Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Categories
UFS News Media Release Research
Years
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Months
January February March April May June July August September October November December
Previous Archive
08 August 2018 Photo Rulanzen Martin
WomensMonth Art exhibition honours courageous South African women
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela became affectionately known as the ‘Mother of the Nation’. She passed away on 2 April 2018. Winnie Madikizela-Mandela by Alf Khumalo on display at the Oliewenhuis Art Gallery.
Art in its many forms has always challenged controversial issues in national and international discourse. The exhibition in commemoration of Women’s Day, titled Speaking out and standing up: An exhibition in honour of South African women, highlights women’s voices by narrating their own life histories. 

In collaboration with the Oliewenhuis Art Museum, the Centre for Gender and Africa Studies (CGAS) at the University of the Free State hosted an art exhibition on 1 August 2018. The exhibition took place on the same day as the national #TotalShutDown protests challenging gender-based violence and rape across South Africa. The exhibition included numerous South African female artists who have combined art and activism and was curated by Yolanda de Kock from Oliewenhuis. The works are on display at Oliewenhuis until 26 August 2018.

The historical representation of South African women

“Tonight’s exhibition focuses on the historical and contemporary representation of SA women, and one woman that deserves acknowledgement, is Winnie Madikizela-Mandela,” said Dr Nadine Lake, Gender Studies Programme Director at CGAS. She also highlighted the fact that “Madikizela-Mandela’s life attests to the multifaceted nature of black women’s lives. Her life reveals that black women are not automatically regarded as agents in their own right, but face discrimination, isolation, and exclusion when they step out of the parameters defined for them.” 

Dr Lake furthermore asserted that, “South African Women’s Month and Day is a reflection and commemoration of women’s achievements but is increasingly being criticised by feminists across the country. While the constitution enshrines the rights of women and prohibits discrimination, it has become clear that there is a huge disconnection between an aspirational ideology and women’s lived realities.” 

Women should lead their own narrative

Sharon Snell, Chief Executive Officer of the National Museum, said, “The dominant voice about Women’s Day is to spoil women and to give them flowers and chocolates on the day, in the same way as for Mother’s Day.” 

Women’s Day has unfortunately been equated to the traditional role that women play. The purpose of Women’s Day is to change those perceptions and to highlight issues of inequality. Snell said, “It is time for women to lead their own narrative.”

The exhibition highlights the important intersection between art and activism and focuses on aspects such as gender-based violence, homosexuality, corrective rape, domesticity and intersectionality, consumerism and feminism, traditional and family histories, women’s and children’s rights, identity and gender, bullying and domestic violence. Snell emphasised the fact that art has not been silenced and has carefully been articulating these important messages around gendered and social inequalities. 

News Archive

Autumn Graduation Ceremony a thrilling showcase
2013-04-19

 

Yolanda du Toit from the Department Student Academic Services is the proud mother of three daughters who all received qualifications at the Autumn Graduation. Maryke (left) received her certificate in Certified Financial Planning. She already has degrees in B.Com. Law and LLB. Amandi (centre) received her B.Ed and twin sister received her degree in consumer science.
Photo: Renè-Jean van der Berg
19 April 2013

Gareth Cliff video clip
Vicus and Vincent Visser video clip
Joshua Johnson video clip
Graduation YouTube video clip

Photo Gallery

The university’s Autumn Graduation Ceremony infused the Bloemfontein Campus with exhilaration last week.

Beaming with pride, graduates received 526 diplomas/certificates and 2 796 bachelor’s and honours degrees in total.

Prof Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector, lead each procession of graduates from the Red Square down the path to the Callie Human Centre while the beat of drums filled the air. “To break the cycle of poverty, get an education, get a degree,” Prof Jansen urged graduates during their respective ceremonies. He underscored the fact that, as graduates, they are ten times more likely to get a job, with the odds rising as they continue their postgraduate studies.

Dr Khotso Mohele, Chancellor of the university, advised graduates not to allow life’s obstacles to discourage them. “Take what you have learned over the last three or four years and use that knowledge to reach your goal,” he said. He also emphasised that graduates need to be able to take standpoint against issues.

Graduates’ ceremonies were made even more memorable by various local and international speakers and performers.

American student and tap-dancer, Joshua Johnson, inspired the audience with his story of hope and perseverance. As a student from Penn State University, he travels five hours by bus to New York every weekend where he dances on the subway train to earn money for his tuition fees. Joshua told graduates that, in order to achieve their goals, they have to make the best use of the 24 hours they get to live daily. “Don’t follow in the footsteps of someone else. Take the beat of life, but add your rhythm to it," his wise words resonated with the exhilarated graduates. The audience could not help but clap to the rhythmic beat of his tap-dancing performance.

Vicus Visser, dubbed Bloemfontein’s Justin Bieber was also on the list of performers. Vicus – a South African YouTube singing sensation – performed with his brother, Vincent, to the delight of the crowd.

Radio personality and Idols South Africa judge, Gareth Cliff, was also among the speakers who addressed the graduates during the week. “It’s a good time be alive, a good time to be a South African, a good time to be a qualified South African,” he said. “It’s a time in our country’s development that we require minds such as yours to propel us forward,” was part of his message. Gareth also stressed the freedom of speech in South Africa, especially the freedom of the media.

The Autumn Graduation Ceremony of 2013 was an immense success and filled the hearts of Kovsie graduates, students, staff, parents, family and friends with overwhelming pride.

The Qwaqwa Campus’ graduation ceremony will take place on 8 June 2013. Diplomas / certificates up to and including doctorates will be awarded at this ceremony.

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept