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31 January 2024
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Story EDZANI NEPHALELA
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Photo ANJA AUCAMP
Dr Martin Laubscher’s thesis, crowned with the Andrew Murray-Desmond Tutu Prize, is testament to the university’s unwavering commitment to scholarly excellence.
In a historic triumph that reverberates over four decades since its inception, the UFS has clinched the coveted
Andrew Murray Prize – now renamed the Andrew Murray-Desmond Tutu Prize – for the first time. Standing shoulder to shoulder with institutions such as the University of Pretoria (UP) and Stellenbosch University (SU), this achievement marks a significant milestone in the UFS’ journey.
At the heart of this accomplishment lies the profound contribution of
Dr Martin Laubscher, distinguished Senior Lecturer specialising in Practical and Missional Theology in the
Faculty of Theology and Religion. Dr Laubscher’s dedication and scholarly prowess culminated in the groundbreaking work titled
Publieke teologie as profetiese teologie? (Public theology as prophetic theology), a revised edition of his doctoral thesis, which was originally crafted at Stellenbosch University in 2020, with a focus on the eminent Karl Barth.
Dr Laubscher received the Andrew Murray Prize for Theological Books in Afrikaans for his research and insightful analysis. The journey started when he realised, under the guidance of his study leader,
Prof Dion Forster, that his script had the potential to be published in Afrikaans. Sun Media’s interest in publishing this work in Afrikaans, led to it being the first-ever published thesis in Afrikaans. Dr Laubscher recalls, “I was grateful and excited about Sun Media’s interest. The book emerged within a year, and during a celebratory launch Prof Forster suggested I submit it for the Andrew Murray Prize.”
Earlier this year, Dr Laubscher was excited to learn that he was being shortlisted for the prestigious award. Reflecting on the significant moment, he shares, “The elation I felt upon receiving the news was unparalleled. I was not only celebrating a personal triumph, but also etching my name as the first laureate from our faculty to secure this prestigious accolade.”
5 things you might not know about Elizabeth Molapo: Miss SA 2016 finalist
2015-11-20
Kovsies’ own beauty queen, Elizabeth Molapo |
Elizabeth Lihotetso Molapo is a final-year BCom Economics student at the University of the Free State. The impeccably-beautiful 23-year-old is the only Bloemfontein representative among the top 12 contestants who have their eyes fixed on the Miss South Africa 2016 crown.
You might not know that:
1. Elizabeth was named after Queen Elizabeth 2, with whom she shares a birthday. Her middle name, “Lihotetso”, translates as “Fire”. Suffice it to say, her burning desire to learn - the pull factor for her embarking on the Miss SA 2016 journey - is a manifestation of her fate.
2. This is not her first time in the Miss SA competition. Last year, Elizabeth gave the Miss SA competition a try but unfortunately did not make very far.
3. Her childhood dream was to become a pediatrician. Economics won when she had to shadow at a hospital when she was in high school, and was horrified at the sight of blood. Elizabeth then decided: “This isn’t for me!”
4. “Enter Miss SA,” she recalls Rolene Strauss saying. The former Miss SA and current Miss World encouraged her to follow her dreams, and to aim for the most prestigious tiara in the country.
5. The last book she read was Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. It is also the next one she might read, as she has read it three times already.
Other Kovsies who have made strides in the beauty pageant realm include Rolene Strauss who was crowned Miss SA 2014 and Miss World 2015. Earlier this year, Relebohile Kobeli was also crowned Miss Lesotho 2015 and is now en route to Miss World International 2015 in China.