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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

Kovsies oorheers Cheetahs-span
2004-10-22

Altesaam 13 huidige en oud-Kovsies is ingesluit in die Cheetah-span van 22 spelers wat sal meeding om ‘n plek in die span wat hierdie naweek teen die Blou Bulle op Loftus Versveld te staan sal kom in die eindstryd om die Curriebeker.

“Die Universiteit van die Vrystaat (UV) is trots op sy rugbyspelers en beskou hierdie mylpaal as net nog ‘n toonbeeld van ons verbintenis tot die handhawing van gehalte sportprestasies,” sê prof Frederick Fourie, Rektor en Visekanselier van die UV.

Prof Fourie is dit eens dat die UV hierdie naweek bankvas agter die Cheetahs sal staan sodat die Curriebeker weer Vrystaat toe kan kom.

“Dit is nie aldag dat ons kan spog met so ‘n groot verteenwoordiging in ‘n provinsiale span nie. Elkeen van hierdie spelers het homself bewys as ‘n ware sportman en meeste van hulle is ook Springbok-rugbyspelers, wat die eer vir die UV net nog soveel groter maak,” sê prof Fourie.

Die huidige en oud-Kovsie spelers is Naka Drotské (haker); CJ van der Linde (vasskop voorry); Boela du Plooy (slot); Gerrie Britz (slot); Henro Scholtz (flank); Juan Smith (flank); Jacques Claassen (senter, agterlyn); Barry Goodes (senter, agterlyn); Frederich Lombaard (vleuel); Rhyno Gerber (vasskop voorry); Gutro Steenkamp (losskop voorry); Johan Erasmus (agsteman) en Noël Oelsich (skrumskakel).

CJ van der Linde en Juan Smith was ook ‘n finaliste in vanjaar se Kovsie Sportman van die Jaar-toekenning.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
22 October 2004

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