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UFS celebrates rise of student to African Union Student Parliament

12 March 2025 | Story Precious Shamase | Photo Supplied

The University of the Free State (UFS) Qwaqwa Campus is radiating with pride as Sociology master's student, Sanelisiwe Khumalo, has been elected to the prestigious African Union Student Parliament (AUSP). This achievement highlights the exceptional calibre of students nurtured within the institution, demonstrating their potential to effect significant change on a continental scale.

African Union Student Parliament welcomes UFS representative

Khumalo's election is testament to her academic excellence, unwavering leadership, and profound dedication to student representation. As a student in the Department of Sociology, she has consistently displayed a keen understanding of complex social issues and a fervent passion for driving positive change.

The AUSP serves as a vital platform for student voices across Africa, providing a space for young leaders to engage in meaningful dialogue, advocate for student rights, and contribute to shaping higher education policies. Khumalo's presence in this esteemed body will undoubtedly bring invaluable perspectives, representing the interests of UFS students with distinction.

"Congratulations, Sanelisiwe Khumalo, on your remarkable achievement," remarked Divane Nzima, Senior Lecturer and Subject Head of the Department of Sociology in the Faculty of The Humanities. "Being elected to the African Union Student Parliament is an indication of your dedication to contributing towards positive social change. As a Sociology master’s student at the University of the Free State, you have made us immensely proud. We wish you strength and wisdom to inspire change across the continent."

UFS sociology student inspires change on continental stage

Khumalo’s journey is a shining example of the transformative power of education and the boundless opportunities available to students on the UFS Qwaqwa Campus. Her success story embodies the university’s commitment to fostering a supportive and empowering environment where students can thrive and reach their full potential, aligning with the UFS’ Vision 130 as a student-centred institution focused on excellence and impact.

Adding to her impressive journey, Khumalo participated in an enriching exchange programme at the University of Education Freiburg in Germany last year. This collaboration, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), has opened doors for students, staff, and faculty members to engage in valuable academic and cultural exchanges.

Khumalo was an early beneficiary of this partnership and spent four months in Freiburg, immersing herself in the vibrant academic and cultural landscape. "The opportunity to study at the University of Education Freiburg was a dream come true," Khumalo shared. "The university's reputation for innovative teaching methods and its commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive learning environment were incredibly appealing."

This experience, coupled with her dedication and leadership, has prepared her for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in the AUSP. Her journey serves as an inspiration to fellow students, demonstrating that with dedication, passion, and a commitment to excellence, they can achieve their dreams and contribute to shaping a better future.

News Archive

Africa the birthplace of mathematics, says Prof Atangana

2017-11-17

Prof Abdon Atangana from the UFS Institute for Groundwater Studies.
Photo: Supplied

Prof Abdon Atangana from the Institute for Groundwater Studies at the University of the Free State recently received the African Award of Applied Mathematics during the International conference "African’s Days of Applied Mathematics" that was held in Errachidia, Morocco. Prof Atangana delivered the opening speech with the title "Africa was a temple of knowledge before: What happened?” The focus of the conference was to offer a forum for the promotion of mathematics and its applications in African countries.

When Europeans first came to Africa, they considered the architecture to be disorganised and thus primitive. It never occurred to them that Africans might have been using a form of mathematics that they hadn’t even discovered yet.

Africa is home to the world’s earliest known use of measuring and calculation. Thousands of years ago Africans were using numerals, algebra and geometry in daily life. “Our continent is the birthplace of both basic and advanced mathematics,” said Prof Atangana.

Africa attracted a series of immigrants who spread knowledge from this continent to the rest of the world.

Measuring and counting
In one of his examples of African mathematics knowledge Prof Atangana referred to the oldest mathematical instrument as the Lebombo bone, a baboon fibula used as a measuring instrument, which was named after the Lebombo Mountains of Swaziland. The world’s oldest evidence of advanced mathematics was also a baboon fibula that was discovered in present-day Democratic Republic of Congo.

Another example he used is the manuscripts in the libraries of the Sankoré University, one of the world’s oldest tertiary institutions. This university in Timbuktu, Mali, is full of manuscripts mainly written in Ajami in the 1200s AD. “When Europeans and Western Asians began visiting and colonising Mali between the 1300s and 1800s, Malians hid the manuscripts in basements, attics and underground, fearing destruction or theft by foreigners. This was certainly a good idea, given the Europeans' history of destroying texts in Kemet and other areas of the continent. Many of the scripts were mathematical and astronomical in nature. In recent years, as many as 700 000 scripts have been rediscovered and attest to the continuous knowledge of advanced mathematics and science in Africa well before European colonisation.

Fractal geometry
“One of Africa’s major achievements was the advanced knowledge of fractal geometry. This knowledge is found in a wide aspect of Africa life: from art, social design structures, architecture, to games, trade and divination systems.

“The binary numeral system was also widely known through Africa before it was known throughout much of the world. There is a theory that it could have influenced Western geometry, which led to the development of digital computers,” he said.

“Can Africa rise again?” Prof Atangana believes it can.

He concluded with a plea to fellow African researchers to do research that will build towards a new Africa.

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