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A Stand Against Injustices towards Transgender and Gender-diverse Persons

16 May 2022 | Story Anthony Mthembu

According to the Gender Equality and Anti-Discrimination Office (GEADO) at the University of the Free State (UFS), an alarming number of transgender and gender-diverse persons at South African institutions of higher learning are consistently met with a great deal of neglect and exclusion. Therefore, it is imperative to constantly shine light on the injustice and violation of their human rights in order to enable spaces that acknowledge their lived realities and uphold their human dignity.

The importance of the march

As such, the Gender Equality and Anti-Discrimination Office will be hosting a transgender march on the Bloemfontein Campus on 17 May 2022.

“The aim of this march is to raise awareness about issues of transsexuality and gender-diverse individuals. We hope to accentuate the voices of transgender individuals and gender-diverse persons on our campuses,” expressed Delisile Mngadi, Assistant Officer in the Gender Equality and Anti-Discrimination Office. The march will commence at 09:30 from the Main Gate and will end at the Centenary Complex. In addition, members of the Gender Equality and Anti-Discrimination Office argue that the purpose of the march is to remind members of the UFS community and the society at large that the stories, the voices, and experiences of transgender and gender-diverse individuals do matter.

An invitation to staff and students

Members of the UFS community, regardless of how they identify, are invited to take part in the march. “It is also important that cishetero persons attend the march; this shows that they stand in support of all gender-diverse persons, and it is also a great opportunity to learn. Another reason why it is important for cisgender persons to attend the march is because violence and discrimination targeted at transgender persons remain a daily reality on our campuses, which inadvertently maintains heteronormative notions and patriarchal power that validates transphobia and homophobia,” Mngadi indicated.

UFS staff and students who will be in attendance can expect to hear speeches from a few invited dignitaries. In addition, Mngadi, along with other members of the office, maintains that this is an opportunity for staff and students to engage with one another. The march is particularly important because it will teach staff and students “to be aware of the diversity that exists within our institution, a diversity that transcends language, religion, and ethnicity – to name just a few. People will also learn to respect this diversity, and most importantly, to understand that all lives matter”, said Mngadi.

News Archive

New SRC elected on UFS main campus

2006-08-23

Ms Loraine Kriek, third-year student in B Consumer Sciences, was elected as SRC President of the Main Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS) for 2006/2007. Ms Kriek was a member of the Student Parliament in 2005/2006.

The most students in the history of the UFS – 6 353 in total – voted in this year’s election. There were only 44 spoiled votes. Last year 4 846 students voted.

“Other than last year, minor incidences of vandalism occurred on the Main Campus by students who were unhappy with the outcome,” said Dr Natie Luyt, Dean: Student Affairs at the UFS. According to Dr Luyt minor damage was caused to the Thakaneng Bridge and some other buildings on the Main Campus.

Kovsie Alliance obtained no proportional representation on the SRC, SASCO obtain 3 seats and the FF+Kovsies obtained 6 seats.

This representation gave Kovsie Alliance 1 seat, SASCO 14 seats and the FF+Kovsies 25 seats in the Student Parliament, which consists of 40 seats.

Nine of the 18 SRC members were directly elected and nine on the basis of proportional representation (PR). The PR system was introduced after amendments to the constitution of the Main Campus SRC were approved by the UFS Council in June 2005.

According to Dr Luyt elections on the Vista Campus will take place today (Wednesday 23 August 2006) and Thursday 24 August 2006. The results will be announced on Friday 25 August 2006. The SRC of the Qwaqwa Campus will be elected on Friday 25 August 2006. If there are no objections to the final results, it will be announced that same day.

The Central SRC, made up of representatives of the 3 campus SRCs, will be announced towards the end of September 2006.

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

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