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25 August 2020 | Story Andre Damons | Photo Supplied
Dr Sabeehah Vawda, a pathologist in virology and a Senior Lecturer in the Division of Virology at the UFS, is one of the University of the Free State’s champion women.
As South Africa commemorates Women’s Month during August, the UFS shines a spotlight on women who are making an impact on our three campuses on a daily basis.

Dr Sabeehah Vawda is one of these women – a medical doctor with a postgraduate degree in medical virology. Dr Vawda’s work involves overseeing diagnostic virology laboratory tests, providing virology-related advice to other healthcare workers and diagnostic laboratories in the Free State and Northern Cape, research, and teaching and training undergraduate and postgraduate medical students. 

“I like that I work in a clean and (mostly) very controlled environment. In addition, virology has an ever-evolving nature; there is always something totally new or revised about viruses and our knowledge thereof,” says Dr Vawda.

Originally from KZN, Dr Vawda studied and worked in quite a few provinces. She studied in Pretoria (Tuks), did her internship in Pietermaritzburg, community service in Kimberley, and postgrad studies in Bloemfontein, where she has (surprisingly) remained since completing her studies. “I am currently employed by the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) as a pathologist in virology and by the University of the Free State (UFS) as a Senior Lecturer in the Division of Virology.”

Dr Vawda talks about what inspires her, challenges she faced, and what makes a champion woman.  

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

My mum. She is a tremendous inspiration because she is always motivated, sees the ‘bright side’ of dreary matters, and encourages both my sister and myself to do the same. My dad tragically passed away when I was 18 and my mum very courageously took on her dual role, encouraged my sister and I to pursue our dreams, and with the Almighty’s mercy got us both through medical school. She is continuously encouraging us to strive for more, both in our careers and spiritually. My mum remains my ‘go-to-person’, and as a new mum myself, she continues to be my tower of strength as I experience this new phase of my life.

What are some of the challenges you’ve faced in your life that have made you a better woman?

My dad’s unexpected demise felt like the end of all our lives. At the time, I was completing my first year of BSc and was trying to get into medical school. A month later, I was accepted by the University of Pretoria to study medicine and had to make the arduous decision whether to leave home or not. Being an introverted, quiet person, moving provinces without any idea of how to fund my studies was quite a daunting challenge. 
With my mum’s encouragement and the mercy of the Almighty, I accepted the offer and eventually received a full bursary. Retrospectively, being ‘thrown in at the deep end’, moving provinces alone, prolonged periods away from my loved ones, living without the comforts I had been accustomed to, and having a restricted budget, forced me to become independent and essentially moulded me into the person I am today.

What advice would you give to the 15-year-old you?

Your life is probably not going to follow the plan you have envisioned, because trials and tribulations are all part of life’s experience, but with faith and determination, everything somehow eventually falls into place. Always remember that the Almighty never gives a burden too tall. Remain humble despite your achievements and continuously strive to become a better version of ‘you’.


What would you say makes you a champion woman [of the UFS]?

At the outset, I have to state that I actually don’t consider myself to be a ‘champion woman of the UFS’ (yet, LOL), and was genuinely surprised and humbled when asked to be part of the Women’s Day feature. 

So, what makes a champion woman in the academic setting? To me, it is someone who excels in her field of expertise, is willing to go the ‘extra mile’, and continues to perform well under stressful conditions. A professional person who is approachable and willing to assist her students/colleagues while remaining respectful to those above and beneath her. 

 


News Archive

Getting out of the dark
2015-04-28

Photo: Leonie Bolleurs

Since 2008, the University of the Free State has been busy with the planning and implementation of projects to reduce the impact of load shedding. To date,  the cost of these projects has run to R6 million. They have been done primarily to ensure that the academic programme does not suffer damage as a result of the increasing interruptions in the power supply that are continuing this year.

The university’s greatest concern has been the provision of emergency power to the lecture halls and laboratories.

Thus far, 35 generators are servicing 55 buildings on the three campuses of the UFS. This includes 26 generators on the Bloemfontein Campus, eight on the Qwaqwa Campus in the Eastern Free State, and one generator on the South Campus in Bloemfontein. The generators are already in service, and are maintained in working order.

Since 2010, the university has also ensured that all newly-built academic buildings are equipped with emergency power supplies.

On the South Campus in Bloemfontein, the new lecture-hall building and the computer laboratory are equipped with emergency power, while the installation of emergency generators in other buildings is under way. The majority of the buildings on the Qwaqwa Campus in the Eastern Free State are equipped with emergency power supplies.

In the meantime, the UFS management has approved a further R11 million for the installation of additional generators on the three campuses. A further R1.5 million has also been approved for the purchase of two mobile generators.

To extend the work already done, the main task will be the installation of more generators on the Bloemfontein Campus to ensure that lecture halls with emergency power will be available for the centrally-arranged timetables, and to ensure that more of the critical laboratories will be provided with emergency power.

There are still  some important buildings and halls on the Bloemfontein Campus that must be supplied with emergency power. However, it is a costly process and must be brought into operation gradually. The further implementation of emergency power depends on the delivery of equipment. The university is also investigating alternative solutions for power provisioning, including solar power.

Generators with spare capacity are optimally deployed to satisfy the lower needs of the campus, including the Odeion, the ANNEX at Microbiology, the Stabilis ANNEX, the Agriculture Building, the UV-Sasol library, and the Francois Retief Building.

In addition, the UFS  is busy on all campuses, coupling area lighting, including

street lights and pedestrian walkways, to existing generators. Procedures for the operation of mechanical equipment, such as entrance gates, lifts, and so on, are currently being dealt with on all campuses. Continuous power sources for certain ICT equipment will be installed on all campuses to protect it against power surges.

Staff and students can also equip themselves with the necessary knowledge to manage load shedding in their specific areas of work and study. It is always helpful to know who to contact. The following list with guidelines and contact numbers has been compiled to assist you:

1. In an emergency, call Protection Services. This line will continue to operate, regardless of whether the power is on or off.
2. Avoid using lifts just before planned load shedding. Some lifts have emergency power packs which will bring the lift to the nearest floor and open the doors. If you still get stuck in a lift during a power outage, use your cellphone to call Protection Services. While you're waiting, stay calm and be patient.
3. If the access control systems in your building stop working after load shedding, contact Protection Services.
4. The students and staff members who are most at risk during load shedding are those in wheelchairs or with other mobility limitations. As far as possible, plan ahead to avoid being stuck on a floor or in a room that is difficult to access when load shedding is imminent. Please contact Protection Services if you need assistance.
5. During a fire, alarms WILL go off. Alarms are not power driven, but battery driven. For assistance, contact Protection Services.
6. The main UFS Switchboard (Bloemfontein Campus +27(0)51 401 9111 and Qwaqwa Campus +27(0)58 718 5000) will continue to operate during load shedding.

Contact details of Protection Services:

  • Bloemfontein Campus: +27(0)51 401 2634/2911
  • Qwaqwa Campus: +27(0)58 508 5460/5175
  • South Campus: +27(0)51 5051217

Communication and Brand Management will make information available on the UFS web, Facebook page, Twitter, Blackboard and the intranet. Get the load shedding schedule from Eskom’s webpage (http://loadshedding.eskom.co.za/). The Bloemfontein Campus falls in group 4 and the South Campus falls in group 2 in Centlec’s load shedding schedule.

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