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14 September 2018
Honouring great African leadership
Celebrating the legacy and leadership of the founder of the Basotho nation. From left are: Prof Itumeleng Mosala, Prof Puleng LenkaBula and Prof Francis Petersen, who attended the Moshoeshoe 1 memorial lecture delivered by Prof Mosala.
Prof Itumeleng Mosala, author, academic, public intellectual, researcher and business consultant, delivered the fourth King Moshoeshoe memorial lecture at the University of the Free State (UFS), Bloemfontein Campus. The lecture attracted audiences from as far as Lesotho including representatives of the Bakoena royal house. Ralechate Mokose, the High Commissioner of Lesotho also graced the lecture with his presence.

The King Moshoeshoe 1 memorial lectures are organised by the Department of Community Engagement and form part of the initiative to demonstrate the university’s commitment to transformation.

An example for global leadership

“I believe that throughout his reign, King Moshoeshoe demonstrated the power of ethical leadership. Not only as a model for African leadership but surely providing an example for leadership globally,” said Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS, in his welcoming message. He added that it was an integral part of the university’s mission to produce and disseminate knowledge on African affairs as well as to preserve the heritage and history of the country and the continent.

Leadership in times of battle

The keynote address by Prof Mosala was inspired by an article titled; 8 Facts about King Moshoeshoe I: The Razor of Southern Africa by Bill Humphrey. In his lecture, Prof Mosala focused on King Moshoeshoe’s leadership skills and resilience in battles. “King Moshoeshoe never lost a major battle. He was able to withstand insults and assaults but where there was no major battle, he would decide to retreat,” Prof Mosala said.
 
Drawing from King Moshoeshoe’s leadership, he said it was important for leaders to have the wisdom to allow insignificant battles to pass and focus the energy on winning major battles. Prof Mosala emphasised that King Moshoeshoe defended the land and built the Basotho nation. Leaders today need to learn such leadership qualities from this great Basotho king.

Prof Puleng LenkaBula, Vice-Rector: Institutional Change, Student Affairs and Community Engagement said in her closing remarks that the youth needed to draw from King Moshoeshoe’s ethical leadership, generous hospitality and understanding of coexistence.

Read full speech here

News Archive

Fifth-generation member of the Steyn family registers for Law at the UFS
2010-01-21

At the registration of a fifth-generation member of the of Steyns at the Faculty of Law are, from the left: Prof. Johan Henning, Dean of the Faculty of Law, Colin Steyn Junior, first-year LLB student and Adv. Colin Steyn, Director of Public Prosecution in the Free State.
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs


Colin Steyn Junior registered as a student in the five-year LLB programme in the Faculty of Law at the University of the Free State (UFS) this year. This former learner from Grey College is a member of the fifth generation of the Steyn family who will study Law at the UFS. Besides the fact that a member from each generation of the Steyn family has studied at the UFS, Colin Steyn, who later became Minister of Justice, also lectured here in the early 1900s.

Advocate Colin Steyn, Director of Public Prosecution in the Free State, who himself studied under Prof. Johan Henning, Dean of the Faculty of Law, brought his son to register at the UFS. Colin Junior, who is staying in the Agricultural Residence on the Paradys Experimental Farm, said he enjoyed Rag and that he was looking forward to student life at Kovsies. “I want to become an attorney and I want to farm part-time,” he said.

According to Prof. Henning there is no other family of which five generations studied at one faculty at this university.

“You walk into an environment where your father, brothers and other family members have studied. It feels like your own home and immediately you also feel at home. The Faculty of Law here in the heart of the Free State is an institution of excellence,” said Adv. Steyn.
 

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