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02 February 2018
Public lecture focuses on diversity as foundation for equality
Prof Shaun de Freitas (Department of Public Law), Dr Mwiza Nkhatha (Postdoctoral fellow at the Centre for Human Rights), Prof Iain Benson and Prof Jan Pretorius (Centre for Human Rights)
The Free State Centre for Human Rights at the University of the Free State (UFS) held a public lecture at the Bloemfontein Campus on 30 January 2018 titled Putting religion in brackets: the importance of diversity in the public square by Prof Iain T Benson, Professor of Law at the University of Notre Dame in Sydney, Australia, and, for the past seven years, extraordinary Professor of Law at the UFS.

Conflict between religion and modernity
According to Prof Benson, there have been attempts to exclude so-called old-fashioned ideas from modernity. He gave examples of political and moral objections to public money being spent on religious education by schools, and the prevalence of terminology that stigmatises alternative opinions that may be based on religion, such as “homophobia”. He also referred to an instance in which the accreditation of a Canadian Christian university was challenged because its covenant explicitly rejected certain practices, such as extramarital relationships and same-sex marriage – the objections centred on an institution with such views receiving public benefits.

The challenge of inclusion in a growing secular society
Last year, a South African court found that schools may not promote a single faith to the exclusion of others. “According to the constitution, we have the right to hold religious beliefs. However, there are limitations on religious practices. Each society must draw a line,” he said. In the South African case, he explained, “the court rejected a blanket exclusion of religion in schools. If religion is a right, how can it be voted out of existence?”

Prof Benson argued that the ideology of secularism, the separation of church and state, is making inroads into how we understand religion. If agnostic or atheist viewpoints are accepted in the public sphere, it should not mean that religious beliefs should be abolished. “A diversity of beliefs should be accommodated and every citizen, whether religious or not, may be a part of public life,” he said. He concluded by saying that we lived in a particularly difficult time for a religious believer in the public sphere.

News Archive

Women must fight for equal opportunities - Motshekga
2010-08-06

 
Photo: Stephen Collett

“We will not know peace and prosperity unless all women are free. We must open opportunities for women and make sure that we achieve the necessary progress. I believe this would be the best way to honour the life of Charlotte Maxeke.”

This rallying call for action was made by the Minister of Basic Education, Ms Angie Motshekga (pictured), in her speech to commemorate the life of Charlotte Maxeke, a woman she described as “a heroine” to all South Africans.

The University of the Free State (UFS), in conjunction with the Free State Premier’s office, presented the annual Charlotte Maxeke Memorial Lecture at the Main Campus in Bloemfontein to once again honour this remarkable African woman as part of celebrating Women’s Month.

“We must ensure that we act consciously to extend equal opportunities, freedom and justice to all women,” she said. “We must put all our energies together in this task of uplifting women and children.”

She said that even though women had made considerable strides since the advent of democracy in South Africa, especially in government, much still had to be done to ensure equal opportunities for all women.

“There’s a 40% women representation in government, but the question we should ask ourselves is: What value does this representation bring to the life of an ordinary woman? What impact does it have on her life?” she asked.

She said women were still less represented in managerial positions. “Sexism requires the same amount of energy that we use to fight against racism,” she said.

She also announced that the government had decided to declare the graves of Charlotte Maxeke, Lillian Ngoyi and Helen Joseph as national heritage sites.

The well-attended lecture was entitled: United in action to make 2010-2020 a decade for women in Africa.

Among those present were members of the ANC Women’s League, who came in buses and mini-buses; Dr Allan Boesak and his wife; past and present Free State MECs; and the Vice-Rector of External Relations at the UFS, Prof. Ezekiel Moraka.

Media Release:
Mangaliso Radebe
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2828
Cell: 078 460 3320
E-mail: radebemt@ufs.ac.za 
6 August 2010

 

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