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UFS karate star Karabo Khanye awarded SA national colours

03 July 2025 | Story Vuyelwa Mbebe and Aimee Barlow | Photo Supplied

In a defining moment for both his personal career and the sporting legacy of the University of the Free State (UFS), karate champion Karabo Khanye has been awarded South African national colours. The honour was conferred at the National Karate Awards Ceremony on 21 June in Durban in recognition of his outstanding achievements on the international stage.

The awarding of national colours is one of the highest accolades in South African sport, symbolising excellence, dedication, and the ability to represent the country with distinction. For Khanye, this moment is the culmination of years of hard work and discipline. His selection followed a remarkable showing at the Commonwealth Karate Championships, where Khanye competed against some of the world’s top athletes. Representing Karate South Africa, he walked away with two silver medals.

“I feel privileged that I was chosen for the Commonwealth team,” Khanye said. “Being able to bring home two silver medals just makes it that much better.”

The awards ceremony in Durban was not merely a formality but a moment of personal significance for the UFS athlete. Receiving his national colours served as both validation and motivation for the sacrifices he’d made to pursue excellence in his chosen sport.

“It shows that the hard work I put in was not for nothing,” he said. “I am grateful to receive my national colours.”

With this latest honour under his belt, Khanye went on to compete at the University Sport South Africa (USSA) Karate Championships, held from 26 to 27 June in Pietermaritzburg. He successfully defended his title in the U60kg elite category, which he’d claimed at last year’s tournament.

Khanye’s journey has been a source of pride for the UFS KovsieSport community. His success adds to the university’s growing reputation for producing high-performance athletes across various sporting codes. UFS celebrates Khanye’s achievements and looks forward to what promises to be an even more inspiring and successful future for this remarkable athlete.

News Archive

Six Kovsies included in Mail & Guardian’s top 200

2017-07-28

The Protea Karla Mostert, who is busy with her master’s degree
in Dietetics at the UFS, experienced a wonderful year
on the netball court. Photo: Johan Roux

Being on the Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans list for 2017, gives her a platform to share with South Africa what she does. This is according to Candice Thikeson. “I want to inspire people to follow their passion and pursue their dreams, and Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans allows me to do so.”

The art historian, who is included in the Arts & Entertainment category, is one of six current and former students of the University of the Free State (UFS) featured in the prestigious list. The others are Zola Valashiya (Civil Society), Lerato Machetela (Education), Thapelo Mokoatsi (Film and Media), Karla Mostert (Sport), and Nokuthula Sithole (Politics & Government).

Every year, the Mail & Guardian honours exceptional young citizens under the age of 35 who has made an impact in their respective fields. A special event for this year’s chosen ones was hosted at Emperors Palace in Johannesburg on 29 June 2017.

Making a statement for art historians
Thikeson, a Mandela Rhodes Scholar, Bright Young Mind, and recipient of the Abe Bailey Travel Bursary, says she feels honoured. “To me, this means that the impact I am making in the arts is being felt. There are very few art historians in South Africa, and because of this, people don’t often know what this profession entails.”

Inspiring people from all walks of life
She says the reaction from friends, family, colleagues, and acquaintances have been overwhelming. “The most heart-warming thing for me has been having men tell me that I inspire them. As women, we are often told that we are inspirations for little girls, but women can and do inspire, challenge, and motivate men too.”
She was appointed as a junior lecturer in the Department of Art History at the UFS in January. This, and being a Mandela Rhodes Scholar, is some of her career highlights. She is also enrolled for a research master’s degree in Art History and Image Studies.

UFS students on the Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans list:
• Zola Valashiya (Civil Society) – Co-founder and director, Debate Afrika
• Lerato Machetela (Education) – Psychologist
• Thapelo Mokoatsi (Film and Media) – Historian and academic
• Karla Mostert (Sport) – Netball player
• Nokuthula Sithole (Politics & Government) – Activist
• Candice Thikeson (Arts & Entertainment) – Art historian

View the Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans here.

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