20 April 2020 Issue 6 Year 82

454 Hilda Street, Hatfield

Tel: 012 362 7180

Hatmed Medical and Dental Centre

Hatmed Medical and Dental Centre

Hatmed Medical and Dental Centre 454 Hilda Street, Hatfield

454 Hilda Street, Hatfield

454 Hilda Street, Hatfield

Tel: 012 362 7180

Tel: 012 362 7180

PDBY

20 April 2020

Tel: 012 362 7180

Year 82 | Issue 6

yourcampusnews.

Pg 4 The 1st Quarter Student Report Pg 7 PDBWhy: Staying busy during lockdown Pg 9 Featured Artist: Kiash Arjun Pg 11 TuksTennis hitting an ace

Image: Giovanna Janos, Marren McKay and the PDBY Editorial 2020

2 | From the Editor

20 April 2020

Cabin fever is setting in H ere are a couple of pictures of some members of the PDBY editorial when we were still allowed to be near each other. I’m just putting this out there – PDBY editorial, I miss you all like crazy! Can you hear the longing in my words?

I’m not going to lie, it’s been difficult being confined to the house and so far away from university life. It seems like campus is a distant memory and with it, productivity.

Is it just me, or do we accomplish a lot more on campus compared to on the couch? In that one free hour in your time table on campus you seem to be able to do it all. In one short hour I could get lunch, edit a couple articles, visit the library for a book and squeeze in a meeting, all while speeding from Humanities Building to the PDBY office across from Thuto. And yet at home, I can barely check ClickUP and it’s been three hours. At this rate, it would take me my free hour just to get back to Humanities Building from my office.

Ah… Humanities. I haven’t thought of you in a while. How I miss your slow elevators and dodgy first floor basement foyer. It’s not only Humanities, I miss every aspect of campus. The library, Aula grass, Coffee Buzz… it all seems like a distant memory.

Am…am I even missing the haunting sound of “Main Gate”? Things must be getting bad.

Okay, I’m just being dramatic. While I really do miss university and campus life, it’s comforting to know that by staying home (and becoming one with the couch) we are all doing our part to fight COVID-19.

Reminding ourselves that we are protecting ourselves and others by staying home, the cabin fever feels a little less “here’s Johnny” and a little more socially conscious. But don’t forget that you are not alone. Literally the entire world is with you on this and if you’re feeling overwhelmed, reach out for help. No one expects us to be our most productive selves during a pandemic.

With the news that the rest of the semester will be online, PDBY will also be published online for the remainder of the semester.

Look out for the biweekly edition of PDBY

PDBY Media Copy: Ropafadzo Chidemo CJ Barnard Talia Chetty Ume Dikio Takunda Marecha Nomzamo Xolly Maluleka Kalen Kroëse Layout: Kelly Anne Kong Kam Wa Duane Kitching Kara Olivier Ngoako Ramokgopa Kirsten Minaar Multimedia: Mashudu Madzhiga Bongumusa Shabangu Vice Mkansi Promise Zulu Percy Ndhlovu Cletus Mulaudi Madhuri Rambaran Sanele Zulu Cassandra Eardely Marchall Potgieter Adorn Ndlovu Kamogelo Mogapi Elma Akob

as well as our usual online exclusives on pdby.co.za, and @PDBYMedia on social media. And let us know how you’re finding the lockdown, we’d love to hear from you. (We’re desperate for social connection!)

Web: Jonathan Oladeji Zurika Raubenheimer Lucky Griffin Nyabicha Social Media: Jc Steyn Mbali Kunene

Until next time, stay safe Kayla Thomas

Advertise with

Contact: Carel Willemse carel.willemse@up.ac.za

yourcampusnews.

PDBYMedia, formerly Perdeby, is the official independent student newspaper of the University of Pretoria. We are committed to providing fresh and entertaining news content for UP students, by UP students, about UP issues.

Advertising Sales Tel: 012 420 6600 Cell: 083 318 9738 carel.willemse@up.ac.za

PDBY Media

Print, Digital, and Broadcast Youth Media

www.pdby.co.za Twitter:

@PDBYMedia @PDBYSport @PDBYe Instagram: @PDBYMedia Facebook: PDBYMedia Tel: (012) 420 6600

Editorial Editor-in-chief Carel Willemse Editor Kayla Thomas Digital Manager Sam Mukwamu News Susanna Anbu Features Kristin De Decker Entertainment Dani Van Der Horst Sport Caitlyn Walsh

carel.willemse@up.ac.za @Ed_in_Chief editor@pdby.co.za @KaylaThomas1998 digitalmanager@pdby.co.za @sammysouthside news@pdby.co.za @PDBYMedia features@pdby.co.za @krissydd1 entertainment@pdby.co.za @danvanderhorst sport@pdby.co.za @cait_walshh

Social Media Tacita Black Marketing Marné Swanepoel Copy Marren McKay Visuals Giovanna Janos Multimedia Tshepang Rhilampfu Layout Leah Rees Web

socialmedia@pdby.co.za @tacitablack marketing@pdby.co.za @skippingswan copy@pdby.co.za @wallflower_hippie visuals@pdby.co.za @gigi.janos multimedia@pdby.co.za @romanfigga layout@pdby.co.za @leahgram98 webeditor@pdby.co.za

Letter policy PDBY appreciates that freedom of speech is an inalienable right enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic South Africa. We encourage our readers to engage in discussion and debate on issues that affect them through letters to the Editor, comments on our website, tweets, or posts on Facebook. We ask our readers to keep the following in mind: 1. PDBY will not edit letters, comments, tweets, or Facebook posts in any way.

2. PDBY will label letters, comments, tweets, or Facebook posts as opinion. These do not represent the views of PDBY in any way.

3. The PDBY editorial must approve letters, comments, tweets, or Facebook posts before they are published.

4. PDBY will not publish letters, comments, tweets, or Facebook posts that are defamatory, or libelous, or that contain offensive content.

5. PDBY reserves the right to practice discretion when publishing letters, comments, tweets, or Facebook posts.

6. PDBY reserves the right to publish any content we receive unless the sender specifically requests otherwise.

7. PDBY reserves the right to retract a letter, comment, tweet, or Facebook post after it has been published.

8. PDBY will not accept responsibility for any consequences the author of a letter, comments, tweets, or Facebook posts may experience as a result of the letter being published.

9. PDBY will only publish letters between 150 and 200 words.

10. PDBY will not publish letters unless the writer confirms their full name, student number and contact number. PDBY will not publish this information, we need it for our records.

Copyright PDBY is printed by Paarlmedia. All rights reserved. Contributions are welcome. All due care will be taken with materials submitted, but PDBY 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. PDBYcannot be responsible for unsolicited material. The opinions expressed in PDBY are not necessarily those of the editors and printers of PDBY.

News | 3

20 April 2020

woolfsons@gmail.com

Pharmacy | Clinic | Health | Beauty 012 342 4546 The Lockdown Experience UP Contributes to for Students at Res

Relaying Reliable and Efficient Covid-19 Information

Amukelani Makamu and Jameo Calvert

T

Image: Cletus Mulaudi

he feels safe and secure within res, and finds the conditions well suited for studying. He believes living at res is the best possible way to keep away from the virus, and apply social distancing.

TuksRes also put in place precautions to ensure that students who stayed behind do not contract the virus. According to Mutasa, students are not allowed to leave res except when they need to go out to do important things like buying groceries.

Prof. Lise Korsten, the house parent of House Khutso, says that students have been provided with cleaning products and were encouraged to dispose their waste in the entrance bins. She says that House Khutso has surgical masks and surgical gloves for students placed at the entrance in case any student wants to go out for important reasons.

Prof. Korsten told PDBY that they keep on monitoring the students to see if they are coping.

She mentioned that the students have a positive spirit of cooperation, and she appreciates the students for realising how critical the situation is.

here are roughly 5382 students living in university residences across South Africa during the current lockdown. This is according to a report from the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Blade Nzimande. Of these, 236 are in UP residences.

Students could apply to stay in residences once evacuations started, but only those with compelling reasons were allowed to stay. The majority are international students. PDBY spoke to some of these students.

Mafuro Mugabe is a UP student from Zimbabwe who currently lives at House Nala.

She explains that living at res in the midst of a global pandemic, knowing that other students are at home with their families, can weigh you down. Mugabe says while feeling alone and vulnerable she is very thankful to TuksRes management for playing the role of being a second parent to the international students who stayed behind.

She says that the pay-out money for groceries from the meal account, and the virtual counselling provided via WhatsApp from the TuksRes counselling unit, has played a huge role emotionally, and mentally for students caught up in this global pandemic.

Takudzwa Mutasa, a second-year student, is an international student from Zimbabwe who stays at Tuks Village. He says staying at res was the safest, and best possible way to avoid future problems, like getting a permit to come back to South Africa.

He explains that it is quiet and Content: Minister Blade Nzimande lonely since a lot of people Infographic: Kara Olivier have left for home, however,

SRC attends conferences amidst lockdown Amukelani Makamu

P

DBY spoke to the SRC media communications officer, Amogelang Gerald Mokwena, with regards to the role that the SRC is playing during the national lockdown, and the initiatives it has been taking as a representative body in the midst of a global pandemic.

Mokwena issued a response to PDBY that the key goal of the SRC during this time frame is to remain operational in serving students to the best of their ability. The SRC has attended the World Summit Forum conference online, and a SAUS conference during lockdown.

The feedback that the SRC gave with regard to the SAUS conference it has attended, is that the Minister of Higher Education has established a task team to address issues in the sector. Students are represented on this task team through SAUS delegates. More information regarding the proceedings can be found on www.usaf.ac.za following engagements that Vice Chancellors have had in the sector. Mokwena mentions that the SRC is liaising continuously with the task team through SAUS, and more information

regarding the meeting can be found on https:// www.usaf.ac.za/business-continuity-in-the-faceof-covid-19-dominates-the-agenda-of-the-usafboard-of-directors-meeting/.

The SRC also attended the World Summit Series via Twitter. This was the Southern Africa Impact Forum. This forum was conversational in the emphasis on brainstorming. The SRC has also been taking academic initiatives during lockdown. Mokwena said that the SRC has been continuously following up on the zero-rating of ClickUP, and other associated websites by network service providers. Feedback regarding this venture has been given to the student body via the communication that has come from the office of the Vice Principal for Academics.

Mokwena mentioned to PDBY that the SRC is corresponding with students digitally, and telephonically on a daily basis. He strongly encouraged students to continually keep contact with the SRC during this period.

Students can get SRC contacts on the SRC website via https://www.up.ac.za/studentrepresentative-council/article/2754266/ preveiw?module=cms&slug=contentitem&id=2754266

Nokwanda Kubheka

T

o counter the spread of unreliable COVID-19 data, the University of Pretoria (UP) has created two databases set to provide citizens with accurate information in April.

The Data Science for Social Impact group has set up a repository and a dashboard that pulls information from the National Institute of Communicative Diseases (NICD), and the Department of Health. When the minister of health and the NICD started publishing their data only in statements, the team saw a need for other researchers to get ahold of the information for accessibility. They provided an easy to understand, factual, and interactive dashboard that the public can use to understand the impact of the pandemic on the country.

The website is reliable as it excludes all false information.

The other database was developed by the Department of Statistics at the University of Pretoria, in collaboration with other international universities. The webbased app is interactive with reliable and efficient COVID-19 information. The app displays the number of infections, recoveries, and deaths worldwide. The data is collected from the World Health Organization, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United

States.

With the rapid spread of the coronavirus globally, there is a rise in fake news regarding the pandemic (in forms of WhatsApp voice notes, chain messages, and videos). It is now illegal to spread fake information regarding the coronavirus in South Africa. Since the new law was implemented, a couple of arrests have been made, and members of the community have practiced more caution when sharing COVID-19 related information.

Both databases created show UP’s commitment to slow the spread of fake news, and provide reliable information to the public from world trusted organizations.

Image: Cletus Mulaudi

Resources to stay up to date with online learning during the lockdown Manelisi Magoro

T

he University of Pretoria (UP) announced the continuation of the first semester online starting 4 May using ClickUP, the official student portal.

The university will also provide support to overcome challenges associated with online learning. One way the university aims to do this, is by loaning internet-enabled devices to students who come from indigent families, and lower socio-economic backgrounds.

Vice-Principal, Prof Mosia, requested students to be disciplined in this regard and to not deny students who have a dire need for these devices the opportunity to learn.

Students can enrol for the “student selforientation” ClickUP module where they will learn navigation through the UP portal, student emails, and to practise using the available ClickUP tools. The university has successfully engaged with telecommunication companies to zero-rate ClickUP, so students can login at https://connect.up.ac.za to access the UP portal.

Lecturers and tutors will be available on communication platforms, i.e. email, discussion, and participation boards on ClickUP. Online sessions can be saved for later

viewing by students who missed these. The various faculty student advisors are available for online assistance, and their details can be accessed on UP’s student portal, and official website.

Library services will continue, and study material can be accessed on the virtual library. Librarians can be contacted on the phone/WhatsApp number: +27 66 509 1285 for further assistance should students face difficulty using the online library app.

An approach to online learning is available on UP’s portal, and it includes preparation and interaction with study material, and identifying difficult concepts before each session which will allow optimal engagement in online sessions and discussions. Students have to plan out their work schedules, keeping track of assessment dates and deadlines. Students must continue with the scheme of the work for all their modules keeping in mind the content outlined in their study guides.

The University will provide ongoing support and assistance. Students are encouraged to check ClickUP on a regular basis for updates, to utilise these resources, and to strive for academic success during this national lockdown.

4 | News

20 April 2020

st The 1 Quarter Student Report: Queries, explanations and promises

T

Susanna Anbu

he 1st Quarter Student Forum was initially scheduled to take place on Wednesday 18 March at 17:30, at the Sanlam auditorium. A judgment hearing issued on 17 March before the Chief Justice of the Constitutional Tribunal, Nicholas Herd, cited the circumstances imposed by the COVID-19 National Health Emergency as the impetus for ruling a postponement of the 1st Quarter Student Forum. As interim measures, the Student Representative Council (SRC) was directed by the Constitutional Tribunal to publish the SRC 1st Quarter Student Report and responses to the questions that were received by the SRC 48 hours prior to the initial date of the 1st Quarter Student Forum, by Friday, 20 March. A link was published on Tuesday 7 April on the SRC’s twitter feed that directed students to the 1st Quarter Student Forum Report and responses to the questions received.

Due to the closure of campus that arose following the national address on 15 March, members of the student body who were unable to timeously pose questions to the SRC 48 hours prior to the forum, are encouraged to submit potential questions to the SRC deputy secretary via src. deputysecretary@tuks.co.za. These questions will then be answered in the 1st quarter student forum held upon resumption of campus. The SRC Deputy Secretary, Lerato Ndlovu, explains that “if it happens that this lockdown is extended, another question and answer document will be released on the website responding to those questions”. A date to hold the 1st Quarter Student Forum is to be announced at a later stage where holding such a gathering lies in compliance with measures imposed by the national lockdown.

PDBY was allowed to pose questions to the SRC in its capacity as the official student media platform of the University of Pretoria (UP) regarding the SRC’s plan of action (POA) for 2020 and its 1st Quarter Student Forum report. The following article details the current status of initiatives mentioned by the SRC in their POA, as well as responses to miscellaneous queries posed by PDBY to several SRC portfolios.

Office of the Presidency Athletic Student Hunger Campaign: In response to the drop in performances of athletes who do not receive adequate food, the office of the presidency formulated an initiative called Athletic Student Hunger Campaign. PDBY requested the SRC president, David Kabwa to comment on the current status of talks between the SRC and the Almal Foundation. Kabwa states that “the initial meeting was moved back repeatedly” and that “a follow-up meeting was requested for the 18th of March but was subsequently postponed again in light of the pandemic”. Kabwa ascertains that he will make follow-ups to this initiative once campus activities resume.

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Respublica: In the 1st Quarter Student Forum Report, the president’s portfolio refers to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Respublica for the Urban Nest and Eastwoods Accommodations. According to the report, “this MOU stipulated that students sent by the SRC are to receive Checkers Vouchers and pay no deposit to move in”.

It was queried as to whether students received the vouchers as stipulated in the report. Kabwa ascertains that 130 students were placed by the SRC and that the distribution was to begin in mid-March. He mentions that “currently no distributions have begun”.

Misinterpretation of NSFAS accommodation allowance criteria: Kabwa cited in his report of instances where the NSFAS accommodation allowance criteria had been misinterpreted.

Kabwa elaborated that “the miscommunications began when the Department of Higher Education And Training (DHET) had changed their guidelines for 2020.” There was an indication of unaccredited accommodations being no longer funded via NSFAS, however, the director general penned a letter that NSFAS would issue payouts if a University could verify the accommodation. Kabwa explains that this meant that accommodations “that cannot meet accreditation criteria opt

for the verification process”. Furthermore, Kabwa clarified that “the documents submitted for accreditation and verification are different. Which affects students applying for allowances”. This was where the mentioned misinterpretation had occurred.

Under the office of the president’s report, a joint collaboration between the Deputy President, Deputy Secretary, both Residence Officers, and the Office of Student Culture has been formed to work on accommodation accreditation issues and verification processes. This year, TMM Loftus was reaccredited and a verification process had been introduced.

More information on the verification process can be found on https://www.up.ac.za/news/post_2868812-notice-to-studentsregarding-nsfas-private-accommodation-2020-updated.

The office of the president organised to take students to observe two events, namely the State of the Province Debate and Gauteng Budget Speech which were held on 27 February and 5 March respectively. Students were provided an opportunity to engage with a real world setup and had the opportunity to engage with two of the youngest members of the provincial Legislature.

Office of the Deputy President Making an audio version of the CSG (#Listen2YourRights): Under the office of the deputy president, an initiative called #Listen2YourRights has been expressed. In conjunction with the Constitutional Tribunal, this initiative is meant to have the CSG available as an audio version recorded in 3-5 sessions every month. PDBY questioned the Deputy President, Mpho Mehlomakulu on the current status of the initiative.

Mehlomakulu responded by stating that “it has been put on a hold for not because of COVID 19 but communication between myself and the Chief Justice will begin soon”.

A thorough reporting system to maintain SRC accountability: The SRC deputy president has undertaken the process to ensure that SRC members accomplish everything they have set out to do and assess progress of their POA’s via a reporting system. In elaborating on what this reporting system will entail, Mehlomakulu mentions that he will be meeting “with three SRC members daily over two weeks and write a report on the progress of the different POA’s according to the time frame set by members”. He also stated that a report will be compiled using this information and this report will be made available for media entities and DSA accountable structures.

The SRC Food Drive Challenge and Monthly Sanitary Pad Distribution of 500 pads and food packs: As mentioned in the POA, the office of the deputy president is tasked with the SRC Food Drive Challenge and a monthly sanitary pad distribution that expressed “challenging the SRC of 2020 to raise 500 cans or 500 sanitary pads every month”. Since the initiative was scheduled to start in February, Mehlomakulu was asked whether the goal was achieved for February and March. Mehlomakulu ascertained that “[his] office has set a goal to bring in at least 100 pads and 100 food parcels. This project from [his] office would’ve commenced in the second quarter meeting with different stakeholders and student societies. For now we [the SRC DP task team] are recalibrating how we will go about it during the lockdown”.

A discrepancy was unveiled in the number of 100 pads and food parcels that the deputy president mentions, contrary to the 500 pads and food parcels mentioned in the deputy president’s POA. The Creation of a SRC Non-governmental organization (NGO): Furthermore, the office of the deputy president was tasked with the creation of an SRC NGO in collaboration with the DSA and UP management scheduled to start in March. PDBY queried Mehlomakulu on the current status of the SRC NGO. He mentions that “At this stage I cannot share anything because I have not met”.

Status of the Anti-suicide campaign: As part of the Anti-Suicide Campaign known as the #Bophelo (Life)_Initiative, the office of the deputy president mentions in his POA that motivational note handouts, SMSs (scheduled to start in March), and support groups in all

Illustration: Giovanna Janos

residences and accredited accommodation would be established. PDBY queried the current status of this initiative as to whether SMSs had been sent out for the month of March. Mehlomakulu states that “this is a very big plan and the plan has to go through a lot of legalities with the assistance of the Director as our accountable structure.”

Revision of Policies under the Office of the Deputy President Reviewing of Library Operational hours: The Deputy President’s 1st Quarter Student Forum report indicates that a form of inquiry was sent out to find out how many students were struggling with access to a computer. PDBY questioned Mehlomakulu on what these findings were and what the current status of the reviewing process is. Mehlomakulu explained that the SRC is still in the stages of finalizing the proposal but “obviously because of lockdown things have slowed down but we are working hard at ensuring that [they] see this through before the end of the year.”

Reviewing of clinic operational hours: Another policy revision in the deputy’s POA refers to the reviewing of clinical operational hours, scheduled to start in March, where the deputy president would advocate for a 24 hours service. Furthermore, in relation to this policy revision, the POA mentions that health sciences students who are near the completion of their degree would be enabled to work at the clinic after talks with the Health Sciences Faculty’s Executive Committee. In commenting on the current status of this policy revision, Mehlomakulu states that this has not been started yet “because of the many things that came up but one thing that is important is to know that we are focusing on one thing at a time to ensure that the needs of the students are met.”

The SRC Deputy President Task Force (composed of four members) is responsible for mobilising the above mentioned revisions of policies. In response to being asked who the four members of the Task Force are, Mehlomakulu states that “the members have asked that I keep them as unknown for their own privacy purposes but they are all students from different faculties”.

Office of the Treasury The Financial Budget not being released before the 1st Student Forum: As stipulated in section 43(2)(a) of the CSG, quarterly reports of the SRC need to made available to the student body two weeks prior to the forum. As of the date of publication of the article, the financial budget report was not made available to the student body. Upon querying the absence of the report with SRC treasurer, Shaheen Deonarain, there was acknowledgment of issues with the budget that was given to Deonarain before Student Forum. Deonarain ascertains that “the budget will be released on the UP portal before the 1st Student Forum is held.” In elaborating on the issues, Deonarain cites delays from the accounting department in giving club fund allocations. Deonarain mentions that he originally budgeted for all 19 SRC members in the financial report however, this was scrapped by Toonbank and was told not to budget for ex-officio members. Deonarain mentions being asked to rework the ex-officio members’ budgets back in by the DSA. An online platform to have financial reports readily accessible to students: In an effort of transparency, it is mentioned under the Office of the Treasury’s POA that a tab on the student portal page would be devised to have all financial reports accessible by the student body. Deonarain ascertains that it was decided to keep this tab on the UP website to enable non-registered students to view the reports. In commenting on the correct status of this initiative, Deonarain says that “there is a minor tweak for now that needs to be discussed with Tuks Education

News | 5

20 April 2020 Innovation as well as the SRC Media Communications officer”.

The status of student and staff pledges for the SRC study aid: Under the Office of the Treasury’s POA, Deonarain mentions the formulation of pledges “that will challenge staff members, as well as willing students to pledge their salaries to students’ needs”. Deonarain mentions that the SRC “has not implemented, yet, neither abandoned” the initiative, and confirms re-visitation of the initiative once campus activities resume. In commenting on the potentiality of staff members, and SRC members to pledge their salaries once campus resumes, Deonarain ascertains that “if campus begins and staff members are paid their full salaries which I assume they would be paid since they are in recess then we can run our campaign to ask staff to donate”. Deonarain cites potential lockdown extensions, and lack of full salary payment as potential motivation to not run the pledge initiatives immediately, but focus on it in later months when activities return to normal. Deonarain indicates that the pledges mentioned in the POA also referred to interdepartmental budgets, as it would make the initiative “more successful, not to only target salaries but rather than have unnecessarily expensive teambuilding excursions or workshops we use the saved money for the SRC study aid”. It was confirmed by Deonarain that that all SRC members gave away 20% of their budgets allocated to their portfolio, and that talks are under way with the DSA about further cuts to the budget that will be revisited once campus reopens.

Companies approached with fundraising proposals: In elaborating on what companies the office of the treasury, and office of study finances have approached with fundraising proposals for the study finance initiatives, Deonarain ascertains that “a few members approached companies [with] regard to attaining grocery deals, which will now have to be revisited because these companies would be suffering due to the corona pandemic”.

Source of the R210 000 that the SRC raised for the Study Aid Fund: The SRC study finance office mentions in the SRC’s response to a written question that, “the office has used R200 000 for the SRC Study Aid Fund. And a further R10 000 for study material assistance”. PDBY asked Deonarian about the source of the money in the SRC study aid fund, and he confirmed that there was not in the study aid at the beginning of the year. Deonarain remarks that he cannot disclose the source of the money at this given time, citing the potentiality of jeopardising the process. He has confirmed that further details regarding the source will be mentioned to the student body once campus activities resume. He mentions that “the DSA told [the SRC] that [the SRC] had to pay off last year’s SRC pledges with the money the 2020 SRC came up with”.

Office of the Secretary Clarification on the purpose of the Law Reform Committee (created and met on 20 November 2019): Under the Office of the Secretary’s POA, there is reference to the formation of a Law Reform Committee that was created in conjunction with the Chief Justice of the Constitutional Tribunal. It is mentioned in the POA that the committee was constituted “for the purpose of the discussion, and drafting of provisional constitutional amendments”. PDBY asked the SRC secretary, Ryan Haines, and the Chief Justice, Nicholas Herd, about the impetus for the formation of such a committee, whether the CSG had room for the formation of such a council, and how the purpose of such a council differed from the constitutional review that takes place at UP every four years.

Herd ascertains that the committee was conceived “following the drawn-out and unmanageable CSG amendment process of 2019”. He mentions that the aim of the committee was to streamline the process of discussing potential amendments to the CSG in a more manageable way, in front of a smaller group of people before having them proposed in front of the full SRCConstitutional Tribunal joint meeting.

Herd states that according to his knowledge, the invitation to serve on the Law Reform Committee was extended to all SRC members. Herd confirmed that the SRC members who serve on the Law Reform Committee are those “who have a background in law, have a particular interest in the amendments or the

amendment process, or who occupy an office that requires their involvement, such as the SRC President, Deputy President, and SRC Secretary”.

Furthermore, Herd explains that “the SRC and Constitutional Tribunal delegated their joint amendment power informally and in a limited way” to the Law Reform Committee to allow its members exclusively to conduct discussions, and refinements to proposals received to amend the CSG, and bills that were brought up for discussion.

Herd clarifies that the law reform council is distinct from the Review committee that partakes in the constitutional review, as the Review committee is formulated as stipulated in section 52 of the CSG. It was confirmed by the Chief Justice that the CSG does not have provisions for the creation of such a committee, and ascertains that the Law Reform Committee was not a formal committee. The first meeting of the committee was held on 20 November 2019. On 22 January 2020, the student body was issued a public invitation to participate in the constitutional amendment process of 2020.

Clarification on the content of a proposed Bill: The Office of the Secretary’s report refers to the drafting of “a comprehensive bill to amend the composition of the SRC” and mentions that “this bill was considered during consultation with the Constitutional Tribunal but was not passed”. It was enquired as to what this bill entailed, and on what basis it was not passed. Haines explains that the bill comprised of two main proposals, namely, “(1) severing the ‘Day Student’ part, from the current Day Student & External Campus Affairs elective portfolio, and (2) establishing a Day House/ Day Student ex-officio portfolio with a constituent Day House sub-council which is similar in nature to the current Residence ex-officio portfolio”. The motivation to not pass the bill was confirmed

by Haines as being due to “impracticality, and fairness i.e. it would be unfair to limit the representation of all day students to the chairpersons of day houses”. The Chief Justice declined to comment on the content of the bill, citing that the decision to reveal contents of the bill “falls within the purview of [...], the SRC”.

Absence of SRC meeting minutes for 2020 on the SRC Website: PDBY also asked Haines about the absence of the meeting minute documents on the SRC website. Haines mentions that he and SRC Marketing, Media & Communication Officer, Gerald Mokwena, have not yet accessed the website to upload the documents. Haines mentions that the several statements released on the SRC’s social media platforms are “pursuant to the minutes of the ordinary SRC meetings”.

Office of Facilities, Safety & Security Muggings in Hatfield: The Muggings in Hatfield initiative under The Facilities, Safety & Security office, refers to a statement that was released which highlighted key findings regarding hot spots for muggings. The Facilities, Safety & Security officer, Bianca Robinson, supplied PDBY with a copy of the statement. Four main hotspots were identified, namely: Prospect Street, Main Gate (Lynwood Road), South Street, and Lunnon Road.

The statement confirmed that The University of Pretoria, in conjunction with Hatfield CID have placed security guards in these hotspots. Robinson confirmed that she and The SRC President, David Kabwa, met Mr. Johan Boonzaaier (Director of the Department of Security Services), and presented him with the findings.

Robinson further ascertained that she attended a CID board meeting, and refers to a discrepancy in figures between the SAPS and CID, saying that “one thing that was highlighted that was a cause for concern was that the SAPS had different statistics to what CID and the metro police had”. She mentions that “to the SAPS it seemed like there was not a high number of muggings, but to the CID, Metro police, and the SRC, we know that there was an influx of muggings over the course of the quarter”.

Furthermore, to create a safer network amongst students, several community forum watch groups were created by students. Robinson also mentions that a Hatfield CID Facebook watch group was created, and that the link to which was released on 8 April: https://www.facebook.com/hatfieldcid/.

Status of the Green Route app: PDBY queried the current status of the Green Route app mentioned in Robinson’s POA that was an initiative originally devised by the outgoing officer, Jacobus Cordier. “We haven’t necessarily had time to connect and have a proper handover of that sort”. She mentions that after this they will look to going forward with it.

Revamping of the Study Centre: The revamping of the Study Centre in Robinson’s POA refers to the study center’s toilet facilities, the fixing of broken plug points, and the adjustment of air-conditioning. In commenting

on the current status of this initiative, Robinson mentions that “what [the SRC] thought might take preference over that is to find computer labs that will have extended lab hours”. Robinson mentions that after this, they will propose a revamping.

Expanding the number of female toilets on campus: According to the responses released by the Office of Facilities, Safety & Security, a question was posed as to why female toilets have not been expanded on campus given the vast demographic. The Office of Facilities, Safety & Security responded by stating that “the Office of Facilities has already included a request for the renovation of these toilets (excluding those already renovated i.e. piazza) in the office plan of action for 2020, which will be presented to management once contact activities commence again.”

Status of panic buttons on Hatfield Campus: Robinson ascertains that this project is still in its research phase. After a thorough research write-up, she mentions that it will be presented to the relevant parties at UP. Robinson clarifies that most of the ventures set out in her POA like the addition of drinking taps, panic buttons, and solar powered lights around dark walkways on campus, are in the research phase, and that she had to put her personal POA on hold to assist with student concerns that came to the SRC. The budget allocated for the Office of Facilities, Safety and Security was confirmed by the SRC treasurer, Shaheen Deonarain, as R15 050.

Other Notable mentions: Under the office of the secretary’s report, Haines makes mention of 40 NSFAS students who have been wrongly rejected. After engagements with UP Executive Management and Student Finances, the students were allowed to register without paying for registration fees.

Students are also encouraged to look for a SRC newsletter that is mentioned under the Office of the Secretary’s report that is scheduled to be introduced in the second quarter Assistance with Emergency Accommodation during the registration period for 2020 During the course of the registration period at the beginning of the year, SRC members assisted students in need of emergency accommodation. Kabwa mentions in his report that “the action taken here was to assist students that would arrive in Pretoria with no prospects for accommodation or place to stay for the evening”. The report mentions that “roughly 51 students were accommodated during this time”. Students who were being accommodated by the SRC were provided with food provisions. However, Kabwa ascertains that “better cooking facilities will be required in future along with better crockery”.

The Deputy President’s report mentions that Elim church offered to accommodate students while the SRC helped to place them. Mehlomakulu states that the SRC referred 153 students to Tuks Res, and 109 of the students were placed within the period of help-desk. Furthermore, Mehlomakulu mentions that the SRC continued to help place students post help-desk, and ascertains that statistics regarding this will be given in the next forum.

The Office of The President worked in conjunction with the Office of Facilities to organize access for students that needed to enter campus during the month of February, to follow up on registration issues. As opposed to letters that were used in the past, that would only enable students to make their way onto campus via one of the main gates, an alternative modus operandi was adopted. Students had their student cards reactivated during this period.

Proposal and figures related to the study aid und: 20% of the SRC operational costs were reallocated to the Study Aid Fund. The SRC’s operational cost amounted to R500 000, and R100 00 of the R500 000 was directed to the Study Aid Fund. This then left R400 000 that was divided into the 19 portfolios. According to the office of the Study finance report, “the proposal further stipulates that 50% of the project pool funds be redirected towards the Study Aid Fund, the 50% was also R100 000 of the R200 000 that would be allocated”.

The Study Finance officer, Thulaganyo Kola, ascertains in the report that “the proposal of the mid-year SRC camp funds to be redirected to the Study Aid fund was rejected by the Director of Student Affairs, and no negotiation was done with regards to the Director’s rejection to reallocate these funds for students’ financial assistance”.

Constitutional amendments sent to Council: Kabwa mentions that the submission date for the documents to be sent to council was 28 January 2020. Due to the registration issues that the SRC was resolving, the SRC and Constitutional Tribunal did not get to discuss the amendments.

Therefore, Kabwa ascertains that the SRC has “been granted leave to submit the amendments to the Standing Committee of Council on 16 April for the June sitting”. He confirmed that currently no new amendments have been sent to the council.

6 | Features

20 April 2020

Earth Day’s 50 Anniversary th

E

arth Day, which is celebrated on 22 April, aims to support environmental protection, conservation, and awareness globally – with the theme this year being “climate action”.

History of Earth Day: Earth Day was first celebrated in 1970 as 20 million Americans took to protest environmental issues and pave a new way forward. The first Earth Day, amongst other things, created the passage of landmark environmental laws in the United States. As the millennium approached, global warming became a larger, more daunting global issue. In 1990, Earth Day went global – assembling 200 million people in 141 countries. The day helped improve recycling efforts and paved the way to the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. However, by 2000, global warming became even greater, marking the theme “global warming and a push for clean energy”. With the principal national coordinator, Denis Hayes, spearheading the events, Earth Day sent world leaders a loud and clear message as citizens around the globe wanted quick and decisive action. From then on, every Earth Day strived to be greater than the last, reach more people, and achieve more milestones. After the first Earth Day, a wave of action was launched, and the day continues to hold major international significance.

Earth Day Today: With climate change posing the biggest challenge to the future of humanity and the life-support systems that make the world habitable, at the end of 2020, nations will be expected to increase their national commitments to the 2016 Paris Agreement on climate change. This agreement focuses on climate

change, greenhouse gas emissions mitigation, adaptation, and urges every country in the world to step up with urgency and ambition. Earth Day 2020 is expected to be more than solely a day, it is expected to be a historic moment where citizens of the world will rise up in a united call for the creativity, innovation, ambition, and bravery that is needed to meet the climate crisis and seize the enormous opportunities of a zero-carbon future.

Today, Earth Day is widely recognized as the largest secular observance in the world, marked by more than a billion people every year. It is used as a day of action to change human behaviour and provoke policy changes globally - as the fight for a clean environment continues with increasing urgency. Earth Day intends to be the steppingstone to bettering everyone’s lifestyle and, overall, help the environment.

“

whether it be coronavirus or our global climate crisis, we cannot shut down. Instead, we must shift our energies and efforts to new ways to mobilize the world to action.

“

Tshepang Rihlampfu and Marren McKay

2020 Earth Day’s Goals and Events: As 2020 signifies the 50th anniversary for Earth Day, a set of “ambitious” goals were set to shape the future of the 21st century with regards to environmentalism. Earth Day’s 2020 campaign aims to reach at least a billion people worldwide.

However, these campaigns cannot be done physically due to COVID-19. Earth Day has therefore planned events to take place online. A “digital strike” for global warming will take place on 22 April.

People can participate in this strike by sharing the hashtags #EarthDay2020, #EARTHRISE, and by following @earthdaynetwork, Earth Day’s official twitter page that will provide live coverage on the day. More events will be noted on Earth Day’s website, https://www.earthday.org/. A person can also help Earth Day by volunteering.

By signing up, a regular flow of resources will be provided, including ways to plan an event, chances to participate in citizen science, opportunities to engage with friends, and a platform to make voices heard. Tips on how to live greener will also be provided. Follow this link to become a volunteer: https://www.earthday.org/actions/volunteer.

President of the Earth Day Network, Kathleen Rogers, urged that, despite the global COVID-19 pandemic, the tools and urgency used to react should also be applied to the world’s response to climate change. She further said that “whether it be coronavirus or our global climate crisis, we cannot shut down. Instead, we must shift our energies and efforts to new ways to mobilize the world to action.”

Take part in Earth Day 2020 by taking to Twitter, and use your digital footprint to lessen your carbon footprint.

Decolonising education at UP T

he decolonisation of education has been a relevant topic in the past decade and has sparked protests, academic discourse, and significant changes at UP. The institution is amidst what has been coined “the decolonial turn” as UP is possibly at the forefront of producing a decolonised syllabus. A few steps that were taken include the removal of Afrikaans as a language of instruction, developing transformation programs for the syllabi, and establishing a strong academic movement focused on studies of decolonisation. Understanding colonisation is therefore key to this discussion.

Colonisation refers to the historic process by which European powers physically subjected non-European subjects to various forms of exploitation. Economic exploitation was especially prominent through forcefully controlling land, material resources, and labour. It also extended far beyond that, as Professor Vasudhevan Reddy, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, explains, “the colonising project therefore also include[s] shaping the discourse, disciplinary knowledge, and the use of language.

Central therefore to colonisation is the use and abuse of power of the coloniser over the colonised. In other words, colonisation functions at a systemic level to shape individuals, their psyches, and body politics. The coloniser exercises power, privilege, and hierarchy over the colonised.”

African knowledge systems have frequently been considered as inferior and have been undervalued for many years. However, during the second half of the 20th century, discourses around the idea of decolonisation started developing and gained significant momentum over the last few decades. Decolonisation involves challenging European intellectual dominance, and emphasises the value of other suppressed systems of knowledge. Prof Reddy explains that “it is about challenging knowledge systems that are privileged, valued, and prioritised over others that are not recognised, made invisible, ignored, and excluded”. Although, that does not mean rejecting Western systems of knowledge

instead it means incorporating other systems of knowledge as well, as Prof Reddy suggests that “it is about actively fostering a worldly consciousness about our connections with differences in experience, context, and lived realities in our global interdependence”.

UP has undertaken the challenging task of decolonising its undergraduate and postgraduate syllabi, as well as the research of academics. This is occurring throughout all the faculties, but the Faculty of Humanities especially is facilitating the transformation through “becoming more inclusive of the texts we choose; the authors who write; the methods we devise. Everything in our interventions [are] geared towards reflecting a plurality of insights that are not merely focused on Northern and Western scholars and approaches, but insights that are shaped by the South and East as well”, according to Prof Reddy.

UP is also part of a national project by the Andrew W Mellon Foundation with seven other universities on decolonising the Humanities curriculum. The program aims to review the syllabi, decide what parts need to be restructured, and slowly implement change over time. This program is designed to produce a decolonised perspective and provide students with a better understanding of the world.

In 2019, The Journal of Decolonising Disciplines was launched, which is a journal dedicated to publishing research about decolonising knowledge and the challenges that need resolution.

Prof Reddy emphasises that the journal is “...a creative space that takes seriously the intellectual debates which constitute the decolonising movement (and importantly the ‘decolonial turn’) in the academy and in other spaces, through being the only journal in the country to publish in three languages, English, Zulu and Sesotho”.

The recent history of universities is filled with several conflicts about language and a colonised syllabus. These issues culminated in the #AfrikaansMustFall movement during which a new generation of students demanded that Afrikaans be removed as a

medium of instruction. They argued that Afrikaans as a language has historically excluded black students from accessing tertiary education. Some students associated Afrikaans with colonialism, and others associated decolonisation with being anti-Afrikaans.

Prof. Reddy disagrees with this idea and argues that Afrikaans itself is a concrete example of decolonisation, as it has evolved from its early origins and “to an extent, the language and literature

“

Decolonising education is about valuing all knowledge systems and embracing their diversity.

“

Maryke Steynvaart

has made a complete break with its colonial heritage”. Afrikaans, according to Prof. Reddy is therefore “completely indigenous and a model of an example of how the language and literature has characterised its fully-fledged African context and is flourishing in literature, arts, music, film, and even in digital technologies”.

Decolonisation of education and research is a complex process that is often misunderstood and politically charged. Decolonising education is about valuing all knowledge systems and embracing their diversity. As Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Tawana Kupe said during his opening speech on 10 February 2019, UP aims to “achieve diversity and co-create [an] inclusive institutional culture which is conducive to sustaining quality, excellence and innovation in teaching, learning, research and social engagement”. By developing an inclusive and diverse syllabus, all individuals and their inputs can be potentially valued and recognized, cultivating a space where everybody can be heard.

20 April 2020

PDBWhy: Staying busy Bianke Neethling

D

uring the lockdown, many students may be struggling to find ways to keep busy.

Without the constant interaction of campus life, it is easy to feel isolated. PDBY asked some UP students how they are spending their time during this mandatory period of social distancing.

Chanelle van Heerden 1st Year BEd Intermediate Phase Teaching I’m taking this lockdown as a great opportunity to rest and take things slow. I sleep late in the mornings and go to bed late at night.

When it was recess, I didn’t do any work because it was my time to rest and just enjoy the vacation. As [April] started, I started to read books for Uni because […] I want to be prepared. I also started revising my work every day but not for too long, just to make sure I still understand everything and am up to date. Other than that, I just enjoy the lockdown, am taking things slow, exercising a lot and just relaxing.

Akshay Maharaj 4th Year MBChB Being home-bound for the past couple weeks came as a real shock. […] It all came to a halt quite abruptly leaving me to question what I actually enjoy doing in my free time. […] Having a routine is important to me, so I try to ensure that I have a set sequence of events that I perform throughout the day. Some of these include catching up on series, exercising and taking a walk through the garden whilst listening to some music. I feel I’ve developed a new passion for cooking as well. […] I’ve also made it my goal to spend more time with my family. […] It’s hard to completely ignore the mountain of work that is waiting for us when we return to varsity, so I try to be as academic as can be. […]

My thinking is that if we maintain this working mentality, then transitioning back to full-time class will be that much easier. We are constantly bombarded by negativity in times like these and so I feel it’s important to maintain a positive attitude […] In the words of Tupac Shakur: ‘For every dark night, there is a brighter day’.

Christiaan Lewis 3rd Year BVSc Being stuck indoors during this unfortunate lockdown and the recent release of Call of Duty Modern Warfare’s new Battle Royale, Warzone, has brought out the worst of my innate loafing ability. I say this since repeatedly failing at achieving anything significant. In-game has replaced all the ambitious goals centred around being academically productive I laid out for myself during the frantic drive back to the Western Cape. Gardening has also become an unexpected side-hobby. Thus, […] the lockdown already seems to be having some curious results. Hopefully, catching up with the work I was already behind with will become one as well.

Lauren Harries 2nd Year LLB As a second year law student you never quite feel like a break is actually a break but rather a time to get back on track. I have used some of my time during lockdown to help prepare for the workload that I am inevitably going to face once we get back to university. […] I decided to counteract the stress and uncertainty that accompanies [the lockdown] by taking time for myself and doing things that I enjoy such as reading, exercising, journaling, writing, and spending time in my garden, usually with my camera at hand. After a few days, I realized that I was capturing my experiences, and the things I was doing in photographs and decided to start an Instagram page […]. It has been hard to remain positive in this scary time in the world, but I have found that by doing something small for myself everyday it has allowed me to calm my nerves with regards to the situation.

Nandi Sibiya 2nd Year BCom Financial Sciences

Illustrations: Promise Zulu

[…] Since I have been given so much time at home, it forced me to be more creative. Some days all I do is Netflix and chill, but then I decided to wake up every morning and write a page a day. […] After all this is over, I will be able to go back and read my thoughts I had during the lockdown. Besides polishing my writing skills, I exercise regularly. From home-workouts to dancing in my living room, I aim to keep active. I have also been studying and making notes to keep myself motivated through this time of isolation. As lovely as it is to be home, I am waiting in anticipation to be able to go outside and experience the world again.

Features | 7

Surviving the lockdown Carli Botha

T

he nationwide lockdown commenced on 27 March, affecting numerous aspects of students’ lives. “We recognise that lockdown is a stressful time for everyone, and for students there are in addition specific worries” said Dr Linda Blokland, acting HOD of the Student Counselling unit (SCU), to PDBY. The lockdown can be a difficult time for many, but there are ways of dealing with the difficulties ahead.

Mental health Although individuals are not prohibited from seeking medical attention during the lockdown, seeing a psychologist could still be difficult. This could have a serious effect on the mental health of individuals. Dr Blokland emphasised that “the anxiety around the virus and its spread is intense”, and that students also worry about the impact it has on their studies. Keeping this in mind, the SCU is keeping its virtual doors open during lockdown. Students can contact the SCU via email at studentcounselling@up.ac.za or call them at 012 420 2333. Dr Blokland also gave students a few tips on how to take care of their mental health during the lockdown. A few important points are: to set a structure, eat sensibly and refrain from overeating or eating junk food, schedule time to relax, keep in touch with friends and family and having good time management. “Do not see this lockdown time as a free holiday extension” Dr Blokland also emphasised.

Physical health Although most students may not regard the daily route from one lecture venue to another as exercise, it does make a difference. During the lockdown all the calories usually lost during a walk to class, will be retained. It is therefore important to find another way of burning a few calories.

Mental health and physical health go hand in hand, and according to Dr Blokland, any form of physical activity will suffice. “This might simply be stretches or running on the spot, lifting some sort of weights, push ups, and so on.”

For students who regularly visit gyms, Virgin Active is offering online classes for members that can easily be done at home. All a member needs to do is login with their membership account details. There are also classes to follow on YouTube and fitness apps available to download on most mobile devices.

In the article, “Stay fit at home: best workout tips that are not too technical” on the Health24 official website, there are five tips given for exercising at home. These tips tell readers not to complicate their exercise routines, to go online and look up fun exercise plans, to give full attention to every workout, and to try out new workouts.

Emotional health Dr Blokland reminded PDBY that “Students may be living in families that are impacted in other ways such as financial stress brought on by the lockdown”. The reality is that individuals are facing a variety of problems during the lockdown, and these problems can affect students emotionally as well.

Harvard Business Review interviewed David Kessler, an expert on grief, in the article, “That Discomfort You’re Feeling Is Grief”. Kessler explained that the sudden changes individuals are facing are temporary, even if it does not feel that way. It is “the loss of normalcy; the fear of economic toll and the loss of connection” that is negatively impacting people globally. According to Kessler, the power is in acceptance, “I can wash my hands. I can keep a safe distance. I can learn how to work virtually.”

A bigger problem that has presented itself, is an increase in gender-based violence and emotional abuse. Being in lockdown with an abusive partner or family member can take a toll on an individual’s emotional state as well.

In the article, “Nkoana-Mashabane condemns abuse as GBV complaints escalate during lockdown” published on sabcnews. com, it is shared that the Gender-Based Violence Command Centre (GBVCC) has received three times the number of calls from women than before the commencement of the lockdown.

Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Minister in the Presidency responsible for Women, Youth and People with Disabilities, said in the article that “she is deeply alarmed by the number of calls that her department has received from women who are trapped with abusive partners during the lockdown period”.

The GBVCC can be reached on their emergency line, 0800 428 428.

Finally, Dr Blokland shared an important piece of advice with PDBY, and emphasised that it is important to make plans for after lockdown. This also serves as a reminder that the lockdown is only temporary. It is therefore important that students take care of their mental, physical, and emotional health.

8 | Entertainment

The entertainment industry in lockdown Daluvuyo Mapuzi & Emily Harrison

T

he South African music industry is finding creative ways to deal with the lockdown. Before the lockdown started, Texx and the City, a popular South African music news podcast, wrote an article about how fans can support musicians during the COVID - 19 lockdown, which dozens of musicians and bands showed love for on Instagram. Since then the musicians themselves have been coming up with innovative ways to support themselves and entertain others during the lockdown. On 31 March, Arno Carstens put on a livestream on YouTube, all fans had to do was buy a ticket and they were emailed or SMSed a private video link from which they could live stream the concert. The National Arts Festival (NAF) has announced that the entire festival will be held online to continue supporting artists.

Bloemfontein’s OFM radio station has made plans to support South African musicians and bands during this time by committing to play more South African music so that musicians can get more royalties. Black Coffee has started live stream sessions in order to raise money for the Solidarity Fund. YouTube launched a new online music festival called Stay Home#WithMe, which features African artists, mostly from Nigeria and South Africa, performing in the festival via live streams. The online festival kicked off on 27 March. TikTok has started #AtHomeWithMe that features South African artists doing at-home performances for fans, one of them being Cassper Nyovest. Musicians are trying to ‘work from home’ which is harder for them than most,

20 April 2020

so live streams are one of the only ways they can support themselves. On the international front, many celebrities are also finding ways to deal with quarantine as a large chunk of the world’s population is staying at home. Music can come from unexpected places, as Gal Gadot, most known for her leading role in Wonder Woman (2017), posted a video of her along with other celebrities singing “Imagine” by John Lennon on 19 March. Will Ferrell, Natalie Portman, Mark Ruffalo, James Marsden and a slew of other celebrities were featured in the 3-minute Instagram video, at the beginning of which she explains the inspiration and message behind the project. It was, however, received poorly by the general public as people were questioning how it was helping the ongoing situation, and consequently became a meme soon after it was posted. Another quarantined celebrity decided to dip their toes into unfamiliar musical territory.

Although no stranger to the art of music, Will Smith tried his hand at a genre known as LoFi, posting Illustration: Sanele Zulu an hour and a half long video titled “chill beats to quarantine to” on his YouTube channel on 20 March. The visuals of the video take heavy inspiration from the most popular Lofi YouTube channel, ChilledCow, depicting a cartoon Will Smith wearing headphones and writing in a notebook with a cat laying on the windowsill.

Not one to be left out, rapper Drake released a new song titled “Toosie Slide”, accompanied by visuals of him dancing in his newly built Toronto mansion. Posted on 3 April, the video begins by showing the empty and quiet city streets, gives a brief tour of his gargantuan home, and concludes with a New Year’s worthy fireworks display.

TRY @Home

Google Arts & Culture Dani van der Horst

S

outh Africa may be under lockdown but that does not have to stop you from exploring the world from the comfort of your own home. The Google Arts & Culture app is free for both Android and iOS users, and offers an interactive way to explore some of the world’s greatest artworks.

The app offers 360o videos of artworks, virtual reality tours of world-class museums, street views of famous sites and landmarks, and an art camera. The art camera allows you to explore some of the world’s most famous artworks in high definition. This means that you are able to zoom in on the photographs and see tiny details that you probably have never seen before.

The app also allows you to make use of features such as the art projector, which uses your camera to show you how artworks look to scale. Aside from all of the interactive features, the app Photo: Cassandra Eardley also offers an abundance of interesting articles centering around arts and culture globally.

Google Arts & Culture is a remarkable tool for exploring the cultural landscape of the world. The app is a lot of fun and it is sure to keep you entertained for hours. It is intended for people of all ages to enjoy and it does not require you to be an expert on matters of global arts and culture. It offers you the opportunity to learn a little bit more about art, but it is mainly just a fun way to explore the world from your couch.

Texx Talks Emily Harrison

P

odcasts are fast becoming one of the best platforms for people to express themselves, including celebrities who are more authentic through this medium than any other. South African music website, Texx and The City, just launched their new podcast “Texx Talks”, that does just that, it gets local musicians to be authentic through comfortable and conversational talks.

The podcast is hosted by Texx and The City editor, Tecla Ciolfi, and features South African musicians in each of the weekly episodes.

The first episode dropped on 9 April and featured the South African national treasure, Zolani Mahola.

Listeners may be most familiar with Zolani as the lead singer of Freshlyground, or from the new solo show The One Who Sings.

The podcast episode takes listeners behind the scenes of Zolani’s 17year long career in the entertainment industry. The conversation looks at the incredible parts of her career from the iconic Freshlyground track, “Doo Be Doo”, to singing the 2010 World

Cup theme song “Waka Waka” with Shakira. The artist also talks about the dark times that lay behind some of the highpoints of her years in the industry. Ciolfi and Zolani also chatted about Zolani’s autobiographical solo show The One Who Sings and the roots behind the play which led her to ‘own her own story’. The episode offers an authentic view

of the musician’s life and her career. Ciolfi asked all the right questions that led Zolani into being extremely honest.

The episode is a good sign of what is to come in future conversations with local talent. It ended off with a new track from Zolani, a perfect ending to the conversation.

The podcast could benefit from longer episodes so that a deeper dive into the musician’s lives and careers can be achieved.

The podcast could also benefit from playing snippets of the songs the conversation features, to create a better experience. If the first episode is anything to go by, then “Texx Talks” promises to be an incredible podcast that offers fans insight into the lives of their favourite local artists. As the South African podcast industry grows, it becomes important for South Africans to show their support to our local artists, especially ones that foster local talent. Listeners can look forward to talks with The Kiffness, Alice Phoebe Lou, BCUC, TRESOR, and Ryan Murgatroyd.

Anyone who wants to get to know local musicians better will enjoy and appreciate this series.

Image: texxandthecity.com

20 April 2020

Nova Baby “Dark Side of The Moon” IG: @novababy_band

Poetry Corner

Pssst...

Why can't water wash away sadness, like it washes away blood?

Why can't water cure madness, like it helps to flood my heart with unrest?

A fear travels through my shaking body, is this a mortal test?

One to be passed by nobody?

What am I supposed to do?

Hi hi, Pssst… here, but not really.

No spice- only sadness. And some unhelpful song lyrics from Destiny’s Child.

LJ Hills “Safehouse ft Ross Marshall” IG: @ljhills_ LJ Hills is a Pretoria based RnB singer, songwriter and producer.

Check him out on all major streaming platforms.

Lara Gear

I’m a survivor (what), I’m not gon’ give up (what) I’m not gon’ stop (what), I’m gon’ work harder (what) I’m a survivor (what), I’m gonna make it (what) I will survive (what), keep on survivin’ (what) I’m a survivor (what), I’m not gon’ give up (what) I’m not gon’ stop (what), I’m gon’ work harder (what) I’m a survivor (what), I’m gonna make it (what) I will survive (what), keep on survivin’ (what) Wishin’ you the best, pray that you are blessed Much success, no stress, and lots of happiness And on that awful note, Pssst… has eavesdropping to do, information to trade and rumours to spread (goes back under the covers).

Pssst… says adieu and stay safe. xx

“Somebody (Your Body and Hers)” IG: @laragear

Lara Gear is a singer/songwriter based in Joburg. You may recognise her voice from Rubber Duc’s “Down on My Knees”.

Check her out on all major streaming platforms.

Do I just let it be?

Do I take my life and flee?

I see the blood pooling around my bare feet.

This vision, my fear, it's fueling is this the end I am to meet?

Flowing blood

Nova Baby is an alternative indie band based in Pretoria.

Check them out on all major streaming platforms.

I see the blood flow down my skin, the shower spray leading it away Down the drain it flows the feeling, most akin to the feeling of blood between my toes

Alexa Midnight

PDBY’s Artists to Watch

Entertainment and Fun And Games | 9

There is just to much, I wait for it to stop.

The shower curtain, I clutch waiting for the very last drop.

Like the most vivid of paint and finally I faint.

Poetry submitted by UP students to PDBY. You can submit your poetry to editor@pdby.co.za if you would like to be featured in the PDBY Poetry Corner.

PDBY Featured Artist: Kiash Arjun Vasalya Moodley

K

iash Arjun comes from Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. He is a third year dentistry student and he is also one of the ViceChairpersons of House Olympus. Aside from his studies and chairperson duties, he also happens to be taking on the South African music industry in full force. PDBY had the opportunity to catch up with Kiash and talk about his music.

Tell us about the sound and style of your music. Is it influenced by anything or anyone in particular?

My music fluctuates from being as personal as a love poem with a simple melody and an acoustic guitar, or it can be a really groovy tune with a dirty guitar solo and some catchy lyrics.

Lyrically and vocally I am definitely inspired by Ed Sheeran, Lewis Capaldi, Harry Styles and more iconic figures like Stevie

Market at Emmarentia Dam. I’m definitely looking to perform more locally though, like doing more Open Mic nights at Aandklas and so on.

Your most recent song “Human” was released at the end of February this year and is your most streamed song on Spotify.

Can you walk us through the track and tell us a bit more about it?

“Human” is a really personal song I wrote for a very pretty girl I liked at the time. I had written a lot of love songs at that point, but I needed to make something that would literally move people and make them emotional from the get-go. So, with some strong lyrics, the song floats on the harmonies from beginning to end, while being complimented by a delicate fingerpicking pattern on the guitar. The end of the song involves me crying out my affection for this insanely wonderful girl that gave my heart feelings and essentially made me feel ‘human’. Fun fact, I released it on 29 February – a very special day, for a very special song about a very special person (it’s the small things that count).

Your songs are deeply personal, what are your feelings towards putting that kind of vulnerability out into the public?

Stevie Ray Vaughan once spoke about how listeners get so entrapped in an artist’s talent that they lose sight of the fact that behind the guitar is a living, breathing person. This was more in reference to the hardships he suffered as a musician, and although I am in no way comparing myself to such a well-renowned icon, his words resonate with me in the sense that the more ‘human’ (pun intended) you are with your songs, the easier it is to tell your story.

I mean that’s what a song is - your response to some everlasting experience in your life - why not make it personal?

Image: Provided

Wonder and Paul McCartney. Regarding the guitar, I’m deeply inspired by Rock and Blues legends – Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, B.B. King – and also some modern talents like John Mayer and Gary Clark Jr. I also draw a lot of inspiration from artists and bands in the local scene, such as Phlo, be sure to check them out.

You perform live across Pretoria. Could you tell us about a few places you’ve performed?

So, it’s actually been wide over Gauteng for the last few months. I have performed twice at Capital Craft Centurion, at The Grind Bar & Eatery, and I’ve performed at the lovely The Linden

Looking back to the beginning of your musical journey, what have been some of your highlights and lowlights?

I can say that the highlights are definitely every performance I’ve delivered – from small talent shows to all the recent gigs I’ve been asked to play. The joy I get when I’m strumming my guitar and belting out notes is incomparable to any other feeling. It’s euphoria on steroids. A significant highlight was releasing my first original songs –a much-extended deliberation which eventually turned out to be a success. The growth in musicianship is also a highlight – I’ve matured a lot in my 13 years of my playing.

There was a point where self-doubt was a massive issue that held me back from being the best musician I could be. It just traps you.

However, the phrase “practice makes perfect” couldn’t be truer. The more you perform, the better your entertainment becomes. Laziness is also toxic – if you want to get better you have to fight through the complacency and learn that solo you’ve been struggling to learn.

Push your vocal range while you’re at it.

What role does the guitar play in your musical process?

All my songs start with an acoustic guitar when I’m writing them, so the instrument is inherently incorporated into my music. Ideally,

I’d like to think of it as a paintbrush. You may have heard of the concept about music being different colours (e.g. happy songs are yellow and sad songs are blue), so when you’re playing you need to add a lighter or darker shade to make the end picture all the more aesthetic. I don’t actually write any of the guitar solos in my songs, I just play what I feel at the time.

As someone who has accomplished producing their own original music and releasing it on major platforms, what advice do you have for budding local musicians who want to do the same?

Everyone will tell you this, but do not take it for granted – BE YOURSELF. Yes, it’s really good to get inspiration from different artists, and even pay tribute to your favourite singer once in a while, however remember that your talent belongs to you and nobody else. Don’t let your gift go to waste by trying to be another artist. Remember how I spoke about songs being a beautiful picture? Well, music is this massive rainbow and by being your own artist, you are introducing a new, unique colour to refine the blend in that rainbow. And don’t establish a comfort zone – push your voice, your playing, your production. Own it too.

Can we expect any new music or projects in the future?

Well, on 8 April I [released] my debut EP Fire & Ice on all major music platforms (Apple Music, Spotify, Deezer, YouTube).

It has 7 songs that I recorded in the small time that I’ve been at home ever since varsity closed down for the pandemic. A lot of new sounds to my repertoire and surprisingly, not a lot of love songs. It has a very upbeat, funky vibe to it. I think people will really enjoy it. I’d definitely be excited to release some more mellow, acoustic songs towards the end of the year and even make a music video or two. We’ll see how life pans out.

With live performances being impossible at the moment due to the lockdown amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, is this affecting you as a musician in any way?

Definitely. Gigging is probably the most pivotal thing in your career as a young musician. It’s a source of income, but more importantly it’s a chance for some good exposure. It’s part of the moulding process in becoming the next big thing. However, with all that’s been ‘taken’ away, I’ve also been given an extremely rare opportunity. With life on a very surreal pause, I’m allowed to just reflect on my skills as a musician. I’ve been given a chance to improve my talent, write some new songs and fall in love with music all over again.

Musicians are fortunate to have social media, where we can expand our fanbase, sing for our followers on Instagram live sessions, and just find any way to entertain the world. As a musician, I’ve realised the true power of music (or entertainment) in a time such as this.

10 | Fun and Games

20 April 2020

Make a meme

and tag us on instagram at @pdbymedia

Image:tuks_facultyofmemes

KNOW SOMETHING SAY SOMETHING

Illustration: Leah Rees Image: tuks_facultyofmemes

Tips can be sent to news@pdby.co.za or @pdbymedia on instagram ALL TIPS ARE KEPT ANONYMOUS

Recipe

Nutella Mousse For your chocolate and sugar cravings

Ingredients: • • •

3 cups cream 1 1/2 - 2 cups nutella 1/3 cup sugar

Method: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Combine the cream and sugar in a bowl.

Beat the mixture until it peaks and is fluffy, using a whisk.

Remove a portion of the mixture and set it aside.

Fold the nutella into the remaining mixture using a spatula.

Pipe the nutella mousse into a bowl and pipe the white mousse on top as a topping. *Keep refrigerated*

Sport TuksTennis hitting COVID-19 an ace

Varsity Cup at a standstill T

Chrizaan Pretorius

Chrizaan Pretorius

V

arsity Cup is one of the most loved sports competitions, and is supported by a diverse array of students.

Moreover, it does not only encompass TuksRugby, but includes and affects the mentality of many student supporters.

TuksRugby, like many other sports that form part of the #UPYourSportingGame, has come to a standstill with the COVID-19 pandemic. Nico Luus, head coach of the Varsity Cup team, told PDBY that the lockdown had a tremendous impact on TuksRugby, resulting in all Varsity Cup games and training sessions being suspended. Marius Verwey, captain of this team, who would like to further his career in rugby after his time at the University of Pretoria, added that it hit the team hard, since everyone now has an individual responsibility to stay fit, but it is necessary to keep the bigger picture of the situation in mind.

Overall, the Varsity Cup team of 2020 has made immense progress, with 13 players, and four coaches making their debut, and growing from an inexperienced group to a tightly knit team that play as a unit. Luus added that the future of the Varsity Cup is still very uncertain at this stage, but he encourages everyone to explore creative ways of coaching as an alternative to the physical contact that coaches and their players are used to. In fact, for now they concentrate on home-based conditioning programmes for each player to ensure that their fitness levels are on par.

Generally speaking, they both experienced a win against the FNB NWU team – only beating them in the last dying seconds of the game - and a narrow loss against Maties, which places them second on the Varsity Cup Log of 2020, so far. Luus told PDBY that their main goal is to get back on the field as soon as possible, and win the Varsity Cup with full motivation.

Luus and Verwey both said that their passion for the sport derives from their love for it, and the fact that it is greater than any individual, and brings people together. On the whole, Luus gave advice to all students to focus on what they can control, and as soon as the situation changes - to embrace the challenges ahead of them. In light of the Varsity Cup standstill, the collective spirit of the game keeps moving forward in not only the players, but also the supporters all hoping to soon pour their hearts out on or next to the field, participating in the #StripeGeneration in various ways.

uksTennis is one of the oldest sport clubs - at about 90 years of age. Tennis as a sport draws global attention, especially with sport figures such as Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Simona Halep making large contributions to the fight against COVID-19. PDBY spoke to Blaise Izungu, the head coach of the TuksTennis team, about his views.

Izungu said that “their deeds have revealed the close attachment between athletes and the rest of the community worldwide. Sport and society should always care for one another”. TuksTennis, in its essence, resembles a symbol of this interconnected world on its courts, which prepared the club to progress, regardless of the recent lockdown.

Willie Esterhuizen and Chanelle Oosthuizen, captains of the team, added that they have been disappointed by their league, and Sun City tournament being cancelled. They remain hopeful that the annual USSA tournament will be held at UP at the end of the year, where they took third place in 2019, and hope to take first place in 2020. TuksTennis grew in player numbers, results, and financial stability.

Esterhuizen added that “at the end of the day, it is a place to learn, and you learn as you go”. TuksTennis ensures that

First shot for TuksCueSports Boitumelo Kokwe

T

uksCueSports turned a year old in February and was founded in 2019 as UP’s first cue club. Cue sport consists of pool or snooker and is commonly associated with bars and clubs, and many believe that it is not a professional sport.

This reputation is what TuksCueSports wanted to change with its formation in 2019.

TuksCueSports focuses on blackball pool (also called reds and yellows), which is a variation of eight-ball pool and after only a year, it has already achieved success. TuksCueSports finished first at the intervarsity competition - hosted by the University of Pretoria - in 2019 and second at the intervarsity competition held

by University of Limpopo (UL) in 2019. They also competed at the tournament held by University Sports South Africa (USSA) for the first time.

In a March 2019 article about TuksCueSports, PDBY spoke to the club’s chairperson David Malangu, who said the reason for the formation of the club was because he asked himself why “[Tuks] does not have a pool club […] as almost every other varsity has a pool club [and that] there is also a varsity

TuksExploratio Taste the adventure Mpho Ramagoma

T

uksExploratio is an exploration club part of the TuksSports clubs. Their activities include the grunt of climbing walls and mountains with a satisfying bird’s view once you have finished climbing. Other activities include hiking and slacklining.

The club is a small community of people who have a real thirst for adventure and get fit while quenching it. PDBY spoke to Sean Rudd, Club president and slacklining expert.

When was it established and for what purpose?

Exploratio was established around 1959 as a diving club I believe. It has evolved over the years and transitioning into an all around exploration group and has previously included paragliding and unicycling.

their members keep fit via electronic exercise platforms, and keep the spirit alive with fun daily challenges. Most importantly, they check in with one another on the various social media platforms. Likewise, Esterhuizen gave some advice regarding the lockdown, saying that although one cannot control what tomorrow will bring, there is a time and that is now - that can be controlled and live for by letting the future run its own course.

In addition, their Valentine’s Day social kickstarted the year at just the right time by setting the tone for the rest of the year, while meeting new members, and showing off some tennis skills. TuksTennis finds its priorities within the creation of a safe home for each member, where they can personally grow, and that will ultimately lead to a better game.

TuksTennis is a representation of the #StripeGeneration.

Lastly, Izungu added that “each athlete contributes to the history of humanity through their performance and achievement - every athlete in their own scale and that within their sphere of their generation.” Given these points, do not hesitate to bring your own positive mindset and influence to this enjoyable experience offered at UP. Contact them on tukstennis@up.ac.za or on the number 012 420 6083.

Currently we are a climbing, hiking and slacklining club. With a focus on outdoor activity.

Climbing is a great way to experience nature and spend time outdoors. You get to see some epic and rewarding views made even better by the work required to get there.

How many members do you have?

Climbing is a great sport for beginners with a small but inclusive community.

Who can join your club?

Climbing has a large learning curve, however, it requires no real skill to begin with. Climbing also has several completely different forms and styles of climbing, allowing the beginner to pick a style that suits them. The different styles include bouldering (for those with a fear of heights), sport climbing, and traditional climbing. It is a great sport for those that itch for an adventure.

Illustration: Marchall Potgieter

competition for pool”. He also mentioned that the reason for the formation of the team was because of the need for Tuks pool team, and because he wanted to change the view people have of pool being “a bar sport”, as it also has its own leagues and players that can compete at a professional level.

According to the TuksCue website, the club participates in numerous competitions and leagues. They participate at the annual USSA Tournament, the Intervarsity Quarterly Supa Pool Tournament, and the Gauteng Blackball Tournament. They also have internal leagues, including the TuksCueSports Social League, Weekly Individual Tournament, and the Quarterly Individual tournament.

Both students, and non-students are eligible for membership at the club. The memberships offered are junior and standard memberships, which allow members to practise and play at Corner Pocket for free, from 12:00 to 16:00, although Tuesdays are excluded for the standard membership.

More information about TuksCueSports, the programmes they offer, how to join, and the people to contact can be accessed on their website at https://www.up.ac.za/tukscuesport.

What about beginners? Can someone who has no experience join?

We have no entry requirements for our members, and cater for absolute beginners with no experience. We do train our beginners leaving space to grow within the club.

What activities do you currently have to offer to club members?

Unfortunately, our main climbing wall on LC is closed for maintenance, and has been for over a year. We are currently waiting for Tuks to rebuild our boulder cave, which burned down approximately 7 or 8 years ago, according to the project architect, construction was due to take place this April, but COVID-19 has obviously affected this plan quite significantly. Normally our members would have full access to our facilities and equipment, as well as two club nights per week.

Do you take part in tournaments or competitions?

We planned on sending a team to the intervarsity competition USSA last year, however, we were unable due to financial reasons. There is a competition this year in December, where we are hoping to send a team if it still happens. We

normally host a challenge called the Everest challenge, in which a team of 12 attempts to climb the height of Everest in under 24 hours, however, due to maintenance this event is unable to take place.

How do you ensure the safety of your club members?

We have a committee member on safety duty at all our events ensuring the safety of our members. All the gear used is rated to take a minimum of around 20 kN, which translates to about two tons. Willingness to learn also assists a lot with safety as using the gear right is the most important factor when it comes to safety.

What costs are involved in becoming a member of the club?

We have a yearly membership fee of R500 for students, and R600 for non-students.

How does someone who is interested get in contact with you?

We have a Facebook page https://www. facebook.com/Exploratio/, our details are on the TuksSport website and you can email us on Exploratioup@gmail.com.

30 000 people read the print version of

To advertise email carel.willemse@up.ac.za

visit www.pdby.co.za for ad rates