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05 November 2020 | Story Thabo Kessah
Prof Moffett’s latest offering collates hundreds of mountain research material into one accessible reference book.

Prof Rodney Moffett recently published a new book focusing on various scientific articles published between 1808 and 2019. The book, A Scientific Bibliography of the Drakensberg, Maloti and Adjacent Lowlands, has 534 pages and covers material appearing in accredited journals, plus unpublished but traceable reports, documents, presentations, and dissertations.

“The scientific articles range from palaeobotany with 17 entries, to rock art with 502 entries, as well as 252 theses and dissertations,” said Prof Moffett.

He said it took 18 months to compile the book, typing the manuscript himself – mostly at night.

In the foreword, Dr Ralph Clark, Director: Afromontane Research Unit (ARU), says: “This bibliography is a labour of love, and will inspire a new generation to take up the baton for excellent research in this fantastic mountain system. We are proud to publish this under the ARU banner as a contribution to growing and consolidating mountain-passionate relationships in Southern Africa, and to encourage our journey towards developing a holistic understanding and sustainable use of these iconic mountain landscapes.” 

Other books

Prof Moffett is an honorary research fellow in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of the Free State, and an associate of the Afromontane Research Unit on the UFS Qwaqwa Campus. He was previously Professor of Botany on the Qwaqwa Campus when it was part of the University of the North, retiring in 2000. Since then, he has remained active, publishing scholarly works on ethnobotany and other natural history subjects.

His four recent books, also published by Sun Press, are: Sesotho Plant and Animal Names and Plants used by the Basotho (2010), A Biographical Dictionary of Contributors to the Natural History of the Free State and Lesotho (2014), Basotho Medicinal Plants – Meriana ya Dimela tsa Basotho (2016), and A Field Guide to the Clarens Village Conservancy (2018). A second revised edition of Meriana ya Dimela tsa Basotho – 

News Archive

Right to Learn cyclists cross the finish line
2017-12-05

 Description: R2L Finish  Tags: cyclists, Right to Learn, Cape Town, Paarl, GivenGain Foundation, donations 

The Right to Learn cycling team are happy and thankful that they have completed
their journey.
Photo: Mike Rose

After a seven-day journey, the Right to Learn cycling team have finally reached their destination. Having travelled for over a 1 000 kilometres from Bloemfontein, they arrived safely in the Paarl on Monday 4 December 2017. During their final stretch, they travelled 130 kilometres from Montagu to Paarl, where they ended the Right to Learn Cycling Tour.
 
Gratitude for support
Asive Dlanjwa, Bloemfontein Campus SRC President, says, “It's been good, it's been tough, and it’s been an amazing journey.” He expressed his gratitude to everyone who has been supporting them throughout the journey. “Thank you so much for every cent that you have given, for every prayer, and every thought.”
 
Thulasizwe Mxenge, one of the guest cyclists from Johannesburg, says, “Asive had informed us that most students struggle with access to higher education, and we saw the need to assist and take part in the initiative.” He says the journey was tough, because they had to cycle for about five hours every time they went on the road. “I’m very tired but also happy to have completed the journey.”

Donations received
Since the beginning of the Right to Learn initiative, they have managed to raise R80 000 through corporate giving, R15 584 on Dlanjwa’s GivenGain page, and $500 (about R6 845) from the GivenGain Foundation as part of the #GivingTuesday Twitter campaign which took place on 28 November 2017.
 
Annamia van den Heever, Director: Institutional Advancement, says, “Congratulations to Asive and the team!  It has been an absolute pleasure to work with such positive and passionate young people.” She also thanked all donors to the Right to Learn campaign for their support, saying it will ensure that talented students who cannot afford university fees will have access to the UFS next year. “We are hoping that more people will donate now that the tour has been successfully completed. There is no better Christmas gift,” she says.

Dlanjwa says, “We are committed to helping learners who are coming to the UFS next year. The trip was amazing and I feel stronger than I expected. I’d definitely do this again.”
The community is still encouraged to donate towards the initiative, using the following details:

EFT transaction:
Please use the following bank details:
Bank: ABSA Bank
Account Number: 1570850721
Branch Code: 632005
Account Type: Cheque
Reference: R2L: Right to Learn
Send the proof of payment to Rinda Duraan: duraanmj@ufs.ac.za

Debit order: Download the form and email it to Rinda Duraan

All donations are tax deductible in terms of South African income tax legislation.  

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