14 May 2012 Issue 11 Year 74

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

14May2012 Accommodation crisis

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year74issue11

Should you puff or should you pass?

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Plush interview

Marilyn Manson: the death of a legacy

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AmaTuks promoted to PSL

CARLO COCK AmaTuks secured the National First Division (NFD) title and the promotion to the Premier Soccer League (PSL) when they beat FC Cape Town 2-0 at Absa Tuks Stadium on Wednesday 9 March. AmaTuks will now compete in South African football’s top professional division against the likes of Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs, Mamelodi Sundowns and Supersport United next season.

“I’m very, very proud of our team. We’ve had a good run, only losing two games in 2012 and going 17 games unbeaten,” said a delighted AmaTuks coach, Steve Barker, after the game. “We had a bit of a wobble mid-season but we showed good character to come back, so I’m very proud of the players,” Barker told Perdeby.

AmaTuks dominated the opening minutes of the match against FC Cape Town and took the lead in the ninth minute when Setjhaba Mmuso tapped in Esau Mtsweni’s cross after a great through ball from Aubrey Ngoma. Six minutes later, the home side had their second goal as Thokozani Sekotlong’s cross deflected off Ngoma before Mtsweni slotted it coolly past the FC Cape Town keeper. AmaTuks delighted the home crowd with some great passing football and were by far the better side as the first half ended 2-0.

AmaTuks had the first chance of the second half from a free-

kick 25 yards out, but Sibusiso Themba blasted his effort over the bar. Chances were few and far between for the visitors but in the 51st minute Mzuvele Skhosane hit a stinging shot from long range which AmaTuks keeper, Siya Mngoma, fumbled before managing to recover.

In the 65th minute Steve Barker made two substitutions, bringing on Philani Khwela and Mpho Maruping for Themba and Sekotlong respectively, as AmaTuks slowed the game down.

FC Cape Town found it difficult to play through the AmaTuks defence and resorted to taking shots from outside the penalty area. Centre-back Siya Shoyisa produced a brilliant defensive display for AmaTuks.

AmaTuks showed good tactical discipline and attempted to run the clock down in the last few minutes but still had chances to get a third goal as Ngoma and Khwela both had shots saved late on. After four minutes of added time the final whistle sounded, prompting celebrations from the crowd and players alike.

The win meant AmaTuks took an unassailable six point lead, due to their far superior goal difference, over second-placed Blackburn Rovers and booked their place among South African football’s elite.

Barker is confident that his side is strong enough to compete well in the PSL and is adamant that AmaTuks aren’t going there just to make up the numbers. “One wouldn’t work so hard to get to the PSL just to make up numbers. Four years ago we had a

speaker from Australia, Wayne Goldsmith, here and he told us you’ve got to train, you’ve got to plan and be smarter than the league above you so that when you get there you stay there. We already do things better than many PSL teams. We’ve got the best facilities and great management support structures, so in my opinion, it’s the right time for us to go up. I’m very confident that we can go into the PSL and be competitive,” said Barker.

TuksFootball Manager, Kenneth Nevhulalani, expressed his satisfaction at the promotion. “It’s great thing for the university in terms of improving our profile and I think we have a model which can motivate others,” he said. Nevhulalani also ended speculation surrounding where AmaTuks would play PSL home games, with reports suggesting an alternative stadium would be used due to the unsatisfactory conditions of the Absa Tuks Stadium changing rooms. “We are going to play our home games here (Absa Tuks Stadium). This is where our fans are and where we want to build our brand. There’s no point getting promoted and then moving away from the fans,” said Nevhulalani.

AmaTuks face Thanda Royal Zulu on Sunday 29 May at Absa Tuks Stadium in the final NFD game of the season. Make sure you get down to UP Sports Campus to join in the PSL promotion celebrations.

See our interview with Steve Barker on the web or @ pPerdeby7411d.

Photos: Kobus Barnard

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Perdeby

14 Mei ‘12

Oh no, this is a serious one

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 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

This edition had a few challenges.

We’ve been moving offices, which is chaotic and disruptive, and essentially means that everything that worked before is now trying to sabotage you and will stop working just because you’ve put it in a new building (especially printers, who are temperamental bastards). But it also gave us a reason to have an office-warming (there was wine) so I’m not really complaining.

The new offices are awesome (you can find us next to the Prospect Street entrance from now on). The only problem I have is

that I am now really far away from the place that has the coffee. Not that it matters much, since Fego decided to have some kind of ingredient-crisis. Over the last few weeks, they haven’t been able to serve half the things on their menu. Which is just weak, man: who runs out of chicken mayonnaise? What, is South Africa out of chickens? Seriously? I might have to start moving my business to Coffee Buzz.

Apart from the practical chaos of moving, Perdeby has also undergone a little existential chaos. It’s about that time that we evaluate how the year has gone so far, what we need to improve on, how much harder we’ll have to work (and therefore how much more we have to drink), and a few interesting things sprung up during this evaluation. But I only want to bore you with one of those today, a contentious issue: language policies.

I am Afrikaans. But I study in English.

What’s more, I actually study English. I don’t, therefore, have any strong feelings about whether or not UP uses Afrikaans (or any other indigenous language) as a medium of instruction. Ain’t bovvered. I only really give it any kind of thought because, in theory, Perdeby shares the university’s language policy: which means we’re a bilingual paper.

But when I became editor I was very aware that Perdeby was known on campus as an Afrikaans paper. I consciously set out to change this. Which is why you’ll never find an Afrikaans story on the front page, why my editorial won’t ever be written in Afrikaans and why all our important news stories are all in English: because those things have to be read, I feel, by our entire audience, not just a small section of that audience.

As a result, the number of Afrikaans articles in the paper has diminished; and quite frankly, I don’t care. But some of you do, quite vehemently. Here is my biggest problem: a lack of good Afrikaans writers.

Most of my writers want to write in English,

Editorial From the Editor even if they are Afrikaans speaking (can you blame them?). So, here is my challenge: if you want to see good quality Afrikaans content in the paper, them come and work for us: we’re opening up applications, looking specifically for Afrikaans journalists. The application form and details are all on the website (perdeby.co.za).

The thing about this job is: it means catering to the needs of the largest audience possible. The newspaper isn’t about me, and it’s certainly not about UP the institution.

No, it’s about the reader. This paper is for students: and they dictate the content of the paper. What is the point of producing a newspaper people don’t want to read?

No publication can exist without putting the needs of their audience first. In fact, publications only exist because there is an audience with a need.

Of course, you can’t possibly please everyone – some people will have legitimate reason for not liking Perdeby, which I can live with, and others are simply idiotic and don’t seem to understand our purpose or variety (or how the media works in general).

Nevertheless, we try and satisfy as many people as possible, by including as many genres and sections as we can while staying within the boundaries of what a student newspaper can realistically do. I genuinely believe that there is something for everyone in the paper, and we try and cater to a multiplicity of tastes.

Like I say: I get my mandate from you, not from anyone else, and I try and satisfy that responsibility every day. If you have anything you want to chat to me about, follow me on Twitter @PerdebyEditor.

Whatever you do, don’t panic.

Beyers

Visuals: Brad Donald @Brad3rs

Teams Layout Nolwazi Bengu Yannick Pousson 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.

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14 May ‘12

Accommodation shortage reaches crisis point ZUBENATHI JIZANA

The shortage of student accommodation has left students vulnerable to the exploitation of landlords.

Minister of Higher Education and Training Blade Nzimande released a report in March acknowledging that thousands of students across the country have to live in appalling conditions and that he saw it as a “miracle” that they managed to pass any academic course while living under such conditions.

The main reason identified for the countrywide shortage of student accommodation is the growing number of student enrolment into universities. The report found that nationally only 30% of students in need of accommodation were catered for by their universities. The report further recognised the problem that the provision of private student accommodation is unregulated in South Africa, thus allowing widespread exploitation of students and exposure of students to various levels of risk.

UP SRC Secretary-General Kleinbooi Legoabe told Perdeby that the SRC knows of many students coming from places as far as Venda and Bizana in the Eastern Cape who cannot afford private accommodation. The SRC then tries to negotiate with TuksRes on behalf of these students.

Unfortunately, not all these students can be accommodated and are forced to live in surrounding areas like Sunnyside, Arcadia, Mamelodi and Tembisa. Legoabe told Perdeby that “last month the SRC compiled a document to the City Council that states the challenges of UP students living in Hatfield or surrounding places.”

Professor Roelf Visser, Director of Residence Affairs and Accommodation at UP, confirmed that “it is a major concern that landlords are in fact exploiting our students on high rents, contractual agreements, day-to-day maintenance, support in general, sub-standard quality of facilities, health and safety issues, [and] security.” According to Prof. Visser, the UP executive has appointed his office to oversee the accreditation of private student accommodation in the area. He added that students who are in need of support are welcome to contact him.

An engineering student told Perdeby that she had a problem with accommodation in the past month. She lived in a communal house with 11 other students (males and females) and had to share two bathrooms with only one toilet. They paid a woman, who they thought was the owner, a deposit and two months’ rent. Two months later a man claiming to be the real owner of the house arrived at the commune saying that he knew nothing about the contract that the students had signed.

The man requested that the students pay him a deposit and two months’ rent if they wanted to continue living there. When they tried to reach the woman who had claimed to be the original owner of the house, she did not answer her calls and was nowhere to be found. The woman had allegedly rented the house from the man and was sub-letting it to the students.

Jacolien Barnard, a senior law lecturer at UP, said that students who find themselves in these situations are protected

DANIELLE PETTERSON

by the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) and the Rental Housing Act. Landlords who have entered into a contractual agreement (verbal or written) with tenants have a duty and obligation towards the tenants to maintain the accommodation and provide undisturbed use and enjoyment of the property.

Students who feel they have been exploited by their landlords or feel that they are not in compliance with the CPA can take legal action.

In Johannesburg, students are resorting to sub-standard illegal commune accommodation because of a shortage in student accommodation. Mail and Guardian reported that students felt defenceless against slumlords who allegedly charge exorbitant rent and ignore the City of Johannesburg and the University of Johannesburg’s (UJ) policies to regulate accommodation.

John Mukwena, a student at UJ, told Mail and Guardian that students are charged huge amounts of money by landlords for rooms that are not up to standard. He said they take them because accommodation is rare and students want to be near campus.

Metro newspaper reported that in Port Elizabeth, Johannesburg and Durban, the shortage of student accommodation at universities and tertiary institutions has led to some universities outsourcing their accommodation to private developers to assist students who need accommodation.

It was indicated in the report released in March by Minister Blade Nzimande, that an immediate response to the infrastructure backlog has been implemented where an amount of R3.8 billion has been allocated as an infrastructure and efficiency grant for universities over the next two financial years to assist in alleviating the student accommodation problem.

Photo: Charné Fourie

SASCO march for free education

society that we do champion the interests of young people.”

According to the statement, student protest indicates that students are concerned about the social and economic The South African Students Congress (SASCO) marched to problems which South Africa faces. the Department of Higher Education’s offices in Pretoria to The call for free education “is a good initiative, which demand free and quality education on Friday 4 May. addresses the injustices of the past, while arming the majority SASCO is calling for free education because many of South Africans with the most pivotal tool to assist them “of [their] people, largely from poor and working-class in addressing their struggles: education,” COPE@Tuks backgrounds, are denied access to higher education simply chairperson Thabo Mdlalose told Perdeby. because they do not have the monetary SASCO has expressed Mdlalose also pointed out that it may be means to buy education.” This is according to a statement released by the organisation. disappointment that, in spite “unrealistic” to demand free education, and questioned the ability of the South African SASCO’s statement uses the Polokwane of these resolutions having government to provide it. “COPE@Tuks Congress (the ANC’s 2007 National Conference) to support its demand. been adopted by the ANC, believes that free education should only granted to those who need it most, but According to Resolution 44 adopted in Blade Nzimande, Minister be how can we trust the government to ensure Polokwane, the ANC must “progressively of Higher Education and that this is the case, when corruption has introduce free education to the poor until infested itself within the ruling party?” undergraduate level.” Resolution 46 Training, has not yet he said, adding that “it is impossible to acknowledges that “education must be implemented “a cogent plan envisage free and fair education being prioritised as one of the most important programmes of the next five years.” on how free education is to efficiently and correctly implemented by the current government.”

SASCO has expressed disappointment progressively be realised.” DASO Chairperson at Tuks, Thorne that, in spite of these resolutions having Godinho, told Perdeby that “free tertiary been adopted by the ANC, Blade Nzimande, education is not a reasonable or affordable Minister of Higher Education and Training, has not yet implemented “a cogent plan on how free education option.” He also said that DASO supports the use of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, as well as other is to progressively be realised.” forms of financial aid, to provide youth with the opportunity The ANC Youth League (ANCYL) issued a statement to attend university. In April, Minister Nzimande said that expressing their support of SASCO’s march. The statement echoed SASCO’s concern of the lack of implementation of the government is still committed to providing the poor with free education. See “Free tertiary education for the poor” on page resolutions adopted at the Polokwane conference.

5 for more details.

The ANCYL encouraged its members to join SASCO in their march “as a means of demonstrating to our government and MAXINE TWADDLE

Intervarsity news University of Limpopo Approximately 100 students will face murder and assault charges following an attack which left a man dead at the University of Limpopo on 3 May. The students assaulted a group of eight men accused of robbing a student of a cell phone on the university’s Mankweng campus, reported The Citizen.

Students attacked the men with sticks, stones, and other weapons after a female student raised the alarm that her cell phone had been stolen. Three of the men managed to escape whilst five others were badly injured. One man died in hospital on Friday.

Mankweng police spokesman, Constable Moses Molepo, said that the students also stoned the ambulance that was called to take the injured men to hospital.

Molepo told The Citizen that investigations revealed that the men were merely visitors at the university. The student who was robbed was unable to identify any of the accused men.

Student Representative Council Secretary at the University of Limpopo, Langu Shiviti, told the Sowetan: “But while the police said they could not link the men to any crime, the cell phone [stolen] from the female student was found in the possession of one of them.”

Reacting to the allegations, Molepo said, “It has not been communicated to us that one of the men was found in possession of the stolen cell phone.”

“At this stage police are trying to establish who the involved students were in order to charge them,” Molepo said.

Rhodes University A breakthrough in the murder of Rhodes University student, Lelona Fufu was made when detectives linked the case to a rape suspect arrested last week.

Lelona Fufu was stabbed to death on 12 April while hitchhiking to her graduation ceremony in Grahamstown.

According to The Herald, it was during the rape case investigation that a Motherwell policeman started to suspect a link between the rape suspect and the Fufu murder. The breakthrough came when police allegedly found proof that the suspect had been in possession of a “personal belonging” of the murdered woman.

Police are not revealing details, but it is suspected that Fufu’s spectacles are linked to the development. Fufu’s mother, Bongeka, told The Herald that when police informed the family of the new developments they had asked about a pair of spectacles which had belonged to her daughter.

The 28-year-old suspect is currently being held at St. Albans Prison in connection with an unrelated rape charge, allegedly committed after Fufu’s murder.

University of Witwatersrand Students at the University of Witwatersrand are boycotting university cafeterias because of 17 catering company workers who have been dismissed.

The boycott began on 7 May with approximately 875 students taking part. The students claim that the catering company, Royal Mnandi Solutions ill-treated its former employees, according to the Times Live.

The workers, referred to as the “Wits 17”, were allegedly dismissed without a written warning by the catering company.

SASCO Gauteng Chairperson, Ndumiso Mokako, told News24 that “the workers were dismissed for refusing to move to other dining halls off campus, due to a lack of consultation and the additional financial burden they would incur as a result of relocation. We condemn the unfair dismissal of the Wits 17.”

According to News24, Royal Mnandi Solutions confirmed that the workers had been dismissed and that the behaviour of the employees was addressed in terms of the company’s code of conduct. “We believe we have followed due process throughout the dismissal of these employees, both procedurally and substantively,” said Royal Mnandi’s Human Capital Executive Pauline Mahlangu.

@perdebynews

14 Mei ‘12 4 TuksFM shines at MTN Radio Awards

Res bites

News

AMY-MAE CAMPBELL

DAVID CROSS Perdeby caught up with TuksFM DJ, Alex Caige, who was recently awarded the Best Daytime Presenter award at the MTN Radio Awards 2012. Caige shares his thoughts regarding his award and gives us a brief peek into the workings of the radio industry.

What did you want to be when you were younger?

From a young age I wanted to either work in radio, be a pilot or be a Formula 1 driver, but more specifically just media. The opportunity to entertain people has always appealed to me, which gave me [an] incentive to go into radio.

How did you get involved in radio?

I’ll never forget it. A former TuksFM DJ, Kenzy Vinco, allowed me to give it a try when I was on matric holiday. It looked really cool. I knew that you would have to be quick on your feet so I decided to give it a try. After I told her that I had applied at Tuks, she recommended that I apply for a position at TuksFM. Who are your radio DJ influences?

Starting out as a youngster, I enjoyed listening to Revin John from 94.7. BBC radio DJ, Chris Moyles, is also right up there, but I think my favourite DJ would have to be Gareth Cliff from 5FM. He’s a brilliant DJ. He does what radio should always do and entertains his listeners.

How did you feel when your name was announced as the winner of Best Daytime Presenter?

It was surreal. I was really hoping for it, just being nominated for the award was mind-blowing itself. I can remember the adrenaline rush surging through my body after Jeremy Mansfield announced my name as the winner. I was over the moon and everything seemed so surreal at the time.

Very few people know how much hard work goes into radio and into creating a good show and it was good to see the hard work paying off.

What do you look forward to the most when you enter

the studio?

Knowing that even if there’s one person, ten people or ten thousand people listening to my show, I have the opportunity to entertain people and to have some sort of influence over their thinking or the course of their day. To walk into the studio every day, speak behind the microphone and gain the attention of any listener is extremely powerful.

In a nutshell, describe what it’s like to work for TuksFM? I think it’s the best station in the world in the sense that we accommodate not just for our students but also for outside the university, and we’re able to do that with people who can relate to being a student. I think that’s priceless in the sense that a listener’s ability to relate to what the station is all about.

How do you like to deliver your show to listeners?

It’s [all] about fun and energy. It’s a privilege being able to give people commentary about what’s going on in politics and the world, and while I’m doing that I want to bring a sense of fun and energy which results in an entertaining show. If I’m able to put a smile on a listener’s face or evoke a positive feeling within them while they listen to my show, then I’ve done my job.

What are your future plans in the radio industry?

I’m very happy at TuksFM. It’s taken four years of hard work to get to where I am and I want to build on that and take TuksFM to new heights. With the help of my show, I want TuksFM to take its listenership to a record high. My ultimate goal would be to one day work at BBC1, one of the biggest radio stations in the world.

What advice do you have for any aspiring radio DJs out there?

Being a radio presenter is simply about being yourself. So be yourself, work hard, and if you’ve got a dream, do it.

Photo: Eleanor Harding

Students take part in 10 000 mile rally for charity FRANCOIS VAN DER WESTHUIZEN Three former Tuks students and one current Tuks student will be taking part in the Mongol Rally on 14 July this year.

They will be travelling from London to Ulan Bator in Mongolia to raise money for the Lotus Children charity and Project Rhino KZN. They are aiming to film the entire adventure in hopes of completing a full-feature documentary.

The participants of the Mongol Rally are only allowed to make use of a vehicle with an engine size of approximately one litre and the teams will have to take on some of the worst roads in the world. The team will be driving a 1.3 litre Daihatsu Terios to the finish line in Mongolia.

Shane van Breda, a final-year MSc Biochemistry student, is one of the founding members of the team. Van Breda told Perdeby, “I was talking to a friend of mine about how life lacks adventure and how everyday is the same routine. He started telling me about the Mongol Rally and I was totally sold. This is what I needed, the lust for adventure.” Van Breda said, “I followed up on the Mongol Rally, put together a team and now we are going.”

The other team members are Waldo Buchner, a former BA Information Design student, Damon Civin, a former BSc and MSc Applied Mathematics student and Meline Joaris, a former BSc and BVSc Veterinary Science student. The team aims to raise £500 for the Lotus Children charity and another £500 for Project Rhino KZN. Van Breda said, “Currently we are funding ourselves. We

Katjiepiering Katjiepiering recently had their House Week and concluded it with a Gatsby masquerade dance on 19 April.

House Week is an old residence tradition and at Katjiepiering, aiming to bring the ladies closer together. “The purpose was, and still is to create a strong bond between our Katte sisters by sharing fun activities for a week throughout the year,” explained Katjiepiering IT, Security and Semivoog, Nelly Black.

The first event of the week was an Amazing Race held on the Proefplaas, where the ladies divided into groups and had to uncover clues while they raced against time, for a R200 prize.

An old tradition called Café de Kat was reincorporated. This is where the ladies gather in the sitting room to socialise over some coffee and biscuits after class.

Black described the masquerade dance as the highlight of House Week, as they transformed their dining hall into “[their] very own party house” and the ladies could also bring dates to join in the celebration.

Mopanie Mopanie hosted Harvest Day on 13 April to celebrate their mielie and sunflower crop, which they planted on 1 February this year.

According to Mopanie Ienkvoog, Semivoog and Harvest Day HK, Wynand Bezuidenhout, it all started with a few corn seeds that were planted in 2010 for atmosphere, and then Mopanie was granted permission to expand their plantation in 2011, to plough a 50 x 20m area.

Harvest Day started last year in celebration of this. “We want this tradition to go on forever,” said Bezuidenhout.

Harvest Day forms part of Mopanie’s RAG project and they will donate the mielies to underprivileged people. Mopanie is also awarded points for this event that will count towards residence of the year.

Director of Residence Affairs and Accommodation, Prof.

Roelf Visser, opened the day by cutting the first sunflower and various activities, such as a “mielie eet” competition, tractor pulling, a mechanical bull ride and Jukskei formed part of the celebrations.

For pictures and a video of Harvest Day see pPerdeby7411f.

Klaradyn On Monday 7 May, Klaradyn held their annual Mr Semi competition at Herr Gunters, where Peter Trethowan from Kollege won the title.

According to Klaradyn Primaria and Semivoog Keegan Moolman, Mr Semi forms part of their Semi Week, which is dedicated to the second years, and various activities are then planned for this week.

Mr Semi is a fashion show and the contestants had three opportunities to impress the judges. In the first round the contestants had to model Jay Jays clothing, followed by what they dreamt of becoming one day as children, and lastly, in body paint.

“The judges not only looked for the man with the most attractive looks, but also for someone who reflected yellow Klaradyn spirit and pride,” Moolman said.

See pPerdeby7411g for an Afrikaans translation of this res bite.

Perdeby

have all saved enough money for the event. However we are [looking] for sponsorships to help us fund our trip by offering them advertising on our car, Facebook page, Twitter profile, website and of course our film, once it is released.”

Van Breda said that if Tuks students want to make a donation, they can like their Facebook page, which has all the links to their fundraising platforms and websites with all of the relevant information.

Image: Provided

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14 May ‘12

5

6

Fun & Games

14 Mei ‘12

Pssst...

Ah, the post-Serrie blues. Pssst… enjoyed the different ways the residences chose to deal with their disappointment. For example, Pssst… overheard a couple of Klaradyn HK bad-mouthing Madelief and Magrietjie, throwing around words like “cheating”.

Sore losers much? Pssst… also hears that a couple of the other residences (Vividus cough Vividus) are spreading the word that Boekenhout cheated their way to the top.

Mopanie was so upset over not placing at the Serrie finals that they took their frustrations out on Maroela’s wall with a can of spray paint. Pssst... thought you Peppies were on your last warning? Although word is that the Peppies are struggling to cope with Maroela Jarre aggression, and the Mopanie HK have approached TuksRes to try shield the Peppies from the Maroela wrath. The rivalry between the two residences has always been tense, but generations of Mopanie Peppies have managed to stand up for themselves as best they could against the Jarre. Pssst… imagines the Mopanie seniors are angry and disappointed at the weakness shown by this generation of first years – haai, shame, julle.

On the other hand, Madelief handled their win very well: by being wilder than usual (if that’s possible) on their party bus with Boekenhout. Is this how you make peace after Boekenhout refused to help you with your Serrie moves, girls? Pssst… commends

how drunk you got, and might have to take Klaradyn’s crown as the drunkest res away from them. Poor Vividus Men just can’t catch a break: after a dull Serrie performance, they’ve now been dumped by Magrietjie who would apparently rather be spending time at the Olienhout clubhouse: clothing optional. Pssst... hears that Kollege was quite upset for not being mentioned in last week’s Pssst... Kollege should take it as a compliment really. But don’t worry, Pssst... is sure your name will be popping up pretty soon, after Pssst… stumbled across a plan the Kollege semis are cooking up. Magrietjie has taken their HK campaigns to the lecture halls too. Pssst... overheard how a Magrietjie semi told a group of non-Magrietjie people how she planned to be 2013’s Serrie HK. Isn’t it a little too early to be campaigning for HK? Maroela seems to be quite into the Inca girls lately; word has it their clubhouse was crawling with army commanders and nurses. Pssst... isn’t too sure what kind of party that was but Pssst... definitely wants in. Pssst... has really enjoyed the walks of shame steadily streaming out of Boekenhout after their heartfelt Serrie performance.

Nicely done, gentlemen. With the coming of the month of May, Pssst... is keeping an eye out for all the first years that will be getting ontheffed. This is an exciting time for the both of us, you little first years gain your freedom and Pssst… gets to watch you throw your name away at the first sight of this freedom. Kiaat Cubs we hear that time is looming for you, just letting you know that Pssst... is watching you.

Perdeby 30 000 students read Perdeby

BEYERS DE VOS AND HAYLEY TETLEY This is self-explanatory: the top ten reasons why I would rather be abducted by aliens than be a Canadian: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Alien sex is better than Canadian sex (trust me). Canadian sex must be really boring.

Aliens come in a variety of cool colours. Canadians come in only one colour: dull.

If I get abducted by aliens, I no longer have to be exposed to Justin Bieber.

Justin Bieber is a Canadian.

Same goes for Celine Dion.

Chances of getting mauled by a bear in space are pretty low, whereas in Canada, bears roam freely and kill everything all the time.

Moose. What the hell kind of an animal is a moose? Whereas, aliens

have pet Heffalumps and Woozles, of course.

7. Aliens don’t have that awful, bloodcurdling, makes-you-want-to-vomiteverywhere, accent.

8. Aliens have exciting, never-triedbefore booze. Whereas, Canada wouldn’t know a Long Island Ice Tea if it came at them wearing nothing but a Mounty’s hat.

9. Hockey. Hockey is super Canadian.

Therefore it is automatically stupid.

Space doesn’t have hockey.

10. If the apocalypse comes, Canada will no doubt be the only place that survives. If you’ve been abducted by aliens, you wouldn’t have to go and live in Canada when the world ends, which would just have made the whole getting-eaten-by-zombies thing so much worse.

@perdebynews

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Features

14 May ‘12

Conversion therapy: back into the closet

BERND FISCHER “While the ex-gay ministry believes we can be healed of our homosexuality, I realised that this ‘healing’ was actually the repression of my feelings and desires,” says Clive Vanderwagen, a South African man who was once part of the ex-gay ministry – one of many practices aimed at “changing” sexual orientation. “Like any form of repression, it has the potential to erupt at any time and, when it does, it can do damage.”

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) condemns these so-called “conversion therapies” which attempt to change the sexual orientation of a person from homosexual (or bisexual) to heterosexual. The APA argues that these therapies are based on the assumption that homosexuality is a mental disorder, despite the fact that it was removed from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 1986.

The majority of those seeking treatment

cite religious convictions as their main reason for wanting therapy, while others report a lack in emotional satisfaction from gay life and social pressures as factors which influence their choice.

Eugen Steinach, a twentieth-century endocrinologist from Austria, first attempted to change the sexual orientation of gay men by transplanting the testicles of straight men into them. Despite the failure of this experiment, Sigmund Freud was greatly influenced by Steinach. Freud believed that homosexuality could be cured through psychoanalysis and hypnosis and so started a trend which has survived into the 21st century.

Early forms of behavioural modification made use of aversive conditioning techniques which included the use of electric shocks and nausea-inducing drugs while exposing the individual undergoing treatment to erotic images of a homosexual nature. Later, the patient would be exposed to images of the opposite sex, without the negative conditioning, in an attempt to decrease their aversion to heterosexual feelings. According to psychologists at the time, this had a 58% cure rate.

American psychologist, Douglas Haldeman, maintains that such therapy endured by anyone other than the gay community would be considered “torture” and that this form of treatment does not promote heterosexuality, but instead leads to homosexuals becoming “shamed, conflicted and fearful about their homosexual feelings.”

“Reparative therapy” is a term which was coined in 1991 by well-known clinical psychologist Joseph Nicolosi. Nicolosi, the former president of the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH) – the largest organisation for practitioners of ex-gay therapy – maintains that homosexuality can be cured by conditioning a man to his traditional masculine gender role. These forms of conditioning include participating in sports, avoiding contact with women unless it is for

romantic reasons, learning how to mimic “masculine” ways of behaving, attending church, engaging in heterosexual sex and fathering children. These forms of conversion therapy are all based on the idea that homosexuality is a learned behaviour, despite criticism from the mainstream medical industry which refutes these claims.

Conservative religious groups which offer support and treatment are called exgay ministries. These groups remain the most outspoken advocates of conversion therapy. According to Vanderwagen, ex-gay ministries are very direct in their approach to conversion. “There are no claims that you will be straight and find women attractive: the belief is that God does not replace one lust for another but that you choose to walk away from the lifestyle of homosexuality. You are never straight, you become ex-gay.”

The APA warns against ex-gay ministries for fear that they could cause further social harm by reinforcing stereotypes about homosexuals and thus increase prejudice and stigma about homosexuality in society.

The most contemporary and controversial study of our time is that of Robert Spitzer, former Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University. In his study “Can some gay men and lesbians change their sexual orientation?

200 participants reporting a change from homosexual to heterosexual orientation”, Spitzer reports that 66% of men and 44% of women had been cured and experienced what he called “good sexual functioning” after undergoing treatment.

However, Spitzer’s study has been criticised for a number of reasons. Not only was it unclear what the treatment consisted of, but there was no control group nor were follow-ups conducted and there was a belief that participants may have been bisexual before undergoing the treatment. In 2012, Spitzer renounced his study and apologised to the gay community. In an interview with Gabriel Arana, former patient of Joseph Nicolosi and writer for The American

7

Prospect, Spitzer said, “In retrospect, I have to admit I think the critiques are largely correct. The findings can be considered evidence for what those who have undergone ex-gay therapy say about it, but nothing more.”

Advocates for conversion therapy maintain that the treatment works for highly motivated individuals and that those seeking the treatment should be allowed to undertake it. Critics, on the other hand, have labelled any practitioners offering the treatment as unethical and as a result, it is considered a violation of the Hippocratic Oath. Jack Drescher, a psychiatrist and member of the APA, says that any supposed obligation to allow a patient the freedom of choice to undergo therapy is “outweighed by a stronger ethical obligation to keep patients away from mental health professionals who engage in questionable clinical practices.” Many would argue the questionable practices of treatment when they consider the amount of controversy surrounding advocates for conversion therapy.

On 4 May 2010, the Miami New Times reported that a Baptist Minister and NARTH board member, George Alan Rekers (who previously testified in court that he believes homosexuality is a sin), was caught hiring a gay male prostitute to accompany him on holiday.

On 2 May of this year, The Christian Post reported that a law is currently being amended in California which would make conversion therapy more difficult to practise, by banning treatment of anyone under the age of 18.

“People should realise that LGBTI [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and intersexual] people are not ill,” says Lerato Phalakatshela, Vice-Chairperson of Up and Out, Tuks’ s official LGBTI society. Phalakatshela reiterates the belief that these therapies only offer false hope and could do more harm than good. “Being gay is not a choice. We really were born this way.”

Illustration: René Lombaard

Now a major motion picture: from bestseller to blockbuster SAMANTHA NOLLE You’ve read the novel over and over, creating a fictional world in your mind. You even have the characters mentally cast according to personal preference. Then, to your excitement (or absolute dismay) Hollywood announces the filming and production of a bestseller, and more importantly, your favourite novel.

The book operates in the imaginative realm, bringing compelling characters, a captivating story and unique style together. Some of the worst failures and greatest successes in filmmaking are often adaptations of such novels. What is it that makes or breaks the film?

Turning fiction into film is a popular trend and has been a Hollywood and cinematic tradition for decades. The film industry realised early on that it could gain legitimacy among middle-class viewers by producing replicas of more well-respected art. Adaptation became popular as soon as film did. Most adaptations these days concede that reconceptualisation and reworking the source material is essential when creating a successful transition from shelf to screen. One of the earliest literal adaptations resulted in the film being over sixteen hours long, which was finally cut down to two hours. The result: the film was completely incomprehensible.

Since then, very few directors have tried to cram every detail of a novel into the film.

A more successful film adaptation is Gone with the Wind, based on Margaret Mitchell’s novel and released in the 1930s. The film won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay in 1939 – a great triumph, since many previous film adaptations had failed

miserably. In the 1970s, Gone with the Wind’s success was surpassed by the legendary film The Godfather as well as The Godfather Part II based on Mario Puzo’s novel. This made

way for future adaptations.

Renowned American film critic Keith Cohen suggests that the reason film adaptation has been and will remain a

popular trend is because cinema is at its most convincing when it lessens its dramatic approach and rather leans on its antecedents – novels. Another reason for its popularity is the fact that an average of 30 film adaptations are produced each year.

Throughout the decades, directors have both succeeded and failed in their attempts to convert a bestselling novel into a blockbuster film. But this remains a risk for writers and directors. The film is often in danger of acquiring a lower artistic status in comparison to its culturally treasured original. A novel caters for a more select and elite audience than a film, but the film must satisfy the masses and general public to make profit. A bestselling book is read by a million readers, with this figure reaching four to eight million if it is one of the bigger sellers. However, if only five million people see the film, it is considered a failure.

The age-old debate remains prominent: which is better, the novel or the film? Often the answer to this question depends on the viewer: if they’ve read the book first, they won’t find the film fulfilling. On the other hand, if they see the movie before reading the book, the book can seem less exciting than it otherwise would have been.

Whether you’re an avid reader or passionate about blockbuster motion pictures, literature and film will constantly benefit from one another, appeasing either book lovers or movie buffs and, in rare cases, both.

Each medium has its own advantages as well as its downfalls, and perhaps the creative combination of these two worlds is where the success of the book-to-film adaptation lies.

Image: Eleanor Harding

8

14 Mei ‘12

Features

Verlief of verslaaf: watter een is jy?

MIGNON PEENS Wie sou kon raai dat emosies die wêreld se grootste verslawing is? In What The Bleep Do We Know!?, `n bekende dokumentêre film, bewys ficisi dat elke mens verslaaf is aan hul emosies. `n Mens se brein bestaan uit senuweeselle wat neurone genoem word. Hierdie neurone is gekoppel en kommunikeer met mekaar om sodoende `n neurale net te vorm. Jou neurale net het `n geheue wat al jou emosionele reaksies op vorige ervaringe stoor en dus al jou toekomstige idees, gevoelens, denke, opinies en persepsies beïnvloed. Indien jy op `n daaglikse basis emosies soos stres, angstigheid, frustrasie, irritasie, treurigheid, gierigheid, woede, jaloesie, vrees of selfbejammering ervaar, beteken dit dat daardie emosie in jou neurale net gestoor is en dat jou brein verslaaf is aan die chemiese reaksie wat die emosie te voorskyn bring.

Dr. Joseph Dispenza sê in die dokumentêr: “The neural cells that fire together, wire together.” Herhaaldelike patrone soos die onvermoë om met `n verhouding vol te hou, paranoia, om te glo in karma en bygelowe, engtevrees, hoogtevrees, obsessies en selfs die verslawing aan sigarette is gewoontes wat ontwikkel het as gevolg van voorafgaande ervarings wat in jou neurale net ingewortel is.

Jou brein raak dus verslaaf aan sekere emosies, omdat jy hom programmeer om so te funksioneer. Dit verduidelik waarom mens keer op keer dieselfde dinge doen, alhoewel jy beweer dat jy van patroon wil verander.

As dit kom by verliefdheid, is al die gevoelens wat jy ervaar, gebasseer op ervaringe rondom liefde in jou verlede wat bepaal het hoe jou neurale net bedraad is.

Sommige mense assosieer byvoorbeeld liefde met teleurstelling. Wanneer hierdie mense aan liefde dink, ervaar hulle emosies soos wantroue, woede en selfs bitterheid, omdat hul persepsie van liefde gekoppel is aan

hartseer veroorsaak deur vorige ervaring in of na `n slegte liefdesverhouding.

Dr. Dispenza sê gelukkig ook: “We also know that nerve cells that no longer fire together, no longer wire together.”

Dit beteken dat jou neurale net se neuronkonneksies hul langtermyngeheue verloor elke keer wat jy die proses wat emosies chemies assosieer verbreek.

Nes party mense kan eksperimenteer met dwelms en nooit verslaaf raak nie, is daar diegene wat nie ontslae kan raak van hul

verslawing aan die chemiese reaksies wat `n sekere persoon in hul brein veroorsaak of in die verlede veroorsaak het nie.

Die definisie van verslawing is heel eenvoudig: iets wat jy nie kan keer of stop nie. Ons skep vir onsself omstandighede wat aan ons liggaamselle se biochemiese begeertes sal voldoen. Verslaafdes kort elke keer `n bietjie meer van die verslawingsmiddel om die effek te verkry waarna hul smag. Indien jy dus nie jou emosionele toestand kan beheer nie, voldoen

jy aan die definisie van verslawing.

In What The Bleep Do We Know!? word daar beweer dat niemand kan sê dat hul werklik verlief is op `n spesifieke persoon nie, omdat ons eintlik net in afwagting is op die emosies waaraan ons verslaaf is. Dit is waarom jy na `n week of twee belangstelling kan verloor indien die persoon nie meer aan jou brein se chemiese vereistes voldoen nie.

Katie Freiling, emosionele bewustheidsafrigter en spreker, verduidelik in twee Youtube-videos (“Are You Addicted To Your Emotions?” en “You Can End The Drama”) hoe jou brein werk rondom emosionele verslawing. Verder verduidelik sy hoe om ontslae te raak van interne probleemskeppende mentaliteite wat mens opgaar en lewenslank saam jou sleep.

Sy sê voorbeelde van denkwyses wat onnodige drama verooraak, is wanneer jy oorsensitief is vir algemene kommentaar en dit persoonlik opneem as kritiek, ander slegsê om jouself beter te laat voel indien jy `n swak selfbeeld het, jou geliefde nie kan vertrou nie omdat jy voel jy is nie goed genoeg nie en indien jy maklik geïrriteerd raak met mense omdat jy interne frustrasie het.

Sy sê dat jy moet probeer om in die oomblik te leef eerder as om deur jou verlede teruggehou te word indien jy die lewe vir jouself en ander wil makliker maak. Sodra jy op `n situasie wil reageer soos jy gewoonlik doen, moet jy eenvoudig `n tree terugneem en anders reageer – totdat jy jou gewoontes gebreek het.

Wanneer mens `n gewoonte lank genoeg nie beoefen nie, sal jou brein nie meer `n begeerte hê om dit te wil doen nie. Dit is wanneer jy die chemiese verslawing aan ou emosies verbreek en vir die oomblik kan begin leef.

Kyk na Freiling se twee Youtube videos: @Perdeby7411c.

Beeld: Charné Fourie

Should you puff or should you pass?

DITSHEGO MADOPI “Weed isn’t a drug. It’s a plant, it grows like that. If you just happen to set it on fire, it has some effects. You become happy, sleepy and hungry – that’s all.”

These are the words of comedian (and weedsmoker) Katt Williams.

Eighteen of the 20 students interviewed about the issue by Perdeby seem to share Williams’s implied sentiment that marijuana is a harmless substance with some admitting to writing tests, exams and studying high.

The debate on weed is almost as old as the drug itself, but over the past few weeks, there seems to have been renewed interest on the matter. A recent study conducted in the Netherlands linked smoking weed to the development of mental disorders. A News24 article states that, “The study, which [...] involved 18 500 people, found that 20% of male cannabis users complained of mental problems, compared to 10% among non-users. Smokers complained of mental problems such as anxiety, melancholy, sadness and impatience, but the physical health of users and non-users barely differed.”

In some states in the United States, marijuana is legal when prescribed for medical reasons but doctors are wary of administering it.

American doctor Dr Andrew Adelson explains, “[Marijuana] affects your central nervous system so it impairs your ability to think, so the side effects outweigh the benefits. We have other forms of treatment that don’t affect your ability to think.”

A first-year BCom Financial Management student, who wishes to remain anonymous, says he accepts the fact that marijuana does affect your ability to think, but that this is not necessarily a negative thing. “When you’re

sober-minded,” he says, “your thinking pattern is too comfortable. Weed allows you to have different patterns of thinking that are not detrimental to you – it gives you the ability to sort of be aware of subliminal messaging. When you’re high, you realise the ridiculousness of life. It relaxes you – aggression does not exist.”

A journal article published in 2010 entitled “Neurophysiological and cognitive effects of smoked marijuana in frequent users” says that people who smoke marijuana less frequently are more susceptible to the effects of marijuana on the brain than frequent users. Evidence suggests that frequent marijuana smokers have a higher level of tolerance for the performance-impairing effects of the drug. For example, scientific studies conducted for the reports showed that the drug produced “minimal” effects on the working memory of near-daily smokers.

The test conducted required the participants to identify words and remember them. The researchers concluded that “the overall response accuracy on the word recognition and working

memory tasks was unaffected by marijuana, although smoked marijuana did increase the amount of time participants needed to complete these tasks.”

4/20 is a term used in North America to describe the community of people who are in support of the full legalisation of marijuana.

4/20 also indicates the date (20 April each year) on which these people gather to celebrate and consume it. Websites like CannabisCulture. com promote these events and people turn up in their thousands to attend. Taking this evidence into account, it seems that smoking marijuana might be more than just a pastime – rather, it forms part of an alternative sub-culture. In his article for Times Colonist, Shannon Corregan writes, “No other illegal activity enjoys such mainstream ubiquity, let alone acceptance.”

Omolemo Maphanga, a BSc Physical Sciences student, is unashamed of his smoking habit. He admits to being high during his interview with Perdeby but believes that his statements would be no different if he were

not. He says it started as an experiment and he initially stayed away from weed after that because of people’s negative perceptions about it. “My second joint was sort of a reminiscent moment on having that sensation again and from then on it became more regular,” he says.

Although he smokes daily, Maphanga does not consider himself to be a drug addict because he does not consider marijuana to be a drug. He believes that the scientific studies that list the dangers of smoking marijuana are wrong. “Most things in the pharmacy can kill you, but you’ve never heard of anyone dying from marijuana – and it’s illegal?” he asks.

A second-year BIS Publishing student is against the use of marijuana after seeing the effects it had on her brother. She says, “He is unlike me and our other sibling. He’s inconsiderate, selfish and reckless. Growing up in the same household and hanging around the same friends, the only logical explanation for how amplified these negative characteristics are in him is his smoking habit.”

Thulani Bango, a second-year Unisa student, used to be a regular smoker but quit a month ago. He says, “Weed’s only flaw is the ability to make a person say ‘f**k it’ to everything. When you’re high, you just don’t care, everything seems trivial and you lose track of what’s important. What’s worse is, as long as you’re still blunting, you’ll gladly live with your decision.”

Experimentation is a common start for most users and marijuana is believed by some to be a gateway drug that can lead users to trying other, harder drugs. It’s not lethal to your physical being, but does that necessarily mean that other areas of your life go unaffected too?

Photo: Gloria Mbogoma

Entertainment

9

14 May ‘12

Interview

Review

“We actually tried really hard to change our sound”

BEYERS DE VOS Plush visited Pretoria recently to promote their latest album, Plush. Perdeby sat down with Rory Eliot, Carl Wegelin and Emelio Gassibe to chat about their new sound and their hope for new success.

You guys have put a lot of emphasis on the fact that the new album has a new sound.

How exactly has your sound changed on the new album?

Rory: You know what, we actually tried really hard to change our sound. And yet the essence of the band, I think, never changes just because it’s everyone’s individual personality that they bring to the band. You can’t change that if you know what I mean. But the sound itself, in terms of the production, especially with a song like “Dancing in the Storm” – we really wanted to try and introduce more of that acoustic, “dancey” element that the likes of Phoenix used, you know? And they’ve got that really kind of upbeat, nice vibe. So I supposed the way [Plush’s sound] changed, the biggest way, is that we’ve introduced more groove, more sort of jam to the sound and a lot more keys and synth and elements like that.

Emelio: And it’s a little more playful.

Rory: It’s just like Emelio says, it’s a little more playful, in the lyrics especially. In the past our lyrics have been quite personal and deep and ...

Emelio: Serious. [laughs] Rory: They’re not always, but kind of. But always some form of message or feeling or emotion. With this [album] some of it’s just storytelling, you know?

Would you say that that’s a result of studying your Masters in songwriting at the Bath Spa University in the UK? Rory: No, I don’t think that the songwriting

course itself changed anything except for the fact that it opened my mind to the fact that there’s so many different ways to approach songwriting. In the past I personally always approached the songwriting in a very particular way. I had kind of written a song in my bedroom, just jammed it out and then brought it to the band, we played it live and then went and recorded it. Whereas in this case, most of the songs weren’t played live and most of the songs had a much bigger influence from the other members of the band. We opened ourselves up to other influences and ideas.

You’ve said that your live performances haven’t quite matched up with the tracks on your three previous albums, how would you say you’ve bridged the gap on Plush?

Carl: [Dominique] and [Devon] were a good start for that. So we’ve got Dominique on keys and accordion so he brings, like, a lot of the production stuff on the album to the live show.

And Devon is a great drummer but we’ve mostly been a bit of a jam band, hey. And we still have that, even with our live show being a bit more produced, it’s still a jam. We dig that and we think you guys dig it too.

Rory: We tried to bridge the gap but I still think we haven’t achieved it. We haven’t achieved taking what we do live on stage and putting it on a disc. I don’t think we’ve achieved it.

Carl: No. Rory: Not yet.

Carl: It’s really hard to do that hey.

Rory: Some bands just appeal more on their album and some bands just appeal more live and I suppose that depends on how you approached your music in the first place.

You’ve done a couple of gigs now on tour, how has the response from your audiences been?

Rory: We’re always very happy with the

response. One or two gigs we weren’t too entirely happy with the numbers. But, you know, when you’re doing so many gigs and when you’re doing a tour like this, marketing falls through in places and there’s a lot that can influence or determine [numbers] – especially when you hit the varsity towns and you just so happen to hit it on a bad week because there are some big jams going on or whatever the case might be. But we’re really lucky that over the years we’ve developed a really loyal fanbase.

So, even when we say we weren’t entirely happy with the numbers I think most bands would be very happy with the numbers.

How was it working with Brian O’Shea on Plush?

Rory: It was great.

Emelio: For us, a big part of the last album [was that] we wanted to get more commercial.

Brian is, obviously, well known for getting that in the previous projects that he’s worked on.

Rory: He brings a nice pop-sensibility to his production. Even when he did that first Seether album, that Fragile album that came out, that was when I first became aware of Brian O’Shea and what he did. He managed to take an alternative rock band like Seether, or a hardish rock band, and give it this pop-sensibility and that stuck with them actually ever since. Even more so now than ever.

Can we expect a music video for “What He Fancies” to be out soon?

Rory: We’re hoping to do something for “What He Fancies” because Carl had a fantastic idea which we definitely want to bring to life.

With the pressure from our record company, we unfortunately released the song sooner than we would have liked because you want to actually have a music video done and ready to go by that time, you know? Because it really helps as well with the leverage of the song when getting onto radio and so far, with this album, we’ve actually been a little disappointed with the amount of radio-play that we’ve gotten. I mean the varsity stations and Tuks[FM], God bless them always, have always backed us right from the word “go”. They were the first radio station in the country to put Plush on the map in some small little way. And we’re grateful for that because, you know, it keeps us relevant in the right people’s minds – the students. They’re the ones [who] are the buying music and going to the shows. But we definitely hope, we think and believe that the album deserves more play. It [has] good catchy songs and it’s well produced.

A lot of heart and soul was poured into it and it comes from a band that’s been around for more than a decade. At what point do the guys sitting in that room go, “F**k, you know what?

This could be played on any radio station to be honest. Let’s be fair. And it’s Plush, they’ve been around the block, they’ve paid their dues, let’s f**ken put it on the radio”. I mean, like, what’s that going to hurt anyone? It’s weird, but anyway.

You guys are back on the circuit, any chance we’ll see you at Oppikoppi this year?

Carl: We’re not at Oppikoppi this year, but we applied for all of them (festivals), hey and we’ll take it from there.

Rory: We definitely, definitely want to play at more festivals.

Any plans for a new album?

Rory: No, I don’t think we’re gonna do another album.

Carl: Ja. Rory: I think from here on out we’re going to move with the times and release singles, you know? And when the time’s right and when we feel the song’s right and when we can get it together, then we will do it. And hopefully we’ll do [it] under our own accord and we’ll be able to release the new [stuff] for nothing.

Carl: We’ve got all the resources of studios, everything that we need, at our fingertips so we’re really just going to day-by-day it. No pressures of, like, let’s make an album. Just going to make music, see where it goes.

Photo: JP Nathrass

BEYERS DE VOS Plush released their self-titled fourth album a year ago, but have only recently embarked on a countrywide tour to promote it, hitting up gigs in Joburg and Pretoria. And while they have great stage presence and hearing old favourites is enjoyable enough, you can’t help but get the feeling they shouldn’t have bothered. Plush is not a great album.

The band has been around for 12 years, and has made some good music in that time, but it is obvious that they are unhappy with the amount of commercial success they have had, and this album is squarely aimed at satisfying market needs. Plush have an agenda here, and it isn’t to make great music – it’s to sell music.

This means that most of the tracks are moulded along generic pop-rock formulas, uninspired and unoriginal. But it doesn’t mean that Plush doesn’t have something to offer.

“Dancing in a Storm” is unbelievably catchy and melodic, with a chorus that will, no matter how hard you fight it, get stuck in your head. It is radio-friendly in the best possible way. And there are moments on the album (when the band forgets about their commercial ambitions for a few minutes) that abandon generic pop clichés, and instead focus on the actual music, offering up a few gems. “Carousel” is slow and sweet and sincere and “Always Awake” is big and dark, reminiscent of Kings of Leon in their Only by the Night phase: a reminder of the talent and experience which Plush can bring to the table.

But these moments don’t last long. The rest of the tracks just kind of melt into one giant pop-rock song, perfect for background music on a Sunday afternoon, when you couldn’t actually care about what was playing.

Carl Wegelin has a good voice, with a good tone: by turns gruff and sexy, smooth and powerful, and the rest of the band are clearly skilled. But Plush isn’t as inventive as Wrestlerish or as edgy as Taxi Violence, as good as aKING or as quirky as Desmond and the Tutus. This album is making a bid for poprock perfection, but lacks the emotional muscle, lyrical prowess or musical edge to transcend its smooth production and catchy melodies. It gets bogged down in its own desire to be saleable, to the detriment of the quality of the actual songs.

It’s good(ish), but ultimately forgettable.

View the “Dancing in a Storm” music video on the web or @pPerdeby7411h.

RATING 5/10

Image: www.theassembly.co.za

Competition Win Plush’s latest album by tweeting the name of first single released to @ perdebynews.

10

14 Mei ‘12

Entertainment

A guide to South African album releases in 2012 MELINA MELETAKOS With new material from PHfat, Dan Patlansky, Yesterday’s Pupil and Markus Wormstorm, 2012 has already seen the release of a number of remarkable albums from South African musicians. To keep you up to date, Perdeby has compiled a list of albums that local music lovers can still look forward to this year.

Having just signed with Sheer Music, Peachy Keen is releasing their debut EP, Backseat Bingo, this month. This 50s-inspired rockabilly band from Cape Town has already set tongues wagging with the release of their first single “I Shot a Man Down”.

VanFokKingTasties is the combined touring concept of South Africa’s very own rock family: Van Coke Kartel, Fokofpolisiekar, aKING and Die Heuwels Fantasties. Each band contributes an acoustic rendition of previously recorded material to the album. Fans can also look forward to one new song from each band. VanFokKingTasties is currently touring the country to promote the release of their acoustic album.

Desmond & The Tutus are set to release their highly anticipated second dose of indie-kwela-pop-rock after signing with Sony Records earlier this year. Mnusic should be out by the end of May but the band is famously elusive about the exact release date so fans should be prepared for a delay.

Experimental indie rockers Zebra & Giraffe are teaming up with producer Darryl Torr once again to release their third studio album in July. MK by die Dam marked their

final show as a five-piece band so it will be interesting to see how their sound has evolved this time around.

The masters of live performance, Isochronous, are set to release their fourth

album in September. If that is too long a wait for your Isochronous fix, the band is releasing a DVD of their tour to Germany, where they opened for German superstar Marius MullerWesterhagen. The DVD launch will take place

on 27 June at Atterbury Theatre in Pretoria.

Trash/electro genius Haezer will be releasing his EP, The Wrong Kid Died, at the end of August. Electro enthusiasts can expect great things from this self-confessed perfectionist.

Canadian-born South African singer/ songwriter Zaki Ibrahim is set to release her full-length album, Every Opposite, this year.

The album was produced by Tiago of Tumi and The Volume and 340ml fame.

After recently winning an MK Award in the Best Indie category and after their video for their track “Infinity” reached number one on MK’s Top 10, Dance, You’re On Fire have proven that they are a band worth keeping an eye on. They started recording their second album in mid-March so fans can expect some more radio-friendly pop rock in the coming months.

Afro soul songstress Lira is preparing for the release of her sixth studio album, Rise Again, this year. The star’s newest venture sees her poised to take on the world. Rise Again is set to be released in the USA as well.

The December Streets started recording their debut album at the beginning of April.

It will include songs from their previously released EP as well as a selection of new material.

In March this year, pop/rock outfit Fire Through The Window released Live Long, the first of two parts of their EP. The band plans on releasing the second part, Prosper later this year.

Illustration: Simon-Kai Garvie

Marilyn Manson: the death of a legacy JP NATHRASS

Born Villain is the eighth studio album from Marilyn Manson, the follow-up to the disappointing High End of Low. The shockrocker described the new album as having a heavier tone when compared to previous albums. He classifies it as “suicide death metal”, evident in the macabre lyrics and general dark feel to the tracks. This isn’t a relatively new concept when dealing with Manson, but you cannot help but feel that he drew heavily on his older work to record Born Villain.

The first single, “No Reflection”, perfectly blends simple chord progressions used by Manson in his older albums, accompanied by his signature growl, to create a dark song rich with emotion.

“Slo-Mo-Tion” opens with a catchy bass riffand-drum beat but the moment Manson adds his vocals to the mix, the song fails. It becomes painful to listen to, due to Manson’s off-tune whining, which ends up sounding more like a choir of drowning cats than a rock icon. By the song’s end, even the solo is off-tune, leaving you to wonder whether the band even listened to the song before releasing the album.

With “The Gardener”, Manson mumbles lyrics depressing enough to drive Oprah to suicide, and the song lacks the power and emotion to deliver lyrics that speak of Manson’s

view’s on of life, love and creation.

The best performance on the album comes with “Murderers Are Getting Prettier Everyday”. It showcases the band’s potential with the heaviest riff on the album and Manson delivers his strongest vocals. After listening to the track, it leaves you wanting more of the same. This is Manson at his best.

The band continues their tradition of covering older songs with their version of “You’re So Vain”. This collaboration with actor Johnny Depp on guitar and drums adds the signature Manson feel to a classic song. The only disappointment is that the band seems better at performing someone else’s songs than writing their own material.

After listening to Born Villain, one cannot help but wonder if the rocker has run out of ideas. On the whole, the album feels like a collection of greatest hits with a few new effects and lyrics. His voice also fails to impress. This might be a testament to the hard lifestyle he has become associated with. He relies on his band to carry him through the album, but even this is not enough to save the album from being disappointing.

See the “No Reflection” music video on the web or @pPerdeby7411b.

RATING: 6/10

Image: www.loudwire.com

Sport

14 May ‘12

11

Res League hockey gets underway NATALIE THOMPSON The hockey Res League kicked off on 7 May at UP Sports Campus. The first round of matches proved that all the teams involved are prepared and eager to take the title of Res League Champions.

The match between Erika and Lilium started rather unsteadily as a time delay and confusion of fields left the two teams dismayed. However, once the game got underway, the stronger team proved to be Erika, with most of the match played in Lilium’s half of the field. Back-and-forth play between the two teams did not make for a fast-paced game. Nonetheless, Erika’s persistence paid off, leading to a goal for the girls in purple. Erika had short corners regularly but were unable to capitalise off these opportunities. Lilium started playing more aggressively at the start of the second half, testing Erika’s defence. Lilium’s tactical change didn’t last long and the game moved back into their goal quarter. Towards the end of the match, it was evident that both teams were tired and the match petered out towards the end. Erika won the match 1-0. Their coach told Perdeby that she was “very proud of them. Lilium asked us whether we are ready to lose, so we’re very happy.”

Vividus Men and Maroela provided a real spectacle for spectators. Vividus pestered Maroela from the start after winning the toss.

In a well-contested match, fractured play often interrupted the pace of the game. With both teams’ coaches on the field, no direction was given from the sidelines causing play

to settle in midfield. Neither team managed to overpower the other. The first half was characterised by a good attempt at goal from the number nine Vividus player, whose flick shot just missed the crossbar. However, throughout the match, bickering between the two teams took place which led to a scuffle after the final whistle was blown.

The match between Taaibos and TuksVillage saw the favourites, Taaibos, being surprised by their rivals. From the start of the match Taaibos had ball possession and kept play in TuksVillage’s half. The TuksVillage goalkeeper saved several attempts at goal, keeping his team in the match. Constant changes for both teams kept the game fast paced. Taaibos seemed to overpower TuksVillage for most of the match, though they did miss several opportunities to score.

At the start of the second half, TuksVillage allowed Taaibos to steal a short corner, taking the ball all the way to the TuksVillage goal.

An impressive attempt at goal from Taaibos resulted in an equally impressive save from the TuksVillage goalkeeper. An unexpected goal from TuksVillage saw them pull ahead of Taaibos. However, within the last five minutes of the match, Taaibos answered with a goal, levelling the score. TuksVillage’s coach told Perdeby that she was a “little disappointed [as] Taaibos are one of the teams to beat.” Taaibos’s coach told Perdeby that they were unhappy with a draw.

The hockey Res League will continue throughout the semester up until 24 May.

Photo: Hendro van der Merwe

400 meter Tuks hekkiesatleet en SA kampioen, Wenda Theron, het haar eerste A-kwalifiserende tyd gehardloop tydens die SA Ope Kampioenskappe op 4 en 5 Mei. Theron sal later in Mei vertrek om aan ‘n internasionale byeenkoms deel te neem in die hoop om haar tweede A-kwalifiseerde tyd in te palm en vir die 2012 Olimpiese Spele te kwalifiseer.

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Sport

Tuks dominates Carlton Cup

KATLEGO PHEEHA Less than a week after claiming their first Varsity Cup title, the Tuks1 rugby team took to the field to begin the defence of their Carlton Cup title.

After claiming the Varsity Cup, Tuks management released a statement on the TuksSport website claiming that the team was aiming for a treble victory this year: the Varsity Cup, the Carlton Cup and the USSA Championship to be held at Wits later this year.

The team started their Carlton Cup campaign on a high when they thrashed tournament newcomers Eastern Eagles

101-9 in the opening round of the competition, scoring 15 tries and conceding none. It was the first time since 2009, when Tuks beat Brits 130-0, that a century was scored.

Next, the team played Naka Bulle who proved to be much more of a challenge for the defending champions, as Naka held them to a 27-19 win. “I would not like to take anything away from Naka as they made us labour for every point, but all in all it was a very disappointing and frustrating performance by us. By deviating from the game plan, we played right into their hands. The most important lesson we will take from this hard-earned win is that the honeymoon is over. The 101-9 win against Eastern Eagles in the opening

round was a once-off and I am sure all the players realise that now. We cannot take anything for granted anymore and will have to make the necessary shift in attitude to not be caught off guard again,” said Bart Schoeman, head coach of Tuks1.

Tuks’s next fixture was won by default when opponents Silver Valke informed TuksRugby that they would not be able to field a side for the match. Under the by-laws of the competition, Tuks won by default won 40-0 (the equivalent of a five-try win) was recorded for official purposes. The following fixture on the calendar was a rematch of a Varsity Cup Pretoria derby between TUT and Tuks. Tuks beat the TUT Vikings 40-0 in a Varsity Cup round-robin game ang they were again beaten 66-6 by Tuks at the TUT Stadium.

Tuks’s Johann Tromp scored a hat-trick in the game, with other tries from Hayden Groepes (2), Kurt Haupt (2), Dabeon Draghoender, Frederik Eksteen and Fanie Booysen. Cameron Dunlop, brother of 2012 Varsity Cup Player of the Tournament Wesley Dunlop, added to the score with eight successful conversions. Tuks have now scored 32 tries in this year’s competition and have only conceded one. Despite a seemingly convincing win against their Pretoria rivals, Coach Schoeman still described the win as “uninspiring”. “One should not like to be perceived as ungrateful or even greedy because many coaches would have taken 66-6 with a smile. In our case, however, we were up 47-6 at the break but it took us 30 frustrating minutes to score again. This is totally unacceptable as we could and should have put a much bigger score on the board. Our single biggest problem was that we deviated from the game plan by playing like 15 individuals and not as a team. This lack of coherence will cost us dearly against a stronger opponent and we’ll have to up our game considerably if we want to beat Centurion on Saturday,” he said.

Tuks1 now sits at the top of the log in the Carlton Cup. Tuks1 has not lost a rugby match since losing to Maties on 27 February in the Varsity Cup. See the Carlton Cup log on the web or @pPerdeby7411e.

Photo: Brad Donald

Mopanie claims TuksRes cricket title

AB BASSON Mopanie defeated Vividus in the TuksRes cricket final to cap off an exciting T20 season on 3 May at the UP Sports Campus. The tournament consisted of teams from all the men’s residences, including day houses Vividus, Jacarandia

and Zeus, as well as House Theology and Onderstepoort. In a fiercely contested final, Mopanie ran out victors by ten runs.

Mopanie entered the final undefeated, having finished at the top of Pool A. “I am very happy with the victory and very proud of all the players. We worked very hard and made a lot of sacrifices to remain undefeated throughout the season,” said

Mopanie’s sport HK Armand Basson.

Vividus and Mopanie made it to the final by defeating Olienhout and Kiaat respectively in the semi-finals. With the two most consistent teams in the final, it was sure to be very entertaining.

Vividus won the toss and elected to field. It seemed to be the wrong decision as opener Charl van der Merwe helped Mopanie to race to 96 runs off the first six overs. Van der Merwe hit the ball superbly to all areas of the ground, ending on 69 runs off just 25 balls, including five sixes. He has been in good form all season, recording four half centuries in his last four games, all under 18 balls with the quickest one coming off just 11 balls.

Van der Merwe’s dismissal halted the onslaught but Mopanie still finished on an impressive score of 160/8 after the allotted overs. Craig Jones finished as the best bowler for Vividus, taking two wickets in two overs.

Vividus, who have favoured the chase all season long, would have fancied their chances of putting last year’s final defeat behind them. Vividus started steadily. They were 59/1 after six overs and looked well on course to match Mopanie’s score.

Although Vividus had a lot of wickets remaining, they just could not build up the necessary momentum to steer themselves to a victory. The loss of key batsmen at crucial stages did not help their cause. Vividus fell well short in the end, finishing the game on 150/5.

Lehan Brits finished the game on 48*, with Mopanie’s Helgard Gous finishing with three wickets after four overs.

“The boys gave their all. We have a young team (in terms of first years) but they showed a lot of heart. We are very disappointed but will come back fighting next year,” said Vividus captain Rihann van der Merwe. Mopanie capped off an impressive tournament as the best team.

It is the second year in a row that Vividus has lost in the final, after losing to Jacarandia off the last ball in last year’s final. For Mopanie, the win secured a second title in five years, having won it in 2008.

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