2012 UKZNTOUCH A UNIVERSITY OF KWAZULU-NATAL ALUMNI MAGAZINE UKZN - THE NEW ACADemiC HIV/TB researCH CAPital OF AfriCA? INSPIRING GREATNESS UKZNTOUCH • 2012 A UNIVERSITY OF KWAZULU-NATAL ALUMNI MAGAZINE MESSAGE FROM PROFESSOR pg 3 MALEGAPURU MAKGOBA: VICE- CHANCELLOR AND PRINCIPAL MESSAGE FROM MS NOMONDE MBADI: pg 5 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: CORPORATE RELATIONS DIVISION NOTHING AVERAGE ABOUT UKZN’S pg 6 TRANSFORMATION AVERAGES FOCUS EXCELLENCE AND pg 9 RELEVANCE IN HEALTH SCIENCES CLINICAL MEDICINE – THE ROAD AHEAD pg 12 Achieving goals at UKZN could mean a change in mindset TRANSFORMATION OF THE HEALTH pg 15 SCIENCES New strategies needed to restructure primary health care UNLOCKING MUCH-NEEDED SKILLS pg 17 A heart-warming project that is turning around lives LEVELLING THE PLAYING FIELDS pg 20 The journey to expand much-needed health services to the rural areas TELEHEALTH MEDICINE OVER A pg 23 DISTANCE Telehealth opening doors to improving health delivery UNPACKING LIFESTYLE COPING pg 25 MECHANISMS Why do some people cope with stress better than others? Cover: The new global KwaZulu-Natal Research Institute for Tuberculosis and HIV (K-RITH) was officially launched on Tuesday, October 9, 2012 at the Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine campus. Photograph: Rod MacLeod Contents CHANGING LIVES THROUGH CORRECTIVE RESEARCH DYNAMICS pg 28 SURGERY UKZN’s role in a humanitarian mission that crosses borders POOR SOUTH AFRICANS’ GAMBLING RESEARCH AND HEALTH DELIVERY pg 60 PATTERNS pg 32 UKZN’s internationally linked research nerve centres are making a global impact PLANT AND ANIMAL TREASURES UNDER pg 62 THREAT NEW CHAPTER IN TB SCIENCE BEGINS IN pg 36 UKZN MARITIME DISCIPLINES UNDER ONE DURBAN pg 63 Infectious Disease specialist talks about ROOF what is being done to confront the DELVING INTO THE WORKINGS OF IMMUNE pandemic pg 64 GENES GLOBAL RESEARCH OPENS FOR BUSINESS WHAT ROCKS TELL US ABOUT OUR PAST pg 39 IN DURBAN pg 65 The KwaZulu-Natal Research Institute for VIOLENT PROTEST – WHERE HAVE WE GONE Tuberculosis and HIV opens for business pg 66 WRONG? A NEW CHAPTER IN MICROBIOLOGY pg 42 New technology and faster diagnostics are the key UKZN NEWS THE CHALLENGE OF ANTIMICROBIAL pg 68 pg 45 RESISTANCE The efficacious use of antibiotics under the ALUMNI PROFILES spotlight pg 76 pg SPORTS MEDICINE PROGRAMME HITS THE 47 SPOT! pg 78 CONVOCATION pg 48 SPOONFUL OF EXERCISE HELPS THE MEDICINE GO DOWN pg 79 OUT & ABOUT pg 49 DEALING WITH LOSS AND GRIEF Study focuses on psycho-social consequences of trauma and injury pg 84 CLASS NOTES pg 50 MRS PHUMLA MNGANGA Mrs Phumla Mnganga is the newly elected ON THE BOOKSHELF Chair of Council of the University of pg 88 KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) 100 YEAR HISTORY OF ACADEMIC pg 52 EXCELLENCE Managing Editors External Contributors Photographs, articles and Nomonde Mbadi, Smita Maharaj Liz Clarke, Greg Dardagan, graphic illustration Editorial Team Niki Moore Liz Clarke, Anand Govender, Nomonde Mbadi, Smita Maharaj, Creative Direction Independent Newspapers KZN, Len Mzimela, Finn Christensen, Rod MacLeod Rajesh Jantilal, Rod MacLeod, Raylene Captain-Hasthibeer, UKZN Archives, UKZN Sunayna Bhagwandin and Documentation Centre and Sithembile Shabangu Corporate Relations Division. 2 UKZNTOUCH ACADEMICS NEED TO URGENTLY UPGRADE THEIR Qualifications, SAYS UKZN VICE-CHANCELLOR Unless urgent attention is given to improving the qualifications of academics at South African universities as well as the standard of governance at the institutions, the country can ‘kiss goodbye’ to a good schooling system, to the real advancement of innovation and science, to the knowledge society and to competitiveness both locally and globally. BY: GREG DARDAGAN is defended in certain quarters because the situation is quite simply indefensible. his is according to the There needs to be a very swift realisation Vice-Chancellor of the that unless the university system is vibrant University of KwaZulu-Natal and has ambitions to be top-class we can (UKZN), Professor kiss goodbye to a good schooling system T because teachers are trained at university Malegapuru Makgoba, who says if he had the power – and the quality of their education is depen- and the money - he would make it dent on the quality of higher education. mandatory for all the country’s ‘The country can also kiss goodbye to universities to strive towards vibrant innovation and science because meeting international best that depends on bright scholars and top standards and the first step would class students emerging from universities. be for all academic staff to They are the ones who drive our knowl- obtain PhDs. edge, innovation, economic development and research priorities and they can only Addressing a wide range of tertiary edu- develop these from a high quality tertiary cation issues during a special interview, system.’ Makgoba said a major concern for him, which had been identified by the National Makgoba said 49% of permanent aca- Research Foundation (NRF), was that demic staff at UKZN had PhDs but the only 34% of staff who teach and research good news was that 90% of the balance at South African universities had doctor- had either registered for a doctorate or ates. ‘That’s a serious indictment of our had committed themselves to do so. This UKZN education system - it should be 70% if we meant that within five to 10 years the Vice-Chancellor, want to match acceptable international university should be able to boast a 75% Professor standards. PhD status as proposed by the National Malegapuru Planning Commission. Makgoba. ‘It really saddens me when this mediocrity UKZNTOUCH 3 UPGRADING QUALIFICATIONS UKZN VICE-CHANCELLOR PROFESSOR MALEGAPURU MAKGOBA There were, however, pockets of ex- ‘So the number of Schools was re- as a newly merged and reorganised cellence at the University such as the duced to 19, faculties were removed institution. College of Agriculture, Engineering altogether and the four Colleges and Science where 70% of academic continued,’ said Makgoba. ‘The ‘I am also very proud of the fact that staff had PhDs and the College of magnitude to reorganise and con- we are the only university in South Humanities where the figure was solidate 112 Schools to 19 Schools to Africa, performing so well, where 65%. ‘These Colleges were on par enhance efficiency and governance, more than half of the academic staff with the best in the world and a jewel over a period of eight years, is a ma- is Black.’ in our crown,’ said Makgoba. jor shift in any organisation by any standard.’ Another issue worrying him was ‘Generally South African universi- that five South African universities ties are characterised by poor staff At the end of August 2012 the were under administration primar- qualifications, poor management of Executive Management Committee ily because their council members student and lecturer talent and poor assessed achievements and decided didn’t appear to know their func- governance. If we don’t confront where the structure could be refined tions and roles. ‘Four of the five and solve these problems we’ll kill and improved. have a strong technikon history and education – it’s a nightmare for me.’ were handed university status by The college reorganisation had government decree. Makgoba cited UCT as a role enabled UKZN, says Makgoba, to model – it had good governance, break down old barriers with people ‘I don’t believe they were properly excellent management of talent and working together while duplication, prepared to become universities – it good resources. which occurred in the old system, doesn’t just happen overnight, it was reduced. People generally be- should be earned. Also I don’t think UKZN also had excellent gover- gan to talk about UKZN as a uni- they have been given the necessary nance, good financial resources fied institution, which they could support and have thus far failed to and was beginning to deal with the identify with. Research output mature.’ management of talent in a very stra- improved as did research funding. tegic manner. ‘We attract more than Makgoba said he was excited about R500 million annually in research On the promotion of bilingualism the opening of the KwaZulu-Natal funding which gives an indication – the use of English and isiZulu - Research Institute for Tuberculosis that we have a core of academics at UKZN, Makgoba says steady and HIV (K-RITH). ‘This is a who are really excellent and at the progress is being made. Imple- unique project between UKZN cutting edge.’ mentation had taken place over the and the Howard Hughes Medical past seven years and 2013 should Institute in the United States. The Turning to the reorganisation and see the introduction of isiZulu as a institute will be involved in critical the college structure, which began compulsory course for all full-time research into HIV/AIDS and TB, at UKZN in 2004, he said the pro- students although specifics still had which could yield significant break- cess was now bearing fruit. to be confirmed. throughs within a few years in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment ‘There were around 112 Schools ‘In KwaZulu-Natal 90% of the of the killer diseases. or departments when we started to population uses isiZulu as their first restructure in 2004. We reduced language. It is the medium of ideas, ‘I think K-RITH puts UKZN that to about 52, cut the 16 faculties culture and thought processes. ahead of any other university in down to eight and created four Col- People live in the language, share this area of study and research. We leges. their pains and passions in it and have world-renowned researchers write poetry in it. As a university coming to K-RITH, which has be- ‘In 2010 we asked an external panel we need to reflect that reality.’ come a ‘brain gain’ institution. to review the new model and they interviewed about 450 UKZN peo- Makgoba said he was happy with ‘I was one of the drivers of the ple and found general acceptance of the University’s ranking among the project – I am glad it has opened the structure.