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25 September 2019 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Stefan Els
Run to Stellenbosch run
The baton #hope took centre stage at the welcoming ceremony of the #UFSRun4MentalHealth team at Coetzenburg stadium in Stellenbosch on 25 September 2019. Pictured here from the left; Susan van Jaarsveld, Burneline Kaars, Arina Engelbrecht and Tertia de Bruin.
The #UFSRun4MentalHealth awareness runners arrived in Stellenbosch on 25 September 2019.

The 21-member team from the Faculty of Health Sciences and Organisational Development and Employee Wellness at the University of the Free State (UFS) had a send-off ceremony on the Bloemfontein Campus on 20 September 2019, on their running journey to Stellenbosch University (SU) to raise awareness for #MentalHealth. The teams ran a distance of 1 075 km at an average speed of 10.03 km/h or a pace of 5 minutes and 59 seconds per km.

"At last, the team has arrived. I am extremely proud of all the runners and I think they have touched many lives, and I think it was a wonderful experience. On behalf of the University of the Free State, welcome to Stellenbosch!," said Susan van Jaarsveld; Senior Director: UFS Human Resources

"We ran 1 075 kilometres from Bloemfontein to Stellenbosch. Yes, we did have some challenges along the road. There were some steeps that were too heavy, and the wind, the dryness, and some gravel roads that we went through. But, because of the team spirit and the inspiration that we maintained during our challenge, we did very well until we got to Stellenbosch this morning," said red team member, Diphate Dimo from the university's Facilities Management. 


Read more:
#UFSRun4MentalHealth: 973 km down, 100 km to go
First #MentalHealth awareness run to Stellenbosch to bring hope
MENTAL HEALTH: It affects all of us
Guardians of Mental Health
#KovsiesCare: HR prioritises mental health in the workplace



At the finish line, after they ran a distance of 1 075 km at an average speed of 10.03 km/h or a pace of 5 minutes and 59 seconds per km.
At the finish line, after they ran a distance of 1 075 km at an average speed of 10.03 km/h or a pace of 5 minutes and 59 seconds per km.
Susan van Jaarsveld, Burneline Kaars, Arina Engelbrecht, Tertia de Bruin
Susan van Jaarsveld, Burneline Kaars, Arina Engelbrecht, Tertia de Bruin
Runners in Ceres
Runners in Ceres
One of the #UFSRun4MentalHealth runners
One of the #UFSRun4MentalHealth runners
One of the #UFSRun4MentalHealth runners
One of the #UFSRun4MentalHealth runners
One of the #UFSRun4MentalHealth runners
One of the #UFSRun4MentalHealth runners
One of the #UFSRun4MentalHealth runners
One of the #UFSRun4MentalHealth runners
On their way to Coetzenburg Stadium
On their way to Coetzenburg Stadium
On their way to Coetzenburg Stadium
On their way to Coetzenburg Stadium
On their way to Coetzenburg Stadium
On their way to Coetzenburg Stadium
Ready for the arrival of the #UFSRun4MentalHealth runners at Coetzenburg Stadium
Ready for the arrival of the #UFSRun4MentalHealth runners at Coetzenburg Stadium
Almost in Stellenbosch
Almost in Stellenbosch
One of the #UFSRun4MentalHealth teams
One of the #UFSRun4MentalHealth teams
Handing over the baton of hope from one team to the next
Handing over the baton of hope from one team to the next
10 km before Victoria West
10 km before Victoria West
Early morning start
Early morning start
One of the runners with the baton of hope
One of the runners with the baton of hope
#UFSRun4MentalHealth runner
#UFSRun4MentalHealth runner
They also met fellow Kovsies on the way
They also met fellow Kovsies on the way
#UFSRun4MentalHealth runner
#UFSRun4MentalHealth runner
#MentalHealthAwareness being done in all the towns
#MentalHealthAwareness being done in all the towns
One of the #UFSRun4MentalHealth teams
One of the #UFSRun4MentalHealth teams
Transport for the #UFSRun4MentalHealth team
Transport for the #UFSRun4MentalHealth team

News Archive

Using sugar to make the world a sweeter place
2017-10-13

Description: Deepback sugar Tags: Sugarcane, Dr Deepack Santchurn, Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute (MSIRI), Department of Plant Sciences 

Dr Deepack Santchurn, former PhD student in the
Department of Plant Sciences at the UFS,
and plant breeder in the  Mauritius Sugar Industry
Research Institute, with Prof Maryke Labuschagne, left,
Dr Santchurn’s study leader.
Photo: Charl Devenish



Besides it mainly being used for sugar production, sugarcane has emerged as an important alternative for providing clean renewable energy. Dr Deepack Santchurn, who works in the sugarcane breeding department of the Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute (MSIRI), believes if he could contribute towards a more environment-friendly and renewable energy through the use of sugarcane biomass, he would consider himself having made a great leap towards a better world. 

Sugarcane is mostly known and exploited for the sugar in its cane stem. According to Dr Santchurn it is not the only thing the crop does well. “Together with certain grasses, it is the finest living collector of sunlight energy and a producer of biomass in unit time. Sugarcane is now recognised worldwide as a potential renewable and environment-friendly bioenergy crop.” 

Significantly more bioenergy can be produced from sugarcane if the production system is not focused on the production and recovery of sucrose alone but on the maximum use to the total above-ground biomass. Diversification within the sugarcane industry is of paramount importance. 

He has been able to identify a few high biomass varieties that can be exploited industrially. One of the varieties is a commercial type with relatively high sugar and low fibre in the cane stem. Dr Santchurn explains: “Its sucrose content is about 0.5% less than the most cultivated commercial variety in Mauritius. Nevertheless, its sugar yield and above-ground biomass yield surpass those of the commercial varieties by more than 24%. The genetic gains compared to commercial varieties were around +50% for total biomass yield and +100% for fibre yield. Its cultivation is strictly related to bio-energy production and the extracted juice can be used as a feed-stock for ethanol and other high-value products.”

Dr Santchurn received his PhD at the UFS’s Department of Plant Sciences during the Winter Graduation Ceremonies in June this year. His study leader was Prof Maryke Labuschagne from the Department of Plant Sciences. 

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