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Player management key to netball team

13 October 2020 | Story Ruan Bruwer | Photo BackpagePix

Netbal_read more — Khanyisa Chawane, a Protea player, should be one of the stars for the Free State Crinums in the Telkom Netball League. She was the Player of the League in 2018.

Having to play 11 matches in so many days before the knockout stage will be a daunting task, but their fitness levels are up to standard, says the coach of the Free State netball team. Burta de Kock of KovsieSport will again guide the Free State Crinums in the Telkom Netball League, which will be taking place between 14 and 27 October in Bloemfontein.

All but one of the 12 members of the team are studying at the University of the Free State (UFS).

“Planning will be of the utmost importance to manage the load on the players. We also have four players (Rolene Streutker, Chanel Vrey, Boitumelo Mahloko, and Refiloe Nketsa) who will participate in the South African U21 team that will play five invitational matches during the competition,” said De Kock.

In previous years, the competition took place over four to six weeks, but now it had to be fitted into two weeks due to COVID-19.

“So, it will be a tall order to play so many matches, but an exciting challenge. I believe the hard work the players had put in during the lockdown period will bear fruit. They were exceptional and very determined to stay in shape.”

The Crinums won the first three years of the competition, but couldn’t reach the final in the following three years. Apart from the 11 Kovsies in the Crinums team, there are 9 current or former UFS students in other teams participating in the league.

They are Zandré Smit, Bianca Pienaar, Dané Klopper, Arné Fourie, Bethenie du Raan (all Northern Cape Diamonds), Maryke Coetzee, Danelle van der Heever (both Mpumalanga Sunbirds), Rieze Straeuli (Western Cape Tornados), and Alicia Puren (KZN Kingdom Stars).

The Crinums team: Boitumelo Mahloko, Ané Retief, Jana Scholtz, Khanyisa Chawane, Lefébre Rademan (captain), Sikholiwe Mdletshe, Claudia van den Berg, Bianca de Wee, Rolene Streutker, Chanel Vrey, Lerato Chabwe, and Refiloe Nketsa.

News Archive

First postgraduate degree in Forensic Genetics in Africa

2010-03-19

At the launch were, from the left, front: Ms Christa Swanepoel (Applied Biosystems), Ms Karen Ehlers (Department of Genetics, UFS), Dr Carolyn Hancock and Ms Vanessa Lynch (both from DNA Project). Middle row: Dr. Sphie Mukwana (Director: Biotech Forensics, Kenya), Mr Pierre Joubert (Director: SAPS Forensic Science Laboratory) and Prof. Johan Spies (Chairperson: Department of Genetics, UFS). Back row: Mr Izak van Niekerk (Southern Cross Biotechnologies) and Mr Loen Ehlers (National Prosecution Authority).
Photo: Stephen Collett

The Department of Genetics at the University of the Free State (UFS) recently launched the first postgraduate degree offered by a tertiary institution in Forensic Genetics in Africa.

“We are at the beginning of something special. The UFS has developed the programme with the aim of providing graduates with the skills and knowledge they would require to work in the field of forensic biology. These graduates will be the first group of professionals that have undergone tertiary training in order to assist in the resolution of crime through forensic science in South Africa. It has also put the UFS in the forefront of training of this nature,” said Prof. Johan Spies, the departmental chairperson.

According to Mr Pierre Joubert, Director at the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Pretoria, students trained in this programme would easily be employed by the FSL since they would have the appropriate applied and technical training in forensic science.

Currently the FSL has no personnel with degrees in forensic science in its employ. It employs B.Sc. graduates in the fields of microbiology, genetics, molecular biology and biochemistry as forensic analysts. These employees then go through an extensive supplementary training programme for about six months.

Dr Sophie Mukwana, Director of Biotech Forensics in Kenya, said the launch of this programme in South Africa would benefit African countries like Kenya which relied on the USA for this kind of training. She said they hoped to partner with the UFS in this venture.

Applied Biosystems and Southern Cross Biotechnology have donated the necessary equipment to the UFS for this training.

“It is not only important that students should see the equipment but they should also know how to operate it,” said Ms Vanessa Lynch, from the DNA Project.

The DNA Project, in conjunction with the FSL and the UFS, has developed the learning materials which will be presented at the UFS from 2011.

Media Release
Issued by: Mangaliso Radebe
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2828
Cell: 078 460 3320
E-mail: radebemt@ufs.ac.za

19 March 2010

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