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18 July 2018

The University of the Free State (UFS) will be presenting the fourth panel discussion in the inaugural Thought-Leader Series on the Bloemfontein Campus on 26 July 2018, focusing on the politics of land reform.  

Land reform is a subject of national importance, hence the UFS, as a public higher-education institution in South Africa with a responsibility to contribute to public discourse, seeks to present debates which hold the potential to influence the trajectory of the subject.

The panel discussion on 26 July 2018 follows the launch of the UFS Thought-Leader Series on 12 July 2018, when land reform and human rights, organised agriculture, and food security were discussed by various industry role players, as well as scholars from the UFS.

The programme on 26 July 2018 consists of a welcoming by Prof Francis Petersen, UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor, after which representatives of the African National Congress (ANC), Democratic Alliance (DA), Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Congress of the People (COPE), and the Freedom Front Plus (FF+) will give their views on land reform and expropriation without compensation and whether or not expropriation without compensation is possible without endangering food security and economic growth.

The discussion will be facilitated by Lynette Francis, presenter and producer of the daily news and actuality talk show Praat Saam on RSG and anchor of Fokus on SABC 2.

The programme will start at 09:30 and will take place in the Equitas Auditorium, Bloemfontein Campus. 

News Archive

UFS apologises for noise disturbance during newcomers' student festival
2010-02-01

Last night (Saturday, 30 January 2010), the University of the Free State (UFS) received various complaints regarding disturbance caused by the noise during a student function that took place at the Rag Farm on the Main Campus.

"I wish to apologise on behalf of the UFS for the inconvenience that residents in the neighbouring residential areas had to suffer during the Newcomers’ Student Festival last night,” said Mr Rudi Buys, Dean of Student Affairs at the UFS.

The function took place to conclude the welcoming period for new students. “Although strict measures applied regarding the staging of the event, amongst others, cut-off times for the performances of the guest artists and die organisation of the Rag Farm to prevent excessive noise, various unexpected factors made this difficult,” said Mr Buys.

One of the factors was the fact the more than double the expected number of spectators attended the event. As a result of this, measures pertaining to crowd control had to be adjusted. “Although we managed to end the event without any incidents, I am truly sorry that we could not bring the disturbance caused to the neighbouring suburbs to an end earlier,” he said.

“We are committed to finding a sustainable solution to those types of challenges that student events at the Rag Farm can offer to the neighbouring residential areas. Therefore we are going to call meetings with residents and community leaders of the residential areas in order to resolve the problems in a collaborative manner,” Mr Buys said.

An internal evaluation of the situation shall also be undertaken in order to rectify any possible errors or shortcomings in the organisation of the Newcomers’ Student Festival, as well as regarding the organisation of future student events.

“We would like to thank residents of the neighbouring residential areas for the exceptional way in which they often exercise patience, show understanding and make allowances for the times when student activities taking place on the Main Campus become demanding. It is therefore important for us to find solutions to challenges in this regard and engage in meaningful cooperation with residents,” said Mr Buys.

Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Director: Strategic Communication (actg)
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl@ufs.ac.za
31 January 2010
 

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