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08 December 2023 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Janeke Eloff
Johan and Schalk Eloff
The brothers Johan and Schalk Eloff completed the Bachelor of Management Leadership (BML) together.

The Eloff brothers, Johan and Schalk, completed the Bachelor of Management Leadership (BML) together and received their degrees at the December graduations of the University of the Free State (UFS).

Johan says very few people get the opportunity to complete the same degree with a sibling. “Not only was this a huge honour for me, but our relationship also grew stronger, as group assignments and discussions were a big part of the BML curriculum.

According to Schalk, tackling the work together helped them both. “Studying the same modules together enabled us to support each other and share ideas as we progressed,” he said, adding that undertaking the BML together with his brother motivated him to complete his studies.

Benefiting their business

The two brothers, both entrepreneurs and co-owners of Airtelecom – an internet service provider with offices in Bloemfontein and the Garden Route – said that nothing prepared them for the amount of time and effort the studies would require.

Johan mentioned that because they never had the opportunity to study after completing matric, they discussed the potential advantages that the degree could bring to their business. “Not only did we benefit from it for our own business, but it also provided a qualification that could be beneficial should we need to venture into other opportunities or return to the employment sector,” he stated. 

Schalk pointed out that he, too, believed that he could benefit from registering for the BML. “Although I was introduced to business and business principles from a young age and learned about all aspects of business from previous managers and mentors, I felt that studying for a degree and applying the theory along with my knowledge and experience would go a long way in improving the way I manage my business,” he remarked. 

Johan, who learned about growing profits and expanding the client base, motivating employees, and placing them in the correct positions to empower them to be the best at what they want and need to do, said they would like to apply as much as they can of what they have learned in their business. Schalk added that he also would like to investigate other business opportunities to expand and diversify the company.

Experiencing a key milestone together

“With all the challenges we experienced during our studies, including managing the curveballs thrown at us by the COVID-19 epidemic when we had to postpone our studies for more than a year to tend to our business, it is a surreal feeling that we accomplished this and that we are experiencing this milestone in our lives together,” said Schalk.

Johan believes that the support of their family played a key role in their success. “To show our appreciation for their patience through the hours, days, and nights of classes and assignments we had to sacrifice to finally walk across the stage, we plan on attending a Formula 1 race overseas, which will be a dream come true. With this family vacation, we intend to celebrate and reward ourselves and our loved ones,” he said. 

News Archive

UV vestig hom afgelope eeu as leier op verskeie terreine
2004-05-11

Michelle O'Connor - Volksblad - 11 Mei 2004

Ondank terugslae nou 'n 'gesonde volwassene'

HOEWEL die Universiteit van die Vrystaat (UV) vanjaar sy eeufees vier en met 23 000 studente die grootste universiteit in die sentrale deel van die land is, was dié instelling se geboorte glad nie maklik nie. MICHELÉ O'CONNOR het met prof. Frederick Fourie, rektor, oor die nederige begin van dié instelling gesels.

DIE behoefte aan 'n eie universiteit in die Vrystaat het reeds in 1855, kort ná die stigting van Grey-kollege, kop uitgesteek.

Grey se manne het hulleself teen 1890 begin voorberei om die intermediêre B.A.-eksamens af te lê. Dié eksamen het hulle toegang gegee tot die tweede jaar van 'n B.A.-graad aan die destydse University of the Cape Good Hope, nou die Universiteit van Kaapstad.

"Presidente F.W. Reitz en M.T. Steyn het destyds albei die stigting van 'n universiteit hier bepleit. Die grootste rede was sodat die seuns van die Vrystaat nie weggestuur word nie.

"Dié twee se droom is op 28 Januarie 1904 bewaarheid toe ses studente hulle onder dr. Johannes Bril, as hoof/rektor van Grey-kollege, vir die graad B.A. ingeskryf het. Dié graad is aanvanklik deur die Kaapse universiteit toegeken.

"Net die klassieke tale soos Latyns en Grieks, die moderne tale, Nederlands, Duits en Engels, filosofie, geskiedenis, wiskunde, fisika, chemie, plant- en dierkunde is aanvanklik aangebied.

"Die UV se geboue het gegroei van 'n klein tweevertrek-geboutjie wat nou naby Huis Abraham Fischer staan, en verblyf in die Grey-kollege se seunskoshuis," sê Fourie.

Volgens hom is die universiteit se eerste raad en senaat tussen 1904 en 1920 saamgestel. Die eerste dosente is aangestel en die eerste geboue opgerig. "Dié tyd was egter baie moeilik.

"Die instelling het teen 1920 net 100 studente gehad en was geldelik in die knyp. Daar was geen vaste rektor nie en geen vooruitgang nie. Vrystaatse kinders is steeds na ander universiteite gestuur.

"Ds. J.D. Kestell, rektor van 1920 tot 1927, het egter dié instelling finaal gevestig.

"Hy het self studente van oor die hele Vrystaat gewerf en geld by onder meer kerke en banke ingesamel. Kestell het selfs Engelse ouers oortuig om hul kinders na die Greyuniversiteitskollege (GUK) te stuur en teen 1927 het dié instelling met 400 studente gespog.

"In die tydperk tussen 1927 en 1950 het die GUK weer verskeie terugslae beleef.

"In dié tyd was dit onder meer die Groot Depressie en die Tweede Wêreldoorlog. Die armblanke-vraagstuk het regstreeks op studente en dosente ingewerk en die politieke onderstrominge van dié tyd het die instelling ontwrig.

"Die GUK het egter oorleef en die Universiteitskollege van die Oranje-Vrystaat (UKOVS) is in 1935 gebore," sê Fourie.

Hy sê in dié tyd is verskeie fakulteite gevestig en teen 1950 het die UKOVS met 1 000 studente gespog.

Teen 1950 het dit 'n onafhanklike universiteit geword en die naam is verander na die Universiteit van die OranjeVrystaat (UOVS).

Dié tydperk is gekenmerk deur Afrikaner- en blanke selfvertroue en heerskappy. Studentegetalle het tot 7 000 in 1975 gegroei en heelwat vooruitgang het in dié tyd plaasgevind.

"Tussen 1976 en 1989 sukkel dieuniversiteit weer met onder meer ekonomiese krisisse, die land se politieke onstabiliteit en word die UOVS geï soleer.

"Een ligpunt in dié tyd is die toelating van die eerste swart studente, die nuwe Sasol-biblioteek en die fakulteit teologie wat die lig sien.

"Tussen 1990 en vanjaar het die UOVS verskeie op- en afdraandes beleef. Die universiteit doen nie net die eerste stappe van transformasie nie, maar begin ook aan 'n beleid van multikulturaliteit werk.

"Die UOVS se naam verander in 1996 na die Universiteit van die Vrystaat/University of the Free State en in 2001 word die Sotho-vertaling bygevoeg.

"Geldelike druk en probleme neem drasties toe en personeel word gerasionaliseer.

"Teen 2000 begin die UV met 'n draaistrategie en studentegetalle neem tot meer as 23 000 toe," sê Fourie.

Hy sê die UV het die afgelope eeu nie net verskeie terugslae oorleef nie, maar homself ook op verskeie gebiede as 'n leier gevestig.

Die universiteit behaal sy eie geldelike mikpunte, neem 'n nuwe taalbeleid van veeltaligheid aan en herbelê in personeel.

Die instelling inkorporeer die kampusse van die Vista- en Qwaqwa-universiteit en groei internasionaal.

Die UV vestig ook fondamente van 'n institusionele kultuur van verdraagsaamheid, geregtigheid en diversiteit.

"Die baba het in die afgelope eeu 'n gesonde volwassene geword."

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