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When a dream comes true

15 September 2022 | Story Gerda-Marié van Rooyen | Photo Supplied

Lisa Msiza — Lisa Nondumiso Msiza is the first Deaf person from the UFS to receive the prestigious Abe Bailey travel bursary.

Lisa Nondumiso Msiza is the first Deaf person from the UFS to receive the prestigious Abe Bailey Travel Bursary. This second-year student in Linguistics and Sign Language will visit the UK for three weeks, starting late November. Charity Morrison of the Centre for Universal Access and Disability Support (CUADS) will accompany her to interpret for her.

“I want to show through action that Deaf people can do anything. We have the required skills; we can read and write too – just like hearing people can. I would also like to make people aware that the UFS has the facilities to accommodate Deaf people,” says Lisa. Currently, 12 Deaf students are enrolled at this tertiary institution.

This born Johannesburger’s passion for teaching and facilitating Sign Language is contagious. “I want to observe different businesses and programmes in the UK in order to learn how to start projects and develop myself and my community as Deaf people get limited opportunities. I want to teach people on the use, culture and history of Sign Language.”

Lisa describes herself as a kind, understanding, and loving person. As she was born deaf, Sign Language is her home language. Her parents, however, are Zulu and Ndebele speaking. She says that, although Sign Language is different in every language, she quickly adapts and communicates in it as soon as she grasps the structure of the new language.

Being named top achiever (learner) for the 2020 matric class and being crowned in fifth position at the World Deaf Model 2021, Lisa is proof that beauty and brains can co-exist.

“I am passionate about being a teacher, facilitator, or lecturer. I enjoy teaching others sign language so we can communicate more effectively. I love Sign Language and I am always trying to inform people on the importance of learning about Deaf people and to help others understand the nature of language and communication.”

Her future dreams include becoming a lecturer at the UFS or to continue her studies abroad, but only to gain insight and benefit her community. “I want our country to prosper and would like to have every news bulletin interpreted for the Deaf.”

News Archive

Kovsie trailblazing track runner sets South African 200 m record

2015-07-16

Photo: IAAF

Wayde van Niekerk became the only South African, and the fourth athlete in the world, to clock sub-20-seconds in a 200 m race on Tuesday 14 July 2015. With this winning time, he became the fourth member of the prestigious quartet, consisting of Michael Johnson, LaShawn Merritt, Isaac Makwala and himself.

The Kovsie gold medallist’s ground-breaking performance saw him beat world-class 200 m specialist and last year's Diamond League race winner, Alonso Edward of Panama. Van Niekerk crossed the finish line half a metre ahead of Edward, who was followed by Fujmitsu Kenji of Japan in the third place.

Van Niekerk's 19.94-time at the Diamond League meeting in Lucerne (Switzerland) set a national record, and improved on his personal best. In 2010, he claimed the World Junior Championship title in Moncton, Canada, by covering 200 m in 21.02 seconds.

Recently, he made history by defeating the London 2012 Olympic Games champion, Kirani James, of Grenada in the Caribbean.

On 4 July 2015, he surged 0.79 seconds ahead of Kirani in his number five lane, becoming the first African to cover 400m in less than 44 seconds. The Kovsie student won the race at 43.96, occupying 10th place on the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Diamond League all-time list.

Kovsies were still celebrating the gold medalist’s South African record-setting time of 44.24 on 13 June 2015 when he dominated the Diamond League meeting. At the previous race in New York, Van Niekerk improved on his own national record of 44.38. With an impressive dash to the finish line at that particular event, he surpassed Christopher Brown’s 400 m record.

In addition to the country’s record, Van Niekerk made his name as one of the continent’s record-breakers. On 7 June 2015, he broke the 1986 African 300 m record. Van Niekerk replaced Ivorian Gabriel Tiacoh’s best time of 31.74 with a 31.63 championship win at the Birmingham Diamond League meeting. Simultaneously, he bettered Morné Nagel’s 2006 South African national record.

Following his outstanding performance, he was positioned in 10th place on the world list in the men’s 300 m.

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