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UFS partners with Xhariep Municipality and SALGA to enhance employee training

08 August 2023 | Story EDZANI NEPHALELA | Photo EDZANI NEPHALELA

Mbulelo Aven Jafta and Dr Engela van Staden — Mbulelo Aven Jafta, Xhariep Municipality Corporate Services Director, and Dr Engela van Staden, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic at the UFS, sign a memorandum of understanding to enrich various communities in the Xhariep Municipality areas through leadership training.

The University of the Free State (UFS) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) and the Xhariep Municipality that is aimed at positively impacting communities through strategic partnerships. The organisations plan for their collaboration to make a significant difference by training 35 of their employees via the UFS Business School – 15 will undertake the Foundation Skills Short Learning Programme, and 20 the Bachelor’s degree in Management Leadership.

This joint effort will equip these employees with essential skills and knowledge and empower them to carry out their responsibilities efficiently and effectively. Rooted in the UFS’s Vision 130, this initiative fosters positive change within the community by enhancing social justice and innovation.

Dr Engela van Staden, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic at the UFS, emphasised the university's dedication to human resource development and empowering individuals. “We were very excited when we got this engagement with you, and I hope it will be fruitful for you, because that’s the intention. We are also reaching out to other municipalities because we are doing it for our country, and the sooner we do it, the better the services you will deliver to people.”

Xhariep Municipality expressed gratitude for the collaboration, recognising its significance in empowering its employees. Mbulelo Aven Jafta, Corporate Services Director at the municipality, thanked the university for accepting the partnership. “As a municipality, we are interested in capacitating our employees to perform their duties optimally. It is through these partnerships that we reach our intended targets. This is the first two projects, and many more will be coming as our partnership progresses, and we intend to use this opportunity to the best of our abilities.”

Jafta said that such partnerships encourage a more interconnected and interdependent world. “As organisations work towards common goals, they create a ripple effect that can lead to a brighter and more promising future and play a vital role in shaping a positive and sustainable future.”

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KovsieSport celebrates three varsity tournaments' titles

2015-04-21

Both staff and students celebrated the Shimlas, KovsieTennis, and KovsieNetball’s achievements.
Photos: Hannes Pieterse

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In this week of graduation ceremonies, the University of the Free State had more than its academic achievements to celebrate. The Shimlas’ brilliant triumph in the Varsity Cup as well as the achievements by KovsieTennis and Kovsie Netball was celebrated at a colourful event on the Bloemfontein Campus.

At the celebrations, which were well supported by the campus community, the Vice-Chancellor and Rector, Prof Jonathan Jansen, congratulated all three teams on their outstanding achievements. Not only did the Shimlas walk off with the Varsity Cup, they also won every game they played. AJ Coertzen, the Shimlas’ captain, said: “Although we were well prepared and physically fit, the fact that we played for one another contributed much to our success. As a team, we have grown from friends to brothers.”

KovsieTennis was congratulated on wearing the USSA tennis crown for the fourth consecutive year. In addition, they have the following triumphs to their name: 2007 – SASSU (South African Students Sports Union) (Ladies); 2008 – USSA (University Sport South Africa) (Ladies) and 2009 USSA (Men). Duke Munroe, captain of the KovsieTennis team took the opportunity to thank the team personnel. He believes that hard work behind the scenes by the coach, Marnus Kleinhans, and the team manager, Janine de Kock, contributed greatly to the team’s success.

KovsieNetball was also praised for their successes. In 2014, under the captaincy of Karla Mostert, they won gold at the Varsity Netball championships. They also won the National Premier League. The UFS is also proud of its netball players in various national teams: SA Under 19-23, the Protea groups, and the SA University team.

At the celebrations, Karla said: “The environment and the people you surround yourself with dictate how easily you achieve success. Our achievements and successes are evidence of the quality of the coaches, supporters, and facilities available to us.

After the event on the Red Square, the teams made an appearance in the Callie Human Centre, where they were enthusiastically congratulated by graduands, their families and the university management. Dr Khotso Mokhele, Chancellor of the UFS, also praised the teams for their achievements. “You are a team without individual stars. That is the sort of team I want to be part of.”

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