Among the recipients of the Cum Laude Awards were former Springbok Sevens captain, Neil Powell, Acting Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Fort Hare (UFH), Eunice Seekoe, and Central Media Group CEO, Gary Stroebel. 

Ans Botha who has been coaching athletics at the UFS for 26 years received the Executive Management Award. 

Former Miss World and current medical student, Rolene Strauss, along with Olympic world record holder and current B.Com student, Wayde van Niekerk, both received the Ambassador Awards. 

The five-time recipient of the Dean’s Merit Certificate in the Law Faculty, Tanya Calitz, won the first ever Young Alumnus of the Year Award. 

The Chancellor’s Distinguished Alumnus Award went to Justice Mahube Molemela, the first woman in South Africa to hold the Judge President of the Free State High Court Division post.

"I’m elated, and I think to say elated is an understatement. This evening when I walked in and saw the person who nominated me, I said to him, 'thank you for nominating me because the mere nomination itself is a great honour to me', and of course the fact that I ended up winning - it really feels good."

Seithati Semenokane/OFM News