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12 June 2025 | Story André Damons | Photo Department of Science, Technology, and Innovation
Prof Motlalepula Matsabisa
Prof Motlalepula Matsabisa, a specialist in indigenous knowledge systems from the Department of Pharmacology at the University of the Free State (UFS), and Jansie Niehaus, NSTF Executive Director and Company Director, at the Second Ministerial Belt and Road Science and Technology conference (BRT) in China.

Prof Motlalepula Matsabisa, a specialist in indigenous knowledge systems from the Department of Pharmacology at the University of the Free State (UFS), is part of a delegation with Prof Blade Nzimande, minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation (DSTI), to the Second Ministerial Belt and Road Science and Technology conference (BRT) in China. 

The conference is being held in Chengdu from 11-12 June 2025 and will gather representatives from state-level agencies, scientific academies, and innovation enterprises from countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, including members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. The theme of the conference is “Together for Innovation, Development for All – Jointly Building a Scientific and Technological Innovation Community for the Belt and Road”. 

Prof Matsabisa, Research Director of the African Medicines Innovations and Technologies Development at the UFS, is the only person from a South African university to be invited by Prof Nzimande as part of this ministerial trip. Other members of the delegation include members from the minister’s department, CEOs and board members of agencies that report to the DSTI – namely Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), the National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF), Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), National Advisory Council on Innovation, Human Sciences Research Council of South Africa, South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions, National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF), National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI), South African National Space Agency and the National Research Foundation (NRF). 

As a guest professor at the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (BUCM) in Beijing, Prof Matsabisa accompanied the delegation on a visit to the university where he has a longstanding relationship. The UFS has the only active university collaboration within the China-South African Science and Technology bilateral agreement.

 

Supporting around aspects of traditional medicine 

According to a statement on the South African government website, Prof Nzimande expressed the department’s intention to strengthen collaboration with the Beijing University and the Aerospace Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in the areas of indigenous knowledge systems and space science, respectively. The minister visited both the BUCM and the Aerospace Information Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences this week. 

“It is an honour to be part of the minister’s delegation given that I am the only person from a university amongst the agencies. The UFS is indeed very honoured to have been the only one identified to be in this ministerial trip. I am honoured to make connections with the decision-makers such as the chairperson of the board of TIA and the CEO of NSTF and all the other CEOs. It’s indeed an honour to share our work with people from NACI and the minister’s office at DSTI. This really could not have been a better opportune moment for me,” says Prof Matsabisa. 

According to him, he is there to support Prof Nzimande around aspects of traditional medicine as well as with his meeting with the Chinese Minister of Science and Technology during the signing of a letter of intent on traditional medicines including in the BRT conference where the minister will give a talk that will cover traditional medicines. Prof Matsabisa says he is looking forward to strengthening the relationships between the UFS and BUCM and China as well as sharing with the minister the joint projects and joint students from both institutions, hoping for continued support and funding.

“This trip has opened new opportunities. TIA has invited me and the UFS to be part of their new project on neurodegenerative diseases with Cuba. It was wonderful to hear that both the CEO and the chairperson of the board had already been briefed about me to be part of the project.

“It is also great to be present at the signing of the letter of intent on traditional medicine as it is important to know where the policies are heading.”

News Archive

Alcinda Honwana: Youth Protests Main Mechanism against Regime
2015-05-25

Prof Alcinda Honwana

"Enough is Enough!": Youth Protests and Political Change in Africa (speech) 

The Centre for Africa Studies at the UFS hosted an interdisciplinary project on the Bloemfontein Campus from 20-22 May 2015.

The project, entitled Contemporary Modes of Othering: Its Perpetuation and Resistance, looked at different perspectives, representations, and art forms of otherness, how it is perceived, and how it is resisted.

The annual Africa Day Memorial Lecture was held on Thursday evening 21 May 2015 at the CR Swart Auditorium. Guest speaker Prof Alcinda Honwana addressed the subject of ‘Youth Protests and Political Change in Africa’.

“Youth now seem able to display what they don’t want, rather than what they do want,” Honwana said in her opening remarks. “Thus, we see the young driven to the streets to protest against regimes.”
 
Honwana shed some light on recent examples of youth protests in Africa that have enjoyed global attention. Looking at the protests in Tunisia (2010), Egypt (2011), Senegal (2012), and Burkina Faso (2014), it is clear that these events in northern and western Africa have inspired others globally. Yet, Honwana stated that, despite these protests, no social economic change has been seen, and has left dissatisfaction with new governments as well.

“Once regimes fall… young activists find themselves more divided, it seems…

“Which leaves the question: Will street protests remain young people’s main mechanism to avert those in power?”

Background on Prof Alcinda Honwana:

Alcinda Honwana is currently Visiting Professor of Anthropology and International Development at the Open University (UK). She was chair in International Development at the Open University, and taught Anthropology at the University Eduardo Mondlane in Maputo, the University of Cape Town in South Africa, and the New School for Social Research in New York. She was programme director at the Social Science Research Council in New York, and worked for the United Nations Office for Children and Armed Conflict. Honwana has written extensively on the links between political conflict and culture, and on the impact of violent conflict on children and youth, conducting research in Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Colombia, and Sri Lanka. Her latest work has been on youth and social change in Africa, focusing on Mozambique, Senegal, South Africa, and Tunisia.

Honwana’s latest books include:

• Youth and Revolution in Tunisia (2013); 
• Time of Youth: Work, Social Change, and Politics in Africa (2012);
• Child Soldiers in Africa (2006);
• Makers and Breakers: Children and Youth in Postcolonial Africa (2005, co-edited).

Honwana was awarded the prestigious Prince Claus Chair for Development and Equity in the Netherlands in 2007.

 

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