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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

Kovsies included in national team for 2015 World Cup in Australia
2015-06-30

Karla Mostert
Photo: Johan Roux

The success of netballers Adele Niemand (former Kovsie) and Karla Mostert (captain of the Kovsie netball team) continues - they represent Kovsies, the provincial Crinums, as well as the national SPAR Proteas as goal-keeper and goal defender, respectively. The UFS is also very proud of their inclusion in the national team for the upcoming 2015 World Cup in Australia.
 
On 6 June 2015, Niemand and Mostert played for the Free State Crinums, who overpowered the Gauteng Jaguars in the Brutal Fruit Netball Premier League (NPL). This win secured the championship title for the Crinums for the second time in a row.
 
“Our aim was to improve with each game. We did this throughout the league. The final game against the Jaguars was definitely our best game, so we are very satisfied. The NPL prepared us and gave us game time, which I think, is great preparation for the Diamond Challenge,” said Mostert.
 
Niemand and Mostert represented South Africa at the Diamond Challenge in Margate from 14 to 18 June 2015.
 
Prior to the event, Burta de Kock, Head Coach of the university’s team, said, “The Diamond Challenge in Margate will be hard, because Zambia, Uganda and Malawi want to be the best in Africa. But SA has enough brilliant players to do the trick for us, and we also have a great leader as captain.”
 
Niemand and Mostert form part of the national squad selected for the upcoming 2015 World Cup in Australia. Kovsie Lauren-Lee Christians from the UFS is the only non-travelling substitute for the World Cup. In their group, the team will compete from 7 to 16 August 2015 against Malawi, Singapore and Sri Lanka.
 
For the upcoming games against the world’s best in Sydney, Niemand has set a personal goal, namely to be the best by playing every game as if it's her last, and in so doing, aims to maintain the high standard of the team.
 
Their coach’s words of encouragement for the World Cup are: “Just go out with passion and enjoy every second. Never forget you are our CHAMPS!!”
 
The SPAR Proteas have indeed proven to be champions by beating Zambië 63 - 38 in the opening match of the challenge on 16 June 2015 at the UGU Sports Centre. They continued to beat Malawi convincingly by 43 - 33, and thrashed Uganda with a score of 56 - 39 to maintain their unbeaten run. The Proteas managed to uphold their lead to the end and thereby secured the tournament trophy win a win of 40 - 35.  In the first two games against Zambia and Malawi, Mostert and Niemand was respectively Player of the Match.
 
The UFS is also proud of Maryka Holtzhausen, a former Kovsie now captaining the Proteas. Ilze du Pisanie, also a former Kovsie, is the conditioning coach for the Proteas.

 

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