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24 July 2025 | Story Lunga Luthuli | Photo Supplied
Mandela Day event at Heidedal Child and Youth Centre
Attending the Mandela Day event at Heidedal Child and Youth Centre, from left to right: Prof Joseph Pali, Associate Professor in the Department of Practical and Missional Theology; Bishop Billyboy Ramahlele, Director of Community Engagement; Jeannet Molopyane, Director of UFS Library and Information Services; Prof John Klaasen, Dean of the Faculty of Theology and Religion; Caroline Nombula, Heidedal Child and Youth Care Centre; and Kegomodicwe Phuthi, Assistant Director for Marketing and Community Engagement at UFS Library and Information Services.

In a powerful display of its commitment to societal transformation, the University of the Free State (UFS) marked Nelson Mandela International Day on 18 July with a collaborative outreach initiative at the Heidedal Child and Youth Care Centre (CYCC). 

Driven by the theme of empowerment through education and creativity, the Faculty of Theology and Religion, Library and Information Services (LIS), Community Engagement Office, School of Financial Planning Law, and UFS Makerspace partnered to officially launch a library at the centre – a milestone aimed at fostering a love of reading and academic development among the youth.

Jeanette Molopyane, Director of LIS, emphasised the lasting impact of the project. “The establishment of this library is about making a meaningful and enduring difference in the lives of these children. Through regular interaction with books and the reading club, we aim to inspire a love for reading that will enhance intellectual growth, build confidence, and open doors to a brighter future,” she said. 

Molopyane added that the initiative reflects UFS’s broader mission to empower communities and support the development of future leaders beyond the borders of its campuses. 

Prof John Klaasen, Dean of the Faculty of Theology and Religion, underscored the importance of engaged scholarship in meaningful research. “This was not just a day of service but a demonstration of what is possible through collaboration. It reflects a theology and religion that serves beyond the classroom and affirms our collective role in shaping a better future for all,” he noted. “Mandela Day reminds us of our calling to reconciliation, compassion, and shared responsibility – values that must anchor our teaching, research, and outreach.”

The initiative left a profound impression on the Heidedal CYCC. Carolina Nombula, representing the Centre, shared the gratitude of the staff and children: “Mandela Day brought a deep sense of joy, belonging, and dignity. The library, especially, is life-changing – it provides a safe, inspiring space for learning, imagination, and personal growth. It reminds our children that they matter, their dreams are valid, and they are not forgotten.”

Through collaborative efforts such as this, the UFS continues to give tangible expression to its mandate as a caring institution – one that champions opportunity, nurtures potential, and works towards a more equitable and inclusive society. 

News Archive

Shimlas win the USSA tournament for the second year in a row!
2008-07-21

The USSA tournament was hosted by the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal from 30 June to 4 July at the Howard College Campus fields in Durban.

Shimlas was victorious over the following teams:

Maties 25-22, Varsity College 23 – 16 and UJ 34 – 26

Waltie Vermeulen was selected as forward of the tournament.

Six Shimlas was selected for the SA Students team which will play Namibia in Windhoek. They are:

Waltie Vermeulen – lock
Wayne Stevens – center
Marlin Ruiters – scrumhalf
Cameron Jacobs – center/wing
 

Andre Tredoux - lock
Gert Erasmus - hooker
 

 Agter staande vlnr: Cameron Jacobs, Wouter Stieger, Wilken Heyns, Willie Britz, Louis van Rensburg, Kevin Stevens, Lyle Bastian, James Hellawell, Niell Jacobs, Jaco Swanepoel (afrigter), Waltie Vermeulen, Ruan Jacobs, Roche van der Westhuizen, Shaun Jankielsohn (fisio), Pieter Gouws, Roelof Steyn.

Agter sittende vlnr: Earl Snyman, Gert Erasmus, Marnus Briedenhann

2de ry sittende vlnr: Marlin Ruiters, Morne Burger, Jaco Colyn, Wayne Stevens, Lionel Cronje, Graeme Heyneke, Dougie Heymans (afrigter)

Voor vlnr: Arne Grobbelaar, Llewellyn Adonis
 

 Wayne Stevens, Shimla kaptein ontvang trofee vanaf Mervyn Green van SA Rugby

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