Horticulture students are taking a sustainable approach to farming fish and growing leafy vegetables.

The third-year and BTech class are currently developing a low-cost aquaponics system.

This popular green development combines aquaculture - the growing of fish and hydroponics– the growing of plants in water.

Lecturer Robin Koehorst, who is overseeing the project, says students have drawn plans and will soon start constructing the aquaponics system.

These systems typically feature a series of tubs containing fish or plants, which are connected via pipes.

Water from the fish tubs flow through pipes into a separate tank, where the fish waste is filtered. This filtered water containing nitrates is used to fertilise the plants. The system also keeps the water clean for the fish.

“You can produce fish and plants at the same time. All you need to do is feed the fish,” says Koehorst.

While these systems are widely available in South Africa, there is a need for low-cost, low-energy systems that can be easily maintained by local communities.

Koehorst says while the system will produce food for local communities, it can also act as a means of income.

He says students will grow a wide range of plants to determine which ones are viable for communities to farm and sell.

Written by Candes Keating
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Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.

Graduates of the Faculty of Applied Sciences rose the roof this morning as they cheered on a classmate who had achieved one of the highest honours the University can bestow on its students.

Dean Berry, who graduated cum laude with a BTech degree in Horticulture, is also the recipient of the Vice Chancellor’s Medal. This medal is awarded to the top Btech student across all 6 Faculties. Berry achieved six out of six distinctions in his final year of study with an aggregate of 85%.

Four MTech degrees were also awarded to Nina Septoe, Andre Lambrechts, Jade North and Natalie Newman. These candidates’ graduated with their Masters Degrees from the Departments of Consumer Science: Food and Nutrition, Environmental Health, Horticulture and Nature Conservation, respectively, while Adegbenro Peter Daso and Janes Doughari Hamuel were awarded Doctoral degrees in the Environmental Health Department.

Guest speaker Dr Gansen Pillay, the Deputy CEO of the National Research Foundation of South Africa spoke passionately of the quality of research being done in South Africa.

He says that in moving from a resource-based to a knowledge-based economy, South Africa offered a wealth of opportunity for bright young graduates to exploit.

“We have to focus and prioritise education in South Africa. I advocate the concept of liberation through education – it’s the one thing that can never be taken from you. And at the centre of everything, excellence and integrity needs to be non-negotiable. “

Graduation continues this evening on the Bellville campus where the Faculty of Engineering holds its second ceremony. On Saturday, the Faculty of Education and Social Sciences holds the final two ceremonies on Cape Town campus that bring a week of Autumn graduation to a close.

By Jan Weintrob

Photograph by Clive Galant

Written by CPUT News
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The current drought gripping the Mother City has taught Capetonians that every drop counts.

CPUT’s horticulture foreman, Stanton Abels, took this lesson to heart and has come up with a plan that will help the institution to not only save water but also money in the long run.

Abels said a new 2 000 litre water tank was recently purchased and the toilets used by the 30 Gardens staff members are now being flushed with a combination of treated effluent water and rainwater.

“The treated effluent water comes from the nearby wastewater treatment plant. It is clear and there is no odour. The tank also takes rainwater and has a float that locks once it’s full. The system works perfectly,” said Abels.

“We need to do whatever we can to save water now. Who knows that the future will bring? We would like to encourage other departments to also find ways to save water.”

Abels said the greenhouses at the nursery were already making use of treated water. 

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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The hard work and creativity of staff members who contributed to the success of CPUT Open Day 2024 were recognised during a recent event.

Open Day 2024 attracted an estimated 18 000 learners, parents, teachers and members of the public who were given the opportunity to explore the University’s 2025 course offering and to interact directly with staff and students.

Some departments also offered informative tours of their facilities.

Dr Garth van Gensen, Director of the Marketing and Communication Department, welcomed the attendees and said the Open Day “was nothing short of brilliant”. He thanked the staff members for their participation.

The winning stalls were also announced and four prizes were awarded as follows:

• Most Informative Stand - Interior Design
• Best Team Spirit - Emergency Medical Care
• Best Faculty Experience - Horticulture
• Best Marketing Concept - Film Production

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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