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03 September 2021 | Story Nonsindiso Qwabe
“This way please” UFS Clinic nurses point the way. From left to right: Sister Nangamso Lukhubeni, Sister Noluthando Luthuli, Sister Mathapelo Moloi, and Sister Modiehi Moloi.

Fully vaccinated! 

These were the words uttered by many Qwaqwa staff members who received their second Pfizer jab at the vaccination site on the Qwaqwa Campus on Thursday (2 September 2021). More than 100 staff members turned up at the site, many for the second jab, while others were there to get their first. The staff members were full of praise for the convenience of having a site on campus, and said the brisk service made the entire process a breeze. The 24/7 Study Centre on campus was repurposed as a vaccination site at the end of August, bringing much-needed relief to staff and students, as well as the Qwaqwa community.

The vaccination experience

Chelly König, Professional Officer in the Department of Chemistry, urged people to trust the science behind the vaccine and the fact that it works. König also came with her relatives. “I’m fully vaccinated and feeling fantastic. I’d urge anyone who’s still hesitant to trust the sciences; these people know what they are doing. My aunt, who is 62, developed COVID-19 after getting her two jabs, and she didn’t experience any effects at all. It was just like the flu. Seeing her recovery convinced me that the vaccine works.”

Ntswaki Mokoena of Bidvest Prestige Cleaning Services also received her second jab. She said: “I am fully vaccinated and so happy. I’ve experienced no side effects whatsoever, and I encourage people to vaccinate; the vaccine is harmless. They should not listen to naysayers who haven’t even vaccinated.”

Calling on more people to vaccinate 

Sister Mathapelo Moloi, Chief Officer at the campus clinic, said the vaccination drive was a source of pride for the campus. “Our priority is to re-open the campus, so I’m very happy that we are seeing staff and students being willing to get vaccinated.”

“It’s not the first time that there has been hesitancy around the vaccine. Providing information is our priority – to help them understand the side effects and everything pertaining to the vaccine.”

Acting Director of Student Affairs on Qwaqwa Campus, Zakhele Mdluli, said vaccinations would help the university community get back to normal. “I encourage students to get vaccinated so that they are able to come back to campus knowing that everyone is safe. This vaccination is no different from the vaccinations we used to get when we were younger.”

The centre operates Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 15:00. People can pre-register either online at https://vaccine.enroll.health.gov.za or via WhatsApp on +27 0 60 012 3456 and should bring along their identity documents. The site is open to anyone 18 years and older. They can simply walk in – no bookings are required.”

News Archive

UFS takes further steps to address load shedding
2015-02-24

The South African economy is experiencing its worst electricity crisis since 2008, with state power firm Eskom implementing load shedding as it struggles to meet growing demand for power.

The University of the Free State (UFS) has been planning and implementing projects to reduce the impact of load shedding since 2008. This was done primarily to ensure that the academic programme does not suffer as a result of the increasing cuts in power supply, which continued this year.

The university’s main concern is the supply of emergency power to lecture halls and laboratories.

Up to date, 35 generators are serving 55 buildings on the three campuses of the UFS. This includes 26 generators on the Bloemfontein Campus, eight on the Qwaqwa Campus in the Eastern Free State and one generator on the South Campus in Bloemfontein. The generators are serviced regularly and kept in a working condition.

Since 2010, the university has also ensured that all new academic buildings being built were equipped with emergency power.

On the South Campus in Bloemfontein the new lecture hall building and the Computer Laboratory are equipped with emergency power, while the installation of emergency power generators in other buildings is underway. Most of the buildings on the Qwaqwa Campus in the Eastern Free State are provided with emergency power.

“To expand on the work that have already been done, the main objective in the installation of more generators on the Bloemfontein Campus will be to ensure that lecture halls with emergency power are available on the centrally booked timetables and that more of the critical laboratories are equipped with emergency power,” said Mr Nico Janse van Rensburg, Senior Director: University Estates.

“There are still some critical buildings and venues on the Bloemfontein Campus that must be equipped with emergency power. However, this is a costly process and will have to be phased in over a period of time. The further implementation of emergency power is dependent on delivery times of equipment. The university is also looking into alternative power supply solutions, such as solar power,” he said.

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