Latest News Archive
Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
20 December 2021
|
Story Igno van Niekerk
|
Photo Igno van Niekerk
![]()
Dr Samantha Potgieter, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Internal Medicine and Dr Nicholas Pearce, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Surgery comment on their team members’ commitment and determination during the pandemic.
On the forefront of the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, two UFS doctors are leading a team of inspired healthcare workers in a superhuman effort to make a positive difference.
With the pandemic in its second year and the recurring challenges of new waves and strains consistently in the news, one would expect the doctors to be tired. However, quite the opposite is true. Upon entering the office where Dr Samantha Potgieter, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Internal Medicine and Dr Nicholas Pearce, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Surgery are in a meeting with colleagues, the debate is vibrant; an energetic sense of mission.
Miraculously succeeded
My brief is to collect stories and experiences they’ve had over the past 18 months at the Tumelo ward for general and high-care patients, where the team has miraculously succeeded in not running out of oxygen or ventilators, despite handling high volumes of patients from the Free State and Northern Cape. “We saw those pictures of piled-up bodies in Italy. We were committed to avoiding that at all costs. And we did.”
Success stories? First mentioned are their team members’ commitment and determination. The team had to stand in when families could not support dying patients. “They did not die alone. Our team was there.”
“Really sad and frustrating are the deaths that could have been prevented. Unvaccinated patients. They arrive ill, wanting to know if they can get it. Too late...” – Dr Nicholas Pearce
Then came hope
Sad stories? The past year has had its share of sad stories. “Someone comes in during the morning, needs oxygen, in the afternoon they are in ICU, then ventilator – and then they die. We’ve never faced anything like this before.”
Then came hope. Vaccines. Dr Pearce is in charge of the vaccination site at Universitas Hospital. “Really sad and frustrating are the deaths that could have been prevented. Unvaccinated patients. They arrive ill, wanting to know if they can get it. Too late ...” He opens his cell phone – shares the stats. “We can handle 2 000 vaccinations a day. At the moment about 250 comes in.” He shakes his head.
“We can beat this virus, but we need to stand together ...”
Supplementum analyses the San origin of South African place names
2013-09-25
|
 |
|
At the launch were, from the left: Prof Lucius Botes (Dean: Faculty of the Humanities), Christine van Deventer (SUN MeDIA), Prof Peter Raper (author), Prof Theodorus du Plessis (Head of Department: Linguistics and Language Practice), and Prof Dirk van den Berg (outgoing editor).
Photo: Jerry Mokoroane
25 September 2013 |
The Acta Academica Supplementum 2012 (2), under the outgoing editorship of Prof Dirk van den Berg, was launched on 16 September 2013. The author, Prof Peter Raper, is one of the leading place-name experts in South Africa. The Supplementum analyses the San origin of South African place names whereby different layers of language contact are exposed. For example, Dipodi (previously Jakkalsdraai), is an adaptation of the original San name. The first ‘di’ is the added Sotho preposition. ‘Po’ is equal to the San word ‘po’ (jackal) and the last ‘di’ equal to ‘/gi’ (to bend). Prof Raper’s research indicates that many place names carry evidence of various language shifts. By analysing these language layers, different phases of language contact are exposed. This research is instrumental in the preservation of a unique aspect of the South African cultural heritage.
Prof Raper is since 2011 Honorary Professor: Linguistics, in the Department of Language Management and Language Practice at the University of the Free State. He is one of South Africa’s leading toponymists. The fourth edition of the New Dictionary of Southern African Place Names, with Dr Lucie Möller and Prof Theodorus du Plessis as co-editors, is currently in the press. He is a member of the Commission for Toponymy of the International Geographical Union, as well as the Working Group for Toponymy of the International Cartographic Association, of which there are only ten members worldwide, and a member of the Editorial Advisory Board for the journal Names.