bult - ufs
TRANSCRIPT
2 3Bult
Bult Nuus News4
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Jonathan Jansen wants to bring
people together
Afrika-leraars preek met
UV-kwalifikasie
2008 was also a year of many
blessings
Frederick Fourie – net mens
The art of giving back to the
community
A year-long celebration of life
and survival
Kovsies se dramadepartement
laat waai
‘n Graad vir engele
Let the violins play
Regsopleiding vier 100 jaar
Regter Hefer roep tere
herinneringe op
A bridge to the future for
school leavers
Sporting feast awaits us this year
Boyden central to astronomy-year
celebrations
Landbou is 50, maar nog
‘n jong kalfie
Take note of these Nguni breeders
Navorsing Research30
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Tick resistance can hamper
food security in SA
Ons eie ‘CSI’-man
Taking your own medicine may be a
bitter pill to swallow
There is chemistry between
Sasol and the UFS
The leading edge
Personeel Staff40
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Maryke excels in the genetic
improvement of crops
Gretha wen veld met meditasie en
visualisasie in die kerk
Letticia at home in the theatre and
the veld
Francois Tolmie: die man agter die titel
Johan Meyer praises the beauty
of maths
Beds of Hope gets a major injection
Studente Students53
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Graduates should do youth service
in schools
Way to Botshabelo takes Ryan to Italy
Min kan trotser wees as
‘juffrou’ Emma
Kompetisie lok steeds room
van die oes
Service-learning helps to prepare
students for life
Die ‘groot appel’ wink vir twee oud-
Kovsies
Alumni64
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Veritas word dertig
Now Everest is calling ...
Thabo’s voice opens hearts of people
Therese wil nog magic maak
Brand is doing us proud
Redakteur / Editor:
Leatitia Pienaar
Corporate Relations
Posbus / PO Box 339
Bloemfontein 9300
Tel: +27 (0) 51 401 9188 /
0836776042
Fax: 086 640 3571
Adresveranderinge aan /
Address changes to:
Dawid Kriel
Corporate Relations
Posbus / PO Box 339
Bloemfontein 9300
Tel: +27 (0) 51 401 3409
Fax: +27 (0) 51 444 6391
Produksie / Production:
Ontwerp / Design: Urbancrew
Drukwerk / Printing: Paarlweb
Gauteng
Created under the direction of
thinkingfusion.
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word, weerspieël nie noodwendig die
van die Redakteur, die afdeling of die
Universiteit nie. Bult word onder
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regeringsleiers, meningsvormers en Kovsie-
vriende versprei. Artikels kan met die
nodige erkenning elders gebruik word. Rig
navrae hieroor aan die Redakteur.
Opinions expressed in the publication
are not necessarily those of the Editor,
the division or the University. Bult is
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Kovsie friends. Articles can be published
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acknowledgement. Contact the Editor in
this regard.
Content
Cover: Thabo’s voice opens hearts of people, page 70
BultI s s u e 1 • 2 0 0 9
UNIVERSITEIT VAN DIE VRYSTAAT • UNIVERSITY OF THE FREE STATE • YUNIVESITHI YA FREISTATA
Nuustydskr i f / News magazinePubl ished by Corporate Relat ions
Univers i ty of the Free StatePO Box 339, Bloemfontein, 9300
www.ufs.ac.za
Bult • U
niversity of the Free State • Issue 1 • 2009
4 5Bult
‘n Nuwe blad
Bultbriewe
Bult het ‘n nuwe vars blaai omgeslaan. Letterlik.
Ons bring vandag aan jou ‘n nuwe Bult met ‘n nuwe
voorkoms, ‘n nuwe aanslag en met nuus wat sal
weerspieël dat ons trots is op ons plek hier in die
Vrystaat.
Ons is groter en dikker en jy gaan meer lees van
ons prestasies as ‘n akademiese instelling en die
van ons mense op streekvlak en ook nasionaal en
internasionaal. Jy gaan meer lees oor personeel,
studente en ook van alumni en vriende van die
universiteit. Almal is belangrike speke in die wiele wat
hierdie trotse instelling, wat vanjaar 105 jaar oud is, se
momentum aan die gang hou.
As an institution we have also put a very difficult year in
our history behind us and are ready for the challenges
awaiting us. And there are many. We are positive that
this university will be an institution of hope, where
everyone will find a niche, where everyone will be in a
position to make a difference. Not only to the institution,
but also to our region and our country.
We are welcoming our new rector and vice-chancellor,
Prof. Jonathan Jansen, at the helm of our institution
and are sure that he will take the UFS to new heights.
He will take the reins of our university on 1 July this
year.
Enjoy the reading.
Leatitia Pienaar
Editor
Geskiedenis herhaal homselfHennie Pienaar, Bellville, skryf
Die spreekwoord sê die geskiedenis herhaal homself,
en dit besef ek weer toe ek bloot per ongeluk ‘n Bult van
September 2002 oopslaan. ‘n Brief van ‘n oud-inwoner
van Olienhout, Nelis Zeelie, wat hartroerend sy mening
gee oor die destydse sluiting van Olienhout! Nelis, as jy
dalk hier lees wil ek net sê dat ons oud-Reitzmanne nou
meer verstaan waaroor jy destyds in jou brief geskryf
het. Om jou aan te haal: “Vir my was dit heel eenvoudig
– indien dit (die sluiting van Olienhout) as gevolg van
rassevoorvalle was, waarom ‘n hele tradisie ten gronde
bring? Hoekom is individue nooit eerder geblameer as
om ‘n hele koshuis toe te maak nie?”
As oud-Reitzman wil ek met dié brief hulde bring aan die
inwoners van die twee bogenoemde koshuise. Maar nog
meer – baie dankie aan al die ander oud-Reitzmanne vir
julle bydrae oor jare heen om Reitz dié koshuis te maak.
Reitz, die plek waar ek geleer het wat kameraderie en
vir-ewig-vriendskappe is! Soos Blouwillem ook al geskryf
het, waar jou mede-inwoners soos broers is, al kom hulle
vanoor die hele land.
Let wel Reitz mag gesluit wees, maar luister maar, ons
gees sal in die jare wat kom steeds daar rondswerf en
ween oor ons ontydige sterfte. (Brief verkort – Redakteur)
Nie meer so opgewonde Johann Jordaan, Status Makelaars, skryf
Ek ontvang sedert ek in 1979 klaar gestudeer het die Bult
en was altyd opgewonde om nuus van my Alma Mater
te ontvang, maar wat ‘n teleurstelling is die tydskrif die
laaste aantal jare. Die voorkoms en bladuitleg se kwaliteit
is nog steeds puik, maar die inhoud laat veel te wense
oor.
Ek kry die idee dat die bestuur van die universiteit
die blad gebruik vir hul eie propagandaveldtog. Ja,
bestuur het definitief te doen met die suksesse van
die universiteit, maar waarom kry die studente en hul
organisasies nie ook blootstelling in die blad nie. Ons kry
nie die Irawa nie en daarom kry ons geen inligting oor
die studente (waarvan sommiges ook ons kinders is). ‘n
Voorbeeld: wie is vanjaar se studenteraad? (Brief verkort.)
Redakteur: Johann, ek hoop jy kan van die
veranderinge al sien! Nuus
6 7Bult
Jonathan Jansen wants to bring people together
Integration among staff and students, and the promotion of indigenous languages such as Afrikaans and Sesotho, are some of the challenges singled out by the newly appointed Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State, Prof. Jonathan Jansen.
“The UFS has to find a way of integrating classroom
life while at the same time ensuring the promotion of
Afrikaans, an important cultural trust of the institution, as
well as Sesotho and other indigenous languages. It has
to bring academic staff, administrative staff, workers,
students, as well as the parent community behind a
compelling vision of transformation that works in the
interest of all members of the university community. And it
has to rebuild trust and confidence among students and
staff in the mission of the university,” Prof. Jansen said.
He is optimistic that he will be able to achieve this. “It is
a great privilege to lead the UFS and I will really do my
utmost best to be of service to the UFS.” Prof. Jansen
is the thirteenth Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the
institution in its 105-year history.
The UFS Council decided with an overwhelming
majority on his appointment, signalling the institution’s
commitment to be a world-class university that is also
pursuing transformation in the interests of the entire
university community.
In his announcement of the appointment Judge Faan
Hancke, Chairman of the UFS Council, appealed to the
entire UFS community – staff, students and alumni – to
support Prof. Jansen in his endeavour to lead the UFS
to greater heights. “This is an important moment in the
life our institution. We should celebrate this achievement
as a united university community. As a council we are
unanimously behind Prof. Jansen and want to assure him
of our full support,” Judge Hancke said.
“The University of the Free State has gained a national
reputation for three things: [1] its turnaround strategy
in terms of financial stability in a context where external
funding has been uncertain; [2] its research strategy
which has seen a steady and impressive growth in
research outputs; and [3] its managerial decisiveness in
the wake of the Reitz incident,” Prof. Jansen said earlier.
Prof. Jansen is a recent Fulbright Scholar to Stanford
University (2007-2008), former Dean of Education at the
University of Pretoria (2001-2007), and Honorary Doctor
of Education from the University of Edinburgh. He is a
former high school Biology teacher and obtained his
undergraduate education at the University of the Western
Cape (B.Sc.), his teaching credentials at UNISA (HED,
B.Ed.) and his postgraduate education in the USA (MS,
Cornell; Ph.D., Stanford). He is also Honorary Professor
of Education at the University of the Witwatersrand and
Visiting Fellow at the National Research Foundation.
His most recent books are Knowledge in the Blood (2009,
Stanford University Press) and his co-authored Diversity
High: Class, Color, Character and Culture in a South
African High School (2008, University Press of America).
Nuus News
Afrika-leraars preek met UV-kwalifikasieDeur Lyzette Hoffman
Vroeg reeds,
sedert die
vorige eeu,
speel die
Vrystaatse
sinode ‘n
belangrike rol in die Zambiese kerk. Dit is juis die
Vrystaatse sinode wat in die tyd van die Anglo-
Boereoorlog besluit het om met sendingwerk in Zambië
te begin. Hieruit het die stigting van talle kerke en
uiteindelik die vestiging van die Justo Mwale Teologiese
Universiteitskollege in Lusaka gevolg.
Daar is toe ook later ‘n band tussen die UV en dié
kollege gevorm. ‘n Aantal van ons dosente en studente
het verbintenisse met dié kollege. Prof. Rian Venter van
ons Departement Dogmatiek was voorheen aan Justo
Mwale verbonde en ‘n paar van Justo Mwale Kollege
se studente het onderskeidelik hul meesters- en
doktorsgrade in Teologie aan ons universiteit behaal.
Die verhouding tussen die Justo Mwale Kollege en
ons universiteit het gegroei tot so ‘n mate dat hulle
ons Fakulteit Teologie genader het oor die aanbied
van ‘n meestersgraad in teologie. Tans kan studente
slegs B.Th.-graad- of diplomakursusse aan die Justo
Mwale Kollege voltooi. Studente van die verskillende
Christelike kerke in Zambië, Malawi en ander lande
wat aan die Justo Mwale Kollege teologiese opleiding
ontvang, om as predikante in hulle kerke te gaan
optree, het ‘n toenemende behoefte ontwikkel vir
nagraadse kursusse in teologie aan hierdie kollege.
Die Accreditation Council of Theological Education
(ACTEA), ‘n akkrediteringsliggaam in Zambië, bepaal
dat slegs residensiële grade deur hulle geakkrediteer
word. Dit is egter ‘n probleem by Justo Mwale,
aangesien talle studente nie residensiële studente
is nie. Dit was toe dat die Justo Mwale Kollege ons
Fakulteit Teologie genader het.
Aan die hand van ons regulasies, is ‘n kurrikulum vir die
MA in Bybelse Studies en Hermeneutiek saamgestel.
“Ons universiteit en die Justo Mwale Kollege sal elk ‘n
dosent vir elke module aanstel en kontaksessies met
die studente sal in Lusaka aangebied word,” sê prof.
Rian.
Studente wat die program suksesvol voltooi, sal ‘n
UV-graad ontvang by die gradeplegtigheid wat by
Justo Mwale sal plaasvind. In hierdie teologiegraad sal
aandag geskenk word aan ‘n eie Afrika-hermeneutiek.
Verder sal kerklike leierskap ook hierdeur ontwikkel
word. “Dit gebeur dikwels dat persone met nagraadse
teologiese kwalifikasies in bestuursposte in die sinodes
van die Zambiese kerk dien en so ‘n invloed kan
uitoefen op die kerk in die breë verband. Dikwels vervul
kerkleiers ook ‘n belangrike rol in die gemeenskap.
“Die besonderse band tussen ons universiteit en die
Zambiese kerk word tot nuwe hoogtes gevoer met
hierdie nuwe samewerkingsinisiatief,” sê. prof. Rian.
Prof Hermie van Zyl, Departement Nuwe Testament, dr. D.T. Banda, Prinsipaal van Justo Mwale in Lusaka, en prof. Fanie Snyman, Departement Ou Testament.
Toe ons Fakulteit Teologie ‘n besondere samewerkingsooreenkoms met ‘n Zambiese Universiteitskollege aangegaan het, het hy net weer bewys hy is ernstig oor gehalte, ook in die internasionale hoëronderwysgemeenskap.
8 9Bult
“The year 2008 was for this University, as Her Majesty
Queen Elizabeth II would have phrased it, an ‘annus
horribilis,’ Prof. Verschoor said. “On this occasion, last
year, we optimistically spelt out the strategic priorities
that we would have liked to drive, only to be confronted
one month later with a triad of tragedies, to wit: the
vandalism committed by protesting students, the
disclosure and world-wide broadcasting of the Reitz
video, and class disruptions in close pursuit.”
About 80% of management time was spent on these
crises and minimazation of its impact on the core
role of the UFS. And there were many dark clouds
building up on the horizon. “But as a university, we
put our shoulders to the wheel and we succeeded to
a large extent in limiting the damages. We honestly
and straightforwardly acknowledged our mistakes and
failures, in the belief that we thereby indicate that today
we are wiser than yesterday.”
Many blessings came our way:
• Major support was received from the Fulbright
Commission in South Africa for the placement at
the UFS of internationally-renowned scholars from
the US to assist in the establishment of this institute.
• Where we expected a decline in the number of
first-year students for 2009 due to all the negative
publicity; our student number increased.
• The Career Preparation Programme experienced
a large growth in student numbers and now has
more than 800 students. We provide this bridging
opportunity for students who would otherwise not
be able to prepare themselves for the University
entry requirements.
• The Master’s Degree in Sustainable Agriculture
presented by the Centre for Sustainable Agriculture
and Rural Development has the most students (70)
in the sixteen years of the programme.
• Staff excelled in many spheres. Prof. Maryke
Labuschagne received the National Science and
Technology Forum Award for research capacity
building that resulted from the training of a large
number of mainly black post-graduate students
from South Africa and Africa over the last ten years.
• Prof. Hendrik Swart of Physics and Prof. Jannie
Swarts of Chemistry received R10 million from
the National Equipment Program of the National
Research Foundation, and R3 million from Sasol
to purchase state-of-the-art equipment. The UFS is
one of the leaders in nanotechnology research.
• The School of Nursing received a financial injection
of R16 million over four years from The Atlantic
Philanthropies, an international philanthropic
foundation with a strong focus on community well-
being and health care.
• The UFS, in collaboration with US-based agencies,
was appointed as the lead grantee to spearhead
a 10-year research and development programme
of the Bill and Melinda Gates and WK Kellogg
Foundations. The WK Kellogg Foundation has
already granted R8 million to the UFS to lead
the initial 18-month exploratory phase. This
programme will revise agricultural education
curricula in Africa to become more responsive to
the needs of smallholder family farms to achieve
improved productivity, food security and economic
development in Africa.
• The Centre for Accounting will receive close to
R12 million over the next four years from the
Thuthuka Bursary Fund to train black students as
chartered accountants.
• DiMTeC concluded two international cooperation
agreements in risk management with the United
Nations University and the University of Novi Sad,
Serbia.
• The University of Minnesota and the Duke State
University of North Carolina, visited the UFS, and
memoranda of cooperation will follow.
• The strategic role that we play in Africa was also
highlighted by the fact that almost 200 international
students from fourteen countries obtained their
qualifications at the UFS in 2008. International
student numbers increased from 1 800 to 2 200
over the past two years.
• The assessor of the Association of Commonwealth
Universities 2008 Internationalisation Benchmarking
Review has commended the UFS on its excellent
progress towards supporting internationalisation.
• The Student Development and Success Division
has received R1 million from the Council on Higher
Education for a national pilot study to identify the
drivers of student success.
• Department of Quantity Surveying and Construction
Management received unconditional accreditation
for Construction Management from the Chartered
Institute of Building (CIOB). The honours
programme in Construction Management is also
unconditionally accredited.
• The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors
confirmed the UFS’s accreditation.
• The Centre for Education Development received a
grant of $100 000 from Hewlett Packard.
• We received R73,3 million in special funds from
the Minister of Education, of which R30 million
is for education training, R6 million for research
equipment and R17,1 million for Health Sciences.
• There were also achievements on the sports field.
The hockey team won the University Sport South
Africa (USSA) B section, three soccer players were
in the USSA team, rugby won the USSA competition
for the second time, netball made gold at the USSA
tournament for the fourth consecutive year, and the
ladies’ tennis won the USSA tournament.
• Four Kovsies are in the SA u.21 team who will
participate in the world cup on the Cook Islands in
August this year.
• The UFS was the host for the three-nation men’s
hockey tournament in March, where teams from
South Africa, Germany and Russia battled it out.
2008 was also a year of many blessings
In a year where the UFS made headlines around the world for the wrong reasons, there were also many blessings and achievements to celebrate. In his opening address earlier this year, Prof. Teuns Verschoor, Acting Rector, listed some of the achievements that we can be proud of.
Photos: H
annes Pieterse
Nuus News
Prof. Teuns Verschoor.
10 11Bult
Waar begin jou verbintenis met die UV?
Behalwe dat hy in ‘n ‘akademiese huis’ groot geword
het met sy pa die eerste hoof van die Departement
Handel, was hy as musiekmens reeds as skoolkind by
die UV betrokke. Hy en sy broer, Pienaar, het reeds op
skool die universiteitskoor met tjello en viool begelei.
Hoe het jou pad geloop? “Ek het nie geweet wat
ek wou swot nie. Ek wou nie musiek swot nie – ek wou
nie my liefde vir musiek bederf deur dit ‘n werk te maak
nie. Ek het nie geweet of ek argitektuur, B.Com of B.Sc
wou swot nie. Toe swot ek maar B.A. met Wiskunde,
Ekonomie en Filosofi e as hoofvakke. En dit het goed
uitgewerk!”
Daarna het sy loopbaan ‘n pad gevolg via Harvard tot
professor in 1982. Sy bestuursloopbaan begin in 1994,
as departementshoof van Ekonomie. Vanaf 1997 is hy
dekaan, in 1999 viserektor, en vanaf 2003-2008 rektor –
‘n fase in sy loopbaan wat hy in 2008 afgesluit het.
Daar was soveel hoogtepunte in sy
topbestuursloopbaan van tien jaar, dat dit moeilik is
om net sekeres vas te pen. Daarom wil ek weet van die
hoogtepunte wat oor, sê, twintig jaar nog vir hom sal
uitstaan.
“Die Eeufeesvieringe in 2004 sal altyd vir my uitstaan.
Ek was bevoorreg om toe rektor te wees. Dit was ‘n
wonderlike belewenis… die besef van ‘n waarlik ou
universiteit, die eregraadtoekennings, die opening
van die Eeufeeskompleks, die vieringe voor die
Hoofgebou, die afsluiting met die vuurwerkvertoning,
die bekendstelling van die geskiedenisboek. Dit
was wow-oomblikke vir ‘n trotse instelling. Pragtige
momente wat my altyd sal bybly. Dan was daar ook die
herinrigting van die Hoofgebou, die fi siese omgewing
wat so skouspelagtig verander het en ‘n ‘nuwe’ kampus
gelewer het…” Te veel om op te noem.
Maar die laagtepunte, wat jy wil vergeet? “Die
Reitz-goed. Die vandalisme een week en die Reitz-video
‘n week later. Die slegte (en onnodigheid) daarvan,
en die onverdiende skade aan die UV se beeld as ‘n
progressiewe, denkende plek, sal ek nooit uit my gestel
kry nie. En die stiksienigheid van politici en sekere
alumni wat alles probeer behou, maar in die proses
alles kan verloor. Hulle besef nie hulle gaan dalk alles
verloor as hulle ‘tradisies’ net so wil behou nie. Die UV
kan veeltaligheid verloor. Die protesaksies het grense
oorgesteek van wat die UV moet en kan wees. Ons was
so naby daaraan om iets wonderliks reg te kry.
As jy oor 20 jaar terugkyk, waarvoor sal jy onthou wil word, as jy alles afstroop? “Ek sal
eerstens graag onthou wil word vir die versterking van
die akademie, vir die sterk uitbou van die navorsing,
en die akademie as loopbaan. Sommige sal altyd die
fi nansiële draaistrategie onthou. Maar dit was bloot
‘n middel – weliswaar ‘n essensiële en dramatiese
een – tot ‘n doel: ‘n akademiese draai na ‘n baie
goeie universiteit met baie goeie onderrig, navorsing,
steundienste en fasiliteite. Die plan het daaroor gegaan
om die UV ‘n hoë-gehalte plek, met hoë-gehalte mense
en ‘n uitstekende kampus, te maak. Navorsing moes
die ruggraat wees, met genoeg robuustheid ingebou.
Ons sien reeds iets daarvan in die sterk groei in
navorsingsuitsette, asook die strategiese akademiese
klusters. Ek sal graag wil sien of die kluster-inisiatief
werk. As dit suksesvol deurgevoer word, kan die UV in
5-10 jaar ‘n wêreldleier in die klusterareas wees.”
Die ander groot projek was oor diversiteit en
transformasie. “Ons het ‘n wonderlike pad geloop met
die uitgebreide veeltaligheidsbeleid, kreatiewe denke
oor billike indiensneming, die intitisionele handves en
die beleid oor diversiteit in koshuise. Daar is ontsettend
baie intellektuele werk ingesit rondom hierdie aspekte
– om nuwe moontlikhede te ontdek, om nie vas te val
in òf-òf denke nie. “Ons het ‘n model vir ware nie-
rassigheid probeer skep. Die konsep van ‘n sense of
belonging staan sentraal hierin. Ons wou iets anders
doen en nie net reseppies vir transformasie toepas nie.
Die pad is nog onvoltooid.
”So, ek is hartseer dat die werk nog nie afgehandel is
nie. Maar ek besef ook dat groot kulturele veranderinge
tyd neem, selfs dekades. As ek eendag terugkyk, sal
ek nuuskierig wees om te sien of die benadering van
inklusiewe diversiteit en veeltaligheid die toets van die
tyd deurstaan het, en of ‘n institusionele handves dit
soos ‘n grondwet kan onderskraag. Ek hoop nie die
droom van ‘n tuiste vir almal sal verbrokkel nie.”
Nou kom ons by die mens, Frederick Fourie. Almal weet van sy liefde vir musiek en sy passie vir
motorfi etse – ja, hy ry nog sy motorfi ets. Hy het nadat
hy sy pos ontruim het lang tye in sy tuin deurgebring en
dit as’t ware herskep. “Dit was terapie. Dit is wonderlik
om tuin te maak, veral die kreatiewe deel daarvan.
Sonder vergaderings.”
Frederick sien homself ook as “sendeling” vir ernstige
musiek. Hy wil veral sien hoe die musiek-boodskap
na elke dorp en township in die streek uitgedra word.
Sy belangstellings is eintlik te veel, en moontlik kry hy
nou tyd daarvoor tussen navorsing en konsultasiewerk
deur. Ontwerp is ‘n passie. “Ek vrek oor ‘n mooi gebou
of ‘n mooi motor. Dit was wonderlik en kreatief om by
die herinrigting en ontwerp van geboue op die kampus
betrokke te wees.”
Wat van die pad vorentoe? “Die plan is om
terug te gaan akademie toe. Ek gaan navorsing,
studieleiding en konsultasiewerk doen in byvoorbeeld
mededingingsbeleid – een van my spesialisvelde. Ek is
‘n gewone mens, ‘n akademikus en wil dit doen. Dit sal
lekker wees om weer op ‘n ander vlak ‘n bydrae te lewer
tot die UV – nie as rektor met al die bagasie van die
amp nie, maar bloot as akademikus. Ek wil nie ophou
bou aan die plek nie.”
Frederick Fourie – net mensDeur Leatitia Pienaar
Na maande van oortuiging (lees soebat) kom die e-pos toe: dit is reg vir Dinsdag, so 3 uur. Intussen het ek al sy afskeid op 13 Februarie met ‘n uitvoering van die Odeion Strykkwartet bygewoon om my te bewapen, as die onderhoud nie ‘n werklikheid sou word nie. Daardie Dinsdag maak Frederick Fourie, uitgetrede Rektor en Visekanselier, by sy huis in Dan Pienaar, Bloemfontein, gewilliglik ‘n venster oop op ‘n sy van die mens wat ‘n verbintenis van 38 jaar met die UV het, deur moeilike tye, maar ook vreugdevolle tye.
Nuus News
Photo: Leatitia P
ienaar
12 13Bult
The UFS, in partnership with the national Department of
Arts and Culture (DAC) and the Free State departments
of education and arts and culture, has embarked on an
ambitious community project to promote and develop
interest in the arts among school learners.
The Artists in Schools Project: Free State (AIS FS) was
launched in 2004 as a pilot project focused on Grade
4-9 learners, following the bi-lateral agreement between
the DAC and the Flemish government in 2003. This
agreement was necessitated by constitutional
imperatives that made arts and culture a
compulsory learning area in the general
education and training phase in public schools.
“The whole idea of the Artists in Schools
project is to develop the arts and culture
learning area and also to create jobs for the
visual artists who are jobless since it is not
that easy for them to get jobs especially in
our province,” explained project manager
and fine artist Ms Nontombi Ntakakaze.
According to its previous manager,
Ms Janine Allen, the AIS FS project
brings artists,
educators and learners together in a “creative
collaboration” that involves a variety of stakeholders
ranging from government departments to educational
institutions and smaller local initiatives. “The part
educators play is of extreme importance since they
are in a reciprocal teaching relationship with the artist
facilitators,” she said.
“The whole experience was really gratifying and beyond
that I found it very calling in a sense that most of the
schools we go to are school of kids that come from
backgrounds that are not necessarily so stable,” said
artist educator and filmmaker and scriptwriter of note,
Mr Bareng Lichaba Lichaba.
“So somehow you begin to see them express
themselves through art and begin to actually
understand where they are coming from, and it is not
a matter of what you are giving them, but it is how you
link that with the way they express themselves.”
The art lessons presented by artists are based on the
use of materials found in the local environments such
as clay sculptures that are cow-dung fired and puppet
theatres made up of waste materials. Product-based
art projects with potential market value
are combined with non-object-
based art valued as aesthetic
and therapeutic, like the
sandscapes project
where learners use various
types of soil to create non-
permanent environmental art.
The project’s emphasis is on
the importance of cultural heritage
which is evident in activities like
dancing, clay sculpture, puppet theatre and
workshops.
“The AIS FS project harbours indigenous knowledge
systems as an essential part of arts and culture
education, while simultaneously introducing new
technologically orientated and creative projects that
aim to shift the frontiers of art and culture education,”
explained Janine.
One core element of arts and culture lessons is
integrated learning where most projects include a
range of outcomes based education learning areas.
The AIS FS project compliments textbook knowledge
with real arts and culture experience and thus creating
a conducive climate of arts and culture in schools
and empowering educators who previously had no or
limited experience.
The project was not only beneficial to learners and
educators but to artist educators and students involved
in it as well, as student Dirk-Hannes van den Berg
discovered: “I have learned a lot from being involved
in this project, specifically from working with kids from
the townships which was something I had not done
before. You learn a little bit more of that side of culture
in general and the way that some of the schools work
harder to survive. It is very gratifying to be part of
something like that.”
“I have learned to understand my responsibility to
others more,” added Lichaba. “I began to understand
that I am in a much more advantaged position to make
a difference to other people’s lives. It has really made
me want to work more with kids that are coming from
disadvantaged backgrounds as much as those that are
coming from advantaged backgrounds – kids that are
in need in general. The more I deal with them, the more
I realise the passion that I have for doing that.”
In 2007 the project entered The Embracement Phase –
whose purpose was to get communities more involved
in terms of owning and managing project themselves.
As part of this initiative communities had to arrange
exhibitions within their regions and this resulted in
exhibitions being held in Phuthaditjhaba, Thabong,
Mangaung and Thaba Nchu. These exhibitions were
a showcase of artworks produced by learners who
participated in the project.
“I think there’s a lot of talent among young people and
I think what this project is doing is great. But a lot more
can be done to sustain such a project because it is one
of the few projects that are going on in black schools
to resuscitate art to be part of learners’ daily lives,” said
Lichaba.
“We are making proposals to get more financial support
to sustain the project,” said Nontombi.
The art of giving back to communityBy Mangaliso Radebe
Nuus News
14 15Bult
This year the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles
Darwin and the 150th anniversary of the publication of
his book On the Origin of Species are celebrated at our
university with a year-long programme with the theme
The story of life and survival. We are the only university
in the country that is presenting such an extensive
lecture programme on life and survival and it is an
excellent example of how we promote critical scientific
reflection.
Darwin was an English naturalist who realised and
presented compelling evidence that all species of
life have evolved over time from common ancestors
through a process he called natural selection. In
modified form, Darwin’s scientific discovery is the
unifying theory of the life sciences, providing logical
explanation for the diversity of life.
On the Origin of Species, published in 1859, is
recognised as perhaps the greatest intellectual
revolution in the entire history of science. “The brilliance
of this book lies in its clarity, one can almost say
simplicity and the meticulous and comprehensive
documentation of vast volume of evidence for
each statement,” said Prof. Jo Van As, head of the
Department of Zoology and Entomology at the UFS.
“The accepted view about the origin of biodiversity
before 1859 was that all species were created exactly
as they are now. Darwin’s work showed that all life
forms are interlinked and evolved like the branches
of a tree – a tree of life. Species gradually change
and evolve into other species under the driving force
of natural selection. This is the same process that
breeders use to change animals and plants to desired
forms. The only difference is that in the latter case it is
artificial and not natural selection,” said Prof. Van As.
“The same process of evolution also applies to
humans, we are not the pinnacle of biodiversity, but part
A year-long celebration of life and survivalBy Lacea Loader
It is a cursed evil to any man to become as absorbed in any subject as I am in mine. – Charles Darwin
At the launch of the programme to celebrate the story of life and survival were, from the left: Prof. Schalk Louw, Department of Zoology and Entomology, Prof. Jo van As, Department of Zoology and Entomology, Prof. Maitland Seaman, Centre for Environmental Management, and Prof. Matie Hoffman, Department of Physics. Proff. Louw and Seaman acted in a play about the life of Darwin, while Prof. Hoffman made a presentation on what nature tells us about cosmic history.
Prof. Schalk Louw and Prof. Maitland Seaman, as a journalist interviewing Darwin. The play was presented in cooperation with our Department of Drama and Theatre Arts.
Darwin sailed on the HMS Beagle across the Atlantic Ocean for more or less five years. Darwin and the crew went on land often during this time. He collected and made detailed observations of plants and animals, with results that shook his belief that species were fixed and provided the basis for ideas which came to him when back in the United Kingdom, and led to his theory of evolution by natural selection.
Darwin’s study at Down House, Kent in the United Kingdom, where he lived for most of his life.
The story of the life of Darwin was told in a stage play at the launch of the programme. Prof. Schalk Louw, played the part of Darwin.
Photo: Hannes Pieterse Photo: Hannes Pieterse Photo: Hannes Pieterse
of the large spectrum of the incredible creatures living on the only place in the universe that we know of where life exists,” he said.
The lecture programme focuses on the progress of man and does not only focus on Darwin. It started on 12 February 2009, Darwin’s birth date, with a stage play about his life and presentation on what nature tells us about cosmic history and will be concluded on 12 February 2010.
“With the programme we aim to portray the influence of Darwin’s theory of evolution on a wide range of disciplines. We are celebrating 200 years of scientific progress and the epic 4,6 billion year journey of life. I see this as a good opportunity to promote science in its broadest context,” said Prof. Van As.
Some of the topics that were discussed earlier in the year include the geological evolution of our planet; the origin of life, prokaryotes (simple organisms without
nucleus) and eukaryotes (organisms with visible nuclei)
and extinction.
“Today evolution is no longer considered to be a theory
and is widely accepted by most serious scientists as
the process responsible for the diversity of life on our
planet,” says Prof. Van As.
The programme is in conjunction with the National
Museum and the Central University of Technology
in Bloemfontein. Topics that will be discussed in the
rest of the programme are: evolution and biodiversity
of animals, the mechanisms of evolution: heredity
and natural selection; origin of humankind, plant
evolution: species, systems and agriculture; road to
civilization and human demography; proliferation of
technology and communication; human impact on the
environment; human impact: resistance ectoparasites
HIV/Aids, antibiotics; how to care for the world and the
last one on the future of evolution.
Nuus News
1514
16 17Bult
Nie net het die departement ‘n klein plasie se prys in
beurse losgeslaan nie, maar daar was ook meer as ‘n
handvol toekennings. Dan het die departement ook
met ‘n paar van sy produksies na die platteland getoer,
en lê daar nog die deelname aan ‘n paar kunstefeeste
vanjaar voor, om nie te praat van al die produksies wat
in 2009 op die Kovsiekampus op die planke gebring
gaan word nie.
Dit maak ‘n mens uitasem net om dit alles op te noem,
maar as jy kyk na die energieke teaterman voor jou (wat
elke nou en dan opspring om ‘n nommer op die selfoon
te soek of ‘n program te gaan uitdruk of iemand te bel
vir inligting) dan sien jy (spring)lewende bewys van die
gesegde: “Real success is finding your life’s work in the
work that you love.”
Dít beaam die professor onmiddellik as jy hom vra
hoe die departement dit regkry om Kovsies se naam
keer op keer hoog te hou in ‘n bedryf wat bekend is
daarvoor dat dit “cut throat” is. “Almal hier is lief vir hulle
werk en daarmee saam gaan goeie spanwerk.” Byna
al die dosente het ‘n professionele teateragtergrond.
Watter soort bestuurstyl bring hierdie resultate voort?
“Ek loer nie oor hul skouers nie en ek hou hulle nie
artisties terug nie – ek sê, laat waai!”
Vir prof. Nico gaan dit allermins oor homself. Dit gaan
oor die studente en die dosente en die bevordering
van die kunste. Oor sy studente kan hy nie uitgepraat
raak nie. Hy vertel graag van die R150 000 se beurse
wat die departement van die Nasionale Kunsteraad vir
sy eerstejaars ontvang het. “Die afgelope paar jaar het
ons maar tussen R50 000 en R60 000 gekry, en vanjaar
het dit verdubbel.”
Eers as jy hom daarna uitvra, vertel hy dat hy ook by
die Nasionale Kunsteraad ‘n toekenning ontvang het vir
die skryf van die toneelstuk Don’t shoot the messenger,
wat as deel van die Darwin-herdenkingsprogram
ingestudeer word. Die toneelstuk, wat prof. Nico as
“opspraakwekkend” beskryf, se première was in
Maart vanjaar in die Wynand Mouton-teater op die
Bloemfontein-kampus.
Ook is daar die R100 000 wat die departement van die
Nasionale Kunsteraad ontvang het vir die ontwikkeling
van ‘n musiekblyspel vir tieners wat ook op die
Volksblad-kunstefees gaan speel. Dit is juis op dié fees
waar die departement sy skoene meer as vol staan.
Die lede van die departement is deel van die artistieke
komitee, hulle is betrokke by die beplanning, by die
voorsiening van infrastruktuur en die studente help met
die tegniese aspekte van die fees.
Die departement glo ook daaraan om terug te
gee aan die gemeenskap en as deel hiervan word
voorgeskrewe werke by skole opgevoer. Hiervoor is
daar ook fondse van die Nasionale Kunsteraad ontvang
wat regisseur Michelle Luwes vir die opvoer van Reza
de Wet se Mis kon aanwend. Mis is ‘n voorgeskrewe
werk vir graad 12-leerders en die stuk het ‘n week lank
vol sale in die Wynand Mouton-teater op kampus
getrek. Mis was ook in Klerksdorp en Potchefstroom
‘n groot sukses. Vanweë die sukses hiervan het die
departement nog ‘n werk aangepak: Die potlooddief
en die engel van A.S. van Staden, wat voorgeskryf is
vir graad 11-leerders, word vanaf 18 tot 20 Maart in die
Scaena-teater opgevoer.
Prof. Nico sê dié geleenthede word ook gebruik om
reklamemateriaal van die departement aan leerders uit
te deel. “’n Mens weet nooit wanneer jy mense vir die
kunste kan werf nie,” sê hy.
‘n Ander inisiatief van die departement om mense na
die teater te lok is die nuwe Klub Theatron. Nog iets
waarop prof. Nico ooglopend trots is, is die nagraadse
studente. Hy vertel breëbors van een van sy studente,
Kea, wat werk doen by ‘n hospice vir weeskinders op
Hertzogville. Kea gee drama-opleiding aan kinders.
Die opleiding kulmineer in ‘n drama-opvoering deur
die kinders wat handel oor lewensvaardighede en die
voorkoming van MIV/Vigs.
Ook met navorsing wikkel die departement. Prof. Nico
sê daar is tans vyf magisters by die departement
geregistreer, en hulle spog ook met twee doktorale
studente. “Albei die proefskrifte handel oor baie
interresante onderwerpe. Karrabelo Leka Lake kyk na
die tekort aan swart vroulike regisseurs in Suid-Afrika,
terwyl Kingdom Moshounyane devising theatre as
onderwerp het.”
Die departement was gereeld in die nuus met
die sukses wat behaal is met die Sanlam-prys vir
Afrikaanse teater, oftewel SPAT. Die wenprys is die
grootste in die geskiedenis van Suid-Afrikaanse
teater vir die ontwikkeling van nuwe Afrikaanse
teaterproduksies. Kovsies se dramastudente het in
2005, 2007 en 2008 met die louere weggestap. Vanjaar
gaan die span van Kovsies met die bekroonde skrywer
Jeanne Goosen se Spokie Snygans probeer om vir
‘n vierde keer die ander departemente se stertvere te
pluk.
Prof. Nico se laaste woorde beaam dít wat die meeste
mense reeds lankal vermoed: “Ons kan regtig nie kla
nie. Dit gaan goed met die kunste by Kovsies!”
Kovsies se dramadepartement laat waaiDeur Margaret Linström
“Ja, jong, dit woel hier!” Aan die woord is die trotse hoof van die Departement Drama en Teaterkuns, prof. Nico Luwes, oor sy departement se onlangse gesonde oes prestasies.
Nuus News
18 19Bult
Ons bied gehalte programme aan. Een van hierdie
programme is die MA/MTh in Pastorale Terapie in die
Fakulteit Teologie. Dit bied studente die geleentheid om
hulself nie net op ’n gespesialiseerde wyse op teologie
toe te spits nie, maar ook om ’n verskil te maak in die
lewe van mense in nood.
Al skryf studente van verskillende denominasies
hulle vir die kursus in, ontmoet hulle mekaar op gelyke
grond. Almal word toegerus om ander mense te help
om die lewe soos wat hulle dit ervaar te hanteer en om
perspektief te vind in moeilike omstandighede.
Die program is in die 1980’s begin om die nood van
individue, gesinne en gemeenskappe op ’n pastoraal-
terapeutiese vlak aan te spreek. Prof. Jan-Albert van
den Berg, ’n spesialis in narratiewe terapie, is die
koördineerder van die program.
“Die program was oorspronklik slegs vir predikante
geoormerk, maar is vandag ook vir mense vanuit ander
beroepsrigtings, soos opvoedkunde, maatskaplike
werk en sielkunde, toeganklik. Met al die belangstelling
is die kursus sedert 2004 so aangepas sodat mense
met ’n toepaslike B-graad deur middel van ’n
oorbruggingshonneurskursus toelating kan kry,” sê
prof. Jan-Albert.
Saam met prof. Jan-Albert maak prof. Johan Janse van
Rensburg, drs. Jeannette Steyn, Johan Nel en Dawid
Kuyler deel uit van die formidabele span praktiese
teoloë wat betrokke is by die aanbieding van die
program.
Studente maak kennis met nuwer ontwikkelinge in
die terapeutiese veld. Annette Smit, ’n onderwyser
aan Bloemfontein Sentraal, is ’n suksesproduk van
die program. Sy pas haar kennis in haar werk toe.
As voltydse terapeut by die skool werk Annette met
kinders wie se ouers in die gevangenis is asook
kinders wat self by misdaad betrokke is. “Buiten dat
studente se leerervaringe in skole toegepas kan word,
word studente ook toegerus om ’n verskil te maak in
instansies soos tronke, hospitale en vigs-hospices. Die
diensleermodules is in Januarie 2005 geïmplementeer,”
sê prof. Jan-Albert.
Meer as 150 studente het al in die program
gegradueer. Jaarliks word net tien studente gekeur.
Twee studente wat tans met hul doktorsgraad in
Pastorale Terapie besig is, is Itumeleng Julius Pudule
en Madeleine Fourie. Itumeleng is kapelaan in
die Welstandsprogram in die Suid-Afrikaanse
Polisiediens. “Vanweë die multidissiplinêre
benadering tot terapie het die program my
gehelp om maklik by my kollegas in ‘n
professionele werkskonteks, in te pas,”
sê hy.
“Hierdie was ’n baie verrykende
kursus en het my tot totale
nuwe insigte gebring,” sê
Madeleine.
’n Graad vir engeleDeur Leonie Bolleurs
Foto
: Pro
f. Ja
n-A
lber
t van
den
Ber
g
Let the violins play By Ailsa Uys
The words “township” and “classical” are not often
used in the same sentence. The Mangaung String
Programme (MSP) is however challenging these
stereotypes by teaching violin to more than three
hundred ordinary township children, introduced to the
instrument through proactive teachers and volunteers
from the UFS and Free State Musicon. These children,
however, do not stay ordinary, developing talent and
focus like no other.
Peter Guy, a trained musician from Montana, USA,
initiated the programme with eighteen children
from one school in 1998. Ten years on, hundreds of
performances later and with more than 350 budding
musicians registered, nothing stops the music.
The programmes’ public face is the Bochabela String
Orchestra, one of three orchestras, with musicians
ranging from 12 to 21 years old. This orchestra has
surpassed all expectations as it is heard nation wide at
music festivals, on television, radio and in theatres, and
even with their role models, the Soweto String Quartet.
Politicians, celebrities and parents wonder at the
developing talent. It is this reputation that is creating a
stir nationally and internationally and the MSP has been
invited to tour Belgium and Europe in 2009 and have a
full calendar of local performances.
Learners attend their own schools in the morning and
continue classes at the UFS and at the Musicon in the
afternoon. Saturday is orchestra day. They catch MSP
buses across the city and take their instruments home
to notch up extra practice hours.
The learners are driven by their talent, discipline and
desire to have a future. Advanced training is given at
the UFS, by dedicated teachers, only too happy to pass
on the art. In a further development, all UFS final-year
music students must complete community-service
education and the MSP is being used as the module for
experience. The programme is therefore not just about
music but is developing life skills in young people.
Peter Guy truly believes the violin is a tool of expression
and has a place in any culture. It teaches discipline,
focus and dedication – essential skills for life and a
career in music.
The learners are upbeat about the possibilities open to
them. One said: “I used to sit around on the street and
do silly things. Now I have the violin. It has changed my
life, and it has changed it a lot.” Another girl, aged 12,
says: “The violin is my future. You cannot play music if
you do not practice. If you want to be a musician you
need to be patient; that is what I have learnt.”
The teachers agree. Elene Coetzer says: “Some of
them are sparks – bright sparks! It is unbelievable the
talent we come across. For some it is the only thing
they have. They live for it. They are anxious to learn. It
makes a huge difference in their lives.”
The Mangaung Strings Orchestra is ten years young and celebrated its success towards the end of 2008. The violin-playing children and their tutors are being hailed nationally and internationally for their dedication. This is their story.
Nuus News
20 21Bult
Die Minister van Justisie en Konstitusionele
Ontwikkeling, mnr. Enver Surty, het die fakulteit vir
hierdie prestasie geprys. Tydens die bekendstelling van
die fakulteit se eeufeesvieringe het mnr. Surty gesê:
“Die fakulteit het regdeur sy bestaan bewys dat hy die
vermoë en kapasiteit het om welbekende regskundiges,
regspraktisyns, akademici, regters en politici op te
lewer. Die universiteit kan trots wees op die feit dat hy
as ‘n instelling so goed gedoen het.”
Die fakulteit is een van die oudste en uitnemendste
fakulteite van regsgeleerdheid in Suid-Afrika. Sy ryk
geskiedenis kan so ver teruggevoer word as 1908 met
die totstandkoming van die Grey Universiteitskollege.
Met ‘n beskeie begin is die saad geplant vir die
Fakulteit Regsgeleerdheid, wat veral stoomkrag gekry
het toe Bloemfontein in 1910 die geregtelike hoofstad
van Suid-Afrika geword het.
Daar is aanvanklik slegs voorsiening gemaak
vir aspirant prokureurs wat onder die leiding
van ‘n plaaslike advokaat voorberei is vir die
prokureurseksamen. Die doel van die eerste regsvakke
wat gedoseer is, was om sulke studente vir hul
prokureurstoelatingseksamen af te rig en later is
enkele LL.B.-vakke daarby gevoeg. Hierdie lesings is
deur die bekende adv. Colin Steyn vanuit sy kamers
waargeneem.
Adv. P.U. Fischer is die eerste dosent in Regte (1909)
wat in die fakulteit se anale genoem word. Hy het ‘n
B.A. LL.B. aan die Universiteit van Cambridge ontvang
en was die eerste regsdosent wat permanent aangestel
is.
In 1918 is die eerste LL.B.-grade aan mnr. C.R. Swart,
later die eerste Staatspresident van Suid-Afrika, mnr.
S.P. le Roux, Minister van Landbou in die Malan-
kabinet van 1948, en mnr. Walther Leinberger ’n
latere baie bekende prokureur in die stad, toegeken.
President Swart was lewenslank trots op die feit dat
hy en sy kabinetkollega en vriend, mnr. Le Roux, van
die eerste studente was wat die LL.B.-graad aan
hierdie universiteit verwerf het. Mnr. Leinberger se
graadsertifikaat is nog steeds ‘n uiters waardevolle
museumstuk in die besit van die fakulteit.
In 1945 het dit ‘n volwaardige fakulteit geword, en in
1948 is ‘n nuwe akademiese era binnegegaan toe
dr. J.P. Verloren van Themaat as die eerste voltydse
professor aangestel is. Hy was ook die eerste dekaan
van die Fakulteit Regsgeleerdheid. Na hom het ses
dekane die fakulteit gelei tot die aanstelling van prof.
Johan Henning, huidige dekaan.
Prof. Henning, ‘n voormalige student en een van die
eerste Uitstaande Professors van die UV, het ‘n groot
bydrae gelewer om die beeld van die fakulteit uit te bou,
nie alleen in Suid-Afrika nie, maar ook in die buiteland.
Onder sy leierskap bied die fakulteit unieke geleentheid
vir beide nasionale en internasionale studie.
Noue samewerking met baie oorsese universiteite
verseker dat grade internasionaal erken word.
Samewerkingsooreenkomste is gesluit met Britse,
Amerikaanse, Australiese, Europese en Suid-Afrikaanse
universiteite en getuig van die fakulteit se verbintenis tot
die handhawing van internasionale standaarde.
‘n Ander hoogtepunt in die fakulteit se meer onlangse
geskiedenis is toe die Attorneys’ Fidelity Fund in
1999 die fakulteit as die beste regsfakulteit in die
land aangewys het. In dieselde jaar is dit ook as die
Bloemfontein Instansie van die Jaar aangewys.
Deur die jare het studentegetalle aansienlik toegeneem
en vandag het die fakulteit meer as 2 700 voor- en
nagraadse studente.
‘n Interessante program word vir die eeufeesjaar
beplan met lesings en funksies regdeur die jaar.
Aktiwiteite sluit in ontbyt-geleenthede vir verskeie
alumni-groepe van die fakulteit en ‘n reeks intreeredes.
Cum Laude-toekennings is ook aan regter Lex Mpati,
President van die Hoogste Hof van Appèl, en regter
Louis Harms, Adjunkpresident van die Hoogste Hof
van Appèl, gemaak word. Die feesvieringe word in
November met ‘n prestige-ete afgesluit.
Regsopleiding vier 100 jaar Deur Leonie Bolleurs
Die Fakulteit Regsgeleerdheid vier vanjaar 100 jaar van die beoefening van regswetenskap onder die tema Iurisprudentia 100. Die mylpaal in die geskiedenis van regswetenskap aan ons universiteit is nie net die gevolg van gehalte-onderrig oor die jare heen nie, maar getuig ook van die fakulteit se verbintenis om goed toegeruste en gebalanseerde regslui aan die professie te lewer.
Nuus News
Mnr. Enver Surty, Minister van Justisie en
Konstitusionele Ontwikkeling, en prof. Johan
Henning.
Een van die bekendste alumni van die fakulteit, oudpresident C.R. Swart (tweede
van links) en ander hooggeplaastes met die sooispit van die gebou destyds.
22 23Bult
Thousands of learners in schools fail to qualify for post-
school education and training. Now a unique project
funded by the Ford Foundation and being piloted at
our university seeks to provide such learners with a
lifeline.
The 2008 Grade 12 results showed once again that
the schooling system is – and has been for a long
time – in the throes of a severe crisis. The most
disturbing feature of this crisis is that the system
does not produce learners with the required level of
literacy, numeracy and other cognitive skills to further
their education or to become part of the country’s
workforce.
Clearly this situation is untenable in a developing
country such as ours, facing the immense
challenges of a severe skills shortage, poverty and
unemployment. We cannot afford to have hundreds
of thousands of young people walking the streets
without any prospect of a decent living and a future
of opportunity. Our university and partners in the Free
State Higher Education Consortium have devised a
unique programme to help under prepared and even
unprepared school-leavers who have fallen through the
cracks of the school system.
“We are hoping to make a meaningful contribution
to the challenging field of creating educational
opportunities for post-school study and the world
of work through the generous support of the Ford
Foundation,” said Ms Merridy Wilson-Strydom,
Research Consultant at the Centre for Higher
Education Studies and Development at the UFS.
“The Skills for a Changing World Programme is aimed at removing barriers to educational opportunities for school-leavers who are not able to access higher education. At the moment there are few, if any, meaningful opportunities for those learners who come through the school system un/under prepared,” she said.
The primary target group is young people between 18 and 25 who are currently excluded from post-schooling educational opportunities. The duration of the programme is one year.
The core modules of the activity-driven curriculum are English Literacy and Language Development, Mathematical Literacy, Information and Communication Technology and Your Global Positioning System (YGPS), which focus on study skills and critical life skills, e.g. dealing with diversity. Students will also be supported to make informed choices about their future study or career directions.
“From the second semester we plan to test the programme by means of a pilot project, which will be conducted on our university’s South Campus in Bloemfontein,” said Ms Wilson-Strydom. The pilot study will involve a group of 20 to 50 learners”
The project team aims to have the programme accredited as a higher certificate and is also exploring the possibility of registering the programme as a short learning programme. “Our focus on developing the Programme as a qualification in its own right is a key innovation in the current education and training landscape,” said Ms Wilson-Strydom.
A bridge to the future for school leaversBy Lacea Loader
Afgetrede appèlregter Joos Hefer stap nog kiertsregop.
Hy is een van die klas van 1955 wat nog lewe.
Hy gaan sit en wys na die foto. Sy brein is nog flink en
hy onthou elkeen van die klasgroep, sowel as wat hulle
gedoen het. Elkeen het ‘n plekkie gevind. En hulle het
kontak behou.
“Dit was ander tye,” onthou regter Hefer. “Ons het
nie voltyds klas gehad nie. Ons was almal deeltyds.
Bedags het ons ge-‘article’ en in die aand het ons
klas gedraf.” Tog was hulle ten volle deel van die
universiteitslewe.
As mens na regter Hefer luister, besef ‘n mens deur
hoeveel veranderinge die kampus, die land en die
regsprofessie gegaan het. En daar is baie goeie dinge
om te koester. Soos klasmaats. “Deesdae is die klasse
so groot dat mens nie meer ‘klasmaats’ kan wees nie.
Tog, dit kan seker nie anders nie. Dit is jammer, want
die dosente ken nie meer die studente nie.”
Regter Hefer onthou hoe hy kort na die voltooiing van
sy studies as dosent aangestel is. Een van die studente
moes ‘n mondeling doen. “Hy het vreeslik gesukkel en
ek het geweet hy ken die werk beter as wat hy besig
was om aan te bied. Toe vra ek of hy die vorige nag
geslaap het. Nee, hy het nie. Ek het gesê hy moet
eers gaan slaap en dan sy mondeling kom doen.” Dís
die menslike regverdigheid wat regter Hefer uitstraal.
Dís die kaliber regverdigheid wat hy glo Kovsies se
regsfakulteit nastreef.
“Deesdae praat almal van ‘n regstaat; tog het ons selfs
in die ou dae, voor 1994, die wette van die regering
uitgevoer. Onthou, as regter is ‘n mens se rol om wette
te interpreteer en toe te pas. Dis vandag nog die geval.
Die belangrikste is dat ‘n mens billik en regverdig moet
wees. Mens moet met jou besluite kan saamleef.”
Regter Hefer verduidelik hoe die reg moet aanpas by
die samelewing. Die reg is nie staties nie. Samelewings
verander voortdurend en ‘n mens moet aanpas. In
Suid-Afrika het baie dinge verander. Tog is dit jammer
dat daar al meer regters is wie se skandes in die media
verskyn. As regter moet jy konstant aan jou eie sin vir
regverdigheid werk en jy moet ‘n voorbeeld kan stel.
Anders is daar moeilikheid.”
En as die regter uiteindelik gevra word oor watter
advies hy vandag vir studente kan gee? Die regter dink
‘n rukkie na, en gee dan sy uitspraak. “Leer verder.
Spesialiseer. Word beter. Daar is kompetisie daarbuite.
Hou aan om voluit te werk. Skep jou eie geleenthede.”
Hy kyk weer na die foto. Die meeste van die klasmaats
en dosente se herinneringe is inspirerend. Hulle was
passievol oor regverdigheid en geregtigheid. Dís wat
saak maak – die passie.
Daarom stap oud-appèlregter Joos Hefer nog
kiertsregop.
Regter Hefer roep tere herinneringe opDeur Igno van Niekerk
Pho
tos:
Han
nes
Pie
ters
e
Nuus News
24 25Bult
In addition to local tournaments like the hostel sport
leagues, the FNB Varsity Cup (presented by Steinhoff
International) and the annual intervarsity with the North-
West University, our university is set to host a number
of international and national sports events in 2009.
Recent upgrades have been made to the hockey,
rugby, athletics and netball facilities. Upgrades on
the swimming and soccer facilities are yet to follow
and should be completed before the end of the year.
Mickey Gordon, Head of Strategic Business and
Sport Development, says: “The long term benefi ts of
improving our facilities will provide us with the capacity
to host more high quality international and national
events.” He also added that his department is
in the process of restructuring and that more
improvements on and off the sports fi eld are still
to come.
We are geared to host players of championship
format. We recently hosted the world hockey
champions and the current Olympic gold medal
holders, Germany, who took on their South African
counterparts. Russia also featured and opened the
tournament against SA U.21. The matches were played
on the Kovsie astro fi elds early in March this year. Apart
from the USSA cricket week held at the UFS cricket
oval, the USSA hockey tournament, with more than 28
tertiary teams participating, is scheduled for 4-27 July
2009.
Our university frequently hosts school
sporting events and this year is no
different. Mickey says it is important
to start developing players before
reaching university level. He
said this with reference to a
hockey course for schools
that will be presented at
the Kovsie astros from
26 April until 2 May.
More than a thousand players will participate in the
initiative.
Mickey is of the opinion that although most of our
university’s sport facilities are currently compliant with
the university standard, “we still have a lot of improving
to do in order to have the best”. He says: “The main
focus now is the commercialisation and improvement
of our sports facilities and the establishment of a
high performing centre within the next two years.”
The forthcoming high performance centre will not
only provide accommodation for sportsmen and
sportswomen near the sports facilities, but will also
feature a high class gymnasium.
Mickey supports the notion that sport at a university is
an integral part of being a student and, through student
participation, can be used as a
powerful marketing tool.
Sporting feast awaits us this yearBy Jamie-Ryan Turkington
of international and national sports events in 2009.
Recent upgrades have been made to the hockey,
rugby, athletics and netball facilities. Upgrades on
the swimming and soccer facilities are yet to follow
and should be completed before the end of the year.
Mickey Gordon, Head of Strategic Business and
Sport Development, says: “The long term benefi ts of
improving our facilities will provide us with the capacity
to host more high quality international and national
events.” He also added that his department is
in the process of restructuring and that more
improvements on and off the sports fi eld are still
to come.
We are geared to host players of championship
format. We recently hosted the world hockey
champions and the current Olympic gold medal
holders, Germany, who took on their South African
counterparts. Russia also featured and opened the
tournament against SA U.21. The matches were played
on the Kovsie astro fi elds early in March this year. Apart
Our university frequently hosts school
sporting events and this year is no
different. Mickey says it is important
to start developing players before
reaching university level. He
said this with reference to a
hockey course for schools
that will be presented at
the Kovsie astros from
26 April until 2 May.
university’s sport facilities are currently compliant with
the university standard, “we still have a lot of improving
to do in order to have the best”. He says: “The main
focus now is the commercialisation and improvement
of our sports facilities and the establishment of a
high performing centre within the next two years.”
The forthcoming high performance centre will not
only provide accommodation for sportsmen and
sportswomen near the sports facilities, but will also
feature a high class gymnasium.
Mickey supports the notion that sport at a university is
an integral part of being a student and, through student
participation, can be used as a
powerful marketing tool.
Our sporting community can look forward to an action-packed sports
menu this year.
Nuus News
26 27Bult
This year we have the chance to give a big up to all
the shiny dots in the night skies and to all the people
investigating them. It’s offi cially the Year of Astronomy.
Our university plays a big part in the celebrations.Not
everyone knows it, but the Boyden Observatory outside
Bloemfontein was handed over to us in 1976. This
observatory’s history stretches back to 1889 and to the
mountains of Peru.
In 1879 a mechanical engineer named Uriah A. Boyden
left in his will a sum of $238 000 for the expressed
purpose of carrying out astronomical research at high
altitude. Harvard College Observatory (HCO) eventually
(1889) found a suitable site, 8 km from the small town
of Chosica, near Lima, Peru. It was on a hill, which was
later named as Mount Harvard, with good weather and
a clean dry atmosphere. The new observatory, the fi rst
Boyden Station, was established there. It was later on
moved to Arequipa, also in Peru, because of unstable
weather patterns.
South Africa’s excellent climatic conditions were fairly
well known and in 1908 a team was sent by the HCO
to South Africa to investigate a possible third site for
the Boyden Station. They travelled from Cape Town via
Worcester to Hanover in the Karoo, and expeditions
were also sent to Kimberley, Bloemfontein and even to
Salisbury (now Harare). Taking all considerations into
account, Bloemfontein was the more preferable site. In
1923 the order was given for the station at Arequipa to
be moved to the new site on a koppie, 24 km north-east
of Bloemfontein, and overlooking Maselspoort.
And then in 1976, Harvard University handed the
Boyden Station over to our university and it became the
Boyden Observatory. Facilities of our university were
now at the disposal of the observatory.
The older Department of Physics and later Department
of Physics and Astronomy of our university played a big
role in making the Boyden Observatory a world-known
facility and exposing the public and school groups to
the world of astronomy.
In celebrating astronomy this year and also the 120th
anniversary of Boyden Observatory, our Department of
Physics and astronomy has a full programme to carry
out their responsibility to share the universe with the
public.
The Boyden Observatory anniversary is planned for
8 May 2009. Boyden Observatory will also have a
special astronomy exhibit at the Grahamstown Science
Festival that will be visited by thousands of people. Two
workshops per day aimed at Grade 10-12 learners will
be presented.
In April the Boyden Observatory contributed to
the International Year of Astronomy 100 Hours of
Astronomy project. Celebrations will also form part of
the annual Volksblad Arts Festival in July. For the third
term of 2009 school groups will visit to Boyden.
Let’s celebrate the twinkle of the stars!
Boyden central to astronomy-year celebrationsBy Willem van der Berg
No matter what your belief of how it got there, the starlit skies at night fascinate us all. The fact that there is no end to it, boggle our minds. The specs and measurements are just too supernatural for the mere human to understand.
The Boyden Observatory outside Bloemfontein.
Photos: M
aurits van Wyk
27BBult
Boyden Station over to our university and it became the
Boyden Observatory. Facilities of our university were
now at the disposal of the observatory.
The older Department of Physics and later Department
of Physics and Astronomy of our university played a big
role in making the Boyden Observatory a world-known
facility and exposing the public and school groups to
In celebrating astronomy this year and also the 120th
anniversary of Boyden Observatory, our Department of
Physics and astronomy has a full programme to carry
out their responsibility to share the universe with the
The Boyden Observatory anniversary is planned for
8 May 2009. Boyden Observatory will also have a
special astronomy exhibit at the Grahamstown Science
Festival that will be visited by thousands of people. Two
workshops per day aimed at Grade 10-12 learners will
In April the Boyden Observatory contributed to
the International Year of Astronomy 100 Hours of
Let’s celebrate the twinkle of the stars!
Nuus News
28 29Bult
Die landboufakulteit is die jongste van sy soort in die
land. Voor die samesmelting van die landboufakulteit,
natuurwetenskappe en bouwetenskappe in 2002 om
een fakulteit te vorm, was landbou ‘n fakulteit op sy eie.
Op ‘n vergadering van die universiteitsraad op 11 April
1949 is besluit dat ‘n fakulteit van landbou ingestel
moet word. Die destydse Minister van Landbou, mnr.
S.P. le Roux, het op 15 November 1955 opdrag aan ‘n
komitee gegee om ondersoek in te stel en aanbevelings
te doen oor die instelling van ‘n landboufakulteit aan
die UV.
“Die vernaamste motivering was dat ‘n landboufakulteit
die sentrale deel van Suid-Afrika moes bedien. Mnr.
Le Roux, wat ook ‘n alumnus was, het hom besonder
beywer vir die totstandkoming van die fakulteit,” sê
prof. Herman van Schalkwyk, dekaan van die Fakulteit
Natuur- en Landbouwetenskappe.
Voor sy uittrede uit die politiek, kon mnr. Le Roux nog
sy ideaal verwesenlik sien toe hy op 21 Maart 1958
die hoeksteenlegging van die nuwe fakulteitsgebou
waargeneem het. By hierdie geleentheid het hy wyse
woorde gespreek wat vandag nog as inspirasie en
rigting aan beide personeel en studente dien: ‘n
Volk wat vir sy Landbou sorg, sorg vir sy toekoms. Dié
woorde pryk op die fontein aan die voorkant van die
gebou.
“Die fakulteit het sy vroeë bestaansjare in die ou
offi siersmenasie by Sunlawns deurgemaak terwyl die
landbougebou in aanbou was. Van die personeel is
begin 1958 aangestel en toe kon die eerste studente
met studies in landbou begin. Met die aanvang van
die eerste klasse was daar slegs sewe ingeskrewe
studente. Die studentetal het na vier jaar honderd
bereik en hierna aanhou groei in voorgraadse en
nagraadse studentetalle,” sê prof. Van Schalkwyk.
Prof. Rabie Saunders was die eerste dekaan en as blyk
van waardering vir sy bydrae tot die daarstelling van die
fakulteit is die fakulteitsbiblioteek na hom vernoem.
Op 19 April 1963 is die indrukwekkende nuwe
fakulteitsgebou amptelik deur die Minister van
Landboutegniese Dienste en Waterwese, mnr. P.M.K.
le Roux, geopen. Dié gebeurtenis was nie alleen ‘n
mylpaal in die geskiedenis van die UV nie, maar ook
in Suid-Afrikaanse landbou. Die gebou, wat bestaan
uit agt blokke van drie tot vier verdiepings, is deur die
Bloemfonteinse argitek Scrysos S. Daneel ontwerp.
Dit is vandag nog ingerig met die mees tegnologies
gevorderde toerusting en die mees moderne geriewe in
die land vir landbouopleiding, sowel as -navorsing.
Met die samesmelting van die landboufakulteit met
natuurwetenskappe en bouwetenskappe, het die nuwe
fakulteit een van die grootste fakulteite aan die UV
geword met 19 departemente, vyf sentrums, ‘n instituut
en ‘n proefplaas. In 2008 het 1 016 voorgraadse
studente in landbouverwante kursusse ingeskryf,
teenoor 969 in 2007 en 897 in 2006.
”Die fakulteit streef vandag steeds daarna om
uitnemende, markgerigte opleiding aan studente te
verskaf, wat hulle gereed maak om hul plek in die be-
sigheidswêreld vol te staan,” sê prof. Van Schalkwyk.
Landbou is 50, maar nog ‘n jong kalfi eDeur Lacea Loader en Stefanie Naborn
Heel bo: Die eerste UOVS-landbouverenigingbestuur en Universiteit Boerevereniging in 1968.
Bo: Dié beeld aan die westekant van die Landbougebou toon ‘n man wat sy een hand na ‘n wolk uitsteek en met die ander ‘n weerligstraal vashou – dit simboliseer die Departement Landbouweerkunde.
Heel bo: Hoeksteenlegging van die Landbougebou op 21 Maart 1958.
Bo: By die loodsing van “50 jaar in landbou” einde van verlede jaar was, van links: dr. Daan Opperman, seremoniemeester en direkteur van Vleissentraal, mnr. Corwyn Botha, Voorsitter: Landboubesigheidskamer en Besturende Direkteur van die Kaap Agri Groep, mnr. Hans van der Merwe, Uitvoerende Hoof: Agri SA, prof. Herman van Schalkwyk: Dekaan: Fakulteit Natuur- en Landbouwetenskappe, en mnr. Motsepe Matlala, President van NAFU.
Die Fakulteit Natuur- en Landbouwetenskappe het in 2008 die 50ste bestaansjaar van die landbouprogram gevier. Dié program het so gegroei dat ons vandag as een van die leiers in landbou-opleiding in die land beskou word.
Nuus News
30 31Bult
NEWS
Take note of these Nguni breedersBy Ailsa Uys
The UFS is proud to be partner in a project in the
Northern Cape that will eventually establish the biggest
Nguni cattle breeder in South Africa. In the project
upcoming farmers are “lent” top breeding stock. After
fi ve years in the project, they return as “payment in
kind” the same number of registered Nguni cattle to the
project.
The Northern Cape IDC Nguni Cattle Development
Project is being received with enthusiasm and is
achieving great successes. An amount of R12 million
over fi ve years will be invested in this fl agship project.
The partnership is ideal, says Prof. HO de Waal,
UFS Project Manager. The Industrial Development
Corporation (IDC) is the funding partner, the Northern
Cape Department of Agriculture and Land Reform
(NCDALR) is the hosting institution in the Northern
Cape, we provide the project management and
communities in the Northern Cape are the benefi ciaries.
The approved farmers are provided with a
small registered Nguni herd and then get
intensive training. After the fi ve-year period
the offspring of the Nguni cattle becomes
the property of the farmer.
HO De Waal says: “An important objective
of the project, besides using the Nguni
cattle as a vehicle for a wide range of
training, is the development of people, the
lifting of living standards and expectations.”
Intense training is the backbone of the
project. Workshops are practical; solutions
to common problems are demonstrated
and discussed. A learning culture is being
demonstrated and it is paying off.
Farms in the project are spread out in
the Northern Cape. “Moving cattle is
expensive, so animals are being bought
from studs close to the farms. This benefi ts
farmers. Within a couple of years, the
project will be one of the biggest Nguni
stud breeders in the country, as although
each farmer is farming for himself, they
collectively fall under the protection of
the project for the fi rst fi ve years. Thereafter they are
on their own to become commercial farmers. It is our
aim to make people self-suffi cient, responsible and
independent Nguni breeders, says HO de Waal.
Participants speak of the success of the project:
Hendrick Faniso (56), a farmer from Warrenton, is
hoping that his children will take over. “We learn from
each other.” He appreciates the support he is getting.
Sharon Block, a 43-year old teacher, wants knowledge
to be passed onto their labourers, creating a ripple
effect in skills transfers.
Leaving the group of farmers, I understand that the
project is about people development; the respected
Nguni cattle breed is just the medium for development
and prosperity creation.
Dr Luis Schwalbach, vetenarian, explains
the vet kit at Vaalharts research station in
September 2008.
Research
Nuus
32 33Bult
Tick control seems to be a ticking bomb in South
Africa, with chemical tick control proving increasingly
ineffective as ticks become resistant to control
remedies. The Pesticide Resistance Testing Facility at
the UFS is one of only three laboratories in South Africa
that research the countrywide problem of tick control.
The testing facility is involved in detecting the extent
of tick resistance by using effi cacy testing of tick
collections from farms where problems arise due to
inadequate chemical control, to enable agents of
pharmaceutical companies to plan the most suitable
management strategy for tick control on a specifi c farm.
The facility is the only one of its kind in the county that
does both the testing and uses the results to identify
and initiate further research to address the countywide
problem of tick control. “At the testing facility we not
only deliver the service to confi rm resistance, but
also look at the complete problem regarding the
development and spreading of resistance and the
dangers it holds for food security in South Africa,” said
Ms Ellie van Dalen from the laboratory, which is part of
the Department of Zoology and Entomology.
Cattle ticks, through their direct feeding activity and
transmission of diseases such as gall sickness and
red water, can cause considerable commercial losses
to cattle farmers. Tick infestations can, however, be
restricted by the use of acaricides (active ingredient
of chemical control remedies) but the intensive use of
acaricides has led to the development of tick resistance
against it, causing chemical tick control to become
increasingly ineffective.
This has a further fi nancial impact on cattle farming due
to costs of remedies used but not able to control ticks,
cattle losses as result of tick transmitted diseases,
the costs of treating sick animals as well as costs to
implement the next remedy, which also might not be
working. The more than eighty remedies available
in South Africa for tick control all consist of one or a
combination of more than one out of three main groups
of acaricides, namely organophosphates, synthetic
pyrethroids and amidines, and the protection of these
acaricides against the development of tick resistance is
of utmost importance to prevent the catastrophic effect
tick resistance can have on the South African cattle-
farming and food-production industry. “Previously, tick
resistance was mostly addressed by changing over to a
new remedy,” said Ms van Dalen.
“We are also educating producers in making use of a
‘prevention rather than cure’ strategy by sending tick
collections to the facility for resistance profi ling before
tick resistance becomes a problem. This provides a
tool to select the appropriate insecticide management
strategy and to counteract the development of
resistance against an acaricide as soon as it is
detected,” she said.
Tick resistance can hamper food security in SABy Lacea Loader
Photos: H
annes Pieterse
Ms Ellie van Dalen from our university’s Pesticide Resistance Testing Facility busy with an adult emersion egg-laying test.
Christa du Rand and Octavia Motlogeloa conducting a larva-packet test to determine if ticks have a
resistence to an active ingredient. Both are M.Sc. students in Ectoparasitology. The larva-packet test is used especially when the facility must conduct tests for international companies as it is accepted by the
International Food and Agricultural Organisation.
resistance against an acaricide as soon as it is resistance against an acaricide as soon as it is
detected,” she said. detected,” she said.
Navorsing Research
34 35Bult
Forensiese Entomologie is ‘n skaars en interessante
vakrigting en ons is die enigste universiteit in Suid-
Afrika wat dit op grootskaal aanbied. Ons is ook in die
gelukkige posisie om prof. Theuns van der Linde – een
van die min forensiese entomoloë in die land – aan die
stuur van sake te hê. Met sy toegewydheid en passie vir
sy vakgebied dra hy by tot die skep van ‘n akademiese
kultuur.
Die enigste ander universiteit wat die kursus aanbied,
is Rhodes-universiteit, maar hier word meer op die
teoretiese aspekte van die rigting gekonsentreer.
By ons word die rigting slegs op nagraadse vlak
aangebied en is die kursusinhoud baie prakties.
Studente word blootgestel aan misdaadgevalle,
veediefstalle, sake waar voedselhigiëne ter sprake is en
hulle kry selfs geleentheid om misdaadtonele saam met
die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens te besoek.
Prof. Van der Linde is reeds 36 jaar verbonde aan die
UV. “Ek het 17 jaar gelede, nadat ek ‘n kongres oor
Forensiese Entomologie in Amerika bygewoon het,
besluit om in dié rigting te spesialiseer. Sedertdien was
ek by meer as 300 lykskouings betrokke waar ontbinde
lyke met insekte op ondersoek is om die tyd van dood
(of post-mortem interval) te probeer vasstel. Ek verkies
om die toneel te besoek saam met die polisie, voordat
ek die lykskouing bywoon. So het ek al ‘n aantal
moordsake help oplos,” het prof. Van der Linde gesê.
Sy regterhand is William Lesaoana, wat al vyf jaar saam
met hom werk. “William help studente met hul projekte
en eksperimente en hy teel ook vlieë, muskiete en
kakkerlakke in die insektarium. Hy identifi seer die vlieë
wat ons in eksperimente gebruik – hierdie proses het hy
self aangeleer. Hy is nou al so gekonfyt hiermee dat hy
genoegsame kennis het van sekere kenmerke op vlieë
en dit self kan identifi seer,” het ‘n trotse prof. Van der
Linde gesê.
William het ‘n Graad 12 en prof. Van der Linde het hom
na sy skoolloopbaan gehelp om as sekuriteitswag
opgelei te word. Kort daarna het prof. Van der Linde
se studente-assistent bedank en het hy ‘n aanbod aan
William gemaak om sy assistent te word. Vir William het
daar ‘n nuwe wêreld oopgegaan toe hy saam met prof.
Van der Linde begin werk het. “Ek het niks op skool
van Entomologie geleer nie en sal graag meer daarvan
wil weet. Ek sal ook graag eendag vir skoolkinders van
Entomologie wil leer,” het William gesê.
Omdat Entomologie so ‘n spesialisveld is, is daar net
‘n handjievol nagraadse studente wat saam met prof.
Van der Linde navorsing doen. “Ons fokus veral op
die ontbindingstempo van lyke in veldtoestande en in
ander omstandighede en op die suksessie waarmee
insekte ‘n lyk koloniseer. Dis gewoonlik brommers
wat ‘n lyk eerste beset, soms binne minute nadat die
persoon gesterf het,” het hy gesê.
Studente in dié vakrigting kan in verskeie rigtings
spesialiseer. Van die navorsing wat reeds gedoen is
of in die proses is om afgehandel te word, is onder
meer inseksuksessie en die ontbinding van die
liggaam, die verbranding van ‘n liggaam en die effek
daarvan op inseksuksessie, die effek van bedekking
op inseksuksessie en die ontbinding van ‘n liggaam,
entomo-toksikologie (waar insekte gebruik word om te
bepaal of daar gifstowwe soos ‘n oordosis medikasie
in lyke is).
Ander navorsing wat ook gedoen is, is byvoorbeeld
om te bepaal waar ‘n koeël ‘n lyk binnegedring het.
Wanneer ‘n lyk die aktiewe ontbindingsfase bereik het,
sal dit moeilik wees vir ‘n patoloog om ‘n koeëlwond op
die lyk te identifi seer. Die brommerlarwes vreet aan die
ontbinde weefsel rondom en in die wond en neem dan
van die buskruitresidu in. In hierdie geval kan bepaal
word of buskruitresidu in die larwes wat op/in die lyk
gevind, voorkom, en dus ‘n aanduiding gee of die
slagoffer geskiet is.
Ons eie ‘CSI’-manDeur Lacea Loader
Nadat jy hierdie artikel gelees het, gaan jy heeltemal anders oor goggas en insekte dink. In plaas daarvan dat hulle wonderlike skeppings is wat hul spesifi eke rolle in die natuur vervul, gaan jy dink soos ‘n lid van die CSI-span op televisie wat die oorsake van onnatuurlike sterftes ondersoek en bepaal.
Fotos: Hannes P
ieterse
Prof. Theuns van der Linde met ‘n paar opgespelte skoenlappers.
Die kokkerot in William se hand is die sg.
“Hissing Cockroach”, ook bekend as die
Madagaskar-kokkerot. Sommige mense hou
hulle as troeteldiere aan. Die wyfie is lewendbarend of
vivipaar. Die genus- en spesienaam is Gromphadorhina
protentosa.
Navorsing Research
36 37Bult
Prof. Rita-Marié Jansen awaits me at her office door.
She is feminine, graceful and sincerely polite. Her
smile is permanent and her eyes radiate a soft glow.
Out of the window fly my Law & Order ideas of power
dressing, staccato sentences and a quick step.
Rita-Marié’s CV surpasses all superficial superiority
gestures. When she speaks, everyone listens, because
they want to; not because they should.
“If I can give one person a painless death, I have
done enough,” Rita-Marié explains as she starts the
conversation.
Prof. Rita-Marié Jansen started her journey at the UFS
some 40 years ago as a first-year B.Soc.Sc. (Nursing)
student. She completed her honours degree and
started working at the Department of Nursing at Kovsie
Campus. During those years she married Willem, gave
birth to two girls, and completed a B.Iuris degree cum
laude. Intensifying my wordless wonder, Rita-Marié
explains: “My husband wanted to study L.Law, and
I decided to join him. It would make it a lot easier for
both of us, I thought. So I discontinued my master’s
studies in nursing and prepared for law … and my first-
born! I was such a sight, comfortably ensconced in a
first-year class with my budding belly and my husband
beside me.”
Rita-Marié’s daughter turned out to be a wonderful
baby and she managed to juggle work, studies and
motherhood. At the end of their third year, they were
expecting their second child. “I was eight months
pregnant when I sat through six three-hour papers,”
Rita-Marié only laughs when recalling that time.
“I stayed at home for two years after our second
daughter’s birth. She cried non-stop and I couldn’t
cope with everything on top of her demands.”
After two years of being a stay-at-home-mom, Rita-
Marié returned to Kovsies to complete an LL.B. This
time, however, she was alone. Her husband pursued
another career, but law was already in her blood. In
1989 she was appointed as a lecturer at the Faculty of
Law, and has been there ever since, lecturing in Private
Law.
Rita-Marié is an expert in Medical Law, Law of
Delict and Customary Law. She has delivered a
number of papers at both national and international
conferences, has authored a number of accredited
research publications and chapters in textbooks. She
successfully completed her LL.D dissertation: Legal
liability resulting from medication errors, in 2007.
Rita-Marié explored a field of study that, according
to her, still needs much investigation. Worldwide
the prescription, dispensing and administering of
medication comprise the most common form of
medical treatment. The number of medication errors
made in a medical care institution is regarded as a
good barometer of the general standard of care in that
institution. The number of medication errors that come
to light, however, is only the tip of the iceberg because,
compared to botched surgery, it can easily be swept
under the carpet. Research also indicates that the
prescription of medication as form of treatment is not
regarded as the high-risk activity that it really is.
“The research offers a comprehensive source regarding
medication errors seen from a legal perspective.
The extent and occurrence of medication errors
(prescription, dispensing and administration errors) are
discussed with the aim to also bring it to the attention
of both lawyers and health-care workers. Doctors,
pharmacists and nurses often experience uncertainty
about their legal position and how to deal with
problematic situations.”
In her study, Rita-Marié discusses specific problematic
areas, including the more important legislation with
regard to medication treatment, as well as the off-
label use of medication, i.e. the use of medication for
conditions (or in dosages) other than that for which it
is registered at the Medicine Control Council (MCC).
Although the off-label use of medication is regarded
as sound medical practice, an adverse outcome may
involve legal complications.
“Doctors find different uses for medication almost on
a daily basis and the registration process at the MCC
simply cannot keep up. It is estimated that as much as
60% of prescriptions in the USA are for off-label uses.”
Rita-Marié also investigates the problems surrounding
the administration of pain medication and especially
the failure to give sufficient pain medication – one of
the most prevalent forms of medication errors. “Owing
to a fear of prosecution and in an attempt to avoid an
arduous inquisition, doctors generally give too low
a dosage of painkillers. Unfortunately there are no
on-line answers to these matters. The only solution is
information. Informed medical and legal practitioners
and – importantly – informed patients. Patients need to
start asking questions.”
Rita-Marié concludes, “I am committed to making
a difference in the lives of both the patients and the
medical practitioners.”
Taking your own medicine may be a bitter pill to swallowBy Cindé Mostert
When faced with surgery, many people seek a second and sometimes even third opinion. Medication, however, is often taking blindly, putting at risk not only the patient, but also the doctor prescribing and the pharmacist dispensing. At the core of this complex problem, health and legal issues tiptoe around each other. However, one legal expert was bold enough to let them meet among the pages of her LL.D.
Navorsing Research
38 39Bult
The Department of Chemistry has shown a fi ve-fold
growth in its research output in the past three years.
This again generated income for the department in
terms of the government’s subsidy on publications. A
large contributing factor to the department’s success
is Sasol’s support, which contributes to our university’s
pursuit of excellence.
Although Sasol’s involvement stretches over the past 57
years, the company’s involvement with the Department
of Chemistry started in a more pro-active way in 2006
when the company indicated that it is concerned
about the deterioration of the practicing of science
at South African universities, and Sasol announced a
countrywide university support programme to the value
of R25 million per year for a period of ten years.
The programme was aimed at enhancing expertise in
areas of chemistry that are of interest to Sasol at
universities where some expertise in those
fi elds already existed. “The program
was an effort to strengthen pockets
of already existing excellence,”
said Prof. Ben Bezuidenhoudt,
Sasol seconded chair in
Organic Chemistry
in the department for a period of fi ve years. At the
UFS Sasol selected Inorganic and Organic Chemistry
because of the expertise of Prof. André Roodt, head of
the department and B evaluated researcher in Inorganic
Chemistry.
An appropriation of R3 million per year for process
technology and to further develop research capacity
in Chemistry was awarded to the department.
Many people were involved with the negotiations
surrounding this grant, but one person at Sasol
particularly stands out in this regard: Dr Des Young,
former lecturer in Organic Chemistry at the UFS, and
now senior manager at Sasol’s Technology Research
and Development. This generous donation laid the
foundation for a unique relationship with Sasol. Not only
was fi nancial support received, but a staff member of
Sasol was seconded to our university for fi ve years.
Sasol also provides postgraduate bursaries, of which
we have six at the moment. Ten other postgraduate
students are also
conducting their
research
There is chemistry between Sasol and the UFS By Lacea Loader
on Sasol related problems
and processes. This research
contributed towards the
publication of more than 50
research papers in international
journals by the department
on average the past three
years. The department is also
conducting contract research
for the company on specifi c
problems in the industry. In
the Chemistry building that
is in the process of being
upgraded, laboratories are
furnished specifi cally to comply
with Sasol’s and international
research and safety standards.
Sasol also decided to invest in
the improvement of Physical
Chemistry country-wide.
Sasol, the National Research
Foundation, the Department
of Science and Technology,
Prof. Jannie Swarts and
Head of Physical Chemistry,
Prof. Hendrik Swart of the
Department of Physics of
our university joined forces
to negotiate more than R25
million to create a surface
characterisation laboratory with
the best measuring capabilities
in Africa.
“The total investment in equipment (about R40
million) and upgrading of the Chemistry building
(more than R50 million) illustrates the intent of UFS
top management and the Chemistry department,
augmented by Sasol, to provide an equipped research
facility that can compete internationally,” said Prof.
André Roodt, head of the department.
Nicolene Cloete (left), Ph.D. student
in Inorganic Chemistry and
Nicola Barnard, Ph.D. student in
Physical Chemistry. Both are Sasol
bursary holders.
38
areas of chemistry that are of interest to Sasol at
universities where some expertise in those
fi elds already existed. “The program
was an effort to strengthen pockets
of already existing excellence,”
said Prof. Ben Bezuidenhoudt,
Sasol seconded chair in
Organic Chemistry
Sasol was seconded to our university for fi ve years.
Sasol also provides postgraduate bursaries, of which
we have six at the moment. Ten other postgraduate
students are also
conducting their
research
André Roodt, head of the department.
From the left are: Prof. Jannie Swarts, Head of the Physical Chemistry Section, Prof. André Roodt, head of the Department of Chemistry, and Prof. Ben Bezuidenhoudt, Sasol seconded chair in Organic Chemistry in the department.
Cyril Young, M.Sc. student in Inorganic Chemistry, and Duduetsang Saku, Ph.D. student in Process Chemistry. Both are Sasol bursary holders.
Photos: H
annes Pieterse
Navorsing Research
40 41Bult
The University of the Free State the School of
Management, now ten years old, is proud to present
a programme called Creating leadership and personal
capacity in women*, which was developed by thinking
fusion on request of Danie Jacobs of the Centre for
Business Dynamics. They also developed Leadership
in the connection economy, as well as Leading: A
programme for executives. All three programmes are
registered on NQF Level 6 with a value of 42 credits
that are recognised for the B. Degree in Business
Leadership offered at Kovsies, or any other relevant
qualification at other tertiary institutions.
Danie requested Dr René Uys and Harry van der Merwe
of thinking fusion, to write a programme that not only
aids women (managers) to develop fully as leaders,
but a programme that also adapts the leadership
culture of the organisation to meet the demands
of the connection economy. “René and Harry wrote
phenomenal programmes,” Danie explains, barely able
to contain his enthusiasm.
“One must realise,” they say, “that these are
programmes for people in management positions.
And more specifically, it is leadership programmes.
Leadership involves behaviour, which needs to be
acquired. Accordingly, the programme is presented for
16 days spread over a period of seven months. People
actually have the opportunity to practise and apply what
they have learnt.”
René is of the opinion that organisations take a major
decision when they choose to present one of the
programmes. Not only in financial terms, but also
because the newly learnt skills of the leaders, will most
certainly have an impact on the existing leadership
culture of the organisation. “A positive impact, certainly!
But change is inevitable.” Large organisations like
Sasol, FNB, Momentum, FET Colleges, Vodacom,
Kumba Iron Ore, SA Post Office, Free State Department
of Education and Sita have to date realised the value of
these programmes.
René explains, “The philosophy behind the programmes
is to develop the individual as well as the organisation.
That’s why we work with groups of 20-30 from one
organisation. We also apply the specific organisation’s
values, culture and strategy instead of case studies to
optimise learning and applicability.” “We want to make
a change in our own country. We want to empower
people to cope with and master their circumstances.”
According to Danie, these programmes were the first
of its kind in South Africa and have given Kovsies a
national footprint. Suddenly the business sector realises
that we have a great deal to offer.” Th
e le
adin
g ed
ge
Personeel
Many a formidable woman has graced, and continues to grace, our planet. Women like Charlotte Maxeke, the first black woman in South Africa to obtain a degree. Mary Fitzgerald, the first woman on the City Council of Johannesburg. Miriam Makeba. Helen Suzman. Your granny. My mom. Ladies we call our best friends. Everyone leaves a legacy. Sisterhood is alive and well, and at Kovsies they are empowering women. Appreciating them. Developing their potential. By Cindé Mostert. fusion
*Programme image
42 43Bult
Klas van 1980 wys landbou hoe
Agttien jaar nadat hulle saam in die eerstejaar-
chemieklas gesit het, het Maryke Labuschagne en
Alfonso Visser verlede jaar met die toppryse van
die Landbouskrywersvereniging weggestap. Die
Landbouskrywers SA, Ou Mutual, Mutual & Federal
en Nedbank maak jaarliks toekennings aan top- Suid-
Afrikaanse boere en landboukundiges.
Prof. Maryke Labuschagne, is as Suid-Afrika se
Landboukundige van die jaar bekroon, terwyl mnr.
Alfonso Visser, ’n boer van Hartswater, die SA Boer
van die Jaar is. Hy het die grade B.Sc.Agric. (1986) en
B.Sc.Agric. Hons. (1987) aan die universiteit behaal en
in 2004 ook hier ’n kursus in finansiële beplanning en
bestuur (landbou) bygewoon. Prof. Labuschagne en
mnr. Visser het gedurende die 1980’s saam eerstejaar-
chemieklasse bygewoon.
Albei is deur mnr. Charl van Rooyen, ook ’n oud-
Kovsie wat verlede jaar sy magister in Volhoubare
Landbou aan die UV behaal het, benoem. Hy is
assistent-redakteur van Landbouweekblad in Pretoria,
sekretaris van Landbouskrywers SA en uitvoerende
bestuurslid van die Internasionale Federasie van
Landboujoernaliste. – Bydrae deur Charl van
Rooyen.
Maryke excels in the genetic improvement of cropsBy Lacea Loader
Last year was probably one of the best years in the career of Prof. Maryke Labuschagne, head of the division Plant Breeding at our university. Not only did she win three national awards for her research, but she also obtained over R1 million in research funding from local and overseas funders. She is one of the leading researchers in her field in the country.
The focus of her research team is the improvement of crop quality in South Africa and Africa, specifically in wheat, cassava, sweet potato, cocoyam and maize. “Half of my students are conducting research on cassava because it is the second most important staple food in Sub-Saharan Africa,” Prof. Labuschagne said.
In 2008 she received the National Science and Technology Forum Award for research capacity building in the last five to ten years that resulted from the training, under her supervision, of a large number of especially black post-graduate students from South Africa and Africa.
She was winner of the Cereal Science and Technology, South Africa, prize for research and development and
received prize money and an award. And, at the end of 2008 the Agricultural Writers’ Association of South Africa also elected her as National Agriculturist of the Year 2008. She received this award for her research on gluten protein in wheat that was conducted with scientists from Sweden and Hungary.
Prof. Labuschagne’s achievements are proof that teaching and research are of an exceptional high standard at our university. “To be recognised for this research is a great honour and privilege – it also provided exposure to my field of study,” she said. Although she has done research with several universities overseas, her focus is now on Africa because there is such an opportunity for research on the continent.
“My research team focuses on the genetic improvement of crops that can provide better nutrition to people. This can also help small-scale farmers of Africa,” she said.
Her passion is her students. “I am supervisor to twelve Ph.D. and seven master’s students. Most of them
are part-time and are from countries such as Kenia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Ghana, Malawi, Ethiopia and Namibia,” said Prof. Labuschagne.
Her division has excellent networks with large institutions such as CIMMYT, the international maize and wheat centre based in Kenya and Zimbabwe, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) based in Nigeria, Malawi and Kenya and the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), based in Kenya. Most of the students are also funded by these companies. Being their mentor, Prof. Labuschagne visits them regularly to look at their field experiments.
She works with the South African Agricultural Research
Council (ARC) and collaborates with them to train
plant breeders. Other cooperative agreements include
research on cassava with the International Centre for
Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) in Colombia and funded by
the Rockefeller Foundation. Some of her students from
Africa do their practical training at CIAT.
She is has a C grading from the National Research
Foundation and has published almost a hundred
scientific publications, delivered about fifty papers
at national conferences and more than forty at
international conferences.
Pho
tos:
Han
nes
Pie
ters
e
Prof. Maryke Labuschagne en mnr. Alfonso Visser (links) met hul toekennings. Saam met hulle is mnr. Marlon de Jager van Aberdeen wat as Opkomende Boer van die Jaar aangewys is.Heel regs is Mnr. Charl van Rooyen van Landbouweekblad.
Personeel Staff
44 45Bult
Gretha wen veld met meditasie en visualisasie in die kerkDeur Cindé Mostert
Met ‘n sagte stem en ‘n rustige kyk in haar oë, begin ds.
Gretha Heymans, deesdae leraar by Kovsiekerk, haar
storie vertel.
Gretha het in 1980 vir B.A. Admissie ingeskryf. Uit die
tagtig eerstejaars was sy die enigste vrou en ‘n paar
jaar later die eerste vrou wat aan die Fakulteit Teologie
gegradueer het. Wat ‘n blye dag moes wees, het vir
Gretha ‘n bitter smaak gekry. “Daardie aand het ek seker
die meeste gehuil oor hierdie hele teologie-ding.” As
vrou was daar nêrens in die kerk vir haar ‘n plek nie – nie
as diaken, ouderling of predikant nie.
Gretha het geweier dat dit haar onderkry. Sy het by die
verpleegsterskoshuis Idahlia as kerklike werkster begin
werk. “Ek het alles gedoen wat ‘n predikant sou, en
soms in die hospitaal se kapel gepreek.” In 1990 het
die sinode besluit om wel vroue tot ampte in die kerk
toe te laat en Gretha is gelegitimeer. Maar eers vier jaar
later, sou die kerkdeure vir ds. Heymans oopswaai. Sy
is beroep in die NG gemeente van die Kovsiekerk. En
skielik het haar drome waar geword.
“Ek het altyd geroepe gevoel om ‘n dominee te word.
Aanvanklik was my ouers skepties daaroor. Maar toe
hulle besef dat ek ernstig is, het hulle my ten volle
ondersteun. Ek het altyd geweet dat as ek kan preek
en met jongmense kan werk, ek volkome gelukkig sal
wees.”
Met dieselfde sekerheid en entoesiasme het Gretha
haar verhandeling oor meditasie en visualisasie as
terapie aangepak. “Ek wou graag meditasie gebruik
om mense te laat ontspan. En dan ‘n Christelike brug
na visualisasie te bou om uiteindelik met visualisasie
die terapie te doen. So die terapie gebeur binne
die visualisasiekonteks... Ek is baie verras deur die
resultate. Dis ongelooflik kragtig.”
Gretha het geweet dat sy teenkanting sou kry. Daarom
het sy baie navorsing gaan doen om die Christelike kant
van meditasie te ontbloot en dit so van die Oosterse
idee te onderskei. Gretha se standpunt is dat jy alleen
deur Jesus Christus verlos kan word.
Sy is oortuig dat daar veral in die Ou Testament
gedeeltes is wat verwys na meditasie. Veral waar
gepraat word van oordink en nadink. “Wanneer mens na
die kerkvaders gaan kyk is meditasie eintlik ‘n oeroue
begrip. Dit is glad nie so ‘n vreemde ding nie.”
Gretha sê: “Wat meeste mense die bangste maak, is dat
hulle dink dit ‘n tipe hipnose is en jy nie beheer gaan hê
oor wat jy doen nie. Dit is glad nie die geval nie.
“Daar is al bepaal dat emosionele trauma in die
primitiewe brein gestoor word. Hierdie brein beskerm jou
ook. As jy byvoorbeeld ‘n leeu sien, word jy voorberei vir
‘n veg-of-vlug reaksie. In die proses onttrek die liggaam
bloed om aan die spiere te voorsien vir ekstra krag. Na
so twinig minute keer die liggaam terug na normaal
omdat die gevaar dan verby behoort te wees. Vandag
loop ons ons nie meer in leeus vas nie, maar daar is
ander dinge wat vir ons soos ‘leeus’ is. Verkeersknope.
Werksdruk. Die sleg van vandag se ‘leeus’ is dat die
veg-en-vlug reaksie nooit regtig verby is nie. Ons is nie
meer na 20 minute weer veilig nie. Die leeus is té veel.
Dis dan wanneer depressie, hoë bloeddruk, spastiese
kolon en so meer ontstaan. Die liggaam keer net nooit
weer terug na normaal nie.
“Uit ‘n visualisasie-oogpunt moet negatiewe beelde
met positiewe beelde vervang word. Dit is waar geloof
inkom. Baie vroeg in ‘n kind se lewe moet daar uiters
positiewe beelde vasgevang word. Ouers wat voor
kinders baklei, hou dus beslis ‘n risiko in. Ons kinders
moet mooi en opbouende goed sien.”
Om eendag ‘n goeie werk te hê, is meestal die dryfveer agter elkeen wat by ‘n universiteit inskryf, maar vir Gretha Heymans was dit ‘n hartsbesluit. Die dag toe sy by ons ingeskryf het as teologiestudent het sy baie goed geweet: vroueleraars in die NG Kerk is taboe. Sy het nie alleen predikant geword nie, maar wen ook veld met Christelike meditasie en visualisasie.
“Ons word so gekondisioneer om op ons logiese denke staat te maak dat dit ons kreatiewe denke heeltemal onderdruk.”
Personeel Staff
Gretha Heymans.
46 47Bult
“I was no child in particular. My one sister was the
eldest child and the other the youngest daughter.
My one brother was the eldest son and the other the
youngest child. I was in the middle… without title! My
father and I were very close, something unfamiliar in
our culture. I was a tomboy. Not a lady. Till today I don’t
where make-up.”
Letticia went to primary school in Ga-Rankuwa. Always
a star. Always a late riser. “I overslept many times. You
should think that the activities of six other people in a
small house would wake me… but I only woke up when
everything was quiet! Then I had to run to get to school
before the teacher.”
When Letticia talks of her childhood her enthusiasm
invites you on the journey with her. The family’s
favourite excursion was to the airport. “Strange? But the
excitement was unbelievable. We would have looked
at the aeroplanes, not knowing what was really going
on. We would see people getting into the ‘thing’, going
away, and getting back!”
Letticia explains that they were a fairly middle-class
family, by the standards then. “My mother was a
teacher and my father a senior clerk in a big factory. We
didn’t have luxuries, but also never went hungry. Every
child had an opportunity to get new shoes. I remember
clearly that it was my turn shortly before one winter. At
school we played, it got warm and I took my shoes off.
And I forgot it at school… and that was it. I couldn’t get
shoes again. So, I had to go to school barefoot in the
frost that winter!”
“It taught me discipline. Things were easy those days.
You knew what was important: you had to get to school
before the teacher. With or without shoes. Whether you
overslept or not. Today’s children are different…”
In 1976 Letticia was sent to Thaba Nchu to complete
her high school. The High School Moroka was then the
best Tswana school and Letticia a brilliant scholar. It
was the logical choice. There was a bell for every thing.
“Up to matric other people mainly decided what I had
to do and when to do it… and then I went to university.”
Letticia enrolled for medical studies at the “black
section” of the University of Natal. It was the only
medical school that allowed black students. “Now you
land at university. As first-year and as prey for senior
students. With no-one to watch over you shoulder.
Whether you attend classes or not. Whether you pass
or not, it doesn’t worry anyone. You can go to a movie
every night and stay out late if you like… and there I
failed my first year.”
That was a heavy blow for Letticia. To make things
worse her dear father died in her first year. “I don’t
want to blame other things for my mistakes, but it was
terrible. Only a year later, my mother died. Oh, those
two were so in love. Her health just deteriorated. But,
yes. I went back for my second first year at university.
I decided that failing will never be an option again. In
1981 Letticia got her degree: “I came out triumphant!”
After her mother’s death her aunt cared for her brother
and sister, but she couldn’t do it for ever. It was time for
Letticia to go home, and so she landed at Medunsa. In
1990 she specialised and qualified in Obstetrics and
Gynaecology and from 1997 to 2002 she was the head
of the gynaecological oncology unit at the Ga-Rankula
Hospital in Pretoria. “It was wonderful. My work was
exciting. Every procedure a challenge. I was good in
what I was doing… then the UFS asked me to apply
for the vice-dean’s position in the Faculty of Health
Sciences. A managerial position. I considered it for a
long time and decided to take on the challenge!”
So Letticia and her two daughters arrived in the Free
State in 2002. In 2003 she became the dean of the
faculty. Since then Prof. Moja completed her MBA and
is as comfortable in a manager’s chair as she is in an
operating theatre. She recently completed building
a new house at Hartebeespoort Dam and made the
curtains herself. She is also an honorary game ranger
of San Parks and can even escort tourists. “It is
wonderful to sleep in a tent and to wonder around in
nature. Somewhere close to a water stream.”
Letticia’s vitality is just as overwhelming as her
achievements. She is not only someone to learn from,
but also someone you enjoy talking to. Without fuzz.
As she has grown up. She knows what is important, as
she has learnt. Definitely someone every Kovsie can be
proud of.
Letticia Moja folds her fine hands around a steaming cup of coffee before she starts her story. There where she grew up as one of five children in a four-room house. There are memories and a deep gratefulness for her forming years in Pretoria. There she learned about discipline and respect. And staying-power. She is appointed as Dean of the Faculty of Health Science for a further five years. Cindé Mostert talked with her.
Personeel Staff
Letticia at home in the theatre and the veld
Prof. Letticia Moja.
Foto: Stephen C
ollette
48 49Bult
Francois Tolmie: die man agter die titelDeur Cindé Mostert
Ons ontmoet by ‘n rustige koffiewinkel, weg van die
akademiese struktuur. Ek is effens vroeg en benoud.
Prof. Tolmie is ‘n man van statuur. Maar vandag wil ek
weet van sy drome, vrese en plesier. Hy groet vriendelik
en glimlag gul. Ek is onmiddellik op my gemak.
Francois, sou ek later leer, is ‘n man met ‘n hart wat
warm klop vir dit wat hy doen. Tog, sonder om gewone
sterflinge te vervreem.
Na sy studies by Kovsies het hy sy weermagopleiding
op Walvisbaai gedoen en hier het die plaaslike
gemeente hom in 1989 beroep. ‘n Jaar later het die
akademie geroep. Francois is by Kovsies se Fakulteit
Teologie aangestel en daar het hy diep spore begin
trap by die Nuwe Testament-departement – van senior
lektor tot dekaan. Hy het in St.6 al geweet het hy wil ‘n
dominee word.
“Ons is vier broers. Ek is die oudste en my tweede
oudste broer is ‘n mediese dokter in Kanada. Die
jongste is ‘n tweeling: een is by die UV, ‘n ander ‘n
bedryfsielkundige in Pretoria. In ‘n stadium was ons al
vier gelyk op universiteit!” In my gedagtes klop ek die
ouerpaar van dié vier op die skouer. Maklik, was dit
verseker nie.
Francois het sy vrou, Ansa, by Kovsies ontmoet. Hulle
is getroud terwyl hy nog geswot het. Sy was lank ‘n
onderwyseres en is pas klaar met ‘n meestersgraad
oor disleksie. “My oudste dogter, Carmien, swot
mikrobiologie. My seun, Francois, is in Gr.11 en die
laatlam, Mialise, is in Gr. 5.”
Hoe maak jy jou religieuse kennis deel van jou
lewe? In my geval is dit redelik maklik. Ek werk met
die Nuwe Testament. Dis baie nader aan ons lewe
vandag. Ek werk meestal met Paulus se boeke en ek
dink dat ons deesdae baie dinge soos hy ervaar. Die
Christendom was ‘n klein groepie en nie regtig in tel
nie. Baie soos in Suid-Afrika vandag. Ons geloof is al
hoe minder in tel. Dis byvoorbeeld uit die staatsdiens
en skole uit.
Is dit sleg of goed? Die goeie daaraan is dat as jy
vandag kies om ‘n Christen te wees is dit omdat jy
regtig wil. Vroeër was dit dalk vir jou voordelig om aan
‘n kerk te behoort. Wanneer jy byvoorbeeld aansoek
gedoen het vir ‘n werk, is jy gevra aan watter kerk jy
behoort. Die Christendom word dalk kleiner, maar ek
dink meer opreg.
Is daar ‘n kommunikasiegaping tussen die
akademie en die man op straat? Ek probeer my
boodskap skei. Daar is basies drie groepe met wie
ek kommunikeer. Die akademici, die kerk en die
populêre mark. Met elkeen praat ek op ‘n ander vlak.
Die akademici is my kleinste gehoor. Wanneer ek met
die kerk praat, is dit wanneer ek preek. Die populêre
mark is enigeen wat een van my boeke optel en lees.
Cum Boeke het byvoorbeeld onlangs ‘n boek van my
en Jan van der Watt uitgegee oor die Apokriewe boeke
(godsdienstige boeke wat nie in die Bybel opgeneem is
nie) wat ons in eenvoudige Afrikaans vertaal het.
Hoe beleef jy ander preke, veral uit boeke wat jy al
bestudeer het? Omdat ek self ‘n dominee was, het
ek eintlik simpatie met die predikante. Ek bestee jare
daaraan om iets te bestudeer. En hulle het soms so min
as een week. Ek moes ook al uit Ou Testament-boeke
preek wat ek nie so goed ken nie!
En as jy nie saamstem met wat hulle sê nie? Soms
sal ek dink iets wat hulle sê is nie so nie... maar dan
los ek dit maar! Baie keer is dit ook dat ‘n teks net op
‘n ander manier verstaan word. Dit het al gebeur dat
ek ’n nuwe interpretasie vir die eerste keer hoor, en dit
interessant vind.
Wat is op die ou einde reg? ‘n Teks laat gewoonlik
ruimte vir verskillende interpretasies. Dit hang af van
jou behoefte op ‘n gegewe oomblik. Dit is soos om na
‘n huis te kyk. Die ou wat voor die huis staan sien ‘n
ander prentjie as die ou aan die agterkant. Maar dit bly
dieselfde huis. Hulle is net op verskillende plekke. Soos
wat ons in verskillende plekke van ons lewens is.
Is daar ‘n finale waarheid? Daar is sekere goed wat
vas staan. Soos dat daar ‘n God bestaan wat ons lief het
en vir Jesus gestuur het. Maar om tekste verskillend te
interpreteer is ‘n goeie ding. Dit lei daartoe dat ons met
mekaar praat. Sodoende verstaan ons dinge uiteindelik
beter.
Is dit goed om te weet dat sekere teorieë nie
verkeerd bewys kan word nie? Ons beoefen teologie
as ‘n wetenskap. So dit moet wetenskaplik sin maak.
Ons gebruik teorieë wat ook geld in enige ander
geesteswetenskaplike vakgebied. Maar agter dit sit ‘n
stuk geloofsoortuiging. Daar is dus ‘n fondasie waarna
ons kan terugkeer. Daar is ‘n God.
Hoe integreer jy wetenskap en ‘n ‘geestelike oomblik
van verdieping’? My werk as akademikus en as
predikant is baie nou verweef. Wanneer ek ‘n akademiese
artikel skryf, moet ek my spiritualiteit tegnies verwoord
en formuleer – maar dit is verseker nog daar. Dis net dat
enige persoon wat dit lees, al glo hulle nie, moet kan
sê die argumente is goed. Wanneer ek preek, is dit vir
mense wat reeds glo. Dan is daar ‘n bietjie meer hart.
Wat is ons samelewing se grootste probleem?
Waardesisteme. Verkeerde waardesisteme skep die
illusie dat dinge belangrik is wat geen waarde het nie.
As jy ‘n goeie verhouding met God het, kom dit reg. Nie
eensklaps nie. Maar met tyd. Die kerk doen baie moeite in
dié verband. Werk wat nie altyd in die media verskyn nie.
Wat is die Christendom se toekoms in ons land? Die
amptelike gesig sal dalk kleiner en kleiner word. Maar
die kerke groei. In opregtheid. Die behoefte aan God
gaan nie minder word nie. Inteendeel, ek dink dit gaan
meer word. Maar op ‘n ander manier. Daar is al hoe meer
mense wat laat in hulle lewe teologie begin bestudeer as
‘n tweede loopbaan, of net vir hulleself. Daar is beslis ‘n
toekoms.
En met prof. Francois Tolmie as dekaan, is die toekoms
van die teologie-fakulteit blink.
Prof. Francois Tolmie is bekend in teologie-kringe. Dis ook hy wat aan die begin van 2009 die leisels by Fakulteit Teologie as dekaan oorgeneem het. Aan publikasies en akademiese sukses is by hom geen tekort nie. Maar wie is die man agter die nuwe hande aan die stuur?
Staff
Foto: Gerhard Louw
50 51Bult
Johan Meyer praises the beauty of mathsBy Margaret Linström
This passion he lives out by devoting much of his
free time to the drawing up of question papers for
mathematical olympiads and to the training of learners
in preparation for these events. He says that the work
he does for the various olympiads is “almost like a
hobby. I see the olympiads as a type of community
involvement. I do it for the love of the subject and for
the promotion of mathematics. Right through your life
you collect mathematical problems, and you jot them
down. Then for the olympiads everybody brings their
stash of problems. We discuss them, and try to solve
them. That is part of why I do it.”
Prof. Meyer is involved in mathematical olympiads from
the highest level right down to provincial level. Right
at the top of the pile is the International Mathematical
Olympiad (IMO), for which he is the South African
representative. The IMO is the world championship for
high school learners and it is held in a different country
every year. The first IMO was held in Romania in 1959,
with only seven countries participating, and since then it
has grown to over 90 countries on five continents.
Prof. Meyer explains that “learners, who have been
chosen to take part in the IMO, have to undergo intense
training beforehand as the mathematical problems,
which need to be solved at that level, are extremely
difficult”.
Another olympiad which Prof. Meyer devotes time and
energy to is the Pan African Mathematics Olympiad
(PAMO). PAMO is held in a different African country
once a year, and this year Pretoria will host it. Prof.
Meyer’s involvement in PAMO is on the Problems’
Committee, and he is primarily involved with the
drawing up and moderating of question papers.
The South African Mathematics Olympiad (SAMO)
also utilizes Prof. Meyer’s vast expertise. This premier
mathematics competition is almost as old as the
International Mathematical Olympiad. It is a three
round competition which is presented at both junior
and senior level. The first round attracts some 50 000
entries from all over the country. The paper consists of
multiple-choice questions, and mathematics teachers
at the different schools mark the papers themselves.
Learners need to get 50% to progress to the second
round, and only 100 are selected for the third round.
It’s for this third round which Prof. Meyer serves on the
committee which sets up the senior question paper.
The ten best achievers win medals and according to
Prof. Meyer the prize-giving ceremony is “a big event” for
those who make the final grade.
At provincial level there are other mathematics
competitions, which the professor says is “like the Currie
Cup between the provinces”. There are 16 regions
countrywide, and the Free State has been showing its
mettle at junior and senior level because of the excellent
training programmes available to learners. One of these
programmes with which Prof. Meyer is actively involved
is the Nautilus Mathematics Project, an initiative which he
describes as exciting.
Learners are taught techniques and problem solving at
the Nautilus workshops which are held four times a year.
Prof. Meyer’s involvement is with the Grade 11 and 12
learners.
But is mathematics a subject where you ever know
it all? Prof. Meyer smiles when he answers that “a
mathematician never stops learning. The more you know,
the more there is you do not know. It’s like a circle with
an outer edge – the bigger the circle, the bigger the outer
edge, and the edge is what you don’t know. That makes
it so exciting – to continually make new discoveries.”
The commitment of Prof. Johan Meyer of our Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics to his subject is plain to see, but it’s when he speaks about “the beauty of a mathematical problem” that you realise that it’s more than mere commitment, this is passion speaking.
Photo: H
annes Pieterse
Prof. Johan Meyer.
Personeel
52 53Bult
Rentworks, an equipment-rental company, donated
R245 000 towards the Beds of Hope Project to supply
much needed beds to the intensive-care units of the
Universitas and Pelonomi Hospitals in Bloemfontein.
Glenn Goodall, CEO of Rentworks, says supporting
initiatives of this nature is essential to ensure that
sickly premature babies and children receive the best
possible care and equipment available. The neonatal
and paediatric sections of the hospitals will benefit from
the donation.
Prof. André Venter, head of paediatrics and child health
at the Faculty of Health Sciences at our university,
says his department, which operates from Universitas
and Pelonomi Hospitals, cares for nearly one million
children a year from the Free State and Northern Cape
and some children from North West, Eastern Cape
and Lesotho. These hospitals function with outdated
equipment sorely in need of being repaired, replaced
and/or updated. Beds of Hope was launched to
address their concern for both patients and tertiary
training. A further R15 million is needed. One ICU bed
with monitoring and ventilation apparatus costs about
R850 000. They hope to buy sixteen beds to address
and rectify this situation.
Mr Goodall says: “We are delighted to be able to
contribute to the success of a cause that is literally
saving the lives of South Africa’s children.”
Up to ten babies are turned away from the Universitas
Hospital each month due to a lack of beds, and they
can die as a result.
Beds of Hope gets a major injection
At one of the patients, are, from the left:
Prof. Stephen Brown (Department of
Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Health Sciences), Ms Laura Grobler
(Accounts Executive, Rentworks) and
Mr Thulani Vilakaz (Managing Executive,
Rentworks).
Reik uit en vat die klein handjie…Deur Leatitia Pienaar
“Ons kan nie net op die staat vir ‘n subsidie staatmaak nie. Hulle het ander prioriteite. As ons iets wil doen, moet ons dit self doen,” sê prof. André Venter.
Geen bydrae kan ooit te klein of te groot wees vir die projek nie. As jy daardie klein handjie, wat beswaarlik groter as ‘n duim is, sien van die mensie wat in een van daardie “beddens van hoop” lê, offer jy dalk maklik jou volgende sny sjokoladekoek en koffie vir die projek op. Bydraes kan soos volg gemaak word:
Universiteit van die VrystaatAbsa Bank (tjekrekening)Rekeningnommer: 4071164689Brandwagtak, takkode 630734Gebruik Bed of Hope as verwysing en faks bewys van inbetaling na 051 444 3230.
Verskeie maatskappye en trusts het reeds bydraes gemaak. Onder hulle is die Albert Wessels Trust, Novo Nordisk, Rentworks, Janssen-Cilag SA, Loewenstein Charitable Trust, Pfizer Laboratories, Nomu, WD Hare Charitable Trust, Bowman Gilfillan, PG Bison, Wimpy Charitable Trust, PEC Metering, IRS, Log Rig Signs, Aldo Marketing, Excaliber, EG Cooper Majiedt Inc, The Maintenance Man, NBA Studio, Avnet Kopp, ICWIMP, die Loch Logan Waterfront, asook individue soos Naude van der Merwe, Linda van Rooyen, en Ivan van
Rooyen.
Bekendgestel
Die Beds of Hope-projek is ook aan
verskeie gaste in Johannesburg
bekendgestel. Hier is van links, mev.
Cathy Castagno (Ontwikkelingsdirekteur:
Bemarking, Johannesburg), prof. André
Venter (Hoof: Departement Pediatrie en
Kindergesondheid, UV) en mnr. George
Mazarakis (Uitvoerende vervaardiger:
Carte Blanche). – Verskaf deur Nina
Landman.
Personeel Staff
54 55Bult
The government should introduce a national
youth service programme that will allow
university graduates to teach in school for two
years as a way of addressing the inequalities
learners and teachers face in our schools. This
call was made at the UFS by the founder of
the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) Zackie
Achmat during a lecture he delivered in March
as part of Human Rights Month. He said
that under a democratic government, South
Africans have a lot to be thankful for and even
more to be worried about. A particular concern
was the fact that structural inequalities are
widening in our schooling system.
“The biggest danger we face is that the
majority of African men and women in our
society, if our economy grows at the rate that
it does, will never have a permanent job in
their lifetime; and that the majority of African
children born today have a 30 percent chance
of dying of HIV / AIDS at birth. That is a
phenomenal fact that we must acknowledge
as a society. But the much bigger danger in
terms of inequality is the social death that working class
coloured and working class African children suffer when
they are in school,” he said.
According to Achmat, the greatest thing the
apartheid state did was not the affirmative action
or job reservation for whites but the investment in
the education of white children. And yet the current
democratic government is failing our children
enormously.
Outlining a number of steps that should be taken, he
said the state and private sector should make more
resources available to promote the publication of books
in African languages so that all children can learn in
their mother tongue in their formative years.
The country has to find the public resources to support
poor schools and to support teachers in such schools.
“I believe that the government should introduce a
national youth service that requires every graduate to
teach in school for at least two years and if you can
do that your fees should be reimbursed. That would
help to ensure that we begin to establish equality in the
schools.”
He called for the scrapping of Outcomes Based
Education (OBE) because it is based on the faulty
philosophical assumption that children learn from
their experience only. He said this limits working class
children in their conceptual development because
they experience not only a physical hunger but also a
hunger of intellectual dispossession.
Achmat, a political activist, called on students to take
forward the constitutional right to education and lead
a campaign for equal education because “that is the
biggest challenge facing South Africa today, in addition
to safety and security for all”.
Graduates should do youth service in schoolsBy Anton Fisher
Students
Students
56 57Bult
Min kan trotser wees as ‘juffrou’ EmmaDeur Leatitia Pienaar
Die berig kon gelui het: Nils Kotzé (21) is hierdie
jaar met die herfsgradeplegtigheid in Bloemfontein
aangewys as die beste student in B.Rek. Hy het
sy graad met lof geslaag en sit vanjaar sy B.Com
Honneurs-studies aan ons Universiteit voort.
Maar dan sal niemand weet van “juffrou” Emma wat
daar in 2004, toe hy nog in Gr 11 was, die talentvolle
jong man raakgesien het nie. As hoofseun van die
skool het hy ‘n groot indruk op haar gemaak, sê Emma
Verschoor. “Juffrou” het intussen “tannie” geword, want
hulle het van daardie tyd af ‘n lang pad saamgestap.
In Gr 12 was hy dux-leerling van die skool in
Bloemfontein vir kinders uit moeilike ekonomiese
en maatskaplike omstandighede. Geld was skaars
en geleenthede nog minder, maar op ‘n dag het sy
Afrikaans-onderwyser by haar klas opgedaag, met Nils
so skaam, skaam om die draai, en gevra of sy kan
help. “Mevrou, is daar nie ‘n manier hoe ons hierdie
perd kan laat studeer nie, want anders gaan hy ‘n
werktuigkundige word.”
Emma het geweet van die paadjie vir
universiteitstoelating via haar man, prof. Teuns
Verschoor, maar sy wou vir Nils by sy studies uitkry
sonder haar man se hulp. Op haar eie. Die volgende
dag het sy by die NSFAS-afdeling aangeklop, maar
daar moes nog uitgevind word watter rigting hy
sou gaan swot. Die besluit val toe op B.Rek. Emma
het ook ‘n afspraak by prof. Dave Lubbe van die
Sentrum vir Rekeningkunde gemaak. Prof. Dave
het self ‘n beurs gehad en gereël ook vir ‘n toets by
PricewaterhouseCoopers, en so het Nils vakansiewerk
by PwC gekry en sommer toe al geweet waar hy
eendag gaan werk as die graad agter sy naam staan.
Met ‘n koshuisbeurs val hy in by Huis Verwoerd,
nou Armentum in, maar in sy tweede jaar word hy ‘n
stadstudent. Dit het meegebring dat sy NSFAS-beurs
gekanselleer is. Emma sê hulle kry in Maart 2007 by
die see is ‘n boodskap van ‘n hoogs ontstelde Nils oor
die kansellasie van dié beurs, maar dat hy die H.B.
Thom Trust-beurs ontvang het. Nils pas honde-kinders
vakansies by die Verschoor-huis op.
En watter sameloop van
omstandighede was dit nie:
Dit is ‘n beurs wat Emma
se oom, prof. H.B. Thom,
voormalige rektor van die
Universiteit van Stellenbosch
en met ‘n noue verbintenis
met die UV, ingestel het vir
behoeftige studente. Die
beurs-toekenning was ‘n
groot verrassing vir Emma.
Op ‘n ongelooflike wyse is ‘n
kringloop voltooi.
Nils het elke jaar uitstekende
resultate gelewer. “Dit was
net cum, cum, cum.” In sy
swakste vak het hy 72%
gekry, sê sy. Emma is baie
trots op Nils. Sy het van die
begin af gedink daar lê ‘n
blink toekoms vir hom voor.
Nils het ‘n manier om in
mense se harte in te kruip.
Daarvan getuig nie net die
Verschoors nie, maar ook
die tannies by die UV se
Admin. Nils kry deur al die
jare gereeld sy “besending”
beskuit en ander ware wat
hulle vir hom bymekaar maak, anoniem.
Nils sê hy is verskriklik dankbaar vir die geleenthede
wat op sy pad gekom het. “Ek wil nie die rykste mens
op aarde wees nie. Ek wil net ander help.”
Sy suster Emmylou het ook haar paadjie UV toe gevind.
En die Admin-tannies maak ‘n tweede “besending”
bymekaar.
En tannie Emma. Sy glimlag breed as sy na die jong
man kyk wat diep in haar hart gekruip het.
Dalk is daar ook ‘n student vir wie jy die pad kan help
oopkap…
On my way to
Botshabelo – the title of
a young Bloemfontein
poet’s entry in an
international poetry
competition, can just as
well read On my way to
Italy… again. He is for a
second year on his way
to Europe to receive his
prize. More about him…
Ryan (20) is a
second-year student
in BSc Physics and
Management. And if you are wondering about the
poetry: “I don’t believe you need to study poetry to
appreciate it, and the scientific part of my studies
stimulates my mind from a completely different angle.
He is born and bred in Bloemfontein, son of Douglas
and Mary-Anne, a teacher for hearing-impaired
children. His grandfather was the well-known Eric
Lamb of Eric Lamb Nurseries, a household name in
Bloemfontein and the region. Ryan says his grandfather
also wrote poetry “and although I never met him (he
passed away before I was born) I have read his poetry
anthologies. So I guess it runs in my blood!
“I generally don’t write about specific themes or topics,
most of the time there is just a good sentence or idea
that I elaborate on.”
Ryan was 16 years old when his Remnants of Dust was
placed first in South Africa as judged by the Poetry
Institute of Africa.
The theme for the Italian competition was Voices /
Silence and he also entered a poem in a competition
held by the University of Zagreb in Croatia. The topic for
this one is Activism poetry.
The international poetry competition Poesia e
Solidarieta (Castello Di Duino) is organised by The
Association for Poetry and Solidarity, based in Trieste,
Italy. In 2008 about 1 210 entries were received from all
over the world, including Bosnia, China, the Democratic
Republic of Congo, the USA and Italy itself. Only eight
people received individual awards, and Ryan was
specially recommended. He was also invited to attend
and take part in the Association’s International Youth
Forum in Trieste during September last year.
“Winning a prize in the competition and attending
the Forum were amazing experiences. A year ago, I
wouldn’t have imagined that one of my poems would
get me to Italy! The forum itself was an eye-opening
experience – everyone was ‘poetically inclined’ and
thus had similar creative open-minds. Something that
really impressed me was how much the people there
appreciate culture.”
This year Three Step Down takes him to Trieste.
Way to Botshabelo takes Ryan to ItalyBy Leatitia Pienaar
Students
58 59Bult
Kompetisie lok steeds room van die oes
Deur Sobeth Jordaan en Linda Greyling
Die kompetisie wat toppresteerders op skoolvlak
beloon, het ook ‘n behoorlike kwota presteerders op
nasionale en internasionale vlak opgelewer.
Die kompetisie het sedert sy nederige begin in 1981
ten doel gehad om talentvolle uitblinkers na die
Kovsie-kampus te lok. Die heel eerste kompetisie is
as die Matrieknooi-wedstryd net vir meisies aangebied
omdat beurse vir matriekmeisies toe skaars was. Die
destydse rektor, prof. Wynand Mouton, en mnr. Hennie
van Deventer, toe redakteur van Die Volksblad, het die
vennootskap tussen dié twee instansies beklink om die
kompetisie aan te bied.
Veelsydigheid is die wagwoord. Deelnemers se
prestasies op akademiese, sport-, leierskap- en
kultuurgebied word beoordeel. ‘n Evalueringstelsel is
oor die jare ontwikkel en die puntetoekenning word
daarvolgens gedoen.
In 1997 het die kompetisie sy deure ook vir seuns
oopgeswaai en sedert 2003 is die finaliste wat na die
eindronde deurdring van tien tot veertien uitgebrei.
Enige voornemende Kovsie kan deelneem en werwing
word by alle skole in Suid-Afrika gedoen.
Die Kovsie-Alumni Trust skenk jaarliks R65 000 se
beursgeld aan die finaliste in die kompetisie.
Die hoogtepunt is die Matrikulant van die Jaar-naweek
wat deur die veertien topfinaliste en hul ouers bywoon
word. Die borge is ook op die paneel van beoordelaars
en die beoordelingsproses geskied onder toesig van
die amptelike ouditeure, KPMG, ook ‘n borg. Die ander
borge is Absa, Pick ‘n Pay Hypermarket, Protea Hotel,
XL-Astra Reise en HDL Juweliers.
Voormalige wenners van die kompetisie onderskei
hulle op talle terreine. Dr. Rabeen Lutchman, die eerste
seunswenner in 2000, spesialiseer as pediater aan
die Universiteit van Kaapstad. Hy het hom gedurende
sy mediese studies aan die UV ook in gebaretaal
bekwaam.
Dr. Anchen Laubscher, wenner in 1998, is die
senior mediese beampte in beheer van Netcare se
lugambulans en sy lei ook dokters en ander mediese
noodpersoneel op. Anchen was ook die eerste meisie
om as die UV se Studenteraadsvoorsitter verkies te
word. Sy het ook in ‘n televisiesepie gesig gewys.
Twee oud-Greys, dr. Org Strauss en C.J. van der
Linde, die Springbok-rugbyspeler van die Cheetahs,
was onderskeidelik in 1997 en 1998 onder die tien
topfinaliste. Strauss is die spandokter van die Blou
Bulle en C.J. speel groot rugby in Ierland.
Loraine Kriek, ‘n toptien-finalis in 2003, het haarself
ook met onderskeiding op die UV-kampus laat geld
as primaria van Huis Soetdoring en president van die
Studenteraad. Sy werk tans by Deloitte en Touche.
Vanjaar se Matrikulant-naweek word van Vrydag 25
tot Sondag 27 September gehou. Die finaliste en hul
ouers word bederf en die wenner word op ‘n gala-dinee
gekroon.
Die huidige organiseerders van die kompetisie, mevv. Linda Greyling (links) van UV Bemarking, en Sobeth Jordaan van Volksblad, is reeds sedert 1996 by die organisasie van die kompetisie betrokke. Hier is hulle saam met LG Myburg, die Matrikulant van die Jaar-wenner in 2005. LG het verlede jaar B.Sc Akrutariële Wetenskap aan die UV voltooi. Hy is ‘n oudleerling van die Hoërskool Sand du Plessis in Bloemfontein.
Verlede jaar se Matrikulant van die Jaar, Elana Malherbe (tweede van links) het ‘n oorsese reis vir twee gewen. Mnr. Johan le Roux (links) van XL-Astra Reise in Bloemfontein, het dié prys in samewerking met Contiki Holidays en Olympic Airlines geskenk. Hier deel Elana se suster, dr. Carin Malherbe – ook ‘n oud-Kovsie, en haar pa, dr. Daan Malherbe van Welkom, haar groot aand. – Foto: Charl Devenish, Volksblad
Die Kovsie-Alumni Trust is die grootste kontant borg van die kompetisie. Adv. Seef Hefer, voorsitter van die trust, en mev. Esmé Aucamp, beoordelaar, verteenwoordig die trust in die kompetisie. Die trust skenk R65 000 aan beurse van R2 500 elk aan die 25 topfinaliste. – Foto: Volksblad
Vier vorige wenners hier saam op 2008 se gala-aand. Van links is Lindsay Scholt (2006), LG Myburgh (2005), dr. Anchen Laubscher (1998) en Nikita Strydom (2007). Lindsay is ‘n mediese student in haar derde jaar en LG doen nou sy nagraadse aktuariële studies aan die Universiteit van Kaapstad. Dr. Laubscher is die senior mediese beampte in beheer van Netcare se lugambulans. Nikita is ‘n mediese student in haar tweede jaar en sy is saam met Lindsay in Huis Roosmaryn op die kampus. – Foto: Charl Devenish, Volksblad
Die Matrikulant van die Jaar-kompetisie,
prestigé-projek tussen die UV en Volksblad,
vier in 2010 sy dertigste bestaansjaar.
StudentsStudente
60 61Bult
Service-learning helps to prepare students for lifeBy Leatitia Pienaar
“If the educational system wishes to do justice to
the unique South African multicultural situation, it
should focus on developing culturally sensitive and
civic minded individuals,” says Dr Luzelle Naudé in
her doctoral study on the value of service learning in
preparing students for life outside the academic world.
“Multiracial, interactive refl ection activities during
service learning experiences may provide an
opportunity to openly and safely discuss racial
issues in order to facilitate maximal learning and
development with regard to the cultural sensitivity and
civic responsibility of our students.” Service Learning
(SL) is an internationally recognised mechanism that
promotes the integration of service with teaching and
learning. At the UFS Service Learning is fully integrated
with curricula and we are a leader in this fi eld in South
Africa.
Dr Naudé says in response to the challenges facing
South African higher education institutions in the 21st
century, the call for developing holistic and civic minded
individuals who can contribute to a democratic South
Africa, is heard louder than ever before. Emphasis is
placed on the shaping of citizens with the ability to
refl ect and interact with the world in order to transform
it. In this regard, educational transformation (including
innovations such as SL) is imperative.
Dr Naudé says the study found that a combination
of group and individual refl ective activities resulted
in a greater amount of change and development in
students. Stereotypes are challenged during face
to face human encounters. Service Learning gives
students the opportunity to interact and communicate
with culturally diverse people, and therefore provides
an environment conducive to the development of
intercultural skills and reduced stereotypes.
SL results in a greater amount of cultural sensitivity
and universal orientation. This concurs with the
African philosophy of education idea that the
willingness to enter into discourse goes hand
in hand with the acknowledgement of the
possibility that, together, a new truth or
understanding can be reached. It is thus
clear that the collaborative nature of
SL facilitates a move towards seeing
others as partners, towards a broader
understanding of social issues, and
towards a consideration of larger
historical, social and economic
implications – all aspects of a more
universal orientation to life.
Everyone is giving a hand. Service learning is also expanding horizons for the participating students.
We all win
Here are what some students had to say about their service-learning experiences.
The one big thing I learned is to listen more and talk less. I am very grateful for this process.
At first we were quite nervous… All and all we were quite a stressed up bunch… At our first meeting the whole mood just suddenly changed, we saw in each other a will to work hard, put in that extra effort, strive to do better, go further and a willingness and eagerness to work together and become friends. Things just got better from there… We didn’t even think about the fact that we spent more than twenty hours trapped in the library, no we just had fun!
This module should be compulsory – we need to know how to work with people as public servants.
It was interesting, I realised things about the community that I didn’t know before. It opened my eyes and I realised how important effective communication is.
It changed me, working with the community. It gave me a different perspective. It gave me conviction and reinforced my personal convictions.
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Studente Students
62 63Bult
Hillétje (23) het na matriek in 2002 Drama en
Toneelkunde met ook viool as vak by Kovsies kom
swot. Sy het uitvoerende kuns saam met haar babapap
ingekry. Haar ma speel kontrabas en klavier, haar
jonger broer tjello en haar pa restoureer viole. Op ses
het sy vioolles begin neem by haar oom, Francois
Henkins – viooldosent by Kovsies.
Musiek en drama is haar kos, met drama wat so bietjie
meer gewig dra. Sy speel steeds viool in orkeste, as die
tyd dit toelaat, en gee ook les. “In ‘n stadium moet jy
kies. Toe kies ek drama.” Die keerpunt was waarskynlik
haar deelname aan Kringe in ‘n bos in matriek. “Op
universiteit was ek nooit die pragtige prinses wat gered
is nie... ek was meestal die skurk. Seker iets te doen
met hoe ek lyk!” spot Hillétjie. “Dinge werk so wonderlik
by die Drama-departement. My studies was vir my so ‘n
goeie ervaring. As jy hard werk en bereid is om te leer,
sal jy ‘n rol kry. Die dosente sien daardie ywer raak en
help jou om tot jou volle potensiaal te ontwikkel.”
In haar derde jaar het Hillétje in die produksie Nag van
Legio opgetree en saam met Gerben Kamper gewerk.
“Hy is absoluut my mentor.” Nog ‘n produksie wat
vir haar uitstaan, was Bloedbruilof waarvoor sy en ‘n
medestudent die musiek gekomponeer het.
Toe gebeur Skerpsin in 2006 met Kamper as regisseur.
Hy het ook die vertaling van Wit na die Afrikaanse
Skerpsin gedoen. Hillétje het die rol vertolk van
professor Vivian Bearing, ‘n dosent in 17de eeuse
Engelse digkuns, wat gediagnoseer word met
gevorderde ovariumkanker. Hillétjie het daarin geslaag
om ‘n 50-jarige vrou se emosies getrou weer te gee.
Om Vivian se pad na die dood haar eie te maak, het
Hillétje haar eie kop kaal geskeer. Sy moes diep grawe
om by Vivian se aggressiewe en analitiese benadering
tot haar siekte uit te kom.
“Dit was baie moeilik. Maar met die regte leiding en die
regte navorsing is enigiets moontlik. Iets soos Skerpsin
is presies hoekom ek gaan drama swot het. Dit gaan
nie oor roem of erkenning nie. Nee. Dis teater, man! Om
‘n spieël voor mense te hou. Vir hulle ‘n boodskap te
gee. Ek is niks anders as ‘n bode nie. Ek hou daarvan
om ‘n bode te wees!”
Intussen het Hillétje begin voelers uitsteek na verdere
studies in haar gunsteling toneeltegniek: Method
Acting. “Ek het afgekom op die Lee Strasberg Film and
Acting Institute in New York. Slegs twintig studente per
klas word gekeur om by dié befaamde skool te studeer,
ek begin in die middel van 2009 daar.
Willem (22) het van kleins af musiekles geneem en sy
familie is ook besonder musikaal. Albei sy ouer sussies
het klavier- en sanglesse geneem en sy pa speel kitaar.
Musiek bind hulle saam: “Hulle woon al my konserte by
en wanneer daar sommer vir die lekker musiek gemaak
word, is almal gou by!”
Na skool het Willem B.Mus. by Kovsies geswot en
2007 die eerste student geword om ‘n honneurs
in komposisie by die UV aan te pak. Hierna het hy
aansoek gedoen by New York Universiteit se Tisch-
kunsskool om ‘n meestersgraad in musiekteater-
komposisie te voltooi. Nou maak hy gereed om ‘n
meester in musiekteater te word.
“Dit gaan baie harde werk wees, maar ek sien baie uit
daarna. Omdat die lewenskoste in New York so hoog is,
wou ek deeltydse werk doen, maar ek gaan skynbaar
net ‘n uur of twee per dag vry hê – ek gaan heeldag
klas hê. Vir twee jaar lank.”
Willem is ‘n groot aanhanger van Alan Menken, die
meesterkomponis agter The Little Mermaid, Beauty
and the Beast, Aladdin, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of
Notre Dame, Hercules en Little Shop of Horrors. Menken
het ook by NYU studeer en het al agt Oscars gewen –
vandaar die groot trekpleister vir Willem.
Willem was een van sowat twintig gelukkige aansoekers
wat wel gekeur is. “Ek was uit die veld geslaan! Willem
beplan om in September vanjaar met sy studies te
begin.
Willem het onder meer vir Bea van der Vyver gehelp
om musiek te skryf vir die verhoogproduksie Handsak
van beton, wat sy met die Volksblad-Kunstefees in 2008
opgevoer het. Kovsies se jaarlikse sêr-kompetisie beset
ook ‘n paar dae in Willem se jaarlikse kalender.
Hoewel Willem ‘n voorliefde het vir teatermusiek, glo
hy dis belangrik om al die ander aspekte ook lewend
te hou: “Alles is só nou verweef. Klassiek het ‘n invloed
op Jazz. Jazz het ‘n invloed op teatermusiek. ‘n Mens
moet versigtig wees om nie iets sommer net af te skiet
nie. Hoe beter jou combo is, hoe nader is jy aan ‘n ware
kunstenaar. Ek kan nie net sit en musiek skryf nie. Ek
wil iets van die instrument ook weet, en dit dalk ook
kan bespeel. “En natuurlik wil ek musiek geniet. Musiek
is nie nét eksamens en reëls nie. Dit is iets wat ek as
mens met ander mense wil deel. Pret hê ...
En vir die wat gewonder het, Hillétje en Willem ken
mekaar, en sal mekaar verseker opsoek in die Groot
Appel. Vir ingeval die verlange té erg raak.
Twee oud-Kovsies is gekeur om aan twee van New York se vooraanstaande kunsskole hulle studies te gaan voortsit: Hillétje Möller in toneelkuns en Willem Oosthuysen in musiekkomposisie. Albei het plaaslik al diep spore in die kunste
getrap. Albei het op ‘n bitter jong ouderdom die geleentheid gekry om hulle kunsvoetspoor op internasionale vlak te vergroot.
Willem Oosthuysen
Willem Oosthuysen.
Hillétje Möller
Hillétje Möller.
Die ‘groot appel’ wink vir twee oud-Kovsies
Deur Cindé Mostert
Studente Students
64 65Bult
‘n Baie geslaagde Londen Kovsie-reünie
is einde Oktober 2008 in Suid-Afrika
Huis, Trafalgarplein, aangebied. Sowat
tagtig oud-Kovsies het die besondere
geleentheid in die Suid-Afrikaanse
hart van Londen bygewoon en daar
tot in die vroeë oggendure gekuier en
studentestaaljies gedeel.
Die geleentheid is moontlik gemaak
deur PSG Consult, Expat Explore, Visa
Elite en die Kovsie Alumni-kantoor in
Bloemfontein.
Op die aand is Alet Malan en Nicolaas du
Plessis tot mede-organiseerders van die
2009- reünie verkies.
Alumni-nuus
Tot vroeë oggendure in Londen gekuier
Twee hou saam
die leisels van
die alumni-tak in
Londen. Hier is Alet
Malan (middel) en
Nicolaas du Plessis
(regs), by (van
links) Scott Sander
(PSG Consult),
Jakes Maritz (Expat
Explore en Visa
Elite) en Louis
Botha (uittredende
voorsitter).Alumni
66 67Bult
Tagtig was geleentheid vir ‘n reünie
Vyf oud-redaksielede van Volksblad in Bloemfontein wat meer as vyftig jaar gelede
saam gewerk het toe wyle mnr. Hubert Coetzee die redakteur was, het op 6 Januarie
2009 in Johannesburg Jan van Zyl se tagtigste verjaardag gevier. Vier van hulle is
oud-Kovsies. Van Zyl (voor), wat Volksblad se parlementêre verteenwoordiger was,
het as adjunk-direkteurgeneraal van die SAUK afgetree. Agter is van links: dr. At van
Wyk, geskiedskrywer van Pretoria, wat een van Volksblad se eerste Goudveldse
verteenwoordigers was; Berna Maree, oud-vroueredaktrise, wat 17 jaar vir SA
Panorama in Pretoria gewerk het; Herman le Roux, voormalige sport- en assistent-
redakteur, wat twaalf jaar gelede as assistent- en sportredakteur van Beeld afgetree het,
en Kobus Hamman, oud-hoofsub en -nuusredakteur, wat ook by die SAUK tot adjunk-
direkteurgeneraal gevorder het. Bienkie (Barnardo) Wessels, nog ‘n oud-Volksbladder
by die geselligheid, was afwesig toe die foto geneem is. Van Zyl was in 1951 voorsitter van die Kovsies se Studenteraad en
Hamman in 1954. Herman le Roux, ‘n oud-Tukkie, sê hy het darem twee maande lank nágraads aan die UV geswot! En ná sy
goeie verbintenis met die UV se sportlui oor baie jare het hy ook ‘n sagte plekkie in sy hart vir Kovsieland. – Bydrae deur Herman
le Roux, foto: André Liebenberg
Kovsies versterk argitek-geledere
Op die jaarvergadering van die Mpumalanga Instituut van Argitekte in Nelspruit was Rudolf en Marti Bitzer
van die Departement Argitektuur die gassprekers. Die insiggewende lesings wat hulle aangebied het, het
baie byval gevind. Agttien van die dertig argitekte in Nelspruit is oud-Kovsies. Net Bloemfontein het groter
Kovsie-verteenwoordiging by die Instituut van Argitekte. Die oud-Kovsies sorg dat die standaard van
argitektuur in Mpumalanga van hoogstaande gehalte is. Hier is, van links, Louis Jonker, Marti en Rudolf
Bitzer, en Sanita en Wouter Mocke.
Alumni-nuus
Huis Veritas, die stadskoshuis vir mans, vier vanjaar sy
bestaan van dertig jaar met ‘n reünie die naweek van
21-23 Augustus 2009.
Die koshuis het op 6 April 1979 “oopgemaak” met 49
eerstejaars. Die amptelike bymekaarkomplek was in
die Hoofgebou (destyds nog nie ingerig as amptelike
hoofgebou van die UV nie), maar die ou Kaf was baie
meer gewild. Hier kon studente kennisgewingborde oor
aktiwiteite dophou. Huisvergaderings is in die Albert
Wessels-ouditorium gehou.
Leon Janse van Rensburg, die heel eerste “jar” om by
Veritas aan te sluit, vertel van “die Huis in die Vlei” buite
Bloemfontein waar vyf argitektuurstudente gewoon het.
“Daar het alles gebeur, van ontheffings tot rampartye.
Dit was uit die dorp uit en van kampus af, so ons kon
daar doen net wat ons wou. As ons wou oorslaap, was
daar altyd plek. Vandag is dit waar Langenhovenpark is
en daar staan ‘n kerk op die plek.”
Veritas is trots op sy prestasies. Net in 2008 alleen is dit
aangewys as Kovsies se bes bestuurde stadshuis, dit
het gesorg vir die beste mans-eerstejaarsgroep en dit
het die beste presteer met sy geldsake. Dit presteer in
sport, kultuur en ander studente-aktiwiteite op kampus
en van die kampus af.
Vir meer inligting oor die reünie, kontak Stefan Lotter by
084 555 8466.
Veritas word dertig
Alumni
68 69Bult
In March 2009 he departed for Mount Everest, the highest of them all after he has conquered the highest mountain
on all the other continents. The list is impressive:
Mont Blanc (4 807m, 6-8-98)
Kilimanjaro (5 895m, 31-12-98), highest in Africa (Tanzania)
Carstensz Pyramid (4 884m, 22-4-00), highest in Australasia (New Guinea)
Elbrus (5 642m, 15-8-02), highest in Europe (Russia)
Aconcagua (6 960m, 8-2-03), highest in South America (Argentina)
Vinson (4 897m, 3-12-05), highest in Antarctica
Denali (6 201m, 14-6-06), highest in North America (Alaska)
Mt Pissus (6 883m, 4-1-07), 3rd highest in South America (Argentina)
Cho Oyu (8 201m, 5-10-08), 6th highest in the world (Himalayas)
Aconcagua (6 960m, 9-1-09), highest in South America (Argentina) The expedition earlier this year to South America was in
preparation for Mount Everest.
But why is he taking on these high mountains?
Louis says: “it gets me out of my comfort zone and
the predictability of daily life. I like setting big goals.
For example, deciding to climb Cho Oyu took a huge
commitment in terms of time, money, and effort. I
trained five days per week, postponed an overseas
holiday to Italy, and worked very long hours to ensure
that my work accountabilities did not get compromised.
“I like the element of risk and danger inherent in high-
altitude mountaineering. The only way to mitigate
the risk is to plan properly and prepare well – and
sometimes even that is not enough.
“I have made friends all over the world. And climbing
makes me a better husband, father and businessman
– as those close to me will attest. Most importantly, it
makes me appreciate life more, it enables me to not
‘sweat the small things in life’, it shows me what I am
capable of achieving.”
Louis was a fulltime student from 1980 to 1983, and
part time from 1986 to 1989. He obtained a Ph.D. from
the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences
and was also lecturer at the UFS for a while. He is
married to Dia (35) and they have five-year old twin
sons, Armand and Roald.
This is how he described those moments on the
summit of Cho Oyu: Cho Oyu was a special summit. I
felt a sense of achievement. With DaSona, my Sherpa,
we were higher than any other human being at that
moment. When DaSona and I embraced as we reached
the summit, all the hard work of the previous six
weeks, the physical hardships and bone-chilling cold
were worth it. I was overwhelmed with the sight of Mt
Everest ‘in the flesh’: more beautiful, more mysterious,
more majestic than I have ever imagined. I felt scared
thinking that I want to climb Mt Everest.
Relaxing in the Garden of Dreams in Kathmandu,
I reflected on the one question we as high-altitude
mountaineers always get asked: “Why do you climb
high mountains?” Maybe the answer for me lies in
what Susan Ershler, Everest climber, said in Together
on Top of the World: “I… wanted to climb [Everest]
for myself. I wanted to do one spectacular thing in my
life: something that made up for all the times I hadn’t
achieved… I wanted something that would prove to me
and the world that I could, and that would last me till
the end of my days – something that no one could ever
take away.”
Now Everest is calling…By Leatitia Pienaar
No mountain is too daunting for Louis Carstens (46). If fact, mountains are calling this Group Executive: Strategy at African Bank Investments Ltd in Johannesburg.
Louis Carstens
Alumni
I… wanted to climb [Everest] for myself. I wanted to do one spectacular thing in my life: something that made up for all the times I hadn’t achieved… I wanted something that would prove to me and the world that I could, and that would last me till the end of my days – something that no one could ever take away.
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70 71Bult
Our condolences go to the family and friends of people
who past away in recent months. Contributions are from
family, friends and colleagues.
Ons medelye gaan aan familie en vriende van mense
wat die afgelope paar maande oorlede is. Bydraes is
van familie, vriende en kollegas.
• Mr Godfrey Motja, who worked at Protection
Services, passed away in September 2008.
• Mnr. Piet Botes van die Departement Mikrobiese,
Biochemiese en Voedselbiotegnologie is ook in
September 2008 oorlede.
• Dr. T.J. (Tobie) de Vos, voor sy aftrede ’n senior
navorser by die destydse Instituut vir Sosiale
en Ekonomiese Navorsing en daarna Hoof:
Beskermingsdienste op kampus, is vroeër in 2008
oorlede.
• Mev. Annerie van Niekerk (35) is in Oktober 2008
aan kanker oorlede. Sy het ‘n B.A. Honneurs behaal
en was ‘n inwoner van Huis Sonnedou. Sy word
oorleef deur haar man, Werner, en dogter, Liané.
• Mnr. Johan (Stoney) Steenkamp (75) is in
November 2008 na ‘n kort siekte oorlede. Hy was
onder meer afrigter van die Vrystaatse Cheetahs,
die Suid-Afrikaanse Skolespan, die Vrystaatse
Skolespan, en hy het self ook vir die Vrystaat
uitgedraf. Hy word oorleef deur sy vrou Colleen,
twee seuns en ‘n dogter.
• Prof. Ryno Kriel (83), oud-burgemeester van
Bloemfontein en ook vir baie jare verbonde aan die
Departement Sielkunde aan die UV, is in Oktober
2008 oorlede. Hy word deur sy vrou, Helene, sewe
kinders en dertien kleinkinders oorleef.
• Dr. Etienne Marais (34) van Vanderbijlpark, wat
medies by UV gestudeer het, is in September aan
‘n hartaanval oorlede. Hy laat sy vrou, Ingrid, en
seun, Erhardt (3), agter.
Herrinneringe na meer as 60 jaar opgediep
“’n Legende sterf!” Dit is die gevoel van Alex van
Rensburg van Zastron toe hy die Reitz-reunie verlede
jaar bygewoon het. Die Reitzmanne ken hom as
oom Alex (hy is 80) en was een van die heel eerste
inwoners in 1947 van Reitz. Hy was ook die oudste
oud-Reitzman wat die reünie bygewoon het, slegs ‘n
kortkop ouer as oom Alph Coetzer (78) van Hoopstad
Hulle bly vir ons kosbaar
Oud-personeel van die UV is in Oktober onthaal.
Sowat 120 mense het die geleentheid in die Reitz-saal
van die Eeufeessentrum bygewoon. Die sêr-groep
van Huis Marjolein het die gaste vermaak met die
produksie waarmee hul die “Klein Sêr” op kampus
gewen het. Pensioentrekkers of hul gades word gevra
om Kathy Verwey by UV-Bemarking, by 051 401 9343,
te kontak indien hul nie uitnodigings ontvang het nie.
Van die mense wat die geleentheid bygewoon het,
is dr. en mev. A.H. Klopper en prof. en mev. Niel van
Loggerenberg (foto bo), en mnr. Johan en mev. Hester
Otto, en prof. Johan van Schalkwyk. – Fotos: Kathy
Verwey.
wat in 1949 ‘n eerstejaar in die koshuis was.
Vra jy oom Alex wat sy gewaarwordinge was om
na soveel jare weer in die koshuis te kom, sê
hy “dit is heilige grond en ek is bang my voete
berokken skade daaraan”. Oor bungalow 5 waar
hy gewoon het, het hy gesê: “‘n Stille getuienis
van wondersoete goue jare, deur soveel daar
deurgebring.” Wat ‘n wonderlike opsomming van
sekerlik meer as een oud-Reitzman se gedagtes
wat die reünie bygewoon het.
Die reünie was vir oom Alex ‘n belewenis en hy
kan nie uitgepraat raak oor die vriendelikheid en
gasvryheid wat hy by die Reitzmanne gevind het
nie. “Die wete dat jy deel van Reitz is en altyd sal
wees, het die bloedstroom van patriotisme sterk in
my are laat klop.”
Oor die sluiting van die koshuis glo hy ‘n
wonderwerk kan nog gebeur en dat Reitz weer
sal heropen. “Hierdie monument kan nie vernietig
word nie, want dit is die Heimat van alle oud-
Reitzers – groot presteerders op velerlei gebiede,
wat hulle spore in die onvergeetlike stof van Reitz-
kamerwonings verewig het.” – Hennie Pienaar
Blouwillem Theron tussen oom Alex van Rensburg
(links) en Alph Coetzer, die oudste oud-Reitzers wat
die reünie bygewoon het.
Kuier in St. Francisbaai
Oud-personeel en alumni is deur UV Bemarking in St. Francisbaai onthaal. Blouwillem Theron was die
gasspreker.
Martin en Durma Loubscher, en Linelle en Len Kok. Slang du Plessis; mnr. en mev. Cor du Plessis.
Medelye Condolences
• Mnr. Natie Ferreira (97)
is vroeër vanjaar vereer
as oudste lewende
pensioenaris van die
UV, oudste lewende
Vrystaatse rugbyspeler en
ook die oudste oud-Grey,
en is kort daarna oorlede.
Alumni Alumni
72 73Bult
Like many alumni I wondered what the University
of the Free State has done for me. It is rather a
hypothetical question. It is more appropriate to question
contributions to my Alma Mater. After all the UFS has
provided a platform whereby any student can thrive.
One individual who has benefited from the endless
opportunities offered by the UFS is Thabo Hlongwane.
Here we are not talking about the academic
opportunities. We are looking at the platform where
an individual discovered himself. More so, that the
University provides opportunities to discover one’s
talents.
At the age of 25, Thabo Hlongwane is the third of seven
children raised by the Hlongwane family in Ladysmith.
His father worked at Dunlop Tyres as an operator whilst
the mother stayed at home. His choice of an academic
institution was not a coincidence. It was based on the
application of a sound mind. Thabo applied throughout
the country for a programme in Agriculture. But the
UFS’s quality stood out.
It was not easy for Thabo to become part of Kovsie
Land. He suspended his studies due to a lack of
finances in 2003, but came back very strongly in 2004
with a bursary from Grain SA.
However, this fourth-year student discovered more
than just gold in his studies. He entered a journey of
understanding himself and following his passions.
He mentions the importance of quality education and
passion for what he does.
The musician was discovered in 2005 at the
rehearsals of Cantare, a review group of the UFS. One
choreographer, Jennis Williamson, visited the group on
campus and a career opened for Thabo… A few days
after the visit Thabo received an invitation from Steve
Hofmeyr and he recorded the song My Duifie, my Liefie
with the musician.
More opportunities were to follow. The head of
UFS Culture then, Louis Botha, added to the swift
development of Thabo’s music talent. Thabo was to
perform across the country, including at the Miss South
Africa beauty pageant crowning ceremony.
His self-titled album, Thabo, is frequently played on
radiosondergrense and Radio Rosestad.
His growing stature could not get him to abandon his
studies. “I just have to have a qualification of quality
especially in what I love, agriculture.” In the mean time
the musician will focus on music. His new album, a
tribute to Gé Korsten as well as a classic gospel album,
was recorded in January.
But what it is like to be a Kovsie, I asked. He shifted to
his motto in life “Believe in your dreams and go after
them”. Then he related the abundant opportunities
available in the UFS for personal development. The
quality of education is augmented by broad and diverse
activities to align with.
He makes me aware that the student division of Kovsie
Culture is huge. And advised that people need to
identify with their passions and spread their wings.
The university contributed more than just quality and
excellent academic programmes. “The people at the
university have been great,” he added.
On the personal front he says he is a lone ranger. I
indicate to him that it is critical to find a wife at the
university. After relaying a story of a single guy whose
friends all married girls they dated at university, he just
laughs… “Maybe after a year I will consider that. Right
now I want to build a strong foundation my career.”
Thabo’s voice opens hearts of peopleSetlogelo Lucas Radebe talks with… Thabo Hlongwane
“Believe in your
dreams and go
after them”
Alumni Alumni
74 75Bult
Menige Suid-Afrikaner ken haar steeds as Katryn.
‘n Handvol dink sy is Astrid van Villa Rosa. ‘n Ander
groep herroep ‘n karakter van Home Affairs. Vir haar
studentemaats was sy die blommekind en vir die
kinders van die Abraham Kriel-kinderhuis is sy hulle
ander ma. By die huis en in haar hart is Therese
bloot wie sy is. Immer besorg. Eindeloos nuuskierig.
Innemend en belangstellend.
Therese het haar skoolloopbaan in Escourt voltooi
voor sy in 1995 aangesluit het by Kovsies se Drama-
departement. Daarna het sy ‘n draai of wat oorsee gaan
maak. In ‘n restaurant of twee se kombuis gearbei. Die
rol van ‘n leeftyd losgeslaan. En ‘n bekende gesig in
Suid-Afrikaners se televisiekamer geraak. In haar eie
binnekamer, gesels sy so:
Wat het jou laat besluit om by Kovsies te studeer?
Ek is die jongste van drie kinders en het maar agter die
ander twee aangetrek.
Positiewe dinge wat jy van jou studentedae koester?
Dat ek oral heen kon stap. Die wonderlike tye in die
Wynand Mouton-teater en die kaf se tjips! Kuier by
maats in hulle koshuiskamers. En rondry op my ligblou
poegie... een met sulke spierwit daisies op!
Waaroor het jy op skool gedroom? Om my eie perd
te hê (ek gaan nog eendag!). Om die wêreld te sien.
Om ‘n wetenskaplike te wees. Of, nee, ‘n sielkundige.
Dalk ‘n prokureur. Nee, die eerste vrouepresident. Um,
sukses?
Toe wen drama? Ek het daaroor gedroom, maar
gedink ek is heeltemal te skaam daarvoor. Ek het geen
blootstelling daaraan gehad nie.
Dink jy akademiese opleiding het ‘n plek in
die kunste? Mmm. Ek dink dis belangrik om ‘n
verwysingsraamwerk te hê waarbinne jou eie kreatiwiteit
kan groei en ontwikkel. Ook: sonder kennis van
wat was, hoe weet jy wat moet kom? Goeie tegniek
vervolmaak ook enige kreatiewe proses. Meel sonder ‘n
resep is tog nie klaar koek nie, of hoe?
Hoe het jou akademiese opleiding jóú gebaat in jou
loopbaan? Dit het my die tegniek gegee om op staat
te maak. My geleer hoe om uit my dop te klim en met
vertroue te werk. Dit het my respek gegee om iets wat
al vir so lank beoefen word, met ambisie na te volg. Op
die regte manier, en vir die regte redes.
Wat was die Therese van tien jaar gelede se drome?
Om aktrise te wees. Om op groot filmstelle te kan werk,
te sien en ervaar hoe ‘n mens magic maak.
As jy terugkyk oor die afgelope tien jaar, hoe voel
jy oor wat jy gedoen het? Trots. Met goeie vriende
en familie se ondersteuning, was ek braaf genoeg om
te spring sonder om te wonder of ek kan vlieg. Ek het
baie gesien, gevoel, gehuil, gelag – ek kon eerlikwaar
nie vir ‘n beter lewensreis gevra het nie. Dit was tegelyk
swaar, onverwags, lekker, moeilik en ongelooflik. Ek kan
steeds nie glo hoe wonderlik geseënd ek was en elke
dag is nie: om te kan bestaan met dit wat ek wil doen
en wees.
Wat is jou drome vir die volgende tien jaar? Om met
respek en liefde omring te wees, en met passie te leef...
Om nooit te vergeet hoe dit in die wings voel terwyl jy
Therese wil nog magic maakDaar is velerlei aspekte waaraan ‘n mens geken kan word. ‘n Kapenaar het die aksent. ‘n Boer dra vellies. ‘n Sjef het dalk ‘n meelstreep op die wang, maar Therese Benade verras met elke rol wat sy speel. Elke projek wat sy aanpak... Cindé Mostert het met haar gepraat.
wag vir jou beurt om op die verhoog te stap nie!
As jy enigiets kan bydra tot jou alma mater, wat sou
jy graag wou doen? Vir hulle wou fluister om braaf
en verdraagsaam te wees. Om hulle vlerke so wyd as
moontlik te sprei, en die wêreld om hulle aan te durf en
te verken. Om jonk en vry te wees is so kosbaar – net
jammer ‘n mens besef dit gewoonlik te laat! Moenie
bang wees om te waag nie – jy maak jou eie sukses.
Moenie bang wees om te vra en te leer nie.
As jy enigiets behalwe ‘n aktrise kon wees, wat sou
dit wees? Juis daarom is ek een – ek kan maak of ek
enigiets en alles is. Maar in my volgende lewe kom ek
terug as ‘n rock-ster!
Wat laat jou hart vinniger klop? Mooi goed. Wanneer
die mooi man in my lewe onverwags vir my kyk. En
mense wat regtig gelukkig is.
En warm onder die kraag? Mense wat nie dink aan
gevolge en ander se gevoelens nie (en daaraan was
ek self al baie keer skuldig). Mense wat nie moeite
waardeer nie.
As jy een les vir die mensdom kon leer...? Jy’t net
een kans om jy te wees... en om “te wees” teenoor
ander. Respekteer en geniet dit.
Het jy daardie les geleer? Ek doen nog steeds elke
dag. Ek hoop ek hou nooit op nie.
En dan het ons nog nie uitgekom by haar skeppings
in die kombuis. Haar stiptelikheid, werksetiek,
uithouvermoë en die feit dat sy altyd dink sy kan nog
iets leer. Dat die enigste drama queen die een is wat
haar karakters van haar vereis om te speel. En omdat
sy skaam en nederig met elke ou omie en klein kind
praat wat gou wil hoor of “Katryn nou happy is?”
Alumni
76 77Bult
Brand Pretorius, who obtained his M.Com degree
in Business Economics at the UFS in 1972, started
his career with Toyota SA in 1973. In 1988 he was
appointed managing director of Toyota SA Marketing.
In 1995 he joined South Africa’s largest motor
retailing group, McCarthy Motor Holdings, and was
promoted to Chief Executive Officer of McCarthy
Limited, the holding company of McCarthy Motor
Holdings, four years later.
He serves on the boards of the ABSA Group, as well as
Bidvest, of which McCarthy’s is a subsidiary. He is a
member of various advisory boards and is vice chairman
of the State President’s International Marketing Council.
An honorary professorship in Business Management
was also conferred on him by the University of
Johannesburg. He is a member of the main board of
the National Business Initiative, a member of the READ
Educational Trust Board of Trustees and the immediate
past president of the South African Retail Motor Industry
Organisation.
He was nationally honoured as Junior Businessman
of the Year (1985), Communicator of the Year (1994),
Best Boss (1994), Automobil Man of the Year, the
Manpower award of Excellence (1995) and he received
the Presidential Award for Excellence in Business
Communication by the SA Chapter of the International
Association of Business Communicators (1997). In 1998
the research company Integrity Profi les International
identifi ed him as one of the top business leaders in
South Africa. He received an Honorary Fellowship from
the South African Institute of Marketing Management in
1998. In a survey in 1999 by the magazine Professional
Management Review he was identifi ed as the most
admired leader in the motor industry. This award was
bestowed on him again in June 2000.
In February 2000 the marketing magazine The Future’s
research identifi ed him as one of South Africa’s three
most prominent marketers of the past decade. The
South African Institute of Marketing Management
honoured him as Marketing Person of the Year. In 2002
he was honoured by the READ Educational Trust for his
commitment to the cause of building a literate nation
through the Rally to Read project, a national social
investment project he initiated. The publishers of the
South African Automotive Year Book bestowed a Lifetime
Achievement Award on him for outstanding service to
the motor industry in 2003. He became a member of
the SA Automotive Industry’s “Hall of Fame” in March
2006, in recognition of his signifi cant contribution to the
industry.
In June 2006 he was honoured by the Leadership Forum
for his contribution towards leadership thinking and
in particular, leadership ethics. The recognition never
stops...
He is married to Tillie and they have three sons.
Brand is doing us proud
Brand Pretorius, chief executive of McCarthy Ltd, will
deliver the 18th annual Brand Pretorius Lecture of the
Department of Business Management at our university
this year. An honorary professorship in Business
Management was conferred on him in May 1991.
Last year in his lecture he upheld a list of do’s and
don’ts for leaders and managers in tough times.
He said leaders must:
• Hold on to their vision and values. Remain hopeful
and committed to their long-term objectives. The
principals and values are the glue that keeps
people together.
• Stay optimistic and upbeat. Your task is to give
people hope. There is always something to be
optimistic about. Provide emotional leadership. Put
the emphasis on the things you need to do and
can do. Otherwise you can put the company in a
downward emotional spiral.
• Protect your energy levels and control your stress.
Retain perspective, remain grateful.
• Hone your self-management skills. Focus only
on priorities. We suffer from a sickness called
“busyness”, doing nothing in the end. Cut out the
nonsense. If it is not of fundamental importance,
ignore it.
• Make discipline a way of life and tighten all
controls.
• Cut costs and eliminate waste. Create a culture of
frugality. Run lean and mean.
• Be agile, make tough calls early. To serve your
business correctly you have to make tough
decisions. Take action earlier rather than later.
• Watch your cash fl ow like a hawk – it is the lifeblood
of your business.
• Protect your key relationships, particularly with
suppliers and your talented staff.
• Stay close to your customers. Behave as if you
were on the verge of losing your last customer.
• Be a visible, inspirational leader. Tough times are
not the time to hide and send out e-mails. Go
out and shake hands. Find inspiration by walking
around, interacting constructively with your people.
On the not-to-do list he had:
• Don’t quit taking risks. You can do the deals of a
lifetime in tough times.
• Don’t be infl exible, bureaucratic.
• Don’t isolate yourself by throwing your weight
around, alienating people.
• Don’t assume you know all the answers.
• Don’t compromise your ethics and take short cuts.
That will be the kiss of death.
• Don’t stop thinking and start panicking.
• Don’t send mixed messages or stop
communicating altogether. Overcommunicate!
• Don’t be afraid of the future. If we are, we will freeze
up. Rather get involved and do the right things.
“It is better to light a candle than to curse the
darkness,” he said.
“The world is becoming more complicated, more unpredictable. Not everyone has all the
answers to the problems. Yesterday’s success does not guarantee tomorrow’s success, as
the future is not an extension of the past. The world is more challenging... I have not seen
ordinary South Africans under so much fi nancial stress, ever.” – Brand Pretorius, 2008.
Do’s and don’ts in tough times
Brand Pretorius,
an honorary
professor at our
university.
Alumni Alumni
78 79Bult
Johan wins prestigious competition
“Entrepreneurship is fun, laughter, tears, joy,
disappointment, pain and pleasure… all the things
that show that we are alive,” says entrepreneur
Johan Eksteen of Bloemfontein who is the winner in
a category of a competition for business plans.
“You have to work hard to be an entrepreneur,” he
said in a lecture at the School of Management where
he has obtained his MBA cum laude.
Johan is a winner in the manufacturing category
of the Enablis FNB Launchpad Business Plan
competition in which venture capital of R50 million
is available to entrepreneurs to expand their
businesses. More than 6 000 entries were received in
the competition.
His enterprise exports pelleting machines to Europe,
Australia, and Africa and is also making inroads into
the USA market. The machines are mobile enough
to be used by individual farmers or other end-users
and can compact material to one-seventh of the
original volume and makes transport of fodder and
other organic material more economic. It contributes
for less waste and a cleaner environment. – Leatitia
Pienaar
Kovsies vier week lank fees
Kovsieweek is in September met ‘n bedrywige program
in Bloemfontein gevier. As deel van die fees is alumni
en oud-personeel na verskeie aktiwiteite genooi. Dit het
onder meer ‘n damestee, ‘n klavier- en viooluitvoering
deur prof. Nicol Viljoen en dr. Johnn Wille, asook
twee kort komedies deur die Departement Drama en
Toneelkuns ingesluit. Die week is afgesluit met die
viering van Nasionale Kovsie Alumni-dag wat deur
meer as 160 alumni bygewoon is. Prof. Nico du Plessis
is vereer vir sy besondere bydrae tot die uitbouing
van Kovsie-Alumni en die sleutelrol wat hy as stigter
van die nasionale Kovsie Alumni-dag gespeel het.
Hier is, van links: dr. Ivan van Rooyen, Direkteur: UV-
Bemarking, prof. Du Plessis, me. Suzan Mshumpela,
Adjunkdirekteur: UV-Bemarking, regter Faan Hancke,
Voorsitter van die UV-Raad, en mnr. Gert Grobler,
aangewese Suid-Afrikaanse ambassadeur in Japan.
Van die gaste wat die Kovsieweek-vieringe bygewoon
Van die gaste wat die Kovsieweek-vieringe
bygewoon het, van links is mev. Frances
Cruywagen, mev. Lena Cremer en prof. Gert
Mouton.
Johan and prof. Helena van Zyl.
Alumni
Desi McCarthy of the Centre for Higher Education Studies and Development at our university produced
the winning photograph for 2008 of the Bloemfontein Camera Club. We give you a taste of what she is
capable of on our divider pages throughout the magazine. Desi says: “My love for photography began
with the desire to capture every moment of my children’s – Tia (6) and Jamie (8) – lives. To make those
special moments last forever. I strive to capture their souls, in just that one moment – so that years from
now, I have something to remind me. Time is fleeting. Capture it.”