging and image analysis technologies to help medical researchers understand biological structure and function relationships in cells and tissues relevant to disease conditions. The college was also recently awarded the Bioplex Multiplex System valued at R600 000 by the CHS to continue its research excellence.
'This is a flexible easy-to -use microplate based multiplex immunoassay system,' said Naicker. 'It enables one to quantify up to 100 different analytes in a single sample improving the understanding of multifaceted interactions among proteins in normal and disease states. Multiplexing of immunoassays, receptor ligand assays and nucleic acid hybridisation assays are now possible.'
CHS staff from each school will soon receive training trained at the OIC in the operation of the new machine. Naicker and her fellow UKZN lecturer, Ms Anushka Ajith, will oversee the training and development of staff and postgraduate students.
Lunga Memela
author : .author email : .Law Students Pledge Commitment to Legal Career
First year Law students taking the oath.First year law students recently pledged to ‘conduct themselves with decorum; respect fellow students and staff; and act with integrity’ at the School of Law’s annual pledge ceremony.
The induction ceremony which was first held at the Pietermaritzburg campus saw Professor Michael Kidd and Professor Shannon Hoctor encouraged students to live up to the pledge during their academic term and throughout their careers.
The ceremony that was held at Howard College saw Professor Karthy Govender deliver an inspirational key note address which described the attainment of the promise of the Constitution as a work in progress with each succeeding generation being required to contribute to this effort.
In a keynote address, Professor Karthy Govender said achieving everything set down in South Africa’s Constitution was a work in progress with each succeeding generation being required to contribute towards the goals.
‘We want you to take what we teach here and apply it in practice in the real world. The nation, by investing in your education in this empowering environment, is endeavouring to free your potential. That is why we need you to invest in your mind and free your potential so that you can think and engage at a level that entrenches our democracy and enriches our community.’
Dean of the School of Law, Professor Managay Reddi, presided over the oath taking and students signed the pledge to record their commitment to the profession with each person receiving a copy of the South African Constitution.
First year students, Ms Aria Ramothar and Ms Kentrisha Beekram, said the pledge was a motivation for them to do their best in their chosen careers.
‘This day is the beginning of a journey I am excited about. I am looking forward to the knowledge I will gain through this qualification,’ said Ramothar.
Beekram said she would use her qualification to make a difference in her community. ‘This ceremony is an acknowledgement that academics believe in our capabilities and that we are welcome in the School. It is also motivation that one day we can be like the academics who are teaching us and we too can enrich the next generation of legal minds.’
author : .author email : .UKZN Hosts US Professor
Professor Holly Gaff.Professor Holly Gaff of the Old Dominion University (ODU) in Norfolk, Virginia, in the United States is spending seven months at UKZN’s School of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science (SMSCS).
Gaff has forged a close working relationship with scientists in the SMSCS as well as the School of Life Sciences over the past three years through her specialist work in ticks and tick-borne diseases. She was made an honorary Associate Professor in the SMSCS in 2013.
Gaff, whose interests in the disciplines of Mathematics and Biology led her to study for her PhD, focuses her research on exploring the ecology of infectious diseases with a specific focus on ticks and tick-borne diseases.
She utilises mathematical modelling to explore the dynamics of these diseases in the laboratory as well as collecting data to support these models through an active tick surveillance project in Virginia. Her focus on tick-borne diseases was established during her PhD when she connected with researchers in entomology who were trying to control an outbreak of a tick-borne disease. This led her to begin with modelling the data they supplied, before expanding her research in her post at ODU and collecting the data herself, moving further into the realm of biology with the surveillance project.
Gaff enjoys the interaction between mathematics and biology which has motivated the scientist in work which has won her a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the USA. Tick-borne diseases pose an increasing threat to health worldwide.
Gaff’s unique focus led her to begin work with researchers at UKZN in 2012, when she helped to organise the Quantitative Landscape Ecology and Environmental Sustainability project sponsored by DIMACS and MBI. In 2013, Gaff assisted in the organisation of the UKZN Siyacabanga Workshop on Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases, leading her to develop active collaborations with UKZN staff in both the School of Life Sciences and the SMSCS.
In 2014, Gaff was awarded a sabbatical by ODU and with the help of UKZN’s Professor Kesh Govinder secured funding to spend seven months at UKZN.
Discussing why she chose UKZN, Gaff explained: ‘After working with professors from both Life Sciences and Mathematics, I really wanted an opportunity to spend more time working directly with these excellent scientists. As I was coming up for sabbatical at ODU, the timing was perfect for a trip here to truly solidify these collaborations, establish concrete research projects and help build the mathematical biology community here at UKZN.’
Gaff explained the important linkages in the work she is doing and UKZN’s focus in a similar area, namely the use of mathematical models and surveillance techniques to explore systems of ticks that are parallel with the systems she studies in the USA. She feels the partnership has potential for both studies to progress more efficiently alongside one another.
‘The ability to compare and contrast the dynamics of these systems is very exciting and helps with the generalisability of both of our systems,’ she added.
UKZN’s work in the field of mathematical modelling and biostatistics for tick-borne diseases has been ongoing for a few years and was initiated because of the dearth of research in the field.
Treatment and prevention is currently a significant challenge because of the numerous tick species, types of diseases and routes of transmission. UKZN and international researchers believe the challenges can be combatted with mathematical modelling and field study.
The collaborative efforts of Gaff and UKZN are part of the process of nurturing innovative thinking to meet the threats these diseases pose to human and animal health.
“I hope to have the ability to build a community between ODU and UKZN that will allow for exchange of students between the two universities. I have had the opportunity to bring a couple of my postgraduate students with me to UKZN, and I would like to provide the same opportunities for UKZN students to visit and study and do research at ODU.’
Gaff had received a warm welcome from everyone she had met at UKZN and was enjoying her stay. ‘I am glad to have more than a brief visit here so I can get to know my collaborators better, which will help our future research. I also plan to get out and enjoy the country through field collections of ticks as well as trips for pleasure.’
Gaff is lecturing students doing an Honours course in Mathematical Biology in the first semester this year, after which her focus will shift to research.
‘I plan to go into the field to collect ticks with the Life Sciences collaborators as well as work on joint manuscripts for publication, and possibly working on grant proposals for funding future collaborative projects.’
Christine Cuénod
author : .author email : .Academic Secures Funding for 20 Deserving Education Students
Education students who received funding from ETDPSETA.Senior Lecturer in the School of Education, Dr Thabo Msibi, has secured funding of about a million rand for 20 deserving Education students through the Education, Training and Development Practices Sector Education and Training Authority (ETDPSETA).
The funding covers tuition for those selected for 2015 with each student receiving R50 000.
After hearing student pleas concerning funding and the subsequent uncertainty about their futures, Msibi decided to contact relevant funding networks for financial assistance. Due to the national funding crisis, many previous donors and sponsors were unable to help but then ETDPSETA stepped in.
‘We generated a list of students who were financially needy and who also displayed excellent academic performance. These students were contacted and were overjoyed to hear they could come back to the University to complete their studies,’ said Msibi.
Student Ms Mbali Mkila, who was excited to be returning, expressed her gratitude to Msibi and ETDPSETA for giving her the opportunity to complete her studies. ‘Getting this funding has helped me so much. I was so stressed and worried about where I was going to find the money to pay for registration and the rest of my fees. My parents were also worried but this is now a weight off my shoulders. Hard work and performing well in my studies has helped me get this far.’
Another student, Mr Sphesihle Ntombela, was faced with the reality of dropping out from UKZN and finding a job to support himself and his family but was spared this when the funding from ETDPSETA came through. ‘It was really a blessing. My parents were so happy, they cried.’
Msibi pointed out that although money had been provided to students for their tuition, many still struggled to pay for transport to and from the University and those in residences battled to buy food. He believes that this is something that needs to be taken into consideration and handled accordingly.
The students though, are hoping to one day get involved in financially helping other students complete their studies and to help find more sponsors to fund opportunities for students.
Melissa Mungroo
author : .author email : .UKZN Student Set to Perform in Lion King in Hong Kong
Ms Bonisile Ndlovu with Professor Nobuhle Hlongwa at her Farewell lunch at UKZN. UKZN Bachelor of Arts student, Ms Bonisile Ndlovu, has landed the role of Rafiki in the Lion King theatre production being staged in Disney World, Hong Kong.
Ndlovu was excited about leaving South Africa to star in the stage show.
Coming from a musical family and singing since the age of 11, Ndlovu’s first experiences of public performance were with a gospel music group called the Spiritual Healers, who would rehearse in a house in her neighbourhood. After years spent with them, she heard about the Lion King production.
‘Auditions were held in Durban for singers and actors to star in the theatre production of the acclaimed Disney movie. I had not watched the show or been involved in a production of this calibre, and my English was not anything to boast, having learned English all on my own. It’s just something in me just wanted to audition to see how far I could go.’
After continuing to audition unsuccessfully for many years, she was finally offered a role in the production this year and says she owes her success to God. ‘My family and friends are still in a state of total shock. I have had many disappointments over the years but today a new chapter has opened in my life.
‘This is an exciting opportunity and I want to spend as much time as I can in Hong Kong and other parts of the world, growing and honing my skills as a musician,’ said Ndlovu.
One of her friends, Ms Buyisiwe Khumalo wished her well on her journey and confessed that Ndlovu will be missed.
College Dean of Teaching and Learning Professor Nobuhle Hlongwa expressed her happiness at hearing that Ndlovu had landed a role in The Lion King. ‘We wish her all the best. When one door closes, another opens.’
Melissa Mungroo
author : .author email : .Anthropologist from School of Social Sciences Hosts Talk on Cancer
Presenting at a talk on Cancer Narratives are (from left) Ms Lucinda Johns, Professor Shalina Mehta and Dr Maheshvari Naidu.Anthropologist in the School of Social Sciences, and College of Humanities, Dr Maheshvari Naidu, hosted a talk titled: “Cancer Journey - Long Walk to Freedom.”
Naidu said the title indicated the arduous and traumatic process each cancer patient undertook on their “journey”, or process of diagnosis and treatment, towards their personal freedom of attempting to be “rid” of the disease.
Naidu said there were many types of cancer which was a disease that played out in and on the body in multiple ways.
She said the biomedical model reduced illness to a biological mechanism of cause and effect, while the practice of medicine itself was broken down into smaller and smaller ‘medical bytes in the name of specialisations; the oncologists, the cardiologists, the radiologists, and the surgeons, among others. These specialists and subspecialists all take care of different parts of the same body, while cancer itself impacts on the entire body and person’.
Naidu explained that allowing individuals to share their stories about what had happened to them in the context of their illness, encouraged them to talk about themselves as “selves”, rather than just “ill organs”.
She said the talk was also a space to show the power of narratives. ‘Narratives within the social sciences play a powerful role in allowing us to gain insight into the person sharing the story, as well as into the phenomenon.’
Psychology Lecturer Ms Lucinda Johns shared her powerful and poignant story about being diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 32 and her decade long “walk” through remission. Her story depicted her grace and courage in the face of shattering news. She said she had added an auto-ethnographic approach to her doctoral work which examined breast cancer.
A Social Anthropologist from India, Professor Shalina Mehta, spoke about her battle to fight her way out of multiple potential terminal illnesses, including cancer. She said that her ‘children had been the light at the end of the tunnel’ – ‘the freedom’ she fought towards.
Mehta told the audience her first encounter with terminal illness was when she was in the demanding position of Dean at her university. ‘In ‘the face of pronouncements by doctors, I refused to die, for the sake of my children,’ she said.
Dr Maheshvari Naidu spoke about her experience nursing a loved one through palliative care and terminal cancer, and said that in some heartbreaking instances, ‘freedom’ meant death. She added that ‘while those left behind suffer pain and heartache, the hope is that those who have passed on, reach their freedom’.
The stories were unique and charted different journeys and different ‘freedoms’. Many in the audience were visibly moved and shared some of their own painful experiences.
A young woman staff member in the audience said: ‘It was enlightening and somewhat of a cathartic experience; rather emotional too. To hear first-hand accounts of how women have survived cancer, was inspiring and made me reflect on my experiences of losing someone with cancer. It also made me realise that life really is too short and I shouldn’t be afraid of letting go once in a while and being free and enjoying myself. Thank you for allowing me to attend.’
A postgraduate student at the talk wrote the following to the organisers: ‘I had an emotional breakdown after the talk. I realised how I was slowly dying without knowing it. I’m taking a break today, then I will later see a doctor. Thanks for the talk, it was a life-changing event.’
Melissa Mungroo
author : .author email : .Law Student Earns Prestigious Scholarship
Mr Anathi Phela.Master of Law student, Mr Anathi Phela, has been awarded a prestigious scholarship to study towards an LLM in International Criminal Law and Criminology at the University College (UCD) in Dublin, Ireland.
The scholarship, one of the many postgraduate study opportunities offered by the Erusmus Mandus Fund will pay for Phela’s tuition, flight tickets and a monthly stipend for the duration of his degree.
The need to gain a competitive edge over his peers motivated Phela to pursue an LLM at UKZN after completing his LLB at the University of Fort Hare. UKZN’s reputation of having one of the best law schools in South Africa was the deciding factor in his choice.
‘After my LLB I realised I wanted to register for my masters so I did some research and found UKZN’s School of Law to be the best for me. This decision was motivated by the fact that the professors who teach there are experts in their fields and the support staff are amazing.’
Phela said he was motivated to apply for the scholarship because it promotes multidisciplinary learning and he gets to spend a year in one of his favourite countries.
‘My main motivation to pursue this scholarship is really the need within me for self-enrichment. After obtaining my junior degree, I realised that the competition is stiff out there and one needs to make himself stand out. I found that postgraduate studies give you that edge and makes one feel really confident,’ said Phela.
His supervisor, Professor Nomthandazo Ntlama, who fuelled his passion for studying and research described Phela as a humble and polite student and a delight to work with.
‘I am indeed very privilege to have Mr Phela as my Master’s student. He is a very dedicated student in his work and it is apparent from the securing of the scholarship that he is destined for the good things to come in the near future. His decision to further his postgraduate studies attest to his commitment to deepen the horizons of knowledge for the betterment of our country,’ said Ntlama.
After completing his studies, Phela looks forward to exploring his options which include continuing his studies, joining the bar or becoming an academic.
Thandiwe Jumo
author : .author email : .Criminology and Forensic Studies Short Courses for Police Officers
Senior Superintendent E von Bargen, Profesor Shanta Balgobind Singh and Mr Chris Overall.Short courses in Criminology and Forensic Studies are envisaged to being developed and offered at UKZN for police officers.
This follows concerns about shortcomings in police services in various areas of KwaZulu-Natal.
UKZN’s Professor Shanta Balgobind Singh met with officials from the South African Police Services and the Durban Metro Police Service to discuss the introduction of the short courses at UKZN for police officials.
Singh liaised with Senior Superintendent E von Bargen and Mr Chris Overall of the Durban Metro Police to discuss the application of specific aspects of criminal investigation in order to develop courses police officers could take.
It was felt this would benefit both police officials and the community in the fight against crime.
SAPS and the Metro Police often work together to combat crime.
Short courses in Criminology and Forensic Studies are envisaged to being developed and offered at UKZN for police officers.
This follows concerns about shortcomings in police services in various areas of KwaZulu-Natal.
UKZN’s Professor Shanta Balgobind Singh met with officials from the South African Police Services and the Durban Metro Police Service to discuss the introduction of the short courses at UKZN for police officials.
Singh liaised with Senior Superintendent E von Bargen and Mr Chris Overall of the Durban Metro Police to discuss the application of specific aspects of criminal investigation in order to develop courses police officers could take.
It was felt this would benefit both police officials and the community in the fight against crime.
SAPS and the Metro Police often work together to combat crime.
author : .author email : .UKZN Promoting Excellence in High Schools
UKZN members of the Golden Key Academic Programme visited schools in the Pietermaritzburg area.UKZN students who are members of the Golden Key International Honour Society have committed themselves to promoting academic excellence in rural high schools around Pietermaritzburg.
This is in line with the aim of the society which is to honour academic excellence.
A group of students recently visited Mpande High School where they tutored Grade 10, 11 and 12 pupils in a variety of subjects including Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, English, Geography and Mathematics Literacy.
The tutoring project forms part of the SPARK a Change initiative which aims to have an impact on and improve the lives of at-risk youth through literacy, education and real-world preparedness.
Anyone wanting to be part of the generation that makes a difference and inspires greatness in young South Africans should contact Golden Key Academic programme officers Nompilo Jele (nompilojele@gmail.com) or Lebogang Baloyi (lebbaloyi@gmail.com).
Simangele Msweli
author : .author email : .International Scientists at Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change Workshop
Professor Graham Jewitt (third right) with visiting international scientists.The Centre for Water Resource Research (CWRR) in the School of Engineering and the School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences (SAEES), hosted a group of international scientists at a recent workshop as part of the Belmont Forum and Joint Programming Initiative on Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change.
The group, whose networking endeavours are being led by Cranfield University in the United Kingdom, is involved in discussions around the topic of hydro-social and environmental impacts of sugarcane production on land use and food security – an international programme to foster trans-disciplinary science, networking and community building.
Umgeni Water Chair of Water Resources Management at UKZN, Professor Graham Jewitt, is one of the collaborators on the project and acted as host for the visit assisted by UKZN’s Mr Simphiwe Ncgobo.
International participants were from Cranfield University in the United Kingdom; the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex; the San Diego State University; California State University; University of Wisconsin; US Geological Survey in the United States; the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil, ICRISAT in India and Booker Tate in the UK.
The project encourages a holistic approach integrating agronomic, climatic, environmental and socio-economic knowledge. The various researchers have expertise in agricultural systems, land use modelling, social science, climate impact assessment, rural resource economics, GIS, remote sensing and spatial modelling for decision-making.
The CWRR was invited to join the consortium on the basis of their expertise in the water resources impacts of land use change in southern Africa and their experience in associated policy development in South Africa.
The focus on sugarcane production in the group is one that is seen as important in terms of economic development, food security and land use change because of the crop’s importance in emerging economies like southern Africa, Brazil and India.
The workshop consisted of sessions where plans for the drafting of a global review on the positive and negative effects of sugarcane production were made. The participants discussed questions of sustainable development of sugarcane as an important crop.
The group had the opportunity to visit sites in the field for a day during the course of the workshop. The field trip was organised with the assistance of the South African Sugarcane Research Institute (SASRI) and included a visit to sugarcane farmers and a sugar mill. Jewitt said that the field trip proved valuable for the group, particularly as it exposed them to dry-land cultivation of sugarcane as opposed to just irrigated cultivation.
The research they are undertaking aims to highlight the hydro-social and environmental challenges facing sustainable sugarcane production following increased demand for sugarcane operations and the effects this will have on land use, climate change, food security, water demand and local and regional economic development.
The project aims to cultivate trans-disciplinary scientific research in this area through networking and community building. Increased demand for sugarcane production is global and therefore has a global effect, making an international team of scientists appropriate for the research being conducted in Brazil, India and South Africa, where agriculture (particularly in sugarcane) is a foundation of the economy and livelihoods for many.
The workshop, which is one of two planned during the research partnership, afforded the participants many opportunities to find ways of collaborating beyond just this project. Jewitt hopes the network will prove useful and build on the development of long-term collaborative research projects.
The group will meet again later this year to finalise their work on the global review.
Christine Cuénod
author : .author email : .Life Sciences Lecturer Presents Research in Germany
Dr Shahidul Islam.Senior Lecturer in Biochemistry in the School of Life Sciences on the Westville campus, Dr Shahidul Islam, presented his research at the 8th Berlin Conference on Intellectual Property (IP) in Life Science: Natural Products in Germany.
Islam was invited to the Conference, held at the South African Embassy in Berlin, by New York-based consultant, William Avery Hudson.
The topic of his presentation was: “Natural Products Research: African Medicinal Plants with Anti-Diabetic Potential”. The presentation was based on his extensive research on the potential of traditional African plants to aid in the development of medicines to treat diabetes, an increasingly prevalent health threat not only in Africa but globally.
The main objective of the Conference was to discuss issues faced by research into the use of such plants with regards to the obtaining of Intellectual Property (IP) licences for the compounds discovered, since access to natural products is contested and regulated by the Nagoya Protocol and the Convention on Biological Diversity, This will have implications for the patenting of compounds derived from such natural products, which have huge potential for contributing to, among other things, the treatment of serious disease epidemics through the development of new drugs.
The BIOCOM Conference focused on addressing the latest regulations and illustrated their practical use in work such as Islam’s.
‘There is a need for international regulations in this area of research,’ explained Islam, ‘as each country is currently regulated by its own laws, which vary across the world.’
As international regulations begin to change, however, it will be important for researchers such as Islam to understand the implications for their work.
Islam said he found the Conference helpful in its overview of IP and how it was being applied, adding that it offered the opportunity for countries to find assistance in applying regulations in their own regions. The Conference also touched on taking the research being done on medicinal plants from its first basic steps to completion where compounds are patented.
Islam himself has a patent pending on a new compound he has discovered during the course of his work and on which he has collaborated with staff in the Discipline of Chemistry at UKZN.
His presentation in Berlin was well received with other presenters and participants asking him questions about his work. The presentation also opened up doors for the prospect of taking promising plant materials overseas for further research as well as initiating bilateral collaborative research, a move valued by the National Research Foundation (NRF), which funded his travel to the Conference.
Diabetes mellitus is becoming an increasing problem worldwide. The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) suggests that the disease affects more than 366 million people globally currently, and that this number is likely to increase to around 552 million or even more by the year 2030.
In southern Africa, South Africa has the largest number of sufferers, with two million diabetics countrywide. This makes the work of Islam and others in the search for new compounds increasingly important and the regulations affecting this work equally so. Islam hopes to contribute to the development of affordable, accessible treatments for diabetes globally.
Islam also spoke about the importance of taking research on the continent of Africa from the intermediate phases to the next level of patenting compounds.
His research has been widely recognised, evidenced by his rating by the NRF as a committed young researcher and the numerous grants he has been awarded from local and international organisations.
He is also a reviewer of more than 20 international peer-reviewed journals in his field of expertise and works as a member of the Editorial Board of international journals including Frontiers in Experimental Pharmacology and Drug Discovery (Switzerland), World Journal of Diabetes (China), Journal of Biochemical and Pharmacological Research (USA), Journal of Internal and Translational Medicine (Netherlands), and Recent Patents in Food, Nutrition and Agriculture (UAE). He also served as a Lead Guest Editor of the Journal of Diabetes Research (USA).
Christine Cuénod
author : .author email : .New Staff Welcomed into College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science
New staff members in the College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science were welcomed at induction lunches on the Westville and Pietermaritzburg campuses.The
College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science (CAES) welcomed and introduced new staff at induction functions held recently on the Westville and Pietermaritzburg campuses.
The functions were organised for those staff who had joined the College during the last 12 months with the purpose being to not only make them feel welcome but also to provide them with useful information about College processes and services.
After being formally welcomed by Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Head of College, Professor Deo Jaganyi, College Director of Professional Services, Professor Kevin Kirkman, delivered an informative presentation on the structure and composition of the College as well as on issues pertaining to undergraduate and postgraduate administration.
Mrs Shereen Balkisson told the gathering about human resources benefits and processes and who to contact for help; while Mrs Shelley Barnsley spoke on student support services available in the College.
The new staff were treated to a fine lunch and went home with a useful goody bag containing University and College publications, a CD with relevant policy documents and forms, and a gift sponsored by the College.
‘The University has done a lot to make me feel welcome,’ said Professor Annegret Stark, at UKZN from Leipzig in Germany to take up the Research Chair of Sugarcane Biorefinery at the Sugar Milling Research Institute. ‘My experience has been good so far,’ said Stark.
Sally Frost
author : .author email : .Celebrating Excellence in Sports – the Andy Birkett Story
Andy Birkett.Last month, University of KwaZulu-Natal student, Andrew “Andy” Birkett clinched a (5th) Dusi Canoe Marathon title. Birkett, who is currently studying towards his postgraduate Diploma in Marketing and Supply Chain Management, became the first person in the 64-year-old race’s history to drop under the 8th hour mark when he crossed the line in 7hrs 55mins and 35sec. It is remarkable to note that Birkett also became the 4th person in Dusi history to win the race 5 times!
Birkett started out the final stage, which is the shortest of the race at 36 kilometres, with a healthy near-five minute advantage. A superb surge of power paddling over the final stretch of Inanda Dam helped him stretch that lead even further early on in stage three. By the time he had reached the Tops Needle rapid, about five kilometres in, he had already moved over six minutes in front of second placed Lance Kime.
This was Birkett’s 11th Dusi, having completed his first Dusi at the age of 13.
The Dusi Canoe Marathon, one of the world’s toughest and most prestigious canoe races, took place from 19—21 February 2015.
‘I have, on behalf of the Executive Management, personally congratulated Andrew for this outstanding milestone.
On behalf of the University community as a whole, I would like to congratulate Andrew Birkett for this excellent performance and thank him once again for flying UKZN’s flag quite high.’
Chalufu
author : .author email : .UKZN Hosts Public Debate on National Budget
UKZN students engaging with Mr Michael Sachs at the public debate.The Deputy Director-General of the Budget Office in the National Treasury, Mr Michael Sachs, unpacked issues in South Africa’s latest National Budget during a public debate at UKZN hosted by the School of Accounting, Economics and Finance.
The public discussion which was facilitated by the School’s Academic Leader for Higher Degrees and Research Dr Harold Ngalawa
aimed to give students insight into factors Treasury takes into account when drafting the National Budget in order to broaden their knowledge of the county’s economy and make a connection between theory and practice.
Sachs spoke on revenue and expenditure, domestic resource problems such as the electricity crisis and the need to close the gap between income and expenditure.
‘We can have a great discussion about what should have been done in the past to prevent the problem that Eskom is facing now but that won’t change the fact that we have this energy crisis. What we need to do is look at this as an opportunity to shift into a less energy intensive structure and low energy growth path,’ he said.
Sachs also explained in detail about the key measures that Treasury would adopt to stabilise expenditure and the growth of debt.
The importance of these issues was evident as many in the audience raised questions ahead of the question and answer session!
Hot topics of discussion were the increase in personal income tax and the fuel levy, the feasibility of free tertiary education and a proposal to tax the taxi industry.
Sachs responded saying the government’s fiscal policies depended on the state of the economy and the global situation which, he said, was not improving.
Speaking from a student’s perspective, second year Supply Chain student Ms Lulama Ngobese said she found the session very informative.
‘As someone studying economics, the discussion gave me context about the theory we are going through in class. We often wonder why the government makes the decisions it does when it comes to the budget so having Sachs explain things to us in detail has expanded my knowledge of the country’s economy’ she said.
Thandiwe Jumo
author : .author email : .Book on Traditional Beadwork Launched
The Eloquent Bead.The Eloquent Bead, a book by Stan Schoeman on traditional beadwork crafted by women in Zululand, was launched at a function at the Campbell Collections of UKZN on Friday, 13 March.
The book presents a unique perspective on the beadwork which was used as a medium for the communication of social standing, values and relationships.
Schoeman, the author of numerous books and articles, was born in the Eastern Cape and completed a D.Litt et Phil at the University of South Africa. In the 1960s he taught at the then University College of Zululand where he became interested in traditional Zulu beadwork and its role in society.
Schoeman served on the teaching staff of various universities before he joined the Africa Institute of South Africa as a full-time researcher on African affairs. He retired in 1993.
A series of impressive photographs and accompanying notes show a selection of artefacts from a private collection, gathered in the 1960s. The introduction is based upon research conducted in Zululand between 1964 and 1968. A concluding section investigates the role of beadwork in contemporary South Africa, and aims to show how craftswomen in KwaZulu-Natal have adapted traditional designs.
‘The Eloquent Bead had a long gestation period but the end product is a delight,’ said Publisher, Ms Jackie Kalley. ‘The series of beautiful photographs and accompanying text, is so worthy of our heritage. My sincere thanks are extended to UKZN and the Campbell Collections of UKZN for such a beautiful and appropriate venue for this book launch,’ she added.
Mr James Green, Co-Curator at the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum in Washington DC, says of the book: ‘Stan Schoeman’s approach to collecting beadwork in South Africa in 1964 was remarkable. The stories of the artists he met mattered as much to him as the beadwork articles they created. He had the foresight to recognise that beadwork and the artist were inseparably entwined.’
The book, published by Otterley Press, can be bought online at: www.otterley.com
Otterley Press
author : .author email : .Feet First for Clinical Anatomy Researcher
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Ms Arishka Kalicharan.Research on the anatomy of the human foot has turned the dreams of UKZN Masters student, Ms Arishka Kalicharan, into reality.
Kalicharan presented the findings of her Honours research into the anatomy of the plantar arterial arch to the Annual Anatomical Society of Southern Africa (ASSA) Conference in Stellenbosch, the 2014 School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences Research Day, and the 2014 College of Health Science Symposium.
The findings were also recently published in the International Journal of Morphology.
Members of Kalicharan’s family suffer from foot-related illnesses and this inspired the 24-year-old to embark on her research.
Supervised by the Discipline of Clinical Anatomy staff, Kalicharan found variations related to the plantar arch that have not been documented previously.
Her study discovered an added “irregular” to commonly known shapes of ‘obtuse’ and ‘spiral’ of the plantar arch reported in literature. This gave new anatomical insights about the form and shape of this area which would guide surgical procedures.
Now in its final stages, Kalicharan’s Masters research focuses on the ligament known as plantar aponeurosis – the thick band of tissue that connects the heel to the front of the foot.
Dealing with flatfeet and other illnesses related to the arch of the foot, the study analysed the ligament’s width, thickness, length in relation to the length of the foot, and positioning of the ligament from certain landmarks on the foot, looking specifically for any variations. It was also histologically analysed, examining the amount of collagen fibres present in the sample population for the understanding of the condition known as plantar fasciitis.
Kalicharan, who is also involved in other research areas in the field of anthropology, recently conducted a study into the morphology and morphometry of the femur using dry bone specimens. She will present these findings at the upcoming 43rd ASSA Conference in Parys, Free State.
‘I have always been fascinated by the human body and its functioning. On my first day at the Discipline of Clinical Anatomy, when the staff introduced us to the Dissection Hall, I was in the frontline and from then I knew: “This is me”.’
‘It’s exciting to get your work published,’ said Kalicharan, who plans to enrol for her PhD in Clinical Anatomy after her Masters. She felt that while anatomy was still a scarce skill in South Africa, gaining skills and knowledge through an international PhD would be an added advantage.
Kalicharan says she is also passionate about wildlife preservation and is a Prestige Member of the KwaZulu Natal Wildlife Association.
Lunga Memela
author : .author email : .UKZN’s Professor Mpilo Pearl Sithole Examines the State of the Province Address
KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Mr Senzo Mchunu (left) and King Goodwill Zwelithini at the 2015 State of the Province Address.This year the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Mr Senzo Mchunu, presented his State of the Province Address under the theme: “Consolidating progress we have made, and stepping up the pace to achieve radical socio-economic transformation to end poverty in our lifetime.”
Like most speeches geared to provide strategic leadership and lending political clout to political administrations in power, his speech contained some conventional attributes:
· It dangled some sectoral flagship projects that were completed in 2014 – these related to electrification, housing (particularly slums clearance projects), and some major industrial development plans, among many projects;
· It displayed some level of control and consciousness of key mandates – through citation of the National Development Plan and how the Provincial Development Strategy is aligned to it;
· It plotted a narrative graph of social betterment – through citation of statistics on increasing employment, development without relocation of communities in Dukuduku, planned schools, increase in VET enrolment, and the launch of KwaZulu-Natal Human Resource Development Council;
· It ventured into appeasing the economic stakeholders and presenting the province as ideal for growth – the Port of Richards Bay planned expansions, Aerotropolis Strategy and the relocation of Virginia Airport, and the development of dams and bulk water provision;
· It acknowledged issues where more work needs to be done – some sincere reflection related to poverty and inequality, stunted land reform, and bad crime statistics (including some key thoughts on what can be done, particularly around safety and security and regulation of sale of liquor).
Indeed, as is characteristic of many “state of the political jurisdiction addresses”, the conventional formats are sure to “cover” the political head in terms of saying something relating to each sector. The devil, however, is in the “strategic” promises. Sectoral stock-taking, alignment, socio-political appeasement, economic lens and admission of gaps are part of a working formula; but what about the strategic imperatives of resource deployment and development advancement that is conscious of long, medium and short term goals. The question is: What has been done to utilise political discretion beyond the formats? This must be a key question to ask given that it is now common knowledge that:
· Crucial as it is, economic growth does not have a direct correlation with addressing inequality and poverty;
· Many log-framed interventions, (which in the case of SOPA KZN, the Premier articulated in wonderful detail in the second half of his speech), do not guarantee the human factor, people-centered deliverables – where Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) is challenged on social indicators;
· Co-ordination within departments (on issues as basic as fixing a clinic fridge in time for vaccination deadlines, so that communities cannot be turned away) is still as “complicated” as solving the problem of a silted dam for extension of pipes to be more meaningful;
· Political clout and lobbying between spheres of government need improvement on issues such as land reform; use of sector resources under national ambit (e.g. transport, water resources) can at times appear to benefit certain communities more than others;
· Convincing government clusters to review their attention to urban and rural spaces is not an easy task in terms of their focused attention as holders of resources. Questions relating to which cluster appears to bear the brunt of dealing with rural areas more are not asked;
· Sensitive questions are yet to be asked around the continued manner in which performance is simplistically conflated with good financial audit standing when, for example, there is no varied compensation to attract skills to rural municipalities.
The province seems to be doing quite well against a checklist of planning documents and against each sector having something to show. However, there is a need to continue to pursue other lenses to advance development other than simply increasing the pace.
These lenses include:
· human factor improvement (Batho Pele in practice in hospital, clinics, and municipalities; Domestic Violence Act is actually live)
· quality of service delivery (durable house, durable road, pipe, medicine-resourced clinics)
· lobbying of other sectors of government for the mandates that sit higher than the province (e.g. land reform to facilitate housing delivery), and interrogating government for better co-ordination (e.g. good roads for social workers to intervene on needy cases).
Some sectors simply disappear from the radar screen and this includes Research and Development. To this end, can Monitoring and Evaluations (M&E) units be challenged to develop cluster-level indicators pertaining to such quality of life issues so that “State of Political Jurisdictions”, including the province can improve?
In a way, departing from the conventional formula is difficult because opposition politics is also formatted according to that formula both in terms of expectation on SOPA and in terms of their roles in various committees. It is also clear that the formatting of the rest of government against the formula militates against inter-sphere lobbying on important issues and mandates.
Professor Mpilo Pearl Sithole
author : .author email : .UKZN Raises Awareness on International Women and Girls’ Day
Students at UKZN Howard College taking selfies to raise awareness on International Women’s Day.UKZN’s HIV and AIDS programme in partnership with AIDS Healthcare Foundation South Africa hosted an HIV Counselling and testing event - First Things First - in honour of International Women and Girls’ Day on the Howard College campus.
Howard College Health Promoter, Ms Noxolo Batembu, said the event themed, #GirlsLivesMatter, promoted regular HIV testing, consistent condom use and renewed focus on fighting gender inequality.
Policy and Advocacy Manager at the AIDS Healthcare Foundation South Africa, Ms Larissa Klazinga, said young women were disproportionately affected in Africa and globally. ‘They carry a much higher disease burden than men and boys of the same age.’
She said the aim was to access “change makers’ at universities as students were viewed as role models and ambassadors for high school pupils.
Students were asked to take selfies and share them online. A “selfie board” was available, with speech bubbles including: “I talk to my friends about sexual health” and “Condoms are cool”!
Masters student Mr Sabelo Mkhize encouraged students to ‘abstain or use protection’, while Ms Khanyisile Kubheka, a fourth-year Social Work student and Peer Educator, agreed with Mkhize saying: ‘Abstinence is key. But, if you are sexually active, use a condom!’
Raylene Captain-Hasthibeer
author : .author email : .