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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

Wayde van Niekerk sets new African record
2015-06-11


Wayde van Niekerk

Eight years before Wayde van Niekerk was born, Gabriel Tiacoh set a record of 31.74 in a 300m race. Now, 7 June 2015 has been marked as the historic day when the University of the Free State student sprinted 300m in 31.63 seconds at the Diamond League meeting in Birmingham.


Van Niekerk improved on his 2011 personal best 300m finish of 33.32 seconds, set in Stellenbosch. The African championship silver medalist said setting a new African record was “a blessing that I cannot really explain. Everything I achieve is God’s work.”

“What drives me is my family and friends, and the fact that I know my gift comes from God so running is my way of thanking the Lord,” he added.


Odessa Swarts, his mother, expressed how proud she is of her son. “I believe and trust with his faith in our heavenly father he is destined to become one of the greats South Africa has ever produced.”


His coach, Ans Botha, expressed her satisfaction, although she described his feat as “a little bit unexpected.” She said Van Niekerk’s achievement indicates that they are in the right track en route to the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championships in Beijing.


Van Niekerk is at present preparing for a 400m Adidas Grand Prix event in New York this Saturday.

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