Dear reader,

With this latest edition of Matieland, we are excited to explore a theme that is both deeply personal and universally relevant, namely “Shaping identity”.

In the context of a university, identity is a dynamic and evolving force. It is shaped not only by the individual experiences of our students, academics, alumni and staff, but also by the collective experiences that define us as a community. Through personal growth and the pursuit of knowledge, our identity is constantly being redefined and strengthened.

With the thought-provoking articles, interviews and stories in this edition, we hope to inspire reflection and dialogue on how each of us contributes to the larger identity of this institution and the broader global community. Whether through academic achievements, personal stories or societal involvement, shaping identity is a journey we are all part of.

As you make your way through this edition, I invite you to reflect on your own journey. Consider how Stellenbosch University (SU) has influenced the ongoing process of shaping who you are and who you aspire to become.

Thank you for your continued support of Matieland. Together, let’s keep on shaping an identity that is distinctly SU, reflecting the values, aspirations and diversity that define us.

Blanché de Vries-Bartes

Sometimes, looking back, no matter how painful, is necessary in order to look ahead and fully embrace who you are. This is exactly what inspired Jess van der Merwe to pen her recently published autobiography Broken and Beautiful.

Van der Merwe is about to experience the high of graduating with a master’s degree in Linguistics at Stellenbosch University in March 2025. Yet she has also had her share of lows. At just 18 months old, she was diagnosed with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy, which caused weakness and spasticity in the right side of her body. She had to undergo repeated surgeries to stretch her muscles and tendons. In recent years, she has also suffered from recurring seizures, which doctors suspect might be the result of multiple sclerosis.

The 24-year-old’s autobiography is a moving account of her journey to take control of her life, advocate for herself, and find strength in accepting help from others. She says her motivation for writing Broken and Beautiful was rooted in her experiences of navigating the challenges of living with cerebral palsy and her other health struggles.

“I felt like no one really understood all the challenges that someone with cerebral palsy goes through. I wanted to share my journey of resilience and self-acceptance to inspire others to face their own difficulties,” Van der Merwe explains. “By exposing my vulnerabilities, setbacks and triumphs, I wanted to show that beauty can be found even in the most broken of places. Through my book, I hope to give a voice to those who feel unseen, remind them of their inherent worth, and establish a sense of connection and understanding with them.”

Writing and also illustrating Broken and Beautiful was a profoundly transformative experience. “It allowed me to revisit and process moments of pain, triumph and vulnerability, thereby giving me a new perspective on my journey and my sense of self. Through this creative process, I uncovered layers of strength, empathy and purpose I might not have fully realised before,” she says. “It deepened my understanding that imperfection is not a flaw, but a part of the human experience. I came to see myself not just as someone who has endured, but as someone who thrives with courage and grace.”

Yet the book also aims to challenge the able-bodied to rethink their perceptions of disability, to steer away from stereotyping or pity, and to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of the diverse experiences within the disabled community, Van der Merwe adds. “I want readers to see that disability doesn’t place a limitation on living a full, meaningful life – it’s a different way of navigating the world, often with incredible strength, adaptability and resilience. I want the able-bodied to se e us as individuals with hopes, dreams, struggles and triumphs – just like anyone else.”

She continues: “I also hope the book fosters empathy and encourages people to challenge their biases. If readers can come away with a sense of admiration and respect for the tenacity it takes for us to live authentically in the face of challenges, then I’ve done my job. But more importantly, I hope the book inspires them to reflect on their own lives and recognise that resilience and beauty can also emerge from their brokenness, whatever that may be.”

Jess van der Merwe is proof that allowing yourself to be vulnerable enough to share your story with others is not a sign of weakness, but a gift to the world – one that can inspire, comfort and empower.

The Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Stellenbosch University (SU) intends to enter the international humanoid robotics field with the creation of a modular research platform built in human form. 

The humanoid robot, which the Department started working on in July 2024, currently features a functional torso with fully operable arms and hands. The next stage of research will concentrate on developing actuators for the robot’s legs, with the goal of achieving bipedal walking.

“The robot can mimic all types of human movement,” says lecturer Dr William Duckitt, who heads up the project. “Next we’ll be using some of the advanced software technology used in big companies to automate our design and create a system that can work in our environment.”

According to Duckitt, humanoid robots are generally used to perform tasks in environments in which humans work and operate. These include taking control of dangerous situations, performing manufacturing duties, and assisting the elderly. “The robotic future is upon us, and big international tech companies are all starting to develop these robots. It is not far-fetched to assume that the world will be turning to personal robots in the coming years,” he explains. “So, at Stellenbosch, we would like to gain knowledge of how to build these robotic systems locally and be internationally competitive.”

The Department is following an interdisciplinary collaborative approach – electronic, mechatronic and mechanical design – in constructing the robot. Students are also actively involved in innovative projects focusing on the design and development of custom actuators, advanced robotic hands, and humanoid arms with pincer grips. “This technology represents an exciting first for the University, and we have had a lot of fun developing it. Everyone is quite eager to work on it,” says Duckitt. 

He adds: “If we manage to create our own robots at SU, one can merge that with the efforts of our Data Science and Computational Thinking School, and the students can then develop further algorithms and software that can run on these systems. We’d also be able to sell it to the local and international market. If not, we will just be a net importer of this technology from other countries.”

Duckitt says they plan to unveil a demo of the robot to the public during the Engineering Faculty’s events at the 2025 SU Open Day.

Marnus van Heerden is not one to shy away from a challenge. This trait has seen him become one of a select group to obtain the dual BAccLLB degree at Stellenbosch University (SU) as well as distinguish himself as a pioneer in South Africa’s insurance technology (‘insurtech’) market.

‍Students who enroll for the demanding BAccLLB obtain both the BAcc (Accounting) and LLB (Law) degrees within five years. When he graduated in 2014, Van Heerden became one of just over 200 persons holding this dual qualification in the country. SU is currently also the only university that offers the programme in South Africa.

“I’ve always liked a challenge, and the BAccLLB seemed like quite a challenging degree to complete,” says Van Heerden. “I found it enlightening and interesting. The legal aspect appealed to me because you get to experience a wide range of fields, from private law to criminal law. The accounting side, in turn, just makes good career sense, as it offers multiple good opportunities.”

The qualified chartered accountant completed his articles at KPMG, where he audited some of Africa’s largest insurers, reinsurers and banks, including Old Mutual Insure, Hannover Re, Deutsche Bank and Nedbank. “Working with these companies, I saw how much room for change and innovation there was, particularly in the insurance field,” Van Heerden explains. “Many of these insurers continue to follow traditional processes that are mostly paper-based and reliant on brokers and call centres. And it dawned on me that the next generation of consumers would probably not want to buy their insurance via these mechanisms.”

Determined to plug this gap in the insurance market, Van Heerden co-founded digital insurer Pineapple with fellow innovators Matthew Smith, Ndabenhle Ngulube and Sizwe Ndlovu in 2017. “We all felt that there was a lot that could be innovated and improved on in the insurance space, and we really just fell in love with solving that problem. We tried a whole bunch of different things before we eventually came up with Pineapple,” he says.

Pineapple offers a no-mess, no-fuss solution to insure one’s “stuff”, including gadgets, appliances, musical instruments and other single-item valuables. In 2020, motor vehicle insurance also became part of their product offering.

According to Van Heerden, Pineapple makes use of an omnichannel approach, which sets it apart from traditional insurers. “That means that whenever a client wants to contact us, they can do so online, telephonically or via WhatsApp. Clients can also generate a quote, activate or amend a policy, lodge a claim or request roadside assistance via these channels,” he explains. “This approach allows us to offer our customers a comprehensive product at a significantly reduced premium compared to traditional insurers, who are weighed down with bulky legacy systems and inefficient cost structures. Our advanced technology systems also allow us to track at a very detailed level how customers are being serviced, while AI tools help us detect whether the service that customers receive meets our standards.”

He says the South African public has embraced Pineapple’s innovative approach, affordable pricing and excellent service. “We’ve been incredibly fortunate with the interest that we’ve seen year on year. Our client base has grown exponentially. In 2023, we saw growth of close to 200%, and in 2024 to date, we’ve experienced growth of about 100%.”

Yet there is still a lot that Pineapple can accomplish in the South African insurance market, Van Heerden adds. “It is estimated that roughly two thirds of all cars on our roads are uninsured, and a very large portion of these cars belong to people below the age of 38. This segment of the population hasn’t bought as much insurance as they should, and one reason for this is that insurers aren’t speaking their language and aren’t servicing them in the way that they would want to be serviced. This presents us with a great opportunity.”

A former Eendrag prim and head mentor, Van Heerden says his student experiences played a major part in shaping his entrepreneurial journey. “The opportunity we got at Eendrag to rub shoulders with successful businesspeople such as the chief executive of Naspers and the founders of Capitec helps one believe that achieving something of significance really is attainable,” he says. “But I also think one is probably influenced a lot more by one’s peers, whom you spend a lot of time with. Living with a group of truly talented and amazing people with diverse interests and from diverse backgrounds shaped the way I view the world. I am incredibly grateful for my years at SU and Eendrag.”

Stellenbosch University (SU) is busy with a visual redress and restitution project to memorialise an historic burial site on the grounds where the University’s medical campus and Tygerberg hospital are now situated. The process is proving impactful, not only for the affected community, but for the University as well.

The Hardekraaltjie cemetery, which operated from 1910 to 1947, was of central importance in the lives of the former Tiervlei community. The community were later subjected to forced removal under the apartheid regime’s Group Areas Act and relocated to the Cape Town suburb of Ravensmead. SU became the owner of a portion of the land in 1971 when it was transferred to the University by the then Parow municipality.  

The issue was first brought to the University’s attention by former SU staff member Daniel Dietrich, whose father and paternal uncle were buried at Hardekraaltjie. Over the past years, SU has consulted with community members to restore their connection to the cemetery and memorialise their ancestors appropriately. The University subsequently established the Hardekraaltjie steering committee, which comprises members of the Ravensmead/Tiervlei community, SU and Tygerberg hospital, to determine the nature, focus and desired outcome of the restitution process.

Dr Therese Fish, the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences’ Vice-Dean: Clinical Services and Social Impact, co-chairs the steering committee. She says the committee has embarked on a number of interventions to drive the memorialisation process. 

“The first involves understanding the history of Hardekraaltjie cemetery and the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, and how the two histories overlap,” Dr Fish explains. “The archival material about the cemetery is still being sought, including the records of persons buried there. But our project research assistant has so far identified over 250 names from death notices at the National Archives. The municipal archives indicate that up to 700 individuals were buried there.”

According to Dr Fish, the second intervention is for SU to apply to Heritage Western Cape to memorialise a portion of the Tygerberg campus area in memory of those buried at Hardekraaltjie. To finalise the application, the steering committee is working with an appointed heritage practitioner. 

“The third intervention involves our engagement with the Tiervlei-Ravensmead community. This culminated in the development of a timeline on the history of the cemetery for the community members’ use,” she continues. “The book Landscapes of Dispossession: Stories of the Hardekraaltjie Cemetery – Told by the People of Tiervlei-Ravensmead was also conceptualised and recently published through our partnership.” 

The book represents the voices and experiences of local residents who have a deep connection to the historic Hardekraaltjie site. It was presented to 30 community members and researchers at an event in Ravensmead, and additional copies will also be provided to local libraries and schools. The steering committee is also using the opportunity to work with the Ravensmead library to develop infrastructure for its children’s section.

“As part of our efforts to honour the rich history and cultural significance of the areas in which SU operates, it is crucial that the stories of the people from Tiervlei-Ravensmead, and the cemetery itself, are preserved and shared. The memorialisation of Hardekraaltjie is a stark reminder of lost memories and lost spaces, and of the role we all need to play to recover and preserve these for future generations,” Dr Fish concludes. “This process has reminded us as a university of our role in society, and of the need for SU to be a place of healing, inclusion, learning and re-learning.”