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03 January 2020
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Story Xolisa Mnukwa
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Photo Supplied
The UFS Bloemfontein Campus, South Campus, and Qwaqwa Campus choirs are student-centred choirs functioning under the Student Affairs’ Arts, Culture and Dialogue office.
It has been a noteworthy year for the University of the Free State (UFS) Choir, establishing itself on the student/university choir scene. The choir, based on the Bloemfontein Campus, represented the UFS at the bi-annual KUESTA choir festival earlier this year, showcasing its musical talent. The choir shared a stage with other university choirs from around the country.
The UFS (Bloemfontein Campus) Choir is a 42-member ensemble of students; the other two choirs, based on the South and Qwaqwa campuses, consist of 40 and 62 members respectively. The choirs are administered and managed by the Division of Student Affairs’ Arts, Culture and Dialogue Office. In addition to Kovsie culture, the choirs strive to have a varied repertoire of inclusive music, with the UFS BFN Campus choir performing a diversity of songs in English, Afrikaans, isiXhosa, and Sesotho.
The new South Campus choir was established in 2018 and is led by choir director, Bonisile Gcisa, who specialises in choral music. This leg of the choir will therefore perform many of his works, but will also include some of the Bloemfontein choir’s set lists, since most of the choir members will be auditioning in 2021 for the Bfn choir when they change campuses.
The Qwaqwa Campus choir will lean more towards a choral genre under the direction of Sipho Khumalo.
The UFS Bloemfontein Campus choir was officially re-established under the leadership of choir conductor Leona Geldenhuys in March 2018, and has performed at several events, including the Rector’s Concert, the annual KUESTA choir convention, and the Bloemfontein Choir invitational. The group has also held a number of public performances on the Thakaneng Bridge at the UFS Bloemfontein Campus.
“Part of the UFS Student Affairs’ objective is to create an inclusive and a socially just student lived experience, and that is the mandate the choirs will also adopt. We hope to create an experience that not only enhances our students’ singing abilities, but also contribute to a more inclusive university experience.” – Angelo Mockie – Director: UFS Student Affairs Arts, Culture and Dialogue office.
“Rest well, be safe, and return rejuvenated,” were his parting words to students for the festive season.
Right to Learn campaign seeks to fund financially needy students
2015-11-11
 SRC President, Lindokuhle Ntuli, pledges financial support to the Right to Learn campaign.
Photo: Tango Twasa |
In response to the dire need for financial relief for academically deserving students from underprivileged backgrounds, the Student Representative Council (SRC) of the University of the Free State (UFS) launched the Right to Learn campaign on Friday 30 October 2015. The campaign, which aims to counter deregistration, was initiated following the national #FeesMustFall campaign, which gained momentum after students from the University of Witwatersrand first mobilised against the proposed fee increases for 2016.
The SRC’s Projects Committee realised that, although President Jacob Zuma had consented to a 0% increment, the lack of an increase would not eliminate the financial burden currently facing some students.
“The campaign was conceived at the SRC’s strategic planning meeting, and is now spearheaded by the SRCs Projects Committee,” said Letsika Leqoalane, SRC: Academic Affairs. “The campaign was founded on the university's value of ‘Superior Scholarship’ and the SRC’s value of reducing student financial exclusions,” he added.
Students in pursuit of continued access to education
The Right to Learn campaign was established as a supplementary initiative to the #FeesMustFall movement. “The Right to Learn campaign is an initiative to raise funds for students who are facing financial exclusion in the coming year,” said the SRC Academics Affairs officer.
All proceeds will be channeled towards reducing the number of students who will face de-registration in 2016, the SRC textbook bursary, and food bursaries. “This campaign stands on three pillars, namely: no to de-registration, no to student food insecurity, and yes to textbooks,” explained Leqoalane.
A call for support
According to SRC President, Lindokuhle Ntuli, “SRC members have made pledges of no less than R500 each from their own pockets.” The SRC is appealing to the UFS community to make donations into the campaign bank account, and thereafter to email the proof of payment to Ntuli at NtuliL@ufs.ac.za. The account details are:
Account number: 15-7085-0721 ABSA Bank Branch
Reference: SRC FUND
Branch Code: 632005 Cheque Account
Swift code: ABSAZAJJ