Depression: the black cloud of the mind
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Le Voyage interview
Dricus du Plessis makes EFC history
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Perdeby
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Tuks se amptelike studentekoerant / Official Tuks student newspaper / Kuranta ya baithuti ya semmušo ya Tuks
08September2014
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Rasethaba elected SRC president
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ARON HYMAN AND TEBOGO TSHWANE Mosibudi “Rassie” Rasethaba was elected 2014/2015 SRC president in the elections held across UP campuses last week Wednesday. “Now it’s just a matter of working with the current SRC and finding out what some of the issues they face are and what the solutions are, because we don’t want to make the same mistakes,” Rasethaba told Perdeby. Rasethaba also said that he is humbled by the result of the election. Rasethaba ran as an independent candidate, and so had no societal backing. He said that this made campaigning difficult for him. Luvuyo Menziwa, chairperson of EFF Tuks, was elected deputy president of the SRC. He was the only candidate backed by the Radical Youth coalition to be elected to the SRC. A total of 6 140 students voted in this year’s elections. Daso’s Adrian Eckard was elected SRC secretary. Eckard told Perdeby that he is unhappy with representation within the new SRC. “We have a big AfriForum Youth base, which I don’t necessarily agree with. We need to show more transformation at this university and I will try to fight for that.” AfriForum Youth won six of the 12 SRC seats, with Daso, EFF Tuks and Sasco winning one seat each. Three independent candidates also made it into the SRC. The remaining three seats were won by independent candidates. Rochelle Oosthuyse from AfriForum said, “We are very happy about the results and that the campaigning went well. We’d like to congratulate the other candidates, especially Rassie and we think he’ll make a great president.” Deputy director of Student Affairs Dr Willem Jorissen served as CEO of the IEC and said that he is satisfied with the elections. “From the nomination period to campaigning and to the election, the support was so overwhelming, and how it panned out within this new model, we are very happy,” Dr Jorissen said.
Students voted in the SRC elections on 3 September. Photo: Anele Mkungela
Infographic: Rebecca Paulsen and Maxine Twaddle
Meet your new SRC President Rassie Rasethaba
Treasurer Marna de Jager
Postgraduate and International Students Henrico Barnard
Deputy President Luvuyo Max Menziwa
Day Students and External Campuses Reitumetse Ratlhogo
Societies Michelle Krüger
Secretary Adrian Eckard
Facilities, Safety and Security Sibahle Sgwane
Study Finance Gerhardus Pretorius
Deputy Secretary Liezl Aylward
Marketing, Media and Communications Duke Tumelo Rasebopye
Transformation and Student Success Jhua-nine Wyrley-Birch
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Editorial
As flies to wanton boys
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Correction
In our last issue, published on 1 September, we incorrectly quoted 2014 SRC portfolio holder for residences Gabriel Nel as saying that the perceived 60:40 racial quota in residences does not exist on any legal documents in the article “SRC holds third quarterly Student Forum meeting” on page three. Nel in fact said that this quota does not exist for HK elections. We apologise for the error.
08 September 2014
I’ve always preferred Shakespeare’s tragedies to his comedies. I’m not sure what a psychiatrist would say about this, but I’m fascinated by Lear’s madness, Macbeth’s dark ambition, and Hamlet’s lust for revenge. There’s something about the complex plots and tragic heroes that
From the Editor
entice me. Tragedy, however, is much more difficult to confront in real life. Outside the boundaries of fiction, it becomes much more traumatic. I didn’t know the student who died last week, and I don’t want to intrude on the grief of his family and friends, but I was sad when I heard that he had died. Suicide is one of the greatest human tragedies. It is also one of the most misunderstood, often being dismissed as selfish or irrational. This is probably one of the most dangerous reactions to suicide, as it creates a taboo culture around suicide. In turn, people who are considering taking their lives will most likely feel too ashamed about their thoughts to approach someone for help. Because most people aren’t willing to talk about suicide, and because those who have attempted suicide are generally kept at arm’s length, it’s difficult to understand what goes through a person’s head before a suicide attempt. What is easy to understand, though, is that, at that moment, that person’s life must have been so awful that having no life at all seemed like a better option. I can only imagine how dreadful that must feel.
There have been many calls for the university to increase the levels of student and staff support offered, but I think that caring for people needs to start at a personal level, not an institutional one. One of the most tragic things about the human race is that we tend to only start worrying about things when they become a tragedy. Ebola became a concern not when the first person died from it, but when it spread across international borders. Isis’s threat increases as it kills more Westerners. We only take notice of political instability in Lesotho when it threatens our own borders. Empathy starts with individuals. It begins with genuinely caring about your loved ones and supporting them (really supporting them, and not just sending them a motivational quote on WhatsApp). After that it can extend, first to a more immediate community – like campus – and then to increasingly wider spheres of influence. It’s easy to become bitter and despondent when the days are tough. Don’t let your heart become hardened – you never know who needs a part of it. Max
Letter to the editor
With the two suicides that took place on campus less than 30 days apart, I thought it is time we talked about depression. (Not implying that depression was the reason behind these suicides, although it is most likely.) Depression (or clinical depression) is a medical illness that causes a constant feeling of sadness or low mood (which can be overwhelming). It may be genetic or it may be caused by the death of loved ones, conflicts and other personal problems. There are various theories that explain
manageable. It advised that one should talk about their thoughts, be it with one’s friends and family or the counsellors at Student Support (they are very nice people). Exercising can also improve your mood and it will help you get a great body. It’s a win-win. Singing and dancing can also help. To my house-mates: sorry for party-rocking. If you know someone who is depressed, please talk to them and let them know that they are not the only ones and that there is help. Tiisetso Mphuti
depression: depressed people are said to produce less serotonin, which is a hormone that is responsible for mood balance. Studies have also shown that the hippocampus (the small part of the brain responsible for memory storage) is smaller in depressed people, hence depressed people have trouble remembering places and happy memories and, unlike the un-depressed, they cannot access these memories to improve their mood. As a person who was diagnosed with clinical depression, I can assure you that it is
Letter to the editor I have always been perplexed at the reality that this university – for the greater part – remains somewhat non-progressive. I mean, think about it, the idea that student life hasn’t changed much in the last decade is sacrilegious to say the least. Culture remains the most dynamic aspect of society, and the evidence is largely at its acme among us, university students. You know, wiggle wiggle wiggle and stuff. I love the concept of student leadership. I believe this is largely the greatest tool at a tertiary institution level to entrench the ideals of democracy. The idea that we are led and can lead our own as equals affected by each other’s decisions, is a unique condition many globally are willing martyrs for. Oh, the privilege. The freedom we so gratefully enjoy, yet one that bears much responsibility in its practicality. Election week is always refreshing for me: it is not only a chance to see the new SRC candidates, but also a time to see the influence I have had on the leadership culture of my university. In simplicity, I have failed. Yes, we all have. How is it that women on our university campus have to walk to Sunnyside at midnight? That the university still has a residence policy that is remnant of a pre-1994
Letters
South Africa? How is it that we allow “radicals” to undermine much of the positive work that is being done by some of our leaders on campus? Simply stated, how have issues of justice and progress become politicised by us, the shapers of the present day Tuks? Those who share a common culture, one that wiggle wiggle wiggles and stays with me. How have we pushed the most pertinent matters within this community to the periphery of our agenda? How is Ser or Ienk of greater importance than cultivating social cohesion? Historically, the greatest investments into us, as a society, have been that of division and violence. Don’t believe me? Think about it, we are programmed to reason in shades! Well, literally in most cases, but more specifically through distinction and separation. Black and white, poor and rich, educated and uneducated, male and female, them and us, “Ons Kultuur” and “History ya rona”. This is a reality I am largely willing to fight in the world, but one I had hoped we would’ve overcome in university, a society that shares more than it doesn’t – a “nation” in the same “struggle”. This is the crux of the matter, the understanding that moving forward is defined as inclusivity, that though you share the ideals of a given constituency, once elected, you represent
Do you have an issue you’d like us to engage with? Send a letter to perdeby@up.ac.za. Please note our letter policy. The policy can be read online.
the voice of the combined student populationas a matter of principle, according to Hoyle, the voice of justice, reason and compassion. The reality is that everything else but Tuks is changing. The campus must transform as we continue to advance. I dare say that any leader elected who lacks the equanimity to cope with the vicissitudes of cultural evolution is not fit to lead those around them. We are not stuck in 1995. We are not deterred by challenges, either. We are not defined by the status quo and I, for one, refuse to be represented by a body who fails to recognise the issues of the day as precedence. Who will prioritise the values of justice, ubuntu and constructive reform? Who is truly enamoured with the ideals of inclusivity and transformation beyond the fires of traditionalism or nationalist piety that often exonerates the typical scaremongering? Let us not fail ourselves again. Expect this. Be unrelenting about it. In light of our new SRC, who will be the voice of the people? Whom shall we trust? Ask yourself, how much is my “x” worth? Nolo Mokoena
Letter policy All letters are published in accordance with our letter policy. The policy can be read online. Send your letters to perdeby@up.ac.za
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08 September 2014
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News
Video of Marikana raises concern over truth of police account
KEEGAN FRANCES
MAXINE TWADDLE
Stellenbosch University (SU)
A video commissioned by the South African Human Rights Commission has cast doubt on the testimony of police of the events leading up to Marikana, The Times has reported. The video, which was produced by TiNT Post, portrays the events in chronological order and each frame has a timestamp to prove this. Stills in the video, which were taken ten minutes before the police opened fire on striking miners, shows barbed wire laid out by police after the miners had moved towards a road leading to Nkaneng. The video indicates that the strikers would not have had time to attack the police, as the police testified. The road to Nkaneng was blocked by a police nyala, forcing the miners to walk toward the Tactical Response Team, who shot at them.
As the Ebola death count continues to rise in west Africa, SU has made an urgent appeal to foreign students who have recently returned from this area to seek medical attention should they experience any symptoms. Die Matie was approached by Dr Craig Thompson, manager of Health Promotion and Preventative Medicine, to help convey the message to SU’s students and faculty members. According to Die Matie, the university’s Campus Health Service has “a comprehensive emergency plan” in place to deal with any suspected cases. Dr Thompson told Die Matie that SU is adequately prepared to deal with the situation following meetings between the various interested parties. SU is a part of the South African health plan that has been put in place in response to the Ebola threat.
Striking Marikana workers. Image: mg.co.za
The video was shown at the inquiry investigating the death of 44 people during the Marikana strike. Thirty-four people were shot dead, while 70 were wounded.
According to police testimony, they were attacked by the miners and were forced into using lethal force to protect themselves.
UP’s first sport tournament to be held on Spring Day
University of Witwatersrand (Wits)
SABRINA MWAURA AND RODNEY XABA UP’s annual Spring Day will undergo major changes this year. According to outgoing SRC President Enwee Human, the event will now be a sport event. The event will take place at the Rag Farm on 10 September, where games and mini-sport events will be played. The inauguration of the new SRC will take place between 11:00 and 12:00. TuksRag usually organises Spring Day, but this year the SRC is organising it. Human did not reveal how much money has been spent on the event. Outgoing SRC secretary Monique Du Randt told Perdeby that the event has been planned thoroughly and that the SRC consulted students to see how they feel about the sport tournament. Nthabiseng Pico, a second-year education student, says “We do not know anything about the theme. The SRC did not do enough to inform us about the event. They were concentrating on votes and trying to convince us to vote for them.” Sintecia Fortuin, a second-year education student, told Perdeby that she did not know about the event. “We, the students on external campuses, are not informed of the events by the SRC.” She added that she feels like the sport day is a disappointment. Former SRC member with the student sport portfolio Xabiso Sicwedu told Perdeby that the SRC has decided to make the day a memorable one for students by changing it and trying something different. “There will be five-aside soccer matches, rugby as well as jumping castles. We are trying to remind students of their younger days and of all the fun they used to have,” said Sicwedu. He told Perdeby that there will also be a local DJ performing. Entrance to the event is free to UP students who present a valid student card. Buses will be available to transport students to the Rag Farm.
Illustration: Johann van Tonder
INTERVARSITY NEWS
Wits Education campus students who feel that their grievances are not taken seriously by their SRC handed out “# WhyShouldWeVote” pamphlets on 2 September as part of their campaign to boycott the current SRC elections. The Wits Education Student Council (ESC) leaders told Wits Vuvuzela that the pamphlets were part of a campaign to caution students to vote carefully or not at all. Bedney Morole, one of the ESC leaders, said that he would not be voting in this year’s elections. Mokolwane Masweneng, Wits ESC academic officer, told Wits Vuvuzela that the pamphlets were handed out in response to grievances that were never addressed. Some of the grievances listed include limited and expensive food options on campus and insufficient printing and ATM facilities. University of Johannesburg (UJ) UJ’s Division for Internationalisation with Africa Legal Aid (AFLA) and International Commission of Jurists-Kenya (ICJ-Kenya) will be host a two-day conference from 9-10 September. The conference will look at the impact that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has in Africa and promote the correction of the ICC statute in Africa. Furthermore, the conference will strive to improve access to the ICC and strengthen relationships between the ICC and African countries. The conference will host 40 international representatives. According to the UJ Observer, UJ’s fourth International Leadership Platform for 2014, which will be led by Dr Pinkie Mekgwe, will also participate in the conference. The International Leadership Platform strives to promote an open dialogue on political, cultural and economic matters. Image provided.
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08 September 2014 Did you vote in the SRC elections? BOIPELO BOIKHUTSO AND DYLAN FLOWERDAY Perdeby asked students last Thursday if they had voted in the SRC elections, as well as for their opinion on the relevance of the SRC.
“I think that it is necessary to vote. Although the SRC has relevance on campus, I don’t see anything they do.” – Msawakhe Nyangwa, second-year BCom Internal Auditing student
“I voted because I was encouraged to vote by my friends and also people who are running for elections. I think the SRC is vital as they are the voice of the students. The current SRC has done a fairly good job, however, they are rather invinsible on campus, it is as if after they get elected, they fade away.” – Rachael Johnston, first-year social work student
“I am going to vote because it is a form of expression as students. It makes one have a chance to have a say in student affairs. The SRC is relevant because students with needs can approach them for help. I think the 2014 SRC did a good job.” – Mihlali Dukada, third-year BCom Accounting Sciences student
“Yes, I have voted as I believe everyone has to use their opportunity to vote. The SRC is not as important as we believe but they do make some changes and have actually helped me out.” – Thapelo Mohumutji, second-year BSc Human
“I voted because it is necessary. If people don’t vote, the democracy system is going to fail. I think the SRC did a pretty good job, although it always seems to be behind the scenes where no one knows about their achievements.” – Dirkie de Villiers, second-year education student
“I did not vote. I feel like it is a pointless cause. The current SRC is not appealing to me as a student.” – William Wilkinson, second-year international relations student “I have not heard much of the SRC. I do see their relevance as students at the university and they voice our concerns.” – Shaun Radebe, first-year BCom student
“I voted because we need to be involved in student politics. We also need leaders who are going to be active and hands on who always put fellow students first. I feel like the 2014 SRC has failed us, they are not on the ground working together with students. Sasco has actually done more for students with the Right2Learn campaign.” – Samkelo Cetyiwe, second-year BAdmin Public Management student
Photos: Brad Donald
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> Features
08 September 2014
Geek chic: revenge of the nerds
Image: galleryhip.com
NAISARGI PATEL “Geek” and “nerd” are two of the most commonly used words to describe highly intelligent but rather socially awkward people who are interested in technology, science fiction, comic books, The Lord of the Rings and video games. These words were previously
used in a derogatory manner to insult those who fit the description, but the stigma attached to being a geek or a nerd is slowly fading away. Established entrepreneurs like Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs have changed the perception of geeks and nerds from boring or antisocial people to individuals whose abilities have the power to attract
billions of dollars. The phrase “geek chic” has been added to the Oxford English Dictionary. OxfordDictionaries.com describes the noun as “The dress, appearance, and culture associated with computing and technology enthusiasts, regarded as stylish or fashionable.” Kathryn Westcott’s article “Are ‘geek’ and ‘nerd’ now positive terms?” published on BBC.com, says that people on dating websites who describe themselves as “geeks” now mean it in the positive sense. The study “Geek is good” by an advertising agency called Inferno, revealed that 46% of the participants preferred to have a “gadget-geek” (people who are experts in using advanced technological devices) around them instead of various Hollywood celebrities. The study also revealed that 44% of the participants were fascinated by comic books and science fiction and only 11% were interested in reality TV. The rising acceptance of geeks and the increased admiration of their talents has allowed many to prosper in their field of expertise. In an article titled “Rise of the new geeks: how the outsiders won” by Andrew Harrison published on TheGuardian.com, Harrison describes Gates and Jobs as “alpha nerds” who rose to fame in a time when digitisation was becoming popular. According to “Bill Gates: ‘If you don’t like geeks, you’re in trouble’” by Mary Riddell published on Telegraph.co.uk, Gates said, “Well, when geek means that you’re willing to study things, and if you think science and engineering matter, then I plead guilty, gladly.” Zuckerberg’s fascination with computers led him to create Facebook, which is widely used around the world. One common stereotype is that due to his interest in computers, Zuckerberg meets the definition of geek and it is assumed that he would be antisocial. The irony is that someone who is deemed to be antisocial because of his interests managed to create one of the biggest social networking sites in the world. Later, his story inspired the 2010 Oscar-winning movie The Social Network. Geeks and nerds are also known to have
excellent mathematical and technical skills. To commemorate his passion for numbers, Larry Shaw started Pi Day in 1988, which is celebrated annually on 14 March by schools, universities and other interested groups. The date 14 March was chosen because March is the third month of the year and with the 14th day it is represented as 3.14, which are the first three digits of the infinite number. Albert Einstein was also born on 14 March. Social media and television shows have also had a hand in making geeks and nerds famous, acceptable and appreciated. The hit series The Big Bang Theory is based on a group of scientist friends who do not fit into society. Each character is given characteristics which amplify their geeky and nerdy behaviour. Sheldon Cooper does not understand sarcasm, Howard Wolowitz lives with his mother and Rajesh Koothrappali cannot talk to women. Everyone reads comic books, is a fan of Star Wars and Star Trek and they all own every kind of video game that there is. They use scientific terms when making jokes and use philosophical paradigms, such as Schrödinger’s cat to explain a situation to their less than smart friend Penny. Some may argue that the show is offensive to people like that. According to Britton Peele’s article “Why I like ‘The Big Bang Theory’: a nerd’s defence of the CBS sitcom” from DallasNews.com, Mayim Bialik, who plays Amy Farrah Fowler, has a PhD in neuroscience in real life. Peele says that if the show was demeaning to geeks or nerds, Bialik and others like Stan Lee, Wil Wheaton and Stephen Hawking would not have agreed to appear on the show. The talents and technical abilities of intellectuals are being appreciated more than before. The fame and fortune gained by Gates, Jobs and Zuckerberg, among others, has created a newfound respect for those with above average minds. Previously, “geek” was associated with weakness, loneliness and the inability to interact properly with others. However, it is now seen as the driving force behind self-motivation, success, independence and entrepreneurship.
Broaden your horizons and study abroad
Photo: Brendan Fraser
NONHLE SITHOLE Globalisation is slowly increasing the need for people to develop global identities in order to compete and stay relevant in the job market. This experience also provides an opportunity for exploration and self-growth. According to an article by Isabel Eva Bohrer from TransitionsAbroad.com, studying in a new country presents an opportunity to build a stellar CV, which increases your prospects of employment. Students who study abroad gain an international knowledge base that is useful for careers in international businesses, cross-cultural communication and the ability
to be fluent in another language, all of which are important for competing in the globalised world. The top five preferred destinations for South Africans studying abroad are the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Cuba and Malaysia. The United States is the most popular choice and attracts the greatest number of South African students. An article by Janice Wood on PsychCentral. com called “Studying abroad boosts students’ emotional development” reports that a study conducted by researchers at the Friedrich Schiller University in Germany on over 1 000 students from 200 different German universities
showed that studying abroad influences a student’s personality. The students were shown to possess what the researchers deem to be the five crucial personality traits, namely openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and emotional stability. The conclusion was that students who challenge themselves and study abroad get an opportunity to further refine these characteristics which encourages emotional maturity that prepares them for the global workplace. “People who integrate successfully into a different culture may find it easier to cope with new situations and master challenges,” said Prof. Franz Neyer from the Friedrich Schiller University. When asked how the experience of studying in a different country has shaped her, first-year BA Law student Rukudzo Matanda from Zimbabwe, said, “Moving to SA has been the biggest challenge that I have had to face so far, so it has definitely made me adaptable and I feel like I can take on anything because I was so afraid of coming here and yet it turned out to be a good decision.” However, the exciting prospect of seeing new places, exploring new cultures, and meeting new, interesting people can be so overwhelming that it is easy to forget the challenges that come with starting anew in a different country. This excitement quickly subsides through experiencing a culture shock. Communicating with people whose language you do not understand can be frustrating. “I
expected people to be friendlier but when you speak to people in English, especially taxi drivers, they respond to you very rudely because they expect you to know the language. On a more positive side, I had previously heard that SA is a very beautiful country and it was just as I expected it to be” said Rakudzi. There is also increased pressure to perform well. When asked what bad experience he has had as an international student, second year mechanical engineering student Takunda Hove from Botswana had the following to say, “The worst thing was being discontinued, because being a foreigner there is pressure of making sure every step and resource is used wisely and I couldn’t deal with the fact that I might have to start from zero at another institution” Aiming to study at top universities situated in countries that have a stronger currency means paying a lot more in fees and takes proper financial planning and budgeting. The expenses of students studying at UP who are from the SADC countries include a levy fee of R2 700 at the beginning of each year, those who are not from the SADC countries pay double the tuition fee plus the levy fee. It takes courage and a sense of commitment to study in a foreign country. It is challenging but there is also a lot to be gained from the experience. Perhaps choosing to start with your second degree or to further your studies in another country is one way to make yourself stand out.
> Features
08 September 2014
Depression: the black cloud of the mind
Photo: Eddie Mafa
GABRIELLA FERREIRA There is no doubt that Robin Williams was successful in his trade. He was one of the world’s most beloved and well-known comedians with a long list of credentials to his name, both inspirational and hilarious. What would drive a man who was so loved and successful to take his own life? Depression is a mental illness that affects a person’s body, moods and thoughts and influences their eating and sleeping habits. The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag) estimates that one in six
people in South Africa may be suffering from depression. The group also estimates that only 27% of the people who exhibit signs of mental illness receive treatment for it. There are currently 23 suicides that occur on a daily basis and 230 attempts every 24 hours. Limited knowledge of such ailments may be a reason for this. Symptoms Symptoms associated with depression include difficulty concentrating and making decisions, constant fatigue, insomnia or over-sleeping, overeating or loss of appetite, irritability, feelings of hopelessness, persistent feelings
of sadness or anxiety, loss of interest in previous hobbies and thoughts of suicide. It is important to note that depression is a persistent pattern of thinking. It is not a matter of somebody “having a bad day” and it is not something that people can just snap out of. Someone who exhibits the symptoms must be taken very seriously. Causes Currently, medical professionals are unsure of what truly causes someone to become depressed. It has been theorised that there is no single reason for depression and that it is a combination of many elements including genetics, one’s biochemical environment, personal experience, and other psychological factors that lead you to become depressed. Life events and activities such as drug abuse, high levels of debt, seasonal changes, failed relationships, hormonal changes, stress or the death of a loved one have been described as triggers of depression. In some cases, there is no known trigger. It is important to know that depression is a serious illness and does not show weakness in an individual. A person with depression is not to blame for experiencing these feelings, nor is this person to blame in any way. Treatment When you are depressed, it may be very difficult to change your pattern of thinking, but there are steps that can be taken to remedy this. HelpGuide.org has created a list of actions that can be taken to help reduce depression and the risk thereof. Actions on this list include creating a base of supportive relationships of both friends and family, attempting to break negative cycles of thinking with more balanced and optimistic cycles, and engaging in a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise. Apart from these suggestions, there is a wide variety of medicine available that may be prescribed to you by a licensed psychiatrist. You can also see a psychologist who will be able to help you through your battle with depression. Even though most medical aids cover mental health related costs, finances may still prove to be very problematic. In this case, there are many free helplines and government clinic psychologists at your service.
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Support If you know someone who is suffering from depression, it is important to support them in the appropriate way. Instead of taking a harsh and confrontational approach, rather act in a gentle and kind manner. MayoClinic.org suggests that you familiarise yourself with the symptoms of depression. Secondly, encourage treatment. People with depression may not know that they are depressed, or they might be too scared or ashamed to consult a professional.
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There are currently 23 suicides that occur on a daily basis and 230 attempts every 24 hours.
Talk to the person and express your concern. Tell the person that it is a legitimate medical condition and not any flaw on their part and that it usually gets better with treatment. Suggest that the person consult a professional and help them to set up an appointment, going with them and helping them prepare a list of issues to discuss in the initial appointment. Do not be overbearing and remember to respect their privacy. It is important to identify warning signs of worsening depression and act on these signs. There is always help available to people who suffer from depression, be it from family, friends, colleagues and professional mental health experts, so thoughts of suicide can be prevented. Even if you feel that they won’t make a difference, you must try all of the options.
Student Support at UP: how does it work? MAGGIE ROODT UP offers a wide variety of support services to students. This includes Student Support (SS), Student Health Services (SHS) as well as services for students with disabilities.
Student Support (SS) All students who are seeking academic, therapeutic and emotional support can go to SS. They have professional staff consisting of counselling, educational and clinical psychologists as well as social workers.
What services do they offer? Academic support is aimed at giving students guidance on making career choices and being academically successful as well as helping students handle academic stress. The therapeutic and emotional support is intended to optimise your psychosocial functioning. They will help you to address any problems, such as mental illness, and help you to find solutions to these problems.
How do they work? Firstly you need to go for a screening for them to evaluate your problem and then determine what course of action should follow. Screening times are on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 08:00-11:30 and on Tuesdays and Thursdays
13:15-15:30. After a screening they will refer you to a workshop, a therapy or support group, or a psychometric, career or psychological assessment.
Why should you go? If you experience problems related to academics such as study habits, finding a tutor, module changes and readmissions, you will be referred to your Faculty Student Advisor (FSA). For emergencies, you can reach them via their 24-hour crisis service number 0800 006 428. Their services are also free to registered UP students. Even though being a student is very enjoyable, your student years may still be stressful. Physical or mental illness can take its toll on you and adversely affect your studies. The SS staff want to assist students to find solutions to their problems and reach their full potential.
Where is SS situated? - Groenkloof campus – On top of the cafeteria - Hatfield campus – next to the Student Centre and opposite the Tukkiewerf entrance. - Mamelodi campus – Education Building - Prinshof campus – Pathology Building
Student Health Services (SHS) SHS provides basic medical services to all registered UP students. Their staff is made up of fully qualified and registered healthcare professionals such as doctors, professional nurses, trained HIV counsellors as well as a dietician.
What services do they offer? - Primary healthcare and doctor’s clinic - Health education and promotion - Screening and monitoring of chronic conditions - Reproductive clinic (family planning) and female health - HIV/Aids voluntary counselling and testing (VCT)
How do they work? The SHS clinics function on a walk-in basis, however, you should be mindful of their office hours to avoid being disappointed. Call the clinic ahead of time to confirm the times that they will be able to assist you. You will consult with a qualified professional who will examine, diagnose and treat you or give a prescription if need be. If they are unable to treat you, they will refer you to a relevant clinic, specialist, hospital or other institution. Even though the service is free because it is deducted from your annual tuition fee, students will be responsible for any other costs that
they may incur, such as filling prescriptions or consulting with a specialist. Remember to take your valid student card with you when you go for a consultation.
Why should you go? If you do not wish to consult a doctor at a private practice, using the student clinic is a convenient alternative. The staff at SHS is qualified and professional and will be able to offer the same services as any private practice. When asked about the importance of SHS third-year education student Leandrie Oosthuysen said, “It is very helpful that the university offers these services, especially for the health of students who don’t have access to an outside clinic.”
Where is SHS situated? - Groenkloof campus – Room S14 in the Sports Building - Hatfield campus – The SHS Building on Roper Street - Mamelodi campus – Education Building - Onderstepoort campus – Arnold Theiler Building - Prinshof campus – Pathology Building
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08 September 2014
Entertainment
Le Voyage comprises partially of former Tuks students, Wim Jansen van Rensburg and Marco Smit as well as Adriaan Cruywagen. Photo: Clareece Smit
Le Voyage: a new musical odyssey ELMARIE KRUGER Le Voyage is a Pretoria-based rock‘n’roll trio partially comprised of former Tuks students. Perdeby spoke to vocalist and guitarist Wim Jansen van Rensburg and drummer and vocalist Adriaan Cruywagen about their recently released eponymous debut album. You’ve recently released your debut album. What significance does the release of this first album have to the band? It’s our first album as a band together and we’ve all been in other bands prior to this, but it’s our very first release, so it’s kind of special. We’ve been working on it for a long time now and we’re releasing it completely independently. There’s no label support, but we prefer it that way. It’s kind of cool these days to be able to release albums [independently], because it’s possible now. It is released digitally and it’s available at shows and stuff. So it’s not in stores, you need some kind of support from labels for that kind of thing. But we’re not necessarily doing it to be in every store, we just dig doing it. Did releasing your album independently make the recording process more interesting in any way? It’s been very interesting, it’s a whole story by itself. We started off working with Richard Brokensha and Marko Benini from ISO. We recorded with them and we weren’t really happy with the product after that, so we asked our friend David Grevler from Wrestlerish and Anti Motion Studios in Jo’burg to help us out and make it releasable so that we’d be happy. We’ve learnt a lot. We thought we’d learnt enough from the other bands [we were involved with before Le Voyage], we thought we’d learnt not to make mistakes. But in this industry, you always make mistakes. We’re busy writing a second release now – we don’t know yet if it’s going to be an album or an EP or a single,
but we’re going to do things differently and our way this time because we’ve learnt more. What type of sound can listeners expect from the album? They can expect pop-rock, rock‘n’roll and ballads. [Adriaan] call[s] it “chilled rock‘n’roll”. Your singles “Right back at you” and “Saw her come in” have enjoyed some airplay on campus radio stations as well as on 5FM. What has the response to these singles been like so far? It’s been pretty cool, our most successful release has been “Saw her come in”. It got playlisted on pretty much all the national campus radio stations and some commercial ones, including 5FM, so that was really nice. We’ve had some success with the other [singles] – “Right back at you” was a cool song to release first. After that we [released] “Cry for more” and “Fire it up”, which also did well on campus radio. We’ve just released [a single called] “Kings” and we’ve had some good feedback from campus radio stations and some national ones. You went on a short tour in April, performing in Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Johannesburg and Pretoria. Can you speak a bit about that experience? We’d never played in Cape Town before that, and we have lots of friends there, so we wanted to go not only to play but also to see our friends. [The tour] was a success, we had really good responses in Cape Town and Stellenbosch. The scene there is a lot more booming than it is up north in terms of instrumentalists and bands, there’s a bigger market for instrumentalists down there. Is songwriting the responsibility of only one of the band members, or is it a collective effort? This album is different, because [Wim] wrote it before [he] even had the band. Then [he] head-hunted Adriaan, we started jamming together and Marko [Smit, bassist] joined us later.
Calendar
05 September – 01 October: Crossing a red line exhibition by Danelle Janse van Rensburg – Association of Arts Pretoria 08 September: Partyfest: Erika – Shrek – T4 09 September: Republic Day: Pre-Spring Day Party – Trademarx 10 September: Lentedag 2014 – Pretoria National Botanical Garden 10 September: Spring Day – LC de Villiers 10 September: Spring Day party – Tiger Tiger 14 September: The Parlotones at Old Mutual Music in the Gardens – Pretoria National Botanical Gardens To get your event listed on our event calendar, send the date, event name and venue to entertainment@perdeby.co.za or tweet us (@PerdebyE). UP societies are welcome to send their events, too.
[Wim] wrote the backbone to this album and asked for [the other members’] input on their instruments. They kind of had to take the lead in terms of drums and bass. They really contributed a lot and we got to know our sound a bit more during that process. Where did you draw lyrical inspiration from for the album? That’s a tough question. We’re not even sure. You can’t push it, sometimes you need lyrics done for a song and then it doesn’t happen. We have this one song that we’ve been playing for a year now without lyrics as an intro song [at shows]. We want to write lyrics for it but it needs to happen naturally. If you force [lyrics], it’s not always as strong. [The album’s] inspiration was relationships in [Wim’s] life. Sometimes it’s the narrative of a story, sometimes it’s made up, [you] don’t even know who [you’re] writing about, but you kind of know that this situation has happened to you before, you’re not sure when or where, but it’s there. Mostly our songs are about the audience and how [we] would like them to perceive our songs. A lot of it is about everyday relationships with people and so on. You studied music before forming the band. Would you say that having this kind of background makes your sound different to that of bands that don’t contain members who have studied music? Studying music doesn’t necessarily make you a better songwriter, Adriaan’s never studied music. It doesn’t make a difference, but [studying music] gives you a few more options, it makes you aware of certain things you maybe wouldn’t have been aware of [otherwise]. It’s a two-sided coin. It can either positively affect your musicianship or it can restrain it and kill the passion. We studied western art classical music which is filled with theoretical rules, but it’s 2014 and a lot of producers in electronic and instrumental music don’t follow any rules whatsoever, they write to make it sound like they want to.
Win tickets to The Parlotones at Old Mutual Music in the Gardens Perdeby and Hilltop Live are giving away four sets of double tickets to the Old Mutual Music in the Gardens headlined by The Parlotones and Naming James. To win, send us a photo (entertainment@perdeby.co.za) with your face made up like a member of The Parlotones and include a Perdeby staff member. The four best entrants will each win a double ticket. If you’re looking for a Perdeby staff member, come visit our office. Competition closes 11 September. (PS If you’re planning to visit, we like tequila and cake).
08 September 2014
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Entertainment
Image: Chante Geary’s Facebook page
UP’s own impresses in SA Idols LIZL LOMBAARD Etnik performing at Grietfest. Photo: Deji Dada
Grietfest rounds off August festival magic LISA KAHIMBAARA Whether music lovers are still bathing in the afterglow of Oppikoppi or the month of August is favoured by the party gods, no one can be sure, but this year’s Grietfest held at Town Hall in Newtown, Johannesburg was one for the books. Griet pulled out all the stops to bring Gauteng’s electronic music fans an event to remember. Grietfest is known for bringing international electronic heavyweights to their annual festival. The brand has brought the likes of Bart B More, Pelussje and F.O.O.L to name a few, and this year was no different – Koan Sound, Black Sun Empire, Far Too Loud and Para One made their way to our shores. Johannesburg was wracked by freakishly cold weather on Saturday. However, the cold front did not dampen the mood. Electronic music aficionados came in their numbers, armed with their winter best to celebrate all things alternative.
The four stages had something for everyone, from the Main Stage which played host to the headliners to the Go!Go! Stage with some of the country’s favourite DJs, such as Das Kapital who played another foot stomping set. The international acts played incredible sets and cemented firm fan bases in South Africa. Koan Sound brought the house down with their signature glitch hop sound and reminded us why the duo is signed to Skrillex’s OWSLA label. Many of the usual local suspects played at this year’s festival but some of the scene’s favourite performers were clearly not in attendance. PH.fat and Haezer would have been a great way to round off the lineup of one of the best parties of the year. Another thing missing from the festival was more variety in terms of food sold – when you party so hard you want different options with which to refuel. Olmeca and Griet threw an incredible festival this year and have set Grietfest on steady feet for years to come.
Five minutes with Ser Nationals winners Curlitzia
Second-year Tuks drama student Chante Geary progressed to the top 16 of this season’s Idols. She told Perdeby she was very shocked after receiving the news that she made it through. “Having the judges believe in me when I didn’t even believe in myself was humbling and amazing and made me want to work harder and learn more,” said Geary. She impressed the judges at her very first audition in Pretoria with her rendition of Bon Iver’s “Skinny love” accompanied by a ukulele. Geary’s love for music began at a young age. In grade three she started playing piano and at the age of 16 she started playing guitar. She also plays a number of other weird but wonderful instruments, including a small mouth instrument called a trompie, a didgeridoo and a rain-stick to name a few. “My mother loves different cultures and every time we used to go to a new place my mom would buy something traditional which normally ended up being an instrument,” she said. Geary has learned a lot from the Idols experience so far, both musically and about herself. She was also faced with a tough decision before entering the top 16. “I decided to stop my studies and focus on the competition as I really do see it as a big opportunity,” she told Perdeby. On 31 August the first group from the top 16 got their chance to perform for a spot in the top ten. Geary’s performance of George Ezra’s “Budapest” elicited mixed responses from the judges. Gareth Cliff called it too polished and lacking “any edge”. Unfortunately, Geary did not go through to the top ten. Geary handled the judges’ criticism maturely, though. “The judges have always asked me to stay true to myself. When they saw it was too normal or not interesting enough they would let me know and that always keeps me motivated. The judges made me realise that I sometimes may seem like a ‘lazy singer’ and should work hard but not try too hard,” Geary said.
As Above, So Below John Erick Dowdle Image: IMDb.com
JOHAN SAAYMAN
Curlitzia performing at the Tuks finals fronted by Marli Neuhoff. Photo: Tahnee Otto
MICHAL-MARÉ LINDEN On 30 August Curlitzia were named the 2014 ladies Serenade National champions. After three years of making it through to the finals, Curlitzia finally took home the title with their car guard themed performance. Perdeby spoke to the Curlitzia Serenade HK, Marli Neuhoff about their preparation and win. How does it feel to be the national ladies Serenade champions? It’s quite overwhelming actually because you work for it but there’s nothing that comes close to the feeling of achieving what you’ve been working for the whole year. How has Curlitzia as a house responded to your win? It’s been absolutely great. The girls have been travelling with us to Nationals for the past three years so I think that they were just as glad as we [the Serenade group] were. They’ve been waiting for this for a long time so we got a lot of support from the house. They’re completely overwhelmed as well. I’ve been getting thanks from every single person. People are still saying well done. How did you prepare for the competition? It’s definitely important to be in the right mindset and mood.
We as a group are very close and I think that contributed to our success a lot. I think that contributed a lot as well to us being calm and in the right mindset. Your theme of car guards is quite unique but relatable. What was your inspiration behind it? What we decided to go for was something that was familiar to everyone but isn’t as obvious. I think you express a lot of emotion when thinking about car guards because sometimes they irritate you, sometimes you feel sad for them. You can play with all the emotions you feel when thinking about that certain thing. And it was just something fun and all the girls had to step out of their element and be something different. How do you see the future of Curlitzia’s Serenade? I think it’s going to keep being prosperous. Well, that’s what I hope for, although I might not be involved in the next years to come. Definitely, I think there’s a good foundation now. We worked hard to get where we are now so there’s a lot of girls who are still going to stay in Serenade next year that can carry on the good stuff we used this year.
Everybody has proverbial skeletons in their closet. Paris has an entire catacomb of six million skeletons under the iconic city. Naturally, a group of young and attractive adventuring tourists would love to delve into the dark and mysterious caves, but what they find are the skeletons in their own closets. As Above, So Below is a horror movie in found-footage format, shot from the angle of every character. Because filming took place from every angle, dynamic progression is created as more information can be given more quickly. This format, however, impedes a chance for the addition of extravagant and comely visuals but director John Erick Dowdle has a taste for this method of filming. The small-scale horror during the movie develops into nailbiting situations, but eventually leads to a dull climax, much less exciting and ghoulish than the lesser experiences of the characters. The characters are unusually complex for a horror movie. Each character’s backstory is revealed and each experiences specific horrors that are still relatable. The vibrant, outgoing, hardheaded, intelligent and oddly attractive female lead disappears among the fellow adventurers, until it is her time to overcome the impossible. The characters in the movie make the movie more durable and distract the audience from the few moments of poor and senseless dialogue that fill up where the producers had no content. Overall, As Above, So Below is a movie that will be loved by few, liked by many and disliked by some.
n Fun & Games
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Sudoku
08 September 2014
Pssst... they left the party early. Pssst… wonders if Madelief left early because they were as horrified as Pssst… was at Magrietjie’s epic fail of a Harry Potter-themed social. Pssst… just wants to tell Magrietjie that if they’re not going to do something properly, then they shouldn’t do it at all. Then again, Pssst… reckons this kind of thing is to be expected when you team up with Mopanie. From flower petals to dinner dates at Tuks Monate, Taaibos is trying really hard to impress Curlitzia but it seems to Pssst… that the girls are more interested in Sonop than they are in their new Rag partners. Pssst… suggests Taaibos invest some money and take Curlitzia to a proper restaurant because greasy res food is as much of a turn off as Boekenhout’s faces after losing Serrie. Pssst… hears that Lilium are elated that they have a real residence to Rag with next year, Pssst… isn’t so sure that Olienhout feel the same way, though.
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Pssst… always thought divorce was supposed to be a negative thing, but Pssst… hears that Jasmyn could not wait to get divorced from their 2014 Rag partners Vividus Men. If Pssst… were in Jasmyn’s position, Pssst… would also be excited, though. Ever since Vividus Men won Serenade Nationals and have been performing on radio, they have let their egos overcome them. Pssst… just wants to remind Vividus Men to stop acting like characters out of a Disney-themed movie – it’s just creepy when you start serenading strangers on campus. Speaking of Serenade winners, Pssst… would like to ask Curlitzia to not shout their performance over the radio next time, that is, if there is a next time – Pssst… isn’t so sure that there will be one now after that performance. Pssst… wasn’t alone in being nauseated by another res. Pssst… hears that Madelief were so put off by all the Magrietjie girls at Aandklas on Thursday night that
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G Sport
08 September 2014
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Dricus du Plessis makes EFC history NICOLE BARON Second-year BCom Agricultural Economics student at UP Dricus du Plessis made history on 30 August as he became the youngest contender to fight for the Extreme Fighting Championship (EFC) Africa Middleweight title at the age of 20. The fight took place at the Durban International Convention Centre. Although Du Plessis lost to current champion Garreth “Soldierboy” McLellan, he put on an impressive display in the first two rounds, including the use of a full suplex in round two. McLellan then used his experience on the ground in the third round, eventually
choking Du Plessis out with a guillotine hold halfway into the round. Du Plessis has been fighting since the age of five. He started off with judo, then moved onto wrestling and K1 kickboxing. He was the South African K1 Champion in 2012, the South African K1 Pro/Am Champion in 2013 and he became the first South African Wako K1 World Champion in 2012 in what he has named his most memorable fight. His goal was always to enter professional MMA cage fighting, and so he has been perfecting the balance between stand-up and ground game since the age of 14. Du Plessis is trained by Morne Visser at Team CIT.
“I always train myself to the bone to ensure my body is in top physical condition. Hard training full-time is the only approach I find effective.” Despite getting offers from other universities, Du Plessis says that he is proudly “Tuks of Niks” and has wanted to study at Tuks ever since he visited his brother, an LLB graduate, on campus. Although he finds it challenging to be a full-time student as well as a professional sportsman, his focus is to first get his degree, after which he will focus on his sport fulltime. Du Plessis in action. Image: efcafrica.com
Cup success a blessing in disguise BRIAN KIAUTHA In South Africa a new football season marks not only participation in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) but also in cup competitions, like the MTN 8 Cup, Nedbank Cup (also known among football fans as the South African version of the FA Cup) and the Telkom Knockout Cup. The team that wins the Absa Premiership is considered to be superior or is seen as having enjoyed a better season compared to a team that has won, for example, the Nedbank Cup. Mamelodi Sundowns won the Absa Premiership in 2013/14 and are considered to have had a better season compared to Platinum Stars, who won both the MTN 8 Cup and the Telkom Knockout Cup but finished eighth in that Absa Premiership season. In the 2011/12 campaign Orlando Pirates won three trophies, including the domestic league. They are also the only club to win three major trophies in a single season back to back as they won the Absa Premiership,
the Nedbank Cup and the MTN 8 Cup in the 2010/11 season, and during the 2011/12 season Orlando Pirates also won the Abso Premiership, the Telkom Knockout Cup and the MTN 8 Cup. In the 2011/12 campaign Orlando Pirates participated in four cup finals but were only victorious in the Nedbank Cup, where they beat Bidvest Wits 3-1. Orlando Pirates’ cup form was impressive last season but the same could not be said for their league form as they finished fourth. This invokes curiosity as to whether a lot of focus, energy, or club resources were directed toward cup success as opposed to league success. Mamelodi Sundowns were the eventual winners of the 2013/14 PSL. Their league form was impressive as they finished first to win a record sixth title, but they did not feature in any of the cup finals for that season. It seems either their poor cup success motivated them to win the Absa Premiership, or they were not fatigued as a result of not participating in the intense stages of other competitions and so could only focus on the league.
Win BIG with your Tukkie Credit Card! Wen GROOT met jou Tukkiekredietkaart! 6304 UP TuksAlumni Tukkie Card Ad for Perdeby .indd 3
Closing Date: 31 October 2014 Sluitingsdatum: 31 Oktober 2014 www.up.ac.za/alumni
2014/08/28 1:48 PM
A fresh look for two alumni symbols Alumni who visited the Hatfield Campus recently and students might have noticed some construction work taking place at Kya Rosa, the old Victorian House at the entrance to the campus. The traditional home of The University of Pretoria’s (UP’s) alumni was in need of refurbishments as it was last painted in 2008 in preparation for the centenary celebrations. This time the renovations included the interior as well. All the rooms got a fresh coat of paint, the wooden floors were sanded, some exterior woodwork was replaced, the exterior walls and roof were painted and the garden will soon be redesigned. The building will soon begin to play a new role in campus life. History Kya Rosa was erected at 270 Skinner Street in Central Pretoria more than a hundred years ago by Leo Weinthal, the editor of a local weekly newspaper called The Press. The house was taken over by the new colonial administration in 1902 and on 10 February 1908, the Pretoria Centre of the Transvaal University College (TUC) was founded here. The house had a new purpose. Four professors and thirty-two students began classes at Kya Rosa. The college grew and soon other premises in the city were needed, but Kya Rosa remained a meeting place of the student’s council and a student hostel until 1916. The college became the University of Pretoria in 1930. During the 50th anniversary, the University Council decided to move the house from the city centre to the main Campus in Hatfield and commissioned local architect, Albrecht Holm, and builder, Jan Scheffer, to work on the project. Dr Anton Rupert conducted the official opening of the new Kya Rosa on 25 October 1985. Looking forward In 2014, once again, Kya Rosa put on a new jacket with plans to use its stately, grand appearance as the first impression for visitors to the Hatfield Campus. Although, Kya Rosa will always remain the home of alumni, it will now also serve as a visitor’s centre for important guests and visitors to the Campus. The UP Executive will continue to host lunches, dinners and other meetings and receptions in this stately yet humble building. Alumni and other visitors will be able to relax and read in the visitor’s reception room while waiting for appointments on Campus. An overview of the UP and Kya Rosa history will be permanently displayed on the walls in the building. Each room will be adorned with photographs and other memorabilia from a certain historic era or theme. Similar to Kya Rosa, which remains a symbol and home for alumni of UP, the Tukkie Credit Card is a proud symbol of alumni’s academic heritage which enables the next generation of Tuks graduates to achieve success like those who went before them. The Absa Tukkie Credit Card is an easy mechanism by which alumni (and students) can donate without incurring any additional cost to them, as a percentage of the banking fees goes towards the UP Alma Mater Fund. Start swiping the Absa Tukkie Card (a silver or gold card), and Absa will automatically donate a percentage of the annual card turnover to the Tukkie Card Fund, which is designed to aid deserving campus projects such as upgrading the access to campus buildings for people with disabilities or providing books for disadvantaged students. Alumni can either switch their existing Absa credit card to a new Tukkie Card or apply for a new Tukkie Card, in addition to their existing banking products. To apply, simply SMS your name, surname and ID number and ‘Tukkies’ to 35435 (example: Bob●Smith● 8105055358081●Tukkies) and an Absa agent will contact you to complete your application. You can also apply at any Absa branch or visit www.absa.co.za and look under ‘affinity cards’. (Terms and conditions apply. SMS charged at R1.50.) Both Kya Rosa and the vibrant red Tukkie Credit Card are proud symbols that remind alumni about Tuks’ influence on their life and career. While Kya Rosa reflects the heritage of the institution, the Tukkie Credit Card, and especially the Tukkie Credit Card Fund, brings hope to a new generation of Tukkies.
Platinum Stars won the 2013/14 MTN 8 Cup as well as the Telkom Knockout Cup, both at the expense of Orlando Pirates, but proceeded to finish eighth on the Absa Premiership log while Orlando Pirates had to settle for fourth. Once again this makes one wonder whether more attention was paid to the cup success compared to the league success. In their inaugural season in the Absa Premiership, AmaTuks finished in eighth position. Finishing in the top eight guaranteed them a place in the MTN 8 competition for the 2013/14 season where they ended up finishing 11th. AmaTuks’ best cup form was in the 2008/09 season where they reached the Nedbank Cup finals only to lose to Moroka Swallows 1-0. With such a good run in the competition one would have expected their league form at the time to reflect the same good cup performance, but AmaTuks only earned promotion to the Absa Premiership for the 2011/12 season. Cup success can be seen as a phenomenon that cuts across global leagues. During the
2013/14 football calendar, Real Madrid won their much anticipated La Décima (their tenth Uefa Champions League trophy) after beating fellow Spanish club Atlético Madrid. Real Madrid were also favourites to win the La Liga given the nature of their opposition in the final three remaining fixtures but this was not to be as Atlético Madrid won La Liga. This makes one wonder whether Real Madrid focused more on winning the Champions League instead of La Liga. As with each “norm” or trend there is an exception, as teams like Manchester United (1999) won the famous treble which included a domestic league win. In the 2012/13 season Bayern Munich achieved the first German quadruple after winning the DFL Supercup, the Uefa Champions League, the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal. The above proves that in most instances most teams who perform well in cup competitions are unable to replicate the same success in league competitions in a given football season.
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Maroela set up Mopanie rugby final
TuksCricket trio selected for South African USSA side
On Tuesday 2 September, Maroela’s first XV played Sonop’s first XV in the semi-finals of the Koshuis Rugby League. The game started with both teams observing a minute of silence for Teemus Kauluma, the Maroela resident who died last Monday. Maroela kicked off the game and the teams were deadlocked as neither defence let up. Maroela strung a few phases together and were playing well but the Sonop defence was able to keep them at bay. Maroela kept pushing and eventually an incredible chipped ball landed well and bounced in favour of Maroela and they scored a sensational try. The conversion was unsuccessful. The game started becoming exciting, with Sonop looking for a reply. Sonop’s Jan van der Walt was sin-binned and with the extra man advantage, Maroela took charge and got another try. The try was converted and the score was 12-0. The game continued and poor discipline on the Maroela side led to Sonop earning a penalty. They punted the ball into touch and earned a line out right in front of Maroela’s 22. From the lineout, Sonop mauled into Maroela’s 22 and broke off swiftly to score the try.
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SIMPHIWE NHLABATHI
The conversion was unsuccessful and the score remained 12-5. Just before the break, Sonop scored another penalty and the game went to half time with Sonop trailing. Sonop kicked off the second half and immediately forced Maroela to make errors as they were awarded a penalty, which they scored. Maroela’s reply was another well worked converted try. Sonop was hungry for the win, and started digging deep for it. Their constant pressure on Maroela led to more mistakes and Sonop scored another unconverted try from a lineout. After another Sonop player got sin binned, Maroela attacked to try to cement their win, but a brilliant break on the counter from Sonop led to a beautiful try and for the first time in the game, Sonop converted a try and took the lead. The score was 19-23 with just under five minutes to play. Maroela didn’t give up. After falling behind Maroela pressed for the win and got the breakthrough. Their pressing of Sonop paid off as they scored the try in the final minute of the game. The try was converted and Maroela won the game 26-23. The final will be played this week against Mopanie.
Varsity netball on the horizon
Image provided.
WILLIAM ALDRIDGE Varsity Sports has been entertaining students all year, featuring sport like hockey, rugby and football. Now it is netball’s turn to take centre stage. The second edition of the Vasity Sports Netball tournament will feature 11 players from the South African u/19 netball squad, ensuring high quality netball. The netball action commences on 14 September and runs until 20 October. There are eight universities taking part in the competition, namely: Stellenbosch University (Maties), University of the Free State (Kovsies), North-West University (Pukke), University of Johannesburg (UJ), Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU), University of Cape Town (UCT), Vaal University of Technology (VUT), and the University of Pretoria (Tuks). Last year’s winners Kovsies will be aiming to replicate
their form in 2013. They managed to edge out tournament favourites Pukke, who had gone the entire campaign unbeaten until Kovsies beat them 40-44 in a tightly contested final. Round one sees last year’s finalists Pukke host Maties, UJ welcome VUT, UCT take on NMMU and Tuks open their campaign with a difficult fixture in the Free State against defending champions Kovsies. Tuks narrowly lost out last season, with Kovsies winning by 53 points to Tuks’ 46. All the teams will then travel to Port Elizabeth for a threeday round of fixtures, running from 20-22 September. Tuks will face Maties, VUT and NMMU. Tuks will play at home on 29 September when they face UJ in Pretoria. The teams then travel to Johannesburg where Tuks will face UCT and Pukke in the last round of group fixtures. The ladies from Pretoria will be looking to improve on last year’s performance where they finished fourth, losing out by a mere four points in the semi-final to Pukke.
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Three TuksCricket players were selected to represent the University Sports South Africa (USSA) cricket-side in the Cricket South Africa (CSA) triangular series that were hosted at the TuksCricket Oval from 18-23 August. Heinrich Klaasen, Ruben Claassen and Johan Wessels were selected for this side and they were also part of the team that represented the country and the university at the Red Bull Campus Cricket World Finals in July. Klaasen is the vice-captain of the TuksCricket side and was also recently selected to represent the Titans in the eKasi Challenge. Claassen, who is an off-spinner, put in a few good performances for the side during their successful campaign at the Red Bull Campus Cricket Finals. Wessels was also instrumental in his side’s performances at the tournament having been named man of the match in both the semi-final and in the final because of his heroics with the bat. Perdeby spoke to Klaasen and Claassen about how well they did last season. Heinrich, you recently represented the Titans in the eKasi Challenge that was played in Soweto. What valuable lessons did you learn while playing with individuals that have represented the Proteas? Klaasen: First of all it was a massive honour to have played with those guys. There wasn’t time really to learn a lot, but just the way they back their skill 100% even in difficult conditions stood out for me. You were also the vice-captain of the side at the recent Red Bull Campus Cricket World Finals. What has it been like being in the leadership group for a team that has been so successful in recent times? Klaasen: It’s incredible to be part of this unbelievable Tuks unit and to be part of the senior group of players is always a privilege. Our captain Theunis de Bruyn was magnificent, so my job was easy and I could just [go] and play my game. We [are] a very close unit, so to help the younger guys out with the things they ask is fun and I honestly enjoyed it. I have learned a lot from them as well. South Africa isn’t really well-known for producing a lot of spinners. Do you think that this makes it difficult for batsmen in our country to face you seeing that you’re an off-spinner? Claassen: I don’t think that it is necessarily harder for batsmen to face spin. I just feel that you can maybe outplan batsmen as a bowler and put them under pressure by doing that. So I have been working hard with the help of the world class coaches at Tuks to be able to execute certain plans during different stages of the game in order to try put batsmen under pressure in that manner. Ruben, you bowled extremely well at the recent Red Bull Campus Cricket World Finals and now you’ve been selected for the USSA side. What are your short term goals for the future? Claassen: Well, it’s rumoured that Varsity Cup Cricket will start sometime in the near future which [will] be an awesome opportunity to expose what you have to offer as a cricketer. But ja, in order to do that I feel that a lot of hard work still lies ahead. I mean that’s all you can do, the rest of the stuff will take care of itself. Johan, you were instrumental in your win in the final of the Red Bull Campus Cricket World Finals. What can you attribute your recent success in terms of your batting to? Wessels: I really worked hard on my batting just before England. I put in a lot of hours trying to get my game ready for the World Finals. But just before we went there I hit a bad patch of form. I made three ducks in a row, but I knew if I just trust in my preparation everything will be fine. So everything fell in place the final day and all the hard work paid off. But it is all thanks to God for giving me the talent and trusting him in his timing. Has your recent selection for the USSA team given you the belief that you can work your way into the Titans side and ultimately maybe one day represent your country? Wessels: I would love to go on and play for the Titans. It’s going to be hard work to get there but I am up for that challenge. To play for my country would just be a dream come true.
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