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28 November 2018 | Story Charlene Stanley
Law home read more
Back row, from the left: Prof Danie Brand (Director of the Free State Centre for Human Rights), workshop co-organiser Helen Carr (Kent University), and Ellen Maphalane (home owner) with workshop participants during a visit to Ms Maphalane’s home, an example of alternatively constructed housing in Bloemfontein.

The body of a sixty-year-old homeless man is discovered in a tent on the outskirts of Canterbury, Kent, UK. Cursory research reveals that he had been refused a place on the council’s housing register and that he was a former member of the British armed forces – a group that makes up close to a quarter of the ‘rough sleepers’ in London. This raises questions about the complex relationship of politics, campaigning, gender, and welfare in homelessness law, policy, and practice.

Jump across the Atlantic Ocean to Klapmuts, Western Cape, South Africa, where beneficiaries of an RDP housing project are benefiting from the shelter provided in the form of private home ownership. Yet, they are not using these assets to its full potential, e.g. as security for credit to start or expand a business. This raises questions about whether the less expensive route of providing public housing with tenure security would not be a better option.

International workshop on housing

Diverse issues such as these came up for discussion as planners, geographers, architects, art historians, social activists, and lawyers recently met during a workshop at the University of the Free State to discuss what a home constitutes, and how best to provide and protect homes in a sustainable and inclusive manner in 21st century cities. The workshop was hosted by the Free State Centre for Human Rights on the Bloemfontein Campus.

Participants presented papers and engaged in discussions on home-related topics as diverse as Hannah Arendt’s conception of the intimate and political spheres; Henri Lefebvre’s notion of a right to the city; alternative, environmentally conscious building methods; court cases dealing with the concept of home; the right to a domestic garden as a component of the right to a home; and constructing the home as a subversive and empowering alternative when it comes to giving birth.

Going forward

The same group of participants will meet for a follow-up workshop at Kent University in the UK in February 2019, and a third workshop in Belo Horizonte in Brazil in June 2019, with the project culminating in the publication of an inter-disciplinary book containing the papers workshopped at the three events.

News Archive

Become part of the Kovsie family
2017-04-13

Description: 2017 Open Day Bloem Tags: 2017 Open Day Bloem

Photo: Johan Roux

Open Day is a great opportunity to experience the Kovsie vibe, visit the residences, campus facilities and faculties, and receive academic and career advice. You can collect as many faculty pamphlets and programme booklets as possible to browse through later.

You will be welcomed by the new Vice-Chancellor and Rector, Prof Francis Petersen, be entertained by Swing City, enjoy laser shows, and participate in fun games with Teambo.

Bloemfontein Campus

Date: 13 May 2017
Prospective students’ and parents’ session: 08:30-09:30
School groups’ session: 11:00-12:00
Venue: Callie Human Centre, Bloemfontein Campus

Academic and career advice: 08:30-15:00
Venue: Scholtz Hall, Bloemfontein Campus

Faculty sessions: 10:30
Venues for the faculty sessions:
•    Economic and Management Sciences: EMS Auditorium
•    Education: Education Auditorium
•    Health Sciences: Francois Retief Building
•    Humanities: Odeion
•    Natural and Agricultural Sciences: Agriculture Building
•    Law: Equitas Auditorium
•    Theology and Religion: Theology Building, Room 21

Residence and Student Life stalls: Red Square in front of the Main building.
Student association stalls: Thakaneng Bridge.
View our campus map and the full programme.

Qwaqwa Campus
The UFS Qwaqwa Campus will host their Open Day on Saturday 20 May 2017.

Applications to study in 2018 are now open

Want to become a Kovsie student? Make sure not to miss the Open Days and also see the 9 steps on how to become a UFS student.

For more information, contact the Unit for Prospective students on:
+27 51 401 3000 | info@ufs.ac.za

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