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UFS amends the retirement age for all staff members to 65

10 December 2021 | Story Lacea Loader

The Council of the University of the Free State (UFS) approved the retirement age of all staff members to 65 this week.

“The current retirement age for staff members of the UFS is 65 years for those appointed prior to 1 June 1998, and 60 years for those appointed after 1 June 1998. The Council’s decision to amend the retirement age to 65 comes after an extensive benchmarking process involving the university’s two labour unions, NEHAWU and UVPERSU, which requested that the retirement age of all staff members be adjusted to 65,” said Prof Francis Petesen, UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor.

This amendment brings the university in line with other universities and will assist in overcoming a negative impact on the recruitment and attraction of high-calibre academic and specialist staff.

Parallel to the amendment of the retirement age in the Conditions of Services, the university is also adapting the allocation of vacation leave. “We are currently facing a challenge in terms of the provision of the staff leave liability, which has a major financial implication for the UFS. In consultation with stakeholder unions the accumulation of vacation leave has been adjusted to a maximum of five days per year,” said Prof Petersen.

The new retirement age to 65 and the adjusted accumulated vacation leave days will be affected from 1 January 2022. Staff who are set to retire on 31 December 2021 may opt to continue to the age 65. This amendment will not apply to staff that may have already retired.

Adjusted vacation as from 1 January 2022:

Academic staff:

Current number of vacation days: 42

Approved Leave Days

Number of vacation days: 30

Additional research leave days: 12 (non-cumulative and expires at the end of each calendar year)

Support staff:

Deputy Director and higher levels

Peromnes Level: 1 – 6

Current number of leave vacation days: 36

Approved number of vacation days: 30

Assistant Director to Officer

Peromnes Level: 7 – 14

Current number of leave vacation days: 30 - 28

Approved number of vacation days: 28

Service Workers

Peromnes Level: 15 - 18

Current number of leave vacation days: 24

Approved number of vacation days: 24

News Archive

Gastroenterology Unit works to bring a transformative impact to healthcare

2016-11-21

Description: Gastroenterology Unit Tags: Gastroenterology Unit

Dr Rita Nathan, Acting CEO of Universitas Hospital,
Prof Willem Kruger, Acting Head of the
School of Medicine, and Prof Jan van Zyl,
Head of Department of Internal Medicine.
Photo: Nonsindiso Qwabe

The departments of Surgery and Internal Medicine at the University of Free State launched the newly upgraded Gastroenterology Unit of the Universitas Academic Hospital on 8 November 2016. Realising the need to provide state-of-the-art equipment that caters for various health needs, the unit has acquired new pieces of equipment worth R7 million. Through the equipment, a move towards the digital revolution, the unit hopes to bring about a transformative impact on healthcare service delivery in central South Africa and its surrounds.

Upgraded unit will make a difference on burden of diseases
Dr Rita Nathan, Acting CEO of the Universitas Hospital, said the increase in the number of scopes, and the improvement in technology, will facilitate improved service delivery to the community of the Free State and beyond. “This upgrade will enable the unit to make a tremendous dent in the burden of diseases in the communities we serve.”

Unit a unique feature in central South Africa
Serving a population from the Free State, Northern Cape, Eastern Cape and Lesotho; the growing demand of health services has led to an increase in the number of patients treated by the unit. This unit is unique in central South Africa as the only one providing endoscopic intervention for cases like gastrointestinal bleeding. It is also the only 24-hour gastroscopic service available in the state sector.

Improved service delivery linked to enhanced training platforms
Prof Willem Kruger, acting head of the School of Medicine, said that the upgrading of equipment will have an immense impact on not only service delivery, but also on training platforms in the latest technologies. “It important, as a university, that our doctors have the latest technology at their disposal to facilitate training. If training improves, service delivery improves. The two on inextricably linked.” he said.

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