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UFS Student Governance Office announces 2023 CSRC Elections, 22-24 August

20 July 2023 | Story Lunga Luthuli | Photo Supplied

Your vote counts — Exercise your right to vote in the 2023 SRC elections from 22 to 24 August. Student participation makes a difference.

The University of the Free State (UFS) Office for Student Governance has announced that the 2023 Campus Student Representative Council (SRC) elections will take place from 22 to 24 August 2023. This eagerly anticipated annual event is an opportunity for students to elect their representatives, ensuring that their voices are heard and that their interests are represented in the university community.

To facilitate a smooth election process, the UFS Elections Committee has scheduled indabas for 25 July 2023 on the Qwaqwa Campus, and for 27 July 2023 on the Bloemfontein and South campuses. The indabas are platforms providing students the opportunity to raise questions about the upcoming elections.

Dr Grey Magaiza, chairperson of the UFS Elections Logistics Committee (ELC), said: “SRC elections are a critical legislative requirement of the Higher Education Act 101 of 1997, which prescribes cooperative governance at universities. The student leaders who are chosen become critical mouthpieces for the rest of the student body in critical governance functions of the university. It is therefore very important for the student community to participate in elections and to choose their preferred candidates.”

Make your vote count

The ELC is encouraging all students to actively engage in the electoral process, either as candidates or voters. Running for a position in the SRC offers students a platform to make a meaningful impact on campus life, while casting their votes ensures that the elected representatives genuinely represent the interests of the student body.

In preparation for the upcoming elections, the ELC will provide information on candidate registration procedures, campaigning guidelines, and other pertinent details to facilitate a fair and transparent electoral process.

“Student politics can shape the student life dynamic on campus, hence it is a very important element in institutional governance. We look forward to positive campaigning and mature engagements among the candidates, and to the wonderful political behaviour that has become the norm in all UFS elections. This has become a rich tradition that UFS students have proudly held, and is becoming the envy of other institutions as well. Kudos to our UFS students,” remarked Dr Magaiza.

Election Indabas:

Qwaqwa Campus: 25 July 2023, 24-hour Study Centre, from 13:00 to 15:00
South Campus: 27 July 2023, Toka Residence Gazelle, from 10:00 to 12:00
Bloemfontein Campus: 27 July 2023, EXR 4, from 14:00 to 16:00

News Archive

ANC Centenary Seminar looks at the role of women in the liberation struggle

2012-03-22

At the ANC Centenary Seminar were, from the left: Nadine Lake, ProgrammeDirector: Gender Studies, at the UFS; Prof. Hassim; Zubeida Jaffer, Writer-in-Residence at the UFS; and Senovia Welman from the UFS-Sasol Library.
Photo: Amanda Tongha
22 March 2012

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“Looking back at the history of South African politics you will always find women involved in that history.”

This is according to Prof. Shireen Hassim, a professor in Political Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand, who recently spoke at an ANC Centenary Seminar, held on the Bloemfontein Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS). The seminar is part of a series of dialogues hosted by the Centre for Africa Studies about the ruling party’s 100 years of existence. It was the first one to be held following the 100 year celebrations of the ANC in January 2012 and was dedicated to the ANC Women’s League. Prof. Hassim told the audience that from early roles as wives who provided catering and entertainment, women have always been politically active in the African National Congress (ANC).

“ Women took the lead in the defiance campaign, going beyond the role of tea lady of the 1910s. When the ANC went into exile, the women’s section, as it was called then, played an important role.” Prof. Hassim also praised independent women’s organisations for the role they had played during the struggle and added that they were part of the collective history.

Talking about today’s Women’s League, Prof. Hassim said there had been debate about its current role with some critics labelling the league conservative. “In recent years, they have become very allied to internal battles.”

According to Prof. Hassim, a new language was needed that could give voice to the policies that needed to be developed.She drew attention to the plight of rural women, saying that thus far urban women have been taking the lead in defining issues. She warned that legislation like the Traditional Courts Bill would put rural women at a disadvantage. Prof. Hassim said the Bill was not rigorously debated, despite the high number of women in Parliament.

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