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ARU researcher Ntebohiseng Sekhele guest edits journal on montane rangelands

06 April 2021 | Story Thabo Kessah | Photo Thabo Kessah

Ntebohiseng Sekhele_web read more — Ntebohiseng Sekhele is the Associate Guest Editor of the recent Special Issue of the African Journal of Range & Forage Science.

The Director of the Afromontane Research Unit (ARU), Dr Ralph Clark, and researcher, Ntebohiseng Sekhele, recently became part of a guest editorial team for the African Journal of Range & Forage Science. The Special Issue titled, ‘Montane rangelands in a changing world’, was published on 3 March 2021.

“I feel privileged to have been part of the team that assembled this special issue. The experience was daunting at first, as I had never been part of an editorial team before. However, with the support of the guest editors and the journal’s administrator, I was able to overcome the imposter-syndrome feeling and allowed myself to learn and enjoy the ride. My ‘aha’ moments were the critical comments from the reviewers on each paper. It was amazing to witness how this feedback would enhance the quality of an article,” said Ntebohiseng Sekhele, Geography lecturer on the Qwaqwa Campus.

Journal focus

This issue focused on the applied management of montane rangelands for production in Southern Africa and the broader world. Submissions could include original research, reviews, and meta-analyses. This has culminated in contributions that centred on the impact of policy on pastoral practices by montane communities, fire management regimes, cumulative effects of poor governance on rangeland degradation, and sustainable grazing systems – including in ecological infrastructure such as montane wetlands and communal rangeland.

“The process took almost a year, as the first call for abstracts was made in December 2019 and final revisions of accepted papers were concluded in November 2020. There were 32 submissions with only 12 articles and one book review of Prof Rodney Moffett’s book, A Scientific Bibliography of the Drakensberg, Maloti and Adjacent Lowlands. Of the 12 contributions, nine focus on the Maloti-Drakensberg, with papers on Lesotho, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Free State,” she revealed.

Submitted papers

“All papers advocate for the sustainable management of sensitive montane systems, which ties well with my own research that makes a contribution to the limited scholarship of natural resource-related conflicts between montane communities and their adjacent protected areas, as well as climate change impacts on natural resources,” said Sekhele, a PhD candidate through the ARU’s US-SA University Staff Development Programme (USDP). The special issue allowed for a closer link between the US and SA USDP through the involvement of Dr Kryan Kunkel – Ntebohiseng’s US co-supervisor – as one of the guest editors.

News Archive

UFS Alumni honours four

2007-02-19

Mr Corrie van Zyl, former South African fast bowler and assistant coach of the national cricket squad, will be honoured by the Alumni of the University of the Free State (UFS) as Kovsie Alumnus of the Year 2006.

The award is made to Mr Van Zyl for his outstanding contribution to cricket. Under his guidance the Gestetner Diamond Eagles performed excellently and won five out of the six national one-day cricket tournaments they took part in.

The Cum Laude Award, awarded from time to time to any alumnus for outstanding service or achievement at local, national or international level in his/her specific career domain, will be awarded to Messrs Zingile Dingani and Deon Meyer.

Mr Dingani will receive the Kovsie Alumni Cum Laude Award for his influential position in the government of South Africa as secretary of Parliament. As former MEC for Finance in the Free State, he performed significant leadership roles in transforming the Free State economy. The Mail and Guardian described him “as a high performer who is likely to become the next Provincial Premier”.

Mr Deon Meyer, acclaimed South African suspense novel writer, will also receive a Kovsie Alumni Cum Laude Award for 2006. Mr Meyer received numerous acknowledgements and awards for his contribution to literature on both national and international level.

Prof Helena Van Zyl, Director of the School of Management at the UFS, receives the Kovsie Alumni National Management Award for exceptional service during 2006. Through her extraordinary abilities and leadership skills, Prof Van Zyl has managed to build the School of Management at the UFS to one of the most reckoned management schools countrywide.

The award ceremony will take place on Friday 9 March 2007 during a gala award banquet in the Reitz Hall of the UFS Centenary Complex on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein.

All alumni of the UFS are welcome to attend the function. The guest artists will be various talented Kovsies and the entrance fee of R100 per person includes a three course meal.

Those who are interested can contact Ms Annanda Calitz at 051 401 3382 or alumni@ufs.ac.za.

Media release

Issued by: Lacea Loader

Media Representative

Tel: 051 401 2584

Cell: 083 645 2454

E-mail: loaderl@ufs.ac.za

16 February 2007

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