Judge Nambitha Dambuza new Chair of Nelson Mandela University Council
Nelson Mandela University’s new Chair of Council, Judge Nambitha Dambuza, presided over her first meeting in this role on 26 September on the University’s George Campus.
A South African judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal, she took over the governance role on 1 September from Ambassador Nozipho January-Bardill, who stepped down on 31 August after having served two terms of office.
“I am looking forward to being part of the university. It's a big role that I do not take for granted, and I hope I can really be of value to the lives of the students that come out of this university,” said Judge Dambuza.
The experience gained over 20 years of being a judge will be invaluable in navigating her new role and, she hopes to “infuse some of the principles and values associated with justice in how I lead the council”.
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Fresh hope for teaching autistic children
Parents of autistic children and teachers with autistic children in their classroom have fresh hope in the shape of a new Autism Niche Area launched at Nelson Mandela University recently.
EDUCATION FOR ALL: Nelson Mandela University Deputy Vice-Chancellor Muki Moeng, left, Faculty of Education Associate Professor Nokhanyo Mdzanga, centre, and Professor Heloise Sathorar, the Dean of the Faculty of Education, spoke at the launch of the University’s Autism Niche Area on 30 September
Professor Heloise Sathorar, the Dean of the Faculty of Education, said that the two short learning programmes on autism education announced at the launch were “only the start” of the new Autism Niche Area at the University.
“For us, education is not a privilege. It is a right for every child to be educated and this is an example of the work done in the faculty to ensure quality education for all,” said Prof Sathorar at the launch on Monday, September 30. “There is such a lot that can happen in this space.”
Dr Muki Moeng, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Learning and Teaching at Nelson Mandela University ,commended her ”resilient” colleague, Professor Nokhanyo Mdzanga, who has worked since 2011 to bring the Autism Niche Area to fruition.
“We are also excited that the Faculty of Education has been working with the provincial and national Departments of Education in making sure that this programme gets recognised,” said Dr Moeng.
Read more: https://news.mandela.ac.za/News/Fresh-hope-for-teaching-autistic-children
Best researcher award for Prof Adele Potgieter for role of language in advertising #R2bP
Professor Adele Potgieter, lecturer in Management Sciences in the Marketing Management Department, and based on George Campus, has been awarded a Best Researcher Award in the 13th edition of the World Top Scientists Awards.
Prof Potgieter is the second author in a research paper in collaboration with Prof Therese Roux from TUT, which was published in the internationally B rated Journal of Promotion Management in July.
The journal nominated the authors for the award best researcher in the category: Innovative research.
Their paper was entitled “Do Anglophone Consumers Truly Trust or Simply Tolerate English Advertising? The Mediating Effect of Ethnic Self-Identification on Attitudes toward English Advertising and Advertising Trust.” The paper discussed how language significantly influences consumer purchasing decisions, especially within ethnic communities where cultural and linguistic factors shape perceptions.
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Collaborative Effort Uncovers Rare Meteorite in Eastern Cape
A significant meteorite falls in South Africa's Eastern Cape Province on Sunday, 25 August 2024, sparked a collaborative scientific investigation involving several leading universities. The event, witnessed by residents across a vast area, has led to the recovery of a rare meteorite fragment, provisionally named the "Nqweba Meteorite" after the nearby town of its discovery.
At 8:51 am on the day of the event, residents from regions as distant as the Garden Route, the Karoo, and provinces of the Western Cape and Free State observed a bright blue-white and orange streak of light in the sky. The meteorite, after splitting into several smaller fragments, disappeared from view. Shortly after, witnesses reported hearing loud explosions and sensing vibrations.
The investigation into the Nqweba Meteorite involves a coordinated effort between scientists from Nelson Mandela University, Rhodes and Wits universities. In the coming weeks, a joint team of researchers and astronomers affiliated with the Astronomical Society of South Africa will collect data from official observatories and eyewitness accounts to piece together the details of the bolide event. They will also conduct extensive searches for further meteorite fragments over a wide area of rugged terrain.
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Adv Ngcukaitobi dissects the role of the SA Legal System in Biko’s Death
Steve Biko, the anti-apartheid activist and founder of the Black Consciousness Movement, remains one of the most influential figures in South Africa’s struggle for freedom. His death at the hands of the apartheid police in 1977, following torture and abuse in detention, shocked the world.
The 14th annual Steve Biko Institutional Public Lecture at Nelson Mandela University on 12 September 2024 commemorated Biko's contributions to the liberation struggle and examined the deep-rooted issues that allowed such injustices to persist.
The lecture, hosted by the University’s Centre for the Advancement of Non-Racialism and Democracy (CANRAD) in collaboration with the Azanian People’s Organisation (AZAPO) and Biko family, featured a powerful keynote address by renowned human rights lawyer and legal scholar, Advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, and a thought-provoking response from diplomat Ambassador Mbulelo Rakwena.
The lecture’s discussions centred on the complicity of South Africa’s legal system during the inquiry into Steve Biko's death in 1977, and the implications for justice in present-day South Africa.
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Mandela University’s Professor Richard Cowling receives NRF Lifetime Achievement Award #R2bP
Distinguished Professor in Botany Professor Richard Cowling was recently awarded the 2024 National Research Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. Prof Cowling is also an Honorary Professor in Botany at UCT.
In an academic career spanning some 40 years, Professor Richard Cowling has aspired to contribute to both curiosity and applied research while at the same time remaining steadfastly engaged in research implementation and community outreach.
He obtained his BSc in Botany from the University of Cape Town where he also completed his Honours and PhD. He completed a postdoctoral Fellowship at Curtin University in Australia before moving to the University of Port Elizabeth (now Nelson Mandela University) to take up a post as Senior Research Associate.
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Mandela delegation builds partnerships in West Africa
A high-level delegation from Nelson Mandela University recently visited West Africa to grow the University’s African footprint and build robust academic partnerships.
The visit, from 19 to 25 July 2024, was a significant step towards the mission of the University’s African Partnerships and Collaborations Project, which aims to foster equal and symmetrical collaborations that drive mutual growth, innovation and knowledge exchange.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Sibongile Muthwa led the delegation, which visited the University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, University of Cape Coast, and the University of Ghana.
This trip to Nigeria and Ghana was the second outreach of its kind, with previous visits to East Africa in 2022 to Ethiopia, Uganda and Kenya.
The goal was to strengthen existing relationships and explore new avenues for collaboration in the University’s ever-growing African footprint. Nelson Mandela University is focused on co-creating equal and symmetrical partnerships that drive positive change and sustainable development across the continent.
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WOMEN'S MONTH - A journey of passion, perseverance, and purpose
Rhoda Malgas is more than just an academic; she was born and raised as an only child in Mitchell’s Plain on the Cape Flats. Rhoda’s upbringing was profoundly shaped by her parents’ enduring ties to rural areas in the Cederberg (Clanwilliam), the Overberg (Genadendal), and the southern Cape (Mossel Bay and Herbertsdale).
Although neither of her parents had formal education beyond the age of 16, they instilled in her a remarkable love for learning and a strong sense of curiosity about the natural and social worlds.
That led her to a career in social-ecological systems research and teaching at Mandela University’s George Campus.
Today, as a lecturer, Rhoda teaches courses that emphasise sustainability science and social-ecological systems, fields that are inherently cross-disciplinary and align perfectly with her own academic journey.
Her teaching approach encourages students to think critically and consider how their scientific knowledge can contribute meaningfully to society.
Rhoda’s academic journey is a testament to the power of encouragement, perseverance, and the pursuit of knowledge. From an early age, her schoolteachers recognised her potential and encouraged her to pursue higher education, despite financial constraints.
Read more: Nelson Mandela University News