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13 December 2024
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Story Anthony Mthembu
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Photo Charl Devenish
Lieutenant Colonel Dr Rifa Tshivhase, Head of the Department of Surgery at 3 Military Hospital in Bloemfontein, addressed graduates within the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Free State on 10 December 2024.
Momentous and joyous – these are some of the words used to describe the December 2024 graduations at the University of the Free State (UFS). In celebration of the academic achievements of its students, the UFS hosted graduation ceremonies at the Callie Human Centre on its Bloemfontein Campus from 9 to 10 December 2024.
Prof Anthea Rhoda, acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the UFS, encouraged the graduates to always acknowledge and recognise the significance of this achievement as they transition from being UFS students to being UFS graduates.
Undergraduate and postgraduate achievements
At least 2000 undergraduate qualifications and postgraduate qualifications were conferred. As such, there were some standout academic achievements across the sessions. For instance, Itumeleng Pooe received his Advanced Diploma in Theology cum laude, making him the only graduate in the Faculty of Theology and Religion to receive his qualification with distinction during these graduations. In addition, Dr Bobuin Jr Valey Gemandze Oben – at just 28 years old – was the youngest PhD graduate from the Faculty of Law at the graduation ceremony, which took place on the morning of 9 December 2024.
Conferring Honorary Doctorates
Some highlights from these graduations were the recipients of honorary doctorates, as well as the keynote speakers. The Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences (EMS) at the UFS conferred an honorary degree on Prof Murray Leibbrandt, Research Chair in Poverty and Inequality Research in the Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit (SALDRU) at the University of Cape Town (UCT). In addition, the Faculty of The Humanities at the UFS conferred an honorary degree on HE Bineta Diop, Special Envoy of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission on Women, Peace, and Security.
On the final day of the graduations, graduates within the Faculty of Health Sciences at the UFS were addressed by Lieutenant Colonel Dr Rifa Tshivhase, Head of the Department of Surgery at 3 Military Hospital in Bloemfontein. In her address, Lieutenant Colonel Dr Tshivhase encouraged and challenged the graduates to actively seek out good in the world.
As the December 2024 graduations concluded, several of the graduates within the Faculty of Health Sciences indicated that the most memorable moments in the session were the cheers and applause they received as they walked across the stage.
Mafuma aims at elusive tournament victory with Junior Springboks
2016-06-03
The University of the Free State’s Mosolwa Mafuma
recently scored five tries in the Junior Springboks’
three practice matches against a Golden Lions U20
invitation team, a Maties team, and the
South Western Districts. Photo: SASPA
He has never won a rugby tournament, so Mosolwa Mafuma has only one goal: to win the Junior World Cup as Junior Springbok in England.
Even though the 20-year-old Shimlas wing has achieved success, and it is pleasing to excel individually, he believes it is more satisfying when his team triumphs. According to Mafuma, who could just as well be an athletics star, he wants to help the South African U20 team take a different approach.
He and the prop Kwenzo Blose are players from the University of the Free State who will represent the Junior Springboks from 7 to 25 June 2016 in Manchester. The team will play the first of three group matches on 7 June 2016 against Japan in the Academy Stadium.
New approach for SA U20 team
Mafuma, who was Player of the Tournament in his first Varsity Cup in 2016, says the Junior Springboks are well prepared. “We have the skills, and the structures at the Junior Springboks are different than before. There is not just one game plan like playing with big guys. We want to try new things and have a different approach.”
It is with this team that he wishes to achieve something. “It is one thing to be able to say that you are the Player of a Tournament, but your team did not win. I have not won something at school (with St. Benedict’s Boys College in Johannesburg) or this year with the Shimlas.”
Speedster on athletics track
The speedster is one of only a few rugby players who also have a profile on the IAAF website. His fastest time in the 100 m is 10.37 seconds (a national U17 record) and 20.37 s in the 200 m.
In high school, this first-year Psychology student played rugby during winter and took part in athletics during summer. Only at the end of Grade 11 did he started focusing on rugby. “I was more of an athlete than a rugby player,” he says.
It is no coincidence that the nickname he acquired due to his speed, is Dash. His other nickname, Senkie (derived from the Afrikaans word ‘seuntjie’) he received as a child from his parents because he was such a small child.