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22 January 2020 | Story Amanda Tongha | Photo Charl Devenish
UFS First year welcoming
New Kovsies got to experience the Kovsie feeling during the welcoming ceremony on 18 January.
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‘Our bundles of joy, midwives of a better future, and the ones who carry the hope of families, communities, and villages.’ These were some of the words used to describe new first-year students starting their study journey on the Bloemfontein Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS). 

As part of the almost 8 000 students who will enrol on the three UFS campuses this year, the Bloemfontein cohort gathered on the Red Square in front of the Main Building for an official welcome at the UFS. They were addressed by Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor, and Katleho Lechoo, President of the Bloemfontein Student Representative Council (SRC).  Despite a downpour on the day of the welcoming (17 January 2020), students and parents flocked to the venue to hear what the UFS is all about. 

Thank you for choosing the UFS 

“Do not take light the fact that you were chosen from more than 71 000 applicants,” Katleho told the class of 2020.  “An incomparable experience awaits you, and we will be there every step of the way,” he welcomed students. The SRC President urged students to grasp opportunities and to participate in student life activities. 

“Remember how fortunate you are. Only a few people who passed got accepted.” 

Prof Petersen shared a similar message, thanking first-year students for choosing the UFS. 

“The world you will be entering, now and when you graduate with your qualification, is a world that is complex, it is a world that is uncertain, it’s a world that is ambiguous, and it is a world you will have to navigate with the specific skills that you have acquired at the UFS.” 

Highlighting the achievements of Kovsie students in the fields of sports, academics, arts and culture, he encouraged students to take advantage of opportunities and skills gained during their time at the university. 

Safety a top priority

Prof Petersen also assured students that safety, both on and off campus, remains a top priority for the university. 

“At the UFS, we have zero tolerance for any violence, whether it is physical violence, gender-based violence or any form of discrimination. We are not tolerating that at all. We have developed systems, processes, and mechanisms to assist you in being safe.” 

Among those in attendance was Bianca Shaw, who travelled from Midlands, KwaZulu-Natal, to become a Kovsie. The LLB student said enrolling at the UFS, which is located in the judicial capital of South Africa, is the best for what she wants to study. “I heard from other students that I would be making the best decision. Also, the town area is safe and clean, and I am glad to be here.”

Her friend and fellow LLB student, Janѐ Bezuidenhout, said it was a difficult decision moving from Cape Town to Bloemfontein, but she felt welcome in Kovsieland. “I had the option to choose between Stellenbosch University and North-West University, but I chose the UFS as I wanted to interact with people from other cultures.” 

For Ayesha Ndlovu, the decision to move from Johannesburg to Bloemfontein came with much more freedom. The Bachelor of Divinity (Theology) student says she wants to grow away from family, learning how to be independent and just having fun. “It is a nice change of scenery compared to Johannesburg.” 

• The UFS received 71 346 applications from prospective students for admission in 2020, with 7 982 available space on the three campuses.


News Archive

Renowned forensic scientist speaks at the UFS
2014-04-02


Forensic science is about the truth. At the presentation delivered by Dr David Klatzow, were, from the left: Tinus Viljoen, lecturer in Forensic Genetics, Dr Klatzow and Laura Heathfield, also a lecturer in Forensic Genetics.
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs 

It is necessary for more research to be done in the field of forensic science in South Africa. This is according to Dr David Klatzow, well-known forensic scientist, during a lecture delivered at the University of the Free State (UFS) last week.

The university is offering, for the first time this year, a BSc degree in Forensic Science in the Department of Genetics. This three-year degree is, among others, directed at people working for the South African Police Service on crime scenes and on criminal cases in forensic laboratories. Students can also study up to PhD level, specialising in various forensic fields.

There is no accredited forensic laboratory in South Africa. “It is time to look differently at forensic science, and to deliver research papers on the subject. In light of the manner in which science is applied, we have to look differently at everything,” Dr Klatzow said.

Dr Klatzow praised the university for its chemistry-based course. “Chemistry is a strong basis for forensic science,” he said.

A paradigm shift in terms of forensic science is needed. Micro scratches on bullets, fingerprints, DNA, bite marks – all of these are forensic evidence that in the past led to people being wrongfully hanged. This evidence is not necessarily the alpha and omega of forensic science today. DNA, which seems to be the golden rule, can produce problems in itself. Because a person leaves DNA in his fingerprint, it is possible that DNA is transferred from one crime scene to another by forensic experts dusting for fingerprints. According to Dr Klatzow, this is only one of the problems that could be experienced with DNA evidence.

“No single set of forensic evidence is 100% effective or without problems. Rather approach the crime scene through a combination of evidence, by collecting fingerprints, DNA, etc. It is also very important to look at the context in which the events happened.

“A person sees what he expects to see. This causes huge problems in terms of forensic science. For example, if a criminal fits the profile of the perpetrator, it doesn’t follow that this specific criminal is the culprit. It isn’t what we don’t know that gives us trouble, it’s what we know that isn’t so,” Dr Klatzow said.

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