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Disruption of academic activities on the UFS Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa Campuses on 12 February 2025

12 February 2025 | Story Lacea Loader

On 12 February 2025, disruption of academic activities occurred on the Bloemfontein Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS); this followed the disruptions that occurred on 11 February 2025. On the Qwaqwa Campus, attempts to disrupt academic activities also occurred on 12 February 2024.

A memorandum of demands from the Institutional Student Representative Council (ISRC) was handed over to the university management on 11 February 2025, to which management responded; these demands are related to registration and funding.

Financial concessions have been granted to students on two occasions so far this year to enable them to register. On 10 February 2025, the university granted follow-up concessions.

Furthermore, the institution’s Financial Working Group (FWG) – which includes representatives from the Institutional Student Representative Council (ISRC) – met regularly to determine how it could best assist students to register, taking into consideration the financial constraints of the university.

On the Bloemfontein Campus, 15 students were arrested on 12 February 2025 for transgression of the interdict; internal disciplinary processes are being instituted.

The university’s Protection Services has activated its protest management security escalation plan in accordance with the UFS Protest Management Policy; the situation on the campuses is being closely monitored.

All classes are continuing as normal, and no classes have been suspended.

It is important to note the NSFAS-related progress made up until now:

NSFAS funding has been confirmed and allocated to 25 551 students.
22 246 of these students have already been successfully registered for the academic year.
NSFAS allowances were paid to 14 303 registered students on 3 February 2025.
On 17 February 2025, interim allowances will be paid to 7 943 students who were not registered at the time of the first round of payments.

Financial concessions have been granted to students during two occasions so far this year. On 10 February 2025, the university granted the following follow-up concessions:

1. NSFAS-funded students

Criteria:

NSFAS funding for 2025 must be confirmed and reflected on the acknowledgement of debt (AOD) or registration verification document.
Historic debt may not exceed R35 000.

Concessions:

No payment is required.
Students will be eligible for full registration.

Criteria:

NSFAS funding for 2025 must be confirmed and reflected on the acknowledgement of debt (AOD) or registration verification document.
Historic debt exceeding R35 000 but not exceeding R50 000.

Concessions:

No payment is required.
Students will be eligible for provisional registration. Provisional registration applications must be submitted, and all other terms and conditions will apply.

2. Returning self-paying South African students:

Criteria:

Historic debt must not exceed R35 000.
Must sign an acknowledgment of debt (AOD).

Concessions:

No payment is required.
Students will be eligible for provisional registration. Provisional registration applications must be submitted, and all other terms and conditions will apply.

3. Final-year students:

Students with an average mark of above 60% were assisted with Monitoring bursaries.
2025 final-year students with an average mark of between 50% and 60% will be assisted with the following concessions.

Criteria:

Final-year students with a pass rate of between 50 and 60% and with outstanding fees up to a maximum of R60 000 to register provisionally.

Concessions:

No payment is required.
Students must complete a provisional registration application and attach an AOD, covering historic debt plus the first payment required for 2025 registration.

4. Postgraduate students

The Department of Finance is in contact with the Centre for Postgraduate Support to fast-track funding confirmations.
Postgraduate students who have studied at other institutions and wish to register at the UFS must contact Student Finance for possible assistance with registration.

News Archive

Prof Oriel Thekisoe receives prestigious TW Kambule NRF-NSTF Award

2014-07-07

Prof Oriel Thekisoe
Photo: Sonia Small

Prof Oriel Thekisoe from the UFS was named recipient of the prestigious TW Kambule NRF-NSTF Award. The announcement was made during the 16th Annual NSTF-BHP Billiton 2013/2014 Awards Gala Dinner held in Johannesburg on Thursday 3 July 2014.

Prof Thekisoe is an Associate Professor in the university's Department of Zoology and Entomology at the Qwaqwa Campus.

He has been recognised as an emerging researcher for his outstanding contribution to Science, Engineering and Technology (SET).

"It is a great honour for the university to learn that Prof Thekisoe has won the award of the National Science and Technology Forum. This is a very competitive award and speaks of the quality and depth of talent at the UFS as we prepare the next generation of scientists and scholars,” said Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS, Prof Jonathan Jansen.

"I hope that the award will inspire our current science students to work harder in pursuing the discovery of new methods and techniques which will improve our livelihoods,” Prof Thekisoe said after receiving the award from the Minister of Science and Technology, Ms Naledi Pandor. “I am grateful to the Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Prof Neil Heideman, for believing in me. I am also grateful to my former lecturers, Profs Peter Mbati, who is now the Rector of the University of Venda, and Noboru Inoue, from Japan’s Obihiro University, for grooming and inspiring the scientist in me.”

"Prof Thekisoe is at the forefront of the research development activities at the Qwaqwa Campus,” said Prof Corli Witthuhn, Vice-Rector: Research at the UFS. “He serves as a mentor to many of the younger scholars on the campus. As one of the Vice-Chancellor's Prestige Scholars at the university, he has the potential to become one of the most prominent researchers in his field in the country."

The Vice-Chancellor’s Prestige Programme (PSP) supports the accelerated scholarship of junior UFS researchers in the first five years after obtaining their PhDs. The prestige scholars participate in an intensive programme of support that includes international placement and intensive mentorship.

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