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13 November 2018
Photo Moeketsi Mogotsi
Kovsies took an active stance against sexual and gender-based violence through various campaigns in October.
President Cyril Ramaphosa recently announced that South Africa will launch a national strategic plan to tackle gender-based violence (GBV) after years of lobbying by activists. Speaking at the Presidential GBV Summit, the head of state commended activists who called for a nationwide shut down in August in response to high levels of GBV and femicide in the country. He says the government is now reviewing national GBV plans and will develop a national action plan.
Activism at the UFS
One of the efforts launched by the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Gender and Sexual Equity (GSE) Office in the fight against this plague is the # RESPECTME campaign. From 11 to 26 October 2018, the university held its own 16 Days of Activism.
Geraldine Lengau of the GSE Office believes that minority groups deserve the same amount of respect as all other citizens of this country, which is the core concept of the campaign. “The Campaign is a loudhailer to say, ‘just because I am different from you’, be it gender or sexuality, it doesn’t mean that I deserve any less respect,” she highlighted.
Lengau added: “Activism will forever remain important on our campuses as it creates an environment where the community is made aware of matters that would otherwise not have mattered had they not been publicised. Also activism becomes all the more important in advancing the university’s strategic plan.”
Policies advocating against GBV
As stipulated in the UFS Sexual Harassment, Misconduct and Sexual Violence Policy the university strongly believes in the principle of human dignity that is entrenched in the Constitution of South Africa (1996) which resolves to ensure a safe working and study environment for students.
Student Affairs also led a campaign which aimed to highlight the ongoing scourge of sexual and gender-based violence, in line with the policy. “The university is working relentlessly at endorsing the aspects and characteristic traits of respect amongst all of its stakeholders in an effort to reduce the notion of gender-based violence,” said the Dean of Student Affairs, Pura Mgolombane.
UFS appoints Dr Khotso Mokhele as Chancellor
2010-06-04
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| Dr Khotso Mokhele |
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The Council of the University of the Free State (UFS) appointed Dr Khotso Mokhele as Chancellor during its quarterly meeting held on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein today.
“It is an honour for the Council to appoint someone of this stature as Chancellor of the UFS. With his solid academic background and high profile in the business world, Dr Mokhele is a great asset to the UFS,” said Judge Ian van der Merwe, Chairperson of the UFS Council.
Dr Mokhele is a graduate of the University of Fort Hare and did his postgraduate studies at the University of California in the USA. He is also a graduate of the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University in the USA. Dr Mokhele has eight honorary doctorate degrees from South African tertiary institutions – among others the UFS – as well as an honorary doctorate degree from Rutgers University in the USA. He holds post doctoral fellowships from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Medicine, both in the USA.
Dr Mokhele was founder president and chief executive officer of the National Research Foundation (NRF), as well as founder president of the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf).
He holds non-executive positions on the boards of several national companies, among others as the Chairman of Impala Platinum Holdings Ltd, non-executive chairman of Adcock Ingram Holdings Ltd and non-executive director of both African Oxygen Ltd and Tiger Brands Ltd.
He is currently Chairperson of the selection committee of the Rhodes Scholarships for Botswana, Malawi, Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland, member of the Committee on Developing and Transition Economy Countries of the International Social Sciences Council (ISSC) and member of the Review Committee assessing VW Foundation research funding in Sub-Saharan Africa and the former Soviet Central Asian/Caucasus Republics.
Dr Mokhele received the Lifetime Achievement Technology Top 100 award in 2009 for his vision and major contribution in securing the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), constructed outside Sutherland in the Northern Cape.
Dr Mokhele’s succeeds Dr Franklin Sonn, who retired as Chancellor of the UFS at the end of 2009.
Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Director: Strategic Communication (actg)
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl@ufs.ac.za
4 June 2010 |