9 June 2023 Issue 6 Year 85

PDBY

PDBY Student

For um

P3

A First in Four Years: Student

For um Proceeds without collapsing

P3

T he f emale gaze and its Masculine haze

P5

V Squad Outreach

P12

Abuse: An Open Letter to the SRC

The truth hurts, heals and sets us free

The truth-telling mandate that all publications like ours are tasked with is not something that we take lightly The truth as we understand it is not

centre. People that do not want the truth to come out. They lash out, and end up treating the people around them like garbage.

The truth hurts

The reality that a lot of our journalists have had to face is how they have been treated by the SRC. But sometimes, there is no way to soften the cold hard truth, especially when you are a mess but believe yourself to be a masterpiece. When you are the president of an organisation that gets nothing done, an organisation that applauds racism at a white supremacy When you are an SRC pair of someone’s boobs as your Whatsapp wallpaper, a vice chairperson who lies under oath, or a Student Representative Council that will do ANYTHING to silence the press. You cannot face the music. The truth will always hurt, and you will never grow

The truth heals

What you often forget is that when you are honest about your feelings toward a particular situation, it opens the door for potential change and compromise. You cannot be the president who represents all students and not address their moral reservations about the source of your

funding. It is not enough to stop at, “We take money from whomever we want, we do not discriminate.” By that logic, could you take money from Nazis without any hangups? Address those moral reservations, explain that you are in a bind and you have to choose money from a donor who has potentially

There are students with legimate concerns with a solitary ‘No’. And continued on to other issues.

In this sense, student governance doesn’t need to be so toxic, so confrontational. In that instance, you do not have a group of relationship. You don’t go into an armoury

In the world of governance, that is what transparency is about, that is what it is for We didn’t think it necessary to tell you this, but heal these relationships, be honest about the things you do that upset those around you.

The truth sets free

The truth serves as the point of departure for solving problems. Before you can solve for what it is. Why must we have whistle blowers hiding behind unsubstantiated claims about what we already know with evidence? We already know the Student Representative Council is in disarray, but start asking why? If the suspicions are true and the whistle blower is, in fact, a member of the Student Representative Council, then,

we hate to break it to you, but you’re just as big a problem as the rest of those members you tore apart in your email. Khanyi thinks members of the press and obstruct their entry into the buildings meant for all students.

journalists doing their job but remains silent when his organisation is openly racist to a student. Neville still does nothing. Is this the body that represents us? A SRC that chooses to ignore and abuse students. The truth is the SRC right now has shackled itself because of members not being honest about their own shortcomings.

So, what is the truth?

As a newspaper, our job is to protect and maintain the voice of the people. To give them the information they need to know in an objective way. It’s not an easy job and it’s not one we take lightly The truth, like all things, is the manifestation of reality as it emerges from the facts. However, on occasion, someone so bold and arrogant will attempt to restrict the truth in a cage of lies. Unfortunately for them, what we know about the truth is that it always comes out. When it does, it usually does so by tearing apart that very same cage of lies. So, to those who lie on a public platform, are you ready for the crazy comeback we have in store? Because, the truth is, you aren’t. No matter how hard you try to silence us, we will continue to

PDBY Editorial

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Student forum proceeds without collapsing

On 25 May, the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) held the second quarter student forum in Thuto 1-2. For without collapsing.

The forum

speaker who gave a report was the SRC president, Njabulo Sibeko. Sibeko reported on the many issues that students have experienced and continue to experience, including the following: NSFAS accommodation cap, cancellation of lease agreements, and NSFAS status. “We are also students. We can’t perform miracles, and that is why we need to go to the people with money to help us,” stated Sibeko.

Following the president, other SRC members also gave quarterly reports of activities in their respective portfolios, including how they have tackled students’ challenges that fall within the spectrum of their portfolios. When reporting on accommodation issues, the SRC member responsible for the Residences portfolio, Vhutshilo Muambadzi, stated, “We have managed to help all students that wanted to cancel their lease agreements.” A problem arose with the report of Captain Shongwe, the SRC member responsible for the Facilities, Safety and Security portfolio. Part of Shongwe’s report was not in the published SRC Quarter 2 Reports. As a result, of the report.

Karabo Mogale, the SRC member in charge of the Societies portfolio, and Karabo Lefete, the SRC member responsible for the Day Students and External Campuses portfolio, did not attend the student forum. No apologies were given on their behalf for their absence, and when asked why Mogale and Lefete were not present, SRC secretary Phenyo Matabane replied, “No comment.”

Racism and toxicity at the forum

During the proceedings of the student forum, racial slurs and racist remarks were passed around by members of the EFFSC. When SASCO member Tarik Lalla, an Indian student, made his way to the front to ask the SRC a question without notice, EFFSC member Tshepiso Mathibela said, “Go make samosas, wena!” Lalla asked the Chief Justice of the Constitutional Tribunal accordingly with the member who shouted the racial slur. Ngubeni replied, “I did not hear what was said, and therefore cannot make a ruling on that.” This caused a commotion as members who attended the forum voiced their discontent over the lack of a his question and stated that he would make a ruling later

The second racist remark was also from Mathibela. When Mathibela stood up to ask the SRC a question without notice, SASCO members, including Lalla, shouted at him to go to the

front of the hall and speak with a microphone. In response to this, Mathibela told Lalla, “I don’t listen to Indians; I only listen

Rules for Student Forum at the University of Pretoria. In unconditionally withdraw his comment. After being urged by members of his organisation and a lengthy pause, Mathibela said, “I unconditionally withdraw.” The EFFSC members applauded him for his withdrawal.

SRC, which he opened as follows: “The question I am about to ask is not sponsored by white monopoly capital or Indian monopoly capital.” A member in attendance stood up and requested the ,

members of SASCO, members of DASO, four SRC members, and walked out of the student forum. “Why are you leaving? Leave ke, bye!” said Khanyi Mahlangu, an SRC member, when she saw the four SRC members leave the forum. A DASO member explained why they left: “The Chief Justice seems to be lenient when it comes to making rulings on the things that the EFFSC members are doing in there.”

that quorum was still met, and thus, the forum would continue. the proposed time for the forum had lapsed. This meant that not all questions without notice could be posed to and answered by the respective SRC members.

Misgendering

Near the end of the forum, Jay Grobler, SRC student culture Rules for Student Forum. Grobler (who uses they/them pronouns) when referring to a student with incorrect pronouns. The presiding

The aftermath

Following the adjournment of the forum, PDBY interviewed a few individuals.

On the topic of the racism directed towards him, Lalla said, “For me what stood out today was the fact that, of all the things that I did […] all the positions I’ve held, the organisations I’ve joined, the one thing that was picked out today was my race. […] Critique to not be criticised on their race. […] You really think we’ve made so much progress, and we haven’t.” He further explained, “I think for me it’s the lack of upsetness that also gets to me, by the SRC,

by the Constitutional Tribunal. These are issues that we’ve sort of become immune to. And we can’t allow that.” However, Lalla also commented, “I appreciate the level of upsetness from other members in the room, and I can appreciate the fact that everybody saw that that was an issue.”

Christo Pretorius, the SRC deputy secretary general, was pleased time in four years. However, Pretorius stated the following on the proceedings of the forum: “The SRC should always condemn racism in any form and shape, and what unfolded at the forum is totally unacceptable. And I encourage the Chief Justice to look into it, especially the misgendering of individuals.” Varnu Govender, chairperson of the EBIT faculty and one of the individuals who walked out during forum, stated, “Procedurally, when people walk out of the forum, especially SRC members – and considering that most of the faculty house chairs also walked out – the forum should be collapsed because then quorum is not met at that point. Principally, when you have so much tension in a room and racism going on, it is problematic to keep going on as if everything is

“I wanted us to have a full forum and to keep the forum going. It only made sense to persist, otherwise the forum would have felt about the proceedings of and conduct at the forum. He did, however, condemn the misconduct and the racism that took place at the forum. Deputy Chief Justice Shanley Webb also shared her on the EFFSC applauding racism, as perceived by the audience, Deputy Chief Justice Webb stated, “It’s important to note that the and gestures, and gross disorderly conduct.” She continued,

“Firstly, in the interest of the general student populace, it would condemning their actions, does not mean that he agrees with them or in any way says that they are what conduct should be. Thus, he did not recognise them and continued with forum, as is his inclined to make any rulings on anything that he either did not hear himself or has substantial evidence that strongly suggests such incidence had occurred, relating to any racial allegations which were said.”

A word from a student that attended the forum

UP student Thando Nonkosi gave the following opinion on the forum needs order and more control, and that is the responsibility condemned, and because of the misconduct, lack of order and racism, I do not then think the student forum is a solid platform for students’ issues to be voiced out.”

Thabo Moenyane

Photos: Nothando Mhaule

Loadshedding crisis in the Natural Sciences Building

Micaela Liebenberg

Loadshedding is a persistent issue on campus, in particular the Natural Sciences building. Two postgraduate students studying chemistry and a lecturer weigh in on the issue as PDBY investigates further

What is the issue?

Since the weekend of 27 April, the generator that powers the Natural Sciences building broke down and prevented postgraduate students and academics from using the laboratory equipment for their research. “It’s not really a new issue,” says John Doe*, a lecturer currently doing his research, “it’s a constant failing factor.” He continued to comment that the generators were initially installed as a backup to provide power for the lower stages of load shedding, such as the usual two-hour period. “What we have is not supposed to do this amount of work.”

Armand le Roux, a postgraduate student studying chemistry able to go into the lab as often as I would like to. If the power commented le Roux. Le Roux's research project has taken the back seat and gone behind schedule. “I am doing electrochemistry based on the product that I synthesize for my project. This can take up to at least eight hours.”

Another student, who wishes to stay anonymous, shares their

that UP has excellent research facilities and that it is a shame that

What does this mean for the University?

Both Doe and le Roux recognize the fact that exorbitant amounts of money are being spent on diesel, which is used to power the generators so the university can function during load shedding. “They are losing money indirectly because of all the research projects being stalled” le Roux comments. “The more research papers are published in a year, the better the QS rating is for the university, and the better the university looks.” The QS World University Ranking System is a portfolio designed to compare, judge, and rank universities on a variety of factors. According to le Roux, if the university’s ranking decreases, students are more inclined to choose other universities, which ultimately results in the university losing money in the long term. “It’s an indirect cost

“If someone can’t do their research for weeks it means that people their degrees.” According to Doe, this adds additional strain to the university in the long run. He continues to comment that although the university has more students paying extra fees, it does not “

Damaged equipment

Not only is the university losing money through delayed degrees, but the equipment also gets damaged. “The UPS (uninterruptible power supply) can only hold the equipment for so long,” said le Roux. “Fortunately, none of my equipment has been damaged, but that is because I have not been using them.”

In conjunction with this issue, Doe comments: “Our building has expensive equipment and instrumentation that needs to be running in an idle state. Normally the instrumentation gets damaged if it is does have a UPS, but because the systems in the equipment have not maintained.

The strain of students and academics on both students and academics who are running experiments in the building. le Roux said, “For me as a student, what is most frustrating is that there is no clear line of communication between us and the university Are they trying to keep this issue quiet? Why the lack of communication?”

John Doe comments that there is a larger cognitive load on those doing research now. “We’ve gone through a lot of things. First, we had Fees Must Fall, then Covid, and now it’s this. Every year it feels like we can t return to normality.”

* An alias was given to the lecturer and students who wished to stay anonymous. They are known to PDBY

Swept under the rug: The death and rebirth of Law House’s official academic Whatsapp groups

Kerri-Anne Swanepoel

On 4 April, Law House issued a letter addressed to the entire student body within the Faculty of Law titled “Re: Closure of Whatsapp module groups”. In terms of this letter, the Law House executive committee was tasked with “the closure of group engaging in abusive behaviours directed at lecturers. The following Whatsapp groups were notorious for such conduct: 2022 IGZ320 (Intellectual Property Law), 2023 RVW210 (Statutory Interpretation), and 2023 PBL310 (Administrative Law).

These problems are not new, and they persisted until the groups were reconstituted on 18 April, limiting the ability to send messages to only group admins. Following this reconstitution of the groups, Law House has engaged in the process of deleting conduct. PDBY investigates further

The notice

In the letter that went out to law students on 4 April, the primary reason for closing the Whatsapp groups was “an incident of gross misconduct in the form of the slander Dean. However, an interview with Gracie Sargood, the for the establishment and management of the groups), revealed that the decision came as an instruction to Law “No, it was not our decision. […] I received the directive reconstituted with the limitation that only admins could send messages, Sargood stated, “To try and accommodate the students groups for admins only, with the admins being the class reps.” Misconduct on the groups

ranged from xenophobic to sexist comments. On the 2022 IGZ320 group, the class representative, Ethan Kanniah, engaged prominently in xenophobic comments directed at Dr Chijioke Okorie, a Nigerian professor. Kanniah’s comments and conduct on the groups were so severe that he was removed from his position as class representative of IGZ320. Some of the worst comments Kanniah made included, “Not using deodorant, we don’t tolerate such things in this great nation.” Following the outcome of a bad semester test, Kanniah said, “We are all just yams being crushed and pounded for Okorie’s jollof rice.” Once he was removed as the class representative, Kanniah wrote an entire goodbye speech on the group, where he was unapologetic of his conduct: “I did what I could but the powers that be have removed me as class rep […] I was the yam, who would not be crushed.”

In the RVW210 group, comments directed toward the lecturer, Advocate Noluthando Ncame, included, “One contraceptive method, just 1 nje! Could have prevented this.” In the PBL310 group, comments regarding Professor Melanie Murcott included, “I am gonna rizz her up to get more marks.”

Why are these messages being deleted?

deleted and explained, “I have deleted messages on the groups previously, but I cannot say for certain if I deleted those messages were being deleted, Sargood explained, “What I can say, if messages were ever sent on the group that were not on the purport of the description of the groups, which was for academic purposes, then from time to time admins have deleted them.” Sargood further stated, “Multiple members of Law House are admins in groups. It could be another member of Law House that deleted them.”

Regarding the ethics of deleting the messages targeted at would like to merely state that if messages were ever deleted, it was in the purport of what the groups were intended for. It was not ethically motivated. At this stage I was merely following a directive for what the groups were established for.”

The female gaze and its masculine haze

Vuyiswa Fumba

Tom Holland, Timothee Chalamet and Pedro Pascal. What do these popular actors have in common, aside from their mainstream fame and acting prowess? They epitomise the female gaze, well, as seen on Tiktok. The term “female gaze” was originally coined by Laura Mulvey and references

and other media forms. This theory has been reframed in recent pop culture as…a male archetype? Hence, any man can embody this trending subtype, from your average Joe to celebrities such as Michael Cera, Pete Davidson, and randomly famous Tiktokers using Phoebe Bridgers’ songs for their thirst traps. Any of them can possess the X factor that

What is the male gaze anyway?

In her essay “Visual pleasure and narrative cinema”, Mulvey uses psychoanalysis to explain that for each cinematographic decision, audiences, characters and other stakeholders Hollywood uses a default male perspective cameras slowly panning over a woman’s exposed leg or chest to lighting choices or even screenwriting tropes that script women as ditzy Mulvey coins it the “male gaze”, and this term has only grown in popularity since.

This male point of view often portrays women as men’s supporting characters who are inactive. The exception is when it furthers men’s storylines or shows women exclusively in a hypersexualised context. This perpetuates a patriarchal society, not just for women in the media but women everywhere. According to British art critic John Berger, “Men look at women. Women watch themselves being

looked at. The surveying woman is a man, the surveyed woman is a woman…” This quote further depicts how the male point of view only

What is the female gaze?

Conversely, the female gaze refers to the cinematic exploration of the female point of view This perspective is softer and more emotional. It can also be more intimate and pensive. According to a Vulture article by Tori Telfer, the female gaze “sees people as people” and “seeks to empathise rather than to objectify”. (Or not.)

certain phrases and as a result, the female gaze has essentially lost its original meaning. Instead of referring to the female perspective in media, Tiktok users understand it as classifying a certain type of man. Tiktoker “strangestk3vin” rose to fame in November 2022 when some of his videos went viral. His comment section was “really nailed the female gaze” and “he really

gets it!” Kevin would post videos lip-syncing middle of the song. Eerily enough, Kevin was recently exposed for making misogynistic videos in which he joked about domestic violence. He lost a lot of his supporters after that.

The men who have fallen under this female gaze category on Tiktok have proven one thing: it does not take much. Just having a relatively high-pitched voice, making a few good jokes, having theatre kid rizz, and being conventionally unattractive (read: medium ugly) secures your place in this subtrope. Did that just describe half of your celebrity crushes?

women?

Though language evolves over time and academic language or professional jargon is easily misinterpreted online, the change in the questions and an alarming concern. How did women in the 1970s create an alternate concept to represent the female perspective and counter the default that was the male gaze? And in 2023, how has it been completely reworked to centre men and place women on the backburner once again? Will the old switcheroo be discussed anywhere practical, or will the

Why is Tom Holland even in the discussion?

There is limited space for nuance on social media. It is not every day that Laura Mulvey or any of her counterparts can publish an essay clarifying how far the ideas of the female gaze and the male gaze can be stretched before they lose their original meaning. However, it might help the issue to de-centre men and rework the idea (again and again and again) of the female

Correspondence from Germany

Aaron Cloete

For the past few months, I have been in the small town of Tübingen in the southwestern region of Germany The town itself has a prominent university spread throughout it, and I am here on an academic exchange. Being a student on an entirely

all of you.

around 90 000 people, a third of which are

I’m not really a tourist here. I arrived and made my way to my tiny student housing apartment that looks very similar to AOW I did orientation shops/clubs and pubs scattered around the city I met a host of other international students from China, Mexico, Spain, Brazil, and the rest of the world. I was one of three African students, but they said we represented a promising precedent. I then had to go buy groceries, make sure I had bedding, settle in. And that made me stop being a tourist. For the next three months I would live and study here. I say all of this to you because while it is amazing, when it normalises, it normalises hard.

A key takeaway is that life is kind of just life and people are just people. Going beyond

the borders of South Africa is something I think many of us want to do, and many have a vaguely romanticised view of the rest of the world. Everywhere is better than where we are. Europe is a bastion of civility (or at least the problems you have. Well no. The world is romantic in abstract. In person, it is beautiful in

I can look out my window now and see six on for several years. People who have lived here their whole lives complain about their country as much as we do about ours (though a position of some kind of privilege). There

elephant in t he ro om

Joshua Jacobs

ChatGPT continues to be part of the constant buzz on online platforms such as Twitter as well as in physical spaces like lecture halls. This leads one to wonder when this buzz will turn into a clearer tone that can be heard during lectures and classes all over the world. Thinking closer to home, what do UP students think about ChatGPT? And can ChatGPT be useful for students? If so, how?

To start with, it seems that although the conversation about ChatGPT has caught on is still in its early stages at UP. Just over half of UP students polled on the question said that they have tried to use this latest language model from OpenAI as a tool to assist with their studies. This suggests that while some would claim that ChatGPT is central to the current cultural landscape, the adoption of ChatGPT in formal learning spaces is only beginning to take more noticeable strides.

are still homeless people here, and it is very expensive being poor. People like me who come from very far away have Everything is not perfect, and that is actually great. Sure, things are better in some places than others, but nobody is perfectly happy just because of the country they popped up in. I have made friends perspectives. And people I cannot stand. In other words, the world is not something to fear or something to hold on a pedestal. If you want to study and travel the world, then do so. It will be hard, and the fact that money is a thing sucks, but it is possible.

This is less entertaining or informative than I would like it to be, but honestly mushy works sometimes. I went out in the world, and I found that students are the same everywhere. We stress the same. University admin is the same kind of frustrating. We drink the same, and we learn the same. Yet, we are so very

end of the day, people are just people who are great to get to know and places are just places that we get to be. So go be.

Looking to the future it seems that UP students want lecturers to at least allow the use of ChatGPT as a learning tool. This is evident in the 60% of students who voted in the PDBY polls in favour of being allowed to use ChatGPT This pushes the conversation that much deeper, since this is the point at which the controversy seems to arise most prominently – not only at UP but in many learning institutions. With at least some lecturers and students currently being heavily against the use of ChatGPT for learning, the matter is far from settled. One UP student even commented in a PDBY poll that ChatGPT is a “blight on academia”. However, many other UP students hold a that ChatGPT is “sometimes better than a lecturer” at simplifying complex ideas.

But how are UP students currently using ChatGPT? The answers seem to vary about as widely as the creators of this large language model could have hoped –

from debugging Python code to explaining philosophical concepts. Despite the large variation in uses, an interesting throughline connects these answers. This throughline is that many UP students are not using tool, but as a sort of sparring partner for their ideas. UP students far and wide are more clearly about complex ideas.

An ever-growing number of students at UP are realising – as one UP student studying to become a high school English

Thus, when it comes to learning, there is an elephant-sized question sitting in every

Visual: Nicole Hagemann

Photo: Aaron Cloete

H ello U P s tud e nt - t h i s i s a sa f e place t o shoo t y o ur sho t a t all t hose c ut e people y o u see a r o und camp u s . Tell t hos e people ho w y o u f eel a b o u t t hem, h it o n y o ur c ru sh o r compl i me nt a pe r so n o n t ha t o t he r d a y. Anyt h in g pos itiv e r eall y. T ry t o b e as d esc ri p tiv e a nd c r ea tiv e as poss ib le wit h y o ur d esc ri p ti o n so it ma k es i t eas y f o r t he pe r so n t o id e ntif y t hemsel v es . H e r e ‛ s t o hop in g f o r y o ur s u ccess a nd ma yb e e v e n a poss ib le mee t u p : )

To the House Morula Treasurer, you can be my caramel treasure any day. How does pizza and a Sunday walk sound?

Hello Rapunzel! Love the long hair, love the fact you do Engineering. Looking super good . The boxing is just the cherry on top. You have caught me staring at you multiple

again .

To Michael . The tall guy studying MBCHB. You’re so handsome , and you’re

To the cute , tall Indian boy with

Theology building and kept making eye contact with me at 10’z. You’re very nice to look at :) Wanna hang out sometime?

alone and quiet During PBL 210 (I think his name is Lebo?) I think you’re really cute and your smile brightens my day. I just wanna be friends or maybe more .

To Michael (who I see at res all the time) you’re the most captivating human being I’ve ever met. With your calm, gentle voice , gentlemanness (is that even a word? Eh I

I see you I get so captivated , I get immensely nervous, my knees lock , I can’t think straight. Whenever I see you I

meet you but yoh , a gwababa a day keeps a humbling experience away.

Want to shoot your shot? Scan the QR code.

Visual: Katharine O’Ehley

Crossword: V illains

Spot the Dif ference (8)

Across

2. Luke Skywalker's father

5. The OG vampire

8. Where Hans in Frozen is from

9. Evil fairy who curses Aurora

14. Erased half of all life forms in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

15. Opposite of deep

16. Dr Jekyll's dark counterpart

17. Harry Potter's nemesis

Down

1. Solve the anagram for this pop star: STORY FLAW IT

3. Area where people and craft mysteriously disappear

4. The voodoo man who "helps" Prince Naveen

6. Solve the anagram for this talk show icon: WAR FINERY HOP

7. Notorious hater of dalmatians

11. Synonym for mulish

13. Prince Zuko's sister

Riddle of t he day...

I have a heart that never beats, I have a home but I never sleep. I can take a man's house and build another, And I love to play games with my many brothers. I am a king among fools. Who am I?

St e p U P o r St e p O u t

Vuyiswa Fumba

Sin the amphitheatre and the AULA. Boasting a long list of engaging performances from various structures around the university, it was a night to remember

Step It Up is a synchronised singing and dancing competition, hosted annually by Student Culture. Performances consist of singing, creative choreography and skits. It is open to all students categories. The event encourages multiculturalism and diversity and that was clear in this year ’s song choices. Audiences were treated to a wide array of songs, from South African favourites like “Huku” by Sho Madjozi to radio staples like “Unholy” by Sam Smith and Kim Petras to hood classic jams like “Hit the Quan” by iLoveMemphis. STUKU sets forth the requirement of at least four languages per performance and there were snippets of songs or dialogue for almost every language speaker

The themes of the performances were original. Asterhof went with “Astergames” and simulated their version of the hunger games. Air Madelief was an incredible performance, taking audiences on a trip with an enthralling opening skit. House Mopane stunned with their extensive song selections and an army theme. Blossoms Delight’s theme was “african warrior” and they dressed up in leopard print vests and umqhele, a traditional black person on the stage with them was crowned king. Real Mr Bones vibes! Commercii held the crowd down with a hearty drumline. NatHouse collaborated to create a nostalgic setlist that had everyone singing along to all their childhood favourite songs. House Magrietjie and Azalea had murder on their mind with renditions of female rage in both their performances. Educendeology had the theme “national shutdown” and they delivered a loud and dynamic performance that focussed on the protest element and how South Africans are connected through hardships.

The winners of Step It Up 2023 were House Ukuthula, successfully defended their status as reigning champions. Erica was the runner-up and Curelitzia won third place. (Hot take: Curelitzia, cabin crew queens, you were robbed!)

skits and lots of things to remember. STUKU external culture

It Up was witnessing how hands on everything is. It’s Student Culture tailoring an experience by students for students. It was a spectacular showcase of how the celebration of culture can bring students together.”

So, what can be learned from Step It Up 2023? A good band sets you up for a good performance, diversity and the celebration of cultures makes for an amazing show (looking at you Blossoms Delight, drop the leopard tees) and lastly, loadshedding jokes are even funnier when Step It Up is interrupted by loadshedding during intermission.

Inklings takes part in Shakespeare festival

Vuyiswa Fumba

Shakespeare is alive and well, still being honoured with artistic tributes from people who enjoy reading and reenacting his work. On 17 May 2023, the University of Pretoria’s Inklings took part in the sixth annual Shakespeare festival hosted by the Shakespeare Club of the National Children’s Theatre in Parktown, Johannesburg.

The festival was lively, with performances not just from the Inklings, but also from talented thespians from various high schools in and around Johannesburg, including St Dunstans College, Willowmoore High School, Sutherland High and Parktown Boys High. Each performance featured a rendition of a Shakespearean play and the audience was graced with recitations of sonnets and scenes from famous plays like Julius Caesar, Macbeth and The Tempest, summing up to 16 performances in total. The Inklings gave spectacular performances of The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Measure for Measure, The Two Noble Kingsmen, Much Ado About Nothing, King Lear and The Taming respectively

The adjudicator, Dr Rohan Quince, Shakespeare scholar and founder of “The Shakespeare Club”, praised performers for their enthusiasm as well as their creative ways of infusing life and passion into what can be boring, dreary plays. Indeed, Shakespeare is not just alive and well, but he remains the most widely-read playwright in the world, centuries after his death! His artistry continues to be well-loved and appreciated.

Photos: Nothando Mhaule

Popular Booktok books actually worth your time

Jade Fabri

Picking up that book that has been blowing up on Tiktok is a risky move. It will either alter your brain chemistry, or it could. That said, here are seven popular Booktok books that will (hopefully) not disappoint.

Normal People by Sally Rooney

This complex story navigates love, friendship, class, communication, and mental health in the lives of two Irish teenagers, Marianne and Connell, as they mature through high school and university. Rooney does a deep dive into the emotional complexities of young adulthood. With compelling characters and thoughtful examination of the young adult/human experience, Normal People is raw and honest. This novel’s complexity and thought-provoking story will stay with readers long after they have watch.

Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

The tumultuous story of the rise and fall of 1970s band Daisy Jones and the Six is told through a series of interviews with band members, managers, and other key players in their orbit. It explores themes of love, addiction, creativity, and the complex dynamics of relationships within a band. With its immersive storytelling and vivid characters, the novel captures the spirit of an era and the power of music to move and inspire. The accuracy and realism with which Taylor Jenkins Reid tells the story will have readers believing that the band is real.

Beach Read by Emily Henry

This romantic novel is set in a charming small town on the shores of Lake Michigan. The story follows two rival writers, January and Gus, who are struggling to overcome writer ’s block. They agree to swap genres for their next books, leading to interesting adventures and a growing attraction to each other With humour and heart, Beach Read is a perfect witty read for any contemporary romance lover

Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren

In need of childhood friends to lovers with an added secondchance trope? This story of Macy and Elliot will satisfy that. After 11 years of radio silence, Macy and Elliot run into each other with the mystery of why they just disappeared from each other ’s lives. Told in alternating timelines, the novel explores themes of absorbing characters and heartfelt storytelling, Love and Other Words delves into the many facets of love.

Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton

The book is a witty, warm, and sincere account of Dolly Alderton’s journey through heartbreaks, friendships, self discovery, and survival of young adulthood. Alderton talks about the highs and lows of modern dating, the importance of platonic love, and the transformative power of therapy. Her writing is relatable to anyone who has ever navigated the complexities of love and life. This is a must-read for anyone in their 20s.

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

Fantasising about your hot professor? Or are you a girlie in contemporary romance novel is for you. When physics PhD student Olive needs a fake boyfriend, she strikes a deal with the stoic Professor Adam Carlsen. As they spend more time together, Olive realises that the chemistry between them has got nothing to do with the science she studies and everything to do with how hot her professor is. The witty banter between these two love interests is bound to pique any hopeless romantic’s interest.

Verity by Colleen Hoover

Although Colleen Hoover may be a controversial author, Verity is a must-read. This dark and suspenseful thriller follows the story of struggling writer Lowen Ashleigh, who is hired to complete the remaining books in a bestselling series by author Verity Crawford

details about Verity’s thoughts on her life and family As Lowen becomes more intimately entangled in the Crawford family’s secrets, she must decide what to believe. This story will leave you staring at your ceiling wondering what you just read, which is exactly why it is an essential read.

Next up

2. California - The Great Yawn

3. Queen of Nothing - Tuelo

4. Aphrodite - TRESOR & Beatenberg

5. Smells Like Summer - Early Hours

6. My Favourite Place - Shortstraw

7. Too Much - HONEYMOAN

8. Wild Hearts - Cece Vee

9. Street Lights - 4am

10. First Year - Zebra

Movie Bonanza: What to Watch Out For

Franco Marais and Rebecca van Besouw

If going to the cinema and being transported away by the magic of movies is your thing, then you are set for this exam period and recess. There will be a plethora of new releases waiting for you to come and watch. But between the dates of 10 June and 23 July, what needs to be on the top at your list?

Asteroid City - 16 June

splash of rom-com drama, then Asteroid City might be the movie for you. It has a star-studded cast, with the likes of Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbie, and Tom Hanks. With director Wes Anderson at the helm and the surprise of the year

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny - 30 June Logan and Ford vs Ferrari director James Mangold taking a crack at it. In this one, the daredevil archaeologist is chasing after a history-altering item with the help of his goddaughter With a diverse and talented cast, right direction after Crystal Skull.

Insidious: The Red Door - 7 July

For horror movie fans from way back, Insidious: The Red Door one. Protagonist Josh Lambert, with Patrick Wilson reprising his upside down by the return of a repressed demon from the past.

Insidious: The Red Door - 7 July

dip their toes into the series now that it is ending.

Oppenheimer - 21 July

Right before the recess ends comes a unique spin on the current biopic boom. This time, the centre focus is J. Robert focuses on the tumultuous and dramatic moments

With Christopher Nolan as the director, Ludwig Goransson composing the score, and actors such as Cillian Murphy, Robert Downy Jr, Florence Pugh, Matt Damon, and Rami Malek on board, this movie could easily be the biggest blockbuster of the year

Barbie - 21 July

Releasing on the same day as Oppenheimer is its polar opposite, Greta Gerwig’s Barbie

Gosling as Barbie and Ken, with a stacked supporting cast including Emma Mackey and Simu Liu. Though the plot remains a and love for Barbie as an iconic character. See it with your girlfriends, or make it a double feature with Oppenheimer for that sweet tonal whiplash. Just remember to wear pink.

Visual: Katharine O’Ehley

Visual: Katharine O’Ehley

Visual: Katharine O’Ehley

The Side Effects of Healing is Often Spiralling

Iu s j o u r ney t h at i s th e healin g pr oce ss an d make it a little mo r e bea r able

SLEEP

With injury comes pain medication which doubles as a sleeping pill but do not say that to the pharmacist. Take advantage of the opportunity to repay the sleep debt you have accumulated. Do not stress about wrecking your body clock because the actual wreck that sleeping is passing the time quickly Before you know it your recovery period will be over READ

What you choose to read is completely up to is the goat for this) and Social Media Alternate Universe (SMAU) stories on Twitter The shorter reads for those of us with commitment issues. Plus, these short stories are built around characters and worlds you already know and love. So it is sure to be a serotonin boost

CATCH UP

This time spent laying in bed can be a

productive catch up session. University is notoriously fast paced and the workload incredibly heavy. So, if you are a little behind now is the time to do academic reading, start that assignment, complete that three week old tutorial. Perhaps, you are super studious and always up to date. In that case, it does not hurt to work a little ahead just in case something comes up or catch up on one of your favourite shows.

“No physical activity for two weeks. Lest you risk tearing something and then it will be surgery,” says the doctor. Heart shattering.”

SELF CARE DAY

This one will require a bit more hobbling from the bathroom to the bed and back Self care has become an increasingly important element of our lives as young people. But

“everything” shower? Do a face mask and foot soak? The time is now for a makeshift spa day Convince your family or some good friends to join you as well That way they can assist you and you get some great quality time out of it

The healing process is uniquely demanding It requires one to become still and slow down For the athlete, this is especially challenging which is why the aforementioned can be useful. It is also key to remember that when you refuse to take out needed time to recuperate you prolong the healing process. Be mindful of your body and its limits. When the body calls for a timeout, take it, heal (try not to go insane while doing so) and make a great comebac

TuksSport Bursary

TuksSport has opened applications for its Sport Performance Support Bursary This bursary is open to students of any degree course who have been accepted into their course. Applicants must ensure that the University of submit all documentation to apply in full and without error Applications are set to close 31 July 2023.

A bursary is a handy way to fund a student’s studies, especially in our current economic climate. However, one must always remember that certain T&C’s do apply. Bursaries have

contractual obligations and stipulations.

So, applicants must monitor their academic performance and balance it together with their athletic performance. Furthermore obtaining a bursary is one thing but maintaining it is another Maintenance is important as a drop in academic or sports related performance can result in the reduction or even loss of the bursary

This bursary is a viable option for any student

… wherever. If you are eligible and have never applied before, do so. Also if you are eligible and are currently on the bursary, do not forget to reapply!

Weird World Records

Heaviest train pulled by beard

Ismael Rivas Falcon- 2 753.1 kg over a distance of 10m

Fastest time to type to one million

Les Stewart- 16 years to from one to one million in words

Fastest marathon dressed as an elf

Ashley Payne- 2 hours 58 minutes and 16 seconds

Most lightning strikes survived Roy C. Sullivan- 7 times throughout his life

Most piercings in a lifetime

Elaine Davidson- 4225 times

Most watches eaten

Kim Seung Do- 5 entire watches with the exception of the band in an 1 hour and 34 minutes

Micaela Wathen

Visual: Nicole Hagemann

Cartoon: Micaela Liebenberg

Script: Karla van Dyk

Visual: Joshua Hunter

V Squad Outreach

Ashura Kalufya

The TuksCheerleading team is back at it again. Only this time, the cheerleaders performed during their annual outreach programme at a festival hosted by the Magalies Special School in Pretoria. They were invited to the Magalies Fire and Food Festival to lift the spirits of the visitors by performing a lovely dance routine. According to the school, the cheer team’s routines brought some extra fire to their festival. The cheerleaders even decided to stay and socialise after their performance ended.

If you thought this was the last of the V squad, you are mistaken, as they are now in search of yet another win at the Nationals. The Nationals will be taking place during the first week of July and is held by the South African Majorette and Cheerleading Association in Durban. While the competition team will focus on that, our TuksCheerleading squad will perform during the Ama Tuks games. The AmaTuks football games will be filled with music from the brass band and energy from our cheer team. In the words of the head cheerleader, Dolly Makgotlho, “the people must go”. So, consider going to the games, if not for the football, then for the atmosphere and the cheer.

Introducing: Goal Ball and Braille Chess

Micaela Wathen

The Student Sport Committee (SSC), responsible for organised student sport at the University of Pretoria, is taking strides to build a more inclusive sports environment. New developments from the committee are goalball and braille chess, which are geared towards visually impaired persons.

The UPlympics was a catalyst for braille chess, which is now in its stage of growth. The opportunity to learn and participate in Braille chess is open to all interested parties, according to the SSC. A newer and lesser-known development is that of goalball. goalball is where opponents attempt to throw a bell-filled ball into the other's goal box. Players who are not visually impaired play blindfolded and must make use of their ear-hand coordination to best the other team.

The SSC are aiming to bring students together to bask in the joy of sports. These sports are designed for the visually impaired persons, but everyone is welcome. It is an opportunity for the student population to learn and engage with the sports themselves and the people they were designed for. More information on joining in can be found on the SSC’s Instagram page.

Sport

Res Rugby Round 7

Christiaan Steenekamp

If you like to be at the edge of your seat, then the matchup between House Mopane and Morula Legae was certainly meant for you. Both teams previously battled in round two, where Morula emerged as the victors with a score of 27-14. However, this match in the seventh round was much more exciting to watch.

Mopane started the game with the kick-off, which immediately led to a Morula penalty due to a Mopane player not rolling away. After fifteen minutes into the game, Morula aimed to kick for the posts and took the lead by 3-0. Both sides had great scoring opportunities, but the defence from Mopane was rock solid. Mopane came close to scoring in the corner and Morula’s maul attack was successfully halted five metres from the try line. Mopane had the clear scrum dominance and after applying

relentless pressure, they scored and made the halftime score 5-3 in their favour. This was a bruising first half with both teams’ number eights making big hits.

After the break, Morula had two opportunities to take back the lead but could not successfully convert their penalty kicks. The Morula fly half then made a clutch penalty kick to take the lead and put the pressure back on Mopane. Shortly after, Mopane had a penalty kick, but this also faded past the upright post. Both kickers were under a lot of pressure, and it showed. As the game came to a close, Mopane launched one final attack and patiently worked their way into Morula’s 22 area. When a relentless attack meets a courageous defence, it turns into a spectacle for the viewers. Morula managed to tackle Mopane out in time to win with a score of 6-5. What a game!

PDBY did not report on the match between OP Village and Sonop which was played at Onderstepoort.

Tuks alumnae ladies win World Sevens Challenger Series

Christiaan Steenekamp

The South African Sevens Rugby ladies team recently claimed a determined World Sevens Challenger Series win in Stellenbosch. The ladies won 11 out of 12 matches and obtained one draw during the qualifying period. After defeating Czechia in the semi-finals by 24-0, they marched on to face Belgium in the finals. The stakes were high, as the winner would qualify to secure their spot as a core team in the HSBC World Sevens Series of next season (2023 to 2024). This will allow the ladies team to experience greater publicity and exposure to test themselves against rugby powerhouses like Australia and New Zealand.

However, the final match was very tense. South Africa led by 12-0 at halftime and seemed to be in control of the match. Belgium scored two converted tries, changing the score to 14-12 in their favour. As the clock was ticking down and our hopes were fading, Libbie Janse van Rensburg came with a clutch try to seal the win by 17-14. They dug deep and worked hard to get this victory! No less than five Tuks alumnae were part of the squad: Kemisetso Baloyi, Marlize de Bruin, Libbie Janse van Rensburg, Liske Lategan, and Nadine Roos. We are extremely proud of our Tuks alumnae and Sevens Rugby Ladies team and cannot wait to see them play on the biggest stage of all!

Photo: Cleo Qin

Photo: Provided