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03 March 2021 | Story Giselle Baillie | 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. 

News Archive

UFS introduces a unique new module for all first-year students
2012-01-15

As from 2012, thousands of first-year students at the University of the Free State (UFS) will be attending a newly designed core curriculum module called UFS 101.

UFS 101 has been specially developed as an exciting learning experience to create a new kind of Kovsie graduate that will stand out amongst other South African graduates.

“UFS 101 will teach students to look at local and global challenges from different perspectives and engage critically with the newest thinking nationally and internationally in fields such as nanotechnology, law and history, to name only a few. Students will also learn more about themselves and confront the boundaries in their thinking,” says Dr Mallory Du Plooy, the module coordinator.
This 16-credit module is also intended to promote social cohesion amongst students. The module is compulsory for all first-time entering mainstream students registered for a first degree or diploma.

UFS 101 is also unique in the sense that no other South African university offers a similar course on a scale this big.

This module, which will be attended by about 4 000 mainstream first-year students, will be presented in the Callie Human Centre on the Bloemfontein Campus. Classes will be interactive with lecturers by means of various audio and visual resources.

UFS 101 will be launched on Monday 27 February 2012.

More information about UFS 101 is available at www.ufs.ac.za  or can also be obtained by sending an e-mail to ufs101@ufs.ac.za .
 

Issued by: Lacea Loader
Director: Strategic Communication
Telephone: +27 (0) 51 401 2584
+27 (0) 83 645 2454
E-mail: news@ufs.ac.za
Fax: +27 (0) 51 444 6393
Web: www.ufs.ac.za
 

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