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28 February 2018 Photo Pixabay
Use less water and save more
Don't think twice about being water-wise

“Lift up the handle as soon as you flush. Don’t use the whole five litres at a go,” says Dr Cindé Greyling, who reckons we could save 25% of the water we flush down the toilet. Dr Greyling, who completed her PhD in Disaster Management at the University of the Free State (UFS), has spent years studying ways to shape the drought dialogue. Her voice is one that deserves our attention as citizens of this province.

Over the past five years the Free State has been experiencing heightened stress levels on reservoirs and dams due to the drought conditions induced by climate change. Since 2013 the issue has been worsening instead of improving.

Feasible water-conservation strategies
Students and staff members are advised to apply the same principle in the bathroom and kitchen alike by not letting the tap run while rinsing coffee cups. You could save a litre or two a day by (depending on how much coffee you drink and the number of cups rinsed) by quitting this bad habit. According to Dr Greyling, litter on campus is a secondary way of wasting water which many are unaware of. Litter blocks the drains and water which could have otherwise been recycled is lost in the process.

What do fellow Kovsies say?
Unamandla Mdlotshana, a third-year Actuarial Science student proposed eco-friendly adjustments that could potentially save litres of water on our campuses. He believes that using bottles to collect drinking water from taps, installing more water dispensers, and introducing hand sanitisers in bathrooms could drastically minimise water usage.

According to Dr Greyling, litter on campus is a
secondary way of wasting water which many
are unaware of. Litter blocks the drains and water,
which could have otherwise been recycled,
is lost in the process.


In Tebogo Chabangu’s view, taking shorter showers, turning off the tap while brushing your teeth, and making sure taps are properly closed are some of the ways we could be water-wise. For the Anthropology honours student being water conscious means changing habits on a daily basis.

Join us as we spread the message of reversing the effects of the drought by saving water prior to the Rector’s engagement with students at 11:30 on 08 March 2018 at the Albert Wessels Auditorium on the Bloemfontein campus.

Remember to tag us on your water-saving tips on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

 

News Archive

Cornell academic focuses on international trade in inaugural lecture at the UFS
2013-11-12

 
Prof Muna Ndulo
Photo: Stephen Collett
12 November 2013

Prof Muna Ndulo, Professor at the Cornell Law School, delivered his inaugural lecture as Extraordinary Professor in the Department of Mercantile Law at the University of the Free State (UFS). The topic of his lecture was: Facilitating regional and world trade through international trade.

With this topic, Prof Ndulo said that trade is a recognised contributor to the Growth Domestic Product of countries and its role can be used to reduce global poverty and inequality. “Although Africa’s GDP is 5-6% on average, with a positive increase in direct foreign investments, its meaningful participation in world trade has been decimal,” he said.

Trade between African countries is 12%, which is the lowest in the world. This is in comparison to intercontinental trade in European states (72%), North America (48%), Asia (52%) and 26% in Latin America. The EU and USA are Africa’s key export markets. High transport costs, import substitution, intra-regional transactions, conflict of rules and bills of exchange remain as challenges. There are also no common standards with regards to the development of manpower as an important factor in production.

Prof Ndulo suggested solutions which Africa can use to achieve harmonisation. This includes the introduction of normative rules designed in a framework of a treaty. A modern law approach could be used to develop legislation and ensure uniformity; and lastly, the formulation of commercial customs and practice. “Harmonisation demands a high level of expertise and quality research,” said Prof Ndulo.

He added: “When legislation is developed, it must resemble the needs of our trade laws in order to maximise benefits.”

He concluded that, for harmonisation to be achieved, the political environment must play a major role in regional and world trade.

Prof Elizabeth Snyman-Van Deventer, Head of the Department of Mercantile Law, made sincere closing remarks on how much we as a continent have become an enemy of our own self by not having trade relationships among ourselves as Africans. Prof Snyman urged those in the legal fraternity to be part of the harmonisation of trade laws and eliminate the barriers by improving legislation.

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