The North-West University’s (NWU’s) long-standing commitment to building a diverse plethora of global relationships resulted in a noteworthy event encouraging the exchange of ideas on Friday, 21 June.
A delegation of about 30 individuals from the University of Pennsylvania’s Africa Center in Philadelphia in the United States (US) and the Fulbright-Hays Group Project Abroad (GPA), met with various NWU representatives at the Sports Village in Potchefstroom.
With a focus on strengthening the NWU’s global engagement, various topics were discussed, including sustainable development in post-apartheid South Africa and the intersection of history, environmental justice and social equity.
Bibi Bouman, director for sustainability and community impact at the NWU, welcomed all the guests and her eloquent address set the tone for the day. Prof Elize van Eden, deputy director of the School of Social Sciences was up next and spoke about the history of the NWU.
“All that glitters is not gold,” said Prof Quentin Campell, a professor in Chemical Engineering. His presentation, titled “If it’s not growth, it’s mined,” addressed the mineral resources of South Africa, particularly in the Gauteng region. He emphasised that South African mines should strive towards environmental justice, safety and health, and that the perspective of mining should change.
Taking into account that South Africa’s mining sector has significantly boosted employment and economic expansion since the discovery of gold in 1866, the reliance on gold exports makes South Africa vulnerable to fluctuations in global gold prices, said Prof Andrea Saayman, a professor in economics.
In turn, Prof Lucius Botes, director for research and development in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, expressed his views on the socio-economic impacts of mine declines and closure in South Africa. “Mines should start listening to local communities to avoid costly mistakes and to address socio-economic realities. They should not do business for the sole sake of profit but should start putting the environment and the people first,” he said.
Given the challenges and problems of mine declines and its negative impacts on the economy, Prof Botes added: “We cannot keep exploiting our environment and our people, we have to think towards sustainable development.”
Hendrik Esterhuizen, director for engineering compliance at the Facilities department said sustainability should be at the center of every process. He highlighted the NWU’s energy security and underscored the university’s commitment to exploring more environmentally friendly long-term sustainable methods of producing renewable energy.
The more we connect globally, the stronger we become.
