10 February 2020 Issue 2 Year 82

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Hatmed Medical and Dental Centre 454 Hilda Street, Hatfield

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454 Hilda Street, Hatfield

454 Hilda Street, Hatfield

Tel: 012 362 7180

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PDBY

10 February 2020

Year 82 | Issue 2

yourcampusnews.

1NSYNC 2020

Pg 3 Dr Angela Merkel in conversation with UP students Pg 7 South Africa and space exploration in 2020 Pg 15 Kobe Bryant: Remembering an icon Photos: Cletus Mulaudi

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2 | From the Editor

10 February 2020

Welcome back!

S

o, we’re at it again. Unless you’re a first year, in which case this is just the first begrudging start to classes for you. And if you’re a first year, you may be noticing the glares from senior students.

That is because you haven’t yet realised that you don’t have to spend your life on campus and you’re crowding up Hatfield Campus. But don’t worry, by May only the dedicated students are on campus and there’s finally space to walk again.

But crowded walkways aside, welcome back to campus. A brand new semester with all new opportunities and experiences await. Try something new this semester, there is a surprising amount to do on campus. Consider visiting the botanical gardens (I’ve never been) or exploring the university archives. You could even read the very first edition of PDBY from 1939 (called “Die Perdeby” then), when it was started by theology students on Hatfield Campus. After the archives, you could try out the new giant chess set near the Aula grass or attend a lunch-hour concert at the Musaion Theatre – which are every Thursday. There are many things to do and see around campus aside from your classes and it is really enriching to explore

the place you have near unlimited access to. I am making a point of seeing as much of campus this year as I can before my time at the university is over.

In other news, we had O-Week, 1NSYNC and a cancelled RAG of Hope Day in the past few weeks.

You can read all about these events in this edition, as well as about Chancellor Merkel’s visit to UP. Chancellor Angela Merkel participated in a student-led question-and-answer conversation with UP students. I think it went fairly well but it was a bit disappointing that some students took the opportunity to voice their critical opinions of Dr Merkel or the German government. While these points are definitely valid, there’s an appropriate time and place to question a person’s politics but personally, I don’t think that place was a forum like the conversation at Future Africa, which was meant to be a discussion between students and Dr Merkel.

Speaking of discussions, let’s talk. If you see something newsworthy on campus, or know of something, let me know at editor@ pdby.co.za. PDBY is the student voice at the university, and we aim to give a voice to student concerns and news. Don’t keep quiet if you know something, because chances are, it’s something that a lot of students are either worried about, or should know about. Speak up.

Of course, if you are really passionate about representing students and giving their voices a platform, you can apply to work at PDBY – there is an application form on page 14.

Until next time, good luck with the semester and don’t speak in groups in the middle of the walkway.

PDBY Media The Onderstepoort Cat Interest Group is a student-run organization with a mission of rehoming cats of all ages. Veterinary and Vet Nursing students at the Onderstepoort Veterinary Faculty foster kittens until they are ready to go to a family of their own. We rely solely on donations and adoption fees so help is always appreciated, and our cats are cute too (bonus!).

To browse through our kittens visit our social media pages: Facebook page: Onderstepoort Cat Interest Group Instagram: Catinterest_op

Correction: In the 25 January 2020 edition of PDBY, in an article entitled “It’s a #ResLife”, PDBY, in error, omitted Docendo Day House from the list of day houses available at the University of Pretoria.

UP day houses are Docendo, Vividus, Luminous and Dregeana, all of which can be found in the Castiletto on Hatfield Campus.

PDBYMedia, formerly Perdeby, is the official independent student newspaper of the University of Pretoria. We are committed to providing fresh and entertaining news content for UP students, by UP students, about UP issues.

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Letter policy PDBY appreciates that freedom of speech is an inalienable right enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic South Africa. We encourage our readers to engage in discussion and debate on issues that affect them through letters to the Editor, comments on our website, tweets, or posts on Facebook. We ask our readers to keep the following in mind: 1. PDBY will not edit letters, comments, tweets, or Facebook posts in any way.

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Copyright PDBY is printed by Paarlmedia. All rights reserved. Contributions are welcome. All due care will be taken with materials submitted, but PDBY 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. PDBYcannot be responsible for unsolicited material. The opinions expressed in PDBY are not necessarily those of the editors and printers of PDBY.

10 February 2020

News | 3

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Dr Angela Merkel in conversation with UP students

C

Kayla Thomas hancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Dr Angela Merkel, visited the University of Pretoria’s Future Africa Campus on 6 February to participate in a student-led conversation forum. Dr Merkel answered questions posed by students which was live streamed on UP’s YouTube channel.

Dr Merkel was hosted by Vice-Chancellor and Principal of UP, Professor Kupe, who began the conversation by introducing Dr Merkel and speaking of his hope to forge lasting relationships with Germany and its government. Prof. Kupe set the tone for the event by encouraging open communication and sharing of ideas, saying that “dialogue and conversation are the heart and soul of democracy”.

As the conversation began, Dr Merkel expressed her admiration of the Future Africa Campus, commenting that she particularly liked the cows found on UP’s Experimental Farm, and that the campus is modern and innovative.

Dr Merkel also gave a brief history of her

political career and then begin answering student questions. When asked about her political career and how she would encourage future leaders, and specifically young women, Dr Merkel explained that there are continuously new problems arising in politics while existing problems are still being battled, and that she believes it is up to the next generation of leaders to “be fearless”, and have courage when facing issues such as inequality, gender inequality and poverty. Dr Merkel encouraged young leaders to keep working towards a future they desire, stating that “[this] generation has an obligation to do things differently” than past leaders.

With regard to the future of South Africa, multiple students asked Dr Merkel for her opinion and advice on education in the country and on unemployment levels. Dr Merkel explained that “education is of central importance” and that South Africa can work towards a skills based and vocational training program for the future, where school leaving young adults explore different technical professions. Dr Merkel also discussed a new type of work environment in which people work from home and electronically,

mentioning how this demands new approaches to employment and training methods. In discussing the business industry, Dr Merkel also spoke of the need for an established private business section and well developed tax systems.

The German Chancellor was also asked about gender equality and in giving advice to young women, Dr Merkel said to be confident and assertive in demanding equality and in career advancement, and to strive for success in disciplines such as coding and other technical skills. The importance of both genders ensuring gender equality was emphasised by Dr Merkel, as was the need for on-going progress for gender equality globally, including in Germany and South Africa.

Dr Merkel encouraged not labelling any

individual with stereotypical assumptions and to look at each person as a dignified human being. The Chancellor answered the final student question and closed by encouraging students as the future of the nation, saying “you are a generation that grows into a completely new Africa”.

In addition to these topics, students also asked Dr Merkel about: sustainable energy options for South Africa, the South African health care system, social unity in Africa, tensions between Cyprus, Greece and Turkey, and Germany’s approach to the Israel/Palestine tensions.

Dr Merkel also met with President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Union Buildings on 6 February as part of her visit to South Africa before travelling to Future Africa Campus.

Photo: Sam Mukwamu

Photo: Sam Mukwamu

Tuks groundstaff member involved in accident Susanna Anbu

O

n 7 February, a ground staff member employed by the University of Pretoria (UP) was involved in an accident with a car driven by a student on Prospect Street. UP’s security services were notified to make their way to the scene. After arriving on the scene, security officers notified the central control management who then notified ambulance services and regulated traffic on the road.

The University of Pretoria employee was laying on the ground unconscious when security services arrived on the scene. Traffic was regulated around the employee. The

PDBY Media

employee was taken to a hospital by ambulance services.

The university management confirmed that an employee from the University of Pretoria was involved in an accident where he was allegedly knocked down by a car driven by a student outside campus. Furthermore, they confirmed that he was immediately taken to a hospital where he was treated and released later in the day. The man sustained no serious injuries and campus security is currently investigating the incident. Brooklyn SAPS Media liaison officer, Captain Colette Weilbach confirmed that an accident report will be opened on the incident.

KNOW SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING Tips can be sent to news@pdby.co.za or @pdbymedia on Instagram

4 | News

10 February 2020

What Fundi Fund has in store this year

Susanna Anbu

Photo: Dani Van Der Horst

T

he organisation known as Fundi came into existence in 2016, but the initiative itself was known as Eduloan and started back in 1996. The organisation started off by giving government employees a chance to further their studies

and improve the quality of work they provide to the workforce.

12 learners, with eight of these being children of staff members.

Now, under the guise of Tshepo Ditshego, Fundi’s Chief Ditshego explains that members’ continued willingness to Executive Officer (CEO), the fintech group offers educational contribute to the fund is what allows many youngsters to loans, bursary management and cashless payment solutions for attend tertiary institutions. “In fact, if anything, we’ve seen schools. an increase in levels of generosity from team members over The organisation’s main responsibility was to conduct the past years. This is both humbling and inspiring given that bursary fund management and disperse bursaries on behalf of most of them have their own families and children that they’re universities. Fundi Fund finances private and tertiary education, supporting through school or college. It has demonstrated the postgraduate qualifications and MBAs. The funding real potential of what can collectively be enabled in given out also extends to covering other costs this space.” pertaining to student life like textbooks, study Nompilo Shange and Mpumelelo Vilakazi, Ditshego states that tools, uniforms and accommodation. In who currently attend tertiary institutions, the main purpose of the speaking about how Fundi Fund disperses are two students who are supported by the its bursary payments, Ditshego ascertains Fundi Fund. Shange mentions that Fundi initiative is to “to enable that the organization uses a combination has provided him with all the tools he dreams and help individuals needed to enable his dream of becoming of internal software and a closed loop payment system to manage payment. an accountant, including additional tutoring realise their dreams” Fundi Fund also boasts the creation of and mentoring support. Shange is currently a bursary support program that keeps track pursuing an accounting internship. Tankiso of students during the course of their studies.

Mahetlane and Nerys Govindsamy are others who Ditshego describes the program as being well received are supported by the fund. by private institutions that offer bursary money to students. The “With the odds of finishing school or pursuing a tertiary program ensures that students passed their credits and attained qualification still stacked against many children in our country, their qualification via responsible budgeting of bursary money we’re proud to have started our own legacy of change,” says and supplies students with tutoring, psychosocial support and Ditshego. “It’s a privilege to be part of anyone’s learning peer mentorship. journey and to walk with them as they create their own paths On 29 November 2019, Fundi officially launched its Fundi of meaning and purpose in the world. We’re excited to have Fund to suppliers in its value chain. The model for the new fund extended this opportunity to others today – and look forward to will have individuals from the greater education ecosystem to driving an agenda of positive change in this space.” contribute a monthly fee that will accumulate into a successful Ditshego states that he would like for Fundi Fund to attain collective spend that can be harnessed to finance the potential status as the “Amazon of education”. In speaking about the of many young Africans. Ditshego explains that the mechanism future growth of Fundi Fund, Ditshego states that the main behind the Fundi Fund is “comprises of team members who purpose of the initiative is to “to enable dreams and help consent to a monthly deduction from their salary which is then individuals realise their dreams”. Currently, Fundi Fund has pooled across the company, with Fundi matching it from its spent 13 billion in bursary funds to enable 1.6 million dreams, own CSI funding.”

Ditshego hopes that by 2023, the initiative will help realize five Ditshego notes that the fund has already changed the lives of million dreams.

RAG of Hope NSFAS changes rules and allowances Day cancelled 2 Kristin De Decker

Tshepang Rihlampfu

O

n 8 February RAG of Hope Day was cancelled due to bad weather. The Reach out And Give (RAG) student structure of the University of Pretoria had planned the annual event aimed at giving back to charities through raising funds together with UP residences and other student structures. RAG of Hope Day is celebrated annually at the university’s Hillcrest Campus. Due to harsh weather conditions, the event had to be cancelled as most of the activities that were due to take place on the day were mainly outdoor activities. The structure was concerned that it might be a liability to continue with the event as planned and instead decided to avoid the risk. Additionally, there was electrical equipment that was going to be used on the day which may have been damaged.

PDBY asked UP RAG about the cancellation and specifically if the event has been officially cancelled or if the event has been postponed to a later date. The response received from the structure’s executive committee was that there would be discussions taking place with the university’s executives to reach a decision on whether the event would be postponed or cancelled for the year.

Thus far, participating student structures have been put on hold and the chairperson of UP RAG has assured PDBY that full feedback regarding the event will be provided as soon as the University’s executives have reached a conclusion.

0 January saw an announcement by UP, informing students that The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) would be altering certain rules and adjusting student allowances. The modifications were sanctioned by the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology (DHET) and communicated to the university on 16 January.

The changes, taken from the UP website, can be viewed in the table below.

The alteration in the NSFAS funding policy has triggered concern and distress for many students, namely with regard to accommodation. The UP website urges that “students who are considering entering into private leases in non-accredited facilities are advised to rather apply for accommodation in accredited facilities in order to ensure that they qualify for NSFAS allowances in terms of the new rules as stipulated by the DHET”. This means that students that have already signed leases or made accommodation arrangements that are not accredited by the university, are no longer eligible for NSFAS to pay for their accommodation. The UP website suggests that these affected students, that have a “private accommodation rental contract which was entered into with a landlord and signed before or on 20 January 2020”, should urgently contact Study Finance at the Hillcrest Campus through George Chauke at george.chauke@ up.ac.za/ 012 420 2389, or contact the SRC at src.secretary@tuks. co.za. The email address NSFASaccommodation2020@up.ac.za can also be utilised for unanswered questions and queries.

Whilst this indicates a potential plan to assist these negatively affected students, many have already forfeited deposits and positions at various accommodations. On the UP website, under ‘How to apply for residence placement’ it is clearly stipulated that “residence placement cannot be guaranteed as the demand by far exceeds the places available.” Interestingly, the recent notification uploaded by UP on the website says that, “the University has an Accommodation Type

adequate supply of UP residences and accredited accommodation to ensure that all NSFAS students can be accommodated in close proximity to the UP campuses.”

The DHET hosted a meeting on 16 January with a number of universities, to discuss the guidelines for this new bursary scheme. The UP SRC was present along with President David Kabwa. In a letter addressed to the Vice Chancellor, Mr GF Qonde, the Director-General of the DHET, highlighted that the “core discussion” in this meeting focused on the issue of accredited accommodation. Qonde further explained that the reason behind the shift in policy is that “the Department is concerned, as are institutions, that students should not be vulnerable to possible exploitative practices of private providers.”

He reiterated this aim to ensure “that students are not being exploited, and that the funding provided is being utilized for a legitimate lease agreement, where the cost of the lease is in line with the quality of the accommodation being provided”. Although the letter states that NSFAS would fund any accommodation verified by a University, many students already placed in nonaccredited accommodation are vulnerable. “There are too many students that have signed lease agreements that they can’t get out of”, a fact the SRC made clear when they met with the University Executive, according to Kabwa. The fact that “many students can’t afford the private accommodations on the accredited list”, was also highlighted.

In addition, Qonde emphasized the importance of having “systems to ensure that lease agreements can be subject to a verification process, to avoid both fraud and exploitation.” Kabwa told PDBY that “after the meeting the University has taken the stance to create its own verification process for students that have signed agreements before the 20th of November” to ensure that students are not compromised by the sudden changes made by DHET. Information about this detailed verification process is on the UP website. Finally, Kabwa told PDBY that “accommodation still remains an issue that we are tackling collectively.”

Allowance type

Learning materials*

Living allowances**

Accommodation**

University-managed with catering

R5 200

R15 000 (loaded on the meal card) and R2 900 for incidentals***

According to University prices

University-managed self-catering

R5 200

R15 000

According to University prices

Living off-campus with family or non-accredited accommodation (own arrangements)

R5 200

R15 000

Accredited private accommodation off-campus

R5 200

R15 000

Transport**

R7 500 Up to R53 000 (with lease agreement)

* The learning materials allowance is paid once-off. ** Living allowances, accommodation and transport allowances will be paid out in monthly instalments from February to November. *** With the exception of students in university-managed accommodation with catering, living allowances for all other categories of student include provisions for incidentals.

10 February 2020

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6 | News

10 February 2020

2020 Student Training Programme with Pragma Jade Davé-Midlane

P

ragma, an enterprise asset management engineering company, will be hosting its Student Training Programme from 22 June until 10 July 2020, according to its press release.

Stéphan Pieterse, Pragma’s Chief People Officer, says, “The three week programme is specifically aimed at B.Eng. or B.Sc. Eng. (Industrial, Mechanical, Electrical, Electrical and Computer or Mechatronic) students in their third or fourth year of studies.”

The Student Training Programme has won many industry awards since its inception in 2011, including winning first place at the 2019 Skills Development Summit as Best Graduate Training Programme.

The theme of the programme, according to Darius Booyens, Associate Consultant at Pragma, will be “Data Science | Futureproof your career”. Booyens explains the reasoning behind this theme by saying, “Data Science is a regular topic within Pragma.

It goes hand in hand with connected tech - another big drive

within Pragma.” He further elaborates on the fact that he believes that data science will become a necessary skill in the future because of an increased use of technology in the physical asset management space. Booyens says, “Data science and machine learning will help us become better at our jobs so that we can be more efficient to keep up with market demands.”

The programme will be accepting ten university students into the programme and applications are open from 1 March to 31 March 2020. Pieterse explains the selection process by saying, “We look at practical skills and knowledge, soft skills (presentation skills), and personality tests.” Pieterse explains that this process allows Pragma to identify talented individuals from a multitude of universities. He further goes on to say that many of these individuals then go on to work for Pragma. Since the induction of their first group of students into the programme in 2011, at least one of the Student Training Programme Alumni students from each year have been or are employed by Pragma.

Students who are interested in applying for this opportunity can do so on Pragma’s website at www.pragmaworld.net.

Image provided.

Intervarsity news

University of Kwazulu natal

U

KZN campus remains volatile after violent student protests erupted on campus grounds at the beginning of the academic year. Protesters committed acts of arson and damaged property on the Pietermaritzburg and Westville campuses with the HIV support center at Howard College campus being one of the recent buildings to be set alight. The students protested against the requirements that UKZN management put forth stating that students will only be able to register for the new academic year if they pay off 15% of their historical debt. The students submitted an open letter to the university management asking them to allow students to register for the academic year despite not being able to pay the required percentage of historical debt.

*

University of Western Cape

U

WC also saw its students take to the streets to protest against conditions put forth by the University for registering students who had historical debt. The open letter formulated by students has the following demands: - A call for the immediate postponement of the start of the academic year to 10 February 2020; - Clearance for registration; and, - Student accommodation.

However, the postponement was said to be unlikely as UWC kept its campus open in January to accommodate students who were ready to register. Gasant Abarder, UWC spokesperson, stated that the university “will never turn away an academically deserving student on the grounds of student debt”, and explains that the SRC demands for bulk clearance goes against UWC policy. Students protested against accommodation as the outsourcing of hostels that was declared last year meant that fewer beds will be provided for students. However, Abrader explains that “The University had been able to secure 766 bed spaces to accommodate the students previously residing at South Point as well as new qualifying first year students.”

*

Stellenbosch University

S

tellenbosch University has temporarily banned alcohol in residences and university houses in an attempt to combat alcohol abuse among students, as well as gender based violence. The temporary ban came into affect on 1 January.

The university said the the decision was reached due to the rising concern for students. Two incidents were highlighted; the firrst being of a student who choked in his sleep after a night out, last year, and the second being with regard to the global issue of gender based violence.

Compiled by Susanna Anbu and Sam Mukwamu

*

* As of 8 February

Content: CDC, WHO, the Lancet and UN. Infographic: Ryan van’ t Hof

10 February 2020

Features | 7

South Africa and space exploration in 2020

O

Feliciana Nezingu

ver the past decades great strides were taken in space exploration advancements such as, the discovery by NASA of Kepler-452b, an exoplanet that is similar to earth and which shows potential to be habitable. This new decade promises ground-breaking prospects in the space industry. Virgin Galactic has announced plans to complete construction on their space planes and to begin test launches in 2020. SpaceX has been working on the “Crew Dragon” space shuttle over the past few years and the first crewed test flight is currently scheduled to take place during the first quarter of 2020. In 2020, NASA, China, the United Arab Emirates, and the European Space Agency in collaboration with Rocosmos will make efforts to send rovers to Mars in July.

While African countries, including South Africa, are not preparing to send rovers into space any time soon, the region has been expanding the space industry at a rapid rate.

According to the African Space Industry Annual Report for 2019, the African space industry is now generating more than $7 billion annually and will likely exceed $10 billion by 2024.

Some of the countries that have established space programmes are Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya and Image: Cletus Mulaudi

Ethiopia.

The South African Space Agency (SANSA) was established in 2010 and is responsible for all the space activities in the country. SANSA has worked to advance and grow the space industry and is considered one of the most advanced agencies on the continent.

SANSA fosters research in space science and supports development in space technology. In December 2018, the agency was responsible for the launch of the ZACube-2 Satellite. According to the authority on news, data and market analysis for the African space industry, Space in Africa, the ZACube-2 Satellite is the most advanced nanosatellite in Africa.

Within the broad field of astronomy, South Africa is extensively involved in deep space exploration. The MeerKat, a telescope launched in 2018 in the Northern Cape, is one of the most powerful radio telescopes in the world. The National Research Foundation has described it as the best radio telescope of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. The telescope recently captured the first image of distant galaxies and will help researchers to learn more about the formation of the universe. The Square Kilometre Array is another major project on the horizon. It will be the largest telescope in history built through

rtificial intelligence marked its existence with the rise of the fourth industrial revolution.

Since then, technology and robotics have advanced beyond the early inventors. In 1942, American author, Isaac Asimov, set out his three laws for robotics which according to Techworld were: “a robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. A robot must obey any orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the first law. A robot must protect its own existence, as long as such protection does not conflict with the first or second law.” The problem was that the laws were fictional, set as pivotal concepts for the books he wrote, and another problem was that they were written in literal English, so no technology or coding method could replicate and program Asimov’s laws inside a machine.

The first modern robots as we know them were created in the early 1950s by George C. Devol, an inventor from Louisville, Kentucky. Despite not being successful in selling his product; in the 1960s a businessman and engineer, Joseph Engleberger, acquired Devol’s robot patent and was able to modify it into an industrial robot and marketed the first industrial robot called Unimate. The robot was a hydraulic manipulator arm that was responsible for taking die-casting machines and performed welding on auto bodies; a task found unpleasant and dangerous for human beings.

This initiation helped to build more industrial robots that could complete monotonous, risky and strenuous tasks.

By the late 1960s, the first ChatBot, called Eliza, was developed. Techworld says “the program could carry out conversations via text by following a ‘script’ that directed it on how to respond.”

In 2000, the company Honda released an iconic humanoid robot that could understand voice commands, gestures and learned to engage with its surroundings and by 2015, the ‘wise-men’ puzzle quiz revealed how robots demonstrated

certain level of self- awareness amongst each other.

The fourth industrial revolution has now created a society in which robotics and artificial intelligence are changing the workspace and how people live, with the level of consciousness robots have.

According to the World Economic Forum “the fourth industrial revolution is about more than just technology-driven change; it is an opportunity to help people, including leaders, policy-makers and people from all income groups and nations, to harness converging technologies in order to create an inclusive human-centred future.”

In South Africa, the first humanoid, Pepper, proved the abundant capabilities artificial intelligence has. Pepper arrived in South

“

The future of robotics lies in the quest to discovering man’s ability to program a fully capable, nondestructive robot.

“

A

Mahmooda Milanzie

Illustration: Giovanna Janos

Robotics in the race

Africa in 2018. Pepper was originally created by Aldebaran with funding from SoftBank in France and is available at various companies in South Africa, including, Nedbank and Vodacom. Its purpose is to interact with humans and has the ability to recognize faces and basic human emotions.

Pepper’s structure and tasks differ from those established in the 1960s for heavy-duty work; rather it has a lighter and humanly physique to help in retail stores and allow companies to rely on it for digital solutions. According to an article by News24, “They are also able to place orders and

collaboration with other African countries and Australia.

Most space projects in South Africa are pursued with the objective of contributing to the country’s development in areas such as disaster management and environmental management.

PDBY spoke to Roger Deane, an astrophysicist and associate professor specialising in radio astronomy at the University of Pretoria. He is positive about the current and future astronomical endeavours in South Africa. He was part of the team of over 200 scientists that worked together to capture the ground-breaking and first black-hole image using the Event Horizon Telescope. The image was released on 10 April 2019. According to a 2019 study titled “Awareness of the Space Industry as a Career Opportunity in South Africa”, very few students see the space industry as a viable career path due to little awareness about the study and work opportunities available. Professor Deane explained that South Africa has a high potential and capability in the industry which can be realised once more young people are aware of the space-related study and work opportunities available in the country.

He noted that space science in South Africa has grown considerably, with an increasing number of programmes at universities and funding for postgraduate studies. The increase in investment by the government is also one of the biggest developments that he sees in the industry today. When asked why pursuing research in astronomy is important, especially with the heavy financial cost, he explained that it is crucial to keep up with the rest of the world in advancing science and technology. Not doing so would mean that South Africa would regress in development. “If we don’t go forward, we go back,” he said, adding that astronomy research can lead to other scientific developments like how expertise in radio astronomy led to the development of Wi-Fi today.

Professor Deane is establishing an astronomy group at the University of Pretoria and would like to see South Africa play a larger role in producing world-class science in 2020 and beyond.

South Africa shows no signs of slowing down in the rapidly growing space industry in this decade. This year the SpaceOps Conference and Exhibition will be held in Cape Town from 18 to 20 May. Experts, academics and enthusiasts in the space industry from all over the world will convene to discuss and exchange ideas on activities in the space economy. This will be the first time that the event will be hosted in Africa. capture delivery details while navigating the store.”

In keeping in line with the fourth industrial revolution, UP’s library employed the first ever robot ever known to any university in Africa. Libby, robot librarian weighs 19kg and is 90 cm tall, a height suitable for interacting with visitors in wheelchairs. According to the UP’s library website “Libby started ‘work’ at UP’s Merensky Library on the Hatfield Campus on 28 May 2019, and has been interacting with patrons by providing guidance, answering questions, conducting surveys and displaying marketing videos.” According to UP, Libby has an array of over 60 sensors, cameras and software integrations that enable her to receive and administer orders and requests. “Libby is connected to the online cloud via WIFI, which enables her to send information back and forth so she can answer queries or process data from the surveys she is able to carry out”, the UP website reveals. The future of robotics lies in the quest to discovering man’s ability to program a fully capable, non-destructive robot. A second factor is the costs for creating or exporting such machines as News24 states “…it’s not cheap to have a robot […].”

Presently, artificial intelligence is based on data collection and creates more productive and efficient working environments. According to News 24, “In Africa, robotics has a long way to go with only 1% of the world’s robots in the continent, compared to about 30% in Japan.” In a Forbes article in 2018, research showed that 60% of British people believed there will be a robot in every household in 50 years.

Furthermore, 27% percent of the people believed that having a robot in their homes would save them at least two hours of chores every day. While 13% felt that if they had a robot companion, they would never feel lonely again. Although, co-existing with robots may seem far in the future, the possibilities appear endless.

8 | Features

10 February 2020

Finding your Modern day Valentine’s Day financial F footing S Carli Botha and Kristin D de Decker

Maryke Steynvaart

tudents have a number of options in order to fund their studies, including personal funding, bursaries or scholarships from a private business or funding scheme such as The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). If these methods of funding are not an option, student loans enable many students to access tertiary education, however these loans may have future financial implications. There are over 1 million students that were enrolled at public universities in 2017, and there are over 60 000 students enrolled at the University of Pretoria alone. NSFAS spokesperson, Kagisho Mamabolo, told PDBY that “NSFAS supports access to, and success in, higher education and training for students from poor and working class families who would otherwise not be able to afford to study”.

NSFAS funded 721 866 students in 2019 of which 378 122 students were enrolled at a public university. A student qualifies for NSFAS funding if their combined household income is under R350 000 per annum. This is as a result of the challenges surrounding NFSAS funding and fee mismanagement before 2015. Beforehand, students qualified for funding if their combined household income was less than R122 000 per annum and students still had to cover some of their own expenses.

Recently, The Higher Education Minister, Naledi Pandor confirmed that R967 million will be allocated to pay off this historical debt. The debt to universities is a result of mismanagement of funds leaving many students that registered pre-2015 with extensive debt. As a result, these students were blocked from graduation and registration. This left many students in a situation where they need to work to pay off their debts in order to get their degree, but at the same time not having their degree to secure a respectable job in order to pay off their debts.

Alternatively, students can take out a student loan from a bank-a student and a primary debtor, typically a parent or guardian, loan a sum of money and the parent pays off the interest until the student graduates. The student then pays off the dormant loan money. Student loans are sometimes the only option a student has in order to afford and access tertiary education. It is widely considered that having a degree significantly increases an individual’s chances to find a wellpaying job.

Although student loans help students to obtain a degree they also create a lot of financial strain on an individual with the looming reality that they need to pay back thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of rands. When FNB, Capitec and ABSA, were asked to comment on how much debt students owed these banks, they declined to comment.

One factor that contributes to the increased financial strain is that of extremely high-interest rates. It would be expected that interest rates on student loans would be lower in order to aid students financially. Some banks give a personalised interest rate based on a credit assessment in order to give the best deal possible. When ABSA was asked to comment, Cowyk Fox, Managing Executive: Everyday Banking, Retail and Business Banking, Absa Group, told PDBY that “At Absa, we understand the importance of education for the upliftment of society and its role in the overall improvement of our economy. Therefore, we offer the best interest rate in the market, at prime.”

Having large amounts of debt makes it more difficult to start building one’s financial affluence. Paying off the debt can hinder students economically and reduce the speed at which wealth is accumulated. It will also make it hard to secure more credit when buying a car or a house.

Students are encouraged to be responsible when taking out a student loan and to refrain from spending the money on miscellaneous instead of their needs. Fox advises that students “Firstly, ensure that the institution of choice is recognised and accredited by the correct authorities, check the opinions of the institution’s graduates, the quality of lectures, etc. Secondly, obtain as much information about the institution as possible – this is a life-changing experience, it is therefore vital to invest sufficient effort. Thirdly, be clear about the total costs involved (including tuition, accommodation, books, any other relevant costs). Fourthly, when applying for credit, ensure you understand what’s expected of you during your studies and after your studies. Lastly, as you finance your study loan over subsequent years, understand the impact on the overall loan and ensure you are monitoring this as the years progress.”

Often the only way that students are able to pursue their tertiary studies is through taking out a student loan or relying on National Funding Schemes. Taking the route of debt is challenging, but still a way of achieving one’s degree and long term aspirations.

ebruary 14 is marked as a day for celebrating love by many people around the world. There are numerous stories about the origin of Valentine’s Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, as it is also called. The most popular origin story is the story of Saint Valentine, who performed weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry. He was imprisoned for his actions. According to History.com, Saint Valentine sent a letter to a young girl he fell in love with while imprisoned, and he ended the letter with, “from your Valentine”. This is where the term, ‘your valentine’, originated. Originally, this day was only meant as a day to honour Saint Valentine, who was viewed as “a sympathetic, heroic and a romantic figure”. As the years went by, Valentine’s Day became associated with a day of giving and receiving love.

Popular gifts given on Valentine’s Day are flowers, teddy bears and cards. Fabiana Silva, owner of The Hatfield Flower Shop, told PDBY that Valentines day is the busiest day of the year for a flower shop. She starts preparing for Valentine’s Day during the first week of January every year. Silva believes that Valentine’s Day has become more personal through the years as “people come in and customise their gifts, sometimes spending up to R3000”.

Silva also added that she gets quite a few customers who order flowers for their parents, colleagues and friends. “Nowadays it is about more than just romantic love, it is about showing the people in your life that you care about them”. Valentine’s day is a great business opportunity, but Silva told PDBY that it is about more than just how much someone spends on a gift, it is the thought that counts. Silva ended off by saying, “love never changes, it will always be love and people will always want to celebrate it”.

Valentine’s Day parties have also grown in popularity. These parties interestingly include Anti-Valentine’s Day parties as well, a concept appealing to both single people and those in relationships.

A paper by Otnes, Ruth and Milbourne revealed that men often have less positive attitudes towards gift giving on Valentines Day than women. Additionally, the men that formed the basis of the study appeared to restrict their expression of appreciation, in the form of gifts, to significant others, whilst women extended this to both friends and family. Another important point that was highlighted explores how Valentine’s Day gift giving can be

Understanding graduate unemployment Maryke Steynvaart

U

nemployment is a stark reality in South Africa, which can affect anyone, regardless of economic and social differences. Various socio-economic factors play a role in the high rates of unemployment in South Africa. Graduates are also affected by unemployment, which remains a reality for every student once they graduate and enter the job market.

South Africa’s population is estimated to be 58.78 million and around 17.84 million individuals are between the age of 18 and 34.

According to the 2019 Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS), 39.5% of the individuals aged between 18 and 34 are unemployed whereas the national unemployment rate is currently 29.1%.

According to the 2019 QLFS, the number of employed individuals is 16.3 million and the number of those unemployed increased to 6.2 million. The true unemployment rate is much higher than these figures because they do not factor in those individuals who stopped searching for work. In addition, these surveys do not reflect the true numbers but are only statistics extrapolated from sample studies of the population.

It is estimated that 10.3 million youth between the age of 15 and 24 of which 6.6 million individuals are not economically active.

Thus, there is an estimated 3.6 million youth that is employed and 2.4 million youths who are actively seeking employment.

According to Statistics South Africa, about 13% of youth between the age of 20 and 34 are graduates. Less than 20% of people over the age of 30 are unemployed in South Africa compared to more than 45% for people younger than 30.

The unemployment rate for graduates according to the 2019 QLFS is about 2.1%. That percentage reflects unemployment across all ages and not those of recent graduates, though graduate unemployment is much lower compared to 6.9% of students with other tertiary qualifications, 34.5% for matriculants and 55.9% for individuals with less than matric.

South Africa’s high unemployment rate is partially a result of weak economic growth and, after the world economy crash of 2008, the unemployment rates skyrocketed. Before 2008, the GDP growth rate was 4.4% but dropped on average to 1.8% after 2008, and is projected to be 0.5% in 2020. Thus, less jobs are being created to fully absorb the South African labour force.

At the same time the amount of graduates being produced is

attributed to not only showing affection, but also obligation and social expectation.

Close and Illustration: Zinkhan, from Giovanna Ja nos the University of Georgia, also noted that “Valentine’s Day has a materialistic aspect that is reflected in the multitude of ads, public relations material, in-store displays, and e-communications that remind consumers to buy something for their loved ones”. This is often fuelled by societal preconceptions and demarcated gender roles. Close and Zinkhan suggest that this is sometimes combatted by people who, purposefully, exchange hand-made and sentimental gifts, instead of giving into the heightened consumerism. It is not surprising then that antiValentine’s day parties have increased in popularity, a concept appealing to single people and those in relationships. Close and Zinkhan account for the holiday often being highly disliked due to one not having a significant other.

With Valentine’s Day approaching many feel an increased pressure about being single and Laurie Essig, in her book Love, Inc., emphasizes the importance of not overly romanticizing ones relationships, as popular culture and movies often present unrealistic expectations. She advocates not celebrating Valentine’s Day at all, so as to find satisfaction without ‘fairy-tale’ like prospects. Moreover, in an article by Newman and Nelson, the participation of homosexual couples in mainstream Valentine’s day is explored. Here it is suggested that “some homosexual couples cannot ‘legitimately participate’ in the dominant rituals associated with the holiday due to oppression by a ‘heterosexual society’ ”. This raises issues of inclusion and questions the validity of the holiday as being a day that represents love itself.

Although Valentine’s Day is marketed to be one of giving and receiving many types of love, it is often met with apprehension.

Yet, the day is still widely celebrated and can extend beyond romantic love and simply take shape as acts of appreciation. rising. The Higher Education Management Information System determined that South African Universities produced about 190 000 new graduates per year. Based on the 2019 QLFS the formal market only absorbs an estimated 41 000 graduates each year.

Yet, graduate unemployment cannot solely be blamed on the economy. Another factor involves the mismatch between what and how students are taught at tertiary institutions compared to the practical skills and knowledge that employers want. This issue needs to be addressed at an institutional level.

Despite the difficulties students face, students at the University of Pretoria tend to be quickly absorbed into the job market. The University of Pretoria is ranked as part of the top one hundred universities in the world for Graduate Employability, based on the QS Employability Survey. ‘UP’s ranking reflects the emphasis placed by the University on enhancing employability.’ says UP Vice-Principal for Institutional Planning, Prof Anton Ströh.

Several socio-economic factors also play a role in graduate unemployment. More affluent students find it easier to find a job because they can afford assets such as a car. More and more employers require that you have your own transport, which puts poorer students at an economic disadvantage. First-generation students that come from previously-disadvantaged families do not have the same access to resources such as students whose parents have studied before. One way that this benefits legacy students are their social network, which tends to be full of doctors, lawyers, psychologists and other professionals. This enables them to easily secure an internship or an opportunity to shadow them as a way to acquire experience compared to a student without such social contacts.

Being unemployed is not entirely due to external factors.

Students have to actively pursue work-experience and explore as many avenues of opportunity as possible. Many graduates expect to instantly walk into a well-paying job post-graduation, but this is not the reality. Cathy Sims, the Executive Director at the South African Graduate Employers Association NPC (SAGEA), told PDBY that “employers are looking for graduates who are critical thinkers who demonstrate creativity, can communicate effectively and collaborate on delivery of the challenges that face organisations.”

Dr Michael Pepper advises, in a presentation named “How do I enter the job market after graduation?” presented on 15 February 2018, the following: “Students need to realise that they have to start from the bottom and work themselves up and that hard work and talent are noticed quickly”. He further advises that “You need work experience, no matter how menial and low-paying the job is initially. In the short term, young people do not see the benefit of working hard for so little reward.” He concludes that students “do not see the necessity of work experience in creating longterm success. As a result, they tend to resign too soon to look for something “better.”

Unemployment is a daunting prospect and in order to maximise the chances of finding secure employment students are encouraged to build entry-level job experience and actively pursue all avenues of opportunity.

10 February 2020

TRY @UP

F

Kendra Connock ebruary 14 is a day that can stir up any number of emotional reactions; from excitement, to indifference and even bitterness from people. There are those who are one half of a loved-up couple, looking forward to Valentine’s Day in a haze of heart-eye emojis.

There are those who eagerly anticipate 15 of February because; 1.) Valentine’s Day is over for another year, and 2.) Valentine’s Day chocolates are discounted. Then there are those who are in the Anti-Valentine’s club, something that has become more acceptable in recent years, as people’s patience with the day has slowly started wearing thin. There are probably countless other reactions too. Whether you choose to enjoy the day with someone who makes your heart flutter, or you choose to spend it in your own company, here are a few suggestions for things you can do on Valentine’s Day. The Pretoria Botanical Gardens will be hosting a Valentine’s Night Market from 17:00-22:30. Grab a blanket and head to the picturesque gardens for an evening of live music and good company. This event is the perfect way to spend some time with your significant other or with a group of good friends by relaxing and getting some fresh air. There will be a number of stalls available to browse through including flowers, food, Valentine’s gifts, and craft beers and gins. Entrance is R50.

Entertainment | 9

VALENTINE’S DAY If you have some time during the day and feel like having your own picnic with a little more privacy, visit the Wonderboom Nature Reserve. The reserve is home to a fig tree that is over 1000 years old. This tree, and its 13 daughter trees, forms a shaded area that spans 50 metres. The reserve is open from 07:00 to 19:00 in the summer so you can plan a Valentine’s breakfast, lunch, or dinner in the reserve, depending on when you have some free time. Another great location to consider for a Valentine’s Day picnic is the gardens of the most famous buildings in South Africa, the Union Buildings.

If you’re looking to spend some time with your girlfriends, head to Blos Café for a Girls Night.

Bookings are essential, and your R50 ticket gets you bottomless bubbly for the evening. Head to Tiger’s Milk at Lynnwood Bridge for good food and great live music.

Jan Blohm will be performing on the 14th which is a great option for those who would prefer to forget that it’s actually Valentine’s Day, and just enjoy a good night out.

There are a number of places to share a romantic meal on Valentine’s Day. Old Town Italy in Menlyn Maine will have live music and two distinct offerings for how to spend the evening of love. A 3-course set menu with a complimentary glass of bubbly and coffee will cost you R365 per person if you’re willing to splurge. The restaurant will also offer a pasta-making class. For R250 you will learn how to make pasta from scratch, eat a dinner made of your own pasta, and get a bottle of wine for your table.

Nothing says “Valentine’s Day” like chocolates, so if that’s what you’re looking for then Hazelwood’s Chocolat

et Café has got you covered!

They offer a variety of sweet treats including hand-crafted chocolate truffles, ice cream sandwiches, and even shots of dark, milk, and white chocolate.

Baracas Wine and Beer Bar is hosting Anti-Valentine’s Day for those who hate Valentine’s Day, or love being single. There will be a DJ, some drinks specials, and a heart-shaped piñata designed to help you get your frustrations out. Best dressed wins a bar tab!

For those who would prefer spending Valentine’s Day at home (whether it’s with your partner, with some great friends, or by yourself), be sure to check Netflix for something good to watch. The second instalment of the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before franchise releases just before Valentine’s Day, so if you’re a sucker for a sappy rom-com, save this one for Valentine’s evening.

If you reach the end of Valentine’s Day and feel the need to either recover from the sappy romance you witnessed, or you want to extend the celebration another day, there is an event in Pretoria on 15 February that may interest you.

The creators of Lentedag present LILO, a pop-up water park and music festival. You can expect performances from Refentse, Rubber Duc, Bad Peter, and more. Make the most of the Pretoria summer and break out your swimming cozzie to enjoy the water games and activities that LILO has to offer.

Whether you’re a fan of Valentine’s Day or not, you may as well find something fun to do for the day. You could opt to spend the day with someone special, with some good friends, or choose to spend some quality time by yourself.

Illustrations: Promise Zulu

10 | Entertainment

10 February 2020

Highlights from 1NSYNC Dani van der Horst

T

he University of Pretoria’s annual 1NSYNC concert took place on Saturday, 1 February on Hatfield campus. Hundreds of first year students took to the stage to represent their residences. It is always remarkable to see what a team can deliver with just over a week’s practice behind them. The event takes place at the end of Orientation Week and is the first time that the University of Pretoria is officially introduced to the residences’ first years. The event was successfully hosted by the Student Culture Committee (STUKU) and was enjoyed by those in attendance.

Each team brought something exciting to the stage, so be sure to keep an eye on PDBY’s YouTube channel to catch the various performances.

Winners: House Erica took home the Overall Winner title, as well as: Best Female Performance and Best Female Theme.

This year’s theme was “The Purple Purge” and it was eerily brilliant. Their near-perfect coordination sent chills through the audience and ensured that jaws hit the floor once they were finished. Their “purge” masks unified the group and their rendition of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” was breathtaking. It was a remarkable performance to watch, albeit slightly terrifying. Erica accomplished what they set out to do and “killed” their performance.

House Tau won Best Male Performance this year. Their theme was titled “Umqombothi Flavoured Bachelor” and was an interesting take on a time travelling bachelor’s party. Their rendition of The Weather Girl’s “It’s Raining Men” included well-choreographed dance moves equiped with black umbrellas. Another highlight included the best man taking on the form of Kevin Hart. All of the young men were kitted in funky socks that were on full display towards the end of their performance. The performance emphasised the importance of brotherhood and showcased the true power of “bromance”.

House Tau’s performance was a pleasure to watch.

House Mopane did not disappoint and lived up to their usual standards. They won the titles of Best Overall Theme and Best Male Theme. Their “Flat Earth Society” was a

2020 1NSYNC Champions: House Erica

major hit and had the audience in hysteria. Their choice of music ranged from Fall Out Boy to High School Musical and their skit included many corny lines, a favourite being: “the Flat Earth Society has members all around the globe”. The camaraderie between the young men made this performance really enjoyable to watch. It was clear that everyone enjoyed performing. House Mopane proved that having fun is the most important part of 1NSYNC. Luminous won the Best Mixed Performance and Best Mixed Theme titles. Their theme “Find Your Light” was wholesome and slightly cheesy. It followed the journey of a Luminous firefly who couldn’t find his light. As the skit progressed, he managed to discover this missing light through love. The costume design was lovely, and the use of lights made this a visually appealing performance. Luminous proved that numbers are not a crucial aspect of performing and you can make an impact with a small team.

House Mags and Vividus came second and third, respectively, in the Best Female Performance category. House Mags stunned with their “Diner Divas” theme and quirky stage presence.

Highlights from their performance included a nod to Mean Girls and an energetic rendition of “You’re the One that I Want” from Grease. Vividus chose to celebrate the African continent with the theme “Africa”. Their colourful skirts and golden ponytails lit up the stage and their rendition of Johnny Clegg’s “Impi” were just some of the highlights that scored them a spot in the top three.

Blossoms Delight and Tuks Ekhaya were placed second and third, respectively in the category of Best Male Performance.

Blossoms Delight’s “Western” theme was a crowd favourite.

Their batwing doors prop, and the speaker’s dedication to a “western” accent truly made their performance unforgettable.

Tuks Ekhaya’s “Murder Mystery” was also a major hit. The performance was exceptionally well coordinated and their energy on stage was remarkable.

OP Village and Docendo were placed second and third, respectively, in the category of Best Mixed Performance. OP Village’s “The Cats of OP” theme was confusing at times, but still managed to be enjoyable. Their belting out of Frozen’s “Let It Go” made their performance unique. Docendo’s “around the world” theme was well received by the audience and proved yet again that you do not need huge numbers to put together a performance.

Mac Miller - Circles:

Dani van der Horst

P

DBY checked in with the 2020 1NSYNC champions, House Erica. Erica Culture External, Sinazo Zulu, had the following to say about the 1NSYNC experience:

How do you feel about the win?

I’m extremely happy about the win. My team and I worked really hard and to see that our efforts were enough for the win is truly a blessing and what any person in charge of INSYNC hopes to achieve.

As a performing residence, how did you find the 2020 INSYNC experience?

The INSYNC 2020 experience honestly was so different to any other year. As a residence we had to come together to come up with creative ideas that could better our performance and give a wow factor that stunts would normally give.

Aside from your own, whose performance stood out and why?

Besides our performance, I would say Morula Legae’s performance really stood out. They honestly surprised me with their performance, you could tell that a lot of thought and effort was put in to achieve that amazing performance. My favourite part was definitely when they used the pool tubes to make a beat for one of the songs as well as the choreography, that they had with the different colour material.

How did you personally celebrate the win?

To celebrate I went out with some friends, but I have mostly been focusing on Step It Up and taking the high of the win to use it as motivation to create an even better Step It Up performance.

A major congratulations to Erica once again on their exceptional performance.

Emily Harrison

W

hen Mac Miller died in late 2018, the music world and fans felt a deep loss. The industry felt like it lost a ground-breaking artist, so when it was announced that a companion album to 2018’s Swimming would be released, fans were understandably excited. Circles was released on 17 of January 2020. His family stated that he had been “well into the process of recording” Circles by the time of his death. In the family’s statement on Miller’s Instagram, they explained the concept of the two albums as “two different styles complementing each other, completing a circleSwimming in Circles was the concept”.

Miller was working with producer Jon Brion on Circles and the producer completed the album based on conversations and sessions the two had together.

Brion was the co-producer and co-writer on Swimming, so fans know that he would have been faithful to Miller’s vision. Circles is a companion album to Swimming with similar sounds and themes, and because there is minimal rapping in Circles there is also a clear balance between the two albums. The tone in which the lyrics are delivered in Circles makes the album feel more like Miller sitting at a mic and having a conversation than a hip-hop album.

However, Circles does not only stand out because of the chilled and distinct style but also because it is so much more optimistic than his previous work, where before his songs focused on his struggles.

In Circles he talks about a way out of the cycle he is stuck in.

This optimism is shown in tracks like “Blue World” and “Good News” which was the first single released from the album.

Another track illustrating this optimism is “Surf”, shown by the lyrics “I know that somebody knows me/ I know somewhere there’s home/ I’m startin’ to see that all I have to do is get up and go”. “Circles” is a well selected opening track for the album, not

Other Highlights: College made their usual mark as they hit the stage, scantily clad in notorious black togas. They entertained the audience with a theme titled “Keep it College”. A theme that bears striking resemblance to last year’s “College pronounced Kollege”, although this year it centred more around their name change frustration and less around the history of College that was emphasised last year.

Asterhof’s claim that SRC President, David Kabwa, is better than any James Bond had the audience beaming. The banter was further emphasised when Kabwa made his way back onto stage and announced that he hoped everyone had taken note of the statement.

Morula Legae theme “#imstaying” was another crowd pleaser and was topped with their very own “Faf”, complete with a wig and makeshift South African flag “speedo”. Morula Legae put on a stellar performance and had their transitions been slightly smoother, could have easily placed in the top three male performances.

Sarah Coertzen, a first year at House Nerina, describes the experience as “exciting and a lot of fun”. She claims that 1NSYNC is an important part of “res culture” and that it builds a friendly, competitive relationship between the various residences. She says that it’s all about participating and getting involved, even if you feel like you can’t dance. It’s more about the experience than it is about performing the moves perfectly.

Dylan Spies, Tuks Ekhaya first year, states that: “1NSYNC was a really fun way for us to get to know each other and come together as one big group”. He says that watching everything fall into place and perfecting the difficult moves was an extremely satisfying experience. According to Spies, they based their practice on the notion that “it is better to have everyone look like one big idiot than to have a single person stand out”. 1NSYNC is truly about becoming a unit.

Watching the proud House Committee members cheer their teams on from the stands is always a highlight. 1NSYNC may only take up a short period of time during one’s university career, but the memories made, and relationships forged truly last a lifetime. The bonds that are formed between the students during the 1NSYNC experience, lay the foundation for the year ahead. This is what the competition is actually about: becoming an integral part of your residence.

Photo: Darec Hall only because it shares the album’s title, but also because the sound and lyrics encapsulate the vibe of the entire album. In the track, Miller acknowledges his struggles with drug abuse and that he feels like he cannot change. All the tracks that follow “Circles” then talk about small steps that he can take to change and to get better. The track “I Can See” is a definite highlight and is sure to be a favourite for a lot of people with its dreamy lyrics and attention-grabbing sound. If the sound of songs is how you choose your favourites, then the tracks to check out are “Circles”, “Blue World”, “That’s On Me” and Hands.

Complicated is another standout from the album with its more soulful sound and deep lyrics focusing on taking one day at a time.

The album is also pure self-reflection which can especially be seen on tracks like “Circles”, which talks about feeling pessimistic about the future and being stuck in a circle. “Hand Me Downs” is another self-reflective track which is also the only track that features a different artist, with Australian rapper, Baro. There are aspects of the album that sound unfinished with incomplete verses and mumbled lyrics, but this does not make the album bad, it instead adds an aspect of going through the process of creating an album together.

“Once A Day”, the final track on the album, is emotive and is a good close to the album.

The album as a whole is cohesive and a natural progression of his work and one cannot help but feel the melancholy of a goodbye while listening to it. The ideas and lyrics behind the album make the listeners wonder what Miler’s work in the future would have sounded like and shows that he had so much Image: UNO Gateway more to share with the world.

The album is not just a posthumous release, but it cements him as an interesting and creative musician. Anyone who was a fan of Mac Miller or felt positively influenced by him will love this album and feel some type of closure. Circles is the perfect final word from a well respected artist, and in the words of Miller’s family; “it was important to Malcom for the world to hear it”.

10 February 2020

S ex Education Emily Harrison

W

hen Sex Education season 1 came out in 2019 it was widely discussed because of the variety of topics it covered and its incredible representation. It became one of the highestrated Netflix originals with 8 stars on IMBD and a 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It was celebrated for its sex positivity, especially for a show aimed at a younger audience, an area of television that was lacking just a few years ago.

It goes without saying that there was a lot of anticipation when it was renewed for a second season. There were many positives that were brought through from the first season, such as the ever-charming cast and the hilarious struggles of its protagonist Otis, played by Asa Butterfield.

The characters of Eric (Ncuti Gatwa), Aimee (Aimee Lou Wood) and Lily (Tanya Reynolds) are still hilarious stand outs that all go through incredible storylines in this season. The second season follows the same layout of the first, by introducing a sex related problem in the beginning of each episode which is resolved by the end. This shows that Sex Education is continuing to grapple with issues that television and actual sex education often overlook.

The second season also brings in some

Entertainment | 11 new positives of its own such as a shift from a heavy focus on the protagonist Otis and his sex therapist mom, to including more storylines of the other characters as well as introducing some new characters. This widened scope allows for more inclusivity and representation. This season also delves further into more topics like sexuality, seen especially with the characters of Ola (Patricia Allison) and Adam (Connor Swindells), and sexual assault with the character of Aimee.

In fact, Aimee’s sexual assault storyline has been applauded by fans for its honesty as well as for showing the reality of many women experiencing sexual assault at least once in their lives. Besides the central story lines dealing with sexual matters there are also other tough topics explored, like dealing with a drug addicted family member in the form of Maeve’s (Emma Mackey) storyline and the pressure teenagers feel in their lives through the character of Jackson (Kedar WilliamsStirling).

All of these story lines show that Sex Education is not a show to be ignored as it talks about difficult topics and attempts to normalise sex for younger generations. Although there are many positives in the new season there are also some pitfalls. We see amazing character development, especially with the main characters from season 1, except with the protagonist, Otis. As the characters surrounding Otis seem to mature and develop, Otis’ development seems to take a backseat in season 2.

Otis’ sexual development appears to be rushed in the first few episodes, but his character development seems to be non-existent until the finale where it appears out of nowhere. Another negative of the second season is that Maeve and Otis’ sex advice clinic seems to be more of an afterthought, there are scenes in which it appears,

but it is a lot less prominent than in the first season. Some of the funniest moments in the first season was seeing the teenagers give advice to their fellow class members. The lack of teenagers giving sex advice is ,however, made up for by the scenes where Otis’ mother, played by the incredible Gillian Anderson, listens to students talk about their sexual worries and gives them advice.

The ending is also disappointing as the cliffhanger is nearly identical to the end of the first season. Although this is not the perfect second season the show is still a triumph and audiences should be aware that it is a ground-breaking series, which normalises sex and subtly gives information that can potentially help viewers.

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12 | Entertainment

10 February 2020

PDBY Featured Artist: Jeandré Pistorius Dani van der Horst

J

eandré Pistorius is taking Pretoria by storm.

This 21-year-old mechanical engineering student is not only making a name for himself in the South African music industry but also as a prominent events promotor. He is the driving force behind the popular Bar Acoustics and has played on the same stage as Jeremy Loops and Micasa, to name a few. Jeandré is definitely worth paying attention to. PDBY caught up with him before the start of this semester.

How would you describe your music and who do you draw inspiration from?

I would describe my music as exotic, and almost eccentric. I refrain from the traditional ways of songwriting and I believe in trying something new every time. The genre that most accurately describes it is probably indie acoustic type of vibes. I draw great inspiration from artists such as ISLAND, Ben Howard, Matt Corby, Rainbow Kitten Surprise and even a band called The Acid.

Tell us a little bit about your musical journey: I discovered music at a relatively late age, compared to most artists that have these baby pictures with their instruments and stories of being Mozart at 3 years old. I was about 14 years old when I started taking guitar lessons from Raymond Rattey, the current lead guitarist of Karlien van Jaarsveld’s band. The lessons went on for about 3 years. In my final year of high school, I started working at a bar/music instrument shop (weird combo, I know) called Brazen Music. Then, a well-known Afrikaans Singer/Drummer, Ghapi, noticed my guitar skills and asked me to join him for a braai at the house of one of his musician-friends.

There were a lot of familiar faces at that braai and a stage set up. Obviously, with that many amazing musicians at one braai with a stage, it

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turned into a massive concert. Ghapi asked me to join him on stage on the lead guitar for a couple of songs and I did fairly well. After that, I got a couple of solo instrumental gigs as well as some session work for bands such as Barefoot Breeze.

It was only in 2017 that I decided to leave my guitarist jobs behind and start up the solo act that I am today called Jeandré. Music has always been my passion. I have always had a burning desire for it, and I don’t know why. I guess that’s just called love.

What are your plans for your music in the future?

I am currently working on getting some proper material out on all the major music streaming services, no official release dates though. I am working on growing and expanding the Bar Acoustics brand, chasing gigs obviously, and, last but not least, I am working towards an internship with the management and organisers of Park Acoustics.

What has your favourite performance been thus far?

My favourite performance thus far would have to be Sunburn & Wonder at the Pretoria National Botanical Gardens, just because of the amazing people I met there, spent time with there and also made friends. Another few that stood out were the Paramore Tribute Shows with The Riot! (The Capitals + me and Nicola), as I was on lead guitar for the first time in a couple of years. A couple of other good ones include the performances at Deep Roots, every single Bar Acoustics performance, and a performance at the Voortrekker Monument, on a res stage at Wie Maak Die Jool Vol?. Every show is fun though, there are so many, I could write you a very long list!

You are pretty involved with Bar Acoustics, if I’m not mistaken? How did you get involved and what exactly is Bar Acoustics?

Bar Acoustics is actually an event that I started myself. I later asked my girlfriend, Nicola Mcleod, to become a helping hand with things

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such as bookings and artist logistics. She also takes care of all the posters. Together we do just about everything from finances, to marketing, to bookings, the works. Bar Acoustics is an event that occurs every Sunday at The Grind Bar in Hatfield from 1PM – 6PM. It usually showcases 3 new local talents, and every now and again some big names join us as well. These include names such as December Streets, Zebra, Werner Bekker, Johnny Apple and most recently, Jethro Tait. The bigger names we get with help from my good friend and owner at The Grind Bar, Stephan Terblanche.

Tell us a little bit about your career as a promotor: I promote events and help with marketing work. I am quite involved with Park Acoustics, helping out with promotions and stuff wherever I am needed. This also benefits my solo music career. Some of my biggest shows came from promotion work. I used to distribute, sell and promote tickets to big concerts hosted by the Oasis Partnership and Love Music. I did very well in that job and the organisers later acknowledged me and noticed I had a solo music career. They gave me the opportunity to play on the line up with Mi Casa, Rubber Duc, December Streets, Matthew Mole, Jeremy Loops, Jerry & the Bandits, Little Ringo, Zebra, and many more major names. All these names were split up between just two Line Ups. Who, in your opinion, is an underrated musician and why?

I would say a man from Jo’burg, Steve Umculo. The guy is brilliant and very much undiscovered! He actually played with Jethro Tait on 2 February at Bar Acoustics. Another amazing underrated group of musicians is a band

Image provided.

from P-town called Soundwarmer, Sam Says and Lungelo Moyo formed their duo act called Heart 42 from there, they are also absolutely brilliant and still very much undiscovered.

Where can we watch you perform?

Keep an eye on my page on Facebook page - most often I play at Bar Acoustics on select Sundays. Railways is also a regular venue for me.

Social Media: Jeandré IG: @whoisjeandre Facebook: Jeandre Pistorius Music Nicola: IG: @nicolamcleod Facebook: Nicola McLeod Page PDBY’s Featured Artist is a space to celebrate the creative talents of students at the University of Pretoria. If you know of any musician, writer, poet, visual artist or other creative individual that you feel should be recognised, let us know. Suggestions can be emailed to entertainment@pdby.co.za.

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10 February 2020

Fun and Games | 13

Pssst...

H

i hi. Pssst… here.

Pssst… hopes that everyone has settled in nicely so that they can stop coming to campus. Pssst… is going to start pepper spraying people off the paths soon.

Especially the younger ones.

And yes, of course Pssst… is already grumpy. Probably because some tasteless first years decided to use the PDBY paper in a TRASH-ion show. Really people?? Pssst… deserves better. Pssst… didn’t give you permission. Pssst… hopes none of you get laid or get chocolates on Valentines Day. Speaking of not getting things, how’s that

K looking College? At INSYNC, Pssst…

noticed College didn’t seem to embrace their name change and basically copy pasted their theme from last year. Pssst… thinks that their immaturity maybe stems from the lack of seniors, as few make it past the raucous party life of a College first year.

Oh Pssst… knows that was harsh but they earned it.

Pssst… also wants the DSA to know that they have earned an overall score of 4/10 from Pssst…. But Pssst… has hope as it is only February.

Anyways, with that Pssst… is slightly scared and must go (blows kiss).

But first, Docendo the day house Docendo the day house Docendo the day house Docendo the day house Docendo the day house Docendo the day house Docendo the day house Docendo the day house Docendo the day house Docendo the day house Docendo the day house.

In Castiletto. See Docendo, Pssst… didn’t overlook you like PDBY did. Also just a reminder to everyone to look at their weather apps. Pssst… really enjoyed the Rain of Hope Day. With that, Pssst… must go. Pssst… has eavesdropping to do, information to trade and rumours to spread.

Pssst… says adieu. xx

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LETTER BANK ABCDE FGHIJ KLMNO PQRST UVWXYZ ACROSS 1. Watching that romantic movie and your eyes start sweating 2. Ewwww, it’s in the air, everywhere....

3. The only person you can rely on this Valentine’s Day 5. Disgusting things on your table that die after two days 7. The worst day of the year for lonely bitter people like us 9. These will come in handy when I’m sitting on the couch watching sappy romance movies 10. The shrivelled up organ of dust between my lungg

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8. The only thing I’ll be getting this Valentines Day (yayy wine!)

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14 | Sport

10 February 2020

Gender restrictions faced by women in sport Caitlyn Walsh

H

istory has shown us that gender restrictions are a reality in sport. Unfortunately, this is still an issue faced by men and women, even today.

Women are often not represented as much as men are in certain sports such as basketball, soccer, cricket and rugby. According to UNESCO, only 4% of media coverage in newspapers and other publications, when considering the sports sector, is dedicated to women. Libbie Janse van Rensburg, a TuksRugby women’s player, says that “if you hop through the sport channels, there are about 95% men’s sports on. I believe that people fear change and I also believe that men in sport are naturally competitive, as all athletes should be, but they may feel slightly threatened by strong, confident women who can do what they do and sometimes even do it better.” This lack of media coverage also plays a key role in influencing participation. The lack of representation of women in sports media coverage can affect how women view themselves in sporting positions. When females are represented, however, it is usually in a different manner. According to a survey conducted by John Jay College of Criminal Justice, a poster portraying a women’s volleyball team wearing bikinis was preferred by 67% of viewers as opposed to a poster listing information about the sporting event alone. The responses received for the bikini poster included words such as ‘sexy’ ‘tits’ ‘sex’ ‘objectifying’ and ‘appealing’. In this way, women can often be marginalised and disregarded in some media

coverage. This may reinforce the idea of gender stereotypes.

According to the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women, another common inequality in sports that puts more of a barrier around women rather than men is the unequal pay and unequal prizes for women that commonly occurs in certain sporting events. Women are also often given fewer resources. These inequalities may restrict women from playing to their best abilities.

Women have, however, come a long way in history and are breaking down social and cultural barriers all the time when it comes to sport. Many achievements have been accomplished by women in sports, from sports star Helene Madison winning the 100-meter freestyle in one minute at the Olympics in 1932, all the way to 1994 in Kenya where athlete Tegla Loroupe became the first woman to complete and win a big marathon.

Even though these accomplishments were successful, more can be done. When asking Janse van Rensburg how she felt about women’s progression with sport through history, she replied “We live in a time where everyone is okay with what is happening. We need more people to challenge the system so that the hard work and sacrifices that were made by women in the past do not go to waste.”

Gender restrictions can often hold back certain individuals in sport, however, barriers have been broken and society is always evolving. Even though women can sometimes be held back, it is possible for them to break through gender discriminatory barricades and still be successful in a sporting career.

Illustration: Giovanna Janos

R.I.C.E and recovery Caitlyn Walsh

P

laying sports may put people at risk of acquiring injuries. Sporting injuries can have long term and shortterm consequences that change depending on how the injury is treated directly after the injury occurs.

After any type of leg injury happens out on the playing field, the first thing to do is apply the RICE procedure.

According to the Medical Department of the University of Michigan, RICE stands for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. The Michigan Medical Department recommends theisprocedure to promote healing and flexibility as resting the site of injury will help to prevent further damage to it.

Furthermore, the study showed the importance of applying ice on the site of injury to reduce inflammation. Compression of the site of injury provides support as well limiting blood

flow to the affected area. The final step in the procedure, elevation, keeps the affected area elevated above the heart to reduce swelling.

The UPMC Health Beat Journal recommends that for the first couple of days after any serious sports injury, the person needs rest. Afterwards, the person is advised to visit a physiotherapist. The UPMC mentions physiotherapy as a quick minimiser of pain, that can strengthen weakened areas and it could help with formation of scar tissue. The journal ascertains that physiotherapy will aid in accelerating the recovery process in order to assist an injured sports player to return to their sports earlier than they would have previously.

If you are injured and refuse rehabilitation for your injury, you may experience long term consequences that can prevent you from returning to the sport.

The UPMC mentions measures that can be taken to

minimise the onset of injuries. The number one measure listed by the journal advises sports people to look at the common causes of sports injuries and try to prevent those from happening to the body. A few causes of sports injuries would be certain defects in the body such as weak ligaments or tendons and muscles in the athlete. Furthermore, the journal advises athletes to refrain from training in unsafe environments that can increase the risk of injury. On a biological perspective, structural weaknesses in the body cannot be prevented but they can be worked on and exercised and treated through physiotherapy. Refraining from poor exercising technique and training methods and following procedure recommend by medical professionals will reduce the potentiality of acquiring an injury. A list of safe training and workout procedures recommended by medical health professionals can be found on https://share.upmc.com.

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10 February 2020

Sport | 15

Kobe Bryant: Remembering Kobe an icon Bryant

O

Sam Mukwamu

n 26 January, former US and Los Angeles Lakers basketball player, Kobe Bryant, died in a helicopter crash in the foggy hills of Calabasas, California. He was 41. Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, also died in the crash, along with John and Keri Altobelli and their daughter Alyssa; Sarah Chester and her daughter, Payton; Christina Mauser and Ara Zobayan, the pilot. The group was travelling to a basketball game at Bryant’s Mamba Academy, using the helicopter to avoid Southern California’s notorious traffic.

Kobe Bryant was regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of his generation, and arguably of all time. During his 20-year career with the Lakers, the self -nicknamed Black Mamba inspired a whole generation, with sublime skill and an incomparable competitive spirit that earned him the respect of his teammates, basketball fans, as well his opponents. “For 20 seasons, Kobe showed us what is possible when remarkable talent blends with an absolute devotion to winning,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “He was one of the most extraordinary players in the history of our game with accomplishments that are legendary [...] but he will be remembered most for inspiring people around the world to pick up a basketball and compete to the very best of their ability.”

Bryant was an incredibly prolific and gifted

shooter, and possessed a good all-around game. One of his most distinguishable traits was his relentless and intense work ethic that became known as “Mamba Mentality”. Bryant passed on this mentality to players such as James Harden, Lebron James, Damian Lillard and other NBA superstars who have taken on Bryant’s example and become high-scoring stars. Bryant retired in 2016 as the third-leading scorer on the NBA all-time scoring list, with 33 643 points.

Bryant held the number three spot until the night before his death, when Lebron James overtook him. James said he was “happy just to be in any conversation with Kobe Bean Bryant, one of the all-time greatest basketball players to ever play.

One of the all-time greatest Lakers”. Bryant called James and sent him a congratulatory tweet.

Coming into the NBA, straight out of high school, Bryant went on to become one of the NBA’s most popular players and having an achievement-laden career. Bryant was a 5-time NBA champion, an 18-time NBA All-Star, winning a record four NBA All-Star Game MVP awards, as well as two NBA Finals MVP and one regular season NBA MVP awards. Some of his scoring achievements include: having 25 50-point games (third on the all-time regular season list), an 81-point game against Toronto in 2006 (the second highest in NBA history), and an extraordinary 60-point performance in his final game in the league. In 2007 his number “8” and “24” jerseys were retired by the Lakers, and hang in the rafters of Staples Center.

Bryant’s biography does however, include a low point. In 2003, Bryant was arrested and charged with the sexual assault of a 19-year old employee at a Colorado resort. The case was dropped after the woman refused to testify in court. The woman later filed a civil suit against Bryant that was settled out of court. Bryant issued a statement of apology, which read in part: “After months of reviewing discovery, listening to her attorney, and even her testimony in person, I now understand how she feels that she did not consent to this encounter.”

After stepping away from basketball, Bryant went into other projects, such as opening a production company, Granity Studios, that creates content for young adults, such as the Oscar-winning animated short

film, titled “Dear Basketball”. He also collaborated with author Wesley King to create a book franchise called The Wizenard Series, with the first book being Training Camp. He also founded the Mamba Sports Academy, a multisport training academy for young athletes.

Bryant was also a vocal supporter of women’s sports and regularly attended WNBA games. He was also a coach for Gianna’s basketball team. In an interview with Jimmy Kimmel he said that his goal was to give the girls “a foundation of the amount of work and preparation that it takes to be excellent”. Gianna, also known as Gigi, had been following in her father’s footsteps, earning the nickname “Mambacita”, due to her tenacity on the court. Speaking to Jimmy Kimmel about Gianna, Bryant, explained how fans would approach him telling him that he needs to have a son to carry his legacy. “And she’s like, ‘Oy, I got this. You don’t need no boy for that. I got this.’ And I’m like, ‘That’s right.

Yes, you do. You got this.”

The reaction to Kobe and Gianna Bryant’s passing was one of widespread disbelief, from not just the basketball community, for which he was an immense inspiration, but also from the wider sports community. It inspired an outpouring of grief from around the world, with people expressing their condolences with tributes, memorials and the wearing of his famous number “8” and “24” Lakers jerseys.

Landmarks around the world were lit purple and gold, or with images of Bryant and Gianna. From political leaders, to athletes and teams of various sports, many took to social media pay tribute to Bryant and to express how much of an impact he had had in their lives.

Bryant’s influence went far beyond just basketball, and his competitive spirit and drive thrilled sports fans globally. His influence on the NBA is highlighted by the petition to have the league’s logo changed to Bryant’s silhouette, it gained over 3 million signatures. The Black Mamba may be gone, but his legacy in sports will live long in the memory of those who witnessed his greatness, and even those who never got the chance to see it.

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m

The safety of exercise and illness Caitlyn Walsh

I

t has become a common belief that exercise and illness do not bode well together. Experts have explored whether there is a danger that arises when indulging in physical activity and exercise during sickness.

The chance of dangerous consequences arising as a result of exercising is dependent on the ailment and the type of exercise they indulge in.

The Department of Internal Medicine at The University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada published an article in The American Journal of Gastroenterology investigated the effects of physical exercise on patients suffering from mild spells of Crohn’s disease. The study conducted thrice weekly walking sessions for 12 weeks. Body Mass Index (BMI) and Inflammatory Bowel Disease Stress Index were baseline benchmarks used to monitor the effectiveness of the study. The results found a reducing trend in BMI and the individuals who participated in the study showed no flared symptoms of Crohn’s disease.

The study concluded that sedentary patients suffering from

Crohn’s disease can tolerate low intensity exercise that can even suppress symptoms of the disease.

Bouts of fever, stomach bug or severe flu symptoms, are the body’s response to a bacterial invasion into the body, the body is focused on removing whatever pathogen or bacteria is causing discomfort in the host, hence it directs all of its resources to fight that invasion. According to Health 24, in these instances, indulging in physical activity can put immense pressure of the body, forcing the body to think that this another pressure it has to fight. After the body’s natural biological systems have taken course and completed their fight against an ailment, the body is ready to be rejuvenated. It is at this point that a buildup Photo: Bongumusa Shabangu of physical activity can speed up the recovery process, post ailment.

The main barrier to indulging in physical activity post ailment or during an ailment is fatigue. Energy boosting food items like banana, brown rice and eggs should be coupled with a slow buildup of physical exercise. In culmination, intense physical exercise during sickness is risky, however less strenuous activities like wlaking, are fundamental to a steady recovery process

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Sport Checkmate Caitlyn Walsh

P

DBY recently spoke to Godfrey Kgatle from TuksChess about the opportunities that are offered in TuksChess not only for the first years but for any UP student interested.

Why should first years consider joining TuksChess?

Apart from the mental and academic benefits, chess is a very social sport. TuksChess will give first years a platform to make a new family away from home. There’s nothing quite like meeting new people, making new friends, growing together in a sport you all love and being a part of something special. TuksChess takes chess very seriously and we offer in depth training to registered members.

Why would you consider TuksChess to be a sport?

A standard chess game takes between three and four hours. Robert Sapolsky, Stanford professor of neurology and neurosurgery, claims that, throughout an intense multi-day tournament, a chess grandmaster could burn up to 6,000 calories a day. The University Sports South Africa (USSA) is one of the tournaments TuksChess participates in annually where all the Universities of SA compete and have to play up to nine 3-hour (27 hours total) games in one week.

Are there tournaments and competitions to take part in, if so, what?

We’ve got plenty of events and tournaments lined up for the year. Our Annual TuksChess Open tournament will be on Saturday 22 February 2020. This tournament is always attended by South Africa’s top chess players and promises to be an exciting event.

TuksChess members will only have to pay half price for their entry. Other events will include inter-varsity excursions, TuksRes League, Blitz tournaments and many social events. The highlighttournament of the year is the Chess USSA Championships, which we have won for three consecutive years (2017-2019). In 2019, TuksChess claimed 35 of the 36 gold medals that were up for grabs and thus broke all the possible USSA records, and as such as the highest scoring (men’s, ladies and overall team) in USSA history.

Why should chess be considered a stimulating sport/ activity?

Of the many benefits chess offers, my personal favourites include improving muscle memory, creativity and also helping with problem solving. Muscle memory can be improved when players learn and remember winning strategies that some Photo: Sam Mukwamu of the sport’s greats have recorded. So, every aspiring chess player can study up on the Albin Countergambit, Budapest Gambit, Dutch Defence or Sicilian Defence and apply it with some variation in their own game. That is where creativity comes in. Playing chess is also an excellent way to master problem-solving [...]. When your opponent has made the opening moves, you must be able to think around it and come up with a strategy. Champions can adapt quickly to tricky situations and overcome problems that could arise.

What can be learned through TuksChess?

You’ll learn better ways to handle problems and, more

importantly, better ways to handle losses and setbacks. Chess is a sport of consequences. Every move you make has a consequence.

You have to understand it and live by the decisions you make. This can therefore improve your character as an individual.

How does TuksChess work at UP in terms of gaining new members and TuksChess classes/ sessions?

TuksChess is an open club and therefore welcomes every chess lover to join in on the fun. In terms of sessions, every month we host a Chess Clinic where players get to learn from the best. We also have a closed Whatsapp group (for the members) where we share tactics and moves.

Our new TuksChess chairperson, Mfundo Masiya, will be running a YouTube channel, “Mfundo Masiya”, where he will be sharing past games, puzzles and tactics.

Is there any other relevant information that first years and others willing to join should know?

The UP Department of Facilities has learnt to appreciate the soothing, fun benefits chess offers to students and have setup a giant chess set by the Aula. Students are most welcome to go with their friends during study breaks for relaxation and chilling sessions.

More giant sets will be rolled out on campus during the year. Many team competitions will be played on the giant set. In addition, The UP Department of Facilities have also rolled out benches with a chess board printed on them which will be placed across Main Campus. Players can borrow chess pieces by submitting their student cards at the geography building and Sci-Enza, in order to play on the benches.

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