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16 February 2018 Photo Supplied
Miss Mamelodi Sundowns First Princess a proud Kovsie
Thato Mosehle was recently crowned Miss Mamelodi Sundowns First Princess

“True beauty is how you make a person feel, and I believe that I’m very beautiful,” said Thato Mosehle; Miss Mamelodi Sundowns First Princess and UFS medical student. When asked what she thought her edge was over the other contestants in the competition, Thato replied: “I will not speak about them. I will speak about myself and say it was the fact that I was true to who I am.” It is clear that Thato’s zealous character and clear sense of identity are among the determinants of her victory. Thato explained that her journey began when she could no longer play for the provincial netball team due to an injury she incurred on the court. She was very disappointed because she was relying on her netball skills to help her obtain a bursary to fund her studies. Despite this adversity, Thato was determined to be active and do something significant and profitable with her time. She began entering beauty pageants in and around Bloemfontein, such as Miss Glamorous 2016, Miss Armentum 2017, and Miss Environment.

“True beauty is
the ability to
give someone a
sense of warmth
when you arrive.”
—Thato Mosehle
Miss Mamelodi Sundowns
First Princess.

She said her prime motivation for entering this particular pageant was the prize money she could win that would help fund her studies. She described how the UFS facilitated her triumph through the challenging analysis methods from which her studies and overall knowledge and confidence derived. Thato explained that she respected the Miss Mamelodi Sundowns pageant as it promoted the empowerment of women. As a final-year medical student and Mamelodi Sundowns brand ambassador, Thato is smart enough to understand that with a specific title comes a definitive responsibility that you owe to yourself to fulfil. She explained that the essence of her win was that in the Free State, she was not just the 1st princess, she was the queen. Thato added that if students had a vision they should plan effectively and go for it.

News Archive

Clarification of charges against the Reitz students
2009-10-24

Statement by Prof. Jonathan Jansen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State (UFS)

The University of the Free State (UFS) has not “withdrawn charges” against the four Reitz students. This needs to be clarified.

There are three processes underway, and they must not be confused:

  1. 1. The criminal charges against the students were laid by the Directorate of Special Prosecutions in the province, and the university has no say over those processes in the criminal courts. That process remains in place.

  2. The human rights charges are led by the Human Rights Commission, in the province, and the university has no say over those processes in the equality court. That process remains in place.

  3. The university simply withdrew its own complaint against the students, insofar as university processes are concerned, and on that basis decided to invite the students back to continue their studies and to re-open Reitz as a model of social justice and racial reconciliation as an exemplary university residence. These decisions alone fall within the realm of the university’s authority.

The decision with respect to the withdrawal of the university’s complaint against the students was based on two considerations:

a. the institution’s own accountability for what happened, and creating (or not interrupting) the conditions under which racism and racist attacks were even possible on the campus of an institution of higher learning. It is in this context that the institution has decided to offer reparations for harm to the dignity and esteem of the five workers.

b. the institution’s desire to create the conditions for racial reconciliation on a deeply divided campus, and in doing so to accelerate the chances of transformation at the UFS.

There were broad consultations with the Human Rights Commission, Cosatu provincial, Sasco, Nehawu as representatives of the workers; there were also discussions with the leadership of the Student Representative Council (SRC) about the need to resolve the Reitz issue outside of the courts; and the matter of Reitz and its resolution through negotiation was also raised with the Minister of Higher Education and Training. There were also meetings with the legal representatives of both the students and the provincial prosecuting authority.

There was a meeting with the workers to ensure them of the university’s full support for them as workers, but the case itself was only discussed with their representatives, Nehawu.

Sasco National has communicated a message of support to the university to return the two students and to re-open the Reitz residence.

 

Issued by: Lacea Loader
Deputy Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za  
19 October 2009

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