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20 February 2023 | Story Gerda-Marié van Rooyen | Photo Supplied
Nthabiseng (JahRose) Jafta, a Publishing Coordinator at the University of the Free State (UFS), recently received the Silver Medal Award and other accolades at the Eurasian Literary Festival held in Egypt. She says writing is a way of life for her and she writes anywhere and anytime.

Nthabiseng (JahRose) Jafta, a Publishing Coordinator at African Languages Press in the Library and Information Services at the University of the Free State (UFS), recently received the Silver Medal Award and other accolades at the Eurasian Literary Festival held in Egypt. Jafta, an MA scholar (Creative Writing) at Rhodes University, describes herself as an international performing poet, artpreneur, teacher, festival curator, content developer, and creative strategist born in the Free State.

Being an introvert, she says her love for writing gives her a voice. “I can echo my thoughts and colour my grey sky,” she explains poetically. She feels writing is as natural to her as breathing. She is comfortable writing anywhere and anytime. “There’s no physical area needed. We type on WhatsApp in the taxi. We catch brainwaves whenever they appear.” Jafta's creative juices seem to be overflowing, as she confessed to even getting an idea while contemplating her love for writing. “Life throws you prompts from all spheres, but you have to be present to recognise its call. And sometimes the piece decides if it wants to be happy, erotic, or sad.”
 
Her literacy cap serves Jafta's career as a publisher and her creative writing when time allows. “I read and write. Publish what I read or write. I also happen to recite, read, and sing what I write. It’s all in alignment.” This Deputy President of the National Writers Association of South Africa and founder of the Poetic Blues Virtual Festival writes in her mother tongue, Sesotho, and English. She also has additional experience in the poetry industry, as she was previously the Curator of the Macufe Poetry Festival. She also attended the International Writing Centre at Beijing Normal University part time. Her poems have also been translated into Mandarin and published in Chinese literary magazines.

Jafta says besides the growing catalogue of more than 40 publications, she also has an upcoming multilingual poetry compilation featuring Spanish, Danish, Mandarin, Arabic, KiSwahili, IsiZulu, and Sesotho translations from English. This poet believes poetry is a gift that feeds lyrics to melodies. “And that song carries us to humanity's highs and lows. Prose is how we navigate that gift daily. They are rainbows on melting clouds, events plants rejoice on their rhythmic drops.”

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Internationally-renowned futurist proposes innovation in corporate management
2016-05-10

Description: Pieter Geldenhuys  Tags: Pieter Geldenhuys

Pieter Geldenhuys, guest speaker at the seminar, who mapped the future of corporate management  (left) with Dr Vic Coetzee, Senior Director: Information and Communication Technology Services at the UFS (right).
Photo: Hatsu Mphatsoe

Humans need to adapt their thinking to the world’s changes. This is Pieter Geldenhuys’s conviction.

The Information and Communication Technology Services (ICT) at the University of the Free State hosted a seminar on 22 April 2016 at the Bloemfontein Campus. Geldenhuys, the Director of the Institute for Technology Strategy and Innovation at North-West University and internationally-renowned futurist, presented his views on technology, innovation, and corporate management on this occasion.

Geldenhuys, a well- known speaker, academic, and futurist, is in the business of identifying opportunities in the changing technological and social landscape with the aim of assisting companies to prepare for the future, while being an active agent in defining it. Lately, he has been exploring the concept of a new kind of management science, which he believes is a prerequisite for institutions such as ours.

This management science incorporates physics in improving corporate management. “We have an unbelievable grasp of the world of physics,” he said, suggesting that we use our knowledge of nature to capitalise on individual and collective strengths within institutions.

He said that minor changes can change one’s future or that of an organisation completely. He even went as far as to state that the culture of an organisation is the one that determines how well you do. Relating to the adaption of organisations in a constantly changing and dynamic environment, Geldenhuys advised that, “when faced with disruption, don’t retaliate; accept.” 

By making use of different tools, such as technology aw well as social and business trends, Geldenhuys is adamant that corporations and institutions will adapt easily to the world’s complex systems.

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