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07 March 2025
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Story Anthony Mthembu
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Photo Supplied
Crystal-Donna Roberts, recipient of the 2016 Kovsie Ambassador Award and award-winning actress, has died following a battle with breast cancer.
The University of the Free State (UFS) is deeply saddened by the passing of alumna and award-winning actress Crystal-Donna Roberts at the age of 41. According to Eyewitness News (EWN), Roberts passed away during the early hours of 6 March 2025, following a long battle with breast cancer.
The UFS extends its deepest condolences to Roberts’ family, friends, colleagues, and supporters.
Celebrating a beloved actress
Roberts graduated from the UFS with a BA Drama and Theatre Arts degree in 2005 and went on to create work that was beloved across the country and beyond. She starred in the Afrikaans soap opera 7de Laan and shows like Getroud Met Rugby, Montana and Vallei van Sluiers, among others. Her lead role in the film Krotoa earned her the Best Actress award in 2018 at the South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs).
Her extensive career in film and television was one of the reasons she was recognised by the UFS with the Kovsie Ambassador Award in 2016. This is an award given to alumni whose accomplishments have not only benefited themselves but their community and the UFS. Although Roberts was well-known for her work on stage and screens, she was also an author. She released her debut novel Speurder Sammi: Die blou steen (Detective Sammi: The Blue Stone) in 2022.
Outpouring of praise
Since the news of Roberts’ passing broke, there has been an outpouring of tributes on social media. Many of her supporters and colleagues have described her as an iconic force who was full of life and inspired many. Alistair Izobell, who starred alongside Roberts in Arendsvlei, responded to the news through a Facebook post which said, “My dearest sister Crystal-Donna Roberts my heart is broken today. You got your wings and your pain is no more. I am thrilled I got to do a chapter of my life with you. I will remember you with the great spirit you were. Now rest sweetly.”
Grant of almost R3 million from the NRF for researchers
2007-02-13
The Research Directorate at the University of the Free State (UFS) received a grant of almost R3 million this year from the National Research Foundation (NRF) for the development of young researchers from the designated groups through the Thuthuka capacity building programme. The amount of grant holders increased during the past four years from five successful applications in 2003 to a phenomenal 44 this year. The Thuthuka programme is a partnership programme in which the UFS contributes two thirds of each grant holder's funding. This year, the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at the UFS is also taking part in the programme for the first time.
Here are, from the left: Ms Lizelle Janse van Rensburg (grant holder), Mr Antonie Pool (grant holder), Mr Arno van Niekerk (grant holder), Ms Annelize Venter (programme co-ordinator at the UFS Directorate of Research Development), Prof Phillipe Burger (chairperson of the Department of Economics at the UFS), Mr Johan Coetzee (grant holder) and Prof Lucius Botes (chairperson of the faculty's research committee).