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BCom Finance student defends UFS Economist of the Year title

06 November 2025 | Story Tshepo Tsotetsi | Photo Stephen Collett

University of the Free State (UFS) BCom Finance student Reatile Seekoei has again claimed the top prize in the UFS’s second annual Economist of the Year competition.

The event, hosted on 31 October 2025 by the Department of Economics and Finance in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences (EMS), brought together UFS students, academics, and parents at the Bloemfontein Campus to celebrate emerging talent in the field. The group was joined by sponsors from Sanlam and Santam.

The competition has quickly become a highlight on the academic calendar, offering students an opportunity to bridge classroom theory with real-world practice. It challenges them to apply their understanding of economic trends, policy analysis, and data interpretation to forecast future developments, helping them grow from students into confident, career-ready economists. The event also recognised the top-performing students in the department – from first-year level to master’s – in celebration of academic excellence.

Turning theory into practice

According to Prof Johan Coetzee, Head of the Department of Economics and Finance, the competition aims to give students a platform to apply what they learn in class to real-world scenarios. “The purpose of it is to expose students to macroeconomic indicators and to apply their forecasting skills,” he explained. “It forces students to read up on the news, to know what’s happening in the world around them, and to articulate their understanding clearly. In a world increasingly driven by AI, we need humans – we need economists – to set the narrative. This prepares them for the world of work.”

Prof Coetzee added that the judging focuses on both technical and communication skills, with 40% of the score based on forecasting accuracy and 60% on presentation and articulation. “Economists must not only understand the numbers, but also communicate what those numbers mean,” he said.

From conceptual thinker to confident economist

For Seekoei, winning the competition again was both a challenge and a statement of growth.

“I came into this competition for the second time with one goal: to defend my title,” he said. “To win again is thrilling because I had to deliver more than I did last year. It pushed me to grow from a more conceptualised economist into a mature one who can apply indicators and present economically well.”

His presentation impressed the judges with its structured approach. Seekoei built a framework that combined a baseline analysis of South Africa’s economy with an interpretation of leading indicators, inflation trends and monetary-policy direction. He credited his success to the guidance of his lecturers and his belief in self-discipline. “The key to my success is believing in myself,” he said. “It was me against myself. I had to deliver better than what I did last year, and that confidence made all the difference.”

The competition also saw outstanding performances from other finalists, including BCom student Malek Suhail as the first runner-up and BCom Law student Lunghile Rivombo as the second runner-up, both of whom impressed the judges and their peers with their analytical skill and innovative approach – a testament to the faculty’s interdisciplinary strength.

Prof Coetzee expressed gratitude to Sanlam and Santam for sponsoring the competition and helping to make the initiative possible. Their support, he noted, plays a vital role in nurturing future economists who are both analytically strong and socially aware.

As the department looks ahead to next year’s competition, Seekoei’s back-to-back wins set a new benchmark – one that will no doubt inspire his peers to challenge themselves, think critically, and forecast with both precision and passion.

News Archive

Exciting open day and Albert Einstein program at Boyden Observatory

2005-05-06

National Science Week, which will be held from 7-14 May 2005, is an annual country-wide celebration of science, led by the Department of Science and Technology. The department selected a proposal by the Boyden Science Centre to coordinate a week of activities in the Bloemfontein area as one of the many projects in the country.

The project for Bloemfontein and surrounding areas will be delivered though a collaboration between the National Museum in Bloemfontein and the University of the Free State (UFS), including the Research Institute for Education Planning, the Department of Physics and other departments in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences.

The purpose of National Science Week is:

to create awareness of the important role that science play in people’s daily lives;
to encourage our youth to consider studying and improving their performance in mathematics and science; and
to attract more of our youth into science, engineering and technology (SET) careers.

World Year of Physics and Albert Einstein Program at Boyden Observatory

The International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP) declared the year 2005 as the World Year of Physics (WYP). In recognition of this declaration, the great contribution of Physics to the development of technology, and its importance in our everyday lives will be featured strongly during the National Science Week 2005.

On Saturday 7 May 2005 there will be a public programme at Boyden Observatory from 15:30 as a contribution to the World Year of Physics. The programme will be presented in collaboration with the Bloemfontein branch of the Astronomical Society of Southern Africa and will include short presentations on astronomy, space exploration and the sun.

The main presentation will be at 19:00 the evening on the life and work of Albert Einstein. The programme will also include observing sessions through telescopes of objects like the sun, Jupiter and Saturn. There will also be an exhibit on Albert Einstein. Attendance is free but booking is required. For bookings, phone 051-4012561.

Public lecture programme:

Next week the following exciting public lectures will be presented as part of the Science Week activities:

Monday 9 May 2005

National Museum:

A discussion on Apocalypse Then: the greatest mass extinction of all time. The lecture will be presented by Dr Jennifer Botha, Paleontologist at the National Museum.
Bookings: 051-4479609 (entrance is free).

UFS campus:

All lectures at Kine 2, Medical Faculty, UFS campus. Follow directions from the DF Malherbe Road entrance.
Bookings: 051-4012561 (entrance is free).

Tuesday 10 May 2005:

A discussion on the Tsunami disaster of 26 December 2004 at 19:30 (UFS campus, Kine 2 Medical Faculty).

Wednesday 11 May 2005:

A discussion on Is there life out there? at 19:30 (UFS campus, Kine 2 Medical Faculty).

Friday 13 May 2005:

A discussion on Hunting Black Holes at 19:30 (UFS campus, Kine 2 Medical Faculty). The lecture will be presented by Dr Phil Charles, Director: South African Astronomical Observatory.

Science awareness day at the National museum

The science week will be concluded on Saturday 14 May 2005 with a special Science Awareness Day at the National Museum, Aliwal Street, Bloemfontein.

The excellent exhibits at the museum will be supplemented with activities, career information and video shows. The duration of the programme will be from 10:00-16:00. For enquiries, please call 051-4479609.

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

6 May 2005

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