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17 October 2023 | Story Nonsindiso Qwabe | Photo Nonsindiso Qwabe
Mokitlane Manyarela
Mokitlane Manyarela reflects on his 41-year journey with the UFS Qwaqwa Campus

He has seen the many changing faces of the Qwaqwa Campus, and four decades later, Mokitlane Manyarela says he would not have it any other way.

Fondly known on campus as ‘Ntate Manyarela’, he has been with the campus for 41 years, having started on 1 January 1982 at the ripe age of 18 years. Manyarela recently received a long-service award for 36 years of service, dating back to when the campus moved to its current location from where it started at Lere la Tshepe in 1982.

He recalls arriving at the campus offices in town in 1982 seeking employment, as there were no “buildings or campus” back then.

“I started working as a general worker because there was nothing else to do. All the university’s content would come from Turfloop in those days. As time went by, I worked in the reprographic section, printing exam papers. That was my first official job until the campus moved in 1988 to where we’re now located. All the buildings that are now filling this campus were constructed right in front of my eyes,” he said.

He went on to work for various departments on the campus, such as procurement, cashiers, and finance. In 2007, he joined the transport department, and that is where he is still working as an assistant officer. “What’s made me stay this long is not getting into fights with anyone and always following instructions given to me. I’ve worked under many different bosses, and I believe that none of them have anything negative to say about me. Therefore, I can say I’ve never had a reason to leave because everything I’ve done, I have done wholeheartedly.”

Manyarela said the university also afforded his wife and children the opportunity to obtain their degrees, which is something he considers a huge achievement. “All that I have has been achieved at this institution. It’s been a wonderful journey. I have no complaints, and I am content. I’ve reached my old age here. I don’t know any other job or work environment; this place has become like home to me, and I’m prepared to still give my all to this university, even though old age is now catching up with me.”

News Archive

Computer Science lecturer receives Vice-Chancellor’s Award for teaching excellence
2011-11-11

 

Dr. Liezel Nel from our Department of Computer Science.
Annually, many lecturers receive awards and recognition for their contribution to the UFS’s plans to accomplish outstanding academic performance.
Photo: Johan Roux

This year, the UFS presented its fourth awards function for outstanding learning and teaching.

At the awards function this past week, lecturers were rewarded for their outstanding teaching inputs at the UFS.

Dr Liezel Nel from our Department of Computer Science and Informatics was awarded the Vice-Chancellor’s award for her outstanding contribution to teaching and learning at the UFS.

The award, together with other awards presented to lecturers for outstanding teaching and learning, was instituted to encourage innovative teaching methods in departments in order to achieve outstanding academic results.

The Vice-Chancellor’s award is awarded to the lecturer who not only displays good leadership, but has also published research during the preceding year, with excellent knowledge and teaching skills in his/her discipline.

Dr Nel said she had realised over the past years that educators increasingly had more teaching resources at their disposal than before, which could be utilised to improve the teaching and learning experience of students.

“Therefore, I constantly renew my study material and the way in which I present the material. Currently I use a combined method, which includes electronic presentation by means of Blackboard, personal interaction and sessions, which enable the student to take ownership of the module.”
 

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