UWC THREE-SIXT-E | ALUMNI E-NEWSLETTER | ISSUE 13/JUNE 2015

THREE-SIXT-E | ALUMNI E-NEWSLETTER | ISSUE 13/JUNE 2015

ALUMNI E-NEWSLETTER | ISSUE 13/JUNE 2015

Contact the Alumni Relations Offi ce:Tel: +27 21 959 2143 | Fax: 021 959 9791 | Email: [email protected] | www.uwc.ac.za/alumni

http://twitter.com/UWConline | http://www.facebook.com/uwcalumni

PAGE ONE

Relations strengthened with China As members of the BRICS association of developing countries, South Africa and China have many potential opportunities to offer each other in fi elds such as culture, education, health and the economy.

In April 2015, UWC became the fi rst university in South Africa to host China Week as part of nation-wide events held to celebrate China Year in South Africa. Last year China celebrated South Africa Year, with both initiatives intended to promote relations between the countries.

The week-long celebration kicked off with a visit by a high-level Chinese delegation, including Liang Shugen, the Consul-General of the People’s Republic of China in South Africa, Hu Jianhua, the Chairperson of the Cape Town branch of the All Africa Association for the Peaceful Reunifi cation of China.

The event was also attended by representatives of UWC’s Economic and Management Sciences and Community and Health Sciences faculties and Ghaleeb Jeppie, Chief Director of International Relations at the Department of Higher Education and Training. Among other activities, several presentations on aspects of the China-South Africa relationship were made. There were also

Tai Chi training sessions, Chinese food tasting, Chinese language workshops, and orientation sessions on Chinese medicine and acupuncture. The purpose of China Week, according to Leolyn Jackson, Director of UWC’s International Relations Offi ce, was to promote closer collaboration between the University community and the Western Cape Chinese community in the areas of higher education, cultural exchange and health management.

The initiative also provided local students with the opportunity to experience Chinese culture. “Through events like China Week,” says Jackson, “we want our students to value diversity of lan-guage and culture, and appreciate the importance of multicul-tural diversity to professional practice and citizenship.” China has become South Africa’s largest trading partner and South Africa is China’s largest trading partner in Africa.

Through the UWC Chinese Students Society, which was founded in 2005, UWC has established relationships with the Ministry of Education in China, the China Scholarship Council, Chinese Language Council and the Chinese Embassy in South Africa. It has signed agreements with two universities in China and there has been considerable growth in Chinese student enrolment, especially in master’s, PhD and postdoctoral programmes.

UWC Bridging International

Borders

UWC Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Tyrone Pretorius, exchanges gifts with Liang Shugen, the Consul-General of the People’s Republic of China, in Cape Town during the China Week celebrations.


PAGE TWO

Welcome to the second edition of Three-Sixt-e for 2015. This issue showcases how UWC is foster-ing and maintaining partnerships abroad.

UWC was the fi rst university in South Africa to host China Week in April 2015 as part of nation-wide events to celebrate China Year in South Africa. The purpose of China Week was to promote closer collab-oration between the University com-munity and the Western Cape Chi-nese community.

In keeping with our international theme we catch up with Namibian-born cou-ple Erastus Kautondokwa and Nehoa Hilma Kautondokwa, who obtained their Master’s in Cultural Anthropology and Public and Visual History degrees, respectively, from UWC’s Faculty of Arts in March this year. We also chat to Nigerian astrophysics student, Didam Duniya, who is heading to the 2015 Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting in Germany in June-July, and report on Computer Science master’s student, Kurt Jacobs, winner of the World Citi-zenship Award at the 2015 regional Microsoft Imagine Cup fi nals held at the CSIR in Pretoria.

We also report on International Nurs-es Month by celebrating the work done by UWC alumna, Shahnaz Ad-ams, at the Emergency Unit of the Gugulethu Community Health Centre.

Lastly, we are pleased to announce the launch of the new Alumni Travel Programme, which this year offers a week-long intensive travel experience in the United Arab Emirates, in the company of University executives, academics and alumni.

Happy reading!

Patricia Lawrence Pro Vice-ChancellorDepartment of Institutional Advancement

Couple’s sacrifi ces rewarded In a rare and unusual event, a couple graduated with master’s degrees from the same faculty at the same time, dur-ing UWC’s 2015 Summer Graduation.

Erastus Kautondokwa and Nehoa Hilma Kautondokwa obtained their MA’s in Cultural Anthropology and Public and Visual History, respectively, both from the Faculty of Arts.

Along the way they faced some peculiar challenges. The couple’s two children were born during their period of study. “Today we are proud recipients of two master’s degrees and proud parents of two lovely sons from the University of the Western Cape,” Mr Kautondokwa says.

More seriously, he recalls: “In October 2012 I had to attend a very important class presentation while my wife was in hospital for our fi rst son’s birth. I had to drop her off at the hospital, stay for half

an hour after the delivery of the baby and run to class.” Mrs Kautondokwa adds that the lowest moment was when they were forced to send their nine-month-old baby to Namibia for fi ve months while awaiting approval of his visa application. The couple met while doing their social science degrees at the University of Namibia and ended up not only doing their academic work together, but also working as teachers afterwards.

“The decision [to marry her] came as she was always doing exceptionally well in subject matters, was well-disciplined at home and did not like material things,” Mr Kautondokwa remembers.

Mrs Kautondokwa responds: “I knew he was Mr Right because I felt so different when he was around...Because we were studying at the same time and at the same institution, we could relate well to each other’s concerns and help each other.”

Editorial

Namibian couple Erastus Kautondokwa and Nehoa Hilma Kautondokwa obtained their master’s degrees at UWC.

The Alumni Relations Offi ce will be hosting their annual Kings of UWC Soccer Tournament on Sunday, 2 August 2015 at the UWC soccer fi elds.

The UWC Alumni Namibia Chapter Launch will take place on Saturday, 8 August 2015 at the Safari Hotel, Windhoek, Namibia.

The UWC Chancellor’s Dinner & Outstanding Alumni Awards will take place at the UWC Main Hall. Date to be announced.

The September 2015 Graduation will take place from Wednesday, 16 September to Friday, 18 September 2015 at the UWC Main Hall.

The UWC Rugby 50th Celebration will take place from Friday, 2 October 2015 to Sunday, 4 October 2015 at UWC.

Times and details to be announced.


PAGE THREE

BOOK REVIEWUWC student wins Microsoft design competition

Computer Science master’s student Kurt Jacobs alongside current MSc supervisor and team mentor Mehrdad Ghaziasgar.

Former Rector of the University of the Western Cape, Professor Richard van der Ross, launched his latest book, titled In Our Own Skins, A political history of the Coloured People, in the Mayoral Banquet Hall at the Cape Town Civic Centre in May.

Published by Jonathan Ball, the book is Van der Ross’s history of the ‘coloured community’, from its invention soon after the arrival of the Dutch settlers to the post-colonial dispensation and the eventual arrival of democracy.

At the launch, Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille thanked Van der Ross for his con-

tribution “toward the complex and multi-faceted tapestry which details our nation’s history.” She added, “The book is a valu-able contribution to the next generation, to read and understand our past.”

Van der Ross, for whom the term ‘coloured’ has uncontested cultural and historical validity, remarked on the uncertainty and ambivalence people have about the coloured community, neither of which feeling he shared. “We are coloured people, people of this country and people of this world.

“And we are here for a purpose, to do a job. If you have not done it get up and do it.”

The Coloured question?

Prof Richard van der Ross and Cape Town mayor, Patricia de Lille, at the launch of his latest book.

What do you get when you connect a Microsoft Kinect sensor, an Ar-duino board and image-processing software to a computer, together with a headband fi tted out with small motors?

Well, if you do it just right, you get a tool to help the visually impaired navi-gate the world – and maybe a Micro-soft World Citizenship award as well.

University of the Western Cape Computer Science master’s student, Kurt Jacobs, did just that – his Visually Impaired Helper (VIH) earned him the World Citizenship Award at the 2015

gestions, and making improvements both to the project itself and to the 20-minute presentation that earned Jacobs the win.

The VIH was developed as part of Jacobs’s honours project in 2013 (with the help of then-supervisors and Comp Sci lecturers, Ghaziasgar and Reg Dodds).

It works as follows: When the Kinect detects a nearby object, it causes the motors in the headband to vibrate. Since these motors are spread out across the headband and vibrate based on the object’s location and proximity, they tell the wearer exactly where the obstacle is so that it can be avoided.

Jacobs, who matriculated at Paarl Boys High School and went on to earn a BSc Computer Science as well as a BSc Hons (Computer Science) degree at UWC, says: “Winning was great, but not so much the glory as the affi rmation. That someone else has faith and can see the potential in your project – I think that’s the real win.”

regional Microsoft Imagine Cup fi nals held at the CSIR in Pretoria. It also netted him R3 000 as well as the chance to compete in the semi-fi nals and perhaps earn a spot at the international cup fi nals in Seattle, USA later this year.

Although the competition allows up to four members, Jacobs was the sole member of his team, appropriately dubbed Team Random Dude.

Team Random Dude wasn’t exactly a one-man show, though. Mehrdad Ghazi-asgar, Jacobs’s former honours supervi-sor and current MSc supervisor, acted as team mentor, providing advice and sug-

Winning was great, but not so much the glory as the affi rmation. That someone else has faith and can see the potential in your project – I think that’s the real win.

PAGE FOUR


When the UWC-West Link Entrance security staff reported sighting a big cat earlier this year, the staff of the UWC Cape Flats Nature Reserve suspected it was a caracal, rather than a true big cat.

Hestelle Melville, head of the nature reserve unit, said fi rst scat (identifi ed faecal droppings) was found, then fresh tracks. Finally, photographs from a camera trap verifi ed the presence of the elusive cat on our campus, for the fi rst time in recent University history.

Caracal, also known colloquially as ‘rooikat’, are not classifi ed as ‘big cats’. The caracal is a striking medium-sized, robustly built cat with long powerful legs, large paws, a short tail and ear tips with long hair tufts. It is classifi ed among the ‘top predators’, which function as key-stone species or animals whose disap-pearance could cause the increase of some species and the decline and ex-tinction of others. Predatory species like caracals are therefore considered poten-tial indicators of ecosystem health.

“These are very special animals,” comments Melville. “This means we have quite a healthy ecosystem at the UWC Cape Flats Nature Reserve. To keep the balance in the ecosystem you need predators”. It is not yet clear where the animal came from, with Table Mountain or the Tygerberg Hills being likely origins. Melville, a UWC alumna, notes that the presence of the caracal adds to the variety of animals present in the reserve and that this bodes well for the work her unit is doing for students, staff and the community at large.

“There are lots of students who can’t af-ford to travel far to do their fi eldwork, who can do their practicals right on our doorstep. Most of the time we are also fully booked with visitors from other uni-versities, schools and members of the community. So this is good news for all.”

Caracal spottedA caracal was spotted in the UWC Cape Flats Nature Reserve.

The University of the Western Cape, through its Alumni Relations Offi ce, has launched an Alumni Travel Programme. The purpose of the programme is to offer alumni week-long, intensive travel experi-ences to sought-after international destinations in the company of University executives, academics and other alumni.

“These travel programmes will nur-ture your learning experience while you develop new friendships and net-works,” explains Samantha Castle, UWC Alumni Relations Manager.

The programme will kick off in De-cember with a trip to Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Last year a group of alumni got together in Dubai and formed a UWC alumni chapter. The UAE chap-ter has already had a few meetings and raised funds for the University from among its members. With many South Africans living there and more

postgraduate students from the Mid-dle East pursuing their studies at UWC, the UAE connections to UWC are growing.

During the visit, the UAE chapter will host the delegation with a gala dinner. Representatives of the UWC senior management team will meet their counterparts from New York Universi-ty in Abu Dhabi. Meetings with the South African Consul-General and the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry will also take place.

“This trip will facilitate opportunities for academic collaborations, economic and knowledge exchanges, and will offer the delegation many avenues to explore dif-ferent opportunities,” Castle added.

And of course also opportunities for fun, shopping, fi ne dining and touring the sights of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Alumni interested in joining the trip or viewing the programme itinerary may contact the Alumni Relations Offi ce.

Alumni travel off ering

UWC

ALUMNITRAVEL

Alumni Relations Offi ceDepartment of Institutional Advancement, University of the Western Cape, Offi ce No. 41, Nursing Building, Robert Sobukwe Road

Tel: +27 21 959 2143 • Fax: +27 21 959 9791 • Email: [email protected] • www.uwc.ac.zawww.facebook.com/uwcalumni twitter.com/uwconline

F R O M H O P E T O A C T I O N T H R O U G H K N O W L E D G E .

Join us on the UWC Alumni Travel Tour to the United Arab Emirates7 December to 14 December 2015

For more information contact the UWC Alumni Relations Offi ce at 021 959 2143

PAGE FIVE


Student’s research takes him places UWC astrophysics student Didam Du-niya is attending the 2015 Nobel Laure-ate Meeting in Lindau, Germany from 28 June to 3 July, with some of the world’s most promising young scientists and 70 Nobel Prize-winning scientists.

The Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting, which has been convened annually since 1951, brings together young scien-tists, chosen by a high-level scientifi c re-view panel, with Nobel laureates.

Duniya, a PhD student from Nigeria, was nominated to attend by the Robert Bosch Stiftung in Germany and the African Insti-tute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) for his work in astrophysics. Under the super-vision of UWC Physics Professor and Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Research Chair, Prof Roy Maartens, Duniya investi-gates the effects of Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity in galaxy surveys. Up-coming surveys with the MeerKAT tele-scope and the Square Kilometre Array (when completed) will be able to detect the effects that Duniya is working on, and will consequently test Einstein’s theory.

“I feel privileged to be selected from so many young scientists across the world to attend this prestigious, once-in-a-life-time forum,” Duniya says. “My gratitude goes to the selection review panel, Rob-ert Bosch Foundation and AIMS.”

Duniya adds: “This trip isn’t just about me. [It shows]...progress in science at UWC, and in Africa as a whole. It is my sincere hope that this will inspire young scientists at UWC and across Africa to work harder and aim to be among the world’s top-ranking researchers. I be-lieve the sky will be our limit – and the sky is limitless.”

UWC alumni showed heartening enthusiasm for their alma mater at the launch of the Gauteng, Eastern Cape and Western Cape Alumni Chapters in February, April and May, respectively, eagerly volunteering to serve on steering committees and putting forward ideas on ways to help the institution.

The chapters were launched to assist the University to engage alumni in the respective provinces, promote UWC as a university of choice for future generations and foster relevant discussion and debate.

The chapters will also promote the University in the corporate sector and help establish innovative fundraising activities for the benefi t of UWC.

UWC Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Tyrone Pretorius, congratu-lated the newly elected steering com-mittees and thanked them for agree-ing to play this critical role. “Every alumnus represents key moments in UWC history.

“You form an integral part of our his-tory and I hope you will form an inte-gral part of our future,” he said. At the Western Cape Chapter launch, Prof

Pretorius described key programmes and projects underway at the Univer-sity and outlined the University’s new vision – the Udubs 2030 Vision.

“You, the alumni, hold infl uential posi-tions in all walks of life across the country, the continent and the globe,” he told alumni.

“As students at UWC you were fear-less champions of human rights and socio-political transformation. We need your support to be continuously resilient and to adapt to the challeng-es that lie ahead.

“I believe you can play a key role in strengthening the University’s reve-nue system in many ways, including using your professional networks to identify potential philanthropists, and to assist us to become a real meta-phor for South Africa.”

Prof Pretorius assured the alumni that their alma mater was in safe hands. “We have a dynamic new leadership in place, and I have every confi dence that this new leadership team is poised to take UWC to new heights. But it can only do so through the support of the UWC community, including the alumni.”

New alumni chapters set up

Rector and Vice-Chancellor Prof Tyrone Pretorius congratulates the newly elected chairpersons of the alumni chapters, from left: Claude Smith (Western Cape), Dr Glynis Pieterse (Eastern Cape) and Melvin Watkins (Gauteng).


PAGE SIX

The theme for this year’s International Nurses Day on 12 May was Nurses: A force for change: care effective, cost effective.

UWC alumna Shahnaz Adams proved herself a force for change when she helped to turn around the Emergency Unit at Gugulethu Community Health Centre. Before she took up the position to head the unit in 2008, there were allegations of racial confl icts, poor service delivery

leading to patients dying in the waiting room while health practitioners dragged their feet, and employees under the infl uence of alcohol. The community was losing confi dence in the facility and this led to the Public Protector launching an investigation. “It was a disgrace,” Adams says frankly. Having served Emergency Medical Services for many years and having dealt with a similar situation at Knysna Ambulance Station, Adams, who obtained her degree in nursing at UWC

in 1985, was called in. “The majority of staff was so resistant and didn’t want me there,” Adams says. “A few of them, though, were tired of being called names by the community and wanted change. I worked with them to persuade the others to come on board.”

Under her leadership, the unit markedly improved its services. “When I went there in 2008 patients had a 98% chance of dying, and today patients have a 98% chance to live.” Her success story became a case study for other struggling units and Adams has based her master’s research on her experience.

“My focus is on people,” Adams explains. “If you have a policy or something to be done, it takes a person with determina-tion to achieve the outcome. In addition, a person is not a robot that you can pro-gramme. There are a lot of dynamics, personalities, attitude, personal chal-lenges, competencies (or the lack there-of). If that person doesn’t take ownership and lacks the insight that he or she has a commitment to the community, that poli-cy has no meaning.”

Adams believes that public servants owe it to the community to provide quality servic-es. “That will always be our mandate. And if we have systems that are hampering us from achieving that mandate, then we must fi nd creative ways to change them.”

Shahnaz Adams believes public servants must take ownership to improve service delivery.

Nursing for change

Working for a sustainable future UWC alumnus Akhona Ndletyana believes in sustainable development and improving quality of life through the use of environmentally friendly methods in civil and commercial activities.

In his work in the Pollution and Chemi-cals Management section of the West-ern Cape Department of Environmen-tal Affairs and Development Planning, Ndletyana is responsible for the man-agement of pollution in the physical environment (earth and water), and also for noise pollution and control.

His work encompasses everything from working with policy and assess-ing the environmental impact of devel-opments, to implementing compliance, law enforcement, monitoring, investi-

gations (inspections), as well as environ-mental awareness and education.

“Often complaints come from ordinary members of the public about incidents that are harming or have the potential to harm the environment, allegedly commit-ted by other citizens,” Ndletyana ex-plains. “In such cases people skills are crucial, and my training in my engage-ments at UWC proves to be useful here as people are part of the environment too. In the end, the goal is to derive an amicable solution for all involved parties as sometimes the alleged perpetrator is unaware of environmental legislation, or simply does not have the resources to mitigate environmental damage.”

Ndletyana, who holds a BA degree and Honours in Geography and Environmen-

Akhona Ndletyana is a member of the UWC Alumni Association.

tal Management from UWC, says he received more than an education at UWC. “The compassion UWC has for helping communities, especially dis-advantaged and marginalised people, is second to none.” For this reason, Ndletyana didn’t hesitate to join the Alumni Association, “to give a little contribution to this wonderful institu-tion so that it can continue to help oth-ers, especially those that are disad-vantaged and marginalised.”


PAGE SEVEN

Mandla Gagayi studied a Bachelor of Arts degree intending to follow a career in labour relations and human resourc-es, but his passion for sport soon took over and has since seen him spending his working life in sports development.

Gagayi is the new Director of Sport Administration at UWC, replacing long-serving director, Ilhaam Groenewald, who has joined Stellenbosch University as its Chief Director of Sport.

Gagayi has worked in sport administration for 14 years, eight of which were at management level at Rhodes University, fi rst as deputy head and later as head of sport. With just 7 500 students compared to UWC’s more than 20 000, Rhodes has more students involved in sport, better working relations between its sports administration and student bodies and the sports offi ce operated with a larger budget. But Gagayi sees opportunities rather than challenges at UWC. “We must understand the core business of the

University is the academic project,” he explains. “Therefore, the University will not keep on pumping funds towards us while there are academic departments that are in need of the same money.

“We must be creative and fi nd ways to source funding on our own to be able to send our athletes to national and interna-tional competitions. Currently we are strug-gling to send them because of funding and it becomes a problem when we can’t send them or expect them to pay out of their

pockets.” Among his goals for the Univer-sity is mass student involvement in sport, holistic student development through sport and better performances from athletes. “If I happen to leave UWC at some point, I would love to look back to a university that has gone beyond being seen as a previ-ously disadvantaged institution.

Yes, we are previously disadvantaged but we need to move on from that stereo-type. We can be as competitive as previ-ously advantaged universities.”

New sport boss aims high

The University of the Western Cape mourns the passing of alumni, students and staff , including:

UWC Alumnus and part-time lecturer Lewis Jonker passed away after a long battle with illness in May 2015. In his 21 years of service at UWC, Jonker, who had a BSc from the University (as does his widow), worked as a lab assistant and then lectured at UWC’s Faculty of Science. He was retired, but still occa-sionally lectured at UWC until his illness.

Andiswa Sibeko, affectionately known as Andy, a fi nal-year BChD student at UWC, passed away in April 2015. Sibeko was born in Gugulethu, Cape Town, and edu-cated at St Augustine’s Primary School and Immaculata Girls High School.

OBITUARIES

NEW APPOINTMENT

Mandla Gagayi is the new Director of Sport Administration.

Brian Sepkit died on 11 May 2015 after a short illness. Sepkit worked for many years as a Library Assistant in the University’s Main Library before retiring at the end of December 2014.

PAGE EIGHT

Fashion Show updated

Minister in the Presidency and former Justice Minister, Jeff Radebe, visited UWC to welcome Prof Tyrone Preto-rius to his new position as the Rector and Vice-Chancellor at the University of the Western Cape on Thursday, 12 February 2015.

Did you know UWC is the only institution nationally off ering a postgraduate programme in Museum and Heritage Studies?

Winners of the Alumni #IamUWC Selfi e Competition modelling the 2015 Alumni Clothing Range.

UWC has some of the best alumni ap-parel in its store, judging by the popu-larity of the Campus Lifestyle Store.

In April a packed Student Centre was in rapture when models strutted their stuff at this year’s Fashion Show to showcase the latest range of student and alumni clothing.

The eight models were selected from hundreds of entrants who took part in the Alumni #IamUWC Selfi e Competition 2015, a contest run since the beginning of the year by the Alumni Relations Of-fi ce in conjunction with the Brand and Digital Communications unit – both lo-cated in the University’s Department of Institutional Advancement.

Students were asked to take selfi es on campus that communicated the message of UWC students being proud and happy.

“We want to celebrate our University by showing our pride, loyalty, passion and commitment to Udubs through your selfi es,” read the brief to contestants. “Your selfi e should promote the positive and practical ways in which UWC can make the

world a better place.” The purpose of the contest, according to Alumni Offi cer Lynn Hendricks, was to create awareness about the Alumni Relations Offi ce, prepare students for their future role as alumni and cultivate students’ pride and patriotism for the Institution by encouraging them to wear the University branding.

Hundreds of students heeded the call and sent their selfi es to the Alumni Offi ce through social media and email.

The eight fi nalists selected were Davida Messeur, Chanell van Heerden, Uzayr Shira, Mogammad Adh-har Jardien, Tristan Hay, Khuselwa Kafu, Ashton van der Rheede and Aashiqah Laingno.

The winners did not only take home interesting prizes but also modelled the winter and summer clothing ranges at the popular fashion show, which was held in partnership with the Campus Lifestyle Store and DK Worx Photography.

The new alumni clothing range is already on sale and can be purchased at the University’s Campus Lifestyle Store.

and follow us… http://twitter.com/UWConline

http://www.facebook.com/uwcalumniFind us…

Join the UWC Alumni Association!

Get your free UWC Alumni T-shirt and much more for only R170 per annum (or R70 for the fi rst two years after graduation)! To join, download and complete the Alumni Membership form at www.uwc.ac.za/alumni

Contact us at email: [email protected] or tel: 021 959 2143 if you have any questions.

Your alma mater wants to keep you updated with the latest UWC news, events and information.

Update your contact details at www.uwc.ac.za/ alumni or send an email with your details to [email protected].

Stay Connected!

CelebrityCorner

DID YOU KNOW ?

UWC THREE-SIXT-E | ALUMNI E-NEWSLETTER | ISSUE 13/JUNE 2015

Documents

Transcript of UWC THREE-SIXT-E | ALUMNI E-NEWSLETTER | ISSUE 13/JUNE 2015