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26 April 2018 Photo Supplied
Strong athletics team for USSA
The 800m athlete Rynardt van Rensburg is one of several Kovsies who is expected to win a gold medal at the national student champs this weekend.

With three Olympians in their midst and a number of athletes who are serious contenders for a first place, the Kovsie athletics team looks set to make a statement at the 2018 national student champs.

The University Sport South Africa (USSA) event takes place from Friday 27 April to Sunday 29 April 2018 in Sasolburg.

Kovsies finished fifth at last year’s USSA with four gold, four silver and four bronze medals.

There were initial concerns the team might be weakened by the loss of five of their top athletes who are competing at the CAA Southern Region Youth and Junior Championships that is also taking place this weekend in Boksburg.  

Luckily for Tsebo Matsoso (200m), Pakiso Mthembu (5 000m), Tyler Beling (1 500 m) and Lara Orrock (3 000m steeplechase), their events on the USSA programme are only scheduled for Sunday which will allow them to participate in both meetings. Michaéla Wright (SA U20 long jump champion) won’t be able to compete in Sasolburg either. 

Beling and Orrock, along with Ts’epang Sello (800m and 1 500m), Kesa Molotsane (5 000m and 10 000m), Lynique Beneke (long jump), Carien Sander (400m), Hendrik Maartens (200m), Sefako Mokhosoa (triple jump), Mthembi Chauque (20km walk), Peter Makgato (long jump) and Rynardt van Rensburg (800m and 1 500m) are all realistic gold medal contestants.

Van Rensburg, Sello and Beneke have all been to the Olympic Games in 2016. Van Rensburg’s 1:46.15 last month in the 800m currently ranks 21st among the best times in 2018 on the global stage.

Beneke defended her national crown last month with a winning distance of 6.22m and Sello came very close to running her personal best in the 800m at the Commonwealth Games.

News Archive

Official opening of Faculty of Health Sciences Rural Community Initiative
2017-01-01

Description: Karla Mostert Tags: Mail & Guardian, 200 Young South Africans, Candice Thikeson, Karla Mostert, Lerato Machetela, Mandela Rhodes Scholar, Thapelo Mokoatsi

Ribbon cutting, Prof van Zyl and Ms du Plessis
Venter (community member)

The Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of the Free State (UFS) has, as part of its commitment to student and community development, established a student residence in the town of Trompsburg in the Kopanong Local municipality, Xhariep District municipality in the Southern Free State. The Faculty officially opened the Faculty of Health Sciences Rural Community Initiative on 14 and 15 June 2017. The memorial plaque was unveiled by Prof Gert van Zyl (Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences) and Prof Francis Petersen (Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State)

The importance of the residence

The goal of the ‘Kopanang le fodise – Unite to heal’ programme is to develop a community-centered collaborative framework for sustainable, holistic healthcare and social development incorporated in the curricula of the Faculty.

Background of the project

During 2016 a total of 324 fourth-year students of the Faculty have each spend at least a week in interprofessional groups in primary healthcare facilities in the Kopanong municipality on a Community Based Education, Interprofessional Education (CBE-IPE) platform in Trompsburg and Springfontein.

To facilitate student rural placement the former Midway guesthouse currently includes seven (7) facilitator units with on suite bathrooms, two (2) fully equipped lecture facilities, a recreation room and a library with computers and internet access. The newly developed student residence has 10 apartments that can each accommodate six (6) individuals. A housemaster resides on the premises and acts as manager of the facility. All areas of the residence are Wifi covered and 24h security service is in place.

The ceremony was attend by the following partners

University of the Free State (UFS)

Rector and Vice Chancellor of the University of the Free State, Prof Francis Petersen.
Members of the UFS council, Dr Vinger and Dr Swart
Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Prof van Zyl.
The Head of the School of Allied Health Professions, Dr van Vuuren.
The Head of the School of Medicine, Prof Kruger.
Faculty from the Faculty of Health Sciences.
Members from UFS institutional support department: ICT, Finance, Facilities management

Kopanong local municipality

Councilor Basholo, representing the Kopanong local municipality.
Kopanong local community members
Free State Department of Education (DoE)
Free State Department of Health (DoH)

Private sector partners

Mr Burgess, CEO of MDG Heath Solutions
The Mother And Child Academic Hospital (MACAH) represented by Prof Venter, head of department of Paediatrics, donated two (2) state of the art baby scales to the rural health programme.

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