A man who dreamt of a united society. Someone who was steadfast and consistent. A prophet in our midst. A human being whose heart was in his work. A rector that engage with students. A leader who dared to dream.

With these words, speakers paid tribute to Stellenbosch University’s (SU) late Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Russel Botman, on Wednesday (2 July).

A consolatory service for staff and students was held in the Endler Hall of the Conservatoire. More than 600 staff members packed the hall, with some sitting on the stairs or standing.

Prof Botman passed away in his sleep at his home in Die Boord, Stellenbosch, early on Saturday (28 June). He had been SU’s Rector since 2007.

During the service family and community members, as well as SU staff and students paid tribute. After Prof Xolile Simon of the Faculty of Theology welcomed the guests, Imam Fuad Samaai sympathised with the family and the University on behalf of the Muslim community.

Mr Quintin Koetaan, a family member, described Prof Botman as someone who had always made time for his family. “Even when he was in a meeting, he would call you back later. He was not only a pillar of strength, he personified strength. If hope was his life, it was precisely what he had meant to his family.”

He challenged the University to continue Botman’s legacy.

In his tribute, Dr Coenie Burger, Director of Ekklesia and Communitas at SU, said Prof Botman’s attentiveness to people was unique and profound. “The future will show that we dealt with a man of greater spirit than we realise today. We had known one another for 30 years, and on a trip to America I was able to get to know him better. He picked up nuances in conversations that others did not hear. It was then that I realised we had a prophet in our midst.”

In his view, Prof Botman had two gifts: “He cared for all people, and he had lived for a cause greater than himself and us.”

Dr Jerome Slamat, Senior Director: Division for Community Interaction, and Mr Basil van Wyk, Administrative Officer in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, paid homage to Prof Botman on behalf of SU staff.

“I had known him as a student leader, minister, my former colleague Beryl’s husband, and mostly as my Rector at SU. As a person he was steadfast and consistent,” said Slamat.

“He was the man that made us think about the 21^st-century university and being future-focused; who led us in the exciting HOPE Project, but warned against false hope. He was not only the first black Rector of the University, but SU reached new heights under his leadership.”

Mr Van Wyk said when Prof Botman was appointed as Rector in 2007 “we were fortunate to have a man like Russel who made us realise that there is hope”.

“With his appointment, the winds of change arose. His heart was in his work, and he had a big heart. He always made time in his life for everyone, and for staff his door was never shut. A mighty cedar has fallen, and it is felt throughout South Africa and abroad.”

Ms Faith Pienaar, a student in Viticulture and Oenology at SU, praised Prof Botman for his leadership and for creating a welcoming and inclusive campus “where all feel valued and where everyone can receive tertiary education”.

As a closing, Prof Elna Mouton of the Faculty of Theology brought a message of consolation in which she praised Prof Botman for his courage to hope for an alternative world.

Prof Botman’s funeral is on Saturday (5 July) at 10:00 in the DF Malan Hall at Coetzenburg.

The Bureau for Economic Research received the award for the most accurate economic forecaster in 2013 at a function in Sandton, Johannesburg.

This is the fourth time that the BER has received the prestigious Thomson Reuters Economist of the Year prize. It was also the leading forecaster in 2002, 2007 and 2008. Every month, the data and news provider Thomson Reuters asks about 25 of South Africa's leading economists to provide quarterly forecasts on a range of important economic variables.

The economist or institution whose projections for variables such as the rand exchange rate, repo rate and GDP growth turn out to be closest to the actual numbers, claims the prize as the best forecaster. The competition is in its 14^th year.

BER senior economist Hugo Pienaar received the award and said the achievement is testimony to the hard work, dedication and passion of the entire BER team.

Caption: Hugo Pienaar of the BER

The capacity of our oceans to feed the world by 2050, restoring St Lucia and the 'rise of slime' are some of the topics that will be addressed during the 15^th Southern African Marine Science Symposium to be held at Stellenbosch University from 15 to 18 July 2014.

Dr Sophie von den Heyden, a marine biologist from SU and chair of the conference organising committee, says this year the symposium will see the largest gathering of marine scientists under one roof from Africa and countries like the United States of America, Australia and Germany.

The symposium is organised by the Western Cape representatives of the South African Network for Coastal and Oceanic Research (SANCOR) and includes the African Marine Mammal Colloquium. The theme is "Waves of Change – a Southern African Perspective". Over 200 posters and 200 orals will be presented during the three full days of the symposium and include contributions covering biological, geological, chemical and physical spectra of marine science. Issues around policy, governance, economics and community outreach will also be discussed.

Four internationally recognised plenary speakers will also take the podium. They are:

• Prof Manual Barange, director of science and deputy chief director of the Plymouth Marine Laboratory in the United Kingdom. Prof Barange specialises in modelling the impacts of climate change and economic globalisation on marine ecosystems and marine-based commodities, on the oceans' contribution to future food security and on the role of ecosystem services to alleviate poverty in vulnerable communities. The title of his plenary address is "Feeding the world in 2050: Impacts of climate change on fish production in fisheries dependent communities".
• Dr Lynne Shannon, chief researcher at the Marine Research Institute of the University of Cape Town. She undertakes ecological research and modelling in support of the ecosystem approach to fisheries, and explores practical ways in which ecosystems considerations might be incorporated into fisheries management in the Benguela. The title of her plenary address is "Trophic level-based indicators to track fishing impact".
• Prof Stewart Grant is a leading international expert in the field of population genetics and biogeography of marine fishes and invertebrates. He has worked on Pacific salmon conservation problems with the United States National Marine Fisheries Service in Seattle, and on genetics issues in aquaculture at the World Fish Centre in Malaysia. The title of his plenary address is "The future of Alaska's fisheries".
• Prof Mark Gibbons is a specialist on zooplankton at the University of the Western Cape. His current research mainly concerns jellyfish. His lecture will focus on the role of the southern African marine science community in understanding changing oceans through research.

On Wednesday 16 July the public can attend an open evening where Dr Kerry Sink, marine programme manager at the South African National Biodiversity Institute, will present new and exciting footage of coelocanth research being carried out in South Africa.  One of South Africa's foremost experts on the marine environment, Emeritus Professor George Branch, will speak about the importance of estuaries.

The lecture starts at 7pm in the Endler Hall, Conservatorium, Stellenbosch University. Attendance is free.

The full programme is available online at http://samss2014.co.za/.  For more information, contact Ms Rheta Venter reventer@netactive.co.za or Dr Sophie von der Heyden at svdh@sun.ac.za

Thousands of mourners are expected to attend the funeral service of Prof Russel Botman, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of Stellenbosch University, who passed away last week.

The University kindly requests guests to be seated by 09:30 for the service that is to be held in the DF Malan Centre at the Coetzenburg sports grounds in Stellenbosch on Saturday 5 July. As seating is very limited, the University can unfortunately not guarantee that everyone will be accommodated.

Guests are also advised to dress warmly and to bring along umbrellas as very cold and rainy weather is expected for the weekend.

Parking

Parking at the DF Malan Centre is very limited and guests are advised to make use of the parking next to the university residences and walk to the Centre. The University will provide a shuttle service (with shuttles clearly marked), to transport guests to the Centre. Signs will also indicate the route leading to the Centre. 

Programme

Prof Nico Koopman, Dean of the Faculty of Theology at SU, will be the liturgist for the funeral service. Rev Lee-Ann Simon will be reading from Scripture, Rev Setri Nyomi, will deliver the funeral address while Archbishop Thabo Makgoba will do a prayer of intercession.

The programme will also include tributes from family members, colleagues and community leaders. These include Prof Russel Botman's son, Mr  Hayman Botman (on behalf of the Botman family), Bishop Ziphozihle Daniel Siwa (on behalf of the Church Community), Imam Shaakier Vermeulen (on behalf of other faith communities),  Ms Dianne Parker (on behalf of the Ministry of Higher Education and Training) and Dr Johann Rupert (on behalf of Stellenbosch University.

The programme will also include music items by among others the Stellenbosch University Choir.

• The event is to be streamed live over the internet at at www.sun.ac.za/streaming . 

Russel Botman Bursary Fund

In lieu of flowers, the Botman family encourages the public, staff and students to rather consider making a donation to the Russel Botman Bursary Fund.

Online donations can be made via the University's website at www.sun.ac.za . The details for direct payments are: Standard Bank, account number 07 300 695 5 and branch code 05 0610. Please make sure to add the reference: Botman.

Messages of condolence can be sent by e-mail to rektor@sun.ac.za. Cards addressed to the Botman Family or the University, c/o Ms Wildré Kok, can be delivered by hand at the reception desk in the Admin B building, Victoria Street, Stellenbosch, or sent by mail to Private Bag X1, Matieland, South Africa, 7602.

Written messages can also be entered in special commemorative books. These will be available at the funeral service and for a period of three months at the Reception of Admin Building B in Victoria Street in Stellenbosch.

• The University's telephone number is 021 808 9111. 

​​​A beacon of hope, critical thinker, gentle fighter, resolute leader, father to many and brother to all.

This how Prof Russel Botman, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of Stellenbosch University (SU), was described by people paying tribute to him at a funeral service held in Stellenbosch on Saturday 5 July. Prof Botman passed away unexpectedly last weekend, two years into his second term as the University's rector.

Hundreds of mourners, including former presidents, politicians, academics representing various universities, family members, friends, representatives of different faith communities as well as SU staff members and students, gathered in the DF Malan Memorial Centre on Saturday to bid Prof Botman a final farewell. 

Watch video.

See programme with tributes here.

Dr Setri Nyomi said in his sermon that Prof Botman stood for justice.

"Hope believes evil will not have the last word. That is what our brother Russel represented and he knew his calling very well. That is why he didn't play it safe and didn't hesitate to rock the boat. If God's people were not experiencing fullness of life, Russel could not stay silent."

Dr Nyomi added that he believes Prof Botman would have wanted people to carry on unmasking the forces of injustice and bring hope through transformation.

SU's Chancellor, Dr Johann Rupert, said in his tribute that the only monument we can build for Prof Botman was to ensure that his life was not in vain.

"His death has reminded us how short life can be and the challenge is to do as much as we can to leave behind a better world."

Mr Hayman Botman, eldest child and only son, read a tribute on behalf of himself and his sisters, Ilse, Lizelle and Roxanne. He described their dad as a father to many and a brother to all.​

"He taught us many life lessons and they will not be forgotten. He was our role model, our inspiration and our anchor, and he always made sure that there was time for family."

He revealed that his father was a good cook and enjoyed making 'potjie' on Sundays.

To close his tribute, Mr Botman said that the HOPE Project (a science-for-society initiative launched by Prof Botman) must continue and grow.

"We need to let his legacy live on," he concluded.

Bishop Ziphozihle Siwa, who spoke on behalf of the church community, said that we were mourning the departure of a great leader but we were also celebrating a life well lived.

"Russel Botman showed us we can be better and was always pointing towards a new society."

Bishop Siwa described Prof Botman as a beacon of hope, a critical thinker, a gentle fighter and a resolute leader. "He suffered no amnesia. He never forgot where he came from. He also never took his eye from the goal of making the world a better place."

He told the audience that the best tribute they could pay would be to become bridge-builders, and to keep on working towards a better society where there is justice and dignity for all.

Imam Shaakier Vermeulen recalled that Prof Botman had treated everyone with respect and worked hard to be inclusive, spear-heading the project of installing a Muslim prayer room on the Stellenbosch campus.

"We have lost a great leader who made a difference in the lives of many people."

Dr Diane Parker conveyed condolences on behalf of the higher education community and said they had suffered a great loss.

Ms Ruth Botman, wife of Prof Botman's brother, Deon, thanked everyone on behalf of the family and said that the country had lost one of its "export-quality" leaders.

She added that everyone's messages of condolences and kind actions had made the family's pain more bearable.

Prof Botman is survived by his wife, Beryl; his children, Hayman, Lizelle, Ilse and Roxanne; daughter-in-law, Blanche; grandchildren, Byron, Jayden and Haylan; sisters Ethne, Phoebe and Grace; and brother, Deon. His first wife, Lizzie, passed away in 1987.

The music items were delivered by the Stellenbosch University Choir (conducted by André van der Merwe) and the Stellenbosch University Symphonic Wind Ensemble (conducted by Pamela Kierman).

Russel Botman Bursary Fund

In lieu of flowers, the Botman family encourages the public, staff and students to rather consider making a donation to the Russel Botman Bursary Fund.

Online donations can be made via the University's website at www.sun.ac.za . The details for direct payments are: Standard Bank, account number 07 300 695 5 and branch code 05 0610. Please make sure to add the reference: Botman.

Messages of condolence can be sent by e-mail to rektor@sun.ac.za. Cards addressed to the Botman Family or the University, c/o Ms Wildré Kok, can be delivered by hand at the reception desk in the Admin B building, Victoria Street, Stellenbosch, or sent by mail to Private Bag X1, Matieland, South Africa, 7602.

Written messages can also be entered in special commemorative books. These will be available at the funeral service and for a period of three months at the Reception of Admin Building B in Victoria Street in Stellenbosch.​ 

Photo: Hennie Rudman

The Stellenbosch University Choir left for Riga in Latvia on Sunday (6 July) to participate in the World Choir Games and defend their title as the top choir in the world.

The World Choir Games will take place from 9-19 July and the choir will participate in three categories: Musica Sacra (sacred music), Mixed choirs and Spiritual.

The choir is specifically looking forward to participating in the latter category, says conducter André van der Merwe.

"There are many African links in the music known as Spiritual. It's all about the soul of the music and that is what we want to convey."

According to him the choir feels pressure to perform as they are the number 1 choir on the Interkultur rankings (Interkultur organises the World Choir Games).

"I told the choir members to forget about the competition and concentrate on sharing the music. That must be the focus."

The SU Choir performed at the funeral of Prof Russel Botman, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of SU, on Saturday (5 July) and is dedicating this tour to him.

More about the World Choir Games

The World Choir Games, dubbed the Olympics of choral music, is the largest international choral competition in the world and takes place every two years. This will be the fourth time that the SU Choir, conducted by Mr André van der Merwe, will be participating in the World Choir Games.

At the 2008 competition held in Austria, the SU choir was named world champion in the Musica Sacra category and also achieved second place in the category Gospel & Spiritual. In 2010 in China, the choir won the title Choir of the World and was also named world champion in the category Mixed Choirs and Musica Contemporanea.

At the World Choir Games held in Cincinnati in the USA in 2010, the choir was placed in the first position on the Interkultur world rankings.  They were also the winners in two categories: the best mixed choir (male and female voices) and Musica Sacra (sacred music). They won second place in the category popular music.

You can leave a message of support on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/StellenboschUniversityChoir, or follow the choir on Twitter at @USChoirKoor or #WCG2014.

​The Maties women's hockey team has once again won the University Sport South Africa (USSA) hockey tournament after finishing second for the past two years. It is Maties' 17^th USSA title.

They beat the team from the North West University in the final after a penalty shout-out. Pukke were the favourites going into the final as they got the better of Maties in the group matches by winning 3-1. 

The score in the final was 1-1 (goal scored by Tarryn Glasby) and the winner was decided by a one-on-one penalty shout-out. Glasby, Cath Morris and Heather MacEwan scored in the shout-out.

​In the earlier group matches Maties beat NMMU (4-1) and UCT (4-0). In the semi-final they got the better of UJ (1-0).

It was not the best tournament for the men's team though. The University of Johannesburg (UJ) defended its title successfully. Maties finished fifth after losing out on the semi-finals to KZN and NMMU due to goal difference. They finished 2^nd last year. In this year's tournament they lost against NMMU (0-4) and drew the match against Wits (1-1). They won the matches against KZN (2-0), Rhodes (5-1) and Ikeys (4-1). At the end of the day the draw against Wits was the big difference.

Four players form the Maties Hockey Club are now off to represent South Africa at the Commonwealth Games. They are Pierre de Voux, Illse Davids, Jade Mayne and Quanita Bobbs. The Games will take place in in Glasgow, Scotland, from 23 July to 3 August. 

In the mean time the Western Province women's team for the Inter-provincial Tournament has been announced. Jade Mayne, Illse Davids, Erin Hunter, Hanli Hattingh, Bronwyn Kretzman, Suleke Brand, Leigh Boardman, Farah Fredericks and Sarah Bingham represent Maties in the WP team.

Nicole Le Fleur, Rezanne Villet, Margaux Reynecke, Rosey Lombard, Kim Rennie, Teagan van der Wath, Taryn Horner and Sabrina Miles will be in action for the WP Peninsula team.

The tournament is in Pietermaritzburg from 18 to 24 August.

Student intake at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences has increased considerably over the last five years, and with more than 70 percent of exams being completed electronically, the faculty's computer users area, known as GERGA, have been under considerable pressure.

Until now, large groups of students had to be divided into smaller groups in order to write exams on the 148 workstations available at GERGA. This resulted in the facility being closed for the entire day to other students needing to use the area for general work.

"We considered expanding GERGA's capacity by adding additional computers, but it wouldn't be very cost effective as many of the computers will stand idle and unused for more than 60 percent of the time. The additional infrastructure, such as furniture, power, networking and air-conditioning, et cetera, required for these extra computers effectively quadruples the cost of the physical computer," says GERGA manager, David Wiles.

In 2012 GERGA personnel started looking for creative solutions to the capacity issue, and a new technology, through which students could complete exams using their own portable devices, was identified. It was discovered that more than half of all the students at the Tygerberg campus had their own devices, such as laptops and tablets.

Security and compatibility concerns around this system, called Bring Your Own Device, or BYOD, were addressed by hardware (Pivot3 vSTAC) and software (Enterasays) installations allowing for Virtual Desktop Integration (VDI), where a desktop operating system is hosted within a virtual machine on a central server.

In June 2013, work started on converting the fifth-floor exam room into a WiFi hotspot capable of delivering 300+ virtual desktops to the Tygerberg students during exams, and at the same time there were extensive renovations done to the outdated GERGA network.

The system was first put to the test when the first-year students arrived for registration this year. All the new students had to use a virtual desktop that had been already set up on the GERGA computers, and used the environment to e-register, set their passwords and complete their orientation tasks.

"The exercise was very successful and proved a very helpful 'baptism of fire' for the GERGA personnel," says Wiles.

The BYOD system was officially launched on March 6, and has received overwhelming positive feedback from users.

The BYOD system has the following capabilities:

• Delivers 700 virtual Windows desktops to Windows, Apple, Android and Linux devices.
• Restricts access exclusively to students writing exams.
• There is no copy-paste facility between the VDI desktop and the student device.
• Students cannot access external hard drives and USB flash disks or printers connected to their devices.
• Offers full endpoint security at the wireless points that block any software that can be used to attack or compromise the university network security.

According to Wiles there are already plans to replace all the old GERGA computers with "thin clients" (terminals only) running VDI, which will result in considerable power and cost saving for the faculty.

The system also allows for:

• Personnel to run VDI on their old computers which will allow up-to-date software to be run easily.
• Customised desktops for unique training or exam environments to be created and delivered to individual groups.
• The provision of an "ad hoc" wireless network for visitors. Special desktops can also be delivered to personnel and will remain the same even if they change devices.
• The high-speed wireless network is capable of delivering class notes and learning materials directly to student devices, resulting in a reduction of printing out of notes.

Photo: At the launch of th BYOD were, from left, Mr Helmi Dreijer, Sr Director IT (SU), Prof Marietjie de Villiers, Vice Dean: Education, Mr Eben Mouton, Director: Business Management and Mr David Wiles, Manager: Gerga

Staff members and students of Stellenbosch University are reminded to make their own safety a priority. This is in view of a few incidents were brought to the attention of Campus Security over the last few days.

In two separate incidents people were robbed of their belongings on the Stellenbosch mountain while a student and his girlfriend were robbed in the early hours of Sunday morning in town, off-campus.​

Campus Security distributed safety tips for students (link) and staff members (link) recently.

Some of the guidelines are:

• Always walk in a group rather than alone. Be aware of your direct surroundings and be on the look-out for suspicious behaviour or strange activities. With campus being so quiet staff members are advised to walk in groups even during the day and especially in quieter parts of campus.​
  
• Lock your office when leaving, even if it is only for a short while. Close the windows, especially those on the ground floor, even those fitted with burglar bars. Avoid leaving valuable items close to or in sight of windows, irrespective of it being open or closed, or in vehicles.
  
• When carrying a cellular phone on your person, keep it out of sight.

"Those people who are not going on holiday during the recess are advised to prioritise their own safety, to remain vigilant and to make use of Campus Security's pedestrian escort service, especially at night. Academic environments are requested to keep doors closed to ensure that the card readers must be used," advises Mr Viljoen van der Walt, Director: Risk Management.​

​Memorise the emergency numbers of Campus Security on 021 808 2333 (Stellenbosch Campus) and 021 938 9507 (Tygerberg and Bellvillepark campuses) as well as the SAPS-emergency number: 10111. Report any suspicious-looking individuals immediately to Campus Security and try to provide an accurate description of them.

More information on safety at www.sun.ac.za/safety​

The University of Aberdeen in Scotland today (Tuesday 8 July 2014) bestowed an honorary doctorate upon Prof Russel Botman, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of Stellenbosch University, who passed away last weekend, posthumously.

Ms Beryl Botman, wife of the late Prof Botman, received the degree on his behalf and read the graduation speech her husband had prepared. Her Royal Highness, Camilla, tThe Duchess of Rothesay, conferred the degree in her role as Chancellor of the University of Aberdeen.

Professor Sir Ian Diamond, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Aberdeen, said: "It is a privilege to have known Russel Botman, and a great shock when we learned of his sudden death last weekend.  Professor Botman has cemented a close relationship between our university and Stellenbosch, of which this honorary degree is symbolic. We are deeply honoured and moved that his wife Beryl and daughter Roxanne are making the journey from South Africa to be with us this week and to accept this honour on his behalf."

Full article to follow.

• Click here for the speech read by Ms Botman.

The Stellenbosch University Council's approval of the Institutional Intent and Strategy (2013) illustrates immense confidence in the leadership of the late Prof Russel Botman, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of Stellenbosch University (SU) from 2007 until June 2014. 

This opinion is expressed by Prof Nico Koopman, Dean of the Faculty of Theology at SU, in his weekly column in Die Burger, an Afrikaans daily newspaper on Wednesday 9 July 2014. Read the translation of the article.

​Russel Botman's vision is University policy

After the sudden passing of Prof Russel Botman, one of the questions being asked in various forums is what will become of the direction in which he had guided Stellenbosch University (SU).

Prof Botman's vision, which was drafted in consultation with internal University environments, was adopted by SU Council in April last year when Vision 2030, particularly the Institutional Intent and Strategy (IIS), became SU's new directional visionary policy document. The IIS builds on the previous visionary policy document of the institution, namely the 2000 Strategic Framework for the Turn of the Century and Beyond.

In the Strategic Framework, SU committed itself to, amongst others, building a fair and just society through excellent academic practice. The IIS, as directed by Prof Botman, confirms that the SU strives to be a future-fit 21st-century university of academic excellence and impact, inclusivity and innovation, and continuous academic transformation and innovation. SU wants to practise outstanding science in order to make hope happen and renew society.

As official Council resolution and University policy, the IIS will continue to inform SU practice in the same way that the Strategic Framework informed University practice for approximately 14 years. SU Council not only adopted the IIS last year, but also took the unusual step this year to make available significant Council funds to assist the Rector and the University community to implement it. A portion of those funds has been earmarked for bursary assistance to talented students who would have otherwise been excluded on economic grounds.

These Council resolutions illustrate immense confidence in our late Rector's leadership. It also confirms that Russel Botman indeed cemented the vision of hope in University policy. And the implementation of this policy is clearly backed up by considerable institutional will, energy and resources. In fact, in recent years, colleague Russel repeatedly stated that he was clearing the way for the next Rectorate.

Implementing and concretising the IIS will inevitably bring about dialogue, debate and even disagreements, as well as the need for essential adjustments. The University undertakes this implementation journey in partnership with the state, private sector, alumni, individual members and institutions of civil society as well as the media.

Together, however, we must not underestimate those forces that fear and oppose renewal, but must spot, recognise and confront them. It remains regrettable that certain journalists afford these forces so much exposure. 

The religious tradition by which Russel Botman lived teaches us to have a positive outlook in all areas of life, but especially also not to be naive about the reality, hidden forms and destructive potential of forces that fight against what is good.

That same tradition teaches us to translate vision into policy and action, as Russel did.

Nico Koopman is Dean of Theology at Stellenbosch University.

The African Doctoral Academy (ADA), which was established in 2010, was officially institutionalised on 1 April 2014. The ADA, with Prof. Frans Swanepoel as Director, now functions as an independent entity linked to the Postgraduate and International Office.

Earlier this month, the ADA offered its 5th highly successful Winter School to more than 100 delegates from 16 countries. Dr. Tade Aina, the Program Director of Higher Education and Libraries in Africa at the Carnegie Corporation of New York, conducted the concluding ceremony. The ADA was established with the support of a Carnegie Corporation grant.  

On the photo from left to right: Dr. Salome van Coller-Peter, Mr. Courage Logah, Dr. Lauren Wildschut (presenter), Ms. Mavis Owureku-Asare, Ms. Mildred Osei-Kwarteng, Dr. Margaret Owusu, Prof. Frans Swanepoel, Dr. Tade Aina, Ms. Valerie Mukuna, Prof. Prem Heeralal and Prof. Jan Botha.

​​The Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of The Netherlands, Ms Lilianne Ploumen, opened a brand-new solar powered artificial grass mini football field at the Lentelus Soccer Centre in Hammanshand Road in Stellenbosch on Tuesday 8 July.

The opening was done in honour of the late Prof Russel Botman, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of Stellenbosch University, who passed away last month. Prof Botman was a driving force behind the development of soccer at the University.

At the opening Prof Leopoldt van Huyssteen, acting Rector and Vice-Chancellor, said: "Prof Botman would have been over the moon today. He believed in the power of sport to change lives. He specifically championed the Stellenbosch University Football Programme. One of his priorities was the empowerment of women – starting with the girl child. And environmental sustainability was close to his heart. All of these things come together right here at this soccer field."

In her address Minister Ploumen said that football brings people together and that the field will enable the young people of Stellenbosch to further develop their talents.

With regard to the specific aims of coaching girls she commented that empowering girls and women makes a better world for all of us. "For girls it is so important to have female coaches, but also to play in all-girls teams, to have role-models and to see that in sport and in other spheres of life, you can be who you want to be and contribute to society."

The football field is one of the benefits of the Stellenbosch University (SU) football development programme, which aims to invest in the promotion and advancement of football in the Stellenbosch region and the creation of an expert football environment.

"Thanks to our sponsors of the facility, PEC Zwolle, who is our official international football partner, the Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB) and Philips, we can now contribute to the Stellenbosch community reaching its dream of enriching people's lives through the vehicle of football," said Ms Anita Nel, CEO of Innovus, the University's industry interaction and innovation company that spearheads the football programme at the University.

The 5v5 football pitch (5 players per team) will benefit from the installation of four solar-powered floodlights, thereby extending the use of the facility into the evening hours. It is planned to install four to six more of these light centres in the broader Stellenbosch community.

"Our aim is to build the SU Football Programme into the leading football development programme in South Africa. I am confident that we are more than capable in this regard, given our world class facilities, expertise in the field of sport science and our geographical location," says Nel. "The programme aims to establish the building blocks of football development in the region and to nurture and develop talented players. In cooperation with the Local Football Association (LFA) we want to focus on holistic, inclusive sport and development of human potential, which will include the development of players, match officials, coaches and sport administrators."

According to Nel, the installation of these light centres enables and supports the KNVB's WorldCoaches programme worldwide. Since the start of WorldCoaches programme in 2009, the KNVB has trained over 3 800 coaches in 15 countries – including at Stellenbosch and the coaches of the surrounding communities. "It goes without saying that better coaches and coaching methods play a major role in the development of football talent.

"We are extremely proud of this new 5v5 football pitch and believe that the local players will benefit from it – and also enjoy playing on the pitch!"

Photo: Adrian Baillie-Stewart

​​The greatest danger facing our planet is inequality and not overpopulation, writes Prof Mark Tomlinson of the Department of Psychology at Stellenbosch University in an opinion article published in the Cape Argus on Wednesday 9 July 2014. The article appears under the heading Inequality is the greatest danger facing our planet.

The full text of the article, as submitted, follows below.

Inequity is the problem, not overpopulation

In 1987 the world's population reached 5 billion people.  This prompted the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to establish World Population Day, an annual event observed on July 11 every year.  While the 5 billion was a milestone, that figure is dwarfed by the current world population of 7.2 billion people – an increase of more than 30%.  A great deal has been written about population, over-population, and why some people in some countries have large families.  Much of what has always been said has been wrong.  In the 1970's for example it was predicted that a world population of anything more than 4 billion was unsustainable and would lead to mass global insurrection.  Our current concerns about global warming have reinvigorated debates about the size of the world's population and what the earth can sustain. 

It is now well established that were all the 7 billion people currently on earth to consume as much as the average American does we would need more than 4 earths to sustain us.  There is undoubtedly a major problem here.  The tenor of the debate however, often focuses less on the over consumption and greed of the rich countries, as it as it does on the size of China and why poor people around the world tend to have large families.  Without wishing to discount the very real issue of how the earth can sustain 7 billion people I want to suggest that the greatest danger facing our planet currently is in fact inequality and not over-population.

Last week on the N2 just outside of Cape Town I was overtaken by a Porsche Cayenne 4X4.  I was returning from a field visit to a research site in Khayelitsha where I conduct most of my research.  One of our recent findings from the research in Khayelitsha is that in a sample of over 1 000 women almost 50% stated that they had gone hungry in the last week, while almost 30% of their six-month old infants had been hungry in the same week.  As stark as this may sound, it is also the case that hunger and adversity in Khayelitsha and Cape Town are in many ways significantly less severe than in many other South African cities, and most certainly in the rural areas of our country.  With that in mind I wondered about the price of the Porsche Cayenne's - I looked it up - R874 000.  Now paying almost a million rand for a car is beyond my imagination, so I wondered about what the insurance might cost.  I asked for and received a quote – the insurance on a car of that value would be approximately four times the total monthly household income of almost 11 million South African children. 

Inequity is rising – the 85 richest people in the world own the same wealth as the 3.5 billion poorest people; the top 1% of people in USA own 43% of its wealth, with 80% of Americans sharing only 7% of the wealth in that country.  These figures are not unique to the USA, but are also true for the UK, Australia, parts of Europe and increasingly China, India and many other low and middle income countries.  Economists who spend a decade poring over mountains of figures and data are rarely treated as celebrities.  Thomas Piketty the author of the most unlikely bestseller "Capital in the Twenty-First Century" is a notable exception.  In an age when reading is declining, for a book weighing in at over 700 pages, and outlining in minute detail the concentration of wealth and income in late 18^th century France using new sophisticated statistical techniques, to become a best-seller is undoubtedly an anomaly.  

Piketty's argument in this book is that in late 18^th century France, and Britain and the USA in the early 20^th century, society was highly unequal with private wealth significantly greater than national income.  This concentration of wealth in the hands of a few spawned a rigid class structure.  Piketty argues that this state of affairs was fundamentally disrupted by the two world wars and the Great Depression.  In fact, these shocks were so great at the time that they resulted in a period where income and wealth began to be distributed more equally.  The main thrust of the argument in Capital however is that this is changing once more, with more and more wealth in fewer hands.  Piketty suggests that unless the increasing concentration of wealth in the hands of the few is not actively prevented (one way he suggests is through governments introducing a global tax on wealth) then significant global political instability is likely to follow. 

How is this related to World Population Day?  In 1976 Susan George wrote a book "How the Other Half Dies" in which she argues that the problem with hunger is not one of overpopulation or there not being enough food, but rather the extent to which the global wealthy elite control the food supply, how much food is wasted, and how much of the food there is has no way of getting to the people who need it.  The books message is as pertinent today as it was almost 40 years ago.  Today, as much as 40% of the food produced in America is thrown away, amounting to 1 400 calories per person per day.  An active 2-3 year old only requires about 1400 calories per day to be healthy – the same calorie count as is discarded each day by 318 million Americans.  

We have the knowledge and interventions to stop the deaths of 8 million children under five each year – we just cannot get the interventions to the people who need them.  We have good evidence to show that as people move out of extreme poverty and fewer of their children die before they turn 5 they will reduce the size of their families by having less children.  It has never been about over population but rather a system designed to encourage rampant consumerism, to reward greed, and to enable the global elite to amass obscene wealth and to control who gets what, when and how.  When the monthly insurance of a motor vehicle is four times the total monthly household income of 11 million children we, just as those in the USA and UK and Australia, have a problem.  It is a problem that needs urgent fixing. And it is not a problem about overpopulation.  

Findings debunk claims that low carbohydrate diets result in more weight loss

Cape Town, 9 July 2014 - Low carbohydrate diets result in similar weight losses when compared to recommended balanced diets, according to researchers at Stellenbosch University.

The study, published in the online journal PLOS ONE, pooled the results of 19 clinical trials that met specific criteria and measured weight loss and heart disease risk factors such as blood cholesterol levels. This study included 3,209 overweight and obese participants, some with diabetes.

"This systematic review shows that when the amount of energy consumed by people following the low carbohydrate and balanced diets was similar, there was no difference in weight loss after 3 to 6 months and after 1 to 2 years in those with and without diabetes", said lead researcher Dr Celeste Naudé from the Centre for Evidence-based Health Care at Stellenbosch University's Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Low carbohydrate diets reduce energy (kilojoule) intake by avoiding starchy foods (such as oats, bread, rice, potatoes, beans and lentils), and by restricting certain vegetables (such as butternut and carrots) and most fruits. The diets recommend people eat as much fat as they want, especially animal fats, or as much protein as they like, or both. When following extreme forms of these diets, around 80% of a person's energy can come from fat alone. High fat and protein intake is known to reduce hunger leading to less food intake and thus less energy intake.

By contrast, a balanced weight loss diet reduces energy intake by guiding healthy food choices and decreasing portion sizes, while keeping the carbohydrate, protein and fat within the recommended ranges of intake. A balanced diet includes plenty of vegetables and fruit, with intake of unrefined carbohydrates (such as oats, brown rice, whole grains, sweet potato and beans) and emphasises vegetable and fish fats and oils instead of animal fats, as well as lean proteins (such as lean meats, fish and seafood, poultry and lower fat dairy). Large studies over long time periods show that this diet pattern ensures that all nutrient requirements are met and reduces the risk of chronic lifestyle diseases.

"Weight loss occurs, irrespective of whether the diet is low carbohydrate or balanced, and there is little or no difference in weight loss or changes in heart disease risk factors and diabetes markers up to two years of follow-up", said Professor Jimmy Volmink, co-author and Dean of the Faculty.

Dr Vash Mungal-Singh, Chief Executive Officer of the Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa said: "This study clears up the misperception that low carbohydrate diets are more effective for weight loss. It is important to note that heart disease and stroke develop over many years of exposure to unhealthy diets and other risk factors such as smoking, obesity, high alcohol intake and inactivity. The follow-up of these 2 weight loss trials is no longer than two years, which is too short to provide an adequate picture of the long term risk of following a low carbohydrate diet." 

​The Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival (SICMF) reaches its climax this week with three symphonic concerts in the Conservatoire of Stellenbosch University (SU).

The festival kicked of last Friday (4 July) and comes to an end this coming Sunday (13 July).

Thirty acclaimed musicians from South Africa and abroad has been performing in chamber music concerts since the festival started last week. This weekend, three symphony concerts will be held in which music students will play in two orchestras.

Currently the only festival of its kind on the African continent, the SICMF annually presents a programme of ten evening concerts featuring music from different eras and in different styles. Over the ten days, the festival presents master classes, lectures and coaching sessions to music students from across the country.

Among the world-class musicians are lecturers of SU's Music Department. Prof Nina Schumann and her husband, Prof Luis Magalhães, both piano lecturers, started the festival in 2004 and was on stage again this year.

Two other piano lecturers, Bennie van Eeden and Dr Pieter Grobler, also showcased their talent at the festival.

The Festival Director, Peter Martens, an acclaimed cellist, and his wife, Suzanne Martens, a violin lecturer at SU, performed in several concerts, as well as cello lecturer Anzél Gerber.

Over the weekend, three more concerts will be held. The festival's Symphony Orchestra performs Friday evening (11 July) at 20:00 under the baton of Russian conductor Daniel Raiskin. They will play, among others, music by Richard Strauss and Shostakovich.

Saturday evening (12 July) at 20:00 the Concert Orchestra will play works by Prokofiev and Tchaikovsky under the American conductor Daniel Boico. In this concert the popular comedienne and actress Tumi Morake will be the narrator in Peter and the Wolf.

On Sunday (13 July) at 16:30, Raiskin will conduct another symphony concert in which the British violinist Daniel Rowland will be the soloist in Erich Korngold's Violin Concerto.

All the SICMF's evening concerts are held in the Endler Hall. Tickets are available from Computicket. For more information and a full programme, phone 021 808 2358, email info@sicmf.co.za, visit www.sicmf.co.za, or follow us on Twitter (@SICMF) or Facebook (www.facebook.com/sicmf).

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When the Stellenbosch University Choir won the category for Spiritual music with the highest score ever to be awarded to a choir at the World Choir Games (98,38%) they were over the moon.

Little did they know that they would soon better their own record by dominating the category for mixed choirs with a score of 99%.

The SU Choir left for Riga, the capital of Latvia, on 6 July to participate in the World Choir Games organised by Interkultur. They also won the third category they participated in, Musica Sacra, with a score of 95,63%. This means they are the world champions in three categories. Watch video.

The works the choir performed in the category for mixed choirs included:

• I am the voice of the wind – Gabriel Jackson
  
• Nisi Dominus – Roelof Temmingh
  
• Across the fields – Eric William Barnum
  
• Dixit in corde suo – Levente Gyöngyösi 

According to Wilmie Kritzinger, choir manager, the composer of the last work happened to be one of the judges and he gave the choir 10/10.

She said the choir was still in shock. "It all feels so unreal!" she added.

The SU Choir, with conducter André van der Merwe, dedicated all their performances to the late Prof Russel Botman. Prof Botman, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of SU, passed away on 28 June. They also performed at his funeral service on the day before their departure (5 July). 

In an interview before the competition Van der Merwe said the choir felt pressure to perform as they are ranked the number 1 choir in the word (according to the Interkultur rankings).

"I told the choir members to forget about the competition and concentrate on sharing the music. That must be the focus."

The World Choir Games, dubbed the Olympics of choral music, is the largest international choral competition in the world and takes place every two years. 

At the World Choir Games held in Cincinnati in the USA in 2010, the choir was placed in the first position on the Interkultur world rankings.  They were also the winners in two categories: the best mixed choir (male and female voices) and Musica Sacra (sacred music). They won second place in the category popular music.​

Photo: Charl van Heyningen

Two music instruments, a bursary and sheet music were awarded on Sunday, 13 July, at the last concert of the Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival (SICMF), which started on 4 July and was held at the Stellenbosch University (SU) Konservatorium.

Since 2004, the annual festival has presented master classes, coaching sessions and lectures by some of the world's most renowned musicians who are invited to perform and teach at the SICMF.

But the generosity of these invited faculty members and sponsors has now ensured that students at the SICMF 2014 could benefit even more. On Sunday, Festival Director Peter Martens announced that through the festival, SU's Music Department has received two trombones; the SICMF has awarded an overseas bursary; and a local music company has donated a voucher for sheet music to a deserving student.

The American trombonist Weston Sprott, a member of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in New York, has facilitated the donation of two trombones to the Music Department. The trombones were respectively donated by friends of Sprott – Otis Lockhart from Detroit and Steve Dillon of Dillon Music in New Jersey.

One of the trombones was given to a talented student, Lee-Roy Simpson, while the other will be used by students of the Music Department's Certificate Programme, an outreach project through which the Department teaches music theory and provides practical training in communities across the Western Cape.

Sprott says he has told friends about the SICMF and the students who are so eager to learn. "People can feel your enthusiasm and want to be part of it. I spoke to Otis and told him about my trip to Stellenbosch, and he suddenly said he has an instrument which he'd like to donate.

"Strangely enough, a few weeks later I spoke to Steve Dillon, who asked me what I was doing for the summer holiday. I told him about the SICMF and Otis's donation, and Steve decided to also donate a trombone. So this year I came to Stellenbosch with three trombones, including my own," says Sprott.

Lee-Roy says: "It is amazing to receive such a wonderful gift; I am very thankful. This is a great instrument – the BMW of trombones. I'm also grateful that I could learn such a lot from Weston in our coaching sessions."

Bursary

Following on last year's 10x10 Bursaries – which enabled 10 music students to "job shadow" an international faculty member for 10 days as part the 10^th festival celebrations – the SICMF decided to award yet another similar bursary to one student who attended the 11^th festival.

A trumpet student, Alexander Urban from Pretoria, received this bursary to spend 11 days with American trumpeter Billy Rae Hunter. Hunter is Principal Trumpet of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, as well as Assistant Principal Trumpet of the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra in Chicago.

Alexander will get the chance to attend rehearsals, coaching sessions and concerts with Hunter. The bursary is worth R40 000.

Sheet music

Local music company All Music, sellers of instruments and sheet music, has given a voucher of more than R1 300 to the festival to award to a deserving student. Felicia Salies, a violin student at SU's Music Department, received the voucher for being "an enthusiastic, dedicated and hardworking student".

Students and staff members are invited to celebrate the life and legacy of Prof Hayman Russel Botman at a memorial service on 22 July in the Endler Hall.

Prof Botman, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University, passed away on 28 June during the winter recess. A memorial service and funeral took place while many staff and students were on holiday.

The service will start promptly at 13:00 and will end at 13:45, allowing ample time for students and lecturers to be back in class by 14:00.

Messages of condolences and tributes may be sent to rektor@sun.ac.za and cards addressed to the Botman family or the University can be delivered at the reception desk in Admin B. Each campus has received a book of remembrance for written messages. A book of remembrance will also be available at Tuesday's service and afterwards in the lobby of the Administration Building Block B. 

Residences or other environments that would like to set up a tribute corner may request a photo from Olivia Leo at (leoo@sun.ac.za).

The Botman family has encouraged the public, staff and students to consider making a donation to the Russel Botman Bursary Fund instead of sending flowers. Online donations can be made here. The details for direct payments are: Standard Bank, account number 07 300 695 5 and branch code 05 0610. Please make sure to add the reference: Botman.

For internal university donations: Journal requests can be sent to the allocated Accountant at Financial Services to transfer funds to B001-8551. After reconciling the amounts received, the amount will be transferred to the Russel Botman Bursary Fund.