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29 March 2023 | Story Valentino Ndaba | Photo Valentino Ndaba
On 22 March 2023 students gathered on the Bloemfontein Campus for a celebration honouring Human Rights Day.

“As people we have the right to feel safe within the environment in which we live, no matter the circumstances. We cannot walk on the streets being fearful of what might transpire. We have the SAPS which has the constitutional obligation to make sure we feel safe. On campus as students, we also have access to Protection Services, which is tasked with ensuring our safety. It is crucial to understand that we have this section 12 right to safety, because safety is not a privilege, it’s a right,” said Lutho Makhofola during a human rights celebration held on the University of the Free State’s Bloemfontein Campus on 22 March 2023.

Lutho, a fourth year LLB student, is one of many Human Rights ambassadors who are part of the Free State Centre for Human Rights (FSCHR) which hosted the Human Rights Day celebration. The ambassadors led a dialogue with other fellow students under the national theme: ‘Consolidating and Sustaining Human Rights Culture into the Future’. In addition to robust discussions, students also tested their knowledge of the with a quiz before signing a pledge committing themselves to becoming livelong advocates for human rights.

Remembering 1960

Dr Annelie De Man, Coordinator in the Advocacy Division of the FSCHR, said the event was about celebrating the present while reflecting on the past. “The aim is to raise awareness around matters of human rights in celebration of Human Rights Day observed on 21 March.” 

Human Rights Day in South Africa commemorates the Sharpeville Massacre which took place on 21 March 1960 where 69 died and 180 were injured when police opened fire on a crowd that had gathered to peacefully protest the pass laws. We now have the opportunity to contemplate on South Africa’s road to democracy, the realisation of change, and the advancement of human rights awareness both in the academic setting and society at large since this significant day in our nation's history unfolded 63 years ago.

Significance for students

According to Limeque Redgard, Student Assistant at the FSCHR and a former Human Rights ambassador, the purpose of the FSCHR Human Rights Day commemorative event was to inform and educate students about their rights, particularly the rights that apply to the university setting, to encourage reflection on those rights and how to exercise them responsibly.

“I believe that such events are important for students because we are in such a diverse space within the university, therefore such events bring us together for a common purpose and allow us to celebrate each other's diversity. Furthermore, the goal is to equip students for the world.”

News Archive

2014 Sêr champions: Soetdoring and Veritas
2014-08-12


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Video:
- Announcement of the winners:

 

Kovsies know the feeling. And Sêr is the one event where that feeling runs like an electrical current across the Bloemfontein Campus. The 2014 Kovsie Sêr finals on 9 August was no exception.

The voices of seven ladies’ and six men’s residence serenade groups resounded through the icy evening air. With each rotation round, the tension built at a staggering rate. The three designated venues – Kovsiekerk, Albert Wessels Auditorium and Scholtz Hall – nearly burst at the seams with supporters packing in to cheer on their favourites.

A group from our Qwaqwa Campus, called Unspoken, allowed everyone to breathe a bit easier as they performed a variety of music pieces during the evening.

The suspense reached fever pitch, though, as the time arrived for the finalists to be announced.

The top three spots for the ladies’ residences:
• Marjolein (3rd),
• Vergeet My Nie (2nd) and
• Soetdoring (1st)

The top three spots for the men’s residences:
• Armentum (3rd),
• Vishuis (2nd) and
• Veritas (1st)

When Veritas took to the stage as newly-crowned victors, the crowd could hardly contain their enthusiasm and roared their approval. Amplifying the spirit of the evening even further, Soetdoring’s closing act ensured everyone went home feeling giddy with joy.

Veritas and Soetdoring will now proceed to compete at the nationals, hosted by the University of Johannesburg (UJ) on 30 August 2014.

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