Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Previous Archive
17 May 2024 | Story Valentino Ndaba | Photo iStock
Africa Reparation Hub Launch 2024
Join us as we unite to confront the challenges of our past and pave the way for a more just and equitable future for all Africans.

The Department of Public Law at the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Faculty of Law is proud to announce the launch of the UFS Africa Reparation Hub alongside a colloquium centred around the theme Unifying Africa for Action to Advance Reparatory Justice.

Date: 6 June 2024

Time: 11:00-16:00

Venue : Microsoft Teams; join the event here

Click to view documentClick here to RSVP and here for more information and speakers.

The pursuit of reparations for historical and contemporary injustices in Africa has gathered significant momentum. From the adoption of the African Union resolution advocating a united front to the push for reparations of past atrocities, the continent is asserting its demand for justice. This drive traces its roots back to historical landmarks like the Abuja Proclamation of 1993 and the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action in 2001.

Launch of the hub

Aligned with the UFS Vision 130, the university has established the UFS Africa Reparation Hub to serve as a nucleus for frank discussions on Africa's reparations. It houses a comprehensive database of resources on the subject and is poised to host expert groups dedicated to furthering the cause.

The Colloquium

The faculty invites academics, policymakers, human rights advocates, justice professionals, and representatives from international, regional, and national bodies to the colloquium which will precede the launch of the hub. This virtual gathering aims to foster dialogue and action toward reparatory justice in Africa. Thereafter, attendees will witness the official launch of the UFS Africa Reparation Hub, marking a significant step forward in the continent’s journey towards healing and restitution.

Leading voices on reparatory justice

In an eagerly awaited keynote address, Prof Verene Shepherd, the esteemed Director of the Centre for Reparations Research at the University of West Indies, Jamaica, is poised to set the stage for a thought-provoking discussion on reparatory justice. Joining her will be a distinguished line-up of speakers including Prof Serges Kamga (Dean of the Faculty of Law at the UFS); Martin Okumu-Masiga (Secretary-General of the Africa Judges and Jurists Forum); Dr Ahmed Bugri (Senior Expert and Coordinator for Reparatory Justice and Racial Healing at the African Union); and Prof Kula Theletsane (Director of the Organ on Politics, Defence, and Security Affairs in Southern African Development Community (SADC).

Dr Catherine Namakula, Convenor of the Africa Reparation Hub, is anticipated to moderate the discussion, guiding the conversation towards actionable strategies for advancing reparations and fostering racial healing across Africa and beyond.

News Archive

One from UFS elected as Vice-President of ASAQS
2015-04-20

Stephen Ramabodu and Dr Marléne Campbell, Stephen’s promotor during his studies.
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs

The university is very proud of the election of Dr Stephan Ramabodu, from the Department of Quantity Surveying and Construction Management, as Vice-President and the chairman of the fees committee of the Association of South African Quantity Surveyors (ASAQS).

ASAQS aims to advance and promote the science and practice of quantity surveying, uphold the dignity of the quantity surveying profession, and promote the high standards of professional competence and integrity, among other things. Members of the ASAQS receive guidance and resources to succeed in quantity surveying, and to stay abreast of developments in the built environment today and in the future.

The ASAQS also provides an environment in which professionals may learn, grow, and work together to advance the techniques and science of quantity surveying. The ASAQS include quantity surveying professionals from every area of the construction industry, from private practice, government and quasi-government organisations to construction companies.

Stephan completed his quantity surveying (QS) degree as well as a master’s degree in Land and Property Management at the University of the Free State. In 2014, he completed his PhD, making him the first black South African PhD holder in the Department and one of the few QS PhD holders nationwide. 

In 2002, Stephen was appointed as a lecturer in the Department of Quantity Surveying and Construction Management under a programme called Grow Your Own Timber. He went to gain some commercial experience in Cape Town, where he worked for Davis Langdon. In 2008, he came back to the Free State, where he established Ramabodu & Associates Later that year, he returned to the university as a lecturer to complete all the remaining milestones of the Grow Your Own Timber programme.

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