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Thought-Leader Series: A culture of acceptance – is this South Africa’s greatest threat?

12 June 2023 | Story Samkelo Fetile

2023 UFS Thought-Leader Series

PRESENTS

a panel discussion titled

A culture of acceptance – is this South Africa’s greatest threat?

Watch the livestream (live on 13 July 2023)

The University of the Free State is pleased to announce the upcoming UFS Thought-Leader panel discussion titled “A Culture of Acceptance – South Africa’s Greatest Threat?” as part of the 2023 Thought-Leader Series. A public South African higher-education institution, The University of the Free State (UFS) recognises its responsibility to contribute to the public discourse. In collaboration with the Free State Literature Festival, this event will bring together esteemed thought leaders to shed light on the social, political, economic, and business landscape of South Africa and its implications for our future. The panel discussion will be facilitated by Prof Francis Petersen, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the UFS.

Panel discussion presented on 13 July 2023

The general state of decay we are currently experiencing in our various structures of governance on nearly all levels is preventing the economic growth that our country so desperately needs to move forward. Our current national financial status is clearly the result of not only poor government performance, but also a totally deficient policy environment. Part of the threats currently facing our country is civil society’s attitude of accepting rampant corruption, crime, and economic degradation as if it is something inevitable and unavoidable. The question is: has our current situation created a society that has simply accepted its fate? Or has it created a society that has become more innovative and creative, actively navigating current challenges, and finding new solutions to societal issues independent of government? These are some of the aspects we look forward to discussing with the esteemed panel.

Date:	Thursday 13 July 2023
Time:	10:00-12:00
Venue:	Albert Wessels Auditorium, Bloemfontein Campus
RSVP:	https://events.ufs.ac.za/e/ThoughtLeaderPanel by 10 July 2023

Refreshments will be served.

For further information, contact Alicia Pienaar at pienaaran1@ufs.ac.za.

Some of the topics discussed by leading experts in 2022 included, among others, Crime in South Africa – who is to blame; Are our glasses half full or half empty; What needs to be done to power up South Africa?; and A look into the future of South Africa. This year’s webinar series commenced in April, when we discussed Threats to South Africa’s stability and security challenges.

Facilitator:	Prof Francis Petersen	Vice-Chancellor and Principal, UFS

Panellists:	Prof Bonang Mohale	President: Business Unity South Africa

	Prof Piet Croucamp	Senior Lecturer, Political Studies and International Relations: North-West University

	Dr Sipho Pityana	Founder and Chairman: Izingwe Capital (Pty) Limited

	Dr Lindie Koorts	Research Fellow: International Studies Group, UFS

Bios of speakers:

Prof Bonang Mohale

Bonang Mohale is the President of Business Unity South Africa (BUSA), Chancellor of the University of the Free State, Professor of Practice in the Johannesburg Business School (JBS) College of Business and Economics and Chairman of The Bidvest Group Limited, SBV Services and ArcelorMittal! He is a member of the Community of Chairpersons (CoC) of the World Economic Forum.

Mohale, a highly respected South African businessman, has held several leadership positions; namely, CEO of Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA), Vice President and Chairman of Shell South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Executive Vice President of SAA and MD of Otis (Pty) Ltd, among others. A vocal, agent courageous change, Mohale is known for his patriotism and active role in advancing the interests of South Africa. Mohale has a distinguished career and track record of leading and building successful companies and making significant advances in the transformation of these companies.

An avid writer, Mohale is the author of the bestselling books, “Lift As You Rise“ and “Behold The Turtle” which contain and reveals the issues he is passionate about. Mohale has been included in the Reputation Poll International’s (RPI) 2023 list of the ‘100 Most Reputable Africans’. The selection criteria are Integrity, Reputation, Transparency, Visibility, and Impact.

Prof Piet Croucamp

Professor Piet Croucamp teaches politics at the North-West University. His research interest is the social origins of violence. He has published extensively in both national and international scholarly journals.

Dr Sipho Pityana

Dr Sipho Mila Pityana is a business leader with extensive experience, having served in both executive and non-executive capacities on several local and international boards of blue-chip companies. He is the founder and Chairman of his private investment firm Izingwe. He is currently Chairman of the JSE-listed Redefine Properties, and non-executive Director of the Absa Bank Group. He is the former Chairman of AngloGold Ashanti Limited, and Munich Re of Africa. He also served as a lead independent Director of the Absa Group and an executive director of Nedcor Investment Bank, among others. He was the founding delegate of the National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC), and he was one of the founding members of the governing body of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration. He served on the governing body of the International Labour Organisation (ILO). His passion for education has seen him serve as Registrar of the University of Fort Hare, Chairperson of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), and former Chairperson of the Council of the University of Cape Town.

Dr Lindie Koorts

Dr. Lindie Koorts is a historian, biographer and author. She is a Research Associate at the University of the Free State's International Studies Group and a regular media commentator, who often writes on the links between current affairs and history.

Livestream

WATCH: 2023 UFS Thought-Leader Series (Live on 13 July 2023)

News Archive

Prof. Letticia Moja a winner in her category

2004-08-17

Prof. Moja a finalist in award
'Every member of staff is important to me'

Michelle Cahill - Bloemnuus

IF you are in need of a dose of inspiration, try and get an appointment with Prof. Letticia Moja, the Dean of the Faculty of Health Science at the University of the Free State. It will not be easy as she has an extremely tight schedule, over and above being a finalist in the 2004 Shoprite/Checkers Woman of the Year competition.

Although not a born and bred Free Stater, this dynamic woman has come to love the Free State. "Once you get past the mindset of a small town and all the negatives surrounding it, it is an absolutely wonderful experience," Moja said.

Moja was born in Pretoria and grew up in Garankuwa as the second eldest of five children. "That was nothing special. I was not the eldest and I wasn't the youngest," she quipped. She had two younger brothers, one of whom died in a car accident and then two sisters.

She went to school in Pretoria and her first contact with the Free State was when she wrote her matric at Moroka High School in Thaba Nchu. "That was one of the best schools for us at that time," she says. After completing matric, she went on to study medicine in KwaZulu-Natal.

In 1982 she returned "home" and completed her internship at the Garankuwa Hospital. Hereafter she specialised in gynaecological obstetrics at Medunsa.

She became the head of the gynaecological obstetrics unit and later opened a branch in Pietersburg.

"This was just about the most heart-rending time of my life. You saw people travelling for up to three days just to see a doctor," she says. "Here we really interacted with the community."

In 2001 she was invited by the University of the Free State to apply for the job of vice-dean of the Faculty of Health Science. "I wasn't too keen," she says, "but they kept on calling to find out if I had applied or not," she says with a smile. "Eventually I gave in and was appointed."

She thought she would work a couple of years under Prof. Kerneels Nel, then the dean of the faculty. "Unfortunately that was not to be. I had hoped that I could learn from him," Moja says.

Prof. Nel died of a heart attack in 2003 after which Moja deputised for him before being appointed as dean.

"This brought along a whole newset of challenges," she says, "Now I have to work out budgets and I need to know what human resources are," she jokes. This has prompted her to take up her studies again and she is currently doing her MBA.

"It has certainly been a challenge to go into management and without my support structure I most certainly wouldn't have been able to do it," Moja says.

Moja is actively involved in her church and serves on various committees including the Health Professional Council where she is acting president of the Medical and Dental Board and the Provincial Aids Council.

To her no job is menial. She recalls when she used to have "high tea" with her staff in Gauteng and Limpopo. "One of the cleaning ladies used to think her job was menial. That is just not so. No hospital can do without even the lowest position. Imagine stepping over rubbish while you're trying to catch a baby. To me everybody is important no matter what you do. "

Moja's eldest daughter is studying for her B.Accounting degree at Wits . Her youngest daughter is in Gr. 9 at Eunice and she has also brought along her niece, who is in Gr. 8 at Eunice. "You see, we need to be three girls in the house."
She feels honoured to have been nominated by the institution especially as it is traditionally male-dominated. "It is not about me, but about the support structure. Nobody can do it on their own. It is a team effort."
BLOEMNUUS - VRYDAG 9 JULIE 2004

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