The meeting, held on Tuesday 13 May 2025 at the UFS’s Bloemfontein Campus, served two purposes: to formally introduce the university’s new Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof Hester C. Klopper, to a valued partner, and to reaffirm the partnership between the two institutions.
A historic partner in a shared development mission
The Barolong Boo Seleka is a prominent royal nation based in Thaba 'Nchu, Free State, 63 km east of Bloemfontein. With a legacy stretching back centuries, the community has long played a role in shaping the region’s cultural, political, and developmental identity. Queen Moroka, who assumed the throne in 2022, is the first woman to lead the nation – a role she carries with grace and a clear vision for her people.
Strategic partnerships for societal impact
Dr Molapo Qhobela, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Institutional Change, Strategic Partnerships and Societal Impact, stressed the importance of shaping a partnership that is not only intentional but rooted in mutual development.
“The university should work together with the royal house towards a deliberate and beneficial relationship of development on issues of agriculture, health, geospatial planning, and other aspects, because this is our home,” he said, adding that, “The university comes with a different lens in terms of our knowledge and our technical expertise.”
Bishop Billyboy Ramahlele, Director of Community Engagement at the UFS, described the engagement as part of the university’s broader vision of renewal. “As we are aware, the Vision 130 of the University of the Free State talks about renewing and reimagining,” he said. “So that does not only happen in research, teaching, and learning, but it also happens in engaged scholarship and in how we partner and work with our stakeholders.”
He noted that this gathering builds on previous collaborations with the royal house, grounded in a memorandum of understanding. “There’s a lot of great work that was done previously by the university in partnership with the Barolong Boo Seleka leadership. So right now, the focus is on refocusing, bringing in new energy, and aligning it with the strategic direction of the university.”
He added, “we want to challenge and bring in other academic partners, the faculties – and, as Her Majesty put it, to use Thaba 'Nchu as a laboratory where things can happen, which will benefit the academic programme but also benefit society as well.”
An appeal for authentic, impactful collaboration
During the engagement, Queen Moroka made a passionate appeal for partnerships that go beyond goodwill and deliver measurable outcomes. “I have a humble request: that we hold hands in an authentic manner, be intentional with the impact that we want to do, and be unapologetic about it as well,” she said.
She emphasised that her leadership is shaped by a long-term vision, not short-term goals. “My responsibility as a royal leader in a traditional institution is to take a nation from one generation to the other,” she explained. “It’s not about five-year terms, but about generations. That is why the RRHEP is so close to my heart, because I understand the depth of procreation. It’s not just about making babies.”
Her Majesty’s message was clear: the dignity of a nation depends on its development – and that development requires the right tools, partnerships, and commitment.
“It’s more than being a motivation, it’s a responsibility,” she said. “Our primary responsibility is to ensure that we lead a nation that deserves all the dignity it can get. To attain that dignity, we need to give our nation the correct resources in terms of human or rural development, so that it becomes a nation that thrives.”
New leadership, same shared vision
Prof Klopper, who began her tenure as Vice-Chancellor and Principal in February 2025, welcomed the Queen’s vision and affirmed the university’s commitment to working closely with its community partners. “One of the aspirations in our Vision 130 is being a regionally engaged university,” she said. “The principle of ‘charity begins at home’ is embedded in that.”
Recognising the royal house as a longstanding and trusted partner, Prof Klopper noted that her leadership comes with a responsibility to revisit and realign existing partnerships. “As the new leader of the university, I have a responsibility to look at and engage with our existing partners in terms of how we can align for our future. We can’t do solo fights anymore. It’s about being a collective – collaboration and cooperation.”
Queen Moroka welcomed this inclusive approach, expressing appreciation for the university’s upcoming Senate Conference. “I’m very impressed by the Senate Conference that the Vice-Chancellor is going to host next week,” she said. “That’s the way to go – we need to bring everyone around the table.”
Prof Klopper echoed this sentiment: “We need a more multidisciplinary approach. If we really want to address the problem, we need to come together.”
Looking ahead
As the engagement ended, Prof Klopper reflected on the importance of turning a shared vision into practical action, suggesting that future conversations could explore the formation of a working group to take the partnership forward. Her Majesty, in turn, extended an invitation for Prof Klopper to visit the royal seat – a symbolic gesture of welcome and goodwill.
The meeting concluded with a shared sense of purpose, as both institutions looked ahead to building a renewed and meaningful partnership rooted in development, scholarship, and mutual respect.