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25 February 2019 | Story Ruan Bruwer
Tharina van der Walt
The hammer thrower Tharina van der Walt is one of several first-class athletes among the first-year students at Kovsies this year. She is the South African U18 champ and record-holder in 2018.
Several top athletes, some of whom were the very best in the country in their respective events at school, have joined Kovsies as first-year students. They already had their first taste of glory as Kovsies when they recently won their events at the first-year meeting.
 
Among these first-years are Jannes Schlebusch (javelin thrower), Joviale Mbisha (sprinter), Colette Uys (discus/shot-put), and Tharina van der Walt (hammer thrower), who have all represented South Africa in the past two years.
 
Schlebusch won the silver medal at the World U18 championships in 2017, but was injured last year. Great things were expected for 2019, but during the first-year meeting he injured his ankle to such an extent that he will have to undergo an operation that would put him on the sideline for the rest of the season.
 
Van der Walt was the South African schools champ in the hammer throw for girls U19 in 2018, when she managed to set up a new school record of 57,83 m. She was ranked fourth at the World U18 champs in 2017. At the same meeting, Mbisha ended 14th in the 100 m.
 
Uys, who participated in the CAA Southern Region Youth and Junior Championships last year, achieved a second place in the discus at the 2018 National Secondary Schools Championships for girls U19. Other first-years who took part in the SA’s last year, are Vicky Oelofse (1 500 m) and Michael Skosana (long jump).
 
They will strengthen Kovsie Athletics, which already boasts a large group of athletes with international experience. Of the 16 athletes who participated internationally last year, only Kesa Molotsane and Lara Orrock will not be in action for the students again.
 
■ Imperium Residence won the men’s division and Arista/Amelia were the ladies’ winners.
 

News Archive

UFS presents first Beyers Naudé Memorial lecture
2010-09-16

At the Beyers Naudé   Memorial lecture were, from the left: Prof. Jonathan Jansen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS; Rev. Cedric Mayson; and Mr Kgotso Schoeman, Chief Executive Officer of Kagiso Trust.
Photo: Dries Myburg

The seventh Beyers Naudé Memorial lecture was presented for the first time at the University of the Free State (UFS) this week. This lecture that is presented at a different university each year took place on the Main Campus of the UFS in Bloemfontein this year. Rev. Cedrick Mayson presented the lecture with under the theme: Crafting a legacy.

According to Rev. Mayson more deeply rooted forms of suppression came forward after the democratic elections in 1994. Liberation from apartheid was, according to Mason, very superficial. The poor were still severely suppressed at economic, political, cultural, religious and environmental level. “We have to apply Beyers Naudé’s legacy of liberation in these areas,” Rev. Mayson declared.

“The system according to which the rich become wealthier and the poor become poorer must be replaced by a system where everybody can have enough. This is only possible with the insight of the oppressed.

“The government and the opposition are dominated by people who seek advantage for their own gain. Regardless of democratic slogans and some enlightened individuals’ rules against corruption and violence, we lack the political will to engage in the transformation of the whole world for the good of all earthlings,” said Rev. Mayson.

According to him, consumer culture has become a fine-tuned instrument for keeping people incomplete, shallow and dehumanised.

“Religions are self-centred. Leaders from most of the religious groupings criticised apartheid but they never joined the struggle to assist in demolishing apartheid. It appears as if religious institutions are not able to address the causes of poverty because they themselves are too rich and too powerful,” said Rev. Mayson.

He ended with the following words: “What we need is a leap of faith. Beyers knew that. The world is waiting for people to claim their legacy and to accomplish a post-religious secular spirituality of ubuntu.”

Rev. Mayson is a former Head of Religious Affairs of the ANC. He had also been a former staff member of the Christian Institute before it was banned. Furthermore, he was the Editor of Pro Veritate. Before he retired, he had also been involved in the South African Council of Churches and the World Conference for Peace.

The memorial lecture, a collaborative effort of the UFS and Kagiso Trust, endeavours to involve South Africans in dialogue about issues that affect our nation. This year the lecture was presented at the UFS for the first time and it will take place on the Qwaqwa Campus of the UFS next year.

Media Release
Issued by: Mangaliso Radebe
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2828
Cell: 078 460 3320
E-mail: radebemt@ufs.ac.za  
16 September 2010
 

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