Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Previous Archive
19 October 2023 | Story Samkelo Fetile | Photo Stephen Collett
Public Management Memorial Lecture
From left; Prof Philippe Burger, Prof Francis Petersen, Premier Mxolisi Dukwana, and Dr Mareve Biljohn.

The University of the Free State (UFS), Department of Public Administration and Management recently hosted its Public Management Memorial Lecture, which was delivered by the Honourable Mxolisi Dukwana, the Premier of the Free State. This year's Public Management Memorial Lecture, titled 'Public Administration and Management as a Method and Tool of Delivering an Ethical, Capable, and Developmental State,' delved into crucial aspects of governance.

In his welcoming address, Prof Francis Petersen, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the UFS, provided insight into the university's Vision 130 and the university’s strategy, emphasising values such as accountability, social justice, and care. The university’s commitment to engaging on matters of public significance was also highlighted.

Fostering collaboration

Prof Petersen emphasised the importance of collaboration and co-creation – particularly in the post-COVID-19 era – to achieve optimal outputs and outcomes. “The Public Management Memorial Lecture aims to foster collaboration between academia, students, and practitioners in the field of public administration and management.”

In his introduction of Premier Dukwana, Prof Philippe Burger, Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, highlighted Dukwana's role in various government positions, including as the ANC provincial treasurer and, more recently, as the Premier of the Free State.

Addressing challenges and opportunities

In his address, Premier Dukwana acknowledged the need for a collective effort to ensure an ethical, capable, and developmental state, emphasising the challenges faced in the current socio-political landscape. Premier Dukwana acknowledged the need for introspection regarding the state's foundations, values, and mechanisms of service delivery. “Understandably, this is quite an involved and extensive subject that interrogates not only the ethical and capable attributes of the democratic state, but also whether the democratic state is itself developing and evolving towards a horizon that is developmental in outlook.” He stressed the importance of upholding constitutional values and principles, accentuating the need for accountability, transparency, and adherence to the Batho Pele principles.

Premier Dukwana outlined key interventions in the Medium-Term Strategic Framework (MTSF), emphasising the need for a capable and honest government, improved leadership, good governance, and accountability. He called for modernised business processes, improved financial management capability, and participatory local governance mechanisms.

The importance of a social compact was also highlighted, as well as the need to set aside narrow interests for the common goal of long-term growth and development. He stressed the need for a vibrant civil society and underscored the role of public servants in effecting positive change in service delivery.

Reducing bureaucratic red tape

The Premier concluded his address by emphasising the importance of reducing bureaucratic red tape and initiating programmes to streamline service delivery. He expressed optimism for further collaboration with the UFS in strengthening governance and public administration practices. “I am looking forward to having further discussions with the UFS as it relates to the MOU between the UFS and the Free State Provincial Government. The UFS can play a crucial role in helping us to strengthen governance, and specifically improve on public administration and management approaches and practices with the aim of accelerated and improved service delivery.”

The Public Management Memorial Lecture served as a platform for robust discussions on the challenges and opportunities in public administration and management. Premier Dukwana's insights underscored the imperative for ethical, capable, and developmental governance, setting the stage for continued collaboration and engagement on these critical issues.

News Archive

Remembrance wall celebrates Kovsies
2012-08-21

SRC members leading the Proudly Kovsie March. From the left are: Biejangka Calitz, SRC member: Media, Marketing & Liaison Marketing; William Clayton, SRC member: Accessibility & Student Support; and Bonolo Thebe, SRC member: Sport.
Photo: Linda Fekisi
21 August 2012

 

One of the highlights of the recent Proudly Kovsie March was the unveiling of the SRC Remembrance Wall. The wall is a board with photos of the everyday Kovsie student.

Biejangka Calitz, SRC member: Media, Marketing & Liaison, says the board was set up to give students a feeling of Kovsie unity. “It will also create a sense of pride of being part of an iconic place with a melting pot of talent and creativity that is never boring.”

Biejangka says the inspiration comes from a theatre overseas that has a wall with photos and experiences quotes of people who have visited the theatre.

The board of photos will be put up on the wall between the Student Life Centre and Träumerei, behind Van Schaik Bookshop on the Thakaneng Bridge. It will be on display for five years and could remain on display for longer.
 

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept