UP’s Indigenous plants for your flower crowns
Perdeby looks at the best places to study on campus
Perdeby
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Tuks se amptelike studentekoerant / Official Tuks student newspaper / Kuranta ya baithuti ya semmušo ya Tuks
23October2017
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SRC member apologises for using a racial slur -pg 3 Students and volunteers at the CSA&G held a demonstration against a senior staff member of the Centre who has been accused of sexually harassing volunteers and staff members. Photo: Fezekile Msimang
CSA&G senior staff member faces sexual harassment charges DITEBOGO TSHAKA AND KOKETSO NGWENYA
On 16 October a group of students and volunteers at the Centre for Sexualities, Aids and Gender (CSA&G) held a demonstration against a senior staff member who has been accused of harassing, manipulating and intimidating volunteers and staff members of the centre in order to solicit sexual favours. The silent protest was intended to represent the perceived silencing of the persons who brought claims forward against the accused senior staff member. The senior staff member is facing allegations that include harassing and manipulating students for sexual favours, threatening student volunteers and staff members for informing volunteers that he is married, offering student volunteers jobs and promising them international trips to solicit sexual favours, spreading rumours about student volunteers who reject his offers and making arrangements to fire them from the Centre, among other things. During the demonstration, the demonstrators held placards that represented a timeline of events from the time the matter was reported to the Centre’s management. Perdeby sat down with four of the eleven individuals who had laid formal statements against the accused. Three of them are volunteers and one of them is a staff member at the Centre.
On 4 August a group of students and volunteers at the CSA&G held a meeting with the centre’s director, deputy director and another staff member to talk about the various experiences they had had with the accused. “During that occasion many people brought up some of the unwanted sexual advances this person has made on them and the inappropriate behaviour in the workplace and his attempts to manipulate people through money and overseas trips and as well as the threats and intimidation of certain staff members,” recalled the first volunteer who wished to remain anonymous. She explained further, “Maybe not everyone who was present had experienced some kind of sexual advances but they witnessed it. They witnessed him scouting for young girls, they witnessed him lying to young girls, offering things — a lot of inappropriate behaviour. So that’s what we spoke about in the first session and because it was so serious they decided to escalate it and they took it to HR. Then they gave us feedback that…we’d be contacted to give statements”. During the demonstration, the Director of CSA&G, Mary Crewe, addressed the students to give them an explanation. She stated several times, “My hands are tied, I have tried to take the matter to relevant parties without any response. I have emailed Mr [Makgabo] Sekobelo (the Deputy Director for Employment Relations and Wellness from the
Human Resources Department) who has not been responding to my emails. In the past month I have sent two emails a week to escalate the matter. The accused senior staff member still works for the Centre. It is not up to me to fire him but UP management.” Crewe said that she accepted the demonstration, but suggested that it was not a helpful strategy on the part of students and volunteers of the centre and reiterated that they should take the demonstration to Sekobelo’s office and to UP Security Services. The protesters were disgruntled with the response of the director, asserted that they no longer needed explanations and demanded that action be taken against the accused. At the time of going to print, Sekobelo was unavailable for comment. On 16 August UP Security Services contacted staff and student volunteers and requested statements from them within 72 hours. “We gave our statements and the investigator I spoke to told me that we have to give our statements … so that they can compile a preliminary report based on the investigation and make recommendations as to what should follow next,” said one volunteer. “So from our understanding that happened, and it was recommended that his person is suspended immediately, which then happened [as] they were suspended,” she recalls. Following this development, the accused senior manager was
met with a suspension and was instructed to not enter campus pending the investigation. However, UP Department of Security Services had not barred his access from the university premises. As a result, on 11 September the accused returned to work and warning was not given to student volunteers by Centre management that he was set to return. “So during the time of their suspension, our understanding is that Person X is not allowed to be present on the premises, but on various occasions this person was present in the premises, in the CSA&G [and] coming to work like it’s a normal day. So that is essentially what we were demonstrating against,” the volunteer explained. The Deputy Director of CSA&G, Pierre Brouard stated “he [the accused senior staff member] was out of the country at the time the issues were raised and was asked not to return to the CSA&G”. According to student volunteers “no measures were put in place by management of CSA&G to protect us from him”. Brouard told Perdeby, “We believe that the CSA&G is and should be strengthened as a safe space where full discussions can take place, the students are encouraged to discuss issues that affect them and ways in which these can be resolved.” He also mentioned that the current sexual harassment policy is available in the CSA&G and had been shared with the students.
Continued on page 3
Canine counselling: animal assisted therapy -pg 6
As You Were Liam Gallagher -pg 9
TuksArchery: A springboard for local archers -pg 11
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Perdeby
Editorial |23 October 2017
See you on the flip side, kids… The year has come and gone for the Perdeby staff. It feels like just yesterday that the rest of the editorial and I sat down in the previous editor, Huvasan’s, office for the first time, new, timid and unsure. We have made mistakes, but we have learned, grown and matured into a close editorial that can tackle any situation placed before us. We started as a completely new group with no previous experience between us, but we found our way in the end. Happily, some of us are staying, bringing our experience from this year into the new one. We have some exciting plans for next year, so look forward to picking up your first copy of Perdeby on campus in 2018. I could speak about my experience with what has become my campus family all day, but I also need to thank our regular readers. Without the students this paper does not exist. As I always say, Perdeby is for the students, by the students and about the students. So again, thank you. Having said that, someone made a claim this week about a story in this edition. According to this person, we are sensationalising a story, but I feel that this story is particularly not one that should pass by without reaching the students. Any time a person does something
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Letters I cannot emphasize the importance of the implication and power of what you say, especially in leadership positions like myself Kyle Goosen, SRC representative. We must be aware of what we say and how we say it at all times. On the eve before the DSA camp we had a team building event where activities had to be performed in our relative groups. I was in a group with fellow SRC members involved in various team building activities. In one, we greeted each other in stereotypical ways. E.g. an English gentleman, an Irishman, a lumberjack and an American gangster. The instructor slagged his pants and started acting in a stereotypical manner of an American gangster. My colleagues were greeting each other with American accents, fooling around, and I said to one of my leaders “what’s up my ni**a”. I did not at this point think about what I had said. I did not intend this word as derogatory or relating to race. My leader spoke to me and I apologized for not being mindful of the severity of the word. I emphasize to everyone that it is not alright to use the word whether you think you are being funny or rapping a song. We, especially as white people, should not misappropriate the word. It’s a word that caused people to feel lesser, caused fear, a symbol of segregation, of oppression and hardship, we cannot allow it to still hold power, no matter the situation or setting, it should never be used. l wish to apologise to all those present in my group that night, for what I said to my leader and everyone affected by my actions, it was offensive and wrong and I acknowledge that. Let this stand as a warning and opportunity to show people we should never use words like “ni**a” it only allows the pain of the past to fester. -Kyle Goosen SRC Marketing, Media and Communications
I read this week’s issue of Perdeby, and what touched me is the article on suicide rates. The reason it touched me is because I was once depressed and had suicidal thoughts at some point last year first semester. What allowed to me get through such a period are the words I wrote and which have helped me during difficult times. It is said that hard work pays off, but I’m sure that statement is forever doubted when one goes through life’s difficulties. Everything just falls apart and seems to be a never ending nightmare. You begin to question the worth of your efforts, whether or not you are good enough to do this, and some people get to the point of questioning their existence. The question is, should you give up just because trials and tribulations are pounding themselves on you? I’m here to tell you that you shouldn’t throw in the towel on your dreams and goals…Why? Because God loves you. Keep at it. One day you will see the results - Sean Nkomo
From the Editor wrong, in any context, it is ignorant to think that it can, and should, be brushed under that carpet. The fact that we report on it is not sensationalising, it is about holding people accountable for their actions, especially when these people represent the general student population. In any case, I would like to say that Perdeby is still committed to bringing you the truth in a balanced and fair manner going into our 80th year. We are governed by the rules of the Press Code and decades of credibility and I aim to continue this tradition. In other news, we finally coaxed Pssst… out of its hidey-hole under the office floorboards, which was quite a difficult task as Pssst… told me that it almost decided not to return as it heard that Olympus had been making demands and claiming that they pay for Perdeby. I can assure you, anonymous Olympus guy, everyone at Perdeby is a volunteer and you most certainly don’t pay for anything around here. See you next year with our big new flashy plans for our 80th anniversary, and of course, good luck with this exam period. I know I could do with some of that luck. Shaun Sproule Editor
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Campus News Bites
UP professor elected as first female SASAS president Prof. Esté van Marle-Köster, head of the Department of Animal and Wildlife Sciences in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, has been elected as the first female president of the South African Society for Animal Science (SASAS). For the past 22 years, Prof. van MarleKöster has been involved in teaching and learning. She joined UP in 1995 where she completed a PhD(Agric) degree in Animal Breeding and Genetics. Prof. van Marle-Kösteris a registered Professional Animal Scientist with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions.
UP Education student wins Miss Earth SA Irini Moutzouris, a final year student in the Faculty of Education, has been crowned Miss Earth SA. Moutzouris said, “To me, being a Miss Earth South Africa winner means being a role model to fellow South Africans and an ambassador and voice for the environment and creating awareness about the environmental problems we face on a daily basis, especially in waste management.” Moutzouris entered the Miss Earth SA competition as part of her community project for Visual Arts in the Department of Humanities Education – a project promoted by 2016 Miss Earth SA finalist Nicolette Human, also a student at UP. Moutzouris said, “Education around waste and recycling is key. It is everyone’s responsibility and I believe that we all need to be re-educated on waste and our own role in the waste management of the city.” Later this year, Moutzouris will represent South Africa in the Philippines.
3 Continued from page 1. Brouard, who also represented CSA&G management at the demonstration, said that the Centre empowers student volunteers and staff members to speak up and challenge existing norms. When asked about management’s actions in protecting student volunteers he said, “a meeting was held with all the volunteers and immediately afterwards the management met with Prof. Grové (UP Registrar) and the process for a hearing was set in motion. Due to the serious nature of the issue we requested that this process be handled by the University and not by the CSA&G”. UP spokesperson, Candice Jooste said, “The staff member … had the complaint against him for sexual harassment. That complaint came through in July. The staff member was then suspended pending a disciplinary outcome. Due process is currently happening.” On 19 September the only two staff member who gave statements to UP Security Services received notices of the non-renewal of their employment contracts. Crew said, “We will just have to wait for a response from Mr Sekobelo who will decide the fate of the accused. In the meantime my hands are tied”. On 17 October the CSA&G released a statement in which it expressed its sadness and disappointment about a sexual harassment complaint against one of its staff members. “[As] a Centre committed to gender justice this is embarrassing and contrary to what we stand for in terms of our core values”. The centre stated that it is fully supported the rights of students to demonstrate, and saw the demonstration as a positive outcome of their work in training students to engage in activism. However, it also “[felt] it [was] important to place on the record” several points including
SRC member apologises for using a racial slur
UP supports Eskom Expo for Young Students The Eskom Expo for Young Scientists, held between 3 and 6 October, was supported by UP. Three UP faculties awarded five bursaries, valued at R78 000, to five grade 11 and 12 learners. The Expo was started 37 years ago and gives learners in grades 7 to 12 a chance to showcase their science projects in various categories. Rahil Samlal, from St Dominic’s Academy in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), won the prestigious UP Derek Gray Award. This award includes a full bursary to study at UP and a sponsored trip to Sweden to represent Africa at the International Youth Science Seminar, held in December. The EBIT Faculty awarded three bursaries of R10 000 each to grade 12 learners from schools in Vhembe, Mthatha and KZN. The Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences awarded two bursaries of R24 000 each to two learners from KZN. Compiled by: Henri Uys
that they had decisively dealt with a previous, unrelated case of sexual harassment. Other points included their stating that when the current matter was brought to their attention they acted with great urgency and “insisted the university investigate the matter in terms of the Sexual Harassment Policy” and that they “supported the suspension of the accused”. The Centre said that it had asked for students to be supported by the relevant support person noted in the Sexual Harassment Policy and had grown impatient with the process and “tried to urge its speedier resolution, in the interests of fairness for all”, and acknowledged that the process is “stressful for complainants”. The Centre said that it was “unfortunate” that a social media narrative had been created suggesting that the CSA&G had “been complicit in harbouring a sex predator” and not acting decisively regarding the matter. The statement concluded in saying that it “values the dignity of all and works to dismantle social systems which undermine this dignity”. Perdeby asked the Centre if any measures were put in place by its management to prevent this kind of incident from happening again in future. “Yes, we have always been clear that incidents of this type cannot be allowed in the CSA&G and that action will be taken. We hope that all staff and students behave according to the values and ethos of a sexualities and gender centre and that they respect the privacy and dignity of others,” said Brouard. He also mentioned that the incident had allowed the Centre to reflect on existing processes and whether the processes sufficiently protect staff and students. Brouard confirmed that the Centre would develop new ways of managing various CSA&G projects.
Illustration: Rhodeen Davies
DITEBOGO TSHAKA Kyle Goosen, SRC representative for Marketing Media and Communications is facing an internal disciplinary hearing for calling SRC president Kwena Moloto N***er. On 18 October, Goosen took to Facebook to explain the circumstances behind his use of the slur. According to Goosen, on 15 September, the night before a Department of Student Affairs camp, a team building event took place for SRC members. Over the course of the evening, the team instructor conducted an activity where the group members had to greet one another “in stereotypical ways of different nationalities, [for example] an English gentleman, an Irish man, a lumber jack and an American
gangster”. In the Facebook post Goosen writes that, “The way in which he [the instructor] pulled his pants down and enacted [sic] his way of what he believed American gangsters act like.” It was at this point that Goosen and his group were greeting each other in American accents, that he said to Moloto, “what’s up my ni**a.” Goosen claims that he did not think about what he had said and “did not [intend] this word as derogatory or relating to race”. He stated that when Moloto spoke to him about the use of the word, he apologised to him “for not being mindful of the severity [sic] such a word has”. “I emphasize to everyone that it is not alright to use the word whether you think you are being funny or wrapping a song. We, especially as white peoples, should not misappropriate the word. It is a word that has caused people to feel lesser it is a word that caused fear in the hearts of millions, it is symbol of human segregation it is symbol of repression and hardship, we cannot allow it to still hold the power it has, no matter the situation or the setting, it should never be used,” Goosen wrote. According to a source who wishes to remain anonymous, Goosen “used the N***er to [the] SRC president in front of DSA structure leaders like myself”. The source told Perdeby that they reported Goosen to the director of student affairs, Dr. Matete Madiba and, per the Constitution of Student Governance, they referred it to the Constitutional Tribunal. “The Tribunal held a mediation and the outcomes were that he makes a public apology, also he will be subjected to [an] SRC internal disciplinary hearing,” they said. Moloto confirmed that the SRC had referred the matter to the Constitutional Tribunal where “mediation process then ensued between Mr Goosen and the plaintiff”. He also said that the SRC would be instituting an internal disciplinary.
Gather Online comes to South Africa CHARISA MUJURU
Gather Online is a social media platform based in Australia and was founded by a South African, David Price. The spokesperson for Gather Online and SA 5FM DJ, Linda Mbuso, highlighted the central goal this platform aims to achieve. “At our core we bring together like minded people who want to share, contribute to and grow ideas with other like-minded individuals. [The platform is] very simple to use, an individual uploads a topic and people who have comments or insight on that particular topic will contribute, thus creating a gathering around that issue,” he explained. The application launched over four years ago and is being used in the USA, India and Vietnam. According to Mbuso, there is a shortage of applications that can really accommodate for unlimited characters, which is why Gather Online can cater well for students as an informal setting where they can discuss lectures or other issues affecting student life. The app is not just one for messaging but allows the “enhancement of student lives” since it is an international network and people from other parts of the world can have insight on each forum as well. Another factor that can prove to be beneficial for students is that one can customise the settings and filter out options that might require a lot of data usage. Gather Online allows for more private group chats and the removal of individuals who behave inappropriately if need be. The application allows people to stay informed about what is happening in and around the world and topics range from serious ones including the laws of certain countries and less serious ones such as whether Leonardo Dicaprio should be given the role of the Joker in Batman. You can use Gather Online on your desktop by going to https://www. gatheronline.com. It is also available for free download as an app on the GooglePlay Store and iTunes.
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News | 23 October 2017
Intervarsity News University of Free State (UFS)
On 18 October UFS management held a meeting with the university’s SRC to discuss a potential 8% fee increment for the university. This follows after Stellenbosch University announced their increment earlier this month. Disruptions at UFS ensued shortly after the meeting began. On 19 October a video was uploaded on Twitter where students at UFS were met with disruptions in the midst of a semester test. According to one of them, protesters were armed with fire extinguishers and started discharging extinguisher gas “through small windows in the classroom”. The students who were writing began struggling to breathe after the gas was released and some resorted to breaking glass windows in order to get oxygen into the room. According to News24, students who broke the glass windows sustained injuries and one eventually collapsed and had to be taken to the hospital. Both of them managed to receive medical assistance for their wounds.
University of Witwatersrand (Wits)
After weeks of student campaigning, Wits held their SRC elections online for the first time during the week of 16 October. Although there were privacy concerns expressed by some students and an EFF candidate was accused of campaigning during election week, the voting process still continued. According to WitsVuvuzela, on 19 October it was announced that the EFF-SC won 12 of 15 seats, securing the majority and the Progressive Youth Alliance (PYA) acquired the remaining three. PYA has for several years secured the majority in SRC elections as in the 2016/2017 elections they walked away with all 15 seats and in the 2015/2016 elections they won 12 seats. This will be the first time that the EFF-SC has won majority of votes in the Wits elections.
University of Johannesburg (UJ)
According to the Independent Online, two senior managers at UJ, council chairperson Professor Roy Marcus and deputy vice-chancellor of finance Jaco van Schoor are being accused of committing fraud at the university by the National Education Health and Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU). The two are suspected to have transferred R30 million worth of funds meant to be used to install solar geysers at UJ into the investment company Innovative Investment Corporation (IIC), where they are shareholders. The senior managers have reportedly been suspended since July after the news emerged, with Prof. Marcus resigning from the university soon after and Van Schoor facing a disciplinary process. According to its spokesperson, Herman Esterhuizen, UJ is still to make a decision with regards to laying criminal charges against “those implicated in the forensic investigation”. NEHAWU feels that the university’s actions are not enough as the money could have been used to assist financially needy students by covering their tuition. The union is set to open a case of fraud against the two managers as it believes that they are guilty and that Prof. Marcus’s resignation is an admission of this. Compiled by: Charisa Mujuru
Participants at the Ignite Ideathon event. Photo: Anotidashe Mukombachoto
UP entrepreneurship event: Ignite Ideathon CHARISA MUJURU Ignite Ideathon is an event to unite UP students and exercise their “entrepreneurship juices”. Created by UP alumni turned entrepreneurs and business owners, Nkanyiso Mlobane and George Tshepo Mokoena, this year’s event, held on 18-19 October, was the first of its kind. The 22 applicants who entered the pitch competition had to come up with three minute innovative pitches based on
one of four topics given, namely, agriculture, maritime, education and Bitcoin. The winners of the Ideathon not only received prize money for their innovative ideas but they have also been given a chance to pursue their ideas even further through the help of UP Business Incubator as well as the event’s sponsor, Standard Bank. Also involved in hosting Ignite Ideathon was UP MakerSpace, a laboratory that allows UP students with creative ideas to team up
TRWLA host year-end graduation ceremony KOKETSO NGWENYA AND MASESI TSOTETSI
On 19 October the TuksRes Women in Leadership Academy (TRWLA) hosted their annual year-end graduation ceremony at TuksMonate. The academy was founded in 2014 by Cyan Brown, a final year medicine student. TRWLA aims to empower women by enriching their lives at university. Leadership skills are often obtained through workshops, motivational talks and community service programs. The event was held to acknowledge young women who participated in the program. Keynote speakers included CEO of Sigma Capital and Harvard University graduate, Phuti Mahanyele as well as world-renowned media personality, Tumi Makgabo. According to Mahanyele, most people avoid their true dreams and tend to live by building the dreams of others instead of their own. She also mentioned that women have a purpose. In spite of women being less represented in senior management positions, she reiterated that women are in fact “more ambitious than men at entry level”. Mahanyele was listed as one of
Forbes’ 20 youngest power women in Africa. Various awards were given to management and facilitators as well as the ladies who had completed the programme successfully. Awards included the Fearless Feminist award, Most Promising Leader, and the ‘Tumi Makgabo’ awards amongst others. The ‘Thuli Madonsela’ award, given to the individual who had contributed most to the community service portfolio for the year, went to Khanyisile Mathenjwa. Paige Winfield was appointed as the TRWLA director for 2018, and Kayleen Smith as the Team Manager. One of the largest TRWLA community service projects this year included the frequent visits to Vukani Mawethu High School in Mamelodi where motivational talks were given to the girls of the school. TRWLA offers outreach programs that promote education about various topics such as the female body, hygiene, and protection against gender-based violence. Women are encouraged to challenge the status quo and grab opportunities with both hands. TuksRes encourages both first and second year females in residences to join the academy and learn to become future leaders in society.
with technologically advanced students and bring their ideas to life. The main goal of the organisations involved in the event is to help transform UP into a hub of entrepreneurial activity and to embrace the creativity of its students. In the line up for the event, other than the Ideathon itself, was speed mentoring for students who want to pursue entrepreneurship as well as exhibits from innovative companies in SA such as Microsoft and Intel, allowing students to obtain “information and training from the best”. In future, the hosts of the event intend to turn it into an annual two day conference exclusive to UP students, “where they get a platform to access entrepreneurship with a chance of succeeding” by speaking to renowned guests and being exposed to different entrepreneurial activities that will ignite the entrepreneur within them. The third place winner at the Ideathon was the group African Wealth Stokvel, led by Lesiba Moja and they won R2000. The group’s pitch was based on the topic of agriculture and their idea was to gather up money from different stokvels, domestic investors as well as the government and use it to create a company where they buy farms and hire locals to work on the farms and also give them a chance to own a part of the farmland. Second place went to Uni-ED learning, led by Jiahui Lu and they won a cash prize of R3000. Their innovative idea was to create software that can be integrated in the education system, giving students the chance to tutor each other and earn rewards that can later on be converted to cash rewards. The application would also allow students to obtain bursaries through the touch of a button. The grand prize of R5000 went to team Airducation led by Bongani Mthembu. Their idea, based on the topic of education, was to merge virtual reality with an educational application. This would be located in the township or the rural areas where a room is built next to a spaza shop and virtual reality headsets alongside tablets are placed inside the room, for primary and secondary school children to use. The students will be able to see lectures, do online assessments and collaborate with schools in different areas using the headsets.
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23 October 2017 | News
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Goodbye to the 2017 Editorial Until next year. Go wild... Shaun Sproule Entertainment Editor
“With great power comes great responsibility.” …which is why I prefer to have neither. Sam Sherwood Multimedia Editor
How does one say goodbye? If you’re anything like me there will certainly be awkward instances of trying to shake hands when you should be hugging, or being unsure or where to put your arms... Or your head... ( Go left people!) I’ve certainly experienced my fair share of awkwardness at Perdeby, but over the last three years, Perdeby has become a home. I will miss having a constant creative output and the wonderful people I have met and grown to love. So cheers to Perdeby and to the wonderful people who put so much hard work into this publication. Kaylyn O’Brien Visuals Editor
“Mischief managed”. Rebecca Perridge Web Editor
Goodbye. Farewell. It’s taken grit. Thanks for pushing me to write about topics of great change, and being the sources of said change. Also, see you again next year. Ditebogo Tshaka News Editor
Having been a part of Perdeby for the the past two years, I have learnt the true value of what it means to be a part of something bigger than youself. I owe a lot of thanks to the editors, my team and everyone at the paper for the invaluable lessons learnt. Being a journalist and editor at the paper is no easy job, and often leads to many sleepless nights. However, there remains very few occasions where it is possible to say to yourself “it was worth it”. And certainly, my time at Perdeby has been worth it. My most sincere gratitute to all those who made it worth it. Xander Janse van Rensburg Research and Development Editor
There are some things you can’t share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a 12ft mountain troll (and running a paper) is one of them. Carly Twaddle Online Content Editor
I joined Perdeby because I enjoy writing and I wanted to do something on campus that wasn’t just studying and being stressed. I have done a lot of writing but my time at Perdeby has been filled with so much more than that. It has been a lot of hard work, but I’ve been surrounded by people who have made every edition an adventure. Thank you for an incredible year! Savannah Plaskitt Feautres Editor
Oh 2017, what a year you have been! When I started off this year I could not have imagined how challenging yet incredible it would be. All I can really do is say thank you to the my sports team and 2017 editorial for making this one of the best experiences I have ever had. Lorinda Marrian Sports Editor
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Features | 23 October 2017
Illustration: Rhodeen Davies
How to study (if you do not yet know) COURTNEY PAULSE
To some students exam season brings with it an opportunity to show how their hard work and dedication throughout the semester has finally paid off. To the rest, the period only brings stress, anxiety, sleep deprivation and more stress. With less than a month before exams start, many students are seeking new study techniques that will help them excel in their final exams. A popular trend among university students in recent years has been the use of stimulant medication meant for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to cope with studying. In an article published by the National Centre for Health Research titled “’Study Drug’ Abuse by College Students. What you need
to know”, it was found that the most common justification for the use of stimulant medication among students was to help them stay awake, focus and study before a test or an exam. The article explores the use of drugs such as Ritalin, Concerta and Adderall, and explains that long-term use of these drugs can lead to serious health problems and adverse side effects. In a study published in the Journal of Addictive Diseases titled “Nonmedical Prescription Stimulant Use Among College Students: why we need to do something and what we need to do”, three main conclusions were drawn. The first was that nonmedical prescription stimulant users typically have lower grade point averages than that of nonusers. The second was that nonmedical prescription stimulant users were more likely than nonusers to be heavy drinkers and users
Illustration: Rhodeen Davies
Canine counselling: animal assisted therapy KATHERINE ATKINSON Many people claim that dogs are man’s best friend because of their unconditional love, but science has proven that dogs, and other animals, can also offer powerful therapeutic effects through animal assisted therapy (AAT). Recently this therapy method was used to comfort people in the city of Las Vegas after they experienced a tragic shooting which left 58 dead and over 500 injured. The Independent reported that the Lutheran Church
Charity’s K-9 Comfort Dogs, based in Illinois, visited various places in Las Vegas to help victims deal with the traumatic event. CRC Health defines AAT as a therapy that “improves patients’ mental, physical, social and emotional functioning with the aid of animals.” The therapy can take place in many different settings, such as mental health facilities, hospitals, prisons, schools and nursing homes. Although dogs are a popular choice for AAT, many other animals can be used including horses, dolphins, rabbits and even llamas.
of illicit drugs. Lastly, academic enhancement was not the only reason for nonmedical prescription stimulant use among students. After decades of psychological research on cognitive functions, the American Psychological Association has picked three principles that they believe will help students get the most out of their study sessions. The first principle emphasises that students should space out their study sessions. In fact, the more time students take between study sessions, the better the results of their efforts are. An example of this is when a subject requires sixteen hours to study. It will be better to study for four hours each week over a period of four weeks than to study for 16 hours in one week. The second principle is that students should focus on more than one subject per day instead of concentrating individual subjects. This will force students to notice the differences and similarities of the course material they are trying to master which will help them get a better understanding of the material. The last principle is testing oneself. Students who test themselves on the course material strengthen their longterm learning and help themselves remember the material better for exams. Researchers have recognised that these three study techniques are difficult to implement, but that they work because students are learning, forgetting, retrieving and then relearning which eventually results in the knowledge being transferred their long-term memory. In a 2013 article posted by the Washington Post titled “Study techniques that work — and (surprisingly) don’t”, the least effective study techniques were found to be the use of highlighters to highlight texts and other study material, rereading course material, summarising, the use of keyword mnemonics and the use of imagery for text learning. Another common study technique which is often used by students is pulling an all-nighter the day before an exam. Studies have found that not getting enough sleep before an exam can hinder a student’s ability to recall information and reason logically during a test. Students are encouraged to “study smart” by adopting effective study methods and although different study techniques work for different individuals there are a few study hacks that will make studying easier for most students and help keep stress levels low during the upcoming exam season. These study hacks are involve creating a study plan that is both realistic and effective, learning time management skills, taking effective notes during lectures, asking for help, testing yourself, staying hydrated, getting enough sleep and exercising regularly. Dr Linda Blokland from the Department of Psychology at the University of Pretoria says that there are “various modes of animal assisted therapy,” for example, “in equine assisted therapy, the client or patient will not mount the animal, but the interaction between the patient and the animal is used to reflect on at a later session together with the therapist. In other modes such as with children with disabilities or other psycho-social challenges, the patients might well sit on and even ride the horse.” Furthermore AAT involves “specific therapeutic goals, strategies and outcome measures” and is led by a qualified therapist, says CRC Health. One of the main benefits of AAT is that people feel as though they can open up to animals because they are non-threatening and non-judgemental. Blokland notes that the sessions “can be less threatening psychologically as people have a tendency to relate to an animal with fewer defences needed”. According to Blokland, another positive aspect of AAT is that it is an “experiential mode of therapy”, therefore, the “feedback to the patient is immediate and direct”. Although AAT is less verbal than other forms of therapy, “most modes of AAT do involve a later discussion and reflection of the animal session,” says Blokland. While there are ongoing debates about whether animals can really sense when humans are hurting, Blokland says that “animals do seem to respond to human emotion in appropriate ways”. Some animals, such as horses, are more sensitive to emotion and there are various theories that suggest why this may be so. Blokland says that animals such as horses are “preyanimals,” and are therefore, “more sensitive to picking up dangers and cues from the environment.” Other theories focus on the “socialising aspect of the long-time relationship between horses and humans,” which has enabled horses to grow to “understand” human emotions. The Organization for Human-Animal Interaction Research (OHAIRE), which is a research group led by Dr Maggie O’Haire at Purdue University, has done extensive research with respect to the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and autism using animals. OHAIRE says that PTSD is an extremely difficult disorder to treat, but that some veterans who suffer from PTSD have service dogs that are trained to instil “a sense of confidence, safety and independence on a day-to-day basis”. The service dog can serve “as a physical barrier between the veteran and approaching strangers” and even wake the veteran up from nightmares explains OHAIRE. Although AAT cannot “cure” autism it can potentially yield positive outcomes for people with autism such as “increases in social interaction, communicative [behaviours], positive emotions, and motor control for some individuals”. Blokland says that while AAT does seem as though it is becoming increasingly popular, it does obviously have “different requirements from conventional therapy” such as stables and specially trained therapists. This means that it can be a fairly costly form of therapy. Blokland notes that while AAT has “been well used overseas for some time,” it is “starting to take root here in South Africa”.
23 October 2017 | Features
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Hailstorms and floods wreak havoc across the country
Photos: Sally Hartzenberg
MOSA MGABHI Golf ball size hail and flash floods battered Gauteng on 9 October which killed one and injured four people in the Krugersdorp area of the West Rand. Two were injured due to the collapse of the Cradlestone Mall’s roof while the other three were hurt near the Hillside Road area, with one sustaining fatal injuries. The roof of Protea Riff Primary School, in Protea Glen, Soweto, was also blown off . The South Gauteng High Court and the Home Affairs building in Krugersdorp were among the identified state-owned properties damaged by the weather. The Gauteng Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs spokesperson,
Mogomotsi Mogodiri, expressed that emergency personnel relocated approximately 500 people to the Magaliesberg community hall in Orient Hills on the West Rand. On 10 October another storm hit KwaZulu-Natal, leaving the N2 flooded with vehicles submerged in water. Passengers on a minibus taxi were rescued by paramedics. Paramedics also rushed to Kingsway Road in response to a call and safely rescued individuals who were trapped inside a house. At least 30 state-owned properties were damaged, including “17 occupied by South African Police Services, Departments of Labour, Justice and Defence as well as 13 leased facilities” said Nkosinathi Nhleko, Minister of Public Works. The KwaZulu-Natal
Department of Health confirmed that the heavy rains affected five hospitals: Addington, Wentworth, King Dinuzulu, Prince Mshiyeni Memorial and King Edward. KwaZulu-Natal premier, Willies Mchunu, said that more than 133 schools were affected with an estimated cost of approximately R136-million required to repair the damages. The CEO of the South African Weather Service (SAWS), Jerry Lengoasa, spoke at a press briefing in Pretoria and expressed that most ordinary citizens did not receive “life and livelihoodsaving information” about the storm and stresses the importance of investment in infrastructure maintenance and forecasting capability. He did, however, go further to say that SAWS has plans to launch an SMS service for citizens to receive weather alerts. This system is expected to come into effect in March next year on World Meteorology Day. Devastating storms and flash floods can be attributed, in part, to extreme climate change. The South African Weather Service defines Climate Change as “the natural cycle through which the earth and its atmosphere are going to accommodate the change in the amount of energy received from the sun”, however, SAWS goes on to assert that “human intervention is currently causing the climate to change really fast, plants and animals may not be able to adapt [as] quickly to this rapid climate change as humans can, therefore the whole ecosystem [is] in danger”. Professor of Meteorology at UP, Prof Landman, explains that “recent extreme weather events may not be directly linked to climate change, but in a changing climate the chances and frequency of such extremes increase. The most robust signal we get from climate models is increasing temperatures, so it seems that we will continue to see a rise in temperatures over the decades ahead”. Piotr Wolski, who is an expert in hydro-climatology from the University of Cape Town and part of UCT’s Climate Systems Analysis Group, expressed that we cannot attribute the occurrence of a single event to climate change, however, it is expected that climate change will affect rainfall locally and cause large increases. He stresses that current weather patterns need to be studied further but, nevertheless, predicts that climate change will likely influence more extreme weather conditions in the country in the coming years.
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Entertainment | 23 October 2017
Entertainment Bites ‘The suitcase’ opens at the Market Theatre
Phray Creatives Launch
After a successful six week tour in the UK, “The Suitcase” is set to run at the Market Theatre from 20 October to 26 November. South African writer Es’kia Mphahlele wrote the original short story that has now been adapted for stage by director James Ngcobo. The play features actors Desmond Dube, Masasa Mbangeni (Thembeka from “Scandal!”), Siyabonga Twala, John Lata and Nokukhanya Dlamini, Set in 1950’s Sophiatown, the play tells the story of a young black couple that dreams of wealth and social upstanding. Together they leave for the city and soon discover the hardships that come with city life. Unemployment, poverty and the pressures of city life become too much for the young husband who must struggle to provide for his pregnant wife. One day on a bus, he steals an unattended suitcase. The stolen suitcase soon leads to dramatic twists and consequences.
UP student, Euphracia Montwedi is a second year Fine Arts student who launched her own creatives company, Phray Creatives, at an event she called Phray Beauty. The launch was hosted at Li’Theca guesthouse in Sunnyside on 13 October. The event was hosted to celebrate the diversity of what beauty and makeup have become, and what they will grow and turn into. This event hosted some of the most well renowed beauty and makeup YouTubers in South Africa, and they include Mihlali Ndamase, Ashley Mbuyisa, and Thandi Gama. “I hosted this event to highlight and shift away from the perception that wearing makeup means a woman is insecure; I want this event to show that makeup is also a form of art, with your face as a canvas and makeup as the paint. We are just making art,” Montwedi said of the event. The event had a successful turn out, with a large number of the attendees being students from UP.
Compiled by Naomie-Lisa Kobbie, Dinah Ramonyai and Shaun Sproule
Photo: Ciske van den Heever
Books to read when not studying NTOMBI MKANDHLA Exceptionally written books can open up your mind to a colourful world free from stress and panic. Whether to fill up a study break or for some holiday reading after exams, Perdeby has compiled a list of compelling books to unwind. Love Story, Erich Segal Erich Segal’s 1970 novel is a timeless (and very short) romance novel. It is a tale of two American university students from different worlds who fall in love. Jenny and Ollie get married soon after graduation but have a tumultuous relationship due to financial problems. Later on, after struggling to conceive, Ollie discovers that Jenny has leukaemia. Following the advice of a doctor, Ollie does not tell Jenny of her sickness. Love Story has had great influence on film, particularly Bollywood cinema. Popular Hindi films such Ankhiyon Ke Jharokhon Se and Sanam Teri Kasam were based on it. We Need New Names, NoViolet Bulawayo In We Need New Names, NoViolet Bulawayo hilariously narrates Darling’s childhood antics with her friends Stina, Godknows, Bastard and Chipo in the first part of the novel. The clan has mischievous adventures such as daydreaming of faraway lands such as Dubai and stealing guavas in Budapest, a wealthy suburb. Darling is raised in a Zimbabwean shanty town called Paradise which is riddled by violence, death and sickness. The reader is able catch a glimpse of the tense socio-political climate of the country through a
child’s eyes. This coming-of-age novel soon progresses to Darling’s Detroit USA migration to live with her aunt and her family. There, in her teens, Darling struggles with issues of displacement. She is forced to come to terms with her identity as a black African female whose culture differs with the American one she is confronted with. Touch My Blood, Fred Khumalo Touch My Blood is Fred Khumalo’s autobiography. In the typical style of this renowned South African journalist, the book is written in a poignant and humorous way. It details his outlandish fashion choices such as participating in the “American Dudes” trend, popular for its bright colours. Touch My Blood also tells of his tertiary years studying journalism, sharing a commune with white people in pre-apartheid South Africa. The autobiography explores sad and intimate moments of Khumalo’s life, such as when a close friend died in his arms due to the violence which rocked KwaZulu-Natal in the 1980s. Jungfrau and Other Short Stories: Caine Prize for African Writing 2007 To explore a myriad of African cultures and identities in one book, The Caine Prize for African Writing offers short story collections. Apart from South Africa, the 7th edition has tales from countries such as Morocco, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda and Mauritius. Nigerian author and playwright Sefi Atta’s thrilling story The Last Trip follows a drug mule’s arduous journey with her special needs child, Dara, by her side.
23 October 2017 | Entertainment
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As You Were Liam Gallagher Image: pitchfork.com
RICARDO TEIXEIRA Liam Gallagher, the British Rock ‘n Roll legend and one half of Oasis, is back. Having left Oasis (and his older brother Noel) in 2009, he founded Beady Eye in the same year, but departed from the band in 2014. Now Liam has launched a solo career, with this debut studio album As You Were. Named after the sign off usually found at the end of his tweets, this BritPop combination of Alternative and Indie features 15 new singles, including “Wall of glass”, “Bold”, “Paper crown”, and “I’ve all I need”. “Wall of glass” starts off this album with a mix of blues, alternative and indie as we once more hear Liam’s signature erratic vocals, singing some lyrics possibly in reference to older brother Noel, their Mother and Liam himself. The song was
unveiled at a live performance in Liam’s hometown of Manchester on 30 May, and the accompanying music video soon followed. The video features multiple shots of Liam singing to his reflection in mirror lined rooms, shattered mirrors besides a payphone and to the camera from behind a pane of glass in an interview room. It also features the singer in a golden Saint Laurent hooded jacket, which he says, “convinced [him]self that it made [him] look like a modern Elvis, as he loved to wear gold suits” in an interview with Pitchfork. With the album filled with songs either solely written by Liam, or co-written by the singer and other writers, the songs on this album are deeply entertaining. Fans can catch Liam on tour, starting in the UK on October 29th, but unfortunately, no South African performances announced yet.
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Poetry corner A Solitary Ant’s Measure of Greatness -Dylan Vosloo A solitary ant’s measure of greatness May be defined by the heights to which he climbs; The lovely rose whose stems straightness, The path to take, determines its petals dimes. For the ant must stand before his army And account for the sights he hath seen First to receive the praise for a journey lack of tardy But, only to be clouded by another’s glean. For this ant hath traversed the perilous journey of the stem. Over the razor thorns, through floods of rain He alone rose to stand among them: The beauty of his petals, his view, his love through pain.
Fun and Games | 23 October 2017
Pssst... Pssst… was in hiding for a while. Mostly because the residences were so boring this last quarter. Not even Mopanie dressed in only snug black underwear for their annual Jock Run seemed to excite anyone. Maybe it’s because the ladies’ residences finally realised that Mopanie Girl isn’t really that special, since Mopanie sings it at anything that even glances their way. Pssst… heard that Madelief left the arrangements for their engagement to Mopanie to the last minute. Not too excited to be paired with the most underwhelming residence of 2017, ey? And what’s with the name change from Zef to Africa? Pssst… smells cultural appropriation. Magrietjie and Olienhout’s Rag name is Mags Republic. Pssst… thinks this name is very original and not at all similar to 2014s Mad Republic. Maybe the Houte can’t get over Madelief after all these years, or maybe they have just lost their oompf to even care. Pssst… just doesn’t hear much else from the pitiful Houte. Jasmyn and Katjiepieiring must be very unimpressed with their assigned Rag partners, to be depressed enough to pair together along with Kollege. Pssst… just doesn’t believe that Jasmyn and Katjie will be able to keep the hormones to bay, especially since Jasmyn is still bitter about Katjie’s red HK dresses this year.
Vividus Men, oops! Pssst… means Dregeana has been trying hard to impress their new Rag partners, Klaradyn, during Zoep Week. Apparently a thoroughly underwhelming Zoep Week was not improved by ragging with a res that can’t pronounce their own name. Pssst… just want to remind Dregeana that this will make no one forget about their awful Serrie, but at least this time you were all fully dressed. Thank goodness! No one wants to see that again. Pssst… also wants to congratulate Boekenhout on a great feesjaar. Except that is wasn’t a feesjaar, since Boekenhout is only 54 years old. But Pssst… won’t too hard on the Ysters, because Pssst… knows that elaborate schemes like this are the only way to get people to ever take notice of Boekenhout. Pssst… was even surprised to hear to they have a clubhouse, when they opened it on Friday. Pssst… heard that a Jasmyn lady has been sending unsolicited complaints on how “even [she] doesn’t want to be in Jasmyn”. Pssst… can’t really blame her, since Pssst… wouldn’t want to be in Jasmyn either. Pssst… has heard that Olympus has been struggling without their favourite gossip source, but Pssst… isn’t interested in pandering to the demands of entitled medical students who think they pay for Perdeby.
Alas, to all fellow ants, beware the short stemmed rose For beauty too easily come by may cause an ants heart to close. Perdeby often gets asked if we have a space for poetry in the paper. Now we do. If you think your poetry should appear in this space, send an email to perdeby@up.ac.za. Submissions may not be more than 100 words and may not have any unusual layout features. See the Perdeby letter policy at perdeby.co.za for other guidelines.
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23 October 2017 | Sport
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TuksArchery. Image Provided
TuksArchery: A springboard for local archers ANTHONY JORDAAN
David Kabwa. Photo: Michael Ridge
UP student represents SA at UIPM Laser-Run World Championships NTOMBI MKANDHLA David Kabwa, a first year Political Science student represented South Africa at the Union Internationale de Pentathalone Moderne (UIPM) 2017 Laser-Run World Championships. The third annual leg of the relatively new sport was held in Cape Town on 14 and 15 October. Kabwa competed in the Junior Male category. He came fifth in the individual race with a time of 16:45:00 and came first in the team laser-run race with fellow South Africans Neytwin Laminie and Gareth Voster. Their collective time was 46:18:00. Laser-run is the original creation of UIPM which merges laser shooting with running. Athletes have to hit a target five times before they can run. UIPM’s website adds that “the total number of hits is 20 and the total running distance is 3200 meters”. Due to the high intensity, one has to keep focused, particularly when shooting. “I close one eye and look down the scope of the pistol. In [that] moment, nothing else matters,” Kabwa said. Kabwa said he went for the laser-run trials earlier this year, following the advice of a friend. In preparation for the world championships, Kabwa said he trained close to 600 hours. This consisted of training for up to two hours every day except for
Sundays, where he trained for only 30 minutes. He admitted that slotting in training time to his schedule was often difficult due to his many commitments. “I got up at 03:30 every morning to get my training in,” he said. His training was not short of challenges. In September, he pulled a ligament and sprained his ankle. Kabwa, however, concealed his injuries. “Nothing was going to stop me,” said Kabwa. Kabwa said he felt “overwhelmed” by the reality of being a medallist at the world championships. He said, “I fell to my knees and was overcome by a sense of accomplishment. This was seven years in the making”. His achievement has pushed him closer to his dream of representing South Africa at the Olympic Games in the future. While the laser-run is not yet a sport in the main Olympic Games, Kabwa hopes to participate in the Youth Olympic Games which have added the laser-run in their events. Kabwa explains that “any athlete who competes in any of the disciplines within a pentathalon is considered to be a pentathlete […] I would have to go through that route and then compete in the modern pentathalon and that is how I would get into the Olympics”.
TuksArchery has shown exponential growth. In 2017 alone, the club has hosted events ranging from the TuksArchery Provincial Championships, the June Autumn Championships, the TuksArchery Winter Challenge and the North Gauteng Provincial Indoor Championships. Athletic success may most accurately be depicted by pointing towards the qualification of Tuks athletes for the July World Cup event in Germany, the Senior World Championships in Mexico, and the Junior World Championships in Argentina. Five Tuks Archers represented Team SA in the compound archery divisions at the World Cup in Berlin and another five competed in the Rosario 2017 World Archery Youth Championships held in Argentina. Six players from the club were chosen to represent South Africa at the IFAA World Indoor Archery Championships held in Romania from March to April. With the sport in the shadows of bigger sporting codes such as rugby and football at the university, receiving invitations to such prestigious international competitions throughout the course of the year is often regarded as the bread and butter of the club, as they are allowed the opportunity to reach a larger worldwide audience. The selected juniors competing received their invitations to the event as far back as July, after successfully completing national team trials. Christiaan de Klerk, Reuben Brent-Meek, Lourens Myburgh, Luke van Leeuwen and Wian Roux were selected to represent the club in the Rosario 2017 World Archery Youth Championships between 2 and 8 October. Brent-Meek came sixth in the Compound Junior Men’s category while van Leeuwen came 40th in the same category. In the Compound Cadet Men’s category, de Klerk came 14th. Myburgh also competed in the Compound Cadet Men’s category and attained 41st position. Roux competed in the Recurve Cadet Men’s category and came 63rd. The club manager Ilze Wicksell provided insight concerning the growth of TuksArchery in recent years, as well as the club’s recent success. “TuksArchery have provided the most Protea Archers competing at World Archery Events in recent years,” she said. TuksArchery are also concerned with the development of paraplegic archers. The annual North Gauteng and Provincial Championships which took place in February saw the largest number of paraplegic archers in the history of South African archery competing.
Sport TuksSport’s 2017 achievements. Photos: Stefan Stander
TuksSport’s 2017 outstanding performance: year in review EMMANUEL OLUSEGUN TuksSport is renowned throughout SA’s university sports landscape not only for its facilities, but for its consistent production of world class athletes across various sporting codes. With such a reputation comes the expectation of success, but few could have anticipated how successful 2017 would be. TukSport recorded tournament wins and successes in multiple sports including rugby, hockey, athletics and football. TuksSport’s 2017 successes began with the Varsity Athletics tournament in March, with the team’s dominance in recent years continuing into 2017 as the athletes claimed yet another title. The series of meets that make up the Varsity Athletics season concluded on 31 March with Tuks amassing a gigantic 31 310 points to see off the challenge from NWU-Pukke who finished in a close second on 30 785 points. TukSport’s success continued in April at the Varsity Rugby tournament which concluded with a TuksRugby win. The FNB Tuks Young Guns (the u/20 side) had once again reached the finals of their respective tournaments. The players showed that their desire for victory had not waned and won the final with a hard fought 42-37 win over the Maties Young Guns. TuksRugby’s first team were up next, also facing old foes Maties in the main
tournament final on 17 April. A 28-21 victory would see the seniors lift their third Varsity Cup trophy. Once the rugby action concluded, it was on to hockey as the TuksHockey’s women’s senior team sought to emulate their rugby and athletics compatriots and claim their own title. Their season proved to be an unforgettable one as a staggering 15-0 win over UKZN Hockey set them on their way to a series of wins that would take them all the way to the final where they came up against much tougher opposition in the form of Maties’ Hockey. TuksHockey, however, maintained their winning composure to see off Maties in a 1-0 victory and claim the Varsity Hockey title in the process. Not to be outdone, TuksFootball found success in the Varsity Football tournament. A tough, yet ultimately successful campaign culminated in a 2-0 victory over cross-town rivals TUT Football as TuksFootball claimed its third title in four seasons. TuksFootball’s women’s team also saw its stock rise in 2017 as the Varsity Cup team consolidated a fifth place finish in the tournament. TuksSwimming did the university proud as they claimed their seventh USSA title in September while TuksGolf claimed the USSA Gold Championship. TuksNetball continued to fly the striped flag high as they ended a four year wait for the Varsity Netball title. The ladies capped
Left to right: Danie Cornelius, Kirsten McCann, and Prof. Cheryl de la Rey. Photo: Reg Caldecott
TuksSport host 2017 Colours and Awards LORINDA MARRIAN TuksSport held its official Colours and Awards ceremony at the Rembrandt Hall on LC de Villiers Sports Campus on 18 October. The event celebrated TuksSport’s unprecedented sporting success this year and honoured 368 athletes and their achievements.
Rower Kirsten McCann and 100m sprinter Akani Simbine won the main awards of the night as they were named Sportswoman and Sportsman of the Year respectively. Olympian rower McCann started off her spectacular year by wining gold at the SA Senior Champions in the Women’s Heavyweight Scull in April. She continued her winning streak by claiming gold at the World Rowing Cup III in Switzerland.
off an excellent season with a hard fought 43-41 win over NWU Netball. TuksWomensRugby has been on the rise for a number of years and in 2017 they put together a series of impressive tournament wins at both the Munich Oktoberfest Tournament and the Stanlisas Sevens Tournament in France. TuksAthletics continued the year’s dominance with their first USSA Cross country running title in Kimberley in September, while the women’s beach volleyball players also became USSA champions. Assupol TuksCricket won the USSA Cricket Tournament ending on 256/7 in 50 overs, beating the Madibaz by five runs who ended on 251/6 in 50 overs. The final match was held at the Tuks Oval on 6 October. At the USSA Judo Tournament games held at LC de Villiers Sports Campus between 14 and 17 September, TuksJudo won gold. This was an momental feat which the team had only achieved twice before in 2009 and 2015. In total, at the 2017 event, the team won 13 gold medals, three silver medals and one bronze medal. Overall, TuksSport has indeed had a 2017 that won’t easily be forgotten and with 2018 just around the corner, individuals and teams from all codes will be looking to improve on what has been an incredibly successful year. McCann’s biggest success came in September when she won gold at the World Rowing Championships where she made history by becoming the first South African and African female rower to win an individual world title. Simbine, another Olympian, and recent Bachelor of Information Science graduate, had a multitude of successes this year. He became the first South African athlete to run a sub-10 seconds in the 100m and a sub-20 seconds in the 200m on the same day at league meeting in March. A few weeks later he won gold at Athletics Gauteng North (AGN) Championship with an astonishing time of 9.92 seconds. At the Diamond League in Doha, he claimed gold. At the Diamond League games in Lausanne and Monaco, Simbine won two bronze medals. Rowing and hockey were the biggest overall winners of the night. Rower Nicole van Wyk won Student Sportswoman of the Year. TuksRowing’s USSA Team won Sports Team of the Year after becoming the USSA rowing Champions. Furthermore, TuksRowing won Sport Club of the Year. TuksHockey women’s first team coach won Coach of the Year for a Team Sport after coaching his team to Varsity Hockey victory. The Principal’s Award for Exceptional Performance in both Academics and Sport was awarded to TuksHockey’s Izelle Vester. TuksHockey also won the Principal’s Award for Outstanding Performance by a Team Representing the University in Inter-University Competitions. The 2017 Student Sport Committee Chairperson Boyani Mphasha won Student Sports Administrator of the Year, and the Administrator of the Year was awarded to Paul de Beer for his work with TuksAkido. Assupol TuksCricket’s successful 2017 streak won them the Sports Club of the Year after they won USSA Cricket Tournament. 22 year-old sprinter Thando Roto who ran a personal best of 9.95 seconds this season won Student Sportsman of the Year.