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12 November 2018 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Stephen Collett
Inaugural lecture focuses on aspects of soil classification
Prof Cornie Van Huyssteen delivered his inaugural lecture on the topic: ‘The world in a grain of sand’, at the ninth inaugural lecture at the UFS this year.
Humans classify their environment to create order, make it more understandable, aid recollection and to communicate. As important it is for humans to classify their environments, so it is to classify soil, said Prof Cornie van Huyssteen.

Prof Van Huyssteen has studied and recorded data on soil worldwide to find the most appropriate use of land, in among others, the agriculture and mining sector and for urban development. 

It is all about soil

He was vice-chair of the International Union of Soil Sciences working group for the World Reference Base, and president of the Soil Science Society of South Africa. From 1991 to 1999 he worked at the Institute for Soil, Climate and Water of the Agricultural Research Council, where he aided in the land type survey and spatial analysis of soil data.

At his recent inauguration to full professor Prof Van Huyssteen delivered the ninth inaugural lecture at the University of the Free State’s Bloemfontein Campus for 2018, talking about a matter close to his heart, soil. He titled the lecture: ‘The world in a grain of sand’. 

Relevant to irrigation scheduling

A professor in the UFS Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences, Prof Van Huyssteen’s research focuses on the relationship between soil morphology and soil hydrology. It can mostly be applied to hydropedology, wetland delineation, urban development, mining EIAs, irrigation scheduling and soil classification.

Prof Van Huyssteen joined the UFS in 2000, and in 2004, he completed his PhD in Soil Science. He is also author or co-author of 25 reviewed papers.

News Archive

UFS awarded R3,6-million to train court interpreters
2008-05-15

 
 At the training session for court interpreters that took place on the Main Campus of the UFS in Bloemfontein recently are, from the left, front: Ms Zandile Mtolo, Pietermaritzburg, Ms Lindiwe Gamede, Bethlehem; back: Mr Sipho Majombozi, Port Shepstone, Prof. Lotriet, and Mr Mzi Nombewu, Upington. The four learners are working at their respective magistrates courts.
Photo: Lacea Loader

UFS awarded R3,6-million to train court interpreters

A contract to the value of R3,6-million has been awarded to the University of the Free State (UFS) to train court interpreters throughout South Africa.

The contract was awarded to the Department of Afro-asiatic Studies, Sign Language and Language Practice at the UFS by the Safety and Security Sector Education and Training Authority (SASSETA).

“We are the only tertiary institution in the country that offers a national diploma in court interpreting. It provides a unique opportunity to court interpreters to be trained by a group of eight lecturers who are experts in the field,” says Prof. Annelie Lotriet, associate professor at the Department of Afro-asiatic Studies, Sign Language and Language Practice.

Prof. Lotriet is an internationally renowned interpreting expert who was also responsible for the training of interpreters for the former Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

According to Prof. Lotriet no co-ordinated training programmes for court interpreters existed and there was also no control over the training processes. The programme, initiated by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, is managed by the SASSETA. “It is the first time that the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development initiates such an extensive training programme for court interpreters,” says Prof. Lotriet.

The group of 100 court interpreters on the programme are from all over the country. Of the group, ten are unemployed learners who interpret for the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development on an ad-hoc basis.

The programme, which stretches over two years, comprises of theoretical and service training. Contact sessions take place in Bloemfontein, Pretoria and Cape Town, four times a year for two weeks at a time. The second contact session for Bloemfontein was recently completed.

“Learners are nominated by their regional offices. The programme consists of interpreting theory, interpreting practice and basic law subjects. The training material is developed and written by the SASSETA and facilitated and presented by the UFS. The learners interpret in all the 11 languages. Some of them can speak a couple of languages each,” says Prof. Lotriet.

“Everything is going very well with the programme and we are receiving a lot of positive feedback from the learners. This first group is an experiment and it depends on their success whether the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development will expand the programme,” says Prof. Lotriet.

Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za
15 May 2008 
 

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