Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Categories
UFS News Media Release Research
Years
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Months
January February March April May June July August September October November December
Previous Archive
02 April 2021 | Story Ruan Bruwer | Photo Varsity Cup
Rewan Kruger, new captain of the Shimlas.
With a new coach, new captain, and not having played a competitive match in more than a year, there will be many eyes on the Shimlas when they take to the field on 5 April.

The popular Varsity Cup is back, having been cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
The 2021 edition will be played in a secure bio-bubble at the University of Pretoria from 4 April to 24 May. The Shimlas will start with a clash against the University of the Western Cape. Matches will be played at the Tuks Stadium and Loftus Versfeld on Mondays, Thursdays, Sundays, and public holidays. 

There are high hopes after the return of Pote Human as head coach. He was previously in charge of the Shimlas from 2000 to 2004. Human knows what it takes to win the Varsity Cup, having done so with Tuks in 2017 before going on to coach the Bulls. 

Rewan Kruger, who is participating in his fourth campaign, will lead the team. 
The scrum half, who is studying BCom Accounting, said he felt humbled to lead the team.

“Hopefully I can lead in a way that takes this team forward. As a team, we strive to make a difference and the only way we can do that is if we play good rugby."
Kruger represented the Springbok U20 team at two Junior World Cups and captained the Free State U21 team in the past.

Human believes there is no shortage of talent in the squad. “I’m really excited to see what they can do. With most of the games being televised, they can make a name for themselves.”
“The guys have worked really hard during pre-season and are hungry to play rugby again. The set piece was a concern last year, but we have worked extremely hard on that.”

News Archive

South Africa praised for dealing with its history
2012-07-12

“I listened to an incredible conversation on how South Africans can talk about the past. We failed to do that in the US. We cannot move on because we failed to name the ghosts in our past. I am honouring what South Africa is doing.”

These are the words of a staff delegate from a university in the USA in a case study at the Global Leadership Summit led by Prof. André Keet, Director of the International Institute for Studies in Race, Reconciliation and Social Justice at the University of the Free State (UFS).

Students and academics from universities in the USA, Belgium, the Netherlands and Japan are attending a Global Leadership Summit with the theme “Transcending Boundaries in Global Change Leadership” at the UFS.

In the case study, symbols on the Bloemfontein Campus such as the MT Steyn Statue, Justitia symbol of justice at the building of the Faculty of Law, the artwork Van hier tot daar, and the Women’s Memorial were presented to the audience and the question was asked if they had to be removed or if they had to remain.

Students overwhelmingly felt that symbols of the past had to remain. Here are some of the comments:

  • “Without our past we would not be here today. Without the past, we would not know why we are here or where we are going.”
  • “It is important for students that it remains on campus, as a reminder that history must not repeat itself.”
  • “There is room for new symbols. We must look back but must also look at the future.”
  • “We must resolve the problems of the past and move on.”
  • “We must remember that we cannot go back there again. We must not take away part of other people’s history.”
  • “Symbols must be contextualised.”
  •  “Don’t look in the rear mirror, but through the windscreen where you are going. The windscreen is far bigger.”

One student said the statute of MT Steyn filled him with anger.

Prof. Keet said the act of running away from the ghosts of the past was a way to keep those ghosts alive. The past cannot be dealt with, only visited. The ghosts connect people with the past and allow the past to be present in the now.
 

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept