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18 July 2025 | Story Precious Shamase
UFS Green Campus Initiative Team
The UFS Green Campus Initiative team after being announced winners for the fourth consecutive year.

The University of the Free State (UFS) is celebrating an outstanding achievement at the 12th Annual Green Campuses Conference (GCC) 2025, where its dynamic Green Campus Initiative (GCI) team from the Qwaqwa Campus clinched the coveted Best Exhibition Award. This marks an unprecedented fourth consecutive year that the UFS has secured this prestigious accolade, highlighting its unwavering commitment to sustainability and innovation within the higher education landscape.

Hosted by Nelson Mandela University in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, the conference was presented by the Association of College and University Housing Officers - International (ACUHO-I) under the profoundly relevant theme, Ubuntu and Environment: African Indigenous Knowledge in Sustainability. Endorsed by the Department of Higher Education and Training, the GCC serves as a pivotal platform for institutions of higher learning across South Africa to exchange vital knowledge, share best practices, and explore groundbreaking innovations in environmental sustainability and climate change mitigation.

The UFS GCI team's exhibition captivated judges and attendees alike with its exceptional creativity, innovative spirit, and profound dedication to envisioning a greener future. "The creativity, innovation, and commitment to sustainability shone through every detail of the display," remarked residential head Itumeleng Lebusho, "a true reflection of what it means to envision a greener future".

The five students who represented the institution were Amukelani Ngobeni, Minenhle Mnguni, Sinenhlanhla Mathabela, Charmaine Nokubonga Nkosi, and Thandolwethu Nyathikazi.

A cornerstone of the student-driven conference, the GCC featured three main categories: project presentations, a runway showcase, and the highly anticipated exhibition. UFS students excelled across the board, demonstrating their ingenuity in tackling real-world campus challenges with sustainable solutions.

A particularly notable project was the student-designed mobile trolley. Addressing a common predicament faced by students transporting groceries from the main gate to their residences due to campus restrictions on taxis for security reasons, the team engineered an innovative solution. This solar-powered mobile trolley, equipped with batteries and a motor, began as a prototype in 2024 and has since evolved into a testament to student-led problem-solving. While the current iteration requires a Code 8 driver's licence to operate, its potential to revolutionise campus mobility is clear.

The conference's annual theme encourages participants to devise sustainable solutions to problems faced on campus, a challenge that the UFS GCI team has embraced with remarkable success.

The UFS' consistent triumph at the GCC is a testament to the dedication and sacrifice of its students, whose forward-thinking ideas continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in campus greening. "The students worked in a way that we never imagined," expressed Desiree Motsele, Residence Head within Housing and Residence Affairs. "The ideas that they come up with are truly inspiring."

By actively participating in this significant event, the UFS is not only strengthening its commitment to creating a green campus but also fostering a healthy learning and living environment. This continued dedication prioritises sustainability, advances energy efficiency, champions resource conservation, and promotes environmental stewardship, solidifying the UFS' position as a leader in sustainable practices within South African higher education.

The Director: Student Affairs, Zoleka Dotwana, said she would like to congratulate the students on yet another gold they won at the GCI 2025. “The effort, the hard work, the commitment you have shown, has once again raised our UFS flag high. I hope the experience and the graduate attributes you have learnt in preparing your project will go a long way in providing you with great opportunities when you leave our shores. It has been an awesome journey over the four years, one that we hold dear and that will remain in the history books of our campus. Thank you for flying our flag high - Only a Kovsie knows the feeling!' said an ecstatic Dotwana.

News Archive

Researcher takes home gold at international Famelab competition
2017-06-26

Description: Famelab competition Tags: Famelab competition

UFS researcher nabbed a top international award for
her ground-breaking metallurgical research in the UK.
Photo: Supplied

Recently, University of the Free State (UFS) Centre for Environmental Management master’s student, Tshiamo Legoale, was announced the FameLab International champion at the Cheltenham Science Festival in the United Kingdom. She is probing methods to use wheat as a gold hyper-accumulator – or, as she puts it, “grow gold from wheat”. The young researcher made South Africa proud by winning both the audience’s and the judges’ vote.

Coming back home a hero
“Winning was a surprise to me, because all 31 contestants had wonderful research. They all had really good presentations. I’m very grateful for all the support that I received from home. Social media showed me a lot of love and support. When I felt unconfident, they gave me ‘likes’ and that boosted my confidence a bit,” said Legoale about her win.

As South Africa celebrates Youth Month in June, Tshiamo represents hope for thousands of young South Africans to overcome difficult circumstances and follow careers in science.

The human impact is crucial, because Legoale’s win is not only scientific. It is also social and political. As a young female scientist in South Africa, she represented one of three African countries making it to the finals of FameLab, which has grown to one of the largest science communication competitions internationally.

With this in mind, Legoale says it may, in the end, be necessary to balance the needs of communities with the desire to increase yield. “Are we looking to make a fortune or are we looking to put food on the table?” she asks. “These are all things we consider when we conduct such research.”

World-class research from Africa
In South Africa, an estimated 17.7 million tons of gold is wasted. “All this gold was mined out previously, but tiny amounts remain in the dumps,” Legoale explains.

Her research focuses on the uses of wheat as a gold hyper-accumulator, which essentially means wheat plants are used to harvest gold from mine dumps. Simply put, the wheat is planted in the dumps, where enzymes found in the roots react with the gold and the plant absorbs it. The gold is then absorbed by every part of the plant, except the seeds, which means the next harvest can be used for food if need be.

“South Africa's world-champion young scientist, Tshiamo, represents all that is good about this country – brilliant, bright, and set for a fine future. I'm so proud that British Council SA, together with our partners SAASTA and Jive Media Africa, can help her along the way. Huge congratulations to her from all of us – it is a big win for Africa on the world stage,” said Colm McGivern, British Council South Africa Country Director.

The research represents a win on multiple levels. First, there are the obvious potential socio-economic benefits: food production, job creation, and phytomining is more economical than other contemporary mining methods.

Then there is safety. It is a more environmentally friendly practice than methods like heap leaching, carbon-in-leach or carbon-in-pulp. It is also safer for miners themselves, who will not be exposed to dangerous chemicals like mercury, which has been responsible for a great deal of toxicity in mine dumps. And it is safer for those living in the surrounds.

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