Latest News Archive
Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
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.
Students are flocking back to class
2014-02-03

Ready for the new academic year. From the left are: Shannan Bohlander and Caden Hendricks.
Photo: Chloe Jansen
Despite the weather, campus is bustling with anxious and excited students. While the first week of classes is underway, some are dashing to and from class and others are catching up with classmates.
Shannan Bohlander, a second-year Psychology student, is greatly looking forward to this new year. “I’m excited about actually going to class!” Caden Hendricks, a second-year Media Studies and Journalism student, says his year is all about prioritising, “I’m excited to see if I can achieve balance this year, whilst at the same time not ‘missing out’ on all the activities on and around campus.”
BComm Accounting honours student, Siya Qinga, says this year is a daunting one for her, “I’m not too sure what I’m excited about, because at the start of the year you hear people telling you that it’s hard [honours], so it gets to the point where you’re very scared, because there’s no one reassuring you on that. So it’s a very confusing time, and you need a whole lot of introspection.”