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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. 


News Archive

Expansion to Physics building officially opened on Bloemfontein Campus
2016-05-06

Description: New Physics building  Tags: New Physics building

The newly-opened addition to the Physics Building on the Bloemfontein Campus.
Photo: Charl Devenish

An extension to the Department of Physics at the University of the Free State (UFS) was officially opened on the Bloemfontein Campus on 20 April 2016.

“This started off about five years ago when we were talking about not having enough room for large classes. Prof Matie Hoffman suggested that we build a large lecture room on our parking space,” said Prof Hendrik Swart, Professor in the Department of Physics as he addressed guests at the official opening ceremony.

“A year later, we received a Sarchi Research Chair [South African Research Chairs Initiative] on Advanced and Luminescent Materials. We needed more office and laboratory space. The two ideas were combined and presented to the university’s senior management,” he added.

When the university was founded in 1904, Prof James Lyle was appointed to head up the Physics and Chemistry departments. Five years later, a single room was allocated for the Physics laboratory in the main building upon its completion. In 1947, the old Physics building was designed and constructed. Fast forward 69 years, the department has reached another milestone. Facilities accommodated by the expansion include a new telescope for astrophysics experiments, a basement for storing old equipment, as well as a sliding trap door which allows heavy goods to be elevated into the building from the ground floor. The telescope is one of the many unique features of the building given its capacity to expose graduate students to the basic techniques of radio astronomy, especially in light of the fact that the SKA (Square Kilometre Array) project which is in progress.

“Our department is extremely strong at this stage, and a bright future lies ahead,” said Prof Koos Terblans, the Head of Department. The opening also served to celebrate the 103 publications achieved by the department last year.

Dr Lis Lange, Vice-Rector: Academic is proud of the heights reached by the department to date. “The Department of Physics is undoubtedly one of the jewels in the crown of our university, and we are very proud of its developments. Universities are built on legacies, and they are also about change, which is what this department has been demonstrating.”

The expansions to the building with its top-class facilities, was constructed at a cost of R25 million – an infrastructure grant courtesy of the Department of Higher Education and Training.

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