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27 August 2021 | Story Lacea Loader
The University of the Free State (UFS), in partnership with Standard Bank and the Mangaung Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is pleased to invite you to a special lunchtime webinar with:

• Mr Tommie van Zyl (CEO of ZZ2);
• Mr Wandile Sihlobo (Chief Economist of AgBiz); and
• Mr Nico Groenewald (Head of Agriculture, Standard Bank).
 
Join us for a discussion on the state of South African agriculture, the impact of COVID-19 on the industry, and how farmers and agri-businesses can respond to the opportunities and challenges in the agricultural sector. 
 
Date: 9 September 2021
Time: 12:30 to 14:00 (via Zoom)
RSVP: Alicia Pienaar at PienaarAN1@ufs.ac.za by 7 September 2021

Bios of panellists:


Mr Tommie van Zyl is the Chief Executive Officer of the ZZ2 farming group. He studied Agriculture and Commerce at Stellenbosch University before completing his postgraduate studies at the University of Florida in the USA. Currently, he serves as director on various boards and was the director and vice-chairman of the USA-based PMA (Produce Marketing Association), as well as the chairman of the Agricultural Produce Agents Council (APAC) for seven years. He has received numerous awards, including a Fulbright scholarship, a Gamma Sigma Delta award, and an honorary medal from the South African Academy of Science. During the twenty years that Mr Van Zyl held the position of Chief Executive of ZZ2, the farm has grown extensively from the family farm that his father began. They produce tomatoes, onions, avocados, mangoes, deciduous fruit, cherries, almonds, blueberries, Medjool dates, and cattle on farms across South Africa and Namibia. Mr Van Zyl, who is fluent in Sesotho, is positive by nature and is actively involved in community development. He believes that farming in South Africa has a bright future if changes are managed purposefully and thoughtfully.  
Mr Wandile Sihlobo is the Chief Economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz). He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Fort Hare and a Master of Science degree in Agricultural Economics from Stellenbosch University. He is the author of Finding Common Ground: Land, Equity, and Agriculture published by Pan Macmillan in March 2020. He is also a Visiting Research Fellow at the Wits School of Governance, University of the Witwatersrand, and a columnist for Business Day and Farmer’s Weekly. In 2019, Mr Sihlobo was appointed as a member of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Presidential Economic Advisory Council after serving on the Presidential Expert Advisory Panel on Land Reform and Agriculture between 2018 and 2019. He is also a member of the Council of Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) and a Commissioner at the International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (ITAC).

Mr Nico Groenewald has been the Head of Agribusiness for Standard Bank’s business and commercial clients since 2014. He graduated with a BScAgric from the University of Pretoria in 1988 and completed an MBA at the North-West University in 1997. Mr Groenewald began his career with Standard Bank in 1990 as a junior agricultural adviser before joining an agribusiness (VKB) in 1991 as an agricultural economist focusing on production economics. In 1997, he re-joined Standard Bank as an agricultural credit evaluation manager. From 2005 onwards, Groenewald fulfilled several management roles in the agricultural business, as well as credit functions within Standard Bank before being appointed in his current position. He is also a member of the steering committee of Agbiz, a reputable national organisation that represents agribusiness in South Africa, as well as Standard Bank’s representative on the Agricultural Committee of the Banking Association South Africa.

News Archive

Exciting open day and Albert Einstein program at Boyden Observatory
2005-05-06

National Science Week, which will be held from 7-14 May 2005, is an annual country-wide celebration of science, led by the Department of Science and Technology.  The department selected a proposal by the Boyden Science Centre to coordinate a week of activities in the Bloemfontein area as one of the many projects in the country.

The project for Bloemfontein and surrounding areas will be delivered though a collaboration between the National Museum in Bloemfontein and the University of the Free State (UFS), including the Research Institute for Education Planning, the Department of Physics and other departments in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences.

The purpose of National Science Week is:

to create awareness of the important role that science play in people’s daily lives;
to encourage our youth to consider studying and improving their performance in mathematics and science; and
to attract more of our youth into science, engineering and technology (SET) careers.

 

World Year of Physics and Albert Einstein Program at Boyden Observatory

The International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP) declared the year 2005 as the World Year of Physics (WYP). In recognition of this declaration, the great contribution of Physics to the development of technology, and its importance in our everyday lives will be featured strongly during the National Science Week 2005.

On Saturday 7 May 2005 there will be a public programme at Boyden Observatory from 15:30 as a contribution to the World Year of Physics. The programme will be presented in collaboration with the Bloemfontein branch of the Astronomical Society of Southern Africa and will include short presentations on astronomy, space exploration and the sun.

The main presentation will be at 19:00 the evening on the life and work of Albert Einstein. The programme will also include observing sessions through telescopes of objects like the sun, Jupiter and Saturn. There will also be an exhibit on Albert Einstein. Attendance is free but booking is required.  For bookings, phone 051-4012561.

Public lecture programme:

Next week the following exciting public lectures will be presented as part of the Science Week activities:

Monday 9 May 2005 

National Museum:

A discussion on Apocalypse Then: the greatest mass extinction of all time.  The lecture will be presented by Dr Jennifer Botha, Paleontologist at the National Museum.
Bookings: 051-4479609 (entrance is free).

UFS campus:

All lectures at Kine 2, Medical Faculty, UFS campus. Follow directions from the DF Malherbe Road entrance.
Bookings: 051-4012561 (entrance is free).

Tuesday 10 May 2005:

A discussion on the Tsunami disaster of 26 December 2004 at 19:30 (UFS campus, Kine 2 Medical Faculty).

Wednesday 11 May 2005:

A discussion on Is there life out there? at 19:30 (UFS campus, Kine 2 Medical Faculty).

Friday 13 May 2005:

A discussion on Hunting Black Holes at 19:30 (UFS campus, Kine 2 Medical Faculty).  The lecture will be presented by Dr Phil Charles, Director: South African Astronomical Observatory.

Science awareness day at the National museum

The science week will be concluded on Saturday 14 May 2005 with a special Science Awareness Day at the National Museum, Aliwal Street, Bloemfontein. 

The excellent exhibits at the museum will be supplemented with activities, career information and video shows. The duration of the programme will be from 10:00-16:00.  For enquiries, please call 051-4479609.

 

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

6 May 2005
 

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