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03 January 2023
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Photo Evert Kleynhans
Dr Dolf van Niekerk.
The University of the Free State (UFS) would like to express its condolences to the family and friends of South African author, Dr Dolf van Niekerk, on his passing.
Dr Van Niekerk, the recipient of an
honorary doctorate from the UFS, passed away on 31 December 2022. The UFS awarded a Doctor of Letters to Dr Dolf van Niekerk during its April 2021 graduation ceremony.
Dr Van Niekerk was a celebrated author who also achieved fame as a dramatist and radio presenter. An alumnus of the UFS, he received a BA degree from the university cum laude in 1949. He also played a role in academia and was an emeritus professor at the University of Pretoria until his retirement in 1994. His work includes 27 books in philosophy, poetry, fiction, drama, and memoirs, for which he has received numerous awards. These include the
Eugene Marais Prize, the MER Prize, and the Scheepers Award for Youth Literature.
“Dr van Niekerk is a Kovsie alumnus with a deep connection to the Free State. He played a significant role in the country’s literary history, and it was an honour for the university to award him with an honorary degree. A wordsmith of note, Dr van Niekerk’s contributions to South African literature, radio, and stage will live on," says
Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor.
Health Sciences dean’s term extended
2008-09-17
The Council of the University of the Free State (UFS) has unanimously decided to extend the term of office of the Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Prof Letticia Moja, by another five years.
Prof Moja became the first black woman to be appointed dean of a medical faculty in South Africa in 2003.
She has been at the helm of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the UFS for the past six years, first as the Acting Dean and then as the Dean. Under her leadership the faculty has achieved great successes and remains one of the leading Health Sciences faculties in South Africa.
However, she still faces many challenges that she hopes to overcome in the next five years to fully accomplish the mission of the faculty to promote the well-being of the community by means of education, research, community service and comprehensive health care delivery.
She hopes to achieve this by attracting and retaining dedicated and well-qualified staff to the faculty, supporting students in all aspects of their life, implementing regular assessment of the teaching and learning environment, mentoring young researchers and increasing the intake of students from previously disadvantaged communities.
Prof Moja is the current vice-president of the Health Professions Council of South Africa and the treasurer of the central region of the South African Association of Health Educationalists.
She is also the director of the UFS’s Grow Our Own Timber project which is aimed at developing black academics. She is a member of the Medical and Dental Council and also serves on its executive committee.
Her current term of office expires on 30 November 2008.
Media Release
Issued by: Mangaliso Radebe
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2828
Cell: 078 460 3320
E-mail: radebemt.stg@ufs.ac.za
17 September 2008