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04 July 2022 | Story Dr Nitha Ramnath
Leanne Manas and Prof Francis Petersen

You are invited to join multiple award-winning broadcast anchor, Leanne Manas, for a conversation with Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State (UFS). Prof Petersen will share insights about his term in office and updates on developments at the UFS.  

Date: Friday, 22 July 2022 
Time:
09:00-11:00 
Venue: Odeion Auditorium, Bloemfontein Campus  

RSVP on or before 20 July to Alicia Pienaar at PienaarAN1@ufs.ac.za  

Refreshments will be served.

(The event is open to the staff and students of the UFS)

Leanne Manas

Leanne Manas is a multiple award-winning broadcast anchor, MC, motivational speaker, businesswoman, UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, and a renowned leader on the South African media circuit. From Oprah Winfrey to Nelson Mandela, Leanne has interviewed an impressive range of public figures, heads of state, thought leaders, and local and international celebrities. She has also been at the forefront of bringing South Africans some of the biggest news stories over the past two decades. 

She is instantly recognisable as the face of morning television – as anchor of Morning Live, a hard-hitting news broadcast that she has been hosting since 2004. She has been the face of the vast majority of breaking news events in an ever-changing South Africa, most notably the death of Nelson Mandela, the dramatic resignation of Jacob Zuma as RSA President, and the death of the Mother of the Nation, Winnie Madikizela Mandela. She has also anchored four general elections, three provincial elections, and four presidential inaugurations. 

Her career has crossed international borders, broadcasting in the United Kingdom, France, the UAE, Mauritius, Ghana, Kenya, Gabon, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the United States of America. Broadcasting every day throughout a global pandemic has been the latest event that she has been part of. The total shift of how media is consumed has been a fascinating part of her journey. Leanne has been quoted as saying, “Being able to witness and tell the story of our ever-changing lives is my greatest honour.” 


News Archive

Quantity Surveying celebrates many firsts
2014-10-20

 

From the left are: Pierre Oosthuizen, Prof Kajimo-Shakantu and Dr Stephan Ramabodu
Photo: Ifa Tshishonge



The Department of Quantity Surveying at the University of the Free State (UFS) has much to be proud of. With Prof Kahilu Kajimo-Shakantu as Head of the Department of Quantity Surveying, the department is celebrating several firsts.

For the first time, the department has four academics with PhDs. This includes Prof Kajimo-Shakantu, Dr Stephan Ramabodu, Dr Timothy Froise and Dr Benita Zulch. It is also the first time that this department is managed by a woman.

Furthermore, the Department of Quantity Surveying has performed very well at this year’s national Quantity Surveying Conference held in Pretoria, where they walked away with four of the seven awards.

The awards were:

•    Best presenter: Pierre Oosthuizen (lecturer)
•    Most innovative presenter: Pierre Oosthuizen (lecturer)
•    Best paper on engineering projects: Prof Kahilu Kajimo-Shakantu
•    Best academic paper: T Monyane (postgraduate student) and Dr Stephan Ramabodu (lecturer)

The South African Council for the Quantity Surveying Profession (SACQSP) also presented two prestigious life achievement awards. One of these were bestowed upon Prof Basie Verster from the UFS for his contribution to quantity surveying since the 1970s.

The university is especially proud of Dr Stephen Ramabodu, lecturer in the Department of Quantity Surveying, who completed his PhD this year. This makes of him the highest qualified quantity surveyor in the department and one of only a few holders of a quantity surveying PhD in the country. Dr Ramabodu is also registered with the South African Council for Quantity Surveying Professionals.

Prof Kajimo-Shakantu said the following of Dr Ramabodu. “Since 2002, Stephan was appointed as a lecturer in a programme called Grow Your Own Timber at the UFS. Later on, he went to Cape Town to gain some commercial experience, where he worked for Davis Langdon in 2005. In 2008, he returned to the Free State, where he established Ramabodu & Associates. Later on in the same year, he returned to the UFS as a lecturer to complete all the remaining milestones of the Grow Your Own Timber programme.

“The university looks forward to Stephen’s increased responsibilities and contributions, not only in teaching and learning, but also in research, mentoring and community engagement.”


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