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01 July 2019 | Story Eloise Calitz | Photo Charl Devenish
Justice Molemela and Mr Nikile Ntsababa
Dr Mahube Molemela receives her honorary doctorate certificate from the Registrar, Mr Nikile Ntsababa.

Madam Justice Mahube Betty Molemela obtained her LLB and LLM degrees from the UFS, and a number of postgraduate diplomas from various institutions of higher learning. She also lectured on a part-time basis in the UFS Faculty of Law between 2001 and 2003, and actively supports the annual Kovsie Moot Court Competition.

Highlights of her achievements

Justice Molemela made history when she was appointed as the first female Judge President of the Free State Division of the High Court of South Africa. She is only the second female to be appointed in this capacity in South Africa. During her tenure as Judge President, the highest number of female candidates were invited to act as judges in the Free State Division of the High Court. In 2015, she was appointed for two terms as a judge of the highest court in the country, the Constitutional Court. In 2018, Justice Molemela was appointed to the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa. 

Community Involvement

Justice Molemela plays an active role in the community – from actively empowering farm workers and upcoming farmers through initiatives of the Free State Rural Development Association, to presentations and training on business enterprises. She also served as  chairperson of the Valuations Court and as provincial board member of Absa Bank. 

Her involvement in the legal profession and legal community includes serving as a councillor for the Free State Law Society and as board member of the Free State School for Legal Practice in the Law Society of South Africa. Justice Molemela also teaches Trial Advocacy under the auspices of the Legal Education Centre Trust. 

Awards and recognitions

In 2009, she received a recognition award from her alma mater, the Albert Moroka High School in Thaba Nchu. In 2015, she received a recognition award from the South African Chapter of the International Association of Women Judges. In 2016, she received the Chancellor’s Distinguished Alumnus Award and was appointed Chancellor of the Central University of Technology in the same year. In 2017, she received a Service Excellence Award from the Black Lawyers Association and a Transformation Award from the Black Conveyancers Association. In October 2018, CEO Global identified her as its 2018/19 finalist for the Most Influential Woman in Business and Government for the SADC region. 

“There will always be a need for judges because of social attrition,” says Justice Molemela. “I encourage Law students and young lawyers to consider this career path and to be intentional about their career choice. I think if you approach your career with the knowledge that you intend to be a judge, you will be in a better position to structure your career in a way that ensures that you obtain most of the skills that are needed to become a good judge.”



News Archive

Full week of graduation ceremonies at UFS in April
2015-04-10

Autumn always sees the UFS’s first graduation ceremony of the year on the Bloemfontein Campus.

From 14 – 17 April 2015, graduates will once again be rewarded for their hard work while top speakers will address them in the Callie Human Centre. There will be a ceremony at 09:00 and at 14:30 each day on all four days of the graduation.

The programme for the 2015 April Graduation is as follows:

Tuesday 14 April 2015:

Professor Himla Soodyall will be the speaker at both ceremonies on this day. Prof Soodyall is a Medical Scientist for the South African Institute for Medical Research. She is also a Principal Medical Scientist for the National Health Laboratory Service, and a Director for the Human Genome Diversity and Disease Research Unit at the University of Witwatersrand.

During the first ceremony of the day at 09:00, all diplomas/certificates and B degrees in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences will be awarded. Only Honours degrees in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences will be awarded at the 14:30 ceremony.
 
Wednesday 15 April 2015:

Wednesday will see Ndumiso Hadebe take the stage to address graduates at both ceremonies.

At the age of 23, Hadebe is the Founder and Managing Director of Master Frontiers Consulting, a firm that capacitates leaders and managers to achieve business goals through their people. He worked previously as a Researcher at Shanduka Black Umbrellas, a flagship enterprise and supplier development programme of the Shanduka Foundation. 

He has been received numerous awards for excellence in leadership, such as the Sedibeng District Municipal Mayor’s Award for Service and Leadership. He is a Brand South Africa Ambassador and Read Educational Trust Ambassador.

All diplomas/certificates, B and Honours degrees in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, except B Com degrees, will be awarded during the morning ceremony at 09:00. Later, at the 14:30 ceremony, only B Com degrees in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences will be awarded.

Thursday 16 April 2015:

Multiple award winning South African TV presenter, Leanne Manas, will be the speaker at both Thursday ceremonies.

Manas has graced our screens for over a decade. Not many broadcasters can boast having had live TV experience, 5 days a week for 12 years. She is currently the anchor of SABC 2’s flagship breakfast programme, Morning Live. Leanne is a qualified Speech and Drama teacher. having studied at London Trinity College. She also has an Honours degree in English.
Diplomas/certificates up to and including Honours degrees in the Faculty of the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Communication Sciences will be awarded during the ceremony at 09:00. The 14:30 ceremony will have diplomas/certificates up to and including Honours degrees in the Faculty of the Humanities’ other qualifications except for Social Sciences and Communication Sciences.
 
Friday 17 April 2015:

Dr Maria Phalime will be the speaker at both ceremonies on Friday.

Phalime is a medical doctor and award-winning author. She practiced for a brief period as a general practitioner in South Africa and the United Kingdom, before leaving medical practice to pursue non-clinical interests. She has worked in trade and investment promotion, and has undertaken research and consulting in the areas of economic development and business facilitation.

Diplomas/certificates up to and including Honours degrees in the Faculty of Education (CE, NPDE and ACE excluded) will be awarded during the ceremony at 09:00. Diplomas/certificates up to and including Honours degrees in the Faculties of Health Sciences, Law, and Theology will be awarded at the 14:30 ceremony.

Click here for the simple layout of the 2015 April Graduation programme:
http://www.ufs.ac.za/adhoc-pages/2014-graduation-ceremony/graduation-ceremony

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