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12 February 2020 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Charl Devenish
Prof Francis Petersen
Prof Francis Petersen, UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor opened the workshop on Monday, 10 February 2020.
Will an enclaved state work in a country like South Africa? How can universities produce graduates who will become engaged citizens, and what is the current status of the ANC and the DA? These were some of the key topics at a workshop on South Africa and Africa: Prevarication at the Precipice, hosted by the Department of Political Studies and Governance at the University of the Free State (UFS). 

The two-day workshop is an annual collaborative discussion platform between the UFS, chaired by Prof Hussein Solomon, the Southern African Centre for Collaboration on Peace and Security, and the Osaka School of International Public Policy

The workshop opened with Prof Francis Petersen, the UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor who delivered his message from the perspective of higher education. 

He spoke about the importance of universities in South Africa being able to produce graduates who will become active citizens. 

Graduates should fulfill their role in society 

“Universities should be the place where we should educate and engage to let our students and graduates know what society should look like. If we don’t do that transformative thinking among our graduates we are going to perpetuate what society is,” Prof Petersen said. 

“I hope this conference won’t just debate the issues because we already know the answers. I hope this workshop will say what we need to do as active citizens to ensure that we start new building steps. International engagement is also important. As is our engagement with the continent.” 

Helen Zille on the State of South Africa 

Helen Zille, Chairperson of the DA Federal Council presented a talk on the State of South Africa in which she tabled three variables she believes can save the country from the precipice. “There should be three variables which can make a democracy work; a separate state (not a party-ruled state), the rule of law and a culture of accountability,” Zille said. 

Zille tabled the concept of an enclaved state a state which operates independently from party control. “There are increasingly isolated states in SA which are being pushed out of good governance and service delivery. An example of an enclave that functions well is the “justice enclave (Supreme Court of Appeal) in Bloemfontein”. 

She reiterated the importance of active citizenship. However she added that people who are active citizens are usually not the ones elected to office. 

Political Science workshop
The workshop brings together political scientists, academics, politicians and journalists who robustly discuss local
and international politics, economics and governance.  ( Photo: Charl Devenish) 

The role of active citizenship and the state of the country cannot be discussed in isolation from the state of the ruling ANC and the official opposition, the DA. Prof Dirk Kotze from the Department of Political Studies at Unisa, and Bonolo Selebano, Netwerk 24 political journalist, gave a glimpse into the status of Luthuli House (ANC headquarters in Johannesburg), and the DA. 

“ANC party politics are not unique. They are following a global trend. However, the credibility of the ANC is a big issue,” said Prof Kotze. In the political arena globally, political parties are redefining themselves and it is important for the ANC to figure out where it finds itself. Selebano wasn’t too optimistic about the DA either, saying the party should return to its liberation ideals. 


Political Studies and Governance Workshop
Political Studies and Governance Workshop
Political Studies and Governance Workshop
Political Studies and Governance Workshop
Political Studies and Governance Workshop
Political Studies and Governance Workshop
Political Studies and Governance Workhop
Political Studies and Governance Workhop

News Archive

Ensure your place at the UFS
2010-10-27

The University of the Free State (UFS) appeals to all prospective South African students who want to come and study at the UFS in 2011 to submit their applications no later than Tuesday, 30 November 2010.

The UFS is aware of the fact that learners will not have received their final Grade 12 results by Tuesday, 30 November 2010; therefore provisional admission will be granted based on learners’ most recent Grade 12 results. Final admission will take place upon receipt of the final Grade 12 results, which will be available early in January 2011.

Prospective students can obtain application forms for admission at the following places:

  1. The UFS’s web site at www.ufs.ac.za,
  2. The Information Office (Unit for Prospective Students) at the Thakaneng Bridge on the UFS’s Main Campus in Bloemfontein,
  3. You may also send an e-mail to info@ufs.ac.za or
  4. Phone 051 401 3000 and the necessary forms will be posted to you.

Senior undergraduate students (that is all students who were registered up to and during 2010 at the UFS) as well as post-graduate students, must self-register electronically on-line from Monday, 1 November 2010 until Tuesday, 4 January 2011. This includes master’s and doctoral students.

In order to encourage senior students to register online, the UFS offers 20 laptops as incentives for the senior students who successfully register online from 1 November 2010. These laptops will be handed over to the winners after the registration process in 2011.

Registration of first-year students:

The Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Jonathan Jansen, will welcome first-year students on Friday, 14 January and Saturday, 15 January 2011, respectively, in the Callie Human Centre. The Faculties of Economic and Management Sciences, the Humanities and Education will be welcomed on 14 January 2011 and the students of the Faculties of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Law and Theology shall be welcomed on 15 January 2011. The compulsory orientation programme for new first-years will also then commence.

From 17 to 21 January 2011 first-year students will receive academic advice at the Callie Human Centre, whereafter they will be referred for self-registration. These processes will take place according to the set timetable. This timetable is available in the Kovsie Guide that will be sent to learners as soon as we have received their applications, as well as on the web site of the UFS at www.ufs.ac.za/register2011.

First-year students’ fees must be paid prior to arrival on 14 and 15 January 2011.

Registration of senior students:

Senior students who experience problems with the electronic on-line self-registration process have the opportunity to resolve problems within a programme on campus from Wednesday, 5 January until Wednesday, 12 January 2011. This programme will be sent out to students and is also available at www.ufs.ac.za/register2011. The specific scheduled day for senior students to resolve problems is the last and only day to resolve the problem.

Senior students can also contact 051 401 9111 for more information in this regard.

Students may register for prescribed modules for 2011, even though the November 2010 examination results are not yet available. Changes resulting from examination results that are made available later can be done up to and including 28 January 2011.

In terms of applications for senior students, only students who have interrupted a calendar year of study need to re-apply for admission.

Registration of students at the UFS’s Qwaqwa Campus:

Senior and first-year students of the UFS’s Qwaqwa Campus register from Wednesday, 12 January until Friday, 28 January 2011 in the Nelson Mandela Hall on this campus.

Registration of students at the UFS South Campus:

First-year students from the UFS’s South Campus in the University Preparation Programme and the Extended Programme (only Natural and Agricultural Sciences) register from Monday, 24 January till Friday, 28 January 2011 in the Arena Hall on the South Campus.

Students who have successfully completed the University Preparation Programme register with the first-year students on the UFS Main Campus on Friday, 14 and Saturday, 15 January 2011 – according to faculties (cf. paragraph 6).

Lectures for all students shall commence on Monday, 24 January 2011.

MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Director: Strategic Communication (actg)
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl@ufs.ac.za
26 October 2010

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