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09 February 2022 | Story Lacea Loader

The University of the Free State UFS) is aware of media reports on 8 and 9 February 2022 about challenges that students are facing related to off-campus accommodation and in particular an incident that took place on the Bloemfontein Campus in the early hours of 8 February 2022 when a group of students arrived late evening at Protection Services and requested emergency accommodation.

It is untrue that the university did not provide emergency accommodation to the group of students, and we wish to confirm that accommodation was indeed offered in two on-campus residences. However, the offer to provide such accommodation was not taken up by the Bloemfontein Campus Student Representative Council (CSRC) on behalf of the group. During Tuesday morning, university staff managed to obtain accommodation for the group in an off-campus emergency accommodation facility, to which they were taken by shuttle.

Several measures are in place to ensure the successful management of the accommodation process in consultation with and in agreement with various stakeholders. When the need arises, the university arranges emergency off-campus accommodation for students on all three campuses. Where a student cannot afford to pay for emergency accommodation, the university has measures in place, which include the provision of daily transport in the form of a shuttle service to the emergency accommodation and back to the campus – specifically during the registration period.

In addition, an Emergency Accommodation Committee, on which the CSRC sits, meets weekly. The CSRC is part of the committee’s decisions to accommodate the needs of students related to emergency accommodation.

News Archive

Academics receive award from SA Academy for Science and Art
2009-07-02

 
The South African Academy for Science and Art recently celebrated its centenary year on the Main Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS) in Bloemfontein. Academics involved with the UFS received awards during the academy’s recent awards ceremony. A Centenary Medal was awarded to Prof. François Retief, former Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS, for his achievement in the medical sciences over an extended period. The NT Steyn Medal was awarded to Prof. Andries Stulting from the Department of Ophthalmology at the UFS for achievements in the Technical and Natural Sciences and Prof. Albie van Schalkwyk, formerly from the UFS’s Department of Music, received the Huberte Rupert Prize for Classical Music.

According to Prof. Hennie van Coller, Head of the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch, German and French at the UFS and also Chairperson of the Academy, the centenary celebrations were a highlight in the existence of the academy. “For the first time in years there was a mood of optimism that could not be restrained by any differences between the attendees. Political hatchets were buried and members from different racial groups took hands for the road ahead. The continuous themes were that of excellence, which may not be sacrificed,” he said.

In his address as Chairman, Prof. van Coller emphasised that the specific niche of the Academy (the development of the higher function of Afrikaans) should not limit the organisation to also be involved in Afrikaans at grassroots level (especially rural brown people and suburban white people) who often had to deal with poverty and illiteracy and who battled for survival. The Academy had to act as facilitator and offer its expertise to people like those.

At the awards ceremony of the South African Academy for Science and Art were, from the left: Mr Jaco Jacobs, who received the Elsabe Steenberg Prize for translated Children’s and Youth Literature in Afrikaans, Prof. Hennie van Coller and Prof. François Retief.
Photo: Stephen Collett

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