Perdeby Tuks se amptelike studentekoerant / Official Tuks student newspaper / Kuranta ya baithuti ya semmušo ya Tuks
03February2014
Rag 2014
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year76issue02
The Google effect
Ienkmelodienk 2014
Varsity Cup
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Olienhout student attacked in Hatfield
An Olienhout resident was attacked on Prospect Street on 24 January. Photo: Brad Donald TEBOGO TSHWANE A second-year Olienhout resident was attacked outside Hatfield Square on 24 January. The victim, who wishes to remain anonymous, was hit repeatedly in the face with a brick during the attack, which occurred around 04:30. The victim was with a friend on Prospect Street just outside the Madelief residence when the attack happened. They had decided to walk back to Olienhout after their lift did not arrive. “They were on their way to Duncan Street when they heard someone approaching from behind. The student alleges that he was hit in the face with a brick by an unknown man when he looked back. He sustained head injuries and was taken to a local hospital for
He suffered from fractured cheek and temporal bones and also lost three of his teeth. treatment,” said Brooklyn Police spokesperson Captain Colette Weilbach. A third student, who is also an Olienhout resident, witnessed the attack and tried to assist the victim. He suffered minor injuries from his altercation with the suspect. The suspect fled the scene shortly afterwards in a car that had just arrived. The victim was immediately admitted to Muelmed Hospital. He suffered from fractured cheek and temporal bones and also lost three of his teeth. He underwent surgery on 28 January. A specialist from the hospital told the victim’s family that had the brick hit him one centimetre above, he could have sustained serious brain damage or even died.
At this point the motive for the attack is still unclear. Nothing was stolen from the students and the witnesses say that the attacker did not ask for any of their possessions. Police are investigating the possible motive. “It seems that the victim and his friends observed a fight in Hatfield shortly before the incident,” said Captain Weilbach.
“For some reason students from res are easy targets for these people.” Olienhout house father David Raats told Perdeby that he does not think that the boys were involved in the fight that took place at the Square. He added that there have been reports of men in their 20s going to Square with the intention of starting fights. “I have heard it often that around this time of the year a lot of people go to the Square looking for trouble. For some reason students from res are easy targets for these people.” He also mentioned that the victim is not the type of person who gets into fights. “He is a mellow guy. He is not the type of guy who looks for trouble.” The victim’s mother told Perdeby that the incident has been shocking and traumatic for the whole family. She added that both the residence and the university have been very supportive and have offered to assist the family with counselling should they need it. The student was released from hospital on 29 January and is back at Olienhout. Apart from stitches and some swelling, he is recovering well. He said that that the attack “could have been much worse, I could have died. I am feeling fine”. He will have to undergo more surgery to replace the teeth that he lost in the
attack. A case of assault has been opened at Brooklyn Police Station. Any person who witnessed the assault or who might have information that might assist police in this case can contact the Brooklyn Police Station. “Students can assist the police [by] assuming responsibility for their own safety and the security of their belongings by taking simple, common sense precautions,” said Captain Weilbach. Brooklyn SAPS has compiled a list of precautionary measures students can take to reduce the risk of being a victim of such an incident: • Walk away from a heated argument to prevent it from turning violent. • Do not carry illegal or dangerous weapons. The presence of a weapon could escalate a tense situation. Section 3 (1) of the Dangerous Weapons Act of 2013 (Act No. 15 of 2013) stipulates that any person who is in possession of any dangerous weapon under circumstances which may raise a reasonable suspicion that the person intends to use the dangerous weapon for an unlawful purpose, is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding three years. • Avoid excessive drinking. Alcohol impairs judgement and prevents you from protecting yourself effectively. • Do not walk alone late at night. Walk in groups and take well-lit routes. • Be aware of your surroundings. • Do not use a cell phone or listen to music while walking.
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Editorial
03 February ’14
Perdeby
The great equaliser
www.perdeby.co.za perdeby@up.ac.za m.perdeby.co.za @perdebynews Tel: (012) 420 6600
Editorial Editor-in-Chief Carel Willemse
carel.willemse@up.ac.za @Ed_in_Chief
Editor Maxine Twaddle
perdeby@up.ac.za @MissMax6
News Molebogeng Mangoale
news@perdeby.co.za @DisneyMdee
Features Maggie Roodt
features@perdeby.co.za @Maggiejroodt
Entertainment Michal-Maré Linden
The fact that you’re reading this means that you’re in a pretty good position. You have parents or sponsors who can afford to send you
From the Editor
to a great university. If you’re reliant on NSFAS funding, you have an SRC that’s been working hard to ensure you can still register. Not everyone has that luxury. Last Thursday, TUT was shutdown after a protest by students angered by late NSFAS payments turned violent. I don’t condone the violence used by the protestors, but I think they have every right to be angry. Imagine arriving in Pretoria expecting to start the academic year and being told that the funding you were assured of wasn’t coming. The easy argument is that our constitution guarantees the right to basic education. Tertiary education is not a right. That’s fair enough. However, it doesn’t mean that tertiary education should be so hard to access. Every child in every school across South Africa should be able to realistically dream of obtaining a higher level of education than Matric. In light of South Africa’s current economic environment, unless you have a degree or a diploma, you’re not going to get a great job (a qualification doesn’t even guarantee you a great job anymore). You need to have an impressive skill set before you start thinking of applying for a job. South Africa needs more university graduates to grow economically and socially. Tertiary
entertainment@perdeby.co.za @MicsLinden
Sport Michael Reinders
education is vital to the labour market and provides training for those who will go on to provide essential services. This will grow the economy while the critical thinking skills taught at university will allow citizens to make informed decisions. We need an active citizenry able to debate and tackle issues that are hampering the country’s development. Tertiary education is a great social tool. Wherever you went to school, chances are you didn’t sit next to someone from a vastly different social, cultural or economic background. At university, you’re exposed to just about every type of person there is. Make the most of this. Learn other languages, understand other cultures and empathise with other social situations. American politician Horace Mann commented that, “Education, then, beyond all other devices of human origin, is the great equaliser of conditions of man.” Perhaps he was a bit idealistic, but he captured the idea that a tertiary instution provides people from all backgrounds with the opportunity for the same education. You’re privileged to be here. Don’t take that for granted. You have knowledgeable lecturers, invaluable resources and world-class facilities. Use them. There are other people who wish they had the same opportunity. Max
sport@perdeby.co.za @Mike_Bongani
Web Marko Svicevic
webeditor@perdeby.co.za @perdebynews @MarkoSvicevic1
Copy India Gonçalves
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layout@perdeby.co.za @UtdRedAngel
Visuals Brad Donald
visuals@perdeby.co.za @Brad3rs
Teams Layout Thabang Letageng Ditshego Madopi Thabang Matebane Copy Dylan Coleman Herman Hoogenboezem Gloria Mbogoma Keegan Schmidt Tahnee Otto
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News
03 February ‘14
3
Rag procession 2014 goes green
Mopanie and Asterhof. Photo: Brad Donald BOIPELO BOIKHUTSO AND FUMI SOKO TuksRag hosted its annual Rag procession last Saturday at UP’s Sport campus. The event kicked off just after 10:00 at End Street and moved all the way to Dennelaan Street. After the procession, the floats were displayed at the Rag Farm. Prof. Cheryl de la Rey, the vice-chancellor of the university, opened the event by welcoming everyone. She encouraged students to enjoy themselves but emphasised the essence of Rag, which is to reach out and give. TuksRag is a student-driven charity organisation dedicated towards developing students through active participation in fundraising and community service initiatives. The Rag procession adopted an eco-friendly approach this year. Residences focused on using materials that could be recycled or donated after Rag to build their floats. Points were awarded for the float’s “greenness”. The theme of this year’s procession was “Moments in History” and residences tried to capture momentous historical events in their floats. Sonop paired up with Katjiepiering and their theme was the 1995 Rugby World Cup. It had the famous picture of Nelson Mandela and Francois Pienaar on the float. Maroela paired with Nerina and their theme was Pearl Harbour. They delivered a rather sombre presentation before the judges with a military march and a gun that shot glitter. Magrietjie and their partners Kollege took a rather refreshing approach to the theme. Kollege’s Martin van Rooyen said that their float aimed to represent a Rag procession in itself. It was filled with stuffed toys which
Vividus Men and Jasmyn. Photo: Charlotte Bastiaanse would be donated to charity. Van Rooyen said that this represents “what Rag was all about in the beginning which is giving to charity”. Vividus Men paired up with Jasmyn with their Star Wars theme and they had the 2013 Rag Queen and Princess on their float. Luminous and Inca chose the 2010 Fifa World Cup event. Asterhof and Mopanie’s float focused on photography and was supported by the theme History Captured through a Lens. Olympus and Vividus Ladies made an interesting Magic-themed float. Boekenhout and Curlitzia’s float was unique and had no vehicle carrying it. The Musicthemed float was made completely out of recyclable materials. Kiaat and Klaradyn’s theme for their float was the Progression of Computer technology, but this was not very clear. Olienhout and Madelief used a Coca-Cola theme for their float which was well-executed although a lot of blomme were used. Taaibos and Erika’s Nelson Mandela: South Africa’s Superhero theme was a bit confusing as it took a while for spectators to realise that the superman on their float was Mandela. The floats were judged based on a community report, which included sustainability, and their environmental friendliness, as well as for aesthetics, movement, safety, technical design, creativity, originality, theme and participation. Perdeby asked SRC President Enwee Human, who was one of the judges at the event, what he thought of the procession. He felt positive about the event but said that he would have liked to have seen more day students. Look out on our website for the results of the judging.
Boekenhout and Curlitzia. Photo: Charlotte Bastiaanse
Zinnia. Photo: Brad Donald
The 2013 Rag Queen and one of the princesses. Photo: Brad Donald
Taaibos and Erika. Photo: Brad Donald
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News
03 February ‘14
Sasco calls for strike over NSFAS shortage of funds MOLEBOGENG MANGOALE The South African Students Congress (Sasco) called for a mass student protest across all institutions of higher learning last week. The student organisation is dissatisfied with the lack of funds given to students by the National Students Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and called on students to halt registration processes. According to Eyewitness News, Sasco President Ntuthuko Makhombothi said that registration should not take place at universities until all students are given equal opportunities to register. A series of protests erupted last week at most universities. Lectures at the Tshwane University of Technology were suspended on Thursday as students engaged in protest. This was followed by the closure of six of their campuses. There were also protests at the University of Johannesburg as students called for the registration process to be stopped until financial aid from NSFAS was assured. Twenty-seven students were arrested for protest action and later on released on warnings. Makhombothi accused NSFAS of accommodating only a few students and excluding the majority of poor students, even those who meet the requirements of being academically deserving and financially needy. He encouraged institutions that were already protesting to continue. The Democratic Alliance Student Organisation (Daso) held an all-night sit-in at the head offices of the Department of Higher Education in Pretoria last Thursday in support of students who have not received NSFAS funding. Minister Blade Nzimande of the Department of Higher Education and Training ordered students not to engage in violent clashes or to damage university property and promised that government has made R1 billion available to NSFAS. Sasco continued to call for protests to carry on at tertiary institutions until this promise has materialised. Most students that are funded by the aid scheme were unable
Sasco embarked on a national strike last week. Image: ystream.com to register for their studies in 2014 due to outstanding university fees from the previous year. The Congress of South African Students President Colin Malatji said on Power FM that no student should be financially or academically excluded due to this NSFAS crisis. He added that education is not a privilege but
a right that should be afforded to all students. The Tuks SRC has arranged that students who have not received their NSFAS funding can still register at the university as long as they are academically deserving.
UP welcomes new students
MOLEBOGENG MANGOALE First-year students were officially welcomed on 18 January at the annual Welcoming Day. The Amphitheatre was filled to capacity as parents, guardians and first-year students sat to listen to the Vice-Chancellor Prof. Cheryl de la Rey’s speech. Over 37 000 applications were received last year of which only 10 500 students were accepted into UP. Prof. De la Rey told the crowd that admission in 2014 was very competitive among the new students most of whom were born in the new South Africa. In addressing the first years she said, “We know that each of you is capable of great achievements in the future because you have already come a long way and you have succeeded. The fact that you are here today is an indication that you have performed exceptionally well in your final year of school.” Prof. Themba Mosia, vice-principal of Student Affairs, was also present. He told the crowd, “We would like every student to feel comfortable at this university and explore the wide range of student activities available.” He appealed to parents and guardians to monitor their children’s academic performance and emotional wellbeing. SRC President Enwee Human also advised students to take part in student activities and societies. “Great achievements take time. It is not always easy but there is no The Amphitheatre was filled to maximum capacity on Welcoming Day. Photo: Brad Donald overnight success,” he said.
11 students expelled from Wits
Wits’s official logo Image: www.wits.ac.za DAN MAFORA The University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) has expelled 11 students that protested against the hosting of an Israeli funded concert that
took place early last year. According to a press release by the university, the sentence has been suspended on the condition that the students are not found guilty of any other misconduct for a period of two years. The students are also not allowed to be office bearers for any student structure for a year and they are expected to do 80 hours of community service as decided by the university. The 11 students, nine of whom were SRC members, had in March 2013 protested against an Israeli embassy funded concert that was hosted on their campus. According to the Wits Palestinian Solidarity Committee (Wits PSC), the protest was not about, as the university alleged, the ethnicity of the pianist who was playing at the concert but against the “Israeli embassy’s financial involvement in the violation of the cultural boycott of Israel”.
The university’s decision to expel the students was announced without their prior knowledge. The Wits PSC has described the decision as “a witch-hunt by university management and the Israeli lobby against the so-called Wits 11.” The South African Students Congress (Sasco) has also condemned the expulsion, calling it ridiculous. “We are of the opinion that Wits university is punishing its students due to pressure from the Israeli lobby, which Prof. [Adam] Habib himself (vice-chancellor of Wits) admitted [to] having come under,” it said in a press release. In an open letter to Prof. Habib, former Wits SRC President Sibulele Mgundlwa said, “By doing what you have done [expelling students], you have squashed the right to protest that students have.” He further stated that he believed that the protest was necessary,
responsible and that they would not apologise for having staged it. “I was driven by my conviction that Israel is unfairly treating the Palestinian people. Perhaps what I am more sorry for is that you, seemingly an avid defender and self-appointed advocate of the Israeli government, did not see that,” he said. The Wits PSC said that most of the expelled students were no longer students and would be unaffected by the sentence. “The current Wits SRC has come out in support of the Wits 11 and it is evident that this event has hampered the relationship between the student leadership and the university,” a member said. The university could not be reached for comment.
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03 February ’14
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03 February ’14
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Features
03 February ’14
7
Deafening decibels: how loud is too loud? LEANNE CUMMING Noise is the constant soundtrack of our daily lives. It takes on many different forms: construction work, blaring televisions, hooting taxis, hairdryers, loud music and any other sound that bothers or causes harm to people. The way in which we perceive sounds and tones is based on personal preference. What one person regards as melodic can be an earsplitting noise to another. So how loud is too loud? Sounds and tones travel in waves and are measured in frequency and amplitude. The amplitude determines how forceful a sound wave is by measuring the change in atmospheric pressure that it has. A sound wave is measured in decibels of sound pressure. According to America’s National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), the suggested safe sound exposure limit is 85 decibels for eight hours a day. This is the same decibel level as city traffic. According to DangerousDecibels.org, a raindrop is recorded as a faint 40 decibels, a conversation is a moderate 60 decibels and an iPod at peak volume is an intense 115 decibels. At 120 decibels, the average rock concert can cause damage to your hearing after only seven and a half minutes. According to GenerationDeaf.com, noise measuring 120 decibels is roughly as loud as a firecracker and “is the point where your ears interpret the level of sound as physically painful”. Excessive exposure to dangerous noise levels for extended periods of time causes NoiseInduced Hearing Loss (NIHL). This destroys the delicate hair cells, called stereocilia, found in the inner ear that are crucial for hearing Previously, scientists believed that the hair cells were damaged by the vibrations caused
Photo: Charlotte Bastiaanse
by loud sounds. However, recent studies have found that exposure to loud noise triggers the formation of free radicals, which damage and even kill the hair cells. A reduced sense of hearing at specific frequencies is one of the first indications of NIHL. This usually affects the basic level of hearing needed to comprehend what people are saying, making communication difficult. Another common symptom of NIHL is tinnitus, which is a buzzing, ringing or cracking sound in the ear. Tinnitus can be a permanent condition, but many people experience temporary tinnitus
after a night out at a club. Craig Jackson, a second-year BA student and musician, says that, “After a show my ears buzz for a little while. I try to wear noisereducing earphones or in-ear monitors as much as possible to avoid it, but the buzzing is especially apparent when I am in a quiet room after a show.” Another common symptom of NIHL is acoustic trauma, which causes immediate and permanent damage to hearing. This damage is the result of a short loud blast such as an explosion, gunshot or firecracker.
THULANI MASHIANE
Illustration: Simon-Kai Garvie
Remember the days when information was only available in libraries, in sections of countless books divided by subject or in articles in old yellowed newspapers and magazines? It was probably worth the trouble if you still remember that without having to Google it. In 2013 the UN predicted that 40% of the global population would be using the Internet by the beginning of this year. The Internet has become the quickest and most convenient way to access information. There are thousands of online searching platforms, known as search engines, that allow users to search for specific information, creating a giant digital library. Google has grown from a search engine to a study partner, philosopher, counsellor, doctor and memory bank. In 2011, Internet research company comScore Data Mine reported Google to be the first web property to reach over a billion unique visitors globally. The Daily Mail reported that, “Our reliance on Google for fact-checking and finding basic information has made us forgetful. The Daily Mail quoted research that found that individuals viewed search engines as extensions of their own intelligence. It also found that individuals quickly forgot information they searched for online but were more likely to remember the information if they believed that it had been deleted from the Internet. Research conducted by Harvard University echoes this. Students who answered a series of trivia questions with the help of Google were more confident in their intelligence than students who answered the questions without the use of the Internet. The researchers concluded that, “Using Google gives people the
Many people damage their hearing by listening to their iPod on full volume. Emmah Morton, a second-year BA law student, says “I often catch the bus between Hatfield and LC de Villiers and notice the number of students listening to music, through earphones, so loud that I can sing along to their song. I think that it is unhealthy to listen to your music that loud.” GenerationDeaf.com gives guidelines for the amount of time a person should listen to music through headphones in accordance to different volume levels. The suggested listening times are a maximum of five minutes per day at 100% volume, a maximum of 80 minutes per day at 80% and a maximum of 18 hours at 60%. There is no limit for volume below 50 percent. The Hear the World Foundation says that you should give yourself a hearing “downtime” when listening to music in order to prevent NIHL. Ideally, this downtime period should be 24-48 hours long and not less than 12 hours. This allows your ears to rest and recuperate from loud sounds and noisy activities. According to the Hear the World Foundation, noise has an impact on the entire body. “Low noise levels can trigger the release of stress levels, leading to increased blood pressure. This in turn can lead to aggressive behaviour and tensions in interactions with other people, as well as increased risk of stroke, heart attack and tinnitus. Unwanted sources of noise also prevent relaxation, recovery and sleep. They can also impair concentration and performance, particularly in children.” Our sense of hearing is important. It gives us pleasure when we listen to music, it enables us to protect ourselves by alerting us to potential danger, but most importantly, it allows us to interact and communicate with other people. The good news is, with a little bit of precaution you can enjoy the full benefits of your hearing for many years to come.
sense that the Internet has become part of their own cognitive tool set.” Harvard psychologists Adrian Ward and Daniel Wegner warn in the Scientific American journal, that people are less likely to recall memories and facts if they are stored on the Internet. “Our work suggests that we treat the Internet much like a human transactive memory partner (a person we share personal details with). We offload memories to ‘the cloud’ just as readily as we would to a family member, friend or lover.” Ward and Wegner add that because the Internet has a vast amount of information available and can produce it more accurately at a quicker rate than most people’s memory, it can “undermine the impulse to ensure that some important, just learned facts get inscribed into our biological memory banks. We call this the Google effect”. They give the example of the 2013 movie Her, in which actor Joaquin Phoenix plays an introvert writer facing social difficulties who finds a computer with an advanced operating system and artificial intelligence which he treats as a “human transactive memory partner”. In an interview with Newsweek, one of Google’s founders Sergey Brin said, “Certainly if you had all the world’s information directly attached to your brain, or an artificial brain that was smarter than your brain, you’d be better off.” The effect of the digital age and its continual change always creates scholarly reaction and debate, whether negative or positive. And The Atlantic debates, “Just as there’s a tendency to glorify technological progress, there’s a countertendency to expect the worst of every new tool or machine.”
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03 February ’14
Features
Society stole your self-esteem
Image: Eddie Mafa ORENEILE TSHETLO A picture is worth a thousand words and there is no illustration more important than a selfportrait. The universe is an art gallery filled with images that people create of themselves. Many hang up grotesque paintings which they
constantly compare with what they perceive to be other people’s masterpieces. This distorted view creates a lingering feeling of dissatisfaction with themselves. Simply put, they have an inferiority complex. According to therapist Mark Tyrrell, “An inferiority complex is a general feeling of
not being ‘up to the mark’”, it is not based on rational judgement but rather on a type of “utopian thinking”. According to ScienceDaily.com, an inferiority complex “is often unconscious, and is thought to drive afflicted individuals to overcompensate, resulting either in spectacular achievement or extreme antisocial behaviour.” Dr Evelyn Lim, the founding dean of the Singapore Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, confirms that individuals suffering from inferiority complexes can either be social butterflies or remain in their cocoons. On the one hand, the individual may want to be all things to all people. They crave people’s flattery, have a heightened sensitivity to other people’s opinions and place other people’s needs before their own. On the other hand, the individual may experience social withdrawal, performance anxiety and procrastination. According to self-acclaimed confidence coach Eduard Ezeanu, an inferiority complex is in fact a state of mind as “there are plenty of people who are short, fat, poor and don’t feel inferior about it.” The opposite is also true – people who are tall, skinny and rich can feel inferior too. American model Cameron Russell admits that despite her slim frame and 1.78m height, she is insecure. She says that her beauty comes from “a deck stacked in my favour and it doesn’t
always make me happy”. Bestselling author and award-winning entrepreneur Chen Lizra blames the media for insecurities relating to body image. She cites Cuban people as an example and says that they “grow up to have intense pride and selfconfidence no matter what body type or shape they might have” because they live in a country where there is very little advertising. News24’s Makate Rapulana agrees that the media plays a big role in the way that people view themselves. He says that when women feel inferior because of how they look, they “are simply unconsciously responding to the social norms and expectations.” Dr David Kelley, a philosopher, writer and teacher of cognitive science and philosophy at Vassar College and Brandeis University, believes that each individual needs to break away from societal norms and expectations. He says that “radical individualism is precisely what the world needs.” According to social work and clinical social work expert Angela Oswalt, individualism fosters a healthy selfesteem. The pressure to fit in is always present and people often struggle to retain their individuality. We have been engineered to think that image is everything and people tend to forget that there is perfection in imperfection.
Avoid the curse of first-year spread JOANÉ OLIVIER The student way of life offers exciting things to students, especially in terms of alcohol and food. We have access to the food court, Tribeca, Steers, Oom Gert’s and other fast food franchises, all within walking distance of campus. For caffeine enthusiasts, an affiliation with Fego coffee seems inevitable and for those who adore baked goods, Coffee Buzz is always there to satisfy your cake craving. The increase in food choices, as well as the easily accessible junk food, are two of the reasons why some students need bigger jeans at some point during their first year. A study regarding weight gain among first-year students at the University of Malawi and published by the South African Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that the average
Photo: Reinhard Nell
amount of weight gained by students was 8.5kg. One student, who wishes to remain anonymous, said that she gained 8kg in her first year at Tuks. She regularly indulged in chocolate cake, chips and ice cream. A favourite among students is Oom Gert’s chips, a very unhealthy meal, yet so delicious that it leaves you coming back for more. Combine that with beer and you have another reason why some regulars increase in size. Students have been consuming alcohol for years and it is a habit that is not easily broken. Alcohol does, unfortunately, contribute to weight gain. A beer contains about 126-165 kilojoules per 100ml. This makes it easy to understand why frequent binge drinking leads to weight gain. According to website Health24, vodka, whiskey, gin and brandy are all low in kilojoules, but only when they aren’t combined
with sugary drinks like coke. Although that cappuccino at Fego may not seem that harmful, it is loaded with kilojoules. A typical cappuccino contains about 676kJ, while a regular filter coffee contains only 64kJ. Beverages such as Coke and Sprite contain about eight teaspoons of sugar. Rather stick to water, herbal tea, filter coffee and smoothies made with yoghurt (smoothies that are made with ice cream are filled with sugar). Class schedules, tests and projects often leave students exercising a lot less. Any free time is spent resting and socialising rather than going to the gym. A decrease in physical activity leads to an increase in weight. Being at university also often results in a lack of sleep because of projects, tests and partying. According to an article in The New York Times, this is highly problematic as losing sleep causes
people to eat more and often leads to weight gain. Sleep deprivation has a direct impact on the region of the brain that increases cravings and impulse. When combined with anxiety, a lack of sleep can lead to higher levels of the stress hormone, cortisol. An increase in cortisol can cause insulin resistance and weight gain. To make your campus food and drink choices easier, there are a few healthier options that you can find on campus in the table listed below. Most dining places offer salads and other vegetable-filled meals, which makes it rather easy to find healthy food choices. When cravings strike it can be very hard to not give in to temptation and buy something unhealthy. Allow yourself to indulge once in a while and keep moderation in mind when trying to prevent the first-year spread.
Entertainment
9
03 February ’14
Singing in the rain
Clockwise from top right: Mopanie, Klaradyn, Olienhout, Asterhof, Kollege and Erika. Photos: Hendro van der Merwe
LIZL LOMBAARD Online tickets for Ienkmelodienk were sold out in less than two hours and any proud Tukkie would have told you that the event was going to be a showstopper. This was the case when heavy rain poured into the Amphitheatre, just as the Peppies from 2013’s Residence of the Year, Mopanie, finished their brilliant Hillbillythemed performance. Although it was a welcome relief after a very hot and humid day, the rain caused the sound equipment in front of the Amphitheatre stage to short circuit and the performances were suspended for a while. The judges, also a bit wet from the leaking water, were moved to the Aula theatre. Usually, ienks perform here before performing for the judges in the Amphitheatre. This meant that the residence performing was being judged on its first performance in a subdued atmosphere (the Aula is popular among parents, while students prefer to watch in the Amphitheatre). Many discouraged Ienkmelodienk attendants expressed their concern about this on Twitter,
saying that the Aula performance is seen as a way for first years to calm their nerves before they go on to perform in front of the judges. Along with this, the several residences that had already been judged on their second performance in the Amphitheatre were required to perform for a third time to be judged in the Aula. Performances in the Amphitheatre continued, but without the full support of the sound system and some of the instruments. After things came under control and the show recommenced, the spirit in the Amphitheatre picked up once more and residences sat in the rain to support their first years. Matthew Mole, who was originally scheduled to perform on the Amphitheatre stage in the break, performed at the end of the night. No results were announced on the night, the outcome of a discussion between Stuku and the residences about how the performances were to be marked. Many rule changes have been implemented to Ienkmelodienk this year. First years were granted less practise time resulting in shorter
performances. Another of these rules was that first years were not allowed to wear costumes. First years had to wear their official house shirt with jeans or other formal pants underneath. The residences took this in their stride by working around the new rule and using clever accessories and clothing designs. Sonop’s “costume”, which consisted of their house golf shirts, official caps and chino shorts, fitted in perfectly with their golf theme. Klaradyn’s ienk wear also seemed specifically designed for Ienkmelodienk. The yellow in the front and red at the back of Klaradyn’s shirts worked to their advantage in creating striking and colourful effects on stage while Katiepiering’s skerf shirts fitted their cowgirl theme, along with the prescribed jeans and some cowboy hats. Clothes alone do not make the performer. The new first years also impressed with their choreography and composition. While some themes were more original than others, there was a great variety of entertainment on show the entire evening.
The winners Ladies 1st place: Magrietjie 2nd place: Asterhof 3rd place: Curlitzia Men 1st palce: Mopanie 2nd place: Boekenhout 3rd place: Olienhout Mixed residence 1st place: Tuks Naledi Best theme Ladies: Magrietjie Men: Mopanie
10
03 February ’14
Entertainment Talent@Tuks
Kara Otto. Image provided
JOHAN SAAYMAN
Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness will be performing at the Hatfield Carnival on 8 February. Photo: Rapuleng Productions
BCUC to bring new sound to Hatfield Carnival LIZL LOMBAARD Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness (BCUC) have been performing together as a band for 11 years already. With accomplished tours overseas under their belt it’s time now for the people of their native South Africa to stand up and listen to their strong and raw message. Perdeby caught up with instrumentalist and vocalist Hloni a week before BCUC’s performance at the Hatfield Campus Invasion to talk about their views on modern South Africa, the recording of their new album and their innovative new sound. You started the recording of your first fulllength album early in January. How is the recording process going and when are you expecting the album to be released? The recording is going well but we’re taking our time. We actually decided to only release the recording early next year because we want to do it proper. We don’t want to do it in a rush. We started connecting with other people as well, other artists and bands. What can fans expect from the album? We changed our sound a bit. Now we call ourselves “African-ukhung-khungu”. It’s more drum and bass. Does that mean you took out some instruments? Yes, in some of the songs we took out the guitar. Is there a specific reason why you chose to do this? We chose to do this because our current guitarist is freelancing so sometimes we can’t reach him. So we had to come up with a solution for the times when we can’t perform with him on stage. You’re performing at Campus Invasion in Hatfield, Pretoria on 8 February .What are you expecting from the crowd? We’re expecting great energy from the crowd, but like I said we have a new sound, so it’s not similar to the sound from the previous year. It’s new. So I think the reactions of the people are going to be quite different but I think they’ll still like it. Besides the upcoming show in Pretoria, do you guys have any other major events lined up where you’ll be playing? We’ve got Park Acoustics at the end of March. So that’s a big one we’re looking forward to. We are also still in the process of confirming some music festivals. You started as a band 11 years ago in 2003. Tell us more about your journey from when you started to where you are now? It’s been quite a journey. A lovely journey. Because now we’re on our 11th year and we’re doing a 360. Our sound has changed from where we started, but the journey has been nice. We’ve been training for a couple of festivals. We’ve played in a couple of countries in Europe. We’ve grown a lot and especially now we’ve been getting more exposure in South Africa. We’ve always wanted the South African people to get to listen to what we have to say.
It’s a weird feeling when we’ve toured Europe for the past six years but we haven’t even toured the whole of South Africa. It seems that now people in South Africa have started to take serious notice of you guys. Yes. That’s what we want, because in the end we’re singing in indigenous South African languages. You call yourself “the now generation” on your website, describing yourselves as relevant and “the man on the street”. What issues do you think South Africa’s “man on the street” faces today? I think the man on the street in South Africa is those people that come before the middle class. What do you call them? I don’t have a name for them. Not the poor people. Something between poor and middle class. And nobody is talking to them. So you’re talking about the people who are busy trying to move up from the poor class to the middle class? Yes. They’re there and active but I don’t think the South African system recognises them. I don’t think anybody is catering for them. Do you think they will step up themselves to change South Africa, especially regarding the upcoming election? I think the man on the street and on the bottom is going to vote and with whatever political party is in power I just think we need to be patient because our democracy is still young. We’ve only had one for 20 years now. Not like Europe or America who have been doing it for 50, 60 years. So we can’t compare ourselves to them. It’s still a work in progress. So do you think it’s now in the hands of South Africa’s youth to lead us into the future of our democracy? Yes, I think now it’s the youth’s time to rise up to the occasion. I think now is the right time to get some young people in parliament. Whoever came before you came and they did what they had to do, but what about the people who are left, you know? South Africa’s democracy wasn’t won by one person. It was a collective effort. We were able to do that and we will be able to do it again. Besides portraying strong opinions through your music, your music also has a very unique blend of musical styles. How do you go about creating such a great harmonious sound from all these different styles? Our inspiration comes from different music and we listen to good music. We don’t care where it comes from. It can come from Europe, Mexico, USA or any other place, it doesn’t matter. It’s about the rhythm, even if I don’t understand what you’re saying in another language, because it’s about the feeling that you get from listening to a song. So the music we listen to and people we meet when we’re travelling inspire us, whether they are here or in New York or Abu Dhabi. It doesn’t matter. They still influence us. And the music is not about the instruments
and sound. It’s about the emotion brought through by the music we make. It’s a universal language. Even if I go acapella in a language people don’t understand, without instruments, people will still get that feeling and emotion and rhythm in our music. What is your advice to young artists who have something important to say through their art, but don’t know how to go about it or make people sit up and listen to their message? I would say just to keep on saying what you’re saying. It’s not easy. People will always be negative about what you’re saying, but if you believe in what you’re doing and it’s really what you love and you’re patient then it’s only a matter of time until somebody listens. It will happen. The music industry is not easy. You also have to put in the hard work. You can’t expect everything to work out for you after only two months. You have to put in the effort. Like I was saying with our democracy, it will get there where you want it to be. With time and love. The love is important. But you also have to believe in what you are saying otherwise other people won’t. Hatfield Carnival will take place in Burnett Street on 8 February and showcase DJ Goldierocks (UK), Bittereinder, Gangs of Ballet, Shortstraw, Jack Ross and many more popular South African artists. Tickets are R60 presale from Plankton.mobi or R70 on the day.
Perdeby and Campus Invasion are giving away five tickets to Hatfield Carnival on 8 February. To win, email your best interpretation of a Viking ready to party to entertainment@perdeby.co.za
“If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” This Toni Morrison quote inspired 20-year-old Kara Otto, a second year BSc Zoology student at Tuks, to write and publish her own fiction novel. “I’ve always loved reading and I’ve always had such a wild imagination, so the jump from reading books to writing one wasn’t a difficult jump to make. I wrote many short stories when I was younger and in 2010 I wrote my first novel,” the ambitious writer told Perdeby. Starting with the idea for The Protector in 2010, Otto took the self-publishing route because she felt that the wait for a company to publish her book would’ve taken too long. Otto is just as much as a go-getter as her book’s protagonist Amber Smith. She says that she admires the character, even though she does not relate to her. “Amber is a character that’s very close to my heart. She is, however, the complete opposite of me,” Otto says. “Without even realising it I wrote her to represent everything I’m not or, in some cases, aspire to be,” she adds. Otto expects many readers to like Amber and her journey. “We all have our demons and Amber’s is a story of facing your demons, of getting up after being knocked down. Despite being a strong female character she can speak for both sexes. She is not intimidated by anyone and she doesn’t stand back for anything, as we all should be. But she is not without her flaws. What she’s been through, I believe, many people experienced as well, things like the death of a loved one, betrayal and fear.” As “a traveller”, the lead character goes to many different times and places. Otto says that this aspect of the plot developed from her own “inescapable need to see the world”. Otto says that her love of history was also an influence. Otto has started work on the sequel to The Protector, entitled The Keeper. She expects it to be completed by the beginning of 2015. The Protector is undergoing the final processes of being published and will be available from Amazon, Kobo, Barnes & Noble and iTunes in e-book format, but will also be available as a hardcopy on Kalahari. com. “The fact that my book is finally ready for the world is still unreal to me. It is very special to me and I’m very excited to see what the future holds for it,” says Otto.
Sport
11
03 February ’14
Is Brazil ready for the 2014 Fifa World Cup? GABRIELLA FERREIRA One of the most exciting prospects for many football fans around the world this year is the sport’s biggest tournament, the Fifa World Cup. With June and the beginning of the tournament looming, many people are asking if Brazil is indeed ready to host the World Cup. The Fifa World Cup is the second most watched international sporting event in the world after the Summer Olympics, and thus provides hosts of the tournament with a great opportunity to showcase their country to the rest of the world. Hosting such an event often brings many economic benefits such as increased tourism and job opportunities, but it also puts pressure on host nations to ensure that they have adequate infrastructure in order to run the tournament. Many questions have been raised as to whether it is viable for developing countries to host one of the biggest sporting events in the world due to the severe demands on the improvement of infrastructure. New sporting facilities often need to be built and renovations need to be done to those which already exist. Improvements in both transport and security
Image: soccersbest4u.com also need to take place in order for spectators to have the best experience possible whilst attending the matches. In 2008 Brazil announced that 12 of its major cities would host matches. Of these cities, six would receive newly-built stadiums and those remaining would all see renovations made to
their current stadiums. This was the first of several improvements due to be made in the country in preparation for the tournament. Recent reports suggest that Brazil may still not be ready to host the tournament, with as many as six of its twelve proposed stadiums having missed their completion deadlines of
December 2013. Delays were experienced after construction workers were injured or killed while building stadiums, as well as by protests against the creation of such grandiose sporting facilities in a country that is still trying to meet the basic needs of its citizens. Before the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, people also asked whether a developing country would be able to host the tournament and many predicted that the country would not be ready to host the tournament due to the task of building and improving sporting facilities. These worries were later proven to be unfounded. Nevertheless, there are differences between Brazil and South Africa, a large one being that South Africa managed to finish their stadiums before Fifa’s final deadline and so it may be inappropriate to compare the two cases. Whether Brazil, which is also scheduled to host the 2016 Summer Olympics, will be ready for the World Cup remains to be seen although officials have announced that all preparations will be finished by the end of February.
CrossFit: It has taken SA by storm, but what is it?
Photo: Oan de Waal ANNIKA GOUWS CrossFit is a belief in fitness. The programme, developed by coach Greg Glassman, prepares trainees for any physical contingency. It takes physical skills and adapts them to lend an advantage in performance, making fitness more meaningful yet still measurable. Unlike boot camp or aerobics which is timebased, CrossFit is exercise- and performancebased. A combination of obstacles and weights including dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, sledgehammers, hitting tyres, shuttle runs, plate pushes, pull-ups, push-ups and burpies are used during training. Challenges are set with a combination of exercises to complete in the fastest time at a level that is adequate based on your personal fitness. This is all done in a safe outdoor or
indoor environment, making it fun for everyone. Anybody can join the same class. Why is it so popular? CrossFit became a global phenomenon in 2003. With the launch of the CrossFit Games and the opening of large scale studios it has attracted many people. CrossFit creates a community where everyone works together on constantly varied functional movements at a high intensity and it is due to this communal aspect and highimpact challenges that it is so effective. CrossFit classes are formulated for individuals whose daily gym routine no longer challenges them and who need to push further and train harder. Although extreme, company, support and success in reaching fitness goals which are attainable, has resulted in CrossFit becoming a leading fitness regime and global brand.
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Varsity Cup coach discusses 2014 season MICHAEL REINDERS Pote Human signed a three year contract at the end of last year to become the new Tuks coach. He will be coaching Tuks in the Varsity Cup as well as in the Carlton Cup, the University Sports South Africa (USSA) tournament and the Predator series. Before joining Tuks, Human was the head coach at the Griquas and in 20052006 he also coached the Blue Bulls Currie Cup team. Perdeby spoke to him about the season ahead. What is the thought behind you coaching for all competitions? I think it’s better for continuity because in the last few years Nollis Marais was the coach for the Varsity Cup, but after the Varsity Cup Tuks needed a new coach. So this year, what will happen is that after the Varsity Cup I will continue coaching the same guys, so they will get used to my voice and get used to my style. They will know what I want and the players will know my expectations. What are your goals for TuksRugby in 2014? I think because we are the defending champions everybody expects us to win the Varsity Cup again. It will be great for us to take it three years in a row, so that’s definitely my first goal. Then also, we are defending champions of the Carlton Cup so we also want to win that. Last year I remember that we didn’t play well in the Predator series. I think we didn’t win a match there so we will want to do much better in the Predator League. Then also the USSA. Last year we lost our second game, I think we came third, this year we really want to try and win that. What do you think the secret to success in rugby is? Oh, it’s just attitude. The players must want to play for Tuks, they must have the attitude to win and that’s a great thing about the Bulls and the Tuks setup - the players are used to winning.
Clayton Blommetjies. Photo: Reinhard Nell Losing is not good enough. These guys are hungry. There’s lots of talent here and I believe we will have a good season. What key players should the fans look out for this year? I think all-round we have a good squad. I really think that from 1-15, 1-23 there is really great talent and I think nobody will let this team down and so it will be interesting. For me it is also new, I don’t know the players that well, but I’m very excited I really think if everybody, if all the guys pull their [weight] we can have a great season. There will be lots of players that come through and go much further in rugby because I know many of them want to play professional rugby and this is the stepping stone for them. So this is a great platform for any guy that wants to make a career out of rugby. What role do you think Varsity Cup plays in the development of SA rugby? It’s great. When I was still playing, intervarsity
was great, and the Boks played for the clubs and played for the universities and then when the professional era came in, that was gone, you never played club rugby anymore. So now there are lots of talented guys, university guys that are overlooked and this is a platform, all the unions look at Varsity Cup and look for talent to get them into their system. How do you think coaching Tuks will compare to coaching the Bulls and the Griquas? Firstly, comparing it to the Griquas, I have more numbers here, more depth and youngsters that are really willing to work hard to get somewhere. I had the same at Griquas, I had about three guys there that I trained who were also very hungry and it was also a stepping stone for those guys from Griquas to play for the Cheetahs or wherever. It’s the same there but with the Varsity Cup, I mean every youngster, every student wants to play Varsity
Cup and it’s just a great opportunity for them. You have signed on for three years, what are your long-term plans for TuksRugby? I think at this stage I’m just looking at the Varsity Cup because I know the pressure is on Tuks to win the Varsity Cup again and it’s going to be very difficult. I think Maties [Stellenbosch University] will definitely come and try to rectify last year’s final. UJ [University of Johannesburg] in the semis last year, I mean they will come with everything. I really think the competition is going to be much stronger this year. I think everybody caught up with Tuks, so for me, first thing now is Varsity Cup and then I will look at the long term. What is the relationship between Tuks and the Bulls? There’s a great relationship. It started when I was here, I helped Heyneke Meyer in 2011 when we lost in the final against Ikeys and since then the relationship is great because there are lots of talented players, students that are playing Vodacom Cup and with our relationship they helped us with some players with key games and we can’t go without that. What are your views on the way the scrums are being refereed? I think it will be much better now with the two-refs system. We had two friendly games with two refs and it works perfectly. You can’t take chances anymore because there are two refs there are more eyes on the game and I love it. I mean, I say you must scrum legally and if you are good enough you can smash guys in the scrums. Where does residence rugby fit into the Tuks rugby structure? I’m a great believer [in] and a great fan of residence rugby. When I started coaching I coached Shimlas (University of the Free State) and I picked players up there as really talented so for me I will definitely come and scout some talent at the residence rugby, definitely.
Libya wins CHAN 2014 BRIAN KIAUTHA Libya won the Orange African Nations Championship (CHAN) tournament on Saturday night after beating Ghana 5-3 on penalties at the Cape Town Stadium. Ghana and Libya were in the same group at the beginning of the tournament and drew their group game 1-1. Ghana topped Group C at the end of the group stage with seven points while Libya was second with five points. The final started off competitively and both sides settled into the game quickly. Libya produced the first attack on goal, but it was comfortably handled by Ghana goalkeeper Stephen Adams. Libya seemed to be the dominant side in the first half controlling the majority of ball
possession. Although they were a constant threat to the Ghanaian defence, they did not manage to break the deadlock and the first half ended 0-0. The majority of the second half was played in the midfield and the ball hardly reached either goalkeeper. With no goals after 90 minutes of play, the game went into extra time. Libya asserted pressure on Ghana’s defence in the first half of extra time. Both sides defended well and the game went to a penalty shootout. Ghana failed to convert three attempts during the shootout. Libya was able to slot in all their attempts but one to win 5-3. Libya received a cash prize of about R8.25 million for winning the tournament.
Varsity Cup Competition Perdeby and TuksRugby are running a competition during this year’s Varsity Cup. Every Thursday before Tuks’s home games, there will be an event in the piazza on campus with music and on the spot prizes. Then at the home game on the following Monday, Perdeby will take a photo of each of the four sides of the stadium. In each photo a person’s face will be blanked out. If it’s your face and you still have your ticket you will win a cell phone.
Libya goalkeeper Mohamed Nashnush was the man of the match. Image: bbc.co.uk
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