3 April 2017 Issue 7 Year 79

UP rapper Korus

Albums across Africa - pg. 8

- pg. 8

Perdeby

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

3April2017

year79issue7

TSC term extended - pg. 3

Team UP celebrates Varsity Athletics win. Photo: Stefan Stander.

UP wins Varsity Athletics 2017 LORINDA MARRIAN

On 31 March, the final leg of Varsity Athletics 2017 was hosted at UP’s newly renovated Bestmed TuksAthletics Stadium .The evening started off with near perfect conditions and saw some of South Africa’s best university athletes descend on Pretoria to compete for the title of Varsity Athletics Champions.

UP entered as favourites to win the A division, as they had previously won the first leg of the tournament hosted in Potchefstroom early this month. UP athletes had to work hard for the win and faced stiff competition from the likes of Letitia Janese van Vuuren, from North-West University (Pukke). She broke her own Varsity Athletics hammer throw

record at 62.37 metres, and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (Madiba) student Garth Ellis broke the Varsity Athletics record when he jumped an incredible 2.12 metres in the men’s high jump.

However, it was UP athletes, Gift Leotlela, Rikennette Steenkamp and Tebogo Mamatu, who were the highlights at the crowded UP stadium.

Leotlela ran a stunning 10.12 seconds to not only win the men’s 100m, but also equal his SA Junior record. Steenkamp ran an incredible 13.21 seconds to win the women’s 100m hurdles and she then broke the Varsity Athletics record of 13.24 seconds which she set on 3 March this year. Mamatu also ran an incredible race to win the women’s 100m at 11.48 seconds and broke the

previous Varsity Athletics record set

by Melissa Hewitt at 11.71 seconds.

However, these were not the only UP stars of the night. Other UP athletes such as Ruan Combrink, Constant Pretorius and Patrick Duvenhage also won in their respective fields. UP won the women’s 4x100m relay in which both Mamatu and her training partner, Steenkamp, competed.

TuksSport High School athlete, Clarence Munyai, also ran a dizzying 20.25 seconds in the men’s 200m to break the Varsity Athletics record set by UP Olympic sprinter, Akani Simbine. Munyai did not officially run for UP on the night as he is still in high school, but rather ran as a representative of Varsity Sports. As a result, his incredible win did not count to UP’s total

429 l ectu res 23 text books 18 al l -n i ghters 9 n ew fr i en ds 3 6 unique experiences 2 cau s es 10 0 1 fres h i deas

points.

UP were the winners of the tournament with an impressive 31 310 points, 525 points above Pukke in second place.

Danie Cornelius, the director of TuksAthletics, spoke to Perdeby about his team’s incredible win.

He said, “It was an amazing experience; we had some amazing athletics here tonight and some great performances”. Cornelius added that he was very proud of his athletes and that it was truly a team effort.

Last year UJ narrowly beat UP by a mere 94 points to take first place.

Cornelius said it was imperative to bring the cup “back to home soil”.

UCT were the winners of the B division, convincingly beating second placed Vaal University of Technology by 1346 points.

Ahmed Kathrada: The history of a humble man - pg. 7

AmaTuks: Season review - pg. 11

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2

Perdeby

Editorial | 3 April 2017

Time for a break recognised by, and will influence future leaders.

The President decided to reshuffle his cabinet, and it remains to be seen to what extent this will influence the country, economically and politically. This isn’t the first time that the President has made a radical decision which has led to opposition parties, as well as ordinary South Africans vehemently opposing his leadership. Interestingly,

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From the Editor

The past week has been interesting, to say the least. Rivonia trialist and anti-apartheid freedom fighter Ahmed Kathrada passed away, the President decided to reshuffle his cabinet like a deck of cards, and weed is kind of legal, sort of, but not really, according to the Western Cape High Court.

Ahmed Kathrada, an exemplary politician who embodied the values of responsible leadership passed away, leaving a legacy of respectable leadership that hopefully will be

even some of the highest ranking members of the ruling party have taken to social media to denounce the President, and support those who were axed in the cabinet reshuffle. These are interesting times for South Africa, and hopefully the President’s reshuffle will have left ordinary South African’s with at least a trump in hand.

In a surprising ruling, the Western Cape High Court decided that enough was enough, and that everyone needed a break, so now you can kind of sort of smoke weed in your home, if that’s Perdeby 27 March 1992 25 years ago So sing-sing – Serrie ‘92 / So Sing Sing – Serrie ‘92 The Serrie competition is organised by the SRC Arts and Culture committee under the leadership of SRC member Gerhard van Huyssteen.

On Wednesday evening 25 March 1992 the men residences visited the ladies reses, serenading them as per tradition. The following evening was the ladies’ turn. (This issue of Perdeby was distributed on the Friday morning of the gala event. The winners were thus not published yet) Is jy al besteel? / Have you been robbed?

Crime on campus has become a major problem of late. Tuks students feel that campus security isn’t doing enough to address the situation.

Johan Hatting, a medical student from Boekenhout, had his car stolen from the Tukkiewerf parking lot despite the presence of security guards and a security gate. Bicycle theft has also become a problem on campus. Students complained that their was only one security guard for all the men residences. Mr Yssel Venter, Director of Campus Control denied this saying that there are definitely more security guards but couldn’t disclose the amount of guards stating it would be a security risk to disclose this information. A new security gate will be installed between the residences and Lynnwood Road.

Perdeby 28 April 1967 50 years ago 22 Vlotte in Optog / 22 Floats in Rag Procession The highlight of the 1967 Rag effort takes place tomorrow morning when the Rag procession starts. Twenty two floats will take part in the procession. The Wits Rag princesses and drum majorettes will also join the procession this year.

Pres van bank is oud-Tukkie / President of bank is Tuks alumni Dr TW de Jongh, the new president of the Reserve Bank, is a Tuks alumni. Dr De Jongh received his D.Com degree from Tuks in 1941 after studying abroad.

In 1941 he represented UP in tennis against Wits at the Intervarsity. This is also the first year where Tuks beats Wits in Tennis.

Dr De Jongh’s son is currently a prominent figure in the student community.

Provided by UP Archives

your thing. The legalisation of recreational marijuana has become a global discussion, with a few US states already allowing legal use of marijuana for recreational purposes. In South Africa, the topic of medical marijuana was already before Parliament, and with Fridays High Court ruling, it’s a possibility that the marijuana legislation being discussed will extend to recreational marijuana. To me it’s a sign of progress, with overwhelming scientific evidence favouring marijuana as a harmless recreational drug when used by adults in moderation.

After all the insanity, it’s time for a break.

The Easter holiday begins at the end of this week, and I’m looking forward to spending 10 days doing absolutely nothing. This edition is our last for the quarter, and I hope you enjoy it.

Write to us at perdeby@up.ac.za, we would love to hear your opinion on the cabinet reshuffle, recreational marijuana, or anything else that you’d like to share with us.

Huvasan

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3 April 2017 | News

Campus News Bites New dean appointed in the Faculty of Health Sciences On 1 March, Prof. Tiaan de Jager was appointed as the new Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, having been the Acting Dean since July 2016. Prof. de Jager says, “Transformation will be a high priority in the Faculty and it will also give us a competitive advantage.” According to Prof. de Jager, four basic measures are going to be implemented: transformed curriculums, expanded research platforms, stronger research and teaching and learning support systems, and academic staff development with improved supervisor capacity.

UP is planning to save 106 million litres of water in the next three years The UP Water Management Plan (WMP) aims to establish sustainable water use at UP. Through various water conservation initiatives, such as rain water harvesting, leakage detection, water-wise gardening, use of reclaimed water and use of reservoirs, UP aims to save 106 million litres of water over the next three years.

UP alumni awarded Global Young Tax Professional of the Year On 15 March, Karl Frenzel, a BCom Accounting Honours student at the University of Pretoria in 2016, was awarded Young Tax Professional of the year. Young Tax Professional of the Year is a global competition run by the multinational services firm, Ernst & Young (EY). Young successful students, graduates and professionals are selected in various countries by EY, with the help of local universities around the world, to participate in the competition. The competition requires participants to show their leadership, technical and professional skills at the final. Frenzel’s prize was a 30-day global tour where he gained firsthand experience and had the opportunity to collaborate with some of the world’s leading tax professionals at EY offices in London, New York, and Hong Kong.

UP’s literary society: The Inklings The Inklings is one of the oldest societies on campus and aims to promote culture, literature, and the arts. The society presents creative writing workshops and publishes their own anthology of short stories, poetry and art called Inclinations.

Kathleen Godfrey, chairperson of the Inklings, says, “The objective behind this publication is to provide a platform for creative expression for those of all faculties and cultures. For writers and artists, having work published is both a way to give recognition to the talent and hard work of the writer or artist, as well as provide them with an opportunity to share their work with others.” The Inklings is currently looking for poetry, artwork or short story submissions from students to be published in Inclinations. Submissions close on 7 April and should be emailed to thinklings.tuks@gmail.com. Submissions can be in any language, but a translation of the text is required if it is not in English.

- Compiled by Nina Cronje

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UP Council extends TSC’s term of office MARKO SVICEVIC On 15 March, the UP Council, which is the highest decision-making body at the University, approved a proposal to extend this year’s Temporary Student Committee’s (TSC) term of office until general Student Representative Council (SRC) elections are held in the second semester. According to the current (2013) version of the Constitution for Student Governance (CSG), the TSC administers any urgent affairs of the SRC until a new SRC is elected.

A statement dated 5 December 2016 by Acting Vice-Principal of Student Affairs, Prof. Carolina Koornhof, indicated that the 2017 TSC was appointed by UP Council at its meeting on 28 November 2016, with the TSC beginning their term of office on 1 January this year. According to TSC Chairperson, Henrico Barnard, along with the proposal to extend the TSC’s term of office, a further proposal was submitted to the Council. “It was recommended that Council approve the power to approve any amendments to the CSG [to] be delegated to the Standing Committee of Council, as there are interim measures and Council only meets four times a year,” said Barnard. This recommendation to Council was also accepted.

Barnard further explained that the CSG was currently under review and that it was not advisable to have elections in the first semester of 2017 until the CSG review had been concluded. “It is also not feasible to have two elections during 2017, one being a re-election of 2016 and then also the annual elections in the second semester,” added Barnard.

Barnard confirmed that SRC elections will be held in the second semester of this year, although they may take place earlier, depending on the CSG review process.

UP spokesperson Candice Jooste confirmed to Perdeby that the TSC’s term of office has been extended until the SRC elections take

place.

When asked about the TSC term extension, AfriForum Youth Tuks Branch Chairperson, Renier Goosen, said, “Due to the disruptions last year the TSC has not been democratically elected but [was] a necessary entity at this stage.” Goosen added that AfriForum did not support the TSC term extension as a digital re-election could be held in order to have democratically elected leaders in place.

According to DASO UP Secretary, Sebastian Bielderman, the CSG was again amended in November 2016 and now contains a vague subsection relating to the TSC’s appointment due to disrupted elections. “No time period has been given in which new elections to replace the TSC must be held, which has allowed Management to extend the operational time of the TSC as they please. UP has now had three TSCs in four years, which along with the latest amendments is beginning to create the impression that Management is quite happy to select student representatives and not have them elected by the student body,” said Bielderman. He further added that an impression was given to students that UP Management wanted to micromanage student leadership instead of working parallel to it.

Sasco Secretary Fumani Ndlamini said that Sasco condemns the extension of the TSC term, and said that “Sasco is calling for the reinstatement of student parliament.

We note that the DSA has been reluctant to all our calls regarding the amendment of the constitution. The TSC, according to the constitution that they are so eager to keep, has only a six month term. After which a rightfully elected SRC should assume office.

It is with contempt to argue anything to the contrary. we have been subject to an unlawful constitution, and we are maintaining our stance on its amendment. But we are opposed to have this so called “constitution” used as a tool to protect Afriforum and its draconian interests.”

The TSC during their inauguration. Image provided.

Ndlamini added, “The University of Pretoria would be undermining students and prove itself racist if it grants this Afriforum led TSC extension, therefore breaking the constitution.

This will be met with the highest level of opposition. It would be with great sadness that the university would break the very rules they make just to accommodate a racist Afriforum.”

EFFSC-UP deputy chairperson Caroline Letsoalo said of the TSC term extension that “the EFFSC notices with disappointment the University council’s second attempt at short-circuiting democracy at the institution by unilaterally deciding extend the term of office of the incumbent TSC leadership that is not only illegitimate but is also self-serving as they have occupied those positions because of prestige purposes.” Letsoalo added, “The EFFSC rejects the TSC extention because it is unconstitutional and the Council is warned to stop testing the patience of black students.

Stakeholders were not engaged before the decision was taken and therefore the extension is illigetimate just like the appointment in the first place.”

UP academics and students protesting in favour of free tertiary education in October 2016. Photos: Fezekile Msimang

Fees Commission continues enquiry into free higher education HENRI UYS On 24 March, officials from the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) appeared before the Fees Commission. Diane Parker, from the DHET, said that student debt has been increasing since 2012. Parker said, “We did an accounting of student debt which was owed to universities by National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) students which had built up from 2013, 2014 and 2015.”

The Fees Commission, set up by President Jacob Zuma after #FeesMustFall protests in 2015 and 2016, is still investigating the feasibility of free higher education in South Africa. The Commission is headed by Judge Jonathan Heher.

According to Parker, R6.3 billion rand was owed by students to various institutions across the country in 2015. “We know we need to find

an effective solution for funding students who require financial support, and we need to find ways to improve funding to institutions. I don’t think there’s a doubt about that. How we manage that and how the policies that are put in place are still issues that have to be dealt with, and we really are hoping that this can be dealt with this year. We do believe once that is settled and we have a system in place for proper funding, we’re going to address the issue of the debt in the system and create a policy on how we manage that,” Parker added.

Parker said that a “culture of non-payment” has been developing since 2012. She said, “More recently, particularly [in] 2015 and 2016 in the wake of the #FeesMustFall campaign, institutions have been indicating that more and more students are defaulting on payments, and even in those institutions where the institutions believe the particular students have the ability

to pay.”

Firoz Patel, Deputy Director General of the DHET, believes that debt that cannot be recovered by universities should rather be written off. He said, “As long as you survive, you can cut your losses.”

Chairperson of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), Sizwe Nxasana, also made submissions at the Commission on 23 March. According to Nxasana, the new Ikusasa Financial Aid programme will support poor students and decrease the dropout rate. Nxasana said that various projects at universities are underway and have raised almost R140 million for poor students. Nxasana believes that poor and “missing middle” students can be assisted with funding if NSFAS, the private sector, and the government work together.

The Commission is expected to conclude its work by the end of June this year.

4

News | 3 April 2017

Intervarsity News University of Witwatersrand (Wits) On 24 March, the Wits Department of Journalism hosted the Taco Kuiper Award for Investigative Journalism, which was awarded to the story of how over 94 mentally ill patients died after being moved to mostly unlicensed NGOs. The event took place in Johannesburg and according to the Wits website, the award of R200 000 went to Suzanne Venter of Rapport for her “Life Esidemeni” story. Taco Kuiper was a successful South African publisher who donated an immense part of his estate to encouraging investigative journalism.

He believed in exposing matters of public concern and therefore created a fund for investigative journalism within The Valley Trust, which is partnered with the Wits Journalism Programme.

Durban University of Technology (DUT) On 23 March, DUT held its first Student Leadership Indaba, which was organised by the Department of Student Services and Development. Prof. Thandwa Mthembu, DUT Vice-Chancellor and Principal, said, “I’m appealing to our staff that we must review the manner in which we treat our students. Students are not customers to DUT but are an integral part of this university because they assist us in the laboratories when we formulate new ideas and innovation that come out of DUT.” According to the DUT news website, Prof. Mthembu says part of the reason he wanted the Indaba to happen was so he could understand the daily challenges that students at the University are faced with. These include accommodation, university facilities, security, and the attitude of staff members. He hoped that the Indaba would help him further understand not just DUTs, but other universities in KwaZuluNatal.

Screenshot of test instructions. Sourced: Apple iTunes Fokofpoliesiekar. Image provided/Jaco S. Venter

FPK breaks crowdfunding record for new album SHAUN SPROULE On 22 March, South African rock band Fokofpoliesiekar launched a 60 day crowdfunding campaign through Thundacrowd for their new album. The band’s last album, Swanesang, was released in 2006, but the 11 year gap has not dented their reputation as pledges quickly accumulated.

Fokofpoliesiekar aimed to raise R500 000 by 20 May in order to start recording in June.

However, the first 48 hours saw R180 000 being pledged, breaking the Thundafund record for any music album to date. They reached their goal in only nine days.

The R500 000 that they need will be used for the production of the album, marketing costs, music videos, and crowdfunding expenses. They plan to start recording in June with pre-order releases in September and the official release in

October 2017.

Lead vocalist Francois van Coke said that “the response has been insane. Our plan was to go live a few days before the March payday and we were not expecting much funds to come in until mid-April.”

Their decision to fund their project through crowdfunding arose from a changing music industry. Bassist Wynand Myburgh explains that “an album is expensive, even the crowdfunding campaign has a lot of expenses. Sad thing is that the music in its recorded format does not have much value.” Bands face difficulties making money and breaking even in a world where music is easily pirated. Fokofpoliesiekar says that they feel they have something to offer and that funding the project in this way lets them focus on their music and fans first. Drummer Jaco “Snakehead” Venter said, “It’s everything or fokol.”

University of Johannesburg (UJ) On 27 March, UJ made history by recording the highest number of graduates this year.

According to the UJ website, Prof. Ihron Rensburg, the Vice-Chancellor and Principal of UJ, states that the University is extremely proud of its graduates, who, in spite of the tumultuous times, achieved a new record undergraduate module success rate of 85.4% in 2016. “Our overall annual graduate output is now in excess of 12 000 graduates per year, and we are proud that 93% of our students obtain employment within 12 months of graduation, signalling the value of our qualifications to South African and international employers,” said Prof.

Rensburg.

North-West University (NWU) NWU’s annual Student Rag Community Service (SRCS) raised R3.5 million that was distributed in March to various individuals, schools, projects and welfare institutions.

The SRCS is run by students on the Potchefstroom campus of NWU. SRCS, in collaboration with Rag, concentrates on the two communities of Ikageng and Promosa.

The funds were donated to schools for clean and private bathrooms, upgrading facilities, construction of a kitchen and training in early childhood development. Donations were also made to Witrand Hospital, Promosa and Droomhuis.

Compiled by Nina Cronje

Three of the five drama students who organised the march. Image provided.

Drama students organise walk against rape HENRI UYS On 22 March, a walk against rape took place on UP’s Hatfield campus.

Five final-year Film and Drama students: Stephanie Ihesie, Susan Nkata, Carmen Joubert, Joffe Tsebe, and Palesa Olifant organised the walk. The organisers said, “We are final-year Drama and Film students and as a task, we were asked to create a campaign dealing with rape or feminism. As we researched and discussed the subject of rape and rape culture in our society, how it is perceived and dealt with, we realised that we couldn’t just end it after we receive our grades. We realised that walking against rape as a representation of our stance and views on rape culture is something that we must continue to do even after we graduate.”

They added, “Originally it was five girls who were all part of the campaign, however we did not count the people who walked alongside us as the only participants of the walk. Everyone who saw us walk by, everyone who read a message on the boards we carried, everyone who heard about the walk from a friend, everyone who saw our post on social media and everyone who had a discussion about rape because of the walk were all participants.”

The organisers said that they will continue to raise awareness for rape. “We want to create greater awareness about rape and its impact on society. We hope that we gain support and traction as we continue to walk. We also intend on crafting more creative, attention-gripping and effective ways to [create] awareness and cause change,” the organisers said.

hearZA hearing test app

NINA CRONJE

On 3 March, Prof. De Wet Swanepoel, professor of Audiology in the Department of SpeechLanguage Pathology and Audiology at UP, launched an app on World Hearing Day titled hearZA. hearZA tests your hearing in less than three minutes with no costs involved and can link you to your closest healthcare provider.

This national hearing test app is a world first and is a clinically valid hearing test that can be done on a smartphone. The quick digits-in-noise test provides a valuable indication of real-life hearing ability and the ability to understand speech in noise. The test needs to be taken with earphones inserted into your phone. A recorded voice lists three digits in background noise and you need to type in the digits you hear. Your hearing ability will then be based on how many of the digits you heard correctly.

Prof. Swanepoel says, “Our hope for hearZA is for every South African to take the opportunity to have a free hearing test in the comfort of their own homes. For those identified with hearing loss, we hope that through the app’s linkage to hearing health providers feature they will take up hearing care. For those who have normal hearing, our hope is that they will continue to use the app to monitor their hearing ability every year to ensure they take care of their hearing.”

According to Prof. Swanepoel, “More than three million South Africans suffer from permanent, disabling hearing loss.” Hearing loss has major effects on child development in terms of speech, language, cognition and socio-emotional well-being. This may cause struggles in educational success. Hearing loss also has striking effects on adults, such as social isolation, depression, cognitive decline and an increased risk of dementia.

At the time of going to print, the app has tested 24 646 people and has identified 4 773 people with hearing impairments. hearZA is available for download on Android and iOS platforms.

3 April 2017 | News

5

PhD student at UP selected to attend 67th Nobel Laureate meeting HENRI UYS Frederick Malan, a final-year PhD student in the Department of Chemistry, has been selected to attend the 67th Nobel Laureate meeting in Lindau, Germany. The meeting this year will focus on chemistry. Malan is one of five postgraduate students in South Africa who will attend the meeting.

Malan will be completing his PhD degree this year. His project involves research on the catalytic applications of CpMetal N-heterocyclic carbine complexes.

Malan said, “The initial disbelief I experienced was quickly followed by intense excitement after realising that I was one of only five aspiring young South African scientists to have been selected to attend this prestigious meeting. I cannot wait to meet the world’s leading and most respected researchers in the field of chemistry. I am looking forward to learning from their experiences and being inspired by their dedication to this field of science.”

Speaking about his project, Malan said, “I first aimed at synthesising ionic liquids in more facile ways that make use of

fewer synthetic steps, generate less waste, and minimize the use of toxic chemicals.

The next phase involved the use of these ionic liquids as ligands in the synthesis of organometallic complexes of both earthabundant and precious metals known to exhibit catalytic activity in a wide range of organic transformation reactions. These transformations include different C-C, C-N, and C-O functionalization reactions important to industry, all of which we have successfully catalyzed in our labs. Other studies, including quantum-mechanical calculations and electrochemistry on all of these complexes have been conducted in order to allow us to better understand the reactivity patterns of these complexes and allow for optimum catalyst design.”

Malan has also received other awards. He was awarded a UP postgraduate travel grant to visit the University of Bern in Switzerland.

He has also been awarded NRF Innovation bursaries for his studies. In 2011, he was listed in the Top 10 Alumni Graduates of the Faculty of Science at the University of Johannesburg.

The 67th Nobel Laureate meeting will be held between 25 and 30 June this year.

A marijuana joint being rolled. Photo: SG media.

Western Cape High Court rules in favour of marijuana use at home HUVASAN REDDY On 31 March, the Western Cape High Court ruled that it was an infringement to ban the use of marijuana by adults in private homes.

The ruling allows for the cultivation, use, and possession of marijuana, and the court has given Parliament 24 months to amend portions of the Drug Trafficking Act and the Medicines Control Act. The application was brought to the court by Dagga Party leader and marijuana use activist, Jeremy Acton, and community legal advisor, Gareth Prince, who is also a Rastafarian. The court heard arguments from the applicants on 13 and 14 December 2016. In an article titled “Dagga can be used in the home, Western Cape High Court rules”, published by News24 on 31 March, it was reported that Acton, Prince, and 18 other plaintiffs applied to the court for sections of the Criminal Prohibition of Dagga Act, read with sections of Part III of

Schedule 2 of the Drugs and Drug Trafficking Act, to be declared unconstitutional. According to the article, the parties “submitted that the laws prohibiting dagga use are unfair, discriminatory, outdated, and applied disproportionately to black users.” In an article titled, “Now you can get high on your own supply. Dagga victory in the High Court”, EWN quoted Prince as saying, “Although the Western Cape High Court made the finding today, our law requires that this finding will still have to be confirmed by the Constitutional Court. So obviously, we would have to go back to the Constitutional Court for a confirmation hearing.

But we believe that it’s a slam-dunk, it was a unanimous decision made here at the Western Cape court. Three judges declared the law to be unconstitutional.”

At the time of going to print, there was no indication on whether the state would be appealing the ruling of the Western Cape High Court.

TuksLaw moot competition team to represent South Africa NTOMBIKAYISE MKANDHLA

TuksLaw’s moot competition team will represent South Africa in the White & Case international rounds of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. The team triumphed over that of the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in the South African leg on 25 February.

They will travel to Washington DC in the United States of America on 7 April and return home on 16 April. The competition will be held at Hyatt Regency, a hotel on Capitol Park – a historically political neighbourhood.

The International Law Students Association (ILSA), a non-profit association of students and lawyers who promote international law, describes the competition as an “an advocacy competition for law students” on their website.

The competition, which is also the biggest moot competition globally, was named after the late Philip C. Jessup, who once served the United States as a representative to the International Court of Justice.

There are two students who will represent the TuksLaw team: Mary-Ann Gettliffe, an LLM student, and Ashley Makgatho, a second-year LLB student. They will argue a case on international environmental law, state responsibility and international cultural property.

Under the guidance of their coach, Gift Kgomosotho, an LLM student and researcher at the Institute for International and Comparative Law in Africa (ICLA), the team scooped three awards at the local leg held at White & Case, a law firm based in Johannesburg. These were best memorials, best overall team and best oralist, which was awarded to Gettliffe.

“We take advantage of transfer of skills,” Kgomosotho explained, attributing this as one of

the main contributors to TuksLaw’s moot team’s reoccurring national success. Kgomosotho was a member of the 2014 TuksLaw’s moot team which represented South Africa in that year. “A high level of intellect and reasoning is crucial [for a moot team]”, Kgomosotho stressed, adding that being committed to the whole process, being open to learn and to be taught as key attributes of a successful moot competition team.

Kgomosotho also said that the team utilised guest judges to hone the team in practice rounds.

In an article written for UP’s website, the Faculty of Law credits its professors, Prof. Dire Tladi, Prof. Frans Viljoen, Prof. Christof Heyns and Prof. Stuart Maslen from ILSA as the judges in the internal practice rounds before their victory in the local rounds.

“I expect a much more complicated process in the international rounds,” Makgatho said on his expectations. He added that there will be a higher level of subject matter, considering that it will be on an international scale. Gettliffe complemented his statements by saying they will be participating on a more competitive scale with possibly more experienced moot teams.

Kgomosotho expressed his gratitude to the various sponsors who are funding the team’s travel expenses and to the team members’ parents who paid for the travel visas. Among the sponsors, he credits White & Case, Prof.

Christof Heyns and various departmental heads.

The moot competition team expressed their gratitude to their coach, Kgomosotho, whom they said has poured out his time in training them. Furthermore, they expressed their gratitude to the Law Faculty and UP as a whole for their continued support of their endeavours.

6

Features | 3 April 2017

Image: HealthnCure.org

Organ donation: life goes on Image: Understanding Animal Research/Flickr

Animal testing: beneficial or bad?

KATHERINE ATKINSON Animal testing is a controversial topic that has provoked continuous debate for many years. Various institutions, from universities to pharmaceutical companies, conduct tests on animals to assess the safety and effectiveness of products.

24 April marks World Day for Laboratory Animals and it is important to understand exactly what animal testing entails.

“Give me an alternate testing method that both works and is equally as predictive as an animal model, then that very day I would [start] using the alternative in the stead of [an] animal model,” says Professor Vinny Naidoo, Chair of the University of Pretoria’s Animal Ethics Committee. Prof. Naidoo states that although it is “easy to call animal testing flawed,” the reality is that it is a “necessary evil, until such [a] time as we manage to develop fully predictive laboratory bench models [and] do not need animals or animal tissues derived immediately from an animal.” Prof. Naidoo mentioned several alternatives, including using post-mortem tissue and biochemical pathways that mimic pathways inside human cells. However, these alternatives are rather used to maximise the chance of success in animal testing, therefore minimising “wasteful testing” as they are not yet 100% valid. Naidoo also explains that “Laboratory models are not that predictive as they only take one or two variables into account.

As an example, the human body is far more complex than a petri dish. Since we cannot simulate the entire body as yet, we cannot stop with animal testing, since this is the only available alternative to direct human testing.” Prof. Naidoo believes that “at some point, testing in an animal will be required if the product is to be used in people or veterinary medicine.” A misconception that Prof. Naidoo discusses is that drugs are not tested on people and he dismisses this misconception by saying that it is “not the first step [in the testing process] due to the high risk to a person.”

Prof. Naidoo estimates that “probably up to 80% of all medical knowledge has been derived from animal testing” and that such research enables both people and animals to live “better, longer lives”. People have benefitted from animal testing in various ways, including “understanding the mechanism behind disease,” determining if a “molecule has a high chance of killing a person or veterinary patient,” and allowing medicines and diseases to be tested on an entire body, which is a complex system.

Yet not everyone shares Prof. Naidoo’s sentiment on the necessities of animal testing. Toni Brockhoven, the National Chairperson of Beauty Without Cruelty South Africa, says that “animal tests are misleading, as the results cannot be directly extrapolated to humans.” She uses the example of penicillin, which is lethal to guinea pigs but a human “lifesaver”.

Brockhoven says that animal tests “are often not done through scientific necessity, but to satisfy legal requirements”. However, cosmetic animal testing is not a legal requirement anywhere in the world, and must be distinguished from other forms of animal testing. Brockhoven believes that with over 2 000 cosmetic

ingredients already proven safe, cosmetic testing and importation of such products should be illegal.

Brockhoven’s views on alternatives differ to Prof. Naidoo’s as she believes they can completely “replace the use of animals in exploratory research and many standard drug tests”, and states that there are a wide range of computer models, which studies have confirmed to be accurate. Among these are “Organ on a Chip”, a micro-device that recreates tissue interfaces of human organs and “computer human-patient simulators”, such as “Trauma Man” used to teach emergency surgical procedures.

Additionally, there are in-vitro alternatives such as Eyetex and Skintex, which assess eye and skin irritation.

South Africa has stringent rules that researchers must abide by when conducting animal testing. Prof. Naidoo states that the South African National Standard (SANS) 10386 code is taken very seriously and “sets the minimum standards for the housing and care of all animals in research settings […] The code also stipulates the minimum staff requirements for the care of animals.” Naidoo adds that the most important aspect of this code is that every research institution must form an ethics committee, which uses the “3Rs” principle for all projects: reduction, refinement and replacement. This means that as few animals as possible are used, pain medication must be offered as “it is not appropriate to let animals suffer”, and animal testing must be the “last step to medical testing.” Moreover, each project must meet four categories enforced by the ethics committee: a veterinarian with experience in research, senior researchers with a good understanding of animal research, members from welfare organisations, and a person who is not involved in animal research to question the project.

Despite these codes, Dr Smaragda Louw, Director and Spokesperson of Ban Animal Trading SA, feels that mistreatment of animals during animal testing remains a problem. Louw states that the SANS code is “only a standard, and institutions involved in animal experimentation choose whether they wish to conform to this standard, so it’s voluntary […] Once the standard becomes a regulation, it will be mandatory for all these institutions to implement [it].” In terms of legislation, South Africa has the Animals Protection Act (APA), but Louw says that this act “offers only basic protection, and when certain experiments require, for example, that animals be left without water and food, the APA does not offer any protection.” Conversely, Prof. Naidoo asserts that “UP uses this code for all research projects, as do all other research institutes in the countries.”

While UP supports responsible animal research, it appears that some companies may not. L’Oreal recently received backlash on social media for allegations of unethical animal testing. Dr Louw believes that while some companies do abide by the SANS code, it still remains unethical to test products on animals and she ends by saying that “animal lives are cheap. Alternatives are expensive. Ethics usually takes the backseat when profit is involved.”

GEMMA GATTICCHI Organ donation often goes unthought of until the need for an organ becomes an issue in a person’s life. The subject has been brought to light after the death of Ludi Vink, a 30-year-old man who was stabbed to death with a pool cue when he tried to break up a bar fight at Mitzy’s Biker Pub in Alberton on 21 February.

Vink was an organ donor and will be able to save a minimum of eight lives from his donation, according to his fiancée Clare Boadle. SA People News reported on 26 February 2017 that his heart was being sent to Cape Town, his liver divided to help a child and an adult, and his kidney sent to a separate patient.

South Africa is one of many countries that employs the system of opting-in, meaning that it relies on people volunteering to be organ donors. According to Section 2 of the Human Tissue Act, “anyone competent to make a will (sixteen years or older) may donate an organ by signing a document attested by two competent witnesses (fourteen years or older)”.

Many students may be contemplating becoming organ donors and may be surprised by how easy the process is.

According to the Organ Donor Foundation of South Africa (ODF), the process is a short and simple one where no medical tests have to be carried out prior to donation. Bryce Svensson, a registered organ donor and second-year BA Languages student at UP, supports this, saying, “It wasn’t a long process at all. I filled in a form and handed it in, and received stickers to identify me as an organ donor shortly thereafter in the post.”

The Foundation also says that any person who is in good health and has no chronic diseases that might affect the recipient will be considered a possible donor.

Most people don’t realise that the donation of both tissue and organs is possible and lifesaving. The ODF states that the difference between organ and tissue donation is that an organ transplant takes place after an individual has been declared brain-dead but continues being supported by a respirator, whereas tissue retrieval can take place several hours and even days after death. Sandra Venter, the public relations officer at the Centre for Tissue Engineering, explains that the possible tissue that can be retrieved includes corneas, bone and tendons, heart valves and skin. Venter went on to say that “bone tissue retrieval can take place up to five days after death”. A person is also able to donate certain organs prior to death, specifically one kidney and part of the liver.

According to the ODF, as of August 2016 there were approximately 4 300 South African adults and children awaiting a lifesaving organ transplant. A Health24 article published on 28 September 2016 said that “Every day more critically ill patients are added to the waiting list.

Unfortunately, this is happening faster than organs are available.” Venter said that one of the greatest fears regarding donation is confusion in terms of mutilation: “Some still have the idea that once your organs and tissue have been retrieved that there is only [a] terrible looking mess left behind. This is very far from the truth and in all cases the body remains completely in tact, is dressed and prepared for burial/cremation and the family can even still have a viewing.”

Venter said that the greatest organ in demand is kidneys because “many people are faced with kidney failure and forced into dialysis due to other underlying health issues, including diabetes.” The greatest kind of tissue shortage is corneas and skin.

In the modern world, the act of giving life has never been easier. This simple decision could save several lives and even give some people the gift of sight. To become a potential donor, you can phone the toll-free ODF information line on 0800 22 66 11 or visit the ODF website and register.

3 April 2017 | Features

7

The globalisation of music

Illustration: Michelle Hartzenberg

SAM MUKWAMU In the past few decades, globalisation has had various positive impacts on the developing world, such as technological advances and an increase in levels of education, but not all globalisation’s effects have been deemed positive. The major concern in most developing countries is the degradation of people’s culture, as where the preservation of customs and traditions are considered very important.

According to Alexandre Lunsqui in a paper titled “Music and Globalisation: Diversity, Banalisation and Culturalisation”, “Globalisation seeks to enhance economic growth by stimulating trade among nations. The process does not prioritise cultural diversity and departs from a clear and simple premise: we are all consumers.”

The spread of popular western music, more specifically British and American music (Hip-Hop, rock, pop and EDM), has steadily changed the musical styles of many nations, taking them from a more traditional sound to a more contemporary, modernised and popular sound – some being a hybrid of local and modern sounds.

South Africa has experienced this injection of western music for some decades, with genres such as blues, jazz and reggae influencing the country’s music. Musicians such as Hugh Masekela (jazz) and Lucky Dube (reggae) are artists that have contributed to the spread of these genres away from western shores. However, in more recent times, the increase in financial investments has made music a more profitable industry. Artists, particularly from the west, have been able to increase their reach and global appeal due to major sales, streams of their songs, the sales of merchandise and their ability to stay in touch with their global fan bases through tours and social-networking. Local musicians do not always have the means to achieve this sort of global reach, as they do not always have major record labels to support them, especially if they do not have the sound that the labels find marketable. Local acts are therefore forced to copy what international acts are doing. This includes trends, music styles, music video imagery and lifestyles. This is what has led to local artists moving away from making more traditional or local sounding music to making popular music to mirror popular western music. South Africa has made efforts to stop this trend by enforcing a 90% quota for radios to play local music in order to expose the youth to more local music.

Ntando Hadebe of The Looneys, a UP rap collective, said, “When it comes to Hip-Hop/Rap music, you have to agree on the extent of western influences on the music made in South Africa today. Globalisation of music is real – in any genre. If the type of music that is made reaches an audience [that] vibes with it, it has already been globalised and opens an emergence of a market in a country. The audience (consumer) becomes the manufacturer due to the influence of where the sound originates from. The passion drives the new artist to pursue a similar sound.

From the likes of reggae and rap, which had a strong following in the 90s and today, as a way to send through a message to the people. Let it be a message of hope or love, the way the message is being portrayed is linked to international influences, [for example] Bob Marley and Lucky Dube. [There is] a great deal of globalisation. The same happens with sounds coming from South Africa, which is accepted in the US but at a micro-level.

Regardless of the scale, it reaches a new crowd, which allows an ongoing process of globalisation and geographic influence. The relevance of western influences on local Hip-Hop is evident on the music that’s released lately, and a similar trait can be found with artists like Nasty C and AKA who speak about how they are motivated by international artists, like Kanye West and Travis Scott, to make music that’ll spark a large following on their local music listeners. They took a similar sound and mixed it with their own on a creative spectrum, to make a vibe that a local Hip-Hop market can relate to and not feel confused even when they listen to international artists. South Africa went from an era of a large Kwaito to Hip-Hop following due to the globalisation of Hip-Hop in the US and how it has reached high status in the Grammy circle and Billboards. The platform that Hip-Hop has [in order] to reach out to the public has stretched out across borders and it’s no secret that South African Hip-Hop is a derived product of globalisation.”

In an age where musicians are idolised, specifically by the youth, it is essential that artists stay up to date in terms of what is deemed popular by the public for them to stay relevant. This means that newly-released popular music is likely to have less of the traditional or local touch as the music evolves. The globalisation of music seems to be continuing, and it remains to be seen whether it is good or bad for the South African music industry.

Ahmed Kathrada: the history of a humble man Image: Shaun Sproule

LORINDA MARRIAN Well-known anti-apartheid activist Ahmed Kathrada passed away last week at the age of 87. The legendary activist, more affectionately known as Uncle Kathy, was one of the most influential political figures in South Africa. Kathrada, Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu and Govan Mbeki were tried and sentenced to life imprisonment during the Rivonia Trial for acts of sabotage. He spent a total of 26 years in prison for which he served 18 years on Robben Island before he was transferred to Pollsmoor Prison.

At the age of 60 he was officially released. Ahmed Kathrada became politically active at a young age and spent most of his life as a steadfast political activist.

As a teenager, Kathrada became involved in the Youth Communist League and Transvaal Passive Resistance Council. At the age of 17, he and approximately 2 000 others were arrested for taking part in acts of civil disobedience to oppose the “Ghetto Act”. This act sought to curtail political representation and land ownership of Indians in Natal.

In 1951, Kathrada attended a Congress of the International Union Students in Warsaw. While there, he was able to visit the concentration camps at Auschwitz. As a result of this experience, he was reinvigorated to end the situation in South Africa.

In 1952, the African National Congress (ANC) and the South African Indian Congress launched the “Campaign of Defiance against Unjust Laws”, which sought to oppose laws that included the Pass Laws and the Group Areas Act. Kathrada, as one of the main organisers of the campaign, and 20 others were charged and given a suspended sentence of nine months for their roles in the campaign.

He helped to organise the multi-racial “Congress of the People” in 1955 at which the Freedom Charter was adopted. In 1961, he was arrested again for serving on a strike committee that opposed Verwoerd’s plan to turn South Africa into a Republic. A year later, he was forced into 13 hours of house arrest each day. However, this did not stop him and he continued attending meetings at the secret underground headquarters of the ANC in Rivonia. It was here that he was arrested and eventually given a life sentence at the age of 34. In an interview with Al Jazeera titled “Ahmed Kathrada: The Robben Island Diaries”, he spoke of the unequal treatment different races received in prison. Mixed race prisoners were given long trousers and socks while black prisoners were forced to wear shorts without socks. He and the other prisoners “had to continue to fight for equality in everything” and therefore he never sought preferential treatment. Along with others, he would go on hunger strikes to resist unequal treatment within the prison.

While in prison, Kathrada obtained four degrees – one in History and Criminology, the other in Library Science and African Politics, and two honours degrees in African Politics and History from the University of South Africa.

He was released in 1989 and from 1994 to 1999 he served as a parliamentary counsellor to then-President Mandela.

Dr Thula Simpon, History lecturer and South African liberation struggle researcher at the University of Pretoria, said that Kathrada played a pivotal part in the evolution of resistance movements. In the 1940s the ANC Youth League viewed themselves as Africanist, but by the 1950s they considered themselves multi-racialists. Dr Simpson said that this was due to the fusion of groups like the Indian Congress and the Coloured Peoples Congress with the ANC. However, the friendship between Kathrada and Mandela “was pivotal with regards to forming that non-racial unity.”

Kathrada remained politically active for the rest of his life. He was notably outspoken about the situation between Palestine and Israel, and about President Jacob Zuma. In a letter to Zuma in 2015 he pleaded for the President to resign. He wrote, “There comes a time in the life of every nation when it must choose to submit or fight. Today I appeal to our President to submit to the will of the people and resign.” Dr Simpson adds that Kathrada was highly concerned about the state of the ANC and the direction that they were taking and “died feeling that there was work to be done.”

Kathrada was also an ardent supporter of finance Minister Pravin Gordhan. In 2016, while Gordhan was under investigation by the Hawks, Kathrada and his wife reaffirmed their support for Gordhan by sending out the following press release: “Dear Pravin, we recall your courageous and consistent struggle record as a freedom fighter and later as minister. Try as they may; no mischievous elements will succeed in their nefarious efforts to dent your contribution.”

He is survived by his wife, former Cabinet Minister, Barbara Hogan.

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Entertainment | 3 April 2017

Albums across Africa UNOSHAMISA CHIRADZA

Illustration: Michelle Hartzenberg

Perdeby took a look at music that you might not know about that has been released across the African continent.

Nigeria: Korede Bello – Beloved Korede Bello is loved in Nigeria, and his music cuts across every demographic in the country. He has achieved this by making music for everyone. His 2015 single “Godwin” is the song that launched him in Africa and established him as a household name. The fear with new artists is that they will be “one hit wonders”, but this was not the case with Bello as he continued to release singles that were successful. Beloved is his first album and it has a classic Nigerian beat that will have you listening to it on repeat.

Zimbabwe: Winky D – Gafa Futi Chi Extraterrestrial If you have a Zimbabwean friend then at some point they must have mentioned an artist from Zimbabwe named Winky D – especially after the success of his 2015 hit “Disappear”, which was particularly popular on Trace Africa last year.

Zimbabwe’s music has come a long way with the emergence of artists such as Tocky Vibes and Jah Prayzah. This specific album has a reggae dancehall beat that will resonate with its listeners, and the vocals are the icing on top. Singing in his native Shona language, you will find this album interesting.

West Africa: Les Amazones d’Afrique – République

Amazone This is an all-female group of West African musicians singing and campaigning for gender equality. It includes Benin’s Angélique Kidjo, Malian singers Kandia Kouyaté, Mamani Keita, Mariam Doumbia, Massan Coulibaly and Rokia Koné, Nigerian singer Nneka, and Pamela Badjogo from Gabon. The album is a protest against female circumcision, forced marriage and general female oppression in Africa. This album was also dedicated to raising funds for the Panzi Foundation, a Congolese hospital that treats abused women. The album itself has a blend of beats that are edgy and groovy, and it will allow you to experience an African style of music you may have never heard before.

South Africa: F2D Presents: Hall of Fame (various artists) This is an album released by Da L.E.S that features artists who are signed to his Fresh 2 Def imprint and its other partner labels, Young Legend Music and Rudebuoy Major.

This album includes artists such as L-tido, Maggz, Yanga and Nomuzi (Moozlie). Hip-Hop fans will definitely enjoy listening to this album as it has hot hooks and verses that will have you singing along in no time.

The African continent’s musical scene has a lot to offer and if you give it a chance you will be exposed to amazing songs that could change your life.

Five minutes with UP rapper Korus

Image Provided.

SERISHKA MOODLEY Korus is one of UP’s newest rappers. The second year Theology student has already built up quite a fan base since the release of his mixtape, Sincerely Yours. The rapper, who was born and raised in Nelspruit, has always had a passion for music. He grew up rapping with his brother and his brother’s friends from the time he was young.

Korus not only raps, he also writes his own songs. He says that he draws his inspiration from his life experiences, and credits his family as his biggest motivation.

His music style reflects trap, but his songs also feature elements of Conscious Rap. He says, “I don’t want people to listen to my songs and feel the same. I want to be able to move people with my music”.

Korus is set to release his new single, “Woah” on 1 April.

This will be the rapper’s first single since the release of his mixtape in 2016. He says, “This is a very hyped up track.

You’re going to be hearing bars on top of bars on top of bars.”

Korus says that this upbeat track will also showcase how far he’s come as an artist. He says, “Since the release of the mixtape up till the time I recorded ‘Woah’, I could feel myself growing as an artist. I believe that as artists it’s important that we constantly challenge ourselves to grow, and that we push ourselves to always achieve more.”

When asked about what advice he would give to those who are interested in pursuing a career in music, Korus said that they should learn everything that they possibly can about the industry. He said that they should stay focused and that they should always stay true to themselves.

This year holds greats things for Korus as he is set to collaborate with new artists and to release another mixtape at the end of the year.

Photo: Stefan Stander

Music for the Soul: Tuks Camerata hosts Champions of Song

TAIGA RIVE

Tuks Camerata hosted an evening of pure musical enjoyment on 30 March titled “Champions of Song”. The University of Pretoria’s choir, the hosts of the event, as well as their invited guests, Akustika Chamber Singers, performed at the Musaion as one of the few concerts that the Camerata will perform before heading on their Spain trip in July. To have Camerata perform alongside Akustika, conducted by their ex-conductor Cristo Burger, was a special occasion.

The performance ran smoothly with no interruptions or technical difficulties. The convenience of barcode scanners was appreciated for those who bought tickets online. Camerata opened with seven pieces they are taking to the World Choral Symposium in Spain.

Camerata’s performance was uplifting, emotive and humbling. Although all songs on the programme were met with much applause and appreciation, the choir’s second song, “In Tempore Belli” received unanimous favour from audience

members. The song was written for Tuks Camerata about going into war. According to conductor, Michael Barrett, the song is not supposed to be beautiful, but rather artistic. He describes it as “a kaleidoscope of really, really horrible sounds.” The unpleasant beginning of the song, executed with delicate control, gives way to a Latin chant that relieves the harshness and introduces a gentle conclusion. This song is undoubtedly a risky choice, but pays off without dispute.

Akustika performed their programme next, which had a more western influence. This choir consists of about 30 adults from the Gauteng area. Their programme seemed to be very wellrehearsed. Their sound was angelic and soothing, and their talent was undeniable, and their soloists emphasised this.

Overall, this was an ethereal and transportive performance that maintained variety and movement that kept the audience engaged. Both performances left the crowd in wonder.

Enjoy a similar choral experience by catching one of the four concerts that will be held by Camerata leading up to their trip in July.

3 April 2017 | Entertainment

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Al Bairre. Image Provided/Caroline Mackintosh

Al Bairre’s Johannesburg farewell performance CLAUDINE NOPPE

Cape Town based band, Al Bairre, played their last show in Johannesburg at Large on the Lawn together with Mango Groove on 26 March.

Al Bairre, consisting of Nicholas Preen, Tessa and Julia Johnson, Kyle Davis and Tom Kotze, announced their split on 21 February after five years on the South African music scene.

The band made an official statement posted on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, saying, “Having achieved all the goals we set for ourselves the last five years – we all feel like it’s the right time to try something new.” They included a list of their farewell shows in Johannesburg on 26 March, Cape Town on 2 April, and Stellenbosch on 4 April.

Their set at Large on the Lawn flowed beautifully between new songs and the classics that the fans knew off by heart. A few tears were shed by band members and the crowd during an emotional performance of “Let’s fall in love some more”.

The indie finger pop band combines cello, violin, drums, bass guitar, ukulele and keys to create an “ice cream of orchestral sounds.” They made waves in 2012 when they released a five-track EP titled When I was Tall featuring favourites such as “Solid gold” and “Right here in July”.

Several songs from the EP were picked up by Australian radio stations and launched Al Bairre into the music industry.

In 2013 the band won the Open the City contest, which gave them the opportunity to open for international bands Alt-J, Skunk Anansie and The Hives at Vodacom In the City Joburg.

From then on the band became a festival commodity, securing spots at Rocking the Daisies, Oppikoppi and Up the Creek.

Their success brought with it nominations for the SAMAs, as well as award wins for best new comers and best budget music video at the 2014 MK Awards. 2015 marked the release of their most popular song, “Bungalow”. This was also the year that the band was invited, alongside South African artists Jeremy Loops and PHfat, to perform at The Great Escape music festival in the United Kingdom. On 23 November 2016 Al Bairre released a mini LP called Experience the Al Bairre Show with Al Bairre Experience. The mini LP, which is really a ‘best of’, included songs released in 2015 like “Julia” and old favourites. However, Al Bairre did not leave their fans empty-handed. The band released two brand new songs on 27 March.

Although the loss of this South African music treasure is heartbreaking, fans can rejoice in the knowledge that Al Bairre will have a reunion show in 10 years.

UP student Loyiso Tyobeka’s videography company. Image Provided.

Loyiso Tyobeka’s Autumn empire SERISHKA MOODLEY The word “autumn” may just mean a season to most, but for 21-year-old Loyiso Tyobeka it’s an empire. Loyiso Tyobeka, who is the owner of Autumn 95, started his own videography company in 2014. At first it was just a hobby between friends who shared a love for music, but after a while Loyiso’s passion for film-making grew into something much bigger. In February 2017, Loyiso took control of the company with the aim to rebrand the notion of film-making for young directors everywhere. His inspiration for film-making was sparked by his desire for creativity and innovation.

When asked about how he came up with the name Autumn 95 he said, “Apart for my love for the season, I love the fact that in autumn the leaves fall from the trees, and it allows us to interpret

them as they fall on the ground. It gives people an opportunity to see the true beauty in things, raw and unscripted. And that’s what I want to reflect in my work. I want people to see the true beauty in the work, and to let the work speak for itself”.

Tyobeka credits his mother as his biggest motivation, and UP for making him the hardworking and driven individual that he is today. He says that being himself is the most rewarding yet difficult thing to do. He says, “I always try to be myself and put a little bit of myself in each and every thing that I produce. I want to do things that are worth talking about”. His advice to aspiring videographers is to do what moves them because “at the end of the day you need to do what makes you happy as a person”.

For his next project, Tyobeka is setting his sights on Fashion Week. He wants to direct more videos that showcase fashion as he feels that the fashion industry is underrated.

Image: Facebook.com

Gunsteling Seisoen Kaleidoskoop CARINA KLOPPERS It’s been nearly four years since the release of Vars Uitgekerf, and fans have anxiously been waiting for some new material from Afrikaans indie-folk band, Kaleidoskoop. The Great Gatsby themed launch of their new album, Gunsteling Seisoen, took place at the Atterbury Theatre from 24 to 26 March.

The eleven original songs and two English covers stay true to the band’s established acoustic sound. With a twelve-piece band accompanying Anique Jordaan and Jouba Jordaan, the listener is treated to a beautifully executed and full sound, along with some surprising use of trumpets reminiscent of Mumford and Sons or The Lumineers. Anique’s vocal clarity also shines through, especially in their rendition of Emmy the Great’s “Gabriel”. Jouba’s nimble fingers also do not disappoint on the guitar or ukulele.

On Gunsteling Seisoen you’ll find a balanced mix of happy-go-lucky and woeful tunes. The lyrics tend to get a little cheesy with some heavy-handed imagery and exhausted expressions, yet the beautiful use of proper Afrikaans vocabulary needs to be appreciated. The album is not filled with the most unique melodies or any really catchy tracks, but the exquisite instrumental work will have your feet tapping nonetheless.

This album is an easy listen for anyone. The songs complement each other with ease, as they all subtly tie into the underlying theme of weather and seasons. As you listen to the music you’ll easily forgive the imperfect lyrics and uninspiring melodies because of the serenity exuded by Anique and Jouba. Their passion is thoroughly embedded in the album.

Although Gunsteling Seisoen might not quite be on par with Vars Uitgekerf, which won best contemporary album at the 2012 Tempo Awards, it is still a worthy addition to any music library.

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Fun and Games | 3 April 2017

Pssst...

The Top 10 Top ten things first years are still doing:

Pssst… has been very busy this week trying to keep track of all the frivolous res parties. Pssst… doesn’t understand what the residences have to celebrate, Pssst… wouldn’t be so relaxed with Serrie around the corner.

Pssst… isn’t expecting much from Sonop this year, and not because Pssst… is worried about Sonop being disqualified again. Madelief might know what 1 Pssst… is talking about. Maybe choosing the early hours of the morning to perform in underpants isn’t 2 the best idea. Pssst… noticed that it was quite cold, Sonop.

In other news, Kollege has been quite busy this 3 week. A few of the Kollege flat-caps decided to host a funeral for poor “Karl” who is in a relationship.

4 Pssst… hopes that they don’t see a future in acting, but Pssst… is glad to see that at least one person from Kollege was able to adult.

One thing Kollege gets right is exactly what Olienhout gets wrong. Parties. If you don’t believe Pssst… just ask the Houteman who asked a Kollege flat-cap how to throw a successful party. Really Houte, this type of behaviour is so embarrassing Pssst… can’t even make it up.

Asterhof has had an exciting Serrie season. 10 Pssst… heard that the Stertjies had to reinvent their slightly risqué routine. Pssst… can’t say that Pssst…

is disappointed.

PartyFest is also in the works, and Pssst… is Untitled quite excited about the fails in store. Mopanie 1 and Katjiepiering were the first to present their Even though it’s already April, Perdeby has noticed that efforts, but it seems the Katte were 2not very UP first years are still doing some pretty stereotypical excited about the event. Pssst… actually feels Untitled first-year things. sorry for the Mopanie men who outnumbered 3 the Katte five to one.

1) Walk into a lecture, sit down, look at the lecturer, Speaking about PartyFest, Pssst… 4hears that 5 look at the screen, and realise they’re in the wrong the Instagram page was compromised, seeing venue. Leave.

6 Boekenhout and Vividus Ladies receiving almost 2) Carry all their textbooks in huge backpacks. a thousand votes in two minutes. Pssst… doesn’t 7 8 want to accuse anyone, but Pssst… thinks its 3) Wear their student cards at all times. quite suspicious.

5

Finally, Pssst… has to add something about Studios since they are trying so hard to be a 6 is that Studios’ “normal res”. All Pssst… can say attempt at a social is sad and old. Pssst…10 is 7 8 very tired of Trump themed parties, and Pssst… is starting to find them distasteful, and not because of Trump. Pssst… though you were 11 9 above that, Studios.

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Xoxo Gossip bae ...

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3. 5 shots couldn't drop me

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The Perdeby poll

8. Making bacon pancakes

2. He's got the suite life

9. Person who loves ovens

5. Big reptile that hates Japan

What are you doing during the holiday?

10. The knives on his hands are getting rusty

6. The boy with the bread

12. Person who's not so serious

7. Person with no nose

13. Frog which minds it's own business

9. His head looks like a Dorito

6

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7) Spending way too long getting ready in the morning to look good for class.

1. He died like 5 million times but a dragon brought him back

4. Big ape that hates New York

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6) Complaining about AIM.

10) Not reading Perdeby. Read Perdeby. We are cool.

We Down will help you to be cool.

Across

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9) Still not understanding ClickUP. It’s not a building.

You also need to check it regularly or you will miss important information and annoy your lecturer.

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5) Asking every single person they meet what they are studying.

8) Clapping at the end of lectures.

Untitled 1

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4) Annoy non-first years by taking all the parking and standing space on campus.

11. Vader Person who loves the Dark Side

8

• Knows Studying.

13. the Crabby Patty formula Down

• Sleeping.

1. He died like 5 million times but a dragon brought him back

• Lying to your mum about doing stuff.

8. Making bacon pancakes

2. He's got the suite life

• Taking your textbooks on holiday.

9. Person who loves ovens

5. Big reptile that hates Japan

Across

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3. 5 shots couldn't drop me 4. Big ape that hates New York 10

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10. The knives on his hands are getting rusty

6. The boy with the bread 7. Person with no nose

12. Person who's not so serious 13 13. Frog which minds it's own business

9. His head looks like a Dorito 11. Vader Person who loves the Dark Side 13. Knows the Crabby Patty formula

Across

Down

3. 5 shots couldn't drop me

1. He died like 5 million times but a dragon brought him back

4. Big ape that hates New York 8. Making bacon pancakes

2. He's got the suite life

9. Person who loves ovens

5. Big reptile that hates Japan

10. The knives on his hands are getting rusty

6. The boy with the bread

12. Person who's not so serious

7. Person with no nose

13. Frog which minds it's own business

9. His head looks like a Dorito 11. Vader Person who loves the Dark Side 13. Knows the Crabby Patty formula

Emma Paulet

3 April 2017 | Sport

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AmaTuks at TuksSport’s Myth Day. Photo: Shaun Sproule.

AmaTuks season review CHAD JOHNSTON

This season has been a challenging one for AmaTuks. Inconsistent performances have seen them drop to 9th on the log in the National First Division. Out of 21 games, AmaTuks have won eight, drawn five and lost eight, which highlights their middle table position.

This season AmaTuks have conceded more goals than they’ve scored, which seems to point to weaknesses in the defence that have hindered them.

The team looked promising when they handed log leaders, Thanda Royal Zulu, their only defeat of the season on 25 February.

However, since then they have lost 3-2 to Real Kings and most recently 2-0 to Mbombela United, both teams being below them on the log. In their game against United, AmaTuks failed to take their chances as at least three attempts hit the frame of the goal rather than the back of the net.

Former Bafana Bafana striker and AmaTuks coach, Shaun Bartlett, said that despite last year’s disappointing season, the team is different and so is the vision. He explained, “For me there is a different energy and desire and I’m hoping that we achieve our goal, which is being back in the PSL where this university belongs because we need to compete at the highest level and elite football for us is PSL”.

In order for the team to get back into the PSL, they would have to drastically improve their performances for the remainder of the season. Currently there is a 15-point gap between AmaTuks and log leaders, Thanda Royal Zulu. In order for AmaTuks to close this gap, they would need to string together a succession of positive results and hope that Thanda Royal Zulu drop some points.

Despite Thanda Royal Zulu’s dominance, there is only a five-point gap between Black Leopards in second position and AmaTuks in ninth. This should encourage AmaTuks because it leaves the possibility of promotion firmly on the table, provided they improve their performances. The team’s two top scorers, Ryan Chapman and Anthony Gordinho, will have to assume even more responsibility if the team is going to improve their position on the log. Chapman and Gordinho have scored seven goals between them and will be looking for some assistance from the rest of the team.

Bartlett said that the team’s focus is on “mental strength” and that there needs to be a holistic approach to football: “It’s not just producing better footballers, but better men”. Fans will be hoping that some of this mental strength will translate on the pitch. The team’s next three fixtures are against Royal Eagles and Santos.

Move4Fitness boot camp session. Image provided.

The Move4Fitness movement KWAZI SOKHELA

A new health and fitness initiative is emerging at the University of Pretoria and the surrounding Hatfield area in the form of the Move4Fitness boot camps. Move4Fitness is a student-driven project that was founded by UP students, Mphosi Matete and Donald Marrocane. The two are both in the final year of pursuing their degrees in Chemical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering.

Matete describes the movement as a way of encouraging fun health awareness. The boot camps, which have been taking place on Saturday mornings since 18 February at Urban 5occer, consist of a fitness-related session, a boot camp, and a dance session.

During the fitness session, those taking part perform body weight exercises, sport sprints and burpees. Matete and Marrocane believe that you do not need a gym membership to stay fit and healthy.

The boot camp and dance sessions usually take place within the first hour of the programme and are facilitated by Marrocane.

In this session, music and dance are used to coordinate the exercises, which Marrocane explained as “more of an aerobic

dance activity” The duo’s inspiration to start this initiative stems from their passion for health and fitness. “Both Don [Marrocane] and I are big fitness enthusiasts, so what we wanted to do was to reach more masses [and] just to connect with people who are like minded,” said Matete. They formed a team of about 20 individuals, who are all students, and started to draft business plans and proposals. They approached Virgin Active, Oasis and Ocean Basket for sponsorship and were able to make them their current sponsors.

Although the project is still in its infancy, its endeavours in Pretoria have subsequently garnered interest and requests from people residing in other cities such as Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban.

Matete and Marrocane find that the positive responses they receive from the public are the most rewarding aspect of their work. As a result of the positive feedback they have received in Pretoria, they aim to expand their services to other regions in the hope of receiving similar feedback. “We just want to reach as many people as possible, because the more people we reach, the more people are healthy, the more people get fit,” said Matete.

Chris Massyn, Tuks Rugby captain. Photo: Stefan Stander.

Chris Massyn’s Varsity Cup aspirations

THORISO PHASHA UP has enjoyed a favourable campaign thus far in the 2017 season of Varsity Cup rugby, winning seven out of eight matches with six bonus points, and a massive aggregate of 225 points.

Apart from the solitary loss to the University of Johannesburg in round 4, UP has looked like the most menacing side in this year’s Varsity Cup. UP recently beat the North-West University (NWU Pukke) in round 8 of the tournament to ensure a home semi-final, and quite possibly set up a home final on 17 April should things go according to plan. Perdeby got in touch with Chris Massyn, TuksRugby’s captain, to get his thoughts and projections for the remainder of the season UP has found it difficult to beat NWU Pukke in recent years.

Did you feel a lot of pressure playing against them away from home, especially with the potential implications of a loss? How important was it for UP to win the match against Pukke?

Yes, I think it’s been five years since we last beat Pukke, so I think it was important for everyone going in to turn that [losing] streak around and prove that we are determined to bring the trophy back this year. I think the win was a good stepping stone heading into the semi-finals.

You have a home semi-final against the University of the Free State (UFS Shimlas), whom you convincingly beat earlier this season. Are you feeling confident about repeating the feat when you play them again on 3 April?

Yes, I think the boys are looking forward to the game. But the thing about Varsity Cup is that there’s never a sure win, and with Shimlas getting back a lot of their injured players, they will be stronger and more determined.

As the captain, how are you coping with the pressures of leading the team at this crucial stage of the tournament?

I can honestly say that over the years [with] all the teams I’ve captained, this is the easiest as all the “oaks” [rugby players] are determined and always willing to go the extra mile and put the team first. So my role is just making sure that everything runs as smoothly as it can and that the players will remain calm and that we play our game.

As a team, what was the lowest point of the season, and how did you manage to bounce back?

I would say the loss against UJ, which spoiled what we had hoped [for], to [have] an undefeated status heading into the semi-finals. I think even though the loss was hard, I feel it was a good wakeup call for us to keep us focused and to appreciate the fact that winning this competition will not be easy, but that it will be worth it.

UP has played in the last two Varsity Cup semi-finals and lost.

Having been in a similar position, what are you looking to do differently this year to ensure a home final?

I think going into the semi-finals this year we are looking a lot stronger than previous years. Our focus will be to play our game and execute our structure and game plan effectively.

A home semi-final usually sets the platform for a home final.

How do you rate your chances of winning the tournament?

Yes, a home semi-final is a great opportunity for the boys to play in front of our supporters, which always helps with that extra bit of motivation. As far as winning the tournament goes, at the beginning of the season, we promised ourselves that this is our year and that it is time for Tuks to bring it home again. That being said, we will be completely focused on the semi-final as that is, at this time, our most important task.

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Rikinette Steenkamp. Photo: Michael Ridge.

Tebogo Mamatu. Photo: Stefan Stander.

Ruan Combrink. Photo: Deaan du Toit.

Constant Pretorius. Photo: Michael Ridge.

ANTHONY JORDAAN

coaching staff and training group, without whom he feels he would not have been able to achieve his personal best on the day.

On the track 100m hurdler, Rikenette Steenkamp, and 100m women’s sprinter, Tebogo Mamatu, ran Varsity Athletics records.

Talks had centred on Steenkamp in the proceedings of the day’s events, who, as of 25 March, is the second fastest South African female hurdler of all time. On 31 March she broke her own Varsity Athletics record with a time of 13.21 seconds beating her previous record of 13.24s. Steenkamp was awarded the honour of Victrix Ludorum, bestowed on the overall woman champion of the competition, during the prize-giving celebrations. Her string of wins comes after a two year absence,

recovering from a recurring foot problem.

Steenkamp, speaking to Perdeby, said that although she was happy and grateful for her win, she would have liked to have run faster and that her main goal for the season is “to be consistent in running good races”.

Tebogo Mamatu, who ran a record shattering time of 11.48 seconds, broke the Varsity Athletics record set at 11.71 seconds by Melissa Hewitt from North-West University.

Mamatu said that although she is happy with her result and that she enjoyed competing, she too would have liked to have run faster.

Sprint sensation Gift Leotlela equalled his own SA Junior record at 10.12 seconds. Leotlela was awarded the honour of Victor Ludorum.

In the men’s 400m final, 23-year-old Constant Pretorius ran a winning time of 50.81 seconds.

His nearest competitor, Kefilwe Mogawane from the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) ran a time of 51.18 seconds. Pretorius told Perdeby that all though he had a bad start due to his block slipping, he had a strong finish. He also said that he is happy with his result and that he is having a very good season: “Two weeks ago I ran my personal best by half a second, so that’s 49.5…I’m currently…ranked number eight in the world”.

In the past two months South African athletics has confirmed its authority as possibly the best performing sporting code in the country, with athletes from the University of Pretoria among those leading the way.

Athletics meeting in Sasolburg last week.

Stellenbosch (Maties) student Justine Palframan also broke her own Varsity Athletics record by running 23.39 seconds in the women’s 200m. Tsoane Sebele and Tamzin Thomas, along with the winner, UP’s Tebogo Mamatu, all broke the Varsity Athletics record in the women’s 100 meter. In the women’s high jump, Pukke’s Julia du Plessis broke the Varsity Athletics record with 1.80 metres while Tshwane University of Technology student Erikah Seyama equalled the record at 1.75 metres. Other notable performances from other athletes came in the women’s 1 500m race in which Kesa Molotsane from the University of the Free State (Kovsie) won in a time of 4:29.65 minutes.

On the men’s side, UJ’s Tshepo Lefete broke the men’s 110 metre hurdles while running an impressive 13.92 seconds. Kovsies’s Hendrik Maartens, along with TuksSport High School athlete Clarence Munya, broke the 200 metre at 20.62 seconds.

One of the surprises of the night came from the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in the men’s high jump event, as they managed to secure first and second position. First place Garth Ellis, set a new Varsity Athletics record with an impressive jump of 2.12m, and beat his teammate Blaze Thompson by 0.22 metres.

The men’s sprint relays were highly anticipated on the night and UP was expected to win the race as they normally do. However, the UJ sprinters came to silence the home team and spectators by winning the hotly contested race in a time of 46.17 seconds.

Overall, UP was expected to dominate the event with their home advantage, but other university athletes showed up and gave the home team a run for their money, with some memorable performances from individual participants in the respective events.

Leotlela wins again

UP Athletes conquer Varsity Athletics On 31 March, athletes and spectators descended upon the University of Pretoria’s Athletic Stadium for the final meeting of the Varsity Athletics tournament.

Among the many stand-out performances on the day, there were a few athletes in particular whose results may have piqued the interest of even the harshest critics.

In the field events, men’s discus athlete, Patrick Duvenhage, won with a distance of 55.27 metres and shot-putter, Ruan Combrink, threw a personal best with a distance of 17.73 metres, beating his nearest competitor from UCT who had a distance of 16.76 metres.

Combrink was full of praise for both his

Letitia Janse van Vuuren. Photo: Michael Ridge.

SA’s best at Varsity Athletics CASTRO SENOKO UP won Varsity Athletics, although other universities gave them stern competition, which included impressive performances from individual athletes.

One of the most impressive performances of the night came from Letitia Janse van Vuuren in the women’s hammer throw final. Janse van Vuuren, from North-West University (Pukke) notched up an impressive distance of 62.37 metres to break her own Varsity Athletics record. She destroyed her nearest competition, UP’s Chene Coetzee by more than 10 metres – an astonishing feat in a field that was set to be one of the most competitive on the day. Janse van Vuuren came into the meeting in serious form after breaking the South African women’s hammer throw record with an impressive 63.82 metres at the Sasol-NWU International Senior

KWAZI SOKHELA AND THORISO PHASHA UP teenage sprint sensation, Gift Leotlela, exemplified his sprinting credentials in the men’s 100m final on 31 March in the final of the Varsity Athletics series. Spectators were disappointed when they found out that Leotlela’s fellow UP training partner, Thando Roto, had to withdraw from the race as a precaution due to a niggle he sustained in training.

Leotlela went into the men’s 100m final undoubtedly as the favourite, and he did not disappoint as he ran a record equalling time.

Eighteen-year-old Leotlela ran a swift 10.12 seconds, which equalled his South African Junior record to solidify himself as the finest junior sprinter in the country. Thando Roto might’ve had something to say about that, but on the night, Leotlela was by far the best sprinter on the track.

Speaking to Perdeby, Leotlela said that he was happy: “I’m consistent; I’m running consistently good times, so it means I’m heading somewhere”. He added that he was just hoping for good conditions during the race and to set another personal best. The young athlete has had a range of recent successes. On 8 March during the 2nd leg of the Athletics South Africa (ASA) Speed Series in Bloemfontein, he shocked pundits by defeating the 400m gold medallist at Rio Olympics, Wayde van Niekerk, in the men’s 100m, stopping the clock with

Gift Leotlela. Photo: Stefan Stander.

a time of 10.00 seconds. The times that were registered were recorded using hand timing methods due to a technical fault with the official electronic timing system. As a result, there are no official electron times.

Leotlela joined the likes of Akani Simbine and Clarence Munyai in breaking records this year when he bettered Akani Simbine’s previous national junior record of 10.19 seconds in the 100m with a 10.12s at the Athletics Gauteng North (AGN) championships, which were hosted at the Tuks Stadium on 17 and 18 March.

Leotlela was clearly in a league of his own as he ran to the finish line, beating his nearest opponent, Obakeng Maoka (UJ) by more than four tenths of a second to scoop the gold medal.

After the race, Leotlela said, “I was happy with all the phases of my race except the final 10 metres. My season so far has been really good and I’m looking forward to the SA Junior Championships in Cape Town to defend my title”. The SA Youth and Junior Championships will be taking place on 7 and 8 April.

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