Perdeby Tuks se amptelike studentekoerant / Official Tuks student newspaper / Kuranta ya baithuti ya semmušo ya Tuks
18March2013
Parking problems on campus continue
P5
year75issue07
RAMfest
We Are One Colour Festival
P6-7
P8
University rankings investigated
P9
RAMfest: Beware the Ides of March
Rise Against
Bring Me the Horizon
Rise Against
Beast
Inspector Cluzo
Van Coke Kartel Photos: Eleanor Harding and Hendro van der Merwe
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Editorial
18 Maart ‘13
Perdeby
Oh yeah? Is right? Right now? Today?
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 Margeaux Erasmus
perdeby@up.ac.za @MargeauxErasmus
News Danielle Petterson
news@perdeby.co.za @DLPetterson
Features Bernd Fischer
features@perdeby.co.za @Bernd_Fischer
Entertainment Lusanda Futshane entertainment@perdeby.co.za
@LooRadley
Sport Maxine Twaddle Web Nolwazi Mngadi
sport@perdeby.co.za @MissMax6 webeditor@perdeby.co.za @perdebynews @NollyNM
Copy Jaco Kotze
copy@perdeby.co.za @Jaco_K
Layout Nolwazi Bengu
layout@perdeby.co.za @cherrypop18
Visuals Brad Donald
visuals@perdeby.co.za @Brad3rs
Teams Layout Boitumelo Phetla Ditshego Madopi Edher Numbi Rebecca Paulsen Thabang Letageng
Nothing exciting or thrilling happened last week for me to write about and I sat in front of my computer for hours waiting for words that were not forthcoming. I couldn’t merely make something up and rant about that. I know some people think that that’s how this works but it really doesn’t. Something needs to happen or something needs to have made an impression on me. That is where editorials take root. This week though, I’ve come up empty. What do I write about? What do I share with our readers this week? Should I write about Chaucer, seeing that I have a big assignment about The Canterbury
Letter to the editor
Hi, My name is Marco and I am a post-graduate student at Tuks. I have never really done this but I feel I should write about something I don’t agree with. I have never agreed with ads on sperm donations but when I read the ad asking women for their eggs I feel it finally struck me that I should speak up. IVF and artificial insemination is against my faith but morally speaking it violates a human being’s body. This technology substitutes a fundamental pillar of the purpose of sex.
Pssst...
Things at Kiaat aren’t going too well and Pssst... hears that the HK are struggling to hold onto their first years. As it is, two very unhappy first years have already quit the Cubs, and to tell the truth, Pssst… isn’t surprised. If Pssst… were in Kiaat Pssst…would also leave. No wonder the Knolle are exchanging their Cubs for Nergies. Need Pssst... be the one to remind Madelief that those sticks they carry around are not meant to be dragged on the floor? Speaking of which, Pssst... finds it quite amusing that a Knol stood by and did nothing as two boys told her they were about to steal her jottir and stick. Whatever happened to res pride? You should take some advice from the Knol who threatened to beat the girl who stole her stick a few weeks ago.
Advertising Sales Tel: 012 420 6600 Cell: 083 318 9738 carel.willemse@up.ac.za
for really? The brand? I’m not sure what I’m more shocked about: the fact that Lindt actually made a huge chocolate bunny or the fact that someone figured consumers would be dumb enough to buy a huge chocolate bunny. It’s like Jersey Shore. What’s worse? The fact that someone gave them a TV show or the fact that people watched it? Moving on, Perdeby was at RAMfest this weekend, which is why we are sitting in the office on a Sunday. If this is not proof of our dedication to our readers I don’t know what is. If you weren’t able to make it (sometimes sacrifices have to be made to follow the dirt road to Oppikoppi) you can read our exclusive interviews on pages 6 and 7. Our news team also kicked it up a notch this week. They’ve had a rough couple of weeks but I think they’ve made amends. Read what students think about food outlets on campus on page 4 in our Perdebate. We also have some important information for you about UP Beats on page 5. Unfortunately we ran out of space for a Fun and Games page this week, but after the holidays I promise its return, along with Sudoku. Enjoy the small break and Happy Easter. Margeaux PS: Oh yeah? Is right? Right now? Today? – that is for our web editor Nolwazi Mngadi.
A married couple does not have the right to a child but rather it is a tremendous gift. Targeting young men and women for what they were born with to make babies outside of the body contradicts nature at the very core. Contraception (which I also don’t believe in) is accepted in society when Natural Family Planning (NFP) is a healthy, marriage bond strengthening and lovingly natural alternative to plan the size of a family without destroying the very beautiful sexual union found in marriage. Contraception substitutes for the other pillar by allowing humans
to experience sex without any “consequences”. Contraception treats fertility as a disease while test tube babies feeds our humanism tendencies. There are plenty of kids in foster care who could use a loving home. It’s a very tough decision to make but one that can bring a lot of joy to a child and the couple themselves as they come to terms with not being able to conceive. I hope you can appreciate where I am coming from. Other than this I love the paper!
Katjiepiering decided to make enemies out of their neighbours which Pssst... doesn’t think is the smartest thing to do considering Maroela and Mopanie’s reputations. The Katte scratched the two boys reses’ names out of the Proefplaas’s signs and stole Maroela’s sign outside their res. Pssst... thinks the girls should lock their doors at night and sleep with one eye open. We all know how much Mopanie loves revenge. Pssst… has to congratulate the person who stole Nerina’s Nika. Watching the first years greet a slab of cement is quite entertaining. Well done to the Spriete for winning Ienk Athletics by the way. Pssst… was surprised to hear that. Maybe Nika was bad luck. It’s exciting to see the day houses do something for a change, but Pssst… thinks that Zeus and Luminous need to realise that they don’t own the
concept of foam parties, or Ty’s nightclub. Luminous, what is this Pssst… hears about your ball that was a complete disaster? You know things are bad when your own members boycott your event. Pssst... finds it extremely amusing that Lilium has been spying on the other girl reses’ Serrie practices. Lilium, isn’t it time that you come to terms with the fact that your Serrie will never be good enough? Pssst… thinks that the Kollege boys are taking their togas a bit too far. Honestly Vremies, there’s only so much skin that Pssst… can handle. Also, to the Madelief HK who enjoys the Vremies a bit too much - sies. Keep sending in those tips to perdeby@up.ac.za. Pssst… thanks you.
Regards and all the best Marco
myrestweets.co.za @myrestweets
Copy Herman Hoogenboezem India Gonçalves Sreddy Yen Saneze Tshayana Tahnee Otto Lisa Buys Lyndi Swart Maggie Roodt
Tales due this week? Should I write about how chaotic life is? Or how these holidays aren’t much of a break with all the assignments due first thing next term? Nothing. I have nothing. It’s in moments like these that I want to be 12 years old and stuck in Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. Especially if Johnny Depp is there. I’m not sure where this thought originated from. Maybe it is all the Easter eggs and chocolate bunnies surrounding us in every department store. Easter came really early for them this year. I might even venture so far as to say that I saw the first bunch of Easter delights before the “I love you” lollipops for Valentine’s Day. Maybe certain shops were just excited to showcase those 1kg Lindt chocolate bunnies. Have you seen those things? What intrigued me though was not that it was a huge chocolate bunny – I’m not five years old anymore. What I immediately thought about was how much that chocolate bunny must cost. Do you know how much? R500. R500. Well, R499.95, but still. It’s only chocolate. You can buy 25 slabs of Cadbury dairy milk chocolate for that price. That is 4.5kg of chocolate instead of 1kg of chocolate. If you can afford that chocolate bunny then you have too much money. There. I’ve said it. But someone had to. And what are you paying
From the editor
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News
3
18 March ‘13
Campus accommodation crisis being addressed TARYN RICHMOND TuksRes, in conjunction with the Temporary Student Committee (TSC) and a number of student societies, have worked to provide accommodation for students who have not made residence placement and don’t have a place to stay. TSC Deputy Chairperson Jordan Griffiths explained in a statement that, over the past few years, the accommodation situation has steadily worsened. “From last year to this year the [number] of students in dire need of accommodation has doubled. Last year, 130 students were placed. This year, the number is well over 200. With government failing to build more tertiary institutions, the current ones are now beginning to take the strain of an increased demand with limited supply,” Griffiths stated. He explained that students have repeatedly arrived at the TSC offices with their bags looking for somewhere to sleep. Griffiths also referred to the reduction of government funding for tertiary institutions, which makes finding suitable accommodation plans more difficult. He said that he fears that if the university does not begin to make long-term arrangements soon, the strikes occurring at the University of KwaZulu-Natal might occur at UP as well. TuksRes will be submitting a presentation to the executive and senior management at UP regarding the accommodation crisis on campus early this week. It will propose plans to help prepare the university for the fast growing number of students who are looking for accommodation. Director of Residence Affairs and Accommodation Prof. Roelf Visser explained that the university intends to increase its residence capacity by seeking private offcampus student accommodation. They hope that this will maintain the existing ratio of available accommodation to the number of enrolled
students as well as to address the backlog of students who cannot be accommodated in residences. The current ratio of available accommodation to the number of enrolled students is 8 500 beds for 47 000 students (18%, compared to the national norm of 30%). Prof. Visser acknowledges that there is a definite shortage and that the department has been working on alleviating the crisis. UP has various accredited off-campus accommodation such as MidCity, Pulse Student Living and Hantra which provide a few hundred beds. Urban Nest, which the male residences Boekenhout and Olienhout are occupying this year while their residences are being
refurbished, will become available to students next year, providing an additional 280 beds. UP is looking to increase the number of beds at Urban Nest by 600. Prof. Visser said that the university still has land that it can build on and within the next two years another 1 500 beds are expected to become available. The university is approaching landowners and private developers to build on their own properties, leasing exclusively to UP students. Various projects are currently underway and the university expects an estimated 2 000 additional beds to become available by 2015. This additional private accommodation will cater to students affected by socio-economic factors and their academics will not be taken
into account. Students are placed into traditional residences based on academic merit and require a minimum of 50% to be considered. “It is sad but fair,” Prof. Visser said. At the beginning of the year, various student societies took it upon themselves to find students without accommodation and compiled lists which were taken to TuksRes who in turn found accommodation for those students. Although the societies have helped in placing students, Prof. Visser encourages students without accommodation to approach 90 Duxbury Road in person as they can be helped quicker and more effectively this way. To read the full article, including the societies’ comments, go to perdeby.co.za.
AfriForum Jeug behaal oorwinning met
Varsity Cup-kaartjies Ná ’n week se onderhandelings met die UP het AfriForum Jeug die universiteit oortuig om studente met goedkoper Varsity Cup-kaartjies tegemoet te kom.
SMS jou naam na 082 612 5576 om by AfriForum Jeug betrokke te raak
www.afriforumjeug.co.za • tukkies@afriforum.co.za
AfriForum Jeug
aksent media • 082 445 4513
• TuksSport het ingestem om kaartjiepryse op die hoofpawiljoen met R20 te verminder. • 1 000 gratis kaartjies is aan Tukkie-studente geskenk vir die wedstryd op Maandag, 25 Februarie toe Tukkies teen Maties uitgedraf het. • Op 4 Maart, vir die rugbywedstryd tussen Tukkies en Wits, was die kaartjies vir die graswalle gratis. • Die UP het bevestig dat daar ’n biertuin voor en ná wedstryde vir studente beskikbaar sal wees. • Seisoenkaartjies sal vanaf 2014 beskikbaar wees, wat beteken dat jy Varsity Cup-wedstryde goedkoper kan bywoon. • Die UP het ingestem om ’n sentrale kaartjieverkooppunt op kampus te sit sodat studente met gemak hul wedstrydkaartjies kan koop.
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News
18 Maart ‘13
After receiving complaints about service on campus, Perdeby looked into the issue. According to UP management the issue has been taken into consideration. The university adheres strictly to the Health and Safety Act. Here is what students had to say about the services at food outlets on campus. Below are the outlets’ responses.
“Burgundy’s is very slow, TriBeCa is faster. The staff in Steers is quite rude.” - Paul Ackerman, third-year BSc
S T U D E N T S
O U T L E T S
“[TriBeCa] is so vibrant, [their] food is to die for and the staff is super friendly but the tables are always dirty, they should do something about them.” - Neo Matsho, second-year BCom Financial Management
“The people in Coffee Buzz are lovely, it is definitely the best. I don’t often go to the Kiosk, and Oom Gert’s [has] nice staff even though I don’t go there often.” - Georgina Wilson, third-year BSc Zoology
“Service is good. I haven’t had a problem with the piazza related businesses. But the service at the more engineering situated restaurants is very slow and a tad horrible on some days, especially TriBeCa.” - Anesu Shamu, third-year BSc Meteorology
“I think that the introduction of TriBeCa has caused a lot of the other restaurants on campus to step up their game. Where before mediocrity was acceptable now they have to compete, which is good for us. But overall I think that they do their best to give students quick service at acceptable prices. A lot of students complain about the cost of food on campus but they forget that when they go home for three or four months of the year, those restaurants still have to pay their staff.” - Lauren Christie, third-year BSc Medical Science
“It’s great, we are very busy but everyone is busy this time of year, and you never know how students feel, but I am very glad.” - Vaso Nicolaou, from Coffee Buzz
“We offer good service but you can ask our customers.” - Michael Meyer, from Oom Gert’s
“We render very good service here. We work together and our food is always a 100%. Unlike other restaurants, we sell real beef not that other stuff that other restaurants sell.” - Betty, a cashier from Steers
“The staff [at Campus Kiosk] is very rude. They do not give you enough time to decide on what to buy, they shout at you for taking your time to decide. I know they are trying to make the service quick but they are going about it the wrong way.” - Mpelegeng Rammutloa, second-year BCom Informatics
“[Steers’s] service is very poor, we stand in long queues and when it is finally our chance to buy, they send us to a different queue.” - Kelebogile Lesolang, first-year BA own choice
“The service here is fine, I have no complaints. Although I have only recently started working here, there’s a lot of team work so I don’t feel any strain.” - Tshepo, a waiter from Burgundy’s
“Our motto is to provide service with a smile. We strive to give the best service and most of us find our motivation from God.” - Douw Steyn, from Fego
Campus Kiosk declined to comment on the record.
“In order for [the food outlets] to make a name for themselves and to compete they have to be good. In my opinion there are differences, such as Burgundy’s service is very poor compared to that of TriBeCa for example.” - Daniel Moxham, third-year BCom
“The service is pretty efficient, however, Campus Kiosk needs to be less rude.” - Gugu Maphanga, third-year Internal Auditing Student
“We are always smiling, excellent service, nice place to be, we even have surveys where our customers rate the service. You are also welcome here.” - Violet Lekgwathi, from Pie City
“We have really high corporate status because we have been working with companies like Woolworths and this is why people mistake us as competition whereas we are just trying to meet the needs of students. What motivates me personally is seeing students enjoying themselves. This is why we are trying to create a vibrant atmosphere for them. There have been major staff changes, some of the staff have gone to other branches, but we are looking into that. We have also had a few hiccups because we are still learning how the student life works so that our service can be excellent.” - David McLellan, TriBeCa general manager
News
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18 March ‘13
UP Beats cancelled Bogus electrician steals from student DANIELLE PETTERSON The UP Beats Festival will no longer be taking place this month. According to special programmes coordinator Dr Rina Wilken, the festival will not take place because the Rag committee did not apply in time to have the event approved. Dr Wilken said that new legislation for big events has been introduced and categorisation of the event needs to be applied for well in advance. The annual UP Beats Festival typically takes place the night before the Rag Procession at the Rag Farm to kick off the Rag weekend. This year, the Rag committee decided to move the festival to March in order to accommodate all students and not bombard them with all the activities taking place in the first few weeks of class. Rag Chairperson Phatludi Modiba said that the committee was not made aware of the fact that they had to apply several weeks in advance. According to Modiba, new legislation requires that the plans for an event be brought before the City of Tshwane Joint Operations Committee (JOC) eight weeks before the event. He said
that in the past they have never had to meet with the JOC. Furthermore, Modiba said that the Rag committee went to the JOC the week before the Rag Procession and they had allowed it to take place. However, they are now applying the rule with UP Beats. “It really pains me as the Rag members are the ones that are fighting for all traditions to be kept alive and all student-based activities and yet the general public is under the impression we are not doing any work,” he said. According to Modiba, not all changes necessarily come from the committee. “There are a lot of things that are said to us and we just obey the laws.” The current Rag committee ends its term of office at the end of March. Rag Queen Dassie Persaud-van der Westhuizen said that the new committee will decide if they will plan a UP Beats Festival later in the year. Modiba urges students to support Rag. “We’re here for the students and all the things we do and all the initiatives, everything we do, is mainly for the students.” He said that students who have questions or queries are welcome to contact him.
BOIPELO BOIKHUTSO
A man posing as an electrician allegedly stole a student’s purse on south campus on 7 March. The man arrived at Building 4 and told students that he had been sent to solve a problem with the electricity supply. He told the theft victim that he was sent by a lecturer to check what the problem was. He asked for money to buy the materials needed to fix the problem and then requested that the students leave the venue so that he could test the power. While the students waited outside, he stole a student’s purse from her handbag. Linda Meyer, a senior investigating officer from the Department of Security Services, is heading the case. A case of theft has been opened with the Brooklyn Police Station. The suspect has been described as a cleanly shaven white male in his early fifties. He was wearing glasses at the time of the theft. When asked what Security Services is doing to prevent this type of incident from occurring again, Director of Security Services Colin Fouché said that, “It is not [about] what we are
doing as the department but [about] everyone following safety precautions.”
What you should know • •
•
•
No contractor working for the university requires cash while working. All contractors get issued a contractor’s card with a job reference number and a photo and are usually in uniform. Should anyone witness suspicious behaviour from a contractor, they may contact the Operational Management Centre on 012 420 2310/2760 or the operational manager on 083 654 0476. If anyone sees or has any knowledge pertaining to the suspect please contact the Operational Management Centre.
Roofs a “no-go zone” for students MOLEBOGENG MANGOALE Seventeen students have been caught on the roofs of campus buildings over the last six months. Since the beginning of this year three cases have been reported and two students were caught climbing the water tower at the Taaibos residence. Students have been caught on the roofs of the law building, the Centenary and the SciEnza. They faced disciplinary action and were required to pay a fine. According to Director of Security Services Colin Fouché, most students commit this act after hours as a way of getting a “better view” of the university and the surrounding areas. Furthermore, some students do this while under the influence of alcohol. “Roofs are not designated for leisure activities. They are a no-go zone and climbing them is totally not allowed,” said Fouché. “The only people that are allowed on the roofs are service contractors and they also approach those places with precaution and wear protective gear.”
According to Fouché, students are aware that they are not allowed to climb on to the roofs of buildings, yet they continue to do so. There are signs at the entrances to the roofs which state that unauthorised entry is prohibited, but students ignore these, putting their lives at risk. “Students should apply their sound judgement and not make impulsive decisions. They must take responsibility for their lives and care to realise that such an act of climbing on the roofs of buildings could lead to their death,” said Fouché. No one is allowed to put in a request to access a rooftop. This includes photographers and people interested in proposing to their loved ones, as has been the case in the past. Serious disciplinary action will be taken against students caught on the roof of a building. Elize Gardiner, a legal adviser and head of discipline at UP, said, “Should this behaviour continue, stricter penalties will be considered as a preventative measure.”
Photo: Hendro van der Merwe The gate on to the roof of the law building
Parking problems continue on and around campus
MARISSA BRITS Parking on and around Hatfield campus is becoming more scarce for both students and
staff. The university has attempted to combat the parking problem with the construction of the Engineering 3 parkade and the free park-and-
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ride service that runs from Sport campus to Hatfield campus. Although both initiatives were successfully implemented, many students feel that the parking provided in the Engineering 3 parkade is too expensive and that the park-andride system is impractical. Many students still park on Lynnwood Road. The City of Tshwane plans to develop a bus transit system which will run from the Pretoria CBD through to Lynnwood Road. This will restrict parking on the shoulder lanes of Lynnwood Road. According to the City of Tshwane’s official website, the project is set to be implemented in April 2014. Third-year geology students Christian Northcote and André van der Westhuizen said that the engineering parkade is too expensive and busy. They also stated that using the parkand-ride system is inconvenient because it prolongs your journey and is impractical if you are in a hurry. Micheal Kidgell, a second-year engineering student, said that, “There is too little parking on Hatfield campus. If you don’t come to campus
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at 7:30 you won’t find a decent parking [spot]. I also feel that it is unfair that people are getting tickets when they park on University Road. I’ve gotten two tickets already.” Third-year BCom student Daniel Moxham stated that, “The parking provided by the university in Engineering 3 is not enough. There have been days that I have had to wait in a line of cars just to get in. The park-and-ride system is impractical to me because I have classes on both Sport campus and Hatfield campus and I either miss the bus or I am late for class.” According to the university, the parkade has provided 1 000 parking bays, 60% of which are available to students. Two-hourly rates apply to student parking on weekdays. Although the university has taken steps to provide students with more parking, many students feel that the steps have been inefficient and still struggle to find parking on a daily basis.
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Photo: Kobus Barnard
6
18 Mar
RAMFEST 2013: EXTREMELY L MELINA MELETAKOS AND LUSANDA FUTSHANE
You’ve recently received a lot of praise from your peers in the music industry, yet Man As Machine has been around since 2008. Why do you think it took a while for people to really start talking about you? I think that it just takes time for some things to grow to the point where they need to be. For us, it took a little while to get people to remember, but now it’s happening. Next step is to grow the fan base to an even larger level. Up, up and away. You released your debut album, Nothing But A Thing, at the beginning of 2012. Do you have any plans for a follow-up? We do indeed. We are currently writing new material every chance we get, so people can expect to see a release later in the year. How do you see your sound evolving from Nothing But A Thing? Our skills, as musicians and songwriters, have progressed and matured since the writing of the first album. While Nothing But A Thing was a collection of songs written over a period of a few years, the new material will be more focused and refined. A band that plays your genre of music struggles for airplay on South African radio stations, meaning that you guys have to have a tight live performance to generate a fan base. What do you think goes into an electric live performance? For our style of music: energy and spontaneity. You could plan out a crazy show with moves and lights and what not, but you run the risk of looking overly rehearsed and fake. And that’s not our vibe. We like to run around and jump and get sweaty while putting on a tight musical show. So we rehearse our music often and hard, but seldom our performance. You released your debut music video in September last year. Do you have any plans to shoot another one?
You released your second EP, Kaleidoscope, in December last year. What has the response to it been like so far? It’s been great! People are really liking the fuller sound. We are really pleased with the work we did on Kaleidoscope. We recorded and produced the whole thing ourselves, so the fact that it turned out well and people like it makes us happy. You released your debut EP earlier in 2012 as well. Did your sound evolve between the first and the second EP? Definitely. The band was very much more folk back then. And only two original members from that line-up remain (Allister and Irina), so naturally the sound will change with new members and their inputs. We even play some of those songs faster now, like “Burlington Station”. We seem to have picked up the tempo a little bit overall, as well as having a fuller sound. You have mentioned that you are working on a full-length album. Why did you decide to go this route after releasing two EPs? Well, the two EPs allowed us to release music more quickly and allowed us more flexibility to change and find a sound, without having to commit to the expense and time of putting out a whole album while the band was essentially still forming musically. So now we feel like it’s time for a full-length album. We feel like we know what we want to say, and how it needs to sound, and we are keen to get it underway. You have a very DIY approach to practically every aspect of the band. What do you think this adds to the sound that you are creating? Well, I guess it means we don’t answer to anybody, and we write what we feel. We make the music we want to make, and we do it because we want to share it with people and enjoy it ourselves. I think that doing
If you’re still one of those people who think that RAMfest wake up and smell the bass line. This year’s RAMfest off Don’t believe us? Here are two pages of proof. That sound that’ll probably ec Yep. Along with the release of each new single this year will be a new video. What’s the most exciting thing about playing at a festival like RAMfest? Playing on large stages. Our sound and performance style lends itself to bigger stages, so it’s awesome and exciting for us to get to give it our all. Who are you most looking forward to seeing on stage at RAMfest this year? Bring Me the Horizon, Rise Against and Pendulum are obviously on the watch list due to their size and status. Locally, Truth and Its Burden (who’ve recently come back from quite a
large American tour) and Pestroy (who haven’t played in a while). What music festival tip can you give to firsttime RAMfest-goers? Drink water – lots of water. You can booze hard and party harder, but without water it’ll be difficult to last until the end. And who wants to miss out on any [of the] bands? What else can we expect from Man As Machine in 2013? Gigs, gigs, and more gigs! We’ll be touring and playing as much as we can this year. Full band and acoustic shows, new singles, new music videos, and more fun. We take our fun seriously!
Man As Machine
Asleep in Transit everything ourselves up until this point has meant we could focus on making something we can be proud of, without worrying about any other pressures or concerns. You’re also working on a documentary for MK. Can you tell us a bit more about that? It’s an EPK and a short documentary following us to the Berg, where we went to work on the new songs on Kaleidoscope. It features a lot of jamming, messing around and best of all - snow! There’s also going to be some stuff from RAMfest, practices, interviews. Just an intro to the band and our little musical retreat to the mountain. Your songs are very narrative. What appeals to you about writing songs like this?
Allister: I have always really liked that type of structure in a song, where you can hear a story, especially from both sides (usually a boy and a girl). I don’t really know why, but to me the songs are like pictures, and I describe what I see. What music festival tip can you give to first-time RAMfest-goers? Pace yourself. It’s fun to start drinking at 10:00, but you want to be functional come sunset. You don’t want to be that guy (or girl) passed out in a thorn bush come the morning, having missed everything. Also, sunscreen. And if you like a band, buy their stuff!
7
rch ‘13
LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE PHOTOS: ELEANOR HARDING AND HENDRO VAN DER MERWE
t is just a parade of hardcore rock and heavy metal bands, fered up what was probably its most diverse line-up yet. d you’re hearing? Those are screams from Riversands farm cho until next year. You’ve been around for quite a while now. How do you feel about the sudden mainstream popularity of EDM? I think it’s great, it’s spreading far beyond just EDM and showcasing electronic music as a whole. Let’s talk collaborations. You dabble in a lot of side projects, can we expect another
one any time soon? I think I’ll do tracks with people here and there but no foreseeable colabs. Finding a way to work alone has been really liberating. It’s more pure. The last full-length album you did was in 2007. Are you working towards another one or are you just sticking to EPs?
Don’t really know. I’m liking EPs, but who knows? Working on that album was super fun so, yeah, I’m sure I’ll do that again. Any overseas plans in the near future? Yeah. Toyota and I are gonna be touring France, Spain and Poland in July/August. I’m sure this tour will grow. What’s the most exciting thing about playing at a festival like RAMfest? The preprod[uction] – trying to imagine what it’s gonna be like and then writing music for that. What music festival tip can you give to first-time RAMfest-goers? Don’t wear fancy shoes. What else can we expect from Sibot in 2013? Hopefully some new production paths. More things in America. Work in the townships with Bridges for Music [an organisation enhancing opportunities in disadvantaged areas through electronic music]. Lots [of] free music.
P
Veranda Panda missed their slot at the Johannesburg leg of the RAMfest tour. Read our interview with them online.
Sibot
On Twitter you said that you will be playing RAMfest in a leopard onesie. How do you think this will fly with the audience? Due to travel arrangement complications, I had to run backstage from the artist registration and start playing before I had time to awkwardly hop into the fleece leopard suit. But I got to wear it around the festival after my set and the reactions were pretty fun. The interesting thing is that because a lot of the onesie companies are based in Cape Town right now, the people in cities outside of the Western Cape are actually really intrigued by the concept, having seen me speak about it online. You’ve said that you will be testing out a lot of your new remixes and tracks at RAMfest. Having played Cape Town and Durban already, what’s the response been like? When I’m testing out new songs, or versions of remixes I’m finalising, it’s to gauge both the crowd reaction to the builds and dips in the track, as well as to actually see how the song translates
Das Kapital
from studio to being played out. The responses were very much tied to the mood of the crowd but ultimately people had a great reaction to the new material. I was really glad that the tracks blended seamlessly with finished material, which means I don’t need to tweak all that much! You have a slot on Assembly Radio. What do you enjoy most about doing something like that? The best thing about doing radio is getting to expose people to things they haven’t heard yet. [Either] through […] unreleased music, or from obscure artists in niche genres that the general listening public wouldn’t otherwise have reason to look for. I’ve had a lot of people come to me saying that I introduced them to a genre they had never heard of before, or changed their opinion of certain aspects of dance that they had resigned themselves to hating. It feels good to facilitate people enjoying things they never knew they
could or would. You have your own label called Do Work Records. What goes into putting something like this together? So. Much. Work. There [are] a lot of due processes that go into releasing music, so I’m going to try and make this breakdown as simple as possible. For my first EP on my label, for example, which had three tracks, we went through about a total of six months of reversioning and testing the finished tracks until they were in a form I was ready to have out there for people to hear. They then had to be mastered (which was done by my personal favourite mastering house in the UK, Masterpiece), and given to the publishers, who then go about filling in details about genre and so on, before pushing that to the online stores. This has to be done several months before the songs actually get released, in order to have your copyrights registered and your music loaded to the webstores databases (Beatport, iTunes, Amazon et al.). Then, in those months leading up to release, it’s about getting the music to the music press, and making sure the tastemaker DJs are getting the tracks early to play out on radio and in their sets – this [is] in order to have people [pay] attention when it finally releases. What else can we expect from Das Kapital this year? Oof! It’s tough to say, because there is a lot of stuff still in the works, but as of right now: a 3rd EP (to be released on a particular foreign dance label), a new Do Work Records EP from a 17-year-old I’m working with, a compilation album I’m putting together, the Do Work label launch parties, my first UK Tour, a lot of remixes ranging from downtempo to full-on club music, lots of gigs across the country, and some really great developments on my radio show.
8
18 Maart ‘13
Entertainment
An explosion of colour is headed for Johannesburg
MELINA MELETAKOS “Five, four, three, two, one,” scream thousands of people in unison before throwing vibrantly coloured powder into the air at the same time. For a moment, a smoky cloud of intense blue, purple, yellow, green and pink lingers over them until the next countdown, every hour on the hour. The We Are One Colour Festival is on its way to Johannesburg, after making a stop in Cape Town a few weeks ago. After the Cape Town event, the festival rebranded itself from the “Holi One Colour Festival” to the “We Are One Colour Festival”. This, the festival organisers say, is an effort to carve their own identity that is separate from the original Indian Holi celebration which the festival originated from. Holi is a spring festival of colours celebrated by Hindus. It originally commemorated good harvests and fertile land, but has now turned into a farewell to winter and a welcoming of spring’s abounding colours. The organisers have made it clear that We Are One is not linked to any of the religious aspects of the original festival. It does, however, aim to share the same values of bringing people together in love and peace. It’s an expression of freedom and the colour of everyday life. If that’s all a bit airy fairy for your liking and you only want to enjoy getting guiltlessly dirty for a day, Perdeby brings you all the essential details
to ensure that you are well prepared for We Are One. Emmarentia Dam in Johannesburg will host the festival on 6 April. Gates open at noon and the first mass of powder will be unleashed at 13:00 with DJs Kid Fonque, Richard The Third, Sadnu Sensi and Toby2shoes providing the soundtrack to the mayhem. Things you’re not allowed to bring? Firstly, your own powder. This is to ensure that all the powder is environmentally friendly, allergyfree, non-toxic and water-soluble. Having said that, some material may stain, so rather go buy some cheap white clothes that you don’t intend wearing again. Secondly, don’t bring your own alcohol. There will be refreshments on sale at the event, as well as some grub to line your stomach throughout the day. Lastly, if you have allergies or asthma, or you wear contact lenses, you’re advised to wear mouth or eye protection. These will be available for sale at the event. After the hype around Cape Town’s festival, which attracted some 10 000 people, tickets for the Johannesburg event sold out within days. If you’re lucky enough to have secured one, good for you. You can relax until April. If you didn’t, Perdeby suggests you start scouring Gumtree or see our competition below – we might have a few tickets saved up for you. You’re welcome. Photos: Stu Shapiro
Perdeby is giving away two sets of double tickets to the Johannesburg We Are One Festival. Want one? All you have to do is send us a creative colourful picture of yourself and you could be one of our lucky winners. Send pictures to entertainment@perdeby.co.za or perdeby@up.ac.za. Competition closes Thursday 21 March at 22:00. Winners will be notified on Friday 22 March. #WeAreOneJHB
Features
18 March ‘13
9
Are global university rankings flawed? BERND FISCHER “I have a confession. The rankings of the world’s top universities that my magazine has been publishing for the past six years, and which have attracted enormous global attention, are not good enough,” admits Phil Baty, editor of the Times Higher Education (THE) world university rankings. Baty made this confession in 2010 after THE ended its world university rankings partnership with Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) over several disputes regarding the methodology used at the time. These two ranking systems, along with the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), form part of the three most influential ranking systems in the world. All three organisations release data containing information about universities on an annual basis. Richard Holmes, a lecturer at Universiti Teknologi MARA in Malaysia, accuses ARWU of mainly focusing on the natural sciences and not including the social sciences or humanities when conducting the required research for placement on its list. This begs the question: if the three most powerful ranking systems have been exposed for passing inaccurate information as factual, whom do we trust? Why should we still take these lists seriously, especially after Baty went public with the fact that the methodologies he endorsed while collaborating with QS on their world university rankings “had serious weaknesses”? “We always knew that our rankings had their limitations. No ranking can be definitive. No list of the strongest universities can capture all the intangible [and] life-changing work that universities undertake,” Baty said.
“[UP] certainly pays attention to the international ranking systems and our position within them.“ Perdeby spoke to Professor SG Burton, the University of Pretoria’s vice-principal of research and postgraduate education, concerning the matter: “[UP] certainly pays attention to the international ranking systems and our position within them. In line with our strategic plan, UP 2025, we have set ourselves the goals of being a leading research intensive university in Africa, and of strengthening our international profile.” Deputy vice-chancellor and head of Humanities at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Professor Cheryl Potgieter, said that, “There is no doubt that when parents, students and prospective employees explore where to register or invest their resources, they are increasingly turning to the ranked status of a university.” She added that, “It is common to hear parents and students say: ‘but I read the university is on the top 200/400 list’.” Prof. Burton reiterates Prof. Potgieter’s statement, adding, “Taken together, the ranking systems use a comprehensive set of indicators and criteria to position universities relative
to each other internationally, and keeping in mind that research and higher education are essentially global in nature, we recognise that our international positioning is relevant to all the university’s stakeholders, including prospective students.” The Centre for Higher Education Transformation (CHET) in South Africa published a report in 2010 in which it mentions that South African rankings of universities are mostly dependent on international data since there is no local system in place. CHET has, however, identified three different university “clusters” in SA, wherein universities are grouped according to function. “The red cluster constitutes the top research-intensive universities, green the middle, and blue scoring the lowest,” states the report. The University of Cape Town (UCT), the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), Stellenbosch University (SU), Rhodes University (RU) and UP are found in the red cluster, while the University of the Free State (UFS), the University of Johannesburg (UJ) and UKZN are amongst those in the green cluster. The blue cluster consists mainly of universities of technology. These include Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), Vaal University of Technology (VUT) and Durban University of Technology (DUT). THE recently released its current list of the world’s top 400 universities for the year 2012–2013. The only universities in Africa to make the list are UCT, ranked at number 113; Wits, ranked in the range 226–250; SU, ranked between the numbers 251–275; and lastly UKZN, placed in the range 351–400. According to THE, it would be unfair to give exact positions at the end of the list and therefore only a range is made available to the public. Meanwhile, QS’s world university rankings
for 2012–2013 differs in its overall scores. UCT is placed at number 154, Wits at 363, SU at 401, UP at 501 and UKZN at number 551.
“Two different university world rankings showed wildly variable results for UK universities – so which one should we trust?” This difference in rankings is not only evident when examining South African universities, as Andrew Marszal, digital education editor for The Telegraph, writes: “Two different university world rankings showed wildly variable results for UK universities [last year] – so which one should we trust?” Marszal reiterates the comments made two years earlier by Baty, saying that, “The simple truth is that there is no such thing as a definitive table.” “[O]ne must remember that the different ranking systems use rather different sets of indicators and no single ranking should be taken as an absolute,” adds Prof. Burton. Furthermore, the European Commission has criticised all three of these ranking systems (and others) for allegedly “favour[ing] Anglo-Saxon higher education institutions”. A Hungarian study conducted from 2000 to 2009, eventually published in 2011, argues that these rankings place a great deal of importance on citations. This is problematic as it undermines universities that do not use English as their first or primary language. Publications and records in any other language are harder to find and are therefore disregarded. However, some institutions have supported the use of international ranking lists.
Perdeby’s Daily Roundup Get your local and international news, entertainment and sport updates at perdeby.co.za. Perdeby’s Daily Roundup will be published again after the break at around 19:00 on weekdays. Illustration: Modeste Goutondji
Research published by the Institute for Higher Education Policy in the USA found that they “can encourage [academic] institutions to participate in broader national and international discussions,” as well as encourage research partnerships and collaborations. The possibility of student and faculty exchange programmes are also more probable as it could boost a university’s ranking position because it allows for more criteria (used in ranking systems) to be met. Professor Jan Botha, senior director of SU’s institutional research and planning, told Perdeby that “‘paying attention’ to our position on some of the ranking lists does not mean that we have developed or adapted any of our strategic goals with the primary purpose of improving our position on any of the ranking lists. We do not do that. If good performances in our chosen goals lead to an improved position on the ranking lists, it is noted as a side-effect.” In 2012, UCT released a statement in which the university said that it “is mindful of the criticisms and debate surrounding ranking methods”, that it is happy with its consistency and that it will “continue to strive for excellence in academic endeavours as well as contribution to society as a whole”. It is likely that the discussion surrounding these ranking lists is set to continue for years to come. When it comes to choosing a university to further your tertiary education, perhaps it is better to consider your own preferences, circumstances and personal goals instead of allowing your choice to be dictated by numbers. Read UP’s full comment by Prof. Burton on perdeby.co.za. Illustration: Talifhani Mathode
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18 Maart ‘13
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18 March ‘13
Tuks win again in Varsity Cup
DAN LOMBARD FNB UP-Tuks beat FNB UJ 34-29 at the UJ Stadium last Monday to keep their second-place position on the Varsity Cup log. Head coach Nollis Marais told Perdeby that “UJ were very physical and we had to work hard for our win.” He said that he was happy that his team won the game but that they could have done more to capitalise on scoring opportunities. Tuks scored first with centre Handre Pollard bursting through a tackle to allow full-back Clayton Blommetjies to score. Pollard added the conversion to allow Tuks an 8-0 lead after three minutes. UJ’s hard work paid off when prop Wessel du Rand scored
their first try and full-back Kobus de Kock was successful with his conversion attempt to level the score. Tuks centre Piet Lindeque squeezed through a small gap in UJ’s cover defence to score in the corner. Pollard scored the conversion to make the score 16-8. UJ increased their intensity in the closing stages of the first half. Tuks’ defence was strong and UJ were denied two tries through De Kock and scrum-half Jacques Pretorius. Pollard scored a long-range penalty and played a crucial role in setting up Shaun Adendorff’s try as the visitors capitalised on UJ’s mistakes. Sustained pressure from UJ saw Du Rand score his second try which was converted by De Kock. The try cut the deficit to 26-16 but still allowed Tuks to go into half time with a ten-point lead.
UJ built on their first-half momentum and Pretorius scored a try from a quick tap penalty. De Kock was successful with his third conversion and added a try of his own with the help of wing Chrysander Botha. Although De Kock missed his fourth conversion, UJ still took a 29-26 lead. Tuks regained their composure and hooker Mbongeni Mbonambi slipped past two tacklers and offloaded the ball to wing Courtnall Skosan to score the match-winning try, which was converted by Pollard. In other Round 6 action, FNB NWU-Pukke beat FNB NMMU 39-36 while FNB UFS-Shimlas held FNB Ikeys to a 21-21 draw. FNB Maties beat FNB Wits 48-21.
Andretti’s grandson Marco Andretti in the Skip Barber Dodge Racing Series. In August 2007, he was appointed as the commercial manager for A1 Team South Africa, which competes
in (and hosts a race for) the A1GP, which is known as the world cup of motorsport.
Photo: varsitycup.co.za
Gugu Zulu teams up with Discovery MOKGETHI NKOSI
South African racing champion and television presenter Gugu Zulu has teamed up with Discovery Insure to promote better driving in the country. This comes after Discovery’s research team found that drivers between the ages of 18 and 35 are more confident about their driving abilities than they should be. Researchers also found that young adults are more at risk of being involved in a car accident than other drivers. In a statement Zulu said that he became involved with Discovery because he understands the importance of safe driving and would like to educate young adults on the importance of road safety and on how they can decrease fatalities on South African roads. Some of the factors that were noted in the research include peer-influenced behaviour, late-night driving, speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol, and texting or talking on the phone while driving. According to the report released by Discovery, 90% of young adults are likely to engage in dangerous driving and 60% of road accidents could be prevented if people practised safe driving. Zulu began his racing career in 1999 after graduating from the Isondo Racing Academy. He stunned the racing world in the Vodacom Isondo Sport 2000 championship, where he won 13 out of 16 races. Zulu was part of the Sasol Steam Team in 2001 and won numerous awards, including the Guinness Achievement Award and the Wesbank and Goodyear Star of Tomorrow Award. Zulu has competed internationally with the likes of Mario
Photo: wines2whales.co.za
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2012 Varsity Cup captain banned for drugs MAXINE TWADDLE Last year’s Tuks Varsity Cup captain Zane Botha has been banned from playing rugby for two years after testing positive for performanceenhancing drugs. Rumours of a Tuks Varsity Cup player failing a drug test surfaced on Twitter on 6 March. Later that day Botha admitted that a test he took in January came back positive. Botha explained to Perdeby that he confirmed the allegations because he “felt that it was best to deal with [the situation] head on and confess and tell the whole story.” Botha confirmed that he began using stanozolol, a synthetic anabolic steroid, after a knee operation in September last year and used it until the end of December. Unlike most anabolic steroids, stanozolol is administered orally. It improves muscle growth and red blood cell production and increases bone density. The drug allows athletes to lose weight while retaining lean body mass. Stanozolol can be detected in urine and remains detectible for ten days after it has entered the body. Botha said that he began using the steroid to
gain muscle mass. “I play hooker and felt that I could use the extra strength and weight,” he said. Botha captained the 2012 Tuks Varsity Cup team which won the tournament for the first time in the University of Pretoria’s history. He said that he was not using steroids while he was playing in the Varsity Cup. “I [have] never appeared in a Tuks jersey since I started [using steroids],” he told Perdeby. According to Botha, the use of performanceenhancing drugs is not prevalent in rugby. “To my knowledge, it is not common for rugby players to use steroids,” he said. “The risk of getting tested is quite high and the consequences are severe.” According to the South African Institution for Drug-Free Sport’s regulations, Botha will not be able to play competitive rugby for two years from the date of his testing positive. His ban will end in the beginning of 2015. Botha has moved back to Bloemfontein, where he grew up. At the time of going to print, TuksRugby was not available for comment. Photo: varsitycup.co.za
Monyai speaks about PSL difficulties
ISHMAEL MOHLABE Since the second half of the Premier Soccer League (PSL) campaign began earlier this year, AmaTuks have struggled to take maximum points from games. They have only managed
three points out of a possible 15 in their last five games. Speaking exclusively to Perdeby, AmaTuks’ captain and central defender Tebogo Monyai insisted that mental strength is the only reason the team has not been scoring goals. Monyai told Perdeby that the scoring problem
is an obvious challenge and that AmaTuks have been dealing with it at the training grounds ahead of their remaining nine PSL games. “It’s not something that needs a microscope [to be noticed]. For the past couple of games we were not scoring and that’s where our biggest problem lies. However, we are working on that every time here at the training grounds,” Monyai said. The Tshwane-based team started the PSL season well. They collected vital points in their first five games of the PSL last year, earning nine points for the PSL log. Monyai pointed out that one of the reasons why the team’s performance in the last five games has not matched previous form is that other teams now know how to play against AmaTuks. “Other teams are not sleeping. They are doing their research on us. When we started, no one knew us very well so most of the teams couldn’t play [well enough against us],” he explained. “They have now studied our team very well and they now know us better than they knew us before.” Despite AmaTuks’ struggle to convert scoring opportunities into goals in their recent games, Monyai outlined that their style of play remains the same. He said, “We are still doing the very same thing we were doing when we started. We are working hard and tactically we are improving every day. Most of the teams are looking to do well in the league – that’s why you see [a lot of draws] in the game.” AmaTuks have not been doing well at home and have managed only one win at Tuks Stadium. But Monyai maintains that psychological tactics are a temporary setback the team is experiencing at the moment. “It’s an issue of mental strength. I personally don’t believe that we can’t do well at home. It’s a mental thing. Once we get a win [at home], we will overcome that and make sure that we approach [an] away and home game the same way,” said Monyai. The University of Pretoria is currently ninth on the PSL log with 26 points after 21 games. Steve Barker’s side will face the defending champions Orlando Pirates next week Saturday at FNB Stadium. Pirates are second on the log with 42 points after 21 games. AmaTuks lost 3-1 to Pirates in their first PSL clash at Loftus last year.
Photo: thewitness.co.za
PSL Log Teams Points 1. Kaizer Chiefs 47 2. Orlando Pirates 42 3. Platinum Stars 38 4. Free State Stars 32 5. Bloem Celtic 29 6. Bidvest Wits 29 7. Supersport United 28 8. Maritzburg United 28 9. University of Pretoria 26 10. Moroka Swallows 25 11. Mamelodi Sundowns 23 12. Golden Arrows 23 13. AmaZulu 23 14. Black Leopards 20 15. Ajax Cape Town 18 16. Chippa United 16 Image: psl.co.za
AmaTuks
Upcoming Fixtures 30 March v Orlando Pirates (FNB Stadium) 3 April v Bloem Celtic (Tuks Stadium) 6 April v AmaZulu (Tuks Stadium) 17 April v Mamelodi Sundowns (Loftus Stadium) 20 April v Free State Stars (Tuks Stadium) 27 April v Black Leopards (Peter Mokaba Stadium) 1 May v Bidvest Wits (Tuks Stadium) 18 May v Kaizer Chiefs (Loftus Stadium)
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