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Dr Yolandi Swart – developing the next generation of health professionals

22 March 2022 | Story André Damons

The new Director of the Undergraduate Medical Programme (MB ChB programme) in the School of Clinical Medicine within the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS) has a passion for teaching and learning and brings a wealth of experience with her.

Dr Yolandi Swart, who took over from Prof Lynette van der Merwe on 1 March 2022, says she is excited about the new opportunities that this position brings. She was not actively job-hunting and came across the advertisement by accident but was thrilled when she was informed that she is the recommended candidate.

A deep love for the UFS

“I will be heading up an amazing team of people who drive the MB ChB programme, making sure that we walk with our students on their journey to become the next generation of health professionals who will contribute to the health and wellness of our population. Our functions include coordinating the undergraduate curriculum, providing student support, as well as logistic support to ensure the smooth running of the MB ChB programme,” says Dr Swart.

As an alumna of the university (she obtained both her MB ChB and postgraduate MMed in Community Health at the UFS), she has a deep love for the UFS, as it has played a huge role in developing her into the person she is today.

According to Dr Swart, she looks forward to getting to know the students and seeing them develop into the best they can be, as well as engaging with the academic staff as they guide and train the students. She brings a diverse background to the position, having practised as a doctor, specialised in Community Health, and worked in clinical research at various levels, including senior management. This has afforded her the opportunity to equip herself with skills that she hopes will provide support and direction to the Undergraduate Programme Management team in order to provide excellent service in all its functions.

Her vision

“I love teaching and learning – taking a concept and making it accessible to someone. There are few things as satisfying as seeing that expression that says ‘Oh, now I get it!’

Kovsies has always had a reputation of producing excellent doctors. “It is my vision to build on that reputation, integrating local and international best practices as they develop into our students’ training, with the aim of developing young professionals who are competent, resilient, and able to face the challenges that life will throw at them – so that they, in turn, can play their role to influence lives for the better.”

Prior to her appointment, she worked at FARMOVS as a clinical research physician for more than six years, the past year and a half as the company’s Medical Director. Says Dr Swart: “I love challenging myself with new things every so often. Past and present hobbies include surfing (which died an early death, as I was horrible at it), scuba diving (yes, with sharks as well), horse-riding, and self-defence. Most recently, I got hooked on traditional archery – a very challenging skill to try and master.”

Dr Swart says she has learned throughout her personal life and professional career that life sometimes takes unexpected turns – but if one is open to the opportunities afforded by those unexpected turns, it often turns out so much better than the original plan could ever have been. “Difficulties and challenges will always come – but if one faces them with a positive attitude, they teach life skills that you would otherwise never have attained.”

News Archive

A new dawn for student governance

2011-09-02

Our SRC presidents: Richard Chemaly (Bloemfontein Campus) and Bongani Ncgaca (Qwaqwa Campus)
Photo: Hannes Pieterse

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The successful and peaceful completion of the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Student Representative (SRC) elections 2011 herals a new dawn for student governance with the announcement of the results today (1 September 2011).

The SRC elections at the Qwaqwa Campus were completed on 25 August 2011, while the elections at our Bloemfontein Campus took place on 29 and 30 August 2011.

“A new dawn heralds a new day when Richard Chemaly, the son of Lebanese immigrants becomes President of an SRC, as elected by students from all racial backgrounds and from across the student body at large. A new day has arrived when candidates could have won voter support across racial lines; a new day is here when all SRC members are now recognised leaders on the basis of academic accountability,” the Dean of Student Affairs, Mr Rudi Buys, says.

A new dawn has arrived; firstly, insofar as student elections for the choice of student leaders at the UFS now proceed according to a non-racial and a non-party political basis.

Not only did the SRC elections at both the Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa Campuses achieve its required quorum, with 31% (4 729 votes) and 50% (2 112 votes) voter turnout, respectively, but the SRC elected by students at the Bloemfontein Campus is 55% black and 45% white, and 60% female and 40% male. The numbers of votes gained by successful candidates also indicate that voters from all racial backgrounds have voted for their candidates of choice.

Secondly, a new dawn has arrived insofar as student governance occupied by only some student groups claiming to speak on behalf of all students has made way for direct voting for candidates by the broad student body and the threefold increase of student governance structures on campus.

Not only did all students at our Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa Campuses (a total of 15 173 and 4 257, respectively) have the opportunity to participate in voting directly, but nine additional Student Councils were established at our Bloemfontein Campus that each holds an ex officio seat on the SRC and allows for student governance in all the major student sectors of the student body, such as for postgraduate students, international students and all categories of student associations.

The various councils now established include the Student Academic Affairs Council, the Student Associations Council, the Postgraduate Student Council, the International Student Council, the Student Media Council, the Residences Student Council, the Commuter Student Council and the Rag Community Service Fundraising and Service Councils. In addition, all faculties also introduced student representative structures at departmental and faculty level in 2011 to ensure student participation in faculty management and governance.

The SRC members at the Bloemfontein Campus are:

Elective portfolios:
President: Mr Richard Chemaly
Vice-President: Mr Lefata David Maklein
Secretary: Ms Matshepo Ramokgadi
Treasurer: Mr Werner Pretorius
Arts & Culture: Ms Alta Grobelaar
Accessibility & Student Support: Mr William Clayton
First-generation Students: Ms Petre du Plessis
Media, Marketing & Liaison: Ms Biejanka Calitz
Sport: Mr Bonolo Thebe
Student Development & Environmental Affairs: Ms Busisiwe Madikizela
Transformation: Ms Qaqamba Mhlauli

Ex officio portfolios:
Dialogue & Ex officio: Associations Student Council: Mr Anesu Ruswa
Academic Affairs & Ex officio: Academic Affairs Student Council: Mr Jean Vermaas
Residence Affairs & Ex officio: Campus Residences Student Council: Ms Mpho Mokaleng
City student Affairs & Ex officio: Commuter Student Council: Ms Annemieke Plekker
Postgraduate Affairs & Ex officio: Postgraduate Student Council: Ms Glancina Mokone
International Affairs & Ex officio: International Student Council: Mr Pitso Ramokoatsi
Student Media Affairs & Ex officio: Student Media Council: Ms Nicole Heyns
RAG Community Service & Ex officio: RAG Fundraising Council: Ms Iselma Parker
RAG Community Service & Ex officio: RAG Community Service Council: Ms Motheo Pooe

In the Qwaqwa elections, SASCO achieved 36,84% of the vote, with SADESMO, PASMA and NASMO each achieving 29,73% and 18,56% and 12,74%, respectively .

Mr Bongani Ncgaca was elected as the President of the SRC at our Qwaqwa Campus, while the names of the SRC members at the campus will be announced on 7 September 2011.

The Central SRC will be established on 8 September 2011 by a joint sitting of the two SRCs.

The successful completion of the SRC elections at the Bloemfontein Campus follows a yearlong review process of student governance by a Broad Student Transformation Forum (BSTF) that consists of 59 delegations from student organisations and residences. The BSTF adopted independent candidacy for elective portfolios and additional student councils to provide ex officio seats on the SRC as the template for student governance, following the consideration of a series of benchmarking reports on student governance nationally and internationally.

The UFS Council adopted the new SRC Constitution, as drafted and submitted by the BSTF, on 3 June 2011.

Media Release
1 September 2011
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Director: Strategic Communication
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: news@ufs.ac.za

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