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NELSON CHIPATO brand director Co-founder and Brand Director, Nelson’s more than ten years of experience in the advertising industry was the driving force behind starting Student Africa Magazine.

A Commercial Design graduate from Institute of Applied Art and Design (Bulawayo Polytechnic), he is well travelled and brings a wealth of hands on experience gained from his engagements in ad agencies in Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa.His great eye for unique designs and his ability to interprete briefs differently is a plus to the team of creatives he leads at SAM.

AYANDA NCUBE sales manager Co-founder and Brand Manager, Ayanda brings lots of experience in sales through her exposure in various design houses. A natural born designer with a Diploma in Commercial Design, she spend many years in the printing industry as a DTP but she dicided to shift her focus to sales and she is a great asset to this team. As co-founder of the magazine she is a leader at all levels. Ayanda heads the sales team as well as play a pivotal advisory role in brand direction.

MGCINI BADUDUZI NDLOVU content producer Mgcini is a Bcomm Management and Economics graduate from Fort Hare University.

His passion for tutoring university and matric students makes him a valuable asset as he gets to interact with students. Graced with strong human relations skills, there is no better man to be hunting for stories than this man.

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Tholoana is a film and online media graduate. Her passion lies in visual media; film, design & photography.

Gifted with a positive critical eye, she is a great team player. Her passion to THOLOANA PHOSHODI keep learning has made her take over the website and social media handling web design / socialite and look out for fresh stuff coming from her fresh perspective.

I love the sense of hope and renewal that comes with turning over the calendar at the beginning of each year. I love the energy that everyone suddenly has and the desire you see on each person to set off properly.

Greetings and a warm welcome to our very first issue of Student Africa Magazine!

We couldn’t be more excited to have made it to this point. Please take some time to get to know the layout of our magazine. You will notice the difference in approach as well as design we are hoping to bring and also the interactive level we have with students, universities, academic leading figures as well as the corporate and government departments of various nations we do business with. When we set out to create Student Africa Magazine, a publication that would promote interaction between students and their dream universities, dream workplaces, we decided on a product that belongs to the people who use it and so we follow these inspirational humans, we want to hear their real, honest stories, we then agreed we wanted a magazine that would provide every learner with relevant up-to-date information on education and experiential programs targeted at individual and corporate academic growth.

We are honored to share the work of so many committed, inspirational and hard working people in Africa and beyond. Please visit the website and read articles that we upload and we love interacting with you on our various social media platforms. Also, feel free to leave comments on the articles, share your thoughts or engage us for feedback on any material you would love us to feature or improve on.

We appreciate your support and are so happy to have you as partners and readers of Student Africa Magazine. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said “The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night�.

I believe we all have same opportunities as we start the year but its only those who are hungry for greatness who will sacrifice so much to be counted among achievers.

With warmest thanks,

Nelson Chipato Acting Editor

06/07

JANUARY MARCH 2015

04/08

09/13

PROFILE WITH MINISTER OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING, HON DONATE TIME FOR A BLADE NZIMANDE AND WORTHY CAUSE, SHAWCO VOLUNTEERS INTERVIEW ON THE RISE SHARE THEIR LIFE OF EDUCATION EXPERIENCES OF

MEET OUR TEAM FOREWORD: AFRICAN ACADEMIA AS I SEE IT BY SIVIWE MINYI

17 20 24 28 36 48 64 70

THE YOUNG AFRICAN SCHOLARS PROGRAM (YYAS) A DAY IN THE SKY WITH YOUNG BLACK AFRICAN FEMALE PILOT, BOITUMELO KATISI

COVER FEATURE NUTRITION AS A PROFESSION WITH JENNIPHER OSEI EDIBLE ART WITH CHEF JANICE WONG

A BASIC REVIEW OF FORMAL AND INFORMAL SCHOOLING IN SOUTH AFRICA

SPORT: USSA 2014 VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT TEAMS, AND STAR PLAYERS

42 55 68 78

SPORT: SPECIAL AFCON EXPOSE. LOOK AT THE TOURNAMENT, TEAMS, PLAYERS.

THE LACK OF WOMEN IN CULINARY LEADERSHIP, MZANSI INTERNATIONAL CULINARY FESTIVAL. INSPIRATIONAL AFRICANS DR SANDILE KHUBEKA LUDWICK MARISHANE SIYABULELA XUZA MAUD CHIFAMBA LUCAS SITHOLE SPORT: FROM DUNKS TO RAMPS; THE STORY OF BASKETBALL STAR LUYANDA NTUNJA BOOK, MUSIC AND MOVIE REVIEW.

PUBLISHER: Student Africa Magazine, 812 Castle Mansions 170 Jeppe Street Johannesburg, 2001.

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Twitter: @studafrica Skype: studentafrica Facebook: studentafricamag Linkedin: studentafricamag Website: www.studentafricamag.com PRINTERS: SISONKE PRINTERS DISCLAIMER: Student Africa Magazine is a product of Student Africa Magazine (Pty) Ltd, registration number (2014/113425/07) with ISSN No: 2313-254X. Student Africa Magazine (SAM) considers its sources reOiabOe and YeriÀes as much data as possible. However reporting inaccuracies can occur, consequently readers using this information do so at their own risk.

Student Africa Magazine is distributed with the understanding that it does not render legal or advisory service. Although institutes, companies and contributors mentioned herein are believed to be reputable, neither Student Africa Magazine (Pty) Ltd, (2014/113425/07), nor any of its employees, sales executives or contributors accept any responsibility whatsoever for such persons’ and companies’ activities. Student Africa Magazine (Pty) Ltd. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without prior written permission of the publisher. Permission is only deemed valid if approval is in writing. SAM makes arrangements for all rights to contribution, text, images unless previously agreed in writing.

FORE WORD SIVIWE MINYI

S

ome five years ago, I found myself engrossed in a stuffy lecture room at the University of Cape Town. The lecture room was located in what was then known as African Studies department and the topic of debate amongst scholars and researchers, call them professors if you wish, that fateful afternoon was “ is there a need for an African Studies department in an African university? The premise of the debate, on the one side, was that the university is in Cape Town, South Africa and therefore it is automatic that whatever is researched, taught and implemented shall be African and relevant to Africa.

This argument concluded therefore that there is no need for perpetuation of a colonial mindset which calls for a separate department focusing on African affairs. The other side of the debate articulated the position that the university needs to bring to consciousness the idea that graduates from the university need to be exposed to African thought and that by the time they graduate, they “think” African.

In many universities, particularly those that are based in Europe and Northern America, it is common to come across departments that are called Centre for Africa studies, or Centre for African American studies etc. Any rough search will reveal that this is a common approach adopted by many institution of higher learning.

By the time the debate ended, I left the room more confused than I first came.

A

FRICAN

CADEMIA S I SEE IT.

Siviwe Minyi holds a Masters Degree Media Studies from University of Western Cape and Film & Media Studies degree from the University of Cape Town. Honorable Minyi is former board member of South African Media Development and Diversity Agency. His excellence Minyi is a former government spokesperson. He is founder member of Africa’s first community radio station “Bush Radio”. Honorable Minyi spent a number of years working with NGOs in the field of democracy education, justice and reconciliation. His extensive experience includes radio content producing, freelance journalism, developing and implementing marketing strategies for a number of organizations and government departments.

In fact I realized that the so-called scholars were engaged in a fruitless discussion which left the institution untouched and with little transformation.

As a graduate of the university, with all my four years of being associated with rigorous reading and writing, much of what had been taught to me had very little to do with the continent of Africa.

On reflection, I am more than convinced that what is taught at universities in South Africa has very little to do with transforming students to thinking as Africans. This is evident in the prescribed reading materials or some of the research currently taking place in some universities. What further complicates the picture is that Dr Xolela Mangcu based at my alma mater, argues painfully that the university has done very little to appoint Africans to positions of full professors.

Up until there is an influx of African professor at these institutions, students will still graduate with a European mindset.

Perhaps the bigger picture should not be left out. Words uttered by the then Minister for Native Affairs, Dr Hendrik Verwoerd in 1958 that “…there is no place for [the Bantu] in the European community above the level of certain forms of labour ... What is the use of teaching the Bantu child mathematics when it cannot use it in practice? That is quite absurd. Education must train people in accordance with their opportunities in life, according to the sphere in which they live…” still ring through to this century. Perhaps we have made very little shift from Verwoerd’s assertions about Africans. It may be

probable that we continue to lock ourselves into this space. It may be important for us to contextualize the discussion on at least three fronts.

Firstly, we would be foolhardy for us to think that mere additional numbers of black/ African scholars shall lead to the transformation of these institutions. One has to question the institutions where they graduated from, who taught them and how far these institutions are committed to the African thought. It is upon these grounds that the late African thinker and academic, Professor Ali Mazrui saw existence and work. For more than two decades, Mazrui asked some difficult questions on the meaning of African thought within institutions of higher learning. This needs to be revived.

The second matter that needs much thinking has to be our schooling system.

Schooling too is devoid of anything African and lacks some serious focus on the subject. I also understand, as pointed out above, that teachers themselves are not “African” in their training. I do not expect teachers who face daily challenges such as overcrowding, lack of toilets; poor discipline, absenteeism etc suddenly to become the ones who can assist moving students into critical thinking.

This is despite the fact that technology in the classroom is available for them.

Finally, in order to move the debate further, those whom we elect to lead us should be taking forward. The real debate should be to what extent do our leaders think African and not western in mind and soul. When that day dawns, our being African shall have arrived. SAM

DR EMMANUEL

BONGINKOSI

BLADE NZIMANDE D

It is important to create linkages across post-school institutions and to ensure that all learners get appropriate work experience.

We need to promote the unique role of colleges in the skills development landscape and also reposition colleges in terms of access, availability and time.

r Emmanuel Bonginkosi “Blade” Nzimande was born in Kwa-Dambuza, Pietermaritzburg, Natal (now kwaZulu-Natal) on 14 April 1958.

In the 1980s, he was a member of progressive education organisations, including National Education Union of South Africa (NEUSA), Union of Democratic University Staff Associations (UDUSA) and the National Education Crisis Committee (NECC) and served in many NGOs supporting mass and labour struggles.

Nzimande joined the South African Communist Party (SACP) in 1988.

He has held the position of the General Secretary of the SACP since July 1998.

He is also a member of the African National Congress (ANC) National Executive Committee, a member of the ANC National Working Committee and the Chairperson of the Financial Sector Coalition Campaign (FSCC).

He obtained his PhD in Industrial Sociology from the University of Natal (now University of kwaZulu-Natal) in 1991 and is a qualified Industrial Psychologist.

From 1994 to 1999, Dr Nzimande was a Member of Parliament and Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Education in South Africa’s first democratic parliament. He was, formerly, Director of the Education Policy Unit at the University of Natal from 1990 to 1994.

Prior to that, he lectured in Industrial Psychology at the Universities of Zululand and Natal. Dr Nzimande was appointed as the first Minister for Higher Education and Training in the Republic of South Africa in May 2009.

In addition to serving on the Boards and committees of many organisations, Dr Nzimande has published numerous works related to his past research, namely: Education, Civil Society and the State, Affirmative Action, and Education Policy Development, and Socialism.

He is also the author of a book entitled, Children of Wars: The impact of violence on schooling in Natal.

10/11 PROFILE: MINISTER FOR HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING / SA

The higher education system has expanded considerably since 1994, growing from a headcount enrolment of 495 000 in 1994 to just under one million in 2014.

12/13

ONTHE

RISEOF EDUCATION

INTERVIEW

with DRBLADE

South Africa is one the many African countries who take education extremely serious.The twenty year old democratic country has made a lot of strides in education since the dawn of democracy in 1994. Of course there were and still are some challenges the country is facing as it improve its education system. Student Africa Magazine writer Lwazi Nyanakancesh Nongauza spoke to the Minister of High Education Dr Blade Nzimande.

Lwazi Nyanakancesh Nongauza Honourable Minister Dr Blade Nzimande has been very vocal about revamping of technical colleges. How is that initiative going?

GOVERNANCE The Department focused on improving the functionality in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges, with the aim of bringing about comprehensive sustainable improvement. Previous high levels of instability at colleges were to an extent, due to many college councils and management structures being unable to provide strategic leadership and guidance.

MANAGEMENT All Principals and Deputy Principal posts have been transferred to the Department.

All vacancies for Principals and Deputy Principals that previously existed have been filled and continued to be filled as and when they become vacant.

FINANCE The Department introduced a phased-in implementation strategy is bringing about financial stability in TVET

Colleges. Phase 1 of the financial support to colleges which was the placement of South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) Support Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) in the 50 TVET colleges, has been completed.

We are now in Phase 2, where SAICA Support CFOs are being withdrawn from colleges that have proven to have good financial management in place.

HUMAN RESOURCES We are in the process of standardizing the college organogram which goes to the level of campuses. Processes are in place to transfer 40 000 lecturing and support staff from colleges to the Department.

The remaining function shift processes will be effected on 1 April 2015.

TEACHING AND LEARNING For the first time in the history of this country we have a Policy on Professional Qualifications for TVET College Lecturers in place. Universities of Technology and Comprehensive Universities are working on the delivery of the new TVET College Lecturer qualifications. Occupational Programmes are being promoted and are more

occupation specific and responsive to specific employer needs. College planning is informed by Strategic Integrated Project requirements and national scarce skills requirements.

Colleges are being encouraged to align programme offerings to the world of work.

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES A Standardised Enrolment Management System is in place. Student Support Service Managers have been trained on Career Guidance. All colleges are administering placement tests, not for exclusion, but to assist students in making informed programme choices and identify areas where academic support will be required. Bursary Scheme Rules and Guidelines developed to improve administration and management. TVET Colleges Student Attendance Policy has been developed and is in place in colleges.

INFRASTRUCTURE The construction on the 3 of the 12 new campuses has commenced. This will give access to poor rural communities who otherwise had no access to an institution of education and training.

The rapid expansion of higher education has brought with it some challenges, particularly that of underprepared school leavers from rural and disadvantaged backgrounds who require special support to succeed at university level.

Dr Emmanuel Bonginkosi “Blade” Nzimande Minister for Higher Education and Training LNN Access to South African education system, more especially tertiary level, is constantly becoming easier for those who come from a previous disadvantaged background.

What are the challenges that the department is currently dealing with?

Enabling access to higher education opportunities to capable youth, particularly to those from previously disadvantaged groups and those who have remained economically disadvantaged post 1994, is an important aim of South Africa’s democratic government. The higher education system has expanded considerably since 1994, growing from a headcount enrolment of 495 000 in 1994 to just under one million in 2014. The rapid expansion of higher education has brought with it some challenges, particularly that of underprepared school leavers from rural and disadvantaged backgrounds who require special support to succeed at university level.

These are linked to social, economic and academic aspects of university life. The university sector is constantly under strain to take in more students, however it is recognized that not all school leavers should be attending universities and that society as large needs to recognize the Post School Education and Training system includes opportunities for individuals to attend TVET colleges and work based learnerships and artisanships opportunities. The challenges are therefore multipronged, firstly ensuring that individuals consider their career choices very carefully, taking into account their aptitudes and capabilities when selecting the kind of post school institution for their needs and career choices. Secondly, assisting those with the potential to enter into university education and providing the right kind of support to assist them to succeed.

Thirdly, assisting individuals with the potential to enter into TVET college programmes or artisan programmes.

There are also those students who leave

school without the requisite academic and technical skills to take up the opportunities at Universities, TVET Colleges and other post-secondary institutions fully, and here the challenge is to provide opportunities through adult education, skills centers and community colleges for learning and entering into the productive economy.

LNN In 2013, we had public outcry about the plan to reduce senior certificate pass percentage rate to 33%. How will this affect the tertiary institutions entry level?

The Department of Higher Education and Training believes that this outcry was related to an uninformed position.

Higher Education Institutions set their own entry requirements linked to specific programmes. A student who enters into a medical degree, for example, must achieve a bachelor’s pass in the national Senior Certificate plus a very high level pass in all subjects (usually a 90%

14/15 Education is an apex priority of this administration, which is evident in the budget allocation, however education competes with other social spending and the extent to which it is sufficient for the needs of the country given the huge expansion that was required after the demise of Apartheid is debatable.

In the case of higher education, the percentage of GDP spent is relatively low.

The Ministerial report on the Funding of Universities indicated that in 2011, South Africa’s state budget for universities as a percentage of GDP was 0.75%, which is more or less in line with Africa as a whole (0.78%). When compared to OECD countries (1.21%) and the rest of the world (0.84%), South Africa lags behind.

If South Africa is to compete globally in terms of research and innovation to drive its developmental economy, a higher level of support is required.

LNN We know that the Minister and Department cannot speak on behalf of other African education institutions, but we would like to hear the Minister’s assessment or views on how other institutions of higher learning are doing.

According to you, what are some of the things that as an African continent we need to do, to improve our countries education system output? average). A student who enters into an Bachelor of Science degree will need a Bachelor’s pass plus at least 65% in Mathematics, Physical Science and their home language for entry into most universities. The lower level subject pass mark does not allow automatic entry into a university.We should guard against becoming “elitist” as the PSET system accommodates matriculants who have passed matric but did not achieve a university entrance pass by providing opportunities in TVET colleges, work based learnerships and artisanships opportunities.

LNN Education is among the top departments that gets a more budget funds allocation but the South Africa somehow still struggle to produce the same quality that neighbouring country Zimbabwe is producing with a lessor budget and resources. What is it that South Africa might still be getting wrong?

To improve the higher education output we need to improve higher education teaching and learning as well as research productivity. In terms of university teaching, we have to make the academic profession more attractive to high achievers, and we need to support academics to develop high level skills with respect to teaching capabilities as well as research engagement.

LNN For a while now in South Africa there has been a debate about the use of Afrikaans and the publication of grade 12 examination results. What is the view of the Department of Higher Education and Training on this matter? What are some of the future plans in relation to higher education?

The debate about using Afrikaans as a medium of instruction in higher education is often misconstrued. The Department’s view with respect to

languages in higher education is set out in the Language Policy for Higher Education. In line with the Higher Education Act, a university’s language policy is and remains the responsibility of that University Council and not the Minister of Higher Education and Training. University leadership must be mindful that universities in South Africa are national assets that have to be accessible to every South African irrespective of their ethnicity, creed or mother tongue. The Department fully supports Afrikaans as a medium of tuition and academic expression, however it should be used in addition to another language so that access is not denied to non- Afrikaans speakers. The Minister appointed a Panel on African Languages to look into this and advise him on how to take forward the acknowledged need to develop indigenous African languages. The report of the Panel should be finished early next year and at that stage I will consider its recommendations before process are put into place to take the work further.

However should be noted that the Department holds the view that the development of African languages is tied to social justice, which is an indispensable element of nation building and the promotion of social cohesion in our country. Therefore, the development of all official languages is a necessity for human rights and dignity, access and success at post-school education institutions, preservation of our heritage, communication and culture. SAM

WHERE IS OUR

EDUCATION FAILING US? Thandile Ndiza Mpompo is a Chemical Engineering student at University of Cape Town. The young vibrant education activist, social change driver is former International School of South Africa Learner as well as one of Telkom Foundation beacon of hope student beneficiaries. Ndiza formed South Africa’s progressive youth leadership called Activate Leadership. Besides focusing on her studies, community development and education advocacy tasks, the talented singer and former choir conductor spends most of her time as a volunteer tutor at Showco.

THANDILE NDIZA MPOMPO

W

hen a house is under construction, most of the time is spent laying the foundation of the house because everything else is a building block on top of it. If there are any faults in the laying of the foundation, it will take just the right amount of wind to make that whole house come tumbling down as if it never existed.

I dare say this is analogous to the education system implemented on students throughout Africa.

academic excellence but still applied or implemented incorrectly. Trying to force big chunks of information to learners at late stages through these summer and winter school classes doesn’t really empower them. Maybe an alternative to this woul be to systematiclly intensify the lower grades education, so that the learners will be mentally strong enough to handle a reasonable huge amount of academic work than make it easy at lower grades and then overstretching the limit education powers that be have gradually set on young learners.

Unfortunately powers that be have opted to turn a blind eye to many patriotic progressive activists like myself who’ve just lamented this crises but also offer progressive alternatives to remedy the situation. Based on some abstract reasons known only to them many African academic institutions have decided to focus more on the last high school years than on the foundation phase in primary school learners.

For some reason there seem to be a weird belief that the last high school grades are supposed to be maritulous despite the absence of solid consistant foundation.

I am not sure if the always overloaded summer and winter school classes phenomeni does exist in other African countries like it does here in South Africa. According to me this is by far one of the greatest inventions of striving

“The best time to bend a tree is when it is still small” that’s one of the mostly commonly used phrases by the elders, learned on in this continent but why can’t we as collective for once stop making such cheap rhetorics and actually do what we say and say what we do. By that I mean why not fix the schooling entry and primary levels in order for our continent to produce the desired academic excellence.

Right now the most powerful advantage that we have is the knowledge of what’s taking us back but that’s not enough.

However having knowledge alone won’t solve our problems over night.

Knowledge is only power when it is applied correctly. Nothing can be compared to the real sad than the current prevailing status quo that allow learners to realize just when they are close to the finishing line that you are destined to fail right from the beginning because they missed important concepts at primary foundation phase.

Wrong or right, part of me says enough is enough with ancient animal farm way of doing things in our education system. I am really convinced that now is the time for really radical well-informed changes in our education system. After all, the many centuries and decades doing the same thing have gave us the same results.

Money, resources and better school

I long for that day my people in Motherland will realise that we can only fix our education system if we can follow a certain specific measurable, achievable realistic time bound viable process and throughout all this mastering the basics.

When that realization finally dawn on us, African academia will claim its rightful top place in the world. SAM

facilities should be invested in primary foundation phase, as much as they invested in high schools, to develop the mind of a young child as they still at a stage where they are able to grasp concepts. This will be by far one of the greatest education investment initiatives in Africa. When this is applied properly mathematics, science, information technology struggle will be a thing of the past.

16/17 1 16 6//1 6/1 17

What made you to join Student’s Health and Welfare Centres Organisation project?

TR I loved their vision. To reach communities, to engage with people, to teach, to coach and to empower the youth of the city.

LNN How important is it for you as University of Cape Town student and social change driver to be actively involved in transforming people and especially through education?

TR It’s very important to me. Education empowers you to stand on your own and at the same time stand for others. It gives you power over your own life and the lives of those who look up to you. It was an honour for me to be part of the sports pros project.

It is not classroom education and absolutely does not replace it but it was in a sense life for those boys who were so passionate about playing sports. They come alive, they become free and for me that’s what it is about, building people wholly.

THE ACTIVATORS

LNN Surely there is something that you as an individual wanted to achieve when you joined SHAWCO. What was it? Do you think you’ve achieved it?

EDUCATION

TR I wanted to be part of something bigger than me. To give back.

There’s a saying I live by: to whom much is given, much is required. Giving, especially of yourself is an ongoing learning curve. To do it right and to gain most out of it one needs to have balance. For me achieving that has been a journey that I’m still on.

TAKEON

A

ccess to high quality education is one of the major challenges that African countries are facing.

However the young brave and courageous visionary astute leaders throughout the continent have taken it upon themselves to correct the current academia wrongs.

One of those the ever humble soft spoken patriotic education activists Ms. Tshegofatso Ramatlo.

The Pretoria born young social change driver is a University of Cape Town Economics student.

Ramatlo dedicated part of her student life years working with and for Student’s Health and Welfare Centres Organisation (SHAWCO).

SHAWCO focuses on equipping learners from disadvantaged areas with life-long skills and improving their access to further education.

Student Africa Magazine freelance writer Lwazi Nyanakancesh Nongauza (LNN) spoke to the ever optimistic resolute stalwart leader Ms Tshegofatso Ramatlo (TR) LNN

LNN What did you love the most being part of SHAWCO project?

TR I love being a volunteer. It’s the closest thing to the learners and that’s who this is all about.

LNN What role do organizations like Student’s Health and Welfare Centres Organisation play in improving education in South Africa and the continent?

TR An organization like SHAWCO is reputable. It has leaders who are extremely passionate about what they do. And these kind of organizations are the ones with enough experience and power to demand government to change the current state of the education system.

The multi-talented well traveled activator is also a dancer, hockey & piano player and writer. If you are into power questions/ quotes or motto in life, then join her team. Your password or phrase that pays is “What do you see when your eyes are closed? #nolimits” @Sssshego SAM

18/19

YALE YOUNG

AFRICAN SCHOLARS

PROGRAM (YYAS) www.globalscholars.yale.edu/Africa.

T “We all knew that there were so many talented youth in Africa who knew nothing about the incredible educational opportunities available to them in the U.S.”

HE YALE YOUNG AFRICAN SCHOLARS PROGRAM (YYAS) seeks to make higher education in the United States more accessible to Africa’s most talented student leaders. The inaugural 2014 program held in Ghana and Ethiopia was a resounding success, with 100 students from 13 African countries participating. In 2015, YYAS will go to two new countries - Kenya (August 12-17) and Zimbabwe (August 20-25). Applications for the 2015 program are now available online.

YYAS is a residential and academic enrichment program designed for outstanding African high school students. Participants get the opportunity to work with Yale University’s worldrenowned professors and students, who travel from Yale’s campus in New Haven, Connecticut, USA to take part in this program. To make YYAS accessible to participants of all financial backgrounds, there is no cost for students to attend the program.

Additionally, in an effort to attract a geographically diverse group of students, YYAS will offer a limited number of travel grants for admitted students to offset the costs of airfare between African countries.

Part of Yale’s recently launched Africa Initiative, YYAS was proposed by a group of African students enrolled at Yale College, who were eager to share their experiences of applying to U.S. colleges with others on the continent.

Nicola Soekoe (15) is a Yale College student from South Africa and one of the original visionaries of the program. “We all knew that there were so many talented youth in Africa who knew nothing about the incredible educational opportunities available to them in the U.S.,” she said.

“So in YYAS we aim to make college in the U.S. a real possibility for them through exciting classes, interaction with relatable instructors, and intensive application workshops.”

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Within the program’s six-day timeframe, students will leave with a taste of the U.S. liberal arts style of education, and a thorough understanding of the application requirements.

Every evening YYAS students participate in workshops, which focus on the specific requirements for admission to U.S. colleges – crafting a personal essay, taking the SAT, and choosing where to apply. By the end of the program, students will have a plan and timeline for submitting their applications, as well as abundant resources for further research.

individuals committed to their work on the continent.

However, YYAS is not merely focused on preparing students for university studies.

The program seeks out those with a demonstrated commitment to giving back to their communities. Besides the Yale faculty and students, the program invites local experts in their fields who are already involved in exciting projects in their own countries. From lawyers to entrepreneurs, diplomats and public health professionals, students are exposed to a plethora of new ideas and passionate

“YYAS equips them with the tools they need to succeed in post-secondary school anywhere – such as analytic thinking, intellectual flexibility, and personal leadership.”

“We want students to know of the abundant opportunities available to them at home and abroad.

The point is to get them thinking seriously about the challenges the continent faces, and how they can contribute to alleviating those problems” says YYAS Project Manager Helinna Ayalew.

Examples of seminars offered in 2014 include the African Union, Foreign Aid in Africa, the Future of Biofuels, and Education in Developing Nations.

A typical day for YYAS students starts with breakfast at 8:00 am, followed by a morning lecture from a Yale professor or local expert. Lecture topics covered in past sessions include democracy and distribution, public health, financial systems in Africa, and intellectual property law in development. These are followed by discussion sections, which are led by Yale students on the topic of the morning lecture. Project group is next, when participants work in small groups of four to six students to solve a certain policy issue. These groups will each present their recommendations to the entire YYAS program at the end of the week.

Students have an hour for lunch before the afternoon lecture, delivered again by a Yale faculty member or a local expert.

Participants then attend their elective seminars that are taught by Yale students on various topics. Examples of seminars offered in 2014 include the African Union, Foreign Aid in Africa, the Future of Biofuels, and Education in Developing Nations. After work time and dinner, there are the evening workshop sessions, each devoted to a different aspect of the college application. The day concludes with an organized activity such as a movie night on a thought provoking film, or a college admissions talk. Students end

the day around 9:30 pm, but even after a long and intellectually rigorous day they are often eager to continue conversations with their peers and YYAS instructors until bedtime at 11:00 pm. On her experience in the program, a YYAS participant in Ethiopia said: “I have learned that I had never opened my eyes my entire life, and that a week can be more valuable to the way I see my life than 17 years”. Students leave feeling energized and ready to continue challenging themselves in their endeavors.

The support that YYAS students receive doesn’t end when the program concludes.

They forge lasting mentorship relationships with the Yale students, whom they rely on for advice in their applications and reading personal statements. The program also connects them with opportunities in their own countries, such as with their Education USA offices - a program based at U.S. Embassies across the world advising students who want to apply to U.S. colleges. Students who complete the YYAS program become members of the YYAS Alumni Network, through which they can receive and post announcements about educational, volunteer, and employment opportunities.

Eligibility Requirements for the Yale Young African Scholars Program: Students eligible to apply for YYAS have 2-3 years left before graduating from high school (in the U.S. system, equivalent of current 9th and 10th graders), are currently enrolled in high school on the African continent, and will be 18 years old or younger at the time of the program. YYAS looks for candidates with excellent academic achievement, demonstrated leadership potential, and the language ability to write, communicate and analyze difficult texts in English. To apply, students must submit the online application form including one essay, three short-answer responses, a high school transcript, and one teacher recommendation letter.

The application deadline is February 26, 2015. Application and additional information available at

www.globalscholars.yale.edu/Africa.

This program is administered by the Yale Young Global Scholars Program at Yale University and is supported by the Office of the Vice President, the Office of International Affairs, the MacMillan Center, and the Yale College Undergraduate Admissions Office.

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To most people, the sky is the limit.

To those who love aviation the sky is home Boitumelo Katisi

LNN What informed or inspired your decision to follow this career path?

The day I visited my aunt at South African Airways as part of a class task.

She suggested I go see a department which was where the pilots checked in.

At first glance when I walked in that door all I saw was the pilot hats and flight bags lined up, there was no sight of a pilot just yet well at least for another 10 minutes.

Seeing pilots checking in just made me see myself in that airline pilot suit and flying the big machines to different destinations. I had not seen a female pilot and probably spotted 2-3 African male pilots which made me question one of the pilots where all the female pilots where.

He then told me they were very few yet, females are very scared to fly and most settle to be flight attendants. It was from that moment I felt like wow, this is something I definitely had to try out.

After visiting the flight simulators to seeing the actual planes up close I made the decision that changed my life, the decision that I wanted to be an Airline Pilot, I ended up spending most of my school holidays at OR Tambo from that day.

LNN Tumi please share with us your career journey until where you are right now.

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The SKY is home.

I

n 2008 a Bryanston High School mere classroom life orientation task that many would have taken lightly turned life around for one of the brave and brilliant brains South Africa has ever produced.

A Pimville born Boitumelo Katisi (better know as Tumi) first love for Aviation Industry begun when she was given a task to visit a work place of her choice for a day and report back on what she had learnt. Few years later after lots of hard work, the 22 year old Katisi is officially a qualified Aviation Pilot.

In quest to get more details about the young aviation pilot’s inspiring life story, Student Africa Magazine freelance writer Lwazi Nyanakancesh Nongauza (LNN) had this exclusive interview with one of the of daughters soil I Boitumelo “Tumi” Katisi

BK I passed my matriculations in 2010.

Following year I found myself spending more time working with my uncle but I always knew that I was destined to become a pilot. Through the year I was trying to convince my mother that I wanted to be a pilot. During the same year I won a competition with South African Women In Aviation which is an aviation organization inspiring the youth to pursue careers in Aviation and Space.

That earned me a nine months aviation internship funded by Recreation Aviation Administration of South Africa. I learnt everything about the recreational side of flying.

LNN What academic requirements or qualification does one need to be an aviation pilot?

BK You need at least a level 5 on Pure Maths, Science and English. Geography is optional.

LNN What were some of the challenges that you encounted as you were chasing this dream of being a pilot?

BK I’ve had tough times through my path of flying as it certainly not cheap, its very expensive, my mother having to play both parental roles to myself and my late uncles son and my little sister she managed to secure enough money to complete my Private Pilot Licence . I later on got a job offer from The Aeroclub Of South Africa to work as their receptionist and work on renewals for recreational pilots in certain flying clubs, after having to work and fly part time I saw how difficult it was and started to look for sponsors, I drafted a motivational letter and sent it to any company I could think of till I eventually got sponsored by Breitling SA in January 2013 which is a worldwide known brand as they make incredible costly watches for everyone especially aviators. I was thrilled and

very happy they sponsored me with a chronomat watch which was R79 900.00 and had to auction it to get funds to complete the Private Pilot Licence.

LNN We are constantly told that in Africa we have shortage of skilled people in fields like aviation pilots, science and technology.

What do you think needs to be done to address this challenge?

BK I think the shortage is due to most people having the lack of knowledge of the Aviation Industry and certainly also due for a certain time frame, I need to get to school prepared for my flight lesson.

My instructor and I would have a one on one briefing session where he tests my knowledge on if I know what’s expected of me in the flight and check if I know my procedures, once satisfied I can sign out and go to the aircraft and preflight it and wait for my instructors to arrive and we commence with the flight till we land and we have a debriefing where he tells me the outcome of my flying lesson, from there on you are free to go home and relax and prepare for your next lesson.

LNN What’s one interesting thing that people don’t know about aviation pilot career?

BK That everyday in the cockpit is never the same. You face a different challenge each time and the view too is different each time.

LNN What’s your pilot career hightlight so far?

get the experience of handling the controls of a private jet I feel very blessed.

BK Well getting the privilege to fly a Private Jet. It belonged to my friends’ dad who is a business man. He was thrilled by my passion for flying and offered me the privilege of flying as Co - Pilot in one of his Jets which was the Embraer Phenom 300. It was beyond this world, flying as co-pilot in a private jet which I am looking on owning a few years in the future as I want to own a charter company one day. So yes, on getting my PPL (Private Pilot Licence) level and to

LNN What is your advice to any future, ambitious young people who is interested to pursue a career path in not so popular industries like aviation?

BK Chase the dream. Never give up as most people who give up, give up when they are so close to success. You will get challenges and people talking you down etc. Don’t let that blind you from what you want to achieve.

LNN What can you attribute your ultimately successful career to?

BK Hard work, determination, Not giving up and having ambition with a great vision and plan. “To most people, the sky is the limit. To those who love aviation the sky is home.”

The Loutzavia graduate is a recipient of Anglo American and E Oppenheimer & Sons. She tarted flying with Loutzavia Flight School at Rand Airport on the 12th January 2012. The young ambitious pilot is working towards her Commercial Pilot Licence higher license.

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24 January and 18 April 2015

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YOU

COVER

FEA TURE

J

ennifer Osei is currently a PhD student in Nutrition at the Centre of Excellence for Nutrition (CEN) at the North-West University, South Africa. She is Ghanaian born, but was raised and completed all her primary and secondary education in Botswana. Her PhD research focuses on iodine nutrition in mothers and their infants during breastfeeding and complementary feeding.

This research falls within the scope of Public health nutrition where her career interests lie. On completion of her studies Jennifer wishes to follow into the foot-steps of her role model Professor Anna Lartey to be one of the women who will take lead to effect policies and push the nutrition agenda in Africa and globally.

Professor Anna Lartey is currently the Director of Nutrition in FAO & the President of the International Union of Nutritional Sciences.

After completion of her studies, Jennifer wishes to be involved in developing scholars and future leaders in nutrition through supervising MSc and PhD students in Botswana. Her research focus will be mainly directed at infant and maternal nutrition, with the aim to come up with research outcomes that will directly be distributed to the Ministry of health, where all policies are often implemented.

She wishes to get involved in training nutrition community health workers in local clinics and health facilities in Botswana, as they are the ones who deal closely with the communities where change is needed.

Through her experience in research and working with communities, she also wishes to be involved in nutrition programme planning, to design relevant programs that will directly address nutritional needs of communities.

She will also use whatever opportunity she gets to form collaborations with other NGO’s and organizations like UNICEF, WHO, FAO, to gain insight on nutrition worldwide and how to improve already existing programmes in Botswana.

NUTRITION

ASAPROFESSION

(Nutritionist)

Nutrition, simply put, is the study of food and how it is used by the body for everyday activities and for optimal health.

Human nutrition involves the study of nutrients and how they function in the body. Good nutrition is seen as the cornerstone of good health because in the absence of good nutrition, individuals and populations are prone to reduced immunity, increased susceptibility to disease, impaired physical and mental development, and reduced productivity.

A nutritionist is a registered allied health professional who ensures that individuals and populations receive optimal health through good food. One may wonder then, what is the difference between a nutritionist and a dietician? Well, these professionals are almost the same in the sense that, they are both involved in improving health status of people through food. However, personally, how I differentiate the two is that, a dietician often works with individuals with specific diet related issues, and focuses more (but is not limited to) on the control and management of diet related diseases (e.g diabetes, hypertension) through diet.

Basically dieticians focus more on therapeutic nutrition which includes management of illness in hospitals (for example, in hospitals dieticians can plan meals for patients in intensive care unit (ICU)) Nutritionists on the other hand often work with populations or larger groups of people, and focus more on prevention rather than control of diet related diseases. Nutritionists often work closely with communities and are involved in need assessments which help

facilitate nutrition related interventions at community level.

To become a nutritionist one needs to have a Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition or Nutritional Sciences. To practice as a nutritionist in South Africa, you need to be registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). To study nutritional science, one should have a sound science background.

If you are currently a matric student and would like to study nutrition at the university, good grades in biology, physics and chemistry will be an added advantage for you.

Careers in nutrition There are a lot of misconceptions about the study of nutrition as a degree. Many believe that the degree trains you to become a chef or a cook in a restaurant.

Nutrition is always confused with home-economics and food science.

The field of nutrition is one of the most dynamic and diverse professions. Careers in nutrition are broad and nutritionists can fit almost anywhere in the food industry, health sector and academia.

A solid background in the science of nutrition can help prepare you to: 1. develop and implement educational programs to improve the nutritional status of the community.

2. work in policy planning, in public health agencies and health associations,

Picture: Jennifer Osei / Image courtesy of Marilize Richter @ marilizerichter@gmail.com

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Study nutrition

Picture: Jennifer Osei / Image courtesy of Marilize Richter @ marilizerichter@gmail.com

3. with advanced study in health and nutrition education, design and evaluate wellness education programming for groups, communities, or corporations.

4. with further study in chemistry, work in food science research for ingredient and product development.

A doctoral degree in nutritional sciences creates additional career opportunities in positions such as: 1. University professor or researcher 2. Government scientist or regulator 3. Investigator at a research institute 4. Food scientists in industry 5. Manager in health care or the non-profit sector 6. Expert consultant Other areas of career opportunities for Nutritionist include:

Food and Nutrition Management; involves working in hospitals, businesses, schools. The nutritionist can work hand in hand with chefs or at spas as a consultant for menu planning regarding healthy choices.

Public Health Nutrition; Public health nutritionists often work with vulnerable groups like women,

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infants and children and work within public Health Departments in government and other government agencies. Public health nutritionists are involved in capacity building within communities and organisations, research and analysis and intervention management.

Some core functions of the public health nutrition practice include: 1. Plan, develop, implement and evaluate interventions that address the determinants of priority public health nutrition issues and problems and promote equity.

2. Advocate for food and nutrition related policy and government support to protect and promote health 3. Promote equitable access to safe and healthy food so that healthy choices are easy choices 4. Enhance and sustain population (community) knowledge and awareness of healthful eating so that dietary choices are informed choices (source: World Public Health Association: competency framework) Education and Research; The nutritionist can be a facilitator at colleges, universities, health professional schools, and culinary schools. The nutritionist can also create and write curricula for a country’s ministry of education. The nutritionist can also be involved in worksite wellness where they teach nutrition, exercise, fitness and other health promotion to employees.

In research institutions or universities, the nutritionist can manage or assist with clinical protocols, interventions, or clinical trials. Advanced degrees such as a

PhD are usually required for research -based and university-based jobs.

Consultant / Private Practice; Nutritionists can write cookbooks, educational programs, or articles for local newspapers or specialty magazines. They can be a consultant at health clubs / spas as a personal trainer-nutritionist.

Related Health Professionals; The nutritionist can use her/his skills for a career in a health-related profession, working with professionals such as dentists, naturopathic doctors, physical therapists, physicians, podiatrists and veterinarians. However, in order to qualify for this kind of job, additional post-baccalaureate schooling is required.

Business and Industry; Careers in business and industry include jobs such as sales, marketing, public relations, research and development (labeling, recipes, and product information) and production quality control.

Media; Radio, TV, newspapers, and magazines are a major sources of nutrition education for the public and the nutritionists can work hand in hand with this media to inform populations of healthy food choices and so forth.

International Food Organizations: These include Peace Corps; Nongovernmental organizations such as Food for the Hungry, or World Relief; United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO); United Nations World Health Organization (WHO); US Agency for International Development (AID); Multi-national Corporation; Consulting and research collaboration.

Public Policy / Government; nutritionists can work in food and regulatory sectors and can be involved in health care reform.

Nutrition is a way of life. Good nutrition is recognised as being crucial for reaching the health, education and economic goals contained in the millennium development goals (MDGs).

In a nutshell, without access to good and healthy food, nations cannot survive and cognitive development and productivity cannot be achieved.

“Freedom is meaningless if people cannot put food in their stomachs, if they can have no shelter, if illiteracy and disease continue to dog them.” Nelson Mandela

STAY ON TOP OF YOUR GAME With the world slowly becoming one because of the digital revolution, borders are becoming blurry each day DQG WKH QHHG IRU D XQLÀ HG ´JOREDOµFDUHHU WKDW LV relevant everywhere is becoming greater.

Opportunities for students to learn are now open throughout the world and this is the time to plug yourself into our partner universities and guarantee your future to prosper on vast global markets. www.studentafricamag.com

It is not a secret that various life impediments still make access to high quality education one of the major challenges in the African continent.

For centuries and decades solutions for this problem have become one of the viable political points score rhetoric many other leaders.

However few patriotic global citizens and organizations have decided to change the status quo. One of those organization is the South African based “Mr B Foundation”. The organization seek to make a positive difference in the lives of the youth so that they reach their highest potential in their careers and further influence a caring society.

Mr B Foundation does this by providing support, career guidance and advice, information and mentorship for youth in high schools towards tertiary education and lobbying for experiential training opportunities and skills development for recent graduates.

Student Africa Magazine freelance writer Lwazi Nyanakancesh Nongauza (LNN) speaks to the founder of Mr B Foundation Andisile Best (AB)

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www.studentafricamagazine.com / jan-mar 2015

32/33 Lwazi Nyanakancesh Nongauza What gave birth to this organisation?

Andisile Best (AB) The organisation was given birth by the condition that I grew up in. The lack of information to assist learners and the youth to be able to make informed decisions about their career choices.

It has also been a reality of the economic status where most of the families do not afford the fees that are charged in the higher education institutions. They would then end up looking for jobs after completing their matric. We made contact with various education institutions around the country to provide them with information and application forms to distribute to learners. The focus this year will be to support students and have them accepted to further their studies. The students will further be assisted with applications for financial assistance with relevant funding bodies.

LNN Would you please describe your organization’s involvement in education in South Africa and the continent?

AB We are contributing to the improvement of education in South Africa by bridging the gap of information that youth have.

We source information about available opportunities for youth – whether career choices to follow, bursaries, scholarships, learnerships, internships.

We also support with the little that we can in terms of application fees. We have also contributed, with the assistance of our community, by supporting some primary school children with school shoes and a few other items that form part of the uniform.

It is our intention to be able to reach even the most rural areas of the country where school going children are suffering

because of poverty. Those that we are not able to reach physically, they only benefit from the information that we publish through the social networks.

LNN What is needed improve education in South Africa and African continent?

AB South Africa is a developing country with a potential to improve and compete with the rest of the world. In terms of education, there needs to be a drastic shift towards increasing the level and the quality of education as far as the content and expected output in terms of results (acceptable pass rate).

I further strongly believe that educators need to be continuously trained properly on understanding the various career opportunities of today, especially those teachers on the exit grades like towards specialisations. Educators need to give proper advice to learners based on what careers they intend to follow beyond their matric.

Example: a learner is chased away from a Mathematics class because s/he did not pass properly, instead of assisting him/her to improve.

This learner may be wanting to do something that only needs pure maths and not mathematical literacy.

Some do choose it for themselves without knowing that this will be giving them a challenge when they reach tertiary.

Another factor becomes the teacher morale lack of motivation. In other areas, a single teacher is responsible for all learning areas in three or four grades, and some even more. When the teacher has to attend any meeting, the school has to be closed as there is no one to attend to the learners.

The availability of resources in schools remains a big challenge. This, challenges more those that are from the most rural areas with poor infrastructure, poor

learning conditions, lack of learning materials and no educational facilities such as libraries and laboratories.

Learners from these areas are, however, writing a single paper with those in the big cities, who have everything – their experiments are done in the fully fledged science laboratories.

Although there is a contribution that the South African government has made through the National Students Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) for needy students, there is still a sizeable number of students who do not get funded due to the limited purse allocated. This leaves our young brothers and sisters to not continue with their studies because they have no means.

LNN Running such a huge vision organization will always come with lots of challenges.

What would you say are some of the challenges for your organization?

AB This is a small organisation that wishes to rich as much young people as possible, that is not possible as we are only limited by the resources that we have. We depend on the universities to respond to us positively by providing all the application forms and brochures that we request for learners. We distribute information via internet – website, e-mails, social networks – most of the children in the most rural areas do not have access to these.

We do wish and plan for activities such as career advice sessions, careers expos and visits in schools with the aim of giving proper guidance to the learners on the career choices they can make.

We are unfortunately not able to reach all of them.

LNN Your organization has been around for a reasonable long time and achieved a lot of things.What would you say are the highlights of your organization?

AB Attainting registration has been the first and most important so that we are a legal entity. We have managed to assist a number of schools around Debe Nek and Dimbaza; giving advice, information, application forms and information about

available bursary opportunities. We have assisted a few students who did not even have the application fees as we visited these schools. We have assisted some needy learners with uniform and school shoes. We have also been able to continuously search and share education related information, bursaries, scholarships, internships, learnerships, fellowships, and any related educational opportunities via the social networks and website.

LNN How has the community, private sector and government supported your work?

AB I must say, our work has been recognised by our local community among others, I can mention the organisations who have a wider coverage in assisting us to reach the youth. The SABC stations; TruFM, based in Bhisho, has continuously given us a voice so that we can reach young people and talk to them through their radio shows. We have also been given audience nationally by Umhlobo Wenene FM who has given us a slot and an interview so that we can motivate youth people – schooling and not schooling, on what they need to do in order to get ahead in life. We have ForteFM, based in Alice, at the University of Fort Hare. This is a community radio station that also showed interest in what we do and they have given us a voice to talk to the youth in the area of its broadcast. We are truly grateful to these radio stations.

We have further partnered with the Eastern Cape based BEAT Magazine SA, which is a local magazine specific to the content related to our province.

This magazine is run by youth and for the benefit of youth. We contribute our education related content so that it can reach its readers.

LNN Your organisation’s short plans?

AB One of the most important plans is for us to create a database of under privileged youth from the most rural areas and profile them so that we can approach organisations that have interest in funding such needy students to access and possibly fund. Another need, in the

entire Debe Nek area, there is not even one ‘finishing school’ available for students who have passed matric but still do meet the university entrance to improve their studies. It is our wish to mobilise all resources needed to have programmes to assist those students so that they can re-register and re-write some of those subjects that are necessary to continue with their tertiary education.

It is our wish that the each of the schools in the area of Debe Nek and any similar rural areas could have a computer with access to internet, especially the high schools. This would assist in getting the information for senior learners to be able to know the available opportunities LNN Finally, sir please do add anything that you want the public to know about your organization. Anything that my questions have not covered with the questions?

AB Medium to long term plans: It is our wish to manage the database of needy students and further be able to assist in managing funding from various interested funders who do not have such knowledge and expertise as we have, as far as dealing with learners with financial needs.

It is also our aim to work towards a community television station that will focus on providing lessons and revision classes 24 hours a day. Linked with technology, this can also be linked to the social

networks, mobile access and given telephonic access for exercises to be solved on air by various subject experts.

Finally, one of the things that seem to be getting worse is the conduct of the learners as far as discipline and morals are concerned. There need to be a conscious decision by the authorities to bring back the biblical studies from the foundation phases in our schools. These lessons provided a very sharp spear to protect a child against the evils of this world.

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Edible Art by Chef Janice Wong anice Wong’s CV glistens as brightly as the gold leaf on her creations at 2am:dessertbar in her native Singapore.

Armed with a degree in Economics and a passion for food, a last minute career change saw Janice embark on a frenetic culinary grand tour. She learned from some of the world’s best chefs including US luminaries Thomas Keller and Grant Achatz, as well as virtuoso Spanish chocolatier Oriol Balaguer and prodigious French pastry chef Pierre Hermé.

An undisputed favorite among sweet-toothed Singaporeans, her dessert restaurant in Holland Village has established itself as one of the city’s foremost food and drink establishments.

2am:dessertbar has redefined the dessert experience, pushing the boundaries between sweet and savory with progressive, carefully researched dishes that are as delectable as they are beautiful.

Janice has received worldwide recognition for her cutting-edge creations and is a regular on the global pop-up circuit—proof that 2am:dessertbar is more than just a sugar rush.

She has recently been named “Asia’s Best Pastry Chef ” by the prestigious San Pellegrino Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants for 2013 & 2014.

Philosophy Your world is your imagination.

That is what Chef Janice Wong firmly believes and also what inspired the creation of her world of edible art. The idea was born from a desire for the 400 guests attending her book launch of Perfection in Imperfection to experience her book, and her gastronomic world, in a unique and engaging way.

In September 2011, she fashioned seven amazing edible art installations that completely transformed the large studio space they were housed in. Using only edibles as a medium to paint, sculpt and draw, Janice conceptualized and designed dessert art such as a marshmallow ceiling and gumdrop-covered walls.

After an outstanding reception, she has since been commissioned by galleries, restaurants and clients both locally and overseas to craft more pieces of interactive art. Playing with a multitude of colors, textures, flavors and even perceptions, her strikingly unconventional artworks are constantly evolving as people interact with them.

Such is the beauty of art.

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Eat from the

CANVAS

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO GET IN THE DIRECTION OF EDIBLE ART? I had to create an experience for my book launch, Perfection in Imperfection. It was for 400 guests and i wanted them to “taste” the book. So what better way to feed them off the ceilings and walls! My first piece was the marshmallow ceiling.

WHAT IS YOUR DEFINITION OF ART ?

FREEDOM of Expression. There is no rule, no way, no discrimination

Q & A with

JANICE

SO HOW DOES EDIBLE ART DIFFER FROM IMPERFECT ART? My focus has been on beauty in the broken. Appreciating the beauty in the torn, broken, holy, uncommon. 10 years ago I focused on art on a plate. 7 years later art is made out of food. That’s how my philosophy has changed over the years. I wanted to create a lab experience where hundreds of people can enjoy and interact with the art piece. Edible art is tasty yet creates different emotions between friends and strangers.

Edible art is art made of edible materials. Could be sugar, chocolate, marshmallow, rice, olives ..

NCAMI SITHOLE Agent / Representative in Africa (Promotions and Sales) Chef Janice Wong To view or order Chef Janice Wong’s art contact her agent Ncami Sithole on Tel: 0822939013 or Email: ncami.sithole@gmail.com

HOW CAN YOUNG PEOPLE TAP INTO WHAT YOU ARE DOING? They can be inspired by the freedom of expression and the mediums they can use can be anything they get their hands on! Just need to open your imagination and don’t be afraid to express yourself.

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES YOU COME ACROSS AS A CHEF AND AS AN ARTIST ESPECIALLY ONE WHO IS PAVING A NEW DIRECTION OF ART? For people to understand what i am doing! Thats always a new challenge when its new and there are no references to it.

HOW WAS YOUR S.A EXPERIENCE? My South African experience has been great! Soaking in the culture, meeting locals and understanding what they eat, farmers, growers. Africa has so much beauty one can’t experience all in a lifetime!

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Chef Janice Wong has been recognized to be among the best in her field by different culinary institutions as evidenced by her numerous invitations and awards for the past two years.

2014 2014 2013 2013 2013 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 2010 2010 2010 2010

South Africa, Mzansi International Culinary Festival (Africa meets Europe) San Pellegrino Asia 50 best awards, Asia’s Best Pastry Chef San Pellegrino Asia 50 best awards, Asia’s Best Pastry Chef At Sunrice GlobalChef Award Pastry Chef of the Year (World Gourmet Summit awards of excellence) Best of HOW international design award for Perfection in Imperfection Young woman of the year 2012 (Her world) Launch of a new catalogue in collaboration with PCB France Best Dessert Restaurant (Is Magazine) Shortlisted for President Design award (2am: lab, 2am: experience) RSBF private dinner with MM Lee – Guest Chef Launch of Perfection in Imperfection book Opening of SPICE in London - Guest Chef Presenting Chef for Boiron products at China (Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Shanghai) and South Korea.

Pastry Chef of the Year (World Gourmet Summit awards) Abu Dhabi Gourmet Summit - Guest Chef at Yas Island Rotana Madrid Fusion – Guest Chef at SPICE Hilton (Beijing) Food & Wine Extravaganza - Guest Chef Sydney International Food Festival - Guest Chef at Sepia Restaurant Wine Gourmet Asia Macau - Guest Chef World Gourmet Summit Singapore – Presenter

My focus has been on beauty in the broken.

Appreciating the beauty in the torn, broken, holy, uncommon.

APPENDIX

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THELACKOF

WOMEN IN

CULINARY LEADERSHIP Written by Nompumelelo Mqwebu: Director and Chef at Africa Meets Europe Cuisine

O

On the 7th-10th August 2014, Africa Meets Europe Cuisine hosted the inaugural Mzansi International Culinary Festival and this year’s theme being “The Lack of Women in Culinary Leadership”. The sponsorships and partnerships that brought this festival to life were the UN Women under the leadership of Executive Director Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Joburg Municipality Speaker’s office under Councillor Constance Bapele, Joburg Fresh Produce Market, SEDA, SAWEN under the CEO Ruth Masokoane and Ms Mathabo Kunene’s Nandi Heritage House.

Mathabo Kunene said “When Mpume came, my first thought was to embrace the concept brought about by a young woman and to immediately create a “firewall” around her without questioning the where and how. As a woman founded company, she had to tap into limited financial resources. I reached out to

SAWID and its broad database, sent Nandi staff to Joburg as ground force.

Calling on Gcina,Tu and Khethi as a matter of summoning them. The Gauteng office of the Speaker has my highest respect for the support they rendered this event. The deputy Minister of Small Business Development has proved to us that the time for little talks is over. My support was driven by my own passion of ‘going after an idea’ without hesitation!

The key note speaker for the day was the Deputy Minister of Small Business Development Ms Elizabeth Thabethe who committed the government to addressing the transformation issues facing women and black people in the culinary industry. The event kicked off with the President of Black Chefs Alliance Global, Chef Alex Askew giving the guests a talk on Culinary Development & Mentorship at UJ School of Tourism and Hospitality, publishing your cookbook online by Monique Labat as well as Singapore’s Artist and Pastry

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Chef Janice Wong’s talk and tastings of edible art.

From the 8th of August the cooking demonstrations and talks held at Braamfontein Recreation Centre ventured from France’s Michelin star Chef Rougui Dia’s culinary collaboration with South Africa’s best wine sommelier Mr Welile Botha. This duo’s AfricaEurope fusion wowed the audience and had the Deputy Minister Thabethe requesting Welile Botha for lessons on food and wine paring!

Welile Botha had this to say “Chef Rougui Dia is one of those chefs that turns the ordinary to extra-ordinary, the manner in which she assembles the ingredients is so simplified. She always make it so simple even for someone that is not even a good cook. She make you feel at ease then even what to try the recipes at home. At the back of her mind she considers the wine that will pair up with each specific dish which is vital because certain ingredients can clash

with wine or be difficult to pair with.”

The Braamfontein Culinary students eagerly participated in talks with thought provoking questions and comments to BCA Global President and panellists such as food anthropologist and food writer Anna Trapido, Professional Celebrity Chef Danielle Saunders of New York (Mary J Blige’s private chef and Puff Daddy’s former private chef) and Sara Carrier Chardon. It was clear at the end of the discussions that the Soweto Cooking School shared the Braamfontein Culinary Student’s sentiments on the need for transformation, mentorship, culinary development opportunities and equipment upgrades at their institutions.

Johannesburg Culinary and Pastry School student Chef Florence Chen who is of passionately expressed and identified South Africa problem being one of dealing with symptoms and not the ailments, which she diagnosed as one of intolerance. She said ‘The symptoms of racism which is taught by parents to children and discrimination against

women all come from lack of tolerance for one another. We do not respect our differences be it culture, food, race, religion or gender.”

We made the selection of the competitors for the Star Chef Competition 2014 which was won by Braamfontein’s student chef Sibongile Mayisela. It was tough for the students as they faced a professional competition for the first time. The judges were international Chef Kimberly Brock Brown of South Carolina US, Wine Sommelier Welile Botha and Prue Leith Chefs Academy Executive Chef Adele Stiehler. The students had never had an opportunity to compete at this level.

Evidently, our culinary scene in students view does not feature African Cuisine as part of Professional Cookery. Despite the student’s nationalities, when asked to present a professional dish they thought of European food only. I probed further and assessed that this is caused by the simple fact that African Cuisine does not

Summary of Mpume’s work experience: Nompumelelo Mqwebu: Director and Chef at Africa Meets Europe Cuisine Courses: Ballymaloe Organic Farm & Cookery School in Shanagarry, Ireland.

Course details: Producing cheese, yogurt, pasta, breads, menu planning, growing herbs, food hygiene, restaurant and Kitchen management, sourcing of ingredients from local producers.

• Current: Food writer for 3 South Africa Publications. Food travel between UK and New York July 2013 – March 2014 • Catering: January 2004 -Present • Market Days: a la minute cooking by chefs of farmer produce • Private & corporate functions, cocktail parties & Team building sessions • 2 December 2012: Held Market Day at Durban’s Florida Road in partnership with Department of Economic Development and Tourism.

• Cooking lessons: on African fusion food for tourists (local and international).

Food Events Coordinated and Catered for through my business Africa Meets Europe Cuisine: 2013/2014: Selected as one of the judges of The Worlds 50 Best Restaurants.

• South Africa Season in Paris 18-24 November 2013: residency at Le grandes Tables du 104, Paris. Presented a menu of 100 South Africa Cuisine, restaurant lunch menu over two days and a cocktail dinner for the preview show called “House of the Holy Afro” by Brett Bailey. Mpume Mqwebu : le renouveau de la cusine sud-africaine.

• Decorex Home, Food & Decor 2011: cooking demonstrations & farmer produce promotion at Trends and Tastes.

• Indaba Tourism Exhibition 2010: collaborated with Tourism Kwa-Zulu Natal (TKZN), Arts & Culture & Mozambique’s Barra Resorts in hosting food & wine tastings, cooking demonstrations and cook-offs between Officials, heads of Tourism and other local celebrated chefs.

• Royal Show 2010 & 2011: organised and coordinated cooking demonstrations at the Mercury Newspaper fine living hall, showcasing local chef talent from lodges, restaurants and hotels.

• Flavours of Durban Exhibition September 2009 & 2010: Coordinated the International Chef ’s cooking festival from Durban’s 13 sister cities.

• Eat-ins 2010-2011: Events held with International Relations Department & Ethekwini Municipality’s Agriculture Unit hosting markets to promote farmers & healthy eating at Durban’s Water Conference & Springbok, Cape Town.

•Africa meets Italy Cuisine day, April 8 2011: an event of African & Italian cuisine dinning (food sourced from Umbumbulu’s organic farming group) women who boast supplying South Africa’s leading up market grocery store.

• Fair Trade Sportgaten in Bremen, Germany 4 May – 16 May 2011: Twinned with Chef Stadler of Die Kastanie restaurant and taught fair trade in cookery to various youths linked to sports & recreation grounds (120 pax over 5 days) event included functions & restaurant dinning (up to 30 covers per night).

Business Achievements: • June 2009, Demonstrated for White Star’s product at the Good Food & Wine Show.

• 2-4 July 2010, Fifa World Cup Conference at Emperor’s Palace: Invited

by Small Enterprise Development Agency to exhibit South African Cuisine to delegates.

• September 2008, represented South African at the Inaugural Tastes of Chicago Gourmet Festival, hosted and catered for Mayor Dayle’s Prestigious Gala Dinner at Millennium Park, Chicago.

Channel 7 links: http://abclocal. go.com/wls/story?section=resources/ lifestyle_community/food/restaurants &id=6417422.

• November 2008, 4th Regional winner at the South African Breweries Kick Start competition.

form part of our Culinary Curriculum in South Africa! We do not learn about our own food while we train as chefs (I bear witness to this fact). Students do not know indigenous ingredients or culture around it, which of course is insane but a reality in South Africa.

The talks on why women seem to rally around Pastry led us to agree to break the mould and to look for unique ways of standing out from the crowd such as e.g. Janice’s 2am dessert bar. Janice said “Don’t follow convention be unique and real.” Chef Janice Wong wowed audiences at Johannesburg Culinary and Pastry School who co-hosted her with Africa meets Europe Cuisine. The edible art and imperfect art showcase is unique, while it provokes all senses. I enjoyed presenting one of Janice’s plates to SAFM presenter of lifestyle show, Michel Constance, who took it in her mouth thinking it was quail eggs but was stunned to taste ice cream in her mouth!

What was also encouraging was Zimbali Pastry Chef Chris Kolo who made his way from Durban at his own cost and took 3 days to work and learn with Chef Janice Wong. This displayed the level of

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commitment and passion for his line of work and pays off as we see him grow in his field of expertise.

The guests also got a presentation of Ska Moteane’s tastings as well as Zimbabwe’s Siphepisiwe Ncube. The excitement amongst the exhibitors was seen as they swapped places with their partners to watch the cooking demonstration.

I caught up with Shepherd from Mbhopha’s Café in Alexandra who said “I would like to pick up a few tips to enhance my menu and cooking style” On the evening of the 8th of August the guests were treated to an African Gala dinner celebrating the cuisine of the continent from Ethiopian injeera with peri peri beef and Ethiopian cheese, Breads: Maluti Beer and corn Bread, Maseru’s Oxtail and Sierra Leone’s Cassava leaves sauce with Bonthe coconut oil. Dessert: Mzansi’s isijingi (Butternut thickened with Maize meal, cinnamon and butter) served with mixed berries in red wine reduction and Zimbabwe’s Boabab mousse and chocolate block.

The evening was graced by Gcina Mhlophe who crafted the programme

with only the persona that she possesses as an artist of distinction. The guests were entertained with amazing ballet organised by the Joburg’s Department of Community Development. The sounds of Tu Nokwe soon filled the room making for incredible live entertainment which kept the audience at Metro Centre until the wee hours of the morning.

What we deduct from this meeting of great minds locals and internationals is that: 1. South Africa needs to acknowledge indigenous ingredients and develop a cuisine which though diversified by other cultures has at its core, the indigenous people’s food.

2. The issue of lack of women in culinary leadership can no longer go unchallenged or ignored.

3. The international world is craving to know and taste local and authentic food.

4. Our government cooking schools need equipment upgrades and opportunities enjoyed by some of us who attend private cooking schools.

5. South African Cuisine growth cannot continue to lie in the hands of ex-pats, it’s unheard of in any European country.

SPONSORS AND PARTNERS

Born for

IMPACT Lwazi Nyanakancesh Nongauza N The truth is we all born with amazing gifts or talents and along our life’s journey we acquire skills that if applied correctly, they would do more than just helping us to survive or sustain our lives. Actually these skills and talents would and should help us to live a fairly well- off lifes.

For far too long, an overwhelming modern life contradictory social, economically and political trends have created a lazy, loose and comfort zone conventional thinking among many global citizens.

A number despondent souls somehow have discovered that universe doesn’t always allow them to do what they want to do in their own ways, time & terms.

With a very little courage or effort to defy this man mastered class roof limitation view. This notion then automatically become their major protection reason for them to assume that attaining success is impossible.

During a robust discussion about the unfortunate conventional thinking adopted culture, one of my patriotic

ever loud friends once said “Nyanakancesh, I long for the day where we will all not disregard the unfolding unfortunate proceedings in our lifes. I long for that day where our lazy thinking wouldn’t always usher us to blanket uninformed desperate calls for desperate measures safe approach.”

Wow for a change we agreed. We even took it a step further to suggest that ancient robot operations way of doing things have passed their expiry date and a quick “opting to forging innovation solutions during hardships conviction” time was and still in need if we are in search for better progressive results.

To starving physically challenged people, the orphans, the homeless with painful

emotional wounds all this sermon rhetoric is utterly BS! This won’t fix their immediate everyday struggles. It won’t change anything about their tired bleeding hands who are still knocking on all brick unwelcoming wall doors.

It won’t answer their daily screams and prayers or revive consciousness of those who can help to care.

I know the feeling. I’ve been there. In fact I am not sure if I’ve passed that stage as in yet. Whether I am still there or not

46/47 This indeed sound awesome but I still maintain this isn’t a promotion any gullible loosely indoctrination. Yes it is possible to make it legit but everything has to be done with a clear - wellcalculated, realistic executed viable strategies.

something inside me everyday keep on saying “Behold, constantly enduring turmoil & conquering adversity are just ingredients of making extra ordinary souls and sometimes life will ambush you, sometimes you have to fall before you rise but letting go your dreams isn’t an option. Those bad experiences might turn out to be good bridges to attaining greatness” I hope that same voice would also say the same to them.

Even though no one asks for advice but let me throw it anywhere. Yes life is unfair and tough for now as there seem not be direction or hope anywhere. Maybe you should accept it that sometimes in life you shouldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel because in you the light abides and you’re that light not just for the end of the tunnel but light in and for the whole tunnel. Maybe you had to go through that tunnel to discover the light you have or you are.

Wow, that’s brilliant many deep and intelligence well quoted rhetoric. You think. I also agree with you.

Riding on an idea that “we’re all winners and what’s happening in between entirely depends on us” is great motivation but remember it can quickly turn fatal.

Boring and time consuming as they are, protocols and procedures also need to be observed and strictly followed.

Yes, all you ever wish for will come from nowhere but inside you but there is a process to follow and price to pay.

The truth is we all born with amazing gifts or talents and along our life’s journey we acquire skills that if applied correctly, they would do more than just helping us to survive or sustain our lifes. Actually these skills and talents would and should help us to live a fairly well- off life. Yes we all have these gifts, talents skills and maybe not the equal opportunities to showcase them. That’s just another cold reality we can’t run away from.

Believe it or not, sometimes in life rich or poor background has a very little bearing on what we turn out to be in future. Our ideas, principles and choices which are informed by conventional thinking or aggressive innovative convictions then play a huge part whether we will be well-off or not. I know you probably disagree with this statement. So let’s take a typical example of township born and poor background ordinary DJ Sbu who’ve now turned out to be one of Africa successful entrepreneurs. He grew up in one of the so called disadvantaged Thembisa township. As a child until his teenage years his parents couldn’t afford to buy him what he liked to have. Despite all that tough background today Dj Sbu is a renowned multimillionaire. There are many people who have similar from rags to riches Dj Sbu like story.

For these people their background, material position and social status wasn’t major impediments but a huge source of inspiration to work more smarter, strategically and harder. A quick under carpet accumulation of wealth was also

not their priority. They knew very well that self pity wasn’t mentality just to portray them as losers but victimize us even further, first step to success is ability to bear pains from one’s failure to another without losing vision and zeal to conquer.

In the mist of the rough life obstacles they never despaired because they were convinced that come right time, abundance of that which is yours will come and by then nothing will allude them.

To prove that really sometimes in life rich or poor background has a very little bearing on what we turn out to be in future. We all know of people who are from not so poor families who either end up dying from smoking drugs or never get out of mommy and daddy rich comfort zone wing. I am sure we all know such people.

I also know someone whom I’ve observed his luxurious lifestyle from a distance.

For many obvious reasons I prefer not disclose his name. Maybe just for the benefit of this chapter let me call him Mr Money. His parents’ wealth didn’t really encourage him to also strive for the better but instead too much money at his disposal at a young age opened a lot of doors for him to many illegal operations.

His family wealth social status attracted a lot of opportunistic friends, women and criminal master minds.

Unfortunately few years ago his father who was a bread winner passed away and soon after that things quickly changed as he was not bowling anymore. I guess that also opened up doors for his drug consuming habit that he had to feed everyday. He had no means to feed that and so he resorted to criminal ways of doing so which got him into jail at the age of 22. Beside unfounded speculations, nobody knows what happened to him.

Dj Sbu and Mr Money situations clearly shows that human kind mind only conceiveable ideas. The decisions one take when financial wealth possibilities are on opposite end with his principles describe his character. “A man is but the product of his thoughts, what he thinks he becomes.” SAM

ABSTRACT Since 2006, the University of Fort Hare has been engaged with curricular renewal dialogue and critique. We as students took it upon us to be fundamentally involved in the introspection process into our education system and curricular offered at Institutions of Higher Learning. The education system of South Africa historically is built on the backdrop of a dehumanizing curriculum and pedagogy. Today, advances in education in contemporary South Africa are aimed at responding to skills shortages and other social

implications as a result of this dehumanising condition. At the same time, efforts at promoting ‘social awareness’ and a humanising pedagogy are relatively new in the South African context following the country’s oppressive history.

It is important then to analyse the agents and factors within this backdrop (pre-colonial and colonial), that stain the current education system in post apartheid /1994 so as to aid the effort of curriculum review and renewal in formal schooling (pre-primary, primary, secondary and tertiary institutions).

Introduction Institutionalised education in South Africa has a strong background in the forces of colonial conquest. The opening moment of formal education in South Africa coincides with the colonial experience at the Cape in 1652. Six years after the Dutch East India Company established its colony at the Cape, formal schooling is begun in 1658 . Prior to this, development of knowledge in this society relied on culture, collective custom and basic rituals of the inhabitant (not super- imposed capitalistic tendencies such as exploitive

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A BASIC REVIEW OF

FORMAL AND INFORMAL

SCHOOLING

IN SOUTH HISTORICAL FACTORS AND AGENCY LEADING TO CURRICULUM RENEWAL:

AFRICA. SIBUSISO MNYANDA AND NQABA MPOFU Sibusiso Mnyanda and Nqaba Mpofu are University of Fort Hare Students and Research Fellows\ Interns at The Nelson Mandela Institute for Education and Rural development; members of the Core Design team of the Life, Knowledge, Action: The Grounding Programme at the University of Fort Hare

economic development of a few by means of another). The main agenda in the eventual establishment of schooling institutions was to prepare colonised inhabitants of the region into cheap labourers for the colonist. This physical labour (as rudimentary as it was) did require a certain skills training programme, a limited skills programme at that. This was due to the kind of work they were put under (farm work, domestic duties and so forth). Applied knowledge and skills were not necessary, as the conditions of employment were those of forced labour. The kind of education,

curriculum, and pedagogy that was then applied had to produce a labourer who was almost inhumane in nature, lacked fundamental critique of the working conditions such that the he had no alternative but to be a perpetual student who is detached from the process of knowledge production within his societal domain.

KEYWORDS AND TERMS: Formal, informal, African traditional education, indigenous knowledge systems (IKS), pedagogy, curriculum renewal, transformation

the death of Mohammed, to the University of attempt to review and renew curriculum When one looks at the history of education Timbuktu in the sixteenth century, and to the development in all levels of teaching in South Africa within the scope of education missionary schools of the nineteenth century . and learning. as a means to provide the nation state with a Basic learning patterns came from day to day labour force, it is important to look at factors An overview of the history of that influenced the socialisation of individuals activities that involved everyone in society, with each a specific role to fulfil in this education in South Africa as they progressed through the education communal education effort. Long before system. It is also essential to note that this colonial conquest set in, indigenous The coming to the fore of formal schooling education was designed to remove the knowledge systems on health and hygiene, (particularly in South Africa) led to these labourer from the sanctity of their cultural agriculture, mathematics and physics, indigenous knowledge systems to be deemed norms, customs rituals and belief systems. philosophy and history, informed people informal and backward. In reality, the mass These would hinder the process of desired in a proactive learning situation. Learning schooling of children in Southern Africa schooling. happened through participation in introduced by colonial Britain in the 19th The “barbaric” customs of the uncivilised and community life. In terms of skills, young century had a much different purpose to uneducated had to be eradicated, so that they girls learnt domestic work and home care that of the indigenous knowledge systems of can be well groomed servants of from their mothers while boys learnt to hunt. pre-colonial time, or that of Dutch the colonist. introduction in the 17th century.

Missionary work of the British and Scottish in the late 18th and early Learning happened through participation in community life. The British formal schooling 19th century is a primary example In terms of skills, young girls learnt domestic work and home method has its roots in the Industrial Revolution; therefore this of the magnitude of zeal that the care from their mothers while boys learnt to hunt. means that the learning and colonist had while complementing teaching methods were intended the “limited skills training Children were socialised into a way of life, to yield workers with specialised programme for labourers” that colonial traditions and religion of the community . skills that were going to supplement masters were enforcing. Thus the education Many African societies placed emphasis on industrial demands of the time. Here in South was also changed as skills required by traditional forms of education well before the Africa, the discovery of gold, diamonds and labourers for mining became more arrival of Europeans. Adults in Khoi-Khoi other minerals meant that the purpose of specialised. The discovery of gold in the /San and Bantu speaking societies, for knowledge production leaned towards Witwatersrand brought a rapid increase in example, had extensive responsibilities for industrial skills production. economic activity and the need for labour, transmitting cultural values and skills within Formal institutions focused on this, especially specialised labour. kinship-based groups and sometimes within and it must be noted that formal institutions larger organizations, villages, or districts. primarily enrolled only the European settler Objectives Education involved oral histories of a group, community. However, through missionary This paper seeks to: tales of heroism and treachery, and practise in work and stations, formal institutions that (a) Highlight the significance of traditional the skills necessary for survival in a changing offered formal education (with formal African education (informal) in the process environment . curriculum and pedagogy) were established. of communal knowledge production that The purpose of creating such knowledge bases The Lovedale Missionary College and the encourage transdisciplinarity and a is to equip the people with abilities to University College of Fort Hare, as it was humanising pedagogy , whilst contrasting it understand the earth’s environment better for known then, are basic examples. The Dutch with western education(formal) that was the collective survival of life on earth. on the other hand in earlier times (17th enforced upon Africa during colonisation; Interestingly, tales of heroism and treachery century) were interested (b) analyse the agents and factors within the and other folklore kind of teaching and in basic skills development (for Europeans) backdrop (pre-colonial, colonial and postlearning methods were also an integral part of and social control (for Africans), clearly colonial) of education in South Africa, that Greek mythology that informed philosophical the Dutch were not that much interested in stain the ailing current education system; (c) advocate for curriculum and pedagogy sciences such as the study of Hermeneutics in developing Africans and their societies with review or renewal modelled from the Life, formal academia. Yet when these folklore the kind of formal schooling methods they Knowledge, Action: The Grounding philosophical sciences are used in informal/ utilised. According to Behr and Macmillan Programme at the University of Fort Hare traditional education/indigenous knowledge (1966:89), formal elementary education (referred to as the Grounding Programme systems, all of a sudden they are not credible meant instruction in the doctrines of the Dutch Reformed Church. The children henceforth) piloted in 2009, which in institutionalised academia because they learned prayers, passages from the Bible, and incorporates significant traditional African were not recorded in written format. education processes and rejects a the catechism. These they would recite to dehumanising form of curriculum and Because of the different purposes and the teacher. This clearly confirms the pedagogy which up until now is one of many intensions of the governing bodies or argument that the Dutch formal education characteristics that stain education in South structures of the day, the strategies used in the strategies were aimed at social control for Africa. development of knowledge (curriculum Africans. It is interesting to note that in Significance of pre-colonial education development to be precise in this time of those first schools in the Cape for slaves, to (informal) and fundamental contrast with formal instruction) for a people will stimulate the slaves’ attention while at school, colonial education (formalised) differ. It is important then to highlight the and to induce them to learn the Christian Knowledge development based on culture, different purposes that informed the prayers, they were promised each a glass of collective custom and rituals, otherwise development of knowledge and practises brandy and two inches of tobacco . This is thereafter within pre-colonial informal further testimony of the kind of education, known as education, is a discipline that has been in practise in all civilizations of mankind education and also in the advent of formal curriculum and pedagogy that was used had from time immemorial. Africa is no different education systems that today have an impact on the socialisation of individuals. in this regard. African education dates back to institutionalised the communal duty of The control of the Cape by the teaching and learning. Only from here will British after 1815 meant that the Cape became ancient times in Egypt, to the establishment we then be able to have a starting point in the part of Britain’s trading empire. As a result, of Muslim mosques in the centuries following

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ant to look at factors that influenced the many missionaries came to the Cape and socialisation of individuals as they progressed set up mission stations and schools. These through the formal education system. schools were set up as part of the missionary Furthermore, it also fitting to investigate activity. Just as it was with the Dutch, the curriculum which was administered to education was used as a way of spreading respond to the labour demands, such as the English language and tradition. More specialised skills in a rapidly changing and importantly, education was used as a means demanding environment. The discovery of of social control, and education developed precious minerals brought with it a rapid along the lines of social class. The difference increase in economic activity and the need is that the British also focused on developing for labour, especially specialised labour. specialised skills (in contrast to the basic Almost all black and previously disadvantaged skills programme by the 17th century Dutch workers in the mines did unskilled work and settlers) for the European settler working at lower rates of pay as compared to their class. The abolishment of slavery meant that white counterparts. They were controlled by the British had to find alternative means for pass laws and the migrant labour system. Sir labour. Cheap labour was the obvious way to George Grey, Governor of the Cape, said to go. Horrell, (1970:11), comments: parliament: “if we leave the natives beyond Between 1834 and 1838, some our border ignorant barbarians, they will 35 745 slaves were emancipated at the Cape. remain a race of troublesome marauders. We Some of them migrated from farms to towns should try to make them a part of ourselves, and villages or to missionary institutions. with a common faith and common interests, Others became vagrants, squatting on useful servants, consumers of our goods, government or private land, while numbers contributors to our revenue. Therefore, I went to the outskirts or beyond the frontiers propose that we make unremitting efforts of the colony to start farming on their own. to raise the natives in Christianity and The need for more schools to instill social civilisation, by establishing among them discipline became acute. missions connected with industrial schools.

It is evident from the above that The native races beyond our boundary, education helped to create social class influenced by our missionaries, instructed in divisions between the non-Europeans and generally reinforced their lower class position. our schools, benefiting by our trade, would not make wars on our frontiers ”.

However, it is interesting to note that the The old (apartheid) education government of the time often complained system was very content driven so the that missionary education was too religious and not practical enough.

Furthermore, the attempt at bringing about transforIdeally, the aim of mation in higher education needs to open to a deeper education should exploration of the relationship, amongst other things, be to teach us how between students, academics and support staff and others to think, rather than what to think - rather to improve our minds, so as to enable us, as the students, majority of teachers understood to think for ourselves, than to load the the classroom and learning environment in memory with thoughts of other men . terms of promoting a ‘banking education Seeking to understand transformation in system’. This refers to teachers being higher education in South Africa is an constructed as the all powerful knowers of all intricate task given the history of education the knowledge that the student had to in South Africa. The current situation receive (Samuel, 2010, adapted). One of the concerning education in South Africa is challenges confronting students in South dire. Developments, as far as education is Africa post liberation is the down-play of the concerned, have not been able to keep up with past in an attempt to promote racial the demands from industry for skilled labour, integration and democracy. A true liberation hence arguments and dialogue pertaining of the student needs to happen on both the to skills shortages and the brain-drain crisis. intellectual and social levels.

This scenario is not limited to South Africa, Developments in the formal schooling in fact, it extends across Africa and beyond. system in South Africa, in the colonial as Any meaningful attempts to address this crisis well as the apartheid eras show an inclination in education should take cognisance of one’s towards establishing an unequal social order immediate social context, it is thus important based on racial discrimination. The obvious to focus on the University of Fort Hare amidst truth in this regard, in as far as education the endeavours in education within the South is concerned, is that the current state of African context. education in post-apartheid South Africa is When one looks at the history of far from achieving one of its goals which is formal education in South Africa with the social equity. The crisis demands urgent and view that education is a means to provide the critical appraisal of the whole enterprise of nation state with a labour force, it is importeducation. Such an investment requires, first,

that education and education policy-making is examined (Kallaway, 1984, adapted). The trajectory of this education system has seen an emergence of a black elite. Prospector and explorer Cecil John Rhodes related to this black elite as a potential obstacle in the total control of the indigenous people. He states: “Why!” he said, “I have travelled through the Transkei and have found some excellent establishments where the natives are taught Latin and Greek. They are turning out kaffir parsons, most excellent individuals, but the thing is overdone. . . . There are kaffir parsons everywhere—these institutions are turningthem out by the dozen. They are turning out a dangerous class. They are excellent so long as the supply is limited, but the country is overstocked with them. These people will not go back and work and that is why I say that the regulations of these industrial schools should be framed by the Government, otherwise these kaffir parsons would develop into agitators against the Government.” (Rhodes & Rusden, 1900).

The South African past is an important factor to consider in the present as we seek solutions that are future-oriented.

As part of this future-oriented approach is the need to deal with aspects of our past that still haunt us today. Furthermore, the attempt at bringing about transformation in higher education needs to open to a deeper exploration of the relationship, amongst other things, between students, academics and support staff and others (Higher Education Summit, 2010). South Africa is also a multi-racial society with a blend of culture, ethnic groups, and is part of the African continent. This presents a unique mix of variables and factors that, when carefully analysed, should be part of the agenda for curriculum renewal and transformation purposes.

There is a call by students to be an integral part of the curriculum renewal and transformation process as part of their own liberation. This liberation will see the students break the ‘chains’ that continue to bind them, from the days of apartheid.

Student movements the world over show that students have more than once played a crucial role for the liberation of the oppressed. In an attempt to address this crisis, described in some circles of academia as limitations of post-apartheid education policies, it is interesting to note the devastating effects of apartheid on education and consider the impact this has on the current performance of our education system. It dare be said that the education system in South Africa is not serving the students. Pre-colonial (informal) education and its significance in the process of teaching and learning and communal knowledge development Teaching and learning communities as stressed earlier did exist here in Africa before colonial conquest. It was holistic, life long and utilitarian in nature . These

52/53 civilisations themselves were present mainly because of the teaching and learning culture that existed amongst the people of this continent .Education had an input from all members of the community and prepares each individual for a particular profession or occupational activity (Adeyinka & Adeyemi, 2002).This Adeyinka & Adeyemi argue, should be the norm in all african societies today.A lot has been written about the kind of teaching and learning that took place here in Africa. Recent literature on the issue raises arguments on impacts of certain influences within education and their effects on present day teaching and learning methods.

Precise comprehension of the philosophical aspect of the term education is important when attempting to realise its significance where ever it is practised. The most relevant and basic comprehension in an African and universal context is that: education is a process whereby experienced members of the community/society guide the development of the inexperienced within the culture of society (Adeyinka & Adeyemi, 2002), a method of disseminating cultural values or the acquisition of the art of the utilisation of knowledge (Whitehead, 1962).

Now from these perspectives, one now can understand the desired outcome in educational practise. Also, we can argue that schooling and education are two different things. To elaborate, schooling is the practise of being instructed in an environment designed for teaching and learning.

Education then becomes the process of guiding the inexperienced outside of the schooling environment but at the same time complementing the curriculum in the classroom. This is to ensure that there is correspondence between what is learnt and what in reality happens in day to day life. It is clear then that African traditional education was not only there to be acquired, but it was actually there to be lived. Children acquired education through the maintenance of and participation in socio-political and religious institutions that ensured effective means of communication between different generations (Boetang, 1983).

The actual content of this informal/ indigenous knowledge system/traditional education has its roots in the situations (varied) of African societies (Adeyinka & Adeyemi, 2002), from geographical setting, to community environment and also devotional aspects like religion and custom. Out of these curriculum informants, the issue of social impacts seems to carry a lot of weight.

Adeyinka and Adeyemi argue that networks of reciprocal relationships that knit the family, clan and tribe together are to a large degree the prime factor in the survival of most traditional African societies.

Many methods of teaching and learning within formal and informal education were and still are employed in

Africa. In general in Pre-colonial Africa, teaching and learning methods for various disciplines in societies had various characteristics and also significances.

Initiation ceremonies were and are still common. One can argue that it took a formalised character somewhat in that it compramised (its content) of teaching and learning of pre-determined material in a specific physical setting (Adeyinka & Adeyemi, 2002).Similarly, amaXhosa of the Eastern Cape practise the tradition of Ulwaluko, a dissemination of knowledge via an ancient sacred rite of passage as initiation of boys into manhood. This practise has its own ways, places, seasons, rules and regulations which when not followed can and does have disastrous consequences. It has its own objectives and purposes, such as moulding boys into men who will become protectors and defenders of the weak and vulnerable, providers of their families and leaders of their communities and nations.

It is an endurance “race” whose other purpose is to instil discipline and forbearance, to withstand pain and endure hardship . Here again we see formalised character in traditional dissemination of knowledge.In contrast to this some illiterate African societies employed an informal education system. In these systems, methods of instruction were much more informal and loosely structured or designed, sometimes if not all the time, the distinction between teacher and learner was less distinguishable.

Learning was by initiation and observation (Adeyinka & Adeyemi, 2002). The major purpose, yield or outcome of this indigenous development of knowledge base was young adults who understand their history and tradition and also inculcate a culture of socially engaged human being with critical thinking capabilities. It also developed a nature of self-control, endurance and pride in oneself. This then reproduced itself in the whole tribe, nation and thus continent, from one generation to the other. The cycle of knowledge dissemination thus gets completed, without disengaging the people from their own development.

Oral Literature is one particular method of transmitting informal education.

These have been an integral part of informal education in universal cultures for centuries, an in particular in Africa. Myths, fables, folktales, legends and proverbs served as tools of presenting social situations /values or pedagogic devises. They were sometimes used to teach insistence on justice and a resistance to arbitrariness while maintaining courtesy (Boetang, 1983).

A significant contrast between informal and formal education can be distinguished. A synthesis then of the developmental understanding of the two contrasting methods of teaching and learning can be designed into a system that informs

curriculum review and renewal processes.

A basic example is the understanding that informal folklore story telling as educative devices taught ideal forms of behaviour and morality, rather than formal instruction such as corporal punishment or disciplinary hearings. Another example is the issue of learning by initiation and observation (Adeyinka & Adeyemi, 2002) which develops self control and endurance with contrasting inclination to teaching and learning that is pre determined in nature, hindering freedom of exploration with ideas. Humanising curriculums thus must seek teaching and learning methods that allow developmental approaches.

University of Fort Hare’s Grounding Programme: A student’s perspective and recommendations to higher education based on the UFH experience The deteriorating pass rates of high school learners in the Further Education and Training Phase (FET) pose challenges for higher education. Institutions of higher learning need to make a fundamental shift in how they view the students, and their needs, in an attempt to better the teaching and learning environment. The current situation in higher education has witnessed poor output rates, especially in previously disadvantaged institutions such as the University of Fort Hare, where new students are inadequately prepared for higher education. A fundamental concern for all higher education institutions is how to effectively integrate new students into their learning environment (Nutt & Calderon, 2009). Increasing the pace of transformation at Higher Education Institutions in South Africa requires each institution to develop individual transformative measures through reflection of its own historical narrative, institutional self-awareness and self-critique (Maharaj, 2010).

Globally, the Higher Education sector faces enormous challenges. The scarcity of funding, issues of transformation, changing curricula, and teaching methodology are challenges that face all institutions of higher learning (Mbadi, 2010).

Reflecting on the limitations of the previously disadvantaged institutions needs to take cognisance of numerous variables so as not to construct idealistic conceptions that apartheid education sought to deliberately provide inferior education to the education of our people .

In an attempt to understand the transformational needs of higher education, a careful and extensive look at the student

experience is perhaps the best place to begin.

Traditionally recognised as one of the prestigious universities on the continent of Africa, the University of Fort Hare stemmed from the initiatives of the black elite and early twentieth-century white liberals, many of them clergy, and supported by many traditional Southern African leaders.

The University of Fort Hare came into existence in 1916 and is the oldest historically black university in Southern Africa. This university boasts a long-standing tradition of non-racism, which is characterised by intellectually enriching and critical debate. There is an almost tangible aspiration towards educational excellence while social life on campus is vibrant (University of Fort Hare, 2010). Currently, the university enjoys a diverse mix of students coming from throughout Southern Africa and beyond. The experiences they bring to the classroom are both a useful tool and help as a means of putting into context what the students learn in the lecture rooms.

In the past, the University of Fort Hare played an important role in the liberation of South Africa, and Africa. Given the challenges facing higher education which include how students are funded, the number of students who have access to institutions of higher learning, the government’s expenditure on higher education, amongst others; dialogues to engage with our past so as to understand the present and shape the future are perhaps equally relevant in this time as the epoch of the South African student uprisings of the 1970’s. Differing to the medium of instruction debate that resulted in the chaos of 16 June 1976; curricula that is relevant, challenging, innovative and easily contextualised is what students at the University of Fort Hare are calling for now.

In the period between 2006 and 2008, at the University of Fort Hare, through various iincoko, or reflective discussions, and retreats where students and academics imagined the university in the future, in light of the current educational crisis, curriculum renewal has been highlighted as one of the areas to be looked at closely in an attempt to re-think the relationship between the university and society. The talk of the curriculum as just the technical arrangement of our teaching and learning is a limiting exercise. Instead, what lies at the core of the intellectual project is what ought to be looked at as part of the transformation agenda of higher education. Considering what the university teaches, how it teaches, the pedagogy it adopts, and the relationship it has with the students’ confidence are all important factors to consider when talking about the curriculum and its role in transformation.

Higher education policy makers need to understand that for transformation to take place, an understanding of students’

needs is a definite must. Universities have generally declared that students are not prepared for higher education and have used this as defence for a dogmatic approach in dealing with students. Furthermore, they have also blamed educators in the phases preceding higher education for the lack of preparation of university-entering students. While in some cases this may be true, the failure of our education system cannot be blamed on the capacity of students, and certainly not on our educators. Furthermore, universities are not willing to admit that they have failed in serving our students on learning, social and intellectual requirements. The resultant has been a feeling of being unwelcome or alienation on the part of the students. Thus, higher education’s understanding of students needs a vigorous shake-up. Initial access to higher education is denied to students on the basis of finance, with university fees ever on an increase. In turn, our democracy is compromised as contemporary forces on higher education serve the reproduction of the patterns of the past.

Advances in the curriculum renewal debate at the University of Fort Hare resulted in the proposal to senate to develop a transdisciplinary course, credit-bearing, which aims to develop students’ critical skills while engaging the academics who lecture the students to deeply look at their roles and teaching methods. The proposal to senate was successful and the Grounding Programme, as it has come to be affectionately called, was piloted in 2009 with a full roll-out being carried out in 2010 through to 2011. The course aims to get students to think differently about the challenges that they are confronted with on a daily basis, and as a result, become socially engaged individuals who play a positive and meaningful role in the societies that they come from. This ground-breaking programme has received prominence in the “Report of the Ministerial Committee on Transformation and Social Cohesion and the Elimination of Discrimination in Public Higher Education Institutions” (Tom, 2009) .

In an effort to accommodate a range of educational contexts, the University of Fort Hare has had to make adaptations to facilitate this programme. Strategies for supporting first year students’ learning and educational development need to be pursued for the purposes of making the students’ engagement with university meaningful.

Conclusion Leontiev points out that Vygotsky conceptualised development as a transformation of socially shared activities into internalised processes, and in this way cut out the dichotomy of internal and the external. Verily, with relation to the Grounding Programme at the University of Fort Hare and study of it; the conception of its theoretical inclination that a pedagogy founded on critical social learning theory

can assist historically disadvantaged students to establish new relationships with learning in higher education . Furthermore, it should inspire or inform the basic pedagogy with transformational zeal that grasps learners and engages them in socially shared learning process that is collective and inclusive. Also, socialization comes into play as society is a developmental institute that transforms itself through human /social interaction through time (historical element). Now with the comprehension that some learners are deprived of this socialization element, the notion of educationally disadvantaged learners manifests as they are deprived of the necessary social interaction that allows a mode of co-construction of knowledge.

An education system does not exist simply to serve economic needs, important as that may be. It must also enrich the learner and broader society, more especially so within the context of our young developing democracy. The imperative to transform South African society by making use of various transformative tools stems from a need to address the legacy of apartheid in all areas of human activity and in education in particular. Social transformation in education is aimed at ensuring that the educational imbalances of the past are redressed, and that equal educational opportunities are provided for all sections of our population (Dugmore, 2008). For transformation in higher education to materialise, and for the betterment of our collective future in South Africa, institutions of higher learning need to understand better the reality of South Africa as a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi-racial society (Kallaway, Kruss, Fataar, & Donn, 1997).

Whilst some African academics argue that the downfall of African traditional education and academia in contrast to western academia, is that Africans lacked the discipline to record and write their work so as to pass it down from one generation to the next (Adeyinka & Adeyemi, 2002), others reject this view arguing that the process educating of the African youth starts from the time of the unborn child. If this is not the case, then this means that education could not happen without writing (western) civilisations. Therefore take away western civilisation, and you have no education (Adeyinka & Adeyemi, 2002). This without a doubt is an extremely dogmatic outlook. One thing that is pragmatic though is that informal education methods be recorded in writing, as the process of knowledge development, teaching and learning can be enhanced. SAM

INSPIRATIONAL: SANDILE KHUBEKA

MEET SOUTH AFRICA’S

YOUNGEST

MEDICAL DOCTOR

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r Sandile Khubeka is the fifth and last-born of single household parent family from the poor streets of Pietermaritzburg’s Madadeni, Section 7 township. Defying all adversity odds, at the age of 20 years the same boy has made history by being the youngest qualified medical doctor ever in South Africa.

Dr Khubeka started his academic journey when was 5 years. When he was doing Grade 6, teachers noticed that he was way ahead of his peers. Within 3 months, he was promoted to grade 7. He then passed his matric at Siyamukela High School when he was 15 years old.

In 2013, at the age of 20, Dr Khubeka completed his MBChB degree at the University of KwaZulu Natal’s College of Health Sciences.

His deep love and care earned him the Yashiv Sham Bursary and Enid Gordon Jacob Good Fellowship Prize while he was still in university.

He is currently doing his internship at Grey’s Hospital in Pietermaritzburg.

This young doctor’s compassion is always demonstrated by the constant extra mile he walks when providing service and the commitment that sees him doing even other volunteer work to help the rural poorest of the poor in KZN. The humbly soft spoken young doctor embraces the social expected pressures that come with him being hailed a youth hope torch bearer. While interviewed by one of the commercial talk radio station, Dr Khubeka eloquently said “In me, they see that ours is not a lost generation. This goes beyond my own achievements. It is humbling to know that people are motivated by my story.”

Many journalists, bloggers, radio and TV anchors had always asked him the same question about, how it feel to be the youngest doctor in South Africa.

The enthusiastic doctor hasalways kept the same answer “It feels like a dream, unbelievable, I’m really humbled, blessed and motivated to do even more.”

Dr Sandile Khubeka is one of the many products of single parenting from a poor background with many siblings but achievements once again prove that in the death of our hopes and dreams lies the knowledge of beyond. SAM

In me, they see that ours is not a lost generation.

This goes beyond my own achievements. It is humbling to know that people are motivated by my story.

THE BRIGHT MIND

LUDWICK Find what you love doing, and exert all your effort on pursuing it. Do as much as you can on your own, and always ask for help when you need it. Embrace failure, because you will only ever experience it if you give up, not if you try & fail to succeed. I plan to use the title of Best Student entrepreneur in the World to start the world’s first entrepreneurship league, and to roll this out globally over the next 5 years. I am dedicating my life to enabling the world’s youth to follow their dreams, and I urge other entrepreneurs to do the same...by first following their dreams!

56/57 INSPIRATIONAL: LUDWICK MARISHANE

orn on the 23rd of May 1990 in Limpopo’s deep Motetema rural villages. The young South African entrepreneur Ludwick Marishane is the first African to ever get into the world’s prestige Singapore University Global Business Plan finals. In 2011 he was named among the greatest Google brightest young minds in the world.

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The Business Science, Accounting and Finance University of Cape Town graduate and the former Google campus ambassador is rated among the well accomplished students throughout the African continent. He has won many prestigeous awards in his country, Africa and across the globe. Few years ago he was named as the “Best Gauteng Maths, Science & Technology Olympiad Student of the Year, Global Student Entrepreneurship Awards, Afriversity Entrepreneur Award and many more.

The 24 year old’s determined business mind’s creative genius work has earned

In 2011 he won the Global Champion of the Global Student Entrepreneurs Awards The Limpopo born genius rised to prominence after inventing the world’s first user friendly minimal water germicidal bath-substituting skin lotion/ gel called DryBathTM. The easy to use DryBathTM doesn’t need any water. One needs to just apply DryBath to your skin and you will be done bathing. It serves bathing need, moisturizes the skin, saves time , kills germs and provides freshness.

The convenient globally approved DryBathTM is now used by renowned global airlines, hotels, governments departments etc.

He classifies his specialties as being in personal development, networking, idea development, tutoring, motivational speaking and business analysis.

Marishane also speaks 6 languages, 5 of them listed as “Limited working proficiency”.

His curiosity, invention, creativity , entrepreneurial spirit and academic information helped him to start his business Headboy Industries Inc. Ludwick who is extremely passionate about education is also helping other young great minds to reach their true full potential. SAM

He got the DryBathTM business million dollar concept as a teenager when a friend of his complained about challenges of taking a cold bath in winter.

Apparently his friend loosely said “why doesn’t somebody invent something that you can just put on your skin and you don’t have to bathe”. It was that question

MARISHANE him countless honorary awards in South Africa which includes South African National Innovation award winner and the Cape Town Entrepreneurship winner.

He has also conquered the world biggest stages and scooped many major awards.

Two years ago the global elite revered business mogul entrepreneurs voted the village born Marishane as the best student entrepreneur in the world.

that sparkled Ludwick’s entrepreneurial innovation. The young ambitious inventor then started researching viable creative groundbreaking ways of creating DryBathTM. After many failed attempts he finally got the formula and worked on it daily until it became reality.

Xuza’s scientific genius and fascination of the less told engineering journey started at six years. As a result while many of his childhood peers were playing games as most kids do something that nobody could explain then kept Xuza in hermit busy creating rare rocket fuel. Out of no where with no clue or training, the brilliant young man was busy building his rocket and testing it in his mom’s kitchen which at some point nearly got him into serious trouble.

THE WORLD REVERED SCIENTIST.

He failed about 77 times and over in half a year but his determination saw him finally getting it right. From there Xuza never stop throwing around scientific self thought experiments. Four years later, his experiment, his “safer, cheaper” solid rocket fuel earned him a top prize at the National Science Expo, the prestigious Dr Derek Gray Memorial Award, the World’s Best Science & Engineering Fair Award, an opportunity to study at the world well known USA’s Harvard University. Kings, Queens, Nobel laureates

main asteroid belt near Jupiter and takes 4.01 years to complete a single orbit.

His stellar progress propelled higher institutions of learning like University of Free State to name Solar System named after him.

The 25 year old humble genius is now rendering his services in the energy industry in his native country South Africa. He is still the youngest member of the African Leadership Network called “Africa 2.0 Energy Advisory Panel”, an Africa’s genious federation whose mission it to find sustainable solutions for the continent’s major challenges.

Besides doing his scientific work for his country, Xuza also conducts motivational talks for young great minds at local universities and communities.

Just recently at the University of the Free State graduations ceremony Xuza said “I’ve realized that Africa, South Africa, is equally capable to complete head and shoulder against the world when it comes

SIYABULELA

LETHUXOLO he world renowned youngest Rocket Scientist, the International Motor manufacture brand ambassador, Praise singer, Aspiring entrepreneur, Harvard Engineering graduate, these are just but limited close to the truth phrases that one can use to describe the 1989 in Mthatha Eastern Cape South Africa born, the global acclaimed youngest scientist Siyabulela Lethuxolo Xuza.

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Presidents and many powerful world leaders like Michelle Obama, the late great Nelson Mandela, Oprah Winfrey, Steve Wozniak, Clem Sunter, Elizabeth Trudeau and many more have honored the young scientist’s engineering and energy expertise.

He is the first and the youngest person from Africa to have a Planet Star named after him by the USA’s elite successful recognition platform the MIT Lincoln Laboratory. The minor planet 23182 Siyaxuza circles the solar system in the

to innovation, the greatest minds, we are equally capable. Nothing is impossible... do what you love and the world will love what you do… I did not achieve this because I am smart, but because I never give up”.

He confirmed to “have just finished a year-long project on microfuel cells, which are fuel cells that can be used to power small devices such as cellphones, as well as laptops,” SAM

58/59 INSPIRATIONAL: SIYABULELA XUZA

I had the privilege of not only being inspired by Tata Mandela, but getting to know him and members of his family on a personal level. One of the things I learnt from him was that is not important that you succeed, but how you succeed, the values you share and the integrity you show.

At the core of leadership is integrity.

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XUZA

THE HISTORY MAKING

MAUD It is a day that reminds us that the key to our continent’s sustainable future will happen through a new set of eyes, eyes with a transformed view of the African child. To quote a wise one: it is better and easier to build children than repair them.

Thus the day of the African child is a significant day on the continent.

60/61 INSPIRATIONAL: MAUD CHIFAMBA

At the age of five she lost her father while the mother passed away days after sitting for her A level exams but even that couldn’t disrupt her from making the impossible possible. Despite this and abject poverty (her two brothers were unable to pay her fees for regular school), Chifamba home schooled herself and broke academic records earning a four-year scholarship of nearly USD$10,000. “It really motivated me

to work harder because there was no one to take care of me except myself in the future.” Gifted with natural intelligence, Maud’s promising future was apparent from an early age.

Her remarkable aptitude impressed her primary school teachers who decided to move her up from Grade 3 to Grade 6. Aged nine, she took her final primary school examinations where she obtained top marks for all of her subjects.

In just two years after skipping two forms she went on to become the youngest student (male or female) in Zimbabwe and possibly the whole of Southern Africa to enroll at university at the age

You will never regret knowing something in life, you will regret the opposite.

She said while reflecting to her academic excellence journey. ”This could have easily looked or sounded like one of those useless unrealistic rhetoric speeches but knowing that it came from a real conqueror like Maud no one could ever look down on it. One of powerful Maud’s quotes for the girls and people in general was when she said “Don’t let anyone shape what you want to be, don’t let your situation determine who will you be. Don’t be dragged down but let the difficult situations push you to better future… let it push you to change your current circumstances into something better – something you would be proud of ” From poverty stricken farm orphanage kid life to university Bachelor of Accountancy Honors Degree student and youngest global female iconic ambassador – this is the life story of one of the African pride Maud Chifamba.

SAM

CHIFAMBA B

orn on 19th of November 1997, is the 15 year resolute protagonist orphaned Maud Chifamba’s inspirational story that moved Africa and the world. This remarkable Zimbabwean whose roots would trace from the ridged and extremely poverty stricken resettlement farm worker’s family has defied all adversity and hardship to break global academic records.

of 14 years.

Not so long ago at the International Day for Girl Child gathering, she stirred up thousands of girls with her speech. “Since I was born I used to say what boys do, girls can do it better or even better than better. Girls all I am trying to say is, there is nothing to rush for. Acquire your education, you will never be sorry.

INSPIRATIONAL: LUCAS SITHOLE

To see the other disabled kids with similar disabilities changed me and I was happy to be alive.

God showed me that I am still very able.” he says.

“My faith healed me psychologically and I did not battle with any challenges as I was happy and thankful to be alive.”

THE RISE AND RISE OF

LUCAS

SITHOLE his is up close and personal story with a humble son of the soil, a sport fanatic, patriot African hero of our time. Call him an astute athlete par excellence or distinct physically challenged society ambassador if you want. He is the rare human mental prowess embodiment epitomizer.

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Born in the rural Newcastle Kwazulu, he turned best Paralympics tennis star ,the 27 year Lucas Sithole is the first African to have won US Open Grand Slam.

It only makes sense that we hear how the new champion feels about that. “It was an honor, a feeling I cannot describe. It was very special and I treasure the memories.

Not everyone gets the opportunity to represent their country and I am proud of myself and my achievements.”

At the age of 12 years in 1998, Sithole lost both his legs and right arm in a train accident in Dannhauser. I wanted to find out how the accident affected him psychologically and how did he deal with the unfortunate physically disability situation at hand.

“The accident made me feel sad because I did not know what God had planned for me. After the accident I went to a special school Bumbisizwe School in Newcastle, KZN. To see the other disabled kids with similar disabilities changed me and I was happy to be alive. God showed me that I am still very able.” he says. “My faith healed me psychologically and I did not battle with any challenges as I was happy and thankful to be alive.”

Answering the most questions about how and when he started playing tennis Sithole says “I have always been a

sportsman and loved sport from a very young age. Sport is a part of me. Prior to my accident I played soccer and was a sprinter. In 2006 one of the development officers, Patrick Selepe from wheelchair tennis came to our school Filadelphia in Soshanguwe, Pretoria where he introduced me to the sport of wheelchair tennis. I loved tennis from day one.”

Accepting that like any other person at times life does throw some changes at him but emphases that “ God has blessed me with a very supporting and encouraging family” This humble global sports icon also share deep word encouragement to Student Africa Magazine readers and everyone. “We all have our dreams and you must pursue them with love and passion. If you believe in your dream and yourself anything is possible.” he said. “You must never underestimate anyone not even yourself. The attitude of a person does always reflect his/her ability.” Lucas emphases.

Surely there must be a source of inspiration for anyone with such huge accomplishments. Lucas speaks highly of a man named Holger Losch as the key of his success. “I look up to my coach Holger Losch. He makes everything look simple and easy and achievable. He never doubts and always approach life positively” Not even sky is the limit for Lucas. This young passionate man doesn’t rest of his laurels. Talking about his future he said “My goals are to be number one in the world and to win a medal at the 2016 Paralympics”. The soft spoken Lucas is a real multi talented athlete who plays wheelchair tennis, wheelchair basketball, rugby and recipient of many awards and the latest being best sportsman of the year in the Gauteng Sports Awards.

This is a story of young warrior Jobe, Kanatshane, Mthiyane, Mondisa, Sithole, Izibongo zeqawe aziqedwa. SAM

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64/65

SPORTS: USSA VOLLEYBALL

USSA comes alive WRITTEN BY: MGCINI BADUDUZI NDLOVU

U

niversity Sport South Africa (USSA), National University Sport Association for Volleyball held the National Institutional Volleyball Championships at Witwatersrand University from the 29th of June to the 4th of July 2014.

The tournament attracted a total of 21 universities namely Walter Sisulu University, University of Fort Hare, Rhodes University, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, University of the Western Cape, University of Cape Town, University of Johannesburg, University of Pretoria, Tshwane University of Technology, University of Limpopo Medunsa Campus , University of North West, Vaal University of Technology, Durban University of Technology, University of Zululand, University of Kwazulu Natal,

Mongasuthu University of Technology, University of Venda, Monash South Africa, Cape Peninsula University, University of Limpopo Turf loop as well as the hosts Witwatersrand University.

The games were held at Hall 29 as well as at the Old Mutual Hall and the tournament attracted close to 500 participants drawn from these institutions.

The USSA Volleyball National Institutional Championships is a tournament aimed to develop and nature volleyball talent as well as highlight the importance of sport academia and awareness to the dangers of drugs in sport. Awareness campaigns like the anti-doping and the Academic Awareness program were exercised during the games.

There were outstanding performances from players representing international students such as Prenade of Vaal University of Technology and Kudzi Chireka of University of Western Cape (Ladies Team) both from Zimbabwe as well as Nelson Nkhwinya of Vaal University from Botswana. Also talent from the Republic of South Africa was honoured as players were chosen to be part of the USSA Volleyball Dream Team.

The national committee organising the games was elected in 2013 at the games hosted at University of Fort Hare got to work advocating that the new playing regulations would push for life of volleyball after academics and that the sport should be elevated from a recreational level to a fully-fledged professional like soccer, rugby, cricket and other dominant disciplines.

The new committee also encourages sports players to push their academic lives with the same passion they exert in sport. The awareness also focused on non-academic talented players, encouraging them to take sport related courses in universities as a way of developing their lives. The committee advocated for coaching clinics as well as for each university to have a Volleyball Club besides the institution team. This is so as to accommodate non students in their communities who are talented as a way to lure them and introduce information about academics through the interaction with student players.

Since the tournament revolves to different provinces each year, it has been suggested that during the tournament a day should be set aside where all participating players go into the

community, at a chosen school were they will teach students about volleyball and the importance of education.

The anti-doping (health awareness program) campaign which was launched in 2014 was also a major highlight of the tournament as it educated players of banned substances as well as other unknown, yet harmful substances that enhance performance. The campaign was an eye opener to many students as they left being aware that a player can be tested at random either before, during or after a game thereby putting their careers at greater risk. More information about banned substances can be checked on the website for world anti-doping agency.

Mr David Papo (USSA VOLLEYBALL CHARIMAN) stated at the glittering dinner hosted for students and players that they want to ensure tournaments

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like these are used as breeding grounds for talents scouting and that our Olympic teams must be dominated by youth who are still competitive and have a great hunger for winning. He noted that we fare badly as a continent because we do not invest and have confidence in our young people but he strongly believed that a shift in that mentality will see us being more competitive on global events.

A comparison was deduced of America who give all sporting codes same preferences hence talent is diversely spread giving all their people platforms to shine. Media houses were also challenged to spread their lenses and not just cover the traditional sports. Part of the challenge in the sport not developing is lack of information and exposure and this can be tackled by having more events of this nature being broadcast at all levels not only when they are in big cities.

05

It was a great tournament that saw life and energy of the enthusiastic Walter Sisulu University and Medunsa students chanting slogans and belting new platinum singles that can challenge for SAMAs during the games.

It was Vaal University of Technology who got to pop the champagne bottles and lift the trophy with their ladies and men’s team retaining the number one sport. In the ladies category Western Cape came 2nd and UKZN came third.

Second in the men’s category was University of Cape Town with UKZN’s men idolizing their female counterparts in third. As the institutions prepare for USSA Beach Volleyball to be hosted in Durban, we wish all the institutions best of luck and that the best teams will pop the champagne last.

07

01-05 Students from various colleges pose for photos at the dinner held for them during the tournament.

06 Teams go through warm up before the match 07 Fans watching the games during the tournament

FROM DUNKS TO RAMPS A Michael Jordan’s most valuable player, Cape Town University of Technology graduate, a youth mentor, a brand ambassador, a motivational speaker, a social activist and a philanthropist. Born Vincent Luyanda Ntunja in the Gugulethu Township few kilometres away from Cape Town. At the tender age the overall sport fanatic started directing his focus to a sporting code that many deemed as less glamorous, Basketball. Student Africa Magazine freelance writer Lwazi Nyanakancesh Nongauza (LNN) had this exclusive interview with multi-talented, multi-award winner Vincent Luyanda Ntunja (VLN)

LNN Many believe that you were born a great athlete. At young age you were a great soccer player following at the footsteps of your late father who was a professional football player. Somehow you decided to get yourself into another not familiar sporting code Basket Ball and excelled on it. Please share with me share how did your basketball career started.

VLN I started playing basketball when I was 14 years old and three months after I’ve started I was called for trials by Western Cape provincial team. I didn’t do well on that but when they called me the following year I then passed the trials and that’s when I started travelling the country representing Western Cape in basketball. At the age of 16 years I was then selected to play for South Africa in a tournament in Russia. Literally four days after we came back from that tournament I was chosen as one of African players who was going to showcase their skills and talents in Michael Jordan’s camp.

In that camp we were five hundred youngsters from all over the world and out of that Michael Jordan chose me as the most valuable player. That was a really

big achievement because merely being invited was big on its own and now when Michael Jordan chose me as best player that was huge.

LNN Wow, that’s very inspirational story right there Mr Michael Jordan’s most valuable player but I understand that your achievements on basketball court came with many other achievements. Please share those achievements with me.

VLN In 2006 I was honoured and voted by other players as the best player of the year and the very same year there was a basketball court that was built in Gugulethu and it was named after me.

That was really a humbling gesture from my community to name a basketball court after me. It is something that I will always cherish for the rest of my life because it is huge as I don’t know of any other player who has a basketball court named after him or her. As much as I was happy with the respect and honour I was given I didn’t get big headed about it because to me it also told me that honour comes with huge responsibilities.

68/69 LNN Your basketball career opened many other doors for you. We will chat about all of them starting from your modelling to your TV and presenting, brands ambassador and so on. Now let’s start with your TV presenting career. How did you move from being one of the world’s best Basketball Court King to be the TV presenter?

VLN You know most television broadcasters will send out briefs and call castings when they are about to launch a new TV programme. That was the case with me.

I would like to believe that real life story, character and my involvement in the basketball game met all the requirements for that TV show “Slum Dunk” which was presented by Siyabonga Ngwekazi and I had my own segment in it. That’s one of the great opportunities that basketball has given me and I really appreciate that.

LNN You’re indeed a man of many talents. It seems as if basketball to you was just a viable tool to take you to higher and better levels as it took you from fast paced intensive basketball courts to a chilled, smooth, slow classy sophisticated modelling stages, billboards, fashion shows, TV adverts etc. Tell me how did that move come about?

VLN Actually that came by default nje. One day while we were training basketball one of the main sporting brands talent scouts visited us with aim and hope to recruit talent to represent their brand. I was among the chosen ones. So that’s how my modelling career started and it moved from one level to another.

LNN Surely, you’ve come across some challenges in your life. Please share with me what were those challenges and how did you deal with them?

VLN The most difficult challenge that I had to deal with was to accept that I was never going to be able to play basketball again after I had a serious injury. That was painful and very difficult to deal with but somehow I knew that those people were saying that as just mere “academic qualified doctors “just talking but my

TALENT GIVER have not forsaken me.

So I never gave up on my career despite being told that I should forget about my career. I went through the rehabilitation process and later after recovery I went back at training. After my return to basketball court I was unstoppable.

I played my heart out. I had a great season and was voted the best player of the season.

VLN I can never stress this enough. It doesn’t matter how rich, poor, young, old, pretty, talented you are. Education remain as thee most important thing ever. It is the only machine we can use to turn our aspirations to reality.

LNN Surely you’re aware that there are too many people who look up to you as their role model. Some of them might not be models or basketball players or TV presenters like you. So what is your advice to those who want to achieve so many thing in life like you did?

VLN Life isn’t easy but if you believe in yourself, work hard on what you want and ask God for assistance, everything is possible. You must also master the important life 3D’s. Dedication. Determination.

Discipline. Remember the more you work hard, the more your chances of being successful in life To aspiring basketball players, please remember that it is important to have passion and perseverance because the odds might be against you. There’s no substitute for hard work, I believe I was meant to be where I am but I am always conscious of the hard work it took to get me here.

LNN You’ve conquered Basketball Courts, TV screens, radio airwaves, modelling stages and many lucrative career paths, what is your view about the relevance of education for an African child right now?

LNN Thank you sir VLN To my fans, aspiring basketball players and Student Africa Magazine readers, my parting short is, despite my own achievements, my mission is to continue to make a difference in peoples’ lives in the best possible way.” Thank you.

SAM

AFCON

17 JAN - 08 FEB 2015 EQUATORIAL GUINEA

We are a continent of passion and with little or no places to exert our passion which in many instances end up being misdirected to nuisance and mischief what a better way to start the year than to once again be glued to our screens and experience the adrenaline that Africa’s biggest sporting showpiece brings.

With 2014 gone and a lot many still reminiscing how they blew all the bonuses and savings, now what could have been a torrid count of days until the next pay check has found a worthy replacement in this continental showpiece.

tournament at the scheduled dates because of the Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa and this saw the host country being changed to Equatorial Guinea.

The 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, also known as the Orange Africa Cup of Nations Equatorial Guinea 2015 for sponsorship reasons, is the 30th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the international football championship of Africa. It is organized by (CAF) Confederation of African Football and will be held from 17th January to the 8th February 2015.

The four Equatorial Guinean cities selected to host the tournament are Bata (Estadio de Bata) with a seating capacity of 35,700, Malabo (Nuevo Estadio de Malabo) with a seting capacity of 15, 250, Mongomo (Estadio de Mongomo) seating only 10, 000 and Ebebiyín (Nuevo Estadio de Ebebiyín) taking in a paltry 8,000. Of the four stadiums only Bata and Malabo were host venues for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations. With these low capacities we wait to see if the fear of the Ebola virus will work to the hosts advantage as they will accomodate just

Initially scheduled to be hosted by Morocco, who were previous hosts in 1988, Morocco refused to host the

Because of this late rescue the biggest talk of this tournament will be the preparedness of the host country Equatorial Guinea who has a very crumbled time frame to cover up for the showpiece after being dropped by Morocco. As lovers of this beautiful game we all hoping that we will not embarrass ourselves as a continent come day of opening.

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HISTORY& FACTS GROUP A

GROUP B

GROUP C

Equatorial Guinea, Burkina Faso, Gabon, Congo

Zambia, Tunisia, Cape Verde, DR Congo

Ghana, Algeria, South Africa, Senegal

enough of the few die hards of the game who brave rain and sunshine for this game, surely the virus can not stop them, but also I think it is good considering the population of their country in respect of post Afcon usage.

Coming to the teams the absence of 2013 Winners Nigeria who failed to qualify from group stages is the biggest subject.

The absence of the “Super Eagles” as they are populary known is sweet news to everyone as they always pose the biggest threat with their alavanche of foreign based players who ply their trade in top European and French leagues as well as the calmness of “The Boss”, Stephen Keshi. Another sad absentee is four time winners Egypt. The Pharoahs had a tough time in the backdrop of civil unrest in their country as they had to play some matches in soldier proofed venues in unpopular terrains a far cry from the usual kind of intimidation and packed stadias they usual enjoy.

We also wait to see if the big boys of our continent, I mean the likes of Drobga, Samuel Etoo, Michael Essien all in retirement from international duty, Kole Toure and Seid Keita will be recalled or selected to represent their respective countries. It will be a pity not to have them from a supporters point of view but chances are very high that this time around we won’t enjoy the glamour and glitz these sharks bring to this sport. As they come to the wee of their playing days it is of course great for the young lads who have been seconding these greats for many tournaments they have dominated.We wait to see if these new generation of players are ready to fill the big boots of these legends. Few names are worthy mentioning and though club brilliance has proven to be a mammoth task to be duplicated to national duty we wait to see come 18 January 2015.

Asamoah Gyan, Ghana’s all-time leading scorer, will surely be one to look for.

Capitalizing on his physicality, pace, cannon-like long-range shots and goalscoring prowess from inside the penalty box, the former Sunderland hitman has it all to be one of the most feared strikers of the Nations Cup. Wilfried Bony is another man to look out for as he might be the man entrusted with filling the void left by the international retirement of talisman Didier Drogba. Yaya Toure remains one of Ivory Coast’s deadliest weapons and his role could be more prominent at the 2015 African Cup of Nations. The three time in a row African Player of the year gifted with physicality and unique towering body can not be ignored.

Cameroon’s Vincent Aboubakar is another player to fill the void of his country’s all-time leading scorer Samuel Eto’o missing out after retiring from international football last year. The 22-year-old Porto marksman, who has to his name six international goals so far, will be keen to bag his first goal in a major tournament after featuring in the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil without scoring a single goal.Other names to watch will be Algeria’s Yacine Brahimi, Burkina Faso’s Jonathan Pitroipa, South Africa’s Tokhelo Ranti , Gabon striker Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, Senegal and Stoke City forward Mame Biram Diouf and also Ghana’s Andrew Ayew.

It is also interesting to note that of the sixteen teams to qualify, nine of those teams are previous winners of the tournanemt and that poses a mouth watering battle for the top prize especially for these who have tasted the golden beauty.

Welcome to Africa, welcome to diski, bhora, futbol whatever you like to call it!

GROUP D Ivory Coast, Mali, Cameroon, Guinea

Marhaba, the official match ball for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea was designed by Adidas.

Designed in collaboration with the CAF (Confédération Africaine de Football) the Marhaba’s distinctive gold and blue colouring represents the contrasting landscapes of the continent, from the Sahara desert to the bright azure sky. The finishing touches to what is always one of the loudest, most colourful and passionate football tournaments in the world.

The technology incorporated into the bladder and carcass of Marhaba is identical to the Brazuca used in the 2014 World Cup and the UEFA Champions League Official Match Ball and has undergone the same rigorous testing process to make sure that it is suited to the playing conditions during the tournament. adidas have created their best ever football and they’re not about to change things for the sake of it, it’s very much a ‘if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it’ approach.

The ball was officially presented during the tournament draw in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea on Wednesday 3rd December 2014 by members of CAF and the Local Organising Committee with the tournament kicking off on 17 January.

The word Marhaba? An arabic expression for welcome. Now you know.

GROUP A TEAMS EQUATORIAL GUINEA Nickname: Nzalang Nacional, (National Thunder) World Ranking: 119 Previous AFCON Apprearances: 1 Best AFCON: Q/Finals 2012 Coach: Andoni Goikoetxea (Spain) Key Player: Juvenal Edjogo-Owono

Equatorial Guinea, Burkina Faso, Gabon, Congo

BURKINA FASO Nickname: The Stallions World Ranking: 65 Previous AFCON Appearances: 9 Best AFCON: Runners Up 2013 Coach: Paul Put (Belgium) Key Player: Jonathan Pitroipa

GABON Nickname: The Panthers World Ranking: 64 Previous AFCON Appearances: 5 Best AFCON: Q/Finals 1996, 2012 Coach: Jorge Costa (Portugal) Key Player: Pierre Aubameyang

Favourites

Dark horse

History counsels against basing predictions on the squads who have the most names at top European clubs. The teams who tend to do well in the Africa Cup of Nations are those with well-established methods, invigorating spirit and players with proven understandings and, for that reason, Burkina Faso are a reasonable tip to go far.

A regular category title for tournament previews, though perhaps a confusing one in a tournament featuring Stallions, Panthers, Elephants and assorted Lions. Gabon are the most likely team to beat Burkina to the top but Congo could pose a serious challenge to both teams.

Paul Put’s team played with cohesion and real flamboyance when they surprisingly swept their way to the final in 2013 and most of the key players remain. Jonathan Pitroipa, the top scorer two years ago, was the continent’s leading scorer again in qualifying and will be integral to the Stallions’ attack.

Burkina’s performances over the past two years have generally been of the same exciting standard they produced in South Africa but they finished only second in their qualifying group – and they will face the team who finished above them, Gabon, in their opening match.

The result could go a long way to deciding who finishes first in Group A and if Burkina are to get the victory they failed to get against Gabon in qualifying (when they lost in Libreville and drew at home), they will have to find a better way to deal with the speed of forwards such as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Malick Evouna.

CONGO

They began their campaign by becoming the first side in 33 years to win a qualifier in Nigeria and although they lost at home to the Super Eagles and were beaten by South Africa, they did enough to finish second in their group.

With Claude Le Roy managing in his eighth Africa Cup, Congo will have an experienced guide and they also have some dangerous attackers, particularly the former France youth international striker Thievy Bifouma, who has had a big impact since making his debut last August.

Coach to watch It is farcical and outrageous that this tournament was given to Equatorial Guinea after Morocco withdrew from hosting it, and not only because Teodoro Obiang, who is in the 35th year of his rule, is no more deserving of having such prestige conferred on him than he was when his country co-hosted the tournament in 2012.

Nickname: Diables Rouges (Red Devils) World Ranking: 59 Previous AFCON Appearances: 6 Best AFCON: Champions 1972 Coach: Claude Le Roy (France) Key Player: Prince Oniangue

The purely sporting reason for opposing the award of the tournament to Equatorial Guinea is that they were kicked out of the qualifiers for fielding an ineligible player in the first-round victory over Mauritania. Given their record of using players of dubious suitability, reinstating them as hosts was ridiculous, even if taking the tournament to Qatar, as mooted, was hardly preferable.

Now they are back in, the authorities are determined that their team put on a strong showing and were so alarmed at the side’s form in warm-up games they sacked manager Andoni Goikoetxea three weeks ago. He has been replaced by Esteban Becker Churukian, the Argentinian who guided the country’s women’s team to unexpected success on home soil three years ago.

Player to watch Such is the hope Burkina Faso’s fans have invested in Bertrand Traoré – who has lavish potential and whose brother, Alain, has been excellent for the country when not injured – there was huge disappointment at the player’s subdued influence in the qualifiers. Put retains faith in the Chelsea player, who is on loan at Vitesse Arnhem, because he expects it is only a matter of time before the 19-year-old becomes a force at international level.

Now would be an ideal moment for the youngster to find top form.

72/73

GROUP B TEAMS

Zambia, Tunisia, Cape Verde, DR Congo

ZAMBIA Nickname: Chipolopolo (The Bullets) World Ranking: 62 Previous AFCON Apprearances: 16 Best AFCON: Champions 2012 Coach: Honour Janza (Zambia) Key Player: Kennedy Mweene

TUNISIA Nickname: The Eagles of Carthage World Ranking: 65 Previous AFCON Appearances: 22 Best AFCON: Champions 2004 Coach: Georges Leekens (Belgium) Key Player: Aymen Abdennour

CAPE VERDE Nickname: The Blue Sharks World Ranking: 39 Previous AFCON Appearances: 1 Best AFCON: QuaterÀnals 3013 Coach: Rui Aguas (Portugal) Key Player: Babanco

Favourites

Dark horses

Tunisia – the Carthage Eagles – have enjoyed a mighty upswing in form under the management of George Leekens, who led them to the top of a very difficult qualifying group that included Senegal and Egypt. Seldom spectacular, they have impressive solidity. Syam Ben Youssef, who plays his club football in Romania after a stint at Leyton Orient, has been in splendid form recently in the centre of defence alongside Monaco’s Aymen Abdennour, with Rangers’ Bilel Mohsni joining them as a third centre-back in matches in which Leekens expects opponents to have the majority of possession.

The Blue Sharks of Cape Verde are appearing in the tournament for the second time in a row. Luís Antunes, the manager who guided them to their historic first appearance two years ago, has moved on but his replacement, Rui Aguas, has proven tactically shrewd and while selecting 12 of the squad that featured in 2013, has also integrated new talents such as the 22-year-old midfielder Nuno Rocha.

Both full-backs carry threats going forward, especially Hamza Mathlouthi on the right. Tunisia have dynamism and creativity in midfield, where the impressive performance by Montpellier’s Jamel Saihi in Sunday’s friendly draw with Algeria will have perhaps earned him a starting spot along with Wahbi Khazri and Yassine Chikhaoui. Both of those players will likely need to contribute goals from midfield, as Tunisia’s strikers are not the sharpest.

A shaky season at Étoile du Sahel has got fans worrying about the form of the goalkeeper Aymen Mathlouthi but he appears to have secured his starting place with confident displays in pretournament friendlies.

DR CONGO

Babanco and Heldon remain key components of the Cape Verde midfield, with the latter’s set-piece delivery especially valuable given the aerial power of forwards such as Júlio Tavares. Ryan Mendes is also still involved and although the Lille player can frustrate, he can also unhinge any defence when on form. Provided the goalkeeper Vozinha can avoid costly mistakes, Cape Verde can reach the quarter-finals again, at least.

Coach of the group Florent Ibengé, Claude Le Roy’s former assistant, was promoted to be DR Congo’s national team manager last August but continued to manage AS Vita also, leading them all the way to a two-legged African Champions League final against ES Sétif.

Vita were ultimately beaten on away goals, an especially painful way to lose for a trained economist who nurtures free enterprise among his attackers.

Nickname: The Leopards World Ranking: 55 Previous AFCON Appearances: 16 Best AFCON: Champions 1968, 1974 Coach: Florent Ibenge (DRC) Key Player: Yannick Bolasie

Firmin Mubele Ndombe – who last week was voted the best player based in Africa – has been a notable beneficiary at club level and is one of three Vita players included in DR Congo’s squad for this tournament.

Yannick Bolasie has thrived under Ibengé for the national team, and the country’s high point so far under the new manager was October’s magnificent 4-3 win in Ivory Coast, a result that enabled them to qualify for this tournament as the best third-paced team.

Player to watch Zambia are in a process of renewal under the manager Honor Janza, who was Hervé Renard’s assistant when the country achieved that wonderful triumph in 2012. Only eight of the players who contributed to that momentous feat are included in the latest squad, including Stopilla Sunzu, who scored the winning penalty in the shootout.

Still just 25 and playing his club football in China, the centre-back is a composed and inspirational defender who given how hard his team find goals to come by, will have to excel if Zambia are to progress from their group.

GROUP C TEAMS GHANA Nickname: Black Stars World Ranking: 37 Previous AFCON Apprearances: 19 Best AFCON: Champions 1963, 1965, 1978, 1982 Coach: Avram Grant (Israel) Key Player: Asamoah Gyan

Ghana, Algeria, South Africa, Senegal

ALGERIA Nickname: The Fennec Foxes / The Greens (World Ranking: 18 Previous AFCON Appearances: 15 Best AFCON: Champions 1990 Coach: Christian Gourcuff (France) Key Player: Islam Slimani

SOUTH AFRICA Nickname: Bafana Bafana World Ranking: 51 Previous AFCON Appearances: 8 Best AFCON: Champions 1996 Coach: Ephraim ‘Shakes’Mashaba (South Africa) Key Player: Andile Jali

Favourites

Dark horses

Although they have historically struggled south of the Sahara and have been cast into a perilous group, Algeria should be the favourites to win what would be only their second African crown. On form they are the best team on the continent, having become even slicker since their exhilarating display at last year’s World Cup. The new manager, Christian Gourcuff, has gradually adjusted the side’s formation to replicate the fluid 4-4-2 that he favoured during a decade at Lorient and his imaginative, high-energy style suits a squad of dynamic, technically excellent players.

Senegal and Ghana boast better-known names than South Africa but Bafana Bafana go into the tournament looking a more coherent team than either. They emerged unbeaten from a dicey qualifying group thanks to the method and momentum generated by their manager, Shakes Mashaba, and Sunday’s come-from-behind draw with Cameroon was the latest evidence of the players’ determination to maintain defiantly vibrant performances despite the murder in October of their captain, Senzo Meyiwa. With Thulani Serero pulling the strings in midfield and Tokelo Rantie sharp up front, South Africa’s speed and artfulness could help them topple more powerful opponents, especially if Sadio Mané, Senegal’s most inventive player, does not recover as quickly as his team hope.

Algeria have impressive strength in depth, especially in midfield, and going forward they can be a delight even if Islam Slimani is the one outfield player, along with the goalkeeper Rais Mbolhi, whose form has declined slightly since the World Cup. Yacine Brahimi keeps improving to the extent that he is now one of the most exciting attacking midfielders in the world and the Porto player thrives in the free role given to him by Gourcuff.

Riyad Mahrez, who featured only once during the World Cup, has become a regular thanks to the sort of sparkling displays that he has also been showing for Leicester this season. With a tough defence in which Rafik Halliche has replaced Majdid Bougherra and which benefits from the sturdy protection provided by Nabil Bentaleb, Algeria are strong throughout.

SENEGAL

Coach of the group Avram Grant is not the most obvious choice to inspire a nation still shuddering from the memories of their World Cup fiasco. The former Chelsea manager may have been appointed because the Ghana FA views him as a safe pair of hands or, more depressingly, because he is a big name from the European game. Whatever the motives, his task is clear: to restore pride to the Black Stars by ensuring defensive vulnerabilities are not exposed and coaxing consistency from André Ayew, by far the

Nickname: The Lions of Teranga World Ranking: 35 Previous AFCON Appearances: 12 Best AFCON: Runners Up 2002 Coach: Alain Giresse (France) Key Player: Diafra Sakho

most creative player in the squad, and the rapid winger Christian Atsu.

Player to watch A manager has to be utterly convinced of a player’s talent and temperament to give him his debut at the heart of his country’s defence in a crucial away qualifier a week before his 18th birthday. That is what Mashaba did with Rivaldo Coetzee and the Ajax Cape Town defender vindicated the decision to make him the youngest South African international by showing poise as he helped South Africa keep a clean sheet in the 2-0 victory in Congo. He maintained that form and quickly developed a solid partnership with Eric “Tower” Mathoho.

With Matholo suspended for the first match against Algeria, Mashaba must decide on the most suitable new partner for Coetzee. The manager, who surprisingly omitted Kaizer Chiefs’ Tefu Mashamaite from the squad, appears to be leaning towards deploying the wing-back Anele Ngcongca in the centre, confident that Coetzee has the maturity to help him adapt.

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GROUP D TEAMS

Ivory Coast, Mali, Cameroon, Guinea

IVORY COAST Nickname: The Elephants World Ranking: 24 Previous AFCON Apprearances: 20 Best AFCON: Champions 1992 Coach: Herve Renard (France) Key Player: Yaya Toure

MALI

CAMEROON

Nickname: The Eagles World Ranking: 49 Previous AFCON Appearances: 8 Best AFCON: Runners Up 1972 Coach: Henryk Kasperczak (Poland) Key Player: Sidou Keita

Nickname: The Indomitable Lions World Ranking: 41 Previous AFCON Appearances: 16 Best AFCON: Champions 1984, 1988, 2000, 2002 Coach: Volker Finke (Germany) Key Player: Stephane Mbia

Favourites

Dark horses

It’s no falace that many seem to think Ivory Coast are the favourites to win not just this group but the whole tournament, but that belief may be based on excessive confidence in the capacity of a tough midfield and undoubtedly dangerous attackers (including Yaya Touré, Gervinho and Wilfried Bony) to compensate for an alarmingly dodgy defence.

It would be foolish to underestimate Guinea, a team who reached the finals despite having to play all of their “home” matches in Morocco because of the Ebola epidemic. As if driven by a need to offer a chink of positivity at a time of national tragedy, the Guinean team won their last two qualifiers in impressive style. Guinea defend as a vigilant unit and break forward with jarring speed and in the 23-year-old Slovan Bratislava striker Seydouba Soumah they had one of the revelations of the qualifying campaign.

Cameroon look a wiser choice having made a surprisingly strong recovery from their laughable World Cup campaign. The manager, Volker Finke, somehow survived that shambles and having ejected brats and the overbearing Samuel Eto’o, the Indomitable Lions have introduced young players such as the striker Clinton Njie and rediscovered strength in unity. And they demonstrated it when destroying Ivory Coast 4-1 in the qualifiers.

Cameroon have a good goalkeeper, a solid defence in which Nicolas Nkoulou is resurgent, and a strong midfield, and they carry a regular goal threat thanks to enterprising forwards such as Njie, Vincent Aboubakar and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.

GUINEA

Coach of the group Hervé Renard, the man who led Zambia to improbable glory in 2012, has been assigned the task of delivering the success that Ivory Coast have been tipped to achieve for most of the last decade.

That looks a tall order, and it did not say much for the Frenchman’s confidence in the young players at his disposal that he spent his early months in the job trying to persuade various members of the so-called golden generation to return from

Nickname: Syli Nationale (National Elephants) World Ranking: 38 Previous AFCON Appearances: 10 Best AFCON: Runners Up 1976 Coach: Michel Dussuyer (France) Key Player: Seydouba Soumah

retirement. The best of the new talent – such as the 21-year-old winger Roger Assalé – is in attack where the Elephants are already formidable, leaving Renard hoping Cheik Tioté and Serey Die can provide consistent protection to a defence that was penetrated regularly during the qualifiers.

Player to watch Fabrice Ondoa: Cameroon has produced more top goalkeepers than any other African country and this 19-year-old has shown enough promise to suggest he could become another. Born in Yaoundé, he joined Samuel Eto’o’s foundation as an 11-yearold and from there went to Barcelona. After starring in the Catalans’ Uefa Youth League triumph last year, he signed a professional contract with the club.

Yet it was still a surprise when he was entrusted with a senior international debut in the opening qualifier in DR Congo. Ondoa was undaunted and kept a clean sheet in a 2-0 win. He remained his country’s first-choice goalkeeper for the rest of the campaign, conceding only one in six matches.

CALENDAR OF FIXTURES GROUPS, MATCH DAYS, TIMES , VENUES, LOG STANDING

GROUP A FIXTURES MATCH 1 - 16:00 GMT MATCH 2 - 19:00 GMT VENUES: BATA, EBEBIYIN

17 JAN

EQ/GUINEA

CONGO

GABON

B/FASO

21 JAN

B/FASO

EQ/GUI

CONGO

GABON

25 JAN EQ/GUI

GABON

B/FASO

CONGO

DRC

TUNISIA

C/VERD

22 JAN ZAMBIA

TUNISIA

C/VERDE

DRC

26 JAN C/VERDE

ZAMBIA

DR CONGO

TUNISIA

SEN

ALGERIA

RSA

ALGERIA

S/AFRICA

SEN

GHANA

SENEGAL

ALGERIA

20 JAN IVORYCOAST

GUINEA

MALI

CMRN

24 JAN

MALI

CAMEROON

GUINEA

I/COAST

GUINEA

MALI

FINAL LOG STANDING FILL IN TEAM + POINTS

GROUP B FIXTURES MATCH 1 - 16:00 GMT MATCH 2 - 19:00 GMT VENUES: BATA, EBEBIYIN

18 JAN

ZAMBIA

FINAL LOG STANDING FILL IN TEAM + POINTS

GROUP C FIXTURES MATCH 1 - 16:00 GMT MATCH 2 - 19:00 GMT VENUES: MONGOMO, MALABO

19 JAN

GHANA

23 JAN GHANA 27 JAN

S/AFRICA

FINAL LOG STANDING FILL IN TEAM + POINTS

GROUP D FIXTURES MATCH 1 - 16:00 GMT MATCH 2 - 19:00 GMT VENUES: MONGOMO, MALABO FINAL LOG STANDING FILL IN TEAM + POINTS

IVORY COAST

28 JAN CAMEROON

76/77

KNOCKOUT ROUNDS GROUP WINNERS, MATCH DAYS, TIMES , VENUES, QUALIFIERS

The 8 teams out of group stages (2 / group) play for 4 quarter Ànal spots.Losers go home.

QUARTER FINALS

QUARTER FINALS

Q/F1 31 JAN

1st Group A

2nd Group B

Q/F1 - 18:00 / Bata

Q/F2 31 JAN

1st Group B

2nd Group A

Q/F3 1 FEB

1st Group C

2nd Group D

Q/F4 1 FEB

1st Group D

2nd Group C

Q/F2 - 21:00 /Ebebiyin Q/F3 - 18:00 / Mongomo Q/F4 - 21:00 / Malabo

The four teams out of quarter Ànals play in semis , only two spots available

SEMI FINALS SEMI FINALS S/F1 - 21h00

Venue: Malabo

Date: 08 February Time: 21h00 Venue: Bata

Winner QF3

The teams defeated in semi Ànals play for third place.

Loser SF1

3rd Place Play Off

FINAL

Winner QF2 S/F2 5 FEB

3RD PLACE PLAY OFF

Time - 20h00 Venue: Malabo

Winner QF4

WINNERS

S/F1 4 FEB

Venue: Bata S/F2 - 21h00

Winner QF1

WINNERS

WINNER

Loser SF2

7 FEB

WINNER SF1

WINNER SF2

2015 AFCON CHAMPIONS

BOOK,MUSIC&MOVIE

REVIEWS

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BOOKS, MOVIES AND MUSIC MAKING WAVES GLOBALLY.

READ, LISTEN WATCH ANALYSE REPORT PICTURE THIS AS YOUR JOB PROFILE BONGIWE MUNGOFA I AM A CONTENT PRODUCER STUDYING AT BULAWAYO POLYTECHNIC. WORKING FOR STUDENT AFRICA MAGAZINE I WORK IN MY OWN HOSTEL I COVER ALL ASPECTS OF EDUCATION If this is your dream proÀle, stop dreaming and start living it. Student Africa Magazine is looking for content producers in every college, you are on the ground, you are the Àrst to hear, see and experience the stories that we want. Get in touch today through email and we will respond to you with great offers based on your area of coverage. This opportunity is only for current college/university students.

info@studentafricamag.com / nelson@studentafricamag.com

Welcome to your one stop for professional reviews of books. What we’ve attempted to accomplish here is to collect book reviews from major online media sites that are available without having to register at a site or pay to read them. We’re not interested in just a short blurb or small section of someone else’s review. We try to find full-length reviews of books that help the reader gather the information they seek to determine if the book is worth their time.

We prefer reviews that deal with each book at length, but sometimes settle for smaller reviews when lengthier ones are unavailable. For each book listed here, we try to find at least three reviews on different web sitesand we present you with the best option. We also write our own book reviews of course on books we have read but we hope to have a resident reviewer so if you are out there and you have passion to read get hold of us and you could be a contributor to this magazine.

72/73

We applaude... those who are committed to achieving their dreams at whatever cost, we know there is no easy way to the tomorrow we all believe in and we passionately align with those individuals who have the following ingredients in their book of success;

Initiate

Passion

1

These are instigators, the ones who don't shy away from making their own paths so others can follow, these are game changers, willing to take risk and establish a whole new field of endeavor.

2

Implement

We applaude the energy that comes from bringing more of YOU into what you do. We celebrate the adrenalin and intense hours you put to achieve your dreams, that compelling enthusiasm and desire for success.

3

For more information on our services and advertising rates visit www.studentafricamag

Out of Africa. Affecting the world!

We dont believe in orators but in those bold to put their plans into action. We applaude their guts and quest to make something out of nothing.