Y oh Y

New signage going up at different stages on the top of the tower block

Why oh why, I ask? The question I pose right now has nothing to do with the topical issue of toppling statues - quite the contrary, I think.

I'm asking a question with respect to new structures and in particular Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University's tower block. Oh, the 18-story edifice is not new. It was built in the early 1970s for one of our predecessor institutions, the University of Port Elizabeth.

The new structure of which I speak is the brand new signage that is presently being placed at the top of the said tower block.

I saw it going up yesterday - a wonderful splash of red in the sky caught my eye, and I thought, wow, our good name is finally up in lights. This is good. This makes me feel proud. This is fitting for our 10th anniversary year.

It’s a sentiment that’s being echoed elsewhere but especially by our students as captured via Facebook. Everyone appears to be very happy about NMMU being in the business of erecting signs, while the rest of the country is pretty intent on tearing things down.

“While other universities are destroying, we're building!” shares Siminikiwe Ncise.

Yes, we are … in fact, R1.1bn has been spent on infrastructure since 2009 at NMMU. (But that’s another story altogether).

I’m none too sure how much the signage being erected on both the North and South side of the building is costing, but it’s impressive. The logistics in getting it all in place before Graduation starts in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday are impressive too.

Here are some of them:

• The sign is 40m x 6m high
• It’s made up of 6m x 3m panels
• The sign weighs about 50kg
• Installation is via workers who are abseiling the panels into position

And if there’s too much dew, any rain or the wind happens to go above 15km/h, and then work has to stop. The noise factor is another challenge – sound travels easily through concrete density.

But challenges can be overcome ... which brings me to the Y oh Y question.

Why oh why, I ask, is the y in the word “university” in our brand new signage a capital letter, as in UniversitY!

Check the upstart Y

Yes, take a look at the signage … a big, fat, awkward Y in an otherwise beautiful sign. The instructions have been checked … there was no BIG Y in the brief. Why would anyone think a big Y was correct (especially at an institution of higher learning) while the rest of the word, bar the U, is in lower case? Why did the company continue to erect the panel? Why wasn’t someone from the installation company paying attention? Why, oh why?

So I guess NMMU isn’t so different, after all?

We’ll be in the removal business ourselves soon enough because that badly-behaved Y will have to go. He needs to be brought down to size …

I suppose we all do from time to time.

PS. That upstart Y was brought back down to size on Saturday 11 April with no protesters or green paint in sight.  

A sea of blue - celebrating 10 years

Guest blogger Bev Erickson

To say we were blown away is an understatement! NMMU staff certainly celebrated in style yesterday by wearing their 10-year T-shirts to work and taking photos of themselves.

Forming a ten with their staff, showing ten fingers, jumping in the air and smiling from ear to ear were the order of the day as the photos below will attest.

In recognition of NMMU’s 10th birthday celebrations, staff were asked to don their new NMMU 10th anniversary T-shirts on “T-shirt Tuesday” as we named it – and to capture the moment by taking photographs to be used on the university’s communication channels.

The last ten years has been an interesting journey at NMMU – for some it’s been challenging, for others, all part of a day’s work, but there’s no denying that a great deal has been achieved.

The team from Graduate and Student Placement

While giving some input into a yet-to-be-released celebratory publication commemorating NMMU’s first decade, it struck me just how much we have achieved in this short period of time. From our ground-breaking blended learning initiatives through to extensive community interaction, our comprehensive university is positively impacting on thousands of lives within and beyond the classroom.

We have pretty much cemented our name in the South African higher education landscape, and even internationally to a certain extent. We have empowered students, seen them graduate, built state-of the-art buildings, formed research chairs and worked with industry. We’ve established a set of values to live by, increased our research outputs and continue to work towards our vision of being “a dynamic African university recognised for its leadership in generating cutting-edge knowledge for a sustainable future”.

Science Faculty staff are all fingers!

Colleagues on the 17th floor of the tower block

We’ve had fun together – remember the 2010 Soccer World Cup? And we’ve cried together - saying farewell to our namesake. But all in all, we have stood together in building our new university.

Yes, I know many of you are thinking “what a load of nonsense, she doesn’t work where I work!” – but take a moment to reflect and I have no doubt that you will be proud of what we have done.

So wear that T-shirt with pride and continue to turn dreams into reality.

Faculty of  Engineering, the Built Environment and IT

View the T-Shirt Tuesday photos

Pandemonium in Parliament: the real state of the nation

Guest blogger and NMMU student Rashied Adams shares his insights on last week's pandemonium in Parliament

Last week I witnessed how our Parliament collapsed and how the Constitution was not the supreme law of our country. Pandemonium in Parliament was the result of guarding one man, the Head of State.

I was seated in the Gallery of the National Assembly, alongside guests of honour, including former presidents FW de Klerk and Thabo Mbeki. We sat and waited patiently for the President to arrive into the Chamber and ultimately deliver his State of the Nation Address.

Before the President arrived, I secretly tried to use my cell phone (as we were banned from doing so in the Gallery) to do some social media updates. Many students back at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) asked me to do some live updates.

As I managed to secretly operate my cell phone, I realised that there was no signal in the Chamber and I thought to myself, not now stupid cell phone! The guests next to me told me that they too did not have any signal on their cell phones. I had the crazy thought of Parliament somehow disconnecting our cell phone signals – then I thought, no ways! That only happens in action movies.

I then heard a group of journalists in the Gallery starting to chant “bring back the signal” and eventually the whole Chamber started chanting the same thing while waving their cell phones. Then it struck, this is real! Parliament has jammed our signals.

The Leader of the Opposition, Honourable Mmusi Maimane stood up and firmly requested from the Speaker that the signal should be restored immediately. The man justified his request with legislature – signal jamming is illegal.

And in no time, there was signal.

It was nearly time for President Jacob Zuma to address the nation.

The entire nation expected some out of order behaviour from the Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF) Members of Parliament, as they have made the nation aware that they intend to disrupt the President’s address if he does not answer their number one question: when will he (President Jacob Zuma) pay back a portion of the taxpayers’ money that was used for upgrades to his Nkandla home.

Guests in the Gallery were anticipating the EFF’s disruption. The President finally made his way to the podium to deliver an address that the whole nation awaited. With some technical difficulties – his microphone was cut, surprisingly; he eventually started with his address by greeting the nation.

A few minutes into the speech, it happened, the EFF raised a point of order and that is where I thought, this is it – pandemonium.

The Gallery was heated up; it seemed as if guests were watching a new-release movie. The Speaker requested the President to stop speaking and she noted the order. The inevitable question from the EFF followed and was supressed from the Speaker in all ways possible. Leader of the EFF, Honourable Julius Malema then raised and also spoke on the question. The Speaker then asked the Sergeant-at-Arms to usher three EFF Members of Parliament, including Hon. Malema out of the Chamber. This is where the real pandemonium started.

EFF Members guarded their leader and the Sergeant-at-Arms could not do anything. I was shocked at the outbreak, it was ugly and undignified.

Things got a lot worse when the ‘Parliamentary Security’ was called in to forcefully remove all EFF Members of Parliament – do note that not all EFF members were asked to leave the Chamber. The security rushed in from all doors, wearing white shirts and dragged EFF members on the floor, over benches and out of the Chamber. The EFF members did not go down without a fight; they took of their red characteristic builder hats and beat the security guards in their faces. There was chaos in the Chamber.

The Parliamentary TV feed was cut and the nation could not see what was going on. The security guards removed all EFF members, with a thrashed Chamber – benches broken, hats on the floor, water bottles all over the show and an audience of esteemed members of society left in awe. The President seemed quite fine with the outbreak. In fact, his ANC guests and ANC Members of Parliament cheered loudly after the last fighter was pulled out of the Chamber.

The Chief Justice of our country left the Chamber immediately.

I witnessed history right there; the State of the Nation Address was interrupted for the very first time and some Members of Parliament were illegally dragged out of the Chamber and beaten up at the Speakers command.

This was a great violation to the Constitution of our country.

It was then when the Leader of the Opposition stood up and heroically took charge of a state of emergency. Honourable Maimane asked the Speaker whether those guards were police officers or not and she did not know how to answer him, until she said that the Parliamentary Security was assisted by security forces, which indeed was the SAPS. Some of the guards were armed in the Chamber. The Speaker right there violated the Constitutional principle of separation of powers.

It is dangerous for one arm of government to intimidate and overpower another, the independence of Parliament was infringed.

It was chaotic in Parliament; an uneasy atmosphere had spread across benches and seats in the Gallery.

The Leader of the Opposition then led his caucus out of the Chamber in a very principled and orderly fashion. The Speaker said that if they had left, they will do it as a party. It is then when DA Party Leader, Helen Zille also stood up from the bench where Premiers of Provinces were seated, to accompany the DA Members of Parliament. At that very moment, I stood up, as a DA member from one of the best seats in the House and led the DA guests out of the Gallery through door number five of the National Assembly.

The Democratic Alliance left as it would not support the Speaker taking the law into her own hands. Her behaviour and ‘ruling’ was unconstitutional.

We assembled in the foyer of the National Assembly and the big door to the outside of the House was opened for us to leave. The media was all over, taking photographs and ready to get statements from the DA.

Outside were EFF members, bruised and full of blood as a result of being manhandled by the SAPS.

Last night was a turning point in our democracy – the ANC will break the law to protect one man, they will rule unjustly to protect one man, they will put loyalty above the rights of South Africans.

How constitutional was the signal jamming, cutting the live TV feed, the forceful removal of Members of Parliament who was not even asked to leave the Chamber, bringing armed police officers into the Chamber and beating up Members of Parliament?

Parliament is in a crisis under the leadership of the ANC.

It’s Kit Kat time at NMMU

We're taking a break!

We’ve tucked into a Kit Kat, hauled out the slops and slapped on the sun tan lotion. Yes, the life@nmmu blog is taking a breather. We’re taking a break, and eating the proverbial Kit Kat.

It won’t be for too long, but long enough for us to unwind, relax and recharge the batteries that keep us going throughout 2014.

And we’ll be reflecting too, recalling the good times and bad and generally taking stock of all that has happened in the past 365 days.

Such as:

• All our green advances in technology, like the wind turbines and solar phone charging units

• Our staff and students who achieved internationally, like Vice-Chancellor’s Scholars Amy-Rose Westcott, who was the world’s top achiever in the Cambridge International Advanced Subsidiary Levels maths exam. She beat 69 000 others around the globe
• 
  
• Former SRC President Yusuf Cassim becoming the youngest member of Parliament in the history of South Africa at just 24 years old

• The incredible number of building projects undertaken, including completion of Africa’s first “green” public building, the R116m Business School 

• Growing interest in NMMU’s future medical school, which is being established in a “bottom-up approach” 

• News of a future maritime faculty for NMMU

There will also be a chance to focus on our future … and for NMMU; much of it will include our 10-year anniversary celebrations in 2015.

So till then, life@nmmu wishes you a blessed festive season and looks forward to connecting with you again in the New Year.

Thank you for your continued support.

Making history … NMMU’s first summer graduation

Education graduates sisters Cindy-Lee and Lee-Ann Bosch

We made history today … that’s Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University and some 400-plus students as they were capped at the university’s first summer graduation.

And what a happy occasion is was for 400 Education graduates and 30-odd postgraduate students who received their masters and doctoral degree.

The new summer graduation supplements the university’s traditional graduation ceremonies in April – and following today’s successful event, is very likely to become an annual event on the academic calendar.

No less than 63 staff members filled the stage, while the Indoor Sports Centre itself was almost filled to capacity to witness what South Africa desperately so needs (in large numbers) – qualified teaching graduates who are committed to the country’s future.

The Government might well have boasted an increase in the Grade 12 national senior certificate results in 2013 (over the previous years), but we all well know that the state of education in our country is not healthy.

I mean, 500 000 learners who start out in grade 1, don’t even get to their matric year, and those who do, only need a 30% or 40% pass mark for their various subjects to complete their schooling.

When compared with other countries the shortcomings of our own schooling system are even more obvious.

South Africa’s maths and science ranks second last in the world – not second last in Africa, but the world. According to the Global Information Technology Report of last year, only Yemen’s youngsters are worse than ours.

The facts speak for themselves.

Our schooling system is a mess. We are failing hundreds of youngsters.

That’s why today’s graduation is so special. Yes, it’s a first for us - a piece of NMMU history. But it’s these young men and women who have the opportunity to help create a new history for South Africa.

It’s a history in which our education system will produce learners who can read, write, solve mathematical and other problems and think critically. They won’t just scrape through with 30% or 40%, but get at least 50% for all their subjects. They’ll be our leaders and economic drivers of tomorrow.

BRIGHT FUTURE ... BEd FET graduates Jason Field, Anike Botha (a Vice-Chancellor's Scholar), Margaretha and Carla Steyn all completed their degrees cum laude  

We need dedicated teachers to achieve this – people who are committed to the cause of opening young minds to the wonders of knowledge; people who believe in the abilities of people; people who are not driven by lucrative financial jobs but by ideals …

To see 400-plus young men and women of all races graduate with Bachelor of Education degrees (in Foundation, Intermediate and Further Education and Training phase) and with a Postgraduate Certificate in Education or Honours, was gratifying because it signals hope for our future.

It indicates that there are those who recognise the importance of education and are prepared to put their hands up to help turn our present-day “F” into a “B+” or “A” in building a better tomorrow for all our children.



Congratulations to all our graduates!

Living his Legacy

By Bev Erickson

As we celebrate the life of  Tata Madiba, our namesake,  on the first anniversary of his passing – it got me reflecting on the legacy he left behind, and the great leader he was.

I recently had the privilege of listening to the former private secretary of Madiba, Zelda la Grange. Her 60 minute presentation had everyone hanging on her lips as she told humorous and touching stories of her time with Nelson Mandela. She was just so “real” in her approach – nothing pretentious or fake about her – I guess like the man she called boss for more than half of her life.

The story I found particularly fascinating was his attention to detail and what a stickler he was for honesty and integrity. She spoke of a foreign visit when he was given the most beautiful hotel suite – complete with designer bottles of shampoo, body wash and fragrances in the bathroom. Late that evening, Zelda was summoned to his room and asked to fire the entire security team. Madiba had noticed that one of these little bottles had gone missing and would not rest until he had found the perpetrator. As the peacemaker, Zelda lined the entire team up in his room and the perpetrator was identified.  He took note of the little things and he had zero tolerance for dishonesty.

The interesting part of the presentation was the question time afterwards. And of course there were many! She handled them diplomatically and knew where the line was that she wouldn't overstep illustrating her own integrity. 

What a wonderful relationship these two totally different people had. A true testimony to both of them.

Then, last Sunday – I watched Long Walk to Freedom on TV with my husband and 17 year old daughter. I was reluctant to watch the movie as how could anyone even begin to portray such a colossus of a person? But Idris Elba did a pretty good job! It was wonderful to watch the life of Nelson Mandela played out in chronological order – giving a perspective of what he did and achieved in his life time.

Something else that opened my eyes were the comments by my 17 year old on the atrocities of our past and how foreign they were to her. “Did that really happen?”, “Didn't you know it was wrong?” 

But despite the wrong-doings, our beloved Madiba showed compassion and love for his country.

Tata – we will never forget you.

Living his Legacy 1918 - 2013

Honouring the women of our past

Journalist Nicky Willemse gets a quote from keynote speaker Chief Margaret Coetzee Williams

  
I obtained a "B" for history in my final exam in matric a few decades ago. Perhaps I obtained the symbol because I studied it as if I was a puppet and had a great memory. But that was way back then.

Oral history is much more exciting and I can just imagine hanging on every word of people like Saartjie Baartman, Dora Nginza and Molly Blackburn as we would walk back into time.

Guest blogger Roslyn Baatjies

Beautiful panels against the walls and hanging from the ceiling of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University’s exhibition centre - perfectly laid-out by the NMMU graphic designer Elmien Waring – tell these stories as the exhibition pays homage to the role of women in the shaping of the Eastern Cape’s history.

And no, it is not only the stories of the contributions of the well-known women like Sarah Baartman, Dora Nginza, Molly Blackburn whose names are synonymous with changing times in the Eastern Cape that can be viewed in this exhibition.

The opening of the exhibition last night gave us the opportunity to view and/or read the contribution of so many other fearless women covering the period from the late 1700s to contemporary South Africa.

The exhibition includes factual and anecdotal information, poetry and photographs. Among the stories documented are those of the province’s first missionaries and settlers like Janet Soga, a Scot who was married to the first black Xhosa minister; Harriet Ward, the province’s first journalist, and botanist Mary Elizabeth Barber, who used to exchange ideas with Charles Darwin.

Having been born and raised in the city’s northern areas, it was interesting to note that the Gelvandale area was named after a strong woman -  trade unionist Katie Gelvan. And was I surprised when I saw that the women of Kirkwood, where I spent my high school years, were also featured. Yes, I was!

Adding to the beautiful event were the speakers like Chief of the Khoisan people Margaret Coetzee Williams who, in her address on Sarah Baartman, focused on the importance of how Saartjie’s return home should remind us of the restoration of the dignity of all "the people in the womb of Mother Earth".

NMMU Vice-Chancellor Prof Derrick Swartz welcomed guests at the launch of the exhibition

Verne Harris from the Nelson Mandela Foundation focused his address on "Patriarchies of the Post-Apartheid" and imparted insight into the late Nelson Mandela’s respect for and empowerment of women.

But what would an event like this be without ingredients like the perfect location, good food, drink, music and company. The lawn in front of the NMMU Governance Building on the Second Avenue Campus was the perfect spot for the event in a big tent; even the flowers in the garden smiled at being part of the occasion.

I have to return to the exhibition to read all about these strong women. Perhaps I will be motivated to make a greater contribution to the area where I live.

The exhibition is open daily until November 2015.

 

A reflective piece by Magda Minguizzi about being foreign 

Elhaam Bardien inspects one of the exhibits

NMMU Vice-Chancellor Prof Derrick Swartz interacts with guests at the exhibition

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The exhibition honouring Eastern Cape women throughout our history

Among the tasty eats at the launch ...