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19 November 2018 | Story Charlene Stanley | Photo Charlene Stanley
On Social Media, Racism, and Cannabis
Prof John Mubangizi, Dean of the Faculty of Law, encouraged delegates at the Fifth Annual International Mercantile Conference to share ideas on best international practice in their various fields.

“Don’t say anything online that you wouldn’t want plastered on a billboard with your face on it.”

This famous quote by international tech expert Erin Bury should be a guiding light when it comes to online habits in the workplace, according to Francois Cilliers, UFS Lecturer in Mercantile Law.

In his presentation Could Social Media be the Gateway to Employment Discrimination? he warned that employees have a responsibility not to bring their employers in disrepute through their comments on social media.

“Posts, updates, tweets, and comments are considered to be publications and can therefore never be seen as privileged information,” he explained.

Responsibility on employees and employers alike

He pointed out that employers also had a responsibility regarding the way in which they use the information about prospective employees obtained via social media.

“Nowadays, approximately 75% of companies hire through social media. In the US, recruiting companies spend hours researching candidates, making full use of what they can find on social media. It was found that 50–80% of employers frowned upon posts and pictures featuring drug and alcohol abuse, profanity, and bad grammar.”

He warned that employers needed to tread lightly, as a decision not to employ someone as a result of information on the prospective employee’s political views and sexual orientation could constitute unfair discrimination as set out in the Employment Equity Act.
   
“An employer who wishes to use a screening process (utilising social media) has to prove that the information and the process is objectively necessary and can be justified with reference to the inherent requirements of the job,” he explained.

“As technology and electronic systems advance, so too should the applicable labour laws.”

Cilliers’ presentation formed part of the Fifth Annual International Mercantile Law Conference recently hosted by the Faculty of Law on the Bloemfontein Campus.

Incorporating new technology in teaching and research

“This conference is an opportunity to share ideas on best practice in what is perceived as a ‘difficult’ field within Law,” said Prof John Mubangizi, Dean of the Faculty of Law, as he opened the proceedings. Topics in the discussion sessions ranged from Racism in the workplace and The underrepresentation of females in the judiciary, to Decriminalisation of cannabis: A recipe for healthy employer-employee relations?

“Conferences such as these help us to take advantage of the newest developments in technology to advance our teaching and research,” said Prof Mubangizi.

“To quote Einstein: ‘We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.’”

News Archive

UFS appoints new council members
2004-06-07

 

The council of the University of the Free State (UFS) last week appointed two new council members. One of the members, Mrs Busiswa Tshabalala, will represent the Qwaqwa community. It is the first time since the incorporation of the Qwaqwa into the UFS campus last year that a council member was elected to represent the Qwaqwa community.

Mrs Tshabalala obtained her BA Hons in History from the University of the North’s Qwaqwa campus in 1992 and a B Ed degree in leadership management from the UFS in 1998. She was the first female deputy principal at the Harrismith Secondary School (1989-1992) and principal of the Forty Second Hill Teachers’ Centre in the Vrede area office of the Free State Department of Education. In 2001 she was seconded by the Free State Department of Education to coordinate programme 1 and 2 for Link Community Development. She is currently the director of the Thabo Mofutsanyana education district of the Free State Department of Education.

Dr Susan Vosloo, international acclaimed cardiologist, is the other new member of the council. Dr Vosloo, old Kovsie of the year 1989, obtained the MB Chb degree in 1980 at the UFS, an M Med cardiothoracic surgery and in 1998 the FCS (SA) qualification in cardiothoracic surgery at the College of Medicine of South Africa (CMSA). Dr Vosloo’s career extends over a wide spectrum and she specialises in pediatric and adult cardiothoracic surgery. In 1993 she took part in the first heart transplant in Johannesburg at Milpark Hospital, in 1997 she did the first hear-lung transplant at City Park Hospital in Cape Town and in 1997 a heart transplant on a 3-year old child.

She has a cardiothoracic surgery at the Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital in Cape Town since 1991 and in also part-time involved with the Red Cross Memorial Hospital in Cape Town.

“It is a great honour for the UFS to welcome two women with so much expertise and experience on the council. Their presence strengthens the UFS’s continued effort to transform the council,” said judge Faan Hancke, chairperson of the UFS council..

Both Mrs Tshabalala and Dr Vosloo’s appointments are until June 2008.

The following council members have been re-elected until June 2008:

Prof Dines Gihwala - vice-chairperson of the council
Dr Nathan Bagarette
Dr Frans Kotzé

Dr Kobus Laubscher was elected by the donors as representative for a further term until June 2008. Me Winifred Hoexter was elected by the Alumni as the third representative. She has been a foundation donor of the UFS since 1997 and committee member of the Kovsie Alumni Trust since 2000. Me Hoexter’s term is until June 2008. The other Alumni representatives are judge Faan Hancke and Mr Jan Grobler, whose term is until June 2006.


Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za

7 June 2004

 

 

Mrs Busiswa Tshabalala

Dr Susan Vosloo

 

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