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15 June 2018 Photo Sonia Small
Go Bokke says rector to wealth of Kovsies in Bok management team
Prof Francis Petersen, UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor, paid a special visit to the Springboks on Friday 15 June 2018 to wish the four former Kovsies good luck for the test match against England on Saturday (16 June 2018). From the left are: Jacques Nienaber, Oupa Mohoje, Prof Petersen, Rassie Erasmus, and Swys de Bruin.

 Listen to Prof Petersen's message to the Springboks here.

Former Kovsies are in abundance in the management team to face England in the second test in Bloemfontein on Saturday (16 June 2018).  

No less than four of the management team, including three of the five coaches, are Kovsies, having studied at the University of the Free State (UFS) previously. They are Rassie Erasmus (head coach), Jacques Nienaber (defence coach), Swys de Bruin (consultant for attacking play), and Vivian Verwant (physiotherapist). Nienaber is also a qualified physio who started his career in this role at Shimlas before advancing to coaching later on. Erasmus and De Bruin both donned the blue jersey.

Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS, paid a special visit to the Springboks’ hotel in Bloemfontein on Friday morning (15 June 2018) to wish Erasmus and company good luck for the test. “I just want to wish you all the best. The entire Kovsie community is behind you and the Springboks, and we only want one result tomorrow,” Prof Petersen said.

Erasmus, who studied at the UFS in the early 1990s, said it was a joyful week in Bloemfontein. “It is good to be here. We really enjoyed the facilities, having trained at Shimla Park with all its good memories. Hopefully the result will be good tomorrow. We are proud former Kovsies, with quite a few of us here,” Erasmus said.

Although he won’t play on Saturday, loose forward Oupa Mohoje is still part of the training squad. Ox Nche, who was released from the squad on Sunday (10 June 2018), became the 76th Kovsie Springbok in the match against Wales on 2 June 2018.

News Archive

Universities and communities should forge links, Prof. Khotseng
2010-03-04

At the seminar, from the left: Dr Sethulego Matebesi (Head: Department of Sociology), Prof. Khotseng and Prof. Naas Bredenkamp (Department of Sociology).
Photo: Lize du Plessis


The Department of Sociology at the University of the Free State (UFS) recently held a departmental seminar where the former Vice-Rector of the UFS, Prof. Benito Khotseng, was the guest speaker.

He focused on the importance of the engagement between universities and the community. According to him South Africa has one of the most troubled societies in the world.

He said factors that led to people living in stress are, amongst others, unemployment, broken families, slum housing, child abuse, school dropouts, HIV/Aids, illiteracy and crime.

“People in the communities complain about what they don’t have when they should look at what they can do with what they do have,” Prof. Khotseng said.

He said the UFS was filled with people with the necessary expertise who should go to the communities to help where they could. “Universities and communities should start new, collaborating relationships,” he said.

“When we assist communities we should not see them as a bag of needs,” he said. “Each time someone uses his capabilities, the community grows stronger.”

He further said the UFS could certainly play a meaningful role in regional engagement and development.
- Lize du Plessis

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