2014: Edition 12 by VARSITY

SINCE

1942 THE OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN

14 October 2014

VOLUME 73: EDITION 12

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@varsitynews

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G4S Above the Law? Alex Hotz looks at the human rights violations committed by G4S at UCT, as well on a national and international scale. Alex Hotz n September 23rd, the ANC National Executive Committee officially boycotted the security company G4S, cancelling all of its existing contracts. This decision follows similar actions by institutions, organisations and companies in protest against the occupation of Palestine. This has placed additional pressure on UCT to review its existing contract with G4S. G4S is a British-Danish private multi-national security company, which provides UCT with security. The company provides services and equipment to Israeli prisons and checkpoints as well as at the Separation Wall (deemed illegal by the International Court of Justice). The actions of the company are in contravention of international law and violating human rights by its participation in the occupation of Palestine. G4S security guards stationed at UCT have complained about exploitation and mistreatment. A G4S UCT employee, who wished to remain anonymous, was moved to a different worksite in Cape Town after laying complaints about being underpaid for overtime work, a lack of decent protective gear to deal with outdoor conditions in winter and the danger that they face in protecting the University.

G4S has allegedly forcibly injected inmates with antipsychotic medication

UCT management to support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanction of Israel. The primary demand, listed in their memorandum, is that UCT cancel its contract with G4S but retain all existing employees. The University underwent an outsourcing review to consider the memorandum handed to it by the UCTPSF and other societies. Dr Max Price responded by saying, “The information about G4S activities and an alleged record of abuses, both in Israel and elsewhere, is disputed, but UCT will conduct its own assessment prior to making a decision on renewing the contract. As is the case with all contracts, when this one becomes due for renewal it will be put out to tender and many factors will be considered, including the findings of this assessment.” There has been no response

from UCT Management about their assessment of G4S, but the outsourcing review has led to a redrafting of the outsourcing code of conduct. When the G4S contract comes up for renewal the findings of the assessment should be made available. G4S has also faced allegations of human rights violations with regards to their treatment of prisoners in the Mangaung Correctional facility in Bloemfontein by inmates, security guards, health and prison officials. According to investigations by the Wits Justice Project, G4S has allegedly forcibly injected inmates with antipsychotic medication and used electroshock techniques to subdue and control prisoners in Mangaung Prison. These allegations were supported by 14 members of the emergency security team

at the prison, who wish to remain anonymous. These allegations are also based on evidence consisting of medical records, legal documents and video footage shot inside the prison. A 12-month-long investigation into the prison, conducted by the Mail and Guardian at the end of October 2013, uncovered video footage shot inside the prison hospital which also confirmed the allegations. Following the investigation, the prison was placed under the control of the Department of Correctional Services. G4S provides security systems and other services for major Israeli prisons like Ketziot and Megiddo prisons, which hold Palestinian political prisoners. This is in contravention of Article 76 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits the transfer of prisoners

from occupied territory into the territory of the occupier. G4S also provides equipment for prisons and detention facilities, namely the Kishon and Moskobiyyeh detention facilities, in the occupied West Bank. B'Tselem, along with other human rights organisations, has documented systematic torture and ill treatment of Palestinian prisoners, including that of child prisoners. Defence for Children-Palestine (DCI-Palestine) released an urgent appeal to end the practice of holding Palestinian children from the West Bank in solitary confinement in Israeli facilities. Thus far, the organisation has documented 53 such cases since 2008.

IN THIS ISSUE

Universities across the world, such as Norway’s University of Bergen, have cancelled their contracts with G4S. On August 7th, student societies at UCT, most notably the UCT Palestine Solidarity Forum (UCTPSF) and Left Students Forum, called for the SRC of 2013/2014 and

Image: wikicommons.org/G4S modified by VARSITY

TUT Strikes

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Speaking ‘Black’

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2014 Collective

CENTRE

Rocking to Rocky

PAGE 11

Being Gay in Sport

VARSITY, the official student newspaper since 1942, is committed to the principles of equality and democracy.

PAGE 14

news

v73 e12 – 14 October 2014

News Bites Explosion in the Yemen

Sana’a – At least 47 people were killed when a suicide bomber detonated an explosive belt at Tahrir Square on October 9th. The attack targeted a group of Houthi supporters who were organising a rally in the area. The bombing occurred shortly after the resignation of the newly appointed Yemeni Prime Minister and comes amidst a heated conflict between Houthis and government forces – BBC News

Protests erupt in St. Louis

USA – A teenager was shot and killed by an off-duty police officer in the Shaw neighbourhood of St. Louis on October 8th, sparking a renewed set of demonstrations in the area. Protesters expressed anger over the actions of law enforcement and marched through the streets demanding justice. The incident occurred shortly before a scheduled “Weekend of Resistance” in protest against police conduct in Missouri. – New York Times

Ebola spreads to Spain

Spain – Teresa Romero, a Spanish nurse, has been confirmed as the first person to contract Ebola outside of Africa. She tested positive on October 6th, after helping to treat two missionaries who returned from West Africa with the disease. Six people working in the same hospital have been quarantined. Romero’s family dog was put to death on October 8th as a safety measure, receiving widespread criticism from animal rights groups. – The Guardian

World’s most expensive burger

London – Honkey Tonk restaurant, in Chelsea, has created a burger that is priced at £1 100 (approximately R15 500). The so-called “Glamburger” was developed over three weeks and is made with a range of costly ingredients including gold leaf, black truffle Brie, Canadian lobster and caviar. It was confirmed by Record Setter as the most expensive burger in the world. – The Independent

EFF members form new party

South Africa – The New Economic Freedom Front party was formed on August 29th as a breakaway party from the EFF. The formation of the new political party is due to what members saw as unjust practices within the existing structure. Wonder Sentimile, a former regional co-ordinator of the EFF, is leading the party until it is properly established. – Mail and Guardian

Robyn Ausmeier

The End of TUT Strikes Salma Khan

Image: Michael Currin

he Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) resumed lectures on Monday, September 29th, after violent strike action persisted on its campuses since Wednesday, September 10th. TUT’s Student Representative Council (SRC), alongside student body members, boycotted lectures and engaged in strike action against the lack of funding for financial aid students from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), racist lecturers, outsourcing of cleaning and transport services as well as a demand for a financial disclosure on the salaries of the University’s executive management. Despite meetings held between the SRC and TUT to address these issues, they remained unresolved. On Tuesday, September 9th, all TUT activities were suspended following student protests which started at its main campus. The strikes were found to be illegal as student leadership failed to follow appropriate protocol for protest action. The strikes were also alleged to be in breach of the court interdict obtained previously, which the TUT spokesperson Willa de Ruyter stated “was still in order”. Attempts to resume work and the academic programme in days thereafter failed as the protest action became more violent. A bus and 18 university-owned cars were burnt as a result of this violence. No persons were injured, killed or arrested for the incidents. University management and student leaders decided to reopen the

University on Monday, September 29th. In a public release, De Ruyter stated, “A meeting of the full TUT council also approved a proposal from the University to make R46 million in student loans available to assist a group of 2500 unfunded students for the remainder of 2014.” This was in addition to the R30 million put forward by TUT following the January protests to cover a shortfall in NSFAS funding. According to the SRC, the NSFAS-allocated funding of R633.5 million in 2014 has been insufficient to fund TUT financial aid requirements, despite covering over 21 000 students. This funding is greater than that received by any

other South African university. Previously, the University had received additional funding from NSFAS to the amount of R277 million, which contributed to its 2013 deficit of R2.6 billion. TUT had previously taken strike action against the aforementioned issues, with their first actions beginning at the end of January. Protests on TUT’s campuses were terminated through the obtaining of a court interdict which prevented all forms of protest action on any of the university’s campuses, disruption to any of its activities and damage to its properties. Moreover, students were unlawfully evicted from the university’s residences. However,

the SRC ensured that students were returned to residences shortly thereafter. Whilst student protests and strikes have had impacts on universities across the country including the University of KwaZulu Natal (UKZN), Durban University of Technology (DUT) and the Medical University of South Africa (MEDUNSA), UCT remains relatively unaffected by student protests as issues are discussed through public meetings, forums and debates. If further protest action is taken, this is done through petitions such as with the sBux scheme.

Fossil Free UCT Campaign Image: UCT Green Campus Initiative

Daniëlle Van Der Spuy & Guy Cunliffe The Fossil Free UCT Campaign held two events on campus during meridian on Tuesday, September 30th, and Wednesday, October 1st. The Campaign was officially launched on July 30th and proposed the possibility of divestment from fossil fuels at UCT and investment in renewable energy sources. The events served as an introduction to the proposal and aimed to make UCT aware of its investment in fossil fuels and the impact that this has on the environment. The first event was a screening of Do The Math, a film by Bill McKibben, which showcased the significant statistics concerning

fossil fuels and climate change. The film highlighted that in order to prevent average temperatures rising by more than 2°C, global energy companies can afford to burn 565 billion tonnes of carbon. However, collectively they have five times that amount in their existing reserves alone. The film urged universities, churches, and other civil groups to transfer their funding of stocks, bonds, or investment funds from fossil fuel companies to alternative, sustainable enterprises. The second event was a Free Talk held by the Collective with the Green Campus Initiative (GCI) on Jammie Plaza. During the open discussion on campus, David Le Page, an environmental journalist leading the Fossil Free Campaign, reiterated the message that the

world cannot sustain the current business models of its largest fossil fuel energy companies. The GCI Chairperson, Guy Cunliffe, added to Le Page’s introduction and noted that “companies such as BP, Shell and Sasol are not too concerned about the environment or the damage they are inflicting on the planet, but they care greatly about their profit margins. This is where we have to hurt them if we want to see change”. Mohammed Jameel Abdulla (‘Todd’) from the Collective spoke about how common lifestyles, dominated by consumerism, are not sustainable. He commented, “Things might seem okay now, but the time is approaching when we are going to need to make changes, if we want to avoid severe consequences.”

The events were intended to generate dialogue among students about the implications of fossil fuel investments at UCT, as well as to gain support for the campaign. Nathan Taylor, of the Collective, raised the concern that if UCT alters its investment portfolio away from existing fossil fuel companies, it would affect its returns and have an impact on UCT’s finances, and therefore fees. Le Page replied that, “in many cases overseas, sustainable energy companies have shown to perform better financially than their fossil fuel counterparts.” The Fossil Free UCT campaign set up an online petition in September, which can be found at http://gofossilfreesouthafrica. wordpress.com/. The petition is addressed to UCT’s ViceChancellor, Council, the Joint Investment Committee, and Trustees of the UCT Foundation, and calls upon UCT to divest itself from fossil fuel companies, in a transparent manner, over the next five years. The petition asks UCT to move towards a policy of socially responsible investment, and to aim for “carbon neutrality in its own operations”. At the time this article was written, the petition had received 155 signatures.

news

v73 e12 - 14 October 2014

The Umbrella Revolution: Chinese Government cancels formal talks with pro-democracy student leaders Mahlatse Phasha and Aisha Abdool Karim egotiation talks between the Chinese government and pro-democracy protestors were set to take place on Friday, October 10th. However, these talks were cancelled the

day before due to the increased action taken by the protestors. The talks were initially promised as a compromise by the Chinese government after Chief Executive C.Y. Leung refused to resign, as per the demands of the protestors. However, despite the promised negotiations,

protests continued in Hong Kong’s financial district with protest leaders encouraging increased action. Chief Secretary Carrie Lam stated that “it would be impossible to have constructive dialogue after protest leaders called for an increase in efforts to occupy main protest areas” and

UCT Residence Leadership Awards Robyn Ausmeier On Friday, October 10th, the second annual UCT Residence Leadership Awards were held in Baxter Dining Hall. The awards ceremony was organised by the Student Representative Council (SRC) to acknowledge and reward House Committee members for the work they have done within their residences throughout the year. Both the outgoing and incoming House Committees were present at the awards. The event included a keynote speech by Vice-Chancellor Max Price and a short address by Grant Willis, the Director of Student Housing & Residence Life. In his address, Max Price commended the House Committees for their hard work and emphasised that they should be praised for the contributions they have made in the

lives of the students. Price noted that the residences are an important part of the university and that they play a valuable role in the students’ holistic experience. He also spoke briefly about the university’s future plans to provide enough accommodation for 10 000 students, a substantial increase from the 6 600 that are currently housed at UCT. Price commended the organisers of the event, stating that the award ceremony is “a brilliant idea that will help inspire House Committees to achieve”. The main focus of the evening was on the prize-giving, where certain residences were given awards in recognition of areas in which they had excelled. Members of the Residence Council, including Head Students from the different residences, were called to the stage and recognised for their contribution to the university. Thereafter, five special initiative awards were presented in the areas

of academics, outreach, sports, orientation and transformation. These awards acknowledged certain ways in which residences had shown innovation and progress. There was also an award for the Leadership Team of the Year, which was shared between Kopano Residence and Forest Hill. Lungisa Ntobela, an SRC member who helped organise the event, stressed that the selection was very difficult and competitive due to the high standard of achievement amongst the House Committees. The residence structures were specifically praised for the renewed focus they had placed on transformation, a sense of security and outreach. The allocation of awards was decided upon by a selection panel, which used set criteria to rate each residence. The panel consisted of members from the SRC, Student Housing and Residence Life, and the

accused them of "undermining trust" in the proposed talks. Hong Kong civilians took to the streets on September 28th, demanding that the central government in Beijing allow a fully free vote for a Hong Kong leader. The protests were launched by student leaders Joshua Wong and Alex Chow, who started the movement “Occupy Central”. The aim of the protests was to occupy Hong Kong’s downtown central district at the Chinese Government’s headquarters to bring real public elections and democracy in Hong Kong Officials from both Mainland and Hong Kong Governments have spoken against “Occupy Central” with Chief Executive C.Y. Leung stating that demonstrations were “illegal” and elections would go ahead as planned in 2017. Leung also released a video stating that students should consider the inconveniences they have caused in the city and advised that they should leave the protest site in Mong Kok. There have been mixed reactions to Leung’s stance, with activists calling for his resignation while People’s Daily, Beijing’s Chinese Communist Party newspaper, praises his response. Students who are a part of the “Occupy Central”’ movement were

arrested, pepper sprayed and tear gassed by the police on September 26th and 29th, which led to mass action by Hong Kong civilians. The Chinese police claimed that their goal was to return Hong Kong to its normal state. Demonstrators have said that this action was unnecessary as the protests were non-violent. On August 31st the Chinese government said that they would allow free voting for a Hong Kong leader, but voters would only be able to choose from pre-approved candidates. Student groups launched a week-long boycott of classes in protest on September 22nd and by September 28th the protests had expanded, with high school students arriving at protest sites. Hong Kong civilians do not want to be ruled by the communism policy currently implemented in Beijing. For the past 30 years the Chinese government has promised to implement a democratic system, on which it has failed to deliver. Michelle Wong, one of the protestors, stated that “if they do not consider real options for democracy, Hong Kong will start to be a bigger part of China, and will adopt the Chinese policy and will be influenced by China, and therefore lose all characteristics of Hong Kong”.

Online this week: SHAWCO WEEK

varsitynewspaper.co.za Department of Student Affairs. Each residence sent in motivations for why they deserve the awards, listing their progress and the initiatives they have organised throughout the year, and these applications were then reviewed. Every panel member gave a rating to the different residences and provided an explanation for their decision. Thereafter the ratings were tallied and the residence with the highest score was given the award. House Committee members from Forest Hill praised the event and expressed excitement over their award. They stated that the awards gave House Committees motivation

for something and a goal to work towards from the beginning of the year. Commenting on their achievement of joint Leadership Team of the Year, Thato Mahosi, one of the Forest Hill House Committee members, remarked “We are so excited, it is a new thing for our res and the first time we have won something like this.” In his closing address, Grant Willis noted the importance of recognising the work of the residence leadership structures and deemed the event “an absolute stunning success”. See online for pictures of the event.

editorial

v73 e12 - 14 October 2014

2014 Collective editor-in-chief Parusha Naidoo editorial@varsitynewspaper.co.za

Editorial

editorial@varsitynewspaper.co.za

managing Editor Aneesa Lockhat editorial@varsitynewspaper.co.za

Copy Editor Courtney Hope copyed@varsitynewspaper.co.za

Online content editor Shannon Krausey Online News Correspondent Fowzia davids onlinenews@varsitynewspaper. co.za

news Aisha Abdool Karim & Robyn Ausmier

Editor-in-chief

Can We Make it Official?

deputy Editor Jena Ascough

online@varsitynewspaper.co.za

Parusha Naidoo

or those of you that are avid readers of VARSITY, or at least avid browsers, you may recognise me from page 5. I’ve moved one page up and have a new position along with an amazing team of fellow students. If you are an avid reader or browser you would also know that column writing is not

something foreign to me. However, I’ve come to realise that the first and last column an Editorin-Chief is tasked with writing will probably be their hardest (shout out to Laurie Scarborough). Perhaps it was the pressure to live up to the standards set by all 69 editors that have graced this page with their words before me. In the end I opted to do a bit of congratulating/courtship. So if you’re still reading, sit tight. Firstly, congratulations on making it to the tenth month of the year. You’ve overcome numerous pigeon attacks, all-nighters and cruel tutors. You’ve successfully managed to not be hit by a blue bus or fall to your death while prancing down Jammie stairs. You now face the last hurdle: exams. Needless to say, it’s been a rough ten months. So if for some reason

you looked in the mirror and fail to recognise the dishevelled person staring back at you, don’t despair. I too understand the scary realisation of no longer being a bright-eyed kid. Instead we now have under-eye bags that we wear as battle scars and if you’re lucky like me, you’ll have an amazing images editor who can get rid of the scars/bags for your column picture. Secondly, congratulations on picking up a copy of this paper, which has been carefully put together by a team of talented students. Reading VARSITY should be imprinted in your UCT experience just as deeply as the bags you have under your eyes. Put simply, we wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for approximately 26 000 students belonging to UCT. In retrospect, it may have taken me a week to write this column because I was overcome by the desire to appear witty and thoughtprovoking. But more importantly it was also my need to seek validation

and support for our work as we attempt to tell the story of each student and stakeholder at UCT. Holding the title of “the official student newspaper” is a bit tricky. Is it really possible to represent the thousands of people that make up our micro-community? We all stem from diverse backgrounds which informs our views of UCT and our orientation within this diverse community. This is both a challenging an exciting task for VARSITY as we strive to represent the realities of all students. The publishing of this paper is only worthy if you – the students – read it, criticise it and praise it (which is a rare occurrence). So while we may hold the title, we are only truly official when you pick up a copy and acknowledge the work of your peers. So without sounding too much like a needy girlfriend, I was wondering if we can make it official?

news@varsitynewspaper.co.za

What’s Your Price?

opinions Sandisiwe Shoba & Adam Kleinschmidt opinions@varsitynewspaper.co.za

features Busang Senne & Anna Insam features@varsitynewspaper.co.za

sportS Dean Horwitz & Stephanus van Zijl sports@varsitynewspaper.co.za

centrespread Michaela Findeis centrespread@varsitynewspaper. co.za

Jena Ascough

Deputy Editor

How much would you need to be paid to have sex with someone? I was asked that question once at a party (at that time around 2am when things start to get a bit weird) and wasn't exactly sure how to react. Other girls I was sitting with then started to shout prices like "R5000!" and “R10 000!" like we were involved in some kind of whoring bidding war. I found the whole conversation a bit strange, but I guess it was entertaining to discuss the age-old question, "If I were a prostitute, how much would I charge?" But I heard something on

Wednesday that totally threw me off. People often say that prostitution is the oldest profession, but what about abstinence? The King of Swaziland is looking to pay adolescent girls R200 a month NOT to have sex as a way to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. Since hearing this, my brain has been short circuiting because I just don't know how I feel about it. Firstly, as a feminist, I think if girls are going to be paid to abstain, boys should be paid to abstain too; but I'm still not sure how useful it is to set the price for abstinence. For one, if this

idea is being put in place because the girls need money, I'm pretty sure there are people who are willing to pay these girls more than R200 a month for them to...how shall I put it... not abstain. Also, while I think positive incentives are always a good idea, buying abstinence to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS is treating the symptom, not the cause. I'm sure if these girls were educated about the risks of unprotected sex in terms of HIV/AIDS they would be less inclined to put their lives at risk. As I said, though, I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about it, but I'd love to hear what you have to say -how much would you need to be paid to abstain?

images Amina Ebrahim & Morema Moloisi images@varsitynewspaper.co.za

Design Mari Mombers design@varsitynewspaper.co.za

web Julius Stopforth web@varsitynewspaper.co.za

Deputy web editor Bayanda Gumbi web@varsitynewspaper.co.za

Finance & Ads manager Thamsanqa Moyo & Lauren Van Haught finance@varsitynewspaper.co.za ads@varsitynewspaper.co.za

Marketing Manager Mosa Makapa marketing@varsitynewspaper.co.za

operations manager Gape Masole

Courtney Hope

Aneesa Lockhat

“Being a real adult is being able to finally admit you’re Hufflepuff.” - Megan Amram

“Our lives begin to end the the day we become silent about things that matter.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

Copy Editor

Managing Editor

operations@varsitynewspaper.co.za

human resources Saadiq Samodien & Laurie Scarborough hr@varsitynewspaper.co.za

Telephone: 021-650 3543 Level 5, Steve Biko Students’ Union

No news gathering for the remainder of 2014. VARSITY wishes you all the best for exams and a safe and joyous festive season. See you in 2015!

opinions

Articulate

v73 e12 – 14 October 2014

Keeping Things Platonic or Plutonic? Image: flickr.com/jbdodane

Gunning for Change Should children be using firearms?

Yogi Shoba remember stumbling across my father’s gun. Rummaging through extra packets of soap and untouched tubes of toothpaste, my hand brushed against something smooth and metallic. I grabbed it, believing it was the misplaced spanner he had requested. I eased it out and found placed in my hands a weighty and polished 9 mm pistol.

I held a gun, but nothing changed. Staring back at the lowly bedroom cabinet, then glancing at my reflection in my parents’ dressing table mirror, I tried to come to grips with the object in my hands and the setting in which I found it. I understood what I held. I knew the power I wielded. It was riveting yet frightening. I wanted to return it but also cock it, fire it, see what would happen – it was sublime. I was old enough to understand gun safety but, despite this, some innate human curiosity coupled with youthful impulse was urging me to play with gunfire. I was 14, holding a oneshot pistol; now imagine a fully automated Uzi sub-machine gun in the hands of a nine-year-old girl. According to abc news, on August 25th, 39-year-old gun instructor, Charles Vacca, was accidentally and fatally shot in the head by the nine-year-old during a shooting lesson. After firing the gun she

exclaimed that it was ‘too much for her’, referring to the heavy recoil of the weapon which caused her to lose control of the gun, resulting in tragedy. However, should she have been handling a firearm in the first place? I hold issue with the circumstances surrounding the incident: The nine-year-old and her family were on holiday and had stopped by the shooting range in pursuit of recreational activity. The notion of recreation seems to infer an encouragement of gunuse. For which purpose: pure entertainment or self-defence? Defence from what? It seems, from the very concept encouraged. In this catch 22 of survival, who is fighting to defend the psychological impacts of dislodging a firearm? A child’s innocence is tainted upon seeing violence, more so, at her own hand. A nine-year-old girl is now labelled a murderer, in the name of recreation. This incident points towards some ‘trigger-happy’ culture that has been established. Despite legislation pertaining to gun possession and use, with both America and South Africa requiring the licensing of firearms as well as withholding this right from certain persons; there are still trained professionals misusing their weaponry. A 7-year-old girl, Aiyana Stanley-Brown was fatally shot in May 2010 when a Detroit Special Response Team raided her home in search of a murder suspect. The firearm of Officer Joseph Weekly was unintentionally dislodged, killing a sleeping Aiyana. This leaves me in an unsettling position. Though I cannot agree with the idea of children in possession of firearms I cannot ignore that the nature of the world in which we live may demand it. When unarmed teenagers such as Michael Brown and Trayvon Martin are murdered in cold blood and wars rage on like video games I sit and wonder what else can be done. Ultimately, I lost something when I held that gun; I looked at my father differently. I told him what I’d found, what I’d held, but nothing changed. The gun remained in that lowly cupboard with the key in the lock. I held a gun, but nothing changed.

Adam Kleinschmidt Anyone with half a brain knows that messing about with nuclear material is a bad idea. A nuclear physicist could tell you more. Owing to the fact that unbridled nuclear plants and bombs have catastrophic effects on the surrounding environment, atomic material gets a little chaotic when messed with. The recent R1 trillion deal with the Russian Federation has made headlines and plans to build a new power plant to reduce reliance on coal has come under fire from opposition parties, western governments, and the media. All parties are alarmed at this surprising new turn of events. Russia has not got the cleanest reputation. The violence in the Crimea and Ukraine and their unyielding support for Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad are two issues dogging them. Their President, Vladimir Putin, is a dogmatic Russian nationalist who has clashed with Western leaders many times since assuming power for the second time in 2012. This makes our predicament here in South Africa very difficult indeed. While the conceptual theories of

this project are good by promoting a lower reliance on fossil fuels and boosting our energy infrastructure, the realities of this project bring other issues into light, many of which have affected this country for years. Two simple issues soil the imagery of cleaner, better energy: corruption and incompetence. The best representation of this is our new Minister of Energy, Tina Joemat-Petersson. Formerly of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Joemat-Petersson is known for her poor management skills and dubious activities. As Agriculture Minister, she allowed fisheries across the nation to fall into ruin, a farming crisis to rage in the Cape in 2013, and has been linked to numerous scandals affecting high-ranking officials. Given this record and the poor history of energy provision in South Africa, is it wise to place this amount of money in the hands of a Minister who is additionally refusing to speak at length on the details of the project? President Zuma has also remained quiet as the storm of protest has erupted against his government. Much like he has with the Nkandla issue and the Gupta incident.

To be honest, I find the deal to be highly ominous. R111 billion is a lot of money to throw around, despite it being the biggest addition to our energy infrastructure since the 1980s. The possible sites for another nuclear plant have been outlined by the Ministry of Energy and the President’s Office and some logistical planning is present but the practise of government spending in South Africa is less than acceptable. I’d be the last one to deny that South Africa needs better infrastructure, but does this involve aligning ourselves with a quasipariah state that is on bad terms with many of our major trading partners, political alliances and the international sphere as a whole. Our membership in BRICS allows us to initiate negotiations with a multitude of nations across the world, including the Asian giants India and China. Russia may have offered a comparatively good price for the nuclear plants and expertise, but surely it would be better to engage with our closer trading partners in Asia, Europe and America, so as to strengthen the tangible and intangible bonds of international economics?

A South African Sword of Damocles: the spy tapes scandal Quentin Coetzee After years of trying to get the spy tapes that got President Jacob Zuma acquitted of at least 783 charges, and despite heavy resistance, the Democratic Alliance finally has access. Now, it turns out, some of the transcripts have been leaked. There was reportedly factionalism threatening to tear the party apart at the time. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

The more things change, the more they stay the same These violations of people's right to privacy were first used to get Zuma cleared of corruption charges and pave his way to becoming President on account of secret conversations between Bulelani Ngcuka and Scorpions boss, Leonard McCarthy. Any factionalism then that was revealed by the tapes is nothing new: it was clear when ANC members broke away to form COPE. Since then, the DA has lodged applications to get their hands on the spy tapes. After ignoring a court order

at least once to produce the documents, Zuma's lawyers eventually confessed that they had no grounds on which to withhold the tapes, and the NPA (National Prosecuting Authority) finally handed a copy over., after they fell into factionalism and infighting. Now the DA may decide to apply to have the decision to drop the charges in 2009 overturned and bring the President to account. If things continue as they have been going for his term in office, then the chances of him being unseated as President are as good as the chance that he will adhere to the Public Protector's Nkandla recommendations and pay back the money. When people have been removed from the Zuma administration, it is usually because they were stepping on the wrong toes even if they were only doing their job. Willie Hofmeyr of the SIU (Special Investigating Unit) played a large role in exposing government corruption, yet he suffered smear campaigns and was eventually replaced by Willem Heath. Look now at Angie Motshekga, who presided over the Limpopo scandal where textbooks were not delivered to schools, but instead dumped or burnt in some cases. She has the Matric pass mark at 30%, which essentially requires that one put effort into genuinely trying to fail,

and yet there is nobody removing her from the office. Take a look at more recent times, when Zuma has removed some of the country's spies that he feels he can no longer trust. Some of them have been perceived to be too loyal to their previous boss, but the whole point still stands with regards to dismissal of people from their positions: irrespective of ability, if they are disloyal, they have to go.

…irrespective of ability, if they are disloyal, they have to go. Meanwhile, South Africa is suffering from a multitude of problems. There have been water problems in Gauteng, people don't trust the police, and the basic education system is crying out for help, sadly akin to a distress call made to someone at a rave. Which brings me to this last point; especially in recent years, there have been many instances of factionalism in the ANC. The party hasn’t managed to get rid of the various elements of chaos that have been threatening to tear them apart. Everyone is fighting to pursue their ambition without paying attention to the crumbling foundation on which they stand, with the country at large paying the price.

opinions

v73 e12 – 14 October 2014

Not Nailing it Megan Thomas tudents from North Carolina State University have recently invented a nail polish that, when dipped into a drink, detects whether it has traces of date-rape drugs such as Rohypnol, Xanax or GHB. Thereafter, it changes colour to indicate this.

that will not eradicate the rape crisis

This product, “Undercover Colors”, has received an inordinate amount of praise and has been described on social media by some as “the best idea [they] have ever heard”. While I accept that the product will be useful, it is one of many “quick fix” methods, albeit a particularly intuitive one, that will not eradicate the rape crisis as efficiently as it needs to be.

How to prevent rape... Don’t rape anyone.

Pepper spray disguised as lipstick; female condoms with teeth that clamp unwanted penises (yes, these exist – “Rape-aXe”). And now, nail polish that detects date rape drugs. These rape prevention tools paint the proverbial nail of life with a thick layer of polish that skillfully masks the real problems underneath. It is important that women feel prepared for harassment. It is simply ignorant to take the stance that “men shouldn’t be raping, therefore women shouldn’t be protecting themselves from it”. It would be like refusing to wear a seatbelt because “people shouldn’t drive badly”. While rape and driving are incomparable, they speak a mutual truth: just because it shouldn’t happen, doesn’t mean it doesn’t. Especially considering that many rapists possess a warped comprehension of “right and wrong”. The main gripe I have with praising this invention is that it suggests we should spend more time on gimmicky ways for the victim to prevent rape, as opposed to attacking the culture motivating the rapist. Why are we teaching women to go out expecting to be raped; as if it’s something we just need to accept as an ever-present reality? Each case of rape is severe and should be treated as such, rather than allowing “rape prevention” to become

Image: Morema Moloisi

we feel better off avoiding the problem than solving it a normalised activity. If we begin to allow the prevention methods to become part of our lifestyle, we slowly start perpetuating the idea that the responsibility is on the woman to protect herself. “You got raped? Well, were you wearing

your nail polish? No? Then what do you expect?” similar to “Why weren’t you wearing your seatbelt?” I attended a march in Johannesburg called the “SlutWalk”, where protestors marched, dressed in predominantly their underwear, to reject the notion that a woman’s behavior or attitude should have any effect on whether she is raped or not. A marcher said: “How to prevent rape: 1. Don’t rape anyone. 2. See above.” I do not hold an issue with

means of self-defense, but rather the assumption that this perceptive invention should be transfixing our attention so unwaveringly. I feel saddened being part of a society that feels more excitement at the prospect of treating the symptoms over curing the disease. It is disparaging to think we have reached the point where we feel better off avoiding the problem than solving it. It’s really defeatist. Only when rapists cease to exist will the rape crisis do the same.

We Should All Speak “Black” Neurodivergent Me Unfamiliar words on a willing tongue Koketso Mamabolo Far from being the rainbow nation that we spoke of so romantically in 1995, 2007 and 2010, we are still trudging towards the “transformation” that is seemingly elusive. Growing up, many coloured and black South Africans pick up bilingualism due to the environments they are often placed in. Here they learn that English is the medium that dominates television, radio, news publications, literature and the business world. In order to have a chance to get through life they need to have a firm grasp of English. The same cannot be said for white South Africans (excluding white Afrikaans speakers).

still trudging towards the “transformation”

because they seem on the verge of extinction, shouldn’t we praise the efforts of those who choose to broaden their minds into our worlds? Isn’t that a basic point on the transformation we so desperately seek? My first real encounter with a white South African who could speak an indigenous language was at OR Tambo International. He was seated next to me and spoke casually on the phone. When I realised he was speaking my mother tongue, Sepedi, my entire perspective on my education changed. I became aware of the fact that I could speak English, and I was learning Afrikaans, but my white friends weren’t learning my language. The man, who spoke Sepedi so beautifully on the phone, showed me that it could be done and should accordingly be something monolingual South Africans strive for.

need to preserve our languages The reality is many white people in South Africa will never have the opportunity or the desire to learn an indigenous language. The portion that does is often ostracised for their efforts. The succinct complaint they usually receive is: “You are butchering my language.” One can easily imagine the discomfort many feel when the words in their language are mispronounced and most sentences become seven word malapropisms. However, this argument cannot be deemed fair play. In a country where many clutch onto their languages,

In a society where we are continually being fed American and European culture, along with its diluted offspring, it’s important as South Africans for us to remember the need to preserve our languages and cultures. It would be a shame if those vocal histories of our country and, more broadly-speaking, Africa were lost. Our country is teeming with cultures, traditions, languages and practices that we should be aware

Neurodivergency is nothing to be ashamed of, but stigma is Thembelihle Ncayiyana

Image: Morema Moloisi of. We should learn about them and understand their place in our increasingly developing and globally influenced nation. In the same way that the South African Rugby Union lusts after transformation in Heyneke Meyer’s team, we should be pursuing a country in which no-one’s language is less significant, but rather part and parcel of its diversity. This won’t be possible if we choose to badger those who make an attempt to return the courtesy of learning how to address us in our first language. English, as a nonindigenous language, shouldn’t continue to overpower the other ten official languages. Let us walk hand-in-hand on this path to transformation because the best way one can learn is by doing. Allow those who aren’t familiar with your language the chance to make an attempt so they too can learn something different.

"Don't be ashamed of your story, it will inspire others." – Anonymous. There are a lot of things that I regret, things that make me feel like I’m not good enough when I look at myself in the mirror; however my neurodivergency has never, and will never be something that I am ashamed of. I walk everyday – well everyday that I’m not depressed that is – with my head held high because I may have a mental illness; but I refuse to let it define who I am. Neither should you. “You are not your illness. You have an individual story to tell. You have a name, a history, a personality. Staying yourself is part of the battle." – J Seifter. World Mental Health Day is the reason why I’m writing this piece and I write it with great passion and heart to all those with a mental illness in the UCT community. If you are reading this right now and you have depression or anxiety or schizoaffective bipolar or any other neurodivergent disorder, I need you to know that you are not alone and that you deserve to be happy, to be loved and to be supported by those around you.

“The greatest healing therapy is friendship and love.” – H Humphrey Contrary to what I’ve read, our University has failed to provide neurodivergent students with the

support that they truly need. I say this because there is a limit of how many sessions one can attend, that is when they’re not on a waiting list for a number of weeks just to see a counselor at Student Wellness; in addition, wellness does not seem to have emergency slots should a student be having an episode because, guess what? It actually happens! It is for this very reason that the amazing Katherine Eyal formed the Mad Hatters Society – a support group for all those affected with mental illness in UCT – so that we may support each other in an environment that does not accommodate us at all. “Once you’re labeled as mentally ill, and that’s in your medical notes, then anything you say can be discounted as an artifact of your mental illness.” – H Mantel. Just as diabetes is a disorder of the pancreas, mental illness is a disorder that diminishes a person’s capacity to cope with the ordinary demands of life. It is nothing to be ashamed of but rather, it just means that one needs some support with things others usually don’t. Don’t be afraid to reach out because the Mad Hatters are here for you to reach out to. Though I could go on forever, I have pretty much said all that my heart wanted to say. So I’d like to leave you with a few wise words: “I fight for my health every day in ways most people don't understand. I'm not lazy. I'm a warrior." – Anonymous "Mental health ... is not a destination but a process. It's about how you drive, not where you're going." – N Sphancer

opinions

The True Measure of Success Cyprien Pearson rom 8AM until 6pm, students at UCT scurry around campus, rushing to lectures, frantically writing assignments and skimming through thick readings. We compete in this ongoing clamour because we believe academics are important. That 85% on the test will take us places. That perfect score on our transcript will make us successful. This notion of success is a multifaceted animal. Whether it’s from your mother, your social circle or the media, each and every one of us has some socially-constructed idea of success. At UCT, this often translates into our courses. We strive for the best marks on assignments. We pray for certain exam questions. We ask about our peers’ goals and standards in order to see how we measure up. In short, we want to be the best because something or someone somewhere told us that academic success means success in life. It is a valid point. Having a transcript chock-full of perfect scores certainly opens up many more doors than not having one. In fact, any higher education immediately qualifies candidates for more profitable and challenging positions in the job market. However, does a job mean success? This concept has always been a bit tricky. If a student studies chemistry and is naturally brilliant—she gets top grades, her tutors recommend honours, she finds a great paying job—but she hates the endless equations and hours spent in the lab, has she succeeded? At base, our pursuit of academic and therefore career success is

about what we think that success can ultimately provide us. That is, we somehow believe that success, measured in marks and university degrees, equates to happiness. In the end, no matter how big one’s pay checque is, they won’t be happy. It is a cliché as old as time, but it is particularly fitting at this moment: “Money can’t buy you happiness.” We students focus so much on studies in order to get a job in order to have money that sometimes we don’t stop to think what that end result will actually look like: how we may suffer through each day with boredom; how lives easily turn into a cyclical and dreaded work-homesleep-work-home-sleep routine. That is not happiness. That is a socially-accepted way of getting through each day. Yet, perhaps if we as a society forgot our preoccupation with money, these sorts of existences would not be so common. Yes, it’s a utopian idea and no, it’s not really feasible for us to live in a world without money. What is feasible, possible and realistic, though, is to do something we love for the rest of our lives. If that’s travel, then just go. Even if it’s tough, for that individual it’d be a much more successful life than a wanderlust worker stuck at a desk job. This sort of living — true and free and entirely for what makes us happy — is hard to come by. Especially in South Africa where poverty is a very pressing reality, society pressures us to go for the best grades and the best jobs because security is more important than happiness. They can keep their security, though. Let’s rather go for a life that makes us excited to live. Let’s go for a life that makes us happy because happiness is the true measure of success.

For a short while last month, the only conversation that you could get out of anyone was their plan for their big night. Seeing everybody so excited about formals is nice, but I get the feeling that those of us who went to high schools where these sorts of things were a norm let their formals come and go without thinking about the greater significance of the event.

It’s downright exclusionary to the large portion of our University As a small disclaimer, the rest of this article is going to be a bit of a downer, so if you want to retain some of the magic of the evening, you might want to read about the nuclear deal between South Africa and Russia, or something. The first problem with formals is that they propagate the richpoor dichotomy that is prevalent at UCT. R300 (plus after-party tickets, plus alcohol, plus attire, etc.) is a lot to pay for one evening. It’s downright exclusionary to the

large portion of our university who can barely afford their basic fees, let alone these extras. It would be easy to argue that this isn’t an important issue; those with money should spend it how they like. However, regardless of how ardently you support right wing capitalist ideals, an institution like UCT should be looking after all of its students. This mandate does not include endorsing activities that implicitly harm a portion of those that attend it, in the manner mentioned above, based on the arbitrary distinction of their parents’ disposable income. In an institution with an already privileged student body, the hype over formals can’t really do anything but make underprivileged students feel increasingly alienated. However, the more insidious flipside of this is that even if students can afford to pay for their formals, these events can glamorise something that isn’t worth glamorising. Two things that we can agree with are that we would like UCT to be a gender egalitarian institution, and that UCT, as a leader in African scholarship, should endeavour to move away from its Eurocentric roots, towards a uniquely South African experience. Formals go against both of these

Back to Black, Part II

Image: Amina Ebrahim

Claudia Harrison Every year in the United Kingdom, October is Black History Month. These 31 days aim to educate people about – as well as reflect on – the history of black people in the UK. Various events are held throughout the period such as marches, seminars and concerts. This year, being the centenary of the First World War, will focus on the role played by black Britons in the war. However, this has sparked some debate around whether a specific

white history month is not really necessary

A Formal Request Arthur Faulkner

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goals. I’m not going to go into great detail about why formals perpetuate gender-norms. I think this is fairly evident based on the dress code and the fact that there were few samesex couples. However, the argument that formals continue a sexist culture at UCT is more nuanced, and I have limited time. The one thing that is selfevident is that formals at UCT are Eurocentric. If you buy into Western culture, I have no distinct problem with the idea of you dressing in a manner that reflects that. However, when that dress code is enforced by the culture in which we live, it’s a problem. Dressing formally is fine; however, UCT should not support an event that solely celebrates Western traditions of dress. We need more people to feel comfortable celebrating their cultural differences. Formals, if anything, should be a celebration of diversity in a South African context, not conformity. I’m not trying to detract from what was a wonderful evening for many of you. I know that this article probably won’t affect any change, but I’d like those of you who didn’t think on it too deeply, to consider these aspects of formals. After all, the unexamined life is not worth living.

race should have its own history period. Multiple-award-winning actor Morgan Freeman is a leader of anti-Black History Month discourse and believes the history of a country should be inclusive with no need for a designated remembrance month to exist. He is not the only controversial figure in this regard, as many people all over the world have criticised Black History Month. Criticism ranges from asking why there is no ‘White History Month’ to highlighting the possible pejorative implications. These could emerge the same way negative attitudes towards Heritage Day in South Africa did through cultural misappropriation – outsiders trying too hard to empathise with members of the community whose heritage is being celebrated. In short, ‘White History Month’ is not really necessary for the simple reason that for quite a long time, histories were written and communicated by white people. There is no such thing as unbiased writing, so we can be sure that the history of white people was emphasized in these volumes and the majority of the historical information pertaining to other groups was omitted or selectively used.

no need for a designated remembrance month

For this reason, it is imperative that the history of all groups is recorded and known by people

worldwide. This will eliminate the ignorance that feeds many negative attitudes, such as racism. I’m not promising a miracle cure, because there will unfortunately always be apathetic people, but for the most part people should be quite receptive. A good method for implementing this could be to include historical variety in school syllabi. Black History Month is not the only heritage month. There is a variety including Irish American, Filipino American and Jewish American History Months. These and similar anniversaries have raised the question of whether a Black History Month should take place in South Africa. According to the last census, 79% of citizens identified themselves as black. While it makes sense for a heritage month to take place, the case against such a period takes existing public holidays into account. As so many remembrance days take place throughout the year, an extra 31 days could be seen as excessive. Yet, these focus mainly on apartheid which is not the only aspect of black history in South Africa, but is nevertheless important. Personally I think that South Africans could only benefit from having a Black History Month, because the history of the smaller traditional groups who fall in the ‘black’ category can be known. For example, Khoi and San people are not the same group! Simply put, it makes sense for Black History Month to become an annual feature of the South African calendar. Who knows – we may just learn something.

Disclaimer The VARSITY Opinions section is a vehicle for expression on any topic by members of the university community or other interested parties. The opinions within this section are not necessarily those of the VARSITY Collective or its advertisers. Letters to the Editor need to be kept to a maximum of 300 words and can be sent to:

opinions@varsitynewspaper.co.za

VARS TY 2014 NEWS OPINIONS FEATURES SPORTS CENTRESPREAD

Edition 12 Laurie Scarborough

Editor-in-Chief

ur mother in chief can sing and pirouette her way through any situation. Laurie is more than capable of picking up any position’s work if she needs to, even that of chief distributor. It is a mystery as to how she is able to produce and manage an entire newspaper, star in a musical, and still come out with top marks: Perhaps it’s her naps on the office chairs when things get tough or maybe she uses magic. Laurie is an expert at creating a positive working environment. Case in point: editors look forward to bi-monthly duets of “Do You Wanna Build a Snowman?” at Sunday subbing sessions. VARSITY will forever be in debt to Laurie’s fearless excellence. Wherever she goes next, we’re sure she’ll still be checking her mail for that Hogwarts letter she should have received on her 11th Birthday, just in case.

Katy Scott

Deputy Editor est. Columnist. Ever. Her way with words is hard to miss and she is able to spot potential and nurture it in any writer. As someone who always comes up with the best ideas and gives truly amazing advice, we can all look up to Katy in terms of maturity and strong leadership. No need to worry when she’s on your team: she’s got you covered, and she’s got your back. No one can do smiley, happy and fierce all at the same time quite like she does. She thinks she’s a redhead in disguise, but that fearless, fiery fight is clear the moment you meet her! Katy’s the FUSS. Feisty, Undercooked, Sassy and Spicy.

Daniël Geldenhuys

Online Editor and Editor-inChief of VARSITY Style ntelligent, fashion-savvy and ready with a witty remark and a Nicki Minaj face for any situation, Danzies is great to have around. He has a rather worrying relationship with the office Mac, which he named Maccila, and has been known to stroke it occasionally. When in a crisis, he crawls under the table that Maccila calls home, and rocks in the foetal position. This, and other office antics (including impromptu renditions of Nicki Minaj routines), makes him the greatest source of office entertainment. Despite this, Daniël is widely acknowledged as the most talented and hardworking person. Ever. He was the Online Angel and produced two faultless editions of Varsity Style. Our very own fashion enthusiast and resident fashion whip-cracker, he is always immaculately dressed and his genius should only call Vogue home.

Kudzai Tabaziba

Human Resources Manager osting about R70 000 in marriage “down payment”, Kudzi knows her worth. As the VARSITY Mommy, this Zimbo cracks a stern, but loving whip on us all but still manages to be is such a warm and friendly sweetheart. With a wicked and sassy sense of humour, she leaves us knowing that she has potential to be a great comedian. Kudzi has a secret talent for laughing with a straight face – a useful ability while interviewing applicants for the new collective. It’s just a pity that she emits a highpitched squealing noise while doing it though. It rather gives her away. With a secret talent in singing, if a career in HR doesn’t work out, she could be the next Mercedes Jones.

Clare Garrard

News Editor

lare is like a cast member of Downton Abbey: so poised, so polite, so together and so sweet she’ll give you diabetes! She is always on top of things, never frazzled and has the ability to create a harmonious atmosphere all around her. Having said this, she is also strong enough to hold her own, and has a brilliant habit of blinking in a way that lets you know when she thinks a writer is being daft. Clare is amazing; she is always willing to go the extra mile and is so easy to get along with. A rare breed!

Saadiq Samodien

Deputy Human Resources Manager his wise young man is far too insightful and mature for his age. It’s scary really. He has the strictest poker face which leaves you confused as to whether he’s joking or serious. When Saadiq asks why you were not present at a meeting, even jokingly, you assume he’s about to fire you. But it’s really just his tie that makes him seem so official; he’s actually quite a mellow fellow. The happiness and motivation of others is his sole mission on earth. He is incredibly level-headed and manages to keep cool and calm in the stickiest of situations. He does not beat around the bush and can be heard saying, “I have one comment for all of this… No.”

Aisha Abdool Karim

Deputy News Editor

s a late comer to the VARSITY team this year, she has risen to the occasion like no other. Although she is gentle and soft-spoken, do not let this fool you. She is a mean news writer, with an almost encyclopaedic knowledge on news and current affairs, and knows how to get down to business. She has been a vital addition to the team, being extremely organised, dependable, and dedicated. If you need anything done, Aisha’s your girl. There is a standing rumour circulating that Superwoman has a poster of Aisha on her wall, she’s just that great. Aisha has even worked for the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. She’s the real deal.

Opinions Editor

ur star columnist, Parusha, can be seen around Cape Town walking between bus stops and taxi ranks with a purple yoga mat. She is an incredible writer who is forever pulling weird and wonderful things out of her sari. She is a fully-fledged gangster with a big heart and a strange affinity to pandas: panda fails, panda flash drives, panda sneezes. It’s a thing (she even hopes to get a dog that looks like a panda). Basically the next big thing since Beyoncé, her sparkly personality provides a little ray of sunshine whenever she’s in the office. She’s gonna kill it as Editor-in-Chief.

Vikash Gajjar

Jena Ascough

Deputy Opinions Editor

lady puts Nicole Kidman to shame. If your grammar is sloppy she will subedit during a conversation with

man of many talents and many more fetishes, Vikash is destined to go far in life. Unfortunately, however, his brilliant work on the collective as Deputy Ops Editor has

Copy Editor This poised and flawless young

Zona even managed to keep her real name a secret the entire year. The question still remains: who is the real Zona? Nobody knows.

you, and she has a black belt in karate, something that should never be forgotten if your sentence is not perfectly formed. She goes from beautiful to badass in 0.2 seconds and dabbles in a bit of ballet, making her fierce and graceful at the same time. Some may call her a health freak, because she exercises 10 hours a week and drinks water with tea bags floating in it. Utterly articulate and always on the ball, Jena really is a rose.

Parusha Naidoo

Tuesday October 14th

Image: Amina Ebrahaim distracted him from developing a High School Musical production with Daniël Geldenhuys. His wit and his “I don’t take your shit, sir” attitude are hysterical and his ambition is unlike anything seen before. He has always held a high standard and expects nothing but the best from writers. Vikash also knows everything about everyone in both VARSITY and RAG – much like Gretchen Weiners. That’s why his hair’s so big: it’s full of secrets. Everyone lives in envy of that flawless hair.

Krysia Gaweda

Centrespread Editor his girl makes all our necks strain whether we are talking to to her or looking up at her in admiration. She is like a living YouTube channel - fun, entertaining, warm, hilarious. Who wouldn’t subscribe? Insanely talented, Krysia strikes the perfect balance between being downright hilarious and getting down to business. Always

smiling and greeting everyone, she is never afraid to be herself (even if it means wearing leggings despite strong opposition from our resident fashion policeman). But what really sets her apart from the rest? Her biceps. No seriously, this gorgeous gentle giant has been dubbed the next Radwanska.

features editors of tomorrow. Always up for a laugh (and a bit of advice on how to grow your own vegetables), her moving on from the VARSITY office leaves her co-eds green with envy at her future colleagues.

Lynne Marie Fraser

Features Editor

t VARSITY, the words “Lynne” and “sustainability” are interchangeable. She is still upset that we are not growing tomatoes on the VARSITY office windowsill, but that hasn’t stopped her from compiling a kick-ass features section. Also known as Lynnifer, the lass has admitted to “playing dumb” to get things to go her way, despite being very brainy. Lynne takes pride in developing her writers to reach their full potential. Her babies have gone on to get thousands of hits on the website, and become the

Busang Senne

Deputy Features Editor n first meeting, Busang is a little intimidating punk-girl, but beneath her studded, leatheradorned exterior lies a heart of gold. She’s so badass she even has a song written about her life. It goes a little something like this: “Would you let me see beneath your beautiful”. She can often be found wearing tights with more holes than actual material, but she swears she doesn’t ladder them on purpose. She is filled with crazy police stories and has the most infectious laugh. Although a little crazy and eccentric, Busang is soft and sweet and can bring a good mood upon anyone.

Mark Nandi

Sports Editor ark is the calmest person on the collective; nothing rustles this guy. Except plagiarism maybe. He is unwaveringly to be found in track pants and a hoody, rocking that Adidas-sandal swag all year round, come rain or shine. Mark has produced numerous editions almost single-handedly, running the entire sports section himself while doing an engineering degree (Maths? What?). Perhaps his only weakness is his affinity for blasting music so loudly through his earphones that everyone in the office can hear the Scrillex from metres away. Mark was also a source of much-needed entertainment with his love of sending the entire collective very affectionate drunken texts and novel-long jokes on Whatsapp.

Sofia Gilli

Images Editor

weet, petite and Italian, Sofia is somebody you would just like to put in your pocket and carry around with you all day. In true Durbanite fashion, she says “ah” instead of “I” and is always dressed to impress. Her relaxed demeanour and bubbliness brightens up all of our lives. Adding to her cuteness is the way that she whispers when she speaks, oh and the way she has to stand on a huge pile of newspapers in order to be eye level with another collective member so that she can take their photo. And hell can she take a mean photo! But don’t be fooled by her cuteness, there is a stern, mothering side to her too!

Baz Pinini

Deputy Images Editor aid back to the point of constantly being in a reclining position, Baz is the shweetest person on the collective. Aside from taking pretty much every photograph, she is a mean sportswoman, having represented South Africa in the

women’s touch rugby team. She goes above and beyond to help anyone and everyone with anything and everything. She is also possibly the most gangsta member of the collective, which is saying something – we’re all pretty bad-ass. Our future politician, please remember us when you are chilling up in parliament! We are all so proud of you.

Zona Magadla

Design Editor

hrouded in mystery, Zona is gentle and reserved; we are never really sure where Zona is or what she is thinking. Our resident Hiddingh campus girl, she is a true artist who can be found in the office invariably wearing a beanie and a zip-up hoodie. An enigma wrapped in wit, Zona has a secret (as with everything in the world of Zona) ability to produce hilariously inappropriate articles about rugby jocks and their thighs, or the unfortunate lone braids that are left lying around University Avenue.

Natasha Makoni

Finance and Advertising Manager atasha was another late-comer to the VARSITY team, but what would we have done without her? One of three resident Zimbabweans on the team, Natasha added an extra international flavour to VARSITY this year. She single-handedly managed the all finance-y things that would make Laurie cry and ensured we always had ads in the paper so that we would have enough money to stay afloat, even when things were tough. This sweet and friendly girl must be the fittest member of VARSITY considering the number of times that she had to run up to the treasurer to get us money to buy pizza, something that we are all forever grateful for.

Aneesa Lockhat

Operations Manager he most fashionable member of the collective, Aneesa knows what’s on trend, and that distribution never goes out of style. She has a super logical mind, but when it comes to

sport, things become blurry. She is a die-hard Liverpool supporter, and will switch to a British accent without warning. Whether she’s taking one of her #flawless selfies, or ordering the new office couch, you can always expect a high level of commitment and efficiency from VARSITY’s new Managing Editor. Her fellow collective members are obsessed with her flawless face (in a non-creepy way) and like Aneesa Lockhat, but would prefer her hat unlocked.

Katelyn Mostert

Online Content Editor oft-hearted and open-minded, Katelyn has the most infectious smile and is a god-sent grammatical guru. She’s wowed the collective as a stand-out example of commitment and excellence. Working with her is a dream. No, really: Sometimes you have to pinch yourself. As one of the language experts at VARSITY, she is the only person who truly understands when copy editors get excited about the fact that “species” has no singular form. Though her work at the paper is behind the scenes, she can be seen around campus with her boyfriend, being the cutest couple in the world. Also, if you ever need someone to teach you the cup song, she’s your girl!

Tayla-Paige van Sittert

Web Editor

ast but certainly not least to join the collective, Tayla-Paige once believed that our weekly Wednesday meeting was to be held at Panda Land. She’s never said no to an editor – always happy to represent VARSITY at events and write reviews. It’s just a bonus that her articles are always out of this world! Tayla didn’t shy away from the challenges of her job. She learned how to code the website to keep it from a crash and digiburn, and dealt with the dodgy office computers without complaint. A real testament to the developmental side of VARSITY and “learning on the job,” Tayla-Paige deserves a whole terabyte worth of clapping emoticons.

Stephen Hulme

Web Editor

ool as a cucumber and frazzled by absolutely nothing, Stephen is the love child of Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Mark Zuckerberg. His weather report-style presentations on VARSITY’s online traffic were highly anticipated, and his April Fools Burger King on campus article is legendary. Stephen expects nothing but the best from his co-workers, threatening to punish wrongdoers by pelting them with raisins. His debonair dance moves have stolen the heart of at least one collective member that we know of, and his reconstructive surgery on the website can be likened to the work of a top Hollywood doctor. It was a sad moment when Stephen had to leave halfway through the year – it was like the light in the office faded.

features

Tips for Intracontinental Trips

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2014

The Frenzy over Fringe

Jackie unravels the myths about travelling on our very own continent. A look back at the Cape Town Fringe Festival – Image: flickr.com/Paolo what it was all about and what to expect Jacqueline Tizora next year frica is a continent with an unmatcheable beauty and a pain-filled past as well as being commodity laden. An almost perfect mixture of pulchiltrude and historical baggage.Why anyone would not opt to travel and explore as much of it as is possible boggles my mind. For those who, like myself, enjoy a little traipse through the continent, there are, in my opinion, two possible ways to experience Africa: ignorantly and simply as a destination with which you have come to have a great time and nothing less and nothing more. Or it can be seen as a learning ground for dispelling ideologies and learning more about how vastly the countries differ, but also about the unity it and its people exemplify. For myself, the latter is the only option and how to achieve that is what I will be elaborating on. I am no expert in the field but I have done my share of travelling (still, not enough). Firstly, I would not suggest travelling to any African country during the November/December period. Festive fever is at an ultimate high then. Things escalate in price, non-natives are everywhere and it’s just not representative of the country. January is best I’ve found, as children are back at school and holidaymakers have left, so the country is restored to its normal and authentic routine. I’ve also noticed that when travelling by public transport, booking is not actually essential and more often the option is not available to passengers due to incorrect details displayed on the company’s websites. This downfall comes with the greatest

Image: Jesse Kramer

perk. There will always be a bus driver willing to squeeze you in and to secure your luggage onto the roof. There’s also a taxi driver willing to let you stand throughout the journey. (If someone does not give their seat up to you or makes space for you on their own seat, a friendly smile on your face would make this almost a guarantee.) A plan that includes you rather than excludes you will always be made. Travelling with larger groups requires some kind of booking. With my travels, I found that most bookings were made with the station manager via WhatsApp. Call the station, get the manager’s number and they will likely advise you to message the manager. The booking is always valid, so please ensure that you do stick to arrangements or cancel in due time to ensure that this method remains a reliable way to book transport or accomodation as it is convenient. Shopping, especially at markets, is often a bargain. With this said, respect the vendors when you purchase items. Do not overhaggle, I understand it is tempting to as one’s budget it always tight whilst travelling, but keep in mind that the stall at the market

is someone’s livelihood. Think of what that extra R10 may mean to a vendor… Lastly, Africa is the entire continent, and not a single place on this soil is not ‘African’. So when we travel to Tanzania, for example, I don’t think taking pictures of people without permission is a good idea as it is not something we would do back in our hometown. Not only would it be considered weird but also disrespectful. Further on this point, going on safari for a weekend and taking pictures and ‘hashtagging’ Africa is something we should also refrain from doing. I sincerely hope these tips serve to elighten some and to not in anyway restrict one. I’ve compiled them simply to remind us to be more aware of the fact this entire continent is our home. This kind of mentality that we are all the same will further diminish the ‘othering’ we are all responsible of doing. It will also encourage and highlight the undeniable union we as Africans do have but choose to ignore, or are perhaps not even aware of exists. This holds the power to make for a better continent.

Viewpoints: UCT and its Treasures A review on the coffee table book of UCT’s beauty. Dean Horwitz The University of Cape Town celebrates its architecture, landscape and works of art in one beautifully glossy book entitled Viewpoints: The University of Cape Town and its treasures. The coffee table book features a mixture of amazing colour photographs and descriptive text that tells the story of the UCT and its journey to become the best university in Africa. The book offers a wonderful reflection of UCT’s place in history while at the same time considering the context of its treasures and its role in the future of education in South Africa. Editing of the book was done by Paul Weinberg, the curator of the Visual Archive at UCT. He is also a photographer, lecturer and writer. The book offers a preface by current Vice Chancellor Dr. Max Price and an introduction by former Vice Chancellor Professor Njabulo S Ndebele. With the end of the year around the corner and graduation looming

Image: Dean Horwitz

for many UCT students, the book is the perfect gift to a friend, fellow student or yourself and will serve as a reminder of your own journey at UCT in the years to come. It takes you on a journey in which you are able to reflect and re-discover UCT’s unique history, its amazing artworks and its beautiful interior as well as providing a chance to reflect on your journey through the university. The book is divided up into several different chapters using

stunning visuals and beautifully written text to describe and inform the reader of the content of each chapter. Starting off with a look at UCT’s iconic architecture, its history and significance before moving into the universities works of art, its collections and photographic archive the books offers a glimpse behind the scenes of what is a treasure trove of visual and written gems. There is also a look at some

Engela Britz It is the year 2014 and all eyes are on Cape Town – not only is the city celebrating 20 years of democracy, but it is also the World Design Capital 2014. So it seems fitting that this year also saw the launch of the first official Cape Town Fringe Festival. The inaugural festival swept through the mother city between September 25th and October 5th and featured over 89 acts across genres such as comedy, theatre, dance, music and puppetry. Tickets ranged between R70 and R90, with discounts for block bookings and packages. Cape Town now finally joins other capitals such as New York, Amsterdam, Brighton and Edinburgh in having its very own festival geared towards “art for art’s sake”. The festival is an offshoot of the National Arts Festival that takes place in Grahamstown each year, and featured many of its prize winners, but also featured many local acts which premiered during the Fringe. UCT’s very own Amanda Tiffin and her trio were also there, as well as the Monique Hellenberg Quartet and Dizu Plaatjies’ Ibuyambo. Many of the shows received great reviews, but the Cape Town Fringe still has a long way to go until it reaches the likes of the Edinburgh Fringe – the world’s largest arts festival – which featured over 2695 shows and lasted for 25 days in 2012. The Edinburgh Fringe was launched in 1947 and it is still unjuried – which means that shows do not need to be approved by a selection board. Anyone can participate, granted they pay for the production and venue costs. The Cape Town Fringe is based on the

same model, and productions pay a relatively low fee to cover registration and venue fees, but take the bulk of the profit generated by ticket sales. This gives performers a chance to showcase their work independently, without having to meet criteria that controls content. In terms of content, the fringe aims to bring audiences productions that are bold, innovative and fresh. According to the artistic director, Ismail Mohamed, many of the shows addressed “issues about white guilt, black protests, gender issues and other aspects of our socio-political landscape”. Cape Town was chosen as the city for a South African fringe because it already has a loyal theatre-going audience, and has an established culture of creativity where “free-spirited” shows such as those featured in the fringe could be successful. Even though the Cape Town Fringe is only in its baby steps, it already has some characteristics similar to that of the Edinburgh Fringe – which also has a “fringe of the fringe”. The Edinburgh “fringe of the fringe” is a parallel festival which gives performers the chance to showcase their work at a lower cost than under the official fringe banner. While it is not exactly the same in Cape Town yet, there were various other music festivals that also took place within the past month, such as Rocking the Daisies and the 2014 Artscape Heritage Festival. There is also the Underground Music Festival that takes place from October 7th to October 11th. All in all, the past month has been a creative boom in the Mother City. The City has agreed to a three year partnership with the movement and we wait in anticipation for an even better Cape Town Fringe Festival 2015.

of UCT’s lesser known gems like its musical manuscripts, Jewish history range, its collection of musical instruments and of course its hidden treasures. There is also a look at UCT’s collection of maps of architectural drawings which will leave you wanting to go and view and discover all of these treasures before you leave the university. The book is special in that it’s a complete companion to life at UCT; we often get so caught up in the

hustle and bustle of the daily grind that we forget that UCT is filled with hidden gems, ancient secrets and vast collections often worth way more than the buildings in which they are housed. This book provides the reader with a treasure map of sorts allowing you to go and discover the stories behind the walls. The book costs R385.00 and is available from the UCT Communications and Marketing Department.

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2014

“Fatkini” vs. Bikini Body

Ali investigates the war on weight trends and fitness programmes Ali Findlay ape Town has been abuzz lately with chatter about a new fitness programme: Kayla Itsines’ “Bikini Body Guide”. This exercise craze is spreading as quickly as the news of free coffee on Upper Campus: so fast it’s hard to fathom. Women all over have begun the 12-week exercise regimen, hoping to achieve the “perfect bikini body” advertised in thousands of transformation pictures on Itsines’ Instagram account. Although the name of the regime is problematic as it implies that you need to be slim and muscular in order to wear a bikini, the inherent nature of the program is a positive one. The guide encourages women to make healthy choices, to transform their lifestyle in order to feel fitter, stronger and healthier. It includes a detailed workout guide where Itsines instructs women to do around 45 minutes of exercise six days a week, alternating between resistance training and cardiovascular exercise. Weirdly, as this guide has been gaining momentum everyday, another global trend has emerged: #fatkini. This hashtag has been trending on Instagram

Image: flickr.com/Don Johnson 395

and twitter for months and still receives consistent daily attention. Hundreds of thousands of plussize women have joined the trend, uploading photographs of themselves in their swimwear, bearing their beautiful bodies in all their natural glory.

This exercise craze is spreading as quickly as the news of free coffee on upper campus This trend is aimed at boosting the self-confidence of curvy women, encouraging them to stop feeling ashamed and unhappy, to stop hating their bodies and learn to love them instead. It is intended to show women that you don’t have to be slim to be happy, you don’t have to be skinny to be beautiful, and you don’t have to cave in to the pressure of having a “perfect bikini body” in order to go to the beach or cool off in the pool. You are allowed to wear whatever you want and you should be able to be confident and happy enough in your own skin to actually enjoy yourself. The campaign is also said to encourage swimwear designers to make beautiful, sexy and different swimming costumes for plus-size women and to increase the variety

of bikinis and swimsuits available to those who don’t necessarily fit society’s “bikini body” ideal. Many plus-size women have stated that the only cozzies available to them are, to put it bluntly, designed for grannies, not young and vibrant women. Of course, as with anything on the internet, people have taken issue with the #fatkini trend. Many say that it promotes obesity, which is a contributing factor to many health issues all over the world, which trainers such as Itsines are aiming to curb. But if you take the time and do some research, it

is clear that this is the complete opposite of what the campaign is trying to promote. No sane person would promote disease over good health. The #fatkini campaign is all about giving women of all sizes the

confidence they deserve. It’s about telling all of us that it’s okay if we aren’t in perfect shape - because perfection is, after all, subjective. It’s okay to have a few wobbly bits and it’s okay to feel sassy and sexy as hell when showing them off.

theatre more intimate than most, but that doesn’t constrain the creativity and passion poured into the production. The new media, traditional stage and props create a visual extravaganza. Production designers Tina Driedjik and Penny Simpson were not shy when they designed the scene in which the doctor takes sexual advantage of poor Brad. Their silhouettes are hilariously and shockingly clear as Brad is on the receiving end of some sexual pleasure. Not for the fainthearted, the sudden appearance of a dildo should not come as a surprise. Does this mean that a conservative spectator may wiggle a bit in their seat? Yes, most definitely. Does this mean they should avoid the show? Absolutely not! The show is an expressive masterpiece driven by a talented cast and production crew. The way the fifties naivety is

entwined with sexual undertones prove that they know just how to make you blush while steering clear of vulgarity or downright offense. It seems to me that they’ve got the formula for musical theatre just right! As a person who is not an avid musical fan, nor a life-long Rocky Horror film fanatic, even I was tapping my toes and laughing away as “Time Warp” was performed. Music director Stefan Lombard and choreographer Louisa Talbot combine quirky dancing with comical vocal compilations to deliver a musical well worth watching. Dress in kinky lingerie, apply far too much red lipstick and invest in the party pack that allows you to participate in the narrative. Sipping on wine, having a giggle and throwing confetti during the wedding as the show starts sets the tone for an upbeat and entertaining evening!

Rocking Rocky Horror Anna taps her toes to the Time Warp. dresser and king of the castle Dr Frank N. Furter is executed perfectly by South African local, Brendan Van Rhyn. His muscular 1.93m frame, coupled with 10cm shiny black stilettos in which he prances across the stage with ease cannot detract from his talent for theatre. The man was built for this role, delivering everything one would expect from a crazy scientist – and then some.

The show is an expressive masterpiece driven by a talented cast and production crew.

Image: Lauren Groenewald

Anna Insam As the Cape Times has already said, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, produced by Eric Abraham and being performed at the Fugard Theater in Cape Town,

is all about “down and dirty, fun fun fun!” Unsuspecting couple, Brad (Paul du Toit) and Janet (Jenny Stead), get a flat tire in the woods, and stumble upon the castle where the rest of the saucy sexy tale unfolds. The character of cross-

With his booming voice, confident stride, cheeky grin and lacy thigh-high stockings, he carries the show, never skipping a beat. As the main character, his presence dominates throughout. The hunchbacked handyman Riff-Raff, played by Andrew Laubscher, is one of the many brilliantly executed roles that allow Dr Frank N. Furter to shine. As much as this production needs him, the cast that surround him are vital elements in the well-oiled machine that is Rocky Horror. The stage may be small and the

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The Library Field Guide Megan Thomas

Who’s Who in the UCT Zoo Library

his article has been written in an attempt to ensure that the UCT Animal Kingdom is prepared for the library-specials they are going to be encountering over the upcoming exam period.

Outsiders migrate to the library to catch their prey: the elusive DP. 1. Outsiders These specimens can be spotted on Jammie Stairs, in the food court, or on the grass during the lecture season. However, during the winter (exam time), Outsiders migrate to the library to catch their prey: the elusive DP. Their movements might be likened to the migration of the creatures of Johannesburg to any and every seaside town in the December vacation period. 2. Regulars These creatures have been living in the peaceful tranquility of their natural habitat, the library, all year. They know the laws of the kingdom and where to sit. Hence, when Outsiders swamp the Regulars’ comfort zone, the latter become noticeable by their conduct. They

can be characterised by the deathly glares shot at Outsiders when they giggle, or talk, or listen to music on their earphones too loudly. Or worse still- drink from non-spill-proof cups! Sometimes Regulars won’t say a word: they simply collect their things and move seats. 3. Inconsiderates There is a difference between an Outsider and an Inconsiderate, despite the two being indistinguishable by Regulars. These specimens are under the impression that they are the only living creatures in the library kingdom. It appears that they don’t feel any shame when disrupting their library companions. Finding an Inconsiderate in the UCT library is equivalent to a Kudu sighting in the Kruger National Park – not that hard. You will either hear them having a conversation with another Inconsiderate seated six desks away, listening to heavy metal at full volume (it is possible that the species exhibits a genetic mutation of the auditory center) or infiltrating the “laptop only” desks in all their laptop-less glory. 4. Experts A Regular is characterised by how often it can be found engaging with its academic responsibilities. An Expert, on the other hand, is characterised by its knowledge of not only the library, but its surroundings.

Image: Amina Ebrahim An expert knows that they should go to the top level if they wish to socialize, as well as where to find the best snacks without venturing too far from their current location. They know that, in the evening, members of the non-student kingdom congregate to provide the creatures with a variety of snacks at very reasonable prices. The Experts work in an intricate network such that they can find a member of their community based on whichever section of the library this member frequents.

5. Unwells While some find it impossible to differentiate between the Inconsiderates and the Unwells, the fundamental difference lies in how Inconsiderates act in ways that disrupt those around them in full knowledge of their actions, while Unwells are plagued with “Librariosis” and cannot help being disruptive. The symptoms of Librariosis include: thunderous sniffing, hacking coughing, interminably itchy nostrils that demand constant picking for relief, and similarly itchy earlobes. What is

worse than both the symptoms and the unavoidability of the disease is that it would appear the symptoms cannot be treated with tissues, and demand to be dealt with at the peril of the (quickly dwindling) healthy specimens that occupy the germinfested desks surrounding the Unwells. Figure out where you fit in before venturing into the library: the wild is dangerous and I wouldn’t want you to feel unprepared for the creatures that await beyond those turnstiles!

Campus’ New Health Craze: healthy campus food awaits at the architecture building’s new canteen Dean Horwitz With the craze surrounding Professor Tim Noakes’ Banting Diet many people, myself included, have taken on the challenge which has one key element: remove all carbohydrates from your diet. For many students the removal of carbs becomes problematic when you look at the food that is offered on campus. The majority of stalls, cafes and canteens offer food rich in carbs and entirely unsuitable for someone on the Banting Diet. All that is about to change with the launch of a new health-conscious café in the Centlivres building, betterknown as the architecture building. The casual eatery is structured in a similar fashion to the majority of on-campus food offerings where one places their order at the counter, collects it and finds a seat either in the seating area or somewhere on campus. The key difference between the usual campus fare and this health café is that it offers two menu options, namely a sandwich or a salad as well as a variety of health snacks, hot and cold drinks and fruit. The unique element and one I love is that you can build your own salad or sandwich, choosing a variety of ingredients and paying per ingredient. This allows you to create the perfect

Image: Amina Ebrahim

meal which is prepared fresh while you wait. In addition to the sandwiches and salads the café also offers single-origin coffee, which in layman’s terms means coffee that is made from beans sourced from a single location. This gives the coffee a unique and rich taste and a heavenly aroma, as well as the perfect

strength for a good cappuccino, l atte or espresso. In terms of costs the fact that you can customise your sandwich and salad means that you can choose how much you want to pay, but prices average between R25 and R30, which is quite reasonable considering the quality and quantity of food in relation to

other places on campus. A café latte comes in at R15, which is excellent value considering the quality. The only downside is that it comes in quite a small cup and I was not offered a size option. There were also no lids for the coffee cup which made it difficult to carry. The café is open every day from 8:30

to 16:30 and is situated near the north entrance of the architecture building. The location is new and provides more than enough seating but as is to be expected it fills up quickly during lunchtime, so go a little earlier and enjoy the delicious offerings while taking in the surrounds of the newlyrenovated building.

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Sports Bites England could play away from Wembley

Being Gay in Sports: my personal journey Image: Asitandile Stee Sihawu

England’s football team may play some of their matches away from Wembley and around the country, from 2018, if an NFL team bases itself at Wembley. The Football Association is obliged to host home matches at Wembley until 2017, but wants the stadium to start hosting NFL matches in 2018. England’s last match at Wembley drew a crowd of just 40 181. -BBC.com/sport

Nadal set for surgery for appendicitis Following his exit from the Shanghai masters, where he lost to compatriot Feliciano Lopez, Rafael Nadal has conceded that he will need surgery at the end of the year. Nadal has been diagnosed with appendicitis. He had initially complained of stomach pains, but faced up to Lopez with the help of antibiotics. -BBC.com/sport

Asitandile Sihawu

Ferguson backs van Gaal approach

Sir Alex Ferguson has publically supported Louis van Gaal’s overhaul at Manchester United. Van Gaal spent approximately 150 million, including the British record purchase of Angel Di Maria, rebuilding the squad following David Moyes’ disastrous reign. According to Ferguson, van Gaal has “the experience and coaching ability” to successfully stamp his own identity on the squad. -Skysports.com

dentifying as part of the LGBTQIA community while playing sports will affect your experience of the game, depending on the type of sport that you play

and how you identify. Sports like football and rugby, for example, are all about macho masculinity – exactly what stereotypes say gay men aren’t. Although South African laws are progressive, much of society is still not, especially in the sporting world. You can imagine, then, how difficult it must

be for LGBTQIA sportspeople to “come out” to their teams. Athletes fear being ostracised or, in extreme cases, being asked to leave the team or club altogether. Situations like these make it increasingly difficult for sportspeople to be open about their gender identification or sexual orientation. However some sports, such as women’s football and basketball, are more accepting of LGBTQIA players. Women’s football is often ignorantly associated with gay women in the same way that people associate the colour pink with effeminate gay men. I happen to be a black South African woman who identifies as a lesbian and I currently play for the UCT Ladies’ Football Club. If you have ever watched one of our matches (which I doubt many of you have) or seen the pictures of the team on Facebook and Twitter, you will realise that the team is extremely diverse – comprising local and foreign students of many ethnicities. With that being said, my teammates come from different families and obviously have different views. None of my teammates have ever asked me whether I am a lesbian or not – they all assume that I am due to the androgynous way in which I dress. I was never offended by that because I am comfortable with my

sexual orientation. I just happen to fit the stereotype of what a black South African soccer player from the township. Never in my three years of playing for the club have I been insulted, nor have I ever had anyone use a derogatory word in reference to me. I am lucky to be in a team that is accepting and shows love for all of its players. My teammates respect me and I appreciate that because I know that my story is just one of few that are relatively happy. Some of my teammates even bought badges to show their alliance with the community during Rainbow Week. My coach even tries to crack jokes about my girlfriend even though my orientation contradicts his religious beliefs. I happen to play in a team that accepts me, but the sports industry in general still has a long way to go when it comes to LGBTQIA acceptance. Stereotypes need to be crushed. Sport builds long-lasting friendships, and friends are nothing if not confidants. Sportspeople should feel comfortable discussing their gender identification and sexual orientation with their teammates without fear of ridicule or rejection. Without acceptance of its LGBTQIA players, the sporting world cannot hope to be considered a progressive and inclusive industry.

Pro-Bono FC: a season in review

Zimbabwe spinner banned Bangladesh’s Sohaq Gazi and Zimbabwe’s Prosper Utseya have been banned by the International Cricket Board for illegal bowling actions. After being examined in Cardiff, it was concluded that both players exceeded the 15-degree tolerance limit. Gazi has ten test caps for Bangladesh while Utseya has played 160 ODIs for Zimbabwe. The ICC said that both players can apply for re-assessment, but only if they modify their actions -Sport24.co.za

Injured Ozil out until 2015 Arsenal and Germany midfielder Mesut Ozil is facing up to three months on the sidelines after sustaining a partial tear in the knee ligament. Ozil, who came through the full ninety minutes in the 2-0 loss to Chelsea, joins the German’s national team’s lengthy list of injuries which also includes the likes of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Marco Reus, ahead of games against Poland and the Republic of Ireland. -Supersport.com

Fanie van Zijl

Image: Nick Wright

Nick Wright You know it is nearing the exam period when the UCT internal soccer league’s fixtures come to an end. Gone are the weekdays spent anxiously waiting for Sunday’s big game. Gone are the messages sent out on Whatsapp groups, Facebook, Vula and Res intercoms all in the attempt of assembling a squad for the weekend’s upcoming clash. Gone are the moments of anticipation as you await the referee’s whistle to signal kickoff. The season runs from March to

October every year and fixtures are played every Sunday on the Rhodes Fields and the AstroTurf next to Kopano Residence. There are two leagues, the Premier League and the First Division, each comprised of 18 teams with 20 to 25 players in each team. This year the Premier League title went to Amabutho FC, while the First Division was a hotly contested affair with Obz City FC beating Honkshoo FC to the title by goal difference. This year marked the inauguration of the Law Faculty soccer team – Pro Bono FC. The team was comprised of first-year students, as well as masters

students. We were lucky enough to acquire sponsorship through a law firm and even luckier to have a professor of the faculty as the guest speaker at our awards evening. Although the results didn’t always go the way of PBFC (I think we won only 3 games), it was the spirit and camaraderie of the team and the league itself that made the season a success. From being thrashed by the mercurial Obz City FC (Man City), to scoring a dramatic late winner against Fiorentina at 22:00 in the pouring rain, to watching the athletes of IFC in their leotards, one can truly say that there was

never a dull moment during this year’s league . Pro Bono FC has allowed me personally to meet many people that I would never have met off of the soccer field and many friendships were forged during the course of the season. The braais after the matches, the heated exchanges with the referees, the awards evenings, the supporters screaming from the sidelines, the ridiculous celebrations after goals were scored, the fire in the team after a team talk: these are the reasons we play and these are the reasons that the 2014 internal league soccer season was a success.

sport

The Red Flag Mark Nandi ay 1st, 1994: the last time Formula 1 witnessed a fatality on track. The death of (arguably) one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time sent shockwaves through the sport and the globe, leaving that fateful Sunday with an eternal dark cloud over its head.

went smashing into the recovery vehicle, sustaining severe head injuries. Ayrton Senna’s car suffered a steering failure as he negotiated the high speed Tamburello left-hander on lap 7 at the famous Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari Circuit in Imola, Italy. The car left the racing line at approximately 307 km/hr, crashing straight into a concrete wall. He suffered severe head injuries which he succumbed to en route to hospital. At the time I was merely three years old and hardly knew a thing about motor racing,

and access to footage of the crash was limited. Luckily, our good friend YouTube has offered me a chance to revisit that fateful afternoon. Amidst the confusion of Senna’s condition shortly after the crash, the race still carried on, sparking the debate around whether or not the race should have been red flagged. Now for all you racing novices out there, a red flag during a race signifies that the race has been stopped. This can be due to adverse weather conditions, exceeding the race time limit, occurrence of a potential fatal accident on track and a host of other extreme situations. Fast forward to October 5th, 2014: 20 years, five months and four days after Senna’s death. The world of motorsport was once again left holding its breath as another driver was involved in a potentially fatal accident. The Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka circuit had been marred with the threat of a typhoon prior to the race weekend and on race day, the heavens opened up, causing the start of the race to be held under the guidance of a safety vehicle. On lap 42, Adrian Sutil aquaplaned on the wet track and crashed into

the barriers. However, due to the immense safety improvement the sport has undergone since Senna’s death, Sutil was able to jump out of his car without so much as a scratch. Usually the safety vehicle would be summoned in the case of a potentially dangerous situation when recovering a crashed car. However, the race stewards deemed it safe enough to remove the car and as a result only double yellow flags were used. A double yellow flag signifies to a driver to greatly reduce speed at the point where it is being waved due to recovery activity on track. Nevertheless, at that very point of recovery on lap 43, Jules Bianchi spun and went smashing into the recovery vehicle, sustaining severe head injuries. The race was eventually stopped on lap 46. As a result of the incident the F1 world has again been posed the question: just how effectively was the first crash situation managed, and is the sport safe enough? Fans and drivers alike have argued that the safety car should have been summoned immediately after Sutil’s crash on lap 42, while other drivers such as Felipe Massa have voiced

Club Sport: all about the money Fanie van Zyl In the past, international sport has been regarded as the pinnacle of the sporting world. However, in light of recent investments into sporting clubs and franchises, club sport is becoming more competitive, lucrative and popular among supporters. Club sport is at its most popular in America, where an event like the Super Bowl is the most watched sporting event of the year. But club sport is also popular across several sporting codes all over the world. An example of the rise of club sports is the Indian Premier League (IPL), a cricket tournament featuring franchises from all over India. All of them are funded by wealthy investors and the series attracts some of the world’s highest profile cricketers. There does not seem to be very much culture or heritage in the game: all of the teams are recently founded with no tradition or history to speak of and players move between teams all too frequently, depending on where they can make more money. Money and television seem to be what make the sporting world go round these days. The English Premier League is Europe’s most watched sporting league and, unsurprisingly, it is also the league that is the biggest money-spinner – an estimated £ 1.6 billion was spent on wages in the 2013/14 season. The majority of this is down to TV money. This creates a chicken and egg situation: fans pay to watch top players; players want to play for clubs where they get the biggest possible pay cheque, which comes from having a large viewership. This leaves the Premier League in a very

comfortable position. All of this begs the question: is there such a thing as loyalty in club sport or is that reserved exclusively for international sport? The answer is somewhat dependent on the sport, league, club, or individual. On one end of the spectrum is the IPL where a multitude of cricketers have represented South Africa, including big names like Dale Steyn and AB de Villiers. They play in a totally foreign country, in cities where they have never lived, representing teams with little-to-no history. There is no denying it; they are, to put it bluntly, only in it for the money. Yet this does not apply universally. There is certainly such a thing as proudly Western Province in the Currie Cup or proudly Manchester United in the Premier

League, among both supporters and players. Look at Ryan Giggs, Xavi Hernandez and Paulo Maldini, all legendary one-club footballers. Then there are the mercenaries, or at least those who are accused as such and hated by angry supporters. There is nothing Arsenal fans seem to enjoy more than raining abuse down on the likes of Ashley Cole and Samir Nasri, players who, according to them, left for greener pastures at oil-rich clubs for the fatter pay cheques they could offer. Loyalty will always be found, at least in isolated cases, but there is no doubt that modern club sport is too heavily influenced by money. Enormous wages are paid in club sport and, unfortunately, the majority of sportsmen seem to value price above loyalty.

Image: WikimediaCommons.org/BradTutterow

their concern regarding the decision continue the race considering that it was raining and getting dark, compromising the visibility of the drivers. Whichever way one chooses to argue, I think the binding argument is that there has to be a safety review, especially when dealing with wet races and recovery vehicles. Yes, stopping the race would have ultimately limited the entertainment on offer, but when it comes to driverand marshal safety there should be

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no compromise. The situation would have been exacerbated had Bianchi’s car struck a marshal upon collision with the recovery vehicle. And if the collision was strong enough to lift the tractor that was the recovery vehicle, God knows human flesh would stand no chance. Our sincerest prayers and thoughts go to Bianchi’s family as we wish him a speedy recovery. But for the umpteenth time, F1 has to answer to Madam safety.

Image: wikipedia.org/Morio

Sport VARSITY

FIXTURES UCT Sports Awards Dinner October 17th, 18:30pm Kelvin Grove

UCT CRICKET UCT OVAL UCT VS. UNITED

October 18th, 10:00am

UCT Sport: a year in review

Image: SASPA

The victorious Ikey Tigers celebrating their incredible victory in the 2014 Varsity Cup. Image: Michael Hammond

Image: UCT Fencing Club

Ciaran Maidwell competing against Stellenbosch in the Men’s Foil event at this year’s Inter-Varsity Fencing. Image: Rowan Nicholls

UCT Alumni Siyoli Waters won the WSA Women’s Final in the Keith Grainger Memorial Squash Tournament against Salma Nassar with a score of 11/6, 11/7, 11/8. UCT Athletics Club member, Zane Weir, on his way to breaking the UCT and Western Province Junior shotput record. Image: Rowan Nicholls

Image: Abby Davidson

UCT rowers Jonty Smith and Leo Davis competing in the pairs event at the international Under-23 World Rowing Championships in Varese, Italy. UCT Vice-Chancellor Max Price completes his 1st Two Oceans Marathon. Image: Aaron Ruffels

Image: Michael Hammond

The UCT Ultimate Frisbee Club on their way to beating the University of Stellenbosch's 1st team 17-10 in the annual Intervarsity held in Stellenbosch.

UCT swimmer Russell Gaynor on his way to winning the wetsuit category in the 7.5km Freedom Swim from Robben Island to Big Bay.