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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.”
How to interpret Centlec’s load shedding
2008-01-31
Everyone in South Africa is affected by power failures (load shedding). Centlec took certain measures to manage the situation. These measures are explained:
Time slots
See the following table for an indication of times when load shedding might be applied to specific areas: http://www.centlec.co.za/power_shed/PDF/time_slots.pdf
Groups
The city was divided into six groups. This document clearly indicates which area in the city resorts under which group: http://www.centlec.co.za/power_shed/PDF/groups.pdf
According to the document, the university resorts under group 4. In the table with time slots it is the grey area.
Stages
Eskom developed three stages for load shedding. (See stage table at the bottom of the page http://www.centlec.co.za/power_shed/PDF/time_slots.pdf)
- Stage 1: Less load shedding is applied in stage 1. E.g. the UFS resorts in group 4 and on a Monday, according to stage 1, the power will not be switched off during 12:00 and 14:30 (this time slot is not highlighted in orange).
- Stage 2: More load shedding is applied in stage 2. Load shedding will be applied during stage 2 between 12:00 and 14:30 on a Monday at the UFS.
- Stage 3: All time slots are highlighted in orange, which indicates that power will be switched off for the whole duration of stage 3.
Example
Today, Tuesday, load shedding was scheduled to take place from 10:00 to 12:00 at the UFS. Currently, according to Centlec’s web site, stage 1 is active. This time slot is not marked in stage 1, therefore load shedding is not applied. Centlec gives also additional information; “No load shedding in progress.”
Keep in mind that if an area is at risk it does not automatically imply that the power will be switched off. It all depends on the request from Eskom at that particular moment whether the actual shedding is required.