Important information regarding registration, student fees and financial assistance at Stellenbosch University is now available to all first-time entering and continuing students.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR FIRST-TIME ENTERING STUDENTS:

• Welcoming programme: see www.sun.ac.za/welcome or click here for the Guide for Newcomers 2018
• Your final admission status is available at www.mymaties.com 
• Online registration is available from 12 January 2018 at my.sun.ac.za (>>undergraduate >>administration >>e-Registration).
• Registration Schedule 2018 (link) for students who cannot do self-registration.

Presidential Pronouncement of free higher education for poor and working class students

• Click here for a letter by the Registrar to first-time entering students containing important information on the Presidential Pronouncement, financial assistance and important NSFAS information, amongst others.
• Enquiries related to financial assistance: e-mail info@sun.ac.za, tel 021 808 9111 or visit the  Information desk at Centre for Bursaries and Loans in Admin A Building on the Stellenbosch Campus or the Bursaries and Loans Office in the Clinical Building at the Tygerberg campus
• Make payments: click here. Send an e-mail to studentaccounts@sun.ac.za to make payment arrangements.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR CONTINUING STUDENTS:

• Online registration will be available from 12 January 2018 at my.sun.ac.za (>>undergraduate >>administration >>e-Registration).

Presidential Pronouncement of free higher education for poor and working class students

• Click here for a letter by the Registrar to continuing students for important information on the Presidential Pronouncement, financial assistance and important NSFAS information, amongst others.
• Enquiries related to financial assistance: e-mail info@sun.ac.za, tel 021 808 9111 or visit the  Information desk at Centre for Bursaries and Loans in Admin A Building on the Stellenbosch Campus or the Bursaries and Loans Office in the Clinical Building at the Tygerberg campus
• To make payments, click here. Send an e-mail to studentaccounts@sun.ac.za to make payment arrangements.​

During your first week at SU, you will be required to participate in the Welcoming Programme. 

The programme incorporates introductions to your residence, private wards (PSO), cluster, faculty as well as support and administrative divisions. 

We have also arranged faculty welcome sessions for your parents or guardians. 

A highlight of the programme is the official welcoming ceremony, where you, your parents or guardians, will officially be welcomed by the Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Wim de Villiers. This event will take place at 18:00 on Thursday, 25 January at the Danie Craven Stadium.

• Download the full welcoming programme.
• Download the Guide for Newcomers 2018.
  
  

​​​The official welcome of new students (Stellenbosch campus, Tygerberg campus and Faculty of Military Science) and their parents/guardians, student leaders and staff will take place at 18:00 in the Danie Craven stadium on Thursday, 25 January 2018. The informal pre-programme starts at 17:30.​

​Parking arrangements​
Parents/guardians are kindly requested to park at the Coetzenburg sports fields and the Coetzenburg Centre near the Danie Craven stadium for their introduction to the faculties as well as the official welcoming event. Parking on the central campus is limited, and in support of our environment we request that parents/guardians park at Coetzenburg and walk to the venues where the introduction to the faculties will take place. Most venues are within walking distance.​

Faculty of Engineering: this faculty is the only exception. It is too far from Coetzenburg to walk, but parking is available at the faculty. Parents/guardians should take traffic congestion into consideration when driving to Coetzenburg after meeting with the dean. 

Traffic congestion
Please take the high volume of traffic on all access routes to Stellenbosch, in town and at Coetzenburg into account when planning travelling time, parking and walking distance to the different venues. The pre-programme for students will start at 17:15 and we suggest that you take your seat as soon as possible after your introduction to the faculty, to enjoy that part of the programme. 

​Comfortable clothes, walking shoes, a hat and bottled water are also recommended. It can be very windy at Coetzenburg: a light jacket or windbreaker may be a good idea for the early evening. 

Shuttle service 
A shuttle service will operate in a circular route from the parking area at the Coetzenburg Centre to the Konservatorium (Conservatoire of Music) on the corner of Neethling and Victoria streets. Parents/guardians and students who have difficulty walking are welcome to make use of this service. Look out for the vehicles with a Maties bus or Stellenbosch University logo. 

Information officers
Information officers (dressed in clearly visible T-shirts) will be at Coetzenburg and on the central campus. 

Please ask them for assistance or directions. The Administration B building (Victoria Street opposite Wilgenhof) and the Administration A building (on the T junction of Ryneveld and Crozier streets) both have an enquiries desk. ​​​​

Aids activist Prof Jimmie Earl Perry of the African Centre for HIV/AIDS Management at Stellenbosch University has died of cancer.

Prof Perry was also the first UNAIDS National Goodwill Ambassador for South Africa. The following tribute has been published by UNAIDS (http://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/featurestories/2018/january/20180112_jimmie_earl_perry):

A seasoned singer and performer in theatre productions around the world, Mr Perry was notable for his work in using the creative arts to educate audiences. At the Africa Centre of HIV/AIDS Management at Stellenbosch University, South Africa, he staged HIV educational theatre productions that were performed to more than 3 million people in communities and workplaces nationally and internationally.

At the time of his appointment as UNAIDS National Goodwill Ambassador, Mr Perry said, “If we are to turn this epidemic around, South Africans have to really understand what the virus is, how it is spread, that it is not a death sentence thanks to medical treatment and to put an end to the fear and stigma of living with HIV."

Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS Executive Director, said Mr Perry's appointment in 2009 came at a critical time for the AIDS response in South Africa, with far-reaching policy changes announced by the President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, on World AIDS Day of that year. “I decided to appoint Jimmie Earl Perry as National Goodwill Ambassador because of his capacity to inspire and his willingness to lead and empower others. He had a strong belief in the potential of people to rise above their circumstances and he encouraged the best in everybody he met."

Mr Sidibé said Mr Perry's passing was a great loss for the AIDS community. “Jimmie Earl Perry encouraged and inspired my global advocacy and efforts to end the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030. UNAIDS benefited a great deal from our association with Mr Perry, and we are grateful for his service and dedication. I am humbled and privileged to have counted him as my friend and brother," he said.

• Prof Johan Malan, Acting Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences said Prof Perry had played a pivotal role in the Faculty, the University and the community. "He will be greatly missed. Our sincere condolences go to his loved ones."

Heart valve replacement, while a lifesaving procedure, is rife with problems ranging from blood clotting to tissue degeneration. The field is long overdue for innovation.

Prof Jacques Janson, a senior specialist in the Cardiothoracic Surgery Division in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, with a strong interest in heart valve repair and replacement, recently explored a new method that uses the body's own venous tissue to recreate damaged mitral valves. In a sheep model, he took tissue from the jugular vein to fashion anterior mitral valve leaflets. Janson was partly inspired to do the research, which led to his PhD dissertation, due to frustration with the slow pace of development in this field.

He says: “There are no 'off-the-shelf ' heart valves (as is the case with replacement lenses in cataract surgery, for example) and those that are available, aren't ideal. The technology has advanced in so many surgical fields, but with heart valves it's like we're stuck in the 1970s! The best mechanical valve in use now has essentially been unchanged since 40 years ago."

There are problems with both the mechanical prosthetic and bio-prosthetic valves in use. With prosthetic valves clots can form, raising stroke risk, therefore patients need to take anti-coagulants. These, in turn, increase risk for bleeding.

“You risk just exchanging one disease for another when you replace someone's heart valve," Janson explains.

Biological materials like human pericardium and porcine valves are used in bio-prosthetic valves. These materials have to be processed and fixed with glutaraldehyde to strengthen the tissue and remove antigens. This non-living tissue deteriorates with time, requiring replacement after 10-15 years. The patient's own pericardium can sometimes be used, but it calcifies as well and shrinks after a while unless it is also fixed and rendered non-living.

Tissue valves are usually the choice for patients over 65, because despite degeneration the valve will likely last for the rest of their lives. A mechanical valve lasts longer in younger patients, but requires the lifelong use of Warfarin. Many young patients prefer a tissue valve and to then undergo another operation after ten years. Warfarin is also contraindicated in women who wish to become pregnant: In such cases tissue valves are used with the understanding that another operation will be required later.

“Repairing a valve rather than replacing it is always first prize, because you don't get the complications from the prostheses," Janson says.

Human regenerative tissue the ideal

“There is a lot of stress on a working valve and it should be able to repair itself. Ideally, you want a method that uses the patient's own regenerative tissue. My idea was to try using a vein, as we've been doing for coronary bypasses. However, using a vein graft as a conduit, which is what it's designed for, differs quite a bit from fashioning it into a valve leaflet."

“I don't relish using animals, but it was very useful in terms of getting the technique done. We used the sheep's jugular vein, which is long and wide. The sheep's heart itself is similar to a human's, especially the mitral valves, which also made it suitable."

To fashion the leaflet, Janson used a 12 cm section of vein. It was cut open lengthwise and then folded double with the inner endothelial layer on the outside, and the vein branches sutured. Gore-Tex sutures were implanted on the edge of the leaflet, acting as chords attaching to the papillary muscles to provide support for the leaflet.

“Once we'd got the sheep through the operation and did the echocardiograms, the valve looked quite good initially, but there were some technical issues.

“When we do valve repairs in humans, we insert a ring to stabilise the valve annulus to prevent enlargement. The ring basically comprises wire wrapped around a piece of Dacron, and I didn't want to use foreign tissue in the sheep – I wanted the healing process to be natural. Because of this, in the sheep the valve kept growing and the leaflet shrunk in relation. The result was that over 6-10 months regression of mitral regurgitation occurred. A few of the Gore-Tex sutures tore out, again because there was so much pressure on the leaflet.

“Therefore, if we did another study we'd probably look into improving the valve's durability by supporting the annulus, as well as supporting the leaflet with secondary chords.

“It was encouraging that the histology indicated that the vein leaflet itself was viable: The tissue survived, could take the strain of a working valve and showed the ability to heal and adapt to its new environment in the heart. So it has the potential to be used as a leaflet substitute."

What next?

“The next step would be to investigate if it would be clinically possible to replace a whole valve, but obviously we'd have to do that as a study protocol. In humans, instead of the jugular we'd use the saphenous vein in the leg (which is too small to use in sheep). We already use it for coronary bypasses and there is enough vein to create a whole leaflet from it.

“A safe way to proceed might be to try the procedure in just one or two patients and monitor them closely for a year, checking to see if the valve needs replacement. Patients with a high risk for Warfarin usage might benefit from such a procedure.

“Another possible application of this method might be to use the vein in cases where you need to replace a piece of leaflet which is missing due to infection. A vein might be a good option for the patch instead of pericardium, which would degenerate. Sometimes the leaflets retract and need to be lengthened. A vein patch might also work in these cases.

“I've done that in one patient where the whole anterior leaflet was infected and needed to be cut away together with the chords. I used a saphenous vein and also inserted chords. We have monitored this patient for almost 10 months now and he's doing really well. That was the first case in which a human saphenous vein was used in valve surgery. However, that was a repair situation and not a full replacement.

“There might be applications for other valves too. The aortic valve, for example, is smaller and requires smaller leaflets, therefore you'd need less vein to replace it. The pressure the valve experiences is also less. In developed world populations the valve that tends to gets diseased is the older aortic valve, which suffers stenosis. A calcified, thickened valve often can't be repaired and needs replacement. But with those patients you can often get away with a tissue valve, which will last them their lifespan."

The ultimate prize, Janson asserts, would be a living tissue valve that can last for 20 years in a young person without needing to use Warfarin. This would be particularly useful in the South African context, where resource limitations often make repeated surgeries unfeasible.

Caption: Prof Jacques Janson

Photo by: Luigi Bennett

The following article by Ms Lee-Ann Steenkamp was published on 16 January 2018 by The Conversation (http://theconversation.com/why-the-drought-levy-tabled-by-cape-towns-mayor-is-unfair-90119):

Day Zero: the dreaded day when Cape Town's taps are expected to run dry has been moved forward to 22 April. That is, unless residents reduce usage even further and the long awaited alternative sources, like desalination plants, come on stream.

These saving grace projects are running behind schedule, although drilling on the Cape Flats Aquifer has at last started. These essential projects are expensive and someone has to foot the bill. Enter the proposal tabled by Mayor Patricia De Lille for a drought levy.

The levy is being proposed because the dramatic drop in water usage has meant a large shortfall in projected revenue. The city's estimated water budget deficit ballooned to R1.7bn for the 2017 - 2018 financial year, based on consumption figures for October 2017.

To offset this shortfall, the Mayor has proposed an additional, temporary fix in the form of a drought levy. If given the go ahead by the country's Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba, the levy would come into force on 1 February. It's expected to raise one billion rand annually for the four years it's proposed to run.

The other hurdle the levy has to clear is that it needs to be approved by Cape Town's City Council. Internal politics in the Democratic Alliance, South Africa's main opposition party that also governs Cape Town and the Western Cape Province, might scupper it. The Democratic Alliance executive has done an about-turn on its own proposal and called on its councillors to vote against it.

Whatever the outcome, I believe that the levy is a bad idea. The main reasons are that it will be punitive (contrary to the mayor's claim that it won't be) because it will penalise people who have made an effort to save water. It will also punish those who have invested in installing water saving measures in their homes.

The workings of the levy

The proposed levy would be based on property values and calculated at between 10% and 11% of the rates portion of the municipal account. The charge would affect owners of properties valued at more than R400 000, and business properties valued at more than R50 000.

On the face of it, the monthly charge doesn't seem excessive. After all, the city does need extra major water infrastructure, as well as ongoing funding for basic services like sanitation. But the drought levy is unfair because it's based on property values and not on water use. After all, a person in a R2m home may use less water than a person residing in a R400 000 home – yet has to fork out more for the drought levy. So, instead of serving as a consumption charge like normal rates, the drought levy is in fact a punitive tax - something that is severe and people will struggle to pay.

To add insult to injury, many Capetonians have incurred huge costs by installing water efficient devices, grey water solutions and rainwater harvesting tanks – all at their own expense. No tax savings or rebates were offered by the city. These water saving items could also increase the value of the property, possibly making the levy higher. Rather than a drought levy, would it not be more sensible to increase the cost of water and penalise high consumers?

Alternatively, the city could redirect funds from its overall R44 billion budget to cover the shortfall.

The complications

Cape Town is in a difficult position. The city was declared a local disaster area in March 2017 with the aim of invoking emergency procurement procedures and obtaining emergency funding. But the national government has dragged its feet.

The Department of Water and Sanitation has been accused of neglecting its constitutional duties by flouting the principles of cooperative governance. Helen Zille, premier of the Western Cape, has also stated that the department has no money for capital infrastructure because of irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure.

Another challenge facing the city is that the levy might in fact be illegal because it could be in contravention of the Municipal Fiscal Powers and Functions as set out in the Constitution. The local government might have overstepped its legislative authority by fulfilling a national obligation – imposing a levy – which should rest with the Department of Water and Sanitation.

However, none of these reasons give the city the right to pass the buck to already overburdened taxpayers. As the blame game continues to rage, the Democratic Alliance's executive has instructed its city councillors to vote against the levy when it comes under consideration at the next council meeting at the end of January. Their reason? The levy would “create an undue burden on ratepayers".

Now is not the time to penalise property owners for investing in alternative water technologies and for heeding the city's call to save water. The drought levy could break the trust between the public and local government, and ultimately result in a rates boycott. Whether this crisis is due to climate change, poor planning, bad politics or a combination thereof, a drought levy may well be the straw that breaks the thirsty camel's back.

• Ms Lee-Ann Steenkamp is a Senior lecturer at the Business School (USB) at Stellenbosch University.

Matriculants from 2016 and 2017 who do not meet the admission requirements for higher education, but who have passed Grade 12, can still apply for admission to the year-long SciMathUS (Science and Mathematics at Stellenbosch University) Programme.

Presented by the Stellenbosch University Centre for Pedagogy (SUNCEP), the programme annually offers 100 students from educationally disadvantaged circumstances across the country, a second chance to qualify for higher education.

Since the programme's inception in 2001, more than a 1 100 students have successfully completed the programme.

To be considered for the programme matriculants should have passed Grade 12 with an average of 60% (excluding Life Orientation), a minimum of 50% in Afrikaans or English (Home Language or First Additional Language) and have obtained at least 45% in Mathematics and Physical Sciences.  

Students have the opportunity to improve their NSC marks in Mathematics and Physical Sciences. They can also choose to do Accounting and Introduction to Economics. These two subjects are offered and assessed by the University.

• The closing date for applications is 26 January 2018 and students are advised to apply online at www.sun.ac.za/suncep or to phone 021 808 3483.

Another Successful Year

As in previous years, the 2017 intake also performed well in the 2017 NSC examination boasting 8 distinctions in Mathematics and 23 in Physical Sciences.

In the group of 93 students, 83 students obtained more than 60% in Mathematics – the minimum entry requirement for most degree programmes at a university. In Physical Sciences 55 students from the 2017 group achieved more than 60%.

These students now have the opportunity to apply at any tertiary institution in South Africa.

Most of the students from the SciMathUS programme end up applying to study at Stellenbosch University, where most of them also graduate successfully. Between December 2005 and December 2017, more than 200 former SciMathUs students enrolled at SU.

At the 2017 December graduations 50 former SciMathUs students graduated, among them successfully completing BCom, BSc and LLB degrees and Post Graduate Certificates in Education.

More than academics – life-skills offered

“The SciMathUS year is not only about gaining access into higher education," says Programme Manager, Ms Nokwanda Siyengo. “It is also about helping students to understand different methods of learning and teaching. We instil skills that can help students in life-long learning and success. Most students who have written Grade 12 and didn't obtain good marks, tend to think it is an end of their academic road, yet there is a chance to expand one's opportunity to access university via the SciMathUS programme."

The programme is presented in Afrikaans and English and students attend class every weekday from 08:00 to 16:30. SciMathUS students live and study on the Stellenbosch Campus where they become part of the vibrant student community.

• Visit www.sun.ac.za/suncep for more information or liaise with Adele Pool at tel 021 808 3032, email apool@sun.ac.za.

Snoek (Thyrsites atun) is a culturally, economically and ecologically important fish species of Western Cape coastal waters. Local South African stocks (Cape snoek) are targeted by traditional line fishery, small-scale commercial fishery, and caught as bycatch in trawlfisheries. Thyrsites atun's distribution range is believed to span throughout the coastal cold-temperate waters of the southern hemisphere. However, recent molecular data have challenged the taxonomic status of Cape snoek, suggesting that it may be a distinct species from its direct imported) competitor in the South African market, the New Zealand snoek (also known as barracouta). Furthermore, little is known about the genetic composition of local South African wild populations, which are currently managed as a single stock. Thus, confirming the taxonomic distinctiveness of Cape snoek would provide significant added value to this important Western Cape marine resource and its associated fishing communities.

Recent advances in high-throughput sequencing technology are allowing the generation and subsequent study of large amounts of genomic (DNA) data from non-model organisms for which little prior molecular information is available. The proposed research project aims at providing added value to Cape snoek by resolving the taxonomic status of local stocks. This will be achieved by utilising next generation sequencing and using the generated data to mine genetic markers capable of resolving intra- and interspecific genetic relationships which can be subsequently applied to resolve the phylogeographic structure of snoek throughout the intended sampling areas.

This research will be conducted in the Molecular Breeding and Biodiversity Laboratory at the Stellenbosch University in the Department of Genetics.

The candidate should have an M.Sc. degree in Genetics or another relevant field of study and have a strong background in molecular genetics. Practical experience with population and/or evolutionary genetics software and data analyses will serve as strong recommendation.

The project is funded by the NRF CPRR and a bursary is available for the successful candidate.

Suitable candidates are requested to submit a letter of application stating areas of expertise, research interests and experience and details (names and contact details) of at least two academics who have taught, supervised or worked alongside the applicant.

Enquiries and applications should be submitted to Prof. Rouvay Roodt-Wilding at roodt@sun.ac.za. The closing date for submission of applications is 31 January 2018.

​When Monika du Toit (26) enrolled for a BCom degree at Stellenbosch University (SU) in 2011 – shortly after moving to South Africa from Slovakia – she had no idea that Statistics would become her passion.

She also could not have imagined that she would receive two Rector's Awards for Excellent Achievement, one for her undergraduate studies and one – a few years later – as the best master's student in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. The latter was awarded in October last year.

Born Monika Stupalova, this Slovakian moved to South Africa to be with her now-husband, Theunis, who is South African.

She completed her undergraduate BCom degree, her honours degree in Statistics and her master's degree in Mathematical Statistics at SU.

“I was fortunate to have had great mentors/lecturers during my studies. Thanks to Mrs Ivona Contardo-Berning, my first-year lecturer, I got to see the beauty of Statistics. I also have to give credit to my postgraduate supervisor and lecturer, Prof Sarel Steel, who was a great educator and mentor and who introduced me to the world of Statistical Learning Theory or Data Science."

She remembers attending her first Rector's Awards ceremony and admiring the recipient of the award for best master's student in the faculty, not knowing that she would receive that same award a few years later. When she did, she invited her supervisor, Prof Steel, to join her at the awards ceremony.

“It was really special to celebrate this achievement together, since it was thanks to him that I received it in the first place," she says.

Monika maintained an excellent academic record throughout her studies, but it wasn't always easy.

“I am a perfectionist and very thorough with my work. There were times when staying on top of my workload was exhausting, but I always wanted to make sure that I gave my studies my best.

“My dad always told me that I don't have to be the best, I should just work to my best ability. I had a very good high school education in Slovakia, where I was taught hard work and independence. I value having a good work ethic. My husband also supported me throughout my studies and I cannot thank him enough."

During her studies, Monika also mentored first-year students.

“It was really rewarding to share my passion for Statistics with other students, and I would like to think they eventually learnt to share my enthusiasm," she jokes.

As a data scientist at Capitec, Monika works with data every day.

“I love how working with data encompasses so many things. I find Statistics to be a great tool that can be used to solve problems in many different industries."

Stellenbosch has become her home away from home and she really enjoys its surroundings and people. She also understands and speaks Afrikaans.

“I think it is a beautiful language. I will, however, always be Slovak at heart and speak my mother language (Slovak) when possible."

Photo: Monika du Toit and Prof Sarel Steel

The fact that she will soon be leaving for England to take part in their netball super league has not completely sunk in for Charmaine Baard.

Charmaine, goal shooter for Maties and for the South African team that took part in the Fast 5 netball tournament in Australia in October last year, has signed a contract with the Surrey Storm team.

“I feel so blessed. It's an unbelievable opportunity," she said last week when she was on campus to attend a week-long course for her honours degree in language education.

This former Brackenfell High School learner will receive her teaching degree in March.

She could not graduate at the end of last year because she missed her final exam papers as a result of her netball duties in Australia. She had to make use of the second exam opportunity and she received the invitation to join Surrey Storm as she walked out of her last exam on 24 November.

This invitation gives her a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that all the hard work and sacrifices have paid off.

Charmaine, who wanted to improve her goal-shooting skills in 2017, believes all the Maties netball players benefit from the coaching and resources offered by Maties' high-performance unit.

“Talent means nothing if you don't work hard," says Charmaine. “But there are so many opportunities if you are prepared to work hard and persevere."

It is not easy to study and participate in your sport at a high level.

“You have to say no to certain things. It is important that each person find their own balance, and when they find it they shouldn't let it go. What works for one person does not necessarily work for someone else."

Charmaine will head straight to campus on the day that she arrives back in South Africa in July to start her next week of honours classes. As a registered postgraduate student she also qualifies to represent Maties in the Varsity Netball tournament again if she is selected.

When she was diagnosed as being HIV positive in 2001, Vuyiseka Dubula-Majola (39) thought she'd be dead within a few months. Today – almost 17 years later – she is the new director of Stellenbosch University's Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS Management, a PhD candidate, a wife and the mother of two HIV negative children.

She has also been included in the book A to Z of Amazing South African women, a publication that honours the contribution of women to South Africa's past, present and future. Other names in this book include Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, Fatima Meer, Caster Semenya, Natalie du Toit, Mrs Ples and Thuli Madonsela.

In the book they refer to her as a “heroine for our times" – someone who has beaten all the odds and is still working actively to improve the situation.

“We can't become complacent. Even one infection is too many," she says.

Dubula-Majola's journey as an activist began in a Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) centre in Khayelitsha.

“I started off in the lower levels of TAC as a volunteer. From 2002 to 2006 I served as the Treatment Literacy coordinator for the Western Cape and in 2007 I was the National Coordinator for People living with HIV/AIDS."

Moving through the ranks she eventually became the general secretary of TAC, a role that she fulfilled for eight years. Since the late 1990s, TAC's campaigns were instrumental in securing a universal government-provided AIDS treatment programme, which has since become the world's largest.

“When I was diagnosed, I thought there was no hope for me. Today, thanks to access to treatment, the mortality rate as a result of HIV/AIDS as well as mother-to-child transmissions have dropped significantly and life expectancy has increased.

“But we can't celebrate yet, because despite all the progress we've made, people are still becoming infected with HIV."

Dubula-Majola believes the focus should now move to prevention and behavioural interventions. Gender inequality, poverty and other social and structural issues still leave many people, especially young women, at risk.

The acknowledgement she received in the book A to Z of Amazing SA Women is just one feather in her cap. She has, among others, also received a Global Leadership Award through Acacia Global for her work in supporting the development and education of women living with HIV/AIDS in the Western Cape (2015), as well as a Leadership Award from the Shared interest Group in New York as one of the youngest women leading the AIDS movement in South Africa (2011).

“I feel humbled about my inclusion in this book," she says. “There are many other women who also deserve to be mentioned. We all aspire to contribute to a just and equal society."

Dubula-Majola is a Stellenbosch University (SU) alumna, having completed two of her postgraduate qualifications – a Postgraduate Diploma and an MPhil in HIV/AIDS Management – through the Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS Management. She has also been a lecturer at the Centre for two years.

The Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS Management was established in January 2003 by the outgoing director, Prof Jan du Toit, who is retiring at the end of the year after joining SU's Department of Industrial Psychology in 1972.

The Centre focuses on education, research and community service related to HIV and AIDS management in the workplace.

Dubula-Majola is looking forward to her new role as director. “I welcome challenges. That is how we grow."

• Photo by Junior Sthembele
  

Two videos produced by the Film and Television Unit in Stellenbosch University's (SU) Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology have been selected as medical training videos by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The videos, titled “Catheterization of the bladder" and “Large Loop Excision of the Transformation Zone (LLETZ)", will be featured on the YouTube channel of the WHO's Reproductive Health Library. Mr Willie Myburgh from the Film and Television unit is responsible for the recording and production of the videos.

“Our videos form an integral part of the training material at the Skills Lab, and we are proud of having reached a standard that our videos are accepted by the World Health Organisation to be viewed on a large scale," said Prof Hennie Botha, Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. 

Prof Bert Schaetzing, now retired and Emeritus Professor of the Department is still actively involved in the production of medical films and has participated in directing, editing, scripting and commentary design of videos accepted by the Reproductive Health Unit of the WHO. In total, five videos by the Film and Television Unit are featured:

• Catheterization of the bladder
• Large Loop Excision of the Transformation Zone (LLETZ)
• Examination of the Placenta
• Termination of pregnancy with the manual vacuum aspirator
• Laparoscopic sterilization with Falope ring and Filshie clip

 View the medical training videos on the WHO Reproductive Health Library's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/WHOrhl

​Armscor has signed an agreement with SU to develop a Virtual Defence Engagement Programme and a Laser Defence Programme over the next three years.

The collaboration forms part of the Defence Engineering and Science University Program (DESUP), which focuses on support for and development of postgraduate programmes for those areas where ARMSCOR have identified a potential shortage of future skills in the defence environment. Armscor is an agency of the Department of Defence.

Prof Shaun Wyngaardt, a nuclear physicist at SU, will lead the Virtual Defence Engagement Program, while Prof Erich Rohwer, a laser physicist and head of the Department of Physics, will lead the Laser Defence Programme.

Prof Wyngaardt says virtual simulation platforms or virtual laboratories are already used at universities as an educational tool for students and researchers to prepare them for engagement with highly sophisticated equipment in large nuclear physics experiments.

In the same way, a virtual simulation platform will provide a safe and cost effective training environment for training of defence personnel on a wide range of equipment and possible combat environments. The programme will include support for postgraduate students and the development of research infrastructure and apparatus. Through the Defence Engineering and Science University Programme (DESUP) network this program will provide a platform for SU to collaborate with Universities, such as Fort Hare University and other HDIs, on the development and implementation of virtual educational tools.

The aim of the Laser Defence Programme is to build capacity and expertise in the development of laser-based defence technologies. Postgraduate students from SU, Fort Hare University, the University of Zululand and the University of Venda will be invited to apply and participate in this program.

Prof Rohwer says postgraduate students will receive formal training in laser physics, as well as additional training through internships and apprenticeships. The students will also have access to existing facilities and expertise of researchers in the Laser Research Institute at SU, the CSIR's National Laser Centre and that of international partners such as the Rutherford Appleton Laboratories in the United Kingdom, and the Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology in Germany.

The agreement, valued at nearly R5,8 million over the next three years ,was signed at Stellenbosch University on Friday 30 November 2017, by SU's Prof Nico Koopman (left) and Armscor's Prof Noel Mkaza, Group Executive of Research and Development (seated in front). Present at the signing were (at the back, from left to right) Prof Shaun Wyngaardt, Ms Dikeledi Maema, Executive Manager Research and Development at Armscor, and Prof Erich Rohwer. Photo: Stefan Els

For more information, contact Prof Shaun Wyngaardt at 021 808 3379 or shaunmw@sun.ac.za

​​​Stellenbosch University is commemorating its 100th birthday in 2018, making it one of the oldest universities in South Africa.

The university was established in 2 April 1918, when the Victoria College that had been in operation since the 1800's, was officially constituted as the Stellenbosch University.

The University started out with four faculties: Arts, Science, Education and Agriculture, 503 students and 40 lecturing staff.  Today SU is home to 10 faculties, a vibrant and cosmopolitan community of more than 30 000 students and 3 000 staff members, spread over five campuses.

To commemorate this milestone, SU will host Centenary events throughout 2018. Click here more information on the Centenary.

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the full article here.

Many South Africans are going hungry. At the same time obesity rates are rising. This is unsurprising - both are forms of malnutrition and tend to go together. The coexistence of poverty and obesity is a global phenomenon.

Poverty leads to food deprivation and under-nutrition, which in extreme cases leads to stunting. Research suggests that under-nutrition in early life may play a role in promoting adult obesity. Studies on three continents show that nutritional stunting, usually caused by chronic under-nutrition, is associated with adult fatness.

A number of theories have been offered to explain the relationship. The most basic look at access to nutritious and quality food. These arguments hold that the most food insecure, who are often the poorest, do not have sufficient access to quality food.

In 2014, over 10 million South Africans, 19.7% of the country's population, reported having inadequate food access. Factors such as accessibility, affordability, and quality of available food are part of the reason why over three million people (6.5%) reported had severely inadequate food access.

And the health department has raised the alarm bells about the significance of the obesity crisis facing the country. Studies have reported that the overall prevalence of overweight and obesity is the highest among South African women. Data from the department shows that obesity increased dramatically – from 27% to 39.2% – among females between 2007 to 2013.

Obesity also poses a range of health problems. For example, it's associated with type II diabetes and heart disease.

But there are solutions. Some include legislation and taxes that discourage unhealthy eating and advertising such as sugar taxes, regulating food advertising and labelling and mass media campaigns. Nutrition education can guide people to make the best possible food choices with the money they have available.

In addition, school based interventions that promote healthy snacks with fruits as opposed to sweets have been shown to be effective.

What's driving obesity

Urbanisation is an important contributor to rising obesity prevalence. Around 64% of South Africans live in urban areas and the United Nations projects this will reach 77% by 2050. Urbanisation is a way to escape poverty and potentially offers better job prospects. But it also creates the conditions for obesity.

There are notable differences between eating patterns in urban and rural areas. In towns, people tend to eat readily available fast food, sugar-sweetened beverages, fried chicken and white bread. Food like this introduces more sugar, salt and saturated fat into people's diets.

A typical “low quality" meal consists of mostly mealie-meal, bread or rice, with very little animal protein or vegetables to provide nutrients. The meal is also usually prepared with cheap oil and lots of salt.

People in urban areas also tend to be less active than those in rural areas, because of the nature of their work.

Possible solutions

Legislation and taxes are very important. Laws can influence how advertising is done, and taxes can influence the consumption of unhealthy food and drinks.

Last year South Africa implemented legislation in a bid to reduce the intake of salt and this year it has turned its attention to a tax on sugar. Sugar taxes were conceived as a way to reduce consumption of sweetened beverages.

On top of this the country has introduced policies to address malnutrition. The two biggest ones are the Integrated Nutrition Programme and National School Feeding Programme.

A school feeding scheme's primary objective is to alleviate short-term hunger, enabling children to learn. School based approaches and community initiatives have shown encouraging results in South Africa. They have relieved hunger and increased school attendance.

The percentage of learners in South African public schools who receive daily school meals increased from just over 50% in 2007/2008 to 70% in 2010/2011.

But the government can do more to teach people about affordable nutrition – particularly about eating pluses and legumes which are a rich in nutrients and are affordable.

We know from national food intake data that South Africans eat too little fruit and vegetables.. Food gardens in urban and rural communities could help.

There is no single or simple solution to the obesity or under nutrition problems. It is complex and there has to be a multifaceted approach. Policy makers, state and local organisations, business and community leaders, school, childcare and healthcare professionals, and individuals must work together. A fundamental component of nutrition education is to guide people to make the best possible food choices with the money they have available for purchasing food. The effectiveness and sustainability of education programmes can be enhanced if nutrition education is integrated into other food production and public health programmes.

Photo credit: Pixabay

​Inhabitants of the Western Cape have been aware for a while that the province finds itself in the clutches of a disastrous drought and a convincing solution is not in sight. Although many individuals and organisations have been saving water, a lot more can be done to reduce water consumption.

The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences' (FMHS) Green Committee is one of the organisations at Stellenbosch University (SU) that campaigns for the creation of greater awareness about the water crisis.

“We encourage personnel and students to use the information we disseminate in the monthly Impromptu news letters and by means of social media as talking points," said Ms Christine Groenewald, project coordinator of the Green Committee.

Groenewald recently attended an information session at SU's Tygerberg campus, where members of the FMHS' facility management shared their plans for sustainable, integrated and cost-effective solutions to counter the drought.

“As an institution we have to consume 20% less water than last year," said Groenewald. According to her, management has a three-pronged approach to achieve this and to have enough water to keep the campus going, even though the City's water is limited. This approach entails:

• rationing water by applying reduced pressure and controlled flow;
• fixing leakages, improving tap and toilet flows and using water-saving shower heads; and
• investigating the use of alternative water sources, including boreholes and storm-water catchment.

According to Groenewald, some 35% of water in residences is used to shower and the new shower heads that are presently being installed, will cut this consumption by half. Leakages are being treated as a priority and the use of hand-washing water to flush toilets is being investigated. “Basins account for some 35% of the total water consumption."

However, grey water conversion is going to take a while before it can be implemented, since all the buildings' water pipes, some of which are very old, have to be checked first. In the meantime, the use of water-free hand disinfection units in bathrooms and the procurement of water-saving apparatus for laboratories are being investigated.

According to Groenewald, progress is being made and boreholes have already been sunk. “Naturally, further related processes will depend on the quality of the water and when it is found."

Student leadership in residences plays an important role to make students aware of the necessity to save water. “Initiatives are already in place in residences to reduce shower times and catch water in buckets to flush toilets. The Green Committee has sponsored 10 buckets per residence to kick-start the project, but efficient use depends on the leaders and residence's passion and commitment to the cause. We encourage students to implement their ideas."

What does Groenewald regard as the biggest water-saving challenge? “Firstly, the behaviour of personnel and students. The infrastructure of the buildings and the original design of the systems are also challenges and Faculty management is attending to this."

Personnel and students are encouraged to report leakages at fmhelpdesk@sun.ac.za or 021 808 4666.

Plant, eat and be green!

The Green Committee recently launched a vegetable garden project and planting will commence in January 2018. “It's still a project in the making," says Groenewald.

“The idea is to give students a chance to cultivate their own vegetables and also share the crop with the food pantry to help poor students. Simultaneously, we can make the 'green agenda' more visible."

A parcel of land of approximately 20m² was prepared behind the rugby field on the Tygerberg campus for this purpose and will later be enlarged as needs be. “We are still waiting for a water tank to be delivered and storage space for the implements."

Groenwald says students will each be able to obtain a little area to cultivate vegetables of their choice, and the Green Committee will sponsor the seedlings. “We want to co-operate closely with the organisation Plant to Seed for training and assistance." 

Be on the look-out for more news about this project on campus.

Those interested are cordially invited to the Theological Day, the start of the academic year of the Faculty of Theology, Stellenbosch University (SU). It will take place on Monday 5 February 2018 from 09:00 to12:30 in the Attie van Wijk Auditorium at the Faculty of Theology, 171 Dorp Street, Stellenbosch.

The theme is: Daring speech and action in a time like this: Theology, ethics and civil courage. South Africa's former Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela will be the opening speaker. Prof Madonsela recently took up her new position as Chair in Social Justice in the Law Faculty of SU. Rev Courtney Sampson, Head of the Western Cape Independent Electoral Commission will be the speaker after tea. Rev Sampson is also a licensed active priest serving in the Anglican Diocese of Saldanha Bay. A panel with Revs Jeanet Sibanda, Hanzline Davids and Allan Storey will offer a short reflection on the theme from their specific contexts and ministry. The program allows adequate opportunity for discussion.

Attendance is free and all are welcome! Please note that limited parking is available at the faculty and guests are advised to park in The Avenue or on the banks of the Eerste River (opposite Paul Roos Gymnasium). Please allow ample time for traffic.

The welcoming church service of the faculty will take place on Sunday 4 February 2018 at 19:00 at the Rhenish Church on the Braak, Stellenbosch. Prof Reggie Nel, new dean at the Faculty of Theology is the preacher and Dr Andries Daniels is the liturgist.

Enquiries: Helette, e-mail hvdwest@sun.ac.za, tel 021 808 9560.

​​The University is amongst South Africa's leading tertiary institutions based on research output, student pass rates and rated scientists, and is recognised internationally as an academic institution of excellence.

It boasts the highest weighted research output per full-time academic staff member of all South African universities and the second-highest number of scientists in South Africa who have been rated by the National Research Foundation (NRF). It also has the highest student success rate in the country.

SU is cementing its reputation as a world-class institution. According to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, SU is one of the top 300 universities in the world, and among the top 20 in BRICS countries. It also features among the world's elite institutions in 10 of the 36 subjects featured in the QS World University Rankings by Subject for 2015. SU was also included in the 2014 CWTS Leiden Ranking, which measures the scientific performance of 750 major universities worldwide.

With 18 research chairs under the NRF South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChi), the University is regarded as a leader in the fields of biomedical tuberculosis research and management, wine biotechnology, animal sciences and mathematical biosciences. Another SARChi chair, in the field of invasion biology, is shared between SU and the University of Venda. This constitutes but one of SU's many partnerships, both local and international. As preferred research partner, SU also participates in various international academic networks

A mathematical model developed by Prof Cang Hui at Stellenbosch University has proven to be the single best method from several tested worldwide for estimating the diversity of plants over a large area.

Models are crucial tools that allow scientists to estimate the biological diversity of particular habitats, regions, countries and even continents, and to assess how this might be changing over time.

Prof Hui was part of an international effort involving five research groups who were asked to test the accuracy of their modelling techniques by applying it to small samples from the same dataset – the 1999 Great Britain Countryside Survey. Their predictions were then tested against data from the national database of British plant species.

This provided the “true" species-area relationship for British plants, enabling the research team to determine the best modelling technique. It is the first time that these mathematical techniques could be tested, and compared, on such a large scale. The results of the study were published in the journal Ecological Monographs this week.

Of all the models tested, the single best method for estimating the shape of species-area relationship was that of Prof Hui, based on his concept of species' occupancy ranking. It is also the first time for this model to be published.

Prof Hui's research group in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at SU focuses on developing models and theories for explaining emerging patterns in ecology: “As ecological processes are highly complex and adaptive, we rely on the simplicity of mathematical language to build models and theoretical frameworks," he explains

Another top performing model was that of Prof Fangliang He (University of Alberta, Canada) and Prof Tsung-Jen Shen (National Chung Hsing University, Taiwan), which provided estimates within 10% of the true value.  

The other models performed less well; while there are around 2,300 plant species in area in question, some models' up-scaled species richness estimates were far off the mark, ranging from 62 to 11,593.

Prof William Kunin, an ecologist from the University of Leeds and lead author on the article, says policymakers are often concerned with the preservation of biodiversity at national, continental or global scales, but most biodiversity monitoring is conducted at very fine scales.

“This mismatch between the scales of our policies and of our data creates serious challenges, especially when assessing biodiversity change."

In this study, the task required estimating the biodiversity of an area five orders of magnitude larger than the total area sampled - equivalent to estimating the species richness of the land plants across the entire globe based on samples that cover only 3,000 km².

The methods will greatly aid the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). One of their aims is to provide policymakers with objective scientific assessments about the status of the planet's biodiversity and its services to people. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) also requires countries to improve their monitoring and reporting of biodiversity, as set out in the Aichi Targets.

Prof Kunin believes mathematical modelling of biodiversity upscaling has come of age: “These methods will greatly facilitate biodiversity estimation in poorly-studied taxa and regions, and the monitoring of biodiversity change at multiple spatial scales," he concludes.

• The article “Upscaling biodiversity: estimating the species-area relationship from small samples" was published in the journal Ecological Monographs and is available online at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ecm.1284/abstract

 On the photo: Prof Cang Hui. Photo: Stefan Els

Media enquiries

Prof Cang Hui

Department of Mathematical Sciences, Stellenbosch University

E-mail: chui@sun.ac.za

Tel: +27-21-808-3853

Prof William Kunin

University of Leeds

E-mail: w.e.kunin@leeds.ac.uk

Tel: +44 (0) 113 343 2857

Mobile: +44 (0) 787 563 7334

Stellenbosch University (SU) is ready to welcome thousands of newcomers to the University this week while also welcoming back its seniors next week. On campus, newcomer students who will stay in the residences, will start to move in from Wednesday (24 January) and on Thursday morning (25 January).

The welcoming programme of the University officially kicks off on Thursday 25 January at 17:30 with the Official Welcoming event at the Danie Craven Stadium at Coetzenburg on the Stellenbosch Campus. Among others, Prof Wim de Villiers, Rector and Vice-Chancellor, and Mr Lwando Nkamisa, SRC Chairperson, will be addressing newcomer students.

A highlight of the Welcoming Event is the Dream Launch. The Dream Launch is a symbolic start to students realising their dreams for themselves with the support of the University (including academic support) and the community they will now become part of while also giving recognition to the support they received from their parents or guardians up to this point.  

At the event, students will receive paper “leaves" on which they can write their dreams. The more than 5000 newcomer students will also convene on the sports field where they will encircle a huge “100" laid out on the grass signalling 2018 being the 100^th year of first year dreams. (The University commemorates its centenary this year).  

The Dream Launch forms part of CONNECT, a student-driven platform for creating social awareness  and to make students more aware of the social impact they can have while studying at SU. 

A further highlight of the Welcoming Programme – also forming part of CONNECT is the annual “Vensters" event taking place on Friday 2 February. For these colourful outdoor performances, residences and private student organisation (PSOs) partner up to impress audiences with innovative and creative dance performances around a central theme – this year depicting their various social impact projects. The performances take place in 15 min intervals at 10 different stages across the Stellenbosch campus. It will kick off at 18:00 and will continue until 22:00.

The University's website, www.sun.ac.za, contains all the necessary information for newcomer students. The full week's welcoming programme is set out in the Guide for Newcomers 2018 booklet.

The guide contains information on amongst others the registration schedule, transport, personal safety, the library, free writing advice, tips on saving water and transport, amongst others.

• Social media updates on welcoming are done via the hashtag #HelloMaties