Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Categories
UFS News Media Release Research
Years
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Months
January February March April May June July August September October November December
Previous Archive
20 August 2018
Alicia Puren captain of the Kovsie netball team
Alicia Puren, captain of the Kovsie netball team, will play in her fifth Varsity Netball series.
Now is the time for Kovsie Netball to claim gold again, says their captain, Alicia Puren, ahead of the Varsity Netball series.

Alicia explained that they are hungry for success, and that it’s been too long since they last won a title. “We don’t only want to win gold for our coach Burta de Kock, but also for ourselves,” said Alicia. Some of the veterans could possibly play in their final tournament, so fellow team members want them to finish on a high note.

The Kovsie Netball team won the first two competitions in 2013 and 2014, but since then could not progress further than the semi-finals. They have very favourable draws, with five of their seven matches in the group stages being played in Bloemfontein, including the game against the finalists of the previous two years, Tuks and Pukke.

They also have a very experienced team. Tanya Mostert will participate in her sixth series, Rieze Straeuli and Alicia Puren are playing in their fifth, and Khomotso Mamburu, Maryke Coetzee, Khanyisa Chawane, and Gertriana Retief are all playing in their fourth. Lefébre Rademan is playing in her third series. Jabulile Mabina, Bianca de Wee, and Petro Coetzee are the only newcomers in the squad of 15 players.

“We have a lot working in our favour; we have to make it count,” says Alicia.
Kovsie Netball will start their campaign on 26 August in the Callie Human Centre against the defending champs, Tuks.
 
Their match fixtures are as follows: 26/8 vs Tuks in Bloemfontein; 27/8 vs the University of Johannesburg in Bloemfontein; 2/9 vs the Vaal University of Technology in Bloemfontein; 3/9 vs the University of the Western Cape in Bloemfontein; 9/9 vs the Madibaz in Stellenbosch; 10/9 vs Maties in Stellenbosch, and finally 24/09 vs Pukke in Bloemfontein.

The Kovsie Netball squad players are: Alicia Puren (captain), Ané Retief, Gertriana Retief, Jana Scholtz, Khanyisa Chawane, Khomotso Mamburu, Lefébre Rademan, Meagan Roux, Sikholiwe Mdletshe, Tanya Mostert, Maryke Coetzee, Rieze Straeuli, Jabulile Mabina, Bianca de Wee, and Petro Coetzee.

News Archive

R2,5 million received from FNB Fund for Universal Access and Disability Support
2017-10-18

Description: FNB CUADS Funding Tags: FNB CUADS Funding
Tinotenda Magaya (left at the back), Robert Shoba and
Manus van Rooyen are some of the CUADS students
who will benefit from the money donated by the FNB Fund.
In front are Martie Miranda (left), Head of CUADS, and
Thandeka Rantsi from the FNB Fund.
Photo: Jóhann Thormählen

Funding isn’t only about giving money to provide access to education. There are many factors that contribute to the successful completion of studies, and this is even more applicable to students with disabilities. 

That is why the FNB Fund decided to continue and further its relationship with the Center for Universal Access and Disability Support (CUADS) at the University of the Free State (UFS). The fund recently donated nearly R2.5 million for 2017, 2018, and 2019 to CUADS in order to assist students with tuition fees, study material, accommodation and supportive devices. 

A total of 11 students will benefit from the R 2 497 440. The UFS previously received R200 000 (2014), R238 000 (2015), and R192 500 (2016) from the FNB Fund.

“The FNB Fund would like to take it
a step further and not only provide
access in terms of funding, but also
provide all the support that
students require to be able
to complete their studies.”

Funders should be aware of challenges

“The FNB Fund would like to take it a step further and not only provide access in terms of funding, but also provide all the necessary support that students require to be able to complete their studies,” says Thandeka Rantsi from the FNB Fund.

The fund also partners with disability units from the University of Stellenbosch, the University of the Western Cape, and the University of Cape Town.

Rantsi says funders should be aware of the challenges students with disabilities face in order to provide the right support as their challenges are more extensive.

More flexible funding than others

Martie Miranda, Head of CUADS, says they are very grateful. “In comparison with other funding, this funding provides more flexibility. Because of the gap between government funding and students’ needs, there are always students who fall out of the criteria for the NSFAS bursary. Then the FNB funding comes in very handy.”

According to her, government funding is never enough. She says the FNB funding enables them to address specific needs such as equipment, accommodation etc. as they have more leeway than prescribed NSFAS amounts.

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept