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05 April 2022 | Story Lacea Loader
Qwaqwa Campus

The preliminary finding of the urgent investigation into the fire on the Qwaqwa Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS) on the evening of Monday 4 April 2022, indicates that the two buildings were intentionally set alight. This was established by the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the university’s Protection Services this morning.

Since the outbreak of the fire, one person – who is a registered student – has been arrested by SAPS, and a process is underway to identify more suspects. The UFS will institute the necessary disciplinary action against suspects who are registered students. Similarly, criminal charges will also be instituted.

The buildings, which housed the clinic and a computer laboratory, were almost completely destroyed, with damage to both buildings estimated at R35 million.

The university management condemns the destructive behaviour of the students and condemns criminal behaviour such as this in the strongest terms. “The Qwaqwa Campus, as well as the entire university community, are shocked by this devastating and irresponsible act – especially after the campus experienced violent protest action this year, which significantly affected the academic programme,” said Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS.

The academic programme on the Qwaqwa Campus continues, mostly online for this week, and students will be informed by their faculties about the revised schedule, as well as arrangements regarding tests and assessments scheduled for this week on the campus.

The campus remains open; the university's Protection Services is on high alert and is monitoring the situation on campus closely.

It is alleged that students were unhappy about the payment of allowances they are due to receive from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) in April 2022. To alleviate this, the UFS has so far this year offered students allowances for food and books amounting to more than R71 million, while they are waiting for their NSFAS subsidies to be released. 


Released by:
Lacea Loader (Director: Communication and Marketing)
Telephone: +27 51 401 2584 | +27 83 645 2454
Email: news@ufs.ac.za | loaderl@ufs.ac.za


News Archive

UFS Choir excited about Varsity Sing
2016-06-29

Description: 001 UFS Choir Group 2016-06-29 Tags: UFS Choir Group

The University of the Free State choir will
perform in the Sand du Plessis Theatre in
Bloemfontein on 30 June 2016 as part of
the Varsity Sing competition.
Photo: Supplied

“We believe the competition will increase the exposure of the choir, and we will start to be taken seriously by different stakeholders,” says Sive Makombe from the University of the Free State (UFS) Choir Management.

Makombe and Marischa van Zyl, also from the UFS Choir Management, are excited about Varsity Sing, a new choral competition for university choirs. They will compete for the final prize of being crowned as the best university choir in South Africa.

Competition broadcast on kykNET


Earlier this year, Varsity Sports announced their new intervarsity ‘sporting’ venture, the inaugural Varsity Sing. The concept is aimed at boosting and increasing awareness around university choirs. It will be broadcast as a television programme, Varsity Sing, and aired from 14 July 2016 on kykNET on DStv. Twelve universities from around the country will be taking part in the competition.

Support your university free of charge

As one of the competing choirs, the UFS Choir, like the other participating choirs, will with the competition give its members something to work towards. The choir will feature in the fourth round, competing against the Central University of Technology and Mangosuthu University of Technology on 30 June 2016 in the Sand du Plessis Theatre in Bloemfontein.

The show, from 18:30 to 21:00, will be free of charge. This will give the UFS community the chance to come out in numbers. Tickets can be obtained by contacting Tonderai Chiyindiko at chiyindikot@ufs.ac.za or at the door on the night of the competition.

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