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17 December 2018 | Story Andre Grobler | Photo Supplied
Drought read more
Water-saving initiatives have been implemented throughout the university’s campuses to withstand the drought.

An attentive visitor to the University of the Free State (UFS) would have noticed that in the past year, certain parts of the Bloemfontein Campus’ gardens have undergone a change. This is part of the UFS’s water-wise and grey-water initiatives that are a response to the ongoing local drought conditions and water restrictions.

Waterless gardens

Senior Director: University Estates, Nico Janse van Rensburg, says the environmental conditions have had a severe impact on the appearance of the gardens. “The era where we had big lawns, has passed.”

Janse van Rensburg says the UFS decided to start the initiative at two highly visible areas, two traffic circles, one at the George du Toit Building and the other the Francois Retief Building.

More landscape changes can be seen in the gardens around the Biotechnology Building, Geography building and Muller Potgieter Building, as well as near the Institute for Groundwater Studies, Engineering Science and the Thakaneng Bridge.

Towards an energy-efficient environment

Paving in these areas is designed to allow for water to soak into the ground. Acting Grounds Services Manager, De Wet Dimo, says more than 100 indigenous trees, which are more adaptive to local environmental conditions, have also been planted. He says a new wood chipper which was recently purchased, will turn dead trees in gardens into wood chips to be used as mulch for new plants.

Dimo says the new look and feel of the gardens was created by using hard elements, paving and indigenous succulents.

New student residences, including those in Qwaqwa and South Campus will use a grey-water system using water which will be collected from showers and basins. The piping at two older residences on the Bloemfontein Campus has also been renovated to a two-way system.

“Rainwater harvesting systems have been fitted at all residences and academic buildings,” said Dimo. The 19 tanks that have been installed have a storage capacity of 265 kilolitres.  Janse van Rensburg says other water-wise initiatives that have been put into action include installing waterless urinals in administrative and academic buildings, water restrainers, pressure control systems (reducing the volume of water) and push-button systems instead of taps.

News Archive

Greyhound racing: Public input needed
2009-02-03

Members of the public have a second opportunity to make submissions regarding the possible legalisation of greyhound racing in South Africa.

A research team from the Faculty of Law at the University of the Free State (UFS), in conjunction with the Department of Trade and Industry (dti), will hold a second round of public consultations in Gauteng, the Free State, North West, the Eastern Cape, the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal in February and March this year.

During the first round of consultations last year the research team, under the supervision of Prof. Elizabeth Snyman-Van Deventer of the UFS, received written submissions from interested members of the public and various associations.

The purpose of this research project is to give an objective overview of the greyhound racing industry nationally as well as internationally. This includes aspects such as animal welfare, social, economical and political issues and the legal framework pertaining to greyhound racing.

The study focuses on the current situation in South Africa and internationally regarding the jurisdictions where the sport is currently active and the current legal framework.

It will also include a comparative study of the situation in countries such as the United States of America, Ireland, England, Belgium, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Vietnam.

Greyhound racing was banned in South Africa years ago because gambling was regarded as immoral at that time. Now that gambling has been legalised and is regulated there are debates on the legislation of greyhound racing.

The animal welfare and protection groups are against the legalisation of greyhound racing, while other role players have been calling for the racing to be legalised and regulated.

The public consultations will take place as follows:

• 6 February 2009, 09:00-12:30, Protea Edward Hotel, Durban
• 13 February 2009, 09:00-12:30, Protea Sea Point Hotel, Cape Town
• 20 February 2009, 09:00-12:30, Protea Marine Hotel, Port Elizabeth
• 26 February 2009, 09:00-12:30, Garden Court Hotel, Bloemfontein
• 27 February 2009, 09:00-12:30, Protea Manor Hotel, Hatfield, Pretoria
• 6 March 2009, 09:00-12:30, Garden Court East London, Esplanade, East London
• 13 March 2009, 09:00-12:30, Willows Garden Hotel, Potchefstroom

For further information, members of the public who are interested in attending these consultations should contact Mpho Mosing of the dti at 012 394 1504/083 436 5534 or Prof. Snyman-Van Deventer at 051 401 2698 or e-mail it to snymane.rd@ufs.ac.za  
 

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