Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Categories
UFS News Media Release Research
Years
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Months
January February March April May June July August September October November December
Previous Archive
30 May 2019 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Rulanzen Martin
Africa Memorial lecture
From left; Dr Stephanie Cawood, Director of CGAS; Prof Francis Nyamnjoh; Prof Heidi Hudson, Dean of the Faculty of the Humanities, and Dr Engela van Staden, Vice-Rector: Academic
Ubuntu is a word we all know and, to some extent, relate to. Prof Francis Nyamnjoh aimed to delve and explore this African philosophy when he presented the 2019 Africa Day Memorial Lecture with the topic Ubuntuism and Africa: Actualised, Misappropriated, Endangered and Reappraised. 

The memorial lecture is hosted annually by the Centre for Gender and Africa Studies (CGAS) at the University of the Free State (UFS) to coincide with Africa Month celebrations. Prof Nyamnjoh holds a PhD from the University of Leicester in the UK. He is currently a professor of social anthropology at the University of Cape Town and has been a scholar in sociology, anthropology and communication science at universities in Cameroon and Botswana. The lecture took place on 22 May 2019 in the Equitas Auditorium on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus.

“When I saw the topic I thought this was very contemporary. We at the university decided to include the Ubuntu principle in our learning and teaching strategy,” said Dr Engela van Staden, Vice-Rector: Academic. 

Ubuntu as a binding factor for interconnectedness 

We live a world in which we cannot stand alone as the principle of Ubuntu tells us that we are who we are because of our interconnectedness with other people. “It is important to recognise that you stand on others to be tall,” said Prof Nyamnjoh. 

“We are the product of ongoing conversations on interconnectedness."

“I have argued that, in the spirit of Ubuntu, Africans, their identities and mobilities are part and parcel of the experience of being human in a world on the move. And their contributions are needed in today’s world more than ever. 

“I have broached the context of globalisation and histories of unequal encounters that have shaped relations in Africa and beyond under global capitalism."

“Even as it is increasingly seriously tested by opportunism, Ubuntuism, sometimes a reality and sometimes an ideal, brings hope and redemption, and offers a feasible framework for participatory and inclusive emancipatory social change,” said Prof Nyamnjoh. 


News Archive

Rugby players still a Kovsie pride
2015-06-23

Niel Marais, Elandré Huggett, Gerhard Olivier and Niell Jordaan.
Photo: Mlungisi Louw (Netwerk24) 

Glory after glory, Kovsie rugby players seem to be making waves on- and off-campus in the rugby world. Four players, who formed part of this year’s formidable Shimlas squad, wore their Cheetahs jerseys in their debut cap for the Free State team in this year’s Super Rugby tournament. Niel Marais, Niell Jordaan, Elandré Huggett, and Gerhard Olivier were hand-picked to join the squad by the same man who lead Shimlas on their unbeaten streak, Franco Smith. Smith was recently announced as the Cheetahs’ new coach.

In their debut game (6 June 2015) against the Sydney-based Waratahs, Marais, Jordaan, Huggett, and Olivier had the privilege of playing alongside Tienie Burger and Henco Venter, who are also Shimlas teammates. Burger and Venter are not new to the team. Burger has been with the team since 2014 and Venter since 2013.

The young men appeared again in the game against the Blue Bulls in the final round of Super Rugby on 13 June 2015. Marais and Jordaan were part of the starting line, and were joined by Venter. It was unfortunate that the home-ground advantage did not work in the favour of the Bulls, as the team strode away with their first victory for the tournament, leaving Smith a very blissful coach.

We congratulate Tienie Burger on signing a professional contract with the Cheetahs.

 

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept