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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

UFS Rector gets reappointed
2007-06-08

The Council of the University of the Free State (UFS) today unanimously (Friday 8 June 2007) extended the term of Prof. Frederick Fourie, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS, for a further five years.

Prof. Fourie was appointed on 1 January 2003 in this position and his current term appointment will expire on 31 December 2007. The extension of his five-year term as Rector and Vice-Chancellor will come into effect on 1 January 2008. .

“During the course of his term Prof. Fourie clearly demonstrated that he has the competencies and abilities to manage the recent strong growth phase of the UFS and to further develop the UFS to be a modern university,” said Judge Faan Hancke, Chairperson of the UFS Council.

“His commitment to quality, integrity, justice, non-racialism and non-sexism are qualities that will be crucial to addressing the strategic objectives and priorities of the UFS,” said Judge Hancke.

According to Judge Hancke, Prof. Fourie’s confrontation of and commitment to two of the most important challenges facing the UFS also played a role in the Council’s decision to extend his term. These challenges are:

  • The institutional charter as key to successful, high-quality transformation and social robustness in the context of diversity; and
  • The strategic clusters as key to a word-class research and teaching profile, academic quality and robustness.

A diversely compiled committee with a balanced representivity made a unanimous decision to submit the extension of Prof. Fourie’s term to Council today for approval. The evaluation committee comprised of among others the chairperson of Council as the presiding officer, the vice-chairperson of Council, other Council members who are not employees of the UFS and representatives of Senate.

The process comprised of the evaluation of Prof. Fourie’s work performance and competencies within a broad framework of the strategic aims of the UFS.

According to Judge Hancke the evaluation committee considered aspects such as the staff profile of the UFS; the vision, mission, values and strategic priorities of the UFS and Prof. Fourie’s vision for the UFS; the inherent post requirements of Rector and Vice-Chancellor; the outcome of the evaluation discussion with regard to Prof. Fourie’s successes during his term as Rector and the future challenges for a rector before the recommendation was made to Council.

“On behalf of Council I wish to congratulate Prof. Fourie with his appointment and wish him all of the best with his task to take the UFS to new heights,” said Judge Hancke.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za
8 June 2007
 

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