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27 August 2020 | Story Eugene Seegers | Photo Jolandi Griesel
Siphokazi Dlwati - Faculty of Theology and Religion
Sipho Dlwati lives to help others.
Siphokazi Dlwati believes in mentoring. Not only in being mentored, but in mentoring others as well. In fact, this is her life’s philosophy. As she puts it: “I am convinced that each one of us has the potential to be absolutely great at everything we do; but I also believe that we need assistance from those who have gone before us, people who have acquired the necessary skills and knowledge to guide and caution us.”

Sipho strives to be such a model and mentor: “I believe that everything I learn is not just for my benefit, but it is for the benefit of those who are looking up to me, those who are interested in my journey and how I have managed to make it a level or a step further than where they are.” 

“Good relationships are the
real measure of true success.”
—Siphokazi Dlwati,
Faculty of Theology and Religion

Please tell us about yourself

“I am the Teaching and Learning Manager in the Faculty of Theology and Religion. I see my role at the institution as that of a middleman between faculty staff, students, and the institution. Mine is to ensure that all three entities hear and understand each other’s needs. On one hand, institutional teaching and learning strategies and policies need to be disseminated at faculty level for input and later implementation to the betterment of the teaching and learning experience for both staff and students. On the other hand, the institutional culture needs to evolve and be more sensitive to the needs of its students and staff, inevitably adjusting its policies and strategies to better accommodate all Kovsies!”

What do you do at the university?

“I am inspired by all the women I am surrounded by, be it at home, work or even in social spaces. There is a common thread among all of them. Their strength, resilience, and courage to always try, even when it seems futile, is not only encouraging but also enabling, as it says, ‘I can also achieve much in my life’.”

What advice would you give to a 15-year-old you?
“Loss has helped me to channel my energies constructively. Realising that nothing lasts forever has motivated me to never take anyone or anything for granted.

Against all your pursuits, never compromise the value of relationships for commodities. Good relationships are the real measure of true success. Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu. Let that pace you!”

Is there a woman who inspires you and who you would like to celebrate this Women’s Month, and why?

“I think my desire and commitment to see our staff and students grow from one level of success to the next is what makes me a champion woman. We all have the potential to be great at whatever we put our minds to, but we do need assistance from others. We need guidance from those who have gone before us and acquired the necessary information and skills to guide us as people journeying behind them. I believe that everything I learn and acquire should not solely benefit me, but others as well.”

News Archive

Publication on indigenous knowledge systems
2005-10-21

 

 

Dr Otsile Ntsoane (acting Director: IKS, Department of Science and Technology) and Prof Philip Nel (Director:  Africa Studies at the UFS and guest editor of the publication) at the launch of the publication

UFS launches most comprehensive publication on indigenous knowledge systems
A unique collection of essays on Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) was launched yesterday (20 October 2005) by the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Programme of Africa Studies.

The essays are published as a special edition of INDILINGA, the African Journal for Indigenous Knowledge Systems and is an outcome of the colloquium on Indigenous Knowledge Systems that was presented last year by the UFS Director of Africa Studies in cooperation with the National Research Council.

“The amount and diversity of materials on IKS brought together under one cover is unique as there are no other South African publications of this magnitude on this issue.  It contains papers of international experts on IKS such as Prof Fritz Wallner from Austria and Prof Gayatri Spivak, foremost postcolonial theorist from India,” said Prof Philip Nel, Director of Africa Studies and guest editor of the publication.

“The publication is a rich source field for students and scholars to exploit because most of the sources quoted in the articles are recent, fresh and relevant.  The contributors are largely people responsible for managing, fostering and studying IKS in a responsible manner,” said Prof Nel.

“An added value of the publication is the inclusion of the policy document on IKS that was adopted by Cabinet in November 2004,” said Prof Nel.


“Millions of people in South Africa are faced with the painful choice of abandoning their heritage.  In this choice, the study and management of IKS has a major role to play; on the one hand, to encourage as much assimilation of traditional knowledge as possible into the modern systems, and on the other hand to provide a “language” and a “grammar” for indigenous people through which they can access modernity,” said Prof Nel.

The IKS debate involves questions of African identity, protection of indigenous communities and practices, political aspects as well as the scientific integrity of the enterprise. 

The publication displays the range of burning questions that have to be resolved in this field such as mainstreaming IKS in academic debate and practice, recognition and protection of the knowledge holders, bio-prospecting and bio-piracy, bio and ethnic healing, lack of textbooks and field manuals, etc and will prove worthwhile for future researchers.

 “One of the main reasons for publishing this volume is the fact that IKS should be studied not only to provide a sense of pride in the past, or  to engender respect for indigenous peoples, but also to enable people in indigenous mind sets to make a better transition into the world of science and technology,” said Prof Nel.

The guest speaker at the launch was Dr Otsile Ntsoane, acting Director of IKS at the Department of Science and Technology.  In his speech Dr Ntsoane stressed the symbolic and concrete value of the publication.  “The publication can have a great social impact and the research results can contribute to chancing the economic landscape of South Africa,” he said.

The publication can be purchased at R150 per copy.  For more information, Ms Steffi Cawood, Programme Coordinator for Africa Studies at the UFS can be contacted at (051) 401-2614.

Media release
Issued by:Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel:   (051) 401-2584
Cell:  083 645 2454
E-mail:  loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
21 October 2005
 

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