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03 December 2018 | Story Thabo Kessah | Photo Thabo Kessah
Dr Martin Mandew welcoming ceremony
Prof Francis Petersen, Dr Martin Mandew, UFS Council Chairperson Willem Louw, and Prof Prakash Naidoo, Vice-Rector: Operations.
The University of the Free State Qwaqwa Campus and the broader community gave the new Principal, Dr Martin Mandew, a warm welcome on Thursday 22 November 2018. In attendance were representatives from different stakeholders, ranging from the Thabo Mofutsanyana Education District, the UFS Council, to the Student Representative Council (SRC) who challenged Dr Mandew to take the campus to greater heights.

In welcoming Dr Mandew, the Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Francis Petersen, highlighted recent campus achievements, including increased enrolment for both undergraduate and postgraduate students. “There has been a tremendous growth in our enrolment for both under- and postgraduate students. First-time undergraduate students grew by 124% from 2015 to 2018 – from 1 027 to 2 300 students. Regarding postgraduate students, we grew by 68% – from 329 to 551 in the same period of time. In addition, the University Staff Doctorate Project (USDP) that seeks to increase the number of academics with PhDs, is already unfolding. This programme will see six academics pursuing doctorate degrees in natural sciences, social sciences, the humanities, economic management sciences, and education, but will be focusing on multidisciplinary research on mountains or mountain communities. This Afromontane Research Unit (ARU) project is performed in collaboration with three American universities – the Appalachian State University, the Colorado State University, and the University of Montana,” he said.

“We have also seen increased research output that came partly as a result of our ARU collaborating with the United Nations University and the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Frontier Sciences in Japan. This partnership is aimed at developing the campus to be a sustainability hub of research and education, focusing on mountain and rural regions in South Africa,” he added.

Prof Petersen also acknowledged the role Dr Mandew was already playing in “broadening the reach of community engagement, integrating all efforts by different faculties and departments into one sustainable programme and integrating commuting or day students into university life”.

Speaking on behalf of the Qwaqwa Campus Branch of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (NEHAWU), Deputy Chairperson, Motlogelwa Moema, highlighted the need for the new Campus Principal to always listen to the workers. “Workers themselves will tell you about their issues and you will not read about them in some minutes or written notes from somewhere,” he said. Representing UVPERSU was Grey Magaiza, who extended a hand of cooperation to Dr Mandew. “We are prepared to share your agenda of developing this campus with you, and you can count on us,” he said.

In his response, Dr Mandew also extended a hand of cooperation to those willing to see the campus becoming an institution of choice. “It has to be emphasised that this event is not about me, but about our biggest stakeholders – our students – and how we can advance our campus together and make it better. We must make this campus the best of its size in the whole of South Africa,” he said.

His Majesty Morena E Mohono Moremoholo Mopeli from the Bakoena Ba Mopeli Traditional Council welcomed Dr Mandew with a Basotho blanket, a rod, and a hat – symbols of the highest level and warmest welcome.


News Archive

New SRC: Records of support and a victory for women
2014-09-04


Ms Mosa Leteane and Ms Louzanne Coetzee
Photo: Johan Roux

While campuses across South Africa regularly report falling voter turnout in campus elections of student representatives, the University of the Free State, in its recently completed SRC elections, registered record levels of support across our campuses with a total voter turnout of 44%. At the Bloemfontein Campus 34,4% of students voted (5052 votes) and 53,3% (1583 votes) at the Qwaqwa Campus.

Also, for the first time under the new SRC constitution, students elected a woman to lead the student body – Ms Mosa Leteane was elected as President. Another first was the election of a blind woman to the SRC – Ms Louzanne Coetzee. She will be responsible for student accessibility of our Bloemfontein SRC. This marks a victory for women in student governance.

Mr Tulasizwe Sithole was elected as the President of the SRC at our Qwaqwa Campus.

The election of Ms Leteane as President underscores the progress achieved for gender equality with near half of her SRC consisting of women (48%).

These successes are all the more significant, since this is the 4th year of elections under newly adopted SRC constitutions that allow for broader participation of diverse student constituencies in student governance.

This means that the crucial 3-year mark to test a new approach and method in governance and elections was not only successfully reached, but also in its 4th year shows the constitution as one that sustains its impact to deepen democracy and citizenship among our 30,000-strong student body.

“The results of the SRC elections across campuses show that our students are not only ready to lead our campus communities on issues relating to justice, freedom and democracy beyond our societal legacies of race and gender, but do so also for the student movement nationally. We’re immensely proud of our students, who show courage and resilience to choose leaders not for expediency, but for significance, and to lead not for some, but for all”, the Dean of Student Affairs, Rudi Buys, said.

The Qwaqwa SRC was installed on 2 September 2014, while the Bloemfontein SRC will be installed on 5 September. The Central SRC will be established on 14 September by joint sitting of the two SRCs.

The SRC members 2014/15 at the Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa Campuses are as follows:

Bloemfontein Elective portfolios:
President: Ms Mosa Leteane
Vice Pres: Mr Waldo Staude
Secretary: Ms Dineo Motaung
Treasurer: Ms Maphenye Maditsi
Arts & Culture: Mr Stefan van der Westhuizen
Accessibility & Student Support: Ms Louzanne Coetzee
First Generation Students: Ms Mpho Khati
Media, Marketing & Liaison: Ms Lethabo Maebana
Legal & Constitutional Affairs: Mr Lindokuhle Ntuli
Sport: Ms Dominique de Gouveia
Student development & Environmental Affairs: Mr Victor Ngubeni
Transformation: Mr Tumelo Rapitsi

Bloemfontein Ex officio Portfolios
Dialogue & Ex officio: Associations Student Council: Mr Piet Thibane
Academic Affairs & Ex officio: Academic Affairs Student Council: Mr Jonathan Ruwanika
Residence Affairs & Ex officio: Campus Residences Student Council: Ms Melissa Taljaard
City student Affairs & Ex officio: Commuter Student Council: Ms Kerry-Beth Berry
Post graduate Affairs & Ex officio: Post Graduate Student Council: Ms Masabata Mokgesi
International Affairs & Ex officio: International Student Council: Mr Makate Maieane
Student Media Affairs & Ex officio: Student Media Council: Mr Samuel Phuti
RAG Community Service & Ex officio: RAG Fundraising Council: Mr Johan du Plessis
RAG Community Service & Ex officio: RAG Community Service Council: Mr Manfred Titus

Qwaqwa Elective portfolios:
President General: Mr Thulasizwe Sithole
Deputy President: Ms Zethu Mhlongo
Secretary General: Mr Vukani Ntuli
Treasurer General: Mr Langelihle Mbense
Media & Publicity: Ms Nongcebo Qwabe
Politics & Transformation: Ms Nkosiphile Zwane

Qwaqwa Ex officio Portfolios
Student Development & Environmental Affairs: Mr Ndumiso Memela
Academic Affairs: Mr Simon Mofekeng
Arts & Cultural Affairs: Ms Samkelo Mtshali
Off-Campus Students: Mr Khanyisani Mbatha
RAG, Community Service & Dialogue: Mr Njabulo Mabaso
Religious Affairs: Mr Mfundo Nxumalo
Residence & Catering Affairs: Ms Ntombifuthi Radebe
Sports Council: Mr Luvuno

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