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12 December 2024
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Dr Cias Tsotetsi, newly appointed Campus Vice-Principal: Academic and Research on the UFS Qwaqwa Campus.
The University of the Free State (UFS) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Cias Tsotetsi as the Campus Vice-Principal: Academic and Research on the UFS Qwaqwa Campus as from 1 January 2025.
He is currently Senior Lecturer and Assistant Dean in the Faculty of Education on the UFS Qwaqwa Campus. He holds the following qualifications: BEd(Hons), Postgraduate Diploma in Education, Magister Educationis with specialisation in Policy Studies and Governance in Education, and PhD with specialisation in Philosophy and Policy Studies in Education – all from the UFS.
Dr Tsotetsi operated in the school environment for about 24 years before joining this university in 2010. Since then, he has taught several modules in the Faculty of Education and published several co-authored research articles as well as conference papers on community engagement, teacher development, and participatory action research methodologies, among others. He is also well versed in supervising postgraduate students.
He has received awards from both the university’s Scholarship of Teaching and Learning and the Research committees for his research and academic scholastic performance. He is a member of various committees, such as the Faculty of Education Academic Advisory Board and the Committee for Title Registration and has been participating in partnerships and in NRF-funded projects with peers from universities such as the University of KwaZulu-Natal, the University of Zululand, the Durban University of Technology, and the University of Venda.
“Dr Tsotetsi has a clear understanding of the current systems and operations on the Qwaqwa Campus and is positioned to drive its development. His experience and initiatives involving staff and postgraduate students are exceptional and inspiring. We look forward to Dr Tsotetsi’s valuable contribution to the UFS Qwaqwa Campus and the institution in his new position,” says Prof Prince Ngobeni, Campus Principal of the Qwaqwa Campus.
“I feel honoured to serve the university – and the Qwaqwa Campus in particular – and look forward to working with the campus and its management to develop the research portfolio,” says Dr Tsotetsi.
Lecturer’s debut novel wins ATKV Prize for Fiction
2015-10-14
Dr Francois Smith
Photo: Johan Roux |
Kamphoer made its debut on the literary scene just over a year ago, and on 11 September 2015, it was declared the best novel by the Afrikaanse Taal en Kultuurvereniging (ATKV). This is not the first time Kamphoer has been recognised as literary gem. Earlier this year, the novel was shortlisted for the W A Hofmeyr Prize as well as the Huisgenoot Tempo Award.
Dr Francois Smith, the author, joined the University of the Free State (UFS) as a lecturer in the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch, German and French at the beginning of this year. Prior to entering the academic sphere, he dedicated about 11 years of his life to editing for a publishing house. Certainly, helping other people write and produce books thoroughly prepared him for authorship.
For three months, Smith spent eight hours a day creating his award-winning masterpiece. The secret of success lies in the ABC formula. “The ABC for writing is Apply Back to Chair. You have to go and sit down and start typing,” he says.
That is when passion meets imagination, albeit at times, one might also need inspiration. Smith applied this winning formula meticulously, and it has resulted in over 30 000 copies of Kamphoer being sold since July 2014.
He was taken aback by the novel’s warm reception. “I wrote a book, finished it, and knew that it wasn’t bad but I never for one moment imagined that it would be such a big commercial success,” he said.
About Kamphoer
The book which Smith describes as a good but not an easy read about a disturbing subject is the true story of a woman who was brutally raped during the South African War and left for dead. After the traumatic experience, she dedicates her life to helping others deal with similar ordeals, re-encountering her rapists in the process.
About the award
Kamphoer emerged as an exceptional contribution amongst two other finalists. Kerneels Breytenbach’s Ester as well as Harry Kalmer’s ’n Duisend stories oor Johannesburg were also competing for the prestigious award.