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Kovsies help Proteas to World Cup semis

18 July 2019 | Story Ruan Bruwer | Photo Simon Wilkinson

Khanyisa Chawane, a student at the University of the Free State, in action at the Netball World Cup in Liverpool where she featured in all five victories of the Proteas.

The three netballers from the University of the Free State (UFS) in the Protea netball team had a major hand in the team’s best showing in 24 years at a World Cup

With their fifth consecutive victory in Liverpool, the Proteas booked their spot in the semi-final on Wednesday night (17 July 2019).

It is the first time ever that South Africa reached the semi-final stage of the competition. However, they finished second and third in 1995 and 1967 respectively, but there wasn’t a semi-final stage on those occasions. The Proteas finished fifth or sixth in the previous five tournaments.

Khanyisa Chawane, a centre court player, along with Kovsie alumni Maryka Holtzhausen (goal attack) and Karla Pretorius (goal defence), were all in great form.

Chawane, who made her Protea debut less than a year ago, was earmarked to mostly be a reserve, but she has featured in all five matches thus far and got quite a lot of game time. In the victory over the world’s number two team, Jamaica, she played the final two quarters as wing defence in a high-pressure encounter, which the Proteas won by three goals.

Holtzhausen has a goal-success percentage of 80%, but it is her role as playmaker and by ensuring that she feeds her goal shooter, Lenize Potgieter, with the majority of shooting attempts close to the net, that impressed. Pretorius, who snatched two Player of the Match awards, pressurised opponents into mistakes on defence. Her 13 intercepts are the joint third most in the tournament.

The Proteas are one of only four unbeaten teams, with the final round of group matches taking place on Thursday (18 July 2019). They will face either Australia or New Zealand in the semi-final on Saturday 20 July.

News Archive

UFS experimental farm to be redesigned as a training facility

2004-10-25

Back fltr:
Dr Léan van der Westhuizen, Manager: UFS Sydenham Experimental Farm; Prof Herman van Schalkwyk, Dean: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the UFS and Councilor Thami Stander, Chairperson: Mangaung Municipal Portfolio for Agriculture and Rural Development

Front fltr:
Mr Hanz Nketu, Chairperson: Free State Legislative Committee on Agriculture and Mr Peter Frewen from the Free State Legislature

The Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences of the University of the Free State will soon sign a tri-partite cooperation agreement with the National African Farmers Union (NAFU) and the Mangaung Local Municipality with the aim of providing training and mentorship to small-scale and emerging farmers, including those recently settled under the on-going land redistribution programme.

The agreement is part of the Faculty’s strategic plan to support the on-going reform process in the country, of which Black Economic Empowerment in Agriculture (Agri-BEE) is an important part. The Free State Provincial Department of Agriculture is also actively supporting this initiative.

Under the plan, the Faculty is redesigning its experimental farm, located about 12 kilometers south of Bloemfontein, as a training facility to build up skills in among others broiler and egg production, dairy farming, animal husbandry, piggery, sheep and goat production. The idea is to introduce a comprehensive package that empowers the small and emerging farmers and the local communities adjoining the farms through simultaneous investments in research, extension, and practical agricultural training.

Learnerships are also being drawn up to provide productive skills in order to contribute to addressing the national skills gap and enhancing opportunities for both self and wage employment.

The residents of the adjoining informal settlement known as Mangaung Phase II where unemployment is currently at extremely high levels are primary targets of this component of the project. The Faculty intends for this project to service the farming communities of the Free State Province and gradually spread to other Provinces in the country.

Having recognised this training programme as a potential instrument for achieving “a united and prosperous agricultural sector”, the Free State Legislature has shown considerable interest in the programme.

Following a preparatory visit to the farms by the Agriculture Committee of the Free State Legislature a request was made to the Faculty to host a larger visit by the Legislative Committees of the Free State, North West and Eastern Cape Provincial Legislatures on Monday 25 October 2004 and present details of the training programme.

The President of NAFU in the Free State Province, Mr Nox Nonkonyana, the Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Prof Herman van Schalkwyk, the Chair of the Mangaung Municipal Portfolio for Agriculture and Rural Development, Councilor Thami Stander, and the Chairperson of the Free State Legislative Committee on Agriculture, Mr M Nketu, will address the Legislators during the occasion.

Prof Herman van Schalkwyk

Dean: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences

University of the Free State, Bloemfontein

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
25 Oktober 2004

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