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UFS and stakeholders bringing COVID-19 vaccination closer to communities

28 June 2021 | Story Lunga Luthuli | Photo Lunga Luthuli

South Campus vaccination centre copy — South Campus: Social Responsibility Project team with Free State Department of Health nurses during the lunch of the campus’ COVID-19 pop-up vaccination site.

On Monday 27 September 2021, the University of the Free State, Provincial Department of Health and Department of Education launched a pop-up vaccination site at the South Campus bringing much-needed services closer to communities in the fight to end the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thandeka Mosholi, Head of Social Responsibility, Enterprise and Community Engagement, South Campus says, “We are next to the Mangaung community and bringing these services we encourage not only UFS staff and students but the surrounding communities to vaccinate for COVID-19. The institution and stakeholders are saying it is everyone’s responsibility for their health.”

She says, “If vaccination is recommended and we are told that it is safe, we encourage everyone including the youth to preserve our health and vaccinate.”

Representing the Department of Health, Papi Mokhele, Professional Pharmacist, says, “The initiative is aimed at reaching out to as many people to be vaccinated.”

He says, “At the moment the facility administers only the Pfizer vaccination and, as recommended by the National Government, we want to reach herd immunity – about 70% of the population – so that businesses, sporting facilities and many others can open and get our life back to normal.”

Other facilities the Department of Health has recently opened include the SABC Hoffman Square, Majakathata Taxi Rank, MUCCPP Health Centre in Phelindaba, Puma Garage in Bergman and Mangaung Outdoor Centre.

On partnering with the UFS, Mokhele says, “The COVID-19 vaccines have been put through clinical processes and quality assurance tests. They have also been approved by the South African Medicine Control Council and we call on the UFS community, especially students, to register and vaccinate.”

Coretha van den Heever, Teacher Trainer in the Social Responsibility Project, was recently vaccinated for the pandemic and says, “Let us protect ourselves and other people and not be the spreaders of the virus.”

She says, “People must make use of the facility; the UFS and government have brought the solution closer so that communities will not have to spend a lot of money travelling to get help.”

The vaccination centre will operate from Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 16:00.

News Archive

Forgive and forget? Or remember and retaliate?

2015-10-08

Cover of the novel Kamphoer

Fact and fiction came together at the Bloemfontein Campus recently to discuss the traumatic repercussions of the South African War. The event forms part of a three-year project – headed by Prof Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela (University of the Free State Trauma, Forgiveness, and Reconciliation Studies) – which investigates transgenerational trauma in the aftermath of the South African War.

The discussion explored the theme, ‘Working through the Past: Reflections on the novel Kamphoer’.

Together, Emeritus Prof Chris van der Merwe (University of Cape Town) and the author of the novel, Dr Francois Smith (University of the Free State, Department Afrikaans and Dutch, German and French), engaged in a thought-provoking, insightful conversation, tracing themes of trauma and issues of forgiveness presented in Kamphoer. Prof Van der Merwe and Dr Smith demonstrated how both fiction and historical fact can inform our present, and guide us into the future.

Emeritus Prof Chris van der Merwe and Dr Francois Smith
discuss the novel Kamphoer and how the book relates to
current issues of transgenerational trauma.

“On a societal level,” Prof Van der Merwe said, “we need to work through trauma by putting it into words, and putting it into a narrative.” When it comes to historical trauma, should we forgive and forget, though? Or rather remember and retaliate? Neither, proposed Prof Van der Merwe. “What I want to plead for is the difficult challenge: remember and forgive.” But Prof Van der Merwe also pointed out that, although forgiveness blesses both the giver and receiver, it is an ongoing process.

Dr Smith agreed wholeheartedly. “One of the discoveries of my book is that forgiving is a continuous process. It’s not something that gets completed at a particular stage in your life. By the same token, you can’t say that you are ever able to leave the past behind.” These issues of trauma, forgiveness, the past versus the present, remembering and forgetting are all integral questions confronting the main character of the novel, Susan Nel .

They are also questions we, as a nation, are currently confronted with, too.

“At this moment in our society,” Prof Van der Merwe said, “we have enough killers. We have a greater need now for caring nurturers.”

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