New Lecturer Appointed to the Discipline of Biokinetics, Exercise and Leisure Sciences

BY: .

Mr Patrick Zimu (27) of Pietermaritzburg has joined UKZN’s Discipline of Biokinetics, Exercise and Leisure Sciences as a lecturer.

Zimu, born and raised in KwaSwayimana, said teaching had always been his passion. ‘I’ve now developed an affection for research,’ he said.

Zimu did his Bachelor of Sport Science degree at UKZN, continuing on to Honours in Sport Science Recreation before completing his Masters in the same discipline.

‘I feel I have been rewarded for my hard work and see this appointment as an opportunity for me to grow and contribute to the University’s vision and that of the country.’

Zimu, who lectured at the Durban University of Technology’s Sport Studies Department from 2012 to this year, said UKZN was renowned for producing quality students equipped for industry.

Zimu said he was motivated by his mentor and former UKZN lecturer, Mrs Maliga Naidoo, to succeed in his career. ‘I was raised in a financially deprived family and community by parents with no formal education. That inspired me to work hard in order to show appreciation for their unyielding efforts to educate me.’

Zimu said: ‘South Africa is challenged by a burden of coronal heart diseases and the majority of the victims are people living in low-socioeconomic communities who can barely afford the conventional gym-based health promotion programmes.’ This made him passionate to prove, through research, that leisure time physical activities could provide the same benefits as gym programmes and to implement the research-based programmes in the communities, promoting their health and wellbeing.

Zimu’s research interests include leisure and health promotion, evidence-based practice and therapeutic recreation. He said he planned to register for a PhD shortly after his appointment.

Lunga Memela