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08 January 2019
Oupa Mohoje
Oupa Mohoje is the first former Kovsie to be named regular Cheetah captain since Juan Smith in 2008.

Former captain of the Kovsie Shimlas, Oupa Mohoje, was chosen to lead the Free State Cheetahs for the 2018/2019 rugby season.

 

He is the first Kovsie to be the regular Cheetah captain since Juan Smith 10 years ago.

“It certainly is a big honour, but it comes with a lot of responsibilities,” said Oupa. One thing he is glad about, is the fact that the players and the Cheetah coach, Franco Smith, fully support him, which makes his job a lot easier, he explained.

 

“Choosing Oupa as captain came naturally – he is a true favourite with everyone in the team,” said former captain, Juan. Oupa grew up in the Free State, he studied here and became a Springbok here, and that makes him a Free State player through and through, explained Juan.

 

From Shimlas to Springboks in three months, Mohoje, a loose forward who can also assist as lock, captained the South African A side in 2017, and the Shimlas in 2013. He represented the Shimlas between 2011 and 2014 and was voted the Player of the Varsity Cup in 2013. His final match in the famous blue jersey was on 17 March 2014. A little more than three months later he became a Springbok, playing the first of 19 tests.

 

According to Harold Verster, Managing Director of the Cheetahs, Oupa is very popular among the players, he is very disciplined, and has all the qualities to make a great captain.

 

Oupa’s teammate Ox Nche added, “He has good people skills and communicates very well. I think he is a very good leader”.

News Archive

New Genetics building on Bloemfontein Campus spirals into new frontiers
2015-09-11

On Thursday 3 September 2015, the Department of Genetics hosted the official opening of its new offices on the Bloemfontein Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS).

Prof Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS, Prof Neil Heideman, Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, and Prof Paul Grobler, Head of the Department of Genetics cut the ribbon, symbolising the opening of this building with its state-of-the-art facilities.

The new genetics building boasts a new administration block with a reception area, seven offices, a small committee room, and a seminar room for 50 people. Furthermore, the undergraduate laboratory block provides a laboratory for 150 students. The research block has facilities for 30 researchers.

This building also hosts a chemical waste sorting and storage facility. This is a first for the university.

Several sites were investigated for the new building, but due to its size and envisaged second phase, a “green fields” site was found on the western side of the campus. The main entrance caters for visitors from the north, students on foot, and those using the parking area in front of the library. The secondary south entrance is for those who use the dedicated parking area south of the building. The link between these two entrances is the spine of the building, a helix with services/buildings spaced on either side. The helix will be extended in the second phase to keep the circulation and linkage of buildings as simple as possible.

In his opening speech, Prof Grobler gave a breakdown of the history of the Department of Genetics. Today, this department, which opened its doors at the UFS in 1960, is proud of its 131 students and 46 honours students.

According to Major-General Edward Ngokha, Head of the Forensic Science Laboratory, students who graduate from the UFS in the field of genetics make excellent employees. The Forensic Science Laboratory has employed 25 honours students since the BSc Honours degree in Genetics was implemented in 2010.

“The UFS delivers education of high quality and high standards. Thank you for your contribution toward fighting crime by delivering well-prepared, committed employees,” said Major-General Ngokha.

The department presents programmes on population conservation genetics, plant molecular genetics, cytogenetics, forensic genetics, forensic science, human genetics, and behavioural genetics.

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