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01 October 2018 | Story UFS | Photo Johan Roux
Newly elected South Campus SRC
Newly elected South Campus SRC with campus principal Prof Daniella Coetzee and Dean of Student Affairs, Pura Mgolombane.

The University of the Free State’s (UFS) 2018/2019 SRC elections on the Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa Campuses solidified institutional transformation with the implementation of the newly adopted Constitution of the Institutional Student Representative Council (ISRC). 

The 2018/2019 elections marked the first ever SRC elections on the South Campus, which will take place on two legs because of the residential period of qualifications on the South Campus. Based on this, only the elective portfolios of Deputy-President, Secretary, and Student Development and First-Generation Students were elected. The next leg of the CSRC elections on the South Campus will take place in March 2019, when the elective portfolios of President, Treasurer, Policy and Transformation, and Commuter Students will be elected.

After a meticulous nomination process, Campus Student Representative Councils (CSRC) were elected for the Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa Campuses.
 
The outcome of the UFS CSRC elections tallied 6 912 votes on the Bloemfontein Campus, 3 216 on the Qwaqwa Campus, and 419 votes on the South Campus.

Newly elected 2018/2019 Bloemfontein Campus ISRC President, Sonwabile Dwaba, thanked students for respecting democratic processes, and for their maximum participation throughout the election procedures. He assured students that they did not make a mistake by appointing him as their president and added, “I condemn all forms of violence against women”. He also pleaded with students to always pursue justice for victims of any form of violence within the margins of the law.

Sakhile Mnguni, Qwaqwa Campus CSRC President, celebrated his victory with a whopping 65% of the votes. He emphasised the importance of ongoing dialogue to avoid what he termed ‘problems’ at a later stage. “Like a traffic light, let’s discuss matters when conditions are still conducive and not wait until the light turns red, for that’s when discussions are no longer conducive,” he said.

According to the amended constitution, the newly elected ISRC members must represent the interests of the student community in all representations and interactions with UFS structures, as well as with the public. The ISRC will also serve as ambassadors of the UFS at other institutions, organisations, and entities.

Bloemfontein Campus list of results:

Elective Portfolios:

President: Sonwabile Dwaba (EFF-SC)

Vice-President: Bokang Fako (EFF-SC)

Secretary General: Khanya Ralarala (EFF-SC)

Treasurer General: Emmanuel Viwe Mqushulu (EFF-SC)

Policy and Transformation: Koketso Mathews Khunou (EFF-SC)

Student Development and First-Generation Students: Serame Patrick Sebudi (EFF-SC)

Commuter Students: Nasmé Puley (INDEPENDENT)

Ex-Officio Portfolios CSRC Members

Day Residence Student Council: Jon-Dylon Petersen

Arts and Culture Student Council: Patrick Chrilele

Student Associations: Thato Dlamini

Academic Council: Pauline Mugerwa

Postgraduate Students: Seithati Ramonaheng

International Students: Omar-Raphael Tabengwa

Sports Affairs: Katleho Lechoo

Student Organisational Council: Ntsitsa Ned

Civic and Social Responsibility: Chéri Matjila

On-Campus Residences: Thabang Sako


Qwaqwa Campus list of results:


President: Sakhile Khulekani Mnguni (SASCO)

Deputy President: Mongezi Miracle Khethwa (SASCO)

Secretary General: Selloane Antonett Mile (SASCO) 

Treasurer General: Andiswa Sibonelo Khumalo (SASCO)

Policy and Transformation: Lwanele Reginald Madonsela (SASCO) 

Student Development and First-Generation Students: Makalo Tsuluba (SASCO)

Commuter Students: Bongumenzi Siphelele Praiseworth Mdakane (SASCO) 
 
Media and Publicity: Patricia Ntomfuthi Kubheka (SASCO) 

Ex-Officio Portfolios CSRC Members

Associations and Religious Affairs Student Council: Lindokuhle Sydney Vilakazi

Campus Residence Council: Motshedisi Fortitude Raliphoko

Arts and Culture Council: Ntandoyenkosi Khumalo

Academic Council: Duduzile Ritter Mhlongo

Universal Access and Social Justice Council: Senomfundo Mhlongo

Postgraduate Student Council: Teboho Mofokeng

International Student Council: Omotayo Ashafa

Sports Affairs: Lebohang Hendry Miya


South Campus list of results:


Deputy President: Nomathemba Pakade

Secretary: Mvuyo Madlala

Student Development and First-Generation Students: Allistaire Abrahams

News Archive

Student receives international award in microbiology
2008-01-24

A postgraduate student at the University of the Free State (UFS) received an exceptional honour last month when he received the first prize for his presentation in the Biochemistry and Industrial Mycology session of the Asian Mycology Congress (AMC) held in Malaysia.

Desmond Ncango (24), a Ph.D. student from the Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology received the first prize for his presentation on the inhibitory effects of non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin on fungi.

This suggests that commonly used aspirin may be used as a cheap antifungal to combat yeast infections. Desmond also exposed novel lubricants that are used by yeasts for water-propelled movement. This may find application in nanotechnology in the lubrication of nanorobots, which are manmade miniature machines, invisible to the naked eye, which may in future be used to combat diseases such as cancer.

The conference, which was attended by more than 300 representatives from 27 countries, is a platform for mycologists (who are experts in fungi) around the world to come together and share their knowledge and research. “Many interested researchers listened to my presentation and were impressed by the novelty and scientific depth of my work,” said Desmond.

“The presentation was selected as the best because of its novelty, academic depth as well as applicability. The meticulous preparation and presentation style also contributed to the success,” said Prof. Lodewyk Kock, head of the Lipid Biotechnology Group at the department and main promoter of Desmond’s Ph.D. studies.

“I cannot really explain the feeling when my presentation was selected as the best as it was presented in a very difficult category and many senior researchers and professors also participated. I plan to use all the knowledge and skills I have learnt from Prof. Kock, who is my role model, especially to the benefit of disadvantage communities in South Africa. I want to follow an academic career at a tertiary institution when I have completed my Ph.D. studies,” said Desmond.

Desmond went to school in Botshabelo, Bloemfontein and completed his Grade 12 in 2000 with a distinction in Mathematics. He enrolled for a B.Sc. degree at the UFS, majoring in Microbiology and Physiology. After obtaining this qualification, he joined the postgraduate research group of Prof. Kock. He completed his M.Sc. degree with distinction last year and was privileged to have this research published in and on the cover of the Canadian Journal of Microbiology, a journal accredited by the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI).

He was one of six postgraduate students from the Lipid Biotechnology Group who attended the AMC conference in Malaysia. The students’ attendance was funded by the South African Fryer Oil Initiative (SAFOI), which is housed in the UFS Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology. This initiative, steered by Prof. Kock, currently monitors edible oils in the food industry in South Africa and makes a quality seal available to the manufacturers and distributors of these edible oils.

“SAFOI’s income is used to fund my own research on various kinds of oils (including yeast oils) to enable postgraduate students to attend international congresses and to partially fund international scientific symposia and congresses,” said Prof. Kock.

 

Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za 
24 January 2008

 

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