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Skills Festival
Lutho Xamlashe – a third-year Bachelor of Administration student – from ACCESS, showing Bokamoso Makae how to crochet. Makae says she wants to learn as much as possible at the Learning Festival.
Held under the theme Building self-reliance, self-sufficiency, self-sustainable livelihoods for responsible societal futures, the Directorate Community Engagement at the University of the Free State’s Learning Festival this year created a space for lively interaction and practical learning. With about 150 people taking part each day, the atmosphere was alive with energy, a will to learn, and a real sense of people helping one another to live more independently and make the most of what they have.

Bishop Billyboy Ramahlele, Director of Community Engagement, captured the spirit of the event perfectly: “Self-reliance begins when we share what we know and use what we have. Together, we can transform communities from the ground up. With an unemployment rate of about 33,2%, and 40,1% of the population on social grants, the Learning Festival is a contribution towards helping individuals and communities make a shift from charity and unemployment to taking responsibility for their own sustainable livelihoods.”

“Self-reliance refers to the ability to depend on oneself for support and fulfilment, without relying on others. It involves acquiring knowledge and skills to access and use resources to make a living. On the other hand, self-sufficiency refers to the ability to meet one's own needs without external assistance. It involves the ability to provide for oneself in terms of food, shelter, and other necessities.”

From worm farming to furniture making, steel manufacturing, food security, herbal and cosmetic manufacturing, and even a Mend-a-Thon, participants gained hands-on experience in turning everyday resources into opportunities.

 

A celebration of practical learning

The line-up of workshops and demonstrations showed just how many ways there are to make the most of what we have. The ACCESS UFS student organisation led sessions on Worm Farming and Eco-Vernacular Architecture, teaching participants how to build with eco-bricks and run small-scale worm farms as income-generating projects.

Golukisa Trading Construction hosted a Furniture Manufacturing workshop, equipping local artisans with carpentry skills. These skills have already sparked success stories, such as that of Katlego Mpoihi, who launched his business after attending a previous learning festival.

Benjamin Nhlapo from Seotlong Agriculture and Hotel School in Phuthaditjhaba trained attendees about poultry farming, while Jurie Nel from JG Electronics introduced participants to printing, needlework, and bag manufacturing. Using state-of-the-art, yet affordable equipment, participants learned how to start small businesses through creative printing and design, inspiring a new generation of social entrepreneurs.

Thomas Tsintsing from The Engineered Movement shared skills on how to design and manufacture metal products, including fireplaces.

Another highlight was the Mend-a-Thon, facilitated by Doretha Jacobs from the Department of Sustainable Food Systems and Development and supported by ACCESS students. This session taught hand needlework, crochet, and denim repair, breathing new life into old clothes and celebrating the joy of making something by hand. Participants beamed with pride, many saying, “I can’t believe it. I made this myself!”

 

Innovation and inspiration

From presentations to hands-on demonstrations, the festival was full of fresh ideas and practical inspiration. Willem Ellis, Research Associate in the Centre for Gender and Africa Studies, explored how social innovation fuels community transformation through empathy, creativity, and collaboration. Matseliso Achilonu from Devoni Natural shared how herbs can be turned into market-ready cosmetics, proving that nature and business can grow hand in hand.

Nutrition also took centre stage, with Ermi Spies from the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics highlighting the important link between well-being and sustainable living. Honours students from the Department of Psychology presented their Well-being in Action infographics, promoting mental and social wellness in community spaces.

Thabo Olivier of Let’s Grow Food © captivated audiences with practical sessions on establishing sustainable food security through self-reliance, showing how small backyard gardens can feed families and help communities thrive together. Robert Mitchell, founder of Robs Handyman Services, demonstrated how wooden pallets can be repurposed into creative, sellable products – an inspiring example of social entrepreneurship in action.

The festival also featured exhibits such as Daniel Moloi’s Agape Foundation stall, showcasing the health benefits of rosehip juice, and the Itemoheleng Soy Project from Qwaqwa, which demonstrated soy-based food products for better nutrition. Meanwhile, the UFS Library Makerspace wowed visitors with robotics and creative design tools, inspiring a new wave of innovation.

And just when visitors thought they had seen it all, creativity took another turn. The stall of Corne Thomas from Puzzles of Impact showed how developing practical and life skills can help people find purpose and belonging by repurposing old videotapes into crochet items as a creative example.

The 2025 festival introduced a more interactive format than previous years, with more parallel workshops and matchmaking sessions between government departments, communities, and organisations. It was in these conversations and hands-on moments that the true impact of the festival came to life. One participant summed up the impact beautifully: “I have learned that my skills as a public speaker will change: from now on, my ‘voice’ will have an ‘invoice’.”

 

Empowering communities through knowledge and practical skills

Dr Karen Venter, Assistant Director and Head of Service Learning, added that the festival aligns with the broader goals of the Directorate for Community Engagement: “It perfectly mirrors the directorate’s mission to promote engaged scholarship and collaborative community development. By connecting the university’s academic expertise with local community needs, it fosters innovation, inclusivity, and sustainable impact, embodying the UFS’ commitment to social responsibility and partnership building.”

According to Dr Venter, the event left a lasting impact on participants and their communities. “Attendees left equipped – not just with new skills, but also with partnerships, ideas, and confidence to implement self-sustaining initiatives in their communities for socially responsible futures,” she says.

News Archive

Inauguration of Prof Francis Petersen as 14th Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS
2017-05-23

Description: Prof Petersen Inauguration Charl Devenish photo Tags: Prof Petersen Inauguration Charl Devenish photo

Dr Khotso Mokhele, Chancellor of the UFS, robes Prof Francis Petersen as Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS.
Photo: Charl Devenish

“At the UFS, we want to produce graduates for the world, and we need to ensure that we use our knowledge to uplift society”
— Prof Francis Petersen, 14th Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the University of the Free State (UFS)

On Friday 19 May 2017, the University of the Free State (UFS) celebrated the inauguration of its 14th Vice-Chancellor and Rector, Prof Francis Petersen. The formal inauguration was held in the Odeion Theatre on the Bloemfontein Campus. The ceremony was preceded by a week-long welcoming programme on the three UFS campuses.

The guest list included representatives from local and provincial government, vice-chancellors and rectors from across South Africa, and senior members of the university’s executive management.

During the inaugural address, Prof Petersen paid tribute to his predecessors for the role they played in making the university what it is today. This included former rectors and vice-chancellors who attended the ceremony, such as Prof Francois Retief and Prof Frederick Fourie, and Prof Stef Coetzee and Prof Jonathan Jansen who were unable to attend.

Prof Petersen characterised 2015 and 2016 as watershed years for the South African higher-education system. “The Rhodes Must Fall, and subsequent Fees Must Fall student and staff protests challenged us, and re-energised a critical engagement around the purpose of the university in an equal society, both as a site of complicity and as a potential agent for social change,” said Prof Petersen.

He committed himself to developing the UFS into an institution that will have an even greater impact than before.

“This institution I am striving to establish will be one that responds positively to inclusivity, diversity, and transformation, and which can incorporate these values into our curriculum, scholarship, and research in a productive way,” said Prof Petersen.

Prof Petersen emphasised the importance of the three-campus model. “The University of the Free State is ONE university with three campuses: the Bloemfontein Campus, our South Campus, and the Qwaqwa Campus. I am committed to align the activities of the three campuses, and to integrate our activities to a greater extent.

“We must work together to infuse each campus with the values we have identified as essential if we are to make our mark as a united University of the Free State: academic excellence, diversity and inclusivity, and innovation.”

The Chancellor, Dr Khotso Mokhele, had the honour of handing over the gown to Prof Petersen. Prof Lis Lange, Vice-Rector: Academic, explained the relationship between the university and the Basotho people, and how this relationship is honoured through the official procession gowns of the UFS. The Basotho blanket is worn by kings, and the university therefore hopes that the symbolism of the gown would be a source of inspiration to Prof Petersen.

The event was concluded by congratulatory messages from former colleagues and the President of the Student Representative Council on the Bloemfontein Campus, SK Luwaca. The event was elegant and graceful – the inaugural address was thought-provoking and inspiring.

 

Official Inauguration Ceremony:

19 May 2017
Bloemfontein Campus

 Description: Official Inauguration photo small Tags: Official Inauguration photo small


"I challenge you to dream big and do big." - Prof Petersen

 

Photo Caption: Dr Khotso Mokhele, Chancellor of the UFS, robes Prof Francis Petersen as Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS.
Photo: Johan Roux

Short biography of Prof Francis Petersen
Inaugural address: 19 May 2017
Transcription of the ceremony
Photo Gallery
Video

 

Welcoming Ceremonies:

The week of 11-19 May 2017 was one of the highlights in this year’s calendar for staff and students of the University of the Free State (UFS), with various ceremonies taking place to welcome Prof Francis Petersen – who assumed his duties on 1 April 2017 – as the 14th Vice-Chancellor and Rector. The festivities culminated in the official inauguration ceremony at the Bloemfontein Campus on 19 May 2017.
 
The Qwaqwa Campus welcoming ceremony took place on Thursday 11 May 2017, attracting a wide spectrum of community leaders from the area. Prof Petersen was welcomed by representatives from the two trade unions, National Education Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) and UVPERSU, as well as representatives from the Student Representative Council (SRC), the Thabo Mofutsanyana Education District, and the House of Traditional Leaders. Paramount Queen Mopeli of the Bakoena Royal House bestowed a special honour upon Prof Petersen by clothing him in a traditional Basotho blanket and hat. She said, "From our heart of hearts, welcome, Prof Francis ..., and all Godspeed during your tenure."
 
The South Campus in Bloemfontein hosted a welcoming ceremony for the new Vice-Chancellor and Rector on 18 May 2017. The ceremony included a number of vocal performances and messages from various stakeholder groups. The same afternoon, the Institute for Reconciliation and Social Justice (IRSJ) also facilitated a panel discussion, titled Diversity, inclusivity, and social justice and the renewed call for decolonisation, in the Albert Wessels Auditorium (AWO) on the Bloemfontein Campus.

The welcoming ceremonies culminated in an event in the Callie Human Centre on Friday 19 May 2017 at the Bloemfontein Campus, with a number of performances by musicians associated with the UFS, marimbas, drum majorettes from Jim Fouche Secondary School, the Grey College Gumboots, and school choirs from Eunice Secondary School, Brebner Primary School, and Willem Postma Primary School. Representatives from key stakeholders such as Nehawu, UVPERSU, the Campus Ministries Forum, SRC, Alumni, Convocation, and the UFS Council had the opportunity to convey their messages of welcome to Prof Petersen.
 
The formal inauguration ceremony took place in the Odeion Theatre on the Bloemfontein Campus the same day.

 

Qwaqwa Campus ceremony:

11 May 2017
Qwaqwa Campus

 Description: Prof Petersen with the queen 2 Tags: Prof Petersen with the queen 2

 

"Qwaqwa Campus is the perfect laboratory for sustainable sciences.” – Prof Petersen

 

Photo caption: Paramount Queen Mopeli of the Bakoena Royal House with Prof Petersen and his wife, Cheslyn.
Photo: Mamosa Makaya

Photo Gallery
Video

Read the full story
Transcription of the ceremony

 

South Campus ceremony:

18 May 2017
South Campus

 Description: South Campus welcoming Tags: South Campus welcoming

 

"South Campus: you aspire excellence, adding to diversity and you are innovative in what you do." - Prof Petersen

Photo caption: Flag bearers and drummers walking to the Madiba Arena.
Photo: Hannes Pieterse

Photo Gallery

Read the full story
Transcription of the ceremony

 

 

Bloemfontein Campus panel discussion:

Panel discussion: Diversity, inclusivity and social justice and the renewed call for decolonisation
18 May 2017
Bloemfontein Campus

 Description: Panel discussion 18 May 2017 Tags: Panel discussion 18 May 2017


"The UFS should be a place of belonging for everyone." - Prof Petersen

 

Photo caption: from left: SK Luwaca (SRC President, Bloemfontein Campus), Prof Elelwani Ramugondo (UCT), Prof Francis Petersen (UFS), Prof Melissa Steyn (WITS), Prof Andre Keet (UFS)
Photo: Lelanie de Wet

Photo Gallery

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Transcription of panel discussion



 

Bloemfontein Campus ceremony:

19 May 2017
Bloemfontein Campus

 Description: Bloem welcoming ceremony on 19 May 2017 Tags: Bloem welcoming ceremony on 19 May 2017


"I can just say, Wow! I've experienced a lot during the welcoming functions on all three campuses." - Prof Petersen

 

Photo caption: Prof Francis Petersen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS
Photo: Rulanzen Martin

Photo Gallery

Read the full story
Transcription of the ceremony


 

 

Description: Inauguration and welcoming of Prof Petersen combined gallery Tags: Inauguration and welcoming of Prof Petersen combined gallery

Photo gallery of Inauguration and Welcoming Ceremonies

 

 

 

 

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