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29 May 2019 | Story Ruan Bruwer | Photo Reg Caldecott
Khanyisa Chawane
Khanyisa Chawane is one of 12 members of the national netball team to the World Cup in July. Other team members include former students of the University of the Free State, Maryka Holtzhausen and Karla Pretorius.

Exactly one quarter of the South African netball team to the World Cup tournament in England in July will consist of current and former students from the University of the Free State (UFS).

Less than a year after making her Protea debut, Khanyisa Chawane was selected for the team alongside former UFS students, Maryka Holtzhausen and Karla Pretorius.

Chawane is a fifth-year BSc Geography and Statistics student who made her Kovsie debut in 2015. 

“The selection means so much to me. It’s such an honour and privilege to represent my country at this high level of netball. I’m super excited about it, because any team can win it this year,” Chawane, a centre court player, said.

Both Chawane (2018) and Pretorius (2014 and 2015) were previously named as die best student netball player in the country.

Pretorius, with 80 caps behind her name and widely regarded as the best goal defender in the world, represented and captained the UFS team from 2009 to 2015. She is the Protea vice-captain.

Holtzhausen, a goal attack and only the second player to reach 100 tests for the Proteas (106 in total), played for and captained the UFS between 2007 and 2014. She played her netball in England over the past couple of months. When she returns from the World Cup, she will again take up her part-time job as a sports manager at KovsieSport.

Burta de Kock, who has coached all three players at the UFS, said they serve as a motivation and example for the current group of players from the UFS.

News Archive

UFS unveils portrait of Ms Winkie Direko
2005-11-28

During the unveiling ceremony were from the left Prof Frederick Fourie (Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS), Mrs Direko, Judge Faan Hancke (Chairperson of the UFS Council) and Dr Charles Nwaila (Director-General of the Free State Provincial Government and Vice-Chairperson of the UFS Council). The blue background of the portrait depicts Ms Direko's philosophy of "the sky is the limit".  She also wore the same outfit as what she has on in the portrait. Photo:  Stephen Collett

UFS unveils portrait of Ms Winkie Direko  
A portrait of Ms Winkie Direko, former Chancellor of the University of the Free State (UFS) and Premier of the Free State Province and currently a Member of Parliament, was unveiled today during the last session of the UFS Council for this year on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein.

The portrait, painted by the gifted artist Ms Reshada Crouse, now hangs in the Council Chambers of the UFS.

Ms Direko was sworn in as Chancellor of the UFS in August 1999.  She was the first black person and first woman in this position at the UFS. She was succeeded by Dr Franklin Sonn.

“Ms Direko had an exceptional legitimacy in the black community because of her role in black education in the Free State (as principal) and community leader in the difficult ‘struggle’ period.  This former principal’s simultaneous insistence on transformation as well as discipline and order at an educational institution was exactly what the UFS needed at that stage,” said Prof Frederick Fourie, Rector and Vice-Chancellor, during the unveiling ceremony.

“She also played a special role to bring the UFS and the Free State Provincial Government closer to each other.  Her comprehension for the own nature of a university helped in times when difficult decisions had to be made.  She also realised the value of the university’s expertise for her government.  The Premier’s Economic Advisory Council, with the UFS rector and academics like Lucius Botes and James Moses in leading roles, was formed to undertake important research on economic development strategies in the Free State,” said Prof Fourie.

In her speech Ms Direko said that it is an unique experience for her to be catalogued in the history of the UFS.  “I am humbled and proud to be associated with the UFS,” she said.

Ms Direko said that the UFS is on the right track with its transformation process.  “I will continue to convince people that the UFS is for everyone and will fight for that until the end.  But, it is important to see a visible change concerning transformation.  The UFS must bring its side and speed up the transformation process.  I know that it is a difficult road, but we cannot hide from the realities of our time,” she said.
 

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 November 2005

 

 

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