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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.
‘We need a story that will excite us all’
2012-03-09
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Attending the conversation were, from the left: Willemien Marais, Lecturer in the Department of Communication Science; Zubeida Jaffer; and Prof. Andre Keet, Director of the International Institute for Studies in Race, Reconciliation and Social Justice.
Photo: Amanda Tongha
9 March 2012
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“From the stories of Afrikaner Nationalism and Black Consciousness to the stories of our Constitution and the 1995 Rugby World Cup… But now what do we have?”
This was the question posed by Zubeida Jaffer, recently appointed as the university's Writer-in-Residence. Do we need a new national narrative? was the issue addressed by Ms Jaffer in a talk presented as part of the Critical Conversations series hosted by the university’s International Institute for Studies in Race, Reconciliation and Social Justice. Ms Jaffer is an award-winning journalist and author of, amongst others, Love in a time of treason and Our Generation.
“We can’t change the past and we can’t keep on focusing on separate narratives; we need to find a story, a new national narrative with elements that could excite all of us,” she told an audience consisting of academics and students. She also referred to the changes that took place at the university. “I’m fascinated by what is happening here. It’s mind-boggling to see the changes.” Based on the UFS’ drive to find common ground, Ms Jaffer told the audience that research at universities could and should direct this search for a common South African story.
In reference to her own experiences as a community activist and journalist during apartheid, she urged students to become active citizens. “In my time students were the leaders; they gave direction to the national debate.”
Article (pdf format)