Ten years of laser research and collaboration among 25 different African countries will be celebrated with a laser demonstration and a special birthday cake on the evening before the start of the annual workshop of the African Laser Centre this week.

The workshop is hosted by the Laser Research Institute at Stellenbosch University (SU) and will take place from 21 to 23 November 2013 at the Zevenwacht Wine Estate outside Stellenbosch.

The African Laser Centre (ALC) was established on 6 November 2003 at a meeting of the African Ministerial Council on Science and Technology (AMCOST) in Johannesburg. The objective of the ALC is to foster laser science in Africa by encouraging laser science and optics-related research collaboration between African researchers and institutions.

Over the past decade, the ALC has awarded 18 postgraduate scholarships, of which five were for MSc and 13 for PhD candidates.

This year over 40 students and researchers from 15 different countries will present their research projects to peers and senior researchers. At the same time they will also be exposed to cutting edge research and brush shoulders with some of the leading experts in the field, explains Dr Paul Motalane, ALC operational manager.

One of the international guest speakers is Prof Tony Parker, former head of the Central Laser Facility at Britain's Science and Technology Facilities Council and a leading researcher in the field of spectroscopy and imaging of complex biological systems such as DNA damage and repair. Prof Parker is also one of the founding members of the ALC and currently an extraordinary professor at the SU Laser Research Institute.

Another leading researcher and guest speaker is Prof Andrew Forbes from the CSIR's National Laser Centre. His research team at the CSIR made headlines earlier this year with the development of the world's first digital laser. This innovation is regarded as a milestone in laser technology and could spur future laser-related innovations. He will deliver a talk on the all-digital control of light

According to Prof Erich Rohwer, head of the Department of Physics at SU, this year's workshop is quite special as several of the founding members of the ALC will be present to deliver lectures: "We are also very proud to have one of the first ALC recruits to deliver a guest lecture. Dr Zephania Birech was one of the first African students to receive a bursary from the ALC and recently completed his PhD under Prof Heinrich Schwoerer at SU."

Dr Birech, who now teaches in the Physics Department at the University of Nairobi in Kenya, will deliver a talk on the ultrafast dynamics of excited states in molecular crystals.

The full programme is available at http://academic.sun.ac.za/physics/websites/alc_workshop_2013/

Media release issued by Wiida Fourie-Basson, media: Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, 021 808-2684, science@sun.ac.za

Stellenbosch University reported alleged financial irregularities to the South African National Police Service on 19 November 2013 after forensic investigations had been completed.

Stellenbosch University (SU) previously announced further forensic investigations into the alleged non-compliance to financial policy and internal procedures at the university. This came as a result of the legal actions that had to be taken against Mr Chris de Beer, a former deputy director: student fees in this regard towards the end of 2012.

The relevant forensic investigations have now been completed and the required legal opinion on the relevant fact statements has also been obtained. The Audit and Risk Committee (ARC) of  the Stellenbosch University Council considered the content of the reports at a special meeting on Thursday 7 November 2013. The SU Council was kept informed of progress with the investigations.

The ARC concluded that there was reasonable suspicion that an offence related to fraud had been committed by former Stellenbosch University employees. As the amount exceeded R100 000, the matter had to be reported to the South African National Police Service (SAPS) as legally required by Section 34(1) of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act (Act no 12 of 2004).

The mentioned  reporting to the commercial crimes branch of the SAPS in Cape Town was completed on 19 November  2013. The reported offence is related to the alleged  irregular utilisation of SU reserve funds.

Stellenbosch University trusts that the SAPS will take the investigations further and has committed its full cooperation and support.

"The University management would like to emphasise that the irreproachable administration and integrity of all university systems are non-negotiable, and therefore, we will not hesitate to take appropriate and concerted steps against any person who brings this commitment into ill repute through wrongful acts," says Prof Russel Botman, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of Stellenbosch University.  

​​Five slides in five minutes…that's the only time that postgraduate students from the DST-NRF Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology (C•I•B) will have to strut their stuff during the Annual Research Meeting from 28 to 29 November 2013.

Every year the C•I•B's management come up with a different concept to challenge their students' ability to communicate their research findings, explains the CIB's deputy director: operational Ms Sarah Davies.

This year just over 30 students will present on topics ranging from the extent of fish invasions in water bodies in the Western Cape; the impact of habitat fragmentation on bee diversity; to the spread of the alien barnacle Balanus Glandula along the South African coast, as well as the preferred body temperature of the invasive Harlequin Ladybird beetle in the Western Cape.

Adding gravitas to an already packed programme is the presence of Dr Christoph Kueffer from one of the world's leading science and technology universities, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (also known as ETH Zurich). He will deliver the keynote address titled "Invasion science: a model for ecological research in the Anthropocene".

This will be followed by the launch of Plant Invasions in Protected Areas, Patterns, Problems and Challenges. Published as part of the Springer Series in Invasion Ecology, it includes the collective understanding of 80 ecologists and managers about the ecology and science of plant invasions in protected areas. With 14 global case studies and several chapters on management interventions, it has been described as an "outstanding volume [that] draws together pretty much all that can be said on this topic".

C•I•B core team member Llewellyn Foxcroft from SANParks and the C•I•B's director, Prof Dave Richardson, were part of the editorial team that put the book together.

The photo is from the C•I•B's Annual Research Meeting in 2012.

Three Stellenbosch University students in Mathematical Sciences and Actuarial Science competed in the 20^th International Maths Competition held in Bulgaria earlier this year.

It was the first that SU students competed in this competition.

Organised by the University College London and the American University of Bulgaria, 321 students from 72 different universities from all over the world competed during two sessions of five hours each.

The first question, for example, looked something like this:

But it is not all about winning, explains Dr Stephan Wagner from the Division Mathematics in the Department of Mathematical Sciences. "Going to this competition was actually the students' own initiative. It was definitely a worthwhile experience. Not just because of the competition, but also because it is nice to meet so many new people from different countries and all of them sharing a passion for mathematics."

SU's three maths boffins received 'honorable mentions' for their efforts, and were ranked between 230^th and 263^rd. However, after this first experience they now plan to go again next year and do one better!

On the photo, from the left, are Francois Koch van Niekerk, Mark Chimes, Dr Stephan Wagner and Desislava Nikolov.

​New meat labelling regulations recently published in the Government Gazette on the labelling of imported meat products in particular, flow from the research by meat experts of Stellenbosch University who brought the illegal practices of suppliers of processed meat to light earlier this year.

According to the new regulations promulgated by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), specific information must be present on the labels of all preserved, processed, dried and packaged meat products as from 25 April next year. This includes among other things the product's country of origin, weight, all ingredients present, as well as a description in simple language of the animal type the product was made of.

This follows after the research conducted by Dr Donna-Maréé Cawthorn and Prof Louw Hoffman of the Department of Animal Sciences at Stellenbosch University, in conjunction with Dr Harris Steinman of the Food & Allergy Consulting & Testing Services (F.A.C.T.S) in Milnerton, received wide media coverage when it was published in the international journal Food Control in February. They found that South African consumers are sometimes being misled about the ingredients to be found in processed meat products such as sausages, deli meats and hamburger patties. In 68% of the 139 products tested, the researchers found ingredients that were not declared on the food labels. Donkey, goat and water buffalo were found in some of the minced meats, hamburger patties, sausages and dried meats that were tested. In some cases even plant material was detected.

Not only did this indicate the violation of existing food labelling regulations, but posed economic, religious, ethical and health impacts. The study in Food Control was followed by similar research by the University of the Western Cape which focused on the origin of South African biltong. 

After the results of these studies were made public, a Commission of Inquiry was appointed.

According to the DTI the new regulations were put in place to prevent a similar scandal. The regulations were not only based on the evidence of the joint report compiled by the Departments of Trade and Industry, Health, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries after the scandal, but consumer feedback were also taken into account.

Prof Hoffman is glad that his research could lead to a practical result. "Now one can only hope that suppliers of processed products will comply with regulations and that it will be enforced," he says.

Media enquiries:
Prof Louw Hoffman
Department of Animal Sciences, Stellenbosch University
021 808 4747

​​​The Centre for Chinese Studies (CCS) at Stellenbosch University held a public event to launch the report "South African relations with China and Taiwan: Economic realism and the 'One China' doctrine" in Cape Town on Thursday 14 November 2013. 

The CCS does research on China-Africa relations.

Year 2013 marks the 15th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and South Africa. In 1998, South Africa shifted its diplomatic recognition to Beijing - which, in line the "One China" policy that claims that the PRC is the sole legitimate representative for all of China, meant that diplomatic ties with Taipei were severed.

Recognising Beijing was a sensible move when comparing market opportunities and global power potential of China – and that move came about 30 years after Western countries and most African states had switched to recognition for Beijing. 

The strong relationship with Beijing can be seen in both the political and economic realms. The heads of the two countries made headlines during the BRICS summit in March 2013. Recently, Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe paid an official visit to China and co-chaired the fifth plenary session of the China-South Africa Bi-national Commission. Both countries used to describe each other as "strategic partners", but have symbolically upgraded to a "comprehensive strategic partnership". 

At the same time, the party-to-party relationship between the ANC and the Chinese Communist Party have stepped up the pace in fostering closer relationship. From an economic perspective, China is South Africa's biggest trade partner, which, in retrospect, gives even more reason to see the switch to Beijing as in the interest of South Africa. This relationship has often been accentuated by business delegations seeking market opportunities for China's developing market of 1.3 billion population. 

South African businesses such as SAB Miller (breweries), Naspers (media) and Old Mutual (finance) among others have become visible on mainland China. Nevertheless, the diplomatic shift did not sever the relationship with Taiwan completely; the island still features amongst the top 20 trade partners of South Africa. 

One of the most significant findings of the research is that pragmatic approaches by the two Chinas exist. Within the limits of the sacred One-China doctrine, there is no sign of interfering with each other's interests in foreign territory; since Taiwan abandoned its plans for declaring independence, there is a diplomatic truce that one side does not actively try to win over foreign countries at the expense of the other. Activities of Taiwan, as a de factor autonomous actor, are not hampered by China as long as Taipei does not seek recognition as a state. The direct interactions between Beijing and Taipei, the so-called cross-strait relationship between the two Chinas, has improved, and the economies of the two countries have become closely interweaved. 

Think of the iPhone, for instance, which is an American product, but produced in China – by a Taiwanese company. This interconnectedness in a globalised world explains somewhat the steady level of South Africa-Taiwan relations after the de-recognition of the ROC. However, if the goal is to make the most for South African development, relations with not only Taiwan but also other Asian actors seem to be underexploited.

The CCS plans to disseminate the result of the research for Parliament early next year hoping to provide input for South African policy makers to position themselves vis-à-vis China and other Asian partners in the fast-changing global context. The final report will be released the beginning of next year. The policy brief is available on the website of the CCS (www.sun.ac.za/ccs). 

​​​Stellenbosch University's (SU) Undergraduate Prospectus and its Facebook page have been adjudicated winners in their respective categories at the annual Marketing, Advancement and Communication in Education (MACE) Excellence Awards. 

The MACE Excellence Awards give recognition to universities and colleges that set the tone in the field of marketing, communications and development (fundraising). The awards ceremony, the highlight of the annual MACE conference, was held in Bloemfontein on Tuesday 19 November 2013.

This year's Undergraduate Prospectus, with the theme You Unlimited, won the category External Publications: Special Publications​. The publication is edited by Mattie van der Merwe of the Division of Communication and Liaison. The SU Facebook page won the category Social Media: Social Networks for its Enrolment campaign. It also received a Skills Award for creativity and innovation.

According to Van der Merwe, prospective students are concerned about the job opportunities available to them through a qualification. To demonstrate that the University's programmes are relevant to the world of work, the creative team decided to promote the career opportunities offered by the various fields of study in the illustrations. 

"The models were our own enthusiastic students and the faculties and departments supplied us with props that are typical of their fields of study. The careers were highlighted in the text with the faculties' colours. It was ’n great team effort that worked out well!"

Lize Esterhuizen, Head: E-comms, gives insight into SU's Facebook campaign, which aimed to connect specifically with young Black, Coloured and Indian individuals who have not interacted with SU on Facebook before. 

"These prospective students would be reached via targeted advertisements which would encourage them to like our fan page and fill in an online form if they were interested in applying to study at this institution. This would be followed up with a telephonic interview in which a representative of the Centre of Prospective Students would explain the process of applying to the university and ensure that the applicant adhered to the minimum admission requirements for the course that he/she is interested in.

"This was the first time that we initiated a project on Facebook with specific objectives and expected outcomes, to support a very specific strategic business need," Esterhuizen said.

Some interesting statistics:

• The total amount of Likes on the Facebook Page was 25,297 before the project, which increased to 32,249.
  
• The organic reach on the Facebook page was previously 33,020 and has increased to 146,686.
  
• The amount of people ‘talking about this’ on Facebook was 366 and has increased to 3,723.
  

The University also received Merit Awards for its alumni magazine, Matieland (in the category External Publications: Magazines), the Annual Report (External Publications: Annual Reports), the Research Report (External Publications: Annual Reports) and for its webpage (www.sun.ac.za).

Photo: Hadi Fakier and Martin Viljoen of Stellenbosch University's Division of Communication and Liaison receive the division's awards.

​Practitioners and scholars from eight countries and fourty institutions are gathered in Stellenbosch to attend the 5th International Symposium on Service-Learning (ISSL) and to find answers to some of the key questions around service learning.  

Stellenbosch University (SU) and the University of Indianapolis are co-hosts of the symposium themed: Service-Learning across the globe: from local to transnational at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS) in Stellenbosch.

At the welcoming event on Wednesday Dr Jerome Slamat, who stood in for Prof Julian Smith, Vice Rector: Community Interaction and Personnel  (who fell ill) gave an overview of the seminal moments of Community University Engagement (CUE) in South Africa as well as the aspects required to institutionalise CUE. This includes management support, resources, policy and recognition for community engagement.

He further talked about the CUE imperatives for a 21^st century university such as the co-production of knowledge, sustainability and diversity: broadening access and widening participation especially with the use of technology. Slamat identified some of the critical questions around CUE: Has CUE been de-politicised? Do we focus enough on the process and purpose of CUE? How do we go beyond and deeper than service – focusing on learning, not only service?

Finally he looked at some of the possibilities of service learning, such as the co-creation and multi-directional flow of knowledge and the community change that results from this as well as the facilitation of an inclusive, collaborative and deliberative democracy.

Prof Russel Botman, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of SU, said in his address on Thursday morning that service-learning opens up exciting new possibilities for authentic learning and co-operative learning with communities. "These are rich learning experiences that occur when different types of knowledge and knowledge systems converge.

"There should be reciprocity between university and community so that both parties can actively discover knowledge, both can teach, and both can learn from each other."

Prof Nieves Tapia, Director of CLAYSS, a centre for Service Learning in Latin America, gave the keynote address at the symposium and talked about how service learning has been entrenched in Latin American universities since 1918.  She gave examples of how students hosting free clinics for horses used by poor people to transport recycled products found in garbage, came across new illnesses and bone deviations affecting these horses. "It led to research that was presented at conferences around the world."

"Service learning is not just about becoming better citizens - we must ask ourselves if our research is relevant to society. It is about learning through transforming society, sharing and learning together."

Dr Phylis Lan Lin, co-organiser of the symposium, spoke on behalf of the President of the University of Indianapolis. She said the university was founded in 1902 and has had a service ethic right from the start. "About 50 years ago this ethic was formalised in the motto 'Education for Service'. It became one of the central convictions that shapes the University's sense of purpose. It is part of our university's fabric and is something that we will maintain and strengthen."

Service-learning is a form of experiential learning which involves reciprocity between student learning and service to industry or the community. It is often also referred to as community engaged learning, curriculum-based community engagement or curricular community engagement.

The ISSL will try and answer questions such as "How can we develop a global service-learning (or community-engaged learning) language?", "How can research contribute to understanding service-learning in different contexts?", "Which graduate attributes will be strengthened by global academic citizenry?" and "How do we contribute to local development agendas and how can we feed in to international development agendas?"

The first ISSL was held in 2005 with subsequent symposia held in Indianapolis in the USA, Athens in Greece and in Ningbo, China. The next ISSL will be held in Indianapolis in 2015.

Caption: Prof Russel Botman, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the SU, at the 5th International Symposium on Service Learning. Photo: Nico Gründlingh​. 

The time for discussing the National Development Plan (NDP) is over – it is time now for action.

This was the call made by speakers at a conference on implementing the National Development Plan (NDP). The conference – presented by the School of Public Leadership (SPL) at Stellenbosch University (SU) – kicked off on 21 November 2013.

In his presentation Mr Khulekani Mathe, Acting Head of the National Planning Commission Secretariat (NPC) said that the NPC is very encouraged by the current interest in and support of the plan – especially from young people. According to him they will bear the burden of failure or enjoy the success of the plan. 

"In this regard young people are also the solution. There is much excitement about cross sector collaboration to improve, among others, education.   

Dr Ivan Meyer, Provincial Minister of Cultural Affairs, Sports and Recreation in the Western Cape Government, gave a provincial perspective and said that three things are needed for the NDP to succeed – a capable state, an active citizenry and quality leadership.

He also referred to the need for the youth to be involved in the NDP. “The plan identifies the need of intervening in the early lives of our children. This is an absolute priority as it can affect earnings 30 years down the line.”

Meyer also referred to the fact that NDP is not yet on the agenda of meetings between national and provincial ministers (Minmecs). He highlighted innovative initiatives in the Western Cape such as, among others, after-school programmes for children between 14:00 and 18:00 as these are the times most children get involved in anti-social activities.

Adv Thuli Madonsela, the Public Protector, addresses delegates this morning.

Complete article to follow.

The sharp increase in unemployment in South Africa in the late 1990s may have been the result of government policy regarding school leavers, and not simply due to a weak economy. So says economists of Stellenbosch University, in a discussion paper published on the website of the German Institute for Labour Studies. It was also previously published as part of the Stellenbosch Working Papers series.

In 1998 the Minister of Education defined the appropriate age for admission to a certain grade as "the grade number plus 6"  in order to reduce the large number of over-age learners in the school system. Schools could no longer accept learners who were more than two years older than the correct grade-age, and could not hold back learners more than once in each of the four schooling phases.

An analysis of school administrative data and household survey data showed that the introduction of the policies coincided with a decrease in school enrolment of at least 400 000, and possibly as many as 900 000 learners.

Most affected were over-aged learners who were until that time inclined to remain in school due to their poor labour market prospects.

"The policies seem to have pushed many people into the labour market at an earlier age than was observed for previous generations, which explains much of the sudden increase in labour force participation and unemployment during this period," says lead author Dr Rulof Burger of the SU Department of Economics.

Dr Burger believes that the resulting increase in unemployment more accurately reflects the disguised unemployment that had already existed in the mid-1990s, rather than a deterioration of labour market conditions.

"These policies were intended to contribute positively to the long-term problems associated with education quality, by reducing the burden of crowded classrooms," he explains. "However, they did not take into account the immediate labour market impacts that would result, without feasible alternative skills development opportunities for those that were affected."

It was initially envisioned that the affected group of over-aged learners would be absorbed into Further Education and Training (FET) colleges outside of the schooling system. However, the so-called "FET alternative" was at the time already inaccessible to many, due to the scarcity of such institutions in rural areas and the often high fees.

"As a result, poorly qualified individuals were forced to search for jobs that were not available to the unskilled, and the same group remained marginalised from opportunities to obtain competencies that were required for integration into the workplace," says Dr Burger.

Media enquiries:
Dr Rulof Burger, Department of Economics, Stellenbosch University
021 808 2328 or rulof@sun.ac.za

Reference: Burger, Rulof, Van der Berg, Servaas & Von Fintel, Dieter (2013). The Unintended Consequences of Education Policies on South African Participation and Unemployment, Institute for the Study of Labor Discussion Paper Series

​​​​​​​Waste should not be seen as a burden but rather as a resource or a commodity.

By signing a research funding agreement with Stellenbosch University, the Recycling and Economic Development Initiative of South Africa (REDISA) expects a new research group, situated in the Departments of Process Engineering and Chemistry,​​ to investigate how value can be generated by recycling waste tyres.

REDISA will be providing the University with funding in the amount of R10 million over 4 years for the research program titled: Beneficiation of Waste Tyres from Recycling. The agreement was signed on Friday 22 November.

Mr Hermann Erdmann, CEO of REDISA, warned that there is an enormous amount of work to be done.

"We need you to show us where the intrinsic value lies so that it can be harvested," he said.

Prof Eugene Cloete, Vice-rector: Research and Innovation at SU, signed the agreement on behalf of the university.

He expressed his excitement about the project and shared a quote that he came across while he was working on his MSc degree in the late seventies: 'Waste is a resource out of place'.

"In the future we will be required to recycle everything," he added.

According to the project brief the disposal of waste tyres presents a significant technological and environmental challenge worldwide. Simultaneously however, the recycling of waste tyres presents a great opportunity for social, environmental and economic development through conversion into both energy and chemical products.

At the heart of the REDISA's Integrated Industry Waste Tyre Management Plan (IIWTMP) is the creation of a new, sustainable industry which will create employment, both for informal and formal sectors and the fostering of SMMEs and BBBEE. Key to the creation of such an industry is the driving of research and development of smarter and more efficient recycling processes.

The IIWTMP involves a charge to tyre manufacturers of R2.30 (plus Vat) per every kilogram of tyres introduced into South Africa. This money will be used to fund the IIWTMP which will include training as well as research and development (R&D).  

"R&D will be supported by REDISA at South African institutions to both create and design processes for South African conditions but also to build knowledge and expertise in the country, specifically dealing with the conversion of waste tyres into chemical products.

The first candidates for this research group at SU have already been interviewed. According to Prof Johann Görgens, they have also applied for THRIP funding for 2014.

Photo: Dr Barbra Tapela, non-executive board member of REDISA, and Prof Eugene Cloete, Vice-rector: Research and Innovation, signed the agreement. Fotograaf: EJ Langner

Shepherd Mudavanhu, currently in the third year of his BAgric (Agricultural Economics) degree at Stellenbosch University, is the 2013 recipient of the prestigious INISA Student Grant.

INISA – "The Initiative Southern Africa" – is a German Non-Governmental Organisation, founded in 1995. It offers a grant for students from universities and other tertiary education institutions in countries of the SADC region. The organisation is independent and non-partisan and is funded through membership fees and donations – members include country-experts, researchers, students and people from Germany and Africa with an interest in Southern African affairs.

The bursary, covering a substantial amount of tuition fees and costs related to studying (such as books, study materials and residence fees), considers a range of criteria in selecting the successful candidate(s), and requires a comprehensive application, one part of which is a personal motivation letter for receiving the grant.

Shepherd's motivation was simple, yet far-reaching. Citing reports from the UNDP and his own research on existing literature on food security, agricultural practices and developing economies' growth, he argued in his motivation letter that agriculture underpins a great deal of the development of Africa and other developing economies. He directed his concern in particular towards his home country, Zimbabwe, in which he sees not only challenges, but also prospects, not least of which is the immense agricultural potential.

During his studies at Stellenbosch University thus far, Shepherd maintained an aggregated average of 71% for the 10 modules he followed in second year; which is even more impressive and inspiring if one considers that he halted his previous degree in Business Studies after his second year at the University of Zimbabwe due to personal challenges, the economic meltdown and political crises in Zimbabwe.

Through his degree and future career in Agricultural Economics, he hopes to employ his knowledge in finding socio-economically integrated solutions to farming commodities and practices in general and endeavours to contribute to, in particular, economic policy recommendations, farming consultancy and research.

Shepherd intends on continuing his Honours-level studies in 2014 at Stellenbosch University.

For more information about the INISA grant, contact: info@inisa.de

​For national development to work, there must be good governance; corruption is one of the key enemies of development; and, development should be the pursuit of everyone with the state primarily acting as an enabler and regulator. (Video)

These were some of the key messages by the Public Protector, Adv Thuli Madonsela, at a conference on implementing the National Development Plan (NDP) – presented by the School of Public Leadership (SPL) at Stellenbosch University (SU) on Friday (22 November).

The conference, themed Making National Development work – from design to delivery, was held at the Bellville Park Campus from 21-23 November 2013.

In her speech Adv Madonsela said that the timing of the debate around the implementation of the National Development Plan is of great interest as we are "moments away from celebrating the 20th anniversary of our hard-won democracy" but also at a time "when it has come to our attention that the number of people living below the poverty line increased from 48% in 1996 to 52.3% in 2012".

There is accordingly no better opportunity for reflecting on developmental planning and implementation than the present one, she said.

"The Constitution promises the people of South Africa an improved quality of life and a freed potential of each person. That improved quality of life is anchored by a justiciable bill of rights enshrining right and freedoms that ought to be enjoyed by every single one of us.

 "The Constitution defines and describes the character of the state that is required for the realisation of the constitutional vision. The Constitution stipulates, among other things, that the state must be democratic, uphold the rule of law and operate on the basis of openness, transparency and accountability," she added.

It also refers to the ethical standards which the executive should uphold and which include acting in the public interest. "If you look closely at the constitutional provisions outlining the character of the state, you begin to see clearly the seeds of good governance."

In this regard she referred to local government that should provide among others democratic and accountable government for local communities and the provision of services to communities in a sustainable manner.

"One could say, in a nutshell, in order to make national development work, there must be good governance."

In addressing delegates she highlighted two kinds of failures her office deals with – service failure and conduct failure. Service failure incorporates service delayed, for example getting an ID, work or residence permit, workers compensation, water, electricity and housing, while conduct failure includes abuse of state power and resources, conflict of interest, other forms of unethical conduct, including bribery.

Governance failures she added include "inadequate connect between those that govern and the power givers" with the problem being (in the case of for example the e-toll debacle) communication. "Government says it consulted and the people say it didn't. The truth is they are both right. There was consultation but it was not specific". Others are poor planning, corruption, leadership and skills deficit, and a fragmented state resulting in "left-behind" communities.

Importantly, she said, is that on the question of the rule of law and understanding checks and balances, "I have noted that many are still stuck in pre-constitution thinking.  Sui generis institutions such as mine that are neither courts nor tribunals are not fully understood. This means their potential to help transform the state in pursuit of good governance is not fully utilised. In the Inkandla matter for example, the argument is that the power to decide on security matters is that of Parliament and the Cabinet. That is true. But the power to determine whether or not that power has been exercised in accordance with the law belongs to my office, other competent bodies and ultimately the courts. That is the impact of the additional checks and balances that the framers of our constitution added in order to reinforce our fledging constitutional democracy."

Corruption is one of the key enemies of development

She added that a key pillar of good governance is clean governance. "By its very nature clean governance entails zero tolerance to corruption. Corruption is one of the key enemies of development. Its outcomes include distorted policies, unplanned and unneeded projects, overbilling, false billing, overcharging and shoddy work and an unstable investment and entrepreneurial environment.  

"While all these are important, it is critical to mention that it should not be left to the state to ensure good governance. It must also be understood that development should be the pursuit of everyone with the state primarily acting as an enabler and regulator. However, as a developmental state our state must directly engage in the delivery of  basic needs such as water, health, education, infrastructure and to a limited extent, housing."

Ultimately, the better life promised by the Constitution can be better and speedily achieved through enhanced good governance and development planning with a view to enabling all who can to fend for themselves while ensuring that those that cannot look after themselves are taken care of, she said.  "We all have roles in this regard. If we play our part we will ensure that in the next 20 years, ours is a state that is accountable, operates with integrity and is responsive to the needs of its people."

Photo by Anton Jordaan

The Maties Rugby Club produced its 175th Springbok player this past weekend when Lourens Adriaanse made his debut in the test match between South Africa and France in Paris. Adriaanse made a late entry into the match when he replaced Coenie Oosthuizen at prop during the second half. South Africa won the encounter by a 19-10 score line.

Adriaanse had a superb student rugby career while he played at Maties. During 2010 – his honours year – he was captain of the victorious Maties team that claimed the FNB Varsity Cup title. In the same year he was also named as the club’s player of the year as well as the Western Province League’s player of the year.

Caption: Former Springbok captain Francoi Pienaar congratulates Lourens Adriaanse on winning the Varsity Cup in 2012 (Photo: Anton Jordaan)

​​The 7^th AC21 International Forum will take place in Stellenbosch from 13 – 16 April 2014. Set against the theme background "Science for Society: Higher Education as Builder of Hope," the International Forum will provide AC21 member institutions with a sound platform to explore how international knowledge coalitions can focus on sustainable human development. The forum sessions will be arranged according to various sub-themes, from Higher Education and Community Development to Competitive Industry: Higher education, research and innovation​

Call for Papers

Abstracts are currently invited for individual presentations or panel sessions at the 2014 International Forum.

For individual papers, each paper will be presented individually in 30 minutes timeslots, which include 7- 10 minutes for questions. Empirical and scholarly research from a wide range of disciplines and perspectives are welcome. Abstracts are solicited on all aspects of research, development and application pertaining to the sub-themes. Individual paper presentations may be grouped into panels with similar papers and will be assigned a panel chair.

Proposals are also invited for panel sessions, consisting of presentations of three to five related papers on a single theme, and will be allocated one to two hours for presentation and discussion. Proposals for panel sessions can be submitted by one individual, including all abstracts for the panel presentation. The proposal shall include the name of the panel convenor, the details of all presenters and the title and abstract of each presentation.

Submission of Proposals

Authors that would like to present their work at the conference must please submit an abstract and an outline of the paper in English, not exceeding 300 words. It should state clearly the title of the paper, the name of the author(s) and their affiliations, and the name of the person(s) who will be presenting the work at the conference. The abstract should address the main theme or the subthemes of the conference. The abstract should outline the full scope of the paper including the main aim, findings or support for the argument, and significance of the study. Please download the abstract submission template here.

Deadline: The deadline for submission of abstract proposals is 6 December 2013.

Submission can be done through the conference website: www.sun.ac.za/ac21.

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AC21 (Academic Consortium 21) is an academic consortium comprised of higher education institutions around the world, including Australia, China, France, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, South Africa (Stellenbosch University), Thailand and the USA. The vision of AC21 is to promote cooperation in education and research between members, the bridging between different societies in the world and the delivering of wisdom to all people to mutually understand and share values, knowledge and cultures necessary to improve quality of life and to foster co-existence beyond national and regional boundaries in the 21st century.

• The AC21 IF 2014 is coordinated by Stellenbosch University. More information can be found by contacting Ms Lidia du Plessis at the Postgraduate and International  Office (lidia@sun.ac.za) and visiting the website www.sun.ac.za/ac21. 
  

​Critical questions about the challenges and choices that research-oriented universities are facing, came under scrutiny at the annual meeting of Stellenbosch University's (SU) Convocation.

Prof Johann Groenewald's speech entitled: "Strategic choices for the research university: Three cheers? Two? Or just one?" ("Strategiese keuses vir die navorsingsuniversiteit: Drie hoera's? Twee? Of net een?") looked at the trends in higher education, not only in South Africa, but also in the rest of the world and what this means for research-led universities.

He explained that since the 1980s the emphasis has been on universities' research outputs, also in South Africa,. In his presentation, he showed how the number of academic staff at universities decreased by 11% from 2000 to 2011, while the number of students increased by about 35% from 610 131 to 938 201. The number of students per lecturer has increased from 32 in 2000 to 55 in 2011 - an increase of 73%. And this while access to universities are widened, but not all students are equally prepared for tertiary education. However, the research outputs of universities increased substantially. "Have research increased at the expense of teaching?" Groenewald asked.

Another aspect that Groenewald touched on was the decrease in resources, as government subsidies decline year after year. "Yet the state requires more accountability for the money and it's expected of universities to write more reports on the money they receive. So where does the money come from? More research contracts are being concluded with private organisations and donors are also being asked to pay for research."

Prof Narisscia Botha, a social worker, was honoured with the Convocation award for community service at Thursday evening's event. Prof Botha has been involved in community development for years and spent 15 years as an advisor for faith-based social services organisation Badisa. To this day she is still playing an invaluable role at retirement homes. Prof Botha is also involved in the Joint Venture Trust, an organisation that helps with operations for disadvantaged people who has difficulty walking but who cannot afford to pay for an operation. Prof Botha, who herself has difficulty walking and who has had knee and hip replacements, helps identify candidates and guides them through the process.

She was also involved with the creation of a statue of former president Nelson Mandela at the Drakenstein Correctional Facility. The statue was made by a Dutch couple, who struggled to find someone in South Africa to take receipt of the statue. Prof Botha helped to facilitate the process.

"She is an inspiration to all around her and a worthy recipient of the award," said Prof Viljoen.

Prof Botha expressed her gratitude and said she received the award on behalf of the orthopedic surgeon Dr Edwin Dillon, founder of the Joint Venture Trust and the Dutch couple who donated the statue of Mandela.

In his report, Prof Russel Botman, Rector and Vice-Chancellor, shared the University's Vision 2030 for an inclusive, innovative and future-oriented institution. "To be more inclusive, we need bursaries to support students, so we hope that alumni will contribute to scholarships for talented but underprivileged students."

He further explained that the SU will focus on unlocking new target markets such as the work and learn market who will be serviced using distance education.

Prof Viljoen said in turn the Convocation would like to become more involved with the University, by among other things making bursaries available. He praised the University for the Parallel Medium Education that was successfully implemented and is expected to contribute to an increase in both the English and Afrikaans offering on campus. With regard to research output, he congratulated the university with a 33% increase in research output from 2011 to 2012.

He briefly referred to the challenges for universities in the 21st century, including pressure on funding, promoting entrepreneurship, as well as changing the teaching and learning model in order to promote critical and creative thinking in graduates. In view of this, he was pleased "that the University has a long-term goal (Vision 2030) and I hope the it will grow to be the leading university in South Africa and Africa."

Caption: From left is Prof Johann Groenewald, Adv Jan Heunis, Prof Russel Botman, Prof Narisscia Botha, who received an award at the event, MS Nadia Marais, secretary, and Prof Christo Viljoen. Photo: Hennie Rudman.​

​Stellenbosch University (SU) hosted its 3rd Annual Donor Recognition Awards event on Thursday (14 November) as a token of appreciation for the continued support of its alumni and friends. 

Attendees were thanked for their commitment to the SU Bursary Fund which is helping to ensure that deserving students are given the opportunity to study at this world-class institution.

Prof Russel Botman, SU Rector and Vice-Chancellor, said: "The unique and enriching experience of becoming a Matie is not accessible to all. Not everyone can afford university studies, especially in a country such as ours with high levels of poverty and inequality. That is why we thank everyone who donated towards bursaries.

"Nearly half of all our students are reliant on bursaries or other forms of financial support. Without donor support, they would not have been able to further their studies with a view of becoming productive members of society. We currently have 1831 alumni donors, which we want to increase further. It is therefore good news that 322 of our alumni donors are new donors that started giving this year."

He highlighted two initiatives: the SU Bursary Fund and Finalejaars 1 2 Give programme.

The SU Bursary Fund is an annual giving programme geared at fostering a philanthropic community in support of student success. This forms part of the enduring vision of research, teaching and learning, and community interaction of Stellenbosch University. 

"Our alumni and friends are essential to supporting the university's mission and can help us make a difference in education - the future of our country. By supporting your alma mater you are investing in the continued excellence of Stellenbosch University as a leading institution of higher learning," said Ms Bev Witten, Senior Director: Alumni Relations.

The Finalejaars 1 2 Give programme is a student-driven fundraising initiative supporting the SU Bursary Fund. The volunteer programme is aimed at fostering a culture of giving amongst final-year students and encouring them to leave a legacy for the next generation of students.

Two bursary recipients - Llewellyn Stevens, a first-year BComm Law student and Thala Msutu, a second year BComm Law student - shared their gratitude with donors at the Kleine Zalze Function venue.

Stevens is a category winner of the 2012 Matriculant of the year competition and former head boy at Vredendal High School. He spoke proudly of being not only a first-year Matie but also a first-generation student. 

"This has been a dream not only for me and my family but also for the 500 residents of Lepelsfontein where the norm would be to finish high school and then wait for a community project to come to town to generate employment for residents. I have defied the norm."  

He identified Emerging Maties, a course presented by the Frederik van Zyl Slabbert Institute for Student Leadership Development, as a highlight of his year. An opportunity made possible by donors who contributed towards his bursary.

Thala Msutu said in his opening remarks: "Thank you in every imaginable way for granting me the opportunity to come to this world-class institution." He describes the opportunity to experience residence and education facilities at SU as something some only saw in the movies. Msutu said that to ensure donors' investment in him bore dividends, he made a choice to become a top student - passing his first year with distinction, serving as a mentor in his "koshuis", being selected into the Juridicial Society, acting in the Maties Drama Club and supporting each and every Maties Varsity Cup game.

For more information about how you can support a deserving student, contact Bev Witten at 021 808 9351 or email bevwitten@sun.ac.za

Caption: Llewellyn Stevens, Mrs Beryl Botman, Prof Russel Botman and Thala Msutu.

​Dr Andre Young. Dr Necmi Tezel. David Prinsloo. Ngoy Mutonkole. Brendon Potgieter. Theunis Beukman. Joely Andriambeloson. Antheun Botha. Nicolas Thompson. Jacki Gilmore. Vereese van Tonder. Elmine Botes. 

These are just some of the engineering students and postdoctoral fellows from Stellenbosch University whose studies are being supported through the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project. They come from South Africa, Madagascar, Kenya, the DRC (via Zambia) and as far afield as Turkey. Their research efforts, along with those of students and academics from various other South African, African and international institutions, are helping to build the world's largest radio telescope. 

The Stellenbosch contingent are all presenting the latest news on their projects at the 8^th annual SKA Postgraduate Bursary Conference in Stellenbosch, together with other South African students and researchers, and invited speakers from African partner countries and SKA leaders from Europe, China and Australia.

This week-long annual gathering of students and researchers supported by the SKA South Africa Project has become a showcase for the country's scientific progress and achievements in support of the global SKA mega-science radio telescope project. It is being held for the 6^th time at the Wallenberg Research Centre, until Friday.

This is the biggest SKA SA student conference to date and includes 32 post-doctoral fellows, 48 PhD students and 38 MSc students – testimony to the success of the SKA SA project to attract research students to this field. Among the 215 delegates attending is Prof Phillip Diamond, director general of the international SKA Organisation in the UK, who delivered the keynote address on Tuesday morning.

"The conference is a great opportunity for our students and researchers to interact not only with the whole national community working on SKA, but also with our international partners," says Prof David Davidson of the Department of Electric and Electronic Engineering, whose research chair in electromagnetics is funded through the SKA project. 

The SKA is due to be completed in the mid 2020s, and will be co-located in South Africa, Australia, and SKA African partner countries.

Caption:

Vereese van Tonder, a Master's student in Engineering at Stellenbosch University, and Prof Phillip Diamond, director-general of the International SKA organisation in the UK. Photo: Maryna Cotton

​​Thembi Tsotetsi and Maxwell Miselo were respectively named Top Student and Most Dedicated Student at the University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB) Small Business Academy's certificate ceremony.

Tsotsetsi is the owner of Kaltsha Glass, a 24-hour mobile auto and building glass installation service in Khayelitsha, while Miselo runs a shuttle service and internet café.

The guest speaker at the event, Prof Julian Smith, Vice-rector: Community Interaction and Personnel at Stellenbosch University, congratulated the participants in his address, highlighting their passion and commitment to the programme.

"Each one of these 14 small business owners realised the opportunity of furthering their knowledge, sharpening their business skills and broadening their horizons by enrolling for this programme. We salute these participants for the leadership role they fulfil within their communities and by doing so, for their contribution to the development of our country."

Tsotetsi, who runs the glass business with her husband, scored the highest mark overall. She started the business last year after noticing a gap in the market for glass installations in the township. The business has grown impressively since she joined the SBA programme, with leading coach operators such as Greyhound and Translux now featuring among their clients. She currently employs a team of four but wants to operate at national level within eight years. 

The intensive nine-month programme provides business education to owners of small township businesses. Funded by Distell Foundation and Absa, with additional donations from smaller companies and USB alumni, students and staff, the programme provides a comprehensive mentorship programme with alumni of the USB as mentors, a training programme in business essentials such as finance and marketing, and a business plan and workshops.

The research assignments of some of the USB's current MBA students focused on the SBA participants' businesses. At the same time, these assignments generated input for the participants' final business plan presentations.

Tsotetsi said the programme had revolutionised the way in which she now approaches her business.

"Prior to joining the course, my husband and I both lacked the knowledge and skills to put our ideas into practice. The programme has offered me invaluable insights into finance, the management of staff and how to run a profitable business."

Prioritising marketing and branding has already benefited her as she has gained a number new clients, she said. The solid advice from her mentor and the networking opportunities also contributed to her progress. 

Watch DVD clip of SBA certificate function here.

Photo: Bernie Berkowitz (regional head: Enterprise Development at Barclays Africa), Thembi Tsotetsi (SBA Top Student), Prof Julian Smith (vice-rector: Community Interaction and Personnel: Stellenbosch University) and Vernon de Vries (head of Corporate Affairs at Distell). Picture: Heindrich Wyngaard

Sport lovers are in for a treat this weekend when Varsity Sports (VS) will take over Camps Bay during the second edition of the Varsity 7s Rugby and Beach Volleyball competitions from 29 November to 1 December.

In what promises to be an even bigger spectacle than the inaugural event in 2012, the defending beach volleyball champions, University of Western Cape (UWC) will be wary of the University of Johannesburg, who took silver in 2012. But they also need to keep a close eye on the girls from the other teams, from the University of Limpopo, Tshwane University of Technology, University of Pretoria, neighbours University of Cape Town and the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University.

Not too far away from the sand and sunshine of the Camps Bay beach the Camps Bay Sports Club will showcase the very best of university sevens rugby.

The eight universities in the beach volleyball competition will also be represented on the rugby field, together with the North West University Potchefstroom (Pukke), who just won the provisional 7s tournament in Kimberley last week and the most successful VS union and top seed, Stellenbosch University's Maties, who took the inaugural title in 2012.

"Varsity Sports strives to remind everyone that sport is fun, while showcasing South Africa's sport stars of the future. This tournament will be no different. Varsity Cup Rugby has been a great success and we plan to lift 7s rugby, beach volleyball and the other sports in the Varsity family to similar heights," said former Springbok captain and VS sport director Francois Pienaar.

"Taking these competitions to Camps Bay really was a no-brainer for us. It is a place with a great look, feel and vibe and I'm sure the students and spectators will have a great time. The decision to go there was met by huge support from all the role players."

With the finals of both sports codes being played on Sunday.

Maties will be action at the following times:

Friday 29 November:

10:40 - Maties vs NMMU
13:00 - Maties vs UFS
14:00 - Maties vs PUKKE
16:40 - Maties vs TUT
18:40 - Maties vs UCT

Saturday 30 November:

12:20 - Maties vs UJ
14:00 - Maties vs TUKS
15:40 - Maties vs UWC
17:20 - Maties vs LIMPOPO

Sunday 1 December:

Semi-finals and finals (TBC)

Source: Varsity Sports (www.varsitysportssa.com)