Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Previous Archive
05 November 2020 | Story Andre Damons | Photo Supplied
Heinrich Janse van Rensburg’s is a 5th year medical student from the University of the Free State whose photo was highly commended at the Imperial College London’s Global Creative Competition: Medical Student Responses to COVID-19.

A late-night photo taken through a window at the Pelonomi hospital by a final-year medical student from the University of the Free State (UFS) was highly commended at the first Global Creative Competition: Medical Student Responses to COVID-19.

The competition, held by the Imperial College London, received more than 600 entries from more than 52 countries. The competition was held to bring together the global community of medical students to submit their creative responses to COVID-19 and to provide a platform for them to reflect on their personal and professional experiences during this challenging time.

Medical students from around the world could enter in two categories; visual and literary, and the winners were announced during a Global Awards Ceremony on 14 October.

Meaning behind the photo

Heinrich Janse van Rensburg’s late -night photo highlights the economic inequality that persists in South Africa. The photo was taken from the Pelonomi Hospital which is located in Heidedal, Bloemfontein, and shows the old, forsaken Dutch Reformed church in the foreground, shacks in the background with smoke billowing from the dwellings, where up to six people live in one room trying to stay warm during winter. They are built so close to each other that there can be no talk of effective social distancing.

According to Janse van Rensburg the theme of inequality in the South African milieu is further shown in the striking contrast between light and dark in the picture. “And now, with the COVID-19 pandemic placing a massive burden on an already struggling healthcare system the inequality is even more visible,” says Janse van Rensburg.

 

Janse van Rensburg’s late-night photo taken from the Pelonomi Hospital in Heidedal, Bloemfontein, shows the economic inequality that persists in South Africa. The photo was highly commended at the Imperial College London’s Global Creative Competition for Medical Student Responses to COVID-19.


A little shocked 

He was a little shocked when he heard his photograph was highly commended. Janse van Rensburg says: “Imperial College London is a big institution and being an international competition I did not really expect a lot. There were participants from over 52 countries, and having seen some of the works that were submitted it feels special to be one of the students being noticed.”

Janse van Rensburg, who has never considered doing art, heard about the competition through the Faculty of Health Sciences platforms during lockdown level 5. He saw it as an opportunity to reflect, which has become even more imperative in times like these.

He says he does not go searching for art, but “notices” it from being conscious – something he thinks is important in medicine and life.

Value of creativity in promoting mental well-being

Dr Lynette van der Merwe, undergraduate medical programme director, School of Clinical Medicine, congratulated Janse van Rensburg, saying this commendation in an international competition underscores his talent and the value of creativity in promoting mental well-being.

“Heinrich’s artwork and showcase precisely what we aspire to develop in our exceptional UFS doctors-in-training: a professional with self-awareness, empathy and humanity.

“We initiated a Mental Health Awareness initiative and art competition in the School of Clinical Medicine in 2018 to promote creative expression as a means of supporting students’ mental health. Heinrich has won awards with his creative contributions every year, exhibiting his imaginative ability.”

Surgery and photography

Janse van Rensburg says he has always loved beautiful things and the meaning people attach to art is a good way to communicate that. He has applied for an internship at the Mitchells Plain hospital for when he completes his studies at the end of this year and is thinking of specialising in reconstructive or pediatrics surgery. Besides that, he would like to tap into his creative side and continue with the photography.

  • Watch the video of the winners here

News Archive

Weak states and armed movements – researching the underlying links
2014-08-28

 

Prof Theo Neethling is conducting research on armed movements in the DRC.
Photo: en.wikipedia.org

Prof Theo Neethling from the Department of Political Studies and Governance is currently conducting research on armed movements in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

“My research is premised on the scholarly insight and argument that in weak states, such as the DRC, armed movements and militias are filling power vacuums that are the result of the inability and lack of military capacity to fight these movements effectively,” Prof Neethling says.

“In this context, the DRC is severely affected by sub-state terrorism,” he continues.

“This is a phenomenon that is intimately linked to the failure to effect sustained development and to consolidate accountable and effective governance in especially the eastern provinces of the country.”

Earlier this year, Prof Neethling presented conference papers on this topic at two international conferences: the Conference of the New York State Political Science Association, as well as the World International Studies Conference hosted in Frankfurt, Germany.

In 2013, Prof Neethling co-edited the book, ‘Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development in Africa: Concepts, Policy, Role-players and Practice’. He completed this work in collaboration with Prof Heidi Hudson from the UFS Centre for Africa Studies.

“The book revolves around the concept of ‘post-conflict’ and the blurring of military and civilian roles, analysing the multiple roles of the United Nations in the DRC and Sierra Leone, as well as the African Union Mission in Burundi,” Prof Neethling says.

“It also explores South Africa’s foreign policy imperatives in relation to multinational peace missions in conflict-stricken African states, involving military as well as civilian role-players.” 
 
 
 
 
 

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept