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27 September 2018 Photo Varsity Sports
Netball final at home lie in wait for Kovsies
Newly capped Protea Khanyisa Chawane will return for the Kovsies on Monday when they face the Maties in the semi-final of Varsity Netball in the Callie Human centre.

A first ever Varsity Netball final in the Callie Human centre lie in what should the Kovsies cross the line this Monday in the semi-final against the Maties in Bloemfontein at 19:00. 
Having ended first on the log, the Kovsies will enjoy home court advantage should they progress to the final on 8 October.

The Kovsies won their group fixture against the Maties last month in Stellenbosch by 59-56. It will be the first time the two teams clash in a knock-out match in the competition and also a first visit to the Callie Human centre for the Maties since 2013.

The Kovsies won six out of their seven group matches with their only loss against the Madibaz by a single goal.

They will be strengthened by the return of Khanyisa Chawane (centre) who missed a couple of matches whilst being in Australasia where she made her Protea debut. Meagan Roux, who can either play wing attack or goal attack, is also back. She travelled with the Proteas as a replacement.

They will however be without Tanya Mostert who will be on honeymoon. Her wedding is on Saturday. Remarkable it will only be the second time since her debut in the Kovsies’ very first match in the inaugural competition in 2013 that Mostert will miss a Varsity Netball match.

“The players really yearn to lift that trophy. It’s been some time since we last played in the final (in 2014). My message to them will be to give it their all on Monday,” Mostert said.
According to her the team is currently one that gels very nicely.

“Everyone fully understands their role in the team. We realized where our strengths lie and play according to it. Adding to that we play for one another.”

News Archive

UFS first to mechanise agricultural technique
2006-05-09

    

Small farmers from Thaba `Nchu were the biggest group attending the farmers day at the UFS Paradys experimental farm.  From the left are Mr David Motlhale (a small farmer from Thaba 'Nchu), Prof Leon van Rensburg (lecturer at the UFS Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences and project leader), Mr Nhlonipho Nhlabatsi (Agricultural Research Council, Glen), Ms Meisie Mthethwa (small farmer from Bloemspruit).  In front is Mr Patrick Molatodi (chairperson of the Tswelopele Small Farmer Association).
 

 

Some of the participants of the farmers day at the UFS Paradys experimental farm were from the left Prof Leon van Rensburg (lecturer at the UFS Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences and project leader, Mr Patrick Molatodi (chairperson of the Tswelopele Small Farmers Association) and Prof Herman van Schalkwyk (Dean: UFS Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences).

UFS first tertiary institution in world to mechanise agricultural technique
The University of the Free State (UFS) is the first tertiary institution in the world to mechanise the in-field rain water harvesting technique on a commercial scale.

The technique was recently demonstrated to about 100 small farmers at the UFS Paradys experimental farm outside Bloemfontein. 

“With this technique rain water is channeled to the plant and in this way food security is increased.  The advantage of the technique for commercial farmers lies in the reduced cultivation of land.  Small farmers will benefit from this because they can now move out into the fields and away from farming in their back yards,” says Prof Leon van Rensburg, lecturer at the UFS Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences and project leader.    

Rain water harvesting is an antique concept that was used by communities before the birth of Christ.  In South Africa the technique is mainly used in the plots of small farmers where they make surface structures by hand. 

"The technique is also used for the first time by the UFS on commercial scale by means of the cultivation of a summer crop on 100 ha at the Paradys experimental farm,” says Prof Leon van Rensburg,

Of the farmers who attended the farmers day most represented about 42 rural communities in the vicinity of Thaba ‘Nchu.  A group of seven from KwaZulu-Natal also attended the proceedings.  These small farmers can for example apply this technique successfully on the 250-300 ha communal land that is available in the Thaba ‘Nchu area. 

The project is funded by the UFS and the National Research Foundation (NRF) and the farmers’ day was funded by the Water Research Commission.   

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel:   (051) 401-2584
Cell:  083 645 2454
E-mail:  loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
9 May 2006

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