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03 September 2021 | Story Dr Nitha Ramnath
Prof Bonang Mohale.


The executive management of the University of the Free State (UFS) and the university community extend heartfelt congratulations to Prof Bonang Mohale on his appointment as President of Business Unity South Africa (BUSA). 

“Prof Mohale’s extensive expertise and experience in leadership roles, contributions to the growth of many multinational companies, and involvement in education and the business sector, will undoubtedly strengthen the ties between various sectors and civil society, and further contribute to the stabilisation and growth of South Africa,” said Prof Francis Petersen, UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor, in his congratulatory letter to Prof Mohale. 

BUSA’s role in influencing policy and legislative development for inclusive growth and employment, and in building an enabling environment for the creation of a vibrant, diverse, and globally competitive economy that harnesses the economic and human potential in South Africa, is well documented. This potential resides in our higher education institutions in the form of our students, future graduates, and graduates who are the building blocks for the development of South Africa. 

At a time when our country is facing a social and economic crisis, we are confident that BUSA will consider the perspectives across sectors with a view to creating partnerships, collaboration, and co-creation and further play an integral role in our higher education institutions for the benefit of our students. 

“Prof Mohale’s support to the UFS is appreciated, especially his role as Chancellor and his contribution towards our Thought-Leader and Global Citizen programmes, through which important national and global issues are addressed.
 
We wish Prof Mohale every success in his endeavours, particularly as President of BUSA,” said Prof Petersen.

News Archive

Study shows that even cheating monkeys alter their behaviour to avoid detection and punishment
2013-03-12

 

Dr Le Roux sharing a moment with the geladas (Theropithecus gelada).
Photo: Supplied
11 March 2013

A recent article headed by Dr Aliza le Roux from the University of the Free State Qwaqwa Campus’ Department of Zoology and Entomology, asserts that cheating and deception is not only a human phenomenon - it is also found in non-human animals.

“Our specific study investigated cheating and punishment in geladas. While human beings are known to deceive one another, and punish cheaters that get caught, it is actually very rare to find proof of this kind of behaviour in non-human animals,” said Dr Le Roux.

“We don't know if this is because humans are uniquely deceitful, or if it is just that animals deal with cheating differently. Our study was therefore the first to demonstrate that gelada males and females try to deceive their partners when they are cheating on them. This means they try to hide their unfaithful behaviour.” This is therefore the first investigation to document tactical deception in primates living in a natural environment.

“We also showed that the cuckolded males then punish the cheaters, but could not determine if the punishment actually caused cheaters to stop cheating,” said Dr Le Roux.

This on-going and long-term study continues to observe the population of wild geladas in the Simien Mountains National Park in Ethiopia. The study investigates primate hormones, cognition, genetics, social behaviour and conservation, and is done in collaboration with the Universities of Michigan and Pennsylvania.

The full version of the article can be accessed on (http://www.nature.com/ncomms/journal/v4/n2/full/ncomms2468.html).


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