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12 January 2024 | Story Nonsindiswe Qwabe | Photo Sonia Small
Dr Grey Magaiza read more
Since joining the UFS in 2008, Dr Grey Magaiza has worked extensively on approaches that can foster the socio-economic transformation of societies.

“The future should be one where communities can decide on their development agenda and futures. That’s the most important for me.” Dr Grey Magaiza, Deputy Director of the Centre for Gender and Africa Studies (CGAS) and Head of the Community Development programme on the Qwaqwa Campus, is passionate about capacitating communities to be agents of change and advancement. His vision for the future emphasises the empowerment of communities to take charge of their development by actively participating in decision making and the implementation of development projects that can improve their lives.

Since joining the UFS in 2008, Dr Magaiza has worked extensively on approaches that can foster the socio-economic transformation of societies. Over the years, he has crafted his research speciality into one that he is most proud of – being an interdisciplinary scientist immersed in the development of communities.

Social entrepreneurship

“I’m in a fortunate position of researching what I like. I say ‘fortunate’, because I’ve taken the time to understand what I’m passionate about, which is the overall field of rural livelihoods and livelihood futures – in short, community development. My research starts from an engaged university, understanding the elements that a university must use to enhance transformation and relevance to its immediate community in terms of development.”

One of the ways he has done this is by looking at social entrepreneurship as a development approach for young people in a rural setting. Through workshops with non-profit and civic organisations in Qwaqwa, Dr Magaiza has been helping these organisations to map out their needs and actively meet them through the involvement and support of external role players.

Community organising

“We understand that communities are part of the national development agenda, but even that national agenda respects community knowledge and intentions and allows communities to shape their identity. A critical enabler of this is community organising. You bring back the capacity in communities to have dialogues on issues affecting them as spaces for engagement, knowledge exchange, and for people to just talk about their way forward.”

By enabling communities to define their development agenda, they can address their specific needs, challenges, and aspirations, he said. “When I look at livelihood futures, it’s quite an exciting aspect of my work – it’s like looking into a fortune tellers’ globe, because you’re not deciding for communities what they should do, but the communities themselves take those decisions.”

News Archive

Prof Corli Witthuhn appointed as Vice-Rector: Research
2013-03-18

 

The portfolio of Vice-Rector: Research is new and was created as part of the university's academic project in which the institution aims to increase its research activities and outputs.
Photo: Supplied
12 March 2013

Curriculum Vitae

The Council of the University of the Free State (UFS) approved the appointment of Prof Corli Witthuhn as Vice-Rector: Research, during its meeting on 8 March 2013.

Prof Witthuhn brings with her years of experience in higher education, both in terms of scientific research and serving in senior management positions in university structures.

Prof Witthuhn obtained her PhD in Microbiology at the UFS in 1999. She then joined Stellenbosch University (SU) as a lecturer and served as an academic at the US for 12 years. She was appointed as Vice-Dean in the Faculty of AgriSciences at US until she joined the UFS.

Since August 2011, she has been employed at the UFS as Professor and Vice-Dean in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences. She is one of the co-directors of the university's Vice-Chancellor's Prestige Scholars Programme, aiming to identify and develop the careers of young academic scholars at the UFS.

Prof Witthuhn’s research focus is on food microbiology and she is still actively involved in research. She is a NRF C2-rated scientist who has published more than 60 international articles in peer-reviewed journals. She has supervised numerous doctoral and master’s students and acts as reviewer for leading international journals. During her research career, she has been able to negotiate research funding from national and international funders, as well as from industry.

The portfolio of Vice-Rector: Research is new and was created as part of the university's academic project in which the institution aims to increase its research activities and outputs.

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