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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

UFS academic discusses Dutch, Afrikaans and African languages
2006-05-22

During the colloquium presented in Belgium by the Province Antwerp were from the left Prof Pol Cuvelier (University of Antwerp), Prof Theo du Plessis (Director: Unit for Language Management at the UFS), Mr Ludo Helsen (Permanent Deputy: Province of Antwerp) and Mr Jean-Pierre Rondas (Flemish radio journalist).

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UFS academic discusses Dutch, Afrikaans and African languages at international conference

Prof Theo du Plessis, Director of the Unit for Language Management at the University of the Free State (UFS), was the main speaker at a colloquium titled “Routes:  Where to now? - Een traject van het Nederlands naar het Afrikaans en de Afrikatalen”, which was recently presented by the Province Antwerp in Belgium.

 The aim of the colloquium was to discuss the future cooperation in the field of language between the Province Antwerp and South Africa. 

 The Province Antwerp is already involved with projects in South Africa.  One of these projects is the Multilingual Information Development Programme (MIDP), a partnership project between the UFS and the Free State Province that is mainly funded by the Province Antwerp. 

 The project has been running since 1999 and was recently in the news with the presentation of a symposium on multilingualism and exclusion on the Main Campus of the UFS.  It is hoped that the Routes colloquium will indicate new stages on which can be added to the already successful cooperation in the area of language.

 Prof Du Plessis’s presentation titled “Nederlands, Afrikaans en die Afrikatale – kan samewerking slaag? Die geval MIDP in die Vrystaat”, investigated the successes that have been made with the MIDP.  He discussed two possible approaches to cooperation in the areas of language, that of a sentimentalistic  approach against an instrumentalistic approach. 

Cooperation in the first approach makes language the aim.  In the second approach language is used as a means to a greater aim.  According to Prof du Plessis the first approach is driven by a romantisised idea about the relation between the Flemish and Afrikaans speaking people, which may unfortunately polarise the position of Afrikaans in South Africa even further.

 He argues that, given the time that we are in, the second approach will deliver more constructive results as language can among others be used for to further  democracy in South Africa.   This can happen by cooperation in the institutionalising of multilingualism in our society.  The more languages are used in education, law and government administration, the more we can be assured a successful democracy.

 The Routes colloquium was facilitated by the well-known Flemish radio journalist, Jean-Pierre Rondas. About twenty South African and Flemish language specialists took part in the colloquium.  Dr Fritz Kok, outgoing chief executive officer of the ATKV took part in the opening ceremony and Dr Neville Alexander from the University of Cape Town and well-known activist for multilingualism in South Africa was also one of the main speakers.

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