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BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

Dr Sibahle Sithole, a surgical registrar in UKZN’s Discipline of Otorhinolaryngology, has been awarded the Heinz Stammberger Resident Research Award for an oral presentation she made at an international meeting in Dubai on her MMed research titled: Variation of Aerosol Generation in Laryngeal and Oropharyngeal Surgery by Different Surgical Modalities.

‘COVID-19 accounted for the death of an estimated 180 000 healthcare workers by May 2021,’ said Sithole. ‘The world has seen two other global infections in the past two decades – the severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, and the Middle East respiratory syndrome. Healthcare workers, especially otorhinolaryngologists, have been shown to be at increased risk of infection because of the proximity to high viral loads in the upper aerodigestive tract,’ said Sithole, reflecting on her study.

‘My study was based on finding safer modalities that could potentially save the lives of healthcare workers. It is an important study in view of other potential viral pandemics that can happen in the future. It’s been encouraging to get this recognition after all the hard work that went into the work. It has stimulated me to want to do more research in the otolaryngology field,’ she said.

Thirty candidates with the best research paper abstracts were selected by the Middle East Academy of Otolaryngology (MEAO), to present their work at the meeting where the three most outstanding research papers received the Heinz Stammberger Resident Research Award trophy and a cash prize.

Competing against entrants from across the globe, Sithole’s presentation was judged to be the best registrar research paper in head and neck surgery, and she received the trophy together with a cash prize of US$500.

More than 80 guest speakers from all over the world attended the annual meeting of the Middle East Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery with the scientific programme covering rhinology and anterior skull base surgery, paediatric otolaryngology, cochlear implant and otology and neurotology, rhinoplasty, head and neck surgery, laryngology, sleep surgery and audio vestibular sessions.

The Head of UKZN’s Otorhinolaryngology Discipline, Dr Andile Sibiya, commended Sithole on the ‘well-deserved’ award. ‘Dr Sithole exhibited impressive dedication and resourcefulness in conducting this study, which included sourcing and learning to use specialised aerosol detection equipment. Having recently passed her Fellowship of the College of Otorhinolaryngologists of South Africa (FCORL: SA) finals examination, Dr Sithole is clearly as competent an academic as she is a surgeon and is an asset to the profession.’

Sithole said she was passionate about teaching so she would be doing a lot of teaching and assisting registrars studying for exams. She hopes to pursue a fellowship in paediatric airway surgery.

Image and source: UKZN

BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

Sylvia Maseko is a remarkable healthcare professional, innovative leader, and seasoned businesswoman. She is the founder of Health Excellence Organization, an NPO that recognises and celebrates remarkable work done by healthcare professionals in South Africa, through the annual Health Excellence Awards.

She is also Chief Operations Officer at Medical Events, Managing Director at Daisy Lee Events and a Dietitian by profession.

“I was born and raised in Boschfontein which is one of the rural areas in Mpumalanga, South Africa. I started my career as a Registered Dietician working for the government where I gained a lot of experience when it comes to patient care.

I then joined an NGO where I got exposed to the Management of HIV/AIDS through Nutrition. I later joined the corporate world where I managed the Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North West, Gauteng and Swaziland territories.

From a young age, I knew I was destined to run a business because I started reading business books early. At age 23, I opened my first business – a slimming clinic through my background as a Dietitian,” she writes.

Sylvia holds a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics, a Masters in Business Administration and a certificate in Project Management. She’s also a member of the KLCBT (Kruger Lowveld Chamber of Business and Tourism), as well as the SACBW (South African Council for Business Women).

“I currently employ up to 50 young people, both permanent and temporal through my company Daisy Lee Events which is an umbrella for the Health Excellence Organisation and Medical Events where we host Health Conferences/Awards, and Medi-Dieticians where we offer Dietetics services with a focus on Employee Assistance Program.”

The company coordinates the annual Mpumalanga Sport Awards, Kids Educational Game Show, Health Excellence Awards, Health Excellence Congress, and Business Seminars where speakers such as businessman, Vusi Thembekwayo are invited.

“Always deliver more than what is expected,” she concludes.

Image and source: LinkedIn

BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

Nelson Mandela University PhD in Architecture student Kawthar Jeewa has been selected as one of 50 participants at the first Biennale College Architettura (BCA) 2023 in Venice, Italy.

Organised by the renowned La Biennale di Venezia, the Biennale College with the theme “The Laboratory of the Future” will run from 25 June to 22 July 2023 and will complement and enrich the 18th International Architecture Exhibition curated by Prof Lesley Lokko.

It will explore how to place the exhibition’s central themes, decolonisation and decarbonisation, at the heart of architectural education. The process will culminate in a documentary by Ángel Borrego Cubero, which will be screened as part of the exhibition.

“The BCA has received many applications from fine students, academics, and practitioners. And to be part of those accepted is incredibly rewarding. It means that I am on the right path and at the right pace.  

“In my application, I highlighted the dynamic between the Global North and Global South’s position on the climate justice crisis.

“This theme is important to me because islands are especially vulnerable to climate change, I have a chance to share the knowledge that I have accumulated from home and from Mandela University. “Decolonisation and decarbonisation” are global issues; therefore, they require global collaboration. “

Kawthar’s work is familiar to the theme of decolonisation and decarbonisation, specifically from the scale of her island home in Mauritius. Her research topic for her PhD is “Investigating Créole Houses: decolonising the Créole architecture of Port Louis, Mauritius”.

“I have been investigating through multiple archives and site work the influence of Indigenous Knowledge Systems of the enslaved onto Créole architecture, which has been popularised as a French Colonial architecture in Mauritius.

“This study will have an impact on the preservation of our Mauritian heritage”, says Kawthar, whose study supervisor is Dr Magda Minguzzi.

Biennale College is a project of La Biennale di Venezia’s dedicated to training and supporting young artists in all the artistic fields and in the specific activities of La Biennale’s organisational structure.

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Already operating in the cinema, dance, music, theatre, art departments and the historic archives, Biennale College was conceived to promote young talents, offering them the opportunity to work closely with mentors to develop “creations” that will become part of the programmes of the artistic departments.

In 2017, Kawthar, as third-year student at Mandela University, won third prize in the category best design” together with her group at the Workshop di Architettura Venezia (WAVe) in Venice organised by Università IUAV. The workshop was entitled Syria: The making of the future and they explored architecture after the war in Syria. Thousands of students participated, she said.

She also participated in this workshop as second-year student the previous year.

Image and source: NMU

BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

If you’re a comic book fanatic, then you should definitely add ‘The Shadower’ by Lauren Bianca to your collection. And apart from supporting local talent, here’s why:

“One of the main reasons people love to read comic books is that they offer a chance at escapism. Life can be stressful at times, or it can be boring, or generally unpleasant, and therefore escapism is important once in a while.

The story is about a girl who mistakenly drinks the wrong medication that gave her superhuman powers and later finds out that there is more to than just the human work in her environment. Her and the team are faced with a threat that can destroy many. With unity and determination, the team work together and fight the dark force of attack.

We have created this comic so our readers can enjoy and join us with making the world a better place as well as teaching many to have a positive mind set. The Shadower wants many to know that they are not alone and together we can make anything a better place,” Lauren tells The Fuse.

Lauren is a 26-year-old who has a degree in Psychological Counseling. She grew up in South Africa, Durban. She has a bubbly personality and is open-minded, her love for comics grew from her love for American media and entertainment company, Marvel Comics.

Lauren also does cosplay for two characters from Marvel such as black Widow and Wanda. She believes if you put God first you will succeed in anything, “keep going guys!” she encourages.

Images: Supplied

BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

The Knight of the Order of the Star of Italy is bestowed upon Italians and citizens in recognition of their contributions to promoting Italy abroad or fostering friendly relations and cooperation between Italy and their country of residence.

During the celebrations of the Italian National Day and Republic Day on June 3, 2023, Polese, an Associate Professor in the School of Mechanical, Industrial & Aeronautical Engineering at Wits University, was honoured with this award by the Consul General of Italy in Johannesburg, Emanuela Curnis.

This prestigious honour is granted annually on this day to commemorate the institutional referendum of 1946 (June 2), when Italians voted to determine the form of their government after World War II.

While presenting the Order of the Star of Italy, Curnis expressed that Polese brings great pride to Italy and is truly deserving of this recognition.

Quoting from the Motivation for the Order of the Star of Italy, Curnis remarked, “Professor Polese is an esteemed academic and researcher. Throughout her professional career, she has held distinguished positions in leading Italian and South African universities and has established numerous contacts and collaborations with research centres and institutions both in Italy and internationally. She maintains strong ties with Italy and takes great pride in her ‘Italianita‘.”

Born in Cecina, Tuscany, Polese completed her Master’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering at the University of Pisa. She went on to pursue her PhD in Conventional and Innovative Aerospace Joining Technologies at the Department of Aerospace Engineering in Pisa, as well as at the German Aerospace Center in Cologne.

In 2009, she joined Wits as an Associate Professor in Aerospace Manufacturing and Design, and she currently serves as the Advisory Aerospace Research Director of the National Aerospace Centre.

Polese also holds the position of Head of the Aeronautical Engineering Stream within the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment at Wits, and she chairs the Faculty Transformation Committee.

Since 2011, she has led several collaborative projects and serves as the Deputy Director of the ARUA Centre of Excellence in Materials, Energy, and Nanotechnology. Additionally, she coordinates the DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in the Strong Materials-Strong Metallic Alloys Focus Area. Her scientific contributions exceed 180 publications.

During her acceptance speech, Polese reflected on her initial journey from Pisa to Johannesburg, which took place 14 years ago, and shared the mix of sadness and excitement she experienced as she embarked on her new adventure at Wits.

Through her deep love for both her homeland and her adopted country, she has fostered strong relationships and remains actively engaged in promoting research projects, as well as industrial and scientific cooperation between Italy and South Africa.

Polese expressed her gratitude to the Consulate General and acknowledged “supervisors at the University of Pisa for giving me the wings and to Wits that provided me with this incredible blue sky to fly in”.

In conclusion, Polese extended her appreciation to her colleagues at Wits, expressing gratitude to those who have supported her in re-establishing her aeronautical research career in South Africa.

Images and source: Wits University

BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

Master’s student in Environmental Health at Mandela University, Yolanda Mngcongo, has won third prize at the recent South African Falling Walls Lab Science competition with her research on using nanotechnology to curb nosocomial (healthcare-associated) infections.

Both first and second prizes went to PhD students at Wits University.

Hosted by DAAD Johannesburg, along with Wits University, Falling Walls Lab is a world-class pitch competition showcasing African excellence and promoting international research innovation cooperation.

Selected students from various academic institutions present their idea, research project, business plan, entrepreneurial idea, or social initiative to peers, a high-calibre jury, and the public.

Yolanda’s research focuses on applying nanotechnology to one of the major public health concerns of nosocomial infections in healthcare settings and on developing a self-cleaning NanoRobot that will vacuum the pollutants from the air and clean them off the surfaces.

These infections were not present during the time of admission and may occur in healthcare settings, such as in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and ambulance settings, and may also appear after discharge.

Her supervisors are Dr Steven Mufamadi, Research Chair for the DSI-Mandela Nanomedicine Platform and Wouter Le Roux, senior researcher at the CSIR.

Falling Walls Lab is organised by the Falling Walls Foundation and funded by Berlin’s Natural History Museum (global finale), and Google and Springer Nature (International Labs). It is supported by Sartorius, the Federal Foreign Office of Germany, and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

Image: LinkedIn

BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

Ndumiso is an award-winning illustrator and an avid motion designer. His work combines traditional, African culture with contemporary youth trends and is inspired by Africa and her unique people.

He feels that for a long time, Africa’s story has been told by others and not necessarily by Africans. Being an artist is not only a chance for him to create beauty through images, but also an opportunity to tell a beautiful story about our continent, our people, our cultures and our resilience.

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Ndumiso’s mission as an artist has always been to portray Africa and her people through the lens of an African. His artwork continues to explore this motif, as it celebrates the beautiful mix of people that make up South Africa.

South Africa is a melting pot of cultures, languages, patterns and ideas that come together to form a bigger and more unique picture. This is the inspiration behind Ndumiso’s artwork which when combined, forms a bigger vision, reminiscent of the beautiful land we live in.

Image: Supplied

BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

A recent collaborative effort between the University of Pretoria’s Faculty of Veterinary Science and the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) of Somaliland in East Africa has most likely saved the life of Janet, a cheetah in a sanctuary just outside Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland, a country in the so-called ‘Horn of Africa’.

One of the key role players in the rescue operation was Dr Ross Elliott, a specialist small animal veterinary surgeon in the Faculty’s Onderstepoort Veterinary Academic Hospital (OVAH), who was approached by the CCF to assist with what turned out to be quite an intricate situation.

Janet was diagnosed with a fracture of the calcaneus, which is found at the back of the hock joint (the first joint below the knee in the hind leg of a cheetah, of which the angle points backwards – the calcaneus is the bone at the back of this joint). This led to an inability of the common calcaneal tendon or Achilles tendon to support the hock, which in turn led to the dropping of the hock to the ground.

According to Dr Elliott, a surgical repair was previously attempted but failed and this led to chronic bone resorption and osteoarthritis in the calcaneus bone and joints of the hock, respectively.

Thereafter, multiple attempts, as late as March this year, were undertaken to save the function of the joint but all these also failed. Given the lack of bone and the chronic nature of the injury, amputation, euthanasia or pantarsal arthrodesis (surgical immobilisation of the joint) were considered as options. The latter is a procedure carried out using a specifically designed bone plate contoured to the shape and angle of the cat’s tarsus and accepting screws of different sizes to match the underlying bone thickness. The aim is to eliminate any instability and associated pain.

While amputation could have provided a chance in life to Janet, it generally would be detrimental to a cheetah’s ability to walk and run normally. A decision was made to attempt the arthrodesis as a rescue option and see how Janet responded which took Dr Elliott all the way to Somaliland.

“The concern was that there is very little data on the outcomes of a pantarsal arthrodesis in the cheetah so we were not sure how she would do with the surgery,” Dr Elliott says.

During the second week of May, Dr Elliott, with the assistance of Somaliland CCF veterinarians Dr Anahi Hidalgo (Head Veterinarian), Dr Ann Fan, Dr Ahmid Usuf and veterinary technician Morgane Alvino, among others, performed the surgery while the Executive Director and Founder of the CCF, Dr Laurie Marker, was also in attendance. The surgery went well while the post-operative radiographs similarly looked good.

It is now up to Janet to see how she recovers. The latest news from Dr Elliott’s colleagues at CFF is that she is doing well, the swelling of the paw is minimal at this stage and she seems comfortable.

The Cheetah Conservation Fund was founded by Dr Laurie Marker in 1990 and is an international non-profit organisation headquartered in Namibia and Somaliland with operations in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Australia, and partner organisations in several other nations.

Image and source: University of Pretoria

BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

The Durban installation of the Standard Bank Top Women event is almost here, and the first speaker has been announced.

Cindy Norcott is a motivational speaker, business coach and the CEO of the award-winning recruitment agencies, Pro Appointments and Pro Talent. Cindy is also the founder and chairperson of the well-known charity, The Robin Hood Foundation.

As the author of the best-selling business book, “How to be Unstoppable” and having won many awards for her entrepreneurial abilities, the audience will certainly learn a lot from her at the conference.

Top Women has been South Africa’s leading gender empowerment brand; celebrating visionary organisations that prioritise gender empowerment as integral to their strategy for growth and success. The brand, along with its valued partners, is dedicated to showcasing these organisations as leaders by example to be emulated across the economy – in a country where less than 50% of the population are men.

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BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

The Wits School of Arts (WSOA) partnered with a leading media art school at the Federal University of Santa Maria in Brazil (UFSM). A memorandum of understanding solidified the partnership between WSOA and UFSM’s Interactive Interdisciplinary Laboratory known as LabInter.

LabInter’s transdisciplinary investigation involves Art, Science and Technology. LabInter’s research groups are made up of artists, scientists, engineers, developers, graduates and undergrad students, and research fellows, all working on media art projects towards carrying out advanced studies on the current conception of interactivity concerning digital technologies in Media Art. 

The relationship with LabInter will extend WSOA’s engagement with the exciting work that is taking place in Brazil, a leading centre in the Global South.

The partnership was facilitated by Media Art Professor and Arts Researcher, Andréia Machado Oliveira, alongside Wits University’s Dean of Humanities Professor Mucha Musemwa.

“Our universities and researchers need this kind of support. This agreement allows us to develop a joint project we’ve been working on with Wits’ Head of School, Professor Rene Smith, since 2017. Media art must have the right kind of visibility in both Brazil and South Africa,” said Oliveira.

Oliveira, director of LabInter and recently appointed Research Associate at Wits, hopes that this partnership will also allow students from both countries to learn from each other through academic exchange programmes.

The WSOA has since secured a postdoctoral candidate for September 2023 who will help build on their Arts-Science research projects currently underway.

“We appreciate that there will be stronger synergies between us. We are a living example of how the regional economies of BRICS do not just apply to Presidents and Prime Ministers but also within academic spaces,” said Musemwa.

Image and source: Wits University