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15 September 2021 | Story Jóhann Thormählen | Photo Charl Devenish
The University of the Free State (UFS) netball team was honoured by UFS management at a special celebration. The side won a fourth Varsity Netball title and the UFS has now been champion in 2013, 2014, 2018 and 2021.

Set goals for yourself, commit to it, and give everything to achieve them.

According to Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State (UFS), this is what the UFS netball team did and why it is an example for the Kovsie community.

He celebrated the team’s achievement of winning Varsity Netball for a record fourth time and extending the run of the UFS as the most successful team in the tournament.

The Kovsies convincingly beat Maties 55-39 in the final to be crowned champions. It was the biggest victory margin in a final, and they did it after losing to Maties (46-54) in the first round.

Prof Petersen and his management group honoured Burta de Kock, the UFS Head Coach, and her team during a special celebration on 13 September 2021.

Working as an outfit

He said the side’s determination is a lesson to others.

“Once you have decided that these are my objectives and you commit yourself to achieving them, that is all you focus on.”

“It will always be possible if you put everything in and you showed it. Thank you for doing this.”

He praised the team for building the UFS brand. 

“You really work as an outfit. What I saw of the players was a right attitude when they play the game.”

Everything made easy

Sikholiwe (Sne) Mdletshe, the UFS captain, thanked her team’s management, the UFS, and its lecturers.

“We really want to thank the university for putting so much into us. It gives us a lot of resources.

“Some tests had to be written while we were in the bubble and our lecturers made that easy for us.”

She said the players never take the effort for granted. “The UFS makes everything easy to go out there and play netball – the sport we have been playing since we were little kids.”

DB Prinsloo, Director of KovsieSport, is immensely proud of the team.

“We even lost one of our best players in the first match, Chanel Vrey, due to injury. We have to take off our hats to the Kovsie netball team.”


News Archive

Student makes SA academic history
2007-11-04

Pulane Mahloka, a final-year B.Sc. (Quantity Surveying) student at the University of the Free State (UFS), has made academic history by becoming the first black student to be awarded a gold medal by the Association of South African Quantity Surveyors (ASAQS).

She is the fourteenth UFS student since 1970 to receive this accolade, and is only the sixth female student of the UFS to attain this honour.

According to the modest 23-year-old Ms Mahloka, her academic success attests to the quality of training the University of the Free State is providing.

“I did not in my wildest dreams ever imagine that I could be selected as the winner. I feel truly humbled and grateful to be counted amongst the achievers in my field of study,” said Ms Mahloka.

By smashing through the proverbial glass ceiling, Ms Mahloka hopes that she can inspire black students all over the country, particularly those from previously disadvantaged backgrounds, so that they can realise that all is not gloomy.

Her advice to fellow students is: “There is little you can do about where you come from. Do not be ashamed, but work hard to develop yourself. Do not confine yourself by the fact that you were never exposed to certain equipment and books. Now that you have made it to university, it is your chance to work hard and make something out of your life.”

Ms Mahloka, who hails from Maseru in Lesotho, has been a star academic performer since her first year in 2003, when she received an award for the best first-year student.

Media Release
Issued by: Mangaliso Radebe
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2828
Cell: 078 460 3320
E-mail: radebemt.stg@mail.ufs.ac.za
2 November 2007
 

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