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09 January 2019 | Story Thabo Kessah | Photo Thabo Kessah
Ntebohiseng Sekhele Read More
Ntebohiseng Sekhele hopes her PhD study will address conservation conflicts that exist between communities and protected areas.
The University of the Free State’s Afromontane Research Unit (ARU) based on the Qwaqwa Campus has recently concluded the process of recruiting candidates for the University Capacity Development Programme (UCDP). Through this programme, two historically disadvantaged South African universities; Universities of the Free State (Qwaqwa Campus) and Venda (UNIVEN) and three universities in the United States will be collaborating on a number of PhD research projects.

“The programme is funded through the US-SA Higher Education Network and will give candidates and their supervisors the opportunity to regularly travel to the USA and spend time at participating US universities where their co-promoters will be based and allow them to collaborate with identified suitable academics based at those institutions,” said Prof Geofrey Mukwada, Associate Professor in Geography and the coordinator of the project.

One of the young academics selected for this is Ntebohiseng Sekhele from the Geography Department. She will be doing her research in collaboration with the Colorado State University.

“I am delighted to be part of this programme and it still feels like a dream. I feel honored to be selected to participate in such a prestigious programme. To be chosen amongst other applicants means the coordinators believe in my potential, and I look forward to working towards my full potential,” said Sekhele, who describes herself as ‘a simple and ambitious village girl from Monontsha in Qwaqwa.’ 

Sekhele’s proposed PhD study will focus on determining strategies and impacts of conservation practices by the local communities. “It will address conservation conflicts that exist between communities and protected areas; different interpretations of sustainability (including indigenous knowledge) and offer recommendations of harmonising the conservation practices with the sustainability of conservation areas. There is a great need to develop management strategies that will simultaneously satisfy conservation and human needs. She will be graduating with an MSc (Environmental Geography) degree in 2019.

Other US universities involved in the UCDP are Appalachian State University (ASU) and University of Montana (UoM).

News Archive

Meet our Council: Loraine Roux – a proud Kovsie ambassador
2016-07-01

“I strive to represent the alumni
actively as an interest group,
and to help build the university
through sound business principles.”

Loraine Roux (née Kriek), former President of the Student Representative Council, was elected to the Council of the University of the Free State (UFS) in 2012. This former Kovsie made her mark at the UFS. Many staff members and former students will remember her as the beautiful brainbox, who achieved success in so many different areas of student life and humanity.

Loraine’s studies

Her journey as a Kovsie started as finalist in the prestigious Matriculant of the Year competition. Later, she obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Consumer Science at the UFS. Loraine, a born leader, was also Prime of Soetdoring residence, and remains the only student in the history of the university to be chosen as SRC President, Rag Queen, and Dux student in the same year.

After university

The Kriek family are all stalwart former Kovsies, with three generations – Loraine, her late grandfather Johan Kriek, and godparents, Rhyno and Mariette Kriek – having served on the Student Representative Council. So, it is no surprise that a leading firm like Deloitte & Touche noticed Loraine’s unique talent and leadership skills, and snatched her up for their CEO Bootcamp immediately after university.

Serving on the UFS Council

Currently, she is part of the team that is extending Deloitte & Touche’s ethical and fraud prevention services across Africa and Europe. She also uses her expertise and experience in risk management, ethical practice, and good corporate governance for her role as UFS councillor. As part of her duties as Alumni representative in the Council, she serves on the Naming Committee, as well as on the Audit and Risk Committee.

“It is a great privilege for me to serve on the Council, but it is also a great responsibility,” she says. “I strive to represent the alumni actively as an interest group, and to help build the university through sound business principles.”

Loraine married Gabriel Roux in 2014, and the couple live in Stellenbosch.

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