Perdeby Tuks se amptelike studentekoerant / Official Tuks student newspaper / Kuranta ya baithuti ya semmušo ya Tuks
02September2013
Naledi Pandor at Tuks
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year75issue19
Threat of a new pandemic?
Comic’s Choice Awards
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TuksFencing hosts national tournament
Students cards required at Spring Day bash
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MOLEBOGENG MANGOALE The annual Spring Day bash which is set to take place on 18 September at the Rag Farm is only open to UP students. Dr Rina Wilken, the head of Student Development at the Department of Student Affairs, told Perdeby that, “According to a meeting we had with the executive of the university, a decision was taken that the event is not open to the general public.” This means that admittance to the venue will require not only a ticket but also a valid student card. TuksRag has expressed discontent with this and they say that they are still trying to sort this out with the university. “We’re still fighting for it to be open to the general public. From the university side we haven’t received any proof that it should not be open to non-UP students,” said TuksRag interim committee member Jurica van der Merwe. Van der Merwe said that TuksRag is not just about Tuks students but is also about community engagement. Dr Wilken told Perdeby that this is a final decision. The university is concerned about the safety and security of its students. If anything happens, especially with regard to theft, and the perpetrator is not a UP student, it is usually difficult to make them face the law. Tickets for Spring Day are currently for sale on iTicket but the website does not indicate that one must be a Tuks student to attend the event. TuksRag told Perdeby that, despite the fact that they had been planning the event since April, the budget for Spring Day was only approved a month ago. “We were told just a month ago that we had to cut half of the budget,” said Kiandiko Kasure, the TuksRag interim committee chairperson. The university said that it is not just TuksRag that has had to deal with budget cuts and that all departments have faced the same challenge. Dr Wilken told Perdeby that the initial budget was approximately R500 000 and that the current budget is R350 000. “We are running this event with Arcade Empire. They wanted a deposit of 50% by 20 August but the university will pay by 31 August. I communicated with Arcade Empire and
TuksRag and Redbull posters for Spring day. Images provided.
they told me that no artists have pulled out,” said Dr Wilken. TuksRag has promised that this year’s Spring Day is going to be big. Some of the artists in the line-up include hip-hop artists Ifani and JR, Black Motion, Jeremy Loops and Jullian Gomes.
Gates will open at 12:00. The official line-up begins at 14:00. There will be three stages: a Redbull studio live stage, the main stage and a DJ student stage which will feature talented and upcoming DJs from Tuks. Tickets are on sale on iTicket for R100. Tickets will also be sold at the Rag Farm gate on the day of the event for R120.
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Editorial
02 September‘ 13
Perdeby
Just keep swimming
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Editorial Editor-In-Chief Carel Willemse
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Editor Margeaux Erasmus
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News Danielle Petterson
news@perdeby.co.za @DLPetterson
Features Bernd Fischer
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Entertainment Melina Meletakos entertainment@perdeby.co.za
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In the past two weeks Perdeby has been going through the quality surveys that were given out a few weeks ago. Initially I thought that there were going to be sections that no one reads, but I was
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surprised to see that the people who read our paper read most of the sections and this really makes working at a student newspaper worth it. According to the surveys we have gone through, the most popular sections in Perdeby are News, Entertainment and Features, with Fun and Games trumping all three. What is really exciting about knowing this is that we can try to tailor Perdeby into a product that readers want to see now. We know which sections to focus on and what type of content to include. Besides finding out what the popular sections in the paper are, the other most important thing we needed to find out was whether people feel that a student newspaper is an essential service. Any journalist, or aspiring journalist, will say that a student newspaper is important. But sometimes I wonder whether we are just using Perdeby for experience and to fill our portfolios rather than to provide information that students need or want. The good news is that most students agreed that a student newspaper is an essential student service. So after 75 years Perdeby still has a purpose. This survey has not only allowed us to see that our readers agree with this, but has also allowed us to focus on
information that you want and to report stories that you need to know about. There is always room for improvement and we are looking at other suggestions that you have made. Unfortunately, change can be slow, but we are trying week in and week out to be more representative of Tuks and to cover news and events that will interest students. This week’s edition has coverage of the Comic’s Choice Awards on page 9. We also covered the Varsity Football match on our back page and the intervarsity has an interesting story about Walter Sisulu University that was closed last week. Sometimes student life can be tough, but at least we still have one. I also want to thank everyone who came in to have an interview with us last week. Congratulations go to our newest members. I am looking forward to working with you and building on our 75-year history. Just keep swimming. Margeaux
Letter to the editor Please Tuks, keep our traditions!
Sport Maxine Twaddle
From the Editor
“Go to a Residence son! You would not only have the best time of your life, you would also experience and learn a hell of a lot about life, and walk out as a man.” These were the wise words my grandfather told me when I was still in matric and considering my options for the following year. The following year with my grandfather’s words in the back of my head, I found myself walking into a Residence or should I say my new home. I made a decision to embrace Res life and participate in all the Res activities. I started out as a nervous and shy first year, but soon I made a bunch of friends and was reluctant to go visit my parents once a month. Res was my new home and I loved it! Having socials with girl’s Resses, playing sports and dancing in front of thousands of people, oh I
was having a ball. Many people warned me not to neglect my studies and I didn’t , the first thing the HK taught us was; when you play , play hard, but when you study, study hard! I’m in 3rd year now and at the end of my res life. They say when you enjoy something time flies and it really did. I’m sad to leave Res at the end of the year, it feels just like yesterday when I walked in here as that shy 1st year. My grandfather was right, I am going to walk out as a man! Lately there has been a lot of talk about Res traditions, and Tuks wanting to take away most of them. That makes me sad, I understand there are people who would rather not take part in Res activities and try to focus on academics, but Res is for everyone. If you don’t want to take part in Res you don’t have to, it’s your choice nobody forces you and they will still respect you. I learned a lot from all the traditions and
wanted to do them. The greeting of our seniors and our beloved mascot, protecting our mascot and performing in the Ienkmelodienk are some of the fond memories I have. These traditions also helped me mingle with people from all sorts of cultures and backgrounds. So why take away these traditions? It does a lot more positive than negative. These traditions also don’t affect your studies. Res isn’t an excuse for your academics, but it is easily used as an excuse to hide the fact that you were watching series the whole day. Recently a dad of a future 1st year of Tuks asked me if there is still a Res life at Tuks and if his son will be able to experience al the res traditions. I honestly did not know how and what to answer him, holding on to the hope that Tuks come to their senses. So please Tuks, keep our traditions! Anonymous *Letter unedited
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News
TuksRes bringing more changes According to slides, rather than regular sleeps or mass dates, there will be one on Saturday 18 February to the Rembrandt Hall, but no hooking of arms is allowed. However, a former Boekenhout The university has implemented a series of changes to residence HK told Perdeby that they managed to consult with TuksRes that will affect first years. Perdeby has images of the slideshow shown to House Committee (HC) members to give a breakdown of and there will now be three sleeps. He said that men’s and women’s residences will not be allowed to sleep together because, the changes. according to TuksRes, there was sexual harassment and gender From next year onwards first years have to be ontheffed after discrimination in the past. welcoming week in one mass ceremony. No other ontheffings or According to Maroela chairperson Thabiso Padi, these decisions skyn ontheffings will be allowed. This means that first years will follow the results of a survey. He said be considered full house members after that TuksRes has been echoing a nowelcoming week. tolerance policy to anyone who fails to First years will no longer have a “Most of us feel that adhere to their instructions. “Most of 23:00 curfew and will be given the front these decisions were us feel that these decisions were made door code. There will also be no special independent of the consultation of the greeting for seniors and HC members. made independent of hundreds or thousands of students in Study times will now apply to the whole the consultation of the residences, the people on whom these residence and not only to first years and there will be no compulsory weekly onehundreds or thousands of changes are being forced. As a leader myself, I feel smothered because now hour meetings. students in residences” I’m in the middle of a game of tugThere will no longer be special ienkof-war. On the one side, students are dra. Instead each residence will have very reluctant to most, if not all, of the shirts which they must wear with blue suggested changes and on the other denim or black long pants. Men can also hand, TuksRes feels that it is under pressure to align the institution wear chinos. The clothing package will be the same for every with the rest of the country,” Padi said. residence and there will be no first-year clothing day every week, The Boekenhout member feels that it is okay to implement but there may be a day for the whole house to wear their shirts. changes but that it must be done slowly and that there must be a Furthermore, the university is implementing changes to transition period. “You can’t make sweeping changes and expect Ienkmelodienk. Performances will only be allowed to be five people to fall in line,” he said. He believes that students are upset minutes as opposed to the usual seven to nine minutes and first because these changes aren’t being communicated to them and he years will only be allowed ten hours to practise their routine. said that TuksRes isn’t interested in what students have to say. Residences will not be allowed to dress according to their themes “We have honestly experienced very little compassion from their but must wear their specific house shirts. However, they may side and even amidst the strong arguments we have made against use props and accessories. Ienkmelodienk will take place on 25 certain changes, we feel we are being heard but not listened to,” January next year, the first Saturday after the first years arrive at Padi told Perdeby. Tuks. DANIELLE PETTERSON AND LUSANDA FUTSHANE
Lilium residents unhappy with HK elections
Entrance to Lilium residence. Photo: Ilana van Heerden DANIELLE PETTERSON A group of Lilium residents have asked that their recent house committee (HC) elections be declared null and void. The unhappy residents have cited a number of complaints that they believe should lead to the elections being declared invalid. According to a letter to Perdeby from Lilium residents, the Lilium member who was announced as primaria on 21 August had a group of canvassers (people who campaigned for the primaria). The letter further states that these canvassers were all elected as members of the new Lilium house committee. The unhappy residents therefore feel that there is strong evidence that the elections were rigged in favour of some of the members who were voted in as the new HC. Furthermore, the girls have said that the Independent Electoral Committee (IEC) which runs the election was not neutral. This is because the members of the IEC all wore T-shirts in favour of
one candidate and verbally campaigned for her. The girls also stated that correct procedures were not followed because the top 15 candidates were not announced as per procedure. According to the letter, the unhappy residents approached their house mother Avasha Rambiritch in a bid to have the elections declared null and void and to have a revote. “Our cries fell on deaf ears as Ma Avasha claimed that the elections were ‘fair’, clearly taking the sides of her favourite girls. We then asked her to take the matter up with 90 Duxbury [Residence Affairs], but she told us we are free to take the matter up with 90 Duxbury ourselves,” the letter said. In a letter to Rambiritch the girls said, “Unfortunately we are not brave enough as a house to lay a formal complaint. However, the announcement of the new Lilium HK 2013/14 vigilantly brought this to the house attention that this was a conspiracy.” The residents plead with their house mother to look into the matter and to take further steps. Rambiritch told Perdeby that the elections were fair because they were carried out according to procedure and that the announcement of the new HC was only made after approval from TuksRes. Of the 322 Lilium residents, 87 have signed a petition calling for re-elections. The concerned girls feel that the fact that they got that amount of residents to sign the petition in less than three hours after the announcement of the new HC shows that the house is unhappy. The petition calls for the following: a recount of the votes by two Lilium representatives and two members from other residences, a motivation from the students who chose the new HC as to why they chose them, a revote, and that the candidates tell the house why they want to be on the HC. Rambiritch said that concerned students were invited to discuss the matter with residence affairs.
Lecturer resigns after racist remarks DANIELLE PETTERSON Philosophy lecturer Louise Mabille has resigned after stating that the rape of babies is a black “cultural phenomenon” on the Afrikaans website Praag. Mabille said in her article on feminism posted on Praag, “Naturally, it is much easier to endlessly complain about ‘Calvinism’ than to ask the question on why the rape of babies is a cultural phenomenon among black ethnic groups.” According to The Times, UP was alerted to Mabille’s statement by political science lecturer Piet Croucamp from the University of Johannesburg. “They said she wrote in her personal capacity and that it fell within her right to freedom of speech. I told them it was hate speech, which limits one’s freedom of speech,” he said. Mabille told Times Live that she “deeply regrets having written
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02 September ‘13
the piece and causing harm or pain to anyone”. UP media liaison officer Nicolize Mulder told Perdeby that an investigation into Mabille’s statements was launched last Wednesday. Mabille then resigned the next day. UP acknowledges that Mabille made the comments in her personal capacity but said that, “Although the university supports academic freedom of speech and allows academics to make responsible comments within the framework of their field of study, the university will act immediately if any academic or member of staff makes themselves guilty of hate speech or discrimination.” SA Human Rights Commission spokesman Isaac Mangena told Times Live that they would investigate the matter. “On face value it appears [to be hate speech]. However, until the context of what was written has been studied it cannot be said for sure,” he said.
INTERVARSITY NEWS DANIELLE PETTERSON Walter Sisulu University (WSU) WSU has been closed indefinitely following unrest on its campuses. The university is financially bankrupt and is struggling to pay its staff. According to Business Day Live, WSU has been locked in a labour dispute for six weeks with at least 2 000 staff members. Last Wednesday the university’s 27 000 students were given until 30 August to vacate all campuses. Police fired rubber bullets to disperse protesting students last Wednesday and News24 reported that it has become impossible for WSU management to guarantee the safety of its students. Twelve students were injured in the protest. Business Day Live reported that the university paid a bonus of R48 million to staff last year despite WSU’s having the lowest pass rates, the highest labour unrest and the worst financial situation of all South African academic institutions. University of Cape Town (UCT) A UCT student was found dead in the Newlands Forest on 25 August. Ilan Blecher was a first-year student getting his degree in biological sciences. According to Eyewitness News, Blecher and his brother went hiking but Blecher continued alone after his brother turned back. That was the last time the brothers saw each other. Executive director of communications and marketing at UCT Gerda Kruger said in a statement that Blecher fell into a gorge while on his hike. Merle Collins from Table Mountain National Parks told Eyewitness News that, “He was positively identified after the body was retrieved. His friends and family were on the scene. It was a very sad occasion.” Kruger said that Blecher’s death is touching many people in the UCT community. “His parents say he loved what university life offered him, especially intellectual freedom and the ability to explore. He had an optimistic spirit that contributed to his love of life and adventure,” she said. Kruger sent her condolences to Blecher’s family and friends on behalf of the university. University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) A small group of students and staff members from Wits held a silent protest against racial profiling and an Israeli concert held last Wednesday. According to Mail & Guardian, the protest was to show disapproval of Wits management’s decison to host a concert by the Daniel Zamir Israeli Jazz Quartet. Some believe that there was a racial and ethnic profiling tactic by Zionist organisations to control access to the concert. Last Monday the Wits Palestine Solidarity Committee and BDS made two audio recordings available which they believe contain evidence of ethnic racial-profiling and background-checking by the people who funded the concert. Wits Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof. Adam Habib confirmed that a small group of protestors gathered outside the concert but said that the concert was not disrupted in any way. University of Limpopo (UL) UL has suspended six students following a violent clash between DASO members and members of Sasco and the ANC on 21 August. Polokwane Observer reported that UL Student Representative Council president Lekoko Nkadimeng is among the suspended students. According to DA Youth leader Mbali Ntuli, ANC and Sasco members violently disrupted a DASO meeting. Two DASO members who were assaulted had to be taken to hospital. “DA Youth chairperson Yusuf Cassim and I were assaulted as well and we have opened a criminal case at the Mankweng Police Station,” Ntuli said in a statement. Sasco provincial chairperson Mokotjo Legodi told News24 that, “The allegations levelled against our members are not true. Sasco members were never involved in that incident. Sasco had its own meeting and members were at that meeting.” According to Polokwane Observer, Nkadimeng was the ring leader of the group who assaulted Ntuli and Cassim. He has reportedly been charged and the case was remanded to 20 September after he appeared in the Magistrates Court.
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02 September‘13
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02 September ‘13
Minister of Home Affairs addresses Tuks students
New political party to run in SRC elections BOIPELO BOIKHUTSO
Students attended a seminar to celebrate Women’s Month. Photo: Gloria Mbogoma MOLEBOGENG MANGOALE Minister of Home Affairs Naledi Pandor addressed Tuks students last Thursday at a seminar in celebration of Women’s Month. The seminar, organised by the Palestinian Solidarity Committee (PSC), the Muslim Students Association, the BDS (Boycott Divestment Sanctions) and Sasco, attracted a large number of students. The seminar also celebrated internationalism, the heroines of the anti-apartheid struggle and the Palestinian women who are fighting against Israeli apartheid. The seminar was based on a movie which screens the life of Leila Khaled, a revolutionary Palestinian woman and a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine who was convicted of hijacking a flight from Rome to Athens in 1969. The seminar was not only a celebration of women but also addressed the challenges that they are facing today. Pandor said that post-apartheid South Africa has advanced the role of women in the country. She added that more women in higher education institutions need to pursue more “non-traditional” roles and career paths. “We must fight any form of discrimination against women. We need not hold to the practice of inequality in customary law or religion,” she said. The minister also discouraged patriarchal means of subordination and condemned religion as an excuse for the oppression of women. She added that women and children should feel safe and respected as members of society. “I believe that our position on Palestine is the right one. We fully identify with the struggle of the Palestinian people for freedom,” Pandor said. She concluded by saying that the struggle for Palestinian women is a struggle for all. The executive mayor of Tshwane and chairperson of the
Minister of Home Affairs Naledi Pandor addresses students Photo: Gloria Mbogoma ANCYL in Tshwane Kgosientso Ramokgopa, the deputy minister of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation Ebrahim Ebrahim, as well as regional members of Sasco and ANCYL were also at the event. Speaking at the event Ramokgopa said, “We need to pay homage to women of Palestine, Tunisia, Syria, Egypt and other countries. We need to pay homage to Leila Khaled.” Lwando Majiza, the regional secretary of Sasco, addressed the audience and said, “As students we need to play an active role in what is happening to the Palestinians. What is happening to them is [an] injustice.” He stated that the end of Women’s Month should not mean the end of fighting against the suppression of women and patriarchy in society.
Members of the new political party Agang SA will be running for office in the upcoming Student Representative Council (SRC) elections. Although Agang SA is not yet a registered society at Tuks, they will be taking part in the SRC elections on 17 October. Third-year civil engineering student and Agang SA member Hugo Kruger told Perdeby that, “Agang is a bit of a wildcard. We do not know how we will fare.” Kruger said that SRC elections are won during the last week of campaigning, “given the high degree of student apathy on campus”. Most students only know about the elections on election day. Therefore he feels that Agang will be able to make an impact through its candidates. However, the fact that they are not a registered society means that they do not know how many students are interested in the party. Agang SA was launched by Dr Mamphela Ramphela just over two months ago at the Tshwane Events Centre in Pretoria. Agang SA means “to build SA” and according to Kruger this means that their whole system and philosophy has to be built from the bottom upwards. “Our policies are formed from our constituency and not from the top down,” he said. The party is led by Dr Ramphela and it stands to restore the promise of freedom brought in 1994. “Agang promises not to make false promises to students. We believe that our goals are achievable and that once in governance we can address the issues at hand,” Kruger said. He also added that Agang is a youth movement. “The party has gotten no youth league and young people are seen as on equal par with anyone else,” he said. The candidates for the election have been chosen but their names cannot be disclosed before the society has been registered. Kruger, who was a part of the SRC two years ago, said he will not stand in the election. “I had my time on the SRC and I am finishing my degree this year,” he said. Agang SA will also participate in the national elections next year.
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02 September ‘13
Fun & Games
Crossword
Across: 1. The Dark Knight actor (9,4) 7. Vincent van Gogh’s profession (6) 9. 1994 movie starring Tom Hanks (7,4) 10. Proud, pompous walk (5) 13. A large enclosure for birds (6) 15. Cylindrical container often used to fetch water (4) 16. To weigh in mind or consider carefully (6) 17. Facts, statistics and figures (4) 19. Not rural (5) 20. Nautical term for “right” (9) 21. Capital of Denmark (10) 22. Hermione from Harry Potter: ____ Watson (4)
Down: 1. High steep face of rock (5) 2. Might be caused by harmful circumstances (6) 3. Amphibians used in a witch’s potion according to fairy tales (5) 4. Intended to determine the cause of death (7) 5. Profound state of happiness and contentment (8) 6. Where sick people go (8) 8. Cloth garment of ancient Rome (4) 11. With one’s true identity not revealed (9) 12. Interrupt or intrude (7) 13. Only venomous snake native to Britain (5) 14. Person who takes objects belonging to other people (6) 15. Genealogical register of an animal of pure breed (8) 18. Unicellular organism that reproduces asexually (6)
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02 September ‘13 Features Threat of a new pandemic? Keep calm and be prepared MARKO SVICEVIC The mere thought of a pandemic evokes a sense of chaos and disaster, much like a scene from Resident Evil, Quarantine or World War Z. A terrifyingly infectious disease breaks out, bloodthirsty zombies roam the streets, governments collapse and a war for human survival ensues. This setting may seem more suitable for a horror film, but it does share some similarities to what an outbreak of an infectious disease may lead to (okay, minus the zombies maybe). On 24 September 2012, the Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases, the largest public system for reporting disease outbreaks online, received a report from Egyptian virologist Dr Ali Mohamed Zaki. At the time of the report, Dr Zaki, who was in Saudi Arabia, had isolated and identified a new type of virus in a 60-year-old patient. Initially, the virus was compared to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and thus referred to as the “Saudi-SARS”. After more details about the virus emerged, it was named the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERSCoV). On average, people infected with MERSCoV only infect one other person, compared to the three that get infected with SARS. Although MERS-CoV does not have a very high transmission rate, it is the virus’s 50% mortality rate which is a major cause for concern. This is a very high number for viruses. Furthermore, the virus has the potential to mutate and to become more contagious. Currently, MERS-CoV is not classified as a pandemic, but director-general of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Dr Margaret Chan has described the virus as “a threat to the entire world”. According to an article published on NationalGeographic.com in May, 49 MERS-CoV infections have been reported and 27 people have died. Three months later,
on 21 August, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recorded an increased number of 96 infections and 47 deaths. At 76, Saudi Arabia has the highest number of cases. At the time of going to print, South Africa had no reported cases of the virus. The major concern with viruses such as MERS-CoV is that we live in a time where globalisation and urbanisation has allowed viruses of this nature to become very dangerous. A large percentage of today’s population lives in crowded cities which allows for easy transmission from person to person. For example, 42% of South Africans lived in cities in 1950. This number has soared to nearly 62% in 2010. Furthermore, modern transport allows people to travel across the globe in a matter of days, or even in a matter of hours. As stated by the World Tourism Organisation, international tourist arrivals exceeded 1.035 billion last year. This means that there were over a billion people travelling and arriving at their particular destinations in 2012. This shows how easy it is for a new and deadly disease to cover huge geographical areas in a rather short period of time. A good example of this is the SARS outbreak. In a matter of months, from November 2002 until March 2003, SARS had become a global pandemic. The outbreak prompted swift action by local and international governments to contain the virus. According to the WHO, the SARS virus, which first appeared in southern China, eventually led to the deaths of 774 people out of the reported 8 096 cases. More recently, the outbreak of the H1N1 influenza virus in 2009, also known as swine flu, resulted in an estimated 18 000 deaths, according to statistics released by the WHO in July 2010. A study conducted last year by the CDC set the death toll at 284 500 deaths. Although such outbreaks may be linked to increased globalisation, pandemics have
Illustration: Simon-Kai Garvie occurred in the past before. In 1348, the bubonic plague, more commonly referred to as the Black Death, reached Italy’s shores and spread across Europe like wildfire. It lasted for about three years but wiped out between 25% and 50% of Europe’s population and killed an estimated 75-200 million Europeans. In 1918, the Spanish flu wreaked havoc across the globe. The CDC states that the Spanish flu caused the deaths of 50 million people – roughly 5% of the human population. However, the Spanish flu is generally described as being “unusual” when compared to other influenza outbreaks because it predominantly killed young, healthy people as opposed to children and the elderly. Another concern is the upcoming Islamic hajj to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, which takes place from approximately 13 to 18 October. Each year, roughly 2 million people from around the world convene in Mecca, creating a volatile environment for such a disease as MERS-CoV to spread. On 12 July Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health (MOH) issued health regulations for
those travelling to Mecca. The ministry has recommended that people under the age of 12 or over the age of 65, with chronic or terminal illness or with weak immune systems, as well as pregnant women should postpone their plans for the hajj this year. Together with the MOH, the WHO has also listed several precautionary measures for travellers. These include frequently washing your hands (especially after dealing with ill people), avoiding close contact with people suffering from acute respiratory infections, adhering to food safety and hygiene rules such as avoiding uncooked meat and avoiding close contact with live or wild animals. If you have any plans to travel to areas where MERS-CoV infections have been recorded and display symptoms of a respiratory infection during or after your trip, the WHO strongly advises that you seek medical attention and that you inform your doctor of your travel arrangements.
Condom as a contraceptive: why you should reconsider
Photo: Oan de Waal ANLERIE DE WET When it comes to condoms, it’s a spiel most of us are all too familiar with. Our parents, teachers and the media have preached to us about how important it is to use them to avoid contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and/or falling pregnant. The question is: how would you react if you knew that condoms had an additional health benefit? There are people who decide against using condoms for personal reasons and that choice is their right. It is understandable why some avoid them when statistics such as those by LiveScience.com report that condoms have a
15% failure rate. However, according to the same website, the condom is still being used by 85% of sexually active couples to prevent unwanted pregnancies and STIs. It has been found that condoms keep women healthy. A recent study by the Beijing Friendship Hospital in China set out to determine the connection between nonhormonal contraception methods, such as using a condom or the rhythm method (when couples abstain from sex when pregnancy is most likely to happen based on the woman’s menstrual cycle), and hormonal contraception methods such as the pill and the intrauterine device (IUD) on women’s vaginal reproductive health.
This study was conducted in China because of the country’s high percentage of women using contraceptives due to the one-child policy that was adopted by the country in 1979. In the study, there were 164 married and/or sexually active women between the ages of 18 and 45. Of the 164, 72 women used condoms, 57 used IUDs and the remaining 35 used the rhythm method. After dividing the participants into those three categories of contraceptive use, researchers waited until the women were on the 21st or 22nd day of their menstrual cycle and then collected vaginal swabs for testing. Although a healthy vagina contains a mix of “good” and “bad” bacteria, this study focused on the good bacteria. The bacterium that researchers were mainly focused on was Lactobacillus, described by Rachel Reilly from InsiderOnline.com as “bacteria that dominates the natural flora of the vagina for many women”. Lactobacillus in the vagina makes the vaginal environment slightly acidic and prevents harmful bacteria from growing in the vagina. The microbes in the good bacteria produce hydrogen peroxide and lactic acid which create what researchers call an “acidic buffer system” that works as a barrier against harmful bacteria that could cause infections. By blocking out harmful bacteria, the vagina can maintain an average pH acidity level of 4.5. The Lactobacillus bacterium is said to help prevent the outburst of bacterial vaginosis, which occurs when there is an imbalance of good and bad bacteria in the vagina, resulting in itchiness, abnormal vaginal discharge and a “fishy” odour. According to Megan Gannon, the news editor of LiveScience.com, good bacteria, such as Lactobacilli, have even shown to decrease a
woman’s chances of contracting HIV. In the study, researchers found that the level of Lactobacillus was predominantly higher in the women who used condoms as a form of contraceptive as opposed to those who used IUDs and the rhythm method. Unprotected sexual activity can throw off the pH balance of the vaginal environment since semen has a pH level of 7 to 8, a number which decreases the acidity level in the vagina. Although the condom itself has not shown to provide good bacteria, it does ensure that a woman’s vagina maintains its required natural acidity level to be healthy. There are other factors that can negatively influence the balance of bacteria in the vagina. According to MailOnline.com, these factors include “a woman’s sexual history and whether she smokes or uses vaginal deodorants”. Perdeby approached some Tuks ladies to find out their opinion on the study. Sarah*, a secondyear BCom Marketing student, and Jessica*, a first-year BA Law student, say that they are both on the pill and use condoms. They added that since finding out that a condom is good for their vaginal health, they plan on encouraging their friends to use condoms too. However, this new evidence might not make a difference to everyone’s sex life. Natasha*, a second-year drama student, says that, “Condoms aren’t trustworthy. I’d rather have an infection that can be cured than have a baby at my age.” It’s up to you to decide whether or not you want to use condoms. Just remember that when it comes to sex and safety, your health and wellbeing should come first. *Names have been changed
8
02 September ‘13
Entertainment
Metal on their minds, Bible in their hearts JOHAN SAAYMAN Metal is a genre that is as misunderstood as its audience. As a niche genre, metal bands that are as musically talented as they are angry are hard to come by. Even more so, it’s not every day that one comes across a Christian metal band worth paying attention to. Forfeit Thee Untrue, however, is an exception. The South African band recently signed with American record company Sanctus Gladius. Their first EP is under their belt and now their first full-length album is under way. Band manager and drummer Craig Palmer says that while Forfeit Thee Untrue has received support for their music internationally, local audiences haven’t quite reacted the same. “Because of the signing, we’ve got double the amount of fans in the USA compared to South Africa, but we’re a South African band, so we kind of need to now broaden here since we’re from here,” he says. The band isn’t planning on moving to the States though and touring there isn’t a priority either. “The States have their Christian metal bands. We’re staying here. We’ve all got jobs, we’re all family guys, so if [touring in the USA] comes up, we’ll need to make a plan. But for now, we’re going to stay here,” says Palmer. To remedy their obscurity in South Africa, Palmer started a Facebook page to promote Christian rock music and to connect with bands that are doing the same thing. The band is also engaging with the public in more personal ways. They set up meet-and-greets outside stores where they sell their merchandise and albums and chat about the band with fans and passers-by. Palmer, who is also the band’s lyricist, officially graduates with a Master’s degree in counselling psychology from Tuks in September. He says that this background helps him write songs, as the depth of psychology and the thinking and feeling is the same in music. “The things I write about are very
Franz Ferdinand Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action
LUSANDA FUTSHANE Ask people today who or what Franz Ferdinand is and they’ll likely give you a puzzled look or smugly suggest that Franz Ferdinand is that one band that had that one song about Ulysses. For the sake of this review, we shan’t explore our generation’s flimsy grasp on world history. We’ll focus instead on the band that took its name from the one-time archduke of Austria who was assassinated at the cusp of greatness,
Forfeit Thee Untrue Blood Soaked Splinter JOHAN SAAYMAN
From left to right: Craig Palmer, Mitch Pearson, Sean Towsen and Gideon Karsten. Photo: Provided
As a fresh local band, Forfeit Thee Untrue still dwells in the shadows of big international Christian metal bands. But these dark underdogs have a bright future ahead of them. Their music comes alive with vocals from Gideon Karsen. He alternates intense roars with caressing tones to remind the listener that there’s more to listen to than the well-structured rage of the instruments. The lyrics in all the songs carry a message that listeners can easily relate to and find relief in, even by audiences who aren’t Christians. The drumming compliments rather than dominates the songs while the guitars bring the intensity that metalheads look for. But this EP isn’t only for hardcore headbangers. “Grace Covered Sin” brings the music to a relaxed mood while still having the dark, sinister sound one would expect from a metal band. The track includes vocals by Leanie Pienaar, adding to its diversity. “Seven” is the song that stands out the most. The lyrics are also the most meaningful, showcasing the band’s abilities to its full extent. If this is only a preview of what the band will bring in their full length album which is now in production, Forfeit Thee Untrue is on its way to higher places.
negative, so they will be deep. The same with psychology: you’re dealing with someone who needs help. Even if the song starts out negative or with something negative, let’s put a main character in the song: where are they at the beginning of the song and where are they at the end? What’s the road they travel? Do they improve and why, or do they get better and why? Was it about finding faith in God or not? Maybe someone doesn’t want that, then it’s
finding faith in yourself,” says Palmer. This idea of someone travelling a path littered with choices saw the band release a video in which lead vocalist Gideon Karsten talks about his past drug problems and suicidal thoughts. This was followed by a slideshow which featured the band’s song “Screaming in Silence” as an anti-suicide campaign video which got 1 000 views in a week on YouTube. “I was waiting for a bit of controversy with
that one. We were waiting for ‘How can you use images like this?’ and ‘How can you let people watch this?’, but it’s the truth and I think that’s why people responded so well,” says Palmer.
essentially precipitating World War One. Franz Ferdinand has released their fourth album Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action which, unfortunately, is destined to suffer the same dismal fate as the original Franz Ferdinand himself. The last time we heard from the Glaswegian indie-rock band was four years ago when they gave us Tonight, arguably their best record. A lot changes in four years and with Franz Ferdinand the change has apparently effected the effortless way they used to make dirty, catchy rock songs. Let’s get the singles out of the way. The title track is groovy enough and might enjoy some radio airplay, but it lacks the timelessness of some of the band’s previous hits. The lyrics are too straightforward and polite for Franz Ferdinand (a problem that continues throughout the rest of the album).
The other lead single “Love Illumination” fares a little better than “Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action”, with a grungier Strokesy guitar arrangement and the exact cheekiness that typifies Franz Ferdinand. Unfortunately, those are all the highlights on the album. The band does deserve kudos for the cohesion that the whole record seems to have from start to finish. There aren’t many lowlights either. Just the one bad habit that sort of poisoned all the songs: a lack of ambition. Most of the songs kind of stop right before you expect them to get good while some feel like they could have benefited from a little bit more production and a few are actually gasping for a gutsy bassline. “Fresh Strawberries”, a three-and-half-minute acid trip that smacks a little of early Beatles, was almost a perfect, easy-breezy tune, but by forgetting that they’re still a British post-garage
rock band, Franz Ferdinand ended up with a song most people will only enjoy when they’re getting high. Similar misses you should just skip through include the utterly confusing “Evil Eye” and the trite “Goodbye Lovers & Friends”. The unlikely salvation of the album is a gem you might overlook at first – the weird and clever “Treason! Animals” which has a danceable hook and a repetitive “boink” spring sound effect that gives you enough silliness to think that there might yet be hope for Franz Ferdinand. Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action is a combination of average songs that altogether amounts to a slightly above-average record that is not unforgivable, but not tremendous either. With this album, Franz Ferdinand seem to have almost had it, not unlike the band’s eponymous archduke.
Entertainment
9
02 September ‘13
Industry celebrates funniest funnymen MELINA MELETAKOS South African comedians came together to celebrate the industry’s funniest quipsters at the annual Comic’s Choice Awards which took place on 24 August. The show kicked off with Father Vittorio Leonardi reading the Comic’s Prayer. “Don’t be k*k. Let’s LOL. Yaymen,” he pronounced and the night of side-splitting humour began. Sporting an ironic moustache, a hat and folded jeans as the self-proclaimed Afrikaans Deep Fried Man, Schalk Bezuidenhout took home the award in the Newcomer category. Breakthrough award winner Mpho “Popps” Modikoane had the audience in stitches when, after receiving his award, he said, “I feel like an ANN7 reporter. I want to say something but it’s just not coming out.” Kagiso Lediga won the Times Comic’s Pen Award which, as a new addition to the list, celebrates written comedy. “I was competing against a figment of Conrad Koch’s imagination, Chester Missing and Loyiso Gola, who says things that I write for him,” said Lediga as he accepted his award. Trevor Noah beat Loyiso Gola, Tumi Morake and Riaad Moosa to win the Comic’s Choice of the Year. Noah could not make the show because of health reasons, so comedian Robby Collins was there to accept the award on his behalf. Presenting the evening’s most coveted award was director Jahmil Qubeka, whose film Of Good Report had been caught in some controversy as it was banned and subsequently unbanned by the Film and Publication Board. “Praise a nation that has heroes but more importantly, praise a nation that can laugh at itself,” he said before announcing Noah’s win. Everyone’s favourite “Cousin” Barry Hilton walked home with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Hilton said that after three decades as a comedian, he is blessed that he is “doing it like day one” even though he is still getting paid the same amount of money as he did on day one. The awards show, which was founded by potty-mouthed comedian John Vlismas and Taffia Keight of Whacked Management, sees comedians voting for their peers in each category. The only award decided by the public is the Audience Choice Award, which went to Sifiso Nene for the second year in a row. This year’s theme was “The Art of Funny”, which explores how comedians, through their wit, have the ability to reshape the world. This idea was deviously weaved throughout the polished production, with humorous sketches interspersed between each award. There were parkour runners who abseiled from the ceiling to stop graffiti artists and flower-arranging oumas who broke out in a hipthrusting dance. There was also a white rhino in the middle of a therapy session recounting her worries about getting poached and a parody news channel that covered Zimbabwe’s recent elections.
At the end, everyone who graced the stage during the evening came out to sing “Do You Hear The People Sing”, the ultimate song about redemption and revolution from the musical Les Misérables. It was a powerful moment, making us all believe, even if for a few minutes, that the ability to laugh and to make people laugh can somehow be redemptive.
Wittiest one-liners: “Every time anyone speaks Afrikaans to me I feel like I’m going to be oppressed.” – Gavin Kelly “Government high schools are like government condoms: you come back with an unwanted baby or an STD but no education.” – Gavin Kelly “Oscar brought back the bucket system. Nobody wants to go to the toilet now.” – Skhumba “It’s voting time again and I heard that the politicians are going to vote at the high schools they used to go to. Mbeki will vote at the high school he went to, Buthelezi will vote at his and Jacob Zuma, he’ll vote at the high school he wanted to go to.” – Sifiso Nene
Deep Fried Man. Photo: Hendro van der Merwe
Thapelo “King Flat” Mametja. Photo: Hendro van der Merwe
“Wait. Where’s ANN7? I have so much to say to you. You suck!” – Bevan Cullinan
Bevan Cullinan and his partner. Photo: Hendro van der Merwe
David Kau and his partner. Photo: Hendro van der Merwe
Donovan Goliath, Nicholas Goliath and Jason Goliath. Photo: Hendro van der Merwe
Comic’s Choice Awards winners
Lifetime Achievement Award
Savanna Newcomer Award
Blackberry Breakthrough Award
Times Comic’s Pen Award
Savanna Audience Choice Award
Comic’s Choice Comic of the Year
Barry Hilton
Schalk Bezuidenhout
Mpho “Popps” Modikoane
Kagiso Lediga
Sifiso Nene
Trevor Noah
10
Fun & Games
02 September ‘13
Sudoku
5. Mamphela Ramphele. No one likes losing millions.
Last edition’s solution:
MAXINE TWADDLE
6. People in Cape Town. It’s spring here, it’s snowing there. Sorry Capetonians, but you already have the sea and wine farms and Table Mountain. You can’t have everything.
Last week’s Top 10 was a bit depressing. We’ve decided to cheer up a bit. This week’s Top 10 will be a ray of sunshine into an otherwise dark world. If you’re still in the I-hate-my-life phase, here are ten people who are having a worse time than you are.
7. Ben Johnson. Johnson provided a handy definition of delusions of grandeur the other day by telling BBC that he easily could have beaten Usain Bolt if the two had competed against each other. Not that he is going to prove it by actually racing against Bolt or anything.
1. Billy Ray Cyrus. Even though he subjected the world to “Achy Breaky Heart”, you have to feel sorry for the guy. Not many people are so bad that they deserve to see their daughter twerking. Even fewer people deserve to see their daughter twerking with giant teddy bears and foam fingers.
8. The Zimbabwean man who used a poster of Robert Mugabe as toilet paper. You can’t say what you think about the free and fair elections out loud, so you might as well show what you think about it, right? Wrong. You’ll still get arrested.
2. Ben Affleck. Imagine that your last movie wins three Oscars and five Golden Globes. Then you are cast as Batman and everyone only remembers Gigli. That can’t be easy.
9. William Shakespeare. The Bard of Avon invented a few of the English language’s words. He now has to rest in the knowledge that these are now in the (online) dictionary alongside “selfie” and “FOMO”.
3. African News Network 7 (ANN7). We don’t have enough space for all the jokes we have. 4. Prince Harry. Poor Harry got snubbed as baby Alistair’s godfather. Maybe Harry got off lucky. Partying naked in Vegas is probably a lot less fun with godchildren to worry about.
10. Amanda Bynes. Her doctors want her to be hospitalised until the end of the year, but she’s more focused on getting a record deal. Psychiatric institutions tend to get in the way of those.
Pssst...
Perdeby’s Daily Roundup Get your local and international news, entertainment and sport updates at perdeby.co.za.
It’s semester test season and that means a slow news week for Pssst…. One of the most exciting things that happened this week was that a Magrietjie girl walked out of a test in Engineering Week after barely taking enough time to write her name down. Shame. Maybe Taaibos’ recent serenading campaign distracted her. Pssst… isn’t sure if Taaibos think that singing outside the girls’ reses is a way of achieving romantic goals. Here’s a tip: it’s not. Pssst… and most of the girls think that it’s sad and a little bit creepy. Klaradyn have found something else to complain about other than Taaibos’ singing. The girls seem to be quite concerned about a Katjiepiering first year becoming a primaria. Surely that’s Katjiepiering’s problem, Klaradyn? Pssst… thinks Klaradyn should focus on their own res instead and, let’s
face it, Katjiepiering isn’t really worth getting jealous over. Asterhof also seem to be getting bored of their own res. Apparently some of the girls have taken to stalking a Boekenhout semi. Pssst… could give you a lecture on feminism and respecting yourself as a woman and all that, but Pssst… will settle for just telling you to avoid Boekenhout. It’s called standards, ladies. On the topic of being ladylike, Pssst… has two words for Lilium: personal space. It doesn’t seem to be so important to you, girls, but the rest of us like it very much. When you’re “dancing” (for lack of a better word), it might help to remember that not everyone wants your body around theirs. Except Taaibos, if their serenading tactic doesn’t work out. Keep on sending Pssst… tips to perdeby@up.ac.za.
Perdeby’s Daily Roundup is published around 19:00 on weekdays. Illustration: Modeste Goutondji
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Sport
11
02 September ‘13
Lilium beat Asterhof 1-0 BRIAN KIAUTHA
Lilium beat Asterhof 1-0 in the final match of the group stages of the residence football league. The teams tested each other in the midfield and the midfielders worked hard to control ball possession. As the game progressed the teams started to shift their momentum from the midfield closer to the goals. Lilium pushed the ball into Asterhof’s half and established a period of play near the box. Good defending from Asterhof prevented Lilium from producing on-target shots. Lilium forward Sam Machabane created a chance but her strike was punched out by the goalkeeper Liezel Meyer, resulting in a Lilium corner. The corner did not trouble Asterhof’s defence. Meyer’s goal kick found midfielder Alida Peens and she continued the attack. Smart interplay from Asterhof forced Lilium into conceding a corner, but Asterhof’s attack could not beat Lilium goalkeeper Llale Goitsemang. This was the final play of the first half and the half time score was 0-0. Lilium took a 1-0 lead early in the second half. Lilium forward Roshade Mengas beat an offside trap to score the goal. Asterhof responded to the goal by working hard to score an equaliser. The Asterhof attack forced Goitsemang to make a brilliant save. Asterhof were awarded a free kick near the box. The free kick resulted in a controversial penalty as the referee judged that one of the Lilium defenders handled the ball in the box. Asterhof did not convert the penalty and the kick went straight to the goalkeeper A second goal by Lilium was judged offside just before the referee blew the final whistle. An Asterhof player controls the ball. Photo: Hendro van der Merwe
Tuks archer makes history KHUMO MEKGWE
Tuks archer Shaun Anderson made history by becoming the first para-archer to represent South Africa at the Archery World Cup in Poland earlier this month. Anderson lost the ability to use his left hand after a superbike accident 11 years ago. He broke his left shoulder in three places, leaving him with permanent damage to his left arm. He uses his right hand and his mouth to shoot. After the accident Anderson decided to focus on working with children with disabilities and learning problems. Anderson believes that through his achievements, he can show that individuals do not have to fit into boxes. He also wants to prove that people with disabilities can achieve something. “Once you’ve proven yourself, people start listening,” he said. Anderson began archery in 2010. He was named the chairperson of the South African Para-Archery Association in 2012. He is also the South African and continental champion. Anderson set a new South African record at the Gauteng Provincial Indoor Target Championships a month ago. Anderson hopes to get South Africa’s first archery medal at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio. He will use two upcoming championships to work on qualifying for the Rio Games. The first championship will be held in Thailand later this year and Anderson said that he hopes to finish in the top 32 of the tournament. Anderson has doubled his efforts in training with a seven-day training schedule and has increased mental preparation sessions with the university’s psychology department. He starts with a five-kilometre walk in the mornings followed by an intensive focus on shooting. “We’ve turned everything up a gear,” Anderson said.
TuksFencing hosts national tournament PHILIP STOFBERG
Jarryd New and Joseph Maluleke during the senior men’s épée. Photo: Stefan van Niekerk
TuksFencing hosted the Tuks Open tournament at the Groenkloof Sport Centre on 24 and 25 August. The tournament is one of the five national ranking tournaments that contribute to an athlete’s individual national position. Over 100 athletes from across the country competed in the tournament and a few Tuks athletes achieved podium positions. “The Tuks tournament is one of the bigger [competitions] on the calendar,” Jane Stamp, secretary and treasurer of TuksFencing, told Perdeby. “I expected [Tuks] to win the men’s senior competition. We could have done better, but I still feel that we did very well,” Stamp said after the tournament. In the épée section, Liam Parnell, Daniella Klonarides and Natania Bester all received bronze medals in their respective age groups. Kalman Kozma and Cheree Janse van Rensburg both received silver medals in the men and women’s u/20 épée respectively. The épée is one of the three disciplines in fencing. Disciplines are determined by the weapon used by the athlete. The épée is a heavy thrusting weapon with the hand guard extending over the hand. The entire body of the opponent can be scored on in this discipline. Stefan van Niekerk received a bronze medal in the senior men’s sabre competition. The sabre weapon is a light cutting-andthrusting weapon where points can be scored on the entire upper body (excluding the hands) of the opponent. The final discipline is the foil, which is a light thrusting weapon with a small circular hand guard. Only the torso, neck and groin of the opponent can be scored on. The Tuks fencers will look to better their national rankings at the Junior National Championship which will be held in the Boland on 28 and 29 September.
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Tuks through to Varsity Football semi-finals ISHMAEL MOHLABE Tuks beat the University of the Western Cape (UWC) 1-0 to secure a semi-final place in the Varsity Football Challenge. Sphelele Khuzwayo’s only goal of the game gave Tuks a vital three points and the team kept a clean sheet for the third time in three games. Tuks came into this game on the back of a convincing 4-0 victory against the University of the Free State while UWC had beaten Wits 2-0 in their previous game. Khuzwayo put Tuks ahead in the opening minute of the match. Tuks went on to control most of the first half. UWC nearly cancelled Tuks’s lead when Curtley Beukes’s on-target shot from the 18-yard box landed in Tristyn Coetsee’s hands. Tuks came close to scoring a second goal in the final seconds of the first half. Charles Gulwako forced UWC goalkeeper Basikelele Mdletye to produce a superb save after he volleyed from 25 yards. Tuks were awarded an indirect free kick on the six-yard line a few minutes into the second half. UWC’s defensive wall denied Tuks a second goal. With the tempo of the game slowing down towards the hour mark, Tuks coach Evangelos Vellios made a couple of changes. Speedy winger Mbongeni Masilela replaced Moeketsi Modiba and brought pace to the game. In the 63rd minute, UWC’s goalkeeper made a
The teams line up for the national anthem. Photo: Eddie Mafa handling error but Gulwako failed to make the most of the mistake and his shot got cleared by UWC’s defence, resulting in a corner. UWC were unlucky not to equalise just two minutes later. UWC’s Robin van Rensburg set up a cross for Tapelo Sixishe, whose header hit the far post after beating Coetsee. Masilela came close to scoring a second goal
for Tuks in the 78th minute. He found himself in a good position when Mosa Sesele delivered a cross into the six-yard box. Masilela’s final touch went wide of the empty net. With just five minutes of the game remaining, Masilela forced Mdletye into producing one of his best saves of the game. The save was not enough for UWC and their hopes of advancing
to the semi-final stages ended. UWC finished sixth on the competition’s log with four points. Tuks go into the last week of the round-robin stage third on the log with 13 points and are tied with North-West University, who have a superior goal difference.
Difficult road ahead for Springboks
Bryan Habana on his way to scoring against Argentina. Image: dailymaverick.com PHILIP STOFBERG The Springbok rugby team has completed the first leg of this year’s Rugby Championship tournament, winning both of their matches against Argentina. The first match was played at the FNB Stadium in Soweto. South African supporters were ecstatic after this first meeting when the match ended with a 73-13 Bok victory. Controversy followed the next match played in Mendoza, Argentina. The Springboks went into half time trailing 17-13. They only managed to get into the lead in the final ten minutes of the match with a penalty goal from
fly-half Morné Steyn. The match ended 22-17 in favour of the Boks. After the narrow win for the Boks, coach Heyneke Meyer said that he believes, “If this had not happened, then we would have been in for a big hiding in Australia.” History has shown that the Springboks generally have bad seasons if they beat lowranking teams in pre-season friendly matches. After beating Samoa 60-10 in Brisbane during the 2003 season, the Boks recorded one of their worst defeats ever, losing 52-16 to the All Blacks. In 2008 the Boks beat Argentina 63-9, then went on to lose all but one of their TriNations (the Rugby Championship prior to the
inclusion of Argentina) matches. “We need to improve before the next games. There were too many handling errors and too many other mistakes in Argentina. That match was a wake-up call for us,” Springbok captain Jean de Villiers told the media after arriving back in South Africa. The match against the Wallabies on 7 September will be interesting as Australia started their campaign with two losses against current world champions New Zealand. This means that the Wallabies will look to save face against South Africa, who will have their work cut out for them at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. The Springboks have
never beaten the Wallabies at the venue. An even greater hurdle awaits the Boks the week after the match against Australia, when they are to play New Zealand at Eden Park in Auckland. Coming off last year’s Rugby Championship win and a World Cup win in 2011, the All Blacks seem to have kept all the momentum they need for yet another win in the southernhemisphere tournament. “The reality is the New Zealand team right now [is] essentially a machine,” former Australian captain Stirling Mortlock said after the All Blacks’ second win. “They’re full of confidence, they know exactly what they’re doing both on an individual and collective level and their accuracy and execution when opportunities arise is fantastic. It seems as though, since winning the World Cup in 2011, this All Blacks outfit has just gone up another gear,” he said. Since 2010 South Africa has only won one match against the All Blacks and the last time the Boks were able to beat the All Blacks in New Zealand was in 2009. Before then, the Boks had not won in New Zealand for ten years. South Africa have not won at Eden Park since 1937. These statistics paint a bleak picture for the rest of the Boks’ Rugby Championship campaign, but former All Black and Golden Lions coach John Mitchell believes the Boks can pull off a successful tour. “Clearly [the Springboks] have to get to their ball quickly and get past their ball, over the ball and secure the space against the Aussies, which they can do,” Mitchell explained about the breakdown. “Defensively they’re going to have to work very hard because the Aussie backs will pick on weak defenders and move the ball laterally. Defensively they’re going to have to be real good on the inside of their team mates,” he said.
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