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10 September 2020 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Mlungisi Louw
Dr Francois Smith wants his new book, Die kleinste ramp denkbaar, to be a journey to uncover the real disaster.
The new book by Dr Francois Smith from the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch, German and French, Die kleinste ramp denkbaar, is a compelling story about a medical doctor in a typical Free State town. Writing is second nature for Dr Smith, if not first – as evidenced by the success of his debut novel, Kamphoer.

“The success of my previous novel, Kamphoer, greatly contributed to the fact that I was able to get a job at the UFS, especially to teach creative writing,” says Dr Smith, who is currently a Lecturer in Afrikaans and Creative Writing at the University of the Free State (UFS). He does not want to divulge too much about the new book, but says “the story is about a medical doctor in a typical Free State town in whose consulting room a policeman is lying all but senseless from a high fever one morning.” 

The title of the book implies that we all have some kind of disaster fantasy and that the disaster mentioned in the book exists largely in the imagination of the main character – the doctor; that it is something he wants to see. “I am not going to reveal it completely, because in a sense the book is a search for what the disaster is really about,” says Dr Smith. 

For any author, the takeaway message of a book is important. It should touch the lifestyle of the reader in some way. Dr Smith wants Die kleinste ramp denkbaar to say something meaningful about life here in South Africa – “about what makes life here meaningful, or what it is that makes it possible for us to live in the midst of what we experience as a total disaster.” 


Creative Writing a UFS success story

Creative Writing, presented by the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch, German and French, is one of the many success stories that the department is proud of. Dr Smith is part of the formidable team driving the course; also part of the team is Prof Henning Pieterse, a Hertzog Prize-winning poet. 

The success of the course is not only evident from the number of applications, but also from the stream of publications from their stable.  “There will be three this year; in addition to mine, there was also the collection of short stories, Luistervink, by Madré Marais, and later this year Anton Roodt’s novel, Weerlose meganika, will be published,” says Dr Smith.



Die kleinste ramp denkbaar was published by Tafelberg Publishers and is part of the many success stories of the department’s Creative Writing course. 

Watch short video clip below:


News Archive

Parking at UFS for visitors
2007-11-10

UFS creates more parking for visitors

In its effort to make it easier for visitors to park on the Main Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS) in Bloemfontein, two paid parking areas will be put into operation as from Monday, 5 November 2007.

These parking areas are part of a comprehensive new parking strategy of the UFS, which is being implemented since September 2007. As part of the strategy, areas of the central campus have been reserved for staff and visitors and hundreds of new parking areas were developed for students at the entrance in Wynand Mouton Avenue (at the Faculty of Health Sciences) and the entrance in DF Malherbe Avenue (at the Agriculture Building).

“The paid parking areas for visitors, which are as close as possible to the busy and largely closed-off central campus, were created as an additional service to visitors,” said Ms Edma Pelzer, Director of Physical Resources at the UFS.

According to Ms Pelzer, persons who attend meetings, seminars or short courses, visiting colleagues, consultants, service providers, family of students and staff members, clients, etc. can make use of this parking.

“We have found that it is often difficult for visitors to obtain parking in or close to the central campus. Now they will have a choice to either park in the visitors parking areas at a minimal fee or to park in any of the open unreserved parking areas on campus,” said Ms Pelzer.

The areas, which will be closed off behind booms on weekdays from 06:00 until 18:00, are situated to the eastern side of the “Red Square”, east of the CR Swart and Idalia Loots Buildings and west of Campus Avenue North between the Psychology and the Flippie Groenewoud Buildings.


Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za  
2 November 2007

Parking for visitors: Important notice:

As from Monday 5 November 2007 two paid parking areas on the UFS Campus will be put into operation. The areas will be closed off behind booms on weekdays from 06:00 until 18:00. These will be manned and R3 per hour will be charged.
 

The following areas are involved:

  • P3: The area to the east of the “Red Square”, east of the CR Swart and Idalia Loots Buildings.

     
  • P6: The area to the east of Campus Avenue North between the Psychology and Flippie Groenewoud Buildings.

    The friendly co-operation of users of motor vehicles on campus is requested to allow this implementation to proceed as smoothly as possible.

Parking for visitors: More information

The strategy to create paid parking areas for visitors

The decision to reserve areas in the central campus areas for the convenience of visitors was taken as part of the comprehensive new parking strategy of the UFS approved by the Executive Management in May 2007 and which is being implemented since September.

All visitors need not park in these areas. Visitors may park for free on any open (unreserved) parking bay on campus. These paid parking areas for visitors, as close as possible to the busy and largely closed-off central campus, have been created as an additional service to visitors.

The strategy to close off parts of the central campus for staff members and visitors was implemented after sufficient alternative parking areas had been developed for students.

What is meant by the term “visitors”?

It includes all persons who are not students of staff members of the UFS and who visit the campus for one reason or another. Persons who attend meetings, seminars or short courses, visiting colleagues, consultants, service providers, family of students and staff members, et cetera are included.

As at present, it will, of course, be possible to make special arrangements with Protection Services to make it possible for VIP visitors to park as near as possible to their destinations.

No student or staff member will be actively prevented from parking in the area. They will, however, be discouraged by the fact that R3 per hour will be charged without exception.

The visitors’ parking area and access to it

  • P3: The area to the east of the “Red Square”, east of the CR Swart and Idalia Loots Buildings. The area is within easy walking distance for visitors to, among others, the following buildings: George du Toit Administration Building, Theology Building, Idalia Loots Building, CR Swart Building, Johannes Brill Building, Van der Merwe Scholz Hall.

    The area is conveniently accessible from the following entrances: Nelson Mandela Drive, Groenewoud Street and Wynand Mouton Drive.

     
  • P6: The area to the west of Campus Avenue North, between the Psychology and Flippie Groenewoud Buildings. The area is within easy walking distance for visitors to all the academic buildings in the central campus, such as the Chemistry Building, Stef Coetzee Building, the Geography Building, et cetera and located directly opposite the general information point on the Thakaneng Bridge.

    The area is conveniently accessible from the following entrances: Fürstenburg Road and DF Malherbe Avenue (at the Agriculture Building).

     

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