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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

NBC tells Wayde’s story
2015-11-02

   

The film crew from NBC Olympics
filming Wayde van Niekerk (centre, in grey clothes)
during a practice session at Pellies Park on the
Bloemfontein Campus of the UFS.
On the left is Ans Botha, Van Niekerk’s coach.
Photo: Charl Devenish

The Kovsie star Wayde van Niekerk stands an excellent chance of shining at the 2016 Olympics and has a remarkable story behind his success.

This is why NBC Olympics, a division of the American broadcasting network NBC, selected the athlete from the University of the Free State (UFS) to do a special insert for the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

A film crew from NBC visited the City of Roses and the Bloemfontein Campus of the UFS on Monday 26 and Tuesday 27 October 2015 to film the insert. The feature will be screened on NBC Olympics’ platforms during and leading up to the Olympics next year.

One of four stars


Van Niekerk was one of four athletes used by the crew to film inserts on. The others were the South African swimmer Chad le Clos, the Kenyan 800 m athlete David Rudisha, and Ethiopian middle- and long-distance athlete Genzebe Dibaba.

The crew interviewed Van Niekerk and his coach Ans Botha, and also paid a visit to Pellies Park during one of his training sessions.

According to Tom Davidson, feature producer at NBC Olympics, the piece about Van Niekerk will be about three minutes long.

“We do a pretty good job of picking good stories, but it is up to the athletes to get there,” Davidson said.

“We think Wayde has a good shot at being in the finals of the 400 m at the Olympics.”

Van Niekerk won a gold medal in a time of 43.48 s at the World Championships in Beijing during August 2015 and set a new South African record for a third time and a new African record for a second time this year in the process.

Beijing success propels Wayde onto NBC radar


“Wayde’s performance in Beijing certainly propelled him onto our radar,” said Davidson.

 “He beat former World and Olympic champions like Kirani James and LaShawn Merritt.”

He feels that Van Niekerk is also very young and still at university.

And Botha makes his story even more interesting.

“It is not every day that you see a 74-year old great-grandmother coaching a world champion.”



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