Research Newsletter issue 2 April 2018

WALTER SISULU UNIVERSITY
ISSUE 2: APRIL 2018
VISION
The Walter Sisulu University
(WSU), in pursuit of its
vision as a developmental
university, will promote
basic and applied research
and innovation that is
consistent with best
practice and contributes to
developmental impact.
MISSION
To provide and maintain the highest possible standards in research through co-operative relationship
between the research entities of the University and its faculties.

MESSAGE FROM THE DEPUTY
VICE-CHANCELLOR FOR
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS AND
RESEARCH
DVC’S COLUMN
Prof Mahlomaholo Geoffrey
MAHLOMAHOLO
The Office of the Deputy Vice-
Chancellor for Academic Affairs
and Research (DVC: AAR) at
Walter Sisulu University (WSU)
has given me the opportunity
to see the story of women
transcendence against all odds
unfold in action. In spite of what
the debates among the cultural,
traditional and postmodern
feminists could be; around who
and/or what constitutes ‘Woman’,
I am persuaded beyond any
reasonable doubt about the
academic and research prowess
as well as general intellectual
power resident in this subject
positioning/person of a woman.
If you are a Black woman
researcher working at a
Historically Disadvantaged
university, serving communities
which are defined as the poorest
of the poor in rural contexts
with limited access to privileges
of modern day technologies,
financial and other resources;
becoming a rated researcher, is
just an almost impossibility. And if
you are a wife and a mother, who
is employed and has a family to
look after; the possibility becomes
doubly removed. But if on top of
all these, you are a Back woman
who is pushed to the extreme
margins of research because of
social stereotypes about what the
role of woman should be, then
you need a miracle to even write
a coherent research abstract.
These obstacles referred to
above, have however not prevent
women researchers at WSU to
scale those dizzying heights of
research excellence. For example;
the Acting Director and the driver
of the WSU research project is a
woman, more than 40% of rated
researchers at WSU are women,
a significant number of academic
deans and heads of departments
who provide research leadership
are women, there is also a strong
representation of women who
publish is areas of natural, health,
economic and management
sciences, to mention a few.
In conclusion, it is worth noting
that the research output at WSU
is at its emergent stage, and
this implies that more effort
should be spend on removing
all the hurdles against women.
More is and should be done to
acknowledge and create greater
spaces for even more women to
discover the power they have in
the service of their communities
and research excellence at WSU.
Ndinga Ndaka Ndini, your home
is high in the skies!
2

CONTENTS
Vision and Misson .............................................................................................................page 1
DVC’s Column ................................................................................................................page 2
Women Executive Leaders ................................................................................................page 4
Research in the Queenstown Campus ................................................................................page 5
Communications academics represent in Greece..................................................................page 6
Women challenging male dominated fields..........................................................................page 7
IT lecturer among SA Tech Industry’s most influential women..............................................page 8
OTT Campaign................................................................................................................page 10
Grant writing workshop...................................................................................................page 11
Women and the Legal Profession......................................................................................page 12
Balancing family life and career in research as a woman....................................................page 14
Woman in Research.........................................................................................................page 16
Women in Supervision.....................................................................................................page 18
Gallery...........................................................................................................................page 19
Stories written by:
Ongezwa Sigodi
Intern Journalist: Research Office
Email: ongezwasigodi@gmail.com
osigodi@wsu.ac.za
T: 047 502 2819
C: 072 933 8540
Anita Roji
Intern Journalist: Research Office
Email: anitaroji.anie@gmail.com
aroji@wsu.ac.za
T: 047 502 2819
C: 078 069 6133
Please contact one of our intern journalists regarding any research stories you might have.
Layout and Design by Linda Mynhardt
Department of Marketing, Communications and Advancement
3

WOMEN EXECUTIVE LEADERS
Women at WSU have taken on
leadership positions with pride,
working towards achieving the
university’s vision and mission.
Regardless of the social challenge
woman face such as social oppression,
these women are taking on their
leadership roles head-on and achieving
at their level best.
One of these women is Yonela
Tukwayo, Senior Director of Marketing,
Communications and Advancement
(MCA) at WSU.
“For me it means empowerment. I am
empowered to be the best that I can
be without gender constraints. We
come from a very patriarchal society,
not just communities but the country
as a whole,” she said.
Tukwayo said that patriarchy cuts
across all races in South Africa where
males dominate and control every
aspect of society, from business to
communities and families.
Also within the executive leadership is
Human Resources Executive Director,
Sandra Nduli, who recently took on
the leadership role in the university.
“For me, being a woman in leadership
means that I have to demonstrate
good qualities and lead by example.
This entails effective consultation,
communication and guidance for the
team being led,” she said.
She added that the leader’s primary
role is to take the team she leads
with her in terms of development and
empowerment. She said to achieve
this, effective leaders have a clear
vision, mission and values that are
shared with the team.
“It is important, therefore, to share
values of excellence, integrity, service
and respect to foster change and
transform the totality of the unit being
led,” said Nduli
Also in the leadership ranks is librarian,
Phakama Mosuang, who is in charge of
two libraries based at the Queenstown
campus. Mosuang travels between
two sites at the campus between
Queenstown and Whittlesea where
the libraries are situated.
“I believe that women can do a lot.
Dealing with different students from
different campuses is very difficult
but I am a woman, I can lead, I can
manage, I can be responsible,” she
said.
Mosuang explained that she perceives
women leaders as strong because
they are easily approachable as they
can act as leaders and mothers at any
time where necessary. “I have to take
care of my family then come to the
institution to take care of the students.
All these children and their futures
partly (family & students) depend on
me,” she said.
Meanwhile, Tukwayo further
highlighted the struggles faced by
many women in leadership, asserting
that women are primary care givers in
all aspects of her life.
“The reality is that I am a mother
and I am duty-bound to mother
and nurture my children. Being a
woman in leadership means I carry
extra pressure compared to my male
counterparts, because I am the
primary care-giver and nurturer at
home and must still be a leader at
work,” said Tukwayo.
Moreover, Nduli said women in
leadership need to embody their role.
“Embodiment of our roles allows for
acceptance and succeeding in all that
women set up to achieve especially in
leadership roles,” she concluded.
-Ongezwa Sigodi
Yonela Tukwayo,
Senior Director of Marketing,
Communications and Advancement (MCA)
4

RESEARCH IN THE
QUEENSTOWN CAMPUS
Queenstown campus’s affinity
for hard work and dedication
is embodied in various female
academics who juggle between
their studies, work and raising
families.
Khululwa Spelman, an Information
Systems lecturer currently enrolled
for a Master’s degree in Higher
Education at the University of Free
State said juggling between work,
school and home is a challenge but
is not fazed.
“I am currently juggling between
three studies, my study for Master’s
and two that I am currently
collaborating with my colleagues
and having to teach four modules
between Queenstown Site and
Whittlesea Site. I however don’t
mind staying on campus till 10pm
to catch up on my work, even at
home, I make every minute count,”
said Spelman.
Her research paper for her Masters
focuses on exploring whether
examinations can be used as an
instrument to foster or propel
the students in to self-regulated
lifelong developmental learning
post-qualification.
Besides her own studies, she is
also juggling two research studies,
collaborating with colleagues. One
of the studies focuses on exploring
how defused is the use of electronic
assessment in a rural university,
whilst the other looks at the use
of mobile devices for teaching and
learning in rural universities.
Nomazwe Mini, a lecturer in
Public Management and Local
Government, is one of the female
academics who work tirelessly,
juggling between being part of
many societies within the campus
and lecturing in two departments.
Despite having a lot of work on
her table, she is still determined
to finish her research. “When I
started with research in 2012, my
abstract was accepted but I could
not finish the paper because of
health issues. Again last year in a
conference in Polokwane the paper
was accepted but because of time
and lots of work I could not finish
the paper. I am now currently
collaborating with other colleagues
and we will present the papers at
the Nelson Mandela University,”
said Mini.
Departmental head in the education,
finance and management faculty,
Dr Wendy Mashologu, said reading
is the most important tool in
research.
“I always advise my supervisees
to read a lot of books - one can
never be a researcher if they are
lazy to read and education is very
important and I advise women
to work hard because you don’t
just get awarded titles you earn
them through your hard work and
education,” said Dr Mashologu.
-Anita Roji
5

COMMUNICATIONS ACADEMICS
REPRESENT WSU IN GREECE
Two academics in the Department of Corporate
Communication and Marketing at WSU have recently
returned following an informative trip to Greece in
what was a packed programme.
Lynn Wood, a Communications lecturer in the
department heaped praise upon her departmental
head, Dr Van Der Spuy, for continuously encouraging
her staff members to participate in conferences.
Wood submitted the abstract of the paper to the
organisers, ATINER, after which the paper was
accepted for presentation at the (10th Annual
International Conference on Literature from the 5-8th
of June).
“I had been trying to prepare a model on Visual
Literacy and was grappling with the issue of humour
and the way in which it could be interpreted in various
cultures. An open invitation was extended to the
other lecturers to join me in a discussion on humour;
three of my colleagues joined me. I was leading the
paper followed by Dr Van Der Spuy and fellow lectures
Lakshmi Jayakrishnan and Vasti Pienaar,” said Wood.
She also added that the conference was a great
networking platform and an eye opening session about
challenges experienced back at home. “Attending
an international conference is always exciting and
provides a wonderful opportunity to meet and interact
with academics from all over the world. It is always
comforting to hear that the challenges we face at
home are similar to the ones that they, too, face”, said
Wood.
Communications lecturer Mona said she was thrilled
at the experience as it was her first time at an
international conference.
“My first-time experience at the conference was
fantastic. It has empowered my leadership skills to be
strong and powerful. It was great exposure to stand
in the midst of such well respected and renowned
academics,” said Mona. Mona’s paper looked at the
challenges faced by isiXhosa first language lecturers
at tertiary level.
“My research was motivated by the fact that isiXhosa
is gradually losing its origin as a language and nothing
is being done. In South Africa, generally in schools
and universities in particular, the language is not a
medium of instruction,” she added.
Dr van der Spuy, said it is important that all researchers
in the department get exposed to international
platforms and have the opportunity to participate in
such undertakings.
“We have been able to build relationships that have
stood us in good stead, because we are asked to
participate in other research opportunities or to act
as peer reviewers on international journals,” added Dr
van der Spuy.
-Anita Roji
6

WOMEN CHALLENGING MALE
DOMINATED FIELDS
The shortage of women in male perceived
industries in South Africa is still alarming even
though women are working very hard to close the
gap.
Female lectures and academics at WSU are trying
to reverse the trend of male domination in the
industry so as to increase female representation
in the industry.
Nthabiseng Mfabane, a lecturer in Civil Engineering,
Buffalo City Campus said: “There are only two
women in the engineering department out of 12
staff members and it’s not easy with students
because you have to work twice as hard to prove
that you’re as capable as your male counterparts.”
Her female counterpart, Faith Nleya, said that she
has been in the industry for a considerable period
and has never been treated any less because
she is a female. She says she wishes women
would stop undermining their own potential and
challenge themselves.
“Males are still dominant in the field, even in the
classroom you’ll find that out of 40 students in a
class there’s only about 10 females. I attribute this
to how we are socialised in our societies, - that
women have to do social work and take care of
people and leave the hard labour to males.” said
Nleya.
Nosibabalo Phethe, a 2nd year Building student
at the Buffalo City campus, says her love for
building started when she was in grade 10. She
says she has never looked back and one of the
things that has helped her is never identifying
herself by gender, but by her capabilities.
“Being in construction for me is a great challenge.
Yes, I made mistakes before and got judged for
them because I am a woman, but who doesn’t
make mistakes? I firstly had to prove to myself
that I can do this before proving it to the world
because it starts from within and with the
confidence I conquered. As women we need to
change the mentality of thinking that our place
is in the office wearing high heels, we belong
everywhere we want to go to,” said Phethe.
These women shared the sentiment that there is
still a lot that still needs to be done in high schools
to teach female learners about their abilities
and for them to overcome and defy societies’
perceptions and expectations.
-Anita Roji
7

IT LECTURER AMONG SA TECH
INDUSTRY’S MOST INFLUENTIAL
WOMEN
WSU IT lecturer in the Applied Informatics and
Mathematical Sciences Dr Sibongiseni Tunzelana
Thotsejane, who holds a PhD in Information Systems
from UCT and also currently studying towards
a doctorate in Business Administration with the
University of Bath in the UK, has been crowned by
the Inspiring Fifty Campaign, as one of the most
Inspirational Women in South African Technology and
Innovation for 2017.
A total of 252 nominations for the tech industry’s
most influential women in the fields of academics,
entrepreneurs, corporate, journalism and venture
capitalism, were made across the country through
the Inspiring Fifty Campaign. The campaign launched
the awards for the first time in South Africa in
cooperation with the Kingdom of the Netherlands and
#CoCreateSA.
The project, initiated by Dutch duo Janneke Niessen
and Joelle Frijters, is aimed at celebrating and lauding
women’s efforts in the technology-related sector,
and then leveraging that exposure to encourage
the fifty to inspire young girls and point them out to
opportunities available to them.
“The person and organisations that nominated me
in April 2017 nominated me on the basis of having
been a co-founder and Chief Information Officer of
FlavaLite Innovations, a multi-award winning ICT
start-up. The award has motivated me to put in
more effort in inspiring and serving more people
consciously, especially my first-year students that I
serve at WSU,” said a humbled Tunzelana.
8

Flavalite Innovations, a 100% women-owned and
black-owned company which Dr Tunzelana co-founded
in 2011 with her sister Unathi Tunzelana, and friend
Matsepo Africa, is a ground-breaking technology
company aimed at pioneering innovative products in
Information Technology (IT) service delivery.
”Our vision is to pioneer innovative IT solutions,
including convenient and secure e-ticketing services
for events management companies, governments,
entertainment companies, sporting events,
inspirational events, innovators and early adopters.
We also want to blaze a trail in web analytics strategic
solutions,” said Dr Tunzelana.
Her dynamism in the field is matched only by her
experience, just over two decades worth, which has
seen her transcend the disciplines of business and
academia.
Dr Tunzelana has amassed her stripes as an astute,
techno-savvy academic and leader in some of the
biggest institutions in the world, including Google,
where she conducted research on innovation at the
company. She also conducted extensive research in
the area of Internet Analytics in Canada at Ryerson
University’s Institute for Innovation and Technology
Management.
“I was the first and former CIO at the Victoria and
Alfred (V & A) Waterfront in Cape Town. I’ve added
value in leadership workshops for the National
Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI) and Science,
Engineering and Technology for Women (SET4W). I’ve
also done a program by Innovation Hub and Maxum
in collaboration with the University of Baltimore in the
USA for a program for Women in ICT,” she said.
importantly, her students.
Dr Tunzelana uses her wealth of knowledge and
entrepreneurial flair and talent facilitate learning and
treat each Student as an individual to prepare them
for either being an entrepreneur or for them to be
better positioned for being employable.
“I also reach out to some of my Mentors and
Associates that I have met globally to come and
assist me as Guest Lecturers. I make use of video’s,
mobile devices, digital platforms and social media to
facilitate Teaching and Learning.”
“I expose first year Students to tools and
methodologies of doing research, critically thinking,
reasoning, reflections, working as an individual,
working within a group, having spiritual values, living
their own defined values and being free to dream
without limits,” she said.
So passionate is Tunzelana about WSU that she, as
part of her responsibilities as one the winners of the
competition, has placed the University as a top priority
in her submissions to the Inspiring Fifty Campaign as
a means to produce solutions to some of the biggest
challenges facing the institution.
Her submission includes the facilitating of sustainable
linkages for exchange programs for Lecturers of WSU
to the Netherlands; linkages for work integrated
learning (WIL) and experiential training for Lecturers
of WSU to the Netherlands; sustainable linkages
for exchange programs for Students of WSU to the
Netherlands; Sustainable linkages for experienced
and qualified Guest Lecturers with Applied Expertise to
WSU from every part of the world; as well as funding
for adding to the core functions of WSU namely:
teaching and learning, research and community
engagement
Her passion, innovation and dynamism in the lecture
hall have endeared her on her colleagues, and, most
9

OTT CAMPAIGN
Research communities and students
were gathered at the executive dining
hall at Walter Sisulu university, NMD
site to attend a campaign for the
Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) in
the university in August.
A number of students flocked into the
campaign to listen to presentations that
were held by various representatives
of different departments from around
the country.
One of these departments ids National
Intellectual Property Management
Office in Pretoria which is founded
by the Department of Science
and Technology Representing this
department was Dr Elmary Buis who
made a presentation on the protection
of intellectual property for researchers.
“The sole purpose of this office is to
protect the inventions of people, to
facilitate intellectual property that
comes from publicly financed research
institute and develop these to a market
so that it can be a product or service,”
said Buis.
She went on to explain that the office
ensures that other countries in the
world get most of their innovations
from South African Intellectual
Property(IP) and develop it to receive
financial gains.
“It is important to protect our
country’s IP because in the future a
country’s wealth will be determined by
the amount of IP they have produced.
There is a lot of money going into
research in our country but we have
few recognised IPs hence there is the
OTT,” she said.
Present in the Acting Director of the
Directorate of Research Development,
Dr Nomabandla Cishe, the Acting
Director Dr Motebang Nakin and the
Manager of the OTT, Dr Nkosinathi
Sotshangane.
“Our responsibility is to familiarize
researchers within the institution as to
how they can protect their intellectual
right,” said Sotshangana.
On the other hand, 3rd year Law
student, Abongile Nkamisa, said she
found the campaign very useful for her
because she is interested in practising
Intellectual Property Law.
“I am interested in understanding how
we, as lawyers, can protect people’s
IP’s. I think it is very important to have
the OTT in our university as people
need to understand how they gain
from their inventions and how they
can work together with their funders
to innovate,” she said.
Nkamisa went on to say that it is
imperative for every community to
have these kind of offices so as to
motivate people to invent for their
gain.
Another 3rd year law student, Toka
Moeketsi, is aspiring to be on the
innovative side of things. He is
currently conducting research on
improving intra-communications
network, GroupWise, and he is
planning to present his outcomes in a
conference.
“I’m here because I am hoping to get
information on IP as I also want to
research to innovate. It is a great path
to take if you want to understand your
rights as an inventor,” he said.
Mokoetsi said it brings him great joy to
know that there is an office that is in
place, specifically for the exposure and
protection of innovator’s rights.
Meanwhile, Dr Cishe said she was very
happy with the turnout of the students
and leaders of research communities
as it shows that they are dedicated
and hungry for innovative research.
“As the research office, we will make
sure that this office gets maximum
support from us so that it can serve
WSU to its level best,“ she said.
-Ongezwa Sigodi
10

GRANT WRITING WORKSHOP
The Welcome Trust for Infectious
Diseases in Africa in collaboration with
National Institute of Health (NIH) and
the University of Cape Town (UCT)
held a two-day workshop on research
methods, in August.
The collaborators had a supplementary
grant for Walter Sisulu University (WSU)
and Sefako Makgatho University as
previously disadvantaged universities
to support three fellowships from both
universities for non-clinical and clinical
fellowship for 18 months.
Professor Robert Wilkinson from the
Welcome Trust said, “We were asked
to consider putting in a supplementary
award in order to develop capacity for
previously disadvantaged universities
to be able to compete at the same level
as us. So the workshop is designed to
empower some of the skills necessary
to do that. As well as to develop
students in their own research ideas
and thirdly to identify three candidates
for three fellowship opportunities in
the programme.”
In the workshop students and staff
members from the Faculty of Health
Sciences were taught ways and skills
to write grants and especially in the
standard of NIH so that they can get
funding.
Yolande Harley, Research Enterprise
Manager at the University of Cape
Town said, “when researchers write
grants they should think about what
the funder wants, a lot of people
focus on what they want to do and its
importance, it’s important that science
is something that you feel passionate
about but you need to think about it
from the funder’s perspective. What
do they want to fund? what do they
need to hear? What do you need to tell
them? So its about taking the Science
you want to do but putting it in words
that explain why is it important to
them.”
To identify the three deserving
candidates, the collaborators will
take into consideration the person,
place and project and will put out a
call for applications and consultation
with candidates through the research
office.
“We are looking for people with good
potential, with a good idea and a
project that is feasible which will link
the expertise from Havard with WSU
expertise in our project and in any
language in medical science,” said Prof
Wilkinson.
Dr Mda from the Faculty of Health
Sciences said, “This is something that
could be life changing for someone
who gets the fellowship because
it would be an entry point to the
international research, to collaborate
with bigger institutes and it opens
more doors because you get to
interact with people, it is a very good
exposure.”
-Anita Roji
11

WOMEN AND THE LEGAL
PROFESSION
Introduction
The legal profession has
undergone significant change that
can be traced to the ushering
of democracy in the country.
Attempts at feminisation of the
profession have not been as
successful as initially envisaged.
The legal profession is faced with
challenges of transformation in
a legal environment that was
traditionally dominated by males,
white males for that matter. Top
positions in the profession, from
partners in law firms to senior
counsel were, and are still largely
occupied by males, white males in
particular. There have been limited
inroads into senior positions by
female professionals, both in the
judiciary and the faculties of law
in universities. All is not lost for
women – this dispensation is for
those who are ready to empower
themselves.
Entering the profession
Although the above situation
remains and may continue to
obtain for a decade or so, women’s
entry and rising representation
in law faculties and the legal
profession is remarkable, if not
revolutionary. This is a result,
partly, of women themselves
becoming more conscious of their
independence, their abilities and
their need individually to liberate
themselves from the mentality
that they are appendages to men.
This re-awakening has opened up
doors that were previously closed
to women.
For decades women were almost
denied entry into the legal
profession, and the stereotype
persisted that law is the preserve
of male persons in general, and
white males in particular. There
were challenges for women.
As Kay and Gorman observed:
‘Women’s admission to law
was but the initial stage. The
next stage was, once qualified,
the search for employment.’
Women, rather than challenge
the status quo, seemed content
in their positions as cleaners and
tea-girls in the offices of male
attorneys and judges, and those
that eventually qualified had
no hope of progressing to the
prestigious positions of judge,
senior counsel or professor.
The professors in law faculties
were invariably male. The few
women that managed to get
to the top were suffocated by
the dominance of men, could
not influence change and had
to conform to standards set for
them by men.
The effect of the constitution
on women
The catalyst for change came
with the introduction of the
interim Constitution, and later
the final Constitution. Section
9 of the Constitution specifically
entrenches the right to equality,
and provides that the state
may not unfairly discriminate,
directly or indirectly, against
anyone. The equality clause
12

OPINION PIECE
Prof PN Makiwane, Public Law, WSU, Mthatha
is buttressed by section 8 which
effectively recognises that
everyone has inherent dignity.
This constitutional relief may
have contributed to the surge
in numbers of women students
into the law faculties. Together
with the Constitution, affirmative
action also contributes to an
increased number of, in particular,
black women in law faculties,
contributing to an increase of
female employees in private
practice, the law faculties and the
courts.
Cohen reports as follows on the
effect of affirmative action:
By the time South Africa gained
independence in 1994, all but
five of the country’s 165 judges
were white men. A headcount
earlier this year [2013] found
that 100 black men and 49 black
women, 71 white men and 21
white women served as judges…
in 1990, of the 829 magistrate
in South Africa, 811 were white,
eleven were Asian, five were of
mixed racial descent and two
were black. Today [2013], 974 are
black and 687 are white, 647 are
woman and 1014 are men.
In 2013, gender demographics of
the Constitutional Court remained
the same as in 1994 – nine male
and two female judges. In 2016
the court had 8 male judges (two
of whom are now retired) and 3
female judges. We assume that
the vacancies created by the
departure of the two justices will be
taken by over by qualified women.
We should pride ourselves that
the current Council Chairperson
at our university, Judge Dambuza,
is a woman, and that the current
President of the Supreme Court
of Appeal, Judge Maya, is also a
woman who is closely associated
with this university. These are
role models for our young woman.
Some challenges
Because of the friendly
environment for women since
1994, there has been an increased
entry of women into the legal
profession and, in the faculties
of law, there is now parity with
male students. There is no doubt
that women are still confronted
with gender stereotypes and
bias, disparagement and sexual
harassment at the hands of their
male counterparts. Universities
are infested with rapists from
within and outside campuses.
Most men who are already in the
legal profession look at successful
women with resentment and
scorn. As Rhode noted: There is a
‘mismatch between characteristics
associated with women and those
associated with professional
success, such as assertiveness
and competitiveness’. Women, in
her view, risk being characterised
as too “soft” or too “strident”,
“aggressive” or “not aggressive
enough”. Assertiveness in a man is
often interpreted as abrasiveness
in a woman.
Conclusion
The country ought to be
applauded for the strides taken to
liberate women from the shackles
of oppression. Barriers to women’s
entry into the legal profession
have all but disappeared. This
is evidenced by the number of
graduating students, the majority
of whom are women. These female
graduates feed into the legal
profession, thereby potentially
increasing the number of women
to positions previously occupied
by males. The universities, on
the other hand, struggle to get
qualified female lecturers, mainly
because universities require a
minimum masters’ qualification to
become a lecturer. Poverty, it is my
view, forces female students into
practice after obtaining the first
qualification in order to relieve
struggling families. However,
women who progress to a masters’
qualification or beyond stand a
good chance to reap the fruits of
affirmative action early. Women, it
has been my observation, tend to
be more focused than men in their
studies.
We salute women for their
competitiveness, and believe
that Women’s Month is for them
a month of commitment to
empower themselves further,
to engage men and challenge
male stereotypes associated with
femininity. This short script cannot
be complete without a plea to
‘men’ to be men, not boys, and
not to be abusive towards their
female counterparts. Phambili
makhosikazi omthetho phambili!!
13

BALANCING FAMILY LIFE AND
CAREER IN RESEARCH AS A WOMAN
Finding an appropriate balance between an academic
career and family responsibilities has been difficult for me
as a woman and an aspiring researcher.
I have to perform the bulk of family work which includes
childrearing, domestic chores, and care for my family
members. When I enrolled with UNISA for my B.Ed.
Honours, it was not easy for me to keep or maintain a
healthy balance between work-life and studies.
The mistake I made was to register as a full time student
and thus had to study for a course that I was supposed to
complete within two years as a part-time student. I had
to work extreme hours and at the same time trying to
maintain a vibrant family life by taking advantage of highquality
childcare and staying focused on my studies and be
organized. I could not believe when I realised that I had
passed all the modules in one year.
When I registered with Walter Sisulu University for a
Master of Education degree in 2009, I was pregnant and
gave birth in June. Having a baby and having to attend
classes affected my studies because I sometimes missed
classes. I also lost my father –in- law in July of the same
year and could not write some of the semester modules
during examination time.
In 2013, I enrolled with University of Fort Hare for the
Degree of Doctor of Literature and Philosophy in Applied
Linguistics. The demands of my career and academic work
forced me to resign in 2015, after 19 years as a teacher. I
then concentrated on my studies.
This was not an easy decision to make. I knew that the
best way to equip myself and hone my research skills was
to further my studies. This became strenuous for me.It
was not easy to convince my partner and children about
my own life and career priorities but still I appreciate their
support.
As a family we found ourselves being faced with
compromises that each of us had to make. There were
times when I wished I was a man - I would envy men with
all the time that they have and wished I could use it for
14

OPINION PIECE
Dr Nophawu Madikiza
both my studies and my personal life.
I was not able to spend long hours in the library although
I wanted to because I am a wife and a mother and I had
to go home early and could not spend the odd hours doing
my research.
Balancing life and career is a highly personal challenge
for me but the need for money to help make ends meet,
independence and personal development drives me to
work.
My determination has not just seen me being part of
statistics as one of the country’s female PhD graduates
but the realisation of my dream as a researcher by being
employed as a researcher at the Directorate of Research
Development at WSU for the past 3 years and currently
as Postdoctoral Research Fellow attached to the same
department.
My involvement with the Research Office has exposed
me to a number of community developmental projects.
The journey has not been an easy one, especially coming
from a different field. I became reserved, withdrawn,
uncomfortable and not confident but taking every
opportunity at hand and learning.
I am happy to say that against all odds I have managed to
try balance my life and am happy with the achievements I
have made so far. I believe that I am where I am because
I have not let the barriers deter me from living my dream
and I am still setting my eyes for even higher heights.
Despite the hard work we put as women, experience
and qualifications that we have, I believe that we are still
overlooked at our places of work and our male counterparts
still hold the upper hand.
This, I say because there are still few women in
management positions and most top positions are still
occupied by men. There are countless advances to ensure
growth of women in PhD graduates and academics but we
still see few representation.
I was also intimidated by a larger number of males in
research and I thought I would not make it. Even during my
graduation day there were only 3 PhD female grandaunds
amongst a countable number of male grandaunds.
Women have proved to be as competent as men and what
is needed is for them to be recognised and be engaged
fully. If we want to see transformation and gender parity in
the work place, women need to believe in themselves and
know that through hard work and determination, they are
guaranteed to reach their goals. One should start believing
in oneself, knowing who you are and your capabilities, no
matter what impediments, is also key for one to succeed
in life.
To all women who aspire to be researchers; it is still time
and if you want to see change start with yourself and you
will make a world a better place. It is not easy to juggle,
some things will be compromised along the way but it is
worth doing. If we want to see change we need to know
that, “nothing for us without us” Kufayayo maqobokazana,
backwards never, forward ever!!
Dr Nophawu Madikiza is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at
WSU’s Directorate for Research Development
15

WOMAN IN RESEARCH
It is not an easy thing to be an emerging femaleresearcher
in a male-dominated field. It has been
a man world for years; the playground is not level
instead it is bumpy and warped but I am determined
to succeed. I am among the few emerging femaleresearchers
who are enjoying and excited to take
up the challenge because of the tremendous
support I am getting from other female-researchers
surrounding me. It takes a lot of courage,
determination, commitment, perseverance and hard
work for a female researcher to be recognised and
your work to be appreciated. I must admit that it
is quite challenging because you have to work ten
times more for you to be acknowledged unlike your
male-researcher counterparts.
To proof that Research field is still dominated by
male-researchers (though marked strides are being
taken to close that gap) is that at the institution
where I am working as a Research Fellow; we were
11 Research Fellows and out of 11 only two were
females. Unfortunately the other female Research
Fellow quitted and I was and I am the only female
Research Fellow left working with 9 male-Research
Fellows. This became my first challenge I experienced
to be the only female among males. This created fear
in me and the environment was intimidating and I
had to prove myself that research had nothing to do
with gender it was only a question of perception. I
am attached to the Faculty of Education, Finance
& Management – a very large Faculty where I am
mandated to work with more than 30 academics. Out
of more than 30 academics, 5 are PhD holders, out of
5 only one is a female. These statistics prove again
that Research is still viewed as complex and still
controlled by men. However, steps are being taken
to engage women academics in research.
With the support I am getting from other femaleresearchers
in leadership, I have a different story to
tell. There are generalised sentiments that women
in leadership are difficult and insensitive to their
employees as compensatory behaviour because it is
claimed that they think that colleagues undermine
and despise them because they are women leaders. I
personally have not encountered that challenge from
my female-leaders.
As an emerging female-researcher, I did not know
where to draw the line to start the ball rolling. Where
I was posted there was no one who could help me
sing the song I was assigned to sing. My female-
Research Director knew very well that I was stuck and
to my amazement, she chipped in and grabbed me
by her hand and started to walk the journey together.
I was sent to different research-related workshops to
be groomed and grounded. Through her guidance I
started publishing and organising workshops for my
colleagues too. She gave me an opportunity to attend
International Research Conferences in and beyond
the South African borders. I am talking of women in
leadership in my field. The female leaders and other
female academics I work with don’t have the pull
her down syndrome instead there is team spirit. The
male academics I am working with are supporting
me, they have accepted me and are really proud of
me that there is change in our Campus because of
my presence.
When you talk of research, some people begin to
fear because it was a preserve for only a few elite/
academics especially men. It was a challenge I faced,
I wanted to change that perception but I could
not do this alone. I engaged my female-research
Director and she advised me to run a workshop on
demystifying research. We organised a three-day
workshop and invited external facilitators to unpack
it. It was tremendously successful and my colleagues
slowly but surely started enjoying research. For
this year only the Research Directorate supported
and funded more than twelve academics from our
Campus to go and attend big International Research
Conferences organised by some local universities.
That is why I said I have a different story to tell, life
at work was supposed to be difficult but because of
people surrounding me and who believed in me that
I was competent do it and had earned it, I did not
face resistance from some men and women who do
not perceive that women can do it right.
Their support gave me the zeal to work harder for
the betterment of our Campus and subsequently our
Institution. Now I need to be confident and perform
my duties to the best of my ability knowing that I
have five senses just like any man so why should
I allow the environment to intimidate me? Ability
16

OPINION PIECE
Dr N Marongwe
is not in the gender but in how much you
know and the input you are bringing in for the
advancement of any organisation/company
or institution you are working for. Let women
in leadership positions be gallant since things
are changing and being absorbed in different
spaces. Sometimes women in positions may
underperform succumbing to the pressure
around but my story is different.
Yes, it takes us women to be the change we
want to see. Let us stand up and believe in
ourselves. Let us rally behind those women in
leadership positions or those aspiring to be in
those positions. Things are not smooth sailing
out there without backing each other. Let us tell
ourselves that we are equally competent and
intelligent as men; we are not in competition
but we are there to complement each other
and bring the best out of us for the goodness
of our society. Let us join those challenging
fields that used to be male-dominated; we all
originated from the same Creator. Men are
prepared to change (and some have started
changing and supporting us) if they see that
we really mean it and that we are not fighting
men but fighting for positions. We have
what it takes. Yes, like what the former USA
President Barack Obama used to say, ‘Yes,
together we can make it’.
17

WOMEN IN SUPERVISION
Earlier this year, two women attended
several supervision courses in the
attempts to gain and improve their
skills in the world of supervision.
From the Queenstown campus is Dr
Wendy Mashologu who is a lecturer
and the Head of Department in the
Department of Education. Mashologu
has been in the world of supervision
for five years.
“The world of supervising is very
exciting because students come to
me raw and I have the privilege of
watching the grow,” she said.
Mashologu started supervising in
2013 and is currently supervising one
Masters student and one PhD students
from the NMD campus.
“I supervise out of my heart, I like
it because I know I am developing
another human being. It’s part of the
betterment of mankind,” she said.
Meanwhile, Nondwe Mtshatsha from
the Butterworth campus joins the
supervision world for the first time
this year. Mtshatsha was most excited
about students being interested in
contributing to existing Knowledge
while she will be helping them reach
their destinations.
“I am the first time supervisor and I
am looking forward to be competent
in effective supervision practices that
will develop the student/s research
ability,” she said.
Even though she is a woman and a first
time supervisor, Mtshatsha said she
is entering this field with confidence
and dedication as she would like to
support students and support them in
their academic journey.
“I see myself as an academic, not as
a woman. An academic who has a
responsibility to guide students who
want to rise to higher echelons in
education,” she said.
Mtshatsha together with Mashologu
and other respected academics,
attended a Supervision workshop in
July this year, which was conducted by
Rhodes University where existing and
new supervisors were introduced to
new tactics to tackle supervising.
“Attending the supervision workshop
in East London was a great insightful
experience that capacitated me with
knowledge and skills to manage the
research process well,” said Mtshatsha.
Professor Grace George from the
Health Sciences in NMD site describes
the world of supervision as a plot to
support and develop young minds,
guiding them into perusing knowledge.
“Particularly in research you are
guiding and grooming students to
pursue the creation of new knowledge.
It is through them you develop your
ideas and form a team around your
ideas,” said George.
Meanwhile, Mtshatsha said that
supervising is a great opportunity for
teaching and learning for both the
student and the academic.
“Research supervision will contribute
to the development of both the
research supervisor and the research
student and to the university research
output,” she said.
-Ongezwa Sigodi
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