Along with its Strategic Plan 2018-2022, the University of the Free State (UFS) has committed to implementing the ten work streams of the Institutional Transformation Plan (ITP). One of these key work streams is known as the Multi-Campus Model. This work stream acknowledges that the university is made up of different, yet complementary parts, each finding and serving its niche in its home community. As reinforcement for this model, the South Campus in Bloemfontein saw the opening of a new space on 19 October 2019: A set of sports grounds that cater for a wide variety of different sporting codes.

Prof Daniella Coetzee, Principal of the South Campus, said to the audience at the official opening of the new facilities: “I cannot tell you how happy and emotional I am to finally see this happening. It has taken some time to reach this point, but we are now able to invite students from other campuses to join us here and take part in a number of sporting activities.” The new facilities can accommodate soccer, tennis, volleyball, basketball, and netball matches.

Prof Coetzee described the new sports grounds as a dream come true for her as well as for the Head of KovsieSport, DB Prinsloo. “More than that,” she said to students, “you are making history, because we have never had the opportunity at this campus to offer so many sports and to be totally integrated and involved in sporting activities across the university.”

In turn, Mr Prinsloo thanked Prof Coetzee for being such a high-driving force behind not only the academic achievements on the campus, but also in the sporting environment. “If it were not for her enthusiasm towards the sports project, we may still have been struggling along,” he said. He also thanked Jeanette Combrinck from Facilities Management on the South Campus for her assistance throughout the project.