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13 July 2018 Photo Johan Roux
Sikhululekile Luwaca named 100 Young Mandelas of the future
Sikhululekile Luwaca was recently named as one of 100 Young Mandelas of the future by News24 for his embodiment of Nelson Mandela’s characteristics.
On Tuesday 3 July 2018, News24.com announced the 100 Young Mandelas of the future. Among those nominated was Sikhululekile Luwaca, a former president of the Student Representative Council (SRC) at the University of the Free State (UFS).
 
“It is humbling. I embrace collective action and it would be unfair not to appreciate all the great minds I have encountered over the years and had the privilege to work with. Our individual progress can never be separated from that of the community. It is no longer I that lives, but us, we,” said Luwaca.

Six million readers nominated 1 000 South Africans from all walks of life who could be considered Mandelas of the future. Luwaca emerged in the Visionary category as one of the 100 who made the cut. The initiative was inspired by what would have been Nelson Mandela’s 100th birthday on 18 July 2018. “News24 set out to honour 100 young South Africans who embody the characteristics Mandela was best known for,” said a statement by News24.

While he was the SRC president, Luwaca’s office played a critical role in raising R1.2 million for underprivileged students. He continues to make major strides as the current chairperson of the UFS African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL). 

His social and political influence goes back to when a 13-year-old Luwaca founded an association that sought to address school dropouts in rural areas. In high school, the young philanthropist established an organisation that collected and distributed food for needy elders of Cathcart township in the Eastern Cape. For five years Luwaca served the Student Christian Organisation as chairperson. In 2013, he co-founded the Ubuntu School Project that donated 100 full school uniforms to Phomolong High School learners in Tembisa.

Later on as a UFS student, Luwaca helped found the Hand2Hand Student Association which drives fundraising initiatives, as well as the collection of non-perishable food items and second-hand textbooks for disadvantaged students. In 2015 he was elected a Residence Committee representative for House Outeniqua and SRC: Dialogue and Association. 

Luwaca was instrumental in facilitating a series of dialogues on transformation such as the Fees Must Fall movement and the Shimla Park incident.

News Archive

SADoCoL receives partial reinstatement of blood sample testing by the World Anti-Doping Agency
2016-08-22

Last week, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced the lifting of the suspension of blood sample analysis by the South African Doping Control Laboratory (SADoCoL) at the University of the Free State (UFS). Although the suspension of urine sample analysis is still under review, the UFS is appreciative of the new outcome. The initial temporary suspension of SADoCoL, announced on 3 May 2016, included the suspension of all doping-control procedures which applied to both urine and blood samples.

The main reason for the suspension involved analytical techniques relevant to urine analysis; however, the testing of blood samples was also included in the suspension. At the time of the suspension, no adverse findings were reported for the laboratory in relation to blood-sample testing for Athlete Blood Passport (ABP) assessment. 

According to the agreement with WADA, the suspension period would be utilised to implement and test new systems in order to achieve the standard presently required by WADA, as well as to perform development and improvements. SADoCoL is a specialised service laboratory of the UFS and has been in existence for more than thirty years.

Upon SADoCoL’s request to lift the suspension of only the ABP analysis, WADA agreed to allow the laboratory to apply for reaccreditation.  SADoCoL immediately applied for reaccreditation of ABP analysis on blood, so that the laboratory would be allowed to at least offer this service to the Anti-Doping community in Africa.

For this purpose, inspections were performed by the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS) and by WADA, during which all aspects of blood analysis by the laboratory were thoroughly assessed and tested.  The successful outcome of these inspections resulted in the reaccreditation of SADoCoL by WADA in order to perform ABP analysis as required by the WADA International Standard for Laboratories, with effect from 4 August 2016. 

This outcome allows the laboratory to once again perform this very essential analytical procedure.  The South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) and other regular users can now continue to send blood samples to SADoCoL for ABP analysis, instead of making use of alternative laboratories.

 

Released by: Lacea Loader (Director: Communication and Brand Management)
Tel: +27 51 401 3422/2707 or +27 83 645 2454
Email: news@ufs.ac.za  | loaderl@ufs.ac.za
Fax: +27 51 444 6393

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