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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

Popular SABC presenter joins the UFS
2007-03-05

Former Lesedi FM Current Affairs presenter, Mr Mangaleso Radebe, has joined the University of the Free State's (UFS) Strategic Communication Division as from today, Monday 5 March 2007.

Mr Radebe is an experienced journalist having worked for the SABC for almost 11 years. He started with the SABC as an intern in 1995 on the now defunct Good Morning South Africa television breakfast show in Auckland Park, Johannesburg.

He also had stints as a general news reporter, sports reporter, freelance producer for SABC Africa, news writer and presenter for the SABC2's Sesotho news bulletin. He joined Lesedi FM in Bloemfontein four years ago as a presenter/producer for Current Affairs programmes.

In his new job at the UFS he will be responsible for media liaison, together with Ms Lacea Loader, with print and electronic media in Bloemfontein and nationally.

According to the Director: Strategic Communication at the UFS, Mr Anton Fisher, the UFS is proud to welcome Mr Radebe as member of staff and look forward to his contribution during this exciting phase of the UFS’s history.

Media release
Issued by: Anton Fisher
Director: Strategic Communication
Cell: 072 207 8334
5 March 2007
 
 

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