Limpopo_leader_16

ADDING VALUE TO EARTH’S BOUNTY developments in agricultural downstreaming at TurfloopADDING VALUE TO EARTH’S BOUNTY developments in agricultural downstreaming at Turfloop

CAMPUS WITH A PASTdelving into the history of the University’s medical schoolCAMPUS WITH A PASTdelving into the history of the University’s medical school

LIMPOPOIeaderIeader

LIMPOPODISPATCHES FROM THE UNIVERSIT Y OF LIMPOPODISPATCHES FROM THE UNIVERSIT Y OF LIMPOPO

Number 16 Summer 2009

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IOP updateINTO THE FUTURE WITH THE E-TEAM THEINSTITUTIONALOperatingPlanisnearlydone.ByMaythisyear,everythingthatwasidentifiedforactionwillhavebeenseento:areviewoftheuniversity’sacademicstructurehasbeencarriedout;improvementstothebusinessprocessesandmanagementinformationsystemshavebeenputinplace;changemanagementandleadershipdevelopmentprogrammesareunderway.Onlythefinancialturnaroundplanwillrunthroughto2010.

Butsteadyprogresshasbeenmadeinwhathadseemedthemostintractableproblem.Attheendof2007,theuniversitywasdescribedasbeing‘technicallyinsolvent’withliabilitiesexceedingassetsbymorethanR500-million.‘We’reontheroadtorecovery,’theVice-Chancellor,ProfessorMahloMokgalongsaidearlyin2009.‘Forastart,thisuniversityisnolongerworkingonanoverdraft.’

ButwhowillensurethattheimprovementsarisingoutoftheIOP–thesystems,thedisciplines,nottomentiontheuniversity’svisionandmission–willbemaintained? Inaword:theexecutivecommittee(theE-Team)willhavethebasicresponsibility.It’scomprisedoftheVice-Chancellor;theDeputyVice-Chancellor–Academic,ProfessorPeterFranks,whoalsodoublesattheTurfloopcampusprincipal;theGa-Rankuwacampusprincipal;thedeansofthefouruniversityfaculties;thechieffinancialofficer(RaymondOlander);andthehumanresourcesexecutivedirector(JosephMoloto).1

‘Thisisafirst-classteam,’saysMokgalong.‘Therearemanynewfaces.Therearealsosomeoldones,mostnotablymyownandProfessorFranks’.I’mconfidentthatthisexecutivecommitteewilladdrealvaluetotheuniversity,andwillbeabletosteerittowhereitwantstogo:anAfricaninstitutionofexcellencethatisgloballycompetitiveandyetthatisrootedinruralAfrica’simmensechallenges.’

Thenewfacesare:ProfessorErrolHolland,DeanofHealthSciences;ProfessorNhlanhlaMaake,DeanofHumanities;ProfessorObengMireku,DeanofManagementandLaw;andProfessorHlenganiSiweya,erstwhiledirectoroftheSchoolofComputationalandMathematicalScienceswhohasnowbeenpromotedtothepositionofDeanofScienceandAgriculture.ThepostofDeputyVice-ChancellorandprincipaloftheGa-Rankuwacampushasyettobefilled.

Nowturntopages28to32forintroductoryprofilesonthethreenewfacesatTurfloop.TheGa-RankuwapairwillbeprofiledinLimpopoLeader17.

1ForprofilesonbothOlanderandMoloto,seeLimpopoLeader14(Winter2008),page12and page 15 respectively.

P A G E 1

tED

ITORI

ALLimpopo LeaderispublishedbytheOfficeoftheVice-Chancellor,UniversityofLimpopo,POBoxX1106,Sovenga0727,LimpopoProvince,SouthAfrica.HYPERLINK“http://www.ul.ac.za”www.ul.ac.za

EDITOR:DavidRobbins.Tel:[email protected]:Clare-RoseJuliusTel:011-782-0333or072-545-2366EDITORIALCOMMITTEE:DKMohuba(chairman)DaphneyKgwebaneNorman NyazemaElizabethLubingaDavidRobbinsGailRobbinsARTICLES:writtenbyJaniceHunt:Campuswithapast–page4;FromTurbulencetoTriumph–page6;LookingbackatMedunsa’searlydays–page7;NewsofthedayfromMendusaarchives–page8;Ancedotesandinsights–page10PHOTOGRAPHS:LiamLynch:Coverpage;pages1,3(nottopphoto-graph),pages15,19,23,25,29,30&32MedunsaPhotographicArchive:page3–top;pages4,5,6,7,8,9,12onright&backcover;photographsfromProfessorLenKarlsson:pencildrawing–page10;page12onleft;photographsfromTheBiggerPicture;pages:13,20&21;photographsfromDavidRobbins:page17&27DESIGNANDLAYOUT:REDAdvertisingandDesignStudioPRINTING:Colorpress(pty)LtdPRODUCTIONMANAGEMENT:DGRWriting&ResearchTel:011-782-0333or082-572-1682dgrwrite@iafrica.comwww.dgrwriting.co.za

ARTICLESMAYBEREPRINTEDWITHACKNOWLEDGEMENT

ISSN:1812-5468

OURANECDOTALLOOKATTHEHISTORYOFTHEDR.GEORGEMUKHARIHOSPITALANDTHEMEDICALSCHOOLNEXTDOORBEGINSINTHISISSUE.ThestoryisaremarkableonebecauseitissocloselyboundupwiththeSouthAfricanpoliticalnarrativethatplayeditselfoutoverthelastfewdecadesofthe20thcentury.Begunaspartofan‘antidote’toblackfrustrationsasmanifestedintheSowetouprisings,theMedicalUniversityofSouthernAfricahadanuncertainbeginning.Woulditbecomea‘bushuniversity’,inferiortoothermedicalschools?OrwoulditbeabletoholditheadupinsuchillustriouscompanyasthemedicaltrainingofferedbytheuniversitiesofCapeTown,Wits,PretoriaandtheFreeState?Thattheanswertothesecondquestionisadefinite‘yes’wasnotaforegoneconclusion.Thevicissitudesoffortunethatwereexperiencedbybothmedicalschoolandattendantteachinghospitalarewelldocumentedinthisissue.It’sastoryoftriumph–andit’sastorythatwillcontinueinourAutumn2009issue.Contactusifyou’vegotastorytotellandyou’dliketobeincluded.

There’sinterestingcoverageinthisissueoftherelevanceofindigenousknowledge.TheessentialcharacteristicoftheEuropeanRenaissancewasarekindlingofinterestinthefirstfloweringofwesternlearningamongtheancientGreeksandRomans.ThesameprocessshouldbehappeninginAfrica,butthecontinent’swisdomhastendedtobedowngraded,firstbytheall-consuming‘superiority’ofEuropeanempires,andnowbytheequallyconsuming‘modernity’oftheglobalvillage.Keyconcernsinourcoverageare:howtonurtureindigenousknowledgeandhowtopositionitinmoderneducationalpractice.

Alsoofinterestisacollectionofarticlesundertheumbrellatitleof‘AddingvaluetoEarth’sBounty’,whichexaminestheworkbeingdoneattheuniversitytopromoteagriculturaldownstreaminginLimpopoProvince.ReadaboutTurfloop’snewAgro-FoodProcessingResearchUnit,andaboutaMicroBrewerBrewerythathasmadeanappearanceintheDepartmentofBiochemistry,MicrobiologyandBiotechnology.ThenlearnaboutthetrialsthatarebeingconductedonanEthiopianandEastAfricanplantthatcouldintroduceabitofgenuinegreenintopetro-chemicalproductslikeplastics,PVCandepoxyresins.

Andthere’squitealotmorebesides.

NEXT ISSUELOOKOUTFORPARTTWOOFOURSERIESONTHEHISTORYOFMEDUNSA(NOWTHEMEDICALSCHOOLONTHEGA-RANKUWACAMPUSOFTHEUNIVERSITYOFLIMPOPO)ANDTHEADJACENTDR.GEORGEMUKHARIHOSPITAL.There’llalsobemoreprofilesofthenewexecutiveteam:notablyofthenewDeputyVCandGa-RankuwacampusPrincipalandthenewexecutivedeanoftheFacultyofHealthSciences.Apartfromthat,there’llbeexcitingcoverageofnewdevelopmentsontheTurfloopcampus;andanexamination(basedonresearchconductedbytheSouthernAfricanRegionalUniversitiesAssociation)ofthefateandpotentialofpost-independenceAfricanuniversities.Subscribenowtosecureyourcopy.

P A G E 2

IN THIS ISSUEc o v e r p i c t u r eProfessorEmilAbotsioftheUniversityofLimpopo’sDepartmentofBiochemistry,MicrobiologyandBiotechnologyintheMicroBrewerBrewerythathasrecentlybeeninstalledontheTurfloopcampus,courtesyoftheSouthAfricanBreweries(SAB).Seethestoryonpage24.

p a g e 5 :CAMPUSWITHAPAST:delvingintothehistoryoftheuniversity’smedicalschool.

p a g e 6 : TheDr.GeorgeMukhariHospital’spassageFROMTURBULENCETOTRIUMPH.

p a g e 7 : LOOKINGBACKATMEDUNSA’SEARLYDAYS.

p a g e 8 :NEWSOFTHEDAYFROMTHEMEDUNSAARCHIVES.

p a g e 1 0 :ANECDOTESANDINSIGHTS:aninterviewwithapioneer.

p a g e 1 3 : TheplannedRuralDevelopmentHubgetstogripswithTHEUNIVERSITY’SMISSIONANDVISION.

p a g e 1 4 :GETTINGAFRICAINTOHIGHEREDUCATIONTEACHINGANDRESEARCH:readthelatestaboutindigenousknowledgesystems.

p a g e 1 6 :RIGHTINGTHECOLONIALIMBALANCE:moreonindigenousknowledge.

p a g e 1 8 :SEEINGHOWFARTHECARCANGO:aninterviewwithoneofSouthAfrica’sforemostscientists.

p a g e 2 0 : ADDINGVALUETOEARTH’SBOUNTY:agriculturaldownstreamingatTurfloop.

p a g e 2 2 : TURNINGBASICCROPSINTOCOMMERCIALPRODUCT.

p a g e 2 4 : MALTING,MILLING,MASHINGANDMATURATION.

p a g e 2 6 :ETHIOPIANPOTENTIALFLOWERSINLIMPOPO.

p a g e 2 8 : ThenewE-team:THEWISDOMFACTOR,NhlanhlaMaake.

p a g e 3 0 :ThenewE-team:INTELLECTUALADVENTURER,ObengMireku.

p a g e 3 2 :ThenewE-team:ENTHUSIASTICMANAGER,HlenganiSiweya.

CAMPUS WITH A PAST – PART ONE

The building of the Medunsa Library

P A G E 4

CAMPUS WITH A PAST – PART ONE

THIRTYYEARSisnotverylonginthehistoryofauniversity.Considertheoldestoneinthewesternworld:theUniversityofBolognainItaly,foundedin1088.Thesecondoldestwasfoundedin1150inParis,France.About10yearslater,OxfordUniversitywasfoundedtoprovideanalternativeforEnglishstudentswhohadbeenforbiddentoattenduniversityinFrancebyEngland’sKingHenryII.

LackoflongevityisnoreasonfortheGa-RankuwacampusoftheUniversityofLimpoponottobeproud.IntheshortperiodsincethefirststudentswereregisteredinwhatwasthenMedunsainearly1978,itsurvivedadesperateperiodinthecountry’shistory,andithasreinventeditselfduringtheseearlyyearsoftruedemocracy.

Thoughtheinitialintentionoftheapartheidplannerswastoproducesomeformof‘barefootblackdoctors’,thismovewasstronglyresistedbyprogressivethinkersoftheday,andMedunsaandtheDrGeorgeMukhariHospitalhavebeenabletocompeteonanequalfootingwithothermedicaltrainingfacilities.

PartOnecontainsthefollowing:• Overviewsofthehistoryoftheuniversityandthehospital,gleanedfromarchivesandfromotherresearch,includingtalkingtopeople.

• ThenwetakealookintothepastwithProfessorLenKarlssonwhojoinedMedunsain1980asAssociateProfessorintheDepartmentofCommunityHealth,andbecameVice-Principalin1986.

Inthisandthenexteditionwewilltakealookatsomeoftheeventsandpeoplewhohaveshapedthisuniversity,aswellastheDrGeorgeMukhariHospital–anintegralpartofthismedicaluniversity’sfacilities.Thisisnotintendedasacomprehensivehistoryoftheinstitutions,butitwillhopefullygiveusaninterestingpeepintothepast.

SHARE YOUR STORIESDoyouhaveastorytotellaboutyourassociationwithMedunsaortheDrGeorgeMukhariHospital?Whynotshareitwithourreaders.PleasecontactJaniceatjanicehunt@xsinet.co.zaandwe’llseeifwecanfityouintoPartTwo.

Campus with a pastFROM TURBULENCE TO TRIUMPH

THEDRGeorgeMukhariHospitalis(andalwayshasbeen)theacademichospitalforMedunsa(nowtheGa-RankuwacampusoftheUniversityofLimpopo).Assuchitneedstobeconsideredapartofthemedicalschoolcampus.It’ssharedsometoughtimeswiththeuniversityitsupports,andit’shadsometoughtimesofitsown.Today,thishospital–thecountry’ssecondlargestafterChrisHaniBaragwanath–isontheascendancy.Butthishasn’talwaysbeenthecase. ThehistoryofthehospitaldatesbacktoSeptember1969,whenconstructionworkbegan.Thecasualtyand outpatients departments started functioning in April1973,andbySeptemberthefirstpatientswereadmittedtothewards. Buildingcontinuedforacoupleofyearstoreachthehospital’scurrentsizeasa1550-bedhospitalaccom-modatingallfieldsofmedicinein23clinicaldepart-ments.Ithas82full-timeand37part-timespecialists,allofwhomhaveadualappointmentwiththehospi-talandtheuniversity.Therearealso168registrars,97medicalofficersand64interns. AlthoughbuiltintheBophuthatswanahomeland,thehospitalhasalwaysbeenkeptunderthecontrolofSouthAfrica’shealthservices–afactthatwasoftenarguedbythenPresidentofBophuthatswana,LucasMangope.Eventhoughhis‘government’wasnevergivencontrol,itdidn’tstophimusingthehospitalhimself. ‘Infact,thishospitalhasattractedmanydignitariesovertheyearsbecauseofitshighstandardofmedicine,’saysSimonAphane,assistantdirectoroftheRadiographyDepartment.AphanehasbeenonthehospitalstaffsinceMarch1977,whenhejoinedasastudentradiographer.BecauseMedunsahadnotyetbeencompleted,trainingwasdoneatthehospi-

taluntil1978.AphanebecamethefirstgraduateofradiographyatMedunsain1979. HerecallsspecificallythesuccessfulseparationoftheZambianconjoinedtwins,JosephandLukaBanda,byateamheadedbyProfessorSamMokgokong(featuredinLimpopoLeader12)in1998. Butthatdoesn’tdescribetheturbulenceinthehistory–theongoinglabourunrestthatledtostrikes,policeintervention,gunshotinjuries,andgreatpoliticalturmoilinthe1980sandearly1990s.Italsodoesn’tdescribetheterribledaysofsegregationwhenwhiteswhoworkedatthehospitalweregivenextremepreferentialtreatment–rural,toleranceandtransportallowancesandseparatediningrooms.Blackstaffreceivednoallowances,andatejamsandwichespiledincardboardboxesatmetaltables. Thencamethephasingoutofsegregation,theendofallowances,andanexodusofwhitestafffromthehospital.‘Therewerenoplansforthetransitionandnoonehadbeenpreparedfortakingover,’notesAphane.‘Noinformationorskillswerepassedon.Standardsdropped.Manyofthesystemsandprocedureshadtobebuiltagainfromscratch.’

Theywererebuilt–andtodaythehospitalcanholditsownproudlyagainstothergovernmenthealthinstitutions.DrGeorgeMukhari,aselflesslocaldoctorwhoconstantlywentbeyondthecallofdutybyprovidingfreemedicalservicestopeopleinfinancialdifficulties,wouldbeproudofallthatthehospitalisachievingtoday–buthewouldbethelastpersontoallowittorestonitslaurels!

P A G E 6Sister P.T. Maboa comforts young Steven Mohlape while the director of Medunsa’s new Institute for Ophthalmology, Dr Robert Stegmann, examines the patient

Clipping from Pretoria News 24 November 1982

(From left to right) Ms B J Kaat, Ms M G Moncho, Ms T B Mokoboto, who obtained a degree in Nursing Administrations with four distinctions, Ms S G Kgoadigoadi and Ms K J Makhaza

i

Campus with a pastLOOKING BACK AT MEDUNSA’S EARLY DAYSIN1975,apilotcommitteewasestablishedtoadvisetheeducationministeraboutfoundingauniversitytotrainblackhealthprofessionals.Thenin1976,Act78of1976waspublished,establishingtheMedicalUniversityofSouthernAfrica–Medunsa.Theuniversity’smainaimwastotrainblackdoctors,dentists,veterinariansandalliedhealthprofessionalswhowouldbeabletomeetthedemandsoftheSouthAfricanhealthsystem;atthetimemorethan90%ofmedicalpersonnelwerewhite.

Developmentprogressedrapidlyandon7February1978,thefirst63medicalstudentswereenrolledandamonthlater,thefirst89para-medicalstudentswereenrolled.InDecemberofthatyear,20diplomaswereawarded.

Buildingcontinuedsteadily.By1979severalresidenceshadbeencompleted,ashadthemainkitchen,andvariousotherfacilities.Thelibrarywasbeingbuilt,butwasintheinterimoperatingfromthenewdiningroom,offeringabasicservicetothefirstAnatomyandPhysiologystudents.

Thenewlibrarybuildingwasreadyforoccupationearlyin1981,andthemove,saysheadlibrarianJohnvanNiekerk,whohasbeeninthelibrarysinceitstarted,wascompletedwithintwodays,withoutinterruption to lending services. Library numbers are ofinterest:threestaffmembersin1978to30today;4000booksthento67000bookstoday;271libraryusersthentoover4000today;andnocomputersthen,tomorethan150today.

In1982,ProfessorFrancoisRetief,thenRectorofMedunsa,wroteanarticleinSAMedicalJournal,Volume26,titled‘TheMedicalUniversityofSouthernAfricaafter5years’.Heacknowledgedthattheconceptofanindependenthealthsciences

universitywasnew,andthatthepopular‘buterroneous’imageofapurelyblackmedicalschoolwasunacceptabletomany.Criticsbelievedthatacademicmeritshouldbetheonlycriterionfortheadmission of students to universities.

Retiefexplainedthat‘thepresentsituationinSouthAfricashowsthatsuchanapproachwouldnothaveoptimisedopportunitiesforblackapplicants.Theharshrealitywasthatitwouldhavediscriminatedagainsttherapidtrainingofblackhealthprofessionals....theblackmatriculantselectedonacademicmeritmustfindhimselfatadisadvantagewhencomparedwithhiswhitecounterpart’.However,Medunsa’sexperienceoveritsfirstfiveyearsrevealedthattheacademicachievementsofitsstudentswerenoworse–andoftenbetter–thanthoseseenatcomparable faculties.

Medunsawasadmittinglargenumbersofstudentswhoinallprobabilitywouldnothavegainedadmissionelsewhereonschool-leavingmerit,butwhowereprovingtohaveexcellentpotential.‘WeatMedunsahavelittledoubtthatweareinauniquepositiontobuildbridgestowardsensuringahappierSouthAfricaoftomorrow,’concludedRetief.

Indeed,theacademicachievementsinthefirstfiveyearsweresignificant,andthefirst34medicaldoctorsgraduatedon26November1982.75diplomaswerealsoawarded.

ManypeoplehavecontributedtothecolourfulfabricofbothMedunsaandthecountryasawhole.Whateverthefutureholds,everyonewhohasbeenassociatedwithMedunsaovertheyearscanlookbackwithpride,knowingthattheworldisabetterplacebecauseMedunsaanditshospitalwerehere.

P A G E 7Mej. Petra van Niekerk, hoofmatrone van die Kolafong - Hospitaal - 1981

Clipping from PACE in June 1981

The first students in the Faculty of Dentistry were registered

in 1981 and in the Faculty of Veterinary Science in 1982.

A joke of the day 25 years ago, however, shows that some things don’t change: a nurse turns to an irate patient and

says, ‘Stop yelling at me; you’re not a doctor!’

In January 1983, a new laboratory for microsurgery, then a relatively new field, was established by the Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at Medunsa. The idea

was to help the teaching of consultants and registrars to develop the skill to oper-ate on clinical material at Ga-Rankuwa Hospital.

In April 1982, the Department of Community Health of Medunsa, headed by Professor Eric Glatthaar, hosted a highly successful international conference for 900 delegates on TB, 100 years after the tubercule bacillus was discovered by Robert Koch.

At the end of 1983, the ‘One Day at Medunsa’ events were launched, to introduce industrialists and leading policy makers to the realities of life at Medunsa. After the first visit, letters of congratulation poured in. Standards were much higher than had been anticipated. The result was a dramatic increase in the number of bursaries and donations granted to the university by the private sector. ‘One Day at Medunsa’ was to become a regular event. In fact, at the 1984 event, a total of about R50 000 was donated.

Also in 1984, Goldfields donated R225 000 to Medunsa to establish the Nutrition Rehabilitation Trust to address the problem of malnutrition among black population groups in southern Africa.

Medicos, the multi-disciplinary Medunsa

Institute for Community Services, was

inaugurated and officially opened in April

1983. By then the community being

serviced by Ga-Rankuwa Hospital and

Medunsa was developing a resistance to the

unco-ordinated and haphazard teaching and

research programmes that were being delivered

by the university. It was important to co-ordinate

all the programmes and activities within the

communities – hence the Medicos centre.

The Biblical Gardens were established in 1984 near the residences, featuring many plants of the Bible. The three-fold aims of the

gardens were edu-cation, training, and recreation. Past staff members remember the gardens as a place of excellence and beauty.

In 1985 Medunsa became part of the People-to-People International Programme, a US initiative to enhance international understanding and friendship through educational, cultural and humanitarian activities involving the exchange of ideas and experiences among people of diverse cultures.

Campus with a pastNEWS OF THE DAY FROM THE MEDUNSA ARCHIVES

P A G E 8

Tree Planting ceremony 23 August 1976

Professor Ephraim Mokgokong, who had been with the university since 1978 – and still is – was appointed head of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, and South Africa’s first black psychiatrist, Leeto Mokhuane, completed his practical training at Medunsa. He joined Ga-Rankuwa Hospital and registered with Medunsa for M.Med (Psych) on 1 April 1981.

In 1987, the first three black dentists to qualify in South Africa, graduated from Medunsa – Drs T.C. Ntsoane, M.S. Sibanyoni, and S.T. Sizani In 1985, the Institute of Ophthalmology was established at Medunsa. This facility went on to develop internationally accredited ground-breaking techniques for a range of surgeries to treat eye diseases found in under-privileged communities.

In the 1990s, achievements were still being notched up. Professor Ulrich Mennen, born and bred in Mpumalanga, head of Department of Hand and Microsurgery and the only professor in this field in this country, devised and developed a circumferentially placed plate – the Mennen Clamp-on Plate System – for use in small to medium long bone fractures. This system and other achievements by Professor Mennen have and are being used throughout the world.

In the following couple of

years, the companies

involved in donating funds

and equipment to Medunsa and

the hospital included

Caltex, United Tobacco,

Rembrandt, Welcome, Santam

Bank, Bayer-Miles, Chamber

of Mines, SAB, Norton,

Barclays National Bank,

Abbott Laboratories,

Ciba-Geigy, Everite, and

others – some of which would

be considered environmentally and

politically unfriendly

today, not to mention

health-threatening!

A notable individual achievement was a Fulbright Scholarship for Pauline Kuzwayo, lecturer in the Department of Human Nutrition at Medunsa, and another was the publishing of a book written in Swazi by oral hygiene student, Emma Muthunjwa, called ‘The Storm has Passed’.

Another of the many firsts achieved by Medunsa was the appointment of Professor Queenie Mokhuane (wife of Leeto) as head of the Department of Clinical and Applied Psychology in 1990 – the first black woman in the country to achieve such a position. The first black female gynaecologist in the country – Dr Princess Simelela – graduated in 1990.

In 1993, Professor Kubedi

Mokhobo, who started life

as a farm youth, became

the first black

specialist in

South Africa, and was

appointed head of the

Department of Internal

Medicine.

By the time the university was in its eighth year, it had

grown seven-fold. There were 1 226

students, of whom 991 were black. Among

the postgraduates, 168 were white, 10 were

Indian and two were coloured. 707 were male

and 519 were female.

The first black dermatologist to qualify in South Africa was Dr Leslie Nteta, lecturer and consultant in Medunsa’s Department of Dermatology, in 1995.

In June 1991, Dr Nelson Mandela, then deputy presi-dent of the ANC, was guest speaker at Medunsa. He said that the university could play a key role in ‘transforming the present South African health system into one that truly serves the medical needs of all population groups’.

P A G E 9

Campus with a pastANECDOTES AND INSIGHTS

PROFESSORLENKarlssonjoinedMedunsainJuly1980.HehadbeenappointedasAssociateProfessorintheDepartmentofObstetricsandGynaecology,butwhenhearrivedattheuniversityonhisfirstday,hewasaskedtoconsideradifferentappointment,thatofAssociateProfessorintheDepartmentofCommunityHealth.Inhismemoirs,Karlssonrecountshis10yearsontheuniversitystaff,withitsnumerousunexpecteddevelopmentsthatbegan on day one.

HewastoldthattheDepartmentofCommunityHealthwasincrisis.Theheadofthedepartment,ProfessorEricGlatthaar,wasaloneandhavingtocopewithlecturingcommitmentsaswellasadministrativeresponsibilities.Karlssonagreedtoswitchtothisdepartmentuntilmoreteachingstaffwereappointed,littlerealisingthatthiswouldbetwoyears,ratherthanacoupleofmonths.

Karlssonrecallsanumberofspecificincidentswhereheandhisstudentsinteractedwiththeworldoutsideoftheuniversityconfines.‘AspartofthePublicHealthcomponentoftheircourse,thestudentsweretovisitvariousestablishmentssuchaswaterandsewageworks,factories,butcheriesandbakeriesandsoon.Arrangingthesetripsandaccompanyingthestudentswasmyresponsibility.

‘Itravelledwiththestudentsonthebus,andenjoyedtheireasyinformality.Thecontinuousbanteringonalmostanysubjectwasattimesuproariouslyfunny.TheywereimpressedwithmyfluencyinZuluandmuchoftheconversationwascarriedoninthatlanguage.Moreseriously,Ilearnedalotabouttheirculture,theirdreamsandvisionsofthefuture–andparticularlytherealityofbeingblackinapartheidSouthAfrica.

‘OnoneoccasionweweretovisitalargesteelsmeltingworksinPretoria.ItwasimmediatelyapparentthatthepersonwhowastomeetusandorganisethetourwasaveryconservativeAfrikaner.Hewastotallyoverwhelmedbyabusloadoffiftyyoungblackpeople(allpotentialdoctors)andim-mediatelystartedshoutingandorderingthestudentsaround.Hischoiceoflanguagewas,tosaytheleast,totallyunacceptable.Hehadprobablybeenexpect-ingwhitestudents.Ishouldhavecheckedcarefullybeforethevisittomakesurewewerewelcome.

‘Butitwasthestudents’reactionthatIfoundmostremarkable.Theyobeyedtheman’sinstructionswithoutamurmur.Anyhow,IcalledthevisitoffandwereturnedtoMedunsa.Thefollowingdayduringalecture,Iexpressedmyembarrassmentatwhathadhappenedandhowdegradedtheymusthavefelt.Tomysurprise,thewholeclasslaughed.WhenIaskedforanexplanationoftheirmirth,astudentsaid,“Prof,don’tfeelbad.Weexperiencethissortoftreatmentalmosteveryday.”Ifelthumbled.HowlittleIunderstood.’

AnotherhighlightofKarlsson’sdaysintheDepartmentofCommunityHealthwastheopeningoftheMedicosCentre,andmoreparticularly,thedaycarefacilityformentallyhandicappedchildrenfromthesurroundingcommunities.Thiscentrewouldmakeadramaticdifferenceinthelivesofpeoplewhowouldotherwisehavespenttheirdaysamongtheforgotten.

Professor Len Karlsson as Vice-Principle of Medunsa in the 1980s

P A G E 1 0

‘Withinashorttimeonecouldseethebeginningsoftransformationinthesechildren.Fromfrightenedandwithdrawnchildrentheystartedtakinganinterestineverythingavailabletothem.Thestaffwaswonderful.Fromsmallbeginnings,thecentregrewandwaseventuallyregisteredasafully-fledgedschoolwithgovernment-paidteachers.

‘Oneportionofthecentrehadbeenadaptedtoserveasshelteredemploymentformentallyhandicappedadults.Firmsnearbywereapproachedforsimpleassemblywork.Formostoftheseworkersthiswasthefirsttimeintheirlivesthattheyhadbeenabletoearnsomesortofincome.Thesmilesontheirfacesastheywerehandedtheirfirstpayenvelopeswasenoughrewardforallofus.’

Astheyearswentby,thecentrestartedburstingatitsseams.Governmentwasapproachedandrespondedpositively–andtodaythisfacilitycontinuestoservecommunitiesinandaroundPretoria.

Atonepoint,KarlssonwasaskedtocallonDrEnosMabuza,leaderoftheKaNgwane‘homeland’andvociferouslyanti-apartheid.LikeKarlsson,Mabuzahaddecidedtoworkwithintheexistingsystemforthegoodofthepeople,notbecauseofanysupportforthegovernment.ButhewouldnotsupportMedunsa.KarlssonattendedameetingoftheKaNgwaneLegislativeAssemblyinanefforttopresentthetrueMedunsapicture.Mabuzasaid,‘Nowtellusaboutyourbushuniversity.’HebelievedMedunsatohavelowerstandardsthanotheruniversities.

‘Ichosemywordscarefully,’Karlssonrecalls.‘IexplainedmyreasonsforacceptingthepostatMedunsa.Everybodyknewmypoliticalsentiments.IremindedthemoftheproblemthatKaNgwanewashavinginrecruitingdoctors.WoulditnotbeintheirintereststoseeyoungcitizensofKaNgwanereturnasdoctorstoservetheirpeople?IendedbyforwardinganinvitationfromtheVice-ChancellortovisitMedunsa.’

MabuzaandhiscabinetdidvisitMedunsaandweredulyimpressedbywhattheysaw.FromthenontheuniversitywasgivenencouragingsupportbytheKaNgwanegovernment.

Karlsson’syearsinCommunityHealthcametoanendandhemovedtotheDepartmentofObstetricsand

Gynaecology.Itwasn’tlongbeforehewasappointedtothepositionofDeputyDeanoftheFacultyofMedi-cine,andthenasDeanofthefacultyin1985.

ButthepoliticalinstabilityofthesouthernAfricanregionhadalreadyimpingedonlifeintheuniversity.Intheearly80s,theinternalstrifeinMozambiqueensuredaconstantflowofrefugeesintoGazankulu.Mabuza’shomelandgovernmentwassympathetictotheirplight–andMedunsawasapproachedtoassist.

‘AreceptioncampwasestablishedclosetotheborderwiththeKrugerPark.Iwitnessedhowthesteadystreamofrefuge-seekersarrivedatthecamp–exhausted,starvingandoftenillwithmalaria.Ilistenedtomanyharrowingstories.OnoneoccasionIsawayoungwomancarryinganew-bornbabyinherarms.Shetoldmethatwalkingaloneherlabourpainshadstarted.UnderatreeintheKrugerNationalParkshehaddeliveredherselfandafterafewhours’restcontinuedherjourney.’

AsmallclinicwaserectedinthecampandvariousMedunsadepartments–communityhealth,medicine,paediatrics,obstetricsandgynaecology,anddentistry–sentstafftothecliniconaregularbasis.

Theturbulent1980scontinuedandblack/whiterelationscontinuedtobestrainedinmanyquartersthroughoutthecountry.Whilesomewhiteswereacceptedasexceptionstotherule,therewereotherswhodefinitelywerenot.KarlssonrecallsadifficultencounterthathehadwhenthreewhitemedicalstudentsappliedtoattendthirdyearatMedunsa.

‘Iwasnaturallyconcerned.However,thereweresevenvacanciesinthethirdyear.Icalledthestudentsinforaninterview.Twooftheyoungmenmadeagoodimpression,butthethirdwasaggressive.Iexplainedthedifficultiesoncampuswiththeunder-graduates.Lifeforthem,especiallybeingAfrikaners,couldbedifficult.Iadvisedthemtowithdrawtheirapplications.Thedifficultyoungmanthreatenedlegalaction.We,asauniversityhadnolegalgroundsforrefusingthemadmission.Soweadmittedthem.

‘Forthreeweekseverythingseemedtobegoingfine.Ihadnotheardanythingfromthestudentbody.JustasIwasabouttodrawaprolongedsighofrelief,therewasarequestforameetingwiththeStudents’RepresentativeCouncil.Theirmessagewastothepoint.Excludethewhitestudentsfromtheuniver-

P A G E 1 1

Campus with a pastANECDOTES AND INSIGHTS

sityorthestudentbodywouldtakedrasticaction.IexplainedthatonlegalgroundsIcouldnotdosobutwouldseeifIcouldgetthemtowithdrawonavoluntarybasis.Iwasgiventwoweekstofinalisethematter.Themeetingwiththethreestudentswasacrimonious.Undernocircumstanceswouldtheywithdrawonavoluntarybasis,butifIcouldobtainadmissiontoanotherinstitutiontheywouldaccept.‘Therefollowedaperiodoffeverishtelephonecalls.Eventually,Ifoundtwofacultiesthatcouldacceptoneeach–butnoonewantedthedifficultstudent.Icalledhimintoexplainthesituation.Hewasoutragedandblamedmefornottryinghardenough.However,hewasdeterminedtostayon,irrespectiveoftheconsequences.

‘Thenextmorningtherewasnotastudentinclassexceptthewhitestudent.Afull-scaleclassboycotthadbeenimplemented.Theboycottdraggedonfordays.Aboutaweekintotheboycottthestudentcamerushingintomyofficesayingthathislifewasthreatened.Hedemandedabodyguard.Onquestioninghecouldnotconfirmasingleincidentofbeingthreatened.Whathedidnottellme,butwhich

Isubsequentlyfoundoutwasthatwhereverhewalkedonthecampushewouldbefollowedsilentlybyasmall group of students.

‘Atthebeginningofthethirdweek,inspiteofhissheerobstinacy,hemusthaverealisedthathecouldneverwinthisunequalwar.Hesimplydidnotturnupforlectures.Theclassboycottwasoverandtheuni-versitycouldreturntoasemblanceofnormality.Thisdifficultchaptercouldbeclosedwithallhisdocumentsstamped“absconded”.Thankfully,weneverheardfromhimagain.’

KarlssonwasappointedtothenewpostofVicePrincipalofMedunsain1986.Hedescribesthemove‘upstairs’tothefifthflooras,‘logistically,notdifficult–justashortliftride.However,adaptingtoacompletelynewworkenvironmenttookalittlelonger.Itwassoquiet.Everyonealmostalwaysseemedtotalkinwhispers.ThiswasnottheconstanthustleandbustleoftheDean’soffice’.Heservedinthatcapacityforfiveyearsbeforereturningtohisfirstlove–obstetrics and gynaecology.

Professor Len Karlsson in retirement with his wife Medicos Centre opened in 1983

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Rural Development and Innovation HubGETTING TO GRIPS WITH THE UNIVERSITY’S MISSION AND VISION THEUNIVERSITYofLimpopoissoontoestablishagroundbreakingnewhubtoassistitsfourfacultiestofulfiltheessentialaimoftheinstitution,whichistofindsolutionsforAfricanchallengesbystimulatinginterdisciplinary innovation.

TheRuralDevelopmentandInnovationHub,whichaccordingtoVice-ChancellorProfessorMahloMokgalongwillbelaunchedduring2009,willworkcloselywithallschoolsanddepartmentsinHealthSciences,Humanities,Management&Law,andtheSciencesandAgriculture,thusstimulatingamultidisciplinaryapproachtoteaching,researchandcommunityengagementinthefieldofruraldevelopment.Theintentionistoavoidthetraditionalacademic‘siloapproach’whenattemptingtoimpactonafieldthatisinrealityrichininter-relatedrealitiesand intervention possibilities.

AnexecutivedirectoratprofessoriallevelwillheadtheRuralDevelopmentandInnovationHub(RDIH);andtheincumbentwillhaveatrackrecordofinnova-tion,communityengagement,projectconceptualisa-tionandimplementation,aswellasfacilitationandcommunityskills.Twootherprofessor-levelposts–tobefilledbyindividualsselectedfortheirinnovative-nessandtheirwillingnesstoexploreinterdisciplinarysolutions–willbecreatedtoco-ordinatethehub’sresearchandprojectagenda.

AgroundbreakingfeatureofthehubisthatitwillinfluenceallresearchandresearchersrelatingtoRuralDevelopment,regardlessofwhichfacultyorschoolhasactuallyinstitutedtheresearchactivity.Asstatedintheconceptdocument:‘ThegeneralideaoftheRDIHistoensurebroad-basedapproachestoruraldevelopmentchallengesbyharnessingthevariousperspectives,disciplines,technologies,skillsandtheoriesthattheuniversitycanofferthroughsmartpartnershipsandteamwork.’Therefore,all

teaching,researchandcommunityengagementthatisorientedtoruralchallengeswillbeinformed,facilitated,stimulated,andsometimesdirectlyprojectmanagedbytheRDIH,eventhough‘innovatedandimplementedbyteamsfromindividualfaculties’.ThemostimportantprimaryfunctionsoftheRDIHwillinclude:• Theforgingofnewdirectionsinteaching,researchandcommunityengagementbytheuniversity.

• Theidentificationandexplorationofruraldevelop-mentandrelatedchallengesrequiringresolution.

• Thepromotionofinnovativethinkingwithintheuniversity,inparticularinrelationtotherelevanceofacademicresearch,theapplicationofresearchfindings,thetransformationofresearchintocom-mercialventures,andactivelyseekingresearch-relatedadditionalincomefortheuniversity.

• Thedevelopmentandnurturingoflinkagesandpartnershipswithgovernmentagencies,otherhighereducationinstitutions,professionalassocia-tions,NGOsandothernon-profitorganisation,andtheprivatebusinesssector.

• Themonitoringofcurrentandemerginginterna-tional,regional,nationalandprovincialneedsanddevelopmenttrends,policiesandinnovations.

• Thefacilitationofcreativebrainstormingandconferencingnetworksandeventsthatlinkpeopleoutsidetheuniversitytothoseworkingwithintheinstitution.

• Thedisseminationofdevelopmentinformation–trends,theories,internalresearchandachieve-ments–toaswideanaudienceaspossible.

AnactiveandeffectiveRDIHwilltaketheuniversityalongwaytowardsitsoverarchinggoal:tobeaworld-classAfricanuniversitythatisfocusedontheneedsofAfricanruralcommunitieswhileatthesametimestrivingforexcellenceinagloballycompetitiveenvironment.

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Indigenous Knowledge SystemsGETTING AFRICA INTO HIGHER EDU CATION TEACHING AND RESEARCHWE’VEDEALTwithaspectsofIKS(indigenousknowledgesystems)before–butspecificallywithregard to agriculture.2 Local Limpopo communities haveforcenturiesbeenusingherbs,shrubs,aloes,dungandashinvariousformsandcombinationsastreatmentforlivestockdiseases,pesticides,andevencertain forms of preservative.

Butthere’salotmoretoIKSthanthis.Here’sapreliminarylistforreaderstoconsideranddigest:• Indigenouspharmacology• Indigenous medical practice• Indigenous metallurgy• Indigenousfoodtechnology• Indigenous cosmetics• Indigenous environmental management

Andlet’snotforgetthemoreabstractskillsthathelptoregulatethewaywelive.Whataboutindigenouspoliticalandsocialorganisation,indigenousgovernance,indigenousreligionandphilosophy,indigenousethicsandmorality,aswellasindigenousAfrican cosmology?

Isallthisworthpreserving?Ofcourseitis.Infact,it’sworthexamininginseriousdetail.RemembertheEuropeanRenaissance,whichgraduallydraggedabackwardpeopleawayfromtheirownmedievaldarkness?AkeyfactorinthathistoricphenomenonwasarekindlingofinterestinthefirstfloweringofwesternlearningamongtheancientGreeksandRomans.ThesameprocessshouldbehappeninginAfrica,butthecontinent’swisdomhastendedtobedowngraded,firstbytheall-consuming‘superiority’ofEuropeanempires,andnowbytheequallyconsuming‘modernity’oftheglobalvillage.

SomeonewhowouldcertainlyhavesympathywiththisanalysisisProfessorLesibaTeffo.He’stheDeanoftheFacultyofHumanSciencesattheUniversityofLimpopo.He’salsoontheScienceandTechno-logyministerialcommitteethatadvisesthenationalministeronindigenousknowledge.AndthenationalministeristakingIKSseriously.FundinghasbeenmadeavailableforthecreationoffiveIKSchairsatthecountry’suniversities,onlyoneofwhichhasbeenfilledsofar.Teffohashisheartsetongrabbingonefor Limpopo.

‘ItwouldbeanimportantadditiontoourRuralDevelopmentandInnovationHub3,’hesays.‘The

hubisbeingestablishedtogivepracticalvoicetotheuniversity’savowedaimof“addressingtheneedsofAfricanruralcommunitiesthroughinnovativeideas”.’

TeffoadmitsfreelythatheisachampionofIKSanditsincorporationintouniversityteachingandresearch.‘Thisismypassion,’hesays,‘IdoitbecauseIbelieveitcanchangetheAfricanmindset.ItwillhelpustofindouridentityasAfricans.Doyouknowthattherearenowtwoindigenousresearchlaboratories–oneinCapeTown,theotherinDurban–thathavebeenestablishedbytheMedicalResearchCouncil.Doyourealisetheimportanceofex-PresidentMandela’sdecisiontobuildahomeforhimselfatQunu,theplaceintheTranskeiwherehehadgrownup.TheseexamplesteachusthatweshouldbeproudtobeAfrican.Westernwaysarenottheonlyways.Thebigmetropolitanareasarenottheinevitableplacestolive.’

NorhasTeffobeenslowtocapitaliseonthegovernment’ssupportiveattitudetowardsIKS.ThankstofundingfromthenationalDepartmentofScienceandTechnology,theUniversityofLimpopohasestablishedoneofthefirstCentresofExcellenceforIndigenousKnowledgeStudies.Inaddition–andthisisthebiggestachievementsofar–theuniversitycouldbeofferingfrom2010anewprofessionalfour-yeardegreecalledtheBachelorofIndigenousKnowledgeSystems.4Teffosaysthat‘sincetheUniver-sityofLimpopohasafully-fledgedmedicalschool,weaimtousethisdegreetocreateanicheforourselvesbyfocusingonthehealthandsocialsciencesforthedevelopment,promotion,preservationandprotectionofindigenousAfricanhealingsystems.’

TeffowasborninMokopaneinLimpopoProvince.HeattendedtheMokopaneCollegeofEducationandbecameateacher.Butmorelearningbeckoned,andhecametoTurfloopwherehecompletedthreedegreesinphilosophyandtwoinlaw.HewenttoEuropewherehecompletedhisLicentiateinphilosophyatauniversityinBelgium.OnhisreturntoLimpopohewasmadeaprofessorandthenheadofthePhilosophyDepartmentin1995.Hehaspublishedcloseto40scientificarticlesandbookchapters,

P A G E 1 4

GETTING AFRICA INTO HIGHER EDU CATION TEACHING AND RESEARCH

aswellaseditingfourbooks.Andhe’salsoanadmittedAdvocateoftheHighCourtofSouthAfrica.

ButitsthefieldofIKSandthefullacknowledgementofandprideinthingsAfricanthatlieclosesttohisheart.Theyarehisroots.

InDecemberlastyear,TeffotravelledtoYaounde,capitalofthecentralAfricancountryCameroon,wherehedeliveredapapertotheConferenceofDeansofFacultiesofSocialSciencesandHumanities.Hispaperwasentitled‘TowardsIndigenisingSouthAfrica’sHigherEducationCurriculum’,excerptsofwhicharepublishedonpage16.

Intheconclusiontohispaper,TeffoassertsthatafullerintegrationofIKSintouniversitycurriculawouldrestoretheprimacyofAfricanepistemologieswithoutdenigratingtheknowledgesystemsofanyothercultures.‘Theapathyandalienationthatstudentsexperiencewouldbemitigatedbycurriculathatdeveloporganicallywithintheirexistentialmilieus.AfricahascometoapointwhereAfricanphilosophyisanintegralpartofthecurriculum.Soitwillbewithindigenousknowledgesystems.Africansshouldbetheagentsforthechangesthatwilldrawthemfullyintotheglobalworldandtheuniversalorderofthings.’

2Seearticle‘BuildingonIndigenousKnowledge’inLimpopoLeader13,Autumn20083Seearticleonpage13forafulldescriptionoftheuniversity’sRuralDevelopmentandInnovationHub.4Detailsofthisnewdegreeareprovidedonpage17.

Professor Lesiba Teffo

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Indigenous Knowledge SystemsRIGHTING THE COLONIAL IMBALANCE PROFESSORLesibaTeffoassertedthatithasalwaysbeen an integral part of struggle ideology to trans-formsocietiesthrougheducation.ThePanAfricanistleadersintheearly1900scalledfortheeradicationofthecolonialeducationsystem.Fromalltheclarioncalls(forindependence)acommontrendcouldbedetected:‘people’seducationforpeople’spower’.Butgoodeducation(accordingtothenationalistlead-ers)shoulddomorethanpassonnorms,valuesandknowledge.

Theyoungarethereservoirsaswellasthetrans-mittersofculture.AstheAfricancontinentseekstoregenerateherself,politicians,intellectualsandAfricanistthinkersshouldtakestockofwhatprecededtheircurrentinitiatives,andmostimportantlywhatmadethecolonialeducationsystems,eventhoseofhighquality,fail.

TheintroductionofthewesternsystemofeducationincolonialAfricawasunderpinnedbytwoprimarypurposes:• Vocationaleducationaimedatservingthe capitalistappetiteforskilledlabour.• Academiceducationthatproducedgraduateswhodidnotchallengethepoliticalstatusquo.

Religiousinfluences(eg:Christianconversion)createdasocialclassthatservedasabufferzonebetweenthemissionariesandtheindigenouspeopleandhelpedtoperpetuatetheprocessofpoliticaldominationanddeculturisation.Therewasatthetimeanuncriticalassimilationofthe(imported)doctrinesandpoliticalideologieswhichwerenotconsonantwiththeindigenousculturesinwhichtheywereimplanted.

Theproblem,toparaphraseTeffo’sthesis,isthataneducationsystemthatignorestheculturalrealitiesoftherecipientsisdoomedtoproducingpoorresults.ThattheeducationonoffertoAfricansinthecolonialerawasneitherparticularlyeffectivenorwidelyapplied is a case in point. Most colonial education systemsoperatedontheassumptionthatAfricanculturalrealitieswereinferior.Hencethepowerofcultureintheeducationprocesswas

deliberatelyexcised,notleastinanattempttoemasculateandrenderdocileAfricanthought.

InacasestudyattheCapeTechnikon,itwasobservedthatwhileblockenrolmenthadincreasedby18percentbetween2001and2002,gradu-atesincreasedbyonlyonepercent.Thosewhohavestudiedtheseverylowrateshavereachedtheconclu-sionthatblackstudentsarealienatedbythesystemoflearning.Thecontentsofcurriculaseldomspeaktotheculturallydefinedindividualortotheexistentialexperience.

Thisconclusionisinfactaconfirmationofthelong-heldviewthataneducationsystemisthereposi-toryandtransmitterofasociety’smyths,culture,historyandaspirations.Therefore,whatisneededis‘apragmaticrenaissancethatinspirestherediscoveryandrestorationoftheAfricanidentitywhilesimulta-neouslyadaptinginappropriatewaysandbecominganactiveandrespectedplayerintheworldsystem’.5

Inotherwords,saidTeffo,universitycurriculaneedtochange:theyneedtomovetowardsindigenisation.Infact,stepshavealreadybeentakentorectifyanunsatisfactorysituation.AnIKSpolicywasdraftedandadoptedbythenationalCabinetin2004.Theoverarchingobjectivesofthispolicyare:affirmation,recognition,protection,promotionanddevelopment.

Letmeshowhowtheseobjectivestranslateintopracti-calpolicydrivers.TobeginwiththereisadeliberateaffirmationofAfricanculturalvaluesinthefaceofglobalisation. A clear imperative is given regarding theneedtopromoteapositiveAfricanidentity.Thenthereistheneedtodevisepracticalmeasurestodeveloptheservicesprovidedbyindigenousknowl-edgepractitioners,andtostrengthentheircontribu-tiontotheeconomy.

Finally,weneedtouseIKSinconjunctionwithotherknowledgesystems(forexample,modernbiotechnol-ogy)toincreasetherateofinnovation.TheUniversityofLimpopohasabranchofSouthAfrica’snationalCentreforIndigenousKnowledgeStudieswhereworkisgoing

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Streetscene in Yaounde, Capital of Cameroon

WHY NOT STUDY FOR A BIKS?

That’saBachelorofIndigenousKnowledgeSystemsdegree.It’safullprofessionaldegreeanditcouldbeavailablefrom2010intheFacultyofHumanSciencesontheTurfloopcampusoftheUniversityofLimpopo.

Herearesomeofthemodulesthathavebeenpreparedsofar.StudentswillstartoffwithcoursesinEnglishproficiencyandcomputerliteracy.Inaddition,duringthefirstyear,they’llbeintroducedtoindigenousknowl-edgesystems,indigenousecology,healthsystemsandlaws,aswellasAfrican languages and literatures.

Thesecondyearwillbedevotedtoindigenouslandandwatermanage-mentsystems,foodprocessing,psychologyandindigenousapproachestoconflictmanagement.Thenthey’llmoveontoindigenoustheoriesofartandliterature,politicsandgovernance,educationaltheoriesandpractices,andAfricanreligions.

ThirdyearactivitieswilltakemanyofthesesubjectstoadeeperlevelwhileaddingAfricanethno-mathematicsandAfricanphilosophytothemix.Thefinalyearwillbedevotedtoaninternshipandthepreparationof a mini dissertation.

ontointegrateAfricanIKSintomainstreamcurricula,andtoacceleratethedevelopmentandempowermentoflocalandindigenousAfricancommunities.

Thisistheessentialbackground,TeffotolddelegatesattheconferenceinYaounde,outofwhichthenewfour-yearBachelorofIndigenousKnowledgeSystemshasgrown.

5MNkomo.AfricanVoicesinEducation.Juta,2000

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Seeing how far the car can goPROFESSOR PHUTI NGOEPE

ITSEEMEDfaintlybizarre(writesLimpopoLeader’s DavidRobbins).IhadcometointerviewProfessorPhutiNgoepe,theUniversityofLimpopo’sexpertincomputer-basedmaterialsmodelling,amanwhoisathomeonsomeofthebiggestcomputersintheworld,andherehewasinhisclutteredTurfloopoffice–havingtroublewithhislaptop.Ihadcometotalktohimaboutthetwoawardshehadwonin2008.Hehadwantedtoprintoutadocumentthatwouldprovidemewiththedetails.Butthedocumenthadseverelycorruptedandwouldnotprint.

Ngoepesawthefunnyside,butforawhilehewouldnotgiveup.Hecalledforassistancefromhisowncomputercentre.Meanwhile,Iexaminedsomeofthespinesarrayedinhisextensiveshelvesofbooks.The20cm-thickPhysicalProperties of PolymersHandbookcaughtmyeye.TheComputationalModellingofPolymersseemedequallytofitwithNgoepe’svariousspecialities,asdidMetalClusters,abookcalled Manual of Mineralology,andothersentitledLightAlloys and ChemicalThermodynamics.

ThenIspiedaslendervolumewiththesomewhatsurprising–andunmatching–titleofTheEndofPoverty.ButIhadnotimetoconjecture.Ngoepehadgivenuponhislaptop,sayingthathewouldhavetotellmeabouttheawardsinstead.

Sohedescribedanawardhehadreceivedformakingarealcontributionto‘TransformationoftheScienceCohort’.ThepresidentoftheNationalResearchFoundationhadpresentedittohimfortheworkhehaddoneinraisingthestatusofblackscientists.Thentherewasthebigone:theOrderofMapungubwe(Silver)6,anationalawardpresentedbytheSouthAfricanPresidenthimself.Thisawardhadrecognisedthe‘excellentcontributions’Ngoepehadmadeinhisparticularfieldofresearch.

Iremarkedthathemusthavereceivedmanyawardsduringhiscareer.

‘Notsomany,’hesaid.‘Actually,theyalwayscomeasasurprise.Mymaininterestisindoingthework,notplanningforawards.Sotheyalwayscomeasasurprise.Andofcourseit’sgratifyingthattheworkisrecognised.

Sointhisway,wemovedontothesubjectclosesttoNgoepe’sheart:usingcomputerstoseehowfarthecarwillgo.

Here’sthebackground.Ngoepe’sMaterialsModellingCentrehasforseveralyearsbeeninvolvedintheenergystoragesideofthings,workingtoestablishwhichalloys(oflithium,forexample)willprovidethebeststorageproperties.Thisresearchhasmajorimplicationsforthemanufactureofmoreandmoreefficientbatteries,aspecialitywhichinturnhasledtoNgoepe’scloseinvolvementintheSouthAfricanelectricvehicleproject.

ButwhatisexcitingNgoepeisthepotentialofcomputermodellingtechniquesasthecomputersgetbiggerandbigger.Foryears,muchofNgoepe’sresearchwasconductedoutsideofSouthAfrica,onsomeoftheworld’slargest.Morerecently,theCentreforHighPerformanceComputing(supportedbythenationalDepartmentofScienceandTechnologythroughtheCSIR)hasprovidedalocalalternative.MuchofNgoepe’senergy-storagecalculationshavebeenundertakenonthegiant‘14teraflops’andIBM‘bluegene’machineshousedintheCapeTowncentre.

‘Thepowerofthesemachinesisastonishing,’hesays.‘Theydomathematicallywhatamassspectro-meterdoesphysically.Thepicturebecomesmoreandmoredetailed.Wearealreadyabletofactorinallthecharacteristicsoftheelectricvehicleanddeter-mine,accordingtothepropertiesofthebatteryalloy,exactlyhowfarthecarwillgobeforerechargingbecomesnecessary.’

Thefutureofagreatdealofsciencewoulddependonourabilitytousethefullpotentialofourrapidlygrowingcomputers,Ngoepesaid.In1980,theCray-1wasamongthemostpowerfulwehad.Amere25yearslater,anordinarylaptopwas20timesfaster,ahundredtimesmorepowerful,and5000timescheaper.‘Nowimagine,’Ngoepeadded,‘thepotentialofthe‘30teraflops’computeralreadyonorderbytheCentreforHighPerformanceComputing.Themorepowerfulthecomputersbecome,thefinerandmoredetailedandpredictabletheprototypeswecanbuild.’

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BynowNgoepe’senthusiasmhadbeenroused.HehadspokenbeforeabouttheneedforAfricanscientiststokeeppacewiththesedevelopments.TheestablishmentoftheCentreforHighPerformanceComputinghadbeenanessentialstep.TheworkofhisMaterialsModellingCentrehadbecomeinterna-tionallycutting-edge.Thecentrecollaboratedwithworld-classscientistsinBritainandAmerica.ThecentrewaspublishingitsfindingsintheweightyJournaloftheAmericanChemicalSociety. Ngoepe himselfwasonacommitteeofscientiststhatwastalkingtomajorSouthAfricanminingcompanieswhichwererealisingthattheircommercialfuturewouldbedependentonextensiveblue-skyresearch7 on minerals and processes today.

‘Ofteninthepast,’Ngoepeexplained,‘thecommercialimperativehadledtoasacrificeinbasicscientificknowledge.Nowthemajoroperatorsarerealisingtheirvulnerability.They’rebecominginvolvedintheperpetuationoffundamentalscientificknowledge;andthey’regoingtobepreparedtopay

forit.Thiswillsetupawholevaluechainofknowledgeandprofitability,forexamplebylayingthefoundationsforminimisingtheuseofwaterandenergyinthewaymineralsareextracted.’

Towardstheendoftheinterview,IdirectedNgoepe’sattention to TheEndofPoverty,whichseemedtobetheoddtitleoutinhisscientificarray.Helaughed.

‘Notreally,’hesaid.‘It’sabookbyJeffreySachswhoarguesthatthewaytowardsendingunder-developmentandpovertyintheworldistobuildcapacity–scientificcapacity–inthedevelopingworld,andtotreatdevelopingworldscientistsasequals.Butweneedtoearnthattreatment.Weneedtobehaveasequals.That’swhyithasbecomesoimportantforushereinSouthAfricatoleadtheworldintheuseofcomputerstoseejustexactlyhowfarourelectriccarcango.’

ItshouldcomeasnosurprisetoanyofusthatProfessorNgoepekeepsgettingallthoseprizes.

6Aletterdescribingthisachievementwaspublishedonpage32ofLimpopoLeader15.7Atermusedtodenotetheoreticalresearchwithoutdirectregardtoanyfutureapplicationofitsresult.

Professor Phuti Ngoepe.

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ADDING VALUE TO

THECONCEPToffoodprocessing–topreserveandstoreit–isasoldasagricultureitself.Inmoderntimes,suchprocessingisessentialforcommercialviabilitywhenthefreshmarketshavebeensaturated.Andthere’sanarrayofcomplextechniquesandmachinerytomakeprocessinghappen.Economistscallthisactivity‘down-streaming’oraddingvaluetorawagri-cultural(ornaturallygrowing)products.

OneofthecharacteristicsofAfricanindepen-denceintheearly1960swasthatlittledown-streaming,whetherofmineralsortimberorcrops,wasattemptedclosetothesourceoftherawmaterial.Africaneconomiesdependedontheexportoftheirrawmaterials,usuallytotheex-colonialpowers,wherevaluewasaddedandprofitsmadeintheFirstWorldfactories.ThisleftAfricaalltoovulnerabletofluctuationsincom-moditypricesthatweresetaccordingtoFirstWorlddemandratherthanAfricanproductioncosts.

Thankfully,thosedaysarelonggone.Africagenerallyisnowintentonaddingvalueatsource.Limpopoisnoexception.Theprovince’sGrowthandDevelopmentStrategy,firstadoptedinOctober20048,listedagricultureasoneofthethreemainstrutsuponwhichLimpopo’seconomydepended(theothertwobeingminingandtourism),andhighontheagricultural

EARTH’S BOUNTY

agendawas‘foodproductionenhancedbydownstreamfoodprocessingopportunities’.

Ithasn’ttakentheUniversityofLimpopolongtocometotheparty.Inthepagesthatfollow,readabouttheAgro-FoodProcessingResearchUnitontheTurfloopcampusthatisactivelyassistinginthedevelopmentoftheexpertiseneededforagriculturaldown-streaming(anothercommonlyusedwordforthisprocessofaddingvalueis‘beneficiation’).TheSchoolofAgriculturalandEnvironmentalSciencesisadministeringtheunit.Tuckedawayinanothercornerofthesamecampus–intheDepartmentofBiochemistry,MicrobiologyandBiotechnology,infact–isaMicroBrewery.Yes,ofcourse,thestudentsbrewbeerthere,butthey’realsolookingatotherproducts,alcoholicandnon-alcoholic,thatcouldprofitablybemadefromlocalrawmaterials.Finally,revisittheSchoolofAgriculturalandEnvironmentalSciencestoseewhat’shappeningtoaplantspeciesfromEthiopiathatcouldsoonbeamajorsourceofbiooils–inplaceofexpensiveandpollutingpetro-chemicals–fortheplasticsindustry.AndgrowninbulkrighthereinLimpopo.

Nodoubtaboutit:theuniversityisdoingimpor-tantworkinthedrivetoaddAfricanvaluetotheproduceofourbounteousAfricanearth.8SeeLimpopoLeader4(Winter2005)page8

Adding value to earth’s bountyTURNING BASIC CROPS INTO COMMERCIAL PRODUCT ITSHOULDnotcomeastoomuchofasurprisethattheincumbentoftheLandBankChairinAgricultureshouldhavebeensoprominentintheestablishmentofanagro-foodprocessingresearchunitontheUniversityofLimpopo’sTurfloopcampus.ProfessorPhatuMashelaiscarefultoattributetheachievementtotheSchoolofAgriculturalandEnvironmentalSciencesasawhole.Butit’seasyenoughtoseethathehasplayedakeyrole.

AlthoughhegainedhisfirstdegreesinAgronomyandHorticulturefromFortHare,andhispostgraduatedegreesfromtheUniversityofFloridainGainesville,he’sbeenworkingandteachingattheUniversityofLimpoposincetheearly1990s.Sohe’stiedtothefortunesofhisschool,thefaculty,theuniversityasawhole.He’sproudofwhat’sbeenachieved.

‘Thewholeagro-foodresearchinitiativebeganinOctober2006,’Mashelaexplains.‘Thatwaswhenwe–theschool–approachedtheDepartmentofScienceandTechnologyforfunding.Ourideawastodopracticalresearchinaddingvaluetoagriculturalproduct,particularlytoindigenousproductsinLimpopothathaveneverbeenprocessedorpack-agedbefore.I’mnotonlytalkingaboutindigenousfood,butalsoindigenousmedicinesandevenbio-pesticides.Itreallyisabrandnewfield,andit’sentirelyappropriatethatourschoolshouldbecomeinvolvedinmaximisingthecommercialprofitabilityoftraditionalAfricanfoodandagriculturalpractices.’

(ThisiswheretheLandBankcomesin.Obviously,thebankwouldbeinterestedinpreciselythesamething.That’satleastpartlywhytheysponsoredMashela’sprofessorialchair.)

TheDepartmentofScienceandTechnologyrespondedfavourablytothefundingrequest–butwithcertainprovisos.Mostimportantly,thedepart-mentwaskeentoseeasupportingrecommendationfromtheLimpopoprovincialgovernment,andtobereassuredthattheproposedfacilitywouldhaveadualuse:academicandpractical.Inotherwords,theteachingandresearchfunctionshouldbecoupledwithanadviceservicetosmallbusinesseswishingtoentertheagro-foodprocessingfield.

Theuniversityhadnohesitationinagreeing.

Throughout2007,thepreparatoryworkwasdone,thepartnershipsestablished,asuitableon-campussitefoundandrenovated,andthenecessaryplantbegantobeinstalled.Theprovincegaveaonce-offgrantofR2,8-million;whilethenationalDepartmentofScienceandTechnology,throughitsparastatalimplementingagentTshumisano,willprovideafurtherR14.5-millionoverthreeyears.Mostofthisamount–R12,8-million,infact–wasusedonequipment,whilethebalanceofR4,5-millionwasearmarkedforrunningcostsoverthefirstthreeyearsoftheresearchunit’soperationallife.

Thefacility–Turfloop’sAgro-foodProcessingResearchUnit–wasofficiallylaunchedbytheMinisterofScienceandTechnologyinJuly2008.Mashelastressesonceagainthatitsestablishmenthadbeen‘ajointeffort’,withVice-ChancellorProfessorMahloMokgalongdealingdirectlywiththenationalministerandtheprovincialagriculturaldepartment.

‘ThisisamajoracquisitionfortheSchoolofAgricultureandEnvironmentalSciences–infact,fortheentireFacultyofScienceandAgriculture,’Mashelasays.‘Wehadalotofresearchdatacollectedintothesustainabilityandproductionofvariousindigenousproductsintheprovince.Nowwewereabletoputthisintopracticethroughthetestingofactualproductionprocesses.’

Intheresearchunit,experimentsarealreadygoingoninvariousfields:• Thefirstisinthefreezedryingofvarious indigenous products• Thesecondisinfruit-juiceprocessingand packagingintocontainers• Thethirdisinteamanufacture–bushteaandarangeofspecialhealthbeverages–wherethewholeprocessfrompicking,throughfermentinganddryingtopackaging,isunderscrutiny

• Fourthly,thereisphyto-chemicalanalyticalworksothattheimportantingredients–proteins,fatcontentandageneralnutrientanalysis–canbeconfirmedandprintedasrequiredbylawonthecommercialpackagingofindividualproducts.

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ManagerLutendoMathivhaadministerstheresearchunit,whileThabisoMasemola,aformerTurfloopchemistrygraduatenowtacklinghisMasters,isemployedastheunit’sfulltimechemicalanalyst.

Animportantpartoftheunit’sworkistheregistrationofinternsfromotherinstitutions.Therearecurrentlyeightsuchinterns–fromtheuniversitiesofLimpopo,Venda,theFreeState,aswellastheVaalandTswaneuniversitiesoftechnology–doinga12-monthinternship.InadditiontherearefivepostgraduateresearchassistantsalldoingMastersdegreesinvarious aspects of agro-food processing.

‘We’rethefirstuniversityinthecountrytogetthiskindofresearchfacility,’Mashelapointsout.‘Sonaturallyitwillbeindemand.Butwehaven’tforgot-ten our commitment to actual business ventures and peoplewantingtostartupfood-relatedbusinesses.’

OneLimpopofarmerhasreceivedthebenefitoftheresearchunitasheestablishesaplanttoproducepapaya/kiwifruitjuicefromhisowncrops,withamajorfoodstorechainapotentialcustomer.Otherclientsarelookingatvariousdriedproductsfrombananas.AndMashelatalksofa‘bilateralagreementbetweenSouthAfricaandMalawitojointlyresearchthepotentialofturningindigenousbio-pesticidesintostablecommercialproducts’.

Herubshishandsinenthusiasm.‘It’slikeadreamcometrue.It’scertainlyenablingourschooltopracticewhattheuniversity’smottopreachesaboutfindingsolutionsforAfrica.‘We’reusingoursciencetomakecommerciallyviableproducts;andinsodoing,wekeepingthenationalandprovincialdepartmentshappy,aswellasourotherimportantpartner,theLandBank.’

Professor Phatu Mashela and Agro-food Processing Research Unit Manager Lutendo Mathivha

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Adding value to earth’s bountyMALTING, MILLING, MASHING AND MATURATION ITWAShardlyteno’clockinthemorningwhenProfessorEmilAbotsicrackedopenabeerandpouredtwoglasses.HehandedonetotheLimpopo Leaderinterviewer.Firstsipsweretaken.Approvingmurmurs ensued ...

Butitwasallinthecauseofscientificenquiry.

AbotsiisaprofessorintheUniversityofLimpopo’sDepartmentofBiochemistry,MicrobiologyandBiotechnology,andhehadbeentellingLimpopo LeaderabouttheMicroBrewerBrewerythathadrecentlybeeninstalledontheTurfloopcampus,courtesyofSouthAfricanBreweries(SAB).

NegotiationsbeganaslongagoasSeptember2006.SixmonthslatertheinstallationoftheplantintheLifeSciencesBuildingwascompleted,paidfor(tothetuneofR50000)bySABMiller,thebigcommercialbreweryinPolokwane.SABMilleralsoagreedtosupplyallrawmaterialslikebarleyandhopsandthosechemicalsneededtooperatetheplant.

‘Theidea,’explainedAbotsi,‘wasforthemicro-brewertoserveasateachingaidforstudentstakingmicrobiology,biochemistryandbiotechnologyatundergraduateandpostgraduatelevels.Themicrobrewerwouldexposethemtoabioprocessandmakethemawareoftheinterdisciplinarynatureoftheprocess.Ofcourse,itwouldfamiliarisestudentswiththespecificprocessesinvolvedinthebrewingofbeer.ThatmakessensefromthepointofviewofSABwhowouldobviouslybelookingtorecruittheirlocaltechnologyneedsfromourgraduates.Infact,thecompanyhassetupsimilarprojectsatotheruniversi-tiesinplaceswheretheirbreweriesexist:forexampleattheuniversitiesofPretoria,theFreeState,andKwaZulu-Natal.

‘Butfromourpointofview,’Abotsiadded,‘animpor-tantadvantageisthatwecanusethemicrobrewerasaprototypebioreactorforresearchinbrewingandotherbiotechnologicalprocesses.’

Inparticular,thepresenceofthemicrobreweratTurfloopwillenabletrainingandresearchinthefollowingareas:• Plantdesignandscale-up

• Processcontrolandmonitoring• Sterilityandqualitycontrol• Biochemistryofbrewing• Fermentationmicrobiology• Wastemanagement.

Abotsishowedtheplaqueatthedoorofthelabora-toryinwhichthemicrobrewerhadbeeninstalled.Itstatedthatthefacilityhadbeenopenedon13March2007byCliffordRaphiri,themanufacturingandtechnicaldirectorofSABinPolokwane.Inside,themicrobrewerpresentedaconglomerationofstainlesssteelvesselsofvarioussizesandtypes,flexibleconnectingpipes,andanelectricalcontrolpanelwithbuttonsandswitchesandlights.Abotsiexplainedtheelementsinatypicalbeerbrewingprocess.

• Tobeginwith,therewasthemalting.Thisisthetermforthecontrolledgerminationofthebasicbeer-makingingredient,barley,whenitissoakedinwaterfor48hourstoproducethenecessaryenzymestomodifythebarleygrainssothatadequateextractsofsugars,proteinsandaminoacids can be obtained.

• Thenkilningoccurs,whenthepartially germinatedbarley(barleymalt)isdried.• Millingfollows.Aspecialgrindingmillcrushesthebarleymalttoanappropriatesize.

• Variouschemicaladditivesandwateraremixedinwiththebarleymaltandthemashing stage beginsinthemashingvessel.Measurementsvaryinthisstageaccordingtothebrandofbeerbeingbrewed.Timeandtemperaturearealsopreciselycontrolled,andtheprocessconvertsthestarchesinthebarleymaltintofermentablesugars.Itisatthisstagethatnaturalenzymesconvertproteinsintoappropriatenutrients(aminoacids)forlateryeastgrowth.Carefulmonitoringisessentialtoensurethatthemashingprocessissuccessful.

• Thenextstageiscalledlautering. In a special lautertank,thebarleymalthusksarestrainedoff,leavingarichfermentableliquidcalledwort.Thehusks(alsocalledspentgrain)aren’twasted:theycansuccessfullybeusedinthemanufactureofanimal feeds.

• Wort boilingtakesplaceinaspecialwortkettlewherehopsisaddedinprecisequantitiesto

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controlthedistinctivetasteandaromaattachedtoeachtypeofbeer.

• Thehoppedwortthenundergoesaclarification and coolingprocesswhichbringsittotheexacttemperaturerequiredforfermentation.

• Freshyeastisaddedtofermentthesugarsintoalcoholandcarbondioxide.Thisfermentation processiscarefullycontrolledtoensureright

flavourandotherbeercharacteristics(suchasheadformingandaeration).Excessyeastisdrawnfromthebottomofthefermentationtank:thisby-productcanbeusedtoproducefoodstuffslikeMarmite.

• Forthematurationstage,thebeeristransferredintoasub-zeromaturationvesselwheresecondaryfermentationcontinuesslowlyuntilthetrue

characterofthespecificbeertypeisrealised.• Thebeerthenundergoesfiltration to ensure a sparkling,brightappearanceandperfectclarity.Itisthencarbonated,pasteurisedandbottled.

Thefinalstageisofcoursethedrinking.ThatiswhyAbotsihadopenedabottleandpouredtwoglasses.Thebeerwasperfect.‘We’vedonesevenbrewssincetheplantwasinstalled,’heremarked,‘andwe’veachievedacceptablestandardseachtime.We’vemadelager,aleandvarioustypesofdarkbeer.We’vetrainedmorethan150ofourstudentsinbeerbrewing.We’vehadhonoursstudentsandinternsfromotheruniversitiestakingadvantageofourfacili-tieshere.OneofourstudentswasemployedbySABforsixmonthsforintensivebrewingtraining.AndemploymentinterviewswithSABMillerinPolokwanewereorganisedforallourfinal-yearhonoursstudents.’

Abotsiexaminedthetinybubblesthathadformedontheinsideofhisglass.Heliftedittothelighttoadmirethecolourandclarityoftheliquidinside.

Hespokeabouttheresearchpotentialofthemicro-brewerplant.Hisdepartmentwasalreadyexploringthepossibilityofmakingimprovementsinthetradi-tionalAfricanbrewingprocess,usingavailablerawmaterials.Theywouldevaluatetheeffectofsubstitu-tionlevelsofnon-traditionalbeermakinggrainslikesorghumandmillet.Theywouldusethemicrobrewertoproduceotherbrandsofalcoholicandnon-alcoholicbrandsfromlocalrawmaterials;andtheywouldisolateyeastandothermicro-florafromindigenouslocalbrewsandexploretheirabilitytobeusedintheproductionofbeveragesundercontrolledconditions.

Butofcoursetheywouldalsocontinuetoproducebeer–becauseinthiswaytheycouldassistinfindingsolutionstoproblemsencounteredbySABduringitsmass-productionprocesses.ThiswaspartoftheSABdeal.Abotsiexplainedallthisas–withsomerelish–hedrainedhisglassofwhatLimpopo Leaderhadalreadydubbedthe‘Turfloopspecialbrew’.

Professor Abotsi

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Adding value to earth’s bountyETHIOPIAN POTENTIAL FLOWERS IN LIMPOPOIT’SINDIGENOUStoEastAfricaandthecontinent’sHorn.Thephotographshowsanuntidybushwithlongleavesstandingnotmuchtallerthanametrehighonaridground.Infact,it’sanondescriptplant,lookingforalltheworldlikeaweed.Andnowit’sbeingplantedinLimpopoProvince.

Whatonearthfor?

Theanswerisasexcitingasit’ssurprising.TheseedsoftheVernoniaplant(Vernoniagalamensis)areladenwithoilwhichisapotentialsourceofnaturalepoxyfattyacids.Infact,thiscouldbeanalternativesourceofrawmaterialtothenoxiouspetro-chemicalproductscurrentlyusedinthemanufactureofplastics,PVC,adhesives,insecticides,paintandepoxyresins.Inshort,thiscouldbethestartofthegreeningofSouthAfrica’splasticsindustry.

That’swhypreliminarytrialsoftheVernoniaaccessionsarebeingconductedundertheauspicesoftheSchoolofAgriculturalandEnvironmentalSciencesontheTurfloopcampusofLimpopoUniversity.ThemaninchargeofthisimportantresearchisAssociateProfessorHusseinShimelis.HeworksintheDepartmentofPlantProduction.Onhisdeskhehasglassjarscontainingsamplesofthedarkgrey-greenVernoniaseeds.There’salsoacopyofoneofhisscientificpapers:‘PerformanceofVernoniaasanAlternativeIndustrialOilCropinLimpopoProvinceofSouthAfrica’,publishedintheauthoritativeAmericanjournal CropScience.

‘TherehasbeenlimitedresearchdoneonVernoniaintheUnitedStates,’Shimelispointsout.‘It’susefulnesshasbeenestablished.Butthedifficultyisthattheplantcan’tbegrowninthetemperateregions.It’sverymuchanAfricanplant;itthrivesinaridconditions.That’swhy,afterIhadcametotheUniversityofLimpopoin2004,Ibegantheresearch,introducingtheplantintotheuniversity’sexperimentalfarmbyusingseedsfromEthiopia.’

Allatonce,theconnectionbecomesapparent.ShimelisisalsofromEthiopia.Hispresencehereisasignificantgainfortheuniversity–andforagricultureintheprovince.

‘MyparentswereEthiopianfarmers,’heexplains.‘It’swheremyinterestinplantsandagriculturefirstbegan. I did my basic plant sciences degree at Alemaya University of Agriculture in east-central Ethiopia.’

Butabasicdegreewasn’tenoughforShimelis.HisambitiontookhimallthewaytotheNetherlands,wherehedidaMastersinplantbreedingatWageningenUniversity,aleadingEuropeaninstitutionforthestudyofthelifesciences.By2000,Shimelishadbegunworkonhisdoctorateinplantbreedingandcropimprovement–andheelectedtodoitattheUniversityoftheFreeStateinBloemfontein.

AfterbeingawardedhisPhD,andafterworkingforashorttimefortheAgriculturalResearchCouncilasaseniorresearcherinBethlehem(intheeasternFreeState),ShimelisjoinedtheUniversityofLimpopowhereheteachesundergraduateandpostgraduatecoursesinplantbreedingandbiometrics,andproceedswithhisVernoniaresearch.

‘ThequestionsIwantedtoanswer,’Shimelisexplains,‘wereprettybasic.WillitgrowhereinLimpopo? CanIproducegoodseeds?Willtheoiloff-takebeenough?Istartedwithdrylandarealowrainfalltests–andtheresultswereremarkablysuccessful.’

Thetrialstookplaceovertwoyears(2005and2006)andinvolved36differentaccessions.Significantdifferenceswereobservedindays-to-flowering,plantheight,numberofproductiveprimaryandsecondaryheads,seedweightper1000seeds,andseedoilyield.Ofthe36differenttrialsundertaken,fivewereidentifiedas‘potentiallyuseful’.

‘Wehaveachievedyieldsof900litresofoilperhectare,andthiswillbesubstantiallyincreasedbyimprovingthegrowingconditionsbyaddingfertiliserandwaterasaidstogrowthandyield.’Inspiteoftheseearlysuccesses,Shimelishasbynomeansfinishedhisresearch.Sofar,hehasbeenworkingwithasmallgrantfromanagriculturalagencyinRomethatspecialisesinplantgenetics.‘NowIwanttodosomebreeding,’hesays.‘Wehavehighseed-yieldaccessionsthatdon’thavehigh

P A G E 2 6

oilyields,andotheraccessionsthatproducefewerseedsthataremuchhigherinoilcontent.Clearly,bycarefulcrossingofselectedmaterial,wehaveanexcellentchanceofendingupwithhighyieldsofseedsthatinturnarehighinoilcontent.’

ShimelisalsowantstodotrialsonothersitesindifferentphysicalenvironmentsthatmightbemoreconducivetotheproductionofVernonia.AnareaintheMpumalangaLowveldaroundTzaneenisinhissights.TothisendheiswritingaproposaltotheNationalResearchFoundationwhich,ifsuccessful,willenablehimtoenlargetheVernoniatrials.Sofar,twopostgraduatestudentshavegainedMastersdegreeswhileworkingontheproject.AnNRFgrantwouldbringmoreresearchpossibilitiestotheSchoolof Agriculture and Environmental Sciences.

ThepotentialforcommercialagricultureinLimpopoandothernorthernSouthAfricanregionscannotbe

over-estimated.Vernoniaoilcouldalsoimpactsignificantlyonthepositioningoffutureplasticsmanufacturingplants.Vernoniaoilwillaccelaratethemoveawayfrompetro-chemicalswhichareexpensiveand cause considerable amounts of pollution. As an example,Shimelisreferstothetoxicgasesthatarereleasedwhenmodernplastic-basedpaintsareused.WhenVernoniaoilisusedasaningredient,thetoxinsarenolongervolatile.

Limpopo’simportsfromEthiopia–boththeplantandtheman–areofgreatvaluetotheprovince.Vernoniaseemscertaintobecomeanimportantcommercialcrop.Shimeliswillhelptomakeitthat.HeliveswithhisEthiopianwifeandtheirtwochildrenontheTurfloopcampus.Inhisprofessionalcapacity,thissonofEthiopianfarmershasanimportantcontributiontomake.

THE BAD NEWS AND THE GOODSince LimpopoLeader’sinterviewwithhiminNovemberlastyear,ProfessorShimelishasleftTurflooptotakeupapositionattheAfricanCentreforCropImprovementbasedonthePietermaritzburgcampusoftheUni-versityofKwaZulu-Natal.He’llbesupervisingdoctoralstudentsfromseveralAfricancountries.ThereissomegoodnewsforLimpopothough.‘MyresearchonVernoniawillbeongoing,’Shimelisexplains,‘andIalsohavemastersstudentsundermysupervisionattheUniversityofLimpopowhoarepartakingintheVernoniaresearch.Thosearrangementswillcontinue.’

Associate Professor Hussein Shimelis

P A G E 2 7

Meet the new members of the E-TeamPROFESSOR NHLANHLA MAAKE: THEUNIVERSITY’SnewExecutiveDeanoftheFacultyofHumanities,ProfessorNhlanhlaMaake,isawiseand cultured man.

Hetalksabouttheimportanceofa‘balancebetweentheintellectualenterprisethatauniversityshouldstimulateandthepracticalmanifestationofthisenterprise’.Inthisway,heprovidesasnapshotofthesymbioticrelationshipbetweenresearchandteaching,andresearchandoutreach.Buthegoesfurtherthanthat.

Intalkingaboutthehumanpotentialinsidehisfaculty,hesays:‘Weneedtofindawayofstratifyingthevariousrolesthatexist,andoffittingindivi-dualsintothemaccordingtotheirindividualstrengths.Thoseacademicswithapassionforteaching,orforresearch,orforoutreach,needtobegivenappropriateopportunities.Weneedinthefacultytofindabalancebetweenthefigurative(theresearch)andtheliteral(theteachingandtheoutreach).’

Maakewasbornin1956intoatimecharacterisedbythehardeningofapartheidideologyandpractice.HehadbeenborninEastwood,asmallPretoriasuburbthatsoonbecameknownasanundesirable‘blackspot’.ItwaswipedoffthemapthroughforcedremovalswhenMaakewaseightyearsold.HisfamilywasrelocatedtoThokoza,atownshiplocatedatleast60kmawaytothesouth.BecausetherewerenohighschoolsinThokozaatthetime,MaaketravelledtoSowetoforhissecondaryeducation.Hematriculatedin1974,thenstayedonasajuniorteacheruntiltheendofthatmostfatefulofyears,1976.Afteraspellofactinginthetheatre,whereheworkedwithsuchpersonalitiesasCorneliusMabazo,DavidPhetoweandZakesMofokeng,MaakefoundhiswaytotheUniversityoftheNorth(nowLimpopo).

Thepoliticalstormsofhisformativeyearsdidnotabate.Hewasdetainednofewerthanthreetimesduringhisthree-yearstay.ButhealsofoundthetimetocompletehisBAdegreewiththreemajors:Sotho,EnglishandEducation.ThistookhimtoWitsUniver-sitywhereheworkedasatutorintheDepartmentofAfricanLanguageswhileatthesametimecomplet-inghisHonoursinComparativeLiterature.In1983,hewasinvitedtotakeupascholarshipinDenmarktostudytranslationunderthetutorshipofrenownedphilologistProfessorLudwigAlbertsenofAarhusUniversity,andayearlateraBritishCouncilscholar-

shiptookhimtoStrathclydeUniversityinScotland.HerehecompletedhisfirstMasterofLettersdegree.HetackledasecondinEngland,spendingtwoyearsonanintensivestudyofVictoriantimes:thegreatEnglishwriterslikeDickens,Thackeray,theBrontësisters;aswellasthephilosophy,architectureandreligionofthetime;andthegreatsocio-politicalmovementsliketheindustrialrevolution,theriseoftradeunionismandMarxism,andthecreationofthebiggestempiretheworldhadeverseen.Hegraduatedattheendof1987.

ButhewouldreturntoBritainafewyearslater,afterastintatYaleintheUSA,totakeupateachingpostatLondonUniversity’sSchoolofOrientalandAfricanStudies.Duringthisperiodhealsostartedonhisdoctorate(throughUnisa),whichwasfinallyawardedin1995.Thefollowingyearhecamehome.HeheldthepositionsofProfessorofAfricanLanguagesatWits,ProfessorofDramaattheUniver-sityofPretoria,andPrincipaloftheSebokengcampusofVistaduringitsincorporationintoNorthWestUniversity.

Now,at52,Maakehasreturnedtohisalmamater.Hebearsthequietauthorityandastutenessbornoffiercepersonalexperienceweddedtoawideandhumaneeducation.

‘Ihadachoiceofwhattodonext,’headmits,‘butIhadlittlehesitationinchoosingLimpopo.Therearerealprospectsforchangehere,forimprovements,forgenuineAfricanachievement.I’mexcitedbybeinginapositiontoplayarole.IcertainlybelieveIhaveanimportantroletoplay.’

WithregardtohisplansfortheFacultyofHumani-ties,Maakesaysimmediatelythathewillbeguided,first,bytheuniversity’svisionandmission,and,second,bythedetailoftheInstitutionalOperatingPlan.‘OfcourseIhaveavisionforthefaculty;butfirstandforemostIhavetoalignitwithreality.Mymostimportantstartingpointwilldealwiththebasics.Thatmeansafacultystaffcommittedtothedeliveryofexcellence,committedtoprofessionalism,punctualityandefficiency.Itcanonlybeonthatbasisthatmyideasofstratificationcanbebuilt.Fromthatfounda-tionI’llbelookingtoguidethefacultyintoresearchandcommunitypartnershipsthataregenuinelymeaningful.And,ohyes,I’mverykeenongeneratingcreativewritingopportunitiesforstudents.Iconfessthatwillbeapetprojectofmine.’

P A G E 2 8

THE WISDOM FACTOR

Professor Nhlanhla Maake

P A G E 2 9

Meet the new members of the E-TeamProfessor Obeng Mireku –

Professor Obeng Mireku

P A G E 3 0

INTELLECTUAL ADVENTURER ‘THEEARLYprofessorstendedtomovefrominstitutiontoinstitutionandcountrytocountry.Theywererathersimilartowanderingminstrels.Theywereintellectualadventurers.Theymadeknowledgeaninternationalcommodity.Mylifehastendedtoreflectthoseearlytendencies.’

ThevoicebelongstoProfessorObengMireku,Turfloop’snewExecutiveDeanofManagementandLaw.He’sacompact,charmingman,andhesmilesoftenasheprovidesasynopsisofhisremarkablecareer.

‘IwasborninGhana,’hebegins,‘inasmallvillagenotfarfromthecityofKumasi.IwenttoanexcellentRomanCatholicprimaryschool,andlatertoanequallyexcellentPresbyterianteachertrainingcollege.ButI’mactuallyMethodistbypersuasion.SoyoucanseethatfromanearlyageIwasexposedtoabroadviewofthings.’

ButMireku’sadventuresreallybeganwhenhebecamealawstudentatthenationaluniversityinLegon.HesoonbecameamemberoftheStudents’RepresentativeCounciland,ashesayswithoneofhissmiles,‘didmanyrevolutionarythings’.Tobeginwith,theSRCmountedsustainedprotestsagainsttherepressivemilitaryregimeofColonelIgnatiusAcheampongandhisnotoriousNationalRedemptionCouncil.Thenin1976,theSRCpersuadedtheauthoritiestoreceivealargenumberofblackSouthAfricanstudentsaftertheSowetoriots.

‘Wecertainlyempathisedwiththem,’Mirekurecalled.‘Weunderstoodwhatrepressionwas.AndtheSouthAfricansurgedustocontinuewithourprotests.Wedid.TheresultwasthatbythetimeIwastryingtodoapostgraduatedegree,Iwassohoundedandhuntedbythemilitary,thatIwasobligedtogointoexile.IwenttoLiberia,littleknowingthatLiberiawasasrepressiveasGhanaatthattime.IneverthelesswasabletoteachinaLiberiancollege.’

TheSouthAfricanswhohadappearedatLegonalsospoketellinglyabouttheacutescarcityofhumancapitalamongblackSouthAfricansunderapartheid.TheyurgedMirekutogotoSouthAfrica.ThisthemewasrepeatedwhenhewenttoNigeria,whereforseveralyearshelecturedlawintheCollegeofProfessionalStudiesatOnitsha.AnditwasfromNigeria,in1985,thatheacceptedthechallengeandcametothe‘independent’Transkei.

WhileSouthAfricamovedinexorably,andoftenviolently,towardsfreedom,MirekuworkedasahighschoolteacherinTranskeischools.AtthesametimehecompletedaMasterofLawsthroughWitsUniver-sity.Armedwiththisqualification,hetookupalecturingpostatFortHare.InthatcapacityhesucceededinobtainingascholarshiptostudyinGermany.HewenttotheUniversityofHannoverin1997;hestudiedconstitutionalandhumanrightslaw;hereceivedhisDoctorofLawscumlaudein1999.Hewas49yearsold.

TheSouthAfricanlegofhisitinerantintellectualjourney continued. He became a senior lecturer in lawatFortHareandthendepartmentalheadinthatuniversity’sDepartmentofConstitutionalandPublicInternationalLaw.HethenmovedtotheUniversityofVendaasaprofessor,atthesametimeservingaspart-timelecturerintheMasterofLawsprogrammethathadbeenestablishedattheUniversityoftheNorth(nowLimpopo).AtVenda,hewaschargedwiththeresponsibilityofsettinguptheIsmailMahomedCentreforHumanandPeople’sRights(IsmailMahomedwasSouthAfrica’sfirstblackChiefJustice)andfinallybecameVenda’sDeanoftheSchoolofLaw.

Nowhe’stakenonhisnextchallengeatTurfloop.Behindhimliesthislongroad:Ghana,Liberia,Nigeria,SouthAfrica,GermanyandagainSouthAfrica.Behindhim,aswell,liesCatholicismandProtestantismandschoolteachingandlaw.Inlaw,hehasstudiedboththeBritishprecedent-basedcommonlawandthestatute-basedcivillawasenunciatedintheRoman-Dutchmodel.Hehaslivedwithrepressionandhumanrightsabuses;hehasspecialisedinconstitutionalandhumanrightslaw;andhehaswitnessedtheemergenceofSouthAfrica’sConstitutionalCourtthatisbasedontheGermanmodel.Thelinesofhisexperienceandlearningdivergeandintersect.Thereisanintellectualrestlessnessbeneaththecharm.

‘Intellectualadventurersiswhatweneed,’herepeatswithasmile.‘Itisincumbentonusheretoengineeranewsociety.Itisthereforeincumbentonallacademicleaderstomakethatagoal.Thebestwayofdoingthisistoprovidethetypeofeducationthatdirectsstudentstowardsfreeenquiry.Becauseitisonlythroughfreeenquirythatwecanbuildasocietythatvaluesequality,humandignity,freedom,andresponsiblecitizenship.’

P A G E 3 1

Meet the new members of the E-TeamProfessor Hlengani Siweya – ENTHUSIASTIC MANAGER

PROFESSORHLENGANISIWEYAisnotstrictlyspeakingnew.He’sbeenaroundtheTurfloopcampusforyearsandyears,firstasanundergraduatestudent,thendoingpostgraduatedegreeswhileteaching,andultimatelyastheDirectoroftheSchoolofComputationalandMathematicalSciences.Limpopo Leader15(Spring2008)revealedthathewasinthemiddleofhistwo-yeartermasPresidentoftheSouthAfricanMathematicsSociety.Nowhe’sbeenpromotedtothepositionofExecutiveDeanofScienceandAgricultureattheUniversityofLimpopo.

‘IconfessthatIhavealwaysaspiredtomanagementpositions,’Siweyasays.‘Tomakeacontributiontothisinstitutionasawholeisimportanttome.Thisisverymuchmyuniversity.Itshistoryisapartofme.Tohelptoleadittopre-eminenceinAfrica,andinterna-tionally,thisiswhatIwanttodo.’

HisstartingpointishisFacultyofScienceandAgriculture.It’salargefacultythatspansbothcampuses,yetitprovidesafundamentalcomponentofsomuchthatistaughtinotherfacultiesaswell.Siweyaiswellawareofthepivotalimpactthathisfacultymustmakeastheuniversityaspirestoitsownmissionandvision,andtomakingtheInstitutionalOperatingPlanasuccess.

‘Whatismypersonalroleinallthis?’heasks–andanswersimmediately.‘Ibelieveittobetochampionthefacultystaff.Ineedthehandsandfeetofmypeopletogetthejobdone.Thereforemyabilitytomotivate a large group of talented people is of paramountimportance.Strategiesnotsoldtothepeoplewhomustcarrythemoutwon’twork–hencetheneedforthefacultyIheadtounderstandwhatitis I am doing!’

Siweyahasalreadyheldseveral‘facultyindabas’.Whathasemergedareseveralserious‘facultychallenges’thatthestaffalonewillneedtosolve.

Identifiedbythenewdeanasoneofthemostpressingisthematterofrecruitment.‘Notenoughstudentsareenteringthevariousschoolsanddepart-mentsinthefaculty,’heexplains.‘Oneoftheproblemshereisthatmanyofourstudentsleaveenrolmentperilouslylate.Thisisbecausetheyhavefirsttriedtogetintootheruniversities.Whentheyfail,theycometousatthelastmoment.

‘Ourentrancecriteriaarenothigh;evenso,manystudentsstrugglewiththefirst-yearsyllabuses.SoweofferanextendedBScprogramme,whichspendsthefirstyearpluggingtheholesinstudents’knowledgeofmathematics,physics,chemistryandbiology,aswellasimprovingtheirEnglishlanguageandcomputerskills.Butweneedmorestudentstobeginwith.’

Siweyahasalreadydevisedaplantohelpthesituation.Heplanstotakethefaculty’smathsandscienceexpertiseintoLimpopohighschools.Inthisway,thecompetenceoflocalschoolleaverswillbeimproved.Butasimportant,relationshipswillbebuiltupbetweenthefacultyandthemosttalentedpoten-tialstudents–adirectrecruitingdevicethatisalmostcertaintoimprovethecurrentsituation.

‘It’sourdouble-edgedsword.Itwilldefinitelyhelplocalschoolsandschoolteachers.Butitwillalsohelpthefacultyinthefollowingyearswhenlearnersfromtheseschoolsenterhighereducation.’

Butultimately,Siweyasays,hisroleistocreatethespacefor,andbolstertheself-beliefof,hisfacultystaff.Hisobviousdeterminationandenthusiasmwillgoalongwaytoachievingthesuccesshedesires.

P A G E 3 2

Professor Hlengani Siweya

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Umpires with sport and cultural administrators at Medunsa inter-school athletic championships – 2 March 1985