09 February 2015 Issue 03 Year 77

Shortstraw Growing up, staying young

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Perdeby

Tuks se amptelike studentekoerant / Official Tuks student newspaper / Kuranta ya baithuti ya semmušo ya Tuks

09February2015

year77issue03

Varsity Cricket Champions

UP-Tuks 1 Varsity Cricket champions 2015 Photo: Mario van de Wall © Wessel Oosthuizen

SIMPHIWE NHLABATHI The UP-Tuks 1 cricket team won the inaugural Varsity Cricket tournament.

Facing Maties (University of Stellenbosch) in the final, the men from the University of Pretoria showed the experience that allowed them to win last year’s Red Bull Campus Cricket Finals and stole the show after chasing down the 126 run target set by Maties in their innings.

Along with the honour of being crowned inaugural Varsity Cricket champs, Tuks will also go on to represent South Africa at the Red Bull Campus Cricket World Final in India later this year.

Maties won the toss and elected to bat. The Stellenbosch 11 got off to a great start when Jean Marais and Jean Bredenkamp took the attack to the bowlers. The Maties attack was stymied, however, when Corbin Bosch stepped up to bowl out

Bredenkamp’s middle stump, leaving Maties on 25/1. Marais continued to threaten the bowlers and, with the help of David Bedingham, hit the team’s half ton mark at the end of the eighth over. The partnership only lasted to 31 runs before former SA u/19 skipper Aiden Markram took a one handed catch to dismiss Bedingham and left Maties on 57/2 after 9.2 overs.

Ruben Classen then took the wicket of Marais, who was out with just 33 runs, in the 11th over. In the 12th over Dewald Botha became the next victim to an incredible bowling display by Jacques Snyman, leaving Maties on 67/4. Maties lost three more wickets toward the end of the innings and posted 125/7 in their 20 overs.

Tuks went in for their innings and were quickly stunned when in-form batsman Aiden Markram lost his wicket to Justin Dill in the first over.

The poor batting display continued

Varsity Cricket: Varsity Cup: Tuks dominate New rules opening day introduced

as Murray Coetzee lost his wicket, leaving Tuks on 13/2 in just 2.4 overs.

A mix up between Gerry Pike and Jacques Snyman led to Tuks losing another wicket as Snyman was run out to leave Tuks at just 18/3. Pike was then joined by Johan Wessels and the two managed to steady the ship by taking Tuks to 37/3 in six overs, requiring 89 runs from 84 balls in order to win. The two continued and eventually brought up the team’s half ton in 7.2 overs. Neil Botha of Maties broke the partnership in the ninth over to end the 36 run partnership.

Pike continued the rescue effort and brought up his own half century off of 35 balls. Tuks called for a Power Plus Over and managed to add a further

26 runs. Pike’s wicket eventually fell to Neil Botha in the 15th over, but that didn’t matter as Tuks came out Varsity Cup Cricket champions thanks to their five wicket victory.

Heinrich Klaasen, the Tuks captain, rounded out the Tuks victory with his 37 not out.

The inaugural tournament can be deemed a great success and Francois Pienaar, founder of Varsity Sports, was impressed with the way the competition unfolded.

“This tournament has been a long time coming. We have covered all the other sporting codes, so it was only a matter of time. I’m really happy with the way this week has unfolded,” Pienaar said.

TuksRag frozen pending investigation

-5

Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day exposed -6

Lovely locations -9

Concerns clarified about Hatfield Studios -3

-12-

Anti-austerity alters Athens -7

2

Perdeby

Editorial | 9 February 2015

For where your treasure is, there will your heart will be also

www.perdeby.co.za perdeby@up.ac.za m.perdeby.co.za @perdebynews @PerdebySport @PerdebyE Tel: (012) 420 6600

Editorial Editor-in-Chief Carel Willemse

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Editor Michal-Maré Linden

perdeby@up.ac.za @MicsLinden

News Michael Bongani Reinders

news@perdeby.co.za @Mike_Bongani

Features Leanne Cumming

features@perdeby.co.za @CummingsGoing

Entertainment Elmarie Kruger Sport Simphiwe Nhlabathi

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Web Marko Svicevic

sport@perdeby.co.za @SimphiweNhlabZA webeditor@perdeby.co.za @MarkoSvicevic1

Copy Herman Hoogenboezem

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Layout Nikita Mokgware

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Visuals Hendro van der Merwe Multimedia Keegan Schmidt

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Teams Layout Ashleigh Batchelor Jacob Swati Kriszti Bottyan

I’m rather indifferent towards Valentine’s Day. For the most part, I see it as a moneymaking scheme that means I can get cheap chocolate one week later. I also recently

From the Editor

opened two fortune cookies that both told me “someone wants to spend their nine lives with you,” so I guess that means my future as a cat lady has been set in stone.

One thing I’m not indifferent towards is love.

Not specifically romantic love, but the love that is shared between family and friends.

As a kid, my mum would always “celebrate” Valentine’s Day by baking a cake and letting me and my brother decorate it. We’d then all share it at tea time as a family. While it may seem quite silly now, the point wasn’t the pink icing and heart chocolates but the quality time we spent together.

The same thing works for friends. I’m sure everyone understands the need for a close friend that cheers you up on a bad day or even just takes notes for you in class.

While it’s important to be loved and to show love, it’s often the most important things that aren’t urgent and the silly things that demand most of our immediate attention. Too often we forget to prioritise the people that matter because they’re always there and the opportunity to grow our relationship with them is lost.

The news is often disheartening and the world could always do with more love. I’m not an expert but if we build up our treasure by investing in the people around us, that could make all the difference to the individual and the world at large. It could be a stranger or your best friend, but a randon act of kindness is one of the best gifts you can give – a little bit of yourself and your time to make another’s life easier or to make them feel more valuable. Hopefully with enough investment, we can then inspire those around us to pay it forward ,because each individual is valuable and deserves to be treated with kindess. I’m sure you would like to be treated that way too.

Perhaps Valentine’s Day is supposed to be about romantic love, but maybe this year it can be about more than that. I know I appreciate a good conversation with my best friends or a small compliment from a stranger more than all the chocolate and flowers in the world.

historical debt due to the lack of allocation of funds by NSFAS. My question is, how do we expect these students to pay for all these costs if they are only allocated close to R50 000 per year by NSFAS? This must cover all costs for the academic year, including meals, books, and accommodation.

Hatfield Studios has furthermore divided students into clans, that of a so-called traditional res (Klaradyn), and those who are placed at Studios under TukRes administration. If TuksRes is a family, like how Prof. Themba Mosia emphasises, then why are students from Huis Klaradyn, who were moved to Hatfield studious due to renovations happening at their res, given special treatment? Why do they get meals provided by TuksRes, free electricity, and other privileges? What about the other Tuks students placed there? Must they fend for

themselves now since the rooms don’t have allocated stoves and no communal cooking areas? Why segregate them? Is this the vision and the transformation we speak about in the UP 2025 Strategic plan?

Fighting about Hatfield studios won’t change anything, I know, so can we please find alternatives to provide affordable accommodation to needy students?

I challenge Prof. Themba Mosia as the Vice-Principal of Student Affairs and Residence Affairs to please look into this matter and find a solution that will not only benefit the university, but also its students.

Michal

Letters When I first read the news about the introduction of Hatfield Studios into the TuksRes family, I rejoiced and thanked the Tuks gods for solving the need to accommodate students in a safer and closer environment that has resources like the library and Hatfield Plaza, among others, within close proximity, but it seems I counted my chickens before they hatched.

I am not arguing the fact that the introduction of this new (luxurious) building has not has not reached one step into providing beds for students (yes it has), but it came at a hefty price that amounts to R52 000 annually, excluding meals, electricity, laundry, parking, Wi-Fi, and other hidden costs. The majority of students that have been placed in this new dwelling point already have a financial crisis and find themselves having

Copy Christelle van Schalkwyk Emma Paulet Happy Mahlangu Jaco Stroebel Jessica Nogieć Rorisang Moloi Shannon Nauschutz Tshegofatso Ndabane Tshepho Mamashela

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Copyright Perdeby is printed by Paarlmedia. All rights reserved. Contributions are welcome. All due care will be taken with materials submitted, but Perdeby and printers cannot be held responsible for loss or damage. The editor reserves the right to edit, amend or alter in any way deemed necessary.

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Correction In our 2 February edition, Khethelo Nkosi (page 2) and Adrian Eckard’s (page 5) names were spelt incorrectly. The names have subsequently been corrected on our online edition. Perdeby would like to apologise for any offence caused.

9 February 2015 | News

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Hatfield Studios: questions clarified

Hatfield Studios. Photo: Hendro van der Merwe

NASIPHI MDLULWA At the beginning of 2015, Hatfield Studios was made avaliable as a form of accomodation for TuksRes students. Recently many questions have arisen about the the acoomodation fee and pricing structure as well as the criteria for placement.

Perdeby spoke to the Prof. Themba Mosia, Vice-Principal of Student Affairs and Residence Affairs at Tuks and Feenstra Group about Hatfield Studios.

Previously, Tuks leased out Urban Nest and Campus House to provide additional accomodation to students.

“The initial lease agreement with Urban Nest was for [temporary] accommodation for 280 students of UP residences undergoing renovation and refurbishment in 2013. Given the need for additional private accommodation, a number of units were also leased in Campus House to assist students in dire need. The facilities are accredited

for National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) purposes.

While the university was still engaged in processes to expand its accommodation capacity, the lease agreements were extended for the 2014 academic year,” says Prof.

Mosia.

However, Tuks ended their lease with Campus House and Urban Nest at the end of 2014. “These leases only provided limited relief. They also incurred a range of unexpected complications and expenses, in particular in terms of transport and security, and a resulting higher than expected deficit for the university,” said Prof. Mosia.

Tuks is currently leasing the entire Hatfield Studios facility for a period of three years. Prof. Mosia explained the decision by saying that “key criteria for additional accommodation have been proximity, the number of additional beds, the level of security as well as cost. By leasing Hatfield Studios, the university has been able to cut out the additional transport

costs incurred in 2013 and 2014 and to improve the safety of its students.”

Hatfield Studios is currently housing Klaradyn as their residence building is being renovated. Aside from that, the standard placement procedure for traditional residences does not apply to being allocated a room in Hatfield Studios.This strict criteria includes a minimum APS score off 33 for students entering first year.

“All students who cannot be accommodated in a traditional residence, are offered space in the additional facilities. For now this additional capacity is at Hatfield Studios. The strict academic peformance criteria that apply in the residences, do not apply to Hatfield Studios,” said Prof. Mosia.

Students have spoken out about the R52 300 annual accomodation fee that excludes electricity and several services include Wifi and laundry services. The university is subsidising the accomodation fee. “In trying to keep the cost as low as possible for

students, the university will incur a loss. The same applied to Campus House and Urban Nest. The university has considered this loss at Hatfield Studios in its budget. The cost of water is included in the rent,” said Prof. Mosia.

He went on to explain that students will have to pay for their own electricity consumption. because “allowing students to buy their own pre-paid electricity they can manage their own consumption and thus not cross-subsidise others, as is the case in traditional UP residences.”

Prof. Mosia defended the claims that many students on NSFAS have been placed in Hatfield Studios without the financial means to cover the accomodation fee along with other living and study costs by saying that “according to [Tuks] statistics only 161 of the [975] students in Hatfield Studios are on NSFAS. When students are offered space in any residence, they are informed of the full cost and may, based on this information, choose to accept or decline the offer.

Many of the students on NSFAS who were offered space in Hatfield Studios did not take up the offer and chose to pursue other private accommodation solutions,” he said.

Prof. Mosia added that “not all students receive the maximum NSFAS allocation and that, even in UP residences or accredited private accommodation, the NSFAS does not always cover the full cost. It is the responsibility of every student to seek ways to supplement their study financing in order to pay off any outstanding debts. Where students have a sound academic performance record, term arrangements can be made for the settlement of accounts.”

Hatfield Studios was developed by Feenstra Group. Director of Feenstra Group Johann du Plessis explained that “the relationship [between Tuks and Feenstra Group] is purely a contractual one, with the university leasing Hatfield Studios from Hatfield Residences (Pty) (Ltd) as additional student accommodation for a specified lease period.

Load shedding not a problem for Tuks

One of the generators on campus. Photo: Hendro van der Merwe

KEEGAN FRANCES City Press recently reported that the possibility of a total national electricity blackout exists. Eskom sources indicated that a national blackout is a very significant possibility for the foreseeable future.

In an attempt to prevent this possible crisis, load shedding has been implemented since the end of last year. Perdeby investigated the effects of load shedding on the University of Pretoria.

Three possible load shedding stages exist for UP. The first stage

indicates load shedding on a Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 18:00 to 20:30. The second, every day of the week from 18:00 to 20:30 whilst the third stage the university can fall under will be twice every day of the week, from 10:00 to 12:30 and from 18:00 to 20:30.

According to Andre Cochrane, from J Turner’s Electrical contractors, the problem is that load shedding schedules aren’t always accurate. According to Cochrane, a deviation from the schedule occurred on Tuesday. The electricity was supposed to be turned off at 10:00. It

was later announced that there would be no load shedding that day. Load shedding was then implemented later that evening with the electricity being turned off from 19:15.

On 4 February the City of Tshwane Twitter feed announced that the district was entering stage two load shedding.

Cochrane emphasised that this has not affected the students’ and staff’s ability to carry out their academic work. This is because of the measures the university has in place to deal with the load shedding. Generators have been installed in all buildings and they automatically kick in when load shedding is in effect.

According to Cochrane the only students who would be affected are those in res because many of the residences do not have access to generators.

Aside from these individuals, Cochrane indicated that the generators have allowed the university to make provision for all power outages, thereby allowing students and staff to remain predominantly unaffected by Eskom’s load shedding.

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9 February 2015 | News

5

New Tuks website

Uncertainty over Rag as chair is suspended JODY DAVISON

Screenshot of the Tuks website. Image Marko Svicevic

BUSISIWE BEJE Tuks launched a new website at the end of 2014. Dr Karen Lazenby, Director of the Client Servise Centre (CSC), said that “The legacy website was ten years old and no longer sustainable. The contract with the former service provider was terminated”.

The new website created a few unexpected problems during the upgrade. But most of the problems seem to have been resolved now.

Second-year BEd student Boniwe Letlape says that “Logging in to my

portal is [...] quicker [now] due to the upgrade.” The variety of options available allow a student quicker use of the website without any confusion as all the required and significant information is a click away.

Dr Lazenby mentioned that the improvements to the website, which started operating towards the end of November 2014, “compl[y] with W3C standards and international security standards. It is hosted remotely and runs from two geo-locations that replicate data realtime to the most efficient endpoint, ensuring the highest performance

and the most relevant content. It is mobile friendly and accessible to the visually disabled. It has new functionalities and is integrated with the university’s enterprise systems. The look and feel, effective search functionality and navigation of the new website are additional improvements compared to the legacy website. Through the migration process all faculties and most support departments updated their content and mini-sites were created for academic departments that did not have a web presence before”.

TuksRag chairperson Arthur Ndabambi has been suspended due to handing in a fraudulent academic record. This is according to the head of Student Development Dr Rina Wilken.

Buntu Majaja was appointed on 15 January as a temporary measure to oversee the Rag procession.

While Ndabambi has still been assisting with the organisation of the procession, TuksRag is currrently without an official chairperson.

Ndabambi has stated that he has “stepped down for personal and academic reasons”.

On 5 February Dr Wilken released a letter stating that “a moratorium has been placed on the Rag EC and GC and ... the EC may not continue in their current [capacity] until the investigation, that is underway, has been finalised.”

Majaja explained that this investigation is an internal matter currently being handled and that it cannot be discussed. However, as soon as it is resolved the findings will be made public.

The fate of the rest of the Rag events scheduled this year

is uncertain. The Department of Student Affairs is discussing whether or not Drastoel, which is the next Rag event, will take place. However, Dr Wilken stated that the future plans of Rag remain the same. Dr Wilken told Perdeby that Rag’s mission is still “to reach out and give by empowering communities and individuals to become involved in sustainable projects.”

“A moratorium has been placed on the Rag EC and GC” It has been suggested that TuksRes act as an interim facilitator for the community engagement projects, but a final decision has not yet been made.

Majaja explained that “the most important focus is to make sure that the long term and short term projects, being the community engagement focus of Rag, [are] the part that really [gets] taken forward”.

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Features | 9 February 2015

The global food crisis TIJANA SAKOTA

In the next 40 years, it is projected that the world population will grow from seven billion to nine billion. However, for many different reasons, one billion people currently still do not have sufficient safe and nutritious food to eat. United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, reiterates this sense of urgency as he states that “in a world of plenty, no one, not a single person, should go hungry. But almost 1 billion still do not have enough to eat.” Demand is rising while resources are dwindling. As many students are members of the “born free” generation in South Africa, they have come of age concurrently to the coming-of-age of an equal, democratic South Africa. However, food security and nutrition remains a primary barrier in achieving overall equality in South Africa and the world.

The 1996 World Food Summit defines food security to be when “all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy life”. According to the World Health Organisation, food security is built on three pillars. Firstly, availability of food requires that sufficient quantities of food are accessible on a constant basis. Secondly, access to food requires that individuals have adequate resources to obtain the appropriate foods for a nutritious diet. Lastly, the use of food requires that individuals have sufficient knowledge of basic nutrition and care, as well as sufficient water and sanitation. In South Africa’s case, the population falls victim to a lack of access and resources in obtaining food.

According to Statistics South Africa’s (StatsSA) General Household Survey in 2011, 21% of South African households had limited access to food. Moreover, the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) estimates 35% of the South African population to be vulnerable to food insecurity, with a quarter of children below the age of six suffering from malnutrition.

Further evidence by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) proves that the majority of citizens purchase staple foods from commercial suppliers as opposed to producing it themselves. This indicates a dependency on access to money.

Therefore, inadequate access to food rather than a shortage thereof has resulted in food insecurity within the country. Paul Bulcke, the CEO of Nestlé, states that in order to ensure access to food at affordable prices, this must be done through “improving logistics, infrastructure, and transportation systems to ensure those who need food are supplied with it.”

The Food Insecurity and Vulnerability Information Management System (FIVISM) of 2006 describes the most food insecure South Africans to be poor rural populations, HIV/ Aids affected families, the disabled, elderly and children below the age of five. FIVISM further emphasises their deprivation of basic needs and inequitable resource distribution to reinforce long-term food insecurity within South Africa.

“The quest for food security can be the common thread that links the different challenges we face and helps build a sustainable future”, states José Graziano da Silva, FAO Director-General.

These “different challenges” contribute to global insecurity within vulnerable households. The primary and most crucial factors affecting food sustainability in South Africa are rising food prices and the negative impact of HIV/Aids.

Rising food prices, together with trade policies and restrictions result in increased global prices, thus increased food prices, the FAO suggests. Greg Page, the CEO and Chairman of Cargill, states that “governments must encourage open trade and a fair, transparent, rules-based system to everyone’s gain.” He goes further in describing how “companies that are directly or indirectly in the business of feeding the world have a responsibility to promote trust-based free trade.”

South African inflation reflects considerably

Photo: Charlotte Bastiaanse

on the citizens of the country. Inflation results in a lack of affordability in purchasing food and therefore disables the vulnerable in having purchasing power. The Integrated Food Security Strategy of South Africa states that a lack of purchasing power is due to rising food prices and is accelerated by inadequate work opportunities, specifically in rural areas.

Furthermore, HIV/Aids increase South Africa’s vulnerability to food insecurity. The virus attacks healthy, able-bodied individuals.

Due to an ill individual’s inability to work, their families are at an increased risk of poverty and malnutrition. Also, rural households are often dependant on wavering incomes. With the family breadwinners are falling victim to HIV/ Aids, funds are spent on medication for the ill as opposed to spending the money on purchasing food. HIV/Aids affect worldwide populations and whole countries’ economies. The disease threatens social and economic development.

The FAO stated in 2010 that “as infection rates continue to escalate around the world... the pandemic is significantly impacting food security and nutrition”.

There is an urgent need for South Africa to develop a comprehensive food security and nutrition strategy. Policy-makers and nongovernmental bodies need to work together to alleviate poverty and inequality in vulnerable communities.

Heads of state, UN officials, private sector and civil society leaders gathered to discuss numerous sustainable development issues. This took place at the Rio+20 Conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and at the G20 Conference in Los Cabos, Mexico in June of 2012. Many of these leaders recognized that agriculture unites the diverse efforts in order to meet the needs of a world population in 2050. Furthermore, there exists numerous global youth conferences in which students gather to discuss and debate these significant food issues, on a local and global level.

On 24 to 28 August 2015, young leaders from around the world will gather at the Global Youth Ag-Summit to discuss ideas, develop a vision and deliver action against global food insecurity. The Youth Ag-Summit movement started in Canada in 2013.The goal was to share perspectives and create an open dialogue on how the global agricultural community will be able to feed a worldwide population of more than nine billion people by the year 2050. Former participant from Zimbabwe, 23 year old Rodney Kurai Mushongachiware, states on Youthagsummit.com that “the summit gave [him] the opportunity to share [his] ideas towards youth, agriculture and security.” “We are stewards of the world resources... we are capable of doing what other great names... have done”, says Mushongachiware.

Love and legends: the truth behind Valentine’s Day myths and traditions

Photo: Kirsty Mackay

LEANNE CUMMING In recent times, Valentine’s Day has been associated with flowers, chocolates, hearts, and love letters signed “Your Valentine”. Some may look forward to this day and plan romantic dates and organise gifts for a special someone, while others are sickened by the thought of public affection and puppy love. Have you ever considered that there might be a story behind this particular day, a story that does not fall under the genre of a romantic novel?

In an article written by David Kithcart titled “St. Valentine, the real story”, found on CBN. com, father Frank O’Gara of White Friars Street Church in Dublin, explains that St Valentine was a Roman priest during the reign of emperor Claudias. Emperor Claudias made it illegal for young couples to get married. “This was based on the hypothesis that unmarried soldiers fought better than married soldiers, because married soldiers might be afraid of what might happen to them or their wives or their families if they died,” explains father O’Gara. Legend has it

that St Valentine married young couples in secret but was ultimately captured, tortured and put behind bars for going against emperor Claudias’ orders.

While in prison, Valentine educated and prayed with a blind girl who happened to the daughter of judge Asterius. O’Gara says that “in the year 269 AD, Valentine was sentenced to a three part execution of a beating, stoning and finally decapitation, all because of his stand for Christian marriage. The story goes that the last words he wrote were in a note to Asterius’ daughter. He inspired today’s romantic missives by signing it, ‘from your Valentine’ .”

However, Dr Fraser G. McNeill, senior lecturer of anthropology at the University of Pretoria, is of the opinion that the story of St Valentine is fabricated. Dr McNeill explains that there was an ancient pagan festival, Lupercalia, that was celebrated every year around 15 February in honour of Luprecus, the god of fertility. Dr McNeill believes that the Valentine’s tradition has been taken from this ancient pagan festival and has been altered and transformed into what we know it as today. Dr McNeill also says that there where many men in ancient times that went by the name of Valentine who have no relation to Christianity at all. Dr McNeill is of the opinion that the legend of St Valentine was added in later by the Romans Catholics to add a Christian twist. Dr McNeill goes on to say that February is the time of year, in the northern hemisphere, when the snow starts to melt and plants start to grow. “It a good time to reproduce,” says Dr McNeill, and this could also

be why the month of February is associated with love.

Cupid, another Valentine’s Day symbol, is depicted in classical mythology as the god of desire, erotic love, attraction and affection.

Cupid has also been depicted as the son of the love goddess Venus as well as the chubby, baby faced angel who shoots arrows and makes people fall in love at first sight. Up until recently, falling in love at first sight has also been labelled as a myth. An article written by Christine Hsu, found on MedicalDaily.com, titled “You can love at first sight: scientists discover brain region responsible for instant attraction”, states that researchers from Trinity Collage Dublin have found, through brain scans, that “different parts of the medial prefrontal cortex, the region that sits near the front of the brain, make snap judgements about physical attraction and whether the person is likely to be a compatible match, all within milliseconds of seeing a new face.”

“Lupercalia, that was celebrated every year around 15 February in honour of Luprecus, the god of fertility.”

Researchers continue to say that, through a test of participants looking at photographs of people’s faces, they were able to see whether or not a participant found a face attractive.

Researches state that the region called the paracingulate showed the most activity when participants saw a face they found attractive. A second area of the medial prefrontal cortex, the rostromedial prefrontal cortex, showed more activity when participants found certain faces unattractive. Jeffery Cooper, a psychology researcher who conducted the study while he

was a postdoctoral student at Trinity College, explained that the rostromedial prefrontal cortex plays an important part in making social decisions and calculating whether or not someone is similar to you.

The colour red is associated with Valentine’s Day. According to Dr McNeill, the colour red is also classically associated with power and danger. However, surveys conducted in the United States and Europe have found that nowadays the colour red is mostly associated with passion, love, joy, sexuality and desire.

The heart shaped symbol also ties in with Valentine’s Day because it symbolises love.

Big Bang Theory character Amy Farrah Fowler clears up the real meaning of why the heart is the shape it is. It is not, in fact, the shape of the human heart, but rather the shape of a woman’s behind while bending over. “The heart shape symbol is indeed associated to women’s genitalia,” says Dr McNeill. Dr McNeill states that the heart shape looks nothing like a real heart and is therefore associated with a woman’s behind, or even the frontal genitals, like the vulva. According to a 2009 study from the University of Arizona and the University of Maryland, found on ScientificAmerican.com, the heart is also associated with love because the brain regulates the emotions associated with heartbreak to the Vagus nerve. The Vagus nerve connects the brain with the chest and abdomen, which is why you may experience the feeling of a “broken heart”.

Whether you are looking forward to Valentine’s Day or dreading the whole event, at least you do not have to worry about the awkward silence ruining your date, as you are now familiar with the legends and myths behind Valentine’s Day which could turn out to be the perfect ice-breaker.

9 February 2015 | Features

7

Anti-austerity alters Athens JARED DE CANHA

The results from the recent Greek national election have seen the country veer to the left towards a more radical form of leadership in the form of 40-year-old Alexis Tsipras. This has not only increased tension among members of the Eurozone, but also across financial markets in response to the sweeping election promises made by the new prime minister, who has already begun implementing reforms in his first week in office.

Illustration: Jaco Stroebel

The European debt crisis has been an ongoing struggle for the Eurozone since the onset of the 2008 global recession. This had a particularly devastating effect on the Greek economy, which has been on the receiving end of necessary bail-outs from neighbouring countries. However, with the election of the left-wing Syriza party, the economic strategies of Tsipras and his cabinet will come under increased scrutiny and could make the difference between whether or not Greece will remain a member of the European Union.

What do the Syriza Party stand for?

The prime minister and his party have a strong belief in reversing the austerity measures which were implemented by previous leaders in response to the large financial deficit faced by the country.

Austerity measures refer to a government’s decision to cut expenses and reduce state spending in an attempt to reduce the state deficit. The Syriza Party, on the other hand, have a firm belief that these measures do not benefit the masses of unemployed and struggling Greek citizens.

The Syriza Party have set out to lead a coalition government with the centreright Independent Greek Party. The Syriza Party were just two seats short of securing an absolute majority, but through their coalition have secured the 13 seats held by the Independent Greeks.

Tsipras also became the first Greek prime minister to decide on being affirmed as prime minister in a non-religious manner instead of the traditional religious ceremony. Tsipras, who is an atheist, avoided the customary blessings from the Athens Orthodox Church and was sworn in by Greek president Karolos Papoulias.

His first act as prime minister was the laying of

flowers at a Greek memorial dedicated to the Greek resistance fighters who lost their lives during World War II. What reforms have been introduced?

The first noticeable change in Greece was the removal of the barriers surrounding parliament after Tsipras took office on 26 January 2015. The prime minister has also announced significant economic changes including the halting of privatised schemes, the reinstating of pensions, the reintroduction of a minimum wage, the removal of hospital visit and prescription fees, and the rehiring of public sector workers who were previously laid-off. Citizenship has also been granted to migrant children who were born and raised in Greece.

The Syriza Party have also vowed to renegotiate the devastating debts which Greece owes European lenders. Greece has been at the mercy of a trio of lenders, namely the European Commission, the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank, for the past five years, who have all insisted on austerity measures being taken by the past Greek leadership. This is said to change under the leadership of Greece’s youngest prime minister in over 150 years.

Implications of the election and the introduced reforms.

The election of a new radical leader in Greece has been well received by the Greek public, who have been hit hard by the past years of recession.

Tsipras won the election on the promises he made to the Greece public, including the prospect of debt forgiveness and absolution, as well as rebuilding the broken spirit of the Greek people and the renegotiation of the terms of the bail-out which Greece received from the Eurozone. Many Greek citizens are also supportive of the Syriza Party’s reforms which have opposed the cuts in public spending, wages

and pensions and increases in taxes, which were necessary for Greece to impose in previous years in order to qualify for the bail-out they received.

European as well as global financial markets, however, have increased fears that the new leadership in Greece and their plans to renegotiate in order to eliminate their debt will increase the potential for another Greek bankruptcy, which will have a ripple effect across not only the Eurozone but also globalised markets. The reforms and promises which Tsipras has made have also caused friction among European lenders. In a recent interview with French newspaper Le Figaro, president of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker not only stressed that “There is no question of cancelling the debt,” but that if Greece fails to honour its previous commitments, there “will be no more credit” for Greece.

The election has also increased tensions between Germany and Greece, which were already present in Greece before the election.

This is because many Greeks blame Germany, as Europe’s largest economy, for enforcing strict conditions attached to their key role in providing economic relief. The Syriza Party also used the promise that Germany be held accountable for their involvement in Greece during World War II in their election campaign. In fact, the Washington Post recently reported that Tsipras himself said that Greece is“going to demand debt reduction” as well as the money which, in his eyes, Germany owed Greece in reparations for World War II. In a world of increasing globalisation and interconnection, the actions of a tiny Mediterranean country will have a ripple effect on us all. This is why keeping an eye on the developments in Greece over the next few months will be vital for all of us as global citizens.

So what do you do for a living?: the enigma of Elon Musk SAVVA POUROULLIS Elon Musk bears many titles. So many, in fact, that it is pointless to list them. CEO of this group, product architect of that, chairman of something else, and so on. One of his more famous aliases is that of “real-life Tony Stark”. Known for his big ego and even bigger ambitions, Musk has a feature article in Perdeby because he is, in fact, from Pretoria.

The Pretoria Boys High old boy learned how to program on his own and coded his way to his first income by selling a game he made for $500 at the ripe old age of 12. To say that this set the stage for his future development and achievements is an understatement. Musk finished his high school career at Boys High and moved to Canada, from where he planned to gain citizenship in the USA. He obtained degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and from Wharton, starting another degree at Stanford but dropping out after two days to pursue his goals in internet software.

The first of these projects was his least ambitious, but still sold for over $300 million in 1999. At the time, this was the highest sum ever paid for an internet company. The project, called Zip2, allowed companies to post information such as directory listings on the web. Musk himself made a personal income of $22 million from the sale. This could be considered his baby steps into the internet scene.

He moved on to create X.com, later known as PayPal. Originally an online bank, it was later stripped down so that Musk could focus on a revolutionary new concept: secure financial transactions using email. The company grew and Ebay bought it for $1.5 billion.

Musk left the internet and software field to focus on more grandiose projects. In 2002, Musk entered the space industry by founding Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), hoping to reduce the cost of space travel and with the ultimate goal of colonising Mars.

Musk’s company became the first commercial enterprise to dock a spacecraft with the International Space Station (ISS) at a third of the cost of using a space shuttle. Since its founding, SpaceX has moved from strength to strength, signing contracts with NASA as well as other governments and private companies and is currently jointly responsible for supplying the ISS. Musk hopes to launch his company’s first crewed flight in 2016.

His pet project and passion, however, is the Mars Colonial Transporter, a machine whose function is clear enough. A famous photograph shows US president Barack Obama strolling with Musk on his grounds at SpaceX. The billionaire CEO has his jacket thrown over his shoulder as he chats to the president. Musk often outlines his dreams for colonising Mars, stating in an interview with PJ Media that he hopes to see life become multi-planetary.

He went on to say, “Our long term goal is to develop the technology to transport millions of people to Mars, which will preserve the future of humanity in the event of a calamity on Earth.”

It may sound outlandish and distant now, but many top scientists and leaders feel the same way. World famous physicist Stephen Hawking believes that humanity will not last until the end of the millennium if space colonisation is not achieved soon. Musk’s Mars Colonial Transporter would theoretically carry a payload of 100 metric tonnes to Mars. Colonists, who would pay $500 000 for a ticket, can expect a one-way trip to the red planet. If starting colonies on new continents was difficult, this will be magnitudes more complex and risky, but a worthy enterprise nonetheless. The US government is also developing something similar, but Musk plans to give them a run for their money, having essentially privatised space travel with the help of Axe and Red Bull, each of which have their own space projects.

Musk is just as much a philosopher as he is an entrepreneur. In the SpaceX head office,

Image: Brandon Dlamini

he works in an open-plan corner cubicle in a massive office hall filled with his employees, highlighting his emphasis for optimised communication and efficiency above comfort.

He believes that “engineering is the closest thing we have to magic in the real world.”

Among other projects, Musk has also invested a great deal in Tesla motors, an electric car company, with the aim of making batterypowered cars a competitive industry. He has even co-designed some of the features of the cars. In June 2014, Musk announced that all of Tesla’s patents were available for anyone to

use in good faith, with the hope of encouraging more development in the electric car industry.

He certainly lives by that philosophy, developing one technological marvel after another, shattering records in every industry he enters and leaving it a changed field. What is most unique about his approach to business and progress is his constant emphasis on advancing humanity rather than his own fortune, and encouraging (some would say taunting) massive, well established companies, like Boeing, and even whole governments, to compete for his goals.

8

Entertainment | 9 February 2015

Shortstraw: growing up, staying young KYLE OBERHOLZER Johannesburg indie rock sensation Shortstraw have drawn massive crowds to performances with hits like “Bikini weather” and “Good morning, Sunshine”. Perdeby spoke to the band about their latest album, Youthless.

Your new album Youthless was recently released. How is it different from your previous releases?

It’s a more mature album from a songwriting perspective. We’ve all grown up a bit and learnt our instruments better over the years, so we were able to compose some really mature music.

Don’t get us wrong, there’s still the childishtoilet-humour-loving side of us that’ll shine through, but [this] is a more mature sound.

How did the idea for the album’s persistent atmosphere of childhood memories come about?

We write all our songs together when we have a jam, and Al [Alastair Thomas, lead vocals and guitar] will generally write the lyrics on the spot too, based on what mood he was [in] that day.

[Youth] and coming to terms with the loss of it was on his mind a lot when we were writing this album because every song ended up being based around it. He was feeling very nostalgic when writing the lyrics.

Is there a specific song on the album that stands out to the band?

“Good winter” is our favourite because it’s so

Shortstraw is Russell Grant, Jake Rubinstein, Gad De Combes, Tom Revington and Alastair Thomas. Photo: Hannro Havenga

different to anything we’ve ever done before.

How has having access to more sophisticated recording and production methods for this album influenced your sound?

We were able to spend a lot of time in preproduction live recording all our ideas, then taking them home and working on them until we were happy, as opposed to the last album where we [went] into [the] studio with a few ideas and

hoped for the best. It allowed us to have a more solid idea of what we were putting [on] tape. I think a good sign of growing up is preparation, and we were prepared, so it resulted in [a] mature sound.

Your Oppikoppi 2014 performance was fantastic. Tell us about the videos playing on-screen alongside your performance. Who compiled them and how did they tie into your

performance?

What a laugh. Those visuals were actually from a show we did in 2010 at The Bioscope.

We had the screen there, so we just made the visuals for a laugh. When Oppi rolled around we figured there’d be a screen, so we might as well utilise it, so Al, who is a video editor by trade, dug out the old project and gave it a little scrub. Each song had visuals that related to it somehow, usually pretty vaguely, but [we] know how it goes at festivals, sometimes you don’t always get the best view of the stage so you end up watching the screen a lot. It was just so the people who didn’t see the stage could still be entertained visually. It also sums up our sense of humour quite well. A few people seemed to be offended.

The clips of band members feeding Kangaroos in the video for “Heaps keen”, the first single from Youthless, are reminiscent of your 2014 Australian tour. How did the Australians receive your crazy stage energy?

It was hit and miss. We tend to draw our energy from the crowd, and that can only happen if there [is] a crowd. So [for] a couple of the shows we played there [was] no one, which is fair enough because no one knows [who] we are in Oz, but then there were great shows [with] The Jungle Giants, who we opened for on their nationwide tour, [where the] crowd was heaving early on and they seemed to really enjoy us. We definitely want to go back as soon as possible to try and develop a solid audience there.

Five must-read webcomics

THOMAS MARAIS

You have undoubtedly heard of print comics like Calvin and Hobbes and graphic novels, such as various Marvel and DC comics. Now imagine that, but for free and on the internet. Welcome to the world of webcomics. Perdeby has compiled a handy list to guide you through this vast territory.

XKCD A must on any webcomic fan’s list, this quirky, intelligent and snarky comic by Randall Munroe makes an effort to not just poke fun at various scientific concepts, but also seeks to educate the reader. It isn’t all nerdy and science related, though, as he also lampoons politics, everyday life, language and art. While simple, Munroe’s stick figure style is nonetheless very characterful.

Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal (SMBC) If you have science and math-oriented friends on Facebook, chances are you have seen a SMBC comic before. As soon as you see one of Zach Weinersmith’s comics, you will instantly recognise his iconic art style of absurd yet warpedly plausible scenarios, caustic wit and side-splitting humour.

Unsounded This fantasy graphic novel, written by Ashley Cope, takes place in an incredibly detailed setting with flavourful characters. The comic has a gorgeous art style, made possible by Cope taking month long breaks between chapters.

This causes fans to want to rip their hair out in frustration at not having any Unsounded for an entire month. Even if the genre is out of your comfort zone, it is a must-read for everyone if only for the art.

Dinosaur Comics This comic by Ryan Q. North poses insightful questions in a humorous manner. With North’s trademark writing style, the repeated panels and characters will grow on you quickly. T-Rex’s absurd worldview, Dromiceiomimus’ occasional interjections and Utah Raptor’s sensibility will leave you rolling on the floor, unable to breathe.

Gunnerkrigg Court Another fantasy graphic novel, written and illustrated by Tom Siddel, this comic deals with a young girl who goes to a school to learn magic. There she meets a disembodied shadow who comes from a mystical forest, and a robot.

It only gets weirder and undoubtedly more interesting from there.

Illustration: Jaco Stroebel

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9 February 2015 | Entertainment

9

Dinner for two: the romantic side of Pretoria WILLIAM ALDRIDGE Embraced by many and despised by even more, Valentine’s Day is one of those days that you really can’t escape from, whether you are in a relationship or not.

Nonetheless, Pretoria is teeming with romantic dinner spots. If you aren’t sure where to take that special someone this Valentine’s Day, Perdeby’s romantic restaurant guide will help you sweep your significant other off their feet come 14 February.

Jam & Daises This small café serves a range of homestyle meals and sweets, along with creamy cappuccinos, in a small garden. Customers have time to relax in the presence of each other while also being able to enjoy a peaceful garden environment.

Toni’s Pizza This eatery serves delicious pizza and pasta with the most interesting flavour combinations.

The outside ambiance at this pizzeria is relaxed and quaint décor adds to the romance. It is the perfect dinner spot for couples who want to have a meal before watching a play at the Brooklyn Theatre.

Papa’s Real Food Situated inside Duncan Yard, Papa’s provides one of the most intimate dining experiences Pretoria has to offer. Candle lit tables, beautiful trees wrapped in fairy lights and softly played alternative music create a truly unique environment. The food and drinks are affordable which will leave you, your partner and your wallet in a good mood.

Lepis Dore This French bakery and bistro is surrounded by olive trees and lavender bushes for those couples who want to escape to a little romantic corner of France. Breads, croissants, cakes and pastries are baked on a daily basis and perfectly accompany their selection of coffees.

De Kloof Restaurant If you are prepared to spend a little bit more money on your loved one, then De Kloof is worth every cent. Voted as the best restaurant in 2013 by the Restaurant Association of South Africa, the staff at De Kloof work tirelessly to ensure the best food and wines come straight to your table. The night-time view from the balcony which overlooks the horizon towards Johannesburg is breath-taking.

Illustration: Johann van Tonder

Bouwer Bosch blink uit in nuwe fliek ELMARIE KRUGER Bouwer Bosch is ‘n bekende gesig in die musiekbedryf en hou deesdae ook sy lyf akteur. Met ‘n komiese rol in die film Klein Karoo en verskynings in verskeie musikante se musiekvideo’s is sy aanhangers beslis opgewonde oor sy rol in die nuwe Afrikaanse film, Mooirivier, wat verskeie karakters se storielyne volg. Tog loop die verskillende karakters se stories uit op dieselfde boodskap: “Liefde wen, altyd.”

Bosch het met Perdeby gesels oor sy betrokkenheid by die film.

In Kaapland Films se nuutste projek, Mooirivier, wat op 6 Februarie in teaters begin draai het, vertolk jy en Bennie Fourie die rolle van Spys en Arnoldus, twee studente wat in ‘n effense vete verwikkel is. Wat het jou tot die karakter van Arnoldus aangetrek?

Ek dink die feit dat hy so lukraak en opwindend is. Om deel te wees van die comic relief in films is altyd lekker, jy het nogal baie vryheid en almal is [ook] oop vir jou voorstelle. Om teenoor Bennie te speel was ook ongelooflik lekker omdat ons goeie vriende is. Ons ken mekaar se komedie baie goed.

Jy is self betrokke by die regie en redigering van verskeie kunstenaars se musiekvideo’s, insluitend Moses Metro Man se enkelsnit wat oorspronklik vir Mooirivier geskryf is. Was hierdie ondervinding enigsins behulpsaam tydens die skiet van die film?

Ja, [ons] wou met die video net ietsie van

Image provided.

Calendar 9 February: TuksNetball Mixed Valentine’s League

complex

11-21 February: TuksDrama: Aspoestertjie (Cinderella) – Masker Theatre

14 February: Ultra Johannesburg – Nasrec Expo Centre

11 February: TuksDance information & registration evening – Rautenbach Hall 12 February: Public discussion forum hosted by House Humanites and Humanities Transformation Committee: ‘Imagining a transformed higher education sector: lessons from home’ - Auditorium, Plant Sciences

14 February: Campus House tour – Pretoria National Botanical Gardens 14 February: Passenger live in South Africa - Zoo Lake 21 February: Bestmed TuksRace – LC de Villiers

To get your event listed in 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.

[Potchefstroom] vertel en wys. [Ons] het maar op die locations gaan [skiet] waar die film ook afspeel. Musiek in films is baie belangrik en ek is bly om te sien [dat] meer films musiekvideo’s gebruik om [hulself] te bemark.

Mooirivier se vervaardigers, Tim Theron, Jorrie van der Walt en Cobus van den Bergh, het genoem dat die film sal afwyk van tipiese romantiese komedies. Wat kan kykers dus verwag?

[Ek] dink nie [die film] het jou tipiese romantiese komedie-resep nie. [Daar] is verskillende temas rondom liefde in die film en nie almal [van hulle] het te doen met romantiese liefde nie. Ek dink kykers gaan kom met ‘n persepsie dat dit maar net nog ‘n romantiese komediefilm is, maar die ses storielyne is almal baie divers en mens gaan iets anders by elkeen kan [saamvat].

Dit is nie die eerste keer dat jy by ‘n Kaapland Films projek betrokke is as akteur nie. Sou jy sê dat akteur-wees vir jou ‘n natuurlike aanleg is, al kom jy eintlik uit die musiekwêreld uit?

Ja, [as] dit nie vir Tim, Cobus en Jorrie was nie sou ek nie hierdie wonderlike geleenthede gehad het nie. Hulle het in my geglo en dit is [nie] iets wat elke dag gebeur in ons bedryf nie. Ek is eintlik baie meer gemaklik voor die kamera as wat ek agter ‘n mikrofoon is, maar musiek is so ‘n groot deel van my hart ook. Deesdae spandeer ek meer tyd voor die kamera, so dinge gaan maar in ‘n natuurlike rigting, maar ek sal nooit ophou musiek skryf nie.

@PerdebyE

10

Fun & Games | 9 February 2015

Pssst...

don’ts for Valentine’s Day

Pssst... promised to be back and back Pssst... is. Firstly, there are some leftover Rag stories Pssst... needs to tell. Pssst... is surprised that Kollege finished their float at all this year. The Kollege semis’ week long inebriation is the stuff that parents warn their kids about. Pssst... would also like to enquire as to why Nerina is walking the streets at night. At least you’ll be safe seeing as you’re doing it outsode the police station. Pssst... supposes that everyone has to start somewhere.

Pssst... hears that Sonop was really bored with Erika as their partners. So much so that Sonop decided to build Nerina’s float as well. This worked only because Sonop had finished their float an entire week early. Olienhout also suffered from boredom at the hands of their Rag partners. Apparently the Houte are planning to zef-divorce Lilium already and, to add insult to injury, place a 10 year ban on them.

Things didn’t go too well in the Katjie/Kiaat camp either.

Pssst... hopes that Kiaat recovered from their sense of humour failure after walking out on the final night of Rag preparations.

Pssst... would like to encourage the Katte to keep their chins up.

One day you’ll find a Rag partner who likes you for you, but with your Primaria handing out fines for people not attending

ASHLEIGH BATCHELOR AND LEANNE CUMMING

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Don’t sit at home moping alone and complaining about how much you hate this day.

Don’t drunk dial your ex. That sloppy phone call at 1am filled with snot and tears will not win them back.

Don’t order the most expensive item on the menu.

Remember that student budgets still exist.

Don’t try breaking the awkward silence by being boastful or talking about how much you miss your ex.

Don’t make your significant other slave away in the kitchen. Rather, offer a helping hand.

Don’t do the same thing you did last year, the same routine dinner gets boring.

Don’t give generic cards and gifts. There is a limit to the amount of “I love you” teddy bears one can get.

Don’t make your first date on Valentine’s Day. Although it might be romantic, there are too many expectations that one has to keep and this may leave your significant other feeling disappointed.

9 10

Don’t be the one “holding candles” on 14 February. There are plenty of single celebrations for you to join.

Don’t forget the date!

Sudoku

house meetings, Pssst... suggests you get Katjiepiering to want to hang out with Katjiepiering first.

On to more current news, Madelief appears to have commitment issue as their seniors don’t even want to continue one of their oldest traditions. Pssst.... will miss the jottirs on campus, as it’s nice to know that someone looks more ridiculous than Pssst... does on a Thursday.

And finally: Pssst... would like to issue an “official retraction” and an apology to TuksVillage. Pssst... would like to make it clear that no TuksVillage first-year was “forced” to attend any of their “carefully thought out” activities that aimed to “maximise a diverse social integration”, when instead they could be attemping to burn down their rooms. Pssst... would also like to clarify that “mandatory attendance” of activities during TuksVillage’s “Welcoming and Information Week” does not count, as “compulsory = forced” is a “weak defence” that Pssst... does not wish to “hide behind”. Pssst... would therefore like to invite TuksVillage (and all you other Gossip Girls) to send your “satirical examples” of a “humourous outlook on residence life” to pssst@perdeby.co.za.

9 February 2015 | Sport

11

A super player in a Super League LAUREN NEUHOFF Gareth Hudson is a fourth-year business management student who plays centre back for the University Sports South Africa (USSA) Varsity Cup squad. With the summer season coming to a close, Perdeby sat down to talk to this rising star.

For how long have you been playing football?

Since I was about five, then I stopped playing during high school because my school didn’t offer soccer as a sport. I started playing for a club in Hatfield named Maritimo after high school for two years and then last year I joined Tuks and played for the reserve team in the Gold League and then [at] the end of last year I joined the Super League squad.

How is the summer season going so far for your squad?

Well, we started the season in November and we’ve played six games so far, with our last game on Saturday, but we’ve won every game so far and so we have already won the season.

Who do you consider to be your squad’s greatest competition?

Hellenic, a greek club in Hatfield.

Gareth Hudson. Photo: Lauren Neuhoff However, we beat them 2-1 in our last game against them. competition was, so I waited two years before What moment in your football career stands I had enough courage to try out. I’m glad I did, out the most for you? because making the team was the highlight of Probably playing for this team, definitely. It’s my whole year last year. been my goal since I started. Putting on that kit Where do you find the time to play in between just makes it for me. I was initially intimidated university work and other activities? to try out for Tuks because of how tough the

Well, we train three times a week and [have] our matches on Saturdays, but I also train by myself in the mornings.

What would you consider to be the greatest area of your game on the football pitch?

Probably defence and my heading abilities.

Which skills do you think could use improvement?

I need to improve on long balls, decision making and definitely communication. Communication is a big one for a defender, and I am quite quiet so I need to work on stepping outside of my comfort zone a bit.

What advice would you give to any aspiring football players?

Work hard and never worry about what people think of you before they know you. Don’t hold yourself back. You have to believe in yourself.

What are your future plans with regards to your football career?

Take it as it comes, I guess. Next year I won’t be a student anymore so if I make the team for Tuks I’ll most likely stay and play for them. But I’ll see how it goes, I don’t have a set plan just yet.

If not for football, what would you be playing?

Probably cricket, because I’ve been playing cricket since I was about eight years old and it’s my second best sport. In high school, when I couldn’t play soccer I played cricket. I also coach cricket at the Randburg Cricket Club in Jo’burg and also at Irene Primary School.

Varsity Cup 2015:

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Round One

Round Two

AmaTuks superstars Get to know your Amatuks players SIMPHIWE NHLABATHI Mpho Maruping Squad number: 14 Position: midfielder Date of birth: 7 August 1991 Nationality: South African Mpho started playing football at the age of seven in the streets Mpho Maruping. Photo: of Thembisa. He amatuks.co.za started his semiprofessional football career with Berea Albios in the Vodacom Lseague. He got a call up to the national u/20 team in 2009 and was the youngest player in the squad at that time.

Alan Robertson Squad number: 30 Position: defender Date of birth: 17 February 1994 Nationality: South African Robertson was signed

by AmaTuks in 2013 from English League Alan Robertson. Photo: side Barnet Football amatuks.co.za Club. Robertson spent one season playing abroad before he decided to return to South Africa and play in the country’s top flight domestic league.

Washington Arubi Squad number: 36 Position: goalkeeper Date of birth: 29 August 1985 Nationality: Zimbabwean The Zimbabwean international plays between the sticks for the Pretoria based outfit.

Washington Arubi.

In 2012 he moved to Photo: amatuks.co.za South Africa and signed with AmaTuks. Before moving to AmaTuks he played for Lancashire Football Club, Highlanders Football Club, Bantu Rovers and, most recently, Dynamos, all based in Zimbabwe.

Geofrey Massa Squad number: 19 Position: Forward Date of birth: 19 February 1986 Nationality: Ugandan Massa began his career with Police FC in the Ugandan Premier League before moving Geofrey Massa. Photo: to Egyptian side Alamatuks.co.za Masry Club in 2005. He played in Egypt for three years before moving to South African club Jomo Cosmos in 2008.

In 2008 he returned to Egypt and signed with Itesalat. In August 2013, he signed a deal with AmaTuks.

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Tuks at the crease against Maties. Photo: Varsity Sports South Africa

A Tuks huddle. Photo: Varsity Sports South Africa

Tuks dominate Varsity Cricket opening day DANIËL BASSON Tuks took on Maties in the inaugural match of the Varsity Cricket tournament on 3 February. Tuks star batsman Aiden Markram did not disappoint when he smashed the first delivery to the boundary of the Ibbies Oval in Potchefstroom. Unfortunately, he lost his wicket four balls later as Maties set out to humble the tournament favourites on the first day of competition.

Murray Coetzee and Jacques Snyman did not let the early wicket affect them as they put on a one-hundred-run partnership in just over ten overs. Coetzee eventually lost his wicket one run short of his half-century. Snyman steadied the ship and continued to score freely, even though Tuks’ captain Heinrich Klaasen also fell victim to the Maties attack. Snyman went out in the

last over of the match, ending his innings on 61 off 49 balls. Tuks finished their 20 over spell on 168/5, setting the team from Stellenbosch a difficult task.

Johan Wessels and Corbin Bosch led Tuks’ bowling attack and restricted Maties to just over 50 runs in the first half of their innings. With 70 runs to score in the last 5 overs, Maties only managed to score 33 runs for the loss of six wickets. Ruben Claassen claimed three of those scalps, bringing his figures to 3/21. Bosch was the pick of the bowlers for Tuks with bowling figures of 3/19. Tuks defeated Maties by 32 runs and maintained their position as tournament favourites.

The Varsity Cricket tournament left no time for the teams to rest and Tuks were back in action only six hours after beating Maties, this time going up against Nelson Mandela

Metropolitan University (NMMU) at the Senwes Park. Tuks won the toss and sent NMMU in to bat. This proved to be the correct decision as opening bowler Jacques Snyman took two quick wickets in the first five overs, leaving the side from Port Elizabeth reeling on 31/2.

NMMU recovered to well to post 62/3 by the halfway mark, and their innings took off from there, scoring 87 runs in the following ten overs.

NMMU set Tuks a target of 150 runs to chase under the floodlights.

Aiden Markram lost his wicket early on again, but the Tuks side kept the scoring rate high and needed another 110 runs from the last 14 overs to secure another victory. Tuks were their own enemies, though, as they lost a wicket every time they looked like they were gaining momentum. Most notable was the loss of Evan Jones in the power play plus over which, due

to the improvised rules, meant they now had to score five extra runs and with ten overs left, Tuks now needed 81 runs to win. Klaasen and Snyman scored 39 and 28 runs respectively to help Tuks into a commanding position, leading in the crucial last few overs of the match, but the frequent loss of wickets still overshadowed the batting performance and kept NMMU in the match. It turned out to be a close match as Bosch fell on the last ball of the 19th over, with Tuks needing three runs off the last 6 balls with seven wickets down.

It proved to be a bridge too far for NMMU as Bantu Dandala hit a four to hand Tuks their second victory of the day and take the joint lead with the University of Johannesburg at the top of the standings. For details on the rest of the matches and the final, go to perdeby.co.za.

New rules to spice up Varsity Cup rugby

Tuks taking on Pukke in last year’s installment of the Varsity Cup Rugby. Photo: Brad Donald

TAY LETHULOE AND THORISO PASHA The Varsity Cup continues to grow in leaps and bounds, attracting nationwide audiences on an annual basis. This year’s tournament ushers in a new era in rugby officiating and tallying

that will look to enhance the quality of Varsity Cup rugby. Players and coaches alike will have to adapt quickly to the new set of rules as it may prove to be the difference between victory and defeat.

A slightly unconventional scoring system will

be used in the Varsity Cup this year. A solitary try still weighs the traditional five points set by the International Rugby Board. Conversion and penalty points have been reinforced in a vice-versa manner, the former being worth three points and the latter now worth two points. A drop goal is now down from three points to only two points. This new dynamic scoring system will prompt teams to play more attacking and fluid rugby as opposed to stagnant, defensive play.

Varsity Cup rugby is a highly intense game not only for the players but also for the referees.

With that said, every Varsity Cup game will have two referees officiating each game simultaneously to assist each other in the highpressure duties of rugby match officiating. The props will get a unique upgrade to their jerseys in the form of a special gripping patch. This gripping patch is intended to prevent or reduce the collapsing of scrums. Another exciting prospect for the 2015 Varsity Cup tournament is the introduction of the defensive scrumhalf position, which entails a modification in the rules whereby the scrumhalf defending the scrum is not allowed to pass the mouth of the scrum once the ball has been inserted. This is in order to encourage a running style of play while diminishing the breakdowns at the scrum.

The 2015 installment of the Varsity Cup sees the reintroduction of the white card system that was formerly used in the inaugural tournament in 2008. This system shares a similar approach

to the Umpire Decision Review system used in cricket. It allows the team coach or captain from either team to refer an in-match incident for further review. This could be either due to a decision that is believed to have been judged incorrectly or perhaps an unnoticed incident by the match official. Each team is provided with a single review for each half of the match, and a successful review enables a team to make another review within that half. However, if the review proves unsuccessful the team will forfeit the chance of a review for the remainder of that half. This year also sees the introduction of a rule which is set to apply more emphasis on student qualification, stating that players are only eligible to represent their team in the varsity cup tournament provided they have completed at least two years of study for their respective institutions, focusing on showcasing the talent and abilities of amateur players, exposing them to a more professional setting and ensuring that the competition goes back to its core values of education.

The 2015 FNB Varsity Cup is set to begin on 9 February and sees FNB UP-Tuks go up against FNB Maties in their first encounter of the year.

Follow and tweet us at @PerdebySport and get the live tweets of all Tuks home Varsity Cup Rugby games.

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