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03 March 2021
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Story Giselle Baillie
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Photo Supplied
_web.jpg?sfvrsn=987e6620_1 "NJ van Merwe Read More (1)_web")
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.
UFS receives apparatus for research in bio analysis
2006-08-31
The Department of Chemistry at the University of the Free State (UFS) and FARMOVS-PAREXEL received three mass spectrometers valued at R6 000 000 from Applied-Biosystems (Canada), one of the biggest suppliers of mass spectrometers in the world.
The apparatus will be used in the department's research projects on bio analytical and bio prospecting in the search of new drugs for indigenous biodiversity. The UFS Department of Chemistry and FARMOVS-PAREXEL have been working together closely for the past two years to develop new bio analytical methods to analyse drugs in blood.
Standing next to one of the mass spectrometers are from the left: Prof Herman van Schalkwyk (Dean: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences), Dr Irene Kamara (senior lecturer at the UFS Department of Chemistry), Dr Kenneth Swart (senior director and head of the bioanalytical section of FARMOVS-PAREXEL), Mr Uwe Völlkopf (Business Development Manager of Applied Biosystems (Canada)) and Prof Jan van der Westhuizen (head of the organic chemistry division at the UFS Department of Chemistry).