The Tip off by Janais Lauren van Eck

10 May 2017

tipstudentnews

THE @tipnews

Tip off

Vol. 1. Issue. 1

Students setting standards

University student expressed himself in protest to discrimination

our worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cultures, our forms of expression and ways of

TONKA DOBREVA

being human. Tolerance is harmony in difference. Practicing

ccording to the United Nations Educational, Scientific

tolerance for other races and cultures, in school and in society,

and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), â&#x20AC;&#x153;tolerance is

is extremely important for the peace, wellness and healthy

respect, acceptance and appreciation of the rich diversity of

In this edition.

Wits students receive bail PAGE 2

development of our communities and our country.

Students missing at Strand beach PAGE 4

Varsity Cup round 8 wrap up

A victory over social anxiety

PAGE 7

PAGE 13

News

Wits students receive bail

University of Witwaterstrand. NAEEMAH DUDAN

hree students from the University of the Witwaterstrand (Wits) were released on bail following their arrest during protests on Wits’ education campus. Students at Wits have been protesting against NSFAS funds,

Funza bursaries and accommodation since last week. On Tuesday morning, a group of students disrupted a lecture on education campus and three students were arrested. The students were taken to Hillbrow police station. Yesterday morning more conflict arose on

education campus. A student who asked not to be named said that more students were arrested and female students were beaten and sexually harassed. Wits spokesperson Shirona Patel said that she could not confirm these events. Students have been protesting since last

week Thursday. The protest began with a group of students blocking the entrance to the education campus and preventing people from entering and leaving. While the university management tried engaging with the students, they were unsuccessful and campus security was

called to remove the students. Despite the removal of students, the protest continued on Friday morning. . At the start of this week, university management met with the Student Representative Council (SRC). In the meeting, the SRC discussed with management the memorandum that was put forward by the students. The SRC wanted management to talk to the protesting students. However, Wits management said that this would not be possible. The university said that while students had a right to protest, this could not infringe on the rights of other students. The university also stated that if protests were unauthorised management would not engage with the protesters and they would be dispersed by campus control services. Those who are found to infringe on these policies face expulsion and disciplinary action.

UP lecturer gunned down in Bronkhorsspruit VIRGINIA KEPPLER

Dr. Frikkie Liebenberg, who was a senior lecturer in agricultural economics, was shot dead after an alleged gun fight with attackers at his farm. A 55-year old senior lecturer at the University of Pretoria (UP) was shot and killed in what looks like a gunfight between him and his attackers. The incident happened on his farm in

Bronkhorstspruit, east of Pretoria. Dr. Frikkie Liebenberg, a senior lecturer in agricultural economics, was living alone on his farm. He was also alone at the time of the shooting. National police spokesperson Colonel Lungelo Dlamini said initial investigations indicate that he was attacked by unknown persons. According to Dlamini, is seems the attackers did not enter his house. He said Liebenberg was found by farm workers

on Saturday morning. The farm workers said seems that nothing was stolen from the house. UP spokesperson Rikus Delport said everybody at the university was in total shock at the news of Liebenberg’s murder. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends,” Delport said. Dlamini said the police have opened a murder case and are looking for Liebenberg’s attackers. “The motive for the murder is unknown,”

News

Stellenbosch University investigates ‘Nazi’ posters STAFF REPORTER

tellenbosch University (SU) has so far identified three individuals linked to the planning of the “Anglo-Afrikaner Student” event at Stellenbosch University and the related posters that surfaced on the Stellenbosch campus on Tuesday.. SU’s Equality Unit (EU) is leading the investigation, supported by staff of the Student Discipline division. The unit received multiple complaints and subsequently launched an investigation in accordance with the principles in the institution’s Policy on Unfair Discrimination. The identified individuals are being interviewed, the university said. Based on the investigation and statements by the students the EU will make recommendations on further steps to be taken. “The posters and advertised event

Nazi Propoganda

promoting racial polarisation/superiority combined with highly offensive references to Nazi propaganda and NeoNazism are totally unacceptable. Given the values of SU and the South African Constitution we cannot condone views, events, publicity campaigns or innuendo that undermine our innate equality as human beings,” said EU head, Jaco Greeff-Brink.The SU management called on the campus community to let the investigation and subsequent processes run their course. “Our staff members in the relevant units are giving priority attention to the matter. The findings and further steps will be communicated to the campus community,” the university said in a statement. “SU reiterated that it condemns racism, racial superiority and any attempts to polarise the campus community in the strongest possible

Stellenbosch poster remake

Nazi Propoganda

terms and that it will not allow any event promoting racial superiority to take place on campus. Posters, which were put up without the consent of the University and which advertised a meeting venue that had not been booked, were removed yesterday. “The University confirmed on Tuesday that only a query had been received on the availability of the venue and that no official booking was made at the time the posters were displayed. No further information about the event had been supplied at that point,” the statement read. Yesterday rector and vice-chancellor of the university, Professor Wim de Villiers said: “Not only is the message of the posters totally unacceptable, it is also contrary to our institution’s values. There seems to be deliberate mischiefmaking involved, and if that should be the case, disciplinary steps will be taken.”

Stellenbosch poster remake

Fort Hare students continue protest until demands are met YOLANDA PALEZWENI

Disgruntled students at the University of Fort Hare’s East London Campus on Wednesday vowed to shut down the campus and continue with their now week-long protest claiming that the institution’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Sakhela Buhlungu, had refused to address them. The students said that they had invited the Vice Chancellor to give feedback on how the institution would resolve their grievances at a student mass meeting held on campus on Monday afternoon.A list of grievances was handed to university on Thursday last week and have not been attending classes since then. The students are demanding that the university implements a bus shuttle service to transport students to and from the

campus claiming that they are fall victim to crime every day. They are also demanding that the university provides residence as more than 250 students are still without accommodation. Another demand is that the 8% tuitionw fee increment implemented this year be scrapped off. Apparently, a meeting was held between the Student Representative Council (SRC) and management last week Friday to map a way forward. However, the students decided to continue with their protest until the solutions are implemented. On Tuesday, the SRC had a meeting with management where the Vice Chancellor reportedly responded to the students’ list of grievances.“We sat a meeting with the Vice Chancellor and he refused to address the students and he told us relay his feedback to them. the protest will continue until Prof Buhlungu addresses the student sand all their demands are met.

News

Strand beach in Cape Town

Students missing at Strand beach JODY DAVISON

n Saturday, four students from the University of the Western Cape (UWC) were swept out to sea at Strand beach. The Students’ Christian Organisation (SCO) planned the beach outing. Yesterday SCO released a statement explaining that once they noticed SCO members were in trouble, they notified the lifeguards on duty. The two female students were rescued and the two male students are yet to be found. The search for the remaining students was postponed due to rough sea conditions, strong winds and poor water visibility but continued yesterday

morning . As of this morning there has been no news that the students were found. According to news reports the students were swimming in a noswimming zone which is known to have big waves and strong rip currents. However, in SCO’s statement it was also noted that “the area was not demarcated to be a non-swimming area as some reports claim. The swimming area was not restricted nor was a warning given to safeguard that people did not swim in that specific area.” Yesterday Craig Lambinon from the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) told EWN thaT ” NSRI Gordon’s Bay emergency services and lifeguards from Strand Life Saving Club searched

Fort Hare students call out vice-chancellor ARETHA LINDE

Protesting University of Fort Hare (UFH) students have called their newly appointed vice-chancellor (VC) “a liar and an ignorant VC”. UFH’s new Vice-Chancellor Sakhela Buhlungu. The students spoke at a gathering at the East London campus today where the newly elected VC, Sakhela Buhlungu was responding to their

memorandum of demands. They boycotted classes in protest over unresolved issues. “He [Buhlungu] does not relate to the struggle of black students, he thinks this is UCT (University of Cape Town) where he served as a mere Dean. Here at UFH we do not operate like that if we call you to address us, you come,” said the adamant students.

extensively yesterday [Saturday] for two males that are missing aged 19 and 20 from the University of the Western Cape.”The families of the students have been informed and a missing person’s report was opened at the Strand Police Station. One of the students is a second year law student at UWC and the other a first year student from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). Unfortunately the bodies of both young men (from Venda), second-year UWC Law student Aluwani Hadzhi and first-year CPUT Mechanical Engineering student Mulweli Nevhutalo, were recovered on Tuesday and Wednesday of last week at Macassar Beach.

Unexplained explosions at UFS TAMMY FRAY

Yesterday, classes and lecture halls surrounding the chemistry labs at the University of the Free State (UFS) were evacuated as smoke and three explosions occurred underground on the northern side of the campus. As a precautionary measure, students in classes around that area were removed

by campus security and firefighters from Mangaung Fire and Rescue.Students were gathered into a group outside where they were ushered out of the way by campus security. The university stated that the incident is unlikely to happen again because the drains were flushed and the storm water drains are separate from the sewage and other draining systems.

International news US student sentenced to 15 years labour by North Korea.

Lecturer sues University of Ibadan SAHARA REPORTERS, NEW YORK

Otto Warmbier during his trial

REUTERS

orth Korea’s supreme court sentenced American student Otto Warmbier, who was arrested while visiting the country, to 15 years of hard labour on Wednesday for crimes against the state. Warmbier was at the end of a five-day New Year’s group tour of North Korea when he was delayed at airport immigration before being taken away by officials, according to the tour operator that had arranged the trip.“The accused confessed to

the serious offense against the DPRK he had committed, pursuant to the US government’s hostile policy toward it, in a bid to impair the unity of its people after entering it as a tourist,” the statecontrolled KCNA news agency reported. State Department spokesman Mark Toner called on North Korea to pardon Warmbier, a student from Wyoming, Ohio, and release him immediately on humanitarian grounds. “We’re going to remain in very close coordination

with the Swedes on this matter. It’s my understanding that he was in reasonable health,” Toner said. Human Rights Watch also condemned the sentence. “North Korea’s sentencing of Otto Warmbier to 15 years hard labor for a college-style prank is outrageous and shocking, and should not be permitted to stand,” Phil Robertson, deputy director of HRW’s Asia division, said in an emailed statement. Last month, Warmbier told a media conference in Pyongyang that his crime was “very severe.

Doyin Odebowale, has sued the university for sacking him after he refused to apologize to academic colleagues he accused of aiding and abetting plagiarism at the university. The suit urges the court to set aside a decision of the Governing Council of the university taken on 1 December 2016, to sack him. In an ex parte motion brought before the court, Odebowale is seeking an interim injunction restraining the Governing Council of the University from going ahead to implement decisions

that may affect him negatively. However, Justice Olalere declined the ex parte motion, asking the applicant to put the defendants on notice. The judge also adjourned the case till 27 March for hearing of the application. The lecturer’s counsel, Femi Aborisade, informed the court that his client lives in the university with his family. He also disclosed that the applicant had been teaching since 1996. Odebowale told our correspondent that the application had already been served on the defendants, and filed in court, as instructed by the presiding judge.

University of Ibadan. Image sourced

Central State University robbery and lockdown BREAKING NEWS STAFF

A Central State University student was injured during a robbery and the campus after gunfire was heard on Monday night. A Central State University female student was injured and was taken

to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton and is in stable condition. Police do not believe she was targeted, as the bullet went through the dorm room wall and struck her in bed. A lockdown order was issued around 9 p.m. after a

report of gunfire on campus amid reports that a woman was shot during an attempted robbery. It’s not clear whether police have identified a suspect, and no suspect description was released. A 19-year-old woman was taken into police custody

and charged with aggravated assault about 90 minutes after the lockdown was issued, but authorities said the arrest in unrelated to the robbery and shots fired report. There were no other injuries reported, and the incident remains under investigation.

Sport

Move4Fitness movement KWAZI SOKHELA

new health and fitness initiative is emerging at the University of Pretoria and the surrounding Hatfield area in the form of the Move4Fitness boot camps. Move4Fitness is a student-driven project that was founded by UP students, Mphosi Matete and Donald Marrocane. The two are both in the final year of pursuing their degrees in Chemical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering .Matete describes the movement as a way of encouraging fun health awareness. The boot camps, which have been taking place on Saturday mornings since 18 February at Urban 5occer, consist of a fitness-related session, a boot camp, and a dance session. During the

fitness session, those taking part perform body weight exercises, sport sprints and burpees. Matete and Marrocane believe that you do not need a gym membership to stay fit and healthy.The boot camp and dance sessions usually take place within the first hour of the programme and are facilitated by Marrocane. In this session, music and dance are used to coordinate the exercises, which Marrocane explained as “more of an aerobic dance activity” The duo’s inspiration to start this initiative stems from their passion for health and fitness. “Both Don [Marrocane] and I are big fitness enthusiasts, so what we wanted to do was to reach more masses [and] just to connect with people who are like minded,” said Matete. They formed a team of about 20

individuals, who are all students, and started to draft business plans and proposals. They approached Virgin Active, Oasis and Ocean Basket for sponsorship and were able to make them their current sponsors.Although the project is still in its infancy, its endeavours in Pretoria have subsequently garnered interest and requests from people residing in other cities such as Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban. As a result of the positive feedback they have received in Pretoria, they aim to expand their services to other regions in the hope of receiving similar feedback. “We just want to reach as many people as possible, because the more people we reach, the more people are healthy, the more people get fit,” said Matete.

Varsity Women’s fifth hockey season STAFF WRITER

Izelle Verter of UP Tuks during the 2017 Varsity Hockey Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch, Western Cape. Photo by: Luigi Bennett

The fifth Varsity Hockey season got underway on May 5 in Stellenbosch and this year it is the turn of the ladies to do battle for the title. Defending champions University of Johannesburg will look to repeat their 2015 success when they face seven other universities including University of Pretoria University of Stellenbosch, University of the Witwatersrand, University of Kwazulu Natal Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, University of the North West and University of the Free State.

The first leg will take place 5 – 8 May at the Maties Astro in Stellenbosch, with the second leg set to get underway between 12 – 15 May at the NWU-Pukke Astro in Potchefstroom. UKZN qualified for Varsity Hockey, after they eliminated the University of Cape Town (UCT) in last year’s USSA tournament. Tuks conceded their first goal of the tournament and we unable to reply as Pukke beat them 1-0 in Stellenbosch on Sunday afternoonUJ got their campaign on track with a strong performance over UKZN on Saturday evening in Stellenbosch. They won the encounter 8-2.

Sport

7 Varsity Cup round 8 results UJ, Maties, Shimlas and Tuks take top honours as they win this week. UJ v Wits UJ managed to beat rivals Wits to solidify their top four spot with a final score of 28 – 23. Scorers: FNB UJ: 28

Students prepare for the demo run

Wits and Red Bull collaborate on demo run PATRICIA ARUO

he WITS Sports Council and the Disability Unit (DRU) hosted the Wings for Life demo run, in collaboration with Red Bull on Wednesday April 19 at the Wits Science Stadium to raise awareness for the upcoming Wings for Life World Run to be held next month. Wings for Life is a non-profit research foundation for spinal cord related diseases. The Red Bull student brand manager.Chipo Kamukwamba says that “The Wings for Life and Red Bull founder, Dietrich Mateschitz, had a personal relationship with someone affected by a spinal cord injury and decided to start the foundation because of his access to resources and Red bull’s status as a global sporting brand. ”The Wits Sports

Council Development Officer, Takudzwa Chinamatira said they were approached the previous year by the Red Bull team to host the event. This is the first year that there was full collaboration between Wits Sport, the DLU and Red Bull. “The demo run is aimed at creating hype around the main event and make students aware about the reason for the Wings for Life run, which is to raise funds for spinal cord diseases,” he says. The DRU’s participation in this year’s race was on an invitation from the Reb Bull’s Kamukwamba. Tish White, an administrative assistant at the DRU felt that their participation in the event would be a good opportunity not only to raise awareness for the issues faced by the disabled staff and students, but

also to create more engagement with the university community. “The project is absolutely pivotal in the work that we do particularly with our students stakeholders. It is not just because of the symbolism for the university community, but also to have the ablebodied community members to participate in the race and engage with the disabled community is crucial to keeping our staff and student stakeholders as visible as possible,” she says. This year’s event attracted 227 participants including some sports teams and Wits. This was an improvement from the previous race, which had an attendance of around 100 participants. Knockando residence chairperson, Sibusiso Ngcobo won the race.

Tries: Jo Hanko De Villiers, Jaco Fourie, Adrian Bester Cons: Divan Nel (2) Pen: Divan Nel (3) Yellow Cards: Aphiwe Dyanti FNB Wits: 23 Tries: CJ Conradie, Ruan Cloete, Graham Logan Cons: Warren Gilbert Pen: Warren Gilbert (2) Maties v CUT Maties ensured their stay in the running for the final of the Varsity Cup, despite a good comeback by CUT in Bloemfontein, eventually winning 73-44. Scorers: FNB Maties: 73 Tries : Craig Barry (4), Edwill Van Der Merwe , Johan Momsen , JE Van Der Merwe, Mitchell Carstens, Iver Aanhuizen Cons: Swanepoel (6) and Ernst Stapelberg FNB CUT Ixias: 44 Tries: Henco Smit,Stefan Kruger, Reuben Heymans, Brendan Verster, Ndakisa Cons: Marin Jacobs (4)

Pens: Jacobs (3) Shimlas v Madibaz Shimlas beat Madibaz 23-7 at Shimla Park in Bloemfontein. Scorers: FNB Shimlas: 23 Tries: Marco Mason (seven-pointer), Vuyani Maqina (five-pointer), Nakkie Naude (sevenpointer) Cons: Marco Mason (2) Yellow cards: Francois Steyn FNB Madibaz: 7 Tries: Andile Jho (seven-pointer) Yellow card: Francois Nieuwoudt Tuks v UCT UP-Tuks outscored UCT seven tries to three in their 51-23 win over the men from Cape Town in Pretoria. Scorers: FNB UP-Tuks: 51 Tries: Andre Warner, Sibahle Maxwane (5 pt. try, 7 pt. try), Toko Maebane, Penalty Try (2), Tinus de Beer (7 pt. try) Cons: Tinus de Beer (4) Yellow cards Chris Massyn FNB UCT: 23 Tries: Cuan Hablutzel (2), Nyasha Tarusenga (seven pt try) Cons: Lohan Lubbe (3) Yellow cards Gary Porter, Cuan Hablutzel, Michael Kumburai.

Feature

isiXhosa makes its mark “We need to push academic literature in Xhosa so future generations will not struggle as much as I did”

Dr Hleze Kunhu ZISANDA NKONKOBE

he beauty, relevance and importance of the Xhosa language were highlighted through academia this month via a duo of Rhodes University theses produced by two PhD students. In a first for the institution, Dr Hleze Kunju produced his research paper titled “IsiXhosa as a Minority Language in Zimbabwe: Survival and Maintenance”, completely in his mother tongue. Dr Thulani Mkhize, on the other hand, focused on the

writing of Xhosa poet Nontsizi Mgqwetho who wrote over 90 political poems between 1920 to 1929 in Johannesburg completely in Xhosa, catering to a Xhosa audience. Through this research, Mgqwetho’s poetry is used as a tool to analyse the complexities and dynamics of African literary production written in African languages. Both graduates received their doctorates at the institution’s graduation ceremonies held during April. The Daily Dispatch caught up with both of them to chat

about their research. Kunju – a lecturer at Sol Plaatjie University in the North West – said the idea to compile his thesis in Xhosa was mainly inspired by his active participation in the Rhodes University Language Committee. With the drafting of the current language policy, Kunju said it was agreed that students should be able to use their mother tongue language as part of learning. Passionate about the preservation of Xhosa as well as the ideal of transformation in higher learning institutions, Kunju said his research material also played a hand in his decision. His thesis focused on the lives of 20000 members of the amaXhosa tribe who relocated to Mbembesi in Zimbabwe in the late 1800s and early 1900s under the leadership of Cecil John Rhodes. According to Kunju, his preliminary research on the matter revealed that not much literature around the topic was available in the country, with many of the Zimbabwean Xhosa clans unaware of just how vast their numbers were. Kunju said on his first visit to the villages in 2013, he found a

great variety of members of the different Xhosa clans in 12 different villages. All of them still speak Xhosa, with the dialect spoken by the younger generation slightly influenced by Shona and Ndebele. His initial visit was followed by other trips which spanned a total of two years, with the final research paper compiled and completed in 2016. “I realised that there wasn’t much information available on them and there were very few people in the country who know about this. I decided then to give them due respect by firstly telling their story through my research but also telling it in their mother tongue, so that they too can one day read what I had written about them. This was the main reason I wrote in my mother tongue. There is very little literature on the Xhosas written in Xhosa. “There are two other reasons I decided to write in Xhosa. The second is because I really love the language and I become truly emotionally disturbed when people look down on the language and undermine the fact that it could be used as a medium of instruction in universities. “The third reason is because we are speaking about transformation and decolonisation and I think mother tongue learning could be of great advantage to many students. When I arrived in university I realised that many of us who did not go to English medium

Feature

in academic studies schools, were at a disadvantage because everything was taught in English. I found this practice really unfair because students who spoke English as a mother tongue and went to an English medium school all their life were given the same assignments as I was and writing the same tests as me and we were being marked in exactly the same way. I felt this was another form of colonisation and I felt I had a right to learn in a language that I’m more comfortable with. “I’m not saying every Xhosa should study in Xhosa. I’m just saying people should have the choice and have the option available to them.”Kunju said major challenges during his journey was finding the correct academic Xhosa text in which to compile his thesis. “An example is the word ‘methodology’. I found no such word in the Xhosa language. In the end I wrote the word ‘i-methodology’ with the translation ‘the way in which this research was compiled’ in Xhosa next to it. I realise that is not necessarily the same as the word methodology as it is in English but rather an explanation of what it is. That was just one of the words I struggled with. “This made me realise that my research was even more important in that we need to push academic literature in Xhosa so future generations will not struggle as much as I did where I had to translate many words into Xhosa from English,” he said. Mkhize said her thesis topic had been inspired by her masters in English research thesis where she looked at 19th and 20th century African writers from the Eastern Cape such as Tiyo Soga, SEK Mqhayi and

Nontsizi Mgqwetho. “We have a rich intellectual heritage of writers, poets, historians and intellectuals yet we were never taught about their work in school or at university. I was inspired to research and write about their works and the issues they write about and offer insights into which we still encounter today in one form or another,” she said. According to Mkhize, westernisation has affected how many Xhosas view and interact with this literature, with many not exposed to their own literacy heritage. She said with the move to decolonise the curriculum in universities, a more balanced curriculum that reflects the socio-historical and linguistic reality of all students would be Dr Thulani Mkhize introduced. “Mgqwetho’s poetry showed me that we come from a tradition of organic intellectuals who successfully and strategically navigated the situations and spaces they found them- els have taught me that peoselves in and we have much ple need to be proud of their to learn from them as modern heritage and language. Learnmen and women to empower ing, loving and encouraging ourselves and take our place in Xhosa does not mean we must the world in a way that serves not learn other languages but our families, communities and that we need to value our own nation. Kunju said his doctor- language. “There are parents ate was not just an achieve- out there who are not keen ment for him but for Xhosas as for their children to learn their a whole. mother tongue and I don’t en“My research and my trav- courage that. I encourage eve-

“We come from a tradition of organic intellectuals” ryone, especially students, to write in their African language. I think it’s particularly important for us academics to ensure that we set the standard by developing our African languages, to write in our African languages and to make sure that we make academic material available for the upcoming academics to allow them to succeed,” he said.

Finance

Rhodes staff demands wage increase LUCAS NOWICKI

n the early hours of Tuesday morning, staff members at the university currently known as Rhodes (UCKAR) belonging to the National Education Health and Allied Union (NEHAWU) and National Tertiary Education Staff Union (NTEU) marched to the administration building to deliver a memorandum demanding a 7,5% pay increase, after rejecting the university’s previous offer of 5%. The university has been engaged in negotiations with the unions for the last 18 months, attempting to find a solution which satisfies both parties. UCKAR is under huge financial strain, due to dwindling government subsidies and other financial pressures but the offered 5% wage increase was a bitter pill to swallow for staff. The offer was rejected by the

unions, who then organised the strike and memorandum calling for the university to meet their demands. Staff marched through lower campus singing and holding posters, and gathered outside the administration building at 11am to deliver their memorandum to the administration of the University. Their demands include; a R450 transport allowance, skilled training provided by the institution, a 7% wage increase, decrease in working hours, 50% medical subsidy after retirement, a 2 year moratorium on retrenchments, access to the university’s financial documents in notes and a name change of the institution. Many of the staff held posters referencing the fact that UCKAR has the best pass rate per capita in South Africa, but the staff are paid in the 20th percentile of universities in South Africa. Workers

are becoming increasingly worried about their ability to support their families and community. UCKAR staff and workers support multiple family members of their salaries, but as inflation increases beyond the salary increases, this is becoming more and more difficult. The dining halls were closed throughout the day with E-Wallet money issued to students. Most lectures and tutorials went ahead, however some were cancelled due to lecture theatres and areas of administration being locked through portions of the day.. Dr Iain L’Ange, Executive Director of the Infrastructure, Finance and Operations Division, signed the memorandum and staff then conceded that the university would function as usual, but warned that if the demands are not met in the next 7 days there will be a full shutdown of the university.

NSFAS reacts to students committing fraud JODY DAVISON

he National Student Financial aid Scheme (NSFAS) has caught wind of students trying to sell their allowance vouchers for cash. Incidents have been reported at the University of Venda and Durban University of

Technology.. In a statement released on Facebook today, NSFAS confirmed “that at least two [out of five] students at the University of Venda have forfeited their coupons/ vouchers after it was discovered that they are trading or exchanging them for cash.” NSFAS’ Legal and Risk De-

partment will investigate the matter further. NSFAS has said that “we are taking extreme and harsh measures to deal with this.” Kagisho Mamabolo, spokesperson for NSFAS, has spoken to the media and has expressed NSFAS’ disappointment in some students trying

to profit off of their allowance vouchers.Mamabolo has also stated that NSFAS will suspend all allocated money for students caught selling their allowance vouchers. Students have been encouraged to report students who are selling their vouchers for cash to the fraud hotline (0800203900).

Technology

Apps to aid students GODFRED REGGIO

or millennials, studying at university means that we no longer rely on the library for books. These days we prefer to download the ebook onto one of our many devices. As technology has opens up an oasis of possibilities for students. Google Apps

Using a combination of Gmail, Google Drive, Google Calendar and Google Keep will only make student life easier. Let the apps work for you. Most people have a Gmail account and if you don’t, it’s not a mission to set up. It is worth the five minutes as Drive, Calendar and Keep apps will be interlinked to your Gmail. Google Drive will make sure you never have to worry about leaving your work at home. Google Drive allows you to store all your files (i.e. documents, pictures and videos) in a virtual cloud. This means that even if all your devices die, you can still use the campus computers to access your work. With Google Calendar, you do not have to worry about buying a diary. Google Keep is an app that will transform your experience in lectures. It allows you to record every word your lecturer says. You can then make notes,

knowing you can always replay lecture if you miss anything. Scribd

It does not matter what you study, the library is always one place every student must visit regularly. Often the book you want has been taken out or maybe you are looking for more resources, which makes Scribd a must have app for you. Scribd is an online library. To access the library you have to pay a monthly subscription but it is worth it. Itunes U

For Apple lovers this is a must have, as Apple has created an online university which gives you access to study material from some of the top universities in the world. Some of the courses are taken from MIT, Oxford, Yale, and Cambridge. This is fantastic opportunity to learn more about subjects from your chosen degree. An app that could help you improve your grades. So far all the apps accommodate students

using Android and Apple devices but iTunes U is an apple product. EasyBib

One of the most tedious and sometimes frustrating parts of doing assignments is bibliographies and citations. EasyBib will do your bibliography for you and save you the trouble of having to remember how to reference different sources. All you have to do is type in the name of the book then copy and paste.Students today live in a digital world with tools capable of transforming the university experience in some of the best and most convenient ways possible.

“It’s not that we use technology, we live technology.”

Lifestyle

Festival-Goers frustrated over Oppi and Daisies DYLAN JACK

estival-goers have been left frustrated at the fact that Oppikoppi has decided to change its date to 5-7 October. This puts it on the same date as the Rocking the Daisies festival, which will be held from 5-8 October. Oppikoppi is usually held on the first weekend of August and many students look forward to travelling to both Darling and Northam. This change will force students to choose between the two. Students will be left frustrated at having to chose between Oppikoppi (pictured) and Rocking the Daisies. Students will be left frustrated at having to chose between Oppikoppi (pictured) and Rocking the Daisies. Erin Slingerland, a fourth-year education student, says: “I’m sure there are plenty of

Rocking the Daisies 2016. Photograph by Rocking the Daisies

reasons why they’d do this, but honestly as a festival-goer it has left me in a tough place, deciding on two very different festivals when I was planning on attending both.”Jackson Dando, a Masters student in Marine Biology, called the move “idiotic”. Dando added “[They] should have done it on subsequent weekends [as] having

it on the same dates is going to result in a huge loss of business on both sides as well as being a big middle finger to anyone who was keen to do both festivals.” Warrick Dawson, a software developer says “I’ve attended Oppikoppi a few times and loved it. If having them on the same weekend will attract

more international acts, which makes sense as Splashy [Fenn] and Lush [Festival] do it, then I am all for it. It’s about the music we get to see in the end.”According the the Oppikoppi Facebook page, the decision was made after last year’s event to ensure that the festival fell outside the summer calendar for festivals in Europe.

This would allow the event to attract some of the larger international bands. The organisers have further announced that Oppikoppi and Rocking the Daisies will be collaborating on the artist selection for the festivals.This means that many of the headline acts at Oppikoppi will also be performing at Daisies. Rocking the Daisies is one of South Africa’s most popular outdoor music festivals attracting local and international performers. Rocking the Daisies is one of South Africa’s most popular outdoor music festivals attracting local and international performers. According to Steyn Entertainment, the organisers of Rocking the Daisies, this will be the first time in South Africa that organisers of two large events will collaborate on this scale.

WITS students artwork open studio exhibition MJO ODWA

Visitors marvel at the creative work of Fine Arts students Photograph by Mjo Odwa

Fine Arts students at the Wits School of Arts (WSOA) hosted their first open studio exhibit of the year on Thursday evening showcasing the body of work they have produced this year. The event, held at the WSOA studios, gave the students an opportunity to showcase their work to the Wits community and the general public. The work of the students varied in terms of creativity

with a focus on a broad spectrum of social, psychological and political narratives. Some of the art work, such as that of fourth year student Talia Naicker which focused on the #FeesMustFall and the various narratives that were dominant during the movement, was visually striking with the use of spoons and written text. Fine arts student Kim Van Vuuren said, “This is an opportunity for people to view our work because feedback is a really important for us as artists.”

Lifestyle

“The biggest step in helping yourself is accepting that there is something wrong”

A victory over social anxiety CHANTE SCHATZ

veryone has this notion that the so-called “student life” is vibrant and care-free where you get to party all week, skip classes and still meet your deadlines, well some deadlines. But that is not always the case. As far as I see it, student life presents itself with three main challenges. Firstly, there is adapting. The move from a familiar space like high school to a whole new world on campus can be daunting. It’s about revisiting your own personal social skills all over again. How does one speak to a complete stranger, or start a positive relationship with lecturers and more importantly, get around on campus. Secondly, you have to establish your role as a student. You could be the fun fanatic that lives on the edge and has a social group on campus that becomes a priority. You could be the dedicated student that lives in the library and has the lecturer on speed dial. You could even do both if you have your time management down to the tee, however, I find this could be slightly impossible. Lastly, confidence is key! We’ve all heard that saying before. Confidence is the foundation of one’s self-esteem.

Unfortunately, not everybody knows how to make this happen. That’s where I come in. Introducing, social anxiety. The basic definition for social anxiety is the fear of social situations that involve interaction with other people. It is an inescapable disorder that affects almost every aspect of one’s life. I have never struggled with the whole anxiety thing before. I’m generally the easy-going type, always avoiding conflict yet open to the environment around me. Making friends came easy in school mostly because I spent most of my time there. It was not until I got into university that my world seemed a little more foreign to me. I found it extremely hard to get myself out there, to enjoy the buzz and make the best of my experience. Instead I withdrew myself because I could not understand what was going on. At first I thought the whole varsity vibe was stupid and unnecessary to get into, I had convinced myself of this, but actually, it was just me. I realised for the first time that I could not adapt, I could not establish my role in this big institution, I lacked simple confidence. How did this happen? I wish the universe would tell me. For the first six months of varsity I struggled. I put myself under so much

pressure that I just fell into a deep whole and stayed there hoping that when I came out the world would cease to exist. Keeping up with my grades was almost impossible, making friends failed on so many occassions, and more importantly, my health became a concern as I could hardly eat anything as I was always stressed out. This would go on for a good five years. How I graduated through all that is still mind-boggling to this day. So how does on even begin to get over this huge hurdle? To be honest, the biggest step in helping yourself is accepting that there is something wrong. In the end I could adapt, I found my role as a student, I found my confidence. Today I am far better than the person I use to be. Challenges still present themselves but today I know how to handle them. Five years down the line and I am finally able to say “I did it!”.It is important that one defines their struggle before avoiding it. These life challenges will never go away, so it is important to grab it by the horns and show it who’s boss regardless of how big they may seem.At the end of the day we’re all human, our main instinct is to survive in a complicated yet beautiful world, and that experience in itself counts for a lot.

Travel

What are gap years for? HASNA HAIDAR

irst and foremost, what is a gap year? It is usually a constructive 12-month break taken from study or work in order for the individual to pursue other interests, generally markedly different from their regular life or line of work. Following on from this definition, if you’re a professional taking a break from your formal work life in order to pursue other interests, you’re more likely to refer to this year as a “sabbatical year” – you’ll spend your time pursuing activities that will either greatly supplement your regular line of work, or will be completely unrelated to it. The term “gap year” is more commonly applied to students who take a year (or less, rarely more) away from their regular studies, usually between high school (upper secondary school) and college (university). Some students may instead take a gap year before starting the last stage of their secondary education (such as Alevels), or even after graduating from university, to better prepare themselves for entering the workforce. As such, a gap year can be any break taken between life

stages, whether that is between school and university, between university and formal work, or when changing careers or going into retirement later on in life. Other common names for a gap year are: pathway, prep-year, leap year, defer year, bridge-year, drop year, year out, year off, overseas experience (OE) or foundation year. The name you use will depend on what you intend to do during your gap year, what country you’re in, and sometimes the institution you wish to enter after your gap year is over. There are many reasons why you (or your child) might want to take a gap year. Typically, students view it as an opportunity to gain professional or personal experience, achieve specific goals and/ or explore personal interests. If you’re considering taking a gap year, it is important to think carefully about whether it’s the right decision for you, and what you might gain from it. If you’re applying for a university course or for a professional role, you’ll be expected to show that your year was not only fun but also productive and meaningful. So when planning a gap year you should consider how various activi-

ties will help you develop personally and intellectually, contribute to a good cause, gain a deeper understanding of the world, and develop enterprise, maturity, commitment and independence outside of formal education. Some students choose to dedicate their year entirely to travel, either alone or with friends. There are many gap year social networking sites, with message boards and information to help you find a travel mate, share ideas and get advice for lone travelling. Many websites also provide assistance in finding hostels and budget accommodation in different countries, and you can also get assistance with discounted student travel tickets including roundthe-world flight tickets. Travelling locally is also an option, and can have its advantages: you’ll spend less on travel expenses, it’s easier to find temporary work to top up your funds,. You may have a ready-made network of friends you can call on for accommodation, and it’s a great introduction to parts of your own country where you might consider seeking job opportunities in the future.

Tertiary education abroad In 2012, China reached its target of spending 4% of GDP on education. It is currently investing US$250 billion a year in “human capital” (source: New York Times), which includes the subsidy of education for young people moving from rural to urban areas, in an ef-

fort to lessen the gap between the educated elite and rural laborers. The number of colleges and universities in China has doubled in the last decade to 2,409. The country’s current five-year plan, which extends to 2015, focuses on many development priorities that are

appealing to western college graduates. Many Chinese universities are focusing on developing technologies that increase competitiveness with the West. Key initiatives include Project 211, which aims to bring 100 Chinese universities up to a world-class standard,

and Project 985, which aims to create an even more elite group of universities. Project 985 has resulted in the creation of the C9 league, which has ambitions of becoming something like the US Ivy League. - TOP UNIVERSITIES

Fashion

Lecture attire

Finding that balance between comfort and style. NATALIE GIQUEL

t is a relatively common want for any lecture-goer to want to look good. The beginning of the year starts us off with ambitions of wellgroomed hair, ironed clothes and elegantly calculated accessory combinations. Now, although I admire those who strut into lecture theatres in heels and SA couture, come June I am more than ready to embrace sweat pants and sneakersLooking and feeling good about

what you wear any day can boost confidence and lift one’s spirit, but there is definitely an art to combining comfort and style for lecture-wear. The posing question is just how to combine these seemingly opposing forms of dress to make what you wear practical (without the unintended ‘too lazy to care’ subtext). With that being said, everyone’s style is unique. These guide lines are merely helpful tips to insert within your style, expressed in the way that best suits you!

: Accessories

With a simple outfit of jeans/shorts and a shirt, you’d be surprised at how quickly a few accessories can transform an outfit. So try out a cap, glasses, jewellery or an interesting hair-do to stand out. Rolling up your sleeves or jeans can also look ruggedly good.

: Don’t snub casual wear!

A simple jeans and a shirt can do a world of good when you are in a rush or not in the mood to put an outfit together. You’d be surprised at how many people go by this simple outfit choice. Don’t be afraid to rock a comfy sweater and some baggy pants, with a little extra effort, it can look amazing.

Image sourced

: Footwear

As many timetables dictate, one lecture venue can be on the complete opposite side of campus to the next. Movement between these lectures are pretty hurried. Uncomfortable shoes make for slow travel and a general discomfort during your lectures. So lay back with some comfy tommy takkies, slops, comfortable sandals or sneakers. A handy tip to remember, give your sandals a little tug on connecting straps to the sole. Because sandals are often unreliable, you would rather have them break in your room than half-way up. the library steps.

Light hearted

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Something to think on â&#x20AC;&#x153;A day without laughter is a day wastedâ&#x20AC;? - Charlie Chaplin

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