On campus issue 3 2013 by University of the Western Cape

on Campus Issue 3 • April 2013 • For daily updates visit www.uwc.ac.za

Inside HIV in context: urbanisation and inequality page 3

Using nanotechnology to provide breast cancer warnings page 4

PhDs at the 2013 summer graduation page 12

What’s on at UWC sport fields page 22

Your Source for University News

UWC honours struggle icons

UWC Chancellor, Dr Thabo Makgoba, caps James Matthews at the University’s graduation, looking on is Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Ramesh Bharuthram.

WC conferred honorary doctorates on two struggle icons, the late Hassan Howa and poet James Matthews, during the summer graduation ceremonies in March 2013. Howa was a founding member of the now defunct SA Cricket Board of Control (SACBOC), which worked resolutely to promote the sport among the oppressed. It was through SACBOC that Howa led a campaign throughout the 1970s against ‘white cricket’, raising support locally and internationally, and ensuring that the national cricket team was banned from participation in international cricket. He was also instrumental in the founding of the South African Council on Sports, or SACOS, which

Vice-Chancellor and Rector, Professor Brian O’Connell, and Chancellor, Dr Thabo Makgoba, with pursued non-racial sport. the son and widow of Hassan Howa. Howa’s son Sedick Howa accepted the honour on his late father’s behalf Black Voices Shout and Poisoned Well and at the graduation ceremony, which was also Other Delights, recalls that one reader had attended by his mother, Sybil Howa. concluded that he (Matthews) really hated all Matthews, 87, thanked the University for white people. the honour, and vowed to continue writing However, his writings were directed at the poetry. His current work is of a personal apartheid government. “All my writings were nature, Matthews said, but he revealed that aimed at helping to overthrow the racist his next project would be decidedly more regime,” he explained. political. Matthews was humbled by the recognition. “Due to what is happening in the country, “All this makes me feel like a rock star.” my next poetry collection will be about the This past graduation season, UWC state, because I did it with the previous celebrated the capping of 3136 students, [apartheid] state,” he said. including 37 doctorate and 238 masters’ Matthews, whose famous works include graduates.

News

Zimbabwean students make Minister proud

WC’s second night of graduation was graced by the presence of Chris Mushohwe (Senator), Resident Minister and Governor of Manicaland Province in Zimbabwe. Mushohwe, who is also the Executive Director of the country’s Presidential Scholarship, was invited by the University’s International Relations office to witness the graduating of the first cohort of Zimbabwean students funded by the scholarship. “The scholarship is a government initiative to create opportunities for students who come from disadvantaged backgrounds and attained academic distictions, but have no means of paying for their education,” said Mushohwe. “Our government is attempting to bridge the gap between the middle class and the poor.” Since 2010, 76 Zimbabwean students have been registered at the University with financial assistance from the Presidential Scholarship – 16 of whom were capped over the two weeks of graduation. Mushohwe went on to say: “We are very proud of our students. Not only do they do well in class but we believe they represent us well as a country.” These students, he added, “come from disadvantaged schools where they had to study science without laboratories and equipment”. Zimbabwe has put an emphasis on maths and science, and encourages learners to work hard regardless of their circumstances, Mushohwe said. Nine students graduated from the Faculty of Arts and seven students from the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences.

Chris Mushohwe (senator), Manicaland Provincial Governor and Resident Minister, seen here with Zimbabwean students who graduated through the Presidential Scholarship programme.

UWC Physiotherapy lecturer Dr Mike Rowe delivers a presentation on the use of Google Drive to facilitate a blended learning approach.

Prof Denise Wood of the University of South Australia (and Extraordinary Professor of Education at UWC) discusses 3D virtual worlds as authentic learning environments.

Real Learning for the 21st Century

WC hosted an Authentic Learning Colloquium on 22 March 2013, providing educators from universities across South Africa the opportunity to showcase research into what is known as ‘authentic learning’. In this student empowering pedagogical approach, learners and educators (and even the wider world) become partners in knowledge generation and sharing through the use of innovative learning methods and technologies. The aim of the colloquium was to showcase research that explores practical applications of authentic learning and emerging technologies in authentic learning, among other themes. There was much fruitful discussion on opportunities for learning afforded by 3D virtual worlds, the possibilities for mobile learning in a country where most people are connected to the net through cell phones, the use of free and opensource software, and the theory of authentic learning and its use in emerging education systems. Professor Vivienne Bozalek, Director of Teaching and Learning at UWC, opened proceedings, while the keynote lecture was delivered by one of the foremost experts on authentic learning, Professor Jan Herrington of Murdoch University in Australia. Prof Herrington could not attend the event, but in keeping with the subject matter, presented his lecture, titled The misapprehensions of authentic learning: What are the critical characteristics?, by video link. UWC educators from a variety of faculties and departments gave presentations on a range of innovative methods employed in education. Physiotherapy lecturer Dr Mike Rowe spoke about using Google Drive to facilitate a blended approach to learning; Dr Richard Knight of the Biodiversity and Conservation Biology Department discussed authentic learning in 3D virtual worlds and role-play; and School of Nursing lecturer Lorraine Fakude explained how she employs blogging as a tool to enhance reflective practice in nursing education.

Producing &

Sustaining

Growing Our

Research &

Attracting

Financial

Profile Internally

Innovation

Excellent Talent

Stability

& Externally

UWC

Offering A

Our Teaching

Our Relevent

takes

Holistic Student

& Learning

pride in...

Experience

Focus

Sense-Making Through Leadership Development

News

HIV in context: urbanisation and inequality

“T

he time comes in the life of any nation where only two choices remain: submit or fight. That time has come in our fight against AIDS. Let us thus declare now that we shall not submit.” So said Professor Jose Frantz, Acting Dean of the Faculty of Community and Health Sciences at UWC, at the opening of the 5th annual HIV in Context Symposium, addressing the theme Urbanisation, Inequality and HIV. The symposium was held from 13 March to 15 March 2013 at UWC’s School of Public Health and hosted by the Centre for Research in HIV and AIDS (CRHA). The symposium attracted some 140 participants, including scholars, health practitioners as well as government and community representatives from Africa, Europe and the USA. The Symposium examined the dynamics that play out as people move permanently or temporarily to urban centres. It also looked at how increasing urbanisation in South Africa affects inequality and HIV infection and treatment. Opening the Symposium, Professor Christina Zarowsky, director of the CRHA, explained how South Africa has made significant progress in the medical management of HIV, and spoke of the challenges of dealing with HIV as a chronic disease. HIV reveals and is produced by social inequalities, Zarowsky said, and remains unevenly distributed across communities and across the country. On the opening day, four public intellectuals discussed the theme, Persistent Patterns of the Past: Health, social and economic inequalities in Cape Town. Over the course of the gathering, participants discussed topics such as service

Prof Christina Zarowsky, Director of the Centre for Research in HIV and AIDS, speaking at the 5th annual HIV in Context Symposium. delivery and quality of care within the context of urban poverty, access to health services for migrant and mobile populations, and the social determinants of health. UCT’s Professor Steve Reid closed the Symposium, by challenging delegates to

engage with the complexities of both the rural and the urban settings in South Africa. Following the symposium, several working groups met to discuss and develop programmes on urbanisation and health, migration and health, and human trafficking.

Delegates attending the 5th annual HIV in Context Symposium.

The UWC Centre for Research in HIV and AIDS (CRHA) fosters synergies among UWC researchers focusing on HIV and AIDS, and develops new research efforts to build an African and global centre of excellence. Launched at the 2010 HIV in Context Research Symposium, the CRHA is housed in the School of Public Health, and works closely with UWC’s HIV & AIDS Programme.

On the afternoon before the HIV in Context Research Symposium, a capacity-strengthening workshop for emerging researchers and practitioners was held. The workshop was aimed primarily at those 13 symposium attendees who had been selected to present. The intention of the workshop was to help them develop effective presentation skills. “I listened to the previously nervous participants deliver their presentations with such confidence and poise, which was indeed evidence of how this workshop had empowered and equipped the presenters in such a short period,” said SOPH PhD student Emma Chademana.

News

Biotech World: Using nanotechnology to provide breast cancer warnings

ustafa Drah, a postgraduate student in biotechnology at UWC, is fascinated by cancer, and about helping those suffering from the disease. Over recent years, he has also developed a growing interest in nanotechnology, on which he will do his PhD research in the DST/Mintek Nanotechnology Innovation Centre – Biolabels Unit. “Nanotechnology is the science of this time,” he says, “and this technology can help and serve the world and Africa in particular.” With these interests, it’s natural that when Drah attended the 2nd Biotechnology World Congress, held in Dubai from 18 to 21 February 2013, he chose as his topic The Development of Nanotechnologybased Detection Systems for the Diagnosis of Breast Cancer. His enthusiasm for the topic translated into second position in the Poster Award competition, as he impressed delegates with the research he had performed under the supervision of Dr Mervin Meyer of UWC’s Biotechnology Department. The objective of Drah’s work is to develop nanotechnology-based early detection systems for breast cancer. Based on the use of fluorescent nanoparticles or ‘quantum dots’, this technology allows scientists to detect even miniscule tumours. Early detection of breast cancer in turn allows more time for effective treatment and management of cancer, and so decreases suffering and

Biotechnology postgrad student Mustafa Drah with the poster presentation that earned him second spot at the Biotechnology World Conference in Dubai in February. increases lifespan, he explains. The international conference allowed Drah to rub shoulders with an assortment of researchers in biotechnology, from university students and academics to Nobel laureates involved in everything from basic science to applications, all there to discuss important

new developments and present their latest findings. The meeting was attended by over 600 delegates from 56 countries. Drah was able to attend lectures on such subjects as biofuels, transgenic crops and protein engineering, and found the lectures on RNA and DNA analysis of particular interest.

Drah’s research was funded by the

This isn’t the first time Drah’s

Biomarkers are substances that can

South African Department of Science

work has received recognition

be introduced into an organism and

and Technology and the Libyan

(or awards). At the National

used as a means to examine certain

Government, and was conducted

Nanotechnology Conference in

aspects of the organism’s health

with the help of researchers from

2011, sponsored by the DST/

and physiological functions. They

UWC’s Department of Biotechnology,

Mintek Nanotechnology Innovation

can be specific enzymes, hormones,

Stellenbosch University’s

Centre and attended by dozens of

genes, or a range of other

Department of Genetics, and the

researchers from Africa and abroad,

molecules and products, and can be

Diabetes Research Group of the

he won second prize for his oral

used to indicate normal, diseased,

Medical Research Council.

presentation.

stressed or otherwise extreme processes in the body.

Producing &

Sustaining

Growing Our

Research &

Attracting

Financial

Profile Internally

Innovation

Excellent Talent

Stability

& Externally

UWC

Offering A

Our Teaching

Our Relevent

takes

Holistic Student

& Learning

pride in...

Experience

Focus

Sense-Making Through Leadership Development

News

Dell equips students with the right tools for the job

hree young first-year UWC students are getting their studies off on the right foot – this after they each received a state-of-the-art Dell laptop in March. The laptops form part of the bursaries awarded to the students by computertechnology company Dell South Africa through its Dell Development Fund. The three UWC students to win the generous bursaries (which covers tuition, accommodation and a small stipend, and comes with an offer of a one-year internship at Dell) and who now boast new laptops are BCom (business administration) student Alton Fennie, and BSc (computer science) students Siyabulela Ngcizela and Shuaib Solomons. “The partnership between Dell and UWC has existed for some time now, and the investment to UWC is quite important,” said Ncedikaya Magopeni, UWC’s ViceRector: Student Development (Acting), at the handover. “These laptops will enable students to work at their convenience, and we appreciate that there are oppotunities for students coming out of UWC.” Dell account executive, Marc Layne, also praised the partnership. “We view this as a long-term relationship, and we value what

Dell bursary students Siyabulela Ngcizela, Alton Fennie and Shuaib Solomons waste no time in putting their new laptops through their paces. the University does for our bursary holders,” he said. “We provide the money, but it’s up to the students to do all the hard work.” The students also expressed their heartfelt gratitude, especially for the Dell laptops. “I feel more confident in my lectures with my new laptop,” said Fennie. “It will

help me tremendously with assignments, with checking my email account, and with downloading necessary documents from the University’s website.” Solomons added: “This will definitely improve many things for me at campus, and help me attain my dreams.”

UWC, the new home of Isaacman’s historic collection

“T

here is a very those at the centre who inspired rich history his decision to bring the collection that connects to UWC. “Most importantly we Mozambique give this collection because we and South Africa in the most recognise and celebrate the large fundamental way, and it is a history role UWC has played in the struggle that still needs to be shared and for economic and social justice,” explored.” These were the words he said of himself and his wife’s shared by Allen Isaacman during choice of institution. the handing-over of his Mozambican The Director of the CHR, book collection to UWC’s Library on Professor Premesh Lalu, expressed Monday, 4 March 2013. his gratitude as he welcomed Isaacman, who has published Isaacman. “It is not very difficult The Allen Isaacman Collection found on level 12 of the UWC Library. widely on the history of to find people who still believe Mozambique and the larger region in this institution,” said Lalu. collection includes, among other things, of Southern Africa, handed over his sizeable “Allen has been a colleague, a comrade primary documents dating back to 1846, as collection of approximately 2283 volumes and a friend to UWC for many years, so we well as primary accounts of travellers and (excluding the Portuguese titles), which will thank him for the support and we thank him colonial-era reports. now fall under the supervision of Library for choosing UWC as the new home for his Isaacman praised the Centre for Director, Pateka Ntshuntshe Matshaya. The collection.” Humanities Research (CHR), in particular

News

Cellphones in the classroom prove to benefit high school learners Noluthando Ntsimango graduated in March, overcoming even the challenge of being partially blind.

Partially blind student beats the odds to graduate

oluthando Ntsimango graduated from UWC in March with her Honours Degree in Industrial Psychology, despite having lost more than half of her eyesight to an unknown disease some years ago. There have been setbacks since. In fact, Ntsimango had to be released from hospital especially to attend her first graduation, when she received her BAdmin degree in 2012 . “At one point I was suicidal, I was questioning God,” recalls Ntsimango, now an intern at PetroSA. “Why did I have to go through such challenges?” The Gugulethu-born Ntsimango, who now lives in Brackenfell, lost most of her eyesight when she was in Grade 7, and had to pursue her studies at the Athlone School for the Blind. Prior to moving to the School, things were “terrible” at her previous school as some teachers and fellow learners made a laughing stock out of her, she says. “It was tough. Children can be cruel, but I’m sure they are not aware of the damage they inflict on the next person.” Even at UWC, not all lecturers were understanding of her situation, she noted. “First year, in particular, was quite tough. There was a lecturer who would use a pointer and I would not see a thing. I don’t know how I managed to pull through it.” Ntsimango has one message for other disabled people who may be struggling: “Show them your ability so they can look beyond your disability.”

Burget Maree from Bishops Diocesan College explains how blogging could be used to teach Afrikaans as a first additional language.

he use of cellphones in the classroom could prove to be beneficial, said teachers from Bishops Diocesan College at the LOK (Letterkundeondersteuningskomitee) Symposium. At the symposium, Bishops’ Burget Maree, Wessel Theron and Trudy Hoefnagels addressed a crowd of 200 teachers about the benefits of using cellphones as part of their Afrikaans First Additional Language lessons. The symposium is a collaborative project of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED), Stigting vir Bemagtiging deur Afrikaans (SBA), UWC’s Afrikaans Department, Stellenbosch University and UCT. The Symposium was organised by the SBA. Hoefnagels said that they are constantly trying to find new ways to make the lessons more enjoyable for learners. The use of cellphones not only does that, but also helps to improve writing and oral presentation skills. In one exercise, learners are asked to create photo journals by taking photographs with their cellphones. The next day they must

bring along props and present their journals by acting them out. “This brightens up the lesson,” said Hoefnagels, “which makes it more enjoyable for the learners – which in turn helps them remember the language.” Maree explained how he encourages his learners to blog in Afrikaans. “Since we implemented this, we have seen an improvement in their language,” he said. For his part, Theron allows his children to write and record their own stories on a website/blog called Play it Forward for the Blind. This is a platform where children read and upload voice recordings of stories, with access provided to blind children across the world. “I realised that when children interact in dialogue, the language sticks with them and this is an effective way for them to learn Afrikaans,” said Theron. In another initiative, grade 11 and 12 learners follow the school’s Bishops Afrikaans account on Twitter, on which teachers upload one Afrikaans word with its English meaning every day.

Producing &

Sustaining

Growing Our

Research &

Attracting

Financial

Profile Internally

Innovation

Excellent Talent

Stability

& Externally

UWC

Offering A

Our Teaching

Our Relevent

takes

Holistic Student

& Learning

pride in...

Experience

Focus

Sense-Making Through Leadership Development

Graduation

Sorghum, science and sugar

Didi Makaula

iotechnologist Didi Xhanti Makaula has never really had time to bask in his graduation successes. When he attended his BSc graduation ceremony, he was busy with his honours studies. When he received his honours degree, he was in the throes of his master’s project. When he received his MSc at the University of the Western Cape’s (UWC) March 2013 graduation ceremonies, he had already moved on to his PhD (which he’s doing at the University of Cape Town). His MSc research compared the ability of sorghum and three other prominent South African grains (maize, barley and wheat) to produce fermentable sugars and bioethanol. The project followed on from Makaula’s honours work, in which he compared the sugar content of fermentable stem juices extracted from various sweet sorghum landraces grown in different provinces. All in all, there’s a good case for using sorghum as feedstock for bioethanol

production in South Africa, Makaula says. “Sorghum is an indigenous crop, is naturally drought tolerant, and generally requires less input and has high output compared to sugar beet.” The project was a natural choice for Makaula, who was born and raised in the small town of Cradock in the Eastern Cape, home to a multi-billion rand biofuel plant using sugar beet as main feedstock. The youngest of six children, he attended three very different high schools, the last being Cradock High School. After high school, he chose to attend UWC to study biotechnology because it combined the best of microbiology and biochemistry, two subjects he was passionate about. Key among his supporters – which included his two supervisors – was his mother, who never pressured him to stop his studies and find a job, Makaula says. “I owe what I am today and what I will be in the future to her.”

The Stone Age: Around the world with applied geology

ande Mabona, who graduated with her MSc in Applied Geology, cum laude, at UWC’s March graduation ceremonies, had not initially thought of studying geology, but the subject has opened up a whole new world – and cities – of opportunities for her. Mabona grew up in Zone 11, Langa, in Cape Town, and attended Rhodes High School in Mowbray. She grew up next to a tavern and a shebeen, but living with her immediate family and close to her extended family helped her to keep her focus, as did her involvement with the Methodist Church and its youth movement, the Wesley Guild. “My family always motivated me to study hard,” she says. Mabona originally wanted to be a pilot, but a talk with her mother and a Careers Day at UWC – plus her knack for geographical information systems – convinced her to register for studies in geology. It was a life-changing decision. “UWC is

such an awesome learning environment, and I’ve been exposed to so much diversity here and been part of such great organisations (including the HIV/AIDS Unit).” For her master’s thesis, Mabona examined ground acquisition data and petrophysics along the South West Coast, trying to determine if the rocks in her study area could potentially hold oil. Her study said they don’t, but the work served as good practice for her new job as tech support engineer at the oilfieldservice company Schlumberger, where she had interned during her master’s studies. Schlumberger has turned Mabona into something of a jetsetter. She has already travelled to Paris in France, Durban, and Houston in the US, where she’s taking part in a training programme. Not surprisingly, Mabona sees big things for herself in the future – and for her beloved country, the developing oil and shale-gas industries are offering many new growth opportunities, she says.

Nande Mabona

Graduation

Better living through pharmacy

“H

ard work really does pay off; you have to prioritise your studies from the start. Envisage the ultimate goal of why you are studying – every test, assignment and exam you succeed at brings you one step closer to achieving that goal.” These are words UWC BPharm graduate Alison Louw lives by, and she’s seen some of the benefits of all that hard work. She topped the Dean’s Merit List in her first year of studies in 2009, and has made it onto the list every year since then. She also graduated cum laude in March. Remarkably, this isn’t the first degree Louw has excelled in. After matriculating from Edgemead High School in 2005, she had completed a National Diploma in Biomedical Technology at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. With a cum laude pass. But instead of heading for the job market as her friends did, enjoying the fruits of their labours, Louw chose to continue with her studies, now at UWC. It was a gamble, she admits. “You never know if it’s the right decision.” But it was worth it, she says. “Pharmacy is a great career to go into in South Africa – it’s an interesting field with many job opportunities. And the satisfaction of helping someone and making a difference in people’s lives makes Pharmacy a very rewarding career.” Louw isn’t done learning yet, and is now doing a internship in medicine manufacturing at GlaxoSmithKline, one of only four interns selected for the programme. “One of the fascinating things about pharmacy is the research which is being performed to bring new drugs into the market, which will work better and help people to get better faster,” she says. “As patients, most of us never realise how much research is behind the medicines we use.” Alison Louw

Prof Judith Conelissen (acting registrar) with Tephney Hutchinson

Biotechnology tit for tat: Sharing and learning the way to the top

iotechnology student Tephney Gladness Hutchinson believes that the best way to understand anything is to read about it and talk to others about it. Endlessly. It’s a strategy that paid off when she graduated summa cum laude at one of UWC’s March graduation ceremonies. Hutchinson was born and raised in Mzinti in Mpumalanga. She had never travelled beyond her little town’s borders until she came to Cape Town and UWC. She decided to study biotechnology because she wanted to be challenged. “When I was deciding on a career in grade 12, I tried to look for a career that would provide a variety of challenges,” she says. “I wanted to study as many disciplines of science in one as I could. I didn’t just want to do microbiology, or environmental science, or medical research – I wanted to do everything.” Biotechnology, with its mix of theory, experiment and calculations, proved the perfect enticement for the ambitious student, even if her parents didn’t always understand her interest in the subject. “I decided I didn’t want to just pass just for the sake of passing. I wanted to be on the Dean’s Merit List, and I didn’t just want to be a cum laude graduate - I wanted to be a summa cum laude graduate.” The work was sometimes difficult, but she coped quite well, and turned to either her fellow students or her lecturers for help when she didn’t. It was worth it. Hutchinson made the Dean’s Merit List, and was asked to join the Golden Key Society – a prestigious international honours society recruiting only top students – in her second year. And she’s not satisfied just yet, and has plans for master’s and doctoral studies, and maybe a career as a lecturer.

Producing &

Sustaining

Growing Our

Research &

Attracting

Financial

Profile Internally

Innovation

Excellent Talent

Stability

& Externally

UWC

Offering A

Our Teaching

Our Relevent

takes

Holistic Student

& Learning

pride in...

Experience

Focus

Sense-Making Through Leadership Development

Graduation

Saving schoolgirls from sexual harassment

t may sound clichéd, but Social Work master’s graduate Cheryl Morilly believes she has a calling – and that calling is to advocate for children’s rights. Morilly lives her calling every day as a social worker at Childline, counselling children, including those who have been sexually abused. So strongly does she feel about the topic that she turned it into the subject of her thesis. She was inspired to do so after working with four teenage girls who, after months of persistent harassment, had been sexually assaulted by boys at their schools. “This got me wondering, and I decided to research the phenomenon of sexual harassment in schools, particularly in the light of the awareness of sexual harassment as sexual violence and reporting procedures of sexual harassment within those schools.” Morilly found that, despite its regular occurrence, there was little awareness that sexual harassment was a form of sexual violence. Boys ignored girls’ pleas to stop with their unwanted advances, and there were no effective reporting procedures, unless the behaviour reached the stage of sexual assault. It took a while for Morilly to discover (or rediscover) her calling. After finishing school in the late 1980s, she registered for social work studies at UWC but dropped out. Work, marriage and children followed. Sixteen years after dropping out she decided to return to her social work studies, doing so through UNISA. After completing her undergraduate degree, she headed for UWC again. (Her son and husband also study here, as a second-year BEcon student and a master’s student in ethical leadership, respectively.) Being a part-time student was demanding, says Morilly, but there were perks – working nose to the grindstone in the library alongside her much younger fellow students, for example. “I felt proud to be part of them.”

Cheryl Morilly

Perceptions of preceptors, and teaching a new generation of nurses

ome people spend their lives practicing nursing. Others spend their lives teaching nursing. A few manage to do both. Inez Cloete, who obtained her Master’s in Nursing Education at UWC’s March 2013 graduation, is one of those few. Cloete’s master’s research dealt with nurse preceptors, those individuals who orient nursing students to prepare them for their duties as professional nurses, in so doing playing an important role in clinical teaching and learning. Cloete decided to explore how trained nurse preceptors perceived the benefits of, support for and commitment to the preceptor role, conducting a descriptive, correlative and quantitative survey of graduates from the preceptor programme at UWC’s School of Nursing. Her findings were encouraging, indicating that nurse preceptors experienced

Inez Cloete significant benefits and support for their roles, and were very committed to those roles. A dedicated nurse, Cloete had always gone out of her way to deliver quality care to patients at Bellville’s Karl Bremer Hospital,

where she was based. But when students were placed in her ward, she discovered a whole new interest – creating learning opportunities and interacting with students. So in 2011 she left the hospital and started working at UWC’s School of Nursing as a clinical facilitator, at the same time starting on her Master’s in Nursing Education. “I decided to become a nurse educator because I wanted to make a difference in the future of the nursing career, and have an impact on the teaching and learning of professionals in this career,” she says. Cloete is looking forward to her ‘new’ career as qualified nurse educator. “It excites me to know that I can positively impact students’ professional lives, and that I would be a factor contributing to their ultimate success,” she says. Keen to continue her studies, Cloete next has a PhD in her sights.

Graduation

Nursing leadership and the rewards of hard work

Prof Judith Conelissen (acting registrar) with Kerene Milner

erene Milner, who graduated summa cum laude with her BCur Nursing degree from UWC in March, really loves nursing. “I love the people from all different backgrounds,” says Milner. “I love knowing I’m helping make a horrible experience a little bit easier. I love that the job is not just a desk job, and that no two days are the same. And I love that nursing is always changing and evolving, with fascinating new developments in wound care, infection control, and so on.” Born and raised in Cape Town, it was working as a carer over her gap-year in England that changed Milner’s life. “I worked with an amazing South African nurse who inspired me and made me think of nursing as a career for the first time,” she recalls. It didn’t hurt that her mom – “the kindest, most generous person I know” – was a retired nursing sister, too. Milner didn’t quite make the leap into nursing directly after returning to South Africa in 2005. Instead, she did a Bachelor of Social Sciences at the University of Cape Town. Directly afterwards, though, she joined UWC for her BCur Nursing degree. It wasn’t always easy – there were language and cultural barriers to overcome, for example, and the long hours she had to work as a trainee nurse. Her resolve paid off. Over and above her outstanding pass mark, she also won a trophy for academic excellence and leadership qualities, and appeared on the Dean’s Merit List. Milner is now doing her community service, and eventually plans to do futher research within her field. For the rest, she’s playing it by ear. “I haven’t got it all worked out yet, but there are so many possibilities open to me,” she says.

Medicine in your garden: Herbal medicines and high blood pressure Tarryn Blouws

estern medication is critical for the treatment of disease, but natural remedies should not be overlooked, believes Tarryn Blouws. “It’s a lot easier to take a tablet when you have a headache than to grow a plant, but it’s good to take charge of your own medical care,” says Blouws, who received her Master’s in Herbal Medicine from UWC’s South African Herbal Science and Medical Institute [SAHSMI]. Blouws’ interest in traditional medicine was partly inspired by long chats with her nurse mother, who suffers from hypertension. And after reading up on herbal treatments for the condition, Blouw was also encouraged by her supervisor, Professor Gail Hughes, to look for local herbal treatments. That prompted Blouws to conduct a study with 180 study participants who suffered from hypertension, most using prescription medication and traditional herbs, specifically African olive and garlic. This, says Blouws, is a strong indication that health workers should be educated in traditional remedies. It was during her honours studies in medical anthropology that Blouws was first exposed to herbal science, while on a course with UWC’s South African Herbal Science and Medicine Institute (or SAHSMI) on The Anthropology of Herbal Science, investigating how people use plants for medicinal purposes. “It was fascinating,” she says. Her master’s degree involved a lot of catching up on the sciences. It also involved, among other things, taking part in a Multi-University Transdisciplinary Health Initiative (MUTHI) project to build a database on the use of traditional medicines. For this, she travelled to Uganda, reported about South African traditional healers, and learned about traditional healers from other regions and cultures. “It was a very wonderful experience,” Blouws says. Blouws hopes to publish two papers, but her work has already made an impact. Her mother now supplements her normal hypertension treatment with garlic.

Hypertension is a chronic medical condition where the blood pressure in the arteries is elevated (which is why it’s also referred to as high blood pressure), which causes the heart to work harder to circulate blood around the body. Hypertension increases the risk of strokes, aneurysms and heart attacks, and can cause chronic kidney disease.

Producing &

Sustaining

Growing Our

Research &

Attracting

Financial

Profile Internally

Innovation

Excellent Talent

Stability

& Externally

UWC

Offering A

Our Teaching

Our Relevent

takes

Holistic Student

& Learning

pride in...

Experience

Focus

Sense-Making Through Leadership Development

Graduation

Steadfast dedication: recipe for family man’s academic success

Prof Judith Conelissen (acting registrar) with Maudri Wheal

Corrective rape is a hate crime

he “corrective rape” of black lesbian women, especially in the townships, must be classified as a hate crime because it is a crime based on prejudice and ignorance, says Maudri Wheal, who graduated with her master’s degree in law from UWC in March. Her master’s thesis, Corrective Rape of African Lesbians in South Africa: The realisation or oversight of a constitutional mandate?, could well be the first academic paper on this subject. Wheal argues that there’s a need to educate the victims, communities and perpetrators about this issue because people’s rights are trampled upon and the communities are silent. “This crime is committed on the premise that it is wrong to be a lesbian; therefore, if a man rapes a lesbian woman, she will be ‘cured’, and that is not correct,” she says. Her research showed that some men actually feel good about themselves when committing this crime because they feel they are doing something right for their culture. Homosexuality is considered to be “un-African”, she found, as it flies in the face of traditional and cultural practices. “So there’s a problem here because people want to defend their traditions and cultures, but it’s happening at the expense of others’ rights.” In her thesis, Wheal attempted to find a balance between the rights to culture and tradition, as entrenched in the Constitution, and the rights to equality, dignity, life and freedom and security. Her thesis was inspired by both her desire to make a difference, and her sexual identity, says Wheal. “I am a lesbian, too. I want to make a change and this topic is closest to my heart.”

erseverance, focus and steadfast dedication have been the recipe of success for a 52-yearold UWC law graduate, who finished his degree in record time. Mierwhaan Manan is already in possession of a degree in mathematics from Washington and Lee University in Virginia, US, and holds a Higher Diploma in Management. Not surprisingly, Manan, who comes from Heideveld on the Cape Flats, is a beacon of light for many young people in his community, especially for his daughter, who is also a student at UWC. He was determined to make the most of his time as a student, even becoming a member of the Golden Key Honour Society. “I told myself that I have been through a lot and I have to focus. I was steadfast in my resolve, I wanted to study and I had to let my work do the talking for me.” Manan had to contend with a couple of trials along the way, including a divorce and finding the means to pay for his own studies and that of his daughter, as well as the school fees of his other three children. “It was challenging but I knew I could do it.” His interest in law was sparked by his work as chairperson of a retirement fund, says Manan. He is now busy with his articles, and will then do his Attorneys’ Admission Examination through the University of Cape Town (UCT). But he remains grateful to UWC and his lecturers. “Their dedication inspired me to work even harder to overcome my personal issues and finish my studies.”

Mierwhaan Manan

37 PhD

Monday, 11 March 2013 – arts faculty

recipients at the March 2013 Graduation Ceremonies:

Memory Biwa, Weaving the past with threads of memory: Narratives and commemorations of the colonial war in Southern Namibia

Felix Benson Lombe, Higher education and national development: The response of higher education institutions in Malawi

Tuesday, 12 March 2013 – education faculty

John Wankah Foncha, A selective investigation of the University of the Western Cape’s students and teachers attempts at Intercultural Communications: Exploring the connections between Intercultural Communicative Competence and Identity Construction

Zola Dryfus Jonas, Difficulties experienced by Grade 6 isiXhosaspeaking learners in learning science through the medium of English: A case study at a primary school in the Western Cape.

Partson Virira Moyo, The relative impact of an argumentation-based instructional intervention programme on Grade 10 learners’ concept of lightning and thunder

Wednesday, 13 March 2013 – law faculty

Daniel Adeoye Leslie, The legal Our Teaching UWC regime for anti-cyberlaundering Offering A takes

Holistic Student

& Learning

pride in...

Experience

Focus

Acquinaldo Celino Mandlate, Assessing the implementation of & the Producing Our Relevent Convention of the Child Researchon & the RightsAttracting in Lusophone and Excellent Talent InnovationAfrica (Angola Mozambique)

Mubarak Allie Sulaiman,

Sense-Making discretionary powers and Sustaining Contractual Growing Our Through of price and rental in the Financial the essentialia Profile Internally Leadership Law of Sale and Lease: A Stability South African & Externally Development

jurisprudential and comparative analysis

Ngonidzashe Marongwe, Rural women as the invisible victims of militarised violence: The Case of Shurugwi District, Zimbabwe 2000-2008

Roderick Kevin Sauls, Creativity in spaces of learning: Experiments in two Cape Town schools

Sharyn Berenice Spicer, Pets and their people: a social investigation into the pet-keeping practices of two demographically diverse samples of South Africans

Sheena Rughubar-Reddy Crouching learners, hidden values: Values in school Mathematical Literacy lessons

Sun Hi Kim, Preferred contexts of Korean youth for the learning of school mathematics (grade 8-10)

Michelle Burrows, The pastoral role and primary school teachersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; identity in the Western Cape: A multiple case study

Friday, 15 March 2013 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; dentistry faculty

Vincent Michael Phillips, Studies in Forensic Dentistry 1984 -2011

Sudeshni Naidoo, HIV, Infectious Diseases and Infection Control in Dentistry 19932013

Friday, 15 March 2013 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; natural sciences faculty

Jahanshah Ashkani, Expression of recombinant S-locus F-box-S2 protein and computational modelling of protein interaction at the selfincompatibility locus of Rosaceae

Nureni Ayofe Azeez, Towards ensuring scalability, interoperability and efficient access control in a triple-domain gridbased environment

Ashwil Johan Klein, Modulation of soybean and maize antioxidant activities by caffeic acid and nitric oxide under salt stress

Godfrey Madzivire, Chemistry and speciation of potentially toxic and radioactive contaminants during mine water treatment

Natasha Ross, Nano-composite transition metal alloy modulated lithium manganese oxide for the development of lithium-ion battery cathode.

William Motswainyana, Ferrocenyllimine, imino-quimolyl and imino-phophine palladium and platinum complexes: their synthesis, characterisation and cytotoxic effects

Clive Justin Oliphant, Hot-wire chemical vapour deposition of nanocrystalline silicon and silicon nitride: growth mechanisms and filament stability

James Onyemata, Structural and functional studies of XvPrx2, a type II peroxiredoxin protein from the resurrection plant Xerophyta viscosa

Praise Sibuyi, Irradiation effects on nanostructured silicon carbide

Makgamathe Joseph Sithole, Synthesis of ZnO micro/nanostructured ZnO systems for gas sensing and photonic applications

Peter Thulani Makhalanyane, Microbial ecology of hot and cold water desert edaphic communities

Johannes Mlandu Sibanyoni, Nanostructured lightweight hydrogen storage materials

Monday, 18 March 2013

Friday, 22 March 2013

Muyunda Mutemwa, Premature aging of the lungs of the offspring induced by maternal nicotine exposure during gestation and lactation: protective effect of tomato juice

Mushal Allam Mohamed Alhaj Ali, Identification and characterisation of microRNAs and their putative target genes in Anopheles funestus s.s

Producing &

Sustaining

Growing Our

Research &

Attracting

Financial

Profile Internally

Innovation

Excellent Talent

Stability

& Externally

UWC

Offering A

Our Teaching

Our Relevent

takes

Holistic Student

& Learning

pride in...

Experience

Focus

Sense-Making Through Leadership Development

Tuesday, 19 March 2013 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; community and health sciences faculty

Akram Amro, Stroke rehabilitation outcomes in Hebron, Palestine.

Michelle Andipatin, Understanding HELLP syndrome in the South African context: A feminist study

Lydia Aziato, Development of clinical guidelines for the management of post-operative pain within the medico-socio-cultural context of Ghana

Michael Rowe, Blended learning in physiotherapy education: Designing and evaluating a technologyintegrated approach

Simukai Shamu, The dynamics of intimate partner violence during pregnancy and linkages with HIV infection and disclosure in Zimbabwe

Jeanine Uwimana, Community participation in collaborative tuberculosis and HIV activities, including prevention of mother-to-child transmission development and evaluation of an intervention to enhance integration of tuberculosis/HIV/prevention of mother-child services in a rural area in South Africa

Friday, 22 March 2013 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; economic and management sciences faculty Juliet Stoltenkamp, An integrated approach to e-learning implementation in a complex higher education setting: A case study of the University of the Western Cape.

alumni@uwc.ac.za 021 959 2627

Graduation

Prof Judith Conelissen (acting registrar) with Reagan Mathys

Empower yourself, says master’s graduate

eagan Mathys matriculated from the Settlers High School in Parow in 2004. Even then he knew that he would pursue his passion for political sciences. But if it were not for UWC, he would not have had his Master’s Degree in Political Sciences today, Mathys says. He only passed with a conditional exemption, so he didn’t qualify for university studies. “UWC gave me this chance when no one else would,” he notes. “Despite the heavy financial constraints at home, I made sure to work hard and to qualify for the Honorary Deputy Vice Chancellor Mellon Masters Scholarship, and this was pivotal in me receiving my cum laude for my master’s degree.” UWC giving him the chance to study here speaks volumes about the institution, he says. “This is truly a great institution, and it is an institution like this that adds value to society.” Mathys says he loves the subject because it forces the student to think critically. They learn not to take things at face value, but to question and evaluate all the time. “You begin to understand how the world really works and find the deeper meaning in most subjects.” He had the following advice to give to his fellow students who would like to follow his example. “Take your ego out of the equation, you need to be humble when doing a master’s degree. It is important to have good relationships with your lecturers and mentors, as they are the “keys” to the industry, but doing good work comes first.” “It will not be an easy task. If you are willing to struggle, sacrifice and put in the hours when you work, you will be successful.”

Sacrifice is key

acrifice, selflessness and absolute dedication is the winning recipe for success, says Kim Richards, who graduated cum laude from the undergraduate law programme at UWC in March. Richards was honoured at a pre-graduation prize-giving ceremony for top achievers and graduates of the Faculty of Law. Among the more than a hundred women who graduated from the Faculty, Richards was awarded the Medal of the Dean of the Law Faculty for completing her LLB degree cum laude. She also received a medal and certificate from Phatshoane Henney Attorneys for her pass mark and for finishing second on the Dean’s Merit List for LLB 4 (final year). Those accolades demanded plenty of hard work and burning a lot of midnight oil, Richards says. “The pressure was always on to study and study hard. I never really felt like the pressure had abated.” There were low points, says Richards; like when she felt that her goal of graduating top of her class was slipping away. But she persevered – even giving up all her holidays in her final year – and saw the reward, that cum laude pass, when her results were published. Now a candidate attorney in the litigation department at law firm Smith Tabata Buchanan Boyes, Richards says there is much fun to have at the University, but that studies should always take priority. “If I could share a message with all students at UWC, it is to work hard and dream big,” she says. “Never sell yourself short for anyone or anything. Make the most of your time at UWC, and I don’t mean sitting in the student centre the entire day playing dominoes.” Has she ever joined in for a game? “Yes, I did” she admits, “but I attended class too.”

Kim Richards

Producing &

Sustaining

Growing Our

Research &

Attracting

Financial

Profile Internally

Innovation

Excellent Talent

Stability

& Externally

UWC

Offering A

Our Teaching

Our Relevent

takes

Holistic Student

& Learning

pride in...

Experience

Focus

Sense-Making Through Leadership Development

Graduation

Finance graduate aims to inspire

ourage, discipline and determination are key elements in reaching the greatest day in a student’s life – Graduation Day – says Khumbudzo Ashley Daswa, who graduated with a Bachelors of Commerce from UWC in March. Daswa is now working on his honours studies in finance. Daswa finished his schooling at Fhatuwani Secondary School in Limpopo with top honours, and excelled in Business Studies, scoring 90% for the subject. “It was always my interest to study business,” he says. “Many people told me to study in various other fields, but business is my first love.” Daswa’s role model, he shares, is Richard Branson, the maverick founder and chairperson of the Virgin Group. “His way of doing business is what gets me going,” says the graduate. Daswa encourages all undergraduates to work hard during their studies, especially when things get tough. “It was not an easy task to get this far, but determination and courage is what gets you here.” Daswa mentions that without the help of his then tutor Roderick George, now a lecturer at the School of Business and Finance, his

Ashley Daswa success would not have been possible. George gave him extra tutorials, and always had a few words of encouragement, he explains. “Without him I would not have graduated as well as I did.”(Although, he adds, “my Lord and Saviour is my first pillar of strength”.) Daswa is now helping other students realise

their dreams by serving as a tutor. “I enjoy being a tutor – it brings me joys to see others reach their goals and offering my skills helps me improve myself,” he says. “If telling my story helps to inspire even three out of a thousand students, I will be happy.”

Summa cum laude is in the reach of every student, says law graduate

rancis Chiparawasha graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree (specialising in law) summa cum laude in March. Few reach such academic heights, but Chiparawasha believes such passes can be achieved by anyone; if they with work hard. Chiparawasha is now well into his honours studies in economics, and aims to get there in the same fashion as he did his undergraduate degree. And few would bet against it: in his first year he scored an 88% average, followed by 84% (earning eight distinctions) in his second year, and an 86% average in his third. Chiparawasha hails from Zimbabwe, where he finished his Advanced Levels (commonly referred to as A levels) at Nygmuzune High School, located in a small town called

Francis Chiparawasha Mutoko, 143km from the capital, Harare. His school marks earned him a government scholarship to study at the UWC. “I thank God for the gift that I have,” he says. “However, you also need to do your

part and ensure that you study hard.” And elbow grease is his mantra. Pay attention in class, he advises, and make sure you understand things thoroughly when you’re prepping for exams. He has a few other tips for his fellow students. “Believe in yourself, prioritise, set academic goals for yourself, and lastly you should get study partners,” he advises. Once he completes his master’s studies, Chiparawasha hopes to become an economist. “This particular subject fascinates me, because it affects everyone. I would love to play an active role in aiding the growth of South Africa’s economy.” He is also a great fan of UWC. “I believe that it is one of the best institutions in the country, and I am proud to be a product of this very great institution.”

Graduation

Julia Kali: an extraordinary human-being

J Prof Judith Conelissen (acting registrar) with Michelle Hendricks

Reading is the key to success, says Michelle Hendricks

ichelle Hendricks, who received a BCom General degree, cum laude, from UWC in March, says she is leading by example for her daughter, who also studies at the institution. Her outstanding pass took some doing, as Hendricks, a mother of two, completed her four-year degree – with majors in industrial psychology and information systems – on a part-time basis. So, naturally, she always had a few irons in the fire. “Being a part-time student, working and running a household are not easy tasks. You need to be dedicated and push through the tough times,” she says. Good time management helped. But even then, sacrifices had to be made. “My hours of sleep became less because that’s when I study,” says Hendricks. Her advice to anyone thinking of pursuing part-time studies is to “read to understand”, to be determined and be willing to put in the long hours and effort. And to get those assignments done as soon as they are received. For Hendricks, family – especially daughter Monique, also a student at UWC – served as that extra motivation. “I would like to think that I have a good influence on her as I am seeing the excellent results she is getting,” says Hendricks. It was while working in risk management at South African Breweries that Hendricks first chose to continue her studies, starting off with an eight-month course in business administration at Rosebank College. The bug bit, and UWC was next on her to-do list. And she is not done just yet. Hendricks is currently working on her BCom General Honours. Part-time, of course.

ulia Kali, who graduated with her master’s degree in medical anthropology from UWC, did not let her own hardships stand in the way of helping others. Having come from Maseru, Lesotho, to UWC in 2003 to do her Bachelor of Arts in Tourism, Kali instead became a confidante to and shoulder to cry on for many other students. Employed as a student assistant at Student Residence Administration, Kali bonded with fellow students who were struggling with personal and academic challenges. Although she received a small stipend of R800 a month, from which half would be paid towards her study fees and a mere R100 towards her monthly expenses, she was still able to send money home to her single mother and three brothers. “Some thought I was making a lot of money because I never complained. I could assist students who were in need like me by inviting them for lunch and supper. I could relate to the challenges they were facing.” One such student, Nthabeleng Brown, also from Lesotho, turned to Kali when her situation became “unbearable”. “If it was not for Julia, I don’t know what would have happened to me,” says Brown. “She is more than a sister or even a mother to me.” Student Housing manager Sdelile Maphumulo is another who can’t stop raving about Kali. “She is an amazing woman. I have learnt a lot just by watching the way she works. How she relates to the students and even staff members is incredible. Not having money and being at a foreign university with no friends or family is a serious challenge, but what she has done with her life, and with the little she has, is inspirational.” Kali returned home to Lesotho following her graduation.

Julia Kali

Producing &

Sustaining

Growing Our

Research &

Attracting

Financial

Profile Internally

Innovation

Excellent Talent

Stability

& Externally

UWC

Offering A

Our Teaching

Our Relevent

takes

Holistic Student

& Learning

pride in...

Experience

Focus

Sense-Making Through Leadership Development

Graduation

Hard work pays off, says graduate

“I

Tembi Charles

Tembi’s academic excellence

“I

have an insatiable curiosity, which creates a hunger for new knowledge. When I am exposed to new things I find life more interesting.” says Tembi Charles, who graduated with her BA General, summa cum laude, from the UWC Arts Faculty in March. Originally from Bulawayo in Zimbabwe, Charles faced the challenge of having to pay her own way through her studies. She didn’t let that stand in the way of her academic performance, though – she made it onto the Dean’s List no less than seven times. Which, in turn, helped ease her financial burdens. “Being on the Dean’s List made me proud of my achievements and encouraged me to work harder,” she says. “I was also grateful for the recognition and the merit bursaries I received as a result.” Charles credits some of her academic success to her lecturers at UWC. “The lecturers I was fortunate enough to meet at UWC inspired me greatly; their dedication, professionalism and ability to go out of their way for their students amazed and encouraged me,” Charles adds. Her studies, particularly that in women and gender studies, has also reshaped how she perceives the world. “Women and gender studies has given me a different way of looking at society. Before I studied I was not even aware that as people we construct our own societies. I was not even aware of the subordinate roles that women unfortunately find themselves in, as a result of this construction.” Those insights have inspired the graduate, who now wants to help educate the youth, especially young women. “Every opportunity I get with any young person, I stress the need for education as a way to empower oneself,” Charles says.

t is very important that one self-motivates – one has to set a goal and work as hard as one can to make sure that goal becomes a reality.” These were the words shared by Hameedah Parker as she prepared to receive her Honours degree in Anthropology in March. Parker knows a thing or two about hard work. “Coming from high school, university was such a leap for me,” she says. “I had to make a lot of adjustments with regard to my attitude and selfconfidence. That is the reason I’m here today.” That application paid off for her, and others. Over the course of her studies, Parker became an executive member of the famed international Golden Key Honour Society, which connects high-achieving individuals and focuses on academic excellence, leadership development and community service. Working with Golden Key, she joined the UWC students who, over weekends, assisted primary school children in Delft with their homework. She was also a member of Remember and Give (RAG), a studentdriven initiative that raises funds for community-based projects supported by UWC. “Being part of these initiatives has opened me up to things that I was previously not aware of,” says Parker. “Having to think of others before myself provided balance in my life, and I had the opportunity to meet new people.” Her master’s research looks at the connections between various medical knowledge systems (biomedicine and plant-based) in the management and treatment of diabetes. From there Parker hopes to move on to doctoral studies. “My goal is to look at issues affecting my community that are sometimes overlooked in literature, and to also look at how people manage disease and how they deal with different situations in medicine,” she says.

Prof Judith Conelissen (acting registrar) with Hameedah Parker

Graduation

Reaching dreams through determination and hard work

oming from a village called Ngqeleni in the Eastern Cape, with no money and motivated only by the desire to get his family out of poverty, Sive Ntsondwa received his Honours Degree in Development Studies during UWC’s March graduation ceremonies. Ntsondwa began his academic career in 2009 after he was spotted by Xhanti Lamani during his appearance on SABC’s Cutting Edge. Touched by Ntsondwa’s story, Lamani offered to help the young man in finding a university to study at, and became his mentor throughout his studies. Last year Ntsondwa’s determination and Lamani’s good-hearted efforts paid off when Ntsondwa received his Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) degree in record time. And this year, of course, there was the honours degree. His graduation was one of mixed emotions, says Ntsondwa. “All I ever wanted was to make my mother happy and proud of me. Even though she was not be able to attend the ceremony due to financial constraints, I know she is very proud of me.” It goes without saying that Lamani has also become an influential figure in the graduate’s life, ever since that first call he received from his mentor. “I call him ‘father’ because that is what he has been to me. He has taught me how to be a responsible man.” Ntsondwa would like to continue with his studies, but for now he has to put that on hold so he can provide for his family and give them the opportunity to benefit from his education. “I hope that my achievement will inspire not only my siblings but also other children who grew up in a situation similar to mine to get an education, so they can better their lives,” he says.

Sive Ntsondwa

Age is nothing but a number

Prof Judith Conelissen (acting registrar) with Liziwe Ngubelanga

iziwe Ngubelanga – also known as ‘Mama’ to her classmates – graduated during the March graduation season. There’s a reason for the name. Ngubelanga enrolled at the University in 2009. At the time she was 52 and, probably by some margin, the oldest in her class. “They saw me as a motivation and an inspiration for going back to university to study at 52.” It wasn’t easy, says Ngubelanga. She often considered throwing in the towel. “Sometimes I’d feel I’m being a nuisance asking things I did not understand in class,” she says. “Then there were times I had to attend to family obligations and would sometimes not have money to go to campus to attend my classes.” At those times, she was grateful for the Life Orientation lessons of Tony Sylvester, which taught her to juggle her roles of wife, mother and student. “When I arrived here I felt like an outcast, but that quickly faded. I was lucky to be in a class with students who looked up to me for coming back to university after so many years.” When Ngubelanga arrived at UWC she did not have money to register. “I only had R650,” she recalls. She was informed about the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, and received financial assistance through the scheme. “I want to show people that it is not a waste of time to study and no one is ever too old to go back to school,” she says. Ngubelanga is now doing her honours studies and looking for a job. She is very certain that she will find something soon as she feels there is a need for teachers in South Africa.

Producing &

Sustaining

Growing Our

Research &

Attracting

Financial

Profile Internally

Innovation

Excellent Talent

Stability

& Externally

UWC

Offering A

Our Teaching

Our Relevent

takes

Holistic Student

& Learning

pride in...

Experience

Focus

Sense-Making Through Leadership Development

Graduation

Determination key to success

few years ago, Vanessa Haywood’s chance of graduating seemed highly unlikely, but she graduated in March with a BEd summa cum laude. After matric, by then already a wife and a mother, she went to work. Still university was not in the cards. Haywood didn’t have the money to go to university, worked for a while but then had to stay home to take care of her seven-year-old daughter, who was diagnosed with cancer. It was only in 2009 that Haywood decided to fulfil her dream of going to university, and applied for a bursary from the Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme, through which the Department of Basic Education promotes teaching in public schools. Full-cost bursaries are available to eligible students to complete a full teaching qualification in an area of national priority. Finally at university, Haywood was determined to succeed. “The bottom line is to work, sacrifice and do your assignments,” she says. “My dream was to further my studies and I took the chance and made the most of the opportunity.” When things got tough, she could always turn to staff and fellow students for support. “One of the students in my class, Liziwe Ngubelanga, who we referred to as ‘Mama’, always motivated me. We encouraged each other to stay strong in order to achieve our goals,” says Haywood. For those who want to study but think it’s not going to happen – take the first step, she says, and register. “However, there should be determination within yourself, and you should ask yourself why you want to do it, and the how will follow. Forget about everything challenging that’s happening in your life.”

Vanessa Haywood

UWC grooms dental specialists

Nkosazana Ngema

kosazana Ngema recently graduated from UWC, receiving her Specialist Orthodontic Degree. The Master of Dentistry (MChD) programme trains candidates to become orthodontic specialists, and equips them for a career in the public and private sectors. Orthodontics is the branch of dentistry that corrects teeth and jaws that are not positioned correctly. The comprehensive MChD programme extends over at least four years and the degree is on par with that offered in many other countries. The course requires candidates to pass anatomy, physiology and oral biology in the first year, in addition to completing fundamental subjects in orthodontics. Students also have to start on a caseload of some 100 cases. Ngema was one of the registrars in the Department of Orthodontics. The registrars train and supervise undergraduate dental students in the orthodontic clinics, and are involved with lectures and case discussions with students. The clinics serve as an ideal training ground for registrars, says Ngema. “Difficulties are always there, but the programme is well equipped and so are the staff. We had phenomenal support from the staff and supervisors.” Ngema was born and raised in Umlazi , Durban. She is the first university graduate in her extended family. As a result, she had to provide funds for fifteen of her proud family members to fly to Cape Town and witness her graduation night. Ngema says she is proof that nothing is impossible. “Put your mind to it and forget about money being a barrier. As long as you can raise money for registration and pass well to get bursaries, scholarships, etc, you can still succeed. People must learn to work hard in order to get to where they want to be.”

Sport

UWC Cricket aims to be number one, says chairperson

hezley Fortuin, who has been with UWC’s Cricket Club for the past 20 years – as player, secretary and now as chairperson – says the club wants to be number one in the country. That’s ambitious talk, but the club is moving in the right direction, if in small steps. In March, the team finished second in the Western Province Cricket Association (WPCA) 1A league, and this after losing by six wickets to the Western Province Cricket Club (WPCC) in the title-deciding final match of the season. There have been other impressive performances along the way. The team finished third in the National Club Championship in April 2012. They also made the final of the University South Africa Sport Association (USSA) cricket tournament. The side has many talented players that have what it takes to propel the club to number one in the country, says Fortuin. Five players, for example, were selected for the University Sport South Africa team, which will go head to head with the South Africa Colts and SA under-19 sides soon. In addition, there have been key appointments in the UWC team over the recent years, including head coach Andy Moles, who previously coached the New Zealand national side. Then there have been interventions like

UWC Cricket Club gave their all when they faced WPCC in the finale of the WPCA 1A league twoday competition. UWC finished second on the log.

the Sport Skills for Life Skills Foundation programme, which the cricket club facilitates. The programme (driven by foundation chairperson Johann Braaf) allows the club to identify and recruit promising young cricketers – who will also make good

students – from surrounding communities, and get them to UWC via bursaries. So there is good cause for optimism. “It is my vision as well as the club’s vision to be the best in the country – and we are not far from it,” says Fortuin.

Banyana selection a great experience, say students

UWC Ladies FC players Kaylin Swart, Jermaine Seoposenwe and Vuyo Mkhabela were selected for the Banyana Banyana team that took part in the recent 12-Nation Cyprus Women’s Cup.

rowing up, Vuyo Mkhabela and Kaylin Swart were your textbook ‘tomboys’, more often to be seen playing with the boys than with the girls. That has apparently shaped the two UWC Ladies Football Club players – considered among the most promising young women footballers in South Africa – and won them their first call-ups into the Banyana Banyana squad, travelling with the team to the Cyprus Women’s Cup in March. (Midfielder-come-striker Jermaine Seoposenwe, first-year BCom student at UWC, was also in the squad.) “I bet you if I hadn’t played with the boys I wouldn’t be where I am today,” notes Swart, a BA first-year student originally from Port Elizabeth. “I learnt to be strong.” The two players agree there is a difference between playing with the boys and playing with the girls. “Although we all love sport, boys are much faster and will do everything for you,” says

Mkhabela, a BA Sports Science second-year student who hails from Gauteng. Mkhabela and Swart’s careers followed eerily similar trajectories. They both started playing the game at age seven; were both recruited into the High Performance Centre in Pretoria; and both cut their teeth in the national under-17 and under-20 teams. (And, of course, they both study at UWC.) Neither played in the Cyprus event – where Banyana Banyana finished a disappointing 11th out of the competing 12 teams – but loved the trip. “I never thought I will be in the squad at this age. It was a huge experience for me and now I know how things are in the senior team and can only grow from here,” Swart says. “You got to see different techniques and learnt what to do in your position,” adds Mkhabela. Expect to see the two in Banyana colours more regularly.

Producing &

Sustaining

Growing Our

Research &

Attracting

Financial

Profile Internally

Innovation

Excellent Talent

Stability

& Externally

UWC

Offering A

Our Teaching

Our Relevent

takes

Holistic Student

& Learning

pride in...

Experience

Focus

Sense-Making Through Leadership Development

Sport

Recreational sport growing bigger and better

t was all about healthy bodies, healthy minds when UWC’s Department of Sports Administration (DSA) and the Residence and Catering Services launched this year’s Campus Recreation Programme (CRP) in March. In line with the University’s Institutional Operating Plan goal number one, which aims to “attract, retain and develop”, the six-month CRP intends to develop students holistically by contributing to their overall well-being.

“We hope to attract students to existing sporting programmes by joining the Campus Recreation Programme, and we will be developing leadership abilities by having students serve on the organising committee,” explains Ilhaam Groenewald, head of DSA. Among the sporting codes on offer are basketball, chess, cricket, futsal, hockey and netball. Participation in the programme is informal – students just need to get into gear on a

monthly basis on a Friday and head to the Netball/Basket ball Courts to have some afternoon fun. Weekly programmes on offer include swimming, use of the athletic track, gymnasium, squash courts, etc. The overall objective is to grow interest and develop talent among students who play sport. Groenewald encourages students to take part in the programme in groups, adding that sport provides opportunities for balanced lifestyles and instils focus and discipline.

UWC shines in the Varsity Shield

he University of the Western Cape’s rugby team can hold their heads high despite losing the Varsity Shield final to their nemesis, the FNB CUT Ixias of the Central University of Technology. Going into the final, FNB UWC had already lost twice to their rivals from Bloemfontein. But in the entertaining decider at CUT on 1 April, the teams were level with only 10 minutes to go. UWC eventually lost 19-29, though. Peter de Villiers, rugby coach and director of sport development at UWC, said the trophy could have gone either way, and was happy with his charges’ performance. “Their character was sound,” he says. “They learnt how to fight.” De Villiers, the former Springbok coach, said the team was much better prepared for

UWC left flanker Njabulo Ndlovu crosses the line during the Varsity Shield match against the University of Fort Hare. The final score was 2812, the win securing UWC a place in the Varsity Shield final, which they lost to CUT. CUT in the final. On the day, though, they were just beaten by a better side, he adds. FNB UWC team manager Mandisi Tshonti noted that the team had mixed feelings

about the defeat as reaching the final for the first time was an achievement on its own. “We were happy to play in the final, but sad for losing it.” Inconsistent performances (the team started on a high but lost four games midway through the competition) may have cost UWC the title, he believes, and adds that the team will have to be more clinical in the Western Province Premier B League, which started on 12 April. Going into that competition, they do, however, have the advantage of having played competitively for the past two months, he says. And the team still has that Varsity Cup spot in its sights. (Although there will be no promotions or relegations this season.) “We have strength, we have systems and we have players to win it,” says Tshonti.

Sport

Caster simply the beauty

ill Caster turned 22 in March, and there was no better “surprise birthday present” – albeit 20 days late – than being crowned Miss Varsity Shield UWC 2013. Caster, a final-year student in psychology, was caught slightly off-guard at the announcement at FNB UWC’s Varsity Shield game against the University of Fort Hare on 25 March, as she had figured that the six shortlisted contestants had an equal chance at winning. Caster, born and raised in Kuils River, represented the University in this year’s Miss Varsity Shield pageant, which was contested by the five universities that took part in the Varsity Shield competition. Although she had competed in pageants at school and in church, it was her first while a student at UWC. A former netball player, Caster reveals that her biggest challenge in the competition was when contestants had to parade in swim suits in front of a packed UWC Sports Stadium. “I’m not used to exposing my body like that and I feel swim suits are meant for the beach.” Caster also found it difficult when the judges, feeling that the contestants were tense, asked them to dance in front of them. “I was not prepared and didn’t feel the beat of the music, but I did something.” Caster believes that, as tough as the competition was, her confidence and knowledge of the University may have given her an edge over her fellow contestants as most of them were first and second year students. As Miss Varsity Shield UWC, Caster has a range of duties. She aims to start a support group for abused female students, and to get rugby players to be more involved in creating awareness against women and children abuse, in addition to their support of the Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women and Jill Caster was crowned as Miss Varsity Shield UWC 2013. Children.

After warming up in the Western Province juniors and seniors races in March, the UWC Athletics Club will compete in various high-profile events over the next few months. In April the team will take part in the Athletics South Africa juniors and seniors races in Cape Town and Johannesburg, respectively, before taking on other universities in the Varsity Sports-Athletics events in Stellenbosch, Pretoria and Johannesburg. There will also be the UWC Cross Country and the Western Province Cross Country race in May. The busy schedule will end with the UWC 10km Fast ’n Flat race in June.

UWC captain Charlton Van Jaarsveld led his side to their first Varsity Shield final, and has been compared to former Springbok captain John Smit by UWC coach Peter De Villiers.

Peter de Villiers compares captain Charlton Van Jaarsveld to John Smit, after skipper leads UWC to Varsity Shield final

WC’s Rugby Director and Varsity Shield Head Coach, Peter De Villiers, may have compared UWC Captain Charlton van Jaarsveld to former Springbok captain John Smit, but the UWC skipper has some praise for his coach as well. Van Jaarsveld led his side to the final of the Varsity Shield competition for the very first time. Despite their hard-fought 29-19 loss to the Central University of Technology, UWC put up a brave performance. And though Van Jaarsveld suffered a knee injury during the pre-season, the UWC captain still put 100% into all of his games. “This injury put me out of action for at least four weeks, but it did not get me down. I continued to train to help with my recovery, and even from the side-lines while I was out of action, I witnessed my team grow,” he says. Van Jaarsveld, who hails from Cradock in the Eastern Cape, says he holds UWC’s rugby director in the highest regard. “De Villiers has made a big difference since he joined us last year. The changes that he implemented were not big, in terms of game play, but they are effective. He made the game much simpler for us.” And De Villiers shared plenty of his vast knowledge with the team, adds Van Jaarsveld. “He passed on valuable experience to us, and this is an honour,” he says. Van Jaarsveld highlighted the importance of support from a capacity home crowd. “Just when you think that you’re tired and you can’t carry on, the crowd’s support gives you that extra boost to carry on to the final whistle,” he says.

UWC MEDIA OFFICE Do you have any important UWC stories to share? Do you know of an event on campus that you’d like to see featured? Have you heard of UWC alumni who’ve done amazing things, which you think the world should know about? Or maybe you have a few suggestions, comments or questions about something in this newsletter? Whatever the case may be, the UWC Media Office would really like to hear from you. Just email us on ia@uwc.ac.za , call us on 021 959 3637, or drop by our offices. UWC

Offering A

CONTRIBUTORS takes Holistic Student Matthews Mfubu pride in... Nastasha Crow

Our Teaching

& Learning Focus Experience Notukela Mzilikazi

Aidan Van Den Heever

Our Relevent

Producing &

Attracting Myolisi Gophe Excellent Talent Innovation

Research &

Yolanda Makosi

Sustaining

Growing Our

Financial

Profile Internally

Nicklaus Stability Kruger & Externally Luthando Tyhalibongo

Sense-Making Through Leadership Development