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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

CD-ROM for learning Afrikaans as foreign language launched

2009-04-30

At the launch of the CD-Rom, Gesellig Afrikaans, are from the left: Ms Riana de Beer, Research Assistant at the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch, German and French, Mr Christo Steyn from Bare Creative who did the digitalisation of the CD-ROM, Prof. Van Niekerk, Prof. Engela Pretorius, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of the Humanities, Prof. Driekie Hay, Vice-Rector: Academic Planning, and Mr François Marais, Director of the Centre for Higher Education Studies and Development at the UFS.
Photo: Lacea Loader

The Department of Afrikaans and Dutch, German and French at the University of the Free State (UFS) recently launched a CD-ROM course to learn Afrikaans as foreign language at the Main Campus in Bloemfontein.

For the past ten years the Department has been offering a course in Afrikaans as foreign language to small groups at the UFS. “However, the need for this course has escalated to such an extent on the Main and Qwaqwa Campuses of the UFS that we have decided to produce the CD-ROM. We have also found that not a lot of courses to learn Afrikaans were available. Those that do exist, do not recognise the needs of adult learners,” said Prof. Angelique van Niekerk from the Department.

“International students are often interested in learning new cultures and languages and staff members would also like to learn Afrikaans in order to understand the language better. Now they are able to master the basic principles and concepts of the language,” said Prof. Van Niekerk.

The course, which will be presented on the Main Campus, comprises a basic and an advanced course. Course attendants will receive both these CD-ROMs. English is used as the back-up language and translations of all the texts are available on the CD. Contemporary Afrikaans music is used to assist in fixing sound patterns, and the pronunciation of Afrikaans sounds, words and sentences is available through the sound component of the course. Uncomplicated language jokes, advertisement texts and cartoons are used to enhance the course content and a vocabulary list and list of idiomatic language uses will be kept updated by the learners. Explanations of basic grammatical constructions are given in both Afrikaans and English and learners are assessed at the end of the course. Aspects like word order, temporal indications, etc. are covered amongst other things.

“Mastering a foreign language is time-consuming and contact with the language is very important. Although there is a contact session with a facilitator of two hours per week, it is a handy course for people who cannot attend classes regularly,” said Prof. Van Niekerk.

The CD-ROM is available from at Prof. Angelique van Niekerk, vnieka.hum@ufs.ac.za, Tel. no. 051-4012339, at R150 per CD.

Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za
28 April 2009

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