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01 June 2020 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Stephen Collett
Prof Nico Luwes at the 2019 June Chancellor's Dinner.
It is a double honour for Prof Nico Luwes, emeritus professor at the University of the Free State (UFS), who received both the Gerhard Beukes Prize and the Medal of Honour for Drama from the Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns. Not only is the prize a great honour, but also the fact that Prof Luwes could attend the Afrikaans class of the same Prof Gerhard Beukes as a student at the UFS.

“For this very reason – and because it was unexpected – it is really a great honour for which I am deeply grateful,” says Prof Luwes, who is currently working in the Department of Drama and Theatre Arts.  Prof Luwes is a leading figure in local and national theatre circles and has written many plays. “I was able to realise myself at the UFS for so many years. I am also grateful that the university and the Department of Drama and its staff have given me and fellow artists so many opportunities to create in our excellent theatres.”

Prof Luwes retired as Head of Department at the end of 2019 and is currently a research fellow in the same department. He is also working on a PhD in creative writing in the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch, German and French at the UFS, under the guidance of Prof Henning Pieterse. “I am also cleaning up two novels that will hopefully be published this year,” he says.

Prof Luwes part of several theatre initiatives 
Over the years, Prof Luwes has been involved in various initiatives for the well-being and survival of the theatre industry, such as the Sanlam theatre initiative and the UFS Department of Drama and Theatre Arts’ Free State Theatre Acts. “The Sanlam theatre initiative was devised by me and Rudie van Rensburg. The project has been able to boost the careers of professional playwrights and students for years.” Drama and Theatre Arts students from the UFS dominated the Sanlam project “with many awards for plays and producing”. 

The Free State Theatre Acts (FACTS) was launched with great financial support from the Lottery and has kept theatre going and created jobs in the Free State for many years. 

The therapeutic function of theatre
For Prof Luwes, theatre is the barometer of a people’s soul. He refers to the therapeutic function of theatre as “the surgeon who reveals and cuts out evil, the court jester who mocks the ridiculous and falsehoods, the comfort of the heart that proves that we are all created with weaknesses, but can also taste the joys of life and the beauty thereof.”  

He summarises it as the thoughts of the man in the street being conceived, experienced, and recreated by theatre artists on behalf of those who are unable to express and realise it themselves.  Prof Luwes’ advice to emerging playwrights is simple: “Write about your experiences and feelings and never try to write like someone else. Trust your intuition and be willing to place your name and thinking on the altar of other people’s opinions in public.” 

The Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns announced its awards on 21 May 2020. The official presentation will take place at a later stage. 

News Archive

Kovsies reign FNB Superbowl
2007-05-10

The FNB Super Bowl took place from 26 – 30 April in Potchefstroom.
The Kovsies reigned the tournament in their respective categories.
It was an absolute mega Intervarsity. The following tournaments took place in which Kovsies was represented.
 
Senior rugby tournament
The Shimlas won their first game against TUT 33-0
In the Semi-final Shimlas lost against Pukke 17-8.
The Shimlas played for third and fourth place against Tukkies and won the game 41-19. Which secured them the third place in the tournament.
 
The following teams participated in the tournament
Pukke, UJ, Shimlas, Tukkies, Maties, NMMU, TUT, UCT
 
SA Students team
The following Shimlas were selected for the SA student games:
Steph Roberts (prop)
Drikus Strydom (hooker)
Philip Steyn (lock)
Marlin Ruiters (Scrumhalf)
Marcel du Toit (flyhalf)
 
Pharmaton Junior Rugby Tournament
The Kovsies u/21 & u/19 teams won their respective tournaments. It is a wonderful accomplishment for the University. The following teams took part in the tournament: Kovsies, Pukke, Tukkies and UJ.
 
u/21 results
Won Pukke 12-11
Won UJ 22-18
Won Tukkies 47-16
 
u/19 results
Won UJ 9-8
Won Pukke 25-13
Won Tukkies 25-16
 
Hostel Rugby Tournament
Reitz and Armentum represented Kovsies. These two teams played against each other in the final which Reitz won 47-0. To have both our hostel teams in the final is an outstanding accomplishment for Kovsies.
The following Universities took park: Kovsies, Pukke, Tukkies and UJ
 
Reitz results
Won Sonop (UJ): 27-7
Won Patria (Pukke): 11-10
Bastion (Tukkies): withdraw
Won Armentum in the final: 47-0
 
Armentum results
Won Overs (Pukke): 15-7
Won Afslaan: 49-12
Won Boekenhout: 43-0
Lost against Reitz in the final: 47-0
 
Hostel Soccer
Veritas represented Kovsies and won Kiaat from Tukkies in the final with 3-1 after a penalty shoot-out.
 
Hostel Netball
Vergeet-my-nie and Emily Hobhouse represented Kovsies. Vergeet-my-nie lost in the final against Wanda from Pukke17-14.
 
Hostel Cricket
Vishuis lost in the final against Villagers from Pukke with 5 wickets.
 
Hostel Hockey
Wag-‘n-Bietjie and Vergeet-my-nie represented Kovsies. Unfortunetly none of them went through to the finals.
 
 We won most of the games against the strongest Universities in the country is an outstanding accomplishment for Kovsies.
 
Compiled by
Ansu Colditz
Rugby Manager

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