Lusaka changed us. This was the message by a group of Maties alumni who visited Lusaka and Windhoek in 1989 to talk to, among others, members of the then banned ANC. (Read an earlier article here.) 

Three of the students, Anneliese Burgess, Robert Bricout and Mark Behr, took part in a panel discussion as part of a 25 year reunion at Stellenbosch University (SU) held on Saturday (14 June 2014).

Watch video.

Other panellists included 2013 SRC members Clinton du Preez and Ziyanda Stuurman, Andre Zaaiman who accompanied the students to Lusaka and Mr Roelf Meyer, chief negotiator for the National Party at Codesa. Dr Tito Mboweni, who was part of the ANC leadership who met with the students in Lusaka, facilitated the discussion.

Anneliese Burgess, who set the background to the visit to Lusaka in 1989, said that each member of the group experienced a “momentous shift in consciousness” and that most of them were in tears having to leave the leaders of the country behind who had to live in constant fear of being assassinated.  “Home felt very far away and none of us had any idea of the absolute hysteria that had broken out in South Africa.”

The response in the Afrikaans press was one of betrayal – leave the negotiations to the professionals, it was said. The English press was slightly more supportive but white South Africa’s deep lined fear of Soviet communism was very clear in the reporting.

“The mood at the University was no different,” she said and related how they were vilified by certain groupings and the University authorities. There was support however – in particular from staff members.  

“Lusaka had changed us,” she added. “Even those in the group who had initially been reluctant and frightened to meet with the group... had been profoundly impacted by the engagement.” Thee members of the group who were part of the National Party before the visit, publicly resigned from the party on returning.

The visit also triggered a profound shift on campus. They expected a hostile response from the student body but received overwhelming support from a great number of students.

Dr Tito Mboweni said in his opening remarks that the visit by the students was very important. "We were also very naughty, because we knew that a constant attack at the political level, focused on Stellenbosch, would have a huge psychological impact on the ruling class."

In his remarks, Mr Clinton du Preez, chairperson of the 2013 SU SRC, referred to 2013's debate on the "controversial residence placement" and said that it was their "madness" to go through – to get the policy changed – and that he was strengthened by reading about the 1989 group's madness in going to Lusaka.

Mr Robert Bricout, initiator of the reunion, said that "the one thing that binds us together is the fact that we knew that our country, our university, and ourselves had to change. It was the right thing to do." He also said they as a group are "evidence of a different narrative, a narrative that rejected apartheid."

He added that they can still "contribute to our university – we can share our voices . So that it is not just the voice of  conservative alumni that is heard."

Mr Andre Zaaiman, who accompanied the group to Lusaka, said that the group learnt that "as a society we are at our best when we talk to each other and when we listen to each other. This is a very big missing element in our society today. We exchange positions very regularly, but we don't really sit and take the time and try to understand what someone else is trying to communicate."

He also said that as a society we are at our very best when we are open to the world around us and when we engage with each other. "A society that is myopic, is doomed." Other issues plaguing society today he said is pervasive paternalism, an addictive and romantic attachment to violence and that we are a very authoritarian society.  

Also forming part of the panel, was Prof Mark Behr, who said that what they experienced in Lusaka and Windhoek was kindness and generosity on an unimaginable scale. "It's mindboggling, disturbing and important for us to recall that it was apartheid's racism… that gave us white students this privilege. Had we been black students we would not have been able to leave the country… It was our racist luck and our racist privilege that allowed us ringside seats, to witness the cracking open of the last vestiges of European colonialism."

He added that the members of the group all took different things from Lusaka. The trip contributed to them being able to "recognise the conceit of apartheid and the paradox in the notion of apartheid. There had never been anything separate or apart about black and white South Africans. White people and black people have lived within a relationship of catastrophic intimacy for than three and a half centuries."

He also said that Stellenbosch University must ask itself today who the "other" is. "Who remains excluded, marginalised, exploited and chronically violated? That is where a major part of the University's energy must go in to. "

In his comments, Mr Roelf Meyer, at the time deputy minister of constitutional affairs for the NP government and later a chief negotiator at Codesa, said that the late 80s were terrible years for apartheid. "In the late 1980s we institutionalised apartheid to the level where we had complete autocracy. That is what we had to bring to an end."

He added that this was the reason why the visit to Lusaka was so significant – the students had to break the rules to get out of the autocratic resistance. That is why the government opposed the trip – because it was "against the rules set by the autocratic state."

He also remarked that it is amazing that less than a year later FW de Klerk made the announcement (in unbanning the ANC) and even more remarkable that less than five years later a new constitutional democracy was created. "It was a peaceful revolution... That is a message that we can take to all conflicts in the world."

He added that what the students did was an act of civil society – something that is missing in South Africa today. Where is the rest of us? he asked. How can we contribute to a better future?  "There are no better institutions to comply with this task than tertiary institutions. And it is appropriate that the debate takes right here at Stellenbosch University."

Ms Ziyanda Stuurman, also a member of the 2013 SRC member, said that here term in the SRC as exciting in seeing how the University is changing and being inclusive. 

Caption: The Maties Alumni who visited Lusaka in 1989. (Photo: Nico Grundlingh/SSFD)

​The training of food and nutrition science students in Eastern and Southern Africa has received focussed impetus thanks to the launch of the regional inter-university PASUFONS project. 

It involves Stellenbosch University in South Africa, Makerere University in Uganda and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) in Kenya. The launch in Nairobi in Kenya earlier this month coincided with a workshop involving the three partnering universities and industry stakeholders from the various countries.

The PASUFONS project (for "Partnerships to Strengthen University Food and Nutrition Sciences") aims to enhance the ability of higher education institutions in especially Eastern and Southern Africa to fight malnutrition and to ultimately ensure food and nutrition security. This will be done in collaboration with industry stakeholders. The project is funded through an EDULINK II collaborative grant. EDULINK is an initiative of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States and the European Union (EU). It aims to foster capacity building and regional integration in higher education institutes within ACP states.

​Where needed, new course material will be developed and existing programmes will be updated. Guidelines will also be developed to advance the possibility of awarding joint degrees by the partnering institutions. An e-portal is among the capacity building tools that will be set up to facilitate collaborative training.

The academic programmes offered at the various partner institutions will also be reviewed in collaboration with stakeholders from industry. "By involving these stakeholders in our investigations, we will ensure that we respond to the needs of industry and provide the highly skilled food and nutrition science graduates that are needed," says Prof Marena Manley of Stellenbosch University's Department of Food Science.

"We need to improve the practical training and research opportunities for our food scientists and nutritional experts, if we want to help ensure adequate food resources in our communities," believes Prof. John Muyonga from Makerere University's Department of Food Science and Technology and Dean of the School of Food of Food Technology, Nutrition and Bio-Engineering.

"A platform for combined undergraduate and postgraduate training efforts between higher education institutions will foster research with a region wide impact on food security matters," explains Prof Kamau Ngamau, of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.

Prof Manley and Cornelia Jacobs represented Stellenbosch University and the PASUFONS project in February 2014 at a training session for representatives of projects being funded worldwide through EDULINK.   At this forum the detailed project and reporting standards of the EDULINK programme was fleshed out, while there were also excellent opportunities to network and to strengthen alliances.  

The Maties Netball team made a good impression during a practice match against the national team this past weekend.

The match was played in die DF Malan Centre. It was a preparation match for the Proteas ahead of the test series against Scotland while Maties are preparing for the USSA tournament in Port Elizabeth. This tournament will take place from 30 June to 4 July.

The match time was extended to give both coaches the opportunity to test players and combinations. At one stage Maties trailed by only 5 goals. Proteas coach Elize Kotzé made no secret of the fact that she was quite impressed with the Maties' determination.

According to Maties coach Christine Behan her players handled the pressure well. "I was very impressed with how they stood their ground and played as team. Psychologically it was a good learning experience. I'm proud of them. It was good to be able to test different combinations and to see how well they perform under pressure, especially the goal shooters. 

Goal attack Charmaine Baard made a huge impression. She is a first-year student who had been a member of the SA Schools team last year. Her shooting was on target and her general play was very good.

"It is very comforting to know that you have a goal shooter who can get the ball through the net from anywhere in the goal circle, who stays calm under pressure and who can play both goal shooter and goal attack. It is definitely a great advantage to have Charmaine in the team," Behan said.

With less that two weeks before the USSA tournament Behan now knows what she and her players still need to work on. "The competition in this tournament is very stiff and the match against the Proteas gave me a good idea what I need to focus on during next week's training camp."

Maties will take part in a training camp next week and will play matches on Tuesday at 16:00, Wednesday at 18:00 and Thursday at 15:00.​

Universities cannot teach students how to be leaders, but it can teach skills to equip young people to become leaders.

According to Adv Johan Kruger, Director of the Centre for Constitutional Rights, universities are crucial in creating an environment where certain thought processes which are conducive to a human rights culture can be fostered.

Kruger was one of the speakers at a breakfast discussion on Thursday (19 July) hosted by the School of Public Leadership (SPL) and the FVZS Institute for Student Leadership Development (FVZS Institute). The topic was The role of universities in cultivating leadership. The event is part of the Good Public Leadership: Breakfast Discussion Series of the SPL.

The other speakers were Prof Russel Botman, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of Stellenbosch University and Wayde Groep, coordinator/facilitator of the FVZS Institute's Facilitative Leadership short course and Students' Representative Council Manager: Critical Engagement. The moderator was Dr Leslie van Rooi, Head: FVZS Institute.

"The importance of the university's ability to create an environment where thought processes based on a common set of values are developed cannot be overestimated," said Kruger.

But how exactly should this be done?

Wayde Groep said that although the FVZS Institute is doing great work in developing leaders by exposing them to the realities of South Africa outside the classroom, more should be done by SU to incorporate leadership training in the classroom.

"Because of the vigorous curriculum load students are not able to think about how what they study will impact on South Africa and the world."

Groep said that there should be greater emphasis on using the classroom as a space for developing leadership.

Prof Erwin Schwella underscored this when he said that leadership development should be part of all the programmes offered by a university.

"Leadership training should be integrated in all teaching. But there should also be space for special leadership bodies like the FVZS Institute."

South Africa's history shows that university campuses are often the places where new and critical thought processes lead to action. Prof Botman clearly demonstrated this when he said that the Soweto riots of 1976 lead to students at the University of the Western Cape (where he was a student leader at the time) engaging in critical debates about leadership.

"Out of that developed a commitment to people living in poverty, to standing up to injustice, to seeking transformation at our university. Out of an apartheid 'bush college' emerged a university with leading students and staff that would have a lasting impact in not only the Western Cape, but the rest of the world."

Botman also spoke about the 19 SU students who went to Lusaka in 1989 to meet with ANC members living in exile. These students were heavily criticised by the then government and the university, as well as journalists and the community.

"They showed Maties the way towards the future. 1989 was a turning point for SU and it would never be the same again."

Although the emphasis is on developing future leaders, South Africa also has to deal with current leaders who simply do not always step up to the mark.

Responding to a question about how current leaders should be held responsible, Kruger said he believes that parliament is failing regarding accountability. However, "leaders are only accountable if they are held accountable".

"We all have an individual responsibility to participate in society in order to bring about changes," said Kruger.

According to Groep it is problematic that those "of us who consider ourselves leaders have gone silent".

"This is a fundamental problem. Why do we keep quiet when we see others stealing, or not doing their job? It made me sad when South Africa went silent when Uganda passed the anti-gay Bill. We have to realise that we are accountable to the broader society. We need to be bold in holding our leaders accountable."

Future Maties have only a few days left to submit their applications for 2015. The deadline for academic applications and for accommodation in a university residence is 30 June 2014. 

"A degree is still one of the best investments you can make," says Ms Michelle Swart, Manager: Marketing and Media at the University's Centre for Student Recruitment. "Stellenbosch University is a smart choice as the University officially has the highest success rate for students in the country. Simply put, Matie students have the best chance of making a success of their studies."

Higher education can be expensive and prospective students are encouraged to apply as quickly as possible for the large number of bursaries and study loans available from the University.

Stellenbosch offers much more than just an academic qualification. Employers are looking for a well-balanced individual, not only for students who score high marks in exams, adds Swart. "We are just as serious about the Matie 'out-of-class experience' as we are about what happens in the lecture hall. Residences and private wards are thus grouped into clusters with a modern lifestyle hub where students come together to study, work, rest and play – all adding to the unique Stellenbosch experience."

Apart from all the sport and recreational activities, the University offers a large variety of academic and non-academic societies varying from volunteering, dancing, hiking and debating to becoming a film fundi and caring for the environment. Via the Frederik van Zyl Slabbert Institute for Student Leadership Development students can hone their leadership skills and do accredited short courses on leadership.

Stellenbosch University has an average first-year retention rate of above 84% compared to the national average of 50%. Visit www.maties.com for more information on the various academic programmes and support services that will help ensure your success, for example, the First-year Academy, the Language Centre, mentors and tutors, specialised technological support and facilities, integrated learning and living spaces, Campus Health Services and the Centre for Student Counselling and Development.

Stellenbosch offers parallel-medium classes (separate English and Afrikaans) and also uses educational interpreting to ensure that language does not become a barrier to your success. Assignments, oral presentations, tests and examinations may be completed in either English or Afrikaans.

How to apply:

The fastest way to apply, is to do it online. Visit www.maties.com and click on "apply online". You can also phone 021 808 9111 or send an email to info@sun.ac.za to receive a printed application form.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Stellenbosch University is the only South African University offering tuition in forestry, laser physics, polymer sciences and viticulture and oenology (wine making).
• The University is regarded as a technologically smart institution. It has more than 80 Wi-Fi hot spots, 2500 computers in the various computer user areas across the cam­pus and all residence rooms have internet access.
• The University has 5 campuses – in Stellenbosch, Tygerberg, Bellville, Saldanha and Worcester.
• It is one of the top 4 research universities in South Africa and has the highest research output of all South African universities.
• SU appears in 3 world ranking lists for universities
• The University Choir  was crowned world champion in the World Choir Games in Cincinnatti, USA in 2012

​The USeBenzA Assessment Centre at the Division of Occupational Therapy of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences recently launched their newly acquired driving simulator.

“The Faculty’s vision is to enhance health in South Africa and beyond,” said Prof Nico Gey van Pittius, Deputy Dean: Research at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the launch. “Our aim is to address the country’s quadruple burden of disease [HIV and TB, mother and child mortality, non-communicable disease, and injury] which includes trauma from road accidents.”

The driving simulator is used to assess fitness to drive in drivers in the learning or rehabilitation phases without exposing them to the real traffic dangers of the road.

The driving simulator is also a useful research tool and can determine the impact that factors such as age, trauma, neurological disease, fatigue, et cetera, might have on driving performance. In medical research it can be used to monitor driver behaviour and to determine the effects of medication on driving performance.

Prof Lana van Niekerk, head of the Division of Occupational Therapy, also highlighted the research potential of the driving simulator, not only within the field of occupational therapy, but across the spectrum of medical disciplines.

After a career of 25 years at Stellenbosch University (SU), during which he among other things established aquaculture as a research field, geneticist Prof Danie Brink is ready for the new challenges awaiting him. 

Earlier this year he was appointed vice-dean: research and teaching of the SU Faculty of AgriSciences. He currently also serves as acting dean, in the place of Prof Mohammed Karaan, who is acting as the University's vice-rector: community interaction and staff.

The changes have resulted in Prof Brink's retirement as chairperson of the SU Department of Genetics. He remains head of the Aquaculture Division which he helped establish as SU in 1988. He has since been the supervisor of more than 20 related research projects by MSc and doctoral students whose research have contributed to the development of the local aquaculture industry. Prof Brink is still the supervisor of four PhD and four MSc students.

For the past quarter of a century, Prof Brink has been involved in investigating and establishing many small scale farming projects in the local and Namibian aquaculture industry. He has also served on many related government advisory groups and panels.

He has been a member of the World Aquaculture Society since 2001, and has served numerous terms as chairperson of the Aquaculture Association of Southern Africa. He is a director of the companies AquaStel, NutroScience, the Overstrand Local Economic Development Agency and the Hands-on Fish Farmers Cooperative, among others.

This Matie alumnus and native of Garies completed his doctoral studies in agriculture on genetic methods that help to improve the growth rate of rainbow trout.

Prof Brink looks forward to the new challenges, and especially towards helping to expand the research and training initiatives of the Faculty of AgriSciences.

"To keep the South African agricultural industry sound, it is important that our research work addresses industry needs, and that the training of our students is topical and innovative," he believes. "By offering appropriate short courses we can also help our alumni to remain at the forefront of new developments and technology.

"Our aim is not only to train scientists who can develop into prosperous farmers, but to also ensure that enough expertise is available for the many support environments of agriculture," Prof Brink adds.  "We need people with a sound knowledge of plant and animal science, soil science, conservation practices, future trends in the industry and the development of new cultivars and food products to ensure the success of the agricultural sector."

Photo: Prof Danie Brink Photo: Engela Duvenage

The Division for Research Development is proud to announce that the virtual copy of Research at Stellenbosch University 2013 is now available.​​

The aim of this publication is to showcase outstanding research at Stellenbosch University. This award-winning publication has shown itself to be an effective way to draw the attention and interest of not only fellow researchers (nationally and internationally), but also funding agencies, industry partners, the media and the broader public.

The general theme for the 2013 edition is: SU contributes to a sustainable future and shifts boundaries through our WEALTH of knowledge.

Go to: http://www.myvirtualpaper.com/doc/stellenbosch-University/research-2013/2014060201/ for the virtual copy of the 2013 edition. The printed version is currently in press.

Since this publication will be widely distributed, both nationally and internationally, we hope that you will see this as a perfect opportunity to showcase your research! Calls for contributions/articles will go out again around August this year, but you are welcome to contact Maryke Hunter-Husselmann (mh3@sun.ac.za; x4623) for more information on how to feature your work.

​​A group of 33 professors at Stellenbosch University (SU) will in future be referred to as Distinguished Professors.

Prof Russel Botman, SU Rector and Vice-chancellor, announced the names of the recipients of this title at a meeting of the SU Senate on Friday 6 June.

Eligibility criteria include: Having been appointed as a professor at SU for at least five years; continuous excellent performance over the last three years; international stature; proven exceptional performance and leadership in higher education in research and publications, postgraduate study leadership, learning and teaching, and community interaction.

The appointment is valid for five years and re-appointments can be considered. 

Names of appointees:

Faculty of AgriSciences

Prof Jens Kossmann, Institute for Plant Biotechnology

Prof Louw Hoffman, Animal Sciences

Prof Michael Samways, Conservation Ecology and Entomology

Prof Linus Opara, Horticultural Science

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Prof Johann Mouton, Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science and Technology

Prof Bill Nasson, History

Prof Anton van Niekerk, Philosophy

Prof Ashraf Kagee, Psychology

Prof Keith Dietrich, Visual Arts

Prof Louise Viljoen, Afrikaans and Dutch

Prof Leslie Swartz, Psychology

Prof Nina Schumann, Music

Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences

Prof Christo Boshoff, Business Management

Prof Mark Swilling, School for Public Leadership

Prof Servaas van der Berg, Economics

Faculty of Education

Prof Yusef Waghid, Education Policy Studies

Prof Lesley Le Grange, Curriculum Studies

Fakulty of Engineering

Prof Willem Perold, Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Prof David Davidson, Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Faculty of Law

Prof Jacques du Plessis, Private Law

Prof André van der Walt, Public Law

Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences

Prof Nulda Beyers, Paediatrics and Child Heath

Prof Simon Schaaf, Paediatrics and Child Heath

Prof Paul van Helden, Biomedical Sciences

Prof Robert Gie, Paediatrics and Child Heath

Faculty of Science

Prof Dave Richardson, Botany and Zoology

Prof Kathy Myburgh, Physiological Sciences

Prof Jannie Hofmeyr, Biochemistry

Prof Harald Pasch, Chemistry and Polymer Science

Prof Bert Klumperman, Chemistry and Polymer Science

Prof Leon Dicks, Microbiology

Prof Emile van Zyl, Microbiology

Faculty of Theology

Prof Dirkie Smit, Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology

​Prof Eugene Cloete, Vice-Rector: Research and Innovation at Stellenbosch University (SU) has been appointed to the Board of the National Water Research Commission (WRC) by the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Ms Edna Molewa.

The WRC helps South Africa cope with water-related challenges by, among others, developing capacity in the water sector, expanding the country's water-centred research and development base, and coming up with new methods to improve water supply and sanitation.

Cloete, a specialist in the field of water research, says the Minister's decision to appoint him to the Board of the WRC, is indeed a great honour. "The commission is the main funder of water research in South Africa and has over many years ensured that the country stays at the forefront of the latest technologies and applications."

Cloete says he'll be expected to play a strategic role in finding solutions to the challenges around water supply, sanitation and so on. He will serve on the Board until 30 June 2015.

In addition to his involvement in the WRC, Cloete is the chairperson of the Advisory Board of the SU Water Institute and Governing Board member of the International Water Association (IWA). He is also a Senior Fellow of the Water Institute of SA (WISA).

SU Water Institute

The SU Water Institute was established in response to the many water challenges facing the country. This multidisciplinary research enterprise across various SU faculties and departments draws on the fundamental and goal-directed research already undertaken by some of our most experienced scientists. Research is done in collaboration with government and industry to tackle water-related challenges, to ensure technology transfer and develop human resources.

"On Monday 23 June 2014 the Council of Stellenbosch University (SU) adopted a motion related to the Centre for Inclusivity in which Council thanked the University Management for their efforts to create a more welcoming culture on campus. Council members did however express their concern that remarks and actions by staff members associated with the Centre could lead to the alienation of important interest groups and have a negative impact on some of SU's other objectives," says Mr George Steyn, Chairperson of the SU Council.

He adds that SU's top priority is and remains to focus on academic excellence and to strengthen it even further. "The continued reporting on issues such as transformation and language can create the impression that these are the main agenda of SU. That is the unfortunate perception that has been created.

"Council realises that transformation needs to be promoted in such a way that it does not and will not harm excellence. This same goes for the issue around Afrikaans. It will be to SU's detriment if Afrikaans-speaking students (Afrikaanses) do not feel welcome at SU. The Rector and his Management team again confirmed that it is their objective to further expand both the Afrikaans and English offering and will report on this at the council meeting in September this year. We have to promote accessibility to attract and keep the best students and staff members," says Mr Steyn.

A motion was adopted during Monday's council meeting whereby certain members were tasked to draft a proposal for the establishment of a Centre for Excellence. Feedback will be given at the September council meeting.

He emphasised that there was no truth in speculations about a "vote of no confidence in the Rector" as alluded to in an Afrikaans daily newspaper on Monday. "No such was motion was tabled and it is a pity that these malicious rumours were printed on the front page. It is harmful to the institution and Council, as well as the Rector and his Management team," adds Mr Steyn.

The motion passed by Council on Monday states:

• Council thanks and supports Management in their attempts to execute Council's decisions with regards to creating a more welcoming campus culture, as expressed in the Institutional Intent and Strategy (2013).
• Since the draft regulation for the Centre for Inclusivity expects the structure to make statements regarding transformation at SU, Council requested that further discussions on transformation should take place.
• Council is concerned about remarks by staff members of the Centre for Inclusivity which, due to a focus on only a few aspects of transformation at SU, may have the potential to alienate important support structures of SU and have a negative impact on other objectives (such as the promotion of excellence).

In 2012 Council requested Management to develop an institutional strategy and action plan to create an institution where a welcoming culture, equality, diversity and transformation can flourish. In accordance with this request Management submitted the Institutional Intent and Strategy in April 2013 which was approved by Council. Out of this Intent and Strategy, Management has developed an institutional plan which includes, among others, the institution's transformation actions.

Prof Russel Botman, Rector and Vice-chancellor, presented the Regulation for the Centre for Inclusivity to Council as part of his management report. The Centre's management structure, operational plans and alignment will be discussed further by the Rector's Management team.

"In Vision 2030, which was accepted by Council, SU is described as 'inclusive, innovative and future-focussed. For SU inclusivity refers to an institutional appreciation for the perspectives, experiences and contributions of all students, staff members and the various communities served by the university, and the way in which these diverse perspectives shape an institutional culture of equivalence," adds Prof Botman.

"With inclusivity as one of the key drivers of our vision and one aspect of our intent it was decided to establish the Centre for Inclusivity. The Centre's proposed role is, among others, to make the institutional culture more inclusive and to support projects that promote a welcoming culture. In addition to advising me in consultation with specific divisions, the Centre will also offer support to the vice-rectors, deans and student leaders."

South Africans consume about 9.5 litres of alcohol per year, drinking nearly a third more than the world average (6.13 litres). But they don't just drink a lot, they also partake in risky "binge" drinking behaviour where they consume large amounts of alcohol (more than 60g) per occasion.

These and other alarming statistics were highlighted by Dr Lize Weich from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences' Department of Psychiatry ahead of Substance Abuse Awareness Week, which is marked from 25 to 30 June.

"A study showed that as many as 45.5% of South Africans 'binged' in the week leading up to the research survey – this is very high compared to global average of 11.5%," said Dr Lize Weich, a senior psychiatrist at Stikland Hospital who is responsible for the substance abuse programme of the Associated Psychiatric Hospitals in the Western Cape.

Alcohol is the most common substance of abuse in the country, followed by cannabis (dagga), heroin, and methamphetamine (tik), according to the most recent report (December 2013) by the South African Community Epidemiology Network on Drug Use (SACENDU), who look at trends of substance use among patients in substance treatment programmes.

The Western Cape reported the highest number of methamphetamine use; Gauteng showed the highest use of cannabis use; heroin use was highest in Mpumalanga and Limpopo; and alcohol use was highest in KwaZulu-Natal and the central region (Northern Cape and Northwest combined).

"Substance abuse impacts negatively on the physical, social, spiritual and mental wellbeing of the individual and society," said Weich. "We have the highest documented rate of foetal alcohol syndrome in the world, we have alarmingly high rates of high-risk sexual behaviour linked to substance abuse, and recent review of research found conclusive evidence of a causal link between heavy alcohol abuse and active TB and progression of both TB and HIV disease."

According to Shaun Shelly, a programme manager at Hope House Counselling Centre, drug abuse is a serious problem in the Western Cape. "The per capita ratio for drug-related crime in the province is four times greater than the national average with nine of the top 10 drug hotspots in the country being in the Western Cape," said Shelly.

"The exact causes of drug addiction are not fully understood, and many of the treatment methods are outdated," he explained. "Most interventions we use in the local setting have been imported from other countries and are often untested or inappropriate for the unique experiences of our local communities. As such we need to encourage research in the local setting and provide training for those who are working within the communities where addiction is rife."

In response to the growing drug abuse problem, the Department of Psychiatry at the FMHS recently launched a postgraduate diploma in Addiction Care.

"We want to equip well-rounded addiction practitioners with holistic knowledge, skills and applicable values to offer effective, evidence-based treatment to people with substance abuse disorders," said Dr Liezl Kramer, also from the Department of Psychiatry.

The diploma was designed to address the physical, psychological and social aspects of substance abuse and is aimed at honing the skills of people working in the field, but is also open to doctors, social workers, counsellors, nurses, psychologists, occupational therapists, and more.

In order to accommodate students' busy schedules or others based too far to travel back and forth to lectures, the course is being updated to include a blended learning approach, with less actual classroom contact and more of a virtual classroom, which will include podcasts, direct self-study with online discussion forums and other elements of e-learning.

"We hope that this will increase the reach of the course and will allow for a wider impact on the quality of service for persons with substance use disorders," said Weich.

For more information on the diploma contact Drs Lize Weich or Liezl Kramer at 021 940 4400, lizew@sun.ac.za or addictions@sun.ac.za.

Photo: http://www.freeimages.com/

​Alcohol and substance abuse came under the spotlight at a recent workshop hosted by Stellenbosch University's (SU) Division for Community Interaction and bringing together university researchers, community workers from the ABBA network as well as municipal officials.

"After a few uninspiring interviews the bored panel waited unenthusiastically for the next candidate to appear. When a man wearing a crisp white shirt and tie walked into the room, the atmosphere was suddenly electrified. Before long the panel was being interviewed by this man who had bursts of gamma rays coming out of his eyes!"

This is how prof Steven Bradshaw, new Chair of the Department of Process Engineering, described his first encounter with the out-going Chair, Prof André Burger, eleven years ago. "When André Burger left the room after the interview, well looked at each other and said: We HAVE to have him."

After serving as Chair for nine years with only a few breaks over the past eleven years, Prof Burger deserves to hand over the reins as Chair. At a convivial function held for Prof Burger, Prof Bradshaw thanked his predecessor for the exemplary fashion in which he had managed the Department as well as for the great sacrifices he and his wife, Sonja, had made. 

"This Department is working well thanks to Prof Burger's guidance and the hours of unseen work he put in to get it that way. Over the years the Department has grown to the size of a medium-sized business. For example, between 2003 and 2014 student numbers have doubled," Prof Bradshaw said.

Prof Burger replied: "As Dr Günther Rencken, Advisory Board member, said: You cannot soar with eagles if you fly with chickens. I know there are people here with incredible abilities. Take this Department the next step up so that our Department becomes the department of choice in Africa for Chemical Engineering studies. Please support the new Chair; he has been with this Department the longest and knows the Department best. Let us all be available to assist him."

​Photo:

Prof André Burger, right, with his characteristic crisp white shirt, standing with his wife, Sonja, and the new Chair, Prof Steven Bradshaw.

​As was the case last year, Stellenbosch University (SU) again has three researchers among the finalists in the prestigious 2013/14 National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF) and BHP Billiton Awards held annually to celebrate outstanding contributions to Science, Engineering, Technology and Innovation (SETI) in South Africa.

The winners will be announced on Thursday 3 July at a gala event at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park where Ms Naledi Pandor, Minister of Science and Technology and official Patron of the NSTF Awards, will be presenting the awards.

According to the organisers of the award ceremony, it is an exceptional honour to be a finalist, given the quality of the nominees and the fact that they all have made outstanding contributions to SETI, thereby qualifying to be a winner.

Prof David Davidson of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering has been nominated for a T W Kambule Award in the category for an individual or a researcher's outstanding contribution to SETI through research and its outputs over the last five to ten years.

As holder of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Research Chair of the South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChi), Davidson is doing innovative research in the area of electromagnetics, radio-frequency and microwave engineering, which underpins crucial technologies in radio communications, radar, remote sensing and many defence applications. In this way, Davidson's work is contributing to core aspects of the SKA as one of South Africa's largest scientific instruments over the last twenty years.

Also among the finalists is Prof Christine Lochner of the Department of Psychiatry who received a nomination for a T W Kambule Award in the same category as Davidson.

Lochner has performed cutting-edge research on different aspects of obsessive-compulsive (OCD) and obsessive-compulsive related disorders. She has led the establishment of the largest clinical, genetic and neuroimaging database of South African patients with these conditions. Investigations into these issues have rendered highly impressive data that will ultimately translate into a better quality of life for those affected.

​Prof Schalk Cloete of Elsenburg Agricultural Training Institute and also Professor Extraordinaire in SU' Department of Animal Sciences, has been nominated (by Elsenburg) in the category for a researcher's outstanding contribution to SETI through research capacity development over the last five to ten years.

As a mentor of postgraduate students over many years, Cloete helped build young scientists in agriculture.

• ​Photo: Proff David Davidson, Christine Lochner and Schalk Cloete
  

​​Gina King, together with the Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert Institute for Student Leadership Development, was instrumental in drafting the bid that brought the World Student Environmental Network Global Summit (30 June to 4 July 2014) to Stellenbosch University.

At the time Gina was the SRC representative for the Sustainability Portfolio (2012). For her MA thesis in History she used a socio-environmental framework to piece together the history of waste in South Africa. She now interns with the Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism for the Green Economy. And somehow she still found time to be one of the organising committee members for this year's Global Summit.

Stephanie Nieuwoudt asked her a few questions.

You were one of the "initiators" of the 2014 summit. Why did you think it would be a good idea to bring it to Stellenbosch?

One of the five focus areas of Stellenbosch University's HOPE Project is 'Promoting a Sustainable Environment and a Competitive Industry'. As a Students' Representative Council (SRC) member with the Sustainability Portfolio at the time, I thought it was important to ensure that an event such as this would be brought to our students. It often feels as though Stellenbosch is its own little world and it is important for our students to be exposed to multiculturalism and diversity. It is also an opportunity to show off our university to students across the world as an excellent institution of higher learning.

I believe SU has an important role to play in promoting the green economy and sustainable development in Africa, and the World Student Environmental Network (WSEN) - on which I also now serve - is a great platform to promote this. One thing I know for certain about my alma mater is that it has the ability to promote sustainable development in a unique way - through its community interaction, research, and teaching and learning. SU's support of this summit is an important part of this - we are reaching out to over 100 international universities renowned for their commitment to sustainability and the environment.

What are your expectations of the 2014 summit?

I expect students to broaden their horizons. At last year's summit in Germany we heard many questions based on misconceptions of Africa. This will be the first summit hosted in a developing country - and Africa of course. It is so important for a growing network such as the WSEN to experience 'the other side' of the sustainability debate. Last year we spoke about transition towns and de-growth at the summit, but this year we need to talk about development and its related issues, and building sustainable cities. Our generation has so many issues to tackle in the future - I often think some things were easier for other generations in that the battles we face are often far more fractured. However, then we have this all-encompassing world model offered to us - sustainable development which intertwines social, environmental and economic rights.

What important lessons were learnt from previous summits?

At previous summits the WSEN has learnt that when you put people together from across the planet around a common cause - they rally around this cause. We make friends across cultural, racial, sexual and gender barriers all because these are students committed to sustainability and our global environment.

At previous summits I realised that I was surrounded by people who had the potential to shape our future. To be able to give them the tiniest part of their education, to be able to expand their horizons at all - is an honour. One of my most important learnings is that the European models for sustainability often shape what we know about the subject- and this is often out of touch with the context of the developing world.

I am excited to get this diverse range of students to the summit, into a developing country, to be able to contribute to our understanding of sustainable development.

• The WSEN Global Summit2014 is sponsored by the South African Department of Environmental Affairs, the SU's Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert Institute for Student Leadership Development, the SU's Sustainability Initiative and the SU's Postgraduate and International Office.

An international team of researchers, led by Stellenbosch University scientists, has unravelled a puzzle that has been bothering the botanical community since 1875 – and that is the uncanny resemblance between two endemic tree species on two small islands that are literally at the opposite ends of the planet.

Their findings represent the most extreme case of long-distance dispersal of plants that has yet been documented.

Koa trees (Acacia koa) on the Hawaiian islands in the Pacific Ocean and tamarin des hauts (Acacia heterophylla) on Réunion Island in the Indian Ocean have always been regarded as separate species and endemic (i.e. found there and nowhere else) to their respective island homes, despite their striking physical similarities. The fact that these two island groups are 18 000 km apart made it inconceivable that they could possibly be home to the same species.

In 1875 the great British botanist George Bentham first considered the two island trees as a single species because they are so similar. But how the two tree species arrived at opposite sides of the planet remained unresolved.

This botanical mystery was made even more complicated because one of the most obvious means of seed dispersal, floating in seastreams, had to be dismissed because koa seeds do not germinate after being soaked in seawater for even a few days.

Furthermore, on both island groups the trees in question grow in the highlands and not near the shore. Usually island vegetation can be traced back to nearby mainland areas, and therefore it was always thought that the acacias of Hawaii and Réunion originated independently from Australia, the centre of diversity for acacias.

Now a team of researchers, led by Dr Jaco le Roux from Stellenbosch University, has figured out what constitutes possibly the greatest "fluke" of long-distance dispersal of plants yet recorded. The results of the study were published in the journal New Phytologist with the title "Relatedness defies biogeography: the tale of two island endemics (Acacia heterophylla and A. koa)".

By studying the evolutionary history of the trees using DNA analysis and taking the known ages of the Hawaiian Islands into account, they were able to show that the acacias on Réunion are the direct descendants of koa populations in Hawaii. They also found that this impressive colonisation event occurred around 1.4 million years ago. As a matter of fact, the DNA analysis of samples from 88 trees showed that individuals of the Réunion acacia are genetically more closely related to some individual koa trees from the Hawaiian Islands than are some koa individuals to each other.

Dr Le Roux says this event is even more amazing if one considers that only 0,001% of plant species moved from one place to another by humans eventually become established and then "invasive": "The seed, or seeds, must have found an environment very similar from where it came from to be able to have established itself so successfully," he says

In the process of this research, the team managed to debunk two theories doing the rounds in the botanical community. The first being that the two acacia species in question, which share a common ancestor (the Australian blackwood), originally dispersed independently from mainland Australia. While this holds true for the koa in the Hawaiian Islands, it has now been shown not to be the case for the Réunion acacia.

The other hypothesis was that humans moved the seeds of acacia from Australia to Hawaii and then to Réunion through Asia. This study however clearly shows that seeds must have been dispersed from Australia to Hawaii and then to Réunion long before humans were around to do it. Humans arrived in Hawaii only around 1500 years ago.

Dr Le Roux says they were extremely excited about having contributed "a very significant piece to a puzzle that has bugged botanists for decades".

Prof Dave Richardson, Director of the DST-NRF Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology (C•I•B) at SU and one of the co-authors, says that in his thirty years of doing research this study was the most exciting piece of science he has been involved in: "It required travelling to great places, hiking up volcanoes, getting caught in the mother of all rainfall events, extracting and sequencing DNA, examining genome sizes, battling with all types of complicated computer programmes, scouring old books and journals, figuring out the geological age of volcanic islands, lots of detective work and much much more."

On the question of how the seeds arrived in Réunion they can only speculate: "Our best guess is that seabirds (in particular petrels, such as the endemic Barau's Petrel from Réunion Island) transported the seeds. In Réunion, these birds dig burrows at elevations that coincide with the distribution of the acacias. It is also well-known that ingested seeds can be retained in the stomachs of petrels for weeks and even months.

"It is therefore possible that lost petrels from Hawaii strayed into the wrong ocean, finding there a new mountainous island at the right latitude and delivered the seeds that would later become the tamarin des hauts so typical of Réunion Island," they conclude.

The rest of the research team consisted of two scientists from the Universities of Réunion and Hawaii, Prof Dominique Strasberg and Prof Clifford Morden, while the other South African researchers on the team were Prof Mathieu Rouget from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and Ms Megan Koordom, a technical assistant at the C•I•B. The C•I•B also provided the funding for the project.

Contact details

Dr Jaco le Roux, jleroux@sun.ac.za

Prof Dave Richardson, rich@sun.ac.za

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

​Opinion article by Mr Shaun Shelly, the Substance Use Programme Manager at Hope House Counselling Centre, a non-governmental organisation offering free mental health and counselling in underserved communities. He is also a part time lecturer at the Department of Psychiatry at Stellenbosch University and author of the addiction information website (www.addictioncapetown.blogspot.com). He wrote the article to mark Substance Abuse Awareness Week, 25 to 30 June.

Substance abuse has become a part of life in South Africa. Statistics show that about 21% of men and 7% of women will experience alcohol use disorders in their lifetime. The country has one of the highest levels of foetal alcohol syndrome in the world, and about half of all pedestrians and drivers killed on our roads are over the legal limit.

Illicit drug use is also rife. Forty-four percent of drug-related crime in South Africa occurs in the Western Cape, and the per capita ratio for drug-related crime here is four times greater than the national average with nine of the top 10 drug hotspots in the country being in the Western Cape.

Drugs like tik (methamphetamine) appear in the headlines daily and heroin use, both smoking and intravenous, is on the rise. Undoubtedly we have a serious problem with addictive drug use in the Western Cape.

The question we need to ask is why are so many communities in the Western Cape disproportionally affected by addiction?

Drug use is often seen as the cause of broken communities, but it is more likely that the high levels of drug use are the result of people trying to cope with the adversities of daily life that come with low economic status, few employment opportunities and limited community resources which lead to a sense of helplessness and psychosocial dislocation. In the community where I work the majority of people seeking help for addictive drug use come from fractured families, have suffered multiple traumas and have found some sort of refuge in their drug use and the drug lifestyle.

The exact causes of drug addiction are not fully understood, and many of the treatment modalities are outdated and ineffective. Most of the interventions we use have been imported from other countries, and are often untested or even inappropriate for the unique experiences of our local communities. As such we need to encourage research in the local setting and provide training for those working in the communities where addiction is rife. Up until recently, there has been little in the form of formal education around addictive disorders, with even medical students only receiving a few hours of training on the subject. Fortunately things are changing.

In response, institutions such as Stellenbosch University's Departments of Psychiatry recently launched a Post Graduate Diploma in Addiction Care where students are lectured by some of the country's foremost experts in addiction medicine and interact with other professionals in the field. These courses provide the perfect opportunity for vital debate and questions to be asked, thereby encouraging research.

I believe that we need to look wider than the actions of drugs on the brain to gain a complete understanding of addiction. We need to understand that addiction is often the product of broken communities and we need to develop the political will to alleviate these underlying issues before we will really be able to address the large scale problem of addiction that we are facing. Having said this, it is essential that we provide the resources to address the individual needs of those who are suffering from drug addictions. The Stellenbosch University Post Graduate Diploma in Addiction Care is an essential component in developing these resources.

Photo: Shaun Shelly

​The key to a brighter future. That is what the Solomon Mahlangu Scholarship represents to Chante Clarke, a fisherman's daughter from Vredenburg near Saldanha, and one of 17 Stellenbosch University (SU) students who are benefiting from a grant of nearly R1,5 million by the Solomon Mahlangu Scholarship Fund – an initiative of the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA).

The grant makes provision for the 17 undergraduate students to study for three or four years – depending on the length of their particular programme.

On Wednesday (25 June), Clarke was one of two bursary recipients who shared their journey to higher education at a cheque handover ceremony held at SU. She is a first-year BSc Food Science student and is determined to make a success of her studies. Clarke, who is from a family of five, said she's the first person in her family to matriculate and always knew that she wanted to enrol at a university, but the harsh reality was that her family could not afford it. "Was it not for the Solomon Mahlangu Scholarship Fund I would never have been able to stand before you today. I know it's not going to be easy, but I know I'm going to make it," she added.

Athi Belem from Kayamandi who is studying towards a BScAgric degree also expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to live out his dream of becoming a scientist. Belem is from a family of seven with an older sister who is the sole breadwinner. "I always dreamed of studying here, but I was stressing about the finances. With the help of this scholarship I am the first person in my family to get an education," he said. Belem said he hopes to one day specialise in crop genetics and wants to be an inspiration and role model to his younger siblings. "I want them to follow in my footsteps and get an education," he said.

The Solomon Mahlangu Scholarship Fund, in honour of the late struggle icon Solomon Kalushi Mahlangu, a member of Umkhonto we Sizwe who was executed under apartheid laws in 1979 at the age of 23, was established by the NYDA in 2013 and officially launched by President Jacob Zuma. The Fund provides financial support to young people who have been accepted to pursue full-time degrees in courses that fall within the priority growth sectors and critical and scarce skills areas as outlined in the labour planning frameworks of the country.

SU Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Russel Botman, said at Wednesday's ceremony that young people are the section of the population who should be prioritised in education. "They need skills and qualifications to get a job or to create employment for themselves and others. That's where higher education institutions come in – we empower our students for a career in their chosen field," he said.

"Higher education is not just a private good; it is also a public good. University graduates contribute to the welfare of society in a variety of ways generally, by being critical thinkers and engaged citizens - and specifically, through their work as professionals in such crucial sectors as Agriculture and Health. That is why we welcome the National Youth Development Agency's focus on these sectors through its grant to Stellenbosch University.

"For national development goals to be met, Agriculture and Health and all other sectors have to be placed on a solid footing. And one of the best ways of doing that is through higher education. We need to empower practitioners and researchers to be thought leaders for the future," Prof Botman added.

He said that Stellenbosch is doing its bit in this regard. "And that is why funding young people – through the Solomon Mahlangu Scholarship Fund – to pursue tertiary studies at Stellenbosch is a solid investment in the future," he added.  "I want to thank the National Youth Development Agency and the Department of Higher Education and Training. You can rest assured when times are tough the best investment you can make is in education."

Ms Linda Dlova from NYDA in turn said it is their hope that the recipients do their bit to "move South Africa forward".

"We are here to celebrate this collective effort by the Department of Higher Education and Training, Institutions of Higher Learning like Stellenbosch University and the National Youth Development Agency but most of all we are here to celebrate our scholarship recipients," Ms Dlova said.

"Over 200 young people from disadvantaged backgrounds can today be counted among thousands who are enrolled in various institutions of higher learning across the country, thanks to the National Youth Development Agency's inaugural Solomon Mahlangu Scholarship Fund," she said.

"As the National Youth Development Agency we know the value of education and the potential it has to change lives, we have thus shifted our main focus away from Enterprise Finance and Skills Development towards Education and Skills Development. I would like to wish each of our scholarship recipients everything of the best in pursuing your academic qualifications, continue to make us proud and continue to set the example that education is fashionable."

• For more information go to: http://www.nyda.gov.za/Pages/default.aspx 
• Photo: Chante Clarke, Innocentia Mphago, Linda Dlova, Prof Russel Botman, Athi Belem and Prof Danie Brink, Acting Dean of SU's Faculty of AgriSciences. (Photographer: Justin Alberts)​

The​ African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), of which Stellenbosch University (SU) is a partner, recently conferred Master's Degrees in Mathematical Sciences on 49 students from 20 different African countries.

The graduation ceremony was held at the Muizenberg Pavilion on Wednesday 25 June 2014.

Other partners are the universities of Cambridge, Cape Town, Oxford, Paris Sud XI and the Western Cape.  

​AIMS-South Africa was founded in 2003 and has already produced 479 graduates and gained international repute as an innovative centre of high quality scientific training. 

The ceremony was officiated by Prof Brian O'Connell, Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Western Cape, Prof Eugene Cloete, Vice-Rector: Research and Innovation at SU and Prof Danie Visser, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research at the University of Cape Town.

The guest speaker was former South African President Mr Kgalema Motlanthe. He was joined by fellow speakers Prof Ben Turok, AIMS Trust Member (and father of AIMS founder and celebrated physicist Neil Turok), AIMS-South Africa Director Barry Green, AIMS alumnus Matthews Sejeso and AIMSSEC alumnus Sangree Pillay.

Prof Green welcomed everyone to the graduation ceremony and said: "The flame for mathematics has to be ignited in the young and this is what we do at AIMS. We have created a caring environment for the whole continent and we are enabling our students to create a new future for Africa."

Mr Motlanthe congratulated the students and said that he was proud to witness and be a part of this special celebration. "Africa's greatest resource is its people. There can be no more effective investment in Africa's future than in education which empowers talented young people to contribute to their countries' development. Increasing the skills base in areas which can stimulate growth will help create employment opportunities for our youth, one of the toughest challenges we face at the moment."

He went on to say that no modern society has scaled the heights of social progress without mathematics as it underpins most of modern life – information and communication technology, genetics, medicine, finance, demographics and planning. And therefore "without mathematical training we will be unable to access the full power of new technologies to solve the problems in South Africa and the African continent".

"You are now armed with this knowledge. But you would have learnt in the past few months that knowledge requires application to make it truly valuable and this is the challenge ahead of you now – to go back into society and apply what you have learnt at AIMS in order to make a difference to the lives of people."

Ms Rosemary Akinyi Aogo from Kenya, Mr Ikenna John Kingsley Ezike from Nigeria and Ms Saga Elsayed Ibrahim Abdalla from Sudan gave the student addresses.

In the ceremony AIMS Endowed Scholarships were awarded to a number of top achievers by Dr Thandi Mgwebi, Executive Director Institutional Engagement and Partnership Development, National Research Foundation and AIMS Advisory Board Member. The recipients were: Mr Ishmael Takyi, who received the Stephan Hawking Scholarship, Mr Andriamanankasina Ramanantoanina, who received the Martin Rees Scholarship, Ms Rosephine Georgina Rakotonirainy, who received the Paul G Allen Scholarship and Ms Shimaa Yasser Ahmed Hanafy Elesaely and Mr Kenneth Dadedzi who both received the Victor Rothschild Scholarship.