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03 March 2021
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Story Giselle Baillie
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Photo Supplied
Residence members who led the project, included:
Bohlokwa Rantja, the Residence Prime, and Transformation Committee members Nsuku Mutemela, Ofentse Motlakeng, Phindile Tjale, Madinku Mabala, Mmapopi Motshoso, Karabo Shuping, and Tagane Sekete.
The University of the Free State (UFS) Council approved and adopted Lehakwe House as the new name for the
NJ van der Merwe residence on the Bloemfontein Campus. The approval on 26 November 2020 followed a lengthy process of deliberation, consultation, and public engagement that has taken place since November 2019 and is aligned with the UFS Policy on Naming and Renaming. The name-change process was initiated by the Prime and Transformation Committee of the residence, guided by the
Unit for Institutional Change and Social Justice and supported by a multi-stakeholder committee representative of the residence, the Housing and Residence Affairs Office, the Department of Student Affairs, the Student Representative Council, and alumni.
Lehakwe – a precious gem
Following a lengthy evaluation process of the names submitted through a public voting and recommendation platform in July 2020, ‘Lehakwe’ – a Sesotho word referring to a ‘precious gem’ – emerged as the front runner. As many current and past members of the residence attest, this womxn’s residence has come to occupy a significant space within the hearts and minds of UFS students and the UFS community, given that its spirit has always been closely aligned with the constitutional values of dignity, equality, and freedom and with the human values of ubuntu. In this vein, the new name of ‘Lehakwe’ presents a consolidation of constitutional and university values into the day-to-day thinking, learning, living, and legacy spaces of students, as well as everyone who interacts and engages with the UFS.
Department of Architecture creates environment for winners
2017-08-29

The three beneficiaries of the Carl and Emily Fuchs
Foundation’s Prestige Prize in Architecture were from
the left: Madeli Beyers (UFS), Diana Kuhn (UCT),
and Benjamin Kollenberg (Wits).
Each received a bursary of R50 000.
Photo: Supplied
A feather in the cap for the Department of Architecture at the University of the Free State was when Madeli Beyers (BArchHons), was announced as one of three recipients of the 10th Annual Carl and Emily Fuchs Foundation Prestige Prize in Architecture.
According to Jako Olivier, Programme Director of the Department of Architecture, the top graduate students of eight national Architectural Learning Sites are adjudicated on their undergraduate portfolios, their full academic record and a 24-hour En Loge project.
This year, the En Loge project was conceptualised by the department, and investigated the forgotten voices in science, and the magical realism stories of the Free State landscape and the cosmos. The project was presented at the Boyden Observatory and science education centre.
The adjudicating panel was assembled from a list of 23 practitioners and academics proposed by the SA Institute of Architects.