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29 January 2020 | Story Xolisa Mnukwa
Kovie Act
For more information on the 2020 Kovsie ACT programme and the upcoming events, visit the UFS Kovsie ACT website page, email: jool@ufs.ac.za or call: +27 51 401 2718 or visit Kovsie ACT on Facebook and Twitter.
The University of the Free State (UFS) is preparing for an exciting 2020 KovsieAct programme, with Amapiano superstar Kabza de Small, deep house music pioneers Black Motion, and musical sensations Spoegwolf and Early B poised to entertain students, staff, and the public at a Kovsie ACT music festival on 1 February 2020. 

Something new to the programme this year is the Kovsie ACT eco-vehicle parade through the streets of Bloemfontein. This parade replaced the old RAG float building and procession.

This is done with the intention to foster a close relationship with the broader Bloemfontein community. The parade on 1 February 2020 is also a celebration by first-year students of their entry into the UFS campus community.

The parade will be followed by an eco-vehicle race taking place on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus. Five teams will compete in categories including an Endurance race, Slalom course, Obstacle course, and Formula1-inspired race. Karen Scheepers, 
UFS Assistant Director for Student Life, says Kovsie ACT is a great opportunity for students to learn about sustainable environmental development through exciting community-building activities. “It’s an opportunity for them to learn new skills and build valuable relationships.”

“Skills developed through the programme include students learning to listen and communicate better; they also acquire time-management and relationship-building skills. Kovsie ACT also propels them to persevere and practise responsibility and pride in the activities they participate in throughout the programme, which sees them personify the term ‘only a Kovsie knows the feeling’,” Scheepers explained. 

Dr WP Wahl, Director: Student Life in the Department of Student Affairs, says the UFS has already initiated the next phase of the eco-vehicle project.  

“The Department of Student Affairs, in partnership with merSETA and the Department of Engineering Sciences (Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences), is developing six skills programmes that will significantly enhance the developmental impact of this programme for participating students.  To this effect, a team of engineers and instructional designers are working with the UFS to ensure that the necessary competencies are embedded in these skills programmes, which will help graduates compete on a global scale.  Students will be able to apply to become part of this high-tech phase of the eco-vehicle project during April 2020.” 

Kovsie ACT programme

09:00 – Kovsie Act Parade departing from the UFS Furstenburg Gate. Short parade through Mangaung: Nelson Mandela Drive – Zastron Street – 2nd Avenue – Kellner Street and return via Nelson Mandela Drive to the UFS

11:00 - Parade arrives back at UFS Furstenburg Gate

11:30–14:00: Eco-vehicle race at Mokete Square (previously known as the Red Square) on the Bloemfontein Campus

 16:00–till late: Kovsie ACT Music Festival at Bloemfontein Campus Rag Farm 
For more information on the above-mentioned events, visit the UFS Kovsie ACT page, email: jool@ufs.ac.za or call: +27 51 401 2718 or visit Kovsie ACT on Facebook and Twitter.

News Archive

#Women’sMonth: A career in Sign Language interpreting proves to be full of rewards for Natasha Parkins-Maliko
2017-08-03

 Description: Natasha Parkins-Maliko new Tags: Natasha Parkins-Maliko new 

Natasha Parkins-Maliko. She
was recently awarded the Pansalb
Multilingual Award in the category:
Translation and Interpreting 2016/2017,
as recognition for her achievements
in a sixteen-year career.
Photo: Supplied

Natasha Parkins-Maliko is an alumna of the University of the Free State who graduated with a master’s in Linguistics. She is a well-rounded interpreter with a language combination of South African Sign Language-English-Afrikaans. She continued her studies and achieved an international master’s in Sign Language interpreting at the Humak University of Applied Sciences in Finland.  Natasha was recently presented with the Pansalb Multilingual Award in the category: Translation and Interpreting 2016/2017, as recognition for her achievements in a sixteen-year career.

“Winning the Pansalb Translation and Interpreting Award for 2016/2017, was for me as Kovsie a pat on the back in the true sense of the word.  The university is where I started my journey in South African Sign Language interpreting, and from then on, I never looked back,” she said.

Her interpreting career has provided many challenges, and was accompanied by great achievements along the way.

A career of fulfilment in Sign Language
“The foundation of my success was laid by my lecturers and mentors, such as Dr Philemon Akach and Emily Matabane, where I trained in the Department of South African Sign Language (SASL) at the university.”

“My determination and success is grounded in the motto, ‘Inspiring Excellence, Transforming Lives’ – a continued journey in excellence gives a renewed sense of pride for all language practitioners in South Africa,” she said.

Natasha went on to work in the deaf community for most of her career. She started as a grassroots interpreter, and is now a professional interpreter registered with SATI (South African Translators Institute). She is also a Sign Language television interpreter on SABC for content such as SABC 3 news bulletins, the budget speech, opening of Parliament, Youth Day broadcasts, January 8th statement broadcasts, MPC Reserve Bank speeches, and many more. Natasha is not only concerned with growing her career – despite her mover and shaker persona, she still takes time to volunteer her services for deaf people who do not have the financial ability to pay for interpreting.

“Winning the Pansalb Translation and
Interpreting Award for 2016/2017, was
for me as Kovsie a pat on the back in
the true sense of the word.”

The journey to excellence never stops
Over and above lecturing in Interpreting and Translation at Wits University, Natasha is still in pursuit of excellence. She is a PhD candidate in the SASL Interpreting programme at Wits University, the first of its kind in the country, and is pursuing an AIIC (International Association of Conference Interpreters) accreditation. Her aim is to put South African Sign Language interpretation on the global map.

As a role model and icon in her field, Natasha is the chairperson of the National Association of South African Sign Language Interpreters (NASASLI), the regional coordinator for the African Federation of Sign Language Interpreters (AFSLI), and the Africa regional representative on the board of the World Association of Sign Language Interpreters (WASLI).  The award presented to her is no doubt a fitting accolade and something all UFS alumni takes pride in.

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