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09 October 2020 | Story Nonsindiso Qwabe
Agnes Mkotywa
MSc Zoology graduate, Agnes Mkotywa
The love for the scientific study of the behaviour, structure, physiology, classification, and distribution of animals, bit MSc Zoology graduate Agnes Mkotywa during her final year as an undergraduate student on the Qwaqwa Campus.

Mkotywa said this love also led to her discovering that vultures, which are regarded as one of the most endangered bird species, had found a home in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park in Clarens, just 40 km from Phuthaditjhaba. The title of her MSc is: The impact of vulture restaurants on scavenger dynamics in Golden Gate Highlands National Park, South Africa.  She received her qualification during the virtual October graduation ceremony hosted from 6-9 October 2020.

“I truly hope the research will open doors for more research in this regard; research that will have a positive impact on the future of our species, the park, and the people from surrounding areas. A part of my study looked at people’s perceptions about the park. Often, we find that positive perceptions towards anything can, in turn, influence positive reaction and feelings towards that thing. It is important that we take care of or at least behave in a manner that brings no harm to our animals. We have amazing stories to tell through and about this beautiful place.”

Mkotywa said her academic journey was not always a smooth ride. She remembers having to learn how to plait hair in order to make money while waiting for her bursary to pay out during her undergraduate years.

“The journey wasn’t always a smooth ride. I graduated with a BSc degree in Plant Sciences in 2015, and immediately enrolled for my Honours in Zoology. My love for Zoology was greatly influenced by my academic supervisors, Prof Aliza le Roux and Mrs Michelle van As, who both supervised my MSc study. And truly, my time as a postgraduate student was filled with so much adventure and fieldwork, the best time of my life.”

“When I finally submitted my dissertation in November 2019, I still remember every single emotion I experienced. Excitement, gratitude, a sense of worth, all of them,” she said.

News Archive

Launch of the Africa office of the IIDE
2006-05-25

Attending the launch of the Africa office of the IIDE were from the left Prof Sytse Strijbos (Chairperson of IIDE Europe), Rev Kiepie Jaftha (Chairperson of the IIDE in Africa’s Board of Directors and Chief Director: Community Service at the UFS) and Prof Frederick Fourie (Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS).

 

Attending the launch were from the left Prof Lucius Botes (Director: Centre of Development Support at the UFS), Dr Samuel Kareithi (Head: Community Development at the Cornerstone Christian College, Cape Town), Rev Kiepie Jaftha (Chairperson of the IIDE in Africa’s Board of Directors and Chief Director: Community Service at the UFS), Prof Sytse Strijbos (Chairperson of IIDE Europe) and Dr Ezekiel Moraka (Vice-Rector:  Student Affairs at the UFS).

Africa office of IIDE launched on UFS main campus 

The Africa office of the International Institute for Development and Ethics (IIDE) was today (26 May 2006) launched on the Main Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS) in Bloemfontein.

“The IIDE specialises in the studying and research of general questions of developmental theory and practices and provides services and support in education, strategic planning, policy formulation, advocacy and capacity building of development agencies,” said Rev Kiepie Jaftha, Chairperson of the IIDE in Africa’s Board of Directors and Chief Director: Community Service at the UFS.

According to Rev Jaftha the IIDE in Africa will focus on the conceptual and normative aspects of developmental processes in Sub-Saharan Africa.  “We want to foster local and international partnerships with various relevant role-players in civil society, the private sector and public sector in the SACD region and later expand our operations to the rest of Africa,” said Rev Jaftha.

The IIDE in Africa cooperates with a similar foundation in Europe, functioning as the IIDE Europe.  This institute was founded in 2003 and its head office is situated in the Netherlands.  The UFS is a funder of the IIDE in Africa together with the Paul Foundation and private sponsors from the Netherlands.

“We have already started with various projects which are in various stages of implementation,” said Rev Jaftha.  Some of these projects include, among others, the broadening of the master’s degree in Christian Studies of Science and Society (MACSSS) which is currently housed at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam to tertiary institutions in South Africa such as the UFS, the University of Stellenbosch and the Potchefstroom Campus of the Northwest University.

“Another project is an investigation into the possibility of initiating a broad development initiative in the poverty stricken Qwaqwa area.  This initiative will attempt to concentrate on issues like the training and empowerment of prospective entrepreneurs in the region, the identification of prospective entrepreneurs for the rendering of development support and the monitoring of the impact of information and communication technology on local communities during the implementation of sustainable development initiatives,” said Rev Jaftha.

“The establishment of the Africa office of the IIDE on the UFS Main Campus is an indication of one of the aims of the UFS to play a role in South Africa and Africa.  It also signifies our aim to contribute meaningfully to research and development and to establish links between the academe and practice,” said Rev Jaftha. 

 

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

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