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Eco-Vehicle Race presented by Kovsie ACT

11 May 2023 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied

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

Click here to livestream

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

Medical team performs first hybrid procedure in the Free State

2014-12-08

The days when a heart operation meant hours in an operating theatre, with weeks and even months of convalescing, will soon be something of the past.

A team of cardiologists from the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Faculty of Health Sciences once again made medical history when they performed the first hybrid procedure in the Free State.

The Department of Paediatric Cardiology, in conjunction with the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, performed this very successful procedure on a 45-year-old woman from Kuruman.

During the procedure of 30 minutes, the patient’s thorax was opened up through a mini thoracotomy to operate on the beating heart.

“The patient received an artificial valve in 2011. Due to infection, a giant aneurism developed from the left ventricle, next to the aorta. Surgery would pose a very high risk to the patient. Furthermore, her health was such that it would contribute to problems during open-heart surgery,” explains Prof Stephen Brown, Head of the UFS’s Department of Paediatric Cardiology.

“After the heart was opened up through a mini thoracotomy, the paediatric cardiologists performed a direct puncture with a needle to the left ventricle cavity. A Special sheath was then placed in the left ventricle to bypass the catheters. Aided by highly advanced three-dimensional echocardiography and dihedral X-ray guidance, the opening to the aneurism, located directly below the artificial aorta valve, was identified and the aneurism cannulated.”

During the operation, a special coil, called a Nester Retractor, was used for the first time on a patient in South Africa to obtain stasis of extravasation and ensure the stability of devices in the aneurism.

“This is highly advanced and specialist work, as we had to make sure that the aneurism doesn’t rupture during manipulation and the devices had to be positioned in such a way that it doesn’t cause obstruction in valve function or the coronary artery. The surgical team was ready all the time to switch the patient to the heart-lung machine should something go wrong, but the procedure was very successful and the patient was discharged after a few days.”

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