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23 September 2019 | Story Xolisa Mnukwa | Photo Charl Devenish
Best dressed winner
The winners of the best dressed social media competition with Earl B (third from the left).

On 18 September 2019, the University of the Free State (UFS) hosted its first ever Multilingual Festival in an effort to promote a multilingual and multicultural environment for staff, students, and all stakeholders of the university. 

Staff, students, and other stakeholders of the university dressed in imibaco (traditional Xhosa apparel) ranging from white, yellow, red, and green, Diaparo tsa setso sa Sesotho, and traditional attire from other cultural tribes including Zulu, Swati, Ndebele, and Tswana, to name a few, were treated to various forms of celebration. The festival entailed visual-art displays, poetry, storytelling, drama, music, and song in the dominant languages spoken at the UFS, which are English, Afrikaans, Sesotho, isiZulu, and South African Sign Language, and food stalls selling dishes ranging from pap and braaivleis to koeksisters and milk tart. 

The audience were treated to short stories, including Magic on campus, written by Siphilangenkosi Dlamini and performed by Oliver Bongo; Xola Nhliziyo, written by Noluthando Portia Khumalo and performed by Ayanda Khanyile; and Grense, written by Joane Jansen van Rensburg. Nina and Palesa compiled a drama piece titled WTF is a relationship, poems included Mohlomong, written by Thabiso Lesaba and Lucky Mokeona, and Mosadi, written by Relumetse Makhatsane, N’kone Mametja, Abby Gabarone-Phate and Ayanda Khanyile.

Attendants had the opportunity to participate and win cash prizes ranging from R500 to R1 000 in various competitions and performances that took place during celebrations at the multilingual festival.

The winners for the mokete festivities are as follows:
Best artwork – Elaine Mahlalela and Kamogelo Mankuroane
Best short story – Siphilangenkosi Dlamini: Magic on Campus
Best poem – Thabiso Leshaba: Mohlomong
Best drama piece – Nina and Palesa

The best-dressed moketers for the 2019 #KovsiesMultilingualMokete were Joseph Sako, Evodia Mohoanyane, Karabo Lekomanyane, Tshepo Ramokoatsi, and Lungelo Mthimkhulu, who each walked away with R500 for their efforts to dress up and stick to the multicultural theme. Soet-Bravado (House Soetdoring and House Villa Bravado) won the most votes for their performance in the People’s Choice category, claiming R1 000 each. 

News Archive

New book looks at ways in which to tackle HIV-challenges
2011-11-29

 

Prof. Dennis Francis with Marjorie Human who designed the cover of the book, Acting on HIV. 

The HIV pandemic has brought out the best and worst in humans in terms of response. On the one hand it has prompted stigma and violence and on the other it has brought about constructive and supportive responses from various individuals and groups. A new book, Acting on HIV, edited by Prof. Dennis Francis, Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of the Free State, looks at how drama can be used to promote vital social change as well as individual behavioural change.

Acting on HIV offers a systematic inquiry into drama as an approach to discuss HIV/AIDS and related attitudes and behaviours. The book is a scholarly text and includes the work of some twenty exceptionally creative authors. Contributing authors to the book include, amongst others, Proff. Hazel Barnes (University of the Witwatersrand), Rob Pattman (Stellenbosch University) and Yvonne Sliep from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
 
“This project started in 2009 and has taken much of my time to bring together the work of exceptionally creative authors. The research that is communicated through the book is original and timely and makes a significant contribution to conversations about the role/s and significance of drama in addressing issues of HIV & AIDS,” says Prof. Francis.

 

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