30 May 2011 Issue 12

Dr. Ian Erasmus

TANDARTS / DENTAL SURGEON

Oral Hygienist available for cleaning Nooddiens beskikbaar Tel: 012 362 5773/4 2nd Floor Hateld Plaza Burnett Street, Pretoria

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

Tel / Fax: 012 362 5773/4

30May2011

Pssst...

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year73issue12

Mamelodi students reach out

South Africa falls short

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Copyright or wrong? Piracy revisited

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Accusations y as Speaker’s fate hangs in the balance BEYERS DE VOS Last week Perdeby reported that the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of student parliament were accused of being unconstitutionally elected and that there were calls for them to be dismissed.

However, late last week accusations arose concerning the motives behind these irregularities.

It is alleged that the motion, brought by the VF+ at the last sitting of parliament, was an attempt to delay the election of a new SRC member.

DASO Chairperson Jordan Grifths, who brought these allegations to Perdeby’s attention, claims that the VF+ has known about the unconstitutionality of the Speaker, Peter Sleeman’s, election for at least half the year and that their attempt to discredit him has nothing to do with his competence but is instead aimed at keeping a member of SASCO from being elected into the Student Representative Council.

The SRC seat in question was vacated earlier this year and is considered a quota seat, which therefore needs to be lled by a black woman.

Grifths maintains that because of the quota, the seat would end up being lled by a member of SASCO, regardless of who has majority in parliament.

Francois Cloete, the campus chair of the VF+ and current Deputy Speaker of Parliament, whose position is also under review, denies any of the claims. He calls them “false comments and crap [sic].”

Grifths claims that the situation was brought to his attention by Hugo Kruger, a member of AfriForum. Kruger conrms that he strongly

believes the VF+ had prior knowledge of the Speaker’s election. “But,” he adds, “I cannot speak on their behalf.”

Charl Oberholzer, Chairperson of the SRC, denies that AfriForum has any involvement in the situation. He maintains that if this is a political tactic by the VF+, it is a bad one that could not possibly work. “The position will be lled and it not necessarily by a member of SASCO,” he says. Oberholzer also stresses that SASCO does not currently have a majority in parliament.

Still, Peter Sleeman, who denies having any prior knowledge of the irregularities concerning his election, told Perdeby that there is no way the

“This is a disgusting use of political power”

The new members of the IEC being sworn in last week Tuesday. The IEC will announce the date for the next SRC election after the July break.

VF+ hasn’t known about the unconstitutionality of his election since at least January and he maintains they were sitting on the information to use it when it would be politically advantageous. “This is a disgusting use of political power,” he says.

In an email from SASCO member Andrew Masombukato, he apologises to Sleeman and claims that the issue about the unconstitutionality of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker is being used to delegitimise parliament. He asks that Sleeman be allowed to continue with his duties as Speaker.

SASCO were among the groups who originally called for Sleeman’s dismissal. Sleeman maintains that if there had been a real issue with his performance it would have resulted in a vote of no condence and not a political play by the VF+.

Sleeman’s and Cloete’s futures are now in the hands of the constitutional tribunal who will sit on Friday to decide the issue. Parliament reconvenes on 21 July.

2

Editorial

30 May ’11

www.perdeby.co.za perdeby@up.ac.za

An editorial starring Sipho From the Editor My socks don’t match. And apparently that is a sign I’m fairly insane. Now, when I say my socks don’t match, I don’t mean in a way that I deliberately mismatch bright orange socks with purple polka dots and run around without shoes on shouting, “Look at me, I’m quirky!” I simply mean that my socks never seem to be in the correct pairs when I want to wear them and so, when I’m in a hurry in the mornings, I take two random socks, throw them on and run out the house. I mean, no one is going to see them. I have shoes on. And they don’t wildly mismatch.

It’s just two slightly different versions of those generic black-grey socks. They just kind of don’t match.

Except that I have gotten into the habit of taking my shoes off in the Perdeby ofce and then going about my business without ever putting my shoes back on. That includes walking around campus and attending class. Now, is that really so bad? It happens mainly because I’m too lazy and too busy (excuse the paradox) to put them back on.

I spend the majority of my time in the ofce anyway – I would probably sleep there if they gave me a bed because of all the late nights we work. In fact, as I’m writing this there are whispers around me about how we might have to sleep in the ofce to get this edition done.

So, if I am treating campus like it’s my house, and I am incapable of ever wearing socks that match that is purely because this job is making me crazy. When I became the Editor I predicted that by the end of year I would lock myself in my ofce, turn it into a bomb shelter, refuse to come out and communicate with my staff via notes passed under the door.

EDITORIAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Carel Willemse EDITOR: Beyers de Vos NEWS: Nina van Wyk news@perdeby.co.za FEATURES: Marie van Wyk features@perdeby.co.za RES UPDATE: Katlego Mkhwanazi resupdate@perdeby.co.za ENTERTAINMENT: Meagan Dill entertainment@perdeby.co.za SPORT: Charlotte Keuris sport@perdeby.co.za COPY: Hayley Tetley LAYOUT: Hickley Hamman VISUALS: Desré Barnard

TEAMS LAYOUT Camilla Coertse Celeste Theron Allan Le Roux JP Nathrass COPY Ruhan Robinson Caitlin Roberts Jaco Kotze Itumeleng Ramano Jenna-Lee Fortuin Mandisa Mbele Somarié Gravett Saneze Tshayana Nadine Wubbeling Yuan-Chih Yen Marissa Gravett

A neat and spacious 2-bedroom at in Hilda street to share with a female student.

Monthly rental R2500 all inclusivie

Tel: 012 366 9800 Cell: 083 318 9738 carel.willemse@up.ac.za

Contact: Geraldine 083 539 2992

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 can not be held responsible for loss or damage. The editor reserves the right to edit, amend or alter material in any way deemed necessary. Perdeby can not be responsible for unsolicited material. The opinions expressed in Perdeby are not necessarily those of the editors and printers of Perdeby.

For counselling and guidance in an unplanned pregnancy, contact 0800 864 658 or go to www.adoption.org.za

Dear Tukkie With the elections behind us and the mid-year exams before us, I think that this is an opportune moment for me to return to the Hateld Square conversation I promised a few weeks ago. This topic is even more relevant after further negative developments last week, involving some of our students in the early hours of the morning. Those of you who have been with us for the past three years will remember that every year in the last three years, there has been an incident or two, involving serious physical harm. I do not think that there is any student who wilfully comes to university to lose a limb, even life. Nor is there a parent who can say “thank you” when that happens.

I suggested in the issue I rst dealt with this topic that you should devise a strategy to inuence the Square with positive values. If the atmosphere at the Square is anything other than that, you should know that you are the ones who have failed. This would be regrettable because

Boom, Beyers

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Dean Talk: 30 May 2011

This week, that came very close to happening.

Perhaps I am being a tad dramatic. Perhaps the world isn’t burning. But ask anyone who works at Perdeby: this last week, it felt like the world was burning.

That being said, there is always one person who keeps their cool. Unfortunately for Perdeby, that person is more of a tiny plastic sheep currently living in our tea jar than an actual human being. I have mentioned Sipho van der Merwe, Die Skaap in this editorial before. He is our ofcial mascot and travels with us wherever we go. He was a great source of comfort this week for all of us in the ofce. Yes, that’s right: a tiny plastic sheep we keep in the tea jar.

Wow. Okay, maybe I am crazy. Thankfully though, this is our last edition of the semester. I hope you guys enjoy it. Go and read our articles on the new recycling project on campus, on the illness of author Terry Pratchett (written by yours truly), the article on the rise of the eBook, as well as our look at the new South African netball series.

Also, good luck with exams. You might notice that we didn’t write anything specically related to the exams, purely because I think an article on exam stress is predictable and a huge cliché.

Everyone at university knows how to handle exam stress, I presume, since they managed to get into university in the rst place. So all I will say is good luck. Drink lots of uids. Eat chocolate. Oh, and study. Studying is usually a good way of curbing exam stress. We will be back on 25 July. Enjoy the break.

you cannot promote “Tukkie Pride” on campus and “Tukkie Shame” off campus. Nor can you reconcile “once a Tukkie, always a Tukkie” with that kind of dualism. Those who argue that the culture of the Square is overwhelming should know that they have become what Eduardo Mondlane in the context of colonialism referred to as “asimilados”. Incidents such as those that have been occurring in the last three years are a direct result of succumbing to the sub-cultures of the place instead of taking to it values with which to inuence it.

The responses from the students have been overwhelming, ranging from “close down the place” to “we need to boycott it”. This was quite an eye opener because it is always assumed that “all” students go to the Square. The former suggestion might interfere with the constitutional rights of others while the latter would be an exercise of your rights as the “consumer”. It should be remembered that businesses at Hateld are not necessarily there for the students but are open to the broader society as well. However, Hateld Square has neighbours who are not necessarily in entertainment business and whose interests and

well-being must also be respected. Meeting each other half-way here could mean that all Hateld businesses close at 22:00 every night with lock up gates which are monitored by the Hateld CID. This will give the university, its students and Hateld CID a peace of mind. If Hateld will not do this, you as disciplined students could begin to leave at about 21:30. The latter suggestion also came from a student. Think about it and give me some feedback.

I would like to remind you that this is the last issue of this semester and the last one before the June exams. Good luck to you all, especially those who are writing the last module or two before completing their degrees. Always cherish the days you have spent in this institution. They have helped you become a better person than you were when you rst came here-whether through good or unpleasant experiences and regardless of whether you were able to do things your way or not.

Best wishes Prof McGlory Speckman Dean of Students

Res Update

Pssst... hears that its onthefng season and all rst years from the male residences have been driven to an excess of beer and women. Well, except Taaibos obviously. Pssst... was quite a fan of what Lilium did to their Ienkdrag for their ontheng. Nothing says “respect me” like shortening your dress and expanding your cleavage. Pssst... would like to educate Magrietjie HK about onthefng. Onthefng is about leaving behind the rst year status, not your self-dignity. But Pssst... heard that Lilium is already doing a good job at that. Pssst... is just shocked, Welpies.

The things you get up to on party buses. Pssst... heard you couldn’t keep your hands off the Ystermanne and off each other.

Yes, making out without each other Welpies and this time you can’t blame it on the a-a-alcohol. Talk about taking sisterly love to the next level. Pssst... also wonders if dropping your morals was an activity on the Welpie Week scavenger hunt, or if the Klaradyn girls just did it of their own accord. Pssst... would like to remind Curlitzia that no matter what they do to Olympus, the important reses on main campus really don’t care. Pssst... would like to thank the Nerina Spriete for being great sports. There’s nothing like complaining to the authorities when you don’t get your way. Who needs their HK’s help anyway? Pssst... thinks that Taaibos should hold onto their women a little better than they hold onto balconies. Pssst... was not surprised to see some of the Asters do the walk of shame out of the male residences.

Although they tried to go unnoticed, pssst... saw you. Pssst... would like to tell the Asterhof HK who got stood up at the altar to stop advertising her wedding dress (aka HK dress) at the plaza. Hilda Street is not a modelling ramp, unless if you are into working the streets in the evening. Pssst... heard that Asterhof’s legendary ghost, Saartjie, made an appearance this week. Pssst... understands that Serrie season is over, so residences have a lot time on their hands. One of these residences being Asterhof.

But who has the time to make up ghost stories in this day and age? Pssst… thinks Olienhout is trying too hard. Houte manne should leave the jock parading to Mopanie. A rule for walking around in your undies at the square is to at least have the body for it. If you (like Olienhout) are not blessed in that department then please keep your clothes on. Remember to name and shame them at pssst@perdeby.co.za

30 May ‘11

3

Buy me, it’s for charity

ZOE NGOMBANE At the beginning of this year Tuks Village adopted Vukani Mawethu Secondary School, which is situated in Mamelodi, and they have been dedicating their time and effort to raise funds for this school.

On 24 May it was the chance for all crushes and secret admirers to be put to good use and reveal their true feelings.

TuksVillage hosted their Auction Night where selected students living in the residents were auctioned off to their peersto raise money for Vukani Mawethu Secondary School.

The total amount raised on the night was R5 000. The funds raised will be used to help with the school’s feeding scheme and renovations.

The residents at TuksVillage were given the chance to nominate themselves or a friend who was willing to be auctioned. Most of the bids started at R50. However, as the night progressed, the stakes rose. The highest bid for the ladies was R470. There was also the dynamic offer of a twolady combo on the bidding list and they were auctioned off at R600. The boys were selling at very high prices, ranging from R200 to about R300. The highest amount paid for a boy was R650, after he promised to take his shirt off if the bidding started at R200.

Thanks to the participants, their boyfriends, girlfriends and admirers, the evening was a success and TuksVillage is doing their bit for charity.

Photo: Desré Barnard

A facelift for Xayata KATLEGO MKHWANAZI AND SIYAMMUKELA MAHLANGU House Xayata is currently receiving a face lift. Renovation signs are up and builders are on site. Xayata is situated opposite Nerina. However, the major construction will commence in about a month’s time. University management conrmed that the Glaskas section will be renovated during the November/ December 2011 and January 2012 recess. The completion date for the total renovation project is set for early February 2012.

According to TuksRes management, substantial renovations to both Pastorie and Glaskas (divisions of Xayata) will be done in order to upgrade these residences to the standard required by the university. “We need to upgrade the facilities,” said Prof Roelf Visser, TuksRes Director. The renovations will be made on communal areas such as bathrooms and corridors. Some of the new facilities include kitchenettes, a parking area, a small IT lab and a laundry room. “We are doing a total upgrade within a budget,” said Visser. “We want to cater for the needs of the students.”

Andrew Masombuka, Chairperson of Xayata said, “A huge amount of money has been put aside for the renovations so the standard of our res might be like that of TuksVillage after the renovations.”

Pastorie has already been evacuated and alternative

“The race issue is not a problem; res placement [should] not be based on race” accommodation for students has been organised in places like Fairview apartments. “We accommodated all students who got 50% and upwards,” explained Visser.

However, there was a miscommunication between TuksRes and Xayata. According to Masombuka, Xayata residents were not informed in time about the renovations. “We were only informed when we reopened in January and this had a bad effect on the res,” said Masombuka. “Our placement list had more people than the number of rooms available,” he explained.

“There were people who qualied for res but could not be placed.”

The renovated Xayata residence will help accommodate the many students in need of accommodation. Students on the waiting lists will be considered for placement in Xayata once the renovations are complete.

Xayata is currently a single-sex res, but according to Visser this might change in the future. “Personally, I would like Xayata to become a co-ed residence like TuksVillage,” said Visser.

“However it all depends on the needs and the demand from the students,” he added.

“We are not sure if we are going to remain a male res after the renovations, but we want to keep Xayata’s culture of being all male,” said Masombuka.

Xayata is currently occupied solely by black students. “We would like Xayata to become a racially integrated res,” said Visser. According to Masombuka the reason why Xayata is an all black male residence is that it was formed from the res Savana which had only black students. “The race issue is not a problem; res placement must not be based on race,” said Masombuka. Masombuka added that it does not make sense to have a student who lives in Brooklyn and has a car to placed in res while there are students from far who sleep in the library.

“What we want is to be treated and serviced like all other residences because we pay the same price and we want to promote a culture of a democratic res in the University of Pretoria,” he concluded.

Photo: Desré Barnard

4

30 May ‘11

News

Tuks tackles waste THEUNS VAN RHYN Students have been wondering about the colourful new waste bins around the Piazza.

These bins have been specially designed and colour-coded to help with recycling on campus.

The project, undertaken by the Waste and Environmental Management department of Tuks, is currently in its test phase and has been running for about two weeks.

Operational Manager, Henry Holder, says that there are currently three eco-bins at the Piazza.

Holder said: “We wanted to put [them] at the Piazza, because that’s where the most feet go. We’re concentrating on that area to see what happens and we’re going to have [them] there for about three months.”

Holder also said that if the bins prove to be effective they would like to do away with normal waste bins and replace them with eco-bins.

“We also started placing Nampac recycling boxes in most of the buildings so people can start sorting at source. From there the recyclists can pick it up and recycle it for us,” he added.

The waste consulting group Dube Ngeleza Wiechers (DNW) Environmental

Consultancy have joined Mandara Consulting to monitor waste disposal on campus. Herman Wiechers said his company (DNW) and Mandara Consulting will look at what the university is currently doing and figure out how to improve efficiency.

“Ideally one should try not to make waste, then minimise waste and then recycle it.

We want to develop a waste-management strategy by investigating how waste is handled on all the campuses,” he said.

Ahista Hussain, who is also an operational manager at the Waste and Environmental Management department, said that the idea is to promote longevity about recycling and “if anything, you need to keep your foot on the pedal.”

Second-year Bsc Environmental Sciences student, Ernst Bekker, is a crusader for recycling and says it is important to create awareness about it. “The eco-bins will probably get cross-contaminated, but the idea is to get students thinking about recycling,” he added.

DNW is also looking for two interns from the Chemistry and Environmental departments. Anyone interested can email Herman Wiechers at wieenv@mweb.co.za Photos: Jerome van Zyl

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News

30 May ‘11

5

Mamelodi students reach out DAVID CROSS

Students on the Mamelodi campus have recently enlisted the help of the SRC to aid them in addressing several problems that they are experiencing with regard to campus facilities and management.

In a recent inspection of the Mamelodi campus as well as thorough interaction with its students, the SRC discovered several problematic issues onthe campus. Current member of the SRC and possessor of the justice and constitutional development portfolio, Mike Matlapeng, reported that students were displeased with the lack of extracurricular and recreational activities offered by the campus.

Students are also angered by the campus student health clinic which is reportedly only operational once a week and is not catering sufciently for their health needs.

Further commentary was given by Katlego Malatji, Secretary General of the SRC: “We are condent that the students’ demands will be met and that the problems will be resolved after the SRC meeting with the directors’ forum next week Tuesday.”

In addition to these issues, complaints about

the poor management of bus services to and from the Hateld campus and about leaving students stranded on campus with no means of transport have reached the SRC. “I feel the SRC has the drive to help the students on Mamelodi campus as we are able to connect with them and assist them in nding solutions to these problems,” says Matlapeng.

Matlapeng reported that through interacting with the students he also discovered that students on the Mamelodi campus were ignorant as to how to reach out to the SRC and also fears that many of the issues on the Mamelodi campus have been subject to a long period of neglect as a result of past complaints and requests for help falling on deaf ears.

“The SRC feels that the university has turned a blind eye to keeping the facilities and management of Mamelodi campus up to par with that of other campuses such as Hateld and Groenkloof,” says Matlapeng. He added that the university should never handle issues as serious as the abovementionedso carelessly.

He is determined to confront the university with his fellow SRC members and all students of the Mamelodi campus.

Photo: JP Nathrass

2011 election results English professor

makes UP proud

KOKETSO DLONGOLO On 18 May, millions of registered voters cast their voice of opinion in the local government elections. The African National Congress (ANC) was the overall victor of the local elections. “The ANC remains South Africa’s dominant party and its 62,5 % lead is a reection that it still enjoys an overwhelming majority. This is because the ANC is the political home of all our people. It’s a family.

Having a protest does not amount to antiANC,” said Justice Minister Jeff Radebe on Thursday at the Independent Electoral Commission’s results centre in Pretoria.

All voters cast two ballots: a proportional representation (PR) ballot for a party and a ward ballot for the ward candidate in their area.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) remains a strong opposition, taking over a number of ANC municipalities countrywide.

On the ward ballot, the ANC secured 8 143 397 votes (60,98 %) and on the PR ballot 62,93 % – an average of 61,95 %. The DA received 3 177 883 votes (23,80 %) on the ward ballot and 3 216 006 (24,08 %) on the PR ballot – an average of 23,94 %.

ANC was ahead with 62 %, down from the 66 % it won in the 2006 local elections. The party in second place, the DA, raised its tally from 15 % to 24 %. Some commentators were calling the results a breakthrough for the DA, which many black South Africans consider to

be a white people’s party.

Before Wednesday’s vote, Helen Zille, leader of the DA, tried to expand the party’s reach, campaigning in black townships considered to be ANC strongholds.

The DA increased its support amongst black voters from approximately 1 % in 2009 to approximately 5 % in 2011.

Nationally, the DA increased its percentage share of the vote from 16,3 % in 2006, to 24 % in 2011. The DA was the only established party to grow its support in the 2011 local government elections. In contrast, the ANC decreased its provincial percentage share of the vote in every province with the exception of KwaZulu-Natal, where it grew by 9,5 %. In all nine provinces the ANC won fewer votes than it did in the 2006.

There are mixed emotions regarding the outcome of this year’s local government elections. While unswerving ANC supporters are content with the overall ANC victory, current and new DA supporters are not happy.

“The DA has cracked, if not broken, the white ceiling,” said Allister Sparks, a political analyst on eNews. “Have the DA and Helen Zille managed to shift the debate from liberation and history to service delivery?”

Athol Trollip, the DA’s parliamentary leader, said, “This election will spell the end of smaller parties and it is now clear that the race in future will be between the ANC and the DA with COPE in a distant third.”

Photo: Jerome van Zyl

ANKE OLIVIER Professor David Medalie, of the Department of English, has been shortlisted for the Caine Prize. The prize is a very prestigious award given to an African author for his or her short story in English.

Medalie has been placed on the shortlist for his short story, The Mistress’s Dog. The story focuses on an ageing widow who has been left caring for the elderly dog of her husband’s late mistress. She reflects on her life and how she lived with the secret knowledge of the affair.

Medalie says that he has always loved language and what an author can do with language. “It takes you into other people’s lives,” he explained. “It is a way of asking about the issues of real life.” Medalie added that his motivation for writing The Mistress’s Dog comes from the general theme of choice that characterises most of his work.

The Mistress’s Dog can be found in the library as part of Medalie’s published book, The Mistress’s Dog: Short stories 1996-

2010. The short story can also be found on the Caine Prize website www.caineprize.com The winner of the Caine Prize will be announced on 11 July at the prize giving dinner, held in the historic Divinity School of Oxford University’s Bodleian Library.

“It is very exciting,” says Medalie. The writers will read and discuss their stories at the Royal Over-Seas League in London on 8 July and at the London Literature Festival two days later.

Publishers submitted 126 entries from 17 countries for the prize. The chair of the judging panel, prize-winning Libyan novelist Hisham Matar, said, “Choosing a shortlist out of nearly 130 entries was not an easy task – one made more difficult and yet more enjoyable by the varied tastes of the judges – but we have arrived at a list of five stories that excel in quality and ambition.”

According to Maureen Isaacson from the Sunday Independent, Medalie’s short story is “As close to perfect – in my own book – as a short story can be.”

Photo: Chané Mackay

6

30 May ‘11

Features

The wit and wisdom in decline BEYERS DE VOS In a very different universe, the world is a at disc carried on the backs of four elephants, which are standing on the back of a giant turtle, which is swimming through space: some say, towards the ultimate mating ground – the literal big bang.

This universe belongs to the unusual imagination of Terry Pratchett.

Welcome to the Discworld.

In 2009, Terry Pratchett celebrated the 25th anniversary of his Discworld series. A remarkable moment, if you consider Pratchett has written 38 Discworld novels, selling more than 65 million copies worldwide. Specic Discworld novels, like Mort and Wyrd Sisters, also repeatedly feature on lists of the best books produced in the last 100 years. He is the second most read author in Britain, and the seventh most read in the United States.

And before a certain boy wizard, he was the best selling British fantasy writer of all time.He was also the bestselling British author of the 1990s and his books average sales of 2,5 million copies a year.

He has won several awards, including the Carnegie Medal, and was knighted in late 2009 for his contribution to literature.

Take all of that, and it cannot be denied that Discworld, and its creator, are a big deal.

It is sad then to realise that 2011 might be the year of the last Discworld novel. Pratchett was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s in 2007, and his steady decline is slowly, and sadly, decreasing the likelihood of any more novels from the pen of the man who critics agree is “the best comic writer writing in Britain today.”

Discworld, the fantasy world Pratchett created, encompasses a complicated geography and political and social landscape, and deals with hundreds of individual characters, all of whom appear and disappear, star or make cameo appearances, in most of the novels in the series. The books do not have to be read in order, but specic groups of book

have been clumped together. If you know Pratchett, you know about the “witch books” or the “Death books” or the “city watch” books.

Snuff, the latest “city watch” book, and the 39th Discworld novel, is due out later this year and according to statements by Pratchett, two forthcoming novels, Raising Taxes and Scouting for Trolls, are in the works. However, as of late 2009, the author has admitted that he is nding it difcult to sign autographs and he has had to

resort to dictating his novels because he is nding it increasingly impossible to type. This has led to widespread media speculation about the probability of Pratchett completing another novel. Neither Raising Taxes nor Scouting for Trolls has been ofcially conrmed by Pratchett’s publishers.

Pratchett’s form of Alzheimer’s is a rare one called posterior cortical atrophy, it results in the back parts of the brain shrivelling, causing dementia.

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Los asb 'n boodskap

For those who have not encountered Pratchett it is difcult to classify his style or his charm. It could be described as Douglas Adams meets Tolkien, but that would do Pratchett a disservice as he has become one of the leading satirists, or parodists, writing in Britain today.

Pratchett’s books are, however, often limited by their fantasy brand. While the Discworld is undoubtedly fantasy, Pratchett is known for his breakaway from traditional fantasy tropes and his unique use of humour. Not that Pratchett denies he writes fantasy. He says, “I owe a debt to the science ction / fantasy genre which I grew up out of.” He adds that he is annoyed that fantasy is “unregarded as a literary form because it is the oldest form of ction.” This latter quote came after a controversy concerning the British book store chain, Waterstone’s, who refused to display the Discworld novels on the bestseller shelves, even though they qualied, instead relegating them to the fantasy aisles.

But regardless of such minor snubs, there is no doubt that the Discworld series is signicant. Not only in the redenition of a genre, or because of its undoubted contribution to 20th and 21st century literature, but also because of the wildly popular, yet passionately cultish, fandom it inspires. It is relevant, popular and enduring – a combination which is rare in the ckle world of publishing. And all this, not despite of, but perhaps because it is fantasy.

Discworld will be missed. Maybe in the not too distant future, much like with the works of Douglas Adams, another author will take over the series. Ardent fans might cringe at this idea because Discworld is Discworld only because of the man behind it – it is the tragic loss of his comic power and literary potency which will leave a gap in the market and the hearts of fans. For now, Perdeby wishes Mr Pratchett all the best with his treatment.

His books and his vision live on.

Image: images2.wikia.nocookie.net

Features

7

30 May ‘11

South Africa falls short

Perdeby asked Jeff Theys, an Australian exchange student to tell us a little about life for foreign students at UP JEFF THEYS Exchange students are often confronted with quizzical looks from South Africans who always seem to ask the same question: why South Africa?

For many westerners, the name Africa sends the imagination into a frenzy. For some it evokes the idyllic pastoral images of Karen Blixen’s memoirs, for others the dystopian country slowly succumbing to anarchy. Whatever the reason, the idea of South Africa is powerful enough to draw exchange students from across the world.

Many exchange students want to get as far away from their normal lives as possible. They want an impression of life in a foreign country from a local, not a tourist, perspective. They want to experience the challenges that come with being South African: overcoming language barriers, cultural differences and national identity issues.

Most exchange students share houses in Tuksdorp, a residence designated for international and postgraduate students. While the experience has helped them bond among each other, many agree it has made it more difcult to integrate with locals. Canadian student Thomas Yeo says, “The university should make a better effort to mix students.

Sometimes it feels like apartheid in Tuksdorp.”

They also need to adjust to the physical restrictions in Pretoria. The reality of an

environment in which everything is surrounded by high fences and topped with barbed wire or electric cables is so ingrained in the South African psyche that people don’t seem to notice it. Dutch student Niels Westerlaken says, “You get used to it pretty quickly, but it doesn’t make me feel any safer.”

To get closer to South African culture, exchange students choose to ignore many warnings and do exactly what they are advised against doing. Yeo says “If you told someone you were catching a minibus to Soweto you would be met with looks of horror followed by a serious warning not to go. Truth is, most people appreciate you have made the effort to see their way of life. Most of all, they respect that you are not afraid.”

Some feel their perceptions have changed during their ve months in Pretoria. American student Nathan Moore says, “I no longer

feel like I am projecting my stereotypes onto South Africa.” He has also noticed more racial interaction as time goes on. And Westerlaken believes Dutch students have better opportunities to mix with the Afrikaans community because of the linguistic similarity.

Exchange students are in a situation in which they can compare the functioning of UP to their home universities. Many share a collective frustration with the achingly slow administration. Moore says he has given up ghting the ofce staff and taken the African attitude: saying, “Over time things will just straighten themselves out.” He adds that the lack of internet might be his biggest complaint: “Students [having] to pay for internet at a university is ridiculous.”

Opinions about the structure and expectations

oogpotlood of spykerhakskoen. Maar volgens ouens is om laat te wees amper so oulik soos `n jas uit die pels van `n bedreigde dier. Wees eerder betyds – dis jy wat uitmis op die partytjie, nie die mense wat jy probeer beïndruk nie. “Die ergste ding is wanneer meisies in groepies staan en giggel en nie wil sê waaroor nie,” beweer Darren Boswell, `n eerstejaar BA Tale student.

Om na een mislukte verhouding alle ouens af te skryf is ook `n nare gewoonte wat meisies het, vertel Barend Malherbe, `n tweedejaar landbouwetenskap-student. Hy sê meisies veralgemeen enige slegte ding wat `n ou al ooit aan hulle gedoen het en vergeet heeltemal van die goeie dinge.

Soveel as wat jy dit geniet om met jou volgroeide Rottweiler in babataal te praat, is dit soos `n lem op die oordromme vir die mense wat daarna moet luister. Die hele situasie word net meer pynlik as jy probeer wys hoe slim jou hond is deur hom sestien keer te vra om te sit en dan te prys asof hy geleer het om te vlieg.

“Twilight is seker die ergste,” beweer Johan Roodt. Wees eerder bly jou ou drink gewone koeldrank en is nie doodsbleek nie, as wat jy alewig praat oor of jy hierdie week Team Edward of Team Jacob is.

Ouens wat hulself in die publiek sommer net krap is een van die irriterendste gewoontes onder die son, beweer Annica Potgieter, `n

tweedejaar uitgewerswese-student. Wanneer jy `n gesprek met `n meisie wil begin is dit ook nie noodwendig `n goeie idee om oor LAN te praat nie. Vir die skoner geslag is praatjies oor hierdie onderwerp soos die dreuning van `n yskas – iets wat jy uitskakel. Wanneer dit by ouens se selfoonetiket kom, is daar blykbaar `n groot gaping, vertel Leoni Maree, `n tweedejaar bemarkingstudent. “Hulle is altyd kortaf en te laat met oproepe.”

Dan is daar natuurlik voorkoms. Sommige ouens neem Snorvember en Baardmaand net té ernstig op. Drie maande later, wanneer jy soos `n Kinderbybelkarakter lyk, is niemand meer beïndruk nie.

“Ouens dare mekaar altyd goed wat vir hulle pyn veroorsaak,” sê Klarissa Stockwell, `n derdejaar ingenieurswese-student. Wanneer jy vir een bier jou armhare aan die brand sal steek, is jy tien teen een nog nie volwasse genoeg om meer as `n melkskommel te bestel nie.

As jy daardie persoon is wat in die eksamenlokaal sit en elke twee minute so hard snuif dat die vensters bewe, of elke dag vyftig status updates op Facebook maak oor hoe jy jou tee roer, is dit dalk tyd om jou gewoontes te probeer verander. In die woorde van `n Engelse Honneursstudent wat verkies om anoniem te bly: “SMS-taal op Facebook of in e-posse is die slegste gewoonte wat enige iemand kan hê.” Jy

of courses also vary. While Yeo feels the “workload is light and the standards are lower”, others feels like the distribution of assessments is inconsistent and the marking is harsh. In Germany, business student Julian Wicht is used to having the freedom to interact with his courses and apply his imagination. At UP he is perplexed by the lecturers’ “expectations of memorisation and the regurgitation of text books.”

Exchange students come for the challenge of experiencing a different way of living and learning. That is exactly what studying at the University of Pretoria can offer: a chance to experience South Africa in all its frustrating glory.

Image:JP Nathrass

Uit pure gewoonte

MAGDALEEN SNYMAN Elke oggend wanneer jy in jou kar klim, sit jy uit gewoonte die radio aan. Jy ry verby daardie meisie wat elke oggend dieselfde roete draf. In jou eerste klas maak jy seker jy sit nie voor die ou wat altyd die stoel voor hom skop nie. Daarna drink jy in die Piazza kofe, wat jy kloksgewys roer, saam met jou vriendin wat haar kuif na elke sin uit haar oë vee.

Gewoontes denieer mense, irriteer mense en kan jou selfs help om gesonder te wees.

Wanneer jy op `n sekere manier optree en `n tipe beloning daarvoor ontvang of dit jou goed laat voel, sal jy geneig wees om dit weer te doen.

Hoe meer jy dit doen, hoe meer doen jy dit sonder om daaraan te dink en dit is dan wanneer jy `n gewoonte vorm.

Gewoontes vorm gewoonlik oor `n lang tydperk en is makliker om in `n vroeë stadium af te leer. Gewoontes is so uniek soos die mense wat hulle besit, maar een ding is seker – almal het `n gewoonte wat iemand anders irriteer.

Perdeby het menigte mense op kampus gevra en die resultate mag jou dalk net twee keer laat dink voor jy dóén.

Wanneer `n meisie begin regmaak om iewers heen te gaan, verloor sy dikwels haar bewustheid van tyd en sou jy haar (selfs op `n mooi manier) probeer aanjaag, sal jy dalk moet koes vir `n

betaal nie per letter nie. Leer om te spel.

Om `n gewoonte af te leer is egter nie so maklik nie. Jy moet `n goeie rede hê waarom jy van die gewoonte ontslae wil raak, asook deursettingsvermoë en moontlik iets om die gewoonte mee te vervang. Volgens HealthTree. com kan mense wat rook byvoorbeeld elke keer wat hulle `n sigaret wil hê, `n peperment of suigstokkie suig om die gewoonte te begin aeer. Die belangrikste ding bly egter jou houding. Om op die verbetering van die gewoonte te fokus en jouself te dwing om jou gedrag te kontroleer en te verander is baie belangrik. Om `n gewoonte af te leer kan enige iets vanaf drie weke tot drie jaar neem en elke geval is uniek. Deur jouself te omring met mense wat nie heeldag Farmville speel nie, kan jou binne `n dag laat ophou om jou vriende daarmee te irriteer, maar as jy wil ophou om jou kamermaat se tandeborsel per ongeluk te gebruik wanneer jy half aan die slaap is, gaan dit dalk meer tyd en inspanning verg.

Gewoontes kan jou lewe lekkerder maak, maar dis ook belangrik om die mense om jou in ag te neem. Probeer die goeies, leer die slegtes af en hê `n bietjie begrip vir daardie vriend van jou wat alweer te laat begin leer het en nou jou hulp nodig het. Hoe makliker `n gewoonte is om aan te leer, hoe moeiliker is dit om te breek.

Foto’s: Gerhard Louw

8

30 May ‘11

Entertainment

Copyright or wrong? Piracy revisited LUSANDA FUTSHANE In 1999, just before the birth of the controversial le-sharing website Napster, Shawn Fanning was just a programming student in Boston working weekends at his uncle’s ofce. A year later, he was on the cover of Time magazine as well as on the hit lists of many displeased musicians and record label executives. Two years later, following the shutdown of the website, he declared bankruptcy.

It is now a little over a decade since Fanning launched the online peer-to-peer le-sharing network. The worldwide music industry’s revenue is higher than ever, but it’s still thought that piracy is stunting the music business. The ethics of illegally downloading and sharing les is a hotly debated topic that creates a moral schism between musicians and their occasionally frugal fans. With restrictions recently being modernised and slackened on copyright licences for literary and artistic works, is there any hope for the music trade?

Ever since vinyl records were traded in for compact discs and MP3s, unauthorised music distribution has been an undeniable problem. Over the years, it has become a trend for albums to be leaked and spread virally before their ofcial date of release. The digitalisation of media has made it much simpler for the public to have unlawful access to licensed content and a lot harder for the authorities to crack down on offenders. Save for a few blatant and radical transgressors, the prosecution rate for piracy is abysmal. There is no shortage of anti-piracy laws and campaigns, yet the battle against copyright infringement proves futile year after year.

As pointed out by many in favour of lesharing, the reality is that it is simply not within everyone’s budget to buy every album by every artist they like. Some people discover new music by sampling songs from their friends’ collections and are unwilling to blindly purchase an entire

album without rst knowing what to expect. Fans are also prepared to support musicians through buying merchandise and concert tickets, which – as discovered in a 2004 study by Harvard PhD student David Blackburn – is how most artists make the majority of their income anyway.

According to Dr Rufus Pollock, economist and co-founder of the Open Knowledge Foundation, piracy accounts for up to 30 % of the loss in album sales – perhaps the people behind the music have bigger problems to worry about.

The issue is not just pitting artists against fans;

opinions on free content and le-sharing differ among the artists themselves. A well-known example is Radiohead, the British band that has vocally supported piracy and its benets.

Even locally, South African indie reggae band, December Streets, have no qualms about peerto-peer sharing, as long as people attend their concerts. However, there are still artists like DJ Paul van Dyke and Liam Gallagher of Oasis who completely disapprove of fans pirating their music.

Admittedly, the exposure artists get due to

piracy sometimes serves them better than album sales in the end, but only successful artists fully experience this benet. Unestablished bands need all the money they can get to cover the costs of touring and promotion. They simply cannot afford to lose out because of le-sharing. The doubleedged nature of the issue is what makes piracy such a complicated problem to deal with. It hurts some individuals more than others.

It is hard to ignore the changes taking place in the world of media. Information and content that used to be protected by law no longer is protected.

Academic texts and artworks are being licensed under permissive licences such as Creative Commons and ShareAlike. Authors are publishing their work under Copyleft licences, which allows anyone in possession of the material to copy, modify and redistribute it. Piracy in the music industry does not seem to be disappearing anytime soon, so perhaps the industry should use it to their benet. Marketing tools like Last.fm, SoundCloud and Pandora, and even social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, create a valuable opportunity for artists to broadcast themselves by providing exclusive and free content, live streaming and sneak previews of their material.

If websites like this were used more, perhaps people would not feel the need to pirate songs in order to keep up with their favourite artists. It is unlikely that the music industry will revert to vinyl records: the smartest option is to follow the dictates of the times.

Perhaps piracy is not the end of the line for music but rather a fork in the road, guiding the music industry to change its general direction.

In much the same way that the development of CDs eclipsed the popularity of vinyl records and ushered in a new age in music, piracy could simply mean that a musical revolution is on the horizon.

Illustration: Gustav Reyneke

To shelve or not to shelve: eReaders vs books LISA DE KLERK Imagine a world without books: no more bookstores with adjacent coffee shops, blending the tantalising aromas of Arabica and freshlyprinted pages; no more libraries lined with shelves upon shelves of painstaking research, wisdom and history; no more curling up on the couch with hot chocolate and a dog-eared paperback on a rainy day; no more second-hand treasures to snatch up at a sale; no more dictionaries to use as doorstops.

Though the chances that digital eBook readers will entirely replace “real” books are slim, it’s still food for thought. eBooks have been available for quite some time, but the more recent introduction of eReaders has ultimately changed the game. Most people weren’t compelled to read complete novels on their notebooks or desktop computers, so eBooks were reserved for the handful that were willing.

Now, with eReaders such as Apple’s iPad and Amazon’s Kindle, consumers can (literally) carry more than a thousand “books” on their person.

Looking at Amazon’s Kindle as a specic example, the advantages are obvious. The reader weighs less than 300g, is slim and comfortable in your hand, requires no computer or software installation and operates with wireless internet.

The battery lasts up to two weeks without recharging and the device can store up to 1500 “books”. The Kindle’s screen has been specically engineered to resemble the pages of a book as much as possible, with no backlight or glare plus adjustable text size. In case a word crops up that you may be unfamiliar with, your Kindle is equipped with a built-in dictionary and wireless access to Wikipedia. You can even update your Facebook status or tweet about the book you’re reading.

Think of it – this simple device denitely won’t take up as much space in your home as 1500 books would. It travels light as well, and there are valuable perks to having so many resources

at your immediate disposal. Campus would be a lot easier to navigate without having to lug around ve kilograms of ridiculously expensive textbooks.

Speaking of expenses, eBooks are much more affordable than “real books”. Stieg Larsson’s bestseller, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest, is currently the number one top-selling eBook on Kalahari.net and is going for R77,96. The soft cover version will cost you R120,85.

In the United States, the Gutenberg Project has made over 20 000 books, whose copyright has expired, available to eReaders – for free. This includes the Bible, the complete works of Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, William Shakespeare and Leo Tolstoy, and (the project’s number one download) the Kama Sutra.

On average authors still receive more royalties per book than per download. Backing “real” books in the eBook reader versus real books debate is evidently not just a sentimental case.

When considering the bestseller The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest internationally the book sold over 30 million hard copies while eBook sales reached just over one million. According to a Newsweek study, only 15 % of consumers said they stopped purchasing print books altogether after owning an eReader.

The average production cost of a single hard copy is 78 % more expensive than that of a download. However, contrary to popular belief, the cheaper and so-called eco-friendly production of eBooks does not make the practice a green bargain. The same study by Newsweek concluded

that the carbon emissions required to make 40 to 50 books equalled the amount of carbon emissions required to produce a single eReader.

Technology facilitates life but is intangible.

Digital codes can be promptly erased by the touch of a button, making each experience with an electronic device more eeting and unimpressionable. In a nutshell – yay, no more paper cuts, but try to picture a religious activist group burning a bunch of Kindles in protest, pressing owers with an iPad, or hitting someone over the head with a collection of Encyclopaedia eBooks.

However, Professor David Medalie, a professor in the University of Pretoria’s English department and published author, sees the bigger picture.

“I’m in favour of eBooks if they encourage more people to read, and make existing publications more accessible,” says Medalie.

“Indeed, two of my own books are available as eBooks. My personal preference is still for the old-fashioned kind of book – I suppose that’s because I belong to that generation – but, as long as people read, it doesn’t really matter what form of book they choose.”

Marius du Plessis, an assistant lecturer in publishing, is in favour of eBooks, too.

“In South Africa [eBooks] are really not big at all and it’s still for a very specic market, but we’re moving towards a techno-centric society a lot faster than people are willing to admit.

Books and their romanticism will never die out, but people are reluctant to acknowledge how much potential these technologies have,” says du Plessis.

“The dynamics of the industry are changing, and yes, bookstores will suffer. These days the way books are printed is moving more towards print on demand than mass production. But I think people are focusing too much on the platform and should focus more on the content. People are going to stop worrying about what they read on and more about what they read.”

Photo: JP Nathrass

Entertainment

Rad!

30 May ‘11

9

Sad!

The good, the bad and the Hoff NADINE LAGGAR There are TV shows that demand you forget the concept of hygiene and lecture times. Your entire family and social life doesn’t exist outside the realms of this show. Then, there are the ones you wish you could erase from the very neuron bres that make up your brain matter. Perdeby has put together a list of series that were rad and ended way before their time and ones that are, well, sad and should never have been allowed to air.

RAD! Better Off Ted. The series was cancelled after only two seasons but the blatant satire should have seen it carry on for a lot longer. It’s an exaggeration of the real world, but not as far from the truth as you’d expect. Except that you probably wouldn’t nd your boss ofoading a gun into a couch for some stress relief (we hope).

The radical and contemporary stereotypes in a technologically advanced era make this series ridiculous and thought-provoking in one go.

Friends. This one is bittersweet. We all miss the six-way dynamic of Chandler, Monica, Rachel, Phoebe, Ross and Joey. But one can’t help but think (especially after witnessing the tragedy that is the spin-off, Joey) that it was for the best. Good job on retaining dignity – although “Smelly Cat”, among other things, will be sorely missed.

Black Books. Bernard owns a book shop that becomes the setting for debauchery and shenanigans. His friends, Manny and Fran, pretty much make sure that Bernard doesn’t die. This series deserved to be renewed purely because watching Bernard walk into the room with a jacket made of his tax forms is priceless. A jacket. Out of tax forms. Once we graduate that’s exactly the skill we’ll need to cope with SARS. Boston Legal. It is still a mystery why Boston Legal only lasted ve seasons. William Shatner and James Spader were the greatest best-friend team. Though they may be hilarious and slightly dysfunctional, you can’t help but feel that this is the correct order of things. Besides Denny Crane’s arrival at court with no pants on, every person on this planet should aspire towards the type of friendship that he is one half of.

Oprah’s announcement that her show was ending may have been misinterpreted.

SAD! The Oprah Winfrey Show. Yes, Oprah has donated millions to charity and has probably changed more than a few lives, but she hasn’t exactly done television a favour. Of all the trafc that Oprah’s couch has seen, Tom Cruise’s feet have been the most entertaining (although that was due to Tom’s mental instability and not Oprah’s ingenuity). The season nale on 25 May was probably the greatest gift she’s ever given humanity. Ever.

The Brady Bunch. The idealised nuclear family is enough to make you ask the question: “Why lie?” Although the goal of television is escapism, there’s a point where the frivolous bickering and ultimate resolution of family values makes you more nauseous than a hangover. The only few seconds of this programme worth watching occur when Marcia Brady gets her nose broken by a football. It’s the little justices that count in the greater scheme of cerebral violation.

Baywatch. The only thing this programme contributed to television was the dynamism of Pamela Anderson’s augmented chest and David Hasselhof. Germany was overjoyed by the phenomena that became The Hoff but the rest of the world had to sit in a corner and hope that they would eventually recover. The series was cancelled after one season but was brought back and become hugely successful. There was going to be an Australian version of the show called Baywatch Down Under, but production stopped after the residents of Avalon were worried about potential damage to their environment. If only the same consideration was given to the youth of the 90s.

The Apprentice: South Africa. This show, presented by Tokyo Sexwale, was set in innercity Johannesburg: hardly as alluring as New York or London. No wonder it only lasted one season. First of all, it is always a risk to adapt a successful show into a South African context.

Secondly, Sexwale’s lack of hair (or any man’s full head of hair for that matter) could not compete with Donald Trump’s iconic comb-over that dees gravity. This was a fail on so many levels. The Apprentice: South Africa – you’re red.

Illustration: Michael Stopforth

Nuwe wysies vir `n ou deuntjie

SIMONE VENTER Musiek is die ritme waarmee ons elke dag begin en eindig. Dit is `n onmisbare deel van die wêreld en neem `n unieke vorm aan in elke land.

Perdeby het `n bietjie gaan rondsnuffel in plekke en feeste in en om Pretoria. `n Regte Suid-Afrikaanse juweel kom uit die hartjie van `n dorpsgemeenskap naby Pretoria met die naam Atteridgeville. Hierdie plek word beskou as die jazz-sentrum van Suid-Afrika, ons eie New Orleans, en bestaan uit menigte jazzklubs. Jazz kom tot sy volle glorie hier tussen die sinkhuisies. Verskeie trots Suid-Afrikaanse jazz vermeng om `n unieke klank te vorm wat almal iets bied en sag op die oor is. Elke jaar op

26 Desember word daar ook `n Jazz in the Park konsert hier aangebied wat duisende mense van ver en naby lok. Dit is `n reuse gebeurtenis en kan amper gesien word as die Suid-Afrikaanse ekwivalent van Mardi Gras. Daar word ook reg deur die jaar jazz-toere aangebied in Atteridgeville, waartydens verskeie jazz-klubs besoek word en mense vermaak word met suiwer klanke en `n behoorlike Suid-Afrikaanse ervaring.

As jazz egter net jou ore laat bloei en nie jou voete aan die dans kry nie, dan is iets soos die Klitsgras Drumming Circle meer vir jou. Dit is `n lewendige, interaktiewe manier om die ritme in jou hart klank te gee. Vir slegs R35-R50 ingang en R40 vir `n trom, het jy die vryheid om die

hele aand lank mal te gaan en te speel tot jou hande seer is. Die kroeg, mense en musiek skep `n ongelooike atmosfeer. Almal sit rondom die amteater, speel saam en verloor hulself in die ritmiese geklop van honderde tromme. Dit vind elke tweede Vrydagaand naby Garsfontein plaas en is `n moet vir elke student. Drum Café bied ook min of meer dieselfde ervaring en is deel van `n groep winkels rondom die wêreld. Dit is die perfekte manier om enige aand te spandeer en op `n gemaklike manier iemand beter te leer ken.

Nog iets wat op elke kalender aangeteken kan word, is die Blues meets Rock konsert wat elke jaar in Februarie op `n plaas buite Witfontein gehou word. Daar tree 19 ongelooike kunstenaars op, insluitend Friendly Lemons, Jan

Blohm, Karen Zoid en Boulevard Blues Band.

Dit is iets wat elke Gautenger ten minste een keer moet bywoon.

Nog `n interessante fees is die Groot Gat fees op Cullinan. Dit vier die historiese geskiedenis en kulturele diversiteit van die dorp op `n lekker manier waarvan almal deel kan wees.

Suid-Afrika bied regtig iets vir almal. Van die bekende Oppikoppi en die KKNK tot die meer obskure Groot Gat fees en Rooibaardt – daar sal iets wees wat die wysie in jou hart verstaan.

Gaan uit en neem deel aan die verskeie tipes musiek wat Suid-Afrika uniek en anders maak.

Miskien leer jy nog selfs om dit lief te hê, solank jy dit net met `n oop kop en gemoed benader.

Illustrasie: JP Nathrass

10

30 May ‘11

Entertainment

Actors turned musicians KIRSTI BUICK So Dr House can sing: who knew? With the release of his new album, British actor Hugh Laurie recently proved that he can do more than pretend brain surgery. Apparently, he can sing the blues too. The star of the hit TV series, House, startled fans this month with the release of Let Them Talk, on which Laurie tackles the vocals, piano and guitar.

Laurie is certainly not the rst actor to step into a recording studio. Many actors before him have proved that the divide between the two elds is not as distinct as one might think.

There are the obvious few such as Hilary Duff and Miley Cyrus, but there are others who may surprise you: Robert Downey Jr, for one.

The Sherlock Holmes star made his music debut in 2004 with the release of his album, The Futurist. Plus, Downey Jr wrote most of the songs himself. Kevin Costner is another who crossed over and founded a country rock band in 2007. Costner and Modern West (it seems he honestly thought this was a good name for a band) released their second album last year. The list goes on. Gracing it are stars such as Jennifer Love Hewitt, Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Eddie Murphy, Bruce Willis and Keanu Reeves.

Newer additions to the ranks of the actorturned-singer community include Scarlett Johansson and Leighton Meester. Johansson’s offering Anywhere I Lay My Head was released in 2008. The album is a cover of Tom Waits songs. Fellow The Prestige star,

David Bowie, appears on the album, lending his voice to the backing vocals. The project received lukewarm reviews, selling only 5 000 copies in its rst week of release.

America’s Entertainment Weekly went as far as to declare it the worst album of 2008.

Ouch.

Leighton Meester, on the other hand, seems to be doing a bit better in the music industry.

Gossip Girl’s Blair Waldorf released her rst single “Somebody to Love” in 2009, and her second, “Your Love’s a Drug” last year – not to be confused with Ke$ha’s “Your Love is My Drug” – although they sound very similar. Meester also featured on Cobra Starship’s “Good Girls Go Bad” in 2009, which reached number 7 on the US Billboard Hot 100. This year, Meester proved pop is not the only thing she can handle, with her role in Country Strong alongside veteran actor/ singer Gwyneth Paltrow. For the lm, Meester tackled Rascal Flatt’s “Words I Couldn’t Say”, a promotional track “Summer Girl” and a duet with co-star Garret Hedlund called “Give In To Me”. Meester is due to release an album this year.

So, whether the transition from the big screen to the microphone is a good idea or not, it seems that this trend is here to stay. But a word to the wise: does the fact that most of these actors have yet to make a second album tell you anything important? And while Perdeby is dishing out pearls of wisdom – Hugh Laurie’s album? Avoid at all costs.

Image: Esther van Eeden

WINTER EN EKSAMENS SLAAN NOU SAAM TOE! KRY JOU BESKERMING MET VIRALMED NATUURLIKE ANTIBIOTIKE REEKS BY WOOLFSONS APTEEK. ONTHOU DIS OOK NIE TE LAAT VIR JOU GRIEP INENTING .

Sport

30 May ‘11

11

Netball takes off in SA SIBONGILE MTHABELA The Netball Grand Series (NGS) started in South Africa on 15 April and will end in July 2011. The NGS was formed by Dr Elsje Jordaan, a renowned sports science, administration and coaching specialist as well as a former Protea netball captain Under the banner of her Sportisimo company, Jordaan has grown sports participation nationally in various sports, especially netball. Jordaan’s skills, experience and passion for the sport had led to the birth of the Netball Grand Series.

Whilst netball is the highest participation sport amongst women in South Africa, it still has to ght for recognition within the sporting arena. The NGS will aim to become the agship premier competition on the netball calendar in the future, not only providing a national premier league but also a schools’ competition that will ultimately become the talent identication programme for the SA national team.

There are eight teams in the league which include Lightning Roses (Free State), Black Diamonds (Gauteng Central), Red Kestrels (Northwest Province), Ibhayi Gales (Nelson Mandela Bay), Kingdom Queens (Kwazulu-Natal), Starlight Jets (Gauteng East) and the Galaxy Blues (Gauteng North).These teams will compete to claim the title as the country’s most elite netball team.

The Galaxy Blues team is based at the University of Pretoria which is where all their training sessions take place and home games are played. Galaxy Blues is synonymous with Gauteng North Netball. There are ve Protea players in the team: Erin Burger, Amanda Mynhardt, Leigh-Ann Zackey, Chrisna Botha and Vanes-Mari du Toit. The head coach is Elize Kotze. The Proteas will represent South Africa at the Netball World Cup 2011 in Singapore in July. The Galaxy Blues is currently rst on the log.

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Images: netballgrandseries.co.za

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Tukkie se pad na Londen 2012 nie, verteenwoordig hy steeds Tuks.

Die Senior span het die afgelope naweek aan die Oos-Gauteng Ope deelgeneem ter laaste voorbereiding vir hul toer.

COBUS COETZEE Heinrich Barnes (24) het op 23 Mei as deel van die Suid-Afrikaanse Senior span na die Afrika Senior Stoeikampioenskappe in Senegal vertrek. Perdeby het kans gekry om met hom te gesels by `n oefenkamp in Pretoria. `n Hongaarse

toerspan het in Suid-Afrika kom oefen, en die SA Senior span het van die geleentheid gebruik gemaak om internasionale oefening te kry, iets wat nie gereeld gebeur nie.

Alhoewel Barnes tans in Amerika stoei en oefen, is hy steeds geaflieer by TuksStoeiklub, en is dit waar hy as kind geleer stoei het. Wanneer hy nie in sy nasionale hoedanigheid deelneem

Waar het jou belangstelling in stoei begin?

Toe ek so ses of sewe jaar oud was het ek en my broer met mekaar gestoei, en toe het my ma ons laat stoei vir oefening en ek het dadelik baie daarvan gehou.

Hoe lank stoei jy al?

Ek stoei al vir 18 jaar.

Hoe het Tuks bygedra tot jou ontwikkeling en sukses?

TuksStoei het my ondersteun toe ek besluit het om Amerika toe te gaan, die afrigters en bestuur was daar vir my en het elke nou en dan nansieël bygedra en emosioneel ondersteun.

Wat behels jou oefenprogram?

In Amerika oefen ons vyf tot ses dae per week, vier ure totaal in twee sessies per dag. In die oggende is dit baie keer gymwerk of ksheid vir `n uur en `n half lank, en in die middae is dit grootliks maar stoeitegnieke en ook stoeioefening self vir twee en `n half ure.

Wat is jou kort- en langtermyn doelwitte?

My korttermyn doelwit is om die Senior Afrika Kampioenskappe te wen en om dan Wêreldkampioenskappe toe te gaan en daar te presteer.

My langtermyn doelwit behels om vir die 2012 Olimpiese spele te kwaliseer, en om daar `n medalje los te stoei.

Wie is jou rolmodel?

In stoei self moet ek sê dat Bennie Labuschagne [steeds TuksStoei se hoofafrigter] nog altyd my rolmodel is, toe ek `n klein stoeiertjie was, was dit vir my ‘n groot eer om deur `n Olimpiese kampioen afgerig te word.

Buite stoei moet ek sê my dat dit my ouers is, hulle ondersteun my geweldig baie.

Wat is jou beste prestasie tot dusver?

Defnitief die sewende plek [uit 35 deelnemers] wat ek in die Senior Wêreldkampioenskappe in Moskou gekry het, en dan ook om `n tweede plek in die afgelope Commonwealth Games in Indië te kon kry. Verder ook om aan die 2008 Beijing Olimpiese Spele te kon deelneem.

Photo: facebook.com

TuksBasketball ushers in a new age MATT MILTON

The Tuks men’s rst basketball team have geared themselves up for a successful year and morale is running high with the appointment of Coach Neo Mothiba. Coach Mothiba, who is currently the captain of the South African basketball team, has set his sights on the University Sports South Africa (USSA) National Institutional Championships this July in which the men’s team will be making its rst appearance.

Apart from the USSA league, Tuks has also been entered into the Gauteng Basketball League allowing the team to play more games and and have more competition. “The guys are prepared to take the league,” states Mothiba.

With over 60 players trying out at the beginning of the year, Coach Mothiba opted to start training earlier by giving players a month to show their mettle. “We needed to give them as much time [as possible] and we had clear selection criteria,” said Mothiba who had narrowed it down to about 20 players, split into two teams, by March.

“One of my main objectives is to have a base to build on,” said Mothiba who expects 80 % of the team to play again next year.

Coach Mothiba built his team around a mixture of experience and youth. While most of the team is comprised of second year students some of them have played international level basketball.

Kevin Magane is one such student and has played with Coach Mothiba in Mozambique.

The rst team boasts a diverse mix of players from various countries in Africa such as Nigeria, Congo and Sierra Leone, thus adding extra talent to the pool. “Based on the talent we have we could be the best in the league,” says team captain Tichafara Mabiza. Mabiza, who has been repeatedly selected for the ESPN All Star Celebrity game, has been playing for Tuks since 2009.

Prior to this he played for the Zimbabwean national team in 2007, bringing vital experience to the team.

Up until now the rst team has only played six games, including an international friendly against the Seychelles. Most of the games are played at home and fans are encouraged to attend. “When there are fans, there is a responsibility [on us] to

play,” declares Mabiza. “It’s a high activity sport,” said Mabiza.

“It’s the most exciting sport on the planet.” The team ofcially practices twice a week on Tuesday and Thursday evenings,

but players often get together at six on Wednesday and Friday mornings to practice.

Photo: Chané Mackay

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