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UFS sympathises with the passing of Dr Dolf van Niekerk

03 January 2023 | Story Lacea Loader | Photo Evert Kleynhans

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.

News Archive

Six Kovsies played at CUCSA Games

2010-07-28

Willem Steenkamp
Photo: Supplied

Six students from the University of the Free State (UFS) were included in the SA Student Tennis Team that participated in the 15th Confederation of University and College Sport Association (CUCSA) Games in Gaborone, Botswana, this year.

The six Kovsies who participated in the tournament against players from nine other countries were Duke Munro, Reon Henning, Willem Steenkamp, PW Holtzhausen, Christine Keyser en Rensia Henning. Each of the 10 countries that participated entered two players for the singles and a doubles pair for the doubles.

Botswana, Namibia, Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Malawi, Lesotho and Mozambique were also represented at the games.

PW and Willem beat the doubles pair from Zimbabwe 6-1,6-1 in the finals and Duke beat Reon 6-0, 3-6 and 6-3 in the singles final. Christine and her doubles partner won the doubles final 6-1, 6-1. Rensia lost 6-4, 4-6 and 6-4 in the final of the ladies singles.

According to Ms Janine de Kock, from KovsieSport, the results of these games will be considered during the finalization of the SA team that will participate in the World Student Games in Beijing in 2011

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