FoundingFoundingFoundingFoundingFoundingCampusesCampusesCampusesCampusesCampuses EdgewoodEdgewoodEdgewoodEdgewoodEdgewood Howard CollegeHoward CollegeHoward CollegeHoward CollegeHoward College Medical SchoolMedical SchoolMedical SchoolMedical SchoolMedical School PietermaritzburgPietermaritzburgPietermaritzburgPietermaritzburgPietermaritzburg WestvilleWestvilleWestvilleWestvilleWestville

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Ins ide22222 The Equity DialogueThe Equity DialogueThe Equity DialogueThe Equity DialogueThe Equity Dialogue 33333 Face 2 FaceFace 2 FaceFace 2 FaceFace 2 FaceFace 2 Face 66666 UKZN achUKZN achUKZN achUKZN achUKZN achieieieieieversversversversvers 22222 Sport cornerSport cornerSport cornerSport cornerSport corner

PPPPParentsarentsarentsarentsarents’ Day Day Day Day DayUKZN hosted

a p p r o x i -mately 2 000p a r e n t sa c r o s s i t scampuses onParents’ Day,

3 February 2007.

Welcoming parents on the West-ville campus, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Head of the Col-lege of Health Sciences, ProfessorLeana Uys, said that as a result ofthe merger UKZN is able to offervery diverse courses. Vice-Chancellor Professor MalegapuruMakgoba thanked parents forentrusting UKZN with the edu-cation and development of theirchildren. He outlined the Uni-versity’s vision of being thePremier University of AfricanScholarship, emphasising that ithopes to negate the past and builda positive future.

On the Howard College campusthere were interactive discussionsbetween parents and a panel con-sisting of Professor Dasarath

Chetty, Executive Director, PublicAffairs and Corporate Communi-cations; Professor Fikile Mazibuko,Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Headof the College of Humanities; DrBhekithemba Ngcobo, DeputyDean of Students; and Ms ConstantDube, Student Funding.

Professor Mazibuko assuredparents that “the integrity of ourcore academic values will not becompromised. This is a difficultphase in the history of ourUniversity, but it is necessary topursue problems according toprocess and to send out messagesto society that we will face andrectify those problems in a fair andtransparent manner”.

The Dean of the Faculty of Edu-cation, Professor Renuka Vithalwelcomed parents to the Edgewoodcampus and encouraged them toguide their children into fields thatare currently in demand in SouthAfrica. She highlighted the need formore Foundation Phase Educators(Grades 1-3) and for more Scienceand Maths Teachers.

More than 600 parents attendedParents’ Day on the Pietermaritz-burg campus. Professor PeteZacharias congratulated the parentson supporting their children’sdecision to choose UKZN. Hetouched on three issues that surveyshave identified as being of most

interest to parents: the emergenceof a new University, academicstandards and campus safety andsecurity. Other speakers includedMr Trevor Wills, Executive Deanof Students, who touched on thevarious student services on offer;Mr Michael Davids who detailed

TEAM WORK: Members of a bigger team of students who assisted parents and students registering on the Westvilleand Howard College campuses. The students made a tremendous contribution to facilitating the registration process.

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the funding and scholarshipopportunities available to newentrants; and representatives fromFaculties.

- Bhekani Dlamini, ThembekaDlungwane, Vicky Crookes andMaryAnn Francis

Dancing to ScotlandDancing to ScotlandDancing to ScotlandDancing to ScotlandDancing to Scotland

Professor Suria Govender and Sibusiso Ndebele with learners from Hillview Primary.

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A MEMBER of the SurialangaDance Company and two teachers

from Hillview Primary have beeninvited to showcase their dancing

and teaching skills in Edinburgh,Scotland. UKZN alumnus Sibusiso

Ndebele (dancer) and the teachersMr Ashok Angadth and Mrs KapillaMaharaj will be leaving forEdinburgh on 19 March.

Sibusiso from Clermont completedhis degree in performance studiesat the Howard College campus. Hewill be teaching learners to danceBharata Natyam at Sciennes Prim-ary in Edinburgh. Having starteddancing at the age of 11, he hasperformed in the Surialanga DanceCompany for the past six years. Aspart of community outreach, he hastaught dance at many other schoolsin Durban. Though it’s his first visitto Scotland, he has traveled, per-formed and entertained in France,the USA, Singapore, Switzerland,Italy and the Seychelles.

This partnership is the result of thetwinning of the cities of Edinburghand Durban. A delegation of four

teachers and a parent from SciennesPrimary visited Hillview PrimarySchool in October last year toinitiate and strengthen the part-nership. This group was impressedto see Sibusiso teaching children todance. They invited him and twoteachers to go to Edinburgh.

The Director of Surialanga DanceCompany, Professor SuriaGovender says: “It is gratifying forboth Sbu and I to see how fullyinternational visitors are involvedin learning about the differentcultures of our province. Theyparticipate in the teaching andlearning of dance and take away somuch from the experience that theywish to share this with their ownpeople”. Professor Govenderlectures in English Studies on theHoward College campus.

- Bhekani Dlamini

2

The ukzndaba teamThe ukzndaba teamThe ukzndaba teamThe ukzndaba teamThe ukzndaba team

Dasarath Chetty Deanne Collins Bhekani Dlamini Thembeka Dlungwane Fikisile Mabaso Vidhya Singh

Send your news to news@ukzn.ac.za

Professor Dasarath Chetty, Executive Director,Public Affairs and Corporate Communications

EditorialEditorialEditorialEditorialEditorial

The Equity

DialogueDURING 2006, the Equity SupportUnit conducted a review of theUniversity’s Employment EquityPolicy, its effectiveness andefficacy.

The most contentious issues sur-rounding the policy were identifiedand regular columns appeared inukzndaba where the differentviewpoints were presented toencourage staff to debate theseissues and make input into the newpolicy. At the same time workshopswere conducted in each Faculty andDivision. A final report was pre-pared taking into account theworkshops, surveys and individualwritten submissions.

The final report indicated over-whelming support for the policy.Concerns were however, expressedabout employment equity nega-tively impacting on our excellenceand other institutional goals, theadditional administrative burden itimposed, its potential for racialpolarisation and the possibility ofsidelining existing staff. Staff alsoindicated that they wished to havean integrated human resources andemployment equity plan.

The workshops and surveys alsoindicated an alarming lack ofunderstanding of the EmploymentEquity Policy and the variousinterventions already in place.

On the one hand, some respondentswere of the view that the Employ-ment Equity Policy and strategywere overly robust and inflexible.Persons in this category felt thatemployment equity needs to beintegrated into a human resourcesplan that will enable the Universityto achieve other institutional goalsincluding that of becoming thetop ranked African universityby 2017.

On the other hand, there was alsoa view that the policy was notworking effectively to achievetransformation goals as evi-denced by the slow rate of ap-pointment and promotion ofAfrican staff.

In both cases it was clear that manydisgruntled members of staff hadopted to divorce themselves fromthe reality of University policy,procedure and strategy, basing theiropinion rather on speculation,rumour and rhetoric.

Achieving Employment Equity through buyAchieving Employment Equity through buyAchieving Employment Equity through buyAchieving Employment Equity through buyAchieving Employment Equity through buy-in-in-in-in-inContextFirstly we need to be realistic aboutour progress to date given ourunique context. As part of theMemorandum of Agreement signedby the two erstwhile universities amoratorium was placed on externalrecruitment and almost all vacantsenior posts were frozen pendingthe finalisation of the new structurefor the University of KwaZulu-Natal. This was predicated on theimperative to prevent unnecessaryinflation of the staffing establish-ment until a proper needs analysishad been completed for UKZN andfair processes determined to ensureequal opportunity for staff of bothmerging universities.

These processes i.e. determinationof structures, matching, placing,redeployment and regularisation ofcontract appointments are still inprocess and existing staff continueto be given preference. Presentpolicy is also supported to ensurethe creation of opportunities forexisting staff to progress in thesupport sector. This will be super-seded with the implementation ofperformance management. There isat present no promotion policy forsupport staff.

Our internal focus to date resultedin very little external recruitmentin the support sector and hence verymarginal shifts in our demographicprofile. There is no doubt that theprogress has been slow. This begsthe question of whether we fol-lowed the correct route. Legally wehad no other option but from amoral point of view as well, wehave to acknowledge the rights,expectations and aspirations ofexisting staff from both Univer-sities. We have to accept thevaluable contributions of thesemembers of staff and the fact thatthey could not be held responsiblefor distortions in the profiles of themerging universities which wereapartheid artifacts.

In the academic sector, whilst therehas been a fair amount of externalrecruitment, the processes havebeen carefully monitored from theminimum criteria stipulated foreach academic level to the appoint-ments themselves. All non-targetappointments are approved by therelevant Deputy Vice-Chancellorwho is accountable to the StaffingCommittee. The majority of non-

target appointments have beenmade in the College of Agriculture,Engineering and Science wherethere is a serious skills pool deficit,acknowledged as a national priority.Incidentally most of the non-targetappointments are of foreignersrather than Whites or Indians.

Transformation of our demo-graphic profile is a legal, moral andstrategic business imperative butcurrently it is one of the mostsignificant causes of low staffmorale, characterised by increas-ing levels of frustration in failingto recruit from the target group,racial polarisation, accusations andcounter-accusations regardingmotives and manipulations, poli-ticking, unreasonable expectations,feelings of marginalisation, des-pondency and hopelessness andlack of confidence in the integrityof fellow staff and processes.

Should we beat ourselves up overthe slow progress and should westart ascribing blame to one

another? It is far more constructiveto commit ourselves as an Insti-tution to implementing the recentlyapproved Employment EquityPlans and to improving the climateof UKZN to become an inclusive,empowering and generally wel-coming place for all people.

Achieving a balanceThe Employment Equity Policyrepresents an attempt to balance thegoals of excellence, efficiency,affirmative action and equal oppor-tunity. The policy does not sub-ordinate any of these goals toanother but adopts a holistic andrealistic approach to achievingdemographic representivity. Indevising the policy there was dueregard for legality of the variousstrategies and the need to maintaina unified and motivated workforce.Since the ultimate goal of theUniversity is equal opportunity itwould be unfortunate to have apolicy that entrenches a new systemof disadvantage and inequality. The

policy therefore supports the rightsand expectations of all existingstaff yet at the same time en-courages inter alia capacity build-ing, proactive searches, setting ofgoals and targets, mentoring andsuccession planning.

However the policy cannot beeffective unless it is read, under-stood and supported by the Univer-sity community.

As part of the process of securinga common understanding andgreater buy-in, the ESU will berunning workshops on ‘Achievingexcellence and equity in recruit-ment and selection’. The work-shops are aimed at staff who areinvolved in recruitment and selec-tion processes but other interestedstaff will be accommodated on afirst come, first served basis.

Make sure we hear your voice.Send all comments or queries tothe Equity Support Unit.

Putting students firstPutting students firstPutting students firstPutting students firstPutting students firstTHE Face2Face column was introduced

into ukzndaba last year to allow for diverse views to bereflected in our official publication. In this edition Mdu Ntuli, Central

SRC President, reflects on the main challenges facing the students at UKZN andthe role of students in realising our vision of being the “Premier University of African

Scholarship”. Ntuli’s pertinent remarks reflect that the student leadership’s views are indeedconsistent with the goals and mission of the Institution. This is particularly evident from the

contention that students should be prepared to confront the social ills that we face, in effect, deal withsocietal challenges that manifest in microcosm at the University and in society at large.

It is also noteworthy that financial and academic exclusions were raised by the SRC President as a challengefor the University community to confront. The question of how to address historical imbalances and at thesame time not to lower academic standards is a complex one to answer. It requires sensitivity in dealing withthe legacy of historical disadvantage and putting in place both financial and academic mechanisms that areconducive to student development. Both the image and reputation of the Institution would be well served

if we are to address these challenges efficiently and effectively.

We welcome new students to the University of KwaZulu-Natal this year, sound in the knowledgethat the Council, Executive, Senate and other decision-making bodies are committed to

putting students first.

3

FaceFaceFaceFaceFaceFace Face Face Face Face 22222What are the main challengesfacing students at UKZN in 2007and how does the SRC see thesechallenges being addressed?

We need to appreciate that insti-tutions of learning are microcosmsof society. This means that we haveto confront the challenges andsocial ills facing society in general.Indeed, UKZN should at all times

strive to intellectually contributetowards solving these problems.

Among the challenges facing theUniversity is the question of racismand racial intolerance that con-tinues to define our day-to-dayoperations. The scourge of racismmanifests itself in many ways andundermines our ability as an Insti-tution to progressively movetowards the realisation of ourvision – the Premier University ofAfrican Scholarship. As anInstitution, we must together finda common solution to this problem.

We must approach this matter witha sober understanding and appreci-ation of the fact that our Institutionwas born from a particular legacy.This legacy also defines the his-torical background of our country.Our view as students is that all ofus must extricate ourselves fromthe conditions of denial and acceptthat racism exists and massively

ukzndaba speaks to Central SRC President Mdu Ntuli

THE South African ResearchEthics Training Initiative (SARETI)has been awarded another full grantfor the next four-year cycle oftraining (2007-2010).

SARETI is an Africa-based, multi-disciplinary consortium created tofocus on ethics and human rightsin health research. It is a partner-ship between UKZN (School ofPsychology), the University of Pre-toria (School of Medicine), withinputs from Johns Hopkins Univer-sity (Bioethics Institute, Bloom-berg School of Public Health) in theUS. The Fogarty InternationalCentre of the United States’National Institutes of Health (NIH)is funding SARETI.

During the first funding cycle,SARETI enrolled and trained nineMasters’ students and 18 Fellowsin health research ethics. During2007-2010, 14 Masters’ studentswill be trained by the partneruniversities. Its modules are alsoavailable to self funded applicantsand to those eligible who wish totake specific advanced modules inResearch Ethics.

Professor Douglas Wassenaar ofthe School of Psychology on thePietermaritzburg campus, who isthe Principal investigator ofSARETI, says that the lack oftrained research ethicists and ofadvanced institutional researchethics training capacity in Africa

undermines and compromises theprogress we have made thus far.

A second, fundamental challenge isacademic exclusions, both financialand academic. It is our consideredview that institutions of higherlearning in South Africa shouldacquaint themselves with thedisadvantaged background of themajority of students. An appre-ciation of this reality would makeit possible for our Institution todefine proactive measures in deal-ing with problems facing Africanstudents in particular. This problemis an extremely worrying pheno-menon in the Faculty of Engin-eering in particular. It has led to thedevelopment of the myth thatAfricans do not have the aptitudefor Engineering, hence they fail inmassive numbers.

How can student leadershipassist in enhancing the repu-

tation of UKZN and contributeto realising the University’svision of being the Premier Uni-versity of African Scholarship?

We note with pride the significantprogress that our Institution hasmade since the merger. We areespecially proud of the compre-hensive audit conducted by Pro-fessor Hugh Africa and the extentto which we reflected on certainrecommendations arising out of theaudit. We must continue to ac-celerate our effort in ensuring thatour Institution earns an image ofhope and excellence through ourability to shape the national andinternational discourse.

The current leadership of the SRCis determined to make a con-tribution to the development of ourInstitution. We do so, guided andinspired by the fact that our societylegitimately expects this and othercentres of knowledge to provide

means that African views on theethics of health research are neithersufficiently developed nor heard.He points out that in the recentcontroversy related to ‘standards ofcare’ in clinical trials in developingnations, both sides of the debate arerepresented almost exclusively byresearchers and ethicists from thedeveloped world, even though thisis an ethical issue of crucial impor-tance to the developing world.Given the level of leadershipneeded to deal with complex andurgent ethical dilemmas in re-search, it is essential that Africa beable to mount its own trainingprogrammes in this field to deal

with problems that affect Africadirectly. To date, this need has onlybeen marginally addressed.SARETI endeavours to balancethis need for research ethics capa-city in Africa through training,support and research with a pur-poseful focus on solutions forAfrica by Africans.

SARETI has since developed 19modules which can be takentowards MPH, MPhil, and Masterof Social Sciences in Health Re-search Ethics. SARETI has alreadyreceived a total of 109 applicationsfor its four years of activity to date.Of these, 27 trainees were awarded

sponsorship, with a further fourcommencing their studies in 2007.Successful applicants were fromBurkina-Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana,Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria,South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda,Zambia and Zimbabwe.

SARETI staff have been asked toreview grant applications fromother research ethics funders. suchas Wellcome Trust and to consultwith research units. SARETI is alsoformally involved in NEBRA,which is a parallel EU initiative topromote research ethics training forFrancophone Africa. At the end ofthe 4th year of the programme

(2006), SARETI organised anAfrica-wide Health ResearchEthics Symposium (AHRES) inDakar, Senegal, in collaborationwith other African Ethics organi-sations and with supplementaryfunding from the Wellcome Trust,to increase the impact and network-ing potentials of the SARETItraining programmes, to facilitateAfrican exchange in healthresearch ethics, to strengthenAfrica’s voice in this field, and tooffer an opportunity for trainees topresent their work to their peers.This symposium was attended by60 delegates from 16 countries.

Twenty academics at three uni-versities contribute to SARETI.Two of the staff at UKZN’s Schoolof Psychology serve on theSARETI Executive: ProfessorWassenaar and Professor NhlanhlaMkhize (Deputy Co-PrincipalInvestigator). A further eightUKZN academic staff memberscomprise the SARETI Facultyalong with staff members from theUniversity of Pretoria. ProfessorSalim Abdool Karim of CAPRISA,UKZN serves on the SARETIAdvisory Board, along with sevenother distinguished internationalacademics and researchers. Furtherdetails can be found at http://www.up.ac. za/sareti/sareti.htm

Article and picture: Supplied

SARETI makSARETI makSARETI makSARETI makSARETI makes an impactes an impactes an impactes an impactes an impact

Professor Salim Abdool Karim, Professor Douglas Wassenaar and Professor Nhlanhla Mkhize at the meeting inDakar, Senegal.

advanced solutions to addresssocial ills. We will continue to strivefor an excellent, innovative andcaring Institution which under-stands and identifies itself with oursociety. The SRC will, as a matter ofpriority; design programmes thatresonate with the aspirations of thepoor masses, Africans in particular.

We have defined 2007 as the yearof community participationthrough the extension of skills andexpertise to our general public. Weremain resolute in our view that ourInstitution must give practicalmeaning to the idea of communityengagement through programmescarried out in co-operation with themasses of our people. In this regard,we would play our role in advancingpartnerships with other AfricanUniversities through their studentleadership. We would enter intopartnerships guided by the com-mitment to advance mutual bene-fits.

4

UKZN’s Centre for Quan-tum Technology organiseda Summer School on the

theoretical foundations of quantuminformation processing and com-munication.

Eleven leading scientists fromoverseas introduced 40 local stu-dents to the latest developments inthis exciting field. The SummerSchool was held from 15-24 Jan-uary at Salt Rock.

“We are currently in the midst of asecond quantum revolution. The

The future is quantumThe future is quantumThe future is quantumThe future is quantumThe future is quantum

Delegates at the Quantum Technology Summer School.

first quantum revolution at thebeginning of the last century led toan understanding of the funda-mental laws governing the physicalproperties of matter at the micro-scopic level,” says ProfessorFrancisco Petruccione, an experton Quantum Technology.

The second quantum revolutionwill offer new technological appli-cations which will characterise theprincipal advances of the 21st

century. The miniaturisation oftechnological devices, for example,necessitates the manipulation of

objects at the nanoscale level,where coherent quantum mechani-cal processes start to dominate thephysical properties. Among thebasic tools of the new quantumtechnologies are quantum infor-mation, quantum communication,quantum computation, quantummetrology, and quantum control. Atpresent, one of the most developedquantum technologies is QuantumCryptography.

The newly founded National Insti-tute for Theoretical Physicssponsored the Summer School.

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UKZN hosts NationalUKZN hosts NationalUKZN hosts NationalUKZN hosts NationalUKZN hosts NationalUniversity of SingaporeUniversity of SingaporeUniversity of SingaporeUniversity of SingaporeUniversity of SingaporeUKZN International hosted MsKWEK Puay Swan, the DeputyDirector of International RelationsOffice and Mr Ow Yew Sim,Manager of Africa and EuropeSection from the National Univer-sity of Singapore on 7 February.

The National University of Singa-pore has been ranked amongst theWorld’s Top 20 and Top 3 univer-sities in Asia in the QS WorldUniversity Rankings 2006 con-

ducted by the Times Higher Edu-cation Supplement.

The purpose of their visit was toobtain an update on education andresearch developments, discussmutual opportunities for imple-menting student exchanges andlong term collaborations such assummer programmes or field trips.

At their meting with ProfessorAhmed Bawa (DVC-Research,

Knowledge Production and Part-nerships) the visitors discussedstrategic research initiatives. Thetwo universities carry out similarresearch in the fields of MaterialsResearch, Water Research, andEthics and Bioethics Research.Logistics Research is anotherpotential area of collaboration.

- Thembeka Dlungwane

(l-r) Professor Ahmed Bawa, DVC Research, Knowledge Production and Partnerships; Professor Renuka Vithal,Dean: Faculty of Education; Mrs KWEK Puay Swan, Deputy Director of International Relations Office, NationalUniversity of Singapore; Ms Nicola Latchiah, Principal International Advisor; Mr OW Yew Sim (Manager, EuropeAfrica Section, National University of Singapore and Dr Roshen Kishun, Director of International Relations,UKZN.

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EMINENT academic ProfessorMbulelo Vizikhungo Mzamane hasbeen appointed Director of theCentre for African Literary Studies(CALS) on the Pietermaritzburgcampus.

Professor Mzamane served as thefirst post-apartheid Vice-Chancellor and Rector at theUniversity of Fort Hare. He hastaught English Studies, Com-parative Literature, and AfricanStudies at universities in SouthernAfrica, West Africa, Europe, theUS, and Australia.

He says CALS has tremendouspotential to help curriculumdevelopment and to find com-monality in diverse cultures. CALSis now better situated to trainteachers in literature as part of itsoutreach programmes.

Professor Mzamane sees Africanlanguages as an imperative AfricanRenaissance project. He plans toorganise writing seminars wherewriters share ideas. He also wantsto create fellowships to encouragemore established and buddingwriters writing in every languageto associate with the Centre.Interested in fledging scholars, hewants the Centre to be positionedto provide experiential training tostudents so that they leave theUniversity with hands-on know-ledge for the world of work. He isalso working on a project calledBUA – African Languages into the21st Century – where he is looking

Professor Mbulelo Mzamane.

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at intra African languages trans-lation. He adds that translationfrom IsiZulu/IsiXhosa intoSeSotho/SeTswana is lacking.

A seasoned writer, ProfessorMzamane is the author of a numberof books and the editor of nu-merous publications. He serves onthe SABC Board and the HeraldryCouncil and served for eight yearsas the founder chair of the Institutefor the Advancement of Journalism,as the founding patron of the Free-dom of Expression Institute, andthe founding director of the BookDevelopment Council of Africa.

He was also chair of the AfricanArts Fund (under the auspices ofthe UN Centre against Apartheid)and serves on the board of theNewtown Film and TelevisionSchool. He is currently engaged inproducing, under the auspices ofthe national Department of Arts andCulture, an Encyclopedia of SouthAfrican Arts and Culture.

- Bhekani Dlamini

New CALS DirectorNew CALS DirectorNew CALS DirectorNew CALS DirectorNew CALS Director

DedicationDedicationDedicationDedicationDedicationceremonyceremonyceremonyceremonyceremonyTHE Discipline of ClinicalAnatomy at the Nelson R MandelaSchool of Medicine held its 14th

Annual Dedication Ceremony on26 January. This year’s ceremonywas conducted by the ReverendFather Merlin Ince of Saint Anne’sChurch in Sydenham.

The dedication ceremony wasinitiated by Professor GHM Vawdain 1994. It encourages students notonly to respect the human body, butalso to show appreciation tocommunity members who donatetheir bodies. The cadavers areused in the training of medicalstudents.

In her opening address, DeputyVice-Chancellor and Head of theCollege of Health Sciences,Professor Leana Uys, paid tributeto those who donate their bodiesto the Medical School. KwaZulu-Natal Judge President VukaTshabalala was the guest speaker

at the ceremony. He said that lawand medicine have a great deal ofinfluence on each other. Heappealed to medical practitionersto ensure that patients’ rights toprivacy are protected.

Minister of Arts, Culture andTourism in KwaZulu-NatalGovernment Mrs Weziwe Thusi,who is a former nurse, noted thatthe whole practice of medicinerests on anatomy and dissection.She commended the MedicalSchool for having producedgraduates who are not onlyconcerned with healing the sick buthave a social conscience andcourage.

Acting President of the SRC at theMedical School Mr Sabelo Mhlomiassured parents and delegates thatbodies will be treated with respect.

- Bhekani Dlamini

5

T he 38th National Con-ference of the SouthAfrican Chemical Institute

(SACI) at the Howard Collegecampus in December was a greatsuccess.

The objective of the Conventionwas to advance the kingdom ofchemistry by creating new frontiersto improve life and sustainable de-velopment. It also served as a plat-form to update participants on thelatest advances in chemistry andprovide insight into tomorrow’scapabilities.

The 5-day convention started witha UKZN-sponsored welcome re-ception. Professor Ahmed Bawa,Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Researchand Knowledge) welcomed theguests and His Excellency, MrMosibudi Mangena, the Minister of

SASASASASACI ConferenceCI ConferenceCI ConferenceCI ConferenceCI ConferenceScience and Technology officiallyopened the event on the 4th morningwith an inspiring speech. TheeThekwini Municipality hosted aMayoral reception on the eveningof 4 December.

During the conference deliber-ations, a wide range of topics werecovered on the various SACIdivisions. Although it is a nationalconference, delegates came fromfar and wide, representing 17countries. Of the 300 participants,more than 50% were up-and-coming chemists.

Professor I Fleming, CambridgeUniversity, UK; Professor HEdwards, University of Bradford,UK; Professor E Alessio, Uni-versity of Trieste, Italy; ProfessorB Bucat, University of WesternAustralia; and Dr C Reinecke,

SASOL, all leading experts fromdifferent fields of Chemistry,delivered plenary talks. A further12 leading scientists identified fortheir prowess and recognition intheir fields from South Africa andabroad presented key note talks.The conference reminded thechemists that chemistry lies at theheart of the 20th century’s greatestinnovations. It is synonymous withprogress and the future, and theyhave a shared responsibility todevelop it to the full. It also becameapparent that, with the vast exper-tise and infrastructure available inSouth Africa, the Chemistry com-munity of South Africa has anadditional responsibility towardsthe African continent. To assumethat leadership role, South Africanchemists need to improve theirresearch capabilities and be in theforefront of cutting edge research,through collaboration and compe-tition with research groups in Europeand North America, as well as inAfrica and the developing world.

With Professor SB Jonnalagadda asthe Chair and Professor BSMartincigh as the Vice-chair, theconference committee consisted ofProfessor T Ford, Professor F vanHeerden, Dr G Kruger, Dr ANevines, Dr R Robinson, Mr ABissessur (UKZN), Dr V Bisettyand Dr G Reddy (DUT), G Carrand J Cave.

- SB Jonnalagadda

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Professor Jonnalagadda; Mr Mosibudi Mangena, Minister of Science andTechnology; Professor Ahmed Bawa, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research,Knowledge Production & Partnerships); and Professor T Ford, member ofthe Conference Committee.

“FROM its inception, the Facultyof Health Sciences embraced thechallenge of graduating healthcareprofessionals, particularly frompreviously disadvantaged back-grounds, equipped with the know-ledge, skills and attitude to achieveoptimal health for all South Africancommunities in the spirit of ‘ubuntu’and ‘batho pele’”, said ProfessorSabiha Essack, Dean of the Facultyof Health Sciences in her address toapproximately 800 parents andgraduands at the Annual OathTaking and Awards Ceremony of theFaculty of Health Sciences held inDecember last year.

Final Year Students in the disci-plines of Audiology, Dental

Oath takingOath takingOath takingOath takingOath taking

Ms F Amod (second from left) received three awards, Best 4th Year Student,Best Pharmaceutics Student and Best Pharmacy Practice. Pictured withher are the Dean, Professor SY Essack, Acting Head of School, ProfessorJAO Ojewole and Dr F Oosthuizen.

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Therapy, Optometry, OccupationalTherapy, Nursing, Pharmacy,Physiotherapy, Speech-LanguagePathology and Sport Science (Bio-kinetics) solemnly took the officialoaths of their respective disciplinescommitting to uphold the integrityof their professions.

Each discipline acknowledgedtheir outstanding students withawards in the form of books, certi-ficates, plaques and monetaryawards from various professionalorganisations and societies,pharmaceutical companies andindividual donors.

- Smita Maharaj

THE Writing Place is a student-driven initiative, under aca-demic supervision, for helpingthe University community withacademic writing. It is a firmlyestablished institution at UKZNwith a long history on theHoward College campus and isnow flourishing on the West-ville campus as well.

Under the guidance of MsCaroline Goodier and with twopost-graduate students, PaulCourt and Justin Visagie, co-ordinating the functioning of thefacility, the Writing Place wasestablished on the Westvillecampus in February 2006. Stu-dent tutors who have well estab-lished writing skills and enjoybeing involved in developmentalwork provide assistance tovisitors to the facility with muchdedication and enthusiasm.

Despite the newness of theenterprise, 2006 was a very busy

TTTTTeaching and learningeaching and learningeaching and learningeaching and learningeaching and learningThe WThe WThe WThe WThe Writing Placeriting Placeriting Placeriting Placeriting Place

and fruitful year. The sheernumber of students who visitedthe Westville facility in the J-block during the year is im-pressive, with almost 800 stu-dents having the opportunity todiscuss (sometimes multiple)drafts of their assignments witha consultant. Even more import-ant is the extent to which thestudents benefited from theirvisit to the Writing Place, asevidenced from evaluationforms they completed and feed-back from the academic staffwho assessed their assignmentsin various courses. One student,looking back over her experi-ence with the Writing Placewrote that “…it was one of thebest things in the course. Theirinput helps a lot…. TheWriting Place improved mywriting dramatically.”

The majority of the studentsmaking use of the facility werefirst years from the School of

Management whose assign-ments required them to consultwith the Writing Place. In ad-dition, smaller numbers ofstudents from many other dis-ciplines wanting help for avariety of types of writing werealso seen. These ranged fromHonours students in Manag-ement and Marketing to SportsScience and Accountancy stu-dents. Students came in wantingassistance with letters forsponsors and patrons, speechesfor the SRC and personalcreative writing.

Although the Writing Place’smain function is to provide con-sultations, it was also involvedin conducting workshops duringclass sessions in variousmodules across the Faculty ofManagement Studies.

The Writing Place has begun toestablish a reputation for itselfon the campus which will

increase in 2007. Certainly thereis a growing interest from anumber of Schools on campusin the part the Writing Place canplay in supporting the de-velopment of their students’writing and learning. Both thefirst year Management modulesplan to use the Writing Place tosupport assignments. TheSchool of Accounting is alsoplanning to make use of theWriting Place again to assistHonours students with theirresearch projects. The School ofPublic Administration hasexpressed an interest in usingwhatever support is availablefor both undergraduate andpost-graduate writing. Inte-grated Business Studies (IBS)has as its focus the developmentof academic literacy throughonline and other assignmentsand will continue to draw on theconsultants from the WritingPlace for assistance. In addition,a large number of BCom4

(Access) students will beregistering for IntegratedBusiness Studies for Manage-ment (IBSM) in the secondsemester and will be very muchin need of support for theirwriting. Finally, some staffmembers have also suggestedthat they would value an oppor-tunity to consult with theWriting Place over drafts oftheir own academic writing.

Thus, 2007 promises to be aneven busier year, especially asthe Writing Place has nowachieved a profile on campus.The number of student con-sultants has been increased thisyear to handle the expectedvolume of work and to increasecapacity for supporting post-graduate dissertation writing.The Writing Place is lookingforward to the challenges thatthis new year will bring.

- Caroline Goodier

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UKZN achieversUKZN achieversUKZN achieversUKZN achieversUKZN achievers

SCIENCE Honours student Pie-Pacifique Kabalira-Uwase hasbeen awarded the Damant SciencePrize for 2006 in recognition of hisinvolvement in student activitiesand leadership qualities, as well ashis academic record.

“I feel so grateful for this surprisefrom the Faculty of Science andAgriculture. It shows that theFaculty appreciates what studentsdo,” says Pie-Pacifique. He saysthat he learnt so much at theUniversity besides his academicknowledge, adding that all theUniversity structures are ready tosupport willing students to achievetheir goals. He urges all studentsto make use of the availableservices and facilities. He has beeninvolved in the Science StudentsCouncil, the Physics Society, andthe Students’ Leadership BursaryFund, which will be launched soon.

Pie-Pacifique was born andbrought up in Kigali, Rwanda, in afamily of three children. His father,Eustache Kabalira, spent manyyears in prison in the early ’80s forpolitical reasons. His mother andhis only sister, who are both stillliving in Rwanda, are the ones wholooked after him. Inspired by theirexamples, he decided to get in-volved in several initiatives involv-ing women, including the Union ofRefugee Women in Durban.

He left Rwanda in 2001 withoutknowing where his journey wouldend. He first went to Tanzania,taking a bus, then a truck, andfinally a train to Dar es Salaam,where he was received by a manwho was among his fathers co-

Science prizeScience prizeScience prizeScience prizeScience prize

accused nearly two decades earlier.After experiencing serious diffi-culties, including having most ofhis money stolen, and hearing offorced repatriations of Rwandans,he decided to continue on his wayto exile.

When he landed in Durban he wasintroduced to other Rwandans. Ayoung former student at theNational University of Rwanda,where he spent a few months beforeleaving the country, took care ofhim. He applied for refugee statusand was advised that the only wayof life for a decent refugee was tobe a car guard on the streets andbusy car parks of Durban. He metexiled university students, nurses,teachers and other professionalswho were all car-guards. But henever abandoned his dream ofobtaining an education.

- Bhekani Dlamini

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Pie-Pacifique Kabalira-Uwase.

THIRTY three graduates receivedcertificates for successfully com-pleting the course in Islamic Lawon 28 January.

Started three years ago, the courseis only offered at UKZN. It takesone year for students to completethe eight-module course. Lecturesare held at the Howard Collegecampus on a part-time basis, withstudents attending every alternateSaturday morning. More than 70students have graduated over thepast three years.

Course co-ordinator Advocate MAVahed says that the course appeals

THE Actuarial Society of SouthAfrica (ASSA) sent a huge bouquetof flowers to the staff of theExaminations office on the HowardCollege campus as a token ofappreciation and in recognition ofthe integrity of this office in hostingexaminations.

ASSA is based in Cape Town andis the professional organisation foractuaries and actuarial students inSouth Africa. UKZN hosts theASSA examinations twice a yearfor approximately two weeks. TheExaminations Office co-ordinatesthese exams based on the rules andregulations set by the Institute ofActuaries in Oxford in the UnitedKingdom. The exams are formallyrun by Nancy Singh (ExaminationsAssistant) who implements theexamination procedure, books

Sterling serviceSterling serviceSterling serviceSterling serviceSterling service

Nancy Singh, Examinations Assis-tant with the bouquet of flowersfrom ASSA.

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venues and appoints invigilators,headed by Barbi Parker-Weekes,Examinations Officer at HowardCollege.

Certificates in Islamic LawCertificates in Islamic LawCertificates in Islamic LawCertificates in Islamic LawCertificates in Islamic Lawto a cross-section of people.Students include lawyers, account-ants, social workers, businessleaders and home executives.Modules include the judicial sys-tem in Islam, Islamic criminal law,contracts, banking and biomedicalissues.

Ms Fatima Bibi Paruk fromReservoir Hills was named the topstudent at the certificate presen-tation ceremony. She displayedconsistent excellent performancethroughout the course. Ms Paruk,a home executive, said that thecourse was an enriching experiencefilled with knowledge. Looking at

Islam from the Western perspec-tive, adds Ms Paruk, was interest-ing and a learning curve for her.During her spare time Ms Parukteaches children in Reservoir Hillson a voluntary basis.

The certification ceremony wasattended by high profile guests,including Justice MahomedJajbhay, High Court Judge, andguest of honour, Mr SE Chohan,Chief executive of Albaraka Bankand corporate sponsor. UKZNDeputy Dean of Law, ProfessorJohn Mubangizi, welcomed guests.

- Bhekani Dlamini

UKZN Vice-ChancellorProfessor MalegapuruMakgoba presented a

plenary talk at the Annual Con-ference of the British Society forImmunology in Glasgow held from18-22 February.

The conference, attended by 1000delegates, coincided with the 50th

Anniversary of the Society. Itprovided an opportunity for BritishImmunologists to reflect on theirhistory and contributions toImmunology as a discipline andscience. Immunology arose out ofMicrobiology and Infectious dis-eases in particular. “It was thereforeappropriate to revisit this essentialrelationship between Immunologyand Infectious Diseases,” explainsProfessor Makgoba.

A renowned immunologist, Pro-fessor Makgoba, who was also amember of the British Society forImmunology in the 1980s, has adoctorate in this field. He made hiscontributions then on the under-standing of the polymorphism(diversity) of human immune-response genes known as the majorhistocompatibility complex(MHC). These have becomecritical in the understanding of HIVinfections and transmission andHIV vaccine development. Hepresented an opening plenarysession address on the “Challengesof Infectious Diseases in thedeveloping world”. Professor WimSturm, Dean of the Nelson RMandela School of Medicine andHead of Microbiology, helped toprepare the presentation.

Professor Makgoba says the majorchallenge is the re-emergence of

epidemics of infectious diseasesspecifically in the developingworld, such as HIV/AIDS, Tuber-culosis, Malaria, SARS, and re-cently Bird Flu. HIV/AIDS,Multiple Drug Resistant TB(MDR) and Extremely DrugResistant TB (XDR), and Malariapose a major threat to SouthernAfrica. In his presentation hepainted a picture of the present andthe future and how these epidemicsimpact on the quality of lives ofcommunities particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. “Any scientificadvances that assist us to under-stand these epidemics also assistpeople of the developing world onhow to intervene in relation to theseepidemics,” he said. “It waspleasant and refreshing to go backafter 25 years and interact with mypeers in the same field coveringseveral generations and reflectingon British contributions to this fieldwhich I was part of.”

Infectious diseases are trans-forming developing countries andplace a high burden on thesesocieties. The structures and pat-

ViceViceViceViceVice-----Chancellor addressesChancellor addressesChancellor addressesChancellor addressesChancellor addressesprestigious Conferenceprestigious Conferenceprestigious Conferenceprestigious Conferenceprestigious Conference

terns of societies and the mortalitypatterns all have transformedsignificantly. “Young, beautiful,talented and educated members ofthese societies are dying, par-ticularly young females, as a resultof HIV/AIDS and TB. This mor-tality pattern represents a totaldeparture from established evolu-tionary and biological norms wherefemales outlive the male partner inevery species”, says ProfessorMakgoba. Transmission of infec-tious diseases is linked to poverty,poor levels of education and the re-emergence of one epidemic com-pounding the others, which thenforms a vicious cycle. ComparingAfrica and the so called developedworld, he points out that thescourge of these epidemics is in thesheer scale and magnitude of theburden of disease and the rate atwhich these epidemics are occur-ring. The magnitude is heavy, therate is faster and the cumulativeburden even greater. “Almost everyfacet of human life is affected andtransformed.”

Professor Makgoba was pleased tosee UKZN feature highly in the firstplenary session of the meetingwhich was attended by learnedscholars worldwide. He and Pro-fessor P Goulder highlighted thecutting-edge research work done atUKZN in relation to the trans-mission of HIV and TB. This wasa great opportunity to put UKZN’sresearch on the world map andhelped promote the image of thenew Institution as a research-ledinstitution to the internationalcommunity.

- Bhekani Dlamini

Professor Malegapuru Makgoba.

7

UKZN achieversUKZN achieversUKZN achieversUKZN achieversUKZN achievers

SOUTH Africa’s officialnational Academy of Science,which prides itself on “pro-moting excellence in science forsociety “ recently named its 18newly-elected members. Threescientists from UKZN featureamong these top-ranked re-searchers: Professor RoseanneDiab, Professor Nithaya Chettyand Professor NormanPammenter.

Launched in 1996, the Academyof Science of South Africa(ASSAf) “was formed in re-sponse to the need for an aca-demy of science consonant withthe dawn of democracy in SouthAfrica …. including in its ranksthe full diversity of SouthAfrica’s distinguished scien-tists”. It has close ties with 90similar international scienceacademies that can “mobilisescientific thinking, skills andknowledge across the world”.

SSSSScientistscientistscientistscientistscientistselectedelectedelectedelectedelected

Mfundo Ndlovu, aMaster’s student in thefield of Agriculture and

Extension Management has defiedthe odds and made a real successstory out of his academic career.Currently working with ProfessorAlbert Modi and communities inUmbumbulu, Mfundo is deter-mined to make a difference inpeople’s lives. He feels that he hasfinally found his niche in life andbelieves that Agriculture wasalways his predetermined fate orpath.

The old adage, ‘If at first you don’tsucceed, try again’, is indicative ofMfundo’s early academic career. In2001, after finishing high school atDundee Secondary, Mfundo en-rolled in the Science FoundationProgramme with an aspiration toeventually study geology. Despitefinding the transition between highschool and University quite achallenge, Mfundo persevered withhis studies and managed to passeverything except for Maths.Unfortunately, with Maths being akey subject, Mfundo was aca-demically excluded which meant

Against the oddsAgainst the oddsAgainst the oddsAgainst the oddsAgainst the oddsthat he could not further his studiesin the science and technology field.After his appeal was rejected by theDean, he was forced to go backhome and tell his father the badnews. He recalls this as a par-ticularly unpleasant experience ashe “didn’t know what to say” andfelt that he had let his father down.

Despite the disappointment,Mfundo resolved to pick himself upand try something else. The fol-lowing year, with the help offinancial aid, he embarked on adegree in Social Science because“everyone else was doing it”. Butfortunately for Mfundo, whoseheart was never into social science,opportunity came knocking whenhe received a phone call from SteveWorth (School of EnvironmentalSciences) inviting him to apply fora Bachelor of Agriculture degree(BAgric). Mfundo jumped at thislucky break realising that this wasa field to which he could relate andbe successful in.

From this point onwards, there wasno looking back for Mfundo. Hewas accepted for the BAgric degree

Mfundo presents one of the Umbumbulu community farmers with a prizeat the Ezemvelo Organic Farmer of the Year Awards Ceremony.

which he completed with anaverage of above 60%. He thenenrolled for the Post GraduateDiploma in Rural ResourceManagement and graduated at thetop of his class. Next on his agendawas a Master’s degree. This proveda big decision for him because as atwenty-four year old, he felt that heshould be out earning a salary.However, the desire to achieve aswell as some persuasive coercionfrom his colleagues won out.

Mfundo’s Master’s degree, whichhe will complete at the end of thisyear, focuses on communitygardening in the Umbumbuludistrict. He is also gaining valuablework experience by helping out inthe Extension and ResourceManagement office on the Pieter-maritzburg campus. He is most“grateful” that he is still here andcan continue with his studies. Thereis even talk of a PhD – but for themoment he would rather justconcentrate on his work andachieve his goal of “making a markand helping people”.

- Vicky Crookes

Over 250 academics form themembership of this Pretoria-based organisation who arenominated by their peers andelected via a secret ballot.Criteria for membership includescientific contribution to theproblems and challenges facingSouth African society.

UKZN is closely associatedwith the Academy of Science asthree of its academics, ProfessorPat Berjak, Professor ManfredHellberg and Professor SunilMaharaj, form part of the1 2 member council thatgoverns the organisation. Inaddition, Professor Makgobaand Professor Coovadia werethe 2003 and 2004 recipients ofthe academy’s gold awards foroutstanding achievement in theapplication of scientific thinkingin the service of society.

- Vicky Crookes

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Dr Blade Nzimande, UKZN alumnus; Mrs Phumelele Ntombela-Nzimande,Member of the UKZN Council and UKZN alumnus; and Professor FikileMazibuko, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Head of the College of Humanitiesattended the opening of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature.

DURING the State of the ProvinceAddress in Pietermaritzburg on20 February, the Premier com-

State of the Province AddressState of the Province AddressState of the Province AddressState of the Province AddressState of the Province Addressmented on the frustratingly slowpace of transformation inKwaZulu-Natal. HIV and AIDS

remain a priority for the govern-ment. The provincial governmentcontinues to provide public healthfacilities. It is also active inproviding quality education andcreating more access through the‘no fee’ schools.

KwaZulu-Natal takes adult literacyseriously. Almost two millionpeople over the age of 15 years inthis province are illiterate. Theprovince has invested resources inadult education, including securingR100 million from the Departmentof Labour. In the areas of adulteducation and skills, the provincerequires, in the words of thePremier, “solid partnerships”.

Turning to social partnerships, theState of the Province Address saysthat “we will partner withacademics and intellectuals whocan play a meaningful role in theresearch and documentation of ourhistory, language, indigenousknowledge systems, culture, socialand economic profile”. This is foodfor thought for UKZN, and for theCollege of Humanities in par-ticular!

- Professor Ntomb’fikile Mazibuko

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8 Produced by PuProduced by PuProduced by PuProduced by PuProduced by Pubbbbblic Affairs and Corporate Communiclic Affairs and Corporate Communiclic Affairs and Corporate Communiclic Affairs and Corporate Communiclic Affairs and Corporate Communications ations ations ations ations www.ukwww.ukwww.ukwww.ukwww.ukzn.ac.za zn.ac.za zn.ac.za zn.ac.za zn.ac.za Tel: 031 Tel: 031 Tel: 031 Tel: 031 Tel: 031 260 124 260 124 260 124 260 124 260 1245/2027/2957/7115 5/2027/2957/7115 5/2027/2957/7115 5/2027/2957/7115 5/2027/2957/7115 Fax: 031 260 2813 Fax: 031 260 2813 Fax: 031 260 2813 Fax: 031 260 2813 Fax: 031 260 2813

WWWWWelcome to internationalelcome to internationalelcome to internationalelcome to internationalelcome to internationalstudentsstudentsstudentsstudentsstudentsEACH year UKZN receives thou-sands of students from all over theworld to study at its five campuses.They come either on exchange orstudy abroad programmes.

Susan Blampied (20) from theUniversity of California in SanDiego, USA, is here for the first

Sport CornerSport CornerSport CornerSport CornerSport Corner

Visually impaired studentLucky Shange won theSouth African Student

Sport Union tournament Specialcategory at the University of Lim-popo, Turfloop campus last year.

Lucky has also been selected aschairperson of Body Building atUKZN for 2006/7. He completedhis BA degree in 2006, and heintends enrolling for a Mastersdegree in Social Policy this year.He received a trophy, belt, goldmedal and a certificate.

To win the tournament, Lucky said:“I trained very hard for the wholeyear and adhered to my prescribeddiet to reduce fat in the body andbuild muscles.” His diet was strictlyno fat, no sugar and no salt. He hadto eat boiled food and drink eightlitres of water a day. From the thirdday before the tournament he hadto drink at least four glasses ofwater and no water at all a daybefore the contest.

As chairperson he wants to en-courage body builders to partici-

Body building champBody building champBody building champBody building champBody building champ

pate in large numbers this year. Hewants to train well for the tourna-ment in Cape Town in Decemberthis year. He believes he learnt a

Lucky Shange. Picture: Supplied

lot from the experience of 2006 andwants to do better.

- Bhekani Dlamini

Anita van Soelen, Head of Applications and Information at UKZN, helpsinternational students register.

Mr UKZNMr UKZNMr UKZNMr UKZNMr UKZNTHE Mr UKZN 2006 and BESTBODY 2006 Body-building titlecontests were held on the Westvillecampus towards the end of last year.

The contest was held under theauspices of the Westville CampusSports Bureau and Sports Union,and was attended by a large numberof students.

The Mr UKZN contest was onlyopen to UKZN students, while theBEST BODY title was open toregistered students from othereducational institutions as well.

Rashlan Pillay won the Mr UKZN2006 title, while Mzwandile fromMangosuthu Technikon won theBEST BODY title. Both winnerswon sashes and R1 000 cash andthe first and second runners-up wonR300 and R200 respectively. Theoverall BEST POSER title was

won by Jongani Hintsa from DUTwho received R200. All the winnersalso received UKZN kit bags andtrophies.

There were also special contests forthe audience such as Best Abs andMost Push-Ups for males and BestJeans Fit for females. The winnersof these three contests walked awaywith R100 cash each.

Mr Keith Mothilall, the biggestsponsor of the event, awarded themain prizes. Keith is an attorneyand an alumnus of the University.He announced that he will sponsorthe event for the next five years.Other sponsors were Jay Studios,Function World, Muscle Science,Techno Imaging Systems,Bodyonics Gym, Assistant Dean’soffice and Public Affairs andCorporate Communications,UKZN.

Recycle your ukzndabaPlease don’t litter ... when you’ve finished with your ukzndaba, why not pass iton to someone else, or place it in a bin for recycling with other paper-waste.

Send your diary of events to events@ukzn.ac.za

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THE 10th Time of the Writer inter-national writers’ festival will beheld in Durban from 19-24 March.

Hosted by the Centre for CreativeArts (CCA) at UKZN, the festivalcelebrates its tenth year with anextensive week-long programme ofactivities. Eighteen writers from 10countries will come together for astimulating feast of words, ideas,and discussion.

Highlights of the festival will be aHuman Rights Day programmefeaturing the reading of work byassassinated Russian journalistAnna Politkovskaya, a rare inter-view with Miriam Tlali, and apresentation by celebrated Africanliterary giant Ngugi wa Thiong’o,who will talk on the role of writersin propagating and cementinghuman rights.

Time of the Writer’s commitmentto local writers this year sees animpressive gathering of con-temporary South African voices.African writers are especially well-represented this year.

Readings, discussions and booklaunches will take place nightly at

Time of the WTime of the WTime of the WTime of the WTime of the Writerriterriterriterriter

semester to do a BA degree inInternational Studies. AfricanStudies forms part of her degreestudies as she wants to knowmore about the background ofAfrica.

Jackie Pateguala (21) from theHamphshire College in

Massachusetts is at UKZN tostudy Economics and AfricanStudies. On completion of herstudies she hopes to come backand contribute to the developmentof Mozambique where her familyoriginates from. Her family cur-rently lives in Illinois. She saysUKZN is much bigger than herhome university.

Walter John Whitehead from ClarkAtlanta University in CaliforniaLos Angeles is here to do Financeand International Business. He isinterested in investment banking,sales and trade. He chose UKZNbecause of its location near to thebeaches, and its weather.

Aki Katakami (21) from KansaiUniversity, Osaka, Japan wants todo Foreign Language Studieswhich includes English. She saysshe just ‘loves’ UKZN.

- Bhekani Dlamini

the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre. Abroad range of day activities in theform of school-visits, workshops,a publishing forum, an educators’forum and a prison writing pro-gramme, are formulated to promotea culture of reading, writing andcreative expression.

Tickets are R25 for the eveningsessions (R10 for students), andcan be purchased through Com-puticket or at the door one hourbefore the event. Workshops andseminars are free.

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