20 April 2015 Issue 8 Year 77

Literature Supplement

:

Game of Thrones giving away book spoilers Literary festivals to look out for in SA Banned South African authors

Perdeby

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

20April2015

year77issue08

Mopanie win KoshuisRugby championship pg. - 24 #TuksSoWhite posters tweeted by Sasco. Images: Twitter.com

Tweeting troubles target Tuks JODY DAVISON Sasco’s new range of posters, uploaded on Twitter on 14 April, have been causing controversy. A day later Afriforum issued a press statement in which they rejected the posters on the basis of spreading racial hatred.

Matlou Pataki, Sasco’s secretary, said that the posters are part of a broader perspective regarding the lack of transformation within UP. “What screams out from these posters is that if you are not Afrikaner, you will not be able to understand and partake in everything,” said

Pataki. She went on to explain that Sasco is “on an awareness campaign where we want to conscientise students, because ... there is a sense of apathy on campus.” The Twitter hashtag attached to the posters is #TuksSoWhite. Werner Beineke, Afriforum’s chairperson, said that the hashtag is “totally unacceptable, if we said #TuksSoBlack, immediately it would be a racist thing”. Pataki also responded to the claim that the posters are racist, saying, “We are not saying that we are against the white race, we are saying we are against white supremacy that is prevalent on this

campus.”

The posters made reference to the SRC’s ladies high tea, there being no black invigilators and residence culture equating to Afrikaner culture, among other things. Pataki explained how residence culture illustrates a lack of transformation because they “don’t accommodate the African child”. From Afriforum’s perspective, Beineke feels that the poster which equates residence culture to Afrikaner culture “is totally misinformed ... yes, there may be a little bit of Afrikaner tradition, but every year student traditions should be revised...to make

it more applicable for everyone.”

The EFF declined to comment on this campaign. Sean Janse, Daso’s secretary, said that Daso “condemns the posters which were tweeted by Sasco, as we do not believe that racial groups should be targeted on campus.” Currently, Afriforum has called upon the university “to take urgent and firm action against organisations and/or political parties that [incite] racial hatred among students”. Afriforum will also be sending a letter to UP management regarding this issue.

RHODES RAGE

rebellion or restoration? pg. - 17

Al-Bairre Interview pg.

-14

You can’t run from the Bloodhound pg. - 12

Rowdy Rhodes creates Kruger crisis

pg. - 5

cutting edge student living

0861 MIDCITY www.midcity.co.za

2

Perdeby

Editorial | 20 April 2015

The white elephant in the room

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Recently, thousands of white South Africans have been bombarded by the term “white privilege” and wow, have they been offended.

“I don’t have white privilege,” they argue indignantly, “because sometimes I feel sad and sometimes I don’t get what I want”.

A few weeks ago, I might have fallen into that category. I probably would have argued that I don’t come from a line of inherited wealth and university education. I would have told you that that I’m no stranger to hand-medown clothes and the government education system. I would have probably also told you that I was very thankful that my basic needs

were always met and that I also had a bit extra to work with so yes, I am privileged, but not in that way.

But then I read an article by Gina CrosleyCorcoran entitled “Explaining white privilege to a broke white person” and I realised how grossly and embarrassingly ignorant I had been. Sure, I didn’t have it all and I am thankful for what I have been blessed with, but that isn’t the point.

White privilege goes deeper than material items, because it also relies on actions. CrosleyCorcoran gives the examples of having your race widely represented in media and advertising, and the certainty that if a cop approaches you with suspicion, it’s not because of your race. White privilege is being assured that you are favoured, and not always consciously, because of its deep roots in institutions.

Perhaps we do get offended by the idea of racial privilege because the privilege in question can be privilege of another form. For instance, my parents would be denied property in Sandton because we are not in that financial bracket. Just in the same way, an intersexed person may be harassed in public not because of their race but for making use of a bathroom others may deem incorrect.

Privilege is still more complex than that.

Crosley-Corcoran explains that the idea that you can be privileged in one area and not in another is called intersectionality. She also outlines other forms of privilege such as gender, class, sexual orientation, ability, citizenship and sex.

I do have white privilege. A whole lot of it, in fact, but I’m also privileged because I am a cisgendered, middle class, straight, able-bodied South African citizen. This allows me the release from public and private ridicule, the worry that I might be overlooked because I’m deemed inferior, and the concern that my basic needs may go unmet.

The point is not to feel guilty about your

From the Editor privilege. After all, I had no control over the circumstances I was born in to and I know how hard my parents have worked to ensure the life I have had. However, it’s definitely not acceptable to be unaware of your privilege and, more importantly, the plight of others.

I no longer feel uncomfortable when I hear the term “white privilege” and it’s a mindbroadening exercise to analyse your own forms of privilege.

The statue debates over the last few weeks have brought to light that there is indeed deep institutionalised racism across the country.

The recent xenophobic attacks are also related to citizenship privilege played out in overt action. The only thing that can change it is a major change in outlook. Please, don’t let the term “white privilege” or any other charged term put you off from engaging in the affair.

Engagement with each other over this matter is possibly the only way that viable options of resolution (that can work for everyone) will arise.

In other news, I never expected to publish another 24-pager after First-years edition.

There was just too much news to ignore this week though, so here is our mega-edition before we’re back on 13 May. Check out our annual literature supplement and keep sending in your letters. If you enjoy poetry, take a trip to the 16th floor of the HSB. The English department started posting a “poem of the day” by the lifts, which is rather fun. If you’re hungry, Herman, our Head Copy editor, makes a pretty great slice of French toast (you bond in strange ways when you spend 12 hours in the office, producing such huge volumes of content).

Michal

Clarification The article “Student misconduct: what you need to know” published in the 16 March edition incorrectly implied that the the phrase “doctribe of onus of proof” meant ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’. However, because university cases are civil cases, the term would be better interpreted as ‘you need only prove it on a balance of probability’ (that it is more likely than unlikely).

We appologise for the misinterpretation and any confusion it may have caused.

LJ Twinsounds We supply DJs as well as live entertainment to functions and parties.

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 necessary.

Perdeby cannot be responsible for unsolicited material. The opinions expressed in Perdeby are not necessarily those of the editors and printers of Perdeby.

The party awaits Contact Liaan Botha 079 878 7962 liaan@ljtwinsounds.co.za

20 April 2015 | News

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Photo: Carel Willlimse

Student Forum update STAFF REPORTER

The new Rag executive committee, general committee and Dr Rina Wilken. Photo: Stephan Stander

New TuksRag EC instated MICHAL-MARÉ LINDEN The TuksRag executive committee (EC) has been restructured and additional members have been elected to serve for the remainder of the 2015 term. This follows the suspension of the former chairperson after the university identified discrepancies in the academic results he submitted and the subsequent investigation of the entire EC’s academic results.

Peter Kamlongera has now taken over as chairperson while the two remaining members of the original 2014/2015 EC, Sibongile Buthelezi and Bettina Bertolini, have taken over the portfolios of vice-chair and ex-officio respectively. Janice Davis, Leslie Sithole, Shannon Wathen, Charné van der Merwe, Reuben Lebelo and Boikanyo Maleka were appointed on 24 March 2015.

Kamlongera says that the focus of the new EC is moving forward. He aims to do this by giving attention to community engagement, energising

Tusho projects and encouraging non-residence students to become active in TuksRag initiatives. He has taken steps to implement his vision by splitting the portfolio of Tusho projects between four EC members.

The TuksRag debutante programme is also in the process of being revived.

Kamlongera feels that the programme needs to be restructured to focus on training students in a way that is fun, but that at the same time allows them to encounter community service. He believes that this will allow for a more wholesome experience that sees the implementation of sustainable projects and not just fundraising.

The programme is also set to be renamed through a competition that encourages students to provide suggestions. These suggestions should encompass the new perspective and aims of the programme, explains Dr Rina Wilken, Head of Student Development in the Department of Student Affairs (DSA). The person who submits the best suggestion will

Residences plunged into darkness CHAD JOHNSTON

The recent load shedding in Pretoria has affected the lives of most around Main campus. As one of the busiest areas in the city, the Hatfield/Hillcrest area is also one of the worst affected areas by power outages. Not only does it cause major delays in traffic, but it also has a major impact on the thousands of students staying in the university residences.

Students living in res are extremely vulnerable during the load shedding hours because they rely so heavily on electricity. Most of the residences also don’t have any form of alternative power sources such as generators.

Many students are concerned about studying times: “You can study in the library when there is load-shedding, but it isn’t safe for girls to walk around late at night alone”, says second-year drama student and Asterhof resident Nikita Mokgware. According to Bonolo Makhele the Values and Wellbeing HK of Magrietjie, “first-years would

have to find alternative means of studying which often meant sitting in the corridors, which isn’t necessarily conducive because it’s too many people in one place.”

Other concerns such as meetings, serrie practices and even making food were raised because these activities usually fall within the load shedding schedule. According to some residents, the ongoing power cuts are starting to affect vital aspects such as security and safety. “When the power is off the security doors at res are disabled,” said one Katjiepiering resident. “You can get into res [without a student card] because neither the doors nor the turnstiles work. It’s also not entirely safe for the first-years because they are also not well acquainted with the area as yet, so having to walk to the library or other places to study is just not safe.”

Students are pleading for some form of an alternative power source.

“We need generators,” said Makhele.

The University was not able to comment on the issues.

win R1000.

The new EC were selected through an application process that was facilitated by the DSA and the remaining EC. Applicants were required to submit a written application and attend an interview, after which candidates were shortlisted. The current 2014/2015 TuksRag EC’s term will end in October this year.

When asked about the new Rag EC, Dr Wilken expressed positivity over the new leaders. Wilken emphasised that the focus was on moving forward and indicated that she saw that the new EC grasped this through their enthusiasm and passion for their portfolios.

The EC attended a planning camp this past weekend and Dr Wilken said that before the camp she was already pleasantly surprised with the team’s new ideas and that she was optimistic about what they will achieve over the next six months.

The first Student Forum for 2015 ended in unrest on the evening of 17 March. From the start of the meeting to its sudden end there were problems as the venue was unsuitable. The first half-hour was spent deliberating about whether it should be postponed until 19:00 and whether or not the SRC would answer questions about their budget. The SRC’s plan of action was discussed first. The meeting became ungovernable when a member of the floor asked for the purpose of satellite offices to be re-explained.

Sanan Mirzoyev, Chief Justice of the Constitutional Tribunal, wanted to defer the member’s response to the allocated question and answer session at the end, however the member refused to wait. From this point onwards the SRC’s plan of action was not discussed further and the floor broke out into chaos and drowned out Mirzoyev. Mirzoyev ended the meeting abruptly and prematurely on the basis that the Forum was chaotic.

Only a part of the first agenda point was discussed and most of the matters that were meant to be discussed, including the SRC budget, were not.

On 18 March a bulk SMS and various notices were sent by the SRC regarding a mass meeting to be held on the Aula grass. According to the SMS the meeting would “provide a way forward on student issues”.

The meeting was held on 19 March and was attended by students, societies, organisations and representatives from various political parties on campus. SRC president Mosibudi “Rassie” Rasethaba began proceedings by addressing some

of the prominent issues affecting students. He emphasised the problems that students face regarding study finance and housing. He made the announcement that the university had made R5 million available to assist students with study finance.

Rasethaba then spoke about student housing. He mentioned the “I am Jackson” campaign, a student initiative which was started by EFF UP which aims to help students with housing. Rasethaba encouraged students to help by donating money to the campaign. Rasethaba mentioned that the campaign has a few corporate sponsors and he also pledged R500 to the campaign. Rasethaba spoke about the issue of students squatting on campus. He said that students who are struggling to find accommodation have been given place in Tuks Bophelong. He concluded by encouraging students who are struggling with study finances or accommodation to go to Roosmaryn so that the SRC can help them.

After Rasethaba finished addressing the gathered students, representatives from the various political parties were called up to make a contribution.

Following the statements made by representatives of political groups on campus, the SRC allowed for two rounds of questions from the crowd, but after being asked for answers, Rasethaba emphasised that the point of this meeting was to address issues and explained that many of the questions cannot be answered at the meeting but require consultation with the university first. Throughout the meeting Rasethaba said that this was the first of many such meetings which will be held to address student issues.

Photo: Michael Bongani Reinders

Theft in residences still an issue BUSISIWE BEJE Many residence students experience theft as items are stolen from their rooms, the washrooms and the IT labs. The university has taken steps to begin with the installation of cameras in the Hatfield residences.

The idea is that by installing cameras in residences theft can be reduced drastically.

Many residences are either waiting on their installations, or have installed cameras that are not working. This issue is a growing concern as the camera installation began last year and is yet to be completed.

Nicolize Mulder of the Department of Marketing and Communications said that, “Because of budget constraints we will only install cameras at the entrances, laundries and IT labs of the remaining residences before the end of the year.”

When asked when the installation of

cameras in all of the residences will be complete, Mulder said that, “[UP] will budget every year and install cameras in the remaining areas.”

One of the contractors used for the installation of cameras did not complete the job on time. This caused “a problem toward the end of last year at Maroela, Mopanie and Katjiepiering, [however] the installation was finally completed on 5 March 2015 [and] the cameras will be up and running by 27 March,” said Mulder.

“Theft isn’t only in the bathrooms and washrooms. It also happens in people’s rooms due to some people having a habit of forgetting to lock their room doors. Hence, I think we should have cameras installed in residences,” said an anonymous HK from a residence where cameras are not yet installed. Kgaogelo Moloantoa, Safety and Security HK for Maroela, said, “We don’t have

major theft problems because I can only recall ... one incident of theft and this was late last year where a corridor TV was stolen. Outside the residence is another story because two cars were stolen last year from the res parking lot.”

Some residence students have complained that cameras in the common rooms and corridors are an invasion of their privacy. Elna van der Merwe, Manager of Residence Systems, said that they “discuss[ed] this with legal services and received written confirmation that [they] are within the law as long no cameras are installed in rooms or bathrooms”.

Some residences do not seem to have a problem with theft. Thandeka Nxumalo from Jasmyn said that, “I have never had anything of mine stolen, nor have I heard anyone complain about theft.”

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News | 20 April 2015

Tuks students attend #147NotJustANumber vigil on campus SHAMMAH BOTERERE Students gathered at the Piazza on Hatfield campus on 14 April to hold a vigil in memory of the 147 students who lost their lives in Kenya after a terrorist attack at Garissa University College.

Al-Shabaab, a militant group and Al-Qaeda offshoot, has claimed responsibility for the massacre where they stormed the university on 2 April with AK-47s and explosive belts.

Hostages were taken and there was a mass shooting, which resulted in the death of Christian students while Muslim students were spared.

In an effort to show solidarity with 30 other universities worldwide, Kenyan international student Bella Cox, in conjunction with the SRC, held a vigil to remember the victims of the massacre.

Students who attended the vigil showed a sense of sympathy, which

was visible in many people’s faces as well as the sombre mood which could be felt in the piazza.

Cox made a heartfelt speech in front of the students in attendance.

She described how the attack affected not only the Kenyan community but the world at large. She also described how she was affected by the attack on a personal level as the attack occurred while she was in Kenya and therefore witnessed the effect that the attack had on Kenyans.

A student who was not part of the proceedings stood up and gave an unrehearsed speech. In her speech, she thanked the student community for their solidarity in fighting for a good cause.

Michelle Kruger, the SRC member with the societies portfolio, reiterated the importance of the vigil, which she viewed as a platform to drive the message that “black lives matter”.

She also spoke about the importance

of education and stated that education and religion should not be intertwined but separated. Karabo Sekhukhuni, the SRC member with the academics portfolio, also echoed Kruger’s sentiments.

According to Sekhukhuni, a large number of students went to the Roosmaryn building after the vigil to sign the banner which the SRC provided as a symbol for people who gathered to express their willingness to stand against such attacks.

Cox said that she held the vigil in order to gain global awareness and prove to the world that black lives matter. She said that she, along with other international students, decided to take the initiative and not stand aside and watch while such incidents occur. She also explained the importance of spreading information to people as the attack could, in all likelihood, have occurred in South Africa and even at Tuks.

Image: Carel Willimse

Anti-xenophobia week to be held at Tuks MICHAL-MARÉ LINDEN An anti-xenophobia week will be hosted at UP this week, which is dedicated to raising awareness of xenophobia and the recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa, as well as spreading the message of anti-xenophobia. The week, initiated by student activists and mobilised by the SRC, African Student Union, societies, faculty houses, residences and independent students, seeks to engage students in discussions through different activities.

Rebeka Gluhbegovic, a student at Tuks who has just finished her master’s degree in international relations and one of the initiators of the week, explained that the week’s activities will include designing and exhibiting student-made posters, “pop-up” performance pieces by societies such as Soul Inc. and daily

Image: Hendro van der Merwe

interactions in the piazza. The week will culminate during lunch time on Thursday through a gathering in the piazza, followed by a speech, a march to the Amphitheatre and finally a discussion. Each activity aims to spread the message of antixenophobia.

Shamir Rohanlal, another student activist involved in the initial idea of the week, has devised the plan of encouraging students to email the

presidency. He explains that a stock email will be provided but students are free to write their own letters urging the presidency to speak out and take action against recent brutal xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

SRC President Mosibudi Rasethaba explained that the week will not be a once-off effort to engage students in a dialogue about xenophobia, but that he hopes to keep the conversation going throughout the year. He has noted that with time, more and more groups and individuals have joined in to plan and participate in the week. He encourages all students to get involved regardless of whether they’re a member of a group or an individual. For more information on how to get involved, students can contact Jhua-Nine Wyrley-Birch (u13248724@tuks.co.za) or Tumelo Duke Rasebopye (rasebopye@gmail. com).

Kenneth Diole makes UP history

Image provided.

LETHABO MALEPA Kenneth Diole, a third-year political science and international relations student, made UP history by becoming the first UP student to be awarded the Diplomacy Award for Best Delegate at the Harvard World Model United Nations (MUN) Championship.

According to the World MUN website the competition is described as the “Olympics of MUN” as it is the most internationally diverse college

level MUN conference. The Harvard World MUN championship, which was held in Seoul, South Korea, took place from 16-20 March with 2400 delegates from 118 Countries taking part in the competition.

Diole was the only UP student that participated in the competition. He formed part of the South African team which consisted of students from Unisa, Stellenbosch, Monash and UCT. Diole’s award for Diplomacy as the best delegate at the competition also made him the only South African

to win an award in the competition’s history.

When Perdeby asked Diole about his feelings regarding his achievement, Diole said that, “It feels surreal, I have always dreamt and worked to compete [on] the biggest stage of them all, but to actually win was never something I thought of.”

In 2013, Diole was the South African University MUN champion and the East African region MUN champion.

He credits his achievements to hard work, passion and a constant yearning to improve.

United Nations Association of South Africa (Unasa) Pretoria Chapter chairperson Janet Kachinga congratulated Diole for his accomplishment and said that, “[Diole] represented our association and South Africa excellently and we are extremely proud of his achievement.”

Diole, who is currently the transformation executive for House Humanities, hopes that his victory will “inspire many students to go after their dreams without excuse[s]” and hopes that more Africans will participate and strive to win big competitions.

20 April 2015 | News

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Rowdy Rhodes creates Kruger crisis There is no foreigner in Africa

Image: Hendro van der Merwe

SHAMMAH BOTERERE Damaging and defacing statues has made headlines in recent weeks.

EFF members acted upon the words of their leader by defacing the statue of Paul Kruger at Church Square in Pretoria. According to News24 the political party claims that it launched the campaign in order to put pressure on the city for the removal of the statue and replacing it with a different statue or monument. This campaign by the EFF resulted in the statue being smeared with paint.

As a result of this security was increased in areas around the capital city. Places with monuments such as the Voortrekker Monument, Freedom Park, City Hall and the Union Buildings saw a great number of police protecting them in order to prevent vandalism.

Controversial Afrikaans singers Steve Hofmeyr and Sunette Bridges

staged a protest in Church Square along with Afrikaans political parties.

They protested against the defacing of the statue, citing various reasons which include the preservation of Afrikaner history and heritage.

According to News24, AgangSA announced that they intended to gather at the Paul Kruger statue to protect it and prevent vandalism from members of society who it described as unruly.

This move by AgangSA was in response to the recent defacing of the statue overnight on 15 April. The statue was covered with red paint by unknown protesting vandals. The vandals allegedly left the statue with “F**k the boere” and “F**k Kruger” painted on it.

Afriforum, along with the Heritage Foundation, are among the many organisations that are standing against the defacing of statues around the nation, with specific focus being

placed on statues in Pretoria. Cornel Pienaar, deputy chairperson of Afriforum, stated that they have donated money for the restoration of the Paul Kruger statue, along with the Heritage Foundation.

Pienaar said that Afriforum was also part of the ongoing discussions with the Minister of Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, about the situation in Pretoria. He also added that the organisation had handed over a memorandum to parliament wherein they asked for the protection of the statue and various monuments around the city.

As the situation unfolds and protests continue to gain momentum, the nation at large is left to wonder where the situation will leave the nation politically as well as financially, due to the damages resulting from these protests.

On 9 March the “Rhodes Must Fall” campaign gained momentum, which saw tension rise at the University of Cape Town (UCT). Due to pressure exerted by protesting students at the university, the governing body finally decided to remove the statue of former colonial imperialist Cecil John Rhodes on 9 April. The fall of the Rhodes statue was a catalyst which resulted in the defacing of many statues throughout the nation, including the Paul Kruger statue in Pretoria.

The removal of Rhodes was a symbolic act which reflects transformation in the nation in many people’s view. As South Africans across the nation followed the development of the Rhodes statue situation, the mood of transformation could not be contained at UCT and spread across the nation. Many notable political figures, such as outspoken EFF leader Julius Malema, urged people to do away with colonial statues.

Tuks pregnancy rates get knocked up

Photo: Brendan Fraser

MICHAEL BONGANI REINDERS AND NASIPHI MDLULWA The pregnancy rate at UP has increased over the past few years, according to statistics provided by Student Health Services. In 2007 it was 44, in 2012 it was 39 in 2013 there were 99 reported pregnancies, and in 2014 this rose to 109. There have been 46 reported pregnancies between January and the end of March this year.

Sister Hannelie Coetzee from Student Health Services said that, “The pregnancy rate at the university, as with all other higher education institutions, is a major concern worldwide, not only at our institution.

We are very concerned because if we look at statistics from 2013, 2014 and 2015, it has risen quite substantially.”

This rate does not cover those who go to private doctors or who don’t report their pregnancies, but only covers those reported to Student Health Services on all of the UP campuses.

Students in residences are governed by the TuksRes guide which states that heads of residences may use their own discretion as to when students are removed from residences, however, at 34 weeks students are compelled to leave their residence.

The TuksRes rule guide also states that students are not allowed to have sex in residences, which is why UP does not distribute condoms at residences.

When asked about the fact that there are no condoms supplied by the university, Sister Sibongile Mdletshe from Student Health Services said, “I think we are behind. According to my understanding we need to have condoms [at] residences, we need

to have condoms in bathrooms, but it is something that we can’t just do without the approval of the university management.”

When asked about what steps the university is taking, Sister Coetzee said that, “The university is proud to announce the Amato services on campus at Hatfield.” Amato is a pregnancy counselling service which aims to assist students with counselling during their pregnancy.

The service is located in the Roosmaryn building and takes place every Tuesday and Thursday from 8:30 until 13:00. Appointments can be made at Student Health Services.

Sister Coetzee further stated that “Student Health Services has clinics [on] all the campuses and we supply free contraceptives from the state.”

She added that, “We have the new three year implant at the clinic available ... it lasts for three years, we have it here, [and] it is free of charge.” She urges students who need help or seek contraceptives to approach Student Health Services, “We have measures to actually assist the students and everybody so that they can perform academically, so that they can finish their studies, so they can come to us for prevention.”

Photo: Shen Scott

MICHAEL BONGANI REINDERS On Friday 17 April students gathered on the Hatfield campus to march in solidarity with the victims of xenophobic attacks currently being perpetrated across the country. The march was organised by Naledi Chirwa from the black solidarity movement.

Chirwa stated that they “were trying to concientise Africans against xenophobic attacks and the mentality of ‘it does not affect me’ or ‘it is not going to happen to me’”. She further spoke about the five xenophobic killings in Kwa-Zulu Natal, three of which were South Africans.

The march began on the Hatfield campus and travelled across the campus with the majority of the marchers coming from the black solidarity movement. Other societies also joined the march as well as independent students. Members from the EFF were involved and EFF General Secretary Wenzile Madonsela said that EFF UP condemns the xenophobic attacks on immigrants and that the social conditions within which black communities exist do not justify xenophobic violence. After making their way across the Hatfield campus, the marchers got on a bus and went to march on the Groenkloof campus so as to spread awareness on that campus as well.

The message which Chirwa emphasises is, “You can’t be killing someone because you think they are Nigerian, because they sound a certain way or they look a certain way or they dress a certain way. In fact you can’t be killing anyone because

you think they are from another country, because you think they are a foreigner.” She said that the essence of the march was that there are no foreigners in Africa.

Tlotlo Ntehelang, a member of the Black Solidarity Movement who participated in the march, stated that “Our...post-apartheid generation are so trapped [in] social media they activate whatever, and everybody is just talking about it on social media, so now we as a school of thought, we also encourage the idea that we must take to the streets and concientise people on the activation of what is happening on social media.” He also said that the fact that things are only activated on social media is a bad thing and that, “We are not going to burn anything down, we are not going to kill anyone. We are just going to get to a platform where people can speak ... lets open the table and let people come and speak, dance, whatever they want to do.”

When asked what inspired the march, Chirwa said that,“It was just people saying that we are tired of all of this happening, it is not something which we should be bringing into 2015 while we are trying to build South Africa ... which has everyone be equal on the soil of their fathers.”

Chirwa also stated that they will be taking in donations of food and clothing items to help families and individuals affected by the xenophobic attacks in Johannesburg, Durban, Sunnyside and other affected areas. Information regarding the donations can be found on Chirwa’s Twitter page, @naledichirwa.

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Features | 20 April 2015

Tuks has got talent indeed

The winner of the event. Photo: Shen Scott

CHAD JOHNSTON Tuks Has Got Talent is an annual event held in the Aula theatre. The event allows competitors to show off their talents to a panel of judges and win cash prizes. The 2015 version of the event happened on 16 April and Perdeby was there to witness it all.

There was a bit of confusion around the starting time of the event because the poster which Stuku released said that the show began at 17:30, but to the annoyance of most audience members the show was only scheduled to begin at 18:30.

The celebrity presenters were also

half an hour late because they were stuck in traffic which was caused by load shedding. When the show finally began there were glimpses of talent on display, but nothing really “wowed” anyone until one man whistled his way through a medley of Avicii songs. The unusual talent had the crowd going crazy and finally set the tone for the evening.

Tina Redman, a third-year drama student, was the next act to get the crowd buzzing. Her witty yet powerful beatbox routine was a crowd favourite and was followed by two more drama students, Chante Geary and Dene Janse van Rensburg, whose

sultry singing earned them a welldeserved second place. One or two technical issues reared their heads and at one point there was a performer who seemed to not want to take to the stage and deliver her rendition of Sia’s Chandelier.

First place went to “Chavs” who showed off remarkable freestyle soccer skills and deservedly walked away with a substantial cash prize.

Third place belonged to dancer Mpumi whose performance resembled something out of a Beyoncé video.

When the audience was given their turn to perform, many believed that some of them were even better than the talented contestants. From amazing dancers to inspiring spoken word artists, the chosen audience members gave the rest of the crowd something to shout about.

After the winners were announced, there were a few comments made about the organisation of the event.

Many were disgruntled by the fact that there were no refreshments sold before the show or during the interval.

Some people were even questioning the credibility of the final results as there were murmurs that the judges weren’t entirely fair. However, there can be no doubt that there is a vast range of talented individuals walking around campus.

While students were only able to see a few students at Tuks Has Got Talent, students can look forward to seeing who the new superstars will be at next year’s instalment of the show.

10 000 new Tuks graduates MICHAL-MARE LINDEN

The University of Pretoria will present 10 465 graduate certificates at their autumn graduation ceremonies this year. Of these certificates, 134 will be doctorates, 1187 will be master’s degrees and 2957 will be honours degrees. The remainder of the graduate certificates will comprise of undergraduate degrees, diplomas and certificates.

Autumn graduation ceremonies started on 13 April and finish on 30 April. At these ceremonies a number of honorary degrees will also be awarded. The honorary doctorates this

year will be awarded to individuals that have made prominent impacts in their fields of expertise. Honorary degrees will be awarded to Prof.

Karl E Klare for his work in law and legal matters, Prof. Jan de Groof for his work in education and law, Prof. Marco Dorigo for his work in artificial intelligence, Prof. Howard Alper for his work in chemistry that could possibly have practical uses in commodity chemical industries, petrochemical and pharmaceutical industries, and Prof. Adrian Bejan for his work in thermodynamics, heat transfer and applied physics.

Centre for Human Rights responds to xenophobia JACO STROEBEL After the recent outbreaks of xenophobic violence in Durban and later Johannesburg, the Centre for Human Rights released a statement reiterating the importance of an official rebuke of these actions.

Futhermore, they ask that the country’s leadership officially distance themselves from the ideology that foments this movement.

In a press release from the Centre, they said, “It seems important to us that President Zuma, government minsters and the ANC leadership unequivocally distance themselves from all statements that [incite] xenophobic violence.”

“We need to hear language that makes a difference, words that loudly and clearly counter the toxic discourse that has been allowed to take us down a spiral of violence,” said Prof. Frans Viljoen, director of the Centre.

The Centre concedes that simply talking about the problem will not solve it, but will be a step in the right direction, saying, “A clear, unambiguous acknowledgement by the government and the ANC that xenophobia exists, that it is wrong, and that it needs to end is a good starting point.” Such a statement will mean nothing without the action to substantiate it, as “in the short term, judicial processes of those responsible for violent crimes should be ensured.

In the longer term, continuous sensitisation, education, and public dialogue, also involving non-South Africans, should be embarked upon,” the Centre says.

The Centre says that silence on this matter will “contribute to further blinding us to the disastrous effects of xenophobia and xenophobic violence in South Africa.”

The full statement from the Centre can be found on the UP website.

20 April 2015 | News

7

Maroela Boksaand

Sasco’s induction workshop JODY DAVISON On 24 March Sasco began their political school campaign with an induction workshop. At the workshop, Sasco discussed their ABCs, Strategic Perspective on Transformation (Spot) document, and their constitution.

Lwando Majize, provincial secretary of Sasco, and Jabu Maitse, PEC member, were the guest speakers for the workshop.

The induction workshop consisted of a discussion on the historical origins of Sasco, their relevance today and the procedures that they follow.

Thabo Shingange, a Sasco member who attended the workshop, described how new members were educated about the organisation through a presentation on Sasco’s founding principles. The Spot document focuses on the transformation of tertiary education. For Sasco, education is considered to be a key part of transformation.

Nobungcwele Mbem, Sasco’s political commissar, explained that the purpose of the political school campaign is to educate members about current political issues on campus and at a national level.

Political education allows people to “engage in intellectual conversations and to continue engaging on certain issues,” said Mbem. Rendani Maphalaphathwa, Sasco’s secretary, further added that the purpose of the “political school is to give students

the power of unity”.

The induction workshop also served as a platform for members to ask questions about the political organisation and for the speakers to clarify misconceptions. Questions were raised about the ideological stance of Sasco, being a MarxistLeninist organisation. Shingange said that he “remembers one question specifically... is Sasco the ANC?” Shingange explained that Sasco is an independent organisation that is in alliance with the ANC Youth League.

Members also raised questions of transformation with regard to there being “no platforms to thoroughly engage on serious issues”, said Shingange.

The political school is structured around weekly discussions on different topics that are presented.

Mbem said that this campaign is intended to help their members educate themselves politically. Mbem explained that when people are socialised, “there are certain class barriers and there are certain divisions that will inform their actions... and within the political school we discuss these things within the broader context.”

Mbem said that Sasco “is not just about student issues ... we want to grow citizens of a nation.” The next political school meeting will take place on 21 April and the topic of discussion will be transformation.

Images provided.

BIANCA MEYER The highly anticipated Boksaand (boxing night) hosted by Maroela was held at the Voortrekker Monument on 26 March.

The boxing event comprised of ten fights consisting of three rounds each. The contestants were placed in categories according to their weight, varying from light to heavyweight.

Francois “Lorrie” Joubert was up against Gerhard Farrel in the final round. Joubert, from Maroela, was crowned the overall champion. The winner of every round won a case of beer and a bottle of Richelieu brandy, sponsored by SAB and Richelieu

respectively. The overall winner won two cases of beer, a case of Richelieu and the prestigious title.

Those who didn’t box could share in the fun by participating in a Red Bull photo competition and mechanical bull riding.

The event was hosted by Maroela as part of one of their annual cultural events in collaboration with Vividus Ladies. Maroela organiser and Internal Social HK member Burger Fouché said, “The evening required hard work and a lot of arrangements, but the success of the event made everything worthwhile.” Boksaand is a long-standing tradition that

promises to get bigger and more successful each year. This year more than 1000 people attended the event.

Alicia Fick, a first-year medical sciences student, said that it felt like a real boxing event and that there were high levels of anticipation and energy.

Fick said that people even started to climb on the surrounding tables to get a glimpse of what was happening inside the boxing ring.

The lively music, hotdogs and beer ensured an energetic vibe. Boksaand T-shirts were available and will be memorabilia of a successful event.

The funds raised will finance future projects hosted by Maroela.

AfriForum’s reregistration meeting JODY DAVISON On 24 March Afriforum Youth held their reregistration meeting. Werner Beineke, Afriforum’s chairperson, explained that the meeting was mostly for the new members in order to “tell them who Afriforum Youth is” so that they would have a better understanding of the political organisation. The agenda for the meeting consisted of an introduction to Afriforum Youth, the Afriforum management team for 2015 and Afriforum’s year plan.

At the meeting Afriforum explained their five viewpoints. Afriforum’s first view is that the youth should be exempt from affirmative action.

They also believe that mother tongue

education should be promoted while political interference in education should be prevented. The last two views of Afriforum are the support of healthy student traditions and that youth should be equipped with skills and knowledge. At the meeting, Afriforum introduced their theme for 2015, which is to be “instantly ready”.

Beineke said that Afriforum is “ready for the year 2015 and, whatever stuff comes our way, we will be ready to handle it and be the voice of the student.”

Afriforum’s year plan is orientated toward preserving culture, specifically Afrikaans culture, and student traditions. Afriforum plans to hold quiz evenings in April about language, history, sport and movies.

They will also host “a few lectures by one of the history professors at UP so that members can learn and actively engage with history through group discussions”, explained Beineke.

In May, Afriforum will launch their “Afrikaans is 90 years old” campaign which will celebrate Afrikaans as a language. As part of upholding healthy student traditions, Afriforum have included Lentedag (Spring Day) and Pot & Pons as part of their year plan.

At the end of the meeting members had the opportunity to ask questions about the organisation and its views on issues. Members raised questions about the Student Forum and how Afriforum handled it.

Images Provided

Blue Palm hosts inaugural meeting HUVASAN REDDY

With over a hundred official societies at UP, Blue Palm provides yet another opportunity for students to experience and enjoy an enriching student life apart from academics, while at the same time helping those around them.

UP Blue Palm held their inaugural meeting in the Economics and Management Sciences Building on Thursday 26 March. Blue Palm is a non-profit company (NPC) which was started by three UP students.

They aim to start societies on university campuses and in schools, the UP society being the first of these societies. Blue Palm was started last year but missed the deadline to register as a UP society.

Blue Palm seeks to assist organisations that do not generally receive sponsorship, are not well known, and are heavily in need of assistance. Their main focuses are community collection bins, which can be found in easily accessible areas such as around campus, schools and shopping malls. Blue Palm also works on outreach and upliftment projects, through which they aim to provide volunteer opportunities for students.

In his address to the new members founder Justin van Niekerk, a 23-year-

old psychology honours student, said that most students want to help but aren’t able to due to the fast paced lifestyle of a student.

Therefore, Blue Palm seeks to simplify the donating process and provide volunteers with opportunities to help the underprivileged. When asked why he started the society, Van Niekerk said, “It just came to a point where I wanted to be involved in something beyond caring for myself.”

He went on to say that Blue Palm focuses on both the problem and the solution, and aims to mobilise the youth and make them aware of what is out there, According to Kim Pretorius, another founding member of Blue Palm, the society aims to collect everyday items and currently has one beneficiary, Funanai, described on the Blue Palm website as “a charitable trust that focuses on empowering orphaned and vulnerable children and their families in impoverished communities.” Bonolo Tlaoaele, a second-year communications management student and member of Blue Palm, said, “Last year I really didn’t find an organisation that was as hands on as Blue Palm, so I thought this would be the best fit for me and it seems quite promising.”

8

Letters to Perdeby Perdeby received an inordinate number of letters over the Easter break, and therefore decided to dedicate an entire page to what the students have to say.

Please continue sending us your letters.

Letters can be sent to perdeby@up.ac.za.

Perdeby’s letters policy can be found on Perdeby.co.za.

Terrorism and Muslims: what the majority really think.

Assalaamualaikum (Greetings, peace and blessings to all) It is almost on a daily basis that we are inundated with news reports and accounts of terrorism, warfare and violence from around the world. What is also evident is that in almost all of these accounts, there seems to be a common factor linking the majority of the perpetrators: their religion.

We constantly hear the terms “Islamist militant” or “Muslim extremist” linked directly with heinous crimes against humanity, while terror groups such as Al Shabaab, Isis, Boko Haram and their ilk are often referred to as “Islamic organisations”.

Therefore it is understandable why I, as a Muslim student attending a diverse institution such as Tuks, am constantly inundated with the same questions over and over again: “Why are there so many ‘Muslim’ terrorist organisations?” “What does your religion say about terrorism?” “How do you as a Muslim feel about the recent terror attack?”

In all honesty, these are the same questions that I have asked myself. Why is it that there is such a strong correlation between Islam, a religion whose name if directly translated from Arabic literally means “peace”, and these barbaric acts of violence and hatred?

The reality however, is that it is only a small minority of people that are damaging the name of an entire religion. Islam is one of the largest and fastest growing religions in the world with over one billion followers. The primary teachings of Islam include worshipping one God alone and following the teachings of the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in order to be closer to God and, ultimately, to be a better human being.

Islam advocates peace for all. Acts of violence and terrorism such as those that have occurred in the recent past have absolutely no place in Islam. Many of the people who perpetrate Rhodes is nie geskiedenis nie Die #RhodesMustFall-beweging by die Universiteit van Kaapstad het ‘n soort rassisme oopgekrap wat nie andersins maklik vasgepen kan word nie. Dit het baie te doen met die konteks van die universiteit.

Swart Gautengers wat Kaapstad besoek vertel dikwels dat hulle onsigbaar voel wanneer hulle, byvoorbeeld, winkels besoek. Dit is nie ‘n oop-en-blote rassisme nie, maar meer voelbaar as ‘n onderliggende konstante, in die hand gewerk met tegnieke soos sosiale uitsluiting en ontkenning.

Maar die doeltreffendheid van die tegnieke blyk aan die taan te wees. Die afgelope jaar het ‘n aantal rassistiese aanvalle, insluitend aanrandings, in Kaapstad plaasgevind wat tans voor die howe dien. Aanwesig in die beweerde wit-op-swart-aanvalle is rassisme en ook seksisme en klassisme, soos aangedui deur die keuses van teikens en opmerkings op die toneel.

Van belang in al die gevalle is dat die swart slagoffers hulleself keer op keer tot die konstitutionele staat wend om geregtigheid toe te dien. Dit is ‘n betekenisvolle mosie van vertroue, veral komende van huiswerkers en skoonmakers wat onder die onmagtigdste groepe val.

Hierdie opstuwings dui op veranderende rasseverhoudings in Kaapstad. Dit vorm deel

Letters | 20 April 2015 such heinous acts are said to be Muslim and following the religion of Islam. However, just as the IRA and the Lord’s Resistance Army are Christian terrorists and the Tamil Tigers are Tamil terrorists, this does not mean that the Tamil faith and Christianity encourage terrorism.

Likewise, a supposed Muslim committing an act of terrorism does not translate into Islam being a religion of terrorism.

Speaking on behalf of the Muslim Student Association (MSA) Tuks as a representative student body, we are fully and unequivocally condemning of the despicable events which took place at Garissa University College in Kenya on the 31st of March 2015. The cowardly actions of the Al Shabaab militants which resulted in the death of 147 people, the majority of whom were students, are undoubtedly inexcusable. We condemn the atrocities committed by Isis as well as all other perpetrators of terror.

We as students will not allow the murder of our peers to occur in the very institutions in which they receive an education!

We as Africans will not sit back in comfort while the lives of our brothers and sisters are being stolen from them!

We as Muslims will not allow our beautiful religion to be perverted by terrorists and their selfish goals!

We as human beings will not allow the suffering of innocent people, regardless of race, religion, sex or creed, to become the norm!

The killing of innocents and apathy toward injustice are also strongly discouraged in Islam.

Allah says in the holy Qur’an, “Oh you who believe! Stand out firmly for Allah as just witnesses; and let not the enmity and hatred of others make you avoid justice. Be just: that is nearer to piety; and fear Allah. Verily, Allah is well acquainted with what you do.” [5:8] “Because of that, we decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land – it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one [soul] – it is as if he had saved mankind entirely” [5:32] While it is no doubt unfair and small-minded to condemn an entire religion because of the crimes of a tiny faction of its followers perverting and misinterpreting its teachings, more needs to be done by everyday Muslims to curb this trend of thinking. Injustice to one person is ultimately an injustice to all. If the true peace-loving Muslims do not stand up in opposition to the small minority who wish to cause destruction and unrest under the guise of religion, we will undoubtedly have failed both as Muslims and as human beings.

Muhammed Irfaan Abader Muslim Students Association Tuks (With credit to MSA Wits and MSA Union.)

van die agtergrond tot die #RhodesMustFallbeweging wat, bestaande uit swart studente, betoog vir die verwydering van Cecil John Rhodes se standbeeld op die kampus.

Die standbeeld is sentraal geplaas op ‘n plek waar studente elke dag moet verbystap. Dit is ‘n verheerlikende voorstelling van Rhodes wat hom as die intellektueel wys wat hy nooit was nie. In ‘n gemakstoel, met ‘n boek in sy hand, tuur hy oor sy domein: Kaapstad. Sy rug is na die universiteit; hy het die instelling letterlik en figuurlik agter hom. Sy blik na die noorde roep sy imperialistiese Kaap-tot-Kaïro-visie op. ‘n Aanhoudende reaksie op die veldtog komende van sommige wit mense, insluitend mede-studente, is dat Rhodes “geskiedenis” is, die “verlede” wat daar gelaat moet word en “niks” met “vandag” uit te waai het nie.

Duidelik probeer die’ argument die krag van simbole misken.

Die positiewe Rhodes-simboliek regoor Kaapstad is ‘n klakkelose ophemeling van die persoon wat regstreeks verantwoordelik is vir die sosiaal verwoestende trekarbeidstelsel en die inperking van Kaapse swart mans se stemreg, hand-aan-hand met verdere grondonteiening van swart mense. Hy was ‘n aartsrassis.

Die instandhouding van Rhodes-simboliek dien as metafoor vir die stille rassisme wat Kaapstad meestal kenmerk. Die studente se veldtog het Rhodes-as-metafoor ontsluit om die

After reading the article about the new drug policy that the powers to be at the residences are planning on implementing, I must raise moral objections to this entire debacle.

They seem to have taken a harsh stance against marijuana in particular, with their official stance being that of combating students abusing it. Not only is this not based on any scientific fact, it also seems to show a lack of knowledge on the plant itself by those that make the rules.

You cannot abuse weed in the traditional sense.

If one would like evidence for this, I suggest they look up the work that has been done by Dr Gabor Maté on the psychology of addiction.

No one in recorded history has died from a marijuana overdose, yet hundreds of thousands of people die annually from alcohol-related diseases and overdoses. Ask yourself what is legal to do on campus, albeit in sanctioned areas.

What I find abhorrent, above all of this, is that the university will sanction talks on medical marijuana, but will take action against students in res, when CBD and THC, the two substances in marijuana, have medicinal value.

Substance consumption does not equal substance abuse.

Daniel Shneier

There is a rather large group of students who sit at the tables provided outside the Student Centre on the pathway to Tuks FM, Pie City and Tukkiewerf. I do not have a problem with these students but instead with the following things that they do: 1. They take all the tables outside and join them into one big table so students who do not find tables inside the student centre have to resort to sitting on the window sills.

2. They play their music loudly over multiple speakers. It literally sounds like there is a concert going on outside on a daily basis. The people inside cannot even have a conversation because they have to scream over the speakers.

Some people prefer to work in the student centre or do not find a place in the library but cannot do this because of the “concert” outside.

I understand that the students have a right to do what they want in this democratic institution but do they not also have the right to respect the other students’ right to education and to be comfortable in the environment that they are in?

At the very least these students are inconsiderate and think only of their own selfish wants.

Shouldn’t there be a rule limiting their noise in and around the Student Centre environment?

The Student Centre is for all students and not only the hubbly smoking, loud students. The SRC should look into solving this problem.

Anonymous meestal onsigbare kultuur van rassisme in die stad te ontbloot. In die proses is die mate van wit belegging in Rhodes as beton-verteenwoordiger van voortgesette wit bevoordeling aan die kaak gestel.

Rassistiese uitbarstings op sosiale media en op die kampus bevestig die historiese kontinuïteit.

Teenstanders van die veldtog beroep hulle op stigmatiserende terme wat in die koloniale era teen swart mense gebruik is. Die demonstrasie van rassisme wys dat dit waarvoor Rhodes staan nie “geskiedenis” is nie, maar werklik en lewendig is, hier en nou.

Dit is daarom dat die studente beklemtoon dat hul veldtog nie net oor die standbeeld gaan nie. Hulle het reeds aksies elders in die stad geloods om die publiek se aandag te vestig op die alledaagse kultuur van rassisme en die nou verwantskap met seksisme, homofobie en klassisme.

Suid-Afrika het talle simbole wat koloniale figure vier. Die beelde moet nie rommelhoop toe gaan nie, maar moet toepaslik geposisioneer word met kontekstualiserende tekste sodat ons dit kan onthou wat ons nooit weer wil herhaal nie.

Dr Christi van der Westhuizen is ‘n medeprofessor by die Universiteit van Pretoria en gereelde rubriek- en blog-skrywer in die Engelse en Afrikaanse media. Hierdie rubriek het vroeër in Beeld verskyn.

In the past week, a friend of mine as well as a classmate committed suicide in his residence in Sunnyside. He was a final-year student at the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences.

No one has received answers as to the reason why he committed the act, but it is clear to me that the most contributing factors where finances and academics. Who is to be blamed in this instance? No one should be singled to take responsibility for this, but in my view the university is to be blamed. Thousands of students even now have not received their allowances. How are the surviving now?

The university management does not care at all. One reason, perhaps, is that the people behind the application process do not think that it is necessary to speed up this process, as their kids do not need NSFAS funds (that’s if they have kids who are at the university) or maybe because they see a black African child as a burden to their work.

It is high time the university understand that the more they try to suppress black kids, the more we will excel in whatever activity that we take part in. If students are the university’s priority, this was supposed to be solved a long time ago. It does not even bother to advise students as to what should they do in the meantime.

Many students sleep in the library, black African children mostly, but you will be surprised when a student who stays in Waterkloof is in residence, and every week the capitalist child will go home to do laundry. Is there a need as such in these cases?

Furthermore, many students do not join in political activities that would address their problem. Others would think that it a waste of time, but when they appeal, they see political parties as a mighty need. You cannot join Afriforum if you know you need NFSAS, which is not their mandate. Their mandate is to sing in res and dance. Join political movements that suit your needs, as you never know when you will need them.

The SRC must know who voted them in. It was not the management that got you those positions, it was us who voted you in, and you must be controlled by us. This university has a long way to go, but no matter how they try to suppress us by the 60/40 race ratio in res, we will still live in Sunnyside and we will pull through.

Anonymous

Literature

20 April 2015 | Discovering new universes

-discovering new universes

Terry Pratchett remembered

- p. vi

South Africa’s banned authors

- p. vii

Bookmark voucher competition

- p. vi

Author from Tuks publishes debut novel

- p. viii

i

ii

Literature supplement | 20 April 2015

“So much universe, and so little time.”

When people ask me to pick my favourite book, I don’t think they realise that it is like asking a mother to pick her favourite child.

Being an English student, one could say that books have a very special place in my heart. In fact, I deem them to be one of the greatest treasures in our world.

Whether you’ve joined the digital age with a fancy Kindle/iPad/ other digital reading device, or you like to kick it old school like me, it doesn’t matter what you read or how you read it – as long as you don’t stop reading.

One of the aims of this literature supplement is to help people discover their love of reading. I find it incredibly difficult to believe that it is possible to “hate” reading. If you do, you probably just haven’t found the right book yet. In this supplement you might learn about a new genre that piques your interest, or discover how South African authors did their part for the country.

From the Entertainment Editor You might even learn about a new festival or two to attend (spoiler: it’s not Oppikoppi).

Basically, books are magic. They have the power to transport us to different worlds, different universes, in the blink of an eye.

The title of this editorial is a quote by the dearly missed Terry Pratchett (you can read our tribute to him on page vi). If books take us to other universes, then I interpret this quote as also being able to mean “so many books, so little time.”

I hope this supplement makes you as excited about reading as I think it will. At the very least I hope it helps you find your own little universe, be it between the pages of a crime thriller, manga, or even a formerly banned book.

Elmarie

Photo: Charlotte Bastiaanse

Literary festivals: read your way around SA KYLE OBERHOLZER When a student hears the word “festival” in conversation, they automatically conjure up images of alcohol-fuelled dance floors, frantic stage performances and campsites that appear to have emerged from an era of prehistoric savagery. The word “festival” is of such a nature that the descriptive adjective “music” no longer needs to precede it, and by doing so we’ve lost touch with an entire festival circuit which South Africa hosts each year, namely literature festivals.

To be fair, spending three to five days sipping wine and mingling with revered South African authors may not be the average student’s idea of a wild weekend, but then again sharing a tent with drunken strangers in the dust-ridden campsites of Oppikoppi isn’t everyone’s cup of tea either. For those who are so inclined, South Africa has an impressive list of multi-day literature festivals on offer.

The sixth annual Knysna Literary festival took place from 18-22 March and hosted a selection of hand-picked local and international authors. The University of Stellenbosch’s Woordfees takes place annually in March and features not only literature but

also music and food.

The Franschhoek Literary Festival takes place from 15-17 May and the largest book fair in sub-saharan Africa, the South African Book Fair, takes place this year at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from 13-15 June. Towards the end of the year Cape Town will also host the Open Book Festival at the Fugard Theatre from 9-13 September.

Most of these events incorporate a wide variety of activities with a literary focus. Workshops, food events, interviews, book launches and even cocktail evenings are all present so you can rest assured that a literary festival is more than just a multi-day visit to Exclusive Books. Most of the events offer day passes and some have student discounts available, which means that broadening your literary horizons needn’t be a budget-busting affair if you don’t want it to be.

As a generation renowned for our inability to read anything longer than the average Facebook post, these festivals certainly aren’t going to become the next Rocking the Daisies. With a little bit of awareness and an open mind from students, perhaps our generation won’t be lost to a wordless existence.

Image: WorldBookDay.com

SA’s first interactive textbook presented at UP THOMAS MARAIS The 20th anniversary of World Book Day will be on 23 April and, to celebrate this milestone, Tuks has invited Prof.

Tahir Pillay to deliver a presentation on South Africa’s first interactive textbook. The book, released in December of last year, has been sold in over 51 countries.

World Book Day was started in 1995 by Unesco to promote awareness of reading, publishing and copyright.

The date is significant as it is the date of both William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes’ deaths.

The presentation, headed by Prof. Pillay, will showcase several forthcoming interactive textbooks and will take place on Thursday 23 April at 9:00 in the level 3 Auditorium in the Merensky library.

Game of Thrones series to give away book spoilers BYRON MCLEOD

Houses of the Game of Thrones series. Image: Faith Honey

With the recent release of season five of Game of Thrones, the hype for HBO’s most watched television series ever has been manic, surpassing the record of 18.2 million viewers from The Sopranos last year. Speaking to Oxford Union, creators of Game of Thrones David Benioff and Daniel Weiss confirmed that the series will, in fact, overtake the books in terms of plot. Benioff answered a query posed by Oxford Union stating that, “[We’ll] eventually basically meet up at pretty much the same place where George [R.R. Martin, author of the book series] is going [in A Dream of Spring]. There might be a few deviations along the route, but we’re heading towards the same destination ... so the show must go on.”

Recently, a lot of behind the scenes news has also been appearing. It revolves around the series and some information regarding season five itself, as well as news on Martin’s recent plans. In a recent interview with the American Broadcast Corporation (ABC), Kristian Nairn, the actor who plays Hodor in Game of Thrones, who is also a DJ currently on a tour called “Rave of Thrones”, confirmed that he will not be appearing in season five, saying that, “We’re not actually in season five ... We

have a season off.” Nairn noted that the reason for this is “solely because, I imagine, our storyline is up to the end of the books”.

It seems, however, that things could be even worse for book fans. According to The Guardian, Martin’s publisher Jane Johnson confirmed that his next novel, The Winds of Winter, will not be arriving this year and that a date of publication is still to be set.

However, all is not lost. Johnson also informed fans that three novellas will be out in October focusing on a hedge knight, during a time before The Ice and Fire series when the Targaryens still held the throne.

With all this news, things seem somewhat grim for fans of the book series. Martin, however, confirmed on his blog that he won’t be writing a script this year as he tries to focus on The Winds of Winter, saying, “Writing a season six script would cost me a month’s work on Winds, and maybe as much as six weeks, and I cannot afford that.”

Whether winter is coming for fans of the book series or not, the new season looks to be another massive hit. If you still aren’t satisfied with this news, there are always excerpts from The Winds of Winter available to read on Martin’s site to tide you over until the next book.

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Literature supplement | 20 April 2015

Puno Selesho: falling in love with words ELMARIE KRUGER Puno Selesho is a law student at Tuks who has been making waves in the world of spoken word. Perdeby spoke to her about this art form and what it means to her.

What does the concept of spoken word mean to you?

To me spoken word is one of the most incredible art forms out there. It is a means for people to communicate thoughts, ideas, opinions [and] emotions ... through the use of language. Words have always intrigued me, but when they are performed it’s like an extra kind of magic happens. You unlock the imagination of the receiver by bringing life to the written word using your voice and at times your body and gestures. I just love it.

Do you have specific themes that you focus on when writing poetry, or does your focus shift every time you write?

When I write I don’t focus on specific themes on purpose. I have two types of poetry: poetry for me and poetry for the public.

Sometimes these two do overlap. When I write for the public I’ll choose [a] relevant theme for that specific event. For instance, if it’s Women’s Day a poem celebrating the magnificent creation that is a woman would be my theme, but for my personal poetry I generally write about whatever is happening in my life at that time and which has moved me enough emotionally.

Do you have a specific writing process?

I honestly wish I had a writing process. Then I would be able to write more and produce a brilliant poem whenever I please, but usually what happens is I get an idea, leave it to ripen in my mind for [a] while and when I think I’m ready I just write anything and everything down on my phone or on a random piece of paper. I then abandon the rough work and return to it later to edit, fix [and] add [elements], but again there is no specific process so it doesn’t always happen this way. The only thing that always happens when

I write is that I pray ... divine inspiration is the best kind.

What message do you wish to convey to those who hear or read your words?

The message in my poetry is always to unlock people’s potential and show them what they are actually capable of, but in order to do that I also try uncover the ugly things in society and in people with the aim of encouraging [other] people to be better.

Your works that have been recorded and placed on YouTube have been doing really well. How does it feel to have your work heard by such a large number of people?

Seeing myself on YouTube is the coolest thing ever. I’ve never been one to yearn for recognition but the fact that so many people have heard and have hopefully benefitted from my words excites me and make[s] me want to write more and more. I always say that my gift to the world is my words and it is always great when a present is well received.

Do you perform in or around Pretoria regularly?

This year I haven’t been performing at [poetry] slams that much.

I have actually been doing quite [a] few corporate events in and around Pretoria. This is great because one gets to see art and business colliding, which is rare but works so well every time.

However, I do help organise a slam event every month called Spoken Sessions. This has become my home in terms of poetry.

What advice do you have for those who are interested in writing poetry of their own?

To people who want to write poetry, literally just do it. There’s no wrong or right in this industry. Just write, keep writing and don’t [ever] stop. You will see yourself grow in your work and you are guaranteed to fall in love with words. If you still need a bit of a push, link up with someone who has been writing for a while and get them to give you writing challenges on a monthly basis. This will help you grow as a writer.

Puno Selesho. Photo: Kaylyn O’ Brien

“Stories of imagination tend to upset those without one”: the life and times of Sir Terry Pratchett THOMAS MARAIS On 12 March, renowned author Sir Terence Pratchett passed away at the age of 66. Terry Pratchett, known affectionately as “Pterry” by fans of his work, was best known for his Discworld book series, which began in 1983 with The Colour of Magic. It detailed the adventures of the cowardly wizard Rincewind. Rincewind would appear in several subsequent books, alongside other series mainstays such as Commander of the Night Watch Samuel Vimes, Captain Carrot, Archchancellor of the Unseen University Ridicully, the orangutan Librarian, the legitimised con-man Moist von Lipwig and Granny Weatherwax.

To date there are 40 Discworld books, with the 41st due to be released this year. Besides the main series, Pratchett also published numerous short stories and side books fleshing out the setting of the Discworld. He has also written several books, both independently and in association with other authors such as Neil Gaiman.

In December 2008 he was nominated for a knighthood, which

he accepted. Later that year he began the forging of his very own sword, with the assistance of some friends, and even incorporated some meteoric iron into the blade.

In late December of 2007 Pratchett announced that he was suffering from early onset Alzheimer’s disease, describing it as an “embuggerance” and urged his fans to “keep things cheerful”.

Despite the degradation of his motor skills, he continued writing by dictating to his assistant, and published a further four books in this manner.

Pratchett stated that he would like for his daughter, Rihanna Pratchett, to continue the series after his death, but she has said that she would rather hold the reins of the series, and will write no new Discworld books.

Pratchett was a vocal advocate of orangutan conservation, dementia research, euthanasia, computers, the Internet, video games, astronomy and natural history. He donated much of his earnings from his writing career to many of these pursuits and has even had a fossil and a meteor named after him.

Image: Faith Honey

The Inklings society: an inclination towards the literary BYRON MCLEOD The Inklings society is a long running society on campus that students with a literary interest should take note of. Perdeby recently interviewed Emma Paulet, the chairperson of the society, to see what this enigmatic society is all about.

According to Paulet, being part of the Inklings entails the encouragement and creation of “spaces for creative writing, film screenings, the dramatic arts, socials and literary discussion.” “[The Inklings] has been a registered society since 1985 and is one of the longest-running societies on campus,” says Paulet about the origins of the society. “The society was named after the original Inklings society at the University of Oxford, which has included members such as J.R.R. Tolkien,” she adds.

The Inklings Committee consists of a number of portfolios, namely Creative Writing, Drama, Social and Marketing, as well as the inclusion of a secretary and chairperson. About her role as chairperson of the society, Paulet says that “It is the responsibility of each of the chairs to devise and arrange events relating to their portfolio. As chairperson ... I [say yes or no] to ideas and suggestions, oversee the running of events, and help out where I can.”

The Inklings hosts several events, such as creative writing workshops every Tuesday and Thursday at 14:30 in HSB 16-2.

The society also aims to run a creative writing competition before the semester’s end. “We usually have a themed start of year function to welcome new members ... We also have filmscreenings and host informal literary discussions. We like to end the year off with a function. The aim of these events is to create a friendly environment for writing, discussing, and interacting with individuals who share similar passions,” says Paulet.

Once a year, The Inklings brings out its own publication called Inclinations. It is a literary magazine which was first published in 1989. Paulet describes Inclinations as containing “poetry and prose, and – as of last year – illustrations, by members of the Inklings society. Content is gathered through creative writing workshops, competitions and through asking nicely. Inclinations serves as a platform for writers to showcase their work. Being published in the magazine is certainly something for writers and artists to aspire to.”

One of the society’s main focuses for the year is “to increase the society’s accessibility,” says Paulet, adding that, “To achieve this, we’ll be holding events which are more low-key and easier to attend because they’ll be on or near campus and mostly free

of charge. Collaboration with other societies, such as Soul Inc., is also a definite possibility.” People can be informed about these events via email and the society’s Facebook page.

When asked how the society has grown over the years, Paulet says, “In the years in which I’ve been a part of the society I’ve seen it expand to be more encompassing of students in other faculties. The reach of the society has definitely increased ... students must of course be recognised and thanked profusely for being receptive and for giving the society a chance.”

Are you a book lover? Perdeby is giving away a Bookmark voucher worth R250. To enter, simply tell us what literature means to you in 300-350 words. Send your entry to entertainment@perdeby.co.za.

Winners will be notified via email.

20 April 2015 | Literature supplement

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“A truly living human being cannot remain neutral”: South Africa’s banned authors CHAD JOHNSTON Literature is a wonderful platform for challenging a particular belief system or point of view. Sometimes authors have their work banned for this very reason. Thankfully in our society we have, for the most part, moved past the notion of banning something which may cause people to think in a different direction.

However, in the past it was difficult to write with freedom. Here are a few authors who found it difficult to have their views aired and subsequently had their books banned by the local government, and sometimes even internationally.

Nadine Gordimer is one of South Africa’s most celebrated authors. In her writing she dealt with issues like race and morality which led to the banning of her books Burger’s Daughter and July’s People. Burger’s Daughter was banned in 1979 and the restrictions were lifted just three months later. Two years later July’s People was also banned. In 1991, Gordimer won the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Lewis Nkosi was a writer and an essayist whose works were banned by the government because they challenged and criticised the apartheid system. He received a Neiman scholarship from Harvard University and was given a one-way permit to leave the country. He lived in exile until 2001 and held many posts overseas at many universities and an editorial position at The New African in London.

Breyten Breytenbach is considered one of the greatest Afrikaans

literary figures. In 1975, his volume Skryt was banned just three years after it came to prominence. His case is interesting because although some of his work was banned by the South African government, the author himself was banned from re-entering the country because he married a Vietnamese woman while in France.

Kennis van die Aand by the late André Brink was the first Afrikaans book to be banned in South Africa. He was part of a crucial group of writers known as Die Sestigers who used the Afrikaans language to speak out against the apartheid government.

In his earlier works he dealt largely with apartheid and later changed his focus to post-apartheid society.

Alex La Guma was a member of the ANC and a respected writer. He is considered one of South Africa’s top 20th century writers. His work got him placed under 24-hour house arrest in 1962. Eventually he was forced into exile and died in 1985. At the time he was the ANC’s chief representative in the Caribbean. He wrote the books A Walk in the Night (1962) and And a Threefold Cord (1967), which has been called his “neglected masterpiece” by scholars.

These are just a few of the many writers whose works were banned by the oppressive laws of censorship. Fortunately, in today’s society there is no reason to ban a writer’s work because of our constitution and this protection could urge more writers to make their views known and be as influential as those that preceded them.

Image: HumanRousseau.com

Deon Meyer Ikarus SHAUN SPROULE

Illustration: Johann van Tonder

An introduction to the world of manga KOJO ESSAH When we hear the word literature, we immediately think of poetry or prose. Due to our lack of exposure to this medium, we never think of manga. Manga are comics created in Japan or

by Japanese artists in a very distinctive style that is said to have developed in the late 19th century. Manga, like novels, span a wide range of genres and most anime is based on manga. Perdeby has compiled a list of manga that has redefined this medium.

Death Note Death Note was written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata and was published from December 2003 to May 2006. It tells a story of high school student Light Yagami who comes into possession of a seemingly normal notebook which grants the user the ability to kill anyone whose face and name they know. As Light begins to cleanse the world of evil, he is hunted by a detective called L. This manga series has been lauded for its thought-provoking writing and character development.

Fullmetal Alchemist Fullmetal Alchemist was written and illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa and was published from August 2001 to June 2010.

The story follows two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, who live in a world ruled by alchemy. When their mother dies, they use forbidden alchemy practices to try to bring her back from the dead, which results in serious damage to their bodies. They have to search for a philosopher’s stone in order to restore their bodies to their former states, while also trying to stop a vicious plot to destroy the world. The series deals with problems in society such as class division and the horrors of war. The series is also notable

for the way it explores the seven deadly sins.

Astro Boy Astro Boy is often regarded as one of the first manga series and, as such, is believed to have inspired a lot of the manga that came after it. It was published from April 1952 to March 1968 and was written and illustrated by Osamu Tezuka. It details the exploits of a robot called Astro Boy and a host of other characters. Astro Boy was created by Doctor Tenma after the death of his son. He soon discovers Astro Boys’ ability to feel emotions and his robotic abilities which compel him to fight evil. The series has been well received due to its positive and uplifting themes and how it appeals to people of all ages.

Bleach Bleach is one of the most popular manga series, written and illustrated by Tite Kubo. It was first published on 7 August 2001 and is still ongoing. It follows the adventures of high school student Kurosaki Ichigo, who becomes a death god in order to save his family. As a result of his new powers he is given a new responsibility to protect humans from evil spirits. The series has achieved widespread popularity due to its extensive list of characters, writing and the interesting concept.

Naruto Naruto is also known as one of the most popular manga series.

It was written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto and was published from 21 September 1999 to 10 November 2014. It follows the story of a teenage ninja in training called Naruto and his escapades as a young ninja who one day hopes to become the leader of his village. The series has been well received due to its themes, which include family and redemption.

Deon Meyer’s long-awaited novel has finally been released.

The next instalment of the Bennie Griessel story is here and is sure to keep you turning pages in this exciting next chapter of everyone’s favourite South African detective.

Christmas is a time to be with family and enjoy time off from work. A storm on 17 December brings with it a storm of another sort for detective Bennie Griessel and his partner Vaughn Cupido. The body of Ernst Richter, who has been missing for a month, is found on the beaches of Cape Town. Richter is a notorious and much-hated internet entrepreneur who is the owner of the website Alibi.co.za.

Alibi is a company that creates excuses for cheating men and women, so it comes as no surprise that the list of suspects is extraordinarily long. The SAPS in Tableview and Stellenbosch don’t want to take the case because of the manpower required, difficulty and media coverage over the murder, not to mention the pressure from high up to get the case solved with as few hitches as possible. The case is taken by the Falcons, headed

by Cupido for once, as Griessel’s struggle with his drinking habit continues. During the investigation, Cupido struggles with falling in love with one of the main suspects. All this happens while the story of the wine farm heir, Francois du Toit, starts to unravel.

Meyer’s inspiration for the novel came from a documentary about the boom in the wine industry in the eastern world called Red Obsessions, and an article by Fortune magazine about the role of the internet in infidelity. The novel raises some interesting points on the nature of both of these concepts as they apply to South Africa, giving the reader some things to consider in the way South Africans feel and act towards these global phenomena.

Meyer’s use of colloquial Afrikaans creates a sense of reality that few other Afrikaans writers can successfully portray. He is also skilled at forging a sense of character for each of the main characters that the reader can easily associate with. The novel includes a deeper look into the politics and struggles of the SAPS. The novel was released in Afrikaans at the end of March, with the English version expected to be released at the end of September this year. However, the Afrikaans version is easy to read even for second language speakers. Intriguing, original and at times funny, Ikarus is a must read for crime novel fans.

@PerdebyE

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Literature supplement | 20 April 2015

Author from Tuks publishes debut novel

Image: BooksLive.co.za

THOMAS MARAIS FJ Labuschagne is a former Tuks law student who completed his postgraduate studies at UP last year. Labuschagne spoke to Perdeby about his debut novel, Beseringstyd (injury time), which was published in October 2014.

Beseringstyd is your first novel. What was your biggest struggle during the writing process?

The biggest struggle is the writing process itself, especially when you are just starting out. You then sit with a story and characters and, believe it or not, they do clash. It is like building a fourdimensional puzzle. When you attempt to fit the characters into the story, [or] vice versa, endless frustration ensues. After a while I realised that the characters drive the story, not the other way around. I allowed my characters to take over. Each of them then developed their own voice and story and I just wrote it down as it happened.

The novel’s protagonist is a rugby player. As a TuksRugby player yourself, did you implement a lot of your knowledge about the sport into the novel?

In writing the book, I did apply a lot of my knowledge as a student rugby player in sketching the UP environment on and off the field.

I played my best rugby for five years at Tuks in the Residence

League. In essence, rugby is a social sport and when I came here from Potchefstroom, I did not know anybody. Postgraduate studies ensued and I started playing rugby because I enjoy the sport and to make friends. Toward the end of my doctoral studies I was faced with a conflict regarding availability of time and I had to stop playing. Although Beseringstyd is classified as a bildungsroman (coming of age novel), it is also classified as young adult fiction and a sport novel. It is not a book about rugby, because I wrote it so that anybody can read it, rugby is just the milieu and a metaphor for life. Nobody wants to read about rugby: men want to play it or watch it, [while] others ignore it, [so] I stayed clear from a pure rugby-themed book [and opted] for a more character-driven book.

What was your inspiration for writing the book?

An avid reader breeds an avid writer. Once you read enough books, you realise that you also want to write one. Then it becomes a goal. I am very much goal-orientated and once it was there on my list, I had to tick it off. Then you sit with a book and [you] need to get it published. Regarding the story itself, our team faced a similar crisis that the team faced in Stellenbosch during the start of the novel. One moment life in all its glory and the next a silent abyss. Necessarily the question begs an answer: what now?

You partook in the University of Stellenbosch’s Woordfees in March. What was the experience like?

I was invited to speak at the Woordfees to discuss Beseringstyd with Izak de Vries (author, publisher and editor). My wife and I enjoy visiting the Cape Winelands and it is always an experience visiting Stellenbosch. Firstly, after working with fellow writers and people in the literary world via email, Facebook and telephone, it was good to meet everybody in person. Prior to my discussion I was taken to the De Kat Lounge and then it was show time. Secondly, it was great speaking to a mixed audience of young and old, male and female, and the reception was great. The audience interacted and asked questions going beyond the story of Beseringstyd into the underlying themes thereof. For an author, it is sometimes important to elaborate on aspects and I really enjoyed getting feedback from my readers on what they thought and felt while reading.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Develop your characters first, then write the story. It is good to have a broad overview of your story line, but do allow your characters to write the story for you. Do not edit at first. Write your story. It is not going to be perfect. Rather enjoy the journey.

Write from beginning to end and edit later. Go for a writing course after that. I attended a three-day workshop with renowned writer Jeanette Ferreira. Thereafter I attended the UP Creative Writing Winter School where I won best student in prose. Any aspiring author should fearlessly follow their characters into the darkness.

Let them lead. Do not give up. You need to believe in your writing and your story. That said, be original. Think outside the box and take pleasure in it.

The beat of a generation WILLIAM ALDRIDGE The Beatniks, or Beat Generation as they became known, consisted of a number of American authors who met in New York City and became prominent in the 1950s. They inspired the “Beat” culture in which a hedonistic lifestyle of drug use, sexual exploration, rejection of conformity and materialism, and questioning religion were the main ideologies. Alan Ginsberg’s Howl (1956), William Burroughs’s Naked Lunch (1957) and Jack Kerouac’s On the Road (1957) are some of the best known works in Beat literature.

Greenwich Village in New York drew in many Beat artists and writers because of the low rent payments and the “small town element”. It was here that the artists could freely express their creativity and nonconforming standards. Frequent visits to the local bars, involvement in criminal activity and befriending drug addicts were all part of the Village culture.

It was the Beatniks who would inspire the hippie movement in the 60s.

Ginsburg and Burroughs, like a number of other Beat writers, were openly gay or bisexual and this features in their respective works. Ginsburg’s poem Howl mentions homosexual sex and Burroughs’s Naked Lunch deals with same-sex relationships. Both works were prosecuted unsuccessfully for obscenity, with victory by the publishers helping to prevent the further censoring of literature in the United States. Kerouac’s work was seen as grossly inappropriate at the time as he openly mentions the bisexuality of Neal Cassady, a Beatnik who had a love affair with Ginsburg and became the focus in Kerouac’s novel On the Road, however today the content is seen as mild.

The Beat Generation influenced many great musicians of the 20th century including The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Lou Reed and Jim Morrison of The Doors, who cited Jack Kerouac as one of his biggest influences. William Burroughs worked with Kurt Cobain of Nirvana, rock band R.E.M and Bono of U2 in the 80s as there seemed to be a revival of Beat interest.

Surprisingly, very few novelists from later generations can be closely connected with the Beat writers. Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (1962) is one of the most notable of these works.

The Beat Generation inspired a new way of thinking, speaking and dressing in the youth and so drew a lot of criticism as it gave an excuse for the youth to rebel. However, their influences can still be seen today, as they were some of the most artful revolutionaries of the 20th century.

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20 April 2015 | Entertainment

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Image: Caroline Mackintosh

Al Bairre: the indie kids on the block

ELMARIE KRUGER Al Bairre’s self-described classic indie finger pop will be coming to SuperSport Park as one of the many acclaimed acts set to perform at Freedom Fest this year. Perdeby spoke to the band about this and other performances, as well as their latest single.

You’ve recently released a new single, “Bungalow”. Would you say that this track signifies growth in your sound?

[Definitely]. We have started working very closely with Francois de Klerk to get our tracks sounding as huge and energetic as they do in our heads. We just want to get people moving and grooving.

The single was also coupled with an interesting music video.

What was the concept behind it?

The idea was just to have wildly different characters existing and participating in the same space and bringing the sass like it was 1999. Of course to pull that off we needed bodybuilders, gymnasts and martial arts stunt men. Naturally.

“Bungalow” features an intricate duet by band members Tessa and Julia Johnson. Did it make for an interesting recording experience?

It made for an extremely interesting recording process. [After] that was done we had all grown emotionally and spiritually closer. We all experienced a duet of our own that night. A duet of emotion.

You’ll be playing at The Great Escape festival in the UK in May. Would you say that the prospect of performing for international audiences is somehow more daunting than performing locally?

Not really. If it’s a big show we just get super excited so we don’t actually get nervous. Maybe that will change when we are over there but for now the idea of performing to a new audience overseas is getting us way too giddy. The backstage better have enough space for cartwheels and handstands.

You recently released a two-minute short film with David East which documents your performance at Kirstenbosch.

Looking at the film, does it bring back any fond memories of the performance?

[Yes], David is such a dream. We didn’t give him a brief of what to film, we just set him free in the gardens and we didn’t see him again [until] after the show. I think he managed to capture the

Behind the scenes of Freedom Fest 2015

Image: Freedom Fest’s Facebook page

KOJO ESSAH Freedom Fest 2015 is a music festival set to take place in Pretoria on 25 April and in Cape Town on 27 April. In anticipation of the event, Perdeby interviewed event organiser Craig Kraft.

Events such as this require quite a lot of effort to run. What kind of planning goes into a festival like this?

A heck of a lot of planning goes into doing such an event. There are various aspects that need to be thought out and planned. From budgets for the event, marketing [and] advertising, social media, booking the bands, venues, equipment, stages, audio and visual to tickets, food and drinks, etc. This is a massive production and [it] takes a dedicated, hardworking team of professionals to pull it off.

What is the selection process for the performers scheduled to play at this event?

The selection process for the performers this year was extremely difficult. The well of talent and incredible music we have in the South African lineup alone would be more than enough, so it came down to a selection of genres that everyone would enjoy,

ranging from the heavier rock of Fokofpolisiekar, to the indie pop party starters Shortstraw, to the anthems of Gangs of Ballet. Then, on the international side of things we decided on having a mix of newcomers and well-known [acts]. Skillet are world renowned for their heavy rock tunes, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus [for] their energetic, well-known songs, and then [adding] Airborne Toxic Event and [newcomers] The Curious Incident, we’re in for a jol.

Freedom Fest is set to take place in both Pretoria and Cape Town. Is there any specific reason for these two cities to host this event?

The reason for selecting Pretoria and Cape Town was the amazing venues that were available for us to use. SuperSport Park [in] Centurion is the perfect venue as it has wide open spaces and can accommodate both Pretoria and [Johannesburg audiences] with ease. It is within walking distance [of] the Gautrain station, [allowing] easy access for all. The West Coast Ostrich Ranch in Cape Town [was chosen] because of its awesome location and atmosphere.

Freedom Fest is a one-day music festival. What was the reasoning behind this choice?

We have Oppikoppi, Splashy Fen and Rocking the Daisies, but one thing we don’t have is a festival where you can rock out just as hard as you do at all the other great festivals and then go home, have a warm shower and sleep in your own bed that same night.

We wanted to provide the same spectacular experience, just in your own back yard.

What was the inspiration behind the creation of this event?

A passion for music and the desire to see [both] awesome local and international bands perform live in South Africa.

Are there any special plans for future Freedom Fests?

[We want to] showcas[e] the top bands, both locally and internationally, and [give] up-and-coming bands the boost they need [to get] into the big leagues.

At the time of going to print, it was announced that Freedom Fest would be postponed until September 2015.

show perfectly: the people, the gorgeous setting, the energy and, of course, the love. We are all about the love. We were so focused on nailing the show that we missed a lot of what was going on, so David’s film was perfect.

You also post mini-documentaries to YouTube called The Al Bairre Show with Al Bairre. What inspired you to start recording these videos?

We are getting to go on the most futuristic adventures, and we just thought why not film it so everyone can come along for the ride you know, everybody love everybody? So we hired the best man in the game, Luke Nelson, and we now work together with him and release monthly episodes of The Al Bairre Show with Al Bairre. We do it more for ourselves but people are now starting to catch onto them, which is really lovely.

You’ll be performing at Freedom Fest in both Pretoria and Cape Town. What can festival-goers expect from your performances there?

The time of their lives. A platform for them to dance, flirt and maybe kiss a ten.

Calendar 16 April - 16 June: Anton Smit Art Exhibition – Menlyn Boutique Hotel 22 April: IBBY World Book Day event – Protea Bookshop 23 April - 6 May: Art Competition & Exhibition – Art Lovers 1932, Longstreet 23 April: World Book Day Presentation – Merensky Library 25 April: Irene Village Market – Jan Smuts House Museum 1-3 May: Wolmer Fest 2 – Wolmer Bush Lounge

To get your event listed in our event calendar, send the date, event name and venue to entertainment@perdeby.co.za or tweet us (@PerdebyE). UP societies are welcome to send their events, too.

@PerdebyE

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Entertainment | 20 April 2015

Rhyme Slayer. Photo: Shen Scott.

Image: Infinity.co.za

Francois van Coke Francois van Coke KYLE OBERHOLZER Afrikaans rock is a strange phenomenon that, for the most part, exists in complete isolation from the broader international music scene. Despite its solitude, it harbours its own set of heroes whose names are as well known in South African Francois van Coke is one such name and his recent decision to record a solo album was initially received with mixed emotions. Thankfully, his self-titled debut album Francois van Coke leaves no doubt as to whether this decision was a success.

Two days after the album’s release Van Coke’s song “Toe vind ek jou”, featuring Karen Zoid, topped the South African iTunes chart and at the time of writing the music video had accumulated almost 120 000 views. It would appear that this heartfelt ballad might become the album’s first real hit, and its thoughtful song writing and sophisticated sound are a good indication of what the rest of the album has to offer.

The flawless production and gentle tone showcase Van Coke’s lyrical ability and are backed by a healthy dose of catchy guitar riffs.

In addition to the vocals of Karen Zoid, Van Coke has also roped in Laudo Liebenberg, Arno Carstens and Die Heuwels Fantasties for a total of four collaboration tracks that provide a pleasant variation to Van Coke’s own sound. Francois van Coke truly is a proudly South African album and the support that it has received so far is proof of the musical patriotism that our country has.

As the founder and lead singer of bands Van Coke Cartel and Fokofpolisiekar, Van Coke had his work cut out to not to just “cut and paste” their sound and place his name on a new album cover. Despite his instantly recognisable husky vocals, his solo album possesses an element of maturity which quickly sets it apart. Make no mistake, this is still a rock album and the extensive gig lineup for the album launch tour will provide many an opportunity for a proper rock concert, but now you can expect a more relaxed atmosphere.

Rhyme Slayer on the rise SHAUN SPROULE

There are many talented individuals on campus who might just be the next big thing. One of these talented individuals to watch out for is up-and-coming hip-hop artist Rhyme Slayer. With this motswako artist gaining prominence and a secure fan base in Pretoria, Perdeby spoke to him about his budding career.

Rhyme Slayer is not new to the hip-hop scene, having started in grade nine when he discovered his talent with words. He tries to include his personal experiences in his rhymes, drawing on what it’s like to be a South African today. Rhyme Slayer works with independent record label A-List Assassins and is currently in negotiations with sponsors to start shooting a music video in the near future. His combination of English and Tswana language and culture set him apart from other rappers on the scene.

Rhyme Slayer has performed at many events during his time in

Pretoria. He performed on campus with Reason last year and is also performing at Joe Public and other venues this year. His fan base grows with every performance and he enjoys putting on a show for audiences. Performing alongside Reason in 2014 is one of the highlights of his career, and with this performance he saw his fan base start to grow. “The crowd reacted. It was epic,” was his response when asked how he experienced this performance.

For those that can’t go out and catch Rhyme Slayer live, he has announced that he is releasing his mix tape The Pledge on 19 August this year. The event will be marked by an “All White” party, encouraging attendants to wear white clothing, and will feature live performances from the mix tape as well as contributions from other artists. “[The mix tape] is my commitment to the game ... telling stories about Rhyme Slayer as a solo artist and introducing myself in the motswako genre,” he added.

Image: Shen Scott

The changing frequency: the relevance of radio drama CHAD JOHNSTON For many years radio has been the most accessed form of media in South Africa. It transcends boundaries such as class, wealth and even location. There are millions of South Africans who listen to their radios every day. In the past, radio drama was a big source of entertainment, but since the introduction of TV a decline in radio dramas across the country, and the world, can be seen.

It is true that South Africans still listen to the radio frequently, but with most stations being commercial and mainly focused on talk and music, radio drama is slowly but surely fading. Radio drama really comes in handy if you are a student, though, as many of us don’t have TVs and often find ourselves running low on good series around May. Radio dramas would be the perfect solution to these problems but they are very difficult to come across. Luckily, UP’s drama department still offers radio as a subject to its second- and third-year students and one of the sections in the course is radio drama. Third-year drama student Tina Redman, who is enrolled

in the radio course, noted that “[radio dramas are] becoming less relevant in more privileged, developed countries,” and that “poorer societies still rely on radio for entertainment.”

Community-based radio stations and the SABC still put a lot of time and effort into producing radio dramas for those who still find it to be a valuable means of entertainment. Since the early 2000s radio dramas have been experiencing a revival in the form of popular TV shows being restructured for radio. These shows include Doctor Who and The Twilight Zone. Radio dramas also provide a good testing ground for future TV scriptwriters.

Today radio drama has moved solidly into the realm of podcasts. Certain serialised podcasts, such as the science fiction show Welcome to Night Vale, the crime podcast Serial and the aptly titled Radio Drama Revival, which aims to showcase work by both amateur and professional producers from around the world, have gained immense popularity.

While radio dramas may be fading on the airwaves they are still alive on the internet as part of a rapidly growing platform for storytellers.

20 April 2015 | Fun and Games

11

Pssst...

The top ten ways to decorate a statue JACO STROEBEL In these trying times, statues need some well deserved protection from the elements and some decorations to make them feel better about themselves. You know what they say: “A pretty statue is a happy statue.”

1

A raincoat. Statues have always been susceptible to the perils of precipitate, whether it be from clouds or the consequences of overfeeding birds.

2

Parasol. Just as the rain can brutally beat down on a statue, so can the sun. A parasol will be handy to keep the stinging rays at bay.

It’s been quite a break but Pssst… is back with a vengeance and knows when reses are slipping up.

Pssst… realised that every res spent last week trying to get their events out the way and focus on serrie. Jasmyn started by having a Mexican party in the height of cultural unrest in the country.

Erika, on the other hand, were pompous enough to have a pageant for just their own girls. Way to make sure you come out with a win there. It’s not often that you get outclassed by Jasmyn, but at least the Slurpies let other people have fun too.

Pssst… thinks the bromance between Taaibos and Mopanie is really cute. Having a culture event with each other really confirms a lot of rumours. They might be trying to keep it on the down low but it’s about as secret as Olienhout’s underground party. But in their defence, Pssst... thinks that their Rag partners Curlitzia and

Magrietjie aren’t offering a better option.

Maybe if the Spikkels spent less time at the surrounding bars and more time with other reses things would look better.

At least these reses have a bit of optimism.

Pssst… hears Groenkloof is planning a big party on the night of serrie finals because, well, you know. Love also seems a bit lost between the Vividus Men and Ladies. Pssst... heard that the girls weren’t too keen on having their counterparts on camp and left the guys to their own devices.

The Knolle are getting really lazy with their jottirs. Pssst... thinks that they’re clearly too busy having informals. Pssst… thinks someone needs to keep them on their toes, especially since they didn’t even realise that a certain Olienhout ouman was gatecrashing the party.

Perdeby web poll

Speaking about not being on their toes, Pssst… is a bit disappointed in Maroela.

The mielies seemed to go down without much fuss from their side this year. Pssst... thinks that they’re possibly still bleak about losing the rugby finals to their rivals last year.

Pssst… heard a similar thing happened when Kollege beat Taaibos in the cricket finals.

Pssst... thought Taaibos were good at ball sports.

What’s more, when it comes to loyalty at least Maroela aren’t offering Pssst… inside information on their res in the exchange for payment. Like Mopanie.

As for Sonop, if everybody’s still not over the statue thing expect some calls about Oom Gert. Then again, Pssst... supposes you can’t tear a statue down if you can’t find it.

Last week’s poll

Do you feel that there is institutionalised racism at UP? ■ Yes ■ No Vote online at www.perdeby.co.za

3

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Leather chaps. For the more adventurous statues, there are of course leather chaps. These not only appeal to the more masculine cowboy demographic, but are also quite helpful when one wants to avoid chafing.

6

TO ER G IS T

Hat. A statue cannot stress the importance of protection from the sun enough. A hat is therefore another excellent accessory. It is important to make sure that your statue can “pull of” the hat look, otherwise it may just end up looking silly.

RE

7

DA Y!

Sunglasses. Cool can come to statues with this accessory. A pair of specs not only adds some much needed cool factor, they offer UV protection only superseded by that of a double eye-patch.

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8

Leather vests. Straddling a metal steed, a leather vest with a club logo will make the Statuary Cohorts look very impressive in their matching leather vests.

9

Eye patch. Originally used by pirates to maintain their night vision when going below decks, these striking accessories not only help protect sensitive eyes from the harsh life on the plain, but also serve as a deterrent for any unsolicited conversations.

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Glitter. This is most certainly not for every statue. Only the most dauntless of anthropomorphic sculptures will be able to make glitter work. However, it should catch the eye of any bystander and is sure to leave an impression.

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12

Features | 20 April 2015

You can’t run from the Bloodhound SAVVA POUROULLIS An incredible feat of engineering is close by.

The Bloodhound Supersonic Car (Bloodhound SSC) will be the first land vehicle in history to travel at over 1000 m/h (1600 km/h). What’s more, it will be done here on South African soil, on a dry lake bed in the Northern Cape right next to the Namibian border called Hakskeenpan. The Bloodhound team will perform multiple runs throughout the year in their effort to reach their target.

The Bloodhound Project is a joint effort sponsored by a plethora of individuals, organisations, companies and universities.

The main sponsors include big names such as Rolls-Royce, Jaguar and Castrol, all who have their logos appearing on the chassis of the engineering marvel along with a stylised British flag on the fin. Ordinary people also have the opportunity to have their names painted on the historical car in exchange for a small donation to the project.

The Bloodhound boasts a Jaguar supercharged V8 engine

which will drive an oxidiser pump for a hybrid rocket. A Eurojet EJ200 engine is used to help with control and will bring the car up to a speed of 480 kph. The Jaguar engine and rocket will then kick in and deliver enough thrust to accelerate the car to its target speed. The whole process from 0 to 1600 km/h will take 42 seconds.

The combined power of this system is equivalent to eight times the horsepower of all the cars on a formula one track combined. The wheels of the car are made entirely from an aluminium alloy, as a conventional rubber tyre would simply be ripped apart at such high speeds. Its wheels, almost one metre in diameter, will be rotating at 170 revolutions per second and the force at their edges will be equivalent to 50 000 times the force of gravity.

The Bloodhound Project is being developed by the same team that built the last recordbreaking car, the Thrust SSC, which became the first land vehicle to break the sound barrier.

Richard Noble, the project director of both the Thrust project and the Bloodhound project, wrote on Bloodhound’s official website that his motivation to construct a second,

faster car is predominantly to build interest in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem) industry for young children, referring to his concern that Britain is experiencing an unprecedented shortage of engineers and Stem professionals. Members of the Bloodhound team regularly visit schools and institutions to give talks on the project and its progress. Noble spoke recently about a police officer who stopped him in the lobby of the House of Commons to tell him how the Thrust SSC had inspired his son to become an engineer. Noble also takes great care to emphasise that the specifications for the Bloodhound are fully available to the public for educational purposes.

Another integral member of the team is Andy Green, a Royal Air Force Wing Commander.

He was at the wheel of the Thrust SSC and will perform the same duty for the Bloodhound almost 20 years later. Green will be in full control of the car, even as it exceeds the sound barrier and outpaces fighter jets.

Videos of the manufacturing process and tests of the various high-tech parts of the project are released regularly and can be found on YouTube or on the group’s website, along with detailed information on their activities. They also have active Twitter and Facebook pages from which they release footage, pictures

and updates on the project’s progress. The group encourages those interested to register on their website for a chance to visit Hakskeenpan to watch the Bloodhound’s test runs and, eventually, witness Andy Green break the land

“the first land vehicle in history to travel at over 1600 km/h”

A front view of the vehicle. Image: Johann van Tonder

A model of the Bloodhound SSC. Photo: Shen Scott

Concerns over BRT

MARINUS GUBITZ The City of Tshwane is in the process of changing the current two lane roads of Lynnwood and Atterbury to incorporate the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) system which launched in the city centre and Hatfield regions last year.

City mayoral spokesman Blessing Manale made a statement in which he said that a proposal was put forth for converting the road into one mixed traffic lane and one bus lane. The municipality has said that this is too expensive, especially considering that the figure for construction costs had doubled from the initial quoted price of building the BRT system from University Road to Nelson Mandela Drive.

The initial plan was to widen the road, keep the two lanes for general traffic on either side and develop another lane in order to accommodate the BRT system.

There are some parties, however, who do

not agree with the plans for Lynnwood and Atterbury road. DA Councillor Siobhan Muller said, “The impact on traffic on Atterbury and Lynnwood roads by removing one lane for cars will be disastrous for the east-west corridor.”

Members of the public who use the road have expressed that the developments will only cause more traffic jams and delays.

Another concern has been brought forward by a student from the University of Pretoria on the safety of cyclists. He said that the City of Tshwane needs to take into account that bicycle lanes are in great need as there have been a lot of complaints by cyclists saying that their safety on the road, between all the other cars, is in jeopardy as there is no designated bicycle lane provided. This makes it difficult for cyclists to reach their destinations without having to be hooted at by countless drivers, and in worse situations, knocked down.

20 April 2015 | Features

13

Rhodes rage: rebellion or restoration?

Image: Kaylyn O’Brien

JARED DE CANHA Until recently, Cecil John Rhodes has not been as heated a topic of conversation since his death in 1902. The recent controversy surrounding Rhodes originated at the University of Cape Town (UCT) where protestors embarked on a campaign to have a statue of Rhodes situated on Upper Campus removed. These protests have spread to other parts of the country and have left South Africans divided on the point of erasing parts of our history through the removal of various statues of historical South African figures.

The spark for the UCT protests The protests at UCT started on 9 March after Chumani Maxwele, a UCT student, threw faeces onto the statue. This action soon led to demonstrations where protestors used black refuse bags and banners to cover up the statue until their demands for its removal were met.

The #RhodesMustFall campaign was born from these protests, which is a protest action established by UCT students and staff members who are seeking to bring down institutionalised racism at UCT. The history behind Rhodes Cecil John Rhodes was a British businessman who arrived in South Africa in 1870 shortly after the discovery of diamonds. A proud Englishman, Rhodes devoted his life to defending and helping to extend the rule of the British empire and had a dream of helping establish a ribbon of British territory from the Cape to Cairo. He was nicknamed “The King of Diamonds” after his success in founding the De Beers Mining Company. Rhodes became Prime Minister of the Cape Colony in 1890 and is notoriously credited with helping enforce the system of migrant labour after bringing the Glen Grey Act into force. Rhodes is also credited as the founder of the state of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), under the administration of the British South Africa Company.

Maxwele speaks about his decisions In a recent interview with City Press entitled “No regrets for throwing faeces at Rhodes Statue”, the 30 year old’s reasoning for his decision to throw faeces at the statue was discussed. Maxwele explained that his decision was not an impulsive one, but rather a response to years of pain and anger that he had experienced at the sight of the Rhodes statue at UCT. He told City Press that his decision to deface the statue was planned but that it was not triggered by any specific incident. He explained not only how he sourced the faeces from Khayelitsha township’s controversial portable flush toilets, but also how the decision to deface the statue was not about himself but rather about “the history of black people”. He went on to say that he felt that many black students “did not identify” with the names of buildings at UCT, including Jameson Hall and Jan Smuts residence, and that these names symbolised “pain and hurt” to some students.

Maxwele, originally from the Eastern Cape, is no stranger to controversy after being arrested in 2010

by President Jacob Zuma’s bodyguards for allegedly flashing the middle finger at the presidential convoy. Maxwele denied these allegations and the case was dismissed. He does not, however, deny or regret his actions on 9 March and was not expecting the repercussions that were experienced after his actions, City Press reported. Maxwele would not comment on why he had not acted out prior to this given that he had been studying towards a BA Political Sciences degree on a bursary since 2011.

provisions for assemblies and forums of discussion to initiate a conversation with the protestors and the university. According to UCT’s website, UCT’s senate met on 27 March and voted “overwhelmingly in favour of recommending to council that the statue of Rhodes be removed”. The proposal also recommended that the statue be boarded up until its removal, before being handed over to the heritage authorities. UCT responded to this proposal by boarding up the statue shortly afterwards, pending a council meeting scheduled in April.

Rhodes rage spreads nationwide Since the statue of Rhodes has been targeted, calls to remove several other statues across the country have been heard. The EFF has claimed responsibility for two separate incidents in the Eastern Cape where historical statues have been defaced. These two incidents were the torching of the War Memorial statue in Uitenhage’s Market Square, as well as the dismantling of the Horse Memorial in Port Elizabeth. In Pretoria, the Paul Kruger statue in Church Square was defaced by the EFF over the Easter Weekend after they splashed green paint onto the statue. The Louis Botha statue outside Parliament is the latest statue to be defaced, but no one has claimed responsibility yet.

In their interview with Maxwele, City Press also reported that other universities have experienced protests in light of the UCT campaign. At Rhodes University, some students have criticised management and demanded an immediate change of the university’s name as well as a change in curriculum, culture and identity in order to reflect an African identity. At the University of KwaZulu-Natal, students have defaced the statue of King George V and have

“...the decision to deface the statue was not about himself but rather about ‘the history of black people’...”

The response from UCT UCT responded to the protests with a #TransformUCT campaign which made

also called for its removal.

Criticisms of this behaviour Professor Jonathan Jansen, president of the South African Institute of Race Relations and the Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State, recently published an opinion piece in the Rand Daily Mail entitled “Erase Rhodes?

That offends me as a teacher,” where he strongly condemned the removal of Rhodes from UCT’s campus. Jansen has labelled the removal as “anti-educational” and “anti-progressive” and went as far as saying that some of the protestors were “spitting” in Rhodes’ face because they were the benefactors of scholarships paid for by the Rhodes estate.

The Minister of Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, made a statement on 8 April encouraging South Africans “not to take the law into their own hands” and acknowledged that the transformative nature of the national agenda of government accepts that “the past cannot and should not be completely wiped off”.

The fate of Rhodes at UCT UCT Vice-Chancellor Max Price announced on 8 April that the Rhodes statue would be removed from the UCT campus after a council meeting was held pending this decision. In a statement on the UCT website, both UCT and Heritage Western Cape confirmed that a permit had been granted to UCT for the temporary removal of the Rhodes statue from the campus. The permit grants UCT the right to remove the statue for storage at an alternative venue that must meet the satisfaction of Heritage Western Cape. A heritage architect will oversee the temporary removal of the statue.

Price also told the media that the council’s decision to remove the statue was unanimous and in a statement said that, “this is what a university is and should be about: we argue, we fight – and yet it is a fight without violence.” He also revealed that the university was happy with their decision, but that there was still a long road ahead following it.

14

Features | 20 April 2015

The Street Store

restores diginity to poor

TIJANA SAKOTA As the cold approaches we rely on our winterwoolies, boots and jackets to keep the cold out.

However, there are those who simply do not have the amenities to fight the biting cold, and for them the next few months will prove to be an uphill battle. In response to this problem, the The Street Store project was born.

The Street Store is the world’s first “popup charity store”, says Eve van Eeden, a representative of the organisation and a former student at UP. She explains that the store was initiated by art director and designer Max Pazak and copywriter Kayli Vee Levitan from M&C Saatchi Abel, an advertising agency based in Cape Town. “[They saw] homeless people every day and wanted to do something that addresses this problem,” Van Eeden explains.

The founders saw the need for a middle ground between where to take donations and who gets them. The Street Store organisation was created in January 2014 in partnership with the Haven Night Shelter in the Western Cape.

The organisation’s official website, TheStreetStore.org, visually explains the structure of the store: a few dozen posters on fences and railings with gaps in which donated clothing is placed. Donated footwear is placed on outlined boards below the hanging posters.

This makes up the world’s first rent and premises free pop-up store for the homeless.

Thereafter, the homeless are able to choose clothing they want, the first dignified shopping experience for many of the homeless. It is

Photo: Charlotte Bastiaanse

“somewhere safe to give and easy to collect”, as stated in the organisation’s web video.

A week before the first store in Cape Town opened, funding was received through donations which were requested via social media platforms. Subsequently, the initiative spread across prominent national blogs, news platforms, radio and television shows.

The founders then realised that “homelessness

[is not] a South African problem,” as their website states. The Street Store concept has been made freely available to anyone who wants to make a difference. U2 lead singer Bono’s “One” organisation, Huffington Post, the Casual Society and Adverblog, to name a few, have all joined in on the concept. Over 3500 homeless people were clothed. The initiative then spread to Brussels, Vancouver, Gomez Palacio and

many other countries.

Vusi Mesatywa from Limitless Virtual in South Africa stumbled upon the idea and organised the 166th Street Store, held in the Pretoria Art Museum. On 14 March 2015 over 30 volunteers assisted in running the store from 08:30 to 14:00, Van Eeden explains. The operation was “based on donations from friends and family of the volunteers”. Along with this, Van Eeden says that UP assisted considerably through donations from residences, departments and societies on campus. This includes the Actuarial Society donation of R2000 towards the purchase of new clothing, the marketing department’s assistance in spreading the word and gathering donations from UP students, and Vividus men’s donation of clothes.

Anyone is able to host their own Street Store. First, you must fill out an application form and take the organisation’s pledge on TheStreetStore.org. You are then given access to the files necessary to create a Street Store. A host must then collaborate with an organisation for the homeless and find a suitable location for the store. Permission must then be granted by the relevant officials in order to use the public space. After this, the host must set up advertising posters at donation points where donated shoes and clothing can be placed the following day.

The posters must be put up and volunteers must ensure that the day runs smoothly. Thereafter, the homeless are welcome to browse and “shop”. The final step is to submit photos of the experience to the organisation’s website. To date, over 120 people have signed up to host their own store.

A recipient of donated clothing from Cape Town’s pop-up store speaks of how the volunteers were “accepting of [her] with friendly faces” in the video. Another recipient says that the store is “sent from heaven”, thanking the organisation with appreciation. According to their video, The Street Store is a concept where by “a few simple posters can restore the dignity of the homeless,” and “bring people together like never before”.

Bizarre organ transplants The world’s first successful penis transplant and the possibility of head transplants

CINDY FRIEDMAN Three years ago, a 21-year-old South African man nearly lost his life after a botched traditional circumcision. According to an article written for the New York Post last year by the Associated Press entitled “Botched circumcisions becoming health crisis in South Africa”, nearly 500 young men have died in circumcision rituals since 2006 in the Eastern Cape, including 83 in 2013 alone. Officials further north in Mpumalanga reported 31 deaths in 2013.

At risk of being just another casualty, doctors had no choice but to amputate his penis after it had become gangrenous. However, his life was recently changed after he became the recipient of the world’s first successful penis transplant. According to The Saturday Star, the intricate nine hour operation was performed in the Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town on 11 December 2014 and was announced to be an official success last month. Done by specialists from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Services from the University of Stellenbosch, it has once again proven that South Africa

continues to be a forerunner in medical science.

The team of doctors who carried out the operation have since been inundated with requests from men around the world who want to have the operation. News24 stated that nine other patients will receive penile transplants following the success of their first procedure.

This procedure could eventually help men who have lost their penises to penile cancer or as a last-resort treatment for severe erectile dysfunction due to medication side effects.

While penis transplants are not an everyday occurrence, even stranger transplant news is floating over from Europe. An article titled “First human head transplant could happen in two years” on NewScience.com says that the first head transplant could be performed on humans by 2017. Sergio Canavero of the Turin Advanced Neuromodulation Group in Italy suggested the idea last year, with the aim of extending the life of people whose nerves, muscles, and organs are shutting down due to diseases like cancer.

“Canavero plans to announce the project at the annual conference of the American Academy of Neurological and Orthopaedic Surgeons (AANOS) in Annapolis, Maryland, in June,”

says NewScience.com. Canavero explains that in order for the transplant to take place the recipient’s head and the donor’s body are joined first by connecting tissues around the neck, linking blood vessels and the spinal cord. “To achieve this, Canavero intends to flush the area with a chemical called polyethylene glycol, and follow up with several hours of injections of the same stuff. Just like hot water makes dry spaghetti stick together, polyethylene glycol encourages the fat in cell membranes to mesh,” says NewScience.com. In order to prevent rejection and minimise movement, the donee is put into an induced coma for a period of three to four weeks. “When the recipient wakes up, Canavero predicts they would be able to move and feel their face and would speak with the same voice. He says that physiotherapy would enable the person to walk within a year. Several people have already volunteered to get a new body,” NewScience.com says. Test transplants on animals have been successful in the past, however Richard Borgens, director of the Center for Paralysis Research at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, says that the hardest part of the transplant will be connecting the

spinal cord and further explains that there is no guarantee that the transplant would lead to complete motor functioning.

While these are extreme examples, organ donation should become an everyday topic of discussion. Prof. Andre van der Merwe, head of Stellenbosch University’s division of Urology, explained in The Saturday Star that the main problem is to find donors. “The heroes in all of this for me are the donor and his family. They saved the lives of many people because they donated the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, skin, corneas, and then the penis”, said Van Der Merwe.

In South Africa the ratio of two donors for every million people presents a crisis. Compare that figure to Spain, for instance, where the ratio is 33 donors per million people.

The story of the first successful penis transplant brings to light just how many ways you can help someone’s life by simply signing a piece of paper. By becoming an organ donor, you alone can save seven lives, not to mention improve someone’s standard of living by also donating body tissue such as the cornea, skin, heart valves, tendons and now your whole body.

20 April 2015 | Sport

15

Richard Moremi reflects

Photo: Stefan Stander

ZUKO QUSHEKA As the AmaTuks team gears up to take on the challenges of the coming year, from their current participation in University Sports South Africa (USSA) football to the Varsity Cup football later in the year, Perdeby spoke to senior Varsity

Cup squad member Richard Moremi, who is currently working his way back to fitness following a setback due to an injury.

How have preparations been going for the Varsity Cup games?

Preparations are going very well. We’ve got a... much bigger [squad] than last year so fighting for positions is rough. The competition [among players] makes the competition go smoother.

Tuks has recently played USSA games. Do you feel that this has adequately prepared you for the upcoming tournaments?

There [aren’t] that many USSA games, but we have something called the Castle League and most of our players are involved there so we sometimes play once...or twice a week and that helps us prepare for the Varsity Cup. Are you optimistic regarding your chances of winning the tournament?

We’re definitely going to win it, that’s how confident I am. That’s judging from our performances in the USSA championships played last year December against, basically, the teams that will be playing in the Varsity Cup. We didn’t even concede a goal in that tournament.

Judging from the USSA games and last year’s Varsity Cup, which team do you think will be your toughest opponents?

Definitely Tshwane University of Technology (TUT). They’re quite good. Every time we face them, it’s a derby. It’s a big game for both teams

because it’s a big stage.

How did you feel about last years’ Varsity Cup final when Jeremiah Nkwana scored that brilliant free-kick?

I’m the one who got that foul. Everyone started celebrating as if it was a penalty because we knew his ability. I went to high school with Jeremiah, so I knew his ability.

Do USSA games offer the team enough exposure?

I believe Varsity Cup football gives us more exposure than the USSA games. People watch Varsity Cup. Look at Thabo Mnyamana – from Varsity Cup to the Bafana Bafana squad. So, [yes] it provides exposure.

Sport is important in South Africa. Has it played a big role in your development? Can it make a difference in others’ lives?

[Having] played soccer with other races, I believe it breaks those racial barriers. Like some of the white guys I grew up [with] at school can actually speak Sotho and Zulu. Stop Racism is a big thing in football which they like to promote and that has a positive influence.

Has football taught you lessons about life and hard work?

I grew up in a soccer environment so I believe I am the person I am because of soccer. In terms of hard work, I’ve put as much hard work [into] my studies as I do on the field, so football has taught me a life-long lesson.

UP-Tuks 1 were defeated by Pukke at LC de Villiers on 30 March. Image: SASPA

Tuks suffer defeat at the hands of Pukke THORISO PHASHA UP-Tuks1 exited the Varsity Cup Rugby tournament after suffering defeat in a home semi-final against North-West University (Pukke) on 30 March. In a heated semi-final Tuks became unstuck by a lacklustre goalkicking display, despite outscoring the visitors five tries to four.

Both teams made their intentions very clear as they looked to draw first blood in the opening exchanges. Tuks pressed on for the opening try and found themselves camping near the Pukke try line after a lengthy string of phases. Pukke finally buckled under the pressure as captain Jeandre Rudolph was sin-binned for recurring infringements in the ruck. Tuks quickly capitalised on the advantage when captain Wiaan Liebenberg dotted down for a try after a strong rolling maul. Joshua Stander misfired the conversion and the score remained 5-0. Pukke responded almost instantly when blindside flank Marno Redelinghuys broke the line cleanly after gathering a swift pop-pass to score Pukke’s first try. Pukke fullback Ryno Smith then kicked Pukke into the lead. Smith extended Pukke’s lead to 10-5 with a penalty just before the first strategic break.

Tuks inside centre John Jackson brought them back to level on points after exploiting

a small gap in the Pukke defence. The score line remained at 10-all after Stander dragged his conversion attempt wide. It was the boot of Smith that separated the two teams again with Pukke taking a 12-10 lead after another successful penalty. Tuks left wing Jermaine Kleinsmith then seemed slightly casual when he failed to gather an awkwardly bouncing ball resulting in a knock-on. Pukke exploited the unforced error, with Rudolph making amends for his earlier mishap by scoring from a solid scrum. The conversion wide, leaving the score at 17-10. Pukke would then extend their lead to 19-10 just before half-time with a penalty.

Tuks came back from the tunnel with renewed energy as they dominated possession. Pukke defended well, forcing Tuks into territorial regression. Tuks were then under immense pressure deep within their own half when Dan Kriel pounced onto a loose ball. The centre showed great pace and stamina, running the whole 90 metres untouched to the try line.

Tuks trailed by a solitary point after Stander’s conversion made it 19-18. Defensive tactics

by Tuks kept Pukke at bay for a long period of sustained pressure. However, the Tuks wall was finally breached when a long pass picked out winger Dillon Smit on the far left. Pukke lead 24-18 heading into the second strategic break.

Shortly after play resumed Tuks flyer

Kleinsmith tore down the left flank, coming down close to the try line. Tuks kept the momentum going as they quickly recycled the ball, and eighth man Clyde Davids finished off the try from close range. Stander let Pukke off the hook when he missed the conversion. Davids went from try scorer to creator, sucking in Pukke defenders before unleashing fullback Riaan Britz into space. The Tuks fullback put the pedal to the metal as he outran the cover defence to slide over in the corner. Tuks utility back Dewald Human took over the kicking duties but failed the attempt at goal.

The match was in for a tense climax as Tuks led 28-24 in the closing stages. Fly-half Johnny Welthagen then broke Tuks’ hearts when he snatched a try with two minutes on the clock, eluding Tuks defenders with some evasive diagonal running. With full time looming Tuks seemed to be in quite a panic as they lost their own scrum, relinquishing possession. Pukke slowed down the tempo of the game as they held on to the ball, winding down the clock to record a hard fought victory. Pukke were undone in the Varsity Cup Final when UFS-Shimlas beat them 66-33 in Bloemfontein. By beating Pukke, Shimlas won their first Varsity Cup title since the inception of the tournament in 2008.

Tuks sport update TAY LETHULOE TuksJudo The University of Pretoria played host to this year’s University Sports South Africa (USSA) National Institutional Judo Championships from 26-28 March. This is an event in which eight universities competed in various categories.

TuksJudo displayed their dominance as they claimed victory in seven of the nine categories presented. They competed against athletes from the University of the Witwatersrand, Stellenbosch University, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, the University of the Free State, the University of Johannesburg and the University of Cape Town. Pierre Wolmarans, Dale Whittaker and Ruan-Tobie Snyman won gold in the male individual division, with Michaela Whitebooi, Sinothando Mva, Desiree Blake, Maggie Louw, Tabea Lingscheid, Unelle Snyman and Claudette-Lee Sutherland also claiming victory in the female division.

Whitebooi and Wolmarans came away with the best newcomer awards as Whittaker, a national championship holder, showed off his class.

The contest served as an opportunity to impress USSA national team selectors, with Wolmarans, Whittaker, Ruan-Tobie Snyman, Whitebooi, Mva, Blake, Louw, Unelle Snyman and Sutherland making the team of 15. The championship also served as an opportunity for athletes to prepare ahead of the All Africa Games, which will be hosted in the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Brazzaville, in September.

TuksVolleyball TuksVolleyball will participate in the Varsity Beach Volleyball tournament from 22-23 April at the University of the Western Cape (UWC).

Tuks is going into the tournament with an experienced team, the majority of which competed and finished fourth at last year’s competition. Dina Kladis will be coaching the team, which consists of Vanessa Sardinha da Silva, Thumo Neluvhalani and Tuks stalwart Margrit Springer.

The team will have to contend with a number of challenges, including an unfamiliar environment at UWC and trying to compete against the wind which is a major adjustment for non-coastal teams.

With the competition growing each year, teams are constantly improving. Additional teams will be competing this year, which is another challenge for Tuks. The team is hoping to do well and contend for the medals they narrowly missed in previous years.

TuksNetball The players from TuksNetball have been making waves recently, with 28 players being selected for provincial teams.

Melissa Myburgh, Ine-Marie Venter, Lenise Potgieter, Lindie Lombard, Rochelle Rossouw, Tshina Mdau,Tshenolo Thethele, Erin Burger, Izette Lubbe, Gizelle Lemmer, Shenel Bouwer, Lungile Mthembu, Shadine van der Merwe, Zanne-Marie Pienaar, Jasmine Ziegelmeier, Renskie Steyn, Nthabi Mthutsi and Geraldine Odendaal were selected to represent the Gauteng North Jaguars while Chrisna Bootha van Zyl, Yolande du Preez, Aneret Viljoen, Cleo Kgoputso, Marelize de Bruin, Lou-Marie Geldenhuys, Rozanne Matthyse, Sarina Matthee, Amanda Mynhardt and Jancke Penning were selected to represent the Gauteng Golden Fireballs at the Brutal Fruit Netball Premier League.

The league will be hosted by Tuks from 8 May to 7 June. The league is South Africa’s flagship netball tournament.

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Mopanie posing for a victory photo. Image: Saspa

SIMPHIWE NHLABATHI Huis Mopanie clinched the 2015 Steinhoff KoshuisRugby (res rugby) Championship title on 13 April. The competition, which consists of the residences that won their respective universities’ res league the preceding year, saw Mopanie cap off an unbeaten season against the University of the Free State’s Vishuis.

Mopanie dominated the opening stages of the match, taking the game to Vishuis and not holding back. They took an early lead through fly-half Dean Alberts with a well taken penalty.

The lead was short-lived as Barend Bornman of Vishuis broke through Mopanie’s defence and offloaded the ball to Loek van der Merwe who scored the first try of the match.

Vishuis extended their lead in the 24th minute when a maul from the five metre line rolled all the way over the line, with Nelius van Heerden being awarded the try. Henco Posthumus secured the conversion.

A few minutes later Mopanie cut the deficit to three points with a scrappy line-out providing

Mopanie kicker Dean Alberts. Image: Saspa

when Charl van der Merwe grabbed the win with the way for Stephan Smith to make a clever a try after the final hooter had sounded. Mopanie break through the Vishuis defence and score won the final 29-23. an easy try. Alberts had his kicking boots on Alberts, who is also the Sports HK of and slotted another kick home, this time a Mopanie, said, “To play against a team [as conversion. Mopanie took the lead later in the good] as Vishuis is never easy and it is mentally half with Paul Kruger crossing the try line after a tough and hard. [It’s] even harder to go and play rolling maul, with Alberts scoring the conversion and a penalty to extend their lead to seven points at the break.

28793 Wimpy Quagga MSC Comp Promo A6.indd 1 Vishuis came into the second half with the intention to win, dominating both territory and possession in the opening ten minutes. They finally got the breakthrough when Posthumus scored a try and converted it, taking a one point lead.

Alberts handed the lead back to Mopanie a few minutes later with another display of his kicking prowess. Posthumus matched Alberts with the boot when he scored a near-50 metre penalty to hand the Vishuis men another one point lead.

All eyes were on Alberts when he regained the lead by scoring his fourth penalty of the match two minutes later. The result was set in stone

P I C I U TO O L Y DE TAKES LUS

The Tuks Young Guns defeated defending champions the University of Free State Shimlas (UFS Shimlas) in the Young Guns final. They finished with a comfortable score line of 26-13 on 6 April. The Tuks Young Guns are UP’s u/20 side that competed in the u/20 Varsity Cup Rugby tournament.

Tuks overcame favourites UFS Shimlas in a repeat of the 2014 final with a dominant display away from home. Tuks finished second on the overall log behind Shimlas, who had defeated them in their group stage fixture earlier in the season. On the day, though, UP were the better side as nerves seemed to hound the UFS team with unforced errors plaguing their efforts.

Tuks got off to a flying start as eighth man Jeandre Swanepoel touched down from a driving maul in the opening minutes of the game. From that moment on Shimlas could not get back into the game as Tuks kept them pinned down in their

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own half. UFS scored after the strategic time out but missed the conversion attempt which would have levelled the game. Tuks fly-half Tinus de Beer missed a penalty which turned out to be a tense end to the half, but the scoreboards remained unchanged as the sides went into the break with the score at 8-5.

As in the first half, Tuks came flying out of the blocks and in the space of seven minutes flanker Johannes Meintjies and wing Keagan van Wyk both scored tries to give UP a commanding 24-5 lead.

Handling errors interrupted UFS’s attempts at coming back into the game and Tuks’ discipline cost them as they received two yellow cards in the last 20 minutes. This did not affect Tuks game much as they furthered their lead with a penalty to secure the win. UFS Shimlas scored a consolation try in the last minute of the game, but that was ultimately not enough and Tuks got revenge on UFS to win their third Varsity Cup Young Guns title.

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Tuks Young Guns secure Varsity Cup glory DANIËL BASSON

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[against them] in Bloemfontein.

We played the GGA QUA final just like all of our games. We played [the] D L IE F HATplan game that we practiced every day and just had to trust each other.” Alberts added that they “motivate each other and learn from one another.

Hard work always pays off.”

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