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Global Citizen Webinar: In conversation with Clem Sunter

13 May 2024 | Story Carmenita Redcliffe-Paul

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, Exploring Scenarios: South Africa’s Democracy in the face of the next general elections, from the perspective of Clem Sunter, international best-selling author, futurologist, and scenario planner.

As part of the Global Citizen Webinar Series, international scenario planner and futurologist, Clem Sunter, will join UFS Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof Francis Petersen, and SACC UK Chairperson, Sharon Constançon, for a conversation that answers the question – What does the future hold for South Africa’s democracy in the face of the upcoming general elections?

Thirty years ago, the majority of South Africans won the right to vote for the first time, leading to South Africa’s first democratic elections in 1994. Join us for a conversation on 20 May 2024 as we explore scenarios depicted by Clem Sunter ahead of South Africa’s seventh general elections scheduled for 29 May 2024.

Join the Global conversation for Global Citizens

Date: Monday, 20 May 2024

SA time: 15:00-16:00 / UK time: 14:00-15:00

Click here to RSVP

The livestream link will be shared with those who RSVP

Enquiries: Tebello Leputla - leputlatb@ufs.ac.za +27 51 401 9199

About Clem Sunter

Clem Sunter, born in Suffolk England on 8 August 1944, gained his education at Winchester College. Before joining Charter Consolidated as a management trainee in 1966, he went to Oxford where he read politics, philosophy, and economics.

He moved to Lusaka in Zambia to work for the Anglo-American Corporation Central Africa in 1971. He then transferred to the head office of the Anglo-American Corporation of South Africa in Johannesburg in 1973. He spent most of his succeeding career in the Gold and Uranium Division, where he served as chairman and CEO from 1990 to 1996. During this time, Anglo-American was the largest producer of gold in the world. Until recently he was chairman of the Anglo-American Chairman’s Fund, which was – as stated in a recent survey – the primary corporate social responsibility fund in South Africa. Read more about Clem Sunter.

News Archive

Afrikaans can be learnt online for the first time

2017-11-29

The launch of the online course in Afrikaans at the University of the Free State
took place in the Centenary Complex at the Bloemfontein Campus on 21 November 2017.
From the left are Profs Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor; Angelique van Niekerk,
Head: Department of Afrikaans and Dutch, German and French; and Gerhard van Huyssteen,
Executive Director: Virtual Institute for Afrikaans.
Photo: Supplied

There is a need among visiting international students and foreign visiting lecturers and researchers to be able to speak Afrikaans. According to Prof Angelique van Niekerk, this is the reason why the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch, German and French at the University of the Free State (UFS) has been offering short courses in Afrikaans on campus for more than 15 years.

As from January 2018, those people wishing to learn Afrikaans outside of the UFS campus will be able to do so fully online. This is the first time that Afrikaans can be learnt fully online. The course is part of a short learning programme, Gesellig Afrikaans 1 and 2, which has been presented at the UFS since 2007. It is presented with the support of the Virtual Institute for Afrikaans (VivA), and Afrikaans can now be learnt as foreign language globally.

Need to speak Afrikaans
Prof Van Niekerk, Head of the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch, German and French, believes people who come in contact with the language have a need to learn to speak Afrikaans. “Afrikaans is a vernacular in the workplace, education, and social circles, especially in Bloemfontein, the Free State, and South Africa,” she says.

On average, 15 students per semester are enrolling for the existing contact-based course. Prof Van Niekerk says these students are from countries such as The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, Poland, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and some are from the East.

English used as teaching medium
In 2018, the 20-week course will be taught online via the VivA website or on campus through contact sessions (within 13 weeks). “The online course for international students is currently being marketed for the first time, and in 2018 we will officially be enrolling international students for the online course from beyond UFS borders,” says Prof Van Niekerk.

The teaching medium will be English, with all the information and explanations taking place in Afrikaans and English. Supporting material such as Afrikaans films, music, pronunciation guidelines, and continuous self-assessment are part of the online course material.

Click here to see the course structure of the online programme.

Direct enquiries to Prof Van Niekerk at vnieka@ufs.ac.za, or geselligafrikaans@gmail.com or visit www.gesellig-afrikaans.org

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