20 February 2017 Issue 3 Year 79

Inside: applications to volunteer at Perdeby UP res crisis - Pg. 3

What does 2017 hold for fees at UP? - Pg. 6

Perdeby

Afrikaans only res opens at UP - Pg. 3

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

20February2017

year79issue3

F**k Donald Trump: Hip-hop’s reflection of reality - Pg. 7

Afrikaans Must Stay (left) and Afrikaans Must Fall protestors (right) clash on UP’s Hatfield campus in February 2016. Photo: Fezekile Msimang

No change to UP language policy for now MARKO SVICEVIC

On 22 June 2016, UP’s Council, the highest decision making body at UP, adopted a new language policy in which English was to be the only language of tuition.

On 15 December 2016, the Gauteng High Court rejected an application by civil rights group AfriForum to continue the use of Afrikaans at UP. In its case, AfriForum argued that the removal of Afrikaans, based on language, was discriminatory, constituted a withdrawal of existing student rights, and that removing Afrikaans at UP did not comply with section 29(2) of the Constitution. Judge Kollapen was not convinced of this argument, however, affirming UP’s decision to drop Afrikaans. According to UP, a key factor in removing Afrikaans was that “a preference for Afrikaans as a medium of instruction [had] fallen from around 88% in 1990 to just under 16% in 2016”. Remarking on the

language policy change, UP Vice-Chancellor and Principal Prof. Cheryl de la Rey said in a statement, “As society changes we need to do what is best for our students and the greater community as a whole [and] this new policy will facilitate social cohesion and promote inclusivity.”

However, according to UP spokesperson Rikus Delport, in January 2017, AfriForum had filed an application for leave to appeal the High Court’s December ruling. “Pending this appeal, the University cannot proceed with the implementation [of the new language policy],” said Delport. He added that the implementation of the new language policy, in which English is to be the only language of tuition, is subject to the changing of the university statute, a process which requires engagement with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). “The Minister [of Higher Education and Training] has indicated that he will not make a decision to amend and publish an amended Institutional

Statute pending the determination of the High Court review proceedings,” added Delport.

Delport said that UP therefore had no other option but to wait for the legal processes to be finalised and for the decision from the Minister before it could proceed with the implementation of the new language policy. However, Prof.

Danie Brand, a Public Law professor at UP, offered a contrasting view. “The ruling means that should UP have wanted to proceed with implementing the new policy in 2017, it could have done so. In fact, even had it lost the case in the High Court, it could have proceeded pending the appeal, as UFS [University of the Free State] did (they were challenged on that by Afriforum in the Supreme Court of Appeal, but won there),” said Brand.

Deputy CEO of AfriForum, Alana Bailey, responsible for international liaison, language and culture, confirmed to Perdeby that the application for leave to appeal had been submitted on 11 January.

Rapper Rouge shines bright - Pg. 8

Kobus van der Walt says goodbye - Pg. 11

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Perdeby

Editorial | 20 February 2017

Changes

www.perdeby.co.za perdeby@up.ac.za m.perdeby.co.za @perdebynews @PerdebySport @PerdebyE Tel: (012) 420 6600

Editorial Editor-in-chief Carel Willemse

carel.willemse@up.ac.za @Ed_in_Chief

Editor Huvasan Reddy

perdeby@up.ac.za @HuvasanReddy

News Ditebogo Tshaka

news@perdeby.co.za @Didi_Tshaka

Deputy News Pooja Pundit

news@perdeby.co.za @pooja_xx_

Features Savannah Plaskitt

features@perdeby.co.za @SavChristie

Entertainment Shaun Sproule

entertainment@perdeby.co.za @ShaunSproule

Sport Lorinda Marrian

sport@perdeby.co.za @LorindaDMarrian

Online Content Carly Twaddle

@CarlzTwaddle

Web Rebecca-Anne Perridge

webeditor@perdeby.co.za @rebeccaofanne

Copy Emma Paulet

copy@perdeby.co.za @emmahgerd

Imaging Kago Kola

layout@perdeby.co.za @kolaful01

Visuals Kaylyn O’ Brien

visuals@perdeby.co.za @kaylyn_obrien

Multimedia Samuel Sherwood

multimedia@perdeby.co.za @samsherwood95

Research and Development Xander Janse van Rensburg

@XJvRensburg

Teams

Layout Tayisiya Rozova Gwyneth Heshu Copy Jaco Stroebel Georgina Glass Bonolo Tlale Miné van der Berg Online Arthur Zambezi Yemurai Nhamburo Elton Matchebe Siwakhile Maseko Kuzai Nherera Daimon Sewell

Advertising Sales

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

Copyright Perdeby is printed by Paarlmedia. All rights reserved. Contributions are welcome. All due care will be taken with materials submitted, but Perdeby and printers cannot be held responsible for loss or damage. The editor reserves the right to edit, amend or alter in any way deemed necessary.

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

As February draws to a close, everyone seems to be getting into their zone at UP. Things at the Perdeby office are no different.

With a fresh editorial, and a bit of time and training, we’re getting ready to put together a publication on an almost weekly basis.

It’s a good feeling, wrapping up on a Friday afternoon, and stepping back to admire the publication you’ve put together during the week.

I’ve been at Perdeby for two years now, and during this time I’ve realised how

From the Editor difficult it is to put together a publication that appeals to 50 000 students at this university from different backgrounds, who experience the world differently, who come from different contexts and have different interests. Obviously, no two students are the same, but it’s more than that. The news is the news, and we report on current affairs fairly, accurately, and objectively. When it comes to our Features and Entertainment sections, it becomes a little more difficult to cater for everyone.. Each student is a valued reader, and in a country as diverse as South Africa, it is a continuous process to make sure this publication has something for everyone.

There’s been some interesting news this week. The biggest news is that there will be no change in the language policy at UP, for the time being. It’s important to bear in mind, however, that UP intends to amend the language policy, but has decided to put its implementation on hold pending the finalisation of legal processes. With only 16% of students preferring Afrikaans as a medium of instruction, it seems counterproductive to oppose the language policy change, especially at a public university that should (as a public university) play a role in the transformation of society and in the process of redressing past injustices.

UP is not the only historically Afrikaans university that has changed some of its policies.

The University of Stellenbosch (SU) has also changed its 2018 admission policy to benefit socioeconomically disadvantaged students.

Perdeby 21 February 1992 25 years ago Singing in the Rain ‘cause it’s all we can do…

The Ienk Athletics (First year athletics competition) was cancelled due to rain.

The editorial planned to lead with this on the front page but due to the rain only published a photo Die trein van verandering… Kodesa steeds op die regte spoor / Winds of change… Codesa on the right track The leader of the Democratic Party (DP), Dr Zach de Beer, addressed students at a social function on campus saying that Codesa wouldn’t simply lead to a new political landscape, but would also ensure the rights of individuals in terms of freedom and equality. He also said that the DP would play an important role in the middle of South African politics acting as a bridge between the left and the right in future.

Perdeby 24 February 1967 50 years ago Joolweek Word Vanjaar Verkort / Rag week shortened this year The chairperson of the Rag committee, Ochse Esterhuysen announced that a decision was taken to shorten Rag week after some pressure from university management.

Rag at Tuks would go ahead even though the trend from other universities was to do away with Rag. Esterhuysen said that at a cost of R9248.23, Rag only managed to turn a profit of R81.94 in 1966 and that nonstudents used Rag celebrations as an excuse to drink excessively giving the public a bad impression of students.

Esterhuysen encouraged students to think of new ways celebrate Rag. Provided by UP Archives

The new policy is not based on racial classification, but according to a statement released by SU, the policy is aimed at creating a society that no longer requires “race based redress”. It’s an interesting trend, and I’d like to see the types of changes the university experiences after changing its policies, and the way that these policy changes influence the lives and wellbeing of students.

If policy isn’t interesting to you, we’ve got some brilliant content, including a feature on Motor Neuron Disease, an article on Harry Potter 20 years on, and an interview with retiring TuksSport Director, Kobus van der Walt.

If you’re interested in volunteering at a vibrant, dynamic publication that is read by thousands of students weekly, you’ll find our application forms on page 10. Perdeby is also launching a writing lab, which is our way of giving back in a way that we are familiar with, but also a way for us to actively transform the publication. Michal, our former Editor, who came up with the idea of a writing workshop to create an equal opportunity environment for all, has generously given her time in presenting the workshop. I encourage all students who would like to participate in the workshop to fill in the form on page 11, and hand it in at the Perdeby offices before 12:00 on Thursday, 23 February. As this is the first workshop, space is limited. I encourage anyone who applies for the workshop to apply to volunteer at Perdeby as well.

Huvasan

Letters I, Saa’if Essa the President of the Muslim Student Association at Tuks would like to raise the issue of Halaal food.

On Main Campus there is no Halaal food place, only on South Campus.

We have been buying food from there for many years. However since the bridge had been taken away, it has been difficult for Muslim Students. The kiosk at South Campus has great service and has good food. There is a shuttle service but it is every hour.

One recommendation that I have thought of was that since the Kiosk had closed down, a Halaal food place could open up.

Please consider this suggestion as it would help us and make our lives easier.

Thank you very much, Your help is much appreciated.

Sincerely Saa’if Essa President of MSA Tuks

Do you need help with theses and assignments?

I do academic literature research on all subjects.

Please contact Dr Estelle Marx at estelle.marx@gmail.com

Benodig jy hulp met tesisse en take?

Ek doen akademiese literatuurnavorsing op alle vakgebiede.

Kontak Dr Estelle Marx by estelle.marx@gmail.com

20 February 2017 | News

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Students sleeping at Elim Full Gospel Church. Photo: UP Fees Must Fall Facebook.

UP res crisis

DITEBOGO TSHAKA, POOJA PUNDIT AND MARKO SVICEVIC

On 13 February, UP Fees Must Fall activists and Economic Freedom Fighters UP (EFFSC UP) members held a campus sleep-in against the lack of access to affordable accommodation and residence placement for students who come from “outside of Gauteng” and are mostly from “poor areas”.

The event was held in the Student Centre on the Hatfield campus and “[called] on students of the University of Pretoria to stand in solidarity with our fellow students who are sleeping on the streets, in toilets, libraries and benches across campuses”. The movement held that “most students who have been placed in newly-built private residences in Hatfield are facing a situation where their monthly rent far exceeds the NSFAS pay-out and the University residences are no different as residences fees have gone up by over R10 000.00”. The movement used the hashtag #UPResCrisis and within hours it was a trending topic on Twitter.

One Twitter user said, “…rich, white students [who] stay around the University go to res just for the “culture” [and] are prioritized over the ones that really need [accommodation]”.

According to former SRC president, Mosibudi ‘Rassie’ Rasethaba, at about 21:00 UP’s security guards begun removing students from campus.

“Note that these students were refused places in university-owned residences and cannot afford private residence. Campus was their only safe space for tonight,” said Rasethaba in a Facebook post.The Facebook event is set to end on 20 February at 20:00 and advocates for “[holding] management accountable on the commitments to dealing with this crisis as it has been ongoing for several years”, as “have been numerous engagements with the management of the University on this issue but to no avail”.

However, UP issued an official statement on 14 February offering a contrasting view of events. It stated how UP and the Temporary Student Committee engaged with the students who had claimed to be without accommodation and offered accommodation to all the students, which they refused. The statement further

explains that the university “since discovered that out of the group of ten students, four were already placed in residences, three of them were not students and one had outstanding financial issues”. The university states that it was able to find accommodation for the other two students. Some of UP’s key criteria for residence admission is academic eligibility, academic achievement, financial need and year of study with preference given to first years.

“The university is committed to and will do everything in its control to ensure that, within the limits of space available in our official residences, eligible students are assisted to find accommodation,” the statement concludes.

According to TSC Chairperson, Henrico Barnard, the TSC has been dealing with accommodation cases since the beginning of the year. Barnard says that the #UPResCrisis is a case of the EFF using the university as a political playground. He further added that such actions cause legitimate cases of students needing accommodation to lose credibility.

Barnard further added that the TSC, in collaboration with UP, have gone above and beyond placing students in residences, acquiring an additional 420 beds for students needing accommodation. This accommodation has been made available to students who have been provisionally accepted for NSFAS funding, regardless of whether they have received such funding yet. UP and the TSC have since entered into agreements with Hatfield Studios, as well as several other private accommodation residences, to provide student accommodation. UP has undertaken to pay the accommodation fees for February and March for all students living at these residences, until NSFAS is able to fund these students. Barnard also added that the TSC saw a need to revisit the current UP residence placement policy and that it is currently under revision. Barnard explained that, to date, there has not been a single student who qualified for residence placement who has not been placed.

Barnard explained that an additional 50 beds were also made available for director’s placements. These beds are available to those students who are financially or academically excluded from UP.

De Goede Hoop residence. Photo: Fezekile Msimang.

New Afrikaans-only residence opens at UP

HENRI UYS

De Goede Hoop, a new private Afrikaans residence, officially opened on 28 January. The residence is divided into De Goede Hoop Mans (men) and De Goede Hoop Dames (ladies).

Each section can house 48 students. The residence operates independently of UP’s official residences and according to their website, De Goede Hoop will participate in some of the cultural activities of the university, such as Serrie and Sêr. Candice Jooste, media relations officer at UP, confirmed that De Goede Hoop is a private residence. Jooste also said that the residence is not part of TuksRes and thus will not take part in events or activities that TuksRes organises.

In addition to a standard application process, students seeking accommodation at the residence must submit an essay of 150 words on the topic of “Afrikaans Sal Bly” (Afrikaans Shall Stay) and “what it means to them”.

Henrico Barnard, Chairperson of the Temporary Student Committee, said, “[De Goede Hoop] is a residence that has Afrikaans and Christian values and prefers residents who relate to this culture, which should be respected. They

also strive towards creating a healthy student environment within [the] residence.”

The deputy CEO of AfriForum, Cornelius Jansen van Rensburg, said, “The aim with the De Goede Hoop project is to ensure that Afrikaans students participate in student activities. De Goede Hoop provides a home for dynamic students with Christian values, and students who have a positive attitude towards Afrikaans. It is a place where young people can participate in healthy student traditions and a place where they can live their student-life with confidence.”

Janli Sonntag, project co-ordinator at De Goede Hoop, said, “In a time where university residences lose their traditions, culture and character, De Goede Hoop provides that (traditions, culture and character) and creates an alternative for students. Every student has the right to a place which they can call home.

The aim of De Goede Hoop is to ensure the participation of Christian, Afrikaans students in student activities.”

If the De Goede Hoop project succeeds at UP, AfriForum hopes to expand private residence projects to other campuses. The De Goede Hoop residence will be funded by AfriForum.

UP and TSC to assist with accomodation MARKO SVICEVIC On 16 February, UP in collaboration with the TSC, released a statement to students addressing issues of accommodation on campus. The statement followed a three day sleep-in event created by the Fees Must Fall group in which issues of a lack of affordable accommodation for students was highlighted.

According to the statement, the TSC through UP is able to assist students who have applied for accommodation but have not as yet been placed. The statement further explained that, “The accommodation includes places in UP residences that become available on a continuous basis or places at accredited accommodation providers.” It further said that accommodation offered to students at such a late stage may not necessarily be their first choice.

Students in need of accommodation are urged to contact Tuks Residence at 012 420 5483 or tuksres.olacement@up.ac.za.

Alternatively, students can also contact the TSC on 012 420 6554 or on src.residence1@ tuks.ac.za or src.residence2@tuks.ac.za.

Since the start of the #UPResCrisis, UP has condemned the campaign as a publicity stunt, claiming it had CCTV footage showing students had staged photos of sleeping in bathrooms. According to UP, official university residences can only accommodate 15% of the student body and given the limited capacity, preference is given to several factors including, the student must be registered for the academic year, the student must have applied on time, the student must have obtained a grade point average of at least 50%, and the student must be provisionally funded by NSFAS. However, preference is given to first years.

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News | 20 February 2017

Photo: Ditebogo Tshaka

UP to implement fingerprint access control MARKO SVICEVIC Starting this year, UP will be implementing a new access control system to ensure stricter access control to UP campuses.

UP spokesperson Candice Jooste confirmed to Perdeby that UP had taken the decision and was in the process of ensuring its implementation.

“We are in the process of implementing a new access control system with dual verification, making use of a new smart card technology [and] the new smart card will ensure that only the authorised card holder may enter the UP premises,” said Jooste. She added that biometric verification in conjunction with the smart card will provide a safer environment by allowing only authorised card-holders entry. Jooste said

that “UP will do everything within its control to ensure the 2017 academic year proceeds as planned and without any disruption,” adding that UP “will work closely with students, staff, campus security and if necessary, the Police to protect the academic project”.

Jooste explained that an executive decision was made in 2016 that all returning students would retain their 2016 cards for access to UP campuses in 2017. This decision was made in order to minimise costs to all students, staff and contractors. For consistency, new first year students will continue to use 2016 student cards, until they are issued with smart cards.

The smart cards will work in conjunction with current student cards and are expected to be implemented later this year.

Photo: Kaylyn O’Brien

New bill aims to raise legal drinking age HENRI UYS The Department of Trade and Industry has proposed to amend the National Liquor Act by increasing the Minimum Legal Drinking Age (MLDA) to 21. Currently, the legal drinking age in South Africa is 18.

Minister of Trade and Industry, Rob Davies, gave reasons for this decision in a press briefing at Parliament in October 2016: “The first [reason] is that it is a physiological argument, which is saying there is evidence that the brain does not fully develop until the mid-twenties in fact, and that when the brain is not yet fully developed, the impact on the brain of alcohol abuse is much more severe than it is on the fully developed brain…”. Davies said that the consequences of alcohol abuse have decreased in countries where the drinking age was increased. Davies also said that South Africa has one of the highest incidences of FAS (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome) in the world with approximately 1 million people being affected, and that another 5 million people have sustained damage due to excessive alcohol consumption.

Chris Hattingh from the Free Market

Foundation, an independent policy organisation, said, “...evidence does not support the contention that the higher the drinking age, the less crime there is. In fact, raising the drinking age will channel young adults into hidden places where they drink less responsibly. We at the Free Market Foundation hold that the imposition of unjust laws will only result in unjust effects.

We are thus doing everything we can to make students aware of the proposed change to the law, and are thus reaching out to as many student organisations as possible at every university”. Hattingh also sent an email to the President, Michael Masutha (Minister of Justice), Rob Davies and Aaron Motsoaledi (Minister of Health) in an attempt to convince the government not to change the Act. If the bill passes, South Africa will join a handful of other countries where the minimum drinking age is 21, such as the United States and Sri Lanka. Countries with the same current MLDA as SA include Australia, Namibia and the United Kingdom. Anyone who wishes to comment on the new bill can do so until 28 February.

2016 Student cards. Photo: Kaylyn O’Brien.

Strict security measures implemented at UP HENRI UYS Following UP’s commencement of the academic year on 6 February, new security measures were implemented on all UP campuses to ensure that the academic year started off as smoothly as possible.

Extra security guards were deployed at all entrances to UP campuses. These guards were equipped with scanners to scan students’ student cards, identification documents or passports.

The library’s operating hours were also adjusted for the beginning of the new semester.

These new security measures were met with mixed reactions from students. Some students complained about long queues forming from certain gates causing them to be late for class or to miss class completely. One student posted on Twitter that the security guards were “mean”.

Another student said that he waited for almost

an hour trying to gain entrance to the Hatfield campus through the University Road entrance.

When asked why these new measures were implemented, Candice Jooste, Media Relations Officer at UP, said, “The safety of our students and staff is important to us. We’ve put the necessary security measures in place to ensure the 2017 academic year will proceed without any disruption...To protect the academic project is the centre of our mission. This exercise will continue until most of our students are registered and we are confident that campus activities are normal.” Jooste also commented on the fact that many students complained about long queues forming at certain gates: “Students are requested to make use of alternate gates to avoid congestion. The pedestrian gates at the main gate and the parkade entrance are currently not being utilised to capacity.”

20 February 2017 | News

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Intervarsity News CHAD JOHNSTON University of Stellenbosch The University of Stellenbosch has revised its admissions policy for 2018. The university released a statement over the weekend in which it was stated that the university “recognises the need to reserve places for socio-economically disadvantaged students, regardless of racial classification”. The policy aims to admit students who meet the minimum requirements for a particular course but would otherwise not be admitted to the course of their preference. According to the statement “the long-term objective of the policy is to contribute to a non-racial and equal society no longer requiring race-based redress” Tshwane University of Technology TUT’s Pretoria campus was shut down on 15 February due to overnight protests. TUT management confirmed to EWN that students started several fires. However, management could not disclose the extent of the damage or how many buildings were affected. According to another article published by EWN, students demanded that the university lease nearby buildings and subsidise food. Students warned that disruptions would continue, should their demands not be met.

Rhodes University

Rhodes University hosted a media briefing in Port Elizabeth on 14 February as the university prepared to open for the academic year. “The recent #FeesMustFall protests have brought to the fore the unequal distribution of resources in our society. This is a recipe for instability.

We cannot continue to be indifferent to the plight of the poor in our society,” said Dr Sizwe Mabizela, Vice-Chancellor of Rhodes University. Mabizela also touched on the issue of free education saying, “… in the short to medium term, we believe that free education should be provided to poor and academically deserving students.

We must devise financially sustainable mechanisms to fund the missing middle.

These are the children of civil servants; they are so heavily indebted that they cannot even access loans to finance their children’s education. It is critical that the government find ways to assist these children to access education. Government should prioritise funding for the higher education system”.

Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University NMMU have condemned an alleged arson attack which occurred on 11 February. A petrol bomb was thrown at a building on the south campus and students allegedly threw stones at several windows. ‘Fees Must Fall’ was also spray-painted on the walls.

Proposed new centre for visual impairment studies DANICA CHARLES The Department of Higher Education and Training has recently received a support grant from the European Union, a portion of which is being used to fund the University of Pretoria.

The R9 952 000 grant allocated to UP will be used by the Faculty of Education’s Department of Educational Psychology, to launch a Centre for Visual Impairment Studies, which they will use to develop a teaching qualification specifically for students who are visually impaired. The Head of the Department of Educational Psychology, Professor Ronél Ferreira, will lead the project and will be supported by Dr Maximus Sefotho, a lecturer in the education department.

Dr Ruth Mampane of the Department of Educational Psychology, Maria Ramaahlo from UP’s Disability Unit, and Professor Juan Bornman. who is the director of the Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication

will also be assisting with the project.

The programme will be established in association with stakeholders such as NGOs and community-based organisations that have knowledge of visual impairment.

The team will implement a “participatory research approach” to assist in obtaining standardised data according to the needs and expectations of teachers in mainstream and specialised schools for the visually impaired or blind students. The information that this approach follows will regulate the content of the modules that need to be designed.

Thereafter, these modules will be tested and modified where needed. The programme will include contact and online modules as well as distance learning to enable specialist teachers in South Africa and neighbouring countries to have access to the qualification’s material.

The project managersanticipate that the proposed qualification will be ready for the first intake of students by 2020.

Perdeby Writing Lab Perdeby will be launching a six-week writing program, commencing in the week of 27 February. The writing course will aim to teach students basic English writing skills, such as the importance of plain English, the use of plain English for second-language English readers, sentence structure, grammar, and how to write an article. The writing lab will run several times a year, and for the pilot course, only 20 applicants will be accepted.

The writing lab is targeted at students who do not speak English as their first language, and aims to develop the language skills of these students so that they will be able to write for, and contribute to Perdeby and other publications, with more confidence. Students who complete the programme will receive preference when applying for Perdeby in the future, however, those that participate in the writing lab will not be obliged to work at Perdeby following the completion of the course.

“In addition to our role of informing and

entertaining, we have always focussed on the development of our student journalists.

We now have the opportunity to extend this development to any student who wants to improve their writing skills,” says Perdeby Editor-in-Chief Carel Willemse. Perdeby Editor Huvasan Reddy said, “We often find ourselves having to turn away enthusiastic applicants who are second language English speakers, because they lack the confidence and necessary skills to write in English, compared to those who speak English as their home language.

The writing lab offers us an opportunity to implement transformation at a grassroots level at Perdeby. In a high-paced print publication environment, it’s difficult to train new staff in basic English skills. The writing lab will give us the opportunity to help students develop their basic English skills, so that they will be able to contribute to Perdeby and cope in this fast-paced environment.” The application form can be found on page 11

South Campus Kiosk is up and running

For World Famous Jaff les Now moved to building nr 5 South Campus opposite main campus

6

Features | 20 February 2017

What does 2017 hold for fees at UP? SAVANNAH PLASKITT

In 2016 UP played host to many protests across its campuses.

Perdeby spoke to various UP student structures on what 2017 could hold for students at UP. What are the biggest fee issues students face in 2017?

Kwena Moloto (DASO TUKS): It’s the same issue that’s been around since 1994. In general, higher education is not easily accessible to the masses.

Henrico Barnard (TSC chairperson): All students who qualify for NSFAS are allowed to register (first years). If you had NSFAS [funding] last year, [and] you applied and signed the loan agreement form you will get NSFAS [funding] and are allowed to register. The only category at this stage that is still a problem is if your GPA is below 50 and you have historic debt [which is] the biggest challenge to get onto campus.

Renier Goosen (AfriForum Youth UP): Exactly the same [as 2016] in my opinion, nothing has changed. And further with regards to NSFAS, it’s worse actually because they have not paid the registration fee yet. The students are complaining that they can’t register and they can’t come onto campus, which is bad. But in sense of people being able to pay there is no improvement.

Maxwell Raphoto (SASCO member): It’s the same, but then given the fact NSFAS is not on campus it’s more problematic.

Because now the university is distancing itself from accepting students without surity that NSFAS will cover those students...

Last year when NSFAS was on campus the university would allow a certain amount of students to register but still NSFAS would not even cover those students, it would cover maybe 80%.

So it’s quite problematic since the university doesn’t even have surety that first of all these students qualify for NSFAS and, number two that NSFAS will even cover these students.

The Commission of Inquiry into Higher Education and Training (the Fees Commission) is set to release its final report in June 2017. What do you think this will achieve?

Moloto: DASO has made submissions to the fees commission; it’s very clear from the submissions we’ve made, from the engagements that we’ve had with them that it is a commission that is going to achieve nothing. They have extended the date in which they have said they would release the report, but it’s very clear that the ANC administration has no intention of providing any form of free higher education. They’ve had since 1994 and it’s not going to change in 2017.

Barnard: I’m not sure what to expect from that, we’ll have to wait and see. They are meeting with SRCs. We’ve already had two meetings...so the Department of Higher Education as well as NSFAS are opening communication towards the universities, so it’s not that they are only going on their own.

Goosen: Not familiar with the fees commission as such.

Raphoto: I don’t think so...I feel like the fee issue is such a broad and a bigger thing that [the Fees Commission] are trying to just down play it, if they create a dialogue things aren’t just going to happen.

In January, Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande said the Higher Education Sector can’t afford more protests. Do you agree with this statement?

Moloto: I would agree with that. I think that the target was universities in 2016 and I feel that it was misplaced. At the end of the day universities cannot provide free higher education, it is the role of national government and they felt little to no pressure to push for free higher education. The effects of FMF in 2016 were almost catastrophic. The academic year at many institutions almost didn’t continue, which would have led to tens of thousands of matriculants not being able to get into universities. Even if you look at the effects of FMF 2016 at UP, the fact that campus was shut down and we moved to online systems disadvantaged poor students, the very same students that FMF, DASO and SASCO have been fighting for. It is my hope that FMF recognises their errors in 2016 and that the target becomes National Government and that’s something DASO would support 100%.

Barnard: Yes, definitely. I think we are running a big problem losing quality in our education where the private sector is now becoming the go-to sector for education.

Goosen: Absolutely. Already so much damage has been done by that, with our image and our international programmes, people would no longer want to deal with us if that’s the image we are portraying.

Raphoto: I definitely agree, 100%.

National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) qualifying students in 2017 did not have to pay up front registration fees.

Have you found that this made a difference?

Moloto: I think that it helps. Small victories are important. In terms of the goal of free higher education for the poor it’s not necessarily a victory, but for these single students it’s a victory.

And as political organisations it’s important that while we focus on the bigger picture we don’t forget that we help one student at a time.

Photo: Stefan Stander

Motor Neuron Disease: the facts LORINDA MARRIAN The death of South African Rugby legend Joost van der Westhuizen has shone a new light on the reality of living with motor neuron disease (MND).

MND is a name used for a a variety of diseases that cause a person’s nerve cells to degenerate and eventually die. These nerve cells control muscle functions which enable us to breathe, swallow and walk. Therefore, patients who suffer from MND often experience muscle weakness and eventually muscle wasting. According to Professor Peet Du Toit, a professor of Neuroscience and Physiology and Gerhart Kalmeier, a Master’s

student in Physiology, “It is not yet clear what causes motor neurons to stop functioning properly. We know that about 5% of cases have a family history of related conditions, where faulty genes have been identified to contribute largely to the development of the disease.” Around 384 new cases of MND are reported every year.

The most common form of MND is Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Various symptoms of ALS include speech impediments, muscle spasms, the inability to swallow, move various limbs, and in later stages, the inability to breathe.

According to the ALS Association, the average age of those diagnosed is 55 years and the average lifespan of someone living

Barnard: Yes, I think so. The registration rate was quicker this year for the first years; it’s opened the doors of education for a lot of students by allowing them to register and then sort out their plans throughout the year, so it gives you that bit of a gap.

The problem with that is at this stage there are 11 000 students at the university that have historic debt, and it’s not small amounts so the university must also find a way to keep them accountable even if it’s when they start working.

Goosen: If it’s only for a handful of people absolutely not.

Raphoto: I feel like it did help, to a certain extent... But then the key issue goes back to historic debt as well.

Is there anything your organisation is doing specifically for fees this year?

Moloto: DASO will be doing a lot of fundraising for students this year…and trying to get big businesses on board and to play a larger role in the funding of this generation.

Barnard: At this stage not yet, we’re still running around trying to get [students] registered, but how it usually works is you have a fund from last year which was accumulated by hiring [out] the piazza and stuff like that, so we do have a small budget to use towards the registration of students and so forth, which is the SRC study aid fund, so we will use that as operational funds to help the students as we can. But our fundraising will only start happening when our term starts getting on.

Goosen: We have AfriForum Helpende Hand which generally helps students who on merit can actually be able to come to university. If they can prove that they have the marks, we can provide the funding for them.

Raphoto: Every year SASCO has a Right to Learn campaign.

The university is quite aware of SASCO’s Right to Learn campaign. It was funded before by management; they helped the organisation with accommodation as well as with food so that we can help students. In the Right to Learn campaign we help students broadly with everything. We had a relationship with management; students who historically had debt could register and a payment plan could be agreed upon between the two parties. So far we have an ongoing dialogue with SASCO nationally and NSFAS in Cape Town...But it’s so difficult compared to last year, you could actually hold a gun to management’s head and say listen I want you to register one, two, three students because NSFAS was here, but now you can’t do that.

EFFSC-UP did not respond to Perdeby’s questions at the time of going to print. with ALS is between two to five years. However, the medical drug Riluzole has been shown to slightly prolong the lifespan of ALS patients. Generally speaking, ALS occurs equally among men and women and among various socioeconomic, racial and ethnic groups.

There is often a misconception that all MND patients do not suffer from cognitive impairments. According to the National Health Services of the UK, in around 15% of cases, patients can suffer from Frontotemporal Dementia which affects personality and behaviour.

Steven Hawking, the famous theoretical physicist and possibly the most well-known person living with ALS, has survived with the disease for over 50 years. In an interview with Scientific American, Leo McClucksey, medical director of the ALS Centre at the University of Pennsylvania, explained that the reason for Hawking’s lifespan is the fact that his breathing muscles and his ability to swallow have not completely deteriorated as with most ALS patients who die of repository failure, dehydration or malnutrition. It is also possible that being diagnosed at the age of 21 caused the disease to progress very slowly as is commonly seen with patients diagnosed in their teens because of the early help they can receive. Hawking’s lengthy survival with this disease represents a very small proportion of ALS patients.

A variety of research is currently underway in order to improve the quality of life of patients living with MND. Such research includes the work of Imke Oosthuizen, a UP Master’s student at the Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication. Last year, she conducted a study on the use of message banking as a way to facilitate communication in MND patients. The idea behind this is to digitally record a variety of phrases, sounds and stories from patients in the early stages of their disease and for them to later retrieve those messages when they are no longer able to speak themselves.

In recent years, awareness of MND has significantly increased due to social campaigns such as the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.

According to the ALS Association, the challenge raised around $115 million (R1.53 billion) in 2014 with 67% of it being spent on research. There are various organisations in South Africa that accept donations to aid research and awareness, such as the South African Motor Neuron Diseases Association and the J9 Foundation started by Van der Westhuizen.

20 February 2017 | Features

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Photo: Kaylyn O’Brien

UP Protests: a 2016 recap SAVANNAH PLASKITT

2016 was a year that will be remembered for its student protests across South African campuses. Here is a brief recap of the protests experienced on UP campuses in 2016.

Workers’ Protest On 11 January 2016, UP workers began a protest against the university’s outsourcing practices, and called for higher wages. Workers from companies such as Servest, Global One and Fidelity were dispersed by riot police on 12 January 2016 and the university remained closed during the following week. UP Summer School modules and special exams were disrupted and began again on 25 January 2016. UP’s annual Welcoming Day, scheduled to take place on 16 January, was cancelled due to safety concerns. On 20 January 2016, after

more than a week of protest action, a preliminary agreement was reached which included a staggered approach to wage increases and insourcing, as well as allowing UP workers and their dependents to study at UP for free. The first phase of insourcing began on 1 April 2016.

Accommodation On 3 February 2016, EFFSC occupied the Roosmaryn building overnight and disrupted classes the following day.

This was due to many students not being allocated a place in residence and therefore lacking the funds and access to buy food from residences.

Language Policy On 1 February 2016, UP announced a task team to review the language policy at the university. This was a result of a memorandum that was handed over by UPrising and signed by

UP Vice-Chancellor and Principal Prof. Cheryl de la Rey on November 2015. On 18 February 2016, disruptions broke out across the Hatfield campus after an announcement that from 2017 English would be the only language of instruction in lectures at UP. The university was shut down on 19 February 2016 after scuffles broke out between opposing members of SASCO, EFFSC, the PYA and AfriForum. UP reopened on 22 February 2016, but was soon shut down again by protesting students wearing black as a sign of support for #UPBlackMonday and the UP students who were arrested following protests, known as the #Tuks24. There were also violent clashes between pro-Afrikaans protesters and protesters in support of the Language Policy change.

SRC On 20 September 2016, the scheduled SRC elections were disrupted by protests linked to Higher Education Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande’s announcement of fee increases for 2017.

No further SRC elections took place in 2016 and an interim TSC was appointed.

Fees On 15 August 2016, the SRC held a mass meeting at the Piazza to address the issue of fees and receive a mandate from students about how to proceed.

On 19 September 2016, Higher Education Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, made an announcement about provisional fee adjustments for 2017. Households who earned more than R600 000 per annum would experience a fee increase of up to 8%, and there would be an increase in NSFAS funding.

Protests broke out at UP following this announcement and some classes were disrupted. Classes continued to be disrupted throughout the week and eventually UP was shut down and set to reopen on 26 September, with all tests and lectures missed to be rescheduled during the October recess (scheduled to begin on 3 October). However, on Monday 26 September UP announced that recess would not be cancelled, but instead brought forward and extended to allow time for engagement with protesters and stakeholders. October recess began on 26 September and continued until 10 October 2016.

UP did not reopen on 10 October 2016 as planned, but announced it would reopen on 12 October after further engagement with protesters and stakeholders. The reopening of the university was under strict access control and most lectures and assessments took place online. Many semester tests and practical classes were cancelled.

On 20 October 2016, students marched to the Union Buildings demanding free, quality and decolonised education.

UP exams took place under strict access control from 14 November until 3 December. No disruptions took place.

F**k Donald Trump: Hip-hop’s reflection of reality

Illustration: Kago Kola

HUVASAN REDDY Forty-fifth President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, is the latest in a string of topics that rappers are reacting to. During his 2016 presidential campaign, Los Angeles rappers YG and Nipsey Hussle released the single ‘F**k Donald Trump’, rated by HipHopDX as the 6th “most lit” track of 2016.

The single failed to chart, but was viewed by over 16 million people on YouTube with the remix, which featured rappers Macklemore and G-Eazy, garnering a further 3 million views.

The lyrics set out the rappers’ reasons for disliking Trump, with YG rapping, “Don’t let Donald Trump win, that ni**a cancer. He too rich, he ain’t got the answers. He can’t make decisions for this country, he gon’ crash us”, and Nipsey Hussle criticising Trump’s wealthy background and lack of political experience: “Reagan sold coke, Obama sold hope, Donald Trump spent his trust fund money on the vote”. YG later offered to perform ‘F**k Donald Trump’ at the presidential inauguration for a fee of $4 million dollars, but was not selected to perform.

‘F**k Donald Trump’ is one of the latest instances in a long tradition of rappers speaking about issues that affect the communities they come from. Since the late 80s, hip-hop artists have been at the forefront of speaking out about the issues they faced in their communities. Aware of the influence they have over their listeners, hip-hop artists have used their reach to raise social issues in a way that resonates with the man on the street, creating catchy, often expletive-ridden sing-along anthems that counter the establishment. In an article titled ‘Day of the Dre’, published in Rolling Stone magazine in September 1993, then Dr Dre prodigy rapper Snoop Dogg said, “I feel like I’m one of the power speakers, like a Malcolm X figure now.” Since then, the world has changed, and so has hip-hop, but a catchy, curse-filled line has remained a popular way to raise issues that hip-hop artists’ communities feel strongly about.

It started in 1988, with legendary rap group NWA’s debut album, Straight Outta Compton. While the title track had a few choice words for police, the anti-police brutality protest anthem ‘F**k tha Police’, which featured on the album, stood out as a song of resistance against the continuous harassment of black youth by police in America’s urban centres. With lyrics including “and not the other colour so police think, they have the authority to kill a minority”, ‘F**k tha Police’, which was later ranked 425 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, earned NWA the title of “the world’s most dangerous rap group”, a warning letter from the FBI, and worldwide notoriety. Founding member of NWA, rapper and actor Ice Cube, continues to perform the song today, and the song made a resurgence in the wake of the #BlackLivesMatter protests, which broke out in the US in 2015 after multiple instances of police brutality resulting in the deaths of unarmed black people across the US. Gangsta rap, the subgenre of rap music that most of these songs fall into, has been blamed for many of the social ills faced by African-American youth. While gangsta rap has been declining in recent years, its influence on American youth remains a debated topic. American newspaper The Michigan Chronicle, in an article titled ‘The damaging effects of gangsta rap’, published on 9 October 2013, said of gangsta rap: “the fact that the music has been embraced by so many young AfricanAmericans, especially males, speaks volumes about their misguided mindsets, their (usually) undesirable backgrounds,

their bleak futures, and the problems they create in the Black community”. Ice Cube hit back at critics of gangsta rap with the track ‘Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It’, from his 2008 album Raw Footage. The song adopted an ironic approach, and included lyrics such as “If I call you a ni**a, ain’t nuthin’ to it, gangsta rap made me do it”, analysing the way that gangsta rap was blamed for the social issues being faced by African-American society, even though the majority of the social conditions faced

by African-Americans are a product of the environment created by social oppression and institutional racism, and that gangsta rap served as a reflection of the environment black youth lived in.

In South Africa, the hip-hop scene has a mainstream focus, with elements of gangsta rap, but is still developing.

Dookoom, a rap group from Cape Town, scratched the surface with their controversial protest song, ‘Larney Jou P**s’ – an aggressive bi-lingual rap song that tackled the issue of coloured farmworkers being exploited by wineries in the Cape. The song, which featured on Dookoom’s 2014 album A Gangster Named Big Times, included lyrics such as “you robbed and screwed the natives, now who’s the savage?”. The lyrics of the song led to Afrikaner civil-rights group AfriForum threatening to go to court to have the song declared hate speech. The music video featured a scene where the Dookoom logo was burned into a piece of farmland. In an article titled ‘Why is Dookoom so angry?’, published by City Press on 14 October 2014, Isaac Mutant, lead singer of the group said of the burning scene in the music video, “We’re burning our logo onto the land because we want to reclaim it. We’re definitely not burning any farms.”

In an opinion piece titled ‘AfriForum, jou ma: Who’s likely to win the “Larney” battle?’, published by Daily Maverick in October 2014, University of Cape Town Law professor and Constitutional expert, Professor Pierre de Vos, described ‘Larney Jou P**s’ as “a hip-hop track, a genre of music that is steeped in anger against the status quo; in aggression; in feelings of alienation and torment.” De Vos argued that the song would not constitute hate speech, as it is “a bona fide engagement in artistic creativity”, which is protected by the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act. Hip-hop is not only a reflection of the reality of its artists, but a way for an entire community to find its voice.

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Image: www.independent.co.uk

Entertainment | 20 February 2017

Image: www.genius.com

Photo: Kaylyn O’Brien

Guide to museums you always walk past on campus REBECCA WOODROW

Image: www.depechemode.com

Image: www.billboard.com

Albums to look out for in 2017 SERISHKA MOODLEY

Tremaine by Trey Songz: It’s been a while since Mr. Steal Yo’ Girl has released anything new, with his recent legal troubles taking centre stage, but this album by the RnB superstar promises to live up to fans’ expectations with many soulful ballads.

Culture by Migos: With hits such as ‘Bad and Boujee’ and ‘T-shirt’ already making waves, it’s only a matter of time before this album becomes the most downloaded album on the net. The album was released earlier in January of this year.

Plata O Plomo by Fat Joe and Remy Ma: This is the upcoming collaborative album from Fat Joe and Remy Ma, and is scheduled to be released on 17 February 2017. If you like the feel of ‘All the way up’, then you’ll love this album as it features collaborations with French Montana and Kent Jones, among other artists.

Zone by Gucci Mane: Gucci Mane has been relatively lowkey, but since his “newfound freedom”, he plans on making a big comeback. If you like the sound of ‘Black Beatles’, then be sure to check out this album as it has tracks of a similar sound. ÷ by Ed Sheeren: This is the third studio album from the English singer-songwriter, and with ‘Shape of You’ already making waves around many countries, this album is sure to be a hit. Be sure to watch out for ‘Castle on the Hill’ as well. The

Pssst...

Pssst... would like to remind everyone that just because it is Valentine’s day it does not give you the right to vandalize property. Poor Erika had to endure Olienhout’s screeches and lame post-it notes that littered their foyer.

However, this is not as bad as Olympus abusing roses to spew romantic slurs at Madelief. Speaking of Madelief, Pssst... rejoiced when, for the second week in a row, there were no jottirs on campus.

Pssst... really hopes that Madelief decided to get rid of those stupid polystyrene hats.

Magrietjie must not be loving the single life since Pssst... has never heard such unenthusiastic skipping coming from the Spikkels. It must be so hard to Rag alone. Maybe they should join Taaibos, who were seen drinking alone at Springbok on Valentine’s day.

Pssst... heard that the wedding vows Kollege made to Curlitzia at their zef wedding were as empty as the Vividus sign up tables last week.

album is set to be released on the 3 March 2017.

The New Toronto 2 by Tory Lanez: There’s no doubt that this RnB musician has been stirring things up in the industry, with hits such as ‘Luv’ and ‘Say It’, it seems that Lanez is on his way to stardom.

All Your Fault: Pt. 1 by Bebe Rexha: With the album’s lead single ‘I Got You’, this album promises to appeal to everyone.

The album was released on 17 February 2017.

SweetSexySavage by Kehlani: This sassy diva is showing no signs of slowing down with her debut album. Be sure to check out ‘CRZY’ and ‘Distraction’. The album is set to be released in February 2017.

More Life by Drake: With ‘Fake Love’ making its way around, the album promises to raise the bar that was previously set by Views. The album is set to be released in the early part of 2017.

Spirit by Depeche Mode: Despite more than 35 years of success in the industry, the band still manages to excite fans every time they release a new album. The album will see the band bringing its classic style to each track, making it unique.

Near to The Wild Heart of Life by Japandroids: These blistering punk rockers have exhilarated fans time and time again, so it should come as no surprise that this new album will raise the bar even higher for the duo. This is a definite must for all true rock fans. The album was released in late January 2017.

Vividus Ladies had some trouble keeping Mopanie’s attention what with all the other lady reses being invited to the Mielievidus zef wedding.

Didn’t anyone ever teach Mopanie men that it is rude to invite the mistress to the wedding?

Just some friendly advice from Pssst... to Zinnia, a duck pond filled with the stench of duck droppings, is not the supreme spot for a romantic make out sesh. Pssst... feels really bad for the men of Kiaat, surrounded by Inca, Lilium and Zinnia but zero marriage material around.

Pssst... would like to congratulate Jasmyn, Nerina and Asterhof for being so completely boring, that even Pssst... has nothing mean to say.

The only thing hot about Klaradyn this week was the fire drill they had.

Mareola should stop hanging out at Livingstons or risk not getting back into res like so many of your 2016 first years.

Love, Pssst...

Are you in the mood for silence, culture, and air-conditioning?

UP’s museums are ready and waiting.

Old Arts Building Highlights of what’s inside: Ceramic collections from Asia and the Netherlands, the Mapungubwe exhibit that houses the gold rhino, Dutch paintings, a pirate’s treasure chest, a beautifully crafted marijuana jar, and a thousand-year-old shopping receipt from Mesopotamia. The museum has shabtis – small funerary figures of Ancient Egypt – that were found in a rubbish dump in South Africa. They were taken from Egypt in World War Two and are thought to have been brought here by Italian soldiers.

“Am I even allowed inside? That building is old and intimidating.”

Yep! Admission is free and it’s open between 10:00 and 16:00 from Monday to Friday.

Old Merensky and the Eduardo Villa Museum Highlights of what’s inside: Eduardo Villa’s psychedelic sculptures in bronze and plaster of Paris. If you are looking for something more real-life you can check out works like those of Anton van Wouw, who is described as the father of South African sculpture, dating more than a century. His sculptures include busts of Boers in the Vignali style of bronze-working and Hunter Drinking Water – another bronze work in the style of Marinelli, Vignali’s former apprentice. At the entrance you are greeted by an elegant domed ceiling and a piece by Lwandiso Njara. Njara, a Tshwane University of Technology alumnus whose works have also been displayed at Arts on Main and the Absa Art Gallery, combines the influences of his Catholic schooling and rural traditional upbringing in his work to make it both contemporary and a reference “to bygone times”. The museum welcomes you with Transformation of Identity, Njara’s sculpture of a goat that has been sawn in half, and its organs are cogs and machinery.

Curator of the Sculptural Collection, Daniel Rankadi Mosako, said, “I think the importance of understanding museums comes from how they came into existence because they have not always been publicly accessible like we are lucky to have today. ” He added, “Historically, museums existed as the private collections of individuals” who then “bequeath their collections to particular institutions like the University of Pretoria museums”. He emphasised those responsible for the collections as custodians – caretakers of valuable works that should be valued.

Sci-Enza If you try and touch any of the exhibits at the Old Arts Museum or the Old Merensky and Eduardo Villa Museum, you will be tackled to the ground, or forcefully told to leave. So if you want your experience to be more interactive, Sci-Enza is the place to go. The manager of Sci-Enza, Puleng Tsie, said, “Anybody who walks in here can learn without even noticing. Whether [it’s] by the puzzles, at the exhibits or at the mirror maze, everything that you do here is a learning experience without you realising it. And that’s the thing for students I think. After sitting in lectures you need somewhere where you can just sit and relax your mind and explore different things”.

Sci-Enza has exhibits across multiple scientific fields including Mathematics, Geology, and Biology. Tsie is confident that the facilitators are approachable; most of them are Science graduates from UP. Tsie also spoke about another must-see at Sci-Enza: the Camera Obscura: “It’s a dark room, but once you go into it you can see an overview of Hatfield Campus and also the Pretoria skyline”. She mentioned that Sci-Enza draws return visitors.

The weather is warm and so is the welcome you’ll get at Sci-Enza. The enthusiasm fills the air thanks to people like its manager: “I love being here because it is a relaxing place to be at. No agendas, nothing, just walk in and explore”.

20 February 2017 | Entertainment

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Image provided.

The Black Spears entertain Hatfield LINDO KHOZA AND SHAUN SPROULE Students and visitors at The Fields were treated to a surprise on 7 February when a band turned the walkway into a lively stage. The streets were filled with music and dance, engaging students and tourists in an unusual treat. Perdeby spoke to the man behind the hype, Simon Gabi and his band The Black Spears.

Gabi has been performing for years and inherited his love for music from his family. His father also loved music and to perform, and his grandfather played the African drums. Even his brothers all played guitar, and this exposure to music helped launch his career.

Gabi performs with his girlfriend Delight Mabunda (backing vocals) and his other band mates who he has met through the years. Gabi said, “My band mates are people that I have connected with in life [from] different places.” When asked about performing with his girlfriend, he said “I get to discover what [and] who she is, you know? The other side of her, besides raising our kid and all the other things couples do on [a] regular day.”

The Black Spears perform African-inspired music with a modern twist. When asked about why he chose this style, Gabi said, “I am a strong African man with [a] traditional vibe, but I love all music and fuse my village sound with modern elements.”

He is currently working on an eight-track album telling the story of his life and his views of the world. The album should be finalised by March.

When asked about the experience in Hatfield, Gabi said, “Hatfield was phenomenal. I came across quite a different crowd...

Students, working people... All these expressed different reactions to the music, and I had to adjust to both their tastes in a short space of time, but at the end of it all they all became unified in echoing the same chorus.” Gabi advised fans to follow the page ‘Music in Hatfield’ on Facebook where The Black Spears post when and where they will be performing.

Illustration: Michal Linden

The Boy Who Lived: 20 Years Later CARLY TWADDLE 2017 marks the 20th anniversary of the publishing of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the first of seven instalments in the Harry Potter franchise. Since 1997, J.K. Rowling’s magical world has exploded and engulfed muggles. The fandom has been waiting with bated breath for this monumental anniversary.

Around the world, ‘Potterheads’ (as Harry Potter fans are known) are preparing their celebrations. At the end of January, Harry Potter World in Universal Studios (Orlando) hosted a Harry Potter celebration that spanned over three days. Many Harry Potter actors attended, including Tom Felton, who played Harry’s Slytherin counterpart Draco Malfoy. This festival saw numerous Q and A sessions, demonstrations, film screenings, and behind the scenes revelations. Fans flocked to Orlando for A Celebration of Harry Potter, and none were disappointed.

Pottermore, the official Harry Potter website, has announced that Bloomsbury Publishing will be releasing limited edition house-themed covers of the novel. Levi Pinfold, a highly acclaimed and award-winning illustrator, has partnered with the publishing house to deliver unique designs to celebrate this milestone. Each house has different hardcover and paperback

artwork pertaining to their houses. Pinfold has designed the crests for each house using traditional heraldry techniques and the iconic house colours. These features highlight what Pinfold deems to be the most significant aspects of the houses. These editions will be in store in June, and the covers can be viewed on Pottermore.

Rowling is also preparing for the celebration. Later in the year she will be opening an exhibition of her magical world at the British Library. This exhibition will include details on the creation of Rowling’s world, the conception of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, diagrams and explanations of various magical creatures and plants, original and unseen Harry Potter material, as well as the British Library’s own collection of the history of magic from all over the world. Bloomsbury Publishing and the British Library are very excited to collaborate to bring the magic to life. The exhibition will celebrate the joy and complexity of the magical Harry Potter world.

Be sure to look for celebrations and possible pub quizzes in your area as the year progresses, particularly around the time of Harry’s birthday (31 July) and when the Hogwarts Express leaves King’s Cross on the 1 September, as festivities are sure to increase. This is a historical event to be remembered by wizards, witches, and muggles alike.

Rapper Rouge shines bright SERISHKA MOODLEY

Image provided.

She goes by the name of Rouge and is currently one of the hottest new-school rappers to grace the South African hip-hop scene.

Rouge started her music career after finishing high school. She studied Drama at UP and planned to take on musical theatre. She always sang, but it was not until her friend convinced her to try rapping that she realized that she enjoyed it more. When asked why she went on to further her studies, unlike most rappers who drop out of school to pursue their dreams, she said “School was always important to me, especially since my family moved here from the Congo so that my siblings and I could have a better life. I felt as though I owed it to them to finish my studies”.

Apart from the fame that comes along with being in the spotlight, Rouge says that her family and God have always motivated her to do well. It would seem that the love and support that she gets from her family has steered her in the right direction, as she is set to release her new album in the beginning of March.

The album, titled The New Era Session, will feature collaborations with artists such as Moozlie and Shekinah, and will be a true reflection of who she is. She says that the album will showcase her sound, and that it will reflect a more honest side of her as she will be making the type of music that she wants.

When asked whether or not female rappers can hold their own in a predominantly male industry, she said, “I think as females we have a secret weapon in that everyone underestimates you, so when you do come hard, no one expects it, and their minds get blown by how well you spit those bars”.

This year in particular holds great things for the rapper as she is set to partner up with the beer brand, Flying Fish. She will also be doing a number of TV shows, as well as collaborating with many international clothing brands. Rouge says that she plans on building her brand, and that her ultimate goal is to be an all-round mogul.

__________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________

Study Course:

Year of study:

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Email address:

Language(s):

(1) ____________________

(2) ____________________

(3) ___________________

Please indicate for which position you are applying, in order of preference (please state section):

News: Features: Entertainment: Sport: Layout artists: Copy: Visuals: Web: Multimedia:

Positions available:

Investigative journalism, reporting on campus news.

In depth looks at current affairs, trends and hot topics.

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Reporting on UP and student sport.

Arranging and designing the actual pages of the paper.

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__________________________

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POSITION

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Please complete and hand in at Perdeby offices (next to the Prospect Street entrance) or email to perdeby@up.ac.za before or on Friday 24 February 2017 at 12:00

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Please note that successful applicants will be contacted for an interview. Interviews will be held between 27 February and 1 March 2017. Interview times are non-negotiable.

If you are applying for a position as a layout artist, please expect an email regarding the work you need to supply.

If you are applying for a position as a photographer, videographer or graphic artist, please attach a portfolio of at least 5 images, audio clips and/or videos with your application.

If you are applying for a position as a journalist, please submit an article of approximately 400 words in English on any relevant topic (with reference to the particular portfolio you wish to apply for) with your application.

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10 Application | 20 February 2017

20 February 2017 | Sport

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Kobus van der Walt. Image provided

Kobus van der Walt says goodbye KWAZI SOKHELA The University of Pretoria will see one of its long-serving members leaving towards the end of this month. Kobus van der Walt, who has been the Director of TuksSport since 1999, will be retiring after close to 18 years of service to the university, and is being succeeded by current High Performance Centre CEO Tony Sutcliffe.

Perdeby spoke to Van der Walt to reflect on his tenure at what could now be considered one of the most recognised sporting institutions in the country.

Can you describe what it has been like working at TuksSport for nearly 18 years?

It was great to work here, I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the University of Pretoria. I enjoyed

the students, I love working with young people [and] that’s why I am in this job and have been doing it. When I started in 1999, TuksSport didn’t exist as we know it today, it was a young, unstructured department. We had a good history in sport over many years but at that stage there were a lot of things that had to be remodeled, rebuilt [and] built from the ground. For instance the term “TuksSport” didn’t exist. All the clubs played in different clothes, the stripe wasn’t prominent, and we didn’t have one brand and one focus. So over time, that I think has been our most important contribution. The team I had with me all the way through were great people. I had good staff, good coaches, [and] good managers...

I think the most important thing that we did is we created a pride in the university sport brand.

Now as you know everybody is wearing the stripe. So it’s been fun and I really enjoyed it.

Can you explain some of the growth TuksSport has gone through since you started, up until now?

I think historically rugby has always been a big sport at the university. When I started here in 1999, we only had three football teams participate in the league and the residence league wasn’t even that strong at that stage. So that was one of the first challenges, and then we enjoyed it because I’d been in football administration before and Dr Rendani Mulaudzi who joined me in 2000 did a great job also helping me. So we have built up football from virtually a very lowkey activity only playing in the local league. We started the junior programme in about 2000 and I think that’s one of our greatest success stories from a club management point of view: to bring it all the way through to the PSL. Unluckily we’re out of that, but then on the other hand the question is always is that the real place to be? Shouldn’t we only be focusing on Varisty Football, because at the end of the day we are a student organisation working for the students?

What would you say has been the most rewarding thing about working at TuksSport?

The people. It was always one of my biggest joys to see people when they start to perform on a national level when they come through and they are becoming the stars of the country.

They win medals at the Olympic Games and I’ve seen them when they came in as skinny first years, young, inexperienced and now what we’ve created at the university has brought them through the ranks and helped them, supported them so that they’re not only good for the university, but eventually did perform well for the country.

Are there any memorable moments that still resonate with you?

There’s been many. In the early years, seeing how people on Main campus started to wear the stripe, the residences introduced the striped T-Shirt – all the residences. It really became the brand of the university, the social brand, the fun brand, the brand which the students enjoyed, and then obviously winning some of the big ones. The [title] of the NFD that we won to promote [Amatuks] to the PSL. Having cleared Coetzenberg stadium (in Stellenbosch) in 2012, when we beat Maties solidly and before the end when we saw all their supporters had left.

Having won Varsity Athletics first two years in a row, [and] Varsity Football first two years in

a row because that’s the modern, new hype in student sport. We have won a lot of titles. As we sit here today, the University of Pretoria has won more medals. That means first, second and third places in all the varsity sports competitions put together than any other university. I’m in sport to win, that’s what people do – you build everything towards success on the playing fields and yes there’s been great wins [and] been a couple of bad losses also along the way, but we enjoyed [it]. I enjoyed every time a TuksSport team took the field or the individual athletes did well. I was always proud.

What will you miss most?

You guys, the students, it’s kept me up. I think that working in the university environment one obviously must have a passion for young people, and to have done it before. [Before] I came to the University of Pretoria I was also at the old UPE (University of Port Elizabeth), [now] NMMU, for 8 years also as director of sports. I’ve been in this specific game for 25 years, and over the years I have seen great, great youngsters come together. They’re making a success not only of their sporting careers but also graduating, becoming successful business people and that I think is what I will miss. I will not miss coming to [the] office, I will not miss sitting in long meetings, but luckily sport is high profile so there will always be something on TV where I can see the people that I have been involved with at some point or another.

What heights do you hope to see TuksSport reach in the future?

Just to go from strength to strength. As it is, TuksSport is contributing with obviously the HPC as part of the double package at the university. [TuksSport] is producing some of the best national athletes for the country. We need to maintain that, we need to bring the youngsters through a system because I think we are in a better position than most other places, including other universities. There’s a lot of incredible youngsters in our system even at our own school now (TuksHigh), where we have two school kids who went to the Olympics last year. [In] the recent cricket series, [there were] two former Tuks cricket players and Lungi [Ngidi], so suddenly three new national players [representing the Proteas]. Our golfers are starting to make their mark internationally and even [on the] the pro circuit and that’s important, but then also very important is for the student community to come behind our sports teams to support them when they play.

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Sport

Flip through Perdeby online www.perdeby.co.za

Ryan Chapman. Photo: www.kickoff.com

Kyle Davies. Photo: www.kickoff.com

Siphesihle Sangweni. Photo: www.kickoff.com

Auguston Leonard. Photo: www.kickoff.com

KWAZI SOKHELA

search programme, and subsequently played for the team in 2013. His performance for the Nedbank KeYona team in 2013 sparked interest from PSL giants Orlando Pirates, who eventually signed him on a two-year contract.

Davies found game time hard to come by at Pirates and was sent on loan to Royal Eagles in 2015 where he struggled for game time as well.

After some unsuccessful attempts to find clubs to play in, Davies will be looking to reinvigorate his career at AmaTuks and produce the form that saw him spark the interest of Pirates.

Siphesihle Sangweni Despite only being the ripe age of 19, Sangweni has been generating interest since he was 17.

The central midfielder initially impressed in the 2014/15 MultichoiceDiski Challenge for Orlando Pirates, but has found it difficult to get game time for the senior team. In 2015 Sangweni was sent out on a loan spell to Golden Arrows in order to ensure that he received regular game time and for his growth and progression as a player.

Auguston Leonard The 25-year-old wingback is struggling to get some game time at his current club Highlands Park F.C., allowing for him to be sent out on loan in search for some more match time. In the early stages of his career Leonard played for Moroka Swallows. During his tenure at Swallows he went on loan to Bloemfontein Celtics in 2012, where he eventually moved to the Bloemfontein-based outfit. During his time at Celtics he was loaned out to Milano United in 2014.

From left to right: Mariske Wiese, Tayla Diepenbroek, Megan Page, Hannelize Human. Image Provided

Tuks squash lose the final of the NSA Blitz League ANELE MANANA There is massive action every year for UP’s squash ladies when they compete in the twoweek long National Squash Associations Blitz League tournament, in preparation for the new season league. This year, two UP ladies’ teams were entered into the tournament into two different pools to fight for the throne as league champions.

UP-Tuks 1, consisting of Megan Page, Hannelize Human, Mariska Wiese and Tayla Diepenbroek, kick-started their tournament on 30 January with a comfortable win over Pretoria Country Club (PCC) 12-1. They later played Harlequins where they ended up 7-7 in games, but unfortunately lost the match by four points. The four-women team finished second in their pool, while UP-Tuks 2 finished top of their pool, forcing the first team to face their own as opposition in the cross-over (semi-final).

The Harlequins managed to safely secure their spot in the final, while the second semifinal was an interesting game to watch. Teams from the same corner had to go head to head to secure the last spot in the final. However, in a quest to redeem themselves for the prior loss they had suffered, it was UP’s first team who

emerged victorious, triumphing over the second team (9-4).

UP-Tuks 1 had a fantastic start to the final match when number 4 went up (3-0), followed by a win by number 3 to double their lead.

Number 2 suffered an injury in the first hand and unfortunately had to forfeit the match.

Number 1 fell short, losing 3-0 in her match.

It was a very tight fight to the finish, but it was the Harlequins who came out victorious in the end. UP-Tuks 1 ended up losing 7-6 in games, in what one could describe as a nailbiting final. They were placed second overall in the tournament.

UP female squash number one, Megan Page, told Perdeby that they were initially excited to make the final because they had a chance to redeem themselves from losing against the Harlequins. She also said that she was very excited for the upcoming season as she and her team have put in a lot of preparation for this season, and she believes that they have an amazing squash team to assist them in achieving their goals and bringing home the gold.

Additionally, she said that after suffering an injury which had her side-lined for a while, she is determined to have a great season this year.

Brittain brothers row in another win ANELE MANANA The Brittain brothers win is definitely a moment that will go down in history as one of the highlights for Tuks Rowing. Lawrence, Charles, Matthew and James Brittain all rowed together in a race against competitors Jake Green, John Smith, David Hunt and Lee Davis to win the final of the Grand Challenge on Saturday 11 February. This is the first time the brothers have ever competed together in a competitive race.

The Brittains got off to a quick start, managing to get out of their blocks faster than the opposition. However, they seemed to slack in the second quarter and were trailing by the halfway mark. Knowing what was at stake, the Brittains came back in the third quarter to overtake Green and his crew. The lead did not last very long as the opposition came charging back again. In the end it was the Brittains who concluded the historic Buffalo Regatta by snatching the win

Image Provided.

just before the Greens could come back.

This sealed a double win for brother Lawrence Brittain, who is also a 2016 Olympic silver medallist. He dominated the Silver Skulls race earlier in the day, in which he put up a superb fight to finish five seconds ahead of fellow Tuks rower, Kyle Schoombie. This win saw him receive gold while the Buffalo Regatta was the icing on top. Overall, Tuks finished first with 420 points while UJ finished with 300.

AmaTuks bring in reinforcements The University of Pretoria (AmaTuks) has brought in reinforcements in the form of four new signings in the January 2017 transfer window, ahead of the second half of the season in the National First Division. The players consist of striker Ryan Chapman from Santos, midfielder Siphesihle Sangweni and wingback Auguston Leonard (who have moved from Orlando Pirates and Highlands Park F.C., respectively on loan till the end of the season), and defender Kyle Davies.

Ryan Chapman The 29-year-old centre forward from Cape Town is a seasoned campaigner in South African football, with a vast amount of experience under his belt, having played for several PSL teams which have seen him earn two international caps for Bafana Bafana. His PSL career commenced with Santos F.C. in the 2006/07 PSL season and gained traction when in 2010 he made the move over to Bidvest Wits where he enjoyed three successful seasons at the Joburg outfit. Chapman then had loan stints for SuperSport United in the 2014/15 PSL season and Golden Arrows in the 2015/16 season (which ultimately came to a premature end).

Before joining AmaTuks, Chapman left Bidvest Wits, becoming a free agent and making brief return to Santos F.C. Kyle Davies The left back initially emerged onto the professional football scene when he was discovered through the Nedbank Ke Yona team