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Robson Nkosi: A testament to resilience and academic excellence

04 April 2025 | Story Precious Shamase | Photo Supplied

Robson Siphosihle Nkosi's journey is a compelling narrative of resilience, determination, and academic achievement – a story that resonates deeply within the University of the Free State (UFS) community. Born in Mpumalanga and raised under challenging circumstances, Nkosi's path to academic success is a testament to his unwavering spirit.

Unwavering determination

His early life was marked by significant loss, having been raised initially by his grandmother, and subsequently by his mother, who tragically passed away just before his final year of high school at Bee Maseko Secondary School, a quintile 1 school in Sheepmoor, Mpumalanga. Facing financial hardship, he relied on the support of friends to complete his matriculation.

Despite these adversities, Nkosi's determination shone through. With the invaluable assistance of his high school teacher, Mokoena Libakiso – whom he now considers his mother – he applied to the UFS to pursue a teaching degree. Although initially accepted, funding delays resulted in his offer being withdrawn. Securing funding later, he enrolled in a BSocSci degree, majoring in Communication Science and Sociology, demonstrating his adaptability and commitment to higher education.

Nkosi’s initial aspiration to switch to a Bachelor of Education degree was redirected by the NSFAS N+1 rule. However, he refocused his goals, setting his sights on a PhD and a career in higher education lecturing. This strategic vision fuelled his academic pursuits.

Leadership. Excellence. PhD.

His leadership skills were honed during his final undergraduate year, serving as the Qwaqwa Campus SRC Deputy President and ISRC Treasurer General. His academic excellence was consistently recognised through academic merit bursaries and the UFS Partial Tuition Fee Bursary, which supported his honours studies. Living in Botshabelo and commuting to Bloemfontein, Nkosi demonstrated his dedication.

During his honours year, he not only excelled as a student, but also as a tutor and Career Ambassador. His academic prowess led to an invitation from his honours lecturer, Yzelle Du Plessis, to facilitate Communication Science classes. He completed his honours degree cum laude, specialising in Leadership Communication.

Nkosi's academic journey continued with a master’s in communication science, funded by the National Research Foundation (NRF). Simultaneously, he gained practical teaching experience as a junior lecturer. He recently completed his master's degree and is now pursuing a PhD in Communication Science, while continuing to teach final-year and honours students on the Bloemfontein Campus.

A life dedicated to education and leadership

His short-term goal is to secure a permanent lecturing position, while his long-term ambition is to become a professor of Communication Science and potentially assume a leadership role in higher education, the public sector, or civil society.

Robson Nkosi's story is a powerful example of resilience, academic excellence, and the transformative impact of education. His dedication and gratitude to those who supported him underscore the importance of community and mentorship. He stands as an inspiration to the UFS community, demonstrating that with determination and perseverance, even the most challenging circumstances can be overcome.

News Archive

Council votes on appointment of senior staff

2004-11-18

The Council of the University of the Free State (UFS) today voted on the filling of three senior vacancies, including one post at Dean level and two at the level of Vice-Dean.

The Council voted as follows:


Dr Natie Luyt will be offered the post of Dean: Student Affairs	Prof Engela Pretorius will be offered the post of Vice-Dean: Faculty of Humanities	Dr Choice Makhetha will be offered the post of Vice-Dean: Student Affairs

“There are special challenges for the UFS in the short and medium term regarding transformation of our residences, and a certain combination of management qualities and skills is desirable. As a result of the diversity of the UFS’s student community it is therefore important to us to follow a team approach to deal with the challenges. With the combination of Drs Luyt and Makhetha, I believe we will be able to manage student affairs effectively and skillfully,” says Prof Frederick Fourie, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS.

“It is wonderful that we are able to celebrate the outcome of this process that has brought forward such excellent candidates who reflect our country’s diversity. It shows that we can achieve the goals of quality and diversity at the same time,” says Prof Fourie.

Prof Pretorius obtained all her qualifications (BA, BA (Hons) (cum laude), MA (cum laude) and D Phil) from the UFS, except for the Certificate in Gender Policy Management (cum laude) which she obtained in 2000 from WITS. She joined the Department of Sociology at UFS in 1980 and has headed the Department since 2001. She acted as Vice-Dean: Faculty of Humanities since July 2004. She has some thirty publications to her credit, published both nationally and internationally and has delivered 20 national and international papers. She is a member of the South African Sociological Association and is a member of the Council of the association and of the Editorial Board of Society in Transition, the society’s journal. She is also a member of the South African Academy for Science and Art and the Federation of African Women Educationalists in South Africa (FAWESA). Project involvement includes the Australian Women’s Executive Development Programme and the project Executive Development of Senior Women in South African Higher Education Institutions. She is also an NRF panelist.

Dr Luyt obtained his qualifications (BA, BA (Hons) (cum laude), MA (cum laude) and D Phil) at the UFS and started his career at the same institution in 1980 as lecturer in Political Science. He was promoted to senior lecturer in 1983 and appointed as Director: Student Affairs in 1997. He has been acting as Dean: Student Affairs since 2003. Dr Luyt completed several work-related training courses, among others a course in ethnic and multiculturality at the Swiss Institute for Federalism and a course in conflict management at the South Tyrolean Economic and Social Institute.

Dr Makheta also obtained all her qualifications (BA, BA (Hons), MA in Political Science and Ph D in Political Science) at the UFS and started working as a student assistant in Political Science at the same institution in 1999. She was promoted to junior assistant in 2000, coordinator and facilitator of Political Science in 2001, assistant/acting Director: Student Affairs in 2001 and acting Director: Student Affairs in 2003. Dr Makhetha is currently a Senior Political Analyst at the Department of Foreign Affairs.

The UFS Council also approved the promotion of nine professors to the rank of senior professor. They are Proff Louise Cilliers (Department English and Classical Languages), Dap Louw (Department of Psychology), Philip Nel (Department Afro-Asiatic Studies, Sign Language and Language Practice), Dirk van den Berg (Department of History of Art and Visual Culture Studies) Dingie van Rensburg (Director: Centre for Health Systems Research and Develoment), Andries Raath (Department of Constitutional Law and Philosophy of Law), James du Preez (Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology), Johan Grobbelaar (Department of Plant Sciences) and Louis Scott (Department of Plant Sciences).

This is the first group ever of senior professors at the UFS. The post level was created to provide better career and earnings opportunities for high quality academics and to increase the attractiveness of an academic career to young people.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za

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