On Campus May 2015

OnCampus Issue 1 • May 2015 • For daily updates visit www.uwc.ac.za

Page 4 Teens, trust and technology

Page 12 Just read the barcode?

Page 16 Events on campus

Page 20 UWC sport makes a flying start to the year

UWC Chancellor, Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, and UWC Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Tyrone Pretorius, with some of UWC’s newly graduated PhD students.

The class of 2014

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he University of the Western Cape has seen a steady rise in the number of graduates produced in recent years. The Chancellor, The Most Revd Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, and Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Tyrone Pretorius, conferred degrees on a total of 3 540 graduates at the March Graduation, 7% more than in March 2014.

The Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences had the largest number of graduates. Its 871 graduates included 33 graduates awarded master’s degrees and eight PhDs. The Faculty of Natural Sciences had the second highest number of graduates, totalling 624, which included 71 master’s degrees and 28 PhD degrees. The performances of the other faculties were as impressive: Community

and Health Sciences had 578 graduates, Arts had 563 graduates, Education 505 graduates, Law 246 graduates, and Dentistry had a total of 153 graduates.

In keeping with a proud UWC tradition, many of our graduates, like former female Springbok rugby player, Nosipho Poswa, who graduated with a BEd degree, have already begun ploughing back in their communities.

Not only is Poswa teaching at a school in Langa and coaching the school’s rugby team, she has already registered to pursue her honours degree at the Education Faculty.

Also graduating were 28 teachers from the Eastern Cape who received their BEd Honours degrees. Of the 28, 20 have registered to study towards a master’s

degree in science education with research projects directed at improving science education in the Eastern Cape.

The Science Learning Centre for Africa (SLCA) at UWC, run by Professor Shaheed Hartley, has been developing clubs at Eastern Cape schools to encourage maths and science learning. Prof Hartley has worked extensively with the 28 teachers, including conducting contact sessions with them in Mthatha.

Hanover Park resident, Eric van der Byl, who graduated with a BEd degree, showed extraordinary determination in pursuit of his goals, often walking 17km daily to get to campus. He, too, is already putting his qualification to use and is employed as a teacher at a Wynberg school.

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ARTS

Seeing signs of language inequity

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ibongile Philibane graduated recently with an MA in Linguistics (cum laude). Her thesis title was Linguistic landscaping and translation of isiXhosa signage at three Western Cape Universities.

Philibane says that, although doing her master’s had been challenging, she is now a candidate for PhD studies.

“I am busy with my proposal and I can say that things are going okay even though I feel as though the master’s took away all my energy, I will be fine once I have submitted my proposal,” says Philibane.

As the focus of her study, Philibane set out to investigate the practice of multilingualism at three universities (the University of the Western Cape, University of Cape Town and University

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of Stellenbosch) considering the quantity and quality of isiXhosa translation in their linguistic landscapes. The findings reveal uneven promotion of the three official languages in all three universities in both the quantity of signage found and the quality of the translation, including incomplete translation in isiXhosa signs.

“The best system to maintain, preserve and promote all languages existing in a country is to utilise them in a multilingual sense. The mission statements of the three universities claim to contribute to multilingualism by encouraging the use of and development of isiXhosa, English and Afrikaans as languages of learning and teaching at the institutions,” says Philibane. But her study found this does not happen.

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At the University of the Western Cape and the University of Cape Town, English proved to be the most preferred language in comparison with Afrikaans and isiXhosa.

The tradition of favouring one language was similar at Stellenbosch University, with Afrikaans being the preferred language.

There were very few isiXhosa public display signs found at the three universities and existing signage bore information that was either incorrectly or only partially translated.

Philibane believes that the promotion and practice of multilingualism is needed even at a symbolic level on signage, given the history of South Africa, to avoid the possibility of vernacular languages fading away and becoming extinct.

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ARTS

Gender inequity in soccer

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r Thabisile Nkambule feels a sense of relief now that she has completed her PhD, the culmination of six years of hard work. Dr Nkambule is currently lecturing at the University of the Witwatersrand School of Education.

Working under the supervision of Professor Tamara Shefer, Senior Professor in the Women’s and Gender Studies Department and Deputy Dean of Teaching and Learning in the Faculty of Arts, Dr Nkambule’s study explored a group of soccer stakeholders’ perceptions and experiences of gender equity practices at the four Western Cape universities and the implications for the structures and practices of equitable soccer organisations.

The concept of soccer stakeholders in this study includes both those at leadership level – soccer administrators, and those actively participating in soccer – male and female soccer players at the universities.

Her study used a feminist qualitative methodology and semistructured individual interviews with four soccer stakeholders and 16 senior soccer players (eight females and eight males).

Her findings indicate the dominance of a discourse of equal opportunity and treatment which is disconnected from the understandings of power, and the lack of problematising the treatment of women as ‘add-ons’ to the supposedly natural and hierarchical structure of soccer.

Gender equity as a superficial practice and ‘favours for women’ discourses suggest a prevailing male bias in which women’s participation in soccer continue to be viewed as secondary and less valuable than that of men.

The existence of rationalising discourses for continued male dominance in soccer also shows that gender equality is ‘conditional’ for women’s teams, because the different levels of soccer at which they are playing are not considered or valued the same as those of the men.

Other key findings suggest that, firstly, the four universities do not have gender equity policies for soccer and soccer administrators do not consider such a policy important. Secondly, the results on the experiences of gender equity practices at the universities corroborate a perceived absence of support for women’s soccer and women soccer players’ experiences of marginalisation and neglect.

Thirdly, the findings suggest a need for structures to develop soccer at grassroots level to ensure the sustainability of growth for boys’ and girls’ soccer. Primary schools are identified as important institutions to encourage boys and girls to develop an interest in

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Thabisile Nkambule investigated gender equity practices for her PhD study.

soccer, or to nurture continuity and motivation in different age groups.

Fourthly, the progress of implementation of gender equity practices is not being monitored sufficiently. In addition, there is suspicion of the government’s lack of interrogating the continuing bias of the media in relation to the paucity of media coverage of women’s soccer.

The study suggests that women need to take ownership of their soccer, rather than rely on men to develop girls’ and women’s soccer. Some women soccer players in the study reported experiencing stigmatisation through name calling and questions about their physical appearance, sexuality and attire.

Having demonstrated that soccer fields are contested ‘spaces’ that have been traditionally and ‘naturally’ declared for men, the study reveals a need for research that prioritises interrogating and problematising men’s perceptions of women’s soccer and issues of gender equity practices in soccer in South Africa.

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COMMUNITY AND HEALTH SCIENCES

Teens, trust and technology

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illions of teenagers across South Africa have access to cellular phones, handling communications and relationships in ways that parents might find difficult to monitor. How should parents deal with this? Recent University of the Western Cape master’s graduate Epiphanie Mukasano searched for answers.

“What excites me about this field is the way mobile technology affects family life and society at large,” she says. “What I find most interesting is the way children have adopted the technology, and the meaning that it holds in their lives.”

With the guidance of her supervisor, UWC Department of Social Work’s Prof Catherina Schenck, and the Department of Educational Leadership and Management’s Prof Hester van der Merwe, Mukasano conducted a qualitative study to explore how parents experienced their teenagers’ use of cell phones.

She conducted interviews with parents in Cape Town, and recorded a range of experiences regarding teenagers’ use of text messaging in terms of communication and relationships, and their use of mobile phones in general.

She found parents and teens enjoyed the convenience and relatively low cost of messaging. Parents also valued the sense of security it gave them. Mukasano found that many were embracing texting themselves to communicate and stay connected with their

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teens – often providing the phone as a gift for this reason.

On the other hand, parents were aware of the dangers related to phone use and misuse – including bullying, sexting, and interruption of chores, studying and sleep times. The study reveals that girls were more at risk when it came to mobile bullying and sexting.

“The mobile phone enabled with internet and social media access – the smartphone, especially – is gaining widespread use due to its affordability, making communication and information access easier, especially for the less affluent segments of society.

Obviously, the cost-effective communication offered through cell phones has a lot of advantages. But there is also a downside, especially where children are concerned,” says Mukasano.

Ultimately, the study shows that text messaging can be used to enhance communication and relationships between parents and teens, provided that parents carefully consider the importance of developing trusting relationships with their children, emphasising open communication and a respect for privacy.

“Finding the balance is a challenge, especially for school work,” Mukasano notes. “Clear expectations should be set from the beginning. Teens should be educated about the dangers of mobile phones, and parents should monitor their use while respecting their kids’ freedom.”

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COMMUNITY AND HEALTH SCIENCES

Helping youth at risk

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ngagement in health risk behaviours among South African youth is a serious public health concern. Dr Hamilton Pharaoh of UWC’s Community and Health Sciences (CHS) Faculty tackled this question as the topic of his recently awarded PhD and came up with some interesting possibilities.

“I’ve always had a passion for working with the youth,” Dr Pharaoh explains, “and I wanted to do research that is tangible; something that can impact on communities and make a difference.”

Dr Pharaoh’s study focused on health risk behaviours (HRBs) among grade 8 to 10 learners at a school in Paarl. He also investigated the design and feasibility of implementing a comprehensive youth development programme that would help to equip learners with the skills to change these HRBs. Some of the findings of the study are that smoking, drinking, sexual activity, drug use, physical inactivity, crime and violence are the most prominent HRBs reported by the learners; drinking and drug use are statistically more prevalent among males; and risky sexual behaviour is more prevalent among females.

Dr Pharaoh is currently implementing the programme at schools in Paarl. Having grown up there and matriculated from Klein Nederburg Secondary School, he knows the area very well.

“We had many temptations for health risk behaviours, and we didn’t have the facilities and advantages that students have now,” he says. “But we had excellent teachers who made it possible for us to dream and believe that we could achieve in life.”

When Dr Pharaoh came to UWC 25 years ago, he and other student leaders

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Hamilton Pharaoh is hooded by his brother, EMS Faculty Officer, Courtley Pharaoh.

had to fight for physiotherapy at UWC, to change the way students were perceived as ‘troublemakers’. That particular group of ‘troublemakers’ included the current Dean of CHS, Prof Jose Frantz. Prof Frantz and Dr Mario Smith were Dr Pharaoh’s supervisors in this study.

After becoming the first in his family to graduate from UWC, Dr Pharaoh earned two more degrees at UWC and became a much-loved lecturer.

“My parents taught me the importance of education. Working with youth is a calling and physiotherapy excites me.

And teaching others within the field of physiotherapy definitely excites me. I love what I’m doing,” he says.

Dr Pharaoh’s passion for UWC is echoed by his family. His brother Courtley works as

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a Faculty Officer in the EMS Faculty and is an alumnus, as is his eldest daughter, Nicole.

“My family, my wife, daughters and parents, have played a major role in supporting me in my growth as an academic,” he says. “And no words can express my gratitude to UWC as an institution that invests in people.

“UWC at its core believes that students should become change agents and engaged citizens. I believe, in a small way, pursuing my research could possibly play a role in accomplishing this.

“I believe that research should have an impact to make it really meaningful,” he says. “I’m fortunate that I’m already using my research to assist other youth groups to structure their programmes differently – and it is already yielding results.”

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EDUCATION

g n i n i a r t r e h c Tea Study assists teacher training in Eritrea

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r Senait Ghebru Berhe, a Faculty of Education student, recently received her PhD at the March 2015 graduation. Dr Berhe was supervised

by Professor Meshach Ogunniyi, of the School of Science and Mathematics Education, Faculty of Education.

In the study, entitled The effects of an argumentation-based programme on the ability of 25 pre-service science teachers to implement a learner-centred curriculum in selected Eritrean middle school classrooms, Berhe examined 25 pre-service science teachers’ ability to use an argumentationbased instructional model to implement a learner-centred curriculum in selected Eritrean middle-school classrooms (preservice teachers are student teachers who have not yet undertaken any teaching).

The study was part of a larger school-based research project aimed at training science

teachers to integrate argumentation into K-12 science instruction.

Most of the pre-service teachers developed a high level of efficacy in motivating their learners to construct socially and scientifically valid arguments and to improve their understanding of the substantive and syntactic nature of scientific inquiry.

Aside from certain problems related to the learning environment and the nature of the teacher education programmes, the major factors that hinder these teachers from using an argumentationbased instructional model to implement a learner-centred curriculum in their respective classrooms include problems associated with students, teachers, the curriculum and the stakeholders.

This is due to a lack of support from stakeholders, coupled with a limited

understanding of this teaching method as it was not introduced within the curriculum of Eritrean schools.

The study shows that the argumentationbased intervention training programme and the reflective workshop sessions were major factors that enhanced the pre-service teachers’ ability to use an argumentationbased instructional model to implement a learner-centred curriculum in the science classroom.

Overall, the pre-service teachers were enthusiastic about using argumentation as a teaching strategy.

Professor Ogunniyi says the study has made significant contributions to scholarship in terms of generating new knowledge in at least two areas. It shows that a learnercentred, argumentation-based pedagogy within the Eritrean context is new and provides pointers for policy and practice.

Dr Berhe also acquired her master’s degree at UWC. Following an agreement between UWC and the government of Eritrea, Dr Berhe was part of a group of 12 Eritreans who spent two years completing master’s degrees in education at UWC between 1999 and 2000.

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EDUCATION

Alleviating poverty aids learning ability

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mma Priscilla Barnett is another of the latest cohort of UWC students to complete their doctoral studies despite holding down a full-time job. Speaking a week after receiving her PhD in Education, Dr Barnett, who works at the Northern Cape Department of Education, reflects on her seven-year effort.

“My hard work and sleepless nights have finally paid off. I really have to thank my supervisor [Dr Rouaan Maarman of the Department of Educational Studies] for helping me, and for his humility throughout,” she says. “I think it’s only sinking in now. I am very excited about finishing my studies.”

Dr Barnett’s dissertation, entitled A capability analysis of education policies in quintile 1 schools in the Frances Baard district of the Northern Cape, examines the impact of three education poverty alleviation policies in relation to learners’ capabilities.

Dr Barnett studied the National Norms and Standards for School Funding, the learner transport policy of the Northern Cape Department of Education and the National School Nutrition Programme, all of which were among the post-1994 government policies intended to make education more affordable and accessible to poor learners.

Her study was grounded in the Capability Approach, a conceptual framework pioneered by the economist and philosopher, Amartya Sen, which makes two normative claims: firstly, that freedom to achieve well-being is of primary moral importance; and secondly, that freedom to achieve well-being is to be understood in terms of people’s capabilities (that is, what individuals are able to do).

The study posits the view that the three policies are essential in terms of contributing to the well-being of learners living in poverty, as well as offering opportunities to every child, irrespective of social and economic background.

Dr Barnett’s investigation of the impact and implementation of these policies reveals that learners’ capabilities are limited in the schools studied. Although the three policies are being implemented in the schools, the lack of management, monitoring and support of the implementation process by the Northern Cape Department of Education remains a challenge.

These flaws put learners’ opportunities to effectively benefit from these interventions at risk. It was found that learner capabilities and functioning would only be enhanced if their diverse backgrounds were properly accounted for.

Importantly, Dr Barnett’s recommendations to improve the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the three policies are based on the responses received from the principals and

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Emma Barnett examined the effects of poverty alleviation on learning ability for her PhD.

learners. It is hoped that the study will aid the development of a more comprehensive understanding by role players in the sector of the interface between poverty and education.

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ECONOMIC AND MANAGEMENT SCIENCES

New insights into student success

Janine Jansen received her master’s degree for her study of learners’ choices.

The South African Education and Environment Project (SAEP) offers young people academic and psychosupport programmes from high school to tertiary education, helping them to build academic and life skills to enhance their chances of success in higher education and employment.

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hat influences high school learners’ successful transition to higher education? University of the Western Cape Economic and Management Sciences Faculty master’s graduate, Janine Jansen, explored the factors that influence learners’ choices regarding tertiary education in her thesis.

“The post-school education and training sector in South Africa is very complex, and there is a great need to understand it,” she says. “...[Once we understand it] we can take steps to structure it in such a way that it meets the needs of the South African youth.”

Jansen was guided in her thesis work by her supervisor, Dr Venicia McGhie. “Dr McGhie was amazing,” Jansen says. “She wasn’t just a supervisor guiding my academic research, but a true mentor as well, supporting and encouraging me along my journey.”

Jansen selected 28 Grade 12 learners and three Grade 12 educators from a high school in Phillippi (using a purposive sampling technique) and used the student-focused Chapman College Choice Model as a theoretical framework to gain insights into the factors that facilitate a successful transition from high school to tertiary education.

The research findings project a need to have a strong support structure as a base. Key hindrances to university access include a lack of financial and academic support and a failure to grasp university ‘culture’. Motivating factors include extended family, socio-cultural and socio-economic factors.

The findings are in keeping with Jansen’s own experience as a learner at Blackheath High School in Cape Town.

“My transition from high school was made easier because I had the support of a high school teacher who provided guidance around university courses to study and assisted with my university and bursary applications,” she says.

But when Jansen started volunteering at local schools and mentoring learners she realised that many learners did not have this support. That experience sparked her interest and motivated her to want to understand how young adults experienced the post-school sector.

Jansen is applying her knowledge at the South African Education and Environment Project (SAEP), an education-focused NGO, where she plans to make significant contributions to the field through research and policy development.

“I want to keep expanding my knowledge and understanding of the South African education landscape, with a specific interest in and focus on the post-school sector,” she says. “When I understand that, then I can help figure out how to support learners to make the transition to study and training opportunities flow with less friction.”

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ECONOMIC AND MANAGEMENT SCIENCES

Leaders can learn through play

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WC MCom graduate, Wouter Grove, believes social online gaming can help develop leadership.

“The cultural phenomenon of digital games has always fascinated me,” says Grove, “especially the power to engage people. That same engagement is often missing in traditional ‘chalk-and-talk’ training and learning.”

His thesis, titled Competencies for successful use of social online simulation games within organisational leadership development, explores how social online simulation gaming (SOSG) can be employed as a learning technology that can prove particularly valuable as a leadership and skills development tool.

“It’s all about the use of games within organisational training, something which has been increasing over the last few years,” he says. “This study attempted to create a managerial tool to assist managers in implementing and successfully utilising exciting new technologies.”

Simulating tasks and challenges and playing through them online provides low-stakes leadership training where actions and outcomes are measurable and repeatable – but implementing these systems requires certain competencies.

To determine what competencies

were necessary, Grove reviewed the literature on SOSG utilisation models and frameworks, deriving a preliminary conceptual model of the ICT-related competencies needed to successfully implement SOSG in leadership development.

He then refined the framework with the input of an international panel of experts, finally ending up with an SOSG utilisation framework that could potentially form a robust basis for further refinement of required competencies.

In other words, he worked out what skills might be useful for implementing SOSGs for learning development, and highlighted those that would have the most significant impact on the success of implementation - useful for both academics and practitioners.

“If business leaders can successfully utilise game-based learning to maximise their return on investment in leadership development initiatives, this may not only increase business metrics, but also enable business leaders to leave a lasting legacy,” Grove says.

He is currently in the early stages of a PhD on digital social innovation and runs a consultancy that assists clients to successfully implement game-based learning technologies. One of those clients is UWC – he has helped to develop an alternate reality

Wouter Grove explored the serious side of gaming for his MCom.

game for Orientation and a variety of other activities.

“In ten years I would like to look back and say that I have been living a life of significance, making a real contribution to the country that I love,” says Grove.

“If I can do that with games, that would be great fun.”

Digital gaming is impacting on the business world in other ways. Massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) allow millions of gamers to play simultaneously, and have virtual economies where people buy and sell virtual items for real world money, or sell virtual space that they’ve developed, or even sell their characters themselves. One of the biggest, World of Warcraft, has 10 million active players.

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LAW

Monitoring corporate responsibility

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arge multinational corporations (MNCs) are an important force for globalisation and economic growth. But are they showing enough corporate social responsibility (CSR)? For his LLD dissertation, which was supervised by Prof Darcy du Toit and Prof Kitty Malherbe from UWC’s Faculty of Law, Thierry Galani Tiemeni examined selected multinational corporations’ approach to CSR, as contained in their codes of conduct. The aim was to comparatively assess the legal dimensions and the relevance of selected MNCs’ CSR commitments.

“The concept of CSR excites and fascinates me,” says Dr Galani, “because, besides its intriguing substance, CSR is also such a subtle and complex notion with so many different facets, reaching out to so many different fields of research – and it’s at least theoretically a notion at the core of corporate and business activities.”

Dr Galani’s work has major implications for the world of CSR. Many writers have assumed that MNCs support the notion that CSR has to go further than what the law requires at both national and international levels. But Dr Galani discovered that this was not the case. CSR, at least at the MNCs he studied, rarely exceeded the required standards – and mostly fell far short of them.

His supervisors are proud of the work he has done. “He loves research,” says Prof Malherbe. “He loves to read just about everything written on the topic in English and French – he listens, and takes comments to heart, a quality prized by a supervisor.

And he’s not afraid to speak the truth.”

Originally from Cameroon, Dr Galani completed his LLB and Honours (with majors in business and corporate law) at the University of Yaoundé II. He came to UWC to do his LLM, and got so caught up in his studies he decided to do an LLD as well. While doing his LLM, he was introduced to the topic of CSR by one of his supervisors, Prof Darcy du Toit.

“I was immediately fascinated,” he explains, “and began extensively reading and researching the topic.” In fact, he started working on a doctoral research proposal on the topic of CSR even before his LLM was completed.

Dr Galani spent a good deal of his doctoral studies travelling between Cameroon and Cape Town, with the support of his family. He also spent some time in Berlin, where he made many contacts and came back with boundless enthusiasm for his studies.

Now that graduation is behind him, Dr Galani will focus on further research.

“First and foremost, my intention is to focus on my academic

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Thierry Galani analysed corporate social responsibility in selected companies for his PhD.

work,” he says. “I’m currently involved in various research activities, and I want to finalise and publish articles. I am able to say that I have actually found my passion – not only academically, but also in life. My dream would be to be able to devote my life to research on topics like corporate citizenship, social entrepreneurship and sustainability in business in general.”

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LAW

Resolving investment disputes

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he international investor-state arbitration system is in serious need of reform. At least, that is the conclusion Dr Julius Cosmas reached after completing his LLD dissertation, aptly titled A critical assessment of the legitimacy of the investor-state arbitration system: A call for reform.

His research looked at the way international investment disputes are settled through arbitration – which requires navigating a system of over 3 000 bilateral investment treaties.

Through this system, disputes are settled by autonomous and differently constituted tribunals that have the power to render awards that are final and binding with very limited opportunity to challenge the rendered award.

“There are no higher bodies where an appeal can be lodged,” Dr Cosmas explains, “and the differently-constituted tribunals at times reach diametrically opposed positions on similar facts. That can lead to a lack of consistency, which in turn affects the legitimacy of the whole system.”

Dr Cosmas explored several possible solutions, including: invoking res judicata and lis pendens principles; accepting the doctrine of precedent; applying the “fork in the road” principle; and, creating an appellate structure.

But these do not address legitimacy issues adequately, he feels. Dr Cosmas therefore suggests the establishment of a multilateral agreement on investment (MAI) to address the legitimacy issue cumulatively and from a multinational perspective.

Julius Cosmas is hooded by Registrar, Miss Nita Lawton-Misra.

His dissertation also proposes a range of interim solutions to help increase legitimacy before establishment of a MAI, including: effective utilisation of host state courts; establishment of an investor-state adjudication centre; mandatory publication of all awards; and, forming a working commission to investigate multilateral agreements.

“For the betterment of international investment law, reform is inevitable,” Dr Cosmas says. “The benefits would far outweigh the costs.”

Dr Cosmas is a lecturer at Mzumbe University in Tanzania, which he first joined as a tutorial assistant in 2003 after graduating at the University of Dar es Salaam with an LLB (with honours). He is now teaching investment law, corporate law and administrative law there. “I found I happened to like the controversy and debate surrounding the investor-state arbitration system,” he says,” so I decided

to research it for myself.”

“Julius is the dream candidate for any LLD supervisor,” his supervisor says of the model student. “He worked hard and finished quickly, but he also thought things through, and was gracious in the way he handled comments, right up to the end – even while he and his wife had a new baby to care for.”

Before heading back home to Tanzania to resume his work at Mzumbe University, Dr Cosmas says he plans to pursue his research, write papers and participate in conferences – and teach a new generation to further the work.

“I think I was born an academic,” he says. “And with the new skills I’ve acquired, I believe I am going to do even better, and help others do even better as well – and to contribute to the development of my beloved country and the world at large.”

Dr Cosmas has an LLM in Mercantile Law from Stellenbosch University, awarded in 2006. He returned to South Africa and UWC to begin the LLD in 2013.

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SCIENCE

Just read the barcode?

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T

he spread of invasive species is one of the greatest threats to biodiversity – both locally and globally. There have been relatively few reported grass invasions in South Africa, partly because grasses are difficult to identify.

Luckily, recent University of the Western Cape MSc graduate, Carly Brown, has produced a thesis that addresses this problem.

“The aim of my work was to enable a relatively easy and affordable method of identification of potentially invasive grasses using DNA barcoding,” she explains. “It was a natural choice – I love working with DNA and I love working with plants, and identifying invasive plants seemed a useful endeavour.”

DNA barcoding makes use of genetic data from a range of species, focusing specifically on short universal DNA markers for identification purposes. The idea is that examining the differences in those short segments of DNA can allow different species to be recognised, in much the same way as recognising differences in phenotypic traits like beetle colouring or alligator teeth could be useful for identifying species.

“I think uniting the classical species concept with molecular methods of defining species is fascinating work,” Brown says. “And I think recent developments on second generation sequencing – sequencing whole genomes and transcriptomes – may open up new avenues of species identification.”

Brown assembled a list of native South African grass species and all the country’s known naturalised grasses (those nonnative species that have managed to spread into the wild and sustain themselves, but are usually not yet invasive). Then she assembled a DNA barcoding reference database and used the two official markers for plant DNA barcoding (rbcLa + matK) for use in barcoding and phylogenetic analyses, using each marker individually, and also combining them.

After studying 128 naturalised grass species and sub-species found in South Africa, Brown found that the matK marker analysis aided identification better than the rbcLa, but that the combined analysis worked even better. Many naturalised and native grasses in South Africa could be identified using this type of DNA barcoding.

This could allow the early detection of grass invasions enabling more cost-effective control of invasive species.

“There’s potential for further development of the DNA barcoding database for grasses in South Africa – both invasive and indigenous. But I may not want to continue with this particular project right now,” says Brown, indicating that there are many DNA-related areas of research.

“As long as I’m working with DNA and doing interesting work,” she says. “That’s the most important part.”

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SCIENCE

13

Healthy aging

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eople are living longer than ever before, and populations are rapidly growing older across the globe. But will these additional years of life be healthy? Witness Chirinda recently received his PhD in Population Studies from UWC for a dissertation that examined health expectancies of older people in South Africa.

Originally from Zimbabwe, Dr Chirinda has degrees from the University of Zimbabwe as well as the University of Cape Town.

“I feel excited to be graduating, and indebted to all who have contributed to this achievement in my life – especially my family and my supervisor, Prof Sathiyasusuman Appunni of UWC’s Department of Statistics and Population Studies.

“Entering this field was a natural decision for me,” says Dr Chirinda. “Aging and health is an important area that has received little attention, especially in African countries – yet population aging is projected to occur at a faster pace in these regions, becoming an important force.”

He based his analysis on data drawn from two nationally representative surveys: the WHO Study on Global Aging and Adult Health (SAGE), and the South African National HIV Incidence, Prevalence, Behaviour and Communication Survey (SABSSM). Both were horizontal studies, examining a large number of subjects at one particular time.

The results were presented in the form of five articles (currently under review), each tackling a different aspect of the topic. Some of the findings are: • Older people are gaining more years of sexual activity, but certain conditions reduce the odds of sexual activity (HIV in women and chronic conditions in men).

• The study found both absolute and relative compression of morbidity in older people between 2005 and 2012 (i.e. the onset of chronic disease and disability associated with later life is being postponed and compressed into a shorter period).

• Examining factors associated with happiness in older people, Dr Chirinda found that happy life expectancy is greater for men than for women, and that wealth status is the strongest predictor of happiness.

• Subjective measures show a more positive outlook, and there are gender differences – although women live longer than men, they also spend a greater part of their lifetime in poorer health than men.

• Dr Chirinda identified musculoskeletal and cardiovascular diseases as leading contributors to disability and possible

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Witness Chirinda and family.

entry points for interventions aimed at reducing the onset and burden of disability in the population.

Dr Chirinda’s dissertation concludes that a comprehensive analysis of the complex health of old people needs to include several subjective and objective measures.

“There is no doubt that the findings from this study can be an important contribution in designing policies and interventions aimed at improving the health and quality of life of older people in South Africa,” says Prof Appunni.

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DENTISTRY

CBCT improves dental implant treatment

C

one Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) analysis is a prerequisite to prevent complications such as bleeding sinus perforations or associated vascular anomalies that may arise during implant treatment.

This is the finding of Dr Mariam Bedford’s thesis, Characteristics of the Maxillary Bony Canal: A cone beam computed tomography analysis, for which she obtained her MSc (Maxillofacial Radiology) at the March Graduation.

For her research, Bedford, a lecturer at UWC’s Department of Maxillofacial Radiology, analysed data from one hundred archived CBCT images to determine the prevalence and diameter of the maxillary endosseous canal which carries the anastomosis of the inferior alveolar artery (a branch of the posterior superior alveolar artery) and the infra-orbital artery. The presence of the endosseous anastomosis in the lateral sinus wall was identified by utilising axial views. The vessel diameter was also measured in those images where the canal was identified.

Using the 3D CBCT images, Bedford was able to identify the maxillary bony canal in 49 of 100 maxillary sinuses, while the remaining 51 could not be identified on the imaging. Of the 49 canals that were identified, five canals had a diameter that was 2–3mm wide, 19 canals had a diameter that was 1–2mm wide and the remaining 25 had a diameter that was less than 1mm.

“A sound knowledge of the maxillary sinus vascularity is essential as severe bleeding can occur due to damage of the intra-osseous branch during sinus augmentation procedures,” concludes Bedford.

Her study will benefit periodontists who regularly do implant therapy, an increasing prospect as more patients are coming forward requesting dental implants.

“My research was to be used as a platform for implementing cone beam imaging as part of the standard protocol treatment in pre-implant planning,” she explains.

“Also, it is to highlight the intricate anatomic landmarks which are often missed when utilising traditional imaging methods, which can lead to complications.”

Bedford previously obtained postgraduate diplomas in oral surgery and maxillofacial radiology after completing her bachelor of dental surgery degree. She also practiced dentistry in Australia between 2009 and 2010.

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DENTISTRY

Thesis fills gap in research

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n addition to constantly striving to improve herself as a clinician and clinical teacher, Dr Sharafit Ismail has always had an interest in research – following up on new trends in dentistry or conducting her own research.

Her efforts were recently rewarded when she graduated in March with a master’s degree. Her thesis, entitled An Investigation Into Different Factors Affecting the Microleakage Determination of Dental Restorations, followed many laboratory experiments conducted over the years to test the microleakage of certain dental restorative materials used in clinical practice (that is, to determine whether or not the restorative material used to restore the tooth is effectively sealing off the tooth cavity after it has been cleaned, thereby preventing recurrence of tooth decay).

One such microleakage test, called thermocycling, involves restored teeth being tested under closely simulated conditions in the oral cavity – teeth are dipped into hot and cold water baths containing a dye over a pre-determined period of time (dwell times), at specific temperature ranges and a specific number of thermocycles.

Dr Ismail, who also obtained her BSc at UWC, explains that after thermocycling, the teeth/restorations are sectioned and viewed under a light microscope to check for microleakage. Penetration of the dye into the space between the cavity and restorative material indicates microleakage (this is measured according to a scale).

“Different laboratories vary greatly with regard to thermocycling tests. There is great variation in factors such as storage media, type of dye, dwell times, number of thermocycles and temperatures used thereby preventing meta-analyses and comparison of the results of the different studies. There is thus a need for the standardisation of these studies,” says Ismail.

The objective of the work was to propose a standardised set of variables to be used in thermocycling tests in all laboratories, which would then allow comparison of results from different studies.

Dr Ismail, who runs a private practice in addition to serving as a part-time clinical teacher at UWC’s Faculty of Dentistry, adds that after restorations were completed, thermocycling was done at different numbers of thermocycles, temperature ranges and dwell times to determine the effects on the microleakage of two different dental restorative materials.

After determining that “restorative systems with low microleakage cannot be used to determine any settings because of the relatively low effect of the number of thermocycles, dwell time and temperature changes on these systems”, Dr Ismail’s study chose the set of variables which resulted in the most severe microleakage (further leakage was not possible) as the standardised set of variables.

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Sharafit Ismail’s master’s study investigated microleakage in restorative materials.

The University of the Western Cape’s Faculty of Dentistry is the largest dentistry school in Africa.

It is responsible for training almost 50% of all new dentists in South Africa, in fields as diverse as oral hygiene, orthodontics, paediatric dentistry, restorative dentistry, community oral health, diagnostic dental sciences and maxillofacial and oral surgery, anaesthesiology and sedation.

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EVENTS

Rector welcomes Exchange and Study Abroad students at Orientation New Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Tyrone Pretorius, welcomed the Exchange and Study Abroad students at UWC Orientation, and encouraged them to experience the diversity that the University has to offer.

Mellon Mays undergraduate students come to UWC Students from different universities around the world who form part of the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship programme met at UWC for the January programme. The programme aimed to reflect on some of Cape Town’s contrasts by utilising a transformative lens, focusing on “Live Design, Transform Life” themes to inform and guide this debate. Students attended a combination of lectures, workshops and site visits and were taught about the history of the University and the role that it played during the apartheid years.

Missouri delegation visits UWC A delegation from the University of Missouri (UM) visited the University of the Western Cape from 26 to 29 January 2015. The UM delegation was hosted by UWC Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Tyrone Pretorius, at the Life Sciences Building. The UM delegation also met with the UWC executive and UWC academics.

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Varsity Shield launch Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Tyrone Pretorius, encouraged the UWC rugby team to go for gold at the launch of the Varsity Shield season and team announcement on 29 January 2015.

UWC students triumph in moot court UWC law students dominated the South African round of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition – the largest and most prestigious moot court competition in the world.

The data revolution and sustainable development There is more data available now than ever before – but what to do with it? UN speakers visited UWC to explore what the data revolution means for sustainable development in South Africa and the world.

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EVENTS

Science achievements UWC’s Technology Transfer Office won two awards at the Innovation Bridge Conference on 2 and 3 February 2015. The two awards were for the best exhibitor and the best prototype from an Office of Technology Transfer. The aim of the showcase is to exhibit technology offerings developed at South Africa’s universities. The event is an initiative of the Department of Science and Technology in collaboration with NIPMO and SARIMA.

COLP principals still learning The South African government spends a large part of its budget on education yet students struggle to pass international standardised tests. The Community of Learning Principals programme aims to help change this situation by bringing together Western Cape principals to equip them with the leadership management skills needed to deal with challenges they encounter at schools.

UWC receives a R3 million donation From an initial donation of R100 in 1972 to a whopping R3 million in 2015 – the University of the Western Cape and The Foschini Group recently met to celebrate a long and prosperous relationship.

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Minister Jeff Radebe visits UWC Minister in the Presidency and former Justice Minister, Jeff Radebe, welcomed Prof Tyrone Pretorius to his new position as the Rector and Vice-Chancellor at the University of the Western Cape on Thursday, 12 February 2015.

UWC inaugurates Vice-Chancellor Prof Tyrone Pretorius was inaugurated as UWC’s 7th Rector and Vice-Chancellor in the University’s 56th year of existence.

The inauguration was attended by students, staff, government officials and Vice-Chancellors of other universities.

SRC raises funds UWC’s Student Representative Council launched the Given to Love & Given to Support project at their Valentine’s Day Gala Dinner. The project aims to raise funds for disadvantaged prospective students who cannot afford to pay their application fees. The launch of the Given to Love & Given to Support fund forms part of a long-term project by the SRC.

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EVENTS

Celebration of research output UWC played host to a unique celebration recently, honouring the South African nursing school that has produced the most peer-reviewed research over the last few years – UWC’s School of Nursing.

UWC’s VC meets business community A business luncheon was recently held to introduce Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Tyrone Pretorius, to business leaders.

Launch of book on land reform The book Land divided, Land restored: land reform in South Africa for the 21st century, presents an opportunity to assess the significance of land as a contributor to social, economic and natural resource in South Africa.

The book features papers presented at the 2013 conference, ‘Land Divided, Land Restored’.

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UWC-SLCA and Archway Foundation build more labs The Science Learning Centre for Africa (SLCA) has donated another set of science learning centres with the help of the Garden Cities Archway Foundation. Wittebome High School and Steenberg High School were the latest beneficiaries. These stateof-the-art science labs are given to schools that show commitment to science and mathematics learning and teaching.

UWC launches international health project The University of the Western Cape hosted the launch of SMART2D (Self-Management and Reciprocal learning for the prevention and management of Type 2 Diabetes), a four-year collaborative research project between five institutions in five countries – South Africa, Uganda, Belgium, Sweden and Finland. The project aims to develop and test new approaches to combatting Type 2 diabetes among populations in low, middle and high-income countries.

UWC signs historic agreement with Asahi and Meikai Universities in Japan UWC’s Dean of Dentistry, Prof Yusuf Osman, recently visited Asahi University in Japan, where he helped strengthen international ties.

An MoU on academic exchanges was signed on 12 March 2015 between UWC’s Faculty of Dentistry, Meikai University’s School of Dentistry, and Asahi University’s School of Dentistry, which will open the doors of collaboration and will lead to academic exchanges to strengthen the programmes in both countries.

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19

SPORT

Sports stars excel off the field

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he University of the Western Cape considers sport to be an important element in holistic student development and encourages students to balance their academic work with participation in sport.

At the 2015 Summer Graduation scores of athletes were among those graduates who showed that it was possible to excel academically and in the sports arena.

Football had a strong contingent in Mvano Cwabane, Loyiso Ngcola, Wendy Nomatse and Simone Pedro, who all completed their degrees in sport science; Kuhle Mpahlwa and Lungelo Nokhele, who achieved their BCom degrees; Mthobeli Lithiko and Alexis van Kervel, who obtained their BA in psychology degrees; and Nomvuzo Mgoduka, who received her postgraduate diploma in sport, development and peace.

Representing the other form of football, former Springbok women’s rugby player, Nosipho Poswa, received her degree in education.

In athletics, UWC Sports Council chairman and sprinter, Rodwell Ndlovu, obtained his BSc Honours in Statistics and Population Studies. Sports administrator, Hadley Volkwyn, graduated with a postgraduate diploma in sport, development and peace, while sprinter, Kurt Cameron, received his honours degree in sport, recreation and exercise science. Track athlete, Miche le Grange, received a degree in higher economic development. Middle distance runner, Dudan Faro, and high jumper, Samantha Ross, also graduated in March.

Former UWC Director of Sport Administration, Ilhaam Groenewald, graduated with a master’s degree in Arts, Sport, Recreation and Exercise Science.

For her thesis, Groenewald, now a chief director of sport at neighbouring

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Former UWC Director of Sports Administration, Ilhaam Groenewald, obtained her master’s degree in sport science in March.

Stellenbosch University, conducted an exploration study on quality management practices (QMP) in high performance sport at two South African universities, using Swimming Centres of Excellence as the case study.

Her research, she says, was motivated by the growing need for South African sport competitions to be transformed into quality and profitable events, noting that they needed to be managed professionally, with well-organised and sophisticated athlete preparation and excellent management systems.

“New pressures have emerged from within South Africa and from key stakeholders that require sport organisations to become more performance orientated, and to build their capacity in order to improve or better manage their organisational performance,” says Groenewald.

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The overarching recommendation of the research is that implementation of the QMPs require that the principles and philosophy of excellence (fundamental concepts) are shared and understood by not only those in leadership positions and management responsibilities but by all stakeholders.

“They need not consider, nor attempt to introduce, QMPs unless sport organisations are willing to radically transform conventional practices...What is required is radical and pervasive change,”Groenewald says.

QMPs involve the redesign of organisational structures, the re-design of work and the re-definition of management style. “Unless the high performance environment is willing to take this into consideration, successful implementation of QMPs will remain a challenge in South Africa and to its future success rate.”

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SPORT

UWC sport makes a flying start to the year UWC athletes have shone in a variety of local, national and international competitions over the years, and the first quarter of 2015 has been no exception. On Campus takes a look at the performance of some of the sporting codes.

Beach Volleyball Both the men’s and women’s beach volleyball teams shone at the Cape Town leg of the Flying Fish National Beach Volleyball Series hosted on campus in February. The pair of Leo Williams and Grant Goldschmidt – currently ranked the number one men’s team in South Africa – won while the duo of Bejancka Della and Liezle Peterson in the women’s team managed a respectable fourth position. Williams and Goldschmidt went on to claim their berths at the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships to be held in Netherlands in June/July after finishing as runners-up at the African Nations Qualifiers in Tunisia.

Athletics Disabled athlete Eugene Klassen won gold medals in the 100m, 200m and 400m at this year’s South African Championships for Athletes with Disabilities. He broke the South African records for the 200m and the 400m, with the latter smashed by five seconds. “This is a big success for UWC Sport,” says Hadley Volkwyn, sports administrator for athletics. “What an honour to be part of these achievements.”

UWC Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Tyrone Pretorius, congratulates the women’s beach volleyball team for successfully defending their Varsity Beach Volleyball title for a third year running.

Football Although the football season has not commenced yet, a number of past and present UWC footballers have been honoured with call-ups to represent the country at different levels. Thembi Kgatlane became the latest UWC Ladies’ football player to be called up to the senior national women’s team, Banyana Banyana, when she was named along with teammate Leandra Smeda and former teammate Kylin Swart, who now plies her trade in the USA. Their team beat Botswana 6–0 on aggregate in a two-leg 2015 All Africa Games qualifier.

Their selections followed that of former

teammates Jermaine Seoposenwe and Kelso Peskin, who were part of the Banyana Banyana team that participated in the 12-nation Cyprus Women’s Cup in March.

In another development, newlyappointed Director of Sports Administration, Mandla Gagayi, will lead a UWC contingent as Deputy Head of Delegation for the South African team at the World Student Games in South Korea in July. He will be joined by UWC players Thembi Kgatlane, Mamabolo Koketso, Vuyo Mkhabela and Thalea Smidt in the women’s team and Tapelo Sixishe in the men’s team.

UWC MEDIA OFFICE Do you have any important UWC stories to share? Do you know of an event on campus that you’d like to see featured? Have you heard of UWC alumni who’ve done amazing things, which you think the world should know about? Or maybe you have a few suggestions, comments or questions about something in this newsletter? Whatever the case may be, the UWC Media Office would really like to hear from you.

Just email us at ia@uwc.ac.za, call us at 021 959 9525, or drop by our offices.

CONTRIBUTORS Nastasha Crow

Nicole Isaacs

Asiphe Nombewu

Myolisi Gophe

Nicklaus Kruger

Luthando Tyhalibongo

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