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09 July 2021 | Story Ruan Bruwer | Photo UFS Photo Archive

Two athletes, both employees of the University of the Free State (UFS), are now giving back to the sport in administrative roles.

Kesa Molotsane and Louzanne Coetzee are making time in their work and training schedules to serve the sports in which they have represented their country – Molotsane in cross-country and Coetzee in the 1 500 m and 800 m T11 category for athletes with a disability.

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Louzanne Coetzee Photo: UFS Photo Archive 

Coetzee is again heading for the Paralympic Games in Tokyo. She is a nominee for the International Paralympic Committee Athletes’ Council. Six representatives will be chosen at the Paralympics.

Coetzee was recently elected to the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee Athletes’ Commission. She is also an athlete representative of the South African Sports Association for Physically Disabled.

Molotsane was co-opted into the National Executive Committee of University Sport South Africa as an assessor. She is also the new vice-chairperson of the Athletics South Africa Athletes Commission.

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Kesa Molotsane. Photo: Supplied

“My biggest dream is to enable athletes to dream big, and for their dreams to be recognised. I would like to see them enjoy their sport,” said Molotsane.

“I think I probably missed a lot of opportunities in my career due to a lack of funding, so I don’t want to see anyone face the same situation.”

Molotsane was also recently named as one of two ambassadors for the SPAR Grand Prix Series. 

According to Coetzee, a former member of the Student Representative Council at the UFS, she believes that it is important for a current sportsperson to contribute and give input in their sport. 

“I enjoy leadership, it is perhaps a gift of mine. Serving the sport in that capacity is not something that is too much of an effort or takes too much of my time. I enjoy contributing and to see something move in a direction.”

News Archive

Charlotte Maxeke Memorial Lecture launches national Women’s Month Celebrations
2012-08-17

Free State Premier Ace Magashule with President Jacob Zuma during the Charlotte Maxeke Memorial Lecture held on the Bloemfontein Campus.
Photo: Stephen Collett
6 August 2012

 

“Mother of African Freedom, heroine, teacher, unifier and true revolutionary.”

That is how dignitaries such as President Jacob Zuma, African Union (AU) Commission Chairperson Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga and others described Charlotte Maxeke, the woman they came to celebrate at the University of the Free State on 4 August 2012.

President Zuma honoured the life of the ANC Women’s League stalwart in delivering the fifth annual Charlotte Maxeke Memorial Lecture. The event officially kicked off the national Women’s Month celebrations and thousands of people made their way to the Bloemfontein Campus to listen to the President’s address.

President Zuma told the audience in the Callie Human Centre that women activism had not started with the 1956 march to the Union Buildings – it began much earlier. He spoke about Charlotte Maxeke’s leading role in the landmark 1913 march against pass laws in Bloemfontein and said this had inspired bravery and enthusiasm in the hearts of many in the struggle.

“As a collective, we must emulate the contribution of Mama Maxeke. In her honour, we must continue to open new paths for women, enable them to break new ground in leadership." President Zuma said Charlotte Maxeke, who believed a woman’s place was everywhere, had to be smiling with regard to Dr Dlamini Zuma’s appointment as Chairperson of the AU Commission.

In her speech, Dr Dlamini Zuma encouraged women to embrace the African Decade of Women, saying it was their responsibility to define and implement the changes they want to see. “We should define for ourselves what this decade means, define that we want to do, the role we want to play and achieve during this decade.”

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