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17 May 2019 | Story Lacea Loader

The discussion of the book Gangster State by Pieter-Louis Myburgh will go ahead as planned on the Bloemfontein Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS) on 23 May 2019.

The decision to postpone the book discussion this week was done on advice by the university’s Protection Services to the UFS Business School, following a proper risk assessment.  However, the executive management re-assessed this decision and felt that the platform for intellectual debate and discourse, coupled with the principles of academic freedom and freedom of expression, should be honoured and hence recommended that the UFS Business School continues with the book discussion.

Furthermore, the university wants to reiterate that freedom of expression is not an absolute and should be seen within a particular context.

The university welcomes and appreciates the fact that the author, Pieter-Louis Myburgh, agreed to continue with the book discussion. 

The event will take place in the Odeion Theatre on the Bloemfontein Campus from 14:00 to 16:00.

Released by:
Lacea Loader (Director: Communication and Marketing)
Telephone: +27 51 401 2584 | +27 83 645 2454
Email: news@ufs.ac.za | loaderl@ufs.ac.za
Fax: +27 51 444 6393

News Archive

English, Afrikaans, Sotho, and Zulu part of first Literature Festival
2016-08-11

Description: Literature Festival  Tags: Literature Festival

The first Literature Festival was a huge success, attracting
young and old during this year’s Vrystaat Arts Festival held
at the University of the Free State.
Photo: Leopold Frechow

It may have been the inaugural year of the Vrystaat Literature Festival, but, with the success of this year’s event, there are bound to be many more.

Main purpose of the festival

Acting Director of Student Affairs at the University of the Free State (UFS), Cornelia Faasen says: “The main purpose of the festival is to celebrate the South African literary scene as a multi-lingual, multi-cultural landscape, and to bring prominent writers to the UFS in order to open dialogues and discussions with them.”

Because of the students’ role in the arts and culture in general, the Department of Student Affairs wanted them to be involved in the festival too.

Contribution from African writers

Both local and international guests were involved. This year’s theme, “Our Africa”, attracted many African writers too.

Some of these writers include Chika Unigwe, originally from Nigeria, who rose to fame in Belgium, and the Iranian author, Kader Abdolah, a political refugee who escaped from Iran to the Netherlands in the 1980s. Wilfried N’Sondé, originally from the Republic of the Congo, and now living in France, was also a festival guest.

Festival offers something for everyone

Several authors celebrated literature in English. In addition to this, Afrikaans books and writers were featured alongside other indigenous languages, such as Sotho and Zulu.

Faasen says that she hopes that this festival will be the first of many. “We are hoping that this event will find its own legs with more students and academic staff from the UFS involved.”

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