“At CPUT, we are creating futures - but most importantly we want to create healthy futures.” These were the words of Dean of Student Affairs Cora Njoli-Motale, at the launch of CPUT’s Mobile Wellness Unit on the Bellville Campus on World Aids Day. The state-of-the-art vehicle is testament to the hard work and vision of CPUT’s HIV Institutional Coordinating Committee (HICC) within the HIV/AIDS Unit, and is a fitting symbol of one of the themes of this year’s World Aids Day - universal access to prevention, treatment, care and support.

Dean of Student Affairs Cora Njoli-Motale, gets a good look at CPUT’s Mobile Wellness Unit as the state-of-the-art vehicle is launched on the Bellville Campus on World Aids Day.

The spacious and well-equipped mobile unit aims to encompass all the health services offered by the HIV/AIDS Unit, Student Health, Student Counseling and the Disability Unit, and will give CPUT the muscle to reach all its service sites, internally and externally. Broad coverage of all of CPUT’s satellite campuses, as well as the surrounding communities is envisaged. This will allow the unit to provide a platform for a holistic wellness strategy for screening, appropriate referrals and health promotion, enhancing the well-being of students, staff and the broader community.Funded by the European Union (EU) through the Higher Education HIV/AIDS Programme, (HEAIDS) some of the tests that will be conducted in the unit include voluntary counseling and testing for HIV, blood pressure and cholesterol analysis, screening for tuberculosis, testing for pregnancy, emergency contraception and condom distribution. Alex Semba, Projects Coordinator at the HIV/AIDS Unit says the mobile unit will have a registered nurse and a counselor available everyday and will start operating from early 2011.
He adds, “This is an exciting day for the entire CPUT. The HIV/AIDS unit would like to thank the EU for the funding and our Executive Management for the encouragement and support.”Joining in the celebrations at the launch, Vice-Chancellor Prof Vuyisa Mazwi-Tanga reiterated that CPUT has a responsibility to engage with and give back to the broader community. “By not supporting people who are living with HIV/AIDS, we’ll be sentencing South Africa to a guillotine. We hope that not only CPUT will benefit from this initiative, but also the entire Western Cape community.”A little further afield, World Aids Day was also marked on 1st December in a moving and joyous ceremony on CPUT’s Wellington Campus. In a joint initiative with the Hawequa Correctional Centre, CPUT donated funds generated from the HIV/AIDS Road Race held in September to two local orphanages that care for children affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Wellington Student Affairs Sports Development Officer, Tyrone Africa, is certain the annual Boland Athletics-accredited race will grow into one of the premier races in the region, attracting the top athletes in the Boland, and thereby generating more funds for worthy organisations who tackle HIV/AIDS head-on.This year, the caregivers from “House of Hope” and “Let the Children Come” orphanages in Mbekweni in Paarl were the delighted recipients of the cash donation, and a brand-new Wendy house to replace the dilapidated structure that had previously housed children at one of the care facilities.

Mrs Wendy of "House of Hope" and Mrs Miriam of "Let the Children Come", two of the orphanages in Mbekweni , Paarl, that received funds from the proceeds of the annual HIV/AIDS Road Race, jointly organised by CPUT Wellington and the Hawequa Correctional Centre.

Speaking at the handover event in Wellington, Manager for Civic Engagement at CPUT’s Community Engagement and Work Integrated Learning Centre, Buntu Gwija, echoed the Vice-Chancellor’s sentiments about CPUT’s mandate to engage with communities. “As a university, we need to play a central role in guiding communities to be responsible communities. The people sitting here are united in one voice that says we care, we are concerned about HIV/AIDS.”

By Andiswa Dantile & Jan Weintrob

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“Women are the glue that holds families, community and a nation together.” Those were the sentiments of one of the speakers at the Provincial Parliament launch event for 16 days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children. The annual campaign takes place from 25 November to 10 December and is marked globally to raise awareness about the violence perpetrated on women and children in our society. NGOs and leaders from community development organisations across the Peninsula were invited and participated.

Organised to the last detail by CPUT’s Events Management Short Course students from the Centre for Graduate Management, last week’s launch formed part of the students’ integrated summative assessment and their contribution to community engagement.

According to Beryl Liebetrau, an Events Management lecturer, the students’ involvement ran to not just staging the event, but included administration, invitations, the programme, selection of participants and speakers, finance, décor, refreshments, registration and protocol - every area of event organisation and management. “The students also needed to look at other facets of activism. Safety, risk, legislative compliance and broad-based community involvement were some of the added elements the student’s had to consider to meet the client’s objectives,” says Liebetrau.

The students were assessed on, amongst other things, their professionalism, ability to communicate, their attitude, appearance and training of volunteers, the registration process, directional signage at the event, safety, catering, the programme and choice of speakers.

Laetitia Meter, one of the students, says, “Even though we had some hiccups at the beginning, we managed to handle them. Today’s experience has taught me more about Events Management and because we organised the event for Parliament, it also taught us how to do things according to the legislation and ground rules.”

President Jacob Zuma launches this year’s 16 days of Activism campaignnationwide, delivering a keynote address at the opening ceremony in Khayelitsha. Concerns this year include the rise of figures involving the dumping of babies – in the Cape Metro area alone, over 500 babies are abandoned a year. On a provincial level, Premier Helen Zille, and MEC of Social Development Patricia De Lille are focusing on holding maintenance defaulters responsible and ensuring that beneficiaries receive the money due to them.

The campaign calls for supporters to wear a white ribbon during the 16-day period as a symbol of peace – and a symbol of the commitment of the wearer to never commit or condone violence against women and children.

By Andiswa Dantile

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The Radiation Oncology Department at Groote Schuur Hospital in collaboration with Radiography at CPUT recently held a joint Open Day.

On 17 March 2010, five schools from the Western Cape and individuals from as far afield as Worcester and Villiersdorp descended on the Groote Schuur Campus, seeking more information about radiography and in particular radiotherapy.

The day was dedicated to the learners and CPUT’s first year students while second and third years assisted as marshals and tour guides.

The radiation therapy professionals who are already qualified and working at the hospital explained to school learners and first year students what their profession entails.

The Centre of Science and Technology (Cosat), Wittebome High School, Islamiah College, Masiphumelele High School and Garlandale High School were among the high schools that attended the Open Day.

Radiography is made up of four disciplines: Diagnostic Radiography, Nuclear Medicine, Ultrasound and Radiation Therapy.

The Senior Lecturer Prof Penelope Engel-Hills said: “Radiation Therapy is still a relatively unknown specialist discipline. The Open Day is giving us a chance to show-case to various communities out there that this is a good career option.”

The learners were taken to various stations, which included Out-patient Clinic areas, the Mould Room and the Linear Accelerator treatment unit, among others.

Jamie-Lee van Niekerk, a second-year Radiotherapy student and one of the marshals, said: “It has been great to assist the learners. All the groups I was dealing with were very enthusiastic as they asked a lot of questions.”

The Open Day was also open to first year Radiography students who all need to know about radiation oncology. Some may decide to swop to radiotherapy from another category since the first year is nearly the same for all four types of radiography.

“Putting together the Open Day was a team effort, but a special mention goes to Mrs Liz Greeff and her team of radiation therapists at Groote Schuur Hospital who put in so much effort and hard work to promote the profession. Two of our lecturers Liezel Hudson and Bridget Wyrley-Birch also deserve thanks for their major contribution,” said Dr Engel-Hills.

The department particularly targeted schools that are science and mathematics strong, which is in line with the department’s minimum requirements.

Wyrley-Birch said: “I am very happy with the quality of the Open Day. It really exceeded our expectations. Organising this was a team effort. The number of applications we are going to receive will determine whether the learners were impressed or not.”

Information regarding salary scales, job opportunities and approximate numbers of positions for Radiation Therapists in the country was provided to the learners.

Sabeeha Khamissa, a second-year student and tour guide, said through providing the learners with information, she also learnt a lot.

“The learners were asking a lot of questions that required us to think on our feet,” she said.

Although this is the first Radiation Oncology Open Day in fifteen years, the department holds tours once a month throughout the year that include all Radiography disciplines at no cost. All learners are welcome.

By Andiswa Dantile

Photograph: Learners find out more about radiation therapy as a career at Radiation Oncology Open Day.

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A second-year MTech: Food Technology student has made CPUT proud after she recently went to Germany to receive training in the use of a Rancimat – equipment used to measure the oxidative stability of food products.

Twenty-two year old Lusani Vhangani, was sent to the Institut fur Getreideverarbeitung GmbH (IGV) in Germany from 8 to 24 January 2010.

Vhangani’s German trip was as a result of a partnership between Agrifood Technology Station and IGV.

Vhangani is currently busy with her studies on Antioxidant effects of Maillard Reaction Products (MRPs) in a lipid-rich food product.

Her studies involve extraction of MRPs resulting when heating sugars and amino acid solutions, followed by the evaluation of the anti-oxidative effects on sunflower oil as an alternative to synthetic antioxidants.

With the Food Technology Department being in the process of investing in a Rancimat, Vhangani was sent to Germany to familiarise herself with the equipment.

The training enabled her to be able to train other students who would undertake similar studies in the future, as well as Agrifood Technology Station (ATS) staff, who would be using the equipment in projects for ATS clients.

“My experience in Germany was excellent as I was not only focusing on the Rancimat equipment, but also on others that we might need to use in future.

“They are well-equipped at IGV, so I learnt a lot and the training contributed so much in my studies,” said Vhangani.

In Germany, Vhangani’s study was around the antioxidant effect of roasted parboiled rice in lipid-rich products.

CPUT’s AgriFood Technology Station together with the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) funded the trip.

Larry Dolley, Manager of the ATS organised the funding for Vhangani and Dr Jessy Van Wyk (HoD: Food Technology) who accompanied her for the first week of her stay at IGV

Dr Van Wyk said: “We are grateful to the ATS and GTZ for affording us this opportunity. Both Lusani and myself learned a lot and the exposure to the Rancimat will stand Lusani in good stead to fast-track the bench-work that she will be doing once our own Rancimat arrives.

""Also, she really did us proud, since, not only did she quickly show her proficiency with the various laboratory techniques required of her, but she also showed insight into why the test results deviated from those hypothesized by our German hosts – both well-qualified and experienced ladies"".

Lusani identified that the process followed to protect the fat using the MRPs involved combining the fat with water-soluble MRPs, something that does not happen spontaneously. Without using an emulsifier, the MRPs are therefore not available as antioxidants in this instance.

We look forward to a follow-up study to include the use of our Differential Scanning Colorimeter to monitor the effects of antioxidants on lipid oxidation.

Vhangani, who studied at CPUT from the diploma level, intends to further her studies and register for her PhD as soon as she has completed her Master’s.

“Even though it would be nice to get a job, it has to be in an environment that will allow me to be able to further my studies or at least in an environment where I will learn everyday. Working for an academic institution would be an ideal job for me,” said Vhangani.

By Andiswa Dantile

Photograph: MTech student Lusani Vhangani

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Two designers who completed the Three-Dimensional and Industrial Design diploma at CPUT scooped coveted awards at the Carrol Boyes (Pty) Ltd METAL New Designer Search.

The ceremony took place at Carrol Boyes headquarters in Cape Town in October last year and is an important item in the art and design calendar.

Johan du Toit, an industrial engineer and CPUT alumnus, took first place winning R50 000.

Shritha Gungaya, who recently completed her diploma in Three-Dimensional Design took the third place, pocketing R15 000

CPUT is one of only two universities in the country that offers the Three-Dimensional Design course.

Carrol Boyes (Pty) Ltd is one of South Africa ’s premier commercial product design companies and specialises in manufacturing one-of-a-kind pewter, aluminum, stainless steel, chrome plated zinc, leather and wood items in flatware, tabletop, homeware and accessories.

The Carrol Boyes (Pty) Ltd METAL New Designer Search takes place annually. Last year’s competition centred on the theme of the frame, which was defined as a bordered structure containing a mirror, artwork, image or jewellery.

Du Toit’s entry was titled “Tree” and was inspired by the concept of the family tree, where family photos and mementos can be attached to the frame.

As he wanted the images to be movable, Du Toit opted for magnets as a placement tool.

This design was developed to ensure it could be constructed at any direction.

Du Toit said: “I was ecstatic about winning the prize and for me it is not the first time to win this competition, so it really means a lot.”

“I am grateful that many years ago I studied at CPUT as that played a big role and gave me a valuable experience. As a result I have been fortunate to be doing exactly what I have studied for.”

Gungaya’s entry was a ‘moisi’ frame, which is contemporary in design and organically inspired by the mould one might find growing on a piece of bread and when viewed under a microscope.

Each moisi frame embodies part of the user’s personality, thereby allowing the user to become part of the art-making process.

At least 250 entrants sent in their unique frame prototypes to be judged. About 10 registered students from CPUT, including one lecturer, submitted their entries for the competition in February last year. Gungaya was placed as the overall winner from the institution.

“We submitted our entries in February and our lecturers were very helpful and professional, as they know what is expected out there. Winning this prize was very exciting and rewarding for me,” said Gungaya.

The theme for METAL 2009 is 'Fruitfull: design beyond the bowl' and entries open 1 March 2009 .

The purpose of the annual METAL New Designer Search is to “unearth, nurture and develop new product design talent, from planting the seed of inspiration to witnessing a design idea come to fruition”.

Gungaya is encouraging other students to enter the competition for this year “because it is a worthwhile opportunity. Even if you do not win, you get lot of exposure as Carrol Boyes is very popular.”

By Andiswa Dantile, Marketing and Communication Department

Photographs: Third prize winner Shritha Gungaya signs a contract that gives Carrol Boyes (Pty) Ltd permission to use her design as part of its product range; CPUT alumnus Johan du Toit, who won first prize, and Carrol Boyes of Carrol Boyes (Pty) Ltd ; a detail from Shritha Gungaya’s design.

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CPUT recently welcomed a delegation from the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) to the Bellville campus. This was the first HEQC visit to the institution.

The purpose of the HEQC’s visit was to discuss the nature of the upcoming quality audit, agree with the institution on the scope of the audit, explain the audit methodology, discuss the preparation of the self-evaluation review document, confirm the audit schedule and generate a common understanding on the audit.

The delegation was made up of Dr Lumkile Lalendle, Director: Institutional Audits; Luyanda Ndabankulu, Project Administrator and Belinda Wort, the Manager of Institutional Audits.

Representatives from the CPUT Quality Management Department, Senior Executives, the Deans of the six faculties and the Heads of Units attended the HEQC meeting held at the university’s Council Chambers.

Prior to meeting the senior management, Dr Lumkile Lalendle, and his colleagues briefly met Vice-Chancellor Prof Vuyisa Mazwi-Tanga in her office.

CPUT Quality Management Director, Dr Dan Coetzee, said: “The HEQC’s advice on preparing for an audit was a helpful guide on undertaking our own self evaluation.”

Among other things, the meeting was intended to provide an opportunity to consider the connection between quality assurance, transformation and fitness of purpose and how these will be examined during the audit visit.

Dr Lalendle also highlighted the fact that while the audit is principally developmental, “accountability issues are not excluded”.

The institution was made aware of the preparation of an institutional profile which involves information from official sources both within and outside CPUT. The HEQC delegation also confirmed the audit schedule for CPUT, which would take place from 18 to 22 October 2010.

Luclaire Airey, the CPUT Quality Management Manager, said: “Over the past year, tremendous effort has gone into developing the quality management systems that support the quality activities needed for good academic practice. The audit has now been launched by the HEQC and it will be interesting to find out what benefit we give to the students and the CPUT community at large.”

According to Dr Lalendle, one of the things that the audit looks at is the issue of transformation.

“Transformation in this instance is not just about getting the numbers right, but also looking at how the institution contributes to the student and how it contributes in producing students that will go out there and be proud that they studied at CPUT,” said Dr Lalendle.

CPUT Quality Management Director, Dr Dan Coetzee, said: “The HEQC’s first visit has helped in setting boundaries for the audit and has given an overall introduction to what the audit will be about.”

By Andiswa Dantile

Photograph: CPUT Vice-Chancellor, Prof Vuyisa Mazwi-Tanga welcomes the HEQC delegation Dr Lumkile Lalendle, Director: Institutional Audits; Belinda Wort, Manager and Luyanda Ndabankulu, Project Administrator.

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The Environmental Management programme is spreading its wings to the African continent after the success of its four short courses.

Following a Memorandum of Understanding between CPUT and five African universities, the programme is embarking on a project that will strengthen the partnerships as from March 2010.

The institutions include Botswana and Zambia Universities, Nairobi and Masena Universities in Kenya and the University of Malawi.

According to Jacob Seconna, the Head of the Environmental Management programme, the memorandum of understanding is already in place after the Faculty of Applied Science agreed to work with the five partner universities.

For the first time at these African universities, the programme intends introducing Waste Management qualifications ranging from certificates to diplomas and degrees.

Commenting on the intended qualifications, which still require institutional ratification, Seconna said: “Our certificate programmes are going to be similar to what we cover at the Centre for Continuing Education, as we’ll be working with people who are already working in the Waste Management departments in the different countries who need to sharpen their skills.”

CPUT, as the main institution will provide the course syllabi.

“We will sit down with these institutions and agree on the syllabi that would be taught at diploma and degree levels as well as the terms of reference,” he said.

The courses offered at diploma and degree levels would be part of the institutions’ formal programmes.

“Even though once the students finish the diploma or degree, they will get a CPUT qualification; we’ll allow the partner university to lecture students for the first two levels at their own institution. We will cross-moderate with those institutions all exams at all levels.”

“For the third and fourth level, CPUT will take over and students will study electronically. They will later be granted a CPUT qualification,” said Seconna. The African collaborations are a result of a 2005 initiative, when CPUT decided to partner with the City of Cape Town and Weimar University in Germany.

Part of the agreement was that City of Cape Town would send their employees to take up Waste Management short courses at CPUT while Weimar University agreed on a student/lecturer exchange programmes in integrated water management..

“Our intentions were to train all waste management professionals in Africa as that was our ultimate goal and that is now coming into reality”.

Seconna aims to visit the African universities from 15 to 31 March 2010 to make presentations on contents of the programme. The presentations will give clarity on how the programmes and courses would be conducted.

Currently, the Environmental Management programme offers the following short courses: Supervision of Waste Management Practices, Middle and Senior Waste Management Training and Environmental Management Inspector Training.

Next year, the programme aims to offer two new courses. These include the Peace Officers: Compliance and Enforcement and Advance Tertiary Certificate in Integrated Waste Management.

The Environmental Management programme is currently looking for Doctoral and MTech students to register with Weimar University in Germany as part of the student exchange programme.

By Andiswa Dantile

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CPUT’s Graduate Centre for Management (GCM) recently held its 2009 Certificate Ceremonies at the Barkly Davies Building on Mowbray Campus.

On 24 November 2009, 159 students’ hard work paid off when they received certificates for completing four different courses at the Somerset Square Campus.

The courses included Certificate in Management Practice, Public Management, Secretarial and Administrative Practice and Travel and Tourism.

Carly Steyn, representing Daan de Goede, Head of Department of the GCM within the Faculty of Business, delivered the welcoming speech.

Addressing the students, she said: “A Certificate Award Ceremony of this nature reminds us of the value and importance of education and privilege of a tertiary education.

“You have now all the benefits and exposure to higher education and we trust that you will continue your studies, as and when you are able, and we hope to welcome you back to CPUT.”

Bukelwa Mbalane who works for the City of Cape Town as a Health and Safety Training Coordinator and is also a CPUT alumnus was the guest speaker.

Mbalane studied her BTech: Business Administration at CPUT after completing a four-year nursing qualification.

Mbalane said: “Don’t take what you have achieved today for granted. Take it from me; you will make it out there in life. You must always be positive.

“Studying here helped me to be where I am today. I have a middle-management position and I am able to implement policies when needs be. On top of that, I sit in strategic planning meetings and they give me a chance to put into practice what I have learnt here.”

Four students were recognised as top achievers from four different courses.

Dudley Davids scooped the award for Certificate: Management Practice while Neo Poss was awarded the Certificate: Public Management.

Nosiviwe Plam was awarded the Certificate: Secretarial and Administrative Practice and Angela Pan walked away with an award for Certificate: Travel and Tourism Management.

Schalk van der Merwe, acting Dean at the Faculty of Business, delivered his congratulatory message and said: “I congratulate you all on your achievements. I trust that CPUT has given you a firm grasp and a good understanding of the knowledge and hard work that is required to succeed.”

Encouraging the students to always striving for excellence, Van der Merwe said nothing worthwhile in life comes cheap. “Be proud of what you have achieved and CPUT is also proud of you,” said Van der Merwe.

The GCM Certificate Programmes have been operating since 2004. For each course, students are required to finish five subjects in order to graduate at the end of the year.

GCM is introducing a new course next year titled Certificate in Applied Accounting.

One of the lecturers at GCM, Mbuso Tshaka, said: “2009 has been a very good year as we had brilliant students. They were highly committed and always had an imagination of things to the extent that they have arrived to this day.

“Our aim is to open a second stream of student recruitment within the Faculty of Business as that helps the students to get first time qualification in a form of a certificate in which we prepare them for the world of work.”

On 10 December 2009 GCM held another Certificate Award Ceremony, where 245 students were granted certificates.

The students received certificates for completing Assessor Training, End-user Computing, Event Coordination, Event Management, Even Organising Principles, Introduction to Project Management 1, Project Management 1, Public Relations 1, Tourist Guiding, Train the Trainer and Single Residential Property courses.

By Andiswa Dantile

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Fifteen BTech: Dental Technology students recently presented the results of year-long case studies at a symposium, held at CPUT’s Tygerberg Hospital Service Point from 21 to 22 October 2009.

The presentations were judged by a five-member panel that included lecturers in Dental Sciences and guests from the industry.

The audience comprised students, staff members and members of the Dental Technology industry.

The students were tasked at the beginning of the year to select a patient case and write up a case study. They were also required to do the administration and discuss the clinical environment in which a dental appliance will have to function.

This department has been hosting this kind of symposium for the past eight years. However this year, it is notable that the presentations mark the beginning of a new co-operative education partnership.

Dental Technology Head of Department Louis Steyn said: “This year’s BTech presentations are unique because we managed to secure a working deal with the Cape Society for Dental Implantology (CSDI).”

Dr Louwrens Swart, a maxillo-facial surgeon and president of the CSDI, was also in the audience.

Steyn said: “With the help of Dr Swart, and Neill Du Plessis we acquired individual patient cases that were already done by private clinical and technical practitioners.”

“We also managed to retrieve the working models with Dr Swart’s help. Our students were given a chance to reproduce these cases with the assistance of the original private practicing dental technologists.”

At the beginning of the year, each student was assigned to internal supervisors who are lecturers in the department.

The students and lecturers later formed teams and they started working on the various cases and background research.

According to Steyn, the department hopes to stimulate regional research and encourage more students to pursue MTech studies.

Following the introduction of the statutory Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programme by the South African Dental Technicians’ Council, the Dental Sciences Department has for the first time opened the case study presentations to the Dental Technology profession.

The department has also applied for CPD points accreditation for the presentations.

Dr Jenny Wright, Language Coordinator at the Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences, was among the judges.

“It’s important that we also look at the language as students need to be self critical of their own writing. We have been teaching them from the first year, and by now all of them have grown tremendously in terms of public speaking and language usage,” said Dr Wright.

By Andiswa Dantile

Photograph: (top left) Dental Technology Head of Department Louis Steyn (top right, bottom left and right) BTech: Dental Technology students present their posters during the mini-symposium at the Tygerberg Hospital Service Point.

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At least 40 community leaders from the Western Cape recently became the latest beneficiaries of a service learning project, offered by the Department of Horticultural Sciences.

The Department received the community leaders on 23 September 2009 at the institution’s nursery on the Cape Town campus, where they were trained by Horticulture students in various horticultural techniques.

The project targets various communities from previously disadvantaged backgrounds. Most importantly, it trains leaders who are involved in community development.

According to Dr Michael Young, head of the Department of Horticultural Sciences, they have been running the project for several years and their aim is to train trainers who will go and plough back into their communities.

The Department works with communities that are involved in soup kitchens and related projects. The objective is to help these projects to become self-sustaining and for example, to never run out of vegetables.

The Department also works with schools, health centres and crèches from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Dr Young said: “Our main aim in this project is for these leaders to learn good gardening practices through interaction with our students. By doing this we believe we are playing our role towards poverty alleviation.”

So far, the project has attracted people as far as Grabouw.

The project does not just help feed the communities, but has also created jobs in certain communities.

“There are now entrepreneurs who earn a living through what our students are teaching communities,” said Dr Young.

Citing the community of Belhar as an example, Dr Young said community leaders from Belhar have grown tremendously and have also managed to run businesses out of what they learnt.

The Department issues start-up kits to all the attendees to give them an opportunity to start their own projects.

The institution’s Service Learning Unit, together with the Department of Horticultural Sciences, has assigned representatives to visit various communities and identify those who are in need. These communities later benefit from the service learning project.

Lucienne de Villiers, a Horticulture and Landscape Technology lecturer, said: “The service learning project is a wonderful initiative as it benefits the communities, staff and students.

“Also, this is unique for students. There’s a lot of learning on their side.”

Applied Sciences’ Faculty Dean, Prof Olalekan Fatoki, also visited the nursery while students were embarking on the skills transfer project.

“We went to visit the nursery with our Dean, Prof Fatoki, and he was extremely moved by the way our students interacted with the community leaders. He was visibly impressed by the initiative,” Dr Young concluded.

By Andiswa Dantile

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Landfill gas, with its high methane content, can pose a threat to humans through explosions, combustion or asphyxiation.

This was the focus of the Landfill Gas Harvesting workshop that took place at the CPUT auditorium on the Bellville campus recently.

The workshop was organised by the Waste Management students as part of their assessment on 7 October 2009.

This was the first landfill gas harvesting workshop in Cape Town

The workshop focused on creating awareness about the dangers of methane gas which may be the result of a gas that comes out of landfills.

Also, the event showed attendees what has been previously done regarding the landfill gas, what is currently underway and what may be possible in the future.

The Waste Management department emphasised that there is a significant amount of money that can be made by operators through mining landfill liabilities and turn them into garbage gold

Jacob Seccona, CPUT Environmental Department’s head said: “This is the first workshop ever organised in CPUT. We need more workshops like these in order to create awareness at municipalities as it is only Ethekwini Municipality that is doing something about landfill gas harvesting.”

CPUT’s Environmental Management Department, which presents the Waste Management course to environmental officers who come from all over the country, helped the students organise the workshop.

Kagisho Motingwe, a student who also works for the City of Cape Town as a principal technician, was the steering committee manager for the workshop.

“Putting together this workshop was an assignment on its own for us as it is part of the continuous evaluation of students, which forms part of the year mark,” said Motingwe.

The workshop targeted municipalities, non-governmental organisations and private sector entities involved in waste management in general, but specifically landfill management and subsequently expanded to students as well.

Motingwe said the objective of the workshop was to create a discussion around landfill gas in South Africa, and to stimulate that relevant guest speakers were invited.

Five speakers shared the stage, touching on the social and environmental externalities of landfill gas, carbon loads and carbon credits, civil impact on landfill gas harvesting and also creating a climate for innovation and change.

According to Motingwe, the idea behind the workshop was to look at the economic side of landfill gas harvesting, the social side and the ethical side of it.

Among the guest speakers was CPUT’s lecturer Dr Lee-Anne Seeliger who spoke around the ethical side of landfill gas.

By Andiswa Dantile

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Imitha Yelanga Children’s Home has become the latest beneficiary of one of the Anglo Residence’s social responsibility activities, after the home was given food and clothes as part of a donation.

Anglo Residence, one of CPUT’s residences at the Bellville campus, in conjunction with the City of Cape Town, visited the home in Eerste Rivier on 28 August 2009.

About 25 people, who included the residence’s house committee and students and others from different residences of CPUT at the Bellville campus, took part in the initiative.

The outreach is part of the residence’s activities for the year, which among many includes social responsibility.

The group donated groceries amounting to more than R3000, which included meat, drinks and toiletries. Other donations were clothes that were collected by students who reside at Anglo Residence.

The main purpose of the visit was to interact with and give love to the children. The group also prepared lunch for the children, which was served after school by the students.

According to Bulelwa Dlephu, the residence coordinator, they decided to identify needy homes as part of their outreach programme.

Dlephu said: “We decided to rope in the City of Cape Town as they are in a good position to identify these homes. We were specific to them as we said we wanted the neediest home around Cape Town and Imitha Yelanga Children’s Home was the one.”

The residence started planning for the project at the beginning of the year and it was agreed that each student would donate R10.

“We later discovered that R10 was not going to be enough as Anglo Residence is one of the smallest residences here, and then we decided to ask people outside.

“We went almost to every department and we were also asking our friends that are outside the institution. Through patience from our side and much cooperation from the students, our project was very successful,” said Dlephu.

The City of Cape Town did not only identify the neediest home, but also offered to transport the group to and from the Bellville campus to Eerste Rivier.

Imitha Yelanga Children’s Home was started in 2000 by Ms Cordelia Woniwe who couldn’t stand seeing children being dumped by their parents on a daily basis.

She now looks after 11 children that she gets through the Department of Social Services.

Responding to CPUT students for their donation, Ms Woniwe said: “I thank you for coming here; you have really made a difference. You have brought hope and joy to these children.”

She continued by saying that: “Working with children from different backgrounds is not an easy task. Some of these children were dumped on the highways and I feel it is my responsibility to give them the love that they didn’t get from their biological parents”.

Woniwe used to work as a domestic worker before deciding that her destiny was taking care of the children.

The Anglo Residence has many activities in the pipeline and plans to visit more homes in the future.

“If things were easier for us, we would adopt the Imitha Yelanga Children’s home, but for now we can’t promise anything. We’ll keep on doing the best where we can,” Dlephu concluded.

By Andiswa Dantile

Written by CPUT News
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