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28 June 2024 | Story Carmenita Redcliffe-Paul
Global Citizen Invitation Prof Thuli Madonsela 4 July 2024

The University of the Free State (UFS) and the South African Chamber of Commerce United Kingdom (SACC UK) are pleased to present a Global Citizen Series conversation, South Africa’s Future in Focus: the post-election impact on social justice, service delivery, higher education, and the economy, from the perspective of Prof Thuli Madonsela, Director of the Centre for Social Justice in the Faculty of Law at Stellenbosch University and Professor of Law in the Law Trust Research Chair in Social Justice Studies.

As part of the Global Citizen Webinar Series, Prof Madonsela – a member of the International Anticorruption Advisory Council and Global Justice Leaders – will join UFS Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof Francis Petersen, and SACC UK Chairperson, Sharon Constançon, for a conversation that explores what the future holds for social justice, service delivery, higher education, and the economy in South Africa.

After thirty years of democracy, South Africans once again made their mark on 29 May 2024 in one of the most pivotal elections since 1994. Join us in person during the Free State Arts Festival or online as we explore South Africa’s Future in Focus: The post-election impact on social justice, service delivery, higher education, and the economy.

Date: Thursday 4 July 2024
In-person event SA time: 18:00-20:00 SAST, Centenary Complex, UFS Bloemfontein Campus
Webinar SA time: 18:30-19:30 / UK time: 17:30-18:30

The livestream link will be shared with those who RSVP

Enquiries: Tebello Leputla - leputlatb@ufs.ac.za +27 51 401 3966

About Prof Thuli Madontsela

Prof Thuli (Thulisile) Madonsela is the Director of the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) in the Faculty of Law at Stellenbosch University and Professor of Law in the Law Trust Research Chair in Social Justice Studies. She is the founder of the Thuma Foundation for Democracy Leadership and Literacy and a member of the African Academy of Sciences. She was recently appointed to the UN Scientific Advisory Board and as Chairperson of Cities Alliance. She is a member of the International Anticorruption Advisory Council and Global Justice Leaders.

The former Public Protector of South Africa and full-time Commissioner in the South African Law Reform Commission was one of the 11 technical experts who helped draft the South African Constitution, and is a co-architect of several constitutionally mandated laws, including the Equality Act, Employment Equity Act, and the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act. She has an extensive background in applied constitutional, social justice, and administrative law principles, mainly based on her years of public service and her investigation of improper conduct in state affairs as Public Protector. A regular sought-after keynote speaker, Prof Madonsela has written, taught, presented papers, and published on these matters and ethical leadership, good governance, and gender mainstreaming for decades.

Prof Madonsela helped draft several international human rights instruments at UN, AU, and SADC levels, as well as country reports on such matters. She currently teaches Constitutional Law, Social Justice Law, Administrative Law, and Constitutional Governance and Ethical Leadership. She holds eight honorary law doctorates, in addition to two law degrees, a Harvard Advanced Leadership Certificate, and other postgraduate qualifications.

Named one of Time’s 100 most influential people in the world in 2014, Prof Madonsela’s global recognition includes more than 70 awards, including Rotary’s Paul Harris award, the Commonwealth Lawyers Truth and Justice award, and the global ACFE’s Cressy award. Prof Madonsela is a mother of two, a philanthropist, and an avid mountaineer who has summited Mt Kilimanjaro twice under the #Trek4Mandela-#Caring4Girls anti-period poverty campaign and the Musa Plan for Social Justice, and regularly hikes for the #Action4Inclusion campaign, a quest to end student debt.

News Archive

New South African literature festival offers something for everyone
2016-03-23

The University of the Free State (UFS) in partnership with the Vrystaat Arts Festival is proud to present the first literature festival in central South Africa from 11-16 July in Bloemfontein. Afrikaans books and writers will feature prominently, in addition to other indigenous languages such as Sotho and Zulu. Several authors will be celebrating literature in English.

Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the University of the Free State Professor Jonathan Jansen says:  ‘The aim of the festival, part of the bigger Vrystaat Arts Festival, is to strengthen a culture of reading, not just in the Free State but nationally. The festival will market books as well as embrace new developments in the field of writing. I am incredibly excited about this inaugural event, which the university will support in the long-term.’

The theme of this year’s literature festival is ‘Our Africa’ and promises to provide all booklovers and readers tantalizing food for thought. Some of the authors attending the festival include, amongst others, the Hertzog-prize winner Adam Small, celebrating his 80th birthday as well as the release of his latest drama. Another legendary writer, dramaturge and actor, John Kani, will be speaking at the festival about his most recent theatre productions. The ever popular Marita van der Vyver will be visiting the festival from France, and the highly acclaimed writer Zakes Mda, will be flying in from the United States to deliver the inaugural Sol Plaatje Lecture. Mda, also a visual artist, will have some of his works on display.

Other international guests include Chika Unigwe, originally from Nigeria, who rose to fame in Belgium, and was described by South African writer Zukiswa Wanner as one of the five most renowned writers from Africa. Also attending will be Iranian writer Kader Abdolah, whose novels have been translated into more than 21 languages. Abdolah, a political refugee who escaped from Iran to the Netherlands in the 1980s, went on to establish himself as one of the most prominent Dutch novelists. Wilfried N’Sondé, originally from the Congo, who now lives in France, will also be a festival guest.
 
Theo Kemp, Coordinator of the Literature Festival says: ‘It is critical for us that robust debates on current affairs takes place as part of the festival. Festival participants will be able to engage with a range of authors on topical and sometimes sensitive issues. We welcome this debate – it is rare to have a platform where we can argue passionately yet respectfully about the future of our country in an international context.’

Critical topics covered include themes such as the state of Africa’s economies (with analyst and writer Victor Kgomoeswana); the relevance of the Anglo-Boer War in contemporary society (with Albert Blake and Johan Kruger); philosopher Achille Mbembe talking with Kevin Bloom and Richard Poplak about the changing face of Africa; and the political analysts Susan Booysen and John Matisonn examining the South African landscape in a post-municipal election environment.

Theuns Eloff, previous Rector of the University of Potchefstroom, whose new book What now, South Africa is launched this year, will partake in discussions around current affairs. So to Melanie Verwoerd and Sonwabiso Ngcowa aim to explore the phenomenon of the so-called ‘born frees’ in their book 21 at 21: The Coming of Age of A Nation.

Climate change and its impact on the Free State’s environment is another critical topic covered by Bob and Mary Schole with their book launch of Climate Change: Briefings from Southern Africa.

Festival goers can also look forward to a poetry café, where music and poetry will be mixed; informal visits with writers around food and story telling; as well as word and music productions where popular travel writers such as Johan Bakkes, Dana Snyman, Erns Grundling and Pienkes du Plessis will be present.

Writers will also be involved in a range of panel discussions – including on the ethics of writing biographies (Lindie Koorts and Mark Gevisser); alternative narratives of South Africa in the eighties (Ivan Vladislavic and Johann Roussouw); and discussions with writers such as Hans du Plessis, Bernard Odendaal, Hanlie Retief, Rudie van Rensburg and Irma Joubert.

Workshops will also feature in the programme with writers such as Francois Smith and Henning Pieterse, associated with the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch at the UFS, offering short courses on creative writing; while Johann Roussouw from the Department of Philosophy at the UFS will present a series of talks on the books of Karel Schoeman.

The final festival programme will be launched on 28 April 2016.

The Vrystaat Literature Festival was initiated by the University of the Free State in partnership with the Vrystaat Arts Festival. Project sponsors include Media24, ATKV, Vlaamse Letterenfonds, Institut Francais, Nederlandse Letterfonds, Van Rensburg Pataloe and the Flemish Embassy.
 

For further enquiries contact:

Theo Kemp
theo.kemp@volksblad.com
+27(0)83 462 9613
www.vrystaatartsfestival.co.za

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