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Mandela Day, it is about giving back

16 July 2021 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied

Capture_web read more — Katlego Mpoihi says the Engaged Learning Festival equipped him with skills that changed his life in such a way that he could build his own business and provide employment for others. The festival is one of the initiatives of the Directorate Community Engagement to benefit the community, an initiative that also supports Mandela Day.

In celebrating Mandela Day, Bishop Billyboy Ramahlele, Director of the Directorate Community Engagement at the University of the Free State (UFS), believes that when we were born, all of us were clinching a fist holding something in our palms. “As we grew up, we discovered that what we were holding in our palms were our talents and gifts. We therefore exist to unfold our palms and share what we are holding. I challenge each of us to open our palms, stretch out our hands, and share what we are holding with those who are in need.”

It is also with this sentiment that the university, through its Engaged Citizenship programme – which is part of Engaged Scholarship – mobilises and trains communities to take charge of their own lives and development. Bishop Ramahlele describes engaged scholarship as using academic scholarship and professional expertise at the UFS with the intentional purpose to benefit the community.

In the coming year, Community Engagement will pursue strategic partnerships with government departments at all levels to address the goals of the National Development Plan. The university will also continue to create opportunities for staff and students to engage in the development of communities. “We will ensure that all our staff and students contribute to building social cohesion in our communities by bridging economic, social, and cultural gaps within society,” says Bishop Ramahlele.

Community Engagement is involved in more than 70 service-learning modules annually, and the university contributes no less than R9 million to set positive change in motion in the community. Some of the many programmes and organisations where an estimated 3 000 students spend at least 127 000 hours, include the Association for People with Disabilities, Bloemshelter, the Trompsburg Clinic and schools, and the Tshepo Foundation.

Engaged Learning Festival, a beacon of hope

One initiative that stands out, is the annual Engaged Learning Festival.

Bishop Ramahlele states that for the past five years, the university has organised and hosted the festival presented in partnership with non-governmental organisations, business, higher education institutions, and government departments.

“The festival, which is at the end of every year, runs over three days, with at least 50 different skills presented to about 1 500 attendants. In addition, the university trains no less than 400 people, including the youth, women, and the unemployed, in different skills that will enable them to create jobs for themselves through our ‘Building Social Cohesion through Enterprise Development Programme’,” he proudly adds.

Despite the fact that the last festival was presented in 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the positive results of this event continue to impact people’s lives for the better. What comes to mind is the success story of 31-year-old Katlego Mpoihi, who attended the Engaged Learning Festival in 2016.

Mpoihi, who learned about the event at one of the Directorate Community Engagement’s training sessions in Thaba ‘Nchu, says before he left to attend the festival, he had no skills. However, he left his home dreaming about many opportunities for skills development.

“The festival did not disappoint me.”

“I knew nothing when I arrived there, nevertheless, in the three days of the event I learned furniture manufacturing skills, such as carpentry and upholstery that later allowed me to start making headboards, cupboards, pedestals, TV stands, and upholstering.”

“The Engaged Learning Festival changed my life. I feel better about myself now that I can stand on my own.”

“In the five years since I attended the festival, I registered my business, Golukisa Trading. After posting photos of my work on social media, the orders started to come in. With the profit I made, I bought more equipment and expanded my business to installing ceilings, tiles, floors, and walls.”

“Later, I was in the position to help others by creating employment and developing the skills of my staff. Two of the persons I taught started their own business,” says a successful Mpoihi who also managed to buy a car and land for himself.

Mpoihi later also attended training sessions on entrepreneurship, offered by the Directorate Community Engagement. “He is now playing an important role in training other youths and the unemployed during our workshops,” says Bishop Ramahlele.

Giving back to ensure a better tomorrow for all

Although successful, he keeps on dreaming. “My biggest vision for the future is to open a factory where I can manufacture all types of furniture from scratch. I also see myself spreading my wings beyond the Free State borders, not only creating employment but also opportunities for people to open their own businesses,” says Mpoihi, who is planning on giving back in a big way.

Was this not also what the late President Mandela had in mind – for us to recognise our individual power so that we can change the world around us?

News Archive

Professor launches his book, opposition parties attend

2011-03-22

Prof. Hussein Solomon
Photo: Stephen Collett

“We are good in opposing people, but we’re less good in opposing ideas.” This was how Prof. Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the University of the Free State (UFS) introduced the book launch of Against all Odds: Opposition Politics in Southern Africa.

The event was hosted in collaboration with the publisher under the title: Are opposition parties in South Africa in a crisis? This formed part of a series of dialogue sessions, organised by the Centre for Africa Studies, in the run up to the local elections.

Amongst those interested who attended the evening in the Senate Hall of the CR Swart Building on the Main Campus were various politicians, students, staff en a panel consisting of academics and the respective provincial representatives of the ANC and DA.

Dr Mcebisi Ndletyana from the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), acted as arbiter.

Proff. Hussein Solomon, author of Against all Odds: Opposition Politics in Southern Africa, also lecturer at the UFS, as well as Dirk Kotzé, Head of the Department of Political Science at Unisa, delivered enriching lectures on the stance and positioning of opposition parties.

Prof. Hussein, who spoke first, circumscribed the context of the political climate in the country, based on his book. “The problem that political science encounters is that everybody becomes experts on the internet, while they have no experience of what is happening in South Africa.” He said that when political parties in the country are under discussion, voters often allow myths and/or stereotyping to influence their concept of it. ‘’If there are no opposition parties, there is no democracy and people are deprived of their vote.”

Prof. Kotzé stated in his speech that it was not only opposition parties who had to make the government watch its step, but also the status that the country acquired, amongst others, from its connections, i.e. collaborative agreements such as BRICSA and the country’s inclusion in the G20. He left the audience with a question about how they were going to become involved in politics, and with his rhetoric question referred to options like social networks and movements.

Mr Sibongile Besani, the ANC'S secretary in the Free State, said the DA grew due to it’s swallowing of other parties; something he claims is taking the country backwards. He also described the use of personalities by opposition parties as means of association a weakness. He added that voters will continue voting for the ANC because they can associate themselves with the party’s vision.

In contrast, Mr Roy Jankielsohn, provincial leader of the DA, said voters and parties unite under their core vision for the country as like in the case of the ANC during the liberation struggles.

During the question-and-answer session, which followed after Mr Jankielson’s speech, Prof. Kwandiwe Kondlo, upon completion and summary of the discussions, stated firmly that the opposition parties are in a crisis. “The start of the solution is to recognise the problem. That is why our democracy finds itself in the state in which it is; because the opposition does not fulfil the role that they are supposed to fulfil.“ Prof. Kondlo is the head of the Centre of Africa Studies at the UFS.

He concluded by stating that the economic basis in the country was not transformed. “We cannot say that people determine their futures if they posses nothing. Opposition parties must start to communicate at this level in order to table something new. Our democracy must become more inclusive at political and material level.”

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