by Kegorapetse | Nov 15, 2020 | All News, SMU Media
“Time to fight back”
Subsequent to the SMU’s student, staff, management and the SRC march to Pretoria West Police Station against Gender Based Violence on Friday, 6 November 2020 and a recent attack on a first year student outside the off campus residences prompted the University Karate team lead by Mulaudzi Khathutshelo and his team to act.
The initiative of Self defense, under the theme “TIME TO FIGHT BACK” will empower our students to be alert of their surroundings and fight back against attackers on or off campus. The self defense classes are continuous and they will be hosted every Saturday at SMU sport complex.
#SMUtimetofightback #notogbv #noabuse #weareSMU
by Kegorapetse | Nov 5, 2020 | SMU Media
Last week I shared with you the pain and agony for what has happened to one of our female students who was raped at our off-campus residence over the weekend. It is a fact that as a University, and the country by extension, is not yet safe for our female students and staff.
Gender-based violence remains one of society’s greatest challenges. Harrowing statistics show that a woman is murdered every three hours in South Africa, and the country has the world’s fourth highest death rate due to “interpersonal violence”. As per the various communiques from the Vice-Chancellor’s Office in respect of the female rape incident which took place over the weekend, concerned students and the SRC have organized a march to Pretoria West Police Station on Friday, 6 November 2020. At its meeting held today 5 November 2020, Management has resolved to join the march in solidarity with the students with a view to recommitting themselves and to standing firm against gender based violence in the country.
Through this communique, I also extend the invitation to members of Senate and other staff of the University, and urge senate members to join the march wearing their academic regalia if possible. This would allow us make an unequivocal statement that as a socially engaged institution, we should all contribute to the building of a grassroots movement against GBV at the University as we reshape the social orientation of the society in this regard. The march to Pretoria West Police Station, will take place in Pretoria on Friday, 6 November 2020 from 08h30 to 11h00 and it will be led by the students.
With this march, the University seeks to reinforce President Cyril Ramaphosa’s call for all sectors of society to work together to stop gender based violence. President Ramaphosa has called for an extraordinary and immediate response to the scourge of gender- based violence and femicide by all members of the society. Through this march, the University reaffirms its position to the comprehensive response to a national crisis as part of emergency measures to combat Gender Based Violence ‘epidemic’.
I urge all students and staff to join the solidarity march. Further details will be communicated to the staff and students by Dr Eric Pule, Director: Marketing and Communication.
Yours sincerely
VC Statement on Solidarity march with students to Pretoria West police station by staff members, including academics
Download statement here: Statement-on-Solidarity-March_5-November-2020-1
by Kegorapetse | Oct 20, 2020 | Accolades and Achievements, All News, SMU Media
Prof Honey Mabuza, the newly elected President of the College of Family Physicians, pledges to steer the noble profession with integrity and transparency to enable it to reach a higher level. This is the legacy that he wishes to leave, after his three-year term of office, ends in 2023.
Elected through a secret ballot process, by family physicians, Prof Mabuza brings health care expertise and a wealth of experience in health care to the profession. He completed Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor Surgery (MBChB) and a Master’s degree in Family Medicine (M Fam Med), at SMU.
He has a wealth of experience as a clinician, working at the Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital and (DGMAH) and a senior lecturer at SMU. Not satisfied with healing the bodily ills and aches, Mabuza also administers to the spiritual needs as a pastor during the weekends. He is a holder of Bachelor of Theology degree (BTh) obtained from UNISA.
“I will put what I am gifted with, on the table, and therefore, uniquely, contribute in the wellness and moving the college from strength to strength” he pledges. Prof Mabuza will preside over a twelve-member council which was elected by family physicians. The twelve then elect a three-member executive, namely, the president, the secretary and the senator. His peers found him worthy of their votes, for which he is eternally grateful.
Among others, his duties involve representing the interests of family physicians at the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa (CMSA), which is an umbrella body of all speciality colleges, in SA. He will also convene meetings of the college council at least once a year, acts as an adviser to the President CMSA, Senate and CMSA Officers, provide an annual college report for publication in the CMSA platforms and revise the panel of examiners of the college examinations triennially, for the guidance of the Examinations and Credentials Committee.
Family medicine, which is considered a cornerstone of primary health care, is a medical speciality that is dedicated to the provision of comprehensive health care to all people, of all ages.
He takes the torch of leadership at a very challenging time when the whole world is grappling with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. He is mindful of this and other challenges in the health care industry. He is however unfazed by these challenges. “My leadership will not be a one man show”, as I have a collective of leaders in their own right whose opinions will be valued and that will go a long way to enable the college to overcome any challenges.
By Maditsi Matlala
by Kegorapetse | Oct 19, 2020 | SMU Media
Kindly take notice that the return date for the Court Order granted in favour of Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University has been extended to 17 November 2020.
For more information, download:
by Kegorapetse | Aug 28, 2020 | SMU Media
Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) plays an important role in addressing the human capital needs of South Africa and the rest of the African continent in both health care and science & technology fields.
The Council of the SMU is the governing body of the University, and has, as part of its fiduciary duty, a responsibility to determine the strategic direction of the University.
Two vacancies in the category of Council members elected from the ranks of the donors of the University have to be filled for a four-year term, aligned to the Council’s term of office.
The nomination process for the two donor representatives on the Council of the SMU is described in paragraph 59 of the SMU Statute as follows:
The Registrar must call for written nominations of persons to be elected from the ranks of the University donors in the printed and/or electronic media, as appropriate.
Nominations must be signed by at least two proposers and by the nominee, indicating his or her acceptance of the nomination.
All donors who qualify as such in terms of Chapter 10 of the Statute of the SMU, i.e. persons or organisations that have donated R20 000 or more over a five-year period (2015 to 2019), are hereby invited to nominate persons from the ranks of the donors to serve on the Council of the University.
Each nomination should be accompanied by a short curriculum vitae of the nominee and must be signed or seconded by at least two donors. In addition, the nominee must indicate his/her acceptance of the nomination in writing. Nomination forms are available from the Office of the Registrar.
Nominations must reach the Registrar of the University no later than 16:00 on Wednesday, 30 September 2020.
The Registrar will deal with the nominations in accordance with the election procedures set out in the Statute and announce the results in due course. A Council member thus appointed will serve on the Council in his or her personal capacity and not as a representative of any interest group.
Please direct all enquiries and nominations to Ms Tshepo Dorcus Malemela, Office of the Registrar, Clinical Pathology Building, 5th Floor via email to dorcus.malemela@smu.ac.za
Download: Call-for-Nominations-Donors_31-August-2020
by Kegorapetse | Aug 28, 2020 | SMU Media
It is with great sadness that the University announces the death of Dr. Vejay Ramlakan, former Deputy Chairperson and a Council member at SMU until 30 June 2019. Dr. Ramlakan, age 62, died in the afternoon of the 27th August 2020 at a Johannesburg hospital due to heart attack.
The university is saddened by the news of his sudden passing. Dr Ramlakan dedicated his life in struggle for liberation of South Africa, and served the liberation movement and the democratic government in various capacities. He was a strong champion and partner, and a personal friend of Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University. He was indeed a gifted leader and innovative thinker. Dr. Ramlakan shared generously with his fellow Council members the insights and wisdom he gained from his life-long record of achievement as a physician and a member of Umkhonto weSizwe during the liberation struggle.
Dr. Ramlakan served as a member of the SMU Council, the governing board of the University, since 2015, and also served as Acting Chairperson of Council for a short period in 2019. As a member of the Council, Dr. Ramlakan profoundly and passionately advocated the role of higher education as a means to promote human development, peace and sustainability — goals that align closely with the mandate of SMU. He will be deeply missed by his fellow Council members and the rest of the community members of SMU. As a former member of Council, Dr. Ramlakan continued to support the University to be the benchmark institution providing holistic health sciences education that meets the health needs of the individual, the family and community in general.
On behalf of the entire University community, the Council expresses its heartfelt condolences to Dr. Ramlakan’s family, friends and comrades.
Yours truly
Maria Mulalo Rambauli
Chairperson of Council
Download: DR-V-RAMLAKAN-STATEMENT-CHAIR-28Aug2020
