10 September 2012 Issue 18 Year 74

Akkomodasie / Accommodation in HATFIELD 2012 Alle verbly is binne loop afstand vanaf Kampus All accommodation is walking distance from Campus Vir meer inligting skakel ons kantoor by: For more information, contact our office at: 012 342 2001 3rd Floor, 347 Hilda st C/o Arcadia & Hilda street HATFIELD

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

10September2012 Welcome back Spring Day

year74issue18 Dance, You’re on Fire interview

Security on campus

Students particpating in wheelchair races last week as part of Disability Awareness Day

Ashtray Electric review

A therapy dog in action Photos: Eleanor Harding

Kiaat poster saga continues KEVIN VAN DER LIST Kiaat’s house committee meeting was cancelled on Tuesday when the ANCYL and SASCO disrupted proceedings. The house meeting was scheduled after an allegedly racist poster surfaced in the residence late last week. According to SRC President Mthokozisi Nkosi, the meeting was intended for the SRC, Kiaat residents and the Director of Residence Affairs and was originally scheduled to either suspend the current clubhouse committee or to disband it. Nkosi said that the ANCYL and SASCO “hijacked” the meeting and that some of the concerns they raised were valid, but questioned the manner in which they conducted themselves. Nkosi told Perdeby the house meeting was organised for Kiaat to voice their concerns to the SRC. According to Nkosi, the ANCYL and SASCO said, “It’s no longer a house matter ‒ it has now become a national issue.” A statement released by the ANCYL on Monday expressed their “utter disgust” with what they called a “barbaric and racist recruitment” of the Kiaat clubhouse committee. Timothy Ramabulana, ANCYL Chairperson, said, “The poster affects all of us as black people and students at large and [it’s] not an issue exclusive to Kiaat, [the] SRC or Residence Affairs.” COPE@Tuks Chairperson Thabo Mdlalose said that the ANCYL

spoilt any chance of a successful meeting. “This meeting could have been productive and progressive, but due to the opportunistic behaviours of the Youth League, the meeting bore no fruits.” Thorne Godinho, Tuks DASO branch leader, said that the ANCYL actions were an “unsatisfactory way to deal with the real issue of race.” AfriForum Youth Chairperson Barend Taute said, “It is important that residences are allowed to handle their own matters without the interference of political parties.” Last week Monday, Perdeby reported that UP had opened an investigation into the poster. The poster called on Kiaat residents to perform menial chores in order to join the clubhouse committee. These chores included cleaning toilets and the clubhouse. It also stated that “candidates have to be black.” According to UP Senior Media Liaison Officer Nicolize Mulder, the poster was removed. “Depending on the outcome of the investigation, the university will discipline any student that acted in contravention of the university’s policy for the prevention of unfair discrimination based on race,” she said. Professor Ernst van Eck, Kiaat’s house father, told Eye Witness News that the poster was “all a misunderstanding.” “We are trying to make the clubhouse committee more representative of all the different cultures. White people will

wash the toilets with them (the black applicants),” said Van Eck. The ANCYL has called for the resignation of Prof. Van Eck “who allowed all this to happen.” The SRC released a statement on the matter last week Tuesday saying, “As the SRC it is our view that the poster [at] face value unfairly discriminates residents on the basis of race.” Despite the intentions cited by Prof. Van Eck, the SRC believes its context was “extremely disrespectful and degrading” to Kiaat’s black residents. Nkosi retracted the statement on Tuesday evening after the meeting and issued a second wone that Thursday. The latest statement urges “all residents of Kiaat and the entire student populace to give [the] commission of inquiry the opportunity to come up with its findings.” Mdlalose said that, “The architect of the poster should step down from any position of authority, undergo disciplinary process and make a public apology to the student community.” Godinho said that the poster was “disturbing” and “whether [the poster] was malicious or not, students must start being sensitive to the issue of race.” Perdeby was unable to get a comment from any Kiaat residents regarding the matter. Another meeting regarding the poster will be held on 17 September.

10 September ‘12

Perdeby

Don’t read this if you’re white

www.perdeby.co.za perdeby@up.ac.za m.perdeby.co.za @perdebynews Tel: (012) 420 6600 Editorial Editor-In-Chief: Carel Willemse carel.willemse@up.ac.za @Ed_in_Chief Editor: Beyers de Vos perdeby@up.ac.za @perdebyeditor News: Margeaux Erasmus news@perdeby.co.za @MargeauxErasmus Features: Meagan Dill features@perdeby.co.za @meagandill

Whenever I have a major life decision to make, like what to have for dinner or when to have my next hair cut or what to do with the rest of my life, I consult my Magic 8-ball. When I say my Magic 8-ball, I mean the Magic 8-ball in Big Blue that’s too expensive for me to actually buy. I’ve been doing this a lot recently (to the annoyance of the Big Blue staff, I’m sure) and things are going fairly well. ‘Course, I asked it whether I should dye my hair purple the other

day and it said yes, so maybe I shouldn’t get too carried away. Meanwhile, I’ve been Making Decisions About My Future, something I’ve been putting off for a while, because it’s scary. Currently, my strategy is this: apply to all the places possible (from a master’s degree in Kazakhstan to teaching in Korea to being a drug mule in Mexico) and hope for the best. And if all else fails, ask the Magic 8-ball. Those who are finishing their studies will sympathise with me, I hope. Unless you’re one of those annoying people with perfect hair who is sober all the time and know exactly what you want (if you’re like this, you’re definitely not a BA student). As I type this, I’m munching on those prawn chips from Woolworths. I bought this particular bag because I got an outraged message from some random tannie telling me not to buy stuff from Woolworths, and I like being contrary. Plus, I need Woolworths in my life. How would I be able to live without their chicken pie, or their brownies, or their chocolate mousse or … well, all the other things. And even though I can only afford to buy a single item from Woolworths about once every three weeks, because I’m a student and therefore not willing to pay that much for anything, I’m not going to boycott them because

Entertainment: Nadine Laggar entertainment@perdeby.co.za @Alula273 Sport: Carlo Cock sport@perdeby.co.za @CarloRP Web: Marissa Gravett webeditor@perdeby.co.za @perdebynews Copy: Hayley Tetley @Hayley_Tet Layout: JP Nathrass @JPNathrass Visuals: Brad Donald @Brad3rs

Teams Layout Nolwazi Bengu Meghan van Rooyen Copy Louis Fourie India Goncalves Jaco Kotze Nolwazi Mngadi Saneze Tshayana Lizette van Niekerk Marié van Wyk Nadine Wubbeling Yuan-Chih Yen Advertising Sales Tel: 012 420 6600 Cell: 083 318 9738 carel.willemse@up.ac.za Copyright Perdeby is printed by Paarlmedia. All rights reserved. Contributions are welcome. All due care will be taken with materials submitted, but Perdeby and printers cannot be held responsible for loss or damage. The Editor reserves the right to edit, amend or alter in any way deemed nescessary. Perdeby cannot be responsible for unsolicited material. The opinions expressed in Perdeby are not necessarily those of the editors and printers of Perdeby.

TAKING YOUR BUSINESS TO NEW HEIGHTS!

Editorial From the Editor some angry white people are angry about nothing. So Woolworths is only hiring black people. So what? Unless you are currently applying for a job there, why the hell are you angry? Affirmative action isn’t a new policy. As far as I can tell, Woolworths is only complying with the law, not enacting an actively racist policy. Could everyone calm down? And be serious, you’re not actually going to stop buying things from Woolworths. How would you survive without them, Mr and Mrs Middle Class White Suburbanite? This whole saga has interesting parallels with this whole Kiaat racism thing (see the front page). Though on this occasion, I agree that people do have a right to be upset and the whole thing should have been handled with a little more tact, though it seems to be the same basic situation: people trying to comply with the right policies. Anyway, once you’ve decided whether or not you’re ever going to buy Woolworths food again, read the rest of this week’s paper. I recommend the Dance, You’re on Fire interview this week. The rest of it is all pretty cool too. Naturally. Every little thing is gonna be all right Beyers @PerdebyEditor

News

10 September ‘12

Welcome back Spring Day STEPHANIE VAN DER PLANK The SRC and TuksRag has been working to ensure the return and success of this year’s Spring Bash. SRC President Mthokosizi Nkosi said that they (the SRC) encountered a few issues along the way but are happy that the students’ voices were heard and that they have delivered their promise. He commented that there was too much involvement from UP management, resulting in a lack of communication between TuksRag and the involved parties. They wanted the event to be racially integrated, which caused some budgetary constraints. “However, [these] problems will not jeopardise the event,” said Nkosi. The Spring Day Bash, happening this Wednesday, will feature a diverse line-up to encourage students of all cultures to attend. The SRC told Perdeby that they encourage maximum student attendance so as to eliminate the possibility of the event being cancelled in future. There will be two stages – the Main Stage and the Beer Garden – and will include

performances from December Streets, Shadowclub, Locnville, Newton’s 2nd Law,

Ability has no boundaries

Toya Delazy and DJ Fresh. It was recently decided by the newly elected

Photos: Eleanor Harding

Private residence Urban Nest will remain open next year despite rumours that it was going to close down. Professor Roelf Visser, Director of Residence Affairs, told Perdeby that UP has rented Urban Nest to Boekenhout and Olienhout residents for 2013. The two male residences will be renovated next year and Urban Nest will provide them with temporary accommodation. Boekenhout residents will occupy the building for the first semester and Olienhout will use the accommodation in the second semester. According to Prof. Visser, this will allow for the most effective upgrade of the residences. UP students who are currently staying at Urban Nest will be accommodated in other residences next year, provided that they meet academic requirements. This is expected to be a 58% average for the mid-year exams, Prof. Visser said. Concerns have been raised about the students who do not meet the required standards and PERDEBY – 10x4 (100x130) will therefore not be placed in another UP residence. Students at Urban Nest who do AMBROS/D24650/C

The Department of Student Support hosted a Disability Awareness Day last Thursday. The day was aimed at helping students gain knowledge and insight into what life is like for people living with disabilities and understanding that disabilities do not define them. The day started off slowly, but organiser of the event, fourth-year social work student Fezile Bekwa, believes the day was a success and was happy with the turn out despite the poor weather. “Most able-bodied students expressed that they had not realised that people with disabilities have many capabilities and are no different to ablebodied individuals,” she said. Four therapy dogs brought to the event by Paws for People attracted a lot of attention. Many students gathered to pet and take photos of the dogs as they showed off their training. Therapy dogs are trained to provide affection and comfort to people in hospitals and nursing homes and to people with learning difficulties. Students had the opportunity to take part in wheelchair races, a disability game show,a dance-off, tactile chess, and snakes and ladders for the blind. “How do people do this all day?” exclaimed first-year public management student Kabelo Nthlane upon finishing a wheelchair race. “It’s tiring. I feel like I’m unfit,” he told Perdeby, adding that if he had to be in a wheelchair, “I’d be the strongest person I know.”

Singing group Blind Ensemble, comprised of four blind students, received loud applause for their performance on the day. Member of the group Kenneth Mabale said, “I thought it was really cool to give people that experience [of being] in a wheelchair.” Mabale said that he doesn’t regard himself as disabled. In an interview with Perdeby, Mabale and co-member Percy Makube said that they face challenges on campus such as construction, inaccessible facilities and people parking where they shouldn’t, especially on pavements. Makube said that students need to be aware of the fact that there are disabled students on campus. According to Mabale, “If they [UP] want to be a world class university then they definitely need to do a lot more than what they are doing now (to help disabled students).” Visually impaired student, Bonolo Mfikwe, who is busy with her first year in social work, said she initially didn’t understand the need to expose disabled students by having an awareness day, but came to realise that people need to be aware that being disabled doesn’t mean you are limited. She hoped the day would help students to understand those with disabilities and see them as any other student. She thought it would be a good start to have a disabled student on the SRC. Makube said students shouldn’t be afraid to approach and interact with disabled students. See a video of Perdeby’s interview with the students at www.perdeby.co.za.

Photo: Charné Fourie

Urban Nest to house residence students

MAXINE TWADDLE

DANIELLE PETTERSON

primarias, chairpersons and the SRC that the TuksRes pre-Spring Day events would be cancelled. At a meeting held at the end of August, the residence representatives voiced concerns regarding the pre-Spring Day events and unanimously decided that they would be cancelled. Nkosi apologised for any inconvenience this may have caused for the organisers and coordinators. According to Residence Affairs and Accommodation representative Bes Liebenberg, residence students do not want to compete with each other for ticket sales to their respective pre-Spring Day events. They would prefer to have one combined event where all residences can relax and have fun. Residences were not sure whether the pre-Spring Day event would take place and made alternate plans. However, they did express appreciation to the SRC for the work that was done and said that they would support a similar combined event in 2013. It was announced and confirmed that all res clubhouses will be closed on 11 September 2012.

not attend UP will not be considered for placement in a residence. Timothy Ramabulana, who chairs the UP branch of the ANC Youth League, said that “students face an uncertain future.” According to Ramabulana, alternative placements in the residences are not guaranteed for the 160 students who currently stay at Urban Nest. Prof. Visser, however, assured students that UP “will do [its] utmost best to aggressively negotiate fair lease agreements” with other possible providers of private student accommodation. Through this, Prof. Visser hopes that “additional affordable student accommodation for 2013, over and above our current residence portfolio [will be found].” Gavin Muller, speaking on behalf of Urban Nest, told Perdeby that Urban Nest was “delighted to welcome Boekenhout and Olienhout students” and said that he was “pleased that the facility could offer a ‘spillover’ service to Tuks.” Muller revealed that Urban Nest was in the process of establishing another private residence in Pretoria. The facility, which will be near Loftus Versveld, will house overAdvert 500 C students.

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10 September ‘12

News

What you think about security on campus MARGEAUX ERASMUS This year Perdeby has covered several stories that raised concerns about security on UP’s campuses. The most recent being a hijacking and ATM bombings outside Mamelodi campus, students being held at knife-point in the Graduate Centre and a student who managed to bring a gun onto campus. After covering these incidents Perdeby spoke to UP’s Security Services, seeking answers to these concerns. Colin Fouché, the Director of Security Services at UP, told Perdeby that, “The University of Pretoria and specifically its Department of Security Services take the safety of all staff, students and visitors to its campuses very seriously. Any incident of any nature on any of the campuses that result in harm or trauma is regarded as priority and is dealt with the necessary speed and efficiency.” Fouché said that, “The department is proud of its good track record.” He added that if one considers that the Department of Security Services is responsible for seven campuses, 28 residences and 25 000 people who enter UP’s campuses daily, then “it is commendable that very few serious incidents occurred over the past year.” He added that, “It is, therefore, “I generally do feel safe on campus. I stay on campus until ridiculous hours of the night. I must say though, after the incident on campus, I had to be extra careful. I think UP [has] had various security issues during this year. Various complaints from students in main and external campuses have been brought to the attention of the SRC and it is clear that more needs to be done on main and across external campuses to ensure the safety of both students and personnel.” Tebogo Twala, SRC Treasurer. “I don’t always feel safe because I need to be on campus at night for HK meetings. Security is only at the gates and when I have to walk across campus, especially down the street where Roosmaryn is situated , I don’t feel safe because I don’t know where the guards are if I need help.” Anria Lourens, second-year BA Journalism student.

evident that the various safety and crime prevention programmes and procedures on campus are effective.” When asked about UP’s firearm and weapons policy Fouché said that, “The university does have a very strict firearm policy – all campuses are firearm free zones .... The department does not search every person or vehicle entering the university. It is, however, investigating the possibility of electronic scanners.” Similarly, a UP security guard said that identifying people who are allowed onto campus is problematic, and that they are not allowed to search people when they enter university premises. The guard added that if more security guards are placed at each gate then they might have better control over security on campus. “If we work together we will conquer security,” he said. “After the robbery on campus in August, the Department of Security Services increased the number of security personnel at entrance gates. Additional patrols, especially to lecture rooms, have been instituted. The number of security personnel on campus in plain clothes has also been increased,” Fouché told Perdeby. Perdeby sought to find out how our readers felt about security on campus. Their comments are published below.

“Mamelodi campus itself is safe, but driving to campus is not. Security has started asking for student cards before people are allowed on campus which has aided security. The guards don’t have weapons though, and if there is a hijacking in front of campus again and the criminals are armed, then the guards will not be able to do anything.” Cilliers Naudé, first-year BSc Information Technology student.

“The crime issue is more due to the area and the socio-economic status of the individuals in the area rather than the university not doing enough. Personally, I think they’ve done a pretty good job [although] more can always be done, but the rest comes down to the students being vigilant, cautious and not taking unnecessary risks.” A second-year medical student on Prinshof campus.

“Safety has always been an issue for students and it cannot be disputed that students do not feel safe on campus .... In brief, as a student I do not feel safe on campus. I do not think that security is effective [on] the external campus[es] or even here at the main campus. The recent events [on] our external campuses like Mamelodi and the South campus are a living testimony to the above.” Kleinbooi Hlarane Legoabe, SRC Secretary General.

“I feel safe on Groenkloof but not always on main campus.” Elmari De Wet, second-year education student. “I feel safe. What honestly is very encouraging for me is seeing the Tuks security guards in the streets, like on Lynnwood or University Road. So I feel like I’m still looked out for.” Patrick O’Brien, second-year engineering student.

“In my personal opinion: yes I do feel safe on campus, during the day at least, not because the campus is secure but in spite of the lack of security. Security on campus is a big fat joke. If it were up to me I would reduce the budget being spent on security and get rid [of] them completely, at least we would know we are on our own .… I mean, if security management cannot even answer the most basic questions about incidents that take place on campus and tell you everything is being handled by the SAPS, why are they here then?” Mthokozisi Nkosi, SRC President. “Personally I feel safe on all the campuses including the hospitals I have to work in .... I understand that there were some incidents in the past and that there is always room for improvement. However Security Services does handle incidents effectively.” Gerbrand Lindeque, SRC Deputy President.

@perdebynews

Features

10 September ‘12

Boy meets girl: where gender ends and prejudice begins LUSANDA FUTSHANE Last month, President Jacob Zuma was slammed in the press for publicly stating that “daughters who are not getting married [...] is [sic] a problem in society.” He continued, “I know that people today think being single is nice. It’s actually not right. That’s a distortion. You’ve got to have kids. Kids are important to a woman because they actually give an extra training to a woman, to be a mother.” Despite the fact that last month was Women’s Month, such a possibly inflammatory statement from our country’s leader is dangerous on any day. Is our country anywhere near achieving gender equality and doing away with outdated gender stereotypes? Perdeby investigates. Our president isn’t the only one with controversial views when it comes to gender equality. Also in the last month, 36 universities in Iran declared that they would no longer allow women to enrol in certain courses while one institute, the Oil Industry University, announced that it would not be accepting any female students at all. This, apparently, is a way of reversing or “balancing” the ratio of female to male students in Iran. In addition, Iran’s religious leaders are worried that educating women threatens to decrease the rates of marriage and childbirth in the country. The feminist movement has done a lot for gender equality in the past. But to come out as a feminist nowadays often means risking ridicule and a few eye-rolls. One wonders why this is the case when countries like Iran could probably still benefit from a feminist march or two. Gert*, a self-confessed antifeminist, offers his explanation: “Feminists wish for a world where they could click their Crocs together three times and get pregnant. They claim to be fighting for women’s rights, but they think that they need to castrate all the men in the world in order to do that.”

MIH/Perdeby/20/08-E.indd 1

Sexism often seems like an extinct school of thought, especially amongst our generation. However, when Perdeby asked students what their views were on gender inequality and stereotypes, a few students actually confessed to subscribing to beliefs that some people would label as sexist. Amir Jacobs, a Muslim second-year BCom Law student, says his religion has very deeply

entrenched laws regarding gender roles and that even though he lives in a democratic country, he still upholds some of those laws. “It’s very hard to reconcile the religion I was raised in and the constitution of the country that I live in. I try to stay faithful to my family’s beliefs but at the same time I don’t want to seem backward.” Anelisa Ntombela, a first-year law student,

says, “My mother was never married, but she raised three children all on her own and people still look at her like she’s a freak.” Ntombela adds that she does not feel like woman empowerment movements in South Africa have done enough. “Instead of commending independent powerful women, we look at them like they’re committing crimes,” she explains. Arthur Monaheng, who is completing his final year in education, has a different opinion. “Obviously the president can’t tell women what they can and can’t do, but it’s true that there are some jobs that women do better than men and vice versa.” Monaheng says that varsity is the perfect example of how men and women have different biologically inherited talents that influence their career choices. “I’m not saying that women belong in the kitchen and men should be breadwinners, but just looking around on campus, you see more male engineering students and more female consumer sciences students. Is that what they call it – consumer sciences?” It’s an irresistible dream: the husband standing at the braai deflecting a stray soccer ball from his son while the wife hovers over her daughter’s first attempt at a family recipe. For centuries, toy companies and fairy tales have done an incredible job of perpetuating this dream. Men and women are fundamentally different, but only for biological reasons. The twenty first-century man is more likely to be able to buy groceries than to set up a tent or start a fire. The twenty first-century woman could probably run a country better than she could organise a brunch. Does this mean that we’ve lost sight of the dream or just that we’re dreaming along with a rapidly evolving world? *Name has been changed. Image: www.thingsilearnfromcosmo.com

2012/08/14 12:44 PM

10 September ‘12

Features

Do couples who stray together stay together?

BERND FISCHER Most of us grow up with the idea that we’re going to meet our soulmates, get married, have 2,2 children and grow old with our partners, all behind the safety of a white picket fence. In this fantasy world, our partners love us unconditionally and only have eyes for us. Everything is perfect and we satisfy each other’s emotional and physical needs. Or so we hope. But according to recent reports, more and more unconventional practices are finding their way into today’s relationships as a means of saving a dying relationship, or simply to make the relationship more exciting. A controversial new book by British sociologist Catherine Hakim called The New Rules: Internet Dating, Playfairs and Erotic Power has become a popular topic of discussion due to its radical approach to relationships and infidelity. In this book, Hakim discusses the idea of “playfairs”, defined by The Telegraph as “a 21st century affair in which would-be adulterers meet, via specialist dating websites, to enjoy the excitement of an illicit relationship without any domestic fallout.” Instead of this affair

destroying a marriage, Hakim argues that it can improve it. Hakim maintains that the anonymity of the internet is making these dalliances more appealing, since individuals can meet others outside their own social circle, thus avoiding disaster. “Total discretion is the absolute rule, the other party should never find out,” Hakim says. “Here the impact of the affair can potentially be almost entirely positive.” Of course, for this to work one has to completely disregard the values of trust, commitment and loyalty. No big deal, right? According to numerous international studies and research, there is a general consensus that the most common cause of affairs is a sexless marriage. Hakim’s research coincides with these findings and suggests that low-sex marriages are very common, with men being two to three times more likely than women to want more sex than they are currently getting. For this reason, dating websites are pulling in 13 times more men than women. Despite this, women are engaging in extra-marital affairs as well. Their reasons, however, apart from a sexless marriage, include busy or inexperienced husbands, a longing for excitement and a lack

of emotional intimacy. “I have always been baffled by the sour and rigid English view of affairs,” says Hakim who believes that English-speaking countries should adopt the French idea, where extra-marital affairs are regarded as “adventures” and are only minor transgressions that are justifiable and surely not something to end a marriage over. Psychiatrist Hemant Mittal told Daily News and Analysis that he supports Hakim’s case, though he also notes that this unconventional view is not only an English-speaking phenomenon. He argues that in the Mumbai culture, there are people who feel that physical intimacy is not the cornerstone of a relationship as it only “[caters] for the body’s appetite”, whereas emotional intimacy is regarded as far more important. “For such people a short fling works wonders without creating any trouble in the marriage because they aren’t emotionally involved with the people they have a fling with,” says Mittal. Similarly, The Telegraph reports that married couples in Scandinavian countries such as Finland openly discuss their “parallel relationships” which occur between work

colleagues or on holidays. It is estimated that almost half of married Finnish men and one third of married Finnish women have been in this kind of relationship, yet still regard marriage as a sacred institution. As expected, there are many who oppose this take on relationships, reasoning that it is a selfish act that can cause long-term suffering and destroy families. “I personally believe that if you’re in a relationship with someone, you commit to them 100%,” says Teeghan-Jade Bisset Gander, a second-year student at UP studying English and criminology. “If you’re seeking something your relationship lacks, then you shouldn’t be in the relationship.” Society as we know it today won’t remain the same forever and the same goes for traditionally accepted ideas about relationships, which are always subject to change. What are your thoughts about these unconventional practices? Are they worth a try or just wishful thinking? Tweet your opinions to @Bernd_Fischer or @ perdebynews. Illustration: René Lombaard

Crunch time as food costs increase BERND FISCHER

Don’t get too comfortable if you have just adjusted your (already tight) budget to suit the high cost of living, as food prices are set to increase over the next few months. Due to the worst drought experienced by the United States in 50 years, up to 200 countries could be affected by the resulting food price increase – and this includes South Africa. According to an article published last month on IOL.co.za, the US farming industry has made a total loss of approximately R147 billion. Given that the US is the biggest exporter of maize worldwide, many countries who rely on this supply will suffer greatly. The problem is aggravated by the fact that other countries, such as Russia, Brazil and India, have also been ravaged by poor weather conditions over the past few months. Consequently, wheat and soybean production has also been disrupted – both of which are a staple food for many nations. The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) has reported a global food price increase of 6% in July since the drought. With the Eurozone economic crisis still unresolved and skyrocketing unemployment rates worldwide, the food price increases come at a time when the global economy is heading downhill. In South Africa, The Citizen reports that consumers can expect spiralling food prices. In the first seven months of this year, the maize

price was already 44,4% higher compared to the first seven months of last year. This, along with a 16% rise in electricity costs and soaring petrol prices, is surely going to lead to a budget adjustment for some. Dr Ferdi Meyer, head of the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy research at UP, warns that the price of bread could increase by 20% in the next 18 months. In fact, brown bread could see this price increase within a mere six months. According to Business Day and the Mail & Guardian, other basic food and nonalcoholic beverages are also affected by the

crisis. Professor Nick Vink, Chairperson of the Department of Agricultural Economics at Stellenbosch University, says that a maize shortage leads to an increase in meat costs, given that it is the feed grain for livestock and poultry. Meat, as well as the fats-and-oils food group, has already shown a 14% increase compared to last year. Fruits and eggs have shown the least increase with prices for these food items going up by 4% and 2% respectively. In practical terms, the average urban consumer can expect to pay an extra R20 for every R100 spent on

basic food. Naturally, students are concerned as well. Annmari Coetzee, a second-year student studying psychology and education, says she believes the current global crisis will definitely affect students, especially those on a budget who try to make healthier food choices. “Trying to be healthy and selecting the correct food is getting tougher with the food price increase,” she says. Students who believe they can escape the rise in food costs by purchasing unhealthy convenience foods should think again, since the surge of global food prices even goes so far as to affect meat bought by the McDonald’s Corporation and sweeteners used by The CocaCola Company. FAO assistant representative Khanyisile Mabuza argues that attention should be given to the nutritional consequences of a food price hike, since many turn to food substitution as a means to cope. “In such cases, there is a tendency to substitute protein for sugar and sweets with negative impacts on health, which may cause different health issues such as obesity,” she says. Mabuza believes food and nutrition education is crucial in preventing additional social problems from worsening during the global food price increase. It is evident that consumers worldwide will experience a rise in food costs. What remains unknown is how global nations will address this concern in order to prevent further damage.

Photo: Hendro van der Merwe

Entertainment

10 September ‘12

Review Interview Dance, You’re on Fire: stop, drop and roll

MELINA MELETAKOS It has been quite the year for pop rock outfit Dance, You’re on Fire. They started off by snatching the award for Best Indie at the MK Awards and then added a new band member to their line-up. Recently, the band released their second album, Light Repeating, revealing an edgier, mature sound than that of their debut album, Secret Chiefs. Perdeby caught up with frontman Tom Manners to chat about the new direction which Dance, You’re on Fire’s sound has taken, worrying less about creating radio hits, and hitting the road on tour again. You’ve just released your second album, Light Repeating. What has the response to it been like so far? The response has been great so far! We’ve had a lot of people tell us that it’s a little different, but that they definitely prefer it to Secret Chiefs. Overall, we’re just proud to have new material out. You guys have definitely steered your music in a different direction with the new album. To what do you owe this change? I think it’s just a natural progression. When writing Light Repeating, we found that we were challenging ourselves a little more and worrying less about what would sound good on the radio. In essence, we made the record we wanted to make – the fact that it sounds a little different from Secret Chiefs can be primarily attributed to time between releases and perhaps growing as musicians over the years. Which song on Light Repeating best describes the direction you guys are taking Dance, You’re on Fire in and why? I don’t think there is a single song that can really describe the direction, and that’s really the point of the album as a whole. There’s a lot more variation on Light Repeating when compared to Secret Chiefs – it’s probably what I’m most proud of in this release. Light Repeating has a pretty great album cover. What was the concept behind it? The album art was conceptualised by Jacques Kleynhans of Zoology, who suggested we do a very minimalist shoot of a model on whom we were projecting images of light, or images which had something to do with light. We were ridiculously

happy with the result. Jacques du Plessis recently joined the Dance, You’re On Fire line-up. How did the addition of a new band member come about? We’ve known Jacques for years and he’s played in bands with us before. He wanted to get back into playing music live and we were open to the idea. We weren’t really looking for another member – we just love Jacques so much that we brought him into the fold, and he’s made a massive difference. How do you think your sound has benefited from having Jacques in the band? Live, we’ve benefitted hugely. Jacques is an extremely talented musician and he’s really helped us fill out our sound a lot more onstage. You guys signed with Just Music a few months ago. Has this in any way influenced the music you have made on Light Repeating? No, it hasn’t because we actually wrote and recorded the album before submitting to Just. We’re over the moon to be with them though – Karl and his team are the hardest working people in the music industry, hands down. You guys seem to make songs that are perfect for radio, with “Speak To Me” currently doing quite well on the 5FM Top 40. What do you think makes a good radio-friendly tune? Thanks. I think a good radio-friendly tune depends on two things: melody and a solid structure. If you have those, you’re on your way. You’ve already brought out a music video for the first single “Speak To Me”. When can fans expect the second music video “Carry You” and are there any other music videos on the way? We’ve actually just completed the video for “Carry You” and we recently shot a live EPK at SABC studios which we’re really excited about – watch this space. What’s next for Dance, You’re On Fire? We’re just looking forward to getting back into touring. We took a six-month break in early 2012 to write and record the album and we’re absolutely itching to hit the road and play some shows again.

“In essence, we made the record we wanted to make – the fact that it sounds a little different from Secret Chiefs can be primarily attributed to time between releases and perhaps growing as musicians over the years.”

Photo: Hanro Havenga

JP NATHRASS Light Repeating, Dance, You’re on Fire’s sophomore album, is lyrical story-telling with a unique musical direction. The Johannesburg-based indie rock group have followed up their successful debut album Secret Chiefs with a musical masterpiece that tells the story of two weeks in the life of frontman Tom Manners. The dark motifs explored through the lyrics are presented maturely through the use of diverse musical styles, ensuring that no two tracks sound the same. “Light Repeating” opens the album on a heavier note than fans have come to expect from the band. Jethro Vlag sets things in motion with an addictive drum line guaranteed to give even the most frigid of listeners a reason to dance. The rest of the band delivers a performance that shows just how much the band has evolved since Secret Chiefs. This is rock and roll: an impressive guitar solo resulting in an opening track that shows that Light Repeating is bound to be on repeat on many a playlist. With bands often overlooking the power of a strong bassriff, “Speak to me” not only shows the positive impact this can have on a track, but also showcases the musical talent of Paul van der Walt on the bass. The bass line is perfectly harmonised with the catchy guitar riffs played by Tom Manners and Adrian Erasmus – it’s one of the lighter-hearted tracks on Light Repeating, confirming why Dance, You’re on Fire walked away with the Best Indie Act award at the 2012 MK Awards. Light Repeating sees the addition of Jacques du Plessis, of former Wrestlerish glory, on the keyboard. His presence is felt throughout the album but his most notable performances can be heard in “Where Are You” and “Motions”. Both songs rely on haunting piano melodies to deliver the raw emotions of Tom Manners’s lyrics. The diversity of the album leaves one mesmerised, especially with “Chasing the Sea”, the heaviest song Dance, You’re on Fire has produced to date. This shift might seem out of character for the band, but the powerful lyrics are delivered flawlessly along with the resounding drum and bass lines while the guitars convey what cannot be vocalised: anger has never sounded this great. Light Repeating shows that bands no longer need to be bound to one genre of music to appeal to crowds. The diversity of the album reflects the effects of love lost, anger, heartbreak and uncertainty. Light Repeating could be seen as a representation of life after love, something we can all identify with. RATING: 8/10 Image: Jacques Kleynhans

Entertainment

10 September ‘12

The Dollfins: oozing toxic rock and roll

BEYERS DE VOS The Dollfins were recently asked by GQ magazine what their ideal gig would be like. The answer: “dirty little bar in New York, audience of drunk people” and it is into exactly this space that their

self-titled debut effort, which drips with ego, sex and rock and roll, takes the listener. The Cape Town-based trio hits the punk-rock scene with what is essentially the perfect soundtrack to a night out, where hedonistic drunken sex affairs in dark corners with mysterious strangers is the name of the game. Most of the tracks are sparse, guitar-driven numbers with relentless, intoxicating beats and seductive vocals: think Black Keys meets Tegan and Sara. Lyrics like “I’ll find a place for you and me, where the darkness will be ever sweet, and everywhere we look is either a villain or a crook” from the mesmerising song, “Everyone Makes the Wrong Decisions”, exemplifies the band’s attitude: The Dollfins are all about quirky-edgy, dirty-sexy energy. Listening to the album is like being in a Frank Miller version of Alice in Wonderland. The band describes their influences as “hate, sex, hatesex. Oozing toxic green slime”, a perfect example of their weird, idiosyncratic charm. But in reality, the 1970s punk-rock band The Cramps, which is regarded as one of the forbearers of genres like garage punk and

psychobilly, seems to be The Dollfins main influence. Indeed, they create a seamless, if slightly sinsiter marriage of these genres. The band is quite fond of taking a single line and repeating it throughout their songs, rarely breaking the monotony of these refrains with a limited selection of lyrics. On songs like “In My Head”, which has a haunting beat and power, it works. But on other tracks, most notably “Friendly”, it becomes tedious, creating unfortunate moments of boredom on an otherwise incredible album. “Kiss Me Quick”, a fun track providing brief respite from the darkness, and “Road Trip”, a full-on assault of wicked sensuality, are highlights. Ultimately, the album leaves you with the feeling that The Dollfins don’t really give a damn about anything: they condescend to let you into their wild world of seduction, destruction, grit and self-indulgence. And for the most part, it’s a pleasure to be there. The Dollfins will be performing in Pretoria at Park Acoustics, 30 September. RATING: 7/10 Image: www.facebook.com

Lucy Kruger: soulful crooning and candid lyrics MELINA MELETAKOS “So dance dance little puppet to the rhythm of their shallow heart beat and remember / It’s catchy phrases that sell,” croons Lucy Kruger soothingly in the chorus of “Catchy Phrases”, the opening song on her debut album Cut Those Strings. “If you could show me how to cut those strings / If you could teach me how to really sing,” she reflects at the end of the track, capturing her struggle to make it in the music industry without selling her soul to the seductive devil of commercialism. And that’s what makes Kruger distinctive. She cuts the stifling strings of convention to produce a refreshing, eleventrack album that boasts collaborations with some of South Africa’s most illustrious musos such as Schalk Joubert, Inge Beckmann and Albert Frost. The newcomer’s sound can be described as indie folk with a dollop of rock but the task of genre-allocating seems trivial, especially on Cut Those Strings, where the spotlight shines directly on Kruger’s smooth, velvety voice and honest, intensely personal lyrics. Lark and Beast frontwoman Inge Beckmann contributes her signature hypnotic wail to “I’ll Sing For You”. The sound of the

mesmeric sirens joining forces on the track makes it difficult not to picture the two sitting on a rocky coast, luring in their listeners one by one. “Fired Up” is a more up-tempo and edgy song with Kruger belting and growling the lyrics in a way that echoes KT Tunstall’s organic vocal strength. The track also has a slightly bluesy feel to it, with the inclusion of one of Albert Frost’s spine-tingling guitar twangs. The chilling acoustic number “Heart of Stone” starts off with the sweet, affable sound of the guitar which quietly becomes more eerie and ominous. “Going along / Singing this song / Banging out the words like a newborn drum,” sings Kruger rhythmically on the track, as if to emulate the drums she is speaking about. It is quite amazing to conceive what the fledgling musician has achieved in such a short space of time, having only graduated from Rhodes University last year. If Cut Those Strings is anything to go by, Kruger will have no problem in swiftly developing a plumage that many musicians can only yearn for. RATING: 7/10 Photo: Francois Visser

Ashtray Electric: a treasure chest of finely polished tracks MELINA MELETAKOS When SAMA-nominated indie rockers Ashtray Electric decided to release their EP, WTF, they followed a rather atypical route. To begin with, the band produced, recorded, engineered and mixed their fourth offering themselves. They then used the increasingly popular method of fan-sourcing to find a designer for the album cover, which features an ill-fated white rodent being drenched in water. Ashtray Electric also encouraged fans to sign up for the album, which they received in their inbox for free as a little digital gift when WTF was released. The result of these unconventional ways is a concise, tightly produced array of intimate tracks which form the B-side to their second full length album, Measured in Falls. WTF opens with the mournful wail of the distorted guitar on “Lost”, the eerie first song on the album. “I feel lost in the joy / It’s too quick to enjoy,” sings lead singer Andre Pienaar woefully. This sad, otherworldly feeling created in the introduction culminates in what sounds like Pienaar’s voice exploding into an inescapable abyss. The pace of the album quickens on “One”, a lively, head-bobbing, shoulder-grooving track complete with the sound of a sharp, cracking whip before the chorus. It makes way for “Looper”, the

gem amongst the jewels that make up the treasure chest that is WTF. The song is like a piece of performance poetry, with Pienaar reciting the lyrics, thus allowing his natural stutter to take centre stage against a musical backdrop. It starts off with staccato-like drums that echo Pienaar’s erratic flow of speech which follows. The track is a brave, innovative and personal addition to the album. “DJ” is a stripped-down, minimalistic song which showcases only Pienaar’s voice and the keyboard. With lyrics such as “Walked into the club tonight and I stopped and stared and I worked my way up to your thigh / You are my weakness”, this is the raw and sexy Ashtray Electric fans are familiar with. The quick pounding of the drums on “Go” introduces the final track on the album. The song is like a predator on the hunt in a threatening jungle, with Pienaar’s vocals inciting the attack. “I’m gonna go,” he repeatedly pants to build up the climax, a burst of sound which can leave Ashtray Electric licking their lips smugly, knowing that “Go”, like the rest of WTF, has tactically ensnared the listener. RATING: 9/10 Image: www.theassembly.co.za

Pixar braves new territory with first female protaganist NADINE LAGGAR Brave is essentially the western version of Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away – insert bourgeois bear instead of pigs, minus the narrative complexity and add a healthy dose of Scottish derriéres. Merida (Kelly MacDonald), Pixar’s first female protagonist in a historic setting (another first for the animation company), is a teenage princess rebelling against her responsibility-obsessed mother, Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson). The queen sets tradition in motion when she organises the three neighbouring clans’ comically incompetent princes to compete for Merida’s hand in marriage. Bow in hand, Merida prefers to be more like her father, King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and, in an effort to change her fate, she foolishly enlists the help of a witty, whittling witch (Julie Walters), which is when things get a little ... hairy. The majestically rendered Scottish highlands as well as Merida’s hypnotic fiery locks (1 500 separate curls, to be exact) are a testament to the technological advancements made in the animation genre. Adults, however, may be slightly disgruntled with the lack of surreptitious adult humour that Pixar is known for. Brave lacks

the wit of The Incredibles or the emotional weight of Up – although the superficial script may be a symptom of the director change from Brenda Chapman to Mark Andrews during the film’s production. But there is no shortage of kilts and giggles, reliant mostly on the male characters in the film. Billy Connolly’s voice is enough to elicit more than a few laughs along with Merida’s three mischievous little brothers, breaking the drawl of propriety that constantly flows from the queen. The subplot of an ancient tale of four brothers and the destruction of the kingdom comes across as irrelevant and disjointed as you can hardly compare one brother’s verve for power and domination to Merida’s reluctance to be married to a complete stranger at 16. But there will, as always, be a happy ending. And with the sinister Scottish woodland, folklore and mysticism weaved into the feelgood story, there’s plenty to captivate the audience, although perhaps not enough to take you up, up and away. RATING: 6/10

Image: www.korpg.com

10 September ‘12

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9 C0640/Perdeby/Sept

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Sport

10 September ‘12

Clayton Blommetjies: SA rugby’s rising star KATLEGO PHEEHA After their 2012 FNB Varsity Cup triumph, several Tuks players caught the eye of rugby franchises, earning themselves contracts with professional teams. Most of these players, failing to secure a place with the Blue Bulls, have gone on to sign with other clubs. Wesley Dunlop recently joined newly promoted Super Rugby side EP Kings, 2012 Tuks 1 captain Jono Ross signed for English club Saracens, and Daniel Adongo was contracted by New Zealand’s Counties Manukau in August. Few, however, have made as much of an impression as Clayton Blommetjies, who has secured his place with the Blue Bulls in this year’s Currie Cup tournament. Born in Paarl, Western Cape, Blommetjies started his provincial rugby career when he was 15 years old. He played for Boland’s u/16 side at the 2006 Coca Cola Grant Khomo Week. He showed his natural talent as a utility back, with a good knack for occupying other areas besides his preferred full-back position. The following year he again featured for Boland, this time at the prestigious Craven Week. It was there that Blommetjies first caught the eye of professional rugby scouts, and in 2009 he was called up to join South Africa’s campaign for the IRB Junior World Championships held in Japan. It would be two whole years after graduating from high school before Blommetjies got a chance to play Varsity Cup rugby, but in 2010 he finally got his chance after he was recruited by TuksRugby. The 2012 Varsity Cup was Blommetjies’s breakthrough season. He was named the Back

That Rocks, an award given to the best back of the season. He narrowly missed out on the Player of the Year award, which was won by teammate Wesley Dunlop. Blommetjies was

also called up to the represent the Springbok Sevens in the HSBC World Series for the Glasgow and London tours. This season Blommetjies has started all four matches that

the Bulls have played, playing the first three on the wing and moving to full back against Western Province. Blommetjies has many aspects to his game which make him an asset to his team, but he is mostly praised for his outstanding ability with the high ball and his work rate. After his performance in the Bulls’s win against the Sharks at Loftus Versfeld, Blommetjies displayed the potential to be one of the country’s best. “Bulls left wing Clayton Blommetjies did just about everything – chasing the kick-offs, the high balls, popping up at scrumhalf and producing a service most international number nines would be proud of, tackling big forwards like Jean Deysel and then even managed an awesome touch-finder from near his 22 that drove the Sharks back to their own try line. He gets our [Man of the Match] award,” wrote iAfrica Sports, one of the continent’s biggest online media sports agencies. He was later named on Rugby 365’s Team of the Week ahead of Raymond Rhule of the Free State Cheetahs where he was described as “a player who used the Varsity Cup to propel himself to the big time and now he performs [well] on the Currie Cup stage.” It may be far too early to tell if Blommetjies will follow in the steps of a player like Juan de Jong, who became the first and only Varsity Cup player to represent the Springboks at the Rugby World Cup. But judging by the rapid progress the 22-year-old has made, Clayton Blommetjies may just be South African rugby’s next big star. Photo: Kobus Barnard

Theunis de Bruyn onderhoud AB BASSON Perdeby het opgevang met Tuks 1 en SA o/19 krieketspeler Theunis de Bruyn. De Bruyn is tans ‘n tweedejaar BCom Rekenigkunde-student aan die Universiteit van Pretoria. De Bruyn was deel van die Suid-Afrikaanse o/19 span in die onlangse krieketwêreldbeker in Australië. Wie is jou held? Dit was Matthew Hayden, toe hy nog gespeel het. Op die oomblik sal ek sê dit is Jacques Kallis. Waar sien jy jouself oor 5 jaar? Hopelik naby daaraan om ‘n Proteakrieketspeler te wees asook om ‘n graad agter my naam te hê. Dit is maar ‘n droom om vir die Proteas te speel, maar daar is ‘n paar goed wat ek kan beheer soos om my graad te kry en ‘n goeie fondasie te bou vir my krieketloopbaan. Dit is die een ding van Tukkies - die professionaliteit hier is ‘top class’. Wie sal jy sê is die beste krieketspeler ter alle tye? Mense se Don Bradman, maar ek het hom nooit sien speel nie, so ek sal sê Jaques Kallis. ‘n Mens kan nie sy rekord met enige iemand anders vergelyk nie. Waar het jy krieket begin speel? In die tuin saam my pa toe ek so 3 jaar oud was, hy het vir my so ŉ blou bat gegee vir my

verjaarsdag, van daar af was dit al ‘n groot passie. Toe ek 6 jaar oud was het ek begin by die Lynnwood-krieketakademie. Wat sal jy se is die hoogtepunt van jou krieketloopbaan sover? Die laaste vier maande. Ek was deel van die o/19 wêreldbekerspan in Australië en die Nasionale Akademie. Sal jy sê jy is n beter bouler of kolwer? ‘n Beter kolwer, definitief. Sal jy sê dat die span hulle doelwit bereik het in Australië? Om eerlik te wees, was ons doelwit om te wen. Dit was baie teleurstellend om in die semifinaal uit te val,want as jy kyk na ons wedstryde tydens die wêreldbeker was ons definitief die beste span. 50 overs het ons ons droom gekos. Wie is die beste speler saam wie jy al ‘n veld mee gedeel het? Ek het al teen Vernon Philander en Herschelle Gibbs gespeel vir Tuks1 teen die Cobras in ‘n opwarmingswedstryd. Wie ondersteun jy? Titans Wat sal jy sê is jou beste wedstryd sover? O/17 het ons (Northens) in die finaal teen Vrystaat gespeel by die provinsialeweek en toe het ek 269 lopies gemaak in ‘n 50 over wedstryd.

Image: www.cricket24hours.com

FANTASY PREMIER LEAGUE 2012/13 Are you a fan of the Barclays Premier League? Pick your fantasy team and join the Perdeby League! The overall winner will get a special Perdeby prize To join go to www.fanasty.premierleague.com Points scoring starts from Game Week 4 (15 September) Code to join this league: 646569-488540

Sport

AmaTuks hold SuperSport United to draw

AB BASSON AmaTuks drew 0-0 with SuperSport United on Saturday 1 September in their third match of the new Premier Soccer League (PSL) season. Both teams performed well throughout the match. Coming off their first win in the PSL, a 1-0 win against Golden Arrows, AmaTuks were keen to maintain their good start to the season by beating cross-city rivals SuperSport United. SuperSport went into the game

having just secured a place in the MTN 8 final and were confident of victory against the newly promoted AmaTuks. The first half was one of missed chances and the teams ended the half on level terms, with the only real threat coming from longrange shots. The second half started off much like the first, with both teams throwing men forward in search of the opening goal. AmaTuks moved to their more familiar “route one” style during the second half by

sitting deep and opting to hit SuperSport on the break. AmaTuks coach Steve Barker made several changes in the last 30 minutes, and it was the substitutes who created the first real scoring chance of the match in the 83rd minute: veteran forward David Radebe gathered the ball just inside the SuperSport half and ran down the left flank before putting in a welltimed cross towards Diyo Sibisi who met the ball powerfully with his head. But then, just as it seemed as if the ball was in the back

of the net, ex-Bafana Bafana keeper Rowen Fernandez pulled off the save of the game, to the dismay of the home supporters. This was to be the last real chance of the game. SuperSport keeper Fernandez picked up the man of the match award for his brilliant display between the posts and for denying AmaTuks what would have been a certain victory. AmaTuks face Moroko Swallows at the Dobsonville stadium on14 September at 20:00. Photos: www.kickoff.com

First Paralympics defeat for Oscar sparks controversy

CHARLES SIWELE Oscar “Blade Runner” Pistorius was involved in a controversial outburst following an unexpected defeat in the 200m finals at the Paralympics in London on Sunday 2 September. Pistorius was the obvious favourite to win the race and took a massive lead over the first 100 metres.

To the amazement of the crowd and the commentators, Brazilian double-amputee, Alan Oliveira, stormed the last 100 metres and took gold in a photo finish. Pistorius had never before been beaten in the 200m at the Paralympics and was visibly upset. Soon after, Pistorius questioned the fairness of the competition by suggesting Oliveira’s blades were too long. In a surprising

interview, Pistorius was quoted as saying, “I’m not taking anything away from Alan’s performance but these guys are a lot taller and you can’t compete with the stride length.” He went on to say, “You saw how far he came back. We aren’t running a fair race.” These comments sparked a massive media reaction, taking the shine away from the actual winner of the race. Oliveira, who won silver in Beijing four years ago, was more conservative in his own public response to the situation, “I think this whole polemic (contentious debate) is about Oscar Pistorius, not about me. My blades are within the legal length.” Pistorius, soon after, released an apology for the timing of the comments but still maintained that “there [was] an issue.” The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) then announced that Pistorius would not face any disciplinary action. They also acknowledged that his concerns over the issue of blade length should not just be dismissed. “Clearly we don’t want athletes on stilts,” Communications Director of the IPC Craig Spence said the following day. However, the IPC did insist that the length of Oliveira’s blades were within the required limits. The formula used to determine the length of blades takes into account the predicted height of an athlete, body proportions and other considerations. In order to be allowed to compete in the Paralympics, all athletes must comply with the requirements regarding blade length. The issue of whether Oliveira’s blades being slightly longer than Pistorius’s gave him an unfair advantage is a contentious debate. But Pistorius’s claims about not being able to compete with Oliveira’s stride length are incorrect, according to Guardian Sport’s Jonathan Wilson. Wilson reports that Pistorius actually took longer strides than the Brazilian. “It turns out that Pistorius took 92 steps during the race (2,2m per stride), and

Oliveira took 98 steps to win gold (2m per stride),” Wilson reports. To break it down further: in the first 100m, Pistorius took 49 steps (2,0m per stride), with 43 steps in the straight (2,3m per stride), while Oliveira took shorter strides: 52 in the first 100m (1,92m each) and 46 in the second 100m (2,2m each). This points to the fact that the key to Oliveira’s success was not stride length, as Pistorius suggested, but rather stride rate, which is determined by how fast the athlete moves his legs. As for how Oliveira managed to haul back the massive lead Pistorius had, it simply comes down to stride rate. Pistorius himself has won many races in similar fashion. Meanwhile, the IPC has agreed to a meeting with Pistorius to allow him the opportunity to raise his issues. “What we need to do is have a formal meeting with all the experts in the room,” Craig Spence said. “Oscar might propose some changes, but out of credit to the athlete, who has done so much for the Paralympics,” he added. The answer may lie in introducing standardised blades that are identical in composition and length to be used by all competitors, so that there can be no claim of one competitor having an unfair advantage. Similar to swimming world governing body, FINA’s introduction of the mandatory “textile suit” following a barrage of world records being set in swimsuit manufacturer, Speedo’s, controversial “LZR” suit, that was said to reduce drag and increase buoyancy. Since the textile suits were introduced in 2010, there have been far fewer world records set in the pool, with only eight set at the London Olympics compared to 17 being set at the 2009 FINA World Championships. A similar regulation enforcing the use of standardised blades could restore some credibility to the sport. Image: www.dailymail.co.za

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