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20 June 2018 Photo Valentino Ndaba
Justice Malala and Bernard Agulhas build students business acumen
Bernard Agulhas, engaging students on the auditing world at the Business Acumen day recently hosted by the School of Accountancy.
“Auditors need to have a challenging and sceptical mindset,” said Bernard Agulhas, CEO of the Independent Regulatory Board of Auditors (IRBA), the regulating body responsible for investigating and disciplining auditors. Agulhas presented a talk titled: ’Restoring confidence in the audit profession – the South African story’ at the Business Acumen Day recently hosted by the School of Accountancy at the University of the Free State (UFS).
 
Agulhas shared insights into some of South Africa’s recent auditing scandals surrounding KPMG and the Guptas, Eskom and SA Airways, among others..About 305 BAcc third-year, Postgraduate Diploma in General Accountancy, BCom AccHons, and BAccHons (CTA) students had the privilege of being exposed to the expert opinions of Agulhas and political commentator Justice Malala.
 
Building on Agulhas’s argument, Malala proposed that, “Ethics is at the core of what we should be and should do,” adding that, “the only thing standing between you and anarchy is having institutions like the UFS.”

Malala presents The Justice Factor on eNCA and is also a columnist of note. This award-winning journalist has had his work published internationally in newspapers such as The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, The Telegraph, The Independent, Forbes and Institutional Investor, among others. His broad perspective shed a different light on political and economic issues currently engulfing South Africa, and encouraging the auidence to apply their critical thinking skills.

Prof Hentie Van Wyk, Head of the School of Accountancy also encouraged students to engage in lifelong learning in alignment to the CA2025 project championed by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA).
 
According to SAICA: “In a world of exponential and continuous change, it has become more critical than ever to ensure that CAs (SA) remain relevant in the roles they perform. The CA2025 project being undertaken is formally researching the competencies, including knowledge, skills and attitudes that CAs (SA) will need to demonstrate in the workplace of the future.” 

One of the pervasive skills identified as a key area in the development of CAs (SA), is business acumen. Business acumen is a more professional term for business savvy or business sense. This skill goes hand in hand with critical thinking – a skill that no CA(SA) can do without. With this in mind, the School of Accountancy identified the need to expose students to leaders who, not only possess these skills, but can contribute to their understanding of the profession and the country’s economy, hence the Business Acumen Day held on 4 June 2018 at the Bloemfontein Campus.

News Archive

UFS student makes breakthrough in the application of nanorobots
2005-04-21

A student from the University of the Free State (UFS) has made a ground-breaking discovery in the field of microbiology by uncovering a series of new compounds that may in future be used to lubricate man-made nanorobots.

Mr Olihile Sebolai, a full-time student at the UFS’s Department of Microbial- Biochemical and Food Biotechnology, made this discovery while working on his M Sc-study on yeast.

With this discovery Mr Sebolai will also be awarded six prestigious prizes during this week’s autumn graduation ceremony at the UFS.  This university has recognised this exceptional achievement as a build-up to the celebration of national Science and Technology week next month.     

Mr Sebolai’s dissertation on the yeast genus Saccharomycopsis Schionning has been published in an accredited international journal of repute. 

“Words cannot describe how excited I am. I never expected to receive such recognition for my studies.  I am humbled by all of this,” said Mr Sebolai.

The Lipid Biotechnology Group at the UFS recently discovered that some yeasts produce their own water-propelled capsules in which they are transported.  These capsules have different shapes and resemble among others miniature flying saucers, hats with razor sharp brims etc.  “In order to function properly, parts of the capsules are oiled with prehistoric lubricants – lubricants that are produced by yeasts and that probably existed for many millions of years as yeasts developed,” said Mr Sebolai.  

According to Mr Sebolai these capsules are so small that approximately 300 can be fitted into the full-stop at the end of a sentence and are therefore invisible to the naked eye.

“With my studies I discovered many new compounds that resemble these prehistoric lubricants.  These lubricants may in future be used to lubricate man-made nanorobots and are similar in size compared to yeast capsules,” said Mr Sebolai.  The nanorobots are used to perform tasks in places that are invisible to the naked eye and could one day be used, among others, to clean up human arteries.

Mr Sebolai has been interested in the subject of Micro technology since he was at RT Mokgopa High School in Thaba ‘Nchu.  “I was specifically interested in the many possible applications the subject has – in the industry, as well as in medicine,” said Mr Sebolai. 

His next goal is to successfully complete his Ph D-degree.

The prizes that will be awarded to Mr Sebolai this week include:

Best Magister student at the UFS (Senate medal and prize);

Best Magister student in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Science and Dean’s medal at the same faculty;

The Andries Brink – Sasol-prize for the best M Sc dissertation in Microbiology;

The JP van der Walt prize for best M Sc dissertation in yeast science;

The Chris Small prize for an outstanding Master’s dissertation; and

Honorary colours awarded by the UFS Student Representative Council

Media release

Issued by:                     Lacea Loader

                                    Media Representative

                                    Tel:  (051) 401-2584

                                    Cell:  083 645 2454

                                    E-mail:  loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za

20 April 2005

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