P A G E 3

P A G E 2

P A G E 1

IYour university is on the rise. It’s therefore a good time to celebrate your ‘alumnus status’. Why? Because your alma mater’s increasing credibility will enhance your own. It will amplify the value of your degree. And active participation in the affairs of your university will link you to a powerful network of professionals that could help to advance and enrich your own career. So put your weight behind an institution that is now taking definite strides towards becoming world-class and proudly African.

Alumni SpeciAl edition

AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM THE VICE-CHANCELLOR

professor mahlo mokgalong

I HOPE (says Professor Mahlo Mokgalong) that I am addressing many thousands of our alumni through the medium of this special edition of the university’s flagship publication. My belief is that the message I wish to give them is perhaps the most important that they have ever heard from their alma mater. The message is simple.

I’d like to explain this message in more detail …

Now turn to page 4 for Professor Mahlo Mokgalong’s full message to all alumni.

EDITO

RIAL

tTHIS ISSUE OF Limpopo Leader IS INTENDED TO BE A DISCUSSION DOCUMENT ON ALUMNI. IT’S PACKED WITH OPINIONS AND IDEAS of why firmer links between past students and their old university should be maintained, and of how this should be achieved. The relationship between alma mater and alumni is potentially a win-win affair: the university can definitely benefit from the network of thousands of professionals spread across the country and beyond; and individual professionals stand to make significant gains by maintaining old links and generating new ones in their chosen fields. Read on to find out more.

Here’s a taste of what you’ll find. The Vice-Chancellor’s message is an absolute must. He provides a brief history of the merged university, and shows that its fortunes are definitely waxing. What better time to become involved as an active alumnus? Then there’s the first verbal report on the visit of the Institutional Audit panel, which interviewed nearly 350 university stakeholders, and came up with an initial response that was both positive and instructive.

Much of this special issue is devoted to the voices of alumni themselves. There are reports from the five provincial Alumni Association chapters that exist in Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, Free State and Gauteng. These reports are followed by direct contributions from ordinary alumni who responded to our invitation to make contact. Some interesting contributions were received. They’re printed here. They contain anecdotes, as well as plenty of suggestions and ideas with regard to maintaining good university/alumni relationships. And there’s plenty of opportunity to communicate. Finally, we asked the university itself to respond to a simple question: how important to the institution is alumni involvement? The unequivocal reply is that such involvement is crucial. Judge Lucy Mailula, chairperson of the University Council, makes the point with considerable power. So do the faculty deans.

What emerges from this special alumni issue of the university magazine is that alumni are indispensable to maintaining the university’s current trajectory. The university is on the up. The actual angle of the ascent will in large measure be decided by a merging of the talents – and the enthusiasms – of all the university’s constituencies. As readers will see as they read further, alumni are not the least of these.

P A G E 2

It’s not a secret that a great deal in Zimbabwe, our northern neighbour, is in considerable disarray. The tertiary education sector is no exception. Limpopo Leader 24 talks to Zimbabwean academics working at Turfloop and Medunsa, and looks at what is being done to improve a desperate situation. Also in this issue, the University of Limpopo’s improving library services come under the spotlight, with particular attention being paid to a new deal in the offing for alumni.

NEXT ISSUE

L impopo L eader is published by the Marketing and Communications Department, University of Limpopo, PO Box X1106, Sovenga 0727, Limpopo, South Africa.HYPERLINK “http://www.ul.ac.za” www.ul.ac.za

E D I T O R : David Robbins Tel: 011-792-9951 or 082-787-8099 or dgrwrite@iafrica.comADVERT I S ING: Clare-Rose Julius Tel: 011-791-4561 or 072-545-2366 orinfo@developmentconnection.co.zaED I TOR IA L COMMIT TEE : DK Mohuba (chairman) Daphney Kgwebane David RobbinsGail RobbinsARTICLES: by JANICE HUNT – pages 17, 19, 21, 25, 30PHOTOGRAPHS: by Liam Lynch - pages 4, 25, 27, 28, 29 & 32by Janice Hunt - pages 17, 19, 23, 30 & 32by Robbie Sandrock - page 5 & 26by David Robbins - page 7 & 14 by Johannes Selepe - page 7by Edgar Malatji - page 12DESIGN AND LAYOUT: Nolene KrügerJAM STREET DESIGN (Pretoria)P R INT ING: Colorpress (pty) LtdPRODUCTION MANAGEMENT:Gail RobbinsDGR Writing & Research Tel: 011-791-4561 or 082-572-1682dgrwrite@iafrica.comwww.dgrwriting.co.za

ARTICLES MAY BE REPRINTED WITH ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.

ISSN: 1812-5468

P A G E 3

c o v e r p i c t u r e :It’s a comet actually, the Hale-Bopp that was discovered in 1995 and photographed here by John Chumack over the Arches National Monument in Utah, USA. But we think the picture also illustrates perfectly the rising fortunes of the University of Limpopo – and the rising potential of the partnership between the institution and its past students.

p a g e 4 :OUR STAR IS RISING: JOIN US FOR THE RIDEThe Vice-Chancellor’s message to alumni

p a g e 7 :HERE’S EVIDENCE OF THE STAR’S TRAJECTORYFirst impressions of the Institutional Audit team’s visit

p a g e 9 :MEET THE ALUMNI AFFAIRS TEAMTrawling for past students

p a g e 1 1 :THE SITUATION IN THE PROVINCES

p a g e 1 2 :Reports from LIMPOPO, NORTH WEST, MPUMALANGA, GAUTENG and FREE STATE

p a g e 2 1 :PROFILES AND PERSPECTIVES. Listen to what the alumni are saying

p a g e 2 5 :Does the university value alumni involvement? PUT YOUR ALMA MATER ON THE MAP, says the University Council chairperson

p a g e 2 7 :Does the university value alumni involvement?THE FACULTIES SPEAK

p a g e 3 0 :Does the university value alumni involvement?MEDUNSA’S COURSE FOR ALUMNI SHOWS WHAT CAN BE DONE

p a g e 3 2 :WINNERS OF THE ALUMNI COMPETITION andTHE GREMLINS ATTACK

IN THIS ISSUE

P A G E 4

OUR STAR IS RISING: JOIN US FOR THE RIDE

mMY MESSAGE is simple. Your university is on the rise. It’s therefore a good time to celebrate your ‘alumnus status’. Why? Because your alma mater’s increasing credibility will enhance your own. It will amplify the value of your degree. And active participation in the affairs of your university will link you to a powerful network of professionals that could help to advance and enrich your own career. So put your weight behind an institution that is now taking definite strides towards becoming world-class and proudly African.

Now allow me to explain this message in more detail.

The histories of both our main campuses, Turfloop and Medunsa, are closely bound up with South Africa’s apartheid past – and as a result have tasted in full measure the inequities and disadvantages of that past. Neither did the advent of democracy immediately rectify the situation. Indeed, 1994 marked the beginning of a period of necessary change and instability in the higher education arena generally, but particularly for the so-called historically disadvantaged universities.

I hardly need to tell alumni from the 1970s and 1980s that these institutions – our own University of the North and Medunsa included –

professor mahlo mokgalong

Get the VC's message

OUR STAR IS RISING: JOIN US FOR THE RIDE

P A G E 5

IOP dominated university affairs. Four areas in particular received attention. These were:• The entire academic structure

existing on both campuses, with special scrutiny around the economic viability of the programmes on offer.

• Management information systems were generally deficient and given a thorough overhaul.

• Steps were taken to clean up the data and re-engineer most computer-based processes relating to student affairs and human resources.

• In terms of the national guidelines, the university was employing too many administrative staff (as opposed to academic staff) and steps had to be devised to bring the institution rapidly into line.

As important as these endeavours were, the most central pivot in the university’s turn-around was in the financial management sphere. The university had ended 2007 with an operating deficit of R136-million. A year later, thanks to recapitalisation funding and certain reversals in provisions, that deficit had been turned into a R43-million surplus. The introduction of tight financial controls reinforced and sustained this remarkable reversal of fortunes.

By the middle of 2009, the positive effects of the IOP were being felt throughout the institution. Most gratifying was the new sense of purpose and optimism that had begun to percolate through the university community.

were underresourced. And after 1994 there were no quick fixes as the new national Department of Education struggled to rationalise the tertiary education terrain. Apartheid had meant a huge amount of duplication, and before the end of the 1990s, most HDIs had been plunged into the so-called ‘size and shape’ debate and the mergers that inevitably followed.

Coupled with these convulsions came the internal pain of rationalisation within each institution. The National Plan for Higher Education, introduced in 2001, compelled universities to submit for ministerial approval their proposed programme and qualification mix (the famous PQM campaign). The idea was to eradicate unnecessary duplication and to ensure a greater university relevance to regional and national needs. The reality was that not a few universities came close to collapse. In the case of the University of the North, the national authorities were obliged to suspend the University Council and appoint an Administrator in an attempt to establish organisational and financial stability, a state of affairs that lasted until the beginningof 2003.

By then, of course, the university was embroiled in the complex process of merging with Medunsa. The merger, first promulgated in the Government Gazette in June 2002 and finally coming into effect in January 2005, added many layers of complexity to the task of maintaining and growing the

organisational and financial systems established by the Administrator in the early years of the new century. Meanwhile, the merged institution had made some progress in articulating its new vision and mission: to be a world-class African university responding to educational, research and community development needs.

But these brave words soon came in for a battering at the hands of the financial and administrative realities of driving the merged university from the apartheid past of its constituent parts to its new place in the development of a democratic South Africa.

By early 2007, and for many different reasons, the financial and administrative affairs of the University of Limpopo were in serious disarray, so much so that the then Minister of Education appointed an independent assessor to examine the situation. The assessor recommended that while the University Council and executive management should remain in place, the university should submit to the introduction of an externally guided institutional operating plan (IOP), and that the university disconnect its day-to-day activities from its mission – that of being a world-class African university – and concentrate on its fundamental struggle to survive.

Then the turning point in your university’s fortunes began.

Throughout 2008, the work required to develop and execute the

PROFESSOR MAHLO MOKGALONG: Being an active alumnus means coming out of isolation and joining a powerful team.

P A G E 6

will list them briefly here. Being an alumnus means much more than wearing a university tie or attending the occasional braai. It means, instead, coming out of isolation and joining an increasingly powerful team. There are obvious advantages for both individual alumni and for the institution.

For the individual, active support for your university’s rising star helps to increase the value of your degree. Think about it: nobody wants to hold a degree from a failing or a mediocre university. Would you be encouraged to do serious business with someone who did? Then there’s the idea of networking with people from your university class, or with people in your specific profession, to further your individual career or business ventures. Your alumni networks facilitate this. It’s certainly better than floundering on alone.

For the institution, the advantages of an active alumni constituency are many. Such a constituency increases the lobbying power of the university in high places. An active alumni constituency of professionals would also ensure that the university maintained a network of tentacles spreading into all walks of life, not only within the various levels and spheres of the state, but also in civil society and the corporate sector. Such networks are invaluable – one might even be persuaded to say indispensable – for universities claiming a serious relevance to the regions in which they operate.

We are without doubt at a new beginning for the merged University of Limpopo. Appropriately enough, as we proceed from this point, one of the most important processes, begun in 2009 but only culminating towards the end of 2010, is an evaluation of our efforts so far. The Institutional Audit, conducted by the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) of the Council for Higher Education, will bring renewed external scrutiny to bear on our efforts and will offer additional guidelines for our continued renaissance*.

In casting our minds back over the past two years it is difficult not to conclude that 2009 was a watershed year for the University of Limpopo. I personally believe that the notion of a ‘historically disadvantaged institution’, an HDI, is now obsolete. We have broken the shackles. We have reached a point where we can reclaim our vision and mission with pride and confidence. Our university is turning out to be a centre of excellence in itself, not merely a general environment in which small centres of excellence manage to survive. We are becoming the pride of our province, and of our nation. We’re one of a team of 23 public universities in South Africa, and we are no less than any of them.

But what does all this mean for those of you who have already graduated to swell the ranks of the university’s alumni?

There are several things of great importance that I can think of, and I

But I should say no more. This issue of Limpopo Leader is full of details and suggestions regarding the whys and hows and wherefores of the partnership that could and should exist between alumni and the institution that helped to get their feet on the first rungs of the ladder. My hope is that as you read on you will become enthused.

One final point. Readers will notice that I have made no mention of money. I have not appealed for donations. Neither does any part of this publication. Of course money is important. But the building of relationships that offer reciprocal value is much more so at this stage. Material support will follow naturally from such relationships. So our priority right now is to build them. Remember, we no longer consider our university ‘disadvantaged’. We want full membership of the South African university community. We want our alumni to join us in this quest and to see that by joining they also help themselves. In short, the university seeks to lay the foundations for a united front.

To beg for money before such foundations have been established is like putting the cart before the horse.

professor mahlo mokgalongVice-Chancellor, University of Limpopo

OUR STAR IS RISING: JOIN US FOR THE RIDE

* See page 7 for an unofficial summary of the HEQC auditors’ visit which took place in late September 2010.

Active alumni networks are indispensable for universities claiming serious relevance to the regions in which they operate.

P A G E 7

First impressions of the Institutional AuditHERE’S EVIDENCE OF THE STAR’S TRAJECTORY

Plan – Ngoepe and his team had organised a total of 356 interviews with various internal and external university stakeholders, no less than 95 percent of whom actually turned up at their allocated times. The interviews were conducted simultaneously in ten venues across the Turfloop campus

‘The panel was delighted by the seriousness with which our stakeholders – staff, students, communities, local and provincial governments and other state and private sector agencies – took the audit process,’ Ngoepe said. ‘They intimated that our attendance level was something of a record.’

On the final day, the audit panel gave an initial verbal report of approximately one hour to senior members of the university executive team. After praising the institution for the seriousness with which the audit process had been taken, they focused on several key areas that the panel believed required special attention.

‘The first,’ explained Ngoepe, ‘dealt with the lack of a real organic relationship between the three elements of our core business, namely

it’s all over: a relaxed dr Abbey ngoepe sums up the visit of the institutional audit panel.

t‘THE AUDIT PANEL was impressed with us,’ Dr Abbey Ngoepe said. ‘They lauded our preparation. They praised the necessary evidence that we had gathered for the process of self-evaluation. They praised the logistical arrangements that had been made to facilitate the audit panel’s visit.’

For nearly 18 months Ngoepe, who is the university’s Director of Quality Assurance, has been working towards this visit – which finally took place during the last week in September 2010. The audit is a legal requirement in terms of the Higher Education Act of 1997, which stipulates that universities are responsible for their own quality assurance, but under the jurisdiction of the Council on Higher Education’s Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC). It is this committee which selected the audit panel, and to whom the audit panel will in the first instance report.

Ngoepe estimates that the full detailed audit report will filter back to the University of Limpopo in the next three to five months.

There’s a lot of information and evidence to sift through. Apart from the documentary evidence that had been collected for the self-evaluation process that preceded the audit – for example, the university’s Strategic Plan (2010 to 2014), the academic structure, the programme and qualifications mix (PQM), and the Institutional Operating

UNIVERS

ITY

OF LIM

POPO

INST

ITUTIO

NAL AUDIT

SEPT

EMBE

R 201

0

teach

ing an

d lea

rning

and

resea

rch co

mmunity

outre

ach a

nd

infras

tructu

re so

lution

s for

African

proble

ms fina

ncial

and q

uality

contr

ol hu

man de

velop

ment

suppo

rt serv

ices

P A G E 8

to medium term objectives in order to be in a position to implement the IOP intervention strategies. The second is that, while our vision and mission have now been restored, we are still deeply involved with our process of programme review.’

The third key area identified by the audit panel related to the merger between the two universities that now constituted the University of Limpopo. ‘The panel was quick to see that a single institutional identity had not yet been achieved,’ Ngoepe said.

‘The point though is that the merger is still being consolidated. It’s a long process. We understand this. Of course, there has been opposition – the panel remarked upon this. In as much as we have moved a long way towards a fully consolidated merger, there remain pockets of resistance. The panel picked this up clearly, and will no doubt be suggesting ways designed to overcome this hindrance to overall university progress.’

Ngoepe summed up the institutional audit panel’s visit by repeating how the panel had concluded its verbal report back. ‘You are moving on the right direction. You are definitely on the right track. Your willingness to be assessed in a transparent manner, and to take the assessment seriously, is a definite plus. But there are challenges, most notably with regard to the academic side of our core business. So the overall massage is: you have the requisite infrastructure, systems, policies and procedures in place, but you have to do more in terms of monitoring and evaluating the implementation and impact.’

Asked if he felt disappointed by the initial outcome of the audit, Ngoepe replied, ‘Not at all. In fact, I am encouraged. We will be receiving very precise commendations and recommendations when the full report is handed to us early next year. And we’ll be required to furnish the HEQC with an improvement plan and regular progress reports. This will help us to maintain and enhance quality of provision on continuous basis.

‘Another thing that encourages me, particularly as Director of Quality Assurance, is that the whole concept of quality assurance is much better understood and appreciated on both our main Campuses. It’s not about minimum standards and compliance, but about the pursuit of best practice at all times.

‘Oh, and another good thing that came out of the audit,’ Ngoepe concluded, ‘was that our university infrastructure, given the history of the institution, was regarded as adequate and appropriate by the panel.’

Especially when taking into account the new facilities on the Medunsa campus, the expanded oral health centre and the new skills centre2; and the new laboratories and multipurpose centre currently being built at Turfloop campus.

teaching and learning, research, and community engagement. There was evidence of excellence in all three, but little evidence of real cohesion and academic focus between them.’

It is interesting in this regard to recall the Rural Development and Innovation Hub that had first been mooted in 2008. The Hub was designed to assist the four faculties to fulfil the essential aim of the university, which was to find solutions for African challenges by stimulating interdisciplinary innovation and a multidisciplinary approach to teaching and learning, research, and community engagement. The intention, according to Vice-Chancellor Professor Mahlo Mokgalong early in 2009, was to avoid the traditional academic silo approach in the university’s response to its mission and vision1. Perhaps the insights of the audit panel will encourage the university planners to forge ahead with the implementation of the Hub idea.

‘The second key area identified by the panel as requiring special attention,’ Ngoepe continued, ‘relates to the general lack of influence exerted by the vision and mission on the programmes and curricula offered by the university. But in this regard we should remember two things,’ he added. ‘The first is that we were specifically advised by the Technical Task Team from the Department of Education who helped us with our Institutional Operating Plan (IOP) to uncouple our vision and mission from our short

First impressions of the Institutional AuditHERE’S EVIDENCE OF THE STAR’S TRAJECTORY

1 See ‘Getting to Grips with the University’s Mission and Vision’, page 13, Limpopo Leader 16, Summer 2009.

2 See stories on pages 17 and 19 in Limpopo Leader 22, Winter 2010.

P A G E 9

But there are difficulties facing Mohuba and his alumni affairs team. ‘During the turmoil on the campus as apartheid collapsed,’ he explains, ‘many of our alumni records were lost. So a real priority has been to rebuild our database. It’s an exacting task. We’re tracing people virtually on a one–to-one basis. We’re also, as we speak, trying to create a network through such social networking platforms as Facebook and Twitter. People should watch our website for news on these initiatives.’

Turfloop has been awarding degrees since the early 1960s, and Medunsa since the early 1980s. Some estimates suggest that in total around 70 000 degrees, diplomas and certificates have been conferred during the life of the two institutions that have now merged. But there are only 18 000 alumni on the Limpopo Leader distribution list. And Mohuba’s focus is even smaller when he talks ofACTIVE alumni.

‘Our immediate target is by next June to collect a core of 5 000 alumni who want to become actively involved, 3 500 of them from Turfloop and 1 500 from Medunsa. This will be an important start – and I’m optimistic that our target will be achieved. With this active core we’ll be able to develop much wider interest.’

Trawling for past studentsMEET THE ALUMNI AFFAIRS TEAM

dK mohuba

Gloria plaatjie

michael menziwa

y‘YES, I AM one hundred percent certain that alumni have a major role to play in the fortunes of our university. Our past students form an intelligence network that stretches across the country, and even further afield, which the institution would be foolish not to nurture.’

This is DK Mohuba speaking. He’s the university’s Executive Director of Marketing and Communications, and is himself an alumnus with a Turfloop BA and BEd earned during the turbulent 1980s. This nurturing process forms an important part of Mohuba’s portfolio at the merged University of Limpopo today.

‘There are two spheres in which alumni remain indispensable to their alma mater,’ he continues. ‘The first is in direct service. Bear in mind that our Chancellor, Chair of Council and Vice-Chancellor are alumni, and this trend filters through senior management as well as through our academic and administrative staff. The second sphere is in the world beyond the gates of our two main campuses. Not many people realise that several ministers in the current cabinet are alumni. We also have quite a few prominent captains of industry, as well as hundreds of professionals spread across government and civil society.’

P A G E 1 0

We always look forward to interacting with past students.

When asked to describe the detailed goals of his job, Menziwa provided a comprehensive list which included the following:• Recognise and acknowledge the

value of active alumni• Develop and maintain the

university’s alumni database• Facilitate two-way communication

between university and alumni• Establish and maintain regional and

profession-specific alumni chapters• Build lifelong relationships with

alumni in support of their university• Involve alumni as advocates of the

university’s vision and mission• Encourage alumni to recruit

promising undergraduate and postgraduate students for the university

Plaatjie came to the then University of the North (now the Turfloop campus of the University of Limpopo) in 1997 as a theology lecturer. She enrolled as a part-time law student in 1999 to improve her analytical skills. She continued in the Department of Theology for several more years before moving, in 2002, to Marketing and Communications as a ‘senior alumni relations practitioner’.

‘So strictly speaking, although I was a student here for only a year, I am myself an alumnus of this university. This has helped me in the work I do. As has my alumnus status at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.’ Plaatjie had spent five years on the Pietermaritzburg campus of the then-named University of Natal, from which institution, in 1997, she graduated with a Masters degree in theology.

Plaatjie, whose basic job description is exactly the same as Menziwa’s, stressed the importance of accurate records and urged all alumni to make sure that their current contact details were accurately recorded on the convocation database. ‘This can be done directly on the university website – www.ul.ac.za – or alumni can contact me personally by telephone or e-mail with any problems. I always look forward to interacting with past students,’ she said.

Gloria Plaatjie can be contacted on 015-268-3286 or gloriap@ul.ac.za Michael Menziwa can be contacted at Medunsa on 012-521-6444 or mike@ul.ac.za

Mohuba explained that the approach his team had adopted regarding the re-recruitment of lost alumni was based on the principle of market segmentation. This meant that disciplines were being separated, as well as classes, and targeted on the basis of renewing old friendships and allegiances. ‘My own class of 1987 is a case in point,’ he adds. ‘I find it most interesting to talk to them. Some of us were active together in student politics, and we often reminisce and share very challenging moments and also quite a few jokes about those times.’

Working with Mohuba on the alumni side of things are two full-time alumni relations officers, Michael Menziwa, who is situated on the Medunsa campus, and Gloria Plaatjie at Turfloop. Both are well qualified to encourage past students into the ‘active alumni’ fold.

Menziwa joined the Medunsa staff straight from school in 1984. He had been born in a peri-urban area north of Pretoria called Lady Selborne. After working as a laboratory assistant for six years, he transferred into Medunsa’s business administration section, and from there, in 1993, into the public relations department. He wasted no time in equipping himself for this new career direction, completing in quick succession courses in the basic principles of PR, communication strategies and skills, professional fundraising techniques, community leadership and professional photography. He has worked with Medunsa alumni since 1997.

P A G E 1 1

THE SITUATION IN THE PROVINCES

tspecial attention is the area of communication. We need to communicate more purposefully with our alumni. We need to constantly remind them of the benefits of being part of what should be a powerful movement.’

Advocate Mashego said that many past students had grown up in an atmosphere that tended to devalue alumni groupings and the idea of convocation. These things could too easily lead to a sense of solidarity and independence – and of course the apartheid state was more interested in creating a sense of dependency. ‘But we’ve broken away from that past now. Since 1994, we’ve been working steadily towards parity with the previously privileged universities – certainly in terms of state funding and quality outputs. But there’s still a long way to go – certainly in terms of awareness of the importance of the relationship between past students and the institution that conferred their degrees.’

Now let’s hear from the chairpersons of the various provincial chapters. Who are they, and what’s happening on the ground?

THE ALUMNI OF the University of Limpopo are organised into five provincial chapters (or branches) situated in Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, Gauteng and Free State. Of course, there are alumni in other parts of the country, and indeed the world, and they are all brought together in the university’s Alumni Association under the co-presidency of Professor Robert Golele and Advocate Mike Mashego.

Last year, in a special alumni publication entitled on the move, the presidents were interviewed. Both expressed some concern at the low level of interest that past students were expressing in their alma mater.

Professor Golele described this level, particularly as manifested towards a special alumni road show organised in the provinces, as ‘dismal’. ‘We need to find where the problem is and rectify it,’ he said. ‘But you can’t realistically expect support when there seems to be so little “buy-in” to the idea of a mutually beneficial relationship between university and past students. We must find ways to make increased buy-in worthwhile. Perhaps one of the areas that demands our

P A G E 1 2

dDR MOTHIBEDI MASHILO, the current chairman, graduated as a general medical practitioner from Medunsa in 1988. For eleven years he ran his own private practice, then returned to Medunsa where he specialised in anaesthetics, graduating in 2004.

‘I must admit immediately,’ Mashilo said, ‘that my initial involvement in alumni affairs was almost accidental. I had not long moved to Polokwane where I was working in the tertiary hospitals. I heard that an alumni meeting had been organised at a local hotel. On the evening in question, finding I had nothing particular to do, I went along. Why? Out of curiosity, I suppose – and also with a conviction that maintaining contact with my old institution might well be important.

‘At the end of meeting, I was encouraged to volunteer my services on the executive committee. I demurred, stating that I was too busy. Finally, however, I agreed, despite my reservations. Everyone was so persuasive. But my reservations, I think, have proved to be correct. I feel I’ve not been a very good chairperson, due to challenges of time. Nevertheless, I attend the meetings and do what I can to serve the chapter.’

Asked whether he believed it was important to maintain active links between alumni and their university, Mashilo replied without hesitation: ‘It’s

crucial. Absolutely.’ He then outlined some of the reasons why his reply had been so emphatic.

The first reason was that the university – any university, but particularly one like the University of Limpopo with its history and its current efforts to emerge out of the ‘previously-disadvantaged’ shadows – needed a broad base in the world at large. If this base is well maintained, it can help the university with policy direction, point out where things are going wrong, and of course be significantly influential in the sphere of fundraising.

‘An example of how alumni were able to help the institution was in the process of the merger. I am a

Medunsa alumnus,’ Mashilo pointed out, ‘while most of my chapter members are from Turfloop. We were able to help build a new unified sense of the merged university. Such involvement, I believe, was crucial – and it still is.’

The second reason why active links between the university and its past students were so important was to be found in the idea of ‘fellowship versus isolation’. And the idea of alumni forming regional chapters to maintain these links had the added advantage of bringing professional people with a common origin into touch with each other. The ‘intra-alumnus’ networking advantages were obvious, Mashilo said.

LIMPOPO

dr mothibedi mashilo

P A G E 1 3

‘I think sometimes,’ he continued, ‘alumni aren’t aware of the many advantages – to themselves and to their old university – that being active in their regional chapters (or their discipline-specific chapters) can deliver.’

Mashilo then turned his attention to the challenges confronting the University of Limpopo and its many thousands of past students from both main campuses as they seek to build stronger and more productive ties.

‘What does often appear to be lacking is real commitment,’ he said. ‘There’s a definite despondency sometimes – particularly among alumni who were students in the final years of apartheid. Their student days weren’t the happiest for many of them, and being active in the alumni chapters provides constant reminders of an unpleasant past. Their time at university seems to be a period they’d prefer to forget.

‘But we need to acknowledge at the same time that commitment must be a two-way street. This is not offered as a criticism of the university’s alumni officers. But the university must try to make it worthwhile for alumni to remain involved, if only by keeping them in touch with the marketing side of things so that alumni can play their part in enhancing the reputation of their alma mater. But there are challenges even at this level. On my own initiative in 2008, I tried to organise a medical class of 1988 reunion. I failed. There

were only 45 of us who had graduated that year, but there were no records anywhere to be found. The links between the institution and these highly trained alumni had somehow been severed. This sort of thing, I must say, also encourages despondency.’

Mashilo said it was sad that so many past students of the University of Limpopo were intent on sending their own children to the large urban-based universities like Wits and the universities of Cape Town and KwaZulu Natal. Was this because of the stigma of the past?

‘It’s disappointing to me because our university, in spite of its apartheid origins and all the problems associated with location, funding and staffing, has the potential to become world class. It’s almost as if our alumni still believe the bad publicity that surrounded South Africa’s so-called bush universities. Of course we’re a bush university no longer – if we ever were one – but bad publicity takes a long time to overcome. And one of the results of being seen to be close to the bottom of the heap is that alumni are afraid to show too much interest because they think the university will embarrass them by begging for money.

‘So what is to be done? Of course fundraising is important. But even

DR MOTHIBEDI MASHILO‘I’M FROM MEDUNSA. MOST OF MY CHAPTER MEMBERS ARE FROM TURFLOOP. WE WERE ABLE TO HELP BUILD A NEW UNIFIED SENSE OF THE MERGED UNIVERSITY.’

more so is a well-resourced and responsive alumni and marketing function within the university. I know there have been serious problems in the past, but we need good records, good networking facilities, and a marketing strategy that enhances the image of the university by talking constantly about the institution’s achievements, its growth and rising excellence, its international networks, its regional relevance, and its potential in all these spheres.’

Mashilo concluded by challenging alumni to rally behind their alma mater to further strengthen its rising reputation, and in so doing to become part of a winning team.

sSIMMY MORWANE came to Turfloop in 1986, having registered for a Bachelor degree in Optometry. In June of that year, a State of Emergency was declared. ‘I remember the day exactly,’ he recalled. “I was studying for a physics test. But I never wrote it. The campus was in turmoil. Students had to carry SADF identity cards. One day when I presented my card to the soldiers on duty they tore it up, and then arrested me for not having one. Most science students failed that year. All we learned really was the art of survival. Those times taught us never to give up.’

It was a lesson that Morwane has repeatedly applied as an enthusiastic alumnus, and not least as chairperson of the North West alumni chapter of the merged University of Limpopo.

With real enthusiasm and purpose, he organised in 1997 an alumni day on the Turfloop campus. It was a huge success. Morwane, who had played soccer successfully as a student, organised a special match. ‘I’ve still got the T-shirt from that event,’ he said. ‘More than 700 people attended, and we had the best fun in our lives. It was wonderful the way the alumni interacted with the current students.’

Within two years Morwane had launched the North West chapter of the University of the North Alumni Association, the first such chapter anywhere in the country. ‘I did this single-handedly. Serobi Maja in Rustenburg was our first chairman. The chapter is still going, and I haven’t lost my enthusiasm for organising alumni. I just think its very important – not only for the university, but also for alumni themselves.’

Meanwhile, Morwane’s career was forging ahead. In 1998 he had established his own labour law consultancy, a move underpinned by his wide-ranging academic career. After his first encounter with

optometry, he switched to a Bachelor’s degree, majoring in criminology, education and geography, ‘but still with plenty of science classes thrown in’. He laughed at the memory. ‘The university was in a fairly chaotic state,’ he recalled: ‘I think they simply forgot to take my name off the various registers. But knowledge is never redundant.’

He graduated with his wide-ranging BA in 1990, adding a HED qualification the following year. Since then, he has achieved an honours in Labour Relations and Labour Law from the then Rand Afrikaans University, and an MBA

NORTH WEST

Simmy morwane

P A G E 1 4

from Liverpool. ‘Essentially I’m an entrepreneur, a businessman,’ he explained. And he’s been singularly successful, particularly within the mining sector. He represents the Togetherness Amalgamated Mineworkers Union of South Africa and holds several high-level bargaining-chamber positions with Anglo Platinum and other prominent mining houses.

On the alumni side of his career, Morwane describes the challenge of sustaining the enthusiasm that had been generated through the 1997 alumni day and the establishment by Morwane of the North West alumni chapter.

‘People are forever coming to me and asking: how do we get involved? I used to refer them to the university itself. But the university has had problems. So the North West chapter has started its own database. I personally have registered more than 300 alumni. But we need to have improved data, and we need to have access to it.

‘After the merger between Turfloop and Medunsa, several alumni workshops were held in various parts of the country. But to be able to sustain this process, we need reliable data. Otherwise how can we organise meetings and activities? How can we harness the enthusiasm of our alumni? And how can we help individual alumni to network themselves on the job market?’

Morwane recounted an experience he had recently had in a restaurant. The waitress recognised my Turfloop T-shirt. She told me she too was a Turfloop graduate, but had been unable to find suitable employment.

‘Why is this happening?’ he asked. ‘The waitress perceived herself to be alone in her time of need. But in fact she is part of a family comprising tens of thousands. We need to remobilise our family – but we need reliable data and a very clear programme of action to do so.’

Morwane stressed that there was a high degree of enthusiasm among alumni. A group of ex-students had recently organised an open day in Atteridgeville. More than 600 alumni had attended. ‘Perhaps we should repeat what we did in 1997. Let’s have a Turfloop day and a Medunsa day. Let’s make a new start. I’m sure our people will respond en masse.

‘We all agree on the importance of a strong convocation. It’s important for individual alumni, and equally important – perhaps even more so – for the university itself. All the strong leading universities in this country and abroad rely heavily on the strength of their alumni. They represent a broad-based power, a network that infiltrates many strata of expertise and power. I believe that an active and committed – and well-supported – convocation is the rock upon which university success is built. I have never lost my conviction about this,’ he concluded. ‘It is something we should all work tirelessly to achieve.’

SIMMY MORWANE‘WE NEED TO HAVE IMPROVED DATA, AND WE NEED TO HAVE ACCESS TO IT.’

P A G E 1 5

t ‘THE WORLD IS CHANGING and we’re here in it. We understand its demands and expectations.’ Mackenzie Tsimane, chair of the Mpumalanga Chapter of the University of Limpopo’s Alumni, talks specifically about the possibility of alumni being used for curriculum development. ‘We’re not academics,’ he was quick to add, ‘but we have the expertise, the skills and the resources to help _ and we want to.’

Tsimane mentions his career as an example. He studied law at the University of Limpopo, first obtaining his BProc degree in 1995, followed by his LLB in 2005. In the intervening years – 1996 to 2002 – he worked as a candidate attorney, a legal admin officer, and then as a senior investigator investigating complaints of misconduct against the police from 1998 to 2002. While he studied for his LLB, he held the position of Assistant Provincial Head with the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) in North West province. He is now Provincial Director of the ICD in Mpumalanga. (The ICD investigate complaints of criminality and misconduct against members of the SA Police Service and the Municipal Police Service.)

‘The fact is,’ he says, ‘it wouldn’t have occurred to me that a career

in criminal investigation was an option when I first started studying law. And I’m sure many people are not aware that the crack investigations teams, such as the Hawks – like the Scorpions in the past – consist largely of lawyers. More information on niche career options available within the different degree courses could be extremely useful to students. It could also add value to different degree courses to have relevant and up to date information on the constantly changing expectations in the private and public sectors. This type of information is readily available from past students who are out there in the real world.’

His vision includes short courses on different employment sectors within a discipline, with some of the lectures being done by alumni in relevant sectors.

There’s a lot more that the alumni can do for both campuses of the University of Limpopo, and, he says, there are alumni in Mpumalanga raring to get involved. ‘We in this chapter are proud of our alma mater; we know what it has contributed in our lives; and we know too that many powerful people have passed through those doors. We want to keep that pride alive; we would like our children to attend the same university and

mackenzie tsimane

MPUMALANGA

P A G E 1 6

P A G E 1 7

succeed there. Tsimane sees the alumni’s role developing to the point where prospective successful graduates can be identified and encouraged to go to university – and then be supported if necessary. He decries the levels of illiteracy in South Africa and believes that tertiary education is essential in helping to change this status quo.

‘We as alumni have the need to plough back into the university. It did so much for us; shaping our futures. The university is now our mirror. What happens there affects us; it reflects us – directly or indirectly.’

Tsimane, who speaks with passion about the strong bond between the alumni and the University of Limpopo, encourages the university management to harness the vast potential that the alumni has to offer, and more particularly, to bring the young graduates into the alumni fold to get involved in the convocation. ‘We need to inspire young, vibrant, and dynamic people to share their experiences and ideas with us and to be prepared to give back to their university.’

Essentially, he believes that an important next step for the university is to open lines of communication between the alumni and its

management and to share news about what’s happening on the campuses. He also applauds the alumni edition of Limpopo Leader, and suggests that a magazine devoted to the achievements of alumni would also be valuable. ‘It would boost greater involvement in the university and it would be of value in sharing information on what can be achieved with different university degrees.’ He’s sure that such a publication would appeal to current students as much as to past students.

Tsimane has no doubt that the University of Limpopo is on its way to taking its place as a world-class institution alongside leading international universities. And he’s equally sure that the alumni have a role to play in making sure this happens.

MACKENZIE TSIMANE‘WE HAVE EXPERTISE AND RESOURCES – AND WE WANT TO HELP OUR ALMA MATER.’

have even better experiences than we did; and we want to be associated with it for many years to come.

‘We have discussed the various things we can do in our role as a sector of the university’s alumni. Apart from consulting on curriculum development and lecturing, we can also get involved in promoting the university and all that it offers locally in schools, businesses, government offices and other key areas; we can “adopt” one or more needy students – helping them with fees, and more than that, mentoring them throughout their university years; we can make ourselves available to consult in certain appropriate decision-making situations; and we can even contribute financially to the university.’

Possibly one of the most valuable contributions the alumni can make to present undergraduates is a powerful and positive message about the bright future that is possible – with a lot of hard work.

Tsimane points out that as Mpumalanga doesn’t have a university of its own, the University of Limpopo is one of the closest universities to the province. It’s naturally the university of choice for many youngsters – if they recognise that they have the potential to

i

GAUTENG

Ben moholwa

IT WAS his absolute conviction that an active alumni association would be valuable to the university, to current and past students, and to the education sector as a whole, that convinced Gauteng chapter representative Ben Moholwa to agree to an interview with Limpopo Leader’s special alumni edition. He declined the appellation of president or chairperson because there had been no election that placed him in the position; but he was prepared to be a spokesperson.

As a fully-fledged economist, Moholwa maintains that the foundation and growth of any economy depends on skills, knowledge and the education of its labour force. Consequently, his main aim is to improve the quality of education in South Africa. One way to achieve that, he says, is through making sure that universities provide relevant and appropriate skills required by the economy ‘Universities are often not in close contact with the private sector and industry in general and as such can have limited knowledge about the changing environment. Alumni can play an important role in helping to link current students with the outside world.’

Moholwa is well qualified to make these statements. He obtained his

BSc (Agric-Econ) and BSc Hons (Agric-Econ) at the University of Limpopo’s Turfloop campus in the 90s. He achieved the Agricultural Economics Association of SA’s Award for the best final-year student in the University of the North in 1993 as well as the W.K. Kellog Foundation and Fulbright Scholarships to read for his Master of Science degree in the United States. During his Honours course, he took up the post of Teaching and Research Assistant in the university’s Department of Agricultural Economics, which was followed by a lectureship in the same department for 10 years, until 2005.

He moved on to the Department of Trade and Industry, where he held the position of Director: Economic Research and then to the City of Johannesburg’s Department of Economic Development’s Economic Research Unit as Director and Senior Economist. Since December 2009, Moholwa has held the position of Lead Economist for the Land Bank of South Africa. Over the years he has successfully supervised honours and masters student projects, and has also served on several public service committees.His studies have continued too. He has his MSc (Applied Econ/Agric-Econ) from Michigan State University in the United States and an MCom (Fin-Econ) from the University of Johannesburg. At the moment he is working towards his PhD (Econ), also from the University of Johannesburg.

P A G E 1 8

support for the university that could be used effectively. He cites a get together in 2008 as an example of the enthusiasm for involvement. A date was set and invitations were sent out. Then it was realised that it was the same night as a football match between Kaiser Chiefs and Orlando Pirates. Would anyone turn up for the alumni get together? They did. They came in droves. And they were delighted to come. That’s the interest that is available to be harnessed, says Moholwa. Gauteng is after all the province with spirit; with a passion for involvement; and with economic muscle, he notes with pride. When the alumni association is fully operational, this province will have the strongest chapter – just because Gauteng is what it is.

When he was on the university staff, Moholwa used to organise four-day trips for students to visit the private sector, government departments and NGOs to enable them to gain a clearer perspective on what the world outside university life was like and to broaden their horizons and knowledge in terms of what careers were available. The trips were highly successful. Moholwa is convinced that many of the alumni would be prepared to host students, showing them around their workplaces, introducing them

to people in relevant jobs, and answering questions about their potential careers.

‘This, I believe, would give the students more hope for the future, more clarity in their decision-making, and it would encourage them to work harder.’ Moholwa, it seems, never misses an opportunity to extol the virtues of hard work and is aware of student tendencies to seek short cuts – but sharing his experiences, he’s confident, could make a difference in students’ lives. ‘For me, it’s about giving back to a good institution that gave me a solid grounding in my career,’ he says simply.

He feels the constant pull of university life and says he’ll be happy if he can bring his career full circle before retirement and return to university in some capacity or another. In the meantime, he’s keen to be involved as an alumnus.

He’s convinced that it’s the same for many of the vast number of University of Limpopo graduates within Gauteng as well. ‘If full advantage were taken of the alumni we could make a difference in students’ lives. We could speak at the university. We could encourage students through difficult patches that we experienced. We could share what we learned about not giving up and working hard – really hard. Some of the alumni who are in influential positions could possibly offer internships to promising students. The university lacked many resources when I was a student. I would enjoy helping to fill those gaps – if they still exist.

‘Of course benefits go both ways: the alumni would also benefit from meeting up with other past students; in fact, I’m sure that many graduates would welcome the opportunity to get together at a fund-raising dinner.’

With collaboration between the alumni and the university, Moholwa is convinced that there is a lot of

BEN MOHOLWA‘ALUMNI CAN PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN HELPING TO LINK CURRENT STUDENTS WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD.’

P A G E 1 9

P A G E 2 0

mMZWAKHE MOFOKENG was born in Bethlehem in the Free State. He studied law at Turfloop, graduating with a BJuris in 1995 and an LLB in 1997. He’s now working as an advocate in his native province – and further afield – and early in 2009 he took on the chairmanship of the Free State chapter of the Alumni Association of the University of Limpopo.

‘The members of the chapter, people from all five chapter sub-districts in the province, asked me to be their chairman. I could hardly refuse. In any case,’ he added, ‘I have some extremely valuable – and sentimental – memories of my university days.’

Mofokeng went further by declaring that Turfloop ‘had literally made many of us’. ‘For myself,’ he went on, ‘ the university taught me so much about the law, and about life in general. It was like my initiation school. I’ve been all over the country and to many places in the world, and so often I’ve encountered proud Turfloopers who are keen to keep the memory of their student days alive.’

He admitted that attendance at chapter meetings was not always satisfactory. But sometimes attendance rose to 60 or 80 people when the meeting was properly

advertised on community radio stations and by word-of-mouth – especially when a braai was organised that followed the formal chapter business.

‘Turfloopers love to get together and reminisce,’ Mofokeng said. ‘The members of the Free State chapter often talk about a big get-together on the Turfloop campus – with music and events at the lake. Campus tours could be organised. There have certainly been many improvements and infrastructural additions in recent years that alumni would be interested to see. But mainly they like fun for the families, as well as plenty of music and good food. We’re eager to support such a get-together, which I’m sure would attract at least 500 past students. We’re even prepared as a chapter to put some money into it.’

Mofokeng agreed there was a lot that could be done to encourage alumni to become more actively involved in the affairs of their alma mater. ‘It’s always pleasant to get together with other professionals from Turfloop and Medunsa, and certainly this should regularly happen. But the university’s Alumni Association must be seen as being more than just a social club. There’s a great deal that we as alumni can do to support the institution that meant so much to us when we were young. Many alumni ask what this “great deal” entails.

They get demotivated when there are no clear answers coming through. I think the biggest challenge for the Alumni Association is the need for improved communication. I am certain that improvements in this field would serve to increase attendance at our meetings – as well as active involvement in clearly defined areas and projects.’

He said he was referring to guest lecturing, mentoring, lobbying on behalf of the university, recruitment of undergraduate and postgraduate students that would enhance the performance of the university, and even fundraising for specific projects on both main campuses.

‘I know there would be many who would take up these challenges. I know there are many who would be proud to maintain their links with their old university. For myself, I feel a deep affinity for my alma mater,’ Mofokeng concluded. ‘In fact, I still love the place.’

FREE STATEMZWAKHE MOFOKENG‘THE UNIVERSITY’S ALUMNI ASSOCIATION MUST BE SEEN AS BEING MORE THAN JUST A SOCIAL CLUB.’

oOn the University of Limpopo website, alumni were recently invited to submit short profiles on what they’re doing and where old campus friends can get hold of them, with the promise that an attempt will be made to publish them. Once the entries had been received – and we’re thrilled that so many responded – we invited further comment and suggestions on getting involved in alumni activities.

What’s more, prizes of recently published South African books were offered to some of the most promising entries. See page 32 for the prizewinners.

Lisbon MonyelaI studied a three-year degree in BAdministration and further studied for a BA Hons (Political Science) at the University of Limpopo. I am currently in an internship programme at the Limpopo Department of Education in the Curriculum Development Services Section. I have been exposed to the implementation of policies from national to provincial level, as well as the formulation of other policies at provincial level, in districts, circuits and schools. I attended workshops that aim to improve the quality of teaching and learning in the province. Our challenge now is to implement the recovery plan proposed at national and provincial

level after the disruption of the strikes in our schools. The recovery plan aims to help matric learners make up for the time lost during the strike. I plan to register to do a Masters next year, and one of my goals is to be a Director-General in a government department, and a political analyst. Lisbon.m@webmail.com

Zodwa Virginia MathyeI did my bachelor degree in Social Work and graduated on 17 May 2007. I have been a social worker for the past two years, working for an NGO called MES-CMR JHB, based in Hillbrow. I’m the first social worker to be employed by the organisation, which makes me the senior social worker. Helping people has been my passion from the beginning, and realising that I can make an impact on someone’s life makes me sleep better at night. I am proud to be the product of the University of Limpopo. Good luck to all the social workers in the making. You can reach me at zodwa@mes.org.za

Pat MabalaI studied at the University of Limpopo, Turfloop campus, from 1992-1997, obtaining a BA and Honours degrees, and a HE Diploma. I worked for the University of Limpopo as Assistant Residence Co-ordinator and Residence Manager for six and a

half years, first as a part-time student employee and later as a full-time employee. I served in the following residences: Amilcar Cabral, Bernard Ncube, and Gertrude Shope. I also worked for the Department of Defence and Military Veterans for six years as Language Practitioner: Editing and Translation; and for the Gauteng Provincial Legislature for two years as Language Practitioner: Editing and Translation; and I’m working for Unisa at the moment in the same position. My email address is mabalmp@unisa.ac.za

Aser MathebulaMy name is Aser Mathebula. I am a proud graduate from the University of Limpopo, Turfloop campus. I completed my BSc Agriculture degree in 2009 and graduated in 2010. In March 2010 I was recruited by Monsanto in its plant breeding department, where I currently prove to be an asset. I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the scholarly exposure the university granted me. Studying at UL was the greatest privilege that guaranteed fulfilment after completion. It is purely hard work that made me settle comfortably today and I will remember my lecturers, mentors, and study friends. My email address is aser.bonginkosi.a.b.mathebula@monsanto.com

PROFILES AND PERSPECTIVES Listen to the alumni

P A G E 2 1

P A G E 2 2

Listen to the alumni

Boikanyo MatlohaI graduated BSc Hons (Psychology) in 2006 from the University of Limpopo, Medunsa campus. I am currently working as a Psychometrist for one of the leading IT companies in South Africa – Gijima. I learned a lot from Medunsa, under the guidance of the staff at the Department of Psychology. Boikanyo.matloha@gijima.com

Andrew ModibaI am a former student of the University of Limpopo’s Turfloop campus. I joined the university in 2007 when I enrolled for a Bachelor degree in Communication. I graduated in 2010 after completing the degree in record time. Fortunately I was employed at the Limpopo Department of Local Government and Housing as a Communications Officer in April 2010, before I even graduated. My email address is andrewmodiba@webmail.co.za

Jones KobelaI obtained my BCom Accounting degree from Turfloop in 2006 and of course it was a phenomenal experience to be called a graduate. Regardless of how far I go, the University of Limpopo remains the first pot to cook the best in me and to contribute to my current and future career development. I also obtained my Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting Science, and I am now studying for my CTA (Certificate in the Theory of Accounting) with Unisa. I am serving my last year of SAICA articles at the Auditor-General’s Pretoria office. I am also inspired to add to the number of Black Chartered Accountants who are fuelling transformation that is under way in our country. I would urge current University of Limpopo students to use the university facilities at their disposal to their advantage and thereby become the assets that this country is hungry for. jonesk@agsa.co.za

Meshack MawelelaMy name is Meshack Sharamende Mawelela. I am a graduate of the University of Limpopo Turfloop campus. It is with great pleasure and pride that I announce that within a record time of three years and without failure or supplement I completed my degree – BCom in Human Resource Management. I have five distinctions in my academic record. It seems little, but I am proud of them. In 2007, while in my first year, I was recognised as the Best First Year Student in BCom HRM and the Best Student in BCom HRM overall. For this I was given two cheques – one for R900 and one for R1 200 – together with a certificate. I also achieved a merit award in first year which paid my tuition fees. I was awarded R10 000 by the university’s trust fund, which paid a portion of my fees. Then, while in the queue to apply for NSFAS to pay my fees for final year, I was told that the HCI Foundation had selected me due to academic excellence and my outstanding fees were paid by them. I am currently a permanent Graduate in Training at Eskom’s head office in Sandton. I joined Eskom in April this year. Next year I am looking forward to starting my Honours degree in Business Management with Unisa, specialising in Human Resource Management.meshack.mawalela@eskom.co.za

P A G E 2 3

GETTING INVOLVED WITH THE OLD UNIVERSITYListen to the alumni

rREAD ON AS WE question some of these Turloof and Medunsa campus graduates of the University of Limpopo on the idea of being an involved alumnus. Is such involvement important? The answers to that question are short and sweet. Yes, Yes, Yes.

Asked why, Pat Mabala says it gives past students an opportunity to meet fellow alumni and find out what they are doing career-wise, and it keeps alumni informed about new developments within the university. ‘Alumni can help to establish projects for student developments; source donations and sponsorships for students; and come up with innovative ideas that could take the university forward.’ He says alumni could also get involved in mentoring, advising and motivating students.

He believes that alumni involvement could help to ‘dispel the perception that students from historically disadvantaged institutions are not employable or are less-skilled compared to their counterparts from historically advantaged institutions. I have not been without a job since I completed my studies at the university. I also know many other alumni who are doing well in the private sector and government. Some are prominent businesswomen and men.’

Personally, he says he is already an ambassador for the university – ‘I always tell people good things about it’ – and helps to recruit potential students. As far as contributing to an alumni organisation, Mabala says he is in a position to help locate the alumni who used to stay in student residences that he used to be in charge of.

Isaac MangenaI graduated from the University of the North in 1998, with a BA majoring in Psychology. I always believed I was born a journalist. Even during my studies at Unin I was living and behaving like a scribe. After graduating, I persisted in my quest to be a journalist. I didn’t get anywhere and in the meantime worked as a cashier at Checkers in Bryanston, a warehouse driver, and supervisor, before I decided to volunteer at an Alexandra Township community newspaper calledalex News. I had never been happier in my life, even though I was paid only a small stipend. I took all my savings and bought a ‘skorokoro’ to get around to find stories. My sister gave me a digital camera. I was armed to the teeth. I made sure everyone knew me – and that my name to them was synonymous with “NEWS”. Then I joined the daily Sun and was soon hired onto permanent staff, where I worked for about three years. After that I joined French news agency Agence France Presse (AFP), based at their Johannesburg bureau covering the southern African region. I also covered parliament, and it was there that e-TV headhunted me for their new 24-hour news channel. I joined e-News Channel in 2007, and am currently working as the Continental Operations Editor. My job entails travelling around the continent setting up bureaus, sourcing people to work for us, and negotiating with potential TV partners. I love my job now, and think I still have some years to go in this field.isaac.mangena@etv.co.za

pat mabala

P A G E 2 4

Isaac Mangena says getting involved in your alma mater ‘gives you a nice déjà vu feeling about the institution; you still feel you’re a part of Turfloop. And you get a chance to network and get hold of your old buddies and find out what they are doing.’

For Mangena, the benefit that an association of alumni can have for the university relates to ‘an old African adage that says the best way to know about the road ahead is to ask those who’ve been there (tsela o botsiswa go ba pele). So the alumni association can be a forum or a well from which new and current students can draw knowledge and inspiration.

‘There’s a whole lot that they (current students) can learn from us, and that we can learn from them. The best way to do this would be to use newsletters or magazines like this , and radio such as Turf FM, as a forum where former and current students can interact, say, perhaps via a show like Ba Kae (Where are they?). He’s keen to make contact with current and former lecturers and students, and also to be kept informed of events that alumni can be a part of.

His message to current students is that ‘learning is a marathon not a 100-metre sprint. So stick to your books with the knowledge that when you’ve completed your course, you would have made not only yourself and your parents proud, but also the institution and those who came before you.’

Access to the alumni database for networking purposes is a facility that he hopes to see the university provide for its alumni.

His closing message to current students is that they need to focus on their studies by setting goals for themselves. ‘They must always remember that they need to study, pass and go out to face the world beyond their student years. Whatever problems they encounter, they need to raise them with lecturers, parents, support staff, counsellors and peer mentors – whomever they feel comfortable with. Keeping problems to themselves for too long may distract their progress in studies, and they may end up staying at university for more years than required. Students mustn’t allow this to happen.

Jones Kobela believes that as an alumnus, getting involved in your alma mater is a good idea because it’s recognition of where you come from. ‘If you don’t know where you come from, you’ll never know where you’re going. Being an alumnus is the end product of what the University of Limpopo is proud to have produced.’

In this way, alumni are a motivation to the current students and the university community to show that graduates can go far and still be united, regardless of the different directions they go. ‘An alumni association should also be the ambassador of change and transformation for the university as a world-class institution.’

His request as an alumnus to the university is increased communication about university activities and developments, and more interaction with the students and university community.

What message did he want to send to current students that may help them in their academic endeavours? ‘The best and worst is not what’s around you but what’s inside you. If we are to change the world, let’s change ourselves first – and the world will follow. It may seem like the journey is too long, but every step you make takes you closer to the finish line. Work hard.’

An alumni association should be the ambassador of change and transformation for the university as a world-class institution.

P A G E 2 5

jGa-Maphoto. ‘The university is part of my community – and it’s exciting to be a part of the university community,’ she says.

Of course, another reason for her involvement is simply that she gets involved – and makes things happen. Her profile on the Woman of the Year website, as the chairperson of this year’s judging panel, lists some of her involvements: ‘Judge Lucy Mailula was the first black female judge to join the High Court Bench in 1995 and is a judge of South Gauteng High Court and the Competition Appeal Court. She is also Chairperson of the Membership Committee of the International Association of Women Judges and Chairperson of the Standing Advisory Committee on Company Law. Judge Mailula has worked as a state advocate in Mafikeng and advocate at the Johannesburg Bar. She has lectured part-time in criminal law and was a participant in the BLA Legal Education Centre’s Trial Advocacy Programme. She served on the Editorial Board of african Law review and was a member and later Deputy Chairperson of the South African Law Reform Commission.’ There is more, but this gives a general idea of her levels of commitment.

Judge lucy mailula

JUDGE LUCY MAILULA, chairperson of the University of Limpopo Council and one of the university’s most eminent alumni, noted in the 2009 Annual Report that it has been her privilege to be able to serve her alma mater in this way. That’s good news for the university, but also a sublime understatement. Mailula has been keenly serving the university as an alumnus one way or another since she graduated with BProc and LLB degrees in the early 1980s.

She has also been chairperson of the board of the university’s Student Trust Fund since 2000, and is only the second person to serve in that capacity since the Trust was established in 1995. Professor Sam Mokgokong, previously head of Medunsa’s Department of Neurosurgery and now at the University of Pretoria, was the first.

‘I’ve always wanted to put my alma mater on the map,’ she explains. ‘We have a place in the world. Even the university’s motto – finding solutions for africa – highlights that. It places us in the continent of Africa, in the world.’

Mailula believes that her deep-seated interest in the progress of the university stems in part from the fact that she grew up just 10km away from the university’s Turfloop campus, in a village called

How highly does the university value alumni involvement?

PUT YOUR ALMA MATER ON THE MAP

P A G E 2 6

It also underlines her credentials as a commentator on the subject of alumni. Alumni have a role to play in the university, she maintains. ‘Graduates who are in relevant positions can go back to the university to address students. For instance, as a lawyer I could address law students; an economist could address business students; and so on. Judges have long leave of about three months every four years. During this time it could be possible to spend a couple of weeks or more at the university giving a short course.’

Pragmatically she points out that in advancing the interests of the university; alumni are also advancing their own. ‘They’re making sure that the degree they have is worth the paper it’s written on.’

Mailula sees an important area of potential involvement as student mentorship, and remembers how inspired she was when as a student, graduates who had done well came and addressed them. ‘It’s important to have role models – and there are many graduates of the University of Limpopo who have achieved much and would make excellent mentors. I can even think of several in high positions in the South and North Gauteng High Courts as well as in ministerial positions.

‘It should also be possible for many alumni to invite a few students at a time to visit their places of work. For instance, students could be shown around the High Court and attend a trial to get a good idea of what the system entails. But anyone could have students at their workplaces, meeting and interacting with people in the outside world, exposing students to what could be expected of them in the future.

‘Giving students holiday jobs would also be of great value to them. Even if they don’t earn much, they would certainly be learning – and that’s what it’s all about.’

Then Mailula dons her Student Trust hat again, and talks

about the dire need for funds to enable the amount of support for students from bad socio-economic backgrounds to increase, enabling more students to be able to complete their degrees without anxiety about paying their fees. ‘The Trust Fund depends entirely on goodwill – and contributing to it is certainly an area where alumni can get involved, in their own capacity or in their corporate capacities. Enabling a student to be educated is a great achievement in itself.’

Mailula ends with succinct and encouraging messages to students, the university and to the alumni.

‘To the students: focus on your studies and apply yourselves. It will pay off. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get involved in student life, but never forget that you are at university for a purpose; make sure you are achieving it. Remember that if you do well at university it pays off in life. It shows diligence which is a trait that future employers will look for.

‘To the university: let’s all focus on our business of imparting learning and teaching to students. Teaching doesn’t only mean in lectures, it’s how you prepare the children to come out of university ready to face the challenges.

‘To the alumni: your different areas of experience are all very important for building the community of the University of Limpopo. No one should ever think that his or her contribution is less valuable than someone else’s. Every contribution can make a difference.’

JUDGE LUCY MAILULANo one should ever think his or her contribution is less valuable than someone else’s. Every contribution can make a difference.

P A G E 2 7

There’s also an important role for alumni who have reached high positions in government and private sector organisations. We already do collaborative research with former students in these positions in organisations like Eskom, the Department of Agriculture, the CSIR and NRF, and the mining houses. But there’s space for a lot more. There’s also scope for alumni in senior positions to mentor current students and to provide, within their own spheres of authority, opportunities for students to experience the realities or working for a big organisation.

Finally, we run an annual programme of ‘lunch-time talks’. Our minum is four talks each by our four schools. Next year, we’ll be publishing a booklet entitled Faculty Colloquium, containing this year’s sixteen papers. Some external academics have contributed papers, and now we’re keen to involve more of our past students as well.

But all these possibilities will only successfully come to fruition if accurate databases relating to our alumni – When did they graduate? In what? Where are they now? – can be established and maintained. It is for this reason that ‘tracer studies’ are being undertaken; and I appeal to all our alumni to respond – and to encourage their ‘class mates’ to do the same.

professor Hlengani Siweya

THE FACULTIES SPEAK Professor Hlengani Siweya, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Science and Agriculture, says: It is absolutely vital that we maintain close ties with our past students. I say this for several reasons.

The most obvious one is the help that our alumni can provide in our regular process of curriculum review. How do our courses relate to the practicalities of the world of work? Our alumni are spread in jobs throughout the science and technology sectors, and of course through the various agricultural fields as well. What better way to evaluate what we teach than to ask those who have taken our knowledge with them into the world of work?

A second obvious reason is that past students, particularly those with postgraduate degrees, could play an important role in the spheres of teaching and research. I would like to see the faculty engaging postgraduate alumni as guest lecturers. We might even be able to bestow a suitable title – something like Professor Extraordinaire – on those who can find the time. A week of lectures by a guest lecturer would free up our staff academics to concentrate on their own research projects. There’s also the possibility of involving suitably qualified alumni as co-supervisors for current post-graduate research, a course of action that would certainly bring relief for our frequently overloaded academics.

How highly does the university value alumni involvement?

The appointment of a dedicated faculty marketing officer would also help to make maximum use of this really significant resource. Close co-operation between the faculty and the university-wide Department of Marketing and Communications will also be essential to further develop our ideas and plans.

PROFESSOR HLENGANI SIWEYAAlumni can help in the regular process of curriculum review

P A G E 2 8

Professor Nhlanhla Maake, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, says: I often think that the reason for the lack of alumni participation in the affairs of their alma mater is that their university days hold very few good memories for them, particularly for those who graduated before 1994. At Turfloop particularly, being a university student was a politically stressful occupation. But at other universities, too. I’m also an alumnus of Wits in Johannesburg. Not too long ago they organised an

professor nhlanhla maake

PROFESSOR NHLANHLA MAAKEWe need to establish a computer-based network of faculty alumni to strengthen alumni relationships

‘Assembly of Alumni’. The message was ‘let’s make a new start in the alumni relationship with the university’. The Assembly was like a ritual, a kind of cleansing of past injustices, and an invitation to establish new relationships – in some ways these relationships are almost like those that bind families – between the institution and its past students.

There can be no doubt that the relationship should be a two-way street, one of mutual respect, mutual support, and mutual enrichment. But our university has for some years been very largely in survival mode. We’ve been building basic systems from the ground up, ensuring solid institutional foundations. We were even obliged to shelve our mission and vision. But these things are back – and so should our concern be for building that vitally important relationship with our alumni.

What can the university do to enhance the building process? There are several ideas that are being developed here in the Faculty of Humanities.

The first is that we are hoping to dedicate a fully equipped office for use by alumni who come to Limpopo to work or research in the province. These facilities could be booked for a few hours, a few days or even a few weeks. Coupled to this is the need for us to establish a computer-based

network of faculty alumni that would strengthen interrelationships among our family of alumni, as well as between alumni and the university.

The second is to use alumni for teaching support and research partnerships. Retired people in particular could be persuaded to lecture in exchange for academic recognition through the conferring of extraordinary professorships – as happens in other South African universities. There is also the possibility of using alumni as mentors for current students. Of course, such ideas need to be discussed across the university as a whole, but we will certainly be making our inputs.

Finally, my faculty will be making an effort to include more prominent alumni in our annual Spring Lectures. Originally, these lectures were very much an internal affair, with a few experts and our own postgraduate students doing most of the talking. This year3, we have included postgraduates from the universities of Venda and North West. And next year we’d like a significant input from alumni as keynote speakers and as members of our discussion panels. We really like the idea of making this flagship occasion an important venue for exchanging cultural capital.

3 The 2010 Spring Lectures, which focused on Indigenous Knowledge Systems in the Post-Modern World, took place on the Turfloop campus between 6 and 9 September.

P A G E 2 9

professor obeng mireku

Professor Obeng Mireku, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Management and Law, says: When it is considered that most of our students are recruited from our home province – which is predominantly rural, with underresourced schools, widespread rural poverty and frequently marginalised population – our alumni have an important role to play in their old university. I would go so far as to say that even more important than money is the need for interaction between students past and present. Particularly with current

students who are struggling with certain aspects of their curricula, alumni can be a real inspiration; especially alumni who are being successful in their chosen careers can act as role models for the younger groups.

But we need to formalise and increase this interaction. Obviously, a certain amount of it takes place already. For example, Judge Bernard Ngoepe who graduated from Turfloop with a BJuris degree in 1972 and is now Judge President of the Gauteng North High Court in Pretoria, delivers an annual lecture to current law students. A similar arrangement has been established with Tito Mboweni, erstwhile Governor of the South African Reserve Bank and currently chairman of AngloGold Ashanti, who has been made an honorary professor in the Department of Economics at Turfloop.

But a lot more needs to be done apart from the efforts of these luminaries. We are toying with the idea of attracting mid-career alumni back to their old campus to interact with both students and staff. We believe they could actually visit for a day or two, perhaps even staying overnight in a students’ residence. This would well equip them to serve as ambassadors for their old faculty, not only by marketing it as a good place to study but by helping to enrich the student experience through targeted funding to be spent on improved facilities.

PROFESSOR OBENG MIREKUSuccessful alumni could act as role models and mentors for younger students

The Turfloop Graduate School of Leadership (TGSL) could also benefit from heightened alumni attention. Here, the students tend to be older, and many are civil servants and others holding down responsible jobs. The networking opportunities for involved alumni are obvious. Guest lecturers and alumni ambassadors would also attract current undergraduate students to Edupark, thus encouraging a flow of students from Turfloop to the TGSL. Public lectures by alumni who are successful entrepreneurs would also strengthen ties between the institution and economic activity in the province generally.

It is from these activities, and the sustainability of such activities, that larger investments into the University of Limpopo can flow. An example of such alumnus-inspired investment is the recent establishment of a full School of Accounting and Auditing in my faculty which is built around the Nedbank Chair of Accountancy. These significant academic enrichments were made possible by alumnus Dr Reuel Khoza, chairman of the Nedbank Group, and also of course the Chancellor of the university.

But all these ideas for greater interaction with our past students will need to be incorporated into a concrete plan, the execution of which will require the support of a viable and inventive alumni office.

P A G E 3 0

MEDUNSA’S COURSE FOR ALUMNI SHOWS WHAT CAN BE DONE How highly does the university value alumni involvement?

Professor Robert Golele of the Department of Orthopaedics and President of the Medunsa Convocation; Professor Pindile Mntla of the School of Medicine and Specialist Cardiologist; Professor Nomathemba Taukobong, Head of Physiotherapy; Professor Herman Joubert, Acting Director of the School of Pathology and Pre-clinical Sciences; and Professor Eucebious Lekalakala-Mokgele, Director of the School of Health Care Sciences.

The topic is alumni. Are alumni valuable to Medunsa? Very valuable, was the unanimous response. Making contact with and drawing alumni into faculty activities can be highly positive for the university as a whole.

The first example of this is outlined by Mntla, whose school hosts a highly successful annual Cardiology three-day refresher course for medical school graduates, which in September this year attracted a record turnout of 210 delegates.

Mntla explains: ‘We started small in the early 90s, inviting Medunsa alumni from Gauteng to a refresher course in Cardiology to help them stay abreast of new knowledge and developments within the discipline, while giving them an opportunity to network. Back in the early days, we started consulting the alumni on specific topics they wanted to cover as well as suggestions for speakers; which we still do. I believe this is one of the main reasons that this is becoming more popular each year. We’re not prescriptive – we consult, we listen, and then we present.’ The delegates earn essential Continuing Professional Development points for attending, adding further to the value of the course.

From the left:professor Herman Joubert, Acting Director of the School of Pathology and Clinical Sciencesprofessor Robert Golele of the Department of Orthopaedics and President of the Medunsa Convocationprofessor nomathemba taukobong, Head of Physiotherapyprofessor pindile mntla, Director of the School of Medicine and Specialist Cardiologistprofessor eucebious lekalakala-mokgele, Director of the School of Health Care Sciences

PROFESSOR ERROL HOLLAND, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at Medunsa, sets the tone for Medunsa’s response to the alumni question. ‘Alumni are a part of the citizenship of a university and it’s essential that every effort is made to make this a worthy experience for both the alumni and the university,’ he says, adding that the university’s Quality Assurance programme takes into account the critique of those who’ve passed through the university portals as a barometer of the excellence it strives towards.

‘The university is extremely proud of the eminent scholars who received their training at the University of Limpopo and now hold prominent positions in the country. More should be done to profile these celebrities as esteemed products of our institution, as this is an important source of motivation for our students. This is particularly important in inculcating the notion that it’s through education that we can make a real difference in people’s lives.’

Further response from Medunsa is gleaned at an auspicious gathering of some of the faculty’s professorial minds. The contingent comprises

MEDUNSA’S COURSE FOR ALUMNI SHOWS WHAT CAN BE DONE

P A G E 3 1

This course also offers the university management an excellent opportunity to interact with alumni from as far afield as the Northern Cape, North West, Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape, Free State, and Limpopo Province, as well as many from Gauteng – most of whom are influential in the communities they serve. A slot in the speaker programme is always made available to the university to update the alumni on what’s happening.

Joubert, also involved in the refresher course, notes: ‘Some of our delegates were students here 25 years ago, and have been in practice for more than 20 years. It’s a pleasure interacting with them.’ He adds that management is always welcome to use the course as a platform to make contact with people who value their alma mater.

Mntla, who wore two hats – as an alumnus having done his basic medical training at Medunsa in the early 1980s and as a staff member, having joined in 1994 – dons the first one and elaborates on how alumni value being kept updated on developments within their university, even being brought into the picture on major changes such as the merger. ‘Many of our alumni hold positions of power in the health sector and can contribute positively to discussions on developments.’

The discussion drills down to practical matters. It’s necessary first to make sure the database is completely up to date. But that’s purely an administrative matter as every graduate is registered with the Health Professions Council of SA. Reviving the alumni convocation would possibly be the next step; where issues could be discussed, opinions sought, and decisions made for future plans.

Two primary areas are defined for alumni involvement: in academic and social matters. Academically, alumni involvement should start at orientation of new students, where alumni can be a source of encouragement and motivation for the students. Alumni too, represent a source of mentors for postgraduate students and as guest speakers at prominent events. ‘We value their input and insight and we can consult them on growing our programmes’ is another suggestion.

Alumni presence at graduation ceremonies is also valuable as it tangibly demonstrates that graduates remain a part of the institution throughout their lives. Social events in general, which allow for opportunities to network, are considered a good idea.

But it isn’t all about what alumni can do for Medunsa. It’s also about what Medunsa can do for alumni. The answer is, a lot. Medunsa – as is happening with the Cardiology course – can offer more refresher courses and other programmes to help the alumni

develop professionally. For that to succeed, it’s agreed, the full support of university management must be behind the initiatives.

Research is also placed on the table as an area that could be mutually beneficial to the faculty and the alumni. Collaboration on research projects could see an increase in the amount of research generated by the university. This could extend to alumni who are at eminent universities around the world: collaboration with internationally renowned institutions would raise the profile of Medunsa locally and globally.

Suggestions for ‘what shouldn’t happen’ also flow readily from this group. Such as, ‘We shouldn’t make alumni involvement dependent on financial contribution’, and ‘We shouldn’t be prescriptive. We must consult on where, how and when they can and want to get involved.’ And a final unifying declaration is: ‘We shouldn’t run faculty-based alumni programmes; it must be one group of alumni from one university. To benefit all who are a part of the university.’

Making contact with anddrawing alumni into faculty activities can be highly positive for the university as a whole.

The winners of the book prizes offered to the most interesting alumni contributions (see page 21 for the contributions) to this special alumni edition of Limpopo Leader are as follows.

The overall prize goes to Pat Mabala who is a Language Practitioner: Editing and Translation, for Unisa. His succinct profile and his advice to the youngsters studying at the University of Limpopo today struck a compassionate chord with the judges. Facing problems and dealing with them is hard, particularly because the university environment is very different to previous experiences. Adapting often brings its own set of hardships. Taking problems to someone who can help makes sense. Thanks Pat! Your encouragement is a perfect fit with the university’s programmes to increase its student support at every level. Your books have been posted to you, and we trust you enjoy them.

Runners up are Jones Kabela and Isaac Mangena. They will also receive book prizes for their entries. Happy reading!

AND THE WINNERS ARE!

3: THERE’S ALSO A CORRECTION NEEDED IN THE 2009 ANNUAL REPORT.

On pages 38 and 39 of the 2009 Annual Report of the University of Limpopo, published in August 2010, there appeared the comments of the Executive Dean of Humanities, Professor Nhlanhla Maake. In the biographical preamble on page 38, it is stated that Maake ‘has also received fellowships from the British Council … and the universities of Western Cape and the Witwatersrand. This is partly incorrect. Maake has never held a fellowship at the University of the Western Cape, but he has from the University of Cape Town. The compilers of the 2009 Annual Report regret this error, and apologise to Professor Maake and to the institutions involved for the inadvertent switch of names.

GREMLINS ATTACK ON THREE FRONTS:

pat mabala

1: TEXAS IS FAR FROM WISCONSIN

On page 9 of the last issue of Limpopo Leader (Number 22, Winter 2010) we state that in 1981 Professor Mbudzeni Sibara was on his way to the University of Texas. In fact he was headed for Wisconsin. We also erroneously state that when he was at Ford Hare he studied with Steve Biko.

2: APOLOGIES TO THE HEALTH AUTHORITIES IN MPUMALANGA

Also in Limpopo Leader 22 we ran on page 31 a profile of Dr Johnson Jerry Mahlangu, the HOD for the Mpumalanga Department of Health. We regret that Dr Mahlangu’s name was twice misspelled in the headlines. To make matters worse, it was again incorrectly spelt in the contents page – and on that page he was incorrectly designated as the MEC for Mpumalanga Health. In fact, Ms D G Mahlangu is the Mpumalanga MEC for Health and Social Welfare. The Editor of Limpopo Leader has written to Ms Mahlangu (the MEC) and to Dr Mahlangu (the HOD) apologising for the mix up. The Editor also apologises unreservedly to Limpopo Leader readers for this lapse.

P A G E 3 2

P A G E 3

P A G E 2