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Four universities to walk 200 000 km in ten weeks

12 April 2019 | Story Valentino Ndaba | Photo Charl Devenish

“May the best team win the 2019 BestMed Pedometer Challenge!” said LJ van Zyl, Pedometer Challenge ambassador.

Participants in the 2019 BestMed Pedometer Challenge will start improving their health step by step after the University of the Free State (UFS) challenged the Stellenbosch University, Central University of Technology, and North-West University (NWU) to an eight-week walking competition.

South African 400-metre hurdles record-holder and the Pedometer Challenge ambassador, LJ van Zyl, embraced the initiative as an alternative method to achieve fitness. “I am so tired of running and this is great way to stay fit,” he said during the official launch on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus on 5 April 2019.

Inter-institutional fight for fitness

Last year, the UFS Division for Organisational Development and Employment Wellness in the Department of Human Resources led a UFS-only challenge that saw 60 teams of staff members log a total of 54 606 km in eight weeks. The division then challenged the NWU.

Together, the NWU and UFS walked 132 000 km. This year, the UFS is taking it one step further by challenging two more institutions.

Leading the way

“We aim to get South Africa active – starting with the UFS – by embracing fitness and health ourselves,” said Arina Engelbrecht, UFS Employee Wellness Specialist.

Participants on all fitness and activity levels will gun for a 200 000 km target over 10 weeks.

The challenge kicked off on the Bloemfontein Campus with a 3-km walk at the launch, leaving 199 997 km between the four universities for the rest of the eight-week challenge.

News Archive

University management discuss the institution’s commitments towards Reitz colleagues

2014-03-17

Detailed report by Dr Choice Makhetha (pdf)

It has been six years since the Reitz incident happened at the University of the Free State (UFS).

Since this day the UFS has achieved great strides in restoring the dignity of the five colleagues and ensuring their financial security.

The commitment to empower these colleagues has always been a priority to the UFS and members of the senior management played an active role in helping them to establish Mamello Trading 864 CC, a cleaning company.

On Tuesday 18 March 2014, the senior management met with the five colleagues once again at the Bloemfontein Campus to reflect on what have been done to ensure that the UFS meets the obligations, as set out in the Deed of Settlement.

Future commitment towards our five colleagues were also discussed.

On Thursday 19 June 2014 Mamello Trading 864 CC will be formally launched to create an opportunity to introduce the business to the market and the public.

Prof André Keet, Director of the Institute for Reconciliation and Social Justice, also took the opportunity to speak about the newly established Human Rights Desk at the Institute.

Please see the attached document for a complete update on the case and agreements as noted in the Deed of Settlement.

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