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11 September 2024
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Story Anthony Mthembu
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Photo Anthony Mthembu and Chelsea Carolus
From the left: Geraldine Lengau, Senior Officer in the Unit for Institutional Change at the UFS; and Oratile Reina, West College Prime.
As part of the initiatives lined up for College Week, the student leaders of West College at the University of the Free State (UFS) hosted a dialogue that primarily focused on discussing social justice as a value of Vision 130. The dialogue was held at Outeniqua Residence on 3 September 2024 and was well attended by students within West College.
According to Oratile Reina, West College Prime, “the motivation for the dialogue was to prepare newly elected leaders and our college community to align their efforts with Vision 130 – a vision that aims to create a more inclusive, equitable, and socially just environment on campus”. As such, she highlights that the dialogue was an opportunity for leaders to discuss practical strategies for implementing these values in their respective spaces, and to encourage those in West College to become better citizens inside and outside the university.
A conversation on social justice
The dialogue was facilitated by Geraldine Lengau, Senior Officer in the Unit for Institutional Change and Social Justice at the UFS. Lengau touched on several aspects pertaining to the topic of discussion. Firstly, she allowed the audience to give their definition of social justice, especially as students within the institution. In addition, she went on to talk to the audience about sexual assault in the context of social justice. In this instance, Lengau gauged whether the students knew which processes to follow in the event of a sexual assault incident, and whether they were acquainted with the UFS Sexual Harassment, Sexual Misconduct, and Sexual Violence Policy. Furthermore, the audience was given the opportunity to outline what social justice looks like to them in the spaces they occupy, including in their respective faculties, the sports they play, and the leadership structures they form part of. “I was encouraged to see that students take their right to a socially just university in very high regard, and that they were willing to break it down from what Vision 130 proposes, in order to align it with their common understanding,” said Lengau.
As the dialogue concluded, the audience signed a pledge committing to uphold the values of Vision 130. According to Reina, “The pledge represents a promise to take concrete steps towards fostering an inclusive and equitable campus culture. By signing the pledge, the leaders are not only agreeing to embody these principles in their leadership roles but are also holding themselves accountable to their peers and the broader university community.”
First superannuation lecture delivered at the UFS
2009-11-18
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Proff. Voet du Plessis (left) and Johan Henning, Dean of the Faculty of Law.
Photo: Stephen Collett
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Prof. Voet du Plessis from the Department of Mercantile Law in the Faculty of Law at the University of the Free State (UFS) recently presented the first superannuation lecture at the UFS.
Prof. Du Plessis retired this year after 41 years at the UFS. This milestone event coincides with the faculty’s celebration of a century of excellence in legal education under the theme “Iurisprudentia 100”.
With his superannuation lecture Prof. du Plessis gave a view on the future of worker participation in enterprises. Thirty years ago during his inaugural lecture he discussed a similar topic: Worker participation in the management organs of a company.
According to him there is currently no worker participation in management organs in South African companies. The South African legislation does give extended abilities and protection for workers. In spite of this protection South African legislation falls short with regard to a possible say workers may have in or influence that workers may exercise over decisions taken in the workplace and which affect them as workers directly.
In terms of the right to information and consultation he gave the following suggestions to improve the current system of worker participation in decisions which affect them as workers:
“Serious attention must be given to the changes to the current Labour Relations Act, 1995 for the compulsory establishment of a workplace forum in each workplace with 50 or more workers, to oblige the employer to take the initiative with the establishment of a workplace forum; and to give to registered trade unions who are recognised in the workplace the sole right to nominate candidates for the workplace forum,” said Prof. du Plessis. He also proposed that attention be given to a Southern African Work Committee. An increase in world wide economic operations through multi national companies with head quarters abroad where decisions about the misfortunes of workers in the Southern African region are taken makes such a decision essential.