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11 May 2023 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied
Eco-vehicle Race
Join the UFS on 13 May 2023 at 09:00 (student performances at 09:00 and race at 10:15) on the road around the UFS Odeion School of Music for the annual Kovsie ACT Eco-Vehicle Race. Don't miss out on this incredible display of endurance; support your favourite team to victory!

Kovsie ACT at the University of the Free State (UFS) is presenting the sixth Kovsie Eco-Vehicle Race this year.

Come and show your support for our students who will be representing our colleges and three campuses, along with the Central University of Technology. Be a part of the action:

Date: Saturday 13 May 2023
Time: 09:00 Performances by student artists
Time: 10:15 Official start of Eco-Vehicle Race
Venue: UFS Odeion School of Music parking area

The Eco-Vehicle Race represents the last phase of a nine-month co-curricular skills programme, providing our students with a set of skills that prepare them for the world of work. 

In this programme where students are equipped with basic knowledge and skills on sustainable energy, they get the opportunity not only to race the eco-vehicles, but to also understand the workings of the vehicle, which is critical for repairs done by the team during the race. 

Our students will be competing in three events:

  • Obstacle course: Teams will be challenged by obstacles to test their control over the car.
  • Smart lap: A timed lap in which the drivers take the main track for the first time.
  • Endurance race: The teams need to finish as many laps as possible using the least amount of energy in 45 minutes. 
The winners of the three events will each receive a trophy. There will be a trophy for the best pit stop as well as a spirit cup for the team with the best energy and support from the audience.

Come and support our students as they showcase their ingenuity and endurance. Don't miss out on the action! For more information, click here to contact Jady Carelse.

Car manufacturers will also exhibit hybrid/electric vehicles; come and view the exhibition and learn more about how these cars work and their benefits.

News Archive

Drawing Fire: Investigating the Accusations of Apartheid in Israel
2014-08-14

 Benjamin Pogrund
Photo: mg.co.za

Renowned journalist Benjamin Pogrund led a seminar on the current Israel/Palestine conflict in Gaza. The Department of Political Science hosted the event at the Bloemfontein Campus on 11 August 2014.

The discussion mainly centred around points Pogrund explores in his latest book, ‘Drawing Fire: Investigating the Accusations of Apartheid in Israel’.

Pogrund, who spent 26 years as a journalist in South Africa investigating apartheid, investigated the accusation that Israel is practicing apartheid and the motives of those who make it. His talk offered the audience a balanced view of Israel’s strengths and weaknesses and the problems facing the region. Pogrund drew a unique comparison between South Africa and Israel, explaining the complex political and social situations.

While researching and writing ‘Drawing Fire’, Pogrund experienced an intense emotional struggle. In the book, he explores the contradictions found in the region. It also deconstructs the criticisms against Israel as well as the boycott movement before arguing for two separate states – Israel and Palestine – as the only way forward for Jews and Arabs.

During the talk, Pogrund raised the question as to why the media coverage of Israel/Palestine conflict detracts so much attention away from the atrocities committed by ISIS currently terrorising the minority groups in Syria and Iraq.

Pogrund has been living in Israel for the past 15 years where he reports on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He was the deputy editor of the Rand Daily Mail – South Africa’s leading anti-apartheid newspaper during the 1980s. Among other publications, he has written for the Guardian (London), Haaretz (Tel Aviv) and Facta (Tokyo). In May 2013, he was awarded the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award by the International Media Council in London, on behalf of the Next Century Foundation, for encouraging understanding of the Middle East and war-torn areas of the world.


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