Nelson Mandela was kind and inclusive, but could also be tough as nails when he had to, Shaun Johnson, CEO of the Mandela Rhodes Foundation, told Maties on Wednesday (23 July 2014).

Johnson was the guest speaker at a Discourse Café hosted by Stellenbosch University's (SU) Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert Institute for Student Leadership Development (FVZS). This particular discussion was planned around the Mandela Week celebrations at SU.

Johnson gave some personal insights on Mandela – a man with whom and for whom he worked for more than a decade.

At the end of Madiba's life, he became almost mythologised as a kindly grandfather type figure, but according to Johnson this image was a slight injustice to historical accuracy.

"One should never forget that he was totally committed to his cause. And this cause nearly cost him his life," said Johnson.

He also reminded the audience that Mandela was a tough political decision maker. His decisions would affect not only his political opponents but also his political supporters. Nonetheless his decisions would be grounded in what he believed to be the right thing.

Mandela also had a fiery temper.

"Former President FW de Klerk would certainly say to anybody who believed otherwise that the person does not know what he is talking about," Johnson said, referring to the public dressing down Mandela gave De Klerk at the CODESA negotiations following the Boipatong Massacre in 1992.

Johnson added that Mandela has great hopes that the young intelligentsia of South Africa would stand up again. He was often angered and pained by "arguments against education".

"Mandela believed that education is the essential qualification for leadership," Johnson said.

Responding to the question: Does South Africa have future leaders? Johnson said that this is why he goes to work at the Mandela Rhodes Foundation every day.

"There are good leaders out there, but they do not naturally grow into their potential. Organisations like the Foundation have to facilitate the process. Mandela did not stigmatise the lack of education in this country, but he did stigmatise the lack of a desire for education."

This education reference has its roots in the ANC elections of 2007 when Jacob Zuma was elected President of the party in the place of Thabo Mbeki. The next year, Mbeki was "recalled" by the ANC as President of South Africa and replaced with Zuma.

Mbeki was often criticised for being too intellectual and supposedly not in touch with the majority of the people in the country.

Johnson, a former newspaper editor, said that if he was still writing political columns, he would write strongly worded pieces about the fact that there is a resistance to intellectuals and intellectual thought.

Johnson gave some endearing insights into the daily life of Madiba. He would read a number of papers early in the morning, but could not bear having "messy" papers. If Zelda la Grange, his assistant for many years, saw that somebody had hold of the papers before Madiba, it would be sent to the kitchen where it would be ironed.

Mandela was unpretentious and would often fly on ordinary commercial flights. Usually the other passengers, who would have no idea of their famous co-passenger, would board the flight before Mandela and his entourage. However, on a flight to Nice, France, via Heathrow, London, Mandela and his wife Graça Machel and the entourage (including Johnson) boarded before the other passengers.

Mandela was reading his newspapers, but when he became aware of the other passengers boarding, he jumped up, took their boarding passes, read out their seat numbers and bid them a pleasant journey. He also posed for photographs with them.

Johnson said it was wonderful working for Mandela, but it was also at times difficult.

"You needed to be a gatekeeper who said no to people who wanted access to him."

Shaun Johnson, CEO of the Mandela Rhodes Foundation, talks to students at Stellenbosch University. Photograph: Jaco du Plessis. 

'Nobody Left Behind' is the title of the 'Melbourne Declaration', the signature high-level advocacy statement of the 2014 International AIDS Conference. As AIDS researchers and activists from around the world gather in Melbourne this week for AIDS 2014, researchers at the Stellenbosch-University-based South African Centre for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis (SACEMA) have released a policy brief highlighting what they argue is a long overdue shift in thinking, on the question of antiretroviral treatment initiation for people living with HIV.

In short, they argue that the time is right for the scientific and activist community to cease debating who is 'eligible' or not for HIV treatment; instead HIV positive people should be empowered to make this decision for themselves in consultation with a supportive and well-trained health care worker. Then, they say, investigation and debate can shift to the many 'next questions' which arise in any case, whether they are dealt with head-on or not.

Contextual aside

​It has long been clear from many studies that no intervention for HIV-infected patients has anything like the health impact of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs).  For the first decade or so of use, which is the timeframe over which we have amassed the most data, ARV Treatment (ART) appears to give people living with HIV almost the same health and survival as HIV negative people.  Also, nothing besides abstinence or condoms (noting that the consistent resort to either is essentially unheard of) provides anything like the prevention effects of ARV. This is because antiretroviral treatment, while not currently able to cure HIV infection, dramatically reduces the rate of viral replication, making it extremely unlikely that a well-treated patient will spread HIV. And yet, debate continues about when to offer treatment, according to what might be 'optimal' criteria juggling a plethora of considerations from cost, short and long term benefits, pharmacological and psychological side effects, and systemic risks. This means that some people who feel they want the benefits for themselves and their loved ones, must wait until they become 'sufficiently' far advanced in the progression of the disease, to be 'eligible'.

What is at stake?

Scientists and activists are increasingly clear on the benefits and moral imperative of providing treatment. However, it is also clear that the most heavily affected countries, largely in sub-Saharan Africa, cannot overnight, even with the best of intentions or the greatest commitment of political will, actually guarantee the right to ART for every HIV infected person. Policy makers run the risk of appearing insincere or inept if promises appear to be disregarded, or targets are not even approximately met.  Rapidly growing ART programmes, which are in any case ballooning under health departments' feet, really are unchartered waters with few precedents to guide navigation. Caution, in the face of many uncertainties, maintains the debate on who is eligible for treatment.

Eventually, there will be many millions of people on ART, both in South Africa and beyond, though more here than in any other country, at least for the foreseeable future. They will need to be monitored and supported in an ever shifting landscape of treatment fatigue, adverse events, cumulative toxicity, and imperfect control of uneradicated virus. What appears avoidable today, in terms of burden on the health care system, through a delay in throwing wide the doors of treatment, will in any case soon be eclipsed by a rising tide of patients on treatment. New cases rapidly accrue into the system, even as the majority of those already on treatment are stabilized in near normal health, at least for a decade or more (much more, one hopes). Huge and rapid rises in the numbers of people on treatment are in any case inevitable – and effective treatment is arguably the best way to stem the flow.

Alex Welte, Director of SACEMA, a National Research Foundation Centre of Excellence, put it this way:

"For too long, the multi-facetted challenges to implementing an effective treatment programme have been cast as a central debate about how best to ration antiretroviral medication. Every good leader or manager knows that solutions for today sow the seeds for the challenges of tomorrow – and that this is no reason to delay critical initiatives. There is no universal formula that tells patients and clinicians when to start ART, and tells health departments what their targets and guidelines should be. When we stop obsessing over the ultimately unanswerable question of when 'best' to start treatment, we will have more time, money and energy to deal with the difficulties we will in any case eventually face: of safely maintaining an unprecedented number of patients on long term medication, and of dealing with the inevitable cost and limitations of such a massive, hopefully sustained, response to a single disease."

Reflecting on the current state of debate as emerging in various AIDS 2014 affiliated initiatives, Wim Delva, Senior Research Fellow at SACEMA commented:

"The Melbourne declaration, as drafted, does not specifically deal with the matter of guaranteed access to treatment at any stage of HIV infection, but 'Nobody Left Behind' is a broad moral imperative, and we hope the dots are joined appropriately. People increasingly call for a vision for an end to AIDS, and this is appropriate. To get there, we must first have an end to dithering about treatment, and we should embrace the next round of difficulties and concerns as evidence that we are biting the bullet of facing the long term reality of millions of people taking critical, but not innocuous medication. This is their best bet for a healthy future and safe relationships."

Click here for a Policy Briefing on the issue.

Enquiries:

Alex Welte alexwelte@sun.ac.za 073 654 6546

Wim Delva delvaw@sun.ac.za 072 842 8233

www.sacema.org

Press Release: 23 July 2014

Issued by: South African Centre for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis (SACEMA)

​Students should let their voices be heard when it comes to national issues such as transformation and diversity and should definitely not underestimate their contributions.

That was the general consensus at a special RSG discussion led by Lynette Francis, broadcast live from the Listening, Live and Learn (LLL) village on the main campus of Stellenbosch University (SU) on Thursday (24 July).

Panelists talked about the youth and the future.

"There is a lack of involvement and activism among students because they do not always focus on issues they feel strongly about," said Emily van der Merwe, co-ordinator of the Discourse Cafe at the SU's Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert Institute for Student Leadership Development.

Keabetswe Magano, student representative council (SRC) member for media at the University of the Free State, in turn said student activism is not what it used to be. She advised students to start speaking about issues affecting their country.

Johannes Jonker, chairperson of the LLL forum, however, argued that students are not necessarily apathetic and uninvolved. He thinks it is rather a case of students not realising the value of transformation and diversity and not knowing the difference they could make. 

"It is still mostly the older generation who discuss these issues. Students should start shaping their own opinions about these issues."

When students get involved with important issues they should try to focus on the national picture, said Andricia Hinckemann, SRC member for students' residences at the University of the Free State.

LLL houses are living spaces where senior students based on diversity factors such as race, gender and field of study, live together for a year according to a central theme such as community service, leadership, culture and media. These students also take part in a series of discussions around the central theme and invite academics, entrepreneurs and experts to participate.

• Photo: Emily van der Merwe, Johannes Jonker, Andricia Hinckemann, Keabetswe Magano and Lynette Francis at the RSG panel discussion.
  
• Photographer: Stefan Els​
  

The start of the second semester coincided with the inauguration of a sparklingly new auditorium with the latest equipment by the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. From now on it will be home to 270 BAccHons students.

The spacious venue in the Van Der Sterr Building has soft seating for more than 300 people and boasts impressive facilities. In addition to the excellent acoustics, lighting and teaching aids, it is equipped with WiFi capacity for 300 students. The desks also have built-in power points where students can charge their electronic devices.

The lecture hall is accessible to people with disabilities. There are specially designated areas for students with wheelchairs, as well as students with hearing disabilities. Hearing aids can be tuned into a specific frequency to amplify the lecturer’s voice.

The rest of this article is available only in Afrikaans.

In the statement which I am about to make I shall correct certain false impressions which have been created by State witnesses. Amongst other things, I will demonstrate that certain of the acts referred to in the evidence were not and could not have been committed by Umkhonto. I will also deal with the relationship between the African National Congress and Umkhonto, and with the part which I personally have played in the affairs of both organizations. I shall deal also with the part played by the Communist Party. In order to explain these matters properly, I will have to explain what Umkhonto set out to achieve; what methods it prescribed for the achievement of these objects, and why these methods were chosen. I will also have to explain how I became involved in the activities of these organizations.

I deny that Umkhonto was responsible for a number of acts which clearly fell outside the policy of the organisation, and which have been charged in the indictment against us. I do not know what justification there was for these acts, but to demonstrate that they could not have been authorized by Umkhonto, I want to refer briefly to the roots and policy of the organization.

I have already mentioned that I was one of the persons who helped to form Umkhonto. I, and the others who started the organization, did so for two reasons. Firstly, we believed that as a result of Government policy, violence by the African people had become inevitable, and that unless responsible leadership was given to canalize and control the feelings of our people, there would be outbreaks of terrorism which would produce an intensity of bitterness and hostility between the various races of this country which is not produced even by war. Secondly, we felt that without violence there would be no way open to the African people to succeed in their struggle against the principle of white supremacy. All lawful modes of expressing opposition to this principle had been closed by legislation, and we were placed in a position in which we had either to accept a permanent state of inferiority, or to defy the Government. We chose to defy the law. We first broke the law in a way which avoided any recourse to violence; when this form was legislated against, and then the Government resorted to a show of force to crush opposition to its policies, only then did we decide to answer violence with violence.

​Every semester, Stellenbosch University welcomes new international students and presents a detailed two-day Orientation programme (coordinated by the Postgraduate & international Office (PGIO)) followed by tours and excursions of Stellenbosch and Cape Town. This semester, with more than 350 new international students enrolled at Stellenbosch University, the PGIO invited local Maties to serve as 'Buddies' for international students; not only during orientation, but throughout their stay in Stellenbosch.

The 'Buddy' programme is not a novel concept at universities. Institutions abroad have for a long time involved local students to welcome new international students and assist them in settling in at their host university. The Matie Buddy Programme is based on the same foundation: by pairing up local and international students, the PGIO enables local Maties to ensure that new international exchange students receive help and feedback before, during and after they have settled in Stellenbosch. The buddy helps ease culture shock and gives an 'insider' perspective and experience on Stellenbosch student life.

Along with every semester's Welcome and Orientation Programme, the Matie Buddy Programme will serve as an extended support network from the PGIO for international students. The programme additionally gives local students the opportunity to help internationals settle in, make new friends and explore their surrounds. This is also a great opportunity to learn a new language or practice one that they are already learning, and will add significantly to our own students' international profiles.

In the current cohort of exchange students, more than 80% makes use of the Buddy programme as it's an optional service since students need to indicate their preference on whether or not they prefer to be assigned a Buddy.

While the current application call for the Matie Buddy Programme is closed, students who are interested in the programme or who would like to apply to be a Matie Buddy for the 2015 First Semester intake, can contact us at the details below. For more information on the Matie Buddy Programme, the Welcome and Orientation Programme, or to get involved in the activities with international students, contact Werner de Wit at the PGIO: isos@sun.ac.za | 021 808 9002.

The management of Stellenbosch University ​wishes all Muslim staff, students and friends of the University a happy and blessed Eid Mubarak.

This series of short posts will provide readers with information regarding various functions on SUNLearn. Often we get stuck in using the same tools for all our teaching and learning needs. Though a comprehensive collection of support material will be available soon, we would like to offer this opportunity for a quick reminder of the possibilities that are available on SUNLearn.

As always, the SUNLearn support team are available to answer questions and if necessary, provide training for staff members.

Please see the "Training and Support" page on our website for further information.

The Assignment activity provides the lecturer with a number of options. On a basic level, this activity, when added to your course, allows a student to upload a document that may be assessed. An assignment may be any of the following:

• Text document (Word/PDF)
• Multimedia file (Video/Audio)
• Images

An assignment can be set up with the following variations:

• Allow students to type/enter information on SunLearn
• Allow for group assignment submissions (where each group member contributes to a single assignment)
• Have a grade allocated to it/or act as a formative assessment with no grade assigned to it
• Include Turnitin analysis (embedded within the Assignment activity)
• Tutors (non-editing facilitators) are able to grade assignments
• Lecturers can give feedback as:
• A grade
• Typed comments
• Audio files
• Video files
• Using a Rubric
• Using a marking guide with frequently used comments

For further information or a detailed user-guide on the Assignment Tool, please send an email to learn@sun.ac.za

As one of the world's sunniest regions, Africa is well placed to make use of solar energy, and promising new research could help make up for sluggish progress so far, the late Stellenbosch University (SU) Rector and Vice-Chancellor Prof H Russel Botman argues in the abstract of a paper that he was scheduled to deliver in Japan today (28 July 2014).

He was going to be a speaker at the 2014 Grand Renewable Energy International Conference in Tokyo, but passed away unexpectedly in his sleep on 28 June 2014.

Botman draws attention to SU's Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies (CRSES), and the Solar Thermal Energy Research Group (STERG). He maintains that their research exemplifies SU's science-for-society approach, as expressed in the HOPE Project.

Based on an analysis of CRSES and STERG research, Botman concludes that of the various applicable renewable energy sources in South Africa, solar power could see a major expansion.

On the one hand, "there is a strong case being made for the accelerated large-scale introduction of Concentrating Solar Power (CSP)," and on the other, "more and more households could soon start relying on rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) panels to meet their electricity needs; and supply to the national grid," he writes.

• Click here​ to download Prof H Russel Botman's abstract, "Renewable energy for sustainable development in Africa".

The Listen, Live & Learn (LLL) Initiative has been selected as a flagship project of 110% Green, the Western Cape Government's initiative to catalyse participation in the Green Economy.  

The Listen, Live & Learn Initiative was chosen because of the way of living it offers students – a way that strengthens both social and environmental sustainability. LLL Coordinators Mathew Smorenburg and Abigail McDougall received the 110% Green flag from the Premier of the Western Cape, Ms Helen Zille, at the 110% Green Mandela Day celebrations held at Spier on 18 July.

110% Green is a platform that encourages businesses, NGOs and local governments to commit more than 100% to make at least a 10% impact in linking economic growth and development with sustainability. 

"The selection of Listen, Live & Learn as a flagship is an exciting opportunity to increase the exposure of innovative residential projects at Stellenbosch University, as well as to join the provincial, national and global conversation on the role of universities in the Green Economy," said McDougall.

Listen, Live & Learn is an innovative residential option on the Stellenbosch campus. The initiative can accommodate 200 students in 26 houses, 15 of which are in the new Listen, Live & Learn Village. The houses have socially relevant themes, and the students in the programme come from diverse backgrounds. Through sharing space, engaging in critical conversations, and developing friendships, students develop empathy for 'others' – those that are vastly different from themselves. This reduces stereotyping and increases social sustainability. 

The Listen, Live & Learn village improves the environmental sustainability of campus living through its innovations in density and mobility. The three story houses accommodate 8 students each. This minimises individual space and maximises communal space, promoting integration and interaction. The increased density reduces the amount of commuter traffic into Stellenbosch, and the village is central to campus and offers very limited parking, thus incentivising students to cycle or walk. Waste is separated, reducing waste to landfill and all plants are edibles.

Listen, Live & Learn demonstrates that living in a more sustainable community – both socially and in terms of resource use – does not have to come at personal cost. It can in fact be fun, stimulating, convenient, and hugely beneficial in terms of personal growth. Participants leave well prepared to think innovatively and live differently in South Africa – something much needed in making the shift to a Green Economy. There is thus an excellent fit with the 110% Green Initiative, and Listen, Live & Learn is proud to have committed to continuing to build social and environmental sustainability through our unique living environments.

For more information on the Listen, Live & Learn initiative: Visit the website www.sun.ac.za/lll, or contact Abigail McDougall at abi@sun.ac.za. 

​

​Campus Security is noticing an increase in the number of reports of theft out of vehicles over the whole of Stellenbosch campus. In most cases windows are broken to gain access to vehicles.

• Students are reminded not to leave valuable items in sight inside vehicles; this is an open invitation to criminals.
• Ensure that your vehicle windows are closed properly and the vehicle is locked.
• Also remove any small valuable items such as sunglasses or even clothing from the vehicle.
• Scan the surrounding area for any suspicious characters upon leaving your vehicle.

Students are urged to contact Campus Security at 021 808 2333 (Stellenbosch) immediately to report any suspicious persons on campus.

​Two members of the Maties-Helderberg Sport Club for people with disabilities gave their coach the perfect birthday gift on Monday (28 July) when they won gold and silver in the 100m (T37) at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Paralympians Fanie van der Merwe and Charl du Toit made coach Suzanne Ferreira's day when they crossed the line in first and second place respectively. 

Ferreira, a Sport Science lecturer at Stellenbosch University, wrote the following on her Facebook page: "My birthday present from the champions! They kept their promised to deliver! Precious moments in our journey! Thank you and well done!" 

Club manager Wentzel Barnard said it was nice to see these athletes perform well as they train very hard. The T37 category is for athletes suffering from cerebral palsy.

Another member of the club, 19-year-old Lean Simon, came 5th in the F42/44 class for discus with a distance of 46.39m. This is a personal best and an African record.

Jackie Wiese, Director: Maties Sport, said they are very proud of these athletes and their coaches.

"The Maties-Helderberg Club is rightly acknowledged as a Centre of Excellence for Paralympic Sport in Africa. The achievements of these athletes are the product of their exceptional commitment and can be linked to the expertise and commitment of the coaches and a first-class integrated medical and scientific appoach."

​​Six Stellenbosch University (SU) researchers and students have been included in the Mail & Guardian newspaper's 2014 list of the 200 most inspiring young South Africans.

"Mathematics and physics are the tools we use to take a problem apart because it is easier to solve in manageable portions, and then we put it back together again. These mathematical tools are shaped and formed in school; therefore you must be wide awake."

This advice was given to group of Grade 8 and 9 learners from local schools who attended the annual "High Science Meets High School Learners" event, hosted by the Division for Community Interaction at Stellenbosch University (SU). This event sees SU's high ranking scientists present their research to high school learners in an effort to inspire the learners to consider future studies and careers in science.

Mr Louis Roodt from the Department of Civil Engineering was the first speaker and he explained how mathematics and physics can be used to do vehicle accident reconstruction.

He encouraged learners to dedicate themselves to understanding and applying the tools they learn at school and building on these tools to be able to do more.

He gave some examples about the role a person specialising in road environmental design plays in reconstructing an accident scene and said there is a great need for people who can assist in building and maintaining the country's infrastructure.

Mr Roodt was followed by Ms Mandi Alblas, a forensic anthropologist from the Department of Biomedical Sciences. She explained how forensic scientists can assist in crime investigations – as forensic anthropologists they specifically study bones and, depending on how complete a skeleton is, they can tell its age, gender and race, as well as identify whether certain injuries are old or recent (and possibly fatal).

The last speaker was Mr Grant van Velden from the Centre for Human Performance Science. He explained how they use GPS devices attached to sportsmen and women to monitor their movement on the field. These devices track distance covered, speed, time in speed zone, number of sprints, number of accelerations and intensity.

He explained that by monitoring sportsmen and women during game time, it is possible to ensure that they receive the correct training.

"It is important to train like you play," he said. "The data is also used to manage people returning from injury and to keep players accountable."

After three diverse presentations the organiser of the event, Mr Mawethu Nyakata, pointed out that the opportunities are endless for learners who choose maths and science.

Government's Department of Performance Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME) has released a major new study on the effect the introduction of Grade R in most schools has had on learning outcomes in subsequent grades. The study was undertaken by ReSEP (Research on Socio-Economic Policy), a research group in the Department of Economics at Stellenbosch University, assisted by some other researchers.

It is widely accepted that early learning programmes are the most appropriate interventions to overcome the disadvantages faced by children from poor home backgrounds. But the Report found that:

"…the impact of Grade R in South Africa is small and there is virtually no measurable impact for the poorest three school quintiles, while there are some impacts for the higher quintile schools. Thus, instead of reducing inequalities, Grade R further extends the advantage of more affluent schools. Grade R impacts convert to only 12 days of normal learning gains in maths and 50 days in home language (for a school year of 200 days)." (Policy Summary p.3)

In other words, on average children who attend Grade R gain only about the equivalent of 12 days of learning in maths compared to children who do not attend Grade R, and 50 days with regard to home language. But these gains are unequal: While children in the richest two deciles of schools gain more, those in the poorest three quintiles on average do not gain at all. 

In the light of expectations that Grade R can help to overcome the learning deficits of poor children, the results are discouraging. The authors believe that the differences in impact in rich and poor schools have less to do with Grade R specifically and more with factors such as the capacity of the schools to implement and support and programme of this nature. As the report concludes:

"The differential impact may imply that impact is associated with capacity, manifested in the supportive framework for Grade R in schools, availability of good teachers and parental support. Low and differentiated learning impact may be due to a wider endemic quality issue in schools rather than specific to Grade R. Quality thus needs attention." (Executive Summary, p.6)

By creating a major new data set from administrative and test data, the ReSEP researchers were able to statistically estimate the size of the impact of the introduction of Grade R using a fixed effects approach. The report has been praised for its technical quality and the excellent literature review of the evidence on the value of early learning.

In response to the report, the Department of Basic Education has held a two-day workshop to develop an improvement plan that mainly focuses on improving the quality of Grade R.

Prof Servaas van der Berg, lead researcher at RESEP, said he was impressed with the fact that DPME is serious about measuring the impact of government policies and releasing reports such as these. "I am equally encouraged by the Department of Basic Education's response to address the real reasons behind the capacity constraints that inhibited learning in many poor schools. This is a structural problem that goes deeper than simply the roll-out of Grade R and that needs constant attention," he said.

The authors of the report are  Van der Berg, Elizabeth Girdwood, Debra Shepherd, Chris van Wyk, John Kruger, Janeli Viljoen, Olivia Ezeobi and Poppie Ntaka.

Summary versions of the report, the full report, as well as the response from the Department of Basic Education to the report, can be found on the ReSEP website.

The vicious cycle of corruption

​Combining the smoking cessation medication varenicline (branded in South Africa as Chantix) with nicotine replacement therapy was more effective than varenicline alone at achieving tobacco abstinence at six months, according to a Stellenbosch University study published in the July 9 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

The combination of behavioural approaches and pharmacotherapy are of proven benefit in assisting smokers to quit. Combining nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) with varenicline has been a suggested treatment to improve smoking abstinence, but its effectiveness is uncertain, according to background information in the article.

Dr. Coenraad Koegelenberg, Prof. Elvis Irusen and colleagues at the FMHS’ Division of Pulmonoly, randomly assigned 446 generally healthy smokers to nicotine or placebo patch treatment two weeks before a target quit date (TQD) and continued for an additional 12 weeks. Varenicline was begun one week prior to TQD, continued for a further 12 weeks, and tapered off during week 13. The study was conducted in seven centres in South Africa from April 2011 to October 2012; 435 participants were included in the efficacy and safety analyses.

The researchers found that participants who received active NRT and varenicline were more likely to achieve continuous abstinence from smoking (confirmed by exhaled carbon monoxide measurements) at 12 weeks (55.4 percent vs 40.9 percent) and 24 weeks (49.0 percent vs 32.6 percent) and point prevalence abstinence (a measure of abstinence based on behavior at a particular point in time) at six months (65.1 percent vs 46.7 percent) than those receiving placebo NRT and varenicline.

In the combination treatment group, there was more nausea, sleep disturbance, skin reactions, constipation, and depression reported, with only skin reactions reaching statistical significance (14.4 percent vs 7.8 percent); the varenicline-alone group experienced more abnormal dreams and headaches.
“In this study, to our knowledge the largest study to date examining the efficacy and safety of supplementing varenicline treatment with NRT, we have found the combination treatment to be associated with a statistically significant and clinically important higher continuous abstinence rate at 12 and 24 weeks, as well as a higher point prevalence abstinence rate at 6 months,” the authors wrote.

They added that further studies are needed to assess long-term efficacy and safety.

Photo: Prof Elvis Irusen
     

In this short series we profile the coordinators of the short courses on offer at Stellenbosch University's Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert Institute for Student Leadership Development. 

Stephanie Nieuwoudt asked Wayde Groep (BSc Human Life Sciences), coordinator of the Facilitative Leadership course, a few questions.

Where and how are you involved in leadership at SU?

I am currently serving on the SRC as the Manager of the Critical Engagement portfolio. I am the short course co-ordinator for both the Leadership for Change short course at Meerhof and the Facilitative Leadership Short course. I am also the primary facilitator for both these courses.

Have you always thought of yourself as a leader? Was there a defining moment when you realised you had leadership abilities?

I think I have always considered myself a leader. I don't think there has been any one defining moment. Throughout my young life I have been afforded various opportunities to lead and through that I have developed. I regard my leadership journey as a work in progress. I believe one is never set as a leader and through various circumstances, obstacles and successes I have only grown to better understand how I lead and identify my key strengths. I also think an awareness of what one's weaknesses are helps in bettering oneself.

How did you get involved with FVZS Institute?

I have been involved with the Institute primarily as a course participant completing the Agents of Change Short Course and the Global Citizenship Short course which partnered with the Postgraduate and International Office. More recently I was a participant in the pilot of the Democracy and Citizenship short course last year.

Why should students and staff attend the Facilitative Leadership short course?

The FL Short course aims to equip participants with the necessary skills to effectively facilitate the workshops that form part of the RES-ED Multicultural Education programme. It aims to broaden the understanding of various themes and the objectives of specific workshops. We follow an experiential model and all participants are exposed to experiencing the workshop before we explore the key components that form part of successfully facilitating it.

​The idea was conceptualised by Greg Ricks, emeritus Dean of Students at Stanford University in the USA who has been involved in student leadership training at SU for a number of years, and me. I identified a need in Stellenbosch that was related to a skills shortage. Given the nature of the themes explored in these workshops, I realised it is important for all those who would like to facilitate it to fully understand the themes and objectives before simply going into different spaces and communities to facilitate them. After long discussions and planning we managed to get the buy in from the Centre for Student Structures and Communities and then tabled a proposal to Dr Leslie van Rooi, head of the Institute, after which it was approved.

I think students and staff should attend the course not only to expand their own understandings of various themes such as gender, power and race but to also know how to facilitate workshops that can help others expand their worldviews on these themes. It is a skills-based course that can also be used beyond the university community and participants are encouraged to go into their own communities and workspaces and use what they have learnt.

This course seems to be quite popular. Why do you think this is so?

I think the course has gained a lot of interest because more and more people are starting to understand what the importance of multicultural education is. It is also an indication that people want to be catalysts that create spaces where people are comfortable enough to share their own truths. Furthermore, they want to create a willingness amongst others to also share truths and understandings.

What is the staff/student ratio of those attending?

The first semester we had three staff members in a pool of 28 participants. This semester we received 54 applications of which 23 different houses are represented, and the staff component has risen to 4 and one external participant.

What are your future plans for once you have graduated?

I definitely see myself as an entrepreneur; specifically a social entrepreneur. I believe in the potential that people have and I would like to play a role in helping unlock that potential. I could see myself as a consultant of some sort that will focus largely on personal and leadership development.

I am an optimist and, as my Twitter profile states, a humanitarian at heart.

I don't have all the answers to life but I do live by the personal motto of simply "embracing life in its infinite beauty".