​​The Food Security Initiative based in Stellenbosch University's Faculty of AgriSciences has welcomed its first postdoctoral researcher. Dr Sandra Boatemaa will be researching matters related to food systems governance in Southern Africa.

It is a challenge that Dr Boatemaa is looking forward to. She previously worked as a field supervisor in the University of Ghana's Department of Nutrition and was a graduate assistant of its Regional Institute for Population Studies, is looking forward to the new challenge.  Earlier this year, Dr Boatemaa received her PhD in Population Studies from the University of Ghana. Her thesis focused on the food beliefs and food habits of members of an urban community in Accra in Ghana, and how it relates to their risk of contracting and managing non-communicable diseases. The MPhil in Population Studies that she received in 2012 at the University of Ghana delved into the perceptions and practices around food of the same community (see below more about her studies and research).

In her new role, Dr Boatemaa will be building on a National Research Foundation (NRF) funded project on Food System Governance in Southern Africa. It is facilitated by the Southern Africa Food Lab and one of Stellenbosch University's flagship programmes, the Centre for Complex Systems in Transition (CST).  Stellenbosch University is a partner in this multi-stakeholder initiative that aims to understand innovative institutional arrangements to govern an increasingly complex food system. 

“I want to examine how this sustainable approach impacts on farmers' health and livelihood," Dr Boatemaa elaborates on the practical look that she will be taking on food system governance. In the process, she will draw on experiences and case studies from across the continent. Her work will be completed under guidance of Dr Laura Pereira of the CST and Dr Scott Drimie of the South Africa Food Lab.

She will build on existing proposal that considers the governance arrangements required in southern Africa to underpin a sustainable food system linking countries such as Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola, Mozambique and South Africa. It also extends relationships with the Universities of Cape Town, Oxford, Wageningen and Newcastle and various universities in southern Africa.

“Dr Boatemaa's appointment is of great value to the food systems work being done at Stellenbosch University and elsewhere," explains Dr Scott Drimie, director of the Southern Africa Food Lab, which straddles both the Food Security Initiative and CST. “One of her priorities will be to consider the practicalities and modalities of such a research project that will be participatory and inter-disciplinary in nature."

Although based in Stellenbosch University's Faculty of AgriSciences and CST, Dr Boatemaa's position ties into work being done at the NRF Centre of Excellence in Food Security in South Africa, based at the University of the Western Cape.

“This important partnership across institutions enables several schools of thought and discipline to come together both within Stellenbosch University and wider fields," explains Dr Drimie. “This is of utmost importance to better understand how to drive change in the food system."

Photo caption: Dr Sandra Boatemaa

Photo credit: Engela Duvenage​

​As a post-colonial country, South Africa should cherish its democracy and not abuse it, said Professor Homi Bhabha, regarded as the world's premier post-colonial literary theorist and Director of the Mahindra Humanities Center at Harvard University, on Wednesday (16 August 2017).  

Bhabha, who is visiting Stellenbosch University (SU), spoke at an event held at the SU Museum on the Stellenbosch campus.

Highlighting the importance of democracy in postcolonial contexts, Bhabha said that “post-colonial countries who gain their independence by opposing restrictive and sometimes totalitarian and oppressive and exploitative systems of colonialization, should cherish democracy."

“They should not abuse their democracy. Democracy is like a basketball, you got to continually try to keep it up in the air and it demands a great effort."

Bhabha criticised government, saying that current power structures do not seem to support the pillars of democracy which he listed as the distribution of resources, the distribution of education and the maintenance of a free media.

“Instead the leaders are trying to create a kind of populism that does not take advantage of the rich weaving of culturally and ethnically diverse traditions."

Bhabha said it is important for leaders to listen to the people of South Africa.

“Once you stop listening to criticism from responsible quarters, once you think your power is immune, then corruption and demoralisation follow. That is the death of democracy."

For South Africa to truly move forward, there must be trust that is built on a larger sense of recognition of those who have not been able to represent themselves, Bhabha said.

“Trust is also built on forms of redistribution of opportunity to people who have not been to fully explore and extend themselves in the building of civil society."

He questioned, however, whether South Africans can really trust their leaders.

Bhabha said that South Africans should never forget that the country's strength depends on the diverse traditions that constitute it.

• On Tuesday Bhabha engaged students on the theme Engaged Scholarship and Ethical Citizenship. On Wednesday afternoon he was in conversation with among others, Professor Tamar Garb of the University College of Londen, and the artist Sue Williamson. The event saw the screening of Williamson's 2-channel video art installation, It's a pleasure to meet you. Candice Mama, a young woman whose father was killed by Eugene de Kock, and who forgave de Kock and campaigned for his parole release, and Siyah Mgoduka, whose father was also killed by De Kock, also took part in the discussion. On Wednesday night, Bhabha [was] in conversation with Emeritus Professor Njabulo Ndebele, Chair of the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory; poet, novelist and essayist.
• Access a bio of Prof Homi Bhabha here.
• Photo: Prof Homi Bhabha: Photographer: Stefan Els
  

​The dangers of pseudoscience and quackery in healthcare will come under scrutiny later this year at a ground-breaking international summit in Stellenbosch, South Africa. Numerous high-profile health and science communication experts will gather at the International Summit on Quackery and Pseudoscience to explore how science communication efforts by the media, scientists, health regulators and governments can counter the impact of pseudoscience and advance the use of evidence-based healthcare practices.

The summit will be held from 20-21 November at Stellenbosch University (SU). It will be jointly hosted by the Centre for Evidence-based Health Care (CEBHC) of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS), and the Centre for Science and Technology Mass Communication (CENSCOM) of the postgraduate Department of Journalism at SU.

“Snake oil salesmen, charlatans and con-artists have long been known to prey on vulnerable people with health problems. People desperate for a cure for or relief from a dreaded disease, a weight problem or the effects of ageing are easy targets, often willing to fork out large sums of money for any remedy offering some hope. The sad reality is that these treatments frequently turn out to be useless or even harmful," says Prof Jimmy Volmink, Dean of the FMHS.

“The summit is an effort to push back against these exploitative practices, the pernicious impact of which is being amplified through the internet and social media. It will not only highlight the threat of pseudoscience to the wellbeing of society, but will also offer effective tools to help people assess healthcare claims and make sound choices," he adds.

According to CEBHC director Prof Taryn Young, this summit “will bring researchers and journalists together to emphasise their joint responsibility for ethical and evidence-informed health reporting to better serve the interests of the public".

“The media play a crucial role in communicating health research and other messages to the public. They can influence people's perceptions about the safety and efficacy of health practices, and when the media relay pseudoscientific and unreliable messages, it can be harmful to people's health," Young emphasises.

“Our vulnerability to step in the trap prepared by reckless and unscrupulous marketers of quasi-scientific health products knows no bounds," says CENSCOM director Prof George Claassen. “This is enhanced by celebrities who spread disinformation about fake science, which often has a devastating influence on the wellbeing of the public." He points out that newspapers, the internet, social media and broadcast channels bristle with dubious statements by so-called quacks who make money because their victims are often ignorant or simply too naïve to distinguish truth from lies.

“We hope that the summit will lead to a much-needed change, enlightening the public and all the role players in the science communication process about the dangers of quackery. To quote the eminent South African born UK developmental biologist Lewis Wolpert: 'Science provides the most reliable method by far to determine whether one's beliefs are valid.' The summit aims to re-emphasise the value of sound science communication and evidence-based healthcare," says Claassen.

In 1995, he developed and established the first science communication course in Africa at SU's Department of Journalism. Claassen is a former science editor of the Cape Town daily newspaper, Die Burger. He elaborates about the reasons for organising the summit: “Ignorant, uninformed or merely poorly informed people often make decisions that are harmful to their health, their interpersonal relationships, their financial affairs and how they should spend their money, and what the future holds in store for them. Unfortunately, this often takes place through dubious information and pseudo-knowledge, obtained from quacks, tricksters and swindlers who too regularly have a free pass in the media to propound their unscientific claims as if it were the truth. It is as if a 'post-truth' has fully dawned in the field of healthcare, with anyone's claims to truth being accepted. The most recent iniquitous examples are the anti-vaccination campaign, and faith healers telling HIV-positive people to throw away their medicine."

According to Claassen, the summit hopes to create an awareness among the public how to recognise fake news that is not based on any trace of evidence and is spread by charlatans and scam artists to sell their “health" products. “And who, when confronted and their practices exposed, often turn to the courts to silence scientists and science journalists acting in the interest of the public," he emphasises, referring to various cases, also in South Africa, where evidence-based health practitioners and journalists were and are still being threatened with legal action if they don't keep quiet. The most famous of these cases is probably that of the British Chiropractic Association against the scientist and award-winning author Simon Singh in 2009. Singh won the case after thousands of scientists signed a petition to support him and the case led to an amendment of British defamation laws. Singh will take part in the summit in a Q&A session with the theme “Sense about science: Why evidence matters". 

The CEBHC's mission is to advance evidence-informed healthcare in Africa and globally. “A key pillar of our centre's work is supporting the use of current best evidence in healthcare policy and practice, and the media are key intermediaries in bridging the gap between research and the public. If well-informed journalists work together with researchers, they can elevate good practice in health reporting that is informed by a solid understanding of best evidence and its value in ethical health journalism," says Young.

The summit will host scientists from the fields of communication, medicine, healthcare and the law, as well as other areas over which quackery and pseudoscience has cast its shadow of ignorance and misleading claims. Besides Singh, award-winning author of Fermat's Last Theorem and Trick or Treatment: Alternative Medicine on Trial (with co-author Edzard Ernst), some of the other speakers will include the project director of the UK's Good Thinking Foundation, Michael Marshall; Jacques Rousseau, co-author of Critical Thinking and Pseudoscience – Why We Can't Trust Our Brains; Tom Zeller, award-winning journalist, formerly of The New York Times and now executive editor of the digital science magazine Undark at the Knight Science Journalism programme of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Nathan Geffen, editor of GroundUp and author of Debunking Illusions; Dr Harris Steinman, publisher and editor of CAMcheck and nemesis of many a quack in South Africa; Prof Anusuya Chinsamy-Turan, vertebrate paleontologist and science communication award-winning author from the University of Cape Town; Prof Keymanthri Moodley, Director: Centre for Medical Ethics and Law at SU and editor of Medical Ethics, Law and Human Rights; multiple award-winning science journalists and authors Mia Malan, Elsabé Brits, Daryl Ilbury and Marina Joubert; Janusz Luterek, legal expert on food science and technology; and Prof Roy Jobson, pharmacologist and health regulatory expert.

The summit's sessions will focus on the following themes:

• The rise and dangers of pseudoscience and science denialism: Communicating uncertainty in science
• Health regulation, science in court and other protection mechanisms: Are consumers left in the cold?
• The media and pseudoscience: Reflecting science through a 'dirty mirror'?
• Sense about science: Why evidence matters
• Is quackery harmless? Exploiting the desperately ill, the vulnerable and the ignorant
• Communicating accurate science: Why scientists should leave the laboratory and engage the public

Information about the summit can be obtained from Claassen at gnclaassen@sun.ac.za or censcom@sun.ac.za, +27218513232 or +27835432471.

● To register for the summit, please click here

● The preliminary programme can be found here

One of Stellenbosch University's top researchers, Prof Resia Pretorius of the Department of Physiological Sciences, was honoured with the Department of Science and Technology (DST)'s Women in Science Award on Thursday (17 August 2017).

Pretorius finished second in the category: Distinguished Women Scientist in Natural Sciences and Engineering.

The annual awards ceremony was held in Johannesburg as part of the department's celebration of Women's Month. The theme for this year's Women in Sciences Awards was “Women`s Economic Empowerment in the changing world of work".

According to the organisers, these awards are aimed at profiling women scientists and researchers as role models for younger scientists and researchers and to encourage and reward younger women who are starting their careers as emerging researchers and scientists. 

Pretorius won the Women in Science Award for her work on how various inflammatory molecules affect red blood cells and blood clotting as well as the role of these molecules in the development of inflammation. 

She and her team showed that tiny amounts of molecules in the wall of the bacterial cell can cause blood to form clots and that this contribute to chronic inflammation that is part of many supposedly non-infectious diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

Pretorius' research has led to a better understanding of and new discoveries regarding the functioning of cells, proteins and processes that mediate blood clotting during inflammation.

Pretorius says that she wants to “translate her basic research findings into clinical practice in order to reduce the global burden of disease and death due to the formation of blood clots in various inflammatory conditions." Abnormal blood clotting can lead to strokes, heart attacks and deep vein thrombosis (blood clots forming in legs or arms).

“I strive to facilitate a vital mind-shift in the understanding of inflammation, by developing new approaches using basic research to study the role of blood clotting in inflammatory diseases."

In addition to the Women in Science Awards, Pretorius won the prestigious African Union Kwame Nkrumah Scientific Award in 2011 in the category: Women Scientist in Basic Science and Technology.

Rated by the National Research Foundation and considered a leading international researcher in her field, Pretorius has published extensively in high impact international academic journals and has 8 book chapters to her name.  She also published in popular magazines such as Time and New Scientist. She has supervised 40 masters and doctoral students.

Finalists for this year's awards competed in five categories, namely Distinguished Women Researchers (with subcategories), Distinguished Young Women Researchers, Research and Innovation leading to Socio-Economic Impact and/or Empowerment of Women, DST Fellowships (masters students and doctoral students) as well as the TATA Africa Scholarships for masters students in Science, Engineering and Technology.

​​“What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead." – Nelson Mandela​

Nelson Mandela International Day commemorates the lifetime of service Nelson Mandela gave to South Africa and the world and is celebrated every year on 18 July.​

The Centre for Learning Technologies (CLT) heeded the call to make a difference in the community and took Siyanqoba crèche in Kayamandi under its wing. The friendship started with the Centre staff painting the building and providing learning supplies during an outreach in December 2016. Then, with the big storm in June 2017, the building sustained wind damage and, with the help of Stellenbosch University, a Wendy house was constructed where the previous building had been – under the watchful eye of Zainab Suliman, Operations Manager at the CLT.​

The staff members of the Centre rallied for Mandela Day this past July. The day started with muffins and hot chocolate and the children were entertained with face painting, colouring in, playdough and lots of songs. The hidden talents of Hennie Roux, Studio Manager at CLT, were revealed as he wowed and entertained the children dressed as Hammie the clown. The Centre presented the children with toys and stationery. The principal, Bongiwe Dumo, said that nobody had ever taken an interest in the children in such a way and that she was looking forward to more interaction with the CLT. The day ended with a healthy lunch bag and very tired grown-ups. The team at CLT was able to get to know one other better, as well as the teachers and children at Siyanqoba, by making memories and giving back to the community while keeping the spirit of Nelson Mandela alive.

An interactive workshop to develop the content for an occupation qualification for water process management was hosted by the Stellenbosch University Water Institute from 19 to 21 July at the Faure Water Works in the Western Cape.

Participants included representatives from the Energy Water Sector Education Training Authority (EWSTA), the Water Institute of Southern Africa (WISA), the municipalities of the City of Cape Town, Drakenstein, Nelson Mandela Metro and Govan Mbeki, as well the South African National Parks (SanParks), the Institute of Municipal Engineering of South Africa (IMESA), Randwater, Colleges of Boland and West Coast and the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) Water Service Sector Leadership Group (WSSLG).

Mr Manual Jackson, SUWI project manager, says the workshop is the result of a qualification scoping workshop that took place on 24 April 2017 at SU: “During the April workshop the rational for developing the qualification was presented, the qualification development processed was discussed under the QCTO framework, as well as the required buy-in from all stakeholders.  A community of experts was nominated which include a working group, and the role of all stakeholders were confirmed."

Present at this workshop were experts from the South African Local Government Support Agency (SALGA), WISA, the municipalities of Drakenstein, Swartland, Bergriver, George, Swellendam, City of Cape Town, Knysna and Mosselbay, IMESA, DWS, as well as the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) and the Local Government Sector Education Training Authority (LGSETA).

Background

The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) Quality Council for Trade and Occupation (QCTO) approved the application to develop the qualification in February-March this year in order to build capacity in the water treatment sector. SUWI then coordinated the application process on behalf of the EWSETA.

Section 9 of the Water Service Act [No 108 of 1997] empowers the minister of water and sanitation to develop and maintain standards related to water and sanitation provision. In 2013, the then minister of water and sanitation published in the government gazette (36958) draft regulations relating to Compulsory National Standards for Process Controllers and Water Service Works (Regulation 813) to replace regulation 2384 published in terms of Water Act [No. 54 of 1956]. The new qualification will correspond to these new regulations.

The next workshop is scheduled for 23 to 25 August 2017 and will be held at Randwater in Johannesburg. The objective is to complete the qualification, curriculum, and external summative assessments documents, for the planned registration of the qualification at the South African Qualification Authority in early 2018.

Mr Jackson says it will be a national qualification and interested individuals would be able to register with any approved training provider with the DHET towards the end of 2018.

On the photo: Mnr Allan Blanckenberg (City of Cape Town), Ms Kedibone Matampi (ILG), Mr Mlungis Hoco (Nelson Mandela Metro), Mr Manuel Jackson (SUWI), Ms Marcia Letlhake (Randwater), Mr Sydney Armoed (WISA), Mr Dewald van Staden (WISA), Ms Thandiwe Shashu (EWSETA), Mr Farouk Roberton (City of Cape Town),  Mr Ronald Brown (Drakenstein Municipality), Mr Lazarus Msibi (Govan Mbeki Municipality). Absent when the photo was taken: Mr Setsopo Tsibiso Maphutha (DWS), Mr Mario Bowers (WISA), Mr Linford Molaba (SANParks), Ms Renecia Wilson (EWSETA), Prof Alvin Lagardien (CPUT), Mr Tobile Gqili (Quality Council for Trade and Occupations), Ms Zandra Prinsloo (West Coast College), Mr Andre Muller (West Coast College), Mr Alie Crook (Boland College), Dr Elanna Bester (SUWI), Ms Hillary Siebritz (SUWI).

The Graduate School for Arts and Social Sciences is a HOPE Project initiative in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Stellenbosch University to strengthen and advance doctoral training and scholarship in Africa. 

More than 180 doctoral students from 18 African countries, including South Africa, have enrolled in this scholarship programme since 2010. A total of 93 have successfully graduated, of which 78% completed in three years or less.

​Suitable candidates who are citizens of any sub-Saharan African country are invited to apply for three-year full-time doctoral scholarships in the research programmes of the Faculty to commence studies in January 2018. Scholarships are available to the value of R 420 000.00 over three years.

Collaborative research, supervision and exchange will be encouraged through the Partnership for Africa's Next Generation of Academics (PANGeA) involving leading universities across Africa.

Further information on the partially structured doctoral scholarship programme, eligibility and selection criteria, and application process is available online at www.sun.ac.za/graduateschool

THE ​CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS IS 25 AUGUST 2017.

As the annual Education Students' Regional Research Conference (ESRRC) draws near, postgraduate students from the four universities in the Western Cape have already benefitted from two workshops organised to assist them in their preparation for the conference as well as their greater postgraduate journey.

The ESRRC provides a collegial space to postgraduate students from Stellenbosch University (SU), the University of Cape Town (UCT), the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), with research interests in education, to share their research and work in progress.

ESRRC 2017 will take place at Stellenbosch University on 2 September and 30 papers will be presented by students.

Two workshops preceded the conference: one on Abstract Writing presented by Prof Peter Rule, associate professor in the Department of Curriculum Studies and the Centre for Higher and Adult Education in the Faculty of Education at SU, and one on Presentation Skills presented by Prof Maureen Robinson, Professor in the Department of Curriculum Studies at SU and former Dean of the Faculty. 

Both workshops were attended by about 35 postgraduate students.

According to Prof Robinson, students indicated that the workshops gave them valuable information and useful skills, broke down some of their anxieties about presenting at a conference, and enabled them to immediately start planning their own submissions.

“The broader objective of the conference is to support and build a new generation of education scholars. The ESRRC provides a platform on which to safely test new ideas among fellow research students. The workshops are practical stepping stones to this end," Prof Robinson added.

The theme of the conference – “Education in an Era of Decolonization and Transformation: The Voice of Student Researchers" – links directly to that of the 2017 theme of the South African Education Research Association (SAERA) conference, to be held in Port Elizabeth in October. This is to signal that the student conference is part of the national research picture.

When students first present their research findings in a shared space, such as a conference, they may find it a daunting experience. The ESRRC gives students the opportunity to present their research and work-in-progress to an audience of their peers, in a safe and nurturing environment.

Mannini Kotele, Masters student in the Faculty of Education, and chair of the ESRRC committee for 2017, believes all students will benefit from attending this conference.

“I attended the conference last year as part of the audience, and if I knew then what I know now, I would have presented the little that I had on my thesis.

“It is a safe space for students, and the support from peers is very strong. It is a space where student researchers grow and network with their peers. It is also good preparation for other academic conferences, like the SAERA."

Photo: Prof Maureen Robinson presents a workshop on Presentation Skills.

Two Stellenbosch University (SU) students and multi-sport athletes have travelled almost halfway across the world to kick off their international sporting careers at the 2017 ITU Multisport World Championship Festival, held from 18-27 August in Penticton, Canada.

Catherine Pellow-Jarman (19), a first-year BA Sport Science student from Franschhoek, and Taryn-Maie Wille (20), a first-year BSc Conservation Ecology student from Grahamstown, were very excited about the opportunity to represent their country abroad.

“I've been running and cycling all my life but only started competing in duathlon about two years ago," said Catherine, who was selected to compete in the duathlon, age group 20-24. This event consists of a 10km run, 40km cycle and 5km run.

“It has been a dream of mine to represent my country at a world championships. It is my first year in the 20-24 age category and my main aim is to gain some experience racing at that level."

Taryn-Maie was selected to participate in the cross-triathlon competition (age group 20-24). This is an off-road event which consists of a 1.5km swim, 31km mountain bike ride and 8km run. She has been competing in triathlons for six years and counts her achievements at the Grabouw Xterra as well as the opportunity to participate in the Sani2C and Wines2Whales MTB stage races with her dad as some of her sporting highlights.

“I feel very privileged and I am extremely excited to be competing overseas," she said before she left for Canada. “My aim is to get some international racing experience and achieve some PBs." 

She was also selected to compete in the Xterra in Hawaii later this year, but won't be able to participate due to academic commitments.

As student-athletes, Catherine and Taryn-Maie have to adapt their training to their academic schedules.

“I probably train around 12 hours a week," said Catherine. “I like to train early in the morning before class starts. Then it's just about making good use of lectures and free periods during the day and getting as much work as possible done before training in the evening."

Catherine benefits from being a resident of SU's sport residence Huis Neethling: “Being surrounded by other students who understand what it's like to have training at 5:30 in the morning and then have to sit through an entire day of lectures without falling asleep is comforting."

Taryn-Maie trains approximately 14 hours per week.

“I get my sessions done before and after lectures and even in between if I have time, otherwise on the weekends. I was able to get really good base training in during the holiday."

Being a cross-country athlete has contributed to her appreciation of nature, and she hopes to use her sport to raise funds for conservation one day.

“My aim is to be one of the best conservationists in whatever field I go into and to help the environment in as many ways as possible."

​​Johané Nienkemper-Swanepoel is a member of that rare breed of scientists who does research to help others do their own investigative work more thoroughly. This PhD student and lecturer at Stellenbosch University uses her skills in statistics, applied mathematics and computer programming to write appropriate software with which to handle and visualise incomplete or missing data. These visualisation tools will help other researchers make as much sense as possible from the data they have painstakingly collected, even when some much-needed bits of information are missing.

“By using applicable techniques to handle the issue of missing bits of data, it is quite possible to maintain and extract more information from for instance an incomplete questionnaire. It means that researchers do not have to make do with a smaller sample set that only includes complete blocks of data,” explains Nienkemper-Swanepoel. She invited faculty members to provide her with relevant data that they would like to put to better use.

In July, the efforts of this biometry lecturer in the Department of Genetics was recognized through the Helga and Wolfgang Gaul Stiftung Award worth 2000 Euros. It is awarded biennially by the International Federation of Classification Societies (IFCS) to an outstanding researcher younger than 30 years. Nienkemper-Swanepoel has just returned from Japan where she presented some of her research at the IFCS 2017 conference. At the award ceremony, she also had the honour of meeting Prof Wolfgang Gaul, an eminent German academic, and his wife Helga. Her interest in mathematical conundrums stems from the inspirational extra maths classes she received in high school. She also remembers fondly how she used her basic knowledge of mathematics to complete her first science fair project in Grade 7 to establish whether there is a link between handwriting skills and the amount of time babies spend lying on their tummies.

“Looking back, this was a clear indication that I would one day become a researcher, passionate about the application of the subject of statistics,” she uses the benefit of hindsight.

Passion for performing

It would however be a mistake to typecast Nienkemper-Swanepoel into the typical role of a maths boffin. Before setting her mind on studies in mathematical sciences at the University of the Free State, Nienkemper-Swanepoel played with the idea of studying medicine and even drama. At school at C & N Meisieskool Oranje in Bloemfontein, she received Free State colours for tap dancing, and also won six medals at the World Championship of Performing Arts in Los Angeles. This avid performer was also vice-head of the Bloemfontein Children’s Choir.

During her years at the University of the Free State (UFS) she still found the time to be her residence’s cultural representative, and to be part of the women’s A Capella group Amaranth Echo which came 5th in the international Varsity Vocals competition in New York in 2009. The group went on to launch a CD in 2011.

Doing research for the sake of other researchers

Her decision to combine her studies with her passion for chamber choir music during her honours year paid off. She went on to receive the Senate Medal for the best honours degree student at the

University of the Free State in 2012. In 2011, she was the youngest presenter at the South African Statistical Association (SASA) annual conference. She had the opportunity to explain to leaders in her field how to use a statistical method called paired comparisons to determine the optimal position in which members of an A Cappella group should stand to get their overall intonation, dynamics and balance just right.

She didn’t miss a beat when starting off her MSc Mathematical Statistics at UFS. It only took her 18 months to complete her investigations on how to handle missing values in multivariate categorical data sets. She focused on how to rebuild incomplete questionnaires with missing bits of information in such a way that credible results could be obtained from the updated data. After receiving first prize for the annual best postgraduate paper submitted to SASA, she subsequently presented her work at the 60th International Statistics Institute (ISI) World Statistics Congress 2015 in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. Her research has subsequently taken her to Spain, Italy and Portugal for conferences, and has allowed her to publish in the Journal of Classification.

This member of SASA enjoys collaborating with colleagues in the SU Department of Statistics on matters of interest. On an international platform, she has been elected to represent SASA’s Multivariate Data Analysis special interest group (MDAG) on the council of the International Federation of Classification Societies (IFCS).

“It is an exciting opportunity to represent South Africa at meetings, to engage with fellow council members and to create awareness of the MDAG activities and the approaches to applying and teaching classification methods at South African universities,” says Nienkemper-Swanepoel, who hopes that she will receive her PhD degree in Mathematical Statistics by 2019.

“I have received invaluable support and mentorship I receive from my supervisors, Prof Niël le Roux and Prof Sugnet Lubbe of the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science at Stellenbosch University. I will always be indebted to them for the time they invest in my future,” declares Nienkemper-Swanepoel.

​​In 1991, Professor Juliana Claassens of the Department of Old and New Testament was part of the first class of female theological students in the Faculty of Theology at Stellenbosch University (SU). Today she heads the Gender Unit in the Faculty and lives her passion for human dignity and gender justice.

As part of Women Month's celebrations at SU, the Corporate Communication Division spoke to Claassens about her research.

In your writings, you focus on courageous women in the Old Testament and the contemporary relevance of their stories. Can you tell us more about your area of research?

My research focus on human dignity, justice and in particular gender justice. In my most recent book on female resistance in the Old Testament, I use biblical stories about women resisting the violence of war, rape, patriarchy and poverty in a variety of creative, non-violent ways to contemplate the various forms in which women (and men) today try to overcome the devastating reality of violence in our world.

Why or how did you become interested in this specific area of research?

As an undergraduate student at SU, I fell in love with the Old Testament thanks to a very inspiring professor named Ferdinand Deist. It is only later that I encountered feminism that gave me the language to name what I had experience as a young theological student – one of the first women to study Theology at SU. I increasingly saw the potential of using biblical texts to help us see the ongoing manifestations of violence and injustice in our world, while at the same time also helping readers to imagine alternatives of how the world is supposed to be.

What do you enjoy most about being a researcher?

I love bringing into conversation new approaches to interpret ancient biblical texts (hermeneutics), seeing how new layers of meaning are revealed. For instance, I have in recent years started using the new field of trauma hermeneutics to read especially the biblical prophets who emerged out of a very traumatic time. This particular framework connects well to contemporary readers as it draws on a common experience of finding meaningful ways to deal with suffering in a meaningful way.

What does success mean to you?

Success is to keep your focus amidst all the trials and tribulations of life, also professional life, which indeed is not always easy. To hear that somebody has actually read your work and that it meant something to them is probably for me the greatest measure of success. To be able to bring something to students that they find meaningful and help to read or think or perhaps even live in a different way is greatly rewarding.

What do you attribute your success to?

I think it is, in part, thanks to counter communities of care whether in the form of family, friends, colleagues, students where one becomes stronger, more resilient, and ready to tackle even greater challenges and opportunities.

What makes you tick?

I have a strong sense of vocation. I really believe that I am called to make the world a better place. As I become older, I probably don't think anymore as my youthful self once did, that I can change the whole world. But I am trying my best to wherever I find myself, make that small corner of the world a bit better.

What are the things that you enjoy doing away from work?

I love reading, watching films, travelling, reading and writing in coffee shops, going for long walks in beautiful places, and good food and wine.

Do you have any message for the next generation of women researchers?

Keep doing what you are doing. Nobody said it was going to be easy. But through dedicated hard work, surrounded by like-minded individuals and with a passion to make your scholarship matters for a larger context, working in Higher Education is the most amazing job in world! 

​A man with tardive dystonia, a condition characterised by abnormal movements, improved drastically after undergoing deep brain stimulation (DBS) at Tygerberg Hospital.

The DBS implant was a first for this hospital and it was also the first time that such a procedure was performed on an adult patient in a Western Cape state hospital. Until now it had only been performed on a few children at the Red Cross Children's Hospital.

The dystonia was caused by an anti-psychopathic medication well-known for this side-effect that was prescribed to the patient for bipolar disorder. However, the dystonia persisted after the medication was discontinued. By the time the DBS operation was performed, the patient had already been confined to bed for six months.

The operation was performed by Dr Armin Gretschel, a neurosurgeon with Stellenbosch University's Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS). The equipment was provided by Medtronic.

According to Gretschel two very thin electrodes were implanted on both sides of the brain in a deeply seated region, called the globus pallidus, to block the electrical impulses causing the movement disorder. Healthy brain tissue is not damaged by this and, if necessary, the effect can be reversed.

The electrodes were then connected with a thin wire to a battery-driven neuro-stimulator, a device similar to a pacemaker, which was implanted under the skin just below the collar bone.

The whole process took approximately six hours. The programming of the device is only done afterwards and was handled by Prof Jonathan Carr, Head of FMHS' Division of Neurology.

The brain region where the electrodes are implanted depends on the reason for the DBS. According to Carr the procedure has thus far been performed around 300 000 times worldwide and almost 90% of the cases involved Parkinson's disease. Number two on the list is essential tremors, followed by dystonia. It has also been approved for neurological conditions such as obsessive-compulsive disorder and Tourette syndrome.

“Some dystonia patients are symptom-free after the implant, as long as the system works," says Gretschel. “Parkinson's disease is progressive and DBS relieves symptoms, but more stimulation is needed as the disease worsens," she adds.

Patients with Parkinson's disease are kept awake during DBS to be able to communicate with them. This is not possible with dystonia patients, due to the danger that abnormal movements can lead to injuries in the steel framework in which the head is placed for the procedure.

The implanted device is about the size of a matchbox (6 cm x 4 cm x 1,5 cm) and is battery-driven. Depending on the tension required, the battery can last between two and five years before the device has to be replaced. 

If the reloadable option is chosen – which was the case in this instance because high tension was required – the battery can simply be reloaded by holding the reloading unit next to the skin. However, practical considerations play a role in this decision. Patients in especially rural areas don't have access to electricity and it is also not considered an option if there is uncertainty whether the patient is actually going to reload the device regularly.

Caption: Prof Jonathan Carr

Photo by: Damien Schumann

​Respect and dignity.

These two words emerge frequently when interviewing the Faculty of Medicine and Health Science's (FHMS) newly appointed Manager: Student Affairs.

In her new position Ms Khairoonisa Foflonker will have to, among others, engage closely with support staff, the FHMS faculty and leadership, as well as student leadership to facilitate and enhance student support. Her career up to date has definitely equipped her with the necessary tools for this task.

“The most valuable lesson I have learnt thus far has been to listen so that I can understand. Not to hear people so that I can respond. A lot is lost when ideas are formed and expressed prematurely," she explains. 

“Another important lesson I have learnt is understanding that people need to be treated with dignity and respect. Respect, however, means different things to different people, and is often culturally bound. It's therefore the individual's responsibility to make the time to understand others. This is how collegiality is fostered," says Foflonker, who has a master's degree in Sociology.

She relates she was intrigued by post-colonial theory and the social justice approach offered by Diversity Studies, a specialisation within Sociology. “I had finally found a discipline that enabled me to articulate and critique asymmetrical power relations. I subsequently specialised in Diversity Studies, and felt more equipped to becoming a critically engaged, self-reflexive, active denizen."

Foflonker's career started at the former Institute for Intercultural and Diversity Studies (iNCUDISA) at the University of Cape Town (UCT), coordinating two research projects: the Rural Transformation Project, which involved research into the depth of transformation in small and rural South African towns; and the Xenophobia and Super Diversity Project, which involved conducting qualitative interviews with refugees and locals in Cape Town.

She simultaneously coordinated a diversity awareness seminar programme at iNCUDISA and lectured on the subject of “race" (which included race, xenophobia and the Coloured identity).

“I began to yearn for an approach that married theory to practice; and found that facilitating workshops on intercultural communication, diversity and inclusivity, as well as training leaders and students to become facilitators, brought my passion as a change agent to life.

“Next, I coordinated ADAPT, an initiative led by UCT's Transformation Services Office, which involved engaging UCT staff in intercultural communication and leadership workshops. We also developed and implemented a parallel programme to train and mentor a cohort of students, across disciplines, to run the same workshops among UCT students."

The new Manager: Student Affairs has an adventurous streak and has done one thing that scares her every year for the last few years, including paragliding. “I also dabble in poetry, enjoy yoga and meditation, art films and art exhibitions. And I will find any excuse to go on a road trip!"

What does she want to achieve at the FMHS? “Cohesion and inclusivity. This is achieved through the alignment of student support services; including Student Affairs across campuses, the office of the Deputy Registrar and other key stakeholders. It is also achieved by welding together support functions, including student leadership, as well as faculty, management and student support staff. 

“This alignment is aimed at enhancing student support services in a manner that offers dignity, empowerment of, and respect for all students."

Prof Soraya Seedat joined Stellenbosch University's Department of Psychiatry in 1992, fresh from her MB,ChB internship and keen to become a medical researcher, but not sure whether to specialise in psychiatry or paediatrics.

One year as a medical officer at Lentegeur Hospital convinced her to become a psychiatrist and she enrolled as a registrar in 1993. Excluding two years of research abroad, she has been with the Psychiatry Department ever since, becoming its Executive Head in 2012.

She has a B2-rating from the National Research Foundation (NR F) and more than 300 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters to her name, in which she sought to illuminate a host of causes, treatments and cross-cultural manifestations of psychiatric disorders.

She still does original research and collaborates across multiple academic departments both inside and outside the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. She has also directed multi-institutional research as co-director of the Medical Research Council's Anxiety and Stress Disorder Unit, director of its Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Unit, and currently as chair of the PTSD project of the South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI). The latter is a flagship project of the NRF and focuses on the interplay between trauma, PTSD and genetics.

“I think what drives me is being able to ask very pertinent, but also very creative questions about why diseases and psychiatric disorders manifest in the way they do, why  they manifest at all, and in what novel ways we can treat these disorders," Seedat says.

“I am also interested in capacity-building – how do you train researchers; what skills do you impart to them; how do you do that in a country with limited resources? Research is incredibly competitive. You are competing internationally, therefore you have to advance yourself and your skills to a point where you are in that playing field."

Awards

Seedat has received a number of prestigious national and international research awards, but she considers them as recognition of a body of research rather than of her own efforts.

“Research today is all about networking and collaborating with people from other disciplines. When you open your field and expertise up to like-minded, but also very differently-skilled individuals, it makes for a far more robust research environment that is much more nuanced and interesting."

The award that means the most to her personally is the 2013 Mail & Guardian Women in Science award.

“It was a privilege to meet so many talented masters and doctoral students – women who are studying in traditionally male-dominated fields in science, technology and engineering, being recognised for their extraordinary achievements."

Children and trauma

Seedat mentions that her interest in psychiatry grew from her practical undergraduate training in psychiatry at King George Hospital in Durban, whilst studying medicine at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. “We were given the opportunity to interview patients, both supervised and unsupervised. We often sat outside in the hospital gardens and interviewed patients who had been in the hospital for lengthy periods of time. I found them fascinating. I was also fortunate to be taught psychiatry by tutors and lecturers who were very passionate about their field."

She has collaborated with her fellow-chair of the MRC's Anxiety and Stress Disorder Unit, Prof Dan Stein, since her days as a registrar. Their work in trauma led them to establish the MRC's Bathuthuzele Youth Stress Clinic at Tygerberg Hospital in 1999.

“Bathuthuzele means 'comfort them'. I became quite involved in the clinic, going out to schools, recruiting children and raising awareness of the mental health effects of trauma.

“Trauma often manifests through physical symptoms. If a woman suffered sexual abuse as a child, her scars may manifest physically in adulthood as, for example, repeated urinary tract infections, gastro-intestinal infections or chest infections. She may consult several health professionals for varied symptoms, but it is only upon inquiry and examination that a doctor may actually uncover that trauma is at the root of the problem.

“This is why it is very important to focus on the youth, because that is where the most fruitful early intervention can happen, even in youths who have already developed problems. Young people are far more malleable than adults – you can positively influence their bodies and minds far more easily, because their biological systems are still in flux and developmentally less matured."

The gene puzzle

Under the NRF's SARChI programme, Seedat leads research on how environmental and biological factors affect an individual's genetics, and the broader implications for trauma and post-traumatic stress symptoms and treatment.

“Conventional wisdom in science held that we are born with static genes inherited from our parents. However, in the last 10 years we've come to know that our genetic architecture is actually amenable to influence, both biological and environmental. This is known as epigenetics. While the actual structure of the DNA is stable, through environmental impacts like trauma, poverty, family and societal influences, as well as biological factors, the expression of that genetic architecture can change.

“In a condition like Down's syndrome we know what the genetic abnormality is. But psychiatric diseases are far less clear cut, which is why it is taking science and medicine so long to unravel the causation of these disorders. Therefore, we are now undertaking very sophisticated studies, trying to unpack how much of a psychiatric disorder is caused by the environment. We have lots of pieces of the puzzle, but we haven't been able to fit all of those pieces tightly together yet."

Care and funding

Although she hasn't worked in a psychiatric hospital for many years, Seedat supervises numerous researchers and research studies conducted in hospitals and clinics and in other settings, and she sees both dire need and cause for hope.

“South Africa faces challenges around human, financial and skills resources as well as access to healthcare and medications. Many medications that have already been approved and indicated for use in treating psychiatric disorders in the United States and European Union, are just not available here because of cost constraints. In many instances we therefore resort to older medications with more side-effects.

“I think the most psychiatric hospitals and district hospitals that treat psychiatric patients function under very difficult circumstances. Unfortunately psychiatry has traditionally been the orphan of the health disciplines – it only receives some 3,5% of the health budget. More recently, however, the Department of Health has begun to highlight the issues and challenges that mental health services face, and is making a greater commitment to supporting these services. I am positive that we are going to see improvements going forward," Seedat says.

Caption: Prof Soraya Seedat

Photo: Damien Schumann

​Every drop counts – not only when it comes to saving water, but also money. This is especially true for schools with already constrained resources.

Saving water and money at schools has been the focus of a project run by Prof Thinus Booysen and his team from the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Stellenbosch University. Through the use of smart metering technology, they have enabled schools, households and other institutions to limit water usage and minimise expenses.

Booysen said at the moment there are already five schools putting the technology to the test. He hopes that more schools can get involved as a lot of water can be saved, especially since the cost of water for bulk users in Stellenbosch has more than doubled since July.

The Smart Water Meter is simply attached to a municipal water meter, and then reports into a web server via cellular, NB-IoT or Sigfox networks.
The electronic data from the meter tells an interesting story about the volumes of water used at certain times of the day.

According to Booysen, after the installation of this meter people become more aware of how much water they use. This awareness invariably leads to substantial reductions, with as much as 68% observed.

Shortly after the pilot project started at Stellenbosch Primary a few months ago, their water consumption dropped from 35 kL per day to about 11 kL per day.

Referring to an incident at Stellenbosch Primary which took place during the July holiday, Booysen said due to the system that was implemented they were able to identify a burst pipe and prevent around one million litres of water going to waste.

Jacques Horn, deputy principal at Stellenbosch Primary, said that this meter really works well. “We have already saved a lot of water and everyone is more aware of saving water. We have even adjusted the water supply to the bathrooms." One of the solutions applied by the team was to put water supply to the urinals on a timer control.

The project champion at Eikestad Primary, Dirk Coetsee, said that after the installation of the water meter, the school managed to save at least 3 kL of water per day. “We picked up there was water usage over weekends when there was nobody at school. Then we discovered a water leakage underground."

Other schools like A.F. Louw Primary School, Stellenbosch High School and Hector Peterson Secondary School in Wallacedene have also come on board with the project.​

Caption: Prof Thinus Booysen sits at his desk with the water usage data of a Stellenbosch school on his computer.

Researchers from across the world recently gathered in Cape Town to share knowledge about and discuss “sense-making" in mathematics teaching and learning, applied problem-solving (modelling), and the way in which mathematical models and modelling underpin much of the work across the science, technology and engineering disciplines.

More than 130 delegates from 20 countries attended the 18th International Conference on the Teaching of Mathematical Modelling and Applications (ICTMA-18), organised by the Research Unit for Mathematics Education (RUMEUS) situated within the Faculty of Education at Stellenbosch University (SU).

It was the first time this biennial conference was hosted on the African continent. The venue was the Training Centre at Sanlam Head Office in Bellville.

Prof Gloria Stillman, President of he International Community of Teachers of Mathematical Modelling and Applications, said at the opening of the conference that the community's strong research focus has recognised the importance of establishing a robust knowledge base from which to address challenges in the teaching, learning and assessing of mathematical modelling and applications.

Guest speaker Prof Eugene Cloete, SU Vice-rector: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies, gave some excellent examples of the application of mathematical modelling in biological sciences.

To illustrate how mathematical modelling can be applied to solve real-world problems, he explained how it was used to cut down the fermentation time of yeast in the beer brewing process from 21 days to 15 days, giving the brewery an additional capacity of 25%. He also referred to the Activated Sludge Method, developed by a group of world experts, who met on a regular basis over a period of five years to come up with a mathematical model to describe what happens in this system which is used to treat municipal wastewater.

Francois Adriaan, Head of the Sanlam Foundation, explained why a large corporate such as Sanlam would be interested in mathematics.

“There is a high level of correlation between good numeracy and protection against unemployment, low wages and poor health. There is also evidence that mathematical literacy correlates with financial literacy," he said. He added that mathematics also correlates strongly with innovation and problem solving and that the world needs innovators and problem-solvers to address current challenges.

The conference was concluded with a Modelling Teacher Day, organised by RUMEUS in conjunction with the Western Cape Department of Education (WCED), where the principles and ideas discussed during the week-long conference were shared with 138 teachers, subject advisors, academics, WCED representatives and education students from across the Western Cape. The facilitators included experts from Germany, Australia and South Africa.

“We can't carry on teaching as we taught in the past, because the future looks different. We need to prepare learners to deal with the real world. Mathematical modelling and problem solving are about helping learners make sense of real-world problems," said Dr Helena Wessels, senior lecturer in the Department of Curriculum Studies at SU and chair of the conference organising committee.

Brian Schreuder, Superintendent General of the WCED, echoed both Wessels' and Adriaan's sentiments in his address to teachers. “For me, mathematically modelling is about problem solving and critical thinking. It's about the process and the skills. The learners we teach will have to be able to function in the 21^st century. Are we doing enough to prepare them for this world?"

He voiced concern that the South African curriculum is still geared towards 20^th century learning outcomes. “We are overpopulating our curriculum with content and we are not creating the opportunity for learning to take place. We have to do more in our classes to develop the skills of the future."

He encouraged teachers to link the CAPS curriculum to what is happening in the real world.

“The principles of mathematical modelling can help us achieve our vision of a quality education for every learner, in every classroom, in every school in our province," he concluded.

Dr Peter Beets, Deputy Director: WCED Curriculum & Assessment Management, also attended the Modelling Teacher Day.​​

The South African Academy for Science and Arts (Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns) recently rewarded Stellenbosch University (SU) academics for their contribution to science and the arts at an awards event in Stellenbosch.

The SU recipients are Prof Hendrik Geyer of the Department of Physics; Prof Lambert Engelbrecht, Chair of the Department of Social Work; Prof Gerhard Geldenhuys, emeritus professor in Applied Mathematics; as well as Ms Anneke van Heerden, SU alumna who received a prize for her Master's Degree.

The Havenga Prize for Physical Sciences was awarded to Prof Geyer. He joined SU in 1984 and became professor in Physics in 1990. Prof Geyer has been the Director of the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS) since 2008.

He was honoured for his enormous contribution to aspects of quantum mechanics. He is considered a pioneer in the broad field of non-hermetic quantum physics, especially in relation to PT symmetric quantum mechanics. Prof Geyer's leading role in this field is supported by a long series of related publications with both local and overseas colleagues, and he is internationally recognised as one of the founders of this discipline.

The Stals Prize for Social Work was awarded to Prof Engelbrecht. He has made a significant contribution to the social work profession, especially his work on the effects of neo-liberalism on social work service delivery, which is highly regarded locally and internationally.

Prof Engelbrecht focuses on research in social development, supervision and management of social workers, as well as the training of social work students. This research area has delivered more than 90 scientific outputs.

Prof Geldenhuys is the recipient of the Huguenot Society and the DF du Toit-Malherbe Prize for Genealogical research. He receives the prize for the noteworthy role that his genealogical research has played in the field of medical science in the unravelling of the molecular causes of hereditary heart muscle and movement illnesses.

Knowledge of disease carriers' degree of relations played a big role to find the hereditary gene and, where the gene had been known, explain the fluctuating degree of the severity of the disease.

The Protea Prize for best History dissertation in Afrikaans and the General Christiaan de Wet bursary was awarded to Ms Van Heerden. The prize was awarded for her MA thesis, which she completed at SU, with the title, “Die Suiderkruisfonds en die mobilisering van die Suid-Afrikaanse blanke burgerlike samelewing tydens die Grensoorlog 1968-1989".

In 2014, Ms Van Heerden passed her MA degree cum laude, and between 2011 and 2015, she received a Merit Bursary, NRF Research Bursary, as well as the Marlene Silbert Award for Holocaust and Human Rights Education. Also, she has been promoted to Head of Social Sciences and History at President High School in Goodwood, Cape Town, which he joined in 2015.

CAPTION: Profs Wessel Pienaar (Chairman of the South African Academy of Science and Arts), Hendrik Geyer of SU, and Jannie Hofmeyr. Photo: ANTON JORDAAN

The Q&A that followed the delivery of the sixth annual Frederik van Zyl Slabbert Honorary Lecture, hosted at Stellenbosch University recently, was an often tense session, highlighted by impassioned questions and declarations on “disruptive politics" and student protests.

But one question and response perhaps best summed up the message of the preceding lecture. That question was whether there is truly anything worth celebrating about the South African Constitution when, twenty-plus years into a democracy, the country is plagued by and its people divided by poverty and deepening inequality.

It had become almost fashionable to question the country's negotiated settlement of 1994 and its Constitution, Judith February, senior research associate at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) (as well as lawyer and columnist), had argued in her lecture. Even the ruling ANC, which had been central to its drafting, noted February, have increasingly maligned and criticised the Constitution, claiming it has weakened the executive. (The implication, she said, was that the judiciary had become too powerful for the party, concerned about the slew of charges brought against the President.)

So, too, in the student protests of the past years, the Constitution had been “scapegoated" as a tool to protect white interests while compromising the welfare of black people, February continued.

But that we have strayed so far from the ideals for its implementation and for accountability from our leaders, and that inequality has worsened, is not the fault of the Constitution, February argued. “It has not failed us in providing the space for transformation and the guidelines for a state that is accountable," she said.

For her the Constitution, said February, is the framework around which everything else pivots. “To me it remains the lodestar, the aspirational document our founding fathers and mothers intended."

But if the ANC is unable or willing to fix the country's problems, then citizens – “divided as we are" – must do so, insisted February. And it is not too late to do so, she said.

To rebuild our democracy in a post-Zuma world, February proposed, would require six things. One: “Education, education, education", and building a culture of learning and enquiry. Two: A widespread and thorough Constitutional education. Three: A culture of accountability. Four: A free and independent media. Five: Leadership that inspires and respects the rule of law. And six: An active and engaged citizenship.

In 1987, Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert had shared some cautionary but hopeful words of a deeply divided South Africa – “waiting to become, a hovering society" – in the short series of Tanner Lectures on Human Values he had delivered at Oxford University. Somehow those observations, made 30 years ago, still seem to resonate with the South Africa of 2017, February had noted early in her lecture.

But the aspirations for the country lie in the Constitution, she argued. “What are we celebrating?" she responded to the question posed in the Q&A. “Well, we're celebrating…the right to protest. If we didn't have a democracy, if we didn't have a Constitution, students wouldn't be able to protest. They'd be in prison for that," she said.

The Constitution makes a gathering such as the Van Zyl Slabbert Lecture possible, February added. “It provides a framework, a guide and a space for us to operate and to simply be. That's what it allows us to be."

The Frederik van Zyl Slabbert Honorary Lecture is hosted by Stellenbosch University's Frederik van Zyl Slabbert (FVZS) Institute for Student Leadership Development, with the financial support of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. The goal of the lecture series is to stimulate critical and challenging conversations about our country and continent, taking its cue from the late Dr Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert, a respected politician, business leader, critical thinker and former Chancellor of Stellenbosch University.

Article by Morgan Morris

​​Motivated by a strong sense of civic responsibility and a desire to give a voice to the voiceless, the staff of the Legal Aid Clinic is making a difference in the lives of the individuals they serve and contributing to the upliftment of communities.

As part of Women's Month celebrations at SU, the Corporate Communication Division spoke to the women at the Legal Aid Clinic.

What is the mandate of the Legal Aid Clinic?

The Legal Aid Clinic supports communities that are unable to afford legal advice services by providing access to free, effective and quality legal services, including litigation. With an overtly rural focus, a large proportion of those accessing services from the clinic are farmworkers across the Cape Winelands District.

The clinic also operates a financial literacy programme with the Department of Economics that focuses on empowering financially illiterate individuals through the development of financial skills. We also provide farmworkers and support staff on neighbouring farms with human rights training and information relating to consumer rights and responsibilities and relevant legal processes involved in credited / consumer-related matters.

Why is it so important for legal aid clinics to exist in our communities?

Access to justice, especially in view of historical injustices, is the driving force behind the operations of the Legal Aid Clinic. The Legal Aid Clinic is an important institution insofar as educating rural communities on their constitutional rights and addressing human rights violations through free professional legal services.

The clinic is also important because it offers to law students the opportunity to develop practical skills in a clinical setting. Students consult with clients, write letters and draft pleadings under the supervision of attorneys and candidate attorneys and they also participate in moot court activities. More importantly, it offers students a front-row seat to the access-to-justice crisis in the Cape Winelands District.

What is unique about your approach at the Legal Aid Clinic?

The clinic's practitioners have a uniquely ingrained desire to truly contribute towards a human rights culture by improving access to justice and socio-economic rights for vulnerable and marginalised people in rural communities through free legal advice services and precedent-setting impact litigation.

Are there any cases of note that the Legal Aid Clinic has been involved in and won?

We have been central in initiating impact litigation, such as the emolument attachment case in which the Constitutional Court ruled, with effect from 13 September 2016, that no emoluments attachment order may be issued unless the court has authorised the issuing of such order after satisfying itself that it is just and equitable to do so and that the amount is appropriate. It has a far-reaching effect on society, especially in the lives of the indigent community who are often the most exploited due to financial illiteracy. The significance of this case is that it sets a precedent for others in the same desperate situation to find relief from the crippling financial situation in which they find themselves.

The Legal Aid Clinic also worked on the 2012 Constitutional Court case of M Hattingh v L E Juta (CC50/2012), which related the protection of the family rights of adult children of farm occupiers. Instead of narrowing the definitions of concepts such as 'family' or 'culture' in order to determine the right to family life, the Constitutional Court placed emphasis on the balancing of interests of the parties, and upholding constitutional values. This case brought legal certainty by interpreting the difficult concept of 'family life' of farm occupiers in accordance with Section 6(2)(d) of ESTA, allowing adult children of farmworker parents to reside with them on farmland.

Does the Legal Aid Clinic have a women's day message?

To all the women in South Africa: you are strong, let your voice be heard. If you see a woman in need, reach out to her, and help her get back up.

• Individuals living in the Boland, Ceres, and Worcester areas, who are in need of legal assistance, can contact the Legal Aid Clinic on 021 808 3600. The Clinic is located at 44 Banhoek Road, Stellenbosch. To qualify for legal representation, clients must earn below a set threshold.

The future looks bright for two academically gifted Maties who have each been awarded R800 000 to pursue postgraduate studies at an internationally recognised university of their choice.

The two recipients, Aphiwe Jikazana, who received the FirstRand Laurie Dippenaar Scholarship, and Farai Mubaiwa, who received the FirstRand Foundation Scholarship, are both off to the United Kingdom in September to start their studies at Cranfield University and King's College London, respectively.

The FirstRand Scholarships are awarded annually to students who show excellent leadership abilities, are involved in their communities, are academically gifted and have the potential to be a destiny changer.

Jikazana, a chemical engineer and alumnus of Stellenbosch University identified the application of chemical engineering to water and water waste management as a crucial requirement for ameliorating the country's long-term water supply issues. She is starting her MSc in Water and Wastewater Engineering at Cranfield University on September 26.

She says her FirstRand Laurie Dippenaar Scholarship is nothing short of a miracle and evidence that faith truly moves mountains.

"Cranfield University is the only postgraduate university in the UK. It specialises in producing leaders in technology and management. Its world-renowned Water Department with state-of-the-art facilities has been in existence for over 40 years, so it was a natural fit and an easy decision for me. “

She adds that professionally, this is only the beginning. “I know that my calling is to empower the most vulnerable people of our society through education and the provision of adequate water and sanitation. Hence, my first priority is to gain as much knowledge and experience in my field as I can. Thereafter, I would like to work in communities (and possibly found an NGO) to bring about change and ensure the provision of one the most basic needs of water and sanitation. I have a passion for education so I would love to be a lecturer one day while tackling my PhD focused on the governance and legislation of water and sanitation in South Africa.

“Lastly, I see myself using my education and experience to make a difference in the public sector. I would like to work towards implementing the best policies and systems so that all South Africans will have their basic needs of clean water and sanitation met."

Her advice to young students is to remember that, where the mind goes, the man follows. "If you keep your mind fixed on the amazing plans God has for you - you are guaranteed to succeed. Negativity and complaining have never helped or solved anything. Instead, remain positive - see every challenge as an opportunity for you to grow and become a better person."

For Farai Mubaiwa this FirstRand Foundation Scholarship is truly a life-changing opportunity. “It provides me with the platform to further my studies which is something I have always dreamed about but never thought it was tangible due to exorbitant fees, and other expenses."

Mubaiwa completed her BCom (Accounting) at Stellenbosch with stellar grades and then went on to do an Honours in Management Accounting. She is starting a Master's degree in the Political Economy of Emerging Markets at King's College London in September 2017. 

She says this specific Master's degree appealed to her due to the focus on emerging markets that seek to understand the basis for growth and development, the great transformation of emerging markets and market reform. “Growth is of utmost importance to not only South Africa, but Africa as a whole. South Africa is a place of political, racial, and class unrest and it is evident that young people need to steer the ship to keep the vision of a united South Africa alive. Hence, an understanding of emerging markets will ensure that inclusive economic growth can become a tangible reality," she explains.

Her advice to young people is to be their biggest fans, to surround themselves with good people and to network. "In most situations, I am my own worst enemy, but life has taught me that I need to be my biggest fan. I know my capabilities, and so when opportunities arise I need to apply. The worst that could happen when you apply is for you to be told 'we regret to inform you.' But you will never know if you do not try. Who you surround yourself with is a reflection of who you are, so I urge young students to surround themselves with people whose goals align with theirs. Align yourself with friends and mentors who will push you to do better and be better. Also you need to network. Attending events where you will meet people in different fields, positions, levels or people with different interests. Networking is powerful, and the contacts you make will always play a role in your development."

Upon the completion of her Master's, she will return to her current employer, Deloitte. "I aim to practically implement my knowledge of development policies, South Africa's positionality within BRICS, and the role that social and gender policy play in economic growth. I then want to complete my PhD, and begin lecturing. My aim is to become an academic that does not advance the stereotype of academia being this 'ivory tower' but rather one who makes tangible change, that goes beyond developing new models and sitting idle, but rather engaging with the youth and with government to position South Africa favourably with her people and with the rest of Africa."

Mr Laurie Dippenaar, FirstRand chairperson and panel member, said the panel regard themselves as fortunate to be exposed to such amazing talent. "Members of the panel were unanimous in their view that meeting and interviewing the finalists was an inspirational experience."

Pat Goss, FirstRand non-executive board member, said serving on the panel was one of the most rewarding roles he has had the privilege of playing. “The candidates have also been amongst the most extraordinarily capable and deserving bunch one could possibly hope to interview. The whole scholarship initiative ranks right up there with the more meaningful impacts FirstRand has had on society," he added.

• Applications for the 2018 FirstRand scholarship for postgraduate international study will open mid-December 2017 and close on Thursday 22 February 2018. Details and the application form will be available on the FirstRand website www.firstrand.co.za from end November 2017.
• Photo: Farai Mubaiwa and Aphiwe Jikazana.