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NJ van der Merwe residence renamed Lehakwe House

03 March 2021 | Story Giselle Baillie | Photo Supplied

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.

News Archive

UFS cancels lease contract with House Abraham Fischer Company

2015-01-23

UFS cancels lease contract with House Abraham Fischer Company

The management of the University of the Free State (UFS) terminated the lease contract with the House Abraham Fischer company (HAF) on the Bloemfontein Campus during December 2014.

The HAF company has been managing the Abraham Fischer men’s residence as independent provider of student accommodation on the campus for a considerable time.

The decision to terminate the lease contract was taken because the company was unable to meet its financial obligations of more than R700 000 in overdue rent to the university for quite some time. Over the past few years, the management of the UFS had several discussions with the board on this matter. HAF’s inability to make payment has obliged the university to intervene in order to ensure that services to residents of the residence would be continued uninterrupted.

The termination of the lease contract means that the Department of Housing and Residence Affairs at the UFS will be taking over the management and finances of the residence, and will also be handling the placement of students in the residence from now on. The takeover is effective as from 1 January 2015.

The UFS informed senior and first-year students of the change in management on Friday 23 January 2015.

Students’ accommodation in the residence is in no way affected by the change in management.

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