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Inaugural ‘Sanlam and Santam Economist of the Year’ competition gala celebrates future economists

24 October 2024 | Story Anthony Mthembu | Photo Stephen Collett

The inaugural ‘Sanlam and Santam Economist of the Year’ competition gala, held on 18 October 2024 at the University of the Free State (UFS) Bloemfontein Campus, has been hailed as a significant opportunity for growth. Hosted by the Department of Economics and Finance in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences (EMS), in collaboration with Sanlam and Santam, the event celebrated the exceptional talents of young economists.

The gala brought together representatives from Sanlam and Santam, faculty members, the top 10 competition finalists, and the department’s leading academic performers from each year group. Jaco Geldenhuys, Senior Business Manager at Sanlam, commended the participants for their dedication, noting: ’Today, we not only recognise your academic excellence but also the potential, positive impact you will have in the world.’’

Prof Johan Coetzee, Chairperson of the Department of Economics and Finance, echoed this sentiment, emphasising that the competition aims to equip graduates to become global citizens who can solve problems, think critically, and communicate effectively in a constantly changing world.

What transpired during the event

The top 10 finalists presented their analysis in a 6-minute presentation before a panel of economists from the department, demonstrating their understanding of the macroeconomic environment, the methods they used to predict key macroeconomic indicators, and the lessons they gained from the process. After these presentations, the top three finalists were chosen and were required to respond to questions from the panel, determining the overall winner.

The top three included Tricia Khoza, who secured third place, Mokai Malope, who earned second place; and Reatile Seekoei, who was named the 2024 ‘Sanlam and Santam Economist of the Year’.

All three finalists expressed their gratitude for the opportunity. Seekoei shared: “Competitions like this are invaluable because they prepare us for the working world. We have gained several graduate attributes we were introduced to at the start of our academic journey.’’

In addition to recognising the top three finalists, the department also awarded certificates to its top academic achievers, ranging from first-year undergraduate students to master's candidates.

Paving the way for the future

For many of the participants, the competition provided an invaluable glimpse into the professional world, offering them a chance to apply their classroom learning to real-world economic challenges. Geldenhuys encouraged the young economists to use their knowledge to challenge inequality, promote fairness, and drive innovation and sustainable growth.

News Archive

Future Leader’s Award 2017 goes to UFS Quantity Surveying student

2017-08-11

Celebrating big achievements in the construction
sector at the recent Association of South African
Quantity Surveyors (ASAQS) conference are, from
the left: Cameron Ferreira, junior lecturer in the
UFS Department of Quantity Surveying,
Jhon Thatcher, former UFS student in the same
department who was the second runner-up for the
Gold Medal Award, Dr Stephan Ramabodu, President
of ASAQS, Gerné Bothma, former student in the
department and winner of the Future Leaders’
Award 2017, and Pierre Oosthuizen, UFS lecturer in
the same department.
Photos: Supplied

The Department of Quantity Surveying and Construction Management at the University of the Free State (UFS) made good on its promise to develop independent and critical-thinking graduates who will become leaders in their field. At the recent Association of South African Quantity Surveyors (ASAQS) conference and gala dinner, two students from the department, Gerné Botma and Jhon Thatcher, received awards for their outstanding performance.

Best of the best
Botma received the ASAQS Future Leaders’ Award (2017), an award based on academic achievement in the first three years of study. He competed with nominees from universities across South Africa offering Quantity Surveying programmes, and was the winner in this category.

Thatcher was a second runner-up for the ASAQS Gold Medal Award (being in the top three Quantity Surveying students in South Africa). This is awarded on a number of criteria, including academic achievement. Fourth-year students from all the universities in South Africa offering Quantity Surveying programmes compete for this award, and must display achievement in categories such as academia, leadership, community engagement, and general interests. In 2016, the Gold Medal Award was won by the UFS student, Kamogelo Leeuw.

Keeping abreast of developments
Today, organisations are relying on its members to stay ahead of issues, technologies, innovations and trends. In Quantity Surveying, to keep abreast of developments in the built environment, ASAQS was established as a voluntary association, with one of its goals being advancing and promoting the science and practice of Quantity Surveying. ASAQS works in close collaboration with its member firms, tertiary institutions, and the South African Council for Quantity Surveying Professions (SACQSP), a statutory body that oversees and regulates the profession, and accredit Quantity Surveying programmes in South Africa.

Two staff members from the UFS Department of Quantity Surveying and Construction Management, Cameron Ferreira and Pierre Oosthuizen, attended the recent ASAQS annual conference. Ferreira, a junior lecturer in the department, is the current Chapter Chairperson of the Free State for ASAQS and Oosthuizen, a lecturer in the department, is the former Chapter Chairperson.

According to Ferreira, they attended the conference to keep abreast of the latest development within the industry. “The event also served as a great networking opportunity for the UFS to build partnerships with other industry pioneers,” she said. Making use of opportunities such as these is in line with the UFS’s pursuit of lifelong learning.

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