Now a national monument, the 164-year-old Governor’s House, which hosts the Unisa Pietermaritzburg Regional Service Centre in KwaZulu-Natal, underwent refurbishment and alterations, and opened its new doors on 20 May 2013.

The historic building became a ‘project’ in 2010 because of its state of disrepair. Rather than rejecting it as an unsavoury symbol and memory of subjugation and suffering, the university chose to have it restored.

The building underwent complex repairs and restoration work to accommodate conference facilities, postgraduate study rooms, administration offices, a music centre and museum. To preserve the various styles and materials used while incorporating modern elements, it was essential to appoint experts in the field of restoration and renovation.

Contemporary technologies to enhance a humanistic learning environment
Unisa commissioned specialist contractors GVK-Siya Zama and Heritage and Conservation Architect, Robert J W Brusse, to complete the team of professionals on board the project. Acknowledging that Unisa is a centre of excellence, Brusse said, “Where intellectual honesty and creative thinking play a pivotal role in the development of the minds of future leaders it was important for us, the professional team, to strive for similar qualities in this restoration project.” He added that “The material that was entrusted to us, at the onset of the project, is part of the patrimony of all present and future South Africans. We have tried to respect the heritage of that shared past, repaired and restored in the spirit in which the original structures were built, adapted spaces that had lost their original function to new functions within a rational planning programme and inconspicuously integrated contemporary technologies  to enhance a humanistic learning environment”.

Governor’s House boasts facets beneficial to students
While Gauteng remains Unisa’s largest region in terms of student numbers, the university is experiencing rapid and significant growth in KZN, and this is what has prompted the decision to open this campus. Speaking at the opening, Prof Mandla Makhanya, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, said “We are thrilled to be able to provide a dedicated centre for our students in Pietermaritzburg because we know how difficult it is in today’s economic climate, to find the means to travel to learning centres which may be some distance from one’s home. I trust that as our students put the campus and its facilities to good use, we will see a corresponding increase in our throughput rates.”

Governor’s House now boasts the following:

• Three video-conferencing facilities, in line with the commitment to expand and enhance technology-driven facilitation of learning to students
• Offices for Facilitation of Learning and ICT Support Staff, including Academic Literacies
• A venue hosting a grand piano for Unisa music practical examinations
• An art gallery for the display of Unisa student work
• A small museum displaying teaching and learning aids from 1910 to 1990
• A mini-conference centre

The building has also been fitted with a hoisting device to make it user-friendly for people with disabilities.

Magnate Ntombela (Regional Director: KwaZulu Natal Region, Unisa), Honourable Weziwe Thusi (MEC for Social Development), and Prof Mandla Makhanya (Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Unisa) officially open Governor’s House with a traditional cutting of the ribbon.

Important juncture in Unisa’s history
Extremely proud, the Vice-Chancellor said, “Tonight’s celebration provides evidence that in a very unique manner, and at a very important juncture in our history, Unisa has embraced this country’s history and our past, harnessed its resources and its spirit of creativity and innovation, and married them to arrive at a supremely symbolic solution.” He added that “The renovation of Governor’s House is also a prime example of the university’s commitment to the sustainability and the preservation of our environment. In Governor’s House, we have harnessed and married the past and the present in a manner that paves the way for the future in line with our institutional strategy and vision – to be the African university in the service of humanity. It is the ultimate win-win solution, especially given the very significant numbers of students in this region.”

Noting Unisa as the institution “that remains the pride of the South African nation”, MEC for Social Development, the Honourable Weziwe Thusi on behalf of Senzo Mchunu, KZN MEC of Education, expressed her heartfelt gratitude on behalf of the province. “In addition to the university today officially opening its campus, Governor’s House, here in Pietermaritzburg, Unisa also provides fine opportunities for growth at different levels. Through its size and footprint, as well as its achievements and prowess as a leading university and the largest on the continent, Unisa has also made a significant contribution to economic development and social upliftment….As an instrument of transformation, it is most likely to continue shaping the futures of people, the province, this country and the continent. In short, it is sure to remain unwavering in its role of improving people’s lives.”

The opening of Governor’s House is a milestone on its own but more so as this is also an iconic year for Unisa. Congratulating Unisa on celebrating 140 years of shaping futures, Thusi said, “It is a remarkable milestone in the university’s rich history and life. In its 140 years of existence, Unisa has become an institution that became responsive to societal needs, relevant to its developmental context and transformational, in a variety of diverse ways. During this period of time, through shaping the futures of individuals and communities, the university has shown its unwavering commitment to the needs of the nation and the province of KZN.”

Unisa has procured a truly magnificent Steinway Piano for the Governer’s House.	Art and beauty that’s functional – the magnificent staircase at Governor’s House
Even old furniture can take on a new gleam – one of the objectives of the project which was very successful.	The architects tried to respect the heritage of the shared past, repaired and restored in the spirit in which the original structures were built and adapted spaces that had lost their original function to new functions.

*Article by Kirosha Naicker

Prof David Mogari (ISTE), Dr Hector Magome (Chief Scientist: SANParks), Prof. Moses Montesh (Department of Police Studies), Prof Harrison Atagana (Director: ISTE), and Dr Enunuwe Ochonogor (ISTE) hosted the symposium on an issue that has united South Africans like no other.

In 2011, the International Union for Conservation of Nature declared the Western Black Rhino extinct. It’s a shocking testament to the severity of poaching in Africa, and one that threatens to make the continent’s big five the big four. But why exactly are these animals so highly sought after? The College of Graduate Studies in conjunction with the Institute for Science and Technology (ISTE) held a symposium on the rhino horn and poaching, on 15 May 2013, to discuss that question.

ISTE’s Prof David Mogari set the tone for the seminar, explaining that rhinos have as much of a right to live as human beings. He said questions were raised as to what role people and human beings could play in the preservation of this animal and why it should be discussed at the symposium. Currently, there are 19 000 white rhinos remaining in South Africa and just 1 900 black rhinos.

The primary reasons for the staggering number of rhinos being poached are their horns, which many Asian countries believe contain miraculous healing properties. In traditional Chinese medicine, the horn, which is shaved or ground into a powder and dissolved in boiling water, is used to treat fever, rheumatism, gout, and other disorders. But are there any merits to these claims? Prof Harrison Atagana, Director: ISTE, explained that, as a biologist, he was extremely interested in finding out how the horn affected people. “In its powder form, the horn is described as being able to do anything. Yemen is the oldest place using rhino horn and they use it to make a dagger handle which they believe possesses magical properties,” he says.

Atagana made reference to a study by the University of Hong Kong to debunk the horn myth. The experiment tried to cure a rat’s fever, which did eventually abate. However the amount to actually cure the rat was far too much and was actually more than half the its weight. “What we are looking at here is human obsession and the attributes that people allocate to the rhino horn are not true,” Atagana says.

Despite debunking that myth, poaching remains a serious concern. According to South African National Parks (SANParks), 668 rhinos were killed last year, with the figure for 2013 currently standing at 273. SANParks estimates that around 850 rhinos will be killed this year but are convinced that there’s no cause for alarm just yet.

Prof Harrison Atagana (Director: ISTE) says that in partnership with the Kruger National Park the institute is looking at education and informing people about why rhinos should not be hunted.

Dr Hector Magome, Chief Scientist at SANParks, clarified that in 2010 the size of the Kruger National Park, which houses the largest number of rhinos, was starting to limit their numbers in any case. He elaborated that poaching became a serious problem in 2008. “That year 83 rhinos were killed with illegal traders and farmers selling horns. International trade regulations do not cover local trade, so we placed a moratorium on free rhino horn,” he says. SANParks has been blamed for the increase in killings, with observers citing that the moratorium has only served to fuel poaching.

However, Magome is convinced that their conservation efforts will turn the situation around. Government has committed around one billion rand to anti-poaching measures, but challenges remain, such as the sheer size of the Kruger, poachers who ply their trade at night, and law enforcement efforts that target the people at the bottom of the poaching chain and not the top. Even though many conservationists are extremely anxious about the plight of the rhino, Magome says the situation has not yet reached critical mass. “If we lose more than a thousand this year then it’s a problem. People who say the rhino will be extinct at the current rate are lying, but it’s true that rhinos elicit that sort of emotion,” he says.

While Atagana and Magome looked at the issue from the perspective of rhinos during the symposium, Prof Moses Montesh from the Department of Police Studies considered how poachers and syndicates operate. Montesh visited Kruger National Park and Mozambique, where rhinos have been hunted to the point of extinction. He detailed South Africa’s past involvement in poaching, which used the sale of ivory and rhino horns to fund wars against Angola, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Expanding on poachers, Montesh says there is currently a power struggle among the various groups. “Poachers are young and extremely prepared and there are 15 groups currently operating at Kruger. They ambush each other to take horns and this is also happening elsewhere in South Africa,” he says.

*Written by Rajiv Kamal

Under the microscope: Prof Malik Maaza

With about 20 years of experience in nanosciences, Algerian born and an adoptive South African Prof Malik Maaza is an ideal incumbent for the UNESCO-Unisa Africa Chair in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology. He has undergraduate degrees in Solid State Physics and Photonics from the University of Oran, Algeria, and University of Paris VI, France.

His PhD in Neutron Optics was obtained from the University of Paris VI.He is a man passionate about voicing Africa’s nanoscience and nanotechnology knowledge production progress and contributions. Parallel to the initiation of the South African Nanotechnology Initiative (SANi) launched in 2006, which Maaza instigated with Dr Philemon Mjwara, current Director General of the national department of science and technology, in 2005, in Trieste-Italy, under the patronage of TWAS, ICTP and UNIDO, he initiated the Nanosciences African Network (NANOAFNET), which has its headquarters at the iThemba LABS-NRF in Cape Town.

Since the inception of this African nano-platform, Maaza, together with several key actors from international funding agencies, implemented a concise and sustainable, continental programme in the field of nano where the human capital development and human capital mobility of senior scientists in Africa are the cornerstone components.

Read more about Maaza:
Islamic World Academy of Sciences
Global School for Advanced Studies

African scientists are resolute in their belief that the solutions to many of the continent’s challenges lie within the intricacies of nanoscience and nanotechnology – a fresh branch of science which works at the frontiers of knowledge. This majestic nature of science is fast moving and exciting, and has the potential to add immense value to society, said scientists and academics at the launch of the UNESCO-Unisa Africa Chair in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology on 15 May.

Prof Malik Maaza, incumbent of the chair, said, from an African perspective, nanoscience and nanotechnology have been identified by the African Union Science and Technology Commission as well as the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa as a crucial and a key multidisciplinary driving force in the emerging economies.

The chair, within the Framework of the Nanosciences African Network (NANOAFNET), is, therefore, not only significant for Unisa, but for national, continental and international science. It is a trilateral partnership between UNESCO, Unisa and the iThemba LABS-National Research Foundation (NRF), and falls within the framework of the UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme which serves as “think tanks and bridge builders” between the academic world, civil society, local communities, research, and policy-making.

For Unisa, the establishment of the chair comes at an opportune time in the university’s history as it celebrates 140 years of shaping futures in Africa. But more than that, this year, the university also celebrates its future where it aims to be a leading global centre of excellence in science and research as well as teaching and learning. And so as Unisa continues to grow, push boundaries and reaffirm its place as a leading African university, it is equally committed to supporting the development of this new knowledge base for its potential in assisting countries and societies, including, and especially developing countries.

UNESCO challenges Unisa

Based on this, UNESCO National Commissioner, Prof Brian Figaji challenged Unisa to brag about the significance of such a chair to its students, South Africans, and Africans. “UNESCO is very proud to add this chair as the 12^th UNESCO chair in South Africa. Today there are 765 UNESCO chairs worldwide involving 850 institutions in 134 countries. But only a little more than 60 of these chairs are in developing countries. In South Africa we have 20% of the UNESCO chairs established in developing countries. That’s a huge achievement but also an enormous responsibility.

“Unisa must not deny their students the opportunity to share the pride in the success of the university. Your students want to belong to a successful organisation. Tell them how successful you are, so they can increase their pride. Secondly, I don’t think we must underestimate the pride ordinary South Africans will have as they learn about the success of this university. It will contribute to a sense of patriotism; tell them what is happening, so they can say there is something we are winning. Then there is also the image of South Africa on the international stage and the constantly improving international image of our continent as the awakening giant.”

Figaji added for all partners the chair signals progression and confidence in their ability, and ensures they are respected at home and abroad. “This is a success story, one we must tell the world of. The responsibility on the university and the partners is to ensure that this is not just successful, but hugely successful, that South Africa and Africa become the focus. And of course, you also have the responsibility to ensure that you contribute to the development of Africa.”

Unisa Principal and Vice-Chancellor Prof Mandla Makhanya said the functions of the chair were echoed in the university’s strategy.  “We, too, seek to produce and grow new indigenous knowledge that will contribute to a more healthy balance between the North-South Canon; we, too, seek to develop South-South and North-South-South cooperation in the generation of such knowledge; and we, too, seek to establish Unisa and this region as a hub of scientific innovation and production.”

What is perhaps the most exciting aspect of this chair, said the Vice-Chancellor, is that its focus and outcomes will have direct social benefits which are of particular relevance to Africa, namely, cost-effective nanotechnologies for solar/photonics energy, and water-treatment-related applications. “Over and above these obvious benefits, the chair represents a triumph of continental and global cooperation – something which in our view is not only long overdue, but most welcome indeed. It also forms an important pillar of the South African Nanotechnology initiative (SANi), whose focus on nanotechnology is very much a part of bilateral and multilateral cooperation programmes.”

Unisa Vice-Principal: Research and Innovation, Prof Mamokgethi Phakeng, said there is no doubt that nanotechnology will drive the industrial revolution in the 21^st century and Unisa is determined to join the quest for an advanced international competitiveness that nanoscience and nanotechnology can provide. “The power of nanotechnology lies in the fact that it promises more for less – smaller, cheaper, lighter and faster devices with greater functionality, using fewer raw materials and consuming less energy. This technology is also an improved response to the demands of improving economic growth conducive to best practice in environmental sustainability.”

Phakeng said Unisa’s investment in this chair is an extension of the solid human capital and technological infrastructure that the university is building. She added that because of Maaza’s international standing as a scientist, it was not difficult to get support from scientists in institutions all over the world who want to work with the chair. Maaza, said Phakeng, is also known for his ability to attract postgraduate students from all over Africa. “Whether we develop a self-sustaining advantage in the nano field will depend on whether we develop a knack for experimentation and passion for discovery amongst our students and I know that it is Prof Maaza’s aim. This UNESCO chair will serve as a hub for passion and inquiry amongst our students and young academics.”

Joint research and student mobility

French Ambassador, Elisabeth Barbier, said the chair emphasised key priorities that resonated strongly with France’s projects for strengthening collaborations – one such priority is human capital development. “I strongly believe that renewed partnerships between French and South African universities and research institutions can more efficiently contribute to both the production of graduates in South Africa and the emergence of a new generation of PhD qualified academic staff. This contribution should rely on two different aspects of academic collaboration – joint research projects and student mobility.”

The first aspect is the dynamism of joint research projects. France, said Barbier, is the fourth scientific partner of South Africa, with close to 500 scientific articles co-authored by researchers in both countries in 2012, a number which increases by 20% each year. “These projects are the cradles of cutting-edge new science and technology, and also supervised doctorates, which is definitely a fast-track for increasing the number of PhDs in this country. It also opens access to research facilities from which South African researchers strongly benefit to conduct their research and build-up their skills.”

Pictured, back, Prof Greg Cuthbertson (Executive Dean: Unisa College of Graduate Studies), Dr Rudzani Nemutudi (Group Head: Materials Research Group at iThemba LABS), Prof Brian Figaji (UNESCO National Commissioner), Dr Edith Madela-Mntla (Director: International Council for Science Regional Office for Africa), Dr Pierre Lemonde (Acting Councillor Attaché for Science and Technology: French Embassy), Papa Talam Diao (Acting Charge’d Affairs: Embassy of Senegal) and Prof Phuti Ngoepe (SARChI Chair in Computational Modelling of Materials: Materials Modelling Centre, University of Limpopo); and front, Vincent Karega (Rwanda’s High Commissioner to South Africa), Prof Mamokgethi Phakeng (Unisa Vice-Principal: Research and Innovation), Prof Mandla Makhanya (Unisa Principal and Vice-Chancellor), Prof Malik Maaza (Incumbent: UNESCO-Unisa Africa Chair in Nanosciences and Nanotechnology), and Elisabeth Barbier (French Ambassador).

In sharp contrast with the vitality of scientific collaborations, Barbier said student mobility between the two countries remains at a very low level. However this is not only a bi-lateral issue between South Africa and France, as the mobility of South African students to all countries is very limited, with around 6 000 students experiencing exposure to international studies each year. “At the other end of the spectrum, South Korea sends 100 000 students abroad annually, thereby strongly contributing to its economic and academic dynamism. Brazil, a country where socioeconomic issues are perhaps more similar to South Africa decided in 2012 to launch a massive study abroad programme, which includes, for France alone, the annual funding by the Brazilian government of 10 000 bursaries for student mobility. Several instruments can be used to develop these exchanges, like bursary programmes, double and joint degrees, PhDs abroad, and obviously information aimed at the student community. All these instruments have to be used much more extensively in South Africa and the French higher education institutions are very keen to partner with you for this development.”

Paving the way

Concluding the launch, Maaza explained the journey to establishing the chair and thanked various institutions, government departments, scientists and academics who assisted in this regard. The chair, he said, is a milestone outcome of NANOAFNET, and key partners include, amongst others, the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), the Academy of Science for the Developing World (TWAS), the Organisation for Women in Science in the Developing World (OWSDW), the Science and Technology Directorate of the French Embassy, the NRF, and the US National Science Foundation.

He also addressed issues such as human capital development, student mobility, the multi-disciplinarity of nanotechnology, the impact the field has had on policy-development, the African reservoir of highly-qualified scientists, the importance of quality and quantity research which will ultimately benefit society and the lack of infrastructure on the continent. 

Other speakers included Dr Rudzani Nemutudi, Group Head: Materials Research Group at iThemba LABS and Dr Edith Madela-Mntla, Director: International Council for Science (ICSU) Regional Office for Africa.

Nemutudi congratulated Maaza on his dedication to nanosciences and nanotechnology, and praised his mentorship and commitment to students. He said iThemba LABS were proud to stand in partnership with Unisa and that this chair offers South Africa a broader stage to flourish in this field. He also addressed the challenge of infrastructure and the importance of initiating young people into nanosciences and nanotechnology studies.

Madela-Mntla spoke on the objectives and the fundamental role of ICSU-ROA in creating and maintaining science research projects and partnerships.

Newly appointed head of TMALI, Prof Vusi Gumede

When former president Thabo Mbeki left office in 2008, there were fears that his intelligent and pragmatic style of leadership would not be able to serve the country again. Mbeki’s negotiating skills were called upon numerous times during his presidency to keep the peace on the African continent. As retirement from the political arena beckoned, Unisa felt that while Mbeki should be allowed to rest, the legacy of his leadership should remain active.

The university launched the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute (TMALI) in 2010 to serve as a platform to groom change agents who could address and solve African challenges and issues. Mbeki would serve as the patron and, from time to time, share his wisdom and expertise. The learning programmes would also be modelled on his aspirations for the continent and leaders of tomorrow. Now in 2013, the institute is playing a significant role in priming tomorrow’s leaders with numerous students applying for admission every year and taking initiatives that seek to implement what they learn at TMALI.

TMALI also has a new head in the form of Prof Vusi Gumede, who has a strong background in research and economics, having previously worked for government and lectured at a number of universities. “Experience and or expertise in research and teaching come handy for any head of an institute like TMALI. My experience of politics in South Africa and, broadly, in our continent also comes in handy because, in essence, TMALI is training the future (political) leadership in our continent,” he says.

Even though the institute is still in its infancy stages, Gumede explains a number of high-profile scholars have been convened in to contribute to symposia and colloquia. Additionally, there has been the publication of papers in a special edition of the International Journal of African Renaissance Studies and there is a forthcoming book. There is a plan for another publication in the form of a special journal edition and another book. TMALI also hosts the International Women’s Day function to promote the role of women in society and issues that affect them, and the annual Thabo Mbeki Africa Day Lecture, which focuses on an aspect that feeds into TMALI’s mission and objectives.

In terms of research, a special symposium is planned for July 2013 that will deal with papers that could either be published in a special edition of a journal and others will be published in a book.

Ambitious plans have been proposed for TMALI to become a premier destination for critical thinkers, so having Thabo Mbeki as the patron of the institute is a significant drawcard to garner interest from both students and significant stakeholders. “Former president Mbeki is passionate about students and young people and is committed to continually interact with them with the view to exchange ideas and motivate them to become Africa’s thought leaders and change agents. His wisdom plays a critical role in shaping the thinking behind the programmes and research TMALI undertakes and will pursue in the future,” Gumede says.

He would love for TMALI to truly spur Africa’s next generation of leaders along with research programmes dialogues and partnerships and using existing platforms to ensure that happens. “TMALI’s vision is Investing in thought leadership for Africa’s renewal and this vision is about shaping the continent’s future to be one of progress and prosperity. This, in my view, is what Unisa is saying with its 140-year celebration motto,” he says.

*Written by Rajiv Kamal

Henriëtte Roos

Henriëtte Roos, current professor emerita and research fellow in Unisa’s Department of Afrikaans, has been selected as winner of the Gustav Preller Prize for Literature and Literary Criticism from the Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns for her outstanding contributions to the theory of literature and literary criticism in Afrikaans.

Roos, the former Chair of Unisa’s Afrikaans department joins Prof Elize Botha – also a former Unisa academic – as the only two women to have received the prize in its 45- year history.

The Gustav Preller prize is awarded every three years and was established in 1968 on the initiative of the publishing firm Human and Rousseau. Honouring Gustav Preller (1875 – 1943), founding secretary of the academy, journalist, historian and critic, this prize replaced the old Stals Prize for Literary Theory, and acknowledges outstanding contributions to the theory of literature and literary criticism in Afrikaans.

Roos’s body of work speaks to that excellence, and she will receive her award in June this year. Her accomplishment, coupled with Botha’s in 1982, comes at an opportune time in Unisa’s history, as this year, the university acknowledges 140 years of shaping futures in Africa.

“I am very pleased and gratified by the recognition of my peers. My family and loved ones are also very happy for, and proud of me, although nobody are as exuberant as my two grandchildren, who exclaimed: ‘Now the family is really famous’,” says Roos.

She explains that she was unaware of her nomination or the person who had nominated her. “I think the candidates are nominated on the basis of a body of work – teaching, postgraduate supervision, publications and stature in this subject field achieved over the span of a career. In my case I have been involved in my field since 1972, first as a lecturer at the then University of Port Elizabeth, and had an uninterrupted career up to my retirement from Unisa in December 2010. As I have spent 30 years of my career at Unisa, my achievements naturally relate directly to my time spent at Unisa.

Roos’s achievements include, amongst others, author, co-author and contributor to 25 published books, author of 54 full-length articles in accredited journals and author of more than 65 book reviews or popular reports in newspapers, magazines and on television. She also regularly delivers papers at international conferences, speaks at book clubs and has been supervisor of more than 20 completed PhD and masters degrees.

Addressing why she believes only two women have received the prize, Roos said everything needs to be looked at in context. “This is essentially a prize recognising individual achievement, and in that sense gender is not an issue. I am absolutely convinced that through the years the decisions have been made based on individual merit without any gender bias. But I also think that it is more difficult for women to be candidates, as not many can devote (more than) 40 years to producing the required body of work – especially women of my generation and those of even earlier generations.

“Therefore the other female prize winner (1982), Prof Botha, who was also my PhD supervisor at the University of Pretoria and later colleague at Unisa, was truly an exceptional woman. To juggle the management of a household, professional work and intensive research leading to publication is an extremely difficult and demanding skill. Also, many senior women in academe progress to managerial positions and then the time and opportunity for intensive research activities become very limited. I, as well as Prof Botha, was also privileged to spend years studying at Dutch universities and be invited back to act as guest lecturers for extended periods, thus building professional and research networks. Not only is it difficult for many women because of their specific marital and parental responsibilities to gain this experience, but these opportunities have only in recent years again opened up as political circumstances have changed. But, at present more women are in leading positions in my field of expertise and I have no doubt that there will be more female prize winners in the near future.”      

Having retired in 2010, Roos continues to work in this discipline she is so passionate about. She is currently busy with the proofs of two books to which she has contributed.

“I am also now doing research for a profile on the Flemish author Louis Paul Boon, which will be included in a new History of Dutch Literature intended for South African readers. As I am one of the vice-presidents of the UNESCO-based literary organisation Fédération Internationale des Langues et Littératures Modernes (FILLM), I am directly involved with the organisation of the next FILLM Congress that will be held in China in July 2014.

“This year I am also presenting the course on the Afrikaans novel to the honours students in the Department of Afrikaans at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) – a very stimulating and rewarding experience. I am also one of the judges on the panel selecting the winners of the two prizes for published Afrikaans literature presented annually by UJ. More than 70 submissions have been received and the deadline for decision is in June.”

In between all her academic post-retirement work, Roos prioritises her home, and loved ones, which include her four dogs, one cat, several goldfish and a plethora of wild birds. She is keen on movies and eating out, and, as a member of the Tshwane Heritage Society, she enjoys their regular visits to historical and cultural sites in this region of South Africa.

*Article by Rivonia Naidu-Hoffmeester

Prof Afe Adogame (Associate Professor: World Christianity, School of Divinity,
University of Edinburgh, UK) at the Africa Speaks lecture series on religion, migration and globalisation.

With communities now fomenting social change and responding to forces of globalisation, migration and religion, the need to interrogate the relationship (or the lack of it) is greater than before. Through Unisa’s College of Human Sciences Africa Speaks lecture series, a platform was created on 8 May 2013 for Prof Afe Adogame, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom, to do so. This platform was especially significant for Unisa as this year the university celebrates 140 years of shaping futures in Africa.

Many question what the connecting nexus between African migration, religion and the processes of globalisation is.

Adogame underlines the importance of examining globalisation as a concept and process before attempting to explore the relationship. “Globalisation, if it is to be of enduring analytical value, should transcend inferior and superiority boundaries. It should refer to influences at the level of elements and symbols, not entire structures but substructures. In this respect, globalisation depends on where you are and what you are talking about,” he explains.

Looking at some issues of global consciousness such as the brain drain, economic exploitation and expropriation, xenophobia, trafficking, global security, peace and integration to name a few, Adogame enters murky waters, questioning what globalisation is actually  good for? As a starting point, globalisation is good to think with; however, one challenge of a globalising world, Adogame points out, is “To think through the complex relationship between global and local by paying attention to how global forces influence, shape and structure local situations on the one hand, but also how local forces mediate and negotiate global.”

From left: Prof Rosemary Moeketsi (Executive Dean: College of Human Sciences), Prof Paul Gundani (Department of Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology), Prof Afe Adogame (University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom), Prof Michel Clasquin-Johnson (Department of Religious Studies and Arabic), Prof Christina Landman (Research Institute for Theology and Religion) and Prof Victor Molobi (Research Institute for Theology and Religion).

Globalisation does not only encompass economic, political, cultural and technological processes but also religion, as religious beliefs travel across continents, hand in hand with migrants as it spreads through mass mediation. “Religions react to global developments and crises but contribute and shape the flow of events themselves through their own actions in an increasingly globalising world,” says Adogame.

With the recent waves of immigration, an unprecedented upsurge in the number of African migrants is heralding a new phase in the history of the African diaspora.  In more recent times, African migration assumed a more diffused dimension; this trend was thus marked by increasing diversification, in both the number of countries sending and receiving immigrants.

In terms of a mesh of religion, migration, and globalisation, Adogame highlights that the religious landscape of Africa and throughout Europe, North America and elsewhere has become more diverse – a consequence of the processes of globalisation and migration. Not only the diversity of religious traditions in society, but the diversity within major religions has increased as well. “Similarly, religion has remained as a crucial factor in politics – the politicisation of religion and the religionisation of politics. The religious diversity increases the potential for conflict in the more and more complex society, but also provides enriching factors and bridges to integration and social cohesion,” he says.

This innovative lecture series was established by the College of Human Sciences to achieve a number of objectives that are aimed at improving the research capacity of the college and enhancing critical discourse by academics with African intellectuals on the African continent and in the diaspora.

He finds quite interesting the concept of religions on the move whereby Africans have migrated to Europe, the US and elsewhere, largely carrying their religious identities with them. Most often, their sojourn in a different cultural context has encouraged these immigrants to reconstruct, organise, and identify their religions, both for themselves and for the non-Africans around them. “The increasing presence of these religious communities in the new host religious landscapes necessitates a proper grasp of the nature, scope and flavour of this pluriformity,” explains Adogame.

Driving home the importance of the concepts of religion, migration, and globalisation, Adogame is urging scholars to pay more attention to individual life stories and institutional narratives that shape and mirror migratory processes. “We need to explore how migrants use religion in different stages of the migration process such as decision-making, preparing for the trip, the journey (transit), the arrival, the role of the ethnic church in immigrant settlement and return migration.”

Adogame is deeply concerned by the appropriation of new media as a conduit for the dissemination of religious messages. The proliferation of internet websites, recruitment of new clientele and alternative prayer techniques are very much a reality that has transformed religion and its structures. “Now we see new media being used as an alternate form of a prayer. Prayer has gone online now. You don’t need to go to your pastor, wherever he is. All you need to do is fill a prayer request form online and then you will get feedback (once again online) that, for example, at 13:00, you should put your hand on your laptop or your television and remain still. So these are ways in which the media is transforming, not only belief but also religious practice.  I would suggest it’s very important to pay attention to the place of media within processes of globalisation,” cautions Adogame.

*Article by Kirosha Naicker

Prof Narend Baijnath (Unisa Pro Vice-Chancellor), Zett Gqweta (NCPPDSA), and Prof Mandla Makhanya (Unisa Principal and Vice-Chancellor).

As Africa’s leading open distance learning institution, Unisa has always been instrumental in alleviating education challenges facing the disabled. This was further solidified when Unisa signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the National Council for Persons with Physical Disability in South Africa (NCPPDSA) on 29 April.

Partnering with the NCPPDSA to lead the way in embracing disability as part of the spectrum of diversity, the initiative was championed by Unisa Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Prof Narend Baijnath. Like other higher education institutions in South Africa, Unisa has a disability directorate – Advocacy & Resource Centre for Students with Disabilities (ARCSWiD) – that continually strives to improve all aspects of accessibility which includes representation by persons with disabilities on the Unisa Council and other structures.

This year, as Unisa acknowledges 140 years of shaping futures in Africa, it also looks to its future where it accepts the responsibility of creating a culture of inclusiveness, specifically with regard to students, staff and visitors with disabilities who visit their environment and access their services and products. Baijnath says the signing of the MoU with the NCPPDSA is a momentous development for Unisa, for it signals a new era of consciousness and commitment to the needs, aspirations and interests of persons with physical disabilities.

A central tenet of the university’s strategic framework is a commitment to social justice. In effect, this means a commitment to promote access to marginalised and under-represented groups in our society. The disabled have to overcome considerable obstacles and barriers to access facilities, amenities and opportunities that the able-bodied among us take for granted, and spare no thought on … Ultimately this partnership signals that from the inception of an infrastructural project to design, and implementation, attention will be given to the interests of this community. It also signals a closer working relationship with the organised sector so we better understand their aspirations, concerns and frustrations so Unisa is more accessible, friendly and open to the disabled community,” says Baijnath.

The NCPPDSA serves as a proactive forum for the advancement of people with physical disabilities, enabling them to attain their maximum level of independence and integration into the community. This includes initiatives and services in enterprise development and job placement. The partnership takes Unisa’s commitment to the next level towards removing all barriers to full integration of persons with disabilities in the Unisa community.

ARCSWiD Director, Dr Siva Moodley, says the partnership with the NCPPDSA has immense potential, as both organisations would be able to work collaboratively to create a nurturing environment at Unisa for staff and students with disabilities. “While there are several national disability-specific organisations in South Africa that would be able to add value through an MoU with Unisa, I believe that the collaboration with the NCPPDSA heralds a new beginning in striving to be the African university in the service of humanity,” he concludes.

Prof Mandla Makhanya (Unisa Principal and Vice-Chancellor) and Zett Gqweta (NCPPDSA)

Prof Narend Baijnath (Unisa Pro Vice-Chancellor) and Zett Gqweta (NCPPDSA)

Thabo Mbeki (former South African president and Patron of TMALI) delivered the keynote address at the launch of volumes 5 and 6 of The road to democracy in South Africa.

Universities are tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that relevant and accurate research and education reach the masses. On Freedom Day 2013, Unisa further solidified its role in this regard when it hosted the launch of volumes 5 and 6 of The road to democracy in South Africa series.

Former South African president and patron of Unisa’s Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute (TMALI), Thabo Mbeki, and the country’s deputy president, Kgalema Motlanthe, were amongst the dignitaries who attended the launch.

Mbeki delivered the keynote address while Motlanthe accepted the last two volumes of the series on behalf of government.

Investigating what shaped the present

The launch was especially significant for Unisa as this year the university celebrates 140 years of shaping futures in Africa. It is therefore conscious of the importance of research that documents the journey the country and continent have travelled to attaining freedom. Now, as the university looks to its future – where it aims to be a leading centre of African knowledge production – it is also mindful of the role it has to play in ensuring its research, teaching and learning and community engagement speak to the very essence of what this book series represents.

The road to democracy in South Africa series, published by Unisa Press, is a chronological analysis of four decades of South African history. It is a project of the South African Democracy Education Trust (SADET). Volume 1 covers the events spanning 1960 to 1970, volume 2 deals with the years between 1970 and 1980, volume 3 focuses on international solidarity, and volume 4 covers the period from 1980 to 1990. Volume 5 focuses on African solidarity, while volume 6 (in two volumes) covers the period between 1990 and 1996.

Giving a true account

Unisa Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Mandla Makhanya, said the university prided itself on being part of this important project since the institution’s forward-looking vision was aimed at becoming the African university in the service of humanity.

He said while the history of the struggle had been told in different ways, at different times and, often, for different motives, the synergy between SADET and Unisa was predicated on the common understanding that without a true and intellectual account of the struggle and its contractions, captured by the people who were prepared to give their life and limb for its ultimate outcome, freedom from oppression and freedom from want and hunger, the story remained patchy and organically incomplete.

Dr Essop Pahad (Chairman of the South African Democracy Education Trust) with Kgalema Motlanthe.

Thabo Mbeki (former SA president and Patron of TMALI) with Kgalema Motlanthe (South African deputy president).

“History must be recorded – be it orally or in writing – and equally importantly, preserved. And this is where the role of the university is so important. The core function of a university is the generation of new knowledge, but inevitably that process relies on a thorough interrogation and evaluation of existing knowledge, which not only offers context, but also the opportunity to prove or disprove, accept or reject, or compromise. It is a process of accretion that contributes to the richness of the national and global dialogue and canon,” he said.

Naming the new enemy

The VC said that previously South African history was informed and influenced predominantly by a western paradigm that reflected the hegemonic power relations that shaped the country and continent’s past. “We cannot allow them to similarly inform our future, especially since history can become revered and followed dogmatically, irrespective of its genuine merit, and often with serious and far-reaching consequences.”

This is where African and South African universities, and in particular, Unisa, had a fundamental role to play. “History is not simply the plaything of bored academics,” said the VC. ”The consequences of its unquestioned inculcation are in the real world of classrooms and the real lives of teachers and children. We know this all too well. And knowing that, we are obliged to ensure that our history is told first-hand, by those Africans who made and lived it.”

Looking to the future, the VC said with the fundamental objective of political liberation being achieved, the fundamental task ahead was to name the new enemy, and carefully to attune competencies collectively and severally as new challenges were tackled. “As a university, we are at a point where we say that we can no longer afford to be mere interpreters of what others said and did not say about us. It is our time to place on record for all to see what we say about our past and how that past influences what we are doing on our way forward. At this very important juncture in the history of Unisa, we take pleasure in the fact that, perhaps for the first time in 140 years, the futures that we will be shaping will be informed by knowledge that we have generated and recorded – it is a matter of great pride.”

Capturing history accurately

Motlanthe acknowledged the authors of the series, saying it was very difficult to write contemporary history, because the temptation for embellishment was always great. These scholars, he said, were able to structure and craft the stories told by many of those active in the liberation struggle. “To collect those stories and present them in a usable form is of great value. It will be of value to generations to come, to those who will try to understand how we were able to navigate our way, and find a solution to the intractable problem of apartheid and racial discrimination.”

In explaining the importance of The road to democracy in South Africa series, Mbeki spoke of incidents during the liberation struggle that were captured in the various volumes. He said the history presented in these volumes forced people to ask fundamental questions. “We have a chapter that discussed national pride and the changing of minds. We talk about national unity, national cohesion, shared patriotism; are we there? Have the minds changed? I think we must ask these questions. We must ask questions about women’s emancipation. Where are we with regard to this important matter?

“Indeed, how far have we advanced with regards to this struggle reflected in these books? Where are we? I think we need to ask these questions and look at them critically and I think this history that is told here will at least say when everybody engaged in this struggle to bring about change, it has achieved its objectives. Having said that, we must then answer the questions: what progress have we made, what obstacles have we experienced, what do we do?”

Mbeki said it was important to make this history accessible to many people, and a project to produce “more popular” versions of the books to be available in schools will begin soon. He also referred to Oscar-winning movie director Steven Spielberg, who, from what he had read, believed the South African story needed to be recorded and shared. The director has offered South Africa the use of software that collates interactive interviews as used during the making of Schindler’s List, a 1993 motion picture he directed and co-produced, which tells the story of Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who saved the lives of more than a thousand mostly Polish-Jewish refugees during the Holocaust by employing them in his factories.

Programme director, Chairman of the SADET board and former Minister in the Presidency, Dr Essop Pahad, thanked board members and all those who had contributed to the production of The road to democracy in South Africa series. There was also a special tribute to the late Professor Bernard Makhosonke Magubane, who was initially given the task of managing this project and producing the volumes.

Shocked and saddened by Magubane’s untimely passing, the Unisa VC said that his legacy was of incalculable value for those generations who would be building upon the genuinely African knowledge foundations that had been laid in the production of these volumes, and would always be valued.

Unisa hosted the launch together with SADET, Nedbank and MTN. In addition to the launch, as part of the university’s Freedom Day celebrations, the university hosted a public dialogue on the Freedom Charter as a living document on the Friday preceding Freedom Day.

* Article by Rivonia Naidu-Hoffmeester

The Freedom Charter is the statement of core principles of the South African Congress Alliance, which consisted of the ANC and its allies – the South African Indian Congress, the South African Congress of Democrats and the Coloured People’s Congress.

By offering a platform for critical discourse on the very document notable for its demand and commitment to a non-racial South Africa, Unisa seeks to challenge prevailing presumptions and encourage ongoing conversations within the sociopolitical space. The first public dialogue planned as part of the project Credo: A musical testament to the Freedom Charter, and dealing with the history and legacy of the charter, took place on 26 April 2013, titled, The Freedom Charter as a living document.

The dialogue featured a panel of leading speakers: Prof Raymond Suttner, part-time Professor: Rhodes University and Emeritus Professor: Unisa; Dr Essop Pahad, former Minister in the Presidency and Editor-in-Chief of The Thinker magazine; Brigitte Mabandla, former Minister of Justice; and Jabulani Sithole, Lecturer at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Adopted in Kliptown on 26 June 1955, the Freedom Charter was the culmination of a long nation-wide, non-racial political consultative process among the diverse constituent members of the South African Congress Alliance, which included the African National Congress, the South African Congress of Democrats, the South African Indian Congress and the Coloured Peoples’ Congress. It is characterised by its opening demand, The people shall govern.

According to Suttner, “We do not treat its significance as obvious. For there to be democratic debate, we cannot treat most things as obviously desirable and necessary. Indeed issues which we debate around the Freedom Charter are not the same today as in 1955 or in the 1980s. Nor can anyone give an authoritative or final interpretation of the Freedom Charter.” He believes the words of the charter have to be contextualised in the context of its emancipatory, liberatory, broad vision.

The dialogue accompanies a multimedia musical production, Credo: A musical testament to the Freedom Charter, based on a text from the Freedom Charter. The oratorio, commissioned by Unisa, was composed by Bongani Ndodana and is a musical expression that echoes the social vision enshrined in the Freedom Charter. Through the project, Unisa is also prompting society to engage in a conversation about the values embodied in this historic declaration

An untidy document

Suttner regards the Freedom Charter as an untidy document, unlike the South African Constitution. On one hand it reflected, very specifically, on qualities of apartheid depression, which people wanted removed. On the other hand, it is a broad human rights document; in many ways, an advanced international human rights document of the time. What he also deems important is that the Freedom Charter, in contrast to the Defiance Campaign, was a movement away from rejection towards an outline of an alternative vision which the people of South Africa wanted.

Suttner believes that “Achieving representative democracy through the first election was a great victory but the people were and are, no longer directly present, but represented by what some have considered or called, ‘the people’s government’. It may be what has been called the movement from popular nationalism to state nationalism.”

Suttner’s objective throughout the dialogue was to throw up the meaning of the injunction, The people shall govern. “I’m not suggesting that the constitutional gains made since 1994 must be repudiated in favour of direct democracy. What I’m saying, while popular power may be outside of constitutional provisions and institutions, it is not antagonistic to these; in fact, in is an enrichment of the lie of the democracy that we have, and it is in no way compatible to have popular empowerment as well,” he says.

Making reference to the Freedom Charter where it states South Africa shall strive to maintain world peace and settlement of all international disputes by negotiation, not war, Pahad said, “This is an exceptionally profound statement to make in 1955 and this statement remains true today. What we want to do is to resolve international disputes by negotiations and not war. You must remember that this statement was made at a time when the cold war was at its height.”

Most powerful solidarity anti-apartheid movement

Pahad agreed with Suttner that central to the Freedom Charter is the notion of the people. “And when we today say that the people must be their own liberators, that’s what we mean,” he explained. In his view, “What we did was we built an international anti-apartheid movement that remains the most powerful solidarity movement ever seen in the history of the world. You won’t find another more powerful international solidarity movement than the anti-apartheid movement that we helped to build.”

Reverend Welcome Methula (Department of Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology, Unisa) doesn’t believe in the Freedom Charter, saying “It only reduces the struggle of South African politics to the glory of the ANC, to the undermining of the religious formation, political and cultural institutions, which played a critical role in the struggle against apartheid and colonialism.”

Reduces the struggle of SA politics to the glory of the ANC

However criticism of the Freedom Charter remains. Reverend Welcome Methula, of the Department of Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology, Unisa, believes that the charter has distorted the history of South Africa. “It has premised on three significant histories, 1952, 1912 and 1994, and therefore it does not say anything about the achievements that were made during that historical period. It only reduces the struggle of South African politics to the glory of the ANC, to the undermining of the religious formation, political and cultural institutions that played a critical role in the struggle against apartheid and colonialism.”

Methula is deeply disappointed that, “To this very day, the Freedom Charter is still doing a lot of injustice to many black poor people. It is still legalising our landlessness. To this very day, the ANC has not built a university post 1994, it has not opened a bank. All that’s been done is that we should be co-opted to those who are from Europe. So I have a problem with the Freedom Charter because it is a gross misrepresentation of the African struggles for liberation,” he exclaimed.

Development of African middle class an important shift

Pahad hit back at Methula, saying, “Don’t ask us to do your work for you. It’s not my job to talk about other political movements. Whether or not the present policies of the government are just in support of the middle classes, that’s for you to decide. If your approach is going to be so narrowly defined by a class approach, you won’t understand.” Adding to his argument, Pahad said, “The growth and development of the African middle class in South Africa has been a very important change and shift in the socioeconomic climate of our country. And you need to understand that that was a demonstrable shift from the policies of apartheid. Obviously we, at that time, and the present administration, still have a long way to go to meet some of the most pressing needs and challenges of our people. And that’s what we have to do. But to do that, I think, we in the end require the active involvement of the masses of our people. If our policies and the implementation of our policies exclude or marginalise the masses of our people, then we’re not going to succeed in what we want to do.”

A panel of leading speakers at the first public dialogue planned as part of the project Credo: A musical testament to the Freedom Charter, and dealing with the history and legacy of the Freedom Charter, featured, standing, Jabulani Sithole (Lecturer: University of KwaZulu Natal), Dr Essop Pahad (former Minister in the Presidency and Editor-in-Chief: The Thinker magazine); and Prof Mandla Makhanya (Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Unisa); and seated, Prof Raymond Suttner (part-time Professor: Rhodes University and Emeritus Professor: Unisa) and Brigitte Mabandla (former Minister of Justice)

*Article by Kirosha Naicker

The Open University of Mauritius was established on 12 July 2012.

In the last 140 years, Unisa has not just shaped futures and contributed to Africa’s development but has also played a fundamental role of support to institutions that need it. This was underscored when, on 24 April 2013, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed with the Open University of Mauritius (OU), with various levels of support and collaborations offered.

A new university, OU was established on 12 July 2012 and offers flexible study options whereby its learners can study from home, work, or anywhere in the world, at a time that suits them and their lifestyle. A mirror image of Unisa’s education implementation, it makes sense that OU is now looking at this university for guidance.

Access to Unisa’s study material is one aspect of the agreement, where OU will be allowed to copy, adapt and utilise it under accepted terms. As Unisa owns the copyright, title, trademarks and all other related rights in and to the materials, OU, should they wish, will have to acquire a licence in respect of copyright.

Some of the study material shared with OU includes the following qualifications: Master of Arts in Linguistics Translation Studies, Master of Education in Education Management, Master of Philosophy in Accounting Sciences Taxation, Postgraduate Diploma/Masters of Education in Higher Education, Bachelor of Commerce in Tourism Management and Bachelor of Arts in Police Science.

Dr Kaviraj Sharma Sukon (Director-General: OU) accepts a CD of Unisa’s study material from Prof Mandla Makhanya (Principal and Vice-Chancellor). One of the key terms of the MoU is that OU will be allowed to copy, adapt and utilise study material under accepted terms.

OU is also looking to Unisa to help raise and maintain their university standards. “Beyond the study materials, we are looking at collaborating in ensuring that we have the support from Unisa academics in various fields, be it the moderators for examinations to ensure that we are on the right track for quality assurance or be it the examiners for our PhD, DBA (Doctor of Business Administration), or MBA students,” explains Dr Kaviraj Sharma Sukon, Director-General of OU.

Sukon is very excited by future collaborations with Unisa is the field of research as well.  OU has started two research projects: one being a Diabetes Centre (in collaboration with the University of Oxford) and the other a National School for Entrepreurship in Mauritius, which is still being set up. “We would like to share this with colleagues from Unisa who would like to make use of our facilities and we also want to extend this invite for an exchange of students who want to come over and conduct their research with us,” offers Sukon graciously.

With the MoU signed in this year of Unisa celebrating 140 years of shaping futures, Sukon says, “As we say in Indian philosophy, it’s God’s grace.  It is something we will always remember because of this iconic year that Unisa celebrates its mark in higher education and the lives it’s changed along the way.”

Intent on contributing to shaping Africa’s development, especially in the higher education sphere, Professor Mandla Makhanya, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, believes Unisa’s role is huge when supporting new institutions like OU. “We’re trying to juxtapose this particular development with the role we’ve always played in higher education. In this particular instance the Open University of Mauritius will, in our view, serve as a platform that will assist us in having a sense of how to proceed when we want to do things of this nature. In the higher education environment, we are very few, despite how it looks on the surface, so it’s very important for us to have this close working relationship, because this is what will ultimately strengthen our knowledge generation business we’re involved in.”

Committed to Africa’s development in the higher education sphere and as a whole, Unisa is looking forward to collaborating with the Open University of Mauritius through study material, research and student exchange. Pictured at the signing of an MoU on 24 April 2013 are, standing, Dr Molapo Qhobela (Vice-Principal: Institutional Development), and Prof Rita Maré (Vice-Principal Academic: Teaching and Learning), and, seated, Prof Barney Erasmus (Vice-Principal: Operations), Dr Kaviraj Sharma Sukon (Director-General: OU), and Prof Mandla Makhanya (Principal and Vice-Chancellor)

*Article by Kirosha Naicker