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Vincent Mahapa takes home the Dux Award

20 September 2024 | Story Precious Shamase | Photo Ian Van Straaten

Vincent Mahapa 2024 — The Campus Principal, Prof Prince Ngobeni and the Dux award Winner Vincent Mahapa.

The University of the Free State Qwaqwa Campus recently celebrated academic and holistic excellence at its annual Student Excellence Awards. The event honoured high-achieving students from various disciplines, as well as those who have made significant contributions to the campus community.

The air was electric with anticipation as the campus community gathered to honour its brightest stars. The annual Student Excellence Awards showcased the exceptional talents and achievements of students across academic and extracurricular realms. This event took place in the iconic Mandela Hall.

Vincent Mahapa, a dedicated 21-year-old from Bronkhorstspruit east of Pretoria, was recognised for his exceptional academic achievements by being awarded the prestigious Dux prize at the event.

Mahapa is on the verge of completing his Bachelor of Administration and Management degree in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences (EMS) and has consistently demonstrated academic excellence. In his second year, he achieved an impressive average of 82%, securing a remarkable seven distinctions in 2023. These outstanding results were further acknowledged through his induction into the prestigious Golden Key International Honour Society, Class of 2023.

Driven by a passion for public administration and management, Mahapa has a strong interest in black empowerment, organisational leadership, and community development. He aspires to leverage his skills and knowledge to drive positive change within these fields.

Overcoming challenges, achieving success

Mahapa's journey to academic excellence was not without its hurdles. He openly acknowledges the challenges he has faced in effectively managing time, balancing academic and personal life, staying motivated, and overcoming social anxiety. However, his determination to succeed shone through as he strategically tackled these obstacles.

Commenting on this laudable recognition, he said, “By creating a well-balanced schedule, setting realistic goals, and seeking support from peers and lecturers, I developed effective coping mechanisms.” He emphasised the importance of creating a study plan and adhering to it, along with techniques such as breaking down complex topics into manageable sections and employing the Pomodoro technique to optimise study sessions.

Words of wisdom for fellow students

As a Dux awardee, Mahapa offered valuable advice to his fellow students who aspire for academic excellence. He encourages them to:

seek help and support when needed;
remain consistent and persistent in their efforts;
set clear goals and work diligently towards achieving them;
develop strong organisational skills and manage time effectively; and
surround themselves with positive influences that will motivate and support their endeavours.
Finding balance for academic and personal well-being

Being an introverted individual, Mahapa acknowledges the importance of striking a healthy balance between academic commitments and personal life. He achieves this by meticulously planning his schedule, allocating specific time slots for studying, relaxation, and personal activities. Setting realistic goals and further prioritising tasks allows him to manage his time effectively.

Additionally, he stresses the importance of creating a designated study space that is comfortable, organised, and minimises distractions, thus boosting productivity. Distinguishing the importance of self-care, Mahapa highlights activities that bring him joy and relaxation. He does not hesitate to seek support from loved ones and lecturers when needed, and regularly reviews and adjusts his approach to ensure a healthy balance that meets his individual needs.

The university congratulates him on this well-deserved achievement and commends him for his commitment to using his knowledge and skills to make a positive impact on society.

And a big congratulations to all the winners. Indeed, we are inspiring excellence!

News Archive

Shortage of quantity surveyors discussed at UFS

2006-03-24

During the recent visit of the Association of South African Quantity Surveyors (ASAQS) to the University of the Free State (UFS) were from the left Mr Egon Wortmann (Director: ASAQS), Prof Basie Verster (representative of the Free State on the ASAQS and head of the Department of Quantity Surveying and Construction Management at the UFS), Mr Greyling Venter (Chairperson: Free State branch of the ASAQS), Prof DG Brümmer(Vice-President: ASAQS) and Mr Patrick Waterson (President: ASAQS).
Photo supplied

Shortage of quantity surveyors discussed at UFS

“The South African building industry is experiencing an unprecedented high level of economic growth and prosperity. This is causing a definite shortage of registered quantity surveyors,” said Mr Egon Wortmann, Director of the Association of South African Quantity Surveyors(ASAQS) during the association’s recent visit to the Department of Quantity Surveying and Construction Management at the University of the Free State (UFS).

“This shortage is especially noticeable in local and national governments where unqualified and inexperienced staff, consultants and/or facilitators are now appointed,” said Mr Wortmann.

In doing so, the authorities that have adopted this approach are according to Mr Wortmann actually acting illegally and are not in compliance with the legal and statutory requirements of South Africa. “These unprofessional practices are unproductive, it leads to frustration and is strongly condemned by the ASAQS,” he said.

“The service delivery of these unqualified and unregistered service providers is often sub standard and does not comply to the legal requirements of the profession. It may also result in the tarnishing of the image and high professional standards set by the quantity surveying profession,” said Mr Wortmann.

“Universities offering programmes in quantity-surveying and construction management are also negatively affected by the high levels of activity in the building environment. Suitable lecturing staff are leaving the academic institutions as they are attracted to better opportunities being offered in the building industry. The ability of the tertiary institutions to attract young academics, to train them and to keep them in the longer term, is therefore almost impossible”, said Prof Basie Verster, head of the Department of Quantity Surveying and Construction Management at the UFS and representative of the Free State on the ASAQS.

According to Prof Verster the UFS supplies more than its quota of qualified quantity surveyors to the South African building industry. “Although more than 460 students are registered in construction related programmes at the UFS, we are as the ASAQS’s concerned about the shortage of students that can enter the construction industry. In our case, we are experiencing a shortage in black female students,” he said.

“Of the 460 postgraduate students, 38% are black of which 20% are female students. Graduates do also not necessarily stay in the country. As the UFS’s programmes are accredited overseas, a lot of our students leave the country for working opportunities elsewhere,” said Prof Verster.

Mr Patrick Waterson, President of the ASAQS, appealed to quantity surveyors to, when they are approached, consider academic careers or to make themselves available to lecture on a part time basis. “I also appeal to quantity-surveying practices, construction companies and developers to consider taking part in training activities,” he said.

The ASAQS has over the years developed a proud tradition within the quantity-surveying profession. Consequently membership of this organisation is a sought after goal for many members within the building environment. International agreements with various countries are also in place whereby it is mutually agreed that local as well as overseas qualifications are mutually acceptable on a reciprocal basis.

A more recent addition to the list of agreements is the reciprocity agreement entered into with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors which makes it possible for South African based quantity surveyors to practice in over 120 countries worldwide.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
23 March 2006

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