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#AfricaMonth: The Qwaqwa Campus joins the celebration of African linguistic diversity with African Languages Press launch

17 May 2023 | Story NONSINDISO QWABE | Photo SUPPLIED

Matsimela Setenane speaking about his book Haeso ke Naheng at the launch event on the Qwaqwa Campus.

In celebration of African linguistic diversity and the power of indigenous creative expression, the UFS African Languages Press, in collaboration with the Academy for Multilingualism on the Qwaqwa Campus, kick-started Africa Month with the launch of the African Languages Press on the campus, as well as the Multilingual Hub, and finally, its first product, a book titled Haeso ke Naheng by former UFS Qwaqwa Campus student Matsimela Setenane.

The African Languages Press was launched on the Bloemfontein Campus in May 2022.

In her opening remarks, Dr Tholani Hlongwa, Deputy Director of the Academy of Multilingualism, said the Languages Press and Multilingual Hub would work together to publish high-quality original content in African languages. “We will promote writing in African languages and position the UFS as a hub, promoter, and preserver of African languages in South Africa. We want to support upcoming authors by providing high-quality editorial services and bridge the gap left by the mainstream publishing industry by increasing the publication of African languages, among other things.”

A creative expression of the Sesotho language

Haeso ke Naheng, a fictional Sesotho novel, looks at the life of Thabo, an orphan who witnessed the takeover of his place of birth. He grows up to be a revolutionary Sesotho warrior who fights to reclaim his birthplace. His story resonates with his life; the author told the audience during the book launch. “Through writing this book, I discovered a lot about my origins as a Mosotho man. It is our responsibility as young people to continue digging to discover who we are so that we, too, will have knowledge to pass on to our children”, he said.

Setenane was born and bred in Qwaqwa and obtained his BSc degree majoring in Physics and Chemistry qualification from the Bloemfontein Campus in 2019. His love for Sesotho literature has grown over the years, and he hopes to produce more literature that celebrates the creative expression of his culture. He is currently busy with his first poetry anthology, which is also in Sesotho.

A platform to reignite free expression in indigenous languages

The guest speaker for the launch was Dr Edwin Mohatlane, who praised the UFS for the strides it's taking towards preserving and promoting African indigenous languages. “This is a milestone in the development of our languages. Our languages are doomed to extinction because of our attitudes towards them. I hope that the African Languages Press and the Multilingual Hub will be used to promote the literary and aesthetic talents in our languages”, he said.

News Archive

Council approves two senior appointments

2012-03-13

Dr Choice Makhetha and Prof. Hendri Kroukamp
13 March 2012

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Dr Choice Makhetha as Vice-Rector: External Relations, and Prof. Hendri Kroukamp as Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences.

Both appointments were approved on Friday 9 March 2012 by the UFS Council during its quarterly meeting at the Bloemfontein Campus.

“Dr Makhetha is an experienced administrator in higher education and has spent time shadowing the Presidents of Harvard and Spelman Universities in the USA, where she gained invaluable experience in positioning universities for world-class impact,” said Prof. Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS.

Her portfolio will entail external linkages, partnerships and strategic alliances of the university with national and international stakeholders.

Previously, Dr Makhetha was the Special Assistant to the Vice-Chancellor. Before that she was acting Dean: Student Affairs, also at the UFS. She has served as acting Vice-Rector: External Relations since February 2011.

Dr Makhetha obtained a Master’s degree in Political Science from the UFS in 2000 and a Ph.D., also in Political Science, in 2003. She was named the UFS’s Dux student for 1998/99. Dr Makhetha has received many awards for her work and she serves on various boards and committees in South Africa and abroad.

In 2010 and 2011 she was a fellow at Harvard University and Spelman College as part of Higher Education South Africa (HESA)’s Higher Education Leadership and Management programme.

“Prof. Kroukamp is a distinguished academic in the field of Public Administration and a highly experienced manager and leader of academic departments. He has been serving as acting Dean of his faculty since September 2010,” said Prof. Jansen.

Prof. Kroukamp holds a B.A. (Hons.) degree in Public Administration from Stellenbosch University and an M.A. degree from the University of Port Elizabeth (UPE). In 1993 he obtained a qualification in Project Management from the World Bank. He completed a D.Phil. in Public Administration at UPE in 1996, where he was a lecturer. Prof. Kroukamp joined the UFS in 1999 as a professor and Chairperson of the Department of Public Management.

He is the referee of various national and international publications, serves on various publication boards and is a member of various national and international boards and committees.

Prof. Kroukamp, who is a National Research Foundation (NRF)-rated researcher, has received many NRF awards. Amongst these are NRF Overseas International Conference Awards in Turkey, Korea, Poland and France. He has also received a UFS Top Research Award in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences.

Both appointments apply retrospectively on 1 March 2012.

Media Release
13 March 2012
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Director: Strategic Communication
Tel: +27(0)51 401 2584
Cell: +27(0)83 645 2454
E-mail: news@ufs.ac.za

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