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23 May 2018 Photo Thabo Kessah
Choose excellence and moral uprightness graduates told
Dr Mantwa Lephoto graduated with a PhD in Physics. With her is Dr Kamohelo Tshabalala, her supervisor
It was joy all over at the Qwaqwa Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS) on Thursday 10 May 2018 when over 650 degrees, diplomas, and certificates were conferred on deserving academic achievers. Among the degrees conferred were seven PhDs and seven master’s degrees in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, and one doctorate in English in the Faculty of the Humanities.

Speaking to the proud graduates was the Honourable Acting Judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal, Mr Justice Tati Makgoka, and the Chancellor of the UFS, Dr Khotso Mokhele, who both congratulated the graduates on their success.

Immeasurable joy and pride
“In African culture, a child is a vessel of the community. And today you have not only brought immeasurable joy to your families, but also pride to your communities. You have also opened a window of opportunities and inspiration to the school learners in attendance here today,” said Justice Makgoka, referring to hundreds of invited school learners from as far as Rekgotsofetse Secondary School in Paul Roux.

“You have now assumed the roles of pathfinders among your people. You should therefore continue to share your talents, as well as moral and spiritual gifts, with your communities. Your qualifications today set you on a journey of lifelong learning and scholarship. It is so because your chosen fields of study are dynamic terrains constantly evolving and demanding a lifelong scholarship. We must also pay special tribute to those who contributed towards your success,” he said.

Support system is important
Dr Mokhele also encouraged graduates to thank their support systems that kept them going through the hard times of studying.

 “There are many other people who deserve to be thanked for your success and you must thank them accordingly,” he said, and asked graduates to stand up as a gesture of appreciation for their families and friends who filled up the Rolihlahla Mandela Hall.
He further edged all graduates to ‘choose excellence and moral uprightness’.

“Honest and excellent hard workers in our government are more likely to be constructively dismissed, as they prevent the stealing of state resources. It’s your responsibility to choose the kind of South Africa you want to live in and make it happen,” he said.
 
This year’s graduations also saw the first cohort of Bachelor of Administration students from the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences graduating.

UFS Qwaqwa Campus May Graduation highlights from University of the Free State on Vimeo.

News Archive

Traditional medicine can play important role in modern drugs discovery
2014-11-11

Indigenous knowledge possesses a great potential to improve science. Making use of this source may lead to advanced technological innovations. This is according to Dr Sechaba Bareetseng, UFS alumnus and Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) Manager at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
Dr Bareetseng recently addressed the seventh annual IKS symposium on the Qwaqwa Campus.
“Interfacing indigenous and local knowledge with scientific knowledge has the potential of encouraging and developing inventions, especially in the pharmaceutical industry,” said Dr Bareetseng.
 
“Such interfacing can also enable access to both sets of knowledge without any discrimination whatsoever. It would also encourage co-existence that would improve understanding between the two.”
 
“Traditional medicine,” said Dr Bareetseng, “can play an extended role in modern drugs discovery as it is already happening in Botswana and New Zealand. These two countries are leading this wave of new thinking in as far as drug development is concerned.”
 
Dr Bareetseng also called on established researchers to start embracing the local communities into their research.
 
“Contemporary scientific research demands that local communities must co-author research conducted within and with them by the universities and research institutions. This would help in maintaining trust between the researchers and the communities that feel exploited. Regular feedback would also make communities feel part of the developments,” Dr Bareetseng argued.
 
He further called on the pharmaceutical companies specifically and researchers in general to convert valuable indigenous knowledge and resources into products and services of commercial value. “Plants, the ecosystem and indigenous knowledge must be preserved to provide a source of income for the local communities. Communities must also be protected from foreign exploitation of their intellectual property.”
 

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