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Siphilangenkosi Dlamini named one of South Africa’s 100 Shining Stars

11 November 2022 | Story Anthony Mthembu | Photo Barend Nagel

Siphilangenkosi Dlamini, a fourth-year Governance and Political Transformation student at the University of the Free State (UFS), has been selected as one of South Africa’s 100 Shining Stars for 2022 by Inside Education, in partnership with the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA).

“I was more surprised than anything, but also very honoured,” he said. Dlamini, who made it into the Civil Society and Youth category, was chosen from a pool of 800 applicants for his remarkable work with the Help a Student initiative, and his services as the former secretary of the Southern Africa Scout Youth Forum. Although he could not attend the award ceremony held in Johannesburg on 20 October 2022 in person, Dlamini did receive a certificate. “What we do a lot of the time isn’t for recognition and it’s not necessarily for awards; but getting recognised motivates and assures me that the work we are doing has an impact,” he expressed.

The Help a Student Initiative

In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dlamini recognised a rise in food insecurity among his fellow students. This set him on a path to source funding for the establishment of the project.

The Help a Student initiative aimed to curb food insecurity through the provision of food parcels to UFS students who were in need. The project, which ran from 2020 until early 2021, managed to distribute food parcels to nearly 250 students per month. The initiative did not only assist students who were on campus. The selected applicants who were at home or off campus also received digital food vouchers, which allowed for the purchasing of food items at Pick n Pay and/or Shoprite.

“Food security is something that I am passionate about. I grew up in a community where it was a massive issue.

However, in the past I was not empowered enough to know how to solve it. Therefore, when the opportunity presented itself to do something about it, I took it with both hands,” Dlamini expressed.

Although the recognition was not expected, Dlamini maintains that such platforms are imperative, as “they demonstrate that young people are doing something to improve the country in the different capacities they are in”.

News Archive

Get your dual-frequency card

2015-07-28

Staff members and students, who are the owners/drivers of motor vehicles, are kindly requested to purchase the dual-frequency cards that replace their current student or personnel cards.

The dual-frequency cards can be read by the distance readers at the entrance gates. Card holders will no longer have to swipe their cards or stop; the boom will open automatically and card holders will be able to drive through.

Please note that this arrangement only applies to valid card holders entering the campus – on leaving the campus, they will again have to swipe their cards past the card readers.

This improves the traffic flow and prevent possible delays at the gates.

Pay for your card

Electronic fund transfers: Absa Bank: 1 570 8500 71, Ref: 1 413 07670 0198, OR pay the R65 at the UFS Cashiers, Thakaneng Bridge.

Take your existing personnel or student card, together with proof of payment, to the UFS Card Division, Bloemfontein Campus, Thakaneng Bridge, to have your photo taken and your new dual-frequency card issued.

The UFS Cashiers will provide assistance between 09:00 and 14:30, and the UFS Card Division between 09:00 and 15:00.

Your new card

Permission to access specific UFS buildings or facilities linked to your existing card, will automatically be linked to the new card.

The new card is marked ‘dual’ on the back in the right, bottom corner.

The UFS would like to thank you for your cooperation in the successful implementation of access control on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus.

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