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Politics in South Africa: ‘Post-COVID-19, Post-crisis’

01 October 2020

Politics in South Africa: ‘Post-COVID-19, Post-crisis’

As a public higher-education institution in South Africa with a responsibility to contribute to public discourse, the University of the Free State (UFS) will be presenting the third UFS Thought-Leader Series in collaboration with Vrye Weekblad as part of the Vrystaat Literature Festival’s online initiative, VrySpraak-digitaal.

This year, higher-education institutions globally are situated within a challenging context of COVID-19. Aware of, and grounded in the reality that the world will not return to the normality of pre-COVID-19, our responsibility as scholars still remains to contribute to public discourse and offer innovative solutions that will impact the lives of people nationally and globally to help them understand and adapt to a new world order.

Against this background and context, this year’s debates focus on Post-COVID-19, Post-Crisis with Health and Modelling, the Economy, Politics and Predictions for 2021 as the sub-themes. Placed within a COVID-19 context and in lieu of the Free State Arts Festival, the series will be presented virtually in the form of one webinar per month from August 2020 to November 2020.

Third webinar presented on 15 October 2020

The political landscape in South Africa was in a logjam before the COVID-19 pandemic, unable to deal decisively with the economic crisis. The worldwide COVID-19 crisis has aggravated an already dire situation.

What should happen politically and economically to get South Africa on the path to recovery? And what are the prospects for the political landscape in South Africa post-COVID-19, post-crisis?

Date: 15 October 2020

Topic: Politics in South Africa: Post-COVID-19, Post-Crisis

Time: 11:00-12:30

RSVP: Alicia Pienaar, pienaaran1@ufs.ac.za by 12 October 2020

Facilitator:

Dr Max du Preez

Editor: Vrye Weekblad
Biography

Introduction and welcome:

Prof Francis Petersen

Rector and Vice-Chancellor, UFS

Panellists:

Mr Moletsi Mbeki

Deputy Chairman of the South African Institute of International Affairs
(SAIIA)
Biography

Prof Thuli Madonsela

Law Trust Chair in Social Justice, Stellenbosch University
Biography

Prof Philippe Burger

Pro-Vice-Chancellor: Poverty, Inequality and Economic Development, UFS
Biography

Prof Bonang Mohale

Chairman: Bidvest Group Limited, Chancellor of the UFS
Biography

News Archive

Graduation ceremony awaited with great excitement

2011-06-22

Everything is running according to plan on the Bloemfontein Campus of our university for the graduation ceremony of Ms Oprah Winfrey, which is taking place in the Callie Human Centre today, 24 June 2011.

The graduation ceremony, during which an Honorary Doctorate in Education will be conferred upon Ms Winfrey, promises to be something special. Measured against the smooth course of the preparations, the speed at which the tickets were obtained and the continuous interest amongst UFS staff and students, as well as members of the public, this promises to be a real 2011 highlight for all who are going to attend the event.

Strict safety and security measures shall be enforced and therefore, ticket holders are requested to make sure that they arrive early on the Bloemfontein Campus.

The UFS is aware of the fact that tickets are sold illegally at shopping centres in Bloemfontein. Computicket equipment shall be used on the premises tomorrow to ensure that only persons who have original tickets in their possession are admitted. People found to be in possession of forged tickets tomorrow shall be prosecuted.

The doors of the Callie Human Centre shall open at 13:00 on Friday for ticket holders and shall be closed strictly at 14:00. For safety and security reasons, nobody shall be allowed to enter or leave the building after the doors were closed.

Although the entrance gates to the Bloemfontein Campus shall not be closed, certain streets on the campus will be closed for some time today (23 June 2011) and the whole of Friday (24 June 2011). More information about this is available at www.ufs.ac.za

Clear signs, as well as voluntary staff, shall guide parking visitors to their parking spaces. The volunteers were selected after staff of all three campuses offered their assistance for the day.

Amongst the 4 500 guests attending the graduation ceremony are various well-known personalities and dignitaries, alumni, learners and other stakeholders of the university. Good reaction has also been received from the local, national and international media.

The programme in the Callie Human Centre is as follows:

13:00 Doors open
14:00 Doors close
14:30 Opening performances
15:30 Graduation ceremony
16:00 Ms. Winfrey’s speech and question and answer session with students
18:00 Programme ends.

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