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03 December 2018 | Story Ruan Bruwer
Janko Dreyer
Much will be expected from Kovsie opening batsmen Janko Dreyer at the University Sport South Africa tournament. He has been in great form recently.

The Kovsie Cricket team has enough motivation and are well aware of what’s at stake in the upcoming University Sport South Africa (USSA) championship that will be held in Stellenbosch from 3 to 7 December.

Kovsie Cricket are determined to secure a spot in next year’s Varsity Cricket tournament taking place in Potchefstroom in September, should they emerge as winners of Division B in the competition.

Scoring for the team

They will kick off with a clash against the Walter Sisulu University, followed by fixtures against the Tshwane University of Technology and Wits before the semi-finals on 6 December, with the final following on 7 December 2018.

A number of the Kovsie Cricket squad members have been on rich form with the bat lately. Opening batsman Janko Dreyer scored a century and two half-centuries in his last four innings for the Free State team in November.

Highly rated in SA

Batsmen Raynard van Tonder from the Kovsies Cricket team will feature as one of the most highly-rated young cricketers in the country. The captain of the South African U19 team smashed an unbeaten 250 runs for the Free State in the three-day provincial match last month. Likewise, Wihan Victor also scored a century for the Free State team in October.
More favourable news for the team is that Kovsie Cricket recently defeated the Central University of Technology with 185 runs.

The Kovsie Cricket squad consists of: Dilivio Ridgard, Nathan Roux, Sipho Mavanda, Wihan Victor, Sean Whitehead, Wizzard Ncedane, AJ van Wyk (captain), Nyiko Shikwambana, Jonathan Draai, Marno van Greuning, Beyers Swanepoel, Christo van Staden.

 

News Archive

Early diagnosis of hearing loss is important
2017-09-11

  Description: Magteld small Tags: birth defects, hearing loss, Dr Magteld Smith, Department of Otorhinolaryngology

Dr Magteld Smith, lecturer in the
Department of Otorhinolaryngology
at the University of the Free State (UFS)
Photo: Supplied


One of the most common, misunderstood and neglected birth defects in developing countries is hearing loss, which can most severely impair and have a dramatic impact of the quality of life the of the person with hearing loss. 

This is according to Dr Magteld Smith, lecturer in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at the University of the Free State (UFS). 

“Hearing loss refers to all the different types and levels of hearing loss, from slight to profound hearing loss,” she said. 

Derived from a number of retrospective studies in South Africa, it was found 17 people a day are born with hearing loss. More than 95% of those children are born to hearing parents. This estimate excludes children and adults who lost their hearing after birth. 

According to Dr Smith, hearing loss strikes at the very essence of being human, because it hinders communication with others. To enable people to communicate with those with hearing loss, the university’s Department of South African Sign Language teaches students sign language. This year, the department enrolled 230 students. A number of these students are from the Faculty of Education. These students could from 2017 for the first time choose sign language as a subject.

“Studies have shown that important language skills are learned before the age of three because hearing and learning language are closely tied together. Brain development of the auditory pathways and language cortex is occurring in young children as they respond to auditory and visual language. In families that are part of deaf culture, these parents automatically sign from day one, so the baby is learning visual (sign) language, and the appropriate brain development is occurring.

Beskrywing: Doof readmore Sleutelwoorde: geboorte-afwykings, gehoorverlies, dr Magteld Smith, Departement Otorinolaringologie

About 230 students are enrolled for the subject, South African 
Sign Language, at the UFS. As an assignment some of the students 
were asked to design posters to create deaf awareness among 
others on campus. From the left are: Poleliso Mpahane, 
Masajin Koalepe, Ntshitsa Mosase, and Zoleka Ncamane. 
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs

“However, if a child has an undiagnosed hearing loss and the parents are unaware, the child will not receive the needed language stimulation — and the hoped-for development won’t take place. It is critical to understand that children with hearing loss have their own talents, different levels of intelligence, socioeconomic circumstances and different abilities, just like hearing children. Therefore, one size does not fit all,” Dr Smith said. 

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