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

Nelson Mandela, a Unisa alumnus who graduated while at Robben Island, became the first president of democratic South Africa.

If you were old enough to remember, you will never forget the image of millions of South Africans who queued for hours all over the country to cast their vote in the country’s first democratic elections on 27 April 1994. As the 19th anniversary of the day that South Africa became a democracy approaches, there will be much reflection on the democratic gains or losses of that period, and the road that led the country to that point and beyond. As the University of South Africa, the role that this university has played in that journey has to be emphasised and acknowledged as we prepare to celebrate Freedom Day.

Freedom Day 2013 is a special one for Unisa as the university not only celebrates providing quality education to South Africans, but also celebrates 140 years of doing so. Even when most avenues of study were closed to the majority of South Africans, Unisa ensured there was still one road to higher learning. Famous struggle heroes, as well as many other unsung heroes who sacrificed their freedom, were able to pursue higher learning through Unisa. Armed with knowledge, they then went on to become leaders who influenced the kind of transformation required for this country – some of them continue to do so even today.

Such leaders include, amongst others, ZK Matthews, who assisted in drawing up the Freedom Charter in 1955, Unisa’s current Chancellor, Judge Bernard Ngoepe, who was a member of the committee that drafted the Constitution in 1996, and Nelson Mandela, a Unisa alumnus who graduated while at Robben Island and became the first president of a democratic South Africa.

Zachariah Keodirelang (ZK) Matthews who assisted in drawing up the Freedom Charter in 1955.

Unisa Chancellor Judge Bernard Ngoepe was a member of the committee that drafted the Constitution in 1996.

As Unisa acknowledges 140 years of shaping futures in Africa this year, it also celebrates its future where it aims to be a leading global centre of excellence in science and research, and a university that continues to produce adept graduates who can lead the country and continent in development and transformation. Unisa’s Freedom Day celebrations therefore acknowledge its remarkable contributions to South Africa while simultaneously honouring the road to democracy.

Celebrations begin on Friday, when the university hosts a public dialogue on the Freedom Charter as a living document. Panellists participating in the dialogue include former Minister in the Presidency, Dr Essop Pahad, Unisa Professor, Raymond Suttner, former Minister of Justice, Brigitte Mabandla, and Jabulani Sithole who will focus on youth and the Freedom Charter.

As the struggle for freedom reached a new intensity in the early fifties, there was a need for a clear statement on the future of South Africa. The idea of a Freedom Charter was born, and the Congress of the People Campaign was initiated. Read more at SA History

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 captivating musical expression that echoes the social vision enshrined in the Freedom Charter. Through Credo, Unisa is also prompting society to engage in a conversation about the values embodied in this historic declaration.

In addition to the festivities of Credo, Unisa will on Saturday, together with the South African Democracy Education Trust (SADET), Nedbank and MTN, host the launch of the fifth and sixth volumes of The Road to Democracy in South Africa. Thabo Mbeki, former South African President and Patron of Unisa’s Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute (TMALI), will deliver the keynote address. South African Deputy President, Kgalema Motlanthe will also attend the book launch and receive the two volumes on behalf of the government.

The Road to Democracy series is a chronological analysis of four decades of South African history: 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; and Volume 6 (in two volumes) covers the period between 1990 and 1996.

* Article by Rivonia Naidu-Hoffmeester

The climate change challenge is a massive one, so the call for mass action towards a global solution is louder than ever before. Earth Day Network believes that every person who does his or her part to fix the problem is also a Face of Climate Change

People across the globe observe and celebrate Earth Day today (22 April 2013). This day has become a real demonstration of support for environmental protection.

The Earth Day Network (EDN) works with over 22 000 partners in 192 countries to broaden, diversify and mobilise the environmental movement. More than one billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world. EDN is concerned that the faces of climate change are multiplying every day, increasingly impacting people, animals and beloved places.

The climate change challenge is a massive one, so the call for mass action towards a global solution is louder than ever before. EDN believes that every person who does his or her part to fix the problem is also a Face of Climate Change: entrepreneurs who see opportunity in creating the new green economy, activists who organise community action and awareness campaigns, engineers who design the clean technology of the future, public servants who fight for climate change laws and mitigation efforts, and ordinary people who commit to living sustainably.

Earth Day marks the anniversary of what many consider the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970. But it’s going to take more than a solid history to fix the problems of the present and future.

Join this global cause, track your carbon footprint and lend your support to environmental initiatives. Tell us what you’re doing for Earth Day 2013, or send an email to earthday2013@earthday.org. You can also log on to www.earthday.org and help build a global mosaic. See some of the Faces of Climate Change here. Contributing towards the greater good of Earth Day doesn’t have to be painful, it can be fun and creative too.

*Article by Kirosha Naicker

Additional resources from http://www.earthday.org/2013/ and http://www.dietitiancassie.com

Professor Bernard Magubane died last week at the age of 82. He is seen here at the birthday celebration Unisa hosted when he turned 80.

Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Blade Nzimande, has expressed his shock and sadness at the passing of Professor Bernard Magubane. Magubane, a historian and sociologist, was one of South Africa’s leading social scientists.

“An eminent academic and a leading Marxist intellectual, he spent many years in exile, teaching at universities in the United States where he was a member of the ANC and a leading activist of the anti-apartheid movement in the USA. His passing is a sad loss within the ranks of progressive academia,” Minister Nzimande said.

Bernard Magubane was born in 1930 on a farm near Colenso in KwaZulu-Natal and moved with his family to Durban where they stayed in Cato Manor informal settlement. His experiences of apartheid oppression turned him into a political activist.

After studying for a BA degree at the University of Natal, he did his postgraduate studies in the United States where he earned his PhD at the University of California in Los Angeles. He went on to become an academic, teaching at American universities. Magubane wrote extensively; his best known book was The political economy of race and class in South Africa, which, despite being banned in South Africa, was an important source of knowledge and inspiration for many during the struggles of the 1980s.

Throughout his years in exile, he remained an active member of the ANC and made an important contribution to building a South African – and indeed an African – scholarly community.

Magubane returned to South Africa in 1994 and became Editor-in-Chief of the South African Democracy Education Trust (SADET) in Pretoria, which published the important series, The road to democracy in South Africa. SADET and Unisa Press will launch the final two volumes of the series on Freedom Day, 27 April 2013. Magubane’s presence at this event will be sorely missed.

“I would like to extend my deepest condolences to Professor Magubane’s family and friends, who have lost a father and a loved one. The academic community and all democratically minded South Africans have lost a true inspirational leader and a great intellectual,” Minister Nzimande said.

Unisa joins the Minister in extending its condolences to the Magubane family.

*SAnews.gov.za

The Cape Town Campus has also been lauded as an excellent example of both sustainability and energy efficiency by Leading Architecture & Design, a bi-monthly magazine targeting South Africa’s design professionals.

The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) is currently visiting a number of Unisa regional campuses as part of their ongoing oversight and monitoring on the progress of infrastructure and efficiency projects funded by the Department.

On 16 April 2013, DHET had an on-site meeting with Unisa University Estates, the Department of Tuition and Facilitation of Learning and the Western Cape regional management. DHET showed its appreciation for the project in Cape Town, which has been lauded as an excellent example of both sustainability and energy efficiency by Leading Architecture & Design, a bi-monthly magazine targeting South Africa’s design professionals.

“The campus is a perfect illustration of how a green building should be and a good study environment has an impact on the success of students in their studies,” said Dr Glen Mills, the external consultant for DHET.

Israel Mogomotsi (Acting Executive Director: University Estates), Leonardo Cloete (Deputy Director: Financial and Physical Planning – Infrastructure Grant), Donald Kubayi (SAO: Financial and Physical Planning – Infrastructure Grant), Prof. Oupa Mashile (Executive Director: Tuition and Facilitation of Learning), Adrian Robinson (Vice-Principal: Finance and University Estates), Dr Glen Mills (External Consultant), Dr Johan Jacobs (Acting Regional Director: Western Cape), and Nic Oosthuizen (Manager: Finance and Operations Western Cape)

*Submitted by Tshepiso Modiba