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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

Full week of graduation ceremonies at UFS in April
2015-04-10

Autumn always sees the UFS’s first graduation ceremony of the year on the Bloemfontein Campus.

From 14 – 17 April 2015, graduates will once again be rewarded for their hard work while top speakers will address them in the Callie Human Centre. There will be a ceremony at 09:00 and at 14:30 each day on all four days of the graduation.

The programme for the 2015 April Graduation is as follows:

Tuesday 14 April 2015:

Professor Himla Soodyall will be the speaker at both ceremonies on this day. Prof Soodyall is a Medical Scientist for the South African Institute for Medical Research. She is also a Principal Medical Scientist for the National Health Laboratory Service, and a Director for the Human Genome Diversity and Disease Research Unit at the University of Witwatersrand.

During the first ceremony of the day at 09:00, all diplomas/certificates and B degrees in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences will be awarded. Only Honours degrees in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences will be awarded at the 14:30 ceremony.
 
Wednesday 15 April 2015:

Wednesday will see Ndumiso Hadebe take the stage to address graduates at both ceremonies.

At the age of 23, Hadebe is the Founder and Managing Director of Master Frontiers Consulting, a firm that capacitates leaders and managers to achieve business goals through their people. He worked previously as a Researcher at Shanduka Black Umbrellas, a flagship enterprise and supplier development programme of the Shanduka Foundation. 

He has been received numerous awards for excellence in leadership, such as the Sedibeng District Municipal Mayor’s Award for Service and Leadership. He is a Brand South Africa Ambassador and Read Educational Trust Ambassador.

All diplomas/certificates, B and Honours degrees in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, except B Com degrees, will be awarded during the morning ceremony at 09:00. Later, at the 14:30 ceremony, only B Com degrees in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences will be awarded.

Thursday 16 April 2015:

Multiple award winning South African TV presenter, Leanne Manas, will be the speaker at both Thursday ceremonies.

Manas has graced our screens for over a decade. Not many broadcasters can boast having had live TV experience, 5 days a week for 12 years. She is currently the anchor of SABC 2’s flagship breakfast programme, Morning Live. Leanne is a qualified Speech and Drama teacher. having studied at London Trinity College. She also has an Honours degree in English.
Diplomas/certificates up to and including Honours degrees in the Faculty of the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Communication Sciences will be awarded during the ceremony at 09:00. The 14:30 ceremony will have diplomas/certificates up to and including Honours degrees in the Faculty of the Humanities’ other qualifications except for Social Sciences and Communication Sciences.
 
Friday 17 April 2015:

Dr Maria Phalime will be the speaker at both ceremonies on Friday.

Phalime is a medical doctor and award-winning author. She practiced for a brief period as a general practitioner in South Africa and the United Kingdom, before leaving medical practice to pursue non-clinical interests. She has worked in trade and investment promotion, and has undertaken research and consulting in the areas of economic development and business facilitation.

Diplomas/certificates up to and including Honours degrees in the Faculty of Education (CE, NPDE and ACE excluded) will be awarded during the ceremony at 09:00. Diplomas/certificates up to and including Honours degrees in the Faculties of Health Sciences, Law, and Theology will be awarded at the 14:30 ceremony.

Click here for the simple layout of the 2015 April Graduation programme:
http://www.ufs.ac.za/adhoc-pages/2014-graduation-ceremony/graduation-ceremony

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