Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items

Jeremiah Hlahla: Overcoming adversity to achieve a PhD in Botany

14 April 2025 | Story Martinette Brits | Photo Kaleidoscope Studios

At just 27 years old, Dr Jeremiah Hlahla has achieved a remarkable milestone: earning his PhD in Botany, conferred on Thursday 10 April. His journey is one of perseverance, academic curiosity, and the determination to rise above significant personal and financial challenges.

Resilience rooted in early hardship

Growing up in Nkomazi, Mpumalanga, Dr Hlahla’s early life was marked by profound loss. His mother passed away when he was still young, and in Grade 11, he lost his father. Left without the support of his immediate family, he was placed in an orphanage alongside his sister. Despite these immense challenges, Dr Hlahla remained focused on his education.

“From Grade 10, I stayed behind at school to do my homework and study,” he recalls. “By Grade 12, I asked the pastor if I could use the church office to study. He allowed me, and throughout matric, I would go straight from school to the church office.”

A passion for science and a decisive pivot

Dr Hlahla’s fascination with science began in Grade 4 when he first encountered the topic of Matter and Materials. “It was a fascinating subject for me,” he says. By Grade 9, he had decided to become a scientist, though he was still unsure of the specific field.

After matric, he negotiated with an Anglo-American bursary manager to study biology instead of electrical engineering. “I later applied for biochemistry and botany at the University of Johannesburg because I enjoyed biology - but over the years, I found plant science especially interesting.”

The pivotal moment in his life came when he was awarded an Anglo-American scholarship. “That was a huge turning point in my life,” he says. “After matric, I didn’t know what I would do next. But after one psychometric exam and two rounds of interviews, I received the scholarship, and my life improved.”

With renewed motivation, he continued his studies and pursued a Master's degree, despite having no financial resources at the time. “When I arrived at the University of the Free State (UFS), I had just left Pretoria with my bags and no money,” he recalls. His supervisor, Dr Makoena Moloi, recommended him for a National Research Foundation (NRF) grant to cover his expenses. He was later awarded a bursary from Carl Zeiss.

“Dr Moloi wanted a hardworking person,” Dr Hlahla says. “She also helped me improve my academic writing.”

Perseverance through a pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic brought unexpected setbacks, derailing his MSc research. “After the lockdown, I returned to find my plants had died. I had to start from scratch,” he says. Despite this, he completed his experiments by August 2021 and submitted his MSc with distinction.

“It is incredibly rewarding to see years of hard work culminate in a PhD,” he reflects.

Looking ahead: Researching for a food-secure future

Now a postdoctoral researcher in plant breeding, Dr Hlahla is working on developing drought-tolerant edamame cultivars – research inspired by his PhD work.

“What excites me the most is breeding drought-tolerant edamame cultivars based on my previous research,” he says. “I am also thrilled to be working with Prof Maryke Labuschagne and Prof Rouxlene van der Merwe.”

Dr Hlahla’s journey has given him insight into what it takes to succeed against the odds. His message to students navigating hardship is clear:

“Stay focused on your goals. How you respond to what happens to you will determine your future. Someone is always willing to help - so find support and use it. Hard work, willingness, and determination will take you far.”

News Archive

A new dawn for student governance

2011-09-02

Our SRC presidents: Richard Chemaly (Bloemfontein Campus) and Bongani Ncgaca (Qwaqwa Campus)
Photo: Hannes Pieterse

Photo Gallery

The successful and peaceful completion of the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Student Representative (SRC) elections 2011 herals a new dawn for student governance with the announcement of the results today (1 September 2011).

The SRC elections at the Qwaqwa Campus were completed on 25 August 2011, while the elections at our Bloemfontein Campus took place on 29 and 30 August 2011.

“A new dawn heralds a new day when Richard Chemaly, the son of Lebanese immigrants becomes President of an SRC, as elected by students from all racial backgrounds and from across the student body at large. A new day has arrived when candidates could have won voter support across racial lines; a new day is here when all SRC members are now recognised leaders on the basis of academic accountability,” the Dean of Student Affairs, Mr Rudi Buys, says.

A new dawn has arrived; firstly, insofar as student elections for the choice of student leaders at the UFS now proceed according to a non-racial and a non-party political basis.

Not only did the SRC elections at both the Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa Campuses achieve its required quorum, with 31% (4 729 votes) and 50% (2 112 votes) voter turnout, respectively, but the SRC elected by students at the Bloemfontein Campus is 55% black and 45% white, and 60% female and 40% male. The numbers of votes gained by successful candidates also indicate that voters from all racial backgrounds have voted for their candidates of choice.

Secondly, a new dawn has arrived insofar as student governance occupied by only some student groups claiming to speak on behalf of all students has made way for direct voting for candidates by the broad student body and the threefold increase of student governance structures on campus.

Not only did all students at our Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa Campuses (a total of 15 173 and 4 257, respectively) have the opportunity to participate in voting directly, but nine additional Student Councils were established at our Bloemfontein Campus that each holds an ex officio seat on the SRC and allows for student governance in all the major student sectors of the student body, such as for postgraduate students, international students and all categories of student associations.

The various councils now established include the Student Academic Affairs Council, the Student Associations Council, the Postgraduate Student Council, the International Student Council, the Student Media Council, the Residences Student Council, the Commuter Student Council and the Rag Community Service Fundraising and Service Councils. In addition, all faculties also introduced student representative structures at departmental and faculty level in 2011 to ensure student participation in faculty management and governance.

The SRC members at the Bloemfontein Campus are:

Elective portfolios:
President: Mr Richard Chemaly
Vice-President: Mr Lefata David Maklein
Secretary: Ms Matshepo Ramokgadi
Treasurer: Mr Werner Pretorius
Arts & Culture: Ms Alta Grobelaar
Accessibility & Student Support: Mr William Clayton
First-generation Students: Ms Petre du Plessis
Media, Marketing & Liaison: Ms Biejanka Calitz
Sport: Mr Bonolo Thebe
Student Development & Environmental Affairs: Ms Busisiwe Madikizela
Transformation: Ms Qaqamba Mhlauli

Ex officio portfolios:
Dialogue & Ex officio: Associations Student Council: Mr Anesu Ruswa
Academic Affairs & Ex officio: Academic Affairs Student Council: Mr Jean Vermaas
Residence Affairs & Ex officio: Campus Residences Student Council: Ms Mpho Mokaleng
City student Affairs & Ex officio: Commuter Student Council: Ms Annemieke Plekker
Postgraduate Affairs & Ex officio: Postgraduate Student Council: Ms Glancina Mokone
International Affairs & Ex officio: International Student Council: Mr Pitso Ramokoatsi
Student Media Affairs & Ex officio: Student Media Council: Ms Nicole Heyns
RAG Community Service & Ex officio: RAG Fundraising Council: Ms Iselma Parker
RAG Community Service & Ex officio: RAG Community Service Council: Ms Motheo Pooe

In the Qwaqwa elections, SASCO achieved 36,84% of the vote, with SADESMO, PASMA and NASMO each achieving 29,73% and 18,56% and 12,74%, respectively .

Mr Bongani Ncgaca was elected as the President of the SRC at our Qwaqwa Campus, while the names of the SRC members at the campus will be announced on 7 September 2011.

The Central SRC will be established on 8 September 2011 by a joint sitting of the two SRCs.

The successful completion of the SRC elections at the Bloemfontein Campus follows a yearlong review process of student governance by a Broad Student Transformation Forum (BSTF) that consists of 59 delegations from student organisations and residences. The BSTF adopted independent candidacy for elective portfolios and additional student councils to provide ex officio seats on the SRC as the template for student governance, following the consideration of a series of benchmarking reports on student governance nationally and internationally.

The UFS Council adopted the new SRC Constitution, as drafted and submitted by the BSTF, on 3 June 2011.

Media Release
1 September 2011
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Director: Strategic Communication
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: news@ufs.ac.za

Back

Economic and Management Sciences

Education

Health Sciences

The Humanities

Law

Natural and Agricultural Sciences

Theology and Religion

Open Distance Learning

Business School

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept