7 October 2019 Issue 10 Year 81

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Year 81 | Issue 10

7 October 2019

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P6

#AmINext Protest Recap

P7

Who is next? What is next?

P8

PDBWhy: Gender Based Violence

2 | Editorial

7 October 2019

It’s been tough The atmosphere on campus shifted instantaneously and things escalated within hours of the confirmation of Uyinene’s murder. On page 6 you can read our recap of what happened from 2 September. But from our side, that week was chaotic and draining. As a newly appointed editorial we were thrown into the deep end of protests, demonstrations and live action coverage.

If you missed our coverage of the protests, the SRC vs UP saga and the surrounding events, lucky you, we’ve covered things again in a recap and a follow up of the #OneRapistOneBullet movement’s demands to Brooklyn SAPS and the university.

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t seems like a huge understatement to describe the past month’s events simply as tough but where do you begin in addressing everything that happened? Because a lot has happened. From 2 September, peace on campus seemed to deteriorate rapidly and I can’t say it’s calmed down as we’ve entered October. There may not be any protests, but we certainly aren’t free of the chaos of gender based violence that surrounds us.

The confirmation of Uyinene’s murder hurt many people, myself included. The realisation that rapists and sexual predators that target the vulnerable of our society aren’t scary bogeymen in a dark alley, but rather our peers, our colleagues and our postal service workers, shocked and horrified us all. While women have always lived with an element of fear and caution, we felt safe on and around campus. For the most part, at least. (Some of us didn’t ever feel safe, read the very personal account on page 7).

Personally, I am always on edge about my

safety as a woman but suddenly everyone on campus was hyper aware and hyper vigilant about safety – even in the bubble of protection we perceive campus as offering.

You’ll see this atmosphere of fear reflected on our front page. We asked readers on Instagram to fill in the blank of “___ @ UP” to explore a more subjective student experience of the Fly @ UP motto. I don’t think anyone felt like they were flying at UP as everything heated up. We received an overwhelming amount of answers of “afraid” and “scared” and to most of us, it didn’t seem that the university was concerned with students’ fears. I want to think the university and those in power have their primary concern in line with our wellbeing and growth as students, but it took a lot from SRC President David Kabwa to earn students a mere two days of mourning that we as a student body were sorely in need of. Uyinene wasn’t a UP student but she was a woman. She was a peer. She was a real person, with real experiences and was the victim of a very real attack. Of course we needed to mourn and recover. And the university should’ve known that.

But I know we as an editorial weren’t alone in the chaos. We asked students to share how they feel on campus and about on-going gender based violence in South Africa and you can read these student concerns in this edition’s “PDBWhy?” on page 8. Please keep sharing your experiences and thoughts with us, we value them and believe your voices should be heard. You can write me a letter at editor@ pdby.co.za.

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7 October 2019

News | 3

On 3 September 2019 we listened to stories from our friends, class mates and UP community about what happens when we don’t speak out

Let’s change this together!

#SpeakOutUP www.csagup.org

4 | News

7 October 2019

Javett-UP opens to the public

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Sam Mukwamu

n 24 September, Heritage Day, the Javett Art Centre at the University of Pretoria (Javett-UP) officially opened its doors to the public.

The centre opened with three exhibitions: the Javett Family collection of modern art, a collection of iconic South African art, as well as pieces from the Mapungubwe Gold collection, housed in the gold of Africa wing.

Javett-UP is a partnership between the university and the Javett Foundation, and according to UP Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Tawana Kupe, the centre aims to support and enhance UP’s academic programmes relating to the arts, which will make use of these collections in teaching and research. “We believe this centre, which will celebrate South African artists, will assist us in our mission of providing quality higher education to our students”, said Prof Kupe. The

centre also aims to promote the appreciation of the arts, while also making the arts accessible to the wider South African and African community.

The centre also opened with over a hundred works of significant art pieces on exhibition.

These pieces were brought to Javett-UP from public and private collections across South Africa, and the globe, with the opening being the first time they were shown at the same time.

These works include Irma’s Stern’s Arab Priest; Gerard Sekoto’s Song of the Pick, ; Johannes Maswanganye’s Jesus is Walking on Water Zanele Muholi’s Simthembile I, East London and Alexis Preller’s Red Angel, amongst others. Also on show is Alexis Preller’s Discovery, a painting that hasn’t been seen in 30 years. The painting, which was completed in the 1960s, will undergo live conservation in Javett-UP’s conservation studio, as part of the MSocSci in Tangible Heritage Conservation at UP. According to Javett-UP’s director, Christopher

Introducing student innovators: Letterbox Sam Mukwamu

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etterbox is a customer and feedback collection application for business, and gives users a platform to make their voices heard, with regards to businesses in their area. The app acts as a direct channel of communication between businesses and their customers, as businesses can answer clients directly in the businesses’ letterboxes, allowing them to better understand what it is that their clients want and how they can further improve services.

According to the app’s founder, Ngoni Mujuru, the idea for a universal feedback collection application came about when he was working at PwC, and he noticed how different clients had their own ways in which they collected feedback from customers. Mujuru said, “[S]ome would say send us an email to this email address, some would say come and speak to the manager, some would have a toll free number and one particular case was where a bank had renovated their banking hall and in the centre they had a book where they were asking people to write feedback […] they would actually take that feedback very seriously. Even managers would sign it off. So I just saw that and thought this is the 21st century, what if there was an app where it was just one way in which people could give any business in the world feedback, and that’s when the idea was born. I dropped out of PwC and decided to get a degree in computer science so that we could build this platform.”

What sets Letterbox apart from other feedback and collection apps and websites is that Letterbox encourages users to submit reviews by rewarding top users for giving in-depth, thoughtful and accurate feedback, through their Impact Leaderboards. Commenting on the app’s incentivised model, Letterbox’s Head of Business Development, Jc Steyn, said “I don’t want to get up from a restaurant where even if I’ve had a great experience, and go take five minutes to type out a review if it’s not going to make any difference in my life. We live in an age where people do things to get things, whether

that is in the short or long run; so we’ve decided to take that whole process of reviewing and give an incentive for customers to actually do so and it’s been working very well so far.” He went on to say, “People obviously want to chase rewards, so to stand up from a place where you’ve just eaten or to leave a shop where you’ve just bought something and to take out your phone and spend 30 seconds typing a quick review, knowing that two weeks down the line you might win a free pizza or whatever the case may be, especially for students, it’s very attractive.”

The rewards are sponsored by businesses, this in return gives businesses exposure to new clients.

Letterbox currently have local businesses such as Ocean Basket, Dominos Pizza Hatfield, Varsity Bakery and Romans signed on as clients, and they are planning on spreading out to get more clients on board. Mujuru and Steyn both spoke on the feedback that they’ve received from business owners, with some making suggestions which they immediately go back to their office to potentially implement. Steyn further elaborates, “We want to build our app around our first users, we don’t want to make an app that is just great because we think it’s great.

We want an app that people really love to use and which fulfils all their needs with regards to feedback collection. So businesses have been really positive and they’ve been using the app and gaining value from it much more than we anticipated.”

Mujuru encourages on-campus entrepreneurs to just start and put in as much work as they can, if they have an idea, and to not leave it lying. Mujuru said, “You learn a lot once you get started, and I also want to comment that it takes time to do things. I think initially, I just thought it would take six months, but with the development team we’ve been working for two years now in our free time, and people have given up certain things, certain hobbies just to make sure we get the work done. I just want to commend the development team as they have put in a lot just to get to where we are right now.”

Letterbox is available on the Android and iOS app stores.

Till, the centre is a place for people where they can learn about how Africa’s artists express complex narratives of the continent, while also opening up conversations about Africa’s past, present and future. “The official opening of Javett-UP is the launch of an extremely valuable and significant resource. It is the culmination of a vision to personalise the art of Africa and to make it more accessible,” said Till. Till also spoke about wanting to have Javett-UP be the default institution, in Africa, where anybody interested in “researching, or exhibiting the art of Africa” will turn to Javett-UP as “the place and the space where you can see that in action”.

Till also encourages public participation, saying, “We want to demystify museums and art galleries. We want to attempt to demystify art, and make it accessible to people who normally wouldn’t come anywhere near an art museum”.

The opening kept in spirit of Heritage Day, with live music, vendors selling traditional African garments and accessories, as well as cocktail vendors and a gin bar. Admission to the Javett-UP is free for students with a UP student card.

Photos: Sam Mukwamu

Javett-UP: Convicted murderer’s art faces backlash Kayla Thomas and Kristin De Decker

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n 24 September the Javett Art Centre (Javett-UP) opened its doors to the public but was soon met with backlash regarding the inclusion of a painting by artist Zwelethu Mthethwa, who was convicted of the murder of sex worker, Nokuphila Kumalo, in 2013. The Sex Worker Education and Advocacy Taskforce (SWEAT) called for the removal of the painting that forms part of the All in Day’s Eye: The Politics of Innocence in the Javett Family Collection at JavettUP. SWEAT issued an open letter to the curators of the collection requesting that Javett-UP remove Mthethwa’s art, writing that the inclusion of the work serves to “glorify and celebrate a convicted murderer rather than respect Nokuphila”.

Mthethwa was Photo: Stephanie Cookson sentenced to 18 years and is currently serving his sentence at Pollsmoor Prison. His conviction followed the court’s determination that CCTV footage that captured his murder of Kumalo conclusively proved Mthethwa’s guilt. Mthethwa claimed innocence throughout his trial and still maintains his innocence following his conviction – which is explained in a caption that accompanies the display of his work. SWEAT, in the open letter to Javett-UP, states that the caption’s inclusion of Mthethwa’s innocence claim “is a violent erasure of his deeds and speaks to a lack of very basic humanity and decency”.

The collection’s curator, Gabi Ngcobo, and researchers Donna Kukama, Simnikiwe Buhlungu and Tšhegofatso Mabaso, responded to SWEAT’s letter and defended the inclusion of the work. They explained that “there is nothing celebratory about the exhibition[ …] our curatorial strategy is not one that endorses or decorates but one that rather seeks to reveal the hypocrisy that we often encounter in our field.”

The response also commented that “misogyny that is often hidden in art spaces and has long affected womxn personally, professionally and violently needs to be discussed openly with different constituencies of society”, reinforcing their stance that the artwork is a method of promoting such engagement. They further opined

that his artwork “stands as another piece of evidence that exposes his misogyny and toxicity” and that “[they] employ it as a tool to encourage discussion”. Additionally, they emphasised that not showing the artwork would “preclude any conversation about violent, toxic, masculinist tendencies that the work might engender”. They then expressed that “it is [their] duty too, as black womxn in art spaces, to create platforms where these forms of violence can be exposed, discouraged or criminalised”.

A statement by Womxn’s Rights NGOs countered the above response.

Here they adamantly stated that the artwork needs to be removed, despite the curator and researchers’ reasons presented for Mthethwa’s work being displayed.

They also expressed that “the argument that the artwork has to be displayed for a conversation to happen is disingenuous.

A conversation is still possible even when there is no artwork.”

The fact that Nokuphila Kumalo’s family and community were not consulted was another issue highlighted, as well as the fact that other galleries had complied with removing Mthethwa’s other works. The Womxn’s Rights NGOs also noted that they acknowledge “implications for people who acquire, exhibit or curate artworks and others whose livelihoods are impacted by the decision” to take the art down. In contrast, they suggested that no pressing social loss would be incurred by the removal of the artwork. They also revealed the difficulty women accusing artists face, as it is “hard to convince an adoring public that a person who is so talented and capable of producing beautiful works of art is also capable of the violence that he has been accused of”.

This “culture of impunity” is exacerbated by separating the art from the artist. As Mthethwa has already been convicted of murder, they think that the “severity of the offence […] merits the removal of the artwork”. Mthethwa’s “refus[al] to take responsibility for his actions or show remorse” further endorses this discussion. The Womxn’s Rights NGOs assert that “this request is an appeal to the curators, the gallery and the university to be a part of this growing movement that acts out of conscience, not fear of legal sanctions.”

News | 5

7 October 2019

The role of traditional healers in South Africa Scan the QR code to read this online exclusive!

Illustration: Giovanna Janos

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Intervarsity news: among Health Sciences Students #AmINext Movement

University of Johannesburg To take a stand against gender-based violence (GBV), the University of Johannesburg participated in multiple silent marches throughout all four of its campuses on 16 September.

Protesters were equipped with posters bearing slogans such as “My Body, My Choice” and “equality is a human right”.

The protesters demanded that university management organize self-defense classes and distribute safety kits containing pepper spray.

University of Witwatersrand Students clothed in black and purple at the University of Witwatersrand organized their own march that comprised of a sit-in, prayer, and handing Wits management a memorandum on 9 September. Some of the demands included the need for free self-defense classes, self-defense equipment, rape kits and increased security at campus bus stops. The women’s subcommittee of Amnesty International Wits has set forth research to obtain statistics of GBV. Organizers combined various movements and issues into one mass sit-in to enable all students to gather for a single purpose. Earlier in the week, a vigil was held at the Wits campus in memory of Uyinene Mrwetyana. In addition to this, an online reporting tool has been created to make it easier to report cases of GBV. The university management plans to equip staff and students with a personal alarm device, self-defense classes and safety tool-kit.

University of Western Cape Jesse Hess, a first-year theology student at the University of Western Cape (UWC) was murdered, along with her 85 year old grandfather. In coordination with UCT, both universities held a vigil in remembrance of Hesse and Mrwetyana.

Hess’ passing prompted a campus movement to identify and apprehend an alleged rapist at one of the student residences.

According to SAPS, the alleged suspect has been taken in for questioning. University management has sought to formulate plans to equip students with self-defense classes and kits.

University of Stellenbosch The passing of Clarissa Lindoor, an employee of a company that provided cleaning services to the University of Stellenbosch’s student residences, reiterated the #EnoughIsEnough movement. Lindoor was murdered by her partner at a farm on the outskirts of Stellenbosch on 14 September. The university’s management lamented at the fact that GBV was still so widespread despite the national outcry against GBV and has undertaken the cost of Lindoor’s funeral. Lindoor’s passing has brought the reality of GBV in South Africa back to student consciences at the University of Stellenbosch. In response to the GBV outbreak, Stellenbosch students took a stand in the form of sit-ins and marches University of KwaZulu Natal The passing of Sinethemba Ndlovu, a UKZN student, sparked outrage amongst the student community. Ndlovu was stabbed on her away to her student accommodation. She passed away shortly after being hospitalized. The man responsible for the attack has been apprehended. Ndlovu’s passing has unleashed a flurry of anger in the UKZN student community.

The university management suspended the academic program on 27 September and emphasized the need for the student community to pause and reflect on the brutality that characterizes our society.

In response to the rampant outbreak of GBV in South Africa, a R1.1 billion budget has been allocated for a comprehensive response to GBV. Compiled by Susanna Anbu

Moses Maile

extra support to help them cope during a particularly difficult time” she said. Counselling plays a huge role in helping rom 30 September to 4 October, the University of Pretoria will be hosting its annual Anti-Discrimination medical students cope with the stress caused by the pressure of their work. However, according to Alexa Secher - support and Social Justice Week. According to the Vicegroups will be very beneficial for medical students as they Chancellor and Principal of UP, Prof Tawana Kupe, “we would all be from the same faculty and would be able to must all, individually and collectively, redouble our efforts in this important process of social change. We all need to be share common experiences and pressures. She also points out aware that without eradicating all forms of discrimination to that, “on campus there is 1 psychologist for 600 students and achieve justice, we will not become the university we ought that is not just. Students wait a long time and the SADAG care line wants to provide that extra support for medical to be: one that is transformed and critically influences and students. The care line operates 24 hours.” Alexa Secher contributes to achieving social justice in society”. also mentions that should a student need counselling due As part of the observation of the Annual Antito academic pressures or any other stress and trauma they Discrimination and Social Justice week the Faculty of should contact the UP-Careline on 0800747747 or SMS UP Health Sciences at Prinshof Campus, which is the medical to 31393 and a counsellor will call you back. campus of the University of Pretoria, hosted a series of Daniella dos Reis, one of the speakers from SADAG, noted group discussions and seminars on 1 October to look that medical students and qualified medical professionals go at discrimination in the medical field. Particularly the challenges which are faced by medical students at all levels, through trauma, particularly what she calls ‘Post Traumatic as PTSD. When they open the traumas they are subjected to as they perform their duties Stress Disorder’ better known Scanned with CamScanner up about PTSD, they tend to be discriminated against. and the discrimination aimed at them - in the sense that it According to dos Reis: “Medical student professionals are is expected of them to be ‘strong’ and carry on as normal not only exposed to incredibly traumatic content around even with the pressures of their duties as student medical us, in their personal lives or in the country in general but professionals. Medical professionals are often routinely faced with traumas while taking care of their patients, which are also greatly exposed to traumatic content in their line may affect the mental wellness of medical professionals, but of work. It is important to have productive conversations and understand what comes up when we see and hear these that conversation is rarely had. things”.

Medical professionals are stereotypically perceived as Danielle dos Reis further explains that student medical never suffering from breakdowns, trauma, anxiety and even professionals can be traumatised by what they experience depression, however, often it is the opposite of this. No from their patients and that the sense of helplessness that matter how well trained the individual is, no one can be comes with it can sometimes prove to be traumatic to prepared enough for trauma. According to Alexa Scher of the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG), medical professionals. The central message of the speakers there are pioneering support groups all over the country and was that student medical professionals deserve to be heard and not discriminated against when they express their in the University of Pretoria not only for medical students traumas and when they are overwhelmed by the traumatic but all students. “The goal for this is to reduce the pressure experiences of their day-to-day work. on the University’s Student Counselling and get an extra line of support for students, in that these groups will bring

F

“Neo was a trendsetter” Yolanda Sithole

08600 747 747. Academics can be overwhelming, and some he faculty of education held a memorial on 18 September students find it hard to transition and adjust from high school to varsity life, hence students are encouraged to use the free in remembrance of Dineo ‘Neo’ Morula, the memorial service was held at the Groenkloof campus auditorium. counselling services provided by the University. Rochley Bosman, the current chairperson of the Executive committee Dineo allegedly committed suicide. Her passing shocked everyone, especially her friends who spent the last days of her of House Education, knew Neo personally and described her as a trendsetter. He recalled his first encounter with her, on life with her. Dineo was an 18 year old first year student who 16 April, while she was celebrating her birthday on campus. was doing her bachelor’s degree in education.

The president of the SRC, David Kabwa, also expressed his The auditorium was filled with emotions as those who were condolences to the Morula family, friends and the students at close to Dineo shared the memories of the time they had with large and emphasised that students should seek professional help whenever they feel like they are not coping. her. Neo’s Friends described her as a bubbly, loving person and a fashionista who loved makeup and knew everything about it.

T

In the words of one of her friends, “Neo was an inspiration and she believed in me more than I believe in myself.”

The dean of the faculty of Education, Professor Chika Sehoole, passed his heartfelt condolences to the Morula Family and encouraged students to speak out whenever they have problems and to seek professional help. Students are encouraged to contact the SADAG 24-hour hotline on Image: Nkululeko Ngcobo

REST IN PEACE DINEO “NEO” MORULA

2001.04.16 - 2019.09.12

6 | News

7 October 2019

#AmINext protests at UP

Social media reports of abductions unverified

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ng

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allowed to get off scot-free,” said Kabwa on behalf of the SRC, encouraging students to create an environment in which students feel safe to come recognize forward in the pursuit of justice.

Community After the vigil, students continued with their in Blue as a structured protests, this time outside Du South, where one community safety initiative. of the alleged sexual assault perpetrators was Furthermore, the Brooklyn SAPS alleged to have been. The group of protesters inform that in some cases, immediate identified themselves as the #OneRapistOneBullet prosecution cannot follow and a movement and demanded that the alleged formal charge will not be brought perpetrator be taken into custody, however the immediately, but that they will police could not do so as no victim had come investigate such a case and forward to open a case. Further protests took submit the police docket to place that evening, with students marching the public prosecutor for a outside various student accommodations in decision. The Brooklyn Hatfield. On 5 September, students, led by the SAPS maintain that SRC, marched across campus, disrupting classes, the demand to in an attempt to have the university cancel classes move the Family for 5 and 6 September, so that students would Violence, have time to grieve. As a result of the disruptions, Child the university cancelled classes for 5 and 6 September.

Speaking to PDBY, a representative of the #OneRapistOneBullet said, “One of our biggest support structures within the university has been the department of student affairs, Dr Madiba has been really helpful in the process by coming to SAPS with us to deliver the memorandums.”

The Movement maintains that Dr Madiba helped bring an element of seriousness in the investigative path of the cases.

In response to the demands submitted by the #OneRapistOneBullet to the police, Captain Weilbach confirmed that the station Carel Willemse has undertaken a variety of measures to meet pproximately 10 cases of defamation of the demands. A character were opened at the Brooklyn SAPS suggestion box station following the public naming of alleged as requested by rapists on social media platforms. the protesters The naming of alleged rapists on Twitter and other social was put up media platforms followed the recent #AmINext protests against in front gender-based violence (GBV) at the University of Pretoria and its of the surrounds. According to a statement issued by Brooklyn SAPS, threats were also made against these so-called rapists. “The young men opened cases for defamation of character and are fearing for their safety based on these unfounded allegations. No case dockets were opened against them for the alleged offences”, read the statement. Criminal defamation consists of the unlawful intentional publication of a matter concerning another, which tends to seriously injure his or her good name or reputation.

Social media law specialist, Emma Sadleir explains, “I totally understand victims of sexual offences not wanting to lay criminal charges. In some cases, naming and shaming someone is a far more effective form of retribution. We have a law in South Africa that prohibits the naming of an accused person in a sexual offence before theyaaaa have been asked to plead.”

Captain Collette Weilbach from the Brooklyn SAPS echoes this fact by saying, “The allegation that someone is a rapist is unquestionably police defamatory in law. Posts like these can have serious and lasting station. consequences. The social media user who initiated the post and Numerous those who shared or retweeted it are potentially liable.” If awareness found guilty, offenders can be held liable for all probable campaigns and consequences of the statement, including those flowing from self-defense classes republication by third parties. Those who repeat it would have been conducted be liable too. In certain circumstances, a court might at various residences grant an order requiring that any existing instances of .The Brooklyn SAPs the defamatory statement, such as on a website, be accepted the movement’s removed. The order would likely also forbid all invitation to be part of future republication. Anyone breaching such a movements that denounced the court order is then in contempt of court and culture of toxic masculinity. The could be prosecuted. station commander of Brooklyn SAPS, Earlier the month Brooklyn SAPS Brigadier Kushie Pietersen, students also caution social media users and the station management conducted against posting of unverified a dialogue on gender based violence on 9 information. “Unverified posts September at Elim Church. The response to the can cause panic and alarm movement’s memorandum ascertained that this amongst the public and will be the first of many possible joint initiatives is regarded as very in the future. irresponsible” said The Brooklyn SAPS’s response to the Weilbach. memorandum further highlighted that they Ph Ri oto hla s: m Sa pf m u, Ri Mu ca kw rd am o Te u, ixe Ts ira hep a

South African Police Service (SAPS) to take the alleged perpetrator into custody an open case was necessary. According to the statement released by Captain Colette Weilbach, media liaison officer n 2 September students began from Brooklyn Police Station, a case was opened; protesting outside Apartments on that the victim was allegedly raped in September William (AOW), calling for an 2018 by a friend who was staying in the same alleged sexual assault perpetrator building. Kwazikwenkosi Biyela spoke to PDBY to be arrested. The protest spread and confirmed that she opened a case against to Studios@Burnett on 3 September, where the one of the alleged perpetrators and that a suspect protesters intended to confront a different alleged was taken into custody. Biyela tweeted about perpetrator, who was later taken into custody. her alleged encounter at 21:07 on 2 September At both locations, the students chanted the which sparked a flurry of responses from other names of the alleged sexual assault perpetrators students on Twitter. Biyela cites Mrwetyana’s but no contact was made between students and rape and murder as what triggered her to share her the alleged perpetrators. The protests followed experience. According to Biyela, she went to the outrage on Twitter after the confirmed rape and Brooklyn Police station at 19:00 and stayed there murder of UCT student Uyinene Mrwetyana until 21:30, after which she was taken to Steve prompted students to share their experiences of Biko Hospital. Biyela arrived at the scene of the sexual assault and name suspected perpetrators on students protesting at approximately 1:30. Upon Twitter. her arrival, Biyela claims to have had a group of The release of the statement confirming the girls approach her claiming to have had similar apprehension of a 41-year old man responsible for experiences.

Mrwetyana’s rape and murder became the impetus Following the opening of the case, for the manhunt on the streets of Hatfield. The investigations are underway and the alleged release of the statement was then followed by a perpetrator appeared in Pretoria’s Magistrate series of tweets that were used to call out alleged Court on 4 September. Captain Weilbach sexual assault perpetrators amidst UP students. confirmed that the case has been postponed until Using the tweets as basis, students set out on a late October. Despite the successful apprehension manhunt in search of the alleged perpetrators. of the alleged perpetrator, Captain Weilbach urges Multiple accounts gained a following from victims “not to report crimes on social media posting the names and pictures of alleged sexual platform alone without reporting it to the SAPS”. assault perpetrators.

Due to the volatile situation on the streets When students protested outside Studios@ of Hatfield, the University of Pretoria issued a Burnett, the alleged perpetrator was not on statement condemning the gender based violence the scene. However, Lwethu Mgqaliso, who that has plagued the nation. In a statement is studying Industrial Engineering at UP and issued by Rikus Delport, Director of University is a resident of Studios@Burnett, claimed Relations, he states that the university “supports that “security showed up to his [the alleged students’ efforts in creating awareness of the perpetrator] room and escorted him out”. While unacceptable violence against women”. The seated at one of the cubicles at reception, statement also confirmed that a post graduate Mgqaliso stated that he saw security personnel student was arrested on the night of 2 September escort the alleged perpetrator past the turnstiles at a private residence in connection with an and through the door that led to the basement alleged rape that took place in 2018. Delport parking. Sando Mkhwanazi, a student who was confirmed that the University has deployed locked inside the building when the glass door additional security guards at female residences shut at reception, also witnessed the suspect being and that there are disciplinary cases underway escorted to the parking area by security personnel that relate to the sexual assault cases that were and the house mother. reported to the police. Delport also mentioned The protesting students were said to have that “depending on the nature of the incident, the arrived in front of Studios@Burnett around accused will be suspended immediately pending 00:00 on 3 September. Speaking about the an investigation”. Following the aftermath of protection that Studios@Burnett gave the protest staged by students, the University the alleged perpetrator, an anonymous of Pretoria has deployed an unidentified former source who also stays at Studios@ police sergeant who has 16 years of experience Burnett told PDBY that “they in sexual assault cases tasked with assisting wanted [him] to come out students and staff on campus by working with the but for various reasons Transformation office to support victims in the he couldn’t come out, process.

Studios@Burnett has On 3 September, a vigil was held at the to protect him. The Amphitheatre on Hatfield Campus to address police officers xenophobic violence, as well as issues on sexual took him and gender based violence. At a vigil, SRC eventually”.

President David Kabwa said that “the SRC was In order not directly involved in the protest action that for the transpired across Hatfield,” and that the SRC discourages “any and all forms of harm being inflicted from one student to another student Kayla Thomas and Leah Rees [and] any and all incitement of violence from one student to another student.” In response to ollowing the student vigils and the backlash the SRC received from some demonstrations around Hatfield Campus on students at the vigil, Kabwa expressed that 2 and 3 September, multiple reports of women students “would not be raising the issues being abducted around Hatfield were spread on social if the issues were not valid,” which media and WhatsApp groups. The South African Police speaks to the need for the SRC to Service (SAPS) confirmed that no missing person cases had note criticism and acknowledge been reported to SAPS. students’ issues “whether or Voice notes and tweets were spread across social media platforms not it is within [the] scope reporting that women had been “taken, kidnapped” from multiple and parameters” of locations in Hatfield and that there were videos of such abductions. No what the SRC can videos had been circulated or reported to police. The social media reports control. “We don’t were also sharing vehicle registration numbers as warnings but these were agree with any unverified claims and the vehicles involved had not been reported to SAPS. perpetrators On 4 September Brooklyn SAPS Captain, Colette Weilbach, confirmed being to PDBY that no cases had been opened or reported to SAPS regarding the multiple claims on social media. Sunnyside SAPS Captain, Daniel Mavimbela, confirmed the same at Sunnyside Police Station. A media statement was then released by Captain Weilbach that further explained that the reports on social media were “unverified” and could “cause panic and alarm amongst the public”. SAPS urge students to report any suspected abductions to the police as soon as possible as investigations into such incidents are only possible once a case docket is opened.

There is no waiting time to report a missing person. Be vigilant and alert and report emergencies to toll-free 112 or 10111. Incidents can also be reported to Brooklyn Police Station as 012 366 1700.

Susanna Anbu, Kayla Thomas and Sam Mukwamu

Defamation cases opened after #AmINext naming and shaming on social media

A

would intensify police visibility according to the crime tendencies in Hatfield. In order to address the demand of effective and consistent patrols, the Brooklyn SAPS have collaborated with other stakeholders such as Hatfield Community Improvement District (CID) and Tshwane Metro Police Department. The Brooklyn SAPS recommend that students take part in community patrolling projects and

protection and Sexual offences (FCS) unit to Hatfield is beyond their control but have confirmed the they have forwarded the request to a higher office.

7 October 2019

Who is Next?

What is next?

Kristin De Decker

G

ender-based violence (GBV) has dominated most topics of conversation around campus recently, spurred on by vigils, social media and protest action. Safety was also intertwined in this discussion, as alleged rapes on UP campuses sparked further anxiety and fear, contributing to the eventual cancellation of classes. Although classes have resumed, concerns about safety, specifically on campus, still permeate student conversations.

Who was first?

Violence perpetrated against women in its various forms is not a new concept. The sheer number of recent incidents of gender-based violence have simply increased public awareness.

This was reiterated by SRC President David Kabwa when he told PDBY that “we cannot now pretend that it is a new phenomenon because it is so heated.” The vigil held on 3 September was illuminating as stories were brought forward, many occurring prior to the murders of Uyinene Mrwetyana, Meghan Cremer, Jesse Hess and others. One such case of GBV is that of Jabulile Masango, a third year BCom Supply Chain Management student, who spoke out at the vigil. She was amongst many other women and opened with the words, “I was raped”.

In an interview with PDBY she opened up about the assault. What Masango described as “a very long and painful journey”, began on Hatfield campus in 2018 “in the Humanities building”. The proximity of the incident shocked people according to Masango as, “it happened on campus” and because the perpetrator “was the chairperson of [a] society”.

She also revealed that “[she] and this person were in a relationship” at the time, which contributed to the fact that “[she] was in denial” about what happened. Masango then told PDBY that once she heard about Khensani Maseko, it “clicked in [her] head” that a similar thing had been done to her.

Maseko was a Rhodes student, who took her own life after her boyfriend had allegedly raped her. Masango suggested that it is important to acknowledge the fact that even if you are in a relationship with a person, sexual conduct without consent is still rape.

And even if tomorrow you continue, it doesn’t erase the fact that on that specific day there was rape.”

The UP Transformation office clarified to PDBY that they are aware of “three alleged rape cases that were reported to the police involving students since the beginning of the year”. Of these cases “two… reportedly happened on UP campuses.” Yet, it is noteworthy to acknowledge that not all incidents are reported as many “do not feel comfortable or safe to come forward” as highlighted by Kabwa. Masango also told PDBY that “after [she] spoke out, many girls came to [her].” These other women’s stories affirmed for Masango that, “we think this is a safe place but what goes on around here is shocking”. She gave a variety of examples from sexualising women as they are walking on campus to inappropriate sexual touching.

itself told PDBY that it “was specifically established to support victims of rape and sexual violence”. Kabwa also identified the Transformation Office as the first place to report such incidents. However, when asked about UP’s help structures Masango said that, during her experience, she “didn’t even know they existed.” She urges UP to let students “know [about] the different avenues we can take” and protect its students, as being informed can significantly reduce added trauma. The housemother of Azaleg, Zamile Mzizi, echoed this notion when she told PDBY that “we as staff and the university need to listen and become bold in how we champion our students”.

Pierre Brouard, the Co-director of the Centre for Sexualities, AIDS and Gender (CSA&G), maintains that they do “perceive the university to be responding with urgency and genuine interest to address SGBV” (sexual and gender-based violence).

There are also voluntary Anti-GBV workshops available to all UP staff, with one that was run on 1 October and another scheduled for 19 November in the Graduate Centre. The CSA&G also assists with running anti sexual harassment workshops as well as “support[s] a student led initiative #SpeakOut which provides informal peer support around sexual harassment and GBV”, according to Brouard.

Another venture is the new Anti-Discrimination Policy that the SRC is working on, in conjunction with a

“

multitude of structures, that Kabwa hopes will “serve these issues.” Brouard reaffirmed this sentiment and suggested that “we promote and implement the new Anti Discrimination Policy at UP with urgency”. Additionally, he suggested “the office designated to address SGBV and other harms [must be] well resourced and supported to address harm when it is experienced, remaining victim-centred while respecting due process for alleged perpetrators.”

Does any of this help?

Masango highlighted that some of the first words a woman hears when she speaks out are, “I don’t believe you”. She said that this “crushes everything” as there are already detrimental repercussions this type of trauma can have on the survivor’s life. Mental health in tandem with academic success are two of these spheres that can be affected. Masango informed PDBY that “her academics suffered” and that her “deep depression” resulted in her being “admitted to a psychiatric hospital”. Her position at Res was also compromised, meaning she had to apply for Director’s placement and write down her entire experience in a statement. Additionally, Masango “had to fight” the academic system and reinforced that this type of SGBV should be a “good enough reason to write a sick test”, as her and other women often face academic exclusion.

The UP structures in place could potentially be viewed as ineffective if lecturers and departments alike do not co-operate with students. Moreover, Masanga asks “if we don’t know, how will we take the steps?”. Although she received aid from the pregnancy counselling unit, and was referred to further psychological assistance, she was not made aware of all her options. She told PDBY that had she known about the Transformation Office, and the fact that “they can appoint a lawyer for you free of charge”, she may have re-considered pressing charges, as financial restrictions amongst other reasons meant she did not open a case. The idea of a judge deciding whether or not she was assaulted even though she would “be telling her truth” was also an influencing factor.

I don’t believe you

“

it happened on campus

Photo: Darec Hall

“[She is] not a victim. [She is] a victor. [She is] a survivor and what happened to [her] does not define [her].”

What is UP doing?

According to Rikus Delport, Director of University Relations, “the University of Pretoria takes violence, sexual assault and rape extremely seriously”. He also told PDBY that UP has “appointed a former police sergeant, with approximately sixteen years’ experience in sexual assault and rape cases, to assist students and staff on campus.” Delport then explained that this former police sergeant will accompany the victim to the “closest designated crisis centre at a hospital” and in collaboration with the Transformation Office, “will support the victim throughout the process, including opening a police case, getting a psychologist involved and providing any other assistance she/he may need.” The Transformation Office

Features | 7

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culture of entitlemenT

Why is this happening?

A “culture of entitlement” is what Masango attributes to the current state of GBV She believes that “we live in a very patriarchal society where the man is seen as superior to the woman”. Palesa Nkosi, a BPolSci International Studies student and member of the movement #One Rapist One Bullet feels that “the university itself has given men a field to practice toxic masculinity” and “do[es] not think UP has dealt with GBV issues adequately.” Mzizi however, suggests that “we cannot shift this blame onto the university itself” but that “students need to intensify action-discourse amongst themselves.” She also underlined “a lot of female students don’t feel safe because of the behaviour of their fellow male students.”

What is next?

Content: Tiang-Bahumi Kgothule Infographic: Giovanna Janos

“It starts with each of us standing up to say that no means no”, Kabwa told PDBY, as “the rape culture that has been rooted in our wider society is appalling.” Mzizi highlighted that “this campus belongs to all of us. No one should be superior to anyone, especially men who act as if our bodies were put on this campus as some kind of Life Orientation Module they need to complete at our expense.” Finally, Masango would like fellow students to know that “[She is] not a victim. [She is] a victor. [She is] a survivor and what happened to [her] does not define [her].”

oria a irror more ed ome of safer e the

?

8 |Features

7 October 2019

PDBWhy: How do you feel

Mahmooda Milanzie

G

ender-based violence (GBV) is currently one of the most serious and notorious crimes in South Africa. Awareness about this systemic problem continues to grow as more women come forward to share their stories. According to News24, the rate of femicide in South Africa is reported to be the exceedingly high, with levels reaching five times higher than the global average.

In light of the recent uproar and vigils held around campus over the issues of gender based-violence, PDBY asked students on Hatfield campus how they feel about GBV issues and whether they think UP should do better in addressing these issues:

Thato Boloka: 2nd year BSc Engineering Geology I feel like the university can start off by changing the semester test’s dates, […] because I feel like it forces girls to be on campus for a long time and then they end up leaving at night when it is unsafe for them to walk on the streets […]. If this was to change […], it would minimize the amount of people that will find themselves in danger […], and I know these problems could happen during the day but they happen more frequently at night. Secondly, I think UP could educate their staff, somehow some of their staff are the reason why these girls are in danger and find themselves in difficult situations […], so educating their staff about what’s right and wrong to reiterate certain things […] could help, because they will realise what is inappropriate at UP. The other thing UP could do is […] investigate things that have already happened, I am pretty sure students have come forward with complaints and it was swept under the carpet and we do not want that. If something is brought forward, UP should investigate and give feedback to the person who came to report it. Gender based violence really saddens me […], because we live in a world where you’re walking as a man behind a woman at a pace faster than hers and already she feels threatened and scared that you might do something to her and I’ve come across that situation so many times and I just slow down and walk a little slower than she is walking just to make her feel like I will not do anything to harm her […]. I have a lot of other friends who do the same thing […]. It’s really scary that […] women feel scared of us. We are not solving the problem from the root. The root of the problem begins at home. You need to teach equality and respect at home to your kids that are growing up.

Nomvuyo Nxele:3rd year Visual Studies I really do think UP can do a lot better […], I was personally disappointed by the university when I was harassed by a guy in my class and when I went to go report it to security services, I was sexually harassed by the manager of security services, who was taking my report about this harassment […]. I obviously took this forward and I got a case against him […] but awhile ago I received an email telling me that I would not have a hearing […] because I do not have a witness for my story […]. It is very scary to think about because it is probably not just my reality and this man could be capable of doing far worse than what he did to me. The fact that the university is allowing him and giving him an environment to be comfortable enough to do that sort of thing because he knows he is probably going to go away with it. I think it is just such a scary reality for all women right now. I do not think anyone is okay and more so you realize that there are no measures put in place to protect us because even the guys working in security are also sexual predators.

Mduduzi Mafela: 2nd year BEng Electronic Engineering It is unfortunate- the situation that the university and the students are in […]. In a society where everyone is fixated on their own lives, everyone walks head down and focuses on themselves and their own issue. It is unfortunate that the university is unable to do their job functionally, given that students are so encapsulated and boxed in their own worlds. […] Definitely they could do better, the gender-based violence campaigns that they do should not be only once a quarter or in just one period but rather every single month they should be raising the same awareness because it is a continuous issue and therefore the awareness needs to be continuous. These campaigns should be accessible to everyone around campus; this should be going to each faculty and unveiling them on a stage where every faculty can see […], not just one place on campus. Being a male, it really sickens me knowing that there is someone out there who does not view women the same way I do.

Palesa Nkosi: 2nd year BA Political Sciences I feel UP as an institution, as a country and as a whole can do a whole lot better with GBV issues. […] We are at a time where people are becoming a lot more vocal about GBV issues and mainly females and their frustrations about how the systems keep disappointing them. UP needs to expand their units that deal with these kinds of issues and employing investigating officers that are trained in dealing with GBV cases [...]. The concerns raised by the above students highlights the need for continued conversations, debates and engagements in finding solutions to halting gender-based violence in its various forms.

Myette du Preez: 1st year BSc Biological Science UP is well equipped with structures and interventions regarding GBVs. We have the #SpeakOutUP office, Centre for Sexualities, AIDS and Gender as well as various workshops to increase awareness of such issues. As an already overwhelmed student approaching exams, hearing about cases of GBV upsets me and sometimes results in choosing not to think about it […]. As students, we are responsible for what happens around us. We can do our part by reporting any crimes we witness and experience at any of the facilities provided to us by the university […]. Please speak up and make use of them.

Omnia Hassan: 2nd year BAdmin Public management and international relations I feel like UP can do so much better with dealing with the GBV issues. The past month has been tough for us as a country, as women and students of UP. After the vigil it was clear that no one feels safe coming to campus anymore. As a woman, it makes me feel unsafe. There’s nowhere I can go without thinking my life could be in danger, be it day or night, alone or with friends. At a certain point it all becomes too much […] and we cannot take the pressure anymore. We already have enough to deal with without the pressure of society on us […]. Society doesn’t realise how much we already have on our plates as females. We try our best to please everyone, but it’s not possible.

7 October 2019 | Features

9

The meme effect: exploring the effects of memes on the minds of students Maryke Steynvaart

O

riginally, the term “meme” was coined

by Richard Dawkins, an evolutionary biologist, in his book The Selfish Gene, originally published in 1976. A meme is defined as, “a unit of cultural information spread by imitation” by The Encyclopaedia Britannica. It is based on the idea of a gene but, instead of biological information, it transmits socio-cultural information through processes like socialisation and involves numerous phenomena such as language, religion, music, race and gender, which consequently influence people’s attitudes, beliefs and values towards certain topics. Since then, its meaning has rapidly changed in the realm of public consciousness.

The “internet meme” is an incredibly recent phenomenon and usually involves a picture or video that is taken out of its context and accompanied by a humorous caption with the intention of making you laugh. Jc Steyn, a second-year BCom Law student, owner and founder of Summarize and the administrator of Tuks Faculty of Memes describes a meme as follows, “It is like an inside joke that everyone can share, and it is something that communicates a funny part of life that we can all relate to.”

Edrich Cloete, a third-year BSc Agriculture Applied Plant and Soil Science student, describes a meme as “a photo with text added that applies some sense of humour in a way that a specific group of people can relate to.”

Memes can be made about any topic and for any number of purposes, but usually it informs us or makes fun of a wide range of topics including animals, awkward moments, death, news and violence. The memes students follow usually involve topics related to politics, society, pop-culture and student-life, specifically regarding the challenges students face surrounding procrastination, socialisation, failing, stress, mental health, graduation and being in first year. Students encounter memes on multiple platforms specifically Instagram, 9gag, Facebook, Twitter and Reddit. Most students

consume memes daily, like Cloete who does “...15 minutes of good meme-ing a day,” and Mia de Wet, a second-year fine arts student who argues that, “if you’re interacting with social media, you are automatically interacting with memes.”

Memes are ubiquitous and multifunctional because they serve as a medium of communication and can help us to relate to other people through collective experiences, like being a student.

Memes can help release stress through laughter, connect people with similar opinions or illuminate a subject that may be sensitive or controversial. Steyn argues that memes serve students because they “are fun, enjoyable and put you in a good mood[…]. The real thing it does is [inspire] a sense of camaraderie, to let everyone know we are all in the same boat, we are all experiencing the same stuff and other people are thinking the same way you think[...].

It sort of makes you a bit more comfortable to approach someone you do not know, to bring up a topic that previously you thought was obscure or unimportant[…] but now you have this validation to bring up topics and problems students deal with…”

Memes may be entertaining and beneficial for some, but can also have its downsides. Memes are not always positive and constructive, as there is a potential risk of correlation between memes and general desensitisation towards various topics.

Extensive research is necessary to develop a comprehensive understanding of memes, but Catherine Burns, Historian in the Sociology Department at UP and affiliated to the Centre for Sexualities, AIDS and Gender (CSA&G), agreed to share her opinions about memes based on the desensitising effects of other forms of media. Burns says: “[…] gender studies of the near present and […] historical studies of the past show us how simple and de-contextualised messages became ubiquitous and how dangerous this

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students, but stresses that he “does not necessarily think it is a bad thing.” He uses the example of failing modules to further state that “failing a subject is never a good thing and if you do, serious changes need to be made. Meme pages help to soften the blow a little bit, and if you want to call it desensitisation, you could, but I think it serves more of a purpose of healing and of helping people manage their stress. If you were to see a meme about everyone else failing [that] subject, I’m not necessarily saying that should make you not work as hard at the subject, but maybe if you do fail the subject, it can make you feel a little bit better […].

You can argue it both ways.

It could be a good thing or it could be a bad thing, but at the end of the day we are all just trying to help each other out.”

Students seem to practice an awareness regarding memes as Cloete states “I don’t like disrespectful memes, like gender-specific memes. It’s supposed to be funny for everyone.”

Popular meme pages such as @TuksFacultyofMemes, @ Life_at_tuks and @ Tuksmemes appear to have Image: James Van Niekerk refrained from posting racist, sexist and derogatory memes that can adversely influence and insult other well-studied kinds of cases should caution us students. This is noteworthy, considering as to the uncritical use of memes.”

UP’s Anti-discrimination and Social Justice Desensitisation refers to a process whereby Week. increased exposure to something decreases Memes seem to be integral to student reaction towards that specific topic. culture online, allowing for communication, The decrease in reactivity results in less relating to one another and finding a physiological and emotional arousal.“[...] A sense of community. But, memes can also cycle is then created,” Burns states, “rather be perceived as de-contextualised and like dependence on a drug - to get the simplified entities that carry a lot of power. same effect, heightened versions and more Students should thus view, share and create exposure is required.” This refers to more memes with discretion and sensitivity explicit and derogatory memes and may towards the possible harmful effects on their involve acts of trolling and bullying. peers and wider society.

Steyn agrees that memes do desensitise can be. For example, forms of propaganda in South Africa under the National Party (such as the election poster meme Swart Gevaar) aimed at making people in segregated […] white communities afraid of South Africa’s […] black people; or how much heterosexual pornography has been shown to desensitise people to sexual violence against women and mitigate against gender equality. All of these

Pssst...

H

i hi. Yes, it is Pssst..., Pssst… is back indeed. Pssst… knows you missed Pssst… Queue the dramatic outbursts asking where Pssst… has been. But Pssst… needs a holiday too.

Speaking of which, Pssst… knows you enjoyed yours. Some of you even got an extra little holiday. You know, when varsity was cancelled. When the president of the SRC valiantly won back some days from UP. Pssst… hopes that the people having pool parties had fun while others were protesting in the streets. Pssst… would just like to point out that a little party never stopped any men from raping women.

Anyways, Pssst… is only mildly offended. Plus, Pssst… knows UP will have its revenge for these pool and protest days. Pssst… thinks exams are when this will happen. Or did you forget about those? Pssst… knows some of you won’t even get exam entrance, so it’s okay.

Pssst… wants you to know that during this stressful time your mental health matters, if you can get an appointment.

But if not, Pssst… is here for you. Pssst… will bring you spice and temporary smiles.

The SRC is also here for you, if they can figure out who is in charge. Pssst… really

enjoys these power struggles and Pssst… hopes that Law House has also sorted out its problems. If not, Pssst… thinks another interdict might work?

Speaking of working, apparently the new RAG names aren’t. Pssst… finds it amusing that the old names die hard.

Pssst… finds it even more entertaining watching you walk to the exit by Sci-Enza.

Speaking of leaving, Pssst… must depart soon. Don’t go you say?

But Pssst…must go. Pssst… has eavesdropping to do, information to trade and rumours to spread.

Pssst… says adieu. xx

10 | Entertainment

7 October 2019

Illustration: Kara Olivier

25 years of

2009 – 2014 and when she isn’t busy acting, she’s with her daughter Coco with whom she shares with screenwriter and ex-husband, David Arquette. Despite suffering from drug and alcohol abuse after the series ended, Matthew Perry (Chandler Bing), has turned his life around and now spends his time advocating help for others suffering from addiction. He has also maintained a presence on screen and appears in popular series such as The Good Wife. David Schwimmer (Ross Gellar) recently portrayed Robert Kardashian in The People v. O.J. Simpson. He often finds himself behind the camera as a director and is a father to a seven-year-old daughter.

Matt LeBlanc (Joey Tribbiani) maintains a leading role on the sitcom Man with a Plan (since 2016). He is also a father and spends the majority of his time with his daughter, Marina. In 2013, Friends was ranked no. 24 on the Writer’s Guild of America’s 101 Best Written TV Series of All Time. It’s safe to say the sitcom deserves its title as a classic and will remain a well-loved staple for years to come.

....... . . . . . . .

R

oss. Phoebe. Monica. Joey. Rachel.

Chandler. Some of the most iconic and quirky characters in sit-com history. It has officially been 25 years since this group of friends arrived into the lives of television-watchers. The group tackles many of the trails and tribulations that life has to offer, proving that with the support of a solid friend group anything is possible. The world came together to celebrate this momentous occasion and super fans saw the Burj Khalifa in Dubai light up, decorated in lights that included some of the most iconic Friends references such as the couch, fountain, lobster and turkey head. The show also featured audio snippets from the sitcom such as the iconic Ross lines “we were on a break!” and “Pivot!”. Meghan Trainor performed a cover of the Friends theme song I’ll Be There for You at the Empire State building in New York as the building lit up for the occasion. Google celebrated by adding an Easter egg animation which allowed users to type in a character’s

name and watch a popular characteristic of each character show up. LEGO released a special Central Perk themed set and the 1070 piece set is sure to keep you entertained for hours. The set is complete with the iconic orange couch, LEGO caricatures of each character, as well as iconic pieces such as Phoebe’s guitar and Ross’ keyboard.

12 fan-favourite episodes were screened across 1000 theatres in the United States.

These featured exclusive new interviews and never-before-seen content. Whilst fans may not be receiving the reboot that they have been craving since the sitcom ended in 2004, these brand new bonus features are sure to give them enough content to binge watch until the next big anniversary.

The stars of the popular sitcom have remained well-known industry names since the end of the show. Jennifer Aniston (Rachel Green) starred in and was the executive producer of Netflix’s Murder Mystery alongside Adam Sandler in 2019.

Courtney Cox (Monica Gellar) starred in popular television series Cougar Town from

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Cassidy Bessa and Dani van der Horst

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Three Friends outfits you can still pull off today Tana van Heerden

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riends is one of the most popular television shows in history and is still well-loved today. Every character has their own story, personality and style that makes them so unique and funny. Today we are breaking down some memorable style moments from the sitcom. The Friends wardrobe consists mainly of comfortable, classic outfits that still look chic. The best thing about them, is that they are very easy to recreate.

Image: IMDb.com

Jeans were definitely Monica’s wardrobe staple, especially mom jeans. The oversized washed-out, torn jean is very popular now and easy to find. A red spaghetti strapped tank top is used to add that pop of colour and vibrancy. Comfort was key for Monica and therefore a pair of white sneakers is worn.

Now you have a very simple but classic Monica Geller outfit.

Joey Tribbiani liked to keep things simple, yet stylish. He was very aware of how he looked, and how to represent the best him, without trying too hard. Joey is seen here wearing a classic black t-shirt, straight legged black jeans and work styled ankle boots. The monochromatic style is used, where you wear the same colour throughout your whole outfit or a different shade of it.

This coherent visual image of one colour makes you look taller and stylish.

Images: Tana Van Heerden

This iconic Rachel green outfit screams the 90’s. To achieve this look, a plaid skirt and off- white turtleneck is needed. The outfit is completed with knee-high knitted socks, that will give the appearance of elongated legs.

The chunky black shoes give the girly outfit more of an edgy feel.

Iconic Friends quotes to incorporate into campus conversations: In response to your lecturer asking for that recess assignment that’s due, inform them that “WE WERE ON A BREAK!” When your friends ask what your plan is after university simply explain, “I don’t even have a ‘pla’.”

When your friends tag you in Tuks memes, “Ah, hunour based on my pain. Ah, ha, ha.”

Entertainment | 11

7 October 2019

III

Image: Broadwayworld.com

The Lumineers Dani van der Horst

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merican folk-rock band, The Lumineers, released their third studio album titled III on 13 September 2019 which is a deeply personal tale of substance abuse. Along with the accompanying music videos, the album tells the tale of a dysfunctional working-class family and how addiction has haunted each member in tragically unique way.

Wesley Shultz, guitarist and lead vocalist,

wrote the story of the fictional Sparks family. The short film, directed by Kevin Phillips, is comprised of the music videos for each song and had its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in early September. Although fictional, Shultz drew inspiration from a member of his own family who battled substance abuse for her entire life. Drummer, Jeremiah Fraites also contributed to many of the lyrics and drew from his own battles with substance abuse, as well as from the loss of his own brother to a drug overdose in 2001.

The album tackles some exceptionally heavy topics and creates an emotionally charged cinematic and auditory experience.

The decision to release the singles in chapters was a particularly fascinating one.

Each generation of the Sparks family was granted three songs for their chapter. The build-up of anticipation certainly played into the band’s favour and the album debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 200.

This entire album is brilliant. It is raw, emotional and most importantly, it is exceptionally unique. The Lumineers have a knack for storytelling and moving you in ways never before imagined.

From beguiling piano riffs in Donna, to the all too familiar, bittersweet lyrics of It Wasn’t Easy To Be Happy For You, as well as a melancholic cover of the Leonard Cohen ballad Democracy, this album taps into the entire spectrum of human emotion.

It is definitely worth listening to and the accompanying short film is a cinematic masterpiece that you do not want to miss.

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for beginners Sue De Souza and Dani van der Horst

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n 2018 the global pop culture event, Comic Con, made its way to South Africa for the very first time. The event was a giant success and was welcomed back from 21 – 24 September 2019. The event celebrates an array of pop cultural categories such as cosplay, comic books, anime, manga and gaming, amongst many other things. It is a fun event that has something for everyone.

Finding your way Attending Comic Con as a first-timer can be quite daunting. There are over sixtythousand fans and a venue packed with various stalls and stands. Navigating it all can be rather challenging, even for those who’ve attended the event in the past.

However, the organizers have done their best to make it as easy and user friendly as possible. Comic Con magazines are handed out at the entrance and contain all the information that you need regarding the overall layout, halls with the latest technology and merchandise, specific stalls, as well as a schedule for the events taking place inside. It is important to prioritize exactly what events you would like to attend and what stalls you would like to visit, as every hall hosts something different and it is difficult to get around to everything.

Cosplay If you are new to Comic Con, the idea of dressing up as your favourite character may be slightly intimidating. There are many people who take full advantage of the occasion, however. A lot of people dress up simply for the fun of it and others dress up in order to take part in the official cosplay competition. Whether you are simply a first-time observer or an avid cosplay fan, there are ample opportunities to snap a photo with cosplayers dressed up as your favorite characters. However, if you are feeling

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Photo: Marné Swanepoel

confident and want to give it a try, the event is an exceptionally friendly environment and offers a safe space for self-expression.

Things to do Fans this year were able to take photos and get the autographs of famous actors and voice actors such as Daniel Gillies from The Vampire Diaries. If you are more interested in illustrations, the event hosted many artists and you could purchase their work from the different stalls. This year the event hosted the Telkom VS Gaming CS:GO championship and avid gamers could watch as their E-sports heroes battled it out for a grand prize of R220 000. There was also a section specifically set up for tabletop games such as Magic the Gathering and Dungeons and Dragons. You could play competitively or just for fun and the event had staff members on hand to explain the various games to those who wanted to give it a try. The plethora of stalls offered adequate entertainment on their own as well as a vast array of merchandise, equipment and fun little trinkets.

Other Remarks: For those that plan on attending next year’s Comic Con, it is a good idea to have cash handy as not all the vendors have card facilities. The event is thoroughly enjoyable so long as you are prepared for how busy it will get. It is important to remember that Comic Con attracts many people from all over the country, so be patient and prioritize the events and stalls that you are most interested in. Try to arrive early so that you can park relatively close to the event as the parking lot fills up rather quickly.

Hopefully, the event will continue to achieve the great success that it has experienced in the past two years and will become a permanent fixture on the South African social events calendar.

Sport Summer League Hockey Caitlyn Walsh

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he summer league games began on 9 September with playoffs around the corner for the teams that made it. Summer league takes place annually around spring time on the UP sports campus. The hockey tournament is supervised under TuksHockey and is open to anyone who wishes to play. Each team needs to consist of a minimum of four men and three women ,however, the team doesn’t need to have a maximum number of team players as this allows for substitutes. The teams are mixed to create a social platform for hockey lovers.

The hockey tournament allows for hockey enthusiasts to enjoy a good game with friends. A registration fee of R1200 also needs to be paid.

The games began with high energy with everyone excited to play. Each team played in colour coordinated sports attire to differentiate teams. Each game lasted

15 minutes to ensure time efficiency and make sure many teams had their turn to play on the Astroturf.

Games ran from 18:00 to 22:00 in the evening of the weekdays.

There are 4 pools in which the teams are

categorized. Teams only played against other teams in their pool. This also ensured effective results throughout the games.

Due to the casual nature of the tournament, not many injuries were sustained and players participated for a good time. Summer league has come to an end for many of the teams though as they did not make it to the finals. Certain teams from each pool, that qualified for playoffs, will verse each other in the upcoming weeks.

There are a limited amount of teams that can participate so make sure to register early with TuksHockey.

UP-TUKS knocked out of 2019 Varsity Football competition Boitumelo Makaepea

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ust before the start of the season, we got introduced to the men’s team that will be representing UP-TUKS Football (AmaTuks) in the National First Division and the Varsity Football Cup. AmaTuks started off the season with the hopes of taking the Varsity Football crown for the fourth time. They lost their 1st round match to their rivals, TUT, who beat them 1-0 in a very heated match.

AmaTuks faced UWC in the 2nd round where they won 2-1.

UP-TUKS then played against UJ Football where they lost 4-0.

Despite the loss AmaTuks still managed to get to the semi-finals. Their hopes of coming out victorious at the Varsity Football Cup, however, was cut short by their rivals TUT, as they lost in the penalty shootout in the semi-finals. This was the second time in a row that TUT eliminated AmaTuks in a semi-final encounter of the Varsity

Hurdling Heroics

Football Cup. In the end, it was NWU that took on TUT in the finals, where they defeated them 1-0 in a very in a heated match.

With the Varsity Football Cup out of the way, the team’s focus is now on taking home the National First Division (NFD) title. Their first encounter in this season was against Steenberg United where they won 1-0. They also won 1-0 against Cape Umoya United. So far in the NFD they have only lost one match to Uthongathi and had three draws, against Jomo Cosmos, Free State Stars and Real Kings. As things stand on the log, UP-TUKS is currently number 5 with 9 points.

Image: AmaTuks Facebook Some fans of them highlighted that they understand it is not easy but they believe the boys have the potential to win the NFD if they can manage to be consistent in winning matches throughout the season. AmaTuks are set for another challenge as they will be facing JDR Stars on 5 October 2019 at the Giant Stadium in Soshanguve.

Image: Instagram, Zeney van der Walt - zeney_vdwalt

Nicholas Dedekind

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he University of Pretoria’s own Zeney van der Walt takes the world stage this October at the Athletics World Championships in Doha, Qatar.

She will be competing in the Womans 400m hurdles after having comfortably qualified and been selected to represent South Africa.

This will be the first time she represents her country in a major competition at Image: Instagram, Zeney van der Walt - zeney_vdwalt Senior level.

Zeney van der Walt has been in great shape this year, having been crowned South African Senior Champion in Germiston as well as collecting the silver medal in Napoli at the World Student Games in July. The

19-year-old continued her reputation of winning a medal at every major championship she has competed in over the past 3 years. This includes winning gold at the World Youth and World Junior Championships.

This exposure to the highest level of competition could very well propel her to better her season’s best of 55.73 seconds which she achieved in Napoli.

However, it is difficult to reach and maintain peak form for both the South African competition season and the Northern Hemisphere season (combing to around 6 months). This, combined with the academic demands of university life, would make her success that much more impressive.

Van der Walt will be one of the youngest to compete at the tournament, and the experience could prove vital for the rest of her career. Her personal best of 55.05 seconds for the 400m hurdles, which she ran in March 2018, is near to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualification time of 54.70 seconds. Van der Walt’s efforts in Doha will not go unnoticed, as she makes herself, her country and us at her university proud.

Upcoming sports events:

Varsity Basketball 2019

All games are taking place at WITS MULTIPURPOSE HALL, GAUTENG Round 1 : 04/10/19 @ 16:30 TUKS Basketball Vs VUT Basketball Round 2: 05/10/19 @ 12:00 TUKS Basketball Vs WITS Basketball Round 3 : 05/10/19 @ 18:00 TUKS Basketball Vs UKZN Basketball Round 4: 06/10/19 @ 11:00 TUKS Basketball Vs NWU Basketball

Round 5: 10/10/19 @ 12:00 TUKS Basketball Vs UJ Basketball Round 6: 11/10/19 @ 13:30 TUKS Basketball Vs UWC Basketball Round 7: 12/10/19 @10:00 TUKS Basketball Vs UCT Basketball ROUND 8: FINAL GAME 13/10/2019 @ 14:30

Varsity Netball Final 2019 UP TUKS Netball Vs Maties Netball Time and Place: 07/10/19 18:45 @ Rembrandt Hall

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