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16 April 2021 | Story Dr Cindé Greyling
The University of the Free State (UFS) is looking forward to awarding three honorary doctorates during our April 2021 Virtual Graduation ceremonies. This event will span four days from 19 to 22 April 2021 across our three campuses. 

Be inspired

The UFS will be awarding a Doctor of Letters to Dr Dolf van Niekerk, a Doctor of Philosophy to Dr Sipho Pityana, and a Doctor of Laws to Justice Zak Yacoob.

Honorary degrees are awarded to individuals to recognise their exceptional contributions to society, or lifetime achievement in their field. As always, the recipients inspire us with their resilience, commitment, and desire to make a difference. 


Dr Dolf  Van Niekerk


Dr Dolf van Niekerk has a rich past that has seen him grace the radio waves, bookshelves, and academic ranks. His work includes 27 books in the fields of philosophy, poetry, fiction, drama, and memoirs, for which he has received numerous awards. These include the Eugene Marais Prize, the MER Prize, and the Scheepers Award for Youth Literature. He was an emeritus professor at the University of Pretoria until his retirement in 1994.

 






Dr Sipho Pityana


Acclaimed business leader, Dr Sipho Pityana, has a passion for education that has seen him serve as Registrar of Fort Hare, Chairperson of NSFAS (National Student Financial Aid Scheme), and Chairperson of the University of Cape Town Council. He made his mark in several local and international institutions, including AngloGold Ashanti Limited, while also being the first Director-General of the Department of Labour in the Mandela government, among others. Dr Pityana continues to invest his time in Izingwe Capital and Izingwe Holdings, while chairing and/or serving on several boards and councils. 






Justice Zak Yacoob

 

As judge of the Constitutional Court of South Africa from 1998 to 2013, Justice Zak Yacoob became nationally and internationally known for his contribution to the socio-economic rights jurisprudence of South Africa. Blinded at the age of 16 months after contracting meningitis, he matriculated at the Arthur Blaxall School for the Blind, completed an LLB at the University of Durban-Westville, and practised as an advocate for 25 years. Justice Yacoob advised in several committees and adjudicated in national and international tribunals. He also taught at law schools locally and abroad

 



News Archive

UFS venture cleans up acid mine drainage
2015-07-06

The system that puts oxygen back into the water.

Photo: Supplied

South Africa is one of the most important mining countries in the world, beginning in the 1870s. Although the mining industry has been responsible for significant development and employment, it pollutes the environment and waters sources. Through the joint effort of a well-known mining company, the University of the Free State, and the Technology Innovation Agency (UFS/TIA) SAENSE Group, a new treatment for Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) has been developed.

The system treats the major contaminants found in acid mining wastewater effectively.  
 
The UFS remediation systems use a reservoir tank into which the AMD is pumped. The water then flows passively (without using energy) to the Barium Carbonate Dispersed Alkaline Substrate (BDAS) system. The metals and anions in the AMD react chemically with the barium carbonate and precipitate (form solids). The solids stay in the tank while the clean water is released.

The efficacy and applicability of the research was demonstrated on site in Belfast, Mpumalanga where the team constructed a pilot plant in July 2014. This patented technology has treated 1 814 400 litres of Acid Mine Drainage to date with an outflow water quality that satisfies the South African National Standards (SANS) 241:2006 & 2011 regulations for drinking water.   

Rohan Posthumus from the (UFS/TIA) SAENSE Group said: “At this stage, we do not recommend that the water should be used as drinking water, but certainly it can lower water usage in mines while finding application in dust suppression of washing processes. The team would like to complete a full characterisation of the final released water. There are currently no toxic by-products formed, and even very basic filtration can make the outflow drinking water.”

Prof Esta van Heerden’s research group from the Department of Microbial, Biochemical, and Food Biotechnology has been working on AMD research for some time, but the development of the BDAS system was started in 2013 by post-doctoral student, Dr Julio Castillo, and his junior researcher, Rohan Posthumus.

The data from the BDAS system have led to two publications in peer-reviewed journals as well as a registered patent.

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