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#UFSWomen: Prof Aliza le Roux on being bold and fearless

17 August 2021 | Story Nonsindiso Qwabe | Photo Sonia Small (Kaleidoscope Studios)

Prof Aliza Le Roux copy — Bold and fearless - Prof Aliza le Roux.

Prof Aliza le Roux is Associate Professor in Zoology and Entomology, and Assistant Dean in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences on the UFS Qwaqwa Campus.

A researcher at heart, and with a passion for researching wild mammals, small carnivores, and primates, Prof Le Roux says she is extremely curious and loves to know about a lot of different things.

I decided that I wanted to do something with wildlife, so I completed a BSc degree at Stellenbosch University. One day a professor said: “I just got back from doing research – we were catching lizards along the Orange River” – and I remember thinking, ‘yes, I can see that as my life’. Research is a fantastic career for anyone with curiosity and perseverance. You must have a good dose of bull-headed persistence. We all have the baseline intelligence, but anyone who has studied up to PhD will tell you that it is the persistence that carries you through.

Is there a woman who inspires you and who you would like to celebrate this Women’s Month, and why?

What drew me into a career in research was Dian Fossey, an American researcher who was known for undertaking an extensive study of mountain gorilla groups. She had the guts to go out there and be there in the wilderness as the only woman there, doing stuff under extremely difficult conditions.

Recently, it will be Simone Biles – she does the most mind-blowing stuff with gymnastics – who said she could not go forward with competing in the Olympics because of health reasons. I cannot imagine what guts it takes to say no at such a high-profile sporting event. The ability to say no is something that few of us possess, so right now she is a person I would love to celebrate. I am inspired by women who have the guts and the fact that you believe enough in yourself to do something, despite what others might have to say about it.

What is your response to current challenges faced by women and available platforms for women development?

There is never enough support or platforms available for the development of women while you have domestic violence and GBV at such insane rates in this country. It’s still a women’s problem, whereas its men perpetrating this and women implicitly supporting it in the way we raise young men and respond to things such as rape accusations.

It’s a societal problem, and I personally will not be happy until I see this changing in the country. You can look at the massive inequalities and gender biases and the things that are stacked against women, and then feel overwhelmed and step back and say this is too big a problem, I can’t do anything about it. You might not be able to tackle the big problem, but you can chip away at it. Everybody must contribute in a small way.

What advice would you give to the 15-year-old you?

Be bold. Be fearless. I slowly started becoming like that at that age, but I could have started earlier. I should have told her I was gay; that would have helped.

What would you say makes you a woman of quality, impact, and care?

There’s a healthy dose of guts and believing in yourself – that is the only way to make an impact. You cannot make an impact if you are doubting your own value, and this is difficult, because we are raised in many instances to be meek, raised to not be leaders but followers, and it’s difficult to overcome that and realise that you are bringing something unique to this world.

The university is taking some very good steps with the mentorship programmes that it supports. But I would love to see more mentorship for students. Young men and young women in our care being inspired to talk and rethink how they treat women and what equality really means. We need to create more reflective people.

News Archive

Walk to Cape Town closes on high note

2014-06-03

Photo Gallery of arrival in Cape Town
Dagbreek interview (kykNet) (YouTube)
Thank you from all UFS students (YouTube)

It was a gruelling road totalling a distance of 1 038 km, but the UFS #NSHstride team completed the challenge of walking all the way to Cape Town.

On Thursday 1 May 2014, Adéle van Aswegen and Ntokozo Nkabinde, both from the UFS, took on the road to Cape Town on foot in order to highlight the problem of food insecurity among students at the UFS.

Two kind-hearted Bloemfontein residents, Nico Piedt and Ronél Warner, tackled the journey together with them, not only to draw the country’s attention to food insecurity, but also to raise money to address the problem.

The hike, known as the No Student Hungry 1000/33 stride (or #NSHstride), came to an end at the St George’s Cathedral in Cape Town on Tuesday 3 June 2014.

About R500 000 were raised before, during and after the foursome’s hike.

The NSH bursary, established in 2011 by Prof Jonathan Jansen, the Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS, and Rudi Buys, Dean of Student Affairs, aims to put food insecurity among students at the UFS under the spotlight.

Rudi Buys, Dean of Student Affairs, says: “We are completely inspired by the victory of a 1 000 km with one step at a time – as it reminds us of the courage of our students who beat hunger one day at a time.”

“The stride team challenges us to change our world for the better every day. We hope to continue their victory for students by challenging all universities to join the struggle for food security and will call a colloquium in this regard in October.”

These boots are made for walking ... to Cape Town (Article of 02 May 2014)
“Aren’t auntie and them hungry yet?” Country folk worried about NSH hikers (15 May 2014)
UFS hikers to Cape Town reflect on their journey (Article of 26 May 2014)

Daily updates:
(You can also follow us on @UFSweb for daily tweets)

Day 33: 2 June 2014
13:40
20 km
Sunset Beach, Cape Town

Day 32: 1 June 2014
16:05
26 km
Mervyn and Sanet Wessels, Belville

Day 31: 31 May 2014
16:31
39.6 km
Rhonell and Gavin Julain, Paarl

Day 30: 30 May 2014
14:00
16 km
Monte Rosa, Rawsonville

Day 29: 29 May 2014
13:16
31 km
The Habit, Worcester

Day 28: 28 May 2014
11:00
22.4 km
Monte Roza, De doorns

Day 27: 27 May 2014
17:00
21.1 km
Karoo Hotel

Day 26: 26 May 2014
18:27
43.3 km
Tows river

Day 25: 25 May 2014
12:18
Lord Milner Hotel, Matjiesfontein

Day 24: 24 May 2014
16:30
42 km
Laingsburg Country Lodge

Day 23: 23 May 2014
17:32
41.8 km
Vergenoeg

Day 22: 22 May 2014
16:42
43 km
Assendelft Lodge and Bush Camp, Prins Albert

Day 21: 21 May 2014
15:09
42 km
Leeu Gamka Hotel

Day 20: 20 May 2014
13:39
20 km
Alida, Springfontein

Day 19: 19 May 2014
12:31
27.6 km
Teri Moja Game Lodge

Day 18: 18 May 2014
First rest day
Nagenoeg Guesthouse, Beaufort West

Day 17: 17 May 2014
19:30
62.3 km
Nagenoeg Guesthouse, Beaufort West

Day 16: 16 May 2014
13:00
14 km
Taaibochfontein

Day 15: 15 May 2014
16:03
32 km
Travalia, Three Sisters

Day 14: 14 May 2014
18:33
43 km
Joalani Guest Farm

Day 13: 13 May 2014
17:30
33 km
Die Rondawels

Day 12: 12 May 2014
16:49
40 km
Aandrus B&B in Richmond

Day 11: 11 May 2014
39 km
Wortelfontein (Magdel and Christiaan)

Day 10: 10 May 2014
15:44
34 km
Hanover Lodge

Day 9: 09 May 2014
40.8 km
Camping between Colesberg and Hanover

Day 8: 08 May 2014
15:25
33.7 km
Colesberg, The Lighthouse Guesthouse

Day 7: 07 May 2014
15:08
23 km
Orange River Lodge

Day 6: 06 May 2014
15:57
51.06 km
Gariep Forever Resort

Day 5: 05 May 2014
12:18
28 km
Rondefontein

Day 4: 04 May 2014
15:27
35 km
Trompsburg: Fox Den

Day 3: 03 May 2014
17:30
46.74 km
Edenburg Country Lodge (Hotel)

Day 2: 02 May 2014
11:44 am
15.3 km
Tom's Place

Day 1: 01 May 2014
32 km
Leeuwberg

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