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Tiger Brands motivate UP students through Plate4Days

Tumelo D Lesufi

Students have a responsibility towards their studies and the remainder of the other responsibilities tend to come second best. Amongst other imperatives that define a student’s life is food. Lack of food can be a barrier to a student attaining their degree, particularly at this time of the year when some students have run out of credits to buy food in res. This period of the year has been termed Ramadan because it coincidentally comes at the ninth month of the Muslim calendar and the holy month of fasting.

In 2008, Tiger Brands established a flagship program called Plate4Days, aimed at providing nutrition to university students across the country’s public universities. Universities that benefit from this program include: Nelson Mandela University, University of North-West, University of the Free State, University of Johannesburg, University of the Western-Cape and Witwatersrand University (which has the largest number of beneficiaries with 1138 students). The University of Pretoria has teamed up with the leading food and beverage company through the Student Nutrition and Progress Program to give nutritional support to 500 students for the next year. Initially, UP had a total number of 250 beneficiaries and the program has allowed the university to provide double that number.

Tiger Brands provides a hamper containing popular brands to sustain students for a month. The hamper includes the following food items: Morvite, Ace Quick Super Maize Meal, Tastic Rice, Fattis and Monis Macaroni, KOO Chakalaka, KOO Mixed Vegetables, KOO Baked Beans and Black Cat peanut butter. The aim of the program is not to relieve the financial burden of tuition and books, but help reduce the stress of lacking food for the month. The program is for students, and the name itself was inspired by student challenges and their lingo. Plates refers to the plates of meals that students will get out of the hamper and “4Days” is derived from students’ colloquial language referring to the many days the hamper provides.

Intervarsity News

University of Witwatersrand (Wits)

Alumni billionaire launches vaccine development

project in SA.

Former Wits student, Dr Patrick Soon-Shiong, who holds a bachelor’s degree in medicine, has launched a R3 billion project that aims to build capacity for advanced health care in Africa. The vaccines to be developed will be for COVID-19, cancer, and infectious diseases.

University of Johannesburg (UJ)

UJ conducts research about gender differences and the polls.

South Africa has 2.7 million more women than men registered to vote in 1 November’s local government elections. That’s a difference of 11%, and reflects a trend first identified in 2006, suggesting that women have a stronger commitment and intention to vote than men.

University of South Africa (UNISA)

Student march calls for suspension of UNISA student accused of sexual harassment

On 4 November, a number of students from various academic institutions gathered to demand the suspension of the President of the National Student Representative Council (NSRC), who has been accused of sexual harassment. The march followed months of what the students have deemed inaction on behalf of UNISA.

Following this gathering, UNISA released a statement on 5 November saying that the President of the NSRC has been suspended, on a precautionary basis, until the matter has been resolved. The disciplinary proceedings are set to take place on 15 November.

Up until the release of this statement, no progress into the investigation had been publicly released by UNISA since July.

The process of investigation cannot be reviewed as the sexual harassment policy in place at UNISA is not available to the public.

Compiled by: Tumelo Lesufi and Leah Rees

Graduate makes blankets to cover tuition

Mothusi Mokalane

Oarabile Mashigo, a BA Law graduate from UP, established a small business, Cozii Lifestyle, after dropping out of his postgraduate studies because of a lack of funds. Cozii Lifestyle is a blanket making business that Mashigo started after being taught how to make blankets by his Tuks Ekhaya student residence House Guardian, David Raats, and his wife, Nicolette Raats. Mashigo says that after recognising the unemployment, crime and substance abuse crisis in his community in Pretoria West, he saw it fit to rise with others. He works with young people and shows them the ropes of blanket-making. He currently employs four people. “My hope is to at least employ 10 people by the end of the year, and have the number rise up each year as we reach more South Africans”, said Mashigo.

In July, influenced by the wishes of his late brother, who was murdered in their Pretoria West community last year, Mashigo decided to start the #Coziiblanketdrive. The aim of this drive is to get as many people as possible to buy blankets for the homeless. “My brother’s wish was to see the people of his community saved from all the socio-economic challenges we face, and it is rather ironic that it was the same challenges that ended his life. It is his death that influenced this drive”, stated Mashigo.

Mashigo told PDBY that he has been trying to get sponsorship from corporate and local businesses for the drive, but to no avail. “The only form of sponsorship that we have been getting is from our customers buying two blankets and leaving one for the drive”. Mashigo urges the UP community to contribute to the blanket drive. He said, “It would be great to see UP assist in keeping our people on the streets warm during this harsh winter”. Mashigo further indicated that, with the help of their partners, Help a Homeless Homie, the drive was a success, as they were able to donate 56 blankets to the homeless in Johannesburg.

Mashigo says that he hopes and believes that his entrepreneurial initiative will help raise enough money for his tuition to complete his postgraduate LLB studies. Mashigo has always had an entrepreneurial spirit. According to Mashigo, “before I started making blankets, I used to run a small cycling business whereby people in my community would pay me to run errands for them for a fee”. Seeing that it was Pride Month, and being a member of the queer community, Mashigo said that he hopes that his business will one day grow and be run by queer people and women. “I believe in the power of women, hence now my team is made of women and most of my customer base is women. I once read that when you empower women you empower a nation. And that is what I want Cozii to do for women; empower them”, said Mashigo. Mashigo went on to state that “I do not want Cozii to be like one of these South African corporate businesses that just inserts pride colours on their profiles during pride month and still not do anything for the community. I want Cozii to lift and protect queer people”.

Due to the traction and attention that Cozii has garnered over the past four months, Mashigo has been approached by private law firms that will be funding his 2022 studies – SEESA (Pty) Ltd and one more firm that cannot be disclosed at the moment. “I am deeply grateful to them and so many others for this opportunity”, stated Mashigo. Cozii Lifestyle is also doing great for a small business started during a pandemic. “Cozii has been turning a profit and is now allowing us the platform to branch out into clothing and homeware for Autumn/Winter 2022”, explained Mashigo.

Cozii blankets price ranges are: a 1.5 metre blanket is R230, 2 metre is R260, and 3 metre is R300. Blankets for the drive are sold for R230. Customers around Pretoria are guaranteed free delivery. For those in other areas, a R60 additional delivery fee is charged.

For purchases, customers can order on the following platforms: WhatsApp – 079 669 1017; Instagram and Twitter – @coziilifestyle.