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08 February 2019 | Story Thabo Kessah | Photo Thabo Kessah
Gateway 2019
From the left: Mookgo Mofokeng, Lethukuthula Nsibande, Siyalungelwa Ntombela, and Chulumanco Mazwi.
The two-week Gateway Orientation programme to introduce first-year students to campus and faculty life on the Qwaqwa Campus,  has been a resounding success – if the first-years’ comments are anything to go by.

“Amazing Race was for me the pinnacle of this programme, as it enabled me to get to know the campus much better. It was such a refreshing experience, despite my sore thighs that are still hurting. I also loved the Step Up for success initiative,” said Chulumanco Mazwi from Mthatha in the Eastern Cape. Chulumanco has enrolled for a BAdmin degree, which will “enable me to interact with people, particularly in the corporate world”.

From Paballong Village in Qwaqwa came a budding scientist, Mookgo Mofokeng. “The programme has afforded me the opportunity to interact with a number of students from different places such as KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, and Gauteng,” she said. “I have also learnt about the history of the campus that is very close to my heart,” said Mookgo. “This is the campus where I won the prize for my Eskom Expo for Young Scientists project, with my partner and I displaying our water-extracting project as learners from the Beacon Secondary School here in Qwaqwa. For more on this, please watch the environmental television programme 50/50 on SABC 2 on 17 February 2019.”

Coming from Newcastle in KwaZulu-Natal is ‘the future businessman in the computing sector’, Lethukuthula Nsibande. “The Gateway orientation programme was so much fun, as it enabled me to see teamwork as an integral part of our development as first-years. Considering that I want to pursue business in the interesting world of computers, I have seen that interacting with others is crucial,” said Lethukuthula, a BSc IT (Computer Science and Management) student.

From Johannesburg, Gauteng, comes Siyalungelwa Ntombela, a BEd (Intermediate Phase – Life Sills and Social Sciences) student who believes her studies will enable her to give back to her community. “I want to educate our future generations and make a difference. I found Gateway to be educational and entertaining. We have learnt a lot about university life and the campus in general. I now know about the services offered by the clinic, where the Mandela Hall is, and so on. Interacting and learning from our mentors was also one of the highlights,” she added.

News Archive

Armentum RC disbanded and expelled
2009-05-14

The Residence Committee (RC) of Armentum Residence at the University of the Free State (UFS) has been disbanded and expelled.

This decision was taken as a result of the RC’s involvement in the incident of alleged initiation that took place in the residence last week and as a result of which a first-year student, Alex Marais, was admitted to the Bloemfontein Medi-Clinic.

Due to the coming exams they are, however, allowed to stay in on the residence until the end of the first semester of 2009. If they are involved in any actions that contravene the rules of the UFS during this period, they will be expelled from the university.

“This decision was not taken lightly. An in-depth investigation was carried out and discussions were held with various parties in the residence. Because the RC was aware of the initiation practices that were taking place and even participated in it, disciplinary action was taken against them,” said Prof. Teuns Verschoor, Acting Rector of the UFS.

“The RC was aware of the fact that initiation practices are not allowed at the UFS and what the consequences can be if students do participate in such practices. It is a pity that we had to take a step like this,” he said.

The RC members are given the opportunity to retain their places in university accommodation and to be resettled in a residence that will be stipulated by the UFS. A work committee must immediately be appointed in Armentum to manage the residence until a new RC is elected in August 2009.

A remunerative fine will be imposed on the tuition fee accounts of senior students of Armentum, which will be used as a contribution to the medical costs of Alex Marais. All students currently residing in Armentum will be required to reapply for accommodation in the residence for the second semester and sign a declaration indicating that they are aware of the rules and will adhere to it.

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  
14 May 2009

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