Themba woke up with a start. Outside, he could hear shrills and shouts of strident nervous voices as if their owners were fleeing something horrible.
He stretched out his hand expecting to feel the warmth of the beauty beside him but he only touched an empty cold space. He gazed the roof in complete bewilderment as he tried to work out what was taking place. A dense blanket of smoke had descended into the room and it choked him out of breath.
He rose, groping on the floor for his clothes but found none. His heart throbbed heavily against his chest as he dashed to her locker to find books and dresses. He fumbled with many garments as he tried to pick one to put on but to no avail. As a last option, he pulled off the bed-sheet and wound his hunky frame.
“Fire! Come out!” someone called.
This sprang him into action as he catapulted out of the room. The smoke now stung his half sleepy eyes. Someone screamed. There was a big sparkle of electric cables in the next room. Visibility became almost zero in the corridor. All the occupants were in complete pandemonium, wailing at the top of their voices as their fearful feet carried them downstairs with great speed.
Standing in the corridor, Themba saw big flames of fire leaping menacingly towards him and this was enough to make him find his way downstairs.
At the edge of the stairs, a pool of persons had huddled together resembling a flock during a thunderstorm. Their tear-glistering eyes gazed hopelessly at the burning three floored hostel.
Themba stood there motionless, staring at them. He could not walk past tem, no, not in that state. A ladies man, he had come for a one night stand. After all this was in the middle of the night and it would be queer for them to see him wound in a bed-sheet, coming out of a burning ‘female only’ residence. Notwithstanding his reputation, Themba did not want his girlfriend to get wind of his escapades, especially with his bed-mate this night.
From above, he could hear the ragging fire shimmering angrily. A foul stench of burning material issued out, mixed with a thick black blanket of smoke that sky-rocketed into the dark. The fiery flames ferociously engulfed one room after another burning everything they found on their way.
“The roof is falling!” someone yelled.
A deafening sound followed as the huge roof collapsed inside the blazing building. Themba turned to see fierce flames wagging numerous red tongues preparing to roast him alive.
A painful burning sensation on the left shoulder caused him to throw away the bed-sheet only to find that it was on fire. Now he was faced with a dilemma. He felt sweat cutting the sides of his face. The soot had blanketed his face and he looked like a dead person who had come back to complain about a spelling mistake on his death certificate. A surge of heat grilled his naked frame, then he charged forward, stark naked.
The women screamed in a medley of horror, disbelief and delight at the sight of a naked male figure, but it soon however turned into a joke.
“Fire-fighter!” someone called out.
“Look at the hose pipe below!”
All the women reeled in laughter.
“Whose beast?” another asked.
Like an injured rhino, Themba broke into a sprint, storming through the perplexed women, mindless of his nudity. His sturdy legs carried him with an incredulous swiftness until his naked figure got swallowed by the pitch black night.
To date, they are talking about the fireman of Fort’e who braved the inferno armed with nothing but his birthday suit and a powerful looking hosepipe.
This story is fictitious and a weird product of the writers fertile imagination. Any resemblance to any individual, living or dead is purely coincidental
Access to East London, an Unprecedented Opportunity for Re-Branding Fort Hare – Ian Russels
The Cabinet approved Transformation and Reconstruction of The Higher Education System has proclaimed the retention of the University of Fort Hare as an autonomous institution while also incorporating the East London campus of Rhodes University and the Medical School of the University of Transkei. This development signals a huge victory for the campaign to save Fort Hare and an immense display of the government confidence in the financial sustainability and academic viability of the university.
Commenting on the Fort Hare presence in East London, former Manufacturing and Human Resources board member of Daimler Chrysler South Africa and executive member of the Boarder Kei Chamber of Business, Ian Russell in an article published in the daily Dispatch said, “Access to the East London market will give the University of Fort Hare unprecedented opportunity for re-branding itself beyond its traditional markets of the rural communities and humanities. These strengths should be retained but it makes sense to makes sense to build links with modern business.” Russell went on to say that Buffalo City metropole needs a fully-fledged campus to support the fledging auto motor sector, bolster port initiative and grow the city’s competitiveness.” Our city has a major opportunity for revitalization based on strong synergies with the new Fort Hare. The university’s strong political links to major decision-makers will help unlock major investments for our future developments.”
While upbeat about the opportunities that the transformation will unlock for Fort Hare, Professor Swartz was quick to alley the feelings of insecurity among the staff and students at Rhodes East London. He reassured the Rhodes staff and community in East London that, “The transaction will be sensitively managed to protect respective market interest and brands. Certainly there has to be recognition of the brand aspirations of the current students and professional concerns of staff affected by the proposed incorporation.”
Guided by the world acclaimed corporate re-engineering plans, the Strategic Plan 2000 (SP 2000), the University of Fort Hare has over the past two years consolidated its flagship faculties that reflect its niche areas, competencies and strengths. Under the pragmatic leadership of Prof Swartz, the university has been able to reposition its market focus, operational presence and programes. The sweeping programme of reforms and the university turnaround has won the phenomenal support of all stakeholders and improved public perception of the university, brought about an increase in student numbers, and bolstered worker morale and donor confidence.
Excited about the prospects the University of Fort Hare will bring to Buffalo City, Mzwandile Radebe a father of two college attending teenagers in Mdantsane bemoaned the fact that he could not afford the steep tuition fees charged by Rhodes East London, he said, “I hope the arrival of Fort Hare here will provide us with accessible quality tertiary education for our children. It should bring an end to the mushrooming of schools with dubious qualifications that are ripping us off and I hope it will not assume the elitist status of other universities here with exclude a vast majority of the poor who can not afford their exorbitant fees.
“The Radebe teenager’s plight mirrors countless others, who lacking the funds to meet tuition and other university going costs, find their poverty not only affecting their decision whether to attend university but also influencing their choice of which tertiary institution to attend. It is Radebe’s hope that the University of Fort Hare will provide the key to unlock education opportunities for the low-income black students of Buffalo City. “The new policy position offers exciting opportunities for Fort Hare to reach into, and support, the development of a major city, forge linkages with industry and commerce, move into areas such as coastal and marine resource management and gain access to a market of close to two million people. It is imperative that the short-term challenge of Fort Hare extending its campus into Eastern London must be sensitively managed. This can only work with the positive and generous support and partnership of the city leadership and business community.” said Prof Swartz.
By: Tigele Mokobi and Luthando Bara
Commenting on the Fort Hare presence in East London, former Manufacturing and Human Resources board member of Daimler Chrysler South Africa and executive member of the Boarder Kei Chamber of Business, Ian Russell in an article published in the daily Dispatch said, “Access to the East London market will give the University of Fort Hare unprecedented opportunity for re-branding itself beyond its traditional markets of the rural communities and humanities. These strengths should be retained but it makes sense to makes sense to build links with modern business.” Russell went on to say that Buffalo City metropole needs a fully-fledged campus to support the fledging auto motor sector, bolster port initiative and grow the city’s competitiveness.” Our city has a major opportunity for revitalization based on strong synergies with the new Fort Hare. The university’s strong political links to major decision-makers will help unlock major investments for our future developments.”
While upbeat about the opportunities that the transformation will unlock for Fort Hare, Professor Swartz was quick to alley the feelings of insecurity among the staff and students at Rhodes East London. He reassured the Rhodes staff and community in East London that, “The transaction will be sensitively managed to protect respective market interest and brands. Certainly there has to be recognition of the brand aspirations of the current students and professional concerns of staff affected by the proposed incorporation.”
Guided by the world acclaimed corporate re-engineering plans, the Strategic Plan 2000 (SP 2000), the University of Fort Hare has over the past two years consolidated its flagship faculties that reflect its niche areas, competencies and strengths. Under the pragmatic leadership of Prof Swartz, the university has been able to reposition its market focus, operational presence and programes. The sweeping programme of reforms and the university turnaround has won the phenomenal support of all stakeholders and improved public perception of the university, brought about an increase in student numbers, and bolstered worker morale and donor confidence.
Excited about the prospects the University of Fort Hare will bring to Buffalo City, Mzwandile Radebe a father of two college attending teenagers in Mdantsane bemoaned the fact that he could not afford the steep tuition fees charged by Rhodes East London, he said, “I hope the arrival of Fort Hare here will provide us with accessible quality tertiary education for our children. It should bring an end to the mushrooming of schools with dubious qualifications that are ripping us off and I hope it will not assume the elitist status of other universities here with exclude a vast majority of the poor who can not afford their exorbitant fees.
“The Radebe teenager’s plight mirrors countless others, who lacking the funds to meet tuition and other university going costs, find their poverty not only affecting their decision whether to attend university but also influencing their choice of which tertiary institution to attend. It is Radebe’s hope that the University of Fort Hare will provide the key to unlock education opportunities for the low-income black students of Buffalo City. “The new policy position offers exciting opportunities for Fort Hare to reach into, and support, the development of a major city, forge linkages with industry and commerce, move into areas such as coastal and marine resource management and gain access to a market of close to two million people. It is imperative that the short-term challenge of Fort Hare extending its campus into Eastern London must be sensitively managed. This can only work with the positive and generous support and partnership of the city leadership and business community.” said Prof Swartz.
By: Tigele Mokobi and Luthando Bara
Grasslands Research Centre
The University of Fort Hare, the University of Connecticut and the provincial Environmental Affairs and Tourism Department have embarked on a joint conservation and research project to conserve the pristine ecology of the Great Fish River Reserve Area.
The Basil Kent Conservation and Research Centre at Grasslands, Great Fish River Reserve, was officially opened by the Environmental and Tourism head of Department Limekhaya Vanda on Tuesday 21st May 2002. The economy also marked the launch of an African ecological short course offered by the Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences.
The central objective of the project is to conserve the pristine ecology of the area, conduct lectures on the African ecology and to undertake research on species found in the area. It is also envisaged that the local community will also benefit from the spin offs of the project, as locals will be employed to service and maintain the research centre as well as be actively engaged in the research work undertaken at the reserve.
Speaking during the launch, Chief Director of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Albert Mfenyana described the centre as milestone in the partnership between his department and the University of Fort Hare. He also commended Fort Hare for further seeking the partnership of the University of Connecticut towards the realization of this project. He said that as, “custodians of the world for future generations, the efforts of all stakeholders in the project were commendable.”
Introducing the African Ecology Course and 16 exchange students Dr Peter Lent said the project had created an environment of international co-operation and had brought the name of the University of Fort Hare to the fore on environmental issues. The team from the University of Connecticut spent three weeks at the centre undertaking intense ecological studies.
Vice Chancellor Professor Derrick Swartz said he hoped that partnerships of this nature would eventually expand to the rest of Africa and to Europe. Addressing the exchange students he said, “The achievements being celebrated here are indicative of the new world order, the world is indeed becoming smaller and we are one race, one human race. You are invited to come and learn about our wilderness, our culture and our humanity and soon we hope our students will also get the opportunity to leave our shores to come and learn from you. I trust this partnership will expand to the rest of the world.”
Prof. Swart handed over records and CD-ROMs for the project together with keys to a new Toyota High Ace 16 seater minibus to the reserve management. The University of Fort Hare, the University of Connecticut, and the department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism donated the vehicle jointly to the reserve.
The research centre is named after one-time owner of Grasslands, the late Basil Kent (1906-1974) who opted to sell the 45 000 hector reserve to the government at well below the market value of the property.
The ceremony ended on a celebratory mood with the close to one hundred guests being treated to a scrumptious African cuisine under the clear starlit Eastern Cape skies. The University marimba band mellowed the occasion with rendition songs of great African legends while some self-proclaimed Xhosa tutors embarked on a futile attempt to twist the tongues of the exchange students to utter the clicks of the language.
The Basil Kent Conservation and Research Centre at Grasslands, Great Fish River Reserve, was officially opened by the Environmental and Tourism head of Department Limekhaya Vanda on Tuesday 21st May 2002. The economy also marked the launch of an African ecological short course offered by the Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences.
The central objective of the project is to conserve the pristine ecology of the area, conduct lectures on the African ecology and to undertake research on species found in the area. It is also envisaged that the local community will also benefit from the spin offs of the project, as locals will be employed to service and maintain the research centre as well as be actively engaged in the research work undertaken at the reserve.
Speaking during the launch, Chief Director of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Albert Mfenyana described the centre as milestone in the partnership between his department and the University of Fort Hare. He also commended Fort Hare for further seeking the partnership of the University of Connecticut towards the realization of this project. He said that as, “custodians of the world for future generations, the efforts of all stakeholders in the project were commendable.”
Introducing the African Ecology Course and 16 exchange students Dr Peter Lent said the project had created an environment of international co-operation and had brought the name of the University of Fort Hare to the fore on environmental issues. The team from the University of Connecticut spent three weeks at the centre undertaking intense ecological studies.
Vice Chancellor Professor Derrick Swartz said he hoped that partnerships of this nature would eventually expand to the rest of Africa and to Europe. Addressing the exchange students he said, “The achievements being celebrated here are indicative of the new world order, the world is indeed becoming smaller and we are one race, one human race. You are invited to come and learn about our wilderness, our culture and our humanity and soon we hope our students will also get the opportunity to leave our shores to come and learn from you. I trust this partnership will expand to the rest of the world.”
Prof. Swart handed over records and CD-ROMs for the project together with keys to a new Toyota High Ace 16 seater minibus to the reserve management. The University of Fort Hare, the University of Connecticut, and the department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism donated the vehicle jointly to the reserve.
The research centre is named after one-time owner of Grasslands, the late Basil Kent (1906-1974) who opted to sell the 45 000 hector reserve to the government at well below the market value of the property.
The ceremony ended on a celebratory mood with the close to one hundred guests being treated to a scrumptious African cuisine under the clear starlit Eastern Cape skies. The University marimba band mellowed the occasion with rendition songs of great African legends while some self-proclaimed Xhosa tutors embarked on a futile attempt to twist the tongues of the exchange students to utter the clicks of the language.
Raising the HIV/AIDS Clarion Call
Posted on ComTalk October 2000
The 13th International Aids Conference, the largest to be held on the African continent which is also the hardest hit by the Aids scourge, has come and gone. The conference took place in Durban last month and was attended by more than 13 000 delegates.
Picking the theme of the conference, former president Nelson Mandela received standing ovation when he said in his closing address, “We need to break the silence, banish stigma and discrimination and ensure total inclusiveness within the struggle against Aids. We need bold initiatives to prevent new infections among young people and large-scale actions to prevent mother-to-child transmissions.”
In a comprehensive post conference review titled, The Silences That Nourish Aids in Africa, Dr Suzanne Leclerc-Madlala, a medical anthropologist and lecture at the University of Natal, outlines the clearly discernable patterns that emerge and shed light on the peculiarities of the African Aids pandemic. “We need to reflect with seriousness on what makes the African Aids problem so stubborn, so unrelenting and so smug in its silence.” Stigma and discrimination endured by Aids sufferers are the root causes of the silences and denials that hamper the fight against the disease. Knowledge of the facts about HIV/Aids and talking openly about the disease are essential steps towards the fight against the scourge.
Dr Leclerc-Madlala points out that research has shown that in the West, communities and nations devote ever more time and care to reducing the risk of death and deepening the conviction that avoidance of death and personal responsibility are linked. In Africa however, there is a social acceptance of death, that the cause and time of death are at least partly predetermined and highly affected by supernatural forces. This situation has resulted in, the message about the high priority Aids should be accorded not reaching a sufficiently receptive audience on the continent.
Further to this, “there is significant body of well-researched and well-documented social science studies that points to high levels of premarital sexual activity, extra-marital relations and sexual violence, making African societies exposed to both sexually transmitted diseases (STD’s) and HIV/Aids than in other parts of the world.
In many communities, women can expect a beating, not only if they refuse sex, if they curtail a relationship, if they are found to have another partner or even if they are believed to be thinking about someone else. It is worth noting that African researchers have been principal investigators for many of these studies.”
The notion and practice of reciprocity and gift-giving is a pivotal feature of sexual relations that has also been documented in most parts of Africa. “Gift for sex is a practice that expresses itself most strongly in premarital and extramarital relationships,” observers Dr Leclerc-Madlala. Whereas in Europe gift-giving is bound up with the refinements of romanticism, in the African context, sex is viewed rather more objectively and instrumentally. Selling sex for money or other material benefits in the face of Africa’s entrenched poverty and women’s continued financial dependence on men is one form of transactional sex.
“There are layers of denial and silence that preclude a serious grappling with sexual cultures. African’s need to come to terms with the real sexual cultures of their societies. There are widespread beliefs that males are biologically programmed to need sexual relations regularly and with more than one woman and often concurrently. Such beliefs are logically consistent with societies that were traditionally polygamous. Research has shown that these beliefs are held almost as strongly by women as they are by men.”
The conclusion derived from Dr Leclerc-Madlala’s studies is that there is an urgent need to recognize and accept the nature and shape of contemporary sexual mores that have dire consequences in the wake of HIV/Aids. “By turning our collective attention to academic debates on the origins or existence of Aids, we are conveniently avoiding facing up to the sensitive issues around sexual culture. This points to the crux of the heavy silences that nourish Aids in Africa, including the silences and denials of the government. Government needs to foster the transformation of sexual attitudes and behaviors and our leaders need to speak out with vigour and determination against this high risk sexual culture and the silences that enshroud it.”
Given the catastrophic effects of this pandemic, Africa cannot afford to miss the precious opportunity presented by the conference to foster high morals, break the silence, embrace the ‘beyond awareness’ campaign and wage a ‘war against the disease to guarantee the rights of all people to good health.’
Africa must intensify her efforts to confront the HIV/Aids epidemic and governments must take all necessary steps to ensure that the partnership against HIV/Aids and the various public education campaigns actually result in change. This includes a change in behaviour patterns, increased support to Aids suffers and orphans and the provision of antiretroviral drugs to Aids suffers.
By Tigele Mokobi
University of Fort Hare
Eastern Cape
The 13th International Aids Conference, the largest to be held on the African continent which is also the hardest hit by the Aids scourge, has come and gone. The conference took place in Durban last month and was attended by more than 13 000 delegates.
Picking the theme of the conference, former president Nelson Mandela received standing ovation when he said in his closing address, “We need to break the silence, banish stigma and discrimination and ensure total inclusiveness within the struggle against Aids. We need bold initiatives to prevent new infections among young people and large-scale actions to prevent mother-to-child transmissions.”
In a comprehensive post conference review titled, The Silences That Nourish Aids in Africa, Dr Suzanne Leclerc-Madlala, a medical anthropologist and lecture at the University of Natal, outlines the clearly discernable patterns that emerge and shed light on the peculiarities of the African Aids pandemic. “We need to reflect with seriousness on what makes the African Aids problem so stubborn, so unrelenting and so smug in its silence.” Stigma and discrimination endured by Aids sufferers are the root causes of the silences and denials that hamper the fight against the disease. Knowledge of the facts about HIV/Aids and talking openly about the disease are essential steps towards the fight against the scourge.
Dr Leclerc-Madlala points out that research has shown that in the West, communities and nations devote ever more time and care to reducing the risk of death and deepening the conviction that avoidance of death and personal responsibility are linked. In Africa however, there is a social acceptance of death, that the cause and time of death are at least partly predetermined and highly affected by supernatural forces. This situation has resulted in, the message about the high priority Aids should be accorded not reaching a sufficiently receptive audience on the continent.
Further to this, “there is significant body of well-researched and well-documented social science studies that points to high levels of premarital sexual activity, extra-marital relations and sexual violence, making African societies exposed to both sexually transmitted diseases (STD’s) and HIV/Aids than in other parts of the world.
In many communities, women can expect a beating, not only if they refuse sex, if they curtail a relationship, if they are found to have another partner or even if they are believed to be thinking about someone else. It is worth noting that African researchers have been principal investigators for many of these studies.”
The notion and practice of reciprocity and gift-giving is a pivotal feature of sexual relations that has also been documented in most parts of Africa. “Gift for sex is a practice that expresses itself most strongly in premarital and extramarital relationships,” observers Dr Leclerc-Madlala. Whereas in Europe gift-giving is bound up with the refinements of romanticism, in the African context, sex is viewed rather more objectively and instrumentally. Selling sex for money or other material benefits in the face of Africa’s entrenched poverty and women’s continued financial dependence on men is one form of transactional sex.
“There are layers of denial and silence that preclude a serious grappling with sexual cultures. African’s need to come to terms with the real sexual cultures of their societies. There are widespread beliefs that males are biologically programmed to need sexual relations regularly and with more than one woman and often concurrently. Such beliefs are logically consistent with societies that were traditionally polygamous. Research has shown that these beliefs are held almost as strongly by women as they are by men.”
The conclusion derived from Dr Leclerc-Madlala’s studies is that there is an urgent need to recognize and accept the nature and shape of contemporary sexual mores that have dire consequences in the wake of HIV/Aids. “By turning our collective attention to academic debates on the origins or existence of Aids, we are conveniently avoiding facing up to the sensitive issues around sexual culture. This points to the crux of the heavy silences that nourish Aids in Africa, including the silences and denials of the government. Government needs to foster the transformation of sexual attitudes and behaviors and our leaders need to speak out with vigour and determination against this high risk sexual culture and the silences that enshroud it.”
Given the catastrophic effects of this pandemic, Africa cannot afford to miss the precious opportunity presented by the conference to foster high morals, break the silence, embrace the ‘beyond awareness’ campaign and wage a ‘war against the disease to guarantee the rights of all people to good health.’
Africa must intensify her efforts to confront the HIV/Aids epidemic and governments must take all necessary steps to ensure that the partnership against HIV/Aids and the various public education campaigns actually result in change. This includes a change in behaviour patterns, increased support to Aids suffers and orphans and the provision of antiretroviral drugs to Aids suffers.
By Tigele Mokobi
University of Fort Hare
Eastern Cape
Questioning Conventional Wisdom on HIV and AIDS
Posted on ComTalk (August 2000)
By Tigele Mokobi and Phephelaphi Dube
President Thabo Mbeki has drawn enormous attention to himself from Aids activists, the medical and science fraternity for his questioning of the causal link between HIV and Aids. Speaking at the 7th Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), COSATU president Willie Madisha, argued that, “It is confusing and can serve to undermine the message that all South Africans must take precautions to avoid infections. For CASTU, the link between HIV and Aids is irrefutable, and any other approach is unscientific and unfortunately, likely to confuse people.”
In his address to parliament towards the end of September, the Democratic Alliance leader, Tonny Leon, said, “The President’s semantic games are delaying the direct and appropriate action now necessary to save lives.” Leon asked the president whether he did not believe that a lot of delays in considering an Aids policy were caused by his failure to make an emphatic statement on whether HIV caused Aids. He argued that the scientific evidence on the causal link between HIV and Aids should be considered.
“I do not believe that, there is a program to deal with Aids…. The programe of government is based on the thesis that HIV causes Aids and everything shows that. There is absolutely no confusion about what to do. Government has even allocated funds for the development of a vaccine.” Replied Mbeki.
The President said, “I have got no problem with the idea that HIV contributes to the collapse of the immune system… but there are other things that cause the collapse of the immune system and we need to understand that if we are to respond to all these, the problem is that most people do not want to study this question. They are perfectly happy to repeat the conventional wisdom.”
The President used the squalor of the developing world as a major factor in the prevalence and consequent spread of the disease. “Aids is most prevalent in communities already weakened by severe poverty, widespread lack of education and the HIV virus alone does not fuel the Aids epidemic. Aids is a syndrome and I don’t believe it’s a sensible thing to ask whether a virus causes a syndrome. In that syndrome the United Nations puts 29 diseases. When you ask, does HIV cause Aids? It is the same as does a virus cause a syndrome…. it can’t.” Mbeki said.
The President’s deep conviction that many of the arguments that Aids dissidents have put forward are right is the cause of his fallout with the media and Aids activists both locally and internationally. As it is, South Africa lacks a clear policy on the HIV/Aids pandemic. Close to an eighth of the South African population is dying from Aids and the government needs a clear policy on HIV/Aids that would foster the transformation of the sexual attitudes and practices of all citizens.
However the conventional wisdom of any theory needs to be challenged and the President has a right to do so.
By Tigele Mokobi and Phephelaphi Dube
President Thabo Mbeki has drawn enormous attention to himself from Aids activists, the medical and science fraternity for his questioning of the causal link between HIV and Aids. Speaking at the 7th Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), COSATU president Willie Madisha, argued that, “It is confusing and can serve to undermine the message that all South Africans must take precautions to avoid infections. For CASTU, the link between HIV and Aids is irrefutable, and any other approach is unscientific and unfortunately, likely to confuse people.”
In his address to parliament towards the end of September, the Democratic Alliance leader, Tonny Leon, said, “The President’s semantic games are delaying the direct and appropriate action now necessary to save lives.” Leon asked the president whether he did not believe that a lot of delays in considering an Aids policy were caused by his failure to make an emphatic statement on whether HIV caused Aids. He argued that the scientific evidence on the causal link between HIV and Aids should be considered.
“I do not believe that, there is a program to deal with Aids…. The programe of government is based on the thesis that HIV causes Aids and everything shows that. There is absolutely no confusion about what to do. Government has even allocated funds for the development of a vaccine.” Replied Mbeki.
The President said, “I have got no problem with the idea that HIV contributes to the collapse of the immune system… but there are other things that cause the collapse of the immune system and we need to understand that if we are to respond to all these, the problem is that most people do not want to study this question. They are perfectly happy to repeat the conventional wisdom.”
The President used the squalor of the developing world as a major factor in the prevalence and consequent spread of the disease. “Aids is most prevalent in communities already weakened by severe poverty, widespread lack of education and the HIV virus alone does not fuel the Aids epidemic. Aids is a syndrome and I don’t believe it’s a sensible thing to ask whether a virus causes a syndrome. In that syndrome the United Nations puts 29 diseases. When you ask, does HIV cause Aids? It is the same as does a virus cause a syndrome…. it can’t.” Mbeki said.
The President’s deep conviction that many of the arguments that Aids dissidents have put forward are right is the cause of his fallout with the media and Aids activists both locally and internationally. As it is, South Africa lacks a clear policy on the HIV/Aids pandemic. Close to an eighth of the South African population is dying from Aids and the government needs a clear policy on HIV/Aids that would foster the transformation of the sexual attitudes and practices of all citizens.
However the conventional wisdom of any theory needs to be challenged and the President has a right to do so.
R1OO Million Tender Award, Fort Hare’s First Venture Into Corporate Consultancy
Following the successful bid by the University of Fort Hare Public Financial Services Agency to provide educational services in financial management skills to the Eastern Cape government, Finance MEC Enoch Godongwana announced in his budget speech early this year that, “The long term comprehensive multi-level financial management training and information support programmes are underway and will be a joint venture with tertiary institutions that will help develop a core of finance specialists and also functionaries within the provincial departments.” He said his department placed special emphasis on continuous improvements strategies, which focused on promoting service excellence in Treasury services to other departments while also enhancing its own internal operations responsibilities. He went on to say that the five year contract would be funded to the tune of R100 million by the skills development levy contributions from various developments and promised to be a major project to build financial capacity in the province.
The financial management contract was signed between the Vice Chancellor Professor Derrick Swartz and Provincial Treasury Head Monde Tom in Bisho on the 15th March earlier this year. In the terms of the contract, the Public Financial Services Agency (PFSA) will be attached to the University of Ford Hare Centre for Accountancy Studies, a collaborative venture partnering the University of Fort Hare, the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants and the Rand Afrikaans University. Among the goals the Public Financial Services Agency will work towards are the long term strategy for the Eastern Cape government’s financial system, accredited professional development, training and support in financial management and a financial management information system resource to support strategic decision making, networking, information access and professional development together with the mobilization, empowerment and coordination of a provincial network of institutions to support the public sector.
Addressing heads of various departments at the signing ceremony, Tom said many senior and middle managers in government lacked the skills and knowledge required for financial management. “The training at Fort Hare will help the department overcome problems experienced in producing financial statements at the end of each financial year. Presently we are unable to close our books and produce financial statements. This is a problem, the training will also improve departmental budgeting and accounting practices. There are also problems in the procurement process, which will be addressing through the training.” He said.
Acknowledging the contract, Vice Chancellor Prof. Swartz said, “The University of Fort Hare commits itself to the letter of the contract and was moving towards setting up a consultative agency arm that will lead to the development of government and society.” He said Fort Hare will look for partners to help in other skills needed in developing the financial capacity of government. “This is the beginning of a process that will see Fort Hare venture more into corporate consultancy, using its own academics and its partners.” The programme will link with a number of local, national and international agencies and universities in providing solutions to both practical and theoretical financial problems within the Eastern Cape.
In addition to drawing upon the expertise and other resources of the core Centre of Accountancy Studies partners, the Public Financial Services Agency will utilize the expertise of some of the international partners of Fort Hare, mainly the USA universities of Connecticut and Massachusetts as well as the Canadian Universities of Waterloo and Carlton. The agency will also tap into a provisional and national network of technical experts and institutions allied to Fort Hare through the European Union funded Joint Universities Public Management Education Trust (JUPMET) consortium with whom Fort Hare has built a good track record, companies and individuals who will add value to the corporate task of the agency.
The financial management contract was signed between the Vice Chancellor Professor Derrick Swartz and Provincial Treasury Head Monde Tom in Bisho on the 15th March earlier this year. In the terms of the contract, the Public Financial Services Agency (PFSA) will be attached to the University of Ford Hare Centre for Accountancy Studies, a collaborative venture partnering the University of Fort Hare, the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants and the Rand Afrikaans University. Among the goals the Public Financial Services Agency will work towards are the long term strategy for the Eastern Cape government’s financial system, accredited professional development, training and support in financial management and a financial management information system resource to support strategic decision making, networking, information access and professional development together with the mobilization, empowerment and coordination of a provincial network of institutions to support the public sector.
Addressing heads of various departments at the signing ceremony, Tom said many senior and middle managers in government lacked the skills and knowledge required for financial management. “The training at Fort Hare will help the department overcome problems experienced in producing financial statements at the end of each financial year. Presently we are unable to close our books and produce financial statements. This is a problem, the training will also improve departmental budgeting and accounting practices. There are also problems in the procurement process, which will be addressing through the training.” He said.
Acknowledging the contract, Vice Chancellor Prof. Swartz said, “The University of Fort Hare commits itself to the letter of the contract and was moving towards setting up a consultative agency arm that will lead to the development of government and society.” He said Fort Hare will look for partners to help in other skills needed in developing the financial capacity of government. “This is the beginning of a process that will see Fort Hare venture more into corporate consultancy, using its own academics and its partners.” The programme will link with a number of local, national and international agencies and universities in providing solutions to both practical and theoretical financial problems within the Eastern Cape.
In addition to drawing upon the expertise and other resources of the core Centre of Accountancy Studies partners, the Public Financial Services Agency will utilize the expertise of some of the international partners of Fort Hare, mainly the USA universities of Connecticut and Massachusetts as well as the Canadian Universities of Waterloo and Carlton. The agency will also tap into a provisional and national network of technical experts and institutions allied to Fort Hare through the European Union funded Joint Universities Public Management Education Trust (JUPMET) consortium with whom Fort Hare has built a good track record, companies and individuals who will add value to the corporate task of the agency.
Fort Hare Digital Education Enhancement Project Launched
The Digital Education Enhancement Project (Deep) was launched at the University of Fort Hare early this year. The international project designed to research ways in which the use of computer technologies can enhance teaching and learning in a classroom is a partnership comprising Fort Hare, the Open University of the United Kingdom and Egypt’s Programme Planning and Monitoring unit.
Deep research places emphasis on literacy, science and numeracy at primary school level, Deep in South Africa as been named Deep Inkanyezi (glow worm) and twenty-four teachers from 12 Eastern Cape schools have been identified to participate in the project, which will run until September.
More than 80% of the teachers are computer illiterate, but by the end of the project, educators should be able to use computers for teaching and learning. Deep Inkanyezi national coordinator Adi Kwelentini said the project would teach teachers how to use computers in subject teaching and not just teaching computer skills.
“Deep is focused on the use of information and communication technologies for teaching and learning, and not on the technology hardware involved.” He said.
The British government’s Department for International Development is funding the project. Microsoft South Africa provided the hardware, software and necessary connectivity, and donated 18 laptop computers worth R324 000.
Microsoft South Africa Customer Satisfaction Director Gary Hodgson said 12 of the computers would be used by the schools and 6 others by project co-ordinators at Fort Hare. Hodgson said the project would make learning and teaching easy as well as interesting and he envisaged that many computers wizards will be developed from this initiative.
Education MEC Stone Sizani said the project was long overdue especially in the Eastern Cape. “Figures indicate that only 13% of our schools are resourced for proper teaching and learning, and this is the huge challenge we face in our drive to educate the nation,” he said. Schools taking part in the project are Kidds Beach Primary, Dongwe Combined, Butterworth High, Little Flower Senior Primary, Zwartwater Senior Primary, Ndzondelelo Primary, Emjanyana Primary, Good Shepard Primary,Van Coller Primary, Dongwe Primary , Vuselelo Combined, Empumalanga and Nqamakwe Junior secondary.
Deep research places emphasis on literacy, science and numeracy at primary school level, Deep in South Africa as been named Deep Inkanyezi (glow worm) and twenty-four teachers from 12 Eastern Cape schools have been identified to participate in the project, which will run until September.
More than 80% of the teachers are computer illiterate, but by the end of the project, educators should be able to use computers for teaching and learning. Deep Inkanyezi national coordinator Adi Kwelentini said the project would teach teachers how to use computers in subject teaching and not just teaching computer skills.
“Deep is focused on the use of information and communication technologies for teaching and learning, and not on the technology hardware involved.” He said.
The British government’s Department for International Development is funding the project. Microsoft South Africa provided the hardware, software and necessary connectivity, and donated 18 laptop computers worth R324 000.
Microsoft South Africa Customer Satisfaction Director Gary Hodgson said 12 of the computers would be used by the schools and 6 others by project co-ordinators at Fort Hare. Hodgson said the project would make learning and teaching easy as well as interesting and he envisaged that many computers wizards will be developed from this initiative.
Education MEC Stone Sizani said the project was long overdue especially in the Eastern Cape. “Figures indicate that only 13% of our schools are resourced for proper teaching and learning, and this is the huge challenge we face in our drive to educate the nation,” he said. Schools taking part in the project are Kidds Beach Primary, Dongwe Combined, Butterworth High, Little Flower Senior Primary, Zwartwater Senior Primary, Ndzondelelo Primary, Emjanyana Primary, Good Shepard Primary,Van Coller Primary, Dongwe Primary , Vuselelo Combined, Empumalanga and Nqamakwe Junior secondary.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
