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Colloquium and launch of UFS Africa Reparation Hub

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 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

Enactus heeds call to be of service to its communities

2017-01-17

The newly-elected vice president of Enactus
University of the Free State, Solomuzi Khati
(third from left) with members of Enactus on
the Qwaqwa Campus.
Photo: Thabo Kessah

The future of South Africa is in good hands if Enactus activities are anything to go by. Enactus is an international non-profit organisation bringing together student, academic and business leaders committed to using entrepreneurial action to improve lives. And the Qwaqwa Campus chapter is doing exactly that – changing lives.

Community engagement
This team of enthusiastic and energetic students have touched the Qwaqwa community in more ways than one through their community engagement activities. One such activity was when they adopted the Team Spirit Centre as their partner for development and empowerment.

“Up to now, the chapter has lived up to its purpose of assisting and uplifting the Qwaqwa community. As part of our programme, we identified a problem that we are currently helping to solve,” said Solomuzi Khati, the newly-elected vice president of Enactus University of the Free State.

Skills development
“We have realised that many centres housing orphaned and vulnerable children, like the Team Spirit in Makoane in Qwaqwa, are not sustainable. Our project introduced a business concept to the centre where we helped to plant vegetables so the owner Mrs Manthabeleng could then use and sell at a later stage,” he said. “In the process, students and Mrs Manthabeleng would develop various entrepreneurial, finance and business skills for future use on top of the centre generating income to sustain itself,” he added.

Appointment of Advisory Board
Khati also revealed Enactus was in the process of inviting business and community leaders into their Business Advisory Board. “This is a group of business people who are recruited to serve as mentors for our team. Typically, a Business Advisory Board is composed of 10-50 business leaders in the community. Board members can keep students informed of current business concerns and trends, provide financial or in-kind assistance for projects, critique annual reports and presentations, and provide networking opportunities.”

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