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09 May 2019 | Story Ruan Bruwer | Photo Varsity Sports
Lefébre Rademan
Lefébre Rademan, new captain of the Free State Crinums netball team, could be one of the star players in the Premier League. She is a fifth-year Education student.

The Free State Crinums netball team, a de facto Kovsie team with all 15 squad members enrolled for courses at the University of the Free State (UFS), will draw inspiration from their success in last year’s Varsity netball tournament. The Kovsies won the student competition for a record third time. 

During the weekend of 10 May 2019, the Crinums will play their first match in the 2019 Premier League. They lost a couple of key players in captain Alicia Puren, Protea Khanyisa Chawane, (both playing for the national invitational team in the league), Khomotso Mamburu (moved to Cape Town), and Meagan Roux (injured). They do, however, still have the services of players such as Tanya von Berg (playing in her sixth Premier League, one of only a handful of players to do so), Lefébre Rademan, Sikholiwe Mdletshe, Ané Retief, Gertriana Retief, and Rieze Straeuli. Rademan is the new captain and was one of the standout players in last year’s Varsity netball, earning three Player of the Match awards, including the Player of the Final. 

The team will again be coached by Burta de Kock, who is also the head coach of the Kovsies. Under her leadership, the Crinums won the Premier League for the first three years (2014 to 2016). Last year, the Crinums ended fourth. De Kock will be assisted by Martha Mosoahle-Samm. She is a former Protea assistant coach who also captained South Africa and played for the UFS between 1997 and 1999.

There are four first-year students in the squad of 15 players: Oageng Khasake (wing attack), Ancia Pienaar (goalkeeper), Rolene Streutker (goal shooter), Boitumelo Mahloko (goal defence). Pienaar and Mahloko both represented South Africa at junior level in 2018.

■ Crinums squad: Ané Retief, Gertriana Retief, Jana Scholtz, Lefébre Rademan, Sikholiwe Mdletshe, Tanya von Berg, Rieze Straeuli, Claudia van den Berg, Zandré Smit, Oageng Khasake, Bianca de Wee, Ancia Pienaar, Rolene Streutker, Chanel Vrey, Boitumelo Mahloko.


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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