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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

Thirteen UFS students among Top 100 at GradStar awards
2016-11-04

Description: Top 100 at GradStar awards Tags: Top 100 at GradStar awards

Minette Nortjé, Jon-Dylon Petersen and
Bongani Mtotoba from the University of the Free State,
were part of South Africa’s Top 100 graduates.
Photo: Rulanzen Martin

Thirteen students from the University of the Free State were selected as part South Africa’s Top 100 graduates in the GradStar programme.

The programme, which is sponsored by FNB and Fasken Martineau, was set up by BlackBark productions and GradConnection. It is a unique opportunity for each graduate to draw upon the expertise and knowledge of those gone before them.

GradStar programme 2016

The GradStar programme matches the country’s best future graduates with potential employers and business mentors. The Top 100 students were selected based on leadership criteria and readiness for the workplace, in addition to their academic performance. The programme ended in employer workshops with the Top 100.

To have been in the Top 100, the candidates went through a rigorous four-phase judging process. This process consisted of the application to the 2016 GradStar programme, psychometric testing, video interviewing and an assessment day followed by the awards ceremony. The list was announced at a gala dinner at Wanderers Club on 27 September 2016.

13 top students from the UFS
The top students from the UFS and their majors are:

•    Bongani Anthony Mtotoba: Law and Accounting
•    Jon-Dylon Petersen: Quantity Surveying
•    Helena Scholtz: Economics
•    Mbali Moeketsi: Media Studies and Journalism
•    Minette Nortjé: Law
•    Molebogeng Motseke: Marketing Communication
•    Neo Mathinya: Agronomy
•    Phila Tantsi: Money and Investments
•    Ramona Govender: Criminal Law
•    Tiisetso Mashele: Mathematical Statistics
•    Tshimologo Roestoff: LLB Law
•    Tyrone Morehen: LLB Law
•    Vhuthuhawe Sadiki: Corporate Marketing and Communication

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