Latest News Archive

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

Ups and downs, gains and losses, and an LLB degree later

19 April 2021 | Story NONSINDISO QWABE | Photo Supplied

Tshepang 2_web read more — LLB graduate Tshepang Mahlatsi

‘Be loyal to your calling and the universe will locate you.’ This slogan is the mantra that University of the Free State LLM student, Tshepang Mahlatsi, lives by. It is also this slogan that carried him through a tumultuous journey during the pursuit of his LLB degree, which he received during the Bloemfontein Campus graduation ceremony on 19 April.

Mahlatsi began his LLB degree in 2014, but he had to take a break from his academics in 2016 after being clinically diagnosed with depression. He obtained his qualification in 2020. Mahlatsi said 2016 was a year that started on a high note for him as a third-year Law student and newly elected prime for Tswelopele residence, but quickly took a downward dive when he found himself overwhelmed by leadership demands – coupled with the simultaneous loss of loved ones and constant academic pressure. It ultimately led to a breakdown, forcing him to put his studies on hold. "I am graduating with my LLB after life-changing events in my undergraduate years – from student politics, depression, and PTSD, to starting a mental-health organisation and using both CUADS and Kovsie Counselling support services to come back to ‘normalcy’.”

He said the year-long break from his studies left him feeling discouraged as he watched his peers and classmates progress and graduate. "It was the most difficult thing to do to remind myself that I wasn't stupid."

"This journey exposed a lot about myself; it exposed that with determination and resilience, you can achieve what you set out to achieve. I had to persevere not because I wanted to, but because my family has never seen a graduate. I was doing this for them; to give them something they've never had,” he said.

UFS support services can save lives

Mahlatsi would like more students to make use of the UFS support services and not crumble under mental-health problems. "I hope to inspire students to use their support services and not be ashamed – services such as CUADS and Student Counselling and Development. I hope to inspire student leaders and students to realise that you can be a well-rounded student and still have challenges, but eventually, success awaits us all."

News Archive

What if we put it to you that Barry Roux is to visit Kovsies?

2015-08-20

Advocate Barry Roux in action at Oscar Pistorius' trial.
Photo: Supplied

The SRC Legal and Constitutional Affairs office, in conjunction with the Law Faculty, are launching the Student Court this week.

Barry Roux, the renowned South African legal representative who served as the defence advocate in the trial of Oscar Pistorius, will be the keynote speaker.

Guest speakers include Judge Lebotsang Bosieloof the South African Supreme Court of Appeal. Prof Caroline Nicholson and Prof Teuns Verschoor are to represent our Law Faculty as Dean and Lecturer, respectively.

In 2014, when Lindokuhle Ntuli occupied the Legal and Constitutional Affairs office within the Student Representative Council (SRC), the concept of this Judicial Branch of Student Governance was conceived.

“I established the Student Court because I strongly believed that we needed a student forum, beyond the University’s Disciplinary Committee,” said Lindokuhle. He added that such a forum allows for dealing with disputes between students and testing the validity of the Student Court’s constitution and the regulations of the university.

The Student Court’s aim is to administer justice according to these documents. It intervenes in decision-making matters between students, associations, or any part of the student body, at a student level. Other functions of this legal body involve regulating irresponsibly behaviour among students in order to uphold the integrity of the University of the Free State.

You are invited to the launch event:

Friday 21 August 2015

17:00

Economic and Management Sciences Auditorium (EBW), Bloemfontein Campus

For more information contact Lindokuhle Ntuli on 051 401 2082 or ntuliL@ufs.ac.za

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