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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 residence planned for UFS South Campus
2015-05-14

The newly-planned residence
Illustration: Typology Architects

The South Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS) in Bloemfontein has seen a great influx of students in recent years. This campus provides academic access to the UFS for deserving matriculants who do not meet the requirements for entry into mainstream degree studies through the University Preparation Programme and Extended Degree Programmes.

In addition, it also offers studies to long-distance learners. The current number of contact students – those who physically attend class at the South Campus – stands at 1 673. At the moment these students stay either on the Bloemfontein Campus or in private accommodation. This is about to change as a new residence is being built for the South Campus.

The newly-planned residence will provide two hundred and fifty beds within two main blocks – each consisting of three floors. Since the campus is located in a predominately industrial area with very few housing facilities in the area, this will fill the urgent need for accommodation.

Each floor of the residence will consist of two wings with forty beds and twenty double rooms. In addition, each floor will have separate laundry/drying and cleaners’ facility shared by both wings on that floor. Each wing will have its own ablution block, study room, communal lounge, and kitchen.

Four separate single-room flats will also be available – each sharing a lounge, kitchen, and bathroom, with a laundry facility separate from that of the main blocks.

The building project is scheduled for completion by the end of June 2016.

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