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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

Meet the person behind the title – your new FaceOfFacebook

2015-04-29

Kovsies #FaceOfFacebook was born three years ago out of a need to engage with students, and become a virtual friend. Auditions are held every year to choose the new ‘face’ representing the UFS on Facebook. The successful candidate holds the title as #FaceOfFacebook for the next 12 months, attending events, and filming short video clips to post on our Facebook page.

The votes have been counted, and we have a winner. After much excitement and a close contest, Nompumelelo Maseko (whose name, fittingly, means ‘success’) emerged victorious from the top six contestants selected by our panel of judges. We sat down with the soft-spoken Mpumi – as her friends call her – to get a sense of the person who will be our ambassador for the next year.

What is your field of study, and how far along are you?

I am studying for a BSc degree in Genetics, and I’m currently in my second year. I have a particular interest in the forensic sciences, which fascinate me!

Are you originally from Bloemfontein?

No, I am originally from Pretoria.

How is it that you ended up here, studying at the UFS?

Before leaving school, I applied to various universities, but my desires and ambitions brought me here.

How do you find your residence?

Akasia ladies are big on sisterhood, very supportive. Res life is very enjoyable.

What do you hope to accomplish during your term as the #FaceOfFacebook?

I would like to help people become aware of what is taking place on campus. There are many opportunities to be more engaged with what is happening at the varsity. For instance, there are still many people who don’t really know what the #FaceOfFacebook is, and I would like to help inform them about it.

What is your motivation in your studies, in taking part in this contest, and in life?

I am intrigued by the function of life forms, the differences that exist at a cellular level.
For this competition, I fed off my love of people, even though I am shy. I also enjoy presenting.

I have my parents to thank as my motivation, as well as meeting and engaging with people. I find that I achieve a broader perspective when I don’t restrict myself to my own opinions, but strive to be open to differing views.

Nompumelelo will be appearing in one of her first Facebook videos shortly, so be sure to keep an eye on our Facebook page.

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