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UFS Community Engagement Indaba highlights sustainability solutions

24 July 2024 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied

2024 Community Engagement Indaba — Attendees engage with community partners at information stalls showcasing innovative sustainability practices.

The Directorate Community Engagement at the University of the Free State (UFS) held its second Community Engagement Indaba on the institution’s Bloemfontein Campus this year.

The indaba, which was attended by a group of 130 academics, students, learners, NGOs, community partners, and community members, was titled Building Self-reliance, Self-sufficiency, Self-sustainable Livelihoods for Entrepreneurship, exploring new ways of addressing poverty, unemployment, lack of resources, and encouraging entrepreneurship.

Bishop Billyboy Ramahlele, who is heading the Directorate Community Engagement, said that in challenging times where rising unemployment and poverty cast shadows over communities, he believes the theme of self-reliance, self-sufficiency, and self-sustainable living is applicable and timely; these are cornerstones of empowerment. According to him, the indaba is not just about theory, it is about action. “Together, we’ll explore practical steps, redefine our understanding of ‘JOB’ versus ‘WORK’, and unlock pathways towards entrepreneurship,” he commented.

Day one of the two-day event featured presentations on various topics. One of the speakers, Nontombi Velelo – a PhD candidate and Programme Director for the Bachelor of Social Science in the Faculty of The Humanities, addressed self-sufficiency and sustainable livelihoods. Dr Grey Magaiza, Lecturer and Head of the Community Development Programme on the UFS Qwaqwa Campus, discussed the significance of community development for societal impact. The theme of personal development and transformation was explored by Dr Rosaline Sebolao, Teaching and Learning Manager in the Faculty of The Humanities. Prof Jan Swanepoel – Associate Professor in the Department of Sustainable Food Systems and Development – presented insights on subsistence farming with livestock.

Another notable addition was a presentation by Danie Jacobs, the founder and executive director of Young Entrepreneurs Virtual Academy, who introduced the Intentional Entrepreneurial and Skills Development Ecosystem Model. He focused on an ecosystem model designed to introduce entrepreneurship to children in schools, fostering an entrepreneurial mindset from a young age up to school leavers (kids, teens and young adults). These sessions provided invaluable learning opportunities, offering attendees practical insights and knowledge that can be applied to enhance personal growth.

Personal development and health

The Central University of Technology (CUT) contributed several engaging stalls to this year's indaba. Attendees explored the potential of 3D printing, delved into innovation – with insights from Rosita Rhode, Career Development Coordinator – and gained valuable tips on CV writing skills.

Another notable presenter was Ntsiuoa Kobo, a natural herbalist from Ditlakala Organics in Tweespruit, who shared her extensive indigenous knowledge about herbs. Her display was supported by research related to indigenous knowledge, highlighting various traditional practices and their contemporary applications. In line with this presentation was the information shared by Dr Ida Manduna, an ethnobotanist at CUT, who talked about indigenous herb farming that fosters nutrition and health. Also interesting was the presentation of Wilfred Dahli from Tala Growers, who informed the attendees about cannabis cultivation and products. The Agape Foundation from Qwaqwa introduced attendees to rose hip berry juice and also shared indigenous knowledge about herbs known for their medicinal properties, including anti-fungal and anti-bacterial benefits, as well as being a rich source of vitamin C.

The event featured several workshops, which attracted a lot of attention. Active Community Citizens through Engaged Scholarship for Sustainability (ACCESS) conducted a workshop on worm farming, led by students who shared their expertise. The eco-bricks workshop, led by Lenosa Mahapang, an artist and environmentalist, and Dr Anita Venter, a researcher and climate activist in the Centre for Development Support, captivated attendees. The session included a pre-motivational talk on the dangers of plastic pollution and highlighted the role of eco-bricks in environmental sustainability.

A particularly innovative workshop demonstrated how to create raised garden beds from recycled pallets – highlighting the opportunity to start a micro-enterprise. The workshop, presented by Katlego Mpoihi from Golukisa General Trading, is part of an initiative with the Carel du Toit School to teach learners and community partners how to build these beds. The community has a larger vision – developing maize-formed gardens, which would serve as a stimulating environment for children and contribute to food availability.

Thabo Olivier energetically also led a workshop on food security, sharing innovative ideas and practices. Notably, an attendee from last year’s event successfully applied Olivier's potato cultivation idea. In response, Olivier provided him with a bag of potatoes that has the potential to yield a harvest of 500 kg. This practical application highlighted the impactful and lasting benefits of the knowledge shared at these workshops.

Attendees were also captivated by a presentation on the production of biogas as a renewable energy source, delivered by Dr Christy Stephen, a postdoctoral research fellow in the Centre for Applied Food Sustainability and Biotechnology at CUT.

Gift of the Givers introduced the Mina Cup – a menstrual cup designed to last five years – offering a more economical and sustainable alternative to traditional sanitary products. In an effort to empower young women and end ‘period poverty’, Community Liaison Officer Kefiloe Chuene dispelled myths and spoke frankly about menstruation. According to Dr Karen Venter, Head of Service Learning in the Directorate Community Engagement, this project – part of the health and well-being initiative by ACCESS, which is driving a menstrual health campaign – would also be incorporated into the service-learning module of second-year Nursing students in the Bachelor of Nursing Programme in the School of Nursing.

"These information stalls brought unique insights and knowledge to the event," said Dr Venter.

Education and entrepreneurship

Other engaging stalls included a booth for making cast-iron fireplaces, and another offered CV writing skills. These stalls provided practical skills and knowledge applicable to various professional and personal development areas.

According to Dr Venter, the impact of the indaba stood out to her. “The workshops had a profound impact on attendees, reinforcing the UFS’ values of sustainability in various ways.”

The indaba also aligned with the UFS' Vision 130, which emphasises care for the community. By providing valuable opportunities for attendees to engage with community partners, learn about innovative practices, and explore the intersections of traditional knowledge and modern applications, the event fostered a sense of community and shared purpose. It demonstrated the university’s commitment to creating a sustainable and caring environment, both within the university and in the broader community.

News Archive

Bloemfontein's quality of tap water compares very favourably with bottled water

2009-08-04

The quality of the drinking water of five suburbs in Bloemfontein is at least as good as or better than bottled water. This is the result of a standard and chemical bacterial analysis done by the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Centre for Environmental Management in collaboration with the Institute for Groundwater Studies (IGS).

Five samples were taken from tap water sources in the suburbs of Universitas, Brandwag, Bain’s Vlei, Langenhoven Park and Bayswater and 15 samples were taken of different brands of still and unflavoured bottled water. The samples were analysed at the laboratory of the IGS, while the interpretation of the analysis was done by the Centre for Environmental Management.

“We wanted to evaluate the difference in quality for human consumption between tap water and that of the different brands of bottled water,” said Prof. Maitland Seaman, Head of the Centre for Environmental Management.

“With the exception of two samples produced by multinational companies at their plants in South Africa, the different brands of bottled water used for the study were produced by South African companies, including a local small-scale Bloemfontein producer,” said Prof. Seaman.

According to the labels, the sources of the water vary from pure spring water, to partial reverse osmosis (as an aid to standardise salt, i.e. mineral, content), to only reverse osmosis (to remove salts). (Reverse osmosis is a process in which water is forced under pressure through a pipe with minute pores through which water passes but no – or very low concentrations of – salts pass.)

According to Prof. Seaman, the analysis revealed some interesting findings, such as:

• It is generally accepted that drinking water should have an acceptable level of salt content, as the body needs salts. Most mineral contents were relatively higher in the tap water samples than the bottled water samples and were very much within the acceptable range of drinkable water quality. One of the bottled samples, however, had a very low mineral content, as the water was produced by reverse osmosis, as stated on the bottle. While reverse osmosis is used by various producers, most producers use it as an aid, not as a single method to remove nearly all the salts. Drinking only such water over a prolonged period may probably have a negative effect on the human physiology.

• The pH values of the tap water samples (8,12–8,40) were found to be slightly higher (slightly alkaline), like in all south-eastern Free State rivers (from where the water is sourced) than the pH of most of the bottled water samples, most of which are sourced and/or treated in other areas. Two brands of bottled water were found to have relatively low pH levels (both 4,5, i.e. acidic) as indicated on their bottles and as confirmed by the IGS analysis. The health implication of this range of pH is not significant.

• The analysis showed differences in the mineral content given on the labels of most of the water bottles compared to that found by IGS analysis. The possibility of seasonal fluctuation in content, depending on various factors, is expected and most of the bottling companies also indicate this on their labels. What was a rather interesting finding was that two pairs of bottled water brands claimed exactly the same mineral content but appeared under different brand names and were also priced differently. In each case, one of the pair was a well-known house brand, and the other obviously the original producer. In one of these paired cases, the house brand stated that the water was spring water, while the other (identical) “original” brand stated that it was spring water treated by reverse osmosis and oxygen-enriched.

• Nitrate (NO3) levels were uniformly low except in one bottled sample, suggesting a low (non-threatening) level of organic pollution in the source water. Otherwise, none of the water showed any sign of pollution.

• The bacterial analysis confirmed the absence of any traces of coliforms or E.coli in any of the samples, as was also indicated by the bottling companies. This is very reassuring. What is not known is how all these waters were sterilised, which could be anything from irradiation to chlorine or ozone treatment.

• The price of the different brands of bottled water, each containing 500 ml of still water, ranged between R3,99 and R8,99, with R5,03 being the average price. A comparison between the least expensive and the most expensive bottles of water indicated no significant difference in quality. In fact, discrepancies were observed in the most expensive bottle in that the amount of Calcium (Ca) claimed to be present in it was found to be significantly different from what the analysis indicated (29,6 mg/l versus 0,92 mg/l). The alkalinity (CaCO3 mg/l) indicated on the bottle was also found to differ considerably (83 mg/l versus 9,4 mg/l). The concentration of Total Dissolved Salts (TDS) was not given on the product.

“The preference for bottled water as compared to Bloemfontein’s tap water from a qualitative perspective as well as the price discrepancy is unjustifiable. The environmental footprint of bottled water is also large. Sourcing, treating, bottling, packaging and transporting, to mention but a few of the steps involved in the processing of bottled water, entail a huge carbon footprint, as well as a large water footprint, because it also requires water for treating and rinsing to process bottled water,” said Prof. Seaman.

Media Release
Lacea Loader
Deputy Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za
3 August 2009

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