HEDSA Gauteng Region Roadshow promotes inclusion at SMU

by Lorato | Apr 1, 2025 | All News, SMU Media, Student Media

The Higher Education Disability Services Association (HEDSA) recently hosted its Gauteng Region Roadshow at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU). HEDSA, a recognised advocacy and rights-based non-profit organisation, represents disability services in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) across South Africa. Endorsed by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and recognised as a community of practice by Universities South Africa (USAf), HEDSA strives to ensure inclusive and equal learning opportunities for students with disabilities.

The programme was directed by Ivy Morulane, Chairperson of the Higher and Further Education Disability Services Association (HEDSA), Gauteng Region and commenced with a warm welcome from Themba Khumalo, SMU’s Deputy Director of Student Affairs. Khumalo expressed the institution’s commitment to inclusivity and support for students with disabilities, aligning with SMU’s core values of social accountability, integrity, and excellence.

Dr Nosiphiwo Delubom, HEDSA Chairperson from Nelson Mandela University, outlined the purpose of the roadshow. She emphasised that the executive team of HEDSA aims to gain first-hand experience of the challenges faced by students with disabilities. “Students with disabilities have the same right to learn as anyone else. It is our responsibility to ensure that institutions create enabling environments where these students can thrive,” she said.

Dr Delubom reiterated HEDSA’s readiness to support HEIs in establishing and strengthening disability offices to address challenges effectively. The roadshow provided a platform for universities within the association to share their experiences, best practices, and common obstacles. The most prevalent concerns raised were budget constraints and limited capacity, which hindered efforts to provide adequate support services.

HEDSA operates closely with USAf’s Transformation Strategy Group and provides strategic guidance on disability matters. “HEDSA is more than just an advocacy body; we serve as thought leaders and provide input on national legislation and policies to ensure inclusivity,” Delubom noted.

A key highlight of the event was the discussion on how HEIs can collaborate to improve disability services. Many institutions shared innovative solutions, such as partnerships with external stakeholders and the implementation of assistive technologies. SMU reaffirmed its commitment to fostering a supportive learning environment, with Khumalo stating: “Our goal at SMU is to create an institution that is truly inclusive, where every student, regardless of ability, has the resources and support to succeed.”

Additionally, colleagues were informed about the purpose and structure of disability units, including their placement within institutions, organisational charts, and available services. The National Chairperson emphasised that these units play a vital role in facilitating the integration of students with disabilities, providing support, ensuring the implementation of reasonable accommodations, and advising institutions on universal design principles. The positioning of these units varies across institutions; some fall under the Transformation Office, Student Affairs, or Student Counselling, while in colleges, they are positioned under Student Support Services.

Another crucial aspect discussed was the role of disability units in advocating for reasonable accommodations to ensure students with disabilities receive the necessary support in their academic journey. The integration of universal design in institutional policies and infrastructure was emphasised as a key factor in creating an inclusive learning environment. Delegates were also reminded that disability services must extend beyond academics to include access to social, recreational, and professional development opportunities.

The event underscored the importance of ensuring HEIs actively commit to disability inclusion. SMU and other institutions were urged to continuously assess their policies and support mechanisms to align with best practices in student support and universal design. HEDSA reinforced its role in providing guidance, expertise, and advocacy for these improvements.

The roadshow, hosted at SMU’s Pharmacy Department, concluded with a call for stronger partnerships and continued dialogue among HEIs to address challenges faced by students with disabilities. Through platforms like these, HEDSA continues to champion the rights of students with disabilities, ensuring that higher education in South Africa becomes truly accessible to all.

SMU’s commitment to excellence, caring, and social responsiveness was evident throughout the event. The university remains dedicated to working alongside organisations like HEDSA to break barriers and promote inclusivity, ensuring that all students receive equal opportunities to succeed in their academic pursuits.

By Dimakatso Modise

SMU SRC receives 1.3 million from the Motsepe Foundation

by Lorato | Feb 21, 2023 | All News, SMU Media, Student Media

The Motsepe Foundation invited 26 SRC members of public universities in SA to one of their initiatives called, Universities in Dialogue on 16 February 2023. The purpose of the session was to engage SRCs on how they can work together to find solutions to student challenges.

The conversation centred around four key questions which formed the basis of the engagements. These questions were:

• What are the challenges facing the students?
• What are the challenges faced by SRCs?
• How could private partnerships better support the Higher Education sector?
• How do you see the various stakeholders collaborating for the betterment of the higher education sector?

Some of the challenges raised by the students in attendance included:

• Lack of funding for Postgraduate students
• Student accommodation
• Food security
• Youth unemployment
• Student allowances not realistic to the material conditions.
• Lack of support for disabled students, and;
• Lack of sanitary towels.

The following are some of the proposed solutions:

• Centralisation of funding from various funders.
• Policy development to regulate funding opportunities.
• The creation of a feeding scheme in higher education for students so that the allowances can be directed to some of the urgent students’ needs.

SMU Director of Student Affairs, Mr. Tulani Nkuntse indicated that this was such an important day for student leaders as the Foundation donated 30 million Rands as a contribution to helping SRCs to fight challenges faced by students.

In her speech, Dr Motsepe urged the student leaders present, to take the money and approach other possible donors to challenge them to either match or exceed what the Foundation had donated.

“For SMU, this means so much as we have serious problems with outstanding student debt that prohibits them to continue their studies. We have a cohort of our students that go hungry on a daily basis because they have no means to support themselves; there are realities of the ECP students who are no longer funded by NSFAS and the list goes on, said Nkuntse”.

Nkuntse further indicated that the generous and kind contribution by the Motsepe Foundation will be channelled towards assisting SMU students in the best way possible. “We would like to call upon other people to join hands with us and assist us to support our students through these kinds of donations. Our SRC has constantly reiterated their commitment to raising funds to assist needy students and we fully support them as such contribution will assist with the ongoing efforts by the university to raise funds and support its student population”, he concluded.

The gratitude expressed by students for these donations was heart-warming and illustrated a deep commitment and passion young people have towards provision of solutions to the problems in the higher education sector.

SMU is grateful to the Motsepe Foundation and look forward to many more donors coming on board to help us fight challenges faced by the students.

DHET Director General Dr Nkosinathi Sishi impressed by outstanding progress made at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University during his visit

by Lorato | Oct 11, 2022 | All News, SMU Media, Student Media

Director General of the Department of Higher Education and Training Dr Nkosinathi Sishi paid a courtesy visit to the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University on 04 October 2022 at the invitation of the Vice-Chancellor Prof Peter Mbati. The Vice-Chancellor used the occasion to provide a general update on SMU and this gave the DG a sense of the current status of the University, existing challenges and its future plans as espoused in the 2021-2025 Strategic Plan which is being imple-mented. Accompanying the D was the DDG University Education Dr. Marcia Socikwa.

The Vice-Chancellor took the DG on a tour of the Campus visiting the SMU MECRU unit, the proposed African Bioimaging Centre, the premium 2,000 beds student accommodation facility and the upgraded Pharmacy Building.

SMU through the MECRU unit is currently conducting a Vaccination trial study sponsored by Sinovac/Numolux Group. The primary objective of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of two doses of CoronaVac® against confirmed symptomatic COVID-19 cases in children and adolescents aged 6 months to 17 years. The pilot study was launched in September 2021 and has successfully enrolled a total number of 370 participants as per the given target to the site. Other studies currently underway at MECRU include the following:

• CoVPN 3008 COVID 19 Vaccine (Mordena)
• VPM 1002 (Tuberculosis vaccine)
• SHERPA – SISONKE (J&J Vaccine), for booster shot of HCW with Mordena vaccine

Moreover, the proposed African Centre for Bioimaging will house the state-of-the-art High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope (HRTEM) that has been purchased through joint funding from the Department of Science & Innovation, National Research Foundation, Department of Higher Education and Training and SMU. The HRTEM has capabilities for elemental micro-analysis, tomography and cryo-imaging which will allow the university to obtain high resolution images to amongst others, support research in the health sciences such as in nanomedicine and nanotoxicology.

Dr. Sishi expressed his appreciation on the work done so far by SMU and said the path the University has taken will lead to the realization of the vision driven by Prof Mbati. He was particularly impressed with efforts to improve research and development as well as progress made around the academic project in general. “We now have a broader picture of where you want to go as a University. My advice is that if you wish to move faster, find the right partners to work with, including international partners. I also want to give you our sincere affirmation that the department will support you”, said the DG.

Prof Mbati explained that SMU is on a new trajectory in line with its 2021-2025 strategic plan and that the academic project and the financial sustainability of the University are key priorities. He further elucidated that plans are underway to implement the approved new Business Model which will among other things allow for the commercialization of the SMU land which will in turn enable SMU to bring the much needed third stream income. The VC assured the DG that the University will account fully for every cent received.