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03 May 2024 | Story Precious Shamase | Photo Supplied
Human Rights Dialogue
From left Royal house representative Morena Ernest Moloi from Makholokoeng Royal House , Lecholo Nkabiti from the South African Human Rights Commission, Prof Sethulego Matebesi from the Department of Sociology, Zoleka Dotwana, Director of Student Affairs , Gcina Mtengwana program Director for the day and also a lecturer , Ayanda Madiba SRC , Campus Principal Prof Prince Ngobeni and Siyanda Magayana from the Gender Equality and Anti-Discrimination Office.

On 25 April 2024, the University of the Free State (UFS) Qwaqwa Campus held a Round-table Dialogue on Human Rights in collaboration with the Division of Student Affairs, Residence Life, and Human Rights Ambassadors. This event aimed to educate students about their human rights and empower them to stand up for themselves.

The Mopeli, Bakoena, and Batlokwa Royal houses all showed their support by attending the dialogue, emphasised the importance of open discussion in her welcome address. "We want people to share views and engage so that we learn from each other about human rights," Dotwana said.

The dialogue, held at the Kutlwano Gazelle (SHU-7), provided a platform for open discussion about human rights. This discussion is crucial to ensure that students understand their rights and feel equipped to advocate for themselves. The event also aimed to raise awareness about lesser-known rights to prevent students from unknowingly surrendering their power to others.

The round-table discussion included Campus Principal Prof Prince Ngobeni, Prof Sethulego Matebesi from the Department of Sociology, Lecholo Nkabiti from the South African Human Rights Commission, and Siyanda Magayana from the Gender Equality and Anti-Discrimination Office.

Prof Ngobeni spoke about the access to education that students now have in South Africa's democracy, and the government's efforts to ensure this access. He also highlighted the importance of royal leadership, indigenous practices in leading communities, and incorporating these practices to move forward as a country. Additionally, he mentioned the importance of including agriculture in future plans to create more employment opportunities.

Prof Matebesi urged the audience to reflect on the legacy they are leaving behind. "What legacy are we leaving?" he questioned. "We won't live forever, and there will come a time when we can't reflect on these issues."

Lecholo Ntabiti emphasised the importance of pursuing rights and accessing freedoms within a legal framework. "Freedom comes with responsibility," he stressed. "Go vote on 29 May 29 so your voice can be heard in this democracy."

This initiative demonstrates the UFS Qwaqwa Campus' commitment to fostering a well-informed and empowered student body regarding their human rights. The event coincided with South Africa's Freedom Day and the upcoming national elections in May. The dialogue addressed various human rights topics, including economic freedom and freedom of speech.

The engaging round table concluded with a lively question-and-answer session, ensuring that students left the event informed and equipped to advocate for their rights, marking a significant step towards a more empowered student generation on the UFS Qwaqwa Campus.

News Archive

Farewell to the Class of 2015
2016-12-07

Description:Class of 2015 Tags: Class of 2015 longdesc=


Some of the students from the Class of 2015

The First Year Leadership for Change programme (F1 L4C) hosted its final graduation ceremony for the class of 2015.

Launched in 2010, the programme gives first-year students international exposure to top universities across the world, providing invaluable opportunities to explore the concepts of transformational leadership, global citizenship and social cohesion.

The 32 students and six staff mentors visited various universities which included, New York University, Rutgers University, Edmonds Community College and Washington University ­- all in the US, Mahasarakham University in Thailand and Vrije University in the Netherlands.

Making a change through critical thinking

Pura Mgolombane, Dean of Student Affairs at the University of the Free State (UFS), challenged the students to think about making a change and to critically think about themselves and how they see the world.

The graduation function, which took place on 16 November 2016, saw the class of 2015 come together to celebrate their accomplishments over the year and allowed the class representative, Tammy Fray, to reflect on all of the valuable lessons learnt.

Special announcement to end the evening

Throughout the evening, representatives from previous years testified to the impact the programme had on their personal development, leadership pathways and their learning communities. The audience was charmed with a song by Stefan Lotter, current chair of the F1 Fellowship Association, and the Delicate Artistry Band.

The evening ended with a special word by Prof Nicky Morgan, acting Rector of the UFS, who convinced by alumni’s testimonies, acknowledged what the exceptional programme had delivered over the past six years. Although it was at the end of its lifetime, he said that in review, ideas emerging from the programme should be explored to give birth to something new.  Watch this space!

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