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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

Three Kovsie Hockey players to play in Hockey World League

2015-06-17

Tanya Britz.
Photo: Johan Roux

It seems just like yesterday that the Kovsie community was boasting about how the Kovsie Hockey ladies team had excelled during the Varsity Sports Hockey tournament. From that team, three players have been selected to play for the national Proteas Hockey team. Nicole Walraven, Tanya Britz, and Linè Malan will be a part of the team representing South Africa in this year’s third edition Hockey World League Semi-final in Spain.

The Hockey World League is an international field hockey competion organised by the International Hockey Federation (FIH), and is held over a period of two years. The semi-finals of the competition are going to serve as a qualifier for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, Brazil.

All three ladies were also part of the team capped for the Proteas in a two-week long camp and test matches earlier this year. Britz and Walraven are no strangers to the process Although Malan is the newest addition, she did get a taste of playing international Hockey at the beginning of the year in Ireland. What makes this journey interesting and special is that they are all embarking on their international careers at such a prestigious level.

The league kicks off on 10 June 2015 at 13:00. Supporters can catch all the action of both the men’s and women’s games on Super Sport, channel 207. We will be backing our ladies as they make history.

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