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Excellence celebrated as student achievements shine at EDSA Prestige Awards

29 October 2025 | Story Tshepo Tsotetsi | Photo Kaleidoscope Studios

The Division of Student Affairs at the University of the Free State (UFS) brought together students, staff, and senior management on Friday 24 October 2025 for the fourth edition of the Executive Director: Student Affairs (EDSA) Prestige Awards – an evening dedicated to recognising students whose leadership, creativity, and commitment are shaping a more inclusive university.

Held at the Bloemfontein Campus, the ceremony honoured outstanding students across all three campuses who have excelled through academic performance, community engagement, and innovation. From sport and residence life to student governance, counselling, health and wellness, social support, and the Centre for Universal Access and Disability Support, each award reflected the depth of student impact within the university community.

A night that belonged to students

Dr Temba Hlasho, Executive Director of Student Affairs, said the awards serve as a reminder of the values that underpin the UFS journey toward Vision 130. “By recognising and rewarding excellence,” he said, “we reinforce the culture of achievement and innovation that drives our students.”

He congratulated the winners for their perseverance, describing them as “dreamers who never give up” – borrowing the words of Nelson Mandela – and encouraged them to remain ambassadors of the university’s spirit of excellence.

Guest speaker Prof Noluxolo Gcaza, Associate Professor from Nelson Mandela University, reflected on the meaning of excellence in her keynote address. “Excellence is a way of being,” she said. “It’s not about recognition at the end – it’s the fruit of your quiet perseverance. Whether your name is called or not, your contribution adds to the living story of this university.”

The highlight of the evening was the announcement of the EDSA Student of the Year, celebrating students who embody global citizenship, academic distinction, leadership, and community engagement.

Jane Mpholo-Mehlape, an Honours in Drama and Theatre Arts student specialising in Theatre for Young Audiences and Directing, earned the top honour. A multi-award-winning theatre-maker, filmmaker, and social entrepreneur, she uses the performing arts to confront social issues, create employment, and mentor young people.

“It feels surreal,” she said after receiving her award. “For years I’ve poured everything into my work, so this recognition affirms that what I’m doing matters… that we are seen.”

Coming from the performing arts, she added, the recognition carries special weight. “People often see performance as just entertainment,” she said. “But art can give people voices and opportunities. This award recognises leadership, transformation, and community – and those are everything that I am.”

Joining her were Thabang Mahlangu, a Human Resource Management student and member of the Shimlas rugby team, who received the first runner-up honours for his contributions to sport, leadership, and community engagement, and Mbalenhle Thungo, a Bachelor of Administration student from the Qwaqwa Campus, who was named second runner-up. Thungo is an entrepreneurial student leader serving as the Deputy Chairperson of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences Student Council.

Together, the winners represent the diverse ways in which UFS students continue to demonstrate excellence: not as a goal, but as a way of being that reflects the heart of the institution.

News Archive

Multidisciplinary conference on TB control

2003-09-22

Theme: Tuberculosis control: a multidisciplinary approach to research, policy and practice Venue: CR Swart Auditorium, University of the Free State Campus, Bloemfontein Date: 11 and 12 November 2003 Time: 11 November, 19:00-20:30 AND 12 November 08:30-17:00

Tuesday, 11 November - 19:00-20:30 (registration from 18:30) and Wednesday, 12 November - 08:30-17:00 (registration from 07:30)

The Honourable MEC for Health in the Free State will officially open the Conference on the evening of 11 November, while Prof Frederick Fourie (Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the University of the Free State) will attend to the welcoming. In addition, Prof Françoise Portaels (Institute of Tropical Medicine, Belgium) and Dr Refiloe Matji (National Department of Health, South Africa) will respectively present a global and a South African perspective on TB. The majority of the presentations will follow on 12 November.

Main thrust of Conference

The main thrust of the Conference is to disseminate both research results and policy/managerial matters relevant to TB and TB control, and to facilitate discourse among researchers and health policy makers/managers/practitioners in the field of TB control. Presenters of papers, as well as delegates are, therefore, drawn from both academic/research institutions, and from health service sectors involved in TB control in all provinces and in neighbouring countries.

Topics of presentations

A variety of topics will be dealt with during presentations, such as: New challenges in the global control of MDR-TB New strategies and policies on MDR-TB in South Africa A South African perspective on TB control A provincial perspective on implementing the national TB control policy

The role of the public district hospital in TB control Tuberculosis control through DOTS Case detection strategies

TB in children Hospital to clinic: is this the missing link? Patient compliance with DOT for TB Challenges for effective health communications in a multicultural context

The economics of TB Frequency of multiple infections with M. tuberculosis in pulmonary TB patients HIV/AIDS and TB, etc.

Speakers

Among the speakers will be Dr Victor Litlhakanyane (Head of Health: Free State); Prof Françoise Portaels and Dr Leen Rigouts (Institute of Tropical Medicine, Belgium); Dr Reliloe Matji (Director: NTBC Programme); Ntsiki Jolingana (Director: HIV, AIDS, TB and Communicable Diseases, Free State) and Annatjie Peters (Free State TB Coordinator); Dr Karin Weyer (Medical Research Council); Profs Herman Meulemans, Diana De Graeve, Luc Pauwels and Christiane Timmerman (University of Anwerp, Belgium); Dr Lara Fairall (UCT Lung Institute, University of Cape Town); Prof Frikkie Booysen (Department of Economics, University of the Free State); Christo Heunis, Ega Janse van Rensburg-Bonthuyzen, Zacheus Matebesi and Kobus Meyer (CHSR&D); Dr Mary Ednington (School of Public Health, Wits); Dr Carmen Báez and Sabine Verkuijl (ISDS); Anneke Van der Spoel-Van Dijk (Medical Microbiology, University of the Free State).

Costs

There will be no registration fees. However, delegates are expected to arrange their own transport and accommodation, or arrange for sponsorships themselves.

Contact details in case of inquiries and confirmation:

Postal Address: The Director, CHSR&D, PO Box 339, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, 9300 Fax: 051 448 0370 Tel: 051 401 2181 OR 051 401 3256 E-mail: vrensh@mail.ufs.ac.za (Dingie van Rensburg) OR neljc@mail.ufs.ac.za (Ohna Nel)

PLEASE, CONFIRM YOUR ATTENDANCE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, BUT AT THE LATEST BEFORE 25 OCTOBER 2003 ? BY TELEPHONE, FAX OR E-MAIL.

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