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03 January 2023
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Story Lacea Loader
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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.
UFS one of four to present course
2006-08-08
A memorandum of understanding was signed between the University of the Free State (UFS), the Chief Directorate: Population and Development in the national Department of Social Development, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Leadership for Environment and Development Southern Africa (LEAD-SA) for the presentation of a short course titled Leadership Training in Sustainable Development: The Population, Environment and Development Nexus for provincial and municipal managers. The UFS is one of four universities in the country that have been chosen to implement this short course. The course acts as skills transfer medium in population, development and the environment.
During the signing of the memorandum of understanding, was from the left front: Dr Lillian Marutle (UNFPA), Prof Magda Fourie (Vice-Rector: Academic Planning at the UFS) and Prof Sosten Chiotha (Director of LEAD-SA).
Back: Mr Jacques van Zuydam (Chief Director: Population and Development), Mr Mpho Nenwelli (from the Chief Directorate Population and Development) and Prof André Pelser (lecturer at the UFS Department of Sociology and course co-ordinator). Photo: Lacea Loader