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2021 Mandela Day Fitness Challenge

19 July 2021

The Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences invites all its academic departments to participate in the 2021 celebration of Nelson Mandela Day by requesting their staff and students to become involved in a 67-minute fitness challenge to be held over a seven-day period, commencing on 18 July 2021. These kilometres can be completed by running, walking, swimming or on a bicycle (no vehicles permitted).

These activities may be completed at any location, at any time from 18 to 25 July 2021 (terminating at midnight on 25 July). This ensures that social distancing protocols are adhered to, since each individual is completing the challenge on their own.

Participants will be required to provide relevant proof of the distance completed, as well as the date and time interval, by either submitting a picture of the treadmill screen, sharing the progress they logged by using a mobile app such as Strata, pictures of the number of steps completed, etc. (Send this via email to Reabetswe Parkies at Parkiesrg@ufs.ac.za upon completion – at the latest by 08:00 on 26 July 2021.)

Raising funds

To raise funds, each department in the faculty is requested to consider sponsoring a specific amount per kilometre completed by their staff and students. It is recommended that each department consider its available budget for this purpose and that the total departmental contribution should be capped at a specific amount to ensure that departments are not faced with open-ended liabilities. We have sought and obtained approval from the Department of Finance for the use of UFS funds in this manner. To this end, for example, the School of Accountancy has pledged to contribute R10 per kilometre completed, capped at a maximum contribution of R6 700.

To encourage healthy competition and to increase the amount raised, departments will be encouraged to compete against each other and attempt to complete the most kilometres. Each department will donate their pledges to the charity of their choice. In support of this noble cause, the Dean’s office has pledged a donation of R6 700 to the winning academic department, to be added to the department’s donation to the charity.

We believe this is a very good marketing initiative, as well as an opportunity for the faculty to illustrate its commitment to social investment and community engagement. It is also likely to contribute to improving the morale of the staff in the faculty. The UFS Community Engagement office has further indicated that it would like to arrange a radio interview to promote this event – to this end, we can raise awareness and place the spotlight on a worthy cause.

Read More: EMS Mandela Day Fitness Challenge 2021

News Archive

UFS staff gets a salary adjustment of 10,00%

2009-11-04

The University of the Free State’s (UFS) management and trade unions have agreed on an improvement in the service benefits of staff of 12,81% for 2010. This includes a general salary adjustment of 10,00% (according to the estimated government subsidy that will be received in 2010).

The agreement was signed on Friday, 30 October 2009 by representatives of the UFS management and the trade unions UVPERSU and NEHAWU.

The negotiating parties agreed that adjustments could vary from a minimum of 8,98% or more, depending on the government subsidy and the model forecasts. If the minimum of 8,98% is not affordable, the parties will re-negotiate.

An additional once-off, non-pensionable bonus of R2 000 will also be paid to staff later this year. The bonus will be paid to all staff members who were in the employment of the university on UFS conditions of service on 29 October 2009 and who assumed duties before 1 October 2009. The bonus is payable in recognition of the role played by staff during the year to promote the UFS as a university of excellence and as confirmation of the role and effectiveness of the remuneration model.

It is the intention to pass the maximum benefit possible on to staff without exceeding the limits of financial sustainability of the institution. For this reason, the negotiating parties reaffirmed their commitment to the Multiple-year, Income-related Remuneration Improvement Model used as a framework for negotiations. The model and its applications are unique and have as a point of departure that the UFS must be and remains financially sustainable.

Agreement was reached that 2,45% will be allocated for growth in capacity building to ensure that provision is made for the growth of the UFS over the last few years. An allocation of 0,14% will be made towards the final phasing in of fringe benefits. It will be used to provide group life insurance to all service workers. An agreement was also reached that 0,22% will be allocated towards structural adjustments of certain levels of the support services salary structure.

The implementation date for the salary adjustment is 1 January 2010. The adjustment will be calculated on the total remuneration package.

In 2009, a total salary adjustment of 16,13% was paid to staff and they received a once-off non-pensionable bonus of R3 390 at the end of 2008.

Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Deputy Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za
3 November 2009

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