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16 January 2025 | Story Lacea Loader | Photo Supplied
Jurie Blignaut
Jurie Blignaut, top achiever in the 2024 matric exams for quintile four schools in SA and finalist of the UFS 2024 Matriculant of the Year competition.

The University of the Free State (UFS) is proud to announce that the top achiever in the 2024 matric exams for quintile four schools in the country, Jurie Blignaut, will be studying towards an MBChB at the UFS from 2025.

Blignaut, a pupil of the Rustenburg High School, was one of the 14 finalists in the 2024 UFS Matriculant of the Year competition.

“Congratulations to Jurie on this wonderful achievement. We look forward to welcoming him and our cohort of 2025 first-year students to our campuses,” says Prof Anthea Rhoda, acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the UFS. 

Boasting 11 distinctions and an average of 96,5%, Blignaut is not only an exceptional academic achiever but also participates in several cultural activities. He was the winner of the Kovsie Alumni Trust’s special award for personal cultural achievement in the final round of the competition. This head boy of his school is an excellent public speaker and musician. 

Blignaut’s highest achievement in public speaking was his national second place in last year’s ATKV public speaking competition in the section for Afrikaans home language. He plays the cello and has performed solo with the Pretoria Symphony Orchestra, was part of the school choir and band, and participated in the Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival. 

“On behalf of the university management, I would also like to congratulate Dr Mantlhake Maboya, MEC for Education in the Free State, and her executive team on the Free State being the top-achieving province in South Africa,” says Prof Rhoda. 

Other finalists in the 2024 UFS Matriculant of the Year competition who excelled during the matric exams include Susan Bender from Voortrekker High School – top achiever in the Free State province – and Chris Goosen from Grey College Secondary School, who is also one of the top achievers in the Free State. 

News Archive

UFS celebrates World Book and Copyright Day
2013-04-23

 

Celebrating World Book and Copyright Day were left: Betsy Eister (Director of the UFS Library and Information Services), Senovia Welman (librarian at the UFS Sasol Library) and Prof Charles Dumas (visiting senior professor in the Department: Drama and Theatre Arts).
Photo: 
Linda Fekisi
23 April 2013

 The UFS Library and Information Services (UFS LIS) joined the world of literature on 23 April 2013 in celebrating World Book and Copyright Day. Kovsie staff and students were treated to a display of literary works by South African and international authors in the Sasol Library on the Bloemfontein Campus.

The theme chosen for 2013 was, “In Books I Find …,” and the display featured pictures of members of the senior leadership with their favourite books. The theme is endorsed by the Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA).

Marcus Maphile, Assistant Director of the UFS LIS, says the purpose of this day is to instill a culture of reading and to highlight important copyright issues. “Libraries regard books and reading as central to nation-building and as tools to stretch the imagination of young South Africans, in particular. This day aims to challenge young people to think outside the box about what can be found in books, beyond words and illustrations.”

Prof Charles Dumas, visiting senior professor in the Department of Drama and Theatre Arts, was the guest speaker at the event and read from Stephen Clingman’s book, titled Bram Fischer: Afrikaner Revolutionary, during his address.

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