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19 March 2025 | Story Precious Shamase | Photo Andre Damons
SAMC 2025
Prof Jared McDonald, Associate Professor in the Department of History; Dr Grey Magaiza, Senior Lecturer: Centre for Gender and Africa Studies, and Prof Vasu Reddy, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Internationalisation at the University of the Free State (UFS).

The Second Southern African Mountain Conference (SAMC 2025) commenced on Monday, 17 March amid a tangible sense of anticipation and a collaborative spirit at the Champagne Sports Resort, nestled in the heart of the Maloti-Drakensberg. Delegates from across the region and beyond gathered, setting the stage for a week of insightful discussions and collaborative exploration under the theme, ‘Southern African Mountains – Overcoming Boundaries and Barriers.’

Hosted by the University of the Free State (UFS) and its Afromontane Research Unit (ARU), the conference opened with a series of welcome statements that emphasised the global significance of mountain ecosystems. Prof Ralph Clark, SAMC 2025 Conference Chair and Session Chair, initiated the proceedings, setting the tone for a conference focused on actionable solutions.

Collaboration transcends mountain borders

The global reach of the conference was immediately evident, with welcome addresses from key partners. Prof Roland Psenner, President of Eurac Research – speaking on behalf of the Global Mountain Safeguard Programme (GLOMOS) – highlighted the importance of international collaboration. Alex Hickman, Chairman of the African Mountain Research Foundation (AMRF), highlighted the critical work being done on the ground. Notably, a recorded message from Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, in support of the AMRF resonated with attendees, further amplifying the message of the conference.

Prof Hester C. Klopper, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the UFS – speaking on behalf of the ARU – stressed the significance of the venue, highlighting its role as a ‘meeting place’ where borders, ecosystems, and diverse stakeholders converge. "This location symbolises the very essence of our conference," Prof Klopper stated, "a space where we transcend boundaries to address the challenges facing our mountain regions".

Welcome statements were also delivered by Sara Manuelli from the Mountain Partnership, Ambassador Mirko Manzoni of the Embassy of Switzerland in South Africa, and Ndapanda Kanime, who represented the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

Dr Kelly Cerialo, representing UNESCO – the patron of SAMC 2025 – delivered a welcoming address that highlighted the organisation's commitment to supporting mountain research and conservation. The official opening was conducted by Leluma Matooane, representative of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation.

Sharing insightful books, film, and mountains

Following the official opening, delegates attended a plenary keynote address by Dr Willem Daffue, which delved into critical aspects of mountain research. The morning session also featured a series of book launches, celebrating new publications from ARU and GLOMOS, including Sustainable Futures in Southern Africa's Mountains, Safeguarding Mountain Social-Ecological Systems, A scientific bibliography of the Waterberg, Makgabeng plateau, Blouberg, Soutpansberg and adjacent areas, and Christopher R Conz’s Environment, Knowledge, and Injustice in Lesotho: The Poverty of Progress.

Monday 17 March 2025 will be etched in the annals of Southern African mountain research and storytelling as the documentary film, Qwaqwa: Place of Barriers and Bridges, premiered to a captivated audience at the Second Southern African Mountain Conference (SAMC 2025). Hosted against the breathtaking backdrop of the central Maloti-Drakensberg, the film’s release marked a powerful moment of reflection and a catalyst for crucial dialogue.

Executive produced by Prof Vasu Reddy, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Internationalisation at the University of the Free State (UFS), and Prof Jared McDonald, Qwaqwa: Place of Barriers and Bridges offers a poignant and unflinching look at the complex social and environmental realities of the Qwaqwa region. The film, screened on the conference's opening day, served as a compelling visual narrative bridging academic discourse with the lived experiences of mountain communities.

Dialogue, networking, conference continues

Delegates, researchers, and stakeholders from across the globe witnessed the film's debut, recognising its significant contribution to understanding the challenges and opportunities within the Maloti-Drakensberg landscape. The film's premiere was not merely a screening; it was a watershed moment, sparking immediate conversations about the interplay between human activity and the fragile ecosystems of the region.

The film's release at SAMC 2025 highlighted the conference's commitment to fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and bridging the gap between research and real-world impact. By showcasing the human stories embedded in the mountains, Qwaqwa: Place of Barriers and Bridges provided a powerful emotional anchor to the conference's broader discussions on sustainability, conservation, and community resilience.

This premiere will undoubtedly resonate far beyond the conference halls, leaving an indelible mark on the collective understanding of the Maloti-Drakensberg region. The film's legacy will be one of inspiration, prompting further research, advocacy, and collaborative action to safeguard these vital mountain ecosystems for generations to come. The day will go down in history as a moment where film and scholarship intersected to illuminate the heart of the mountains.

The day concluded with a meet-and-greet hosted by the UFS Office for International Affairs, fostering networking and further collaboration among delegates.

The conference continues for the rest of the week, with a full programme of presentations, workshops, and field excursions. 

News Archive

Lecture focuses on how Marikana widows embody the transformative power of art
2015-08-11

Makopane Thelejane

"When I got the news of my husband is dead, I put my hands above my head, as you see me in this picture. I could not bear the ache in my heart." - Makopane Thelejane

A woman looks down on a canvas covered in thick layers of red, dark shadows falling across her face. A brief moment that captures the silently-devastating aftermath of the Marikana massacre that bled into the lives of 34 widows.

It is this silent trauma that was at the centre of the last instalment of the Vice-Chancellor’s Lecture Series for 2015. “These stories of the Marikana widows are important. It is these stories of silence that live behind the spectacular scenes of the violence,” Prof Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela, Senior Research Professor in Trauma, Forgiveness, and Reconciliation Studies at the University of the Free State (UFS) said at the event.

Panel
The lecture, which took place on Monday 27 July 2015 on the Bloemfontein Campus, took the form of a panel discussing the theme of “Speaking wounds: voices of Marikana widows through art and narrative”. The panel consisted of members from the Khulumani Support Group, including Dr Marjorie Jobson (National Director) and Judy Seidman (Sociologist and Graphic Artist), as well as Nomfundo Walaza, former CEO of the Desmond Tutu Peace Centre.

Betty Lomasontlo Gadlela

"Then this dark time came, a dark cloud over me. It made me to have an aching heart, which took me to hospital, from losing my loved one, my husband, in such a terrible manner. " - Betty Lomasontlo Gadlela

Trauma made visible
In a project initiated by Khulumani, the Marikana widows were encouraged to share their trauma through painting body maps – in which the widows depicted their own bodies immersed in their trauma – and narrating their personal stories. Throughout the workshops, the focus always remained on the women. As Siedman put it, “the power of this process is rooted in the participants. The statements of what the participants experienced is what’s important.”

Initially silenced and isolated, this group of women has now moved “into a space where they have become connected to each, and stand up for each other in the most powerful ways,” Dr Jobson said. “Our work is conceptualised in terms of giving visibility and voice to the people who know what it takes to change this country; to change this struggle.”

The transformative power of art and narrative
During her response, Walaza pointed out “how art and narrative can transform traumatic memory and become integrated in the survivors’ life story.” This gives individuals the opportunity, she said, “to step into a space of mutual listening and dialoguing in which people bond together.”

Co-hosted by Prof Gobodo-Madikizela and the UFS Institute for Reconciliation and Social Justice, the lecture series forms part of a five-year research project funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

 

 

 

 

 

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