9 May 2022 Issue 4 Year 84

PDBY

9 May 2022

Year 84 | Issue 4

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2 | From the Editor

9 May 2022

PDBY Media

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ow I’m writing this at 00:03 while eating a sandwich, and there are multiple issues which I can discuss at length, such as our awesome sci-fi and fantasy edition, which you have in your hands right now, and I hope you enjoy and read.

But an issue that I feel like can never be talked about enough is GBV and safety - especially in university spaces, where I think there is a collective feeling that A LOT gets shoved under the rug. I am a veteran student and I remember all the experiences shared in the Aula in 2019, and how nothing has felt like it has changed. I feel like students have been confronted with the same issues at UP for years, with the only real changes that I have noticed is an increase in our fees. Now this might be melo-dramatic of me to say, but it’s hard to say any real change has occured when we are confronted with our lack of safety on a daily basis.

Recently our previous editor, Kayla, moved to the Netherlands, and she has shared her experience living overseas as a woman. Dare I say how “safe” she feels? She can walk alone at 4 a.m through the streets, and although this is amazing, I cannot help but feel jealousy at the lack of safety we as students, but especially as South African women, feel on a daily basis.

Not only this, but the “rumours” we hear constantly circling on campus (I use the word rumours, because I’m not trying to get sued).

Copy: Nondumiso Mntambo Lee Tankle Lwando Mfundisi Kamogelo Thando Mabe Luka Joubert Zanrie Linstrom

Rumours like locks in private accomodations not working, allowing men and security guards to walk into the rooms of female students uninvited.

Layout: Kendra Dean Khumbulani Chaima Tshepiso Promise Mokoena Almaas Aboo Baker Multimedia: Cletus Mulaudi Madeeha Hazarvi Tshepang Rihlampfu Sanele Zulu Sibongile Mthembu Anneke Laaks Sharon Dumba Jaime Lamb Mitchell Tsotso Patterson Rainbird-Webb Aphelele Twala

Rumours like certain deans sending out mass emails mourning the loss of an accused rapist, yet allegedly not informing the victims of their alleged rapist’s return to campus.

Web: Onele Gabadu

Rumours like lecturers inappropriately touching students, or offering them benefits in exchange for certain things. I don’t need to elaborate on that one.

Social Media: Damon Modern

Although a majority of us hear these rumours floating around campus, these incidents are not isolated and are reflective of the issues faced by so many past and present students.

As an editorial of mainly women, it has become a huge topic of discussion in our office as of late, a discussion we hope to emphasise in our paper. We hope to assist in creating a safe space for these conversations and the reporting of these issues, especially following the work of

Photos: Jaime Lamb

other student organisations during Sexual Assault Awareness Month in early April.

I hope that April was, and can be, a reminder of the power of conversation, and the power we hold as youth and as students to make positive changes in our communities.

Until next time.

- Leah Rees

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9 May 2022

News | 3

Did Libby get COVID-19?

Sharayi Matizamhuka

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that worked in the library assisting students with any libraryrelated inquiries. Upon returning to campus with the library fully functioning again after the pandemic, Libby seems to be missing.

It is clear that even a robot, like any other employee, was affected Library Services’ creative laboratory, said: “Libby had to be removed from service during the pandemic, primarily because the method to to the possible spread of the virus, we had to avoid any scenario where Libby’s physical casing is touched”. appearances on online platforms while she was off work. Nikashni Pillay, as a robot”. It’s a feeling many new students will have when they see portrayed in movies.

Students will be seeing more of Libby, since the library’s IT unit is website, which will be released sometime during the year. This will be an waiting for that new feature to be incorporated, Libby was back at work

The reality of living at Studios@Burnett “It’s easy for management to come around and say – ‘we are sorry about the leases’ – and it ends there. It just can’t end here!” this an agreement was reached. However, the relief in the food parcel

Banathi Nkehli

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n 30 March the residents of Studios@Burnett, tired of the inaction of management of the Feenstra group (the company that owns Studios@Burnett) in addressing issues related to their living conditions, issued a memorandum with a list of grievances.

They gave management 24-hours to respond to their demands. At the time of writing, management of the Feenstra group has yet to directly respond to the grievances of their tenants.

The reality of being a resident of Studios@Burnett often means that students live in circumstances that are not conducive to their obligations and aspirations as a student.

The issues In issuing their memorandum, the residents listed several grievances that include, but are not limited to the following: electricity, Wi-Fi, food parcels, the presence of management, fumigation, and lease agreements. When asked how long the issues have plagued the residents of Studios@Burnett, resident Lizwi Miya stated that “at Studios@Burnett there have always been issues”. Miya continued, they are not doing anything!” Thus, students in their frustration had no other choice but to approach management directly on the matter. With regard to this, Miya said: “[…] it looks like they are out of ideas, so we must give them real solutions. In our memorandum we have told them – ‘here are the problems we are facing, and here is the solution’”.

An issue that stood out was that of the company Protea Metering, whose focus is primarily “optimal supply billing”. The residents provider. When asked about his thoughts, Miya commented, “It is not working for us! They are rated 1.7 out of 5 stars on Google. We don’t want it! When the bidding process opens, Protea Metering must not be invited; they are proving to be useless”. Much of the residential body’s grievances with the company rest on what they allege to be inaccurate readings by the metering company, which result in over-charging the residents directly.

Another grievance that students raised to PDBY was the issue of WiFi, on which Miya said, “The Wi-Fi is not effective. We had an issue this morning where a student had to use a hotspot to write a semester test because the Wi-Fi was not working. When there are issues with Wi-Fi, and we are unable to submit a clickUP test or whatever the case may be, Studios@Burnett must communicate with UP, citing their incompetent Wi-Fi as the reason why so-and-so was unable to write this test or submit an assignment”.

The most serious issue is the matter of leases. In their memorandum, the residents allege that there are leases that were yet to be processed by management, and the consequences for this are quite severe on the part of the students. Miya remarked, “It’s easy for management to come around and say – ‘we are sorry about the leases’ – and it ends there. It just can’t end here.” A consequence of this failure by management to process leases is that students who are NSFAS students do not have access to their means to live. In light of this harrowing reality, Feenstra group’s management offered two solutions affected students to buy their essentials. The residents were not pleased with this solution, with Miya saying, “We rejected that offer with the contempt it deserves. They are already putting us into so much

Illustration: Sanele Zulu

solution was to offer students a food parcel as a form of relief. On

last the students a month. To this, Miya responded, “It is dehumanising to give students that. Is that supposed to last students a month?”

The structures In this saga, three actors sit at the table of accountability to committees, and Feenstra’s management.

In their memorandum, the students listed the presence of management as a part of their demands. On this Miya said, “They are not around when they are needed… When management fails they are not held accountable because they are not around”. The lack of accountability is doubled when students do not have a physical copy of their leases as prescribed by the law, and their failure to provide continue, saying: “Management is incompetent, and they are not adding any value. They are just a group of white friends protecting each other”.

When PDBY reached out to the management of the Feenstra group, they were initially willing to respond to the allegations made by the residents. However, after receiving the questions from PDBY, Anelda Marais responded on behalf of the Feenstra group with the statement: record that our rights are reserved in this matter. Should you have any further questions in this regard the same can be addressed to our attorney”. PDBY then asked Marias for their attorney’s details and at the time of writing, no details to that effect have been furnished. position in their ability to represent their constituents in the residents. committee, recounted his attempts at reaching Feenstra’s management: “I’ve gone to great lengths to solve all of these issues, and what they have solved they see as doing us a favour”. A limiting factor in residents lies in their recognition (or lack thereof) in the residence Governance as a recognised private accommodation. Matabane has past, stating, “Even those blazer squads are not doing anything. Who are they representing when we are not recognised?” Miya would add,

commented: “We have championed the issue of representation and a lot of the issues faced by the students. We are in talks with the head would be resolved soon and unrecognised accommodations would be recognised in the sub-council”.

The conditions faced by residents who live in the buildings owned

by Feenstra groups are an ongoing issue. Miya stated, “What we

the allegations surrounding them are a case study in the consequences Amidst all these matters residents are required to (and do) pay their rent as well as all the communal charges supplementary to that.

The Way Forward With the EECE Robot School Londiwe Mnguni

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PDBY agree that the project was a success in 2021 even though

joint initiative between the EBIT Faculty, and the

of resources”. Fortunately, they have managed to secure various sponsorships and have partnered with Microrobotics

Prof. Tania Hanekom, as a platform to allow EBIT students to serve the community by presenting a fun Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education activity to high school learners.

as well as provide resources for presenting the course.

However, other contributions are still welcome. minimising climate change. One of the fronts is requiring robots made by the learners to be returned so that they can be reused by the following year’s learners.

therefore a project that teaches high school learners, mainly from grades 8 to 11, how to build robots from scratch in just eight lessons. The lessons are offered to the students free of charge. second-year community-based teams were volunteers who had a passion for the project and wanted to gain practical

and Sensor school. The initiative was started to draw more learners into STEM industries as South Africa is in dire need of persons in this industry and they hope more learners will partake in it this year.

Image: EBIT Faculty

will run untill 10 September.

9 May 2022

4 | News

TULIP society Gugulethu Ngwenya

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he Tuks Leadership and Individual Programme (TULIP) is a student-led organisation that aims to bridge the gap between secondary and tertiary education. The organisation started in 2016 with only eight student executive committee members and has now grown to include 21 executive members.

The organisation’s mission and vision is to contribute to a better education system in South Africa; therefore, it targets under-privileged schools in Laudium and Mamelodi. TULIP of their academic journey from secondary school to tertiary education, namely Academic development, Human development, Financial preparation and fundraising, Leadership development, and Tertiary education applications. The TULIP group of changemakers aims to make a difference in the lives of many learners in Mamelodi and Laudium. The organisation is diverse as it consists of executive committee members from different faculties thus promoting growth within the organisation.

On 9 April, TULIP hosted a career day at both Laudium and Mamelodi schools. According to the head of Academic development, Lerato Mmotsa, the event’s objective was to can venture into and further encourage other grades to begin to think about their future endeavours”. This event was in collaboration with different faculty houses and societies at UP. The Faculty of Law, House Humanities, and NAT House all

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programme. Mogorosi asserted that by the end of his term he aims to “ensure that all portfolios have fully executed all plans, to ensure maintained discipline within the organisation, but most importantly, to preserve TULIP’s good reputation”. The Treasurer for TULIP, Melone Chiwocha, commented that she looked forward to the events and visits and asserted that TULIP is the

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she was young.

For more updates and information, students can visit TULIP’s website at www.1educationatatime.org/about and can follow their Instagram page @tulip_tuks.

[TUPLIP] impacts the learners in a meaningful and holistic manner by empowering them in all sectors of their lives.

showed up alongside societies like Women In Law and Yes@ Tuks. Mmotsa expressed that “seeing parents also attend the career day was a highlight and showed their interest in their children’s future”. Furthermore, the attendance was impressive at both schools, and learners came prepared with questions for the respective faculty houses and societies of their interest. The societies and faculty houses were grateful for the chance to

Image: Masehle Mailula

at UP. House Humanities stated, “TULIP is truly special, and it impacts the learners in a meaningful and holistic manner by empowering them in all sectors of their lives. We could not be prouder to be part of this impactful event”.

As an organisation grounded in community engagement, TULIP will host more events and encourages students to join to become a #Changemaker. TULIP chairperson Sihle Mogorosi expressed his gratitude for being able to spearhead this Image: Masehle Mailula

I know what I saw!!!

The peculiar space that aliens occupy in the social imagination at UP Banathi Nkehli

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n 15 April PDBY ran a series of polls on Instagram focused on the subject of extra terrestrial life (intelligent or otherwise). The results revealed that 88% of the students who participated agree to the prospect of life beyond earth.

Furthermore, 71% of students are not frightened by the prospect of other life forms in our universe, and only 55% of students believe in the existence of intelligent life. In a limited attempt at making sense of these results, it may be possible to take a glimpse into the peculiar space that aliens occupy in the social imagination of students at the University of Pretoria.

In the discussion concerning extra terrestrials, the perfect starting point might be a brief overview of UFO sightings. Contrary to the popular belief that aliens only ever visit the United States, South Africa has a robust history of UFO sightings. This history spans as far back as 1914 with the mystery of the Phantom Monoplane seen by South Africans across the country on the eve of South Africa’s South West Africa campaign during WWI. This history is also as recent as 2016, where in Jeffreys Bay the captain and co-pilot of a cargo plane observed what they could only describe as, “a glowing green object” rising past their cockpit. While this history of UFO sightings would come as a surprise to many, such incredulity over the sighting reality as 96% of the students who participated cited never having an extra-terrestrial experience of any kind. In light of this, the same could be said about the Phantom Monoplane in 1914 and the glowing green object in 2016, which had only been “witnessed” by a handful of South Africans who the aliens revealed themselves to in a sky that all South Africans have access to. One could conclude the nature and extent of extra terrestrial life of the intelligent variety is not some silver disc in the sky. engagement in the abstract space. In other words, students who participated were more willing to engage with the thought of intelligent lifeforms in a conceptual space as opposed to the material agreeing with the prospect of extra terrestrial life. In addition, when

Image: Jaime Lamb

John who stated that “the presence of extra terrestrial life conforms to current theories on the origins of life”. These two perspectives maintain their human subjectivity, which is apparent through their application of science as the primary lens through which humans try to understand the natural world, which is less fun or imaginative.

In contrast, the human perspective looks to other facets of the human experience and comes to a series of radically bizarre answers. One such human thinker is Danika who has adopted the

view of extra terrestrials; and the human perspective, which adopts an alien subjectivity in juxtaposition to human norms.

[are] very sexy”. In addition, Tilly had a more pessimistic take, saying: “I believe that the aliens made contact with humans, and saw how dangerous we are… [and presumably have decided to leave us alone]”. What is indicative of the human perspective is

is less aspirational in her view of what extra terrestrial life could be, saying: “I think they would just be tiny microbes at most, and it (the discovery of extra terrestrial life) would inspire advancements

perspective would assume. In this perspective aliens either appear “sexy”, which solicits imagery of a sexually autonomous extra terrestrial, or they could be deathly afraid of humans, and rightfully so.

Another aspect of the human experience that the existence of aliens would disrupt would be the nature of the existential crisis.

From a logical standpoint, this makes sense. When Copernicus opened the door to the thought of other life forms – by turning the Earth into another planet and other planets in to possible Earths, and offering the world the heliocentric arrangement of the cosmos – it was not received well. In response to this idea, prominent Lutheran Philipp Melanchthon (1497–1560) warned that this view of the cosmos would have the implication that Christ’s resurrection was not limited to the third rock from the sun. Rather, it had the potential to have occurred multiple times or, worse yet, man could be restored to eternal life without the resurrection of Christ. In other words, if intelligent life existed elsewhere, could mankind still be special in God’s eyes?

However, when confronted with the religious implications of intelligent extra terrestrial life, students were not as dramatic as old Philipp Melanchthon. Shelly had an open-ended take on this, saying, “There is nothing in scripture against the existence of life in space”. By leaving it openended Shelly suggested that it probably would not mean much to the religious canon on earth. In contrast, Kyla offers an atheist’s clinical perspective on this question, commenting, “I guess it’s just science? Which is already open to the idea of alien life, so yes ”. Perhaps the suggestions that Philipp Melanchthon constructed were his alone.

Finally, the subject of belief in aliens that the voting body of the polls seemed to be split on, participants were asked what they thought of individuals who believed in aliens. The outlooks varied but a common motif among all these outlooks was that such individuals are a little peculiar in their own way. Shelly would say, “If they believe in full scale space ships and intelligent life, I think they may have a very large imagination”. In support of this view Kyla said, “It makes sense but some people are really into aliens which can get a bit crazy. Another response was less polite about this brand of individual, with Mpho saying, “They have time for games”. A more positive outlook is given by Cass who said “These are people who aren’t bound to the ego. They know that humans aren’t ‘it’. Smart!” However, the tamest perspective came from Anne, who said, “Dismissing aliens when we know so little about the universe is dumb”.

One only wonders what a Martian version of this article would look like. From a variety of questions asked and answered, the most one can conclude on the peculiar space that aliens have in the social imagination of students is that students think about aliens more in the abstract than they do in the material space, the existence of aliens does not seem to be an existential threat for students far. Such is the peculiar space that aliens occupy in our social imagination. *aliases have been used to maintain the anonymity of sources.

News | 5

9 May 2022

South African Union of Jewish Students clashes with the Palestinian Solidarity Committee Banathi Nkehli

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n the week of 22 March, the Palestinian Solidarity Committee (PSC) and the South African Union of Jewish Students (SAUJS), clashed on a variety of issues over the duration of the Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW). The PSC is a secular organisation whose progressive movements are broad but primarily focused on showing solidarity with the people of Palestine. SAUJS is an ethno-religious organisation solely focused on protecting the interests of Jewish students on South African university campuses. This story examines the complex space in which these political organisations operate on campus. In this particular case, a wall, a t-shirt and a series of online publications stand at the center of this debacle.

IAW is a week-long event, usually held in March, to raise awareness of the oppression and discrimination that Palestinians face at the hands of the Israeli government. The Israeli government has been accused of being an apartheid state, in terms of international of this week on UP’s campus lies in the fact that the PSC is an antiapartheid, anti-Zionist organisation and thus sought to participate in IAW to further their cause of showing solidarity with the people of Palestine.

In contrast, the SAUJS is a Jewish organisation that in the words of the SAUJS UP’s Chairperson, Adir Miller, has Zionism as one was certainly a possibility and the SAUJS foresaw this. The SAUJS approached the chairperson of the PSC, Naseeha Jooma, and vice chair, Azraa Seedat to discuss the particulars of IAW. At this meeting several concerns arose, mostly premised on the safety of Jewish students on campus, as Miller states, “IsraeliApartheid Week in the past has been quite hostile to Jews […]”. “[When you think of] Isreali-Apartheid Week from a Jewish perspective […] Jews on campus do not feel safe when there’s this targeted association of our homeland [with apartheid] … and people will automatically associate Jews with Israel”. In light of this, Jooma’s response sought to quell their concerns, “We did not want to told them that none of my students are going to attack your students.

I don’t have a problem with Jewish students”.

Seedat would add on to that by saying, “the last thing we want to do is be anti-Semitic”. While both sides agreed that the meeting

the timing as to when the mural was painted, no coherent reason can be given but many inferences can be drawn. Jooma would state, “I was told that they (the SAUJS) told Ismail, my secretary, that it was a coincidence that they painted the wall on IAW”. It was very clear that the PSC had no knowledge of SAUJS’ plans for IAW as Jooma states, “we don’t feed off what SAUJS does”. However, SAUJS on the other hand was in a completely different position as Miller would explain, “We knew that they had things planned even before the meeting […] they should have expected us [to do something that week] because there are two sides and two narratives (referring to the When asked whether the SAUJS told the PSC of their events Miller would say, “we’re running two events in the same week and they’re not privy to that knowledge […] they do not own the wall it is university property […]”. When asked whether malice was a factor in the decision to paint the mural Miller responded, “we didn’t do it out of spite”.

However, tensions would further escalate when the PSC decided to paint a mural on the unpainted parts of the wall (which is not in contravention of university policy) as Seedat said, “we had no plan to tarnish their mural we worked around it as you can see”, much to the dissatisfaction of SAUJS. Jankelowitz would respond, “There wasn’t any planning or organisation, we weren’t told anything about what they were doing or that they would be doing anything at the wall and that was the initial shock.” In support of Jankelowitz, Miller would add, “We believe that there are issues, but there are ways to resolve [them]. One of the ways we shouldn’t resolve it, is by bullying each other or attacking each other […]”. Unfortunately, de-escalation was not one of the ways that would be considered either.

Throughout the week the SAUJS was handing out T-shirts that featured the words “heal over hate” featuring the South African and with either the PSC or the SAUJS. This individual doused the t-shirt in the red paint that the PSC was using for its mural, evoking images of blood. This display would garner a mixed reception of the PSC’s conduct.

The t-shirt upset the SAUJS for a variety of reasons with Miller is remove it. By keeping in full view of everyone it says that they were okay with it”. That was very much the case as the PSC was okay with the bloody t-shirt. Jooma states, “We are not gonna allow students to fall for Zionist propaganda. We have a duty as PSC,

one noticing. The exact moment of germination can be traced to one with the PSC on future events.

Jooma and Seedat were emphatic with their distaste toward the offer with Seedat saying, “We can’t just throw everything that’s happening outside under the rug […] we can collaborate with Jewish students but we cannot collaborate with Zionists”. The SAUJS respected their decision, but as the events of IAW unfolded it was clear that the PSC’s refusal to collaborate would not be without its consequences.

The wall on campus is usually used by student organisations to paint murals aimed at bringing attention to various causes or promoting events. So it stands to reason that both sides had their eyes set on using this wall, which ordinarily would not be an issue, but the timing would ultimately serve as the catalyst for this SAUJS would paint a mural on the wall with the words, “heal over hate” featured prominently, much to the dismay of the PSC. When asked what the initial reactions were to this development the positions were varied, but an air of confusion and ambiguity were consistent. On the PSC’s side Jooma said, “obviously we knew that it could only be them”. Seedat continued saying, “we didn’t expect them to do anything for IAW, it’s not a SAUJS event.” Concerning

were against their message of healing over hate […] the guy who did that to the shirt told me Israel kills Palestinians and that was his explanation for the blood symbolism and we gave him consent [to use the red paint]”.

Jankelowitz would state her discomfort with Jooma’s decision

saying, “The fact that no one showed any action against it was uncomfortable, that was a SAUJS t-shirt. Nothing to do with Israel and it was a bloody mess.” Obviously from this the question of antiSemitism arose Seedat would say, “It is not our job to explain what the symbolism means, if you see that as anti-Semitism you need to look at yourself and ask questions, nothing about that says antiSemitism”. Jooma would contribute by saying, “I think that message was intended to show the reality of Palestine, as a response to SAUJS’ message”. Seedat would add, “when you give away a shirt it becomes the property of that person and what they do with it is their business, he went there got the t-shirt himself, it was his shirt and I cannot tell him what to do with it”.

However, this is not where the story ends, as a consequence of the what factually amounts to a misinformation campaign on social media.

In a series of contemptuous online posts and publications, the SAUJS would deny claims that they aided in publishing misinformation concerning the PSC and their activities during IAW. Three posts are relevant for the purposes of this article. which states that the PSC defaced the SAUJS mural, an extract which at the time of writing has not been redacted.

The second, is a post on Instagram by the South African Zionist federation associating the “bloody” t-shirt directly with members of the PSC, when factually this was not the case, a post which has not been redacted at the time of writing.

Finally, on SAUJS UP’s Instagram page a post titled ‘SAUJS statement Regarding the Conclusion of IAW’ perpetuates false allegations such as defacing the wall. The post describes the events as follows: “they began the week by slyly going behind us and the university administration in order to gain the chance to deface a peaceful mural we had painted,” which due to its characterisation is factually untrue. As well as the interpretation of the blood stained shirt as being, “cheerleaders for those intent on spilling Jewish blood,” when factually that was not the case. In contrast, none of the PSC’s online IAW campaigns mentioned the SAUJS. When asked to respond to the South African Jewish report’s article Miller merely stated, “We didn’t write that article, but there are other structures [that do that] […] what we wanted them to say, they weren’t following. We wanted to promote dialogue. We’re trying to get the wording changed […]”. When asked to give a response on the South African Zionist Federation’s post on Instagram, Miller says, “our photographer does not report to us, he reports to the higher ups”.

Another aspect to the online shenanigans is the Instagram comments section of SAUJS UP’s posts concerning the organisation Boycott Divest and Sanction (BDS), wherein Seedat corrected some factual errors concerning BDS. Ultimately, this action saw Seedat blocked from the SAUJS’ Instagram and her comments deleted.

Jankelowitz, who runs the SAUJS Instagram page, had this to say, “I deleted them […]. Social media is a good place for getting a message across but comments are not the healthiest place to have a healthy conversation”. When asked on whether it was hypocritical to delete comments and block people who engage with them, in spite of their desire to spark dialogue; Jankelowitz had this to say, “I think there is an element of contradiction, but to post on a social media comments place is not the right place to have dialogue”. From in her role at least, she is not interested in facilitating dialogue stating, “The comments under the Instagram posts undermine our entire campaign”.

The end of IAW is not the end of the

Photo: Jaime Lamb

It would be naïve to view the events as they unfolded as a singular occurrence, as the SAUJS has kept the posts despite the misinformation, and has shown no intention following their interview with PDBY to remove those posts or correct the information. Both organisations will continue to further their causes and this has been illustrated, one of them is not opposed to furthering their cause at the expense of the other organisation.

9 May 2022

Features | 6

Cryptocurrency is melting our icebergs Lauren Harries t is important that when we speak about cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin and the trading of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), that their environmental impact is also discussed.

Cryptocurrency, in any form, exists entirely electronically. This means that to participate in cryptocurrency, a certain amount of electricity is needed. According to Forbes, the energy required is by no means a small amount and the Bitcoin industry alone can consume as much energy as whole nations, such as Malaysia. However, it is important to note that the Bitcoin industry is not the only cryptocurrency industry that contributes negatively to the environment. NFTs also have a large impact.

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Bitcoin and the environment According to Forbes, the average Bitcoin transaction requires approximately 1700kWh of electricity to be successful. This is around two times the amount of electricity that the average home in the United States of America uses in one month. Adding to this problem is the fact that some Bitcoin companies have entered into partnerships with struggling fossil fuel power plants. This partnership allows for the power plants to stay in business, ultimately increasing overall carbon emissions.

A University of Cambridge analysis estimated that Bitcoin mining uses more electricity than Google, Apple, Facebook, and Microsoft combined.

This statistic is only getting worse as, to compete with other miners, a Bitcoin miner must continuously increase their computing power which further increases the amount of electricity consumed within the Bitcoin industry.

Columbia Climate School further mentions that China, which previously allowed for a large amount of Bitcoin mining to take place, has recently cracked down on this mining. Amongst other things, China cites its reasoning for this as Bitcoin mining works against their goal to become carbon neutral by the year 2060.

Despite countries like China cracking down on the Bitcoin industry, Columbia Climate School mentions that the Bitcoin industry continues to produce an estimated 22 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year. This is approximately the same amount of emissions that would occur from the energy use in 2,6 billion homes over the course of one year.

Emissions aside, Columbia Climate School also mentions the environmental impact that the Bitcoin industry has due to its e-waste.

It is estimated that the industry contributes to around 11,5 kilotons of e-waste every year. This further adds to the already existing e-waste problem.

NFT’s and the environment In an article by Vice, it is mentioned that just the mining of an Ethereum-based NFT requires around 142kWh of energy - a large amount of electricity for only one NFT. According to the Energy Information Administration, approximately 385 grams of carbon dioxide is released into the air per kWh of electrical energy used. This means that around 55 kilograms of carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere for every NFT creation. This is around six times the amount of carbon dioxide output that occurs from burning an entire gallon of gasoline.

It is important to note that this is only the creation of one NFT. Due to the recent increase in NFT creation and sales, it is hard to comprehend the amount of energy being used by this industry alone.

How can cryptocurrency become more sustainable?

It is all good and well to complain about the drastic effects the cryptocurrency world has on the environment, but what can the industry do to mitigate this?

Forbes zero-carbon resources, such as wind or solar power, to reduce emissions.

Image: Cletus Mulaudi

Kirsten Minnaar six in 2009, and hundreds from 2010 onwards”. The genre of ASF

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is, however, quite vast and dates back many years. It is unfortunate then, that the rest of the world seems so eager to forget this fact time and time again.

In the words of Tade Thompson, the author of the Rosewood trilogy, “[whenever] I see an article that starts with “The Rise of. . .” I think of dough. When it’s applied to African science falling) dough that will never become bread. Each “rise” is celebrated but ephemeral, existing only until the next event that is itself seen as a “rise” without reference to what has gone before, leaving the

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in other parts of the world. This is due to several reasons, but largely due to the effects of colonisation in Africa. Publishing ASF was not prioritised by local publishing houses due to what editors Wood, a South African-British clinical psychologist and science actual lack of interest, or more likely because of the illiteracy due to only a small number of colonised subjects being allowed to learn how to read and write.

Regardless of how slowly the genre of ASF emerged during the 20th century, it had a clear and marked growth from 2007 onwards. However, ASF never really received global recognition. Dilman Dila, in his blog post, Is Science Fiction Really Alien to Africa? considered the question of whether ASF really is a new genre.

“African writers”, he says, “forever have to defend their work”. He believes that they are expected to write about the “problems of their societies”, and when they do, people “wonder why they only write about misery and gloom on the

Despite the public

anything but “uninitiated”

the uninitiated.” Despite the

Black Panther however, much like the genre of ASF, is not new. Films such as Black Panther and District 9 about the “rise of afrofuturism”. This coverage blatantly ignored the rich history of the genre in Africa. Even “casual perusal of articles unnecessary, or, worst case, perpetuators of a gentle According to Peter J. Maurits in the book On the Emergence of African Science Fiction, “it appears that there were about 10 ASF publications between 1900 and 1950, about nine in the next

”

they are called “copycats”, or told that Africans are not capable of “writ[ing] such stories”. it seems that the rest of the world seems determined to mostly ignore Africa’s contribution to this genre. For many years ASF was not allowed to develop because of the effects of colonialisation.

It is unfortunate then, that this legacy of “literary oppression” overlooked, invalidated, and ignored.

Bitcoin mining is happening. However, Columbia Climate School mentions that although this is a possibility, very few people are willing to invest the large amount of money it would require to use these energy sources. This is attributed to the volatility in the price of Bitcoin and the uncertainty of its future as a whole.

However, where energy needs to be, and can be, reduced is in the validations systems used in cryptocurrency transactions. According to Columbia Climate School, many people within the cryptocurrency industry are currently looking at alternative validations systems that will decrease the amount of energy required for transactions to take place.

Vice mentions that one of these alternate systems is a proof-of-stake consensus model. This model is one of the most environmentally friendly blockchains. So, if you’re wanting to get involved in cryptocurrency and still look after the environment (as much as you can in this industry) then using blockchain models like this is the best solution.

As most countries in the world are still reliant on fossil fuels as their main source of energy, it becomes very clear that the carbon dioxide emissions associated with cryptocurrency have a detrimental impact on our environment. This will continue to be an issue within the cryptocurrency industry until a conscious shift in energy sources is made.

Image: Cletus Mulaudi

9 May 2022

Features | 7

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drawing attention away from the intended topic.

In addition to this, there seems to be a perception within the

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genre is saturated with books written by white heterosexual males. This often results in a lack of representation of minority groups as well as the general portrayal of aspects of racism, homophobia, and misogyny.

In a 2014 Vox article, emphasis is placed on a commonly used excuse for the lack of racial representation within the science

be weighed down with the problems of the real world. This seems

representation of minority groups continues to be viewed as too exists as a depiction of the future, then it sends a message to minority group audiences that there is no place for them in this future.

excuse is often viewed as ignoring the question of minority group representation within the industry and removing the portrayal of different experiences that minority groups may have. since 2014, with minority groups gaining more representation, especially in franchises such as Star Wars. However, the industry still has a large amount of distance to cover.

Umbrella Academy. According to Variety, transgender person. As Page played the role of Vanya Hargreeves, a cisgender woman with the superpower of unleashing force through the use of sound, fans were uncertain as to how Vanya would be portrayed in the third season of the show. However, the writers of the show have decided to include Page’s transition and incorporate it into the script for season three of the series. Page’s new character is now known as Viktor Hargreeves and uses the pronouns he, him, and his.

of a new world, it is important that different perspectives are portrayed. Vox especially places emphasis on the importance of portraying this action of conquering the world from the perspectives of those that have experienced the effects of slavery, genocide, and colonialism. Essentially, those who have been affected by inequality. This emphasis allows for a new sort of depth experiences being featured within the industry. This will help the industry to grow and expand from its white, male, heteronormative past to a more inclusive environment.

According to Vice, the lack of minority group representation,

and dimensions and is thus very limiting to only include white, heterosexual males in storylines with so much depth. Although is on the rise with books such as Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron being published, it still has some work to do in terms of its inclusivity.

escapist literature. This has resulted in a large portion of the science fear that such representation will change the focus of the story by Image: Jaime Lamb

Why sci-fi ?

Xiluva Maphophe & Vuyiswa Fumba

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movies usually come in a series or multiple seasons that span over many years, so there is an opportunity for the audience to fully invest in the experience that is presented. fantasy elements are not all imagined and unheard of as much of its basis is built upon life as we know it, but with a spin. Back to the Future

The keyword here is imagined, as many elements in science writers. The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Harry Potter are popular titles that have two things in common; they are all consumed millions of times. This begs the question, why?

A study was done by Statista where 2200 participants documented their favourite movie genres. An average approximately 71% expressed an interest in fantasy. This fell short of the apparent favourite genre, comedy, sitting at 90%.

The least favourite genre amongst the participants was horror

movies that “ delveBooksintoandalternate worlds

can suck you in quite easily

depiction of time travel. It is through the portrayal of realistic events

ideas that do not directly relate to our reality, they remain rather popular among their viewers and readers. So, this begs the question as to why millions of people choose to consume media focused largely on the unreal.

These genres also encourage creativity and imagination. Where consumers often wonder “what if” and pose unbelievable suggestions,

and movies that delve into alternate worlds can suck you in quite easily as it can be intriguing to explore realities that

magic in our lives.

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constantly answer the question “what if” in their works. Thanks to Back to the Future, viewers now have an idea of what would happen if they went back in time.

Those who have a fear of the unknown can sometimes fall giving an alternative option of what a certain situation (such as a dystopian future caused by a corrupt government) could look like.

Psychology Today argues that people are more likely to accept a changing world or environment if the reason for the change makes sense to them – even if the change does not were to be a dystopian future, people could more likely be and fantasy have given them a glimpse of what could happen.

Although writers’ interpretations and imagination of these alternate worlds might not be entirely accurate, the ideation that people gain is better than not having any depiction of an alternate world.

Lastly, fantasy gives us something to look forward to. possibility of a metaverse, you cannot help but wonder what could be out there that we have not yet discovered. Once upon a time, the hoverboard was merely an idea, but today some

ignite a sense of creativity that can be applied to the real world. In the and fantasy is such a beloved genre despite it being rather

creativity and imagination, it can also tackle the fear of the unknown, be a means of escapism because these genres can remove the

can easily give other genres a run for their money.

9 May 2022

8 | Entertainment

Broken Porcelain, the review Ashleigh Pascoe Ashleigh Pascoe

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n an attempt to broaden the horizons of books reviewed, PDBY decided to dabble in the art of sci-fi writing. The local book of the edition is Moxyland, a dystopian novel written by South African author, Lauren Beukes. This novel has a 3.59 star rating on GoodReads, but the rating is not what makes this novel worth reading. The futuristic imagination of the novel is where its appeal is based, and there is something about reading a novel that is Image: Goodreads.com set in a recognisable part of the country that makes it substantially more enjoyable to read. Although this book may not be for everyone, the historical personality of South Africa’s past strongly ties in with the problems that South Africa currently experiences in a social and technological sense, and thus has an appealing sense of intensity throughout.

ecently, PDBY was lucky enough to be contacted by independent publishing house, Blackbird Books, in order to explore the soon to be released title, Broken Porcelain.

Broken Porcelain is a personal narrative story of a mental illness journey, and despite its universal applicability, it was written from the perspective of one black woman, Relebone Rirhandzu eAfrika.

This book is described as a “collection of essays” and although each chapter is an essay, each essay is a new story, a new puzzle piece, with each piece forming the journey of one individual.

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the candour that accompanies this telling of a journey. Not only does this piece represent a different perspective in a world that often only tells the story of those who follow a mainstream template, but it also provides a release from the condescending self-help books that dominate traditional book-selling outlets.

Relebone does not yet consider herself a ‘writer’, but the emotions about writing are indicated within the essays, but this

solace in the mirror of her writing experience.

This book does not tell one how to feel when experiencing mental illness, nor does it try to promote a “cure”. It simply expresses one person’s experience in a way that provides others with opportunity, platform, and braveness to understand their own.

This piece shows the fundamental importance of the independent publishing sphere in South Africa. There

Photo: Ashleigh Pascoe

is something special about hearing voices that are not commercialised but published due to the unique perspective that the author has to offer.

This is a book that should be read by all South Africans. Not only does it help those with mental illnesses feel understood, but it also provides a perspective for those who do not battle with mental illness but wish to understand it. It feels as if one is inside the head of the author, understanding their perspective in a way that makes one feel as if they are living the experience through the writer. Reading this was a humanising experience, and an important one at that.

Lights, stars, and night-markets

Megan Theunissen here is nothing more magical than strolling under stars and lights, through passageways of food, people, and hand-crafted goods. The smell of spice and sugar in the air could make one feel like a small speck tangled up in a larger cosmos. Especially when looking up and seeing, through the canopy of fairy lights, the stars twinkling in a great concerto. Night-markets are, in all their glory, magical and romantic, almost timeless. Listed below are a few upcoming night markets that UP students can visit and experience.

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Market @ the Sheds With COVID-19 restrictions loosening their grip on outdoor and indoor activities, this market can be placed at the top of the list for social adventures. This event usually takes place on the last Saturday of the month, but may change over long weekends, so just be sure to keep tabs on their website to avoid disappointment. This charged urban market is described as an African inner-city experience and is famous for boasting local artists, entrepreneurs, designers, and gourmet South African cuisine. There are an estimated 60 vendors ready to pop-up and seven live bands booked to perform. Trading hours are from 11:00 to 20:00, and the entrance fee is R50 before 14:00, and R100 thereafter. In this case, the early bird gets the worm, but the night-owl gets the show. Market @ the Sheds is a venture restoration efforts in the inner-city. This market elicits an authentic African ambiance, provoking a new perspective on Pretoria and Africa as a whole.

Castle Gate Night Market This monthly market features all the night bazaar must-haves: food, live entertainment, vendors, and lots of fairy lights. This market takes place every second-last Friday of the month. This is a market in cosy spot under strings of lights, eating and drinking what they have just bought from one of the many niche booths. Located at Castle Gate Lifestyle Centre, the market usually runs from 16:00 until 22:00.

Ja Night Out This market is located at 78 George Storrar Drive, which is begins at 17:00 and runs until late. Live music is expected along with general good vibes and a rocking atmosphere.

Good Mood Night Market Starting at 17:00 in the afternoon at Irene Village Mall, Centurion, watering cuisine, arts and crafts, and live entertainment. Good Mood Night Market takes place every third Thursday of each month. The food is what sets this bazaar apart from the rest, from mango sorbet to

The Stall This market may seem like any other, but what distinguishes it

Photos: Anneke Laaks

There is also an array of regular live entertainment sets taking the stage for the ultimate social experience. This market features a mix of arts and crafts, food stalls, and varying alcohol stands (gin bar, wine bar, craft beers, cocktail stands, and much more). Seating is readily available, but the market does encourage you to bring a camping chair of every month and is open from 17:00 to 21:00, with the entrance fee being Rfree.99.

The Broadwalk Night Market Behind Virgin Active Faerie Glen is The Broadwalk Night Market.

This is a night of live entertainment, unspoilt ambiance, interesting food, and a view of nature, as this market is next to a lake. One can dark water as you eat a delicious gourmet meal with someone to keep you company. Operating hours are from 17:00 to 22:00 and occur every last Friday of the month. The entrance fee is R20.

9 May 2022

Entertainment | 9

Netflix says: “It’s a scam!”

movies

1) War of the Worlds

Image: nytimes.com

Image: world-today-news.com

Megan Theunissen

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Inventing Anna PDBY

The Tinder Swindler

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Interstellar

the Manhattan Times

3) Ex Machina

Ex Machina is

Time Magazine

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Fifty Shades of Grey

4) Space Sweepers

no one is

Space Sweepers is

between whether or not

Tinder Swindler L.A. Weekly

Bad Vegan is Bad Vegan

Children of Sugarcane

Palm Springs

10 | Entertainment

6) Ad Astra Set in the near future, as the universe, Ad Astra follows Brad Pitt as an astronaut on a journey across the solar system in search of his absent father. It’s a tense, emotional experience that emphasises human nature as a contrast to the alien surroundings of space.

9 May 2022

Jan Koketso Ndlovu and Ashleigh Pascoe

U

P’s Merensky Library and UP literary society The Inklings recommended sci-fi novels to broaden your reading list this month. All of the recommended novels shared by the library can be found at Merensky II on Hatfield Campus. The Inklings and UP Libraries can be followed on Instagram at @theinklingstuks and @ uplibrary respectively.

Merensky Library 1. The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu 2. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley 3. Solaris by Stanislaw Lem 4. Dune by Frank Herbert 5. The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula le Guin 6. Consider Phlebas by Iain M Banks 7. Oryx and Crake by Margret Atwood

7) Super 8 Writer/director JJ Abrams would go on to direct both Star Trek and Star Wars a splash with this original story. A group of teenagers set out to make a movie in the woods, but more sinister and alien forces are afoot in an adventure that’s reminiscent of Stranger Things.

1. Brave New World by Aldoux Huxley 2. 1984 by George Orwell 3. Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut 4. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams 5. Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson 6. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne 7. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle 8. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley 9. Dune by Frank Herbert 10. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury 11. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

8) Synchronic often known for their big budgets and impressive special effects, be just as exciting. Synchronic is an intimate thriller in which two paramedics in the near future investigate a series of deaths linked to a mysterious new drug.

“Liefde in the Dam” Megan Theunissen

L 9) Annihilation the novel of the same name. A biologist searching for her missing husband enters a quarantined area of anomalous activity known as “the Shimmer”, where she must confront terrifying monstrosities in a bid for survival.

10) Stowaway of researchers traveling to Mars when they discover a stowaway on their ship, forcing them to face a harrowing ethical question. With a it’s claustrophobic and compelling in equal measure.

Compiled by Rebecca van Besouw Images sourced from imbd. com

iefde by die dam is a yearly event that features well known local Afrikaans singers such as: Refentse, Elandré, Demi Lee Moore, Francois van Coke and more. This event attracts many students every year and tickets are tricky to come by. Due to COVID-19 regulations ‘Liefde by die dam’ has been cancelled, postponed, or completely derailed for two years, but this year it did not fall through. Even though the sky was pouring cats and dogs, and the ground sluggish and slippery, the show went on. With an umbrella in one hand and a drink in the other, feet soaked in mud and teeth chattering along to the songs, there really was nowhere else to be. Here is is a short recap of the event: The cardless event Anybody that is familiar with Howler knows that it is super user friendly. After the ticket has been bought, Howler emails a detailed, step-bystep instruction list explaining how you can load cash onto your Howler ‘wristband’ using online means. Buying drinks and adding a tip with a simple tap was effortless. The band can be topped up at the event, and any leftover cash will be refunded. Howler sends emails explaining exactly how one can reclaim their funds.

The drinks The drinks were reasonably priced, around R45 for a double gin and tonic, brandy and coke,

combined with a popular event like ‘Liefde by die dam’, and there is something magical. Behind the stage rested the Emmarentia dam in peaceful bliss, surrounded by purple and yellow trees just getting ready for autumn.

The picnic style Since ‘Liefde by die dam’ is a family friendly event, people were allowed to bring their own food. Along with this, they allow camping chairs and small beach umbrellas (which proved to be useful). It is a picnic-style, and it is tradition to leave the blanket behind to be donated to charity.

The ambiance Although the rain had put a bit of a damper on the day, the crowd embraced the cold, wet mud between their toes and rain pouring down their faces, nothing could stop them from singing along to the most celebrated Afrikaans songs.

Put any crowd in the position that Liefde’s crowd was put into, and the day would not have been as successful as it was, but that just shows how hungry people were for a show and connection with friends and family. Furthermore, it proves that even if there had been water tornados swirling by in the dam below, or lightning struck every tree surrounding the dam, the show would go on and the crowd would not stop singing along. Everyone was wet, nobody cared. Nobody looked the way they intended, but everyone was having a good time.

Photo: Megan Theunissen

comedian showcased his skills when it came to cracking jokes that made nearly twenty-thousand soaking wet people laugh. His act was followed by the Neon Moon singer Demi Lee Moore, whose voice sounds equally as good in real life as it does over the radio. At 11:50, Refentse stepped onto the stage and gave the audience a nice taste of Reggae, singing the most popular Bob Marley and UB40 hits, along with his extremely acclaimed song “Stormnag”. Then came Elandré with his showmanship and his whiskey deep voice. His eccentric artistic presence exploded from within Elandré is not afraid to move his body and whip his hair like a true artist. Robbie Wessels, the singer of the unapologetic and unashamed South African song “Leeuloop”- came next. It is safe to say that everybody knew every lyric to every song he chose to sing in his segment and the crowd thoroughly enjoyed his presence. The singer Appel came after, by this time it was already 14:30 and the crowd was steaming hot in the icy weather.

Needless to say, Appel was a huge success, with the crowd singing along to his most popular songs with a true Afrikaans rhythm.

Then came Youngsta CPT, an artist that has been up and coming for a while now. His rapper skills were unmatched, especially when he threw in some freestyle during his section of the show, Eminem.

Following Youngsta CPT was Die Heuwels as, “[alcohol] het nog nooit my hart gebreek nie”.

The crowd knew their songs, word for word. It was

vodka and red bull for those that needed a pickme-up for the long day ahead. Shots? Of course there were, between R18 and R25 a shot. However, there were only the basics like tequila and vodka.

The musicians The event kicked off with Bernice West singing her most popular songs, but unfortunately it started pouring during her performance and because of that, many people were trapped in the line and missed it. Do not forget your ID as security

The location Emmarentia Dam, Johannesburg, had been the perfect location for this festival. This botanical garden has features that are in itself magical,

standing in line waiting for it to move, hoping for the rain to subside, Schalk Bezuidenhout was booming through the speakers. He was also the MC for ‘Liefde by die dam’, and this talented

task of bringing the event to a close on a high note. “So kom maar, kom maar, kom maar weer!”

multiplied, and suddenly the park felt too small. It is safe to say that Die Heuwels Fantasties proved to be a success.

deprived event junkie.

9 May 2022

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heck out our entertainment editor’s top music picks for Issue 4, our

Living in the ideal world where the love of rock music is a shared sentiment, is a fantasy in itself.

“All My Love” - Led Zeppelin “Basket Case” - Green Day “Foolin’ - Def Leppard

DnD for Dummies

“Enter Sandman” - Metallica

“Phantom of the Opera” - Iron Maiden

“Fool in the Rain” - Led Zeppelin

“Seek & Destroy” - Metallica

“Love Bites” - Def Leppard

“Tourniquet” - Evanescence

“Welcome to the Jungle” - Guns N’ Roses

“Rocket Queen” - Guns N’ Roses

“Whiskey In the Jar” - Metallica

“Counterfeit” - Limp Bizkit

“Wherever I may Roam “ - Metallica

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need to be metaphorical or some kind of deep proverb that secretly makes you look at life in a new way.

t was with great honour that PDBY had the opportunity to interview a very seasoned songwriter, musician, and producer, Andrew Jed, about his music journey since moving to South Africa and the release of his recent single, named “Panama City.” The interview was conducted via email, however, it was nothing short of interactive, informative, and very interesting.

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Why did you choose to move to South Africa?

I have lived here before and absolutely loved it.

It is a stunning country with stunning people and such talented artists. The artistry is contagious (can you use that word during COVID?) and the spirit of adventure is everywhere. That is so much like the American spirit and is a core concept of my songwriting… the adventure, the journey, and the beauty. When the possibility came up for me to move back, I jumped.

How has your musical journey changed since moving here? around them. All the different cultures around the country have different approaches to what makes music great, and everyone feels the music in different ways, but we all have so much to learn and expand upon from each other. That is how music works. That is how music breathes. And in that space is where you really learn that many people, though seemingly different and with different musical tastes, actually have very similar stories to tell. However, it is not just important for me to learn a South African approach to recorded and live music, but also to share approaches and aspects of American music, production, and songwriting that might be unexplored by artists here.

Every artist loves to learn from others, and I love the idea that I’m making the American music industry and American musical ideologies a little more accessible while here.

What was the inspiration behind the song “Panama City”?

Just a good time. No real inspiration, just a story I wanted to have fun telling and a hook I wanted to get everyone singing along to. That’s very typical for my style of Americana and bluegrass songwriting. But in the writing process for “Panama City”, I discovered

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way to enjoy the game. There are many types of TRPGs, especially within DnD. The themes of the games range from completely original worlds to worlds based on novels, games, television shows, and anime. The potential for the experience is limitless.

Fortunately, since all the resources required to play are free online, all one needs to begin their adventure is a computer and an internet connection. Any

DMs are like the crowd at an improv show, while the players are those who get to hop up on stage and go on an adventure.

Seasoned musician, Andrew Jed, takes us to Panama City

Minentle Mndiyata

ver the past few years, Tabletop Roleplaying Games (TRPGs) have seen a resurgence. The game Dungeons and Dragons (DnD) is the most common resurgence of the few.

TRPGs are games in which the players describe their characters and actions through speech and dice rolls. In most TRPGs, there is a Dungeon Master (DM) and a player.

The role of the DM is to act as an overseer to create role playing scenarios and to determine how a character’s actions will occur based on the roll of a dice. The role of the player, along with the DM in most cases, is to act based on the characters they have created and their motivations.

From the perspective of a DM, the enjoyment comes from creating and throwing scenarios at their friends and acting along with them. DMs are like the crowd at an improv show, while the players are those who get to hop up on stage and go on an adventure. In this instance, anything goes if the DM allows it.

There are usually two play styles that fall under the game of DnD. One form of the

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To listen to some local music picks from our editorial, scan here!

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game is where the players rigidly stick to the rules. The second form of the game is where one bends the rules. Depending on how one

Mlamuli Vezi and Franco Marais

that I really wanted to feature a strong female character in the song. I like illustrating just how strong women are through my songs; expressing that women don’t need to put up with men being terrible.

Women sure as hell can stand up for themselves. And maybe, as guys, we could probably rethink some of our own stupidity. But in a danceable way, of course.

Listening to “Panama City”, it is sort of a storytelling song that could resonate with so many people. What is the purpose of telling not just your story, but the stories of other people through your music?

The purpose? I guess so people can escape their own personal narrative from time to time and think about some other situation for some other person that doesn’t apply in any way to them. I guess when you hear storytelling songs about other people, you can relax a little; you can have fun a little because it’s not personal—even if you do connect in some small that from time to time in life. But storytelling is part of our human nature, and something about songs that tell stories resonates inside of us. Especially when they rhyme. It just feels right in our souls.

It is said that your aim with Bluegrass music is to get people up and moving. Would you say it is important to convey a message through a song while having fun?

Sometimes absolutely, and sometimes not and not all need to be metaphorical or some kind of deep proverb that secretly makes you look at life in a new way. Sometimes a string of words that are simply fun to sing together is all we really need to feel a connection. Besides, you can never control how people interpret your songs or what they mean, even if you did intend to convey a message. and worked with Dan Patlansky, what was the experience like for you?

It was great. Dan is so talented, and he’s also a great friend. I think Dan had a great time getting behind a different musical style while still bringing that’s one of the things you look for in the studio: drawing out magic from an artist by letting them

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Editor’s Picks

Entertainment | 11

is dependent on which TRPG you choose to play. In order to research more about TRPGs, one can look at DnD Beyond, or by watching Critical Role on YouTube to become familiar with the game. “Roll20” is a good place to start in order to create a unique world. For UP students, there are campus sub-societies and communities on Discord that are entirely welcoming and a suitable place to start a DnD journey.

Whether it’s exploring the world created in all scenarios, DnD simulates the nail biting experience of gambling one’s life in combat.

type of song. For instance, I needed Dan bluegrass licks.

What would you say makes a good bluegrass song?

There are so many different types of great bluegrass songs, but I have to say I am not all that impressed by artists pretending to be redneck or hillbilly.

Bluegrass songs are not about silly caricatures. They are meant to be timeless songs that somehow capture the human experience: hard work, trouble, love, death, a little drinking, family, traveling, and the adventure of living. Truly, the very essence of bluegrass, from a musical or performance standpoint, is actually community-based. It’s all about different musicians and singers (even from different bands) coming together and bringing their own unique twist to a song that everyone knows and is invited to “get in on.” Jamming. Each time a song is played, something new happens. Something that’s never happened before. It’s magic. It’s improvisation.

It’s about musicianship and skill. For example, at one show, the guitarist takes a solo that they have never played before, or a singer changes a melody line in a different way than was originally done. The next

Image: rekord.co.za

Any and all. Here in South Africa, there is so much talent that I think any artist would have fun with these songs and my approach to songwriting and record production. The kind of music I am doing right now is sometimes called “roots music.” That means that it’s a mix of a bunch of different styles: folk, jazz, blues, rock, gospel, country. And to be truthful, every style of music comes from these same roots, so it’s all connected. Even my love of rap and scheme patterns, so when I listen to rappers who have a rhythmic feel I connect with, I know it would

or a banjo picker, and does something totally different in a solo section of that same song… or sings some crazy harmony. It’s somehow brand new. It’s actually thrilling. It’s really about connecting through music and song, and not just for the audience… in some ways, it’s almost more magical for the musicians.

And what musician doesn’t like a little showing off?

great emerging artists that I’d love to be in the studio with. Georgetown, Maxx and Love, The Stinging Rogers, Conbad, Painted Flowers. Those artists are producing some fantastic work right now. They are the future. Dynamite. But of course, it has been amazing to have worked with artists like Riana Nel, Dan Patlansky, and the Springbok Nude Girls. All are iconic and all different. And that is exactly what this kind of music is all about and why I love what I do so much.

Which other artists would you be willing to collaborate with in your future projects?

Andrew Jed’s new single ‘Panama City’ is available on YouTube music and Deezer.

9 May 2022

12 | Fun and Games

Word search

Mythical Creatures from around the world Word Bank:

Winter wonderland Alexa Midnight

Crossword 1

2

3

4

Down

5 6 7 8 9 11

10

12

The ___ Guide to the Galaxy 13 14

15

Riddle me this

16 17

I have a golden head and a golden tail but no body. What am I?

18 EclipseCrossword.com

Across

A: A gold Coin

What is it that you keep when you need it not, but throw out when you do need it?

The Matrix A: An Anchor

Fun and Games | 13 9 May 2022

Text

Hey guys! Would you like to play

Sorry miss.

Ask us in 5 years when the Amazon is a desert and Cape Town is

GOOBERS FROM THE YEAR 10 000: It really only gets worse

such a worry wart, enjoy the smell of hope in the air, it totally makes

..

Hehe.

WHO ARE THE GOOBERS? HUMANS FROM THE YEAR 10 000 WHY DO THEY LOOK LIKE THAT? ARE YOU REALLY BODY SHAMING!? IN 2022!!!?

WHY ARE THEY IN THE PRESENT? BECAUSE Y’ALL MESS UP SO BAD IN YOUR FUTURE THAT THEIR PRESENT SUCKS!

debt in the year 9998 and he graduated in 2025... but fees must fall neh?

e Heh

Hey Sunny, a lot of these stands are destined to age poorly.

Heal over

HATE OVER HEAL!

goes against my message, then we

FREE

By Captain Tanuki By: Banathi Nkehli

9 May 2022

14 | Sport

UPLYMPICS makes its debut The event was held to help students to revive their love for sports and to encourage participation from the students beyond their ‘internal activities’.

Precious Maphupha

O

n 26 April, the UPLYMPICS took place at the Tuks Athlete Stadium. These games included indigenous games, a cycling marathon, a running marathon, online chess, athletics, and a spectator’s challenge.

The spectator’s challenge was a competition where the structures were given three minutes to perform a war cry. This was open to all the structures that were present, including the different residences, faculties, and private

Ruzel Geldenhuys, a Vividus day house resident and UP discus thrower says that it was nice to have spectators back, especially since her parents could come watch her play. She threw 40.2m.

Siyabonga Nkosi the SRC Ex-officio and Transformation Officer says that the SRC wants to see a transformation in sports events such as UPLYMPICS. An example of what type of transformation they are looking for, is in titles of races such as ‘men’s relay’ or ‘women’s relay’ to cater for those who are non-binary. The SRC is working with TUKS UP&Out to change things like this and to better cater to queer students.

accommodations. House Erica won the spectators challenge.

The event began with an exciting race in women’s hurdles with Sophie Banutelo, running for Law House, winning the race by running a time of 15.75 seconds. The event ended with the different house committees running a relay race all dressed in different costumes - Asterof was in giraffe costumes and the boys of House Ukuthula were in neon pink tights and white dress shirts.

There was a large attendance at the event, which remained throughout the races. At 22:00 the stands still had a substantial number of spectators and many students voiced how they missed events such as this one. Nerina chairperson Jordan Appel says that the last time an event that involved athletics to this degree

An aspect of transformation has already been implemented at the as students with disabilities could participate in these sport events. At the UPLYMPICS there was a visually impaired student who ran in the sprint race. The event announcer made sure that the crowd was aware of this and there was an atmosphere of camaraderie with the crowd standing and cheering the student on. It was a reminder of how events like UPLYMPICS creates a sense of community not only for the athletes but the spectators too, hearing and seeing your fellow students cheer you on is another important aspect of events like this.

Private accommodations were also in attendance.

Nokhukhanya Maposa, the head of the Sports Residence Anchor was a part of the Respublica and Hatfield Square structure.

She says that it is very important that private accommodation structures are involved in these UP sports events as the majority

happened at UP was in her first year.

The reason why events like UPLYMPICS are important is because they allow students to have a campus life beyond their academics. As Erica Chairperson, Caitlin Arries, says events like these encourage participation from the students beyond their ‘internal activities’. Thuso Diale, a Tuks Ekhaya resident, says that he is in his final year, and events like UPLYMPICS help him to create memories. He highlighted that students will not remember the tests they wrote, but they will remember the memories they make at these events.

This is more important in the context of COVID-19. The consensus among the UP-Student Sport Committee is that this event was held to help students to revive their love for sports.

of the residents in these accommodations are UP students, but do not receive the same opportunities to do extra activities like those who reside in UP residences.

Diale voiced that the event could be better if it was more organised. He said that the schedule was only given to them on the day of the event, which makes it difficult for students to plan around their races. Nkosi said that he hopes that in the future the event can be placed on the UP calendar so that all students can participate. Nkosi added that he, like many other students, does not live close by campus and the 17:00 to 22:00 time slot is difficult for those without transport. Arries said that she hopes that in the future more sports, like hockey are added, to the UPLYMPICS.

Photos: Sharon Dumba and Jaime Lamb

Sport | 15

9 May 2022

Sports Essentials Precious Maphupha

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ue to the pandemic, there has been a greater focus on technology and its ever-growing role in sports.

In particular, how athletes use technology to better themselves in their sports. PDBY interviewed a few of these athletes about what they consider to be their technological sport essentials.

Phones The most well-known of all technologies is the cellular device most athletes use to better themselves in their sports and practice.

Caroline Paul, a UP netball player, says that her iPhone XS helps her to analyse games and take her game to new heights. In 2021, she made it to the Tshwane u21 A team and the UP u21A team, where the former made it to the National Championships and came second.

Garmin Dual Heart rate monitor This heart rate strap - according to the Garmin website - can send real-time data from your heart through Bluetooth onto other compatible gym equipment. This is a R1 399 strap that, according to UP athlete Maxine Hannan, helps her in water polo and hockey. She states that the device’s most important function is when it informs her how long she was in a ‘red zone’ for.

According to Hannan, the red zone is “between 90 and 100% of your maximum heart rate.”. As a participant in two of the highest intensity sports, this is critical information for Hannan.

On the wish list for UP athletes: Goal Line technology This gadget is particular to soccer and especially important to Katlego Thupana, a UP student who plays the role of goalkeeper. He wishes that this technology could be implemented in youth leagues as it saves game time from being wasted. He believes that this technology, if implemented, would make the youth level of the sport more professional. Thupane made it to the Gothia World Cup in 2019, a youth world cup held in Asia.

Vertec Jump tester Volleyball UP player, Tlalane Ntlatlapa, says that the Vertec Jump Tester is on her wish list. According to Science Sport, this is an inexpensive, portable device that measures how high an athlete’s vertical jump is. Knowing your jump height is important for volleyball and Ntlatlapa says that it will help to track her vertical jump and increase her jump rate.

Tens 8 mode massager Hannan, having also made it to the provincial hockey u12-u18 team, has played UP hockey from 2018-2022. She was also selected to be a part of the provincial water polo u12-u18 team, South Africa’s u17B Water polo team and UP Water polo from 2018-2022. She says that she would recommend this device to any athlete. This massager ranges from R1299 and Hannan says it helps her with recovery and loosening of muscles.

Image: Madeeha Harzarvi

Otherworldly sports Franco Marais

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n the world of fiction, the creator’s imagination is their only limit. As a result, the worlds and stories created vary vastly from each other. But there is one theme that seems to always appear: sport. As much as it is part of our world, sport has found itself a home in the world of fiction. It appears in all forms and across all genres.

These are the most well-known and playable forms of sport in fiction.

Quidditch from the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling is one of the most renowned fictional sports to date.

Something about it seems just as exhilarating as any real sport.

Be it watching agile wizards zoom through the air on brooms, the football like nature

of defending or scoring with the Quaffle, the Bludgers taking out opponents or the allure of catching the elusive Golden Snitch. Yet, traditional team sports are not all that fiction is known for.

There is also the love child between chariot racing and F1 from the Star Wars universe, better known as Podracing.

Single-seater crafts are propelled by massive engines at ludicrous speeds, which often leads to the races turning fatal. Finally, there are the ever-present “death games” that have become popular in dystopian fiction. From the frantic gladiator television program in the blockbuster movie that is loosely based on Stephen King’s novel, The Running Man, to popular young adult dystopian novel series and movie franchise, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. With this, it is clear the fictional sport has become prevalent in pop culture, but what if you wanted to partake in it as well?

Then look no further than the deck of cards. Card games are just as widespread in fiction as sports are: from gambling games such as Sabacc from Star Wars or collectable card games like Pokémon. These easily translatable games from fictional universes have led to a competitive scene in the real world. Avid fans of the trading card game Yu-Gi-Oh! can compete in tournaments for cash prizes.

Others, such as Gwent from the Witcher universe, have seen the development of the-sport scene with the release of the video game spin-off of the card game. The humble deck has provided all sorts of fictional junkies with a way to immerse themselves in the worlds they love, while also getting the thrill that comes with competitive sport.

Who knows, maybe your favourite fictitious world has a card game waiting for you?

Sport The psychology of UP athletes’ superstitions Precious Maphupha

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thletes are known for their superstitions, famously, according to Men’s Journal, Bjorn Borg would grow out his beard and wear the same FILA shirt when playing at Wimbledon - as he believed that this helped with his performance. From the tennis world stage to UP’s LC de Villers training grounds, superstitions are always a common part of athletes’ lives. PDBY explores the psychology behind the superstitions that certain UP athletes have and do.

Music is one of the recurring superstitions that many athletes have as they believe that music helps them play better. Luyanda Mashanda, who plays the position of hooker in rugby, says that he listens to trap music before his UP-house rugby games.

The writers of “The Sound of Success: Investigating Cognitive and Behavioural Effects of Motivational Music in Sports”, Paul Elvers and Jochen Steffens, suggest that there are psychological

Franco Marais

P

DBY interviewed TUKS Gaming Society Chairman, Marco Vermeulen, about how they came to be, what they have on offer and what the future of the society looks like.

How did the TUKS Gaming Society get started and what is it that you offer?

The TUKS Gaming Society (TGS) only started up in 2020. We had a rough start because the annual general meeting couldn’t occur due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So, we were that we had to casually keep the society alive without help from the university. This year we are registered with the university and have over 160 members. Over the past few years, we have to play with in a friendly environment. We hosted and provided opportunities for people to socialise and interact. It was through this that we built a community that we are very thankful for.

can sign-up. Also, we have posters up around campus and do share links for people to join us.

Do you strictly only do video games, or do you cater to board games, TTRPG (Tabletop Roleplaying Games) and as such?

Before lockdown, we focused on “Dungeon and Dragons.”

We had weekly games where we would get together and play on campus. Since then, we have taken it online. In addition, there are a variety of other games that are played in society Some of these are tournament games such as Mortal Combat and FIFA. We had events for the whole day where people could come together and play these games. We have a discord server where people can meet up and play some casual games together. Since the lockdown restrictions have been lifted. We have started to get together at places like Springbok Bar, where we play games like Settlers of Catan, Magic The Gathering, and Warhammer 40k.

processes that are linked to motivation and emotions. These are important to look at if we want to understand the functions and effects of music in sport and exercise. This suggestion has its basis in the fact that many athletes view music as a key element in their games. Another UP athlete, Katlego Thupana, says that he listens to “Hate it or love it”, a song by The Game and 50 Cent, before his soccer matches.

We all have a favourite article of clothing that we cherish, but in the world of sports, that article can be the difference between a win and a loss for certain athletes.

Lunga Khumalo, a UP basketball and netball player, says that he tries to never wash his jersey or socks during the season. He says: ‘I had this one teammate in high school who’d play a game, put his stuff in a gym bag, and not open it until the next game day. I remember thinking how much I’d hate to be the guy who has to defend him, and that’s when I got the idea’. Carina Maber, a UP track, road, and cross-country runner, says that she has she ran a personal best.

Maxine Hannan, a UP hockey and water polo player, says that she associates cap colours with wins and losses. She must also always have a blue ribbon in her hair when playing hockey.

VeryWellMind says that according to colour psychology, the colour blue elicits feelings of calmness and is associated with being peaceful and orderly.

There has not been as much research into the psychology of not washing clothes that one uses during sports games. However, this is a commonly held superstition amongst players and

Photo: Anneke Laaks

supporters. LFGS sports says that it is a well-known belief that washing a basketball jersey is bad luck and can lead to a loss in a game.

Are you planning to expand into the e-sport scene with games such as CSGO, Valorant and League of Legends?

Our primary focus, as a society, is to provide a place for people to be social. Casual games provide a better environment for that, since they require less commitment. However, there has been a growing interest in games such as Valorant. We would like to go in that direction, because it is something that the community members want to be a part of. So, we are hoping to facilitate that if the community wants to go in the e-sport direction.

What are the requirements for the e-sport scene to develop and are they already in place? people have and where they would like to spend their time. For this, we have put together what we call the TGS council. This is a place for people to represent the portion of the community they are interested in. As for Valorant, for example, we have a few people who are interested. Then we start by hosting a few casual games so that people can see if they like it.

Then we move on to regularly scheduled meetings. If from there, the interest remains, then we can transition into the more serious side with e-sports.Although with the community as active as they can be, I wouldn’t be surprised if we started by saying that we have a lot of interest from the people. Then we immediately start training for the competitive scene and hop right into it.

We are all for supporting that, but it really remains up to the community to decide.

Are there any new things we can look forward to this year or something you would like to achieve in your time as chairmen this year?

My goals for this year would be making sure the society can keep going with its own momentum and with people requesting the games they would like to play. The things to look forward to this year are absolutely everything. We are feeling out what all the members are interested in and seeing where the society grows from there.

Photos: Anneke Laaks