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04 October 2022 | Story Gerda-Marié van Rooyen | Photo Sonia Small
UFS Drama
With the short holiday break for students, the University of the Free State Bloemfontein Campus turns into a gathering place for artists, intellectuals, and those interested in culture. The UFS is once again hosting the annual Vrystaat Arts Festival.

It is holiday break for students and during this short recess period, the University of the Free State (UFS) Bloemfontein Campus has been transformed into a flourishing destination for the arts. The UFS is once again hosting the annual Vrystaat Arts Festival.

The festival started on Sunday 2 October 2022 with a magical First Nations opening at Mooimeisiesfontein. This ceremony was in recognition of the Khoisan as traditional inhabitants of our land. Following the motto: ‘One festival, many stories’, Mark Anthony Dobson, festival organiser, says this festival is open for all. “I can’t imagine having this arts festival anywhere else. Having the UFS host the festival is wonderful,” says Dobson.

Confirming the festival’s appreciation for inclusion, 130 students from different faculties and departments are being employed on an ad hoc basis this week. “This even allows for a medical student to work backstage. They only had to be willing, able, and their schedules had to allow it,” explains Dobson about the criteria used.

Attendees can look forward to a wide variety of productions to be seen on the much-acclaimed, high-quality stages on campus. Several drama students will show their talent in the production Die kat is uit die sak (The cat is out of the bag) under the direction of UFS Drama and Theatre Arts Lecturer, Thys Heydenrych.

Staying true to the nature of a university as a space for intellectual exchange, there will be various discussions between academics, influencers, businesspeople, and journalists. One such discussion is ‘A look into the future of South Africa’, which is part of the Thought-Leader Series. Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS, will facilitate this discussion in the Albert Wessels Auditorium on 6 October at 10:00. Guests include Moeletsi Mbeki, Deputy Chairperson of the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA); Pieter du Toit, Assistant Editor: In-depth news at News24; and Dr Mareve Biljohn, Head of the Department of Public Administration and Management at the 
UFS.
For those looking to buy some vibrant art or enjoy the feeling of the festival, bring some money or remember your bank card to enjoy the craft market that is set to open on Tuesday 4 October 2022. Some stalls and art exhibitions will be held in residences and various buildings on campus. Those who love visual arts will be rejoiced to hear that entry for some exhibitions are free, such as the Beeldspraak exhibition hosted in the Centenary Building. Bookworms can look forward to various book discussions and launches during the week of festivities, while diverse musicians will steal the limelight at the Blêrkas.

A day pass is R20 per person, and children under five get free admission. An average of 3000 visitors is expected daily. Visitors can enjoy the arts with the reassuring thought that the UFS Protection Services, together with members of the SAPS and a private security company, will keep an eye on everyone’s safety. 

The full festival programme is available here


News Archive

SA cannot sustain momentum - Boesak
2010-09-02

Photo: Stephen Collett

South Africa finds it increasingly difficult to live up to the challenges facing it as a nation because of its failure to meet its democratic ideals and possibilities, peace and lack of self-belief.

This was according to renowned cleric and former political activist, Dr Allan Boesak, who recently delivered the CR Swart Memorial Lecture, the oldest memorial lecture at the University of the Free State (UFS). His lecture was on the topic Creating moments, sustaining momentum.

He said South Africa had plenty of opportunities to show the whole world what was possible if all the people of this country joined hands and worked together to build a truly united society. However, he said, the country somehow invariably contrived to find its way out of these wonderful possibilities.

He cited events of historical significance like Codesa, the inauguration of Nelson Mandela as the first democratic president of South Africa, the assassination of South African Communist Party leader, Chris Hani; and the rugby and soccer world cups.
To drive his point home about this dismal failure of the country to “sustain momentum”, he alluded to the current public servants’ strike that is gradually crippling public service.

“The public servants’ strike was neither unexpected nor is it completely unjustifiable. Most of us have understanding for the frustration of teachers and health workers. Their demands resonate with most of us, and I think that it is scandalous of SACP fat cats to tell workers to “stop crying like babies,” he said.

He also added to the criticism of the much-maligned decision of the government to spend billions of taxpayers’ money to purchase weapons when there was “no discernible military threat” to the country. He said the greatest threat to the security of the country was poverty, inequality and social cohesion.

“As for the argument that arms sales bring in foreign exchange – how can we be instrumental in killing the poor elsewhere with the intention of feeding our poor, and then our ill-gained profits feed only the already well-fed?” he asked.
“Can we see the hopeless contradiction, the total impossibility of being both the apostle of peace and a merchant of death?”

He also lambasted the Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) policy of the government which he said benefited only those connected to the political aristocracy.

“It couples with the unashamed, in-your-face display of wealth by the privileged elite in this country, the crass materialism of the so-called “bling generation”, and the casual carelessness with which promises to the poor are given and treated. It is only the public symptom of the deep-seated scorn our political elites feel for the poor,” he said.

He said the government’s disdain to the poor was “setting fire to our future”.

“The anger of people on the ground can no longer be denied or ignored, and little by little, the leadership articulating and directing this anger is being estranged from politically elected leadership, and even more disturbing, from our democratic processes,” he said.

He concluded that the country’s difficulty in dealing with race and racism was putting the reconciliation process kick-started by Mandela just over a decade ago, under a threat.
 

 

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