02 October 2025
Volume: 13
Issue: 37
UKZN colleagues at the SAHCS 2025 (from left): Drs Silingene Ngcobo and Nkosingiphile Bongiwe Nxumalo, and Professor Motshedisi Sebitloane.

UKZN Lecturer First Nurse to Co-Chair SA HIV Clinicians Society Conference

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The 7th Southern African HIV Clinicians Society Conference (SAHCS) was held in Cape Town this year, with UKZN’s Nursing lecturer and second-year co-ordinator, Dr Silingene Ngcobo, being the first professional nurse to serve as a co-chair in the conference’s history.

UKZN researcher, Professor Veron Ramsuran.

Is Longevity Written in Our Genes?

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Is living to 100 all about luck with your DNA - or is it a question of lifestyle and environment? For decades, scientists have wrestled with this puzzle and the answers are proving to be more complex than simple genetic inheritance.

Ms Bonakele Langa.

Awards Promise Prosperous Future for Researcher

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Ms Bonakele Langa, a Master’s graduate in Physiology, was congratulated by her supervisors, Dr Lindokuhle Mabuza-Mashaba and Professor Andile Khathi, for receiving awards at recent congresses.

Winners of the Inspiring Impact Challenge (from left): Ms Sinethemba Nene, Mr Warren Mkhize and Mr Lungelo Majozi.

Challenge Showcases Social Entrepreneurs on a Mission to Create Economic Impact

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The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), in partnership with enterprise development agency Kulisha Consulting, hosted the fifth edition of the Inspiring Impact Challenge - a flagship initiative that positions the University as a driver of innovation, entrepreneurship, and societal impact.

SWEEP UKZN Chapter Student Leaders with panellists (from left): Ms Sinothando Nojaja, Ms Mala Nair, Advocate Thembelihle Mapipa, Ms Honey Mamabolo, Dr Lusanda Zwane, Ms Sinqobile Mavuso and Mr Tsepo ‘Majuba’ Tsotetsi.

Sisters in Elevation Symposium Equips Women with Skills to Thrive in Business

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UKZN’s Student Entrepreneurship portfolio held a Sisters Elevation Symposium with the focus on honouring Women’s Month.

Moot Court finalists, the Judges and Dean at the Pietermaritzburg campus.

School of Law Hosts 2025 Moot Court Finals

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UKZN’s School of Law recently hosted the Moot Court competition on the Pietermaritzburg campus where the event was adjudicated by two distinguished members of the Bench: the Judge President of the KwaZulu-Natal Division, Honourable Madam Justice Thoba Poyo-Dlwati, and the Honourable Madam Justice Siphokazi Jikela.

Highlights from the College of Health Sciences Research Symposium.

Health Sciences’ Research Symposium Rewards Brilliant Young Minds

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The College of Health Sciences’ (CHS) flagship Continuing Professional Development (CPD) two-day symposium featured presentations on 103 of the reviewed abstracts.

UKZN Convocation President, staff and alumni at the Lunch.

Alumni Relations Hosts Lunch in Hilton

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UKZN’s Alumni Relations hosted a special lunch at the centrally situated Anew Hotel Hilton for graduates based in the Pietermaritzburg/KwaZulu-Natal Midlands area.

Guests at the Women’s Day alumni event at the Killie Campbell Museum in Durban.

UKZN Foundation and Alumni Relations Host Women’s Day Gathering

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The UKZN Foundation, in collaboration with Alumni Relations, hosted a special Women’s Day event for elderly female alumni at one of Durban’s most treasured heritage sites - the Killie Campbell Museum.

ACCA and BDO delegates with UKZN staff.

Accountancy Experts Visit UKZN

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Representatives of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)) and the firm BDO visited Accounting students in UKZN’s School of Commerce with the aim being to equip them with a clearer understanding of the diverse pathways available in accountancy and prepare the candidates for decisions that will shape their future.

Congress highlights.

Dermatology Congress of South Africa a ‘Resounding Success’

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The 9th Combined and 76th Dermatology Congress of South Africa was described as “world-class, highly insightful and a resounding success” by leading dermatologists who attended the event held under the theme ‘Reflections and Unity in Dermatology’.

Professor Fhatuwani Mudau.

UKZN Expands Global Reach Through Strategic Research Partnerships

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UKZN’s College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science (CAES) is proud of a significant milestone in its internationalisation journey, having been officially accepted as a founding member of the China-Africa Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Alliance (CAASTIA).

Highlights from the launch.

Busamed Cafeteria Opened at UKZN’s Medical School

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Staff and students at UKZN’s Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine in Durban can now enjoy tasty and nutritious meals offered at an affordable rate to while relaxing and networking at a Busamed cafeteria launched on the ground floor of the School. 

Ms Nonkazimulo Lembede.

Turning Challenges into Triumphs!

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At just 26 years old, Ms Nonkazimulo Lembede has already proven that perseverance, resilience and determination to succeed can turn even the most difficult circumstances into stepping stones to great things.

Dr Lihle Nxasana, Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital registrar.

Nuclear Medicine Congress Award for Lung Cancer Research

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Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital’s (IALCH) registrar, Dr Lihle Nxasana, won the Best Poster Presentation Award for her lung cancer research titled: ‘The Prognostic Value of FDG PET/CT Metrics in Lung Cancer’, at the SA Society of Nuclear Medicine (SASNM) Congress in Durban.

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UKZN-SRC Elections 2025 Message

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The ‘season of SRC elections’ at universities in South Africa refers to the period when the elections for Student Representative Councils (SRCs) take place.

Highlights from the IEASA Conference in Stellenbosch.

UKZN Confirms Leading Role in International Higher Education

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UKZN reaffirmed its leadership position in international Higher Education at the 27th Annual International Education Association of South Africa (IEASA) Conference in Stellenbosch.

From left: Ms Sindi Shozi, eThekwini Municipality’s Department of Sport Development and Recreation; Professor Rowena Naidoo; Ms Kerry-Lee Gcaba, UEL; Dr Xoliswa Majola; and Ms Sarah Haffenden and Ms Zama Ndlovu, both of UEL.

Women’s Leadership in Sport Promoted

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UKZN’s Extended Learning Unit (UEL) partnered with the eThekwini Municipality’s Department of Sport Development and Recreation for an event dedicated to reimagining and reshaping the future of women’s leadership in sport.

High achieving students with academics.

Plaudits for School of Law High-Achieving Third-Year Students

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UKZN’s School of Law hosted a High Achievers Recognition Ceremony, honouring third-year LLB students who achieved a weighted average of 70% or above in the first semester of 2025.

Highlights from the event.

Audiology Students’ Community Outreach at VN Naik School for the Deaf

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September is Deaf Awareness Month and to mark it several UKZN final-year Audiology students completed what they described as a “rewarding and deeply insightful” community outreach day at the VN Naik School for the Deaf in Newlands, Durban.

A highlight from the annual Fatima Meer Memorial Lecture.

Leadership, Activism and Justice - Remembering Professor Fatima Meer

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Impassioned, empowered and invigorated are words that best capture the atmosphere in UKZN’s Howard College Theatre during the 2025 Professor Fatima Meer Memorial Lecture.

From left: Mr Owami Khuzwayo, Mr Inganathi Mhlungulwana, Mr Sphesihle Jwilisi and Dr Andrisha Beharry-Ramraj.

Importance of Personal Finance Skills Emphasised at Student Information Gathering

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Financial literacy and entrepreneurship were the focus of an initiative at UKZN aimed at equipping students with the skills necessary to navigate the complex world of personal finance and entrepreneurship.

Highlights from Ms Nonjabulo MaZondi-Ndlovu’s study abroad programme in Germany.

Umlazi Mother-of-Three Embraces Global Learning in Germany

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PhD candidate and mother-of-three Ms Nonjabulo MaZondi-Ndlovu of Umlazi, Durban, is home from a life-changing academic exchange programme in Germany where she broadened her research and personal outlook through international exposure.

A productive cervical cancer screening campaign.

Medical Students Reflect on Human Papillomavirus Awareness and Mass Screening Campaign

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UKZN’s Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (O&G) partnered with KwaZulu-Natal’s Department of Health (KZN DoH) to conduct a Human Papillomavirus (HPV) awareness and mass screening campaign in KwaMashu, Durban.

UKZN staff members with presenters at the SA Convention Bureau workshop.

UKZN Partners with SA National Convention Bureau to Strengthen Conference Bidding Capacity

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UKZN’s Corporate Relations Division and the SA National Convention Bureau (SANCB) hosted a workshop on the Bid Support Programme, aimed at equipping academics and departments with knowledge and tools on how to attract international, regional and national conferences to their institutions.

The College of Health Sciences’ Dissertation Bootcamp was a resounding success!

College of Health Sciences Hosts Thesis Bootcamp for Doctoral and Master’s Candidates

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The College of Health Sciences (CHS) hosted a week-long Dissertation/Thesis Bootcamp for doctoral and master’s candidates intending to submit their research for the May 2026 Graduation.

Some highlights from UKZN PhD candidate Ms Hilder Charles’s time in Italy.

Global Exposure Enriches Tanzanian PhD Candidate’s Research Journey

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PhD candidate in Finance at UKZN Ms Hilder Charles, who recently returned from a sojourn at the University of Messina in Italy, says the experience was transformative and rewarding.