Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Categories
UFS News Media Release Research
Years
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Months
January February March April May June July August September October November December
Previous Archive
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 student government elections declared free and fair
2015-09-04

The 2015/2016 Student Representative Council (SRC) elections on the Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa Campuses of the University of the Free State (UFS) have been declared free and fair.

The institutional Independent Election Commission Chairperson, Mandla Ndlangamandla, commended the high level of cooperation displayed by all students who participated in the peaceful and organised elections on the Qwaqwa Campus.

“We are proud to indicate that from the beginning of the election process, there were no incidents of intimidation, disruption, threats, and violence that were reported,” he said.

Announcing the election results at Bloemfontein Campus, the representative of the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC), Andrew Ndelele, also confirmed that the commission had ensured that the elections were credible.

Voter turn-out increased at both campuses compared to the previous year. The elections, which took place from Friday 28 August to 1 September 2015, saw 8% and 0.7% increases in votes casted at the Qwaqwa and Bloemfontein Campuses, respectively. 

Paseka Sikhosana, President-elect of the Qwaqwa Campus, commended the unity and orderliness displayed by students: “After the polling stations had closed, we came together and sang in peace”.

Incoming SRC President of the Bloemfontein Campus, Lindokuhle Ntuli, also endorsed the impartiality of the elections, while expressing how humbled he was by the support he received during the campaigning period.

Bloemfontein elective portfolios:



Bloemfontein Campus president: Lindokuhle Ntuli
Photo: Johan Roux

President: Lindokuhle Ntuli
Vice-President: Mpho Khati
Secretary: Tsietso Mafaso
Treasurer: Katleho Masheane
Culture: Delia Moumakwe
Sport: Kabelo Elijah Noosi
Transformation: Katleho Mmolayeng Letube
Student Accessibility and Support: Victor Fana Sejane
Media and Marketing: Peo Morwesi Segano
First-generation students: Nicola King
Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Luke Harrold Small
Student Development and Environment: Karabo Pheko

Bloemfontein ex officio portfolios:

Associations Student Council: Sikhulekile Luwaca
Academic Affairs Student Council: Letsika Liqoalane
Campus Residences Student Council: Ingrid Wentzel
Commuter Student Council: Audrey Sithebe
Postgraduate Student Council: Kamogelo Dithebe
International Student Council: Takudzwa Gezi
Student Media Council: Hatsu Mphatsoe
Rag Fundraising Council: Tubatsi Moloi
Rag Community Service Council: Johan Diedericks

Qwaqwa Campus president: Paseka Sikhosane
Photo: Thabo Kessah

Qwaqwa elective portfolios:

President: Paseka Sikhosane
Vice-President: Zethu Mhlongo
Secretary: Nondumiso Langa
Treasurer: Palesa Selepe
Student Development and Environmental Affairs: Lindokuhle Ngubane
Media and Publicity: Bongiwe Buthelezi
Politics and Transformation: Nthabiseng Mokoena

Qwaqwa ex officio portfolios:

Academic Affairs: Edward Nkadimeng              
Arts and Culture: Kwenzakwenkosi Mthethwa
Sports Affairs: Thabo Zengele                           
Rag and Dialogue: Dieketseng Mokoena
Religious Affairs: Mamosebetsi Mokoena         
Residence Affairs: Pheletso Moekoa
Off-Campus: Nicholas Sibeko

 

 

 

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept