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27 August 2021 | Story Dr Cindé Greyling | Photo Sonia Small (Kaleidoscope Studios)
Transforming the South Campus to a digitised university, Dr Maria Madiope is a resilient and strong guardian of the future generations.
Dr Maria ‘Marinkie’ Madiope, who grew up in Garankuwa Pretoria, is not your average professional woman. Her academic record speaks of vigilant style and resilient independence. Dr Madiope is currently the South Campus Principal at the University of the Free State (UFS) in Bloemfontein.

What is the best thing about your job?
It has given me the opportunity to transform the South Campus to a digitised university. I cannot express the feeling I have when welcoming students to the UFS and then presenting qualifications to them, especially to students who have gone through very traumatic home, personal, or academic times. 

What is the best and worst decisions you have ever made?
The best decision I have ever made was embracing education and making sure that I am not only certificated but learn to empower others in a very humble way. I don't want to think about my worst decisions. There's too much regret in everyone's lives to maintain our wavering joy.

What does the word woman mean to you?
It describes a proud warrior. A resilient and strong guardian of the future generations. The archetypal matriarch who is fearless and also tender, powerful but not afraid to demonstrate weakness, and self-sufficient yet dutiful. She is everything and anything, because she knows that she in control of whoever she wants to be. Her entire being is guided by this knowledge and self-love.

Which woman inspires you, and why?
My mom inspires me. She always had a smile on her face no matter how hard she worked, and she loved everyone. Her greatest strength is her ability to let nothing, and no one, remove her crown. “Strong winds may blow, but a QUEEN will bobby pin that thang in place and persevere because she is more than a conqueror.” I am also inspired by Maya Angelou’s poem Still I Rise about the struggle to overcome prejudice and injustice. It is one of Maya Angelou's most popular poems. When read by victims of wrongdoing, the poem becomes a kind of anthem, a beacon of hope for the oppressed and downtrodden.

News Archive

Maryka Holtzhausen, Wayde van Niekerk and Driaan Bruwer win Kovsie Sports Star Awards
2014-10-29



Maryka Holtzhausen and Wayde van Niekerk
Photo: Hannes Naude
Our university honoured our top athletic achievers at the annual Kovsie Sports Star Awards that took place on 23 October 2014.

Maryka Holtzhausen and Wayde van Niekerk were named Sportswoman and Sportsman of the Year respectively.

Holtzhausen captained the Protea netball team that participated in a host of test series and championships. These included:
•    a test series against Trinidad & Tobago and England in October last year,
•    the Fast Five World Series in Auckland, New Zealand during November 2013, as well as
•    the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this year.

Van Niekerk, in turn, set a new SA record in the 400 m of 44.38 at the Diamond League meeting in New York, USA during June 2014. As a member of the Protea team who participated in the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow earlier this year, he won the silver medal in the 400 m sprint. In August 2014, Van Niekerk clinched the silver medal in the 400 m at the CAA Senior African Athletics Championship in Morocco. He also formed part of the CAA African Athletics team who competed in the intercontinental cup meeting during September 2014. The team won gold in the 4x400 m relay at this event.

The Junior Sportsperson for 2014 is Driaan Bruwer. He was a member of the SA U/19 cricket team that won the Junior World Cup this year.

Our university’s sports stars were honoured in the following five categories:

•    Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year. Everyone that represented South Africa at a senior level was eligible for the title. The winners each received a trophy and each sportsman and sportswomen in this category were honoured with a medal.
•    Junior Sportsperson of the Year. The winner received a trophy.
•    Sports stars that represented South Africa at senior and junior level. The achievers received certificates.
•    Sports stars that represented the UFS in the national student teams. These sports stars also received certificates.
•    Certificates were also awarded to the KovsieSport Club sports stars.

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