Valdene Southon is far more than just an assistant at Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票's (SU) Campus Health Service. She plays a pivotal role that extends far beyond the typical bounds of administrative work. With a background in law and a knack for continuous improvement, Valdene enhances daily operations and supports the 中国体育彩票's health initiatives. As we celebrate Workers' Day in May, we dedicate this series of profiles to our staff and their crucial contributions to SU.

What does your role at SU entail? 

I am the assistant to the Senior Director of Campus Health Service, Dr Pierre Viviers. My responsibilities extend beyond the traditional administrative tasks. I serve as the primary coordinator for the Senior Director's office, overseeing a myriad of projects and ensuring smooth running of operations on a daily basis. I also act as a trusted advisor, offering valuable insights and support as needed. My role embodies a blend of strategic thinking, project management prowess and a keen ability to anticipate and address the needs of the Director and the Organisation. I am also the Secretariate of the Institutional Committee for Staff Health and Wellbeing.

What does a typical day at work look like? 

Typically, I would balance my responsibilities (from administration to projects to strategic support) and align it to my energy level, but most days look like this:

· Morning brief to lay out the day;

· The bulk of mornings are spent on project work (when the brain is at its freshest!);

· Office management happens before lunch;

· Post lunch consists of administrative duties (emails, calls, Teams messages, etc);

· I leave five-minute slots at certain times of the day to take a breather;

· End of day brief to close any loops or prep for the next day.

How did your education or past experiences prepare you for this job?? 

I completed my law degree and picked up valuable skills that have helped me quite significantly in this role. Law school trains you to apply critical thinking and problem solving and how to conduct yourself ethically and professionally. The years of experience (more than 15 to be exact) also come with its own set of acquired skills you don't necessarily get from finishing a degree. Soft skills like relationship management, building leadership qualities and strong communication skills are part and parcel of the game. I am completing a postgraduate diploma in future studies this year and it has been quite an eye-opener so far. I tend to implement new learnings in our department as soon as I can.

What do you enjoy most about your role and working at SU? 

What really drives me is knowing that even though I work in an administrative capacity, my efforts directly support the important work of our healthcare professionals at Campus Health Service and ultimately impact patient care and well-being. Patient support is not a one-way street and regular conversations with staff and students about their needs are important. In the words of Dr Max Goodwin of New Amsterdam TV fame: “How can I help?"

Additionally, being in a student environment helps one keep up with the younger folk and how they deal with everyday life. I always look forward to the new student intake and observing how they tackle the reality of life outside school and family. We learn from them each year. There exists a sense of lifelong learning and making a positive impact on other people's lives. Being here offers both professional growth and personal satisfaction!

Tell us something exciting about yourself that few people would expect?  

I am a very expressive and outgoing person and enjoy socialising with family and friends. I am part of a social hiking group that regularly does overnight hikes in places like Cederberg, Robertson and McGregor. I completed the Otter trail and cried on the mountain descent on the last day of the hike. I blame both exhaustion and the sheer beauty of Mother Earth for those salty tears. I am an avid fan of horror fiction, with Stephen King being a huge hit on my bookcase and, more recently, I have started watching Korean horror TV series. I am also planning a podcast with our adult son who lives with us and is navigating his life towards moving out some day. There exists a very different set of rules for both parents and children once your child turns 21! Now to just carve out the time to get this off the ground!

PHOTO: Stefan Els

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In April, we once again celebrated Earth Day (22 April) and Earth Week (22-26 April) by raising awareness of the importance of becoming more sustainable and conserving our planet's biodiversity. I know that a day or a week seems almost insignificant compared with the enormity of the climate change risk we face, but am glad that we use all opportunities, whether large or small to build momentum for the 中国体育彩票's sustainability agenda.

Proposed in 1969 by a senator from the US state of Wisconsin, Gaylord Nelson, Earth Day began as a day of events organised by a handful of young activists and local volunteers and eventually resulted in a day where 20 million Americans (10 percent of the total US population then) from all walks of life came together for the birth of a modern environmental movement. Since then, billions of people have celebrated this day across the globe to raise awareness and fight for a sustainable future and legacy for those who will inhibit this planet long after we are gone.

Earth day and the awareness raised by the associated events have helped build a coalition for regulation internationally on, for example, industrial air pollution, the discharge if waste in rivers and ocean and much more. We have come a long way to raise awareness of the extent of environmental degradation as well as the inextricable links between pollution and public health.

In 2022, Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票 launched its first Environmental Sustainability Plan 2020-2025 — a plan with which we will reduce the environmental impact of our campuses and serve to demonstrates the 中国体育彩票's commitment to sustainability from the perspectives of the environment, resources, and society. By leading through example, our 中国体育彩票 should play a significant role in forging the path to a sustainable future and ensuring we use our resources in such a way as to leave a thriving environment for future generations.

Nicolette van den Eijkel, our Chief Director: Facilities Management, introduced us to the concept of using the operations of SUFM as a Living Laboratory for sustainability by putting in place future-fit systems and processes since 2015 to turn SU into a sustainable smart campus. We monitor our water, energy usage, carbon emissions, and even our trees for water consumption — all to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and increase energy procured from clean, renewable sources as we journey to a net zero future by 2050.

During Earth Week, we've raised awareness of our campus waste footprint by showing that we produce three tons of waste on any ordinary day. Thanks to the creation of a material recycling facility (MRF), we now send only 26 percent of our waste to landfill—although we aspire to reduce that to zero by 2028.

If you have a wheelie bin that gets cleaned out every week, you are among six out of ten households that benefit from this public service nationally—a service that is declining almost daily. Please be aware that whatever you've put in that bin will go directly to landfill, as is the case with nine out of ten metropolitan households that do not separate their waste at home for recycling. Please join me in my challenge to have an empty wheelie bin every week. My family and I don't succeed every week, but we do so more often than not. It can be done.

How long can we sustain this, as most of our country's estimated 1,000 landfill sites have reached full capacity? Our campus's waste-to-landfill ratio might look promising, but this is just a drop in the bigger ocean of waste our country produces daily. I read in a recent article in the Daily Maverick that South Africa creates an estimated 122 million tons of waste per year, with an average of 41 kg of plastic waste per citizen. Only 10 percent of our country's waste is recycled or reused, while the rest goes to landfills or is dumped illegally.

As human beings, we have a fundamental right to a clean environment. Those living in poor areas, close to dump sites or even areas where there is no waste collection service at all, are exposed daily to a range of toxins that increase their health risks. Our waste is part of this social justice issue.

The enormity of this problem sometimes makes one despondent, but maybe one could solve this problem like we solve a lot of our issues: by starting at home. Next time you want to throw rubbish away, think again: Can it be recycled, reused, or even put to good use, like making your own compost?

Planet vs Plastic. The choice is yours.?

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?People with an agreeable personality have a higher chance of being manipulated by cybercriminals to share private and sensitive information, a new study at Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票 (SU) found.

Conducted by Cape Town-based system analyst Vian Smit, a recent master's graduate in Socio-Informatics at SU, the study suggests a striking correlation between personality types and cybersecurity risk.

Smit surveyed close to 700 people on their personality type and how likely they were to respond to different social engineering attacks — when cybercriminals trick people into giving up private information or passwords or clicking on harmful links. He wanted to assess their susceptibility to these attacks.

Smit focused on the so-called Big Five personality types used in the field of cybersecurity, namely conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, openness, and neuroticism.

Smit says the results of his study show that being agreeable makes people most likely to fall victim to social engineering attacks, followed by those who are conscientious (disciplined, motivated, and respecting rules and procedures) and extroverts (outgoing, sociable, thrill-seeking). Neurotic  (emotionally unstable and anxious) and open-minded people (open to new experiences, events, ideas and beliefs) are less likely to be tricked. Extroverts violate cybersecurity policies more frequently because they tend to comply with malicious requests more regularly, according to Smit.

“Among the personality traits that I examined, agreeableness emerged as the most vulnerable to social engineering tactics. Individuals with high levels of agreeableness were found to be particularly susceptible to manipulation by cybercriminals. Conversely, neuroticism, marked by emotional instability and anxiety, exhibited the lowest susceptibility to such attacks.

“People with an agreeable personality are compassionate, altruistic, friendly, trusting, sympathetic, kind and forgiving. They're not suspicious and hostile and want to please people. They generally believe in the goodness of humanity and that other people are honest and have good intentions. Their inclination to always be kind and wanting to help others puts them at a disadvantage when they are faced with a social engineering attack.

“They are more susceptible to phishing ( a person gets duped into opening fake emails, instant messages, or text messages), spear phishing (a specific person is targeted), impersonation (cybercriminal pretends to be someone else), pretexting (creating deceptive scenarios to gain information), watering hole (infecting the website a person views most frequently), QRishing (malicious software or fraudulent websites are hidden in QR codes), and smishing (use of deceptive text messages to get sensitive personal information)."

Smit adds that neurotic personality types are easy targets for fake applications or plug-ins (software that makes computer programmes or websites do new things or work better) attacks, and extroverts for malvertisements (a person is tricked by fake advertisements to install malicious programmes) and Wi-Fi evil twin attacks (a fake Wi-Fi network is used to gain access to a person's device).  Conscientious people are susceptible to phishing, spear phishing, impersonation, pretexting, watering hole and QRishing attacks, while open-minded individuals are more likely to fall for pretexting, watering hole and Wi-Fi evil twin attacks.

Smit says cybercriminals know that we all have psychological needs such as the desire to be liked, socially accepted, and trusted, among others. They use social engineering tactics to trigger our psychological needs so that we can share private information.

According to him, information about people's personality types and their susceptibility to social engineering attacks could help cybersecurity teams in businesses and organisations to incorporate effective mitigation strategies for each personality type. Organisations will also know which employees are more susceptible to these attacks by having a better understanding of their personality types.

“Understanding the personality traits that are most vulnerable to social engineering attacks can help cybersecurity experts develop more effective protection strategies.

“Armed with a deeper understanding of the human psyche, organisations can navigate the complexities of cybersecurity with confidence, safeguarding their most valuable assets in an ever-changing threat landscape."

Smit says nowadays cybersecurity measures do not just encompass technological improvements, but also human personality types. Organisations have a far greater challenge now in mitigating the impact of social engineering attacks, he adds.

“They should improve employee awareness and training, particularly for those with agreeable personality traits, to reduce the risk of successful social engineering attacks.

“In addition to addressing human vulnerabilities, organisations should also implement robust cybersecurity measures, such as those outlined in the top five strategies for vulnerability mitigation — asset discovery and vulnerability identification, implementing security controls, patch management, and continuous monitoring."

• Photo by Cliff Hang from Pixabay.
  

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??Prof Rulof Burger from the Department of Economics in the Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences delivered his inaugural lecture on Tuesday, 7 May 2024. The title of his lecture was “From data to discovery: the role of economists in the era of machine learning".

Burger spoke to the Corporate Communication and Marketing Division about how he combines microeconomic theories and econometric methods (using mathematical and statistical methods to analyse economic data) to make sense of data about human behaviour and to assess the impact of specific policy interventions.

Tell us more about your research and why you became interested in this specific field.

My research combines microeconomic theories and econometric methods to try understand, predict and find ways to influence the decisions individuals make. I've focused mainly on behaviour in the domains of labour, education and health, and usually within the context of developing countries. I have always been interested in behaviour and briefly considered studying psychology before starting my studies in economics and statistics. As a happy coincidence, economics recently started incorporating more insights from psychology into our models in the emerging field of behavioural economics, which is one of the modules I lecture. As a student, I was immediately drawn to the way in which economists blend mathematics and domain expertise to formulate theories of human behaviour and then used data to test these theories. I was also very fortunate to have lecturers who were excited about their work.

How would you describe the relevance of your work as it relates to labour, education and health?

Most of my research has a strong policy focus. Earlier in my career, I mainly used publicly available data to study things like the causes of unemployment, wage inequality, discrimination and the extent of economic mobility. More recently, I also started conducting field experiments by gathering new experimental data to assess the impact of specific interventions using randomised controlled trials (experiments where participants are randomly assigned to receive or not receive an intervention). I find that these are a useful way to ensure that we focus on relevant and scalable policy interventions. For instance, a collaboration with the Department of Labour tested low-cost employment strategies, like providing reference letter templates and job search aids to young job seekers, which proved effective and have been implemented in various labour centres and by NGOs focused on youth employment.

How do the tools and theories developed in economics help us make sense of data about human behaviour?

Economic theories traditionally assume that humans are rational – that they act in their own best interests – which can successfully explain much observed behaviour. However, there is also persuasive evidence that people sometimes behave in ways that systematically deviate from what this assumption would predict. Over the last two decades, economists have paid more attention to research in psychology and neuroscience, which has led to more realistic models that expand the range of motivations that drive behaviour. These models have also suggested ways to nudge the behaviour of individuals to be more closely aligned with their long-run interests.  

Economists have also developed several econometric tools that can deal with the problematic real-world data that we use to test our theories. Issues like measurement error, sample selection bias, reverse causality and omitted variable bias are very common in data produced by human behaviour and require appropriate tools to avoid drawing misleading conclusions from data. Combining economic theories and econometric techniques has produced and validated models that can successfully explain a broad spectrum of behaviour, including the existence of financial bubbles, bargaining power between a husband and wife, the factors that make countries vulnerable to civil wars, and why so many of us buy gym memberships and then end up not using them.

You have spent many years in the challenging environment of higher education. What keeps you motivated when things get tough?

The opportunity to pose and solve intriguing questions keeps me motivated. Witnessing my research being implemented or influence policy debates is rewarding. The responsibilities of teaching, mentoring and supervising the next wave of economists also provide significant motivation.

What aspects of your work do you enjoy the most?

I enjoy most aspects of my job. I cherish the opportunity to immerse myself in research projects, but also enjoy the interaction with the exceptionally talented students who attend our 中国体育彩票.

Tell us something exciting about yourself that people would not expect.

I suspect this is more surprising than exciting, but my employment history includes short spells as a bouncer at a bar in the Neelsie and as a slack-rope walker in the circus.

How do you spend your free time?

I enjoy mountain biking, watching movies with my children, listening to music and socialising with friends over dinner and wine.  

• Photo by Ignus Dreyer (The Stellenbosch Centre for Photographic Services).                         ?

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??Dear colleagues and students

 
Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票 (SU) respects and upholds the principles of safety and freedom of association as enshrined in our national Constitution. In this spirit, we support our academic and student communities in expressing their views peacefully and engaging in constructive discussions within the boundaries of 中国体育彩票 policies and the law. 
 
The 中国体育彩票 confirms that its Senate did not pass a resolution on the Israel-Palestine crisis. The motion was themed “Proposed resolution for Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票 Senate on the Genocide and Destruction of Scholarship and Education in Gaza”.
 
Senate held a special meeting on Tuesday, 30 April 2024 to discuss the motion after it had been tabled at a scheduled meeting in March. Senate voted 80 for and 101 against the motion, and 18 abstained. 
 
The proposed resolution read:

Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票 Senate therefore resolves as follows:  

1. Call for an immediate ceasefire and the cessation on attacks on civilians in Gaza and Israel, the passage of humanitarian aid and the return of all captives including the safe return of hostages captured by Hamas, *and including the safe return of Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli prisons.?  

2. Condemn the destruction of the education sector in Gaza and the massive scale of killing of teachers and university staff in the current war. 

3. Urge the international community to ensure that the provision of humanitarian aid includes the restoration of the education sector in Gaza.  

4. Express our concern and opposition to any attempts to curtail academic freedom by labelling criticism of Israel or Zionist policies as antisemitism. 

5. Reject the definition of antisemitism by the IHRA. 

6. Express our support for academic colleagues in Gaza who are surviving under appalling conditions and our intention to assist in the rebuilding of the academic sector after the war. 

7. Express our solidarity with academic colleagues victimised for their willingness to speak out against the educaracide in Gaza.

 
While the resolution was not passed by the majority of Senate, SU recognises that the Israel-Palestine crisis affects our community, and as such, it therefore emphasises that our institution stands firmly for the principles of peace, respect for human rights, freedom of expression, and the principles of International Humanitarian Law. As a leading university in Africa, SU acknowledges the importance of academic freedom, sharing knowledge and views in times of crisis and upholding platforms for the exchange of diverse perspectives, both within and beyond our academic community. We are committed to supporting and fostering environments where all viewpoints can be heard.

SU expresses deep empathy with all those who suffer, directly and indirectly, as a result of the unfolding humanitarian crisis.

The SU Rectorate also affirms that all academic discourse at Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票 takes place within the framework of the values of the 中国体育彩票, namely excellence, compassion, accountability, respect and equity. This is also the basis for hosting and participating in conferences, webinars and networks; and for maintaining collaborative partnerships across the globe.

Our commitment to academic excellence and the well-being of our community is unwavering. We will continue to uphold these principles while navigating the complexities of this issue and other global challenges. 

Click here to read the isiXhosa mailer. 

Prof Wim de Villiers
Rector and Vice-Chancellor

*The original message to staff and students did not include the phrase “and including the safe return of Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli prisons" – an amendment that was made at the Senate meeting.

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Gert Erasmus, a dedicated interpreter at Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票's (SU) Language Centre, bridges communication between Deaf and hearing individuals through South African Sign Language. His role encompasses interpreting academic and extracurricular activities, providing essential support and fostering inclusivity within the 中国体育彩票 community. As we started May celebrating Workers' Day, we dedicate this series of profiles to our staff and their important contribution to the 中国体育彩票.

What does your role at SU entail? 

I facilitate communication between Deaf and hearing staff and students using South African Sign Language (SASL) and English and Afrikaans for various settings at SU, both academic and extracurricular. I interpret classes, meetings, training sessions and private matters such as medical consultations, for example.

I also provide language support services to Deaf students and staff members such as translation, transcription, editing, proofreading and note-taking at times.  

People often see the role of Sign Language interpreters as a service to the Deaf community, but we are just as much there to facilitate communication for hearing staff members and students. So, we are there to provide a communication bridge between Deaf colleagues and students and the hearing community.

What does a typical day at work look like? 

I regularly accompany students to class to interpret lectures. We don't interpret word for word, we interpret ideas, the meaning of what has been said, but also how it's being said. We also interpret the intention, the emotion and any relevant information about the environmental context.

Although you don't form every word with your lips, you sometimes silently mouth an important word for emphasis.

There are usually two interpreters, because it's quite draining to interpret for long stretches. It's cognitively and physically tiring because you don't just take in information to be able to sign, you also use your facial expressions and your body to communicate effectively. In a situation where there are multiple speakers you slightly move your body from one side to the other to indicate which person is talking. It can become quite tiring, so in longer classes, we take turns interpreting for stretches of 25 minutes each. 

To be able to interpret well, we have to do comprehensive preparation for lectures. You have to grasp the subject matter and in some science subjects, it gets rather abstract and complicated. I enjoy interpreting for subjects that are not only about facts but ideas and emotions as well.

As interpreters, we have a very strict code of ethics. You have to be neutral and professional at all times. But in an educational setting, you do develop a strong connection and a unique way of understanding the people you serve.

How did your education or past experiences prepare you for this job?? 

I followed a rather unconventional path to becoming a South African Sign Language interpreter for the Deaf. Unlike some, I didn't have any prior exposure to Deaf culture or Sign Language through family or friends. It wasn't until around 2008 when I started working alongside a Deaf colleague that my journey began. I felt it wasn't right that I couldn't communicate with her while effortlessly conversing with others.

Our interactions initially consisted of basic greetings written on pieces of paper during tea and lunch breaks. I asked her to teach me a few basic signs and surprisingly, I found myself grasping Sign Language quickly. When this colleague eventually became my direct line manager, I realised the need to expand my Sign Language vocabulary for work-related discussions. I enrolled in a community-based SA Sign Language course to better comprehend technical terms.

My involvement in interpreting grew organically as I interacted with more Deaf individuals and became part of the Deaf community. Within about a year and a half of starting to learn Sign Language, I was approached to assist in interpreting at the Provincial Parliament in Mpumalanga. Due to my proficiency in Afrikaans, I managed to assist a high-ranking government official who struggled with the nuances of political Afrikaans.

I was initially hesitant due to my lack of experience, but I agreed to shadow experienced interpreters in Parliament for several months. Through observation, note-taking and collaborative discussions, I gradually gained confidence. Eventually, I began interpreting independently in Parliament, a role I fulfilled for approximately four years.

When a position became available for a South African Sign Language interpreter at SU, I didn't think I would be considered because I didn't have a university degree at the time. But a friend and colleague in the Deaf community encouraged me to apply and when I came for the interview it was quite a stringent process – I had to answer questions in English, Afrikaans and South African Sign Language and I had to complete several interpreting tests. It went very well, and I was very honoured to step into the role of one of the first Sign Language interpreter at SU.

Because of my proficiency, I've received recognition of prior learning and I'm currently completing a master's degree in Linguistics at SU.

What do you enjoy most about your role and working at SU? 

I feel very privileged to be able to bridge the communication gap between Deaf and hearing communities and cultures. It is very rewarding to provide access to Deaf students and staff who previously did not, and in some cases still do not, have access to further education opportunities. I work with wonderful colleagues at the Language Centre who provide support and encouragement that go above and beyond.

It's also great working at a university that is busy transforming and evolving for the better.

Personally, my interaction with the Deaf community has made me appreciate the value of communication. Over the years, I've become more visually inclined. My brain has adapted to experience the world differently.

Tell us something exciting about yourself that few people would expect? 

My partner says I am an Olympic medal sleeper who can fall asleep within minutes and stay asleep (caffeinated or not) for more than 12 hours.

Another thing that people might find surprising is that I'm a qualified real estate agent and a Demi Chef. I did hospitality studies as a subject at school and part of the course was practical work. I enjoyed working in restaurants and I ended up qualifying as an assistant chef.

The estate agent qualification happened because a friend was selling houses and started her own company, and she needed agents. It was a great fit for me because it gave me a lot of freedom to still do interpreting on the side as well.

PHOTO: Stefan Els

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?Meet Reuben van Oordt, Junior IT Systems Administrator at Stellenbosch Business School on the Bellville Park campus. Tasked with ensuring the seamless operation of technology across the campus, Van Oordt provides vital IT and streaming support to staff, students and guests. As we kicked off May celebrating Workers' Day, we dedicate this series of profiles to our staff and their crucial contributions to Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票 (SU). Van Oordt shares insights into his journey in IT, the unique culture at the Business School that fosters both professional and personal growth, and his passion for soccer.

What does your role at SU entail? 
In my role as Junior IT Systems Administrator at the Bellville Park campus, I am tasked with delivering comprehensive first and second level IT technical and streaming support to all staff, students, and guests. My role is pivotal in ensuring seamless technology operations which also includes on-site and remote class streaming support and user satisfaction across the campus.

What does a typical day at work look like? 
In my daily responsibilities, we configure and maintain technology systems throughout the campus, supporting academic staff in delivering lectures both on site and remotely. Additionally, I address IT-related inquiries and resolve issues for students and staff through walk-ins, phone calls and emails. This comprehensive support ensures the smooth and efficient operation of all educational and administrative activities on campus.
Due to the rapid growth of technology, we experience some challenges with regards to figuring out certain technological issues. We don't always have all the answers at hand, but through research and an eagerness to help our stakeholders, we always end up learning about ways to handle and complete requests to the best of our ability.

How did your education or past experiences prepare you for this job?? 

After matric, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to pursue my IT career by completing a few short courses and qualifications within the IT field. Along with that, due to my eagerness and passion about various technological systems, I was granted the opportunity to job shadow IT experts at well-known companies. This gave me insight to gaining a better understanding about processes and how certain client requests were completed.
As for my past work experience, when I was employed at Vodacom Head Office within the IT department, I was exposed to many of the hardware and software support I currently provide to our staff and students today. From there I started to learn how to deal with various clients and how to deliver efficient and professional services.

What do you enjoy most about your role and working at SU? 
During my eight-year tenure at Stellenbosch Business School, I have developed a profound appreciation for its culture and the colleagues I have the privilege of working with. The environment here is one where teamwork and a relentless pursuit of excellence are paramount. It is truly rewarding to be part of a community that is consistently dedicated to delivering their best and who actively seeks opportunities for improvement.

Additionally, Stellenbosch Business School demonstrates a strong commitment to the personal development of its staff by offering opportunities for further education. A good example of this was when I was fortunate enough to be granted the opportunity to further my studies as an RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) candidate, successfully completing and graduating with a Postgraduate Diploma in Futures Studies, specialising in Managing New Technologies this year.

The institution also hosts a variety of engaging events that not only provide entertainment but also foster learning and strengthen relationships among staff. From my experience, these experiences contribute significantly to both professional growth and team cohesion.

Tell us something exciting about yourself that few people would expect. 

I am a huge soccer fanatic. I am actively involved in playing five-a-side soccer in my free time during the week. I have also recently set a new goal for myself by joining the gym, as I love embracing and taking on new challenges. In terms of furthering my IT career, I have a developing interest in aspects of cybersecurity. Due to rapid advancement of the digital age, I find myself invested in understanding how to make people more aware of data security concerns at both the professional and personal level. I also enjoy attending small conferences and events which gives me the opportunity to network and learn new things from a diverse group of individuals.

PHOTO: Stefan Els

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When you walk along the Eerste River on the Koloniesland trail, you will find a small plaque next to a tree donated by Anton Rupert with the words:

“Waar daar 'n wil is, is daar 'n weg en soms word die wil die weg". In English: "Where there's a will, there's a way, and sometimes the will becomes the way".

These few words describe the tremendous effort that went into establishing the first support centre for victims of gender-based violence (GB) in Ida's Valley. The Thuthuzela Care Centre (TCC) was officially opened on 17 April, although its doors opened in February this year.

When Jaco Greeff Brink, Head of Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票's (SU) Equality Unit, approached Nicolette van den Eijkel, Chief Director: Facilities Management to help him find a space for rape and GBV victims, she immediately identified the Bothmashoogte building in Ida's Valley, which was previously used as a residence and then vacant. Her "will" took over and went in overdrive as she jumped through a million hoops to make this happen.

Despite push-back, red tape, long meetings, and many questions from a thousand stakeholders, she persevered, and the centre became a reality. The last hurdle was to finalise the lease agreement, Nicolette got Prof Stan du Plessis's, SU's Chief Operating Officer's, buy-in, and the project became a reality. "I remember how I walked up to Stan and just gave him one enormous hug," Nicolette recalled.

What is more is that since this facility opened in February, already more than ninety GBV victims have been helped and supported – underlining the dire need for such a facility. Victims receive here the emotional, psychological, and legal support to pursue a conviction against their perpetrators. A facility like this makes it easier for victims to follow through with legal action to ensure they get the justice they deserve.

Anel Lewis, senior journalist at Corporate Communications, wrote in an article on SU's website that the Centre has relieved the load of the Stellenbosch district hospital by providing a safe alternative for victims looking for support and emergency accommodation—said Provincial Minister of Social Development Sharna Fernandez. "The TCC is a place where wounded can start to rebuild, where they can transcend from victim to survivor. This Centre is just one aspect of the arsenal we need to fight the scourge of GBV".

She emphasizes how this Centre is a symbol of collaboration, made possible through the cooperation of the National Public Prosecuting Authority, the national and provincial governments, the South African Police Services, Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票 (SU), Stellenbosch Municipality, Mediclinic, Ring for Peace Cape Trust, the private sector, and "active citizens."

SU's involvement is through the INSPIRE (Initiative for Nonviolence, Support, Prevention, Intervention, Research, and Education) facility, which will help to establish global networks to study nonviolence and create an environment for academics and students to research GBV.

For Nicolette, this is another full circle in which she was privileged to play a crucial part. "This is a healing place, one where people feel safe and welcome to return to." Nicolette's will has undoubtedly become a way—a Centre that will soon be sustainable and provide a community with a crucial service. ?

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??Workers' Day was observed on 1 May. In an opinion piece for the Mail & Guardian, Prof Nicola Smit, Dean of the Faculty of Law, focuses on the use of big data and generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) to manage the workforce (management-by-algorithm). She argues that the law should play a leading and facilitating role in ensuring decent work through mediating and diffusing the impact of GenAI on both job security as well as the quality of workers' jobs and personal rights.

• Read the original article below or click here for the piece as published.

Nicola Smit*

The character of labour markets and the future of work differ significantly across countries. Workers' Day, also known as May Day or Labour Day, commemorates the struggles and gains of workers and is observed in many countries on 1 May. Global geopolitics, economics and climate change developments raise the thorny question of what the foremost struggles are that face South African and global workers today.

The International Labour Organization views the aim of decent work to ensure that different groups in the labour market have equal opportunities in employment and income, safety and security at the workplace, social protection, rights of association (union membership) and social dialogue. Against this background, the issue of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and the workplace or, stated more strikingly, 'the rise of the algorithmic boss' is relevant.

There is significant speculation about the impact of GenAI for the future of work and workers – the nub of such impact is sometimes framed as displacement vis-a-viz risk-shifting. Debates on the future of work initially focused on automation, the introduction of new technologies at the workplace and therefore the loss of jobs due to technological innovation. Another aspect of this innovation is however equally important, namely the quality of jobs in future labour markets. The trade union movement has adopted the phrase 'Dignity at work amidst an AI revolution' as they predict that if left unchecked, 'the use of AI to manage people will also lead to work becoming an increasingly lonely and isolating experience, where the joy of human connection is lost'. People spend a large portion of their lives performing paid work, at the workplace or increasingly from places other than a traditional workplace, and therefore it matters greatly what the quality of (power) relationships, interactions and conditions at work are.

The World Economic Forum predicts that by 2026 more than 80 per cent of organisations will have used GenAI in interfaces or applications running in production environments but that only 16 per cent would have done so successfully. Employers must consider how to use GenAI effectively from an operational, financial and people perspective. Surveys show that almost a quarter of employees expect GenAI to replace their job in the next five years. Despite this anxiety, research shows that in the short- to medium-term, AI won't replace many jobs; on the contrary, it may create, not diminish, workforce opportunity. In fact, James Bessen from the Boston 中国体育彩票 School of Law convincingly argues that one cannot simply assume that productivity-improving technology necessarily leads to job losses, and that while productive technology may or may not decrease aggregate employment, it will likely have disparate effects on different industries at different times.

Research and surveys do indicate that, without doubt, AI will lead jobs to be redesigned to include new responsibilities, such as interacting with GenAI tools, and certain roles and tasks will be disproportionally affected. For example, the 2023 Gartner survey predicts that GenAI will play a role in 70% of text- and data-heavy tasks by 2025.

Some of the emerging concerns regarding GenAI and the quality of jobs that should then be on the agenda of policymakers and regulators include workers' privacy and electronic monitoring, insidious forms of discrimination (explicit and implicit biases) hidden behind a technologically 'objective' facade, practices such as people analytics and the use of big data and AI to manage the workforce (management-by-algorithm), helping workers transition from some industries/occupations and some regions to others,  risk-shifting from employers to workers through using AI-driven tools for algorithmic scheduling, task redefinition (also what is regarded as compensable work and time), loss and fraud prediction (often resulting in predictive targeting and preventative measures), and incentivisation of productivity (including invasive forms of monitoring and 'inactivity reports').

Scholars, including Valerio De Stefano and Antonio Aloisi who co-authored Your Boss Is an Algorithm: Artificial Intelligence, Platform Work and Labour, have convincingly argued that in this context a necessary approach for suitable policymaking is 'countervailing worker power'. Such approach centres around strategies that increase data transparency, privacy and fairness underpinned by workers' rights, and empowering worker representatives to develop their own knowledge of GenAI as well as their capacity to effectively negotiate the adoption and impacts thereof. It is evident that workers experience real difficulties to assert their individual rights in the context of algorithmic management systems, so collective labour rights, and especially collective bar?gaining, are the most effective and proven tools for workers to influence the so-called 'distribution of benefits or costs from the AI- and data-driven 'digital revolution''. To this, one should add information and consultation rights of worker representatives.

Other strategies include imposing joint liability on companies for breaches of labour law associated with algorithmic management technologies that they develop or market, and developing parallel regulation set?ting minimum standards for decent work for the worker concerns described earlier. What we need is a multi-level response to address AI impacts on employment relations. This response could include protective mechanisms (minimum standards set through regulations or sectoral collective agreements) and participative standards (giving employees or their representatives bargaining rights and resources to govern processes through direct participation).

In 2019, Jeremias Adams-Prassl from Oxford 中国体育彩票 wrote that the 'real challenge lies in harnessing the unequivocal potential in the trends which will shape tomorrow's work, whilst ensuring that no one is left behind in enjoying decent and sustainable working conditions.'

The law does not simply respond to technological change but as the Cambridge academics Simon Deakin and Christopher Markou have shown, it also facilitates and mediates it. Each decade has presented workers with challenges and labour law has often been responding to these challenges rather than leading with the introduction of gains for workers and their families. Although the present AI revolution will undeniably continue to bring far-reaching consequences to workplaces and workers, it appears that many of the 'new' challenges are rooted in historical developments (such as atypical work and platform work, the nature and scope of managerial prerogative and worker rights to fair labour practices). Hard-won advances in law and policies may be sustained and accelerated in many instances through thoughtful and tailored adaptation and implementation.

Solutions will have to build upon existing responses while being more agile in introducing new tailormade responses to GenAI specific challenges, such as management-by-algorithm. Deakin and Markou correctly propose that GenAI has the capacity to undermine existing forms of regulation, while creating the space for new ones. Several jurisdictions, including the European Union, have adopted Artificial Intelligence Acts with provisions relating to classes of AI systems that are deemed high-impact systems (e.g. employment related decisions or court or administrative body decision making). Key to this classification is the severity and extent of potential adverse impacts, including on human rights and social harms, while it is recognised that overlap between these classes and existing regulatory regimes may mitigate the need for specific inclusions or exclusions.

In South Africa our workforce is diverse, and work is performed across both the formal and informal economies. The scope of structural unemployment, especially among the youth, is well recorded. These stumbling blocks may explain why we seemingly have been slow to respond to the challenges posed by the rapid introduction and widespread use of GenAI in the labour market. However, this is an instance where the law should play a leading and facilitating role in ensuring decent work through mediating and diffusing the impact of GenAI on both job security as well as the quality of workers' jobs and personal rights. The opportunity to imagine what the future of work should look like should therefore be taken up with more urgency and intent.

• Photo by Lukas at Pixabay.

*Prof Nicola Smit is Dean of the Faculty of Law at Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票.

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As an academic advisor Lamese Chetty plays a unique supporting role at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Many students who struggle with mental health or learning problems credit her with helping them overcome obstacles so they can reach their full potential. As we kick off May celebrating Workers' Day, we dedicate this series of profiles to our staff and their crucial contributions to Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票 (SU). In this interview, Chetty tells us more about her work.

??What does your role at SU entail? 

I am the Academic Advisor at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS) and I believe this position is the first of its kind at SU. I report to the Vice Dean: Learning and Teaching within this Faculty and form part of the Student Support Division. I see all undergraduate students in the Faculty who may be experiencing challenges impacting on their academic performance. I liaise with the relevant academic and support staff in allowing them to understand these challenges and finding ways to accommodate the students.

What does a typical day at work look like? 

A typical day is filled with students who book appointments for academic development and support, and I am requested by departments to provide group work sessions. The topics include implementing a structured routine, study and learning strategies, note-taking skills, meta-cognitive/thinking skills, assessment/exam preparation techniques, emotional intelligence in groups as well empathy and rapport building. I receive enquiries from students who may have been diagnosed with mental health or learning disorders and see them for psycho-educational support.

I manage the tutoring programmes, which are student-driven. We have 110 mentors and 40 subject-specific tutors for the Faculty. We are fortunate to have such intellectual and emotionally sound students who want to support their peers in this Faculty.

I also attend meetings with staff to manage student support considerations for students to catch up on lost work. Clinical practice time is critical, and students need to catch up if they have been ill and have missed out.

We have an amazing Student Support Division with passionate colleagues who work as a multi-level campus support team. They include Student Administration, Campus Health Services, the Centre for Student Counselling & Development and the Department of Student Affairs.

How did your education or past experiences prepare you for this job?? 

I have a degree in psychology from the 中国体育彩票 of the Western Cape and a postgraduate certificate in education from UNISA. I also obtained my master's degree in educational psychology at SU, which qualifies me as a registered educational psychologist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA).

My experience and qualifications prepared me intensively for this role. I worked in the technical vocational education & training (TVET) sector as a registered counsellor in academic support for 11 years and as an educational psychologist for six years. I have 17 years' experience in academic development and support. I understand learning challenges experienced by students and I'm a firm believer in inclusive education within tertiary environments.

What do you enjoy most about your role and working at SU? 

I enjoy guiding and supporting students as they transition from school into this new profound academic space. When they enter SU, they learn to become independent, self-sufficient, and resilient and require support to develop these skills. I find that I can provide my expertise to advise them in reaching these qualities, and with time they learn to become psychologically sound citizens in our country and beyond. SU provides me with the perfect environment to do this and especially the Tygerberg Campus, where colleagues are invested in the physiological and psychological health of health science students.

Tell us something exciting about yourself that few people would expect?  

Running is my own therapy. I started long distance running during the national lockdown and seriously became involved in 2022. I completed my first half marathon last year and will be attempting my first full marathon this year!

I am also the designated make-up artist and stylist in my family and friendship circle. When my community has events, I paint the children's faces. It brings them so much happiness and it makes me smile to be able to practice my creativity.?

PHOTO: Stefan Els

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??A freshwater crab specialist from Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票, Prof. Savel Daniels, was one of nearly 100 specialists from around the world whose research contributed to the recognition of a new ecoregion – the South East Africa Montane Archipelago (SEAMA) – stretching across northern Mozambique to Mount Mulanje in Malawi.

According to a press release issued by Oxford Brookes 中国体育彩票 in the United Kingdom, the announcement is the result of two decades of biological surveys and over 30 scientific expeditions, unearthing a wealth of previously undocumented biodiversity. The results were recently published in the Nature journal, Scientific Reports.

The new ecoregion encompasses 30 granitic 'inselbergs' – so called by early German explorers because these mountains rise like little “islands" above the surrounding landscape (all more than 1 000 metres above sea level). All of these “islands in the sky" are covered by biologically unique montane grasslands and ancient forests, remnants of the pan-Africa forests which covered these regions millions of years ago.

The team of international researchers so far identified large numbers of endemic plants and insects – this means they occur only here and nowhere else on Earth. This includes 127 plants, 45 vertebrates (amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals) and 45 invertebrate species (butterflies, freshwater crabs), and two endemic genera of plants and reptiles.

According to Daniels he identified six strictly endemic freshwater crab species to the SEAMA ecoregion, two of which are still undescribed species.

Read the full press release below:

Press Release

Scientists find hundreds of unique species in Africa's newest and most threatened ecoregion

After two decades of biological surveys and over 30 scientific expeditions, groundbreaking research in southern Africa has unearthed a wealth of previously undocumented biodiversity in a newly recognised ecoregion.

The research has involved around 100 specialists from around the world, the results of which are now published in the Nature journal, Scientific Reports.

The findings are so significant that scientists from across the world have officially proposed the area as a new ecoregion - the South East Africa Montane Archipelago (SEAMA). The mountains stretch across northern Mozambique to Mount Mulanje in Malawi, southern Africa's second highest mountain.

Led by Professor Julian Bayliss, a Visiting Professor at Oxford Brookes 中国体育彩票 who also works for the National Network for Community Management of Natural Resources (ReGECom) in  Mozambique, the study documents 127 plant species, and 90 species of amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals, butterflies, and freshwater crabs, all of which are endemic (found nowhere else on Earth).

The mountains were formed hundreds of millions of years ago, and host both the largest (Mount Mabu) and the smallest (Mount Lico) mid-elevation rainforests in southern Africa, as well as biologically unique montane grasslands.

According to Professor Bayliss, the study's lead author: “Ecological regions (ecoregions) are widely used to inform global conservation priorities. They define large expanses of land or water, characterised by geographically distinct assemblages of animals and plants. New ecoregion definitions are rare, and typically follow many years of research across a range of scientific disciplines.

“It took decades of international collaboration to gather sufficient evidence to define the ecoregion. We documented hundreds of previously undescribed species, and researched the geology, climate, and genetic history of the ecosystems, to piece together what makes these mountains so unique. This new ecoregion will create an important platform from which to develop regional conservation initiatives".

Dr Harith Farooq, a biologist from the 中国体育彩票 of Lúrio in Mozambique and co-author of the study, said that more species remain to be discovered. He explained: “The ecoregion is fragmented across small isolated pockets of rainforest, montane grasslands and shrublands, each with their own unique, but distantly related, plants and animals. There is so much more to discover, but many of these species may go extinct before we can record them."

Despite being globally significant for biodiversity, the ecoregion is under severe threat. Since the scientists started their surveys around 20 years ago, the mountains have lost a fifth of their rainforest extent, nearly half in some cases - one of the highest deforestation rates in Africa. Such sites of high biodiversity and natural wilderness are increasingly rare and threatened globally.

Some of the forests, like Mount Mabu, are effectively protected by local communities. Others, such as Mount Lico, are too inaccessible to face any real threat. The majority lack any kind of formal protection and are under pressure from slash and burn agriculture, hunting and demands for fuel and timber.

“Our study highlights the need to protect this unique, rather understudied, ecoregion," commented Dr Gabriela Bittencourt, a co-author, and Postdoctoral Researcher at the Natural History Museum, London. "Encouraging conservation of the South East Africa Montane Archipelago is paramount as it's clear we've only begun to scratch the surface of what we can learn about this diverse region as well as consider how these learnings can be applied to global biodiversity conservation efforts."

Jose Monteiro, Director of ReGeCom in Mozambique and co-author, said: “This is the start of a new chapter. A real effort is now required to reduce the threats to this mountain ecoregion and to effectively engage communities in leading conservation efforts, similar to the work at Mt Mabu."

Dr Phil Platts, Director at BeZero Carbon, a carbon ratings agency which aims to help organisations make better climate decisions and senior author of the paper, said: “These ecosystems lock up carbon, regulate water flows, and are globally unique in the species that live there. Channelling national and international finance, to support local communities in protecting the climate and other benefits of the ecoregion, would benefit everyone."

Dr Paul Smith, Secretary General of Botanic Gardens and Conservation International and a co-author of the paper said: “The biodiversity of the SEAMA montane archipelago is of global importance, and our hope is that this publication will help to precipitate international support for conservation in the region."

Dr Zacharia Magombo, acting Director General of the National Herbarium and Botanic Gardens in Malawi and co-author, said: “As the ecoregion straddles the border between Mozambique and Malawi it also creates a trans-boundary region, which opens the doors to transboundary conservation initiatives between the two countries."

Carl Bruessow, Director of the Mulanje Mountain Conservation Trust in Malawi and co-author, said: “The new SEAMA ecoregion will catalyse a renewed Malawi and Mozambican conservation commitment." 

Dr Hermenegildo Matimele, a conservation scientist from the National Herbarium of Mozambique and co-author, commented: “The distribution of biodiversity transcends political boundaries. Therefore, conservation initiatives that capture the natural patterns of biodiversity will be more effective than those that restrict its potential through man-made borders. SEAMA aims to foster engagement between nations to work closely towards a common conservation goal in an effective manner."

Ends

Notes to Editors:

1. See the One Earth website for further information on ecoregions
2. Photographs available on request
   

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Jeremiah Pietersen plays a crucial part in enhancing students' learning experience at Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票 (SU) Library and Information Service. He ensures that everyone has easy access to essential resources for optimal academic success and he manages diverse training and learning activities. As we kicked off May celebrating Workers' Day, we dedicate this series of profiles to our staff and their crucial contributions to Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票 (SU). In this interview, Pietersen lifts the veil on the intricacies of his work.

What does your role at SU entail?

I currently manage learning and training activities within SU's Library and Information Service. This means that I have oversight of two of our generic training programmes: #SmartStudent and #SmartResearcher. The former consists of introductory sessions to library related topics such as referencing 101 and finding journal articles, while the latter focuses more on advanced research sessions such as systematic reviews or using data visualisation tools. Operationally, I look after the Learning Commons and the Makerspace in the SU Library. We are constantly looking at how we can best support students by providing spaces that are conducive to learning.

What does a typical day at work look like?

I try to be structured by every morning setting my tasks for the day, but this doesn't always work! I am physically located in the Learning Commons and depending on the time of the year, we can get very busy with assisting students with various queries. These are typically printing or Wi-Fi related. When I am not caught up in operations, I am involved in projects. We are constantly looking at our service offerings to enable efficiency and make improvements where appropriate.

How did your education or past experiences prepare you for this job??

I did a BA (English and Classical Studies), a postgraduate diploma in library and information science and a master's degree in library and information science, all at the 中国体育彩票 of Cape Town.

I've previously worked at another university in various roles. This has enabled me to see how the cogs and gears fit together to run a successful academic library. I've also been privileged to work with colleagues across the 中国体育彩票 (both in my previous employment and now) and have realised the importance of stepping outside of one's environment occasionally to gain perspective of how your work fits in with the bigger institutional vision and goals. Having post-secondary education experience definitely helps with understanding the higher education environment and relating to students.

What do you enjoy most about your role and working at SU?

I enjoy being able to work across my environment with colleagues in other teams to realise goals that affect our overall service delivery. I enjoy colleagues across the 中国体育彩票 being very open to collaboration and projects. I appreciate coming across many colleagues who share the goal of making SU an inclusive environment for all students.

The SU Library and Information Service is also a great place to experiment with new trends in the academic library space. One of the spaces I manage is the Makerspace in the SU Library, a space for experimentation and innovation. It's fascinating to see how the space is being used by students and staff of the 中国体育彩票. From 3D scanning lizards to 3D printing Dungeons and Dragons dice, to even building small robotics, it's awesome to have such a space available to all staff and students of SU.

Tell us something exciting about yourself that few people would expect.  

I like playing guitar (although I'm not very good at it), and I WILL participate in karaoke if there is an opportunity. I have quite eclectic taste; I veer towards indie and acoustic music. One of the songs I enjoy playing is 'Hey there Delilah' (Plain White T's), but I also like some obscure songs like 'One of those days' by Joy Williams.

PHOTO: Stefan Els

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A group of Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票 medical students is on a mission to establish a specialised intensive care unit (ICU) for organ donors at Tygerberg Hospital. This dedicated unit, dubbed the “Life Pod", aims to significantly boost the hospital's capacity for posthumous organ transplant, potentially saving up to 100 lives annually.

This Life Pod – a first of its kind in Africa – will provide life support to consented organ donors to keep their organs viable until it can be harvested for transplantation. “This specialised unit will safely house donors for the 12 to 36-hour period before surgery, instead of letting their life-saving organs go to waste," says Naazim Nagdee, a fourth-year medical student and vice-president of Save7, a student-led non-profit organisation focused on organ donation awareness. 

The students' initiative stems from a personal experience. “We recently encountered a family desperately seeking a kidney for their six-year-old son," says Suhayl Khalfey, manager of Save7's Tygerberg Branch. “Tragically, the timing of the availability of organs and potential transplant did not align, and a vital opportunity for a transplant was missed. This Life Pod could prevent such losses in the future." 

The group of medical students, alongside faculty members from the Departments of Surgery and Internal Medicine, have identified a room in the hospital that could be converted into a Life Pod. They've received the green light from hospital administration and secured the support of departments crucial to the Life Pod's day-to-day operations.

“The last hurdle is raising R400 000 to convert this room into a 'pop-up' ICU," explains Sachen Naidu, a core member of Save7. They've partnered with The Health Foundation, a public healthcare supporter, who will match each rand raised by the students – putting them just R200 000 away from their goal.

Taking their commitment a step further, four students – Henri van der Westhuizen, Gerhard Niewoudt, Alexander van Wyk and Jonty Wright – will be competing in the upcoming Ironman 70.3 in Nelson Mandela Bay on 21 April. Their campaign, aptly named “Tri for Life", aims to raise awareness of the cause, and garner vital funds for the Life Pod.

“We can't wait until we've graduated to start helping the 5 000 South Africans waiting for transplants," says Save7 president Jonty Wright. “Recent national public sector budget cuts have exacerbated the issue, with limited ICU beds adding to the loss of potential donors. Each donor represents up to seven lives that could be saved."

Save7, established in 2021 by Wright and his fellow students, was born from witnessing the heartbreak of families desperately awaiting organ donations. Their core message is powerful: by registering as an organ donor, individuals have the potential to save seven lives after they die.

“Year after year, we see patients deteriorating while waiting in vain for a life-saving organ," explains Wright. “The realisation that a well-equipped and staffed room could be the key to getting these organs to those who need them most was the catalyst for action. Together with Tygerberg Hospital staff, we identified a suitable room and began mobilising." The students have already sourced all the necessary equipment for the Life Pod, including an ICU bed, monitors, a ventilator, and essential medical lines. Additionally, they have a network of volunteers ready to support the medical staff.

Prof Elmi Muller, Dean of Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票's Faculty of Medine and Health Sciences and president of The Transplant Society, an international leader in transplantation, voiced her support for the Life Pod project. "In my experience as a transplant surgeon, I have borne witness to the profound tragedy of organ shortages and the life-affirming joy experienced by patients and their families upon receiving a lifesaving organ. The establishment of this Life Pod will have a transformative impact on the lives of organ recipients, offering a beacon of hope and the very essence of life during their most critical moments. I commend the Save7 team for undertaking this crucial initiative and extend my unwavering support to this project," says Muller.

“This Life Pod represents a major advancement in our fight to save lives through organ donation," says Prof André van der Merwe, head of Transplant Surgery and Urology at Tygerberg Hospital and Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票. “Witnessing the next generation of medical professionals leading this vital project with such passion and determination is truly inspiring."

For more information about Save7, visit their website at save7.org, or connect with them om Instagram @savesevenlives or LinkedIn @save7, or phone Jonty on 063 612 2401 or send an email to jonty@save7.org.

If you want to donate towards the Life Pod, you can make an EFT to SAVESEVEN at FNB account number 630-2528 6823, branch code: 260548.

Please use “your name and LIFE POD" in your reference, as all donors will be named on a plaque of honour in the Life Pod.

Caption: Core members of the Save7 team: Naazim Nagdee, Jonty Wright, Sachen Naidu and Suhayl Khalfey.??

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Cancer is the leading cause of death among people living with HIV in both high and low resource countries. And the treatment outcome for those patients is often less successful. With more than 20 years' experience in his field, Professor Hennie Botha, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票, and his team is at the forefront of research into cancers that affect people living with HIV. “We have extensive experience in the field of cervical cancer, but much less is known about other anatomical sites affected by human papillomavirus (HPV) related cancers like male genital cancers, anal carcinomas, and oropharyngeal cancer (back of the throat). We will now be studying those cancers in more detail," Botha says.

Their efforts recently received a significant boost when Botha, in collaboration with researchers in the United States, Zimbabwe and Germany, were awarded a grant from the National Cancer Institute in the USA to assist in their studies into virus-associated tumours that disproportionately impact people living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. “We know people with HIV, even with effective ARV therapy, have a lower immune response and cancers associated with HPV are more common and often has a poorer outcome when compared with HIV negative patients," Botha says.

The $5,5 million (R100 million) grant – which will be rolled out over the course of five years – will be an immense help. “Performing this research requires human resources, the use of specialist equipment and tests for viruses and immune markers, which are quite expensive. A grant like this makes it possible to use the best scientific methods available. Another important part of the grant mechanism is the development of young academics and researchers. A sizeable portion of the grant will be used for developmental projects under the supervision and mentorship of more experienced researchers."

The research performed at Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票 is mostly focussed on investigating the immune landscape of individuals living with HIV when they develop an HPV associated cancer. “It's important to understand underlying biological mechanisms that lead to the development of the cancer to try and find solutions in the form of new medicines or other preventative measures," he says.

“Most cancers are more common in people living with HIV due to impaired immune mechanisms, however cancers associated with infections are particularly likely to occur and specifically cervical cancer, anal carcinoma and oropharyngeal cancer which are associated with HPV. HPV is a common virus that is circulating in the general population, but certain cancer-causing strains can lead to abnormal cells which eventually will develop into cancer."

Botha says cancer associated with HIV are often diagnosed at an advanced stage because they tend to develop more rapidly. “They are more difficult to treat and, even if the patient receives effective and complete treatment, the long-term outcome is not equal to HIV negative people. We are aiming to determine the causes for this rapid development to cancer, the poor response to treatment and the poorer survival rate after successful treatment to try and find potential modifying factors or even potential interventions that can improve the treatment outcome of these cancers."

Botha lists factors that could help reduce the risk for HIV positive patients. “Reducing smoking habits, keeping a healthy weight, regular exercise, screening for cancer and a reduced risk for infections that may cause cancer through vaccination. HPV vaccines have been on the market for more than a decade now and should be widely used in the prevention of HPV related cancers. We encourage anybody diagnosed with HIV to receive three doses of the HPV vaccine to prevent new infections and as such reduce their risk of developing cancer."

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?The International Day of the Midwife was celebrated on Sunday 5 May. The theme for 2024 was “Midwives: A Vital Climate Solution". In an opinion piece for the Cape Times, Prof Doreen Kaura from the Department of Nursing and Midwifery writes that midwives promote sustainable healthcare and childbirth practices in Africa that minimise environmental impact.

• ?Read the original article below or click here for the piece as published.

Prof Doreen K Kaura*

Every year, on 5 May, the world celebrates the International Day of the Midwife, honouring the vital role midwives play in ensuring safe childbirth, and maternal and newborn health. This year, as we commemorate this significant day, it's imperative to recognise midwives not only as guardians of life but also as crucial actors in combating the existential threat that climate change poses to mother earth. This year's theme "Midwives: A Vital Climate Solution", highlights how midwives in Africa are at the forefront of climate resilience efforts, safeguarding communities and fostering sustainable healthcare practices.

Midwifery is often misconstrued as merely a branch of nursing. However, it embodies a distinct profession, rooted in expertise and specialised skills focused on maternal and newborn care. In Africa, where access to comprehensive healthcare remains a challenge for many, midwives stand as frontline champions, providing essential services that are indispensable to the well-being of communities.

The significance of midwifery transcends individual health outcomes; it intersects with broader environmental concerns, making midwives unwitting but crucial players in climate action. Across Africa, climate change poses unprecedented challenges, exacerbating existing vulnerabilities and threatening the health and livelihoods of millions. In this context, midwives emerge as unsung heroes, embodying a holistic approach to healthcare that integrates environmental stewardship with maternal and newborn well-being.

First and foremost, midwifery promotes sustainable childbirth practices that minimise environmental impact. From advocating for natural birthing techniques to supporting breastfeeding initiatives, midwives prioritise interventions that align with eco-friendly principles, reducing the carbon footprint associated with childbirth and postnatal care. By emphasising non-invasive, low-resource methods, midwives not only ensure safer deliveries but also contribute to the preservation of natural resources, fostering a symbiotic relationship between healthcare and the environment.

Connecting the dots between midwifery and climate change may not be immediately apparent, but the relationship is profound. Climate change disproportionately affects the most vulnerable populations, including pregnant women and newborns in Africa. Extreme weather events, food insecurity, and the spread of infectious diseases pose significant risks to maternal and child health. Therefore, through education and empowerment, midwives equip women with the knowledge and skills needed to cope with environmental stressors and protect their health and that of their newborns. From teaching sustainable farming techniques to providing family planning services, safe water and sanitation practices, midwives empower communities to build resilience against climate-induced health risks, ultimately fostering sustainable development.

The symbiosis between midwifery and environmental sustainability is further exemplified by the role of midwives in disaster response and humanitarian relief efforts. As climate-induced disasters become more frequent and severe, midwives are at the forefront of emergency response, providing life-saving care in the aftermath of floods, droughts, and other environmental crises. Their ability to adapt to challenging conditions, coupled with their intimate knowledge of local communities, makes them indispensable assets in times of crisis, demonstrating the resilience and resourcefulness inherent in midwifery practice.

However, despite their invaluable contributions, midwives in Africa continue to face numerous challenges that hinder their ability to fulfil their potential as agents of change. Limited access to education and training, inadequate resources, and systemic barriers often impede the delivery of quality maternal and newborn care, exacerbating disparities and undermining efforts to promote sustainability and resilience. Addressing these challenges requires a multifaceted approach that prioritises investment in midwifery education, capacity building, and policy reform, ensuring that midwives have the support and resources they need to thrive in their critical role.

On this International Day of the Midwife, let us reaffirm our commitment to midwifery as a cornerstone of sustainable healthcare in Africa and beyond. By recognising the integral connection between midwifery and environmental sustainability, we can harness the transformative power of midwives to address the dual challenges of maternal health and climate change. Through strategic investments, advocacy, and collaboration, we can empower midwives to lead the charge towards a healthier, more resilient future for all.

Governments, policymakers, and healthcare stakeholders must prioritise midwifery as a fundamental component of the healthcare system and allocate adequate resources to support midwives and the communities they serve. This includes investing in midwifery education, regulation which is not under nursing and support of midwifery practice through continuous professional development, improving working conditions, and providing access to essential supplies and equipment.

In celebrating midwives as vital climate solutions, we not only honour their tireless dedication and compassion but also acknowledge the profound impact they have on the health and well-being of communities and mother earth. Together, let us stand in solidarity with midwives everywhere, as they continue to inspire hope, promote resilience, and pave the way towards a brighter, more sustainable ecological footprint of childbirth for future generations.

• Photo by Iwaria Inc. at Unsplash.

*Prof Doreen K Kaura is an associate professor in the Department of Nursing and Midwifery in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票.

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????Dr Shannon Bishop-Swart obtained her PhD in Education in March 2024. She shared about her experiences and journey.?

Dr Bishop-Swart holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education from the 中国体育彩票 of Pretoria, an Associate Diploma in Drama from Trinity College in London, a Masters in TESOL from Teachers College, Columbia 中国体育彩票, through a Fulbright scholarship, and a PhD in Education Policy from Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票. She has 22 years local and international English Language and Literature teaching experience, and has taught across four continents, holding the positions of Head of English, Deputy Head of Academics and Lead Teacher Trainer. Her research interests include teacher education with a focus on teacher well-being, online learning environments (OLEs), reflective practice in education, and English as a Second/Additional language (ESL/EAL). Prior to her current role, she was the Intensive English Programme coordinator and lecturer at Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票's Language Centre, working predominantly with international students intent on improving their English Language skills, managing six English Second Language (ESL) teachers across four English programmes (IEP, EAP, TESOL, IELTS). 

?Left: Bishop-Swart with her family at her PhD graduation.

Right: Bishop-Swart with Faculty of Education colleagues.

How did your PhD journey begin?

I have been an English language and literature teacher for most of my adult life, teaching predominantly senior primary and high school learners, as well as English to adult speakers of other languages. I was fortunate to teach and travel extensively early on in my teaching career, which gave me an interest in people and cultures, and subsequently a desire to keep learning. From my late twenties I developed an interest in studying further and have completed numerous courses that interested me, from public speaking, to leadership, to creative writing and the dramatic arts. This interest in knowledge seemed a natural progression to continue to study further and so my dream to be a Doctor of Education was realised.

On 17^th July 2017, I attended Professor Jonathan Jansen's book launch of “As By Fire" and at the end of the session, I went up to him to get my book signed. I mentioned to him that I had been reading his work for years and that I was delighted to finally meet him. I decided that there is no time like the present and added that I was interested in pursuing a PhD in Education and would be honoured if he would be my supervisor. He smiled encouragingly, gave me a high five and said “e-mail me!". And then life happened! It took another two years in which I got engaged and married, experienced a breast cancer scare and surgery, moved from Gauteng to the Western Cape, and subsequently changed jobs, before I was finally able to register for my PhD in Education Policy at Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票's Education Faculty.

What is your research about?

My research addresses how teaching practice and teacher well-being were affected in the unique online learning environments teachers found themselves in during the COVID-19 pandemic. My dissertation is a mixed methods study of two different sets of teacher participants in similar education environments in South Africa. The digital diaries of three English Second Language (ESL) instructors and a digital questionnaire including quantitative and qualitative questions answered by a different set of twenty-five higher education educators informed the findings of my research.  

What motivated you to do this piece of research and why do think it is important?

As an experienced educator, but novice academic, I was interested to see how my practice suited the theories that I came across in my research which linked with what I personally experienced in my various educator roles. I have generally experienced that teachers have high expectations placed on them, which often extend beyond their job description. I felt personally that I had been affected by these expectations and wanted to look at what emotions were affected when these expectations are placed on teachers, in what context these emotions occur, and how they affect teacher well-being and teacher relationships (professionally and personally) within the added layer of a global education disruption. I was particularly interested in the global disruptive aspect of the study, as a teacher's day is never the same and there is a plethora of incidents that can occur at any minute of the day, that are out of a teacher's control, and every teacher will deal with that differently. However, I wanted to know if all teachers were placed in an environment that was unique to them in a variety of ways, how would they react and be affected?

Were there any challenges along the way during your studies?

As a more mature student starting my PhD journey in my early 40s, I had many concerns. On a professional level, I was a full-time lecturer in the Curriculum Studies Department and was aware of the amount of time needed to be dedicated to pursuing a postgraduate degree. On an academic level, the COVID-19 pandemic affected the schedule and pace at which I could collect and analyse data. While on a personal level, I lost two colleagues and several friends' parents to the pandemic. In May, 2022 my mother passed away after a lengthy chronic respiratory illness and this was both devastating and motivating to me as my mother was my most ardent education supporter.

What avenues are there for future research in this area?

Firstly, the practical application of my work is to further develop the emotions questionnaire I created into a tool that can be an immediately implementable, practical inclusion in teacher training and development. Secondly, I have an interest in policy reform around teacher well-being especially in preparation for future education disruptions, and would like to follow what theoretical changes made to well-being policy globally have been practically implemented and sustained since the pandemic. Lastly, my research interests and publications focus on teacher emotions in multilingual environments, specifically with a focus on educators in the South Africa context.

What advice would you give to others?

By far the biggest lesson I learned from pursuing a PhD is that in life you cannot do anything entirely on your own. As John Donne said, “No man is an island, entire of itself; Every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main". Without the support of a loving husband, a patient family, several supportive writing buddies and colleagues, and a group of motivational and inspiring friends, this dream could never have become a reality. There is never a good time to start anything and if we use that as an excuse, we will never get anything done. My advice: just take the plunge and go for it!

Photos: Supplied by Bishop-Swart

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???Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票 (SU) unveiled a significant new art installation today at the entrance to the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences?' (FMHS) Clinical Building on the Tygerberg Campus. The imposing artwork, involving a three-ton slate stone, serves as a powerful symbol of the 中国体育彩票's ongoing commitment to diversity, inclusivity, and addressing past injustices.

“The new artwork is a powerful symbol of our journey," says Dr Leslie van Rooi, Senior Director: Social Impact and Transformation at SU. “It embodies our rich linguistic tapestry, reflecting the very nature and purpose of our university community. It also acknowledges our past and the path we're forging towards a more inclusive future,"

The piece by acclaimed South African artist, Jenna Burchell, involves an historic stone repaired in the Japanese “Kintsukuroi" (golden joinery) style. The stone is also installed with Burchell's signature Songsmith technique, which emits a sound derived from the surface's radar echo, adding a layer of interactivity to the artwork. The installation extends beyond the central stone, and phrases in eleven official South African languages and Braille are engraved into the surrounding bricks in a kraal (corral) formation.

“We do not want to destroy our history, but we do want to show that something has changed," says FMHS Dean, Prof Elmi Muller. “Part of the change we needed, was the perception created when people enter our Faculty."

The stone was initially installed in 1974 with the official opening of the Clinical Building. It carried the Afrikaans inscription “'n beitel moet kan klip breek as hy 'n beitel is – N.P. van Wyk Louw" (“a chisel must be capable of breaking stone for it to be a chisel"), an extract from the poem “Die Beiteltjie" (“The Small Chisel") by the South African poet, N.P. van Wyk Louw.    

“In recent years, students, staff and visitors to the Faculty began questioning the nature, purpose and symbolism of the rock and its inscription," explains Van Rooi. “In this regard, it was decided to expand on the rock's story."

Showcasing South Africa's rich language diversity

SU embraces the diversity of the South African society and strives to advance multilingualism in its academic and social spaces. To this end, an inclusive redress process was launched in 2022 to ensure the stone represents the wider university community.

“The original stone only had an Afrikaans inscription, so the key focus was integrating the other eleven official languages," says Florence de Vries, visual redress project lead for the FMHS. “We achieved this by collecting phrases, sayings and idioms from students and staff across the Tygerberg Campus. These phrases were deliberated in 12 workshops, with a final phrase chosen for each language."

The stone is encircled by 12 phrases in South Africa's official languages, etched into the surrounding bricks in kraal (corral) formation. The original Afrikaans inscription from “Die Beiteltjie" remains included among the additions.

“The chosen phrases resonate with the Faculty's vision, focusing on themes of education, personal growth, and healing – apt concepts for an institution dedicated to lifelong learning and progress in health sciences," remarks De Vries.

Repairing fractures

The artwork was imbued with symbolism from the outset. In a ceremony before its removal, the three-ton stone was deliberately split in half with a chisel for the Kintsukuroi repair method to be applied by Burchell. The stone was then transported to her studio for the repair and installation of the Songsmith technique.

“Fracture and repair reveal moments of change and is an important part of my artistic process," explains Burchell. “In the tradition of Kintsukuroi, the repair serves a practical purpose while conveying a deeper meaning. It acknowledges that something has been broken and highlights it as an intrinsic part of the object's beauty, enriching its narrative.

“In terms of visual redress, highlighting the repair on the stone acknowledges our history without erasing it. We're essentially rebuilding the past alongside the present and future, ensuring each has its rightful place within this archive, this monument, this artwork."

The Songsmith method unveils, by means of ground-penetrating radar recording, the deep history concealed within the layers of earth beneath the stone. Integrating technology and sound into the sculpture connects it to the broader story of the stone's surroundings.

Muller sees the transformed artwork as a powerful symbol of unity. “Whereas the chisel fractured the original stone, the reconstructed piece symbolises the mending of broken parts. The golden thread coursing through the stone evokes the potential for transformation, even in something as seemingly immutable and rugged as stone. The sound installation adds a further layer of engagement, breathing fresh life into the artwork."?

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Caption: Dr Leslie van Rooi, Senior Director: Social Impact and Transformation with artist Jenna Burchell, FMHS Dean Prof Elmi Muller and Prof Nico Koopman, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Social Impact, Transformation and Personnel at the unveiling of the art installation.

 Credit: Stefan Els?

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This recognition, determined by TIME's international network of editors, thought leaders, and previous honourees, marks De Oliveira's second appearance in TIME's influential rankings, following his previous inclusion in the 2022 TIME100 list of the world's most influential people. The full 2024 TIME100 Health list is available at time.com/time100health 

De Oliveira is a world-renowned scientist on the field of genomics. He is the Director of the Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI) at SU, Director of the KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP) at the 中国体育彩票 of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) and Deputy Director of the Genomic Surveillance Unit at the Wellcome Sanger Institute in the UK.

In 2021, De Oliveira led a groundbreaking multidisciplinary team of researchers and scientists in the discovery of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, which swiftly emerged as the dominant global variant of the virus. In 2020, he led the team that discovered the SARS-CoV-2 Beta variant. In the last decades, De Oliveira has led multiple networks of scientists in South Africa and Africa and in 2023, he launched the Climate Amplified Diseases and Epidemics (CLIMADE) consortium, a global consortium to characterize diseases and pathogens that are amplified by climate change.

Commenting on this remarkable achievement, Prof Sibusiso Moyo, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies at SU, said: “Prof Tulio de Oliveira's tireless dedication to advancing scientific knowledge and his exceptional leadership in the field of genomics and bioinformatics exemplify the spirit of innovation and collaboration that defines our institution."

"I am deeply honoured to be recognised once again by TIME Magazine and to be included in the distinguished TIME100 Health list of 2024. This acknowledgment underscores the importance of collaborative research efforts in addressing global health challenges." De Oliveira expressed his gratitude, and added: “Once I saw that the COVID-19 pandemic was receding, I decided to work with our team of over 100 scientists in South Africa and with the largest genomics facility in the world, the Wellcome Sanger Institute, to create a new programme of work, this time to fight the multiple diseases that are being amplified by climate change, such as dengue, chikungunya, the Zika virus, influenza and cholera."

Throughout his career, De Oliveira has garnered numerous accolades for his contributions to public health and infectious disease research. In addition to him being listed in Nature as one of the top ten people who helped to shape science in 2021, he was also included in the MIT Technology Review list as one of the leaders of the ten breakthrough technologies in 2022. He was the recipient of the Lifetime Leadership Award from Discovery Health and has received the Order of Merit medal from the Portuguese President, the Gold Medal Award from the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), the Batho Pele Award from the South African government for his contributions to society and was winner of the German Africa prize in 2022. His commitment to excellence and innovation continues to inspire colleagues and researchers worldwide.

• ?De Oliveira is also Professor of Bioinformatics in the SU School for Data Science and Computational Thinking and associated with the 中国体育彩票 of Science and Medicine and Health Sciences at SU.? 

ABOUT

• CERI at Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票
• KRISP at 中国体育彩票 of Kwazulu-Natal
• GSU at the Wellcome Sanger Institute

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?Prof Thuli Madonsela, Director of the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), has a vivid memory of where she was 30 years ago on 27 April 1994, the day that South Africa became a true democracy. As presiding officer of the Hillbrow polling station in Johannesburg, she experienced mixed emotions. “My whole headspace was pregnant with amazing hope. But there was also a huge sense of responsibility and an element of fear that any ball I dropped in my polling station could cause things to explode," she recalls.

Most political deaths occurred in the four years preceding South Africa's general election in 1994 and there was considerable resistance to the advent of a democratic order, also from security forces within the apartheid establishment, Madonsela says. “There were valid concerns about the potential of violence on election day, but thank God, we had a peaceful election."

Looking back at her high expectations of what democracy would bring to South Africa, Madonsela notes that hindsight has taught her that dreaming and doing are different things. “I honestly thought thirty years into democracy inequality, which was the major source of contention in South Africa, would be history by now. Perhaps I was too na?ve to think that structural inequality created over three centuries could be rooted out in three decades.

“I knew, of course, that a constitution is not a magic wand. I was aware that implementing a new Constitution and passing laws that prohibit discrimination and entrench equality was not going to bring immediate change. But somehow, my hopes were much higher than what we ended up with today."

Madonsela feels strongly that South Africa's failure to live up to the high ideals after political liberation should not be blamed on the Constitution. She has often said that the problem lies in the failure to understand and implement constitutional governance and accountability.

“South Africa has one of the most transformative modern constitutions in the world. In its Preamble, the Constitution unambiguously declares social justice as one of the core goals of its transformative agenda, together with advancing human rights and democratic values. 

“Our failure to implement these principles in some cases can be linked to ineptitude and corruption, but I do have appreciation for people like Professor Tshepo Madlingozi who says the Constitution could have been a little bit more specific. For example, if you look at the restitution statement of Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票 (SU), it doesn't only recognise the injustices of the past and honour those who fought for justice, it also recognises the legacy of the past. So, if I were to redraft the Constitution, I would add injustices of the past and their legacy. Why is such a small detail important? It's important for those who are now rejecting the Constitution because they think that it does not recognise the consequences of past injustices."

Madonsela says another challenge in South Africa has been the gap between Constitutional Court judgements and how the legislature understands it's transformative task. She notes that Eastern Europe had been successful in democratising and systematising human rights after the fall of communism because the Venice Commission was established to help governments make sense of constitutional provisions and implement them accordingly.  

Although great strides have been made in South Africa in terms of extending rights to all and improving aspects such as social security benefits, certain groups remain left behind. She specifically highlights the plight of women who have historically been victims of manufactured inequality. “Most unpaid work is still being done by women and the burden of care for others still falls primarily on women."

Madonsela refers to a new frontier of “unfreedom", a term first coined by Prof Sampie Terblanche, who had been an emeritus professor at SU. “It implies that while you are legally free, in practical and economical terms you're not free. Our government has not done enough to address persistent power asymmetries and to level the playing field. At the core of social justice is fairness to all as highlighted by John Rawls. The difficulty arises regarding determining what is fair. In the past, those within proximity to power and control over economic resources deemed it fair to get a lion's share of opportunities, resources, benefits and privileges. Unfortunately, we still have a situation where those who slice the cake know exactly which side their bread is buttered on."

In thinking about ways to strengthen South Africa's democracy, Madonsela says we should look beyond legal solutions and government interventions to also initiate meaningful conversations. “We need to get business leaders and civil society involved in discussions on issues such as food insecurity and access to the internet so we can unlock the potential of more people. If you want sustainable business success, you need a sustainable ecosystem. An unjust ecosystem is not sustainable. When people can't participate in the digital economy because of the high cost of data, it impacts their right to access to information. It excludes them from the crucial discourses about democracy and political debates happening online in addition to constraining economic freedom."

In her work at the Centre for Social Justice, Madonsela has been developing a theory of social justice to elevate people's justice consciousness as they engage in “everyday justice". She explains she first became interested in fairness when, as a child, she noticed her brother out playing while she did house chores. She wanted justice for herself. Then she noticed that her mother, and then other women, were also struggling – and she wanted justice for “us". Once she realised the extent to which laws discriminated against people of different races and other groups – those with HIV, the working class, religious people or those with disabilities – she wanted justice for all. “For justice to work, it should also have meaning in small places – in families, in factories, in workplaces, everywhere."

Madonsela and her team at the CSJ constantly strive to promote a greater understanding of social justice and to educate communities about human rights. The CSJ has been very active in supporting students on the SU campus who have been left destitute due to the NSFAS funding crisis and the so-called “missing middle" students.

“As a 中国体育彩票 community, we need to be actively involved in tackling the education funding crisis we find ourselves in. This is one of the steps we can take to ensure social justice is a lived reality for more people in our nation."

She expressed her gratitude towards the SU's leadership, staff, students and alumni for their dedication to substantive advancing freedom within both the 中国体育彩票 and broader society.

Madonsela pointed out that Freedom Day serves as a reminder that South Africa has not yet achieved full freedom and de facto equality. “But we all have the power to make a difference. You have the power to advance equality, even if you're poor. It starts with how we treat each other. On election day on 29 May we have an opportunity to choose leaders who are committed to upholding a society of equals, governed by democratic values that ensures the equal enjoyment of human rights so that every South African's potential is realised."

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