Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Previous Archive
05 September 2019 | Story Prof Francis Petersen (UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor)

In light of the ongoing violence against women, and recent surge in femicide in South Africa, the University of the Free State (UFS) recommits itself to challenge, fight and eradicate all forms of gender-based violence on its campus and in the country.

The recent rape and murder of 19-year-old Media and Film Studies student at the University of Cape Town (UCT), Uyinene Mrwetyana, and the murder of University of the Western Cape (UWC) student, Jesse Hess, are painful reminders of the pervasive nature of misogyny and patriarchal violence that impedes the freedom of women/womxn in South Africa. The UFS stands in solidarity with UCT and UWC, and all other South African universities that are currently steeped in this national crisis pertaining to gender-based violence.

The UFS perceives this as an enduring manifestation of patriarchy that results in women’s/womxn’s subordination, inequality, and violation of bodily integrity. These horrific events underscore the extent to which attempts to address women’s/womxn’s inequality and gender-based violence nationally, and more pertinently at universities, have failed. Recent discussions have underscored the issue of ‘belonging’ as a concern in Higher Education contexts. Belonging is often couched in the language of ‘access’ and ‘transformation’. However, these terms often provide limited substantive change for students who experience a sense of marginalisation and alienation at South African universities. Decolonisation discourse challenges the nature of hegemonic knowledge production that excludes voices of alterity.

Epistemic violence is central to decolonisation discourse referring to the nature of hegemonic knowledge production that excludes voices of alterity. The extent to which knowledge production manifests in universities is, however, not only white and Western, but also male and masculine. South African universities are therefore confronted again with the urgency of recognising and responding to the issue of women’s/womxn’s subordination, with specific emphasis on their safety and freedom.

The UFS is committed to creating a university space where all our students feel that they belong, by broadening current epistemologies and including women’s/womxn’s voices and lived experiences. More pertinently and in a practical manner, curriculum change should include diverse intellectual perspectives and incorporate an ethics of care in teaching practices. The UFS acknowledges that more must be done as a space of higher learning to investigate the causes that underlie the continuance of sexual violence against women/womxn.

On Friday 6 September 2019, the UFS held a day of mourning, standing in solidarity with other universities in their attempt to respond to the present crisis. In mourning Uyinene and Jesse’s death and all other victims and survivors of gender-based violence, the university will critically self-reflect on the multi-layered demand for transformation and consciousness needed for deep change.

The UFS calls on the Department of Higher Education, civil society, the business sector and all others to actively contribute to efforts that will eradicate gender violence. As the UFS, we call specifically on the City of Bloemfontein, the mayor, members of local government, South Africa Police Service and all inhabitants to assist us in making the city safe for all.

Prof Francis Petersen
Rector and Vice-Chancellor
University of the Free State
5 September 2019


News Archive

Intervarsity: Kovsies vs Pukke - 4 & 5 August 2006
2006-08-03

Programme

Friday 4 August 2006:

RUGBY:   16:15   Medix vs PUK Engineer  UFS field 5
  17:30  Armentum vs Heimat   UFS field 4
  17:30   Vishuis vs De Wilgers UFS field 5
  18:45 Karee vs Patria    UFS field 4
  18:45 Veritas vs Overs  UFS field 5
  20:00 Reitz vs Veritas  UFS field 4
  20:00 JBM vs Villagers   UFS field 5
       
NETBALL:  15:00  UFS 2 vs PUK 3   UFS court 1 (Callie Human)
  16:15   UFS 1 vs PUK 2   UFS court 1 (Callie Human)
  16:15   UFS(Qwa-Qwa) vs PUK o/19B   UFS court 2 (Callie Human)
  17:30   UFS 3 vs PUK 4    UFS court 1 (Callie Human)
  18:45  Kovsies vs PUK  UFS court 1 (Callie Human)
       
BADMINTON:   17:00  UFS vs PUK ( 2 SASSU TEAMS)   UFS Badminton Hall
       
SOCCER:    17:30  UFS 2(Qwa-Qwa) vs PUK 2      UFS field 6
  17:30   UFS ladies vs PUK ladies   Shimla Park
  19:30   Toast    Shimla Park
  19:40   UFS 1 vs PUK 1(men)     Shimla Park
       
Saturday: 5 August 2006:  
       
GOLF:     7:30     UFS vs PUK (8 men)     Bloemfontein GC 
       
VOLLEYBALL:  8:30  UFS men vs PUK men     UFS Badminton Hall
       
SQUASH:   8:30  UFS ladies vs PUK ladies     UFS Sqauah Courts
  8:30  UFS men vs PUK men    UFS Squash Courts
       
CHESS:     8:30  UFS vs PUK (5 men & 3 ladies)    Kovsiesport boardroom
       
CROSS COUNTRY:   8:30 UFS vs PUK (5 men & 4 ladies)  Pellies Park
       
BASKETBALL:  8:30   UFS ladies vs PUK ladies     UFS Basketball court
  9:30   UFS men vs PUK men       UFS Basketball court
       
TENNIS:  8:30  UFS ladies vs PUK ladies (8 players)   UFS Tennis courts
  8:30  UFS men vs PUK men   (8 players)   UFS Tennis courts
       
HOCKEY:     8:30   Sonnedou vs Bellatrix      UFS Oval 2
  8:30  Roosmaryn vs Eikenhof    UFS Oval 1
  9:30 Vergeet My Nie vs Wanda      UFS Oval 2
  9:30 Emily Hobhouse vs Wag-‘n-Bietjie   UFS Oval 1
  10:30  Wag-‘n-Bietjie vs Heide     UFS Oval 1
       
NETBALL:   8:30    Kestell vs Heide     UFS court 4 
  8:30   Medix vs Wanda 2       UFS court 3 
  8:30  Roosmaryn vs Minjonet     UFS court 2
  8:30  Marjolein vs Karlien    UFS court 1
  9:30    Soetdoring vs Kasteel   UFS court 4
  9:30    Sonnedou vs Dinki    UFS court 3
  9:30    Wag-‘n-Bietjie vs Wag-‘n-Bietjie   UFS court 2
  9:30    Vergeet My Nie vs Vergeet My Nie     UFS court 1
  10:30 Emily Hobhouse vs Wanda   UFS court 1
       
RUGBY:       10:10    UFS Colts vs PUK academy      UFS field 5
  10:10    UFS Ritsims vs PUK 3      UFS field 4
  10:10    UFS U.19 vs PUK U.19      Shimla Park
  11:40   UFS U.21 vs PUK U.21    Shimla Park
  13:10    Irawas vs Ibbies  Shimla Park
  14:40  Toast    Shimla Park
  15:00  Shimlas vs PUKKE   Shimla Park

                                      

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