Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items

Honouring Moshoeshoe I’s decolonial philosophy

01 April 2021 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Supplied

Dr Mushonga_web read more — Dr Munyaradzi Mushonga drew from Moshoeshoe I’s decolonial philosophy in his virtual lecture hosted by Institute of Peace and Leadership at the National University of Lesotho.

King Moshoeshoe I was a decolonial philosopher-king well before the decolonisation of the 20th century and the current insurgent and resurgent decolonial turn gained momentum. This was the overarching message of Dr Munyaradzi Mushonga, who delivered the annual Moshoeshoe I Memorial lecture. The lecture, hosted by the Moshoeshoe I Institute of Peace and Leadership at the National University of Lesotho, took place virtually on Wednesday 17 March 2021.

Dr Mushonga, Senior Lecturer and Progamme Director of Africa Studies in the Centre for Gender and Africa Studies (CGAS) at the University of the Free State, says his lecture titled, In living memory of Moshoeshoe I: The decolonial philosopher-king of love, peace, co-existence and pluriversal humanism, was about how wisdom, knowledge, love, peace, ethics of living together, and pluriversal humanism were all merged into alliance in the one person of King Moshoeshoe.

Moshoehoeism a prequel for modern decolonialism

Being an African Studies scholar, Dr Mushonga implored modern scholars to appreciate ‘Moshoehoeism’ and said that such lectures provide the opportunity to relive the past and honour prominent individuals such as King Moshoeshoe I.

Moshoehoeism is a philosophy that is dedicated to liberating Frantz Fanon’s ‘the wretched of the earth’. It is important that Moshoehoeism is used by African Studies scholars for the “purposes of re-humanising, remembering, and re-educating previously de-humanised, dis-membered and mis-educated sons and daughters of the earth.”

Dr Mushongha says that King Moshoeshoe I was always seeking true understanding (knowledge) – to seek true knowledge is to have a decolonial mind and consciousness. “He saved his kingdom from extinction through a paradigm of knowledge; a paradigm that informed him that it was time to make concessions on sovereignty in order to save the nation and nationhood.”

“To have the wisdom, knowledge, and courage to love and make peace under social and political conditions that did not permit love and peace is to be truly decolonial,” said Dr Mushongha.

▶WATCH: YouTube recording of Moshoeshoe I Memorial Lecture

Note to viewers: the order of the recordings is as follows:

1. Preamble

2. Part 1

3. Part 2a

4. Part 2b

5. Part 3 and 4

News Archive

UFS celebrates establishment of a new department

2008-09-26

At the celebration of the establishment of the Department of Genetics are, from the left: Prof. Herman van Schalkwyk, Dean: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the UFS, Prof. Johan Spies, head of the Department of Genetics at the UFS, Prof. Chris Viljoen, associate professor at the UFS Department of Haematology and Cell Biology and previously associated with the Department of Genetics; seated: Prof. Paul Grobler, associate professor at the UFS Department of Genetics.
Photo: Stephen Collett

UFS celebrates establishment of a new department

The establishment of the Department of Genetics in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the University of the Free State (FS) was recently celebrated on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein.

The department, which formed part of the Department of Plant Sciences, is the only of its kind in the country that conducts research in behavioural genetics. “With behavioural genetics we try to determine if certain human behaviour is hereditary or if it is as a result of the environment. Although this is the fastest growing field of specialty in the United States of America, it is still an unknown field in South Africa,” says Prof. Johan Spies, head of the Department of Genetics.

The other specialty fields of the department are forensic genetics and conservation genetics. “Forensic genetics looks at the compilation of the DNA of animals. Because of our academics’ expertise, the department is regularly requested by the South African Police Service to assist them with establishing the origin of animals – especially in the case of game poaching. We recently completed a research project on cheetahs where we had to establish if they were acquired illegally of part of the farmer’s game. The research showed that the cheetahs were part of the farmer’s own breed,” says Prof. Spies.

Another specialty field of the department is conservation genetics where the genetic variance of animals is researched. A lot of research is done on vervet monkeys to determine from which area in the country they originate. The study must be completed before the 3000 vervet monkeys currently in rehabilitation centres are set free. The behaviour of monkeys in rehabilitation is also being researched.

Prof. Spies says: “Student figures in Genetics show an annual increase of 8% per year for the past five years. The first group of master’s degree students in Genetics will start their studies next year.” The department is also regarded as a leader on Clivia research.

Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za
25 September 2008

Back

Economic and Management Sciences

Education

Health Sciences

The Humanities

Law

Natural and Agricultural Sciences

Theology and Religion

Open Distance Learning

Business School

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept