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23 April 2019 | Story Ruan Bruwer
Wihan Victor
Wihan Victor, opening batsman of the Kovsie cricket team, was the fourth-highest run scorer at the National Club
The first cricket team of the University of the Free State (UFS) ended the National Club Championship in Pretoria in fifth position, officially making them the country’s fifth-best club-cricket team for the 2018/2019 season. 

They secured two wins – over the Madibaz and Impala – in five matches.

The Kovsies, without two of their stars, Marno van Greunen and Sean Whitehead – due to work and study commitments – ended the tournament on a high on Wednesday 17 April 2019. They thumped Impala, the Gauteng representative, by an emphatic nine wickets on the final day.

The winning margin against the Madibaz was six wickets.

The UFS, who did not qualify for last year’s champs, bowled Impala out for 144 in 33 overs. Wizzard Ncedane led a fine bowling display. The medium-pacer claimed 3 for 49. He was well-supported by Siphamandla Mavanda (2/8), Christo van Staden (2/9), and captain AJ van Wyk (2/33). 

Breezy half-centuries from Wihan Victor (53 off 52 balls, 8 fours) and Stephan van Vollenhoven (54 off 40 balls, 7 fours, 1 six) then powered the Knights representatives to victory with more than 30 overs to spare.

Victor, an opening batsman, ended as the UFS top run scorer. He scored 204 runs in five innings at an average of 51.

Only three other batsmen at the tournament scored more runs.

Wizard was the pick of the bowlers. He claimed eight wickets for 132 runs in four innings at an average of 16,5 and a strike rate of 24,5. His eight scalps were the joint second most at the tournament.



News Archive

UFS launches a Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Observatory, first of its kind in South Africa
2013-12-04

In cooperation with its partners, the Centre for Development Support at the University of the Free State (UFS), launched the SME Observatory at a function on the Bloemfontein Campus. This initiative is the first of its kind in South Africa. 
 
According to Willem Ellis, Director of the Centre for Development Support, this is a public-private partnership between the UFS, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (detea), which aims to gather information for research on small and medium enterprises. “With this research we will endeavour to empower policy formulators to make the right decisions in terms of development on a local, provincial and national level,” Ellis said. 
 
Presentations and the panel discussion at the launch covered topics such as: 
  • How many enterprises can survive in a town?
  • Are entrepreneurs being set up for failure? 
  • Is SMEs the answer to the unemployment question? 
  • The cost of red tape: is SMEs being tied down? 

To demonstrate the applicability of the enterprise architect for issues relating to enterprise policy, as well as entrepreneurship strategies, it was decided to focus the pilot phase of the observatory on towns in the Free State. Dr Daan Toerien, research associate at the Centre for Development Support, and Johannes Wessels, Project Manager of the SME Observatory, compiled the report: “50 Towns in the Free State: What the Enterprise Architecture of these towns is telling us about Entrepreneurial Space.” 
 
In his presentation at the launch, Dr Toerien said: “The Enterprise Observatory’s prime goal is to present valuable facts and insights about enterprises in the domains it is observing.” He has developed a database that contains information on a large number of South African towns. He said that studying the enterprise architecture of towns will contribute significantly to inform the policy and strategy debate on LED and enterprise development. “These activities will add valuable data and insights to approach entrepreneurship in the Free State and, after the pilot phase, also in other provinces in South Africa. The Free State government, district and local municipalities, and the consultant fraternity serving them, should find the SME observatory’s activities of value,” he said. 
 
Wessels said that the SME Observatory of South Africa is dedicated to base its arguments on sound theory, science and applied research; to engage policy and decision makers on an evidence-based approach; operate in a politically non-aligned mode in order to mirror truthfully the impact of policies and decisions and to partner with policy makers, entrepreneurs, public administration, think tanks, research institutions, business representatives and NGOs on building networks and alliances to promote an open and competitive enterprise environment.

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