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31 March 2021
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Story Xolisa Mnukwa
The University of the Free State (UFS) Bloemfontein Campus conducted its first digital Campus Student Representative Council (CSCR) elections for the 2020/2021 SRC term. Elections for the 12 ex officio portfolios were conducted from 1 to 4 December 2020, while the elections for the 7 elective portfolios were conducted from 23 to 26 March 2021.
Of the 22 941
eligible voters for the elective portfolios, 8 044 cast their votes, which accounts for 35% of the voter’s roll. The 2021 voter turnout is an increase of 9,53% compared to the 2019 elections that were conducted manually. The CSRC incumbents mentioned below were officially inaugurated on 29 March 2021 and an official handover of the outgoing to the incoming incumbents was facilitated by the Student Governance Office.
The results below depict the final outcome of the CSRC elective portfolios. Elections were concluded at 21:00 on 26 March 2021. Watch video for the official inauguration.
Position | Candidate | Votes |
PRESIDENT | Jerry Thoka | 5 747 (74,6%) |
Kamohelo Seleke | 1 960 (25.4%) |
DEPUTY PRESIDENT | Loretta Mosito | 5 563 (72,4%) |
Esona Yapi | 2 116 (27,6%) |
SECRETARY | Ayanda Dlova | 5 988 (78,3%) |
Simphiwe Zonke | 1 660 (21,7%) |
TREASURER | Orefile Sefika | 5 425 (70,7%) |
Thandiwe Kula | 2 246 (29,3%) |
POLICY AND TRANSFORMATION | Vusumzi Gqalane | 4 988 (63,8%) |
Thabo Duma | 1 649 (21,1%) |
Nompumelelo Khoza | 1 178 (15,1%) |
STUDENT DEVELOPMENT AND FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS | Tshiamo Sebolai | 4 681 (60,4%) |
Fhumulani Sididzha | 1 707 (22,0%) |
Ofentse Ntsane | 1 365 (17,6%) |
COMMUTER STUDENTS | Dimpho Mokhoantle | 4 469 (58,1%) |
Marumo Rakwata | 1 643 (21,4%) |
Lusanda Feleza | 1 582 (20,6%) |
The results below depict the outcome of the ex officio elections that took place from 1 to 4 December 2020:
Position | Candidate |
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ASSOCIATIONS STUDENT COUNCIL | Michael Mnguni |
STUDENT ORGANISATIONS COUNCIL | Tebogo Sako |
ACADEMIC STUDENT COUNCIL | Katlego Booysen |
DAY RESIDENCE COUNCIL | Sibongiseni Mncela |
CAMPUS RESIDENCE COUNCIL | Mpho Maubane |
POSTGRADUATE STUDENT COUNCIL | Nico Janse van Rensburg |
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT COUNCIL | Rufaro Chakanyuka |
STUDENT MEDIA AND DIALOGUE COUNCIL | Wandile Manqele |
UNIVERSAL ACCESS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE COUNCIL | Katlego Sekele |
CIVIC AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY COUNCIL | Gert Terblanche |
ARTS AND CULTURE COUNCIL | Katleho Khaola |
SPORTS COUNCIL | Bongumusa Khumalo |
Five mega projects to help reposition the UFS
2008-02-01
The University of the Free State (UFS) today announced that it will focus on five mega-projects to help reposition the UFS in the next five years as one of South Africa’s leading universities that is successfully managing excellence and diversity.
Speaking at the official opening of the university today, the Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Frederick Fourie, identified the five mega projects as:
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The successful implementation of strategic academic clusters to focus the teaching and research expertise of the UFS.
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The development and implementation of new models of teaching and learning.
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Finding new sources of income (including third-stream income) to minimise dependence on government subsidies and tuition fees.
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Creating a new institutional culture for the university by finalising the Institutional Charter.
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The ongoing transformation of the UFS in all its dimensions.
According to Prof. Fourie, the strategic clusters – initiated in 2006 – are a very important initiative which is aimed at making the UFS a world leader in six broad areas. The focus of the six clusters has now been determined. These clusters are not just research based, but will include postgraduate programmes and filter down to undergraduate learning programmes and curricula.
He also indicated that other research at the UFS will continue to be supported and funded as before.
The second project, to establish a new teaching and learning model, is meant to address current success rates which indicate the need for this issue to receive a high priority.
New income streams to enable higher levels of financial sustainability is the third project, especially in view of dwindling government subsidies and limits on student numbers. This is necessary to fund sustained higher levels of investment in the quality of academic activities and in the necessary capacity and facilities.
Prof. Fourie said the fourth project regarding institutional culture is an ongoing effort to create a sense of belonging for all staff and students at the UFS through the adoption of an Institutional Charter for the university.
“What the draft Charter does – in addition to describing overarching values espoused by the institution and its people – is to describe the outlines and constitutive principles of the ‘post-redress’ UFS,” said Prof. Fourie.
The Charter – initially launched in 2007 – is and remains a critical element of guiding transformation effectively and speedily towards a widely-accepted goal. It is a critical element of the “social sustainability and robustness” of a new UFS, especially in tumultuous political times.
The fifth project is the Transformation Plan, launched in 2007. “We simply must pursue this plan diligently, given our commitment to comprehensive and deep transformation, and to best practice transformation. All universities will have to face up to the challenge of transformation and the UFS can break new ground, as it did in the past by managing transformation innovatively and creating a campus where all can find their rightful place,” said Prof. Fourie.
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
1 February 2008