20 minute read
27 July 2020 UP LLB student a semi-finalist for Miss SA 2020
Manelisi Magoro and Amukelani Makamu
Matsepo Sithole (21), an LLB student from the University of Pretoria, is one of the semifinalists for Miss South Africa 2020. Regarding her journey to entering pageantry, Sithole says she had never been signed to an agency. She posted her pictures for fun and never missed an opportunity to squeeze in for a selfie. “When I was born, my father said I am Miss SA” says Matsepo. She was not aware of this until years later when she started taking interest in modelling and watching the Miss SA pageant. She mentions that the pivotal point was in 2019, when she had an urge to enter the Miss SA pageant in 2020. “It was a feeling I couldn’t ignore and so I went for it” she says. Sithole has held titles such as 2nd Princess at her high school pageant (Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High School) in 2016, and in 2019 she was crowned Miss TuksVillage.
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Apart from pageants, she is passionate about transformation within the creative industry. PDBY spoke to Sithole about her Miss SA journey and her passions for transformation and the arts.
In your introduction video for Miss South Africa 2020, you mentioned that you are an advocate for redefining the word ‘diversity’, and that the word diversity has had the connotation of race attached to it for years, and you believe that it should be expanded. What inspired this thought?
Albert Einstein wrote ‘Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid’. This quote is the epitome of the current reality of many South Africans. A lot of people have passions within the creative industry that they are not pursuing, and even those that are pursing these passions, these individuals face a lot of adversity. I want the creative industry to be valued, celebrated, and protected. I dream of a South Africa where each career path is celebrated as much as the other because the truth is that we all do not have the same talents, and not everyone wants to be a doctor, lawyer or accountant. How amazing would it be to have each individual playing to their strengths and living their life purpose? Participating in Miss SA is part of my plans to expand on the word ‘diversity’. Moreover, working with the relevant structures / organisations that have the same core values as I do, is definitely [in] the pipelines.
Are there any other issues or causes that you champion?
Issues of Gender Based Violence and the empowerment of the youth are very close to my heart.
My inspiration is twofold. Firstly, the creative industry is not something that I randomly thought about, it is something that I grew up with from the time I was four years old – meaning, I ‘live and breathe’ the creative industry. My stepfather is a musician and I have always had an interest in the arts; his struggles have enabled me to see the creative industry for what it really is and not the façade it puts up. Secondly, my main objective is to afford individuals the opportunity to play to their strengths - strengths within the creative industry. I feel like all the other mainstream careers already have enough spokespersons – but who speaks for the creative industry? The arts are often looked down upon and wrongly perceived to be a waste of time and not sustainable. I believe that people should follow their passions because when you do what you love, you will never have to work a day in your life. COVID-19 has highlighted how much the creative industry is undervalued and unprotected. I want to expose and address the exploitation within the industry. Furthermore, I would love to see people realising and cultivating their talents, making a living out of their talents and, most importantly, their talents being celebrated, protected and valued.
The arts are growing each day and it is becoming a societal pillar on its own. How important do you think it is to find yourself through the arts?
It is important to find yourself within this industry as an artist in order for you to have your own unique identity. This would definitely contribute to diversifying the industry and also adding to South Africa’s rich culture. Moreover, I believe individuals within the creative industry need to find their voice and use it. The creative industry is not only a universal language but is a way of speaking for those who don’t have a voice in our society.
What made you choose the year 2020 to enter Miss South Africa out of all the years?
I felt that I was ready. Moreover, in 2019 I had a feeling that I could not ignore and I had to go for it.
Why did you choose the platform of being Miss South Africa 2020 in order to be a catalyst for change within the arts, among all other platforms you could have chosen?
Miss South Africa is a selfless platform that affords young women the opportunity to make a change in this country. I chose this platform because it is in line with my core values and since the organisation has rebranded based on the following pillars: beauty, empowerment, duty and championship – all women are welcome. The inclusive nature of this platform is the best thing that a pageant organisation can offer to young women.
Who is your role model and why?
My high school music teacher Mr van Rooijen. He taught me that it’s always better to make a glorious mistake, which basically
Image: Mashudu Madzhiga
means that we should be present within our failures and be confident in ourselves enough to celebrate them. We shouldn’t fear failure because failure is not detrimental but rather a learning curve. This is something I’ve carried with me ever since. Another role model of mine is Thuli Madonsela for her ability to stand for what is right.
What are the biggest challenges that you have faced in your life? And how did you
grow from them? Finding myself. Finding what my purpose on this earth is. For a large portion of my life, I wasn’t sure – I was confused. I didn’t know what Matsepo liked and what Matsepo didn’t like – I didn’t know what my driving force was. But as I grew older, I found my purpose and I am still in the process of moulding and shaping it.
How do you balance your academics at the University of Pretoria with your
pageant responsibilities? It involves a lot of planning, late nights and sacrifices. But also, having a great support system has really been important to me.
Is there any advice that you would like to give to ladies who aspire to enter Miss South Africa?
Always believe in yourself. Do not listen to naysayers and be prepared to congratulate yourself before anybody does because you will be doing a lot of work in the background, and so you alone need to validate yourself first.
What would you like to say to the public before the Miss South Africa pageant day?
Life has been moulding and shaping me into the woman I am meant to be and that I am now. This is the best version of Matsepo right now. In addition, I am only 21 years old and so this goes without saying – I have a lot to learn. I ask for the public’s support throughout my entire journey.
Please take us through the voting process.
If you are using a credit card, you may vote on the Miss SA website where you will vote for number eight. If you’re using cash, then you can go to Checkers, Checkers hyper or USave where you can cast your vote at their money market centre and ask to vote for number eight.
You can follow Matsepo on social media platforms
Facebook: Matsepo Tseppy Sithole, Instagram: @tseppy_sithole, Twitter: @SitholeMatsepo
UP ranked Number one on UniRank Global List
Susanna Anbu
The University of Pretoria (UP) has attained 1 st ranking in Africa, and 183 rd globally, as per UniRank’s Annual publishing of its tertiary institution ranking. UniRank’s ranking system stems from three integral selection criteria: the accreditation of the institution by the relevant higher educationrelated organisation in the respective country, the institution offering four-year undergraduate degrees or postgraduate degrees, and delivering courses and lectures in a traditional face-to-face setup devoid of non-distant formats.
Additionally, UP’sGordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)has been ranked by UK’s Financial Times as themost genderbalanced business schoolin the world. As per the Global Ranking of Academic Subjects (GRAS), UP has attained first position in South Africa in three subject areas and joint first in five others.
UP Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Tawana Kupe, expressed his gratitude to the university diaspora, stating that the “rankings are a result of the high-quality programs UP offers, as well as a validation of the expertise of our academics”. He thanked the staff for “their hard work in constantly improving our educational offering”. He further said he was “grateful for the recognition, and will continue to work on improving in all subject areas. Excellence is a continuum. The impact of our research matters to a transforming society”.
Image: https://www.4icu.org/reviews/4234.html
UP SRC Elections 2020
Susanna Anbu
In response to PDBY’s query pertaining to the eventuality of holding elections for the Student Representative Council (SRC) of 2021, the SRC confirmed that “discussions are currently revolving around how to conduct elections that would be inclusive during a lockdown”. The response hinted in the possibility of term extensions of the current SRC body or the formation of a Temporary Student Committee.
SRC president David Kabwa confirmed that “SRC substructures such as Key Committees, Residences Committees, Faculty and Day houses will have their elections before SRC elections, should SRC elections take place this year”.
27 July 2020 Snuffing out
Smoking
South African society and smoking bans
Maryke Steynvaart
The ‘cigarette’ is one of the most contested inventions of human history and is often at the centre of conflict surrounding money, health, human rights, and addiction. Today, most people acknowledge the harmful potential and danger of cigarettes. Several national governments have channelled significant state resources into regulating the tobacco industry, and persuading citizens to abstain from smoking. These incentives and changes have a direct impact on smoking policies.
UP can be seen as a ‘microcosm’ of South African society, as the institution often reflects wider national and social changes, ideologies, values, and culture. During the early 1900s, cigarettes started gaining popularity as factories started mass-producing them - and subsequently, the smoking habit boomed after World War 2.
During the 1950s, the first medical studies started reporting a correlation between individuals who smoked cigarettes and lung cancer. In the 1800s, lung cancer was considered one of the rarest diseases to exist, but within decades, it became alarmingly prevalent. Tobacco companies denied this correlation and retaliated with aggressive advertising campaigns.
One such advertisement was published in 1954 in Die Perdeby for Rembrandt cigarettes. For a long time, cigarette advertisements have been banned but during the early 1900s, as the smoking habit boomed, the market was unregulated. Companies targeted specific groups such as students and young adults in general as a way to increase smoking.
The most controversial topic historically, regarding smoking at UP, is arguably banning women from smoking on campus. Die Perdeby, in earlier years, suggested that smoking is unfeminine and that women would be fined for smoking on campus. One example published on 17 May 1968 titled “Men don’t like ladies who smoke” relays this idea and tries to discern whether it is junior or senior female students who are the culprits.
On 19 February 1971, Die Perdeby reported that female students started a petition to lift the policy prohibiting female students from smoking on campus - students contested the idea that smoking is unfeminine and that there is not any concrete explanation for the ban.
In 1970 on 13 February, an article titled “Smoking prohibited” in Die Perdeby illuminates the point in time where smoking was banned inside lecture halls and additional spaces such as the library and laboratories. On 23 April 1971, Die Perdeby published an article titled ‘‘Smoking associated with lung cancer’’, discussing how 90% of lung cancer cases are associated with smoking. This marks a point where people increasingly acknowledged the dangers of smoking.
The South African government started increasingly taxing cigarettes for various reasons, by adding what has been called ‘sin tax’ on these products. Professor Francois Steyn, from the Criminology and Social Work department, explains that the South African government’s continued taxation of cigarettes is “in part to discourage smoking, but also often used as a mechanism to assist in making up shortfalls in the national budget”. Another effect of the taxation is that smokers start buying illegal or contraband tobacco products “at a much cheaper price, which only benefits organised crime,” Prof. Steyn adds.
The national ban- COVID-19
Several bans were implemented along with the announcement of the COVID-19 lockdown measures. Despite many bans being lifted with restrictions, cigarette and tobacco product sales remain prohibited. The effectiveness of the ban was placed under scrutiny when a UCT survey conducted between 29 April and 11 May, filled in by 16 000 citizens, reported that approximately 90% of smokers were able to obtain cigarettes.
Prof. Steyn explains that “evidence shows that national legislation which limits both the use of and access to cigarettes can reduce the number of smokers”. However, these reductions are highly dependent on “aggressively enforcing laws, from manufacturing tobacco products to the point of sale, and the behaviour of smokers. This also includes the police in curbing illicit cigarettes entering the market”.
The illicit trade in tobacco has been steadily increasing its market share of sales over the last couple of years. Now, due to the COVID-19 ban of cigarettes, the whole market has become illicit and hence, organised crime essentially dominates the market. In addition, this illicit trade results in the deregulation of the cigarette market. “Another effect is that, without any official oversight in the manufacturing of illegal cigarettes, the government cannot control the tar and nicotine content of cigarettes, which further compromise the already negative health status of smokers”, added Prof. Steyn.
The UP ban
Recently, UP banned smoking on campus, but the ban has since been retracted. Rikus Delport, UP’s spokesperson reports that “the notice was based on a media report which [they] believed was from the Minister’s office and in light of
Illustration: Giovanna Janos
the ban on the sale of cigarettes”. This decision was a preemptive measure “taken in the best interest of [the] students and staff in the midst of planning to ensure their health and well-being during the planned, phased return of staff and students to the campuses”. Delport continues to explain that, at UP “[they] take [their] responsibilities to protect the health and well-being of [the] community seriously”.
Although the ban has been officially retracted and there were no changes to the university’s smoking policy, UP is legally obliged to enforce notices, regulations and restrictions that are issued by the national government and specifically DHET (the Department of Higher Education and training).
Smoking has been the centre of much controversy for a large part of the global history. Recently, it has been one of the most contested points during the lockdown in South Africa. Even though UP’s ban has been retracted, it is a marker of the impacts the national governments’ decisions have on institutions and citizens alike.
Books to lookout for by Black South African Authors
Cassidy Bessa
The global Black Lives Matter movement has highlighted the need to uplift the voices of black creatives. South Africa has no shortage of local black talent, especially when it comes to writing. PDBY has compiled a short list of books written by local black authors to keep an eye on.
You’re not Broke, You’re Pre-Rich by Mapalo Makhu
This non-fiction book is ideal for millennials who are trying to learn how to pay their debts and stay debt free. It is the perfect book filled with amusing stories about how to manage money as a young professional. It teaches readers how to invest money and explores topics such as budgeting, black tax, emergency funds, financial scams, savings, retirement, and estate planning.
Becoming Men by Malose Langa
Langa tells the story of 32 sturuggling young men from Alexandra, a township in Johannesburg. This book details the objectification of women as well as other everyday tribulations that are faced within townships. It follows the twelve year journey of adolescence into adulthood, with topics such as masculinity and manhood are at the core of the book. Throughout the book, the boys deal with a range of topics such as absent fathers and relationships with mothers, school violence, homophobia, gangs, unemployment, and prison life. The author suggests that there should be an intervention that serves to support and assist them in reducing “high risk behaviours with regard to hegemonic masculinity”. This book is perfect for someone studying gender studies but also for anyone who wants more insight into the struggles boys face when growing into men.
Malibongwe by Sono Molefe
This anthology of poems is a collection of non-fictional poems written by women in ANC camps and around Africa and the world in the late 70s. The book was banned by the apartheid regime in the 80s and has subsequently been republished in South Africa in 2020. In this book, we see what women were dealing with during apartheid, as well as their hopes, and aspirations. It also gives a new stage to female South African writers and gives female writers and artists a place in SA’s liberation. The poems in this book are about “the struggles within the Struggle”. These poems show the radicalism
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TIME 100 Talks
Kendra Connock
Every year since 1999, Time Magazine has published a list of the 100 most influential people of that particular year. The people on the list are recognised for changing the world (sometimes negatively, but mostly positively). Influence is hard to measure but to the selection committee of the TIME 100, influence refers to people whose trailblazing ideas, exceptional talents, or ground-breaking discoveries have transformed the world we live in. The list has included figures like Barack Obama (listed 11 times), Oprah Winfrey (listed 10 times), Steve Jobs (listed 5 times), and LeBron James (listed 4 times). Some of the names on the list have been questionable (again, people can be listed even if the influence they have isn’t necessarily good) including Donald Trump, Kim Jong-il, and Bill Clinton. With the COVID-19 pandemic putting an abrupt halt on social gatherings all around the world, Time has opted out of its TIME 100 Gala for this year and is instead hosting a series of talks online by some of 2020’s most influential figures.
The TIME 100 talks series, available on time. com, broaches some uncomfortable topics and questions that people have, and allows experts from the relevant fields to discuss and answer. Mark Cuban talks about resuming the US’
NBA season amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Health experts like Dr Anthony Fauci and Dr Robert Redfield discuss what the coronavirus could look like during winter and how the pandemic is progressing in various parts of the world. There are timely discussions on issues of systemic racism and police reform with voices like Nancy Pelosi, Reverend William Barber, John Legend, and sports stars Maya Moore and Malcolm Jenkins. There are also discussions on how the pandemic is affecting several different communities, including those in the performing arts (with Broadway star Ben Platt) and the fashion industry, hosted by Christian Siriano whose haute couture brand has stopped producing evening gowns and started working on face masks. Laverne Cox speaks about the importance of increasing visibility of transgender narratives. Image: Cletus Mulaudi There are politicians, celebrities, scientists, drag queens, sports stars, and activists. These talks are on issues that are of cardinal importance, not just now, but for the future too. The people in the talks are sharing their views, research and experience, with the hopes that it will bring about some collaboration between them and others to help build the future together. Visit time.com to see the full catalogue and learn from some of 2020’s most influential figures. within women, not just then but also today.
The Terrorist Album by Jacob Dlamini
Dlamini discusses apartheid’s afterlife in this non-fiction novel. In the 90s, the government security police collected over 7000 photos of apartheid’s enemies. This was known as the terrorist album and only three copies survived after the end of apartheid. These people depicted in the terrorist album were targeted for surveillance. This book talks about the stories behind the photos, their origins, how they were used, and how these photos changed peoples’ lives. The author includes extensive interviews with the targets depicted in these images. This book tells the story of the height of apartheid, its ultimate failure, and its horrible legacy. The author traces tales of South African insurgents, collaborators, and security police through the tale of a photo album used to target ‘apartheid’s enemies’.
Cassidy Bessa
Qamata, Khosi
Ngema, and
Gail Mabalane.
The premise of the story is that
Puleng Khumalo, played by Ama
Qamata, moves to
Parkhurst High as her past continues to haunt her. Her sister, Phumelele, was kidnapped as part of a human trafficking scheme. Her father is now being accused of playing a role in this scheme.
The case seems hopeless until she meets
Fikile Bhele, played by Khosi
Ngema. This new introduction springboards an obsession that seems to grow. Puleng believes that Fikile is her sister and she will do anything to find out the truth. Puleng is selfish in her friendship with Wade, seeming only to use him. The series consits of six, long episodes, so it creates the feeling of watching a movie instead of a series. As the epiodes are quite lengthy, they are slightly overwhelming and difficult to manage. This coming of
Image: Cletus Mulaudi
Grasping At Straws by Yvonne Maphosa
This fictional story takes place in the village of Matombo with Lwezi as the main character. Lwezi questions traditions and a culture that seems in favour of men. Girls are excluded from school and are not allowed to get an education. Girls are also groomed for marriage at a very young age. This book centers around the hardships that
Blood and Water
Blood and Water is a South African Netflix special. This web series stars South African actors Ama women face from childhood to adultood.
age web series shows the South African high school culture not only in the prestigious Parkhurst High, but also in Puleng’s old school which her friend Zama still attends. This show is a step in the right direction for South African web series and it encourages the production of more local web series. South African music is used in the show, starring some wellknown favourites such as Nasty C, Lastee, and Crowned Yung. The show is political in nature as it deals with human trafficking and fake adoption as one of the biggest problems in South Africa. Wendy, played by Natasha Image: Cletus Mulaudi Thahane, brings other African political events to light by insisting on learning more about African history in class, much to the rest of the students’ dismay. The series is diverse in terms of racial and queer representation. The finale left room for the possibility of future seasons of the show. If you are looking for South African talent to watch, then Blood and Water might be a perfect fit.
