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27 August 2018 Photo Sonia Small
Prof Thuli Madonsela persuades women to pursue their purpose
Discovering that she was “pretty” for her purpose gave Prof-Adv Thuli Madonsela’s life direction.

What does embracing womanhood mean? For Prof Thuli Madonsela it is about loving yourself and whatever you believe is your purpose in life. 

“All of us are designed for our purpose and are fit for our purpose, you should embrace that and make the best of it,” said South Africa’s former Public Protector in her keynote address to the Women’s Breakfast. In commemoration of Women’s Month, the University of the Free State (UFS)’s Employee Wellness Division hosted the annual event on 21 August 2018 where 900 women gathered under the theme: ‘Embrace your womanhood.’ 

Being a woman today


Law Professor and Law Trust Chair in Social Justice at Stellenbosch University, Prof Madonsela, urged the audience to look beyond the exterior and recognise “that we as individuals have a lot in common”. Speaking of unity in diversity, she praised some of the giants on whose shoulders modern women stand, such as Charlotte Maxeke, Olive Schreiner, Una Wookey, Albertina Sisulu, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, Helen Joseph, Pam Golding, Bessie Head, and Ellen Khuzwayo.

These leaders are the epitome of following the purpose of “embracing everyone’s humanity and challenging things that diminish the humanity of others”, according to Prof Madonsela.

Remaining resilient and resolute 

Despite having to contend with a patriarchal system and face challenges such as gender-based violence, femicide, poverty, inequity, media stereotypes, as well as poverty, women continue to rise. Prof Madonsela called for women to capitalise on positives such as freedom and possessing a certain degree of power, legal equality, playing a role in political spaces, economic progress, and owning a public voice.

Drawing inspiration from her humble beginnings and the lessons learnt in leadership, Prof Madonsela conveyed a simple message to all women: “You are exactly as you should be. You are a perfect expression of your creator’s magnificence. You were created for a purpose and whatever you do, just step up and pursue your purpose.”

A word from an inspired woman

It was a memorable event for Burneline Kaars, Head of Employee Wellness. “This year it was an honour to host Prof Madonsela who could share both her academic background and professional experience. She accomplished this by skilfully incorporating lessons from our country’s history and her passion for justice,” she said.

News Archive

Ancient methods used for new sculpture
2012-05-11

 

Angus Taylor sculpture “Van Hier tot Daar”
Photo: Supplied
10 May 2012

An Angus Taylor sculpture “Van Hier tot Daar” was installed at the Agricultural Building on the Bloemfontein Campus. The sculpture is a three-metre head (14 times larger than life-size) made out of stacked Marico slate. It weighs approximately 15 tons and took two weeks, after months of preparation, to be built on site. The portrait is generic as Taylor has used various people from his studio as reference.

Ms Angela de Jesus, Curator of the Johannes Stegmann Art Gallery on campus, says the process of stacking stone refers to one of the first methods used by humans to create an object or mark a place of significance in three dimensions. The sculpture speaks not only of man’s evolutionary development, but also of how humans are physically and psychologically connected and interdependent on the land. The sculpture that emerges from the ground, although monumental in scale, becomes somewhat of an anti-monument as it is non-representative and it is without a plinth.

The sculpture is the 16th artwork to be installed on the Bloemfontein Campus by the Lotto Sculpture-on-Campus Project funded by the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund.

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