Dr Eugene Buthelezi Opinion article by Dr Eugene Buthelezi, Department of Economics and Finance, University of the Free State The 2026 Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) raises an important question for South Africans: what does improved government financial management mean for a household struggling to buy groceries, a young graduate searching for work, or a small business battling rising operating costs? Will life finally get a little easier? Finance Minister

Dr Eugene Buthelezi Opinion article by Dr Eugene Buthelezi, Department of Economics and Finance, University of the Free State South Africa has crossed a painful fuel-price threshold. Petrol 95 unleaded now costs R30.25 a litre inland and R29.38 at the coast, over R1 500 to fill a 50-litre tank. In March, petrol was about R20.30. In seven months, the price has risen by nearly half. Demands for government action are understandable, but another broad fuel-levy cut would be

Dr Nontombi Velelo Opinion article by Dr Nontombi Velelo, Lecturer in the Department of Sociology, University of the Free State September 24 is previously known as Shaka Day and was observed primarily in KwaZulu-Natal to commemorate the Zulu King Shaka. It was in the mid-1990s that the post-apartheid government decided to change what was known as Shaka Day to Heritage Day to foster, embrace, and honour diverse traditions, beliefs, and identities. This was a period when t

Lusanda Madikane Opinion article by Lusanda Madikane, Assistant, Directorate for International Partnerships and Relations August is a month dedicated to honouring women who have led in times of crisis and hopelessness, when South Africa was fighting apartheid injustices, particularly under the pass laws. Women took a stand and declared: “Enough is enough”. The month also commemorates the historic 1956 Women’s March against the pass laws, led by Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph,

Prof Alice Ncube Opinion article by Prof Alice Ncube, Disaster Management Training and Education Centre for Africa (DiMTEC), University of the Free State As South Africa commemorates Women’s Month, we celebrate the achievements, resilience and contributions of women across society. However, this period must also provide an opportunity for deeper reflection on one of the most persistent threats facing women and children: Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF). GBVF is o

Philangenkosi Shabangu Opinion article by Philangenkosi Shabangu, Department of Curriculum Studies and Higher Education, University of the Free State Violence in South African schools is predominantly portrayed as a problem of recalcitrant learner behaviour. However, recent reports denote that more than 800 learners in Mangaung Metro have been profiled as potential gang members, while in Gauteng, 245 schools have been flagged as high-risk for violence. These statistics

Dr Ambrosé Ray du Plessis Opinion article by Dr Ambrosé Ray du Plessis, Senior Lecturer, Department Political Studies and Governance, University of the Free State The local government elections are set to take place on 4 November 2026. These elections are expected to produce a significant number of hung councils. In other words, few political parties are likely to achieve 50 plus 1 percent to govern outright. In this context, poor voter turnout may once again become the de

Lusanda Madikane Opinion article by Lusanda Madikane, Directorate for International Partnerships and Relations, University of the Free State The emergence of social media has created a digital community in which new identities, narratives, and perspectives are constantly produced and shared. This transformation has connected people across the world, but it raises an important question: Are we shifting from traditional communities to digital communities? Social media has b

Dr Paul K. Michael Opinion article by Dr Paul K. Michael, Higher Education and Human Development Research Group, University of the Free State In June 2024, I was part of a workshop on epistemic reparations and the right to be known in post-apartheid South Africa held both in the city of Johannesburg and at Uncle Tom’s Community Centre, Soweto. It was a gathering of academics from North America, Europe and Africa. Also present were former freedom fighters – including A

Dr Harlan Cloete Opinion article by Dr Harlan Cloete, Centre for Gender and Africa Studies, University of the Free State South Africa’s White Paper on Local Government Review (May 2026) arrives at a time when communities are preparing to elect leaders to represent their hopes, dreams, and aspirations. Across the country, many communities are frustrated by what is increasingly perceived as an uncaring local government system. Trust in local government is at an all-time

Dr Nasaret Ruswa Opinion article by Dr Nasaret Ruswa, Lecturer: Department of Curriculum Studies and Higher Education, Faculty of Education, University of the Free State Teachers in South Africa are leaving the profession at an alarming rate, raising urgent questions about their working conditions. How can teaching be regarded as the “mother of all professions” when the system fails to adequately prepare and support those entering it? Across South African classrooms,

Prof Felicity Burt Opinion article by Prof Felicity Burt, Principal Medical Scientist in the Pathogen Research Laboratory within the Division of Virology, National Health Laboratory Service and the University of the Free State A cruise ship is currently docked off Cabo Verde awaiting investigations regarding an outbreak of hantavirus affecting the passengers. While we wait for the outcome of further testing and confirmation of the strain of hantavirus causing the outbreak,

Dr Remeredzavi Gudyanga Opinion article by Dr Remeredzayi Gudyanga, Lecturer in Curriculum Studies and Higher Education, Faculty of Education, University of the Free State There is growing frustration in South African classrooms and elsewhere. Many learners no longer sustain reading the way previous generations did. Ask them to work through a long passage, and many lose focus within minutes. Yet the same learners can spend hours on TikTok, scroll endlessly on Instagr

Dr Ernest Peresu Opinion article by Dr Ernest Peresu, Centre for Health Systems Research & Development (CHSR&D), University of the Free State World TB Day is commemorated on 24 March each year, marking Dr Robert Koch’s discovery of the bacterium that causes TB in 1882. It reminds us of how humanity has grappled with this disease, and of the global efforts towards its diagnosis, treatment, and ultimate cure. Under this year’s theme, “Yes, You and I Can End TB”, South Af

Anele Siswana Opinion article by Anele Siswana , Clinical Psychologist and Lecturer, Department of Psychology, University of the Free State The scourge of gender-based violence (GBV), femicide and child abuse continues to tear through the moral fabric of South Africa. For many, these atrocities are not newspaper headlines; they are daily lived realities. They occur in homes, schools, workplaces, and tragically, within our universities. In the rural communities , town

Sandile Ndlovu, Assistant Researcher in the UFS Interdisciplinary Centre for Digital Futures. Opinion article by Sandile Ndlovu, Assistant Researcher in the Interdisciplinary Centre for Digital Futures at the University of the Free State. When I bought my laptop in my first year of university, it was fast, reliable, and felt like an investment that would last. But when I reached the third and final year of my undergraduate studies, it was a completely different story

Motsaathebe Serekoane Opinion article by Motsaathebe Serekoane, Department of Anthropology, University of the Free State. Last...

Dr Nontombi Velelo Opinion article by Dr Nontombi Velelo , Lecturer and Social Science Programme Director, Department of Sociology ,...

Photo: Prof Joy Owen Opinion article by Prof Joy Owen , Head of the Department of Anthropology , University of the Free State ...

Photo: Terrance Molobela Opinion article by Terrance Molobela, Lecturer in the Department of Public Administration and Management,...