A proposed bill legalising the use of cannabis - or dagga as it is commonly known – has recently been submitted to parliament. If passed, the bill would allow anyone to use, grow and even sell dagga for any "medical condition" they see fit. Wilma Stassen spoke to an expert about whether or not that would be a good idea.

Traditional medicine is big business in South Africa. Dr Gerbus Muller, clinical pharmacologist and toxicologist, and a former lecturer at Stellenbosch University's Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, estimates that around half of all the medicine used in the country are traditional, or alternative medicines. One of those is dagga (in its raw plant form) which is often, albeit illegally, used by traditional practitioners to medicate patients.

Dagga has been proven to have some medicinal qualities and medical marijuana is used commercially in countries like the United States (US) and Britain to treat certain ailments.

But to make dagga freely available to use unregulated in its raw form (as suggested in the proposed bill), could have "catastrophic" consequences, says Muller.

"You wouldn't give a patient a poppy plant [which is used to produce morphine] to smoke in order to treat his or her pain, so why would you do it for dagga?" says Muller, explaining that all medication derived from plants are first extracted and then processed in order to administer in predetermined doses.

The cannabis plant has more than 100 active ingredients of which only one, 9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC for short, is used in the production of medical marijuana. THC has a potent effect on the central nervous system and is also the chemical that causes euphoria, which is responsible for it being abused as a recreational drug.

"People tend to think that natural substances have no side effects and are safe - but there is nothing further from the truth," says Muller. "All medicines, be it alternative medicines or herbs, have side effects."

Common side effects of cannabis are heart arrhythmia (fast pounding heart), a drop in blood pressure, blood-shot eyes, loss of motivation, anxiety and drunkenness, among others.

There is also a common misconception that dagga is not addictive, says Muller. Although regular dagga users don't suffer convulsions and other life-threatening withdrawal symptoms that some other drug users (particularly those using opioids such as heroin) get when quitting the substance, people become psychologically dependent on it, which makes it very hard to give up.

Despite the side effects, Muller believes that there could be a place for dagga in medicine, as long as it is regulated and controlled and not made available regardless, as suggested in the proposed bill.

Medical marijuana (extracted and slightly modified THC available in pill or liquid form) has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing chemotherapy and also to stimulate appetite in patients with HIV. It is also commonly used to treat Tourette's Syndrome, loss of appetite in cancer patients, spasticity in patients with multiple sclerosis, post-operative nausea and vomiting, and the skin condition pruritis, although it doesn't have FDA approval for the treatment of these conditions.

Muller notes that there are also other medicines that work just as well or better for the treatment of these conditions. 

According to Muller, there have also been a few documented cases suggesting that dagga may inhibit the growth of cancer cells. He stresses that there have only been a handful of anecdotal cases documented around the world, which does not serve as evidence that it could be used as a treatment for cancer. "However, there are enough cases to suggest that it might be useful to further explore its potential cancer-killing effects," says Muller.

Photo: Pharmacologist and toxicologist, Dr Gerbus Muller, believes that the medical use of dagga should be regulated.

​Every year the Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science recognises those students who excelled in their studies during the previous year, with several awards made to undergraduate, final year and postgraduate students.

At a special award ceremony Prof Peter Mallon, head of the department, said that they are exceptionally proud of the good quality students in the department: "We are also fortunate this year that all these prize-winners are continuing with their graduate and postgraduate studies," he added.

The Merck Award for best final year students in the department went to Mr Arno Faul (Molecular biology/Biotechnology) and Ms Sunel de Kock (Chemistry). Ms De Kock also received the Element Six Award for best final year student in Chemistry and Polymer Science). Element Six is a DST/NRF Centre of Excellence in Strong Materials, hosted by the University of the Witwatersrand.

Honours student Ms Nedine van Deventer, who specialised in Polymer science, received the AMS Award for the best cum laude honours student as well as the Element Six Award for best honours student. Ms Jean Lombard received a book prize as the best second year student in the Department.

Several awards were made to students specialising in Textile science. They are Ms Catherine McGregor (Mattie Jooste prize for the best undergraduate student; Bernina prize for best third year student in Textile science); Ms Elrika Harmzen (Mattie Jooste-prize for best postgraduate student in Textile science); Mr Ben Krige en Ms Kristy Kohler (Truida Louw bookprize for best students in the second year modules of Textile science).

The donation of a cereal harvester by the chemical company BASF will go a long way to support valuable research being done on small grains and oilseed crops at Stellenbosch University.

So says Dr PJ Pieterse, head of the Department of Agronomy, after his department received an imported German Hege 140 combine harvester, which is specially designed for research purposes.

"We will, for instance, be using it in research to study the effect of different sources of nitrogen fertilizer on the growth, yield and quality of spring wheat, and also the effect of the micronutrient boron on the growth, yield and quality of canola," adds Dr Pieterse.

The donation strengthens the valued relationship that has been established over the years between BASF and the Department of Agronomy.

"BASF is proud to be associated with Stellenbosch University, and our donation of the cereal harvester symbolises BASF's philosophy of social investment and the importance of corporate companies partnering with key tertiary institutions," says Mickael Coquiller, marketing manager of BASF. "We believe the equipment will greatly assist the team of students to gather useful data which will ultimately translate into a direct benefit to South African producers."

Photo:
Dr PJ Pieterse, chair of the Department of Agronomy at Stellenbosch University, received the new cereal harvester from Mr Mickael Coquiller, marketing manager of BASF. Photo: Supplied by BASF

The University of Witwatersrand played host to the first Varsity Hockey three-day playoffs which saw eight leading university teams in a head-to-head battle for a spot in the second play-off, which takes place this coming weekend in Bloemfontein and Stellenbosch. Competing teams include Maties, Rhodes, UFS-Kovsies, UP-Tuks, UJ, UCT-Ikeys, NMMU and WITS.

​Saturday's opening matches got off to a thrilling start with UFS-Kovsies securing a 2-1 victory over NMMU's Madibaz and UP-Tuks clinching a 2-0 victory in their match against UCT. UJ and Maties showed they would take some beating this weekend with both teams securing strong wins over their opponents. UJ dominated Rhodes in their opening game to win 7-1, with Maties securing a 5-1 win over the Wits home team.

But the second day brought with it a day of draws, with all four matches ending deadlocked at end of play proving just how closely-fought this year's Varsity Hockey season will be. The first two matches of the day saw UCT vs. Rhodes and NMMU's Madibaz take on the home side, both ending in a 1-1 draw. In the second half of Sunday's play, UJ fought hard to come back from UFS-Kovies' 2-0 lead to ultimately tie at 2-2. This was followed by some hard and impressive play from both Maties and UP-Tuks with the final score of 2-2 an accurate reflection.

The non-stop and high-tempo action carried on throughout Monday. A hard fought battle in the opening game saw UJ clinch a late victory against UP-Tuks. Clinton Panther, national star and UJ player who proved pivotal throughout, scored a late goal to take his side to a 3-2 win. But whilst Maties may have gotten off to a strong start on Saturday, they were no match for UFS-Kovsies. The first team to score in a powerplay this tournament, Kovsies showed great defensive action against Stellenbosch to take home a 3-1 win. NMMU's Madibaz got off to a convincing start with stunning goals by Ignatius Malgraaf and Grant Kapp giving NMMU a 2-0 lead by the end of the first chukka.  NMMU's Madibaz went on to ultimately secure a dominant 5-0 victory against Rhodes. But it was the final match of today's play which proved disappointing for the home fans. UCT, who scored against the home side within the first two minutes, went on to win with an impressive 4-2 bonus-point victory against Wits.

Photo: Maties VS Tuks- Robert Edwards (Maties) Grant Glutz ( Tuks)

The second round of Varsity Hockey will roll out from 10 to 12 May 2014 in Stellenbosch and Bloemfontein. The programme includes:

Prof Piet Naudé, well-known academic, public speaker, column writer and currently deputy vice-chancellor responsible for teaching and learning at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) in Port Elizabeth, has been appointed as director at the University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB). He has more than twenty years of management experience at a university.

Prof Russel Botman, rector and vice-chancellor of Stellenbosch University (SU), described the appointment of Prof Naudé as the new director of USB as the beginning of an exciting phase at one of the flagship departments of SU's Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences.

"As an ex-director of Nelson Mandela University Business School, Prof Naudé brings a wealth of leadership skills in entrepreneurship, business management, ethics and governance at a time when business schools worldwide are seriously taking stock of their role and contribution in the aftermath of the global economic meltdown," says Prof Botman.

Prof Naudé said he is delighted to be the next director at USB and is looking forward to start on 1 September. "I am excited and honoured at the opportunity to lead such a prestigious school. I look forward to work with all the stakeholders to enhance the reputation of USB as a place of both cutting-edge, high-end management knowledge and a source of social development and hope to those excluded from the benefits of the economy."

Prof Naudé emphasised that he is fully supportive of the current vision of Stellenbosch University and USB in particular. He is keen to expand the footprint of the business school in Africa, to capitalise on the virtual learning opportunities that are opening up and to enhance USB's social engagement projects, such as the Small Business Academy.

"I am convinced that a mixture of blended and virtual learning will change the nature of universities and business schools as we know it. Technology has its limits but also the potential to give USB a global edge as the number one business school at the gateway to the rest of Africa."

He added: "USB needs to create the right synergies between intellectual credibility, social transformation, innovative curricula, financial sustainability and a good mix of 'glocalisation' between South Africa and the rest of the global communities."

Asked what he regards as a first priority, he said that concentrated interaction with key stakeholders would be of paramount importance, followed by open institutional dialogue that will chart the way forward, building on the significant achievements and stature of the USB.  

The dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, Prof Stan du Plessis, said: "I am thrilled with the appointment of Prof Piet Naudé as director of USB. As a university we will gain a formidable scholar and an experienced academic leader, and USB will gain a director with the vision and experience to lead it through the exciting transition that business schools are currently making here and internationally. I look forward to the constructive collaboration with the corporate and social sectors that I believe Prof Naudé will build at USB in support of the university's vision of excellent scholarship in the service of our society and continent."

Prof Naudé received all his qualifications, including a doctorate in theology and a master's degree in philosophy, cum laude at Stellenbosch. Up to today, he is the only student who was president of the SRC and a recipient of the prestigious Chancellor's Medal as best final-year student. He started off his career as a part-time junior lecturer in philosophy at SU in 1980. He has been a professor extraordinaire at Stellenbosch since 2012.

Prof Naudé has been involved with the former UPE and NMMU since 1992 where he was Dean of the Arts Faculty. Between 2008 and 2011 he was the first full-time director of the NMMU Business School before he became vice-rector and a member of the executive management of NMMU. In his earlier career he was a minister in the Dutch Reformed Church.

He is a highly rated researcher and has published more than 100 articles in academic journals and has presented at almost 150 national and international conferences and academic occasions on topics related to public ethics and forms of social justice.

He is a member of a number of academic societies. He is currently the African representative on the executive committee of the International Society for Business Economics and Ethics (ISBEE) and a board member of EthicsSA. He is the past president of the Business Ethics Network of Africa (BEN-Africa), where he led partnerships in 21 African countries.

Prof Naudé has received numerous awards nationally and internationally. He is an active public and conference speaker, a consultant on value-driven organisations to many national companies, and a column writer for the last decade.  In 2011, he was named the Vodacom Journalist of the Year.

​​"This is the biggest, most comprehensive work on Community University Engagement ever, and I consider it a privilege to have been approached to be a contributor," says Dr Jerome Slamat, Senior Director: Community Interaction at Stellenbosch University (SU).

He was one of only three South Africans who contributed to a recent report by the Global University Network for Innovation (GUNI).

The report, which forms part of the GUNI Series on the Social Commitment of Universities, is a product of three years research with contributions by 73 authors worldwide. It is published by Palgrave MacMillan.

The gist of the report is that higher education institutions should continue to drive social change and help create a better world in the 21st Century.

Titled Higher Education in the World 5: Knowledge, Engagement and Higher Education: Contributing to Social Change, the report explores the ways in which people understand the roles and potential roles of knowledge, civil society and higher education institutions in the creation of a more just and sustainable world. 

Comprising six major parts, it is the most comprehensive report to date on the global dimensions of Community University Engagement.

It looks at ways in which universities' community engagement enhances teaching and learning, research, knowledge mobilization and dissemination.

The report also reflects on key problems and challenges that higher education institutions face in contemporary society, and offers elements of a vision for a renewed and socially responsible relationship between higher education, knowledge and society.

According to Cristina Escrigas, Executive Director of GUNI, "the new concept of engagement means that we have to revise this link to society, as well as teaching and research; it means we have to rethink all forms of institutional activity, looking at the whole from the point of view of social responsibility."

Dr Slamat says the insights contained in the GUNI report confirm his long-held contention that "knowledge-based community university engagement holds considerable promise for the sustainability of the university in the twenty-first century and could turn out to be an unlikely source of regeneration for the institution called the university".

"Colleagues at an institution like SU, with its Institutional Intent and Strategy 2013-2018 and its vision to be inclusive, innovative and future-focused, can benefit greatly from the insights contained in this book," adds Slamat.

GUNI aims to strengthen higher education's role in society, contributing to the renewal of the visions, missions and policies of the main issues of higher education across the world under a vision of public service, relevance and social responsibility.

The network has previously published four issues of the Higher Education in the World report (2006, 2007, 2008 and 2011).

• Higher Education in the World 5 can be ordered directly at Palgrave MacMillan or on the GUNI website.​

Maties Sport will take on their rivals Ikeys in an exciting Intervarsity sport contest this coming weekend 9-10 May 2014 to be held at Coetzenburg and surrounding areas. The annual contest comprises of more than 20 sport codes and is being hosted by Maties this year. It creates a unique opportunity for a large number of sport clubs to compete at home simultaneously.

In this regard it is not mere pride that will be at stake either since a number of fixtures form part of regional league competitions meaning that the teams will be competing for valuable league points as well.

The festivities commence on Friday at 16:00 with mountain biking at Coetzenburg, followed by water polo, cross-country, squash, netball, chess, hockey (WP league fixtures), basketball and football. Saturday 10 May includes, among other items, tennis, swimming, gymnastics, judo, ultimate frisbee, badminton, fencing, underwater hockey and rugby (WP league fixtures).

Click here for the complete Intervarsity programme (pdf document).

An additional highlight this weekend will be Maties hockey's hosting of the second leg of the 2014 Varsity Sports men's hockey competition. Maties will take on Ikeys on Saturday at 14:00 and this fixture naturally also forms part of the Intervarsity contest.

The complete Varsity Sports hockey fixture list is as follows:

Sat 10 May:

Maties vs UCT (14:00)

UJ vs NMMU (15:45)

Sun 11 May:

Maties vs NMMU (17:00)

UJ vs UCT (18:45)

Mon 12 May:

NMMU vs UCT (17:00)

Maties vs UJ (18:45)

A "State of the Nation address" by the famous "Tannie" Evita Bezuidenhout will be a highlight of Stellenbosch University's celebrations of 20 years of Democracy and Freedom on 14 and 15 May.

The celebrations, themed 20 years of Democracy (20YD): the story continues, includes interactive art works, a film festival and a special Mandela/Parks exhibition at the Sasol Arts Museum.

The celebrations mark the start to various other celebrations, critical debate and reflections during the rest of the year.

Since the 1970s Tannie Evita has established herself as a political satirical icon. Her "State of the Nation address" will take place on 14 May at 13:00 in the Vrouevereniging Hall at the Neelsie Student Centre. (Seating is limited.)

Ms Monica du Toit of the Centre for Inclusivity and co-coordinator of the celebrations, says the theme, "20YD: The story continues" will focus on the importance of storytelling and the existence of multiple and intergenerational perspectives both with regard to the history of our democracy and its future. "The programme aims to emphasize multiple discourses in the stories of democracy at Stellenbosch University, showcase engagement with 20 years of democracy in the teaching and learning space and create strong visual experiences and student engagement with art works."

The 2 day celebrations include exhibitions of curriculum projects with visual arts, interactive public artworks, a "banned books" exhibition and a film festival.

Programme elements:

• Film Festival: Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, 12 years a slave, Endgame and Bloody Miracle (14 and 15 May  at 12pm, 3pm and 6pm)
• Interactive Visual art works, 14-16 May at the JS Gericke Library and the Neelsie Student  Centre, among others
• Evita Bezuidenhoudt: "State of the Nation address", 14 May 13:h00, Vrouevereniging Hall, Neelsie Student Centre
• Exhibition of Visual Arts logo design curriculum project, 14-15 May, Upper Floor, Neelsie Student Centre
• JS Gericke Library 20YD: The story continues  special documents exhibition, 12-16 May 2014

Forming part of the celebrations is the Dear Mr Mandela... Dear Mrs Parks exhibition, a travelling exhibition on loan from the Nelson Mandela Museum in Mthatha, Eastern Cape. Although already open, a special opening event is planned for 28 May.

• Liaise with Monica du Toit at tel 021 808 2864, or via e-mail at mdt2@sun.ac.za

​​Giving first-year students a voice and showing them that you don't have to wait until a second or a third year to become a leader on campus.

These are the aims of Khule Duma, Speaker, and Megan Meyer, Chief of Staff of the First-Year Forum in the Student Parliament at Stellenbosch University.

Khule, a former pupil of St David's Marist Inanda School in Johannesburg, is studying Politics, Philosophy and Economics (BA) and is a resident of Dagbreek. Megan went to Cornwall Hill College and is studying BAccLLB. She is a resident of Harmonie Residence.

Why Student Parliament?

Khule applied for Student Parliament to gain experience in serving the people around him.

"I believe that when one is fortunate enough to receive a good education, one should give back and serve those who cannot speak for themselves. Student Parliament allows me to serve the Stellenbosch student population and to gain experience so that when I leave I will be a better public servant with a better understanding of this nation's great people.

"The First-Year Forum should be the stepping stone for all first-years to get involved in student leadership structures on campus and should be the facilitator of robust dialogue."

His longer term goals are to remain involved in Student Parliament and to become a member of the Student Representative Council.

"After University, I would like to be a politician and serve the people of South Africa where the people see fit, be it at local, provincial or national level."

Megan applied because she was keen to participate in a role where she could be a stepping-stone for other first-year Maties to get to have their, equally heard, say.

"I also didn't want to miss out on the opportunity to work towards making Stellenbosch a more inclusive community, where everyone enjoys and feels comfortable in the environment that they are living in."

She wants to take part in leadership roles that allow her to improve the environment and community that we all live in.​

What makes a good leader?

A good leader should know the people he/she is serving and be aware of what is relevant to them so as to make the best decisions for all, says Khule. They should also be courageous and firm, caring, truthful and hardworking, and be motivated by a vision that benefits those they serve and not by power or money.

Megan feels a good leader is someone that can empower others.

"I believe good leader is a serious delegator who motivates and guides others to do well, is fair and responsible and open to other people's opinions and ideas."

The role of born-frees

Born-frees will determine what direction this country will take, says Khule.

"We as born-frees will have to rise up, stop complaining and get down to fixing this country so that our children will know no hunger, inequality or prejudice but instead enjoy a South Africa that the greats like Nelson Mandela dreamt of."

Megan regards the born-frees more as a symbol for new thoughts, solutions and ideas that can be used to better the country.

"I believe the born frees are an intelligent group of people that want to improve their environment just because they want a better place to live."

If you were president…

Khule would address the huge inequalities in education, the issue of expensive university education the slow rate at which jobs are being created for new graduates and those coming out of school.

Megan would look at the quality of education, and pay attention to budget distribution to make sure that money allocated is actually spent. She would also look at the public service sector, from policing to nurses.

"This sector is an integral part of a successful and effective society. People need to be motivated to consider jobs in this sector because they would contribute an invaluable resource to society. "

Excited to vote?

"I am very excited to vote because finally I have a chance to make my voice heard about our united future," says Khule.

Megan believes that everyone has the responsibility to vote to make a positive impact in our country's governance.

"Finally it is my turn to be able to make difference, no matter how small it is," she adds. 

Learners from schools located in the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town attended an information evening hosted by Stellenbosch University (SU) at Islamia College on Thursday 8 May.

The rainy weather didn't keep eager prospective students away and they were encouraged by SU's rector Prof Russel Botman to choose a university that will help them realise their dreams and assist them in getting a top education and a rounded student experience.

SU's first-year retention rate is 87% and its First-year Academy supports first-year students academically. Tertiary education is expensive and Prof Botman advised the learners to choose a university that won't waste their money or time.

"I came (here tonight) to check whether you are ready for your future at a place with a great future that is ready for you," he told them.

The second speaker was Mikhail Hendricks, a first-year Law student who matriculated from the Cape Academy of Mathematics, Science and Technology. He told the audience that although he found applying to SU easy and painless, he had certain misgivings about becoming a Matie.

"I must admit, I had many fears before joining the Stellenbosch University community and this was largely due to the opinions of others in my community. When asked about my future plans I would tell them I was going to study law at Stellenbosch and their responses all too often were pessimistic. Their cynicism was very powerful," he said.

After gaining some experience about student life at SU, he now asks these 'naysayers' two questions: Where did you obtain your law degree and when did you study at Stellenbosch? Most of the times they don't have one and they didn't study at Stellenbosch, or they studied there at a time when things were different.

"University life is what you make of it," he told the learners. "Come to Stellies with the belief that we can be the Rainbow Nation."

Application closes 30 June. Visit www.maties.com, call 021 808 911 or send an e-mail to info@maties.com. 

Together we take responsibility for this town and its safety. This was the message of signees of a Memorandum of Cooperation (video) between the Stellenbosch Municipality and Stellenbosch University (SU) at the Municipal offices in Plein Street in Stellenbosch this morning (Thursday 8 May 2014).

Mr Conrad Sidego, Executive Mayor and Prof Russel Botman, Rector and Vice-Chancellor, signed the Memorandum on behalf of the Municipality and SU. In the Memorandum the parties commit themselves to "cooperation in terms of closed circuit television in the interest of the security of the town and the campus with a view to a crime-free university town".

According to the Memorandum the Municipality and SU have already committed themselves to cooperation on several matters, including cooperation between their various law enforcement and security agencies. Both parties have at their disposal circuit television systems that are used to monitor high-risk areas and to solve crime. The borderless areas between town and campus, the shared aim of a crime free town and the fact that both parties have circuit television at their disposal pave the way for cooperation regarding the use of circuit television to combat and solve crime.

The parties undertake to consult each other when it comes to the planning, positioning and expansion of CCTV systems, to share footage to assist crime-solving and also to handle camera positions, procedures, practices and classified information with the strictest confidentiality.

The parties are in principle also amenable to joint expansion projects.

Prof Botman said the SU shares the responsibility to the town and its people and the problems and risks that go with this responsibility. One of the major challenges of the town is the large number of people of different ages who live here, but especially the large number of young people and the ensuing fears of the older generation. "This agreement helps us to send a message to the town that we are looking after each other and that no one will be left vulnerable to crime," he said. 

Mr Sidego said that the one great freedom we do not have in this country, is the freedom with regard to safety. "It cuts across all demographics and social strata of our society, young and old, rich and poor. We are all still threatened by the insecurity of this special society of ours."

For this reason, he added, the agreement is "a tiny little stone in the mosaic of a security network that we have to put in place - between the SU, the municipality and all other security institutions of this town. It should also be so effective that it could serve as an example to other towns”.

In light of not only the nearly 22 000 young people in the town, but also other guests such as tourists, the value of such an agreement could not be underestimated. The agreement must also be seen in the context of the town's vision as South Africa's innovation capital and the SU as a world-class university, he said.

Photo: Stefan Els

​​​Stellenbosch University (SU) will play an instrumental role in a new Food Security Centre of Excellence that was launched at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) recently. 

SU with lead researcher Prof Ken Dzama will host the Food Production Programme under the theme of Food Creation. Prof Dzama is also part of the Management and Executive Committee (MANCO) of the Centre.  The MANCO consists of eight top senior professors drawn from participating universities who will oversee the research program of the CoE.

The Food Security COE is a virtual centre comprising of several South African and international universities, science councils and international organisations. SA universities include UWC (host), SU, the Universities of Pretoria, Cape Town, Fort Hare, Johannesburg and Venda, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, North West University and Tshwane University of Technology. The science councils involved are the Agricultural Research Council and the Water Research Council. The international partners are Australian National University, City University of New York, International Food Policy Research Institute, Michigan State University and Missouri University.

Prof Ken Dzama from the Department of Animal Sciences in the Faculty of AgriSciences has been involved in the crafting of the CoE proposal from the very beginning.  

"We are very excited to bring the Food Production programme to SU. The Faculty of AgriSciences is well positioned to host this initiative together with other players involved in the CoE. Our experience in transdisciplinary scholarship from other programs in the Faculty will be very valuable going forward."

Three questions inform the scope of work for the Centre's research activities:

• How is the global and national food system changing and how does this affect the sustainability, availability, access and attributes of food?
• Who are the 'food insecure', where are they located, what are their choices, strategies and opportunities when seeking food security, health, and well-being and how do these change in response to the changing food system?
• What policies, technologies, interventions and products enable access to affordable and nutritious food in ecological, economic, social and politically sustainable ways?

The four thematic areas and eight research programmes that form part of the CoE are:

Theme 1: Food Creation (Programme 1: Production (plant, animal and fish) and Programme 2: Processing & preservation.

Theme 2: Food Distribution (Programme 3: Markets & Livelihoods and Programme 4: Value Chains)

Theme 3: Food Consumption (Programme 5: Health & Nutrition and Programme 6: Consumer Choice & Behaviour)

Theme 4: Food Governance (Programme 7: Food Safety and Programme 8: Policy & Rights)

Caption: An inaugural workshop to plan the Production Programme research projects for the Food Security Centre of Excellency was held in Stellenbosch recently and was attended by researchers from  Stellenbosch University, University of Fort Hare, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, University of Limpopo, University of the Western Cape, University of Zululand, and the Agricultural Research Council.​ Photographer: Anton Jordaan

​With winter fast approaching and last winter being one of the coldest that Stellenbosch has had in years, ​MFM 92.6 has embarked on a new community project to help keep Stellenbosch warm this winter.

​​As of the second semester in 2014, the Postgraduate and International Office (PGIO) will manage a buddy programme for new incoming international exchange students at Stellenbosch University. The MatieBuddy Programme will form an integral part of the Stellenbosch experience for many international students. The programme sets out to promote cultural exchange between local Maties and their exchange counterparts, giving them the chance to exchange diverse ideas, opinions and lifestyles. 

Werner de Wit, Coordinator: International Student Life and Success at the PGIO, responsible for coordinating the MatieBuddy Programme says by pairing up local and international students, they make sure that all new international exchange students receive help and feedback from students at Stellenbosch University, before, during and after they have settled in Stellenbosch. The buddy will help ease culture shock and give an 'insider' perspective and experience on Stellenbosch student life.

For international students, the MatieBuddy programme assists them from before arrival in Stellenbosch. With the help of the PGIO, the buddy at Stellenbosch University will be responsible for establishing a line of communication with the international student after their application to SU, answering any basic questions, providing extra help and familiarity before their arrival at SU. Academic and administrative communication remains with the university structures as established however.

This program also gives local Stellenbosch students the opportunity to help internationals settle in, make new friends and explore their surrounds. This is also a great opportunity to learn a new language or practice one that they are already learning, and will add significantly to our own students' international profiles.

MatieBuddy serves as a support structure extended from the existing PGIO support services for international students, and is a fun and interactive programme designed to mutually benefit international and local students.

Applications for the MatieBuddy programme is now open and invited from local Stellenbosch students.

Take 2 minutes and complete the application before 16 May 2014! Visit the PGIO website for more information and the application form.

For more information contact Werner de Wit at the PGIO: wdw@sun.ac.za | 021 808 9002.

Stellenbosch University and UFS played host to the second Varsity Hockey three-day playoffs this past weekend and Monday, and Maties performed very well in front of their home crowd. 

Saturday's opening matches got off to a thrilling start with huge wins for both UP-Tuks and Maties, playing at UFS-Kovsies and Maties respectively. UP-Tuks finished with a resounding 5-1 victory over Rhodes, whilst Maties gave the local Stellenbosch crowd a reason to scream with a convincing 4-0 win against UCT. At UFS-Kovsies, the home team got off to a compelling start which saw them thrill home crowds with a 6-4 win over Wits. The second game of the day in Stellenbosch saw UJ continue their winning streak with a 2-0 win over NMMU's Madibaz.

But the second day brought with it a day of mixed results. In Bloemfontein, after some fierce competition and tough play, the game between Wits and Rhodes ended in a 1-1 draw. And it was a disappointing result for the home side which saw UP-Tuks beat Kovsies 2-0. However, in Stellenbosch both Maties and UJ recorded important victories. Maties held on in front of their home crowd to notch a 3-2 victory over NMMU, whilst UJ continued their unbeaten run with a 6-0 win over UCT.

On Monday UFS-Kovsies bounced back in fine style against Rhodes by beating them 4-1. The second match of the day saw UP-Tuks working hard to secure their victory over Wits. With some brilliant goalkeeping and scoring from both teams, it was UP-Tuks who emerged victorious with a 3-2 win over the determined Wits side. 

In Stellenbosch, the non-stop action and excitement continued. Simply outclassed, is how spectators described the NMMU-Madibaz win over UCT. With superb goals from the likes of Ignatius Malgraaf and Jason Doherty-Bigara, the Madibaz ended their day with a stunning 5-0 bonus-point victory. The final game of the day saw a clash of the titans as 2nd placed Maties took on the unbeaten UJ side. And what a tightly contested match it was, with the score remaining 0-0 right into the third chukka. With two minutes remaining, Maties' Matthew de Sousa scored a controversial goal to take the screaming home crowd to a 1-0 win, with Maties becoming the first team to upstage UJ this season and doing it in style on home ground.

The third round of Varsity Hockey will roll out from 17 to 19 May 2014 in Johannesburg. The programme includes:

​​Maties Netball Club's four SA School players shone during the Intervarsity games against the University of Cape Town this past weekend.

Charmaine Baard was very accurate in the goal circle. Megan Grossman stood strong in defence. Jo Prins and Sasha-Lee Pietersen dictated the game in die mid-field.

Maties beat Ikeys 37-11. All six teams won their matches against UCT.

Maties coach Christine Markgraaff made a couple of positional changes in the second quarter of the main match by moving goal shooter Akile Khoza to defence and making Tilida Maas Baard's partner in the goal circle. These changes worked well and Khoza looked a lot more comfortable on defence.

Complete Results: Maties 37, Ikeys 11; Vics 42, Ikeys 7; US (3) 57, Ikeys 4; US (4) 36, Ikeys 11; US (5) 28, Ikeys 12; US (6) 17, Ikeys 16.

​It is with great pleasure that we would like to introduce to you the new and improved, absolutely amazing, SOCIETIES WEBPAGE!

This is the go-to page for all things societies! Here you will find details on all registered societies - what they do, how to contact them, how much they cost and how to sign up. Easily navigate through the different society categories and find the society that speaks to you and your passions! 

If you feel that your interests are not represented in any existing society and you would like to start your own society, you can find all information on how to get started here. 

Further, you can contact the Societies Council directly with any queries or concerns. 

Make sure to check back regularly to keep up to date with all society events and updated information. 

​​​Stellenbosch University Museum, in close cooperation with the Nelson Mandela Museum, is currently hosting two exhibitions.

The exhibitions, entitled Dear Mr Mandela, Dear Mrs Parks: Children's Letters, Global Lessons and Freedom XX: 20 Pieces of Democracy, will be on at the Museum until 31 December 2014.

The two exhibitions form part of the University-wide celebrations of 20 Years of Freedom, coordinated by Stellenbosch University's Centre for Inclusivity.

The exhibitions also form part of the University Museum's observation of International Museums Day, which is celebrated world-wide on 18 May each year.

The theme of this year's International Museum Day is 'Museum collections make connections'.

DEAR MR MANDELA, DEAR MRS PARKS: CHILDREN'S LETTERS, GLOBAL LESSONS

Dear Mr Mandela, Dear Mrs Parks: Children's Letters, Global Lessons is a travelling exhibition on loan from the Nelson Mandela Museum in Mthatha, Eastern Cape.

The inspiration for this exhibition came from the hundreds of children around the world who wrote letters to Nelson Mandela and the late Rosa Parks, both internationally renowned for their work in human rights.

The letters reveal why children revere Mandela and Parks, and also highlight young people's desire for guidance and understanding about life.

Dear Mr Mandela, Dear Mrs Parks: Children's Letters, Global Lessons highlights Nelson Mandela and Rosa Parks' devotion to freedom, democracy and emancipation. The exhibition raises greater public understanding of the parallels in the struggles for equality and justice in the United States and South Africa through the letters of children.

Rosa Parks and Nelson Mandela shared many values and goals, and both cared deeply about youth. Mandela met Parks in Detroit, Michigan, in 1990 when he toured the United States after his release from prison.

The exhibition was developed when the Michigan State University Museum and the Nelson Mandela Museum were awarded one of the first four grants from a new programme of the American Association of Museums, Washington, DC, and the US Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The grants are designed to strengthen connections between people in the US and abroad through museum-based exchanges.

A replica of the exhibition opened in the United States in January 2010 on the occasion of Martin Luther King's birthday and is now travelling through the breadth and width of America. 

FREEDOM XX: 20 PIECES OF DEMOCRACY

The Freedom XX: 20 Pieces of Democracy exhibition is curated by the staff of the University Museum. Each of the 11 staff members (with the exclusion of the Director) was asked to select an artwork or artworks that, in his/her opinion, represented the period 1994–2014. To add more interactivity, they are inviting visitors and members of the public to democratically vote for the artworks of their choice in this exhibition.

​By freeing up the curatorial space to traditionally non-curatorial staff and members of the public, this exhibition challenges the monologic authority of the museum to speak on behalf of everybody. The exhibition not only invites members of staff to speak up but extends this rare curatorial privilege to members of the public as part of celebrating twenty years of our vibrant democracy.

Professor Razeen Davids, head of the Division of Nephrology at Stellenbosch University, recently released the first report of the new South African Renal Registry.

The registry was established by Professor Davids and Dr Julian Jacobs on behalf of the South African Renal Society. This report is the first official report since 1994 which describes the provision of dialysis and transplantation for patients with end-stage kidney disease in South Africa.

"The registry is quite a milestone for us in the South African Renal Society because we have been without official data on transplantation and dialysis in the country for about 20 years," says Davids, who serves on the Society's executive committee and chairs the Registry together with Jacobs.

"The aim of this registry, and in fact all disease registries, is to study the course of the disease, and variations in treatments and outcomes. In our case we are especially interested in disparities in the delivery of care. You can also use a registry to assess the effectiveness of treatments, change behaviour of caregivers, and so on, but ultimately we want to improve the quality and quantity of renal replacement therapy available in South Africa," says Davids.

The new report describes the situation of dialysis and transplantation, also referred to as renal replacement therapy, in South Africa as at the end of 2012.

Although the establishment of the registry is a great achievement, the report paints a bleak picture of the provision of renal replacement in South Africa. There are 191 treatment units listed for the country's population of 52.3 million, of which most are in the private sector. In 2012 there were around 8 559 patients receiving renal replacement therapy, which translates to a treatment rate of 164 per million population (pmp)  – this is on par with some of the poorer countries in the world and well below the rates reported by countries with similar incomes per capita.  There are also striking disparities between the private and public sectors, as well as between provinces. The Western Cape (285 pmp) and Gauteng (241 pmp) have the highest treatment rates, while Limpopo (39 pmp) and Mpumalanga (42 pmp) have the lowest.

"We are very far from where we need to be, and even though we have competing priorities such as HIV /AIDS, crime, etc., we need to allocate more resources to treating our patients with end-stage kidney disease," says Davids.

Photo: Prof Razeen Davids

​​​We are following the spring in England and bringing some of the famous Stellenbosch hospitality to London! Join me where I will give you an insight into the exciting direction your alma mater is taking. Vision 2030 is the ambitious road map to SU’s future - I will also share some of the progress and successes we have made since the introduction of this plan as well as the ways in which our alumni can get involved in this journey to excellence.

Date:     Tuesday, 20 May 2014
Time:     18:30 for 19:00 - 21:00
Venue:     30 Euston Square, London, NW1 2FB 

A networking reception will follow the discussion. Drinks and snacks will be served.

To guarantee your attendance at this event RSVP no later than Thursday 15 May 2014. If you have already responded to this invite - thank you! Also, if you know of other Maties in London and surrounding areas who would be interested in this event, please forward this e-mail to them. 

For more details contact Wena van der Merwe: +27 21 808 4020 or wvdm@sun.ac.za