​Persons who wish to undertake invigilation duties during the SU examinations from 19 May to 26 June 2015 have the opportunity to apply till Friday 10 April 2015.

Minimum qualification is Matric, but preference will be given to graduated SU staff members and post graduate students. Undergraduate students unfortunately do not qualify. Lecturing staff should obtain permission from their Deans but are not required to apply for leave.

Remuneration is R64,00 per hour, plus an additional half hour per examination session for invigilators, and an additional two hours per examination session for convenors. Remuneration for all invigilation duties done during the two examination opportunities will be paid at the end of July 2015.

Application forms are available at the Information Desk, Admin A. Closing date for applications is Friday 10 April 2015 at 16:00. Contact Miriam Walters at 021 8089111 for further enquiries. Submission of an application form does not guarantee appointment.​

​The Public Protector, Adv Thuli Madonsela, became an “honorary Matie” today (Thursday 26 March). Stellenbosch University (SU) conferred honorary doctorates upon Madonsela, the internationally renowned physicist, Prof Neil Turok and the visionary business leader, Mr Michiel le Roux.

More than 2700 Maties received their degrees at seven different graduation ceremonies in Stellenbosch this week.

The degree Doctor of Laws (LLD), honoris causa, was awarded to Adv Thuli Madonsela for her unwavering commitment to the Constitution, her contribution to eradicate discrimination through law reform, and her role as fearless advocate for justice.

Michiel le Roux received the degree Doctor of Commerce (DComm), honoris causa, for his revolutionary renewal of the South African banking industry by developing a unique banking system that addresses the needs of the lower income part of the population.

The degree Doctor of Science (DSc), honoris causa, was awarded to Neil Turok for his excellent contribution as physicist and cosmologist, and his continued efforts as education activist to unlock the world of science for fellow Africans.

omplete article to follow.

For the past three years, former parking attendant and Rwandan refugee, Albert Mpazayabo, has been a regular at Stellenbosch University (SU) graduation ceremonies.

In 2013 he received his Postgraduate Diploma in HIV/Aids Management, in 2014 his Masters in HIV/Aids Management and on Wednesday (25 March) he obtained his Postgraduate Diploma in Monitoring and Evaluation. He also holds a degree in Psychology from the University of the Western Cape. But Mpazayabo says it doesn't matter how many times he walks across a stage to receive a qualification, it still feels as exciting as that very first time.

"I feel proud of everything I've achieved and I feel grateful for all the financial help I've received along the way. I would not have been able to graduate today if it wasn't for the financial assistance I've received from the Post Graduate and International Office at SU."

The 52-year-old, who is from Kigali in Rwanda, was a training officer in productive health care for the Red Cross in his home country, but when the war started in 1990, he had to flee for his life. He ended up at a refugee camp in the Democratic Republic of Congo and from there came to South Africa in 1997. Once in South Africa, he started working as a security guard, then as a parking attendant at various shopping centres in Cape Town. He later took on the role of recruiting and placing other parking attendants at shopping centres in the Brackenfell and Durbanville areas.

"My studies in 2014 required my full focus, but by the grace of God, I kept my grip on the parking attendant business. I managed to still recruit, train and place my guys on a weekly basis and with the co-operation of the whole team and under the watchful eyes of my competent supervisors, things have worked out," he says.

He says the parking attendant business puts food on the table, but a permanent job in his chosen field would be first prize. "Although the search for a permanent job has not been easy, I am currently employed on a temporary basis and I couldn't be happier. I've started working at Stellenbosch University's Centre for HIV/Aids Management​ in February 2015 and this is the first time in 20 years that I can proudly say I have a job where I can put my qualifications to good use. I can't begin to tell you how amazing it feels, it's like rising from the dead."

Mpazayabo says his life has changed a lot since he first came to South Africa and started his first job as a security guard. "My qualifications have become the key to making a better life for myself and my family. I've also noticed that once people know my history, they treat me quite differently. They tend to treat me with more respect and all of a sudden I'm not just a miserable refugee and car guard."

So what next for this shining example of someone who can survive and thrive against the odds? "On 1 July 2015 I'm turning 53 years old, so my wish is that by then I'll be blessed with a permanent job, which would enable me to provide more care for my household, to prepare a better future for my children, and to make provision for my old age."

And the studies? Is this the last? "Not a chance. I feel very excited about the knowledge and skills I've gained in this monitoring and evaluation course. I feel equipped and ready for any social sciences research work. My plan is also to register for a PhD before I am 55," he adds. 

"I hope my story will serve as an inspiration to others who must face struggles on a daily basis. I want to tell them you need to keep on trying and see each unsuccessful venture as a challenge that you can conquer. As the saying goes, 'you are not a failure yet, until you give up'."

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One is never too old to learn, goes the saying. The 61-year-old Jacobus Carnow and 70-year-old Penny Enarson is proof of this.

They were awarded their doctoral degrees on Wednesday (25 March) in respectively Practical Theology and Community Health at Stellenbosch University's (SU) March graduation ceremony.

Carnow and Enarson were among the 130 graduates who received doctoral degrees at two separate ceremonies in the Endler Hall of SU's Conservatoire.

A total of 234 doctorates were awarded for the academic year 2014 – at the March graduation ceremony as well as in December 2014. SU currently delivers the most doctoral graduates per capita of all South African universities.

Carnow said he had to face especially financial challenges in order to complete his studies. "It was a lonely road. In my study I wanted to focus the attention on the suffering of older black people whose human dignity is often infringed on."

Enarson, originally from Vancouver in Canada, is one of about 20 students and staff members of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences who received doctoral degrees.

For her PhD, Enarson developed a treatment management programme for childhood pneumonia in Malawi. She and her husband, also a medical doctor, worked for several years in Malawi.

In 2001, when Enarson started her research, the country was experiencing very high rates of in-hospital fatalities for childhood pneumonia.

The Faculty of Science awarded 26 doctorates, of which seven in Chemistry and Polymer Science and five in respectively Physics, and Botany and Zoology.

Among them were William Cloete from Steinkopf in the Northern Cape and Benedict Odhiambo of Kenya, who completed their studies in Polymer Sciences and Forestry.

Cloete investigated ways in which membranes used in the purification of water can be kept free of bacteria, while Odhiambo found that the thickness and structure of a tree's bark play the most important role in protecting the tree from fire damage.

 A total of 29 doctorates were awarded in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. A doctoral degree in Political Science was awarded posthumously to Marie Elizabeth van Zyl. She died shortly after having passed her degree.

Her life partner received the degree on her behalf.

• Photos 1 & 2: Jacobus Carnow and Penny Enarson
• Photos 3 & 4: Benedict Odhiambo and William Cloete
• Photographers: Anton Jordaan, Justin Alberts and Sonika Lampbrecht

"With calls by some politicians for the confiscation of land from white farmers without compensation, and others claiming that the land that has been redistributed to black owners is not being productively farmed, the debate has become dangerously polarised and the stakes very high."

These are the words of Prof Cherryl Walker from the Sociology and Social Anthropology Department at Stellenbosch University (SU) and Prof Ben Cousins from the University of the Western Cape (UWC), who are also the co-editors of the recently published Land Divided, Land Restored – Land Reform in South Africa for the 21^st Century.

The book was published by Jacana Media in February 2015 and officially released through a series of launch events in Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg.

Both Cousins and Walker are leading experts on land reform.

Cousins holds a Department of Science and Technology (DST) / National Research Foundation (NRF) Chair in Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies at the Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS) at UWC. He describes his research as "strategic and use-oriented, for policy makers and civil society groups concerned with reducing poverty and inequality through redistributing assets, securing rights and democratising decision-making in rural areas".

Walker is a professor of Sociology at SU and a former Regional Land Claims Commissioner for Kwazulu-Natal  on South Africa's Commission on Restitution of Land Rights. She held the position between 1995 and 2000.  She has extensive research and applied experience in land reform, rural development and gender studies, spanning the academic, state and NGO sectors. Her 2008 book, Landmarked: Land Claims and Land Restitution in South Africa, provides a critical reflection on the challenges of restitution when conceptualised in terms of a return to an idealised past.

 "Land Divided, Land Restored is the end product of a conference, Land Divided: Land and South African Society in 2013, in Comparative Perspective, which was held in March 2013 and hosted by three Western Cape Universities – namely UWC, the University of Cape Town and Stellenbosch University," explains Walker.

"The book draws together a range of perspectives by leading experts in the field, all of them concerned about the current impasse in land reform policy and practice, and offering critical perspectives on how to rethink not only the past but also current and future challenges, including environmental and urban land issues. What is important about it is its inter-disciplinary thrust as well as its recognition of the complexity of the issues on the ground, which are not the same in all parts of the country. South Africa is not the agrarian country it was in 1913 but at the same time many households depend on land-based livelihoods and there is huge untapped potential in a revitalised, re-imagined agricultural sector."

Issues addressed in the book include a reconsideration of the significance of the 1913 Natives Land Act historically and today; a history of environmental change over the past century; prospects for far-reaching agrarian reform and the disconcerting continuities between current and apartheid-era policies regarding the former 'bantustans' or reserves; the challenges of urban land policy; the complex meanings ascribed to land, through a reading of South African poetry; and the major problems that the reopening of the land claims process is likely to generate.

According to the two academics, given South Africa's history, it is hardly surprising that land reform should generate so much political heat.

"Thanks to the Natives Land Act of 1913 and the subsequent other effects of this Act, many black South Africans were devastated by land dispossession in one form or another in the past. Disparities in land ownership between white and black are stark, and land looms large as a powerful symbol of enduring racial inequalities and social exclusion in post-apartheid society," say Walker and Cousins in their introduction.

The problem, however, is that modern-day solutions to the land reform question are often "based on simplistic formulations that deny or overlook the complexity of the issues at stake".

"Little attention is given to how land reform should articulate with other aspects of social and economic policy and what the state is able – that is, has both the capacity and the legal authority – to do."

The book, they say, explores "the history of land dispossession, spatial segregation and land use, as well as the contemporary context for land reform, spanning the social, economic and environmental domains".

"Its thrust is forward-looking: in overcoming the past, what are the issues to consider for the twenty-first century? We need to think about land holistically, in relation to both shifting rural and urban divides and significant economic and ecological challenges that have global and not only local dimensions. In these chapters we acknowledge the importance of understanding the multiple meanings people ascribe to land, but also suggest that these are not fixed; rather, they respond to changing circumstances and take different forms over time."

​Photo: Profs Cherryl Walker and Ben Cousins at the official launch of their book in Durban. The book was also launched in Cape Town and Johannesburg earlier this year. (Cedric Sissing)​

"With calls by some politicians for the confiscation of land from white farmers without compensation, and others claiming that the land that has been redistributed to black owners is not being productively farmed, the debate has become dangerously polarised and the stakes very high."

These are the words of Prof Cherryl Walker from the Sociology and Social Anthropology Department at Stellenbosch University (SU) and Prof Ben Cousins from the University of the Western Cape (UWC), who are also the co-editors of the recently published Land Divided, Land Restored – Land Reform in South Africa for the 21^st Century.

The book was published by Jacana Media in February 2015 and officially released through a series of launch events in Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg.

Both Cousins and Walker are leading experts on land reform.

Cousins holds a Department of Science and Technology (DST) / National Research Foundation (NRF) Chair in Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies at the Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS) at UWC. He describes his research as "strategic and use-oriented, for policy makers and civil society groups concerned with reducing poverty and inequality through redistributing assets, securing rights and democratising decision-making in rural areas".

Walker is a professor of Sociology at SU and a former Regional Land Claims Commissioner for Kwazulu-Natal  on South Africa's Commission on Restitution of Land Rights. She held the position between 1995 and 2000.  She has extensive research and applied experience in land reform, rural development and gender studies, spanning the academic, state and NGO sectors. Her 2008 book, Landmarked: Land Claims and Land Restitution in South Africa, provides a critical reflection on the challenges of restitution when conceptualised in terms of a return to an idealised past.

 "Land Divided, Land Restored is the end product of a conference, Land Divided: Land and South African Society in 2013, in Comparative Perspective, which was held in March 2013 and hosted by three Western Cape Universities – namely UWC, the University of Cape Town and Stellenbosch University," explains Walker.

"The book draws together a range of perspectives by leading experts in the field, all of them concerned about the current impasse in land reform policy and practice, and offering critical perspectives on how to rethink not only the past but also current and future challenges, including environmental and urban land issues. What is important about it is its inter-disciplinary thrust as well as its recognition of the complexity of the issues on the ground, which are not the same in all parts of the country. South Africa is not the agrarian country it was in 1913 but at the same time many households depend on land-based livelihoods and there is huge untapped potential in a revitalised, re-imagined agricultural sector."

Issues addressed in the book include a reconsideration of the significance of the 1913 Natives Land Act historically and today; a history of environmental change over the past century; prospects for far-reaching agrarian reform and the disconcerting continuities between current and apartheid-era policies regarding the former 'bantustans' or reserves; the challenges of urban land policy; the complex meanings ascribed to land, through a reading of South African poetry; and the major problems that the reopening of the land claims process is likely to generate. 

According to the two academics, given South Africa's history, it is hardly surprising that land reform should generate so much political heat.

"Thanks to the Natives Land Act of 1913 and the subsequent other effects of this Act, many black South Africans were devastated by land dispossession in one form or another in the past. Disparities in land ownership between white and black are stark, and land looms large as a powerful symbol of enduring racial inequalities and social exclusion in post-apartheid society," say Walker and Cousins in their introduction.

The problem, however, is that modern-day solutions to the land reform question are often "based on simplistic formulations that deny or overlook the complexity of the issues at stake".

"Little attention is given to how land reform should articulate with other aspects of social and economic policy and what the state is able – that is, has both the capacity and the legal authority – to do."

The book, they say, explores "the history of land dispossession, spatial segregation and land use, as well as the contemporary context for land reform, spanning the social, economic and environmental domains".

"Its thrust is forward-looking: in overcoming the past, what are the issues to consider for the twenty-first century? We need to think about land holistically, in relation to both shifting rural and urban divides and significant economic and ecological challenges that have global and not only local dimensions. In these chapters we acknowledge the importance of understanding the multiple meanings people ascribe to land, but also suggest that these are not fixed; rather, they respond to changing circumstances and take different forms over time."

​Photo: Profs Cherryl Walker and Ben Cousins at the official launch of their book in Durban. The book was also launched in Cape Town and Johannesburg earlier this year. (Cedric Sissing)​

​The moment Sandy van Niekerk sent the tweet out on World Tuberculosis Day, she knew she was finally ready to face the world and tell her story.

The tweet, 'I survived #mdr  #Tuberculosis and finished my BSc at #Maties #WorldTBDay @scienceSUN' has been retweeted several times and so far some of the replies indicate that other students are facing a similar struggle.

Sandy was diagnosed with multiple drug resistant TB when she was a 19 year old BSc student at Stellenbosch University in 2007. Since then she has completed her MSc and an internship at the University of Cape Town.

Now, at 28, she is not only clean from the dreaded Mtb (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) infection, but also eager to add her voice to tell people to please test for TB and make use of the support structures available.

"Today I realise I should have listened to my body more. Please, be aware and go and test yourself," she pleads.

In Sandy's case she didn't experience any of the typical symptoms associated with the disease, only a consistent feeling of fatigue: "I thought feeling tired all the time had to with the stress of studying and attending classes."

It was only when she was visiting her parents in Swellendam during a holiday break that she suddenly coughed up blood. "I was in the mall with my mom and aunt. I was surprised and showed it to them. They immediately made me sit in a corner while they conferred at another table. My aunt then confronted me with the possibility that it may be TB and said we should visit the hospital the next day for tests."

Sandy's aunt is a matron at the Swellendam hospital and her mother is a biology teacher at a secondary school in the town. They also opted for tests at their house doctor.

A day later the first test came back negative. Three days later the second test came back positive for multiple drug resistant TB.

She can still remember the words with which the doctor broke the news: "Jy is ietwat bietjie siek," she said. You are like a little bit sick," she said.

She also remembers a beautiful map of Swellendam on the wall of the clinic with all the TB cases in the area indicated with a yellow pin. "For me they put up a purple pin, because I was a special case. I was terrified, especially about how other people were going to react to the news."

Together with her parents, they decided not to share the information with her three younger siblings. "I was very conscious of the stigma attached to people with TB and didn't want to burden them with that." She also didn't inform the university. "I didn't want to be treated special, or like someone who was sick."

The family immediately had everybody close to her tested, including her roommate at varsity. They all tested negative and to this day Sandy does not know how or where she picked up the TB bacterium.

What followed was a daily regime of taking six different pills every day for seven months and thereafter four different pills for the rest of the time, as well as a host of other pills for dealing with side-effects like nausea and vitamin supplements to keep her immune system healthy.

From the start, she says, her parents motivated her to take the disease in her stride and not allow it to disrupt her studies or her life. It wasn't easy.

"It was a team effort. My partner was with me every step of the way. I participated in all the family activities, like hiking. My brother and sisters thought I was lazy or not feeling well. They only learned I had TB the day I took my medication for the very last time.

"Of course they were furious with me," she laughs. "But it was for their own good. They were just too young to deal with something like this."

But, she admits, "I don't think I will be able to go through it again. It made me grow up quickly. It also made me realise that one cannot be judgmental."

Sandy has nothing but praise for the support she received from the people at the Swellendam clinic and other institutions.

"The people at the clinic explained everything to me, how TB works and what the different pills are for and what side-effects I will experience and what I can do about it."

She also singles out the DOTS group in Swellendam, a group of volunteers whose aim it is to ensure that TB patients take their medication on a daily basis. DOTS stands for Directly Observed Therapy Strategy, and is recommended by the World Health Organisation.

And then, of course, her parents. Without whom she would not have been able to overcome this obstacle.

Sandy will continue with yearly checkups probably for the rest of her life. For now she is completing her work on the mammalMAP project at UCT, and then she will start looking out for an opportunity where she can combine her love of science with her newly discovered love for writing and translating science to something everyone can understand and enjoy.

For interviews, contact Wiida Fourie-Basson, media: Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, science@sun.ac.za, 021 808 2684, 071 099 5721

Stellenbosch University (SU) alumnus, Prof Markus Reuter, received an honorary doctorate from the University of Liege in Belgium on March 28. The University officially conferred a doctorate honoris causa on Prof Reuter for his outstanding achievements in the field of mineral processing, metallurgy and recycling.

He holds a D. Eng. degree and a PhD from SU as well as a Dr. habil degree from RWTH Aachen University in Germany.

Prof Reuter is currently Director of Technology Management at Outotec in Finland. He is also adjunct professor at Aalto University, professorial fellow at Melbourne University and guest professor at the Central South University of China. He has authored more than 400 papers and is the lead author of the report on recycling for the United Nations Environmental Protection (UNEP): Metal Recycling: Opportunities, Limits, Infrastructure. He is also main author of the book Metrics of Material and Metal Ecology and co-editor as well as contributor to the Handbook of Recycling, both published by Elsevier.

Prof Reuter took time out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions:

How do you feel about this honour?

The basis of this Dr. honoris causa (Dr. hc) by the University of Liege, kindled during my career start at Anglo American, was developed during my postgraduate studies and culminating in a PhD and a D. Eng. (The Fundamental Limits of Recycling) awarded by SU in 1991 and 2006 respectively. Working since 2006 again in industry with Outotec, after nine years as professor (TU Delft, The Netherlands), has brought the theory and practice of sustainable metal production and recycling together.

The Dr. hc in essence covers all this work, including my contribution as the lead author of a United Nations report on metal recycling. It pleases me that the message of sustainability in a circular economy is getting across and that we are in a better position now to quantify sustainability on a techno-economic basis. As a result we can link product design and estimate the recyclability and the environmental footprint of the product and thus better estimate resource efficiency.

This circular economy thinking lies at the basis of a Knowledge Innovation Community (KIC) platform initiated in 2015 by the European Community, bringing the best in industry and academia together to further innovate resource efficiency. Outotec as well as Aalto University play key roles in this.

This has sometimes been a tough path taking me to Europe (Germany, The Netherlands and Finland) and Australia, but there have been so many special rewards along the way. This Dr. hc is therefore rather special to us.

What fond memories do you have of your time here at SU?

I was born and bred in Stellenbosch, having completed my school education at Paul Roos Gymnasium in 1976.

Playing in nature as a kid, walking in the Western Cape mountains, smelling the damp grass at Coetzenburg during winter dusk while training for the Maties 1^st hockey team, all lie at the heart of my sustainability thinking. These are deep footprints in my mind and soul.

I taught science for some years to the lesser privileged, using unique simulation software we developed on the Apple IIe early 80s - all dear memories. These software programs are now called apps, but we were way ahead at the time trying to level the educative playing field.

These memories have led Outotec to fund a sustainability prize for the best engineering thesis in minerals and metals processing by students that submit their work for presentation at the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM) Western Cape branch in August of every year.

Would you say your education here at SU has put you on the path to your current success?

Sure, Stellenbosch remains an important part of my life. The engineering faculty at Stellenbosch University has been part of my youth as my father was a professor in electrical engineering, my mother supporting my dream. My brother Hanno is a professor in mechanical engineering at SU, my sisters Dr Kaia van Heerden, a part-time doctor in town and Uta Junghardt, an architect in Switzerland, and my wife Karen, a pianist, are all SU alumni.

Life takes you on a path and you simply have to do what you have to do; you just know it deep down; have known it since a kid. Therefore right from the start I respected with dedicated study the knowledge I was privileged to have received in Stellenbosch. I have always harmonised it with sustainability thinking, nurtured by the so beautiful surrounding Boland nature.

Anything else you would like to add?

The roots of my thinking in sustainable technology and systems were trained in Stellenbosch. All the ingredients are still there - use these young talent of South Africa! Southern Africa has a unique position in sustainable development and thinking, run with it and preserve it.

The United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) report on recycling I mention above is a free 316 page "text book", downloaded around 40, 000/year from the UNEP portal (also see http://www.ubraintv.com/watch.php?id=842). It was written among others with South Africa in my mind to empower the entrepreneurial youth with knowledge and solutions to enable sustainability for future generations.

I still have that dream to level the global playing field for example in recycling, very much as we tried so many years ago with those 1980s Apple IIe apps to teach science via simulations to level the educative playing field.

It is ultimately the youth that has the key to a sustainable future in their hands. We must provide them with the best training and tools to enable circular economy thinking. This will help preserve the so beautiful Boland nature, which is still such an intense part of my memory. Stellenbosch University has a unique role to play in this. 

​​Prof Wim de Villiers, the rector designate of Stellenbosch University (SU), delivered the welcoming address at a conference of the Forum of University Nursing Deans in South Africa (FUNDISA) hosted at SU's Division of Nursing Science on 19 February 2015.

At this conference, attended by all the heads of nursing programmes at higher education institutions in South Africa, issues of national importance around nursing and midwifery came under the spotlight.

It was De Villiers' first official speaking engagement as SU rector designate. He was appointed in December, and takes up his position in April.  Currently, he is Dean of the University of Cape Town's Faculty of Health Sciences.

In his opening remarks at the FUNDISA meeting he said that nursing and midwifery are vital components of health care. He stressed that he holds academic scholarship in high regard.

De Villiers is a Matie alumnus and medical doctor who also studied and worked in England and America for 24 years. He obtained an MB,ChB from Stellenbosch University and a DPhil in Immunology from Oxford University. In America he practised as a gastroenterologist and also established himself as a respected researcher in this field. He held a number of senior positions at the University of Kentucky (UK), including Head of Gastroenterology and Administrative Head of the UK's group of hospitals and clinics, known as UK HealthCare.

The training of nurses and the scholarship of the subject are of particular interest to De Villiers. "Higher education institutions play a pivotal role in this regard, and the commitment to excellence shown by universities and structures such as FUNDISA is very encouraging."

"We need to pursue excellence in nursing scholarship in South Africa," he said. He praised FUNDISA for their focus on academic excellence, which is clearly stated by their motto of 'excellence in university nursing scholarship'.

De Villiers added that the focus of these institutions must not be on education only, but research and scholarship are of equal importance. "Nursing and midwifery are dependent on expert knowledge and skills," De Villiers said.

He also touched on the importance of an interprofessional team approach and explained that recent research suggests that collaboration between health professionals has a positive impact on the quality of service.  "In USA hospitals one will often find the office of the Chief Nursing Officer right next to the office of the Chief Operating Officer."

De Villiers cautioned that South Africa is facing an epidemic of non-communicable diseases over the next decade. South Africa was successful in managing HIV related issues, but the biggest challenge health care will be facing in the near future is that of non-communicable diseases.  "We need to train for this and do research if we want to manage this challenge successfully."

The Division of Nursing at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences hosted the two day event. The newly appointed head of the division, Prof Anita van der Merwe, said that she aims to have the undergraduate nursing reinstated at Stellenbosch University and to develop the PhD programme to full capacity.

PHOTO: From left to right are Profs Hester Klopper, CEO of FUNDISA; Usuf Chikte, Executive Head: Department of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences, FMHS; Dr Therese Fish, Deputy Dean: Community Service and Interaction, FMHS; Profs Wim de Villiers, Rector Designate, SU; Marietjie de Villiers, Deputy Dean: Education, FMHS; and Anita van der Merwe, Head: Division of Nursing Sciences, FMHS PHOTO:  Desmond Thompson

​​​​Prof Wim de Villiers, Dean of the University of Cape Town's (UCT) Faculty of Health Sciences, was appointed the new Maties Rector and Vice-Chancellor by the Stellenbosch University (SU) Council earlier today.

Watch video.

De Villiers (55), a Matie alumnus and medical doctor who studied and worked in England and America for 24 years, succeeds Prof Russel Botman, who passed away unexpectedly in June. He becomes the University's 12th rector (although the title of this post has changed a number of times through the years). He will take office in 2015, but the exact date is not known yet [1 April has since been confirmed]. In the meantime, Chief Operating Officer Prof Leopoldt Van Huyssteen will stay on as acting Rector and Vice-Chancellor.

"I feel honoured and am very thankful for this opportunity," De Villiers said about his appointment. "Stellenbosch is a jewel in the crown of higher education in South Africa, and with the right leadership and good teamwork we can reach new heights, both locally and internationally."

Mr George Steyn, Chairperson of the SU Council, said De Villiers's appointment heralds a new era for the University. "We are looking forward to Prof De Villiers breaking new ground – also in the run-up to our centenary in 2018. Not only is he an excellent academic and manager, but he has the necessary insight and vision to be a worthy successor to Prof Botman."

De Villiers was "born and bred in Stellenbosch", the youngest child of the late Prof AB de Villiers, who would later become Dean of Law at SU, and Mrs Gera de Villiers (née Klomp) of Kroonstad. He matriculated from Paul Roos Gymnasium in 1977 with top marks in the then Cape Province, and passed his MBChB at SU cum laude. He received the Francie Van Zijl and Chancellor's medals for academic achievement.

He decided to "spread his wings" and obtained a DPhil in Immunology at Oxford University, England, in 1995. He then went to America to gain more experience – at the University of Kentucky Medical Centre in Lexington. He later also obtained a master's degree in health-care management from Harvard University.

"I thought I would stay for 18 months, but it turned out to be 18 years! It was worthwhile, though."

In the USA De Villiers practised as a gastroenterologist and also established himself as a respected researcher in this field. He was included in the publication Best Doctors in America, and held a number of senior positions at the University of Kentucky, including Head of Gastroenterology, and Administrative Head in the UK HealthCare organisation with an annual budget of more than $1,2 billion.

"Then the pull of the fatherland became too strong to resist," and he accepted the dean's post in Cape Town in July 2013. Now he is looking forward to the next chapter in his career.

"I have a long association with Stellenbosch, and am pleased to make a contribution to my alma mater. I come from far, but am also from here. I received a wonderful education and had many opportunities thanks to Stellenbosch. Now it is my responsibility to plough back."

De Villiers sees SU as a "mature university" that has to "compete globally". He is impressed with the fact that Maties moved into the top 300 universities on the Times Higher Education rankings for 2014/15.

"I realise that rankings are problematic in certain respects, but they are the global academic currency of our time. By focusing on our strengths we can reach even higher. The SU brand is undervalued."

He supports academic excellence in all three of the University's core activities – research, learning and teaching, as well as community interaction – but is also in favour of differentiation.

"Each university cannot do everything. We must distinguish ourselves through excellent research that is locally relevant and globally competitive. We also need to increase our number of postgraduate students."

He believes that the University's new policy on multilingualism, which was adopted by the University Council on 22 November and makes provision for increasing the lecture offering in both Afrikaans and English, will help attract more international students and lecturers.

"We must just make sure that the language policy and plan are implemented correctly. I realised overseas what Afrikaans means to me, so I am glad that we are extending it academically – but this is also necessary for English, which provides access to the rest of the world."

De Villiers wants students to receive an excellent education that will give them a competitive advantage as graduates in a rapidly changing world. The latest technology will have to be harnessed to this end, because virtual learning and teaching are becoming increasingly important.

"At the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, there is a slogan on the wall: 'The interest of the patient is the only interest'. We could just as well adapt this to, 'The interest of the student is the only interest'."

De Villiers believes Maties should offer a student experience that is "pleasant, welcoming and hospitable" – "in an inclusive environment". He is "committed to continued transformation to address the inequalities of the past", and supports the University's Institutional Intent and Strategy.

"I am enthusiastic about the path on which Prof Russel Botman placed SU, and find the University's Vision 2030 inspirational. Implementation will no doubt come with its challenges, but it will be an honour for me to lead this process."

De Villiers regards himself as an optimist: "I see the glass as being half full, not half empty". He says he is a "team player who listens well and consults widely". He also knows that "in the end someone needs to take the difficult decisions", but realises that leading a large institution "is a long-distance race, not a sprint".

De Villiers likes to stay fit. "I discovered marathons in my middle age and have run the 'Big 5' – Boston, New York, London, Chicago and Berlin". He also enjoys mountain biking. He is married to Catherine, and they have two daughters and a son – Katusha (33), Braam (30) and Gera (26) – as well as two grandchildren.

Steyn thanked all the candidates: "In this process the Selection Committee was in the fortunate position to compile an impressive shortlist of highly-qualified candidates. We appreciate the efforts of everyone and the time they devoted to Stellenbosch through their applications, preparations and presentations."

Photographer: Anton Jordaan

​The Military Academy had its Welcoming Parade for the first year learners on 29 January 2015 at the Military Academy parade ground.  The students were especially welcomed and honored by the presence of the Mayor of Saldanha municipality, Mr Francois Schippers, the Chief Human Resources, Lieutenant General Norman Yengeni as well as the Chair of the Defence Force Service Commission, Prof Edna van Harte and her team.  There are a total of 75 first years from all Defence Force services who are starting with their studies this year.  The parade was led by the SA Army Band from Youngsfield.

The Commandant, Brigadier General Lawrence Mbatha welcomed the first years to the unit and also extended a welcoming to all staff members and students, back from leave.  In his speech, Brigadier General Mbatha mentioned that 2014 has been one of the busiest for the Military Academy and that the successes achieved would not have been possible without the dedication of the staff, interest and financial support from the Department of Defence and last but not least, the support from the West Coast community.

The Commandant mentioned that with various high-profile visits and unit activities that kept members together, the Military Academy was re-established as an asset to the DOD.  He also said that the unit needs to balance the emphasis of academia with professional military training.  "For the Academy to succeed in producing the DOD desirable end state - a balanced product of a professional Junior Military Leader."

Brig Gen Mbatha also said that the Military Academy do not only want to be perceived as a relevant institution to the DOD and Military Veterans, but to be regarded a pedestal of hope wrt academic and professional military training of excellence to the broader community of the DOD. "I therefore extend my plea to all Services, Divisions, up to the lowest serving member of the DOD not to hesitate to forward their training requirements to the Academy, so as to remain relevant to the critical needs and address the skills gaps currently existing within the DOD".

The Welcoming Parade marks a great start to the beginning of the year for the Military Academy, and first year learners got their first taste of events to come at this unit.  As part of the parade, the Dean of Faculty Military Science, Professor Samuel Tshehla, read the Military Academy Code of Honour to the students, which should serve as a guideline for them to complete their studies successfully.

The evening of the 29^th of January, saw first year students and staff of the Military Academy (Faculty of Military Science) attending the Academic Opening for 2015 – formally getting the academic year underway to the beat of the Diazville High School Band.  The unit were privileged to have the Acting Rector and Vice-Chancellor of Stellenbosch University, Professor Leopoldt van Huyssteen, as the guest speaker.

Prof van Huyssteen reminded everyone that "a good start is half the battle" and that the university places a high premium on excellence.  "We are now ranked amongst the top 2% of higher-education institutions in the world and the high academic achievements here at Saldanha (Military Academy) is part of this success story.  Last year, 38 BMil degrees, 12 Honours degrees and 2 master's Degrees were awarded here."  He also stated that "it is an honour for Stellenbosch University to contribute, through the Faculty of Military Science and the Military Academy, to such important structures in our country as the DOD and the SANDF"

Prof van Huyssteen also highlighted that Community Interaction is one of the core activities of the university, "because the pursuit of knowledge is not of much use if it does not improve people's lives."  In September 2014, the university has concluded an agreement with the Saldanha Bay Municipality to be the "knowledge partner" of the community through its structure at the Military Academy.

As Brigadier General Mbatha has pledged that we remain committed as an institution irrespective of the challenges we are encountering, to be focused and committed to our vision and mission, we wish the intake of 2015 a prosperous three years at the Military Academy.

The Stellenbosch University management regards acts of racism, violence, verbal abuse or human rights violations against any of its students in a very serious light, irrespective of whether the incident occurred on campus property or elsewhere. This was the reaction of Prof Leopoldt van Huyssteen, Acting Rector and Vice-Chancellor of Stellenbosch University, in response to reports of an alleged racist incident at a commercial fast food outlet in Stellenbosch in the early hours of Saturday morning.  

Prof Van Huyssteen added that the University Management welcomes engagement with student organisations, and that they have an open invitation to discuss matters that are important to the campus community.

The particular incident was reported to the Campus Security office in Merriman Avenue, and the student was accompanied by Campus Security officers back to the scene of the incident (off campus) to identify the alleged assailants. Unfortunately no-one could be identified by the complainant; it is thought that they had left the scene. SAPS investigators were at the scene of the incident this afternoon (Tuesday) and the University will be assisting with the investigation.

At this time the identity of the attackers are unknown to the University and for now the primary focus will be to support the injured students. The University's Crisis Service has been in contact with them to offer support and counselling.

"I would like to make the University's stance very clear," Prof Van Huyssteen said. "We have a zero tolerance approach to racism and discrimination. We will institute action against any student found guilty of any behaviour or utterances that contravene the Disciplinary Code for Students, or if convicted of any criminal offence. If you study at Stellenbosch University, it not only means that you are here to obtain a quality degree or diploma; it means that you also subscribe to our institutional values and objectives of inclusiveness.

"The assumptions and innuendo that any actions by Stellenbosch students that constitute racism, discrimination or criminal behaviour have institutional sanction or support are unfounded.  It is also unreasonable to lump the institution into the 'racist category' as a result of the reprehensible actions of individuals.

"It also is important to clarify the role and mandate of the Campus Security division to avoid unrealistic expectations. Campus Security is not a law enforcement agency equal to the South African Police Services (SAPS). Although assistance will be rendered in emergencies such as the events reported on Saturday morning, Campus Security staff do not have any jurisdiction in public or commercial areas, and neither do they have the authority to investigate criminal offences. The Campus Security division does however have a close working relationship with the SAPS."  

If the alleged assailants in Saturday's incident are confirmed to be Stellenbosch students, the internal disciplinary process will be activated.

Chirene Jelbert has been an insect researcher, a lecturer, a quality manager and a technical manager at a fruit packing business. As product manager of one of the world's largest food distributors, she negotiated world-wide to market South African stone and pome fruit. Currently she is the local manager of Bayer CropScience, and will complete her MBA later this year.

Not bad for someone whose school subjects, besides maths and physical science, also included arts and consumer science. After school Jelbert applied the creative and the analytical sides of her personality to qualify in horticulture and entomology at Stellenbosch University – and to go on to enjoy a successful, challenging career in the local agricultural industry.

"I was fortunate to be able to start in an industry where many opportunities for young people regularly arise, partly because many of our long-time experts are now retiring," says a passionate Jelbert, who also studied at Missouri State University in the US.

Jelbert was one of the speakers at an information session for career guidance counsellors and science and agri-science teachers, which formed part of the fourth annual Agri-Food Career and Bursary Exhibition in Stellenbosch. It highlighted the opportunities and increasing need for experts in the food production sector. The event was presented by the Foundation for Industry Talent initiative of the international Produce Marketing Association (PMA) in association with the Faculty of AgriSciences at Stellenbosch University.

It provide high school learners and undergraduate students with the opportunity to learn more about a wide range of career opportunities and internship and bursary programmes in the vegetable and fruit sector. Among the exhibitors were wholesalers, large commercial farming businesses, research and academic institutions, seed companies and food and beverage producers. More information was also provided on study options in the food and agriculture industries which can be undertaken at Stellenbosch University. It was also announced that new admission requirements to follow a programme in the Faculty of AgriSciences at Stellenbosch University are in place. Prospective students are now among others required to achieve at least 60% in maths in their final matric examinations.

Learners and teachers from Clanwilliam, Cape Town, Malmesbury, Somerset West and Stellenbosch were among those that attended the day.

Kobus Pienaar, technical manager of Woolworths' Farming for the Future division, was also among the speakers at the information session. He also emphasised the increasing age of the knowledge base in the local agricultural sector. "Ten years ago the average age of people in the industry was 57 years, but today is it 62 years," he quoted results of a recent survey. In America the comparative figure is 58 years, and in the European Union it is 54 years.

Pienaar, who started his career as a soil scientist, highlighted the importance of sufficient expertise in various sectors of the agriculture and food production sectors. From seed growers, geneticists and water and energy specialists to policymakers and the developers of new packaging materials and cooling units are required to cater for the ever growing world population's need for nutritious food which is produced with sufficient sustainability and in an environmentally friendly way.

Pieter Smit, production manager: seed and biotechnology at Monsanto, in his turn, anticipates an increasing demand for, especially, engineers, GPS and information technology experts, so that production initiatives can become more technologically advanced and effective.

According  to Marianne van der Laarse, PMA representative for Southern Africa, similar sessions will also be presented at the University of Pretoria (21-22 May) and the University of KwaZulu-Natal (26 August).

For more information about agriculture-oriented study options at Stellenbosch University, contact Monika Basson on (021) 808 2978 or mh@sun.ac.za. Also visit www.careerfair.co.za for more information about the next PMA Agri-Food Career and Bursary Exhibitions.

For media enquiries:

Ms Marianne van der Laarse
PMA Representative for Southern Africa
(012) 332 0696
082 388 1000
mvanderlaarse@pma.com
info@careerfair.co.za

Ms Monika Basson
Manager: Strategic Projects & Recruitment
Faculty of AgriSciences, Stellenbosch University
mh@sun.ac.za
(021) 808 2978

​The 16th Woordfees of Stellenbosch University (SU) kicked off with great success on Friday (6 March 2015). A number of theatre productions were attended extremely well and at the Come Sit! Long Table there was no space for a mouse.

Prof Mohammad Karaan, SÚ's acting vice-Rector: Community Interaction and Personnel in his speech at the Long Table said the opening of the festival "takes place on a historic day" in reference to a march for human dignity by students and staff earlier in the day.

"The students taught all of us something. In light of recent occurrences on campus, they showed us that you stand up for something and not against something."

He added that the Woordfees is a manifestation of the university's and the town's contribution to Afrikaans and the arts. In the process it contributes to a better South African society.

 "What the founders of this festival started years ago, has come to fruition."

Het quoted the German philosopher Johann von Goethe who said: They who possess art and science have religion.

"The Woordfees makes a wonderful contribution to society and the spirituality of our country," Karaan said.

He singled out Saartjie Botha, festival director saying that he has great respect for what she and her team have managed to achieve and the way that they fill the shoes of Prof Dorothea van Zyl, founder of the Woordfees and until 2014 festival director.

12 Benches by artists such as Marieke Prinsloo and Strijdom van der Merwe which have been decorating the pavements and other public spaces of Stellenbosch this past year, was auctioned off on Friday evening. The auctioneer was the actress, director and producer, Lizz Meiring, who is also a qualified auctioneer. The auction was done on behalf of the Stellenbosch Outdoor Sculpture Trust.

A video of the Long Table can be seen by clicking here.

Today on the Wordfest menu:

13:00, Theatre discussion, PG du Plessis, Erfurthuis (free): PG, a regular at the Wordfest, talks about Siener in die Suburbs, the production that takes place in the 70's and that cemented him as one of our finest playwrights, that will once again be on stage, this time in the Cape Flats. 

16:00, Vetterag of te not, Breughel Theatre (R80): This play tackles the never ending battle of the bulge and the tears and laughter it entails.

20:00,  Hoogste Bod, kykNET Endler (R120/R100): Hoogste bod,  tells the story of a prophet who marries a prostitute in obedience to God. The marriage is plagued by shame and finally the prostitute leaves the prophet for a life of perversity. When her lovers one by one deserts her, she ends up on the streets and finally offers herself as a sex slave to the highest bidder. Her husband hears about this and comes to buy her back. 

20:15, Die Seemeeu, Oude Libertas Theatre (R150/R120): The theme is timeless: A son tries to impress his mother, someone dreams of fame and others long toe change the past. Everybody is discontent.  Everybody yearns for love, success and fulfillment.

Matie Community Service, in the Division for Community Interaction, recently hosted its annual closing function for its One-stop Student Volunteer Programme.

Mr Gareth Cornelissen, Head of Matie Community Service, highlighted the role of volunteerism as an opportunity for mutual learning with strong alignment to the University's Vision 2030.

Prof Mohammad Karaan (Acting Vice-Rector: Community Interaction and Personnel), who was the guest speaker at the event, indicated that these student volunteers did not simply complete a course – they have dedicated themselves to a bigger cause.

Prof Karaan said that when a problem exists in our community or society, we cannot say that it is not our problem, because eventually it will become our problem. We therefore have to ask what we can do to make life better for others. Prof Karaan also related that doubt exists about the progress the new South Africa has made since becoming a democratic country if one took a macro point of view, yet if one walks the spaces of common people, one finds that South Africa is in a much better space as a country. "The transformation of our society remains a challenge now, as it was in the past. It is imperative that we ask 'How have I changed?' If we can change ourselves, we can change the world," he stressed.

House Committee project presentations were done by Danie du Toit (Vesta PSO) and Rachel Wood (Huis Francie). Du Toit shared the story of starting a band for the children on the Middelvlei Farm. The project started off slowly, but grew very quickly. Some children would travel for two hours to attend a lesson. Nedbank donated R20 000 for 30 new guitars. Positive time was spent with the children and the students also gained from interaction with the children.

Wood shared the story of the Leadership for Legends project at Kalkfontein Primary School. Kalkfontein is a community where children grow up with little space to dream. The aim of the project was to equip and prepare the future leaders of the school and also to develop their mathematics skills. Team work, trust, diversity, confidence and self-esteem were some of the life skills that were also explored. Students from the residence were involved and were able to use their skills in different areas. Students were involved in the planning, implementation, evaluation and improvement processes of the project. One major goal on which they focussed was: Treat people so that you value the potential they possess.

"The Frederik van Zyl Slabbert Institute for Student Leadership Development Short Course for Community Interaction has shown substantial growth over the last five years," said Dr Leslie van Rooi, Head of the Institute. This course is also offered to students from the University of Cape Town and the University of the Western Cape. This year, for the first time, it was offered to international students from St Andrews University.

Dr Van Rooi referred to two highlights of the programmes. Firstly, the student volunteer course on the principles of community interaction focuses on active and responsible citizenship. Students were able to experience this first-hand in relation to the building-related issues they were experiencing on campus in their personal capacity as students. The second highlight was students' understanding of the principles of the National Development Plan. Students discussed how it should be implemented by government and citizens. "Responsibility will rest on citizens and how they see their roles as active citizens in our country. The ideals of Prof Russel Botman (who had many conversations with students) will continue to live through the students. Government has invested in us as students of this university and we need to serve our greater society," said Dr Van Rooi.

Ms Michelle Pietersen, Manager of the One-stop Student Volunteer Programme, said, "We encourage students to complete the 100-hour volunteer challenge as a means of adding value to the students' work. This is included in the students' academic reports as proof as their work".

The Stellenbosch University (SU) Woordfees (Wordfest) is entering a new phase with a view to 2015 with two new appointments, Prof Mohammad Karaan, SU’s Acting Vice-Rector (Community Interaction and Personnel), has announced.

Ms Saartjie Botha, acclaimed playwright and theatre impresario, has been tasked with managing the 2015 SU Woordfees, while Mr Rudolf Gouws, a former chief economist at Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) and extraordinary professor of economics at the University, has been named chairperson of the Woordfees Advisory Committee, which advises the managing committee.

“The SU Woordfees is close to our hearts and we remain committed to further expand it. These new appointments will help us on this path,” Karaan said.

Botha is well-known in drama circles. As a playwright, she earned praise for Altyd Jonker and most recently Balbesit and as a producer she has more than 50 productions to her credit. Botha has been involved with the SU Woordfees since 2001, working as coordinator of the theatre programme.

The SU Woordfees is one of the most successful arts festivals in the country. The 15th festival, that took place in March this year, again exceeded all previous records. Ticket sales increased by 21.4% compared to 2013.

Prof Dorothea van Zyl, founding director of the SU Woordfees, announced her retirement in March this year. It is also expected that she will retire as a lecturer in the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch at SU at the end of 2014.

“We thank Prof Van Zyl for her years of dedication to make the SU Woodfees such a successful and high quality event,” Karaan said.

“I’ve been privileged to be involved with the Woordfees for a long time and now I have the opportunity to continue building on the successes we’ve achieved thus far. I look forward to working with the team – once again offering festivalgoers an experience to remember," Botha said. 

Applications for participation in the 2015 festival closed on 15 July, and the result of selection will be announced on 15 August. Prospective participants should note that all information for the festival guide must be submitted by 15 September.

The SU Woordfees takes place from 6 to 15 March 2015.

​​March 2015 was a good month for Faith Pienaar, student leader who is closely attached to the Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert Institute for Student Leadership Development at Stellenbosch University.

On 26 March she graduated with a degree in Viticulture and Oenology and in the same week she heard that she had been chosen for the South Africa-Washington International Programme (SAWIP).

"There is an assumption that I enjoy wine in almost all of my classes and that my practical sessions are spent on some of the most beautiful wine farms in the Cape. Some cannot believe that what I do is an actual science and goes far beyond playful grape stomping," Faith wrote some time ago on the New World Winemaker website.

This graduate, who is now pursuing a postgraduate course in Marketing, says she has always had an interest in "how the soil produces life and the products that come from the soil".

Her maternal grandmother was a subsistence mealie farmer in Limpopo and during school holidays – school being Parktown High School for Girls. – Faith would travel by train from her home in Johannesburg to work with her.

"Becoming a viticulturist was an unconventional choice for a child from a family who has no interest in or an understanding of good wine," says Faith, whose father passed away a few years ago.

"However, my mom has raised me to follow my passion and she has been incredibly supportive of me."

As a postgraduate marketing student, she says she is passionate about bringing wine and a knowledge of wine to black consumers.

"I also want to help with transformation. I have spent quite a lot of time on farms, and while some farms are doing extremely well with the transformation process, there are others where nothing is happening. And of course, I would also like to make my own wine."

Faith is, amongst other things, a coordinator of Stellenbosch University's Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert Institute for Student Leadership's short course Democracy and Citizenship and is a regular on student panels and other public forums discussing issues around transformation and diversity. She was also the vice-Primaria of Goldfields residence.

"My parents were politically aware, but they were not actively involved with politics. I learnt to interrogate certain issues on the debating team in high school. I grew up in a multiracial household and from early on I learnt how to negotiate the space between different cultures. In the process I learnt to respect others and other points of view.

Last year she visited the UK as a recipient of Abe Bailey Travel Bursary.

"It was interesting to speak about South Africa in an environment away from this particular context. I felt positively challenged and convinced that I could play an important role in this country. I also know that if I want to work in the wine industry, I have to understand South Africa and the different communities."

 She applied for SAWIP because she wanted to "challenge myself even further as a leader".

"All of us on the SAWIP programme have to immerse ourselves in a community project in South Africa. At the end of the year we will go to Washington for six weeks where we will be interns in either the private sector of at NGOs. This professional exposure will give us the opportunity to put into practice everything we learnt during our work with the communities in South Africa. I am excited about this great opportunity to learn from others locally as well as in America."

On the eve of World Tuberculosis Day, which was celebrated on 24 March, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu said South Africans should view the fight against TB as their next liberation struggle.

He, his wife, Leah, and daughter, Rev Mpho Tutu, were guests of honour on Monday night (23 March) at the private gala screening of the film Breathe Umphefumlo held in the cinema theatre in the Neelsie Student Centre of Stellenbosch University (SU).

The film was shot partly on the SU campus, and is a collaboration between the Isango Ensemble, the Desmond Tutu TB Centre at SU's Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, and the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation. It earned rave reviews at the recent Berlin Film Festival.

In his speech at the event, Tutu brought home the grim reality of the toll TB has taken on so many South Africans. Tuberculosis is the number one cause of death in South Africa, with more than 50 000 people dying of TB every year in our country.

"It is disgraceful. We can't accept this. There are people dying who need not die. We can't go on accepting that people die – and die unnecessarily. It is unacceptable. It is immoral. TB is a treatable disease. We need a new set of tools to diagnose and treat the disease. TB needs to be our next liberation struggle, next to the fight against poverty," Tutu said.

The first screening of Breathe Umphefumlo, which is an adaptation of Giacomo Puccini's opera La Bohème, was held at the University to mark World TB Day. The film's main character, Mimi, dies from tuberculosis – an illness which has not abated and indeed has risen in South Africa since the 19^th century when La Bohème was first performed in Turin, Italy.

The opera's music was kept as Puccini had composed it, but instead of a symphony orchestra, a marimba and steel band is used, giving the music an African flavour. The characters sing in Xhosa, because most of the opera is set in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, in a Xhosa community.

In welcoming the guests, Prof Mohammad Karaan, SU Vice-Rector for Community Interaction and Personnel, said it was a pleasure for the University to make its facilities available for this film to be shot on campus. "We are a university aiming to make an impact on society with relevant science and research excellence. The work done by the Desmond Tutu TB Centre exemplifies this perfectly. And this film is a powerful tool in the fight against TB."

Mark Dornford-May of the Isango Ensemble and director of the film said: "The townships where the performers are drawn from are amongst some of the world's highest infection areas for TB. Many of the cast members have friends or relatives who have suffered from tuberculosis. TB is a time bomb waiting to explode unless we do more about it."

Prof Nulda Beyers, Director of the Desmond Tutu TB Centre, said she is proud to be part of a university which transforms by doing things differently.

"By bringing together academic research, film, music, art and the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, we're working together to develop new ways to raise awareness about TB."

Prof Beyers hopes the film will be shown as widely as possible, including in schools and community halls. It is due to be released in movie theatres and on television next year.

• Watch a video about the event at http://youtu.be/q6es9I4Tcis.

​

​​​Christmas came early this year for the Russel Bursary Fund. Oxford University Press Southern Africa donated R10 000 in memory of Prof Russel Botman, who passed away earlier this year. 

The cheque was handed over to the spouse of Prof Botman, Mrs Beryl Botman in Stellenbosch. According to Mr Steve Cilliers, Managing Director, they admired Prof Botman for his ethical leadership of the university and the emphasis he placed on making learning accessible to students who might not ordinarily access higher education.

Cilliers also said they donated the money with the belief that it will be used towards the funding of a finically needy undergraduate student who has demonstrated academic potential.

The Russel Botman Bursary Fund was established on Prof Botman’s 60th birthday in October last year when guests were asked to, in lieu of gifts, support this fund.

Oxford University Press Southern Africa is a publishing company based in South Africa, which works with South African academics to publish undergraduate textbooks to benefit students and lecturers, including those at Stellenbosch University. 

​​"I was so looking forward to Russel conferring the degree on me."

These were the words of Dr Beryl Botman, wife of the late prof Russel Botman, former Rector and Vice-Chancellor of Stellenbosch University (SU), after the first doctoral graduation ceremony on Wednesday, 10 December. A total of 56 doctoral candidates from the Faculties of Arts and Social Sciences, Education, Law, Theology and Economic and Business Sciences received their degrees at this ceremony.

Dr Botman, who was awarded a doctoral degree in Education Policy Studies, said: "I feel like half a person today. My best half is not here to share in this day with me. We both looked forward to this occasion."

Their daughter, Roxanne, said it is a bittersweet day for the family, "but we know my father was with us today. And we are glad that we could be with my mother on this journey".

Among the guests at the ceremony was Mr Mandla Mandela, grandson of former president Nelson Mandela. He came to support a friend, Dr Craig Moffat, who obtained a degree in Political Science. 

The first joint doctoral degree in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences was also confered during Wednesday's ceremony. This is only the fourth joint degree awarded by SU. Stefanie Baumert, Programme Officer at the German Research Foundation in Bonn in Germany, received the degree jointly awarded by SU and the University of Leipzig.

Prof Jan Botha from the Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science and Technology (CREST) at SU, explained: "Across the world, joint degrees are becoming more common. In the past, we saw many doctoral students going overseas to work on their dissertation during research exchange visits, however now students want to receive recognition for the work they do at universities elsewhere in the world. One of the ways to give that recognition, is to award joint degrees."  

Botha supervised Baumert's dissertation along with Prof Matthias Middell, the Director of the Global and European Studies Institute (GESI) at the University of Leipzig.

Also among the candidates were Marie-Anne Staebler and Gibson Ncube, who obtained their PhDs in French. These are the first PhD degrees in French, awarded in more or less 17 years since the French department was built up from scratch into one of the strongest in the country, and a PhD in French was reinstated.

After Wednesday's ceremony, Prof Yusef Waghid, Distinguished Professor in SU's Faculty of Education can boast a house full of doctors. His son Zayd was awared his PhD in Educational Policy Studies on Wednesday, while his other son, Faiq, who now works at SU's Centre for Learning Technologies, received his PhD in Curriculum Studies in 2013. Prof Waghid's daughter, Sian, in turn is a graduate of SU's Medical Faculty. 

Prof Waghid said he is very proud of his children's accomplishments, but added that as a parent  it is important to ​stay humble.  He said as long as they do their bit for society and try and make a difference, he is happy. 

On Wednesday morning a total of 729 students received their degrees in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at the third SU graduation ceremony. "No investment yields a greater return than an investment in education," said Prof Arnold Schoonwinkel, Vice-rector: Learning and Teaching. He added that students at this graduation will understand this concept very well.

A Chancellor's Award was awarded to Prof Nic Terblanche of the Department of Business Management. Among other things, he has developed this department to become one of the foremost research-driven departments of its kind in South Africa.