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Tuks se amptelike studentekoerant / Official Tuks student newspaper / Kuranta ya baithuti ya semmušo ya Tuks
01September2014
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Student jumps from Humanities Building MOLEBOGENG MANGOALE, MARKO SVICEVIC AND FUMILAYO SOKO A male student died after jumping from the Humanities building (HB) on main campus on Monday morning in an alleged suicide. The university confirmed the incident in a statements labeling it as an “unnatural death of a student”. The university said that the student’s name has been withheld until they received permission to release the name from the parents of the deceased. It is unknown at this stage from which floor the student jumped. Micaela Paschini, a first year BA Law student who witnessed the incident said that she was walking with a friend to the Client Service Centre to get a new student card around 08:30
when she heard a high-pitched scream and a loud bang. Paschini said that her friend told her that she had seen something fall from the HB although she wasn’t certain what it was. Paschini said that she went to the sixth floor of the HB where she discovered the victim’s body and alerted security She said that the security guards arrived on the scene quickly and immediately covered up the body.. Ethel Motlhamme, a senior management officer at Student Support, said that they have already given professional counselling to four students who have been affected by the incident. Nicolize Mulder, UP’s media liaison officer said, “It’s important to remind students of the availability of counselling services at this institution.” The university said that trauma counselling is available for affected students
Rescue workers on the roof of the HB. Photo: Charlotte Bastiaanse
and staff. The incident has raised concerns over the safety and precautionary measures at the HB and other high-rise buildings on campus. This comes after a UP lecturer also died after jumping from the same building in July.
UP has offered trauma counselling to all affected staff and students. Student Support can be reached on their 24-hour crisis service number 0800 006 428 or 012 420 2310.
Curlitzia and Vividus Men win Serenade Nationals MICHAL-MARÉ LINDEN Curlitzia and Vividus Men both claimed the title of Serenade National champions in the women’s and men’s division respectively on Saturday. Curlitzia and Vividus Men represented UP as winners of the university’s leg of the national competition. This year’s finalists comprised of the ladies and men Serenade winners from UP, the University of Johannesburg (UJ), the University of the Free State (Kovsies), North-West University (Pukke) and Stellenbosch University (Maties). Curlitzia have represented Tuks at nationals for the past three years but their car guard theme and refined harmonies managed to secure them the win this year. Soetdoring from Kovsies placed second and Francie van Zijl from Maties placed third. Vividus Men presented a performance titled “Bohemian Melody” and beat out Dromedaris from UJ and Caput from Pukke, who claimed second and third places respectively. Vividus Men were also announced as the overall winners of the competition and will receive R10 000 prize money. This year’s nationals were hosted by UJ and are organised annually by the ATKV.
Curlitzia at Serenade Nationals. Photo: Sansha van der Merwe
Tukkie’s rapist sentenced to life in jail MAXINE TWADDLE The man who has come to be known as “the Tukkie rapist” has been sentenced to life in jail with an additional 40 years. In October 2011, Tsietsi Samuel Mziza broke into a 22-year-old UP student’s townhouse in a security complex in Pretoria. He raped her and stabbed her 23 times, both with a knife and with a machete. She survived the attack, even though eight of her stab wounds were potentially deadly. The victim had opened her gate to allow guests to leave. Mziza was waiting for her in her house when she returned. After the attack, Mziza fled the scene with the victim’s laptop
and cell phone. The victim managed to drag herself to her garden gate, where she was found by a neighbour. Later that night, Mziza was found hitchhiking on the side of the road by police. They became suspicious when they saw the blood on his shoes and arrested him. Upon his arrest, Mziza told the officers that he was feeling unwell. He was taken to the Dr George Mukhari hospital without handcuffs or shackles. He escaped from his hospital room, which was under police guard, two days later. The two policemen charged with guarding Mziza were arrested the same day and released with a warning. They were found not guilty
of defeating the ends of justice and aiding the escape. Mziza was arrested again a week later when he was found breaking into a house. Mziza initially maintained his innocence, but he pleaded guilty to charges of burglary, rape, attempted murder and escape. According to evidence heard in court during the trial, Mziza first hacked the victim with his machete and stabbed her. The pre-sentence psychiatric report says that he decided to rape her after seeing the suffering she was experiencing. Mziza allegedly wrapped a plastic bag around his genitals as “contraception” and raped the victim as she was drifting in and out of consciousness.
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Prosecutor Sanet Jacobs described the brutality of the attack in her closing statement, saying that the blade of the knife used to stab the victim in the forehead had broken off and had to be surgically removed. Jacobs called for the strongest possible sentence, asking “What sort of savage would get satisfaction from having sex with a dying person?” “I wish today I could ask for the death penalty, because it would have been appropriate,” Jacobs said. Mziza has been wanted by police since 2001 on charges of rape and attempted murder. He was allegedly under the influence of drugs on the night of the attack.
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Editorial
An ode to spring
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Welcome, spring. It’s my second favourite season. The crispness of winter just beats it. But it’s still quite lovely with its balmy breezes, its perfumed air, its weather that’s warm enough
Tel: 012 420 6600 Cell: 083 318 9738 carel.willemse@up.ac.za
From the Editor for a floral dress but not so hot that I have to risk wetting my hair in the pool, its budding flowers, its baby animals (I could do without the birds squawking outside my window at 06:00, though). What I love most about spring is the feeling of change that it evokes, the anticipation for something new that it creates, and the growth that it makes possible. This spring offers many exciting chances for change. This week, we can vote for the SRC that will lead UP next year. Don’t be apathetic about student governance – active citizenship has to start somewhere. Take the opportunity to have your say. Even if you won’t be a student here next year, vote so that future UP students can have the representation you would have liked for yourself. Spring always seems to me to be the last breath before the stress of the end of the academic year. Those of you who are finishing up degrees this year will understand the panic that sets in when the ever-annoying question “What are you doing next year?” is asked. Those of you who are planning to pursue postgraduate degrees will understand the irritation that sets in with the ever-moreannoying question “When are you going to go
Anyone walking around campus over the last week will have noticed the rise of election posters. Beyond the smiling faces, there’s an innocent – but insidious – call for students to “#StopPolitiek” on the AfriForum Youth posters. This statement, which lacks context and explanation, seems irrelevant in the greater scheme of things. But the notion that we, as young South Africans and students, should abandon and “stop” politics is dangerous. AfriForum might frame it as an end to endless squabbling of student politics. But students should see it as a call to end debate and democratic dialogue about the direction of politics and policy at UP. If we heed the call to end politics, we give in to the politics of one organisation and their way of thinking about things – this effectively means that our voices and opinions are excluded. My argument may seem shrill and some will simply shrug it off, but there’s no other way to Bachelor’s Loft for rent: 01 Sept 2014
Cum Laude, Block 2, 3rd Floor, C/O Grosvenor and South Street, Hatfield
understand this call to end politics. It is a call to end the open contestation of ideas and opinions by students. Politics is centred on a contestation of opposing views. Without this competition between competing voices – let’s say, those for transformation and those against – there is no democracy. Or, at least, no vibrant democracy. We need more democracy. Not less. And we need to remember that the very same organisation promoting an end to vibrant democracy on campus is relying on our votes to push their agenda. Their agenda is an act of politics, and their participation in campus elections is an act of politics. If we accept the death of politics on campus we accept the death of our individual voices on campus, and we give in to the agenda put forward by a select few students – who are political, but want to pretend otherwise. Beyond suggesting an end to the open contestation of ideas on campus, AfriForum is
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also discouraging young South Africans from participating in politics beyond the campus gates. In a country where all youth – black and white – are struggling to find employment and make a life for themselves, promoting a message that politics should be avoided is irresponsible and dangerous. It is an invitation for students to merely accept the way things are. Instead of encouraging Tuks students to make a difference through participation in student (and national) politics, the call to end politics is a call to remove one’s self from the national democratic debate. On 3 September students must put vote for politics and democracy, not against it. This vote should serve to empower us, not disempower us. On 3 September students can put an end to the irresponsible politics of “Stop Politiek”, and that is the beauty of democracy. Thorne Godinho
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Please keep in mind that your academic record should be attached and that you should at least have a 60% average to be considered for an EC position.
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Copyright Perdeby is printed by Paarlmedia. All rights reserved. Contributions are welcome. All due care will be taken with materials submitted, but Perdeby and printers cannot be held responsible for loss or damage. The editor reserves the right to edit, amend or alter in any way deemed necessary. Perdeby cannot be responsible for unsolicited material. The opinions expressed in Perdeby are not necessarily those of the editors and printers of Perdeby.
out into the real world” is asked. Personally, I’m going to try to enjoy spending another two years hiding from the real world while doing my master’s. I’ll probably beg for a nine-to-five job after my sixth all-nighter. September marks my last month at Perdeby (if I don’t leave now, I’ll stay in these offices forever, which is problematic for someone who isn’t considering a future in journalism). I’ll have to say goodbye in October but let’s not talk about that now. I’ll start blubbering and I’m an ugly crier. I’ll try pull myself together for my last edition, I promise. To cheer myself up, I read Ernest Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast (I have an unhealthy obsession with him) and came across this quote, which fits nicely with my spring theme: “When spring came, even the false spring, there were no problems except where to be happiest. The only thing that could spoil a day was people and if you could keep from making engagements, the day had no limits. People were always the limiters of happiness except for the very few that were as good as spring itself.” Find somewhere good to be happiest this month. Max
Letter to the editor
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SRC holds third quarterly Student Forum meeting DYLAN FLOWERDAY AND FUMILAYO SOKO The third quarterly Student Forum meeting took place on Wednesday 27 August. The NSFAS, the discontinuation of the Sunnyside/Arcadia bus service, the racial segregation in residences and the upcoming SRC elections were some of the matters discussed. Before SRC President Enwee Human began his quarterly report, an argument ensued between the deputy chair of the Constitutional Tribunal and the Student Forum members. The members requested that SRC deputy secretary James Lotter give them a report of what had been addressed in terms of the issues raised at the previous forum meeting. Lotter did not to present the report, citing the procedure for raising issues at the Student Forum. Students must submit questions prior to the forum’s sitting. In his report, Human said that NSFAS currently has a R53 million backlog for student payments at UP. Students with historical debt will not qualify for financial assistance in 2015 and will not be able to register for the academic year. Tuition fees are also set to increase by 9.5% for undergraduate, 10.5% for postgraduate and 12% for master’s students. The discontinuation of the Sunnyside/Arcadia bus service was another issue discussed. According to the SRC portfolio holder of
The African Union Student Alliance (Ausa) hosted an event called Pulls and Tensions: Xenophobia and the Rights of Foreigners in Africa on 26 August. The event focused on the causes and impacts of xenophobia, ways xenophobic attitudes could be removed from society, and the rights of foreigners. Thifulufheli Sinthumule, advocacy officer
Enwee Human and James Lotter during last week’s forum meeting. Photo: Brendon Fraser
facilities, safety and security Kim Ngobeni the service was not used effectively, with a 31% maximum usage during the June examination period. Ngobeni added that the problem lies with obtaining the funding for the service, which amounts to R80 000 per month. The issue of buses to the Prinshof campus was also raised. EFF Tuks secretary Jaco Oelofse addressed
issues in residences saying that racial segregation is disguised as cultural segregation in residences. “It is 2014, why are we still tackling issues of racism?” he asked. SRC portfolio holder of residences Gabriel Nel responded to Oelofse and said that the perceived 60:40 racial quota does not exist on any legal documents.
from the Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa (CoRMSA), said that misunderstanding or ignorance and socio-economic factors are the main causes of xenophobia. According to Sinthumule, South Africa is seen as the most xenophobic nation within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) by the rest of the SADC. This is due to the number of documented xenophobic attacks in South Africa, the powerhouse of the region.
Sinthumule added that there is a lack of understanding of the rights of foreign nationals in South Africa. “Immigrants have the same rights as South Africans which are enriched in the constitution, except for political rights such as the right to vote. These rights are claimed through documentation,” he said. Sinthumule said that effective conflict resolution structures and the establishment of a strong leadership structure in Africa would mitigate xenophobia.
EFF Tuks to contest SRC elections ARON HYMAN EFF Tuks will contest the 2014/2015 SRC elections. According to EFF Tuks, the decision to participate was unanimous within the organisation and is supported by the national party. EFF Tuks secretary Jaco Oelofse says that the EFF Tuks-backed candidates “are committed to radical change”. “We believe that this university is the last battleground for racism. We can still win the battle against racism, where we can still make a dent in white supremacy. We want to tackle the roots of racism here at this university,” Oelofse said. According to Oelofse, EFF Tuks aims to
KEEGAN FRANCES University of Witwatersrand (Wits) Wits SRC election candidates have opposed the university’s controversial new residences admission policy, which they feel will be detrimental to disadvantaged students. Wits Vuvuzela reported that the Progressive Youth Alliance (PYA), Project W, Wits EFF, the house committee and the current SRC drafted a memorandum which will be handed to Wits Vice-Chancellor Prof. Adam Habib. Prof. Habib explained at a recent town hall meeting that the new residence admissions policy aims to make campus accommodation “more accessible and appealing to all students, especially those who have good academic [records]”. He said that this would create diversity within residences. Wits Vuvuzela reported that current SRC President Shafee Verachiais will boycott the SRC elections if these concerns are not addressed.
Ausa tackles xenophobia in South Africa TEBOGO TSHWANE
INTERVARSITY NEWS
remove Afrikaans as a teaching language at UP and to address what it calls the dominant Afrikaans culture in residences. “We want to challenge the institution itself. The university is a bastion for racism. It’s a bastion for white supremacy. It’s a bastion for Afrikaner-dominated culture,” he said. “First we have to drive the idea that Afrikaans needs to be removed as a medium of education at this university. [The] second step would be to tackle the Afrikaans culture at residences,” Oelofse added. He also said that there should not be a dominant culture in residences and that Afrikaans at UP needs to be reconceptualised. EFF Tuks had originally intended to boycott the elections in protest of the university’s new constitution for Student Governance.
2014 SRC elections Were you happy with the 2014 SRC? Are you planning on voting in this year’s SRC elections? Tweet @perdebynews or send a letter with your comment to perdeby@ up.ac.za
University of Cape Town (UCT) UCT’s Department of Philosophy hosted a conference on social equality from 15 to 17 August. According to Varsity Prof. Sakhela Buhlungu, dean of humanities, introduced the evening by expressing his concerns over inequality in Cape Town as well as UCT’s admission policy. Thirty-seven academic speakers debated this issue in three lecture halls over the weekend. One of the speakers, UCT master’s candidate Motlatsi Khosi, advocated that the concept of ubuntu should play an important role in the South African social context. Prof. Charles W Mills, professor of moral and intellectual philosophy at Northwestern University in Illinois, emphasised racial equality. Rhodes University (RU) The 2015 Rhodes SRC was inaugurated on 22 August at a ceremony attended by 245 guests. The crowd displayed strong support for the newly-elected president Siyanda Makhubo. According to The Oppidan Press, crowd favourite Grace Moyo came in at a close second and was elected vice-president. International councillor for 2015, Tessa Ware, received 2 047 votes, breaking the record for most votes, which was held by 2012 international councillor Ndana Tendayi. There was a 45.8% voter turnout which makes these the best participated elections in SRC elections at RU. Former SRC President Bradley Bense expressed his gratitude to his 2014 team and said that the successes of the SRCs from 2012 onwards was due to the administration of Matthieu Maralack.
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> Features
01 September 2014
Anorexia unseen: Bringing men into the picture NAISARGI PATEL When you think of someone with anorexia, an image of an impossibly skinny female model is generally the first to come to mind. The prevalence of the condition among men goes highly unnoticed. Has society turned anorexia into a gender-specific condition, causing it to go untreated in men? Does the image of an “ideal” male, as portrayed in magazines and certain sports, affect the men who have anorexia? These are questions that few people seem to ask. The condition often remains undetected among men due to the mentality that it is a gender-specific problem. According to an article from ABCNews.com titled “Men with eating disorders have tougher time getting help” by Sydney Lupkin, Victor Avon was diagnosed in 2006 and researched the condition in one of his college textbooks. Missing your period for three consecutive months was listed as one of the symptoms which lead Avon to think, “I can’t get my period. Never had it before, and it’ll be a miracle if I do get it. Right here in this book, this says I have a girls’ disease and that I’m broken.” Many other men with anorexia may feel the same way because of how anorexia is portrayed by society. “Male anorexia” by Nathaniel Penn, posted on GQ.com, states that “many afflicted men feel too stigmatised to go to a doctor and many doctors don’t recognise the early, ambiguous symptoms.” In the article “Boys dying to be thin: the new face of anorexia” published on
NBCNews.com, Yardena Schwartz says that there is a level of shame that accompanies eating disorders in men. Each individual has their own views about what is attractive, but does a woman’s perception of the “ideal male body” have an effect on men to change their appearance? Sam-Annique Swanepoel, a first-year BSc Agriculture student, says that her perception of the “ideal man” in terms of physical features is “nice legs, tall, big biceps and a six-pack”. Scott*, an u/19 Blue Bulls player and a firstyear mechanical engineering student at Unisa, says, “Most, if not all, men try [to] look good to impress girls [while] some just have a natural build.” Second-year BA Law student Miles Lovell says, “In my experience, women have been surprisingly forgiving in this regard. I’m a healthy and fit individual but I look nothing like the models in magazines. This doesn’t seem to have affected my relationships with the various women I’ve dated.” Being overweight or merely perceiving yourself as fat is a driving force for dieting and exercising. Rugby is a sport dominated by men and the job description requires players to weigh more than what is considered normal. Are the players therefore seen as overweight? Scott says that a person’s actual weight does not determine whether or not he or she is overweight. Rugby players’ weight is determined by the position that they play. Scott says, “[A] prop weighs plus-minus 110kg while a fly-half weighs [between] 80 [and] 90kg. It is only considered to be overweight when a
Image: youtube.com
person’s body fat reaches a certain amount [and] not the actual weight of a person.” He concludes that if muscle mass and not body fat, determines a person’s weight then that person cannot be seen as overweight. Social media also plays a big role in how people perceive themselves. Movies, television and an annual list of the “sexiest men alive” display the socially accepted ideal man. The article “Rise of eating disorders among men and boys” by Dr Ananya Mandal published on NewsMedical.net says, “Our whole culture puts pressure on people to look a certain way and there are images out there that give boys an impossible ideal to aspire to.”
Scott believes that looking good should be more about being comfortable in your own body and less about what other people think. “You don’t have to have a six-pack in order to feel or look good. It’s all about you,” he says. Society places pressure on men and women to be “perfect”. It is important to accept that there is a problem and to seek professional help in due time. “Consult a dietician and take with you what you want to achieve. [Don’t] try [to] go on diets and cut out certain things unless stated by a medical physician and if you crave something, eat it. [It’s] your body’s way of telling you what it needs,” says Scott. * Name has been changed
01 September 2014
> Features
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The chemistry behind love NONHLE SITHOLE Surprisingly, the answer to the question of why love makes people act ridiculous or more out of character than usual is one best explained by neuroscience. Studies have found that the brain releases chemicals that are responsible for these changes. These chemicals act like drugs that cause people to experience a variety of feelings which results in their behaving “strangely”. The organ that is most often associated with being in love is the heart. The brain is overlooked and not perceived to play a significant role. By interpreting MRI scans, doctors have picked up brain activities that show that the brain greatly influences the state of being in love. According to an article by Victoria Fletcher on DailyMail.com titled “Crazy in love: what happens in your brain when you really do have chemistry”, MRI scans show that a person’s brain shuts down only when they are shown a picture of someone that they adore, causing them to dismiss all criticism or doubt. The brain stops functioning normally and its ability to reason is affected. The level of a chemical called dopamine increases in the brain during this phase. It floods the left-side of the brain, which is responsible for rationalisation, impairing a person’s ability to make sound judgements. This is how people end up doing things that are out of character or even acting ridiculously for the ones they love. They go out of their way to please the person because of the chemical imbalance in their heads. High levels of dopamine create a state that is similar to states experienced during cocaine use. It creates a sense of euphoria that is addictive and increases the desire to see more of the adored person. Since being in love is like taking a drug, it becomes difficult
for a person to move on after a breakup. An article on ABCNews. com reports that research has found that the part of the brain that is active during the pain a person experiences after a breakup is the same one that is associated with motivation, reward and addiction cravings. The symptoms are also similar to the stages of withdrawal. Poems, songs and movies are just some of the things that have been written to try to explain the phenomenon of being in love. Artists try to make sense of why they cannot get the person out of their heads and why there seems to be no escaping the situation they have found themselves in. A side effect of high levels of dopamine is the lowering of the level of another chemical called serotonin. This is the same chemical that is lacking in people who suffer from OCD. Less serotonin makes a person obsess about the person they love. It is responsible for you missing the person and thinking about them constantly. The mind keeps drifting uncontrollably to thoughts about them. Throughout history people have had similar experiences. In the 1900s Edward the Prince of Wales gave up his throne to marry a woman whom he felt he could not live without. The chemical adrenalin is responsible for causing the heart to race and the sensation of butterflies in the stomach each time a person sees their loved one. Natural adrenalin prepares the body for stress, which is why it causes these sudden drastic changes that seem to engulf the admirer in such a short space of time. So the next time you act in a way that makes you want to kick yourself in the name of love, don’t take it too personally. Be comforted in knowing that it is not entirely your fault, it is fuelled by the spontaneous chemical reactions that take place in your brain.
Photo: Kirsty Mackay
Singlism: when society says you’re sad GABRIELLA FERREIRA When one thinks of discrimination, the first idea that usually comes to mind is that of racism or sexism, as these are the forms of discrimination most highlighted by the media. In the past few years, a different form of discrimination has been identified and increasingly discussed – singlism. According to psychologist Bella DePaulo in an article titled “Living single”, singlism is the act of defaming single adults through the use of negative stereotypes and discrimination against those who are single. From your parents insisting you should find yourself a significant other to employers feeling that they can overwork you because you don’t have a romantic partner to go home to, singlism can occur at any time and in any social situation, which may have very different implications. In her article, DePaulo lists a number of stereotypes often associated with single people, which include being thought to have less self-confidence and life satisfaction, being seen as less agreeable and conscientious, and being thought to be lonelier than those in relationships and focused on entering a new intimate relationship. In an effort to determine whether the stereotypes associated with single people are true, German psychologist Tobias Greitemeyer performed four studies using adults from across Europe and found that most stereotypes were largely untrue, with married and single people showing similar ranks of all attributes, such as self-confidence. The only stereotype that Greitemeyer established had some basis was that of a desire to enter into a relationship. It is important to keep in mind that most married participants, in general, would not have this desire unless they wanted to end their relationship. Some experts have marginalised the influences of singlism. In studies performed at the University of Waterloo and Stanford University, researchers attempted to apply cognitive dissonance theory to relationship status. The theory, as put forward by Leon
Photo: Praise Magidi
Festinger, suggests that people generally attempt to maintain consistency between their beliefs and behaviour. Researchers found that people are more likely to agree or identify with others in a similar position to themselves and promote their relationship status. Therefore, those who were single were being discriminated against, but were also discriminating against those who were in relationships.
It should not really matter what others think or feel about your relationship status. Whether you are single or in a relationship, you should always keep in mind that the most important thing is that you are happy with where you are. It may also be beneficial for society if you are accepting of the relationship decisions of those who surround you, but personal happiness is good too.
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> Features
01 September 2014
How to spot a humblebragging hoaxer
Photo: Charlotte Bastiaanse
JARED DE CANHA Whether it’s sharing our accomplishments with friends or showing off about something exciting that has happened to us, bragging is a normal and familiar feeling to us all. Bragging can also transcend our own successes as bragging about our loved ones’ or friends’ success can make us feel just as good as if they were ours.
Enter the term “humblebrag”, which seems like an oxymoron. This term, created by comedian and Parks and Recreation writer and producer Harris Wittels, was coined in response to the growing trend on social media where individuals post about how great their lives are, followed by a downplay of humility or self-deprecating humour to conceal their explicit boasting. Ironically, this attempt at minimising big news can actually work against the poster, because it irritates others and creates a negative perception around the post. We brag, humbly or otherwise, because the feeling of being valued and important generated from our boasting is a comfort many of us cannot live without. In fact, a recent paper written by two Harvard neuroscientists equated the feeling we get from bragging to the same kind of pleasure we get from food and even sex. The recognition we receive when others like or comment positively on our online posts has also contributed to the creation of the humblebrag, because the praise received in the virtual world has led to an abandonment of bragging in the real world, where recognition is harder to come by. Bragging can, however, be a tricky business in the virtual world because we are not afforded the benefit of an eye-roll or face-to-face interaction to indicate a behavioural change, like in the real world. There is definitely a time and place for humblebragging, or even full-on bragging,
such as at family gatherings or behind closed doors at home, but social media is not it. If you are able to recognise the essence of some of your posts from the list below, perhaps it’s time to reassess your behaviour on social media. The sympathy vote hunter This brag tries to be subtle and innocent, but is completely transparent to readers on their newsfeed. A post of this nature attempts to generate curiosity about an alleged stressful event in the hopes that others will enquire about the event, and the poster will be granted the perfect excuse to explain the amazing future plan that is making them so anxious. Keywords to look out for in a post of this nature include “stressed”, “pressure” and an array of different sad emoticons. An example would be: “Ughh, so stressed!” The name-dropper This is the most explicit and straightforward type of brag, which is often deliberately understated or underplayed. The keyword to look for in instances like this is “casual”, for example: “Just took a selfie with the entire Springbok team. Casual.” The emphasis on the word “casual” is a smokescreen used in vain to disguise a perfectly normal brag, which is a clear humblebrag on social media. The complainer The complaint method of humblebragging uses the innuendo created by the complainer that certain brag-worthy things occur regularly
to them. The keyword to look for in these instances is “again”, which implies the regularity of the poster’s supposed misfortune. A prime example would be: “Mauritian border control stopped and searched me again. Have got to stop wearing hoodies on flights.” The poser The poser combines elements from the complainer and sympathy voter, but utilises pictures to get their brag across on the grounds of appearance. A typical post would be: “What a night! Barely slept a wink thanks to all the noise outside,” [insert flawless, well-lit selfie in bed here]. The advice-seeker A question on social media can be an easy way to brag about something under the guise of wholesomeness and unfamiliarity. The question posed will usually seek very specific advice from a small percentage of a friend list, but will subject the entire list to solicitation in order to share a brag. These questions usually look as follows: “Hey, lawyer friends. I have received offers from three international universities, which should I pick?” This practice on social media also discredits your online credibility, which leads to your followers being disinterested and feeling resentful. Manufacturing modesty on social media is also dishonest, which is why many people feel as if they are having an allergic reaction when they scroll down a newsfeed.
The Pretoria Spookbus is giving away two tickets worth R450 for any of their upcoming tours. Simply send your name, contact details and scariest ghost story of 350 words to features@ perdeby.co.za. Winners will be contacted on 5 October. To book a tour or to find out more about the Pretoria Spookbus, visit Spookbus. co.za.
Perdeby
Literature: defeating mortality Tuks se amptelike studentekoerant / Official Tuks student newspaper / Kuranta ya baithuti ya semmušo ya Tuks
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Cure your bibliophobia p. iii Interview with Zelda La Grange p. iii
Graphic novels: where art and literature meet p. iv
“The truth isn’t always beauty, but the hunger for it is.” p. iv Image: Simon-Kai Garvie
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Literature: defeating mortality
“Art defies defeat by its very existence, representing the celebration of life, in spite of all attempts to degrade and destroy it.” This year marks the second Perdeby literature supplement, something that I was quite nervous to attempt again after last year’s high standard and response. Nevertheless, I am a fan of fiction so I couldn’t let the opportunity slip by without trying. This year also marks the passing of one of South Africa’s greatest writers Nadine Gordimer. Anyone that has taken first-year English or is a local literature enthusiast will have encountered Gordimer. For those that haven’t, she can only be
described as an icon. During her lifetime, Gordimer published 15 novels, over 20 short-story collections, a play and several essay collections. Gordimer was also one of the 13 women and two South Africans to ever receive the Nobel Prize for Literature, in among several other awards such as the Booker Prize. More than anything though, Gordimer’s life was dedicated to the service of others. A strong anti-apartheid activist, many
of her works were banned by the government. Later in life she became involved in Aids awareness campaigns. The passion of Gordimer is reflected in her works that still remain today. Something she must have been aware of as she is also the source of this editorial’s title. That’s the great thing about literature and the reason I believe in reading and writing – it manages to capture a whole life and preserve it. Through literature we can defeat mortality. Furthermore, literature doesn’t just allow us to esacape death but also to enter someone else’s reality. I recently saw a quote by George RR Martin, author of A Song of Ice and Fire, the book behind the popular TV series Game of Thrones, that said, “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.” That’s possibly what I love most about literature – the ability to escape and live someone else’s life for a while. It’s an experience I wish everyone would try just to see how great it is to have a whole other world that’s within reach at any time you choose. My aim with this supplement was to make it accessible to those who don’t read. Reading and writing should be something we’re encouraging and this is my way of doing so. For those of you who aren’t readers, I’d suggest you attempt
our article written especially for you on page nine. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is a favourite of mine and I can vouch for it’s hilarity. Page nine also has an interview with Zelda la Grange, author of Good Morning, Mr Mandela, which we reviewed in our 28 July edition. We’ve also included a piece for graphic novel enthusiasts (yes, it’s literature too) on page ten and the editor has put together an awesome article about female writers in South Africa. I hope this literature supplement is the next building block in what will become a strong annual feature. Until next year, I hope you’ll be encouraged to seize an alternate reality with me. Mike
We want to hear what you think about this literature supplement. Email us (entertainment@perdeby.co.za) or tweet us (@perdebynews or our new entertainment account @PerdebyE) your thoughts.
Youth author and creator of popular children’s character Liewe Heksie dies LIZL LOMBAARD
Image: kknk.co.za
Verna Vels, author of Liewe Heksie, died on the evening of 21 August. Vels was 81 years old and suffered from cancer. Liewe Heksie started out as a radio series for children in 1961, featuring a naïve witch of the same name. The series was later adapted for print and the first book was published in 1965 by Human & Rousseau publishers. It was later developed into a TV series which was first broadcast in 1978. Vels also wrote plays about the little witch for the KKNK and the UP drama department in celebration of their 30th anniversary. Vels was passionate about children’s stories and youth development and penned many other works including the youth
novel Alet, which was published in 1978. Popular Afrikaans children’s TV series such as Kraaines and Wielie Walie were created under her guidance. Vels was also the voice behind Wielie Walie’s Bennie Boekwurm. Vels was born and went to school in Reitz in the Free State. In 1954 Vels completed her BA degree at UP, majoring in Afrikaans, Dutch, English and art history. She started her career in broadcasting in December 1954 at the SABC in Durban. It was a very fruitful career, which saw her earn many awards, including the Tienie Holloway Children’s Literature Medal from the South African Academy for Science and Arts in 2002. She also received a Laureata award from Tuks Alumni in 2000.
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Overcome your bibliophobia ELMARIE KRUGER Many bookworms like to pretend that the growing population of anti-readers in modern society does not exist. Unfortunately, the number of people who prefer watching movies or playing games to reading seems to be growing exponentially in today’s technology-powered world. If you consider yourself an antireader, or someone who fears reading books, it might be that maybe, just maybe, you’ve been reading the wrong ones. Luckily, there are many books available nowadays that will captivate even the most ardent non-readers. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams “Don’t panic,” reads the tagline on the covers of several editions of the Guide. Originally a BBC radio series, this five-book “trilogy” became immensely popular in the early 1980s and the books still have a huge influence on popular culture today. Its spot-on humour, short chapters and well-rounded characters make it an undemanding yet thoughtprovoking read. The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien The recent release of Peter Jackson’s movie versions of The Hobbit might inspire some non-readers to give the book a try. It is not nearly as lengthy or as arduous to read as the The Lord of the Rings trilogy – the narrative is much more playful as the novel was originally aimed at children, although it should definitely not be dismissed as a simple children’s book. The book also offers endearing characters which make the already captivating plotline that much more interesting.
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Literature: defeating mortality
A brief backround to Inclinations An article contributed by the Inklings society
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson The first few chapters of this enticing thriller are riddled with legal terms that might send many readers fleeing. However, a great reward awaits the reader who manages to wrestle through the early chapters: a thrilling mystery in straightforward language that makes the novel exciting and appealing to a wide variety of readers. Inclinations front cover 2014. Image: Benjamin Jooste
The Fault in our Stars by John Green Considering the substantial excitement surrounding the newly released movie version of this book, giving it a read is sure to be worthwhile. Green has a direct, uncomplicated writing style that makes his works accessible to even the greatest loather of reading. The novel somehow manages to be light-hearted, deeply saddening and philosophical all at the same time, without being intimidating or overwhelming.
EMMA PAULET
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky Yet another book with a recently released movie version to compliment it, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is written as a series of letters to an unknown recipient – a format which makes the novel approachable and almost effortless to read while still managing to make the reader think. It is definitely not the type of book one reads only once – the haunting narrative is vivid, powerful and distinctly memorable.
In 1989 the Inklings gave birth to Inclinations – a quarterly magazine showcasing the creative writing talents of UP students. After some years, Inclinations disappeared, only to be revived by Georg Nöffke in 2010. Carole Godfrey, current chair of the Inklings society, edited the 2013 volume of Inclinations. Now Emma Paulet, a thirdyear English studies student, is editing it. With the first volume of Inclinations published earlier this year, work has begun on the second volume, which will be launched at the end of this semester. The pieces appearing in Inclinations are written by students from various faculties (the winner of last year’s Short Short Story Competition was BSc student Stefan D Valentin). Poetry and prose have been the main sections in the literary magazine, but Paulet was determined to include art in the 2014 first semester edition. Last semester, the Inklings held a “Design the Cover” competition which was won by Benjamin Jooste, an information design student. Other artworks feature in the magazine and Paulet hopes that there will be more art to showcase in this semester’s volume. The artworks don’t necessarily complement the poems and stories next to which they appear – they tell their own stories. Copies of Inclinations are available from the Inklings society.
Images: goodreads.com
Images: voanews.com
“It’s a simple story of change, love and hope” LIZL LOMBAARD Zelda La Grange spent nearly 20 years working for the late Nelson Mandela. Her recent book Good Morninng, Mr Mandela has enjoyed huge international success. Perdeby got the opportunity to speak to La Grange about her work. How did the relationship between you and Penguin Books, the publisher of Good Morning, Mr Mandela, come about? I appointed an agent in London, Curtis Brown, to look for a reputable publisher who met all the confidentiality requirements at the time we started talking about the book and because Penguin had an Afrikaans division in South Africa they were the perfect fit. How does the great reception of your book by readers both locally and abroad make you feel? The feedback I get is way beyond what I had expected of the book or myself. I am in a state of disbelief about it all. My intention was simple: to share the person I knew and my experiences and hopefully influence people to think about things differently, but the response tells me people take more from the book than just that. I am content with whatever interpretation or
meaning they find in it. To what extent do you think this book will keep the legacy of Nelson Mandela and what he stood for alive, and do you think it will be able to do it more successfully because it was written by someone who was so close to Mandela? In the book I quote a lot from Madiba’s book Conversations with Myself. My book is not a definitive book about Nelson Mandela. I put my own interpretation of what I have experienced and it should be seen as only that. It’s a simple story of change, love and hope. I will never be so conceited to think it could contribute to Nelson Mandela’s legacy, but I do hope that people will learn from me, even if it’s from my mistakes. In a live discussion at Politics and Prose in Washington you talked about a black man who thanked you for your book because he said it made him understand white people for the first time. You continued to discuss a comment about a white girl who thanked you for your book because it enabled her to deal with her parents’ racism. Are there any more stories and coments such as these from people who were touched by your book? Yes, countless. I am overwhelmed by people commenting
and communicating to me on all mediums saying what the book meant to them. Again, that was never my intention so I am incredibly proud to know that I have meant something to someone, whatever that is. In interviews you talk a lot about the sense of humour you and Mandela shared. If he could read your book, what comment do you think he would make about it? Having known him I know that he would have laughed a lot but I am also happy he never got to read the last part as it would have saddened him. Were you met with some personal struggles while writing your book? If so what did you learn from them? Yes. I was mindful to protect Madiba’s dignity and my and his confidentiality, and I had to be careful not to add things that could be considered a breach of confidentiality. The “legal read” was particularly hard and what people don’t know about writing a book is that a reputable publisher will not allow you to slander or defame people and therefore the legal read is the hardest part of writing a book. I am happy with what it turned out to be, though, and not being English I had to be extremely careful of how I expressed myself.
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“The truth isn’t always beauty, but the hunger for it is.”
Nadine Gordimer. Image: time.com
Lauren Beukes. Image: designIndaba.com
Gcina Mhlophe. Image: 21icons.com
MAXINE TWADDLE
Nadine Gordimer became the first South African writer to win the coveted Nobel Prize in Literature, which she was awarded in 1991. Upon giving Gordimer the award, the Nobel Prize jury remarked that, “through her magnificent epic writing, [she] has – in the words of Alfred Nobel – been of very great benefit to humanity”. Gordimer remains the only South African female writer to have won the prize. Because Gordimer’s work confronted racial and moral issues, it is no surprise that many of her works were banned by the apartheid government. She was dedicated to the anti-apartheid movement and was a member of the then-banned ANC. Gordimer made a profound contribution to South African literature. Her illustrious life came to an end in July when she died in her sleep. “Waar swart en wit hand aan hand / vrede en liefde kan bring in my mooi land.” (Where black and white hand in hand / Can bring peace and love to my beautiful land.) – Antjie Krog Antjie Krog wrote the poem ‘Kyk, ek bou vir my ‘n land’ in 1970 when she was still at school. The poem is vehemently antiapartheid and, as well as shocking the conservative Afrikaans community of Kroonstad, marked the beginning of Krog’s career as a protest poet. Besides apartheid, Krog’s poetry is concerned with love, the role of women, and gender politics. Krog has published many volumes of poetry, including three volumes of children’s poetry. She has also written five novels, the most famous being Country of My Skull.
Krog is a UP graduate, having obtained an MA in Afrikaans from the university in 1976. “I had at last decided to free myself of the shackles which had bound not only my hands, but also my soul.” – Miriam Tlali Miriam Tlali’s novel Muriel at Metropolitan is embedded in South African literary history because it is the first novel that was written by a black, female writer to be published. She is also one of the first South African writers to embrace Soweto as a subject matter. “The universe will teach you / For as long as you are willing to receive” – Gcina Mhlophe Gcina Mhlophe is famous for her oral poetry and storytelling. She is one of the few female storytellers and presents her work in English, Afrikaans, Zulu and Xhosa. Mhlophe’s first job was as a domestic worker but she eventually became a radio newsreader and then a writer. “There are only so many plots in the world. It’s how you unfold them that makes them interesting.” – Lauren Beukes Beukes is currently enjoying her status as one of South Africa’s top writers. Her writing career has encompassed journalism, short stories, non-fiction, novels, TV scripts and even comic books. Beukes’s second novel, Zoo City, is by far her most critically acclaimed work, having been nominated for 13 awards both in South Africa and internationally. The novel won two of these awards, the 2011 Arthur C Clarke Award and the 2010 Kitschies Red Tentacle. A movie adaption of Zoo City is currently in the works.
The South African education system tends to ignore South African literature, instead focusing on celebrated European and American works. This is a pity because South Africa has a rich literary history which cannot be overlooked. Literary critics around the world are arguing for the need to move away from the traditional canon and embrace the work of writers – particularly female writers – who have, until now, not been deemed worthy of “classic” status. With this in mind, Perdeby has a look at female writers who have shaped South Africa’s literary landscape. “When the curtain falls no one is ready.” – Olive Schreiner Olive Schreiner was one of the first women in South Africa to publish a novel. The Story of an African Farm, which was written under the pseudonym Ralph Irons, is also considered to be one of the first feminist novels. Schreiner was born to British missionary parents in what is now the Eastern Cape in 1855. When she grew up she decided to become a governess, and travelled across the Eastern Cape for work. Some of her experiences, particularly with the Fouché family, inspired The Story of an African Farm. Schreiner returned to Great Britain in 1880, where she studied nursing. By 1881, however, she realised that her poor health would not allow her to complete the necessary training, and decided to turn to writing full-time. “At four in the afternoon the old moon bleeds radiance into the grey sky.” – Nadine Gordimer
Graphic novels: where art and literature meet ELMARIE KRUGER Graphic novels are books containing works similar but not equated to comic books. They are popular around the world, yet there are many who have yet to discover their importance and literary value. Many popular movies such as V for Vendetta, 300 and Watchmen are all based on graphic novels, but these books are not limited to superheroes and fictional settings. A number of them speak about real-life matters and there are a few essential graphic novels that avid readers should strive to add to their reading lists. Ghost World by Daniel Clowes Now a cult film starring Scarlett Johansson, Ghost World follows two freshly graduated proto-hipsters as they wander around in their hometown, wittily criticising almost everything. The novel is the embodiment of 90s sub-culture, and is masterfully put together in this regard. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi This autobiographical graphic novel tells the author’s story from childhood to young adulthood throughout the Islamic revolution. The book deals with the struggles of the revolution and Satrapi’s own inner struggle as she grows to maturity. It is Illustration: Simon-Kai Garvie
undoubtedly one of the graphic novel genre’s crucial comingof-age stories. Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Kim Deitch In 1930s New York, an alcoholic animator is plagued by a Felix the Cat-like character named Waldo – his own treacherous creation. Waldo becomes a hated hallucination to his creator, despite his seemingly innocent, Disney-like appearance. Batman: Year One by Frank Miller This graphic novel, along with its counterpart The Dark Knight Returns, distanced the Batman comics from being mere pulp fiction and shaped Batman into the gritty hero of the popular Christopher Nolan film trilogy. Maus by Art Spiegelman Maus depicts the author speaking with his father, a Polish Jew, about how he survived the Holocaust and spent time in a Nazi concentration camp. The novel interestingly portrays the Nazis as cats and Jews as mice. In 1992 Maus was the first graphic novel to win a Pulitzer Prize.
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From softcover to screen Image: pop-break.com
YANGA TYIKWE AND MICHAL-MARÉ LINDEN
It is highly common these days for a movie adaptation of a book to be made. Some of the most successful movies were derived from popular literature. However, sometimes the movie’s success far outweighs the book, so much so that we are completely unaware of the book’s existence. Perdeby had a look at some movies that are based on books that you may not have known about. Shrek This ogre stole our hearts in 2001. Shrek was a box office success which is still enjoyed to this day. Unbeknown to many, the movie was actually inspired by William Steig’s book titled Shrek!, which was published in 1990. Rambo Responsible for jump-starting Sylvester Stallone’s career, Rambo was and still is one of those movies that is said to define a generation. The movie is based on the 1972 book First Blood by David Morrell.
Forrest Gump “Run, Forrest, run!” is one of the unforgettable lines in the movie Forrest Gump. Many people across generations see the movie as a defining highlight of their childhoods. Forrest Gump is based on the novel of the same title by Winston Groom, which was published in 1986. Million Dollar Baby The movie regarded by many as one of the best sport dramas of all time was arguably one of the best movies of the 2000s – boasting stellar performances from Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman. What almost no one knows is that Million Dollar Baby is based on a series of short stories titled Rope Burns: Stories from the Corner, which were written by boxing coach Jerry Boyd and published in 2000. Mrs. Doubtfire A chilhood favourite starring the late Robin Williams, this movie was based on Anne Fine’s book Alias Madame Doubtfire, published in 1987. Fine is the winner of multiple writing awards including the Carnegie Medal and two
Smarties Book Prizes, and has written over 50 children’s books. The movie is a close representation of the book. Die Hard Before Die Hard became a massive movie franchise starring Bruce Willis, the first installment was actually derived from the book Nothing Lasts Forever by Roderick Thorp. The thriller, published in 1979, is in fact a sequel to Thorp’s novel The Detective that was also made into a movie starring Frank Sinatra. Nothing Lasts Forever revolves around a retired detective by the name of Joe Leland who, similarly to Die Hard, takes on a group of German terrorists. Jaws Steven Spielberg’s highly successful thriller Jaws was based on a novel of the same name, penned by Peter Benchley in 1974. Inspired by the 1916 Jersey Shore shark attacks, the novel’s film rights had already been sold before the novel was published. Benchley later became an advocate for shark conservation as he felt guilty for perpetuating a negative image about sharks through Jaws.
Easy epublishing: getting your work out there JOHAN SAAYMAN With 1.6 million book titles having been published up to August in 2014 alone, being discovered as a writer seems impossible. But once again the internet is here to help, this time with ebooks. Some companies offer a low cost for publishing books and sell them as ebooks for equally low prices. 30° South is a South African company that publishes and sells ebooks, specifically on South African topics. On the other hand, other sites allow writers and readers to connect for free legally, whether uploading or downloading ebooks. EbooksGo.org is a database of free e-files with 45 categories on their homepage and also contains several South African literature pieces. Obooko.com is an international database with 34 genres of ebooks, ranging from history to erotica. KliekClick is a new local company that offers free publishing of short stories, novels, poems and essays, or book selling for low prices in an array of genres. KliekClick was launched by four women of different training backgrounds that identified a shortage of literature and realised the only way to encourage reading is by providing content and publishing amateur writers’ work online for free. Two partners of this homegrown initiative are Samantha Buitendach, a Publishing lecturer at Tuks and Andri Nel, a current student at the university. If your story is good enough, KliekClick also gives you the
Image: KliekClick’s Facebook page
opportunity to be paid for your writing work.“We work on a social publishing model, which means we get our content or stories from the community. Young and old are encouraged to write and submit their stories. Our youngest writer is ten years old and older, [up to] 80 years old. The stories are then published on the electronic site and the author earns royalties on their sold stories. Thus it is a process where stories are received from the community but are again plowed back in the form of royalties,” explains Buitendach. There are also online writing communities where writers can post their work and interact with each other. WritersCafe. org, Figment.com, Writing.com, Authonomy.com and Scribophile.com are some websites where writers can post
written work and receive reviews, comments and critique from other writers. These sites also offer workshops to help improve your writing and to generate new ideas. With these sites, you can create your own profile, communicate with and follow other writers and their publications. Posting written work across numerous platforms provides strength in numbers so joining as many communities as possible will increase the chance of becoming discovered and will also allow numerous crowds to be exposed to writers’ work. Many find euphoria in the smell of ink and pages, and it is any author’s dream to see their work in physical print but for now, it is a start and a platform to get noticed.
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Tokoloshe Song Andrew Salomon
Entertainment
Calling for the Crazy The Ballistics Image provided
LIZL LOMBAARD Image: randomstruik.co.za
LISA KAHIMBAARA The Tokoloshe Song is unlike any book that has come out of South Africa and will probably stay that way for years to come. In his first adult novel, Andrew Salomon weaves age old South African folklore to tell the story of these misunderstood creatures in a surprisingly funny and genuine way. The story revolves around Richard Nevis who quits his fastpaced job as a lawyer for a life of restoring ships. His troubles begin when he volunteers at a shelter for mistreated tokoloshes where he befriends Lun, a tokoloshe. The pair is noticed by Cape Town’s most dangerous criminal mastermind and a brutal vulture, and Lun and Richard are pulled into a perilous and mysterious adventure. Teaming up with a pair of midwives who are also master martial artists, Richard and Lun race across the Karoo to open an ancient, mystical box of undisclosed power. The novel begins in Cape Town and takes the reader on an action packed journey to the small town of Nieu-Bethesda in the Eastern Cape, famous for the strange Owl House. The book’s triumph is its use of local legend in a fantasy novel, a genre that can easily fall flat. Salomon is skilled at recreating the Eastern and Western Cape locations of this novel. The Tokoloshe Song is a page turner with its quick and straightforward speech. Add to that the combination of eclectic characters and a unique storyline and readers will find themselves finishing the book quicker than expected. Critics may condemn the few clichés Salomon falls into, particularly the idea of misunderstood creatures bridging the gap with humans, but the novel’s strengths far outweigh its shortcomings. The Tokoloshe Song is a delightfully home-grown, original addition to South African fantasy literature.
Capetonian blues rock outfit The Ballistics’ debut album Calling for the Crazy is a fun but accomplished collection of songs that will have you shaking your head, stomping your feet and playing air guitar like nobody’s watching. It kicks off with the energetic “The dust song”. A sure hit with an edgy intro and lyrics that don’t hold back (“well I don’t give a s**t ‘cause I’m tripping tits”) they are right when they sing that they “got no reason to keep it clean” and The Ballistics don’t. The Ballistics are still in their early 20s and although their lyrics are light-hearted, you can hear that they take their music very seriously. This makes them appealing to both a younger and a slightly older audience. The album gets better with the next song “Black coffee”. It is a bit heavier than the previous track, both sound and lyric wise, but what really makes it remarkable is Tyan Odendaal’s amazing guitar solos. “Prescription whiskey”, the third song on the album, is lighter and is sure to get people dancing on tables in Aandklas. The pace is kept for “Moonshine” and the title track. The blues is really felt with “No harm”, which shows off their musicality. The song’s sound is quite sexy but not romantic, with fitting lyrics such as “There’s no reason to be lonely on the weekend” and “I am ready and I’m willing to be used”. The themes of sex, girls, booze and drugs run through the entire album, meaning the album keeps its fun, carefree, typically rock‘n’roll feeling and doesn’t go too deep. With their fresh faces, The Ballistics don’t look like typical bad boys. Maybe it’s their fantasies or maybe they are a group of dark horses, but it’s easy to give them the benefit of the doubt as they tell you “If you are looking for danger, come knock on my door” in the second last track “He who knocks”. The last track “Sugar” seals the deal with its foot stomping beat while singer Nick Forbes asks you to “make [his] night worthwhile” and if it’s as worthwhile as Calling for the Crazy is, it’s an offer that can’t be refused.
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Calendar 04 September 2014: Pop Markt - Arcade Empire 05 September 2014: Cool Capital City Mural Painting - CBD 06 September 2014: HomeComing Picnic - Centurion Rugby Club 06 September 2014: Jack Parow live - Aandklas 06 September 2014: Run4Rhinos 2014 - LC de Villiers 07 September 2014: Cool Capital Art Meander 08 September 2014: Partyfest: Erika – Shrek – T4 09 September 2014: Republic Day: Pre-Spring Day Party – Trademarx 10 September 2014: Lentedag 2014 – Pretoria National Botanical Garden 10 September 2014: Tuks Spring Day – Tiger Tiger 13 September 2014: Hello September Spring Day party - The Blue Crane 15 September 2014: Partyfest: Asterhof – Mardi Gras – T4 17-21 September 2014: African Aerospace and Defence Trade, Exhibition and Air Show – Waterkloof Airforce Base 19 September 2014: Cool Inc. Tattoo Expo 2014 – Voortrekker Monument 22 September 2014: Partyfest: Klaradyn – The Avengers – T4 26-28 September 2014: TribeOne Festival – Dinokeng 27 September 2014: Word Count 012 Launch – Ginger and Fig To get your event listed on our event calendar, send the date, event name and venue to entertainment@perdeby.co.za or tweet us (@PerdebyE). UP societies are welcome to send their events, too.
Image: The Ballistic’s Facebook page
“We feel very positive about our personal development and we can see the results of our hard work.” LIZL LOMBAARD The Ballistics, formerly known as the Ballistics Blues, burst onto the local scene last year when they won the Rolling Stone Rockstarter competition. This month has seen the Cape Town rockers release their debut album Calling for the Crazy. Perdeby spoke to the band about their first offering as well as their future. How has the response to your debut album Calling for the Crazy been? The response has been great. We had three successful album launches in Stellenbosch, Cape Town and Durbanville. The feedback we’ve received from our old and new fans has been positive. We’re touring a lot this year to get the album to as many people as possible. How was it working with renowned musician and producer Wouter van de Venter on your album? It’s been great working with him, he has shared a lot of knowledge and experience with us and we think it can be heard throughout the album. Winning the Rolling Stone Rockstarter competition (together with Cortina Whiplash) made the recording of this album possible. What was it like to be crowned with the winning title and to have the opportunity of recording a full length album because of it?
Winning the Rockstarter competition meant a great deal to us. We got to play Oppikoppi, had a feature in the Rolling Stone SA magazine, a Kraken Rum endorsement and then to top it all, a full length album recording at VH Music and Publishing. It was a surreal experience. In a September 2013 article titled “Should Ballistics Blue change their name” on Gary Cool’s website, Cool predicted that in two years’ time you will be “one of the top headlining acts in venues around the country”. We are now halfway there according to date, but does it feel that way to you professionally? We feel very positive about our personal development and we can see the results of our hard work. We really hope to achieve Gary Cool’s prediction and definitely feel it is possible. We’ll just keep pushing it as hard as we can, and then keep going. Was that article the catalyst for your name change this year? Definitely, his article was the breaking point that lead to us changing our name. We have been thinking about changing our name, to broaden our horizons, for a while and Gary gave us the final push in that direction. Does the name change have a better effect in drawing in your target audience? We think so. One of our friends said having a genre in your band name is like getting your girlfriend’s name tattooed on you. A lot of people were labeling us as an “ou-toppie” blues band and we
wanted to clear up the confusion and explore new territories. You have quite a mature sound considering your young age. What effect do you feel this has on your audience? We’ve been told we have a mature sound, we think since all of us in the band come from different musical backgrounds we create a unique sound which draws both young and old audiences. You have played quite a few festivals, including Oppikoppi, but most of your gigs seem to happen in and around Cape Town. Are there any plans to expose audiences up north, in Pretoria for example, to your music on a more regular basis? Since we all live and study in Cape Town, we feel very at home on the stages around here. We did a Gauteng tour last year in November, and an Eastern Cape tour recently with Shadowclub. It is always fun playing for new crowds and spreading our music. We will also be heading north soon, so keep your eyes on our Facebook and Twitter page. What is next for The Ballistics? Where do you see yourselves professionally in the near future? We are planning a few tours around South Africa. We are also uploading some new singles and working on a new music video. As always, we will also be working on new music to get new fans and keep the old ones entertained.
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Good news, Pssst… is back. We hear the reses have missed us. Pssst… isn’t sure why because they seem to have done a good job of tarnishing their reputations without Pssst’s help. Pssst… hears Mopanie’s new chicken has caused some problems in the res. In an astonishing display of maturity, two of the corridors have taken to stealing and restealing the poor animal. Pssst… should explain to the boys what picking up chicks really means. Pssst… suggests Kollege and Taaibos find a way to release their pent up anger. The reses played a football match that got a little too aggressive. Pssst… was looking forward to a good brawl, but was left disappointed because all that the boys were brave enough to do was swear at each other. It might be time for Kollege to man up as it seems as if Taaibos are stealing Katjiepiering’s hearts. Pssst… heard about the almighty tantrum Kollege threw when they heard that Katjiepiering snubbed an invite to a social in favour of Taaibos. Don’t worry, Kollege, it’s not like the Katte won’t come crawling back when they find out that Taaibos aren’t that exciting. Kollege and Taaibos aren’t the only angry men’s reses. Olienhout are apparently so upset with their new Rag partners Lilium. Pssst… would be angry
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too, but it’s not as if Lilium scored. Pssst… doesn’t think that Mopanie and Magrietjie’s Rag partnership has got off to a good start. It might be spring but the atmosphere at their social at Livingstones last week was icy cold. Pssst… is relieved that they weren’t at Dropzone. They still don’t want strippers there, Magrietjie. Boekenhout and Maroela’s first years were ontheffed last week. Pssst… noticed that it wasn’t only the Ysters and Jarre throwing their names away in Dropzone. Pssst… saw the newly-elected HK proving that they’re responsible, upstanding individuals all over the Square. Maroela got more than they bargained for when Madelief serenaded them. Pssst… knows you’re ambitious and everything, Madelief, but next time limit SRC campaigning. Pssst… would like to suggest to the men’s reses that they stop trying their luck with Jasmyn, since the girl’s don’t seem to like boys any more. Pssst… hears that Vividus Men and Vividus Ladies are feeling a bit left out. Pssst… would recommend that they try harder next time but Pssst… isn’t sure if that’s even possible. Pssst… doesn’t think the day houses should worry too much though. Things could be worse – you could be TuksVillage.
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Top five football manager quotes SIMPHIWE NHLABATHI
Brian Clough
Bill Shankly
José Mourinho
Football managers are known for their tactical prowess and ability to run a football club, but more often than not they tend to say things that leave us raising an eyebrow and chuckling at the absurdity of the statement. Perdeby took a look at the top five football manager quotes.
Sir Alex Ferguson Sir Alex Ferguson is known as the most successful manager in the history of football. Winning 13 Premier Leagues, five FA Cups, four League Cups, two Uefa Champion’s
Image: dailystar.co.uk
After Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said that Mourinho was afraid of failure and that was why he was struggling to deal with the fact that Chelsea didn’t win anything last season, the Portuguese manager retorted that Wenger is a “specialist in failure,” and Mourinho is not. “So if one supposes he’s right and I’m afraid of failure, it’s because I don’t fail many times. So maybe he’s right. I’m not used to failing. But the reality is he’s a specialist because, eight years without a piece of silverware, that’s failure. If I did that in Chelsea I’d leave and not come back to London,” Mourinho said. Image bbc.co.uk
Image: wallpaersoccer.com
Leagues, one Uefa Cup Winner’s Cup, a Uefa Super Cup and a Fifa Club World Cup, Ferguson won every trophy possible. So it came as no surprise when Manchester United won their 19th title and he said, “My greatest challenge is not what’s happening at the moment. My greatest challenge was knocking Liverpool off their f*****g perch. And you can print that.”
Image: nottinghamforest.ru
Clough was and still is known as the most successful English-born manager, winning league titles as well as European Cups (now known as the Champions League) with Nottingham Forest. He was asked what he thought of himself as a football manager and he replied, “I wouldn’t say I was the best manager in the country, but I’m in the top one.”
Bill Shankly is best known for his time at Liverpool. He took charge when the team was in the second division and he rebuilt the team into a major force in English football. He led Liverpool to the first division in 1962 before going on to win three league titles, two FA Cups and one Uefa Cup. His most famous quote is, “Some people think football is a matter of life and death, I am very disappointed with that attitude. I assure you, it’s much, much more important than that.”
José Mourinho, again Probably the most famous quote in footballing history, Mourinho said on his arrival to the Premier League in the 04/05 season: “We have top players and, sorry if I’m arrogant, we have a top manager. Again, please don’t call me arrogant because what I say is true but I’m European champion [after winning Champions league with Porto] and I think I am a special one.”
An interview with Lucky Radebe on his career in trampoline
Lucky Radebe in action. Image provided
LAUREN NEUHOFF Trampoline is becoming a highly competitive Olympic sport. Tuks athlete Lucky Radebe shares his experiences and achievements in his trampoline career. When did you start trampolining? How long have you been doing trampoline for? I started trampoline in 2000 till now, so it’s been 14 years. How did you initially get involved in the sport? And specifically TuksTrampoline. I started trampoline in Jo’burg (Alexandria township) but I was also training in Pretoria as well – twice a week. Then [in] 2005 I
received support from Helen and Tiaan van der Walt so that I can come stay this side in Pretoria and train with them, which gave me an opportunity to train on good standard equipment and facilities. What exactly does being a trampolinist entail? Being a trampolinist entails exercising, stretching, eating healthy, [being] flexible, creative and strong [and] being brave. What major competitions have you taken part in? Major competitions: African Championship four times, Indo Pacific Championship six times, World Championship seven times, and
World Games 2009, which come every four years just like [the] Olympic Games. You took a two-year absence from the trampoline before returning for the Indo Pacific Championships and Gauteng North Competition. Why? I took a two-year absence because I got injured on my knee so bad so I had to go for knee surgery. You did really well in the Indo Pacific Championships and Gauteng North Competition, how did you find that experience? Indo Pacific experience was amazing because I had to compete against [the] best gymnasts from other countries such as New Zealand, Canada, Australia and Namibia. You qualified to represent South Africa at the 2014 World Championships in Daytona Beach, Florida in November. What are you most looking forward to in the World Championships? I’m mostly looking forward to facing the best gymnasts from all over the world and I’m looking forward to getting a good ranking and making finals which is possible for me, and I’m really looking forward to making a massive statement to the world. How tough is the competition? Who is your biggest competition? Competition is very tough because every country brings their A-team and there’s many competitors to jump against, [the] main reason for tough competition is because [there] will be hundreds of competitors and only eight go through to finals, which means [not] making even a small mistake. Are there any trampolinists that you look up to and aspire to be like?
I’m looking up to this trampolinist from China called Dong Dong, multiple world champion and Olympic champion. The guy is very exceptional and amazing, he is just close to being perfect in trampoline. So yes, I can identify him as a legend and trampoline god. He is my inspiration. What are your plans for the future? My plans for the future, I want to make it [to] the 2016 Olympic Games and still be involved in the trampoline industry to inspire our upcoming champions (being involved with coaching and become a national coach) and also get my degree in sports science so that many doors can be opened. What are the greatest and worst moments in your trampoline career? Actually I have lots of greatest moments such as winning [the] African Championships multiple times in double mini training, multiple times SA champion and best ranking of my life, World Games 2009 ranked seventh in the world and currently Indo Pacific Champion 2014. Worst time is when I got injured, tore my ligament in my knee, that was the scariest time of my life. What would you rate are your strongest and weakest points? My strongest point during competitions locally and internationally [is that] I don’t get intimidated by any competitor, it doesn’t matter how good they are, I still show some sense of excitement and believe in myself. My weakest point [is that] I tend to stress too much if people expect amazing results from me and if all attention is on me from [the] audience, supporters and judges and media, but I still do well at the end of the day.
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Interview with Robin Swarts
Robin Swarts defending against NWU. Image: varsitysportssa.com
KHUMO MEKGWE There has been good quality football from all the universities in the 2014 Varsity Football season so far. UP Tuks have played well and stand a good chance to win the title. Perdeby spoke to UP Tuks Varsity Football captain Robin Swarts. Your loss against the University of Johannesburg (UJ) has been your biggest loss this season, what do you think went wrong? UJ are a good side but on the day things didn’t go well for us.
In terms of our performance, defensively we could have done a lot better and I think offensively we could have held the ball a lot better and with us not doing that, UJ were very clinical in the chances they had and that they created. It was one of those days where everything went right for them and everything went wrong for us, but in saying that we drew a lot from that loss and we are a better team for it. We look forward to playing them again. What do you think the team still needs to work on? We’ve been conceding a lot of soft goals, scoring a lot, but
defensively there is still a lot we can improve on. It’s strange for us because characteristically or historically we are a very good defensive side. We don’t normally score a lot of goals so this year it’s a different problem for us, so if we can sharpen our defence then we can be a better team. Do you think UP still stands a good chance to reclaim the title? Definitely. Tuks over the years, and especially [in] recent years, we’ve become one of the dominant football tertiary institutions in the country and this year is no different. We have a very good squad and of course we’ve got a coach who’s won trophies in tertiary football so I think we have a very good chance. Going into the sixth round of the tournament which do you think are the teams to look out for? UJ are still the favourites, which suits us. They [have] been doing well, they haven’t dropped points. They are performing very well. They are very clinical in the chances that they create and they haven’t lost so far, so UJ are the strong team so far. In your opinion, which of the five matches that Tuks have played was the best? In my opinion, the last game against North-West [University]. Although we didn’t get the results, performance wise it was our best performance all round not just from us but from North-West as well. Taking away from the performance a lot of positives came out of it in terms of defence and offensively keeping the ball in transition. So performance wise it was the game against North-West. How does it feel to be back playing for Tuks after playing for the University of Western Cape last year? It feels good. Tuks is my home. It’s where I developed and where most of my friends are. It’s like coming home. It’s a great honour and it always has been and I hope I can do justice to the honour by helping the team win the trophy. What do you think the team has gotten right so far? Team spirit. We have a very good team, a lot of good players and a lot of good characters as well. My biggest concern was that we wouldn’t be able [to] gel but the last match proved that we have and that’s what matters when it’s not going well. The boys are happy and there’s a good team spirit which will go a long way in helping us win. The team spirit has been the highlight for me. There’s a family atmosphere here.
Tuks dominant Northerns team wins the annual Cucsa Games 2014 inter-provincial ladies hockey tournament USHENTA NAIDOO
The University of Zambia in Lusaka hosted the 17th Confederation of Universities and Colleges of Southern Africa (Cucsa) Games from 17-23 August. This year’s Cucsa Games, which were originally established in 1990, saw over 800 athletes from ten Southern African countries taking part in the tournament. Tuks had athletes representing South Africa in sports such as athletics, netball and basketball. A total of nine Tuks athletes participated in athletics events, with team South Africa leading the way in the medal count. Three Tuks athletes won gold in their respective events: Emile Erasmus (100m), Le Roux Hamman (400m), and Elzette Buys (200m and women’s 4x100m relay). Erasmus and Buys, also won silver in the men’s 200m and women’s 100m, respectively. Four TuksNetball ladies were selected for the national women’s team that participated in the games: Cleopatra Kgoputso, Jeanie Steyn, Lindie Lombard and Shadine van der Merwe. They were all part of the South African netball team who finished first at the tournament and brought home the gold, after beating Zimbabwe 60-37 in the final. TuksNetball manager Riana Bezuidenhout said that, “It was a real experience for the girls, they gained a lot of experience off field.”
BRIAN KIAUTHA The annual inter-provincial senior ladies hockey tournament was held in Pietermaritzburg, Eastern Cape from 17-24 August. The Northerns ladies team was comprised mainly of Tuks players as 11 out of the 16 players were from Tuks. The tournament serves as a platform from which players are selected for the national squad. The Tuks players have had an eventful year and were well prepared coming into the tournament. Northerns were the underdogs going into the tournament but dominated from the first whistle as they made it past the group phase winning all their matches. Northerns’ splendid performance in the group stages meant that they were a team to watch out for and were potential tournament winners. Northerns progressed to the semis where they faced a competitive North-West side. The young Northerns team put on a thrilling performance to defeat North-West 3-0 and book a final berth with Western Province. Western Province was a tough team, not only because they reached the finals, but because they had a number of the national players in their squad. However, this did not phase Northerns who forced a penalty shootout after the teams were deadlocked at 1-1 at full time. The teams were still tied after the penalty shootout, which meant that they had to play a sudden death shootout. Tuks 1 ladies keeper Phumelela Mbande produced a brilliant save to ensure her team won 5-4 on penalties and they were crowned the winners of the tournament. Mbande’s performance earned her a call-up to the national squad. Earning further call-ups to the national squad were fellow Tuks hockey teammates Nicolene Terblanche and recipient of the most promising player award Jacinta Jubb. Inky Zondi, Tuks 1
Image: up.ac.za
ladies coach and part of the Northerns coaching staff, and the 11 Tuks players in the Northerns squad made history as the first ever Northerns team to win the tournament. Zondi was impressed by the senior players’ performance as well as the young players who showed potential. He added, “Now the focus shifts to the off-season programme to focus on conditioning and preparation for a busy year as the possibility of Varsity Hockey is real as well as the USSA competition.”
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