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DF Malherbe Memorial Lecture

22 April 2025

DF Malherbe Memorial Lecture Invitation

Invitation

DF Malherbe Memorial Lecture

You are cordially invited to the University of the Free State’s (UFS) DF Malherbe Memorial Lecture – Afrikaans 100.

View the invitation

Date: Thursday 15 May 2025

Time: 17:30

Venue: Economic and Management Sciences (EMS) Auditorium, Bloemfontein Campus

The lecture is a celebration of a century of Afrikaans as an official language and will be a showcase of the language’s rich diversity and an intellectual reflection on the history thereof.

The keynote speaker is Prof Joan Hambidge, the rejoinder is delivered by Prof Hein Willemse, and entertainment is provided by musician Frazer Barry, the UFS Department of Drama and Theatre Arts, and the Odeion String Quartet.

Interpreting services will be available.

Prof Joan Hambidge
Poet, novelist, and a public intellectual. She is currently retired and a fellow (senior researcher) at UCT.

Prof Hein Willemse
Former Head of the Department of Afrikaans, University of Pretoria and a leading language activist.

Frazer Barry
Renowned musician, television and radio presenter, rhymer, producer, and entrepreneur.

Enquiries:
Alicia Pienaar: pienaaran1@ufs.ac.za
Register by Monday 5 May 2025.
Click to register

Datum: Donderdag 15 Mei 2025

Tyd: 17:30

Plek: Ekonomiese en Bestuurswetenskappe (EBW)-ouditorium, Bloemfontein-kampus

Die lesing is ’n viering van ’n eeu van Afrikaans as amptelike taal; dit sal ’n vertoonvenster wees van die taal se ryke diversiteit en ’n intellektuele besinning oor die geskiedenis daarvan.

Die hoofspreker is prof Joan Hambidge, repliek word gelewer deur prof Hein Willemse, en vermaak word verskaf deur musikant Frazer Barry, die UFS se Departement Drama en Teaterkuns, en die Odeion Strykkwartet.

Tolkdienste sal beskikbaar wees.

Prof Joan Hambidge
Digter en romanskrywer, openbare intellektueel en afgetrede senior navorser aan die Universiteit van Kaapstad.

Prof Hein Willemse
Voormalige hoof van die Departement Afrikaans, Universiteit van Pretoria en ‘n toonaangewende taalaktivis.

Frazer Barry
Bekende musikant, televisie- en radio-aanbieder, rymelaar, vervaardiger en entrepreneur.

Navrae:
Alicia Pienaar: pienaaran1@ufs.ac.za
RSVP teen Maandag 5 Mei 2025.
Klik hier om te registreer

Letsatsi: Labone 15 Motsheanong 2025

Nako: 17:30

Sebaka: EMS Auditorium, Bloemfontein Campus

Puo ena ke mokete wa ngwahaketekgolo wa Afrikaans e le puo ya mmuso mme hona e tla ba pontsho ya katleho ya mefutafuta ya puo esita le totobatso ya bohlalefi mabapi le nalane ya yona.

Sebui sa sehlooho ke Moprofesa Joan Hambidge, puo ya karabelo e tla hlahiswa ke Moprofesa Hein Willemse, boithabiso bo tla phethahatswa ke setsebi sa mmino e leng Frazer Barry, ya hlahang UFS Lefapha la Drama and Theatre Arts, esita le Sehlopha sa Likhoele tse ’nè (String Quartet).

Ho tla ba le ditshebeletso tsa bofetoledi.

Prof Joan Hambidge
Moprofesa Joan Hambidge ke sethothokisi, setsebi sa dipale, esita le ramahlale wa setjhaba. Ha jwale o phomotse mosebetsing ebile ke mofuputsi e moholo wa UCT.

Prof Hein Willemse
Moprofesa Hein Willemse ke Hlooho ya mehleng ya Lefapha la Afrikaans, Yunivesithing ya Pretoria ebile ke motataisi le mokgothaletsi ho tsa puo.

Frazer Barry
Frazer Barry ke setsebi sa mmino se tsebahalang, mohlahisi wa thelevishene le seyalemoya, sethothokisi, mohlahisi le setsebi sa kgwebo.

Dipotso:
Alicia Pienaar: pienaaran1@ufs.ac.za
Etsa bonnete ba hore o ngodisitse pele ha Mantaha 5 Motsheanong 2025.
Tobetsa mona ho ingodisa

News Archive

#Women’sMonth: Who am I? Questions of identity among Rwandan rape survivors

2017-08-03

Michelle Nöthling, master’s degree student
in the Centre for Trauma, Forgiveness, and
Reconciliation Studies at the UFS.
Photo: Eugene Seegers

From 7 April to 15 July 1994, a mass genocide swept through Rwanda after years of Belgian colonial rule that divided the country along ethnic lines. Rape was also used as part of a political strategy to torture and humiliate mainly Tutsi women, and as a means of spreading HIV.

Individual focus
Why is it important to listen to what these rape survivors have to say? Michelle Nöthling, a master’s student in the UFS Centre for Trauma, Forgiveness, and Reconciliation Studies, responds, “We speak of groups – refugees, foreigners, and the like – yet we tend to forget the individuals and the lasting impact trauma has had on each person.”

Narrative exploration
Michelle maintains that we are the product of the narratives around us; things like – how to be a woman, how to dress, speak, or treat others. Her research delves into how these rape survivors see themselves, how they narrate their lives. She also investigates power relations based on gender; for example, how language can be used as a divisive tool.

Rwandan backdrop
In Rwanda, gender roles are deeply entrenched. Traditionally, a ‘girl’ remains such while she is a virgin. Her transition into womanhood is usually marked by marriage and followed by motherhood. But rape disrupts this structure, leading to an identity crisis as these girls are catapulted into motherhood with an unplanned child resulting from a traumatic event.

“We are the product of
the narratives around us.”

Reaching their mid-teens, the children, too, started asking questions about identity or paternity. For those mothers who were finally able to open up to their children, the experience has been mostly liberating – often leading to a closer relationship between parent and child. Michelle intends to interrogate how such significant moments shape the way these women perceive themselves. Research tends to portray these survivors solely as mothers of rape-born children. Michelle, however, seeks to examine their identities more deeply.

“These survivors still bear the heavy burden of being marginalised, stigmatised, and severely humiliated. Despite this, they have developed their own communities of belonging; people with whom they connect, to whom they relate, and to whom they are not ashamed to tell their experiences,” she said.

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