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Embracing diversity, strengthening human relationships and collective responsibility

22 March 2023 | Story Mariette Joubert | Photo Unsplash

South Africa celebrated Human Rights Day and World Social Work Day on 21 March 2023. Social work is a profession that advocates for the human rights of people as well as focuses on the responsibility that comes with these rights. Just as the Bill of Rights is the cornerstone of democracy and protects our rights, the social work code of ethics is the cornerstone that ensures quality social work services.

The University of the Free State (UFS) second-year social work students took an oath on 22 March which binds them to the social work code of ethics. Social workers have the Global Agenda for Social Work and Social Development which consists of four pillars. Focus is drawn to the last pillar, Strengthening Recognition of the Importance of Human Relationships. Human relationships are the core of social work and social development. These relationships take various forms, including social, personal, interpersonal, and therapeutic relationships, among various people and in various settings. In relationships where people flourish, trust is crucial. In contrast, mistrust skews relationships in a negative way.

Respecting diversity through joint social action

The Ubuntu pan-African philosophical framework is the greatest place to understand the significance of human relationships. To promote and strive for the strengthening of relationships, this year’s theme for Social Work Day is “Respecting Diversity Through Joint Social Action”. If we can stop criticising people that do not live, believe, or think according to our constructed standards of being, we will be able to do so much more as humanity. If we start embracing peoples’ diversities and take time to start building relationships with various people and bridge any existing gaps, we will realise that diversity is an integral aspect of changing the world in a positive manner. Corresponding to human rights and the theme of World Social Work Day, is the theme “Destigmatising intellectual disability through shifting attitudes” for Intellectual Disability Awareness Month [IDAM] which also takes place later in March. Another way through which we can start building relationships and embrace diversity is by participating in this year’s South African Federation for Mental Health challenge where CEOs of different institutions are challenged to spend one day in a wheelchair as part of an awareness-raising campaign to destigmatise intellectual disabilities.

News Archive

Kovsies triumph in Free State hockey

2014-08-05

During the first weekend of August 2014, the University of the Free State (UFS) was once again crowned as the Free State hockey champions.

In the finals of the Free State championships, the Kovsies’ women’s team beat the Reds (Kovsies 2nd team) by 10-1. This is the ninth consecutive year that our women’s team walk away as champions. It was clear from the start that Kovsies wouldn’t be satisfied by anything less than a win and a courageous Reds team was unable to cover all the gaps.

After being at the helm for three years, the Kovsies’ coach, Jacques du Toit, announced his retirement after the game. During his coaching term, Kovsies had their best performances since the 1984 season – when the Kovsie women won the University Sports South Africa (USSA) tournament.

Since 2012, the Kovsies’ women’s team went from strength to strength. For the first time since 1993, they ended among the top four teams in the USSA tournament that year. In the following year they repeated this performance and also achieved a bronze during the first Varsity Sport Hockey tournament for women.

Kovsies’ men’s hockey team was also crowned as champions in the Free State championships for the 12th consecutive year. We won against the Central University of Technology in the finals by 9-2. This year our team of champions also succeeded in breaking a medal drought of 30 years in the USSA tournament. We defeated the team from the University of Johannesburg to gain a bronze.

This year, Kovsies was also the only university that managed to win two medals at the USSA hockey tournament and can rightfully claim the title as best tertiary hockey club in the country.

Kovsies’ men’s team: Back, from the left are: Brad Hensberg, Rogan Jones, Mikhail Mannel, Egon van der Merwe, Stanley de Villiers,
Cheslyn Neethling, Michael Baiden, Richard Copley (physio) and Braam van Wyk (coach). Centre, from the left are: Darryl Sutherland,
Ian Finlay, Gerald van Blerk and Dylan Swanepoel (vice-capt). Front, from the left, are: Jaco Fourie, Qhayiya Jack, Berne Burger, Nazo
Mlakalaka, Kurt Hensberg, Lehan Bloemhoff and Ruan Kleinhans.

Kovsies’ women’s team: Back, from the left are: Madie Wessels, Izelle Lategan, Nisa van Zyl, Timon Botha, Jacques du Toit, Beatrix
Wesstdyk, Jacqie Ras, Jo Nelka Swanepoel and Lisa Hawker. Front, from the left are: Nicole Walraven, Tanya Britz, Line Malan (capt),
Minjon van Tonder (vice-capt), Kim Mentor, Inke Wolmarans and Cornelle Botha.

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