Good News

BULLETIN 14 July 

Good afternoon, here is your Good News:

# University of the Western Cape researchers Bridget Langa and Sahar Abdul-Rasool, are turning science into superhero work, uncovering the genetic clues that drive cancer’s development and progression. They are both tackling breast cancer from different angles, Langa through genetics and bioinformatics, and Abdul-Rasool through molecular diagnostics. Langa says together, they are helping South Africa move toward more personalised, effective treatments that reflect the country’s diverse population:

# The University of the Free State has been ranked as the second best institution in South Africa for disability transformation, achieving 78-percent on the Disability Results Effectiveness Scale. It says this reflects its effective implementation of the Department of Higher Education and Training’s strategic policy framework on disability in the post-school education and training system. The ranking is based on a comprehensive survey by the Higher and Further Education Disability Services Association, which assessed how South African universities are including and supporting students and staff with disabilities.

# University of Pretoria alumna JK Moeng has been appointed as the agricultural attaché to the South African embassy in Rome, Italy. She will represent South Africa at the heart of international food governance, engaging daily with agencies such as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Food Programme. Moeng says she grew up in the rural village of Matatiele in the Eastern Cape where livelihoods depended mainly on field crops and livestock farming. She adds this is where she learned that agriculture could adequately sustain lives.

# The Knysna Oyster Festival has shown itself to be an essential economic lifeline for the Western Cape town during the slow winter months. Knysna Municipality’s Local Economic Development manager, Lungiswa Goya, says this year the festival saw a 30-percent increase in participation. She says a key aspect of the festival is commitment to giving back. In 2024, donations to local charities and non-profit organisations exceeded 450-thousand-rand.

# And finally: With today being World Chimpanzee Day, the United Nations is honouring Jane Goodall for her tireless commitment to chimpanzees. On this day, Goodall began her research at the Gombe National Park, Tanzania, in 1960, recognising the importance of chimpanzees, as well as the urgent need to protect them and their habitats. The United Nations says that due to deforestation, illegal hunting, and the devastating effects of the illegal pet trade, the chimpanzee population has been steadily declining in the wild.

Stay tuned for more news………….