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12 June 2019 | Story Zama Feni | Photo Charl Devenish
Annatjie Bouwer
Annatjie Bouwer who is a Research Officer in the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health.

The University of the Free State’s (UFS) Prof Hussein Solomon scooped a prestigious Best Published Book award for his critical analysis on the nature of environments, challenges, and opportunities facing the African continent in his book.

Titled African Security in the Twenty-First Century: Challenges and Opportunities, UFS Vice-Rector: Research, Innovation, and Internationalisation, Prof Corli Witthuhn, hailed the book as “An ambitious and in-depth study covering several regions, and with due regard for changing contexts and relevant historical legacies. This analysis is perspicacious, conceptually sophisticated, and based on a solid range of sources.”

UFS awards to stimulate staff creativity

Prof Solomon is a Senior Professor in the Department of Political Studies and Governance. The annual UFS 2018 Book Prize and Research Support Awards is aimed at recognising outstanding contributions by staff members in these focus areas.
Prof Witthuhn congratulated the winners and all the participants who spent time on their submitted work.

The other two entries in the Best Published Book category were Prof Philippe Burger, the Head of the Department of Economics and Finance, for his book titled, Getting it Right: A new economy for South Africa.

The other published book entry was that of Prof Jacobus Naudé, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Hebrew in the Faculty of the Humanities, titled, A Biblical Hebrew Reference Grammar.

Winning author’s analysis impressive

Prof Witthuhn said the author of the winning book employed a human security approach which not only examined and analysed these challenges, but also assessed the effectiveness of solutions and progress in addressing these challenges.

“This approach is critical to understanding the true meaning and context of security in Africa, by asking questions such as: security for whom and security for what?”

Bouwer comes top in research support category

Ms Annatjie Bouwer, a Research Officer in the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health in the Faculty of Health Sciences, emerged victorious among the nine entrants from various faculties. 

Her award was for the support she offered to the broad community of researchers within the Faculty of Health Sciences.



News Archive

Conversations of the untold tales of apartheid
2016-08-30

Description: Conversations of the untold tales of apartheid Tags: Conversations of the untold tales of apartheid

Prof Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela leading a dialogue
held at the Johannes Stegmann Art Gallery with
guest speakers, Candice Mama, Siyah Mgoduka,
and Sue Williamson.

Photo: Johan Roux

The Vice-Chancellor’s Lecture Series on Trauma, Memory and Representations of the Past in  the Unit for Trauma, Forgiveness and Reconciliation Studies at the University of the Free State (UFS) hosted a dialogue between students and guest speakers, Sue Williamson, Candice Mama, and Siyah Mgoduka at the Johannes Stegmann Art Gallery on the Bloemfontein campus.

The conversation, led by Prof Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela, Senior Research Professor in Trauma, Forgiveness and Reconciliation Studies at the UFS, touched on students’ direct historical trauma and memory experiences, allowing them to share their contribution to transformation.

Mama and Mgoduka shared their personal experience of how the negative impact apartheid’s fatal events consumed their everyday life. Both their fathers were killed by the apartheid assassin, Eugene de Kock, whom they have met and with whom they have since been reconciled.  Reflecting on this historical memory, both of them agree that meeting their fathers’ killer has changed their lives.

“Forgiveness is a personal journey one
takes in order to let go of bitterness and hate.” 

“Before meeting De Kock, I was bitter, angry, and full of hatred towards him. After that meeting, I became a better person and more engaged, and stopped stereotyping white people,” says Mama.

Mgoduka says, “Forgiveness alone will not work. There needs to be an interest in each other as black and white.”

The dialogue followed the launch of Williamson’s art exhibition, No More Fairytales, held at the Johannes Stegmann Gallery on 18 August 2016. Through a series of interactive pieces, the artwork captures events that led to the role of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).

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