10 April 2026
Volume: 14
Issue: 5
Professor Sandi Willows-Munro.

Evolutionary Biology Expert Appointed to National Veterinary Council

BY: .

Click here for isiZulu version

Professor Sandi Willows-Munro of the School of Agriculture and Science at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), has been appointed by Minister of Agriculture Mr John Steenhuisen to serve on the South African Veterinary Council (SAVC) - the first non-veterinarian zoologist to be appointed.

UKZN Law academic, Ms Nomfundo Mthembu, with Mseleni Hospital Clinical Manager, Dr Zama Myeni, and Matron Qedani Dlodlo of the hospital.

Bridging the Gap: UKZN and Mseleni Hospital Partner to Advocate for Rural Fertility Rights

BY: .

Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ARTs) are an essential part of comprehensive oncology care, helping to safeguard patients’ future fertility as some cancer treatments - while highly effective and life-saving - may pose a potential risk to reproductive health.

The KZN HPV Working Group Steering committee.

KZN Human Papillomavirus Working Group Launched

BY: .

The launch of the KwaZulu-Natal Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Working Group marked an important milestone in the province’s efforts to strengthen collaboration in HPV research, prevention, and treatment.

United in the fight to end TB.

UKZN, CAPRISA and AHRI Unite to Accelerate Fight Against Tuberculosis

BY: .

Click here for isiZulu version

The University of KwaZulu-Natal’s College of Health Sciences (CHS), in partnership with the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) and the Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI), recently hosted a powerful and thought-provoking commemoration of World TB Day.

Moments from the 29th Time of the Writer festival, where leading South African and international writers, artists and audiences gathered over six days of conversations, performances and literary exchange.

‘Ink-stitutional’ Power Takes Centre Stage at 29th Time of the Writer Festival

BY: .

Click here for isiZulu version

The 29th edition of the Time of the Writer festival once again brought together South Africa’s top authors, publishers, and international guests who used the platform to celebrate the best literature South Africa has to offer.

The School of Social Sciences recently hosted a reflective dialogue on language and recognition.

IsiZulu, Philosophy and the Question of Recognition Take Centre Stage at UKZN

BY: .

Friday 13 March, 2026 was a magnificent day to remember for the Internationalisation of isiZulu.

Guests at the opening of the Artists in the Archive: Retracing the Legacy of Nola Steele exhibit at the Jack Heath Gallery in Pietermaritzburg, including members of Steele’s family.

Exhibit Puts Focus on Artistic Contributions to Conservation

BY: .

Click here for isiZulu version

An exhibition at the Jack Heath Gallery on the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s (UKZN) Pietermaritzburg campus, titled: ‘Artists in the Archive: Retracing the Legacy of Nola Steele’, draws attention to the underrepresented and underappreciated contributions of the wives of game rangers, or ‘bush women’, to their essential conservation work.

From left: Dr Rudi Kimmie, Professor Cecile Gerwel Proches and Mr James Campbell.

UKZN’s AIA Hosts Strategic Leadership Seminar - ‘Leading in Times of Turbulence’

BY: .

An online strategic leadership seminar aimed at equipping leaders with the tools to navigate an increasingly uncertain global environment was presented by the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), through the Aerotropolis Institute Africa (AIA) in collaboration with the Graduate School of Business and Leadership (GSB&L).

From left: UKZN Law academic, Mr Siphesihle Mbatha, Mr Azhar Aziz-Ismail, Law Society of South Africa; Professor Michele van Eck, Wits School of Law; Professor Sizwe Lindelo Snail ka Mtuze, Law Society of South Africa; and Dr Nomalanga Mashinini, Wits School of Law.

UKZN Law Academics Draft AI Ethics Guidelines for Legal Practitioners

BY: .

Academics from the UKZN School of Law were invited to participate in a plenary session on Artificial Intelligence (AI) ethics guidelines at the African Cyber Law Conference, hosted by the Wits School of Law on 24 and 25 March.

From left: Professor Bomi Nomlala, Ms Mbali Buthelezi and UKZN’s School of Commerce senior lecturer Dr Masibulele Phesa.

SAIGA’s Stakeholder Engagement with UKZN’s School of Commerce

BY: .

A renewed focus on expanding career pathways in the public sector and strengthening professional collaboration took centre stage at a stakeholder engagement recently between the Southern African Institute of Government Auditors (SAIGA) and the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN).
Professor Njabulo Ndebele.

Time of the Writer 2026: Lifetime Achievement Honour for Literary Giant

BY: .

The 29th edition of the renowned Time of the Writer festival - staged by the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s (UKZN) Centre for Creative Arts - presented a prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award to Professor Njabulo Ndebele for his extraordinary and enduring contribution to South African literature and intellectual life.

.

Beyond Awareness: Why Autism Care Must Shift from Diagnosis to Real-Life Family Support

BY: .

Every April, the world turns blue for autism, and social media fills with symbols of solidarity, puzzle pieces, and reminders to raise awareness. It is indeed meaningful, but awareness alone cannot be enough.

Professor Rubeshan Perumal and Dr Richard Lessells.

Opinion: A Breath of Hope, a Demand for Change: Reigniting SA’s Fight Against TB

BY: .

As we pause to reflect on World TB Day 2026, the air we share in South Africa remains heavy with a centuries-old, unforgiving pathogen.

Professor Amir H Mohammadi.

World-Class Recognition: UKZN Chemical Engineering Expert Named Honorary Editor for International Journal

BY: .

Click here for isiZulu version

Professor Amir H Mohammadi of Chemical Engineering at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) has been appointed an Honorary Academic Editor for the Wiley journal Geofluids, becoming the only representative from South Africa and joining 63 academic editors from institutions in 12 countries in a role that will contribute to the strategic direction and credibility of the respected journal.

Dr Haseena Majid (left) and Professor Mogie Subban.

Opinion: NHI Pause Should be Used to Build Stronger Healthcare Foundations

BY: .

Universal health coverage cannot succeed with fragmented systems, weak data, and largely symbolic participation. A recent court-ordered pause to National Health Insurance (NHI) implementation offers a chance to build the foundations properly, argue University of KwaZulu-Natal’s (UKZN) Dr Haseena Majid and Professor Mogie Subban.

World Oral Health Day at UKZN.

UKZN Dentistry Champions Oral Health Awareness

BY: .

World Oral Health Day was celebrated by the Discipline of Dentistry at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) with an engaging and impactful awareness drive at the Westville campus quad, joining the global community in promoting better oral health practices under the theme: ‘A Healthy Mouth is a Happy Life’.

Third year UKZN Architectural Studies students.

Students Challenged to Design a Luxury Dwelling within the Constraints of a Highly Regulated Eco-Estate

BY: .

The third-year Architectural Design studio at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), led by Dr Viloshin Govender and facilitators Mr Bill Williams and Mrs Melissa Pillay, positions students at the intersection of academic exploration and professional practice through a carefully structured, real-world project set within the Simbithi Eco Estate in KwaZulu-Natal.

Human rights were under the spotlight at a webinar hosted by UKZN. Clockwise from left: Professor Tshepo Madlingozi, Professor Ann Strode, Mr Celinhlanhla Magubane, Dr Lubna Nadvi, and Ms Normah Zondo.

UKZN Human Rights Day Webinar Explores Deepening a Culture of Social Justice

BY: .

Most of the complaints received by the South African Human Rights Commission relate to service delivery, socio-economic rights and discrimination.

Delegates at the 2026 National PhD Conference for economists at UKZN.

UKZN Hosts National PhD Conference for Economists

BY: .

The Economics discipline within the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s (UKZN) School of Commerce and the University of Zululand (UNIZULU) hosted the third National PhD Conference of the Economic Society of South Africa (ESSA), in partnership with Economic Research South Africa (ERSA).

Scholars, students and education practitioners engage in critical dialogue during the seminar hosted by UKZN’s School of Education on the Edgewood campus.

School of Education Hosts Seminar on Southern Knowledges and Sustainability in the Posthuman Era

BY: .

The University of KwaZulu-Natal’s (UKZN) School of Education facilitated a thought-provoking academic seminar titled: ‘Unsettling the Canon: Exploring Southern Knowledges for Sustainability in the Posthuman Era’, bringing together scholars, students and education practitioners to engage critically with decolonial perspectives in education and sustainability.