self-examined - University of South Africa

STAFF NEWSLETTER
JUNE 2009
Comprehensive universities
self-examined
Back, Prof. Narend Baijnath, Prof. Malusi Balintulo, Prof. Mandla Makhanya, Prof. Barney Pityana; Front, Prof. Heather Nel, Ms Trish Gibbon, Dr Lis Lange,
Prof. Angina Parekh, and Prof. Rachel Gumbi.
INSIDE
Page 2
Decade of ODL in Commonwealth
examined
Page 4
Research partnerships afford
collaborative opportunities
Page 14
Majesty of universe revealed
Page 18
Woman a democratic
dividend for society
Page 22
Develop lifetime
recreational skills
To celebrate its first five years as a
dedicated distance education and
comprehensive institution in South Africa,
Unisa is holding a series of events, one of
which, the Conference on comprehensive
universities: A critical reflection on
experiences, aspirations, frustrations
and successes, was held in Senate Hall,
Muckleneuk Campus on 1 June 2009.
In his opening address, Prof. Barney Pityana,
Principal and Vice-Chancellor, asked whether
there was an adequate enabling policy environment
in place for comprehensive universities to
function optimally.
Dr Lis Lange, Executive Director of the Higher
Education Quality Committee, Council on Higher
Education (CHE) spoke on differentiation and
diversity in her keynote address, titled The ´´d´´
word in higher education: reflections on fitness of
and fitness for purpose. She stated that the human
costs of the mergers of institutions of higher
education had been high as logistics and business
models took precedence over institutional culture
and academic issues, but they also revealed the
resilience of the staff of universities.
Reflecting on the experiences of the
comprehensive universities were Prof. Heather
Nel, Director of Strategic and Institutional
Planning, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan
University (NMMU), Prof. Mandla Makhanya,
Pro Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Rachel Gumbi,
Vice-Chancellor, University of Zululand (UZ),
Prof. Malusi Balintulo, Vice-Chancellor, Walter
Sisulu University (WSU), and Prof. Angina
Parekh, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, University of
Johannesburg (UJ). While the commonalities
revealed between the comprehensive universities
were overwhelming, it was obvious that each
institution had also grappled with unique issues.
The question-and-answer session was led by
Ms Trish Gibbon, Director: Academic Planning,
Department of Academic Development and
Support, UJ, and the conference was closed by
Prof. Narend Baijnath, Vice-Principal: Strategy,
Planning and Partnerships. He emphasised that it
was necessary to present these experiences in such
a way that they could feed into a formal discourse
on comprehensive universities. For this purpose,
the presentations would be adapted to formal
papers and included in a publication that would be
brought out by Unisa Press.

Decade of ODL in Commonwealth examined
The Commonwealth of Learning (COL), in collaboration with the National Open University of Nigeria
(NOUN) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), held a forum on
A Decade of Open and Distance Learning in the Commonwealth: Achievements and Challenges.
Prof. Dele Braimoh, Prof. Asha Kanwar (COL), Prof. Barney Pityana, and Ms Jennie Glennie (South African Institute for Distance Education)
Held in Abuja, Nigeria, from 18 to 20
May 2009, the workshop was attended
by 238 participants from 13 selected
Commonwealth countries, and was
officially declared open by the President
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,
Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua, who was
represented by the Honourable Minister
of Education, Dr Sam Ominyi Egwu.
The President and CEO of COL, Sir
John Daniel, presented a keynote address
while Prof. Olugbemiro Jegede, the
Vice-Chancellor of NOUN, facilitated the
workshop.
Prof. Barney Pityana, Principal and
Vice-Chancellor, presented the state of
ODL practice at Unisa, and chaired the
ninth plenary session, where four group
reports were taken on the identification
of strategies for promoting advocacy
for ODL, including ten action steps
for improving access, quality and cost
reduction in Commonwealth countries as
a blueprint for the next decade.
Prof. Dele Braimoh, the UNESCO Chair
of ODL and Director of the Institute for
Open and Distance Learning (IODL),
also actively participated at the forum,
where he served as the chairperson of
PAGE 2
two parallel sessions one on research
and capacity building and the other on
strategies for promoting advocacy for
ODL in Commonwealth countries.
Four breakaway groups focused
critical discussions on the areas of
advocacy, policy, mobilisation and
implementation of ODL; the use of ODL
to promote access; the achievements
of and challenges facing ODL in the
Commonwealth; and the way forward for
the next decade.
Among some of the recommendations
adopted and included in the Forum
communiqué are the following:
• Member countries should be urged
to develop ODL policy to guide all
ODL activities.
• Member countries should establish
open schools, and open polytechnics
as funds and capacity allow.
• Institutions should set up better
evaluation and assessment
techniques and methods that will key
into quality assurance of ODL.
• Member countries should also
establish effective and efficient 21st
century learner support services.
• Commonwealth governments
should establish ODL Coordinating
Agencies for ODL in their respective
countries and COL should support
and assist these initiatives.
• There should be opportunity for
transfer of ODL course credits
among Commonwealth countries
and institutions.
• There should be effective
promotion of ODL research in
all the ODL institutions in the
Commonwealth.
Prof. Olugbemiro Jegede, Vice
Chancellor of NOUN and UNESCO
Chair of ODL Nigeria at the
Conference, will be the presenter at the
IODL’s 2nd Occasional Lecture Series
at Unisa on 29 June 2009.

A call for innovative thinking
“We are unlikely to go forward with old thinking. We need to explore new ways of thinking and venture into
different ways of doing.” This was the appeal made by Prof. Barney Pityana, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, at
the Management Planning Lekgotla and Summit from 24 to 26 May 2009.
During the two days of the lekgotla,
members of Unisa’s executive and
extended management identified and
debated the internal and external factors
that will shape Unisa’s future and affect
its long-term sustainability. At the summit
the following day, members of senior and
middle management joined the executive
and extended management to review the
critical issues confronting the University,
and to work towards a mutually accepted
plan of action.
For more about this event, see Prof.
Pityana’s column, From the Vice-
Chancellor’s desk, on page 24. A detailed
report will be compiled and disseminated
shortly. Later this year a more focused
review of Unisa 2015: An agenda for
transformation and of the Institution’s
progress will follow.
Prof. Narend Baijnath (Vice-Principal: Strategy, Planning and Partnerships), Ms Jeanette Botha
(Office of the Principal), Ms Liana Griesel (Executive Director: Department of Strategy, Planning
and Quality Assurance) and Prof. Dawid van Wyk (Assistant Principal) share a lighter moment at
the lekgotla.
Voices of Rwanda continue to haunt
Dr Anthony Court, Prof. Narend Baijnath, Mr Issie Kirsh, (Chairman: Primedia Ltd, which sponsors the Primedia Holocaust and Genocide Unit),
Mr Taylor Krauss, and Prof. Tinyiko Maluleke (Executive Director: Research) at the launch event
The Primedia Holocaust and Genocide Unit hosted Mr Taylor Krauss, Executive Director of the Kigalibased
oral history database project, Voices of Rwanda. This project is dedicated to recording and preserving
testimonies of Rwandans who survived the 1994 genocide in that country. The project aims to ensure that
these testimonies inform the world about genocide and the terrible consequences of a passive international
community.
Dr Anthony Court, senior researcher at
the Unit, led a delegation of students and
scholars from South Africa and the United
States to Rwanda in August last year to
study the circumstances and consequences
of the genocide, which claimed the lives
of approximately 800 000 people over
a period of 100 days. It was during this
visit that Dr Court invited Mr Krauss
to visit Unisa to explore avenues of
future cooperation and to investigate
the feasibility of establishing Unisa as a
repository of the Voices of Rwanda oral
history database.
Mr Krauss visited Unisa on 6 and 7 May
2009, during which he held wide-ranging
discussions with Unisa staff
and students.
PAGE 3

Research partnerships
afford collaborative opportunities
Managing the risks of water shortage
Rand Water and Unisa have had
a long association conducting
industry-commissioned research
in the fields of environmental
management and ornamental
horticulture and landscaping
so it was deemed appropriate
to formalise the partnership
by signing a memorandum of
understanding on 6 May 2009.
The College of Agriculture and Environmental
Sciences (CAES), through the
Applied Behavioural Ecology and
Ecosystem Research Unit (ABEERU),
with its expertise, experience and
infrastructure will provide tertiary
training in the form of educational and
research projects in the relevant fields,
while Rand Water will provide funds on
a project basis for the financial support of
the research project. The partnership will
benefit the country, both institutions and
students, and will empower a group of
people in water conservation.
According to Mr Mbuyiswa Makhubela,
Manager: Logistic Services, Rand Water,
South Africa’s available freshwater
resources are already almost fully
utilised and under stress. In addition,
Targeting child health and road safety
Unisa signed a memorandum
of understanding with Monash
South Africa and the South African
Medical Research Council (MRC)
in Cape Town on 3 June 2009 to
establish a collaborative research
partnership in the areas of health
promotion and injury prevention,
particularly in the areas of child
health and road safety.
This agreement brings together the
research of the MRC, the MRC-Unisa
Crime, Violence and Injury Lead
Programme and the Monash University
Accident Research Centre (MUARC)
through its Injury Prevention and Safety
Promotion research node based at Monash
South Africa in Johannesburg.
The agreement will promote a number
of new collaborative opportunities
ranging from staff exchange to research
opportunities for students and an active
research partnership in the areas of road
Prof. Jimmy Hendrick, (Director: School of Environmental Sciences), Dr Maggi Linington
(Executive Dean: CAES), Mr Mbuyiswa Makhubela and Prof. Leslie Brown (School of
Environmental Sciences) in relaxed mood after the MoU signing
safety, child health, acute care and trauma
and community engagement.
Prof. Barney Pityana, Principal and Vice-
Chancellor, said, “With the international
recognition of the signatories for
there are an increasing number of factors
that could create a water crisis, such as
climate change and a growing population.
Research into managing the risks of water
shortage is crucial.
Prof. Anthony Mbewu (President of the MRC), Prof. Richard Larkins (Vice-Chancellor of Monash
University), and Prof. Mandla Makhanya (Pro Vice-Chancellor) signing the MoU
excellence in research and teaching, we
believe that this relationship will be of
great mutual benefit to our institutions,
students and staff, as well as the broader
South African community”.
PAGE 4

CHS at postgraduate supervision conference
Dr Oupa Lebeloane, Dr Vivian Manyike, Prof. Rosemary Moeketsi, Prof. Philip Higgs, Dr Mishack Gumbo, and Dr Nkopodi Nkopodi
Prof. Philip Higgs and Dr Vivian
Manyike from the Department of
Educational Studies, and Dr Oupa
Lebeloane, Dr Nkopodi Nkopodi,
and Dr Mishack Gumbo from the
Department of Further Teacher
Education attended a postgraduate
supervision conference on
research and practice from 27 to
30 April 2009 in Stellenbosch as
part of the Scholars’ Development
Plan of the College of Human
Sciences (CHS).
The Graduate School of Business
Leadership (SBL) has scooped an
award from EDUNIVERSAL, an
organisation that aims to provide
students around the world with
assistance in selecting the best
universities in particular fields. Unlike
other newspaper and magazine
rankings that focus mainly on
MBA programmes, EDUNIVERSAL
identifies the best business schools
and provides students, professionals,
HR executives and academic officers
with a global panorama of the best
educational opportunities.
The theme of the conference was
Postgraduate supervision: research and
practice. The conference highlighted the
fact that postgraduate supervision is a
process involving complex academic and
interpersonal skills. These skills include
guiding postgraduate students towards
sound proposal preparation, methodological
choices, documenting and publishing
their research, maintaining both supportive
and professional relationships, and
reflecting on the research process. Such
requirements pose challenges, not only to
students and supervisors, but also to those
SBL scoops international award
EDUNIVERSAL rated the top 1 000
business schools in the world out of
an estimated 3 000+ worldwide from
October 2007 to April 2008.
The main criteria included international
recognition of business schools,
international accreditations,
membership of international
academic associations and guilds,
and position in international,
regional or national rankings.
The SBL received three palms,
and the school is recognised as
an excellent business school with
strong national and continental
links. According to Prof. David
Abdulai, CEO and Executive
Director of the SBL, “The prize is
a very important achievement for
the SBL as it shows that the work
involved in the total business of postgraduate
work.
The five sub-themes linked by the conference
were supervisor challenges, student
challenges, supervision as scholarship, assessing
and evaluating postgraduate work,
and postgraduate supervision support. The
intention is now for these members of
staff to focus on postgraduate supervision
and postgraduate work in general.
that has been done so far is acknowledged
internationally. The award highlights the
growing success of the SBL and rewards
the efforts made by our team”.
Prof. David Abdulai and Ms Cristal Peterson
(SBL Marketing and Communications Manager)
PAGE 5

Role of business in society revisited
What is the role of management and business in society? What kind of business leader does the world need
today? Dr Jopie Coetzee, Senior Lecturer: Strategic International Business at Unisa’s Graduate School for
Business Leadership (SBL), shared his view on these and other related questions in his topical discussion
entitled The social contract with business: What lies beyond social corporate responsibility? during a breakfast talk
hosted by the SBL alumni association on 19 May 2009.
According to Dr Coetzee, many global
leaders and thinkers share a common
world vision. Business, political and
societal leaders aspire to deliver a “world
order of inclusive globalisation”, that
is, a world where human security in its
broadest sense is assured, where global
poverty has been significantly eradicated
and humanity at large benefits from
globalisation. Dr Coetzee said this dream
will only come true if new values, mindsets,
roles and responsibilities, especially
in the world of business, are adopted. It
would also require a new kind of business
leader able to envision and lead
the way to a world order of inclusive
globalisation.
Dr Coetzee’s presentation was followed
by a lively question-and-answer session
in which the changing role of business
and a need to revisit the education
of tomorrow’s business leaders were
debated. Ms Deanna Voget, SBL Alumni
Relations Officer, says the SBL alumni
association regularly hosts such events
with the aim of creating a knowledge and
networking platform for business people
and alumni.
Front, Dr Jopie Coetzee, Dr Claudelle van Eck (COO: Institute of Internal Auditors
South Africa and Chairperson: SBL alumni association); Back, Mr Michael Glensor
(HR Manager: Liviero and SBL alumni association member), and Ms Deanne Voget
Storyteller captivates Unisa community
Vikas Swarup says he considers
himself a storyteller rather than a
writer, but Q&A, the first published
book from his pen, has already
been translated into 42 languages,
while its cinematic version,
Slumdog Millionaire, received no
less than eight Oscars, four Golden
Globes and seven Baftas this year.
The Unisa community and those
taking part in the Young Academics
Programme had the privilege of attending
a presentation on 28 May 2009 in which
the author shared more about his book.
As Deputy High Commissioner of India
in South Africa, Mr Swarup doesn’t have
much time for writing and has to juggle
his role as diplomat and writer. The
novel is based on the Who wants to be
a millionaire? quiz show and deals with
luck, destiny and contemporary India,
showcasing the best and the worst of
humanity.
Two of the young academics, Ms Princess Bembe and Dr Natasja Holtzhausen, with Mr Vikas
Swarup, Prof. Rosalie Finlayson (Project Leader: Young Academic Programme), and Prof. Narend
Baijnath (Vice-Principal: Strategy, Planning and Partnerships), who invited Mr Swarup
Commenting on Slumdog Millionaire, Mr
Swarup said the movie perfectly captured
the current zeitgeist. He commended
the movie for the brilliant child actors,
the exceptional music and its fusion of
various genres, and the breathtaking
cinematography. He said that he does
not regard himself as the “father” of the
movie, but rather as its “godfather”.
PAGE 6

Relentless hope of
student experience
The Directorate: Curriculum and Learning Development (DCLD) recently hosted its second Conversation
Forum on 14 and 21 May 2009 in Pretoria and Florida respectively. This was the second in the series of
six Conversation Forums planned for 2009 around the theme Unravelling the student learning experience:
implications for teaching and learning in an ODL context. The focus during this Conversation Forum was
on the impact of the life worlds of Unisa students on staff understanding of the University’s responsibilities
towards ensuring a supportive and effective learning environment.
Using the film Testing hope as
background, the Forum explored the
diverse stories and histories of Unisa’s
students. A panel of students then
reflected on and shared how their personal
histories and backgrounds had shaped
and still shape their studies at Unisa. The
Pretoria panel consisted of Mr Trevor
Noah, Ms Germinah Khoza,
Mr Kgwadi Masemene and Ms
Onkgopotse Mokwena, while in Florida
Mr Xola Mpendukana, Mr Phathisani
Ncube, Ms Luyanda Mhlongo, Ms
Lorraine Magadze and Ms Lerato
Mbonyane represented the students.
On the one hand this Conversation Forum
provided a disturbing snapshot of how
little Unisa seems to understand and
take into account the students’ hopes,
challenges and futures. But on the other
hand, it also provided an amazing picture
of the enduring and relentless hope, often
against many odds, that students engender
in their studies.
Ms Onkgopotse Mokwena, Dr Paul Prinsloo (DCLD), Dr Azwy Tshivhase (Acting Director:
DCLD), Mr Kgwadi Masemene, and Ms Germinah Khoza at the Pretoria Forum
Creating an enabling environment
“We all have a responsibility to
create an enabling environment
at this University”, affirmed Prof.
Barney Pityana, Principal and
Vice-Chancellor, at a meeting of
the Unisa Women’s Forum (UWF)
held on 8 May 2009 in the Senate
Hall on the Muckleneuk Campus.
Sharing with members the 2009 state
of the Institution and the role that they
could play in helping Unisa achieve
its objectives, the Principal went on to
interrogate his statement. “An enabling
environment is not about facilities or
technologies; it’s not about what I want,
or what I like or what necessarily makes
me feel good, important as that may be.
Dr Judy Henning (UWF Secretary), Prof. Barney Pityana, Dr Anniekie Ravhudzulo (UWF
Chairperson), and Prof. Zodwa Motsa (UWF Deputy Chairperson)
I think it is about the responsibility we
take, each and every one of us, to create
an environment that enables participation
and growing and the creation and
formation of relationships in the academic
setting; in other words, to be responsible
for the creation of the kind of community
that we would like to be part of.”
PAGE 7

Zuma era interrogated
Stimulating critical debate on issues of our time is the avowed aim of the School for Graduation studies
seminar series and The Zuma era: its historical context and the future lived up to this claim. The paper
was delivered by Prof. Raymond Suttner, School for Graduation Studies, Theo van Wijk Building on the
Muckleneuk Campus on 4 June 2009.
After giving a brief outline of African
National Congress (ANC) history from
its founding as the South African Native
National Congress (SANNC) in 1912,
Prof. Suttner asserted that the organisation
became insignificant as a driver of
state policies from the moment of taking
office in 1994. Mbeki’s centralism was
laid down during Mandela’s presidency
and, while the reconstruction and development
programme (RDP) was described
as a people-driven programme, it was, in
fact, a period of top-down government
management. He felt that there was very
little difference between Mbeki and Zuma
in content, although there was a difference
in style.
Dr Mcebisi Ndletyana, senior research
specialist in the Democracy and Governance
research programme of the Human
Sciences Research Council (HSRC), was
the discussant to this provocative interrogation
of ANC continuity.
Prof. Peter Stewart, Prof. Raymond Suttner, and Dr Mcebisi Ndletyana
Library notches up more firsts
Unisa Library is the first library
in South Africa to offer access to
AirPAC, a wireless catalogue. This
means that from now on users
will be able to view and access the
Library’s catalogue and documents
via their cellphones. This new
service, a dedicated research
space, and the Unisa institutional
repository were introduced to
distinguished guests and members
of the media at a function hosted
by the Unisa Library on
11 May 2009.
AirPAC is a wireless e-catalogue that
allows users to view documents on
alternative devices such as mobile phones
and personal data assistants (PDAs).
Users can search the catalogue, read full
text articles and books, renew their loans
and request books from their mobile
phones.
The dedicated research space on level 4
has wireless access to Internet facilities,
access to a comprehensive journal
collection, computers, a reading room and
professional information services.
Prof. Rita Maré (Vice-Principal: Academic and Research), Dr Buhle Mbambo-Thata (Executive
Director: Library), and Prof. Tinyiko Maluleke.
The Unisa institutional research
repository is a digital repository of the
research and intellectual output of the
Unisa community, and includes articles,
working papers, speeches, conference
papers, books, newspaper articles and
even video files.
The Executive Director: Research, Prof.
Tinyiko Maluleke, praised the Library
for this development and emphasised
the value it had in terms of the rating
of researchers for the University and
the National Research Foundation.
“Researchers are very excited about the
opportunity to publish intellectual output
on the repository and to enhance their
profile in the research community.”
PAGE 8

Cricket integral to
imperial project
The latest offering from Unisa Press, Empire and Cricket, illuminates the complex relationship between cricket
and the making of South African society between 1884 and 1914.
This critical era for South Africa and
the British Empire encompassed the
economic revolution following the
discoveries of diamonds and gold, the
Anglo-Boer War, and the segregationist
structuring of South African society. The
book demonstrates the way in which
cricket lay at the heart of social and
political developments in South Africa
and the wider Empire, and reveals that
cricket was integral to the imperial
project.
The volume’s contributors, from the UK,
South Africa and Australia, explore the
impact of cricket on race and class and
document the role of the small and tightly
knit white elite with overlapping interests
in cricket, politics and business, and the
largely ignored world of “non-white”
(African, Coloured and Indian) cricketers
and politicians.
The book recalls the feats of those who
first placed South African cricket on the
international map – Bernard Tancred,
Barberton Halliwell, Jimmy Sinclair,
Buck Llewellyn, Reggie Schwarz, and
Aubrey Faulkner – and chronicles the
stories of cricketers like Nathaniel
Umhalla and Robert Grendon, who
never had the chance to perform on the
international stage. Empire and Cricket
is more than an account of cricket in
South Africa at a crucial period of its
development; it is also a critical addition
to the narrative of segregation, Empire
and the growing literature of sport in
history.
This beautiful coffee-table book would
make an ideal Father’s Day or Christmas
gift for the sports aficionado.
Empire &
cricket.
The South
African
experience
1884 – 1914
Bruce Marray and Goolam Vahed
(editors), with foreword by
André Odendaal
Tel: 012 429 3448 or
thearl@unisa.ac.za
R270
One of the more than 70 rare historic photographs illustrating the book
PAGE 9

Staff accolades
PROF. DAVID ABDULAI
Prof. David Abdulai, CEO and Executive
Director of the Graduate School of
Business Leadership (SBL), was recently
elected to serve on the Board of the
Association of African Business Schools
(AABS).
AABS was registered as a non-profit
organisation in 2007. It aims to promote
excellence in business and management
education in Africa by supporting
graduate business schools through
capacity building, collaboration and
quality improvement. The Association
currently boasts a membership of 19
member schools from all over the
continent.
Prof. Abdulai is ready to take on the
challenging task of ensuring that AABS
develops programmes that will improve
the practice of management in African
organisations, and to enhance the
relevance and contribution of business
schools to policy debate on African
development research and policy
development. His appointment will go
a long way to enhancing the image and
reputation of the SBL as the leading
African business school of choice offering
internationally recognised leadership and
management education.
Prof. David Abdulai
Prof. mamokgethi setati
Prof. Mamokgethi Setati, Executive
Dean of the College of Science,
Engineering and Technology (CSET),
was honoured on 11 May 2009 at the
induction ceremony of the University
of the Witwatersrand Chapter of the
Golden Key International Honour
Society for her outstanding work in
mathematics education, community
work and leadership.Golden Key is a
global non-profit organisation, which
was founded in 1977 in Atlanta, Georgia,
USA. Golden Key recognises and
encourages academic excellence amongst
the top 15% of university students all
over the world. Membership of the
Society is by invitation only, to students
in all fields of study, based solely on the
objective evaluation of their academic
achievements.
Prof. Mamokgethi Setati
Prof. Philip Higgs
A member of the School for Graduate
Studies in the College of Human
Sciences, Prof. Philip Higgs, has been
awarded a Ford Foundation Grant to
participate in an international research
project on the Changing academic
profession.
The project is of international and
national significance insofar as it sets out
to examine the nature and extent of the
changes experienced by the academic
profession in recent years. The project
will consider the implications of these
changes in terms of how attractive the
academic profession is as a career and
the ability of the academic community to
contribute to the further development of
knowledge societies and the attainment of
national goals.
The project, relying on a six-stage model
of change, will compare different national
higher education systems, institutional
types, disciplines and generations of
academics.
The project team is made up of Prof.
Philip Higgs, the Project Leader, Prof.
Isaac Ntshoe and Prof. Leonie Higgs from
the Department of Educational Studies,
and Prof. Charl Wolhuter from the
University of the North West.
Prof. Kris Pillay
Prof. Kris Pillay, Director of the School
of Criminal Justice, has been awarded the
status of Fellow of the United Kingdom
Security Institute. Prof. Pillay is the first
South African to achieve Fellowship
standing with them.
The Security Institute has approximately
1 000 members and is the largest
association for security professionals in
the UK. It promotes the highest possible
standards of probity and professional
competence in the business of security,
by working with the public and private
sectors, and with other security-related
associations, by agreeing on core
standards, networking and by encouraging
excellence in training.
Prof. Kris Pillay
Prof. Isaac Ntshoe, Prof. Leonie Higgs, Prof. Rosemary Moeketsi (Executive Dean: CHS) and
Prof. Philip Higgs
PAGE 10

Dr Emmanuel Ziramba
Dr Emmanuel Ziramba of the Economics
Department received his PhD in
Economics from the University of
Pretoria on 14 April 2009. He also
received an Economic Research Southern
Africa (ERSA) award for being among
the top doctorate students in Economics
in South Africa. Only two prizes are
awarded annually.
Dr Ziramba was recently awarded the
African Institute for Economic Modelling
(AFRINEM) Prize for outstanding
performance in Economic Research at
Doctoral Level. He published no less
than six articles in accredited journals
during 2008, while another article has
been published in 2009, and yet another is
forthcoming.
This year Dr Ziramba is planning to do
research in Defence Economics, which
is a fairly new discipline involving the
application of economic principles and
analysis to defence issues.
Dr Emmanuel Ziramba
Dr Elvis Saal
Dr Elvis Saal, Department of Afrikaans
and Theory of Literature, successfully
defended his doctoral thesis on The
persuasive effect of teenager slang in
print-based HIV messages at Radboud
University Nijmegen on 9 May 2009.
According to Dr Saal, he chose Radboud
University Nijmegen because his study
fell within the domain of the field of
document design. “This field of study
is not well-known in South Africa,” he
explained, “and is only studied at Unisa
and to some degree at the University
of Stellenbosch and Pretoria. On the
other hand, researchers at universities
in The Netherlands and, in particular,
the Radboud University Nijmegen, are
experts in the field of document design.
To learn from the best in the field on
document design, I decided to pursue
my studies at the Radboud University
Nijmegen, with promoters from both that
university (Professors Hans Hoeken and
Carel Jansen) and from Unisa (Prof. Piet
Swanepoel).”
Dr Elvis Saal defending his doctoral thesis in
The Netherlands
Ms Danisile Ntuli
For the past three years, Ms Danisile
Ntuli from the Department of African
Languages has been presenting creative
writing workshops to prisoners at Durban
Westville Correctional Services. Her
hard work and dedication were rewarded
when two books, Umuntu akalahlwa and
Ziyosulwa izinyembezi, which were the
result of the workshops, were launched on
19 November 2008 at a ceremony held at
the Westville Correctional Centre Sports
Field.
Ms Ntuli and her former Unisa
colleagues, Prof. DBZ Ntuli and Mrs MN
Makhambeni, were presented with awards
from the Department of Correctional
Services in recognition of the initiative
they had taken to unearth and develop the
writing talents of the prisoners.
Mr John Roos
The Artistic Director of the Unisa
International Music Competitions was
nominated to represent Unisa at the
annual General Assembly of the World
Federation of International Music
Competitions (WFIMC), which was
held in Melbourne under the auspices of
Chamber Music Australia.
Matters of mutual concern to the
organisers of international music
competitions belonging to this prestigious
Federation were discussed at this meeting.
These get-togethers provide important
opportunities to strengthen international
networks and exchange ideas to improve
the conditions for the winners of
competitions.
The 5th Unisa International String
Competition is scheduled to take place
between 22 January and 5 February 2010,
while the 2nd Unisa National String
Competition will take place between 26
June and 3 July 2009.
Mr Glen Kwok (President: WFIMC),
Mr John Roos, and Dr David Mawson
(Administrator: Leeds International
Piano Competition)
Colleagues of the Department of African Languages celebrating Danisile’s ’s success with her
From left: Dr EM Mabuza, Mrs CD Ntuli, Dr TN Ntshinga, Prof SE Bosch & Dr MR Masubelele
PAGE 11

Healing perspectives around HIV and TB
The Unit for Social Behaviour
Studies in HIV/AIDS and Health
(USBAH), in conjunction with the
Tshwane Traditional and Faith
Healers’ Forum (TTFHF), hosted a
seminar on 6 May 2009 entitled
African healing challenges: Bringing
together the healing perspectives
around HIV and TB. More than 80
participants attended the seminar
In his opening address, Prof. Mandla
Makhanya, Pro Vice-Chancellor, indicated
that the seminar was an important step in
addressing the impact of HIV/AIDS on
the University community and society.
He also stressed that the Institution and
Executive Management should take the
outcomes of the seminar further.
Mr Leon Roets of USBAH explained
the purpose of the seminar as the
first stepping stone in establishing an
advocacy platform to integrate the
different African traditional and faithhealing
perspectives on HIV and TB.
He also mentioned that USBAH would
like to play a strategic role in bringing
interested parties together for this
purpose. Other speakers on the day
included Prof. David Dickinson from the
Prof. Mandla Makhanya receives a kanga as a sign of appreciation for his participation from
Dr Matamaga Thamakga (TTFHF).
Wits Business School; Dr Gilbert Martin
and Dr Kenny Swakamisa from TTFHF,
and Dr Vuyelwa Vatsha, a medical doctor.
Some of the outcomes of the seminar
include joint advocacy and lobbying
initiatives, further capacity development
for the traditional healers, research
opportunities, and academic engagement
between Unisa and traditional healers. For
more information, please contact the Unit
on 012 352 4105 or 012 429 6975.
Traditional healing plants investigated
Prof. Kensese Mossanda of the Chemical Pathology Department, University of Limpopo-Medunsa Campus,
was the speaker at the 3rd CAES African Scholar Programme Seminar held on the Florida Campus on 15
May 2009. Expatiating on the topic, Molecular mechanisms underlying the activities of some African medicinal
plants used in the traditional treatment of HIV/AIDS, cancer and inflammatory diseases, Prof. Mossanda noted
that Asian and African traditional medicines are used to treat the whole body in a holistic way.
Various African medicinal plants used
for centuries in the traditional treatment
of inflammatory diseases, cancer and
now for HIV/AIDS in Southern Africa
were assessed to confirm those anecdotal
observations. Some, such as cancer
bush (Sutherlandia fructescens), devil’s
claw (Harpagophytum procumbens)
and rooibos tea (Aspalathus linearis)
did appear to have chemopreventive
and chemoprotective activities and
the identification of active ingredients
merited further investigation.
Prof. Kensese Mossanda
PAGE 12

Truimph of the human spirit
Ms Ednah Onyari, Dr Rakgadi Phatlane, Ms Julia Matetoa, Mr Kabelo Maja, Ms Dikeledi Mahlo, Mr Ricky De Agrela, Ms Princess Bembe,
Dr Matholeni Nkosinathi Ngcobo, and Ms Tintswalo Tivana
“An ordinary guy who does
extraordinary things and inspires
others to do the same,” said
Prof. Tinyiko Maluleke, Executive
Director: Research, in introducing
Ricky De Agrela, who came to
address the Young Academics on
his 2003 Freedom Flight piloting
a microlight aircraft 64 000 km
around five continents.
Much fun was had by all at
the launch of the Department
of Business Management’s
P 4 Initiative, a community
engagement initiative to help
pre-schools in need. P 4 stands for
the Paper Project for Pre-schools
to Prosper.
Despite the death of fellow pilot, Alan
Honeyborne, in China, the flight was
completed and serves as an example
of the triumph of the human spirit over
trauma and adversity.
The talk, Courage and determination: is
it within us all?, on 14 May 2009 in the
Senate Hall, Muckleneuk Campus, was
organised by the Research Directorate as
part of the Young Academics Programme
2009. “The circumstances around us don’t
How does P 4 work? Instead of throwing
away used paper, members of the
Department of Business Management
collect their used printouts (no sensitive
information is allowed) where the
reverse side is blank. Once a generous
amount has been collected, the binding
department binds the batches of paper
and these books are donated to preschools
in need for drawing, painting and
Community Centre to donate 7 500
bound sheets of paper. It was a humbling
paper crafts.
Please send your contributions and to fun-filled the editor event. The team was even
During at farres@unisa.ac.za Child Protection Week, on or call 012 joined 352 by the 4159 Wag Team if (two “famous”
27 May 2009, representatives of the
you have any queries or comments.
Jack Russell dogs) from Do it with
Department of Business Management
and Child Welfare Tshwane visited
the Eersterust Pre-primary School and
Dogs, which performed a show of the
Children’s Bill of Rights for the children
of Eersterust Community Centre.
necessarily need to be what drives us,”
concluded Mr De Agrela. “It’s the choices
we make that determine the outcome of
what we do.”
Some of the young academics then had
the opportunity of interviewing Mr
De Agrela, and this was followed by a
question-and-answer session chaired by
Prof. Maluleke.
P 4 paper project prospers pre-schools
Ms Caren Louw (Child Welfare, Tshwane) and Ms Natasha da Silva-Esclana (Department of
Business Management)
This is a valuable community project that
other departments might wish to join or
emulate, and provides a good example
of the support of the Unisa community
for the United Nations Global Compact
(UNGC), which relates to human rights,
labour standards, the protection of the
environment and anti-corruption.
PAGE 13

Posters forming part of the International Year of Astronomy 2009 project entitled From earth to the universe
Majesty
revealed
of universe
PAGE 14

The College of Science, Engineering and Technology (CSET) celebrated the International Year of Astronomy
2009 at the Dr Miriam Makeba Concert Hall, Muckleneuk Campus, on 11 May 2009.
The astronomers at the event took the
spellbound audience, including learners
from various schools around Pretoria, on
an intriguing journey through space.
The keynote speaker, Prof. Hakeem M
Oluseyi, Assistant Professor in Physics
and Space Sciences at the Florida Institute
for Technology, gave a scintillating
and thought-provoking presentation on
dark matter and dark energy, entitled
Understanding the dark universe.
He said that galaxy motions appear to
be inconsistent with the known laws of
physics in at least five reasonably wellobserved
dynamical processes. If two new
components, coined “dark matter” and
“dark energy”, are added to the universe,
then these apparent violations of the laws
of physics can be resolved.
Prof. Derck Smits, Deputy Director of
Unisa’s first research centre of excellence,
the Centre for Relativity, Astrophysics
and Cosmology (CRAC), presented the
various parts that make up our universe,
while Ms Patricia Skelton, a master’s
student in Astronomy, presented her
research on eclipsing binary stars.
The day ended with a tour of the
Unisa observatory for all the school
children.
PAGE 15

African marketing drive showcases Unisa
Mr Godfrey Tshikhudo, Ms Thembeka Ntuli, and Mr Madumo
Rampedi in Mbabane
Mr Godfrey Tshikhudo (right) with the Director of Miroverre Ltd, Mr Jean Pilot, who graduated
from Unisa in 1984. He was one of the first Unisa students to graduate in Mauritius.
SWAZILAND AND MOZAMBIQUE
Mr Madumo Rampedi and Mr Godfrey
Tshikhudo from Corporate Communication
and Marketing (CC&M) and Ms
Thembeka Ntuli from the College of
Human Sciences (CHS) visited Mbabane,
Swaziland for a student recruitment drive
from 1 to 2 May 2009. Approximately
three hundred people – current students,
potential students, students from other
institutions of higher learning, and the
public – attended the presentations to learn
about Unisa career offerings, the ODL
model, and the new registration processes.
The marketing team then set up
at an exhibition hosted by CADE
Unifying Africa Through Education
“The United Nation’s theme for this year’s Africa day celebrations is Unifying Africa through education,”
pronounced Ms Khabonina Maduna of the Centre for African Renaissance Studies (CARS) in her address at
the Africa Day celebration hosted by the Unisa Library at the Muckleneuk Campus on 25 May 2009.
Africa Day has been observed since
1963 to celebrate the founding of the
Organisation of African Unity (OAU) –
which was re-established as the African
Union (AU) in July 2002. The year
2009 marks the 46th anniversary of this
important day to Africa and her diaspora.
“Given this backdrop, the Unisa
Library forms a crucial part of this
year’s celebrations as the largest and
most resourced university library in the
Southern hemisphere,” Ms Maduna said.
She also introduced colleagues and guests
to the CARS library, which published pan
African related work, and stated how this
library can only function well through the
support of the Unisa Library as well as
Unisa Press.
(Communication Academy for
Development) in Maputo, Lesotho, from
4 to 9 May 2009. Preceded by workshops,
presentations and debates on challenges
facing institutions of higher learning
globally, this exhibition is one of the
biggest annual events in Maputo. It is
attended by more than 3 000 people from
all walks of life and attracts both local and
international exhibitors.
MAURITIUS
A four-member marketing team from
CC&M, the College of Science,
Engineering and Technology (CSET),
and the College of Agriculture and
Environmental Sciences (CAES) visited
Speaking on various issues related
to scholarly developments in Africa
were Unisa librarian Mr Dawie Malan,
Ms Lindi Nhlapo of the International
Federation of Library Associations and
Institutions (IFLA) regional office, Dr
the International Career Guidance and
Educational Fair held in Mauritius from 21
to 23 May 2009 as part of the annual Unisa
international recruitment drive.
The aim of the visit was to inform
prospective students about study
opportunities and the Unisa registration
process. The exhibition was extremely
busy with up to 15 000 visitors visiting
each day.
Attending such events is in line with the
University’s marketing plan to increase
student numbers. Other marketing drives
this year will target countries such as
Namibia, Botswana, Ethiopia
and Kenya.
Gerda Mischke of the Directorate for
Curriculum and Learning Development
(DCLD) and Ms Ansie van der
Westhuizen of the Unisa Institutional
Repository (UnisaIR).
PAGE 16
Africa was foregrounded in an exhibition assembled by Unisa Press, the African
languages department, CARS, the Unisa Library and Botsotso publishers.

Changing the world for GIRLS
The Unisa community once again participated in the annual Cell C Take a girl child to work day campaign on
28 May 2009. This year the theme of the campaign was Change your world.
The speakers at a function in the Protea
Restaurant on the Muckleneuk Campus
organised by the Community Engagement
and Outreach Directorate included Dr
Anniekie Ravhudzulo, Chair: Unisa
Women’s Forum, Ms Hazel Makhanya,
Bureau for Counselling, Career and
Academic Development(BCCAD), and
Ms La-Portia Matjila, Deputy Director:
Registration. The speakers provided a
great deal of information, motivation
and inspiration for the girl learners who
attended the day at Unisa.
The North Eastern Region held activities
in both the Polokwane and the Nelspruit
offices, facilitated by the regional
communications officer, Ms Segopotje
Leshilo, who is based in Nelspruit.
Girls from Trinity High School spent
the day with mentors from the Student
Counselling, Facilitation of Learning,
Marketing and Registration Departments
in Nelspruit, who showed them what
Dr Anniekie Ravhudzulo with one of the girls who visited Unisa
a day in the life of Unisa is like. In
Polokwane, five young girls were guests
at a breakfast meeting with the media
and had the opportunity to interact with
members of the press and to witness a
business function in progress.
Winter blues got you down?
Although people living in the
northern hemisphere are affected
more severely, those living in
sunny South Africa may also suffer
from seasonal affective disorder
(SAD), commonly known as the
winter blues, says Ms Heleen du
Toit of the Department of Health
Studies.
The body’s daily biorhythms and moods
are stimulated by direct light entering
the eyes. The secretion of the hormones
serotonin and melatonin in the brain
are controlled by daylight. Bright light
stimulates the secretion of serotonin, the
happy hormone. It is known that a lack of
serotonin causes depression.
Melatonin, the sleepy hormone, is
secreted mainly at night while bright
sunlight at daylight is the signal to stop
secreting the hormone. This explains why
you might keep on pressing the snooze
button on your alarm clock in the winter
months!
“The effect of SAD includes oversleeping
but not feeling refreshed, the need for
a nap in the late afternoon, cravings for
carbohydrates that lead to weight gain,
depression, despair and misery, irritability
and social isolation. You see, it is not
only the cold weather that keeps you from
going out with friends,” empathises
Ms Du Toit.
How can you beat the winter blues?
Understand the reasons for not feeling
great. Look after yourself by eating
sensibly and exercise. Foster positive
thoughts, talk to someone and ask for help
when you spot the signs of trouble. If the
condition is serious, as is often found in
Europe, you can use a dawn simulator, a
bedside device that simulates the rising of
the sun or a phototherapy lamp – a light
that is five times brighter than office light.
But for sunny South Africa, a get-together
with family and friends to celebrate
winter with a drink of hot chocolate or
coffee, flavoured with a spoonful of your
favourite liqueur, should be sufficient.
For more information, Google winter
blues.
PAGE 17

Women a democratic dividend for society
Brains and glamour were the
order of the day as the College
of Science, Engineering and
Technology (CSET) celebrated
Women in Science, Engineering
and Technology in style on 12
May 2009, with serious scientists
strutting their stuff in stilettos to
the sounds of violin and piano
and surrounded by various
inspirational, colourful posters and
pop-up banners celebrating Unisa
women scientists.
Ms Phuti Malabie, Managing Director
of Shanduka Energy (Pty) Ltd, made
a strong argument that young women
should be regarded as a democratic
dividend for society. She said the
country’s population consists of 41%
young people and 52% women, yet
young women remain in the minority
in the scientific community. She called
on the country to harvest young women
and to develop a pool of skilled, trained
scientists.
Budding 18-year old inventor, Ms Simone
Abramson, has provisionally patented
the intellectual and commercial rights
for her world-first invention using a
new biometric method to identify a
person. This Grade 12 pupil at Herzlia
High School in Cape Town presented
Speakers included Prof. Harrison
Atagana, ISTE; Prof. David Mogari,
ISTE; Dr Nick Taylor, CEO: JET Educ
Service and Mathematics textbook author;
Ms Joanna Holliday, Head: Mathematics,
Pretoria Boys’ High School; Prof.
Johann Engelbrecht, Director: South
African Mathematics Foundation; and
Ms Penny Vinjevold, Deputy Director-
General: Further Education and Training,
Department of Education.
It is hoped that symposiums such as
these will take place more regularly to
provide a platform for the mathematics
community to debate the development of
mathematics in South Africa.
Ms Simone Abramson, Prof. Mamokgethi Setati (Executive Dean: CSET), and Ms Phuti Malabie
her research project on her discovery
that the fundus or back of the eye area
has elements that are different in each
individual person, a discovery that
opens a world of opportunities for photo
identification of individuals.
Opening the event, Principal and
Vice-Chancellor Prof. Barney Pityana
noted that CSET is making huge strides
Maths and matriculation
towards eradicating the continued gender
disparities in science, engineering and
technology. He said that Unisa looked
forward to CSET becoming an example
to higher education institutions, not
only in South Africa, but in the world,
both in terms of its excellence and its
commitment to transformation and
equity.
The Institute for Science and Technology Education (ISTE), established to further research in mathematics,
science and technology education at Unisa, hosted a symposium entitled The developments in mathematics
education in South Africa: mathematics results in the 2008 matriculation examinations. The symposium attracted
participants from within and outside the University, but predominantly mathematics teachers at the FET level,
private mathematics tutors, mathematics students and university academics
Prof. David Mogari, Dr Jeanne Kriek (ISTE), Prof. Harrison Atagana, Ms Penny Vinjevold,
Ms Joanna Holliday, Prof. Johann Engelbrecht, Dr Nick Taylor, and Dr Enunuwe Ochonogor (ISTE)
PAGE 18

Region roundup
Gauteng
Prof. Barney Pityana, Principal and Vice-
Chancellor, has embarked on a tour across
Unisa’s five regions to update regional
staff on various institutional issues and
for staff to engage him on the challenges
that they come across. On 11 May 2009,
he met in open forum with the staff of
Gauteng region at the ZK Matthews
Hall on the Muckleneuk Campus. The
proceedings were chaired by Ms Moipone
Masalesa, the Regional Director for
Gauteng.
Prof. Pityana gave an update of what
management is involved in at the
moment, especially his direct interest in
the role of the regions. “I want to spend
more quality time talking to staff and
students and the intention is not to silence
but rather for common engagement in
Prof. Mandla Makhanya (Pro Vice-Chancellor), Prof. David Mosoma (Deputy Vice-Chancellor
and Vice-Principal: Learner Support and Student Affairs), and Prof. Barney Pityana
a collegial manner. The aim is to look
at what we need to do better to help
students,” he said.
Midlands
The Executive Director: Learner Support,
Dr Mmori Mokhaba, recently visited the
Rustenburg Hub in the Midlands region to
present a document on the re-demarcation
of the regions to regional extended
management and student formations.
Other presentations included the
accessibility of financial aid by students
in the region and services offered to
students with disabilities.
Dr Mmori Mokhaba (front, second from right) with Midlands regional management
North Eastern
North Eastern region held a breakfast
meeting with the media in Polokwane
on 28 May 2009. Those who attended
the function were from the SABC and
The Observer and the Capricorn Voice
newspapers.
The idea of a media function was to
establish relationships with media in the
region, as the media are an important
stakeholder. The function was very well
received by the media representatives
with calls for closer interaction and
liaison in the future.
At the media breakfast were Ms Caroline Maponya (Capricorn Voice), Ms Yolande Nel (The
Observer), Mr Ronald Mphephu (SABC), and Mr Victor Ravhuanzwo (Regional Director: SABC)
(on the right), together with Unisa staff and the girls hosted for the Take a girl child to work day
PAGE 19

HRD workshop
for first-line managers
Mr André Horne, Ms Regina Ramoshebi, Mr Ian Mann, and Mr Lazarus Nenungwi
The Human Resources
Development Directorate is
currently hosting a series of
workshops for first-line managers.
These workshops form part of the
University’s integrated leadership and
management strategic framework, and
are intended to ensure that academic and
administrative first-line managers are
exposed to leadership and management
development in order to deal with Unisa’s
unique challenges.
The first workshop in this series of
workshops was held on 29 May 2009
and facilitated by Mr Ian Mann, author
of the bestseller Management with intent.
The workshop focused on some practical
insights he had gained about management
and leadership, and a framework
for thinking about management and
leadership.
Delegates received copies of Mr Mann’s
book at the end of the workshop and were
treated to stimulating discussion with him
about leadership and management.
Use your camera to document religion
The Department of Religious
Studies and Arabic is proud to
announce the 2009 Religion
Photo Documentary Competition.
Photos can be submitted in either of the
following two categories:
Category 1: General Religion
Photos depicting any religious movement
(e.g. Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Judaism,
Buddhism, New Age Movements)
Category 2: African Religion
Photos depicting African Religion as it has
been traditionally practised, has influenced
and been influenced by modernity (e.g.
the use of modern media in traditional
settings), has mixed with and changed
Christianity and Islam on the African
continent (e.g. in the African Independent
Churches, or hybrid forms of Islam in West
Africa), or has manifested itself in the
African Diaspora (e.g. Voodoo in Haiti, or
Condomble in Brazil).
Prizes
In each category the following cash prizes will be awarded:
First Prize: R1 250
Second Prize: R1 000
Third Prize: R750
Competition rules
The competition is open to everyone. All entries must reach the Department of
Religious Studies and Arabic by 30 October 2009.
Submissions must include the following:
• Name of photographer
• Date, place and short description of photo
• Photos can be in digital or hard copy (photo prints) format.
For more information, email eickedm@unisa.ac.za or chettd@unisa.ac.za
Alon Judelman’s photograph of Rabbi Lefkowitz writing a Torah Scroll took the first prize in 2008.
PAGE 20

Domestic violence & religion
to be researched
The Unisa Department of Practical
Theology in the College of Human
Sciences (CHS) recently hosted
colleagues from the Radboud
University Nijmegen (RUN)
in The Netherlands and other
South African universities during
a pre-proposal workshop for a
collaborative research project on
domestic violence and religion.
Following on talks with Prof. Chris
Hermans of RUN during 2008, Prof. Jaco
Dreyer discussed the proposed project
with academic researchers at Unisa, the
University of Johannesburg (UJ), the
University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN)
and the University of the Western Cape
(UWC) in order to set up a team of senior
South African researchers. Prof. Hermans
did likewise in The Netherlands. They
also approached experts in this field in
The Netherlands and South Africa to
serve on a board of consulting scholars
for this project.
A pre-proposal workshop, in which the
draft research proposal was discussed
in detail, afforded the team the
opportunity to listen to the experiences
and needs of people working in this
Front, Dr Genevieve James (Unisa), Rev. Phumzile Zondi-Mabizela (KZNCC), Ms Sakina
Mohamed (South African Council of Churches), Prof. Diana Gibson (UWC), Prof. Maaike de
Haardt (RUN); Back, Prof. Isabel Phiri (UKZN), Prof. Jaco Dreyer (Unisa), Dr Sarojini Nadar
(UKZN), Prof. Chris Hermans (RUN), and Ms Shahana Rasool-Bassadien (UJ)
field. Representatives from faithbased
organisations (FBOs) and nongovernmental
organisations (NGOs)
working in the field of domestic violence
were invited to share their experiences
with the academic researchers during this
pre-proposal workshop.
The outcome of the workshop will be a
research proposal that is owned by the
research team and informed by the policy
needs of people working in this field.
Letting go of useless baggage
You can’t move on unless you
let go of what you have was the
premise of the talk delivered by
Dr Anniekie Ravhudzulo from the
Directorate for Curriculum and
Learning Development (DCLD) at
the Institute for Gender Studies
High Noon Seminar in the
Dr Miriam Makeba Concert Hall
on the Muckleneuk Campus
on 28 May 2009.
Using her own story to illustrate her
message, Dr Ravhudzulo urged the
audience to let go of the past and focus
on the present. “I packed my past in
a suitcase and I bid it goodbye,” she
asserted. “We can’t progress because
we are carrying baggage and holding
grudges. Once you let go of your past and
focus on the present, you will become a
victor and not a victim.”
Dr Anniekie Ravhudzulo
“Your condition is not your conclusion,”
Dr Ravhudzulo promised. “It is the
beginning of your new life.”
She concluded her talk with a series of
coping strategies that would enable those
who needed to move on and start
afresh.
PAGE 21

To run, or not to run? There is no question
Thirteen runners from the Unisa Athletics Club participated in the Wally Hayward 10 km Race that took place
on 1 May 2009 at Zwartkop High School in Centurion, and ran away with eight silver medals (with red tags)
and five bronze medals (with white tags). For a club that was only officially licensed with Athletics Gauteng
North (AGN) and Athletics South Africa (ASA) on 29 January 2009, the runners’ performance was a sign that
the club is set to grow from strength to strength.
Membership is open to Unisa staff and
students. The main purpose of the club is
to promote wellness
A publication
within the University
by the
community through road running and
walking. The annual registration fee is
R170 for staff members and R125 for
students. Of this, R100 pays for the
annual licence issued by AGN, and R25
is for an annual access card into the
Pilditch stadium for training sessions.
The remaining funds go into the club’s
account to cover any administration costs.
The training schedule is as follows:
Tuesdays at 16:30
- Speed sessions at Pilditch stadium
Thursdays at 16:30
- Hill sessions at Unisa
Sundays at 06:30
- Long-run sessions starting and ending
at Unisa
“People are very welcome to join the
club in its training sessions even if they
haven’t paid the prescribed fee,” says Ms
Matome Lebepe, the club secretary,
The triumphant team after the Wally Hayward 10 km race
“but they will only be regarded as
registered members after paying the
fee. Registered members are expected
to participate actively in the club’s
activities, especially the training sessions.
Of course, we respect individual
circumstances that might get in the way,
such as work and family.”
Develop lifetime recreational skills
For further enquiries, contact Ms Matome
Lebepe at 012 429 2390 or
lebepmt@unisa.ac.za.
The Unisa Staff Sports Association
provides a place for all staff
members to get together to
develop lifetime recreational skills,
physical fitness and attitudes that
may positively affect personal
health and quality of life. The
varied sporting and leisure
menu from which staff can
select comprises soccer, netball,
volleyball, athletics and darts.
The Southern African Universities Staff
Sports Association (SAUSSA) Games
have now become an annual fixture in
December and rotate between various
southern African campuses. To keep
costs down, the games on each occasion
are hosted on a university campus,
competitors are housed in student hostels
and the local campus sports facilities are
used. Unisa joined SAUSSA in 2000, and
since 2005 has been winning gold medals
consistently.
“We’d like to thank the Unisa Council,
the Principal and Management, and all
departments that have sponsored us in
the past for their support,” said Mr JP
Matlala, President of the Unisa Sports
Club and Vice-President of SAUSSA.
“The University of Namibia will organise
and host the 2009 SAUSSA Games
in December, and we invite all staff
members to try out for the various teams.”
All members of staff who would like to
participate should contact Mr JP Matlala
at 012 481 2859 or at
matlajp@unisa.ac.za.
Some of the Unisa SAUSSA competitors in Malawi in 2008
PAGE 22

Visiting law expert promotes
contact with Belgium
The Department of Mercantile
Law hosted a guest lecture on
20 April 2009. Prof. Caroline van
Schoubroeck from the Institute of
Commercial and Insurance Law of
the University of Leuven delivered
a lecture entitled An overview of
the different compensation schemes
in Belgium and their relationship
with insurance law. The lecture
was attended by members of the
School of Law and by colleagues
from the Law Faculty of the
University of Pretoria.
Prof. Van Schoubroeck did some research
in the Unisa Library and was particularly
impressed by the extensive range of
publications available. She also attended a
luncheon at the Ambassador of Belgium’s
residence and will endeavour to promote
more contact between Belgium and South
African researchers at tertiary level.
Ms Wennette Jacobs and Prof. Johan van Niekerk from the Department of Mercantile Law with
Prof. Caroline van Schoubroeck
ACE representatives visit Unisa
The College of Economic and
Management Sciences (CEMS)
recently hosted a group of four
representatives from the USA
who visited Unisa as part of a
programme by the American
Council on Education (ACE). The
objective of the programme is to
expose members to universities
outside America. This year the
members visited Ghana and
South Africa.
ACE represents more than 1 800 campus
executives, presidents and chancellors
from all types of US-accredited, degreegranting
institutions: community colleges
and four-year institutions, private and
public universities, and non-profit and
for-profit colleges and related associations
and organisations.
Dr Chenyang Li (Department Chair and Professor of Philosophy, Central Washington University),
Prof. Hellicy Ngambi (Acting Executive Dean of CEMS), Dr Ellen J Kabat Lensch (Executive
Director of Resource Development and Innovation, Eastern Iowa Community College District),
Ms Angela M Espada (Associate Dean for Students and Admissions, Purdue University,
Indianapolis), and Dr Dereck J Rovaris (Assistant Dean, Graduate School Director of Graduate
Placement and McNair Scholars Programme, Xavier University of Louisiana) take time out to
commune with nature at the Farm Inn conference centre in the east of Pretoria.
PAGE 23

Word from the
Vice-Chancellor
Any gathering of senior
executives of any organisation is
a rewarding experience. It is an
occasion for colleagues to reflect
in common, assess progress,
learn more, discover afresh – to
listen more and judge less! It is
as much about team building as
it is about planning. And so it
was for colleagues in the senior
executive team when we gathered
at Kloofzicht Lodge from 24 to
25 May 2009. We had already
committed ourselves to devote
this year to an evaluation of five
years of the merger as South
Africa’s “single, dedicated distance
education and comprehensive”
institution. We had launched the
5-year review publication Five
Years On: Transformation
2004-2009 at an event on 20
April 2009, and later heard a
significant graduation address
delivered by the former Minister
of Education, Prof. Kader Asmal.
The next commitment was to review
the University’s strategic plan, Unisa
2015: An agenda for transformation. The
document was adopted in 2005 and first
came into operation in 2006. There was
a commitment to have a major review
of the document within three years. A
review session is planned for August
this year. Kloofzicht 2009 was to be the
first instalment in the review process.
This year, we were privileged to have
Mr Clem Sunter as a facilitator on the
Monday of our retreat.
Mr Sunter is recognised as the doyen of
scenario planning in this country. His
studies and exercises on “the mind of a
fox” are considered the most innovative
in management development worldwide.
Mr Sunter took us through exercises
on the dynamic and changing higher
education environment in South Africa
– the threats and opportunities that our
University could face.
Of significance was the affirmation that
Unisa was in good shape and whatever
threats it faced were internally generated.
In other words, the University needed
to be more confident about itself, more
cunning in the execution of its strategy,
and diplomatic in its external relations. It
experiences. There is a sense in which
would Please be difficult send for your the University contributions to be
Unisa to suffers the editor from a chronic trust deficit.
sustainable if its members themselves did
at farres@unisa.ac.za or call 012 Senior 352 management 4159 needs if to trust more
not believe sufficiently in its future and in
navigating you have her to any her destiny. queries Somehow, or comments. the goodwill and capability of those at
lower levels to perform according to
Editor:
Design and Layout:
we were struck by the thought that
Unisa would only advance if we adopted
“uncommon thinking” in our processes
and thinking and in the manner in which
we went about our business.
We emerged with clarity of thought and
determination in action. We observed that
Unisa had excelled itself in its planning
and strategy, its resource management
and allocation, in its vision and in the
quality of its personnel. Notwithstanding
that, however, there was a very real
sense that Unisa just failed to deliver on
its potential, namely, on that which it
promises. We identified a yawning gap
between what we promise and what we
actually achieve. This has to do with
implementation.
We have now resolved to devote much
time and resources to implementation
strategies, and to consolidate whatever
we have gained. We have resolved to set
up a unit on enterprise-wide architecture
that will set in place scaffolding of
process mapping, systems, accountability
and outcomes. Alongside that there is to
be a unit on efficiencies, perhaps in the
Enterprise Risk Management Directorate,
so that we may be proactive in being
sensitive about wastage, and work
practices that are inefficient and wasteful.
We have also affirmed the ODL direction
the University is taking, noting with
appreciation the work that is being done
institution-wide by the ODL Steering
Committee. It was considered that a
major effort needed to be undertaken
to pay heed to the needs of first-year
registrations at Unisa, both to create an
ODL culture, mindset, and discipline, as
well as to mitigate the risks of dropout
and failure among new entrants at an
ODL institution.
The Unisa Management Summit this
year was held at Gallagher Estate in
Midrand immediately following upon
the Kloofzicht sessions. At Gallagher
we sought to develop a cohesive and
seamless management team at the
University, with a shared objective, a
common management ethos and a goal of
working together towards a shared end.
In order to achieve that, it was important
to consult with colleagues at all levels
of management, and to listen to their
Sharon Farrell
LKDA Strategic Creative Adveritising
agreed objectives to achieve
desired ends; those at lower levels must
commit more to the agreed objectives and
project a common management effect to
the Institution as a whole.
I always marvel at the commitment of the
many people in Council and in the Unisa
Foundation who serve this Institution
out of the love of it. Visiting a number
of senior executives in the private sector
as I have in recent months, I am touched
by the extent to which many people
appreciate the critical role Unisa could
play in the development of our country
and continent. On 30 May 2009, the
trustees of the Unisa Foundation met in
session to plan the year ahead to use their
influence to advance the projects that
Unisa was undertaking. They could only
do so if they believed in the University
and what it can achieve for this country.
Their devotion, however, went much
further. Mr Billy Gundelfinger and
his colleagues are confident that the
people of this country and Unisa alumni
everywhere have an even higher vision
for our University as a priceless treasure
that is yet to shine.
The Autumn/Winter 2009 graduations
have seen about 17 000 graduations in
all our centres. Of the doctoral degrees
awarded, 39 were from the College of
Human Sciences. Five honorary degrees
were awarded to Justice Kate O’Reagan
of the Constitutional Court, Dr Anna
Mokgokong, a prominent businessperson
and former Chairperson of the Council
of Unisa, Dr Tom Karis from the USA,
an eminent historian of the Protest to
Challenge series fame, together with
the late Gwendoline Carter and Gail
Gerhardt. It is hoped that we can achieve
the 20 000 graduation number for the
first time this year. Visiting the colleges
this month, my colleagues Prof. Mandla
Makhanya, the Pro Vice-Chancellor
and Prof. Rita Maré, the Vice Principal:
Academic and Research, are confident
that there is a new purposeful spirit about
the academic and research agenda of our
University. May it always be so.
LKDA 8416 • 012 460 8545
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