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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

Kovsies athlete the only university student to qualify for World Athletics meeting in Korea

2011-05-04

Thuso Mpuang

The 26-year-old Kovsies athlete Thuso Mpuang is the only South African student athlete who could qualify for the World Athletics Meeting in Daegu, South Korea during the recent South African Student Athletics Meeting in Stellenbosch. His winning time of 20.55 s in the 200 m is only a fraction slower than his personal best of 20.53 s.

KovsieSport is very proud of this achievement of Thuso. “We believe that he will be included in the team that is going to participate in the World Senior Athletics Championships later this year,” says Ms Sarina Cronjé from KovsieSport.

Thuso has also qualified to participate in the World Student Athletics meeting in Shenzhen, China.

Furthermore, PC Beneke, also a Kovsies student, is one of the 42 athletes who are included in the preliminary team that is going to compete in the World Student Athletics meeting in China. Dumisane Hlaselo, a former Kovsies athlete who is currently studying in America, has also been included in this team.

4 May 2011

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