31 July 2017 Issue 11 Year 79

Queer Africa 2: New Stories launched at UP

UP alumni shine in prestigious M&G list -pg 4

-pg 3

Perdeby

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

31July2017

year79issue11

Gone-orrhoea? A new vaccine for gonorrhoea -pg 7

Uncertainty about Serenade Mens runner-up, House Olympus, at Serenade 2016. Photo: Stefan Stander

Petition launched regarding venue of event while Serenade gets renamed to UP A Capella

DITEBOGO TSHAKA AND SHAUN SPROULE On 27 July, STUKU announced that the annual residence group-singing competition, Serenade, will be renamed UP A Capella. The name change comes after UP’s decision to withdraw from the annual ATKV Serenade Competition, which takes place on a national level. In a letter addressed to ATKV, former acting Vice Principal of student affairs, Prof. Koornhof stated that the reasons for UP’s withdrawal included the #AfrikaansMustFall protest action that took place at UP in 2016 and the subsequent transformation talks. A week ahead of the competition there are also concerns about the venue of the event. In a statement from STUKU, it is explained that the name change was suggested by the Executive

Management of the University. This year’s event, set to take place from 7 to 12 August, will be known as UP A Capella, after which an official name change will be carried out in consultation with TuksRes, the SRC, the Department of Student Affairs, and Executive Management. According to STUKU, UP Executive Management “[had] rejected UP A Capella...to take place in the on-campus theatres”, such as the Musion or Aula theatres. STUKU then took to social media with a petition to host the event at one of UP’s venues, stating that “students are not willing to compromise while the theatres are in a working state”. According to a staff member who wishes to remain anonymous, management has not rejected the use of on-campus theatres as venues and, at the time of going to print, the Musiaon and Aula were still booked for the event. The source said

that Professor Themba Mosia, Vice Principal of student affairs, is yet to give approval for the event to go ahead. TSC chairperson, Henrico Barnard, says that in a meeting he had with Prof. Mosia about Serenade, Prof. Mosia said that he truly enjoyed seeing students partake in events such as Serenade. Barnard went on to say that he is attempting to schedule a meeting with both UP Vice Chancellor and Pricipal, Prof. Cheryl de la Rey, and Prof. Mosia to determine what the future holds for Serenade. Barnard believes that the event should not be cancelled, and that the reason the university is indecisive on the matter is because they feel that the university’s reputation might be compromised if something should go wrong. “This year we have seen Serrie finals being cancelled, but the

university should realise that cancelling Serenade could have worse consequences than simply letting the event take place in the first place,” says Barnard. “Risk can be managed,” he concluded. According to an anonymous source in STUKU’s executive committee, the only factors that were preventing the event from being approved were the name and the venue for the event. The source said that university management wanted the name of the annual competition to be changed from Serenade to UP A Capella, after which the event would take place as planned. The source said that although a name change was planned to take place in 2018, STUKU conceded to the name change, and expected to proceed with the planning and promotion of the event. However, the source said that the event cannot proceed as management has not yet approved the use of campus venues.

Review: Lust for Life Lana Del Rey -pg 8

Getting to know TuksExploratio -pg 12

Perdeby

Editorial | 31 July 2017

All the things are chemical

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Science plays a large role in the shaping of a better world. Unfortunately, science is frequently in the news facing opposition from people who deny or disagree with it because it opposes or conflicts with their belief system. There is a strong difference between a fact and an opinion. A fact is objective and can be proven and backed up with evidence, whereas an opinion is subjective and stems from a belief or view. It is the difference between ‘today was 35 degrees on average’ and ‘I thought today was very hot’. An easy way to illustrate the predicament of the portrayal of science in media at the moment is using the shape of the Earth. The Earth is round. If you want to be even

Correction In Issue 10 of 2017, in the article “TuksCamerata win Grand Prix of Nations” (p. 1) we incorrectly cited Chris Okes, this should be Christopher Oakes. In the article “UP withdraws from ATKV Serenade” (p. 5) we incorrectly said Prof.

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more factual than that you would say that the Earth is an ‘oblate spheroid.’ While scientists are still deciding on the Earth’s exact shape (gravitational pull and its unequal mass distribution means it fluctuates), we know for certain it is round and not flat. This is a widely accepted fact that is very easily proven; however, there are those who disagree. Should those from the Flat Earth Society, who have an opinion easily disproven by a simple scientific fact, be treated with the same credibility? Or, if you are proven wrong, are you simply wrong, and your opinion is therefore labelled as incorrect? To say the earth is flat is to deny hundreds of years of science from scientists all around the world. If we should apply this rule of ‘wrongness’ to the shape of the earth, then should we not apply it to scientific concepts that are a bit more difficult to understand? The “dihydrogen monoxide hoax” where dihydrogen monoxide’s effects such as suffocation are listed with a call for it to be banned or regulated, is an example of how the lack of scientific literacy, and trust that your aunt on Facebook is an expert in what they are posting about, leads to fear of completely innocent chemicals and refutation of facts. Dihydrogen monoxide is water. Science encourages people from all walks of life to learn and share ideas; however, ‘I did some internet research’ and ‘I did some lab research’ are not the same thing. Although Koornhof was acting Vice-Chancellor of Student Affairs. Prof. Koornhof was the acting VicePrincipal in charge of Student Affairs. In the article “23rd Annual Pulse-Intercare Talent Show” (p. 9) we incorrectly said that Juandré van den Berg performed in the Spanish guitar duo. This should be Charl Kotzé. We apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused.

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the internet gives you access to years of work done by other scientists, it does not mean you are on a level with those who have done years of work. So don’t be afriad of learning new things, even if those things have very scary sounding names. And rememeber, everything, including you, is chemical. As journalists here at Perdeby we will continue to listen to all sides of the story and provide you with all the information you need to make an informed decision. In Features this week we have articles that discuss how science is shaping our future; through greener cars, more innovative assistance for people with disabilities, and by improving the quality and quantity of the food we produce. Across other sections we have articles on the controversy surrounding the IAAF world champs qualifications (page 12), coverage of the Queer Africa 2 book launch, information about an antidiscriminatory survey at UP (page 3), A part guide for those who don’t enjoy parties (page 9), and a themed crossword and word search (page 10). We are also pleased to inform you you that we have finally coaxed Pssst... out from hiding under the Perdeby floorboards, so see page 10 for more on that. Savannah Plaskitt

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On Monday university employees marched to the administration building under the banner of NEHAWU (National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union). A memorandum was handed over to vice-principal Prof Kallie Pistorius. According to Mr Johannes Nkadimeng, secretary of the Shop-steward Committee of NEHAWU at UP, the university authorities were challenged on their stance on next week’s intended mass action campaign and asked to try and influence the Transvaal Provincial Administration into re-employing fired hospital workers. Apparently the march was also connected to a wage-dispute between workers and the administration. Mr Nkadimeng said the employees demand a 15.8% salary increase and a minimum wage of R1000 per month. He said this is not regarded as an outrageous increase seeing that the university could save a lot of money by not hiring independent contractors, but rather using their own qualified personnel for certain tasks.

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Kommunisme word ondersoek – Fondse nodig / Communism investigated – Funds needed

Provided by UP Archives

A new institute to research Communism, its alliances and resources, as well as other levels of thought that could hold risk to the Republic will be launched at UP in the near future. The institute will be known as the Institute for the Typology of Social Structures. This comes after a need was identified in 1965 to study Communism on a scientific level. Prof Charles Nieuwoudt, head of the Department of Staatsleer [Political science] said the need arose because the Republic of South Africa finds itself at a time where different forces threaten the existence of Christian white citizens.

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31 July 2017 | News

Queer Africa 2: New Stories launched at UP

Campus News Bites Rivonia trialist exhibition at UP

Since 18 July, in commemoration of Mandela Day, UP’s Edoardo Villa Museum presented an exhibition honouring the Rivoina trialists. The exhibition, which is situated in the Old Merensky Library, was open to the public until the end of July. According to the UP website, twelve portraits of trialists – painted by artist Marie Vermeulen-Breedt – will be on display. Among these include portraits of Nelson Mandela, Govan Mbeki, Ahmed Kathrada, Raymond Mhlaba, Walter Sisulu and Dennis Goldberg.

UP graduate Ronnie Mamoepa memorial service

On 26 July, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Ronnie Mamoepa’s memorial service was held at the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) head office in Hatfield. Mamoepa died on 22 July after being admitted to Unitas Hospital. Mamoepa graduated from UP with a Master’s degree in International Relations.

UP researchers assist in fight against bird flu outbreak

Researchers at UP, together with the poultry industry and the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, are working to contain the current H5N8 variant of bird flu. The strain of bird flu has already been reported at four farms across the country. According to a statement on the UP website, Professor Celia Abolnik, Research Chair at Poultry Health and Production, stated that it is important for everyone, including consumers, to be aware of available measures to curb the spread of the virus. Prof. Abolnik was quoted as saying, “Poultry meat and eggs available commercially in supermarkets are completely safe and have not come from H5N8 infected flock”. Prof. Abolnik however further added that the public should remain vigilant and urged people to report sick or dead birds, including poultry and wild birds, to local veterinarians.

UP LLB student shines at IPF World University Powerlifting Cup

The second IPF World University Powerlifting Cup was held in Potchefstroom from 10 to 15 July. Over 90 powerlifters from 28 universities across 13 countries participated in the Cup. Marcel Vorster, a BCom Law graduate and third year LLB student from UP, was awarded three gold medals during the competition. Vorster, who is in the 66 kg division, was announced the overall winner of the division, having broken five South African records in the process.

New personality test developed for South Africans

Developed by industrial psychologist Professor Deon Meiring, in partnership with researchers from many other institutions including UP, the personality test was developed by using data from over 55 000 data points the test. It will allow companies to gain a more accurate evaluation of the personality attributes of their employees using a method designed for South Africans which caters to all local language groups. Compiled by Marko Svicevic and Savannah Plaskitt

Image: Kay O’Brien

Antidiscrimination policy in the works NTOMBI MKANDHLA

The Anti-Discrimination Policy Working Group (ADPWG), under the Department of University Relations, is inviting UP students and staff members to take part in forming a new anti-discrimination policy. Prof. Christof Heyns, Director of the Institute for International and Comparative Law in Africa at UP, and a professor in Human Rights Law, is leading the project. Until the end of July, through an online survey which is accessible through the UP portal, students and staff members can anonymously share their experiences or knowledge of discrimination. Students and staff members who have not experienced discrimination, or believe that they do not know of it, are still encouraged to participate in the survey. This is done through suggesting or commenting on policies, procedures and possibilities. In a statement issued on 24 July, ADPWG acknowledged that there is a need to build a more “inclusive, transformed and reflexive institution,” given UP’s history which they described as “complex and laden”. Historically, the institution has excluded different groups of people in policy making. This discrimination was based on race, gender, sexuality, ability and class among other things. Furthermore, the ADPWG realises that discrimination often happens to people who “embody a number of overlapping and intersectional identities”. Monique Hlatshwayo, chairperson of UP & Out, welcomes the drafting of the antidiscrimination policy as she says people of the LGBTIQA+ community are often vulnerable to physical and verbal attacks on campus. Hlatshwayo hopes that in the policy, victims will be protected. “I know of students who feel uncomfortable using the bathrooms,” Hlatshwayo added, calling for a need of gender neutral bathrooms on campus which non-binary people can use at ease. According to the ADPWG’s statement, they hope to “address all forms of discrimination at UP and their intersections, and allow for redress that is just, fair and transparent”. The ADPWG will host an “Anti-Discrimination week” between 28 August and 1 September which will include public lectures, seminars and exhibitions focusing on the need for establishing a university environment that is free of discrimination and does not tolerate any forms of it. During this period, specifically on 31 August, the ADWG will meet with the various UP stakeholders which then, face-to-face, will deliberate on questions of discrimination and redress them. The statement added that “a drafting committee will then develop a policy for discussion and amendment, after which it will be adopted as the University's Anti-Discrimination Policy”.

Book Cover of Queer Africa 2: New Stories. Photo: Gay and Lesbian Memory in Action

SHAUN SPROULE On 27 July, The Queer Space Collective (QSC) and Gay and Lesbian Memory in Action (GALA) presented the launch of the anthology of short stories Queer Africa 2: New Stories in the Merensky Library on UP’s

main campus. The book features short stories from across Africa and the United States of America, and includes a story from UP student, Emma Paulet. The event was attended by one of the editors of the anthology, Makhosazana Xaba, and some authors from the book. Readings of some of the works were performed by various individuals, which according to Pierre Brouard from the QSC, allowed for different interpretations of the works than if they were read by the authors. The event also featured musical performances by Nande Jordan and the band Queue Marshalls, as well as a panel discussion lead by Edwin Smith from the QSC and authors from UP and Wits. The panel used the short stories as a platform to discuss queer identity and labels that are often used for individuals in the LGTBIQA+ community. The QSC is an informal group that aims to make UP more inclusive of queer identity through creative writing and expression. GALA is an organisation started by Graeme Reid in 1996 that aims to collect personal records and literature that discusses queer identity. They have produced documentaries, plays, exhibitions, fiction and non-fiction books. Books such as Queer Africa aim to act as a springboard for emerging writers, and to support the value of queer themes. GALA is hosting book launches for Queer Africa 2 on 3 and 23 August in Johannesburg at Love books and The OTHER Foundation.

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News | 31 July 2017

Intervarsity News

Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) On 24 July, CPUT management announced that classes for 25 and 26 July would be suspended after “mammoth all day meetings with students and insourced workers”. This came after students protested that #Outsourcingmustfall at the university. Independent Online reported that “buildings and cars where set alight and damaged” on the Bellville campus. CPUT Central SRC Secretary General Mbaliyezwe Madikizela said that they have “lost all patience with management” after management had allegedly dishonoured their agreements made to the students in November 2016. The protests were held to ensure that staff such as garden staff, caterers, cleaners and security guards will be permanently employed directly under the university within three months.

Nelson Mandela University (NMU)

On 20 July, the university formally known as the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University relaunched itself as NMU. The rebranding came two days after Nelson Mandela Day. The official ceremony took place at the university’s Missionvale campus where Deputy President Dr Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the keynote speech. In a press release statement, NMU said that the new name gives the institution an opportunity to rebrand and position itself continentally and globally. Furthermore, it will “usher in a new era of renewed vigour towards meaningful transformation”. For NMU, the relaunch will be in celebration of Mandela’s efforts which the institution, through its values, tries to mirror. These include ubuntu, integrity and “respect for diversity”.

University of KwaZulu Natal (UKZN)

Julius Malema met with his student supporters at UKZN’s Westville campus on 25 July. His address was in preparation for the EFF’s fourth year birthday celebrations. Describing his address as “frank”, Independent Online reported that Malema urged students to realise and accept their financial standing and live within their means. “Malema said that many students could not join the struggle of the poor because they pretend to be rich,” the publication added. Furthermore, he urged students to support one another, with News24 writing that he said: “A poor child who does not have food should not be a laughing stock among black people.”

University of the Western Cape (UWC)

On 22 July, UWC lost one of its first year students, Siyamthanda Betana, in the violent Imizamo Yethu protests. These protests were held to improve service delivery in Hout Bay. Independent Online reports that Betana’s mother, Agnes Betana, had to identify his body the following morning after he did not return home from the local sports fields. Siyamthanda Betana’s father died on 24 July after he had collapsed, “traumatised by the news” of his son’s death. According to News24, police are still investigating the fatal shooting and no arrests have been made. Compiled by Ntombi Mkandhla

Naledi Chirwa (left) and Dr Anastasia Tomson (right). Photos: Twitter and Facebook respectively.

UP alumni shine in prestigious M&G list NTOMBI MKANDHLA Every year, the Mail & Guardian (M&G) compiles a list of 200 exceptional South Africans under the age of 35 who demonstrate leadership and positive change in their communities. This year’s edition includes notable UP students and alumni. On M&G’s website, Khadija Patel, the editor-in-chief, said that the people were chosen for being “wonderfully talented, resourceful, caring people because they remind us that not all is lost”. Naledi Chirwa, a student activist, is currently on suspension from UP for her protest action involvement at the institution. She is included in the list under “Politics and Governance” for what M&G described as her “love for black people, black women and for South Africa”. Koketso Aphane, spokesperson of the EFFSCUP, believes Chirwa’s suspension was an attempt by UP management to “assassinate her character”, and that “[Chirwa] remained resilient and determined to make a difference in the lives of the black child”. According to UP spokesperson, Rikus Delport, “Ms Chirwa was temporarily suspended in 2016 pending a full disciplinary investigation following the protests last year. The case was not concluded as Ms Chirwa has chosen not to return to the University of Pretoria to complete her masters degree.”

Chirwa, who is the media and communications officer at the national EFF Students’ Command, told M&G that her efforts combine activism with politics and governance. “My greatest challenge is being in a maledominated space. Patriarchy is the order of the day in all spheres,” she said. Among other programmes that fight for the dignity of black women in South Africa, Chirwa has initiated a sanitary towel campaign at the University of Limpopo, where she birthed #ThisIsMyVagina – a call for women to reclaim their bodies as their own. Pursuing her PhD in Chemical Technology at UP, Boitumelo Mashangoane has her own company called Mashnco which focuses on the use of innovative and green technologies in water treatment and management sectors. Mashnco also offers consultancy to the water sector. Recorded in the Science and Technology section, M&G states that Mashangoane’s project has “minimum to non-existent environmental risks compared with other methods.” Dr Madeleine Combrinck is also recognised for her contributions to the science and technology field. With her UP obtained PhD in Mechanical Engineering specialising in aerodynamics, Combrinck sits on the Council of the Aeronautical Engineering Society of South Africa. She is also a member of the technical committee of the South African

Ballistics Organization. “Most people who study mechanical engineering do it so they can learn how to put everything they’ve taken apart over the years back together,” Combrinck told M&G. Her love for maths, science and exploration, coupled with an aptitude test led her to mechanical engineering. Combrinck said that her “single biggest challenge” was conquering her own mind. She urges that it is important to take every thought captive and “take care of any negative thoughts so you can persevere through all challenges”. Dr Anastasia Tomson is a medical doctor and an author who is recognised for her activism regarding transgender issues. Having obtained her medical degree at UP, she was awarded the Mandela-Washington fellowship in 2016 and is currently a registrar with the National Health Laboratory Services. Acknowledged for her efforts by being listed under the “Health” section of the M&G list, Dr Tomson, a transgender woman, has identified gaps in the understanding of the LGBTIQA+ community’s needs by policy makers and service providers. M&G describes her as “instrumental” in the formation of the Professional Alliance Combating Transphobia (PACT). Her involvement with this organisation allows her to regularly speak at schools, conferences and university courses.

candidates running for the position of SRC president, who will need 200 secondment signatures. Students wishing to run for a position in the election will have to comply with the requirements listed in section 24 of the Constitution for Student Governance. Among these requirements students running for an SRC position must be registered for a degree or diploma at UP, and in the case of an undergraduate student, must have completed three consecutive semesters at UP and been enrolled for at least 80% of modules required for their qualification. Candidates will also have to have obtained a grade point average of at least 60% in the semester preceding the elections. Furthermore, students running for an SRC position must not have been found guilty by a disciplinary committee at UP for transgression of the Disciplinary Code or other UP rules and regulations. Students running for the position of SRC president or

deputy president must also have served on the leadership body of a recognised student governance structure. Once the nomination process has been concluded, a final candidate list will be published on 3 August, the same day in which the campaigning period will open. The preliminary election results are set to be published on 24 August, and after a two day objection period to these results, the final election results will be announced. According to Head of Student Governance, Mzikazi Noholoza, a number of nominations have already been received by the department for the SRC elections, adding that the department was looking forward to receiving more in the coming days. Any student who is registered full-time or part-time for an undergraduate or postgraduate degree or diploma approved by the UP senate will be eligible to vote in the SRC elections.

2017/2018 SRC election update MARKO SVICEVIC

On 18 July the SRC election date for the 2017/2018 SRC term was announced. This year’s SRC elections will take place over the course of three days, from 07:00 on Monday 21 August until 19:00 on Wednesday 23 August. For the first time the SRC elections will be conducted electronically and students will be able to vote for their preferred candidates online. According to a statement by the Director of the Department of Student Affairs, Dr Matete Madiba, the new e-voting system should bring “convenience and increased participation, and it should assist in securing the integrity of the election process, and in delivering accurate results within the quickest time”. Nominations for this year’s SRC election opened on 18 July and will close on 1 August. Each candidate will need to collect 100 secondment signatures, with the exception of

31 July 2017 | News

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let us know what you think of your library! 1 - 31 August 2017 Complete our online survey and stand a chance of winning one of these fabulous prizes!* Survey link is available at www.library.up.ac.za

YASCOM volunteers with donations to be given to needy students. Image provided.

YASCOM gathers donations for needy students HENRI UYS The Young Alumni and Students Committee (YASCOM) at UP is running an initiative to gather donations for students in need. Karabo Rankapole, YASCOM’s secretary, spoke to Perdeby about the initiative. According to Rankapole, the initiative was started as the number of students who cannot afford essentials such as books, stationery, food, clothes etc. grow each year. Rankapole said, “We take the donations to the people in charge of the SNAP-programme and they donate it to less fortunate students who have been identified or [have approached the SNAPprogramme] to ask for those donations. We also take part in other societies' events that help other students.” The Student Nutrition and Progress Programme (SNAPP) is an initiative of UP’s Department of Student Affairs, which provides a daily meal to approximately 2 500 students. Rankapole added, “We have an initiative we

call #GiveWhatYouCan whereby students, staff and anyone anywhere can donate whatever it is that they can. We accept any form of donation: food, clothes, toiletr[ies] and books.” Rankapole encourages students to take part in the initiative. She said: “We face so many challenges as students, and having to worry about where [you] will get [your] meal(s) for the day, what clothes [you’re] going to wear since there is only two or three pairs of clothing [you have] because [you] can't afford to buy any, or even worrying about hygiene because [you don’t] have toiletr[ies]; and on top of that prepare for a lecture or test coming up is stressful. So [by] helping out in this initiative [you will be] helping your fellow student.” Donations can be made at the Marketing Services building at Ms. Jacqui Petersen’s office (Room 1-4). Donations can also be made during the Young Corporate Leaders (YCL)’s Women of Worth event, which will be held on 5 August.

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Make today matter

Features | 31 July 2017

Image: Michelle Hartzenberg

Technology for good: assistive technology and its benefits GEMMA GATTICCHI Technological advancements have become an essential part of the disabled community’s way of life. These improvements are far-reaching and include increasing mobility, inclusivity and general ease of life. According to a community survey released by Statistics South Africa, the South African national disability prevalence was 7.7% in 2016. This includes over one and a half million people who experience some difficulty in hearing. Professor Swanepoel from UP’s Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, is part of the development of the ‘hearScope’ – a smartphone otoscope used for the diagnosis of ear disease. According to the HearX website, this development strives towards low-cost automated smartphone and cloudbased otitis media diagnosis. It is this kind of technology that could result in early intervention and help treat the onset of hearing problems in the future. There have also been several advancements in hearing aid

technology. According to Johns Hopkins medicine, a more digital approach has been taken. Their website says, “When you are fit with digital hearing aids, your hearing test is stored in the Hopkins Hearing database. Your audiologist then connects your hearing aid to the computer and programs the device so it can read the degree and pattern of hearing loss for the individual ear.” This technology allows hearing aids to be customised for an individual’s hearing loss. The technology also includes advancements that automatically increase and decrease volume based on a person’s surrounding environment. This results in a better understanding of the patient’s condition and easier access to better treatment options, while being userfriendly. The 2017 winner of the AbilityNet Accessibility Award was the Bristol Braille technology. The Braille technology called the Canute combines the likes of e-book technology and Braille reading in order to make this kind of luxury attainable to the blind community as well. According to the Tech4goodawards website, “[The] Canute shows a full page of text rather [than]

a single line, meaning it can be used to teach mathematical and scientific formulas.” With the Canute, they hope to not only improve obtainability for the blind community, but also increase blind literacy, education, employment, and social engagement. Prosthetic limb technology is another field where there is rapid improvement being made in order to make life easier for those in need. According to the website, Horton’s Orthotics and Prosthetics, Johns Hopkins University has recently developed a prosthetic arm that can be controlled by a person’s mind; this means that brain signals can be sent to the prosthetic and control up to 26 joints. Though this technology is not fully available to the public, it is still a promising advancement in this field. Aesthetically there are also improvements, which include a skin-covering to camouflage the prosthetic. The role of assisting technology in disabled people’s lives is extensive and highly necessary. These advancements do not only give people the ease of accessibility, but it also grants independence and self-satisfaction to those who need it.

Tesla leading the way to sustainability

Image: Michelle Hartzenberg

SAM MUKWAMU Global carbon dioxide emissions from motor vehicles have been a major contributor to climate change over recent decades, prompting a need to move to cleaner sources of energy to power vehicles. Tesla has been one of the companies that has dedicated itself to moving towards electric powered vehicles. In 2014, Tesla announced their plans to construct a “Gigafactory” to produce the lithium-ion batteries required to power their proposed annual production of 500 000 cars. Tesla’s goal is to prompt the rest of the world to change to electric powered vehicles through the production of enough cars. By January of this year, Gigafactory 1 in Nevada, was about a third complete, and commenced with the production of their lithium-ion battery cells that are to be used in Tesla’s energy storage products and Model 3 cars. According to Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, the Gigafactory, which is predicted to be finished in 2020, will be able to produce more lithium-ion batteries in one year “than were produced worldwide in 2013”. The Gigafactory, which is being constructed with the help of a $1.6 billion investment from Panasonic Corp, “will also be powered by renewable energy sources, with the goal of achieving net zero energy”, claims Tesla. By the end of the year, Elon Musk is expected to announce plans for Tesla to build more Gigafactories outside of the USA, which won’t just be building battery cells but also full vehicles.

On 22 May, Daimler AG, the German automotive corporation that produces Mercedes-Benz and Maybach cars, began the construction of their own battery plant. German Chancellor Angela Merkel broke ground on the 500 million-euro lithiumion energy storage unit plant, which highlights the rapid shift that European countries and companies are making in investing in the electric vehicle field. Countries like Sweden and Poland have plans to construct their own battery assembly factories to supply the demand from automakers that are trying to make the move to electric vehicles. According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, the battery manufacturing business is currently controlled by Asia, with Japanese and Korean companies being the top vendors, and China planning to increase their number of factories. Europe’s movement towards electric vehicles and away from combustion-powered cars has been further exemplified by France announcing their plans to ban the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040, as part of its plans to meet the targets set by the Paris climate accord. According to France’s new Ecology Minister, Nicolas Hulot, their car manufacturers are more than capable of making the switch: “Our [car] makers have enough ideas in the drawer to nurture and bring about this promise...which is also a public health issue”. The French government also plans on giving financial incentives to citizens who switch from petrol vehicles to a cleaner alternative, saying “the government will offer each French person a bonus to replace their diesel car dating before 1997 or petrol [car] from

before 2001 [to] a new or second-hand vehicle”. France is just one of a number of countries that are planning on phasing out combustion-powered cars, in the hopes of meeting climate change goals and improving air quality. Netherlands and Norway have considered banning petrol and diesel cars by 2025, while Germany wants to do away with 100% of combustion-powered cars by 2030. France’s announcement came a day after Volvo announced that as of 2019 they would only build fully electric and hybrid cars. Other automotive companies such as Peugeot, Citroën, Renault, Mercedes, BMW, Porsche, Ford and Nissan have made moves towards electrifying their vehicles. Despite electric vehicles being regarded as a cleaner alternative to petrol and diesel, there are still concerns over the impact that the lithium-ion batteries may have on the environment, particularly the way the batteries are handled after they are no longer useful. Since the electric vehicle market is still a growing market, there aren’t many battery recycling facilities, however, there is hope that the number of facilities will increase as the number of electric vehicles increases. The South African electric vehicle market is considerably smaller than the USA and European countries, with under 200 cars being sold in the last year, according to Dr Jörg Lalk, of the UP Graduate School of Technology Management. In Dr Lalk’s opinion electric vehicles aren’t as marketable in South Africa, because they are too expensive, there very few charging stations, and they are unsuitable for long distance travel, as they will need to be recharged. Dr Lalk said, “The typical buyer of an EV (electric vehicle) in SA would only do so because it may be seen as “fashionable” in certain circles and in any case, the average South African is not financially able to purchase such a vehicle as it is outside of his/her financial means. On a global level, there are only a few countries where EVs sell reasonably well, notably all of the first world and at the top end of economic ability”. Dr Lalk went on to say that, “in the next few years sales in SA will increase mainly due to the pending release of a Tesla vehicle here, but again the market would still be basically addressing the typical “boutique” customer and not the average person”. According to Dr Lalk, plans to move away from fossilfuel powered cars would not be feasible for South Africa, as “it requires long-term vision and (financial) support from government, something I cannot see happening”. Dr Lalk also thinks that factors such as the large investments in fossil fuel powered cars, and the possible unemployment of 100 000 petrol station attendants, would make it difficult to make the switch to electric vehicles. Dr Lalk also thinks that pollution would still be a factor with electric vehicles, as the cars would be charged via an electricity grid that is supplied by coal-fired power stations.

31 July 2017 | Features

The science of sustainable food in South Africa

researcher at UP’s Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI) explains that, “GMO, or Genetically Modified Organism, is an organism that now contains a novel trait, something that is new. You won’t find that by [cross breeding] and conventional breeding; you’ll find that it has a new gene that has been introduced into this organism.” In South Africa, a large portion of our GM maize is known as Bt-crops. This is because they contain the protein Bacillus thuringiensis. This protein, which is produced by a common soil bacterium, acts as a pesticide, killing bugs that ingest it. Adding this to the DNA of the crop has reduced the amount of pesticides that need to be sprayed on crops, and has increased the survival rate of crops. Dr Naidoo says that Bt-crops have impacted many lives and that farmers have mostly positive stories regarding its use. She explained that now farmers only have to spray their crops once per season, whereas in the past it would have been five or six times. Bt-crops have also had a positive effect on economic growth. Another avenue of interest in South Africa is droughtresistant crops. Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA)

is developing drought tolerant crops for use in Sub–Saharan Africa. Dr Naidoo explains that although researchers are looking at GM options, they are also looking at naturally drought tolerant crops, including soy and cassava. According to a 2010 article in Farmer’s Weekly SA, despite the drought in their region between 2014 and 2015, smallholder farmers who planted the first WEMA variety doubled their harvests. Dr Thula Dlamini, an agricultural economist from the Agricultural Research Council, said that “The technology guaranteed output in difficult production seasons. We expect that more smallholder farmers will be enticed back into agriculture because of the increased yields,” Science’s involvement in food production has been recently controversial with people questioning the safety of GMOs and chemicals used in agriculture. Biosafety South Africa, an initiative of the Department of Science and Technology and funded entirely from public sources, explains the safety of GMOs in South Africa saying, “Because GMOs are regulated across the world, GM crops and the foods derived from them have to undergo extensive scientific safety assessments before they are released and used in food production. To date no reliable evidence of any harm to humans, animal or the environment has been published for the approved, commercially available GM crops; they are therefore unlikely to present a risk to human health. In addition, there is no epidemiological evidence of any effects on human health based on the largescale consumption of GM foods in the many countries where these crops have been used for almost 20 years now.” Dr Naidoo feels that because science appears so far removed from everyday life that people are afraid of it and believe it has negative intentions. Dr Naidoo wants to remind people that scientists are also members of the public saying that, “We also eat GM. we eat GM soy and we eat GM maize, and because we understand how its produced we have no fear of it.” Dr. Naidoo explains that going forward, “We need to think about how science can integrate. We need to work together with people who are growing the crops routinely and working with farmers. We need to also be working with people who are specialising in different things so that we can come together and we can find some solutions that are specific for certain areas where [they] are maybe harder hit with biotic stress or they may be harder hit with drought stress.”

says the NHS website. Gonorrhoea is also known as “the clap”. Symptoms may include thick yellow or green discharge from the vagina or penis, pain when urinating, and bleeding between periods, however, almost 50% of women and 10% of men experience no symptoms. If left untreated gonorrhoea can cause major complications such as infertility and possible miscarriages among pregnant women. Usually gonorrhoea is treated with antibiotics, however on 7 July the World Health Organisation (WHO) released a statement saying that antibiotic resistance is making gonorrhoea “much harder, and sometimes impossible, to treat”, which is a concern as each year 78 million people are infected. Prof. Peters says there are several reasons that bacteria such as gonorrhoea become drug resistant. “[A characteristic] of Neisseria gonorrhoea is that it mutates relatively easily”, especially on antibiotic pressure which allows for resistance to develop. Prof. Peters uses the example of ciprofloxacin, an antibiotic that used to be administrated to treat gonorrhoea but no longer works. Gonorrhoea can also easily exchange “genetic material that codes for resistance” with other bacteria, especially of the Neisseria species. Finally, Prof Peters explains that “if you treat gonorrhoea and you don’t get adequate drug levels it [gonorrhoea] is also more likely to become resistant”. Certain tissues allow for less drug penetration and therefore higher resistance, explains Prof Peters. This is the case for extra-genital gonorrhoea infections such as in the pharynx or rectum. WHO has stated that extended-spectrum cephalosporins (ESCs), oral Cefixime or injectable Ceftriaxone (sold under the trade name Rocephin) is the “only single antibiotic that remains effective for treating gonorrhoea”. However, resistance to Cefixime has been reported in over 50 countries. On 10 July, academic journal The Lancet released a paper entitled “Effectiveness of a group B outer membrane vesicle meningococcal vaccine against gonorrhoea in New Zealand”. The paper states that a meningococcal B (MeNZB) vaccine is associated with reduced rates of gonorrhoea and that this is “the first time a vaccine has shown any protection against gonorrhoea”. The study was conducted in New Zealand and the sample included 15 000 people between the ages of 15-30 who were given the MeNZB vaccine between 2006 and 2008. Prof Peters explains that the MeNZB vaccine offers “cross protection” because the “different Neisseria species [Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae] are genetically closely related”. Since the outside of both bacterium are similar, the “vaccine that is meant for different bacteria actually shows partial or some degree of protection for the other”.

Dr Petousis-Harris, co-author of the paper and vaccinologist at the University of Auckland, said in a podcast with The Lancet that individuals who receive the MeNZB vaccine are “significantly less likely to [contract] gonorrhoea”. In fact, the study shows a 10% difference between those who were vaccinated and those who were not. Dr Petousis-Harris says this “might not sound like a lot but once you adjust that and calculate the odds ratio, it converts to a vaccine effectiveness of 31%”. However, Prof. Peters says that a paper has found that for a gonorrhoea vaccine to influence an epidemic, the vaccine effectiveness needs to be about 50-60%. This is quite low in relation to the meningococcal B vaccine efficiency, which he estimates to be between “90-95%, if not higher”. Despite this, Prof Peters believes that the study’s findings are of “huge support in the vaccine movement”. He says the vaccine has helped them discover “immunological information” about gonorrhoea for the first time. This is significant because “for some reason […] gonorrhoea doesn’t really generate an immune response”. This means that whether “you have had gonorrhoea before or not doesn’t matter. If you are exposed again you [will] get gonorrhoea again”. This is unlike other infections, such as a throat infection, where immunity is built up. Dr Petousis-Harris said that gonorrhoea is a difficult disease to manage. Not only is gonorrhea common, it is also “associated with complications such as pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, can result in infertility and it facilitates HIV transmission,” says Dr Petousis-Harris. Furthermore, Dr Petousis-Harris says that it relies on effective, accessible and relatively cheap anti-microbial treatment and now it has developed resistance to pretty much all drugs and is no longer easy to treat. Although Dr PetousisHarris says that much research still needs to be done in order to understand the mechanism of the disease and vaccine, this is a significant feat for science. According to the Vaccines for Africa (VACFA) webpage, vaccines are “biological preparations” that teach the body to fight certain diseases. Currently, more than twenty infectious diseases are vaccine preventable. These include cholera, Hepatitis A, B and E, HPV, influenza, measles, mumps, rabies, rubella, tetanus, tuberculosis, yellow fever and more. Vaccines have prevented severe illness and even death for many, an example being the meningitis vaccine in Africa. After many devastating outbreaks of the disease, in 2001 the Meningitis Vaccine Project vaccinated millions of people living in the “African Meningitis Belt” which includes 25 countries. This vaccine resulted in the reduction of the serious disease by 94%.

Image: The Genetic Literacy Project

SAVANNAH PLASKITT South Africa has a population of almost 56 million people and with a recent scourge of droughts in South Africa, feeding this many people can be difficult. However, according to Wandile Sihlobo, South African agricultural economist and columnist for Business Day and Farmer’s Weekly SA, South Africa’s maize yields have increased in production since 1919. In 1919 South Africa produced approximately 0.7 tonnes of maize per hectare, in 2010 almost five tonnes of maize per hectare were produced, and the amount produced is continuing to rise. South Africa has a long history with Genetically Modified crops (GM) the first GM crops being planted in 1998. This came after the Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) Act of 1997 came into effect. South Africa is now the 8th largest producer of GMOs in the world. The Public Understanding of Biotechnology, an initiative of the Department of Science and Technology, says that in 2012 to 2013 “86% of maize cultivated in South Africa is GM maize.” Dr Sanushka Naidoo, Senior Genetics lecturer at UP and

Gone-orrhoea? A new vaccine for gonorrhoea

Image: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

KATHERINE ATKINSON A vaccine for gonorrhoea, which is a sexually transmitted infection (STI), may be accessible in the near-future. Vaccines are responsible for prevention and sometimes even eradication of infectious diseases. On 10 July, an academic journal, The Lancet, released a paper which indicates that a vaccine for gonorrhoea may be a future possibility. Professor Remco Peters, a medical microbiologist at the University of Pretoria, a clinical programme specialist at Anova Health Institute and an expert in the field of STIs, explains that vaccines work by “giving [someone] a little bit of the bacteria or virus that you are trying to protect [against]”. This bacteria or virus can either be “a small attenuated piece” or “a synthetically derived component”. This helps the body build an immune response as the disease becomes recognisable. Gonorrhoea is caused by the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae and can be spread by unprotected vaginal, oral and anal sex,

Entertainment | 31 JULY 2017

Photo: billboard.com

Lust for Life Lana Del Rey CARINA KLOPPERS Lust for Life is Lana Del Rey’s fifth studio album, and is a dedication to her loyal supporters. She said that, “this one is for my fans and about where I hope we are all headed.” After much anticipation – since the release of “Love” in January 2017 – the album dropped on 21 July, and it quickly became evident that Del Rey was sincere about Lust for Life being for her fans as the album serves as a reminder of why she initially gained popularity. As this album is the first to feature collaborations with guest artists, which among others include The Weeknd and A$AP Rocky, Del Rey is expanding her established diverse sound to an even bigger audience with the slightest tones of pop. The slow but warm music creates a nostalgic haze with just enough smooth electronic beats, to keep things current. In Lust for Life Del Rey stays true to her post modern approach to music, while also proving that she is not afraid of experimenting outside her boundaries. Her lyrics continue to explore a faded and mythical Hollywood, with an overflow of American iconography. The vintage homage is extended with iconic pop culture references and a stylistic tribute to The Beatles in “Tomorrow Never Came” (featuring Sean Lennon). With a lengthy track list of 16 songs, Del Rey’s dedication towards layers of symbolism and lyrical poetry may come across as too exhaustive an attempt to be uniquely profound. Some songs are just forgettable, as the they lack enough potency to be worthy of repeat play. This is redeemed with tracks like “Love” with its grainy texture and relaxed melody reminiscent of the fifties. The eerie young love theme of the title single, “Lust of Life”, and subdued dream state of “Coachella - Woodstock in My Mind”, makes for a relaxed album. It does not force any ideals of happiness upon the listener, but rather serves as a reminder that somehow goodness is still worth believing in. Although Lust of Life might seem little overreaching or unpolished in content, it is still the ideal companion to any millennial.

Image: Michelle Hartzenburg

South Africa’s one hit wonders SERISHKA MOODLEY

Frequently we see our favourite celebrities rise and fall, and while some are able to get back up, others stay down for good. Here’s a list of SA’s one hit wonders and where they are now. Karin Kortje: Since winning the third season of Idols, Kortje has released one album called Forever and a Day. Since then, her career has taken a backseat, due to her relationship with her ex-boyfriend, Cheslyn Williams, who was convicted of murder. Her last public appearance was in 2015 where she held her “Celebration in Concert” event.

Jody Williams: Williams was the youngest contestant to win Idols at the tender age of seventeen. Last year she released an EP entitled What Is Wrong with You Today. Sasha-lee Davids: Davids won the fifth season of Idols along with Jason Hartman. She has only released one album to date which is self-titled, and was released in 2009. Anke Pietrangeli: She won the second season of Idols, and released her last album, Limbo, in 2008. Heinz Winckler: He was the winner of the first season of Idols. Since his win, he has been in various musical productions. In 2015, he dabbled in acting when he starred in the Afrikaans movie, Mooirivier. He released his latest album

in 2015, 20 Goue Treffers. Thulani Ngcobo aka Pitch Black Afro: The kwaito star was recently in the spotlight as news broke of his serious financial turmoil. According to Sowetan Live, Pitch is in serious debt, and has even taken up “piece jobs”. He evicted from his flat. Malaika: Who could forget “Destiny”? It was played at almost every function you attended. Unfortunately, the duo behind the mega hit is not as happy as their music. They recently fell into disarray when bandmate Tshedi Mholo tried to contact fellow partner Bongani Nchang to no avail. Since then they have yet to release anything new, with their last album being The Best of Malaika. Trompies: This kwaito group made headlines for their poppy beats and brightly-coloured outfits. The group sadly split, but not before releasing their final album Respect Toasted Gona’ Ganati. Bonginkosi Dlamini aka Zola 7: Things have not been good for the kwaito star recently. According to Times Live, Zola’s wife Sibongile Nkabinde opened a case of physical and emotional abuse against him. This happened after an altercation arose between them and turned violent. Kabelo Mabelane: The former TKZee member has been an advocate for the fight against drug abuse since the group split up. As a former addict himself, he reached out to the community of Eersterust to help them with their drug issues. Mabelane’s last album Immortal Vol 3 was released in 2015. Bongo Maffin: The group of four released their last, The Concerto, in 2008. Since then the group has disbanded. In 2015 one of the group’s members, Stoan, bashed fellow group member, Ntsiki, in an interview with Drum magazine. Since the feud between the two members, the group has refused to get back together.

31 JULY 2017 | Entertainment

Seoul Metropolitan Dance Theatre to visit UP REBECCA WOODROW The Seoul Metropolitan Dance Theatre will be performing traditional Korean dances at the University of Pretoria’s Aula Theatre on 2 August at 18:00 for 18:30. Admission is free and seating is limited. The performance by Seoul Metropolitan forms part of 2017 Korea Week, as the Embassy of the Republic of Korea is celebrating 25 years of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea and South Africa. The celebrations begin with the K-pop World Festival Regional Preliminary at Pretoria’s Barnyard Theatre on 29 July. Presentations in the winner’s round of the Embassy’s Essay Contest will take place on 31 July at the Embassy in Pretoria. Korea Week concludes in the first week of August with the traditional dance performance at UP and an academic forum from 3 to 4 August at the Sheraton Hotel. For more information on the Embassy’s cultural events, visit their official Facebook page. Image provided.

No party guide TAIGA RIVE

Upon entering university, many of us are sold the idea that to study is also to party. This, however, is not necessarily the reality that all of us enjoy. It can be difficult in a culture that pushes the close relationship between studying and partying to find events that allow us to participate in fun, social events without engaging in the party scene. The Vintage Square Thrift Fair: This is an experience that brings socialising and fashion together. What is more current than high waisted pants, oversized jackets and loud prints? It is impossible not to find a few wonderful items at one of the independent vintage stalls and at a complete steal. Take a couple of friends and wander around the grounds any time between 10:00 and 16:00 every last Saturday of the month. There are also a few coffee shops and spots to have a beer or bite to eat which are conveniently positioned just next to the market. Don’t miss out on the wacky pub, Lucky Rodrigo. The Village in Hazelwood: 16th Street is jam-packed with lovely restaurants and eateries in a lovely retro style that makes the outing feel like more than just a dining experience. With many quality establishments to choose from, this is a place that you could visit many times without getting bored. Day and night also offer very different experiences, with a day visit meaning shipping crate coffee shops and excellent ice cream, and a night visit offering sparkling fairy-lit trees and warm dining experiences. Market @ the Sheds: This is a colourful event held in the city centre that showcases some of the best of our city’s art, food and music. The market has a wonderful energy that feels utterly South African and is certainly competing with the likes of Joburg’s Neighbourgoods market. It usually occurs on the last Saturday of the month. Spoken Sessions: Being a platform for poets and performers, Spoken Sessions organises poetry and music nights at various venues in the area. They recently hosted an Open Mic Poetry Night at Bravo Pizzeria, just down the road from campus, and at Huckleberry’s. They have shows roughly twice a month, although not always in Pretoria. Check Facebook to find out where and when the next session is. The Daily Coffee Café: One for those who would rather get their social fix with their pets than people. This coffee shop boasts more than just fantastic coffee, as they also boast a full “doggie menu”. If you have a dog that needs some spoiling, you and your dog can make your way for a meal at this establishment (there is a separate menu for humans). A trip here, if you are missing your pooches at home, can be a heart-warming experience.

Women can be aliens too LORINDA MARRIAN AND TSHILISANANI NDOU

After much speculation, BBC has recently announced that Jodie Whittaker will play the fictional time traveling, regenerating alien, the Doctor on the sci-fi hit Dr. Who. This would be the first time that the Doctor would be portrayed by a woman in the show’s incredible 54 year history. Although the show has starred a range of talented actresses as the Doctors’ companions such as Catherine Tate and Karen Gillan, no woman has ever taken the role as the master of the TARDIS. Whittaker was met with backlash from fans, some even going so far as to claim that they will never watch the show again. As an entire fan base has been predominantly exposed to a male figure playing the character, it comes as no surprise when a certain fan base strongly disagrees with this casting decision. This is not the first time fans and critics alike have reacted negatively to the female recasting of a traditionally male leading role. Ghostbusters, a film developed and showcased in 2016 recieved a similar response. The original Ghostbusters created in 1984 showcased an all male leading cast and when they cast female characters as the heroes they were met by hostility, with some people also threatening to stop supporting the franchise altogether. In the end Ghostbusters grossed a worldwide box office revenue of $229.1 million on a $144 million budget. The film scored of 5.3/10 on IMDB and earned 73% on Rotten Tomatoes. Although, a part of the part of the fan base was against the casting choice, the film was still a box office success. The English actress cast to play the Doctor has featured in films such as Venus, Attack the Block, Good Vibrations and the highly rated TV crime drama Broadchurch, in which she shared the small screen with former Tenth Doctor, David Tennant. Broadchurch creator and writer Chris Chibnall will be replacing the current Dr Who head writer Steven Moffat when the show returns for its eleventh season next year.

Fun and Games | 31 July 2017

The Lord of the Rings crossword Down 2. Ancient fiery demons in Middle Earth 3. The jewel Arwen gives to Aragorn 4. Number of Rings of Power forged 5. Also known as Ringwraiths 8. The meal after second breakfast 10. The Battle of _____ was fought by the Ents against Saurumon’s forces

Lord of the Rings crossword 1

7 8 Across 1. The name of the spider that tries to eat 9 Frodo and Sam 3. Father of Arwen and an elf-ruler 6. Pippin’s actual name 7. The name of Frodo’s magic sword 9. Lady of Light, also known as Lady of 11 Lórien 11. The Capital of Gondor 12. Gollum’s original name 13. The name of Aragorn’s horse 12 Down 2. Ancient fiery demons in Middle Earth 3. The jewel Arwen gives to Aragorn 4. Number of Rings of Power forged 5. Also known as Ringwraiths 8. The meal after second breakfast Across 10. The Battle of _____ was fought by 1. The name of the spider that tries to eat Frodo and Sam the Ents against Saurumon’s forces

In other sad news, Pssst… hears that Taaibos has had their clubhouse closed indefinitely. How are the brakke going to impress the ladies’ residences now? They don’t have much else to fall back on. 13

Down

6. Pippin’s actual name

4. Number of Rings of Power forged

7. The name of Frodo’s magic sword

5. Also known as Ringwraiths

The Top 10

8. The meal after second breakfast

9. Lady of Light, also known as Lady of Lórien

Animated movie Top 10 unforgivable things Animated movie word search people do that should not be word search allowed:

10. The Battle of _____ was fought by the Ents against Saurumon’s forces

12. Gollum’s original name

13. The name of Aragorn’s horse

Kida Jack Skellington Mike Wazowski Morph Sebastian Baymax Toothless Jane Pascal Olaf Sebastian Morph Dory Pascal Bing Bong Dory Andy Toothless Vanellope Andy

Jack Skellington Mickey Mouse Dug Thumper Thumper Nala Kida Mickey Mouse Jane Bing Bong Frobscottle Maui Mike Wazowski Olaf Maui

X B X R U A H B H H A A F P E I L N S U

Y Q V A N E L L O P E X R Z Q G R M E K

Perdeby is tired of inconsiderate behaviour which annoys the majority, but some people still think that they’re not in the wrong. Perdeby is kindly providing a list of things to stop doing in order to avoid irking everyone else around you. 1.

Not using your indicator while driving

Eating crunchy food in a quiet class

Sticking gum underneath desks in lecture venues

Chewing with your mouth open

Not knowing how to use a turnstile

Walking slowly in a big group on a small path, preventing others from passing you

Frobscottle

Sending ridiculously long voice notes when it could’ve been a short message

Blowing vape smoke in someone’s face

Baymax Nala

Vanellope Dug 9.

Talking unnecessarily loudly during a lecture

10. Using library computers to watch irrelevant YouTube videos

Build your own custom worksheet at education.com/worksheet-generator

Pssst… would like to reassure the Katte that they need not be so sad about their serrie outcome, the Towel benders from Vividus Men didn’t make it either, and Pssst… personally thought they were better.

2. Ancient fiery demons in Middle Earth 3. The jewel Arwen gives to Aragorn

11. The Capital of Gondor

Pssst… was horrified to see Erika’s pathetic excuse for “student culture”. Pssst… thinks that if Erika actually read Perdeby, instead of stealing them and wearing them, they might learn a little bit about culture. Pssst… would be happy to conduct a seminar. Besides, with the amount of money Erika pumped into their serrie they could afford to buy their own materials instead of resorting to thievery. SAD. Pssst… will also be sending Erika a copy of the K53, Pssst… is concerned about their parking skills. A drunk Kollege man can park better, and that’s saying something. Apart from Erika’s complete disregard for moral behaviour, Pssst… has heard that Klaradyn is pleased about the height of their participation in res events. Pssst… would like to congratulate the Welpies on their Kaskar win (no one cares though).

3. Father of Arwen and an elf-ruler

P J T I C G AWO A H J S X R V R Y E Y G A S H H Y S E MM O K J U S D C F O L D R M E Y K J J N I A B L A V H U P M Y

Pssst… is glad to be back this week, but Pssst… can’t say that Pssst… is very excited to hear about the residences.

I T L EWU F Q S T N E H V K R R J H H J J B X I O MWD H B Q F E T P A S C A L O K I D I S M S Z M I EWH B O T A K N J J I N N F U Y J E L QHO G C O J CMK R U H Z Y V D L BMK H A K I HOMC P Z Z B O T A U NH E K N B O B T E R NMH F D G Y Y E O S R GW J G S K U Y M Q V MWM C P M S NM F CMCMNOO A F OH R O A J B R P B J Z QU Z N T S C U L MV Y E F D E Z S OQ T Q I WA I X R R U B R X EWN H C L G E TWL G K C KWA S BWT N U Z S E B A S T I A N N J A C K S K E L L I NG T O O L A F P I R Z K D R Q V E H T Q E H S GU T C K V A A Y Y H Q J C B P H U D F L F P WG

Pssst...

Olienhout seems to have had too much fun during their house week, all that boozing has affected their intellectual skills. Pssst… would be happy to have a spelling lesson with the Houte. Pssst… has heard that Madelief have been throwing around some very rude comments about Maroela. Pssst… thinks it’s really rude to call someone “gross”, but Pssst… can’t disagree either.

31 July 2017 | Sport

TuksFootball draws first game EMMANUEL OLUSEGUN

Natalie Esteves, TuksSport Women’s Hockey Captain. Image Provided

Kyle Melville, Premiere League Criketer. Image Provided

EMMANUEL OLUSEGUN

high performance sport simultaneously can be a tough task. “Finding the balance between your degree and your sport, allocating enough time to achieve your academic goals as well as to ensure that you perform at the top of your respective sport is, for me, the toughest challenge”. However, both Melville and Esteves agree that UP does its best to cater for the unique requirements of individuals who, in a way, serve as its ambassadors when competing for UP. “TuksSport always steps in and advocates for [athletes] when it comes to helping make up for missed [work]” says Esteves. In terms of dealing with stigma surrounding student athletes, Esteves believes more needs to be done to combat prevailing perceptions. “Unfortunately we live in a world where people assume that sportsmen and women are ‘dumb’ and study ‘easier’ degrees. I think we need to work towards stripping away this false perception across all academic fields and recognise students as both academics and athletes”, said Esteves. When asked what advice they would give to younger student athletes like themselves, Melville stated that getting your priorities right early on is important in finding a balance. Esteves added that surrounding yourself with good people is also important, with the most important thing being to try to enjoy the experience. “Ask for advice and help from the people around you, find a good support system, but most of all love every minute”.

The fight between club and class

Perdeby took a look at academic challenges facing UP’s sportsmen and women. For individuals like Natalie Esteves, life is anything but routine. Captaining the TuksSport Women’s Hockey side, as well as playing an integral role in the SA women’s u/23 side, this hockey protégé’s commitments to club and country are quite extensive. While most students have a start-of-semester ritual consisting of timetable restructuring and buying textbooks, Esteves is spending her time on training camps, as well as at local and international tournaments. Her almost nonstop sporting engagements are all the more impressive considering that she is also a full-time Law student. “I think the time we have is limited and often you are studying and learning while exhausted”, said Esteves when asked about problems she has had to confront as a student-athlete. “There are extended periods away from class due to competitions; it’s hard to juggle the struggle of academic demands with the reality of having to play sport at the highest level”. Esteves’ feelings concerning the difficulties juggling athletic and academic commitments are echoed by fellow student-athlete Kyle Melville. Melville is also a Law student and has been a Premiere League cricketer for UP for over four years. Melville agrees that dealing with the mental and physical demands of higher education and

UP’s Varsity Football campaign kicked off on Thursday 27 July with the Tshwane Derby against TUT. Having never beaten their cross-town rivals in any of their previous varsity football encounters, UP’s footballers wanted a win at TUT’s stadium. Both teams began the match energetically, with possession changing frequently in the early stages. TUT’s Themba Ndlovu was the liveliest of all on the pitch, as a string of promising crosses early on tested UP’s defence. Despite enjoying over 60 percent of the possession, UP were unable to create many clear-cut chances. The same could be said of their hosts, with striker Themba Ndlovu’s miscued shot coming closest to breaking the deadlock just before halftime. The second half got off to a promising start for UP with Jeremiah Nkwana’s free kick appearing to strike a TUT arm in the penalty area. Nothing would come of the appeals from the UP bench as the referee allowed play to continue. However UP’s efforts eventually paid off in the 55th minute as a cross by Nkwana was headed into the goal by Khumbulani Siluma to make it 1-0. UP looked comfortable as they held onto the lead with sustained TUT pressure in the later parts of the half being consistently dealt with. However, hopes of a first ever Varsity football triumph against a tough TUT side were dashed in the final minute of extra time. Themba Ndlovu showed the quality that had made him so dangerous in the early stages of the first half, curling the ball over the UP wall and away from goalkeeper Dylan Patterson into the back of the UP net. Ndlovu’s strike ensured that the game ended level. UP captain Lawrence Nkwane received the Man of the Match award, with TUT’s Ndlovu walking away with the “Samsung Best Shot” award for his game-saving goal. In his post-match interview, Nkwane stated it was important for the team to look forward. “We need to dust ourselves off and move on,” said the Captain when asked to reflect on what would have been a historic win. UP’s next game takes place on Thursday 3 August against staunch rivals UJ at UP Stadium.

Sport

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Athletes shaken by ASA scandal

Athletics South Africa. www.athletics.org.za Twitter Page

LORINDA MARRIAN Last week, Athletics South Africa (ASA) announced the official team list for the upcoming IAAF World Championships. However, the announcement was met with discontent as various athletes who had met IAAF qualifying standards were left out of the official team selection. According to Danie Cornelius, the head of TuksAtheltics, twelve UP athletes who had met IAAF standards were omitted form the final list. This includes in-form athletes such as Henricho Bruintjies, Wayne Snyman, Lebogang Shange, LJ van Zyl and Cornel Fredericks. ASA president Aleck Skhosana explained that the tougher ASA standards were based on getting better results and argued that SA athletes, when compared with athletes around the world, would rank 18th on the IAAF scale, therefore stricter selection criteria were put in place. ASA released a document in order to explain their decisionmaking procedure regarding certain athletes. ASA argued that

100m sprinter Henricho Bruintjies, who has had a season’s best of 10.06 seconds, would need 9.99 seconds to qualify for the semi-final round in the Championships. However, during World Championships in 2015, he qualified for the semi-finals with a time of 10.07 seconds. Additionally, ASA argued that three South African athletes ranked above Bruintjies and therefore there was no available spot for him. However, since Wayde Van Niekerk would not be competing in the 100m, the spot should technically be available. In terms of LJ van Zyl and Cornel Fredericks, ASA claimed that Sokwakhana Zazini was faster than the two seasoned hurdlers. However, since the young Zanzini races over lower-hurdles, his times should be expected to be faster. Some athletes took to Twitter to voice their selection concerns, UP record-breaking sprinter, Akani Simbine, one of the chosen few on the ASA list, tweeted “It’s all good and well when you want to groom talent but when there’s an opportunity to help the talent grow you shut the door on them”. Cornelius said that although TuksAthletics was disappointed that UP athletes that had met the criteria to participate in the Championships were not selected by ASA, they are very excited about the seven athletes that were included with “potential medal winners amongst them”. He added that “all of us, including those that were not selected, [wish] them well and will be in front of our TV sets cheering them on”. Besides Simbine, six other UP and HPC sponsored athletes will be representing South Africa at the World Championships. This includes 400m hurdler Wenda Nel, shot-putter Orazio Cremona, long jumper and Olympic silver medallist Luvo Manyango and 100m sprinters Clarence Munyai, Thando Roto and Carina Horn. The IAAF World Championship will take place in London from 4 to 13 August.

TuksExploratio. Image Provided

Getting to know TuksExploratio

EMMANUEL OLUSEGUN

TuksSquash Team. Image Provided

TuksSquash Team. www.up.ac.za/tukssport Facebook Page

ANTHONY JORDAAN

Junior programmes include a beginner (intro) programme, an intermediate (junior elite)programme, and an advanced (high performance) programme. Senior programmes consist of a full-time academy programme. TuksSquash regularly allows both local and international players to join the various club programmes for the purpose of developing individually tailored training sessions. The club offers accommodation and boarding to competitive players. Through the various programmes offered by the club, TuksSquash allows all interested players the opportunity to seek out their individual objectives. When in South Africa, a number of players from WISPA (Women’s International Squash Players’ Association) and PSA (Professional Squash Association), are included in the TuksSquash Academy Programme. Following the July, August and September internal league scheduled this year, a Tuks open tournament is scheduled to take place towards the end of September, while a TuksSquash High School Festival will be scheduled for 13 to 15 October. As many clubs do at the University of Pretoria, TuksSquash places its athletes at the focal point of the club. The remainder of the year will be aimed at establishing an efficient support base and a platform for athletes, all for the purpose of allowing those who want to take part in activities at the club the opportunity to attain their varying personal milestones.

TuksSquash host UP internal league TuksSquash is one of the many sporting clubs at the University of Pretoria to experience success in recent years. Most recently, TuksSquash came second overall at the USSA (University Sports South Africa) tournament for 2017, while the UP ladies team were winners of the women’s section. The club provides athletes with access to world class training facilities at the High Performance Centre (HPC), as well as programmes for individuals of various competency levels. In addition to this, the club accommodates non-competitive players by organising internal league tournaments throughout the course of the year. The club has arranged for an internal league championship to take place from 26 July to 21 September. The league will be hosted across seven courts situated on the UP Sports Campus, and will welcome existing and new players. The event will be focussed on creating a friendly squash environment. In addition to creating such an atmosphere, the league is organised to preserve the culture of social squash at the club. Apart from regularly hosting tournaments across the TuksSquash calendar, TuksSquash encompasses both junior and senior programmes, catering for all ages and levels. These programmes include sessions directed towards establishing the fundamentals of training by providing athletes with a scientific support system to achieve their individual goals.

Perdeby recently sat down with TuksExploratio chairman, Patrick O’Neill, to talk about the club’s history, upcoming events, recruitment, and plans for the future. What kind of club is TuksExploratio? We are the outdoor adventure club of the University and are registered as both a society and a sport. We are a social group of people who have a passion for the outdoors. How old is the organisation? TuksExploratio is over 40 years old. In 2014 I was hiking in the Cederberg mountains, and when you summit a mountain, it’s a common thing [for the] people who summit [to] put their names in [a] jar. In 2014 I found a list of names from 1972 of a group of exploration members who had summited the mountain. What events remain on Exploratio’s 2017 calendar? We have quite a few events coming up. These include The Everest Challenge. During this challenge we use the climbing wall at LC de Villers to climb the altitude of Mount Everest. We have a team of 10 and invite climbers from other universities, such as Wits and the University of Potchefstroom. We will also be heading to Mpumalanga to some of the best climbing spots in the world. Additionally, we will be slacklining on campus and going on two more hikes before the end of the year. How would you advertise Exploratio to a student who has never heard of the club and does not have an interest in the outdoors? If you’re looking for a challenge, want to get out of your comfort zone, perhaps challenge your fear of heights, or are simply looking for something to push yourself, Exploratio is a good way to do it. Is the club open to anyone besides students? Yes. Anyone can join. What plans do you have in place going forward as a society? We hope to expand our members’ participation. At the moment our members just come to the club on Mondays and Wednesdays from 19:00 to 21:00. We want to get them to go to gyms and rock climb on the weekends as well. Our climbing facility is very limited, so we want to get people out to get more experience so that they can become stronger and more competitive. We also want to increase our diversity. At the moment we have got a very strong white membership, and we are not sure how to get across to people of colour. We are also trying to increase the number of female competitors at the club. How can anyone who is interested in joining contact you? Besides our email – exploratio@gmail.com – you can also like our Facebook page “Exploratio”. On it you can see all our upcoming events, as well as directly message any of our committee members.

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