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UFS Qwaqwa Campus celebrates Africa Day with a multicultural fanfare

28 June 2023 | Story Nonsindiso Qwabe | Photo Supplied

The UFS Qwaqwa Campus Africa Day event celebrates African heritage and diversity.

The University of the Free State (UFS) Qwaqwa Campus concluded Africa Month with a multicultural array of performances at their Africa Day Celebration event on 27 May 2023.

The Qwaqwa Campus is renowned for its traditional flair, and each of the 17 performers captivated the audience with cultural ingenuity, creating an atmosphere of excitement and energy in the campus’ Mandela Hall. Students came together to honour Africa’s rich cultural heritage through traditional music, dance, poetry, cuisine, and fashion. The Department of Student Affairs and the Office for International Affairs collaborated to make the celebrations a resounding success.

According to the campus’ Student Life Senior Officer, Simbongile Jojo, the event served a greater purpose beyond artistic expression. “The celebration allowed students to share their rich cultures and heritage. It also encouraged students to take an interest in expanding their knowledge of other cultures, fostering a sense of multicultural solidarity and unity.”

Celebrating and embracing cultures outside one’s own

In addition to the music, dance, and spoken word, external fashion designers were given a platform to showcase their garments, adding an extra flair to diversity and artistic expression.

The Director of Student Affairs on the campus, Zoleka Dotwana, said her division prioritised student cohesion and celebrating and embracing cultures outside their own. “What a fantastic arts and culture event. Amid the freezing weather conditions, I haven’t seen such enthusiasm and social cohesion among students since the first-year welcoming week. The event was about celebrating Africa as a collective of citizens from various corners and doing so with pride. Our partnership with the International Office came in handy as well. I would like to highlight that Qwaqwa students are exceptionally talented. How I wished we had more time for them to enjoy themselves.

The Qwaqwa Campus introduced colleges for on- and off-campus students in 2023, and Dotwana said the model was already bearing fruit in bringing the student community together. “It was encouraging to see the participation of off-campus students and witness how proud students were in parading their cultures. I was surprised to find out that we have Tsonga students on the campus.”

News Archive

Plant eco-physiologist finds effective solutions for crop optimisation

2016-07-24

The bio-stimulant was tested on
this citrus. This is the first time
that the product has been tested
on a crop.

In a time characterised by society facing increasing population growth, food crises, and extreme climatic conditions such as drought, it is essential for farmers to integrate science with their work practices in order to optimise crops.

Role of photosynthesis and plant sap data

By knowing how to use photosynthesis and plant sap data for determining plant health, fast and effective solutions could be established for the optimisation of crops. This technique, which could help farmers utilise every bit of usable land effectively, is the focus of Marguerite Westcott’s PhD study. She is a junior lecturer and plant eco-physiologist in die Department of Plant Sciences at the University of the Free State.

Westcott uses this technique in her studies to prove that a newly-developed bio-stimulant stimulates plants in order to metabolise water and other nutrients better, yielding increased crops as a result.

Agricultural and mining sectors benefit from research

The greatest part of these projects focuses on the agricultural sector. Westcott and a colleague, Dr Gert Marais, are researching the physiology of pecan and citrus trees in order to optimise the growth of these crops, thus minimising disease through biological methods. Field trials are being conducted in actively-producing orchards in the Hartswater and Patensie areas in conjunction with the South African Pecan Nut Producers Association (SAPPA) amongst others.

The principles that Westcott applies in her research are also used in combination with the bio-stimulant in other studies on disturbed soil, such as mine-dump material, for establishing plants in areas where they would not grow normally. This is an economical way for both the agricultural and mining sectors to improve nutrient absorption, stimulate growth, and contribute to the sustainable utilisation of the soil.

The bio-stimulant contributes to the immunity of the plants.
It was tested in these pecan nut orchards (Hartswater).

Soil rehabilitation key aspect in research projects

“One of two things is happening in my research projects. Either the soil is rehabilitated to bring about the optimal growth of a plant, or the plants are used to rehabilitate the soil,” says Westcott.

Data surveys for her PhD studies began in 2015. “This will be a long-term project in which seasonal data will be collected continuously. The first set of complete field data, together with pot trial data, will be completed after the current crop harvest,” says Westcott.

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