South African President, Mr Jacob Zuma delivered the Albert Luthuli Memorial Lecture 2010 at the ICC (Inkosi Albert Luthuli Convention Centre) in Durban on November 24.

UKZN in partnership with the Department of Arts and Culture and the Chief Albert Luthuli Foundation hosted the Lecture in commemoration of the political stalwart who was renowned for his commitment to the fight against apartheid. This was the fourth time the University has hosted the Lecture, which is an initiative of the National Legacy Project which seeks to promote the ideals of anti-apartheid heroes who’d played a pivotal role in eradicating the discriminatory apartheid regime. This year’s Lecture was especially significant as it not only celebrated the achievements of Chief Albert John Mvumbi Luthuli but marked the 50^th anniversary of his bestowal with a Nobel Peace Prize, making him the first African to receive the prestigious award.

American civil rights activist, Reverend Jesse Jackson reiterated his call for equality in South Africa during his Public Lecture at UKZN on November 19.

 In his presentation titled:  Addressing the Crisis of Values in Contemporary Society, Reverend Jackson commended all South Africa’s struggle heroes, especially Chief Albert Luthuli and Mr Nelson Mandela for their pivotal role in eradicating apartheid and achieving democracy.  However, he said that while South Africans of all races had attained the right to vote, economic and social disparities still existed, and must be addressed. The Public Lecture marked Reverend Jackson’s second visit to UKZN, the first being in April when he was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate in Literature for the impact he has made on society as a civil rights activist.

Professors Francesca Balladon and Bernard De Meyer of the School of Language, Literature and Linguistics have been knighted by the Republic of France for their work and dedication to education and culture in Higher Education.

The title of Chevalier dans l’ordre des Palmes Académiques  (Knight of the Order of Academic Palms), was conferred upon them at a ceremony at the Tatham Gallery in Pietermaritzburg on the occasion of the 21^st International conference of the Association for French Studies in southern Africa.

The order was founded by Emperor Napoleon to honour eminent members of the University of Paris and was re-established in 1955 by the republican government of René Coty. The award is bestowed by decree of the President of the French Republic on the recommendation of the Minister of National Education.

A Fine Band of Farmers Are We!, detailing the 75-year history of agricultural studies in KwaZulu-Natal, by Professor Emeritus Bill Guest, was officially launched at the Rabie Saunders Building on the Pietermaritzburg campus on November 18.

This scholarly work provides a comprehensive overview of the establishment of formal agricultural studies in the province and focuses on the former Faculty of Agriculture at UKZN.  It begins in 1934, when the idea of establishing a Faculty of Agriculture at the former Natal University College was first discussed, and ends in 2009.  The book highlights the significant achievements of the staff, students and alumni of the “AgFac”, as it was affectionately known, who have made their mark in agricultural research not only in South Africa but also internationally. 

Emizamweni yokubhekana nesifo se Autism nezinye izifo eziphathelene nokukhubazeka komqondo eNingizimu Africa, Inyuvesi yakwaZulu Natali ibibambe ikomfa ebihlanganise nabantu basemazweni angaphandle ahlukahlukene ngomhlaka November 16 - 17.

Lekomfa ebizwa ngokuthi i- Autism and Development Disabilities: The South African Context ibihlanganiswe iKolishi lomkhakha wezempilo behlangene nenhlangano ebizwa nge Autism Speaks. Enye yezizathu zokubamba lekomfa bekukuthola ulwazi olwahlukene ngalesifo nezinye izifo eziphatheleni nokukhubazeka komqondo, kuhlanganisiwe khona kuzosungulwa  iGlobal Autism Public Health Initiative (GAPHI)  yalapha eNingizimu Africa.  Inhlangano i-Autism Speaks iyinhlangano eqwashisa ngalesifo nexhasa ucwaningo olwenziwa emzameni yokuthola ikhambi nokuqhamuka nezindlela ezingcono zokunika usizo imndeni enabantu abanalesisifo.

Click here for english version

Both Juliet Armstrong (Associate Professor in Visual Arts) and Christopher Ballantine (Professor Emeritus of Music and University Fellow) took up invitations to deliver keynote addresses at an international conference in the People’s Republic of China. Hosted by the Institute of African Studies at Zhejiang Normal University (in Jinhua), the conference focused on the arts in South and continental Africa, and brought together academics and arts practitioners from many parts of China, and further afield. Professor Armstrong’s paper dealt with contemporary South African art, and Professor Ballantine’s with South African music and politics during the apartheid era.

The Dictionary, a play staged earlier this year by the Drama and Performance studies programme on the Howard College campus in conjunction with Committed Artists Theatricals has been nominated for five awards in this year’s Mercury Durban Theatre Awards. The play was developed in isiZulu and English/isiZulu versions, and the nominations are:

·         New South African Script (Dramatists, Mr Bhoyi Ngema and UKZN’s Dr Christopher John);

·         Director Drama/Comedy (Dr Christopher John); Best Actor Drama/Comedy (Mr Bhoyi Ngema);

·         Best New Performer, Female (UKZN student in Drama and Performance Studies and African Music and Dance, Ms Khanyisile Jwaha); and

·         Lead Actress Drama/Comedy (Ms Khanyisile Jwaha).

Famous South African playwright Mr Mbongeni Ngema who was guest of honour at the recent Calabash Evening organised by...

Ms Nikeziwe Mthethwa’s dream is to grow her business of making traditional Zulu beaded garments and being able to supply international markets.  She said this when she presented her business idea before a panel of judges in the finals for Umbono Entrepreneurship Challenge - an innovative competition aimed at encouraging the culture of entrepreneurship at UKZN.

Little did Ms Mthethwa know that she would be named the overall winner and that her dreams would come true. She won a R10 000 cash prize; a website design and development package; a business planning support programme; business cards; business books and a three hour coaching session with one of the country’s top coaching companies, valued at R7 000; financial education support valued at R2 500; and entrepreneurship training manual valued at R3 500.

As part of a series of workshops to grow the culture of entrepreneurship, the Centre for Entrepreneurship at UKZN hosted a leading global entrepreneur to present a business seminar for small and medium-sized business owners and managers on simple and effective governance of SMMEs.

Mr Carl Bates, the founding member and Managing Director of the Sirdar Group, is an international expert on entrepreneurship and a specialist in the growth of SMMEs.

Mr Bates encouraged business owners to think big and said that if the businesses viewed themselves as small, they would always remain small. He added that business owners should always teach someone to take over the business as not every owner should be the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). He shared with entrepreneurs the cardinal points of governance, the eight dimensions of governance, key aspects to consider when implementing governance in their own SMME and understanding the unique challenges in implementing governance.