​Did you know that 441 students from Germany are enrolled as Maties at Stellenbosch University?

Or that 1191 Maties speak an official South African language other than Afrikaans or English as first language​?

And do you know that there are 1669 students from the lesbian, gay, transgender, queer (LGBTQI) community on campus?

These figures may not be important for academic purposes, nor will it lead to better marks, but it does prove that there is a kaleidoscope of people at Stellenbosch University. And each individual has his/her own interests which make for a pretty diverse bunch of people.

If these kinds of facts excited you, you might even win a prize or two by participating in a quiz about campus life during the Celebrating Diversity initiative (30 September – 4 October 2013).

Come to the Rooiplein on Tuesday 1 October and try and match different numbers to certain facts.

And to help you on your way, here are a few more numbers and facts:

• Five students between the ages of 70 and 74 are enrolled at Maties.
  
• The Faculty of Theology has 15 female first years.
• There are 26 professors under the age of 45 at Stellenbosch University.
  
• There are 6 students from Brazil, 44 students from Canada, 74 students from France, 303 from the USA, 53 from Botswana, 377 from Zimbabwe, 50 from Lesotho and 34 from Ghana.
  
• Currently, a total of 390 women are employed permanently as research or teaching staff in the different faculties.
• There are 639 female engineering students.    

Also remember to enter for the video and blog competitions – the deadlines are 23 and 27 September respectively.

​On Thursday (19 September 2013) from 19:00-20:00, Stellenbosch University's SRC will embark on a new initiative called the SRC Town Hall.

This initiative will allow people from all over the world to follow and take part in a discussion on Twitter between set times.

These discussions are aimed at not only stimulating debate, but also virtually bridging the divide between the various campuses of Stellenbosch University. The current SRC 2013, who remains in office until December, will host the discussion at SU's Military Academy in Saldanha, together with the SRC 2014 (who have now begun their planning for 2014).

Twitter town halls can be used in future to engage with Milac Maties and Tygermaties more often, without being together on the same campus. Follow all the action on Twitter with the hashtag: #StelSRcTownhall from 19:00 on Thursday.

Four former residents of Simonsberg Residence at Stellenbosch University (SU) are among the recipients of awards from the Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns (South African Academy for Science and Art).

The awards were made at a function in the the HB Thom Theatre on the Stellenbosch Campus on Friday night (13 September) while a similar function was held in Pretoria in June.   

The Simonsbergers are Professors Hermann Giliomee, Professor Extraordinary in History in the Department of History at SU; PJ Mohr, emeritus professor at UNISA; Philip Spies, emeritus professor and former Director of the Institute for Futures Research  at SU and Piet Steyn, emeritus professor of the Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science and former acting Senior Director: Research at SU.

A good number of academics from Stellenbosch University (SU) were also honoured at the event. They are Prof Eugene Cloete, Vice-Rector: Learning and Teaching; Prof Albert Grundlingh, Chairperson of the Department of History; Prof Spies; Prof Giliomee; Mr Koos Bekker, Group CEO of Naspers and Member of the SU Council; Prof Jan Lochner, emeritus dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences; Prof Steyn; Prof Dave Richardson of the Department of Botany and Zoology and Director of the DST/NRF Centre of Excellence in Invasion Biology; Prof Thinus Kruger of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology; and Prof Elizabeth Wasserman, Professor Extraordinary in the Department of Pathology.

Prof Cloete received the Akademie se Erepenning van die Fakulteit Natuurwetenskap en Tegniek (honorary medal of the Faculty of Science and Technique); Prof Wasserman the Alba Bouwerprys vir Kinderliteratuur (youth literature), Prof Grundlingh the Stalsprys vir Geskiedwetenskappe (history); prof Spies the Stalsprys vir Toekomskunde (futurology), Prof Giliomee the N.P. Van Wyk Louwmedalje (N.P. Van Wyk Louw  Medal -  awarded for exceptional contributions towards advancing the humanities), Mr Bekker the Frans Du Toitmedalje vir Bedryfsleiding (leadership in industry), Prof Steyn the M.T. Steynmedalje vir Natuurwetenskaplike en Tegniese Prestasie (Medal for Science and Technical Achievement), Prof Lochner die D.F. Malanmedalje (awarded for producing work of the highest calibre in the promotion of the Afrikaans language and culture), Prof Richardson the  Havengaprys vir  Lewenswetenskappe (Life Sciences)  and Prof Kruger the Havengaprys vir Gesondheidswetenskappe (Health Sciences).

Among the other recipients are a number of SU alumni.

• Visit www.akademie.co.za for more information. The Akademie is known by its Afrikaans name.

Caption: Simonsbergers! Professors Hermann Giliomee, Professor Extraordinary in History at SU; PJ Mohr, emeritus professor at UNISA; Philip Spies, emeritus professor and former Director of the Institute for Futures Research  at SU and Piet Steyn, emeritus professor of the Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science and former acting Senior Director: Research at SU. (Photo: Anton Jordaan)

Matie Community Service's (MCS) Adult Education and Training (AET) programme has been named the best in the country at the recent 2013 National Adult Learners' Week Awards Ceremony held in Gauteng. This is the second time in four years that MCS received this prestigious prize.

The National Adult Learners' Week Awards Ceremony is an annual event hosted by the Adult Learning Network (ALN) South Africa, a national network structure that promotes adult literacy, basic education and lifelong learning. Through this award ceremony the ALN wishes to acknowledge the extraordinary efforts of learners, educators, centres and projects which have been achieved often under very difficult conditions and in service to adults and youth, many of whom come from poor communities. The ceremony is also an opportunity to say thank you to the many educators and learners who dedicate their service to community development through adult education and training.

MCS in turn is one of Stellenbosch University (SU) Community Interaction's Flagship Projects. It also forms part of SU's HOPE Project a campuswide initiative through which the institution uses its teaching, research and community interaction expertise to create sustainable solutions for some of the most pressing challenges in South Africa and Africa.

The AET programme was launched in 1991 as part of MCS. Its core objective is to develop the lives of farm workers; illiterate and semi-illiterate adults; the unemployed; people with disabilities and out of school youth through skills development and education. For the past two years matric classes have also been offered at the centre. Participants may either focus on improving their schooling through the education programme or take part in the skills development programme.

The education programme runs classes every week where participants are taught according to AET education levels. They are also prepared for examination and offered career guidance. As part of the skills development programme, participants may choose to do needlework and beading; vegetable gardening; video production; computer literacy or cooking and baking. In addition to the training, participants are taught business skills and showed how to start and market small businesses.

According to Ms Linda Jacobs, Senior Programme Manager of MCS's AET programme, the judges considered various qualities when it came to assessing the winners. These included, a proven track record of excellence and making the best possible use of available resources, demonstrating a commitment to community development and ensuring the learning programmes are accessible and relevant to the needs of the broader community.

Jacobs says they're excited and extremely proud of this accolade. "We strive to empower individuals, families and communities through adult education and we see this award as recognition of our continued commitment."

Mr Gareth Cornelissen, Head of the MCS, says this achievement is well-deserved. "MCS is very proud of the achievement of our AET learners and educators under the excellent leadership of programme manager Ms Linda Jacobs. We consider the recognition as a reward for their hard work."

On Friday 13 September students in leadership positions at Stellenbosch University (SU) were encouraged to build social capital – on campus, in their communities and in South Africa.

"It's never too late to talk and talk is never cheap," said guest speaker Prof Willie Esterhuyse, professor emeritus in Philosophy.

He addressed more than 1200 students in the Kruiskerk during the first plenary session of the fifth annual SU Leaders Conference hosted by the Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert Institute for Student Leadership Development in Stellenbosch from 13-15 September. 

Prof Esterhuyse said democracy is about accountability, fairness and justice, participation, openness and and tolerance. "People should have a voice," he added.

He referred to different types of social capital: Bonding capital (you often find that in families), bridging capital (to reach out across boundaries) and linking capital (for example the ability to report problems and expect that something will be done about it). 

Prof Esterhuyse encouraged the students to make a deliberate effort to build bridges between people.

"If we fail in building sustainable social capital, we have no future," he warned.

At the same session two Grade 10 learners from Stellenbosch High School, Petrea Butler and Carma Botha, told the students about the type of Stellenbosch University they would like to attend. 

​They expect an institution where everyone feels welcome and at home, where they will be exposed to different people and ideas, where they will be prepared for the world out there and where different opinions are respected. They don't want to be protected from the reality, because "scared students grow up to be scared adults", they said.

"We expect an institution that will prepare us to be proud South Africans and world citizens."

They want to actively participate in the learning process and expect an integrated learning experience that doesn't stop at the classroom door.

"Theory and practice shouldn't be isolated."

They made the students laugh when they said that they also want to spend time with friends at Bohemia and walk hand-in-hand with someone in "Die Laan". "We want to be in a place where healthy student fun is allowed," was their wish.

"Take this amazing place and make it even more amazing," they asked.

Students could attend different discussions during the course of the weekend, about topics such as "Ethical leadership", "Students as agents of change", "Necessary skills to flourish", "Reconciliation" and "Global citizenship".

Other discussion topics included leadership styles, traditions and communication. Students also talked about difficult topics such as race, sexuality, gender, poverty, religion and substance abuse.

Some of the students went on a cultural tour of Kayamandi on Sunday. Other "lighter" sessions included coffee shop chats, watching rugby in the Neelsie and a picnic. 

Main photo: Conference organiser Lloyd Blake addresses the student leaders. Photographer: Justin Alberts

Students in Kayamandi. Photographer: Jason van der Merwe

"Heritage in this country is a very real, concrete and powerful tool for social transformation, nation-building and making a real difference." This he learned on his farm Solms-Delta which has become known as a pioneer of reconcilliation in the Western Cape and around the country, said Prof Mark Solms, world-renowned brain scientist, at a lecture on Tuesday (17 September).

The lecture formed part of the Stellenbosch Heritage Project’s 2013 programme and was hosted by Stellenbosch University (SU).

"The title of my talk is 'Heritage by surprise', which alludes to the fact that I actually know nothing about heritage!" Prof Solms told guests to sounds of laughter at Tuesday's event held at the Sasol Museum. 

"So I have decided to tell you a personal account of my own experiences of the importance of heritage." Prof Solms, who left South Africa in the 1980s to live and work in London, said he returned to South Africa in 2001 and took ownership of the farm Delta in Franschhoek. However, he was adamant that he was going to do something about the legacy of his European forebears and was determined to address social imbalances.

"I was excited and thrilled to be here to be part of the reconstruction of South Africa. I became aware that I'm taking the mantle of patriach and I didn't like it. I wanted to shed the mantle of the past and decided to meet with the people there and discuss how we're going to change this place and make a difference. However I was met with absolute silence - they could not and would not talk to me. At the time I could not understand why they were acting like that."

Prof Solms said his talks of addressing the problems of the past fell on deaf ears, in fact, the farmworkers started not showing up for work, things were disappearing and trees were chopped down and he started to worry that he made a mistake coming back. "I was angry, irritated and scared."

He then came up with an idea to dig up the place with the help of the farmworkers, an archaeologist, a historian and even a food scientist to uncover what happened on Delta farm generations before. He said what led to this decision was his expertise and experiences as a doctor, where you know you need to take a thorough history of a patient in order to know what you're dealing with. 

"As a doctor, once you know what you're dealing with, you know what needs to be done to put it right." During the excavations they found stone age tools, a Boesman settlement - physical evidence of pre-colonial history of cultures that lived there thousands of years before. 

"We found real stories, real lives, of nearly 200 years of slavery. As we ploughed through it, I started to better understand the reception I got and I realised 'why would they be enthusiastic about my plans to transform my farm?'"

According to Prof Solms, he realised that you can't plan a future together if you don't face the past honestly. "So the process of going through that heritage exercise resulted in us having to take a long, honest, hard look at what we're going to do about it."

Prof Solms said he convinced another farmer to buy the farm next to his, then together the two farms were put up as collateral so that the bank could lend money to the farmworkers to buy a third farm. Now they have a successful company that run the three farms together. "It was a way of trying to acknowledge our debt of the past. The lives of the people have been changed - not everyone, bear in mind it's not heaven and we do still have problems. However, we're working together, pulling in the same direction because we want to be successful," he said.

"I have seen with my own eyes how positive a proper, honest facing up to our heritage could be," he said.

Tuesday evening's lecture was preceded by a reception and a performance by the Solms-Delta band and the Soetstemme choir. Guests were also asked to sign the Declaration of Intent of the Heritage Project. With this declaration the town commits itself to creating a collective future for all its residents where everyone is respected, appreciated and feels safe.

Prof Solms' lecture on Tuesday is but one of a series of activities that will be taking place as part of the Stellenbosch Heritage Project. The programme includes a poster competition, a mass choir performance in the Kruiskerk, the Kayamandi Arts Festival, several sports events, the "stoepkonsert" which gives festivalgoers a three hour trip through the town and surrounding areas, a canoe race, as well as the River Festival in Die Laan on Heritage Day 24 September.

• For more information visit the website: http://www.heritagefestival.co.za/

​It was indeed a historic moment, Saturday, September 14. Barely a year (12 September 2012 to be exact) after Small received the Hertzog prize, he decided to break his silence. Saturday afternoon at  14:00 , with his wife Rosalie at his side, he entered the packed marquee at the Breytenbach Centre in Wellington, his hometown, with the ATR-chairman and also chair of the Breytenbach Centre, dr. Michael le Cordeur ( and lecturer in our Education Faculty).

Extra chairs and seating had to be hastily arranged. Other members of the ATR in the audience were, Dr Danny Titus, ATKV, Danie van Wyk (SBA) and Ria Olivier (project manager). Also in the audience were writers such as Andre Brink, Wilma Stockenstrom and Riana Scheepers.

The former rector of the UWC , prof Richard van der Ross, where Adam Small had been a professor, also come to welcome him, as did friends of his youth, Auntie Nellie Cavernelis and Auntie Sylvia le Cordeur.

Photographers, TV crews and businessmen, students and teachers, and ordinary Welingtonners saluted him.

In his word of welcome, dr. Le Cordeur said: "One of Wellington's greatest sons "het hystoe gekom (ala Kanna) [came home]."

Read the article published in the Cape Times.

​​They are modern, eager about entering the future and ready to accept the challenges of South Africa.

They are the born frees, the group of people born in and post-1994. This year a large group of born frees entered Stellenbosch University as first years. Speak to them and it is clear they are more than ready to accept whatever the future holds for them.

"I was born in 1994 and my parents always told me that I was born in the same year as this country's democracy," says Lize-Marie Doubell.

 "I believe there is a responsibility on us to make things better. We live in a country with diverse people and cultures. It is our responsibility to reach out to each other and take the country forward," she says.

She adds: "There are still people who are wary of whatever is different – culultre, religion or lifestyle choices. We can learn to know and understand each other by opening up discussions. This will prevent us from blindly categorising others according to stereotypes."

She studies BComm (Law) because she "wants to help build the economy of this country. It can be done by implementing sound policies. A background in law is an advantage in this field."

Bohlale Selahle, who lives in Irene Residence, says it is a privilege to be a born free.

"There is so much hope in us. There is such a belief that we can help to bring about change. I believe that as a diverse group we as born frees can work together. We must remember that we are in the privileged situation where we think differently than those who came before us."

For JC Landman, who describes himself as a "leadership fanatic and agent of change" being a born free means being part of the first generation integrated South Africans who can bring about change.

"We grew up in a multicultural country in multicultural schools and had multicultural relationships. I think it is wonderful that from within this framework, we can build a future together."

Mudzuli Rakhivane grew up in Johannesburg in an integrated environment. "It was never necessary to think about integration. It was part of my reality. I have white friends, black friends, Xhosa friends, Zulu friends and I never before realised it was a privilege to grow up in such an integrated environment. I believe that born frees in a multicultural world have to be thankful that we do not have to battle to survive daily as those who came before us."

However, she believes everyone has the responsibility to "pass on the culture of acceptance. We also have to teach our children to accept and include all people".

Alexander Dyers believes his generation can meet the future "without filters" as the previous generation did.  

"It is our responsibility to represent our country in a good light," says Dyers.

Lance van Rooy, who was the 2012 winner in the SU-Jip Matriculant of the Year competition, believes born fees have to embrace the history of the country as well.

"We are also products of the past and we have to accept where we come from. We must celebrate our diversity in all its forms. We must use our freedom of expression and share our thoughts with the rest of the world."

Lelethu Stuurman says: "It is important to accept that we are all people from different race, cultural, gender and groups. We need to accept all individuals exactly the way they are. I believe there is still a long way to go, but I am proud of what we have already achieved in this diverse country."

• Watch the video: Maties: On being born free by clicking here
• All born-free students of Stellenbosch University are invited to join the Rector, Prof Russel Botman for a chat and free ice cream on the Rooiplein on 30 September (13:00). This is part of the SU's Diversity celebrations (30 September t0 14 October).  Click here for the programme.

Follow us on Twitter for news about the diversity celebrations @MatiesDiversity and on Facebook on the Stellenbosch University page.

​Management of Stellenbosch University have committed to investigating possible locations to build more kitchens that can be certified under Halaal requirements.

On 28 August 2013, the Student Housing Committee (SHVK – Studente Huisvestingkomitee) requested that a suggestion on where further Halaal food provision services can be located on campus as well as an action plan regarding the implementation of this suggestion be compiled and presented by Dr. Ludolph Botha (Senior Director: Student and Academic Support), Mr. Pieter Kloppers (Director: Centre for Student Communities) and Mr. Hein Swanepoel (Director: Commercial Services) by the end of September 2013. The most likely location for the second Halaal kitchen on campus would be Goldfields residence, as the residence does not currently have its own kitchen and the kitchen is housed separate from the other buildings.

The decision comes after a long road of consultation and discussion between SU management and the SRC. Following the information that SU had lost a number of Muslim students within the first few weeks of the academic year to other universities due the lack of Halaal food provision services available on campus, The SRC passed a motion in February 2013 requiring that further steps be taken to ensure that Muslim students also experience the inclusive welcoming culture of the University. (The motion is available here)

The motion was then presented to the Rector's Management Team at one of the monthly meetings between this team and the SRC Executive Committee. After further discussion between management and the SRC as well as between ISUS (the Islamic Society of the University of Stellenbosch) and the SRC, the point was raised at the most recent SHVK meeting by PK Vice-Chairperson, Phillip van der Merwe, on behalf of the SRC Executive Committee. Both PK Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson sit on the SHVK to ensure that the students have a voice and are heard where matters of accommodation and student communities are decided.

Prof. Arnold Schoonwinkel (Vice-Rector: Teaching and Learning) recognised that the lack of such facilities was a clear problem and that a practical solution would be sought. Prof. Schoonwinkel also reported that the possibility that a further Halaal food stall would be added in the Neelsie would also be investigated.

The SHVK is the first body to approve suggested increases in residence fees and has previously decided on matters such as the eradication of Ontruiming in short holidays.

USB alumnus George Djolov's doctoral thesis made it into the top ranks of the 2013 thesis competition of the European Doctoral Programmes Association in Management and Business Administration (EDAMBA).

The topic of Dr Djolov's dissertation is The Herfindahl-Hirschman Index as an Official Statistic of Business Concentration: Challenges and Solutions.

His promoter was USB's Prof Eon Smit.

Smit said in response: "Dr Djolov's doctoral research was of exceptional quality. His research methodology was of an exploratory nature - in other words, he did not follow any established research protocol to achieve results and had to map out his own route to answer the research question.

"His solution is therefore both innovative and valuable in practical application. It allows government institutions to determine the competitiveness of an industry statistical and publish it formally as official statistics."

According to his abstract, Dr Djolov examines the measurement of business concentration by the Hirschman-Herfindahl Index (HHI). In the course of the examination, a method extension to the measurement of business concentration is proposed in terms of which the conventional depiction of the HHI can be represented by a formulation involving the classical index of concentration, i.e. the Gini index.

Computational advantages in the use of this new method are identified, which practically reveal the Gini-based HHI to be an effective substitute for its regular counterpart. Through an additional assessment of the qualifying criteria by which a metric can be designated into an official statistic, it is found that theoretically and practically the proposed new method has logical strengths that favour its usage.

The practical benefits of this are considered from the perspective of a statistical agency, with the view to encourage the measurement of business concentration as an official statistic using the Gini-based index of the HHI.

Over and above the first three prizes, the EDAMBA judges also distinguished eight other dissertations which included Dr Djolov's thesis.

Caption: Dr Djolov with his daughter, Embeth. Picture: USB

​​What does diversity mean to you? What is all the fuss about? How does diversity contribute to Stellenbosch University's (SU) excellence? 

Come have your say, hear your fellow students' opinions or chat to Prof Russel Botman, SU's Rector and Vice-Chancellor, at the upcoming Diversity week celebrations taking place from 30 September to 4 October.

You'll have an opportunity to write on stuff! Tables on the Rooiplein and in the Neelsie will on a daily basis be covered with tablecloths and on them you can write down your thoughts on diversity. The tablecloths (they will be made of paper and other materials) will be bound in book form at a later stage. 

On Monday, 30 September you will get an opportunity to let it all hang out and air your dirty laundry. A washing line with cut-out clothes will be hung on the Rooiplein. Students can write messages on the cardboard clothes - messages of how they were discriminated against or how they've discriminated against others and how this made them feel. 

Were you born in 1994? Then don't miss out on the free ice cream and chat with Prof Botman​ on the Rooiplein.​ There will also be a soapbox set up where anyone can talk about an issue close to their hearts. Each speaker will have only three minutes to present his/her point of view. This will take place between 13:00 and 14:00 on Tuesday, 1 October. On Wednesday, 2 October from 11:00 to 13:00, there'll be another opportunity to chat with Prof Botman​ about diversity over a cup of coffee. 

"People think discrimination is just about race. The opportunity to air your dirty laundry will make them think about the different levels of discrimination," says Monica du Toit, a member of the Celebrating Diversity task team (www.sun.ac.za/diversity).

Dr Llewellyn MacMaster, project leader at SU's new Centre for Inclusivity, believes the diversity celebrations are a positive initiative of SU because there "is still a perception that the SU campus is Afrikaans and white. The celebrations acknowledge that the university is quietly becoming more diverse".

"As a South African you cannot escape the fact that you are always busy engaging with different identities."

The Writing Lab's Vancouver Referencing Workshop is aimed at postgraduate students working on their theses or dissertations. The workshop will provide participants with the opportunity to refine their referencing skills in an interactive, practical way and to receive answers about the Vancouver Referencing Style. Various topics about referencing will be addressed, such as plagiarism, the difference between and effective use of quotations and paraphrases, as well as the format of Vancouver references. 

Date and time: 14 October 2013 (09:00-12:30)

Venue: Tygerberg Campus

Cost:    R490/Person (SU students and staff)

            R760/ Person (External participants)

Detailed information and registration forms can be downloaded from the Language Centre's Website. A maximum of 20 participants can be accommodated in the workshop. To secure your place in the workshop, please send your completed registration form to Selene Delport at selene@sun.ac.za.

Registrations close on 7 October 2013.

Did you know that there is no such thing as a Harvard Referencing System? But there are a variety of Harvard Referencing Styles.

The Writing Lab's Harvard Referencing Workshop is aimed at postgraduate students working on their theses or dissertations. The workshop will provide participants with the opportunity to refine their referencing skills in an interactive, practical way and to receive answers about the Harvard Referencing Style. Various topics about referencing will be addressed, such as plagiarism, the difference between and effective use of quotations and paraphrases, as well as the format of Harvard references. 

Date and time: 14 October 2013 (13:00-16:30)

Venue: Tygerberg Campus

Cost:    R490/Person (SU students and staff)

            R760/ Person (External participants)

Detailed information and registration forms can be downloaded from the Language Centre's Website. A maximum of 20 participants can be accommodated in the workshop. To secure your place in the workshop, please send your completed registration form to Selene Delport at selene@sun.ac.za.

Registrations close on 7 October 2013.

The Maties first netball team will set their sights on the inaugural Varsity Sport Netball competition that kicks off in Port Elizabeth this coming weekend. The tournament contains the top eight netball playing universities in South Africa and will be played on the same modeal as the successful FNB Varity Cup for rugby. Similar competitions have also been implemented for athletics, hockey and football this year.

The Maties first team recently won the Boland Super League with an unbeaten season and will therefore begin the Varsity Sport campaign with much confidence. In addition to home matches that will be played in the D.F. Malan Centre at Coetzenburg there will also be live television coverage on Supersport. The Maties Netball club will also host the semi-final round where all eight teams will be in action.

The most important competition dates are as follows:

Monday 23 September: UJ vs Maties (18:00 on Supersport)

Monday 30 September: NWU-Pukke vs Maties (19:30 on Supersport)

Monday 7 October: Maties vs TUT (home fixture 18:00 at Coetzenburg)

Monday 14 October: Kovsies vs Maties (19:30 on Supersport)

Sunday 20 October: Maties vs Tuks (home fixture 19:30 at Coetzenburg and on Supersport)

Monday 21 October: Semi Finals at Coetzenburg (from 15:00 on Supersport)

Monday 39 October: Final (18:00 on Supersport)

It is usually forbidden to write on tablecloths, but that is exactly the appeal.

This is the opinion of Talia Simons, a fourth-year graphic design student. She is closely  involved in the project where people can write on tablecloths on the Rooiplein and inside the Neelsie, as part of Stellenbosch Universiy's celebration of diversity between 30 September and 4 October.

The tablecloths will have various questions written on them in Afrikaans, English, and isiXhosa, such as: "What does diversity mean to you?" and "I feel proud to be a Matie when..." Students will write their responses on the tablecloths.

"When something is taboo, it has an implicit challenge. And that challenge and the excitement that goes along with doing something forbidden is attractive," says Simons.

"I'm interested in how people interact with their environment. This project gives them permission to publicise something personal. They get to leave a public mark to say they were here. I am looking forward to see how a variety of participants interact with their environment and tell their own stories during the week of diversity."

The project also gives a voice to those students who feel like they're usually not heard.

"Students often feel like they have no say in decisions made by the university," says visual arts lecturer Dr. Elmarie Costandius. She is in charge of all the art projects for the diversity celebrations.

"By writing in public, students feel they have a voice. When they think they are being heard, they work together and interact better."

Costandius, who has been involved in a variety of other projects where students publically "chat" by writing down their thoughts and feelings, says that students' feedback influences the way she teaches.

"If you as a lecturer don't know how or what your students think, you are not in touch with the people you're teaching."

The tablecloths with the messages written on them will be bound as a book and will be exhibited as part of final exam exhibition of the students who are involved with this project.

"The book is simultaneously a record and an artwork," says Costandius.

• More information on SU's diversity celebrations: www.sun.ac.za/diversity
• Join the #MatiesDiversity conversation on Twitter (@MatiesDiversity) and Facebook (stellenboschuniversity)
• More stories: http://www.sun.ac.za/english/search/Pages/results.aspx?k=diversity%20week

​​Regarded by many as the greatest SA jurist, the life and works of JC de Wet are commemorated in a new publication, A Man of Principle: The Life and Legacy of JC deWet. This book was launched at a function hosted by Juta and Stellenbosch University's Faculty of Law on 19 September.

The book, which marks the centenary of his birth, is a compilation of essays by prominent members of the judiciary and leading local and international scholars. It aims to provide new perspectives on De Wet's life and legacy. The essays address issues that are of fundamental importance in theory and practice, most notably how the contours of key aspects of the modern South African law of contract, criminal law and the law of prescription have been shaped, and especially the role De Wet has played in these developments. The essays are in English and Afrikaans. In an introduction to the work, Jeremy Gauntlett SC, notes that 'both venerated and excoriated in his lifetime, Johannes Christiaan de Wet is, without doubt, the most influential teacher and writer in South Africa's legal history to date".

"I may be wrong, but I would like to believe that this collection of essays reveals that, whatever may happen to the reputation of De Wet as a person, his ideas have been woven into the fabric of our law. These ideas will continue to influence future generations - in the same way as the ideas of earlier authorities, whom he knew so well, often silently continue to influence us to this day," said Prof Jacques du Plessis in his address.

Prof Andreas van Wyk, described in the book as De Wet's only surviving colleague at Stellenbosch University, said the book took him on a wonderful journey back in the history of the faculty, town and his own memories.

He described De Wet as a multi-faceted person whose first love was and always remained contract law, where his contribution in the area of prescription, has stood the test of time. He briefly touched on De Wet's "second love", criminal law, which faded after the death of his colleague Hennie Swanepoel and his interest in water law. Van Wyk posed the question as to whether his strong worded style of writing had curbed his influence. However, through his peers and students "who became his biggest prophets" his influence was far reaching.

In his vote of thanks, Prof Gerhard Lubbe, former Dean of the Faculty of Law, said De Wet made a huge contribution towards developing an Afrikaans vocabulary for contract law. The question as to whether it will be able to carry new arguments of our time remains to be seen. I believe they can, but it will take work on our part."

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The Stellenbosch Heritage Festival will reach a climax on Tuesday 24 September with among others a soccer tournament in the town centre (VriendsCUP on the Braak); a Get-Into-Rugby Event at the Markötter Sports Grounds; the Manuela Huckfeldt Tennis Tournament at Coetzenburg and the Eikestad Heritage cycle race. 

A highlight is the closure of Die Laan for the River Festival next to the Eersterivier at Coetzenburg. Activities include a canoe and tube race on the river with entertainment on the grass embankment. These include a music concert by local artists, a potjiekos competition, stalls, fun activities for kids and exhibitions in the Landbousaal.

The Stellenbosch Heritage Project, launched in 2012 and spearheaded by among others the Stellenbosch Municipality and Stellenbosch University, seeks to unite the people of Stellenbosch to create a community who knows one another, appreciates one another and respects one another.

• Visit www.heritagefestival.co.za for more information or liaise with Anthony Penderis at 084 3060 331, Anthony.Penderis@gmail.com

Stellenbosch University's Library and Information Service will be launching its new Digital Collections platform on 13 November 2013 – on the eve of the 13^th Annual Library Symposium that will take place from 14-15 November 2013.

Digital Collections is a newly developed platform that makes material from unique collections of the Library digitally accessible for research and ensures the long term digital preservation of these collections.

The digital collection communities include archives, history, images, literature, music and research – among others the Afrikaans anti-apartheid newspaper, Vrye Weekblad; the 19^th century Dutch newspaper based in Cape Town, De Zuid-Afrikaan; Stellenbosch University and Victoria College Historical Photographs; the unique Hugh Solomon collection of historical African maps dating before 1860 and the collection of the celebrated South African composer, Stefans Grové.

"All the information on the platform is openly accessible to any person with access to the internet. The initiative supports the Library and Information Service's strategic intervention of supporting, developing and contributing to high-level scholarly publication output, emanating from Stellenbosch University's focus area of broadening the knowledge base," says Ms Mimi Seyffert, Manager: Digitisation and Digital Services at Stellenbosch University (SU).

The creation of the platform was kick-started by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York which enabled the Library and Information Service to fund the digitisation of a number of collections. Since then, the digital content on the platform has expanded and the Library is developing and augmenting the platform on an on-going basis.

The purpose of launching this initiative is to make as many people as possible aware of Digital Collections. The collections currently on the platform already hold the potential for various forms of research output and will also be of value to members of the community with an interest in heritage collections.

The Library and Information Service plans to celebrate the launch of Digital Collections with invited researchers and academics from Stellenbosch University, donors of the digitised collections, members of the Stellenbosch heritage community as well as Stellenbosch University Senior Management.

The event takes place at 17:00 in the auditorium of the JS Gericke Library on Wednesday 13 November. Mr Conrad Sidego, Executive Mayor of Stellenbosch, will be the speaker at the event.         

• The launch of the Digital Collections platform will be followed by the library's 13^th Annual Library Symposium. The Symposium, titled  X-plore • X-pand • X-ceed: ensuring dynamic academic libraries for the future, will bring together thought leaders to look for solutions to advance institutional objectives and augment the future of academic libraries. More information here.
• Liaise with Mimi Seyffert at tel 021 808 9489 or mseyf@sun.ac.za for more information. 

​​Friends and colleagues of Stellenbosch University's Departments of Mathematical Sciences and Industrial Psychology recently celebrated the reopening of one of the oldest academic buildings on the campus, after it was recently renovated and modernised.

The former 'Opvoedkunde Building' was one of the last academic buildings to be erected in 1913 by the then Victoria Kollege. On 2 April 1918 the Victoria Ko​llege became the University of Stellenbosch after the government of the day passed the University Act and a donation of £100 000 from a local benefactor, Jannie Marais.

"I am sure a hundred years ago someone also stood behind this podium feeling very proud of their achievement. Tonight I feel just as proud about what we were able to achieve with this restoration project," the architect, Mr Jaco Niemann from Dennis Moss Partnership, said during the opening function.

He gave a short overview of the main design elements of the building, and mentioned how they went out of their way to maintain the building's historical character, as well as incorporating several unique features on the inside of the building.

Official opening

Prof Russel Botman, rector, referred in his official opening speech to the special symbolism associated with the restoration of such an old building: "With the University's centenary celebrations in 2018 around the corner, the inauguration of this building tonight is in itself symbolic and probably represents the beginning of the festivities!

"Tonight's ceremony is also symbolic of where we have come from and where we should be going. It helps us to understand that we are building a future on the very strong foundations of the past. In this regard we are working hard to position the university and its people to be ready for the 21^st century," he said.

The renovation is in line with SU's Campus Masterplan for facilities and the new special and physical norms. This includes making better use of space through smaller offices; the use of glass walls and glass doors so that personnel in their office remain part of activities in the building and become more approachable; the latest technologies to support teaching and learning; as well as dedicated study areas and work stations for students, he added.

Then and now

The two academic departments, which are now housed in the renovated building, then each gave a short historical overview.

From the Department of Mathematical Sciences, Prof Dirk Laurie shared a few tales from his student days in the sixties, of how a certain lecturer would always organise test papers from the highest to the lowest mark and then handed it out during class time in that order, and the many plans they made to get more time on the University's only computer, an IBM 1620. Prof Florian Breuer, divisional head of Mathematics, referred to the significant growth in postgraduate student numbers. Thanks to collaboration with institutions like the African Institute for the Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) in Muizenberg over the past two decades, the department now has a lively group of 29 MSc and 18 PhD students.

Prof Johan Malan​, head of the Department of Industrial Psychology, shared the fact that they are one of the oldest industrial psychology departments in the country, and referred to a number of leading heads of departments over the years.

Prof Ingrid Rewitzky, head of the Department of Mathematical Sciences, then thanked the many people who, since 2005, worked very hard to make this project a reality.

Festival of music

The highlight of the evening was the performance by the well-known Stellenbosch Libertas Choir, conducted by Johan de Villiers, who is currently a professor extraordinaire at the Department of Mathematical Sciences.

After the performance on the impressive staircase in the foyer of the building, guests enjoyed refreshments and went on a tour of the building.

Stellenbosch circa 1963

By Prof Dirk Laurie, extraordinary researcher in Mathematics, SU

In the 1960s the Mathematics Department was a teaching department. There were two full professors. Professor Siegfried Göldner taught Calculus and Prof Gawie Cillié taught Algebra, and they both did it to first-, second- and third-year BSc students. Each of them also presented an Honours course. Neither of them ever published anything reported by Mathematical Reviews.

Prof Göldner was Departementshoof, maar hy het agter 'n toe deur gebly wat net sou oopgaan as hy die klop herken en lus was om met daardie persoon te praat. Hy het 'n enorme geheue gehad. Het het nooit enige notas gebruik nie, selfs nie in 'n twee uur-lange nagraadse lesing nie. Hy het binne die eerste twee weke die eerstejaarstudente, al honderd van hulle, op die naam geken. As iemand 'n klas verpas het, het hy uitgevra. Die studente was almal doodseker dat dit hulle 'n halwe predikaatspunt sal kos om so uitgevang te word. Een periode is altyd bestee aan die uitdeel van toetsskrifte, van die beste na die laagste punte. As jy jou skrif terugkry, kon jy loop. Eenkeer kry ek myne toe die helfte van die klas al weg was, met die opmerking: "Ja, Laurie, dis gevaarlik om meer selfvertroue as kennis te hê."

Prof Cillié het 'n doktorsgraad in Sterrekunde van Cambridge Universiteit gehad. Elke slag as die een of ander sterrekundige verskynsel die koerante gehaal het, kon 'n mens aan die begin van 'n lesing 'n onskuldige ou vragie daaroor inkry. Dit was genoeg om hom aan die gang te kry met 'n briljante onvoorbereide praatjie oor die onderwerp, en die studente kon terugsit en dit geniet in die wete dat dit nie eksamineerbaar was nie. Prof Gawie se ware liefde was egter kerkmusiek, veral koormusiek. Vroeër in sy loopbaan was hy vyftien jaar lank dirigent van die Universiteitskoor. Sondagaande was sy huis oop vir studente. Mev Cillié het tee en koekies uitgedeel, en prof Gawie het hulle hond Snippie toertjies laat uithaal.

Die BSc-studente het die ander dosente eers leer ken as hulle honneursvlak kon haal. Almal bo Junior Lektor het 'n honneurskursus gegee, en honneursstudente moes al die kursusse loop. Die jaar toe ek en Ekkehard Kopp die hele honneursklas uitgemaak het, was daar vyf tweesemester- en drie eensemesterkursusse.

'n MSc in Wiskunde het bestaan uit 'n groot verhandeling en twee kursusse op honneursvlak wat nie voorheen geneem is nie. Die opsies vir daardie twee kursusse was nie talryk nie. Baie dosente het net die een kursus gehad en dis wat hulle gegee het. Prof Cillié se notas oor Tensoranalise was so broos dat hy met albei hande moes omblaai om te keer dat die papier verkrummel.

The Department had a computer, an IBM 1620, which occupied all of a large room. It could do integer arithmetic on numbers of any length (limited by its memory, though). A portable radio placed above the CPU would pick up noise caused by the computations being made. I calculated how long the addends needed to be in order to have loop duration in the audio range, and wrote a little compiler that would take primitive text-based musical notation and punch out a deck of cards that could be fed to the computer to play a tune on the radio.

One had to book the computer in units of one hour. A certain Frikkie Botha, who was working on a PhD in psychology and had vast amounts of correlation coefficients to calculate, booked the computed for solid five-hour blocks every evening for several weeks. This was frustrating to Ekkehard and myself, who needed lots of computer time for our own research, such as implementing algorithms for our numerical analysis projects and debugging the program that would play Schubert's Marche Militaire.

The computer would occasionally just halt suddenly causing a bright red sign marked "Check Stop" to be lit. Once this happened, switching the computer off and on would not bring it back to life. In principle a check stop necessitated the summoning of an IBM engineer, who would spend just a couple of minutes in the room and emerge with the news that the computer was in working order again. To save time, though, Gideon de Kock (the lecturer responsible for the computer) and Reg Dodds (the MSc student who acted as "demmie" for the Fortran course) also knew how to effect this miracle.

The Van der Sterr building in those days had a panel of circuit breakers in an easily accessible place. Ekkehard and I discovered (by trial and error) which switch controlled the power supply to the computer room. If you just flicked that switch off-and-on, there would be no visible sign of power failure, but a check stop would occur. Ekkehard, who was the more convincing liar among the two of us, told Reg that the machine just stopped on him, and hung around in the computer room in a bored, unobservant way while Reg performed the recovery. Ekkehard duly disclosed the details of the procedure to me. It involved opening a certain panel and pushing a matchstick through a hole drilled for the purpose by the IBM engineer, thereby closing a relay.

From then on, Frikkie would sometimes, at 8:30 pm or so on an evening when he had booked the machine till midnight, encounter a check stop. He would then pack up, go home, and the next morning report the check stop to Gideon. If he had more information, he would have been able to calculate that these occasions were strongly correlated with the presence of Ekkehard or myself near the panel of circuit breakers.

Daardie dae is nou oor. Deesdae se professore is nie so outokraties nie, en hierdie nuwe gebou met sy rekenaarnetwerk is sekerlik teen enige duiwelstreke bestand. Boonop is vandag se studente veel meer verantwoordelik. Hulle is mos, nê?

To maths, music and good memories

These four Maths proffies go back many years! From the left is Prof Pieter Maritz (lecturer, 1975-2004), Prof Johan de Villiers (student, 1966-1970; lecturer from 1974), Prof Dirk Laurie (student 1963-1967; lecturer 2001-2007) and Dr Carl Rohwer (student 1966-1972; lecturer since 1990). They are still involved with the Department of Mathematical Sciences as extraordinary professors and researchers, and share this office in the renovated building. Photo: Jean du Plessis