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ABOUT THE ARTIST: The front cover of this edition of UKZNTOUCH features the artwork of celebrated artist and UKZN alumnus, Hussein Salim. Salim was born in Karima, Sudan in 1966 and graduated from the College of Fine and Applied Arts, Sudan University of Science and Technology, Khartoum in 1994. In 2006 he obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Fine Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. He currently resides in Pietermaritzburg. Salim’s richly textured canvases employ an extravagant layering technique to create a dense impasto feel. He uses personal symbolism that is at once ancient as it is contemporary. Salim’s paintings are a dialogue between different cultures and represent his strong feeling that art should be used as a tool to help initiate such dialogue. His Sudanese background, and the fact that his home country is a melting pot of diverse African cultures, further strengthens his work. Through his paintings, Salim awakens in us an appreciation of our differences and diverse reactions, but then brings us back to the shared foundation of mankind. His work thus identifies with any struggle that challenges dimensional predominance, be it economic, religious or cultural. Salim is represented in major national collections within Africa, Europe and the United States. CONTENTS FOREWORd 2 History-Making Film Festival Manager EDITORIAL 4 has Stars in her Eyes! 34 HIGHLIGhts 5 The Griot – It’s Tough Being an Alumnus 36 MESSAGES A Trip Down Memory Lane 38 New Chancellor: Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng 10 UKZN Alumni among the Chair of the UKZN Council: M&G Top 200 Young South Africans 40 The Reverend Dr Vukile Mehana 12 SPORTS ROUNDUP Women Score the Goals 50 Debonairs the Brain Child of UKZN Alumnus 14 UKZN NEWS 52 This Alumnus is Pure Magic! 16 ALUMNI DJ Tira Salutes UKZN for Kick-starting his Meet the Convocation Executive 57 Music Career 18 Message from the President of the Art with Heart 19 UKZN Convocation 60 A Passion for Jazz 20 Message from the Alumni Relations Team 61 Opinion Piece: Supermarket Religion 22 UKZN Foundation 62 Leading Lady Pays Tribute to Alma Mater 25 Reunion Stirs Memories 64 Promoting Human Rights 26 Class Notes 65 The Hospital where #BadAttitudesMustFall 28 Out & About 69 Young and Driven to Succeed 29 Contacts & Social Media 72 Re-engineering Africa’s Future Cities 30 Alumni Benefits 73 How Plant Breeders are Beating Climate Change 32 ON THE BOOKSHELf 76 This edition of UKZNTOUCH showcases knowledge production at UKZN through innovation and excellence. Executive Editor: Normah Zondo Deanne Collins, Desiree Govender, Nomcebo Creative Direction: Artworks Managing Editor: Bhekani Dlamini Msweli, Artworks and Neville Moodaliar Photographs and graphic illustration: (brand, design and layout proofing) Artworks, UKZN’s archives, UKZN Editorial Team: Bhekani Dlamini, Xoliswa Corporate Relations Division, Zulu, Finn Christensen, Raylene Captain- Contributors: College PR Offices, CAPRISA, UKZN Photographers Hasthibeer, Sithembile Shabangu, Central Publications Unit, UKZN NdabaOnline Sunayna Bhagwandin, Gregory Dardagan, Archives, UKZN academics, UKZN Press Printing: Colour Planet Copyright: All photos and images used in this publication are protected by copyright and may not be reproduced without permission of the Corporate Relations Division, University of KwaZulu-Natal. No section of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the University’s Corporate Relations Division. Disclaimer: Information was collected at different times during the compilation of this publication. UKZNTOUCH // 1 FOREWORD I n an interview with Gregory Dardagan, Vice- Chancellor and Principal of the University of KwaZulu-Natal Dr Albert van Jaarsveld spells out what it means to move away from the notion of the University as an ‘ivory tower’. new strategy recently approved by the Council of the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) A clearly identifies that it does not want to be an ivory tower institution. Instead the stated goal is to be a university plugged into a wide variety of communities, responding to the needs and requirements of the business, and public and private sectors. If it does not do this, it will have failed miserably. Van Jaarsveld emphasised that the goals still include trailblazing research. “We want to be firmly rooted in our community while at the same time reaching for the stars in terms of what we aim to achieve.” Van Jaarsveld, who has been involved in Higher Education in South Africa as an academic and an executive for the past 20 years, spelled out his hopes and dreams for UKZN, which he has headed for almost three years. “Universities need to stay relevant, they need to stay on their toes, and they need to stay responsive to what is happening in the wide world out there. Remaining sealed in a cocoon believing they can do things in isolation and then transfer the benefits to society is an old fashioned view. Universities have to become part of how society works and operates.” Van Jaarsveld said when he arrived at UKZN from the National Research Foundation in Pretoria where he served as Chief Executive Officer, he made it clear that he wanted to introduce a “people’s strategy” to allow the University to become a Higher Education Institution of choice for students and staff. That was at the heart of his vision, which also included maintaining and Dr Albert van Jaarsveld Vice-Chancellor and Principal ROOTED IN THE COMMUNITY AND AIMING FOR THE STARS growing research eminence and a high profile in national and maintaining scientific and research excellence and vigour international communities. and being a leader in fields of research including HIV and AIDS, Tuberculosis, Engineering, Physical Sciences, Quantum “I want to make sure that UKZN is a recognised African research Computing and the Humanities as well as its reputation for intensive university – it simply has to be that otherwise we will innovation driven by research. have no profile to speak of. Beyond that, it needs to excel in bringing people of all persuasions together from across the “We want to make sure in the new strategy that we, together continent and from across the globe,” he said. with our interaction with local communities, become known as an innovative university which produces innovative “I believe we are on the right road to achieving this. UKZN graduates.” has been a top 500 player internationally for the last couple of years, according to most of the respected overseas rating Van Jaarsveld said he was encouraged by the increasingly systems. In South Africa, we are in the top two for research positive engagement he believed was happening between output and consistently rank among the top four or five the executive and students; by a new air of confidence and universities in other spheres.” positivism among students and staff on the campuses; by the resilience of the University and its staff; and in particular by Van Jaarsveld said the University was working collectively the emergence of a new cohort of young researchers who towards fully achieving its purpose of “Inspiring Greatness”. have stepped up to the plate to carry some of the load. “What we keep telling each other on a daily basis is that all of “We realise UKZN is going through a tough period and all us – staff, students, researchers – need to work together with sorts of things need to be dealt with but I want to encourage the object being to inspire greatness in everyone we touch people that we are resolute about the way we are going or come in contact with, be they our research partners, our about our business and committed to continue doing the students, or prospective students.” correct things to make sure UKZN becomes an institution in One of the biggest challenges was getting the Institution’s the province and elsewhere that everyone looks up to and can administrative systems, processes and procedures back be proud of. on track “Where we have been exposed is in the lack of “We want our graduates not to go out looking for jobs but robustness and rigour in our administrative systems in terms rather to create jobs through entrepreneurship and in that of the admissions system, human resources systems, and way make a positive contribution. If they go into the world of finance systems.” work with that spirit we will have succeeded.” He said UKZN’s critical strengths included being among the most transformed universities in South Africa while – Gregory Dardagan We want our graduates not to go out looking for jobs but rather to create jobs through entrepreneurship and in that way make a positive contribution. If they go into the world of work with that spirit we will have succeeded. UKZNTOUCH // 3 EDITORIAL MAKING UKZN PROUD! This edition of UKZNTOUCH highlights, among other items of interest, the achievements of UKZN alumni who have made their mark locally and in some instances internationally. This is very apt as the magazine is, to a large extent, aimed at alumni who continually go out there and make UKZN proud. he magazine also introduces and warmly welcomes Several other trailblazing alumni are featured as well as items two high profile and respected roleplayers who have of special interest. Trecently joined the UKZN family: our new Chancellor, South African Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng, and new The Corporate Relations Division recently concluded an Chair of Council, the Reverend Dr Vukile Mehana. audit of our communications tools aimed at determining our stakeholders’ opinions on the way we communicate and how These leaders bring enormous expertise and quality we could improve. We are keen to heighten and increase our leadership to the Institution and are both highly committed communication with stakeholders and urge them to remain to helping ensure that UKZN succeeds in its mission and in contact, especially alumni, and current and prospective vision, especially in the light of the recently approved UKZN students.