Uganda has two million organic farmers, 200 000 of whom are certified as organic producers, which qualifies them to sell and export their products as organic, and gain higher revenue. There is no reason why South Africa cannot achieve the same, according to Nelson Mandela University's Professor Raymond Auerbach, whose research over the past 45 years on organic farming and sustainable food systems, has established him as an international authority. He has doctoral students working in Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia and South Africa.

"The ways in which poor working class communities and schools come together to create an enabling environment for learning to occur is rapidly emerging as a practice and scholarship,” says the Director of the Centre for the Community School (CCS) in the Faculty of Education, Dr Bruce Damons, who graduated with his PhD in 2017and was the recipient of the South African Education Research Association (SAERA) national award for the top PhD.

Only a final sign-off is needed for the Eastern Cape to get its second medical school. The recruitment of students for SA’s second post-apartheid medical school at the Nelson Mandela University (NMU) in Port Elizabeth will start soon, with the first batch expected to start classes in January 2020.