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21 August 2019 | Story Ruan Bruwer | Photo Varsity Sport
Netball
The UFS netball team celebrating their victory in last year’s Varsity Netball competition. They are the most successful team in the tournament’s history, with three titles (2013, 2014, and 2018).
Kovsies can lift the Varsity Netball trophy again if they repeat last year’s recipe of playing for each other, motivating one another, and giving their all in each game. This is what the captain, Lefébre Rademan, believes. 

The competition started yesterday, Monday 26 August 2019 with a repeat of last year’s final. The UFS women played Tuks in the Callie Human Centre at 19:00. The final score was Kovsies 42 - 63 Tuks.

“I believe we can retain the trophy if all the players’ heads and hearts are in the right place. We must play for each other and for the UFS. I don’t think we have a point to prove after what happened at the USSA, although we would like to set the record straight,” Rademan said.

The UFS netball team went unbeaten through the group stage of the USSA champs in July, but they lost their final two encounters to finish fourth.

The Kovsies received the best possible draw. Five of their seven matches are at home, three of them against traditional powerhouses Tuks, North-West University, and Maties. They only have to travel once (to Pretoria), where they will play matches on consecutive days.

“It is certainly a great advantage to have so many matches in front of your home support and only playing away twice (against the Madibaz and the University of the Western Cape).”

Rademan took over the captaincy from Alicia Puren, who finished her studies at the end of 2018.

The team also lost the services of Maryke Coetzee, Khomotso Mamburu, and Tanya von Berg, who were all extremely experienced.


News Archive

UFS student makes breakthrough in the application of nanorobots
2005-04-21

A student from the University of the Free State (UFS) has made a ground-breaking discovery in the field of microbiology by uncovering a series of new compounds that may in future be used to lubricate man-made nanorobots.

Mr Olihile Sebolai, a full-time student at the UFS’s Department of Microbial- Biochemical and Food Biotechnology, made this discovery while working on his M Sc-study on yeast.

With this discovery Mr Sebolai will also be awarded six prestigious prizes during this week’s autumn graduation ceremony at the UFS.  This university has recognised this exceptional achievement as a build-up to the celebration of national Science and Technology week next month.     

Mr Sebolai’s dissertation on the yeast genus Saccharomycopsis Schionning has been published in an accredited international journal of repute. 

“Words cannot describe how excited I am. I never expected to receive such recognition for my studies.  I am humbled by all of this,” said Mr Sebolai.

The Lipid Biotechnology Group at the UFS recently discovered that some yeasts produce their own water-propelled capsules in which they are transported.  These capsules have different shapes and resemble among others miniature flying saucers, hats with razor sharp brims etc.  “In order to function properly, parts of the capsules are oiled with prehistoric lubricants – lubricants that are produced by yeasts and that probably existed for many millions of years as yeasts developed,” said Mr Sebolai.  

According to Mr Sebolai these capsules are so small that approximately 300 can be fitted into the full-stop at the end of a sentence and are therefore invisible to the naked eye.

“With my studies I discovered many new compounds that resemble these prehistoric lubricants.  These lubricants may in future be used to lubricate man-made nanorobots and are similar in size compared to yeast capsules,” said Mr Sebolai.  The nanorobots are used to perform tasks in places that are invisible to the naked eye and could one day be used, among others, to clean up human arteries.

Mr Sebolai has been interested in the subject of Micro technology since he was at RT Mokgopa High School in Thaba ‘Nchu.  “I was specifically interested in the many possible applications the subject has – in the industry, as well as in medicine,” said Mr Sebolai. 

His next goal is to successfully complete his Ph D-degree.

The prizes that will be awarded to Mr Sebolai this week include:

Best Magister student at the UFS (Senate medal and prize);

Best Magister student in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Science and Dean’s medal at the same faculty;

The Andries Brink – Sasol-prize for the best M Sc dissertation in Microbiology;

The JP van der Walt prize for best M Sc dissertation in yeast science;

The Chris Small prize for an outstanding Master’s dissertation; and

Honorary colours awarded by the UFS Student Representative Council

Media release

Issued by:                     Lacea Loader

                                    Media Representative

                                    Tel:  (051) 401-2584

                                    Cell:  083 645 2454

                                    E-mail:  loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za

20 April 2005

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