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05 September 2022 | Story Anthony Mthembu | Photo Supplied
Moleboheng Moshe-Bereng
Moleboheng Moshe-Bereng, Senior Marketing Officer in the University of the Free State School of Financial Planning Law.

Moleboheng Moshe-Bereng, Senior Marketing Officer in the University of the Free State School of Financial Planning Law, was honoured at the Southern Region Women in Media Awards (SRWIMA) for her outstanding and inspiring work to encourage excellence in academics. “It was an absolute surprise and honour, because at times you don’t think that people out there take note of you or the work you do,” expressed Moshe-Bereng.

The award ceremony, which was hosted at the President Hotel on 27 August 2022, was well attended by women doing inspiring work in various fields. Moshe-Bereng, who was invited to speak to women about financial planning at the awards ceremony, was surprised by one of two platinum awards for her continuous work to encourage and inspire academic excellence. “I am still overwhelmed, because even on the different platforms I use to speak about education, I do so out of passion and I don’t realise how many people are actually listening,” she stated. What is more, the recipient of the other platinum award is radio legend Mamontha Modise-Motaung, who Moshe-Bereng considers the voice of her entire childhood. “I was shocked, humbled, and honoured to realise that Mamontha Modise-Motaung was the other recipient of the platinum award.”

The importance of the Southern Region Women in Media Awards 

The Southern Region Women in Media Awards (SRWIMA) was established by the Free State Empowerment Institute for Women in 2021 as a means to develop and empower women in the media. “The awards are about acknowledging the achievements of women in the media industry who are not always the face of things – such as scriptwriters, camerawomen, technicians, and marketers,” Moshe-Bereng explained. Furthermore, she maintains that these awards are imperative, because they allow women to see other women doing inspiring things. “One of the speakers runs a school where she teaches and mentors aviation technicians. As a woman, I never thought that there were other women doing things like that; seeing it on a platform like that is incredible,” she stated.

Although the ceremony is grounded on empowerment and development, it is special to Moshe-Bereng due to the fact that it is also based on representation. “It shines a light on what is possible for a female child, but most importantly, a black female child,” she expressed. Therefore, the existence of initiatives such as these is important. She says, “I think we live in a world where, even though the opportunities are said to be there on paper – to achieve things, we compete with each other so much – to a point where we are not always giving each other a pat on the back.”

News Archive

Human Rights Desk takes up anti-xenophobia initiative
2015-05-06

In light of the recent violent attacks on foreigners in South Africa, the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Human Rights Desk hosted a symposium on the issue of xenophobia on Wednesday 29 April 2015 on the Bloemfontein Campus. In collaboration with volunteers from the Institute of Reconciliation and Social Justice (IRSJ), students had the opportunity to discuss the underlying issues of the problem.

Joe Besigye, Numpumelelo Ngcobo, Phiwe Mathe, and Dr Christian Williams lead the symposium. The panel aimed at providing guidance, answers, and explanations to the different narratives offered in the wake of the conflict. The underlying reasons for the conflict were investigated, which included socio-economic factors as well as the afrocentric tone of the events. Possible aggravating factors – such as the misplacement of blame and a South African culture of entitlement – also came under scrutiny. In addition, the discussion looked at the need to take into account the perspectives of non-South Africans on African conflicts.

After the symposium, Kovsie students gathered at the Thakaneng Bridge where Vice-Chancellor and Rector, Prof Jonathan Jansen, addressed the group. Carrying posters with ‘No to Xenophobia’ messages, the students then marched across the campus to show their support for anti-xenophobia.

The IRSJ – which the Human Rights Desk forms part of – has spearheaded the No-to-Racism/Yes-to-Equality Campaign launched in March 2015 across all three campuses. Under the guidance of the IRSJ, the Kovsie community has regularly been publicly showing their solidarity against all forms of discrimination.

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