29 October 2018 Issue 18 Year 80

Print, Digital, and Broadcast Youth Media | Independent student news

New name New look Fourth quarter Student Forum

80 years of student news

A history of women at UP

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Year 80 Issue 18 | 29 October 2018

The journey of Pedro Barbosa

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Your mental health matters P14

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Editorial | 29 October 2018

One down, one to go

From the Editor

I

can’t believe we are here at our last edition for 2018. It feels like just yesterday that I sat in the Perdeby office laying out the first-year’s edition, excited about the design changes that would be distributed to all the new first-years. But it also feels like the longest dredge through edition after edition, facing new challenges with each one, and finally ending up back where I started, except now I sit in the PDBY office.

I learned so much this year that I would need far more space than just this editorial block to go through each very important lesson. I would need just as much space to talk about all the people that had a hand in this year.

Just know that I have been through

quickly — how to cover such a large scale and important event that after it ended we were left in the dust of some really good reporting and some committed and skilled journalism. As we move into our future, we hope to introduce a breath of fresh air into the newspaper, with new designs, and new way of operating, but also with the same old quality of content and a drive to always improve.

Since I stated at Perdeby, I have been told that our success lies in our ability to adapt and learn. This change is just another proof of that.

So, the best I can say is: enjoy it! We hope to rediscover our identity and our purpose through this change. We aim to serve students the news they need to know and serve it in the most accessible and easiest way possible.

Go wild Shaun Sproule

the most, and I am really grateful that I have the chance to learn and experience all of this, but I must say that I am so happy to get this last edition out and refocus my attention on our future.

PDBY is something that has been a whole year in the works. Finally seeing it come together was scary and thrilling. You never know how people will react to change — they could hate it, they could love it, they might not care — there are just too many people to try and please each person.

I am pleased though. It is everything that I had hoped, even though these past few weeks have been some of the most challenging and difficult in my years at UP. I am proud of what my team was able to do, and I am proud of the work that I have done this year.

This newspaper went through a lot during FMF and AMF, something we have not really caught our breath from. We had to learn — very

And the train won’t stop going, no way to slow down

T

he iconic Jethro Tull song, Locomotive Breath, leads with the lyrics “In the shuffling madness, of the locomotive breath, runs the all-time loser, headlong to his death.” As I’m writing my closing editorial for 2018, I

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can’t help but reflect on the year(s) gone by. Comparing a university term to shuffling madness would be stating it mildly. Especially when considering the last four years and dramatic impact the Fees Must Fall movement had on higher education. For those who weren’t around before 2015, this used to be a very different place. Perdeby wasn’t immune to shock to the system we received during this time and with most of these ‘war veteran’ journalist now finished with university, the newspaper might have experienced a bit of an identity crisis (as most structures at UP have since FMF).

You see, running a newspaper is very much like boarding a runaway train. Once aboard you might as well strap in and enjoy the ride. To think you are the one steering the train is fallacy, as the tracks are laid out for

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I have to extend my deepest gratitude to each and every staff member at PDBY (Perdeby) for their commitment and long hours through the good and the bad that this year offered.

Luckily you are all in good hands as Shaun will extend his term as editor to 2019. He has a very exciting vision for this publication and, as we enter a new chapter with a new name, I can assure you that we will keep bringing the news in the same professional way we have for the last eighty years, maybe just in a bunch of new and exciting ways.

We have reconnected with our identity throughout this year and I am personally very excited about what we will bring in years to come.

This student news train won’t stop go going, no way to slow us down.

I wish you all only the best as you enter the exam period.

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you and the news cycle will determine in which direction you are heading week on week. It all happens at such an incredible pace and in the blink of an eye, 18 editions pass through the presses and the hands of your readers in what seems to be a Pretoria minute.

The light-speed pace at which a year at this newspaper disappears seems unrealistic when reflecting on what we achieve in such a relatively short amount of time.

This publication wears many hats and for our readers it should obviously serve as an informative and entertaining publication.

But for those who work behind the scenes, this newspaper is an incubator focussing on personal and professional development in a high pace and high stress environment.

I don’t believe any student ever walked away after a term (or two or three) at the newspaper feeling that they haven’t gained something, and this is where its true magic lies - in the people who work incredibly hard to ensure we publish content throughout the year.

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

Perdeby Official independent student newspaper of the University of Pretoria 29 October 2018

SRC helps students get drivers licenses Pg. 5

Transprotocol to support transitioning Pg . 7

Horror books for Halloween Pg . 18

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year 80 issue 18

18 years of victory with TuksNetball Pg. 23

UP SRC holds fourth quarter student forum

Photo: Nkululeko Ngcobo

Mbali Mkhithi

O

n 18 October, the Student Representative Council (SRC) held the fourth quarter student forum meeting at the Sanlam Auditorium. The agenda for the forum included a presentation of the SRC year-end report by SRC President Kwena Moloto and a presentation of the SRC Financial report by SRC treasurer Duane Van Wyk. The presentations were followed by a questions and answer session.

Questions had to be sent to the deputy secretary, Kutlwano Mositi 48 hours before the meeting.

The fourth quarter meeting comes after the third quarter student forum, which was supposed to be held on 22 August, was cancelled. According to Mositi, the third quarter forum was cancelled because 14 SRC members did not submit their reports on time and Tuks Print was inundated with SRC candidate(s) posters, and therefore the posters wouldn’t have been received on time, which would have resulted in a procedural irregularity.

“My office has consulted with all relevant parties and a decision had to be ratified by the SRC executive, which was approved on the day before the forum was scheduled

to take place. We believe the notice period was served as the poster was placed on our official Facebook page and webpage two weeks prior to the sitting however due to the reports not being released on time, and the number of question(s) received by my office motivated the postponement”, he explained.

Mositi added, “Please note that the constitution for student governance requires that there be at least three student forum’s within an academic year and the cancellation of the 3rd does not render the SRC incapable of being held accountable.”

In the fourth forum, Constitutional Tribunal Chief Justice Antonie Klopper informed the house that SRC Secretary Soraia Machado and SRC Marketing, Media and Communications Kyle Goosen would be absent from the meeting after they excused themselves for personal reasons.

Moloto started off his presentation by acknowledging the silent march for student and staff support which took place earlier that day. He continued the presentation by mentioning the work done by the SRC and their challenges among many other things. “As this is the final time I will be addressing this forum in my capacity as the SRC President, the deputy secretary felt it would be prudent for me to speak on the SRC’s achievements over the course of our

entire term rather than just for the fourth quarter and I agreed to do this. In October 2017 the UP SRC in conjunction with all UP faculty houses embarked on a large scale food drive in order to tackle student hunger on campus. The food drive was a massive success. With tens of thousands of rands worth of food raised, it ensured that no student was forced to study on an empty stomach. The food drive also demonstrated how effective student governance structures can be when working together for a common goal. Without the hard work and commitment of the faculty houses during this time period the food drive would have not been such a success. The food drive 2.0 that was launched in April 2018 was equally a success,” Moloto said.

Moloto also mentioned, “Over the course of the help desk, the SRC is proud to say that over 90% of students who met the academic requirements and approached the SRC are currently studying at this institution. The UP SRC was also able to place over 106 students in UP residences or accredited residences. [At] the commencement of the academic year, many returning students still weren’t registered, this was due to various factors. The most notable being historical debt and the NSFAS strike. As a result, on 19 February 2018 when the registration period officiated, hundreds of students had not registered. After many engagements with the UP executive, it was decided that the registration period be extended to the 2 March 2018. It is important to note that this was the first time in recent years that the SRC was able to extend the registration period” His presentation was followed by the treasure’s financial report. Van Wyk said, “In terms of my yearly report which you can find on the website, I gave recommendations as to the budgets and specific recommendations that were made were to look into the sub structures applications and the amount that was given to those sub structures, and whether it can be deemed that those sub structures can have further budget cuts, to look at availing funds for the SRC to run its affairs during the year, but also to help save finances from the get go.”

On the case of policy drafting, he responded, “In terms of policy redrafting, it was also implemented that at the end of their terms especially in terms of the societies and faculty houses and cost centres that for any funds that weren't used by 1 March, that those funds will automatically be redirected to the finance account to make sure that it is constantly funded.

“In terms of reserve funds that's normally 10% of the allocations that are going to all reses, faculty houses and then to societies, they keep 10% in case of emergencies, they haven't run into any specific emergencies this year so to tap into the reserve funds to make sure it doesn't direct back into universities managements, is a discussion that we are currently having with management now. So after audit and after our plan of action that we are having in our SRC meetings it was uncovered that the SRC cost centres weren't properly used, so it provides us with rather if the SRC members weren't using the finances for projects, then we would divert those finances. We had numerous housing crises for students in private accommodation who weren't able to pay for their rent for the rest of the year, so we were able to use those cost center finances to pay rent for those students so that they won't be evicted from their reses. We are also looking at the food crisis currently. It was brought about in the meeting yesterday to deal with the food crisis, in terms of the students during exam times to not go hungry. That's what we are doing now,” Van Wyk added.

During the question and answer session, various issues were raised by the students.

The most constantly raised issues were those concerning mental health with regards to the suicide rates at the university currently, the issue of insufficient funds on the meal cards, issues about the evidence for SRC spending as well as evidence for their achievements. Students pressed the SRC on the issue of residences currently removing suicidal students from res because they are seen as a danger. SRC Residences Aaron Masemola, responded by saying that talks were offered by res parents in residences to try and ensure mental health. Most of the students rejected the response and said that these talks were not existent and even if they were, they would not be enough. The students also demanded evidence of the students that the SRC said they financially assisted. Van Wyk responded that he would put up the evidence but explained that he would hide the identity of the students for the purposes of confidentiality and privacy.

When the issue of insufficient meal card funds arose, the SRC president told the house that food was being made available by the SNAPP programme and students should visit Roosmaryn for assistance.

The meeting commenced at 17:50 and continued until 19:40 as a continuous dialogue took place between the students and the SRC.

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News | 29 October 2018

UP structures hold mental health seminar Prudence Ramaboka

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n light of the mental health awareness week, a seminar was held at the Sanlam Auditorium on 10 October. The seminar was organised by the Humanities faculty, Psyche society, UP United Nations SA, NAT House and Vista clinic. The speakers in attendance included Dr Jerrie Bezuidenhout, a psychiatrist from Vistac Clinic, who spoke about different forms mental illness, how they are treated and how to recognise the signs, and Amanda Booth, who spoke about the journey of eating disorders, including her own journey from being anorexic to being a healthy functioning adult. Others in attendance included incoming SRC president David Kabwa.

The topics in discussion included depression, eating disorders, suicide, the signs, symptoms, the risk factors and ways to help individuals in danger of committing suicide. According to the America Psychiatric Association, Mental illnesses are health conditions involving changes in one’s emotion, thinking or behaviour or at times a combination of these and mental health as well refers collectively to all diagnosable mental disorder. Mental illnesses are associated with distress and/or problems functioning in social, work or family activities. Mental health also refers collectively to all diagnosable mental disorders.

Due to the mental illnesses highlighted amongst students, especially since this year has been highlighted by multiple suicides, with three confirmed occurring all in the second semester. UNASAUP’S Michelle Smorfitt told PDBY that “Mental awareness is important because we need to make sure that people know that they are not alone in their mental health issues and that everyone dealing with it know that the is a support structure in place”.

Dr Jerrie Bezuidenhout as well told PBDY that “Mental health awareness is important, depression, as well as suicide is among the leading causes of mortality and death in the world, that’s why we need to talk about it”.

With the stigma attached to mental illness, people are afraid to talk about their mental illness, in fear of what their communities would say. Realising that mental health matters and that it is a medical condition, just like diabetes, also that it is common and treatable. Many individuals living with mental illness continue to function in their daily lives, including celebrities such as Ariana Grande who opened up about her battle with PTSD and anxiety following the bombing at her concert venue while performing, likewise is Camilla Cabello, who opened up about her battle with obsessive-compulsive disorder. For more information on mental illness visit Vista Clinic or contact the psyche society on campus.

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29 October 2018 | News

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Student enterpreneurs given networking opportunity Mosa Mgabhi

T

he UP Business Incubator (UPBI) has collaborated with Lifetime Empowerments to host The Business Alliance, a networking event solely focused on fostering student entrepreneurship. According to the UPBI website, there needs to be a paradigm shift in South Africa in which people need to be taught how to be job creators instead of job seekers. The incubator claims that it recognises that many people who have considered starting a business have probably failed due to a lack of skills knowledge, experience, and contacts.

Moreover, the website reveals that South Africa’s unemployment rates have motivated people to start businesses. the website further goes on to assert that “not only do small businesses create jobs, but collectively they are crucial drivers for uplifting the economy and potentially the livelihoods of an entire nation.”

Lifetime Empowerments, according to the website, is “a social enterprise that specialises in creating entrepreneurial, educational and leadership events and programmes.” Founder of

Lifetime Empowerments who is also an intern at the UPBI, Sicelo Masuku, told PDBY that the Business Alliance event will be held Standard Bank at the Hatfield Hub, on the 27th of October from 08:30am to 11:00am, and the tickets are selling for R50 per person. The event will feature digitalisation expert and entrepreneur Lucas Vasco as well as networking expert and entrepreneur Sharron Wilkinson as the guest speakers.

Masuku explained that the event seeks to holistically deal with all things networking.

He explained that the event will happen in two segments. The first session will provide different information regarding “how [the attendees] can effectively collaborate, effectively present [themselves] in networking environments, leverage on networking to grow [their] business, [and] turn their network into viable stakeholders for [their] businesses.” He further went on to explain that the second session will look at the fundamentals of networking relationships and feature four sessions of speed networking with the help of a networking coach, who will provide help during the sessions and

constructive feedback thereafter.

Recently, UP announced the launch of a high-tech business incubator TuksNovation.

This was in collaboration with the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA), the Department of Small Business Development and the Department of Trade and Industry.

According to the UP website, TuksNovation will initially assist postgraduate students within the Engineering, Built Environment and Technology (EBIT) Faculty, however, it is currently expanding its government and industry partner networks. TuksNovation aims to “act as a catalyst for the development of industrial clusters which positively impact the Tshwane region.” Furthermore, the business incubator focuses on “technology and techno-entrepreneurship skills [as well as] commercialisation and business growth.”

Similarly, Masuku emphasised that the Business Aliance event aims to cultivate social entrepreneurs who will “get in and come out being better individuals and […] entrepreneurs with [a] much more clear[er] direction [for] their business.”

Students march for mental health support Refilwe Mofokeng and Sihle Nyangiwe

O

n 18 October, Why@UP held a silent march for student and staff support. The aim of the march was to call upon the University of Pretoria to drastically increase support structures and programs for both students and staff at the institution. Various protesters held posters saying #BreakTheSilence and #SpeakOut. The march began at Oom Gert’s, proceeded through campus, all the way to the university’s main gate and ended at Roosmaryn, where the memorandum was supposed to be received by the university management.

The office of the Department of Student Affairs unfortunately was not present to receive the memorandum.

At the main entrance of the university, numerous news journalists were prohibited from entering the university grounds. Moloto read the memorandum out to the students, with one of the demands asking for the proper acknowledgement of the mental health crisis that is currently prevailing at the institution. Other demands called for the university to introduce proper training for house parents in residences and all personnel in positions of trust with respect to student affairs. In addition, teaching staff and faculty advisors must be compelled to undergo sensitivity

training.

Students were then given a platform to share their stories and to break their silence.

Incoming SRC President, David Kabwa, said, “I attended the march to support the SRC [of] 2017/18 with regards to raising awareness pertaining to issues of mental wellness. What I look to obtain from the march today is just ensuring that acknowledgement of the fact that mental wellness as an issue takes place. Oftentimes we cannot engage or solve a problem until we identify that it is a problem and today I really believe that students got together to acknowledge the fact that this is an issue and it is an issue that needs to be dealt with. My objective going into this march was achieved and now it is up to us to find a way forward.”

Later on, the SRC held their fourth quarter student forum which was aimed at holding the SRC accountable. Before commencing his speech, Moloto said, “I would just like to thank all the members in this room, that joined us today for our march, to raise awareness to this issue of mental health at this institution. I think that it was a great success. I have seen that the march has been reported on eNCA, eTV, EWN, so we really have brought a lot of awareness to this issue.

If anything, what I have learned at this institution over my past five years in

student leadership, is that only when this institutions image is tarnished does change happen. I think that the university will no longer be able to hide from the fact that we are currently dealing and have been dealing with a mental health crisis at this institution. On behalf of the entire SRC, thank you very much to everyone who attended.”

Image provided

Education students march for safety in classrooms Earnest Nyamutsamba

O

n 11 October, UP BEd students protested outside Groenkloof Campus over reported cases of violence towards teachers in primary schools. Kgothatso Manyane, the convener and third year BEd student, told PDBY, “The reason why we thought about the march was firstly to raise awareness to society of what is happening in our schools [where] our teachers are being victimised”.

The march follows the recent events of teacher assaults by students during the year.

On 13 September, News24 reported that a 17-year-old boy who attends a high school in Zeerus, North West is facing a murder charge after allegedly stabbing a teacher to death .

The students marched to the Department of Basic education to submit their memorandum to the Minister of Basic

Education, Angie Motshekga. The BEd students were transported by the buses, which were provided by the SRC who hired two buses that ferried the BEd students from the Groenkloof Campus to Kgosi Mampuru Prisons Correctional Centre. The march was scheduled to start at noon from the correctional centre to the minister’s offices.

The marchers were observed by the Tshwane Metro Police, who made sure that they were safe. Kgothatso Manyane a student who was also at the march told PDBY, “our teachers are being killed at the hands of learners, so firstly the march was to raise awareness, secondly to condemn very strongly the behaviour that the learners are demonstrating towards teachers, we are concerned about the lives of teachers and we are also condemning this behaviour we do not condone such behaviour especially from learners to teachers... I want to make sure

that the profession of teaching is seen with a different eye, teachers are being undermined by learners I want to ensure that the teaching profession is viewed with a different eye people can respect and hold teachers with much integrity and respect.”

The Minister for the Department of Basic Education was not available to accept the memorandum The director general and the deputy minister were also absent. The crowd managed to meet up with the chief of staff within the ministers office to receive the memorandum on her behalf. The details of the memorandum stated that the marcher will meet up with The minister within seven days.

On 12 October Manyane attended a conference Schools Safety Summit in Centurion, where they managed to meet with the minister. Manyane said he spoke to her and organised a follow up meeting.

Photo: Ditebogo Tshaka

SRC helps students get drivers licenses

Mbali Mkhithi and Sihle Nyangiwe

O

n 7 October, the Student Representative Council (SRC) published a letter expressing their intention to assist students to obtain their learners or drivers licenses at no cost. The letter explained that the SRC has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Thupello Driving Academy Pty (Ltd) (Thupello). Thupello has undertaken to assist 15 needy University of Pretoria students who are in their final year of study in obtaining their learners and or drivers license and as part of their corporate social responsibility initiative.

According to the letter, this project is aimed at reducing the burden in exploring employment opportunities, and ensuring that more members of the youth in South Africa are with the means of a drivers license. It explains that in exchange, the SRC undertook to provide Thupello with free marketing on University of Pretoria (UP) premises and all their social media platforms. Additionally, the students who will be selected for the assistance will be required to assist Thupello with marketing their driving academy through their social media platforms and word of mouth.

The agreement that the SRC has with Thupello is that they will train and prepare the selected students will all the required training necessary to obtain their learners licenses.

They will also provide driving lessons to the selected students prior to the student’s tests at any traffic department that provides such services. They will further provide a car/testing vehicle for all the training and for use on the day of testing.

The letter says that all of these services will be provided free of charge to the selected students, provided that the said students will be willing to pay all statutory fee(s) required to obtain the learners and or drivers license.

The SRC requested that students who are in their final year of study and are financially needy to send their documents to the SRC deputy secretary if they wished to be considered for this opportunity. Students were required to send a letter of motivation as to why the said student should be selected.

This motivational letter should include among other things; the student’s financial standing at home, why the student needs the drivers license etc. They were also required to attach their proof of registration indicating that the student is in their final year of study. If the student has been assisted financially by the SRC in the 2018 academic year they were required to furnish proof thereof.

The letter concluded by stating that the SRC would convene after all their requests have been made, where each case will be dealt with individually and the outcome will be communicated to the requestor.

Mositi told PDBY that, “Students will receive training, meaning they will receive a car to go do their drivers license, they will receive training in terms of their learners licenses, they will help them with the facilitation for their bookings.” “All the students technically need to do is to pay the precribed fees”

6

News | 29 October 2018

3D imaging to benefit African children Sihle Nyangiwe

U

P researcher Dr Vinet Coetzee and her team have started using 3D images of children’s faces to map facial indicators of genetic conditions for people of African descent. Dr Coetzee told PDBY, “Very little is known about the specific facial features associated with the different conditions in African populations, which makes it more difficult to diagnose these conditions in Africa.

The health care budgets in African countries are also often quite limited so we wanted to develop an affordable solution that could help doctors identify these conditions in African countries earlier and more accurately.” Dr Coetzee is working together with Dr Engela Honey from the Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology and Prof Dominik Endres from the Unit for Theoretical Neuroscience, Department of Psychology from the Philipps University of Marburg. The motive behind the study is to assist

practitioners in the early and truthful detection of genetic conditions and to allow for the subsequent treatment of these conditions.

Dr Coetzee defines genetic disorders as an irregularity in one’s DNA, a notable example would be Down Syndrome. She further adds that their goal is to design a facial screening tool that will aid in the early detection of a myriad of genetic conditions.

Business Insider explains that Coetzee “[has] 10 separate cameras that take a photo of you from different angles at exactly the same time, and then we can use that to make a 3D image of your face.” Dr Coetzee explained that upon completion of this, the computer is trained to estimate the probability of a child having the disorder. This data will be used by doctors in their diagnosis and testing.

Students hoping to get involved in this study can assist by providing hundreds of pictures of children with and without genetic conditions.

She safeguards that the provided images will

not be published or used in presentations.

Postgraduate students with specialised knowledge and skill can submit their CVs should they desire to join the team. Other interested students can follow the research by liking their Facebook page Facial Morphology Research Group.

“Genetic disorders are not very high on the list of health priorities in the country, which means there are limited resources dedicated to [the] diagnosis and treatment of genetic conditions,” says Coetzee. In the same breath, she notes that, “services are offered at all the public hospitals, although there are very few experts that specialise in identifying these conditions.” Although these types of conditions cannot be prevented since one is born with them, Coetzee stresses the importance of prenatal screening to allow parents to make informed decisions and help manage the disorder.

Dr Vinet Coetzee Image: UP website

Dr Coetzee explained that the benefit of such a study is that more resources can be utilised to help treat other conditions since an affordable tool to identify genetic conditions would be developed. The affected kids will be identified sooner, leading to an improved quality of life.

“The more rapidly the database is created, the quicker health practitioners can diagnose these conditions”, she concluded.

NAS faculty best lecturer awards Matenji Fortunate

T Illustration: Adivhaho Maphwanya

SAAPS hosts conference for political assessment Nondumiso Mntambo

F

rom the 1 to 3 of October The University of Pretoria Department of Political Sciences hosted the South African Association of Political Studies (SAAPS) biennial conference at the Hatfield Campus in the Sanlam Auditorium.

Over 150 participants local and international gathered at the conference to discuss factors that explain whether there has been continuity in the state of politics and international relations.

PDBY spoke to Prof Siphamandla Zondi, the Head of the Department of Political Science and Acting Head of the Institute for Strategic and Political Affairs, to find out more about the event. Prof Zondi gave the following reasons for why it was important to discuss the changes in the political realm, “one, To keep focus on them, so that they are not forgotten as dominant systems of the world are forced to now think about a fourth industrial revolution before we have had a second or third one. Two, to provide a platform for innovative ideas about ways of resisting injustice and finding solutions, and three, to keep ourselves alive, for to speak is to live, it is to breathe in a suffocating neo-colonial order that finds expression everywhere including government, business, schools, universities etc.” A few of the major changes in politics that have stood out to Prof Zondi include amongst others, the emergence of major countries and economies of the global south as major players in the global economic and political environment, epitomised by the BRICS platform, the trade war between the US and China threatening to bring the multilateral trade system and platforms of global economic governance to their knees, as

well as the rise in corruption, authoritarianism and autocracy.

Prof Zondi had the following to say about the conference, “We are pleased that the conference attracted the interest of scholars including young scholars from various African countries, the leaders of fellow associations such as the India and Nigeria political science associations and various SA universities and research institutes.

We were pleased to witness bold and fresh ideas from especially young scholars on a wide range of issues including governance and democracy, economic transformation and social justice, conflict and peace.” One of the highlights of the event was the election of a new executive with Prof Zondi elected as its president. “We are very pleased that the conference endorsed the process towards the reestablishment of the African Association of Political Studies (AAPS) with a conference in South Africa [scheduled to take place] at the end of 2019.” Prof Zondi said about the overall success of the SAAPS conference.

In parting Prof Zondi said, “We hope that those who attended the conference will come away with a sense that there has been changes in the world, in Africa and South Africa, but many of them have been negative. There [have] been continuity of challenges, but there have also been positive developments including the vigilance of the civil society against autocratic government, closed capitalism of monopolies, the alliances of poor countries against global injustice and the ability of people to rise up and resist as we saw with the gallant efforts of students [...] to decolonise remove financial barriers to access during the remarkable Fees Must Fall protests.”

he Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (NAS) has officially opened the nomination polls for BSc students to nominate their best first or senior year lecturer. Nominations include Mamelodi & Groenkloof lecturers. These awards were initiated by the Faculty’s student house, NATHouse, and specifically by the previous Chairperson, Alexis Schultz, to recognize the extra effort that the first-year lecturers put into their teaching and learning activities. Dr Quenton Kritzinger, guardian of NATHouse told PDBY, “their efforts are really appreciated by the students and these awards serve as an encouragement for the lecturers”.

Dr Kritzinger explained, “For the past years the awards have undergone improvements and this year the students can also nominate senior lecturers. These awards are arranged yearly by the Executive Committee members of NATHouse and by far they have been a success each year.”

Dr Kritzinger explained that students will nominate a lecturer who teaches a first or senior year module at Hatfield, Mamelodi or Groenkloof campus who they feel is deserving of this award. The lecture nominated will have to fulfil a basic criterion. The requirements listed in the criteria include: whether the lecturer motivates and inspires the students to do better, whether the lecturer is on time for lectures, if the lecturer is approachable and if the lecturer is well prepared and well organised among others. The lecturer must

also know how to use ClickUP, use of the announcements function appropriately and reply to students’ emails timeously.

These are some bonus attributes for the lecturer that goes the extra mile such as whether the lecturer posts useful resources, offers students quality notes (good referencing to the textbook and/or study guide) and makes use of collaborate and/or other forms of virtual facilities i.e. e-tutor.

“A true epitome of a good and inspiring lecturer [who] always brings excitement to the class and shows a lot of determination and passion for his subject”, is was just one of the comments of the students who voted Mr. Nick de Beer, a lecturer in Chemistry as the Best First-year Lecturer in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (NAS) on 1 December 2017.

The voting this year will begin as soon as the nomination process ends and the prizes to be won are confirmed.

The faculty encourages students to participate in this initiative to the fullest extent. According to the faculty, the initiative aims to help improve their learning environment and motivate their lecturers to offer lessons of a greater quality.

Students are encouraged not to view this as a competition of who is better, but rather as a way to help lecturers see the diverse support system that exists within their study environment as stated on the faculty page.

Nominations opened 20 September and will close 11 October 2018. Thereafter, voting will be done via ClickUP from 15 to 22 October.

@PDBYMedia

29 October 2018 | News

Marie Stopes starts initiative to improve services

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Transprotocol to support transitioning

Matenji Fortunate

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illions of women in the developing world are likely to lose access to modern contraception, following the re-introduction of a Republican policy. The policy, dubbed the Global Gag Rule, blocks US government funding to non-US organisations that perform abortion with their own funding.

Marie Stopes South Africa, established in 1993, is the country’s largest non-profit provider of sexual and reproductive health care services.

Whitney Chinogwenya – Marketing and Brand Manager told PDBY that “Marie Stopes South Africa is not only sexual and reproductive healthcare provider but has a holistic women’s healthcare services which includes: Full range contraception methods (short and long acting), pap smears, safe Abortion Care, HIV counselling and testing, STI screening and management and women wellness screenings”.

Marie Stopes will continue to function due to the generous support of other donor governments and foundations, and has also been able to secure replacement funding to keep most services running in the short term. According to Chinogwenya, “Marie Stopes offers a safe, confidential and affordable service and our aim is to cater to all women in the communities we serve. We furthermore, aim to cater for women who may be unable to afford our services by offering subsidized services on a case by case basis and this is something some students at University of Pretoria can possibly qualify for”.

The organisation is currently working on ways to work with tertiary institutions and wellness centers.

Chinogwenya added that “Marie Stopes works with community-based organizations as well as some schools to share information with young people on safe sex. These programmes vary from talks/information sharing sessions at schools and community organized events to exhibitions stands. We also work with partners like the MTV Shuga project to create content that shares the information young people need in innovative ways.”

The organisation is part of the Marie Stopes International Global Partnership, which allows it to have access to latest innovations and expertise in the field of sexual and reproductive health. Following the statistics of the recent high pregnancy rate, increasing illegal abortions, infant mortality and many other issues of this nature. Marie Stopes’ main goal is to impact the quality of life in South Africa by decreasing maternal and infant mortality, averting unsafe, illegal abortions, decreasing the number of unwanted pregnancies through contraceptive uptake, reducing the impact of HIV, STIs and cervical cancer. In 2017 alone, the non-profit organisation’s 14 centres collectively averted 13 630 unintended pregnancies, avoided 8 214 unsafe abortions and prevented 37 maternal deaths. “Our service providers are well trained to provide the young women with the information they need to make a well-informed decision. A part of the process is what we call a “counselling session” where they take a client through all her options in order to help her make the right decision for her and her life”, Chinogwenya added. Marie Stopes operates in 14 centres across seven provinces and are a Section 21 non-profit organisation recognised worldwide for the quality of their clinical services.

Recently a new centre was launched in the city of Johannesburg and Marie Stopes centres are undergoing many improvements to ensure that women all over the country are offered quality services during their consultations at the respectable centres. Whitney also told PDBY that “Our centres are easily accessible. Many of them are in central parts of the cities we are in and we try our best to pick locations that are in routes used by public transport”.

Earnest Nyamutsamba

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he Trans protocol is an initiative that was recently launched in order to offer a support system for UP students and staff who are transitioning, as well as giving more insight and sensitivity to the community around them. PDBY sat down with incoming SRC President, David Kabwa, to find out more about the initiative and how it will be implemented.

What is the Trans Protocol?

The Trans Protocol is an anti-discriminatory protocol that has been drafted to strengthen the forthcoming Anti-Discrimination Policy by committing itself to the eradication of discrimination against transgender (trans) and intersex members of the student and staff body.

It will be presented to University management for consideration as an approach to supporting trans and intersex students and staff in the places where they study or work. It will include specific steps to engage with places of study and work to build support for students and staff.

What motivated the formation of Trans Protocol?

In response to issues raised by affected students and staff, it was clear that their needs were not being met by the current anti-discrimination dispensation at UP. A protocol would allow students and staff who wished to start gender

transitioning (for example they wish to change their names, gender marker on identity documents, and commence in some cases with body altering hormones and surgeries to allow their gender presentation to match their inner gender identity, which may have been different from the sex they were assigned at birth) or wished to come out as trans, to be assisted to manage their transitioning and be protected from discrimination or harm.

Who initiated this protocol?

This protocol was initiated by Pierre Brouard, the Deputy Director of the CSA&G, in collaboration with various stakeholders (these include UP and Out, trans students, the Department of Residence Affairs, Student Support and the SRC). Upon engaging with affected students, Pierre Brouard approached Dr Matete Madiba of the DSA who suggested he constitute a small team of stakeholders to develop an initial draft. This process is nearing completion.

Where were the definitions found? In other words, who decided on the definitions?

These definitions were originally based on those used in the PsySSA Sexuality and Gender Division guidelines of affirming therapies for those mental health professionals working with sexually and gender diverse clients. They were subsequently adapted through further consultations with trans activists and UP and Out.

What impact do you think the protocol will have on students in general?

I am of the firm belief that the protocol will assist greatly in orientating students with regards to better understanding gender diversities at UP and beyond. A greater understanding breeds broad-mindedness and tolerance which contributes to decreasing discrimination.

What do you aim to achieve with the protocol?

Our aim for the protocol is to ensure that there is a framework in place to protect trans students and staff, and anyone who is gender non-binary, gender non-conforming or intersex, as well as to combat transphobia and forms of gender policing.

How do you seek to expand the knowledge of the protocol within the university?

Knowledge of the protocol will be spread through student-based media entities, i.e.

TuksFM and Perdeby [PDBY] as well as introducing the protocol to student leaders so that they share the knowledge thereof with their constituents. Other UP communication processes will be used to inform staff.

How are you going to raise awareness about the protocol?

Awareness will be raised by engagement. Right now, you are reading this statement and are therefore being made aware of the protocol.

It is important that we continually engage in this matter. The role out of the forthcoming Anti-Discrimination Policy will also be an opportunity to popularise the protocol.

Do you have any additional information you would like to add regarding the matter?

Debate creates relevance. The more we engage, the better we can formulate an understanding. It is important that we work in unison to eradicate discrimination. Students should not be relegated to having to live in stealth.

How are you going to work with other societies on campus?

We will work with other societies on campus and host a panel discussion on the week of the 15th where all societies will be invited to engage with the protocol and partner up to spread awareness thereof.

Centre for Child Law fights to protect children’s identities Refilwe Mofokeng

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n 7 September, the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) heard a case initiated by the centre of Child Law (CCL). The aim was to ensure that child victims of crime, previously not protected by the law, should not have their personal details published in any form of media.

Furthermore, that all children involved in criminal cases, whether as victims, witnesses or offenders, should have ongoing protection even after they turn 18.

On 28 September, the SCA handed down a judgment in cases dealing with the protection of the identities of child victims, witnesses and offenders. The majority judgment ruled in the CCL’s favour and declared that section 154(3) is constitutionally invalid because it does not protect the anonymity of children as victims of crimes at criminal proceedings. The SCA ruled that Parliament should remedy the constitutional invalidity within 24 months.

According to UP website, “The centre does not discourage the media from reporting cases. It discourages reporting that identifies child victims, witnesses and offenders before and after they turn 18 years old as such, reporting has long lasting negative consequences. The evidence placed before court showed that identification of children’s identities

can have a catastrophic impact on their lives.

The following harms can result: trauma and regression; stigma; shame; and the fear of being identified. The CCL does not, however, discourage the media from reporting cases.

It discourages reporting that identifies child victims, witnesses and offenders before and after they turn 18 years old as such reporting has long lasting negative consequences.”

In a press statement from the centre of Law, the following was said, “The judgment from the Supreme Court of Appeal is about protecting the identities of child victims, child witnesses and child offenders. Section 154(3) of the Criminal Procedure Act prohibits the disclosure of information that could reveal the identity of an accused under the age of 18 years and a witness at

criminal proceedings, who is under the age of 18 years. Through the judgment of the Supreme Court of Appeal, this protection is now extended to include victims who are under the age of 18. The CCL is of the view that for children to fully benefit from having their identity protected when they are under 18 years, this protection should extend to after they turn 18 years of age in order to prevent significant and life-long harms. The CCL will be appealing to the Constitutional Court.”

The recent prominent case is that of the Dros rapist. Numerous news brands refrained from mentioning the 20-year-old until they have pleaded in court, following the CCL case, however, City Press and Rapport have already named the suspect.

News | 29 October 2018

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Legal services hosts student governance information session Refilwe Mofokeng

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n 17 October, the university’s legal services hosted a student governance information session on campus in IT 2-27. It was facilitated by the Student Disciplinary Advisory Panel (SDAP) in collaboration with the Constitutional Tribunal.

The aim of the session was to inform students of their rights and the university’s disciplinary measures and what role the Constitutional Tribunal and SDAP play.

Chairperson of the central disciplinary committee, Ronel Jordaan, explained the disciplinary proceedings template. “It makes provision for all sorts of rights, your rights in terms of the constitution, is protected. You have various degrees of academic misconduct, plagiarism, dishonesty, cheating, etc. Your sanctions generally would be expulsions, a fine, community service or suspension.

The difference between a suspension and an expulsion is basically a suspended expulsion.

It hangs over your head and if you commit misconduct of a similar nature, you will be basically expelling yourself [...] We reviewed the disciplinary code a couple of years ago. I did it, with the help of the Constitutional Tribunal, the SRC. We then split the procedures into three. That is basically in terms of which the student would face discipline when they transgress. We have an expedited procedure, a negotiated settlement procedure and the defendant procedure.”

Leading officer for residence affairs, Adel Louw, said, “There are actually quite a number of offices that you can reach if you do something, [something] happen[s to you] or you want to report some misconduct. The first one from a residence perspective, is the residence committee. It does not have to be a specific committee member, they are all there to help.

Sometimes students don’t feel comfortable to speak to other students about, they can then speak to their heads of residence or Mr Lanche van Tonder, he is the Head of student life and residence affairs. You can come directly to me, to report a matter or to Mrs Gardner at legal services, security services can assist, the SDAP can assist, the Constitutional Tribunal can assist with matters, the SRC and then lastly for more very serious, I dare say, disgusting matters such like sexual harassment, rape, discrimination. I’m not sure if you are aware of this, but we do have a sexual harassment, racial discrimination officer in the university.”

Deputy Chief Justice, Rethabile Shabalala, said, “We do investigations of the breach of code of conduct, we do CSG amendments. The CSG has been amended this year, we sit in with the SRC and our role basically on that platform, is to ensure that all the amendments that the SRC wants to effect, are constitutional in terms of the CSG and the order of the law of the land.”

The Student Disciplinary Advisory Panel (SDAP) is a student governance body and service provider staffed by students from the Faculty of Law. The SDAP explain the disciplinary process and they advise you on what to expect with regards to the disciplinary proceedings. SDAP Public Relations Officer, Peter Boshoff explained that they are an organisation that is mandated to give students legal advice who are facing disciplinary hearings. “Our aim is to assist the student. That is our number one role. On this point, it must be stressed that we do not provide legal advice.

We aren’t lawyers or attorneys yet. We can’t tell you how to plead. What we can do, is explain the procedures, the whole disciplinary process, what you can expect, here are the options if you plead this. It is your decision. We also help, and we accompany students to their disciplinary settlements. We make sure that they understand what is happening. It is about helping the student because when a student gets a charge sheet, it is a very daunting process. We also play a preventative function, to help students know what they shouldn’t be doing.”

The Economic Freedom Fighters Student Command (EFFSC) raised their concerns regarding who the Constitutional Tribunal is accountable to. The EFFSC suggested that the Constitutional Tribunal should speak to societies to ensure that students are aware of the Tribunal and the SDAP. Judge and Constitutional Tribunal Liaison to the SDAP, Mpho Mogadime said, “I think the workshop was valuable. It presented an opportunity for students to come learn about the role of pertinent student governance structures on campus and to hear from university personnel about how high-level student disciplinary procedures operate at the University of Pretoria. I look forward to hosting similar sessions next year and I hope the student turn out is greater then. I encourage the students who attended to please provide us with feedback on how they experienced the workshop, which will be both useful to us and beneficial for students going forward. Feedback may be emailed to u14009758@tuks.co.za.”

TuksRes academic excellence awards

Refilwe Mofokeng

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n 17 October, TuksRes Women in Leadership Academy (TRWLA) held their fourth annual graduation yearend ceremony at the Groenkloof auditorium.

The night recognised the exceptional young UP women who have completed the leadership programme that the Academy offers.

Head of events, Public Relations and Media, Jade Konig informed PDBY about the events of the night. Konig said, “Miss Yamkela Makupula, the very inspirational key note speaker for the evening, shared various essential life lessons that she has learnt along her own leadership journey. Two very valuable lessons that Miss Makupula shared were the following: ‘Education is the key to success’ and ‘each of us are the creators of our own universe’” The attendees were also privileged to hear Tumi Makgabo speak when she presented her award to the Academy and the prize that this awardee received. Makgabo also gave each graduate a Foschini clothing voucher during the certificate ceremony. “This special evening is very important to the academy as it recognises those young women that have displayed commitment and dedication to grow themselves as leaders at UP”, she added.

Konig concluded, “Congratulations once again to all the graduates of 2018. May you continue to prosper and flourish on your leadership journey. If you are interested in

learning integral skills, wishing to give back to society and also would like to create a strong and diverse network that will be invaluable to you as a young women leader, please follow us on Facebook (TuksRes Women in Leadership Academy) to find out further details.”

One of the graduates, Valerie Matema, told PDBY, “Being a part of TRWLA has really meant a lot to me. It was comforting in some sense to have a group of ladies that I could be open with and tackle the issues that we are facing in this world as women. As far as we have come from the suffragettes, we still have a long way to go and we need to stick together as women, so we can pave the way for future generations. TRWLA also helped me not to be ashamed of gender based violence and I have confidence in the fact that it’s never my fault. Above all, I learnt that being a woman is a blessing and that we as woman are powerful beings. TRWLA helped me in discovering who I am and the role I have to play in this fight for equality.”

Facilitator and Team Manager, Odirile Matladi, told PDBY, “My biggest challenge was effective communication. I was so into the role of relaying information to the girls that I sometimes struggled to get them to speak to me about what they needed from me in order to make it a better experience.”

On the same night, TuksRes held their academic excellence awards at Tuks Monate function hall. The event was to acknowledge academic achievers.

#SpeakOut reaches out ahead of 2019 plan of action

Image: Elmarie Kruger

Earnest Nyamutsamba

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n 16 and 18 October #SpeakOut began a visibility drive. #SpeakOut established their gazebos at the Piazza and at the CSA&G by Oom Gert to raise awareness of the existence of the

student run initiative. The organisation intended on getting as many volunteers as possible in order to establish a firmer base for the #SpeakOut society, with hopes to improve their service delivery and achieving the bigger goal of ending institutionalised silence.

The first day of activation was held on 16 October where a team of volunteers distributed pamphlets to students and those who came to the gazebo to enquire about the organisation.

A first year student, Boipelo Sebothoma who signed up to be a #SpeakOut volunteer told PDBY, “I signed up for the initiative because I felt I must make a difference at the institution and help assist my fellow students who would have gone through a difficult patch in life”. One of the volunteers, Georgina Zitha told PDBY, “The whole idea of the activation was to make the people know that there is such an initiative. The students must go the CSA&G, they have to talk to a consultant if they need help, learn information not only about an immediate crisis but also learn how to become a volunteer.”

The second day of activation which took place on 18 October coincided with the Silent March that took place on campus.

Otis Malemane, a second-year student, told PDBY, “The #SpeakOut initiative is an initiative that is needed on campus in order to end sexual harassment and rape on campus”

The volunteers who have been recruited will undergo training where they will be equipped with personal engagement skills.

The skills essentially include skills to assist students to access the facilities they need in solving their various problems such as rape and sexual harassment. The student volunteers will be leading the #SpeakOut office, the office is located at the CSA&G, room 2-37. #SpeakOut volunteers will be available to assist students who need assistance from counselling, for enquiries on a certain actions that the student would have experienced, and the student needs to understand the concept of sexual harassment amongst other services. #SpeakOut has established a 2019 plan of action where they will recruit more volunteers to reach the organisations target of recruiting and educating first year students. The plan of action will span from January to September 2019. The term goals will be to increase student engagement and awareness regarding the #SpeakOut initative.

The initiative will reach more students at other campuses other than concentrating on the Hatfield Campus.

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29 October 2018 | Features

UP helps South Africa fight TB Gemma Gatticchi

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n 26 September, the United Nations held a high-level meeting on Tuberculosis (TB) with the theme being, “United to end tuberculosis: an urgent global response to a global epidemic”. At this conference, South Africa was commended for its part in tackling the disease. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) website, TB is of concern because it is the world’s most infectious disease, largely due to its airborne nature, and kills over 4500 people daily. Though it is curable, Mycobacterium tuberculosis remains a major problem in Africa and particularly South Africa which has one of the highest TB rates in the world, according to Health24.

UP has played a major part in South Africa’s collective efforts to tackle the disease. Professor Jan Verschoor from UP’s Department of Biochemistry says that “South African universities are contributing in a world-leading way to the knowledge of TB and how it can be managed. We are first in the world as a place to test new diagnostics, vaccines and therapies against TB […]. At UP we are leading the country with the best feasible way for potential fast diagnostic screening for TB. If successful, this will contribute [as] the single most important tool to achieve the proper management of tuberculosis.”

Prof. Verschoor, along with his group of researchers, explored the cell wall contents of the TB-causing pathogenic mycobacteria.

They found that the cell wall has a wax coat that contains elements that facilitate the establishment of TB in the human host. These same wax coat elements also elicit antibodies

in the blood of the infected host, which fail to protect the host against the invader but are biomarkers of the active TB disease. Their detection in the blood of patients forms the basis of several internationally patented methods of diagnosis.

Another proud UP advancement is the founding of MARTI-TB Diagnostics. This company was established to commercialise UP's TB diagnosis technology requires only a single drop of blood. Most means of diagnostics rely on sputum which can be risky to obtain. Sputum-based prognosis can take up

“

Today we are calling on the world to recognise that we can’t fight Aids unless we do much more to fight TB as well.

to eight weeks to yield results and is usually unsuccessful in diagnosing extra-pulmonary TB, which makes up almost 20% of all kinds of the disease. The difference with the MARTI-TB Diagnostic test is that no sputum is required, results are processed within one hour and this test can also accurately diagnose TB, including extra-pulmonary TB. According to Gerrie Mostert, CEO of MARTI-TB Diagnostics, the University of Pretoria has shown commitment to the fight against TB by founding this start-up venture with the sole mandate of commercialising the university’s TB diagnosis technology.

Professor Bernard Fourie, Extraordinary

Professor at the Department of Medical Microbiology, has collaborated with TB@UP to look at, among other things, the possibility of improving TB vaccines. The current TB vaccine, known as BCG, is 80% successful in infants, however, the power of this vaccine dwindles and does not guard against pulmonary TB. Prof. Fourie says, “In line with our approach of translational research, we believe that presenting the tuberculosis vaccine BCG to the lung, which is also the route of infection with the infecting agent, will result in better protection than what is achieved through injection of the vaccine.”

Prof. Fourie went on to explain that they have successfully produced a powder form of the vaccine for inhalation and will be testing its effects early in 2019 in a unique animal experiment in a special airborne infection facility that simulates the transmission of tuberculosis between humans.

In his speech at the 15th International Aids Conference, TB survivor and former President Nelson Mandela said, “The world has made defeating Aids a top priority. This is a blessing. But TB remains ignored. Today we are calling on the world to recognise that we can’t fight Aids unless we do much more to fight TB as well.” South Africa has certainly put a spotlight on TB through out the various conferences based solely on this topic, as well as the abundance of research and advancements presently taking place.

Prof. Fourie says, “South Africa has won the gold medal in TB Olympics several times over […] we also have very high levels of funding going towards control of TB […] South Africa is leading the world in research on operational experiences with TB medicines and molecular diagnostics, and there is a strongly growing focus on TB in neglected groups, e.g. children, women in pregnancy and HIV coinfected individuals. We might be seeing the

Photo: Nkululeko Ngcobo

impact of recently increased efforts over the next five years.”

According to Health24, Deputy President David Mabuza stressed that it is in the hands of the youth to advance awareness about how to prevent the spread of TB and that it is an indictment on all of us that the TB epidemic has been allowed to prevail for so long, both globally and in SA. Deputy President Mabuza emphasised that “Nobody should needlessly die, and definitely not from TB.”

Terminology in your mother tongue

Illustration: Leah Rees

Mosa Mgabhi

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he Department of African Languages at the University of Pretoria, in partnership with the University of Cape Town and the Department of Higher Education and Training, have recently developed a national multilingual resource for higher education.

The Open Resource Term Bank (OERTB) aims to “support the collaborative development and dissemination of terminological resources, and thereby promoting the use of African languages in teaching and learning in higher institutions”, according to the terminology website.

Professor Adelia Carstens, director of the Unit of Academic Literacy at UP, defines

a term bank as an “electronic, searchable repository of the terminology of different subject-fields or disciplines, usually with definitions”. According to Prof. Carstens, before the OERTB, “South African universities were already involved in multilingual terminology development to support the intellectualisation […] of the African languages. However, these projects were largely uncoordinated and little collaboration took place between institutions.”

Prof. Carstens added that “there had been only a few isolated projects that focused on utilising as well as creating terminology in the African languages to support concept formation in academic disciplines.”

According to the OERTB website, the terminology resource seeks to “promote African languages as vehicles for comprehending threshold concepts in academic disciplines through practices such as translanguaging, the process of shuttling between students’ home languages and English to facilitate comprehension, foster social cohesion and recognise students’ linguistic identities.” The OERTB was established with the help of

TshwaneDJE, which is a South African company that specialises in dictionary compilation software. One of the leaders of the development of the term bank, Professor Elsabe Taljard who is also from UP, mentions that the term bank is accessible for anyone, one of the preconditions from the Department of Higher Education and Training.

According to the website, OERTB seeks ultimately to aid students in the conceptualisation of the subject content, through providing a free, internet-based terminology databank that provides term equivalents for key concepts in African languages and well-crafted conceptual definitions.

The academic article “Surfacing and Valuing Student’s Linguistic Resources in an English-Dominant University” written by UCT Associates Dr Ellen Hurst, Professor Mbulugeni Madiba and Shannon Morreria, states that although the world might be post-colonial in terms of time, there are still institutions that generate colonialism. According to the article, the persistence of colonialism has privileged European ideas and history with other pieces of knowledge being “consigned to the border”. This manifests in the “presence within ‘post-apartheid’ South Africa of English monolingualism in higher education institutions.”

The article then argues for the adoption of a trans-language pedagogy by predominantly English universities. This is based on the idea that “bi-/multilingual students have one communicative repertoire drawing on multiple languages from which they select features strategically to communicate effectively […] [enabling them] to draw from the range of their linguistic resources, rather than being limited by monolingual instructional assumptions and preferences.”

Prof. Taljard emphasised this by expressing that the aim of the project was to “dispel the myth that African languages cannot be used as languages of higher functions, i.e. as languages of learning and teaching, since they do not have the requisite terminology.” The development of terminology is “a dynamic activity and we

hope that the impetus that was created by our project will be taken up by other interested parties,” she said.

When asked about the accuracy of the translations or definitions, Prof. Carstens mentioned that the accuracy is “directly related to the level of expertise of the person who wrote them, who is usually an expert, such as a retired professor.” She stressed that those who manage the term bank “tried to find persons who could translate into languages of the major groups […] e.g. isiZulu and Sepedi, and then commissioned the services of translators/translation agencies to translate into the other languages.” Prof.

Taljard explains that the compilers of the term bank could not just copy existing definitions form existing dictionaries or the internet due to copyright reasons. Thus, she stressed the importance of the website’s visitors to use the built-in feedback mechanism for their comments as they are vital for further improvement of the website.

Prof. Taljard mentions that one of the key challenges with the development of terminology in the African languages is standardising terminology. She explained that “to agree on the spelling of a particular term and to select a standard form from amongst different variants of a particular term” is particularly difficult despite it falling outside of their project.

When asked if the term bank will assist in closing the gap between students who do not speak English as their home language and their understanding the academic texts that they encounter, Prof. Carstens emphasises that “the focus of the term bank is on concept literacy and not on language learning.”

She further went on to express that the appointment of “multilingual senior tutors” at UP would be ideal for it is known that “the majority of speakers of African languages can speak more than one African language fluently” and this, coupled with the use of the term bank by both the tutors and students, would greatly facilitate concept formation.

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Features | 29 October 2018

A history of women at UP

Tuks women in the1970s. Photo:

UP women in 2018. Photo: Sam Mkwamu

Alison Massey

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s it nears the end of the University of Pretoria’s 110th year, it is only appropriate that we take a look into our past. The role of women at the university is ever-changing and has not always included the same opportunities as are afforded female students today. Here is a brief history of the role of women at the University of Pretoria of which much of the information is referenced from a 2006 journal article by Ria van der Merwe entitled “The changing position of female students at the University of Pretoria from 1908 to 1980 as portrayed through photographs”, kindly provided to PDBY by the UP archives.

The early years: 1908 – 1930s Although one might think that women were initially not allowed to study at the university, women actually made up 35% of the total student population during its early years. It is important to note, though, that until the late 1980s this statistic only included white female students. Due to apartheid, black people were not allowed to pursue tertiary education at the University of Pretoria. According to Van der Merwe, women played an important role in decision-making and activities throughout the

1910s and 1920s. This was deduced after an analysis of photographs in comparison with official university statistics, documents, and minutes from student organisation meetings of the time. Even the dress code for female students in this era was relatively lax and Van der Merwe notes that fashion books at the time described their clothing as “sportswear”. Considering that white women in South Africa only received the right to vote in 1930, according to SA History Online, the apparent involvement of women in university affairs during its early years is noteworthy. Of course, even though women were allowed at the university, it is not to say that they necessarily had the same privileges as their male counterparts. A recent article called “Op-Ed: Women’s rights – have they come full circle?” on the UP webpage describes the woman called Constance Mary Hill, who enrolled as a law student at UP shortly after the university’s founding and was “the only woman in a class of 200 men”. She graduated in 1921 but was refused her application for articles on the basis of her gender. Hill persisted, and in 1926 was admitted as an attorney after being made to work on her articles for three years more than her male colleagues.

Post-World War II: 1940s - 1960s

After the Second World War, as Van der Merwe writes, there was an evident decline in female involvement in student societies and decisionmaking. Women began to be portrayed as more subordinate even in official photographs taken by the university. This is evident in the 1956 Student Council photograph, where there is only one female member out of the total eleven, compared to the ratio of three female to five male members in the 1909 Student Council photograph. Using minutes from society meetings, Van der Merwe demonstrates that women also began to play less of a role in student societies. Another topic that Van der Merwe touches on is the courses that women were encouraged to take by citing an article in a 1955 Skakelblad, the official staff publication at the time. The article explains how “Domestic Science” is the ideal course for female students who wish to become good wives and mothers or to find a husband while studying. The Skakelblad article also says that women who take “difficult” subjects, such as chemistry, are “more the exception than the rule”. This “Domestic Science” article is not necessarily representative of what women may have wanted to do at the time as seen by the female professor, Margaretha Mes. According to an article released by UP called “Honouring our Leading Minds”, Dr Mes became the first female Head of Department for a science faculty in 1944. This was ten years after becoming the second-ever female professor at the university in 1934. Dr Mes received opposition in her time at UP, especially whilst fundraising for her Plant Physiological Research Institute. This shows that just because policy, whether official or unofficial, may have disadvantaged female students and faculty

members, it does not mean that women did not desire to achieve more at the university.

A shift: late 1960s – 1970s According to Van der Merwe, during the widespread student protests of the 1960s and 1970s, there was a shift in the way women participated in activities at UP. For example, female students rebelled against the conservative dress code by beginning to wear mini-skirts and dresses. The percentage of female students overall also began to increase from the 1970s onwards, allowing women to play a more prominent role in the university.

Time for change: 1980s – now During the 1980s, as South Arica began experiencing major shifts in the social and political spheres, so did the university. The first black students were allowed to study at UP in 1986. This also happens to be the year that Dricé Odendaal became the first-ever female editor of PDBY (then called Die Perdeby). The 1980s were also the height the Angolan war and military conscription and, as Van der Merwe shows, this left female students in an interesting position. Photographs from the time show white female students both receiving basic gun training and being sent to the border to provide entertainment for the young soldiers by dancing in scanty outfits. It was a period of change and contradiction that reflected not only the shifting position of women at South African universities but also the underlying racial struggle in the country.

Black women today Fast forward to now and this racial disparity is far from resolved. According to a February 2018 article written by Ndoni Mcunu, a PhD candidate at Wits University and founder of Black Women in Science (BWIS), more emphasis needs to be placed on helping black women succeed in the field of science and academia. Mcunu writes that there is no shortage of undergraduate applicants, but that when these women graduate they do not tend to stay in academia to become professors.

This leads to a lack of representation for black women as role models to undergraduate students and creates a vicious cycle of underrepresentation.

UP’s News webpage published an article about the first black female actuary to graduate from UP, Fhatuwani Nemakhavhani, who qualified as late as 2017. It is clear that despite the great strides that have been made in representation and equality of women at UP since its opening in 1908, there is still much more to be done to improve the situation for women, especially black women.

The new period pain Lebogang Ramasodi

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arlier this year, Business Insider SA conducted a research article which showed that “women [are] expected to pay 18% more for what appears to be the same products for men”. This phenomenon, where women have a higher cost of living than men, has been dubbed “pink tax”. Although pink tax has only been brought to light recently, many have opposed the high cost of items such as sanitary pads for a significant period of time. Last wednesday, sanitary pads were put on the zero tax list.

However, opposition to the taxing of sanitary products was seen earlier this year by various groups, including the Multi-Party Women’s Caucus (MPWC) and Stellenbosch University’s Law Clinic. Cheryllyn Dudley, a member of the MPWC and an African Christian Democratic Party MP, says that the young girls’ inability to afford pads interferes with their school attendance and education. This, she says, ultimately “affects us all as the contribution of women to the economy is an important element.”

In June, Stellenbosch University’s Law Clinic sent a written submission to National Treasury which called for menstrual protection products to be considered as VAT-free items, alongside items such as brown bread, milk, maize meal and rice. According to News24, Monja PosthumuusMeyjes, an attorney of the Law Clinic, said that many girls and women often are unable to afford sanitary products and find themselves “forced to turn to alternative options that pose serious health risks,” as they use unhygienic substitutes

such as tissue, old clothing, newspapers, bark and grass.

This highlights the health impact that “period poverty”, or the inability of women to afford the cost of their period, has on the individual.

However, the impact of period poverty can be far-reaching and can also include psychological and socio-economic effects. This was discovered

by Always, in a survey conducted through OnePoll.com. The survey found that period poverty often leads to cases of social anxiety, depression and low self-esteem in young women.

This year, government has reviewed the cost and taxation of sanitary products. On 6 August, government’s Independent Panel of Experts released the Recommendations on Zero Ratings in the Value-Added Tax System review. This revealed that, despite the fact that sanitary products do not meet all of the criteria, there are multiple reasons add sanitary products on the zero-rate list. According to the report, one such reason is “to address the unfair gender tax currently imposed on sanitary products through the imposition of VAT”. Although the panel was unanimous in this decision, the report says that “merely zero-rating sanitary products does not address the fact that many women will still be unable to afford them […] the panel urges the government in the strongest terms to expedite the delivery of free sanitary pads to the poor.”

However, sanitary pads can be costly even for those who are not considered poor. Cosmopolitan reports that with an average cost of R40 000 for 10 400 pads in a lifetime, the cost of a woman’s period falls just short of the cost of the average

undergraduate degree. National initiatives have taken place to try combat this high cost.

For example, Kwa-Zulu Natal Department of Education has dedicated itself to providing free pads to almost 3000 schools across the province, while the Gauteng Department of Education expects to reach 500 schools by 2021.

In terms of action that the University of Pretoria is taking, UP’s Law House plans on installing pad dispensers in female bathrooms, marking the first at the University.

By increasing the accessibility of pads, and allowing for the anonymity of students, Law House simultaneously reminds students that the upkeep of these pad dispensers is solely reliant on donations. The limitation of which is that, given that the pad dispensers are only in female bathrooms, males are often unaware of the need for their donations. All students are, however, encouraged to donate and retrieve pads as necessary.

Biannually UP’s student organisation Pledge-A-Pad runs pad drives geared towards external beneficiaries, specifically school girls. Through including male students in their initiatives Pledge-A-Pad Chairperson, Gontse Letsapa, expresses that they aim to “encourage and create awareness that they too should be more informed about the menstrual cycle

Image: Nkululeko Ngcobo

and the dire need for pads in our country.”

She goes on to explain that as the donors are UP students, half of the pads collected from each drive are given to the University’s health clinic, wherein students may also make their own donations or receive free pads. For the convenience of res students, pads have also been made freely available by the TuksRes Women in Leadership Academy.

UP’s faculties also seem to be contributing to the cause. Since 17 September, House Humanities has been running a pad drive geared towards assisting students who cannot afford sanitary products. The Economic and Management Faculty House, Commercii is also currently running a stationary and toiletries drive as an external outreach.

Should students wish to contribute to either cause, they may send an email to tukshumanities@gmail.com or commercii2016@gmail.com, or they may contact them through their social media.

Should any student require a monthly supply of pads they may email Pledge-A-Pad at pledgeapadsa@yahoo.com.

29 October 2018 | Features

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EntoMilk: Bugging the dietary norm Shanté Kroukamp

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lternatives to traditional milk made from soy and almonds are not uncommon. However, the newest milk alternative, EntoMilk, is quite unconventional considering the source from which this dairy delicacy is made. EntoMilk is a protein-packed liquid made from insects.

The idea of EntoMilk came about when Leah Bessa studied entomophagy, using insects as a food source, as a research topic during her masters in food science. Bessa is also one of the co-founders of Gourmet Grubb, a start-up ice cream company based in Cape Town which uses EntoMilk as its primary ingredient. Bessa is currently busy with her PhD in food science at Stellenbosch University. As an ice cream company,

Illustration: Jarred Casper

Gourmet Grubb was a method of introducing the controversial concept of entomophagy to Western consumers. “Ice cream has been a really great vehicle to break down the mental barrier associated with eating insects […] it’s a food that most people like and enjoy and it’s also a fun way to get people to try it and see the versatility and palatability of the product,” says Bessa. She says that the company’s name “hints to the potential of demonstrating insects as gourmet, delicious possibilities”.

EntoMilk has various surprising, mostly unknown health and environmental benefits.

For example, it is four times higher in protein than regular milk. The amino acid profile fit human needs better than the amino acid profile of red meat and the product is also abundant in minerals like iron, zinc and calcium.

It is high in healthy fats, without carbohydrates and contains no preservatives.

Gourmet Grubb’s EntoMilk ice cream is naturally sweetened with raw honey and flavoured with natural ingredients like organic peanut butter, cocoa and spices. The Hermetia Illucens species, from which this product, is made is commonly known as the black soldier fly larvae. Black soldier fly larvae can be farmed on a large scale in urban environments.

This is unlike modern agricultural livestock farming that takes up a lot of space, labour and

energy. Farming of the larvae is calculated in days and is more energy and water efficient in comparison with the farming of other dairy product or dairy substitutes.

Farming of these insects does not produce greenhouse gases like typical agricultural animals, which is held accountable for more than 60% of man-made greenhouse gases. When asked what the process of milk production from insects entails, Bessa replies “the process is currently under protection and the IP belongs to Gourmet Grubb, therefore we can’t quite disclose the process unfortunately. [What I can disclose is] the insects themselves do get processed into the ‘milk’ substitute.”

Bessa and co-founder Jean Louwrens plan to expand and experiment with EntoMilk in order to release other dairy substitute products early in 2019. They have not launched their product yet, but they are in the process of doing so. Bessa says that they “are still gauging the market for acceptance, however, our concept has been launched along with our prototype ice cream for people to try and evaluate.”

In July 2018, Business Insider interviewed Jean Louwrens and together they lead a blind tasting of the gelato-styled EntoMilk ice cream for News24 journalists. Gourmet Grubb’s EntoMilk ice cream flavours are chai, rum and raisin, banana bread, standard chocolate, cocoa and peanut butter. It was generally well received with standard

Bikesharing to combat fuel hikes

Photo: Mashudu Madzhiga

Shanté Kroukamp

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t the beginning of January both the inland and coastal fuel price for 93 and 95 unleaded was R14.20 per litre. In June 2018 the Energy Department announced that the fuel prices in South Africa will increase. On 3 October 2018 the petrol price increased to R16.85 per litre and this remains the current fuel price for 93 and 95 unleaded. It is predicted that the fuel price for both grades of petrol will be around R20.00 by the end of 2018. This raises questions not only about the state of the economy but also the future of private transportation.

High fuel prices are symptomatic of a battling economy. In the words of Professor Bohlmann, an economics lecturer at the University of Pretoria, “price shocks like the recent fuel price increase is bad news for the economy […] it impacts virtually every part [of it].” A publication published by the Federal Reserve Bank of San

Francisco briefly explains the ripple-effect of increased fuel price on a macro level.

“Higher oil prices tend to make production more expensive for businesses and is generally thought to increase inflation and reduce economic growth.” Consequently, the prices of goods and services increase as producers may pass production expenses on to consumers. It is also important to note that, as of April 2018, South Africans pay a 15% Value-Added Tax (VAT) for standard rated supplies.

With the above in mind, many South African citizens have been looking for alternative transportation methods. Professor Bohlmann argues that largescale electric public transportation modes that cover most of the metropolitan areas “are a long way off” but that this should not demotivate policymakers from pursuing the goal of alternative transport methods in South Africa. When asked what factors prohibit the implementations and utilization of an “European” way of life, Professor Bohlmann

says that “poor management of SOE’s in recent years have placed a lot of pressure on the fiscus and have contributed to rising interest rates [that make] future investments that require borrowing very expensive.

[Furthermore] living close to major study and work centres are also typically very expensive.” He concludes that poor walking and cycling infrastructure, as well as the general dangers on the road, make cheaper transport methods difficult.

However, alternative transportation schemes for UP students and staff members is becoming a realistic possibility. Professor Christo Venter, a transport engineer from the Department of Civil Engineering of UP, has assisted the City of Tshwane and UP in creating an innovative bikeshare scheme.

This bikeshare pilot programme, launched in August, is available for registered students and staff who can rent either a regular bike or an electric bike for R5 per day.

The bikeshare kiosk is located near LC de Villiers sport centre in Hatfield and it is possible to book bikes in advance.

Venter says that traffic and access around Hatfield campus is a growing problem and it was this dilemma which spurred a bikeshare scheme. When asked whether he thinks cycling will become the transportation norm among students, he replies “I think many people over the world are waking up to the benefits of biking and walking for short trips – it saves money, helps your health, and is good for the environment. So bikesharing is growing massively in many cities […] it is

chocolate being the favourite among the tasters. Descriptions of the taste include that it is “super rich” and “yummy bug ice cream”. There were also a few more negative descriptions of the ice cream being “sandy”, “very sweet” and “green smoothie [tasting]”.

Louwrens believes that humans will start to consume more insects in different forms in their daily diets as the total population of humans on earth grows and cultivable land becomes restricted and rare. Louwrens further states that two billion people on earth already consume insects as part of their daily diet, so simply asks “why can’t we all?”

Entomophagy is an ancient practice, but acceptance lags in Western cultures and countries. At the moment the prospect of insect agriculture is widely researched and somewhat practiced over the globe, but the question of large-scale insect farming remains unanswered. Although it seems that entomophagy has a long way to go to be accepted and enjoyed by the global population, it seems to be well on its way.

EntoMilk is the first of its kind and unique to South Africa with two brilliant young South African entrepreneurs to thank. faster, cheaper, and certainly more pleasant than sitting in traffic. But it is mostly suited for trips of up to about 3 kilometres – ideal for travelling around Hatfield, or between residences and campus, and not really for longer commutes.” In order for a cycling culture to be established permanently around campus, the concept needs to be addressed with regards to safety. Prof. Venter says that “this will only happen if UP, together with the City of Tshwane and the Hatfield Improvement District, take action to make it safer and more attractive for people to get out of their cars.”

The European Commission (EC), an institution of the European Union, encourages the “European transportation lifestyle” and released an article promoting and explaining it. The aim of the EC is to develop and motivate transport programmes that are sustainable, efficient and safe.

In addition to this they wish to foster conditions for a competitive industry to create jobs and prosperity for the economy.

One of these policies include the promotion of a cycling culture among citizens called Promoting Cycling For Everyone As Daily Transport Mode (PRESTO). The cycling culture is already a serious primary mode of transport in countries like the Netherlands and Denmark and with good reason. Cycling reduces carbon dioxide emissions and consequently air pollution. It improves public health through promotion of physical activity. Although South Africa is different to Europe in many regards, initiatives such as bikeshare could be an effective way to combat fuel hikes while promoting a healthier lifestyle.

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Features | 29 October 2018

Dyeing to be lighter

Photo: Ditebogo Tshaka and Elmarie Kruger

have soft skin, to be white, ‘beautiful,’ and more European looking, to remove the adverse effects of extended skin bleaching use on the n August, News24 revealed that skin body, to satisfy one’s partner and/attract male bleaching has gained popularity and that mates and to satisfy and impress peers.” This light skin is thought to be a “gateway study links skin-bleaching to Westernisation, to beauty and success”. Despite many self-objectification, and colonialism. Beyond African governments banning the sale of this, however, skin-lightening is viewed as one bleaching creams, the demand for lighter of the “harmful body modification practices in skin far outweighs the regulatory scope of which women participate as a result of external the authorities. This situation is compounded and internalised standards of beauty.” by black market cosmetologists who provide The practice of skin-bleaching is one of the bootleg creams for sale, says News24. most extreme consequences of colourism.

Dangerous ingredients such as steroids, lead, Deborah Gabriel, author of Layers of Blackness: and hydroquinone have failed to deter users Colourism in the African Diaspora, defines of skin-lightening creams and injections. The colourism as the “system of privilege and research paper titled Investigating Motivations for Women’s Skin Bleaching in Tanzania sought discrimination based on the degree of lightness in the colour of a person’s skin.” Gabriel to understand the continued use of skinbleaching cosmetics by African women, despite says that colourism has taken on many names these harmful ingredients that could increase the including shadism, pigmentocracy, the colour chance of infertility, cancer and serious kidney, complex and skin tone bias. However, she asserts that whatever label is used, colourism brain and skin diseases. The study concluded is the “internalised form of racism which that there are six overall reasons to support involves prejudice, stereotyping and perceptions the use of skin-bleaching creams namely, “to of beauty among members of the same racial remove pimples, rashes and skin disease, to

Mosa Mgabhi

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group, whereby light skin is more highly valued than dark skin.” In her book, Gabriel explains that negative connotations associated with blackness emerged within the European psyche as early as the third century, “through the writings of the Christian Fathers who depicted blackness as being synonymous with sin.”

Professor Fraser McNeill, of the Anthropology department at the University of Pretoria, said that the historical origin of colourism is Orientalism. He explained that in the 1700s and early 1800s various people such as missionaries and explorers, and those who would later become settler colonialists, travelled across the world and spread ideas that Europeans were the pinnacle of civilisation. These ideas asserted that people who were further away from Europe were less civilised. Prof. McNeill elaborates that there was also an idea that those further away from Europe could be ‘civilised’ through Christianity so that they could ascend a hierarchal pyramid which featured blackness, or what is barbaric, at the bottom and whiteness, perceived to be the light of Christian civilisation, at the top. Thus, the connection between skin colour and civilisation was made.

In 1976, musician and political activist Fela Kuti released a song titled “Yellow Fever” that criticised post-colonial Nigerians who could not shake this sort of “colonial mentality”.

Kuti criticises the decision by Nigerian people, particularly women, who bleach their skin to attain a particular kind of beauty. In the song, Kuti asserts that, despite what they may think, this process actually makes people less attractive.

Prof. McNeill mentions that globalisation and the emergence of the internet have led to the quick spread of knowledge, powerful ideas, and goods across the world faster than it ever did before. He explains that the internet and globalisation have vastly contributed to the resurgence of colourism and the various ways it manifests itself in today’s society. This same sentiment is shown in the research paper “Yearning for Lightness” by Evelyn Nakano Glenn. The paper suggests that the widespread and continuous consumption of skin-lightening products shows the increasing significance of both globalisation and colourism. Glenn’s research delves into the role that transnational

pharmaceutical and cosmetic corporations play in encouraging the desire to attain lighter skin through the internet, print, and television advertisements. Glenn suggests that despite the often-proposed re-education of the diversity of types of beauty, so that lightness or whiteness is dislodged as the standard, re-education focuses on just one aspect of the problem. This ignores the powerful economic sources that drive the desire for light skin.

Glenn says that light skin operates as a form of “symbolic capital” particularly for women because of the correlation between skin tone and attractiveness or desirability.

A guest columnist of News24, Kole Legodi, wrote an article which claims that black men are more attracted to light-skinned African women or “yellow bones”. Legodi writes that although “dark-skinned women do not necessarily have to be offended by the advent of the yellow bone phenomenon, the fact that men chase after yellow bones has an effect on the economic and social prospects of dark-skinned women.” While black cultural movements are trying to challenge longstanding Eurocentric standards of beauty by celebrating natural skin and hair, it is unclear whether “the trend will shift public opinion in Africa [since] fair skin is still held as a premium,” says News24.

Prof. McNeill emphasises this by articulating that “for every main discourse or set of ideas, there is always a counter-discourse to challenge it.” Prof. McNeill continues to say that “in response to the skin lightening movement, there [are] also black feminist movements that challenge it […with] women who are particularly proud of their dark skin.” However, Prof. McNeill admits that skin lightening does not exist unopposed and questions the success of these countermovements as well as how their impact can actually be measured.

When asked if existing standards of beauty can be reconstructed, Prof. McNeill expressed that notions of beauty always change over time, particularly due to globalisation and the speed with which ideas travel around the world. However, he expressed that it is unclear exactly how things will change and what is to replace the existing beauty standards.

Maintaining mental health during exams Alison Massey

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xams are arguably the most stressful time of year for university students. The end of the year can be immensely overwhelming, especially if you have an underlying mental health problem such as depression or anxiety.

A 2015 ENCA article revealed that suicide makes up about 9.5% of teen deaths in South Africa. The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) say that a contributor to this statistic could be the pressure to perform well during exams. PDBY contacted Dr Linda Blokland who is a qualified clinical psychologist, lecturer and researcher at UP. Dr Blokland is also head of UP’s Student Counselling. To maintain mental health while dealing with extreme exam stress, Dr Blokland gives the following tips: “Start with time management. This means managing yourself.”

Here Dr Blokland refers to arranging your study time in a way that is conducive to working.

This includes creating a study timetable but keeping it realistic. Do not schedule too much work for yourself as this is overwhelming. Dr Blokland points out that “studies show that the human brain can concentrate on one thing only for 40 - 45 minutes. After that, you slow down and lose focus”. To optimise your time, make sure that you eliminate distractions that allow for procrastination. Another management technique is to start your day with the most daunting, unpleasant task and get it over with.

After this, you will feel more capable and able to move onto other things. Brian Tracy, author of Eat That Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time explains this method with an “Eat the Frog” analogy. Tracy says that “If the first thing you do each morning is to eat a live frog, you can go through the day with the satisfaction of knowing that that is probably the worst thing that is going to happen to you all day long”.

“Get organised”.

This includes making a schedule and using a checklist, but also organising your study space and notes. In addition, you should arrange rewards for yourself for achieving the study goals that you have laid out. This will not only help you feel more accomplished but also give you something to look forward to. Everyday Health writes that healthy rewards can include healthy snacks that you enjoy, going to a movie, or simply doing something to make your working experience more pleasant, like buying a small decoration for your desk.

“Sleep. At night.”

Ensure that you get a good amount of sleep at night. Dr Blokland advises that “night sleep is considered more refreshing [and] most importantly, sleep and waking times must be balanced”. Very Well Health says that regular and consistent sleep patterns allow for a higher quality sleep as they reinforce the circadian rhythm. Further, The American Psychological Association explains that “when we do not sleep long or well enough, our bodies do not get the

Images: Connor Borchers

full benefits of sleep, such as muscle repair and memory consolidation” which is important for retaining information.

“Recognise your stress patterns. Call a friend: get things into perspective.”

Seeking help from friends can be an important way to help you deal with stress, especially if your friend understands what you are going through. However, Dr Blokland says that you must be careful not to compare yourself to them and cause yourself to feel inadequate.

Once you realise you are experiencing some of your usual stress patterns, you can use deep breathing techniques to help you calm down in the moment. Deep breathing apps such as Headspace, Breathe Deep, and Breathing Zone can assist you in doing this.

“Self-care is important.”

Forbes explains that “No matter how indulgent or fancy the term may sound, self-care is crucial for our physical, emotional and mental wellbeing.” If you do not take good care of your

physical and mental well-being, you will not be able to function or study effectively. Making sure you get enough sleep, eat well, and exercise are important to maintain mental health during exams. As Dr Blokland says, “Stressed body = stressed mind. Lazy body = lazy mind. Healthy body = healthy mind”.

Dr Blokland’s final tips for dealing with exam panic: “If you tend to panic, remember that panic attacks are very uncomfortable, but they are harmless. They can be triggered by hyperventilating, taking in too much oxygen and upsetting the carbon dioxide-oxygen balance in the body. Learn to breathe deeply, slowly and easily. So, if you feel yourself “losing it” during the exam, sit back for a moment and control your breathing. Deep breath in and out through the nose, counting to five each way and pausing at the bottom and top. After writing an exam, avoid exam ‘post-mortem’. What you have written is done. No going back.”

hers

29 October 2018 | Features

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What’s in a name?

Katherine Atkinson

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outh Africa has transformed considerably since democracy was introduced in 1994.

One such transformation is the name changes that South Africa’s streets and cities have undergone. The most recent national name change is that of Grahamstown.

On 3 October it was confirmed that the small city in the Eastern Cape will now be known as Makhanda, says The Citizen. The name Grahamstown was already pinpointed as problematic in 2005 when former President Thabo Mbeki said that the name commemorates the military “butcher” Colonel John Graham.

Graham colonised what is now known as Makhanda and established it as a military outpost in the early 1800s. Graham was said to use brutal tactics to fight against the Xhosa who populated the area. Makhanda, who the new name commemorates, was a Xhosa “philosopher, prophet, and military man who fought against colonialism in battles, including one where he led an attack against the British garrison at Grahamstown in 1819,” says The Citizen.

When the renaming of Grahamstown was contested earlier this year, Minister Nathi Mthethwa responded in saying, “it is the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that recommended that the renaming of geographic features be a form of ‘symbolic reparation’ to address an unjust past.”

Political analyst, writer, academic and guest lecturer at the University of Pretoria, Angelo Fick, told PDBY that “if articulated inside decolonising politics, renaming can be part of a process of decolonising spaces and institutions, but [renaming] is not in itself necessarily a decolonial or decolonising act”. On the other hand, Ms Obakeng Kgongoane, a Visual Studies lecturer at the University of Pretoria, believes that renaming is a step toward decolonisation as it allows for us to “re-identify ourselves as Africans”. Both Kgongoane and Fick agree that renaming in post-colonial is necessary.

Fick asserts that this is because many old

geographical names are “connected to older traditions steeped in the white supremacy of colonial and apartheid history” and thus, renaming presents the opportunity to “rehumanise everyone”.

In June 1995, South Africa saw its first democratic name change when Verwoedburg, named after the National Party leader, was renamed Centurion. According to the News24 archives, in 2012 the Pretoria City Council initiated the process of renaming 27 streets. The majority of the name changes included a shift from commemorating proponents of apartheid to commemorating anti-apartheid activists.

For example, the renaming of Hans Strydom drive to Solomon Mahlangu drive. The News24 archives say that during this mass renaming process certain groups of white people were “worried about losing their cultural identity”.

However, both Fick and Kgongoane believe that renaming cannot be seen as a form of erasing the past. Rather, Kgongoane believes that renaming can be thought of as a “continuation of new narratives on top of old legacies” which has “the potential to empower new relationships with the space we’re in”.

On the same day that Makhanda was confirmed as Grahamstown’s new name, the University of Pretoria posted UP residences’ new names on their webpage. According to UP, this is aligned with their ongoing “transformation initiatives”. Kgongoane says that the concept of ‘transformation’ can be broad and loose and sometimes is equated with “making something ‘black’ or more ‘African’”.

Kgongoane describes this perception as “problematic and simplifying”.

There was some disparity among how the residences went about renaming. Some residences, such as Tuks Ekhaya (formerly Olienhout) adopted completely new names and others, such as Asterhof and Madelief, have kept their names. Still, other residences have adopted English-variants of their formerly Afrikaans names such as Erica and College (formerly Erika and Kollege). Fick believes that changing to English-variants is “superficial and

Photo: Connor Borchers

trying to hang on to the old without embracing the new”. Kgongoane, however, states that this type of change does “stop the historic privileging of Afrikaans as a ‘sentimentalised’ language” and that using English is a safe middle-ground.

Although Kgongoane believes that renaming of large institutions like the university of Pretoria should happen, she says that this process will take time and does not necessarily have to happen today. The gradual shift in the University’s identity can also be seen in the transforming language policy change and is reflective of PDBY’s history. The student publication started in 1939 as an Afrikaans only newspaper and was known as Die Perdeby.

In 1999 the paper’s name changed to Perdeby and in the early 2000s it incorporated English and became a bilingual newspaper. Since 2012, the paper has only published in English and of course, the most recent transformation is the paper’s new name.

When asked whether name changes reflect genuine change or could serve to conceal nontransformative agendas, Fick reiterates that “renaming on its own is a dead end. It must be part of a larger process of change, of letting go of the past and embracing the future”. Kgongoane echoes these sentiments when she says that although renaming can show the intent to transform “the results of that are not guaranteed.

It takes much more than that.”

Get ready for the world of work hese days, simply having a degree does not seem like enough to conquer the world of work. The University of Pretoria’s website states that the “21st century work environment requires a much more multi-skilled and self-sufficient labour force. Graduates need skills that enhance their graduate and personal profile”. Further, entering the workforce can be daunting for new graduates. For these reasons UP Career Services, in conjunction with Enterprises UP, has a Ready for Work programme. This programme aims to make the transition from student to employee a smooth one and teaches students skills through four online packages. Enrolment is free for UP students and can be done through ClickUP or the UP Enterprises’ Ready for Work webpage. After the course is completed, students receive a digital, printable record of completion.

PDBY spoke to the team behind this programme to find out more.

focus on these four aspects?

The programme consists of four packages derived from feedback received from industry partners. The career planning package helps you to plan a successful career and enhance job satisfaction, select potential employers that fit your overall career goals, enhance your CV and learn the basics of entering the workplace. This is followed by the job preparation package that focuses on setting up your professional digital profile and possible skills needed to seek job prospects, such as interview skills and writing winning cover letters. The third package puts your workplace skills into practice by helping you follow instructions more accurately, making you aware of what is allowed in the workplace (and what is not) and also how to communicate professionally.

The personal development package provides you with the opportunity to grow personally and professionally, focusing on emotional intelligence, stress management and how to work with your personal finances.

Ready for Work offers four packages which cover Career Planning, Job Preparation, Workplace Skills and Personal Development. Why did you choose to

What does Ready for Work’s “customised solution” option entail?

In an effort to address identified industry- or sector-specific training needs, our customised, in-house

Gemma Gatticchi

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course options are geared towards organisations that need to upskill and develop their staff accordingly.

We can design a basic course to introduce newly appointed staff to a specific topic or provide specialised training to an executive committee on thought-leading management and leadership issues. All these courses can be presented on one of the various university campuses, any suitable venue or on-site.

Why should UP students participate in this programme?

The world of work is constantly evolving, and there is an increasing demand for tertiary institutions to produce employable graduates who possess the attributes, capabilities and dispositions to work successfully.

Against this background there is a renewed focus on the work-readiness of UP graduates. The university’s Ready for Work initiative was launched to prepare graduates for the world of work and provides additional skills training – including entrepreneurship – over and above academic competence and work experience. Self-actualising skills that students can acquire during their undergraduate studies are highly valued. This contributes to UP graduates being assertive and confident in any environment.

Photo: Nkululeko Ngcobo

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Features | 29 October 2018

Your mental health matters

Inge Beukes and Alison Massey

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uring the last week of September, a students at the University of Pretoria committed suicide. The need to talk about the issue of suicide seems greater than ever, especially with world mental health week having just occurred.

Many people may know that depression is a big cause of suicide, and that depression is a mental illness, but many are still unclear about what actually constitutes mental illness. Dr Linda Blokland, a clinical psychologist who is also a lecturer and head of Student Counselling at UP, explains that mental illness “sits within a broader range of the health spectrum which is known to human life. The range may include adjustment disorders whereby a person struggles to adapt to a new and personally challenging situation, to almost totally genetic disorders, such as Huntington’s Disease”. She goes on to say that “most mental illness can be treated but requires specialised care by appropriately qualified mental health practitioners. Very often medical intervention and sometimes hospitalisation is also required”. According to Dr Blokland, “about one in four of all people will at some stage of their lives experience some form of mental illness”.

Culture and stigma Mental illness does not manifest in all people in the same way. Factors such as culture can play a role in how people experience mental illness and whether they will seek help. The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) explains that culture also plays a role in whether or not symptoms are actually recognised as a sign of mental

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This stigma can lead people to believe that someone with depression simply has ‘the blues’.

illness. In some communities, especially rural South African communities, depression is sometimes dismissed as the person’s circumstances, such as going through menopause, experiencing chronic illness or simply being of an older age. SADAG writes that this perception of mental illness as ‘normal’, paired with a lack of education around mental health issues, can lead to the affected not seeking help. Mr Khwezi Mabasa, a part-time political sciences lecturer at UP, agrees that “some societies do not understand the symptoms of mental illness and so people are stigmatised for developing these symptoms, [which] makes it difficult for people to either get help or identify that others need help”. This stigma can lead people to believe that someone with depression simply has ‘the blues’. Stigma can also prevent someone from seeking help. Dr Blokland says that advising someone to consult a mental health practitioner, such as a psychiatrist, can sometimes be seen as a form of disrespect. This is because “myths surrounding mental illness as a sign of weakness can still be seen”. Dr Blokland adds that society has, however, “made strides in accepting that seeking assistance from a mental health practitioner is a constructive and responsible way forward in managing one’s own well-being.” Medication is also stigmatised, with many people not wanting to accept medicine based on misunderstandings of what it means socially. Dr Blokland also adds that “there still exists a fear that prescription medication may change one or one can become addicted to it. Modern medicine shows few side effects and is seldom addictive”.

Societal problems as risk factors Although Dr Blokland does emphasise that some people require medication for mental problems, saying that “just as someone with diabetes needs insulin, sometimes people with a diagnosed mental illness need medication”, she also identifies societal problems as a factor. Dr Blokland explains that some people “carry a vulnerability for mental illness”, but that other risk factors can include “prolonged stress”, “financial burdens” and “adjustments demanded of students”.

Mr Mabasa echoes these sentiments as he criticises the tendency to “put people in a hospital far away from society or just give them pills to control their behaviour” and emphasises a need to “find the sociological causes of depression, anxiety and other forms of mental illness”. When asked whether there is more that the government can do to improve the way that mental health is approached in South Africa, Mabasa said he believes the main problem lies not with government policies and facilities, but “within families and communities

that create social stereotypes and stigmas, or narratives about understanding different forms of ill health”. He also states that mental health policy-making should consider “other socioeconomic factors like socialisation or socioeconomic hardship and other forms of stress that lead them in that direction”, and gives the example that “if you do not know where you are going to get your next meal from, there is no way you are going to be a normal student”.

Recognising the symptoms of depression In order to receive help for mental illness, you need to be able to first recognise the symptoms. The UK’s National Health Service lists some signs of depression on their website, including but not limited to: feeling hopeless or helpless, continuous low mood, feeling irritable, feeling anxious or worried, changes in appetite or weight, and sleep disturbances. SADAG also offers a few pointers on how to notice warning signs among your peers.

According to SADAG, 75% of people that commit suicide give some sort of warning. If you can recognise these warning sings, there is a chance at preventing it from happening. SADAG suggests that possible indicators are: joking or talking about suicide, immense self-critique, noticeable changes in someone’s personality, sudden loss of interest in hygiene or appearance, engagement in risk-taking behaviour, expressing excessive feelings of guilt, self-blame and failure and finally, when someone who has been depressed suddenly gets better without treatment. The best way to help someone who is thinking about committing suicide is to pay attention to them. If you are noticing these warning signs, ask them about it in a discrete and confidential manner and listen to what they have to say. If you think you or a friend may be suffering from depression or any other mental illness, please seek help and consult with your doctor or see the Helpline Box. Is treatment too costly?

Even if people are able to recognise their symptoms and want to seek help, it is not always easy. Like many situations in South Africa, mental healthcare can depend greatly on what your socioeconomic circumstances are. PDBY contacted Denmar, a private psychiatric hospital in Garsfontein, to find out what a typical stay in their facility might cost. Denmar responded that it depends on whether the patient has medical aid, and if so what type or plan of medical aid they are on. Usually though, medical aid would pay the majority of a seven day stay, not including medication and occupational therapy. A private patient without medical aid could expect to pay around R18 900 for seven days, including medication and occupational therapy.

Of course, there are also government psychiatric facilities, such as Weskoppies in Pretoria. However, admission can be complicated and depends on various factors, including whether the patient arrives with or without consent. Further, in order to be admitted you must go through a process of referrals from a doctor or hospital and submit various documents before you can be granted admission. After this process, admission may still be dependent on the availability of beds. Although definitive information on the conditions of government facilities can be hard to come by, they do seem to struggle to care for all the patients. For example, the Weskoppies Facebook page has a mixture of five-star reviews, often from past employees, and one-star reviews which cite poor conditions such as “dirty broken rusted toilets without doors, broken unfixed window frames [and] rusted broken seats for patients to have to sit on” and personal belongings being stolen. Chronic medication is yet another financial burden that some may experience following diagnosis. One person on Health-e, a South African health news service, reported spending up to R1500 each month to pay for his depression and anxiety medication, which he said he needed to function properly. Psychological or psychiatric therapy is another cost involved in treatment and can cost anything from R600 to R1200 per session, with some professionals charging upwards of R2000, says SADAG. Most therapists would recommend more than one session, so these costs can add up

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According to SADAG, 75% of people that commit suicide give some sort of warning.

quickly.

Why@UP Why@UP, a recent mental health movement comprised of current and ex students and staff members, has been partly responsible in bringing the state of UP’s mental health to the fore as they have submitted an open letter to the university.

In their letter, Why@UP openly evaluates various structures at the university, including the different forms of student support as well as syllabus formation that they see as placing

too heavy a workload on students. PDBY spoke to a Why@ UP spokesperson, who said that the aim of the open letter is for management to “realise that [they] have had enough of [management’s] silence and inaction”. They want management to “unequivocally commit to solving this issue, which is well within their power to do”. The spokesperson also indicated that Why@UP has sent the letter to “the Vice-Chancellor, the registrar; the director of the DSA, the director of TuksRes and

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The students who do reach out get help.

the Deans of all nine faculties”. The spokesperson emphasises a desire for students know that they “are not alone” and says that they “also want to note that UP has structures in place but nobody knows about them (such as SpeakUp) and the ones that they do have aren’t good enough”.The letter presented to management by Why@UP cites examples from anonymous testimonials submitted to the organisation. In these testimonials, students critique university support systems as having a “lack of proactivity” and allegedly “turning a blind eye” to the mental health needs of students. Annexed at the end of the open letter is a list of twelve testimonials, all detailing the personal experiences of some staff members involved in UP organisational structures and students who have sought help at Student Counselling. The testimonials describe negative situations including being turned away after seeking help for suicidal behaviour (testimonial one), faculty heads telling students that depression is not a real illness (testimonial three), issues in the training of residence heads to adequately deal with mental health issues in residence (testimonial five) and extensive workload leading to mental health issues (testimonial six). The open letter and testimonials which express the views of these students and Why@UP can be found on the Why@UP Facebook page.

Student Counselling Following the release of this letter, PDBY contacted UP Student Counselling and received a response from Hanlé Kirkcaldy, a clinical psychologist working at the organisation, and Dr Linda Blokland. Below are the responses provided to questions about the mental health services at UP. Would Student Counselling consider extending its hours or getting more staff during “high risk” seasons such as September and October?

Hanlé Kirkcaldy: Student Counselling takes in fifty new clients per week and in the last week saw up to 58 clients per day, with a total of more than two hundred per week. We do work at full capacity. Remember that all those clients need to be followed up again, they are not only seen once. We certainly do not turn people away who are in need of urgent help. To extend a staff complement is not a decision that can be made on a short-term basis and needs to be taken up at a different management level.

There are proposals to extend our services to include trained peer supporters.

Linda Blokland: There are processes in place to maximise new client space on the system during stress times. No student in distress is ever turned away and is attended to on the day. A proposal to implement a student peer support programme has been well underway since March of this year and is expected to be properly launched in the near future.

Is Student Counselling overwhelmed with students who are looking for help with stress, depression and suicidal ideation?

HK: All the staff at student support do this work on a daily basis and are dedicated to what they do and determined to make a difference in people’s lives. We are not overwhelmed by the types of problems that people present with and we are motivated to manage our client base as best we can […] We expect to be a full clinic, as this is a free clinic and people are often for the first time in a position to access mental health services that do not cost them anything. However, that means that you may have to wait a week or two for your free follow up appointment with a registered psychologist.

What can be done to combat the fact that the staff at Student Counselling seem to be overwhelmed with student clients?

LB: Currently the staff manage see clients from 07:30 to 16:00 every day. There are daily “no shows” so there is often a gap in the day for staff. These gaps get filled with walk-in clients needing urgent attention. No-one is ever turned away in crisis that comes to the attention of staff. That student will be seen on the day. Staff are also partly dependent on students voicing their needs within professionally facilitated

29 October 2018 | Features conversations.

Do you think that it is viable for the University to reduce workload for both staff and students, in the name of mental health?

HK: A heavy workload is certainly not the only contributing factor to mental health difficulties. Together with all the other systemic issues in our society, changing one factor might alleviate the burden to a certain extent for some people, but will not eradicate all problems. Dr Blokland referred to risk factors in the lives of students. Students do sometimes underestimate the complexities of a university environment and the type of focus and commitment required to succeed here. Some students succeeded magnificently against all odds, while for others the challenges become too great. We cannot eradicate the risk factors for you, but we can help you to recognise it, manage it and become more resilient to its influence.

Do you think that the university should introduce proper training for house parents and student affairs personnel so that they can act as counsellors in emergency situations?

LB: This is in process. Security staff are included in these processes.

Do you think that UP should introduce a compulsory firstyear module on mental health?

HK: As you may know from personal experience at school and university, students can be very dismissive of compulsory modules and do not always recognise their importance. I would much rather encourage a safe, open and inclusive discourse with students on mental health (information, prejudices and stigmas). Alarmist and critical approaches may further alienate people who are already at risk. We have regular mental health awareness days where students are welcome to engage with staff on an informal level. We recently hosted a successful mental health movie evening and had a guest psychiatrist who engaged with students around the themes in the movie and other mental health questions. Unfortunately, people do not attend awareness events to capacity and more participation would be appreciated. Most staff at student counselling are welcoming of enquiries and a discussion about these issues.

Why@UP, a recent movement made of UP staff and students, have compiled testimonials of several students’ suicidal experiences. Some of them mention that they feel like the university doesn’t offer adequate support. How can Student Counselling reach out to students who feel this way?

15 LB: Student Counselling has about two thousand students on its client base at any point in time. The students who do reach out get help. The ones who have not yet reached out need encouragement by those who know them. The Student Counselling regularly holds wellness days throughout the year in student spaces, presents talks and engages in workshops with students.

Contact details are always given out at such events. The contact details are also on the website where information about mental health and wellness is also placed.

Dr Blokland ends by saying: “There are different approaches to mental health and psychological problems. The solution reached by adding more one on one psychologists is akin to standing on the river bank and pulling drowning people out of the river. A more constructive approach might be to go downstream to see where the problem is so that they don’t fall in”.

On 19 September, FLY@UP posted a notification on ClickUP encouraging students to download the app “Woebot” before exams. According to the notification, Woebot “makes use of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and talks to you about mental health and wellness and sends videos and other useful tools depending on your mood and needs at that moment”.

Helpline contacts You can find the details for Student Counselling at www.up.ac.za/student-counselling. Alternatively, here are a number of free mental health resources: SADAG 24hr Careline: 08600 747 747 SADAG Mental Health Line: 011 234 4837, 011 234 8182 Adcock Ingram Depression and Anxiety Helpline: 0800 70 80 90 Suicide Crisis Line: 0800 567 567 or SMS 31393 Pharmadynamics Police &Trauma Line: 0800 20 50 26 Destiny Helpline for Youth & Students: 0800 41 42 43 ADHD Helpline: 0800 55 44 33 Department of Social Development Substance Abuse Line 24hr helpline: 0800 12 13 14, SMS 32312 Akeso Psychiatric Response Unit 24 Hour: 0861 435 787 Find a Support Group in your area: 0800 21 22 23

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16

Entertainment | 29 October 2018

Major Lazer brings Africa to the world Image: Twitter/ Black Motion

Moya Wa Toala Black Motion Kevin Mareletse

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lack Motion are the hit South African duo stemming from Soshanguve right here in Pretoria. The duo, made up of Bongani “Murdah” Mohosana and Thabo “Smol” Mabogwane, have made their mark once again with their latest studio album, Moya Wa Toala. The album which sound is very heavily rooted in tribalism and scattered with influences from their Pedi origins and Pretoria House. It’s a sound that is very African and is intent on making you dance has every .

This album is a spiritual frenzy, as the melodies progress and build on top of one another you can feel the intention was to make you feel the music deep down to your bones.

The appropriately titled album, which translates to “spirit of the bones”, makes every effort to paint a picture of the process a spiritual healer would go through while being guided by the spirits. Sonically soothing, the sounds are easily digestible and can be appreciated by many, locally and globally. The very natural feel of their album which mostly features pure sounds and instrumentation is directly translated in their live performances of their music. The same energy that you hear in the songs are carried into their live displays, not faulting by any means to give you more than you expect, especially since they are the which is what you’d expect from the recent winners of the Best Live Act at the Dance Music Awards South Africa.

Black Motion delivered a body of work which brings about a trance-like state in the listener, who is willing to be taken away by the music and let it do as intended.

Appreciation for the unifying element of music is a heavy inspiration of this album and if there are any specific songs PDBY would recommend it would be “Prayer for Rain”, “I Rise”, “Anyway”, “Donne”, and the title track, “Moya Wa Toala”.

Image provided.

Sam Mukwamu

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ajor Lazer recently released a mixtape called Afrobeats Mix, which is an upbeat eleven-track compilation project with a collection of some already released singles from African artists, as well as original content featuring African artists. The mixtape features Tanzania’s Harmonize, Kenyan afro-pop band Sauti Sol, Nigerian artists Burna Boy, Mr Eazi and Skales, as well as South African artists such as Casper Nyovest, Babes Wodumo, Riky Rick, Dj Buckz and Dladla Mshunqisi, to name a few. International artists such as Raye (UK), Kranium (Jamaica) and Taranchyla (USA) also make an appearance.

The electronic dance trio consisting of Diplo, Walshy Fire and Jillionaire have constantly sought to mix things up and create different sounds. Having started off making dance music, which was mostly influenced by reggae and dancehall, they then ventured into other genres such as trap, soca (an offshoot of calypso that originated in Trinidad and Tobago), and even reggaeton (a music style which originated in Puerto Rico). Major Lazer started making a more significant push in showcasing African talent after working with Nigerian Afrobeat artist, Wizkid, on “Boom” in 2016. They have since worked with other artists such as Dj Maphorisa on the smash hit “Particula”, which features Nasty C, Ice Prince, Patoranking and Jidenna, and is also on Afrobeats Mix. More recently, the trio worked on “Let Me Live” with British drum and bass band, Rudimental, featuring vocals from Anne-Marie and Mr Eazi. The music video for the song was

shot in South Africa. The release of Afrobeats Mix shows how the group have found a sound in Africa that they think the rest of the world should be paying attention to.

The mixtape was met with positive responses from Africa, with many praising the exposure for African artists. Speaking to TimesLive about his song “Pakisha” being used for the project, Afrotainment artist Dladla Mshunqisi said, “When I heard my song was going to be on the project, I just fell silent and couldn’t believe it.” He further went on to say “I think my song is something different to what people overseas might be used to. It is gqom, and gqom is the future. I am taking the future of music to the world.”

After the release of Afrobeats Mix Diplo posted a message on Instagram, saying “Over the past few years we’ve had the chance to tour extensively and work with artists across Africa. Their culture continues to inspire us, and we want to bridge our music as Major Lazer with all these new sounds and genres coming out of the continent. From Babes Wodumo the Queen of Gqom to our brother Mr. Eazi, who is taking over the globe with each release, to new voices Kizz Daniel and legends like Burna Boy, two of our favourite songwriters coming out of Nigeria.”

Afrobeats Mix is true reflection of African creativity, and is guaranteed to get you on your feet as the whole project has a party vibe throughout. Major Lazer, who kicked off their brief Africa Tour with a performance at H2O in Johannesburg last month, have been showing Africa loads of love over the past few years.

Let’s just hope that the rest of the world begins to appreciate the beautiful music our continent has to share.

Twilight ten years: sinking your teeth into a modern classic Ammaarah Mookadam

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he Twilight saga will celebrate its ten-year anniversary on 21 November 2018. Based on the series of novels by Stephenie Meyer, the film adaptations have become a modern cult classic and has made an undeniable contribution to popular culture. However, it’s over these ten years that a lot of fans, critics, and even those involved with the films itself, were able to form criticisms other than the basic complaints of “Bella and Edward are so forced and awkward.” But the nay-sayers went to watch the movies anyway and contributed to making the Twilight saga a billion-dollar franchise; the films contributed to the rise in book-to-film adaptations, and of trends such as the collection of popular artists for the soundtrack and dividing the final film into two separate parts.

In the first film, we follow 17-year-old Isabella “Bella” Swan as she moves to the gloomy town of Forks, Washington, to live with her estranged father. As the protagonist, Bella is an unfortunate mix of stereotypically infuriating traits; she is the damsel in distress (but without much to distress about), she’s beautiful but doesn’t know it, has underlying daddy issues, quiet and misunderstood, a pure virgin with a wild heart. Kristen Stewart completely embodied this and brought the uncomfortable awkward heroine to screen in 2008. At her new high school, Bella is drawn to the mysterious Edward Cullen, portrayed by Robert Pattinson in an excessive amount of white face makeup, who mainly keeps to himself and his informally adopted brothers and sisters. As the main love interest and the second key character, Edward’s personality is pretty similar to Bella’s, this is why Edward and Bella match so well, and even maybe why Stewart and Pattinson matched so well off-screen, it’s a recognized love between a harrowingly awkward pair of people. Besides Edward Cullen’s immortal good looks and expanse of knowledge, neither the book nor the movie reveal why Bella falls so hard for him.

She is so deep in her crush for Edward and to figure him out, this intense longing after a guy is captured through lustful stares and agonizing dialogue that make you shrink in your seat. As her

suspicions of Edward’s abilities and strange behaviour rise, Bella searches for answers on the internet and all signs point to Edward being some sort of vampire. When she confronts him about this, he reveals his true “monstrous” self to her and sparkles in the sunlight. He reveals that his strange behaviour towards her was because he doesn’t trust himself to resist his vampire nature around her. Now that all that their defences have been brought down, Edward and Bella can finally embrace themselves and start their relationship they both were so afraid to get into.

Twilight is definitely a flawed movie in terms of character execution, noticeable plot holes and cringey dialogue, but Twilight does not deserve the amount of hate it receives from the general public. The most well-thought out fantasy element from the entire series was its commercialization of female angst. As it was mainly aimed towards teenage girls and the young female market, the books and films were an awakening to most female adolescents. So, the majority of the hate that went beyond the film’s flaws and was aimed at the series’ fans, who were mostly teenage girls, is stemmed from misogyny and the idea that anything associated with love and breaking the conformity of it, in the way that Bella and Edward’s love does so, is dumb. We need to throw that criticism out of the window because a “dumb” movie did not make almost $4, 000, 000 in its domestic box office alone. The pivotal debate of #TeamEdward vs #TeamJacob can tell a lot more about a person than an average personality test.

With the sexualisation of men instead of women in the Twilight saga, it brings a distinguishable and uncharted territory of the possible “female gaze.” In 2008 Time’s Lev Grossman states that “Twilight is pretty much all about sex. Except without, you know, the sex.”

At its core, Twilight is a movie about love. If one were to take away the theatrics of the vampire and werewolf fantasy and the not-so-life-threatening villains, there would be a plain story of characters in love. As much as people mock Bella’s awkwardness, defencelessness and insecurities, these traits make her the perfect victim of abuse for both Edward and Jacob. It seems like the romance element in the Twilight saga is the romanticisation of

abusive relationships and manipulating love. Bella’s crush on Edward becomes a fixation and this fixation becomes her purpose of life. In Psychology Today, they summarize the glamorization of Edward and Bella’s relationship and the impact that this has on young audiences, “To them, Edward represents the troubled soul who is waiting to be tamed by just the right woman; it’s the modern Beauty and the Beast. Unfortunately, the course and characteristics of Bella›s relationship with Edward are actually templates for violence and abuse, and Twilight fans may unwittingly model a relationship that is far from healthy.”

Edward’s avoidance of Bella in times when she needs him and his repulsive attitude towards her perpetuates a harmful “hard to get” trope. And maybe that’s why even after he pushes her away, Bella becomes more determined to be with him. On the one hand, Edward is so repulsed by Bella that he makes it seem like it’s her fault that he can’t control his vampire-tendencies around her, but on the other hand, Edward is so in love with Bella that he stalks her and watches her sleep. It’s only in the sequel Twilight: New Moon that Jacob Black plays a much bigger role and displays sexier shirtless scenes. As he falls for Bella, he also manipulates the little feelings that she has for him to work in his favour when she’s depressed over losing Edward. He is protective, and at the same time, possessive over her. Just because Twilight is a fantasy doesn’t excuse the promotion of toxic partners and abusive relationships.

Twilight relishes in its awkwardness and it’s mostly what has made the film so iconic. The story itself is not revolutionary, but it’s the characters that surround Bella and Edward that add the needed flair to the phenomenon. The rich backstories and personalities of the Cullens and the werewolf pack make the series worth investing into, and make Bella and Edward more bearable. The first film, directed by Catherine Hardwicke, builds the foundation of one of the greatest cinematic experiences in the 21st century. With visuals washed in blue hues and a soundtrack that fits the feelings so perfectly, Twilight twists the perception of vampires, love and delivers a modern masterpiece despite its flaws.

29 October 2018 | Entertainment

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The journey of Pedro Barbosa Carina Kloppers

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Image Provided

Image: sahiphop.com

Iyeza Anatii Nomvuyo Nxele

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natii released his much anticipated album titled Iyeza. This is the artists second studio album, receiving a tremendous amount of love from fans upon release, especially those appreciative of the Xhosa producer’s mbaqanga influence, new direction and soundscape. The term ‘Iyeza’ is a double entendre, meaning medicine and ‘it’s coming soon’, the multi-talented awardwinning artist took a very traditional route with this album where he raps in IsiXhosa.

This well-crafted composition is rich with traditional instruments, enchanting rhythms and melodies that come from an array of music genres, including maskandi, afro pop and hip hop. Some tracks on the album contain elements of trap music which is how the artist successfully transcends musical tastes belonging to different generations. The album is very different from music Anatii has previously released, the length of the album is thirty-three minutes, and he infuses traditional African elements with modern sounds. It serves as a reminder that he cannot be boxed into one music genre, when his abilities include flowing over a melody reminiscent of Isicathamiya in the songs U Sangthanda Na & Vuka.

Although this album may appeal to an older generation, Anatii includes songs that would work well in a club scene for a younger generation, Thixo Onofefe and Ntloni are great exhibits of this. Each track tells a different story, the song Ngozi reflects on the difficulties of owing money to loan sharks, while Ehlatini cautions against the busy city life and stresses the importance of remaining true to yourself in the fast-paced hustle. Iyeza is an overall great body of work, a bold attempt to rebrand and show off Anatii’s versatility and abilities. While most hip-hop albums thrive on features, Anatii managed to produce a stunning album with no features or collaborations. It is understood, why he calls himself “Electronic Bushman”.

ith his decade of experience in the industry, the Mozambique-born Pedro Barbosa is no stranger to the South African music scene. He started his career back in 2006 with the rock band Mrs B and then he broadened his audience with The Barbosa Experience.

In September 2017 he released his first solo album, Reborn.

This album carries a more contemporary and softer tone than that of Barbosa’s previous works. PDBY sat down with Barbosa to talk about his journey from rock frontman to contemporary artist.

Barbosa admits that he felt a bit sad and sour after Mrs B spilt up. He did not want to play rock music anymore. “But my solo album was something that has been in me for quite some time.” Since having played so many different styles of music, he just was not sure how to approach his solo career. “With The Barbosa Experience I knew there was a gap in the market for Latin/African/reggae pop vibes and I specifically targeted that gap,” he explains. “While with the solo album I went with heart and not exactly a gap in the market or an idea of what it would in the market.” Yet, it is probably the most commercial album Barbosa has released so far. He also feels that it is the most mature, because after all these years he has learnt to open up within the music.

Reborn’s change in tone was not planned. “I went into studio to record three songs, and came out ten months later with an

album.” Barbosa simply believed that if he connected with the songs and gave it his best, he could make a great album.

For Reborn Barbosa worked with the renowned SAMA winning producer Mark Beling. Beling was influential to Barbosa’s self-discovery. “We connected a lot during the recording process; he was like a pillar during that period and he became a good friend of mine.” He further elaborates, “Mark wanted to work with me since the Mrs B days, and when I heard he wanted to work with me I was very excited.”

He then recalls how meticulous Beling could be about the sound and about the songs. Barbosa believes Beling connection with the music and with him is what gave the album so much emotion and depth.

Furthermore, Barbosa is known for his captivating onstage energy and electrifying live performances. This charisma is part of his natural state of being. But it can depend on the situation. “I can be quite shy when I meet someone, so some gigs I might not say a word. And in others I talk more than I play.” For him it has a lot to do with how he feels on that day and on the venue and on the people around you. Barbosa does feed from the crowd a lot.

To close our conversation, we talked about his experience at Oppikoppi 2018. He performed the classic Brenda Fassie song, “Nomakanjani” with The Barbosa Experience. The original song was the inspiration for this year’s theme. “Well, I met Brenda when I was about twelve years old I think.

She performed in Maputo and my uncle was behind the organisation for the show, or something like that. And when I saw her on stage [it] was really amazing. I loved her vibe and music ever since.” He has been performing “Nomakanjani” for about a year, so it was a complete coincidence that it was the name that Oppikoppi chose. He loves the energy of the song and it has been a big inspiration for him. “When we played ‘Nomakanjani’ the crowd went wild. It was really special and I hope even with my terrible accent that we made Brenda proud.”

Majozi talks MAJOZI Carina Kloppers

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he proudly South African and widely adored Majozi released his second studio album on Friday, 26 October. This sophomore album is self-titled and comes after the releases of the two singles, “Waiting” and “Darling Pt. 2” earlier this year.

“Waiting” reached #1 on the 5FM Top 10 Pop Chart and Jacaranda SA Top 20. So, PDBY decided to have a chat with Majozi about MAJOZI. Your second studio album is released on Friday, 26 October. It must surely be thrilling to finally share the music you spent so much time crafting and perfecting. But how do you know when the music, and moreover an album, you’re making is ready for release?

Good question. I don’t really. We try our best to figure that out. Time it with shows and events around the year and make sure, that all the songs are the best they possibly can be, but at the end of the day, the science doesn’t work out. It’s a really vulnerable spot to be in. In the end all I can say is that everyone has honestly given their all to this project and I hope people can hear that when they listen.

You said that you chose to self-title your album because you want people to know who you are, not just as an artist but also as a person. Why do you feel that this is so important?

A big part of why I’ve been able to continue doing music is because people have bought into my story. I want more people to know who I am, and for those people who do know me to get to know me a little better. It makes the connection between my fans and I that much stronger.

Besides the two singles, “Waiting” and “Darling Pt. 2”, which song(s) have you most excited for audiences to hear? And why?

“Lean on My Soul” is a song I’m excited for people to hear because it features the Multi Grammy Award winning Soweto Gospel Choir.

Another song would have to be “I Want Your Love” because it’s one of the first songs I wrote for the album and it has a cool throwback feel.

“Waiting” has reached the #1 ranking on several South African charts since its release earlier this year. Does the nation-wide approval of your music still take you aback, or is it something you have grown accustomed to over the course of your career?

It’s something I always hope for, but you never know what people are going to think and how they will receive it. I knew “Waiting” was a good song but I never thought people would be as supportive as they were and still are. I’m so, so grateful. I’ll never get used to it, but at the same time I hope my songs get better and better.

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There is no doubt that your fanbase has grown exponentially over the last couple of years, with hits like “Darling” endearing you in the hearts of South African audiences. How has this changed your approach to making music? Do you still have the room to play around and experiment?

Ya, I’ve been so lucky. I just like having fun and being creative. I enjoy pushing myself and trying new things and seeing how people respond to that. I try my best to be different and give people a new experience that they are not use to.

You must believe in the value of collaboration. Your 2016 album Fire saw a couple of featured artists, including the always sensational Tresor on “The Woods”. Furthermore, you have made a number of appearances at events hosted by Die Heuwels Fantasties and Francois van Coke. Why are you always keen to participate and to collaborate with other South African musicians?

We are always better together. Nothing worth doing was ever done alone. You learn so much working with other people. And there’s something about sharing a magical moment that makes it better and last longer. Even as a solo musician it’s not just me that makes things happen. I have a team of people helping me constantly.

And lastly: you have toured extensively throughout 2016 and 2017. Please share some of your favourite memories from the tour bus.

Geez! so many to choose from. I really enjoyed Lentedag last year.

I had so much fun. Potch Rage and Kirstenbosch were amazing as well.

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Entertainment | 29 October 2018

Horror books to read this Halloween that aren’t written by Stephen King Ammaarah Mookadam

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atching horror movies has become a staple activity during October, even if you have your eyes covered throughout the whole thing. However, sometimes the Netflix connection butchers the movie more than the killer, and sometimes your family members or flat mates don’t appreciate being awakened by a terrified scream during your 2am slasher flick binge. There are other ways to celebrate spooky season without inconveniencing your storage space or flat mates, by reading the second scariest thing after your ClickUp notifications – horror books. Stephen King might have had the crown ages ago, but it has since been passed on and polished by authors tackling issues that are more current and relatable, and far scarier than a pair of twins in a hallway.

Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson

When Mila’s best friend is found dead alongside two of the meanest girls in their high school, she refuses to believe the rumours of a suicide pact. Desperate for answers as a string of peculiar incidents occur around town, Mila is able to resurrect the girls through the use of an ancient witchcraft manual. Unfortunately, the girls can’t remember how they died nor their murderer. As the effects of their resurrection begins to show, Mila needs to work fast before her friends return to their permanently dead state that she cannot revive from for a third time or if the killer strikes again. This is a fast read as Mila shares her dark humour as the narrator. She is so nonchalant and oblivious in what should be a frightening turn of events. This is the perfect replacement of a chick-flick slasher movie. It’s almost like catching up with an old friend over coffee about their dreadful time of solving a homocide and dealing with three zombie BFFs.

Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi Literature is becoming more diverse and so should the reasons behind your screams. The classic tale of Frankenstein is struck with a different culture and a different fear. Set in the near future of US-occupied Baghdad, we follow Hadi, a failing entrepreneur that serves chai in a cheap corner café. He has collected discarded body parts and stitched them together to create a corpse as protest for the government to give rural people proper burial rights and facilities. One day the corpse goes missing and a series of gruesome murders occur within the rubble city and Hadi fears that he has created a monster that feeds on human flesh. The story is told through multiple perspectives which perfectly layers an outsider to common Iraqi culture and the impact of the US war for both the soldiers and the civilians. Saadawi has written an incredible satire on the current dealings of the war in Iraq, bringing light to the true monsters in the story. It is grim, sorrowful, fiction within fact, and has a twist that’s worth the read.

The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay Tremblay has been praised by Stephen King himself as his successor to the new generation of horror fanatics.

Seven-year-old Wen and her parents go on holiday to an isolated cabin surrounded by the silent terrain of the forest.

It is beautiful, peaceful and a traditional trope for a home invasion thriller of a family fighting for their lives against dangerous, uninvited guests. However, that is where Tremblay catches the reader by the wrist and instead yanks them to Hell. One day Wen meets Leonard, the largest man she’s ever seen, but who is friendly despite being a stranger. That is until after their play day ends and Leonard’s even larger friends join him, carrying weapons and telling her that the end of the world is near. This book will keep you guessing and stressing until the end with the amount of plot twists and insane character motivations that only lead to further questions. This book is filled with tension, with suspense building at an alarming pace until the thrilling climax.

The Name of The Star by Maureen Johnson What is Halloween without some paranormal activity that questions your sanity? We follow Rory as she arrives in London to attend a prestigious boarding school, the same day that a wannabe Jack the Ripper starts mimicking the murderer’s notorious killings. The city is panicked and on high alert, but the killer doesn’t leave a trace, until Rory sees him, then Rory finds out that she is the only one who can see him. This is a combination of the intrigue of Jack the Ripper’s impact and the science behind ghost whisperers. The gruesome reimagining of the 1888 murder’s in modern times gives a creepy contrast that always makes you check behind your shoulder. The paranormal aspects elevates a classic Gothic tale, and your heart rate as you turn the page.

Images: The Name of the Star, The Cabin at the end of the World, Undead Girl Gang from Amazon.com and Frankenstein in Baghdad from Bloomsbury.com

Horror movies: back again and better than ever Carina Kloppers

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orror movies have had quite the life since the release of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho in 1960. The genre has died and come back so many times, it can now be considered a slasher villain itself. With both the critical acclaim and financial success of recent films like It (2017) and A Quiet Place (2018) there is no doubt that the genre is currently experiencing a boom. So, with Halloween right around the corner PDBY decided this would be the ideal time to delve into the logistics of horror movie trends.

The horror genre has always been a safe bet for film studios. A horror movie can be made on a ridiculously small budget and it will almost always make its money back, even if it underperforms. It is low risk and high enough reward, making studios executives very content. They are, therefore, not looking to push or expand the genre, this responsibility has always laid with the filmmakers.

If we look back at the history of horror movie trends this becomes all the more pertinent. Films like Halloween (1978),

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1874), Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) and Friday the 13th (1980) have all attained legendary status, and deservedly so. That was when studios realised just how lucrative these movies could be. The sequels started popping out, sucking the genre dry. Still today, if studios need a quick buck they will just, once more, hire a new Freddy Krueger, or tmake yet another Halloween sequel, which we hope won’t be disappointing, to further obscure the timeline. . Even the once fresh and thought-provoking Saw (2004) has been reduced to nothing more than clichéd gore.

This has happened time and time again. Filmmakers reinvent the horror genre, just for studios to pour all their money into the new idea until audiences grow tired of the it.

It has happened with found footage films after the success of The Blair Witch Project (1999), and then again with Paranormal Activity (2007). Even films parodying horror movies like Scary Movie (2000) could not escape the horror of franchising.

So, when James Wan’s Insidious (2010) earned more than sixty times its budget, more and more risky projects were greenlit. And with the variety of streaming services

available, these off-brand horror movies could easily reach audiences, despite limited theatrical runs. Studios like A24 and Blumhouse found their niche as horror distributors.

With more opportunities alongside these distributors, horror filmmakers began making movies that are more art than schlock. Needless blood and gore were exchanged for controlled suspense that tackles deeper questions and themes.

The Babadook (2014) expertly meditates on grief, loss and depression. It Follows (2014) explores young girls coming into their sexuality with the maturity its predecessors lacked.

Then is Jordan Peele’s Get Out (2017) that critiques the racism of white liberals in America, which was also the first horror movie nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards since The Silence of the Lambs in 1992.

Horror movies are good again. Really good. But they are also insightful and rich in content. We are no longer scared by vicious monsters and cruel villains, and then allowed to leave the cinemas and simply forget about it. No, horror movies now force us to ponder their content past the credits.

However, we have no idea how long this upwards trajectory will last. So, we suggest you enjoy it while you can.

y.com

29 October 2018 | Entertainment

s r o r r o H A Quiet place

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Halloween The Babysitter

The Cabin in The Woods

The Exorcism of Emily Rose

Hereditary

IT

The Ritual

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Entertainment | 29 October 2018

Catch up with The Crooked Kind Caitlyn Walsh

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he Crooked Kind is a local Johannesburg/Pretoria based band that focuses on indie-rock type music. The members consist of the drummer, Cyngen Bekavac, the bassist, Alexander “Knees” Nweke, Geoffrey Hanson, the lead guitarist and the lead singer/rhythm guitarist, Damian Joseph. PDBY sat down with Cyngen, Alex and Geoffrey to discuss their experience together as a band.

The original name of your band was “Stasis,” when did you change the name and what was your reasoning for the change?

We used to have another guitarist before Geoffrey, eventually we tried to go a certain way in terms of music and due to creative differences, he unfortunately left the band. After this we thought it was about time we changed the sound, the feel and look and just start fresh again. We also have a song called Crooked Kind therefore we changed the band name to the name of the song which we consider to be our break away single.

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The emergence of EMERGER Cassidy Bessa

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lthough their album Bloom is not brand new, South African band, EMERGER has been making waves in the South African music scene recently. They were featured on Apple Music’s SA Artist Spotlight of the Month for July, proving to everyone that they are band to watch out for. With their increasing popularity, PDBY spoke to them all about their current and upcoming music.

Both of you have gained a BMus degree in Jazz and Classical respectively, however, your album Bloom has been described as “Alt-pop with hip hop beats”. Did your backgrounds in jazz and classical affect Bloom or your current music style at all?

Gerrit: Absolutely! The exposure to jazz and classical repertoire inspired our use of chromaticism in our harmonic and melodic approach. The music from classical composers like Debussy, Ravel, and certain jazz composers, like Cole Porter and Gershwin, inspired us to be innovative with our choices of chords. We love the fact that we can take the tools that we’ve learned and apply it to pop music. The vocal training that Emma received during her studies also made her grow a lot as a vocalist. Sometimes it’s hard to pinpoint exactly how other styles influence your sound, but you know that it’s the sum total of all the music you were exposed to over a given period.

You were both successful individual performers as well as being in other groups, however, in your own words, this partnership has allowed you to put your own “artistic stamp on a body of work”. What about this band, EMERGER, has stopped you from holding back?

Emma: Gerrit and I met when he saw me sing at a school talent show, whereafter he asked me to be in his band.

There was an instant bond because we gravitated towards the same musical influences and still do. Because of all this history and the fact that we keep on writing songs together that we’re both excited by, we decided to just go for it after we finished our degrees. It’s something we always wanted to pursue and we’re so happy we did because the feedback has been amazing so far.

You took a writing break in a scenic South African town in order to write your mini album Bloom, does South Africa inspire you and how can this be heard in your work?

Gerrit: South Africa, and the Western Cape especially, has always been an inspiration. We tend to be creatively inspired when we take the time to explore the scenic parts of our country. We even ended up recording ambient sounds from nature. We recorded cicadas (“sonbesies”) on a hot summer’s day for “Nomadic Love,” and bird calls for the intro of “Prelude for You.” Thematically, several

of our songs are also linked to our love for nature. “Urban Wilderness” is a tribute to Cape Town, with its stark contrast of scenic natural vistas with the urban sprawl. In “Nomadic Love” we sing of our love for travelling and how it’s so much better when you get to share it with someone you love.

I have heard that you are working on some new material. Can we expect your new music to have the same catchy melodies as Bloom does?

Emma: For sure. There will be more cinematic sounds, combined with catchy melodies, lush dreamy soundscapes, punchy beats and strong vocals. We are currently experimenting with 80’s inspired synth sounds. It seems like there is currently a burst of 80’s and 90’s nostalgia in pop culture and we love it.

We wait in anticipation to hear you perform live at the end of the year. What can we expect from your live set and will you be introducing any new music in this form?

Emma: You can definitely expect new music, tons of energy, a healthy dose of vocal belting, and a synth solo or two.

Your in-studio video for “Hindsight“ seems to be a new take on the traditional music video as it focuses more on the instruments, (your voice, piano and guitar). What was your intention when filming this video?

Emma: After our album launch, we knew it would still be a while before we’d be able to release an official music video, and since we were still working on our live set, an in-studio performance video seemed like a great way for fans to immediately see us in action. It was a way to put some faces behind the instruments and bring the songs on the album to life.

For how long have you all been in the band?

About four years. 2014 was when we first formed the band.

Your song “First Light” was recently released on iTunes.

How do you feel about this progress?

Very happy about it. It is our second song released on iTunes.

We didn’t advertise it as much as crooked kind, but we were approached by the public and people said they like it. So, our previous advertising worked, and we got our name out there.

It is our sound and it is the direction we want to go in. It’s this alternative indie rock vibe that we want to work to eventually.

The song is on many social and music platforms.

Do you have any other progressions that you’ve made so far?

We were on the radio the other day on Mix FM and we have been on SABC 3 for a show called Talent on Track. We have a battle of the bands coming up on 23 October which we are excited for. We have also played on the same stage as Wonderboom, Desmond and the Tutus, Crash Car Burn, and Satanic Dagga Orgy. Another achievement we have gained is that we have met Jesse Clegg [and] he helped us with a song.

What would you like your music to portray to audiences?

Individuality of the musician. Also, an identity more related to Pretoria. We want to portray our own style of instrumentation through each part of the song. A South African new wave of music that has its own identity and amalgamation of different sounds.

Where would you like The Crooked Kind to take you when regarding the future?

We would love to play huge festivals such as Rocking the Daises and Oppi Koppi and to have a tour of our own. We would also like to make it onto the South African charts. We do believe we can do a lot of this next year. Aandklas and Arcade Empire would be a place we’d like to play at too.

What has been your best experience together as a band?

One of the best experiences is going to a gig where you don’t expect to get food, but they do give you food. However, another great experience was releasing our first song, getting it written and released on the radio.

Producer, John Feldman called your music a “good example of modern music”. Keeping in mind that music is ever changing, would you consider changing your music style, in time, in order to still be considered “modern music”?

Emma: Such a great question! We definitely have a clear vision of the sonic world that we want to create with our music. At the same time we are very aware of what‘s trending in the music industry, and are often inspired by it.

At the end of the day, we want to make music that people want to listen to over and over again, so if you can find the sweet spot between what makes you unique and what makes you accessible, you can’t really go wrong.

To end off with a more light-hearted question, if you could have any super power, what would it be?

Emma: Flying has to be at the top of the list.

Gerrit: Teleportation would be pretty awesome.

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29 October 2018 | Fun & Games

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Top Ten

Pssst...

Many of the reses have thought that by changing their names Pssst… might forget their past sins, but Pssst… never forgets. Pssst… is also a little disappointed with the new residence names, but Pssst… is not surprised, it is TuksRes after all. Pssst… would like to applaud College on the creativity of their name change. After all, wouldn’t want to lose the legacy of filthy overalls and thinking that repeating first year four times constitutes a uni experience.

Speaking of the day houses, Pssst... has heard that Luminous is struggleing to meet eye to eye with their new rag partners. It must be difficult bridging the gap between being a day house and dealing with a real residence. Pssst... isn’t judging, both sides of that fence seem less than ideal.

Pssst...’s two favorite new names also seem to be ragging together.... again. House Hayani and Tuks Ekhaya ragged together a couple of years ago, and Curelitzia apparently needs everyone to know Pssst... can’t forget the complaining, whining, crying, immediately that they’re a medical residence and as and utter disappointment that Tuks Ekhaya showed such soooo superior. Pssst… just hopes that they can towards the lovely Groenkloof ladies. But then again, cure Pssst… from the sudden attack of nausea Pssst… is House Hayani was so not interested, Pssst... spent experiencing. an entire year cringing and feeling bad for the old Houtemanne.

Madelief is among the few residences that did not change their name, Pssst… thinks it is because they Nerina got punished last week when Pssst... saw are too fond of having Rag names made up exclusively a whole bunch of Mopane men singing in their of the words “mad” and “love”. Pssst… is not looking underwear at the poor Nerina ladies. Why do you do forward to the next decade of InSync performances this Mopane? Like if you think its what’s going to get from Azalea, will you be exclusively performing you somewhere in life you should probably take a long “Fancy?” Pssst… also, deeply suspects that House good look in the mirror.

Mags gathered inspiration for their name change from spanner valley.

Finally, Pssst... can’t end of this rant without addressing the elephant in the room... Pssst... spends Pssst… is fascinated by the name change from Taaibos so much time making fun of the resses, organisations, to The Tower. Apparently, this is not out of a delusion structures, and people on campus, and a lot of the of grandeur, as it is only four floors tall, shorter than time that might come down to names. Pssst... does not the most petite ladies’ res by at least two floors, but want to get evicted, so Pssst... will leave it up to the rather because of the unique water tower. Not unlike imagination of the readers to fill in the rest, but at least the identical College water tower. Pssst… thinks they the newspaper chose to keep their ~amazing~ font. may be compensating for something…

Pssst… is very excited this week to see all the Pssst... has seen the lovely day house Docendo has desperately superstitious students hoping for a flower come out of hiding and reminded everyone that The to fall on their heads slipping and sliding on the purple Other dayhouse still exists. Congratulations on your carpet covering campus instead. whole fourth birthday. Thats longer than most of Pssst...’s relationships at least.

Top ten exam tips for the upcoming exam perior 1. Reward yourself with a shot of tequila whenever you finish studying a section. Everything will start to make a lot more sense, trust us.

2. Leave studying until the last minute to learn how to manage time in a crisis and keep calm in emergencies.

3. When things get too much while you’re studying in the library, just start screaming, it’ll give the other students a break from their own stress too.

4. Don’t hide behind students in a line during an exam. Face your exam fear by sitting in the open space next to your seat and smile at the invigilator regularly.

5. Make sure to make elaborate study plans and watch at least 18 study tip videos on YouTube before beginning your formal procrastination.

6. Revise your work aloud in the library to offer other students the chance to study for your obscure module. It’s what they need right now.

7. Don’t take tissues to an exam, your regular sniffing will help you keep track of the minutes ticking by as you write.

8. Always take sufficient snacks with you when studying in the library. PDBY suggests tuna sandwiches, packets of crisps, pistachios and egg salad. The associated sounds and smells will help you and other students stay awake and focused.

9. Don’t be afraid to fart in the silence of an exam hall, everyone will appreciate the break in tension.

10. Your lecturer works so hard on his slides, take them with you into the exam and show your appreciation. He’ll be so impressed that you’ll get a five-year vacation at home from any institution in South Africa.

Crossword

Choose between electric and regular bikes

Need a bike?

Rent a bike through our new bikeshare scheme

Open to UP students and staff shwane BikeShare

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Across 2. The f-ll of the Inc-ns 3. Simb-ʼs b-e 6. Puns courtesy of the medic-l students

For more information go to: http://tshwanebike.co.za/about Call kiosk Mobile: 078 253 1801 or visit the bikeshare kiosk at LC de Villiers Sportsground next to car parking

Across 2. The f-ll of the Inc-ns 3. Simb-ʼs b-e 6. Puns courtesy of the medic-l students Down 1. The less iconic version of Kollegeʼs _______ 3. The most fr-t like n-me possible 4. E-sier to pronouse th-n K-tjiepiering

Down 1. The less iconic version of Kollegeʼs _______ 3. The most fr-t like n-me possible 4. E-sier topronounce pronouse th-n K-tjiepiering K-tjiepiering 5.

5. Ki--tʼs Ki--tʼs new new n-me n-me 6.

6. Does Does ch-nging ch-nging -- KK to to -- C C count? count?

22

Sport | 29 October 2018

History and achievements of the University of Pretoria Football Club Oupa Baloyi

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maTuks, as the University of Pretoria Football Club is affectionately known, is based in Hatfield, and is currently competing in the National First Division (NFD).

When the University of Pretoria was still known as the Transvaal University College, soccer was one of the sporting codes being practised.

At its inception, WF Candy who was serving as the Secretary of the Student Council at the time, was made the captain of the team which had 14 members in 1910. The university almost witnessed the demise of the team because football was not as fashionable at university level as it was at club level. In 1953, the team was resuscitated and Prof. HWJ Wijnholds was at the helm of the team in his capacity as the Honorary President. A few months after its revival, the team began participating in the tournament that was affectionately known as annual inter-university tournament.

Two years after they finished the tournament in the third spot, the team went on to win the annual inter-university tournament. It was the first time ever than an institution of higher learning that utilises Afrikaans as its medium of instruction won this coveted tournament.

The club took part in the annual intervarsity tournament against Wits to play in local league competitions. In 1958, the club put out a positive display to gain promotion into the elite 1st League.

As time went by, the club grew in leaps and bounds as the interest in football intensified. The club had four teams in 1961, a year after political movements were banned from operating by the then-apartheid regime. A year later, the club was promoted to the Northern Transvaal Reserve. In 1962, the first team finished as runners-up in the South African Universities (SAU) tournament.

As if this achievement was not enough, the first team replicated its 1956 accomplishment by walking away with the University Championship. The Tukkies Football club, as it was then known, carried on displaying purple patch in 1956 and finished third in the Transvaal League, which was the highest spot the team claimed among all its Pretoria-based counterparts. To put things into perspective, in 1966 the first team finished second at the SAU tournament with four players in the SAU team, as well as eight players in the Northern Transvaal teams.

Around the 1960s, the interest in football grew that residence teams started locking horns against each other on a friendly match basis, as a formal house league was not in existence during that time. In the late 1960s, Tukkies Football encountered a couple of challenges owing to a complete shortage of floodlighting at the cricket oval. This affected the practice time slots at the time and this led to the coach resigning. A sizeable chunk of players followed, to such an extent that it was hard to fill two teams.

Just before 1970, things took a turn for the better. The then-

World Rugby makes changes to some rules Keegan Sullivan

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ollowing the impressive Springbok resurgence in the recent Rugby Championship, rugby fever has once again taken hold of the nation. Although the Springboks went trophyless for another season, a huge underdog performance in Wellington caused shock waves through the rugby world as the Boks stunned the All Blacks by beating them on their home soil. A string of impressive performances followed and a dominant performance against the All Blacks in front of a sold out Loftus Stadium left fans feeling optimistic about their beloved green and gold.

With the mood around South African rugby euphoric, PDBY hopes to keep fans informed by explaining the recent rule changes made for the upcoming November tour of the Northern Hemisphere.

The first involves the Television Match Official (TMO) who will no longer make the final call on the awarding of tries. The final decision will rest with the referee after consulting the replays.

World Rugby aims to shorten lengthy stoppages by implementing these rules as it seeks to stop the back and forth chat between the TMO and referee. Although the TMO will still be called upon for potential infringements, greater responsibility will be placed on the referees’ shoulders in an attempt to quicken the tempo of the game.

The second rule change involves rule 9.19 of rugby’s sporting code and involves the lifting of your own teammate. Rule 9.19 reads “In open play, any player may lift or support a player from the same team. Players who support or lift a teammate must lower the player to the ground safely as soon as the ball is won by a player of either team.” The infringement of this law is punishable by a free kick. Rule 9.19 is likely to affect mostly lineouts and kick-offs as it is common place to see a player being unceremoniously dumped by his own teammate in an attempt to gain an extra height advantage. This law will aim to prevent head, neck and back injuries that have become all too common in modern day rugby.

manager of the cafeteria on the main campus, Mr Helmuth Biedermann, became the club president. In 1977, Tukkies Football’s skipper, Reinwald Egner, was appointed captain of the SAU team. According to AmaTuks’ website, by 1978 the Tukkies Football club was the only Pretoria amateur club that had a team in the Transvaal First League. The level of participation raised and a number of Tukkies players were featured in the Northern Transvaal team in a match, which they played against the Eastern Transvaal and Currie Cup competitors. The team continued with its good run of form in 1980 and its hard work ultimately paid off when they walloped Ramblers, a professional team, 7-0 in the Transvaal League.

In 1981, Tukkies football was in a fantastic form and they set a scintillating record when they finished second in the Transvaal League as the team with the least goals conceded. Tukkies Football shared first place with Ikeys and Wits, and four of its players were selected for the SAU team.

Towards the end of 1999, Tukkies football became one of the sports that were listed as 10 Priority Sports at the University of Pretoria and the first coach was hired to serve on a full-time basis.

In 2000, the club grew to six teams that took part in local leagues. In total, 26 residence teams participated in the internal league and a junior programme with twelve teams also participated in the local league. The senior team continued with its great form and in 2002 won the provincial league. The men’s team clinched South African Sports Union (SASSU) national championship. In the 2003–04 season, TS Soccer (Pty) Ltd purchased a 3rd division team/franchise which led to the formation of AmaTuks. During the 2004-2005 season, AmaTuks were promoted into the National First Division (NFD) of the National Soccer League (NSL). In the 2005-06 season, seven Tuks players (four men and three women) were called into South African national teams. In 2007-08, AmaTuks ended their NFD campaign in third place and qualified to participate in the promotional playoffs of the PSL. However, AmaTuks did not get promoted as they were defeated by AmaZulu in the final match.

AmaTuks remained consistent and carried on where they left off, and in the subsequent season they finished 3rd in the NFD league.

In 2009-10, AmaTuks reached the Nedbank Cup Finals after beating Kaizer Chiefs and Bloemfontein Celtic. AmaTuks lost 1-0 to Moroka Swallows during the finals.

In 2010-11, AmaTuks failed to qualify for the playoffs at the end of the season. The following season they clinched the NFD title and secured automatic promotion into the PSL. They campaigned well in their first season in the PSL and they ended the campaign in eighth place which earned them a place in the MTN8 Cup. AmaTuks are currently competing in the NFD and are coached

by Bafana Bafana legend Shaun Bartlett.

TuksVolleyball qualifies for Zone 6 tournament Ashley Magwindiri

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uksVolleyball women’s team competed in the Tubby Reddy Classic Tournament which was held at the University of KwaZulu Natal from 20-22 September.

Speaking to PDBY, TuksVolleyball captain Margrit Springer said, “Throughout the year the focus of training shifts a lot.” After the USSA indoor tournament in July, TuksVolleyball shifted to mixed training, where they focused on selecting the strongest team for the Tubby Reddy tournament.

Springer said, “For a long time, we did not know which teams would take part in the tournament so that left a lot of doors open and we had to prepare for every possible scenario.” Springer went on to say, “It was not an easy tournament, we were probably nervous, and this is because earlier this year, we lost in the final of a national tournament.” They had a lot of tough sets to play. Springer explained that the team struggled a bit in the first set because they let their opponents determine the pace of the game. They had a very energetic team and Tuks felt rushed throughout. After losing the first set, Springer said that as a team they had to readjust their focus, slow down the pace of the game and they had to become louder on court and communicate more. The women’s team managed to pull through in the second, third and fourth sets and they were relieved when they qualified for the Zone Six Tournament that will be taking place in December in Durban.

Captain Springer said that they still have a lot of work to do. Their team will change a bit due to the unavailability of some players, so their training will be focused on trying out different combinations and to work on their individual skills a lot, whether it is passing, setting, spiking or blocking.

In another interview the Tuks Women’s coach mentioned that the UP-Tuks team can make their presence felt during the Zone Six Tournament. Fourie, pleased with the team’s growth went on to say, “The hard work starts now, and the players will have to learn to adjust to the way they play since altitude plays a significant role in the flight of the ball.”

The team has managed to create a name for itself. In 2017, the women’s beach volleyball team won the Varsity and USSA tournaments, and earlier this year in May, the team came second in the Champions Cup Indoor Tournament.

A moment with Jaydi Stemmet and Devan Stemmet Mariesa Potgieter

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uksJudo won this year’s USSA tournament in September for a fourth year in a row. PDBY got an opportunity to speak to two TuksJudo athletes who both got gold in their different weight categories at the tournament.

Jaydi Stemmet, a BSc Animal Sciences student, said that it is difficult to balance studies with sport, but added, “If you want to do something you’ll manage it and it actually helps with your studies to keep your mind fresh”.

For Devan Stemmet, a BCom Business Management student, he has “a more flexible timetable to adapt to [his] training times”.

When asked about their greatest achievements for this year and their careers so far, Jaydi replied, “This year was USSAs. I haven’t been competing that much this year but in the past [my] greatest achievement was going to [the world championships].” Other great achievements for him included going to the Netherlands where he made it to the quarter-finals, and he said: “For us that’s actually quite good, because we don’t get that much experience because most of the [judo athletes live] in Europe”.

Devan will compete in the Junior World Championships in the Bahamas in October this year, and one of his greatest achievements was when he came fifth at the Senior African Championships, and he also came third at the Junior African Championships.

They train hard every week at these achievements and

when asked what their weekly practice plan looks like, Devan said, “We have two hours training in the morning and two hours training in the evening.” They do cardio and gym in the morning and judo in the evening. The next competition for them is only in January, except for the World Championships that Devan Stemmet is currently participating in.

When asked how they mentally prepare themselves for competition, Devan said, “Usually we have our coach [who helps] us”. He said that it is important that “when we start losing weight for our weight category in the competition, you are already going into a mental state of focus”. Devan usually listens to music or watches movies “[to] keep [his] mind a little bit more fit, because otherwise you start to overthink things”.

When asked why judo is a sport that many should consider, Jaydi explained: “It teaches me [that] if you want to do something sometimes you have to work by yourself [and] you have to put extra effort in.” Jaydi added that “as soon as you put that work in you start seeing results. It also teaches you that every time you fall you have to get back up to go forward.” Devan uses a quote which judokas (people who practise judo) use that says: “The first thing you learn when you start judo is how to fall […] from that fall you can get back up”.

Devan added, “For beginners it’s a very good selfdefence sport. It pushes your body so you do get a lot of training out of it.”

29 October 2018 | Sport

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How TuksSport became a feeder for national sports bodies Paul Gray

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Photo: Stefan Stander

18 years of victory with TuksNetball Ashley Magwindiri

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his year the Tuks 1 netball team has had an amazing year from qualifying for the World Student Tournament in Uganda to retaining the Tshwane Super League Netball Championships title. The Tshwane Netball Chairperson said, “This is the 18th year a netball team from the University of Pretoria has won the league.” Talking to PDBY, Tuks 1 netball coach Jenny van Dyk said, “We keep track of the performances delivered by school players throughout the season and it has helped us recruit the best players which contributes to our achievements.” van Dyk went on to say, that they have managed to keep the Tshwane Super League title for the past 18 years because they have the right people, the coaches, management and a solid support structure. Looking back at the past 17 years,

van Dyk says she has seen the club grow because players support each other and they get support from the community around them. Also, for a team to perform well, van Dyk said, “they have to motivate each other and as the coach, I always tell them to never give up and to always give their best.”

The TuksNetball coach also mentioned that, during training, they mainly emphasize on leadership qualities: resilience, patience, team work and compassion, which they hope the players carry over onto the court and their lives.

One of the challenges the club faced was their periodisation being slightly off due to an extended season, however, that did not stop the club from working hard and achieving its goals. Van Dyk said, “reflecting on past performances is crucial because it helps the team grow.”

For now, the team is resting, then they will have a reflection period which will help them perform better in the future.

Road to Varsity Tournament championship M Mariesa Potgieter

any UP sports teams came out victorious in this year’s varsity tournaments. Through the ups and downs in their varsity tournaments, these sports teams made it to the finals and pushed through their losses to win in the end.

The year started off in February with the Assupol TuksCricket men’s team taking the Varsity tournament title for the second time. The tournament was held from 29 January to 3 February.

Eight teams were up against each other before proceeding to the semi-finals. In the road to the semi-finals, Assupol TuksCricket won against UCT with a 57-run win after Tony de Zorzi scored the first century of the 2018 Varsity tournament. De Zorzi scored a 101(from 55 balls) which led to UP scoring the biggest run-total of this year’s tournament with a score of 203/8 in their 20 overs. In the final round-robin matches, UP fought hard against UJ, winning by 39 runs. In the final round match, Assupol TuksCricket defeated UWC, winning by eight wickets.

UP was up against UJ in the semi-finals and they won by 54 runs. The 2018 Varsity tournament final, played on 3 February in Potchefstroom, was UP’s fourth consecutive final. This time they reclaimed the title by winning with a five-wicket victory against NWU. In March, TuksAthletics twon the Varsity tournament title.

After the first leg of the Varsity tournament on 2 March, UP led NWU with 46 points. The last leg of the Varsity tournament was held on 23 March at the Bestmed TuksAthletics Stadium.

Before the start of the relays at the end of the day, UP was only in third place with NWU on 345 points more and UJ having 37 points more than UP. In the medley relay, UP came second with UJ being four seconds behind and NWU 8 seconds behind. This changed the standings completely. The 4x100 m women’s race sealed the deal for UP. It was a close fight between NWU-Pukke and UP, but in the end UP defeated NWU by 29 points. Even with the cold and wet weather, the athletes continued to push

themselves, and this resulted in a win for the TuksAthletics team.

NWU won on that day, but UP were the overall winners of the Varsity tournament.

In May, the men’s TuksHockey team was crowned the Varsity Hockey champions of 2018. Their road to becoming Varsity tournament champions started off on 4 May when they beat UJ 5-0 in round 1. In round two on 5 May, they came out with a 4-4 draw against NWU-Pukke. Round three saw them winning narrowly against Wits with a final score of 5-4. In round four, UP was victorious over Madibaz with a final score of 6-1. UP then had a dip in round five when they lost 4-2 against UCT. In round six, they missed out narrowly on the win when Maties won 5-4.

This made them up their game and come back with vengeance, winning the quarter-finals 8-0 against UFS Kovsies. For the semi-finals, a 6-6 draw against Wits was enough to take them to the finals which they won by way of a penalty shootout. In the final on 21 May, UP beat Maties on their home ground, winning with a big score of 5-0 to become the men’s hockey Varsity tournament champions of 2018.

For the first time ever, UP’s Rugby-Sevens team won the Varsity tournament. On 5 October, UP started with a loss in round one against UJ, with UJ beating them 20-0. At first, UP were the winners, but after a rule infraction, UJ were declared the winners.

After this, UP picked up their game. In round 2, UP beat Wits 43-5. In round 3, UP defeated UCT with a score of 45-7 which earned them a place in the quarter finals. In the quarter finals, UP beat Maties with a 29-0 win which helped them to earn a place in the semi-finals. In the semi-finals, UP came out victorious with an emphatic 36-12 against UWC. On 6 October, UP overcame UJ in the final at Pirates Club Greenside to win the 2018 Varsity tournament championship with a final score of 19-14.

Other teams with great results in the 2018 Varsity tournaments include the TuksFootball men’s team which narrowly missed with a 1-0 loss to TUT, and the TuksNetball team with a 63-59 loss against Kovsies.

he University of Pretoria has a stellar record of producing professional sportspeople in a variety of disciplines throughout their history: producing rugby players that have gone on to represent both the Blue Bulls and the Springboks, cricket players who have gone onto represent the Titans and the Proteas, as well as national athletes in swimming, athletics, netball and hockey, amongst others.

TuksSport has developed athletes who have represented the country in different sporting codes, and the number of professional athletes produced has grown exponentially with the introduction of both the High Performance Centre (HPC) and the TuksSport High School in 2002.

According to the University of Pretoria’s website, TuksSport offers “more than thirty sports clubs and ten sports academies”, one of the widest variety of sports disciplines offered at a university in South Africa. By creating an environment that is a benchmark for industry standards and one that offers top-class facilities and personnel, TuksSport excels in university sports leagues, national and international competitions, as well as individual achievements. This can be seen in in recent results, with TuksRugby7s winning the Varsity Sports Trophy, TuksNetball winning the Varity Netball last season, and TuksCricket winning the Momentum National Club Championships and Momentum Super Cup earlier this year. Tatjana Schoenmaker is an epitome of individual brilliancy, winning two gold medals at this year’s commonwealth games in Australia.

In 2002, the University of Pretoria, through TuksSport, introduced the High Performance Centre (HPC), as well as the first intake of TuksSport High School. TuksSport High School started with 27 learners. Currently, there are 200 students.

The development of these two facilities created a place to identify and develop young athletes for professional sports.

The High Performance Centre offers state-of-the-art facilities and services, including a gym, nutritionists, sports doctors and hospitality services, to ensure that athletes who train there have the best chance of reaching their goals. Since the facility’s inception, it has been used by various international sportspeople for training, preparation, academies and programmes. Some of these international sportspeople include Caster Semenya, Faf du Plessis and AB de Villiers.

In terms of development at a school level, TuksSport High School looks to both bridge the gap between amateur school players and professional athletes, as well as to find and develop young players who have the potential and discipline required to become professional athletes. The school, being situated at the Hillcrest campus sports grounds, has access to the general training facilities as well as the HPC’s training facilities, which offers an environment that nurtures and enables those with a passion for sport, turning their talent into a career.

Throughout TuksSports’ history, many of the athletes have represented at a national level, with some of the most well-renowned players being Naas Botha, Joost van der Westhuizen, Victor Matfield and Bryan Habana for the Springboks, Tertius Bosch and Anton Ferreira for the Proteas, and Oscar Pistorius for the Paralympics. This shows us how some of the most celebrated sportsmen in South African history have used TuksSport as a stepping-stone to achieve their goals.

TuksSport, in association with the HPC and TuksSport High School, has exponentially increased the number of national players produced at the University of Pretoria. This can be seen in the rise of national players that have been produced by TuksSport since 2002. Some of the current athletes include Faf du Plessis, Lungi Ngidi, Theunis de Bruyn, Aiden Markram, Mignon du Preez and Sune Luus for the Proteas men’s and ladies sides, Tatjana Skoenmaker for Swimming South Africa, as well as Paebo Lembethe who is set to represent SA Men’s Senior Hockey at the World Cup in November.

The University of Pretoria has been an institution that prides itself in its academic record, and now it does so with its consistent sporting record, be it a team or an individual that is a contesting for a title. By having the structures in place to support the various sporting codes, TuksSport has always been a contender or winner of various leagues and tournaments. The introduction of the HPC and TuksSport High School has given TuksSport even greater means of producing great athletes.

Sport PDBY

TuksSport athletes participated in Youth Olympic Games Mariesa Potgieter

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made an impact is TuksNetball’s coach Jenny van Dyk. The TuksNetball team won the USSA tournament for the fifth time, made it into the final of the Varsity tournaments, and won the Brutal Fruit tournament for the second time without losing a match during the tournament. TuksNetball also won the Tshwane Super League, making it the 18th year that a netball team from UP has won this league.

In cricket, TuksCricket retained the Momentum National Club Championships title for a second consecutive year after beating the Crusaders from KwaZulu-Natal by 121 runs.

Other standouts are the Delta Drone TuksWomensRugby7’s team who won the Munchen Oktoberfest tounament for a second consecutive year.

TuksRowing teams achieved great results at this year’s USSA tournament where three teams represented UP and they won three gold medals. The men’s A-team won gold for the 10th year in a row.

The beach TuksVolleyball women’s team narrowly missed the win at the tournament. They lost out in the final against UWC. The UP-women’s indoor volleyball team was successful, winning the Tubby Reddy Classic Tournament played in Durban. The team also qualified to represent South Africa in the Zone 6 tournament to be held this December in Durban.

he Youth Olympic Games took place from 6-18 October in Buenos Aires, Argentina. This is the third Youth Olympic Games and some of UP’s TuksSport athletes represented South Africa in various events.

The Youth Olympic Games is a multi-sport event that has a summer and a winter version just like the Olympic Games. The difference between the two games is that the Youth Olympic Games only accepts athletes aged between 14 and 18.

The first Summer Youth Olympic games was held in Singapore in 2010 and the Winter Youth Olympic Games was held in Innsbruck, Austria in 2012. The 2018 Summer Youth Olympic games introduced new sports not yet seen at the Olympic Games, into the growing multi-sport event. These new sports include break dancing, sport climbing, BMX freestyle, karate and roller-speed skating.

UP-Tuks gymnast, Lisa Conradie, who is only 15, qualified for the Youth Olympic Games in Namibia earlier this year. Only the top 18 gymnasts qualify for the All-around final, but Conradie made great scores and ended up placing 24th in the All-around qualification round. Her best score was a 12.266 on vault and a 12.100 score on bars put her in the 12th position for this individual apparatus.

Another UP TuksSport athlete, Wian Roux, competed in Archery at the Youth Olympics and was placed 30th in the men’s recurve individual rounds.

TuksAthletics athlete, Prudence Sekgodiso, competed in the 800m race at the games and placed 6th in the first round with a time of 2:08:53, but was unfortunately disqualified in round two.

For swimming, a few TuksSport athletes made their mark at the games. Duné Coetzee competed in all three butterfly events (50m, 100m and 200m) and also competed in the 200m freestyle event. She comes back to South Africa with some brilliant results, becoming the first South-African female to win a medal at the 2018 Youth Olympics Games in swimming. She placed second in the 200 m-butterfly and set a new South African age group record with a time of 2:11:71. This is a big improvement from her performance at the Commonwealth games where her time was 2:12:38. Christin Mundell also competed in all three butterfly events as well as the 200m individual medley. She competed with her other teammates in the 4x400m medley quartet and finished sixth in the final. The team consisted out of Mariella Venter, Duné Coetzee, Kate Beavon and Christin Mundell. They finished in a time of 4:17:78.

These young TuksSport athletes gained experience on an international level and achieved some noteworthy results. There is a lot more to come from these potential stars who will continue to work hard and achieve results.

Aikido’s values are set on harmonizing with others and respecting the laws of nature. This means that practise is always done in pairs to encourage working together, learning from others and being able to see if you are progressing with your skills or not.

Secondly, cleanliness and proper etiquette are essential. Pupils must respect the harmony of the group, adhering to rules and etiquette. They should keep their gear clean and take pride in their appearance. Thirdly, students should resolve discord peacefully and with grace. Pupils know that techniques are effective but violence is not. They acknowledge the fact that conflict cannot be resolved in any meaningful or lasting manner with fighting skills alone. Fourthly, pupils must take responsibility for their own destiny. Pupils achieve this by practicing self-discipline and making regular training an integral part of their daily routine.

The club has a season that runs from February to November.

The major events of the season are two international courses with an annual summer school in November and a winter school in July. The courses comprise of international teachers instructing an intensive four-day event which includes meetings, gradings and five to six hours of training each day. Another event of the season

is a quarterly regional course where there are classes for different techniques and weapons, cross training and grading.

The club does not easily raise funds or receive bursaries as the club does not garner as much exposure as other sporting codes.

The club is currently made up of thirty members ranging from beginners, intermediate and senior students. Only adult classes are offered. The demographics of the members are comprised mostly of males with ages varying from students to professors, as well as locals and foreigners.

At its core, Aikido is not a violence-focused art or a selfdefence activity, as people join for different reasons such as fitness, self-confidence, inner peace and self-discipline. One of De Beer’s pupils, Laurianne Eksteen, said, “I think that Aikido is one of the best sports women can be involved in. It gives you confidence and it allows you to interact with men in [a] safe environment and [to] overcome your fear of their physical strength as you are taught to take them down. That gives you a strength and confidence to no longer be afraid of men. The great thing is that confidence carries on to all the aspects of your life, and you are able to live a more fulfilling and purpose-driven life.”

Photo: Nkululeko Ngcobo

UP 2018 sports highlights Mariesa Potgieter

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rom the Commonwealth games to the USSA tournaments, UP athletes have had some great results this year throughout many sporting disciplines.

In TuksSwimming, Tatjana Schoenmaker had a great season of swimming. She won two gold medals in April at the Commonwealth Games held at the Gold Coast in Australia. Schoenmaker won the 100m breaststroke and 200m breaststroke events. In August, the TuksSwimming emerged victorious at the USSA tournament held in Port Elizabeth for the second consecutive year. Schoenmaker won the 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke events, as well as the 200m individual medley. Nathania van Niekerk won all three backstroke events (50m, 100m and 200m) and won the 200m and 400m freestyle events. She was also the women’s top points’ scorer. Ross Hartigan was the top male swimmer at the tournament. He won the 1500m freestyle, 200m butterfly, 400m individual medley and the 400m freestyle events.

Many UP coaches strengthened their teams, enabling them to win throughout the year. One of these coaches is TuksSquash’s coach Liz Mackenzie who won the SquashSA Coach of the Year award. The TuksSquash B-team won the B-team section at the USSA tournament. Another coach who

TuksAikido: More than a sport Ntokozo Zondo

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ikido is an authentic Japanese martial art that was founded

by Morihei Ueshiba after having mastered a wide range of traditional arts and engaging in spiritual training, resulting in an art that comprises of physical and spiritual dimensions.

TuksAikido is ran by sensei Paul De Beer, 6th Dan, who is a founding member of the Aikido Federation of South Africa (AFSA). It was originally founded in 1982 as the Hatfield dojo known as the dojo of Pretoria. Aikikai moved to its current location to the University of Pretoria, located in the west side of the UP Sports Centre (Rembrandt hall) basement.

De Beer discussed his philosophy for teaching and guiding his students saying, “I place an emphasis on the traditional values of Bushido and Budo as an art that emphasizes personal development. I see Aikido as a reflection of the macrocosm and [it] strongly advocates the symbiosis between Aikido and nature. I encourage my students to be practical, to care for the environment, to conserve universal values and to make the world a safe and better place for all.”

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