From world stage to Madibaz Stadium

Madibaz player Alexander Owusu prepares to pass the ball during Monday's clash with NWU at the Madibaz Stadium where the home team held the visitors to a 2-2 draw. Photo: Michael Sheehan/Saspa

I’ve been spoilt. A full month of world-class football in my lounge each evening, compliments of the Fifa Football World Cup, means my soccer benchmark barometer has been raised. Yours too?

When a long distance shot comes into the box area I now automatically anticipate a shot on target or at the very least a clean clearance. I don’t expect players to miss the ball completely or fail to control a ball or misjudge a tackle or erroneously forget about use the off-side rule or, or, or …

That’s as it went in parts during the first Varsity Sport Football match at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) yesterday afternoon when our Madibaz took on North West University before a vuvuzela-blowing crowd.

Yes, I have been spoilt.

In fact, I have been so spoilt that I almost failed to recognise that the Football World Cup is the benchmark to which these young university players must aspire.

Everyone has to start somewhere and having finger-pointing mother grundies like me on the sidelines is no help at all. These players, like any other sportsmen and women who are still working towards being at the top of their game, need encouragement.

The Varsity Sport concept provides a perfect platform for such encouragement.

Varsity Sport, like its successful sister brand Varsity Cup (for rugby), gives university students an opportunity to show off their talent on national television and before national sport selectors. It gives them all sorts of reason to literally “improve their game”.

Varsity Cup has already spawned a large number of Super Rugby players for South Africa, and I am pretty sure that other talented sportsmen and women will surface from its athletics, women’s hockey, men’s hockey, netball and volleyball competitions.

So this mother grundy, without lowering her soccer benchmark barometer, will be back at the next game home (against UCT on 4 August at 7pm) to shout for (and not at) the Madibaz.



And so as a show of my good intent, my congratulations go to Madibaz for their opening game. The final score was two all, with NMMU’s Kieran Koert scoring two quick goals to be named the match’s Samsung Super Striker and Madibaz captain Kurt Duff as the FNB Man of the Match.

A new day, a new term, a new semester

Every day, in fact, every minute, we get the opportunity to start afresh … to start again, but there’s nothing like a brand new semester to really kick-start something new.

As Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University’s 27000-plus students return today for term 3, semester 2 of the 2014 academic year, there’s a squeaky clean, let’s-get-off-to-a-good-start feel about the place …

I know this because:

• Once-dirty student cars are noticeably cleaner
• The students are particularly spirited (no doubt catching up with each other after recess)
• Once-dirty staff cars are noticeably cleaner
• There are more staff walking about campus (a new resolution to get fit, lose weight perhaps?)
• The staffroom fridge has been cleaned out
• There’s been an increase in upbeat e-mails asking for meetings, suggesting new ideas and get-togethers
• The number of inquiries I received about studying the Bachelor in Emergency Medical Care degree
• Of a large increase in the number of NMMU4U Facebook fans
• Of increased interaction by NMMU4U’s Twitter followers

There’s a happy buzz among my colleagues

This upbeat mood is usually a by-product of having had a good break. For many at NMMU, this meant as many as 30 days away from the regime of lectures and work of term, and time enough to recharge the batteries. For others it was a little as a long weekend, but even an extra day in a different environment can do wonders.

This time-out enables us to step back and reflect. Often that reflection, or even deep soul-searching, leads us to reassess our present lives and try to adjust them for the better.

According to a Chinese proverb, the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.

Though we’re not trees, the same applies to us for there is no time like the present to start afresh with something as simple as remembering to say thank-you through to that of embarking on a journey to a new healthy lifestyle.

But whatever your new beginning might be, may you succeed …

PS I’m starting by being a better NMMU supporter by going to watch the Madibaz football team as they take on North West University at 4.45pm in the Madibaz Stadium in the first round of the Varsity Sport Football contest. It‘s being televised. Will I see you there?

Window dressing - but it's a start!

Isn’t it amazing how the naysayers always manage to pop out of the proverbial woodwork when good things are happening … as with today’s 67 minutes of goodwill in honour of the late Nelson Mandela?

As a nation we are asked to give 67 minutes’ of our time and talents towards making the world a better place. Our namesake and one of the world’s greatest statesmen gave 67 years of public service to South Africa and the world, so surely 67 minutes of our time once a year is not too much to give to bettering conditions for others and our environment?

And, of course, it isn’t. Any time that we sacrifice to try to make life better for another person is a huge plus, so why do folk still complain.

Why do folks moan about this annual goodwill offering by ordinary people in usually very ordinary circumstances? Why do they consistently pull out the “window dressing” trump card, claiming that this 67 minutes of giving is little more than an opportunity to show off to those who are interested enough to care, that we apparently care.

If you cared, they whine, you’d be doing it all the time. You’d be up and at them serving the least, lost and lonely in a full time capacity. You’d have signed up with the local green society or voluntarily offered your services to the less fortunate in some form or other.

These 67 minutes in the name of Nelson Mandela, they drone on, is nothing more than window dressing; it allows you to boast to friends about your good deeds and eases your selfish conscience. That’s all it does – so quit the window dressing they cry because you don’t really care.

Ouch. Gulp!

Hold on. Hokaai. Not so fast.

You see this so-called window dressing, this endeavour to help in the name of Madiba and this one day of disjointed dallying to put a band-aid on South Africa’s many ills is A START!

And we have to start somewhere. Our efforts to do what we can where we can, may be misguided, misdirected and even totally off target, but at least something is happening. It’s a start.

I am confident that the more we roll up our sleeves and get others to do likewise, the more likely we are to make volunteerism a way of life in South Africa. In short, if we “window dress” long enough, we’ll eventually get to the real issues.

So please stop pointing those cynical fingers at those who may have headed out to a township to provide soup for the first time in their lives. That experience may be the trigger to something better in terms of making a substantial difference to the less fortunate, but even if it doesn’t the input by one individual made a positive impact on someone else’s life today.

Put those judgmental tongues away and use them to foster, encourage and grow a spirit of volunteerism in this country. There’s huge goodwill in our country – and especially at NMMU as many of us have witnessed today – to make South Africa a better place for all her people.

Happy Nelson Mandela Day!

Nelson Mandela Day ... tapping into our goodwill

#NelsonMandela … #Madiba … #MandelaDay …

These words will trend tomorrow, if not by this evening, as we commemorate the legacy of the university’s namesake on Nelson Mandela Day.

The 18 July birth date of Nelson Mandela gives us the ideal opportunity to tap into our goodwill as we are asked to give 67 minutes’ of our time and talents to benefit a worthy cause.

At Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) the outpouring of goodwill is already evident – not in just one event but rather a collection of them, allowing individuals or departments to contribute as they believe best.

Some are involved in clean-ups, some in soup kitchens, some in donating food, shoes, clothing and books, some in giving lessons, some in providing care, some in cooking, some in giving lifts, some in reading to children, some in visiting the elderly, some in planting gardens, some in building …

But they’re mostly all getting involved (we hope).

We’re hoping to hear of other initiatives in which staff and students (albeit that most are still on holiday) have voluntarily given of themselves to make the world a little better than it was before.

We have asked via our internal anonymous online platform called SOAPBOX for staff and students to share their experiences so that we can be encouraged by what they are doing or have done. We are hoping that this feedback will serve to further inspire us.

You see, when we see others roll up their proverbial sleeves and move beyond their comfort zone in sacrificing their time and talents in an authentic way, we may be tempted to do likewise.

And that’s the point …

Only yesterday a colleague attending the NMMU Trust’s newly-launched “Ignite a candle” bursary legacy campaign was inspired to get involved.

She heard how individuals had each contributed R500 each to make up a R25 000-bursary to give to Siviwe Mbele, a first-year student who has overcome incredible odds just to get to university.

And so my friend was inspired to do her bit and is buying a virtual candle worth R500 to ensure that other worthy youngsters are afforded the same opportunity as Siviwe (see story; http://ow.ly/zg9Sb)

It’s a simple concept, like that of giving just 67 minutes’ of your time to make things better than they were before … but the impact can be far-reaching.

So whether you’re on campus or reading this in the proverbial Timbuktu, please join us at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University as we endeavour to spread the goodwill innate within us.

Surf & study 'side shows' count

When it comes to sport at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, surf’s up.

It’s definitely one sport of which we can always boast given that we’re rated fifth in the world for our surfing (I don’t remember which website honoured us as such, but we won’t let the facts get in the way of a good yarn). Of course, it does help a great deal that four of our six campuses are but a stone’s throw from the water’s edge. Okay, so I’m exaggerating when it comes to our George Campus, but Vic Bay is less than 10km from the Garden Route campus.

In fact, Victoria Bay was the venue for the annual University Sport of South Africa (USSA) surfing champs earlier this month. It was there that our boys won their section, our girls came fourth and quantity surveying student Jean du Plessis (see above) won the men’s title. He was chosen for the national student side.

Living at the coast certainly has its advantages – especially for surfers.

It’s not uncommon to see students striding down the road from campus, surfboard in hand … yes, our North, South and Second Avenue campuses are that close to Algoa Bay and its surfing spots of Baked Beans, Avalanche and Pipe. It’s winter right now when surf is generally at its best along our coastline.

And then we’re just 50 minutes’ drive from Jeffreys Bay where the J-Bay Open Pro is underway as I type.

But of course, you shouldn’t be coming to university to surf, should you?

You should be coming to study a certificate, diploma or degree that’s going to help you carve a future career and make your dreams come true.

The surfing is a marvellous bonus – a value-added extra (if you’re a surfer).

I call such extras, study “side shows”. Though your study programme choice is most important, the “side shows” are pretty important too.

After all, all work and no play makes Tom, Thabo and Tiaan dull boys.

So if you’re a surfer, NMMU is an ideal destination. The same goes for prospective students who are into lifesaving, swimming, kite surfing, paddle skiing, sailing or marine conservation.

Other “side shows” – the value-added stuff –come in the form of the university’s secure environment, the 60-odd societies that students can join, our access to the different biomes and geological formations, the many sporting codes available to students on a competitive or social level, the easy access to the beach, the opportunity to interact with such diverse groups of students (8% of our 27 000-plus students comes from 64 countries around the globe), the general cost of living …

Or as one student shared: “My learning environment is so important. I love the wide open spaces and that fact that we are in a nature reserve. I mean how many students can say they study alongside monkeys … “

So there you have it … the surfing, or whatever adds value to your study environment, might not be the main thing, but it’s pretty important.



PS. Reef breaks found at the Fence on Cape Recife Road near Humewood are all worth checking out today.

Be an early bird ... get your ticket to a better future

If you are a procrastinator, read on. If not, relax, for as an organised, pro-active individual or more especially as a would-be Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) student you will have no doubt already filled in your application form to become a student with us in 2015.

The initial closing date is 1 August.

Perhaps you have already received a provisional acceptance letter or a sms informing you of your need to undertake an access test (to see if you have the potential to complete your chosen programme). Whatever confirmation you have received from NMMU, you have a provisional student number and are in the university system.

Well done!

Now your only stress is ensuring your marks do not plummet in your final matric exams and that you secure the funding needed to pursue your study dreams.

So now, if you’re still reading, it’s just me and all you procrastinators out there.

Yes, to my regret, I’m a serial procrastinator and as a result, have missed many proverbial worms … like tickets to concerts and rugby matches; opportunities for travelling, for shopping excursions, for dinner parties … oh, the list is pretty long, and darn depressing.

But, and here’s the big BUT, I NEVER missed the opportunity to STUDY.

As a milestone moment in any person’s life, it’s the one worm we cannot afford to miss because tertiary qualifications transform lives. Let me repeat, a qualification from a university or college can change your life for the better.

At NMMU last year we received more than 24 000 applications. Fewer than 6 000 of these applications were accepted to study this year.

While many of the applicants did not qualify in terms of their marks, many more simply failed to meet the deadline. Don’t let that be you.

Right now, we’re running a closing date campaign – placing reminders in newspapers, on social media, on billboards, calling schools and basically spreading the message.

The message being: if you snooze, you’ll lose.

There’s just 29 days left to apply so get that application in. Do not wait until you receive your final matric results. It’s too late then. You need to be in the system with that all-important provisional student number to give yourself a fighting chance to study at NMMU in 2015.

If your mid-year marks are poor and you believe you can improve them in your September trial examinations you can wait till then, but you’ll be cutting it fine.

Remember, only 2% of South Africa’s population gets the opportunity to study at a university. Make sure you are part of that elite percentage.

If your marks are good enough or nearly good enough, APPLY NOW.

You can apply in the following ways:

If you have access to the internet:
You can apply online
You can download an application form
You can send an e-mail to admissions@nmmu.ac.za

If you do not have access to the internet or e-mail, you can phone our Contact Centre on 041 504 1111 and ask them to post you the information you need.

We wish you all the best with your studies.



PS There is a final application date on 5 December but rather nab the worm now. Be that early bird and get your ticket to a better future.

The impact we have ...

The child clutching a small container is being berated as a thief. The owner of a take-away outlet where the youngster hangs his head intervenes. He establishes that the young man has taken the container containing medicine for his sick mother. He pays the owner for the goods. He also instructs his young daughter to give the boy ingredients to make soup before he scampers away.

30 years on the self-same man in the take-away outlet collapses and is rushed to hospital. His daughter is overwhelmed by her father’s illness and how she is going to pay the medical fees. She tries to sell the take-away business.

As she wakes alongside her ailing father’s hospital bed she finds the hospital bill and a note saying the costs were paid in full 30 years earlier when the man covered the costs of the stolen medicine and threw in ingredients for soup. The boy is now the doctor.

I share this story of kindness – as shared at a workshop by the university’s strategic design agency Boomtown today – as a reminder of the impact we can have on other people’s lives, negatively or positively.

This is particularly pertinent in a university environment where research shows that lecturers play a critical role in student learning and achievement. But we know this, don’t we, because we all have own personal stories.

We have stories about lecturers who terrorized us; those who made us feel like we didn’t even exist and others whose contribution is a hazy if not a fond memory.

But then there are those who had the ability to encourage us to achieve more than we’d ever believed we were capable of doing. And it’s those lecturers, teachers and other individuals who deserve acknowledgement.

Fate brought that young boy, now a doctor, back into the life of the man who had saved him with his kindness as a child, and he was able to return the gesture ten-fold.

All too often, we only realize and appreciate the significant impact that some individuals have had on our lives as we age. By then we have lost contact and these special people have no idea of the role they have played. We’d like to acknowledge and thank them but time has moved on.

Occasionally, however, we are able to track them down … just as a former PE Technikon student (one of our former institutions) did of a staff member. And we realize all over again, the impact we have on others.

The staff member had just been doing her job … but in the eyes of the student she had been an agent for positive change; the staff member’s attentiveness, willingness to help and commitment meant the young women received a bursary to study. Without that financial support, she might never have obtained a tertiary education.

A thank you letter to that staff member made her realize all over again that what we do or don’t do, say or don’t say, can have long-term repercussions, either negative or positive.

It’s always vital then to remember the impact of our actions, especially when it comes to young people like our students.

A word of encouragement, a simple kindness or a pat on the back can transform a life as evidenced in the students’ thank you letter below. It was written in 2000.

I can hardly believe that today is my graduation ceremony. For my family, this is a first – I am the only person who has had a tertiary education and now, tertiary qualification.

I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for blessing me with their privilege …

I want to thank you for your constant support and kindness … Last, but not least, thank you for making such a valuable contribution to my life. I am eternally grateful. (Excuse the “soppiness” but this message comes straight from my heart – no other words can express how I feel.)

Please extend my heartfelt thanks to the rest of the staff who contributed to me getting the bursary and tell them I hope to make them produce a now officially-qualified Public Relations Practitioner. (Sounds quite good, doesn’t it!)

Moral of blog: for every action there’s a consequence. Let’s make our actions positive