OPTIMUS students benefitted from the advice and experience of prominent industry leaders during a recent event organised by the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. At the same event, third-year OPTIMUS students received certificates for completing the programme successfully.

The primary objective of the OPTIMUS programme is to support the top undergraduate academic achievers in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences on their academic journey to ensure sustained and distinctive achievement while at SU and after graduation.

On 4 October 2021 the programme concluded its activities with an “Engagement with a leader" evening at Middelvlei, where prominent industry leaders shared their life stories with the group of 2^nd and 3^rd year OPTIMUS participants.

Students were inspired by the life stories of Prof Rachel Jafta, SU Professor in Economics and Chair of the Media24 Board of Directors; Mr André Labuscaigne, Chief Executive Officer: Cape Union Mart; and Mr Zac Rusagara, entrepreneur and co-founder of Chommies.com. Mr Bertus de Waal, Director of Dewvest was represented by Matimu Ngobeni, an actuarial graduate.

Advice included changing one's mindset, to read outside of one's field of interest, taking action, building connections, to travel, to do the extra little bits, and to never forget one's roots. Students also understood that success may come in many forms.

• All photos by Anton Jordaan
  
• Photo above: Third-year OPTIMUS students received certificates for completing the programme successfully.
  
  

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 Second-year OPTIMUS students

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From left to right:  Prof Ingrid Woolard, Dean of the SU Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences; Prof Rachel Jafta, Economics Professor and Chair of Media24; Mr André Labuscaigne, Chief Executive Officer: Cape Union Mart; and Prof Ronel du Preez, Vice-Dean: Learning and Teaching, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences.

 OPTIMUS students enjoying the starters at Middelvlei Farm, Stellenbosch.

Dr Jan Heunis, Maties alumnus and currently President of the Stellenbosch University (SU) Convocation has been elected to the SU Council by members of Convocation.

Dr Heunis's term starts on 8 October 2021 and comes to an end on 7 October 2025.

Members of Convocation were requested to submit nominations to fill this vacancy and as more than one candidate was nominated, an election was held. Convocation members were able to vote electronically, and this election closed on 7 October 2021.

Sikhulekile Duma was the only nominee for the position of a Convocation member on the Institutional Forum, and he is therefore considered to be duly elected. His term will be from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2024.​

Dr Erna Blancquaert receives bursary to become a Master of Wine

Stellenbosch University viticulturist and researcher Dr Erna Blancquaert is one of only two recipients from around the world of the 2021 Taylor's Port Golden Vines Diversity Scholarships. The bursary, worth 55 000 British pounds, allows her to follow the internationally renowned Master of Wine programme of The Institute of Masters of Wine (MW) in the United Kingdom.

The recipients were announced at the not-for-profit Golden Vines Awards Ceremony and Dinner, which was held at Annabel's Private Members Club, London's pre-eminent private members' club, on 7 October 2021.

Dr Blancquaert is associated with the SU Department of Viticulture and Oenology and the South African Grape and Wine Research Institute.

“She is a natural leader and a stickler for truth. I wish her every success," said lead judge Jancis Robinson MW.

Robinson and her fellow judges will be providing ongoing mentorship to Dr Blancquaert and American lawyer Angela Scott, the co-recipient of the Golden Vines Diversity Scholarship, who is now based in New Zealand.

Dr Blancquaert says she is thrilled about the opportunity afforded to her to become a part-time student again, and to be able to receive the MW qualification. It is generally regarded in the wine industry as one of the highest standards of professional knowledge. 

In all, 42 aspiring black and ethnic minority students from 23 countries wishing to undertake the Masters of Wine (MW) and Master Sommelier (MS) programmes applied for the scholarships.

According to the organisers, the not-for-profit Golden Vines Awards recognises the “star performers of the fine wine industry". The event, organised by the wine research and content production company Liquid Icons, raised funds for the Gerard Basset Foundation which supports more diversity and inclusion-related wine education programmes.

The scholarships cover the entirety of the scholars' course and examination costs, traveling costs as well as possible loss of earnings during their work placement internships. The Internship programme includes a set of diversified work experiences with some of the world's top wine domaines including Château Cheval Blanc, Liber Pater, Château Smith Haut Lafitte, and Château d'Yquem in Bordeaux; Dom Pérignon and Ruinart in Champagne; Domaine Baron Thenard, Domaine des Lambrays and Domaine Laroche in Burgundy; Weingut Egon Müller in Germany; Symington Family Estates and Taylor's Port in Portugal; Colgin Cellars, Lawrence Wine Estates and Opus One in California; Klein Constantia and Vilafonté in South Africa; Bodega Catena Zapata in Argentina; Lapostolle Clos Apalta and Vina Vik in Chile; and The Macallan distillery in Scotland.

Some very exciting opportunities await Dr Blancquaert, including a Masterclass with Marc Almert (the 2019 ASI Best Sommelier of the World), a two-day specialist cork course at Amorim, work placement at Annabel's Private Members Club & The Birley Clubs, as well as academic courses at UC Davis Department of Oenology & Viticulture, the WOW Wine School (Porto), the Kedge Wine School, and the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV).

Dr Blancquaert, originally from Paarl, was the first Black woman to obtain a PhD in Viticulture on the African continent.

Her research focuses on abiotic stressors (climate change) and the impacts on the grape berry metabolites, sustainability pillars associated with grape and wine production and the use of infrared technologies to implement precision viticulture. She is a Fulbright Alumna and coordinates a Global Network for Agricultural Sciences and Viniviticulture consortium for Stellenbosch University, with seventeen other international wine producing partner universities.

Her focus is to enhance internationalisation between the partner universities and create a learning experience for the future generation in the global wine community.

Understanding the grapevine is what excites her. “Great wines are made in the vineyard" and “the proof is in the pudding" are two philosophies she lives by.

Dr Blancquaert constantly pursues knowledge while at the same time seeking to share knowledge through her teaching and her interactions with students and mentees.

When she isn't lecturing, researching or tasting wine, she loves the outdoors, cooking and travelling, and is a secret poet and photographer. A hike in the Stellenbosch Mountains is a perfect start to the day, or a stroll along the beach with her husband, Maarten, and six-year-old son, Josh.

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​The Department of Economics at Stellenbosch University, celebrating its 100+ (101) year anniversary, recently hosted the first Social Impact Expo, an initiative brought about by Prof Rachel Jafta, a member of this department.

Social impact is the effect on people and communities that happens as a result of an action (or inaction), an activity, project, programme or policy. “The purpose of the SI Expo, a first in South Africa, is to showcase and inspire, hoping that the selection of initiatives will demonstrate how positive engagement - large or small - can have a ripple effect for the better" says Jafta. “We hope to encourage other organisations and individuals to make sustainable differences in their direct environment" she added.

The visual exhibition highlighted the social impact of three of the department's research projects, namely the Biography of an Uncharted People Project, the Mansory phone application and a school traffic awareness research project. It also included examples of social impact initiatives that were based on initial research input, such as Rachel's Angels Mentorship Programme and WeCode24.

Over the last four years, the Biography of an Uncharted People Project has transcribed large, administrative historical records to tell new histories of people often excluded from conventional sources. Instead of simply publishing this research in academic journals – far removed from those whose stories are told – this project aims to imagine a new form of research dissemination, through art. Fourteen artists were paired with 14 students to translate the research results of the students into works of art. These works of art were displayed at the Social Impact Expo, and will be displayed again at SU's Gallery (GUS) next year.

The Mansory phone application was developed to assist the Rooidakke housing project just outside Grabouw. The app analyses the quality, quantity of effort and effectiveness in the building process of RDP houses. Currently the app looks at assisting the Department of Housing, builders, and inspectors, with a further rollout to suppliers and similar stakeholders in the future.

The Traffic Awareness Research Project, the first of its kind in South Africa, assesses the effectiveness of road safety education interventions in low-income schools in the Western Cape. Though this is a small project, it is seen as an important first step in understanding the challenges of providing suitable and effective road safety education to learners in economically deprived neighbourhoods.

The Rachel's Angels Mentorship Programme, a Media24 initiative in association with the University of Stellenbosch, ran for ten years. The exhibition showcased videos of mentors and mentees, and shared information of what happened to the participants after the programme ended.

WeCode24 replaced Rachel's Angels in 2017. WeCode24 is an after-school coding programme designed to inspire a culture of curiosity, creativity and agency among South African youth. Through their online platform and in-person workshops and events, they provide learners with a fun and accessible means to discover the joy of coding with a hacker mind-set.

• ​Those interested in viewing the Expo, can contact Mirri at mirri@charcoalconsultants.co.za. 
  
  
• Photo supplied: From left to right are Professors Andri Schoombee, Chair of the Department of Economics, Ingrid Woolard, Dean: Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, Wim de Viliers, Vice-Chancellor and rector of Stellenbosch University, Rachel Jafta, Professor of Economics and Naspers director, Nico Koopman, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Social Impact, Transformation and Personnel, and Stan du Plessis: SU's Chief Operating Officer.
  

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​A study at Stellenbosch University (SU) has shown that a brief mental health prevention programme can help to reduce anxiety in children from low-resourced, semi-rural communities in the Western Cape.

The study focused on developing an innovative programme that is suitable for these children, given that the need for accessible mental health interventions has remained unmet in a country with extreme socio-economic disparities and a shortage of mental health resources. The key findings were published recently in Child Care in Practice by Dr Naomi Myburgh and Prof Helene Loxton from SU's Department of Psychology and Prof Peter Muris from Maastrict University in The Netherlands.

​I am BRAVE Programme

Called I am BRAVE, the brief programme consists of eight 45-minute sessions that could be completed in only two weeks. It was designed to develop specific Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)-based skills in children between the ages of 9 and 13.

The first four sessions teach children to identify anxious feelings, unhelpful thoughts, and unhelpful behaviours when they feel threatened. Children are then taught relaxation skills, cognitive restructuring techniques like coping-self-talk and problem-solving skills to help them overcome anxiety. The programme includes four more sessions that help children practise their new skills to empower them to deal with anxiety.

According to the researchers, “the programme has the potential to assist children in distinguishing between the avoidance of unrealistic fears and the everyday, protective and necessary avoidance of dangers associated with many South African contexts."

Results

They say the results showed a promising downward trend in anxiety to what is considered normal levels after participation in the I am BRAVE programme.

“We found that the programme helped the children to become more resilient and taught them how to relax when they became anxious. It also improved their coping and communication, and problem-solving skills.

“The children reported that the intervention helped them to manage challenging interpersonal relationships, particularly conflict associated with those relationships. They also reported that they gained core CBT knowledge regarding thoughts, feelings and behaviour, as well as skills to manage their emotions, thoughts and unhelpful behaviour."

The researchers say that it was particularly encouraging that the children used skills learnt in the programme months later in threatening situations, such as being fearful of criminals at night, specific fears of animals, bullying, speaking in front of others, making friends, and dealing with conflict to name a few.  They add that the children also taught their siblings and parents these skills to manage anxiety and felt brave enough to try things that had made them anxious.

According to the researchers, the intervention is quite versatile. “Not only is it possible to integrate the short programme into schools, after-school or community centre programmes, but it also offers the possibility of using trained community members to deliver it."

They say brief CBT-based interventions, like the I am BRAVE programme, may help to overcome existing barriers to accessing mental health services faced by many South African children and reduce the burden placed on under-resourced mental health care services.

“These types of interventions are crucial because the World Health Organisation states that childhood is critical to lifelong mental health and that 50% of mental health conditions develop by the age of 14 years."

According to the researchers, the I am BRAVE intervention programme indicates the potential of such an approach in addressing anxiety amongst vulnerable children in low-resourced, semi-rural communities in South Africa.

• ​SOURCE: Myburgh, N; Muris, P & Loxton, H 2021: Promoting Braveness in Children: A Pilot Study on the Effects of a Brief, Intensive CBT-based Anxiety Prevention Programme Conducted in the South African Context, Child Care in Practice, DOI: 10.1080/13575279.2021.1902785
  

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In celebration of multilingualism, academics, students and staff recently examined ways to integrate a multilingual mindset into teaching, learning and assessment at Stellenbosch University (SU).

These discussions took place at the Language Day 2021 hosted by the Division for Learning and Teaching Enhancement. This year's Language Day was themed “Language, learning, life! Implementing multilingualism @ SU in academic and social spaces".

Prof Wim de Villiers, Rector and Vice-Chancellor at SU, said multilingualism is part of South Africans' DNA and for that reason the purpose of the event is to implement multilingualism beyond the university's language policy.

“The focus is not only on institutional multilingualism but also on individual multilingualism. In other words, we do not focus only on establishing multilingual spaces at Stellenbosch through translation and interpreting, for example, but we actively encourage people to use more than one language even if they can only understand or say a few words. Multilingualism is an asset, not something to shy away from and should be embraced and celebrated."

Teaching and learning

The first panel explored the topic, “Multilingualism in (augmented remote) teaching, learning and assessment".

Prof Mbulungeni Madiba, Dean of the Faculty of Education, said students themselves are a valuable resource when it comes to multilingualism in the higher education sector.

With a diverse student body, Madiba said the University should find ways to create opportunities for students to play a role in facilitating multilingualism. “We've found that when it comes to tutorials, students are the best facilitators. So we need to create these platforms that students can make use of."

For example, Madiba suggested exploring the concept of e-tutors who are proficient in various languages. “When students have a problem, they can then approach these e-tutors who will be able to explain key and difficult concepts in their home language," he said.

Echoing Madiba's statements, Christine Joubert, portfolio coordinator for the Online Interpreting Podcasting Service at SU, said multilingualism is not only about equitable access to learning and teaching but also about creating a safe space where students are able to participate in their mother tongue.

Joubert alluded to the Introduction to Humanities module within the Extended Degree Programme of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences as an example of how the close partnership between lecturers and the interpreting service creates a multilingual space for students to learn more about topics, while also learning about world views and the realities of their peers.

“Topics and themes that are discussed are often contentious, but as a result of trilingual interpreting more students have the confidence to share their views," she said about the module.

Pannelist Alyssa Kekana, an SU student, suggested that the University develop systems that can accommodate more than just English and Afrikaans.

“SUNLearn only provides an option to translate into Afrikaans (from English) and that essentially is bilingualism and not multilingualism. Microsoft Teams as a live platform is very dependent on translation services and if you do not have access to that it becomes a bit of a struggle. Perhaps we can use one of the functions of Teams – live transcriptions – to provide translations to students. Maybe that can be extracted, properly translated and then provided to students."

Multilingualism in admin

The second panel discussed the topic “Multilingualism in administrative, social and living spaces".

Mbalenhle Shandu, a second-year computer science student and the welcoming leader in Erica Women's Residence, spoke about several of the practical things they implemented to navigate and facilitate a multilingual living and learning space.

“We allocated a slot to indigenous games − games that we grew up playing in our communities or that were passed down the generations. When we were playing these games it was amazing to see the newcomers engage with each other. You had people from completely different parts of the country being able to recognise some of these games," she said.

“We'd also start off every morning with a committee member doing a daily greeting in one of the South African languages, and that would be the greeting we'd use to honour each other throughout the day."

Shandu said these initiatives prompted students to learn more about each other's languages because they discovered how much they had in common.​

• Dr Kim Wallmach, Director of the SU Language Centre, shares her language journey and views on multilingualism in this podcast.
  
• In this podcast Prof Mbulungeni Madiba, Dean of the Faculty Education, discusses his views on multilingualism in education.
  
• Sanet de Jager, an interpreter at the SU Language Centre, talks about her language journey and what multilingualism means to her in this podcast. 

While statistics are important when dealing with issues relating to campus rape culture, it is often women's own powerful stories and lived experiences that offer the most compelling insight into what it means to experience gender-based violence. This is the rationale behind an innovative new online exhibition and website launched by the Unit for Religion and Development Research (URDR) at Stellenbosch University (SU) on 30 September.

The project “Engaging with women's experiences of campus rape culture: What can we learn from one South African university campus?" showcases selected photographic and audio findings of a research study on female SU students' understanding and experience of the drivers of campus rape culture. Using PhotoVOICE 2.0 – a participatory research methodology – five female students collected and analysed audiovisual data from their own lives. “Using smartphones, they took photos within their everyday contexts that are relevant to the topic of campus rape culture and its drivers," explains Dr Elisabet le Roux, URDR research director. “They then shared their pictures with the research leads using WhatsApp, accompanied by a short voice note."

The student researchers subsequently analysed their own data using the group process called Photoboarding to identify the core drivers of campus rape culture, followed by a final analysis of the material by the project leads. The final pictures and voice notes were posted on a website in the form of an online exhibition, which will hopefully spark many conversations on campus rape culture, says Dr Le Roux, who jointly led the project along with the URDR's Dr Selina Palm. “The exhibition is part of the bigger conversation around the global issue of campus rape culture," Le Roux says. “It really is not only a Stellenbosch University or a South African issue."

The researchers had initially planned a real-life exhibition, campus-wide indabas, student meetings and interactive events, but COVID-19 put a spoke in the wheel, Le Roux adds. Switching to cyberspace to execute the project, the URDR collaborated with SU's Equality Unit, Transformation Office, Division of Student Affairs as well as the SU Anti-GBV Movement to plan and deliver the launch.

Dr Palm accompanied the audience on a “click-through" of the website during the launch event. She stressed the need for recording, listening and responding to women's real experiences, and the lived realities of those who are subjected to violence and victimisation. “The website invites you all into a similar experience. Listen to the voice notes, view the photos and journey with each student researcher through their different experiences as well as the common themes identified across their stories," she said. “Hopefully, these diverse snippets of deep stories encourage you to add your voices to our exhibition so that it can become an ongoing platform for change."

The key themes emerging from the project as a whole were residences, social norms, alcohol, masculinities, fear, and responses. On the “Action" page, suggestions are offered for how those visiting the site can help bring about change. The page includes resources to learn more and obtain support, as well as a comments section for feedback on the exhibition. Those visiting the website are also encouraged to share their own experiences on the “Add your voice" page.

Newly elected Students' Representative Council (SRC) chair Viwe Kobokana welcomed the website and pledged that the SRC would “interact with this platform so that its efforts are not in vain". She said that intentional steps are needed towards addressing campus rape culture. “I'm so excited about this website, as it will be the beginning of a realistic conversation of campus rape culture and a platform for students to add their own voices to the issue."

At the launch, Prof Amanda Gouws, professor of Political Science and the incumbent of SU's research chair in gender politics, gave an overview of the institutional work done during her tenure at SU to combat campus rape culture, including developing the institution's first sexual harassment policy. She described how, in the early 1990s, students would approach her to discuss “problems they had no name for", as “most students at the time thought that sexual assault and rape were the only types of sexual harassment".

Reactive policies and procedures dealing with sexual harassment are not enough to deal with rape culture, Gouws said. “We need a proactive way of dealing with rape culture. This website is an attempt to raise consciousness about what women students experience as rape culture, and the limited institutional response they experience. Other universities can learn from this."

Tshego Matsha, a member of the University's student-led Anti-GBV Movement, spoke poignantly about how the brutal murder of her classmate, Hannah Cornelius , in 2017 had affected her and spurred her to become actively involved.

The launch ended with pre-recorded voice notes from the five student researchers, articulating their hopes for what the website will achieve. “I hope it creates awareness and serves as a platform to speak about these issues in a more free and safe manner," one said. “And I hope people learn that this is not just a social media frenzy, but a crucial issue that needs to be addressed, and is actually okay to speak about."

 The website is live and available at www.campusrapeculture.co.za.​

​*The research was given ethical clearance by the University, while the project was also funded by the University.

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On Thursday, 21 October 2021, the Stellenbosch University (SU) Transformation Office will be hosting its 5^thAnnual Transformation Indaba since its inaugural indaba in 2017. The event will be held as a hybrid event from 11:00 to 16:00, with guests who opt to attend in person being hosted at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS), and other guests attending virtually.

The Transformation Indaba is an annual event of the SU community in which an opportunity is created for the whole University to engage collectively on matters of transformation and to assess the progress that has or has not been made in the past year. The event is usually preceded by a Student Transformation Indaba, which is planned and organised by the Student Institutional Transformation Committee (SITC) under the auspices of the Institutional Transformation Committee (ITC). 

The 2021 Transformation Indaba will have three themes as its focus: (i) Reflections on and proposals for a more effective ITC; (ii) Viable ways of establishing and sustaining the SITC; and (iii) The role of faculties and responsibility centres in advancing transformation. 

This year's keynote address will be delivered by Prof Rozena Maart, Associate Professor at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) and the Director of the Centre for Critical Research on Race and Identity at UKZN. Prof Maart is a recipient of the Nicolás Cristóbal Guillén Batista Lifetime Achievement Award, presented to her in February 2021 by the internationally renowned Caribbean Philosophical Association for her contribution to literature and philosophy. Her first lifetime achievement award, the Williams R Jones Award, was awarded to her in 2016 by an organisation known as the Philosophy Born of Struggle.

Guests can also expect a special performance by award-winning South African poet and writer, Sibongile Fisher. Sibongile is passionate about the accessibility of arts and technology in marginalised communities and has worked with various organisations by using drama as a vessel for discourse on social issues and community building among teenagers. Her work as a writer/performer is an inquiry into memory and personal identity and how these affect society.

Register here to attend.

During a recent virtual event hosted from Beijing, China, Robert Kotze, senior director of Stellenbosch University (SU) International, was awarded a long-service medal in recognition of his involvement in supporting the work of the Confucius Institute at SU (CISU) for more than a decade. CISU not only conducts extracurricular Chinese training at SU itself, but at schools and institutions in the broader Boland region as well.

Kotze, who serves as the local CISU director, was one of 75 directors worldwide to receive this recognition. His fellow recipients included peers from other African universities in Egypt, Madagascar, Kenya and Rwanda, among others.

The event was hosted by the Chinese International Education Foundation (CIEF), an international NGO that recently took over the coordination of programmes that promote the Chinese language and culture throughout the world. The initiative sees Chinese universities provide teaching, personnel resources and operational funding to more than a thousand Confucius institutes or classrooms worldwide.

In his keynote address, CIEF president Prof Yang Wei thanked medal recipients for the way in which they had been supporting Chinese teaching and learning at their respective institutions. Short videos were also shown to highlight the endeavours of various Confucius institutes.

CISU was established in 2007. Kotze thanked SU's Chinese partner institution, Xiamen University, for their ongoing support since inception, as well as for the honour of having served alongside five enthusiastic and committed Chinese co-directors at SU during this time. Prof Binlan Huang is the current Chinese co-director at CISU.

First established at SU's Centre for Chinese Studies, CISU moved to SU International in 2009. It provides non-credit-bearing language training at different proficiency levels to SU students as well as members of the broader Stellenbosch community, as well as opportunities to learn more about the Chinese culture. “The main mission is to accommodate people who are interested and willing to learn the Chinese language and understand the culture," Kotze explains.

CISU also coordinates a range of enrichment programmes at 14 schools in and around Stellenbosch and elsewhere in the Boland, such as Kylemore Secondary and Worcester Gymnasium. “I believe CISU's contribution is meaningful and opens up new worlds to the learners," Kotze says. “It has also allowed the University to forge relationships with these local schools."

In addition, its involvement with the Confucius Institute has enabled SU to strengthen its academic network in China. Over the years, the University has facilitated many summer and winter camps for learners and students, as well as the compulsory semester exchange to China for Chinese Language honours students as part of their graduate programme. “The Confucius Institute's work is grounded in broader academic collaborations to ensure that links between universities remain rooted in their respective scientific endeavours."

His work with the Confucius Institute has also been beneficial from a personal growth perspective, Kotze says. “It has given me many opportunities to visit China and learn more about various aspects of Chinese culture and history. Apart from training and capacity-building opportunities, the programmes always include rich cultural activities. Going to Beijing is always a special experience, and my visits to Zhangjiajie and the Terracotta Soldiers in Xi'an are also lifelong memories."

• For more information about the Confucius Institute at SU, visit www.sun.ac.za/cisu.
  

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SU Teaching Fellowships 2022

Teaching fellowships were initiated at Stellenbosch University (SU) in 2009 with a twofold aim: to provide an opportunity for outstanding academics to develop their teaching expertise, and to stimulate the growth of the scholarship of teaching and learning at the University. The University has awarded 17 fellowships since then:

• Dr Elize Archer (Centre for Health Professions Education, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences)
• Dr Taryn Bernard (Extended Degree Programme, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences)
• Dr Margaret Blackie (Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science, Faculty of Science)
• Prof. Debby Blaine (Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering)
• Prof. Elmarie Costandius (Department of Visual Arts, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences)
• Dr Berna Gerber (Division Speech-, Language-, and Hearing Therapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences)
• Dr Marianne McKay (Department of Viticulture & Oenology, Faculty of AgriSciences)
• Prof. Ian Nell (Department of Practical Theology and Missiology, Faculty of Theology)
• Prof. Dana Niehaus (relocated) (Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences)
• Prof. Nicola Plastow (Division of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences)
• Prof. Geo Quinot (Department of Public Law, Faculty of Law)
• Prof. Ingrid Rewitzky (Vice-Dean: Learning and Teaching, Faculty of Science)
• Dr Michael Schmeisser (Department of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of AgriSciences)
• Dr Gretha Steenkamp (School of Accountancy, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences)
• Dr Marianne Unger (Division of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences)
• Prof. Susan van Schalkwyk (Centre for Health Professions Education, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences)
• Dr Helena Wessels (deceased) (Department of Curriculum Studies, Faculty of Education).

The University Capacity Development Plan (UCDP) will be funding two more fellowships from January 2022. The fellowships provide excellent teachers and scholars of teaching and learning[1] with the opportunity to spend more consistent periods of time (one to three years), with various forms of support, to focus on aspects of curriculum renewal, the exploration of teaching and learning, and the dissemination of good teaching and learning practice in departments and faculties.

The closing date for applications for the 2022 teaching fellowships is 1 November 2021.

For more information, including the stipulations of the fellowships and the application guidelines, please contact Dr Karin Cattell-Holden, kcattell@sun.ac.za.

[1] “[E]xcellent teachers and scholars of teaching and learning" refer to lecturers who research their teaching practice, drawing on educational literature, and contribute to the body of teaching and learning knowledge through publishing their findings.

​October is Mental Health Awareness Month. In observance of World Mental Health Day (Sunday 10 October), experts at Stellenbosch University wrote opinion pieces* for the media in which they pointed out why all people living with a mental health condition should receive the treatment they need. Click on the links below to read the articles.

• Profs Ashraf Kagee & Katherine Sorsdahl (News24)
• Prof Christine Lochner (Weekend Argus)
  

​*These articles were facilitated by Corporate Communication and Marketing. It could be that other opinion pieces also appeared in the media that staff and students submitted directly.

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Two law students from Stellenbosch University (SU) were recently named runners-up in the Christof Heyns African Human Rights Moot Court competition, placing their law faculty among the top four in Africa.

Megan Roos, an LLB student who is currently completing the last semester of her studies in Finland, and Shaniaé Maharaj, in her penultimate year of BAccLLB studies, are overwhelmed by their achievement. Not only did they reach the finals, which is an achievement in itself, but they also secured their position as one of the top two English-speaking law student teams in Africa.

Combined teams comprising English-speaking and French or Portuguese-speaking pairs competed in the final round. The SU team share their runners-up position with a Portuguese-speaking pair from the Universidade Eduardo Mondlane in Mozambique. The combined team of Kenyatta University's School of Law in Kenya and the Félix Houphouët-Boigny University in the Ivory Coast finished first.

The winners and runners-up were initially part of 13 teams (eight English, four French and one Portuguese) in the quarterfinal of the annual competition, which is organised by the University of Pretoria's Centre for Human Rights and was hosted by SU this year. All competing students simulated an actual court scenario by arguing a hypothetical human rights case in front of a bench of judges and prominent jurists, who interrogated contestants' arguments.

Taking part in the competition was a rewarding, humbling and nerve-racking experience, especially when they made the finals, Roos and Maharaj agree. “We felt rewarded for our efforts, humbled by the privilege to be part of the acclaimed competition, and nerve-racked to compete against highly talented opponents in front of a bench of renowned judges," they explain. “In every round, we learned so much from the judges' questions, and some opponents were the best orators I have ever seen," adds Maharaj. “If we hadn't internalised the feedback from the judges and our coach in every round, we would not have made it to the finals."

According to Roos, they worked hard preparing since March, when the preliminary rounds started. “A lot of time and dedication went into preparing for the moot court, during which our arguments and our teamwork were strengthened," she says. Overcoming language barriers was a huge challenge. As they were paired with a Portuguese-speaking team, they had to work closely together to formulate their arguments for the finals. Although interpreters Addie Morgado, Roberta Fox and Leo Gouveia translated their dialogues, misunderstandings and confusion inevitably occurred. “At times, it felt as if we were never going to be on the same page. It was most certainly an experience I will never forget!" says Roos.

Maharaj too found working across language barriers challenging. In fact, in the finals, this resulted in them spending five hours disagreeing before they finally came to a resolution. “During the day, I didn't know whether we would be able to finish our preparation in time, but luckily we did," she says. “It has taught me the importance of listening with the sole purpose of listening, not responding. More importantly, I was sensitised to different perspectives on gender-based violence, child marriage, gender identity and sexual orientation, and that there was more than one way of protecting people. This was so valuable and opened my mind to ideas I hadn't considered before," Maharaj continues.

Congratulating the Matie team shortly after the competition, Prof Nicola Smit, dean of SU's Faculty of Law, said: “The Faculty is exceedingly proud of Roos and Maharaj's performance throughout the competition, and for advancing to the final round. Both students committed significant time and hard work to their participation. Such work ethic and intellectual talent promise great things for Roos and Maharaj when they will soon start their professional careers. The fact that we had an SU team in the final of this competition in our Faculty's centenary and hosted in Stellenbosch may justly be considered a historic achievement."  

The SU team coach, Claire Rankin, a final-year postgraduate LLB student, also applauds the two students for surviving a very difficult final round against strong opponents and a “gruelling bench of judges". “They performed remarkably and can be proud of their achievement," Rankin says.

Maharaj is considering pursuing an LLM degree once she has completed her current programme and hopes to be an advocate one day. Roos, in turn, will start her articles at Cape Town law firm ENS Africa next year, also well on her way to realising her dreams of becoming an advocate.

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Stellenbosch University (SU) and the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport (SAS) have embarked on a multiyear collaboration to develop football players, football career opportunities as well as social cohesion in the Stellenbosch and broader Winelands football community. The two entities signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at Maties Sport's office in Stellenbosch on Monday (11 October 2021).

The partnership will allow Stellenbosch Football Club (SFC) to train at the University's Lentelus football complex for three seasons, and will facilitate Premier Soccer League (PSL) matches at the Danie Craven stadium for nine seasons, all effective from 2021/22. This means that the collaboration will run until 2029.

At the official signing, Prof Wim de Villiers, SU Rector and Vice-Chancellor, welcomed the MoU and its aim of bringing people together and creating social cohesion through sport. “Football is the biggest global sport, so establishing a platform in Stellenbosch to create career opportunities for talented young players will have a positive impact on not only our university community and town, but on the entire province," he said.

According to Mr Rob Benadie, SAS and SFC chief executive officer, the Stellenbosch club's strategic plan was fast-tracked with their immediate elevation to the PSL in 2019. “Fortunately, we are based in a town with a rich sport heritage. We have the University and other key stakeholders partnering with us to assist our continued growth," he said. “It is incredible to see how excited the town is about the SFC brand and the prospect of building a home fortress at the iconic Danie Craven stadium."

In addition to offering young talented players a platform to hone their skills, the partnership will also encourage the holistic development of players, support staff as well as administrators.

“We hope to build on the incredible history that Maties Rugby has created, and continues to generate, at the stadium," Benadie continued. “The club sincerely thanks Messrs Johann Rupert and Jannie Durand from Remgro as well as SU's Chief Operating Officer, Prof Stan du Plessis, and his executives for making this dream a reality. I am confident that this partnership will be a very exciting and successful journey, delivering benefits beyond football as well."

​The third annual Anton Lubowski Memorial Lecture took place on 28 September 2021 at the Stellenbosch University (SU) Alumni Club at Die Stal, and online. The annual lecture is presented to honour the memory of Anton Theodor Eberhard August Lubowski, a Namibian anti-apartheid activist and advocate who was assassinated outside his home in Windhoek on 12 September 1989. At the time of his death, Lubowski was a member of the Windhoek Bar. 

The theme of this year's lecture was Intergenerational Social Justice. Speaking at the event, some of the key voices in the country engaged on the topic. The heart of the conversation focused on how issues around social justice are managed and defined, and the consequences of this for future generations.

Lord Peter Hain, South African-born anti-apartheid activist and former Cabinet minister in the United Kingdom, reflected on the ideals that Anton Lubowski and his generation fought for and the global economic inequities experienced today.

The son of one of the four anti-apartheid activists from Cradock and award-winning journalist and author, Lukhanyo Calata, presented a moving address. The so-called Cradock Four, including Fort Calata, were assassinated by the apartheid government in 1985. Lukhanyo reflected on the pain of the injustice experienced by his family through the State not pursuing the unrepentant assassins of his father, similar to the case of Anton Lubowski. This prompted much discussion on the prosecution of people for apartheid-era crimes and ideas on how the National Prosecuting Authority and the justice system could be used to pursue justice.

Khadija Bawa, a feminist activist, former researcher at the Social Justice Coalition and postgraduate law student, focused on the notion of trust and policing by analysing the Khayelitsha Commission of Inquiry into community policing and trust. Bawa's address provided great insight into how the police are viewed and the perspective of the youth in “post-apartheid" South Africa.

The third Anton Lubowski Memorial Lecture was moderated by veteran journalist Max du Preez, himself a friend of Anton Lubowski, and served to unite the children of Anton Lubowski and Fort Calata in their quest to honour their fathers, the ideals that they fought for and their pursuit of justice. All those in attendance, including the Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Wim de Villiers, and the Rector of Paul Roos, Andre van Staden, were moved by the inputs of the panellists and the reflection of Anton's daughter, Nadia Lubowski, on behalf of the family.

Anton Lubowski was a Stellenbosch student and a Simonsberg resident in the seventies. He initially enrolled at SU in 1972 for a BCom degree but transferred to a BA Law degree in 1973 and graduated in March 1976.

The annual memorial lecture was initiated by Charl Adams, a varsity friend and residence roommate, and was first presented in 2019.

Lubowski's fight for freedom must be remembered and serves as an inspiration to continue pursuing and upholding social justice and non-racialism, especially as South Africa still is tackling issues such as poverty, gender equity and access to social well-being and justice for all.

​

A total of 82 top Stellenbosch University (SU) students were recently honoured with Rector's Awards for excellence in academics, leadership, social impact, culture, sport and service provision.

The awards ceremony, which was hosted online, was aptly themed “Excellence through adversity – moving forward together", reflecting the challenges of the past year as the global pandemic continued to affect all sectors, including higher education. In his opening address, SU Rector and Vice-Chancellor Prof Wim de Villiers paid tribute to SU's students, all academic and non-academic staff as well as student leadership structures for having shown “real resilience in the face of adversity".

“In 2020, we were scrambling to find our feet in the new virtual and hybrid learning spaces, but, in many ways, 2021 was even more challenging," Prof De Villiers said. “During the third wave of COVID-19 infections, the realisation that this pandemic won't be a thing of the past any time soon had the potential to become physically and mentally draining. You've constantly had to adapt and stay agile, a trait we truly value at SU, and one that will stand you in good stead in the future. In the process, we have also realised that sharing moments of joy is more important than ever before, even if this must happen virtually, because no man is an island."

Prof Deresh Ramjugernath, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Learning and Teaching, too commended students for having consistently maintained a high level of excellence through times of ongoing uncertainty and challenges. “Through unity and collaboration, we have achieved great success as an open, determined, understanding and curious community of learning. At the heart of our excellence is our togetherness in pursuit of knowledge and the discovery of new possibilities."

A total of 182 applications and nominations were received for the 2021 Rector's Awards, namely 61 for academics, 54 for leadership, 24 for social impact, eight for culture, eight for sport, and 27 for service provision. “We are exceptionally proud of our students' achievements and congratulate all our recipients tonight on their exceptional performance," Prof Ramjugernath said. “It is an indication of our resilience that SU students continued to excel in their endeavours, against the odds."

In her message, guest speaker Farai Mubaiwa, an SU alumna and former Students' Representative Council member, challenged students to “dare greatly" and to “step into their power". “I am where I am today because I have dared greatly," she said, echoing author and thought leader Brené Brown's book Daring Greatly. Having been named as one of the 100 Mandelas of the Future by Media24 in 2018, Mubaiwa now serves as chief partnership officer at the Youth Employment Service (YES), a business-led non-profit that works with government to incentivise job creation for the youth.

She said that while the high unemployment rates in South Africa and Africa, exacerbated by COVID-19, could paint a gloomy picture, they also provided an opportunity to achieve excellence through adversity. “What if I told you this is an opportunity to move forward together, an opportunity to dare greatly?" she asked students. “Over the past few years, I've asked myself the following questions: What do I need to do to contribute to a prosperous Africa, and how do I align my skills to achieve this? How do I become a great employer instead of just a great employee? How can I drive change through collaboration with others? And, lastly, how do I step into my power? In asking myself these questions, I've been pushed to dare greatly."

Recalling how, as an Accounting graduate, she “couldn't wait to work for a top company", she said: “Strangely, nobody ever spoke about wanting to establish their own accounting firms to rival top companies. Entrepreneurship allows you to examine the needs of your community, develop a product or service that can fulfil those needs, create employment and, most importantly, run sustainable businesses. In the African context, though, we don't just need entrepreneurs; we need social entrepreneurs who address socioeconomic challenges sustainably. After all, research shows us that small, medium and micro-sized enterprises are drivers of job creation and economic growth."

In encouraging students to step into their power, Mubaiwa said: “I'm 26; I'm black; I'm a woman, and I'm the product of a South African mom and a Zimbabwean father. That is not an easy identity to carry. Yet I sit on the executive of one of South Africa's largest youth employment and empowerment organisations, am co-founder of an incredible youth-led African organisation, and have a master's degree from one of the world's best universities. I was able to accomplish all of this because I've stepped into my power.

“May we dare greatly," she concluded. “May we play our part in bettering our country and our continent. May we achieve excellence through adversity and move forward together."

The following students received awards:

Academics (comprising the Rector's Award for Excellent Achievement and te SU medal for top master's student, by faculty)

AgriSciences

• Kim Teresa Mannix
• Cecile Bester
• Hendrik Stephanus Pretorius

Top master's student

• Alicia Petrus

Arts and Social Sciences

• Zainab Khafif
• Estelle Kemp
• Joy Sparg
• Kirsten Pienaar
• Akira Coetzee
• Tamlyn February
• Josie McClure
• Lara van Heerden

Top master's student

• Kylie Kuhl

Economic and Management Sciences

• Lauren Tsafandakis
• Philip Ferreira
• Brandon Dinwoodie
• Jeanne van den Heever
• Micaela Giltrow
• Ilne du Toit
• Marné Olivier
• Matthys Carstens
• Melissa Oellerman
• Haamidah Mowzer
• Joshua Putterill
• Kilian Boshoff

 Top master's student

• Alexander Charles O'Riordan

Education

• Casey Wallace
• Leila Laubscher
• Tyla Jansen

Top master's student

• Charine de Ridder

Engineering

• Matthew Brandon Baas
• Zander Snel
• Alex Gituanja Muthua
• Bianca Jordan van Zyl
• Francois du Plessis
• Kevin Michael Eloff

Top master's student

• Aletta Susanna Elizabeth Nortje

Law

• Carma Botha
• Olivia Bernstein

Top master's student

• Ernst Heydenrych

Medicine and Health Sciences

• Allison Jane Arendse
• Danyca Shadé Breedt
• Wilrie Koorts
• Brittany Smith
• Rochelle van Dyk
• Blessing Ntokozo Ndlovu

Top master's student

• Danelle Botha

Military Science

Top master's student

• Pelonomi Clementine Letebele

Science

• Eugene Fouche
• Caleb Zeeman
• Kristen Robinson
• Devon Crowther
• Samantha Parle

Top master's student

• Mpendulo Cele

Theology

• Karla Smit

Top master's student

• Elmarie van Huyssteen

Sport

• Lwazi Madi
• Cameron Laurenson
• Hannah Calvert
• Daniel Barrish
• Kerwin Noemdo
• Johanna Pretorius
• Dyan Buis
• Charl du Toit

Culture

• Willem Sterrenberg Horn

Social impact

• Thembalethu Seyisi​
  
  

Service provision

• Abdul Mutakabir-Aziz
• Azhar Adam Nadkar
• Francesca Visage
• Viwe Kobokana
  

Leadership

• Kira Alberts
• Kristin Arends
• Xola Njengele
• Jessica Davies
• Philip Visage
• Rewaldo Carolus
• George van Dyk
• Lance Davids
• Grace Mngadi
• Monwabisi Petersen
• Chelsea Jones
• Jarryd Luyt
  
  

​The Nobel Prize in Literature for 2021 has been awarded to Tanzanian novelist and fellow of the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS) Abdulrazak Gurnah “for his uncompromising and compassionate penetration of the effects of colonialism and the fate of the refugee in the gulf between cultures and continents".

Gurnah is the first Tanzanian writer to win the prize and the first black African writer to win it since Wole Soyinka in 1986.

He joins a group STIAS fellows who are Nobel laureates (see list at the end). STIAS is an autonomous research organisation hosted by Stellenbosch University (SU) at its historic Mostertsdrift Estate. It was established by a decision of the SU Council in 1999 and registered in 2007 as a section 21 (not-for-profit) company with its own board of directors.

Gurnah was born in Tanzania in 1948 and grew up on the island of Zanzibar. He fled to England as a refugee during the 1960s following the Zanzibar Revolution. He initially studied at Christchurch College Canterbury and is currently Professor Emeritus of English and Postcolonial Literatures at the University of Kent.

His first novel, Memory of Departure, was published in 1987. Since then he has published ten novels and a number of short stories. His novels include Paradise (1994) set in colonial East Africa during the First World War, which was shortlisted for both the Booker and Whitbread Prizes, and By the Sea (2001), which was longlisted for the Booker and shortlisted for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize.

Gurnah was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2006. Described as one of the “most important contemporary postcolonial novelists writing in Britain today", the themes of disruption, belonging, colonialism, displacement, memory and migration run through his works.

In a brief interview following the Nobel announcement on 7 October 2021, Gurnah described the joy experienced when he finishes a project “… a lot of it is obviously something that is compulsive, compelling, something that, you know, writers keep going for decades – you can't be doing that if you hate it. But it is… I suppose it's both the pleasure of making things, crafting, getting it right, but it's also the pleasure of getting something across, of… of giving pleasure, of making a case, of persuading, and all of those kind of things."

The STIAS connection

During 2018 Gurnah was Artist-in-Residence at STIAS and presented a public lecture (click here) in which he outlined the challenges of achieving true 'world literature'. He said: “Our desire for 'world literature' should be inspired by the idea of humanity without borders.".

His most recent novel, Afterlives, which he commenced while at STIAS, was published in 2020.

“We are absolutely delighted and honoured to celebrate this wonderful and much-deserved achievement along with Abdulrazak," said STIAS Director Edward K Kirumira. “His works have had and continue to have a profound impact on our understanding of what it means to live in a truly globalised world."

Other STIAS fellows who are Nobel laureates:

• Kip Thorne, STIAS fellow in 2010, won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 2017 for his contributions to the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory detector and the observation of gravitational waves;
• Harald Zur Hausen, STIAS fellow in 2013, was the 2008 co-winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery that human papilloma viruses cause cervical cancer;
• Joseph Stiglitz, STIAS fellow in 2017, won the 2001 Nobel Prize in Economics for his research on information asymmetry;
• JM Coetzee, STIAS fellow in 2015, winner of the 2003 Nobel Literature Prize; and
• Sydney Brenner, STIAS fellow in 2005 and 2010, and winner of the Nobel Physics prize in 2002 for his work on genetic regulation of organ development and programmed cell death.
  

​Image: Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS)

​​
The potential threat to public health from foodborne disease continues to increase

Pieter Gouws

CAPE TOWN - World Food Day is celebrated annually on October 16 to emphasise the importance of ending hunger globally and ensuring that people have access to food that is safe and healthy.​​

​In this article, I would like to focus on food safety and point out that everybody has a role to play in this regard.

Food safety is an essential public health issue for all. The potential threat to public health from foodborne disease continues to increase with expanding urbanisation and the global distribution of food.

The consequences of a failed food safety policy are costly, with impacts not only on public health but also on food producers and the economy.​​

Link: https://www.iol.co.za/capetimes/opinion/world-food-day-food-safety-is-a-shared-responsibility-d077ecdb-046d-418b-80c7-f7031f509a83​

About 175 000 plant species – half of all flowering plants – mostly or completely rely on animal pollinators to make seeds and so to reproduce. Declines in pollinators could therefore cause major disruptions in natural ecosystems, including loss of biodiversity.

This is the finding from a paper, “Widespread vulnerability of plant seed production to pollinator declines", published in the journal Science Advances on 13 October 2021.

Dr James Rodger, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at Stellenbosch University (SU) and lead author, says this is the first study to provide a global estimate of the importance of pollinators for plants in natural ecosystems.

The study, involving 21 scientists affiliated with 23 institutions from five continents, was led by Dr James Rodger and Prof Allan Ellis from Stellenbosch University (SU). It is a product of the Synthesis Centre for Biodiversity Sciences (sDiv) in the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research.

Prof Tiffany Knight from the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research and a senior co-author, says recent global assessments of pollination have highlighted a knowledge gap in our understanding of how dependent plants are on animal pollinators: “Our synthetic research addresses this gap, and enables us to link trends in pollinator biodiversity and abundance to consequences for plants at a global level," she explains.

While most plants are animal-pollinated, most plants also have a bit of auto-fertility. This means they can make at least some seeds without pollinators, for example by self-fertilisation. However, until this study, the question, “How important are pollinators for wild plants?" did not have a clear answer at the global level.

The researchers used the contribution of pollinators to seed production — measured by comparing seed production in the absence of pollinators to seed production with pollinators present — as an indicator of their importance to plants. Data on this existed but were spread out in hundreds of papers each focusing on pollination experiments on different plant species. To address this problem, researchers at various institutions started to consolidate the information in databases: Dr Rodger developed the Stellenbosch Breeding System Database as a postdoctoral fellow in SU's Department of Botany and Zoology; Prof Tiffany Knight, Prof Tia-Lynn Ashman and dr Janette Steets led the sPLAT working group that produced the GloPL database; and Prof Mark van Kleunen and Dr Mialy Razanajatovo produced the Konstanz Breeding System Database. All three databases were combined in a new database for the current study. It includes data from 1 528 separate experiments, representing 1 392 plant populations and 1 174 species from 143 plant families and all continents except Antarctica.

The findings show that, without pollinators, a third of flowering plant species would produce no seeds and half would suffer an 80% or more reduction in fertility. Therefore, even though auto-fertility is common, it by no means fully compensates for reductions in pollination service in most plant species.

“Recent studies show that many pollinator species have gone down in numbers, with some even having gone extinct. Our finding that large numbers of wild plant species rely on pollinators shows that declines in pollinators could cause major disruptions in natural ecosystems," Dr Rodger warns.

Prof Mark van Kleunen, from the University of Konstanz and a co-author, says it is not a case of all pollinators disappearing: “If there are fewer pollinators to go around, or even just a change in which pollinator species are most numerous, we can expect knock-on effects on plants, with affected plant species potentially declining, further harming animal species and human populations depending on those plants. Pollinators aren't only important for crop production, but also for biodiversity.

“It also means that plants that do not rely on pollinators, like many problematic weeds, might spread even more when pollinators continue to decline," he adds.

Dr Joanne Bennet, a co-author from the University of Canberra who curated the GloOL database, says another disconcerting factor is the positive feedback loop that develops if pollinator-depending plants decline or go extinct: “If auto-fertile plants come to dominate the landscape, then even more pollinators will be negatively affected, because auto-fertile plants tend to produce less nectar and pollen."

All is not doom and gloom, though, according to Dr Rodger. Many plants are long-lived, opening a window of opportunity to restore pollinators before plant extinctions occur from lack of pollinators.

“We lack high quality long-term monitoring data on pollinators in Africa for example, including South Africa, although some work has been started in this regard. We hope that our findings will stimulate more of this kind of research, so that we can detect pollinator declines and mitigate their impacts on biodiversity," Dr Rodger concludes.

On the photo above: Most flowering plant species rely on pollinators to reproduce. This is true for the annual daisy species that dominate the spring mass flowering displays in South Africa. Species such as Gorteria diffusa, Dimorphotheca sinuata and D. pluvialis are dependent on pollinators, such as the bee-flies pictured here, for seed production, and on seed for persistence in the system, making them vulnerable to pollinator decline. Photo: AG Ellis

Media interviews

Dr James Rodger

Department of Mathematical Sciences, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

E-mail: jgrodger@sun.ac.za

Mobile: +27 (0) 60 574 8151

Prof Allan Ellis

Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

E-mail: agellis@sun.ac.za

Prof Tiffany Knight

Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Germany

E-mail: tiffany.knight@idiv.de

Prof Mark van Kleunen

Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Germany

E-mail: mark.vankleunen@uni-konstanz.de

​

​Globally, the role of food labels in reducing non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which account for 71% of deaths, remains a bone of contention. A particular area of disagreement is the use of health claims on food labels, especially in a developing country like South Africa where regulations don't allow it.

“It seems that the jury is still out on whether the use of health claims on food labels would help South African consumers buy healthier products. We found that there is a complex mix of challenges which raise concerns about whether the inclusion of health claims is feasible and whether this would assist consumers to make better food choices," says Melvi Todd, a doctoral student in the Department of Food Science at Stellenbosch University (SU). Todd is one of four researchers who conducted a study on whether health claims on food labels would help or hinder South African consumers in making better food choices. Her co-authors were Timothy Guetterman (University of Michigan), Gunnar Sigge (SU) and Elizabeth Joubert (Agricultural Research Council Infruitec-Nietvoorbij). They interviewed diverse stakeholders, including consumers and professionals from the food industry and other occupations, who shared their views about the use of health claims on food labels to communicate health information in the country.

The findings of their study were published recently in the journal Appetite.

The researchers say there are persistent barriers to the use of labels, such as challenges related to literacy and legibility.

“We found that the inclusion of health claims on food labels would be hampered by factors such as literacy (the ability of the consumer to read and write); legibility (factors enabling readability such as physical size and definition of the information on the food label); language; physical presence of a food label on a food product; and socio-economic position (the combination of an individual's education, income and occupation).

“Participants in our study indicated that their use of nutrition and health claim information on food labels would depend on the amount time they had, difficulty in processing information due to factors such as fatigue, hunger, or an increasing number of alternatives (sometimes referred to as cognitive depletion), or lacking motivation and knowledge."

According to researchers, the inclusion of health claims is also challenging because many South Africans are forced to buy their food in informal markets where products usually don't have labels with nutritional information for the consumer.

“One example of a practice in the informal market is portioning 'formal' products into small plastic bags, for the sake of affordability. Such small 'portioned' bags display none of the labelling attributed to the parent product.

“Poor South Africans often have to buy these small portions and cannot afford to be selective about their food. Consequently, they are unlikely to use food labels to inform their food choice, irrespective of additional health claims.

“In addition, there are no African languages on food labels which means that consumers who are not English speakers might not even understand what is on the labels. Visual labels from which deductions can be made (e.g. colour and shape; avoiding numeric-based solutions) may help to convey the relevant messages to these consumers."

The researchers point out that stakeholder complexities, including concerns about conflicting interests, siloed responsibility and enforcement challenges, make navigating the food labelling landscape perplexing.  

“Attempts to make positive progress on what will constitute an effective means of communication of health information on food labels appears to be hindered by a lack of trust that exists between some of the critical role players and further research will be required to reach a consensus in this regard."

They say there's a need to address concerns about whether health claims create inequality regarding labelled versus unlabelled foods; smaller versus large food manufacturers; and access to health information by consumers.

“South Africa is not yet ready to implement health claims because of gaps in terms of both enforcement and evaluation of claims. Food labelling interventions might also exclude the poor and therefore we must remain realistic about the role they will play in helping people buy healthier products and reducing NDCs."

The researchers call for closer cooperation between the food industry and policy-makers to ensure the healthy choice is the easy choice – irrespective of whether the consumer can read a particular label or not.

• ​Source: Todd, M; Guetterman, T; Sigge, G & Joubert, E 2021. Multi-stakeholder perspectives on food labelling and health claims: Qualitative insights from South Africa. Appetite 167: d​oi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2021.105606

​

The competition, organised by the University of Pretoria's (UP) Centre of Human Rights (CHR), involved competing law students, referred to as 'mooters', simulate a real court situation by arguing a hypothetical human rights case related to gender-based violence (GBV), gender identity, sexual minority and children rights. The mooters delivered their arguments in front of a bench of judges and prominent jurists who interrogated them on their statements.

This year, SU's Chair of Social Justice and previous South African Public Protector, Prof Thuli Madonsela, chaired the bench of judges comprising Dr Solomon Dersso, chairperson of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, Justice Angelo Matusse, previously a judge of the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights, Dr Robert Nanima, a member of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, and Prof Laurence Burgorgue-Larsen, a judge of the constitutional court of Andorra and lecturer in international law at the Sorbonne University in Paris.

To date, law faculties of 175 universities from 50 countries across Africa have participated. They gathered in 19 countries and proceeded with moot court cases in English, French and Portuguese.

Earlier this year, 60 teams from law faculties in Africa entered the competition and battled it out until eight teams were selected for the quarterfinals in Stellenbosch. For a second year, the competition took place in hybrid mode.

At the end of the finals, the presiding judges praised the finalists for demonstrating great skills, talent and the ability to think on their feet, especially in answering the judges' questions.

One of the four teams in the finals was SU's team, Megan Roos (final-year LLB) and Shaniaé Maharaj (second-last year BAccLLB), who finished as runners-up with the partnering team from the Eduardo Mondlane University in Mozambique. To read more about the SU team's achievement, click here.

The winners of the competition were the combined team of the law schools of the Félix Houphouët-Boigny University in Côte d'Ivoire and Kenyatta University in Kenya.

At the official opening, Prof Nicola Smit, Dean of SU's Faculty of Law, highlighted the Faculty's excitement to host this event in its centenary year. She also said the competition would undoubtedly contribute to participants' growth as a person. “You may even find it a little challenging, but that is what good legal education is all about, isn't it?" she said.

Along with the centenary year, the event also coincided with a momentous year for UP, celebrating the 30th anniversary of the competition and the Centre's 35^th birthday.

This year's event also included the renaming of the competition to the “Christof Heyns African Human Rights Moot Court Competition". Prof Christof Heyns, a renowned human rights lawyer and founding father of the competition, passed away in March this year.

According to Prof Frans Viljoen, CHR's director, Heyns is remembered for his vision of bringing law students across the continent together that has become a reality and is going from strength to strength. Except for bringing law students together, the competition is contributing to the transformation of legal education in Africa and exposing generations of young African lawyers to the African legal human rights systems.

For this reason, winning the competition is not the primary purpose, said Viljoen. The competition  has rather become an important institution for the African human rights movements. “It is our shared resolve to pursue an Africa where we move from human wrongs to human rights. The competition has inspired people to take Moot's message further in their own lives," said Viljoen.

“SU's partnership is a testament to the University's shared commitment to collaborate with human rights movements and to help develop and transform Africa's legal system and discourse," said Smit. She also emphasised that SU supports an inclusive, progressive and transformative legal culture.

In a welcoming message at the opening dinner of the event, Prof Deresh Ramjugernath, SU's Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Learning and Teaching, welcomed moot competitions and students' benefits from participating. “Moot competitions give students on our continent a unique opportunity to experience and learn from diverse cultures, legal systems, languages and socio-economic realities," he said.

Elaborating on the benefits, he said that they promote oral communication, the ability to think on one's feet, collaborate with others and solve problems. “I am extremely thrilled about these events where students get a real, immersive action-based and experiential learning, which equips them for the experiences in the real profession," he said.

• Viljoen paid a special tribute to SU's Prof Annika Rudman, whose dedication, professionalism and adjustability as the head of the Faculty's organising committee ensured the success of the 2021 Moot Competition.

​