by Lorato | Mar 19, 2026 | All News, Alumni, SMU Media, Student Media
Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) students are making a tangible difference in local education. Four final-year Occupational Therapy students recently led an awareness campaign at Lesolang Primary School in Ga-Rankuwa, focusing on specific learning disorder (SLD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
The initiative, part of the students’ paediatric group project, was supervised by lecturer Dr Teresia Dzhugudzha and clinical supervisor Modiegi Temane. It aimed to equip foundation phase teachers and parents with the knowledge to identify early signs of learning and attention difficulties.
“Early recognition of SLD and ADHD is critical,” said Dr Dzhugudzha. “By providing teachers and parents with practical tools, we can ensure children receive timely support, improving their learning outcomes and overall well-being.”
During the session, students Katlego Malebane, Sphelile Mohlala, Ondwela Nndwakhulu, and Naledi Mahlaopane delivered a structured presentation highlighting common indicators such as difficulties with reading, writing, attention, and task completion. Participants were encouraged to observe these traits in both home and school environments to promote early intervention.
Mahlaopane explained, “We wanted to show that recognising these challenges early can make a huge difference. When teachers and parents understand what to look for, children can access support that truly helps them thrive academically and socially.”
The students also demonstrated occupational therapy strategies that support inclusive learning. These included play-based and multisensory approaches, integrating visual, auditory, tactile, and kinesthetic activities to enhance engagement and skill development. Such methods help learners overcome barriers related to sensory processing, motor coordination, attention, and executive functioning.
“Occupational therapy is about more than treatment,” said Nndwakhulu. “It’s about empowering children to participate fully in all occupations, including education. Demonstrating these interventions allows educators and caregivers to replicate them in everyday classroom and home activities.”
To reinforce the learning, parents and teachers received informational pamphlets summarising the characteristics of SLD and ADHD, signs to watch for, and practical strategies for support. “These resources ensure that awareness continues beyond the campaign,” added Malebane.
The event also commemorated the 50th anniversary of Occupational Therapy at SMU, with lecturer Lebogang Lefine attending and highlighting the department’s community engagement efforts. Lefine noted, “This project exemplifies how our students translate knowledge into action, strengthening community partnerships and promoting inclusive education.”
Echoing the importance of the initiative, Refilwe Rasetlola, a grade 1 teacher at Lesolang Primary School in Ga-Rankuwa, said, “This awareness campaign equips our teachers and parents to support every child effectively. We are grateful to SMU for empowering our community and promoting inclusive learning.”
SMU’s commitment to academic excellence and community impact underpinned the initiative. By combining rigorous training with practical application, the university fosters graduates who are prepared to meet diverse societal needs.
“Campaigns like this reflect the university’s vision of transforming health services through innovation and excellence,” said Dr Dzhugudzha. “It demonstrates how students, faculty, and the wider community collaborate to enhance health and educational outcomes.”
The awareness campaign not only strengthened collaboration between students, teachers, and parents but also reinforced SMU’s role as a leader in health sciences education. By promoting early detection, intervention, and inclusive practices, the university continues to contribute meaningfully to the local and national community.
As SMU looks to the future, initiatives like this exemplify its mission: to provide professional training and education that improve lives. Through innovation, advocacy, and active engagement, SMU remains at the forefront of health sciences education and community impact.
By Tumelo Moila
by Lorato | Mar 19, 2026 | All News, SMU Media, Student Media
Laughter, chatter, and smiles filled the air at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) as the Student Buddies were celebrated for their outstanding leadership during the 2026 Orientation Week. What began as a small student-led initiative has grown into a vital support system for first-time entering (FTEN) students, easing the often-daunting transition from high school to university life. Guided by their motto, “serving from the heart,” these students do more than guide—they inspire.
Founded by Alizwa Boco and Bonolo Malema, both MBChB Year 4 students, the Student Buddies manage the First Year Experience Programme. They coordinate orientation sessions, social events, and peer mentorship to ensure every incoming student feels welcomed and supported. Their dedication was formally recognised during a special lunch hosted by the Vice-Chancellor’s Office, celebrating both service and leadership.
Tulani Nkutse, Acting Executive Director: Student Affairs, conveyed the VC’s warm message: “Vice-Chancellor Tandi Masha Erasmus sends her heartfelt regards and regrets not being here in person. She is immensely proud of the impact you’ve had on first-year students’ lives.”
He highlighted the power of peer support in shaping a nurturing campus culture: “Seeing students collaborate to assist others is the embodiment of the community SMU strives to foster.”
For the Student Buddies, the recognition was both humbling and energising. Musa Mulaudzi reflected: “It’s truly rewarding to see the difference we make. Helping first-year students find confidence and a sense of belonging gives us purpose. Being part of this team has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my university life.”
Co-founders Boco and Malema expressed pride in their team’s achievements. “We started with a simple goal—to serve from the heart—and it’s amazing to see how far we’ve come,” said Boco. Malema added, “Every smile, every question we help answer, and every student who feels welcomed keeps us motivated. This isn’t just leadership; it’s care in action.”
Eunice Modiba, Administrative Officer in the Student Affairs Department, praised the students’ commitment: “The Student Buddies embody empathy, teamwork, and leadership. They take ownership to support their peers, and this lunch is a well-deserved celebration of their contributions and impact.”
The Student Buddies’ work is both dynamic and impactful, with key highlights that are easy to recognise and follow. Orientation sessions ensure FTEN students receive clear academic guidance while settling socially into university life. Through peer mentorship, first-year students are paired with experienced mentors, creating a reliable support network that eases the challenges of transition. Social engagement initiatives bring students together, fostering a sense of community and belonging that goes beyond the classroom. The team also provides emotional support, offering guidance, reassurance, and encouragement to help new students navigate stress and uncertainty. Finally, the programme emphasises leadership development, equipping Buddies with skills that extend into professional and personal life, ensuring that they grow as capable, compassionate leaders while uplifting their peers.
The First Year Experience Programme ensures that every incoming student adapts confidently to university life, reflecting SMU’s core values of accountability, integrity, respect, and Ubuntu. Through structured activities, Student Buddies instil a sense of belonging and inspire new students to embrace the university community fully.
The VC lunch reinforced SMU’s commitment to student leadership and volunteerism. By empowering students to mentor and serve their peers, the university demonstrates that leadership is measured not by titles but by the positive impact one makes on the lives of others.
As the event concluded, the Student Buddies left with renewed energy and purpose, ready to guide the next wave of first-year students. Their dedication ensures that SMU continues to cultivate leaders who serve with heart, compassion, and vision, reminding the entire university community that support, care, and collaboration are the foundations of lasting success.
By Dimakatso Modise
by Lorato | Mar 11, 2026 | Accolades and Achievements, All News, Alumni, SMU Media, Student Media
In a landmark move for South Africa’s innovation ecosystem, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) has partnered with the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) to establish the Local Intellectual Property-Based Skin Health and Personal Care Technology Innovation Cluster (LIPSHTIC). The formal funding agreement was signed by Professor Tandi Matsha-Erasmus, Vice-Chancellor of SMU, and Ismail Abdoola, Acting CEO of TIA, during a ceremonial event in the Vice-Chancellor’s boardroom. This partnership exemplifies how universities, industry, and government can unite to translate research into practical solutions.
LIPSHTIC will serve as a national platform anchored at SMU, designed to transform publicly funded intellectual property (IP) into safe, effective, and commercially viable skin health and personal care products. By creating a collaborative space where knowledge, resources, and expertise converge, the cluster aims to address pressing local health challenges while generating new economic and innovation opportunities.
The signing ceremony was attended by SMU’s distinguished leadership, including Professor Patrick Demana, Dean of the School of Pharmacy; Mahlatholle Masha, Acting Chief Financial Officer; Professor Tandi Matsha-Erasmus, Vice-Chancellor; Professor Douglas Maleka, Dean of the School of Health Care Sciences; and Professor Sechene Stanley Gololo, Deputy Dean of the School of Science and Technology. Their presence underscored SMU’s unwavering commitment to interdisciplinary excellence. The cluster will also be co-led by Dr Vuyisile Thibane from the Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology and Dr Madan Poka from the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, both providing critical technical guidance for the initiative.
LIPSHTIC brings together a network of industry, research, and academic partners. Industry contributors such as AMKA Products, Prime Product Manufacturing, and Zuplex Botanicals will provide formulation expertise, product testing, and market access. Science councils such as the CSIR, university departments from SMU’s School of Pharmacy, and tech stations like InnoVenton at Nelson Mandela University will support research, development, and technology transfer efforts.
The cluster addresses a crucial gap in South Africa’s innovation landscape by focusing exclusively on publicly funded research in the skin health and personal care sector. This includes cosmetic and dermatological formulations derived from indigenous plant extracts, essential oils, and other locally relevant bioactive botanicals. In its first phase, LIPSHTIC will develop approximately 25 priority IP assets identified from the September 2025 IP Call Survey Report. Each asset will undergo formulation refinement, optimisation, and rigorous validation to ensure market readiness.
Key objectives include advancing priority IP assets, strengthening technology maturation and validation, establishing industry-aligned innovation diffusion channels, leveraging technical expertise for market-ready products, and promoting inclusive growth by empowering SMMEs and local innovators. Licensing and technology transfer agreements with industry partners and SMMEs will facilitate the transition of IP from the laboratory to commercialisation while adhering to national and international safety and quality standards.
Deliverables include fully integrated IP assets, detailed technical dossiers, optimised prototypes, regulatory compliance documentation, and SMME capacity-building through training and mentorship. These efforts aim to create a sustainable innovation pipeline, enhancing local enterprise competitiveness and strengthening South Africa’s skin health sector.
Professor Matsha-Erasmus emphasised the transformative potential of the cluster: “Through strategic partnerships like this with TIA, SMU is demonstrating how universities can act as catalysts for meaningful economic and societal impact, turning research into tangible solutions for our communities.”
Abdoola added, “LIPSHTIC exemplifies TIA’s commitment to converting intellectual property into products that address real-world challenges. By collaborating with SMU and its partners, we are harnessing South Africa’s innovation potential inclusively and effectively.”
The establishment of LIPSHTIC signals a new era for collaborative innovation, where research, industry, and community intersect to deliver solutions that improve health, grow the economy, and position South Africa as a global player in skin health and personal care technologies.
By Dimakatso Modise
by Lorato | Mar 11, 2026 | Accolades and Achievements, All News, SMU Media, Student Media
The SMU Community Garden at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University has been named among the top 10 finalists in the inaugural Shoprite Act for Change Food Garden Competition, a national initiative celebrating grassroots projects that are tackling food insecurity and empowering communities across South Africa.
Launched in October 2025 by the Shoprite Group, the competition attracted an overwhelming response, with nearly 600 community gardens from across the country entering the contest. Each project shared stories of resilience, innovation and transformation through sustainable food production.
Among them, the SMU Community Garden in Ga-Rankuwa has emerged as a standout example of how small-scale agriculture can create meaningful change in a university environment. Established in September 2023, the garden was created to address food insecurity among students while promoting healthy lifestyles and environmental awareness.
Today, it provides fresh vegetables to more than 15 students in need each week while serving as a hands-on training space for students interested in sustainable food production. “This garden isn’t just growing vegetables – it is cultivating hope and opportunity,” said Mpho Mmako, a horticulturist and representative from the project. “It provides a space where students can support one another while contributing to solutions that address hunger and promote healthier living.”
Beyond food production, the initiative has evolved into a skills development hub. More than 20 students have already received training through the project, with support from academic and campus partners including the Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, the Department of Biology, the Green Campus Initiative and the Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice programme. Fourth-year dietetics students also use the garden as a learning platform, gaining practical experience in organic food production and exploring ways to promote healthy eating within local communities.
“The judging process considered not only agricultural output but also community reach, sustainability, skills transfer and social impact,” said Sanjeev Raghubir, chief sustainability officer at the Shoprite Group. “This comprehensive approach has identified gardens that are making a real difference in their communities.”
From rural villages in Limpopo to urban townships in Gauteng, the finalists demonstrate the diversity and ingenuity of South Africa’s growing food garden movement. The SMU project stands out for showing how community gardens can thrive in an urban academic setting while directly supporting student welfare.
Looking ahead, the garden’s organisers hope to expand the initiative significantly. Their goal is to increase production to feed more than 50 students per week, while strengthening its role as a teaching and research platform.
To achieve this, the team hopes to secure funding to construct a 30m by 10m greenhouse with an automated irrigation system, purchase additional organic fertilisers and seeds, and invest in environmentally friendly pest control methods.
The competition now enters its final stage, where guest judges – including well-known food and sustainability advocates – will narrow the 10 finalists down to six winners. The results will be announced at an awards ceremony in Cape Town in April 2026.
With prizes valued at R1 million, the support offered to winning gardens will be tailored to help them expand their impact and ensure long-term sustainability. “Through the Act For Change Food Garden Project, we are reinforcing our long-term commitment to sustainable interventions that help communities thrive,” Raghubir said. “This competition represents more than a contest – it’s a celebration of community-led solutions to food insecurity.”
Regardless of the outcome, the SMU Community Garden has already demonstrated the transformative power of community-driven initiatives – nurturing not only crops, but also skills, collaboration and hope for a more food-secure future.
By Tumelo Moila
by Lorato | Mar 11, 2026 | All News, Alumni, SMU Media, Student Media
Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) marked World Obesity Day 2026 with a bold, hands-on initiative aimed at raising awareness about obesity and promoting healthy living across the university. This year’s global theme, “8 Billion Reasons to Act on Obesity”, underlined the urgent need to create supportive environments for all people worldwide.
“Obesity is no longer a personal issue; it is a global health crisis putting our communities at risk of developing non-communicable diseases,” said Dr Heather Legodi, lecturer in the Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics. “Our goal today is to equip students and staff with practical tools to make healthier food choices every day.”
Aligned with South Africa’s National Strategic Plan for Health (2023–2027), the event highlighted access to nutritious foods and the importance of physical activity. Third-year Food Service and Administration students, under Dr Legodi’s supervision, prepared and sold wholesome snacks such as boiled eggs, popcorn, fruit kebabs, and water to the SMU community.
Meanwhile, final-year Dietetics students, guided by Dr Suzan Mokone, conducted nutritional screenings and demonstrated how to prepare simple, healthy meals and snacks. “Small changes in diet and lifestyle can profoundly impact long-term health,” Dr Mokone said.
On the physiotherapy front, first- and second-year students, together with lecturers Evah Molapisi and Ntombenkosi Sobantu, led practical sessions showcasing the role of physical activity in preventing obesity. Participants underwent global physical function screenings to assess endurance, strength, flexibility, and overall fitness.
“Physiotherapy is not just about treating injury; it’s about empowering people to live actively and maintain mobility throughout life,” Molapisi explained. Attendees also received guidance on simple daily exercises to sustain long-term well-being.
The initiative extended its reach through a radio interview featuring Ria Mehlape, Ntsako Mboweni, and final-year student Thabelo Tshikhudo, who discussed obesity prevention across the life course. They stressed early interventions, optimal infant feeding, balanced diets, culturally appropriate meals, and the reduction of sugar-sweetened and ultra-processed foods.
“Prevention starts early,” said Mehlape. “Supporting women to enter pregnancy in good health and promoting breastfeeding are foundational steps. At the same time, we must acknowledge that food insecurity and obesity coexist—solutions must address access, affordability, and psychosocial factors.”
Adding a playful element, Valencia Ramohashi from Bestmed medical aid rewarded participants who completed all screening assessments with small tokens, blending education with engagement.
Through practical demonstrations, educational talks, and outreach efforts, SMU’s Departments of Human Nutrition & Dietetics and Physiotherapy showcased the urgent need for action. The message was clear: healthier environments build healthier communities.
“Every choice counts. Every step matters,” Dr Legodi concluded. “It’s about empowering our community today to prevent health challenges tomorrow.”
By Tumelo Moila
by Lorato | Mar 11, 2026 | Accolades and Achievements, All News, Alumni, SMU Media, Student Media
A doctoral candidate from Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) has received international recognition for pioneering research exploring the role of exercise in substance abuse recovery. Evah Molapisi, a PhD candidate and lecturer in Physiotherapy, secured the Session Best Presenter Award at the Global Health Conference in Bali for her research titled “Exercise as Medicine: Improving Cardiovascular Endurance and Global Function in Nyaope Recovery.”
The award recognised the most impactful research presentation within her session and highlights the growing global interest in innovative approaches to addiction rehabilitation. Molapisi received an official certificate, formal recognition during the conference closing ceremony, and her research will be considered for publication in the conference proceedings. “This recognition affirms the calibre of mentorship and academic training at SMU,” Molapisi said. “It strengthens our resolve to produce research that improves access to recovery and rehabilitation services for vulnerable communities.”
Nyaope — a highly addictive street drug widely used in parts of South Africa — remains a serious public health concern. The substance, often composed of heroin, antiretroviral drugs and other harmful chemicals, can severely damage a user’s physical, cognitive and social functioning.
Molapisi’s research investigated whether structured physical activity could improve physical function among individuals recovering from nyaope addiction. The study followed 108 participants aged 18 and older at a rehabilitation centre in Tshwane over a 10-week structured exercise programme designed to improve cardiovascular endurance and general physical function.
Participants were assessed at three stages: before the intervention, midway through the programme, and after the 10 weeks. The findings revealed clear improvements in several key areas: greater stair-climbing endurance, indicating stronger cardiovascular fitness; faster heart-rate recovery after exercise; and improved aerobic capacity and overall physical conditioning.
“These results demonstrate that exercise can play a powerful role in restoring physical function during addiction recovery,” Molapisi explained. “It also helps improve psychological well-being and provides healthier behavioural alternatives that may reduce the risk of relapse.”
According to Molapisi, addiction treatment programmes often focus heavily on detoxification and psychological support, while the physical rehabilitation of recovering individuals receives less attention.
Her research suggests that structured exercise programmes should form part of holistic substance abuse rehabilitation strategies. “Exercise is a practical, accessible and evidence-based intervention,” she said. “When integrated into rehabilitation programmes, it strengthens both physical and mental resilience among recovering individuals.”
Molapisi serves as a Physiotherapy Community Lecturer and Undergraduate Research Coordinator at SMU, where she mentors students and leads research initiatives aimed at addressing real-world health challenges.
With more than 15 years of experience in clinical practice, teaching and community engagement, she has worked extensively in rehabilitation services and public health programmes.
Her doctoral research explores how physical activity programmes can improve quality of life and global physical function among recovering nyaope users in Tshwane. “Our work must move beyond theory,” Molapisi said. “Research should translate into solutions that strengthen communities and support people on their journey to recovery.”
Her award at the Global Health Conference in Bali places both Molapisi and SMU on the international research stage, while reinforcing the importance of innovative, community-centred approaches to tackling substance abuse.
By Tumelo Moila
