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24 May 2021 | Story Xolisa Mnukwa
The 2021 Kovsie ACT Eco-vehicle race puts students’ sustainable energy and critical thinking skills to the test.

The University of the Free State (UFS) Division of Student Affairs’ (DSA) Director of Student Life, Dr WP Wahl, believes the knowledge and skills that students have gained through participating in the 2021 Eco-vehicle project will position them more optimally in the future world of work. “We are also tremendously grateful for the project funding received from merSETA; without their support, none of this would have been possible,” he remarked.

The Kovsie ACT Eco-vehicle race, in conjunction with the overall programme, was established to encourage students to learn more about the technology and logic behind sustainable energy sources and how this can influence the future global society.

This year’s events witnessed students competing according to their UFS residence teams, with Sonnedou, Legatum, Kestell (SonLeTell); Soetdoring, Beyers Naude, Arista (Soetbeyrista); and Roosmaryn, Kagiso, Karee (Kar-is-myn) ending in first, second, and third place respectively, obtaining the highest scores for the races they competed in.

Anton Calitz, Electrical Engineer in University Estates who was the announcer on the day, described the event as one that exceeded his wildest expectations. “From a sustainable energy point of view, the eco-vehicle race results really turned the tables, with lower energy usage per lap being successfully recorded – as anticipated,” he further added.

Andre van Wyk, Client Liaison Officer of merSETA (Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Seta) for the Free State and Northern Cape – as one of the sponsors of the innovative programme – extended warm congratulations to the UFS for hosting an outstanding event. He further applauded the university for its resourcefulness in virtually adding electronic media broadcasts to extend the event to the entire UFS community.

“The Kovsie ACT Eco-vehicle programme was eye-opening and exposed me to the broad field of electronics. It definitely came as a challenge – one I had not anticipated on that level, because at times I couldn’t even see what all the building was leading to, but I just had to put my mind and hands to work – it pushed me to think critically and creatively. I was honoured to have been part of this entire experience and I’m grateful to Anton and his team, as well as the Kovsie ACT office, for being a constant support structure throughout the process, as it was not easy.” 

These were the humble words of Sinegugu Sibisi, a University of the Free State (UFS) student who was part of the 2021 Kovsie ACT Eco-vehicle race, where sustainable energy was at the order of the day.

For more information about the Kovsie ACT eco-vehicle skills programme, email ACT at ACT@ufs.ac.za
 

 

News Archive

New residences for Qwaqwa Campus
2010-02-17

Rev Hosiah Nkoana
Photo: Mangaliso Radebe.


The Qwaqwa Campus of the University of the Free State will have new residences before the end of this year to ease the growing demand for student accommodation.

According to the Deputy Director of Housing and Residence Affairs at the Qwaqwa campus, Rev Hosiah Nkoana (pictured), the university is spending a lot of money on the rent and maintenance of the residences of the former colleges of education, Tshiya and Bonamelo, that the university has been using since 2004 to accommodate students.

The construction of these new residences will be carried out in two phases.

“The first phase will be university-funded and the residences will accommodate 200 students, male and female. The second phase will be a private development by a private developer. The residences in this phase of construction will accommodate 500 students – and this will be its first phase. It will then be followed by a second phase, depending on the demand for accommodation,” said Rev Nkoana.

“These residences will not necessarily be state-of-the-art residences but they will have good facilities that will underwrite our approach that residences are not just sleeping places.”

“We are developing a philosophy of turning our residences into learning and living areas. So, to get there we are going to put up a computer lab with 100-150 computers between the residences so that all resident students can access them to enhance the learning side of residence life. I hope this will change the way our students see residences,” he said.

Currently the residences at the Qwaqwa Campus can accommodate 770 students. The new residences are expected to be ready for occupation in the 2011 academic year.

Media Release:
Mangaliso Radebe
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2828
Cell: 078 460 3320
E-mail: radebemt@ufs.ac.za  
17 February 2010
 

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