THE 2023 FNB Varsity Cup rugby tournament gets underway on Monday, 20 February 2023 and the University of Johannesburg (UJ) senior rugby team is ready for the challenge. For the second season, FNB UJ goes into the tournament led by two co-captains, Kelvin Kanenungo and Buhlebenkosi Qaba, who will share the responsibility of guiding the team in their quest for lifting the trophy.

Under the leadership of Head Coach, Jonathan Mukwena, FNB UJ will be approaching the 2023 campaign differently with a squad made up of new and returning players. In 2022, the Orange Army gave a good account of themselves on the pitch, narrowly losing few games with marginal points. In their 2022 games, FNB UJ played with more vigor in the first halves of the matches and took the foot off the pedal in the second halves. They finished in 6th place on the log.

However, this year, FNB UJ has prepared well for the season. Their early return to the training grounds in January will be tested during their opening match against North West University (NWU Pukke) on Monday, 20 January 2023 at the Fanie Du Toit Sports Ground at NWU at 19:00.

Previously, FNB UJ finished in critical positions on the log in the 2020 and 2021 FNB Varsity Cup tournaments, risking relegation. The arrival of Coach Mokwena proved to have made a difference, moving FNB UJ out of the relegation zone in 2022. Out of the nine (9) matches played in the 2022 season, FNB UJ won four, lost four and drew one.

Ahead of their opening encounter, Coach Mukwena says, “I believe the many weeks we have spent in preparation for this tournament have been on point. We had a few disappointments with a few players not being able to come through but that is part of coaching, and it allows the next players to prove themselves. Generally, we are happy with where we are and hopefully, with time, we will see a few new stars emerge out of UJ rugby.”

After the UJ-NWU match, UJ will face Wits University in a highly anticipated Johannesburg derby on Monday, 27 February 2023 at the Wits Stadium. The Orange Army will play their first home game on Monday, 06 March 2023 against FNB UCT Ikeys at the UJ Stadium in Westdene.

A number of new faces feature in both the FNB UJ squad line-up and management. Co-captains says, “Well, the goal is pretty straight forward, it’s winning the competition. If we do not win it, we will finish in the top 4 positions. As a group, this year we are adding more intensity and aggression to our game.”

Co-captain Qaba added, “We have to make the right decisions at the right times and that comes from confidence and the training sessions we had. This will put us where we want to be in terms of winning games in the tournament.”

Unlike the previous campaign, this year FNB UJ will have a tougher programme as they will have less home games. Their pre-season preparations will come handy for their away games, having played friendly matches against the Griffons and UP-Tuks a few weeks ago.

SUPPLIED: UJ

THE University of Johannesburg (UJ) has unveiled its new electric vehicle (EV) buses, in what is a first for a South African university. The EV buses, which will be added to the existing fleet, have already begun ferrying students between various campuses. 

The buses are the latest innovation in UJ’s ongoing efforts at going green, as part of the University’s plans to reduce carbon emissions, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

UN Sustainable Development Goal 11 defines green cities as those that are dedicated to achieving environmental, social, and economic sustainability, with a focus on minimising inputs of energy, water, and food, and drastically reducing waste, heat output, and pollution. UJ has, in recent years, made strategic moves to improve its sustainability footprint. 

On Tuesday, 7 February 2023, there was excitement all around as one of the two brightly painted EV buses, branded in UJ’s signature orange and white, pulled out of Auckland Park Kingsway (APK) Campus into Joburg’s morning traffic. Aboard the bus were members of the University’s Executive Leadership Group (ELG), who were travelling to a meeting at one of the University’s off-campus venues in the city. And true to its nature, and unlike its diesel counterparts, the electric bus did not belch any toxic fumes. Not only do the EV buses produce much lower carbon emissions, but they also perform well, offering a smooth ride even on steep routes. 

Decreasing UJ’s carbon footprint

Special Projects advisor Professor Andre Nel explained the process that led to this project coming to fruition. “It started more than 18 months ago, as part of our drive to reduce our carbon footprint at UJ. We’ve always had a strong focus on sustainability issues. After implementing large numbers of solar panels, one of the next questions was how can we further make UJ sustainable? After some research, the obvious answer was how we were going to cut our carbon emissions in one area, and that area was transport. Transport makes up about four-and-a-half percent of UJ’s footprint and reducing that in any way is something we desired”. 

So what will happen when load shedding strikes and the buses can’t be charged? And what about their environmental friendliness, given that they are charged using coal-generated electricity? Dr Mpoti Ralephata, UJ’s Chief Operations Officer, was quick to allay such concerns. He said 15% of our energy at UJ comes from solar, which is enough to power the buses. “We will have to have loadshedding for more than five hours a night to affect overnight charging,” he said. 

4IR in action

Among those aboard the buses was Dr Nolitha Vukuza: Senior Executive Director: University Relations, Student Affairs and UJ Sport. “My experience is quite unprecedented because I’ve never been on an electric bus before. This is a day of celebration… We keep on talking about the fourth industrial revolution, and today it’s all about 4IR in action. I am also happy that the new VC (Vice-Chancellor and Principal Designate, Professor Letlhokwa Mpedi) has been talking about 4IR for societal impact. What a way to make it impactful,” she said, shortly before the bus drove off. 

The buses may at first glance – and from a distance – give the impression that they are part of the generation of the existing fleet. It’s only once you hop on that you realise that you have indeed entered into the fourth industrial revolution.

Most impressive is the amount of noise you will experience while the bus is running. Unlike the normal diesel-powered engines, the EV buses are almost silent – with the loudest sound being the humming of the air conditioning system.

Each bus has a capacity of 76 passengers, with 57 seated and 19 standing. 

For added safety, the buses are fitted with closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras and stop buttons.

The stop buttons make communication with operators easier, as passengers can draw the driver’s attention without being intrusive when approaching their destination. Adding to the high-tech design of the buses is that they are equipped with USB charging ports so that passengers can keep their gadgets running while onboard, for convenience. 

To get a bus fully charged, it would need to be left on the plug point for at least five-and-a-half hours. But that’s time worth investing in because it powers the bus enough to enable it to cover up to a 350 km range. The distance is significantly less than the 200 km of the entire bus route that the buses will cover. There are currently two charge points for the buses, one on campus and one at the bus depo.

An added beauty of these buses is that they are a gift that keeps on giving. Over the average 15-year lifespan which is expected that a bus will cover, these buses will save on fuel costs.

Another advantage is that they require less maintenance than their diesel counterparts. Due to the high-tech nature of the EV buses, and specifically because of the new technology that they come with, it is envisaged that drivers will be retrained in how to handle this fleet. 

Prof Mpedi was brimming with excitement at seeing the University’s vision come to life: “These buses are an example of 4IR in action. They are part of a legacy that we want to leave for future generations. As a testament to our position as a leader, we are the first university to make use of EV buses for commercial purposes.”

Prof Mpedi added that the buses are aligned with the institution’s sixth strategic objective, which is ‘fitness for global excellence and stature’.

“These buses are a tangible contribution towards achieving that goal. They are also a physical manifestation of our commitment towards the goal of being a sustainable institution that strives to implement improvements and actions across all spheres of its campus activities. We firmly believe that sustainable development is a long-term commitment. We aim to contribute to sustainability by reducing our environmental footprint while enhancing our contributions to the social and economic development of South Africa.” 

Engineering News

EDWIN NAIDU

LAST month, the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Innovation visited several KwaZulu-Natal Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) project sites.

The committee, led by Chairperson Nompumelelo Mkhatshwa and accompanied by senior managers of the DSI and Department of Higher Education and Training, visited several research facilities at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research’s Biorefinery Industry Development Facility to learn more about how DSI-funded initiatives work.  

On 24 and 25 January 2023, Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Innovation conducted oversight visits to several sites in KwaZulu-Natal, where the DSI funds programmes.

Following the walkabout at the Biorefinery Industry Development Facility, which is working on using the methods developed to ascertain the causes or sources of problems in manufacturing, Ms Mkhatshwa said that there are not enough women in science and that institutions like these need more women to take engineering and science courses so that South Africa can grow its scientific expertise.

Professors at UKZN made presentations on the KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), the Aerospace Systems Research Group (ASReG), and the Indigenous Knowledge Bioprospecting and Product Development Platform, and committee members engaged with management on the presentations.

Mkhatshwa said she was pleased to be at UKZN to see how the DSI was using government funding and to make sure it could account for expenditure.  She added that the Department’s work needed to impact the citizens of this country directly, or it would be meaningless.

“I imagine a day when a young black person from rural KwaZulu-Natal can be, for example, an astronaut who goes to the moon. As the committee, we look forward to the day when young people from all backgrounds can take the lead in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, allowing South Africa to become a global leader in this field,” said Ms Mkhatshwa.

UKZN Vice-Chancellor Prof. Nana Poku echoed this sentiment, saying that the future of science can only be addressed fully if universities go to schools to motivate, enthuse, and give learners a sense of purpose to engage with science.
 
Highlighting genomic surveillance at KRISP

According to Prof. Tulio de Oliveira, the director of KRISP, the platform aims to put science on the global stage through critical interventions like genomic surveillance, which can significantly assist South Africa in investigating gender-based violence cases by providing DNA.

Prof De Oliveira said that African science should take centre stage globally, and Africa’s scientists can assist the rest of the world to prepare for the next pandemic.

“African and other low and middle-income countries need the opportunity to lead global consortiums, host large grants and events, and guide the global scientific agenda.”
 
Advancing space-related research through ASReG 

The ASReG, located within UKZN’s School of Engineering, runs flagship programmes such as the Phoenix Hybrid Sounding Rocket Programme, a rocket training programme started in the context of the government’s prioritisation of skills and resource development in space-related research.

“We need to give hope to the young people of this country, and this rocket technology can help us do that,” said Prof. Michael Brooks, co-founder of the ASReG.

As ASReG is the only dedicated sounding rocket propulsion research group in South Africa, it generates substantial human capital in mechanical and aerospace engineering research.  

In 2021, it launched the Phoenix-1B Mk II-R rocket, which set a new African altitude record of 17.9 km.  

Prof. Brooks also spoke about the ASReg’s talent pipeline programme, which acts as a bridge from the undergraduate to the postgraduate level by exposing students’ talents to aerospace engineering and providing them with financial assistance.  Last year, the programme reached approximately 1 600 schools in rural KZN and surrounding communities.

Building indigenous knowledge systems

Representatives from the Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) Task Team, comprised of leaders from traditional health organisations and traditional healers, shared their experiences working with traditional medicines and how they collaborate with the university using their knowledge and skills.

Traditional healer Thulani Shangase, a steering committee member, said that traditional healers should be included in nation-building activities and that the committee would advocate for the recognition and integration of indigenous knowledge into the country’s landscape.

Mayashree Chinsamy, the Research Manager for the DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in IKS at UKZN, said that the centre uses a ground-up approach in science, research, and community engagement to influence the centre’s areas of focus.

For example, she said, most people associate IKS with traditional medicine as it is usually the first thing that comes to mind. “We are talking about community-based knowledge systems, or culturally and ecologically specific knowledge,” she said.

“If you go into a certain space and look at the cultural communities there, yo u will notice that they have devised a certain knowledge system from different disciplines coming together to live and survive. People have been putting knowledge on the ground for a long time, whether to ensure food and nutrition security or public health and well-being. They are the scientists on the ground,” added Chinsamy.

Prof. Nceba Gqaleni, a Fractional Research Professor at UKZN, said that boosting traditional medicine can solve societal problems that Western medicine cannot cure.

INSIDE EDUCATION

EDWIN NAIDU

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa praised the Class of 2022 in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) last Thursday.

“Last year, our matriculants defied the effects of the pandemic to achieve a pass rate of 80%, and we congratulate them for that great achievement,” said Ramaphosa.

“What we have achieved as a nation over the past year, despite our challenges, remind us that the
promise of South Africa is alive.”

Appealing to companies, departments and SOEs to remove the requirement for work experience for young people seeking entry-level positions, the President said skills development was integral to job creation.

Therefore, government would allocate R800m to the National Skills Fund to develop skills in the digital and technology sector through an innovative model that links payment for training to employment outcomes.

“Last year, we said we would place over 10 000 Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college graduates in employment. We have surpassed that figure and have now set a target for 2023 of 20 000 TVET to be placed in employment,” he added.

The number of students entering artisan training in TVET colleges will go up from 17 000 to 30 000 in the 2023 academic year.

One of the critical ingredients for economic growth and competitiveness is attracting skills that the economy needs.   
  
Last year, Ramaphosa spoke about the value of the Presidential Employment Stimulus in providing work and livelihood opportunities. The initiative has now created over one million opportunities, reaching every province and district in our country.   
 
Furthermore, a new cohort of 150 000 school assistants began work last week at more than 22 000 schools, offering dignity, hope and vital work experience to unemployed young people.   
 
The Social Employment Fund is recruiting 50 000 participants in its next phase to undertake work for the common good.

The revitalised National Youth Service will create a further 36 000 opportunities through non-profit and community-based organisations. 

The Department of Home Affairs has appointed the first cohort of 10 000 unemployed young people to digitise more than 340 million paper-based civic records.  
 
There are now more than three million users registered on SAYouth.mobi, a zero-rated online platform for young South Africans to access opportunities for learning and earning.  
 
This has been done in close collaboration with the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), which continues to provide valuable assistance to young entrepreneurs and work seekers.  
 
“These are examples of the difference government can make in people’s lives through innovation, creativity and commitment. Access to quality education for all is the most powerful instrument to end poverty,” he said.
 
Ramaphosa added that laying a better foundation through Early Childhood Development for young children was critical so they could write and read to learn and develop.

Significantly, the number of children receiving the Early Childhood Development (ECD) subsidy doubled between 2019 and 2022, reaching one-and-a-half million children.

The Department of Basic Education is streamlining the requirements for ECD centres to access support and enable thousands more to receive subsidies from the government.

While at the other end of the primary education journey, Ramaphosa applauded last year’s matric pass rate of 80%, with all provinces showing improved results – up from 76% the year before.

The share of bachelor passes in no-fee schools improved from 55% in 2019 to 64% in 2022.

“These results reveal that a silent revolution is taking place in our schools. Schools must be safe and
allow for effective learning and teaching,” he added.

INSIDE EDUCATION

EDWIN NAIDU

RENOWNED scientist Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, the former first woman President of Mauritius and current first ambassador for the SIDS at the World Diplomatic Academy, delivered a powerful message supporting the International Day of Women and Girls in Science at the weekend.

“I’ll mention that 52% of any country’s population are women, and if we exclude this powerhouse, which this population represents, I think we’re all heading towards failure.”

Gurib-Fakim sent a short message to the girls studying at Mont Lubin in Rodrigues, Mauritius, on Saturday, telling them that science was close to her heart.

Her message was supporting the United Nations International Day of Women and Girls in Science to promote full and equal access and participation for women and girls in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields.

Annually, 11 February celebrates the essential role that women and girls play in science and technology.

And why science matters?

“I’ll give you a statistic, which I’ve read which is quite mind-boggling, 85% of the jobs that will be in
exercise in 2030. These jobs have not yet been invented. And many of these jobs will be within the
science and technology realm. So, bringing women on board, looking at their intuition, and looking at
their talent will give a new perspective.”

“Now science, as you know, is at the basis of everything science at the business of life. And if you look at sectors where science can impact, let’s start with agriculture…I can safely say that women feed Africa.”

“Women are very involved in the agricultural sector but remain underdeveloped because most women who practice in this sector are not empowered. Now, imagine the impact of empowerment of these women in this sector if they have the tools of science and the mechanism of technology in this area with her culture. She will earn more, she’ll feed her family better, and she’ll be better educated. She can become that famous entrepreneur that we are all thinking about.”

Why do we need to have women empowered?

“Because the decisions made when women are at the table, these decisions make the family work better. They make the community perform better. They make society operate at a different level and the country fares. So that’s why I say to these women if you find that there is not a chair for you at that decision-making table, bring your chair.”

“The other thing I must say to girls is that you must live your dream. It would be best if you made whatever you do become your passion. Because when you’re passionate about something, you can rest assured that you do it well. You will enjoy it. Confucius said, “if you make your work become your passion, you will not have to work a single day in your life”.

“The other issue I would like to touch on very quickly is gender equality. Gender Equality matters a lot in the world of work. We need to ensure that women are equally paid for what they do. Unfortunately, in many countries worldwide, this is still not a reality. Women are still underpaid. So let us all think on this 11th February how we can make society work better with the proper empowerment of our girls about women so that they become the drivers of change. And we knew that if we put our heads together, we could make It.”

INSIDE EDUCATION

MINISTER of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, has invited the public to comment on the proposed
2026 calendar for public schools.

All interested persons and organisations are invited to comment on the Proposed 2026 School Calendar in writing and direct the comments to the Director-General for the Department of Basic Education, for the attention of Mr S Mlambo, e-mail: Mlambo.S@dbe.gov.za; cc Manaka.L@dbe.gov.za.

The Proposed 2026 School Calendar and the National Policy for Determining School Calendars for Public Schools in South Africa (The Policy) is obtainable on the following Departmental website: http://www.education.gov.za.

INSIDE EDUCATION