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Forging towards student wellness: Health and Wellness Centre launches improved building

14 March 2025 | Story Anthony Mthembu | Photo Kaleidoscope

Kovsie Health Launch 2025 — Prof Hester C. Klopper, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of the Free State (UFS), officially opening the Health and Wellness Centre during a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony.

In an effort to ensure continued student wellness, the Division of Student Affairs (DSA) at the University of the Free State (UFS) launched the improved Health and Wellness Centre (formerly known as the Kovsie Health Building) on 12 March 2025.

In attendance at the launch of the improved building were Prof Hester C. Klopper, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the UFS; Dr Munita Dunn-Coetzee, Director of the Health and Wellness Centre; Themba Hlasho, Executive Director of the DSA; along with Prof Prakash Naidoo, former Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Operations at the UFS, among others.

The building, which took more than 36 weeks to complete, has been described as a passion project. In fact, in his address at the launch, Hlasho said: “The reimagination of the Health and Wellness Centre is not only about providing students with a supportive environment, but also about addressing the issue of efficiency.” As such, the architecture of the building was intentional in that it created a ‘one-stop shop’, as there was an integration of wellness services, including Kovsie Health and Student Counselling and Development (SCD) – all in one building.

Prof Klopper officially opened the building during a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony, after which the attendees had the opportunity to get a first look at the building.

What the new building entails

There have been several changes and improvements in the new building. Firstly, there is more office space in the building and according to Tebogo Malatjie, Counselling Psychologist in SCD, this is a much-appreciated change. “More office space speaks to the need for more psychologists who can provide more services for the students. So, I am really glad that it was one of the aspects that was prioritised, because we now have a larger staff component,” said Malatjie. The centre also has what is referred to as the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) room. According to Mosa Setlaba, Counselling Psychologist in SCD, this is a room in which students are able to connect with SADAG counsellors, who assist with referring the students to the type of help they need at the centre right after each consultation.

In addition, there has been an expansion to the psychometric testing room and services provided. “We now offer scholastic assessments, conducted by our interns as they rotate in primary and high schools as part of their internship programme,” explained Setlaba. There is also a stronger focus on accessibility, particularly when it comes to people in wheelchairs. In fact, the elevator in the centre has an intercom system that students can call, which alerts the staff that someone might need help using the elevator to access the building.

As the building is officially open to cater to the needs of the student community, Malatjie and Setlaba indicate that they would like to welcome the students as they enter this space, which was designed with them in mind. In addition, Prof Naidoo expressed the hope that the Health and Wellness Centre will grow from strength to strength.

News Archive

Community engagement must be a core function of universities

2009-05-21

Members of the NatCEMF Steering Committee are, from the left: Mr Jerome Slamat, Senior Director: Community Interaction, Stellenbosch University, Ms Beatrix Bouwman, Manager: Community Engagement, North-West University, Rev Kiepie Jaftha, Chief Director: Community Service, UFS and chairperson of the committee, Prof. Allan Femi Lana, Director: Institute for Rural Development and Community Engagement, Mangosuthu University of Technology, Prof. Seth Pollack, Fulbright Scholar, University of Western Cape (guest speaker at the meeting), Prof. Denver Hendricks, Director: Community Engagement, University of Pretoria, and Prof. Priscilla Daniels, Chairperson: Human Ecology and Research and CHESP Research Coordinator, University of the Western Cape.
Photo: Lacea Loader

It is important that all tertiary institutions in South Africa should work together and commit themselves to advance the cause of community engagement in the country.

This was one of the main outcomes of the second meeting held by the National Community Engagement Manager’s Forum (NatCEMF) at the South Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS) in Bloemfontein recently. The meeting was attended by 34 representatives of 16 higher education institutions in the country.

“I am astounded at the interest in this matter. The representatives are committed to make community engagement a core function of their institutions and we all agreed that we should get more involved in expanding this across all institutions. A need for a formal structure for us all to work together and have a more collective voice was also identified,” said Rev Kiepie Jaftha, Chief Director: Community Service at the UFS and Chairperson of the NatCEMF Steering Committee.

“There is a growing need to expand and develop our engagement with communities – to share our experiences and best practices and to learn from each other. There are universities that are doing excellent work in this field and, by having a formal structure, we can do a lot more towards advancing community engagement,” said Rev Jaftha.

The meeting identified matters such as the coordination of higher education institutions’ involvement in community engagement, the facilitation of research about community engagement, promoting service learning as transformation, the establishment of a community engagement resource centre and the organisation of a national community engagement conference as some of its aims. A national steering committee was also elected.

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