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19 June 2024 | Story André Damons | Photo Suplied
Quality of Life and Wellbeing Book Launch 2024
Prof Vasu Reddy, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Internationalisation (second from the left), was the lead editor with Profs Narnia Bohler-Muller and Prof Zitha Mokomane (left). With them is Dr Derek Davids (right), research director in the HSRC's Developmental, Capable and Ethical State research division and an advisory member at the Department of Applied Legal Studies at Cape Peninsula University of Technology.

The Human Sciences Research Council Press (HSRC Press) launched its latest book in the flagship publication State of the Nation series, titled Quality of Life and Wellbeing at the University of the Free State (UFS).

The launch took place on Thursday, 13 June in the Equitas Auditorium on the Bloemfontein Campus. Prof Vasu Reddy, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Internationalisation of the UFS, was the lead editor, with Profs Narnia Bohler-Muller, divisional executive in the HSRC’s Developmental, Capable and Ethical State research division; and acting Group Executive; Zitha Mokomane, a professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Pretoria; and Prof Crain Soudien, Chief Executive Officer of the HSRC. Prof Soudien was not at the launch.

The discussion was facilitated by Dr Molapo Qhobela, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Institutional Change, Strategic Partnerships and Societal Impact.

Celebrating its 20th year of existence, the State of the Nation volume, one of the HSRC’s flagship publications, serves as an invaluable, independent scholarly resource offering insights into the current state of South Africa. The 2024 edition explores themes such as the environment, quality of life and wellbeing, an open economy, mental health, the arts, human security, gender and wellbeing, vaccinations, wellbeing and happiness, and inequality in South Africa.

The state in which the nation finds itself 

In his welcome remarks, the Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof Francis Petersen, said two decades ago when the State of the Nation series began, South Africa was attempting to come to terms with the complex legacies of colonialism and apartheid and was contending with the post-apartheid reconstruction, development and reconciliation.

“I think there was a sense of optimism during that time for the future and a collective sense that the country’s challenges, however deep and multifaceted, those challenges were and are, could be overcome in time.

“Two decades later South Africa finds itself at a political watershed and having to deal with many of the same challenges as from 2004, such as economic inequality, social justice and effective government,” said Prof Petersen.

According to him, it is welcome to note that this volume brings to the fore new, fresh and relevant directions that address issues relating to quality of life and notions of wellbeing. Key questions that are inferred and that underpin much of the scholarship on offer, said Prof Petersen, is what is the state? Where is the state? Where does the state begin and where does it end?

“The editors offer compelling analyses that it is in the complex act of making lives of individuals acting in their own interest and the government articulating an agenda for the nation that we are able to discern the outlines of the state in which the nation finds itself.”

The scope and drivers

Prof Reddy, in his short introductory remarks, provided descriptive comments and focused on the background, the concept, the process, and some of the scope and drivers informing the text and context shaping the volume.

The latest book which took two-and-half years to produce, has two predecessor volumes published in the 2019 and 2021 respectively, with poverty and inequality and an ethics of care being a strong thematic.

“What is the importance of the scope of the volume and what makes the book unique. With this volume, thematising quality of life and wellbeing, we have seen some very interesting work being developed in the country. This particular volume is the first fully dedicated edition in the State of the Nation series dealing with this issue. We felt it was timely, we felt that this issue of Quality of Life and Wellbeing that were kind of completely interrelated,” said Prof Reddy.

According to him, some of the drivers that shaped this volume included the spectre of poverty and inequality which is an underlying implicit theme. Their implication for human wellbeing and human conditions in several different ways remains key.

Prof Reddy said the book is divided into four parts that deal with quality of life, politics and the state; economics; society, culture, identity and the public good; and looking at South Africa and beyond, including issues such as human security, gender and peace.

“The big issue with the volume’s theorical and conceptual framework is about building theory as well as much as it is also about dealing with the empirical and material realities facing citizens. The volume is predicated on quality of life and wellbeing, asking whether standards of living and styles of living lead us to a good life. And the questions we pose include: What is a good life? What are the attributes and elements of such a life? What are the conditions that need to be met to meaningfully improve quality of life and wellbeing?”

Environmental wellbeing

Talking about her chapter which addresses environmental and human health, Prof Narnia Bohler-Muller stated that the constitution was the starting point as what is embedded in the constitution is the recognition of the importance of wellbeing although the word is seldom used in the constitution.

“The first time ‘wellbeing’ is used is in Section 24 which deals with environmental rights. We thought this is a complex intersection – law, human rights, constitutionalism, health and wellbeing, and quality of life, so let’s explore it.

“We all know that the environment is extremely important. We cannot live without it. We are in a massive crisis in the world when it comes to the environment and climate change. There is an intersectionality between environment, climate, health, and wellbeing. Other issues also include clean water and the risk of extreme weather events as a result of climate change.”

Dissatisfied by the status quo in Soutth Africa

Prof Mokomane said two questions drove her co-authored chapter titled Quality of Life and political support in SA – resilient nation. The first question is: Do peoples’ perception of quality of governance influence their quality of life? And the second question was: Which aspects of government quality signify as important contributors to quality of life?

“This chapter reaffirms the notion that was held by many that the general public has become increasing dissatisfied by the status quo in South Africa over the past decade. We concluded that the political and economic crises of the past decade have perhaps begun to create a scenario in which personal fear is gaining traction over the hope that South Africans are known for.

“The overall conclusion is that for many South Africans resilience has been displaced by resignation which has introduced the risk of further disability and fragility in the country in the future.”

Profs Hussein Solomon from the Centre for Gender and African Studies and Philippe Burger, Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, were respondents to the text. 

News Archive

UFS announces the closure of Reitz Residence and the establishment of an institute for diversity
2008-05-27

Statement by Prof. Teuns Verschoor, Acting Rector of the UFS

The Executive Management of the University of the Free State (UFS) today announced a unanimous decision to close the Reitz Residence, effective at the end of the current university semester, and establish an institute for diversity on the same premises.

Four students from the Reitz Residence were responsible for making the now infamous Reitz video, depicting four female colleagues from the University and a worker of Prestige Cleaning Services who were lured into participating in a mock initiation ceremony during which they were humiliated and demeaned.

University management repeated its strong condemnation of the video, made in apparent protest against the University’s integration policy implemented at 21 residences accommodating some 3 400 students on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein.

The Reitz video reopened racial wounds, and is deeply regretted. It was an isolated manifestation of resistance to the impact of ongoing transformation initiatives at the University. The video and other acts of public violence and vandalism on the campus have undermined the efforts of the University to foster diversity in student and staff life and create an inclusive institutional culture on the campus.

The actions of a relatively small group of students also inflicted severe damage on the University’s reputation and standing in the local and international academic community. The UFS management had therefore decided that closure of the Reitz Residence was an unavoidable strategic imperative and an important gesture of reconciliation towards all South Africans who had been offended.

The University has apologised unreservedly for the video. Two of the students who were still residents in Reitz were barred from the campus and subsequently terminated their studies at the UFS, while the other two students had already completed their studies last year.

In an endeavour to make restitution and to offer a lasting contribution to transformation, both at the UFS and in the country as a whole, the UFS has committed itself to establishing an institute for diversity on the premises of the former Reitz Residence.

Reitz will therefore be closed as a residence from 20 June 2008. The UFS has appointed a fully representative special committee to assist current Reitz residents in finding alternative accommodation.

The Institute for Diversity is envisaged as a centre of academic excellence for studying transformation and diversity in society – a living laboratory for combating discrimination and enabling and enhancing reconciliation in societies grappling with the issues of racism, sexism and xenophobia.

The declaration of Higher Education South Africa (HESA) published on 28 March 2008 highlighted that racism, intolerance and discrimination are societal phenomena present on many campuses. However, these issues are not restricted to institutions of higher learning, and are symptomatic of a broader social malaise.

In responding to the challenge faced by the University regarding its own transformation issues, as well as those faced by the country, the UFS will study the anti-transformational impulses on the campus as a microcosm of much broader socio-political challenges. The University will transform itself over time into a beacon of hope, combating racism and other forms of discrimination in South Africa and elsewhere in the world.

The Institute for Diversity will add impetus to the University’s existing transformation programme. Six strategic clusters, including a transformation cluster, were created in 2007 as part of the University’s long-term strategic planning.

The University has already provided seed capital of R1 million to design and establish the Institute. Planning will take place during 2008/09, with the Institute being formally opened in the 2010 academic year. An international fund-raising drive to raise an initial target of R50 million will be launched shortly.

Note to editors: The Reitz video was apparently made late last year, but only entered the public domain on 26 February 2008.

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  
27 May 2008


UFS e phatlalatsa ho kwalwa ha hostele ya Reitz le ho thehwa ha Institute for Diversity

Phatlalatso ka Prof. Teuns Verschoor, Morektoro ya tshwereng mokobobo wa UFS

Kajeno bolaodi ba Yunivesithi ya Freistata (UFS) bo phatlaladitse qeto e ananetsweng ke bohle ya ho kwalwa ha hostele ya Reitz mafelong a sehla sena sa pele sa dithuto (semester), le ho thehwa ha Institute for Diversity meahong eo ya Reitz.

Baithuti ba bane ba hostele ya Reitz ba ile ba eba le seabo kgatisong ya video e mpe moo basebetsi ba bane ba bomme ba yunivesithi le mosebetsi wa khamphane ya Prestige Cleaning Services ba ileng ba hohelwa ho ba le seabo mme ba tlontlollwa le ho nyenyefatswa hampe.

Bolaodi ba yunivesithi bo boetse ba nyatsa ka mantswe a bohale video eo e ileng ya hatiswa ka maikemisetso a ho ipelaetsa kgahlanong le leano la diphethoho dihosteleng tse 21 tsa yunivesithi Bloemfontein tseo e leng bodulo ho bathuti ba ka bang 3400.

Morektoro ya tshwereng mokobobo wa UFS, Prof. Teuns Verschoor, o boletse hore video eo ya Reitz e boetse e butse maqeba a semorabe mme e seollwa ka matla. O re e ne e le ketsahalo e ikgethileng ya boipelaetso kgahlanong le diteko tse tswelang pele tsa ho tlisa diphethoho yunivesithing. O re video eo le diketsahalo tse ding tsa merusu le tshenyo ya thepa khamphaseng di setisitse diteko tsa yunivesithi tsa ho tlisa poelano hara baithuti le basebetsi, le ho theha moetlo o akaretsang ka hare ho yunivesithi.

O tswetse pele ka hore diketso tseo tsa sehlotshwana sa baithuti di boetse tsa senya yunivesithi serithi le lebitso mona hae le dinaheng tse ding. Kahoo bolaodi ba UFS bo nkile qeto yah ore ho kwalwa ha hostele ya Reitz ke ntho o kekeng ya qojwa mme e boetse ke mohato wa bohlokwa wa poelano ho ma-Afrika Borwa ohle a anngweng ke taba ena.

Yunivesithi e kopile tshwarelo mabapi le video ena. Ba babedi ba baithuti ba amehang kgatisong ya video eo, ba neng ba ntse ba dula hosteleng ya Reitz, ba ile ba thibelwa ho kena khamphaseng mme yaba ba tlohela dithuto tsa bona, ha ba bang ba babedi bona ba ne ba se ba phethetse dithuto tsa bona selemong se fetileng.

Prof. Verschoor o boletse hore ho leka ho kgutlisetsa maemo setlwaeding le ho tshehetsa leano la diphethoho UFS le naheng ka bophara, UFS e ikanne ho theha Institute for Diversity hona meahong eo ya Reitz.

Kahoo hostele ya Reitz e tla kwalwa ho tloha ka la 20 Phupjane 2008. UFS e thontse komiti e ikgethang e akaretsang bohle ho thusa baithuti ba dulang hosteleng ena hajwale ho fumana bodulo bo bong.

Institute for Diversity e tla ba setsha se kgabane sa dithuto tsa diphethoho le poelano setjhabeng – setsha se tla lwantshana le kgethollo mme se kgothalletse le ho matlafatsa poelano hara batho ba tobaneng le mathata a kgethollo ya mmala, ya bong le lehloyo la melata.

Tokomane ya Higher Education South Africa (HESA) e phatlaladitsweng ka la 28 Hlakubele 2008, e pepesa dintlha tse amanang le kgethollo ya mmala, tlhokeho ya mamellano le kgethollo ka kakaretso e le dintho tse teng dikhamphaseng tse ngata. Dintlha tsena ha di teng feela ditsheng tsa thuto e phahameng, empa le setjhabeng ka kakaretso.

Prof. Vershoor o boletse hore UFS e tla lekola dikgato tse kgahlanong le diphethoho ka hare ho khamphase jwaloka karolo ya diphepetso tse nammeng hara setjhaba ka kakaretso. O re yunivesithi e tla fetoha ha nako e ntse e tsamaya ho ba mohlala o motle wa tshepo, twantsho ya kgethollo ya mmala le mekgwa e meng ya kgethollo Afrika Borwa le lefatsheng ka bophara.

Institute for Diversity e tla thusa ho matlafatsa lenaneo la jwale la diphethoho la yunivesithi. Ho thehilwe di Strategic Clusters tse tsheletseng selemong se fetileng, tse kenyeletsang Transformation Cluster, jwaloka karolo ya merero ya UFS.

Yunivesithi e se e nyehelane ka tjhelete e kana ka diranta tse milione ho rala le ho theha institute ena. Ho rerwa ha yona ho tla etswa ka 2008/09, mme institute ena e tla bulwa semmuso selemong sa dithuto sa 2010. Haufinyana ho tla thakgolwa letsholo la matjhaba la ho bokeletsa tjhelete e kana ka diranta tse dimilione tse mashome a mahlano.


Tlhokomediso ho bahlophisi ba ditaba: Video ya Reitza e hatisitswe selemong se fetileng mme ya hlahella pepeneng ka la 26 Hlakola 2008.

Phatlalatso ya boraditaba
E entswe ke: Lacea Loader
Motlatsa molaodi: Dikgokahano
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za  
27 Motsheanong 2008








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