12 March 2012 Issue 6 Year 74

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

12March2012

The Top Ten

RAMfest interviews

P5

P6-7

year74issue06

Addicted to your smartphone?

P9

Five minutes with Dirkie Chamberlain

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Unexpected triumph for new SRC president was also pleased with the results. He said, “[The results] seem very fair and it is clear to me that the students of UP will be in good Mthokozisi Nkosi was elected as the Student hands.” Francois Cloete, VF+ Chairperson, Representative Council (SRC) President last agreed and said, “I believe the people chosen week Thursday at the University of Pretoria’s tonight are here for the students to serve them first 2012 student parliament meeting. [sic].”

The position of SRC president was closely Similar views were aired by Cyril Peterson contested between AfriForum Youth’s of the Tuks Student Christian Fellowship Secretary General Nikke Strydom and (TSCF) who said that, “We (the TSCF) are Nkosi, DASO’s Deputy Chairperson. Both delighted to see that for the very first time, were given the opportunity to motivate why after a long time, we have capable leaders they deserve the position, and after severe who will represent the general spectrum of questioning from parliamentary members, the student community at large and not only the votes were cast. Nkosi was elected as the views of a particular group.” president with an eight vote victory over Liza-Mari Coetzee, AfriForum Youth UP Strydom.

Chairperson, told Perdeby: “AfriForum Youth Nkosi’s triumph was unexpected because UP is disappointed that the results of the AfriForum holds the most seats in its constituency. According to Nkosi, “AfriForum student parliament elections came down to a conspiracy of political parties against a nonthought they were going to thrash us.” He political organisation.” Despite the results of said that AfriForum had underestimated the the evening Coetzee possibility of his win “AfriForum Youth UP is said, “AfriForum because they felt his 2011 SRC portfolio had disappointed that the results of Youth will continue work with the been insignificant. the Student Parliament elections to students of UP to Nkosi told Perdeby that he was very excited came down to a conspiracy of serve student interests about the news, but political parties against a non- without promoting the agendas of that his excitement was political organisation.” political parties.” mostly on behalf of UP Director of Student students. “Now I can give all students equal opportunities,” he said. Affairs, Dr Willem Jorissen, who oversaw the proceedings, said that he was thankful and The announcement of the SRC president satisfied with the process of the elections. He was received positively by most of the said, “I was really impressed with the respect UP societies. Thabo Mdlalose, Deputy and good co-operation that I received from Chairperson of COPE@Tuks, said that the student observers. The general consensus the results of the SRC elections were and feedback after the meeting was a feeling exactly what they wanted. Similarly, Sasco of co-operative satisfaction over the election Chairperson, Tokologo Ngakane, said that this was a “victory for all students, both black results. I look forward to working with Mr Nkosi and his team to take charge and bring and white.” the student parliament to [new] heights in the DASO Chairperson, Jordan Griffiths, also interest of student success.” felt that the UP societies had drawn together The night also saw the appointment of under a common leader and said, “Tonight, Gerbrand Lindique (independent) as Deputy we have seen transformation at the University of Pretoria, this transformation can be seen by President, Kleinbooi Legoabe (Sasco) as Secretary General and Tebogo Twala (COPE) the diversity of the members of the SRC and as Treasurer General. For a full list of the the various constituencies which are being 2012 SRC go to www.perdeby.co.za. represented on the student body.”

Tsatsi Chauke, PASMA Secretary General, MARGEAUX ERASMUS

Photo: Eleanor Harding

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Editorial

12 Maart ‘12

Perdeby

Ho, ho, ho and a bottle of rum

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: Kirsti Buick news@perdeby.co.za @kirsti_buick Features: Meagan Dill features@perdeby.co.za @meagandill Entertainment: Nadine Laggar entertainment@perdeby.co.za @Alula273

I’ve always wanted to be a pirate. In my highly romanticised version of pirating, there is rum and tropical islands and Jack Sparrow-type mentors. Adventures on the high seas kind of awesomeness. Actual pirating, I suspect, is harsher, dirtier, more painful and more difficult

From the Editor

than anyone, least of all Disney, can possibly imagine. At least, as I discovered a few weeks ago, if I were a pirate, sailing around with a bounty that I had procured through less than legal means, and I did get pulled over by, say, the Spanish Inquisition, I wouldn’t necessarily handle that very well. Instead of loading the cannons, jumping into swash-buckling action, protecting my parrot/monkey/iguana I would stand on the side of the road, shivering, allowing the Spanish to make fun of my skinny jeans, while they searched my ship. Meanwhile, the bounty would have been skillfully hidden in below decks, where not even the most pernicious Spaniard could get his hands on it.

I apologise for the extended metaphor. It’s an occupational hazard when you’re an English student.

But nevermind, we live in a romantic age: I can be a pirate in my head if I want to.

Back in a (sober) reality, we’ve been interviewing people for new positions here at Perdeby over the last week. I both hate and love interviews. It’s exciting to meet someone who will make a great addition to the team, but discouraging to sit through ten interviews in a row which are dead ends. I can usually tell within a minute whether the person sitting across the table will get the job or not. It’s a kind of secondary sense I’ve developed over the years. This was, after all, my sixth set

of interviews. Our final decisions have been made and you’ll be seeing some new names in the paper. If you didn’t make it onto the team, please try again (and read my Top Ten for some tips on what not to do). We have a large number of applications every year and sometimes luck just isn’t on your side. You might be a great writer that we just didn’t have space for this year. Hell, I only got hired on my second attempt. And look at me now. I’m tired, stressed, irritable and an emerging alcoholic (which is like an emerging economy, except drunker): I must be successful.

We have a great edition for you this week.

There is all the theatre of student politics, haunting my newsroom once again, on the front page. Oh, the spectacle and the drama. We were also at RAMfest this weekend (rocking out to some awesome tunes, not worshiping the devil, as some Bloemfonteinians would have you believe) and you can see our interviews with all the bands inside. We won’t be back until 26 March. We’re taking a week off to go on our annual training (read: drinking) camp, where we train (read: make drunk) all the newbies. Until then, I hope life is treating you all spectacularly.

It’s a pirate’s life for me Beyers Tell me things on Twitter @PerdebyEditor

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12 March‘12 News Sub-standard student accommodation under fire DANIELLE PETTERSON “The conditions under which students are being housed in some university-leased buildings can only be described as squalid,” says a report by the Department of Higher Education and Training.

The recently released report reviewed the condition of student housing at South African universities and revealed some shocking findings.

According to the report, the exceedingly high demand for on-campus accommodation has put universities under pressure. This has frequently resulted in informal and unmanaged over-accommodation including squatting, overuse and the decay of existing infrastructure and utility services.

The report states that approximately a quarter of all infrastructure, including dining hall facilities, are in an unsatisfactory condition. The report estimates that the value of the current national maintenance and refurbishment backlog is R2,5 billion. The report claims that if the existing residence stock is to be modernised to render the

residences “fit-for-purpose”, then a further R1,9 billion is required. Enrolment at universities has drastically increased in the last decade.

The number of beds available at residential universities can only cater to 20% of total students enrolled. The estimated current residence bed shortage is approximately 195 815.

The misdistribution of National Students

The report states that approximately a quarter of all infrastructure including dining hall facilities are in an unsatisfactory condition.

Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) funding for student accommodation at a number of universities is the direct cause of much suffering and hardship to students, states the report.

According to Prof. Roelf Visser, Director of Residence Affairs and Accommodation, UP cannot accommodate all those who apply for student housing. He added that the university intends increasing its residence capacity to at least maintain the existing ratio of available beds for total enrolled students as the university grows.

There are 26 undergraduate and three postgraduate residences as well various student houses at UP which collectively accommodate more than 8 000 students.

This is approximately a quarter of the quota recommended by government. According to Visser, TuksRes is one of the leading housing units in South Africa.

Visser maintains that “TuksRes provides a ‘home away from home’ experience for students living in residences”.

The Department of Higher Education and Training, however, is calling for accountability in university student housing and recommends that all universities develop a multi-year strategic plan for residence maintenance and refurbishment.

Man dead after Hatfield outing AMY-MAE CAMPBELL A North-West University honours graduate, Richard Drevin, was reported missing from Hatfield Square on 3 March 2012. His body was found last week Tuesday at the Tshwane District Hospital.

According to Brooklyn SAPS Officer, Annabelle Middleton, Drevin (23) was out with friends at Hatfield Square on Friday 2 March. He apparently told them that he was quickly going to meet a friend but then never returned.

Three suspects were arrested for possession of Drevin’s cell phone and appeared in court last week. The three men informed the police that they found Drevin, slightly disoriented, outside the Square and offered him a lift, which he accepted.

SAPS officials who were monitoring the area, later found Drevin passed out on the corner of Festival and Pretorius Street.

An ambulance then escorted Drevin to the Tshwane District Hospital, at approximately 03:00 on Saturday morning, where he died at

06:00.

Middleton revealed that Drevin was not murdered, and that there was no evidence tying the three men who were arrested to his death. The exact cause of death is still under investigation.

Drevin’s friend, Francois Hay, told Beeld that when he had tried to call Drevin, a stranger picked up the phone and asked for money. According to Middleton, this was not a ransom threat and it is not yet apparent whether it was even abduction.

According to Middleton, the SAPS suspect it might have been a case of impaired judgement: “Being drunk on licensed premises, being drunk in public, driving under the influence and selling liquor to an intoxicated person are all serious offenses that may ruin the rest of your life. Responsibility starts with you and stays with you,” said Middleton.

All charges have temporarily been dropped, until further investigation is conducted.

Photo: www.maroelamedia.co.za

DASO poster evokes heated discussion MARGEAUX ERASMUS The provocative Democratic Alliance Student Organisation (DASO) 2012 campaign poster has received overwhelming public response.

The DASO poster shows a white man embracing a black woman above the slogan: “In OUR future, you wouldn’t look twice.” The poster has become the focus of a controversial debate and has been criticised by some for allegedly promoting sexual promiscuity.

On 6 March, the Centre for the Study of Aids (CSA) hosted a Student Forum in the Graduate Centre concerning the DASO poster. Lerato Lebona, the CSA Training Coordinator told Perdeby, “The aim was to create and facilitate dialogue amongst students about social issues in society affecting them, to ask questions and to gain more knowledge around such issues by providing a safe space for them to do so.”

According to Lebona, most of the comments made were linked to race, gender, identity, tolerance, morality, sex and diversity.

“The poster is great and challenges social norms. It got people thinking critically about our society and more importantly it got people talking about social issues a lot of them find difficult [to talk] about. The DASO poster was an ice-breaker,” Lebona said.

DASO Chairperson Jordan Griffiths said, “The intention with the poster was to show to South Africans that DASO and the DA Youth are movements [that] are here to tackle the real issues facing this country.”

“We aren’t going to tiptoe around sensitive issues. We are a youth movement and we are radical.” He added: “[The poster] served as a way of shining light on the question of race, identity and tolerance in our South Africa. It was a way of [asking] ‘Is this inter-racial couple an issue for you?’ Well if it is then you had best start thinking about how you view the world.”

According to Griffiths, the negative responses DASO received regarding the poster are “all a way of people trying to hide the fact that the poster had obviously seriously struck home.”

Comments on Facebook regarding the DASO 2012 campaign poster were both positive and negative. Krevania Pillay wrote: “Soft porn much?” Thusa Matseme wrote: “Typical of a white [A]frikaner party like the DA. Senior members of the DA must have sanctioned this crap. Who said black women have an ambition to date white [A]frikaners whose fathers and grandfathers were architects of apartheid[?]”

Cristobal Gutierrez wrote: “Politics??? Really my first impression is that it’s a condom advertisement! LOL really.”

However, Jennifer Ross wrote: “I don’t see anything wrong with this picture. Firstly, it’s not porn, it’s art. Secondly, many comments here prove the necessity of campaigns like this one.”

To read all the comments and shares regarding the DASO 2012 campaign poster visit the Democratic Alliance Youth page.

Image provided

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Intervarsity news MARGEAUX ERASMUS

Stellenbosch University There were two bomb scares at Stellenbosch University (SU) on Thursday 1 March.

The first scare was during lunch time, after someone phoned the university and told SU that there was a bomb in the Langenhoven Student Centre (commonly known as the Neelsie). Campus was evacuated but no bomb was found. The second occurred at 20:00 when a man told SU security guards that there was a bomb in the same building. Authorities evacuated the Neelsie, the JS Gericke library and the parking area, but again no bomb was found. An investigation is underway.

University of Cape Town The University of Cape Town (UCT) Council has established a commission to look into student admission policies. This follows the UCT Student Assembly’s concerns that admission policies make it too difficult for students to gain admittance to UCT. The UCT website posted an article that stated the commission will look into material gathered by the university’s admissions policy review task team. Vice-Chancellor Dr Max Price said that students and staff members are welcome to make written submission to the commission regarding policy matters. He also welcomed ideas that might help improve UCT’s admission policy.

Rhodes University Rhodes University’s SRC experienced several setbacks this semester with members resigning before orientation week. SRC president, Matthieu Maralack, told The Oppidan Press (the RU campus newspaper) that the epidemic of SRC resignations followed the resignation of their Student Liaison Officer and the death of their Office Administrator. Following this, the treasurer, activism councillor, societies councillor and media councillor resigned. After an emergency reshuffle of the executive positions, the SRC was faced with three vacant portfolios namely: student societies, student benefits and student activism and transformation. Rhodes is currently in the process of fresh SRC elections to fill these positions.

University of Johannesburg The University of Johannesburg’s Arts and Culture Department has launched a new arts and culture magazine called Art Much?

The magazine was created by the Head of UJ Arts and Culture Ashraf Johaardien.

Johaardien said, “[I] hope that Art Much? will ultimately become a forum for the meaningful discussion of and reflection on arts and culture practice within South Africa.” The magazine is available in electronic format from the UJ Arts and Culture website at www. uj.ac.za/artscentre and will be available in print from 14 March.

Walter Sisulu University A 20-year-old student has died at The Walter Sisulu University in the Eastern Cape as a result of violent protests. Mawande Mbanjwa fell six storeys during unrest at the Nelson Mandela Drive campus in Mthatha after students barricaded the entrance to the campus. Mbanjwa fell through a rotted roof of one of the residences when police started firing rubber bullets at students. The riots occurred on Monday 27 February, resulting in the campus closing until further notice.

4

12 Maart ‘12

Student donates computer to Disability Unit

Come drink with us

DAVID CROSS FRANCOIS VAN DER WESTHUIZEN Erik Meyer, a masters student in financial management, donated a R10 000 touch screen computer to UP’s Disability Unit.

Meyer won the MSI Intel Core i3 touch screen in a competition held by Matrix Warehouse in Montana. “I knew that I wasn’t going to use this computer to its full potential and thought that the visually impaired students could use the touch screen technology more sufficiently,” Meyer told Perdeby.

Juan Erwee, senior admin officer at the Disability Unit, said, “It’s the first time since I’ve been here that someone has come on their own with a donation of this magnitude”.

Erwee explained that the computer was something that they could put to good use.

“Partially sighted students will benefit most

from this computer. They will often lose track of where the mouse cursors are, so instead of looking for it on the screen, they can just touch an icon and open up something”.

Visually impaired students currently make use of a reading programme that reads the text on the computer screens to them. With this touch-screen computer, students can enlarge the text on the screen by simply tapping it and this will make it easier for students to see text and images on the screen.

Jan Boshoff, Managing Director of Matrix Warehouse, told Perdeby, “We are involved in a few institutions where we give help in the form of donations.” Boshoff explained that they launched the competition in order to establish the demand of their products in the student market.

Photos: Kobus Barnard

News

UP’s official wine society was started in 2011 by fourth-year BCom Law student Mark Nichol.

“We’re trying to encapsulate that Cape Town experience in a wine estate at all of our events,” says Nichol.

Hatfield campus serves as host to the official UP Wine Society’s monthly wine-tasting events, which are held in the Serengeti Restaurant.

Representatives from wine farms across the country showcase their wines and provide students with a brief introduction to wine tasting. Each wine farm representative presents three to six different wines during the course of the evening. This is followed by a short Q&A session.

Maxine Gunzenhauser, BCom Law student and treasurer of the UP Wine Society, commented on the society’s wish to attract more interest from UP students. She believes the wine tastings are not only informative and interesting

to all who attend, but also enormous fun.

“Most of us here at the wine society will have left UP by the end of next year so we’re looking for other students to get involved and ensure that the society has a future,” says Gunzenhauser.

Ernst Bekker, BSc Environmental Science student and Deputy Chairperson of the UP Wine Society commented on his experiences at the wine-tasting events. “I always somehow meet new and interesting people with different and similar backgrounds while enjoying a glass. ” The UP Wine Society has four wine tastings scheduled to take place over the course of the first semester. The society encourages any students with interest in social wine tasting to join.

A re-registration date for UP’s Wine Society will take place at Burgundy’s restaurant on Hatfield campus on 20 March at 16:00.

Photo: Jerome van Zyl

Fun & Games

5

12 March ‘12

Sudoku BEYERS DE VOS So, it was interview time here at Perdeby last week. Most people who come for interviews are great. Fun, affable, insightful: they make it really difficult for us to make our final decisions. Other people who manage to wangle an interview, however, are batsh*t crazy. So here are the top ten things not to do in an interview (these can probably be applied to all job interviews): 1.

2.

3.

Last week’s solution:

we just might.

Don’t insult the people interviewing you. We do ask you what you think of the paper and we expect an honest answer. But don’t tell us that Perdeby is the worst thing you’ve ever read and that you, and only you, can save it from doom. We will pop a cap in your ass.

5. Conversely, don’t tell us we’re God’s gift to mankind either. We need to know that you can recognise that we have made mistakes. But if you are going to kiss ass, at least bring us cake. Or presents (we like a good red wine).

6. Be punctual. If you’re late for your interview, especially if you’re the 20th one of the day, you won’t come out alive.

7. Don’t have an agenda. Do not deceive us into giving you an interview just to come in here and try to convince us that we need to give you a political or religious column so that you can “speak to the people�. That is not how journalism works, crazy.

8. Be able to speak. We need you to be able to tell the difference between all the words in English. If you don’t know that “pungent� does not mean “punctual�, you’re basically screwed.

9. Don’t get all offended when we sexually harrass you. We were just joking. Please drop the lawsuit.

10. When we ask you whether you party in Aandklas, and you say no, we judge you.

It proves you haven’t done any research.

Instead, lie.

4.

Don’t be high. It happens that we get an applicant that is so obviously baked that it becomes really hard not mess with their heads. At least stay off the herb long enough for the interview.

Know what it is that you are applying for. If we ask you why you want to be a news writer, or an entertainment writer, please don’t sound surprised when you realise that this is what you actually applied for. It must be all that dagga.

Answer the questions. If we ask you if you have your own transport and you tell us the story of that one time you went to Europe where you met a prostitute and helped her escaped from her Albanian pimp, we won’t be hiring you ‌ actually, if you tell us that specific story,

Pssst...

Pssst... hears that Mopanie’s preparations for their annual jock run are well under way.

When the Mopanie semis joined the Zinnia semis on their party bus, things got a quite hot and steamy when the Mopanie boys stripped down to their jocks and the Zinnia girls ripped their tops off and danced around in their bras.

Clearly house parents weren’t around. Pssst... was at Big Brag too, so if you thought you were safe, think again. How many times does Pssst... need to remind you that Pssst... is everywhere.

People weren’t even getting paid and they couldn’t get their clothes off fast enough: here’s looking at you Jasmyn. Pssst... thinks you’ve been hanging around Zinnia and Mopanie a bit too much lately. Speaking of Big Brag, Pssst... thinks the Kiaat HK should’ve locked their first years up. The Square isn’t a nursery school after all. Pssst‌ hears some Maroela seniors tried to cause trouble with some Peppies. The Peppies stood their ground though and later on the Maroela guys fled the scene. Pssst‌ feels that the Maroela/Mopanie war might start resembling 7de Laan soon. Boekenhout has been rather quiet lately. Pssst... wonders where the men have been hiding. Pssst... misses seeing you lose your steroid-enhanced cool. The

Ysters have become quite boring lately. What has happened to the Hatfield reses? It seems Groenkloof is the only campus worth speaking about lately Pssst... isn’t sure this is necessarily a good thing. Pssst‌ hears that some Taaibos guys stole Madelief’s HK board, and while they were taking it, some of the girls walked past and didn’t even question why the guys were in their corridor (where guys are not allowed). Whilst Olympus and Curlitzia were having a little doctor-doctor time during their annual barnyard culture evening, the Magrietjie semis just could not resist crashing the party. Seems the doctors have some mojo left after Rag or why else would the Magrietjie drive all the way to med campus? Then again, Magrietjie seems to be stealing Jasmyn’s crown: you know the one Pssst‌ means. Nerina’s Spriete are on stealing missions nowadays after their precious Nika was taken. Rumour has it they have stolen some very important things from the likes of Kollege and Taaibos. Ienk athletics is yet another event that Erika seemed unable to win: you know what they say, Christmas only comes around once and it looks like Erika’s winning streak is over. A Kollege first year almost punched a Nerina first year at Ienk athletics for stealing his cap? Domestic abuse this early in the year?

Eish.

Send Pssst‌ your tips: m.perdeby.co.za.

@perdebynews

ZZZ VWXGHQWVSHFLDOV QHW 8S WR RII RQ DQ\WKLQJ IURP E22NV WR E22]H‌Register now, it’s free!

6

12 Maa

NADINE LAGGAR, MELINA MELATAKOS AND JP NATHRASS

AWOLNATION What can South Africans who aren’t familiar with your music expect from an AWOLNATION performance?

We are so excited to play in South Africa! We will be sure to bring the most energy possible to your country. We try our best to bring the spirit of the underground to our live show. Crowd participation is heavily encouraged – sing-alongs, stage dives, crowd surfing ...

What’s the best thing about playing at a big international festival like RAMfest?

I have never been to South Africa, so I am psyched to learn and experience this wonderful culture. Plus, music has the power to bring all people together in a positive light, regardless of colour, shape, sex, size, or country.

Your music brings together a variety of genres. Are your influences as varied?

Yes. I am influenced by all genres of music and all walks of life: art, the way the world works and relationships with humans.

Newtown Knife Gang What’s the best thing about playing at a big festival like RAMfest?

The vibe and the energy at festivals like RAMfest [are] unrivaled.

Being able to expose crowds to music they may not have heard before and seeing them enjoying it – there is nothing like it!

Why did you decide to form INISHI8 and Dubmental?

INISHI8 and Dubmental were both formed (albeit many years apart) to push dubstep & drum ‘n’ bass music and artists in SA to new levels. There were no promoters [and nowhere] for people [to] hear drum ‘n’ bass or dubstep. It’s really nice to know that all the hard work, blood, bass and tear-outs have paid off: the scenes now have momentum and are moving forward.

You were touring in the US with your music back in 2001 already. Why do you think South Africa has taken so long to catch onto the drum ‘n’ bass and dubstep scene?

Drum ‘n’ bass never got the exposure that house music got. South Africa has always been a little conservative, so getting radio airplay was very difficult. The internet, or the lack thereof, played a massive role and, in my opinion, slowed the growth of the genre and other similar genres. Now with the internet being easily accessible, it enables people to make their own choices and listen to other music that they never knew existed.

Does a tension exist between the dubstep and electro scenes?

RAMfest 2012: a

Before going solo, the material you wrote was rejected by quite a few artists. Was there ever a point where you felt like throwing in the towel or was that never an option?

Well, I definitely had to figure out a way to make a living outside of music but I knew that I would always write songs. These ideas come [in]to my head out of nowhere, so I really have no choice. Song ideas haunt me.

How has your creative process changed since going solo?

Well, in the other bands, there were three cooks in the kitchen. Now, I am the architect and [I have the] final say to all things AWOLNATION. It is liberating and scary all at once.

When starting AWOLNATION, were you afraid that fans would constantly compare your new sound to that of your previous bands, Under the Influence of Giants and Home Town Hero?

Not really. I have always felt that those bands were constantly growing and evolving. So, I think it makes sense to a lot of our old fans.

Megalithic Symphony has been out for roughly a year now. Did you expect the overwhelmingly positive response that the album has received?

Never. I just wanted to make the best record I was capable of. I never worry too much about what other people think. I am such a music fanatic, so I figured that at least a few people would like the record because I do.

You released Megalithic Symphony digitally before it was released physically. How has the digital revolution changed the music industry for artists like AWOLNATION? It’s great for us. We can do whatever we want. There are no rules and it is a great time to be the underdog. In addition to our radio success, this record has spread through word of mouth, and that is much more possible these days with the constant progression of user-friendly social networks and recording technology.

Is a new album on the cards in the near future?

I am always writing songs for the new record. I want to be prepared for when the time comes for the second record to be released.

Your music has allowed you to travel all around the world. What is the best and worst thing about touring internationally?

Best: We get to travel for a living.

Worst: Airplanes are like jail these days.

What music festival survival tip can you give those who have flocked to RAMfest this year?

Just save your energy for AWOLNATION. What else can your fans expect from AWOLNATION in 2012?

We will always keep it interesting and be improving.

What’s the best thing about playing at a big festival like RAMfest?

Knowing that we’re playing the most talked-about festival for 2012 alongside top international and killer local acts is an incredible feeling.

Does it sometimes bug you that your music is constantly compared to 16 Stitch’s?

Not at all. 16 Stitch is part of the history of this band. Personal and professional experience will always influence your writing and musical approach. The lessons learnt in the past have definitely prepared us for how we are moving forward today.

What was it like working with Prime Circle’s Ross Learmonth on “Taste goodbye”?

Ross was a complete professional to work with. We were super stoked to have him feature on a track. He tracked his parts in one evening session and added a distinct Ross vocal performance to our third single.

You’ve talked about viewing your band as a brand that you have to sell. Why do you think this approach is important?

Music is about passion. If you need outside motivation to do music then you probably aren’t in the right industry. It’s so important to love what you do but at the same time be smart about it. You can’t be making a loss otherwise it will burn out before you get anywhere.

Ambush There are haters on both sides. Some embrace it and use it where they can, [for example] some of the psyDJs are using dubstep in their breakdowns. While other DJs are closed-minded and are not willing to listen to other types of music. The different genres are now also using similar sounds and quite often switching tempos. So they are so intertwined that it is becoming very difficult to even differentiate (between the two).

What is the best part of playing at festivals like RAMfest?

Lias: To see all the various people together, listening to music they love and just enjoying them. Also, to perform for them is a great honour and privilege.

Emile: Mixing it up with the internationals. But also the fact that it’s a festival that is held all over S.A. Jow: The fans and the vibe.

What act are you most looking forward to seeing at this year’s RAMfest?

Emile: There can be only one, In Flames.

You recently had a competition on Facebook for the redesign of your album cover for Definitely Recycled. Does this mean we shouldn’t look forward to a new album any time soon?

Emile: [Laughs] Not at all. Please look forward ...

Jow: Yes, we are busy with [some] new material and [some] acoustic songs.

You Don’t Get to Quit saw the band’s sound heading in a different direction compared to previous albums. Is this the type of style fans can expect in the future?

Lias: We always play what we feel and never try to sell out, that being said, we also try and keep things fresh for the fans, without going too far from our roots. But The Narrow will always be The Narrow.

“Lonely-Lonely” has always been a crowd favourite. Do you ever get tired of performing this song?

Emile: That’s the amazing thing about [performing] live. On the night the song is “now”. Love it.

Jow: Yes. I mean no, never.

Lias: When we practise it, yes, but playing it live for the people that love the song, never.

Pestroy This isn’t the first time Double Adapter is playing at RAMfest.

What do you think makes it one of the most anticipated festivals in the country?

Dan: I think RAMfest this year is going to be interesting. We have only ever played the Cape Town shows but I think it’s the pure energy and excitement from the crowd. Music festivals are great because people can really let rip without all the consequences of going to a party in the city. And, if you have a great line up like RAMfest has, people are gonna get buck wild!

Can we expect to get our hands on your EP any time soon?

Dan: We are currently working on it and hope to have it out within the next month or two.

Tim: Fingers crossed!

Will you be making your tracks freely available for download like you did with your mixtapes?

Tim: Absolutely. The EP might have to be downloadable only for a while but I’d love to release it for free after we’ve covered costs.

You guys have almost done things the wrong way round by releasing a documentary and a music video before releasing an album. Why is this so? Was it intentional?

Dan: [Laughs] Yeah, I guess that is a good point. I don’t think it was ever intentional but we have always treated ourselves as DJs first. We didn’t go into this with the plan of making multiple albums

7

art ‘12

a day of thunder

The Narrow What is the best part of playing at festivals like RAMfest?

Gump: The organisation, the entire setup is extremely professional.

Oh, and it’s loud. And there are loads of people. Damn, I’m amped!

Gucci: Playing RAMfest is always a pleasure. It’s becoming one of the biggest festivals in our country with some of the greatest bands and artists. It’s rad to be included in the line-up […] the professionalism of the whole RAMfest team is amazing. They have set the standard for all event organisers to follow. They have taken the festival to an international level!

You are well known for your heavy but also cross-genre style of music. Is this a natural transition for you?

Gump: It feels natural to us now, I think. It feels natural to be heavy but also natural to be complex and incorporate other styles. It wasn’t a conscious decision, though. It just went that way so yes, I guess it is natural. We are all influenced by very different styles of music and we respect that, so it’s great that we can fuse styles together.

Dylan: As Gump mentioned, we don’t consciously try play “crossgenre”. We kind of just do what we do. We all listen to quite a diverse cross-section of music, so it’s bound to creep in here and there. As long as we enjoy playing it, and people are digging it, what more do you need?

You’ve been in the music scene for quite some time. What are some of your craziest tour stories?

Shane: Our lawyer has advised me not to answer this question.

Dylan: Any tour is crazy. We’ve been banned from venues, thrown appliances from hotel windows, been stranded in the Karoo at 50° Celsius, we’ve eaten horse pizza in Berlin, arrived at a venue in the Netherlands that burned down the day before, thrown floor polishing machines from first floors but it has all been an absolute blast! Good times, good times.

What can fans expect from your performance at RAMfest this year?

Shane: He doesn’t know this yet but we’re going to set Dylan on fire while he performs a 20-minute drum solo. Or he might just roll around on the floor screaming which we’ll just call a 20-minute interpretive dance solo.

Double Adapter or even a single album. We started doing this for fun and I think that the documentary was just a natural progression. We wanted to show people what we were about.

You guys have said that you are performers first, DJs/musicians second and VJs/musicians third. What do you think makes an excellent performance?

Dan: A bottle of tequila and kids that wanna dance as much as we do.

Tim: A sore neck the next day!

You guys are from Israel, how is the psychedelic trance/electro scene over there?

The trance/electro scene is quite strong, there are still massive parties – and many great producers are Israeli. While it is true that psy is still popular in Israel, most of the clubs are playing house music these days.

Your eighth studio album, Army of Mushrooms, is being released on 8 May. Would you say your music style and sound has evolved yet again with the new album and if so, how?

We are very excited about this album: our first in almost three years. With every LP, [we take] steps to grow our “sound”. If an artist does not grow, they tend to waste away. This project will mark our return to pure electronic music, you’ll be hearing less rock, and more “untz-untz”.

You explain on your blog that the lyrics for “U R So F**ked” come from an experience in Korea. Are there any other quirky stories behind tracks on your other albums?

Sure, there are plenty. You will have to tune into our next video blog [to find out]!

“U R So F**ked” crosses multiple genres, incorporating dubstep, reggae and some heavy rock. How do you decide which genres to draw from when you’re working on a track?

We just let the music guide us. If we “feel” something, then we will explore it. Reggae, for instance, is a nice way to add spice to a tune rooted in a completely different genre (in this case, dubstep). Even in URSF, we used some guitar-distortion riffs to add flavour. If we feel like there is something lacking, we will do some digging.

Does it ever bother you that some of your fans consider your experimental approach to producing new music as disregarding your psy trance roots?

Like I said, artists do not stay the same – they have to keep experimenting, changing, evolving, or they will inevitably fade away with the times.

How was it being in a boxing ring with Argentinean wrestlers Lilian Pavone and Norma Álvarez during the making of your music video for “U R So F**ked”? It looked quite daunting.

It was very scary ... it was easy for us to show fear [laughs]. They are very talented and great at what they do! It was an interesting day in Argentina.

When should fans expect to get their hands on the next single/ music video from Army of Mushrooms?

We do not want to say an exact date but it will be very soon!

Infected Mushroom has already worked with many artists.

Who would you still like to collaborate with and why?

We have always been a big fan of Primus and Depeche Mode – it would be great to work with them some day. They are both sort of psychedelic in their own ways and we dig the fact that they transcend

PHOTOS: BRAD DONALD & JP NATHRASS

Infected Mushroom time.

You’ve performed in South Africa before: how would you say the crowd over here differs to others you’ve played in front of all over the world?

It is the edge of the world and South Africans really know how to boogie down – every time we come here, we are amazed by how awesome the people and the parties are. And I (Amit) met my wife in South Africa many years ago, so I have a special place in my heart for the country.

You’ve been touring all over the world. Where do you think the epicenter of electronic music is?

EDM is huge all over the world now – Brazil, Mexico, the United States, Russia: everyone has a scene. The epicentre has always been Europe but with American companies such as Insomniac, it wouldn’t be surprising if the United States gives Europe a run for their money.

What can South African fans expect from your performance at RAMfest this year?

Madness, insanity, energy, bass – an experience they won’t soon forget.

choosing drum ‘n’ bass as the main feature on the Electronic stage.

You started Science Frikshun along with CutKeyLow. Did you find that by starting this movement the electronic music scene became more accessible to fans?

Definitely. When we started Science Frikshun four years ago, drum ‘n’ bass was basically nonexistent in Johannesburg. During the last four years, Science Frikshun has grown from small parties with around 50 or so people to big events where we pull around 800 to 1 800 people on a monthly basis. The scene has really grown a lot and has already produced a whole bunch of up and coming DJs, producers and promoters.

Science Frikshun often collaborates for shows with the It Came From The Jungle group of artists. Do you have DJ battles?

RudeOne It is not so much competition or battles but rather a collaboration of What is the best part of playing at festivals like RAMfest?

South Africa’s top drum ‘n’ bass artists where we bring some of the Definitely the crowd and just the whole festival vibe that goes with it. Cape Town flavour to Joburg and vice versa. At the moment it is all I feel honoured to be playing a festival of this size and alongside some about building the scene and getting international acts over to enjoy of the biggest local and international acts. RAMfest is doing amazing our events as well as our country while giving our crowd the best things for the music scene in South Africa and big respect to them for drum ‘n’ bass experience possible.

What is the best part of playing at festivals like RAMfest?

The crowd. Definitely the crowd. They are in full festival mode and ready to let loose. This allows me to take full control and play everything I’d like to, and we end up having a great time together.

Also, the production at festivals like RAMfest is always top notch, which makes it all the better.

What act are you most looking forward to seeing at this year’s RAMfest?

It’s going to be great seeing Netsky play again, and this time with one of my favourite drum ‘n’ bass MCs – Darrison. On the live stage, I’m really excited about Infected Mushroom. I performed with them in Spain last year, and they were insane live.

You grew up in Mitchell’s Plain situated on the Cape Flats which has quite the reputation. Would you say this has had an influence on your music?

It’s had an influence on my work ethic and drive. For kids growing up in Mitchell’s Plain, opportunities are hard to come by and when [they do], you learn quickly to work very hard to become good at your trade, else you don’t make it out. I still hold on to the life lessons I have from [my] childhood there.

How would you say the drum ‘n’ bass scene has changed with the increasing interest it’s received as a popular genre on the South African music circuit?

Niskerone A few years ago, you would never hear drum ‘n’ bass on stations like 5FM, now it’s become a regular occurrence. The genre has definitely been exposed to a larger audience in South Africa that would normally never [have] heard of it. Now that we have South Africa’s attention, we’re using this opportunity to showcase the various faces of drum ‘n’ bass music and not just the stuff that’s on radio and telly.

8

Entertainment

12 Maart ‘12

RAMfest: an elemental battle NADINE LAGGAR

In Flames

Shadowclub

The Narrow

In the beginning, there was joy, beer and sun.

Riversands was filling up as eager festival goers trickled in. The beer tent was glorious; the bartenders jostled to serve Black Label and Hunters that flowed in abundance. But then, at some indiscernible point in the afternoon, the crowds split between the electro and main stage and the heavens followed suit with heavy rain and lightning. This really was the day of thunder.

The first battle was with the heat. The sizzling of metal-head and elecro-junkie skin was clearly audible amidst the first few bands of the day. Unfortunately, Shadowclub’s performance, although good, failed to connect to the crowd and fell flat. You could have blamed the insane heat but that didn’t stop Chromium’s fans from starting a mosh pit. As with most mosh pits, one poor, dazed individual was helped out after having someone’s limb connect with his face.

Those that weren’t frantically trying to defend their positions in front for In Flames periodically huddled under the beer tent for protection from the solar vengeance outside.

Despite this, when Fokofpolisiekar came out there was a huge crowd awaiting these old favourites. It’s always safe to assume that Fokofpolisiekar will deliver a great performance, but this performance was on another level. The crowd was hooked from the moment Wynand threw some water over the dehydrated masses. Francios did an epic stage dive and the crowd was revived absorbing everything the boys from Fokofpolisiekar had to offer. A man, rather too elated, tried to follow the stage dive with his own, which ended quite suddenly with the parting of the crowd.

Next up was AWOLNATION, the first international act of the day. The first two songs did not bode well for the boys from California.

The audience, still reeling from Fokofpolisiekar, needed more, so much more. But moments later the vibe changed and AWOLNATION delivered. The energy of these guys was off the charts. Frontman Aaron Bruno rolled around on the floor playing guitar, switching to drums and pretty much jumping around for the whole

damn set.

By this time the sky was darkening and the heat dissipating. The rain came down against a backdrop of sporadic lightening and a foreground of Pestroy. The metal fans were undeterred and powered on by Pestroy and The Narrow, but it has to be said that The Narrow’s performance was spectacular. The crowd was eating up every riff and syllable that emanated from the stage. That was until you ran to the beer tent to discover that the only things left were Castle milk stout and Monster energy drinks. Not even a bottle of water to be seen and it was barely 20:00.

Regardless, no one was prepared for the immense crowd that would gather for In Flames.

You know it’s going to be big, really big when you look back and see an ocean of people.

No grass or beer tent, just people. There was pushing, shoving, people losing their minds trying to get in front and the people in front losing their minds protecting it. Even the MC got booed off stage with a collective “shut the f**k up” before he gave up on the rowdy crowd and retired for the night. After quite a long wait, while sound checks were done the moment arrived: everyone was about to witness the greatness of In Flames. Alas, they were great – but not brilliant. The sound was weak, even after the crowd pleaded for the mic to be turned up but their stage presence was phenomenal and die-hard fans were falling over themselves in elation.

The greatest part of RAMfest had to be Infected Mushroom. The crowd was a melting pot of leather arm bracers, baseball caps, thick soled boots and sneakers. It, in other words, was beautiful. The duo from Israel had the most eclectic set of the night, incorporating heavy riffs from guitarist Thomas Cunningham – who looked like a quirky young Slash minus the top-hat – which balanced out the heavy beat radiating through Riversands and all to the instruction of Amit Duvdevani using a drumstick to control the crowd.

Brutal heat, wet weather, some amazing acts, some disappointments and all worth it, until next year.

Infected Mushroom

Photos: Brad Donald & JP Nathrass Chromium

Fokofpolisiekar

In Flames

Fokofpolisiekar

Features

12 March ‘12

9

Controversial castration laws cause for concern?

BERND FISCHER “On the one hand, you have to protect the potential victims and on the other hand, I wanted to be protected from myself. I wanted to live like a normal person,” says Pavel – a child sex offender from the Czech Republic who declined to state his surname for fears of being harassed – after undergoing the voluntary but controversial surgical procedure of castration.

Just last month, the Council of Europe’s AntiTorture Committee criticised Germany for its procastration stance. Germany is currently the only country in Europe along with the Czech Republic that has institutionalised surgical castration of sex offenders. Although the committee concedes to the fact that it is a voluntary procedure and is only done under strict and well-controlled circumstances, it still accuses these countries of a return to the Dark Ages.

Chemical castration has similar results to physical castration but follows a different process.

The individual’s sex drive (and consequently sexual activity) is reduced through medication as opposed to surgery. This done is in the hopes of preventing sexual predators from re-enacting their crimes. This medical procedure has garnered just as much attention as physical castration over the past few weeks.

On 29 February, a law allowing the chemical castration of paedophiles was passed by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Russia is not the first country to pass this particular law. In fact, Portugal, France, Britain, Denmark, Sweden and certain states in the USA already offer chemical castration drugs to sexual offenders who choose to take them. India is currently considering passing these laws as well. Since September 2009 Poland remains the only country in the European Union which has imposed legislation that actually forces child molesters to undergo chemical castration.

South Korea followed in Poland’s footsteps in July last year.

Although castration is not a new concept, it remains a contentious issue. The function of physical castration is simple: by removing the testicles, there is little or no testosterone produced

– the overproduction of which is said to cause this sexually deviant behaviour. The removal of these organs result in a reduction or complete loss of libido. The same procedure would apply to female sex offenders, with the ovaries (which produce oestrogen) being removed.

According to The Washington Post, the German government continues to endorse surgical castration because of its evident success. The Czech Republic echoes Germany’s views on the matter – castration is seen as a treatment rather than a punishment. Dr Martin Holly, director of the Psychiatric Hospital Bohnice in Prague, says that of the nearly 100 sex offenders who had been physically castrated over the past decade, none had re-committed crimes of a sexual nature.

Despite these apparent benefits of surgical castration, there are also the mental and emotional implications of the procedure to consider. A decrease in masculinity has also been recorded – these include physical strength of the body, muscle mass and body hair. Furthermore, without adequate hormone replacement therapy, men can experience symptoms similar to those of

menopausal women: hot flushes, weight gain or redistribution of body fat to the hips or chest, resulting in gynecomastia (enlargement of the breasts).

Chemical castration, unlike surgical castration, does not involve surgery. The procedure is also reversible once treatment is stopped. However, the chemicals used to castrate an individual do have a lasting effect on the body. Cyproterone or the female contraceptive Depo-Provera are administered by most castration programmes.

According to LiveStrong.com, anti-androgenic effects on the body include loss in bone density (increasing the risk of osteoporosis) and a longterm risk for cardiovascular disease.

Apart from the physical effects of these procedures, there have been ethical objections to castration. The American Civil Liberties Union is one of many organisations against the forced administration of any kind of medication whatsoever for sex offenders. They argue that these procedures infringe on the rights of such individuals.

According to academic website Serendip,

experts maintain that these drugs are ineffective and do not prevent sexual predators from commiting rape, molestation or other sexual offences. A writer representing the views of British newspaper The Telegraph maintains that proponents of these laws cannot rely on studies in terms of effectiveness either, as these depend on self-reporting by the sexual offenders themselves.

The impracticalities of chemical castration must also be considered. Sex offenders undergoing chemical castration should be monitored on a regular basis to ensure that they are taking their medication. Take, for example, Joseph Frank Smith. In the 1980s, Smith was convicted of child molestation and started chemical treatment.

He quickly became an advocate for chemical castration. However, in 1999 he was convicted of molesting a five-year-old girl – a year after discontinuing his treatment.

In South Africa, castration has yet to become a common practice. There was, however, one landmark case in July 2003. A Durban school teacher, convicted of child molestation and child pornography, requested to be chemically castrated instead of being sent to jail. His request was granted. However, South African specialist child abuse prosecutor, Vaneshree Moodley, does not believe that castration can treat the psychological causes of these behaviours.

Alternatively, in an article entitled “Castration Works” for 212.net, Susan Feinstein argues that a castrated person would be “more docile” and therefore be more likely to be rehabilitated, allowing him/her to be a “worthwhile citizen”.

She also argues that prison merely results in further aggressive behaviour which could lead to committing sexual abuse again once the criminal has been released.

It seems that this debate is set to continue for some years. It is an intensely complex issue to consider when the public must decide whose rights take preference: those of the sex offenders – who are subjected to a punishment that is considered inhumane – or those of the victims and society as a whole, who demand protection.

Photo: Desré Barnard

Smartphones: can’t live with or without them MEAGAN DILL Picture this: it’s a manic Monday morning, you’ve only just managed to leave in time for your 07:30 lecture, when suddenly you realise with a sinking feeling ... you forgot your iPhone. Do you spend an extra five minutes going back to fetch it and arrive late for the lecture, or do you dare spend an entire day without it? We’d all like to think that we could happily live without smartphones, but the truth is that it actually feels a bit like leaving one of your limbs at home. Could we be addicted to our smartphones? Perdeby investigates.

But first: what exactly is addiction and how does it work? According to an article published on PsychologyToday.com, the concept goes right back to basic survival instinct. The brain naturally functions on a pleasure and reward system. Take, for example, the fundamental human desires to eat, sleep or have sex. Your brain releases the all-powerful pleasure chemical, dopamine, which results in the feeling of enjoyment. This immediate gratification results in the urge to continue such activities, and it effectively aids your survival.

“The inescapable fact is that nature gave us the ability to become hooked because the brain has evolved a reward system, just as it has a pain system,” explains American physiologist and pharmacologist Steven Childers.

But this system can become dangerous when the pleasure receptors respond to something that is not actually essential to our survival. Like, for instance, using your BlackBerry. But is there any proof that smartphone addiction legitimately exists, or is it nothing more than an urban myth?

A survey conducted in 2011 by US-based communications company RingCentral yielded results that show that there may indeed be cause for concern. When respondents were asked what they do first thing in the morning before getting out of bed, 49% answered that they pick up their smartphone (to check, for example, their email

or the weather). Only 20% said that they first kiss their significant other (or pet). Collectively, these statistics seem to suggest that in this small, everyday way the majority of people prioritise their smartphone over a living person or animal.

This ties in with an opinion piece published late last year in The New York Times. In researching technological dependency, columnist Martin Lindstrom conducted an experiment in conjunction with a company that specialises in neuromarketing – a new field of marketing that uses scientific means to determine how the subconscious part of the brain reacts to various stimuli. Eight males and eight females between the ages of 18 and 25 partook in the experiment.

One result stands out as particularly interesting.

Lindstrom writes: “[We noticed a] flurry of activation in the insular cortex of the brain, which is associated with feelings of love and compassion.

In short, the subjects didn’t demonstrate the classic brain-based signs of addiction. The subjects’ brains responded to the sound of their phones as they would respond to the presence or proximity of a girlfriend, boyfriend or family member.”

In light of this, it seems that “addiction” may be the wrong term to use. And if our smartphones are causing us to feel an emotion that is usually reserved for other living beings, this may be an indication that it’s time to re-evaluate our priorities. But what exactly is it that makes us feel this kind of bond with our smartphones?

Michael Matusowsky, a first-year computer

engineering student, says, “We’re not addicted to smartphones. We’re addicted to the social networking that comes with one.” Another (similar) hypothesis is that the connection the phone gives us to others is where its appeal lies – if our phones are constantly buzzing with tweets, BBMs, and Facebook notifications, we feel wanted and well-liked. But this becomes rather self-defeating when interacting with others digitally becomes an obstacle to interacting with people in real life. So how can you reach some kind of balance?

One way to curb smartphone use when out with friends is to play the following game: when everyone arrives at the restaurant/bar/club, you all put your phones face down in the centre of the table. Whoever succumbs first to checking their phone has to pick up the bill. Sure, it’s a hefty price to pay, but it does more or less guarantee that the people at the table will actually be talking to each other instead of having their faces buried in their phones. And isn’t that what everyone’s there to do, after all?

Another way to break the habit of constantly checking your phone is to set aside a detox period each day where you switch off your phone and put it in another room – somewhere you won’t be tempted to sneak a peek at it. You could use the time to catch up with a loved one, read a book or take a relaxing bubble bath. Forcing yourself to take a breather from our fast-paced, technologydriven world could prove to be a grounding and stress-relieving activity.

The bottom line when it comes to using smartphones is that although they are convenient in many ways, care should be taken to keep priorities in order. Despite the fact that there’s an application for just about anything you can think of, it’s safe to say that technology will probably never be able to come up with something that truly replaces the power of human touch and company.

Photo: Brad Donald

10

12 Maart ‘12

Features

Politics 2.0: agendas go live on the internet LUSANDA FUTSHANE For a while, it was safe to assume that politicians and computer programmers could never be the same people. To a politician, the term “code” meant a system of laws that one either has to follow or fight against and to a programmer, the term “protest” could only possibly refer to stubbornly refusing to use Internet Explorer until the bugs in its security are fixed.

So what happens when a politician conveniently knows how to hack into a multinational corporation’s database or when a computer programmer suddenly adopts a strong political ideology? “Hacktivism” is what happens – the limits of technology are stretched to promote political ideals. Are these online renegades justified in their cause or do they simply get away with it because of their anonymity?

Hacktivism began tamely enough in the early 90s when hackers would recode expensive software in order to make it freely available to the public. That eventually led to the widespread development of legal opensource software and initiatives like Freenet (a peer-to-peer file-sharing website that protects its users’ identities and is resistant to censorship) and the GNU Project (one of the world’s leading open-source software providers). However, over time, hacking became more politically motivated, often tackling issues like capitalism, censorship and even Scientology. Nowadays, hacktivism is almost exclusively political. The most prominent example being Anonymous, which has progressed from being a banner-term for a group of internet hackers to being an entire school of thought.

Last year, Anonymous was vilified for taking the Occupy Movement to the internet and threatening to black out Facebook (they were not successful). Second-year computer engineering student Johan Grobelaar believes that most hackers choose to hide under Anonymous’s alias because it is easier.

“Anonymous is the hero right now,” he says.

“If I was brave enough to take my political views to the web, I’d be honoured to let [Anonymous] take the credit.”

However, as empowering as using your hacking skills to fight for whatever you believe in may be, the question remains: is it ethical? As Anonymous proves, most digital

vigilantes practise their hacking under the cover of obscurity. Very few hacktivists are ever caught and brought to justice.

Hacktivism transgressions can range from altering a corporation’s website home page to hacking into strictly guarded government mainframes and procuring government

secrets. According to Dr James Baillie, chair of the Department of Philosophy at the University of Portland, most hacktivists claim that their actions should be seen as civil disobedience: the motive usually justifies the means.

The world was appalled early last year when Egypt’s internet servers were reportedly shut down by the government ahead of one of the country’s largest planned protests against then totalitarian president Hosni Mubarak. Internet censorship is still a big problem in China and according to Amnesty International, the country “has the largest recorded number of imprisoned journalists and cyber-dissidents in the world.”

But in a few cases, such as Anonymous’s, protesters get caught up in their rogue mentality and begin to believe that since they cannot be seen and identified, they’re untouchable. This isn’t hard to believe when, for example, at the beginning of the year, Anonymous disabled a number of websites that belonged to the FBI, Universal Music Group, the Recording Association of America and the Motion Picture Association of America after the peer-to-peer file-sharing website Megaupload was shut down as part of America’s ongoing battle against online piracy. No one was convicted for the attacks.

Moreover, hacktivism’s biggest asset is how global it is. Hacktivists in South Africa could be fighting battles for civilians in Afghanistan. Their mystery and potential omnipresence is what makes them both effective and dangerous.

With such lax laws and regulations when it comes to internet security, is the world safer with or without hacktivists? Second-year journalism student Malusi Mthembu says he doesn’t feel safe knowing a shrouded group of strangers have the ability to take down governments. “No one should have that much power. If it corrupts them, the noble causes they’re fighting for today could turn ugly tomorrow, and then we’ll have anarchy.”

Illustration: Ezelle van der Heever

Slapelose nagte en energielose dae MIGNON PEENS Lê jy vir ure in jou bed en skape tel, al is jy hoe moeg? Jy is nie die enigste een wat sukkel met slapeloosheid (ook bekend as insomnia) nie.

Statistiek van eMedicineHealth.com wys dat tussen 30% en 50% van die algemene bevolking met korttermyn slapeloosheid sukkel en 10% met kroniese slapeloosheid.

Indien jy onder die indruk is dat jou liggaam normaal funksioneer en gewoond kan raak aan min slaap, hou jy jouself vir die gek.

Inteendeel, Marine Corps Universiteit in Amerika reken dat die regte hoeveelheid slaap nodig is vir die herstel van jou liggaam en die optimale funksionering van jou brein.

Kan `n gebrek aan slaap mens regtig negatief affekteer? `n Studie wat by die Loughborough Slaapnavorsingsentrum gedoen is, wys dat `n gebrek aan slaap jou reaksies vertraag en verswak. Jou uitspraak van woorde word ook eentonig, onduidelik en veel stadiger as gewoonweg en jou vermoë om wiskundige berekeninge te doen verminder. Mens begin sukkel om te leer en te onthou, verbeeldingryke woorde te gebruik, kreatief te dink, besluite te neem en te implementeer en om te konsentreer. Al die bogenoemde gevolge van slapeloosheid lei tot frustrasie en maak mens uiters emosioneel.

Die National Institute of Neurological Disorders het bewys dat hallusinasies ook kan voorkom.

Die vraag is waarom so baie mense sukkel om hulself in droomland te bevind. Volgens eMedicineHealth.com kan oorsake so eenvoudig soos oormatige kafeïen- en suikerinname wees, maar

ook meer komplekse probleme soos te veel stres of `n siektetoestand. Verdere algemene oorsake van korttermyn slapeloosheid is pyn, koors, treurigheid, angstigheid, asemhalingsprobleme, diarree, `n ongemaklike kamertemperatuur, `n verandering in skofwerk en geraas.

Onttrekkingsimptome van dwelms, alkohol, kalmeermiddels en stimulerende medikasie is ook `n groot oorsaak.

Langtermyn insomnia, aan die ander kant, word meestal meegebring deur sielkundige en fisiologiese mediese toestande soos skisofrenie, depressie, angstigheid, bipolêre depressie, trauma, kroniese stres en moegheid, acid reflux-siekte, chroniese obstruktiewe lugwegsiektes, asma en selfs `n gewas op die brein. Daar is selfs

voorskrifmedikasie wat slapeloosheid kan meebring, soos antidepressante, griepmedikasie wat alkohol bevat, pynpille wat kafeïen bevat, diuretika en hoëbloeddrukmedikasie.

Hoe kan jy insomnia beveg? Daar is gelukkig `n menigte mediese en homeopatiese oplossings. Indien jou dokter vir jou slaappille voorgeskryf het, beteken dit nie dat jy dit elke aand moet neem sonder dat jy eers natuurlike metodes oorweeg het nie. Wanneer dit kom by slaappille moet mens versigtig wees, aangesien mens daaraan afhanklik kan word vir die res van jou lewe sodra jou liggaam daaraan gewoond raak.

Melatonien is `n hormoon wat deur jou brein afgeskei word en wat in beheer is van jou slaapsiklus. Inname daarvan kan dus

as `n alternatiewe, homeopatiese opsie vir slaappille dien. HelpGuide.org reken mens moet nie in die bed klim met die verwagting dat jy moeilik aan die slaap gaan raak nie, want dit vererger net die probleem.

Mens moet nuwe gewoontes aanleer, soos om te fokus op slaap en nie probleme of verleenthede nie. Jou kamer moet ook donker en koel wees. Vermy ook slapies gedurende die dag en beperk kafeïen, alkohol en nikotien net voor slaaptyd. `n Paar Tuks-studente het ook raad, soos Rina Van Niekerk, `n tweedejaar verbruikerswetenskappe student, wat sê: “Dis `n ou army trick om toe oë, mond oop en plat op jou rug te lê. Of jy kan warm melk met peper in drink.”

Melanie Scheepers, `n tweedejaar menslike bewegingskunde student, reken dit werk vir haar om `n vervelige fliek te kyk of `n vervelige boek te lees. `n Hele paar studente, wat verkies om anoniem te bly, het gesê dat seks en `n zol dagga soos `n bom werk.

SleepCottage.com stel voor dat jy `n paar ure voor slaaptyd oefen, `n warm bad neem voor jy in die bed klim, seker maak dat jy `n gemaklike matras en kussing het en dat jy oorpluisies gebruik.

Alhoewel insomnia soms as `n simptoom van ander sielkundige en mediese toestande gesien word, kan dit ook `n versteuring op sy eie wees. Simptome wat tot en met drie weke aanhou word geklassifiseer as akute korttermyn slapeloosheid. Indien dit egter nie behandel word nie, kan dit lei na kroniese insomnia. Dit is dus belangrik om die oorsake van jou slapeloosheid te ondersoek en aan te spreek.

Illustrasie: René Lombard

Sport

11

12 March ‘12

Meet Miss Tuks Varsity Cup: Cayla Esterhuysen KATLEGO PHEEHA On 5 March Cayla Esterhuysen was crowned Miss Tuks Varsity Cup at halftime during Tuks’s clash against Shimlas. Perdeby had an exclusive interview with the BCom Marketing and Tourism Management student right after she was crowned.

Going into the week, how confident were you that you would win?

In the beginning it was very nerve wracking, but I had the support that I needed. I just knew that this is what I wanted and I went all out for it. I think if you really want something you have to pull out all the stops and just go for it.

What have been the best and worst parts of your experience in this contest?

I don’t really think that there was a “worst” experience. I must say that this was the most wonderful experience, especially with all the friends I made. Really, these were the most amazing girls.

They are so genuine and we were so supportive of each other.

The friendships that I’ve made I’ll take through my whole life.

We just met each other a couple of weeks ago but we have such a close bond and that is just amazing for me. Of course we were competitive in a sense, but mostly because we wanted to raise funds for women abuse and tried to sell all our tickets, and in the end we did.

What was going through your mind as the announcement drew closer?

It felt like my heart was pounding inside my throat. We all have these expectations and everyone wants to be the winner. I think just by competing in this competition you’re a winner, but at that stage there’s that hope that you could win.

Looking at the year ahead, how will you try to make the most of your role as one of the ambassadors of Varsity Cup rugby?

I’m so privileged to represent Tuks. I feel really honoured.

I’m going to try my best to represent Tuks the way it should be represented both at the Varsity Cup and at nationals. I’ll really try

to be there for our players just to motivate them because I know my happiness comes not only from myself but from the people around me. I just want to give that to the Tuks players.

How confident are you going into the nationals of Miss Varsity Cup? I must say I’m pretty confident in my capabilities. I’ve got time to prepare for it and I’m really looking forward to it. I look forward to the friendships I’ll make there as well. I believe that you can achieve anything you put your mind to and I’m going to prepare as much as I can and just do my best.

What does being Miss Tuks Varsity Cup mean to you?

It’s really an honour. The previous winners have set such a high standard. I must say I won’t try to fill someone’s shoes, but I want to try to be amazing in my own way as they were in theirs.

I’m really looking forward to working with the Women Against Abuse and Pink Shorts campaign. I really believe in women empowerment and this is going to be a great opportunity as it will open so many doors to raise the voice of women. Rugby is normally seen as just a men’s sport but women are also a big part of the lives of rugby players. Women are capable of doing and achieving great things.

Who is your favourite Tuks Player?

Wesley Dunlop. He’s one of the tournament’s top point scorers and he was also impressive in last year’s Currie Cup when he played for the Leopards so I’m really glad that he’s playing for us again.

Do you see Tuks going all the way to the finals again this year?

Of course. It’s Tuks of Niks!

Final comments about the Miss Varsity Cup campaign?

It’s really not a beauty contest – it’s all about personality and confidence. The girls of Tuks really need to participate. If you’ve got confidence and Tukkie pride then you’ve got what it takes and needs to enter Miss Tuks Varsity Cup 2013.

Photo: Kobus Barnard

Five minutes with Dirkie Chamberlain CARLO COCK Investec SA Women’s Hockey player Dirkie Chamberlain recently led her team to Olympic qualification with a brilliant individual performance at the New Delhi Qualification Tournament. The star striker, who currently plays for Utrecht in the Netherlands, finished as the tournament’s second top goal scorer. She sat down with Perdeby and shared her views on TuksHockey, her journey to the top and her hopes for the Olympics in this exclusive interview.

When did you start playing hockey?

I started playing when I was 14 in high school.

That is quite late for a player who is now a national team player, is it not?

Well, sometimes I think it’s a good thing I started so late because I didn’t burn out. Sometimes when you start playing sport at a very young age, you lose interest when you get older.

Why did you choose to come to Tuks?

Well, I went to Pretoria Girls High so Pretoria is my home, and Tuks is a good university, so it was a logical decision.

What did you study at Tuks?

I studied BSportScience. I really enjoyed it and found that the knowledge I gained from my studies helped on the hockey field.

Do you have any role models, not just in hockey but in sport in general?

Yes, firstly Roger Federer. I love him and he’s awesome, and I’m really going to do my best to hunt him down at the Olympics.

And I’m a really big fan of Bryan Habana. In hockey, it would have to be Luciana Aymar from Argentina. She’s the number one player in the world and she’s just amazing.

What advice would you give to young players aspiring to be national team hockey players?

Well, I think if they want to be professionals one day, anything is possible, but it just depends on how much you want it and how much you’re willing to work for it. It takes a lot of hard work, determination and you have to respond positively to setbacks, then you’ll get there one day.

What sort of setbacks did you experience on your journey to the top?

Well, firstly it starts off small but you always remember them, like not making the provincial team. All sorts of things have happened to me. Like being left out of numerous South African teams and missing out on the Beijing Olympics due to injury.

Injuries have set me back quite a lot. Also, not making the coach’s team for a specific match – even as a professional that’s a setback.

What do you think is the secret behind TuksHockey’s success?

Well, I haven’t played for Tuks for a while, because I’m now based in Holland, but when I did play for Tuks, the success of the club was down to the spirit we had as a team. We were a great unit. We loved Tuks, we loved each other, and that just

made us play for each other. There’s just a great passion around TuksHockey. Obviously, it’s also down to the good coaching team – we’ve got Craig Fulton, Natalie Fulton and David Viney, who are all great coaches.

How did it feel sealing qualification for the Olympics at the New Delhi Qualification Tournament?

It was an awesome feeling. This will be my first Olympics, so I’m very excited. We did well because we were so well prepared.

We really covered everything in our preparation. As excited as I am, I know I have to still work hard to make the team.

You scored two hat-tricks in the tournament and finished as the second top scorer. How proud are you of your own performance?

Well, for me, it’s all about the performance of the team. Yes, it is nice to score lots of goals, but at the end of the day, without the

hard work of my team mates, I wouldn’t have scored them. Most of my goals were just applying the finishing touch to a great team move.

How do you feel about the team’s prospects at the Games?

Well, considering how we’ve improved in the past seven or eight months, I don’t think a medal is impossible. I’m not going to be unrealistic and say “We’re definitely going to win gold”, but I definitely think we can strive to be top six.

Who would you say are the favourites for gold at the Olympics?

I would definitely say the Netherlands and Argentina. They’re the two best teams in the world right now.

Check out our inerview with Dirkie’s national teammate Nicolene Terblanche online at perdeby.co.za

Photo: provided

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

Sport

Tuks maintain perfect home record

five outings and are in third place, below Maties and UJ. With two games remaining before the semi-finals, Tuks will be aiming for a strong end to the season to secure themselves a home semi-final.

Photos: Kobus Barnard & Marius Veldhuyzen van Zaten

Varsity Cup log Position 1.

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Team Maties UJ UP-Tuks NWU-Pukke NMMU UCT Shimlas TUT

Tuks down UJ in intervarsity T20

Tuks used their home-ground advantage and last year’s intervarsity defeat as motivation against UJ to good effect by beating them in the teams’ inaugural intervarsity T20 match by 36 runs at the TuksCricket Oval on 7 March.

Tuks mustered up 136/6 in their 20 overs and bowled UJ out for 100 runs in the 20th over. Tuks 1 coach, Pierre de Bruyn, said that he thought the game would be much closer than it was and that his side was 20 runs short in the end. However, he was “over the moon” with

Photos: Kobus Barnard

W 5 4 4 2 2 1 1 0

Pts 22 20 20 14 10 9 6 0

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the victory considering that they lost to UJ last year.

“If we weren’t on the button it would have been a different story, but we did well. It was pleasing to see the fight in the end,” said De Bruyn.

UJ’s decision to put Tuks into bat seemed to be a good call when they made early inroads into Tuks’s batting line-up. UJ’s opening bowler, Sean Jamison, was the pick of the UJ bowlers with figures of 4-0-17-3. Jamison bowled a probing line and length and claimed both of Tuks’s opening batters in the third over of the game. He dismissed Craig Letcher (0) caught behind and Josh Richards (9) caught on the deep square leg boundary in quick succession.

Tuks was in trouble at 16/2 in the third over. The batsmen tried to upset the bowling by being aggressive, but this only led to risky shots, which in turn led to wickets.

Tuks’s David Bunn came to his team’s rescue. The number three anchored the innings for Tuks and allowed his teammates to bat around him. He ended up scoring 47 off 48 balls and consolidated the Tuks innings. However, Bunn fell at the hands of Zemdon Verster in the 17th over, a crucial stage of the game when the innings needed a push.

Tuks’s opening bowler, Matthew Pillans, obliged and came to the party with the bat, finishing off strongly for Tuks. He scored a blistering 39 not out off 22 balls including one four and three sixes.

UJ would have fancied their chances at the total but Pillans had other ideas. He made quick work of Edrich Libbe by bowling him out with his fourth ball. The Tuks bowlers bowled in partnerships, not letting the opposition settle down or put together any real partnerships of their own Regular wickets kept UJ behind the eight ball. UJ’s only significant run scorer was opener, Rob Fanna. He scored 32 off 29 balls and was UJ’s hope until he was dismissed by Ernest Kemp in the ninth over. The star for Tuks’s bowling unit was GC Pretorius who ended up with figures of 4-0-13-3.

P 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

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Tuks crushed Shimlas 48-18 in a fifth round clash at the TuksRugby Stadium on 5 March. The win means Tuks has maintained its perfect home record in the competition, with three wins in as many matches.

Shimlas went into the game under massive pressure, needing to win the game to stand any chance of qualifying for the semi-finals.

Shimlas is now out of contention for the knock out stages.

Tuks’s victory put them in a good position to regain momentum and confidence after the narrow defeat against Maties. “We’re very glad. We were going for five points and we got it, but we’re not counting our chickens yet,” said Tuks 1 manager, Morris Gilbert.

According to Gilbert, Tuks could have played a better game and their defence was not up to standard, nor were they clinical in their finishing. “We threw points away,” he said.

Despite this, Tuks still managed to score six tries compared to Shimlas’s two. Tuks’s flyhalf Wesley Dunlop is currently the second highest point scorer of the season, with 56 points thus far, including 16 conversions and four penalties. With a 91% success rate, he last missed a kick in Tuks’s opening game of the season against UJ. Dunlop was quickly called into action in this game when Tuks’s Riaan Britz scored under the posts in the second minute. Not many

phases were put together but a quick ball from the back line secured Tuks’s first try. Shimlas’s Reinhardt Erwee responded and scored for the men from Bloemfontein in the eighth minute.

During the 20th minute, Tuks’s right wing, Deon Helberg, looked to have scored his first try of the game but it was judged a forward pass. Helberg did, however, score two tries in the game and was ultimately named the “player that rocks”. Helberg scored his first try just before the end of the first half where he straightened the line and evaded three defenders.

The second half started with a lot more aggression from Tuks as they ran the ball wider. During the 45th minute Riaan Britz went over for his second try of the game.

Helberg’s second try of the game came during the 67th minute when his brilliant dummy pass worked to his advantage and resulted in a try.

With ten minutes remaining in the game, Shimlas looked to be more aggressive which resulted in a try worked off the back of a maul.

However, Shimlas’s night was marred by mistakes from set pieces.

Only Tuks’s inability to maximise on all scoring opportunities prevented a heavier defeat.

Shimlas now occupy the second last place on the log, above TUT, having lost four of their five games. Tuks have won four of their last

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