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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.
Memorializing Mandela after 'Rhodes must fall'
2015-08-24
Prof Grant Parker, Associate Professor of Classics and Co-Director of the Centre for African Studies at Stanford University, USA, will present a public lecture on the Bloemfontein Campus. His lecture will explore the topic of ‘Memorializing Mandela after Rhodes Must Fall’.
Details of the event:
Date: Thursday 27 August 2015
Time: 12:00 – 13:00
Place: Albert Wessels Auditorium, Bloemfontein Campus
RSVP: Joan.nel@ufs.ac.za on or before Wednesday 26 August 2015
The late President Nelson Mandela has been the subject of many public monuments, in South Africa and beyond. This talk offers an overview and critique of the Mandela statues. What chance do they have of effective memorialization, especially in light of the recent controversy over colonial and apartheid-era statues? Detailed consideration of some of the Mandela statues may show the way for public histories of the former president.
The event is hosted by Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the University of the Free State, Prof Jonathan Jansen.