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Kovsies triumphs over Tuks and secure spot in Varsity Netball final

01 October 2024 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Kaleidoscope

Varsity Netball 2024 News — In a nail-biting Varsity Netball semi-final, UFS KovsieNetball triumphed over defending champions UP Tuks, winning 68-62.

In a nail-biting Varsity Netball semi-final, UFS KovsieNetball triumphed over defending champions UP Tuks (30 September 2024), winning 68-62 in the Callie Human Centre on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus. The victory advances them to the final on Monday next week, where they will face UJ.

Early lead and strong performances

Despite a close first half, Kovsies led 15-13 at the first quarter break and 35-31 at half-time, relying on strong performances from goal shooters Rolene Streutker and Xandri Fourie. The game turned in the third quarter when Kovsies extended their lead to 53-43. Tuks fought back during their power play in the final quarter, but Kovsies' consistent play, supported by a lively home crowd, ensured their victory and advancement to the final.

Fourie was named FNB player of the march.

According to head coach Burta de Kock, teamwork played a vital role. “Each player took responsibility for her role on the court and the players played for each other,” she said.

De Kock said they analysed UP's style of play and identified their attack strategy. “We knew they had an accurate goal, so we focused on disrupting the feed to the goal, which led to more interceptions.”

Preparing for final against UJ

Looking ahead to the final against UJ, De Kock acknowledged the challenge, saying that they expect it to be a tough match. "UJ hasn’t won a final yet, and their hearts are set on winning. But we are also ready to take excellence to the court and finish the season on a high,” she commented, "because we have brilliant players, each one understanding her responsibility."

To ensure that the KovsieNetball team is well prepared for this critical match, they are supported by an experienced and dedicated coaching staff, each playing an important role in their success. Leading the charge is De Kock, who guided the team to multiple victories. During her years at KovsieSport, she has developed around 20 Protea players. Defence coach Karla Pretorius, currently also the vice-captain of the Spar Proteas, brings a wealth of international experience to strengthen the team's defence. Attack coach Khanyisa Chawane, now also the captain of the Spar Proteas, focuses on sharpening the offensive strategy. Team manager Ané Retief ensures smooth operations behind the scenes, making this dynamic team an unstoppable force on the court. She is also part of the Protea squad that will represent South Africa at the Fast5 World Series in New Zealand in November.

The Varsity Netball final is set for Monday 7 October at 19:00 in the Callie Human Centre. A limited number of tickets will be available at www.varsitysportsa.com so, supporters are encouraged to get theirs as soon as possible. De Kock expressed her gratitude to the fans, saying, “Without your support, we couldn’t have done it.”

News Archive

Democracy and traditional leadership in rural areas explored

2017-09-22

Prof Lungisile Ntsebeza, recipient of the NRF Hamilton
Naki Award
Photo: Supplied

The Free State Centre for Human Rights held a presentation by Prof Lungisile Ntsebeza on 7 September 2017 at the University of the Free State (UFS) Bloemfontein Campus on the topic of democracy and traditional leadership in rural areas. Prof Ntsebeza is the holder of the AC Jordan Chair in African Studies at the University of Cape Town and the holder of the National Research Foundation (NRF) Research Chair in Land Reform and Democracy in South Africa.

Conflict between democracy and traditional rule
The topic of democracy and traditional leadership in the rural areas is an example of the tension between democracy and customary law governing the appointment of traditional leaders (headmen) that is currently at play in many parts of the country. Prof Ntsebeza made reference to a court case in the Eastern Cape, where a community successfully challenged the appointment of a headman by the royal family of the area. The contention was whether royal families could appoint headmen in rural communities or if those communities ought to democratically elect their own leaders. He argued that in this specific case, the democratic imperatives of the Constitution did not conflict with customary law because of the particular communal practice of electing leaders.

The Constitution and customary law
The Constitution of South Africa recognises customary law provisions which are not in conflict with its fundamental values. Difficult legitimacy problems may arise where customary practices are different from those governing this particular case. Ultimately the Constitutional Court would be called upon to resolve inherent tensions and develop customary law in line with the direction foreseen in the Constitution.

Student engagement as a vehicle for change
The event was attended by UFS staff and fourth-year LLB students in the Faculty of Law, and was funded by the Free State Centre for Human Rights at UFS. The programme is one of several that the centre seeks to utilise in engaging students with researchers and scholars in the field of law and human rights. Prof Ntsebeza has given academic presentations on various related and trending topics in the current academic climate, such as decolonising the curriculum, Cecil John Rhodes and others. He was recently awarded the Hamilton Naki Award at the 2017 National Research Foundation Awards.

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