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08 March 2019 | Story Opinion article by Prof Puleng LenkaBula | Photo Sonia Small
Prof LenkaBula
Prof Puleng LenkaBula believes that the roles of women become important and productive when the environment within which they exercise their voice, dreams, talents, and knowledge, is supportive.

On the global community calendar, 8 March is marked as the day on which we commemorate International Women’s Day, which evolved as a result of women’s pursuit of equality in the workplace and the associated human rights, civic citizenship, and dignity in the private and public spheres while calling for gender equality.

It is an annual celebration of women’s diverse contributions and accomplishments in the socio-political, economic, environmental, and other spheres.  It emerged from the context where women did not have the right to vote, to participate in elections, and in many societies to own property.  This meant, among others, that women could not shape their lives as they wanted or envisaged, due to the institutionalisation of patriarchy, which is understood as the authority of men over women, and exploitative economic-system arrangements and associated policies. Equally important is that, while the quest for liberty, equality, and human rights were seen as important for democratic societies, it was not seen as important to extend it to women. It was in this context of agitating for equality and the recognition of women as fully human and to therefore be endowed with the cognitive aptitude and abilities to frame their lives, that women organised and protested against these inhibitions.

It was therefore fitting that on, 8 March 2019, we commemorate International Women’s Day with the celebration of 25 years of democratic dispensation in South Africa, where equality, women’s rights, and full participation in political, economic, social, and other rights are generally available, yet still remains contested. It is equally important that we should ask in this year, when the UFS is celebrating 115 years of transforming lives and inspiring excellence through knowledge construction, intellectual formation and dissemination, what we have done or are doing to ensure that gender equality is affirmed in our institution and in our society. How do we promote women’s rights and gender equality at the UFS and in South Africa and what are the challenges we face?  

Do we allow gender equality and women’s talents, knowledge, and voice in all spheres to support the Academic Project in our universities? What are the challenges in transforming systems or exclusion and marginalisation within our own structuring and how do we plan to overcome these? It seems to me that while women’s rights, talents, dignity, and agency are now acknowledged in many of our communities and our society in general, there are still many challenges to transform and fully overcome so that women can constructively contribute knowledge locally, regionally, and globally. How do we create conditions that will enable women and gender-non-conforming people to perform optimally in the core Academic Project, namely teaching and learning, engaged scholarship and research, and to hence thrive as academics or professionals and administrative staff within our universities on the African continent and the global community? What measures do we put in place to facilitate women’s productive outputs and celebrate them through recognition in a world that often negate these contributions?

It may be surprising to the reader that I pose so many questions instead of describing what International Women’s Day is, but it is important to ponder on what systems, institutions, policies, and praxes our societies will need to affirm the dignity of women.

As the UFS community and the broader society, engaging these questions are an important academic and social exercise.  I need to assert that there are many initiatives which the UFS are putting in place to support women’s rights, gender equality, and social justice within the institution. We have recognised the imperative for creating an enabling academic and professional environment that facilitates access and excellence for all staff and students, taking cognisance of the importance of gender equality. We have also recognised that gender equality does not only frame the equality between men and women, but also takes cognisance of the rights of gender-non-conforming individuals as well as individuals who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, asexual, etc. Equally, we have emphasised universal access and support for staff and students living with disabilities in order to ensure that they have access and succeed in their pursuit of education, notwithstanding the continuing requirements to improve our systems and policies in this regard. The portfolio on Institutional Change, Student Affairs, and Engaged Scholarship, for instance, has started to put measures in place that facilitate institutional policy frameworks, advance gender equality, and address impediments to their success, which is often limited by challenges such as sexual harassment.

In 2018, for instance, Council approved the policies on Sexual Harassment and Anti-discrimination, which promotes gender equality and discourages all conduct to denigrate or violate women and men in our context. A high-impact and agile resolution process and team referred to as SART, operates within the implementation framework of the Sexual Harassment and Anti-Discrimination policies. It is an immediate mechanism to address complaints, queries, and submissions on gender-based violence in ways that are attentive to the many calls which women locally and internationally have asserted as important in facilitating gender equality for all staff, students, and stakeholders of the UFS.  We have also decided to provide the University Council with a Social Cohesion and Social Justice Report, which will enable us to evaluate all efforts to promote social justice, social capital, and excellence through co-curricular work in the university.

I must state that these efforts are in line with some of the aspirations and commitments of the International Women’s Day commemorations. It seems to me that the roles of women become important and productive when the environment within which they exercise their voice, dreams, talents, and knowledge, is supportive. I wish all the women of the UFS and in our society a wonderful International Women’s Day. I hope it will inspire all of us in our different work responsibilities to be and do the best we were created for. I further hope that all institutional efforts to facilitate gender equality will come to fruition.

News Archive

Shimlas had the right attitude, says Scholtz
2016-02-10

 Description: Shimlas first match 2016  Tags: Shimlas

The lively Shimla flanker Daniel Maartens, who was the leading try scorer in the 2015 Varsity Cup, made a good impact as substitute against Ikeys in Cape Town.
Photo: Johan Roux

His rugby team had the right attitude to win in difficult conditions in Cape Town.

This is what Hendro Scholtz, Head Coach of Shimlas, had to say after the University of the Free State (UFS) started its Varsity Cup campaign on 8 February 2016 with a victory of 23-17 over Ikeys.

According to him, the UFS had to sweat hard until the end on a windy Green Mile, which has been the downfall of many opponents before. His substitutes also had a great impact.

Troublesome Cape wind

Shimlas have a tough draw this year, and to start in the Mother City was a huge task. Scholtz and his men have only three home matches and will play against most of the major teams in away matches.

“We knew it would be difficult in Cape Town. With the wind blowing as it does, one can't play as you would like to during the rest of the season,” the coach said.

“The guys had a will to win.”

The former Springbok believes that too much cannot be read from the first round results. The Shimlas will play their second match on 15 February 2016 against Tuks in Pretoria.

Replacements with good impact

Only the prop Rudolph Botha, flanker Fiffy Rampeta, and prop Teunis Nieuwoudt, who started against Ikeys, were involved in the 2015 final against Pukke.

Other big Shimla names, such as the prop Ox Nche, hooker Elandré Huggett, prop Conraad van Vuuren, and flanker Daniel Maartens, were sent onto the field in Cape Town after half-time.

“We had a plan with the replacements for the second half. They made a huge difference,” Scholtz said.

Rampeta was named Man of the Match, but it was Maartens and Co who turned the game in their team's favour in the second half.

Matsoele could be out of action for long

The Shimla fullback, Sechaba Matsoele, had to leave the game against Ikeys early because of a knee injury, and could be out of action for some time.

His scrumhalf, Zee Mkhabela, was also injured (by a blow to the head), so Shimlas will have to keep their fingers crossed for his quick recovery.

Scorers:
Shimlas 23 (7): Tries: Arthur Williams, Nardus Erasmus, Mosolwa Mafuma. Conversions: Stephan Janse van Rensburg (2).
Ikeys 17 (0): Tries: Khanyo Ngcukana, Nathan Nel. Conversion: Hilio de Abreu. Penalty: De Abreu.
Other results (home team first): Tuks 15, Pukke 38; UJ 19, Madibaz 12; Maties 40, CUT 0.

 

 

 

 


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