​Nurturing and caring are two qualities that students on the Tygerberg campus embrace – not only as part of their studies, but also in their daily human interaction.

A project which entails the establishment of communal pantry where needy students can get food and other basic necessities has received dedicated support from students and staff, but more help is needed to ensure the sustainability of the project.

The first pantry was established at the Tygerberg Student Council (TSC) office when the administrative head, Adri Brits, realised that there were needy students at the Tygerberg Campus but that it wasn't always possible to get assistance from main campus straight away. "So we started keeping some non-perishable food items in the office to give to students," says Brits.

The idea caught on and soon another pantry started at one of the residences on the Tygerberg Campus, home of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.

"The Kerkenberg pantry started in my room," says Emeka Okeke, a final-year MB,ChB student and Kerkenberg resident who himself went without food during difficult times in his third and fourth years. "I didn't know who to ask for help, but my friends noticed that I was distancing myself and losing weight, so I told them what was going on and they pulled together to help me.

"I realised that there were other students like me and since then my room has become a collection and distribution point for food and other items," says Okeke.

The project has grown and in addition to the two collection and distribution points (the TSR office in the Tygerberg Student Centre (TSC) and the Kerkenberg residence), 'drop boxes' have also been placed around campus where staff and students can make donations, and 'in-house' pantries are being planned for other residences at the campus.

"Tygerberg students need a place on their own campus where they can get immediate help, and that's what we are trying to do," says Brits.

Initially only non-perishable food items such as canned and dried foods were collected, but recently toiletries, including sanitary products, have also been included. The project leaders are also calling for donations of used text books, scrubs and white coats that can be passed on to students who can't afford to buy these items. Financial donations have also been channelled to needy students.

"You don't expect this level of poverty among university students because you think that either their parents are looking after them or they have bursaries," says Okeke. "But some students with bursaries are actually the breadwinners in their homes."

Many students have never been taught how to work with money and struggle to make their allowances last the whole month. "We are looking at ways to help students manage their money better and are planning to provide students with financial advice to help them plan their budgets," says Okeke.

Access to the pantry at Kerkenberg is largely based on trust and during the three years it has been running there has only been one incident where someone took food unnecessarily. "The point is not to police it, otherwise the people who really need it won't have access to it," says Okeke. In fact, people who contribute to the pantry at Kerkenberg are also encouraged to take from it so that the needy students don't get singled out or treated differently.

"So I sometimes go to the pantry and take things and other times I go and add items, and I encourage others to do the same. That way, apart from me, nobody knows who is needy," says Okeke.

In order to keep the project going after he graduates at the end of the year, Okeke is handing the reigns of the Kerkenberg pantry over to younger students. The Department of Paediatrics and Child Health have launched a project through which Kerkenberg residents can earn grocery vouchers from Pick 'n Pay by reading to patients in the Tygerberg Children's Hospital. "We are very grateful to Paediatrics for the support they have given to students, and we challenging other departments to do the same," says Okeke.

He also gave special thanks to everyone that supports the project, in particular Adri Brits, Dr Karin Baatjes (Department of Surgical Sciences), Dr Lizel Smit (Department of Paediatrics and Child Health) and Prof Andrew Levin (Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care).

"This is a symptom of the bigger issue of poverty, but the problem we are faced with is that students need to study, but they are hungry and they need food. A packet of two-minute noodles is so much more than that for a hungry students – it is a meal that keeps them going for the whole day. And we are very grateful for every donation we receive, however big or small," says Okeke.

This year the theme of "giving" is part of the FMHS's 60^th celebrations. "This is a wonderful example of Ubuntu on our campus where students and staff are pulling together to help each other," says Ms Ronel Bester, Strategic Relations Manager of the FMHS. "As part of the faculty's 60^th celebrations this year we hope to further nurture a culture of caring and giving between everyone on the Tygerberg campus. We encourage staff members to bring whatever items they can manage on a monthly basis to help our students who are sometimes in dire need."

Donations of non-perishable food and toiletries can be dropped off at the TSC office in room 2005 in the Tygerberg Student Centre (TSS), or placed in the collection boxes in the Clinical Building (in front of room 1038) or the TSS (in front of Fedics). Used textbooks and clothes can also be dropped off at the TSC office. Call Adri Brits at 021 931 1921 for more information.

Photo: Mr Emeka Okeke

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A capabilities approach can help courts see to it that government spending is proportionate to the socioeconomic needs of vulnerable members of society, writes Dr Shanelle van der Berg of the Department of Public Law in an opinion piece published on The Conversation website on Wednesday (11 May 2016).

• ​Read the complete article below or click here for the article as published.
  

Shanelle van der Berg

While almost half of the South African population lives in poverty, the lofty ideals proclaimed in our Constitution remain unattainable. For South Africa to transform into a society based on the foundational constitutional values of freedom, dignity and equality, urgent attention must be given to the fulfilment of the socio-economic rights enshrined in the Constitution. Proportionate State resource allocation directed at the swift realisation of the rights of access to housing, access to health care services, social security, sufficient food and water and education is of paramount importance to South Africa's on-going transformation project.

Recurring instances of irregular and wasteful government spending have highlighted the importance of constitutional institutions such as the Public Protector and Auditor General, civil society organisations and the media in promoting transparency and accountability. Simultaneously, the judiciary has emerged as a significant role-player in the safe-guarding of South Africa's constitutional democracy. Regarding socio-economic rights and the struggle against poverty, courts will often be required to scrutinise government budgets and prioritisation of resources to determine whether the State has met its constitutional obligation to act 'reasonably' in its efforts to progressively realise these rights. 

One way to theoretically justify and practically aid courts in adjudicating government's allocative decisions, is through developing the 'capabilities approach' as advocated by Nobel laureate Amartya Sen and Chicago University Professor of Law and Ethics Martha Nussbaum. The central question the capabilities approach poses is whether people enjoy the real freedom or 'capabilities' to choose the lives they have reason to value. Our Constitution evinces a similar commitment in its preamble to 'improve the quality of life of all citizens and free the potential of each person'. For South Africans to reach their potential and lead meaningful lives, government resource allocation must fulfil socio-economic rights and eradicate the 'unfreedoms' of poverty.

The capabilities approach therefore resonates strongly with the raison d'etre for the inclusion of justiciable socio-economic rights in our Constitution. It also reflects many of the central tenets of South Africa's project of 'transformative constitutionalism' to create an egalitarian society. For judicial review of government's allocative choices to contribute to transformative constitutionalism, these common principles should be adhered to throughout the adjudicatory process.

The first feature of transformative constitutionalism that courts must observe when reviewing government expenditure decisions is that of participation. Public reasoning and agency are similarly important within the capabilities approach. Courts should therefore review allocative decisions to ensure they were made after engaging in participatory processes and that expenditure will promote participation in the political, economic and social spheres. Simultaneously, courts should facilitate participatory processes by ensuring that various parties' interests are represented before them.  Courts should also promote and engage in substantive and transparent reasoning when reviewing government's expenditure priorities while government should provide explicit evidence of how it arrived at and implemented its allocative decisions. Such explicit reasoning promotes a culture of justification for all exercises of public power and requires decision-makers to provide reasons for their decisions with reference to values and ideas. Transparent reasoning also allows for subsequent public scrutiny of government and courts' evaluative judgments in prioritising resources, and can therefore lead to the formation of new social values over time. Finally, the entire process of adjudication under a transformative constitution should be informed by the fundamental values of freedom, dignity and equality underlying both our Constitution and the capabilities approach.

Most significantly, the capabilities approach can be developed into a review framework which courts can use to adjudicate complex instances of government resource allocation. Specifically, courts can use this framework as a practical aid to interpret the content of socio-economic rights in different circumstances. Thus, the overarching purpose of socio-economic rights can be conceptualised as the capability to lead a free, dignified life in a position of substantive equality with others. The social, historical and factual context of a particular case can shed further light on specific capabilities that need to be realised for achieving this overarching purpose.

For example, in order for students disadvantaged by the lasting effects of apartheid-era education policies to possess the capability to be educated, further capabilities related to learning in safe buildings, having access to learning and infrastructure facilities, and being able to access educational resources such as textbooks, will all need to be realised. Only once the entire cluster of relevant capabilities is realised, will such students have the potential to lead free and dignified lives as equal members of society. The factual context of the parties before the courts, viewed against our country's overall historical and social context, will help imbue abstract socio-economic rights with content in concrete cases.

Once courts are able to interpret the content and purposes of socio-economic rights with reference to the capabilities these rights represent in varying contexts, a measure exists to evaluate government's resource allocation and prioritisation. Amartya Sen's framework for ranking and weighting capabilities and other factors, as set out in his seminal work, Development as Freedom (1999), can be carefully adapted for judicial use in such instances. Courts can assign weight to the capabilities forming the content of a socio-economic right in a particular context. The impact of an insufficient budgetary allocation on the dignity, freedom and equality interests of the parties before the court should also be weighted. Only thereafter should a court assign weight to any justificatory arguments raised by government for its inadequate resource allocation towards the right in question.

In this way, courts can balance the weight assigned to the rights and capabilities at issue against the weight assigned to the State's justificatory arguments, including those averring resource scarcity. Where a court finds that a given allocation is disproportionate to the capability needs at stake, a violation of a socio-economic right will be established. In such a case, a court can adopt a capabilities approach to remedies by incorporating the central tenets shared by the capabilities approach and transformative constitutionalism when it crafts an order to remedy a right infringement.

If the judiciary utilises a capabilities approach to review government's resource allocation decisions, it can help ensure government spending is proportionate to the socio-economic needs of vulnerable members of our society. Where proportionate resource allocation is required at a systemic level, socio-economic rights can be effectively fulfilled and the potential of all who reside in South Africa can be unlocked.

*Dr Shanelle van der Berg holds a Mellon Early Research Career Fellowship and lectures Constitutional Law in the Faculty of Law at Stellenbosch University as part of the Socio-economic Rights and Administrative Justice Research Project. This article is based on her recent doctorate in Public Law at SU.

​As a young child doctors predicted that Samantha Stander will never be able to walk. She was diagnosed with severe congenital developmental dysplasia.

Now Samantha, a second year SU medical student completed more than 20 running races​ including the very challenging obstacle race, The Grind.​

During this race, she not only ran 5km, but also had to scale walls, crawl through mud and swim through quarries (to name but a few obstacles) to cross the finish line.

Due to her disability, she has limited function of her legs making movement difficult and painful.

"The Grind was definitely the toughest race I have ever done. The obstacle course challenges every aspect of your body – your legs, arms and even your mind," tells Stander.

In preparation for The Grind Stander was trained by Dominique D'Oliveira, who also part of Stander's team in the race.

Due to her hip dysplasia, Stander was not allowed to do sports while her body was still growing and only became active last year. Currently she can only run short distances and switches between running and walking when doing races.

"I constantly convince myself that I have to finish the race, I have no excuse for not getting myself to the finish line, even if I have to drag myself to the end," Stander confesses.

She is determined to continue running and doing obstacle course races and recently also started cycling and has already set her sights on the Cape Town Cycle Tour for 2017.

The Chairperson of the Council of Stellenbosch University, Mr George Steyn, responded to media inquiries this week regarding language implementation. For the sake of transparency, the response is given below. The report of Judge CT Howie, who was appointed as commissioner to investigate the recent language implementation process, is also provided below.

The Language Policy and implementation of language specifications at Stellenbosch University have been in the spotlight since the end of last year. This resulted in an extraordinary Council meeting on 20 February 2016.

At this meeting Council requested its Executive Committee to appoint "an independent person to investigate the recent language implementation process, to make a finding on how deviations originated and to recommend ways of addressing similar situations in future".  Judge C T Howie, retired Judge President of the Supreme Court of Appeal, was subsequently appointed as Commissioner and submitted his report to the Chair of Council on 14 April 2016. 

At Monday's meeting a motion was accepted in which Council "noted the gravity of Judge Howie's report on the recent process of language implementation. Council accepted the findings and recommendations of the report, and decided to publish the report in the public domain". The report will be available on the University's website.

In his report Judge Howie concluded the following:

"Had the Faculties, the RMT and Council not taken the anti-exclusionary decisions and action they did the University would, on grounds explained in Counsel's opinion, have been vulnerable to constitutional challenge by students not proficient in Afrikaans. It is no small irony that having taken those steps, it felt vulnerable to the court challenges mounted by Afrikaans students, but this only serves to highlight the wisdom of having instituted the current review process aimed at amendment of the Policy and Plan. On the strength of the interviews and the documentation made available to me, I am of the opinion that all concerned were motivated to maintain and preserve the function, reputation and welfare of the University without infringing any students' constitutional rights."

On 4 March AfriForum Jeug and five others brought an application against the University and ten other respondents for an order directing the University to implement, with immediate effect, the approved Language Policy and Plan of 2014, as well as the language specifications per module, as specified in faculty yearbooks (calendars) for 2016. The University, acting on legal advice, abided by the court order, subject to the implementation date being extended to 29 March 2015. A court order to this effect was taken by agreement between all parties on 11 March.

At this extraordinary meeting in February Council also adopted a motion providing for the introduction of "an interim measure to allow flexibility in the application of language specifications for academic modules, based on the following principles: that language should be used in such a manner that no student is excluded from a lecture, and that the use of Afrikaans in lectures is ensured, promoted and encouraged". The University, acting on legal advice, revoked this motion at Monday's Council meeting. The Language Policy approved in 2014 and the language specifications for 2016 will remain in force until the current Language Policy is reviewed, and amended or replaced.

Revision of the Language Policy

It became apparent during the course of 2015 that some students are finding the implementation of language to be exclusionary. The University initiated a process of reviewing the Language Policy and to this end appointed a Language Revision Group. A first draft of a revised language policy was published on the University's website and stakeholders and interested parties were invited to submit their proposals and input by 22 April 2016. A second draft of the revised language policy was completed and distributed to faculties for discussion by faculty boards.

Pursuant to this AfriForum Jeug brought an urgent High Court application to prevent the University from continuing with the language review process. The Executive Committee of Council unanimously decided that the University would oppose this application.

The application which was originally set down for 15 April 2016 was by agreement between the parties postponed for hearing on 19 May 2016.

The University Council determines the Language Policy with the concurrence of Senate. The draft Language Policy is scheduled to be considered by Senate on 3 June 2016 and to be tabled at the Council meeting of 22 June 2016. At Monday's Council meeting a motion to suspend the language revision process was defeated. Council unanimously accepted a motion that a special meeting would be convened for "Council to provide its inputs for the formulation of principles regarding the proposed new Language Policy, and that the outcomes of this meeting would be presented to the task group for inclusion in the draft policy presented to Senate".

Maties Basketball's men's and women's teams have both qualified to participate in the national university championships (USSA) in July after victories in two close games on Friday.

The teams had to win their play-off matches for third and fourth place in the Western Cape USSA Basketball League to qualify. The men's team beat UWC 62-60 while the women's team had to go into double overtime to beat the home team UCT by 42-40.

Law student and team captain Nicholas Serafino said that the men had managed to hold on to their lead after getting a good start. "Everyone had a good game," he added.

He thinks it is great that the teams will be travelling to the USSA tournament in Johannesburg together.

It won't be a first for the women's team. They qualified for the national tournament in 2013 and reached the quarterfinals of the competition.

Captain Lerato Ngakane, currently working on her Master's degree in communicable diseases, described their game on Friday as "nerve-wrecking and emotional".

She praised her team mates for training very hard and playing as a unit.

"We are very excited about going to the national tournament and our objective is to reach at least the semi-finals."

The men's team hasn't competed in the national tournament before.

"In my first year we would sometimes struggle to fill up one team," said Serafino, who has been a member of the Maties Basketball Club for five years. "Awareness of the sport is definitely growing."

Their objective is to finish in the top eight at the USSA tournament to qualify for the Varsity Sports competition.

"We have a very good team dynamic and I think this will stand us in good stead in Johannesburg."

Maties Basketball has recently been named one of the High Performance sport codes at Stellenbosch University (SU). The teams are coached by new head coach Zarko Krkeljas (men's team) and assistant coach Aggrey Ofula (women's team).

The club is made up of three teams: the men's A team, consisting of players with established basketball skills; the men's B team, a developmental and recreational team for students who want to play basketball recreationally or are interested in learning to play; and the women's team, which welcomes both established and new players.

Mountain-biking now forms part of Maties Sport's High Performance programme at Stellenbosch University (SU) and will become part of the exciting Varsity Sports series this year.

The Varsity MTB Challenge comprises two multi-day stage races. Varsity MTB Challenge will see the two races take place in the Sondela Nature Reserve in Bela Bela between 9 and 10 July and on La Paris in Franschhoek between 1 and 2 October 2016. The Varsity MTB Challenge will have a unique university flavour. The races are open to the general public, who will be able to race for their university of choice.

The past weekend Maties Cycling dominated the Intervarsity clash against UCT and the local cyclists showed that they are ready to be competitive in the Varsity MTB Challenge.

Mariske Strauss, African and South African mountain bike champion and Sports Science student at SU is very excited about the impact the HP program will have on the sport in Stellenbosch.

"It's definitely a step in the right direction. This means our sport is growing. It also gives the Maties cyclists access to a vast array of resources, all of which will help to promote their sports careers," said Strauss.

Strauss is hoping to go to the Olympic Games in Rio. She represented her country at the Commonwealth Games in 2014.

"Thanks to the support of the HP programme I not only have access to world-class facilities, but I also have the opportunity to work with the administration and give them the best possible idea of what exactly is happening in our sport. This is a great opportunity and hopefully we can get more participation and interest in the sport."

According to Strauss the HP programme will help to make the sport of mountain biking more accessible at university level. "We can now engage more students in the sport and offer an opportunity to those who might not have been able to afford all the extras – which we now have access to – themselves. We can therefore give people a better idea of what the sport is about and in this way we can grow much faster and become better."

For more Varsity MTB Challenge information visit www.varsitymtbchallenge.co.za. Social media platforms are Facebook: Varsity MTB Challenge; Twitter: @VarsityMTB and Instagram: @varsitymtb.

Photo caption: Cyclists participate in the intervarsity competition against UCT. Photo credit: Outsider Communications

With three wins from four matches and 24 goals scored the Steinhoff Maties Hockey men are third on the Varsity Sports Hockey tournament’s log.

The tournament started last Friday with the first round of matches played at the University of Johannesburg. Maties got off to a bad start with a 3-5 loss to the defending champions UJ. 

On Saturday they started to play like a team that can challenge for the title with a 4-0 win over Kovsies. On Sunday and Monday they walloped their opponents by scoring17 goals and conceding only one in victories over the Madibaz (8-0) and Pukke (9-1). These results sent out clear warnings that Maties are finally warmed up and ready to improve on their result in 2014 when they lost in the final after a penalty shootout.

Top scorers for Maties are Shannon Boucher (4), Keenan Horne (4), James Drummond (3), Charlie Bowren (3) and Dylan Swanepoel (3).​

Maties are in third place with 9 points. Wits’ team is fourth also with 9 points, but Maties have a healthy goal difference. UJ and Tukkies are both still undefeated and respectively first and second on the log.

This coming weekend the action will take place in Stellenbosch at the Coetzenburg astro with games on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Entrance is R20 and if you book online, R10. Maties will play Tukkies, Ikeys and Wits. The semi-final round is on Monday. The final is on 23 May. The match against Ikeys will also be an Intervarsity clash.

All Maties’ matches are at 18:45 and action starts daily at 13:30.​

Photo credit: Varsity Sports SA

The 2016 National Club Championships turned out to be the end of an era and the dawn of a new one for the Steinhoff Maties Cricket team.

Not only did Maties have to say goodbye to legends Dewald Botha and Emile Kriek, but the team also saw glimpses of what the future might hold with the performances of first-year bowlers Kyle Simmonds and Brandon Glover.

"The Club Champs proved to be a great experience for the players and really motivated them to raise their intensity levels and play cricket of a high standard. Winning three out of five matches against quality opposition was a satisfactory result," said coach Andrew Wylie.

"Our objective of going one step further than last year's final was not to be. Losing to Pukke in the third match proved crucial and ultimately cost us a chance at playing in the final."

Pukke, with 10 first-class cricketers, beat Maties by four wickets in a tight match and eventually went on to be crowned champions after comfortably beating Tuks in the final.

But it was the performances of the next generation that gave Wylie reason to smile.

"The younger players – including four first-year students – performed brilliantly and will develop quickly after such a tough tournament. Batting conditions proved very difficult and this took some adapting from the slow low Boland wickets we are accustomed to."

With regards to Botha and Kriek it is obvious that even though they played their last matches for Maties, their legacy will remain.

"Dewald has been the key to our success the past few years. He is extremely competitive and has an infectious confidence that the players respond to brilliantly. He is a gifted player and has the ability to win matches for his side from difficult positions. His all-round ability and tactical awareness will be missed.

"Emile is an incredibly talented player who has a natural feel for the game. He leads from the front with an uncompromising attitude in tight situations. He has been a stalwart for many years and a player the youngsters really look up to and respect. I have yet to see anyone at tertiary level with his ability in the field," Wylie added.

​FNB Maties won the annual Intervarsity clash against the University of Cape Town (Ikeys) for the third consecutive year on Saturday.

This rivalry stretches over more than a century.

Ikeys led at half-time (20-12) but Maties fought back and won the match 31-20.

The Steinhoff Cravens won 17-8 against Ikeys' second team, the Steinhoff Junior Cravens won 24-21 against Ikeys' third team and the Steinhoff Junior Maties lost 10-12 against Ikeys' u.20 team. 

In some of the other sport codes Maties Cycling dominated the Intervarsity clash on the road and in the mountain and Maties Tennis won 14-4.

The Council of Stellenbosch University (SU) made two senior appointments at its scheduled meeting on Monday (9 May 2016).

Prof Nico Koopman, currently acting Vice-Rector: Social Impact, Transformation and Personnel, has been  appointed in the position, while Prof Hester Klopper, an international recognised academic and professional leader with extensive networks in global health, policy, nursing and health care, has been appointed in the portfolio Strategic Initiatives and Internationalisation.

"Both Professors Koopman and Klopper bring proven knowledge and experience to the management of the University," says Prof Wim de Villiers, Rector and Vice-Chancellor. "Prof Koopman already serves with distinction in the portfolio and has made significant contributions in terms of social impact and interaction with the communities the University serves, while he also brought about noteworthy progress with regard to the critically essential transformation process at the University. In addition, he is ideally positioned to coordinate the overall management of one of the University's greatest assets, its staff members.

"Prof Klopper has achieved international success with regard to her involvement and management of various organisations here and abroad. She has a dynamic record of higher education management and I am confident that she will manage and develop the portfolio of strategic initiatives and internationalisation, a new portfolio, with success."  

Koopman said he is "grateful for the opportunity to make a contribution in this exciting, interesting and challenging portfolio". "The wellness of our people, staff, students and partners is a priority. People who are well looked after and properly equipped are essential for the transformational and humanizing social impact that Stellenbosch University would like to make in all areas of life, locally, in the rest of Africa, and globally."

About her appointment Klopper says: "It is a honour and privilege to be appointed to the position and more so at Stellenbosch University. I look forward to being part of the excellent management team and contribute to the implementation of the University's Institutional Intent and Strategy with a particular emphasis on strategic initiatives and internationalisation. To accept a fulltime position at the University after a number of years' involvement in the non-governmental environment, feels like coming home. It is truly a wonderful opportunity to make a difference in a critical time in our country and in higher education."

Prof Nico Koopman

Koopman, who started his career at SU in 2001 as a Senior Lecturer, has been Acting Vice-Rector: Social Impact, Transformation and Personnel, since May 2015. In 2010, he was appointed as Dean of the Faculty of Theology. He is known as an outstanding church and academic leader with national and international acclaim. As an esteemed researcher, he has published widely on theological and ethical issues, and has won several awards for his contributions, including the Andrew Murray Prize for Theological Literature.

Alongside the late SU Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Russel Botman, Prof Koopman was one of the key role-players in the establishment of the Beyers Naudé Centre for Public Theology in the Faculty of Theology.

Prof Hester Klopper

Klopper is the Chief Executive Officer of Fundisa (Forum for University Nursing Deans of SA) and, among others, served as President of the International Board of Directors of Sigma Theta Tau International  from 2013 - 2015.  She is an extraordinary professor at the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University and the University of the Western Cape, where she was Dean of the Faculty of Community and Health Sciences prior to her current position. She is Editor-in-chief of IJANS (International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences). In September this year she will receive an honorary doctorate from Oxford Brooks University in the UK for her contribution to nursing education and research globally.

Klopper obtained her undergraduate education at the Ann Latsky College of Nursing in Johannesburg; Sterkfontein Nursing College in Krugersdorp; and the University of South Africa (Unisa).  She completed her Magister Curationis (M.Cur) in 1993 and her PhD in 1994 at the University of Johannesburg (formerly known as Rand Afrikaans University).  In 2002, she was awarded her MBA at Luton University in the UK.

The other Vice-Rectors are Prof Arnold Schoonwinkel, Vice-Rector: Learning and Teaching, and Prof Eugene Cloete, Vice-Rector: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies.

Before the event, attendees received the introduction and first chapter of Prof Boesak's latest book, Kairos, Crisis, and Global Apartheid: The Challenge to Prophetic Resistance. Palgrave Macmillan.

The reference to "Kairos" in the title of the book reminds of the 1985 Kairos Document which responded theologically to the crisis experienced in apartheid South Africa.  The book argues that thirty years later Christians and faith communities are facing a more global sort of apartheid, and apartheid that is – as the book states – "caused and characterized by growing social and economic inequalities, environmental devastation, and degradation of human dignity on a global scale." The book makes a powerful claim for the embodiment of a theology of prophetic resistance.

At the event, Prof Robert Vosloo put some questions about the book to Prof Boesak, to which he responded in his typical clear, challenging and inspiring manner.  He elaborated on terms such as "kairos consciousness" and "global apartheid," and also pointed to the influence of Calvin, Bonhoeffer, Beyers Naudé, liberation theology and black theology on the ideas put forward in the book. One of the questions addressed the challenges posed by the conversations on decolonization and the various #mustFall movements. The discussion also turned to the situation in the United States and the candidacy of Donald Trump. Prof Boesak responded by emphasizing the need for the church to stand with God for justice.

The event was well-attended and those present enjoyed the discussion which served as a challenge to embody the gospel in line with the legacy of people like Beyers Naudé. The event concluded with student leaders from the faculty congratulating Prof Boesak on his 70^th birthday.​

​A point-of-care rapid diagnostic test for tuberculosis (TB) has been developed by a multinational team of scientists led by researchers at Stellenbosch University.

"This low-cost screening test has the potential to significantly speed up TB diagnosis in resource-limited setting," says co-inventor, Prof Gerhard Walzl of Stellenbosch University's Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. The test is conducted on blood obtained from a finger-prick and can make a TB diagnosis in less than an hour.

"Health care workers with minimal training will be able use the test at grass-roots level and get immediate access to screening test results," says Walzl. The diagnostic test is a hand-held, battery-operated instrument that will measure chemicals in the blood of people with possible TB.

The device is currently in developmental phase and its accuracy and efficacy will be tested in five African countries over the next three years by the ScreenTB consortium, a team of TB experts from eight African and European partnering institutions.

Other recent advances in TB diagnostics have radically improved diagnostic times, but high costs and the sophisticated equipment required have made this technology inaccessible to many.

"People in remote areas with high TB incidence still do not benefit from the newer developments and face long diagnostic delays and often multiple return visits to clinics before they are diagnosed," says Walzl.

The new test will be able to provide near-immediate results that will enable a person with TB to be diagnosed and started on treatment during a single visit to a health care facility.

Photo: The ScreenTB consortium made up of a team of leading TB experts from Africa and Europe.

The Bureau for Economic Research (BER) at Stellenbosch University is pleased to announce that Professor Johann Kirsten has been appointed as the new Director of the BER. Prof Kirsten will assume his duties on 1 August 2016. He succeeds Prof Ben Smit who retired as Director at the end of December 2015.

Prof Stan Du Plessis, dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, said: "Stellenbosch University and the faculty are delighted with the appointment of Professor Johann Kirsten as the sixth Director of the BER. He is a scholar of international stature, an experienced academic leader and a participant in national policy at the highest level. At the BER, his knowledge of the corporate world as well as his academic leadership over many years will be invaluable as the BER builds on an excellent track record of relevant and top-quality research".

Stellenbosch University appointed Prof Kirsten after advertising the vacancy widely in various local and international media during 2015, as well as employing a recruitment agency, and conducting three rounds of interviews.

In response to his appointment, Prof Kirsten said, "I am very excited about my new appointment and new responsibilities at the BER. After almost 25 years at the University of Pretoria (UP) and working on the tricky and emotional issues of agricultural policy and land reform, it is going to be an interesting challenge to move to a different, but still related, field of study and expertise. However, it is also true that a change is as good as a holiday and a new challenge is something I look forward to. I hope to make an important contribution to sustain the image and reputation of the BER in producing valuable insights into the performance of the South African economy. As the South African economy struggles to achieve sustained positive real growth and to create jobs and remove poverty and inequality, it is perhaps also time for the BER to venture into more policy-related research. I am sure that the BER's expertise and respected data and information could help South Africa in dealing with these critical questions.

As I move to a new work environment and a different focus in my career, it is important to let all my friends, colleagues and contacts in the agricultural and food industry know that I will not be lost to agriculture. A good and stable macro-economic environment is also critical for the agricultural sector and therefore I trust that my engagement with, and leadership of the BER team, will also benefit all the companies, commodity organisations and farmers with whom I worked so closely over the years. More specific, I will remain active in my role of supporting the Karoo farmers to protect and promote 'Karoo Lamb' as the icon food product of South Africa.

I am also sad to leave the Department of Agricultural Economics at UP that I have built up over a period of 19 years, but I am confident that the department now has a solid foundation and has a great future with wonderful faculty members who will continue to make a solid contribution to agricultural and economic questions on the African continent. I will also continue to work with my current PhD and M students for the foreseeable future". 

​

Dear Student,

It is incredible to believe that we are now halfway through our academic year and ¾ of the way through the term of the SRC of 2015/16. In my previous letter to campus I indicated what a significant time South Africa, and indeed this campus, is in as we are truly transitioning towards a future that includes all South Africans. The past few months our campus has indeed battled with several issues as we try to find solutions, but it is refreshing to me, a student of Stellenbosch University for over 5 years now, to start seeing the fruits of the continued work our staff and students have poured into this campus.

Student Dean
I am indeed most grateful that the position of the Student Dean has been restored, after the SRC has called for it's return for over 3 years. As an SRC, we are looking forward to see the Student Dean head the Student Governance and Leadership arms of the University that will truly bring back much needed support towards our student leaders not only on the SRC, but also on MADsquare, The Arts and Culture Committee, Student Parliament and all other students leaders via the FVZS institute.

This will truly be one of the proudest legacies this SRC leaves behind.

Student Parliament
Speaking of Student Parliament, the SRC has committed itself to enquire about the reasoning behind the sudden demise of this structure. This structure plays a crucial role in not only keeping the SRC accountable, but also providing a platform for students to raise concern. We have been promised by the University's Student Governance Arm that a task team is currently in place to work out a way forward and ensure what happened earlier this year doesn't occur in future. We will continue to place pressure on Student Governance to ensure that this structure returns as soon as possible.

Shuttle Service
The SRC finds it concerning that the Shuttle service remains an extremely lacking service after several engagements with the University. We are in contact with several University stakeholders to see how this problem can be relieved, especially since it gets darker sooner and colder weather is upon us.  

Find out more about the current shuttle system here: http://www0.sun.ac.za/sustainability/pages/english/transport-mobility/campus-shuttle-service.php#Stellenbosch

In term of transport we ask that you send suggestions on how we can make it even more efficient so that we get a comprehensive student perspective in the engagements we are putting forward to stakeholder. Please send them to:  sr@sun.ac.za

Safety
The safety of students remains one of our key priorities and we congratulate Romek Sadowski on his appointment as the SRC member for safety. In a true sign of progress, the Safety Committee is now a well functioning body consisting of all the vice-Prims of all houses and PSO's to ensure that the safety portfolio has their feet firmly on the ground.

Merely a week ago this portfolio undertook a night walk with management to point out the several non-working lights and danger zones that still exist on our campus. The safety portfolio is also currently engaging in talks as to how to improve co-operation with the University to ensure that student representation is always involved in security and emergency-related decision making.

High on the agenda is the deployment of extra security around study venues for the upcoming examinations and we have seen a commitment from Management to see this implemented.

The safety committee is committed to ensuring a safe environment for all students and we encourage students to email studentsafety@sun.ac.za for any concerns or tweet @studentsafetySU.

#EndRapeCulture
The SRC has also very directly been involved in the call to end Rape Culture on this campus. Through the work of our womxn empowerment, gender identity and consciousness portfolio's, several thousands students has been reached. These engagements include several workshops presented at Residences and PSO's, mass action on the Rooiplein and workshops. This term also saw the Shaken Silence-campaign host critical discussions on the Rooiplein that was broadcasted live on MFM to try and reach a much wider audience.

Also The Rector's Management Team (RMT) which includes the SRC has initiated a Task Team on Rape Culture and has called upon a diverse group of Student Leaders, staff and students to examine attitudes, behaviours and beliefs about gender, violence, power and patriarchy which in any way contribute to the deepening of gender violence within our campus community.

The Task Team is examining aspects of climate and culture and will make recommendations to the SU about how to address some of these deep-seated attitudes and practices.

We call upon the campus community, staff and students to assist our Task Team in gathering as many diverse voices as possible. To this end, we are preparing a climate survey, interviews, questionnaires, meetings and various other avenues to gather information. We have also set up a dedicated email address ttrc@sun.ac.za  for this purpose.

We invite you, out students, to send your contributions to this email address ttrc@sun.ac.za to add to the many voices which will inform our recommendations.

Awareness is key to battling Rape Culture on this campus and we thank the several organisations that worked together with us spreading the message.
Read more on what Rape Culture is here: http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=3806  

Womxn Empowerment
As one of the key partners in the End Rape Culture campaign, the womxn empowerment portfolio also launched this campus' very first Pad Drive which saw several hundred pads donated to needy students in Kayamandi High School. During the hand-over function, the womxn empowerment portfolio also presented a session on consent to the school's womxn students.

Several sanitary pads will also be donated to outsourced workers by the end of the month. We encourage students in need of sanitary pads to visit the SRC offices, on the third floor of the Neelsie, where we will be able assist.

The portfolio is also in the process of to finalise a policy relating to free sanitary items at this University and we are furthermore re-visiting the visiting hours at residences.

The Womxn portfolio also presented yet another vagina monologue that sought to create a safe space for womxn to share experiences and emotions. We are grateful for the very high turnout of this event which proves the need for more of these safe spaces.

Gender Identity & Sexuality
This portfolio has also been extremely busy and hosted several discussions relating to LGBTI+ on this campus. This portfolio has also been instrumental in the establishment of queer safe spaces and celebrated International Transgender on the 31st of March on the Rooiplein to try and raise awareness regarding this pressing issue.

You can see pictures regarding the Transgender Awareness- campaign here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.226556704370876.1073741830.187794414913772&type=1&l=cab6380b9c

Next month the SRC will also be launching a writing competition, in partnership with the English and African languages department to try and share stories regarding sex, gender and sexuality.

Matie Identity
Last year the SRC rebranded the Matie Life to Matie Identity as we tried to encourage this portfolio to think outside the boundaries of a typical Stellenbosch Student. This portfolio itself has been driving the issue of Ableism, discrimination in favour of able-bodied people, and presented several workshops on this issue. We are further in contact with SSVO and facilitative office to sort out various issues concerning disabled students.

The panel interviews for Mr, Miss and Mx Matie is currently underway and we are looking forward to a spectacular event next term. Short on the heels of that, Matie Identity Week (15-20 August 2016) will also be taking place next term where several events , including events in partnership with the Gender Identity portfolio regarding African feminism and sexuality, will be taking place.

Arts and Culture
The Arts and Culture portfolio was exceptionally busy and finished the very successful Toneelfees but two weeks ago. The portfolio is also presenting a photography and writing competition and you can find entry forms at the SRC offices, third floor in the Neelsie.

Find out who the winners of Toneelfees was here: https://www.facebook.com/kukosr/posts/864765223634542

The Arts and Culture portfolio is also looking forward to ser-season starting next term with Cluster ser already starting on the 20th of July.

Sustainability, Innovation and Technology  
The Sustainability portfolio has also just finished it's sustainability-week last week that saw the return of the recycling program to campus as well as an extremely innovative Solar powered cooking program displayed.

The three-bin system will be operating again and we really do encourage students to use the bins accordingly to ensure that we improve our campus' recycling output. The portfolio has also continued in its ongoing programme to recycle plastic bottle caps.

Furthermore, the sustainability portfolio is involved in the Clothes for life project where students can drop op clothing on campus that will be exchanged for trees to be planted in Kayamandi and other communities.

In terms of Technology the portfolio is meeting with I.T to sort the internet issue and is also heavily involved in the wifi situation on campus that will be continually improved. One of the initiatives that is quite evident is that construction you see which is improving internet access as they are implementing fiber optic cables to so we can have wifi in the classroom. This is from a management from Council 5 years ago, which only now is coming to fruition.

Social Impact
The MADsquare portfolio headed an exciting initiative during April where a street store was opened for those without homes to choose clothing for themselves.

You can find out more about street store here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9Y1SeQFhfM

This portfolio also looks forward to expanding the current tutoring programme next semester. If you keen to join email: socialimpact@sun.ac.za or mad@sun.ac.za

Sport and Recreation
On the Sport and Recreation side, we wish to congratulate Miss Joy Mashego that won the Miss Varsity Cup title. This was truly a highlight of an Varsity Cup series that Stellenbosch University did an excellent job hosting. It's unfortunate we couldnt win the cup but let's hope next year it comes home

We also wish to congratulate our Maties 7's rugby team who won the Varsity 7's cup over the long weekend.

We also keep on encouraging staff and students alike to support our Hockey teams in the upcoming Varsity Hockey cup from the 13th of May and our Maties Monday Madness recreational activities presented on Monday's at Coetzenburg.


Societies Council
Not only has Societies Council joined the campus wide Maties app where students can sign up and find out more about societies, but societies council is also currently reviewing its constitution and invites student input.

Find out more about the Matie-ville app here: http://app.matieville.co.za/landing/Desktop#.VzMVd4R96Uk

Read the Societies Council constitution here: http://blogs.sun.ac.za/sug/files/2010/09/Constitution-of-the-Societies-Council.pdf

Leadership Development
The leadership development portfolio has also been extremely busy and now have regular meetings with all leadership House Committee members on campus.

We are working hard to ensure that the forthcoming House Committee elections are not popularity contests, but rather a selection process to elect students that will make a lasting impact. The PK unanimously accepted our guiding document, and trust the principles expressed there will be implemented within your communities.

A course for non-positional leaders is in the process of development while the Leadership Development Committee is also in the process to providing support in keeping leaders motivated and focussed. Furthermore a Second Year's Forum has been formulated for Second Year Committees for next term, be sure to attend once date is finalised.

The SRC is also acutely involved in the planning of the forthcoming SUleads as we believe that this conference should be strengthened to truly equip our student leaders. It is our belief that issues on womxn empowerment, gender identity and consciousness should become key stones of this conference and will keep on pushing for it's inclusion. And have asked the student leadership structure to further put forward suggestion to strengthen the conference.

Academic Affairs Council (ACC)
The Academic Affairs Council represents all faculties and students regarding their academic concerns and has undertaken an amazing outreach initiative where the ACC visits surrounding schools to assist students in applying for Stellenbosch University. AAC has rebranded itself and even had an AAC week between 21-25 April 2016

On their first visit they visited Sinako High School in Khayelitsha where 158 matric students was reached.

See the photo's of the outreach here: https://www.facebook.com/abrstellenbosch/posts/564270020413675

Class representatives also received training the past month to ensure that this structure operates optimally in assisting students.

See photo's of the class representative training here: https://www.facebook.com/abrstellenbosch/posts/564265490414128

Furthemore, the ACC is happy to report that the 'no name exam rule' will continue in the upcoming examination period to ensure students do not receive negative marking from staff with personal biases.

Language
Stellenbosch University's current Language Policy remains a contested policy, drawing sharp criticism from foremost academics and activists. The SRC is then happy to have been closely involved in the formulation of the new policy and believe that Council will vote in favor of an inclusive campus environment.

The SRC will continue working with its stakeholders in Societies Council, the Prim Committee and the Academic Affairs Council to ensure that language is never used as a barrier on this campus while we continue to support the university in finding solutions to this pressing issue. Any further opinions pieces or thoughts to strengthen our case for this change please email to sr@sun.ac.za by the 5 June 2016.

General
As an SRC we have decided not to allow our last term pass us by and is investing in several initiatives from TEDx Stellenbosch to partnerships with Launch-lab and MFM. We are working hard to ensure that our goal to see an inclusive, innovative and sustainable campus is always one step closer.

In line with this goal, we would like to invite students to join us in our fundraising initiatives for student debt and the 'missing middle' for the next SRC in 2016/2017.

We also encourage students to help us organise future Critical engagement initiatives and campaigns, so we get more voices to further add and strengthen our perspectives. University is a knowledge space and though we may differ on the how, our diverse perspectives will assist in ensuring we arrive to collective and effective consensus.

Apply for the fundraising and Critical Discussion workgroups here (deadline: 20 May 2016): https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1-8pe-4pjouC8xM0qTBjGbMvnLSqRAoJrLHSig2xiSNQ/viewform  

The SRC is also very excited to open up nominations for the honorary degrees to the entire student population. Honorary degrees are given to academic and public figures that has reached the pinnacle of success and we encourage students to send their nominations, and a short bio of the nominee, to sr@sun.ac.za by the 20th of May 2016.

We also keep on encouraging our students to stay focussed on their forthcoming exams and achieve academic success. Like I have said, the SRC is committed on making our last term a huge success and we hope that you will choose to make your academic career on this campus also a success.

We keep on facing an incredible time of transition on this campus and in South Africa. While I tend to get frustrated about the slow process of change on this campus.However  I have grown grateful the past terms progress and the seeds that have been sown and recently sprouted from long ago are actually now starting to make a difference. 

May we continue sowing those seeds of change as we move ever closer to our ideal Stellenbosch. It's not most glamours warcry you'll hear, but someone has to do the work to see change happen.

Till next time.

Kind regards,

Axolile Qina
SRC Chairperson 2015/2016

The first SANUM* meeting came into existence in 1975 when two eminent mathematicians, Prof. Lothar Collatz (1910-1990) from Germany and Dr Fritz John (1920-1994) from the United States of America, happened to visit South Africa at the same time.

A number of local researchers used the opportunity to organise a meeting at the (then) University of Natal, at which a total of ten papers were presented. From here the meeting grew in strength, with numerous famous numerical and applied mathematicians passing through.

Aside from missing a single year (1996) and on one occasion (1997) being a special session of a larger conference, the meeting has been held annually. This makes 2016 the 40th occurrence of this major event on the calendar of South African numerical and applied mathematics.

The organiser of the very first SANUM meeting, Prof. Gerhard Joubert from the Technical University of Clausthal, also attended the event and presented the after-dinner speech. Prof. Joubert is also a SU mathematics alumnus.

The 2016 organisers were Dr Nick Hale, Prof. Ben Herbst and Prof. André Weideman, all from the Division of Applied Mathematics at Stellenbosch University.

The 2017 meeting will be held at the University of the Witwatersrand.

*South African symposium of Numerical and Applied Mathematics (SANUM) http://sanum.github.io

Representatives from four universities on four continents met at Stellenbosch University (SU) recently to discuss a multilateral partnership between their institutions. Delegates from Stellenbosch University (SU), University of Bath (United Kingdom), Zhejiang University (China) and University of Campinas (Brazil) came together for the first time to discuss models of engagement and establishing mutual points of interests. Chaired by Professor Dame Glynis Breakwell, President and Vice Chancellor of the University of Bath, the group included Prof Eugene Cloete, Vice-Rector: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies at SU, Prof Colin Grant, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bath, Prof Alvaro Penteado Crósta, Vice Rector of University of Campinas and Prof Yonghua Song, Executive Vice President of Zhejiang University. The visitors also met with Prof Wim de Villiers.

With a combined alumni base of over 1 million, the group of four major global universities agreed to develop an innovative doctoral programme in key disciplines in which students would have several mobility experiences across this intercontinental network. There was further agreement to support research mobility, doctoral summer/winter schools and joint degrees and also to develop a new global master's in management.

Prof Colin Grant, Pro Vice-Chancellor: Internationalisation at the University of Bath, said the formation of this network is the culmination of much effort by colleagues at the four universities and represents a watershed moment in shared international strategies.

Representatives from SU, University of Bath, Zhejiang University and the University of Campinas. 

hoto: Hennie Rudman

​There are four factors that play a negative role on the level of our happiness, says Prof Marius Ungerer, an associate professor in Strategic Management at the University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB). He calls these factors the "destroyers of happiness".

"Happiness is, contrary to popular belief, not something one receives but it starts with something one gives. He says the paradox is that by giving something of yourself to others, you become a happier person because of the positive influence you have on them. 

"The first destroyer of happiness is when relationships are broken and weak. It is when there is no capacity to connect. Before you can flourish in any aspect of your life, you have to work on rectifying, building, creating and maintaining relationships as the building bridge between yourself and other people," he says.

He identifies a "blaming attitude" as another factor that makes a negative impact on happiness. "This happens when you don't take responsibility for your own happiness or situation, but blame others for that."

Another big factor that keeps you from flourishing is your fears. "We are afraid to be brave and we are afraid to explore new things," he says. "Part of this paradigm of flourishing is that you should step over edges, and explore new ways of thinking and doing things to fulfil your highest potential."

He says over-sensitivity is another factor that keeps you from experiencing happiness. "It is where you think that everything that people say or do is about you. But you must realise that the world is bigger than you and not always about you."

He says happiness is a journey that starts inside yourself. "It isn't about a tomorrow; happiness starts today. It is also important to understand and accept that you cannot change other people. Our journey is not to change others, but to accept the premise that we can change ourselves," he adds.

He names five practices an individual can engage in to have a more flourishing life.

• Lifestyle balance: Make sure your work and other activities are in balance
• Gratitude journal: Document what you have and accept that it is more than enough
• Meditation: Have a stillness around you and connect to a higher force
• Authenticity: Be true to yourself and be the best version of yourself
• Forgiveness: Learn to forgive people.​

A former head girl from Waterkloof High School in Pretoria, Melise du Toit, was awarded the Dean’s Medal for the best honours student in 2015 in the Faculty of Science at Stellenbosch University (SU).

The medal, cast in solid silver, is awarded annually to an honours student who scores the highest average percentage throughout both the BSc and BSc honours programmes.

Melise majored in Applied Mathematics and managed to consistently achieve an average of 81% and higher. For her honours year, she achieved an average of 91,6%.

Her recipe for success?

“I obtained nine distinctions in matric, because I knew I had to work for a bursary to be able to study at Stellenbosch University. But the large volumes of work at university level is something nobody can prepare you for. An aptitude and passion for maths can help, but I really had to work very hard.”

She says in her case having a group of friends that study together and motivate each other, also helped a lot.

For the next two years she will complete her internship in the Modelling and DigitalSciences research group at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in Stellenbosch. The studentship will consist of completing her MSc in Applied Mathematics at SU under the supervision of Prof. Francois Smit and Dr. Josefine Wilms. The first four years of her studies were also funded by the CSIR.

Her MSc will focus on one aspect of the first Africa-based Earth System Model, currently being developed at the CSIR. She explains: “One aspect of this project is the model-generated interaction between land surface and water. I will focus on the modelling of fluid flow from the land surface to the river mouths. The idea is to consider the existing physical model and apply a data-driven model (machine learning) to try and improve the accuracy of the results currently obtained by the model. This will allow for a more trustworthy and accurate prediction of future changes in river runoff.”

“I am really grateful for being able to pursue a career in something that I am passionate about,” she adds.

On the photo, Melise du Toit (on the right) receives the dean's medal from Prof. Louise Warnich, Dean of the Faculty of Science at SU.

​Business leaders were challenged by USB Advisory Board and Woolworths chairman Simon Susman to stand their ground, become a voice, engage and help to solve the country's problems.

Keeping quiet, as some did during the politically turbulent 1980s, would be wrong.

Addressing attendees at a Director's Table event , hosted by the University of Stellenbosch Business School director Prof Piet Naudé on Tuesday, 10 May he said: "Values are missing in top government and it filters down into the whole of the leadership of the country. There are many honest people there, but they are surrounded by dishonest people."

Susman argues that what is also missing in government is a passion for values. He pointed to Woolworths' set of values to contextualise where he thinks government is found lacking. These values are: quality, service, value, integrity, energy, innovation and sustainability.

He asked: "Where is the passion for service? Where is the passion for integrity when everyone is trying to cover up something? Where is the passion for value and for our population? Where is the passion for quality?"

Susman referred to the December 2015 incident where President Jacob Zuma fired the then Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene. It created turmoil on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, hit the value of the rand hard and damaged South Africa's international reputation.

This incident, he believes, was an attempt to capture the state. "We are not yet out of the woods, but this was certainly a tipping point," he said.

According to Susman, who is also chairperson of the Virgin Active fitness group, the most important question is: "What do we do as business to stand our ground and become a voice, and how do we engage and become a help?"

He said in the 1980s business was silent on what was happening in government. "We were fearful and had a thousand reasons to condone and to be quiet. But we were wrong. The two worst things we can do now is to be silent and we can't afford to criticise only from the outside. We have to engage with as many people as possible to shift the thinking," he said.

Some of the business leaders who attended the event include Sanlam's non-executive chairman, Desmond Smith, and AHi (Afrikaans Handelsinstituut) CEO, Dr Ernest Messina. Smith said he found the event "stimulating" while Dr Messina welcomed the opportunity for business to engage with a provider of business education.

The arrival of drug-resistant tuberculosis has significantly complicated global efforts to decrease the scourge of the disease.

Each year more than nine million people are infected with TB and another 1.5 million die. But the latest figures show that at least 20% of people diagnosed with the disease have “multiple-drug-resistant” TB. And about 9.7% of these also have “extensively-drug-resistant TB”.

TB is caused by bacteria that attacks the lungs. Most TB treatments target bacteria that actively grow in the body. But a very important subset of bacteria is able to survive treatment. These are known as persistent bacteria.

Though these persistent bacteria only represent a very small proportion of the bacteria that causes TB, failing to get rid of them can have devastating consequences. They are responsible for lengthy drug treatment, and could contribute to drug resistance. They therefore should also be the target of TB therapies.

The challenge with these persistent bacteria is that they are very difficult to isolate. This makes it difficult to study them and therefore difficult to develop drugs to kill them.

As a team of scientists at Stellenbosch University in South Africa, together with colleagues at Imperial College London, we found a new way to identify, isolate and target persistent bacteria. Our technique, which has never before been applied in TB research, will help scientists understand why some bacteria respond to treatment and others become resistant.

How this bacteria works

Persistent bacteria plays a particularly important role in latent TB – when bacteria that can cause TB hibernate in the body. Someone with latent TB will not have any clinical symptoms and will therefore not know that he or she has the disease. Latent TB can survive in the body for decades and only flare up when someone’s immune system is compromised.

Latent TB can therefore progress to full-blown disease in people who have compromised immune systems. These are often people who have HIV/AIDS, suffer from malnutrition, are ageing or have a substance-abuse problem. About one-third of the world’s population carries latent TB.

Conventional thinking has held that persistent bacteria are also present in people who have latent TB. These bacteria are thought to either stop growing or are slowly growing, although they still survive in the body.

But emerging research has started to question this assumption on two fronts:

• Some research shows that proportions of the bacteria continue to grow while others die.

• Other research argues that the bacteria do not grow.

Understanding the bacteria present in latent TB is important to choose the best TB treatments. This is especially important because of the difficulties associated with treating persistent bacteria that can survive treatment.

For this reason our research is focused on finding ways to study and target persistent bacteria. We used specific bacteria-associated labels and sophisticated laser-based methods to identify and isolate this bacteria.

A new method to study persistent bacteria

The technique, known as fluorescence dilution, uses two fluorescent proteins to label the bacteria. One protein tracks live bacteria and the other measures its growth. It is applied to identify and isolate individual bacteria to study it.

The technique can best be described as using “micro-tweezers” to physically pick out the slow-growing bacteria from the rest. This enables us to find the hard-to-identify persistent bacteria.

We were able to do this by applying the same approach that’s been used to isolate the bacteria that causes food poisoning, Salmonella. This involves subjecting the bacteria to conditions that come closest to those found in the body as opposed to conditions in the laboratory.

Using this technique, we found that when bacteria entered a specific type of white blood cell, a population of non- or slowly-growing persistent bacteria appeared. White blood cells play a critical role in defending the body against invading bacteria. In the laboratory we use them to mimic the environment found in the body.

This finding is important because it shows that the numbers of persistent bacteria increase by being inside white blood cells. This means that the host’s own defences can help the bacteria to survive TB treatment.

Hope for the future

These are only the first steps, but this technique offers unique opportunities to deepen scientists’ understanding of why and how the body’s response to TB treatment results in drug resistance.

We can now, for example, begin to study what drives bacteria into a latent state. Once we understand this better it will be possible to begin designing drugs that better manage latent TB. Importantly, this could help decrease the amount of time it takes to treat TB as well as minimise drug resistance.

Jomien Mouton, Postdoctoral research fellow in the MRC Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Stellenbosch University and Samantha Sampson, Associate Professor, SARChI Research Chair in Mycobactomics, Stellenbosch University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.