With 2020 drawing to a close, we are starting to focus on what 2021 might bring. eish! asked some of our colleagues about their wishes for the new year.
Hosia Kgoa
Manager of Timetables and Assessment, Student Academic Lifecycle Administration, Mahikeng Campus
My first wish for 2021 is an accelerated economic growth rate for South Africa and the world at large, as this will result in higher living standards, higher real income and the ability to devote more resources to areas such as healthcare and education.
Secondly, I wish that a 100% effective vaccine would be found to prevent the escalation of the Covid-19 pandemic and save the lives of the people. In the meantime, while waiting for the vaccine I wish all the people in our country could comply with all the protocols such as hand-washing, sanitising and social distancing.
Thirdly, I wish that the NWU community can quickly adapt to the new digital strategy of the university. Every NWU community member will then be able to communicate a consistent brand message, leading to a unified brand image.
Dr Naledi Seheri
Senior lecturer, School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Mahikeng Campus
My wishes for 2021 include celebrating the milestone of being with the Mahikeng Campus for 20 years. Although the road was not that rosy, I gathered my strength from God and the support I received from my colleagues, family, friends and students.
I also wish to create a positive teaching and learning environment for my students. No one knows when the Covid-19 pandemic will end, but it is essential to encourage students to have a positive attitude and to flourish in all their academic and life endeavours.
Furthermore, I would love to nurture and improve my teaching and research expertise through collaboration, publications and an improvement in my research. I would also like to keep fit and healthy, and to travel around the world to see various natural parks. I recently added a new hobby, cycling, and although I have fallen off my bicycle several times, I intend to continue.
Mario Matos
Assistant lecturer, Social Studies in Education, Faculty of Education, Potchefstroom Campus
No one can blame us for having trust issues after a year that’s been marked by a pandemic and anything associated with dysfunction and a continuous sense of melancholy. Without jinxing it, I believe that 2021 may have a hard time trying to outdo 2020.
My wish for 2021 is that, in an even greater sense, humanity could learn to be open-minded, kinder towards each other, virtuous and accepting of things beyond our control. May we give ourselves more credit, see mistakes for what they are and allow every experience to shape our characters. May we be zealous in all our endeavours.
I would also like to see everyone being persistent and tenacious in our purpose, and going about life with a sense of aspiration and ambition so that the world can catch our spirits. Remain humble after every achievement, be resilient after every setback and cherish life-changing experiences. Don’t forget to pray, and don’t let yourself down!
Desmond Phuti
Project manager, School of Accounting Sciences, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, Potchefstroom Campus
I have started taking my health and fitness seriously – I walk 10 km daily in the mornings, and have sustainably lost 10 kg, just from walking. God willing, I pray that I keep a healthy lifestyle to enable me to continue providing for my family.
The NWU has been my place of employment since 2004 and I have seen her prosper and take her rightful place among the universities of the world. I pray that the NWU continues to be blessed with world-class leaders in the areas of academic excellence, management and governance.
I am also looking forward to a South Africa that would be corruption free; a South Africa that would be able to provide meaningful and sustainable jobs, free of all forms of crime and more specifically gender-based violence.
Prof Diana Viljoen-Bezuidenhout
Lecturer and researcher, School of Economic Sciences, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, Vanderbijlpark Campus
My wish for 2021 is for gender-based violence (GBV) to be addressed to the same degree as we as a country have addressed Covid-19.
We lose women and girls to the scourge of GBV daily. Their lives and light are taken from the world in the most gruesome of circumstances and there must be something more that we can do to bring awareness to these violent acts.
I believe it will take a sustained and concerted effort by all spheres of government, community leaders and community groups to hold those who commit these acts accountable for their actions, and to spread the message that violence against women and girls will no longer be tolerated.
Our mothers, aunts, nieces, sisters and daughters should not have to wake up every morning, asking themselves "Am I next?"
Relebogile Sekati
Senior administrative assistant, School of Industrial Psychology and Human Resource Management, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, Vanderbijlpark Campus
My wish for the NWU is that our university would get funding to buy enough laptops for less privileged students. This may help students to stress less and rather focus on producing good results. Obviously terms and conditions to issuing laptops should apply.
For our country I wish that South Africa would become a united front to help eradicate poverty and help improve our education and health systems, especially in the public sector.
Let’s see what they have to say.
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