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By IOL Reporter 
11h ago
Cape Town – Nompumelelo Shange and Roderick Juba plan to make a difference in the world and pay for their good fortune from a good education by motivating and helping others to do the same.
In the first place, they have served as mutual motivation. Receiving their PhD degrees together on the same day, both at Stellenbosch University College of Agricultural Sciences, they are an inspiration on many levels.
Shange earned his Ph.D. in food science and Juba in conservation ecology.
Hailing from Inanda and Humansdorp respectively, they were sophomores living in the Erica and Helderberg residences when their paths crossed in 2010 through mutual friends.
What started out as “just being friends” only turned into a relationship six years later. They both realized that they not only shared the same sense of humor, aspirations, and work ethic, but that they were actually soul mates and best friends.
The couple tied the knot in September last year during a traditional wedding in Inanda, near Durban. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, they had to postpone their white wedding for next year.
Over the past year or two, they have successfully navigated the complexities of a long-distance romance due to their shared career aspirations. While Shange was based in Stellenbosch and Oudtshoorn, Juba studied part-time for his Ph.D. while working for Living Lands, an NGO involved in the comprehensive management of important catchment areas.
“I learned about perseverance, perseverance and hard work from him,” says Shange.
“And I’ve learned that she will do anything to get things done, and that hard work is part of that,” adds Juba.
For his Ph.D. in Food Science, Shange investigated the extent to which two emerging pathogens, campylobacter and arcobacter, are found in the ostrich meat industry. These pathogens can cause gastrointestinal infections in humans.
“The regulations governing contamination of any meat product with these species are not yet in place in South Africa, but my work could serve as a good baseline if the government wanted to implement guidelines,” she says.
Juba focused on the impact of invasive exotic trees on riparian areas and the potential value that could be derived from harvesting their biomass.
Among others, he analyzed the monetary value associated with the production of value-added wood products from felled invasive trees.
“Wheat and canola growers can use byproducts made from invasive plants, such as biochar and wood chips, with varying degrees of success in improving soil quality,” he says.
MESS
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