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24 September 2021 | Story André Damons | Photo Charl Devenish
Heritage Day
Rejoyce Ncube is representing the Zulu culture (left), Itumeleng Mopasi is representing the Xhosas, while Itumeleng Mopasi also represents the Zulu culture during Thursday’s feasting.
Staff members of the Faculty of Health Sciences working in the Muller Potgieter Building celebrated Heritage Day on Thursday (23 September 2021) by feasting together on different traditional meals and enjoying their diverse cultural backgrounds.

For Ms Rejoyce Ncube, an Assistant Officer in Undergraduate Medical Programme Management, Heritage Day is an important reminder of who we are as South Africans. She has been wearing different cultural attire since the start of Heritage Month.

“I love wearing different attires. It is so unique and colourful.  It is also important because, when you look at the young people, they do not always know the difference between the cultures.

“As much as I am Zulu, I wear attires from different cultures. I need Tsonga and Ndebele attire.  It is just to make people aware that we are all South African and also to teach the young people that they have a history behind who they are. I love the uniqueness, the colours, and the designs,” says Ncube.

Heritage Day important to teach young people about different cultures in South Africa
According to her, Heritage Day is important to teach young people about the different cultures in South Africa and the history behind them. Ncube says she also tries to cook a traditional African dish for her family every Sunday.

Ms Joyce Phindela, an Assistant Officer in the School of Clinical Medicine, says Heritage Day helps her to remember who she is and where she comes from. Says Joyce: “I am Xhosa, but mostly grew up in the Sotho and Coloured community and I went to an all-Afrikaans school. This is what is meant by being South African and what makes us unique.”

“Heritage Day gives me an opportunity to represent who I am and to teach other people about my culture. I also get to learn from other people and their cultures, because on a normal day we do not learn from each other. I can teach this to my kids one day.”

Some of the traditional treats shared included dombolo, samp and beans, droëwors, koeksisters, and melktert.

Dr Lynette van der Merwe, Undergraduate Medical Programme Director in the School of Clinical Medicine, indicated that the staff working in the Muller Potgieter Building consider themselves part of a diverse, multicultural, multilingual family who try to make one another’s lives enjoyable by being friendly, courteous, supportive, and kind.  Sharing and learning from one another and realising that we all have unique stories to tell about our varied backgrounds bring us closer together and help us grow in unity.

Heritage Day
Heritage Day
Rejoyce Ncube
Rejoyce Ncube
Joyce Phindela
Joyce Phindela
Itumeleng Mopasi
Itumeleng Mopasi

News Archive

UFS hikers to Cape Town reflect on their journey
2014-05-26

 

For the four volunteers from the university who are currently on their way to the Cape on foot, every hour of every day is a victory.

It is three weeks since two employees from the University of the Free State (UFS), Adéle van Aswegen and Ntokozo Nkabinde, together with two other Bloemfontein residents, Nico Piedt and Ronel Warner, left Bloemfontein on fóót for the Cape, in order to highlight the problem of food insecurity among students.

On Sunday 18 May they crossed the halfway mark at Beaufort West and will conclude their journey on Tuesday 3 June in Cape Town.

This is what the hikers have to say after three weeks on the road:

Adéle van Aswegen
It isn’t only a physical journey, but rather an emotional journey you undertake. You learn what it means to be truly thankful for basic things like clothes, a place to sleep and food.

Nico Piedt
I know what it feels like to survive on only a glass of water in your stomach – a cup of weak tea if you’re lucky – for the whole day. If I can help (through the hike) to give someone a better chance in life, then it is worthwhile.

Ronel Warner
You think and grow simultaneously. As you plan every stride ahead of you, you also plan your life ahead.

Ntokozo Nkabinde
You don’t walk for yourself. You undertake this journey, maybe because you want to help someone, but this journey is actually in honour of something bigger and you just have to endure.”

These boots are made for walking ... to Cape Town (Article of 02 May 2014)
“Aren’t auntie and them hungry yet?” Country folk worried about NSH hikers (15 May 2014)

Daily updates:
(You can also follow us on @UFSweb for daily tweets)

Day 33: 2 June 2014
13:40
20 km
Sunset Beach, Cape Town

Day 32: 1 June 2014
16:05
26 km
Mervyn and Sanet Wessels, Belville

Day 31: 31 May 2014
16:31
39.6 km
Rhonell and Gavin Julain, Paarl

Day 30: 30 May 2014
14:00
16 km
Monte Rosa, Rawsonville

Day 29: 29 May 2014
13:16
31 km
The Habit, Worcester

Day 28: 28 May 2014
11:00
22.4 km
Monte Roza, De doorns

Day 27: 27 May 2014
17:00
21.1 km
Karoo Hotel

Day 26: 26 May 2014
18:27
43.3 km
Tows river

Day 25: 25 May 2014
12:18
Lord Milner Hotel, Matjiesfontein

Day 24: 24 May 2014
16:30
42 km
Laingsburg Country Lodge

Day 23: 23 May 2014
17:32
41.8 km
Vergenoeg

Day 22: 22 May 2014
16:42
43 km
Assendelft Lodge and Bush Camp, Prins Albert

Day 21: 21 May 2014
15:09
42 km
Leeu Gamka Hotel

Day 20: 20 May 2014
13:39
20 km
Alida, Springfontein

Day 19: 19 May 2014
12:31
27.6 km
Teri Moja Game Lodge

Day 18: 18 May 2014
First rest day
Nagenoeg Guesthouse, Beaufort West

Day 17: 17 May 2014
19:30
62.3 km
Nagenoeg Guesthouse, Beaufort West

Day 16: 16 May 2014
13:00
14 km
Taaibochfontein

Day 15: 15 May 2014
16:03
32 km
Travalia, Three Sisters

Day 14: 14 May 2014
18:33
43 km
Joalani Guest Farm

Day 13: 13 May 2014
17:30
33 km
Die Rondawels

Day 12: 12 May 2014
16:49
40 km
Aandrus B&B in Richmond

Day 11: 11 May 2014
39 km
Wortelfontein (Magdel and Christiaan)

Day 10: 10 May 2014
15:44
34 km
Hanover Lodge

Day 9: 09 May 2014
40.8 km
Camping between Colesberg and Hanover

Day 8: 08 May 2014
15:25
33.7 km
Colesberg, The Lighthouse Guesthouse

Day 7: 07 May 2014
15:08
23 km
Orange River Lodge

Day 6: 06 May 2014
15:57
51.06 km
Gariep Forever Resort

Day 5: 05 May 2014
12:18
28 km
Rondefontein

Day 4: 04 May 2014
15:27
35 km
Trompsburg: Fox Den

Day 3: 03 May 2014
17:30
46.74 km
Edenburg Country Lodge (Hotel)

Day 2: 02 May 2014
11:44 am
15.3 km
Tom's Place

Day 1: 01 May 2014
32 km
Leeuwberg

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