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UFS celebrates 17 SRC members graduating during April ceremonies

09 April 2025 | Story UFS Division of Student Affairs | Photo Supplied

SRC Graduations — Seventeen Campus Student Representative Council members are set to graduate during the week of 7 April 2025.

As the University of the Free State (UFS) commemorates the April 2025 graduation season, a group of student leaders is preparing to cross the stage not only as graduates but also as individuals who helped shape student life on our campuses.

The Office of Student Governance is celebrating 17 members of the Campus Student Representative Council (CSRC) who are graduating during the week of 7 April – a proud moment for the office and the broader UFS community.

These graduates have carried the responsibility of student leadership while staying committed to their academic journeys. Their names now join the long list of student leaders who’ve helped shape campus life and still crossed the finish line with their degrees in hand.

From Qwaqwa Campus, we celebrate Nomvuyo Nungu, Xolani Ntimane, Qhama Mqulo, Ayanda Madiba, Anele Mcineka, and Lebohang Mateka. From Bloemfontein Campus, we celebrate Martin Nyaka, Boikanyo Moleko, Portia Mtawarira, Ogorogile Moleme, Moses Davis, Oratile Lentsela, Naledi Mathakhoe, Siyabonga Dludla, Aphiwe Mbutuma, and Paballo Taoana.

Their contribution reflects the pillars of Student Affairs – student success and student development – and their legacy extends beyond office terms and meeting rooms.

Special recognition goes to those who also served on the Institutional SRC (ISRC): Nomvuyo Nungu, Martin Nyaka, Qhama Mqulo, Xolani Ntimane, and Ogorogile Moleme, whose leadership extended across all UFS campuses.

“To all current and aspiring student leaders, let this be a reminder: academic excellence and leadership can go hand in hand,” says Pholla Mbalane, Acting Head of Department for the Office of Student Governance. Continue to serve and lead, but never lose sight of your academic goals. Balance is not just possible, it is powerful.”

Congratulations to our UFS leaders of the future!

News Archive

Community engagement must be a core function of universities

2009-05-21

Members of the NatCEMF Steering Committee are, from the left: Mr Jerome Slamat, Senior Director: Community Interaction, Stellenbosch University, Ms Beatrix Bouwman, Manager: Community Engagement, North-West University, Rev Kiepie Jaftha, Chief Director: Community Service, UFS and chairperson of the committee, Prof. Allan Femi Lana, Director: Institute for Rural Development and Community Engagement, Mangosuthu University of Technology, Prof. Seth Pollack, Fulbright Scholar, University of Western Cape (guest speaker at the meeting), Prof. Denver Hendricks, Director: Community Engagement, University of Pretoria, and Prof. Priscilla Daniels, Chairperson: Human Ecology and Research and CHESP Research Coordinator, University of the Western Cape.
Photo: Lacea Loader

It is important that all tertiary institutions in South Africa should work together and commit themselves to advance the cause of community engagement in the country.

This was one of the main outcomes of the second meeting held by the National Community Engagement Manager’s Forum (NatCEMF) at the South Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS) in Bloemfontein recently. The meeting was attended by 34 representatives of 16 higher education institutions in the country.

“I am astounded at the interest in this matter. The representatives are committed to make community engagement a core function of their institutions and we all agreed that we should get more involved in expanding this across all institutions. A need for a formal structure for us all to work together and have a more collective voice was also identified,” said Rev Kiepie Jaftha, Chief Director: Community Service at the UFS and Chairperson of the NatCEMF Steering Committee.

“There is a growing need to expand and develop our engagement with communities – to share our experiences and best practices and to learn from each other. There are universities that are doing excellent work in this field and, by having a formal structure, we can do a lot more towards advancing community engagement,” said Rev Jaftha.

The meeting identified matters such as the coordination of higher education institutions’ involvement in community engagement, the facilitation of research about community engagement, promoting service learning as transformation, the establishment of a community engagement resource centre and the organisation of a national community engagement conference as some of its aims. A national steering committee was also elected.

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