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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.”

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A platform for students by students: Nkanyezi talk @ ufs to be launched on Monday 13 May 2013
2013-05-07

07 May 2013

A group of students from the university took the initiative to create a platform dealing with issues that affect them.

Mr Tate Makgoe, Free State MEC for Education, and Prof Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector, will meet with students at the launch of this initiative on Monday 13 May 2013. The topic of the discussion will be: “The importance of an educated nation.” Prof Dennis Francis, Dean of the Faculty of Education, will be joining the conversation as well.

Bongani Zwane, coordinator of the initiative, said Nkanyezi talk @ ufs will give students a platform to voice their thoughts and ideas about issues affecting them during and after their university life. “We want to equip students on how to think, argue and reason like 21st century graduates. We hope to achieve this by having a regular panel discussion with experts as guests to help us understand and tackle local and global issues that affect us as students.”

Join the Nkanyezi talk @ ufs launch in the CR Swart Auditorium

Date: Monday 13 May 2013

Time: 17:30–18:30

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