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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

Transport service to shuttle Kovsies to and fro
2012-01-30

Our university, in collaboration with taxis in Bloemfontein, currently offers a scheduled minibus-taxi transport service to students living in the Universitas and Brandwag areas. The pilot project, which will run from January 2012 to June 2012, officially kicked off on Monday 16 January 2012. During this period it will be monitored how many students make use of the service.

The cost is R6 per trip, in other words, R6 to an address in Universitas/Brandwag and again R6 back to the university. Students can buy coupons for the service at the Thakaneng Bridge on our Bloemfontein Campus.

The minibus-taxi service will operate on weekdays (Mondays to Fridays), excluding public holidays and normal UFS holiday periods. All services shall depart from the taxi facility at the DF Malherbe Drive gate on our Bloemfontein Campus, from where it shall follow a circular route and return to the same spot again.

Route U will travel: DF Malherbe Drive/ Wynand Mouton Drive/ De Bruyn Street/ Paul Kruger Avenue, back to DF Malherbe Drive.

Route B will travel: DF Malherbe Drive/ Nelson Mandela Drive/ Furstenburg Road/ Melville Drive/ Nelson Mandela Drive and back to DF Malherbe Drive.

Route
Departure time
Arrive back at the UFS
U
19:10
19:45
B
19:10
19:45
U
20:10
20:45
B
20:10
20:45
U
21:10
21:45
B
21:10
21:45
U
22:10
22:45
B
22:10
22:45

 

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