3 August 2020 Issue 10 Year 82

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PDBY

3 August 2020

Year 82 | Issue 10

yourcampusnews.

Illustration: Marchall Potgieter

Qualifications and courier fees: the full picture

COVID-19 vaccine: how long will it take?

Honouring Mary Twala

2 | From the Editor

3 August 2020

Answer your students, UP I t has only been a week but there has been some significant developments since the last edition of PDBY. The announcement by the university that graduates would need to pay for their qualifications to be couriered to them came as a surprise – bearing in mind we were offered free couriering of our degrees back in March. The added confusion of vague replies or automated emails from the university exasperates our frustration and, at least personally, makes me feel unheard. No one asked for a pandemic and it isn’t anyone’s fault; but UP is undoubtedly in a better position than students to cope financially and continue its operations. Students are struggling to keep up and many cannot access the resources UP is providing to ease the troubles of online learning. And yet, despite that and other difficulties, this established and powerful institution has forced its students to pay for

their own qualifications. Without a safe – or any! – option to collect our degrees, the university is forcing graduates to essentially buy something we are entitled to. As a recent graduate and post-graduate student, I am currently applying to scholarships and further post-graduate programs – of which all the applications require your degree certificate and academic transcript – and in a financially difficult period I am expected to pay more than R200 to obtain my own qualification. Which was promised to me for free by the university. PDBY has been, and is, the body that serves to hold the university accountable and so we have asked for an explanation. You can read the answers we received on page 5. Personally, I am disappointed. No real answers are given and I am not impressed by the attempts to dodge accountability with incorrect math and ignored receipts. UP,

you are in the position of power, and you owe your students answers. Unexpected financial costs? That doesn’t completely add up to me, when you are still requiring every student to pay 100% of their fees. The least we are owed is the truth, provided in a straight forward way. UP also owes its international students more. If I find it difficult to study from home in Gauteng, I can only imagine how difficult it is to maintain your academic career from another country altogether. What has UP done to assist international students? How is the university ensuring that no student is left behind, including international students? Everyone understands that we need to make sacrifices during the pandemic, and concede to a difficult learning experience. But there has to be a line where UP steps in and does their part to assist students. Too many students are being directly disadvantaged by the university’s less than adequate accountability for their lack of action. Not only are we being made to pay for our certificates, and students are being overlooked without certain resources, but the university also fails to provide enough information. I know the university is unsure – who isn’t right now? – but complete silence isn’t reassuring. UP needs to be more transparent and open, and tell us, the students, what is happening. Where are the action plans? Where are the proposed teaching plans? Why are these deliberations and decisions not widely shared to all students? We deserve to know what the university’s plans are and how the different plans of action they are considering would affect us. Classes start today and a lot of students have no idea what they face in the new semester. It’s time to be accountable UP, and answer to your students.

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Kayla Thomas

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3 August 2020

Editorial

his semester has been a challenging one, which has demanded new approaches to teaching and studying. The necessary move to online learning has been trying for staff and students alike, and has left many students feeling unheard or overlooked.This is the case in Bankrupt and Bothered’s letter, and for many more students as expressed on social media and Tuks meme pages.

How do you feel about the university’s approach to online learning an the implementation of virtual classes? Have you been positively or negatively impacted by the changes to the university experience? Write a letter to the Editor and let your voice be heard. (See letter policy on page 2). In News24 Professor Themba Mosia gave his opinion on the state of the university as it continues with online learning, and implements long term social distancing measures. He explored the varied experiences of students from different backgrounds and living conditions, and discusses the university’s response to problems faced by many students.

Opinion Piece: Professor Themba Mosia

From the Editor | 3

Letter to the Editor

Dear PDBY Editor,

Over the past few days I have had no power, which as I'm sure many students have experienced, affects the service provided to my area. Even with data free ClickUP, I am unable to access basic services. And luckily I have finished my exams, but with so much to do, I continue to wonder how students who experienced it frequently throughout the semester must have felt, and how this impacted their studies. During exams I received many notices stating that your laptop needs to stay charged and that you will have enough time if ClickUP crashes. But what I failed to see was help given to those who could not access ClickUP in the first place, could not contact IT services, and subsequently were placed at a huge disadvantage. I understand that times are tough, but when aren't they? I'm tired of the lack of

accountability of institutions like UP. Yes, we know how many laptops you have handed out and how many gigs of data. But how many laptops did you not hand out, how many students do not have access to textbooks and are told to just buy them, how much money are you paying our lecturers to upload these mediocre slides? I would like to know what UP plans on doing to ensure that the large amount of money being funneled into their pockets is put to good use, to make sure the population of students who are affected by issues like lack of electricity and lack of funds, are taken care of. And most importantly how they plan to make sure that the shocking quality of lectures does not continue into the second semester. Because at the end of the day what are we paying for? Sincerely Bankrupt and Bothered

Universities will overcome the COVID-19 pandemic challenge

tudent academic success is underpinned by a range of comprehensive, holistic student support interventions that address their individual needs, leverage their strengths and focus on professional development and personal growth. When Lara Thom, a fourth-year law student at the University of Pretoria (UP), heard about lockdown and the need to vacate residences and other campus facilities, her first thought was about the logistical nightmare, at short notice, of ensuring the movement of students was without major hurdles. As primarius of House Nala and one of two chairs responsible for residential life on the student representative council (SRC), she had to help ensure everyone got back home speedily and safely. She, together with the sub-council, had intense discussions with the residences' management, house parents, students and UP's executive management team. Four months later, the worst part of being off-campus is trying to find answers to students' questions, especially when she cannot knock on someone's door for help. And while she is cocooned in the comfort of her family home in Johannesburg, she is deeply concerned about the well-being of other students in home environments not conducive to effective learning, mostly as a result of a lack of internet connectivity. Rising cases She has not been worried about contracting Covid-19, although she is aware of the possible greater risk to her asthmatic brother and her grandparents. However, she has been worried about the rising number of cases and the fact that students are not immune to this virulent virus. The health and safety of the students she represents are of paramount importance to her and other student leaders. For this reason, the residences subcouncil started a fundraising campaign to support needy residence students during lockdown. Similarly, while her SRC president, International Relations Honours student David Kabwa, is driving around with a tub of sanitiser at the back of his car, tries to avoid crowded spaces and doesn't go out unless he has to, he too is not afraid of the virus. His main concern is also the plight of vulnerable students, such as the one who ran 8km from a rural community to a site closer to network connectivity in order to use her cellphone to speak to him; and

another whose entire family was anxious about the delay in his National Student Financial Aid Scheme meal allowance. Thom and Kabwa's concerns, as with all other student leaders, relate directly to those responsibilities, even seemingly taking preference over their commitments as students with academic responsibilities. Yet their lack of paranoia about the pandemic ties in with what our Student Counselling Unit reports – "no student has expressed anxiety around the virus, which seems to be something surreal to them". It's not as if students are not anxious. In fact, for the first time, our statistics show that more students are seeking counselling for anxiety than for depression. But the coronavirus itself is not the predominant reason. It's the impact of how the resulting lockdown has disrupted the normality and structure of their university life. Uncertainty is their main preoccupation. They want to know: When can I come back to campus and continue with my studies? For first-years, it is as if they visited the campus for two months, and were then whisked away, robbing them of our much-acclaimed firstyear experience at UP. Thirty percent more UP students are now using our counselling services. This is not only because of increased anxiety. Counselling is now virtual, and many say they were reluctant to go in person before. Now it is a faceless interaction; they can switch off the video option. In addition, there are online peer support groups where students with similar problems meet under the guidance of a trained counsellor from the university's longstanding counselling partner, the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG). Some students have also formed WhatsApp groups to share struggles and tips. While this anxiety might have a residual impact, lockdown is not going to be forever. Universities, by their very nature, are resilient institutions. They have been around since AlQarawiyyin, the oldest and still functioning university founded in Fez, Morocco in 859 AD, and later the University of Bologna in Italy in 1088. Universities are known to adapt to changing circumstances, and their resilience over time will overcome the current disruption. A report by a London-based organisation, Advance Higher Education, based on a series of international workshops in May 2020, states how university leaders "need to be mindful that students choose university for the social and community experience as much as they do for the learning experience, and these too will be impacted if social distancing is in place". Student life isn't only about academics, but

is about the holistic student experience. So it's also about sport, culture, politics, leadership, residential life, entrepreneurship, leisure and other student social activities as evidenced by the 119 registered societies at UP. Advance HE's report points out "the value of serendipity", those "all-important chances for chance encounters", which allow students to interact and find friendship groups – the moments that make university memorable. None of this is happening as they should, but I have faith they will resume once we find a vaccine. It's a matter of time, but it will happen. Until then, imaginative responses, coupled with technological interventions, will ensure societies – whether cultural, religious, social, academic or political – can continue to meet. We call on the chairpersons of these groups to keep the spirit of these clubs alive with regular online yet interactive activities; now more than ever students need the camaraderie and meaningful engagement they offer. Sport is a bit more problematic. While team matches without spectators might become the norm, and other sportspeople can possibly maintain their general fitness while away from campus, lack of access to facilities, and no competition, will undoubtedly and regrettably lead to a decline in form. Small number of students allowed back Currently in South Africa, 33% of students are allowed back on campus. When we reach Alert Level 2 of lockdown, that number will double. While some miss residence life, which they find nurturing, others declined their invitations to come back, citing reasons such as: They will return to campus during the second semester; there were too few students in their respective residences; and the restrictions as a result of the protocols were too limiting. Some students returned to write examinations under conducive learning circumstances, save the frustrations about loadshedding that has recently kicked in. As with these and other challenges, we will continue to support students in need by providing them with internet-enabled devices, data, telephonic tutoring and delivering study material to them, where appropriate. Many of our students have enjoyed the flexibility of online teaching and said in a survey we conducted: "I enjoy the online sessions, it makes me feel like we're all in this together, and it is so much like class! Quite funny, the same people asking questions – as always." "I can go back on the videos or slides if the lecturer said something important and actually write it down, where in class you can't always write everything down because they talk too fast." The reality, however, is that South Africa is a highly unequal society and the pandemic and

Pharmacy | Clinic | Health | Beauty

its lockdown have exacerbated these differences. Home life is not always conducive to studying because of lack of connectivity, turbulent relationships, and the difficulty of being a child at home again. The student comments are poignant: "The learning environment is a complete nightmare! I hate it here, there's always something to do (house chores) and siblings to take care of. They don't understand that I am still schooling thus have a lot on my plate already." "Since I come from a village in Limpopo, I often experience network problems, loadshedding, which affects my academics so badly." "Where it takes others only 10 minutes to watch a 10-minute video, it will take me twice as long because of buffering or connection loss." Lockdown means there is little uniformity of student life. This is occurring worldwide, but is more extreme in South Africa, given the triple challenges of inequality, poverty and unemployment. Many students go hungry, and although UP has interventions to mitigate this, such as our Student Nutrition and Academic Success Programme (SNAPP), the academic success of our students is at risk until we achieve zero-hunger at UP. Although somewhat complicated by the lockdown, our Zero-hunger and Healthy Eating campaigns are progressing well. Kabwa believes we have a "dynamic student cohort", who will strive to loosen the shackles of mediocrity to achieve success. Perhaps he is right. Students are indeed agents of change, and we, the universities, can only chip off the rough edges on their road to success. But we must ensure we lay the path to enable generations of students to navigate this terrain reasonably easily. Higher education will continue to transform lives and give hope to underserved communities, not only in this continent, but all over the world. Student life on campuses will continue to be resilient and adaptable to the challenges brought about by this pandemic. - Professor Themba Mosia, is the VicePrincipal for Student Life at the University of Pretoria. He serves on the subcommittee of the Ministerial Task Team advising Minister Blade Nzimande on the return of students to campuses under the lockdown regulations.

*Originally published on 1 August 2020 on news24.com

woolfsons@gmail.com 012 342 4546

4 | News

3 August 2020

COVID-19 statistics across South African universities

Illustration: Giovanna Janos

Manelisi Magoro

ertiary institutions across South Africa shared their COVID-19 related statistics and figures with Universities South Africa (USAF). “Twenty staff members and two students from across the country have died from the coronavirus” reported the Mail and Guardian in an article published on 23 July. Below are COVID-19 statistics across South African Universities.

Institution

Positive cases

University of Pretoria University of Cape Town

124 92 (71 staff, 21 students) 100 (67 staff, 18 students, 15 unknown) 84 (61 staff, 23 students) 3 (staff) unknown 69 (58 staff, 11 students) 13 (9 staff, 4 students) 5 (2 staff, 3 students)

University of Johannesburg University of Witwatersrand University of Limpopo University of Western Cape Nelson Mandela University University of Free State Central University of Technology (figures for Bloemfontein and Welkom campuses combined) University of North West University of KwaZulu-Natal Sol Plaatje University University of Venda Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University

20 47 (31 staff, 16 students) 5 (1 staff, 4 students) 3 (staff) 10 (8 staff, 2 students)

*Some figures have been updated in this table since the publishing of the Mail and Guardian article.

Infographic: Leah Rees Source: Mail and Guardian and USAF.

UP’s Current COVID-19 Count

he University of Pretoria (UP) reported its first and second cases of COVID-19 in March. The first being a faculty member at the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) campus and the second; a staff member from the Veterinary Sciences Faculty at Onderstepoort campus. To date, UP has 124 recorded cases of COVID-19; 47 occupationally acquired cases and 77 non-occupationally acquired cases – both of these statistics including students and staff members. The COVID-19 figures for UP is updated every second Monday and is available on the UP website under coronavirus updates. Steps are taken to trace those who have been in contact with any of the infected students or staff members. The situation is monitored constantly, and the university is working with appropriate health authorities in this regard.

Campus

Number of COVID-19 cases

Hatfield Prinshof Hillcrest Onderstepoort Groenkloof Mamelodi

47 41 21 7 4 0

30 JULY

Infographic: Leah Rees Source: University of Pretoria’s coronavirus updates

3 August 2020

News | 5

Your Qualifications and Courier Fee 18 MARCH

The University of Pretoria (UP) sends out a notice informing all graduates of the cancellation of autumn graduations, mentioning that all qualifications will be awarded in absentia. This comes in light of President Cyril Ramaphosa's statement on 15 March that prohibits gatherings of more than 100 people. The notice assures students that access to qualifications will be communicated during May and April, going on to stipulate that "the graduation office will courier your qualification to you at no cost at least 7 working days after the graduation date

stipulated in your K02/KO3/K04/K05 letter" (own emphasis). PDBY received confirmation from graduates that the student portal allowed registration for the aforementioned service of free couriering of qualifications. A petition is created to counter the cancellation of graduations, imploring UP to consider postponing graduations as opposed to cancellations. Student Representative Council president, David Kabwa, confirms that a meeting was held to discuss the said matter. PDBY reported on this, in a 20 March article (Graduations at UP Cancelled).

The announcement acknowledges that "UP management has heard the concerns raised by students regarding the cancellation of graduation ceremonies". Furthermore, the notice confirms that "in order to ensure that those who would have graduated at the Autumn graduation ceremonies can receive

Vice Chancellor of UP, Professor Tawana Kupe, states in his congratulatory message to graduates, that once the virus has been defeated, "UP will hold celebratory ceremonies where graduates can walk across the stage in the presence of family and friends, take photographs, and go home for further celebrations."

the pricing difference (R300, as stated in the portal, to R203 as stated in the announcement issued on 27 July), indicated a reduction of 32.33% as opposed to almost Original Price on Portal: R300 Reduction: 47,78% 0,4778 * 300 = 143,34 Therefore, the final cost should be: R300 - R143,34 = R156,66 Current Rate: R203 at a discount of 32,33% Original Price on Portal: R300 Reduced Price: R203 97/300 * 100 = 32,33%

31 JULY

their certificates and academic records as soon as possible in order to proceed with their further studies and enjoyment of the rights and privileges associated with their qualification[s]". The statement goes on to confirm that the university will proceed with both an online ceremony and a physical graduation ceremony to be held at a later stage when it is safe to do so in conjunction with national lockdown regulations.

7 APRIL The start of virtual graduation ceremonies. A notice posted on the university website states "students will receive their printed certificates during the ceremonies set to take place later this year. More information on obtaining printed copies, for those who need them sooner, will be communicated as soon as the national lockdown has been limited."

PDBY receives a response from UP, stating that “[UP] apologises for the confusion that arose regarding the use of a courier service to deliver your qualification certificate. Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and related unforseen financial costs, the University is currently unable to courier certificates to each and every student. Please accept our sincere apologies for this. In the meantime, we have negotiated a reduction of almost 50% in courier fees. In addition, we will announce plans on how you can collect your certificate in person soon.” PDBY queried the almost 50% reduction claimed in the university’s statement, as

19 MARCH An update regarding graduation ceremonies is sent out to UP graduates, acknowledging that both a virtual and physical graduation will be held.

30 JULY

PDBY receives a response from Rikus Delport, the Director of Institutional Advancement at UP, that the reduction is “R97 = 47.78% which is almost 50%”. PDBY countered the statement with calculations that the current reduction of R97, equates to 32.33% as opposed to 50%. PDBY received a response from Delport stating “that wasn’t the original price”, promising confirmation from the graduation office that this the case.

As of date of publication of the article, PDBY has not received a response about what the alleged original price is that led to the aforementioned reduction of 47.78%. MA graduate Emma Paulet, who was to receive her degree during the graduation period, says “a brief search of the available courier options in South Africa shows that it should not cost this much to courier” the certificates, and that this decision “goes against UP’s initial promise”.

8 APRIL Prof. Kupe echoes the sentiment that graduates will not be delayed by lack of access to their qualifications, promising that graduates will receive their certificates and qualifications.

Similarly, in a virtual interview on eNCA, Prof. Kupe states, “[…] these [virtual graduations] are an important step in that, being conferred your degree is a formal legal thing that has to be done, so you might notice that some people often don’t In a virtual interview with the South African miss their graduations or do not go to their Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), Prof. graduations, they still get their degree Kupe states, “[…] do the formal legal conferred on them, then they can have their ceremony, so people can continue with their certificates and so on”. He further states lives, they have their certificates, which that “what we did yesterday so that our we’ll get to them, their degrees and so on graduates can continue with their lives, use formally conferred by the Vice Chancellor”. their certificates and the qualifications, was to actually in a sense do that formal part”.

27 JULY A notice is sent out to graduates requesting a submission of proof of payment to obtain a printed copy of their qualifications. The notice states that "the University is pleased to inform you that you are now able to request that your certificate, diploma or degree, as well as the official academic transcript and the official graduation programme be couriered to your preferred physical address at a reduced rate". Prices as per the different categories are stipulated in the notice. The reduced rate mentioned in the notice is only seen in the South Africa category of couriers, while the courier fee of the two other categories, namely, Africa and the rest of the world, remain unchanged. PDBY questioned the motivation behind the fee reduction pertaining only to the South Africa category and not the international categories, but did not receive a response regarding this.

PDBY’s request for comment and queries: PDBY undertook an exhaustive effort to direct its queries to the relevant parties, and received a response from Delport. In response to emails to the Graduation, PDBY and Paulet have received automated responses that Paulet says “did not even attempt to answer [questions]”. Concerns: The notice sent to graduates on 27 July, indicates that the mentioned courier fees will become applicable from 1 August. The notice further indicates that proof of payment of the said fee needs to be emailed to graduation@up.ac.za . Upon emailing the proof of payment, graduates receive an automated response (the same one that PDBY received when attempting to reach out to the graduation centre), that states “the Graduation office requires at least 10-15 working days after receiving your proof of payment to process and courier your certificate to your preferred physical address”. Paulet shares the sentiment of many graduates that not all students have the “luxury or security of being able to wait” for their degrees, or for the university to permit collections. The university’s lack of “transparent” communication has also been problematic to graduates.

PDBY

Compiled by: Susanna Anbu

6 | News

3 August 2020

UP International Students Petition for Lockdown Aid Nokwanda Kubheka

he SRC Postgraduate and International Students Affairs office with University of Pretoria International (UPI) Student Society have raised concerns with the university. They argue that international students, some of whom are paying higher fees than local students, have not received aid from UP during the national lockdown. The petition requests that they be exempted from paying residence fees since they are not using the facilities, a fee adjustment of 20% to 25%, and no fee increment for international students for the 2021 to 2022 financial calendar. They also request that UP forms a solidarity fund aimed at assisting international students with tuition credit, that UP designs a program that will assist international students who failed

their 2020 academic year due to online learning, that UP allows owing students to reregister for the 2021 academic year, and for all international students to be able to access their academic transcripts and be able to peruse them despite not being up to date with tuition fee payments. Chairperson of UPI, Elma Akob, highlighted that UP can not assist students with data like they did with students in South Africa, even though data charges in countries like Zimbabwe and Eswatini can be up to five times more than in South Africa, which is a significant financial burden on international students. Akob mentions that their aim is not to take away from the challenges that local students are facing, but to speak up for international students who need assistance from UP. International students have been informed that they have to pay R470 (Africa) or R580 (rest of the world) to get

graduation certificates couriered to them during this lockdown period. On 23 July, the SRC released a memorandum stating that they have no control in letting international students back into the country and their residences. Under the current national state of disaster, in which the government has enforced border closures, international students who returned to their home countries during the lockdown will be permitted to return to campus only when level one of the national lockdown is announced. According to the memorandum,

these international students will be supported through remote learning until they return. UP will also implement tailored catchup plans on their return. The petition currently has over 380 signatures, with a goal of 1000. The organisers of the petition implore UP to be sensitive to the fact that students could not plan for this pandemic and ask that they be willing to apply change in their policies to ease the financial strain on international students and hope to receive assistance like NSFAS students.

The residence experience during lockdown Jameo Calvert and Pride Mathebula

n 23 May, the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Dr Blade Nzimande, announced that universities would open in phases from 1 June, allowing the return of 33% of students, including final year students, postgraduate students (who require laboratory work to complete their degrees) and students with online learning challenges to be prioritised. The University of Pretoria has allowed some students back into its residences, making it easier for students to undertake online learning. In online learning, students encountered challenges due to network problems and inability to access online resources. Students reported that studying at home is more challenging because students must balance their schoolwork with chores at home. Some anonymous students expressed that they are unable to keep up with the work, which led to them being left behind. Some added that at home, there is no privacy for studying with little encouragement to study as students find themselves preoccupied with other activities. To combat such predicaments, UP has opened its residences for students under the aforementioned categories to access facilities. Theresho Seloma, a first year Bachelor of Education student, and residence occupant at House Tirisano, told PDBY that being back at the residence is good for him and, “it is exactly what I needed as the environment is a lot more conducive to studying and I have adjusted quite well to the new normal”. Seloma added that there are a lot of ‘new rules’, including no visitors, and a curfew to stay indoors from 8pm to 6am. “Being back at res brought me peace and I am able to study as I could not study back at home and being back at res is what enabled me to pass all my modules for the first semester” said Lebogang Mokgakala, a first year education student and residence occupant at House Zinnia. According to Mokgakala “there is not much freedom like before, we can no longer go where we want to. Now it is all about going to the dining hall to fetch food.” She further explained to PDBY that “things have taken a

different curve, I did not expect my first year, at university to turn out like this”. She explains that she was expecting to have fun and to gain life lessons around varsity, “instead I am now learning how to protect myself against [the] pandemic”. Mokgakala also explained that “new rules have been introduced to us and I believe that these rules are there to protect us; I am of the opinion that if we were not faced [with] this horrific pandemic, the university would not have put all these annoying rules in place.” She added that she is “now used to the new rules as they have now become part of our everyday life at res”. Mokgakala also told PDBY that she was amongst many residence students on the Groenkloof Campus that received grocery assistance during the lockdown period from the office of Dr. Rakgadi Phatlane, Faculty Manager: Faculty of Education. “It takes a village to raise a child and I am grateful to Dr. Phatlane for providing us with the much-needed assistance as I really had no toiletries and the groceries and food she gave us, helped a lot.” Louis Sethunya, a member of the House Tirirsano House Committee told PDBY that “being back at res brought back hope for academics and well-being, because I was starting to become overwhelmed by the pandemic back at home as there was little chances of doing assignments, but since we are back at res there is hope again”. According to Sethunya, being back at the residence means that he now has unlimited access to the internet and therefore is able to do his assignments and tests without any disruptions and delays. In explaining how he welcomes the new rules, he added that as a House Committee member, they sometimes find it difficult to execute their duties because they have to manage other floors where there are no House Committee members. He further added that the activities that we can not finish in our term, we feel like we we’re not given enough to complete the things we wanted to do, we are confident that we could do more”. Sethunya added that he personally feels like he can until next year to finish what he started continue at his residence.

Illustration: Giovanna Janos

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3 August 2020

Features | 7

How Long a COVID-19 Vaccine Could Take, and Why Stephanie Cookson

t the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was widely circulated that in 12 to 18 months, a vaccine might be available. It became general consensus that the public needed to push to the foreseeable future and that the vaccine would put an end to the pandemic. However, experts have pointed out that this process will likely take much longer, increasing the importance of safety measures like masks and social distancing, as they may be the best defence for many months to come. PDBY spoke to Professor Jan Verschoor from UP’s Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, to find out why a vaccine may only be available at the end of 2021. “Vaccination is a solution that allows faster herd immunity and less catastrophe of pandemics”, he explained. Herd immunity is achieved when “people will literally, by natural immunity, no longer tolerate this wild juggernaut of disease. This is how all pandemics go, with various magnitudes of catastrophe in their wake,” Prof. Verschoor said. Without a vaccine, COVID-19 “will continue to increase its infectivity, decrease its fatality, and eventually disappear” as herd immunity emerges, he said. Prof. Verschoor also explained that, while COVID-19 had a 21% fatality rate across the globe in January, by June this had decreased to 6.6%. This is according to the ratio of deaths to recoveries. In South Africa, this fatality rate dropped from 4% to 2.5% over this period. “Not bad for one semester: the virus learned to infect people more cleverly by not killing them so fast”, added Prof. Verschoor. In the metaphor of the virus as a student, he explained that lockdown or quarantine is similar to admission and entrance requirements that keeps new viruses, “out of established sophisticated laboratories”, in this case, the economy. “But liberal society demands more to learn faster, despite the risks, rather than risking extreme lockdown that forbids living for fear of dying”, he said. Currently, there are many vaccines for COVID-19 being developed around the world, and South Africa, alongside Brazil and the UK, human trials of a frontrunner vaccine called AZD1222, began in partnership with Oxford University. “There are three different international forerunner COVID-19 vaccines, among the already 159 attempts towards this goal, allowing for an eventual worldwide multi-pronged implementation of COVID-19 vaccination”, said Prof. Verschoor. “The forerunner COVID-19 vaccines”, he said, are made from the “genetic code of the crucial COVID vaccine spike protein, packaged into a naturally infecting, but non-replicating harmless virus vector”, he explained, this vector being “the disarmed common cold virus”. When a person is injected with this, the virus vector (in this case, disarmed common

cold) “infects the body tissues where the COVID code is translated into protein and presented to your immune system for a short while to induce both cellular and antibody immune protection against COVID-19”, according to Prof. Verschoor. As of 20 July, the AZD1222 vaccine was administered to healthy hospital and university staff in the United Kingdom and South Africa and proved to be safe for them. “It generated the required protective antibodies and immune cells that are observed in patients who successfully recovered from COVID-19”, he said. However, the process of making a widely available vaccine is a long one, and Prof. Verschoor explained why it will take some time for this to happen. “New vaccines are not without risk”, he said, citing an anti-AIDS clinical trial of a vaccine in SA “where the vaccinated experimental group became more susceptible to HIV infection than the control vaccinated group”. Testing should therefore be rigorous. The latest three COVID-19 vaccines “are now in phase three of clinical trials where the efficiency and sideeffects of the vaccines are tested in thousands of individuals of all genders, races, and age groups, but excluding people who are known to be vulnerable, such as pregnant women, young children, the elderly, and people with compromised health conditions”, said Prof. Verschoor. The outcome of these trials is expected in December, by which time supporting pharmaceutical companies “will have manufactured millions of vaccine doses ready to initiate the protection programme, but for selected populations first”, he said. This is because healthcare workers on the frontline will be the first to benefit from the vaccination programme, according to Prof. Verschoor. Vulnerable people will not be the first, because “the safety and efficacy of the vaccine needs first to be clinically trialled in vulnerable populations once proven safe and efficient in non-vulnerable populations”, he explained. Although, this means that “people who are most likely to die from COVID-19 will actually be the last to benefit directly from vaccination”. They will benefit indirectly “by the lower risk of contracting infection from vaccinated caretakers and healthcare workers”, said Prof. Verschoor. In the meantime, economically active people will be vaccinated, which “includes students and staff at our institutions of learning”, he added. Taking into account that the challenges involved in achieving herd immunity are accelerated by a safe, tested vaccine, “the anticipated earliest time for complete release of all COVID-19 related constraints is by the end of 2021”, suggested Prof. Verschoor. Until then, lockdown regulations “aim at managing the well-known three D’s for avoiding airborne viral disease: Dose, Dispersion, and Distance”, he said. According to Prof. Verschoor, the three D’s work in the following way: “even young healthy

Illustration: Sanele Zulu

The Long Walk to Immunity:

students can die from COVID-19 if they inhale a large dose of virus. How does this happen? By not keeping a healthy distance from a potentially infected person, thereby inhaling large and many droplets from that person’s unmasked cough, sneeze, laughter or loud talk. Lastly, one should allow maximum dispersion of exhaled air by ventilation”, he explained, by avoiding cramped spaces. “Please add a fourth D (diligence) to your general approach to student life during COVID lockdown. It will keep you going once the pandemic is over,” added Prof. Verschoor. As for treating patients with the virus, there is uncertainty around treatments being used around the world. Blood plasma therapy, for example, involves giving an infected person the blood plasma (liquid part of blood that holds blood cells) of someone who recovered from the virus. The idea is that when a person survives a virus, their immune system has developed antibodies to fight it, and these antibodies can be shared with other people to help their immune systems fight the same virus. However, there is no clear evidence to suggest that surviving COVID-19 makes one immune to it, as it has not been determined whether or not the virus can re-infect people. For example, in China, between 5% and 10% of people who recovered from COVID-19 tested positive after recovery, but the meaning of this statistic is also unclear, as the virus may be dormant and re-activated. As for antiviral treatment, the evidence is mixed, and research for an antiviral medication to fight COVID-19 is underway. Antiviral treatment prevents a virus from replicating, or infecting more cells in the body, rather than killing the virus. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, it can shorten the duration of illness, and lessen complications. However, research hasn’t conclusively pointed to any medications that are of particular help with COVID-19. There has also been news of the vaccine for tuberculosis, the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, having a positive effect on infection and survival rates. The evidence for this is also uncertain. The World Health Organisation maintains that there is (as of yet) no evidence to suggest BCG’s effectiveness for COVID-19, and Cape Town’s Tygerberg Hospital began a 500-person trial to test it in May. While conclusions have not been released, those involved in the study warned South Africans not to seek out the BCG vaccine yet. Overall, the wait for a vaccine to end the pandemic, which has thrown the whole world a curveball, is further away than initially thought. Many months are still needed to study the virus, treatments, and vaccines before modern medical technology will bring this difficult chapter in human history to a close. In the meantime, relying on Prof. Verschoor’s suggestion of three D’s, plus diligence, is the most effective way to wait out what will probably be a long journey to herd immunity.

The Four Rs for an Eco-Friendly University Student Marren McKay

s a university student, the prospect of being eco-friendly can often feel overwhelming as well as expensive. It is, understandably, difficult to try and be both sustainable and stick to a budget. However, it is important to note that every small change a person makes can benefit the environment, and it is not necessary to change one’s whole lifestyle overnight. The journey to living plastic-free and eco-friendly is taken in small steps. Professor Peter le Roux, an Ecology and Biodiversity Professor at the Department of Plant and Soil Science, who focuses on community ecology, with particular attention to interspecific interactions and the impacts of global environmental change, offered suggestions to students and suggests focusing on the four Rs. By trying the following tips, even if only incrementally, any student can start living an eco-friendly lifestyle. Reduce: Plastic, Food, and Water. Reducing plastic waste can seem challenging, especially when it comes to shopping. However, every supermarket has a way to lessen plastic consumption. Fresh produce sections contain weighable fruit and veg options that are not covered in plastic. When going to weigh the produce, simply ask for no plastic bag. This not only lessens plastic used but also reduces food waste, as a person can pick how many pieces of fruit or veg that they want – instead of buying a whole box and letting some of it perish. “Lynnwood Housewife Market”, for example, has a wide variety of fruit and veg, with most having no plastic packaging. There is also the option to weigh-in without a plastic bag. The most important aspect of reducing plastic consumption and food waste is taking responsibility and putting in a bit more effort. Instead of purchasing pre-cut and peeled vegetables, pick out a few from the fresh produce section – which will also help products stay fresher for longer as they are not cut. Another way to reduce waste, if space is available, is to compost garden and food waste, as Prof. le Roux states that composting “reduces the amount of waste entering our landfills (and reduces methane emissions from landfills) and the resulting compost is a useful product (and an excellent alternative to artificial fertilizers)”. This is important

as nitrogen and phosphate-based synthetic fertilizers leach into groundwater and increase its toxicity, causing water-pollution. Another way to eliminate the amount of plastic-covered products bought is to grow the produce yourself. Herbs are the easiest, with mint, rocket, parsley, and oregano being the easiest to plant indoors - and are relatively low maintenance. Herbs are ideal for university students as they can be placed in a windowsill that gets full sun, and the soil kept moist (dependent on the needs of different plants). Prof. le Roux suggest that, if there is a garden that a person can plant in, the best way to help the environment and maintain the local ecosystem is by “growing non-invasive plants, for example instead of lawn, that will support pollinator species” and reduce air pollution. A list of the best indigenous, water-friendly plants to plant in South Africa can be found here: https://www. groundedlandscaping.co.za/top-14-water-wise-plants-garden/ Reuse: In South Africa, the majority of litter on beaches is plastic (94%) with 77% of that being single-use plastic, that cannot be recycled. This creates the problem of plastic filling up in dumping sites, either being burned or buried. Single-use plastic stays on our planet forever and eliminating the use thereof can greatly benefit the environment. As students, the first step that can be taken is to use tupperware for home-made food, instead of buying something on campus that comes wrapped in plastic. Metal straws are also the best alternative for plastic straws, as they can be washed and stored in a bag. As some students’ parents buy their food in bulk at the start of the month, the question of freezing food arises. Instead of using singleuse freezer bags, buy reusable food wraps that will last far longer. Greenlight, a South African online store that promotes sustainable products, sells unbleached, chemical-free bee’s wax wraps that can be used not only in the kitchen, but also as firelighters or placemats. Recycle: For students, recycling at a large scale can be difficult – especially when kitchens are small and having different bins is not viable. The easiest place to start is by separating paper from other waste – having a paper bin near a person’s workspace will be ideal. Mpact Recycling has paper drop-off zones all over Pretoria, the

closest to the university being by Laerskool Pretoria Oos - just across the main gate. If further recycling can be done, such as separating glass and tin, Sasol Hatfield has recycling bins that the public can go drop their recycling off at. However, if travelling is not a possibility, glass and tin can be recycled and reused at home. Glass jars can be repurposed in many ways, including used as a vase, organiser or to store certain food items. Tins can make for good planters, just as long as a few holes are poked in the bottom for drainage. Refuse: The New R In today’s climate, refusing to use plastic is one of the first steps a person can take to change the use of single-use plastic. Prof. le Roux states that refusing is an important and much needed edition to the list of Rs. Refusing a plastic bag at checkers, a plastic straw at McDonalds, or extra packaging are some of the ways Prof. le Roux suggests minimising our general waste. While most popular restaurants and fast-food chains in South Africa have begun offering paper straws and sustainable packaging, such as Wimpy and KFC, McDonalds has not. By refusing to use single-use plastics, companies may come to the realisation that alternatives are needed. Uber Eats South Africa has implemented a default “no utensils and single-use items”, with the option to request them if they are needed. Unfortunately, some companies still include plastic utensils and sauce wrappers, however, a delivery note can be added to make sure they are not included. Another simple way to refuse plastic is to order a takeaway cappuccino without the plastic lid or simply ask for it to be put in a reusable travel mug. Prof. le Roux further suggests that “any measures that lower our electricity consumption, for example, opening and closing windows and curtains at the right time of the day to reduce our reliance on heating and cooling, or make our transportation more efficient, like carpooling, make both environmental and financial sense”. As students, every small step towards being sustainable and environmentally friendly counts in the battle against pollution and climate change. These tips are only a starting point into a wholly plastic- and waste-free lifestyle. On a corporate level, however, raising awareness and signing petitions are the best ways to get companies to offer sustainable alternatives.

8 | Entertainment

3 August 2020

Awarding anime voice talent - from subs to dubs Vasalya Moodley

n recent years, Japanese styled animation, titled anime has gained widespread popularity and amassed a passionate following. Voice actors play a crucial role in the world of anime and their talent does not go unnoticed. There are many awards that acknowledge these actors, from the Japanese seiyu to the English voice actor. The annual Seiyu Awards in Japan recognise memorable voice acting of the year. They have been running for 14 years and are Japan’s highest honour in the field of voice acting. This year’s ceremony was unfortunately cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and so the winners were announced on the radio. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba won Best Actor, Best Actress, and the Synergy award for Best Cast. Voice actors have also been acknowledged periodically by The Tokyo Anime Awards Festival - a Japanese festival that locates and develops fresh talent across all aspects of anime production. It has also periodically awarded voice actors, such as Romi Park, who won best actor for voicing Edward Elric in Fullmetal Alchemist. This festival primarily awards the visual aspects of animation.

In 2007, the American Anime Awards were inaugorated. These recognised the work of North American actors who voiced the English counterparts of classic Japanese works. This year Fullmetal Alchemist took home awards for Best Actor, Best Cast, and Best Anime Long Series. Mary Elizabeth McGlynn was awarded the Best Actress award for her performance as Major Motoko Kusanagi in Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG. PDBY spoke to the Tuks Anime and Gaming Society. Devoted anime fans may recognise a voice actor in various roles. Voice actors play a nostalgic role for fans because they voice treasured characters. A classic example is Goku from Dragonball Z, as this anime was extremely popular across South Africa. There is a sense of excitement when an anime fan recognises the voice of a beloved character, because of the impression the character leaves. The talent of a voice actor can be so powerful, that it may influence a viewer to watch the next series they star in and invite the viewer to introspect. The global love for anime has grown to an impressive size due to the overall presentation of the series. A successful anime is the product of excellence in a system of different

PDBY Featured Artist: Mo Malele Aaron Cloete

o Malele is an entrepreneur and poet who is passionate about storytelling. She is closely involved in promoting the use of technology in marginalised communities. PDBY conducted an online interview with her to discuss her poetry. She describes herself as a “spoken word artist and a slam poet” and went on to explain exactly what spoken word meant to her. For her, poetry is about authentic and organic storytelling which by necessity, must not only speak truth to power, but also peel through your own layers. Malele’s work is very personal as it has a startling focus on self-awareness and self-love, and the ways in which this “self” can be conveyed to an audience. Malele stumbled into poetry about ten years ago when, coming from a more hip-hop background, she shared her music with her friends who pointed out that her work was very poetic. She then started to look into poetry and never looked back. She started writing lyrics and performed them as poetry instead of music, and got her first gig in October 2010. Malele points out four different categories that her poetry fits into. Firstly, she performs poetry that is very politically influenced, work that focus on current affairs, democracy, and the struggle. Secondly, she often writes on selflove and self-discovery, and also looks at love and the sorrow of heartbreak. She speaks about depression and mental illness, and overcoming those challenges. The final part - the bulk of her work - is dedicated to motivation of the self and of others. The main message that she tries to convey is “the power of the self”. She takes a very Socratic approach and states that “you have to be aware of the life that you are living”. She believes in the power of ordinary people to make it through oppressive circumstances, and one’s own power to effect change. This all feeds into her guiding principle which is simply passion.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected her work drastically and she had to clear her calendar and move everything that she does online. She released an album that had been in the works for some time, in the first week of April. Though not ideal, she approaches the situation with a “let’s just go with it” attitude and continues to be active online. The album is titled My Country Needs Me. It is available on all streaming platforms, and is a response to all the challenges present in the country, and how one can contribute to the good of the country even in the smallest ways. The message that she wants to tell the world is “don’t focus on the macro change that you can impact, because that’s often overwhelming […] focus on the micro, the little things that you can do every single day that can change the life of one person […] it’s really the micro things that build up to a macro impact.”

Illustration: Giovanna Janos

mechanisms that operate together. A voice actor delivers unforgettable dialogue of adored characters, that may leave the audience in tears or glitches. Awards acknowledging the performances of these actors serve as a testament to their talent for their work behind the scenes, to instil a memory in an audience witnessing the final product.

TRY @Home Masterclass Online classes from the world’s best Vasalya Moodley

ooking taught by Gordon Ramsay, singing taught by Christina Aguilera, and scientific thinking taught by Neil deGrasse Tyson are only a few of the exciting online classes instructed by the world’s experts in any field. Across the professional spectrum, Masterclass streams online classes by the world’s best to you, from the comfort of your home for an annual subscription of R3 000. The annual subscription fee allows you to access all of their online classes in any field. Lessons can be streamed on a number of apps at any time, so you can learn at your own pace. The format of the classes differ to suit your preference, from listening in audio mode, to watching them on your television. In about 20 lessons of approximately ten minutes each per class, Masterclass gives you the freedom to plan your learning in your preferred method. Additionally, you are provided with a workbook, access to specific apps, and offline lessons. The first 24 hours are a free trial, and you have the option of cancelling your subscription at any time. This series of expert learning has been well received, and students of Masterclass have said that they felt a hopeful sense of possibility for success in their craft. Masterclass provides a world class online learning experience to anyone looking to refine their skills in their respective fields of interest from over 85 instructors. Masterclass continually recruits new experts in new professions to broaden students’ learning from the best-ofthe-best in the business. Masterclass is a must try.

The main message that she tries to convey is “the power of the self”.

Image: momalele.com

3 August 2020

Sho Madjozi Signed to Epic Records Emily Harrison

ho Madjozi has recently signed with the worldrenowned record label - Epic Records. The label is well-known for the many stars that fill its roster, and the South African rapper joined the likes of Future and Travis Scott. Sho Madjozi is now the only South African act signed to the North American part of the label. The chairman and CEO of Epic Records, Sylvia Rhone, said that the artist is “bold, brilliant, remarkably talented, and her music embodies all that is special about her homeland. We’re Illustration: Giovanna Janos honoured to have her as the newest member of the Epic family.” Madjozi is still continuing her work with the Epic Records sister company, Sony Music Entertainment Africa. Madjozi, known for her pastel coloured braids, colourful fashion choices, and Xitsonga lyrics, had an extremely successful 2019. Last year the Limpopo born artist became nothing short of a phenomenon with her global hit singles as well as picking up plenty of awards along the way. Madjozi took home two SAMAs last year, including Best Female Album.

i Casa just marked their decade in the industry with the appropriately titled 5th album, We Made It. The iconic Afro-pop trio seems to be on a winning streak with the first single of the album ‘Church Bells’ soaring to the top of charts across the country, and they recently signed with Afroforce1 Records, part of the Universal Music Group. The creative process behind the album was aided by the band renting a house in the middle of Mpumalanga so that they could work without distractions. This dedication is can be seen in the highly anticipated album which can be described as the most creative work to come from Mi Casa in recent years. The album shows that Mi Casa is slowly evolving from their club and dance tracks, to a more mature sound. Nostalgic fans should not be concerned though, as there are many tracks on the album that still stick to their iconic house roots. The album opens with the band’s first ever explicit track ‘Sober’. The song starts with familiar sounds of Mi Casa, but its lyrics lean more towards R&B, a theme that is found throughout the album. The relaxed sounds of the song are the perfect lead-in to the album. From ‘Sober’, listeners are given the more upbeat sounds of ‘Obsessed’.

Honouring Mary Twala

Following on from her SAMA wins, she also took home the Best International Act BET award, and was nominated for the same category this year. Her international attention led to her sharing the stage with Beyoncé and Ed Sheeran at the Global Citizen Festival last year. Her song ‘John Cena’ gained a lot of attention in 2019, spawning a viral dance that led her to the American talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show. The WWE legend surprised her on the show and her catchy hit singles cemented her as an international icon. To date, two of her songs, ‘John Cena’ and ‘Huku’ have over a million streams on Spotify. Madjozi is a force to be reckoned with and she shows no sign of slowing down. She recently announced that she would be releasing a documentary to showcase Tsonga Xibelani skirts. Madjozi has always been vocally proud of her Tsonga heritage and this documentary will show the colour and beauty in her culture. The artist expressly showcases her culture in everything she does from her clothes to her lyrics. Madjozi first hinted at the documentary with a short trailer on her Facebook page two years ago, and has been trying to source funding along the way. Madjozi is truly an icon of South African music, and now fans just have to wait for her to drop her debut single for Epic Records.

We Made It - Mi Casa Emily Harrison

Entertainment | 9

The second track on the album speaks more to the Afro-house tone that fans are accustomed to, and the accompanying trumpet played by Mo-T elevates the track. The mood is slowed down with ‘How Could You’, another track more reminiscent of R&B than what listeners are used to from Mi Casa. This song perfectly captures the new sound that Mi Casa is maturing towards. ‘How Could You’ is also the first collaboration on the album, featuring Rogue, whose presence feels very necessary to the track. Listeners will be left feeling hopeful for another collaboration between these two South African favourites. ‘Church Bells’ feels just like the Mi Casa sound that the fans are used to, but the song seems out of place on the record with its 5 minute length. It feels repetitive and becomes boring around the halfway mark, which detracts from the listening experience. ‘Eve’ is by far the standout of the album as it addresses serious socio-political themes. The song takes a look at the current crisis of gender-based violence in South Africa, as well as touching on other issues. ‘Home Alone’ is another collaboration, featuring AKA. ‘Home Alone’ is the perfect lockdown song, with AKA giving a call back to the ‘Bored in The House’ song that went viral earlier this year. The storytelling of love and tumultuous relationships provide linearity to the album, but overall, Image: undergroundpress.co.za the songs need better cohesion in order to elevate the album. Some songs feel disjointed as they struggle between sticking to their roots and fully delving into the new sound. The soft and tender emotion that features in the songs show how far Mi Casa has come in their career, and the maturation of their sound will leave listeners excited for future projects.

Illustration: Giovanna Janos

Daluvuyo Mapuzi

ith over 50 years in the entertainment industry, Mary Twala was a figure we expected to see on our television screens. Her small stature and big personality were an appreciated addition to all her roles. As we remember her life, let us look back at some of her biggest roles. Taxi to Soweto (1991) – The Manie van Rensburg directed satirical film sees a headstrong Afrikaans couple being thrust head first into unfamiliar territory after a myriad of misunderstandings in a minibus taxi. Mary Twala was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the 6th Africa Movie Academy Awards for her role as Fedora. Sarafina (1992) – In this politically charged masterpiece, a young Leleti Khumalo takes the reins as the lead, playing the titular character, Sarafina, who has aspirations far beyond what her environment portrays as possible. Mary Twala plays Sarafina’s grandmother, a minor role on paper but she took full advantage of every second of screen time she had, as it opened doors to local and international opportunities. The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency: The Boy with an African Heart (2009) – The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency is an HBO series which was adapted from a book about a woman opening the first ever women’s detective agency in Botswana. In the fourth episode of the series, Mary Twala plays Mma Potsana who helps solve the case of the episode. Though her role was never reprised in the series, the episode is the series’ highest rated on IMDb. Skwizas (2010) – In her longest serving role, Mary Twala took on the role of MaKhambule in the show that tackles life after retirement, and all that comes with it, using a comedic approach to discuss finances, careers, and relationships. Airing on SABC 2 for five seasons, the show is a definite side splitter, earning several awards and nominations throughout its run. It also earned Mary Twala the title of Best Actress in a TV Comedy at the 2015 South African Film and Television Awards. In 2019, President Cyril Ramaphosa presented her with the National Orders award in the Ikhamanga category for her contributions to the arts, and for raising awareness on women’s health issues through storytelling. Playing as Nana, the yet-to-be-released Comatose is the last film she was on set for. She was a legend in the industry and she will always be remembered as a veteran actress.

Sport Escaping Lockdown Chrizaan Pretorius

ver the past few months, many students flooded the once-forgotten hiking trails in the surroundings of Pretoria. The familiar feeling of freedom and space became something that many students longed for since the start of COVID-19 and the strict lockdown regulations. Overall, hiking trails have always attracted a moderate amount of attention among students, but the numbers have recently increased drastically. Furthermore, with gyms still closed, the vastness of the hiking environment offers an easy and affordable alternative to exercise. Not only does the fresh air increase oxygen flow to the body, which helps balance serotonin levels in the brain, but it also assists in making one happy. Many people also report that their sensory stimulation increases as their awareness of the immediate environment around them improves. PDBY dug into the top 10 hiking trails in Pretoria and what you can expect from each one. Hedianga Farm is situated in the Olympus area and students pay R25.00 for a ticket that is valid for 7 days - definitely a cost-effective option for those with tight budgets. Moreleta Nature Reserve unfortunately does not allow pets, but has some incredible wildlife, from tortoises to zebra, to see on your trail and access is without cost. Hazeldean Valley trails are situated in Pretoria-East and open 7 days a week from 06:30 to 18:30 pm. Wolwespruit mountain biking park, located in Erasmuskloof, and the Big Red Barn, located in Olifantsfontein, originally famous for their cycling trails, also offer impressive walking routes at a flat rate of R30.00. Tierpoort adventure farm offers diverse terrains, with hilly ridges and river crossing, and the admission price for the whole day

is R30.00. Keep in mind that no cash is accepted - only card and snapscan. Buffelsdrift Trail Park has both mountain biking (MTB) and trail running, with tickets for adults ranging from R60.00 for MTB, and R30.00 for trail running. A yearly membership can also be purchased, starting from R300.00 annually. Faerie Glen, Groenkloof, and Hennops hiking trail are also still familiar on the radar. They offer a variety of hiking terrains, and varying distances - ranging from 2.5km to 10km.

Wenda Nel successfully back on track after COVID-19

It is important to remember to have a card or snapscan ready as the COVID-19 regulations require different methods of payment. Additionally, make sure to read the regulations of each location and adhere to them. As students rediscover the power of walking in the midst of mother nature to escape the lockdown fever, COVID-19 has certainly taught the world how to explore the areas around them and enjoy the benefits of exercising outdoors.

Chrizaan Pretorius

Photo: Reg Caldecott

OVID-19 has infected many people from every demographic – including some world-renowned athletes. The virus is known for its extreme physical effects on the human body, including shortness of breath, muscle weakening and decreased cardiovascular strength, which can greatly

affect athletes. Wenda Nel is a South African athlete specialising in the 400 m, and a former University of Pretoria Dietician student, also won her first national title in 2010 and thereafter seven other national titles. Additionally, she has participated in five world championships and received a bronze medal at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. With regard to COVID-19, Nel stated that when she contracted the virus, she did not experience any extreme symptoms, but did have an ongoing headache and realises the importance of resuming training slowly to allow her body to get stronger. After four months, she has fully recovered and can resume training, with her best time in 2015 of 54.37 seconds still standing. However, she states that because her heartrate was slightly higher than usual while training, she plans to relax into training for the next few weeks as she has no important races to train for. COVID-19 has made her exceptionally thankful for everything she has, and she realises the importance of her passion possibly being taken away from her. Nel, who turned 32 this year, plans on racing at the Tokyo Olympic Games in the near future, although the current climate causes uncertainty with regard to when. Nel also shows that athletes are able to rise above the pandemic and, with enough rest and perseverance, will enable themselves to stay on track with their goals. The virus has affected many people, but Nel believes she has come out of it stronger with a better perspective of her passion. She does not plan to stop running within the next twelve months, and will continue training to reach her new best time.

Photos: Cassandra Eardley

Danelle Wentzel Arching For The Top Boitumelo Kokwe

uksArchery is the UP archery club that offers two forms of target archery, namely rebound and compound archery - the difference between the two being their bows. Archery can be classified into different categories being field archery, target archery, traditional archery, bowhunting, bowfishing, mounted archery, and 3D target archery. Competitiveness is a major factor in archery. This is being demonstrated through world championships, national championships, local tournaments, and international and local rankings of archers and teams.

World rankings, released by the World Archery Foundation (WAF) in June, reveal the competitive nature attached to archery. The WAF ranks the best archers in the world according to different categories, such as recurve men and women, and compound men and women. The rankings also demonstrate the competitiveness which individuals possess in the sport: one of the competitive individuals being Danelle Wentzel, a member of TuksArchery, who was ranked 11th in the world female compound category of 50 metres. This is not the first time the rankings have revealed Wentzel’s competitive abilities in her arching career. In 2019, Wentzel became the first

South African archer to win gold at the Hyundai Archery World cup in Antalya, Turkey, and Wentzel also qualified for the World Cup finals held in Moscow, Russia. In an article written by TuksSport in June 2019, Wentzel went on to speak about how “… excited [she] is about [her performance] as [she] managed to be consistent throughout the competition”. She further stated that “archery is a very unpredictable sport”. Wentzel started archery in 2008, and in 2010 she participated in her first South African National Archery Association (SANAA) competition, an outdoor championship. She won the International Field Archery Association

(IFAA) World Field Championship held in Germany, which was her first international competition. The TuksArchery team has other notable players who have also represented South Africa at an international level - such as Reuben BrentMeek and Jeanine van Kradenburg. Brent-Meek and van Kradenburg won the compound mixed final as a team at the World Cup Tournament in 2019. Their win was the first of its nature in South African Archery. Another notable player for the TuksArchery team is Christiaan de Klerk. In 2019, he was selected to represent South Africa at two World Championships and at a World Cup Tournament.

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