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03 June 2020 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Rulanzen Martin
Prof Kobus Marais, the founder of the JTSA, at the launch of his Indexicality Research Forum in 2019.
The newly launched Journal for Translation Studies in Africa (JTSA) by Prof Kobus Marais from the Department of Linguistics and Language Practice at the University of the Free State (UFS), is the result of various efforts over a period of more than a decade.

“The first Summer School for Translation Studies in Africa 2009 stands out as one of the first efforts to think about the concept of translation in Africa,” said Prof Marais. A subsequent series of summer schools also led to the formation of the Association for Translation Studies (ATSA) in Africa in 2016 in Nairobi, Kenya. 

The journal is an open-sourced, peer-reviewed publication, boasting scholarly papers, book reviews, opinion pieces and work by young scholars within translation studies. The first edition of the journal was made possible with financial support from Prof Corli Witthuhn, Vice-Rector: Research, Innovation and Internationalisation and the Directorate: Research Development at the UFS. 


First edition to focus on African translation phenomena 

The JTSA is an attempt to start scholarly debate with a focus on Africa as a developmental context in which to study translation phenomena and practices. The first edition will guest edited by Dr Carmen Delgado Luchner from the University of Geneva who is an accredited European Union interpreter. In the editorial of the first edition, Prof Marais and Dr Delgado Luchner set out the vision of the journal, namely: “to offer a high-level publication outlet to translation-studies scholars from Africa, African translation-studies scholars in the diaspora and scholars in general working on African topics in translation studies”.

“It would disseminate their work in order to advance the field of translation studies in Africa and to position Africa in relation to the rest of the world as far as translation studies are concerned.”

The editorial board of the JTSA consists of Prof Kobus Marais, the editor-in-chief, who will be assisted by three sub-editors, who each take responsibility for one of the sections. They are: Dr Francis Ajayi – Agenda (opinion pieces); Dr Felix Awung – reviews; and Dr Mwamba Chibamba – New Voices (young scholars). 

Apart from the editorial board there is an International Advisory Board consisting of various translation scholars. “This journal will be devoted to translation studies in Africa, with its wealth of languages, its innovative and creative language and translation practices and policies,” said Prof Reine Meylaerts, Vice-Rector: Research Policy at Katholieke Universitiet Leuven, who serves on the advisory board. She also praised the JTSA for its multilingualism and being an example of Open Science. 

Other scholars on the advisory board are: Prof Rita Kothari (Ashoka University in India); Prof John Milton (University of São Paulo, Brazil); Prof Jacobus Naude (UFS); Prof Maria Tymoczko (University of Massachusetts, Amherst); and Prof Rita Wilson (Monash University). 

News Archive

UFS first to mechanise agricultural technique
2006-05-09

    

Small farmers from Thaba `Nchu were the biggest group attending the farmers day at the UFS Paradys experimental farm.  From the left are Mr David Motlhale (a small farmer from Thaba 'Nchu), Prof Leon van Rensburg (lecturer at the UFS Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences and project leader), Mr Nhlonipho Nhlabatsi (Agricultural Research Council, Glen), Ms Meisie Mthethwa (small farmer from Bloemspruit).  In front is Mr Patrick Molatodi (chairperson of the Tswelopele Small Farmer Association).
 

 

Some of the participants of the farmers day at the UFS Paradys experimental farm were from the left Prof Leon van Rensburg (lecturer at the UFS Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences and project leader, Mr Patrick Molatodi (chairperson of the Tswelopele Small Farmers Association) and Prof Herman van Schalkwyk (Dean: UFS Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences).

UFS first tertiary institution in world to mechanise agricultural technique
The University of the Free State (UFS) is the first tertiary institution in the world to mechanise the in-field rain water harvesting technique on a commercial scale.

The technique was recently demonstrated to about 100 small farmers at the UFS Paradys experimental farm outside Bloemfontein. 

“With this technique rain water is channeled to the plant and in this way food security is increased.  The advantage of the technique for commercial farmers lies in the reduced cultivation of land.  Small farmers will benefit from this because they can now move out into the fields and away from farming in their back yards,” says Prof Leon van Rensburg, lecturer at the UFS Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences and project leader.    

Rain water harvesting is an antique concept that was used by communities before the birth of Christ.  In South Africa the technique is mainly used in the plots of small farmers where they make surface structures by hand. 

"The technique is also used for the first time by the UFS on commercial scale by means of the cultivation of a summer crop on 100 ha at the Paradys experimental farm,” says Prof Leon van Rensburg,

Of the farmers who attended the farmers day most represented about 42 rural communities in the vicinity of Thaba ‘Nchu.  A group of seven from KwaZulu-Natal also attended the proceedings.  These small farmers can for example apply this technique successfully on the 250-300 ha communal land that is available in the Thaba ‘Nchu area. 

The project is funded by the UFS and the National Research Foundation (NRF) and the farmers’ day was funded by the Water Research Commission.   

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel:   (051) 401-2584
Cell:  083 645 2454
E-mail:  loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
9 May 2006

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