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From UFS to fame: UFS alumnus joins Binnelanders Season 15

05 June 2025 | Story Onthatile Tikoe | Photo Supplied

Logan James — Logan W. James, UFS alumnus and breakout star of Binnelanders Season 15, proudly waves the Kovsie flag as he steps into his first national television role.

University of the Free State (UFS) alumnus Logan W James made his national television debut in Season 15 of kykNET’s long-running medical drama, Binnelanders. Streaming on Showmax from 4 June 2025, the latest season introduces Logan in a role that delivers high drama, high energy, and a fresh wave of talent rooted in the Free State.

From campus to camera

Born and bred in Bloemfontein, Logan’s rise from student theatre to the small screen is a story stitched together by grit, passion, and a deep love for performance. A former learner of Grey College and a proud Kovsie, Logan honed his craft at the University of the Free State, where he quickly became known for his magnetic stage presence and commitment to his roles.

From standout performances in Everyman, How to Wuzz, and Run for Your Wife to unforgettable moments during UFS’s annual Africa Day showcases, Logan carved out a name for himself as a rising star on campus – one performance at a time.

A dream years in the making

Now based in Johannesburg, Logan is stepping into a new kind of spotlight. He plays Le Roux Snyman - a thrill-seeking, motocross-riding character with a bold facade and hidden depths.

“Le Roux is full of energy and contradictions,” Logan says. “He lives for extreme sports and adrenaline, but there’s a much softer, more vulnerable side he doesn’t often show. What excites me is exploring both boldness and fragility in the same breath - it’s something I’ve never quite done before.”

Though this may be Logan’s TV debut, stepping onto the Binnelanders set felt strangely familiar.

“I used to watch Binnelanders at my grandmother’s house,” he recalls. “Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I’d one day be part of the cast. It feels like a full-circle moment - a dream realised. The journey here wasn’t straightforward, but seeing it come to life like this is an incredible blessing.”

The foundation of theatre

Logan credits his Bloemfontein theatre roots as the foundation of his acting journey. “Theatre taught me discipline, presence, and heart,” he says. “On stage, there are no second takes. You have to show up, fully and honestly, every time. That kind of intensity trains you not as a performer, but as a professional.

These lessons continue to shape how he approaches his work today. “Kindness and professionalism – those are the two things I carry into every production,” he adds.

Big city, bigger lessons

The move from Bloem’s close-knit creative community to the bustling entertainment industry in Johannesburg came with new challenges – and new lessons.

“In Joburg, you quickly realise just how much talent is out there,” Logan says. “It forced me to embrace what makes me unique, rather than compare myself to others. Real passion – not the pursuit of fame – is what carries you through the tough times. If you’re chasing the art, not the spotlight, you’ll find purpose, even when things get hard.”

A voice for regional talent

Logan’s journey is not just a personal triumph – it’s also a win for regional talent. As a Free State-born actor breaking into the national scene, he is part of a growing wave of creatives proving that national recognition is possible from anywhere.

“To go from student theatre to national TV is a leap that’s both terrifying and thrilling,” Logan reflects. “But it's proof that consistent hard work, staying true to your craft, and trusting the process can open doors you once only dreamed of.”

Ready for the spotlight

With his first episode having aired on 4 June, audiences were treated to a performance that was rich with energy and layered with emotion.

“There’s a lot of growth ahead - for Le Roux and for me,” Logan shares. “I’m looking forward to every moment of it. I can’t wait for South Africa to meet him.”

News Archive

UFS extends footprint abroad

2015-12-14

In its constant pursuit of research excellence, the UFS has this year performed well in mainly two areas.

Apart from the research done by the UFS on national level, e.g. the involvement of its researchers with the SKA telescope, the pioneering work they do with the satellite tracking of giraffes, as well as research on trauma, forgiveness and reconciliation – to name but a few of the research areas, the university also has a research focus abroad.

Japan, Europe, America and Botswana. These are just some of the places where academics from the university are involved in research abroad.

Japan

Dr Dirk Opperman, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology, and Carmien Tolmie, a PhD student in the same department, visited the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology in Onna, Japan, during November and December 2014. During the visit, experiments were performed in the Microbiology and Biochemistry of Secondary Metabolite Unit of Dr Holger Jenke-Kodama.

This formed part of a larger NRF-funded project on carcinogenic toxins produced in certain Aspergillus fungi. These fungi infect food and feedstuff and are a big concern in developing countries because it may lead to severe economic losses. The research ultimately aims to find inhibitors to block the production of these fungal toxins.

Europe and America

In 2012, an international network was established in the frame of the FP7-PEOPLE-2011-IRSES programme, called hERG-related risk assessment of botanicals (hERGscreen). The South African group included Dr Susan Bonnet and Dr Anke Wilhelm, both from the UFS Department of Chemistry.

Extracts from more than 450 South African plant species have been investigated systematically to assess the potential cardiotoxic risk of commonly consumed botanicals and supplements. The idea of the project, funded by the European Commission, is to identify safety liabilities of botanicals.

Other international partners included the University of Innsbruck, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, University of Basel, University of Vienna, University of Florida, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina.

Botswana

A memorandum of understanding was signed between the UFS and Botho University in Botswana in September 2015, which will be valid for three years.

The agreement, includes student and staff exchange programmes, collaborative research, teaching and learning and community engagement activities, sharing of results, and PhD/ MPhil guidance.

Young researchers

Another research focus of the UFS is the development of its young researchers. In 2015, the UFS has delivered 13 Y-rated researchers. Ten of the researchers are from the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences and three from the Faculty of the Humanities. Three of them received an Y1 rating from the NRF.

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