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Paralympic star Louzanne Coetzee’s legacy to para-athletes

16 November 2022 | Story Jóhann Thormählen | Photo Jóhann Thormählen

Mating Monokoane Louzanne Coetzee Claus Kempen — Louzanne Coetzee, Claus Kempen – who both run for the Kovsie Athletics club – and Mating Monokoane, the University of the Free State (UFS) women’s soccer captain, are joining hands by starting the Louzanne Coetzee Foundation. Here, from the left, are Monokoane, Coetzee, and Kempen at Pellies Park on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus.

Leaving a legacy. Although she is still in the prime of her career, this has motivated Louzanne Coetzee to start a foundation to benefit others.

The sports star, who won silver (1 500 m; T11) and bronze (marathon; T12) medals at the Paralympics in Tokyo in 2021, wants to empower and support para-athletes. And she is joining hands with two fellow Kovsies to do it.

They will invest their time and talents towards the Louzanne Coetzee Foundation, a result of an idea that started while the 29-year-old Coetzee was competing at the Paralympic Games.

The University of the Free State (UFS) Residence Head of Akasia started the foundation in partnership with Claus Kempen, her guide, and Mating Monokoane, the UFS women’s soccer captain.

“I realised there was a gap in development, especially for para-athletes,” she says.

“You get to a certain level, and in South Africa there is uncertainty with regard to funding and educating athletes.”

Identifying needs

According to Kempen, the foundation will start by generating funds to assist others. Help can be provided by educating, informing or “physically giving financial aid to someone in need, whether it is a wheelchair, entering for a competition, or a bursary”.

Coetzee serves in many leadership roles, such as the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) Athletes Commission and says she will make use of these.

“I am involved in the South African Sports Association for the Physically Disabled, and that gives me a good platform to see where help is needed.

“And with Mating involved in the UFS, it gives us good insights into where the needs are.”

Coetzee will also work with organisations such as the Free State Sport Association for the Physically Disabled and Visually Impaired. “I am also going to start getting more involved with KovsieSport. It is very exciting.”

Guiding and following

Coetzee and Kempen have been talking about a foundation for some time and she wanted to include Monokoane, the 2022 Prime of Akasia.

They have been working together for the past three years. Coetzee admires her passion, ethics, and “knows she also has a heart for leaving a legacy”.

And it is fitting that their residence motto is: ‘Live, love, learn and leave a legacy’.

Kempen says it is a privilege to be involved.

“Normally my role is to guide Louzanne, but in this instance I am following, and she is taking me on a journey to explore what we can do to empower other individuals and groups.”

He congratulated the UFS on a successful leadership pathway.

“It is something we like to talk about, namely developing students into leaders.”

“Louzanne took the opportunity with Mating, and they went from a student and employee relationship to partners.”

News Archive

Renowned forensic scientist speaks at the UFS

2014-04-02

Forensic science is about the truth. At the presentation delivered by Dr David Klatzow, were, from the left: Tinus Viljoen, lecturer in Forensic Genetics, Dr Klatzow and Laura Heathfield, also a lecturer in Forensic Genetics.
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs

It is necessary for more research to be done in the field of forensic science in South Africa. This is according to Dr David Klatzow, well-known forensic scientist, during a lecture delivered at the University of the Free State (UFS) last week.

The university is offering, for the first time this year, a BSc degree in Forensic Science in the Department of Genetics. This three-year degree is, among others, directed at people working for the South African Police Service on crime scenes and on criminal cases in forensic laboratories. Students can also study up to PhD level, specialising in various forensic fields.

There is no accredited forensic laboratory in South Africa. “It is time to look differently at forensic science, and to deliver research papers on the subject. In light of the manner in which science is applied, we have to look differently at everything,” Dr Klatzow said.

Dr Klatzow praised the university for its chemistry-based course. “Chemistry is a strong basis for forensic science,” he said.

A paradigm shift in terms of forensic science is needed. Micro scratches on bullets, fingerprints, DNA, bite marks – all of these are forensic evidence that in the past led to people being wrongfully hanged. This evidence is not necessarily the alpha and omega of forensic science today. DNA, which seems to be the golden rule, can produce problems in itself. Because a person leaves DNA in his fingerprint, it is possible that DNA is transferred from one crime scene to another by forensic experts dusting for fingerprints. According to Dr Klatzow, this is only one of the problems that could be experienced with DNA evidence.

“No single set of forensic evidence is 100% effective or without problems. Rather approach the crime scene through a combination of evidence, by collecting fingerprints, DNA, etc. It is also very important to look at the context in which the events happened.

“A person sees what he expects to see. This causes huge problems in terms of forensic science. For example, if a criminal fits the profile of the perpetrator, it doesn’t follow that this specific criminal is the culprit. It isn’t what we don’t know that gives us trouble, it’s what we know that isn’t so,” Dr Klatzow said.

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