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Hatmed Medical and Dental Centre
Hatmed Medical and Dental Centre
Hatmed Medical and Dental Centre 454 Hilda Street, Hatfield
454 Hilda Street, Hatfield
454 Hilda Street, Hatfield
Tel: 012 362 7180
Tel: 012 362 7180
PDBY
25 February 2019
Year 81 | Issue 3
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Prof. Kupe supports Back2Varsity
How student fees and funding are progressing
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2 | Editorial
25 February 2019
Valentines fall-out
S
o, if you have ever walked past the PDBY office, chances are you have seen me in the spot I have been in more than any other place on campus by a long shot, the front porch of our little Op’T Hoek. This also seems to be the preferred spot for couples to come and air their dirty laundry, making my smoke or coffee break just a bit more interesting. It can get loud sometimes, which is convenient because I get more context to the story, but sometimes it can be frustrating because some things just sound like solid non-issues and they take up so much of these people’s lives. As I watched one of the many shows, I though I would use my space this week to put a challenge out there to everyone, even the sad singletons… Take a breath! We recently had a time in our own office where we needed to take a step back and take a breath. The results of just gathering our thoughts surprised me not only in their effectiveness, but in the pace at which everything started to come together again. It was like overnight a fairy had come in and cleaned all the dust bunnies from behind the fridge and burned some incense for that extra homey touch. I also say this because in my experience it is the time
of the year when it is important for us to take a breath and regroup. The past few weeks have been busy, packed, fun, sad, stressful. Sort it all out in your head before you try tackle the test weeks already sending ripples across campus. An exciting part about this fresh air for me is that it comes with some additions to our staff. We have just hired fresh talent, taken them on a totally life changing training camp last weekend to equip them for the rough journalistic roads and the jungles of technical equipment they will have to deal with. So, look out for their work in the next edition, I know I am very excited to see what they can do with their roles. But to all the couples that gave me a show, your secrets are safe with me, but also if you’re going to do it please stand closer so I can choose sides or move it on home. Better yet, try my challenge. Sit down and really assess the situation. Work out what’s important, and move on confidently and happily knowing you made a rational choice because some editor of your favourite source of campus news told you to. Go wild! Shaun Sproule
yourcampusnews. PDBYMedia, formerly Perdeby, is the official independent student newspaper of the University of Pretoria. We are committed to providing fresh and entertaining news content for UP students, by UP students, about UP issues.
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Copyright PDBY is printed by Paarlmedia. All rights reserved. Contributions are welcome. All due care will be taken with materials submitted, but PDBY and printers cannot be held responsible for loss or damage. The editor reserves the right to edit, amend or alter in any way deemed necessary. PDBYcannot be responsible for unsolicited material. The opinions expressed in PDBY are not necessarily those of the editors and printers of PDBY.
News | 3
25 February 2019
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4 | News
25 February 2019
Prof. Gronau sheds light on the era of digitalisation Lebogang Ramasodi
O
n 18 February Professor Norbert Gronau, the Chair of Business Informatics, Processes and Systems at the University of Potsdam, Germany, gave a talk on the now-imminent Fourth Industrial Revolution. The seminar, hosted by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Vehicular Technology Society in partnership with the University of Pretoria’s Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology, took place in the Engineering 1 building at the University of Pretoria. PDBY attended the event to find out more. Sometimes referred to as automation, the Fourth Industrial Revolution will change how we experience the workplace and its processes. Thus, the talk addressed the Fourth Industrial Revolution’s core elements, expected changes in the workplace, skills for employees to consider developing, and the necessary training of employees for the age of digitalisation. Prof. Gronau explains that the core elements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) are the Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence. He refers to the increased connectedness of technologies which can share information and says that cyber-physical systems are “embedded software systems that can exchange data over a short period of time and can interact with the environment.” By capturing information from the environment, artificial intelligence (AI) can determine the next most rational course of action. With advancements such as these, impacts of digitalisation, or what Prof. Gronau calls
the “six Ds”, are bound to occur regarding workplace product processes. Where there once was uniformity in product creation, there will now be a “destandardisation”, or individualisation, of products. Secondly, the workplace will move from linear process structures toward “delinearisation”. While explaining the newfound flexibility in production systems Prof. Gronau says that “every system of a product can have its own path through the factory”. He adds that “of course, we will end up with the same product, of the same kind. But the way through the factory must be different.” This is made possible by the autonomous behaviour of cyber-physical systems. The third impact of digitalisation in the workplace is a ‘dematerialisation’. This will occur where there was once a need for the physical materialisation of a product, as “we will be able to decide where and when a physical representation of a product is necessary.” Despite the convenience of digitalised material, Prof. Gronau proceeds to explain that products such as books and newspapers will continue to be produced in their printed formats as they are better understood in their physical formats, making it impossible to reach a complete digitalisation of those products. Fourth, there will be a shift from a hierarchal approach towards bureaucracies to a “dehierachisation”. By removing the pecking order in an organisation, it becomes easier for employees to access different sources of information timeously. Prof. Gronau explains that the fifth occurrence is a shift from organisations requiring specialised employees, who are
experts in certain activities and fields, to preference ‘despecialisation’ within the workplace. This would not only serve to lower the necessary skill level to complete certain tasks, but it may also serve to reduce the unemployment rate. Prof. Gronau explains that this ‘despecialisation’ will occur because there will be a need for new skill sets. This generalist approach will require innovative ways of completing different tasks, thereby promoting creative thinking. “This is good news for where you have a huge amount of unskilled workers because you can integrate them using these measures,” says Prof. Gronau. In Germany, the act of ‘despecialisation’, due to automation, has resulted in job creation. The final “D”, or impact of digitalisation on the workplace, is ‘delocalisation’ of information which acts to ignore system borders. In doing so, organisations and their employees may begin to experience increased efficiency and revenue. For workers to survive the future of digitalisation, Prof. Gronau explains that they should gain personal competencies and knowledge. Organisations require new types of personal competencies, such as
been blamed for this and Cape Talk say that the combination of “low rainfall, high temperatures and failing infrastructure” meant that little water was pumped into the dam by the Sol Plaatjie municipality. The effort to save the abandoned flamingo chicks has become nationwide, with various groups such as Bird World, uShaka, Lory Park Zoo, Pretoria Zoo, Montecasino Bird garden, and even a personal flamingo lover, Mike Bolhuis, all joining forces to save the estimated 2000-3000 baby flamingos. The Bird and Exotic Animal Hospital located on the University of Pretoria’s Onderstepoort Campus has also been an integral part of this rescue process. On 27 January, the Bird and Exotic Animal Hospital posted on Facebook that they have received their first batch of flamingo chicks. They said that they have “a group of the sickest and weakest ones as [they] can provide 24-hour ICU care”. The post continued to say that “staff and students are volunteering their time and the Onderstepoort Veterinary Academic Hospital is housing [the flamingo chicks]”. Up to now, the hospital has treated 184 chicks, including some of the most critically ill.
PDBY spoke to Dr Katja Koeppel, a Wildlife Veterinary Specialist who is involved in this project, for more insight. What does this rehabilitation process entail? Hard work at the start and huge commitment. [The chicks] started out feeding six times a day which [takes] anywhere between half [an hour] and three hours depending on treatments and [the] amount of volunteers present. Making fresh flamingo food from scratch involves boiling eggs, separating white and yolk, deboning sardines and then blending sardine, shrimp, cereal and eggs all together. Again [taking] about three hours a day depending on [amount] of feed and [number] of chicks and their ages. What has the survival rate been so far? Survival was greatly depending on the state of the chicks on arrival, very weak and dehydrated chicks that have been on nests for too long have poor success. I would say [there is] between [a] 30 to 35 % death [rate] across different facilities. Who is funding the rehabilitation process? The Pan African Zoo Association with support from overseas zoos. The people looking after them are volunteering all their time and food, towels and bedding [has] been donated by [the] public. Are you accepting volunteers? If so, what are the criterion for the volunteers? Yes, willingness to work long hours and help with any aspect such as preparing food and cleaning, not such [as] feeding. We only take OP students and staff, no outside volunteers unless [they are] trained keepers. Dr Koeppel says that the flamingo chicks will be released when they are big enough to survive in the wild. This will most likely be at the end of April or beginning of May since the chicks must weigh close to 1 kg and have minimum of 50 % flight feathers. The success of assimilating back into the wild after being hand-reared depends on the type of hand rearing and ensuring that the chicks are not too humanised and have not imprinted on humans. Dr Koeppel says that the chicks will need to be integrated into an existing flock because they are “not aware of predators so cannot be released on their own”. Although this process has been “hard work and very emotionally draining”, Dr Koeppel says she is hoping for the best for the species.
Flocking together to rescue flamingos
Image provided
Katherine Atkinson
K
amfers Dam, near Kimberly, is ordinarily home to a large colony of the lesser flamingo species. However, in late January this year, a drought caused the manmade dam to dry up, resulting in adult flamingos vacating the area and leaving their chicks behind. Climate change has
stress management, cultural, methodological, leadership and social competencies as well as organisational, interactional and professional competencies. According to Prof. Gronau, organisations should be developing a training programme such as the three-phase training process offered by the Fourth Industrial Revolution Learning Lab in Germany in order for workers to gain access to these competencies. In closing, Prof. Gronau suggests that a Fourth Industrial Revolution Learning Lab would be beneficial if it were to be placed here in Pretoria, as it would discover what would help local industries and their workers to thrive in a digitalised world.
Professor Norbet Gronau. Photo: Elmarie Kruger
News | 5
25 February 2019
Back2Varsity Student Drive sees Prof. Kupe’s support The Back2Varsity Student Drive aims to alleviate pressures on financially disadvantaged students by collecting items such as non-perishable food, toiletries, stationery, clothing and other necessities. Although the drive was due to end on 15 February, according to a Menlyn Park Shopping Centre representative, there is intention to extend it until 3 March. Prof. Kupe’s donation to the Back2Varsity Student Drive came just six days after he revealed his 2019 academic vision to the UP staff. It was here that Prof. Kupe emphasised that UP is committed to assisting and supporting students in need, saying that UP is working actively with the SRC and management to resolve various issues. The issues he emphasised include financial and accommodation issues, as well as “any other barriers related to gaining access to the University and completing their degrees,” says the UP website. Further, Prof. Kupe claimed that he is determined for UP to “strengthen relationships with donors, foundations, alumni and funding agencies and continue to increase third-stream income and meet performance targets for fundraising”, says UP’s website. Tuks FM was, of course, present at Back2Varsity Student Drive on 14 February to witness Prof. Kupe’s donation. In an
“
interview with Tuks FM on the day, Prof. Kupe said that “we need to do more in relation to financing students, because finances will continue to be a bit of a barrier to access […]”. Prof. Kupe continued to say that “as Vice-Chancellor, [he is] going to be leading a lot of fundraising drives to generate money from the private sector and others to support students who are academically able, but not, for some reason or other, able to pay for themselves […]”. Prof. Kupe says that, as suggested in the 12 February mass meeting memorandum, UP’s aim is to partner with students in order to raise funds and tackle these issues as a UP
Prof. Kupe emphasised that UP is committed to assisting and supporting students in need
Photo: Nkululeko Ngcobo
Katherine Atkinson
O
n 14 February, the University of Pretoria’s Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Kupe donated non-perishable goods and clothes to the Back2Varsity Student Drive. The drive, which has a donation point by the Starbucks in Menlyn Park Shopping Centre, is partnered by Menlyn Park Shopping Centre, Tuks FM, the University of Pretoria and the Student Representative Council (SRC).
Protests flare up on SA campuses once more Elmarie Kruger
F
ollowing the Fees Must Fall protests which occurred on the campuses of tertiary institutions nationwide in 2015 and 2016, tensions surrounding the issues of free education, accommodation and registration have arisen in SA’s universities once more. Recently, students at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) warned that classes would be disrupted unless their demands regarding accommodation and study fees were addressed. Some students also took part in a hunger strike as part of their protest actions. Wits spokesperson Buhle Zuma noted that classes at the university were still continuing. Some classes were reportedly disrupted on 7 February, however. Authorities were called in during the events to assist in keeping order. The Wits SRC stated in a letter of demands issued to university management that students be allowed to register in spite of study debt. They also demanded that students without lodging should be granted accommodation. This unrest has also spread to other tertiary institutions. This month, 20-year-old Mlungisi Madonsela, a student at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) was fatally shot by private security officers during protest actions at the institution. This forced DUT to announce its indefinite closure. However, the institution had planned to resume lectures on 18 February. This was not possible due to disruptions. On 20 February, DUT sent out an email to students in which the institution noted they would be applying for an interdict to prohibit protest actions
within 150m of DUT campuses. Commenting on Madonsela’s death, DUT issued an official statement which noted that DUT as an institution is “…saddened by this unfortunate incident…[and] sends its deepest sincere condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.” DUT further asked that the family of the victim be respected during their time of grief. The Minister of Higher Education, Naledi Pandor, said via her spokesperson that the matter troubled her deeply, and that she would speak with the family “when the time is right”. KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Thembeka Mbele said that “a case of murder [is] being processed for investigation.” On 7 February, UP posted an article on the official university website titled “Systems in place for supporting students with registration and accommodation queries”. In the article, it is noted that UP is “working closely” with the SRC to address accommodation and registration issues. The article also clarifies that, among other issues, “students with historic debt will be assisted where possible and should contact the University to make the necessary arrangements”. The article also addresses accommodation concerns: “An additional 1 500 beds have been made available through lease agreements with landlords. UP, as one of the largest providers of student housing, can accommodate approximately 15 000 students in its residences as well as through accommodation provided by private service providers.” Furthermore, the article provides a FAQ section where students can find answers to common registration and accommodation queries.
Photo: Nkululeko Ngcobo
community. PDBY spoke to Tuks FM during the event who say that they, once again, have been using their voice to give back. They have acted as a platform to pull together as many people as possible and encourage them to get involved with the drive. When asked what exactly the Back2Varsity Student Drive entails, Tuks FM said that “with being a student comes a whole lot of challenges […] and [the drive] just, in that sense, [is] trying to lighten one burden”. They add that “helping students with the most basic things they need could really lessen the stress”. Tuks FM gave a nod to the Department of Student Affairs (DSA), noting that it is great to see all the donations go directly to UP’s students thanks to them. According to Tuks FM’s blog, the 2018 partnership between them and Menlyn Park Shopping Centre saw the Back2Varsity campaign provide approximately 170 students with meals for six months. Tuks FM say that the drive has enjoyed a considerable amount of success this year, especially in terms of its exposure and how widespread it is. The drive is “still expecting a lot more donations to come through, but so far it’s really good”, say Tuks FM. Prof. Kupe believes that drives like these are extremely important and he assured Tuks FM that, on a personal level, he wants to make “some regular contribution to funds for students which can go into fees, the hunger food project, food sustainability and food security for students”.
Intervarsity news University of Cape Town (UCT) According to Sowetan Live, UCT management has “distanced itself from a Pan Africanist Student Movement of Azania (Pasma) post” that incites violence. The #OneSettlerOneBullet” poster was placed on the window of the cafeteria next to the Faculty of Health Sciences courtyard and was shared on social media. The university said that, “The slogan may create negativity and affirms division. while political slogans such as this may have the potential to heighten debate about our difficult segregated past, they obscure our vision
of being an inclusive university.” In November 2018, UCT vice-chancellor, Mamokgethi Phakeng, drew attention for congratulating an honours student who had concluded his project with the phrase, “One settler, One Bullet”. After outrage at this, she clarified in a tweet, “Of course I can never be proud of promises of bullets‚ what [I] am proud of is the fact that you did the paper and completed it! I know how hard you worked. I am definitely proud that you finally clicked it off for assessment.”
Stellenbosch University (SU) At the end of January this year, Stellenbosch University started building a state of the art Biomedical Research Institute (BMRI). Construction on the facility, which has an estimated cost of R1 billion, will be completed by 2022. According to BusinessTech, the BMRI aims “to investigate diseases that have the greatest impact on communities in South Africa and the
rest of Africa...”. The institute hopes to improve the “diagnosis, prevention and treatment of illnesses such as TB, HIV, diabetes, heart disease and neurological disorders, among others.” The facility will be based in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, and will include features such as electron microscopy laboratories, a morphology museum and a Sunskill laboratory.
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SRC holds first mass meeting 6 | Features
25 February 2019
Kabwa, the SRC has already been able to assist 126 students to date. With regard to accommodation, Kabwa said the SRC was able to place over 4000 students in accommodation since the start of the registration period. He added that, “in doing so, we have also engaged with various stakeholders as well as private accommodations to negotiate reduced costs as well as instances where students are under NSFAS, [that] will be able to find accommodation without having to pay a deposit.” Kabwa however acknowledged that in terms of accommodation, there were still many issues which needed to be addressed. An additional 1 500 beds have been made available to students who require accommodation, and a further 160 places have been made available
Photo: Marren McKay
Photo: Marren McKay
O
Kabwa clarified the reason for provisional registration was that students could register until such as a time as they received feedback regarding their study permits and visas. The floor was then opened to the student body who wished to raise additional issues. During this time, two different people, who are presumed to be students, stood up and chanted to the crowd “one settler, one bullet” before their address. Both the identity of the presumed students and their political party is uncertain. The content of a draft memorandum penned by several political organisations at the university was discussed. The memorandum included a list of demands by which UP management should respond to by 12:00 on 18 February. Demands raised included the extension of the registration period from the current date of 18 February to 15 March, that students with historic debt below R50 000 be able to register for the academic year upon signing an acknowledgment of debt, that registration fees be incorporated into tuition fees and as such, do not remain a prerequisite to registration. In addition, the memorandum also expressed demands that the UP inauguration ceremony for the Vice-Chancellor be abolished and those funds be channelled to the SRC portfolio budget, transparency on the allocation of funding to students in need, transparency in the residential placement criteria for students in “dire” situations, and that The Field D Block accommodation be reopened for occupation immediately since there were no “fundamental reasons” for its closure.
Marko Svicevic
n 12 February, the Student Representative Council (SRC) held its first mass meeting of the year in the Amphitheatre on UP’s Hatfield Campus. The topic of discussion for the meeting was accommodation, finances and registration. Speaking to a large crowd of students, SRC President David Kabwa opened the meeting by introducing some concessions the SRC was able to organise with the UP pertaining to the issues at hand. Among these included that all students currently on the NSFAS system would have their financial blocks lifted and would be able to register at UP. Students with historical debt could go to Student Finances and sign an acknowledgement of debt form and would thereafter also be allowed to register. A further R13 million was set aside by UP to assist non-NSFAS qualifying students with registration. Students who form part of the missing middle category would also be assisted with these funds. Students were also encouraged to engage with the SRC so that it could identify non-qualifying NSFAS students in need of assistance. With regard to postgraduate students, a further R7 million has been set aside to assist students with registration. Postgraduate students include those studying masters and doctorate degrees, and, according to Kabwa, for the first time, assistance will also be rendered to students completing their honours degrees. Kabwa added that in addition to the negotiations with UP to assist students with registration, the SRC has pledged over R1 million to further assist in this regard. According to
Photo: Marren McKay
in leased accommodation. Kabwa also indicated that with the accreditation of more private accommodation, an amount of 5000 students would be able to move into such accommodation. He said that, “the university has taken on a commitment that if [students] are on NSFAS, for the first two months, the university will be able to assist you with the cost of rent until NSFAS kicks in.” Kabwa also added that international students, particularly those from Zimbabwe were facing difficulty with registration. Citing a backlog at the embassy in Harare and issues pertaining to daily bank limits increasing difficulty for students to make payments, Kabwa said the UP registrar had written to the Department of Higher Education and Training to inform them that students from Zimbabwe who had been admitted to UP would be allowed to provisionally registered.
Students at the first mass meeting of 2019 held by the SRC Photo: Carel Willemse
One small step for NASA’s space exploration Alison Massey
I
n 2018 America’s National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced that 2019 would hold greater resources allocated to “advance exploration of the moon and deep space”, according to their website. For the first time since 1969, the year of the famous Apollo 11 moonlanding, NASA plans to send humans to the moon. This will not just be an experimental journey like the Apollo 11, though, since NASA plans to expand much further. A promotional video released by NASA explains that they are “building the next chapter of American exploration – returning to the moon, to stay”. The concept is that by building bases on the moon, manned by a crew, NASA will be able to expand to Mars with the help of business partnerships that help them fund and develop new resources and technology. Business partnerships on this project seem necessary for NASA, considering US President Donald Trump’s early 2018 budget report. According to an article on the NASA website, Trump’s budget includes $10.5 billion for “lunar exploration”, but has reduced funding for other NASA endeavours such as the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope, which takes imaging and surveys of the “near infrared sky”. Although NASA ends their promotional video by saying that this project is “not about flags”, President Trump has made it clear that “it is not enough to merely have an American presence in space. We must have American dominance in space”, according to News.com. NASA is not the only party interested in cultivated life on the moon, however. On 15 January this year, NBC News reported that the China National Space Administration has successfully
landed a lunar probe containing a germinating cotton seed. As the article explains, plants had been successfully grown on the International Space Station, but none had ever landed on the moon, meaning that this could have been a big step for biological life on the moon. Yet this victory was short-lived as the cotton seed died on 16 January, Space.com writes, bringing the fight for biological life on the moon back to square one. Despite this apparent failure to grow life on the moon, Extreme Tech writes that some of the companies partnering with NASA on this mission, SpaceX and Boeing, plan to start “carrying astronauts to the International Space Station in the next year or two”. NASA itself plans to start building the moon-base by 2023, meaning that humans could be living on the moon within our lifetime. As Extreme Tech explains, the moonbase, now known as “The Gateway”, will initially hold four crew members and will have extensions that allow this crew to make regular trips to the surface of the moon, as well as serving as a “jumping off point” for expeditions to Mars. One of the biggest challenges of life on the moon will be the extreme changes in temperature that the moon experiences due to its lack of an atmosphere. As Space.com demonstrates, the moon can shift from a daytime average of 123°C to an average temperature of -233°C at night. These extreme temperature shifts are part of the reason that China’s cotton plant did not last through the night. While the length of a lunar day equates to 29.5 earth days, a video by TED-Ed explains that the biggest challenge is, in fact, cosmic radiation due to the lack of atmosphere. The video explains that “a person on [the moon’s] surface can
receive over 400 times the maximum safe dosage of heavy ion radiation”, which could be fatal even if the person was wearing a spacesuit. Another challenge would be transporting food from Earth and later growing food on the moon base itself. This process, which is the key to sustainable living, is complicated due to the lack of water and carbon dioxide-rich air on the moon according to TED-Ed. There are many other complications, including that the human body requires certain “friendly bacteria and viruses” that do not exist on the moon. However, the list of potential solutions is just as extensive as the list of complications, so it may not be long before we see the very first moon base supporting human life. NASA states that this process is “not about flags and footprints. This is about sustainable science and feeding forward the advance of the human spirit”.
Image: Mashudu Madzhiga
Features | 7
25 February 2019
WTF: What the fees?
How student fees and funding are progressing Lebogang Ramasodi
O
of Universities South Africa (USAf) and the Administrator of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). During this meeting, SAUS raised major issues which face South African Universities. On 15 February, Minister Pandor released a written response to these issues. The first, most poignant, issue that Minister Pandor responded to addressed “accumulating student debts and the financial exclusion of students from the 2019 registration in
Gap grant and government funding n 28 December 2018, City Press reported that only students who have already received the fee adjustment grant in 2018 would be eligible to receive it in 2019, as applications will not be reopened. This fee adjustment grant, known as the ‘gap grant’, was offered by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) to first-time students in the year 2018. This was on condition that their household earns a net balance of more than the qualifying R350 000 for the National Students Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), but below an income of R600 000 per annum, placing them in the middle-class. These students form a part of the embattled “missing middle”, as they are not impoverished enough to qualify for the NSFAS but also not financially stable enough to afford the cost of their fees without further indebting themselves. Just over a year ago former President Jacob Zuma committed national government to implement fee-free education across tertiary institutions. The promise to increase the 0.68% of government funds allocated to Higher Education and Training to 1% over a period of five years, despite the recommendations of the commission of inquiry, continues to be met by the cynicism of many economists and international governmental organisations such as the World Bank. In a report released on 22 January 2019, the World Bank makes an assertion that the current education policy would affect the national budget negatively Student Mass Meeting. Photo: Marren McKay by increasing the demand for tertiary education by universities”. He says that “no NSFAS qualifying student who was at least 23% at universities. On the other hand, students who registered in 2018, and who has been admitted to a university and advocated against tuition increases, labour outsourcing and a largely meets the academic criteria for continuation should be prevented Eurocentric curriculum welcomed the news. from registering in 2019 due to outstanding fees”. Pandor adds It appears, however, that government has underestimated the budget that academically successful NSFAS students should be allowed needed to support students. Former Minister of Finance, Melusi to sign an acknowledgement of debt and register for 2019. While Gigaba, allocated R57 billion of the Gross Domestic Product for Pandor admits that government cannot immediately resolve the the 2017/2018 financial year towards higher education for the next issue of historical debt and debt of all students, he says that they three years. Yet, DHET Minister, Naledi Pandor, says that R22 must “ensure that any student who is academically successful and billion of this has already been allocated to 659 000 students who unable to complete their studies for financial reasons, is enabled to are recipients of either NSFAS and the 2018 gap grant recipients. complete [their studies]”. Student action and Minister Pandor’s response PDBY asked the Student Representative Council for comment on The financial adjustments from government follow the 2015 to 2017 Fees Must Fall movements where students sought to achieve decolonised, free education through applying social pressure on government. For the University of Pretoria, the movement effectively resulted in the insourcing of general labourers as of November of 2018
“
persistent class, race and gender inequalities in South Africa”
and the decolonial turn to the university’s transformation policy. These achievements, however, may remain overshadowed by the estimated R800 million that was incurred in damage to tertiary institutions across the country during the movement. In an article published in the Strategic Review for Southern Africa, Khwezi Mabasa, a lecturer in the Department of Political Science for the University of Pretoria, argues that students protesting in favour of the Fallist movement were primarily driven by a dissatisfaction with the “persistent class, race and gender inequalities in South Africa”. Although the Fees Must Fall movement was fullyfledged a few years back, the sentiment of it has recently been reiterated. In fact, on 12 February 2019 political formations at the University of Pretoria held a mass meeting wherein students let their grievances be known. One such student, Dikarabo Kotsokoane, has not been able to register from the beginning of the year. As she was unable to obtain funding from NSFAS her parents, who are pensioners, have had to “live by taking out loans in order to pay the university”. When the meeting was Photo: Ricardo Teixeira drawing to a close, a memorandum detailing student issues involving student finances. With regard to the fee increases, objective was handed over to the Professor Themba Mosia on behalf the SRC said that “fee increments in general are problematic”. They of Vice-chancellor and Principal Professor Tawana Kupe. Students have advised students to upload their credentials to UP’s system to were assured that management would respond to this memorandum be considered for available funding opportunities such as internal within the following week. loans and bursaries, financial assistance and awards granted to high This mass meeting at UP occurred three days after Minister achievers. The SRC has further committed themselves to continue Pandor met with SRC presidents from all 26 public universities, engagement with the university’s management to ensure that along with the South African Student’s Union (SAUS), the CEO
students are helped as swiftly as possible. Fee increase vs budget needed from institutions In terms of 2019 fee increases, Minister Pandor has also requested that universities do not increase fees by more than the recommended 5.3%. However, spokesperson at the University of Pretoria, Rikus Delport, told City Press that he believes the proposed increase cap is inadequate as universities are faced with the ever-increasing municipal tariffs and maintenance fees which are “increasing by more than the proposed tuition increases.” Stats SA has reported a 5.4% drop in capital spending by 20 universities and six Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions during the year 2017; this is after a 0.6% drop in 2016. Stats SA cites capital expenditure as the money attributed to the upkeep and acquisition of fixed assets such as buildings, land, equipment and furniture. This expenditure is geared towards ensuring the capacity and efficiency of the intuition and the decline in it hints that universities are unable to sustain themselves. However, these numbers are largely reflective of a drop in spending by the University of Witwatersrand, Walter Sisulu University and the University of South Africa as, in 2017. Having spent R738 million, or 13%, on fixed assets the University of Pretoria is recorded to have spent the most. Are we making progress? Although the 2018 academic year was marred with NSFAS employee protests and TVET students protests, much progress was made during the year. Department of Higher Education and Training’s spokesperson, Lunga Ngqengelele, says that although there was a delay in the release of student results due to the delay in fee payments, this issue was not as prominent and drawn out as in previous years since the Minister has placed NSFAS under the administration of Dr Carolissen, for twelve months, beginning August 2018. A competent team has been put in place to address the remaining shortcomings of the financial aid grantor. In Minister Pandor’s 15 February statement in response to SAUS, he also addressed the issue of accommodation. To curb the student housing problem, Pandor has committed the DHET to implement the Student Housing Infrastructure Programme. This will “provide 200 000 new student beds for universities over a period of 10 years. 18 221 new beds will be provided over the next three years.”
“
provide 200 000 new student beds for universities over a period of 10 years...”
What is the way forward? In an open letter to the City Press, the Acting Deputy Director-General of the university branch of Higher Education and Training, Dr Diana Parker, explains that although the fee adjustment grant is being phased out, government remains committed to providing affordable education for all. This is demonstrated in their increase of the block grant by 14.6% in the 2018/2019 financial year and by 19.5% for the 2019/2020 year. These numbers are aimed towards aiding tertiary institutions in running as smoothly as possible, without compromising the quality of education while remaining affordably priced. She further explains that “growing investment recognises the strategic importance of higher education to the development of South Africa”. The DHET remains in communication with the private sector and other stakeholders in search of more viable forms of financial support for students who form a part of the missing middle. In stride with this sentiment, as a means of encouraging broader society to engage and assist with the financial strain of being a student, many have used social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook to gain financial backing. Others have also turned to crowdfunding through sites such as Backabuddy. In 2018 this organisation helped raise over R35 million while more than 1 800 new campaigns were created. To promote accountability and transparency, the organisation awards the funds to the learning institution on behalf of the student, thus ensuring that donor confidence is not broken. Students may also utilise the university website to access other forms of funding opportunities, such as with organisations like Fundi.
8 | Entertainment
25 February 2019
Tired of superhero comics? Cassidy Bessa
W Photo: Twitter @avrillavigne
Head Above Water Avril Lavigne
Carina Kloppers
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fter contracting Lyme disease that nearly cost her life, Avril Lavigne is back with her first studio album in six years. Head Above Water dropped on 15 February. Her near-death experience led to the album’s title track, a rocky, orchestral number that has been well received since its release towards the end of 2018. This single sets the tone for the rest of the album; bigger sound with lyrics reflecting real growth. Head Above Water arrives and promises authenticity. “This is me and my fight,” said Lavigne ahead of its release. “This album tells my story.” Lavigne has definitely come far since her days as everyone’s favourite pop-punk princess of the noughties. The lead single on her 2013 self-titled album might have been called “Here’s to Never Growing Up”, but even Lavigne realised you cannot dress like a schoolgirl and stick out your tongue forever. So, her imaged evolved. In Head Above Water she effortlessly showcases her vocal capabilities and proves that she has a knack for writing power ballads. But does the new album surpass or even shake off the legacy of her boisterous and angst-ridden debut in Let Go (2002), that sold over 20 million copies worldwide? Unfortunately, no. Head Above Water dabs its toes in a variety of different moods and tones. A number of songs, like “Souvenir” and “Goddess”, seem to draw inspiration from Taylor Swift. “Tell Me It’s Over” is reminiscent to the retro-soul of Amy Winehouse. Then, the military drum rolls and atonal bridge in the disappointing collaboration with Nicki Minaj on “Dumb Blonde” could just as easily have been a Little Mix hit. And that is the thing. It is not that Lavigne lacks the ability to handle these stylistic shifts, it is rather just that she did not impose herself on any of the songs. For an album that promised authenticity, a majority of it feels generalised and impersonal. The end result is tempty and uneven. Besides the title track, “I Fell in Love with the Devil” and “It Was in Me” definitely carry the most potency, both lyrically and musically. “I Fell in Love with the Devil” is a sincere and well-crafted rumination on toxic relationships and “It Was in Me” delivers an earnest meditation on self-empowerment. These tracks pack in the character that the rest of the album clearly lacks. Head Above Water is definitely not the most impactful album to come out in recent years, but it is certainly more elegant than some offerings of the past decade.
Rick and Morty This graphic novel was developed from the very popular animated series, Rick and Morty. Fans of the show often wait years for the new seasons to come out, therefore this comic was used to fill in the gaps between the seasons of the show. The stories in these comics are some added adventures of the genius, Rick Sanchez and his grandson, Morty. If you aren’t aware of the plot, it is the adventures of the Sanchez family through multiple dimensions, where they meet infinite versions of themselves and try to save the multiverse from the most hilarious and bizarre situations. This is a very lighthearted and funny read. There are currently Saga eight volumes of this comic with the ninth This graphic novel was written by one releasing later this year. Each volume Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated by Fiona contains short stories and takes on the same Staples. This comic has very impressive kind of narrative as the animated series. This artwork that would be enjoyable even Image: Goodreads.com comic series is perfect for fans of the show without the storyline. The story is as well as anyone who is interested in getting extremely compelling and will make into the Rick and Morty series and enjoying humorous comics. you want to binge the whole series. The sci-fi and fantasy series has won multiple Eisner Awards and has been much Rebirth acclaimed by fans and critics. There are currently nine comics This is a South African graphic novel that is based in in this series but there is speculation of more to come. The Johannesburg. The graphic novel is written by Daniel Browde storyline is beautifully crafted and deals with two soldiers and illustrated by Josh Ryba. The plot of this from opposite sides of the intergalactic graphic novel is that vampires are quarantined war who fall in love and have a child in South Africa and bound to bite the last together. This child becomes a stowaway surviving South Africans. The story also because they are interbred between the involves the Dutch East Indian Company winged people and the horned people. being run by vampires. The comic stars a The story then continues with assassins vampire Jan Van Riebeek circa 1652 and trying to kill the main characters, Alana then brings us to a present-day Johannesburg and Marko, while trying to capture the where a disease has affected the vampires. baby, Hazel, who shouldn’t have survived This disease is similar to HIV and brings long. The main characters go on amazing current South African issues into perspective. journeys and the reader falls in love with This may seem like a weird storyline, them as well as some of the supporting however, in graphic novel form it works characters. The series is rated mature and really well. The art is beautiful, and the vivid is great graphic novel to start off. colours used in the illustrations work very well to enhance the storyline and match the LOW gory spirit. The tone is brooding and gives This fantasy graphic novel was written the reader Vampire Diaries vibes but the by Rick Remender and illustrated by South African version. The comic brings on a Greg Tocchini and Dave McCaig. There Image: Amazon.co.uk new and interesting twist to a South African are currently four volumes in this series. historical story. Supporting South African The art in this graphic novel is beautiful artists and graphic novelists is very important as there aren’t but has more of a sketchy style than that of Saga. The premise many popular ones around and they too deserve some love. of this series is that in the future, the sun’s expansion has made Support local and check out this unique story. the Earth’s surface uninhabitable, forcing mankind to flee to live in the depths of the ocean. From the ocean, the humans Hopefully these comic and graphic novel ideas will help are trying to escape extinction by sending probes into outer you get out of your comfort zone and inspire you to think space in order to find a new home in the stars. The story then about comics in a different way. Comic book stores are also goes on to follow a family that is being torn apart and the only becoming more popular in South Africa with a few stores thing that can keep them together is hope. This is quite an popping up in the past couple of months. The most current interesting graphic novel to “dive into”. This is definitely for and popular one being Comic Warehouse in Bedfordview, a more mature audience and the storyline may seem confusing Johannesburg. They have all the comics you could ever wish at first but the further you get into the graphic novel, the more for as well as any other things to bring your nerdy side out. the story unravels itself. It is something different and unique if hen you first think of comics, you probably think of Spider-Man or Batman or any other of the Marvel or DC characters. These characters may sometimes get boring, especially if you aren’t a big superhero fan. What you may not know, is that there are lots of contemporary graphic novels with amazing storylines and art styles that are completely different to the style you would find in a Superman comic. If you aren’t quite a reader but like to read something quick and easy and would like to appreciate some art, these comics are for you.
PDBY featured artist:
Martin Gill Caitlyn Walsh
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Image provided
you enjoy sci-fi as well as quite a dramatic storyline.
artin Gill is a musician from Pietermaritzburg. He began playing guitar seriously at the age of 17 and fell in love with “the world of music and song writing” shortly after that. He also plays the drums, ukulele, and a bit of piano. Gill’s favourite genre is RnB and soul, as evident by his favourite song to cover, Bruno Mar’s “That’s What I Like”, but he is “most comfortable singing some alternative indie pop”. His first time playing to an audience was at his “matric prize giving night. I played to around 1000 people packed into the sport centre, and I was absolutely frozen with fright, but singing Frank Sinatra to young people didn’t go as badly as it could’ve.” Gill released his own original track on Apple Music in 2018 called “Candlelight”. When asked what inspired the writing of this original, Gill responded “Candlelight is about fighting with someone, making up and doing it all over again because you love someone too much to admit that maybe it’s not going so well. It was written after one of those situations occurred in my life with a loved one, and it was produced in my bedroom on my phone,
so putting it on major platforms like iTunes and Spotify was really risky and intimidating. I’ve learnt a lot from the experience and hopefully it will be accompanied by some other songs on my artist page soon.” Gill played at Splashy Fen festival last year, when asked about the experience, he replied “To get an opportunity like that is rare, and I loved every minute of it. Holding thumbs, I’ll be back there again in the next couple of years.” Martin Gill’s musical inspirations vary from performers such as “Keane, Ed Sheeran, Leo Stannard, Vusi Mahlasela, Hugh Masekela and Watershed”, to his own sister Ruby Gill. Gill’s advice to those who wish to sing and perform too is to “chase the dream and be really brave. Don’t be scared to put your music out there, it really is one of the most powerful communication methods on this planet, so make it happen. Also, you get into festivals for free as an artist (if you’re playing) so why not save some money?” Gill hopes to record more music for his audiences this year and he considers Rebecca Black’s “Friday” and “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen the greatest songs of all time. PDBY’s motto is “For Students, By Students”, and we would like to provide our own students a chance to shine. PDBY Featured Artist of the Edition is meant to put the spotlight on the talented artists of UP. If you are an artist, or know of any artists (musician, poet, dancer, visual artist, etc.) who deserve some exposure contact the Entertainment Editor at entertainment@pdby.co.za.
Entertainment | 9
25 February 2019
The res guide to healthy cooking with Ashley Krige Caitlyn Walsh
I Image: thefader.com
Thank U, Next Ariana Grande
Ammaarah Mookadam
S
ix months after dropping Sweetener, Ariana Grande’s fifth studio album Thank U, Next bursts her bubblegum pop world and numbs the pain over her personal life. It’s her most personal collection of songs and this creates almost an intimacy after sharing so much of her trauma with the public. Thank U, Next mainly explores the ways in which Grande dealt with her trauma through simple bass beats and bare lyrics. The track list highlights her pain and how she coped with it. She admits to her over-attachment in”Needy”. On “NASA” she uses a space-metaphor to illustrate her wanting moments of isolation in order to be brought back to reality, and the reggae-influenced “Bloodline” is about chasing the wrong people for selfish desires. With lyrics that pour her emotions and experiences, she still manages to keep it lively and catchy. Thank U, Next is not a pity party, but instead an upbeat reflection of Grande’s reckless healing process. Unlike her previous albums, she no longer wears her heart on her sleeve but rather scatters pieces of it in her songs. It’s an emotional comeback by admitting her faults, fears and addressing her trauma. NME describes the album as Grande “reclaiming the narrative and not letting herself be overtaken by all the stories surrounding her.” Ariana Grande finally releases her truths in Thank U, Next and creates her most cohesive album to date. The traumatic events could have very well led her to being a train wreck, but instead she takes her listeners for a rollercoaster of emotions through the album’s track list. As a “girl with a whole lot of baggage” she carries her grief, hopes and high-octave vocals along for the ride.
Sales & Letting Administrators
(PTY) LTD Reg. No: 1963/006228/07
PROPERTIES TO LET We specialize in STUDENT ACCOMMODATION in HATFIELD and a wide range of rental accommodation in PTA EAST, CENTURION & MOOT.
012 342 2001
hatfield@huurkor.co.za | www.huurkor.co.za 3rd floor, c/o Hilda & Arcadia St, Hatfield
f you are a student in residence, you will know that trying to cook healthy, substantial meals in your residence room is almost impossible, especially if you don’t want to burn your building down. Cooking utensils and appliances are limited and most students only use their fridge, microwave and kettle to cook any meals they can. Ashley Krige, a third year dietetics student, with a diploma in culinary arts and patisserie studies, has mastered the skill of cooking quick, easy but healthy wholesome meals in her residence room. PDBY spoke to Krige about why she helps teach residence girls the art of quick, easy meals after she hosted a cooking demonstration at House Khutso for the residence ladies, she replied “I just love it, I have a passion to show people that living healthy and loving yourself is really easy to do, my dream for the future is to change women’s mind-sets that to be healthy doesn’t mean one size fits all, you can be healthy at every size.” Krige’s favourite and easiest meal to make in residence is her pizza quesadillas in which she uses brown tortilla wraps with healthy toppings such as cheese, spinach and tomato paste. This meal is made easily in the microwave
and is a tasty and healthy substitute for normal pizza. Krige also enjoys her nourish bowls in which she “make[s] a roast sweet potato, chop[s] up avo, feta, chickpeas and mix it all together.” Her sweet potato can also be made in the microwave. When asked about her aim for residence cooking demos. Krige responded that her aim was “to teach each person one thing that didn’t know about healthy eating, that they walked out knowing one thing that would benefit their body at the end of it.” Eating healthy also has a perception around it that it can be expensive, however this isn’t always the case. Krige manages her food costs effectively by avoiding supermarkets and using “grocers or farmer’s markets.” Her advice is “also buy what you need, don’t buy a lot and then throw it all away, buy four days [worth] and then keep going every four days.” Krige often shops at Lynnpark Green Grocer due to their great foods being offered at reasonable prices. Krige manages to contain cravings by sticking to the 80/20 rule and treating herself to 20% of what she likes, to avoid binging and to stop her cravings. Krige has an Instagram page @just.a.dash.of.ash where she posts healthy recipes and foods that she eats and cooks.
King of Scars Leigh Bardugo Cassidy Bessa
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eigh Bardugo is the best-selling author of the Grisha trilogy as well as the Six of Crows duology. She has now introduced her Nikolai duology with the first book being King of Scars. This book follows King Nikolai, who had been introduced in the Grisha trilogy, and his continuous struggles with the Darkling. It also brings back a beloved character from Six of Crows, Nina and there are a lot of mentions of the Six of Crows duology as well as the Grisha trilogy. Bardugo said that she tried her best to allow the reader to read King of Scars without having to read the prior books, however, there are a lot of spoilers for both series, especially for Six of Crows. It would be preferable to read the preluding series before this book and you will not regret doing so as Bardugo’s writing and fantasy world building skills are, according to Bustle, “the best magic universe since Harry Potter”. Bardugo’s writing is incredibly easy to follow, captivating as always but not overdone and once you have gotten through the first bit of the book, which is mostly a recap and fleshing out of the world, the story gets so interesting that you won’t be able to put the book down. King of Scars is not for lovers of fast paced reads, however, the story gains momentum and has a nail biting ending which sets the scene for the next book and leaves the reader wanting more. The book follows multiple perspectives and although the Nikolai narrative was expected to be the greater part of the novel, the reader really gets enough of him. This being said, readers are likely to fall in love with Nikolai in the same way they fell in love with Kaz from Six of Crows. The love for Nina and Zoya is rekindled as we read their narratives. Nina’s
Image: Amazon.com
narrative in King of Scars spoils the end of Crooked Kingdom if you have not read it as she is still dealing with it and it brings up many emotions. Nikolai’s and Nina’s narratives were very different and didn’t connect, but hopefully will in the second book This book offers the reader a bit of romance in a nonforced and non-cliché way. Bardugo’s transition from the intricate country of Ravka to the very bland and empty world of The Fold, stopped the vibrant images inside the readers’ minds and that section of the world could possibly have been thought out better. Nevertheless, the characters are so easy to connect with, and for those who like a character driven novel, this book may be for you.
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10 | Fun and Games
25 February 2019
Campus Cousin
The laundry room rules
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ow that most of us have settled (back) into the rhythm of university life, I’m sure that, if you haven’t already, you’ve started to observe some of the nuances of life in student accommodation. If, like most students, you aren’t lucky enough to still live in the comfort of your parents’ home, you’ll have noticed that there are some unwritten, unspoken rules that go along with pretty much anything you do in an accommodation setting. Whether you’re in res, sharing a flat with roommates, or staying in a commune, living with others requires a certain etiquette, especially
when it comes to intimate home activities, by which I obviously mean things like doing your laundry. This whole exercise can be trying, and there are often some unspoken rules that accompany it. Some of these are more interesting/ unusual than others, as you’ll soon see (but I am the expert on these matters, so you can just trust me blindly at this point). When doing your laundry in a communal setting, you’ll want to keep these pointers in mind: It is vital to know, understand and accept that getting your laundry done at res is a taxing quest in which you are the clueless hobbit and the laundry room is Smaug’s lair. Many obstacles await you on your way to your ultimate goal: tripping over stairs, dropping an embarrassing piece of clothing somewhere along the way, or having to trek back to your room after you thought your laundry was done to rescue a lone sock that got left behind. Did you forget your keys in the laundry room downstairs while doing this? Sorry, buddy. Wear comfy shoes, as several trips up and down the stairs (repeat ad infinitum) are an inevitable reality.
have more than one of these. Also practice your best angry face so you can show it to anyone who even remotely looks like they’re planning to utilize the machine you had your eye on. There are many ways to pounce on people before they steal your chosen washing machine: the silent judge-stare, muttering obscenities under your breath, or loudly announcing “Let’s go, girls” while making angry jazz hands in their general direction. Take your pick. Maybe you’ve been waiting for a washing machine to clear up for, well, a while, and then you hear the joyous noise of a machine finishing its cycle – jubilation! Until you open the lid and discover that the person who used this machine before you put everyone and their granny’s laundry in there. Two choices are available to you here: you can either clench your teeth and remove the mass of clothes, or you can tough it out and wait for the next machine, which hopefully isn’t as overloaded as the last one. When removing someone else’s clothing from the washing machine/tumble dryer,
chances are someone will walk into the room just as you scoop out a housemate’s undies. This is an uncomfortable situation for everyone involved, as the onlooker isn’t really sure where to direct their eyes, and you aren’t sure how to handle the undergarment – if you toss it aside, it’ll look like you’re manhandling another person’s belongings, which is frowned upon. If you try to hide it, it looks like you’re stealing some person’s intimate wear. But you don’t want it to look like you’re, you know, fondling their tighty whities either. This is a tough spot to get out of, and your best bet is to drop the garment back into the machine, avert your eyes, back away slowly, flee to the wilderness and change your name. The woods are where you live now. Student life is easy, isn’t it? If you’re lucky, you’ll have this all figured out by the time you graduate. Forever your iconic fave, Campus Cousin
Suduko
Also, it’s basically a given that the day you decide to get your laundry done will be the day that everyone else has that exact same idea. Be prepared to wait (not necessarily patiently) for open washing machines/ tumble dryers, if your accommodations even
Pssst... Pssst… has been on the prowl and has noticed that the boys have suddenly returned to Monate, strangely at the same time as the Katte. Pssst… suggests that if the boys are going to be there all the time, maybe they should go easy on all the snacks, wouldn’t want to break a chair. Pssst… is seeing a lot of first years slaying on campus, instead of focusing on fashion, Pssst… can’t wait for the real slaying to arrive with test week. While Pssst… is mentioning slaying, Pssst… wants to note that the SRC’s blazers look a bit big. Instead of looking like awkward grade eights hoping to grow into their uniforms, maybe they should drop some money on a tailor like last year’s SRC. Speaking of the SRC, Pssst… hears Tuks Res felt it not necessary to attend. Pssst… wants to know why? Speaking of “Why?” questions, Pssst… wants to know why The Tower voted for such a lame name, when even they hate it? However, someone must have liked it for the Brakke to choose it. College hates their name too, but Pssst… doesn’t get why, you changed one letter and hate Res traditions anyway. Except
when it comes to wearing those 2/18/2019 filthy overalls and remaining in first year for more than two years. Pssst… feels that House Nala has become the Tirisano of main campus, or are they just really excited for the new Lion King live action film? Either way, plagiarism ain’t cool kids, take Crossword that course in the library. Pssst… is confused by the beef between Erica and Asterhof over Tau. Who wants to rag with Tau, the off-brand attempt at a frat house? Which isn’t what you should want. Pssst... has been hearing complaints about PDBY editions without Pssst... All Pssst... has to say is why should Pssst... waste the time and effort crawling out from under the floorboards to address issues that Pssst... frankly finds boring. Pssst... isn’t suggesting that you try to renact the Hatfield Square days like a low budget Project X remake. But Pssst... thinks that would at least be more interesting than the “drama” of replacing a “K” with a “C”.
Crossword Puzzle Maker: Final Puzzle
Eskom in 2019
Sport | 11
25 February 2019
TuksWomensRugby: The road ahead
place for girls in rugby. It was never that there was no or not enough money available for rugby at the club, but the problem was that they were not prepared to spend any of that money on girls.” Despite these obstacles the women’s team has proven to be a formidable force by securing constant victories such as; USSA 7s champions in 2014, 2015, 2016 - they skipped the 2017 tournament for an international tournament - and 2018. The 7s team has achieved success in the following international tournaments; Reunions 7s Champions 2011, defeating France in 2 matches in one day, Stanislas 7s Champions 2017 and silver 2018, Centrale 7s champions 2018, Oktoberfest 7s Champions 2017 and 2018 and Dubai 7s bronze 2017. Varsity Cup has not included women’s rugby in their tournaments, van der Merwe discusses his efforts to petition for this revealing that, “despite the requests and motivations that I have sent to the organizers, girls have not yet been included in the Varsity Cup rugby tournaments.” The team has amassed many victories as the Delta Drone TuksWomensRugby 7s team competes against top international, national, and Olympic teams. Coach Riaan has one victory that he considered to be the most meaningful, explaining that, “a highlight was the victory against Wales’ Olympic side in Centrale 7s due to the high level of international and Olympic sides that we competed against, led by our exceptional captain Libbie Janse Van Rensburg.” Nadine Roos, Megan Comley and Marithy Pienar are Tuks players that presently play in the Springboks 7s, van der Merwe discusses the most fulfilling aspect of coaching the team, confirming that it is, “to see the players reach their ‘own’ potential.” Once the players have graduated, those who still reside in Pretoria, keep playing rugby and the others follow different passions; Letitiae Naid is a pastor, Caroline Makhanya works in the management team of Virgin Active, Ilse van Staden played at professional level in Ireland and opened an award-winning biltong shop after stepping down, Fida Kat is running a veterinary practice in Rustenburg, Yolanda Meiring - a former Springbok - is a local primary school teacher and is the director of a rugby coaching academy while coaching school boys, and Geza Kok is a tour operator in Namibia.
Photo provided: TuksWomensRugby
Ntokozo Zondo
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he Delta Drone 7s rugby team has arguably become the best in the country with their undefeated streak in local competitions and an impressive track record in international tournaments. The club that was established and founded only 17 years ago has amassed serious accolades in their field. In 2002, a Canadian rugby player, Natalie Hallemans, came to SA to study at the University of Pretoria only to discover that they could not partake in their favourite sport as there was no women’s rugby sporting code at TuksSport. Natalie championed the start of this club by petitioning the TuksRugby president, Dr Dawie Marais, who recruited the team’s lead coach, coach Riaan van der Merwe. Obstacles were aplenty in the mission to erect this new code and van der Merwe recalls that, “there was limited or no support from the Old Rugby establishments and zero funding. We were faced with the task of establishing this new era in the holy sport of rugby, but the people and institutions where we had to apply for financial support and assistance, were mainly party of the older establishments who believed that there is no
TuksArchers set new record in recurve cadet division Ashley Magwindiri
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uksArchers, Wian Roux and Reuben Brent-Meek, recently took part in the recurve cadet division competition at Kingspark in Durban. The two archers did their best and came out on top at the end of the competition. Roux has been in archery for eleven years but has only been shooting at a higher level for three years. Last year, Roux represented South Africa at the Youth Olympics Games. At the recurve cadet division competition, Roux won a gold medal and set a new South African record with a score of 665, he will be representing South Africa at the Junior World Championships. Speaking to Roux, he mentioned that he watches a lot of international archery on YouTube to study the top archers’ forms and equipment setups. He went on to say that his best tournament win was when he came second at the 2018 Youth African Games in Algiers, because that is where he qualified for the Youth Olympic Games. According to TuksNews, Brent-Meek‘s 2018 December score was 708, at the recurve cadet division, he shot a score of 710 out of 720. This made BrentMeek the third South African archer to achieve such a score. Brent-Meek has represented South Africa at two World Cup competitions, this year his main goal is to qualify for the World Championships. He said that qualifying to go and represent South Africa at the World Championships is what keeps him motivated and pushes him to practice every day. Talking to Roux about innovation in archery he said, “the equipment has been the same for a very long time and that makes it difficult for someone to design and improve the current equipment”.
Tuks loses to Maties, 24-26
Student Health & Wellness Open Day for February 2019 Be a wise health consumer! All TUKS students are welcome to attend the Student Health and Wellness Open Days Let us talk about: Healthy lifestyle, Eye care, Oral hygiene, Communicable diseases, Sexual & Reproductive health, Substance abuse, Gender based violence, Mental health & Stress and Nutritional health.
FNB Tuks lost in their match against FNB Maties in round 3 of varsity cup, with a final score of 24 to 26. As of the end of round 3, FNB Tuks is ranked second on the Varsity Cup log with 10 points. EMS ‘READY FOR WORK’ COMPETITION!
20 winners to win a prize worth R500 and a mentorship opportunity.
STEP 1 Enrol for the ‘Ready for Work’ course through ClickUp.
Mamelodi Campus: Date: 27 February 2019 Time: 12:00–14:00 Venue: The Canteen, Lawn Area
STEP 2 Complete all four packages and enter the draw by:
Submitting copies of your certificates acquired, and Completing the entry form at Commercii Office Room 2-88
Competition closes 17 May 2019!
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
info.shs@up.ac.za
Photos: Marren McKay
Sport TuksCycling: SA Road Championships and beyond
Images provided
Mariesa Potgieter and Ntokozo Zondo
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uksCycling competed in the 2019 South African Road Cycling Championships which were held in Pretoria during the weekend of 7 to 10 February. PDBY reached
out to one of the club coaches to discuss the championship, the cyclists’ performance and upcoming highlights for the season. UP cyclists put on a great performance and achieved the following results: Andries Nigrini placed third in the u/23 individual time trial race, Alex Worsdale placed seventh in the u/23 road race, Azulde Britz, who competed for the first time in the u/23 section, placed fourth in the road race in their category and Michelle Benson placed tenth in the Elite’s Women’s Road Race. Coach Marinus van Sandwyk reviewed the performance remarking that, “I am very pleased with the club’s results. It was an incredibly hard race for everyone, with almost four hours of racing in the heat against a strong field of internationally acclaimed competition.” After the SA road cycling championships, van Sandwyk feels that the riders are, “hungry for victories”. The TuksCycling athletes individually prepare and train in different ways for these types of big championships. Van Sandwyk reveals that, “Each of our riders has their own private coaches that set up training programs for them. Our riders spend [days every month], training for hours for an event like this. They make use of long intense training weeks of about 15-20 hours a week over the December holidays, but the hours differ for each athlete.” It is also important to motivate the cyclists and van Sandwyk says he does this by, “[Having] group rides as often as possible, because the social aspect of sport is what keeps it fun”. Further, he asks all the club’s riders for their results, and feedback while trying to make all the athletes feel comfortable at all times. When asked about the upcoming Olympics in 2020 and if some of the TuksCycling athletes are trying to qualify, van Sandwyk replied by saying, “Yes, we do have athletes that are training to qualify for the Olympics and we have members who have previously raced in the Youth Olympics.” Van Sandwyk comments that “we have had Alumni that were selected for Commonwealth Games and we have Alumni that are competing at Tour De France levels every year. This year we have already had a member [Rimari Sutton] compete at
the Continental Track Cycling Championships and achieve multiple top five results.” The cyclists are preparing for a big season ahead and van Sandwyk mentions the highlights of the season to come by saying, “In July we will have USSA which is our main tour for the year, and we are hoping to send our strongest team ever this year. This event is also a qualifier for the FISU World Championships next year. Throughout the year we will have the Student Cup, which is a series of mountain bike races in which we are the defending champions in the men’s category. Then later in the year, we have World Championships where we are hoping to have a few riders selected.” Van Sandwyk’s main goals for this season are to, “defend all of our titles at the Student Cup and podium at USSA again this year.” He also wants to introduce first years to the sport and he wants to focus on their growth as athletes. He feels that cycling is a sport that should spark interest in many, because “cycling is by far the fastest growing family and recreational sport in South Africa. You experience nature and freedom like never before. Cycling is also a sport that you can do anywhere at any time. Cycling is healthy for the body, mind and spirit.”
Images provided
TuksBasketball aiming high for 2019 with Makena and says, “We are still quite young and we are building a new team”. Makena is not too worried about the team’s mental strength because, “they are eager to work hard, they are prepared, and they follow instructions”. Since they got back from the long holiday season he has been focusing on the “physical aspect” of basketball. For Gerdes to prepare himself mentally before big competitions, it takes “hard work”. He thinks that, “mentally you will be more confident if you know you have worked hard on your game”. Basketball for Gerdes is “high intensity” and therefore you can, “enjoy it on different levels”. It is, “non-stop action” because, “it’s such a high scoring game”. Basketball is fun for players because “there is so much happening in the game and you can play so many TuksBasketball different roles”.
Mariesa Potgieter
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uksBasketball started the year off with a first year Valentine’s Basketball tournament on 14 and 15 February, where first years competed against one another. First team player and second team coach, Ludwig Gerdes, who studies BCom (Business Management), tells more about the tournament and about their preparations for this year’s tournaments. Gerdes comments that the idea of the competition “is just to get the first years introduced to basketball and the residences and then we follow that up with a TuksRes league that starts in March”. Further Gerdes says that this tournament, “Is just a bit of a taste of Basketball for first years to create some interest and build more interests internally inside UP on the campuses”. Many participate in this event and Gerdes says, “This year we had six male teams and 2019 1st Year Valentine’s Basketball Tournament five female teams”. First Year Valentine’s Basketball Results WOMEN: Further, the basketball teams are preparing POOL A Played Won Lost PF PA for three major competitions in the year. Gerdes Curlitzia 2 2 0 16 06 says that they are preparing for the, “Gauteng House Mags 2 1 1 11 12 University Basketball League which starts in Asterhof 2 0 2 06 15 March and that serves as a qualifier for the USSA Played Won Lost PF PA tournament in July” To be able to qualify for USSA POOL B Madelief 2 2 0 21 10 they must be within the top four of the Gauteng Erica 2 1 1 20 11 University Basketball League and top eight of the Nerina 2 0 2 00 20 USSA to qualify for the Varsity Cup. MEN: Coach George Makena feels that, “I’m quite POOL A Played Won Lost PF PA positive that we might be able to get some positive Dregeana 3 3 0 57 22 results” but, “not this year, next year” because The Tower 3 2 1 19 19 College 3 1 2 23 32 he says that many athletes, “are fresh from high Studios 3 0 3 04 30 school”. He is therefore hoping, “that by next year we will be able to see the results”. Gerdes however, POOL B Played Won Lost PF PA believes that they can achieve good results this Morula 3 2 1 22 17 Mopani 3 2 1 17 08 year. He says his goals for the team are to, “finish Tuks Village 3 1 2 19 23 top three in every competition and automatically TAU 3 1 2 14 24 qualify for next year’s Varsity cup”. He also agrees Semi-finals women: 18:00 – 18:25 Curlitzia [A1] vs Erica [B2]
Court A
18:00 – 18:25
Court B
Semi-finals men:
House Mags [A2] vs Madelief [B1]
Points.
4 2 0
Points
4 2 0
Points
6 4 2 0
Points
4 4 2 2
Photo: Marren McKay
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