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20 September 2019 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Stephen Collett
Send off
The spirited #UFSRun4MentalHealth runners at the send-off ceremony yesterday morning. From left; Nico Piedt, with the baton of hope; Justin Coetzee, Brenda Coetzee, and Teboho Rampheteng.


#UFSRun4MentalHealth team, sponors and support staff

#UFSRun4MentalHealth team, sponsors and support staff. Photo:Stephen Collett

The #UFSRun4MentalHealth awareness runners have hit the road. The 21-member team from the Faculty of Health Sciences and Organisational Development at the University of the Free State (UFS) had a send-off ceremony yesterday, 20 September 2019, on their running journey to Stellenbosch University (SU) to raise awareness for #MentalHealth. The teams will run a distance of 1 075 km. 

“The two causes emphasised by this run are very much embedded in what the university stands for. One of the key priorities is the safety and well-being of our staff and students,” said Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS, during the send-off this morning.
 
The route is as follows: Bloemfontein, Jagersfontein, Fauresmith, Luckhoff, Vanderkloof, Petrusville, Phillipstown, De Aar, Britstown, Victoria West, Loxton, Fraserburg, Sutherland, Ceres, Wellington, and finally Stellenbosch University.

There will be a symbolic hand-over of the baton of hope to SU on 25 September 2019 at 13:00 at the Coetzenburg Stadium. The baton of hope that the team will carry is a symbol of hope for those suffering from a mental disorder.

Join their journey on our social-media platforms and follow the events with #UFSRun4MentalHealth #YourStoryIsNotOverYet. 

The sponsors of this initiative are BestMed, Standard Bank, Shell, Annique Health and Beauty, Xerox, Bidvest Car Rental, Media24, Kloppers, New Balance, Clover, Futurelife, Mylan, Pharma Dynamics, and the SA Society of Psychiatrists.


#UFSRun4MentalHealth #YourStoryIsNotOverYet #MentalHealth

Baton of hope handover
Baton of hope handover
#UFSRun4MentalHealth runner
#UFSRun4MentalHealth runner
#UFSRun4MentalHealth runners
#UFSRun4MentalHealth runners
#UFSRun4MentalHealth runner
#UFSRun4MentalHealth runner
#UFSRun4MentalHealth runner
#UFSRun4MentalHealth runner
#UFSRun4MentalHealth handing over the baton of hope
#UFSRun4MentalHealth handing over the baton of hope
#UFSRun4MentalHealth runners on the road
#UFSRun4MentalHealth runners on the road
Meeting fellow Kovsies on our route. Glodean Silengile, Kovsie third-year Corporate Marketing Communication student, Lathitha Silengile, sister, and Freddy Silengile, father.
Meeting fellow Kovsies on our route. Glodean Silengile, Kovsie third-year Corporate Marketing Communication student, Lathitha Silengile, sister, and Freddy Silengile, father.
#MentalHealthAwareness in all the towns
#MentalHealthAwareness in all the towns
#UFSRun4MentalHealth runners
#UFSRun4MentalHealth runners
#UFSRun4MentalHealth runners
#UFSRun4MentalHealth runners
#UFSRun4MentalHealth
#UFSRun4MentalHealth

News Archive

Statement: Visit of the Portfolio Committee on Education to the UFS
2005-02-25

The chair of the Portfolio Committee on Education (PCE) Prof Shepherd Mayatula has commended the management of the University of the Free State (UFS) for its positive approach to the incorporation of the Vista and Qwaqwa campuses.

According to a statement issued by the university’s communication section, Prof Mayatula said that while there were outstanding issues to address, a platform had been created through the visit of the portfolio committee for the UFS to find solutions.

Speaking at the end of a visit to the Bloemfontein campus of the UFS, Prof Mayatula said: “You know the issues that exist between the three campuses and you know the solutions. You don’t need recommendations from the Committee.”

Earlier today the PCE held a three-way meeting between the PCE, the management of the UFS and the Vista Task Team, representing staff and students at the Bloemfontein campus of the former Vista University .
 

The Bloemfontein campus of the former Vista University was incorporated into the UFS in January 2004.

The multi-party delegation from the PCE was led by its chairperson, Prof S Mayatula, while the delegation from the UFS was led by the Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Frederick Fourie, while the Vista Task Team was lead by Mr Paseka Mokoena.

Following a presentation by the Vista Task Team and a presentation by the UFS management, other committee members also commended the UFS for the spirit in which outstanding issues were being handled.

It was indicated by portfolio committee members that other universities have far more serious problems than the UFS, and that some of these universities have also been visited by the PCE. The UFS appears to be on the road to be an important pilot case for incorporations and mergers.

The issues that were discussed during today’s meeting included the following:

  • outstanding issues in the process of incorporating the Bloemfontein campus of the former Vista University into the UFS, including:
  • staff issues and conditions of service
  • issues of student aid and pipeline students
  • governance of the UFS
  • the long term utilisation of Vista as a site

The Rector and Vice-chancellor of the UFS, Prof Fourie, expressed his appreciation for the role played by the Portfolio Committee on Education in bringing about a common understanding of the transformation issues facing the UFS.

Prof Fourie said the Portfolio Committee’s visit was a useful intervention to bring about a sense of urgency in resolving matters affecting the Vista campus as well as the Qwaqwa campus.

Issued by: Mr Anton Fisher
Director: Strategic Communication
Cell: 072-207-8334
Tel: 051-401-2749
25 February 2005

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