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03 January 2023 | Story Lacea Loader | Photo Evert Kleynhans
Dr Dolf van Niekerk
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.

News Archive

State of our campuses: UFS campuses to remain closed on Monday 26 September 2016
2016-09-24

Based on a discussion requested by the Student Representative Council (SRC) and the Free Education Movement (FEM) this morning, the senior leadership of the University of the Free State (UFS) decided that all three campuses will remain closed on Monday 26 September 2016.

This means that no academic and administrative services will be available on Monday. There will also be no classes and no tests will be written.

On Monday the senior leadership will receive a memorandum, as well as a social compact governing student conduct during student protests from the student leadership . It was agreed that the senior leadership will respond to the memorandum as soon as possible.

The senior leadership appreciates the peaceful nature in which yesterday’s march to the Provincial offices took place; unlike the disruptive way in which groups of students reacted to the announcement on fees by the Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Blade Nzimande, on Monday 19 September 2016.

Arrangements in terms of the academic calendar will remain as was communicated to staff and students on Thursday 22 September 2016. Students who missed tests and/or lectures from 19 to 26 September 2016 are requested to contact their respective faculties on Tuesday 27 September 2016.

There will be no further notices of suspension of any academic or administrative services after Monday 26 September 2016.

 

Released by:
Lacea Loader (Director: Communication and Brand Management)
Telephone: +27 51 401 2584 | +27 83 645 2454
Email: news@ufs.ac.za | loaderl@ufs.ac.za
Fax: +27 51 444 6393

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