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05 March 2023 | Story Kekeletso Takang and Lacea Loader | Photo UFS Photo Archive
Tate_Makgoe
Tate Makgoe, late MEC of Education in the Free State.

The management of the University of the Free State (UFS) is shocked and saddened to learn of the untimely passing of Tate Makgoe, member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Education in the Free State, who passed away on Sunday 5 March 2023 after a car accident.

MEC Makgoe was a UFS Council member as representative of the Free State Premier for two terms, from 1 November 2010 to 31 December 2018. He was also a member of the Executive Committee of Council in his second term.

“On behalf of the UFS Council, the university management, and the university community, I would like to express our heartfelt condolences to MEC Makgoe’s family, Premier Mxolisi Dukwana, and the Executive Council of the Free State, as well as the Free State education sector at large, for the loss of a great leader,” said Prof Francis Petersen, UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor.  

MEC Makgoe had a strong relationship with the UFS, which saw him collaborating on numerous projects, including the Internet Broadcast Project from 2012 to 2022, which was aimed at supporting Grade 12 learners and teachers.

Prof Petersen acknowledged MEC Makgoe for his contributions to the university, the institution’s Council, and the province’s education sector. “We are proud to have been associated with MEC Makgoe. Not only in his capacity as MEC, but also as alumnus. He held an Honours degree in Commerce from the UFS and was registered for a PhD in Education Leadership and Policy Studies at the university at the time of his passing. In 2013, he received a Cum Laude Award during the Chancellor's Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony,” said Prof Petersen.

Through continued collaboration and under his leadership, the Free State reclaimed its top spot in the National Senior Certificate examination results in 2019 and has maintained it to date. “This would not have been possible without the leadership of MEC Makgoe; we salute him for the significant role he played, and for his contribution to the success of the province over the past few years,” said Prof Petersen.

News Archive

Record broken at UFS auction
2010-09-06

 Prof. Niel Heideman (Acting Dean: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, UFS) and Ntembeko Isaac Manyashe from BKB with the bull that was sold for R135 000.
Photo: Lize du Plessis

A provincial record was recently broken when a remarkable R135 000 was paid for a Sussex bull at the weekly auction of the Lengau Agricultural Development Centre at the University of the Free State (UFS). The bull, called Platdrif Dunlop, was bought by Mr Adri Basson from Vendetta Ranch in Windhoek.

The Sussex breed is one of the oldest breeds in the world. Platdrif Dunlop’s previous owner, Mr Nollie Stofberg from Worcester, has raised the bull since its birth approximately three years ago, after the animal’s potential as a stud bull became clear. Mr Basson also bought some heifers at the auction and they travelled with Platdrif Dunlop to Vendetta Ranch last week.

The weekly auction at the Lengau Agricultural Development Centre is held in collaboration with BKB Louwid. According to Dr Leán van der Westhuizen, Head of the Lengau Agricultural Development Centre, the weekly auctions attract a lot of interest amongst the Bloemfontein agricultural community and anybody is welcome to attend it.

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