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10 August 2022 | Story Anthony Mthembu | Photo Brian Motlhabediwa
A Broken Sarafina production
‘The Burning Ones: A Broken Sarafina Production’ premiered in the Albert Wessels Auditorium on the University of the Free State Bloemfontein Campus on 27 July 2022.

The Arts and Culture Office at the University of the Free State (UFS) hosted an on-stage production inspired by Dr Mbongeni Ngema’s work Sarafina, which is called ‘The Burning Ones: A Broken Sarafina Production’. The production ran from 27 to 28 July 2022 in the Albert Wessels Auditorium on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus. The writer and creator of Sarafina, Dr Mbongeni Ngema, attended the production. “It humbles me that the young people of today have different interpretations of Sarafina; it means what I did, the call that came to my soul to create a movement of the students, is now being fulfilled,” expressed Dr Ngema. 

The breakdown of the production

 The production critically analysed the struggles of the youth in 1976, along with the struggles of young people – specifically at institutions of higher learning today. “There’s so much happening within our institution and the higher education space, which makes for thought-provoking content and insightful discourse,” stated Sibahle Mabaso, a student at the University of the Free State and director of the show.  

The production followed a devised theatre format, which is essentially a production that does not adhere to a script. “There was no script, no paper, it was an explorative effort from the beginning until the end,” Mabaso stated.  However, the foundation of the production was the experiences, thoughts, and perspectives of the cast. As such, the production explored a number of issues, such as protest culture and appearance vs reality, specifically in the higher education space, among other things. “The production addressed so many things; as such, the audience could attach to a plethora of themes presented in the story,” Mabaso expressed. 

The importance of such productions

According to Lucy Sehloho, Officer in the Arts and Culture Office, the production was important for several reasons, especially in a university space. Firstly, the initiative was stimulating enough to evoke real emotions; however, through this production, a safe space was created to have open and honest conversations about the realities of students in the higher education space. Furthermore, the significance of such productions is that staff and students can work at finding solutions to the problems they face through a collaborative and cooperative effort. “I didn’t want anyone to walk out of the space infuriated and more anxious; rather, we wanted people to walk out of the venue with the urge to assist in finding solutions,” Sehloho highlighted.

 The opening and closing nights of the show were attended in large numbers. In addition, Sehloho and Mabaso assert that the feedback from both nights was positive, which is proof that the production served as an outlet and a space where people could communicate openly and truthfully without fighting.

News Archive

UFS honours many during Autumn Diploma and Graduation Ceremony
2006-04-06

The University of the Free State (UFS) will award 857 diplomas and 2 579 degrees on 21 April 2006 and from 24-26 April 2006 during this year’s autumn diploma and graduation ceremony.  Students from the Main Campus and Vista Campus will take part in the ceremony.   

Altogether 35 doctorates and two honorary doctorates will be awarded.  The honorary doctorandi are Mr Pieter Cox (Ph D (hc)) and Mr Terry Moss (Ph D (hc)).  Mr Cox is the non-executive chairperson of Sasol Limited and Mr Moss is General Manager:  Generation Business Enhancement at Eskom.

On 21 April 2006 at 08:30 altogether 347 diplomas in all the faculties (except the upgrading programmes in the School of Education) will be awarded.  On the same day at 14:30 altogether 361 degrees in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences (excluding B Acc, B Admin, B Pub and related honours, master’s and doctor’s degrees) will be awarded.

On 24 April 2006 at 08:30 altogether 510 diplomas will be awarded in the School of Education (ACE, NPDE and CE).  That same day at 14:30 altogether 314 degrees, one doctorate and one honorary doctorate will be awarded in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences (i.e. B Acc, B Admin, B Pub and related honours, master’s and doctor’s degrees).  The honorary doctorate will be awarded to Mr Pieter Cox during this ceremony. 

Mr Cox will be honoured for being the driving force behind Sasol’s global expansion and the subsequent listing of Sasol on the New York Stock Exchange.  His passion and focus ensure that Sasol as a national asset is constantly making history, despite the sometimes hostile economic and environmental influences.

On 25 April at 08:30 altogether 325 degrees and 9 doctorates will be awarded in the faculties of Health Sciences, Law and Theology.  That same day at 14:30 altogether 554 degrees, 13 doctorates and one honorary doctorate will be awarded in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences.  The honorary doctorate will be awarded to Mr Terry Moss during this ceremony.

Mr Moss is regarded as a modern-day South African industrialist.  He will be honoured for his dedication to the provision of sustainable renewable energy to the citizens of South Africa and Southern Africa through the development and promotion of the hydroelectric power industry and other sources of renewable electrical energy.

On 26 April at 08:30 altogether 427 degrees and 5 doctorates will be awarded in the Faculty of the Humanities and that same afternoon at 14:30 altogether 598 degrees and 7 doctorates will be awarded in the School of Education.

Both the diploma and degree ceremonies will be held in the Callie Human Centre on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel:   (051) 401-2584
Cell:  083 645 2454
E-mail:  loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za 
5 April 2006

 

 

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